Who’s Behind the Tankard?
I’m Scott Wagner — Dungeon Master, dad, and lifelong storyteller.
Tales and Tankards is where campaign chronicles, practical DM advice, and homebrew creations meet around a warm tavern table.
What You’ll Find Here
Everything is brewed at the table and tested with real players.
Campaign Tales
Session recaps of ongoing stories like Waterdeep: Dragon Heist and Voxels & Valor, told with clarity for readers and notes for fellow DMs.
- Concise “Previously on…” intros
- NPC callouts & scene anchors
- Player highlights & lowlights
DM Advice & Resources
Practical articles and tools to run smoother games: pacing, foreshadowing, props, encounter design, and Waterdeep-specific guides.
- Table-ready tips (no theory soup)
- Printable tables & handouts
- “Use tonight” examples
Homebrew Vault
Original NPCs, items, mini-adventures, and tavern tools. Built to drop into your game without rewiring your campaign.
- Roleplay cues & hooks
- Balanced, remixable items
- One-page encounters
Our Ongoing Campaigns
Campaign
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
A haunted tavern, a hidden hoard, and a city of masks. Follow along as Trollskull Manor comes alive with urchins, ghosts, guilds, and intrigue.
- Start here: Session Recaps
- Extras: Cast of Characters, Broadsheets, DM Commentary
Campaign
Voxels & Valor
From the mines of Phandalin toward the yawning depths of Undermountain. Road tales, hard choices, and a party that loves a good brawl.
- Start here: Latest Travel Recap
- Extras: Character Roster, Timeline & Travel Log
The Philosophy: Story First, Mechanics Second
What I Believe
Great sessions feel like shared stories — not rules tutorials. Mechanics support the moment; they don’t steal it. I lean into props, pacing, and player spotlighting to keep the table engaged.
- Player agency over railroading
- Foreshadowing that pays off
- Consequences that matter
How That Shows Up
You’ll see short read-alouds, clear scene objectives, and tools you can drop into your own table tonight — especially for Waterdeep campaigns.
- Session prep templates
- Scene starters & prompts
- NPC briefs with RP cues
About Scott
Hi — I’m Scott Wagner. I run in-person games with maps, minis, and plenty of table talk. I DM for family and friends across generations and chronicle our stories so others can learn, borrow, and remix. If something here helps your table have a better night, then the tavern’s doing its job.
Favorite tools: index cards, a battered DM screen, and a ledger that may or may not be haunted.
