Eagle's nest

Pre-made adventures or campaign settings are only useful if A) they’re easier/faster than coming up with something yourself would be, or B) you have a lot of free time to read a game book and memorize all of its details.

My advice?

1) Have your first session start with the players waking up in a dungeon you made. No other details, no plot, no story, just “We’re stuck, we need to work together to get out of here”. This way, you don’t need to come up with a whole world before playing your first game. If you have some campaign ideas already, you can pepper them in throughout the dungeon crawl.

Don’t let not having a whole campaign ready to go stop you from playing D&D. Chances are your players won’t care.

2) Take a 8.5x11 piece of paper. You’re gonna use it to make a map.

3) Roll a handful of dice onto the paper. Four d6′s, two d10′s, a d20, and a handful of d4′s work best. Make sure they’re kinda spread out when rolled. If they’re too bunched up, roll them again.

4) Now…each dice and their number rolled corresponds to a location on your map. d4′s are ruins, d6′s are dungeons/strongholds, d10′s are small towns, the d20 is a city. Now you have a bunch of places for your players to go to.

5) The number rolled on each of the dice determines the specific  type of location it is. They break down like so:

Ruins (d4):

A razed village, burned to the ground. 50% chance of their being treasure under some floorboards.

A centuries old elven landmark. 

A centuries old dwarven landmark. Buried treasure.

A broken obelisk of almost alien design. Either portal to another plane, or a camp for important monsters.

Dungeons/strongholds (d6):

Old tomb. Undead.

Basement of ruined castle. 

Abandoned and cursed temple. Weird cultists.

Arcane Tower. Crazy old wizard.

Old Fort. Full of monsters or jerk humans.

Death Trap. Has a lich. Leads down into a bigger megadungeon.

Towns (d10′s): 

Multiply the roll by 20. That’s the population. The roll is also the level of the highest level NPC in that town.

1-3. Agricultural town. Everywhere nearby is good farmland.4-5. Fishing/trade town. A river runs through the town and through the map.6. Lake town. Same as above, but the town is in the centre of a huge lake. Rivers extend from it.7. Gate town. Sits at the base of a mountain range. Is a gateway to a mountain pass.8. Cut-throat town. Full of shady thieves and villains. Basically a town-sized dungeon crawl.9. Demi-human town. Run by mostly good halflings, dwarves, or elves.10. Monster town. Town run by monstrous people like orcs, goblins, skeletons, etc.

City (d20):

This is the biggest settlement in the immediate campaign world. It is generally a place the players will want to get to, as it’s the best place to sell treasure, buy dog armour, and get curses removed. The roll x100 is the permanent population, but it’s probably double that with visitors. The roll is also the level of the NPC in charge of that town. If it’s really low, that person is either a simpleton or a child.

1-3. God fearing city. Leader is a theocrat. Magic is treated with more hate than usual. Temples are abundant. Brothels and Festhalls also abundant, but hidden.4-5. Slum city. Leader is a thief/despot. Collection of shanty-towns. Full of shady characters. Great place to fence goods and buy weird items.6-8. Villain city. Leader is a campaign villain. She/he keeps the common people downtrodden and will try to exert her/his authority over the players in petty ways. 9-11. Monarch city. Leader is a noble (viscount, duke, baron, etc). Peace is kept with a town guard. Knights are common and welcomed here. Adventure hooks can be passed down from the monarchy on high.12.  Ruin city. Leader is a mayor. Buildings are a collection of towers built on top of a much older ruined city. There’s a dungeon below.13. Magic city. Leader is a magister. Home of a magic college or ruling wizard class. Anything can be bought/sold here. Oddities and strangeness are abundant.14. Elven city. Leader is a high elf noble. The campaign map is under elven rule. That rule may be waning. Lots of trees, stained glass, dueling in the streets.15. Dwarven city. Leader is a cabal of dwarven trade concerns. The campaign map is under dwarven rule. That rule may be waning. Partially underground, great armour, maybe lava flows.16. Halfling city. Leader is a halfling matron. The campaign map is under halfling rule. That rule may be waning. Lots of hills, all the buildings are meant for shorter people, the food is great.17. Invasion city. Leader is a foreign invader. This native city has been seized by a foreign power and is in the throes of occupation/rebellion. The players can pick a side if they want.18. Devil city. Leader is a secret devil prince/princess. Clearly full of evil creatures and bad folks. Not hostile, but evil. Trade is great. Brothels are excellent. No non-evil temples.19. Giant city. Leader is a frost giant prince/princess. The city is built and intended for giant creatures, but open to smaller folk. Trade is ridiculous.20. Ghost city. Leader is a lich. Built on top of an ancient mausoleum. Ghosts and humans interact normally, using each other for mutual gain. Everything is spooky.

