Category Archives: Columns

Northlands — Playable Flavour Done Right

Posted on May 3, 2026 by Tolrendordm

Following on from my first post looking at the setting and flavour of Northlands… Why This Matters Players tend to ignore setting flavour unless it: Gives them a mechanical edge Influences their decisions Or rewards engagement Northlands clearly understands this. … Continue reading →

Posted in 5E D&D, Columns, Kobold Press, Product Reviews, Tales of the Valiant, Tales of the Valiant RPG, World Building | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Northlands has Landed …

Posted on April 26, 2026 by Tolrendordm

And it might be exactly what I’ve been waiting for… There are Kickstarters you back on a whim… and then there are the ones you quietly (and impatiently..) wait for because you know they’re going to shape your next campaign. Northlands for … Continue reading →

Posted in Columns, Kobold Press, Product Reviews, Tales of the Valiant, Tales of the Valiant RPG, World Building | 6 Comments

When the Past Bites Back

Posted on April 18, 2026 by Tolrendordm

There’s a particular rhythm to returning to RPG Taverns. You step back through the door, dice in hand, and the world has moved on without you—but somehow still feels familiar. This session was exactly that: a re-entry into Aranoa, with the … Continue reading →

Posted in 5E D&D, Characters, Columns, RPG Taverns, Tales from the Tavern | Leave a comment

The Amber Pendant

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Tolrendordm

A new fantasy artist on the block … I’ve posted before about the 4E solo campaign I’m running occasionally (very occasionally as it happens…. doesn’t life just get in the way!!) for my son, called the Amber Pendant. His character … Continue reading →

Posted in 4E D&D, Amber Pendant campaign, DM for Kids, Roleplaying with Kids | 3 Comments

Map of the Month: CC3+ and Mike Schley Overland

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Tolrendordm

It seems an age since I really got my teeth stuck into a proper map e.g. one which wasn’t just a quick CC3 hack to print out a scale battle-map. For my ‘Amber Pendant‘ solo campaign with my son, I needed … Continue reading →

Posted in Cartography, Columns, Map of the Month | 1 Comment

Down the River

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Tolrendordm

A really fun encounter in my ‘solo’ campaign session with my son today. His character, with a few accomplices, is travelling down-river on a merchant’s barge in pursuit of some nefarious folk who have stolen an ancient artefact known only … Continue reading →

Posted in 4E D&D, Cartography, Columns, DM for Kids, Encounters | 2 Comments

Content Corner: Icon of the Week

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Tolrendordm

Another icon to (hopefully) whet the appetite for adventures in the Havenscoast, this one a powerful and ruthless pirate lord with some dark and dangerous secrets. Certainly when I started my 13th Age Campaign ‘Eyes of Watch’, this icon attracted … Continue reading →

Posted in 13th Age, Columns, Content Corner, Icons, The Havenscoast Project | Leave a comment

Content Corner: Icon of the Week

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Tolrendordm

Today I hit 10,000 words out my 50k target, yay!! In celebration I thought I’d share another Icon write-up. In fact, I’m going to try and share one every week, hence the post title 🙂 This time it’s the Circle … Continue reading →

Posted in 13th Age, Content Corner, Icons, The Havenscoast Project, Tolrendor Gazetter | Leave a comment

Content Corner: The Havenscoast Project

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Tolrendordm

A long time ago, I started ‘The Havenscoast Project‘, an attempt to bring my ancient game-notes from the ’80s forward into ‘modern’ D&D terms, and to publish them on this blog. At the time, I was using 4E D&D. Although I … Continue reading →

Posted in 13th Age, Content Corner, Self-publishing, The Havenscoast Project | 1 Comment

Tech at the Table

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Tolrendordm

Prep time for sessions is always at a premium. Even right now, when I’m on sabbatical leave from work, it seems to take a big chunk of elapsed time to get myself ready for a new session. Of course, this … Continue reading →

Posted in RPG Tech Talk, RPG Technology | 1 Comment