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Stephen Wendell
Paris, France
In 2018, Stephen Wendell followed his great grandfather from Tennessee to the Great War in France a hundred years before. He recounts his ancestor's war stories in A VERY MUDDY PLACE. Stephen is also the author of the Littlelot series of children's books.
Recent Activity
Thank you for that encouragement, Davoid.
Toggle Commented 1 hour ago on B/X D&D 40th-Anniversary Game at DONJON LANDS
1 reply
Thanks for reading, Dreamscape5000. Randomly generated contents serve best in play. I am unsure whether they would make something interesting enough to write about. If the next few weeks of play prove me wrong, I’ll let you know. Meanwhile, the next article in “Dreaming Amon-Gorloth” gives you what with to stock the Deep Halls yourself. https://www.donjonlands.com/2021/03/flying-dungeon-stocking-table-by-the-bluebook.html
Toggle Commented 2 hours ago on Random Stocking Dyson’s Deep Halls of Amon-Gorloth at DONJON LANDS
1 reply
Flying Dungeon Stocking Table by the Bluebook
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While the Monster & Treasure Assortment gives us the particulars of the dungeon’s inhabitants and their wealth, it and Holmes Basic provide only guidelines on when to roll for them. To stock as we explore the Deep Halls, we need an easy method to determine room contents. I am fond... Continue reading
Posted 2 hours ago at DONJON LANDS
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Random Stocking Dyson’s Deep Halls of Amon-Gorloth
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“Built by priests of Amon-Gorloth, this dungeon was constructed and adapted from existing caverns following their dreams channeled from Amon-Gorloth itself—making them a twisted and nightmarish version of the convoluted mausoleums under the desert sands where Amon-Gorloth sleeps and dreams.”—Dyson Logos For a minimum-preparation D&D campaign, use The Deep Halls... Continue reading
Posted 2 days ago at DONJON LANDS
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The Pale Blue Book
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“These are the rules,” said Garth. “You don’t have to know them, but this’ll give you an idea about the game.” I had to study the monochrome cover to make out the image. A dragon—fangs bared, wings spread—narrowed its serpentine eyes at an armored bowman and a bearded man in... Continue reading
Posted 7 days ago at DONJON LANDS
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Monsters are Coming
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In preparation for the next age in the Wyrm Dawn campaign, I made monster group cards for the primordial wyrm, each wyrmling, and living statues. I also made a cosmetic change to the Kobolds card and added new actions, used by the new monsters. Wyrm Dawn uses Tony Dowler’s How... Continue reading
Posted Feb 25, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Epic Treasures Named
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The story of “Lyngheid’s Prize” gives me the idea to name epic treasures as they appear. Thus far, with the intelligent sword, we have five epic treasures. Epic Treasure Location Description Lyngheid’s Prize Throrgardr Intelligent sword Throrgrmir Scepter Throne Room Emperor’s symbol of state Sigregnormr Trophy Hall Gold statue depicting... Continue reading
Posted Feb 19, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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The Wyrm Prophecy
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“Where the Great Wyrm’s spawn prowl the tenebrous depths, the Age of Dragons begins.” When dragons learn of the primordial wyrm and her offspring, they come to the dungeon, seeking to fulfill the Wyrm Prophecy. In the Age of Monsters, the Dragon card is among the initial monster groups in... Continue reading
Posted Feb 19, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Kaytar
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The next day, Garth’s neighbor came over. Jarrod was a tall, skinny kid. He wore glasses with a cloudy film that made it difficult to see his eyes. When he talked, it sounded like he was chewing a mouthful of rocks. After our introduction, Jarrod pulled a folded sheet of... Continue reading
Posted Feb 15, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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The Throrgrmir Renaissance
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In time the Throrgrmir dwarves recovered from the civil war. They built a power plant, which drove production higher, and they made a highway, which reached subterranean neighbors to the east and west. Increased communication fostered the exchange of goods, services, and skills and, so, ushered in a rebirth of... Continue reading
Posted Feb 15, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Wyrmlings
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Throrgrmir’s golden age ended when the dwarves woke the primordial wyrm. After the wyrm’s incursion, they rebuilt their civilization in a decadent age, which ended in civil war. Meanwhile, the wyrm laid eggs. During Throrgrmir’s final era, the eggs hatch. While the dwarves struggle in the war’s aftermath, they must... Continue reading
Posted Feb 11, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Wyrm’s Clutch
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While the dwarves toiled to rebuild their civilization above, the primordial wyrm lurked below. In deep recesses of her cavern lair, she crept into crevasses and twisting tunnels, which led ever deeper below the sunlit surface. At length she emerged into the world’s underside, where lived the World Dragon. In... Continue reading
