Reaction Rolls… Chthonic Musings take

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUt2Ina-V5Q&t=822s

Great analysis. 

Time 28:13… Owlbear, yep. Spectre is interesting … infatuated like maybe thinks u r another person from the past. 

Sidenote words -

• Bellicose - aggressive/ wants fight
• Truculent - v aggressive 
• Showy or arrant (notorious/thoroughly) truculence or aggressiveness
• Cambridge says — Arrant is an old-fashioned adjective that means very bad or pure. It is often used to describe nonsense, cowardice, hypocrisy, or egoism.

3.5e module I wanna do; two dnd youtubers

 Ranger Lemure YTer again. Very good analysis, if a bit critical (overly honest, but helpful to the public). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGFNYbyvN9M is on The Standing Stone - ghosts, elves, and demons. It’s a mystery plot, good one. 3.5e.

He has some other great module analyses. Including the dwarf one I keep avoiding, Forge of Fury, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jWYdAsO7aU

Great ideas here regarding empty rooms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cZgh0FSH-E&pp=0gcJCU0KAYcqIYzv

Skard’s Mirror, a BX dungeon I never heard of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DULAQEw4NjI&t=934s

Interesting, even tho about cities, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fQck-WWOrw&t=541s

Need to get this Tome of Adv Design, the Matt Finch book w tables https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqQeDJjZ3cQ&t=643s

I need to see all of his stuff. 

Hack the Dungeon, 2nd youtuber shows promise with consolidated advice that takes weeks to glean from other sources, good summary here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V05f0k1ejc

Honorable mention, this hilarious 80s sword  n sorcery movie review guy with the Spanish (Mexican?) accent  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIklQ4P16h8&t=340s

The Tome of Adventure Design, Matt Finch

See Ranger Lemure’s yt on it. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqQeDJjZ3cQ

Matt Finch is that well regarded OSR author  

Tools - lots n lots of random tables

*** tables shown time 10:27

Ideas like, race against time

• Monster will change to more powerful version soon (blast him down quickly!)
• Monster will get major reinforcements if dont hurry

Small items

• Eggs
• Mini figurine
• Dice
• Seeds
• Twine
• Whistle
• Mouse

Smells

• Alcohol
• Blood
• Flowers
• Fresh bread
• Lamp oil
• Smoke
• Rot or decay
• Wet dog
• Urine
• Mikdew or mold
• Mishrooms stinky kind
• 
  

D&D type History of Dungeons

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5zDD-vPH6s at time 2:18, Agranak Studios, he's doing a video about Bob Worldbuilder+friends new book. 

Lists progression: 

Blackmoore, Tomb of Horrors, Keep on the Borderlands, Caverns of Thracia + Dark Tower, Ravenloft, and the 2014 Mines of Phandelver (b/c boxed set had it). 

Important Dungeons, honorable mentions:

• Old greyhawk castl (1972) G. Gygax
• The "lost dugeons" of Tonisborg (1973) by Greg Svenson
• The "Zenopus" sam;e dungeon (1977) by John Eric Holmes
• In Search of the Unknown (1978) Mike Carr
• White Plume Mountain (1979) L. Shick
• The Village of Hommlet (1979) Gygax
• The Temple of Elemental Evil (1983) Gygax
• The Queen of the Spider (1986) Gygax

Free PDF - D&D Bestiary monster art PDF

 This one can be had free, or pay what you think it's worth. I'm liking about half of the art... some of it is too cartoony or female-sensabilities or computer-painty for me, but others might like it a lot (I think the color alone will get my table more interested, b/c I'm all about the oldschool B&W art). https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/516795/illustrated-bestiary

Three total monster art books, the other two have ORIGINS, nice. Found via RedMageGM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH4H-gyk21M

Borshak's Lair, Judges Guild, White Dwarf, Jaquays, AND way more references to older OD&D modules

 There are places to get the pdf Free. It's an old Judge's Build Jaquay adventure, put in The Dungeoneer, an old Zine I believe. Beoric from tenfootpole thread says:

I had never heard of this module before, but it looks like it was published in 1976, in a fanzine created by Jaquays and some friends, while she was still in college. She had been playing for about a year. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bkqf6iZTXA

Tons of references to other modules, and editing corrections recommended for the Borshak orc lair: https://tenfootpole.org/forum/index.php?threads/borshaks-lair-is-this-thing-supposed-to-be-good.451/

• Other old adventures/modules
• Night of the Walking Wet - 
• Caverns of Thracia - Goodman Games did a remake. Jayquays.
• Dark Tower - Goodman Games did a remake, I bought it, haven't opened yet. Jayquays.
• Palace of the Vampire Queen - apparently the first module ever(?), by one definition. Some don't love it, would take a lot of work to fix, eh?
• Barrowmaze - Some say Free PDF, but? Big. Labyrinch Lord maker mainly made it, revamped around 2014 (see intro on PDF). Many ppl love it, some say too huge? 

Thread on White Dwarf old copies: https://www.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/ad22vr/archive-white-dwarf-issues-pdfs/

While we are here, what is The Lichway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj_4IZEvfEA

• The Lichway - gotten. An old obscure module.
• Mentioned here, and he has links on left to MANY older thingies https://sites.google.com/site/zenopusarchives/home/modules-and-scenarios/the-licwa 

Back to Borshak's Lair - gotten

• "Fred" as a name for an amulet is too silly for me. I'd just change that, easy. 
• Interesting about all these other old JG released modules mentioned in that thread. 
• The DUNGEONEER Paul Jaquay[s] with Mark Hendricks and Randy Cox
• Reprinted in the White Dwarf Best of (which Volume? 1 or 2?)

B&W hobgoblin art, hidden gem B/X module? Horror on the Hill

 I LOVE the goblin hobgoblin B&W art. And this fellow gives useful reviews (tho as I get older, I appreciate giant crawfish style animals, see his Homlett critique of them, heh) that are more honest and not just 100% glowing b/c it is old modules.

