The Game Master's Book of Traps, Puzzles and Dungeons provides GMs with endless options for populating their adventures with challenging riddles, puzzles, spiked pits, Rube Goldberg-style deathtraps and much more - everything they need to push player character to their limit and bring new levels of excitement (and anxiety) to their game play.
Whether part of a pre-planned adventure or a random encounter, these brain teasers, puzzles and traps will make every dungeon crawl, fortress break-in, or temple sacking that much more fun. GMs will find more than 60 challenging puzzles, 60 unique traps and 50 modular dungeon chambers, each with its own set of possible encoounters, meaning GMs can generate a fully-functional (or completely dilapidated) dungeon in a few rolls of a dice. With intricate technical illustrations, beautifully rendered top-down location maps and three one-shot adventures, written by RPG inflencers including Jasmine Bhullar and the creators of the Three Black Halflings podcast, The Game Master's Book of Traps, Puzzles and Dungeons is the ideal tool for any GM hoping to put the fun back in fun-geon*. *not a word.The Game Master's Book of Instant Towns and Villages provides GMs with all of the inspiration they need to conjure up unique, vivid urban environments at a moment's notice, or when trying to come up with ideas for new places to be explored.
This game-saving collection brings together nearly 170 fully-realized places organized by environment and divided up into villages, towns, cities and capitals, so that when players are trudging through a dangerous swamp, unrelenting desert or stormy coastline and need to find shelter, they can stumble upon a fully realized settlement, elven enclave or dwarven mining camp, without requiring any development in advance on the part of the game master. At its core, this book works a bit like the bestselling Game Master's Book of Non-Player Characters, but instead of providing information about the people one might meet, Instant Towns and Cities provides sketches of urban centers which can act as on-demand solutions to unexpected needs (ex. the characters need to find a physician right away and head for the nearest town, which until now, the GM had not developed) or as concepts that inspire entire adventure story arcs, depending on the party's (or the GM's) wants or needs. Each location is packed with interesting people to meet, locations to explore and story hooks to investigate (or avoid!). It's a problem-solving tool unlike any other, certain to take the pressure off game masters who find themselves in need of a creative solution for urban areas at any time in any location.Introducing the first book in The Game Master's new Handbook series!
Is your roleplaying in a rut? Flip the table and try something new! Proactive roleplaying will re-energize your players - and your game.
In a game packed with infinite possibilities, what are GMs to do when their players choose what they have not prepared?
As every GM knows, no matter how many story hooks, maps or NPCs you painstakingly create during session prep, your best-laid plans are often foiled by your players' whims, extreme skill check successes (or critical fails) or their playful refusal to stay on task. The Game Master's Book of Random Encounters provides an unbeatable solution. This massive tome is divided into location categories, each of which can stand alone as a small stop as part of a larger campaign. Taverns, Inns, Shops & Guild Halls section includes maps for 19 unique spaces, as well as multiple encounter tables designed to help GMs fill in the sights, sounds, smells and proprietors of a given location, allowing for each location in the book to be augmented and populated on the fly while still ensuring memorable moments for all players. Each map is presented at scale on grid, enabling GMs to determine exactly where all of the characters are in relation to one another and anyone (or anything) else in the space, critical information should any combat or other movement-based action occur. Perhaps more useful than its nearly 100 maps, the book's one-shot generator features all the story hooks necessary for GMs to use these maps as part of an interconnected and contained adventure. Featuring eight unique campaign drivers that lead players through several of the book's provided maps, the random tables associated with each stage in the adventure allow for nearly three million different outcomes. The book also includes a Random NPC Generator to help you create intriguing characters your players will love (or love to hate), as well as a Party Makeup Maker for establishing connections among your PCs so you can weave together a disparate group of adventurers with just a few dice rolls. Locations include taverns, temples, inns, animal/creature lairs, gatehouses, courts, ships, laboratories and more, with adventure hooks that run the gamut from frantic rooftop chases to deep cellar dungeon-crawls, with a total of 97 maps, more than 150 tables and millions of possible adventures. No matter where your players end up, they'll have someone or something to persuade or deceive, impress or destroy.As most TTRPG fans know, one of the most exciting elements of any roleplaying game is that the story can go anywhere at any time. Unfortunately, Game Masters can't possibly prepare for every unpredictable request, unfortunate die roll or unbelievably bad player decision that might unfold at their table. That's where this book comes in: Featuring more than 500 more maps, roll tables and story hooks, The Game Master's Book of More Random Encounters will save readers hours of planning by providing all new enchanting adventure maps, perilous plot twists and unexpected NPCs that they've come to expect from the Game Master series in an easy-to-follow format that's compatible with all their 5e adventures.
