Castle Curb Cuts: 10 reasons why ramps in D&D dungeons make sense
August 9, 2022
When Jennifer Kretchmer presented the scandalous idea of ramps in dungeons in Candlekeep Mysteries, a significant portion of the D&D community couldn’t wrap their mental dice bags around such a concept. It seemed incomprehensible to make dungeons more accessible, and I still get multiple daily angry or derisive comments to that effect whenever I run Facebook ads promoting our products.
But just as curb cuts, those little ramps in sidewalk curbs, were designed for wheelchairs but benefit strollers, shopping carts, bicyclists, and anyone else who uses wheels, including them in dungeons may be more sensible than stairs, regardless what adventurers may come investigating.
So since I get tired of writing the same responses repeatedly, as do others who fight for accessibility and disability representation, consider these concepts, and feel free to comment below.
1. Are dungeons supposed to be inaccessible?
Dungeons are designed to keep people out!
Are they, though? That depends on the dungeon. It’s a generic term that can refer to any number of structures for any number of purposes. Often, a dungeon is a space that has either intentionally or naturally changed purpose over time. Maybe it was once a castle basement used for storage or as a siege shelter. Or a crypt. Or a cave. Or a menagerie. Or a majestic castle. Or a forest in the Feywild. When considering the accessibility of a dungeon (or any other details in its design), the designer must consider its purpose, its owner, its age, its ecology, and many other factors. But while the 10’×10′ stone corridor underground is still a staple, it hardly represents the majority of adventuring environments in D&D.
2. Are dungeons all made from flagstone?
Flagstone, made typically from sandstone or similar materials, is the classic material design for a dungeon, but a dungeon can be packed dirt, a tunnel carved out of a mountain, the alleys in the darker sections of Waterdeep, massive caverns in the Underdark, the City of Brass on the Elemental Plane of Fire, a rickety old wooden mansion, or the rubble of ancient ruins. Each of these presents accessibility challenges to different characters — my tiefling warlock with chronic leg pain will manage a whole lot better than an able-bodied elf druid in the City of Brass, and if the steps in the haunted mansion suddenly become a slide, the walking character will be prone while the wheelchair user holds out a spear and yells, “Charge!”
3. What was the dungeon before it was haunted ruins?
How many people are specifically building dungeons, anyway? They’re difficult to make and not particularly practical. Most dungeons used to be something else (or still are). The dragon isn’t going to build human-sized steps into its lair. A xorn digging through the Elemental Plane of Earth will create smooth tunnels. Water eroding an ancient cavern won’t erode at jagged 90° angles. An ancient dwarven mine would never have stairs (and may even have cart tracks or elevators). And the inside of a crashed spaceship will have smooth hallways and elevators. That doesn’t preclude the possibility of steps, a stone cliff (which is difficult for anyone but the rogue or monk to climb), or other obstacles, but if you can creatively find a way to cross that pit filled with a gelatinous cube, you can bet that a seasoned adventurer has some tricks up their sleeve to overcome occasional rough terrain.
4. Have you ever tried carrying an occupied coffin down stairs?
Many dungeons were or are still crypts designed either for a wealthy family or to keep an ancient evil contained. If the current occupant came into that crypt in a pine box, you can bet there’s a ramp. I’ve attended and conducted dozens of funerals, and there’s a reason modern morticians use carts for coffins — they’re heavy, especially with a body in them! (And the bigger the corpse, the heavier.) So if you’re carrying that coffin to its (hopefully) final resting place, guiding a cart into an underground crypt on a ramp with a rope will save you a whole lot of effort, even if there’s also steps beside the ramp, either permanently or in the form of nearby removable timbers. A party coming to investigate a restless spirit would likely find the accommodations designed by the architect or implemented by a past undertaker.
5. What size creature were your stairs designed for?
Stairs are designed for the people using them, so modern stairs are designed for a human range of heights and foot sizes. But if a dungeon occupied by both a clutch of kobolds and a family of ogres will either require the kobolds to bring climbing gear to scale ogre-sized steps or the ogres to walk sideways up the steps, even then with a lot of foot pain. A ramp easily solves this problem, not to mention making it easier to drag in fresh meat from a successful hunt or drag out bags of bones of unsuccessful adventurers.
