SPOILER ALERT TO MY ADVENTURERS! The following post contains spoilers for the up and coming campaign. You may want to avoid this post and join me in a future one.

Considering the current events in the world, it will come as no surprise that our session 8 has been postponed until at the moment an undetermined date in the future.

There was one suggestion about doing the next session online but I’ve not found anything yet that I’m happy with that works well on an iPad (my main device).

I’m a big fan of Twin Peaks the tv show. It was so inspiring and ahead of its time back in the late eighties, early nineties when it was first aired. Reading the book The Diary of Laura Palmer (basically this was meant to be a copy of her diary the characters were reading on screen) while the series was on really drew me into the Twin Peaks universe. I had never felt that sort of immersion before. It was incredible.

But why am I telling you all this? During this lockdown we are meant to be observing (although one or two seem to be ignoring it) I started watching rewatching the original series. It’s still great tv.

However there is the scene below between a shot Agent Cooper and a mysterious giant in his hotel room at the start of the second season. Luckily for you, you don’t have to read me explaining it, you can watch the YouTube clip below.

While watching that episode and scene it struck me this would be a fantastic way to deliver clues/hooks to the players.

I have previously mentioned using a particular players unconscious prone state during combat as they are making saving throws as an opportunity for a devil to tempt them with an infernal contract.

But I also love borrowing this idea of spirits inhabiting living vessels. With the spirits becoming “real” in our realm of existence under certain conditions. Like a player being near to death.

This dual existence could be something a player or npc has without being aware of it.

I love the idea of using a players saving throw turn as an opportunity to give plot hooks or clues.

Another thing I’ve been looking at that also falls under planning for the future is a labyrinth design to use when the players encounter an island inspired by the Cretan Labyrinth of the minotaur legend. Naturally there aren’t any “maps” of that. It’s a myth, although the labyrinth may have existed.

However initial google searches show that the Egyptians were also labyrinth/maze builders. So I might with a bit more digging be able to “borrow” one of their ancient designs.

But I did come upon an ancient British labyrinth design that is from the Bronze Age and can be found in Cornwall.

This labyrinth carving can be seen at a place called the Rocky Valley near the alleged home of King Arthur Tintagel.

If I had to chose one today to be used straight away I’d go with the home grown Rocky Valley one. So that is telling me It e found my labyrinth to use when the island is found.

It’s weird where you find inspiration sometimes. It’s why I advise students to widen their horizons and have hobbies that are not just playing video games when it comes to game design. The same applies to being a DM. It’s why they include the inspiration appendix in the DMG and PG.

At least now I’ve captured my inspired ideas now.