Indie Game Reading Club
@indiegamereadingclub.com
I'm Paul Beakley and I write https://indiegamereadingclub.com
Support the work at https://patreon.com/igrc
Support the work at https://patreon.com/igrc
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The Indie Game Reading Club
Deep reads, play analysis, reviews and everything else about small press roleplaying today
indiegamereadingclub.com
Holy how it's a lot of new folks all the sudden. Hi new folks, I write the indiegamereadingclub.com.
If you want a good starter pack of our top work of the past year, here's a list straight out of the analytics:
If you want a good starter pack of our top work of the past year, here's a list straight out of the analytics:
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
Your best NPCs aren’t planned.
For me, they’re often player consequences.
A failed roll created Bennie.
Three sessions later, he’s an emergent antagonist with ambitions.
I wrote about letting the table grow your villains vs forcing them.
Good Monday, Gamers!!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
For me, they’re often player consequences.
A failed roll created Bennie.
Three sessions later, he’s an emergent antagonist with ambitions.
I wrote about letting the table grow your villains vs forcing them.
Good Monday, Gamers!!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Monday Musings #135 🤬
Why the Most Dangerous NPCs Are Player-Generated
open.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Your best NPCs aren’t planned.
For me, they’re often player consequences.
A failed roll created Bennie.
Three sessions later, he’s an emergent antagonist with ambitions.
I wrote about letting the table grow your villains vs forcing them.
Good Monday, Gamers!!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
For me, they’re often player consequences.
A failed roll created Bennie.
Three sessions later, he’s an emergent antagonist with ambitions.
I wrote about letting the table grow your villains vs forcing them.
Good Monday, Gamers!!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
For heaven's sake this is their *job.* They need to get *paid* to *work.* That's how our accursed system works.
RPG nerds, I beg you. If you're going to demand quality for free, find yourself another activity. One where you get good shit for free I guess.
RPG nerds, I beg you. If you're going to demand quality for free, find yourself another activity. One where you get good shit for free I guess.
Hey plz dont distribute paywalled rascal articles via google docs?? Please?????? Dont??????
January 19, 2026 at 10:56 PM
For heaven's sake this is their *job.* They need to get *paid* to *work.* That's how our accursed system works.
RPG nerds, I beg you. If you're going to demand quality for free, find yourself another activity. One where you get good shit for free I guess.
RPG nerds, I beg you. If you're going to demand quality for free, find yourself another activity. One where you get good shit for free I guess.
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
Last, if you want to see Rascal survive; if you want more investigative reporting, more security for our small team, and more articles that celebrate TTRPGs, any level of support helps. Our investigative work is our pride and joy but it takes time, resources, and energy. Thank you again.
Rascal News
Rascal is a tabletop roleplaying game and culture outlet striving to sustainably publish voicey journalism that is compelling, deeply-reported, and fearlessly honest. We’re also a little cheeky
www.rascal.news
January 19, 2026 at 7:54 PM
Last, if you want to see Rascal survive; if you want more investigative reporting, more security for our small team, and more articles that celebrate TTRPGs, any level of support helps. Our investigative work is our pride and joy but it takes time, resources, and energy. Thank you again.
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
Five creators who worked on Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast have spent the past year fighting a legal battle against Possum Creek Games and Steve Jackson Games. Neither the tabletop RPG nor their working relationships survived the fallout.
Battle over Yazeba’s Bed & Breakfast contracts leaves the book, relationships, torn apart
Creative collaborators clash with Jay Dragon and Steve Jackson Games over unfair treatment.
www.rascal.news
January 19, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Five creators who worked on Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast have spent the past year fighting a legal battle against Possum Creek Games and Steve Jackson Games. Neither the tabletop RPG nor their working relationships survived the fallout.
I run Gregor Vuga's Sagas of the Icelanders once a year at our online con. It's always a hot ticket! It's such a beautiful, flawed gem. Few other games even come close to nailing their editorial stance so confidently.
Anyway I just ran it again for the umpteenth time. Still great, 13 years later.
Anyway I just ran it again for the umpteenth time. Still great, 13 years later.
