Old School Role Playing

As I am writing this article the Corona Virus, Covid 19, Is raging across the world and right here in the United States. It is not exactly the Black Plague but clearly it has the entire world terrified. People are dying. And the disease is highly contagious. More people, than ever before, are taking their games online. This article is an attempt to help those considering taking that plunge.

Clearly I do not know everything about this subject. Perhaps I do not know much about it at all as of yet. It is likely that I will make mistakes in this article as a result of my ignorance. For that I apologize in advance and ask that you correct me by comment on this site or on the social media where I post this article. Also, if I have ignored an option that you are currently using, then I certainly want to know about it. Please let me know and I will update this article as often as necessary to get the word out about all potential options.

First, and foremost, I want to say this. I am certainly no expert on this subject. I have been doing my own research because I too have been considering moving to some form of online gaming. Like everyone else my own gaming group is on hold during the pandemic. We played, previously, on my kitchen table. First Edition AD&D was played here every Wednesday night for several years with pretty much the same people involved. I had run a much longer group several years back at a friend’s house. Times have changed. And even old dinosaurs like me need to change with them. When it is all over I am sure that my regular group will want to keep playing in person but as I get closer to retirement I can see myself wanting to run another group or two on the side. The internet seems like the perfect place to do exactly that.

There is one other point I wish to make clear at the beginning of this article. I do run some affiliate links on this web site. However, none of those products or services linked in this article, are affiliate links. This article is purely intended to give information on this subject matter and for no other purpose.

What Exactly is a Virtual Table Top?

Ok. So let us begin with a definition. Because virtual table tops mean different things to different people. I discovered this when I started a poll on Dragonsfoot.org to find out which methods of playing Dungeons and Dragons online were being used. I offered about fifteen options to begin with from my cursory review of options being offered on the web. There were literally dozens of VTT options when I searched for them on google. Some seemed dead. Others were brand new. So I offered the ones that appeared to be alive.

What I discovered, however, was that there were many options that i had not considered at all. This is because they do not classify themselves as a virtual table top. But people are using them to play online nevertheless.

For this article I googled for a definition of a virtual table top. That definition is as follows:

Virtual tabletop software (sometimes referred to as VT or VTT) is designed to enable one or more users to play games on their computer that are traditionally played on or around a table. … A VT is like a shared whiteboard, but with features that are specifically geared to facilitate gaming in particular.

But clearly from my poll people were going far beyond this type of software to play their online games. Some were using video conferencing sites such as Zoom or Skype to run their games. Others were using things like Discord for audio and video. Some were using actual VTT sites such as Roll 20 and Fantasy Grounds. It was all over the place. There were some clear leaders, however, which I will discuss in the next section.

But one thing becomes immediately clear from all this discussion. There are many ways to run a Dungeons and Dragons group online. And none are perfect. Each has different features. And these features are what draws individual Dungeon Masters to that method of online play. It is quite possible that, as I write this, many people are playing online with methods that my poll did not even uncover. Any sort of software that allows communication over the internet could be used for this application.

The Virtual Table Top Poll

I chose to run the poll on Dragonsfoot.org because it has an active community of people who play Dungeons and Dragons. I suppose I could have run some polls on Facebook or Reddit looking for the answers as well.

Unfortunately, I did make a mistake, in my use of the poll. I knew when I began it that I would have to modify it from time to time in order to add poll options. What I had not anticipated, however, was that the forum software would reset the poll results each time that I did so. So the numbers are now hopelessly wrong. But some trends from the poll are still obvious.

Many people had selected Roll 20 as their first option before I began making changes to the options in the poll. It is pretty apparent that Roll 20 is the leading option out there in terms of how many people are using it. Fantasy Grounds is a clear second in the poll.

The actual poll message can be found at the following link:

• Virtual Table Top Poll

Some other points also became apparent from reading the responses. Many used a VTT option like Roll 20 or Fantasy Grounds but chose to use another software for the voice comms such as Discord or Ventrillo. Some used only Discord to play their games. Others chose Skype or Zoom to play their games. And of course, there were a few holdouts, who said they would never move to an online game in any form.

Some mentioned using video software for more of a theater of the mind type of game. Some of these responders indicated that they were using a physical white board or miniatures and terrain with the web cam pointing towards that.

A few folks had mentioned using Google Hangouts which I had not even heard of when I formed the poll.

One important point that I should make early in this article is that many of the options mentioned have a virtual dice rolling feature built into them (or at least doable by macro). This is a rather interesting aspect to all of this. And it was another point that I was unaware of when I began looking at all of this.

My Own Choice?

At the moment I have not made a final decision on which option I am going to use to play online. I have set up a Roll 20 account. And I have begun playing around with creating a campaign for play there. I watched all of the “Crash Course” videos that they offered. And I understand, somewhat, the process of setting up a game. What is less clear, however, is how I will use it in actual play. Will I choose to use the Roll 20 for the map and something else for voice? I do not yet know.

At this point in time I have spent most of my time looking at Roll 20 since that was the clear favorite in the poll. But I will point this out. Others are using other VTT software and my poll is not the only article on this subject. There was an excellent article written by a guy who goes by the handle EOTB on Dragonsfoot.org and on Knights and Knaves. He wrote his article on the latter site and it can be found at the following link:

• Getting Ready to Play on VTT

EOTB is far more experienced in playing on a Virtual Table Top than I am so this article was quite informative. He states that he has played on both Roll 20 and on Fantasy Grounds and then explains his reason for choosing Fantasy Grounds over Roll 20. There is a great deal of discussion in that thread about different software and methods of playing online.

Your Options for Online Play

Ok. Now that I have given you the build up for playing Dungeons and Dragons over the internet the rest of this article is going to attempt to give you an idea of the features, benefits and drawbacks of using different methods of online play. For purposes of this article I am going to include video conferencing options as well as voice only options.

Roll 20

Roll 20 is free to use. It has tools for building characters, rolling dice and running campaigns. It has a character builder, map tools, dynamic lighting, video and voice chat and a powerful dice roller. It offers digital rule books for many popular systems, ready to play adventures for many popular systems and integrated rule books. Roll20 Link

Some key features of roll20 include:

• Dynamic lighting and fog of war
• Dynamic character sheets
• Shared maps
• Enemy and player tokens to use on those maps
• Triggered sound effects and/or music to be played during certain scenes in the game
• A character creation tool for certain licensed game systems

Fantasy Grounds

Fantasy Grounds is designed to give the same experience as a pen and paper gaming. It is designed to simulate the many things that go on during a live, in person, game. One can take the roll of the Dungeon Master, and design the game or campaign to be played, or one can act as one of the players. The application allows communication, drawing, dice rolling and managing information. Fantasy Grounds Link.

Some key features of Fantasy Grounds include:

• Realistic dice rolling with 3 dimensional dice
• Automation geared towards some specific role playing systems
• Shared maps
• Some built in maps and extensive map packs available
• Ability to import maps from other sources
• Random table generation
• Rule sets built in for various game systems

Astral Tabletop

Astral bills itself as being the “easiest way to play table top games online.” It advertises that it has easy and immersive tools and allows you to build character sheets for any tabletop system. Astral Tabletop Link

Some key features:

• Build epic battle maps from an enormous library of scenery, props and tokens. Or load your own.
• Pro users are supplied with extensive new maps, tokens and scenery each month
• Weather, visual effects, triggers and other attributes can be made
• Easy to use tools

Epic Table

Epic Table states that it is easy to use, embraces any table top system and acts like a real table. Epic Table Link

Key features of Epic Table:

• Ease of use
• System embracing – supports the games you want to play without costly add ons
• Plays like a real tabletop – it plays like a wet/dry erase battle map
• Shared, functional maps, with no prep required
• Player handouts
• Chat options including dice rolling, tone of voice and whispers

Open RPG

This service may or may not still be in operation. The link takes you to a site which has some functioning items on it but seems like it is greyed out and is possibly dead. Open RPG Link If this service does still operate they seriously need to work on their home page. It does not look like a functioning site.

Skirmish

Skirmish bills itself as an advanced virtual table top for wargaming or role playing. It also refers to itself as a next generation virtual table top. It claims to have a high quality asset library. It also says that it is highly modifiable. Skirmish Link

Some key features of Skirmish:

• Right now it is offered as a free beta
• Dynamic lighting and fog of war
• Plug in rule systems
• Play local, lan or online
• Extensive map and token library
• Advanced navigation tools

Features that are being developed but are not yet available in the beta:

• Unsnapped fog of war
• Path finding
• Lighting system beautification
• World builder

Foundry

Foundry advertises that it is a feature rich and modern application that allows players to connect directly through the application. It is built for experiencing multiplayer tabletop rpgs. Foundry Link

Some of it’s listed features include:

• A one time purchase of software for the GM and free access for the players
• Innovative and modern web technology
• Empowers community developers
• No dependency on external services
• A powerful framework that allows for home brewed content

Tabletop Simulator

This software bills itself as a video game which allows players to create and play tabletop games in a virtual sandbox. It is powered by Steam.

