I stream these every Sunday at 10am pacific time!
Around this time I started putting the monsters in alliterative situations!
In which I suggest only the absolute essentials for someone who might be curious about the show but not want to invest in the whole series. There are 27 episodes in total, and I’m going to suggest six, which together come to about the length of a feature film.
What are my criteria? Well written, not overly goofy, portrays the D&D game world reasonably authentically, and has heart.
Click here for Season 2
Click here for Season 3
A Marvel/TSR co-production, developed by the legendary Mark Evanier. Mark has a fun blog entry on how it all got started
https://www.newsfromme.com/pov/col145-2/
The conceit of the show, explained in the opening credits, is that six American kids are transported to a realm of sword and sorcery via a carnival ride. There they are assigned AD&D classes (ranger, barbarian, thief, cavalier, magician, acrobat) and magical “Weapons of Power” by a Yoda-like character called “Dungeon Master.” Ol’ DM basically tortures them with riddles and teases them with quests that promise to lead them back to the good ol’ US. Naturally, they never escape the realm of D&D.
Oh, and because it’s the 80’s, the mandatory cutesy mascot is in this case a baby unicorn “Uni” voiced, of course, by Frank Welker. Peter “Optimus Prime” Cullen is the voice of the recurring bad guy, Venger, who we learn secrets about in later episodes.
The score is excellent, and shares some tracks with the contemporary Marvel Spider-Man and Hulk series. The animation also at times transcends typical Saturday morning fare, with some clear “money shot” sequences, such as when a castle crumbles into a volcano and Venger’s immortal spirit towers over the heroes.
As a Dungeon Master myself, I’ll be looking at this series with my DM hat on. Are some episodes D&D adventure-adaptation friendly? Could it be a playable scenario to run with your home group? I have adapted some episodes, which I detail at length in old 2005 blog entries here and here https://torenatkinson.com/2005/04/16/part-2-campaign-adaptation/
There are 13 episodes in season 1
Essential? It’s fine but you can skip it.
Game adaptation friendly? No, too much of the plot is dependent on particular decisions a group probably won’t make.
AD&D Monsters: Tiamat, plus wyverns that breathe fire.
Presto the nerdy magician is tricked into releasing a swarm of dragons that plagued the town of Helix 100 years ago. The kids defeat Tiamat twice because she is very dumb.
Watch my commentary as a storyboard artist, voice actor, and DM:
2. THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Essential? No. As much a fan as I am of beholders, they don’t really do the monster justice, and the episode drags somewhat.
Game adaptation friendly? I can’t see how the kids could survive this in normal play, so I say no.
AD&D Monsters: beholder, giant scorpion, blue dragon. Original monsters: giant snail people, hyena-like creatures.
The kids get mixed up with a cowardly knight, Sir John. DM leads the kids to a portal home, guarded by a beholder. The beholder disappointingly only shoots lasers or energy tentacles from its eyes. Venger shows up to kill John and the kids forego the way home in favor of saving John.
Notes: Frank Welker voices Sir John. My video commentary is here:
3. THE HALL OF BONES
Essential? Yes, I recommend this episode.
Game adaptation friendly? I think you could do it, but it relies on the PCs trusting Hector, which may not happen.
AD&D Monsters: Tiamat, shadow demon, troll, orcs, misc townsfolk including a bugbear and lizard man or troglodyte? Lolth demon queen of spiders! Original monsters: “simian bats”
The kids’ weapons run out of magic and must be recharged at a tomb called the Hall of Bones. Hector the pantsless halfling guides them.
Notes: Frank Welker does the “don’t stop!” background voice and Hector the Halfling
4. VALLEY OF THE UNICORNS
Essential? Yes, the new villain Kelek is cool.
Game adaptation friendly? If your group doesn’t have a unicorn buddy, probably not.