January 17, 2026 at 5:03 AM
I run Gregor Vuga's Sagas of the Icelanders once a year at our online con. It's always a hot ticket! It's such a beautiful, flawed gem. Few other games even come close to nailing their editorial stance so confidently.
Anyway I just ran it again for the umpteenth time. Still great, 13 years later.
Anyway I just ran it again for the umpteenth time. Still great, 13 years later.
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
Weighing in on discourse that 99.9999% of you are unaware of, and you should not seek out if you're not (seriously):
Even the most niche corners of art are made healthier by earnest, honest critique. To attack a critic for offering such is to imperil the integrity of the art you most care about.
Even the most niche corners of art are made healthier by earnest, honest critique. To attack a critic for offering such is to imperil the integrity of the art you most care about.
January 14, 2026 at 9:59 PM
Weighing in on discourse that 99.9999% of you are unaware of, and you should not seek out if you're not (seriously):
Even the most niche corners of art are made healthier by earnest, honest critique. To attack a critic for offering such is to imperil the integrity of the art you most care about.
Even the most niche corners of art are made healthier by earnest, honest critique. To attack a critic for offering such is to imperil the integrity of the art you most care about.
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
2025 by the numbers.
Not the games I bought or meant to play.
The ones that actually hit the table — plus what readers told me they need most right now, a check-in on play, people, and what really mattered.
What counted most at your table this year?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Not the games I bought or meant to play.
The ones that actually hit the table — plus what readers told me they need most right now, a check-in on play, people, and what really mattered.
What counted most at your table this year?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Monday Musings #134 🤬
Stats, sessions, and what survived contact IRL
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:04 AM
2025 by the numbers.
Not the games I bought or meant to play.
The ones that actually hit the table — plus what readers told me they need most right now, a check-in on play, people, and what really mattered.
What counted most at your table this year?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Not the games I bought or meant to play.
The ones that actually hit the table — plus what readers told me they need most right now, a check-in on play, people, and what really mattered.
What counted most at your table this year?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
We are surrounded by real-life horrors, but he's a review of Stay First, my game about fighting less scary, fictional horrors.
The Ultimate One-Shot Sci-Fi TTPRG? – Review: Stay Frosty (Remastered)
Stay Frosty is a sci-fi OSR-ish game of shooting aliens from Casey Garske. Originally self-published, it’s been remastered and published (through kickstarter) by Melsonian Arts Council. You can get…
burnafterrunningrpg.com
January 13, 2026 at 1:22 AM
We are surrounded by real-life horrors, but he's a review of Stay First, my game about fighting less scary, fictional horrors.
I just backed Swords Without Master on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...
I first played this, oh I don't know, maybe a decade ago. Honestly surprised more games aren't built off its chassis. One of the formative titles in indie RPGs! Very happy to finally have a real book.
I first played this, oh I don't know, maybe a decade ago. Honestly surprised more games aren't built off its chassis. One of the formative titles in indie RPGs! Very happy to finally have a real book.
Swords Without Master
A ttrpg of strange sorceries, ferocious deeds, and astounding wonder by Epidiah Ravachol.
www.kickstarter.com
January 12, 2026 at 10:50 PM
I just backed Swords Without Master on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...
I first played this, oh I don't know, maybe a decade ago. Honestly surprised more games aren't built off its chassis. One of the formative titles in indie RPGs! Very happy to finally have a real book.
I first played this, oh I don't know, maybe a decade ago. Honestly surprised more games aren't built off its chassis. One of the formative titles in indie RPGs! Very happy to finally have a real book.
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
This makes me very, very happy. I've spent a happy few days reading it, tweaking it and remembering how good it is.
Yes it's been that long.
Yes it's been that long.
January 12, 2026 at 7:05 PM
This makes me very, very happy. I've spent a happy few days reading it, tweaking it and remembering how good it is.
Yes it's been that long.
Yes it's been that long.
Hey @clarkvalentine.bsky.social I can't dm you! Can you hit the Slack real quick? I've got Thunder Road questions for you. 🚗💥
January 11, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Hey @clarkvalentine.bsky.social I can't dm you! Can you hit the Slack real quick? I've got Thunder Road questions for you. 🚗💥
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
I still say a|state is the best FitD game out there, and that includes the OG.