Key Features:

• Online sandbox with unlimited games to play how you want.
• Multiplayer physics with objects that collide and interact just how you would expect.
• Create your own mods easily with full Steam Workshop support and 3D model importing.
• Take games to the next level with Lua scripting support.
• Play just like you do in real life; pick up, rotate, shake, and throw any object.
• Up to 10 people can play together on the same table.
• Team system with voice and text chat.
• Save & load individual objects and complete games.
• Hotseat mode allowing you to play locally on the same computer.
• Browse the internet, listen to music, and watch videos in multiplayer, in-game on a tablet.
• Perfect for RPGs – build your very own roleplaying dungeons with our modular tileset, RPG Kit, Multiple States and Tablet (useful for character sheets).
• Great admin tools to enable or disable player permissions and to eliminate griefing in public games.
• 360° panoramic backgrounds that change the lighting and atmosphere.

Rptools.net/Maptool

A reader of this article mentioned this one to me. I had not heard of it but it has been around since 2007. I checked the site. It is still up. It looks very interesting. And from what i can tell…..it is free. So it is worth taking a look at.

• Rptools.net/Maptool Link

Skype

Skype is a an application used for telecommunication. It specializes in video chat and voice calls between computers, tablets and mobile devices. It can also communicate with Xbox consoles and smart watches. Users may transmit audio, video, text and images.

Zoom

Zoom calls itself a “remote conferencing” service. It combines video conferencing, online meetings, chat and mobile collaboration.

Discord

Discord refers to itself as a freeware VoIp application. It also claims to be a digital distribution platform designed for video gaming communities. It offers text, video and audio communication between users in a chat channel.

There are many, free to join, discord servers set up strictly for use with Dungeons and Dragons. Some of these games are voice, some are video and some are merely using the text chat features to play. Most use a dice bot for rolling dice openly.

Voice Only Options

I mention these for those folks who want to keep a pure “theater of the mind” type of game in which the players and the DM talk and everything else is left to the imagination. Such options for this include:

• Ventrillo – Ventrillo is a voice application which includes text chat. It is freeware (if used with less than 8 people on the same server). rented servers can handle up to 400 people. Ventrillo link.
• Teamspeak – Team speak is an audio only communication application that can be used over the internet. Users typically use a microphone or headphones. Teamspeak link
• Mumble – Mumble is very much like team speak. It allows for simpler administration and claims high sound quality and lower latency. Mumble Link
• Steam Voice – Steam Voice is merely the integrated chat option on the Steam service. Steam is a digital distribution service. It includes games from Valve and from third parties. Steam Link
• Others

I have used some of these applications in the past. I played Eve Online for many years and during that time different Alliances (think mega-guilds) that I was a part of used different applications to communicate. Communication was critical in Eve Online as the game centers around huge player versus player fleet battles. It was not unusual for us to have 100-200 members in channel during a major engagement. In my early Eve Online days I was part of a smaller group that used Ventrillo. Later when I joined the big alliances Team Speak and Mumble were the order of the day. But these could easily be used for role playing games. Different channels can be set up on a server to allow voice discussion and role play.

Is it All Free?

No. Of course not. Much of it is free. Many of the free sites still offer upgrades and options which do cost money. Most of the actual VTT options offer pre-made adventures, map packs, token packs, etc which cost money. Most of that is very nice and professional looking. But there are huge communities with these applications that are more than willing to share high quality content for free which you can use in your own virtual games.

Obviously cost is going to be a major factor in how many of you decide what to use, if anything, for virtual play. Some readers will probably decide that it is all too complicated. And in some ways it is. But it is not so complicated that you cannot do it if you have the desire to. Some options are easier than others. That may also lead you to your optimal choice.

Is this all there is?

No. There are other options out there. Some of them are brand new and untested. Others have been around a while but are nearly unused now. The idea of virtual play is not exactly new. The pandemic has just brought it to the forefront of gaming.

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Divine intervention is the nuclear weapon of Dungeons and Dragons. It is the weapon of last resort. One calls for help from a god with reservation. For to anger a god is possible worse than anything else that could happen to you. Using this method of survival might well come at too costly a price.

Before asking for help from one’s deity one might want to ask themselves a few questions first

A deity may not be inclined to lift a finger to help an adventurer. Or perhaps they might. It really just depends. Of course some factors that might be considered are:

• How closely has the petitioner followed their alignment?
• If they are good in alignment have they been charitable?
• Have they donated money to the church?
• Are they currently following a path that their deity would approve of?
• Are they currently involved in a quest on behalf of their god or deity?

Divine Intervention in 1st Edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons

In 1st edition Divine Intervention is discussed on page 111-112 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Of course, when the DMG was published, no compendium of gods or deities had yet been released for AD&D. One could, and did, go back to Original Dungeons and Dragons for information on gods. I had a copy of Gods, Demigods and Heroes which had information on many of the deities that would later appear in Deities and Demigods which was later published for AD&D.

But these books were merely a little background information and stats for the gods. There was not (much) discussion about how to call upon these gods in a time of crisis.

The Advanced Dungeons and Dragons attitude was that gods have their own affairs and take little interest in the lives of mere mortals. It takes a great deal to make a god feel interested in what is happening down below. If a deity answered even one call in a hundred they would have no time for their own business.

The DMG suggests that Evil gods, Demon Princes, and Arch Devils might be more willing than good aligned deities to appear in person as they might gain converts to their cause. Even mentioning one of their names might be enough to bring about their interest.

Of course….in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons the spells attained by clerics come directly from their deities. They pray for them. So, to some extent, these gods are already helping the adventurer.

One question that the Dungeon Masters, themselves, must ask is how involved in my campaign do I want the gods to be? Gods might well be an integral part of a campaign. Perhaps the adventurers are on quests that directly achieve the goals of deity. In that case the god might send a powerful creature (such as a Shedu or Kirin) to help the adventurers. Or perhaps they might send a Planetar or Deva or some similar angelic presence. Or they might send an Avatar or even make an appearance if the matter is important enough.

But how do I rule on a spur of the moment call to a deity for help in a crisis situation? To set some parameters the DMG states the following:

• If the player has been exemplary in following the strictures of alignment and faith then a standard 10% chance should be used for a deity to answer by sending some creature or minion to help
• If a 00 is rolled then the deity shows up in person
• Each previous intervention has a -5% chance modifier
• If the alignment behavior is less than exemplary (but not down right opposition) -5%
• Borderline alignment behavior -10%
• If direct confrontation with another deity is required -10%
• If the adventurer is opposing creatures of diametrically opposed alignments +1%
• If the adventurer is serving the deity through direct instruction or as a proxy +25%
• In no circumstances will a deity intervene on a plane that is inhabited by other deities (such as the outer planes) or on the positive or negative material planes

Divine Intervention in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons

Fifth Edition has a totally different attitude about Divine Intervention. In fact now it is a feature of clerics 10th level or higher. The cleric implores their deity for help. This takes the place of an action. One describes the assistance that they are requesting and then rolls percentile dice. A roll of equal to or less than the cleric’s level indicates a successful result. The DM at this point will choose the form of the intervention. Successful rolls do not mean the cleric will get exactly what they are requesting.

This feature can only be used once every seven days (if the deity actually intervenes in some way). Otherwise it can be used again after a long rest.

At 20th level the cleric will always succeed when requesting intervention.

As you can see….. this is a total turnaround from the First Edition attitude. Now a cleric can pretty much call on a deity every week if they want to. And at 20th level they will always succeed in getting some form of help.

Also note, one other very important difference, between the 1st Edition and 5th Edition rules for Divine Intervention. First Edition puts a huge emphasis on closely following alignment. Fifth Edition puts none at all. These rules are laid out clearly in the 5th Edition Player’s Handbook on page 59. Strangely, enough, the Dungeon Master’s Guide for 5th Edition is silent on the subject.

