table top

Table top games take us back to the good ole gaming days, before we had to plug in to play.

The Quest for the Shiny Jewels: A Dazzling Adventure. AI-Generated.
A Sparkle in the Dark In the heart of a forgotten kingdom, where starlight barely touched the ancient cobblestones, Lila stumbled upon a dusty tome in her grandmother’s attic. Its pages whispered of the *Shiny Jewels*, legendary gems said to hold the power to unlock hidden realms. Intrigued, Lila traced the map within the book to a portal that glowed with a kaleidoscope of colors, leading her to a world where puzzles reigned supreme.
By Dehua Liu6 months ago in Gamers
Unbound Spellbooks
Anyone can have a leather-bound book to carry around their spells. There’s a reason it’s the default, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t explore other options; there are a lot of different cultural reasons to explore different concepts of spellbooks. Other rulebooks have even suggested different concepts, such as card-like ofuda or even pearls; one module even has a sorcerer who uses an army of slaves as his spellbook. Once you start playing around with the idea, there are plenty of different “spellbooks” you can employ for storing your spells.
By Jamais Jochim6 months ago in Gamers
How to Make D&D Maps: Free Tools, Tips, and Shortcuts for Beginners
Whether you're a new Dungeon Master sketching your first tavern or a worldbuilder trying to map out an entire continent, creating maps for Dungeons & Dragons can feel overwhelming.
By Richard Bailey6 months ago in Gamers
From Tropes to Treasures: Transforming Common D&D Archetypes Into Unique PCs
The Comfort and Curse of Tropes in D&D Tropes are everywhere in Dungeons & Dragons. The brooding rogue with a tragic past. The noble paladin guided by divine justice. The quirky gnome artificer who blows things up in the name of science.
By Richard Bailey7 months ago in Gamers
Mystery, Politics, or War? Choosing the Right Genre for Your D&D Campaign
When you sit down to design a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, one of the most important, yet often overlooked, decisions you’ll make is choosing the primary genre.
By Richard Bailey7 months ago in Gamers
Free D&D Battle Maps for Every Environment (With Download Links)
If you’ve ever found yourself scrambling to draw a last-minute battlefield or cobbling together terrain tiles before a D&D session, you’re not alone.
By Richard Bailey7 months ago in Gamers
Race, Class, and Personality: How to Combine D&D Mechanics for Maximum Story Impact
Creating a compelling Dungeons & Dragons character is more than just picking a race and class from a rulebook. While those mechanics lay the foundation, the real magic begins when you weave personality into the mix, aligning backstory, motivations, and flaws with your character's statistics.
By Richard Bailey7 months ago in Gamers
What Casinos Can 18-Year-Olds Gamble At? Local and Online Guide (2025)
Many people believe gambling in the U.S. starts at 21, but that’s not always the case. In some states, individuals as young as 18 can legally access certain gambling options, including tribal casinos, lotteries, or online sweepstakes platforms. However, legal access depends heavily on state laws and the type of gambling involved. Understanding where and how 18-year-olds can participate is key to navigating the rules and exploring safe, legal opportunities both in person and online.
By Shabbir Ahmad7 months ago in Gamers
Mastering Flaws and Secrets: The Key to Memorable D&D Characters
If you want to create a Dungeons & Dragons character that feels real, memorable, and emotionally compelling, there's one element that many players overlook, flaws and secrets.
By Richard Bailey7 months ago in Gamers
10 Unique Character Concepts for D&D That Break the Mold
Creating a compelling character for your next Dungeons & Dragons campaign doesn’t have to mean picking a tired trope or sticking to the same race/class combo you’ve played before.
By Richard Bailey7 months ago in Gamers
The Madman
"Mr. Smythe, why did you cut your hand like that?" Dr. Burnell asked. "I had to see if he was a vampire." "And by 'he' you mean Dr. Raskin?" Dr. Burnell asked.
By Neal Litherland7 months ago in Gamers
FEEDING THE DUNGEON
Looking at the majority of monsters in RPGs, Shadowdark included, quickly shows that the vast majority are predators, designed to be obstacles to heroes in the game. Plunge into the deep, dark realms under the ground, away from the sun, suddenly normal plants cannot grow, and there are no herbivores. So what do all of the predators eat when there are no adventurers wandering around waiting to be devoured by monsters? This can be handwaved as just a part of the game, or it can be used as a driver for the design of new creatures.
By Samuel Wright7 months ago in Gamers