Posts in GM's Resource

Hornwall at a Glance

Five years ago, the bandits won. They overwhelmed the village of Hornwall, killed its citizens and looted their treasures. Then, they settled down. The bandits of Hornwall now reside within the very defences meant to keep them out. They have given up the sword and taken up the ploughshare, exchanging a life of danger for one of safety. The villagers hide their secret well, but bodies keep appearing—floating in on the current, dug up by dogs and even emerging from the thawing winter snows. And the citizens who wish to return to the old ways are murdered in their sleep by their loved ones and business owners who wish to keep the past dead and buried. If passing travellers learn the truth, they have a choice. Forgive and forget? Or avenge the uncaring dead and leave Hornwall nothing but ashes.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMay 20, 2021At a Glance, Village BackdropComment

Tigley at a Glance

Wracked by disaster, Tigley is a village reborn. Standing on the fringes of the noisome Gnatmarsh, its folk make their living from the swamp and harvesting guano from the caves honeycombing the spire of rock upon which stands much of the village. But all is not peaceful in Tigley. The villagers’ burial rituals have attracted undead to certain nearby sunken ruins and goblins now lurk in the locality. In the village itself, influential figures vie for control of the local industries, a bully uses his influence to spread lies and cause trouble and the village priest hides a terrible secret. Once again, Tigley is a village teetering on the edge of disaster, but this time it is a disaster of the village’s own making.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMay 17, 2021At a Glance, Village BackdropComment

4d4 Evil Fane

An evil fane should be so much more than a room featuring just a bloody altar (and some treasure). These are places of ineffable evil and as such deserve decent design time. But who has the time? Use these lists, to add depth and verisimilitude to the evil fanes in your campaign.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMay 13, 20214d4, Urban Dressing, Dungeon DressingComment

4d4 Dungeon Lights

Perhaps the single most pervasive feature of a dungeon is its near perpetual darkness. Darkness creates a serious disadvantage for surface dwellers exploring a dungeon and a great advantage for its denizens.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMay 10, 20214d4 Comment

Ghostly Hauntings: Martta Kari

This beautiful, but stern, women wears a fitted black dress, and a white shawl about her slender, bony shoulders.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMay 6, 202120 ThingsComment

Ghostly Hauntings: Vilutar Tornia

Wisps of glimmering multi-coloured mist swirl around the translucent figure of a woman. The woman’s visage changes—growing subtly older before your very eyes—as she approaches.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMay 3, 202120 ThingsComment

4d4 Borderland Fort

The quintessential fort (or keep) on the borderland is a classic locale for neophyte adventurers to visit at the start of their careers. Using the fort as a base, they can explore the wilderness and know a safe haven lies nearby. Borderland forts are not featureless places devoid of interesting features and folk. They are living breathing places.

Use these lists to add depth and verisimilitude to the fort on the borderland in your campaign.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstApril 26, 20214d4 Comment

20 Things: Bridge Town

Many towns straddle rivers, and such towns need bridges! Often massive structures, a bridge can be the focal point of a town. Use this list, to add pieces of interesting dressing to the bridge towns in your campaign:

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstApril 22, 202120 Things, Urban DressingComment

20 Things: Marsh Town

Many towns lie on the edge of deep, dank and fetid marshlands. Terrible things often lurk in these mires, and the town’s folk need protection. Enter, brave adventurers! Use this list, to add pieces of interesting dressing to the marsh towns in your campaign:

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstApril 19, 202120 Things, Urban DressingComment

Minion of Evil: Matilda Asikka

During the course of their adventures, our heroes are likely to slay many evil wizards (and loot their bodies). Sadly, most such individuals seem to never carry anything beyond a spell component pouch, a few magic items and some loose coinage. Use this list, to add depth and flavour to a dead wizard’s possessions

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstApril 8, 202120 Things, NPCsComment

Minion of Evil: Venla Jutikka

Wearing comfortable clothing suitable for sea travel, this human woman stands just over five feet tall. She keeps her light brown hair closely cut and wears a patch over her right eye.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstApril 5, 202120 Things, NPCsComment

20 Things to Loot from a Dead Wizard

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstApril 1, 202120 Things, Treasure & Trinkets Comment

12 Books in the Special Collection

The vast majority of books in a library are nothing more than tomes of mundane knowledge, travelogues, diaries and other normal writings. A few books, however, are different. A few books—either because of the foul things they reveal, the power they hold or their monetary value—are kept away from the public in the library’s special collection.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMarch 29, 202120 Things, Treasure & TrinketsComment