Also, note one other important difference, between editions. In 1st Edition anyone could petition for help. In 5th Edition it is a class feature of the cleric. This is peculiar to me as 5th edition has basically blurred class skills compared to earlier editions. Early editions of the game had classes with skills that were very specific. If you wanted to pick a lock you had to be a thief. If you wanted to bash down doors then you were probably a fighter (with high strength). If you wanted to cast devastating magic spells then you played a magic user (wizard). Now 5th Edition does not specifically state that no other class could call upon a deity but it offers no rules suggesting that they can.

Is Divine Intervention an Instant Win Button?

Regardless of which edition played the Dungeon Master should keep a few things in mind before having a Deity come crashing in and saving the day:

• Does the adventurer really need any help?
• Is the adventurer really serving the deity? or are they serving themselves?
• Is the adventurer closely following their alignment (just because the PHB in 5th Edition does not mention it does not mean that the deity would not consider it)

What level of help that the adventurer gets is up to the Dungeon Master in either edition. A deity that is not particularly enthusiastic about helping a character may do the least that they feel might help the adventurer. They might send some weak minion or perhaps offer some small token of their support (limited use of a magic item for example). A deity that has been called upon many times for questionable reasons might not be inclined to offer much help at all.

Involving Deities in a Dungeons and Dragons Game or Campaign

Not every Dungeon Master is going to feel comfortable about including deities in their campaigns. Some will design their campaigns around deities and their motivations. It just depends upon the Dungeon Master. A well thought out conflict between two powerful gods (or devils or demons) could lead to a very interesting campaign. But it is not for everyone.

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“The party enters the chamber and finds a solitary skeletal figure sitting on a throne. It wears a brown robe with a hood over it’s skull. The creature shows no interest in the party initially. What could this creature be? A Lich perhaps? The dwarf finally decides to be the brave one in the group. He approaches the skeletal creature slowly.

Suddenly, it turns it’s head towards the dwarf, and raises a finger. The dwarf disappears. The rest of the party is stunned. What….what happened exclaims the wizard……

In the neutral alignment tongue the creature responds that the dwarf has been disintegrated…..

Ten minutes later the dwarf runs back in the room….. after the party attacks it and loses the thief to it in combat.”

Introduction to the Crypt Thing

The Crypt Thing was first introduced with the Fiend Folio tome for 1st Edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The creature was an unusual one., even for the Fiend Folio, which introduced many unusual creatures.

The creature was more of a trick to be encountered than a real combat encounter. The teleportation ability of the creature was confusing to parties but was basically harmless. Unless, of course, the person trying to get back to the group gets killed along the way.

The Crypt Thing itself was not a difficult combat encounter on it’s own. Party members that made a saving throw were able to avoid the teleportation. If a lot of the party failed the saving throw then perhaps the Crypt Thing might have a chance to win an encounter.

Characteristics of a Crypt Thing

The Crypt Thing is always a skeletal figure. It will always be found in it’s lair. And it always wears a brown hooded robe. It has empty eye sockets with a little point of light where the eyes would normally be. While the creature has the appearance of being undead it cannot be turned.

The creature is not aggressive. It will do nothing at all if left alone. The safest way of dealing with the Crypt Thing is to leave it alone entirely.

A rare variety of the Crypt Thing does not teleport people away from it. Instead it turns them invisible and paralyzes them.

The Crypt Thing is not interested in eating, or even killing, it’s victims. It seems to want only to create confusion. Perhaps this amuses the creature. No one knows for sure.

The Crypt Thing exists in many editions of Dungeons and Dragons

But it was not included with the monster manual for 5th Edition. There are, however, some home brewed versions of the creature which people are using with 5th Edition. The Crypt Thing is usually an entertaining encounter the first time players encounter it. When one, or more, of the player characters disappear it tends to cause them a little fear. Has their beloved character actually been disintegrated? Most find it amusing when they discover that they have just been teleported away.

One possible version of a 5E Crypt Thing can be found at the following link:

• Crypt Thing 5E

Creation of the Crypt Thing

After 1st edition some new ideas were introduced about the Crypt Thing. It is said that some Crypt Things rise as undead to protect the graves of others from grave robbers. It has also been believed that many were created by priests of wizards for some function.

Crypt Things can be a fun encounter

The Crypt Thing has the appearance of a Lich. This immediately gets the attention of the player characters as they are likely to be immediately wary of the creature. When party members begin disappearing the idea that the creature is a dangerous lich becomes reinforced. It can be assumed that the teleported characters will try to return to the group immediately so telling them (immediately) what happened at the table is unnecessary. And this is where the fun begins……

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The Drow were introduced to Dungeons and Dragons with 1st edition. They are first mentioned in the First Edition Monster Manual under the description of Elves. Specifically there is a very short paragraph indicating that the “Black Elves” are only a legend. They dwell beneath the surface in a strange subterranean realm. They are reported to be dark skinned and evil. Tales picture them as weak fighters and powerful magic users. That is all that is mentioned about them. No statistics were provided nor any other details.

Drow in 1st Edition Dungeons and Dragons

A few years later another monster compendium was released called the Fiend Folio. The Drow were introduced as a new NPC race. Between the publication of the Monster Manual and the Fiend Folio a number of modules were published which introduced the Drow as an evil race responsible for manipulating the Giants into a war against men. In a later module called Descent into the Depths of the Earth the Drow are detailed more fully. This module also introduces the concept of the Underdark.

But First Edition did not provide the Drow as a playable race until the release of the Unearthed Arcana. It was offered again as a player race in 3rd Edition and 3.5 and then in 5th Edition.

Drow are an evil race in Dungeons and Dragons

At least in the early editions they were. Something about living in the Underdark tends to make it’s inhabitants generally evil in nature. Not all creatures that live there are evil. But most tend to be.

It has been said that the Elves drove the evil and selfish among them from their midst. Constant warfare between the good and evil elves led to these Dark Elves withdrawing to a world underground. During their centuries underground they developed powerful magical skills.

All this being said….there are some Drow that are not evil. This is a very small percentage of the race. Most of these are aligned in some form of Neutrality. But a few are even Good aligned. These good and neutral Drow tend to worship other deities than Lolth.

Drow are constantly scheming

Plans within plans are the one constant thing about this race. They are always looking for ways to increase their power. And revenge against their good cousins is never far from their minds. Drow females tend to be more powerful magic users and priests than their male counterparts. It is often these females that lead the group and make the plans.

Drow are creatures of the darkness

They live in a place where darkness is the norm. They greatly dislike bright light. In fact…they cannot stand being in sunlight. They will usually use slaves or third parties to their bidding on the surface when needed. They may make occasional incursions on the surface but usually will do so at night.

Cities in the Underdark

Drow live in huge cities beneath the surface. They hollow out enormous caverns to make their homes. Some of these cities are thriving metropolises with high walls to protect them. Drow use spiders and other nasty things to protect their citadels from enemies.

Adamantine Weapons and Armor

Drow use their own weapons and armor crafted from Adamantine. These items have magical properties while used in the Underdark but lose these properties quickly when exposed to sunlight.

Politics of the Drow

Drow do not always work well and play well together. When they do work together they can be a formidable foe. They usually will only do so to defeat a common enemy or for their own survival.

The Drow are divided into noble families. Each is ruled by a matron. Prestige of the noble house is the goal at all times and in all dealings. The object is always to raise the house’s prestige over that of the other houses. The highest ranking members of the house are always blood relatives. All of the lower and middle level drow are from weaker families that have sworn loyalty to the house. Slaves make up the rest of the house.

The Demoness Lolth is the true ruler of the Drow

Most Drow worship the Demoness Lolth. Lolth was first introduced during the same Giant Series of modules mentioned previously. Specifically she has her own module for 1st Edition called Queen of the Demon Web Pits.

As Lolth is female so are her high priests. And so are Drow leaders. Males can fill most roles in the Drow society but houses are ruled by a Matron. Males can also not be priests in Drow society.

Lifespan of the Drow

Drow, like their Elven cousins, live far longer than humans. A typical lifespan of a Drow might be as long as 750 years. Many matrons live far longer lives. Most live as long as 1000 years. But a few, which are shown favor by Lolth, may live for several thousand years.

Personality of the Drow

Most Drow live their lives with one goal in mind. How do I increase my own station in life? As a result Drow have certain characteristics which can be expected during any encounter:

• Angry – As a whole they do not like the fact that they have been relegated to the dark places of the world. Violence against others is natural for them.
• Arrogance – Drow nearly always feel superior to others.
• Cruel – Cruelty is second nature for them. Torture of enemies and slavery are common in Drow society
• Paranoia – Drow are constantly trying to improve their station in life. As a result when they move up others will lose prestige. They are right to be paranoid. For other Drow are always out to get them.
• Not very trusting – Drow do not trust others easily. While they sometimes form alliances they nearly always keep a close eye on these allies.
• Vengeful – Drow have very long memories. And they believe in paying back their enemies

Drow are a dangerous enemy for adventurers exploring the deep places of the earth

The Drow have many enemies even in the Underdark. Their position there is never totally secure. Some of these enemies are powerful and dangerous. But the Drow are not without their own dangerous qualities. They have enslaved many races. And they have a few allies in the darkness.