He says it is level 1-3, much like Keep on the Borderlands... wilderness and dungeon areas, but with differences. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cewGrnKcthY

Interesting random tables

 

https://d100tables.com/t/trinket-table 

1. A glass orb filled with moving smoke 
2. A piece of crystal that faintly glows in the moonlight
3. A brass ring that never tarnishes 
4. A shard of obsidian that always feels warm to the touch (((like a ring of warmth)))
5.  A whistle made from gold-colored wood (((reminds me of the brother's dream, lizardman partner... a whistle around neck of the barbarian)))
6.                            

https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/dungeon-masters-only/26392-a-d100-non-combat-random-encounter-table

1. Earth shakes.
2. Dark shadow covers the party momentarily. 
3. Dense fog rolls in, preventing travel. Can't see past arm's length. 
4. A lone yellow flower is growing in the middle of the path.
5. A pool of blood.
6. The sun bursts through an overclouded sky.
7. You were travelling in the wrong direction. Add a day of travel to your journey.
8.  A line of Goblin heads on spikes line the road. A sign written in Goblin next to them says “Traitors of Yeemik”.
9. The party finds a sword in a stone. A DC15 Strength check pulls it out. It is a +1 Longsword.
10. Shrine to Mask - If the party makes an offering, they get a surprise round in their next encounter.
11. Shrine to Mystra - If the party makes an offering, all spellslots are recovered. 
12. Abandoned, unidentifiable Shrine - If the party doesn’t make an offering, they trigger a combat encounter. 
13. DC15 Per check or whole party snared by net, roll combat encounter.
14. A DC10 Perception check spots a small chest hidden a tree. It contains a gold ring worth 20gp.
15. The party notices that they are being followed by a bush, which runs into the forest when they attempt to investigate. If they pursue, they find a goblin, that throws a gold coin at them to make them go away. 
16. 
    

Has similar ones as the one above, maybe not as good so far: https://www.finalparsec.com/random_tables/generic_complications_that_can_affect_an_adventure

1. A dense fog rolls in, obscuring everything beyond arm's reach.
2. The ground trembles as a colossal shadow looms overhead.
3. A once-dormant volcano erupts, cutting off familiar routes.
4. Local wildlife begins communicating ominous warnings to anyone who will listen.
5. 
   

D1, D2, D3 modules, 11 hidden things

 Via GG https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fK7hpXymKUA

Notes for later! 

D&D cartoon fanmade into Heroquest - free PDFs, printouts

Definitely this  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nIDE0OU2B4A

• Free pdf downloads to print out. Apparently it's a fan made addon to the Heroquest boardgame, which is kinda like D&D 
• one player plays all the monsters (like a DM)
• one player plays all the heroes
• you don't level up, etc., it's more simple. Board game. 
• easier/quicker to get started than a TTRPG. Youngsters can play. 
• There are fan mods to make it complex. 

Maybe 

 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QfrJg3XtjBY

Talking TSR’s “our top 10 classic modules”

 Talking TSR’s “our top 10 classic modules”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GDe1jUH7AmU

Words for dnd

 Goodman games talking TSR on Temple of Elemental Evil

Btw, druidism followers in an area. 

Vocab from Temple of Elemental Evil- 

• Turret
• Hale
• Jape
• Mote - tiny specks 
• Chaise lounge
• Divan
• Parapet - Does a parapet change depending on the type of wall??
• Cassock
• Ewer
• Fortnight
• Aperitif
• Splay
• Plinth - architecture, the base... 3 types. 

A couple of crenellated parapets. 

Lich 2024 version tips for DM

 See Slyflourish’s yt on it

Experiences running the d&d 2024 lich lazy dm tip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q15sghfhDQ

Watch from 5 min to 10 min. 

• Eldrich burst cant be counterspelled
• Eldrich burst can pierce theu globe of invulnerability 
• He didn’t use Shield, thought too hi AC then, but he wanted 22 AC up from 20. 
• He thinks fine to let it do eldrich burst x 2, then fireball in same round. But not lvl 5 or 6 spells. 

Remember fear is 30 ft cone for lixh. 

2d6 Encounter Reaction Options - how it might play out

 Back on the 2d6 Encounter Reaction for D&D. This YumDM guy has me thinking with this complex roll system... makes me want to list some things that could happen. Let's consider using the following roll rules... although I'll likely do a -2 for mean things. 

• 2      = attack (immediate)
• 3-5   = likely aggression (hostile, possible attack)
• 6-8   = neutral (uncertain, monster confused)
• 9-11 = curious (no attack, monster leaves or considers offers)
• 12    = friendly (Enthusiastic friendship)

Goblins (Kobolds?) - they fit perfectly into those rolls b/c they are "weak" monsters that might negotiate or be intimidated, but are evil and would love to attack. See yumDM's conversation with goblins, great example. 

Snakes - they do not fit into any negotiation. 

• So, 2 = attack immediately, would mean you might have stepped near them/on them. Or maybe you disturbed a fallen branch which caused them to move from their congregation and since snakes often don't see well, they just mistakenly head towards you, but once they get close they flip out an attack. 
• 6-8 neutral would mean, they are standing their ground. Maybe unaware of you... don't mess with them, you need to walk well around them carefully. 
• 12 would mean, they just simply leave in the opposite direction. 

Bear/larger land animal - no negotiations (or would food work? What about a druid and Animal Friendship spell), what would they do? 

• 2 = attack. You surprised the bear. Or it's defending it's territory. Or it thinks you are food. 
• 6-8 = neutral. Stands its ground. You can't act like prey. Depending on bear species, you might walk backwards slowly. 
• 12 = "friendly", would just translate to it isn't interested at all. Leaves in a direction away from you. Or it could chase off a bandit that was tracking you!

Owlbear - vicious and evil-tempered, if not actually "evil". They are very likely to attack, I'd say -2 penalty at best on the reaction roll. 

1. An owlbear pair claims a territory of one or two square miles and will vigorously defend this territory against all intruders.
2. An owlbear's main weakness is also its greatest strength - its ferocity. Because owlbears are so bad-tempered, they stop at nothing to kill a target. It is not difficult to trick an owlbear into hurling itself off a cliff or into a trap, provided you can find one.

Roc - no negotiations, thinks more like a regular animal. And see adnd 2e's Roc for how it acts and attacks. 