AD&D Monsters: (dire) wolves; unicorns
Kelek the bad wizard wants to collect unicorn horns from the few remaining specimens. Uni learns she can teleport, although this seldom comes up in future episodes. Watch my analysis here:
5. IN SEARCH OF THE DUNGEON MASTER
Essential? It’s a run of the mill plot, but has some charm. Still, you can skip it.
Game adaptation friendly? Yes, I did it successfully. For the ‘how to’ CLICK HERE
AD&D Monsters: sprite, zombie, bullywugs, lamassu, earth elemental, orcs, giant snapping turtle, shadow demon. Original monster: giant snail, “Know Tree”
The mercenary Warduke captures DM to sell to Venger. In the quest to rescue him, the kids are captured and thrown in slave mines where they meet a dwarf who talks like Yoda.
Warduke was given an action figure, and years later was statted up in Dragon Magazine and given an official miniature
6. BEAUTY AND THE BOGBEAST
Essential? This is a decent character episode for Eric, so watch it if you like his character, otherwise you can skip.
Game adaptation friendly? Possibly but I haven’t tried it.
AD&D Monsters: giant metal golem, ogre mage. Original monsters: bog beasts
DM leads the kids to a portal home that opens once a year for 60 seconds, but Eric is transformed into a croaking “bog beast” by a magic flower. In order to break the spell they must seek out more bog beasts who are threatened by Kawamung the ogre mage. The kids actually make it home, but return to the realm to restore Eric’s form.
7. THE PRISON WITHOUT WALLS
Essential? It’s pretty good, but I wouldn’t say it’s mandatory.
Game adaptation friendly? Maybe, but the riddles are fairly obvious, and it requires a character to work a magic spell so probably one of the PCs should be a spellcaster.
AD&D Monsters:: shadow demon, orcs, violet fungus, shambling mound, zombies, animated statues or stone golem,
DM tells the kids that a gnome wizard trapped in ‘a prison without walls’ can help them get home, but first they must release him and free his people from Venger’s enslavement.
8. SERVANT OF EVIL
Essential? Yes. I think this ep is emblematic of the show, showcases character, has heart, and portrays the quality of D&D.
Game adaptation friendly? Yes, and I’ve run it successfully!
AD&D Monsters: lizard men, a giant, xill. Original monsters: unidentified land tadpoles, lavender serpentine prisoner, lava hydra (possibly just a spell)
With the exception of birthday boy Bobby, Venger captures all the kids, takes their weapons and puts them in the Prison of Agony. DM gives Bobby a magic amulet, and sends him to rescue his friends, which he does with the help of the fighter Strongheart and the kind-hearted giant who serves as gatekeeper
Notes: Strongheart was one of the characters in the D&D action figure line
9. QUEST OF THE SKELETON WARRIOR
Essential? No. It’s got good qualities but is annoying in places.
Game adaptation friendly? Not easily – the PCs are separated and subjected to their phobias, which can be tricky to run.
AD&D Monsters: Grimlocks, swamp hags, giant eagle AKA war bird.
A powerful artifact called the Circle of Power lies within the Lost Tower (of the Celestial Knights), and DM says it can get the kids home. Dekkion, the last Celestial Knight (presently cursed by Venger), admits the kids into the tower where their worst fears of the kids are manifest.
10. THE GARDEN OF ZINN
Essential? No
Game adaptation friendly? I say no.
AD&D Monsters: baby green dragon (?), phantom stalkers, bloodworm, choke creeper (?)
Bobby is poisoned during a monster fight and the only cure comes from the garden of an evil queen. The queen needs to wed a king to avoid losing her throne, and the successful applicant must survive the Trial of the Worm. The kids find an ally in the monstrous Sorlarz who has his own secret past.
11. THE BOX
Essential? A neat inventive concept but if you’re pressed for time it’s okay to skip.
Game adaptation friendly? Yes I think so but I haven’t tried.
AD&D Monsters: bullywugs, shadow demon, Tiamat, giant wasps
The kids must take the sorceress Zandora’s magical chest to Skull Mountain at noon and open it to find a way home. The kids actually do get home but Venger comes through as well and threatens to destroy Earth so they return.
