Volume 1 collects the four part series originally titled Shadow Empires, published in 1994, and features the three-part story "The Passage," originally published in Dark Horse Presents, now in full-color for the first time!

    This primer will teach you how to build living, breathing worlds for your players to explore; how to host game and manage game sessions; and how to create powerful experiences of adventure that your players will talk about for years to come. Learn the secret to becoming a judge, an adversary, a worldbuilder, and a storyteller and become an arbiter of worlds! “Every Macris campaign starts with a rich, open world; the edge of a massive map; and the ability to find adventure in any direction. After playing in a dozen of his campaigns, I can assure you that Macris is the best prepared, most thorough GM on the prime material plane. He balances “deadly adversary” and “the party’s greatest supporter” perfectly. I’ve been lucky to contribute to some renowned video game worlds, and to discus world design with some of the most accomplished writers alive. And I’m honestly not sure there’s been someone more thorough at and passionate for world building than Macris since ... maybe Tolkien? (Okay, maybe G.R.R. Martin, but he’s not as organized or efficient.) It takes organization, creativity, and careful technique to build a massive world efficiently and deliver it effectively, and Macris can show you how he does it.” - Dr. Michael Capps, award-winning videogame executive, writer, designer (*Gears of War*, *Fortnite*, *Unreal Tournament, Unreal Championship*) “Armed with decades of experience as both a player and a designer, Macris cuts to the marrow with razor sharp insights in an unapologetic and often painfully insightful analysis of every imaginable facet of being a Game Master. From implication of play inherent in a game’s design, to world building, to the often delicate nature of unspoken social contracts inherent in the hobby, the guidance found in Arbiter of Worlds is a much-needed breath of fresh air to veterans of the hobby and a forged-in-the-fire bootcamp for those taking their first steps behind the screen.” - James M. Spahn, Ennie and Origins Award Winning RPG designer “A superb read. He makes his points the way you would expect a Harvard-trained lawyer to do. If you read this book, you are going to come out knowing real things you did not know before that will help you run games at the table…” - Courtney Campbell, Hack & Slash

    Then in "Barbecue Blunder," sometimes it's fun to reminisce about picnics gone by!

    (Do-it-yourself secret initiation rites included.)Master the secrets of designing adventures that tell stories.Create magic illusions that can even make your players disappear!Use actual fire in your game properly.Hijack the game as a player, and how to deal with a player revolution as an XDM.Plus loads more!If I could go back in time and rewrite Dragonlance, it would be this book...only with more dragons in it. --Tracy HickmanI can say without any shame or bias, that this is one of the best books ever written and should be in every hotel room next to the bible. --Curtis HickmanPossessed by the spirits of Da Vinci, Van Gogh, and Jack Fred, I illustrated a book that you should buy two of...one to read and one to hang on your wall.--Howard Tayler

    Darryl and Wanda MacPherson, the struggling parents from the popular syndicated comic strip Baby Blues, share their insights into that scary venture: parenthood! Part of the Little Books series.

    The game uses the Legend of the Five Rings setting, and primarily the nation of Rokugan which is based on feudal Japan with influences from other East Asian cultures.Like most role-playing games, Legend of the Five Rings is played by one or more players and a game master, who controls the events that happen during the game as well as thenon-player characters (also called "NPCs"). An aspect that sets Legend of the Five Rings apart from other games is the inclusion of courtiers and other non-combatant character types as valid player character types. Most role-playing games focus heavily on combat and non-combatants are generally only given as non-player characters, whereas in Legend of the Five Rings it is possible (although unlikely) to play an entire game with no scenes of combat at all.In 1998, Legend of the Five Rings won the Origins Award for Best Roleplaying Game of 1997.

    and More There's an old saying in Stormreach: "Great power rests in the ruins of the past." The shattered cities and vast dungeons of Xen'drik hold the secrets of countless fallen empires. Legends speak of titanic landmarks, sunken treasure vaults, and forgotten places suffused with powerful magic. Beyond the walls of Stormreach, an entire continent waits to be rediscovered. But beware! Terrible monsters rule Xen'drik now, and explorers searching for gold or glory often find death instead. Inside this book, you'll find everything you need to adventure in the shattered continent of Xen'drik: * Comprehensive overview of the continent of Xen'drik and the gateway city of Stormreach* New feats, prestige classes, spells, equipment, and magic items* Encounters and magical locations you can drop into your existing campaign* Ready-to-play adventures, monsters, and villains For use with these Dungeons & Dragons(R) products"Player's Handbook(TM) Dungeon Master's Guide(TM) Monster Manual(TM)Eberron"(R)" Campaign Setting"

    It discusses the genre in depth - with all its subgenres and inspirations (myth, novels, movies, etc.) - letting you design just the kind of fantasy setting that you want.GURPS Fantasy gives detailed, concrete advice - from the basics of the landscape itself, through its inhabitants and cultures, to the details of believable histories and politics. It also examines the nature of supernatural forces, and discusses the impact of wizards, monsters, and gods. And, of course, it looks at the many different ways that magic and users of magic can work in a fantasy world. And, perhaps most importantly, it advises GMs and players alike on the kinds of characters appropriate to fantasy - including ordinary folks, people with fantastic powers, and nonhumans.Whether your model is Tolkien, Jordan, or Leiber, this book will let create a town, a country, or an entire world. Like all Fourth Edition books

    Once every eight years, the fantastic Witchlight Carnival touches down on your world, bringing joy to one settlement after the next. Its owners, Mister Witch and Mister Light, know how to put on a good show. But there's more to this magical extravaganza than meets the eye!The carnival is a gateway to a fantastic Feywild domain unlike anything found on the Material Plane. Time has not been kind to this realm, however, and dark days lie ahead unless someone can thwart the dastardly schemes of the Hourglass Coven.The Wild Beyond the Witchlight takes adventurers from the Witchlight Carnival to Prismeer, a Feywild domain of delight, and is designed for characters of levels 1-8. This book comes with a poster map that shows the carnival on one side and Prismeer on the other.- Explore the Plane of Faerie in the first official D&D adventure set primarily in the Feywild - Easily drop The Witchlight Carnival into any campaign--for passage into the Feywild or just a night of carnival games and wild entertainment - Introduces two races--play as a fairy or as a harengon, a race of humanoid rabbits - Adds two backgrounds--the Feylost who grew up in the Feywild, and a Witchlight Hand who works at the carnival - All encounters can be resolved without resorting to combat, rewarding clever ideas and creative roleplay - Classic 1980s Dungeons & Dragons characters return, including Warduke, Strongheart, and Kelek

    Books softcover, 8.5" x 11," full color

     Ah, the confrontation with the Skeleton King. How will Steve ever defeat such a fearsome foe? Especially since his friends have abandoned him. This will be the Slime Slayer's most difficult fight yet. Let's hope he makes it out alive... if not, could this be the last volume of Steve the Noob? Find out by reading today. Disclaimer: This book is a work of fanfiction; it is not an official Minecraft book. It is not endorsed, authorized, licensed, sponsored, or supported by Mojang AB, Microsoft Corp. or any other entity owning or controlling rights to the Minecraft name, trademarks or copyrights. Minecraft ®/TM & © 2009-2015 Mojang / Notch / Microsoft *** Tags: kids books, minecraft handbook, minecraft, minecraft books,minecraft free, minecraft games, minecraft secrets handbook, minecraft xbox, minecraft tips, minecraft game, minecraft story book, Minecraft Steve series, free kids books, minecraft handbook free, minecraft comics, minecraft books for kids (Minecraft Kids Book, Minecraft Secrets, Minecraft Stories, Minecraft Book, Minecraft Villagers, Minecraft Books for Kids and Teens)

    This newest edition draws from every prior edition to create a universally compelling play experience, and exemplifies the true spirit of a game that holds captive the hearts and minds of millions of players worldwide. • The second of three core rulebooks, this book details all manner of creatures that characters might encounter over the course of their adventures. • An essential resource for Dungeon Masters to use in populating any type of challenge they might contrive for their players. • Created as part of a massive public playtest involving more than 170,000 fans of the game.

    Gumball thinks he’s the coolest kid on the block, but his little sister Anais begs to differ, and Darwin just wants to keep them all out of trouble.

    When her father is exiled from his kingdom, Hothal disguises herself as a man and fights alongside the valient Odha, who she eventually falls deeply in love with.