• 2 = attack. In 2e it imposed a -5 penalty on party's surprise/detection roll, since it is fairly stealthy (sound-wise, plus it can see far away so can plan to approach from behind). 
• 6-8 neutral . Meaning, you better not act like prey. Would be a good idea to hide in the trees to make it inconvenient for the Roc to strike. 
• 12, friendly. As in, it looks at you, no interest, moves on. Heck, maybe it spots 2 goblins hiding in a tree wanting to ambush you and manages to grab one of them in a big swoop down!

Gnolls/Orcs/Trogs - they are extra mean and evil, they aren't going to play nice. Probably do a -2 penalty vs. a good aligned party. 

• 6-8 neutral. They look for a weakness but aren't going to attack yet. 
• 9+, they leave the area, don't want to fight. Maybe the party looks too tough or maybe they've already been in a scrap recently. 

Lizardmen - if they aren't influenced by an evil dragon, I could see them running the full 2 to 12 range. 

• 2-5, hostile and likely attack. They aren't trusting the party. Maybe they've never had good interactions with humans or other races in general. 
• 6-8 neutral. Stand their ground. Can you communicate with them? If not, better leave and make it obvious you want peace... weapons sheathed, hands open palms in the air or something. 

NPC types/Lost Travelers - humans and demi-humans. Maybe a +1 bonus for good parties. 

• 2-5 hostile. They probably think you are bandits, showing defensive powers, won't trust you. Press them and maybe they even fight. 

Pixies/Dryads/Neutral non combat vs. human inclined types - these kinds of creatures aren't warlike, but they are fickle. What might they do? See 2e monster compendium for varieties and alignment. 

• If a negative roll, for pixies go with the harassment stuff they like to pull. Quote, "The naturally invisible pixies are perhaps the most intelligent and mischievous of the faeries; they dwell in idyllic woodlands and delight in harassing travelers with their pranks."
• Sprites including Pixies like druids. 
• If a negative roll, dryads might Charm someone. They hate forest destruction... so don't break too many branches or make too many fires. 

Zombies - anything you do to get their attention causes attacks. Maybe slow attacks. -2 penalty on reaction roll. 

• Anything on the neutral or friendlier side just means they didn't see you yet. You need to sneak away carefully or they'll detect and attack. 

--> see this good pdf book, seems like he's got some good ideas: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/482179/basic-wilderness-encounters?src=chkmod-final-dotd-item-moreinfo-482179

Example ideas: 

Surprise

Surprised creatures can be distra cted by eating, hunting other creatures, sleeping, or looking for mating opportunities. Humanoids might be arguing, joking, smoking, playing a game, making a fire, etc. 

Surprising creatures can be hidden by bushes, rocks, shadows, sand dunes, etc., or coming from an unexpected direction (below the ground, over the trees, turning a corner, etc.). 

Talking TSR’s classic encounters, and Monsters

Btw, wild encounter change it up ideas- https://www.roleplayingtips.com/players-characters/6-methods-for-making-dungeons-more-interesting/

Encounters  https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=LL

• Night’s Dark Terror module is v good - https://dreamsinthelichhouse.blogspot.com/2013/02/review-b10-nights-dark-terror.html

Monsters https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IKXgw7vF5ZA&list=LL&index=2&t=1813s&pp=gAQBiAQBsAgC

Ideas for memotable encounters.

• Orcs swinging from rooes w soears, charge attack round 1. Then pc can cut rooe maybe, chasm. 
• Normal govlin fight, attracts Ankhegs… fight them. Then Bullette is attracted to the Ankhegs, fight 3!

Underutilized monsters

• Rakshasas
• Nixie - (Chris Doyke was an aquatic biologist)
• Groaning spirit - quite deadly tho
• Slithering Tracker
• Cateblepus
• Ixitxachitl
• BEHOLDER- make some memories! His story… 200 dead goblins, tents burning. 15 minutes fresh. Beholders, two show up. Talk big. Use disentigration ray to slice off side of cliff the party is on (make jump rolls to survive)… as beholders leave. 
• DRAGON
• HYDRA - heads growing back
• Lucrada - bony ridge not teeth. Mouth ear to ear. Pliny the Elder book. 
• Dragon Turtle. V hard. 
• 
  

His story

Our Hexcrawl, super easy mode for the DM

So before reading up on the official "how to do a hex crawl" I drew up a "hex crawl" and got the kid to help populate the two random tables. We'll be sticking to our easy basic hex crawl mostly, but in the previous post I found those nice free (or PWYW) PDFs that will be very nice to give further ideas as needed. 

Goals:

1. Easy to run as a DM.
2. Easy to run, really.
3. Flexible. We'll learn as we go. 
4. Basically a one-shot (maybe over a couple of days). 
5. Playing 5e, level 3 characters, so we want a good few encounters. I want it to be maybe 15% chance of a TPK from start to finish. 

So I made the map look like, top to bottom (so kinda backwards, see picture above), something like this:

• Final Area (circle/hex) and the kid as DM fills in the blank here.
• 3rd areas that lead to Final are any of the 3
• Cross a river - big river, bayou, or small creek... maybe a ferry, swim, rope, log... whatever you like. 
• Forest trail
• Rocky hills
• 2nd areas
• Swampy
• Pine forest trail
• Cave
• 1st area outside a village is only one
• Mixed forest trail
• Starting area, only one
• a Village

So we are playing fast and loose. To get from one area to another, it might be 4 hours (and 4 random encounter checks) or it might be more or less. We don't know, going to wing it. 

Rules we made up/borrowed:

• 1d10, on a 1 you have an encounter. Do that once per hour. Assuming it takes an hour to move through an area. If you are in the labeled "swampy area" for instance, maybe that's 4 or 8 hours of swamp. 
• Worth clarification... one circle on our "hexmap" is not one single encounter... it'll take 4 to 8 hours to get through there, so 4 to 8 encounters. We think that many, going to find out... we want a good few encounters. And I think the kid has a couple of "automatic encounter areas" with more complex stuff. He's good with a fancy cool set up.  
• The river is probably the exception... doubt it'll be that many encounters, but it's trickier so, yeah. 
• The cave is probably at ground level, and the exit of the cave is deeper into rocky hills... maybe it cuts through a hill. 
• 1d20 (maybe 1d24, borrowing DCC dice) to see what the encounter is. See below. Wanted one to be a dragon, AKA super impossibly hard, and then a mix. 
• Distance of encounter, 1d6; 1 = close, 6 = 500 feet. 
• 2d6 reaction/morale check at start of encounter. Using the B/X rules for that... I thought it was something like the following, but each edition is different it seems: 
• 2      = attack (immediate)
• 3-5   = likely aggression (hostile, possible attack)
• 6-8   = neutral (uncertain, monster confused)
• 9-11 = curious (no attack, monster leaves or considers offers)
• 12    = friendly (Enthusiastic friendship)
• Tenkar's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_wY-dP17e8
• 
  