12. THE LOST CHILDREN
Essential? This ep stands out from the rest because of the space stuff, which is cool. If you’re a Spelljammer fan you might check this out. Otherwise ok to skip
Game adaptation friendly? Yes I think so!
AD&D Monsters: shadow demon, orcs, lizard men, possibly a grimlock. Original monsters: some cloaked one-eyed humanoids and the creatures they ride
DM informs the kid about a ship and a group of kids from another planet, who they find and befriend. They must all rescue the groups elder and spaceship, held in Venger’s castle.
13. P-R-E-S-T-O SPELLS DISASTER
Essential? Definitely not
AD&D Monsters: stegosaurus, orcs, a xill, a three-headed giant/firbolg? a giant and 2 gold dragons.
Game adaptation friendly? Possibly
One of Presto’s spells backfires and sends the other kids to the house of a hairy giant, who torments his new playthings with his pet ‘slime beast’ Willy. He’s also been stealing eggs from a gold dragon’s nest.
SUMMARY: THE 3 ESSENTIALS FROM THIS SEASON:
1. Hall of Bones
2. Valley of the Unicorns
3. Servant of Evil
Every Sunday at 10am Pacific I livestream myself drawing a monster from the AD&D Monster Manual – the link is
https://www.twitch.tv/torenatkinson
SLIDESHOW! Catoblepas, Displacer Beast, Efreet, Frog (Giant), Giant (Storm), Gnoll, Harpy
Here’s the youtube playlist:
It’s my goal to draw 26 monsters from the original D&D Monster Manual, each with a 20 minute time limit. I have recorded my twitch livestream which you can find here: https://www.twitch.tv/torenatkinson
Hey, betcha didn’t know I have a Patreon? Support the stuff you love! https://www.patreon.com/torenatkinson
Want to buy some original art from me? https://torenatkinson.com/artwork/original-art-for-sale/
Also my social medias:
INSTAGRAMÂ https://www.instagram.com/torenatkinsonartist/
TUMBLR https://www.tumblr.com/torenatkinsonartist
It’s my goal to draw 26 monsters from the original D&D Monster Manual, each with a 20 minute time limit. I have recorded my twitch livestream which you can find here:Â https://www.twitch.tv/torenatkinson
Hey, betcha didn’t know I have a Patreon? Support the stuff you love! https://www.patreon.com/torenatkinson
Want to buy some original art from me? https://torenatkinson.com/artwork/original-art-for-sale/
Also my social medias:
INSTAGRAMÂ https://www.instagram.com/torenatkinsonartist/
TUMBLR https://www.tumblr.com/torenatkinsonartist
1978, first story of season 16 (4 parts)
In which I learn the British pronounce catacombs ‘catacoombs.’
This story introduces the new companion Romana, a recently graduated Time Lord, and the White Guardian, who sends the Doctor on a season long quest to find the 6 hidden segments of the Key to Time, which are disguised as other objects. In this case the key segment is disguised as a hunk of the rare and powerful element jethrik in a museum on the planet Ribos. The Doctor, K9 and Romana have to compete with a pair of other thieves who are likewise trying to break into the museum. The lead thief, Garron is also trying to swindle an exiled tyrant to buy the planet itself. It all leads to a deadly game of cat and mouse in the catacombs with a fanged lizard-like monster and a melodramatic witch.
The characters in this story are great across the board, including the doom-yelling witch and an elderly hobo who was a would-be scientist exiled for heresy. Quite a fun watch for the acting and dialogue.
Next up: The Pirate Planet
1978, The last story of season 15 (6 episodes)
Shimmering, mind-reading, non-corporeal aliens are too powerful for the Time Lords to thwart, so The Doctor has to trick everyone by becoming Time Lord President and de-activating the forcefield that protects Gallifrey. Only then will the mysterious Vardans reveal their true form – white dudes in jumpsuits. The Doctor institutes a ‘time lock’ which nullifies the Vardans in some hand-wavey fashion, but the lack of forcefield allows the warlike Sontarans to invade Gallifrey, with the full force of maybe four or five of them. The Doctor leads them on a merry chase through the bowels of the TARDIS and then shoots them with a space gun.
