Modding and running Storm King's Thunder
Meromorph Games
Image © Wizards of the Coast
Kevin’s running the Storm King’s Thunder campaign for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition!
I like games, making games, and making things for games. These articles will go in-depth on how I’m modifying the SKT campaign materials for my table. I’m focused on decreasing railroading and deus ex machinas, and increasing player investment in the plot and world. If you’re a DM interested in running SKT, or just enjoy dissecting narrative design and player agency, I hope my notes help you find your own spin on this excellent — and vast — adventure.
My Background & Style
I’ve played a number of RPG campaigns. I learned the ropes running D&D 4E, found my muse in Dungeon World, and have lately tried D&D 5E and Pathfinder.
I prefer narrative and world-building over crunchy rules; that means Dungeon World is my idol, and I theoretically loathe Pathfinder (but a great DM plus fun pre-made means I’m having a blast!).
Resources
Many amazing DMs have run SKT and recorded their insights. Here are some that helped me immensely:
Sly Flourish. Honestly, just read his everything for a master class in improvisational DMing. He even interviews Dungeon World’s Adam Koebel!
Power Score. A huge resource compilation for SKT. My personal favorite: the prologue flashbacks, which I borrowed heavily.
I’ve also scripted a few things to help myself:
Random monster, with min- and max-level sliders.
Searchable map, with hand-added points of interest on top of the freely available image.
Finally, for context: I bought everything digitally on D&D Beyond, mainly because I prefer ctrl+F to appendices.
Posts
Session recaps and campaign thoughts will be aggregated here.