How carvings from the Native American community showed a researcher what the world looks like through different eyes. — This past Thursday, I had the pleasure of seeing Rex Buchanan speak about his book, Petroglyphs of the Kansas Smoky Hills. Buchanan, a former director of the Kansas Geological Survey, worked with Professor Burke Griggs of Washburn University School of Law and Joshua Svaty, the fourteenth Kansas secretary of agriculture…

Create a background that your DM will actually read and use in your next game. — Are you gearing up to make a new D&D character, but scared that they won’t be interesting enough? Are you having trouble telling a good background story for an awesome character concept? Have you written a massive backstory only to have the DM ask you to lighten up? I feel…

The final part of this explanatory series, where we look at the marvelous miscellaneous minutia of writing up a character sheet — So, you’ve got a character sheet. You’ve got abilities and skills, hit points, combat stats, spells, and an inventory. It looks like you’re ready to hit the road, which is why today’s part — part 7 in this D&D character sheet building series — is the last one. In…

Explaining your inventory and how to use it — When you’ve got your character built, it’s time to stack them with gear. That’s right; today, we’re talking about inventory! Building, reading, and managing your inventory is an important skill that can keep your character from ending up the creek without a paddle — or in a fight without…

This cute little game is a relaxing way to actually enjoy the food service industry — I love casual management games. Stardew Valley and Slime Rancher are some of my go-to relax-and-shut-down games, full of cutesy art and easy mechanics. Resource-management and base-building games are fun to me! I get to run my own little place, without having to worry about (much) danger or big…

An open-world concept, intriguing story, improved battle system, and I can finally get all the Eeveelutions to hang out with me in a room? Sign me up. — I will be the first to admit I don’t have much experience when it comes to Pokémon. I was a fan of the anime when I was a kid, and I’ve played my way through Diamond, but I’m not a die-hard fan. The biggest reason was that all of…

Fight for your life and learn how combat works in Dungeons and Dragons! — Welcome to session one! Your party is leaving their starting town, on their way to glory and fame, when suddenly they’re assaulted by a band of goblins who’ve been running a bandit gig on this well-traveled road to rack up some treasure. You aren’t slouches, you’re adventurers! So, of…

All about spells! Who gets them, from where, and how to write them down — In this next part of the character sheet series, I’m breaking down the most complicated part of building a character: spells. Spells are somewhat iconic in D&D; who hasn't made a “just fireball” joke once or twice, right? They can change how combat is played, how roleplay plays out…