10 Secret Dungeon Entrances

Whether it be a cobweb covered gate, a portcullis adorned with a green iron devil's face or a fissure in the stony ground belching a sulphurous smoke, the entrance to your dungeon sets the tone for the adventure.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMarch 25, 202120 Things, Urban Dressing Comment

10 Dungeon Entrances

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMarch 22, 202120 Things, Urban DressingComment

20 Things: Lumber Town

Many towns lie on the edge of deep, dark woodlands. Terrible things often lurk in these woods, and the town’s folk need protection. Enter, brave adventurers! Use this list, to add pieces of interesting dressing to the lumber towns in your campaign:

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMarch 18, 202120 Things, Urban DressingComment

20 Things: Trade Town

Vibrant trade towns are a key feature in many campaigns. Adventurers must shop, after all! Use this list, to add pieces of interesting dressing to the vibrant trade towns in your campaign:

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMarch 15, 202120 Things, Urban DressingComment

Feigrvidr at a Glance

Most dwarven holds are vast and ordered halls filled with solemn and stoic craftsfolk. But that’s not Feigrvidr. Some say it’s not a dwarf hold at all, but rather a lawless mining camp ruled by dwarf thugs and ruthless agents of the ruling thane.

Founded less than three years ago by Svingal Halfbeard, the ore coming from a vale carved out of the headlands of the Titan Peaks is of the greatest purity and the works coming forth from Feigrvidr’s forges are both subtle and ingenious, rivalling those of any traditional dwarven stronghold. The great wealth coming from the foot of the Titan Peaks was only the beginning, now with the discovery of ancient and abandoned giant halls deeper among the mountains’ spires adventurers are flocking to the camp, increasing its wealth and its danger.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMarch 11, 2021At a Glance, Village BackdropComment

Delthur's Folly at a Glance

Hidden in the wild uplands beyond the Selka River, the sinkhole-mine of Delthur’s Folly is a byword among the locals for a fool’s errand doomed to fail. The only survivor of the fated expedition—driven mad by his ordeal and raving of “the water’s sibilant whispers”—died shortly after staggering into Dunstone a year or more after Delthur and his miners disappeared into the wilderness. And yet, every year adventurers cross the Selka in search of the mine—gold and silver are said to lie within. Some return empty-handed and some do not return at all. Local legend has it that something terrible dwells in the mine.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMarch 9, 2021At a Glance, Ashlar, Dungeon BackdropComment

20 Things: Mining Town

Urban adventures are often set in slums. In slums, the long arm of the law is often absent, thieves and cultists are rife; opportunities for adventure abound.

GM's ResourceCreighton BroadhurstMarch 8, 202120 Things, Urban DressingComment

Dressed vs. Undressed: An Example of Play

Nov 5, 2024

Dungeon Dressing

Dressed vs. Undressed: An Example of Play

It’s no secret that at Raging Swan Press, we are big fans of dressed dungeons. A dressed dungeon feels more real than an undressed dungeon. A dressed dungeon engages your players’ imaginations, promotes creative play and helps them immerse themselves in the adventure.

Nov 1, 2024

News

November 2024 at Raging Swan Press

It’s always the perfect time to game, and we hope you can find something below that will help you have more fun with your friends!

Oct 29, 2024

One-Pager, Hamlet, Ashlar

The Hamlet of Slaughterford

Slaughterford has a foul reputation.

A free GM’s Resource for any fantasy roleplaying game.

Oct 22, 2024

One-Pager, Urban Locale, Urban Dressing

Urban Locale: Roadside Shrine

Small roadside shrines appear in many towns and cities. They venerate important saints, local deities, or gods without a formal church in the area and are often tended by a small group of dedicated lay worshippers.

Oct 15, 2024

Urban Locale: Stables

One or more stables can be found in any settlement of note—and many of those without note.

Oct 8, 2024

Dungeon Dressing Explained

At Raging Swan Press, we believe that games set in a richly detailed, immersive world are better than games that are not. It should come as no surprise that we are huge fans of dungeon dressing, but what exactly is dungeon dressing, and why do we keep going on about it?

Oct 1, 2024

October 2024 at Raging Swan Press

With Citadel on the Wilderlands now out in the world, our attention turns to the Late 2024 edition of Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands and the Player's Guide to Citadel on the Wilderlands!

Sep 24, 2024

Citadel

First Look: The Town of Bleakwater

Citadel on the Wilderlands is a flavour-rich 5e mini-campaign setting designed for low-level characters intent on wilderness exploration and dungeon delving. Designed to be easy to prepare and easy to run, Citadel on the Wilderlands is perfect for GMs who don’t have unending time to prep for the next session.

Sep 17, 2024

First Look: The Citadel at Nemeton

Sep 10, 2024

First Look: The Village of Nemeton

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