Alter Self Reworked 5

Not too long ago, I finally had a reason to pay closer attention to the spell Alter Self. I’m talking about the 2014 version; I have no foreknowledge of whether it’ll see meaningful change in 2024’s revised Player’s Handbook. Anyway, this spell is pretty underwhelming, along a bunch of vectors. […]


Twenty Researchers and Scholars 1

For another project, I’m working on research mechanics, and I thought it might be interesting and fun to create a stable of researchers and scholars that you can drop into the narrative on short notice. Maybe the PCs need someone to interact with while they’re hitting the books at an […]


Six New Magic Rings 4

Blog friends! I’ve missed you, and I’ve missed creating collections of magic items to entertain and delight you. Today I bring you rings of power, none of them to be used lightly. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Angelic Ring Ring, very rare (requires attunement) The setting of this gold […]

Elemental Chaos Loop

Villain’s Schemes: Mayhem

It’s been one week under a year since my last post in this series, and a big freelance project means I’ve been awfully quietly lately. It’s almost done, though, and I promise a return to form in February and March. This time, I’m talking about how a Mayhem villain scheme […]


Four Story Hooks for Seas of Vodari 2

Now that Under the Seas of Vodari is in the hands of (what I hope is) an adoring public, we’re putting together a Patreon for ongoing setting support. Think of this blog post as me doing some writing warm-ups, getting back into the mindset of the surface regions of the […]


Summons and the Pact of the Chain 3

I’ve never been happy with the Warlock’s Pact of the Chain, as I’ve written about before. My premise has always been that people come to the Pact of the Chain because they want to emphasize the warlock-and-pet duo, like they’re a Demonology spec Warlock from World of Warcraft. Your familiar […]


A Thirteenth Year of Blogging 2

It’s been a busy year, and right now at the end of it is the very most busy, on a copy-editing project for Exalted Funeral. I love and appreciate everyone who reads, comments, and supports my writing. Games I’m Running I’m still running Aurikesh, which has just celebrated eleven years. I […]


Bastions in the Narrative 2

I haven’t had a chance to write my UA breakdown article on the Bastions and Cantrips packet for Tribality yet, but today I’m makin’ gravy without the lumps! This is content that should be fun even if you’re not using whatever comes from the Bastion rules in the end. I […]


LARP Design: The In-Town Game

Thanks to a long list of complicating factors, I had to miss almost every LARP event of 2023 before September. Since the start of September, I’ve played an Eclipse event, an Altera Awakens event, and two Alliance events (one Atlanta chapter event, one National event run by Crossroads TN), I’ve […]


I Am the Very Model of a Modron Major-General 1

I am the very model of a modron major generalI’ve legend lore on plants, beasts, and every elementicalI know the Queens of Gith-land, and I quote the flights draconicalFrom Tiamat to Tu’narath, in order lore-canonical I’m very well acquainted, too, with matters MordenkainicalI understand the elements, simple, para, and quasi…tical,About […]