6) Now that you have all your locations, connect them with roads, rivers, and paths. Fill in empty spaces with forests, deserts, coastlines, etc. The types of towns and cities you rolled should dictate the environment.

7) The dungeon that is furthest away from the city is the one your players woke up in. That’s where they start on the map.

8) Come up with names for all the locations. Fill in the details. Adjust to your own tastes. Now you have a ready made campaign world with an implied history and geography. Have fun watching your players systematically dismantle it in the most ridiculous ways possible.

Hello! My name is Laura, I’m 19 years old and I live in Missouri. I’ve lived here for almost 8 years and my experiences have been less than pleasant. Although my parents have been supportive, growing up queer and wanting a music career in the midwest isn’t really a great place to be and having an…

"It is permissible to say that, aside from the external appearance of face and hands, the really human element of Wilbur Whateley must have been very small" - The Dunwich Horror

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Things That Should Not Be

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Throughout the planes lie many mysteries.  Many planar mysteries inhabit prime material itself.  Among them are the castaways from reclusive societies, creations of dreadful cults, and mad men changed through dark worship.  This great mystery is an unfortunate soul bonded to dark cosmic power.  These strange beings are cursed to suffer the blood of elder beings that seed minds with madness and exist beyond dreams.  Perhaps these souls are more in-tune to their distant masters… or perhaps they were created to spread frightening agendas far beyond mortal comprehension.  No matter the reason, these misfits wander several realities, finding their place while trying to escape nameless horrors.

Similar to planetouched beings like aasimar, tieflings, and genasi; the eldritch-touched is a race onto its own.  There is no specification to how a being looks.  They often look a lot like their mortal realm parent, with the traits of the blasphemous being they are tied too.  Features from the eldritch master will always vary; tendrils writhing around their skin, multiple eyes, gibbering mouths, non-Euclidean forms that cannot be grasped by a human mind!  Of course, these are some of many possibilities.

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Children Born from a Sleeping Madness

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While most eldritch touched are slain due to being the progeny of unfathomable elder beasties, many find ways to cope and adjust to their offbeat heritage.  Many has fought against reality piercing voices in their dreams, creating barriers through the very same power imbued within them.  They have found ways to shape these dreadful boons into shields against unspeakable terrors, as well as defense against the ignorant masses.

For those who look beyond their eldritch powers, they are more than valuable companions.  Enhanced knowledge from strange sources has them to become powerful speakers, magic users, and more than competent warriors in their own right.  The dread visions of Far Realms haven’t always lead to lives of misery.  When dealing with an aberrant incursion, you can guarantee an Eldritch-Touched will make a useful partner.  But, in other cases, they seek to fuse the world of the aberrant with the world of our own.  Few understand their madness or the reasons behind their existence… and few want to.

TRAITS AFTER THE JUMP

Especially when you’re a new Dungeon Master, the possibilities of a new campaign can be equal parts inspiring and paralyzing. Many of us who feel the urge to stand at the head of a table in front of our friends and run a game fancy ourselves creative types - writers especially. In the beginning stages of planning our new campaign, we can tempted to try and detail as much as possible up front:

The landscape. The continents. The nations. The Kings, Queens, and Emperors. The wars. The tensions. The growing threats. 

We’re inspired by the worlds of Tolkien and Martin, and can mistakenly believe that our players require that level of detail to enjoy our games. In most cases, however - it’s the complete opposite. 

Consider taking module T1 The Village of Hommlet as a source of inspiration and simply starting your players off as they arrive at a tiny village or town, just beginning their career as adventurers. 

Don’t worry about the world outside of this village beyond a day’s journey. Maybe some bandits are hiding out in some old ruins to the West, and some goblins have made a home of a cavern in a forest to the South. 

What effects the population of this village? Who are they and what are their problems? Most importantly, who are your players most drawn to? 

If they spend a lot of time at the local tavern, the barkeep’s personality will likely develop, and he’ll probably have several quests for the characters. (Those aforementioned bandits are maybe causing him some trouble.) 

Let your players carve out a home base in this location, and see the direction the story goes naturally through play. Try not to plan more than a session or two ahead. 

Slytherin, he demanded of the hat. I want to be in Slytherin.

The hat made a strange clucking noise in his ear that reminded him of his aunt being disapproving. “Oh, dear, no, I don’t think so… yes, very interesting…”

Slytherin! he thought insistently, feeling a twinge of panic. He had to be with David. David needed him.

"Loyal and brave and bright, and with this ability of yours, no, dear, you’d do well in any house but Slytherin.”

"No!" he said out loud.

"You can’t be following that boy around forever. No, I think for you it’s RAVENCLAW."

Tyler felt his face grow hot as the Hat bellowed its verdict and was met with applause. His entire body itched, and he knew his rare power was running unchecked, scales and fur blossoming in patches under his robes, his nails spasmodically shifting into talons to dig into the wood of the bench. “No,” he said again. The applause grew weak and nervous as he remained sitting.

"Sorry, dear," he heard the hat say as it was pulled off his head.

Half the hall gasped in shock. He’d sat down as a handsome blue-eyed blond boy, but now his hair was rapidly shifting through a rainbow of colors and lengths and his eyes were fully jet black. Tyler stood from the stool so forcefully that he just failed to knock it over, and stormed over to the Ravenclaw table. He glanced over at the Slytherins as he passed, and the black bled out of his eyes. David looked shocked. This turn of events had never occured to them.

"Castelle, Wicca." The fluffy haired blond boy stepped to the stool, glancing around nervously before being directed to sit on the stool. The sorting hat was dropped on his head, and a voice whispered in his ear.

"Ah, yes. Very kind, and loyal. Great ambitions to seek power. Determined, stubborn and so very clever, yes. I can see it all quite clearly here."

Wicca opened his mouth to ask for specifics when a voice shouted audibly to the room, “SLYTHERIN!”

Wicca got down off the stool, and the hat was taken from him before he walked slowly over to the Slytherin table, who were cheering. He sat next to the pretty redhead and her dark haired friend.

"DeCamaro, Lash." A boy with long dark brownish-black hair walked up to the stool. His hair shone in the candlelight and gave the illusion of blue hair. The soring hat was placed on his head.

"What a brave boy. You posess every desired trait. GRYFFINDOR.”

The sorting of this boy barely lasted three seconds. He jumped down, handing the hat back to the Professor and jogged to the Gryffindor table who were clapping. The sorting went on. A boy named Hernandez Gabriel was sorted into Gryffindor. The list went down and the line of kids standing waiting to be sorted halved. The boy who started the L’s sauntered confidently over to the sorting hat, but left in a rather embarrassing tantrum. The boy after him shook his head.

"Leventis, Angel." The pale boy with the white-grey hair and grey eyes walked to the stool and sat down. He took his glasses off, holding them in his hands before the sorting hat fell to his nose.

"Such a timid one, aren’t you, dear? But you have a creative mind. So creative, and you’re interested in learning. Very curious. RAVENCLAW."

The Ravenclaw table clapped as she stood up and took a moment to find an empty seat before sitting down, her face pink. There weren’t many students left waiting now, only a small handful.

"Sternberk, Lina." Lina skipped over to the stool and enthusiastically planted herself down. The hat was dropped over her eyes.

