Start September with some shiny links. For more, see the previous list found here or on the weekly r/OSR blogroll or check the RPG Blog Carnival. Originally inspired by weaver.skepti.ch End of Week links.
Aboleth Overlords gives us Action-Oriented Interaction
To Be Resolved writes Breaking Bad Habits - Turning a Plot into a Situation
Sam Seer's Blog shares [An OSR Pattern] One, Two, or Three Exits
BASTIONLAND gives us The ICI Doctrine: Information, Choice, Impact
I Cast Light! shares DOWNTIME DEMANDS OF SENTIENT WEAPONS: Or The Care & Feeding of Excalibur
Blog of Forlorn Encystment writes Adventurers Are a Threat to the Established Order
A Room Containing 1d6 Goblins gives us Crawling Ever Upwards
Glyph and Grok writes Make Your Quests "Mythic"
AMONG CATS AND BOOKS gives us Running Mythic Bastionland
Busy Wyvern gave us Is Your Game a Prophecy, or a Blank Page?
Mindstorm shares Sicko Worldbuilding
Castle Grief gives us Lordes: Dark Arthurian...ODND?
No Foes, No Traps writes BENEATH! TOWER ELVES! (A RARE HERITAGE IN DUNGEONFLOOR: ACCELERATED!)
Tito's Geekery gives us RPG Worldbuilding: stealing from my 10-year-old self
01 September 2025
30 August 2025
Paladin of Gravity (GLÅUGUST 2025 #6)
Taking on The Nothic's Eye GLÅUGUST 2025, challenge #6 is from a list of their own - "Paladin of an unorthodox Law" - the law here is gravity, these paladins it's wardens.
Paladin of Gravity
A - Ripples in the gravity well
B - Gravitic Nudge
C - Slip the Grasp
D - Time lens
Increment Higgness +1 per template.
Should a Paladin of Gravity find themselves aboard a Spelljammer, any of the below can be applied to the ship if desired.
A Paladin of Gravity, if conscious, no longer takes fall damage if they choose not to. They still leave a crater if they fall far enough.
Ripples in the gravity well - gain awareness of the interplay of the local gravity plane - perceive all as it thrums against the gravity plane. The paladin gains tremorsense and true-sight to a range of Higgness * 30'. They can also take a minute to unerringly know direction relative to the planetary center and the local system gravity center.
Gravitic Nudge - Command local gravity. Summon meteors, slow foes or cause structural damage of d6 * Higgness per day. AC against missiles improves by Higgness.
Slip the Grasp - Gravity releases its most faithful servants. You can move Higgness * 30' per round, along, up or down any surface.
Time lens - Subtly scrunch gravity to warp time just when you need it; reroll any attack, save or ability check. Do this Higgness times per day.
Paladin of Gravity
A - Ripples in the gravity well
B - Gravitic Nudge
C - Slip the Grasp
D - Time lens
Increment Higgness +1 per template.
Should a Paladin of Gravity find themselves aboard a Spelljammer, any of the below can be applied to the ship if desired.
A Paladin of Gravity, if conscious, no longer takes fall damage if they choose not to. They still leave a crater if they fall far enough.
Ripples in the gravity well - gain awareness of the interplay of the local gravity plane - perceive all as it thrums against the gravity plane. The paladin gains tremorsense and true-sight to a range of Higgness * 30'. They can also take a minute to unerringly know direction relative to the planetary center and the local system gravity center.
Gravitic Nudge - Command local gravity. Summon meteors, slow foes or cause structural damage of d6 * Higgness per day. AC against missiles improves by Higgness.
Slip the Grasp - Gravity releases its most faithful servants. You can move Higgness * 30' per round, along, up or down any surface.
Time lens - Subtly scrunch gravity to warp time just when you need it; reroll any attack, save or ability check. Do this Higgness times per day.
27 August 2025
Commission for the ethical sourcing of construct souls (GLÅUGUST 2025 #5)
Taking on The Nothic's Eye GLÅUGUST 2025, challenge #5 is from a list by Archon - "Minor social movement" - we discuss below the Comission for the Ethical Sourcing of Construct Souls.