6. How do you feed your monsters?
Speaking of dragging carcasses, you need to feed that hydra that’s somehow in a chamber with only 10’×10′ corridor access and dispose of its waste. While I recommend an underground river or other sewage drain for the latter (which can be its own security problem when kobolds find it), unless you have a city’s worth of really gullible bullywugs that are willing to go investigate the noises that you insist are coming from a carnival with dragonfly ripple ice cream, you’re going to need to kill something and transport it into those snapping jaws, and you’ll have a much easier time pushing it over a ramp than stairs.
7. How did all those stones, trap mechanisms, and monsters get down there?
You know that big treasure chest full of gold and jewels? Yeah, it’s probably a mimic. But if it’s not, good luck lugging that thing down steps into the deepest chamber. Add tons of flagstone, support timbers, cages filled with monsters, chests of potions bottles, or whatever else you’re storing down there. Put those containers on wheels down a ramp, and your building process will be a lot easier.
8. Which lasts longer in treacherous environments, stairs or ramps?
As noted above, flagstone is usually made from sandstone. Sandstone erodes. That’s how sedimentary rock forms. If that ancient staircase is as ancient as you describe, it’s probably a ramp by now, albeit irregular, which would be even easier to navigate if it has some landings.
9. Dwarves had specific skills to detect ramps as early as 1st Edition.
In AD&D, dwarves could, “Detect grade or slope in passage: 1-5 on 1d6.” In other words, ramps in underground passages aren’t some new 5e concept — they’re oldschool. Some were gradual, thus the check, and some were more obvious, but they had this skill in the first place because when you’re digging a mine or underground city and need to move a lot of rock and goods around, slopes make a lot more sense than steps. And elevators, even better. And purple worms don’t burrow in straight lines.
10. It’s fantasy but makes the real world better.
All this fantasy talk is fun, but real lives are the most important factor. Discussions of “realistic” in a world where a spoken word can transform steps into a ramp or a mudslide or a mimic or a dimensional gateway, what matters most is the effect on our players. Even if a disabled player doesn’t want to play a disabled character, including disabled NPCs and the effects of their existence in your world tells your players, “I don’t want to imagine a world without you in it.”
Attention Deficit (ADHD) for D&D 5e
August 9, 2022
How can you represent Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 5e that reflects real world experiences? Here’s a free sample from Limitless Heroics to implement them in your game.
Last year, I posted an early draft version of this preview to promote Limitless Heroics as I prepared for the Kickstarter campaign. In December, it, and consequently I, became the target of a Twitter hater cyberbullying attack by hundreds of people throughout the TTRPG community.
As a result of that, I pulled it down and wanted to hide. I seriously considered canceling the campaign altogether and closing up shop completely, but too many people were counting on me, and I was encouraged by some well-respected people in the industry to carry on, so with much trepidation, I continued with the campaign, avoiding Twitter and literally getting nauseated every time my phone made the new email chime for fear of the subsequent hate that flowed from that attack, and it has taken me this long to work up the courage to make this revised sample live again, reminding myself that, as big as the Twitter mob was, I’ve received nearly as many heartfelt notes of thanks and support, and ten times as many have already backed or preordered it. And with help from a licensed counselor, I’m learning to manage the subsequent anxiety and depression I’ve developed.
Ironically, I was recently diagnosed with ADHD myself, so I post this revision with confidence as it also reflects my own lived experience and that of many more who also have given input and affirm this as a reflection of their own experiences, plus it has been discussed and revised based on feedback from five sensitivity readers from multiple fields.
Because ADHD is a complex condition with a variety of expressions, we broke it into at least 3 separate traits with options for more, depending on your experience, but here are the three most common associated traits. (I personally have several more.)
You can use this sample by itself for free or purchase a copy of Limitless Heroics for a more comprehensive guide to disability, neurodiversity, and mental illness representation in fifth edition. Thanks for your interest in making the D&D and broader TTRPG space more inclusive and representative. (If you use it alone, IE = Impact Extent. See the tables for an explanation.)
LAYOUT NOTE: The format of this preview does not reflect the final format of Limitless Heroics, which we designed for maximum accessibility, including dyslexia-friendly.