"A fiery personality. Strong willed and sure of yourself, aren’t you? Ah, but I see you are clever, not one to go dashing off without a plan, no matter what it may be. Such a curious one, a good mind with a desire for knowledge. RAVENCLAW."

Lina skipped over to the steps, pausing for a moment to look around her. Her gaze fell to the Gryffindor table momentarily, and then over to the other side where the Slytherins sat, and waved happily before skipping down the steps and over to sit beside Sakura. Eventually, there was only one child left.

"Wier, Lachlan." He walked confidently up to the sorting hat. He had the hat placed on his head, and the voice whispered.

"Strong, athletic mostly. A little boastful and loves the spotlight. But you’re a loyal boy and brave, a fighter. GRYFFINDOR." Not all that surprised, Lachlan strode over to the Gryffindor table, and sat down.

Magic is real, wizards are real. 

He was a wizard.

He was shaken from his thoughts when the sorting hat announced the final student and he made his way to the Gryffindor table. 

Eventually the head of the school stood and made a speech and soon after that announced the feast. Gabe was confused, there was nothing on the table in front of him. Did the castle have a staff of servers to feed the hundreds of kids that attended? Seemed rather extravagant for a bunch of teenagers.

And then out of nowhere appeared the grandest feast that Gabe had ever laid eyes on. Gabe was used to the cheap meals his dad provided, usually tv dinner. He really didn't know where to begin so without thinking he grabbed up the closest thing to him. Roast chicken leg, potatoes and the fluffiest bread rolls he had ever had. 

As he stuffed his face he looked around at the other students, primarily the other first years that he was now dorm mates with. He figured he should probably get to know them now, probably the best time anyway. 

"Some of my brother’s friends have joked about magic tests and fighting mountain trolls or roping baby dragons. Don’t believe them, either."

"Would be cool though, wouldn’t it?" Lachlan said, wrapping his arms around both Lina and Nathaniel’s shoulders. "Fighting mountain trolls or dragons. Whoever jumps in first gets Gryffindor."

"I doubt it’s something as dangerous as that!" Alissa said, placing her hands on her hips. "Why would a school condone such barbaric practices? I think it’s some kind of magical test. Maybe we have to produce an element from our wands."

Arguing went on with the rest of their housemates when the teacher came back with a swift “Follow me.”

They were led into a massive hall. A few rather observant people tapped others on the shoulder, who were staring slack-jawed at the sea of faces staring at them, and the floating candled and decorations to point to the ceiling. It was as though there was no ceiling, only the starry sky above with thousands upon thousands of twinkling lights.

They were stopped near the front, where a few announcements were made, and songs were sung. A peculiar old, dusty and beaten up hat was rested on a stool in the middle of the podium, which also spoke and sang a song, much to the surprise of all the first years. Then, finally, the sorting began. She wasn’t exactly first, but a rigidity came to her when her name was called.

"Angels, Alissa."

She walked stiffly up to the stool where she was instructed to sit. The hat was placed on her head and it sunk over her eyes. There was silence for a few minutes and it looked like Alissa was resembling more and more like a marble statue.

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Ah," a voice said into his ear. "A little disorganized, but no doubt here, is there?" And then the voice was yelling to the rest of the hall,

"SLYTHERIN!"

David felt a bit of a chill, but he still smiled when he pulled off the hat, and retained every bit of outer confidence as he joined his clapping and hooting new housemates. One thought was on his mind.

His mother was going to throw a fit.

He watched the other first-years as they each took their turns. Two nearly-identical black-haired girls, “Dobrynyova, Yulia” and “Dobrynyova, Yuri”, were sorted into Hufflepuff and Slytherin. David grinned as the Slytherin one took a seat beside him.

And then finally, when he thought he had seen enough they brought out the sorting hat. This was unlike anything he had imagined when they told him about magic. It was in all senses of the word incomprehensible and yet here was the impossible singing a song and deciding the next seven years of Gabe's young life. Which was both terrifying and awe inspiring.

It was enough to get his adrenalin pumping at least.

