The Dungeon Alliance Inc. presents:
Pip the Mimic's Magnificent Module Jam 2025!
This year’s topic: Pillars
We are talking Parthenon pillars! We are talking pillars of good D&D game: Social, Combat, and Exploration. We are talking Sunny Day Real Estate’s 1998 song. So many options, oh my! While the prompt is partially free for interpretation, use of three core pillars of the gameplay is crucial to make your module well-rounded and appealing to all your party members, pushing them to adapt to various situations. Consider how you can incorporate all three of them within two to four hours of gameplay.
Hello everyone! Welcome to a 3-week game jam where participants can test their skill set in writing a D&D adventure… and do it all in the name of charity!
Pip's Magnificent Module Jam is a beginner-friendly game jam that focuses on D&D 5E adventure modules. Have you ever had a good story in mind, or had an idea on a dungeon to lead people through? Now, here is your chance to realize your dreams in an organized network of feedback, playtesting, and skill sharing, as a solo writer or a part of a more robust team. Our final goal is to create our yearly adventure zine to be printed and sold for our yearly fundraising, with all proceeds going directly to The Trevor Project.
The theme and parameters of the Adventure Jam will be announced on August 6th 2025 at 11PM EST on our community page, Discord, and in an itch.io email. That moment will be the start time of the three week long contest!
Each submission automatically enters the competition with a chance of publishing, as well as winning prizes provided by the D&D in NYC organization. Look at last year's zine for inspiration!
Suggested Donation:
The event has a suggested $10 donation which can be collected here on our donorbox page. The contributions will go towards the publishing effort for the winning modules. Anything beyond the initial 300$ will go towards Trevor’s Project fundraising effort.
Voting and winning
Participants will be competing for three places through public voting based on three theme-related categories. Game jam voting will happen at this Itch.io page once submissions close. Winners will receive cash prizes, as well as a chance to be published in this year's charity zine.
Who are we?
The Dungeon Alliance Inc. is a charity that networks and funds like-minded efforts across the TTRPG landscape, and has a prime directive of creating accessible and equitable gaming spaces for everyone. This includes going to libraries and teaching prospective Dice Goblins, charity fundraising and slaying evil at conventions (online or in person!), or being a support system to local organized play systems for all ages. Last year, we raised over 4500$ for Trevor's Project over one NYCC weekend!
D&D in NYC is a volunteer-run organized play group in NYC that is a part of the charity organization/nonprofit The Dungeon Alliance Inc. We organize in-person D&D 5E events with official support by Wizards of the Coast through the Adventurer's League program. We run weekly games in Brooklyn, NY, and every year run the organized play system at New York Comic Con (serving approx 1200 players last year!).
Participation rules:
Submission Requirement:
This jam submission has to be an SRD-based D&D adventure module. There is no limitation to the adventure's topic or structure (within reason, see submission content section), and the designed length of play should either be 2 or 4 hours. The format of the submission must be done using the SRD template. For convenience, both the relevant SRD section is provided at the Google Drive link here, and the right template, along with example winner’s work from last year, will be added starting August 7th.
Suggested Donation:
The event has a suggested $10 participation contribution which can be collected here on our donorbox page. The contributions will go towards the publishing effort for the winning modules. Beyond the initial prize pool, The Dungeon Alliance Inc. will match the first $125 collected to add to the prize pool, raising it from $250 to up to $300! Anything raised beyond the publishing effort will be donated directly to The Trevor Project.
Publishing:
Upon agreement with the teams, the winning modules will be edited, formatted, and, eventually, published. Each game jam submission team will receive a print copy of the published content as long as everything works out. Winners will be credited as the authors on the book's title page. Anyone who submits a module will receive acknowledgement in the published book. Please be aware of any emails sent by our team, so we can collect and communicate any information needed towards this effort. If you didn’t win one of the three main prizes, it doesn’t mean you won’t get published, since sometimes things don’t work out. Please also stay in the loop with our emails in case we would like to add your submission to the charity zine.
Cover Art: Each printed module will also receive complimentary cover art to be used in charity zine, designed by one of TDAI team’s illustrators.
Team Formation:
We leave team formation to participants. Team size is limited to a maximum of 4. Teams must be locked in before the submission deadline by messaging DinosaurPower. We encourage participants to form teams with diversity in skills and perspectives in mind. Special consideration will be given to teams who are built so the participants can learn and grow together. Remember, the real game jam is the friends we made along the way!
Reviews and proofreading:
TDAI will provide proofreading opportunities to give reviews on WIP module designs when needed. Stay tuned for more information!
Statement on submissions and allowed content:
All entries must be original works by the entrant, in English. Plagiarism, which includes the use of third-party mechanics, narrative points, characters, or another person’s universe, without written permission, will result in disqualification. Explicitly sexual themes and the use of profane, vulgar, racist or offensive words, determined by the judges, will result in the disqualification until removal of such topics. Entries may not have been previously published in professional media. Use of generative AI is prohibited in submissions. Submissions suspected in use of generative AI for graphics, text, and any other part of adventure, will be disqualified from competition.
Statement on harassment:
Our team cherishes inclusivity. Participants who harass other participants, organizers, or third parties based on race, sex, gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, etc, will be disqualified from participation.
Participation FAQ:
Can I go solo?
Yes, you can go solo or as a team!
I don't like D&D. Can I write an adventure for Honey Heist?
No, this jam’s focus is Dungeons and Dragons.
I want to do a homebrew monster!
Do it! Just make sure you are using the 5th Edition SRD.
I am overwhelmed, what should I do?
Contact organizers! We will be glad to help you brainstorm, troubleshoot, and resolve problems in the best way possible.
Our team’s writer and designer are fighting with swords under rain, bloodshed suspected!
Sounds super awesome! Send photos!
Will I be able to publish these modules for Adventurer's League?
We will offer authors help on adapting modules for Adventurer's League after the game jam is finished. It is important to note that if the module is being written for Adventurer's League it will not be able to make it into physical print media in the state that it is submitted to this competition, and the compensation of prize money could get a little complicated. That being said, we want what you want, so we will figure it out!
Useful links on the 5e SRD and Creative Commons:
Creative Commons Systems Reference Document
Stay tuned for further updates!