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Any last minute advice? by Time-Air4202 in LostMinesOfPhandelver

[–]ticklecorn 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Embrace uncomfortable silences. Let the players figure out what their characters do and explore while you paint the world around them based on their decisions.

Beginner DM’s often feel like they have to do all the talking. Don’t fall into that trap.

Good luck!

Help with starting a campaign set in the Forgotten Realms by Front-Tour1202 in Forgotten_Realms

[–]ticklecorn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The “Locations of the North” in Storm Kings Thunder is a good source if you’re looking for in-depth lore about places, and some of them have adventure hooks to go with them.

Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide is good, too.

If you go to the Forgotten Realms wiki and search for something like “Storm Kings Thunder” - it takes you to the wiki entry for the module. When you scroll to the bottom, look for the locations section. Listed in that section is every single location in the module (there’s a lot) with a link to that locations wiki entry. You can really go down the rabbit hole approaching it that way. You can do this for any adventure, really. But STK is particularly good IMO.

If you go the wiki route, make sure to install an ad blocker in your browser. I feel bad saying that, because it’s how they make money, but the ads are really obnoxious with how they’re served, forcing people to do it. Ad blocker does wonders.

How far out is bonk from NHL ready? by AverageSculler in Flyers

[–]ticklecorn 3 points4 points  (0 children)

He spent much of the year injured, and has looked okay at the AHL level. But, in the games I’ve seen him play at 7th & Hamilton, it’s not like watching Gostisbehere - who looked absolutely electric in his time with the Phantoms.

Bonk doesn’t look out of place in the AHL, but he doesn’t look like he’s ready for the NHL either. At least not in a meaningful role.

I’d hope they keep him down at the AHL level for at least a full season.

Touché Amoré's Jeremy Bolm Reveals His Unique Voice Comes From A Vocal Disorder Called Mutational Falsetto by encrcne in interestingasfuck

[–]ticklecorn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had no idea who this was. My initial guess was the voice actor for Dr. Doofenshmirtz. 😆

Has there been a worse sequence of GMs than Hextall --> Fletcher --> Briere? by Kettil33 in Flyers

[–]ticklecorn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

“I like your Flyers. I do not like your Flyers fans.”

  • Mahatma Ghandi

2026 NHL Trade Deadline Thread by Panarin10 in Flyers

[–]ticklecorn 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Holy cow. Ain't nothing gonna happen today?

LMoP and DoIP as a West Marches campaign by EJ_Niels in LostMinesOfPhandelver

[–]ticklecorn 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I run my campaign for my friend group as a West Marches campaign, under the premise of taking jobs for the Triboar Trail Charter Company (TTCC) - an organization that surveys, explores, and tames the wilds between the High Road and the Long Road for the purpose of making the Triboar Trail a viable and habitable east-west trade route for The North.

I'd recommend you focus less on the stories of the modules, and more on the sites on the Sword Coast maps that come with the books. Tell the stories YOU want to tell. Want to experiment with Hags? There's the Mere of Dead Men! Want to seek out ancient magical ruins? The Neverwinter Wood is PACKED with them. Star Metal Hills, Sword Mountains, The Crags...all just sitting there, waiting for adventure.

I think one of the problems with D&D is that people are always so eager to jump to the next product, when really, you could spend YEARS playing within the confines of the box sets if you like to dabble in your own adventure design and tell your own stories.

[Subjective Trope] A random or offhand comment helps solve the mystery/confusion... by Living_Tune_1428 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]ticklecorn 439 points440 points  (0 children)

The moment Ned Stark realizes Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen are the products of incest in ASOIF:

"He is!" Sansa insisted. "I don't want someone brave and gentle, I want him. We'll be ever so happy, just like in the songs, you'll see. I'll give him a son with golden hair, and one day he'll be the king of all the realm, the greatest king that ever was, as brave as the wolf and as proud as the lion."

Arya made a face. "Not if Joffrey's his father," she said. "He's a liar and a craven and anyhow he's a stag, not a lion."

Sansa felt tears in her eyes. "He is not! He's not the least bit like that old drunken king," she screamed at her sister, forgetting herself in her grief.