  
  
  
• This blog fellow has one that is fairly good, and 5e here also good:

• 2d6       Reaction

  2-3        Hostile

  4-5        Unfriendly

  6-8        Neutral

  9-10      Friendly

  11-12    Helpful

• This guy has info on the 1983 Mentzer Basic more complex one: https://yumdm.com/reaction-rolls/
• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• And this one, I kinda like it for "monsters" specifically (more hostile), came from https://illusoryscript.com/2d6-reaction-roll/

I made two random 1d20 (or 1d24) tables, I'll list the ones I have, but the kid has 8-16 secret ones. 

FOREST OR HILLS (+CAVE) 1d20 TABLE:

1. Green dragon
2. 1d6+1 bandits
3. 1d2 owlbear
4. 1d4+1 hobgoblins
5. 1d6+1 guardsmen/soldiers from village
6. Animal trail, leads to a hidden loot stash (wooden doors into the ground, weird and cool)
7. ? kid's secret since he is the DM for this
8. ? kid's secret since he is the DM for this
9. ? kid's secret since he is the DM for this
10. ? kid's secret since he is the DM for this
11. 1d6 gnolls + 1 hyena
12. 1d6 lost travellers
13. 1 orc shaman + 1d4 orcs
14. 1 goblin adept + 1d4 goblins
15. Bear
16. 1d6 snakes (has to be extremely close, can't be 100+ feet away)
17. 1d6 brownies
18. 1d4 helpful fairies
19. Ancient ruins
20. Roc (can be extremely far away, since you can spot one miles away in the sky, if you have sky)

SWAMPY (+RIVER) AREA 1d20 TABLE:

1. Black dragon
2. 1d6 Lizardmen
3. 1 giant alligator (or croc)
4. 1d4+1 gnolls
5. Pixies
6. Rope ladder tree, leading to a box (maybe roll 1d6 to see what's in the box)
7. ? kid's secret since he is the DM for this
8. ? kid's secret since he is the DM for this
9. ? kid's secret since he is the DM for this
10. ? kid's secret since he is the DM for this
11. 1d4+1 troglodytes
12. 1d6 lost travellers
13. 1d4+1 cultists
14. 1 kobold sorcerer and 1d4 kobolds
15. Blackscale lizardmen (see 3.5e or 5e stats, the big lizards)
16. 1d12 stirge (wide number variation here, how easy or hard will this be?)
17. 1d4+1 militia
18. Giant crawfish
19. Ancient Ruins
20. 1d6 zombies

UPDATED MONSTERS FOR ANOTHER TABLE

1. Giant snail
2. Bullywugs
3. 2e adnd Mystara minster list has lotsa good ones
1. REMEMBER CONVERT B/X to 5e: 
1. AC IS  19 minus the old AC; 
2. HP is double the avg or so, maybe 150% of max of old
3. To Hit is 20 minus ThAC0 
4. Dmg is about double the old dmg 
4. Acaeon - Elkman, 11 hitdice eh?
5. Agarat - Undead midlevel, temp lvl drain i like
6. Decapus
7. Dusanu

11 hitdice elkman https://www.completecompendium.com/catalog/ms/2501/actaeon/

1. 
   

   Undead w temp lvl drain https://www.completecompendium.com/catalog/ms/2501/agarat/

   
   

   Decapus (not octo) https://www.completecompendium.com/catalog/ms/2501/decapus/

   
   

   Dusanu, Spore weilding undeadish https://www.completecompendium.com/catalog/ms/2501/dusanu/

UPDATED BELOW, IDEAS

• Monsters running back to a prepared area for defense
• Monsters can have loot, else party only avoids them
• Running into a fight between 2 things or teams
• Signs of something 
• Dew on grass spider webs disturbed 
• Freshly cut or brushed aside vines
• Autumn leaves crushed underfoot
• Crows startled and fly away in distance
• Vultures circling
• Wolves running away from something 
• Insects on carvass = older (depending like maggots), or Lack of = recent
• Urine on trail (smells like canine, or amount indicating horse,… or perhaps in a place likely a humanoid)
• Ants on breadcrumbs/ no ants on crumbs means very recent (15 minutes)
• 
  

MY PARTY

• Wizard
• Druid or cleric
• Cleric or fighter (ranged focused?)
• Fighter

Procedure OSR Hex Crawl - Free PDFs

 Tenkar's link, if you google those four words: What is a HexCrawl and Why Should You Run One  

His video on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raRxoj5lXl0

TWO FREE PDFs on the topic:

• Hexcrawl basics, Tenkar's link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/290915/hexcrawl-basics?affiliate_id=1446
• Blackmarsh, Tenkar's link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/89944/blackmarsh?affiliate_id=1446

So yeah, we are about to do our own version of a hex crawl. Thought we had enough ideas to go forward, but it cannot hurt to see what all of this is about. Free info is good info. 

Balrog paintings

 Hard to find

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/ted-nasmith-the-balrog--475059460667901636/

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/497084877605856304/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/lord-of-the-rings-artwork--2744449757788691/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/496240452682334561/

https://ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-2023/gandalf-balrog-wallpaper

Saw on Nerd of the Rings yt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Ia5vl32qQ

Tenkar’s… 3 page DM prep

 I need to rewatch. Want to use some of these techniques. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfG71-cWVmg

6 keyed things. That is 6 things/locations where a decision needs to happen by party. 

Map

3-layer approach, like before but…

• Obvious 
• Truth under surface
• If it goes sideways

Tenkar’s Tavern - how to do secret doors

 I love it, great ideas.

This https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoL09L7mKKE&t=191s&pp=0gcJCU0KAYcqIYzv

Probably this - https://www.tenkarstavern.com/2018/01/on-secret-doors-and-why-i-detest-thrm.html

• Concealed doors? Now THAT is something I can get behind. Look behind that armoire. Why are there curtains on this wall? What's under this rug? Good play will reveal with concealed doors what dice may otherwise steal with secret doors.
  
