Hi I write a substack - Circle of One Dispatch and have done some small publications on DTRPG and want to develop more publications

oh no I'm all about crunch as long as it means something and it makes your game better

I love building encounters - trying to make them dynamic and interesting with objectives to achieve beyond kill the monster and steal their stuff. I like to use the environment - one of the best encounters of my recent campaign was a fight against an ant lion on its home turf -- a sandy pit Here's the whole encounter s I ran it (with a party of 4 2nd level characters) - it was a close thing as a halfling druid - Posco - slid into the pit and was for a couple of rounds grasped by the ant lion's mandibles (this was run using level up advanced 5e by EN Publishing). As the party crests another dune, they feel the ground begin to shift beneath them. The fine sand starts sliding toward a wide pit, and before they can react, they see the monstrous Ant Lion rise from its sandy lair, mandibles snapping. The sand gives way beneath their feet, and they are pulled toward the creature's waiting jaws. The desert is not just a vast wasteland—it’s alive, and it’s hungry. Encounter: The Ant Lion Context: During the party’s journey through the shifting sands, they unknowingly enter the hunting grounds of a massive Ant Lion, a predatory insect that hides beneath the sand and waits for prey to fall into its trap. This encounter can occur during one of the skill challenge rounds (such as avoiding the shifting sands) or as a standalone combat encounter while the party is traversing the desert. Triggering the Encounter: As the party moves across the dunes, they notice a subtle shift in the ground beneath them. The sand becomes finer, and small pebbles begin to roll toward a shallow depression. Before they realize what’s happening, the sand collapses, forming a deep pit—a trap set by the Ant Lion lying in wait beneath the surface. Perception (DC 14) or Survival (DC 14): A successful check allows one or more party members to recognize the danger before the trap is fully sprung, giving them a chance to react quickly. Failure: If the party fails the check, one or more characters are caught in the pit, sliding down the sandy walls toward the Ant Lion at the bottom. They must act quickly to avoid becoming its next meal.

Unfortunately I'm on GMT and I work Friday so 3/4 pm not a good time - Monday would be though