Most Drow will not be encounter outside of the Underdark. But a few Drow have been known to tunnel upwards and enter the lowest levels of some dungeons closer to the surface. When such Drow are encountered the adventurers should beware the magical abilities and the natural magical resistance of this race.

Often the Drow may be discovered to be behind evil plots which extend into the surface world. When such plans are unraveled one might find themselves facing these Dark Elves in the deep tunnels of the Underdark.

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Henchmen and Hirelings are frequently mentioned in the early editions of Dungeons and Dragon in the Dungeon Master Guide and in the Player’s Handbook. But how many of you actually use them in your games? I suspect that many of you do not use henchmen often but may use hirelings from time to time. But these non player characters can be integral to your story line. They may also provide your players an opportunity to build a decent sized group even though they have only a small number of live players.

What is a hireling?

A hireling is a non player character that provides some service to the player characters for payment. They could be an expert such as a sage or an alchemist. Or they could be some peasant worked like the stable boy. Some potential hirelings which could come up in a game might include:

• An alchemist
• Stable boy
• Apothecary
• Beast handler
• Spy
• Mercenaries
• Pilot
• Ship captain
• Sage
• Scribe
• Ship crew members
• Valet
• Cleric
  

Obviously there are many other potential hirelings one could need during the course of an adventure.

What is a henchman?

A henchman is a better grade of hireling. While money may still be a motivating factor for them these are permanent retainers or allies for the player characters. They are sidekicks.

So how are henchman and hirelings all that different?

A hireling is only motivated by the money. They will not stick around if the money runs short. And they are far more likely to flee in combat if things go wrong. They have no real loyalty to the adventurers. Their loyalty is subject to their own safety and their paycheck. If mistreated at all they will be gone in a heartbeat.

Henchman have basically disappeared in the newer versions of Dungeons and Dragons

The idea of Henchmen seems to be an “old school” idea. They were prevalent in the early editions of the game. Look closely at that iconic picture on the cover of the Player’s Handbook. You know the one I am referring to. The one with the Demon Idol on the Cover. Are those henchmen or hirelings that are dragging away the treasure? But recent editions barely make mention of them. They still exist. But many groups do not use them.

Hirelings still exist of course. One still has a need for a sage once in a while. The horses still need a stable.

Gary Gygax had an interesting statement about henchmen in the 1st Edition Dungeon Master Guide.

” Henchmen, whether male or female, are greatly desired by the discerning players, for they usually spell the difference between failure and success in the long term view. They are useful in individual adventures as a safety measure against the machinations of rival player characters, provide strength to the character and his stronghold, and lastly serve as a means of adventuring when the player character is unable to. “

There are some interesting things to note in this quote.

First, henchmen are critical, for higher level characters that have their own stronghold. This should seem kind of obvious. For how can a high level adventurer have a stronghold and still continue to explore? Someone has to guard the fort. And it needs to be someone loyal.

Second, not every party member, is trustworthy. A player who has his own henchmen with him (or her) is safer than one who does not. Adventurers are not all good aligned in Dungeons and Dragons. Some have motivations other than those that would benefit the whole party.

Followers in Dungeons and Dragons

So then we have this other category of people who might aid the adventurer in their travels. In 1st Edition the rules add this new category of followers. These people are attracted to the adventurer once they reach higher levels. Presumably it is the reputation of these high level adventurers that draws them to their service. They are more reliable than hirelings as they are not motivated solely by money. For success in drawing followers one must build a stronghold so that these followers will have a place to gravitate towards.

But isn’t a follower just a henchman?

Sharing the spoils

A hireling is getting paid for their service. They get paid a fixed and agreed upon sum. They have no expectation of a share in the treasure gained from an adventure. A henchmen or follower, however, does expect a share. They are participating in the adventure out of loyalty to their friends but they feel like part of the group.

Maximum numbers of henchmen

The Advanced Dungeons and Dragons rules used charisma to determine the maximum number of followers a player could have. But suppose some of those followers die during the course of an adventure. Can they be replaced?

Let us suppose that player X has a maximum number of 6 followers and 3 of them die. A strict interpretation of the rules would suggest that player X can only ever have 3 more. Player X could not then gain another 6. The charisma score determines the maximum number that player will ever be allowed.

To make things even more confusing…..

Certain editions of Dungeons and Dragons throw another term at you. The retainer……. What is a retainer? Is it just another name for a henchmen or follower? If you read some of the basic set adventures such as B1 In search of the Unknown there is some discussion of retainers and hirelings. The hireling is still just a helper who gets paid for it. The retainer seems to have the characteristics of a henchman or follower.

Hirelings and Henchmen in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons

While henchmen get little action in the 5th Edition game hirelings are still used. Specifically the 5th Edition DMG says this:

“Hireling NPCs rarely become important in an adventure, and most require little development. When adventurers hire a coach to carry them across town or need a letter delivered the driver or messenger is a hireling, and the adventures might never even converse with that NPC or learn his or her name. A ship captain carrying the adventures across the sea is also a hireling, but such a character has the potential to turn into an ally, a patron, or even an enemy as the adventure unfolds “

So basically a hireling is someone one might meet during the day and quickly forget shortly afterwards. They are just some minor person that one might hire to shine your armor or brush your horse. But occasionally one might turn out to be something more important like the ship captain referred to in the quote.

Some important considerations about Henchmen

While henchmen are generally loyal to the adventurer there are some things that should be considered:

• What alignment are they? They do not, necessarily, share the alignment the player has
• A charm spell might create a “temporary” henchmen that is loyal until the spell wears off
• Not every henchmen is actually an adventurer!
• Those henchmen that are adventurers expect a share in the treasure!
• Not every henchmen will survive combat. Players who waste the lives of their henchmen will quickly find out that others are not too interested in becoming their new ones
• The lifetime limit of henchmen might preclude gaining new ones should the old ones die
• Does the player “play” the henchmen or does the DM?
• Is a henchmen likely to give up the magic weapon that they brought with them just because a player character demands it? Not likely. But they may use their magic items to aid the adventurer in a time of need
• Henchmen could mutiny if they are mistreated. Or they may just leave. Either way…they still count against that maximum number of henchmen allowed.

Henchman, Hirelings, Followers and Retainers – what does it all mean?

Ultimately hirelings are just people that get paid to do some service or to serve for a limited time. Followers, retainers and henchmen are loyal friends and allies to the player characters. These non player characters allow the party to extend their group by a few members and provide additional security.

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Inns are an important place for explorers to rest and recover safely from their adventures. Travelers need a place to find shelter while on the road. Food and shelter are two of the most basic necessities of life. It is only natural that these two needs would be as important in Dungeons and Dragons as they are in real life.

Sadly there is little in the Dungeon Master Guide about how to create one of your own for you players to use during their games. There are a few articles on the subject in the Dragon and other sources. This article is about how to build an inn for your own campaign.

All inns are not alike

Not every inn is the same. Some are intended for different classes of customers. A fine inn might be made for noble born or merchant class individuals. A sleazy dive, however, might be intended for low born peasants. The quality of sleep one gets in an inn might vary greatly.

A high quality inn might have feather beds and luxurious surroundings. A dive might have vermin and bed bugs. Travelers in a poor quality inn might find that everyone sleeps in one common room. A high quality inn might have large private rooms for the patrons. A low quality inn might even be working with the thieves guild to set up patrons for a little thievery.

An article in the Dragon entitled A Room for the Knight suggests that inns should be rated from one star to four. These ratings will indicate the quality of the inn. These ratings will suggest other aspects of the inn in question. This article can be found in Dragon 136 on page 28.

