Life of a D&D Scholar

Dungeon Master Apps

Dragon + is great for updates to current content, it is a endless well of information that should spark anyone’s creativity. It’s all around a great publication.

RPG Sounds: Fantasy is awesome for atmosphere and an alternative to the YouTube which plays adds, or constantly has you searching for a new song to play.

Trello connects to both your phone and computer and is a great alternative to physical note cards. My favorite for session prep.

Story Cubes always pull me out of writers block. Some of my favorite game moments came from a random roll of these die.

Time Tree my least favorite side of D&D is organizing the best time for everyone to play. This app allows all the players to upload their schedules and makes life so much easier.

While players may love writing backstories for their characters, most of it is a waste of time that is never going to turn up mattering in a play session. At the same time, a player who showed up to an RPG and just wants to move their character around the board is supremely boring.

So I’ve been working on a character questionnaire that gets to the stuff that the player and GM are going to use and reference to make the character fun to play. Short, sweet and useful is the goal.

Character Questionnaire

1) How did your character come upon their class? Were they trained or simply imbued with power? Who was their mentor/teacher?

2) What racial/ethnic traditions are important to your character? Which ones does your character rebel against?

3) Why did your character leave their home and family behind to become an adventurer?

4) Who is your character most likely to turn to when they need help? Who is your character most likely to help if they should get into trouble? Which of their associates is most likely to have a dark secret?

5) What do people see when they look at your character? What do you want them to see? Why are they different?

6) What races/cultures does your character view as allies? What races/cultures do they think of as enemies?

7) What classes/careers is your character most likely to view positively? Negatively?

8) When you say your character is lawful/chaotic, what does that mean? How does your character bring about good/evil?

9) How do you want your character to die? How do you want their life to be remembered?

Here is the complete list of worldbuilding prompts from June 17. Feel free to use them to jumpstart your worldbuilding, challenge yourself, or just get some ideas!

Start Small

How did it start?

Wearables

Timeline Madness

Inside and Out

Stereotypes

Goods and Services

The Passing of Power

Pantheon

Superstition

Slang and Sayings

Pets

Pick Your Poison

Snacktime!

Progress??

Small Magics

Recovery

Journalism

Military Strength

Weapon of Choice

Sports

Get a job!

Aesthetic

Mysteries

Family

Music

Conflict

Counterculture

Creatures of Legend

We had a campaign in D&D where we assembled a steampunk-ish time machine. After many sessions travelling through time, uncovering mysteries and learning harsh lessons about changing history, we had to stop a time-travelling cult from destroying the gods, and therefore the world. We failed.

Our machine crashed, we were stranded earlier than we had ever been able to travel. We found the Gods, but only a few of them were present - it was as if some had never existed. Then we realised - we had to become those Gods. Our party was entirely divine (Cleric, Paladin, Avenger, Invoker), and each of us was a worshipper of a god who had been unmade - and we were the only people in existence with enough knowledge of the forgotten deities to assume their roles.

But two of the players were worshippers of Io (in his twin forms of Tiamat and Bahamut, who would of course form later after Io’s ‘death’), and only one could become Io. The other would have to be the un-created Asmodeus.

So the most just, honourable and dedicated Lawful Good paladin I’ve ever seen roleplayed became the god of tyranny and evil. If he hadn’t, the gods would never have defeated the primordials, and the world would never have been completed.

In our setting, Asmodeus is every bit the epitome of evil you would expect him to be. Nobody but the gods who abide his presence know him as otherwise. He adheres to his role because he knows he has to - and that in doing so, the world can exist. He can never tell anyone his duty, and no-one who knows can ever discuss it.

In the farthest recesses of the Nine Hells, in a chamber sealed tighter than any other in existence is a pocketwatch of finest gnome craft with a photo of his family in it - his wife, son, and little baby girl.

-As a bisexual man, Cullen gets assumed either heterosexual or gay a lot. He especially hates it when people ask him when he’s going to get a wife and kids. “Maybe I’ll get a fucking husband and a bunch of dogs.” Cullen “I’ll marry a man and still be bi as fuck” Rutherford.