Posted Feb 8, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Throrgrmir’s Age of Decadence
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Tomb built, fallen heroes enshrined, the Throrgrmir dwarves recovered, though their population much reduced by the wyrm’s incursion. They continued their work and became rich beyond imagination. They built a smelter and improved the quality of their bronze tools. With a foundry, they increased metalwork production. To protect Throrgardr against... Continue reading
Posted Feb 6, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Lyngheid’s Prize
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The dwarf-wyrm encounter I envisioned became an adventure, both in-game and in its setting up. More than two weeks later, I’ve played the scenario several times in the dwarven city arranged in beach stones on two tables in my small apartment. I’m tempted to recount the event in dramatic detail,... Continue reading
Posted Feb 2, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Polyhedrons
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My best friend, whose name was Garth, told me the best way to learn to play the game he called “Dee-an-dee” was to watch first. “My next-door neighbor will come over tomorrow,” he said. “Now I want to show you the dice.” We sat at a folding table in his... Continue reading
Posted Jan 27, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Dwarven Lords vs. Wyrm
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The earth shook. Limestone walls trembled. Yellow plumes of dust fell in straight lines from the great cavern’s ceiling onto rooftops and pavements of the dwarven city. While the ground rumbled, adults grabbed children and scurried under lintels, miners dove beneath timber shorings, crafters ducked under worktables. Throrgardr’s inhabitants were... Continue reading
Posted Jan 21, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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The Wyrm Awakens
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“They Delve too Deep. Draw a shaft off the bottom of the page.” (Dowler) Dwarves who “delve too deep” is a fantasy staple—maybe a cliché. Whether it’s a balrog from the depths of the earth or an ambiguous nether-dwelling monster, in How to Host a Dungeon’s first edition (2008), the... Continue reading
Posted Jan 18, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Throrgrmir’s Golden Age
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Following the primordial earthquake that spawned the wyrm, seasons skipped across years, like stones on the river’s placid surface. Fairies frolicked in the primeval woods, while the river wound its way to the sea. Beneath it, water dripped from ceilings in subterranean caverns. Trickles crept between cold rock into dark... Continue reading
Posted Jan 16, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Pebbles, Coins, Seashells, and Constructions
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Symbols and Supplies “These rules include a few symbols you should know… ⛭ Stands for epic treasure. These are optional….” —Tony Dowler, How to Host a Dungeon In the Supplies section of the rules, Dowler suggests using glass beads, coins, and board game tokens for the four symbols. I don’t... Continue reading
Posted Jan 14, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Man, You’ve Got to Play This Game!
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In the summer of 1982, I was 13 years old. The year before, I had moved with my family to another town half a state away from my first best friend. A few months later, he moved away too, and the kids in his new neighborhood played D&D. I went... Continue reading
Posted Jan 11, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Primordial Wyrm
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Using How to Host a Dungeon, the game map is divided into eight “strata” (enumerated on the right, map below). Each game stratum is made up of one or more geologic strata. I use the same term for both, I think without too much confusion. Each enumerated stratum also contains... Continue reading
Posted Jan 9, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Jan 7, 2021
B/X D&D 40th-Anniversary Game
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To celebrate the 40th anniversary of my favorite DUNGEONS & DRAGONS edition, I’m starting a new B/X campaign. Wyrmwyrd is a solo campaign, and I’m using Tony Dowler’s How to Host a Dungeon to create some back story. I think of it as a prequel campaign—working title: Wyrm Dawn. I... Continue reading
Posted Jan 2, 2021 at DONJON LANDS
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Bookshop Gift Cards
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Looking for a gift for a book lover? It’s difficult to know what book they might enjoy. Plus, most book lovers already have a whole slew of titles on their To-Be-Read list. A gift card is often the best solution. Now you can send a gift card and support independent... Continue reading
Posted Dec 5, 2020 at Peregrine Publishing
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Any Questions You Have
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The list of bonus material for A Very Muddy Place is, I think, complete. Feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions you might have about any aspect of the book. I’m happy to reply, and maybe the exchange will make a spark. Thank you for reading A... Continue reading
Posted Nov 30, 2020 at Peregrine Publishing
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