Featuring plenty of practical places like taverns, inns and alchemist's labs as well as unexpected locations in far-off realms, farther-off planes and even the farthest reaches of the galaxy, The Game Master's Book of More Random Encounters is everything readers loved about the first book in the series--but EVEN MORE. Whether they're assigning a destination following a teleportation mishap, wondering what it would be like to dine at chain restaurant in the Abyss or looking for a simple spot for their players to kick their feet up for a few hours (careful, that coffee table is a realm unto itself), this action-packed tome is the remedy for maladies Game Masters didn't even know they had. Includes:From the #1 Best-Selling author, Jeff Ashworth, comes the latest addition to The Game Master series, with more than 500 NPCs ready to populate your campaign whenever you need them!
As is often the case in tabletop roleplaying games, players often venture into locales or look for answers in places and among people busy Game Masters simply didn't anticipate. Or, just as often, an adventure won't have fully fleshed out characters in place for the locations and encounters outlined for gameplay. The Game Master's Book of Non-Player Characters solves these issues and more by providing Game Masters with the information they need to fill in the holes in their campaign play. It will enable GMs to instantly add depth, color, motivation and unique physical characteristics at a moment's notice to unexpected or underwritten characters as they pop up during gameplay, ensuring every session is a memorable one for players and GMs alike. This edition also includes more than 50 hand-drawn illustrations of select NPCs detailed in the book, 3 bonus one-shot adventures, and a foreword by online influencer Jasmine Bhullar.More than 300 random tables designed to help you build a new world from scratch or take your existing RPG campaign to new levels of creativity and excitement, plus 3 exciting one-shot adventures!
While The Game Master's Book of Astonishing Random Tables is not a wondrous item, you'd be forgiven for assuming it has magical properties. That's because within these pages are countless adventure hooks - side quests and travel complications and chase sequences and skill challenges and other encounters suitable for any environment. And that's just one section. These table results aren't just short line listings of random answers either. Inside, you'll find rich, fully examined results and supplemental pieces of text that provide you with all the information you need to use them effectively. With this book by your side, you can develop an entire campaign setting, its pantheon, its various continental forms and proclivities of its population. From the big questions (Where does magic come from?, Who's in charge?, Why are we at war with our neighbors?) down to the most minute detail (Can my party avoid paying property taxes on their new keep if it's actually an instant fortress?), this book has you covered. Develop a rich tapestry of trade and commerce by randomizing your realms economy or find out who's really pulling the strings by rolling on the Puppet Government table. Want more ideas? How about a table or curses or dreams or wild magic results or spell scroll side effects or a random potions generator or a list of things your party shouldn't tough (but probably will)? All those and much, much more are waiting within. So relax, unwind and unleash the unknown. By letting this book spark your creativity and set the stage for each session, you can focus on the important things like how to properly destroy that instant fortress).Winner of a Mom's Choice Award (Gold Status) for best in family-friendly products!
This incredible collection examines all of the world's coolest creatures in a way that only the Wild Kratts can. Packed with information detailing dozens of different creatures and their amazing abilities, plus more than 100 exciting, animal-centric puzzles from mazes and matching to word games and more, this book provides kids ages 5 through 8 with hours of fun and learning year-round.
Make your PCs sweat with villains and minions designed to challenge them as never before!
- New deluxe edition of Masters, Minions and Tactics from the award-winning fantasy art studio Jetpack7Experience the wonder and terror of dragons as they were meant to be!
- New and expanded edition of Legendary Dragons from the award-winning fantasy art studio Jetpack7This extraordinary book is a collaboration - a project made up of many different voices and experiences, unified by the stunning artwork of Karen Hallion. It is a celebration of women across time, throughout the world, detailing the extraordinary impact their actions have had upon our culture and our community.