-More about Cullen’s background: the reason Cullen is an angry sjw is because he’s obviously gone through some tough things in his life. Verbal and physical violence as a child, being bullied, ended relationships related to his bisexuality. And when he first sought community, everything was about gays and lesbians and nobody talked about bisexuality. And then Cullen grew up to be an angry bi activist.

-Dorian’s past has also been tough, growing up with homophobic parents in a homophobic society, being told that two men can’t love each other.

-This is why when Cullen assumes Dorian “has had it easy”, Dorian gets really hurt. Cullen assuming Dorian has had it easy results in Dorian telling him “my family would rather have me dead than being the way I am”. Cullen realizes how wrong he’d been.

-Dorian is an openly gay man though and sexually active out of spite, as a huge “fuck you” to his family. But the way he’s been brought up still affects him - especially when it comes to the way he views love/sex.

-And yay, more hurt headcanons! It came up with dorian–rutherford that Cullen would also be demisexual in addition to being bi. Which would create more dramatic moments between him and Dorian.

-Basically, Cullen being demisexual means that when he and Dorian finally end up having sex, it’s really special to him, even if he doesn’t say it aloud. By this point Cullen and Dorian already have a deep connection; they’re friends, who challenge each other and enjoy each other’s company. And they’re attracted to each other. So sex happens.

Dorian, on the other hand, has been taught his whole life that love between men doesn’t exist and it’s all about physical pleasure. So in the beginning, he obviously keeps his feelings detached from it all.

So when Dorian makes an idle comment about it after their first night together, Cullen gets upset. Cullen is hurt about the fact that Dorian admits that sex doesn’t require love. And Cullen blurts out “well I wouldn’t do it just with anyone”.

Trying to hide his upset, he leaves the room. Dorian goes after him, being a bit alarmed in a situation like this, asking

“Cullen… what do you think this is?” “Nothing, apparently”, Cullen huffs in anger, avoiding Dorian’s gaze because he’s on the verge of crying.

-After this Cullen will somewhat avoid Dorian. Thinking what a fool he’d been, to think Dorian would care for him the same way he’s cared for Dorian. He’s disappointed with himself as well, having basically already fantasized about happily-ever-afters, having finally met a man who challenges him, who’s charming and attractive and funny, with just the right amount of annoying - only for it to end up being a simple tumble in bed.

-Dorian will have none of it, of course. Dorian tries to reconnect with Cullen, using his usual charm and wit, trying to use humour to lighten things up: “Was it really that bad?” Cullen tries to convince Dorian “nothing is wrong”, but Dorian obviously sees something is up. 

-Cullen tries to accept the situation as it is. He still cares about Dorian, and doesn’t want to lose him. So, despite his own inner turmoil, he tries to maintain their friendship, but now Cullen avoids flirting, anything that would suggest he’s interested in Dorian romantically. His logic is “I want to keep him, so I can’t be in love with him”.

-Dorian notices the change, of course, because he’s smart. And it upsets him. He doesn’t like the change in their relationship dynamic because he’d been enjoying how careless they’d been with each other; he enjoys the flirting and the joking and even the arguments. Then Dorian of course realizes that perhaps Cullen has invested his feelings in this a bit more than he’d initially assumed. Dorian begins exploring his own feelings on the matter. Could he in fact have more than a sexual relationship with a man? He and Cullen are already friends, who share a physical attraction - why couldn’t it be more? Could he be - gasp! - in love with another man? And this freaks him out, basically.

-Dorian begins showing Cullen that he really, really, REALLY cares about him, even if he dares not to speak of love. Cullen is confused. Eventually Dorian tells Cullen about his upbringing, explaining why he’s so “shitty in the matters of love”. It’s simply a thing that was never meant for “people like him”.