The recent arrival of 'brassbones' - also known as warforged elsewhere in the multiverse - has caused some debate among the artificers and clergy of Krarland and other parts. Before them everything was clear.
Everyone knew that a wizards staff does not have a soul, that a homonculus was just an extension of a wizards self and that familiars were just sparks of the feywild, mirrors to a wizards will.
For the longest time everyone knew that constructs like enchanted broomsticks, talking clocks and dancing chairs and the like were just clever tools, extensions of the wizards hands.
But once the constructs grew more and more versatile, and clearly were be-souled as they could ask and care about questions like 'did they have souls' then the troubling question arose of where were these souls coming from?
Were souls from the great cycle now being incarnated in metal forms - the artificers workbench standing in for the mothers womb? Or were these new souls being drawn from some source attuned to metal, wood and stone? Were these dwarves in different forms?
A quiet sense of unease spread among the temples and workshops, a sense that while the need to know the answer to the question is not yet critically necessary, something of potentially great import was being meddled with blindly. With a feeling that it might become very important to be clear on the answer suddenly and without warning, the commission for the ethical sourcing of construct souls was founded.
The commission can be a vehicle for introducing NPCs with a specialty in information-gathering or any arcanist or clergy. It could also be a vehicle for NPCs to know one another if necessary - or a reason why given NPCs are distracted.
The first 6 of the below can be placed anywhere - such as a dungeon - the Commissioners were either seeking privacy to discuss the matter or gathering information in this out of the way place.
d8 Things Commissioners Might be Encountered Doing
1. Complicated auguries - a group of otherwise perfectly respectable and upstanding clerics acting really suspiciously because they are worried the very existence of brassbones is disrupting some natural cycle with terrible consequences but they do not want to start a panic. Yet.
2. Interrogation of summoned fiends - a masterclass in dread summoning by some morally-grey conjurers supported by every forbidden tome ever confiscated by the major temples. The fiends trying to figure out why they are being asked these questions, how rich could this new vein of souls be. Conjurers trying to find excuses to use and possibly memorize tricks from these books they never get access to. Clerics trying to block both but wring useful answers from the fiends.
3. Attempted necromancy on a smashed brassbones - necromancers with a grim group of death clerics carefully studying what kinds of things raise brassbone corpses and how different they might be.
4. Comparative soul analysis - brassbones and volunteer civilians being brought on a tour of spiritually null, isolated, hallowed and desecrated places to witness and record their relative reactions.
5. Crowd sourcing ancient legends in 'old folk' communities - sages touring dwellings of the long lived - elves, giants, dragons, etc - and asking them about their ancient legends for any similar happening before.
6. A mixed group of arcanists, clerics and other interested parties attempting to collate various notes from all the above efforts into some sort of order - currently it is a mess of chalk scribbles, tacked up notes and lengths of red string with people standing within it pointing and arguing.
(Outside the dungeon)
7. An incredibly over-engineered hospital offer free treatment for any injured brassbones - hugely overstaffed, with far too many high level clerics present for the small handful of damaged brassbones. The place is festooned with divination magics.
8. Incredibly over-engineered temple to craft gods - brassbones being assembled amidst an array of divination devices, meditating acolytes and other things meant to give some indication of where the soul entered the new form from.
The recent arrival of 'brassbones' - also known as warforged elsewhere in the multiverse - has caused some debate among the artificers and clergy of Krarland and other parts. Before them everything was clear.
Everyone knew that a wizards staff does not have a soul, that a homonculus was just an extension of a wizards self and that familiars were just sparks of the feywild, mirrors to a wizards will.
For the longest time everyone knew that constructs like enchanted broomsticks, talking clocks and dancing chairs and the like were just clever tools, extensions of the wizards hands.
But once the constructs grew more and more versatile, and clearly were be-souled as they could ask and care about questions like 'did they have souls' then the troubling question arose of where were these souls coming from?
Were souls from the great cycle now being incarnated in metal forms - the artificers workbench standing in for the mothers womb? Or were these new souls being drawn from some source attuned to metal, wood and stone? Were these dwarves in different forms?