• One Star – These are small inns. They are usually located off of dirt roads or alleys. They are often in the seedier part of town. The roof probably leaks. There will be 3-6 small rooms. Beds will consist of floor mats. Doors will rarely have locks. These rooms will usually not have windows. If they do….they will be barred. These inns are usually named after the owner. These inns have no restaurant or tavern but may be located near a tavern.
• Two Star – These are located on main roads but in poorer sections of town. Poor villages might also have one. Sometimes these are two stories tall. Typically it will have 5-10 rooms. Beds will be straw mattresses. Usually this sort of inn will have a tavern built into it. But this tavern tends to draw low class individuals and this brings the overall reputation of the place down. Thieves and drifters hang out in this sort of place. No meals are served in either the inn or the tavern. Rarely will the owner be seen. Usually a manager lives on site. Sometimes a bartender runs the entire place. This sort of inn is usually named after a mythical creature or an unusual one. The noise from the tavern often makes sleep difficult in this sort of inn.
• Three Star – Wealthy towns will have such an inn. The noble and merchant districts of large cities will also have them. These are usually two story buildings. Sleeping quarters are usually on the upper level. Storage areas, the tavern and employee rooms will be on the lower levels. Typically there will be 10-20 rooms for guests and 3-5 rooms for employees. Beds will be straw or feather. The rooms will have locks and actual windows. Some rooms might even have a desk. These inns are usually run by a manager and are professionally run. Bards will frequently be found in the tavern or lounge area of such an inn. Such inns are usually named after peaceful sounding natural events. or appealing sounding features.
• Four Star – These are found only in the wealthiest parts of large cities and towns. They usually are multi-storied. Often they are constructed of stone. Furnishings inside will be of fine oak and other fine materials. The rooms will be large. Mattresses will be feather. Usually rooms will contain desks and wardrobes and other furniture. Rooms will be decorated with fine art. There will usually be a fine restaurant and a stable associated with this sort of inn. Services such as daily cleaning will be included with the price. There will be some sort of security on staff to protect the guests. Names of such inns will indicate high quality or nobility.

Inn layouts

Not every inn is set up the same way either. Some may be only one story. Some might be two or even three stories tall. Most inns will have a common room for the cheapest visitors. Most will have some private rooms. A higher quality inn might have only private rooms.

Many inns will have a tavern attached to it or next door. Some will have a restaurant. And some will have neither.

Most inns will have a place for the owner and workers to live there. Many inns will have a welcome desk where the visitors will meet the owner and pay, in advance, for a room.

Inn Prices

Prices for inns may vary widely from region to region. Competition is one driving factor. If it is the only inn in town it is going to be less competitive about price than a place with many other inns. Suggested prices here are tied to ratings.

• One Star – 1 SP per night or 6 SP per week
• Two Stars – 10 SP per night or 1 SP for a meal or 3 GP for a week
• Three Stars – 5 SP for a meal or 1 GP for a night or 5 GP for a week
• Four Stars – 15 SP for a meal or 5 GP for a night or 33 GP for a week

These prices are also from A room for the Knight article in the Dragon. Obviously prices could be higher or lower depending upon circumstances. During a major festival in town the inns might be near full capacity and might charge more. During a drought or plague almost no one would be visiting town and the inns might be desperate for customers.

Inns are important places in Dungeons and Dragons

Travelers and explorers alike need a place for safe shelter. Rest is important in all editions of the game as healing and spell recovery are tied to it. Finding shelter is important and must be considered. While not every inn needs to be designed with extreme detail it is advisable to prepare a list of who might be staying at the inn and the major NPCs that run it.

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How many times have you begun a campaign, or played in one, in which the players first meet at a tavern? How many published adventures begin this way? Quite a few begin this way right? But where in the Dungeon Master Guide does it tell you how to build one that the players will find memorable?

A whole lot of role playing goes on in such places. Yet most of us give little thought to how such a place should be built or populated. Taverns are more than just bars. They are often the local meeting place. They are sometimes the best (or only) place in town to buy a meal. And sometimes they are also the location of the local inn.

People go to such places to do more than just drink. Taverns are the place to hear the local gossip and news. A tavern might be the best place to find work. Adventurers might potential group members at one. Thieves might find potential marks in the local tavern. And one might find a lady of the evening at one. The local bards tell their stories and sing their songs in the tavern.

Inn or Tavern: What’s the difference?

These two words are nearly the same meaning for many. But in medieval times an inn was typically a place to find food and shelter. And a tavern often served food and drink but provided no shelter. Sometimes an Inn would have a tavern attached to it or within short walking distance. For purposes of this article a tavern might be stand alone or might be attached to an inn.

The Layout of Taverns in Dungeons and Dragons

Taverns might be one story or many. This really depends upon the function of it. If it is attached to an Inn it will likely be more than one story. If it is stand alone then it probably will be only one or two stories tall.

A typical tavern might have a bar with stools as well as tables. If bards, or other entertainers, are present then there might be a stage. There might be multiple rooms in a tavern. Or there might be one large common space.

Taverns that serve food will also have a kitchen. There will probably be storage areas for foods that might be served. A cellar for wines or to hold kegs of ale or beer might be present.

The common room is often the center of activity in a tavern. Such rooms are typically very large. Often it will be the largest room in a tavern. Usually a common room will seat up to 60 people. A dimension of 40 feet by 30 feet would be typical. Often a common room is referred to as a “public room.”

Does this town even have a tavern?

Not every town or village will have a tavern. A small village might not have enough people to keep one in business. Large towns might have many.

There is a reference in an article in the Dragon Magazine, Volume IV, No. 3 entitled Inns and Taverns which gives an interesting perspective on how many taverns one might find in a town or city. According to this article Paris had 5000 inns and taverns in one three mile square part of the city in 1453. There were approximately 150,000 residents living in that same three miles. Five thousand inns and taverns!

There is another interesting piece of medieval history (from the same article above). It has been estimated that the average peasant drank up to 16 pints of ale or beer in a day. While this might seem unlikely consider that water in those days was often polluted. Life was hard. During off hours peasants often drank away their troubles. And the price of alcoholic beverages in those days was extremely low. It was so low, in fact, that in medieval Dublin there was no currency small enough to use when buying it. One instead bought “tallies” or used some form of credit.

Of course…not every tavern has a town! Some taverns might be found on major roads for travelers to stop and get a meal and a drink.

How much does that ale cost?

Going back to the Inns and Taverns article, mentioned previously, here is a list of suggested prices for food and drinks. This article was written in 1979 and was written with OD&D and 1st Edition in mind but these prices might be applicable to any edition.

Drink Prices:

• Wine, Good Quality 15 SP
• Wine, Watered Down 10 SP
• Mead 10 SP
• Ale 3 SP
• Grog 4 SP
• Rum 8 SP
• Beer 8 CP

Food Prices:

• Beavertails 5 SP
• Snake Stew 5 SP
• Rabbit Stew 3 SP
• Wolf Stew 3 SP
• Chicken Eggs 3 CP (each)
• Lizard Steaks 2 GP
• Beef Steaks 10 SP
• Roast Chicken 5 SP
• Roast Duck 8 SP
• Ham 5 SP
• Lobster 2 SP
• Shark 3 GP
• Fried Snake 3 SP
• Frog Legs 1 SP
• Duck Eggs 11 SP
• Eel Steaks 4 GP
• Roast Turkey 3 GP
• Roast Pheasant 5 GP
• Venison 6 SP
• Mutton 4 SP
• Vegetables, Potatoes 3 SP
• Crab 3 GP
• Caviar, Salmon 6 SP
• Whale Blubber 10 GP
• Beef Ribs 8 SP
• Bread 5 CP

Of course…. these are suggested prices. Prices could be lower in a poor village. Or they could be higher in the noble district of the city. But these prices might give a dungeon master a starting point for setting prices. Not all of these items would be found in every tavern. A tavern found in a town with a waterfront is more likely to have various types of seafood on the menu. A town which is land locked for hundreds of miles is not likely to have any seafood on the menu.

Some taverns might even offer exotic foods at greater prices such as:

• Griffon wings
• Manticore steaks
• Dragon ribs
• Kraken tentacles
• Roasted owlbear

Tavern entertainment

The common room of a tavern is where most of the activity will occur. More than just drinking will go on in such places. Some other possibilities might include:

• Bards singing and telling stories
• Locals gossiping and sharing news
• Songs
• Bar fights
• Drinking games
• Gambling
• Tavern games (see below)
• Actors and plays
• Drunks sleeping it off
• Drunks being thrown out of the tavern
• Pit fighting for sport
• Jugglers

Sometimes tavern patrons might just do their own things while enjoying an ale. Some possibilities might include:

• Whittling
• Sharpening weapons
• Carving on the table
• Smoking
• Talking to one’s self
• Talking to one’s invisible friend in the empty chair at the table
• Feeding a pet bird on their shoulder
• Speaking in thieves cant or alignment languages to prevent others from listening
• Someone spying from the next table
• Dancing
• Desperately looking for someone
• Watching the bar maid with bad intentions
• Arguing with others
• Watching the exits nervously
• Warming at the fire
• Appears to be sleeping but is actually dead

Tavern games

People spent a lot of time in taverns in the middle ages. What else was there for entertainment? So naturally there would be games played by those in the tavern to pass the time. Some possibilities might include:

• Throwing darts
• Throwing daggers
• Gambling
• Drinking games
• Arm Wrestling
• Gnome (or Dwarf) tossing
• In a town with a wizard academy one might even find bar games involving the use of magic!