Limitless Champions: Disabled Fantasy 3D Miniatures
August 9, 2022
Update: Don’t miss the adventures!
We are making a book of adventures that feature these characters and demonstrate how to use them respectfully in a roleplaying game. Follow the Kickstarter to get notified when it launches for an early backer bonus adventure!
And sign up for The Dragon’s Hoard to get weekly inclusive gaming updates, discounts, free gifts, and more in your inbox!
We are making history!
What if your fantasy RPG world included disabled people, just like the real world?
What if that disability representation went beyond wheelchairs and pirates?
We’re creating the largest, most diverse line of disabled fantasy miniatures ever made with 5e stat blocks and cards, which launched in a Kickstarter campaign on May 2, 2023.
Limitless Champions will make history as the largest, most diverse collection of disabled fantasy game miniatures ever created.
Backers at Silver or higher within the first 48 hours get a free alternate STL of Rohna Ginnsley, a bard who uses her multi-armed wheelchair for assistance! (Available to others as an add-on)
Character representation includes:
Alopecia Areata
Amputation
Anxiety/Panic Disorder (represented by a fidget, grounding device, and emotional comfort animal)
Face Differences (Treacher Collins syndrome, Cleft Palate)
Multiple Sclerosis
Quadriplegia
Each character includes:
5e Stat block
Background & Personality
Full color character art
Miniature (Choice of STL, pre-printed mini)
Plot hooks for inclusion in your game
Also included:
Condition markers accessible to visually impaired gamers
Wooden chests with custom artwork
Digital Planner stickers & VTT Tokens (Stretch Goal)
Service Animals (Stretch Goals)
The character collection follows accessibility principles for maximum readability (dyslexia, colorblindness, etc.) and will be available in multiple formats: PDF, ePub, txt, audio, and it will be included in Lair format for all subscribers.
Wyrmworks Publishing prioritizes hiring disabled, neurodiverse, and mentally ill creators for all of our projects, and characters on this project are based on a combination of research and conversations from previous projects, real-world people who commissioned characters based on themselves, and consultation with therapists, advocacy professionals, people whose experiences are represented here, and before the final sensitivity reading and edit, besides playtesting, we will send the manuscript to backers who are represented here for additional feedback.
We’re accepting ongoing applications from a variety of freelancers who are interested in working with us to make lives better through tabletop roleplaying games. If you are a TTRPG creator or artist who would like to work with us, please submit the following.
Become a Wyrmworks Publishing Affiliate
August 9, 2022
Fans, podcasters, streamers, and anyone else who thinks more people should know about Wyrmworks Publishing’s products and wants to join us in helping you make lives better with tabletop roleplaying games, we have an offer for you!
Join the Wyrmworks Publishing Affiliate program, give your fans a discount, and get a commission as our thanks!
Sign up using the form below.
We will review your application. If we feel you are a good fit, we will send you a link to our affiliate contract and promotion graphics.
Once you sign the contract, we will give you a coupon code.
Anyone new who buys one or more of our products using your coupon code gets a 10% off discount, and you get a 10% commission! It’s a win for you, a win for your fans, and it helps get the word out about our products and mission!
And if you want to use our products in actual play shows or similar uses, we can help you with samples or discounts.
Improvements in TTRPG Inclusion
August 9, 2022
When we launched Limitless Heroics, we said, ”Limitless Heroics is more than an RPG book. It’s a petition. Back this project, and you communicate to every game publisher on earth that disabled people exist and can easily be included in their games, that the customers want that representation, and that accessibility and representation are necessary core features for future products.” Some scoffed at that. Others called it virtue signaling. But we truly believe that these small actions have a ripple effect on the industry and the world.
Efforts toward inclusion have definitely improved over the years. Third party products like Ancestry & Culture and An Elf and an Orc Had a Little Baby offer suggestions for better representation and an alternative to the bioessentialism that has had such a prominent role in Dungeons & Dragons throughout its existence. Wizards of the Coast began making changes with Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and took racial representation to the next level with the announcement of Journeys through the Radiant Citadel, and we applaud these efforts and see the leader of the industry providing a positive example for racial representation.
But what about disability representation?