  Besides, I never understood elves uncanny ability to see secret doors when others can't...
• 
  

Maybe this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoL09L7mKKE

Players say their intent… more than just “i search the room”. Too much rolling is bad… he Never rolls for hidden doors. 

• DM describes rm
• Player describes how searching.
• Maybe player urinates to look for seams and holes. Hey why not. 
• Checking drafts. 
• Any furniture moved?
• Something new in room?
• Something out of place?
• Clues
• Mortar on one side is newer
• Thing on mantle was disturbed 

One commenter even said elves will notice scratches near furniture or seams in walls or a draft… but still gotta figure out how it works. 

T1, village of Hommlet hooks and narrowed focus, start

 How to start?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdNrOO6poQc

NoOne of Consequence inadvertently presents a great summary for a newer DM to do this module. I want to try it after our campaign bcuz of connection to Temple of Elemental Evil… and the EEG. 

G3 Results so far- after tentacle wall

 Shrineof the Eye (EEG) - was nice in creepy  

• Btw, mural shows 2 or 3 tentacle monsters. Are they followers of the EEG… or are their many avatars of him potentially? 
• The goodman games talking tsr dudes say it kinda implied more than one EEG  

Tentacle wall… kid approached safely with summoned wolves touching it and activating it. Kid got outta way just in time. 

Giant firey Plasm (skeletal, elemental fire evil) and two drow clerics plus Eclavdra. She got away. Kid nuked with a max cone of cold… killed clerics one ahot. 

Plasm https://www.completecompendium.com/appendix/plasm/

• Changed stats a little from plan… needed ~100hp. 

G3, the ancient red dragon

 Back in the day, this dragon had the max 88 hp, and so it did 88 dmg w breath weapon, half if saved. Wow! Magic useres would die back then. 

Via goodman games talking tsr on yt. 

*Put it in a larger cavern w a way out. 

G3 so far - custom goblin area with drow with giant spider

 G3 so far -

The custom goblin area with 2 drow with giant spider... we'll say they were on the opposite side of Eclavdra... that other priestess, since they had a spider, they are following Lloth. One escaped, she'll warn the opposing side of this new party of apparent outsiders. 

• WHO has been semi-spying or learning of the troubles this (kid’s) party has made? I think Eclavdra. Would her team share info with the opposing drow team? 

The goblins who escaped slave duty, only to die with the 1 drow and giant spider. 

• sets up the implication that more goblins (slaves) are around. 
• 
  

2024 D&D monster manual - troll is ai slop art

 Disgusting ... super obvious ay-eye (ai) art. Blech. I'm just here to condemn it. :(  Pay real artists... the old TSR guys could afford it, and it matters. I paid for the 2024 monster manual from WotC, but nope... they've gone to far with this and the other non-gritty version of D&D. I mean kid-friendly stuff is fine, but the other stuff is way too far. 

Deformed hand. No foot. Among other things. 

Instead of the ay-eye slop, let's look at older art or this modern art which keeps with tradition:

https://dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Troll_Common_(5e24)

G3, Wererat tendencies, Titan tendencies

 The titan found 

• can do cleric spells up to level 6. 
• ***no need to add stone to flesh (our Druid can do it, rest to prepare or no rest?)
• all titans are almost godlike and have a tendency to think they are above others (not including storm giants), but mostly think of them as bombastic Greek Gods like in the Clash of the Titans movie. 
• CG. Will help a party that rescues them. Might just leave abruptly though if inconvenienced/bored and figured they did enough, I say. 

Wererats

• see the adnd 2e wererats entry on fandom: https://adnd2e.fandom.com/wiki/Wererat
• rats and mice 1d4 or 1d6, eh?, follow them often
• they'd rather be with other wererats, only Alone when pretending to be human and setting up a trap/ambush/mischief. 
• "Wererats prefer to attack from ambush. A favorite tactic is to assume human shape and lure unsuspecting victims into a trap. This is the only time wererats are voluntarily alone. Victims are then robbed, held for ransom, or eaten."
• turn into Ratmen, 2 foot long giant rats, human shape. 
• "In their ratman and giant rat forms, wererats can be hurt only by silver or magical weapons." 
• meaning human form takes normal dmg from anything
• "Each wererat is able to summon and control 2-12 giant rats."
• "Anyone who is injured by a true wererat has a 1% chance per point of damage of becoming a wererat. "

G3, Eclavdra fan 5e statblock

G3's Eclavdra, the drow leader (in opposition to that other drow priestess in another room). 

 I like this one pretty well, but will modify -

https://www.worldanvil.com/block/1265403

Let’s change these (keep in mind she wants to flee and live):

• CR 20 is Way too high. 
• 363 hp seems way too high. I’d reduce that to 150hp maybe and give her 21 AC. It is 5e tho, so ridiculous HP is typical i guess. 
• maybe we'll pretend drow wizard cast Permanency on a HP increasing spell. 
• Consider a normal 5e drow priestess of Lolth is lvl 10, cr 8 or 9, has 16 AC, and 71 HP. 
• Dmg mistake?… I think 7+14 or 7+15 total is what they meant. 
• Taking psychic dmg when near her seems weird, remove? 
• Spells and powers to be changed… she needs to feel like a drow cleric
• *** see previous post yt. NoneofConsequence’s time 22:22 for list of cool dnd 1e drow items and spells. I like. 
• Drow cloaks and boots. Save +6 vs fire 
• Drow sleep poison.-4 on target save. 
• Death Lance. 10’ spear inflicts [4d6 is my modified]. Save vs. poison or lose 1d4 levels (changing to temporarily, gotta greater restore or rest a week). 
• Demon staff. Black leather-like staff carved w evil runes. Can only be weilded by cleric of Lolth. 
• 4d6 dmg, can only be healed 1hp per day. 
• Fear
• Summon type 1 demon. 
• Turn into type 3 demaon for 5 rnds once per day. 
• Glass globe. Hurled w sling staff 90’ max and minimum 30’ range. Shatters, 10’ diameter vapor cloud… targets will 
• glow reducing AC by 1d4, lasts 1d4+1 turns (10 min is a turn). But water will wash it off. 
• Be blinded [1d4 +2… my adjustment for 5e] rounds doing nothing but scratching at their eyes, helpless. Water washes off but helpless [1 or 2 rnds regardless].  [DC 15 con save negates for 5e i say]. 
• DROW COMMON SPELLS
• Bless aoe. 20’ by 20’ area. Allies get +1 to hit, dmg, morale. 
• Blindness. Range 30 . Dispel magic removes. 
• Chill metal. 40’ range, weapons and metal armor. Aoe is 1 target per caster lvl. [changing for 5e to be… 1st and 5th round take 1d4 dmg. 2nd and 4th rnd take 1d6. 3rd rnd take 1d12 and risk frostbite extremities (ears, fingers etc. amputate). ]
• Clairovoyqnce
• Curse
• Dancing lights