The contributing essayists are not only writing about inspirational women - they are inspirational themselves. They write, they inspire, they express, they collaborate, they enlighten - a literal who's who of extraordinary people, including Delilah S. Dawson (NYT Bestselling Author), Jody Houser (NYT Bestselling Author), Rosie Knight (Eisner-Award Winning Comics Journalist), Alexandra Love (writer for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon), Sam Maggs (bestselling author of books and comic books) and many others.From Acromantulas to Thestrals, this stunning book - a beautifully illustrated update of The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary - details every monster, beast or creature that has ever appeared in any official Harry Potter book, film, or theatrical production. The Wizarding World's Great Book of Beasts includes more than 200 fascinating, magical creatures in all, with each entry providing a number of important classifications, including first appearance in Harry Potter lore, location, disposition, physical appearance, attack abilities, defenses and intriguing story facts.
The book also includes rich descriptions for each entry, detailing each creature's history (or biography, in the case of specific creature characters), habitat and impact on the various stories from throughout the Wizarding World, plus more than 40 gorgeous black and white illustrations that help convey the feel of an ancient mystical tome, straight from the library at Hogwarts. It's the perfect book to feed a reader's inner magizoologist's hunger for knowledge, learn more about these incredible creatures (including stories about them passed down through generations by historians and mythologists) and discover how to spot them in the wild―or even their own backyard.Created by Hugo Award-winning co-founder of The Book Smugglers, Thea James, and celebrated mixologist Pamela Wiznitzer, Drinking with Wizards, Warriors and Dragons collects drink recipes inspired by fantasy classics and groundbreaking new voices, including: Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorn and Roses, N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth Trilogy, Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, Tomi Adeyemi's Legacy of Orïsha, Patrick Rothfuss's The Kingkiller Chronicle, Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness, and many more.
Inside readers will find a delightful assortment of mixed drinks, from the delicious whisky-forward Essun's Wrath to the subtle gin concoction Nynaeve's Secret. Sidebars and mixology notes will help beginners master every last drink. Stunning illustrations by noted fantasy artist Tim Foley and an incredible design and layout make turning every page its own adventure. Each recipe is introduced with an overview of the source of its inspiration, providing readers with insights into the origins of each drink, along with insights into what makes each book an exceptionally worthy read.The Unofficial Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Cookbook is a one-of-a-kind cookbook that captures the flavor and feel of the hit movie Beetlejuice, with 75 delightfully dark recipes, from Deetz dinner party shrimp cocktail to delicious Harry Belafonte-themed banana boat milkshakes.
Drawing inspiration from the deceptively sunny home of the Maitlands and the gloomy bureaucracy of the afterlife, to the fantasy world of Beetlejuice himself and the sandworms of Titan, this cookbook finds inspiration in every corner, with recipes inspired by the creatures, characters, locations and plot points of the film and other sources. Each recipe will be paired with an attractive full color photo and a humorous introductory note, plus fun bits Beetlejuice trivia, behind the scenes facts and more.This is such a cool book. The range of Jono's knowledge is astounding, and so is his ability to digest complex ideas into deceptively simple drawings. You'll learn something on every page―and be entertained too. ―Bill Gates
In Big Ideas, Little Pictures, Jono Hey -- creator of the popular website Sketchplanations -- explains complex concepts through simple sketches and straightforward, easy-to-understand text. Have you ever wondered what makes autumn leaves change color, why more choice makes you less happy or how to win at Monopoly? Or maybe you'd like to learn how to find your way using the stars or why we need worry less about what others think of us than you might expect. In Big Ideas Little Pictures, Jono Hey does the hard work for you by distilling fascinating and surprising topics into delightful and memorable sketches. Inside, you'll find insight and entertainment covering everything from the Swiss cheese model to what makes a perfect night's sleep. Big Ideas, Little Pictures is also a light-hearted, witty gift - the perfect display piece for anyone who wants something that can be picked up and flipped through, knowing they'll find something to pique their interest. Perfect for children as well as adults, Big Ideas, Little Pictures opens up a world of fascinating facts at a glance.100+ Spell-Binding Recipes Inspired by Diverse Fantasy Worlds, from The Witcher to The Broken Earth
