Start of technical articles stream

.gitignore

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 site
 data/
 tags
-nginx/**/*.sample
+nginx/dns-conf/
+mondarth*.tar.gz
 public/

mondarth-com/content/gmprofile/markb.md

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 title: MarkB
+draft: false
 ---
 I am a greybeard GM looking to establish a series of interesting tables and campaigns.
 
@@ -25,3 +26,29 @@ If you are a more experienced player you may still want to familiarise yourself
 I take a relaxed attitude to the rulebook at my tables, I firmly believe in fun over rules lawyering. That said I strive for consistency in rulings to keep things fair (nothing worse that capricious or inconsistent rulings).
 
 My GM style is best summed up as "benign dictator". I'm happy to debate rulings away from the table but expect players to respect rulings at the table. Feel free to challenge my ruling but I limit at table debates to two minutes, after that my ruling stands for the session. We can then debate rulings at length after the session and I will happily revise the outcomes in subesquent sessions (assuming we are in a campaign). I do this to keep the session moving while providing opportunity for players to challenge my rulings.
+
+## My tables
+
+Please note carefully:
+
+**All my tables are run on Foundry VTT** and I make extensive use of modules to enhance the basic Foundry experience.
+
+### Minimum Machine Specifications
+
+Generally any modern (2015 or later) computer (desktop or laptop) will be fine, but...
+
+Experience has shown that your PC will need *at least*
+
+* A modern browser (preferably Chromium or Mozilla based)
+
+    Tested:
+    * [Brave](https://brave.com/download/) (version 1.567.119)
+    * [Vivaldi](https://vivaldi.com/download/) (version 6.8.3381.46)
+    * [Chrome](https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/chrome/) (version 119.0.6045.199)
+
+    Should work:
+    * [Firefox](https://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/new/)
+* 8Gb of RAM
+* 4 core processor
+
+It is also preferable, though not essential, if your machine has a good graphics card.

mondarth-com/content/post/danger-of-using-vtt.md

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
++++
+title = 'Danger of Using a VTT'
+date = 2024-07-21T09:00:00Z
+draft = false
+summary="A virtual table top (VTT) is a useful tool but there is a danger to using them."
++++
+
+Before getting in to this let me be clear, virtual table tops (VTT) are awesome! They can add a new dimension to the game with graphics, they can help players by taking the burden of calculation for rolls, they can provide players with quick access to many details such as spell descriptions, and they can provide player and GM  with support tools like online journals. At their best VTT are a great tool for player and GM.
+
+That said...
+
+The more enhanced a VTT becomes the more like a video game it can seem and this can lead to players treating the game like a video game. And RPGs are *not* video games.
+
+For example, it is very easy for combat on a VTT to become a click slogfest. The VTT does much of the 'thinking' for players, calculating and executing the various dice rolls. This is great, but it also risks turning combat into a sort of Final Fantasy turn based combat; select action, click to execute, wait for resolution, repeat.
+
+This means players are missing out on what makes TTRPG combat to much bettenr than a video game, the out-of-the-box move, the unanticipated combination of characters abilities that no video game can possibly account for.
+
+Case in point. I recently had a player falling in to the clickfest trap so I suggested their character, seeing a dragon near death hovering only ten feet above the ground at the foot of some stairs, might (rather than another round of crossbow fire) try a running leap, swinging their bastard sword at the creatures head. This prompted an epic description of the move with an equally epic outcome. Sure, nothing cunning or complex, but so much better than "I fire my crossbow", click, for the tenth time.
+
+It is easy to forget to role play if it is as simple as 'click' to cast a spell, fire a volley of crossbow bolts, or strike with a  sword.
+
+For the GM it is easy to tire of narrating the same "swing, hit, swing, miss" if players are just clicking away on screen.
+
+One obvious solution to this problem is to remove all the distractions, use minimal VTT support. This strikes me as cutting of your nose to spite your face.
+
+A better solution is to encourage narrative combat (in my experience it is in combat that this problem most often occurs). As with all things, this starts with the GM.
+
+When planning your session, try thinking through your creatures motivation and possible battle plan. I recommend Keith Ammann's books, start with [The Monsters Know What They're Doing](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monsters-Know-What-Theyre-Doing/dp/1982122668), for inspiration on imbuing your creatures with more than a simple "stand and fight until one side is dead" combat style. This advice, at its most basic, is "your monsters are not crash-test dummies". Creatures, even the most stupid, have at least a desire to survive (possible exceptions being undead) and most have a motivation for a fight; "protect the clan", "protect the treasure/icon/hostage", "protect territory". Their motives drive their willingness to fight and their nature and training infuence how they fight; pack tactics, military unit. and so on. All of these considerations add colour to your narration and make your creature more than simple targets for characters. Hopefully when players see your creatures doing more than simply offering a target they will respond by being more creative with their combat.
+
+And if they don't. Well, you can just suggest a few things they "might like to try" until they get the message that they can try pretty much anything (especially true for players new to RPGs).
+
+To reinforce this behaviour I try to reward immaginative combat tactics. Sure, the ranger leaping from the top of the stairs to strike the death blow to the dragon *might* fail but I decided that providing they made a fairly achievable DC12 athletics check they would kill the dragon outright.
+
+> With a lithe rolling leap Springthorn somersaults from the top of the stairs arcing over the head of Sentof the cleric. Light glints from the razor edge of his Bastard Sword as, at the height of his leap, he twists to plunge it into the dragon's skull. The dragon screams in pain, eyes rolling in its head as it plunges to the ground. Springthorn releases his sword, tucks and rolls to the ground next to the mortally wounded dragon. As the dragon feebly tries to rise Springthorn reaches for his sword, now embedded in the dragon's skull, and draws it out. Brainmatter and blood fountain from the jagged hole and the dragon collapses to the ground lifeless.
+
+Now, I don't know about you, but *that* was way more epic than "crossbow, click".
+

mondarth-com/content/post/do-you-want-to-play-a-game/index.md

@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ categories = ['Player', 'Game Master']
 
 Role playing games are great fun and Dungeons & Dragons is the OG. If you are coming to D&D with no (or very little) experience or if you are simply overwhelmed by the torrent of advice online, then this series is ideal for you. In this series I will take you through the basics of role playing (and D&D specifically) introducing more complexity as you 'level up' your game.
 
-These articles are arranged in the manner of those old "Choose Your Own Adventure" books where you read a page and then at the bottom of the page you can select from several options where to go next. In the same way at the bottom of each article you will see choices for where to go next. These are marked with flags ('P' for player focussed articles, 'GM' fo game master focussed articles, and 'T' fo technical articles---these tend to be about the Foundry Virtual Table Top system, more on this later). Articles may be marked with multiple flags, don't panic, just follow the ones that interest you, you can always circle back.
+These articles are arranged in the manner of those old "Choose Your Own Adventure" books where you read a page and then at the bottom of the page you can select from several options where to go next. In the same way at the bottom of each article you will see choices for where to go next. These are marked with flags ('P' for player focussed articles, 'GM' for game master focussed articles, and 'T' for technical articles---these tend to be about the Foundry Virtual Table Top system, more on this later). Articles may be marked with multiple flags, don't panic, just follow the ones that interest you, you can always circle back.
 
-A lot of material online can be overwhelming. It is easy to be distracted by (even put off by) weird, arcane discussions about the game system, how spells combine, the problems with class 'A' of ability 'B', and so on. None of that in this series.
+A lot of material online can be overwhelming. It is easy to be distracted by (even put off by) weird, arcane discussions about the game system, how spells combine, the problems with class 'A' or ability 'B', and so on. None of that in this series.
 
 Let's start at the beginning (generally a good place to start) with a few questions...
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ No. At least not all of them and not all at once. This series will introduce the
 
 **Those books are *way expensive* do I need to buy them?**
 
-No. The core rules are available for free at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. These are the 'Systems Reference Documents' (SRD). There's still a *LOT* of content in these and it is presented in a less than helpful order fo new players. But, it is there, it is free, and it is everything you need to get started (and more).
+No. The core rules are available for free at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. These are the 'Systems Reference Documents' (SRD). There's still a *LOT* of content in these and it is presented in a less than helpful order for new players. But, it is there, it is free, and it is everything you need to get started (and more).
 