The first well-known effort to better represent disabilities in role-playing games came from the viral Combat Wheelchair, followed closely by the inexplicably controversial ”ramps in dungeons” adventure in Candlekeep Mysteries, but note that the latter, while published by Wizards of the Coast, was only designed to be accessible by its author, Jennifer Kretchmer, not by direction from the company, which is obvious in that that’s the only adventure in the collection that includes any deliberate accessibility. (GURPS and the Hero System also include disabilities, but it does more harm than good.)
Besides a handful of very small games floating around itch.io, Accessible Games produces Psi-Punk and Survival of the Able, and Evil Hat’s Fate Accessibility Toolkit was the first deliberate representation publication by a second tier publisher, and it’s still considered the best of its kind in the industry, and while it’s brilliant, it’s also the best because it’s the only one of its kind until Limitless Heroics finishes production.
But now Marvel has thrown down the Infinity Gauntlet of accessibility with the Marvel Multiverse RPG, including limited but deliberate disability representation. Disney/Marvel by no means leads the TTRPG space, but they’re the first company to enter it in recent years with the potential to challenge WotC on their home turf. While Marvel’s past TTRPG offerings haven’t challenged D&D for dominance, that’s not necessary even now to see more inclusion. (No, I have no illusions that Limitless Heroics influenced this decision.)
As more publishers, especially media companies whose reach extends beyond the TTRPG sphere, implement disability inclusion in their game systems and campaign worlds, the more it becomes expected. Imagine how odd a campaign world of all white characters would seem today thanks to the civil rights movements and the ongoing work of millions to demand racial representation. In the same way, games and other media without a broad range of orientations and gender expressions are becoming increasingly expected.
The more we see accurate and positive disability representation throughout different forms of media, the more it becomes a standard. I look forward to the day when the lack of disability representation becomes noticeable.
Enter the Dragon’s Hoard
August 9, 2022
Our fans are actively dedicated to joining us in our mission to make lives better through tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPG).
We provide what you’d expect from a weekly publisher email: discounts, freebies, and news, but we also provide personal encouragement and opportunities to improve lives by working together. This is also the place for playtest announcements of upcoming products.
Our fans make the world a better place, and we truly treasure them, which is why we call them the Dragon’s Hoard, and we invite you to become a part of this treasure trove by signing up today and immediately getting your own free collection of treasure as soon as you confirm your subscription!
Limitless Heroics Tables: Using Disability in DnD
August 9, 2022
Free Preview Explanation
Welcome to the free preview of Limitless Heroics. This page provides tables and instructions for adding traits.
The full book includes descriptions and full game mechanics for each trait. Each trait also includes assistive options, magical assistance, and real world examples.
100% of content creators hired for this book are disabled, neurodivergent, and/or have mental or chronic illness, and the variety of art styles intentionally reflects the diversity of experiences and expressions of these conditions.
Roll for Traits
Players can either roll for a random disability or discuss disability as part of their character concept with their GM, choosing specific traits, Frequencies, and IEs, keeping tropes to avoid in mind.
Game Masters especially who want to include a realistic percentage of disability in a game world’s population may find these random generators useful to provide a varied population. Fantasy worlds don’t need to have the same clusters of traits that we see in real-world experiences, but it’s also beneficial to use real-world clusters (diagnoses, both common and rare, and which vary by region or get organized differently by different cultures) to better understand the experiences of those around us, which again is why the tables allow you to “choose or roll.” Maybe you’ll do a little of both, or maybe you’ll use your first roll to find a real-world experience that includes that trait and learn more about it.
This suggestion also applies to the traits’ IEs and Frequencies. Instead of using tables to determine these, you may choose a frequency that ties into the narrative that you’re telling together, deciding in advance instead of leaving it to dice rolls.
Many people are afraid to represent these experiences in their games for fear of inaccuracy, but absence isn’t necessarily better, so we designed this book to get you started, to provide guidelines so you could feel free to add this inclusion creatively and respectfully.
Chance of Traits
15–20 percent of people worldwide in real life have some form of disability. In a world with less medical, therapeutic, and nutritional science but additional magic threats, the rate of disability is likely higher. GMs should decide the rate in the campaign world, but consider 20 percent to be the base rate. Roll 1d20, 1–4 indicating a disability. Any given population within that world should expect roughly the same percentage with possible variations based on environment and any number of other factors.
Number and Category of Traits
Many disabilities have multiple traits. Choose or roll on the following table to determine the number of traits your character has. If replicating a real-world cluster or more than one in the same character, you can increase or decrease the quantity.
d20
Traits
1–7
1
8−12
2
13−15
3
16−17
4
18−19
5
20
6
Next, determine whether those traits are physical or mental. The first trait is equally likely to be physical or mental. (Roll d20: 1−10 = physical, 11–20 = mental) Subsequent traits are more likely to be in the same category, so add or subtract 2 cumulatively to the roll for the category of each additional trait. (e.g. 4 traits: First roll = 18 (mental), so the next roll would be 1–8 physical and 9–20 mental. Next roll = 10 (mental), so the next roll would be 1–6 physical and 7–20 mental. Next roll = 4 (physical), so the final roll would be 1–8 physical and 9–20 mental.) No matter how the range adjusts, a roll of 1 is always physical, and a 20 is always mental.
Impact Extent (IE)
Each trait can vary in the impact of its expression. Roll on the following table to determine the impact of each trait. See the individual trait descriptions for impact explanations. Unless otherwise stated in the description, any saving throws required by the adverse effects are DC 8 + (IE). Note that the term “impact” and the Extent labels are used for mechanical shorthand to cover a wide variety of traits, but these terms aren’t always appropriate descriptors for their real-world counterparts. Players are encouraged to use more accurate descriptors or just the mechanical number. (e.g. Many neurodiverse traits are not appropriately described as “Acute” or with negative connotations; sensory disabilities, such as visual impairment, may be better described as “Complete” at IE 4.) If a trait causes an additional experience without a listed IE, choose or roll on this table for the new experience’s IE.
Pushing Through and Masking
You can use significant effort and concentration to force yourself overcome the challenges associated with many traits, temporarily reducing the IE penalties of a trait by expending one Hit Die per IE until the end of the encounter or for 1 minute, whichever is longer. This only affects ability checks, not saving throws, and all rolls to maintain concentration while pushing through are made with disadvantage. You also have advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks to conceal your trait.
D20
IE
1–9
Mild (1)
10−15
Moderate (2)
16−18
Substantial (3)
19–20
Total (4)
Frequency
Traits can come and go, sometimes appearing instantly and disappearing as quickly. Others appear and disappear gradually over the course of days. Some can disappear for months or years and suddenly manifest again, and some never go away. Choose or roll on the following table to determine the duration of each trait. (Note: This may not be applicable to many traits. e.g. missing limbs don’t generally come and go without magic. Players and GMs should use discretion for this table and see the trait description.)
All trait descriptions assume the effects only occur while the trait is active, unless otherwise noted.
Variant Rule: Plot Arc-Based Timing
For traits with Periodic Frequency or those that change over extended periods of time, instead of rolling for a number of days between changes or saving throws, depending on the trait description, make the change or roll based on the story arcs in your campaign, such as a climactic moment or after a major event when everyone is recovering. The players should decide how trait timing will be handled when implementing this system.
d20
Time
Frequency
1
Roll Twice
A trait may not fit one of these patterns exactly. Roll twice, and decide how they might combine, such as a trait that is Triggered but fluctuates in IE like Chronic or Frequent but only Periodic throughout a given day.
2
Remission
The trait begins absent. It will recur in 1d100 days, taking 1d4 days to reach full effect. On a roll of 95−100, roll again and add the rolls together, repeating for each roll of 95−100. At the end of the time period, the trait gradually disappears over 1d4 days, then roll the same way for the duration of remission.
3–7
Periodic
The trait fluctuates. It will recur in 1d20 days, rerolling cumulatively on a 20, taking 1d100 hours to reach full effect. On a roll of 95–100, roll again and add the rolls together, repeating for each roll of 95–100. At the end of the traits, they gradually disappear over 1d100 hours.