Check out our deep dive of a|state and read our actual play:
Check out our deep dive of a|state and read our actual play:
January 9, 2026 at 3:57 PM
I still say a|state is the best FitD game out there, and that includes the OG.
Check out our deep dive of a|state and read our actual play:
Check out our deep dive of a|state and read our actual play:
Cosigned
January 10, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Cosigned
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
TTRPG actual play can be text based and still rock your socks off, e.g.
And here's the ap, just an absolutely gorgeous run:
Actual Play: a|state (part 1 of 9)
I produce a lot of content almost every day at the Indie Game Reading Club Slack. This is a collection of my actual play reports from our big a|state campaign I ran earlier in the year. I’ve …
www.indiegamereadingclub.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:13 PM
TTRPG actual play can be text based and still rock your socks off, e.g.
I still say a|state is the best FitD game out there, and that includes the OG.
Check out our deep dive of a|state and read our actual play:
Check out our deep dive of a|state and read our actual play:
January 9, 2026 at 3:57 PM
I still say a|state is the best FitD game out there, and that includes the OG.
Check out our deep dive of a|state and read our actual play:
Check out our deep dive of a|state and read our actual play:
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
Our next crowdfunder!
Blades '68 grabs Blades in the Dark by the lapels of its woolen jacket and launches the game 100 years into the future!
New crews, new rules and subversive acts of radical revolution await you under the light of an artificial sun.
Sign up here:
www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
Blades '68 grabs Blades in the Dark by the lapels of its woolen jacket and launches the game 100 years into the future!
New crews, new rules and subversive acts of radical revolution await you under the light of an artificial sun.
Sign up here:
www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
January 8, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Our next crowdfunder!
Blades '68 grabs Blades in the Dark by the lapels of its woolen jacket and launches the game 100 years into the future!
New crews, new rules and subversive acts of radical revolution await you under the light of an artificial sun.
Sign up here:
www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
Blades '68 grabs Blades in the Dark by the lapels of its woolen jacket and launches the game 100 years into the future!
New crews, new rules and subversive acts of radical revolution await you under the light of an artificial sun.
Sign up here:
www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
Just read that they're now making two 600 page books (!) of my favorite-favorite fantasy game of all time.
We ran a gorgeous campaign of Stonetop here a couple years back and it was some of the best gaming of my life. How much of that is the game? Read my 10 part AP and decide for yourself:
We ran a gorgeous campaign of Stonetop here a couple years back and it was some of the best gaming of my life. How much of that is the game? Read my 10 part AP and decide for yourself:
January 5, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Just read that they're now making two 600 page books (!) of my favorite-favorite fantasy game of all time.
We ran a gorgeous campaign of Stonetop here a couple years back and it was some of the best gaming of my life. How much of that is the game? Read my 10 part AP and decide for yourself:
We ran a gorgeous campaign of Stonetop here a couple years back and it was some of the best gaming of my life. How much of that is the game? Read my 10 part AP and decide for yourself:
Just read that they're now making two 600 page books (!) of my favorite-favorite fantasy game of all time.
We ran a gorgeous campaign of Stonetop here a couple years back and it was some of the best gaming of my life. How much of that is the game? Read my 10 part AP and decide for yourself:
We ran a gorgeous campaign of Stonetop here a couple years back and it was some of the best gaming of my life. How much of that is the game? Read my 10 part AP and decide for yourself:
January 5, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Just read that they're now making two 600 page books (!) of my favorite-favorite fantasy game of all time.
We ran a gorgeous campaign of Stonetop here a couple years back and it was some of the best gaming of my life. How much of that is the game? Read my 10 part AP and decide for yourself:
We ran a gorgeous campaign of Stonetop here a couple years back and it was some of the best gaming of my life. How much of that is the game? Read my 10 part AP and decide for yourself:
Captain Churro's mail order bug dealer sends cute stickers. The gravity of D&D really is inescapable.
January 3, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Captain Churro's mail order bug dealer sends cute stickers. The gravity of D&D really is inescapable.
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
The Bloggies 2026 submissions are now open!