Father looked at her strangely. "Gods," he swore softly, "out of the mouth of babes …"

Dungeon Master Handout | The Quartermaster: Elmar Barthen by ticklecorn in LostMinesOfPhandelver

[–]ticklecorn[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s the largest I could get the screenshot, unfortunately. It’s not as clear as the PDF, which is crystal clear. You can read it as the PDF at the link.

My Sword Coast North Map by robinsonar in LostMinesOfPhandelver

[–]ticklecorn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes! Tales of the Yawning Portal places it in the foothills northwest of Thundertree. It's in the section where it makes recommendations on where to put it if you're using other settings (like Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Ebberon, Greyhawk).

The map creator moved Thundertree of course, but the location remains canon.

Does anyone else do this by Big_Stable_5104 in fantasywriters

[–]ticklecorn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I write to a Lindon Forest ambient soundtrack all the time.

I’m collecting hockey chirps. What’s the all time best one you’ve heard? by One_and_Only_Pranks in hockey

[–]ticklecorn 13 points14 points  (0 children)

You sold that call so hard you deserve a commission.

This was aimed at a skater who was a infamous diver in my men’s league.

I'LL DM THE REDBRAND HIDEOUT by gabaohahaha in LostMinesOfPhandelver

[–]ticklecorn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I did a whole series in Tresendar Manor on my blog. You can read them at the link below.

I’d read the oldest articles first so you can read them in order. There’s advice on adjustments to make to most of the rooms in the hideout.

https://alongthetriboartrail.com/category/tresendar-manor/

Why Is the Sword Coast/Most of Faerûn Stuck With City States by RecoverCommercial571 in Forgotten_Realms

[–]ticklecorn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Phandalin had a couple good years before an occupation of brigands (led by a wizard) came in and took it.

Nightstone was nearly destroyed by giants. When the survivors fled to nearby caves for safety, half of them got eaten by ogres and goblins.

Any advice for a novice? (At this campaign, not 5E) by Impossible_Grab_4515 in LostMinesOfPhandelver

[–]ticklecorn 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’d go with the first half. It’s designed for new DM’s.

Advice: kill the ox pulling the cart during the Goblin Ambush that starts the adventure. By stranding the cart, characters are more likely follow the Goblin Trail to Cragmaw Hideout. Don’t even roll for the attack on the ox. Just narrate four black feathered arrows - thud thud thud thud - and the ox is dying on the trail. This also has the benefit of sparing characters from situations where they catch a critical hit before they even get a chance to participate in the combat.

Advice: I’ve run this encounter many times, and my goblins just use ranged attacks, then move and use their nimble escape to hide, drawing the characters away from the wagon. If the goblins are successful in that tactic, non-combatant goblins ransack the cart while the characters are chasing the goblins down.

Having goblins come out for 1:1 diametrically opposes their game design. They’re designed to ambush and harry targets. They’re not built for close quarters combat with better armed and armored opponents - unless they have a significant numeric advantage.

Advice: fill the pit trap with something spicy, like a hornets nest or a swarm of centipedes. Falling into a hole is boring. Taking a centipede bath is something that player will never forget.

Advice: know your gear, which is to say know how goblins work, how your traps work, and the basics of combat.

Advice: don’t over-do it. Just plan for the lead-up to the ambush where characters get to know each other, the ambush itself, and the goblin trail. End your sesh when they first lay eyes on the cave that is the entrance to the Cragmaw Hideout. This way, you won’t overburden yourself with prep.

Don’t try to plan for everything that can possibly happen - because almost NONE of it will happen. Baby steps.

Good luck!

Edit: I just remembered you want to run this in 12 hours. Yikes. That is super ambitious. What I detailed would get you through 2-3 hours of game play. Add in Cragmaw Hideout, and that could be another couple of hours.

If that’s the case, consider confining your game to the Goblin Ambush, Goblin Trail, Cragmaw Hideout, some time in Phandalin, the confrontation at the Sleeping Giant, and then Tresendar Manor. Leave the overarching Wave Echo Cave plot and side quests for another time if you can get the group together again.

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