In this, the second instalment of our “Running a Dark Fantasy TTRPG” blog series, we’ll explore how to capture and maintain what makes dark fantasy such an alluring genre to inhabit - atmosphere. If settling on dark fantasy as the genre for your 5e campaign is the...
GM Advice
How to Keep Your 5e Party on Track Without Railroading
In Episode 4 of Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun, the characters finally break free of the City Below beneath Ostoya and drag themselves to the surface. With fresh air comes freedom, not only from the horrors beneath, but also to choose what to do and where to go...
How to Run an Open World Adventure & World Anvil!
Need advice on how to get started on world building? Open world games are incredible because of how immersive they are our freedom of exploration within them! Our wonderful friends at World Anvil provide excellent tools to create detailed open worlds, and in our...
Running a Dark Fantasy Campaign – Defining the “Dark”
Welcome to the first of five blog posts dedicated to running your tabletop roleplaying games such as 5e within the iconic and deeply atmospheric worlds of dark fantasy. The idea of incorporating dark fantasy elements into your next (or first!) campaign may be naught...
Navigating the Labyrinth – Environmental 5e Combat
Here we are, at the final session of our series on using Classical mythology to strengthen your TTRPG encounters. From subconscious expectations inherited from ancient narrative conventions, to dynamic changes during combat, to the dramatic tension of narrowly...
For the Love of Adventure – A Valentine’s 5e Adventure
5th Edition Game Masters looking to add a little adventure for date night this Valentine’s Day need only draw inspiration from the romantic tales made famous by the Brothers Grimm. Love stories come in all forms and whether it’s a duet-style adventure with one GM and...
Creating and Running Duet-Style 5e Adventures
Have you ever wanted to play a tabletop roleplaying game that requires three or more players, but you’re unable to coordinate a time that works for all your friends? Or are you searching for a fun date night idea or a 5e adventure to play with just your housemate?...
Solving the Mystery – How to Run Mysteries in 5e
During Episode 2 of Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun, the party must spend a night in an Ostoyan keep with a small group of knights. The keep is locked, the night is long, and one of the knights is a vampire. The party must determine who it is, lest they be picked...
The Sphinx and the Riddle of Non-Combat Encounters
Welcome back to this blog series on how Classical mythology can offer guidance to our TTRPG encounter design! So far, we’ve talked about the power in conforming to or defying ancient narrative conventions, and how we can make combat more dynamic by following the...