 **Holy Cow! That's a 400 page PDf!**
 
@@ -114,14 +114,20 @@ And so play proceeds.
 
 Don't panic. Your GM will help guide you through what dice to roll and when. You'll soon be anticipating what to roll and when.
 
-Okay, how does the GM decide on the target number for these dice rolls? Well, they make it up. If the GM is running a pre-made module the type of roll and the target number will be specifed in the module, but often your character will be trying something the module does not provide information for, so the GM will make something up on the spot. The harder the thing you are trying to do, the higher the target will be. Sometimes the GM will tell you the target but often they will not. It depends on the GM and whether they feel it will add to the fun if the player knows the target number. If you are planning on being a GM we will cover how we go about deciding this later. Sometimes the rules offer guidance, but the GM can ignore or modify this as they wish. For example, the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) says that a character can jump horizontally up to their Strength (one of your characters attributes) in feet if theyy have a run up of at least ten feet. Say Thrud had strength of 17 they can jump 17 feet horizontally. Why did the GM make the player roll a dice then? Perhaps they decided Thrud was tired as it was late in the day, or they had just been in combat. Perhaps the GM decided the terrain was unven warranting the roll. Whatever the reason the DMG says that a DC 10 Athletices check is apporiate for tricky situations. Is this wnat the GM was using? Who knows. Again it is up to the GM to decide the DC for the specific situation.
+Okay, how does the GM decide on the target number for these dice rolls? Well, they make it up. If the GM is running a pre-made module the type of roll and the target number will be specifed in the module, but often your character will be trying something the module does not provide information for, so the GM will make something up on the spot. The harder the thing you are trying to do, the higher the target will be. Sometimes the GM will tell you the target but often they will not. It depends on the GM and whether they feel it will add to the fun if the player knows the target number. If you are planning on being a GM we will cover how we go about deciding this later. Sometimes the rules offer guidance, but the GM can ignore or modify this as they wish. For example, the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) says that a character can jump horizontally up to their Strength (one of your characters attributes) in feet if they have a run up of at least ten feet. Say Thrud had strength of 17 they can jump 17 feet horizontally. Why did the GM make the player roll a dice then? Perhaps they decided Thrud was tired as it was late in the day, or they had just been in combat. Perhaps the GM decided the terrain was unven warranting the roll. Whatever the reason the DMG says that a DC 10 Athletices check is apporiate for tricky situations. Is this what the GM was using? Who knows. Again it is up to the GM to decide the DC for the specific situation.
 
 Offsetting the difficulty of the roll target, your character has innate abilities, skills, magic items, and other effects that make the task easier (or harder). All of these effects are represented by roll modifiers that you add to or subtract from the actual dice roll. The final number is then compared with the target and the GM narrates your success or failure.
 
 Why all the dice?
 
-It would be perfectly possible for the GM to run this encounter without rolling any dice at all. Ther narrative would be identical, just no one would roll dice, the GM simply decides on the outcome of each action. If fact, this will happen a lot when the GM is trying to keep the story moving forward. As a player this should not concern you.
+It would be perfectly possible for the GM to run this encounter without rolling any dice at all. Their narrative would be identical, just no one would roll dice, the GM simply decides on the outcome of each action. If fact, this will happen a lot when the GM is trying to keep the story moving forward. As a player this should not concern you.
 
 Dice are a mechanism to introduce chance into the resolution of actions. They can be used to build tension into the story.
 
+# Key takeaways
 
+* You don't need to be an expert to start playing (as a player or a GM).
+* There are three phases to a TTRPG 'turn': Situate, act, and resolve.
+* The game system (rules) inform the 'resolve' phase.
+* The GM can choose to ignore, modify, or create rulings in order to make the game session flow and maintain the fun at the table.
+* Dice add a random element (fate, if you prefer).

