I'm curious how other DMs prep. Who would be willing to show their prep/cheat sheets?
You might want to look at
this thread from a couple of years ago. I have a post in it where I give an example of my approach.
Generally my prep involves writing up combat stats for any NPCs/monsters that I can't just read out of an MM and that I think the PCs might come into conflict with, and making notes on the motivations of NPCs/monsters and the situations in which they are located - these are relevant both for free roleplaying and for skill challenges.
Here is the writeup I used to run the skill challenge described in
this post.
The PCs will be invited to dine with the Baron (eg because they help quell a riot). Paldemar will be present, and introduced as fiancé of the Baron’s daughter (who is indisposed and hence unable to join them – in fact she is absent, having gone to the tower on the moorland, something which Paldemar doesn’t know and is hoping to find out. Paldemar will also ask the PCs about their exploits and discoveries – he will not take long to work out who they are, and is particularly seeking word of the tapestry.
There are a series of portraits on the walls of the Baron’s hall – one will remind the PCs of the apprentice they rescued, but is obviously more recently painted (DC 19 History or Perception check to notice) – it is Anefsina. Another is of a woman who resembles the apprentice but is aged in her 50s (DC 19 Insight to notice) with a man who greatly resembles the Baron – they are the current Baron’s grandparents – Baron Euphemes Osterneth I and Lady Jena Osterneth (the painting is over 70 years old). The Baron is now in his 50s.
Dealing with Baron Euphemes and Paldemar is a Level 11 complexity 5 skill challenge (3000 XP, 8M + 4H with 6 adv & DCs 13/19/27). Maximum quest XP depend upon dealing with both successfully.
Years before present Event
132 Baron’s grandfather born
130 Jena born
105 Jena rescued by PCs
91 Baron’s father born
77 Portrait of Jena and grandfather painted; death of grandfather
70 Departure of Jena as her reign ends in turmoil and her son comes to the throne
55 Baron born
32 Paldemar born
25 Anefsina born
The write-up and skill challenge references an earlier scenario, in which the PCs travelled into the past and rescud an apprentice wizard - that scenario, including the prep method that is used, is described
here.
Attached are two documents: one is the notes used to run
these two sessions; the other is my general campaign background, which has grown from about 2 pages to 6 or so over 6 years of play, and has the writeups on history and core NPC motivations and backstory that I refer to make decisions about NPC actions and framing situations. For instance, it sets out information relevant to the behaviour of the main NPC antagonist in the above skill challenge.
