D&D - Setting the Stage

For the past two decades I've played a variety of roleplaying games, but I always seem to come back to Dungeons and Dragons. It is not the most in-depth system, nor perhaps the most exciting. But what it lacks there, it makes up for in the amount of resources and flexibility it provides for Dungeons Masters, and the ease of entry for new players.

Regardless of the system, I've always had a passion for running the game. Creating worlds, telling stories, and providing a foundation for players to have fun and express themselves.

Over the past year, I've been able to host one of the longest continuously running campaigns I've participated in for many years. Most of the players are well into their careers, have partners, and children ranging from 15 years old to newborns. So while 12 sessions may not seem like a long campaign, it has been a difficult feat to manage.

As the campaign has progressed, it has evolved dramatically. Chasing the path players choose, becoming something new each session. Starting as an episodic dungeon delve, the players began to explore more broadly, and recently I've roughly adapted the Acquisitions Incorporated adventure line into the story.

Finding Resources:

As the team progressed, I explored supporting resources for the locations and characters they encountered. I was surprised, that despite the number of D&D adventures that cross paths with these same elements, it was quite hard to find a good consolidated source of resources.

I grabbed pieces from the various adventures and sourcebooks, scrubbed the internet for maps and ideas, and often, built my own. As I did this, I realized that I had the opportunity to help future Dungeon Masters with this same challenge.

Over The Top D&D

Thus, I've decided to use this blog as a way to curate my findings. Sharing our adventures, quotes, locations, insights and ideas with the world. The First Stop? Phandalin.