mondarth-com/content/post/setup-a-local-foundryvtt/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+
++++
+title = 'Set Up a Local FoundryVTT'
+date = 2024-07-29T09:00:00Z
+draft = false
+summary="To start learning Foundry VTT 'inside and out' we create a local development server."
+categories = ['Technical', 'Game Master']
+prev = ['/post/do-you-want-to-play-a-game/']
++++
+
+I am a great believer in learning *how* things work 'inside' in order to better deal with them day-to-day. Could we just *use* Foundry? Sure, but I want to understand the details so I can figure out what to do when things go wrong.
+
+If you don't want to dive into the details, that's fine, the Game Master track will avoid all the techno-babble. However, I would still advise you to install a local copy of Foundry to learn with because:
+
+1. The only cost is a Foundry license (which you can use with online sevices like [The Forge](https://forge-vtt.com/)---more on this later).
+2. Having a local server means you do not need an internet service all the time (you still need it to download and install modules, etc.)
+3. Using a local server (separate from the one you play on with others) for learning, development, or experimentation means less worry about screwing things up just before that big game night.
+4. Thanks to Foundry's license terms you can use the same license key for your "play" server (on The Forge, for example) and on your local development server (see [Foundry FAQ](https://foundryvtt.com/article/faq)).
+    >It is acceptable to run two (or more) instances of Foundry Virtual Tabletop using a single license if only one of those is accessible for player use by clients who are not the software license owner.
+
+We could just install Foundry locally, but instead we will do something a little more complicated.
+
+## Docker
+
+We are going to use a technology call *containerisation*. You don't need to worry about all the technical details, just understand that this will allow us to run one or more copies of Foundry (possibly at different versions, which will be useful when we test upgrades).
+
+The first step is to install a program called 'Docker' (again, don't worry about all the technical details, for our purposes this is just 'the system that runs Foundry'). For instructions on downloading and installing Docker I suggest a quick search on YouTube. I won't cover it here as this article is not a Docker tutorial.
+
+**Note** If you need only one simple installation then Foundry provide [installation instructions](https://foundryvtt.com/article/installation/). Most of the technical articles on this site apply to any Foundry installation and I will note when an article relies heavily on a Docker installation.
+
+I prefer using Docker because:
+
+1. It takes away some of the complexity of setting up Foundry (at the cost of setting up Docker)
+2. It keeps my Foundry installs isolated from all the other things going on in my computer.
+
+## Foundry
+Now the neat part. First we create a directory to hold our Foundry setup. I'm on MacOS so these instructions are for that platform, you will need to adjust the paths for your situation.
+
+```bash
+cd ~
+mkdir foundryvtt
+cd foundryvtt
+```
+
+In this directory we create two files. The first `vttsecrets.json` will contain our secrets; specifically our logon credentials for` foundryvtt.com` (so we can download FoundryVTT) and the license we want to use.
+
+```json
+{
+  "foundry_admin_key": "supersecret",
+  "foundry_password": "5jSb&MQdnFNdc#akj",
+  "foundry_username": "myfoundry",
+  "foundry_license_key": "YNTD-MF2Q-W94E-FMLL-A4UT-XUTZ"
+}
+```
+
+Obviously you need to replace these values. `foundry_admin_key` is the password that will be set in your Foundry instance (the one you will use to access the Foundry Administration screen). `foundry_username` and `foundry_password` are the username and password you use to accees https://foundryvtt.com (where you purchase your Foundry Licence---see [Foundry FAQ](https://foundryvtt.com/article/faq/)). Finally, `foundry_license_key` it the license you want to use for this installation (you find this under your https://foundryvtt.com account).
+
+The second file is the one that will create and run your Foundry server, name it `docker-compose.yaml`.
+
+```yaml
+secrets:
+  config_json:
+    file: /Users/myaccount/foundryvtt/vttsecrets.json
+
+services:
+  foundryvtt:
+    image: felddy/foundryvtt:11
+    volumes:
+      - /Users/myaccount/foundryvtt/data:/data:rw
+    ports:
+      - 80:30000
+    environment:
+      - CONTAINER_PRESERVE_CONFIG=true
+    secrets:
+      - source: config_json
+        target: config.json
+    restart: unless-stopped
+```
+
+The paths (starting `/Users/myaccount` will need to be changed to match the paths to your installation).
+
+**Note** that this setup will install the latest `v11` installation of Foundry. If you want to use another version change the end of the `image:` line, e.g. for the latest `v12` use `image: felddy/foundryvtt:12`. If you want to always start with the latest release version of Foundry use `image: felddy/foundryvtt:release`. For a complete list of all available Foundry images check https://hub.docker.com/r/felddy/foundryvtt/tags.
+
+Also, we need to create the directory to hold our Foundry data.
+
+```bash
+mkdir data
+```
+
+And now the magic.
+
+```bash
+docker compose up -d
+```
+
+If all goes well then after a few seconds you will be able to open your browser and visit [http://localhost](http://localhost) and see a fresh Foundry installation. You should see end `End User License Agreement`.
+
+![End User License Agreement](EULA.png)
+
+Check the `I agree to these terms` box (bottom right) and then click the `Agree` button.
+
+You will now see the `Administrator Access Required` screen.
+
+![Administrator Access Required](AdminAccess.png)
+
+Enter the `foundry_admin_key` password you provided in the `vttsecrets.json` file. You should now be on the initial setup screen.
+
+![Intial Setup Screen](initialsetup.png)
+
+
+Looking in your `foundryvtt/data` directory you should now see a set of data created by Foundry.
+
+```bash
+ls /Users/myaccount/foundryvtt/data
+Config  container_cache  Data  Logs
+```
+
+The `container_cache` is created and maintained by the Docker image and is not a Foundry directory.
+
+`Config` contains Foundry configuration files.
+
+`Logs` contains Foundry log files (useful fo debuging and diagnosing problems, we won't often refer to these).
+
+`Data` this is the one we will most often refer to, it contains all of the data used by Foundry. If we look in that directory now we see.
+
+```bash
+ls /Users/myaccount/foundryvtt/data/Data
+modules  systems  worlds
+```
+
+These three directories correspond to the `Add-on Modules`, `Game Systems`, and `Game Worlds` we see on the Foundry setup screen. We will be digging around these directories a lot (especially `modules`).
+
+Before wrapping up this session, let's complete the setup screens. In your browser, either `Allow Sharing` or `Decline Sharing` (either is fine, whether you share usage data or not is a personal choice and does not limit your use of Foundry).
+
+Next you will be invited to tour the Foundry backup functionality. Feel free to follow along (using the tiny arrow in the bottom right) or ship it (close with the `x` at the top right).
+
+With that we are ready to start setting up Foundry.
+
+For help with this article please use the [Discord channel](https://discord.com/channels/1226222567292145786/1267486648011329576) and be sure to refer to this article's link.

mondarth-com/content/session-type/full-campaign.md

@@ -4,6 +4,6 @@ title: Full Campaign
 ---
 These are full-fat campaigns and take part over many gaming sessions.
 
-Each sessions is typically 3 to 4 hours long.
+Each session is typically 3 to 4 hours long.
 
 Although full campaigns require considierable commitment they are also more rewarding. You have the opportunity to develop your character through many adventures, investigating an interesting world curated by your GM.

mondarth-com/content/session-type/mini-campaign.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ These are between a [one shot](/session-type/one-shot) and a [full campaign](/se
 
 Mini campaigns are typically spread over 3 to 5 sessions.
 
-Each sessions is typically 3 to 4 hours long.
+Each session is typically 3 to 4 hours long.
 
 While one shots allow casual players to indulge in role play (or simply scratch that role playing itch) and full campaigns provide on-going and (hopefully) deep involving worlds, the mini campaign provides more depth than the one shot without the commitment of a full campaign.
 

mondarth-com/content/session-type/one-shot.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 title: One Shot Session
 ---
-Short adventures completed in a single session. Ideal for new players wanting to try out a GM's style, learn to use the VTT, of simply try role playing.
+Short adventures completed in a single session. Ideal for new players wanting to try out a GM's style, learn to use the VTT, or simply try role playing.
 