"Hernadez, Gabriel"

And that was it. His turn. Gabe sighed heavily and looked at Sakura and Angel.

"I'll see you on the other side then?" He smiled through the fear and parted his way through the students and made his way up to the stage. 

On the stool he sat and the hat placed upon his head, which drooped to below his eyes. He was actually fairly thankful that he didn't have to see the crowd the same time this was happening. 

I see, very loyal, that's interesting. A strong will power for one of your age which is nice but also rather foolish. And drive, lots of drive.

"GRYFINNDOR!" 

However the looming presence of the castle was keeping Gabe's attention divided as the crossed the lake. More than that he was worried about the sorting ceremony, just on the way over he heard enough horror stories about certain houses to cause anxiety. If what they were saying was true than he definitely didn't want to join Slytherin and Ravenclaw who seemed both the shadiest and the most difficult academically, Hufflepuff and Gryfindor seemed fine but how would he know if the one he got into would be the one he truly belonged?

He gave a small wave and a half smile to Sakura. "Nice to meet you both," She seemed shy which was funny to Gabe who was usually pretty outgoing.

He looked back to Angel as he used the word muggleborn. It seemed an odd new word to describe himself but nevertheless accurate. He began to wonder if Angel would have a problem with that but didn't seem to be the case. 

"Yeah, I'm my parents aren't wizards." He didn't feel comfortable saying muggle just yet. "As far as I know I am the first."

He continued to chat with Angel until the boat finally reached it's destination. He watched as the other students began to disembark and he followed suit. He decided  to stick with friendly faces for the moment and resolved to walk on in with Angel and Sakura. 

The students were led to carriages, which as anyone would notice, had no horses. However, that didn’t seem to hinder anything, as a carriage was seen being pulled by seemingly nothing.

The summer after his eleventh birthday turned out to be a defining moment for him. The day he got in trouble with the local police for fighting in public was the day that the representative from Hogwarts visited the small apartment he and his dad shared. Thank god he did too because Gabe was sure he had pushed it to far that time and it looked like he was destined for a military monkey suit and not a set of robes. 

Over the course of the next few months different Hogwarts staff would visit him to help him get ready for the transition. The school supplied a very generous donation to help him get his basic school supplies, they explained the nature of the house system and even provided transportation to King’s Cross Station when it was time to leave.

His father was confused by all of this, especially when Gabe tried to show off his new wand and shattered his grandmothers urn, but tried to remain supportive to his son who finally had a chance to be something better. The goodbye before his son boarded the train was not tearful, though their was a sadness in his fathers eyes, which Gabe tried to ignore, finally a brief hug and Gabe was on his way to a brighter and more magical future. 

The train ride was confusing, this was the first time he had ever really been around other magical children. They talked of many confusing things like Squidich, they measured money in nuts, sickles and gallons and he could of swore the jelly beans he bought tasted like dirt. All and all he was grateful when the train announced they would be arriving at the school soon and that they needed to prepare. 

He donned his robes, which made him feel quite silly, and tried to ignore the older wizard born students who tried to tell him that he needed to kill a troll to even be accepted into the school, which just seemed like nonsense. Surely the teachers here wouldn’t let a group of untrained wizards fight a troll.

Would they?

Finally the trained arrived at Hogsmead station and Gabe attempted to clear his head as he disembarked, one look at the school however froze him in his tracks. They told him that Hogwarts was a castle but he didn’t seriously believe it. It was so beautiful against the night sky that he could barely stand it. What the hell was he doing here? He CLEARLY didn’t belong here. He was just a poor factory workers son, this was another level entirely.

Some students jostled him from the back and pushed him toward the lake, where all the first years seemed to be heading so he followed the crowd down to a fleet of small boats, all filling up rapidly. He looked around unsure of himself and eventually settled on a boat that held a mousy looking asain girl and a boy with white hair. 

As he gazed at the boys hair he was puzzled, never had he encountered another kid his age with anything closely resembling the same grey hair he had. 

"Bloody hell," He said incredulously to the other boy. "What are the odds?"