Sample file 620_86317_Chp1.indd 1 4/5/05 4:18:39 PM CREDITS DESIGNERS ART DIRECTOR D&D JESSE DECKER, JAMES JACOBS, ROBIN D. LAWS, DAWN MURIN DAVID NOONAN, CHRIS THOMASSON COVER ARTIST DEVELOPMENT TEAM MATT CAVOTTA BRUCE R. CORDELL, ANDY COLLINS, STEPHEN SCHUBERT INTERIOR ARTISTS EDITORS KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY, MITCH COTIE, MICHELE CARTER, CHRIS THOMASSON, ED COX, STEVE ELLIS, WAYNE ENGLAND, RAY VALLESE, PENNY WILLIAMS EMILY FIEGENSCHUH, RANDY GALLEGOS, BRIAN HAGAN, GINGER KUBIC, MANAGING EDITOR RAVEN MIMURA, WILLIAM O’CONNOR, KIM MOHAN MICHAEL PHILLIPPI, VINOD RAMS, WAYNE REYNOLDS, DAN SCOTT, RON SPENCER, DESIGN MANAGER ARNIE SWEKEL, FRANZ VOHWINKEL CHRISTOPHER PERKINS GRAPHIC DESIGNER DEVELOPMENT MANAGER DEE BARNETT JESSE DECKER SENIOR ART DIRECTOR RPG R&D CARTOGRAPHER STACY LONGSTREET TODD GAMBLE DIRECTOR OF RPG R&D GRAPHIC PRODUCTION SPECIALISTS BILL SLAVICSEK ERIN DORRIES, ANGELIKA LOKOTZ PRODUCTION MANAGERS IMAGE TECHNICIAN JOSH FISCHER, RANDALL CREWS SVEN BOLEN Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. 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SampleVisit our website at www.wizards.com/dnd file 620_86317_Chp1.indd 2 3/28/05 3:52:30 PM Medieval Society . .81 Teamwork Benefi t Descriptions . 190 Buried Glories, Recent Dangers . .82 Acquiring a Companion Spirit . 194 Contents Monarchs . .82 General Characteristics . 196 Introduction . .4 Lords . .83 Specifi c Characteristics . 198 Knights and Footmen . .84 Designing Prestige Classes . 203 Chapter 1: Running a Game . .5 The Monarch’s Court . .86 The DM’s Role . 203 Your Job as DM . .5 Villages and Villeins . .87 The Players’ Role . 203 The Big Question . .5 Towns and Cities . .88 Why Create a Prestige Class? . 203 Secondary Priorities . .6 50 Rumors and Hooks . .88 Prestige Class or Standard Class? . 204 Play Styles . .7 People at Work . .90 Naming and Core Concept . 204 Know Your Players . .8 Mercantile Guilds and Occupations . .90 Designing Requirements . 204 Postgame Analysis . .8 Nonmercantile Guilds . .95 Basic Features of Prestige Classes . 206 Player Traits and Incentives . .9 CONTENTS Other City Dwellers . .97 Designing Abilities . 207 TABLE OF Your DMing Style . .19 Establishments . .98 Costs and Balancing . 208 Balancing Differing Tastes . .21 Inns. .98 PC Organizations . .210 Ground Rules . .22 Eating Halls . .98 Campaign Benefi ts . .210 At the Table . .26 Taverns . .99 Constructing a PC Organization . .210 Communication Is Key . .26 Shops . .99 Order of Ancient Mysteries . 212 Paying Attention . .29 100 Instant NPC Agendas . .99 The Shining Crusade . .216 Keep it Moving . .29 Laws and Punishment . 101 Red Knives Thieves’ Gang . 219 Away from the Table . .32 Law Rank . 101 Guilds . 223 Prioritizing . .32 Administration of Justice . 103 Improvisational Aids . .34 Chapter 7: Magic Items . 229 Writs of Outlawry . 103 Troubleshooting . .34 Magic Item Signature Traits . 229 Trial and Sentence . 103 Communication . .34 Signature Trait Descriptions . 229 Other Forms of Government . .105 Mediation . .35 Learning a Signature Trait . 230 Building a City . 107 Selfi shness . .36 Applying a Signature Trait . 230 Geography Is Destiny . 107 Identifying a Signature Trait . 231 Chapter 2: Adventures . .37 How Big Is the City? . 107 Assigning a Signature Trait . 231 Adventure Pacing . .37 The City’s Buildings . 108 Bonded Magic Items . 231 Using Published Adventures . .38 How Many Buildings? . 108 Creating a Bond . 231 Usable Material . .38 Fill in the Details . 108 Bonding Rituals . 232 Linking a Published Adventure . .38 Magic Events . 109 Bonding Ritual Descriptions . 233 Simple Fixes . .39 Elements of a Magic Event . 109 Magical Locations as Treasure . 235 A Change of Direction . .40 The Active Event . .111 Placing Magical Locations . 236 Traps . .40 Stopping the Event . .111 Nature of Magical Locations . 236 Archetypal Locations . .47 Example Magic Events . .111 Magical Location Descriptions . 236 Battle in the Sky . .47 Chapter 4: Saltmarsh . 119 Armor Special Abilities . 250 Burning Building . .48 About Saltmarsh . 119 Synergy Abilities . 250 Evil Crypt . .50 Notable NPCs . 120 Magic Armor and Shield Flooding Dungeon . .51 Town Councilors . 120 Special Ability Descriptions . 250 Ice Bridge . .52 City Watch and Militia . 120 Weapon Special Abilities . 253 Lava. .53 Guild Leaders . 120 Synergy Abilities . 253 Restrictive Tunnels . .55 Religious Leaders . 120 Magic Weapon Treetop Village . .56 Other Notable Citizens . 120 Special Ability Descriptions . 253 Special Encounters . .57 Life in Saltmarsh . 121 Specifi c Weapons . 262 The Chase . .57 Exploring Saltmarsh . 122 Rings . 263 Crowds . .58 Rods . ..