 These sessions are typically 3 to 4 hours long.

mondarth-com/themes/mondarth/assets/ananke/css/_styles.css

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ nav .fancy-title{
   text-shadow: none;
 }
 
-article>div p:not(.nodrop):first-of-type::first-letter {
+article>div>p:not(.nodrop):first-of-type::first-letter {
   color: firebrick;
   padding: 0 .3rem;
   margin: 0 .3rem 0 0;

mondarth-com/themes/mondarth/layouts/partials/series-links.html

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 {{- $cp := where .Site.RegularPages  ".Params.categories" "intersect" site.Params.cyoa -}}
 {{- $np := where $cp ".Params.prev" "intersect" (slice $pageRel ) }}
 
+
 {{if or (isset .Params "prev") $np }}
 <div class="bg-white br3 mb3 pa4 gray">
 <h1 class="f3 near-black">Choose Your Own Adventure<h1>
@@ -11,9 +12,9 @@
 {{ range $np }}
    <li class="list pa0">
      <a href="{{ .RelPermalink }}" class="link f5 grow no-underline ph3 pv0 mb2 dib black sans-serif">
-      {{if in .Params.categories "Player"}}<img src="/images/PF.svg" alt="Player Forward" height="16px">{{end}}
+      {{if and (in .Params.categories "Player") (in $.Params.categories "Player")}}<img src="/images/PF.svg" alt="Player Forward" height="16px">{{end}}
-      {{if in .Params.categories "Game Master"}}<img src="/images/GMF.svg" alt="Game Master Forward" height="16px"> {{end}}
+      {{if and (in .Params.categories "Game Master") (in $.Params.categories "Game Master")}}<img src="/images/GMF.svg" alt="Game Master Forward" height="16px"> {{end}}
-      {{if in .Params.categories "Technical"}}<img src="/images/TF.svg" alt="Technical Forward" height="16px"> {{end}}
+      {{if and (in .Params.categories "Technical") (in $.Params.categories "Technical")}}<img src="/images/TF.svg" alt="Technical Forward" height="16px"> {{end}}
        {{- .LinkTitle -}}
      </a>
    </li>
@@ -25,9 +26,9 @@
 {{ with $.GetPage .}}
    <li class="list pv0 mv0">
      <a href="{{ .RelPermalink }}" class="link f5 grow no-underline ph3 pv0 mb2 dib black sans-serif">
-      {{if in .Params.categories "Player"}}<img src="/images/PB.svg" alt="Player Back" height="16px">{{end}}
+      {{if and (in .Params.categories "Player") (in $.Params.categories "Player") }}<img src="/images/PB.svg" alt="Player Back" height="16px">{{end}}
-      {{if in .Params.categories "Game Master"}}<img src="/images/GMB.svg" alt="Game Master Back" height="16px"> {{end}}
+      {{if and (in .Params.categories "Game Master") (in $.Params.categories "Game Master")}}<img src="/images/GMB.svg" alt="Game Master Back" height="16px"> {{end}}
-      {{if in .Params.categories "Technical"}}<img src="/images/TB.svg" alt="Technical Back" height="16px"> {{end}}
+      {{if and (in .Params.categories "Technical") (in $.Params.categories "Technical")}}<img src="/images/TB.svg" alt="Technical Back" height="16px"> {{end}}
        {{- .LinkTitle -}}
      </a>
    </li>

mondarth-com/themes/mondarth/layouts/tables/table-card.html

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     <div class="nested-links f5 lh-copy nested-copy-line-height">
       {{ $gm := or .Params.GM  .Parent.Params.GM }}
       <ul class="list">
-      <li>Game Master: <a href='/gmprofile/{{ $gm }}' class="link">{{ $gm }}</a></li>
+      <li>Game Master: <a href='/gmprofile/{{ lower $gm }}' class="link">{{ $gm }}</a></li>
       {{ partial "session-type.html" . }}
       <li>Seat reservation fee<a href="/reservation-fee" ><img src="/info.png" class="w100 mw5-ns" style="width: 16px" alt="Info on seat reservation fees" /></a>: ${{ .Params.seat_fee }} {{- if  ne nil .Params.patreon.seat_fee }} (Patreons<a href="/patreon-reservation-fee" ><img src="/info.png" class="w100 mw5-ns" style="width: 16px" alt="Info on Patreon seat reservation fees" /></a> {{if .Params.patreon.seat_fee}}${{ .Params.patreon.seat_fee }}{{else}}FREE{{- end}}){{else}}NON {{ .Params.patreon.seat_fee }}{{- end}}</li>
       </ul>