-It’s Dorian who initiates the next step, and kisses Cullen. Cullen tries to resist, because he doesn’t want to keep his hopes up. Until Dorian tells him “I’ve missed you”. It’s a total mess of Dorian trying to express that “oh no I think I’m falling in love with you and please don’t push me away”.

-Then Cullen starts to get it. Dorian is reaching out, and Cullen is more than happy to respond. And he’s determined to prove to Dorian how wrong his family has been. 

-”This is hard for me, you know.” “What is?” “This. Caring about someone. I was taught I should never– kaffas, look at me, being ridiculous.“ “You’re not. Ridiculous, I mean.” Because Cullen is a kind and loving soul even when he’s a bit wary and careful about their relationship (because he doesn’t want to get hurt again).

Even if he is a raging sjw a lot of the time lmao.

-Obviously they fall in love and become a gross happy couple. And it’s such a shock to Dorian, to have someone like Cullen (or anyone for that matter) care about him. That makes him feel ridiculously happy and he realizes that yes, indeed, I suppose I am in love, or something. How silly.

-IMAGINE THE SEX THOUGH. At first, after they have started dating, so to speak, Dorian won’t pressure Cullen to having sex because their last time hadn’t ended so well. But eventually they get to it. And it’s wonderful because 1) Dorian learns the difference between “sex” and “making love”, 2) Cullen learns so many new things to do in bed.

Hah so basically Cullen is all for the gentle love making and Dorian is like “oh Cullen WHY must you be so sweet”, and Dorian is all about hot steamy sex and Cullen is like “ahh Dorian WHY MUST YOU BE SO HOT”. They love it both ways.

-The first time Dorian says “I love you” out loud is when they’re banging. And Cullen basically dies from happiness. And kisses Dorian to death. Figuratively speaking.

Other random AU thoughts:

-Cullen has to restrain his frustration and anger in certain situations, for example, with conservative family members. He’ll of course rant about it to Dorian later. “Calm down, amatus, you’re going to get an aneurysm.”

-One of Cullen’s siblings is a super aggressive ally and wears a t-shirt that says “MY BROTHER LOVES COCK” (it has a picture of a rooster in it).

Do you need to distract yourself? Or are you simply bored? Here are some great websites to make the time pass.

create pixel art

Awesome photo editor and art program, all free…!

Totally free transparent textures

make a cute chibi

draw some cool generative art

be a graffiti creator

create a picassohead (you don’t need to be a picasso to do so)

paint online

another awsome site to create pixel art on

and another one

create your own mandala

or color one

create an avatar

or you can try creating your own superhero

here you can interact with organisms in different environments to see how to music changes

here’s a website that translates the time into hexidecimal colours,

Here is a website where you can travel along a 3D line into the infinite unkown

here is a website where you can listen to rain with or without music

Need a model in a certain pose for drawing? here

Want to build your own planet

here is a website where you can create your own galaxies

make your own pattern (very useful if you need a new background)

create next hit comic

make a city which looks like something from 90′s games

draw a mandala like design

jig saw puzzles

more jig saw puzzles to solve

create a stunning HTML5 animation - no coding!

make a movie

create and dress up dolls

play a piano

you can also play a guitar

create sounds

another sound creator

create a logo

design your dream home

sketch rooms

explore fashion trends and create your own sets

build a website

try this app for building a website

Or maybe start learning how to code!

design your own t-shirt or a beanie or sweatpants and order them

design your own phone case

pretend to be a graphic designer with this cool online tool

Make your own Glitch art

Here’s another glitch art maker

And another!

Holy hell, here’s a third!

make an image look like it was created by a commodore 64

freaking cool text generator!

Easy to use word processor

Make up really cool patterns or run your photos through it :)

Write an essay on anything with no hassle

Wanna see how something you write would look like if it was on JacksFilms YGS((Your Grammar Sucks videos on YouTube))?

