Graham Walmsley
@grahamwalmsley.bsky.social
I design games, especially tabletop roleplaying games (Cthulhu Dark, Cosmic Dark). I also write books on storytelling (Play Unsafe) and drift into interactive fiction (39 Steps) and LARP (Will That Be All).
And I love theatre, art and history.
And I love theatre, art and history.
I'm reading The Hobbit! It must be thirty or forty years since I've read it. I'd forgotten so many scenes - the spiders, Beorn, the wood elves - and they're so much fun to read again.
November 10, 2025 at 11:49 PM
I'm reading The Hobbit! It must be thirty or forty years since I've read it. I'd forgotten so many scenes - the spiders, Beorn, the wood elves - and they're so much fun to read again.
Reposted by Graham Walmsley
A brief defence of dialogue choices (286 words):
A brief defence of dialogue choices
In games, the player needs to have something to do.
medium.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:42 PM
A brief defence of dialogue choices (286 words):
Reposted by Graham Walmsley
two days left to buy the @bundleofholding.com BUNDLE OF TENTACLES 7, which has amazing stuff by @farhorizonscoop.bsky.social, @grahamwalmsley.bsky.social, @ravengodgames.bsky.social, @armadajosh.bsky.social & @beckyannison.bsky.social, Mind's Vision, and Late Gaming Company. a bargain at $25.04!
November 10, 2025 at 10:25 AM
two days left to buy the @bundleofholding.com BUNDLE OF TENTACLES 7, which has amazing stuff by @farhorizonscoop.bsky.social, @grahamwalmsley.bsky.social, @ravengodgames.bsky.social, @armadajosh.bsky.social & @beckyannison.bsky.social, Mind's Vision, and Late Gaming Company. a bargain at $25.04!
This is a wonderful story.
This month on my little podcast I read a tale concerning ecumenical matters ....
podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mr-...
podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mr-...
The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral, by M.R. James by Mr Spike's Bedtime Stories
After he happens upon an old obituary notice our narrator unravels the mysterious and unusual circumstances surrounding the death of a clergyman a century earlier.Mr Spike's Bedtime Stories theme and ...
podcasters.spotify.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:14 PM
This is a wonderful story.
I read Andrew Michael Hurley's The Loney and wondered why it worked so well for me.
In short, there's just a hint of supernatural at the end, without much explanation. The story doesn't (say) give you distant glimpses of weird entities, and I like that.
In short, there's just a hint of supernatural at the end, without much explanation. The story doesn't (say) give you distant glimpses of weird entities, and I like that.
November 9, 2025 at 12:01 PM
I read Andrew Michael Hurley's The Loney and wondered why it worked so well for me.
In short, there's just a hint of supernatural at the end, without much explanation. The story doesn't (say) give you distant glimpses of weird entities, and I like that.
In short, there's just a hint of supernatural at the end, without much explanation. The story doesn't (say) give you distant glimpses of weird entities, and I like that.
Chris is writing interesting things about mechanics for this, so I'm really interested to see how it ends up.
Alright, think I'm going to launch the Kickstarter for Gravity on... Tuesday. I'm bored of waiting.
Will I remember to hype it up on social media, multiple times a day, every day, to build interest and maximise income? Probably not!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/pot...
Will I remember to hype it up on social media, multiple times a day, every day, to build interest and maximise income? Probably not!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/pot...
Coming soon: Gravity: A Roleplaying Game
A one-shot TTRPG about powerful people in a bad situation.
www.kickstarter.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Chris is writing interesting things about mechanics for this, so I'm really interested to see how it ends up.
Reposted by Graham Walmsley
Alright, think I'm going to launch the Kickstarter for Gravity on... Tuesday. I'm bored of waiting.
Will I remember to hype it up on social media, multiple times a day, every day, to build interest and maximise income? Probably not!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/pot...
Will I remember to hype it up on social media, multiple times a day, every day, to build interest and maximise income? Probably not!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/pot...
Coming soon: Gravity: A Roleplaying Game
A one-shot TTRPG about powerful people in a bad situation.
www.kickstarter.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Alright, think I'm going to launch the Kickstarter for Gravity on... Tuesday. I'm bored of waiting.
Will I remember to hype it up on social media, multiple times a day, every day, to build interest and maximise income? Probably not!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/pot...
Will I remember to hype it up on social media, multiple times a day, every day, to build interest and maximise income? Probably not!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/pot...