A quiet sense of unease spread among the temples and workshops, a sense that while the need to know the answer to the question is not yet critically necessary, something of potentially great import was being meddled with blindly. With a feeling that it might become very important to be clear on the answer suddenly and without warning, the commission for the ethical sourcing of construct souls was founded.
The commission can be a vehicle for introducing NPCs with a specialty in information-gathering or any arcanist or clergy. It could also be a vehicle for NPCs to know one another if necessary - or a reason why given NPCs are distracted.
The first 6 of the below can be placed anywhere - such as a dungeon - the Commissioners were either seeking privacy to discuss the matter or gathering information in this out of the way place.
d8 Things Commissioners Might be Encountered Doing
1. Complicated auguries - a group of otherwise perfectly respectable and upstanding clerics acting really suspiciously because they are worried the very existence of brassbones is disrupting some natural cycle with terrible consequences but they do not want to start a panic. Yet.
2. Interrogation of summoned fiends - a masterclass in dread summoning by some morally-grey conjurers supported by every forbidden tome ever confiscated by the major temples. The fiends trying to figure out why they are being asked these questions, how rich could this new vein of souls be. Conjurers trying to find excuses to use and possibly memorize tricks from these books they never get access to. Clerics trying to block both but wring useful answers from the fiends.
3. Attempted necromancy on a smashed brassbones - necromancers with a grim group of death clerics carefully studying what kinds of things raise brassbone corpses and how different they might be.
4. Comparative soul analysis - brassbones and volunteer civilians being brought on a tour of spiritually null, isolated, hallowed and desecrated places to witness and record their relative reactions.
5. Crowd sourcing ancient legends in 'old folk' communities - sages touring dwellings of the long lived - elves, giants, dragons, etc - and asking them about their ancient legends for any similar happening before.
6. A mixed group of arcanists, clerics and other interested parties attempting to collate various notes from all the above efforts into some sort of order - currently it is a mess of chalk scribbles, tacked up notes and lengths of red string with people standing within it pointing and arguing.
(Outside the dungeon)
7. An incredibly over-engineered hospital offer free treatment for any injured brassbones - hugely overstaffed, with far too many high level clerics present for the small handful of damaged brassbones. The place is festooned with divination magics.
8. Incredibly over-engineered temple to craft gods - brassbones being assembled amidst an array of divination devices, meditating acolytes and other things meant to give some indication of where the soul entered the new form from.
25 August 2025
Shiny TTRPG links #239
High summer links for your internet interest. For more, see the previous list found here or on the weekly r/OSR blogroll or check the RPG Blog Carnival. Originally inspired by weaver.skepti.ch End of Week links.
Prismatic Wasteland writes on AI and Empty Art
The Flesh Resists shares It's always the butler
MixUpPixels on itch.io gives us GREEN CORRIDOR
Goblin Punch shares A Dungeon of Your Own
Revivify Games gives us The Overachiever’s Guide to Lazy Hexcrawl Building.
Cat Bussell at WarGamer writes Daggerheart may be all the rage, but don't sleep on this fantasy masterpiece
Crow’s Corner gives us Table-Tested Review of Vaesen’s "Seasons of Mystery"
Francesco Cacciatore on Polygon writes Critical Role's 'West Marches-style' Campaign 4 will be the most interesting yet
Prismatic Wasteland writes on AI and Empty Art
The Flesh Resists shares It's always the butler
MixUpPixels on itch.io gives us GREEN CORRIDOR
Goblin Punch shares A Dungeon of Your Own
Revivify Games gives us The Overachiever’s Guide to Lazy Hexcrawl Building.
Cat Bussell at WarGamer writes Daggerheart may be all the rage, but don't sleep on this fantasy masterpiece
Crow’s Corner gives us Table-Tested Review of Vaesen’s "Seasons of Mystery"
Francesco Cacciatore on Polygon writes Critical Role's 'West Marches-style' Campaign 4 will be the most interesting yet
23 August 2025
Don't Tell Me It's Raining
Bearer of the RPG Blog Carnival torch Scott Newbury themselves gives us this months prompt Good Morning, Dave on ways that you’re using AI in your gaming. Below my view on AI as it is pitched to us today, and its fitness-for-purpose for TTRPGs to the limit of my patience since I deal with it professionally too. The super short version, I am no AI zealot either way but AI is not yet pulling its weight for me and my DM-ing workflow and the 'outsource my braining' aspect of it does not appeal.
Experience so far
On the basis of lived experience I think my over all view can be summed up in that I gave using AI tools a shot back in ~2020-2021 and was generally dissatisfied with what they could give me so I chucked it. I had a go at LLMs to boost encounter tables across the pandemic - mostly attempting to increase lists - so very well 'prompted' and the effort required for setting it up and cleaning up the output was not worth it. See examples of villanous escapes, night events, living doors and mythic shoreline encounters.
Experience so far
On the basis of lived experience I think my over all view can be summed up in that I gave using AI tools a shot back in ~2020-2021 and was generally dissatisfied with what they could give me so I chucked it. I had a go at LLMs to boost encounter tables across the pandemic - mostly attempting to increase lists - so very well 'prompted' and the effort required for setting it up and cleaning up the output was not worth it. See examples of villanous escapes, night events, living doors and mythic shoreline encounters.
20 August 2025
2d12 Debutante Ball Encounters (GLÅUGUST 2025 #4)
Taking on The Nothic's Eye GLÅUGUST 2025, challenge #4 is from a list by Gokun - "Debutante ball encounter table".
Below a list of folk present at a debutante ball - could be another noble event - in standard fairy-tale high fantasy. Lifted straight from current events of my menagerie-world campaign. The below is light on the obvious villains because those will be specific to your game/campaign - the encounter list below gives you all the plausible background folk to make the world feel real, weighted for 2d12 probability curve.
Also - avoid my mistake - if there is someone who you need the players to meet then do not put them on the random encounter table, no matter how probable the placing. Decide a trigger and have them turn up otherwise you could end up with your players rolling like demons and getting everything except the one encounter you need. This is a variant of 'don't gate the vital clues behind a skill roll'. In particular because these are social encounters, there is a risk of time running away as people interact with these NPCs - which may be something you are happy to have happen, just be aware of it.
2d12 Attendees of the Ball
2. Very old 'elf' holding court, font of lore, arbiter of etiquette, has slightly strange bunch of hangers-on - very conservative in mannerisms but an otherwise diverse group, very pale, no reflection.
3. Lady in black, immaculate gown subtly dripping with jewelled embroidery, excellent listener, delighted to share gossip, only slightest hint of sulphur trailing them hints at infernal origin, here watching over investments
4. Uncomfortable looking outdoorsy type, fine but obviously unfamiliar outfit highlights astonishing physique, here as a reward for monster-slaying, wishing they got gold instead
5. Starry eyed youth, dazzled and delighted, here as reward for assassinating particularly nasty cult leader by infiltrating their fortress
6. Ancient court wizard, here from long tradition, has met or is aware of most people, here so their glamoured-up entourage can play at high society for a night
7. Distant arch-fey relative of the Duchess, patroness of one of the debutantes, here to make a big splash of granting her blessing
8. Proper, slightly stuffy monster-slayer heir to major noble house, here out of duty, wants to be out on the hunt earning a name of his own. Taciturn, unless about monsters and killing them
9. Scion of the smiths guildmaster, already an established reputation as a fashion setter, patron of crafts and advocate for trade. Bulldozer direct wrapped in perfect manners
10. Trailing end of the current generation of the ruling house, knows everyone, dislikes the spotlight, jittery because they are aware of the dangers here but not very dangerous themselves
11. Minor nobility in from the country, more people in this room than settlements she grew up in, overwhelmed, completely focussed on not causing a mess
12. Trade guild minor scion, has been to many of these for his siblings, excited to see long-absent cousins, viewing it all as a big family get-together
13. Scion of an old pre-conquest minor house, social butterfly, knows everyone including most servants, her people have lived here since time immemorial, this room was her families once
14. First generation of newly established mage-house, excellent student of magic, uncomfortable in crowds, trying to be what his parents hope
15. Almost too-old member of a ruined minor house recently restored to the Duchess favour and sponsored by her. Perfectly mannered, aware she is a single slip from social abyss