Maybe keep these crazy EEG fan spells

• Elemental - i am going to have the Plasms from 2e. 
• ON YOUR KNEES! (EEG Domain, 1/day, as part of a melee attack). The target falls prone and cannot stand up (DC19 CHA saving throw at the end of the target's turn ends the condition).
• BITTEN THREAD (EEG Domain, 1/day, as part of a melee attack). The giantess tentacle rod rips and tears at your soul. Bits of your spirit come out in bloody chunks. Take normal damage, plus age 1d4 years plus now in 1d10 * 1% Experience Point debt. Your next Experience Points gained go to repairing the wound in your soul. Your Experience Points do not go down; the next experience gained is lost. A CHA save halves the damage/effect.
• 
  
• 
  

Maybe keep these-

REACTIONS

Vindictive. As a reaction to being attacked, Eclavdra may - randomly - use any power tagged as "EEG Domain" even if it has already been used for the day.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

Eclavdra can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. She regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn. Eclavdra may use her Speed if it allows her to use one of her legednary actions.

• Compel Elemental. An allied elemental within 30 feet of Eclavdra uses its Reaction to make one attack against a target of Eclavdra’s choice that she can see. The elemental may move up to its speed to do this.
• Tentacle Staff. Eclavdra makes one Tentacle Rod attack.
• Cast a Spell. Eclavdra uses Spellcasting.
• Kneel! Each creature she can see and of her choosing that can hear her must make a WIS saving throw or spend its next action kneeling and unable to do any other action.  Mechnically, if needed, the target gains the Prone condition for all other intents and purposes.

G3, EEG more ideas, beneath the temple of elemental evil

 Check it here, by GreyhawkGrognard. Pg. 3 has temple descriptions much like in G3-

https://www.greyhawkgrognard.com/2020/03/27/t5-beneath-the-temple-of-elemental-evil/

And thx to NooneOfConsequence on yt for that tip, along with others here- 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-djXWuLHpnA&t=1132s

And try this g3 by noOnofConsequnece too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-djXWuLHpnA&t=1132s

Future Temple of EE here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RebVh8FyLY&t=340s&pp=0gcJCTwKAYcqIYzv

Fighting Fantasy Books - Art Museum on twitter

 https://x.com/FFMuseumOfArt

Has a ton of the original B&W art... so maybe I can finally read those new ones I bought (that have the terrible new art... so annoying). 

Scared... kinda want to buy them but they said original art "WHEN available"... not so promising:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sjgames/fighting-fantasy-solo-adventure-gamebooks-set-2

https://officialfightingfantasy.blogspot.com/?m=1

Dissolution Novel - Drow, best Magic-User Book I've read

Absolutely loved this novel, Dissolution. The main Drow Magic-user was very entertaining, and I got the impression the author actually "understood" the coolness of magic. Read it a couple of times. I remember that whole series was good, and I can't recall if the same characters are in all or half of those books. 

I will say though, now that I'm finally reading some of the Dying Earth books (I'm on the first one), the first one absolutely blows me away with how cool the magic is. If only it wasn't so SciFi, but still excellent. 

Also, the cover art is great. 

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Dissolution

Ideas from old Druids of Doom from JG

 Druids of Doom from JG (Judge's Guild). 1970s. From Jennel Jaquays. This I think is the one I referenced one or 3 posts back where one of the original D&D guys redid it on his site, etc. 

Great magic item ideas, I'll convert a few to 5e style:

• The Staff of the Oak of the Gods

• Usable by Druids only. 
• Indestructible. Cool backstory about druids so old, nobody currently knows what it was about (unknown ancient god or something). God battled near it... it absorbed their power. The oak grew to be ancient. Lightning hit the oak, made this staff. 
• Shoot lightning bolt 5 times a day. -> I'd convert it to doing DC 15 lightning bolt, 8d6 dmg. 
• Gives you 3 levels of Fighter -> I'd convert that to say +15 HP and +1AC and +1 to hit for 5e. 
• Does triple normal staff dmg.

• Club of Vines
• Usable by Druids only. 
• Wrapped in a single vine.
• The club "breaks up on a hit", the vine comes out to play, becomes many, and entangles/restrains the target if you hit. Does dmg... we'll say 6HP of dmg for 5e. Keeps you restrained. We'll say auto-restrain for one round. DC 20 to break out next round and beyond. 
• does not prevent breathing, but can't move anything really.
• Lasts we'll say 3 rounds max for 5e, then it lets go. Club reforms.
• When you get out of it, 6HP of dmg again.  Club reforms.
• Does not work against super duper big things (we'll say Huge in 5e scale). 
• 
  
• 
  

Pool of Radiance:RoMD playable!!! And Temple of Elemental Evil PC game, classic, rereleased

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3843520/The_Temple_of_Elemental_Evil/

ToEE pc game. Tempting to get Just b/c I want to know more of the story. heh. 

This is either the one I played and loved or one that is super close to it... I need to go back and double check. Kept thinking it was Pool of Radiance I liked (more tactical). I kinda think I might have played ToEE but didn't like it as much. 

Crazy, it just got rereleased on Steam Dec 10th, 2025... a few days ago. 

Wikiped says: 

The Temple of Elemental Evil is a 2003 role-playing video game by Troika Games. It is a remake of the classic Dungeons & Dragons adventure The Temple of Elemental Evil using the 3.5 edition rules. This is the only computer role-playing game to take place in the Greyhawk campaign setting, and the first video game to implement the 3.5 edition rule set. 

