My friend kindly printed off a sample cave entrance for me from the humble bundle 3D models I purchased.

So what follows is my notes of the steps I took. Basically so that I can recreate what I did for other pieces when I get them printed.

So Saturday night I primed it ready for painting with a light grey primer. It was the only grey I had. Mind you I like the light grey generally any way.

Then Sunday I gave it a coating of Black Grey paint. Which as I write this part of the post is drying.

I followed that base coat up late afternoon with a coating of grey paint. But I used a not dry brush technique! By that I mean the brush was more wet than it would be for dry brushing. Not much wetter, I didn’t want the paint getting into all the gaps.

I then applied a dark tone wash, which the following photo shows having just been applied. I’ve not used any washing up liquid with the wash either.

This is the completely dry model. The wash has dulled down the grey nicely. I’m not sure I need to do any dry brush highlights.

So here we have the finished tile. It’s not going to win any model painting competition but I’m happy with the final look. But I’m gobsmacked how cool to me it looks. A lot better than I thought it would. At the beginning I was very apprehensive and expecting it too turn out a total train wreck. But somehow I avoided that.

I’ve applied some varnish to finish it off and protect it. And that’s all he wrote!

Well it’s a single page. But is it any good? I don’t know. Oh what am I talking about? The Player Intro to the campaign. Or the one-sheet.

This is technically my second one of these (first attempt at one can be found here). Although it is the first to be used in anger.

I’ve copied straight from the campaign pitch the pitch for this campaign. It sets up the over all campaign story arc. Or hints at what may come to pass. But it also sets up where the players will be starting (although I still have to place Saltmarsh along the Sword Coast) and why they are there.

It also details the source books we will be using for the campaign and any restrictions (spoiler there are none) on characters and classes.

I’ve also photoshopped (which in reality means that I used Photofox on my iPad) to create what I hope is a collage that evokes the spirit of the campaign.

For those interested here is a pdf of the one-sheet I wrote: dandd player campaign intro
Now onto the planning of the first adventure!

You’ve read my thoughts on how my first time as a DM went. I think folks had fun.

So I shared the campaign pitch document with the group after the taster session on Saturday and also created and shared a google form to track responses.

The votes are in and the group has voted for…

In the wake of Pytheas.

So it looks like we are floating around the Sea of Swords and the Trackless Sea. Visiting the Moonshae Isles, Tuern, The Purple Rocks and all the other islands.

I’ve already started the player introduction document.

This campaign will be using the Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide, Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide, and The Ghosts of Saltmarsh source book (once released).

Looking for maps of the Moonshae Isles I stumbled across some adventures (4 in total) from the Adventurers League and a supporting region guide that are being used as the start of a new campaign called Rising Shadows. There is an old Dragon article that has some background info.

Although this next adventure isn’t set in the part of The Forgotten Realms I’m interested in. It does act as a useful inspiration for an adventure.

Shadows over the Moonsea

Naturally I do need The Ghosts of Saltmarsh for the finalised official rules for ships. However there is a ‘work in progress’ document that WotC used for play testing called Of Ships and the Sea. I’m going to assume that whatever finally appears in print will be some form of improved version of this. But this is enough to get started with.

There are also a couple of old AD&D supplements/adventures that cover the area too.

So with the extra information I’ve managed to dig up, the Sword Coast Adventurers Guide there is a lot of material to use for creating a campaign and adventures. And that’s before I even think of populating any undocumented islands with my own ideas or adventures that happen solely at sea, or exploring the depths of the Under Dark that exists here.

The boat above is the sort of vessel that I imagine them setting sail in from a small jetty in Saltmarsh.

The map does not do this part of The Forgotten Realm justice. I am so looking forward to exploring it with the players once they set sail.

Saturday afternoon saw my first D&D game as a DM.

As long time sufferers will know this had been in the planning stage for a few weeks now.

Overall I think the session went ok. I think that the players had a good experience. They’d like a campaign and to create their own characters. That’s a positive sign?

What follows now is how I think I did, areas I can work on.

I was a little apprehensive before hand. Let’s face it I’m not Matt Mercer, so there was not going to be any dramatics and voices.

A few days earlier in the week Jonathan kindly printed off my notes for the session (see the link below). The notes worked really well. I found having the D&D spell cards on hand was useful too for finding what spells did quickly.

I think the initial inn and getting the party hooked could have been better. That definitely wasn’t as smooth as it could have been. Nor as role play as it could have been. Describing the occupants of the inn could have been better, especially the other patrons. Which didn’t get introduced at all. I was hoping the players would mingle. It was then I’d describe them.

I also think the travel to the dungeon could have been better. My descriptions could have been more descriptive, and vivid. Bringing the travel more to life.

Once we hit the dungeon I was happier with the way things went. I revealed the goblins too earlier in the first room.

Also once again the description of the tunnels although dark, could have had reference to noise, and smells.

I felt that the dungeon up to the “big” boss room had been maybe on the easier side. Although the surprise attack by the goblin patrol straight after they thought the combat had finished worked well. They were due to appear at the end of the second round of combat. Which just so happened to be the point when the goblins in the room had been defeated.

The riddle worked really well, and the players solved it opening the secret door. The players nearly didn’t discover the riddle. If they hadn’t searched the statue they wouldn’t have found it.

Having the player stats handy was useful. As was tracking their HP. It meant if need be I could fudge the damage rolls. Which I did do once or twice.

I tried to keep a hands off approach, and let the players discuss and plan without me adding my two pennies, or push them in particular directions.

The Dungeon Tiles Reincarnated were affective and helped the players a lot.

Hopefully some useful links for those thinking of doing the same.

My notes for the session.

My campaign pitch document.

Link to my post with links to original files.