Week One Preparation of D&D Encounters Hoard of the Dragon Queen.

1.  Read the EnWorld updates.

2. Get a mini like this




3.  Encourage the Players to select a Party theme on GroupMe.
    They are leaning towards Halflings, Doctor Who, and Bronnies. All rather awesome selections.

4. Ensure that we can roll our characters

If you see magic items of very high rarity or strange arrays of
ability scores, you can ask a player to provide documentation
for the irregularities. pg.3

    Looks like we are good. But the Adventure League Players Guide has:

Determine Ability Scores
You can generate your character’s ability scores using
one of the following methods:
• Standard set (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8)
• Customizing ability scores variant (Player’s Handbook chapter 1)
After assigning ability scores, apply your racial benefits to derive your starting ability score

    I have opened a case with WotC & taken the issue to social media.

    I have lost this argument on Social Media--still waiting for the WotC &
    Twitter responses--but it is not looking good...

5. Validate the Appendix A backgrounds

6. Listen to the Tome Show podcast from GenCon--Ready Set Play

7. Read up on Inspiration from PHB.

8.  Listen to the GenCon Panel When Kobolds Meet Tiamat (Kobold Press Tyranny of Dragons Panel; GenCon 2014)

9. Read the Module