Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Prepping your campaign
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Ath-kethin" data-source="post: 7151995" data-attributes="member: 6798775"><p>I tend to read through adventures well before I plan on actually running them, so I can pull out NPCs and establish ties to the PCs a few weeks to months in advance. That way, the patrons, adventures, and even the McGuffins have more resonance in the campaign. I also make notes about changes I want to make (replacing monsters with others more appropriate to my setting, different insignia on priest's robes, that sort of thing). </p><p></p><p>While running an adventure, I make all kinds of notes in the margins on things to return to later - NPCs a character decides to rescue from a dungeon run off during the adventure, but then turn out to be a ship's captain and cook some time later. An interesting gemstone found in a hoard turns out to be the heirloom of a once-powerful merchant house looking to regain its glory, and then turns out to be a stolen key from a ghast's tomb. That kind of thing. </p><p></p><p>That may make me sound like a heavy pre-session preparer, but I rarely read an adventure too closely before running it (I also fall into the "guess I should have read this one before we started playing" camp). I am comfortable with improvising a great deal, and I swap stuff out on the fly all the time - necessary skills developed over 25+ years of DMing. </p><p></p><p>When I actually have a regular group (which I am between at the moment but have a new one lined up once we can agree on a schedule) my sessions tend to last 4 hours, of which maybe a solid 3 is actually playing. We aim for weekly, but it isn't always possible with careers, kids, lives, etc. </p><p></p><p>I also like to plunder freely from novels and other sources for plot hooks, NPCs, and situations. I think it helps my world feel more alive when things are changing in the background of the campaign without the PCs' involvement.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ath-kethin, post: 7151995, member: 6798775"] I tend to read through adventures well before I plan on actually running them, so I can pull out NPCs and establish ties to the PCs a few weeks to months in advance. That way, the patrons, adventures, and even the McGuffins have more resonance in the campaign. I also make notes about changes I want to make (replacing monsters with others more appropriate to my setting, different insignia on priest's robes, that sort of thing). While running an adventure, I make all kinds of notes in the margins on things to return to later - NPCs a character decides to rescue from a dungeon run off during the adventure, but then turn out to be a ship's captain and cook some time later. An interesting gemstone found in a hoard turns out to be the heirloom of a once-powerful merchant house looking to regain its glory, and then turns out to be a stolen key from a ghast's tomb. That kind of thing. That may make me sound like a heavy pre-session preparer, but I rarely read an adventure too closely before running it (I also fall into the "guess I should have read this one before we started playing" camp). I am comfortable with improvising a great deal, and I swap stuff out on the fly all the time - necessary skills developed over 25+ years of DMing. When I actually have a regular group (which I am between at the moment but have a new one lined up once we can agree on a schedule) my sessions tend to last 4 hours, of which maybe a solid 3 is actually playing. We aim for weekly, but it isn't always possible with careers, kids, lives, etc. I also like to plunder freely from novels and other sources for plot hooks, NPCs, and situations. I think it helps my world feel more alive when things are changing in the background of the campaign without the PCs' involvement. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Prepping your campaign
Top