Actress and longtime Dungeons and Dragons fan Anjali Bhimani is publishing her first adventure module, The Malady of Minarrh, via her company Road to Ithaka Press. The adventure—which utilizes 2024’s updated Dungeons and Dragons rules—sees players investigating a mysterious and deadly disease that has emerged in the small town of Minarrh. As players search for the cause of the titular Malady, they’ll encounter a fascinating and diverse cast of characters including powerful druids, clever thieves, faith-motivated priests, and more.
Bhimani spoke to Game Rant about creating her own Dungeons and Dragons adventure. She discussed the process she uses to develop characters, elaborated on some key themes and elements she wanted to include, and offered advice to Dungeon Masters for running The Malady of Minarrh effectively. Bhimani also revealed that she hopes to develop and publish more Dungeons and Dragons books in the future, as part of Road to Ithaka Press’s commitment to promoting works that “take the reader on a tremendous journey.”
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The Malady of Minarrh Blends Classic Dungeons and Dragons Adventures With Modern Themes
When creating The Malady of Minarrh, Anjali Bhimani’s goal was to make something “akin to a lot of the classic adventures [she] remember[ed] from when [she] first started playing Dungeons and Dragons, but also had some elements of modern life in it.” Designed for play over two to three sessions, The Malady of Minarrh features themes of religious fanaticism, the conflict between outsider and community, the dangers of theocracy, and how love and acceptance hold power in even the darkest times.
She explained that she used her personal experience as an actress, Dungeons and Dragons player, and Dungeon Master when creating The Malady of Minarrh’s rich cast of NPCs. She described her character creation process as follows:
“I ask myself… ‘What is their Achilles heel?’ ‘What do they think is a great trait of theirs that is actually not serving them, because they’ve maybe taken it too far, or taken it too to heart?’ ‘What is the thing that they’re struggling against in the outside world, and what is the thing that they are struggling against on the inside?'”
“There Are No Wrong Answers”: Anjali Bhimani’s Advice for Dungeon Masters
Bhimani advised potential Dungeon Masters who want to run Malady of Minarrh with their gaming groups that the adventure module should be taken as “guidelines,” rather than hard and fast rules. She encouraged them to make changes as needed, including incorporating the adventure into their existing campaigns and continuing to use the NPCs from Minarrh after the end of the story.
She encouraged Dungeon Masters to think of themselves as “purveyors of fun” who always ensure players enjoy themselves. “The goal is for everyone to have a great time,” she reminded them. To Bhimani, a good Dungeon Master gets to know their players, and adapts the story to what will best work for their group, whether it’s a greater focus on roleplaying over combat or the inclusion or exclusion of darker themes.
Finally, she encouraged potential Dungeon Masters not to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of Dungeons and Dragons rule books Wizards of the Coast have published. While having familiarity with the rules is important, creating a story together with the players is far more valuable. Her message to everyone who will hopefully be playing The Malady of Minarrh in the near future is this: “I want everyone to feel safe and heard and like they had a great time.”
- Franchise
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Dungeons & Dragons
- Original Release Date
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1974
- Designer
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E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson