Run the game you want to play in.
Build the game your players will remember.

— Scott, Tales & Tankards

Welcome Behind the Screen

DM’s Corner is where Tales & Tankards steps out of the tavern and behind the screen.

This space isn’t about rules mastery or chasing perfect encounters. It’s about the craft of running a tabletop roleplaying game: the decisions you make before the session, the pivots you make during play, and the reflections that help you run a better game next time.

Whether you’re preparing for your very first session or refining a long-running campaign, DM’s Corner is built to help you run confident, intentional, player-focused games.

Intention over perfection. Momentum over minutiae. Agency over scripts.

Start Here: So, You Want to DM

If you’re new to the role, or quietly wondering whether you’re doing it “right,” this is your on-ramp.

So, You Want to DM is a practical, experience-driven guide to Dungeon Mastering, written from the perspective of someone actively running multiple campaigns with real players at the table.

Recommended starting point

So, You Want to DM: A Practical Guide

• What to prepare (and what not to)
• How to manage pacing, pressure, and player agency
• How to survive the first few sessions without burning out
• How to grow into your own DMing style over time

What You’ll Find in DM’s Corner

Tablecraft & Session Design

Great sessions aren’t accidents, they’re shaped.

• Opening sessions with momentum
• Managing encounter flow (fight, flee, or foreshadow)
• Using props, pacing, and silence intentionally
• Keeping players engaged without over-prepping

These posts are short, actionable, and designed to be useful at the table, not just in theory.

Lessons from the Campaign

Some of the most valuable DM advice comes after the dice stop rolling.

• Why certain story decisions were made
• What worked (and what didn’t)
• How published adventures were adapted, remixed, or re-structured
• Design intent, player behavior, and long-form storytelling

These pieces aren’t session recaps; they’re reflections on design intent and real-table results.

Who This Is For

DM’s Corner is written for:

• First-time Dungeon Masters looking for footing
• Experienced DMs refining their style
• Story-focused DMs who value player agency
• Anyone who believes the best games are built, not scripted

You don’t need to run games “the right way.”
You just need to run your way, on purpose.

Explore DM’s Corner

Start with the cornerstone guides, then wander:

• Follow a tip that solves a problem you’re having right now
• Read a reflection that mirrors your own table
• Steal a technique and make it your own

That’s how this corner was built — one session at a time.

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