Gen Con 2026 Trinket Trading Preview

 Hey all,

 Thoroughly enjoyed trinket trading at Gen Con 2025, so we're doing it again.

 Above is the back of our trinket map. Heleen has carefully curated 8 new maps from my collection, see below:

They're printed and ready to sleeve. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting Heleen's NPC and my write-up for each location. Hope you like them and perhaps see you at Gen Con??

 

 

A Forgotten Realms Gazetteer - Luiren Volume 3 - now Pay What You Want!

We're busily working on our next project - the realm of Estagund so our 3rd volume of our Forgotten Realms Gazetteer of the halfling realm of Luiren is now Pay What You Want!

Available via the DMsGuid here -- A-Forgotten-Realms-Gazetteer-Luiren-Vol-3

It covers the eastern region of Luiren and includes the border town of Shoun, surrounding areas and features some nifty artwork by Tara Quinn. Check it out.

Coming soon:

 

 

A Forgotten Realms Gazetteer - Luiren Volume 3 - available now!

 Our 3rd volume of our Forgotten Realms Gazetteer of the halfling realm of Luiren is now available via the DMsGuid here -- A-Forgotten-Realms-Gazetteer-Luiren-Vol-3

It covers the eastern region of Luiren and includes the border town of Shoun, surrounding areas and features some nifty artwork by Tara Quinn. Check it out.

 

Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading Wrapup

 Returned from Gen Con 2025 after having a lot of fun trading. Was a little apprehensive at first when I went to the Wednesday 8pm session, but the friendly folk and positive reactions to the micromaps sold me on the concept. Attended Friday 8pm and Sunday 1pm as well. Traded almost 180 of the 200 maps I brought with me. A couple lessons learned:

• Maps with lots of color were picked first
• Going to put the maps on a larger sheet and have it shrunk to 8.5 x 11 so that the cutting produces clean borders 

 

 Below is my trinket haul for 2025 including a very cool Trinket Trader badge holder I received from Bri in a trade for a full set of the 8 micromaps. Huge thanks for organizing and the trade. Thanks to everyone else I met and traded with.

 

 See you in 2026!

 

Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading: Into the Woods 8: Circle of Seasons

 Into the Woods 8: Circle of Seasons

South of a main forest road, the Circle of Seasons is a strange, magical construction powered by local ambient magics. Four trees are subjected to the endless march of seasons at 10 times normal speed, with a year passing for the trees but only a month passing for humans. One can camp and watch the trees bloom, fruit, color, and decay in the eternal cycle of life. Anything placed in the circle will go through the eternal cycle of life, which can be both handy and dangerous.

 

Bryhana Elderheart, 358, a Firbolg druid who has come to study the Circle of Seasons. She is tall and sturdy. Her face is kind, and her long, blond hair is always worn braided. Her sky-blue eyes are large, and she winks when trying to make a point. Bryhana is passionate about learning and curious about a wide range of things. She wears soft leather pants and colorful tunics. Her belt has many small bags for holding the odd nut or herb. Bryhana uses a staff for walking and spellcasting. She keeps a group of daggers on a bandolier that she is skilled in from her time before becoming a druid. Her favorite items are a series of love letters that her parents wrote to each other.

 

Bryhana has made quite a long journey to the Circle of Seasons. She first heard about the unusual phenomenon from an acquaintance, Celina Lionsinger, 29, a Human who thought she might be interested in a vacation to see it. Once Bryhana saw the Circle, she decided to spend some time studying it. Her first trip idea was to visit the local Elves to see if they had any information. The Elves had been studying it for a long time, but weren’t interested in helping her with any information. Bryhana then journeyed to the local magician’s guild and even the tavern in the nearest town. Discovering that most people wrote it off as just a magical phenomenon, she decided to stay awhile and conduct some tests. 