8−13
Triggered
The trait is triggered randomly or by one or more stimuli (or absence of a stimulus, like withdrawal) as determined by a discussion between the player and GM. The trait lasts as long as the stimulus is present plus 1d100 minutes, extended as above unless otherwise noted. (For absence of stimulus, the trait begins after 1d100 minutes and lasts until the stimulus is restored.) Note that some stimuli may be unknown to the character and seem random until discovering the triggering stimulus.
14−17
Frequent
The trait occurs more often than not but has periods of inactivity. Roll 1d20 every morning. The trait is present all day unless rolling a 19 or 20.
18−19
Chronic
The trait is always present, but if the Extent is more severe than mild, roll 1d20 each morning. The trait for the day is 1 Extent less on a roll of 15−19 and 2 Extents less on a roll of 20 with a minimum of mild.
20
Degenerative
The trait starts out Mild and gradually becomes Acute in 300d100 days. Once a degenerative trait becomes Acute, the character must succeed on seven daily DC 10 Constitution saving throws or gain a permanent level of exhaustion.Note: Degenerative conditions even in a fictional character, can be emotionally taxing. This RPG is a game, and such a bleak prognosis may take the fun out of the game, and this would work counter to the goal of this book, so the GM should always give a player the choice to reroll this result for the player’s own mental health.That said, the author's own father struggled with a degenerative disease for decades and lived with its accompanying disabilities, and he lived a heroic life in service to others. Many a tale can be told of heroes who finish their quest and ride off into the sunset, knowing their days are numbered, but that lives are meaningful however long they last.
Variant Rule: Good and Bad Days
In addition to overall trends in Frequency, many Traits have a fluctuating IE. Roll 1d20 after a long rest for each applicable trait.
d20
Effect
1–7
Good Day: All IE-related penalties are reduced by 1 (Minimum 0)
8–17
No change
18–20
Bad Day: All IE-related penalties are increased by 1 (Maximum 4)
Trait Descriptions
Physical Traits
For each physical trait, choose or roll to determine appendage or organ system (50/50 chance for each). Then roll on the appropriate table.
One or both of your ears has a shape that’s unusual for your ancestry. Choose or use the following table to determine the unusual shape and effects. This is a permanent condition.
A substance leaks out of your eyes. Roll on the table below for the nature and effects of the substance.
d20
Discharge
1
Acid
2–6
Blood
7
Ink
8–9
Oil
10−15
Pus
16−19
Tears
20
Venom
Eye Color Difference
Your eyes are colored outside the usual range of hues typical for your people according to the following table.
d20
Eye Region
1–3
Pupil
4−10
Iris
11−17
Sclera (Whites)
18–20
Entire eye
Ocular Diversity
One or both of your eyes are shaped or located outside the range typical for your ancestry. Choose or roll on the following table. Note that this is usually a permanent condition and does not fluctuate, but the player and GM are welcome to determine a magical version that fluctuates based on the Frequency table above. Example stimuli include sunrise/sunset, seasons, or stress.
d20
Ocular Diversity
1–3
Location
4–5
Eyelid Difference
6–8
Bulging
9–10
Sunken
11–13
Oversized
14–15
Undersized
16–19
Pupil Difference
20
Side Placement
Partial Field Blindness/Agnosia
You’re unable to see or recognize certain areas or features. Choose or roll on the following table.
d20
Visual Difference
1–8
Closed Angle Vision
9–14
Open Angle Vision
15–16
Humanoid Agnosia
17–18
Animal Agnosia
19–20
Topographical Agnosia
Humanoid Agnosia
You are unable to recognize a specific part of a humanoid body or distinguish it from others according to the following table.
You have trouble communicating using language, including speaking, understanding, and writing. Choose or roll on the following table. You have 1d6 of the following patterns.
d20
Language Processing Expression
1–5
Dysgraphia
6
Reiterative Agraphia
7
Specialist Agraphia
8
Dysexecutive Agraphia
9
Apraxic Agraphia
10
Lexical Agraphia
11
Semantic Agraphia
12
Phonological Agraphia
13
Visuospatial Agraphia
14
Alexia
15–16
Expressive Aphasia
17
Receptive Aphasia
18
Anomic Aphasia
19–20
Global Aphasia
Memory Loss
d10
Symptom
1–2
Anterograde Amnesia
3–6
Retrograde Amnesia
7
Dissociative Fugue
8–0
Traumatic Amnesia
Pain
d10
Pain Experience
1–5
Chronic Pain
6–9
Hyperalgesia
10
Hypoalgesia
Seizures
d100
Seizure Type
1–40
Focal Aware Seizures
41–60
Focal Impaired Awareness Seizures
61–67
Absence Seizures
68–77
Myoclonic Seizures
78–82
Clonic Seizures
83–88
Tonic Seizures
89–93
Atonic Seizures
94–100
Tonic Clonic Seizures
Focal Aware Seizures. You have a strange feeling for (IE)d20 seconds resulting in one of the following experiences.
