Image: Michael J. Winegar
What busy gamemaster doesn’t want a repository of story ideas at hand, just in case inspiration is late to the gaming session? If you’re a parent and the GM, then it’s even more likely that you’ll find your gaming group staring you down, waiting for their weekly dose of escapism. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a book that could jumpstart your game and get you headed down the road toward RPG rapture?
The Tome of Ideas, a collaboration between writer and developer Michael J. Winegar and over 20 professional authors, hopes to be that repository. The book, currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, is a collection of story prompts, adventure outlines, and full color artwork. From the Kickstarter page:
Tome of Ideas is part genre encyclopedia, part RPG book, part writing prompt collection, and part inspirational art book. It is designed as a resource for writers looking for their next story, game masters looking for their next adventure, or anyone who simply wants to sit down and send their imagination on a journey into speculative fiction.
The idea of a “book of plots” isn’t a new one. We’ve taken multiple looks at Eureka: 501 Adventure Plots to Inspire Game Masters. I was a huge fan of Dungeon Delve, which was heavily geared toward the tactical combat encounters of the 4th Edition D&D system, but was a boon for unprepared DMs. The Tome of Ideas is unique in that it explores over ten different gaming and fiction genres, including fantasy, horror, mystery, science fiction, and even modern stories.
Confirmed contributors include Mur Lafferty, Ari Marmell, Charles Tan, and Kevin J. Anderson.
So if your RPG sessions are feeling a little lackluster, consider backing the The Tome of Ideas on Kickstarter and bring some fresh creativity to the gaming table. There’s even a free 12 page preview of the book available for download.