16. Bored younger sibling, thinks whole thing a waste of their time, they have a whole year until they do it themselves, mostly interested in brashly chasing pretty folk, adeptly avoids increasingly frustrated guardians
17. Last years debutante, returning to support sibling with charming spouse on their arm, judgemental of anything non traditional, keen to soak up the experience without the stress of being its focus
18. Sibling of the Duke, recently back from border skirmishes, renowned war-hero, very interested in potential useable talent, trailed by grim looking body-guard, long-suffering spouse
19. Duchess, graciously hosting, full fey-ancestry glamours on display, seeking a perfectly pleasant and orderly introduction to society for everyone, standards up-held and all, entourage of secretary, ladies in waiting, favoured companions
20. Perfectly dressed if understated thief, polite and mannerly, happy to take invitations to dance, excellent listener, all to prolong time scouting nice jewels
21. Immaculately turned out, suave seducer- seeking a romantic tryst they can lever to their advantage, quickly moves on from bad prospects
22. Somewhat battered but appropriately attired avenger, wary and watchful, seeks one who has wronged them, ready for violence
23. Ambassador from afar, smooth, like an excellent butler, will be fascinated with PCs stories, happy to direct them towards folk that might help
24. Duke master of spies, formally dressed as member of minor nobility, older society members get quiet around them, mostly watching for threats
Combine this table of people with my previous d20 Odd events at a nobles ball if you just want a handful of things to spice up a ball where you know the main 'plot' already or add the Masquerade as social depth-crawl structure to both of those to make it a whole thing in and of itself.
Below a list of folk present at a debutante ball - could be another noble event - in standard fairy-tale high fantasy. Lifted straight from current events of my menagerie-world campaign. The below is light on the obvious villains because those will be specific to your game/campaign - the encounter list below gives you all the plausible background folk to make the world feel real, weighted for 2d12 probability curve.
Also - avoid my mistake - if there is someone who you need the players to meet then do not put them on the random encounter table, no matter how probable the placing. Decide a trigger and have them turn up otherwise you could end up with your players rolling like demons and getting everything except the one encounter you need. This is a variant of 'don't gate the vital clues behind a skill roll'. In particular because these are social encounters, there is a risk of time running away as people interact with these NPCs - which may be something you are happy to have happen, just be aware of it.
2d12 Attendees of the Ball
2. Very old 'elf' holding court, font of lore, arbiter of etiquette, has slightly strange bunch of hangers-on - very conservative in mannerisms but an otherwise diverse group, very pale, no reflection.
3. Lady in black, immaculate gown subtly dripping with jewelled embroidery, excellent listener, delighted to share gossip, only slightest hint of sulphur trailing them hints at infernal origin, here watching over investments
4. Uncomfortable looking outdoorsy type, fine but obviously unfamiliar outfit highlights astonishing physique, here as a reward for monster-slaying, wishing they got gold instead
5. Starry eyed youth, dazzled and delighted, here as reward for assassinating particularly nasty cult leader by infiltrating their fortress
6. Ancient court wizard, here from long tradition, has met or is aware of most people, here so their glamoured-up entourage can play at high society for a night
7. Distant arch-fey relative of the Duchess, patroness of one of the debutantes, here to make a big splash of granting her blessing
8. Proper, slightly stuffy monster-slayer heir to major noble house, here out of duty, wants to be out on the hunt earning a name of his own. Taciturn, unless about monsters and killing them
9. Scion of the smiths guildmaster, already an established reputation as a fashion setter, patron of crafts and advocate for trade. Bulldozer direct wrapped in perfect manners
10. Trailing end of the current generation of the ruling house, knows everyone, dislikes the spotlight, jittery because they are aware of the dangers here but not very dangerous themselves
11. Minor nobility in from the country, more people in this room than settlements she grew up in, overwhelmed, completely focussed on not causing a mess