Unusual smell or taste: You smell or taste something with no known source. You have a −(IE) penalty on all Wisdom (Perception) checks related to smell and taste for the duration.
Feeling like one random limb is larger or smaller than it actually is: you have a −(IE) penalty on all Dexterity attack rolls; ability checks; and saving throws with that limb for the duration.
7
Perception of colored or flashing lights: You have a −(IE) penalty on all Wisdom (Perception) checks involving vision
8
Hallucination
Sensory Processing Difference
d6
Sensory Processing Pattern
1
Sensory Over-Responsivity
2
Sensory Under-Responsivity
3
Sensory Craving
4
Vestibular Difference
5
Dyspraxia
6
Sensory Discrimination Difference
Sensory Discrimination Difference. You have trouble determining variation in 1d4 subtypes of sensory input. Choose or roll on the following table.
d8
SDD Subtype
1
Auditory
2
Visual
3
Tactile
4
Vestibular
5
Olfactory
6
Gustatory
7
Proprioception
8
Interoception
Sleep Disruptions
d100
Sleep Disruption
1–6
Confusional Arousals
7
Exploding Head
8–17
Hypersomnolence
18–40
Insomnia
41–44
Night Terrors
45–50
Nightmares
51–52
Sleep Aggression
53–55
Sleep Behaviors
56–60
Sleep Enuresis
61–62
Sleep Paralysis
63
Sleep Sorcery
64–86
Sleep-Related Breathing Disruption
87–88
Sleep-Related Hallucinations
89–93
Sleep-Related Movements
94–97
Sleep-Wake Disruptions
98–100
Sleepwalking
Sleep-Wake Disruption Your internal sleep clock does not correspond to your intended pattern. If you cannot follow your internal pattern, follow the rules for Insomnia accordingly.
Accessible Adventure of the Week: The Price of Success
August 9, 2022
My Students Are My Treasures
A rural school is haunted by two banshees: former teachers who cared more about how their students made them look than the well being of the students themselves. Can you free the countryside from this threat?
This side adventure is designed for four to six characters with an average party level of 3, totaling roughly 16 levels.
“Our lives serve as either a warning or an example to others.” — Tony Robbins
This week’s adventure, designed as Halloween approaches, explores abuse and trauma. Being a horror adventure, it plays out the effects of trauma and the concealment of trauma on a community in a visceral and memorable way. It serves as a warning—not only about the need for open communication with the people in our lives who may be experiencing trauma, but also our willingness to be available to them for help. I hope your players will experience this adventure with empathy and a resulting drive to be open to potential victims looking to them for help.
Content Trigger Warning
This adventure includes death, violence, the undead, death of family, children in peril, psychological abuse of children, parents who disbelieve reports of abuse, and undead children. Because it explores realistic expressions of trauma, the Dungeon Master (DM) should discuss this adventure with players before deciding to use it. Success could be cathartic for some but tear open traumatic wounds for others.
To talk to your players about this adventure’s sensitive content without spoiling the plot, you can ask them how they feel about a horror adventure involving child abuse, death, and zombies in various combinations. If any players are even slightly uncomfortable with the topic, skip this adventure.
If you choose to use this adventure, please make use of safety tools.
This adventure is one piece of a movement within the D&D community to invite, encourage, and include those who have not been, both in the RPG community and nearly everywhere in real life. Wyrmworks Publishing is dedicated to using RPGs to help you make lives better, to provide tools, training, and a community to this end. We believe that this will extend far beyond the ever-growing RPG community as more and more people learn, grow, and give and receive acceptance.
This free adventure is formatted for the blind and visually impaired.