There is an interesting reference work from 1283 called the “Book of Games.” It lists about a hundred and fifty games which were known at that time. Three specific games are mentioned, however, that are interesting and notable. These are:

• Dice
• Chess
• Backgammon

These games are not mentioned as “tavern games” per se but it is logical that they could be encountered in a tavern. The book was written in Spain and the author traveled to a few towns to compile this work.

It is also notable that cards existed during the early medieval period. But in Europe they were banned in many jurisdictions. This was specifically because cards were linked to gambling. Some of the earliest card games (which were banned) included:

• Sabre
• Coin
• Cup (chalice)
• Cudgel

Often these games were banned and then slightly modified and then renamed. And then they would be banned again. And then cards in total would be banned in order to prevent it from continuing.

For further discussion of medieval pubs and games one might want to look at the following article:

• Presenting Medieval Gambling and Pub Life

Discrimination in taverns

Not every tavern keeper allows just anyone inside. Some might prefer to exclude certain classes of citizens from using their establishment. Some possibilities include:

• Racial – Dwarves, Elves or Half Orcs might be excluded from a human establishment. Humans might be excluded from a demi-human one. Or perhaps racial enemies might exclude each other. Elves might prefer not to have Dwarves in their pub.
• A noble tavern might want to keep out the lower class
• A thieves tavern might prefer not to have non guild members present

Not every tavern will have such restrictions. Some will. Usually there would be a sign posted.

Tavern Signs

The sign outside of a the tavern will often have a picture of a tankard of ale or beer. Signs are the only real form of advertising that one is likely to have. But a tavern is highly likely to be well marked with a sign so that even travelers passing through can find it easily.

Other things sometimes happen in taverns……

Sometimes people get hurt or die in a tavern. Sometimes illegal activities happen there. Unsavory people have a tendency to hang out in such places. Some possibilities that one might consider:

• The messenger who arrives to summon the adventurer and dies gasping on the table with a dagger in his back
• The guy on the next bar stool who dies suddenly from the poison in his drink (which the shapely bar maid slipped in while no one was looking)
• Brawls
• Unsavory deals are sometimes made in taverns
• Blackmail might be paid (or might be set up) in a tavern
• Harlots might meet their customers in one
• Pirates and bandits visit towns from time to time….and where would they go but the local tavern?

Rumors

Taverns are places in which adventurers often look for rumors. But not everyone in a tavern tells the truth. Sometimes they are just boasting. Sometimes they are outright lying. And sometimes the rumors are pure gold. The bar tender and bar maids are often the best sources of information. But the salty old guy on the fifth bar stool may know the location of that Dwarven gold mine you were looking for. He might even have a map to it for the right price……

Some possible rumors that one might hear in a tavern:

• Local legends
• Crime and punishment
• Nasty gossip about local towns people
• Stories about great historical figures and heroes
• Stories about great treasures that were lost long ago
• Stories about legendary villains that once plagued the land
• Stories about magic and wizards (keep in mind that magic is fairly rare in most campaigns. Most villagers and townspeople will never have seen magic or a wizard)

Who would one find in a tavern?

One of my own methods, as a dungeon master, is to make a list of NPCs for the town. This list will have statistics, alignments, gear, etc along with a short back story for the NPC. And then I will assign some of these as possible NPCs that the players might find in the tavern on a given night. Obviously every NPC will not be in the tavern every night. But some will be there nightly. Some possible tavern dwellers might include:

• Spies
• Assassins
• Bandits
• Brigands
• Pirates
• City guardsmen
• City watchmen
• Local soldiers
• Adventurers
• Thieves
• Farmers
• Peasants
• Tradesmen
• Harlots
• Bar Maids and Wenches
• Bards and minstrels
• Actors and mimes
• Travelers
• Colorful characters of all types

Other interesting things one might find in a tavern

In addition to interesting people one might find other things in a tavern which could lead to adventure:

• A strange marking on the bar or on a bar stool
• A message or note which is abandoned or lost on the floor
• A scrap of a treasure map left on a table or scratched into the underside of it
• A wanted poster for an infamous bandit who happens to be sitting on the next bar stool…..
• A strange gold coin with a peculiar rune on it or marking
• An ancient platinum coin with the face of some long dead emperor or conqueror. Where did this coin come from? Are there more like this somewhere nearby?
• A magical dagger which seems to be winning all the bar games….
• Job offers for guards, caravans or even the city watch

Taverns are there for players to role play

Not every tavern has to have extensive detail. But the more time which the players spend in a tavern calls for more attention to the detail needed for it. A tavern filled with colorful characters can be a role playing gold mine. The players might spend a great deal of time there. And they will keep going back if the tavern is well made.

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Not every dungeon has the same kind of rooms. Dungeons are built for different purposes. In some instances dungeons are built to create a safe place from enemies. Often, however, they are created as a safe place to keep one’s enemies. Sometimes they are created for different purposes entirely.

But often dungeons will have one or more of the following types of rooms:

• Throne Rooms
• Torture Chambers
• Traps
• Treasure Hoards

Not all of these types of rooms will be found in every dungeon. And traps, of course, might not just be found in a room. Sometimes a room, itself, is a trap.

Throne Rooms

Many dungeons are built beneath castles. Sometimes these castles have a real expectation of being attacked. In order to protect the royal family the builders often go underground. The throne room for the castle may well be deep within this safe space under the surface.

Most throne rooms, however, will be on the surface. Often they will be extremely lavish. The throne itself might be decorated with gold or jewels. There may be royal tapestries hanging from the walls. Fine art often decorates such places. Portraits of the royal family or their ancestors might be prominently displayed. Ornate pillars and columns might also be present to hold up the roof as these types of rooms are often quite large.

Throne rooms often have wide spaces to accommodate the large audiences which might have business before the king. As many other members of royalty are often part of a royal court the room will also have wide spaces for them as well. And of course…there must be guards. Many guards will typically be present to protect the royalty from attack and to maintain order.

Torture Chambers

What dungeon is complete without a torture chamber? Every kingdom has enemies. These enemies will occasionally be caught. In order to extract information from these enemies torture chambers are present. Some cruel kings might choose to use the torture chambers merely for punishment of these enemies rather than seeking information from them.

Torture chambers often have certain devices which are useful for these purposes:

• The Rack
• The Iron Maiden
• Thumbscrews
• The Wheel
• Hot Irons

In order to have ready access to the prisoners to be “questioned” there would need to be cells nearby. Some of these prison cells might be still occupied when adventurers explore the dungeon. There may be evidence of prisoners left even in a very old abandoned dungeon. Bones, escape tunnels, manacles or eating utensils might still be found. Markings on the walls might indicate the number of days (or years) of incarceration.

Individual torture devices might also still be occupied when the explorers arrive. Or there might only be “parts” of those prisoners left in the device.

The torturer himself might still be present in the room. And he might even be in the act of torturing a victim when the adventurers arrive in the room. Torturers are often sadistic people or creatures. Who would make a fitting torturer for a dungeon? Some possibilities which come to mind are:

• A mind flayer who also inflicts psychological damage on her victims
• A particularly nasty Ogre who feels abandoned by society and hates everyone
• A bold Goblin who feels empowered now that he is able to torment people much bigger than he is
• A demon who has been summoned to this plane and decides he is having too much fun in the torture chamber to ever leave it

Traps

What dungeon could be complete without traps? There are far too many types of traps to discuss in this article but there are several categories which are worthy of a mention. Some of these categories include:

• Room traps – where anyone within the room is likely to be killed, imprisoned or maimed
• Hallway traps -where anyone traveling down the wrong path might find themselves gravely wounded or slain
• Staircase traps – to injure those entering from the wrong place or to kill those attempting to descend to lower levels of the dungeon

Not every trap is intended to kill. Sometimes they are intended to maim, injure, slow or confine enemies. In some cases traps are merely to set off an alarm.

The use of traps in games like Dungeons and Dragons is not without controversy. Many Dungeon Masters do not see the need to use traps in their games. Others use them liberally in their games. To me it is about injecting a little reality into the game. A place with vast treasures which has no traps protecting any of them is not a very likely place to find. People, and monsters, want to hold on to the treasures that belong to them. Those with any intelligence will understand that they will not always be present to guard the treasures every minute of the day.