Submit your favorite posts, series, and debut blogs via the official Bloggies page between now and Jan 31st!
Please share this around. I'll be making regular Bloggies-themed announcements throughout the month.
www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
Submit your favorite posts, series, and debut blogs via the official Bloggies page between now and Jan 31st!
Please share this around. I'll be making regular Bloggies-themed announcements throughout the month.
www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
January 1, 2026 at 3:19 PM
The Bloggies 2026 submissions are now open!
Submit your favorite posts, series, and debut blogs via the official Bloggies page between now and Jan 31st!
Please share this around. I'll be making regular Bloggies-themed announcements throughout the month.
www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
Submit your favorite posts, series, and debut blogs via the official Bloggies page between now and Jan 31st!
Please share this around. I'll be making regular Bloggies-themed announcements throughout the month.
www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
It's game time!
January 1, 2026 at 10:47 AM
It's game time!
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
Still on time for #TheEndies, here are mini reviews for all twenty-nine games I played in 2025:
In 2025 I played twenty-nine role-playing games
The year is almost over, and I didn't do a lot of blogging here, regrettably. Turns out I can't really juggle a day job, a crowdfunding campaign, and a...
buttondown.com
December 28, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Still on time for #TheEndies, here are mini reviews for all twenty-nine games I played in 2025:
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
If you’re a fan of TTRPGs and are coming from Twitter, first off congratulations for leaving this aweful platform.
Second, the community here is great so here’s a nice starter pack of great TTRPG content creators to follow on Bluesky
Welcome!
go.bsky.app/BrCdFvX
Second, the community here is great so here’s a nice starter pack of great TTRPG content creators to follow on Bluesky
Welcome!
go.bsky.app/BrCdFvX
December 27, 2025 at 3:54 AM
If you’re a fan of TTRPGs and are coming from Twitter, first off congratulations for leaving this aweful platform.
Second, the community here is great so here’s a nice starter pack of great TTRPG content creators to follow on Bluesky
Welcome!
go.bsky.app/BrCdFvX
Second, the community here is great so here’s a nice starter pack of great TTRPG content creators to follow on Bluesky
Welcome!
go.bsky.app/BrCdFvX
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
It's EOY wrap-up season but here at IGRC World HQ that just means we'd better push out all the mini-reviews we didn't do all year long.
38 short reviews of what showed up on our doorstep in 2025. Is your favorite game in there? Looking for something new to play?
Big year. Much books. Wao.
38 short reviews of what showed up on our doorstep in 2025. Is your favorite game in there? Looking for something new to play?
Big year. Much books. Wao.
2025 Inbox at the Club
It will come as no surprise that a lot more games show up here at IGRC World HQ than we can possibly play. But they all get read! Given I greatly prefer to write based on play experience, and given…
indiegamereadingclub.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:04 PM
It's EOY wrap-up season but here at IGRC World HQ that just means we'd better push out all the mini-reviews we didn't do all year long.
38 short reviews of what showed up on our doorstep in 2025. Is your favorite game in there? Looking for something new to play?
Big year. Much books. Wao.
38 short reviews of what showed up on our doorstep in 2025. Is your favorite game in there? Looking for something new to play?
Big year. Much books. Wao.
Reposted by Indie Game Reading Club
The Indie Game Reading Club includes The Balsam Lake Unmurders 🌱 in his end-of-year wrap-up.
It's EOY wrap-up season but here at IGRC World HQ that just means we'd better push out all the mini-reviews we didn't do all year long.
38 short reviews of what showed up on our doorstep in 2025. Is your favorite game in there? Looking for something new to play?
Big year. Much books. Wao.
38 short reviews of what showed up on our doorstep in 2025. Is your favorite game in there? Looking for something new to play?
Big year. Much books. Wao.
2025 Inbox at the Club
It will come as no surprise that a lot more games show up here at IGRC World HQ than we can possibly play. But they all get read! Given I greatly prefer to write based on play experience, and given…
indiegamereadingclub.com
December 19, 2025 at 1:12 AM
The Indie Game Reading Club includes The Balsam Lake Unmurders 🌱 in his end-of-year wrap-up.