Skip to content

Grumpy Wizard

Essays on Sword & Sorcery Fiction, Classic Adventure Gaming, and Heavy Metal Music

  • Home
  • Now
  • Contact
  • Recommended

Tag: #worldbuilding

The Implied Setting of Original Dungeons & Dragons is Post Collapse.

On April 14, 2022April 15, 2022 By Travis MillerIn musings4 Comments

The implied setting of Original Dungeons & Dragons was post collapse not post apocalypse.

How Much Worldbuilding Do I Need For My Campaign?

On March 17, 2022March 17, 2022 By Travis MillerIn game mastering advice5 Comments

Focus on the thing that players are likely to interact with and what they will care about, and the rest of your worldbuilding can be made up of bullet points, quick sketches and scribbles on index cards.

How Many Wizards?

On December 23, 2021December 5, 2022 By Travis MillerIn design theory, game mastering advice4 Comments

When I'm creating a campaign for Swords & Wizardry one of the first steps in my process are to define the groups that exist in the setting. I start with very broad strokes and ideas. In the beginning...there is swirling Chaos that becomes more clear as I make progress. I start by thinking about the …

Continue reading How Many Wizards?

What is This Magic Sword For?

On November 18, 2021December 23, 2021 By Travis MillerIn game mastering advice1 Comment

What is it for? is a question that can help you when you are brainstorming ideas for magic items, locations, and quest objectives.

Alignment, Cosmology, People and Monsters

On August 27, 2021December 1, 2022 By Travis MillerIn inspiration, my campaign1 Comment

I've developed/borrowed/stolen a cosmology for my Swords and Wizardry games. It has been in my head for quite some time but not written down. Hopefully, it is somewhat coherent.

The Asshole Rule

On November 27, 2020January 7, 2023 By Travis MillerIn game mastering advice5 Comments

There's always an asshole.

What Level is the King?

On November 20, 2020November 20, 2020 By Travis MillerIn blog dialogue, game mastering advice2 Comments

James of Grognardia published a post earlier this week wondering what level a king might be and if they had to be a high level character. He makes a good point. Many rulers, particularly in a sophisticated empire with rulership that is inherited, would not be involved in the activities D&D rewards with experience. In …

Continue reading What Level is the King?

Posts navigation

Older posts

Search the Grumpy Wizard Archives

writer Travis Miller, long beard long hair

I write about tabletop role-playing games, sword-and-sorcery fiction, storytelling, and heavy metal. 

The friendships I’ve forged while playing adventure games, listening to heavy music, and sharing stories saved my life and made it worth living.  

I live in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. America’s most underrated city.

Subscribe to get an email when I publish a new blog post.

Post Categories

Archive

Blogs I Follow

The Alexandrian

B/X Blackrazor

Hite Studios

Ten Foot Pole

Dweller of the Forbidden City

Delta’s D&D Hotspot

Hack & Slash

Joe Abercrombie’s Blog

From Kuroth’s Quill

Welcome To The Death Trap

Age of Dusk

Thews You Can Use

Witch House

The Pavilion Blog

Whetstone: Amateur Magazine of Sword & Sorcery

The Silver Key

Podcasts I Like

Tides of History

Hardcore History

RPG Ramblings

Unknown Worlds of the Merril Collection

Are you sure you want to do that? The box of DOOM. I was a guest in the swanky Immortals Inc. recording studio this afternoon. My wife's orchids are starting to bloom. She gave me one to brighten up the Grumperie. Saw a @kingbuffaloband show last night. The two openers were fantastic as well. I finished Volume I and now I am ready to go on to Volume II.  It's been a while since I read these and they are better than I remember them. One of the local game shops is... unique. Piles of stuff everywhere. Sometimes I find a good deal on a scarce and obscure item. #flgs I'm writing a dungeon room a day in 2023. I have a post about it on my blog. Finishing up my annual reading of The Hogfather. I always marvel at Terry Pratchett's skill. Happy Hogswatch!

Follow Travis on Twitter

My Tweets

Travis on Facebook

Travis on Facebook

Category Cloud

design theory game business game mastering advice game report inspiration musings my campaign recommended storytelling Uncategorized
  • RSS - Posts
Blog at WordPress.com.
  • Follow Following
    • Grumpy Wizard
    • Join 123 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Grumpy Wizard
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
    To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy