4th & Dragon : Dungeons and Dragons...and stuff

Overview

UPDATE:  Deadline reached for entry submission.  Entries will be posted soon for viewing.  Voting will start later this week / early next.

Create a short Dungeon and Dragons encounter.  The encounter should include all the details necessary for any DM to use at the game table.  There’s one catch, stat blocks and any D&D rules should be left out to be added later once the 4e rules are released. 

For example, you could create an encounter involving a bridge with a troll guarding each end, preventing all from passing without paying a toll.  You should include concepts behind the trolls motivations and why the bridge is there, but not include the stats for the trolls specifically.

You may want to include an original magic item or effect as well.  If you do, be sure to describe it’s general effects and avoid any rules.  For example, you could describe a ring of regeneration as “provides an increase in health on a periodic basis”.

Rules

1) Create an encounter 1-3 pages in length.  There’s no real limit to the length per se, but it should qualify as a single encounter.
2) You may include maps, pictures, or other original works that are relevant.  This is optional.
3) All works must be original and created by you.  This includes text, artwork, images, drawings, maps, etc.  No exceptions.
4) Any number of individuals may enter as a team, but prizes will be sent only to a team leader.  It the responsibility of the team leader (the submitter) to divide the prize.
5) You may enter more than once, but can only receive ONE prize.  Entering more than once may yield a higher odds of winning, but cannot increase your actual winnings to more than a single place price. In other words, if you submit three entries and they end up being the first, second, and third place position, you will only be awarded the 1st place prize.  The other prizes will be awarded to the next places, according to the number of votes.
5) Be creative!  Think outside the box and dazzle us with your impressive BBEG!
6) The contest is open to anyone that enjoys D&D!

Submitting

1) Your contest entry should be in PDF format if at all possible.  You can get a free PDF maker here: http://www.primopdf.com/ If you cannot make a PDF, then plain text, or simple rich text document should be fine.  Avoid proprietary formats like Word, Pages, etc.
2) If you have more than one file, feel free to zip it.  You can get a free compression tool here: http://www.7-zip.org/
3) Email your entry to - be sure to include your member name. I will reply to let you know I’ve received your entry.
4) All entries must be received by March 2nd, 2008, Pacific Time (GMT -8).

Voting

- The community (that’s you) will judge the entries and vote for their favorite. 
- Voting will commence shortly after the March 2nd deadline and will end on or about March 15th.
- Voting method will be online either by reply or poll (depending on the number of entries).
- You may vote for your own entry (or not).

Prizes

- First place (most votes) will receive a $125 gift certificate to Amazon.com
- Second place will receive a $75 gift certificate to Amazon.com
- Third place will receive a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com

Prizes will be awarded no later than one week after the contests ends (roughly the end of March - plenty of time to pre-order the 4e books!)

FAQ

- Do I need to be a member?
No, but you won’t be able to vote unless you are.

Fine Print

This contest is for fun and enjoyment of the community.  Anything that wasn’t in the rules, isn’t clear, or results in a dispute of any kind will be resolved by the Dragon Avenue moderators and admins.  By entering this contest you agree to abide by the rules of this contest as well as the rules of the Dragon Avenue community.

Please tell your friends about this contest and please Digg the announcement post to help promote it!  Thanks!

I’m in.

I put up the info over at ORP for you.

thanks link.

I am going to attempt this. If any want to pair/group up, pm me.

So, I have a question, 1 encourner would be a single encounter with a monster? It wouldn’t be an entire adventure but a small party of an adventure then right?

A single encounter can be with a monster, trap, puzzle, NPC, or any other creative element you choose.  It doesn’t have to be a monster.

It should be short enough to be run in a single session and generally only involve one scenario or short plot, as opposed to the multiple encounters that an adventure would require.

Ok cool. I’m in.

Hey Talae, want to team up?

We could split it 50/50. ^^

Sure. At least for one entry.

Jim Goings - 04 February 2008 09:15 PM

Please tell your friends about this contest and please Digg the announcement post to help promote it!  Thanks!

Done

Jim Goings - 04 February 2008 08:38 PM

3) All works must be original and created by you.  This includes text, artwork, images, drawings, maps, etc.  No exceptions.
4) Any number of individuals may enter as a team, but prizes will be sent only to a team leader. 
5) You may enter more than once, but can only receive ONE prize. 

Two clarifications:

1) Since drawings, images, maps, etc. must all be original works, does this bar the use of tools such as Dundjinni (as the textures contained therein are not the original work of the encounter author)?  What about textures/tubes/filters in existing art program packages (Photoshop, PSP, etc.)?  I guess I need clear clarification of to what extent “original and created by you” applies.

2) Since prizes are sent to team leaders, and since a given individual can only receive one prize, may I presume that it’s the team leader of each given team that determines this?  If A and B were both wanting to team up for the contest, they could enter once with A as the team leader, enter again with B as the team leader, and potentially both win since the prizes are being sent to A and B as individuals?

1) Since drawings, images, maps, etc. must all be original works, does this bar the use of tools such as Dundjinni (as the textures contained therein are not the original work of the encounter author)?  What about textures/tubes/filters in existing art program packages (Photoshop, PSP, etc.)?  I guess I need clear clarification of to what extent “original and created by you” applies.

It means you should only use it if it’s legal and ethical to do so.  If I recall correctly, Dundjinni specifically bars it’s users from publishing or selling any content generated with their product.  If you’re not planning on selling it, then I guess it’s probably ok - but you’d have to ask them.

2) Since prizes are sent to team leaders, and since a given individual can only receive one prize, may I presume that it’s the team leader of each given team that determines this?  If A and B were both wanting to team up for the contest, they could enter once with A as the team leader, enter again with B as the team leader, and potentially both win since the prizes are being sent to A and B as individuals?

You are correct.  Basically, I will work with the team leader (whoever submitted the entry) to arrange for prize disbursement.  I am flexible and willing to divide a prize into parts if they so desire.

Jim Goings - 13 February 2008 08:00 AM

1) Since drawings, images, maps, etc. must all be original works, does this bar the use of tools such as Dundjinni (as the textures contained therein are not the original work of the encounter author)?  What about textures/tubes/filters in existing art program packages (Photoshop, PSP, etc.)?  I guess I need clear clarification of to what extent “original and created by you” applies.

It means you should only use it if it’s legal and ethical to do so.  If I recall correctly, Dundjinni specifically bars it’s users from publishing or selling any content generated with their product.  If you’re not planning on selling it, then I guess it’s probably ok - but you’d have to ask them.

Just to further clarify since I use DJ - If you use user-created art exclusively, you can publish and sell maps that use Dundjinni.  If you use Fluid (the parent company) objects, you cannot publish them.  I believe Photoshop has similar requirements.  Your best bet is to read through the EULA’s of any programs you use if you have questions.

Edit - This is the important info from the EULA -

(e) if you are an individual user, or a corporation, partnership, or other business
entity with annual gross revenues of the entity plus any affiliated entities (i.e.,
entities which are divisions, subsidiaries or parent companies, or in which the same
owner or group of owners own a 20% or greater interest in both entities) is under
$1,000,000), then you may use the Software Product to create and publish maps and
adventures for commercial purposes provided that all art assets and graphics included
in such maps and adventures have been created by you personally or come from general
commercial graphics creation programs (such as Adobe Photoshop and CorelDraw) or
public domain artwork and the text portion of the adventure does not use any portion
of the style and formatting provided by the Software Product;

I had a question, do maps, pictures, etc. count toward the 1-3 page limit?