Created by Hugo Award-winning co-founder of The Book Smugglers, Thea James, Cooking for Wizards, Warriors and Dragons collects recipes inspired by fantasy classics and groundbreaking new voices, including: Andrzej Sapkowski's The Witcher, N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth Trilogy, Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, Tomi Adeyemi's Legacy of Orïsha, Patrick Rothfuss's The Kingkiller Chronicle, Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness, and many more. Fortify yourself for the road with classic dishes, such as Pernese Meatrolls or Geralt's Life Saving Chicken Sando. Embrace your dark side with King's Landing Barbecue smoked meats a la Daenerys, channel your inner Saruman with Charred Broccoli Stalk Salad, or a Fifth Season-inspired Solving the Meat Shortage Osso Bucco. Learn to make your own Grishaverse-inspired Butter Week Cakes or Orïshan Coconut Pie, and try your hand at a Spiritwalkerverse-inspired Lamb Tajine. Organized by different meal types and ingredients (including Breakfasts & Second Breakfasts, Soups & Stews, The Hunt, The Farm, The Catch, Snacks & Sides, and Desserts), Cooking for Wizards, Warriors and Dragons includes illustrations from noted artist Tim Foley and recipes developed and tested by professional chef Isabel Minunni. With five bonus feast spreads, this grimoire is sure to sate hungry readers from any realm.This fully revised and expanded edition of Lorrie Kim's classic work digs deep into the life and legend of Severus Snape, fan-favorite of the Harry Potter series
While the Harry Potter series may follow the journey of the Boy Who Lived, if you want to know the whole story, keep your eyes fixed on Severus Snape. This greasy-haired, grumpy genius, one of J.K. Rowling's most enduring gifts to English literature, is the archetypal ill-tempered teacher: demanding, acerbic, and impossible to ignore. Over the span of seven novels, Snape's remarkable role in the series can be hard to parse: Where do his true allegiances lie? Can a former Death Eater change his spots? Why does he seem to loathe the boy he's pledged to protect?
Throughout her life, Dolly Parton has been seen as a beacon of guts, straight-talk, kindness and grit, beginning her life in poverty and growing to become one of the most resonant, prolific and long-lived icons of the modern era.
In this new book, Dolly's personal code of conduct is transformed into practical guidance for readers who want to know how she would handle many of the real-life challenges they themselves are facing. Calling upon Dolly's personal examples, quotes, song titles and lyrics, and famous film scenes that were meaningful to her, as well as personal anecdotes provided by her co-stars, friends, family members, and peers, Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Dolly Parton provides insights into how to handle dozens of challenges, from managing heartbreak and succeeding at work, to raising children and responding to inequality. Dozens of quotes, insights and full-color photos provide a glimpse into how Dolly has lived her life and how her approach can help readers overcome anything thrown at them.Anthony Bourdain once bragged he could unload my opinion on anybody at any time. And that he did. His entire life seemed like a compendium of insightful (sometimes inflammatory) quotes, witty observations and touching moments he shared openly with the world. The man was never at a loss for words or an opinion. Bourdain's unusual perspective was born out of decades of listening, tasting, writing and adventuring, allowing him to opine on everything from food to politics--with the same high level of enthusiasm.
Regardless of the success he achieved, Bourdain's stance was always that of a perpetual outsider who made it a point to embrace underrepresented voices, cultures, ideas and, yes, food. He found fame as a cook, a tv host and writer all while he circled the globe in search of more - encouraging his fans to take chances, step out of their comfort zones, and not just accept differences, but celebrate them. This handsome book examines the life of Anthony Bourdain, his knack for living with complete authenticity and the lessons we might learn by committing to the same level of passion and honesty. Bourdain once said Essentially, I treated the world as my ashtray. Just eight words. But he somehow painted a picture more detailed than others could in a novel. Anthony Bourdain Unloaded is a celebration of the man's wit, intelligence and soul.Harry Potter's adventures are built upon a rich tapestry of historical events dating back as far as the first century, during which an ancient Greek wizard known only as Herpo the Foul created the first usable Horcrux. It was this successful venture nearly two millennia ago that enabled the evil wizard Voldemort to create one Horcrux for each piece of his splintered soul.
In The Ultimate Wizarding World History of Magic, the editors of MuggleNet document all of the significant historical events the shaped the wizarding world, from Herpo's first breakthrough through the final adventures of Harry Potter and his friends. Readers will learn about the founding of Hogwarts, the beginnings of Quidditch and its rules, the creation of the sword of Gryffindor and much more. It's the only book of its kind to delve so deep into the history and mysteries of the world of witches and wizards. Topics covered include: