Getting Started in Dungeons and Dragons as a DM

Posted on by japannewbie

So you’ve got the itch. You’ve finally decided to run your own Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) campaign as the Dungeon Master (DM). So where to start? D&D can be a daunting hobby to get into. There are so many things to consider. Minis. Books. Dice. Storytelling. Regular preparation. And then you have to find a few more friends who are willing to come along on this long-term adventure with you! If you can get a group together and get going, the effort is totally worth it. The memories of the adventures your party will create together while playing D&D will last longer and be more vivid than any experience a video game can provide.

So what stuff do you need to get started?

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Bark at the Moon Illustration found in Dungeon 185 ~Feb 2010. Illustration by William OConnor

DM Experience Running Bark at the Moon in DND 5e

Posted on by japannewbie

I recently ran Bark at the Moon for a DND 5th Edition party. It was a lot of fun and the party seemed to enjoy it. Here are some thoughts on running this adventure published in the year 2000, today.

This write up does include spoilers, so if you hope to enjoy this adventure as a player someday stop reading now.

Bark at the Moon is an adventure that appears in Dungeon magazine #185, published in Feb 2010 by Robert J. Schwalb.

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Visiting Iron Heart Tokyo – Denim and Flannel

Posted on by japannewbie

I finally decided to make the trek to the IRON HEART store in Tokyo. If you live in central Tokyo the Iron Heart store location is still far. The nearest train station is Hachioji on the Chuo line. After you arrive at Hachioji station it’s recommended to take a bus, because it’s still a 55 minute walk from the station!!! You can also take a cab.

Iron Heart is famous for their tough denim, and they’re over the top heavy flannel shirts known as ultra heavy flannel.

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Visit Japan! Catch Beans! Setsubun

Posted on by japannewbie

If you happen to be in Japan in early February you should be able to catch a Mame-maki event at a local shrine. Early February is when Setsubun 節分 occurs, and the main event is mamemaki. At home, usually the father of the house will throw a paper demon (oni) mask over their face, stand…

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Japanese Lesson from Radiant Historia

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I finally started properly playing Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology on my 3DS. It’s fully voiced which is always a huge bonus in a game that you’re trying to learn language from. I didn’t know this phrase, 差し当たり。 it means, for the time being… そうだなー差し当たり「お守り」だと思っておけ He says… そうだなー差し当たり「お守り」だと思っておけ For the time being… think of it as…

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Memory in PS5

How To Upgrade your Playstation 5 Storage

Posted on by japannewbie

The PlayStation 5 has one (1) internal slot for an additional solid-state drive (SSD) that you can use to upgrade your storage capacity. You’ll need to take off the PS5 case, open the slot cover, insert your SSD, close everything up, and then boot up your PS5 and format the card. You’ll then be able to use the card to store some of your PS5 data.

It’s actually not that difficult, but like all tech things that involve opening up a $500 dollar gadget, it can be intimidating at first.

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Check out the Giant Gundam in Tokyo Odaiba Diver City

Posted on by japannewbie

The Gundam statue in Odaiba, Tokyo, was first built in 2009 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Gundam anime series. The original statue was 18 meters tall and stood in Odaiba’s Shiokaze Park for a limited time before being taken down.

Since then, the statue has been replaced with newer versions several times, with the most recent iteration, the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, being unveiled in 2017. The Unicorn Gundam statue stands at 19.7 meters tall and features a more advanced design with moving parts and special lighting effects. Check it out in DiverCity Tokyo Plaza.

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