Some, but not all, of the possible traps that one might encounter are:

• Flood traps
• Shifting hallways
• Arrow, spear and dart traps
• Pits
• Collapsing staircases
• Magical traps
• Gas spraying traps
• Caltrops
• Cage traps
• Falling blocks
• Collapsing ceilings
• Elevator rooms

Treasure Hoards

The Treasure Hoard is the goal that most adventurers are seeking when they explore a dungeon. Treasure is what makes the world go around. Without treasure one cannot buy armor, weapons, horses, castles and those other things which adventurers dream of. Treasure hoards contain thousands (or perhaps even millions) of coins. They may contain gems and jewelry or valuable artwork. And most important of all…..they often contain magic items.

Treasure Hoards are often trapped. And they are almost always well guarded. They may come with some other surprises as well. For other explorers are often looking for such places. Some may have found them before the adventurers did. Their bodies might still be present in the room to warn of the possible traps that might be present.

Hoards such as these should consist of more than just large piles of coins. A detailed list of the things that are present should be made and then the adventurers should spend time deciding what is valuable enough to carry off. These decisions should not be easy ones. Some items will be heavy and bulky. Others will be small and quite valuable. But who will know which is which? Obviously a group of six or eight adventurers is not going to be able to carry off a few tons of treasure in a single trip. Who will stand guard while the others carry treasure to town? Will anyone? How will the heavy things be extracted? Or will they be left behind? A detailed list of treasures can lead to interesting adventures all on it’s own.

These types of places are just some of the interesting places one might find in a dungeon

Dungeons are filled with different types of rooms. These are but some of them. Places which are likely to be the center of action should probably be made in the greatest detail. Adventurers are likely to spend a great deal of time in Throne Rooms, Torture Chambers and Treasure Hoards. They will probably prefer to spend less time with traps. And certainly they will want to spend little or no time in a Torture Chamber as the recipient of the torture.

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The Sphere of Annihilation was first introduced in Dungeons and Dragons with the Greyhawk Supplement to Original Dungeons and Dragons in 1975. The Sphere was described as a black globe of nothingness which is 2′ in diameter. Anything that comes into contact with this sphere is completely and irrevocably destroyed.

Most of the later editions of the game had a Sphere of Annihilation. Some modifications were made over the years but the premise was the same. It was a black sphere which could totally destroy anything that it touched. It was controlled by the mind and intelligence of the person in possession of it. More than one person could attempt control of the Sphere and this could create a very interesting battle for control if it.

The Sphere of Annihilation in Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition

First Edition further expands upon the Sphere of Annihilation. The First Edition DMG states that this sphere is actually a hole in the continuity of the multiverse. It is a void. Any matter which comes into contact with the Sphere is sucked into this void. Anyone lost in this void is lost forever. Not even a wish can bring them back!

There Sphere is static. It’s normal state is to stay in the same place unless moved mentally by someone or some thing. Mental effort is required to control this Sphere. Brainwaves from the person attempting to control it are what cause it to move in a direction. The control range is typically 40′.

The basic rate of movement is 10′ per round modified by the table listed below. Concentration control is based up on intelligence and the level of the magic user. Note that in First Edition only a magic user can control this device at all. Higher intelligence and/or greater experience equals greater control of this device.

• up To 5th Level Magic User/ 8′ movement per round/ 15% probability of control
• 6th to 7th Level Magic User/9′ movement per round/20% probability of control
• 8th to 9th Level Magic User/10′ movement per round/30% probability of control
• 10th to 11th Level Magic User/11′ movement per round/40% probability of control
• 12th to 13th Level Magic User/12′ movement per round/50% probability of control
• 14th to 15th Level Magic User/13′ movement per round/60% probability of control
• 16th to 17th Level Magic User/14′ movement per round/70% probability of control
• 18th to 20th Level Magic User/15′ movement per round/75% probability of control
• 21st & above Level Magic User/16′ movement per round/80% probability of control

Control is also modified upward by high intelligence. For every point of intelligence over 12 1% is added to the probability of control For every point of intelligence over 15 3% is added to the probability of control. At 18 intelligence a maximum of 12% is added to the probability of control.

Attempting to control the Sphere could be dangerous in itself. Any attempt causes the Sphere to move. But a failure to control the Sphere causes it to slide towards the Magic User doing so. It will keep moving in that direction 1 to 4 rounds thereafter if the Magic User is within 30′ of the Sphere.

When two Magic Users are trying to control the Sphere things can really get dicey. Each Magic User is checked for control starting with the strongest Magic User (the one with the highest percentage chance of control). Each Magic User will have their chance of control reduced by 5% when two are struggling for control of the Sphere. This reduction is cumulative. When neither controls the Sphere it will slip towards the stronger of the two Magic Users.

When a Gate Spell is cast upon the Sphere unpredictable results will happen. There is a 50% chance that the spell will destroy the Sphere. There is a 35% chance that the spell will do nothing at all. And there is a 15% chance that a gap will be torn in the spatial fabric and everyone and everything within 18″ radius of the Sphere will be sucked into another plane or universe.

If a Rod of Cancellation touches the Sphere a huge explosion will occur causing massive damage to those within a 6″ radius of the Sphere. The two devices basically cancel each other. The resulting explosion causes 30-120 points of damage to those in the blast radius.

A psionic using probability travel (discipline) when touched by the Sphere will be able to do away with the Sphere (with a saving throw versus the Sphere) and will gain another major psionic power. A failure on the saving throw will indicate annihilation of the psionic.

The Sphere of Annihilation in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

The Sphere of Annihilation is still an incredibly potent weapon in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons. It is described as a 2 foot diameter hole in the multiverse that hovers in space and is stabilized by a magical field surrounding it.

The Sphere obliterates any matter that passes through it. With one exception. Artifacts may or may not be destroyed by the Sphere. Some will merely pass through it unscathed. Anything that touches the Sphere and is not totally engulfed and obliterated by it will take 4D10 force damage from it.

The Sphere is stationary unless someone controls it. If you are within 60 feet of an uncontrolled Sphere then you can make a DC 25 Intelligence Check (Arcana). This takes an action. A successful roll indicates that the Sphere will move in a direction of your choosing up to a number of feet equal to 5 times your intelligence modifier. On a failed roll the Sphere will move 10 feet towards you instead. Any creature whose space that the Sphere enters must make a DC 13 Dexterity save or be touched by the Sphere and take 4D10 force damage.

Trying to control a Sphere, that is already under the control of another, creates a contest for control of it. Each person makes an Intelligence (Arcana) Check. The winner gains control of the Sphere and it can levitate as normal.

If the Sphere comes into contact with a planar portal (such as a gate spell) or an extra-dimensional space (such as a portable hole) the DM makes a roll on the following table to determine the result:

• 01-50 The Sphere is destroyed
• 51-85 The Sphere moves through the portal or into extra-dimensional space
• 86-100 A spatial rift sends each creature and object within 180 feet of the Sphere, including the Sphere, to a random plane of existence

Differences between the two editions are apparent

First and Fifth Edition do have some notable differences in how they treat the Sphere. Such differences which are immediately apparent:

• The 1st Edition and Original Dungeons and Dragons version is pretty much all or nothing. If you touch the Sphere it sucks you into another universe and you are gone forever. In 5th Edition you take 4D10 force damage from the Sphere instead.
• The control of the Sphere is no longer based upon level or intelligence or even modified by it
• The 5th Edition version does not require the controller of the Sphere to be a Magic User or even a spell caster of any kind

The Talisman of the Sphere

Both Editions have another magical item which can aid the user in controlling the Sphere of Annihilation. The Talisman of the Sphere can help the controller of the Sphere keep control of it. Again the older editions treat the Talisman of the Sphere differently than 5th Edition does. The differences are noted below:

• In First Edition anyone but a Magic User who touches the Talisman of the Sphere will take 5-30 points of damage from it. It is useless in the possession of anyone but a Magic User. Possesion of the Talisman (by a Magic User) doubles the intelligence bonus percentage (i.e. 6% per point of intelligence over 15 as opposed to the 3% bonus without the Talisman). The possessor of the Talisman only has to check for control every other round. A wand of negation can negate the effect of this Talisman (even if it cannot effect the Sphere itself). Failure to control the Sphere will result in it moving at maximum speed towards the Magic User.
• Use of the Talisman of the Sphere in 5th Edition doubles the proficiency bonus of the check for control of the Sphere. Additionally if you have control of the Sphere on the following round you can levitate it 10 feet plus a number of feet equal fot 10 times your intelligence modifier.