12. Trade guild minor scion, has been to many of these for his siblings, excited to see long-absent cousins, viewing it all as a big family get-together
13. Scion of an old pre-conquest minor house, social butterfly, knows everyone including most servants, her people have lived here since time immemorial, this room was her families once
14. First generation of newly established mage-house, excellent student of magic, uncomfortable in crowds, trying to be what his parents hope
15. Almost too-old member of a ruined minor house recently restored to the Duchess favour and sponsored by her. Perfectly mannered, aware she is a single slip from social abyss
16. Bored younger sibling, thinks whole thing a waste of their time, they have a whole year until they do it themselves, mostly interested in brashly chasing pretty folk, adeptly avoids increasingly frustrated guardians
17. Last years debutante, returning to support sibling with charming spouse on their arm, judgemental of anything non traditional, keen to soak up the experience without the stress of being its focus
18. Sibling of the Duke, recently back from border skirmishes, renowned war-hero, very interested in potential useable talent, trailed by grim looking body-guard, long-suffering spouse
19. Duchess, graciously hosting, full fey-ancestry glamours on display, seeking a perfectly pleasant and orderly introduction to society for everyone, standards up-held and all, entourage of secretary, ladies in waiting, favoured companions
20. Perfectly dressed if understated thief, polite and mannerly, happy to take invitations to dance, excellent listener, all to prolong time scouting nice jewels
21. Immaculately turned out, suave seducer- seeking a romantic tryst they can lever to their advantage, quickly moves on from bad prospects
22. Somewhat battered but appropriately attired avenger, wary and watchful, seeks one who has wronged them, ready for violence
23. Ambassador from afar, smooth, like an excellent butler, will be fascinated with PCs stories, happy to direct them towards folk that might help
24. Duke master of spies, formally dressed as member of minor nobility, older society members get quiet around them, mostly watching for threats
Combine this table of people with my previous d20 Odd events at a nobles ball if you just want a handful of things to spice up a ball where you know the main 'plot' already or add the Masquerade as social depth-crawl structure to both of those to make it a whole thing in and of itself.
18 August 2025
Shiny TTRPG links #238
High summer links for your internet interest. For more, see the previous list found here or on the weekly r/OSR blogroll or check the RPG Blog Carnival. Originally inspired by weaver.skepti.ch End of Week links.
Crow’s Corner shares a Table-Tested Review of Raiders of the Serpent Sea
Blog of Forlorn Encystment writes Dealing with NPCs Should Be Expensive and Irritating
Meg Zone gives us The lords of rock and river: a tiny regional hexcrawl
Veritas Tabletop shares Coins and Currency: Adding Flavor to Your Coins
Busy Wyvern gives us Making it Real (or, how to make your players squirm a bit)
Valeria Loves shares Promises - a Mythic Bastionland House Rule
Vaults of Zin writes GM's Glossary Part 6: Everything you can do with your Stats
Bommyknocker Press gives us Writing Encounters in Pairs
Graeme Davis shares Lost Warhammer: Heroes for Hire
GROGNARDIA writes The Dream-Quest of the Old School Renaissance
Swords & Stitchery gives us Designing Martian Adventures In The Warriors of the Red Planet Rpg - Edgar Rice Burroughs The Mastermind of Mars
Playful Void writes Bathtub Review: A Perfect Wife
Crow’s Corner shares a Table-Tested Review of Raiders of the Serpent Sea
Blog of Forlorn Encystment writes Dealing with NPCs Should Be Expensive and Irritating
Meg Zone gives us The lords of rock and river: a tiny regional hexcrawl
Veritas Tabletop shares Coins and Currency: Adding Flavor to Your Coins
Busy Wyvern gives us Making it Real (or, how to make your players squirm a bit)
Valeria Loves shares Promises - a Mythic Bastionland House Rule
Vaults of Zin writes GM's Glossary Part 6: Everything you can do with your Stats
Bommyknocker Press gives us Writing Encounters in Pairs
Graeme Davis shares Lost Warhammer: Heroes for Hire
GROGNARDIA writes The Dream-Quest of the Old School Renaissance
Swords & Stitchery gives us Designing Martian Adventures In The Warriors of the Red Planet Rpg - Edgar Rice Burroughs The Mastermind of Mars
Playful Void writes Bathtub Review: A Perfect Wife
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