worldbuilding

A collection of 24 posts

worldbuilding

Building Better Taverns

In our games, taverns are often nothing more than a container for information or conflict. Let's fix that.

5e

Awesome Obsidian Community Plugins for D&D

A handful of community plugins can transform your RPG campaign management.

worldbuilding

Awesome Obsidian Plugins for D&D

A handful of core plugins can transform your RPG note-taking.

gamemastery

Use Your Best Ideas Now

Don't save your awesome ideas for some future moment. Use them now.

5e

Overland Travel Is a Dungeon Crawl

We don't need to overcomplicate overland travel.

misc

Landmark, Hidden, Secrets and Clues

What if there was a way to make secrets and clues easier to design and deploy? Enter the idea that information can be landmark, hidden, or secret.

misc

What's in a Name?

Naming things in D&D is hard. But it doesn't have to be.

worldbuilding

There Is Only One That Matters

When a magic sword is the only magic sword, it instantly becomes interesting. The same goes for a dragon or beholder.

homebrew

Empty Rooms

We fill our games with interesting worlds, dungeons, and stories. Empty rooms are a simple yet powerful tools we can add.

worldbuilding

Organizing an Atlas for D&D in Obsidian

How to create an atlas to organize your D&D location notes in Obsidian.

npcs

NPC Paradigm Shift

With a new mental model, NPCs can transform your Dungeons & Dragons experience.

organization

The Ultimate Guide to TTRPG Campaign Managers in 2025

Campaign management for tabletop roleplaying games can be complex. But it doesn't have to be. These powerful tools will help you manage your game, your way.

worldbuilding

A Living World Every Session

The ability for players to interact meaningfully with the setting is important in RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. We need a way to make the world feel alive around the player characters.

npcs

The Best Villains

A good villain elevates your Dungeons & Dragons game by creating fun opportunities and lasting memories. But designing and deploying good villains isn’t easy.

obsidian

My Obsidian Setup for D&D

This is how I organize my Dungeons & Dragons world and campaigns within Obsidian.

misc

Power of Polyhedrons

In RPGs, dice can transcend the players and game master as the ultimate arbiter and creator of outcomes. Without rolling dice (or insert other resolution mechanic here) in RPGs, it’s hard to say that we’re playing a game. But dice are the crucible through which our imaginary creations

misc

Beyond the Plot in D&D

In a game where the game master only presents plot, much of the value of our hobby is lost. The opportunities for players to uncover the likes of forgotten truths, secret trysts, or mysterious locales beyond the scope of the plot(s) are what bring the game to life. Fantasy

misc

Everything is Something

A setting that feels alive encourages enjoyment and even immersion. It aids in the suspension of disbelief that allows us to explore fantastic realms and go on imaginary adventures. But building or running a setting that feels alive is no small task. Let’s look at a simple tool for

worldbuilding

Make Your Lore Optional

Lore is a tricky beast in tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. Many game masters learn early on that writing too much lore isn’t the most productive use of their time. Sometimes, it’s downright detrimental to your game. But what if I told you there’s a

worldbuilding

Getting Started with LegendKeeper for D&D

Are you looking for an easy way to manage your D&D campaign? Look no further than LegendKeeper.

misc

3 Myths About Using Published Settings

Artwork by Zsolt Kosa from Crown of the Oathbreaker I used to scoff at the idea of using a published setting for my D&D campaigns. I’d happily steal from them to inspire my own setting, but use them outright? Outrageous. I’m a worldbuilder, not a worldborrower.

worldbuilding

Why Your Next D&D Campaign Should Use the Nentir Vale

The Nentir Vale is the main area of the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons “points of light” general fantasy setting. The vale was included in the Dungeon Master’s Guide along with a number of adventures in boxed sets. Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale added villains, factions, and

worldbuilding

Atomic Worldbuilding

I love worldbuilding. Most game masters do. But I find it hard to strike a balance between delivering value and having fun. Enter atomic worldbuilding. Atomic worldbuilding is the creation of world elements in small units so they can later be added to the larger system. Another way to think

worldbuilding

Worldbuilding for the Story

Worldbuilding is a wonderful creative outlet. We build worlds to express ourselves. But not that alone. We could express ourselves through any other medium. Why choose worlds? Because we want a place to tell a story. Your worlds should serve your stories. And your stories should serve your players. Worldbuilding