 

Bryhana has set up a camp near the Circle of Seasons. She has already been here a month and has become more interested in it every day. She keeps daily records of her studies and hopes to publish a paper when she returns to her home forest. Bryhana has become friends with a local Elven ranger, Nerira Oakenwalker, 273, an Elf. The two of them talk about many things, including forests, spells, and life in the forest. A local Human boy, Dirk Dreamflower, 15, helps Bryhana run errands so she can spend more time on her studies. 

Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading: Into the Woods 7: Under Ground and Cover

 Into the Woods 7: Under Ground and Cover

In the eastern woods, the paths run between narrow tree-topped ridges. Cunning Kobolds have hollowed the interior of one ridge, their spell casters concealing hidden sally ports with illusion and regrown vegetation. Unwary travelers are at a loss when their path fills, front and back, with a small horde of thieving foes.

 

Nux, 37, Kobold, is a mage involved with the Green Skull Gang. He is approximately two feet tall and has an athletic build. He is cunning and greedy. Nux has black straight hair and burnt orange eyes. He wears a gray robe with a green skull featuring blood dripping from it. He carries a wand of illusion, which he uses to hide himself right before the trap is sprung. Nux’s favorite item is a set of small darts he won in a bet at the Elite Rats Tavern several years ago.

 

Nux was one of the founders of the Green Skull Gang. The leader is his best friend, Snatt, 42, a Kobold. Snatt discovered this area along the road and decided it would be a perfect spot to rob caravans or wealthy travelers coming from nearby Pesa. Snatt found a few ex-soldier Kobolds and had them dig out the ridge. They have successfully robbed three groups already. Nux knows that they will be able to use this setup one or two more times before they should move. He knows that the local guards will come and chase them out. Unfortunately, Snatt doesn’t want to stop. 

 

Nux lives in a small ring of tents set up near the trap. He is dating Uggu, 36, a Kobold. The two of them share a tent, and when this job ends, he will ask Uggu to marry him. Nux enjoys the evenings after a successful raid. He enjoys singing and telling stories about his relatives, who were successful warriors. He gets along with the rest of the gang, but the younger members of the gang call him the “Old Coot.”

 

Gen Con 2025 Trinket Trading: Into the Woods 6: The Tallest Abodes

 Into the Woods 6: The Tallest Abodes

Concealed from the few who traverse the leaf-covered hunting paths and game trails of the deep woods, the Sylvan Elves hide their great libraries in crowns of the thick trees far above prying eyes. Guardians and other sentinels keep watch from nests and boughs midway between the ground and the locations they protect.

 

Quixina Fallgift, 420, Sylvan Elf, who specializes in cataloging scrolls and books into the library for the Falcon In The Sky gathering of Elves in this area of the world. She is stately and dignified. Quixina has an angular face with silver hair, dyed gold on the ends. Her violet eyes are strikingly colorful, and most people take a second look at her to confirm their color. She wears a pale blue robe that has ancient Elven embroidery on the collar. It says, “The pursuit of knowledge is worth the journey.” Quixina uses a cane made of oak with a silver handle. She has an old injury from when she fell down some steps in the library. 

 

Quixina enjoys her job and delights in all the unique items she gets to read. Sylvan Elves from all over journey to the library to turn in their relatives' journals, spells, recipes, thoughts, and ideas. When she receives an item, she casts a preservation spell on it and then records the name of the donor and their relationship to the person who wrote the item neatly. She also records the date the item arrived at the library and a brief description of it. Quixina only reads the interesting journals and scans the rest of the items. The Elves treat Quixina with respect because of the vast amount of information she has accumulated over the years. 

 
Quixina is married to fellow librarian Dorquen Fallgift, a 400-year-old Sylvan Elf. They are great-grandparents to three children, Olanala, 15, Lukian, 10, and Bryra, 4. Quixina and Dorquen enjoy visiting their family for long holidays during the winter months. Every Spring, they take a vacation at a nearby lake and spend days walking among the trees and fishing in the water. Quixina’s best friend is Falee Springmane, 386, a Sylvan Elf who enjoys solving puzzles and excels at archery. Falee and Quixina enjoy doing these activities together.