Overall a pretty embarrassing story that’s tough to slog through, punctuated with a few gags from Tom Baker.
The last story with Leela, I will miss her feisty penchant for knifing people.
Next up: the much better Ribos Operation
2. People these days talk a lot about ‘Session Zero’ – this is basically a subset of point 1. It could be in person or it could be virtual, or even just an email. It’s a communication of what the tone, gaming style, rules restrictions, setting, and everything else about your game will be, including what you will allow and what you won’t allow. This happens before the first adventuring session and it’s a great time to find out what your players are comfortable with (remembering that many of your friends have deep traumas that you might now know about including sexual assault, death of close relatives at young age, etc.).
Is alcohol allowed at the table? How about cell phones? Will characters level up via XP or milestones? What’s the balance between crunchy combat and roleplay-heavy social encounters?
TOREN’S TIP: Ask each character to have a connection or bond to any 1 or 2 other player characters (the fighter and I escaped the slave mines together; I follow the cleric’s god and look to her for advice; the druid is my adopted sister!)
There are lots of articles and youtube videos about what you should cover in a session zero. Here is a good one:
https://slyflourish.com/running_session_zeros.html
3. Watch your Group Size.
It’s legendarily difficult to find a good, stable gaming group (congrats if you have one) and there are different philosophies as to the perfect size. You can absolutely have a game with 1 player and 1 DM. Typically the magic number is 4 players and 1 DM. With smaller groups, you risk having to cancel the entire session if 1 or 2 players has to cancel, whereas if you have a larger group of 5 or more, the danger becomes when everyone shows up and you get very little done in the session because there is more time used up between players’ turns. It really depends the reliability of your players so all I can say is good luck!
4a. Set reasonable standards for yourself. Everyone wants to be the greatest DM/GM in the world, and many feel like podcasters and youtuber like Matt Mercer are the gold standard to aspire to. Keep in mind these are professional actors and what you are watching are performances for a medium, rather than a casual gaming group of friends. Look to them for inspiration and ideas, but remember you will never be Matt Mercer, and you shouldn’t. Just be a good you.
4b. Don’t burn yourself out! I find preparing for my RPG sessions very therapeutic, but manage your expectations. The players will inevitably thwart or avoid many of your lovingly crafted encounters, so just try to roll with it (pun). Also, find a balance for how often you play. Most people try to have a weekly game, but if that seems to be too much for you, adjust the schedule. See if anyone in your group is interested in running a separate game (even a different system) and you can alternate weeks as a GM and a player. Also, consider the idea of a co-DM, if you have a friend that you have a good relationship to work with, having two DMs can ‘share the load’ as Samwise Gamgee once said.
5. Is Everyone Having Fun? If they are, then you are doing it right! This might be the most important tip, perhaps tied with #1. And if you are not having fun. Ask yourself why and what you might want to change.
MORE RESOURCES:
https://theangrygm.com/tag/gming-basically/
Season 15, 1978 (4 parts)
“The Quest is the Quest”
Leela and K9 materialize with the doctor on a Minyan ship questing to find a DIFFERENT Minyan ship carrying their ‘race bank’ to populate a new homeworld. They find it at the center of a planet where as usual society has developed into a slave class and a ruler class, plus the supercomputer ruling them all. A very boring story with jarring chroma key/blue screen of the various characters running through the ‘underworld’ of caves.
The best part of this story is the pacifier guns which make angry people docile and dopey for a while.
Next: The Invasion of Time
Various sold individually. If something doesn’t have a price please ask. Please keep in mind all photos may not be 100% up to date, let me know what you’re interested in and I’ll visually confirm them for you.
Chainmail Gnolls – $10 each
You must be logged in to post a comment.