Pool of Radiance: RoMD playable today!!!!: https://collectionchamber.blogspot.com/p/pool-of-radiance-ruins-of-myth-drannor.html

OK, yeah, the one I played and loved was Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor, 2001, I recognize this cover and the scenes in the game:

 

G3's EEG's shrine, more descriptions, art references

Good and Real tentacle monster horror comic art here: https://whosoutthere.ca/2019/08/20/tentacle-tuesday-masters-tom-sutton/   and    https://whosoutthere.ca/category/tentacle-tuesday/

GreyhawkGrognard's G1 stuff is a good one, recap and explains more than the obvious: https://www.greyhawkgrognard.com/2008/06/10/thoughts-on-elder-elemental-god/

Another take on the EEG and the other related or whatever gods: http://www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=9977

Maybe they'll have more here, see some non TSR EEG modules: https://urudnd.blogspot.com/2023/06/greyhawk-campaign-update.html

• OH, it's Rob Kuntz, one of the original DnD guys doing the Dark Druid module. I need to look into this: https://threelinestudiostore.com/DARK-DRUIDS-p552048392

Below is mostly From 3Orcs blog (they have some Ay-Eye art, yikes): https://3orcs.blogspot.com/2024/11/embracing-chaos-elder-elemental-god-in.html

Features of Rentaq’s Shrines:

• Unnerving Atmosphere: Use dim lighting, strange sounds, and otherworldly phenomena to set the tone.
• My sub notes: (((Maybe do a -1 to hit or -1 concentration check for any of these relevant, but not cumulative. If player has a creative way around the issue, then no penalty anymore.)))
• You hear dripping and squelching, coming from nowhere/everywhere, quietly. Then it stops. 
• Others didn't hear it that time. 
• You start to feel like snails or leeches are touching your hands, then your neck, but it's nothing really there. 
• Slightly dizzy and nauseated. -1 to hit or -1 concentration check
• Starting to sweat so much it's getting in your eyes and you taste the salt on your lips. 
• Hands turning red and purple, uncomfortable. -1 to hit or -1 concentration check. 
• Ears start ringing very loudly for a few minutes. -1 wisdom-perception checks. 
• Random one second of sharp pain in your back, your foot, or around your heart. 
• Dangerous Rituals: Cultists might perform sacrifices or summon elemental horrors, challenging your players to intervene.
• My sub notes:
• Yes, I think the tail end of a ritual... those poor folks walking into it. BUT, I don't think the party can intervene. So... eh? 
• MAYBE a vision of the recent ritual, but it's not happening now. 
• They find leftover body parts. The arm with the tentacle (are they specifically like octopuses? remember they are HAIRY tentacles, so different at least that way) marks on it. 
• Corruption Effects: Exposure to Rentaq’s influence might curse or transform characters, adding stakes to their encounters.
• My sub notes:
• I mean... IF they touch the altar and stuff like that, G3 already has repercussions written down. 

This part from GreyhawkGrognard's G1 stuff is a good one, recap and explains more than the obvious: https://www.greyhawkgrognard.com/2008/06/10/thoughts-on-elder-elemental-god/

Three things are significant about this appearance of the temple of what we will later know to be the EEG; the renegade orc slaves have blocked off the passage to it, there is apparently more to it which has been cut off by a (deliberate?) cave-in in area 18, and the fact that it has been abandoned in the first place.

The first is easy to explain; it is the hill giants, not the orcs, who were converted to the worship of the EEG, and thus they found the place disturbing enough to wall off once they occupied this section of the dungeon level. The second, I think, is deliberately vague, as we have no way of knowing what was or was not included in that caved-in section. Was it merely an extension of the temple, similar to what we eventually see in G3? Or does that caved-in section actually lead to a now-defunct passage into the Depths of the Oerth? If so, what caused its collapse? Such a connection is rank speculation, especially since the parallel temple complex in G3 does not, in fact, directly lead to the entrance to the Depths.

However, it does fit in with my own speculation that the whole campaign of the drow House Eilservs to use the giant clans in their war of conquest came from the burrowers below. That is, the unknowing hill giants were one day confronted with a newly-created tunnel to the Depths, whence came Eilservs ambassadors bearing gifts and promises of easy loot. On[c]e the hill giants were in their thrall, they moved on to the frost giants (there is a puzzlingly similar collapsed tunnel, sans the EEG paraphernalia, in area 4A of the lower level of “The Glacial Rift of the Front Giant Jarl”), abandoning the EEG temple beneath the Steading once they didn’t need to directly control the hill giants, but could do so through their stronger cousins, the frost giants. And ditto for the Fire Giants.

Which brings us to said fire giants. In G3, “Hall of the Fire Giant King” (and note how the title progresses from “chief” to “jarl” (=earl) to “king”), we are treated to our fullest description and explanation of the whole Temple of the Eye (which, of course, is how the fane of the EEG is referred to). Areas 9-11 of the second level; the Temple of the Eye.

... "and a conversion to the worship of the EEG was part of the Eilserv’s plot all along;"

So from what he says, I follow and agree with a lot. The part I might change (is this actually a change?) would be... they abandoned the Hillgiants and Frostgiants ... and the Drow openly attend (I'm putting it in our game) worship at the G3 Firegiant area, at the Temple of the Eye (the EEG's temple).  

Free Replace Q1 with Q2, d4 for d3, fan made by GreyhawkGrognard

 Might be good. Q1 has issues they say. I have another post talking about another fan replacement btw semi recently. 

https://www.greyhawkgrognard.com/2022/02/08/q2-web-of-souls/

(((Be careful still has a “spaceship” type thing…. Commenter says “ Loved the Lolth Spaceship wrecked against the dwarven stronghold.”

Once we get past D1-3… we r real close, halfway thru G3!

