The Dungeon Masters' Foundation

[Nightcloak]

While I'm thinking about it, what sources do you all use for inspiration?

Music does the trick for me. Songs have the potential to become soundtracks in my mind were I see a "snap-shot" of an adventure as if it was a movie trailer.

EX: I was listening to Metal Gods by Judas Priest the other day and suddenly envisioned warforged marching out of the Mournlands en mass, shattering the misguided convention of calling the previous war "The Last War".

To bad I don’t run an Eberron campaign


Oh well. Back on topic. Music works for me. All kinds.

 

[Acid_crash]

Music works for me as well, as does certain movies and novels. If I am working on a fantasy game, then fantasy related materials work best, and the same for sci-fi. I read all the time so I get a lot of ideas.

Read books often, great for stealing from.

 

[Lady Firehawk]

Hmmmm... I'm going to have to post my race dealiebob (the sk'kirrim) on these forums... I ran them through Soldarin's ECL calculator and they came out pretty well balanced...

As for music... LOTR music is uber-awesome, and for some reason I like System of a Down and Rob Zombie a lot, too... especially for battle scenes.

 

[ChaosEvoker]

@ LilMissKittyn
Whoa whoa whoa. Leave the welcoming of members to me there please. (It's one of my few joys in life. That, D&D, WoW, and you sweetheart. Please don't take it from me. )

New Member!
siege72

Welcome to the DMF!

Old Member who has returned
Lady Firehawk

Welcome back! Good to see you made it!

@The current topic
As far as music goes, I find Holst's The Planets (Especially Mars, God of War) to be a good musical inspiration. That and the soundtracks of Baldur's Gate, LOTR, and Star Wars (really only the Imperial MarcH). Oh and I musn't forget Verdi's Requiem that's a relaly good one....alright I'm done....for now O_O.

EVOKER OUT

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I get a lot of inspiration from classic and epic heavy metal (I'm old school metal and dang proud of it). Manowar, Iron Maiden, Dio, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Virgin Steele and others inspire me. Among modern epic metal, I'm a big fan of Rhapsody, Iced Earth, Falconer, Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, and Sonata Arctica, among many others.

 

[JoeGKushner]

In terms of inspiration, movies provide a nice cue. Not only to simulate the brain on characters, but more often, the backgrounds, scenery and 'feel'.

Over the weekend for example, I watched the following:

13th Warrior
Conan the Barbarian
King Authrur director's cut
Brotherhood of the Wolf

 

[ChaosEvoker]

I have to agree with that one. Movies, music, and books are all great sources of campaign inspiration.

[SHAMELESS PLUG]Btw if anyone hasn't seen the link in my sig labeled "A Must See For All D&D Players!" then you are missing out. If i had any control over you actions, I would force you to watch it. As it stands I don't have that power, but I would definately appreciate it if you guys would see that. It really is a must see.[/SHAMELESS PLUG]

 

[ChaosEvoker]

There are things that go *bump* in the night, Agent Myers. We're the ones who *bump* back.
-Hellboy

 

[Nilhgualcm Leahcim]

I would like to join your merry band, if at all possible. Thanks! I DM for my group of 7 players, and have held the position these past 4 years. I have DMd for 15 years. Am eagerly looking for more information and inspiration.

 

[IamTheTest]

My name is Zach and I'm an inexperienced DM. I run a game with 4 PC's all of which have little to no experience so we're basically fumbling through the campaign together. I look forward to learning under people that have been doing this for years.