Back in the day, we all had 15-minute demos of our games ready, which we'd offer to play when we sold games at conventions.
I wonder why we stopped?
I wonder why we stopped?
It's one of the great mysteries of life: why have 15-minute demos been forgotten/memory-holed/discarded as chaff unto the pitiless winds? They worked brilliantly on multiple levels: as intros to RPG/intros to new games/as a sales tool/etc.
I would go further than that. Back in the Collective Endeavour days we very successfully used 15-min demos that distilled games to their core experience. People loved them, as they very quickly got a feel for whether or not the game was for them. Taking that into the wider world would be a winner.
November 8, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Back in the day, we all had 15-minute demos of our games ready, which we'd offer to play when we sold games at conventions.
I wonder why we stopped?
I wonder why we stopped?
I'm not usually a Traitors fan, but I really liked Celebrity Traitors, perhaps because they all treat it as a game and stay friends at the end.
November 6, 2025 at 11:50 PM
I'm not usually a Traitors fan, but I really liked Celebrity Traitors, perhaps because they all treat it as a game and stay friends at the end.
Apocalypse World is a genius game, which I keep going back to.
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Apocalypse World is a genius game, which I keep going back to.
Alex is asking the important questions here.
There's this guy walking into a blank netherworld. What is there? Is it real? What is the place behind Zoom?
There's this guy walking into a blank netherworld. What is there? Is it real? What is the place behind Zoom?
Something about the little guy on the leave button in zoom is ominous. where is he going
November 6, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Alex is asking the important questions here.
There's this guy walking into a blank netherworld. What is there? Is it real? What is the place behind Zoom?
There's this guy walking into a blank netherworld. What is there? Is it real? What is the place behind Zoom?
Reposted by Graham Walmsley
Lovecraftesque 2e is in the current Bundle of Tentacles 7!
We are in amazing company with @farhorizonscoop.bsky.social' guide to cults and the book that inspired Lovecraftesque... Stealing Cthuhlu by @grahamwalmsley.bsky.social.
Total bargain for those books alone
#ttrpg #cosmichorror #lovecraft
We are in amazing company with @farhorizonscoop.bsky.social' guide to cults and the book that inspired Lovecraftesque... Stealing Cthuhlu by @grahamwalmsley.bsky.social.
Total bargain for those books alone
#ttrpg #cosmichorror #lovecraft
Bundle of Tentacles 7
Investigator! This Bundle of Tentacles 7 is our seventh all-new library of Sanity-shattering tabletop roleplaying ebooks inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos. Illuminate your position in the cosmos with fiv...
bundleofholding.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Lovecraftesque 2e is in the current Bundle of Tentacles 7!
We are in amazing company with @farhorizonscoop.bsky.social' guide to cults and the book that inspired Lovecraftesque... Stealing Cthuhlu by @grahamwalmsley.bsky.social.
Total bargain for those books alone
#ttrpg #cosmichorror #lovecraft
We are in amazing company with @farhorizonscoop.bsky.social' guide to cults and the book that inspired Lovecraftesque... Stealing Cthuhlu by @grahamwalmsley.bsky.social.
Total bargain for those books alone
#ttrpg #cosmichorror #lovecraft
Just a reminder that, on @bundleofholding.com , you can get Stealing Cthulhu, Fairyland and Cthulhu Dark by me, plus Lovecraftesque by @armadajosh.bsky.social and other brilliant stuff.
You should do that now. It is the sensible thing to do. bundleofholding.com/presents/Ten...
You should do that now. It is the sensible thing to do. bundleofholding.com/presents/Ten...
Bundle of Tentacles 7
Investigator! This Bundle of Tentacles 7 is our seventh all-new library of Sanity-shattering tabletop roleplaying ebooks inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos. Illuminate your position in the cosmos with fiv...
bundleofholding.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Just a reminder that, on @bundleofholding.com , you can get Stealing Cthulhu, Fairyland and Cthulhu Dark by me, plus Lovecraftesque by @armadajosh.bsky.social and other brilliant stuff.
You should do that now. It is the sensible thing to do. bundleofholding.com/presents/Ten...
You should do that now. It is the sensible thing to do. bundleofholding.com/presents/Ten...
Reposted by Graham Walmsley
My friends at Character Creation Roleplay have joined the podcast world with @oceancitytabletop.bsky.social
Expect a future something looking at folklore in tabletop games. They have a library of over 1,000 to choose from.
And do follow their BlueSky as they start their new podcast
Expect a future something looking at folklore in tabletop games. They have a library of over 1,000 to choose from.
And do follow their BlueSky as they start their new podcast
a man in a star trek uniform looks surprised while talking to two other men
ALT: a man in a star trek uniform looks surprised while talking to two other men
media.tenor.com
November 2, 2025 at 10:25 AM
My friends at Character Creation Roleplay have joined the podcast world with @oceancitytabletop.bsky.social
Expect a future something looking at folklore in tabletop games. They have a library of over 1,000 to choose from.
And do follow their BlueSky as they start their new podcast
Expect a future something looking at folklore in tabletop games. They have a library of over 1,000 to choose from.
And do follow their BlueSky as they start their new podcast
Reposted by Graham Walmsley
Chatting to a friend about this yesterday, and realised I should re-plug it. Probably the most wholesome thing I've ever created, despite (er) everything.
My new game zine! HOW DO ALIENS DO "IT"? is a game about confused teenage aliens trying to work out what their information-scarce society isn't telling them. It's playful, but approaches big themes lightly. It's pay what you like, but do pay nowt. #ttrpg
kierongillen.itch.io/how-do-alien...
kierongillen.itch.io/how-do-alien...
How Do Aliens Do
The game of underinformed alien teenagers trying To work out what the hell is going on.
kierongillen.itch.io
November 2, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Chatting to a friend about this yesterday, and realised I should re-plug it. Probably the most wholesome thing I've ever created, despite (er) everything.
Reposted by Graham Walmsley
Strictly speaking this is the post from last time they were on sale, but it's also true now. I am posting very efficiently.
October 31, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Strictly speaking this is the post from last time they were on sale, but it's also true now. I am posting very efficiently.
Is there much shopping in Jane Austen? I'm asking for game reasons of course. If there is shopping, what's it like and which book is it in?
October 31, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Is there much shopping in Jane Austen? I'm asking for game reasons of course. If there is shopping, what's it like and which book is it in?
Reposted by Graham Walmsley
the Far Horizons Guide to Cults is part of the @bundleofholding.com BUNDLE OF TENTACLES 7! find us in the basic tier, where for $6.95 you can get the (excellent) FHC GUIDE TO CULTS, @grahamwalmsley.bsky.social's (really cool) STEALING CTHULHU, and @ravengodgames.bsky.social's (OSR) ELDRITCH TALES.
Bundle of Tentacles 7
Investigator! This Bundle of Tentacles 7 is our seventh all-new library of Sanity-shattering tabletop roleplaying ebooks inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos. Illuminate your position in the cosmos with fiv...
bundleofholding.com
October 31, 2025 at 9:23 AM
the Far Horizons Guide to Cults is part of the @bundleofholding.com BUNDLE OF TENTACLES 7! find us in the basic tier, where for $6.95 you can get the (excellent) FHC GUIDE TO CULTS, @grahamwalmsley.bsky.social's (really cool) STEALING CTHULHU, and @ravengodgames.bsky.social's (OSR) ELDRITCH TALES.
Horror reading: I adored The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley (bleak folk horror) and Eat The Ones You Love by @griffski.bsky.social (surprisingly unsettling plant horror).
I'm wondering what to read next: maybe something by Daisy Johnson, whose Radio 4 series The Hotel was absolutely chilling.
I'm wondering what to read next: maybe something by Daisy Johnson, whose Radio 4 series The Hotel was absolutely chilling.
October 30, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Horror reading: I adored The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley (bleak folk horror) and Eat The Ones You Love by @griffski.bsky.social (surprisingly unsettling plant horror).
I'm wondering what to read next: maybe something by Daisy Johnson, whose Radio 4 series The Hotel was absolutely chilling.
I'm wondering what to read next: maybe something by Daisy Johnson, whose Radio 4 series The Hotel was absolutely chilling.
This episode of the MERL's podcast is amazing. It made me want to read @timjerrome.bsky.social 's book but I don't think it's written yet.
And they've got someone on talking about folklore tomorrow for Halloween.
And they've got someone on talking about folklore tomorrow for Halloween.
Absolute Units is back!
We continue our conversation with @timjerrome.bsky.social (University of Brighton; formerly, The MERL) about his research into queer rural life.
Discover what Tim has found in our archives to date & the research challenges he's faced.
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
We continue our conversation with @timjerrome.bsky.social (University of Brighton; formerly, The MERL) about his research into queer rural life.
Discover what Tim has found in our archives to date & the research challenges he's faced.
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
October 30, 2025 at 5:57 PM
This episode of the MERL's podcast is amazing. It made me want to read @timjerrome.bsky.social 's book but I don't think it's written yet.
And they've got someone on talking about folklore tomorrow for Halloween.
And they've got someone on talking about folklore tomorrow for Halloween.
I'm in a Bundle of Holding! You can get Stealing Cthulhu, Cthulhu Dark and Fairyland by @sdorward.bsky.social here, along with Lovecraftesque by @armadajosh.bsky.social and other stuff.
Please repost this and appease the nameless gods.
bundleofholding.com/presents/Ten...
Please repost this and appease the nameless gods.
bundleofholding.com/presents/Ten...
Bundle of Tentacles 7
Investigator! This Bundle of Tentacles 7 is our seventh all-new library of Sanity-shattering tabletop roleplaying ebooks inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos. Illuminate your position in the cosmos with fiv...
bundleofholding.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:48 PM
I'm in a Bundle of Holding! You can get Stealing Cthulhu, Cthulhu Dark and Fairyland by @sdorward.bsky.social here, along with Lovecraftesque by @armadajosh.bsky.social and other stuff.
Please repost this and appease the nameless gods.
bundleofholding.com/presents/Ten...
Please repost this and appease the nameless gods.
bundleofholding.com/presents/Ten...
I'm fascinated by puzzles in Strange Antiquities by @badvikinggames.bsky.social , so I thought I'd break it down.
The gameplay is basically: someone asks you for an object and you need to find it from a cryptic description. It's quite specific: you mustn't just grab something that looks right.
The gameplay is basically: someone asks you for an object and you need to find it from a cryptic description. It's quite specific: you mustn't just grab something that looks right.
October 29, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I'm fascinated by puzzles in Strange Antiquities by @badvikinggames.bsky.social , so I thought I'd break it down.
The gameplay is basically: someone asks you for an object and you need to find it from a cryptic description. It's quite specific: you mustn't just grab something that looks right.
The gameplay is basically: someone asks you for an object and you need to find it from a cryptic description. It's quite specific: you mustn't just grab something that looks right.
I adored Enys Men, although I love things that are a bit surreal.
If you listen to the improvised game Scott and I did with @symphonyhorror.bsky.social , you can hear Enys Men lurking in the background.
If you listen to the improvised game Scott and I did with @symphonyhorror.bsky.social , you can hear Enys Men lurking in the background.
I can't imagine Enys Men being a good fit for anyone's Halloween watch party, but it is the kind of eerie folk horror oddity you'll want to save for a rainy, introspective evening
blasphemoustomes.com/2025/10/28/e...
#ohmc #horror
blasphemoustomes.com/2025/10/28/e...
#ohmc #horror
Enys Men (2022) - OHMC 2025 Day 28 - Blasphemous Tomes
Scott Dorward stops and smells the flowers with the Enys Men as part of his 2025 October Horror Movie Challenge
blasphemoustomes.com
October 28, 2025 at 9:03 PM
I adored Enys Men, although I love things that are a bit surreal.
If you listen to the improvised game Scott and I did with @symphonyhorror.bsky.social , you can hear Enys Men lurking in the background.
If you listen to the improvised game Scott and I did with @symphonyhorror.bsky.social , you can hear Enys Men lurking in the background.
Reposted by Graham Walmsley
1) At last! Having submitted last April, the gears of academic publishing have finally ground round and my article on Twilight: 2000 in the Journal of American Studies is now available! And it's open access, so anyone can engage with it!
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
When You Say, “Thermonuclear War,” I Think You Mean “the Call to Adventure”! The Twilight: 2000 Tabletop Role-Playing Game and the Postapocalyptic World’s Imaginary Spaces | Journal of American Studie...
When You Say, “Thermonuclear War,” I Think You Mean “the Call to Adventure”! The Twilight: 2000 Tabletop Role-Playing Game and the Postapocalyptic World’s Imaginary Spaces
www.cambridge.org
October 28, 2025 at 7:35 AM
1) At last! Having submitted last April, the gears of academic publishing have finally ground round and my article on Twilight: 2000 in the Journal of American Studies is now available! And it's open access, so anyone can engage with it!
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...