…..,

Here is his d4 replacement for d3… easier for a DM… more narrow… https://www.greyhawkgrognard.com/2020/12/11/d4-city-of-spiders-now-available/

Art inspires my d&d, metal music 2

 Look at the metal band Bathory’s album “under the sign of the black mark”

I think that’s a crazy cultist in some Conan-ish cave. 

https://www.muziker.ie/bathory-under-the-sign-of-the-black-mark-picture-disc-12-vinyl

See yt of “every metal subgenre by Hallows” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdtBUC1hqus

G3 foreshadowing.Secret door. Secret passage, goblins

 Tell kid

• Once in a while, rumbling… mini earthquake? Maybe related to the volcano, but seems mild. 
• This is to account for cave-in behind goblins… way behind. I just don’t want to turn it into an underdark tangent. 
• How many drow? Are they there still, yeah. 
• Secret door… you find a human finger sized groove. (Giants wont notice, AND, too small for them to accidentally trigger.)
• Touch one inch into it, an elvish(? Drow) sigil glows purple, the slowly, quietly the door opens.  
• Same groove on other side.  
• Secret passage, 50 ft along, nobody. 
• Find dirty cloth left on ground 40 ft along
• Way later. The bat hears speaking (goblins).
• Goblins
• Don’t look same as usual. Clothing is not battle ready. 
• Shackles on wrists, lightweight. Chain broken and dangling. 
• They hold small pickaxes

,,,,,,,,,,,,, later below

• Search fallen drow mages
• Staff w spider motif
• Spellcasting components
• Peculiar token inscribed w strange symbols
• 
  

Free pdf Blackmarsh, great B&W Art.

And Bat in the Attic https://www.batintheattic.com/main.html

Free pdf of Blackmarsh - http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/89944/Blackmarsh

Somebody said Bat in the Attic … 1974 was best.

Random Tables OSR dnd, Tenkar’s (use for goblin area)

 Tenkar’s again https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dW4O_wSs9M&list=LL&index=1&t=303s&pp=gAQBiAQB

D6

1. Fresh marks on stone (scrapes, chalk, soot).WHAT IT SUGGESTS recent activity. TWIST - continues out of sight. 
2. Dropped fragment.(metal, wood, cloth) SUGGESTSsigns of conflict or haste. TWIST bears an unfamiliar mark
3. Stains or smears (dark or odd residue) SUGGESTS someone or something was injured TWIST warm or cold to the touch
4. Scattered remains (shells, bones, shards) SUGGESTS long abandoned area TWIST rearranged since last pass
5. Etched symbol or pattern SUGGESTS lingering magic or ritual TWIST glows or reacts near flame or iron
6. Stout threshold (door, arch, grate) SUGGESTS HIDDEN MECHANISM OR barrier. TWIST faint whisper or draft beyond 

My ideas- for hinting Drow and Underdark stuff. G3 and maybe D1. 

1. Fungus spore dust found in giant area dungeon. From Drow underdark or Myconoids. 
2. Rocks or broken bits of stone found. Do not match current G3 black lava rocks. Came from other place… came from Underdark.
3. An illithid tentacle, dried up and attached to … a broken belt. It was keepsake of a burly Bugbear who is a  drow slave warrior, atypical guy, who helped kill one. Now where is he and hwat happened. 
4. A tiny 8 inch arrow bolt.  From a drow single hand crossbow. 
5. When find goblins, one has a tiny 8 inch arrow bolt stuck in his leathery tunic or boots… missed his skin recently. 
6. Find a weird piece of thick shell. Nearby are fork and spoon.  It’s from a giant snail… underdark. Used as a plate or bowl until broken. 
7. Random backpack style bag found. Maybe other adventurers, now dead or enslaved. 
8. Find EEG (Elder Elemental God) insignias somewhere. On wall? On a robe? 
9. Find old half arm of human… kept in alcohol to preserve… weird suction cup patterns on skin.  (The EEG). Giants were keeping it as a memorial after a sacrifice. 
10. 
    

• When walking around lava rocks, move slow. If move fast, roll 1d12, on a 1 or 2 you take 1d6 dmg from scrape… also on a 1 you fall to knees.
• 
  
• 
  

Noncombat d100 table https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/dungeon-masters-only/26392-a-d100-non-combat-random-encounter-table

The Dungeon Dozen, blog here or buy https://roll1d12.blogspot.com/

Example for getting to next dungeon level

d12
1. Subterranean ravine, rushing water below, other side featureless stone, series of incredibly narrow switchbacks hewn into wall below, must go mountain goat-style, ravine subject to distracting pterodactyl infestation
2. Small room with no floor, after obscene number of golden coins deposited into slot in corridor pressurized air blasts from below, works as per feather fall, return trip air blasts as per levitate, costs 1d4 times as much
3. Giant in sumo wrestler's diaper w/Mardi Gras papier mache head greets you as you approach vast aperture in floor leading to next level, negotiates round trip passage rate, picks up PCs in groups of two, passes them to giant on ledge below who passes to next giant down and so on, final giant deposits group on next level and wishes them well, they take long meal breaks during which they cannot be bothered
4. Giant worm bridge spans chasm, enter through mouth, exit to stairway down via cloaca, enterprising worm-trainer sells bucket loads of worm chow from reeking barrels to sprinkle along the way, worm is telepathic but dog-like intellect precludes stimulating conversation
5. When activated from wall panel using proper key, stair opens accordion-like from wall of otherwise empty shaft, automatically retracts in 10 minutes, different key needed for return trip

…

Morale check w 2d6

 Reminder from B/X, see Tenkar’s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_wY-dP17e8

Roll 2d6. Before initiative  

2 immediate action

3-5 hostile, possible attack 

6-8 uncertain, monster confused

9-11 no attack, monster leaves or considers offer

12 enthusiastic friendship

And.. players can do something to get a plus 1 modifier  example, offer food, show respect, speak their language, etc  

Keep in mind, some monsters are never gonna be friends… reroll if get 12 on them. Etc. 

AoE spell dmg, CORRECTION, dbl if

 So moonbeam or cloudkill… “ creature takes damage if it moves into the area or if it starts to turn there. That means it will take double damage if it’s pushed into that area, bcuz takes dmg once, then again when turn starts.  

Diplodocus had crazy scale variety (and weird colors maybe)

 Tesosaurus, the lady, has awesome info on menanocites (spelled?) fomDiplodocus.  The whole yt is super interesting  

https://www.iflscience.com/what-color-was-diplodocus-first-ever-sauropod-fossils-with-melanosomes-bring-us-a-step-closer-to-finding-out-81869

Mega details here-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYTwE4IXYKQ