1. A foreign language dictionary. When a native speaker of English needs to come up with a fantasy-sounding name on the fly, someone else's language is a handy thing to have. Personally, I prefer Turkish and Japanese for their non-Latin/non-Greek roots; if the words sound alien enough, my friends are less likely to realize that the plot-center NPC is named "Wild Goose."
2. The classic Doc Savage pulp novels. The Doc had a supporting cast of five or six and gave 'em all a chance to shine. Exotic locales, bizarre antagonists, plenty of action, some mystery-- all very improbable, but a good model for keeping players' attention at the table for four hours.
3. A Moleskine notebook. Losing that scrap of paper which holds the new NPC's hastily invented name disrupts continuity; nowadays I write everything down in the same little book. Bonus: Moleskine also produces quadrille (graph) books just right for dungeon mapping.
4. "Management for the Information Professional." While I cannot in good conscience recommend that particular book to non-librarians, I will say that management theory in general is useful to game masters. The importance of managing expectations and soliciting feedback isn't limited to office settings.
5. EN World, WotC Forums, and The Forge. Internet battles aside, it really has proven worth my time to read about other gamers' experiences.
2. The classic Doc Savage pulp novels. The Doc had a supporting cast of five or six and gave 'em all a chance to shine. Exotic locales, bizarre antagonists, plenty of action, some mystery-- all very improbable, but a good model for keeping players' attention at the table for four hours.
3. A Moleskine notebook. Losing that scrap of paper which holds the new NPC's hastily invented name disrupts continuity; nowadays I write everything down in the same little book. Bonus: Moleskine also produces quadrille (graph) books just right for dungeon mapping.
4. "Management for the Information Professional." While I cannot in good conscience recommend that particular book to non-librarians, I will say that management theory in general is useful to game masters. The importance of managing expectations and soliciting feedback isn't limited to office settings.
5. EN World, WotC Forums, and The Forge. Internet battles aside, it really has proven worth my time to read about other gamers' experiences.