The Sphere of Annihilation in Dungeons and Dragons is deadly

Regardless of Edition played the Sphere can be a deadly weapon. It has the power to float through the air and do immense damage (5th Edition) or totally annihilate the target (1st Edition and OD&D).

The Sphere is one of those iconic images from the earliest days of the game. Those who were unfortunate enough to explore the Tomb of Horrors may remember the demon face on the wall with the Sphere of Annihilation for a mouth. How many players over the year were lost to this simple trap?

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• Illusions Part Two
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• Weather in Dungeons and Dragons
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Sooner or later every Dungeon Master considers the possibility of running an adventure underwater. Whether your plan is to have your adventurers explore in the ocean, or in some freshwater lake, some issues need to be addressed in order to make such an adventure possible. This article is going to discuss some of the important points one must consider before embarking on such adventures.

Some of these points are as follows:

• How do the player characters breath underwater?
• How do they move? How fast? Are they in armor?
• How well do the adventurers see? How far?
• How does underwater movement affect combat?
• What spells and magic work underwater?

How do the characters breath underwater

Obviously the ability to breath underwater is a paramount concern to the players and the Dungeon Master. Without this ability one could spend little time, if any, beneath the surface of the water to explore. There are, however, magical means in which one could breath underwater for extended periods of time. These include:

• Spells such as Water Breathing. Alter Self and Airy Water (1st edition)
• Potions such as Water Breathing
• Magic Items such as Helms of Underwater Action

Of course, the Dungeon Master, could make other magical arrangements for the characters to breath underwater. Or perhaps there is a bubble under the sea which provides air to those within. For longer adventures under the surface there might need to be more extended means of water breathing available to the characters. Perhaps an experimental potion which provides the long term ability to under the surface.

Movement under water

People are not fish. We do not swim like a fish. And walking underwater is not like walking on land. One could swim. Or one could choose to walk upright. Someone wearing metal armor is not able to swim. Walking underwater involves a certain amount of resistance from the water itself which slows movement.

The land beneath the waves is not all flat. There are hills, coral, shipwrecks, seaweed and chasms. Fish and underwater monsters abound beneath the surface.

Magical items can make movement easier. A ring of free action or helm of underwater action (1st edition) might make underwater movement faster and easier. Other magical items and spells might also improve movement underwater.

Visibility underwater

The ability to see underwater is severely restricted for humankind and humanoids working under the surface. How murky the water greatly affects visibility. Different editions of Dungeons and Dragons have slightly different rules on underwater visibility. These rules are as follows:

• 1st Edition – the basic rule is 50 feet in fresh water and 100 feet in salt water. This could be modified by magic such as light spells or by infravision or ultravision. Some other things might restrict visibility such as sea weed beds or ink clouds from sea creatures. Or perhaps one area is just murkier because of the type of sea bed one is walking through.
• 5th Edition – Vision is dependent upon the light available and the murkiness of the water itself. Clear water and bright light gives visibility of 60 feet. Clear water but dim light gives visibility of only 30 feet. And murky water or no light gives visibility of only 10 feet.

Combat Underwater

Combat under the surface is affected by the resistance from the water to swings of a blade. Land born creatures are not used to this resistance and will be adversely affected by it. Different editions of Dungeons and Dragons had different rules for underwater combat. Some of these are as follows:

1st Edition – Crushing and slashing weapons are ineffective. Thrusting weapons such as spears, tridents and javelins are effective. Aquatic creatures will always strike first as they are used to the reduced movement ability underwater unless the player character is wearing magical items such as free action or underwater action. 

Nets could be very effective underwater. The Sahuagin are masters of the net. To be used as a weapon the net must have weights. Underwater races can typically throw a net as far as 15′ but a Sahuagin can throw one up to 20′. Some battle nets also have barbs attached to them to help with the trapping of victims. The use of such a net is very difficult for surface dwellers. They do so at -4 to hit until sufficiently trained in their use. 

Crossbows made specifically for underwater use are effective. Just about all other missile weapons are not effective underwater. Underwater range for these special crossbows is half that of a surface version of the weapon. 

Spell use underwater is limited and will be discussed in the next section. 

5th Edition – Underwater combat is greatly simplified. When making a melee attack underwater a creature without swimming speed (magical or otherwise) has disadvantage on attack rolls unless using a thrusting weapon such as a dagger, javelin, short sword, spear or trident. Ranged weapons automatically miss at ranges beyond the normal range for the weapon. Even within normal ranges the attack roll has disadvantage unless the weapon is a crossbow, net or a thrown weapon such as a javelin, trident or spear. Creatures immersed in water have resistance to fire damage.

Spell use underwater

Spell use may be drastically affected by the underwater environment. The ability to even cast a spell might require speech. Can one speak while breathing underwater? Can one use material components in order to cast a spell?

5th Edition is strangely silent on the subject of what spells will work underwater. It also avoids mentioning under what conditions spell use might be possible. One would have to assume that if one can breath underwater then one can cast spells in 5th Edition. But how are these spells affected by the water? This subject is not covered in the 5th Edition DMG.

1st Edition, however, had extensive rules on which spells would not work at all underwater. These included:

• Speak with dead
• Lower Water
• Speak with plants
• Atonement
• Flame strike
• Aerial Servant
• Control Weather
• Wind Walk
• Predict weather
• Fire trap
• Heat metal
• Call lightning
• Pyrotechnics
• Produce Fire
• Animal summoning (any version)
• Call woodland beings
• Produce fire
• Control winds
• Insect plague
• Pass plant
• Wall of fire
• Conjure fire elemental
• Fire seeds
• Weather summoning
• Chariot of Sustarre
• Control weather
• Creeping doom
• Fire storm
• Affect normal fires
• Burning hands
• Find familiar
• Fireball
• Flame arrow
• Gust of wind
• Fire charm
• Fire shield
• Distance distortion
• Guards and wards
• Cacodemon
• Delayed blast fireball
• Incendiary cloud
• polymorph any object
• Meteor swarm
• Wall of fog
• Illusionary script

One can see some obvious reasons for some of these restrictions. Fire spells do not work underwater. But weather spells also apparently do not work. As do spells about summoning creatures or allies (or even insects). Now some of these spells did work if they took place within an air bubble created by an airy water spell. But they would not work directly within water. Presumably these kinds of spells should be precluded in 5th Edition as well but this is not mentioned specifically in any of the core books that I could find.

But water does more than just preclude certain spells. It might also change the effects of some spells. Some examples of this from 1st Edition:

• Part water creates a tunnel beneath the sea
• Earthquake creates a shock wave which stuns creatures in the vicinity
• Conjure earth elemental allows such a creature to be made but it is restricted to the sea or lake in which it was made
• Fly – this spell allows a magic user to swim very easily in the water
• Lightning bolt – when cast underwater it has an effect like a fireball rather than the usual forked appearance above water
• Ice storm – the hail created will be weaker than that above the surface
• Wall of ice – the wall will be created by the spell but will float to the surface and bob about like an ice cube

As you can see spells will not, necessarily, work as expected under water.

As 5th Edition does not specifically alter the rules for these spells as the early editions did the Dungeon Master is going to need to use a little common sense. Mages are not going to be able to run around under the water nuking everything with fireballs. This would not make sense. Using some of these lists from 1st edition might give you a good idea on what should not be usable under the surface and what might be modified.

Types of adventures under the surface

An entire world lives beneath the waves. There are endless possibilities for encounters underwater. And there are lots of reasons why players might want to explore such places. Some possibilities include:

• Shipwrecks and sunken treasures
• Underwater temples
• Sahuagin strongholds
• Sunken statues or monoliths which can be seen from the surface
• Sunken ruins
• Storm giant lairs
• Dragon turtle lairs
• Underwater cave systems
• Beds of giant oysters (and pearls)
• Underwater castles
• Giant bubble cities beneath the surface

One only needs to use a little imagination to come up with adventures to entice players to explore under the surface of the sea. And such an adventure could provide a great deal of entertainment. It is an alien environment for surface dwellers. It is an environment where the aquatic creatures have all of the advantages. And there could be massive riches beneath the sea.

Underwater adventures give the Dungeon Master a chance to introduce their players to a new world

Beneath the surface are new creatures that the players will likely not have yet faced. There will be new challenges that the characters will not yet have experienced. And this can make a campaign seem new again as the players encounter things that are entirely new to them on a regular basis.

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