Make pictures out of text

ASCII word generator

Need an idea for some fanart-here :D

Still haven’t found something that would float your boat? Try these:

watch a documentary

learn to code

do something yourself

workout with the help of this great youtube channels

learn things

play pokemon or zelda or other awesome old school games

waste your time on miniclip

play games at additing games

or try games at agame

calm your thoughts

the quiet place

it will be okay

vent or listen to someone

pour out your soul

explore the sky

look at art from around the world

virtually visit museum of iraq

explore world with arounder

create a music playlist

list through rare books

scroll useful science website

create sand art

brain games

try out tastekid and discover new favorite band or movie or book

interactive 3D anatomy

random street view

post a secret

create a family tree

find our what’s the difference between x and y

help scientists and become volunteer researcher

create your own font

read a classic short story

In the mood to read, but not sure exactly what book to go for?

scribble on maps

listen to letters

play with acrobots

listen to podcasts

make a bucket list

Ever want to see the most truly useless websites in creation?

Prank a friend with this blue screen of death!

Zone out watching the colors drip down

Maybe none of these peeked your interest-maybe you’ve been wanting to create an o.c, but never really knew how to start-or you just enjoy making O.C’s….

This masterlist is to help you in making your own OCs….it can also apply to developing RP characters i suppose! (´ヮ`)!

How to Write Better OCs:

basic tips on how to make your oc even better

tragic backstory? learn how to write one/make yours great

writing specific characters

a wordier, great guide on how to develop your character

kick out those vague descriptions and make them AWESOME

Character Development:

how to actually make an OC

Q&A (to develop characters)

more Q&As

giving your character a backstory

how to write an attractive character

Need an Appearance idea?

Humanoid generator? check

Here’s another one

and maybe if you didn’t like those this’ll work

Need Monsterpeople?

Well, then here ya’ go

Maybe you need Cats?

Diversity

adding more racial diversity

avoiding tokenism, AKA, how to add diversity to your cast not just because you “need” it

writing sexuality and gender expression (doesnt include non binary, if you have a good ref to that, please add on!)

masterpost on writing more diversity into your story

cultures of the world

guides to drawing different ethnicities (not just a great art reference, but also really helpful in appearance descriptions!)

Mary Sue/Gary Stu

Test to see if your character is a Sue

Explains subdivisions of Sues/Stus

Powerful Characters Don’t Have to Be Sues

Villains

villain generator

need an evil sounding name for your evil character? bam

villain archetypes

what’s your villain’s motive for being a villain?

Relationships

character perceptions (What your character thinks of themselves and what others think of them)

how to write strong relationships between two characters

8 ways to write better characters and develop their relationships with others

OCxLove Interest Handbook

develop your couple with good ol’ Q&A!

how to write realistic relationships

how to write relatives for your characters (this is more OC related to a canon character, but will help in writing family members in general)

ARCHETYPES

12 common archetypes

8 archetypes for male/female characters

female archetypes (goes pretty indepth from two main categories)

a list of archetypes

NAMES

how to name your character

random name generator

most common surnames

surnames by ethnicity

APPEARANCE

tips for better design

basic appearance generator

pinterest board for character design (includes NSFW and images of skeletons/exposed muscle (?) so tread carefully!)

clothing ref masterpost

Clothing generator

Another clothing generator

More clothing generator

Aaaand even more

Steam punk clothing

Char Style preference

Dress Generator

DETAILS

give your character better powers

a list of professions

proactive vs reactive characters

positive and negative traits

interest generator

skills generator

motivation generator

123 ideas for character flaws

list of phobias

Oh shit someone died

Backgrounds and stuff? yep

Quirks

Personality. you need that shit

Need something fandom related?

City generator hell yeah

location? got ya

World-building?

make your own god damn laws

Landscape.

Need Item names?

Fantasy/sci-fi/etc. medicine names

Stuff to make things more interesting.Weapons, clothes, treasures… whatever your characters need.

Item & Artifact Generators

Other stuffs!

Genre, Plot, & Story Prompt Generators

How did your characters meet?

Happy National Coming Out Day

Ark. Written by Ehud Lavski. Art by Yael Nathan. If you like it, please share.