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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 6517572" data-attributes="member: 4937">Step zero.  Get some rule books and read them, obviously.A novice DM should always begin preparation from a published adventure.  If you don't yet have a published adventure, spend your first session making characters, discussing background, discussing how the player characters know each other (if at all) and why they might want to go do dangerous things together, and so forth.   We can give you a lot of help picking an suitable adventure, and you should be able to get it in the mail in a week or two.While you are waiting for an adventure to arrive, as a new DM and players you can practice with a simple combat or 'encounter' scenario (or several if you feel comfortable with that) - what in another context might a be 'wandering encounter'.  This will help everyone get up to speed with the rules.  Pick a monster that represents a suitable but not particularly dangerous challenge - 4 goblins warriors plying the trade of bandit perhaps.   Imagine this encounter in your head - where it happens, what the goblins do to precipitate the encounter, what plans the goblins might have.  Allow the players to respond to the encounter however they like - combat, evading combat, negotiating, treachery, etc.For example, you might start the game by having the party be strangers who met on the road to a particular city.  It's getting late in the afternoon and its still some miles before they reach the city.  They are passing through a wood when they come around to bend in the road and see bridge over a small but steep ravine through which rushes a bubbling stream.   On the bridge they see 2 short black cloaked hunched amber skinned figures wielding crossbows and short swords.  Their faces look like jack-o-lanterns and fangs bristle from their wide mouths.  One of the figures croaks in heavily accented but understandable common, "Wyell meet, travelerzzz.  Wez are byut humble tax collectors, and thees iz a toll road.  Geeve yus 3 gold pieces each, and wezzz shall let youz passes in piece.  Rezist yus, and eet weell not go well for you."   Hidden in the trees on the other side of the bridge are two more goblins who will try to surprise the PC's if combat breaks out.   Secretly roll a spot check for each PC and inform them if they notice the goblins.   If the PC's talk with the goblins, make stuff up.  Improvise sneaky, greedy, and creepy using what you know about villains from movies.  Give them a background.  Maybe they are warriors in the service of a goblin sub-chieftain who has moved into the area with a small band of followers and hopes to set himself up as a full chief.  Something or nothing may come of these facts depending on the style of play you have.  If combat breaks out, then you've got a great opportunity to learn the rules.</blockquote>

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