Ragitsu

Alliterative artist Valerie Valusek fires the imagination.

I spent time with what can best be summarized as a modern proto-Addams Family (only, they weren't overtly gothic and they didn't reside in a mansion).

Appalling. So much for respecting your roots...

tkdguy, is your favorite frozen treat a Barley Man (TM) Butter Bar? --- --- --- --- --- ---

The 4e and 5e crowd, perhaps.

The best trap I designed was a trapped chest. The chest itself was actually flimsy and hollow inside, filled with fragile, but airtight, glass canisters of alchemical compounds that reacted violently with air. The lid was heavily weighted and came down on rods positioned to break the canisters and the lid was rigged with a mechanism that did nothing but make a loud "click" when the lid was opened far enough. The idea was that you hear the click, drop the lid to jump away from the "trap", the force of the lid coming down breaks the canisters and the whole room goes up in a huge fireball. And the treasure visible inside the chest was just little wooden disks painted to look like gold coins.

It makes for a good alternative to "old faithful": the slaying of rats taking up residence in an unfortunate commoner's cellar. Assuming you don't want to simply resort to using rodents writ large (e.g., Giant Rats or even Osquips), you can substitute Spiders for Rats if the danger level needs to be kicked up a notch. Here's another idea for a low level animal-based quest that I have been toying with as of late -> In Deepingdale, Elves or Half-Elves who are "coming of age" occasionally prove themselves by seeking the elusive Deepingdale Owl*; because this particular bird is rare, the act of harming one is frowned upon more so than usual. Therefore, these spirited youths prove their resourcefulness by bringing back a less destructive sign of their success...such as a feather, a lone/abandoned egg which was imperiled or even a live specimen (which must be well treated). *A beast which I have yet to fully describe, but which likely features outward characteristics evocative of the sylvan folk, is vaguely magical and/or possesses a greater-than-usual longevity (like an Elven Cat or a Cath Shee).

--- --- --- Ruins of Myth Drannor Box Set dimensions -> 9.25 in. Width x 1.25 in. Height x 11.5 in. Length

My, how times have changed; back in the day, we were content with taming the lot.

Every so often, Lady Luck favors us with a smile (oftentimes a modest display, at best, yet still worth cherishing); I was fortunate enough to chance upon this piece of tabletop gaming history. A similar specimen turned up on the electronic bay, oh...a little under two years ago. Nowadays, even (original) 2e products are increasingly beyond the reach of casual collectors thanks to exorbitant premiums; if you have had your eye on something, carpe diem before you find yourself busting out your third kidney. Speaking of which, has anyone here ever played in or ran campaigns wholly focused on ruins far removed from civilization? Alternatively, a campaign that wasn't entirely confined to exploring the remnants of a lost age, but which still involved a substantial chunk (say, forty percent or greater of the total duration) of discovery throughout long abandoned ancient structures also counts. The idea is to keep player characters away from a fortified base of support while simultaneously denying them easy resupplying of provisions. NPCs willing to engage in civilized discourse - or perhaps trade - are few and far between; friendly personalities are in the minority, while the majority is decidedly neutral in disposition (naturally, vipers lurk in their midst). P.S. Recommendations for relevant modules are welcome!