Jesse Ross
@jesseross.com
I design and develop experiences that bring people together. Creator of Trophy, Girl Underground, and other fine roleplaying games. Minnesotan and DFLer | he/him
https://jesseross.com
https://trophyrpg.com
https://hedgemazepress.itch.io
https://jesseross.com
https://trophyrpg.com
https://hedgemazepress.itch.io
Pinned
Jesse Ross
@jesseross.com
· Oct 19
Hi, I’m Jesse and I make tabletop RPGs. You might know me from my games Trophy, Girl Underground, R’lyehwatch, Sunset Kills or others (hedgemazepress.itch.io). I like smallish games where the mechanics reinforce the theme. I’m also a designer and illustrator and I do most of my own art and layout.
Reposted by Jesse Ross
Were 90s kids clamoring for a Batman cartoon with 1930s Art Deco aesthetics? Is that what the market demanded? Or did some really smart creative people have a vision and make a genre-defining hit that sustained 20 years of TV shows? If you want success look for vision, not just metrics.
January 1, 2026 at 12:54 AM
Were 90s kids clamoring for a Batman cartoon with 1930s Art Deco aesthetics? Is that what the market demanded? Or did some really smart creative people have a vision and make a genre-defining hit that sustained 20 years of TV shows? If you want success look for vision, not just metrics.
🐙🌊🏄♂️ This is amazing! 🤩
I ran several charity games this year, most notably @jesseross.com and @jaymeantrim.bsky.social 's game, R'lyehwatch, where we raised over $250 this year for charities through @startplaying.bsky.social charity initiatives with a returning group of lifeguards!
December 31, 2025 at 3:06 AM
🐙🌊🏄♂️ This is amazing! 🤩
Reposted by Jesse Ross
Your local librarian here to say that it’s great if you read lots of books this year, alright if you read barely anything, that audiobooks, romance and graphic novels are all valid formats and genres, and that some authors suck but we’re still not stopping you from reading them.
December 29, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Your local librarian here to say that it’s great if you read lots of books this year, alright if you read barely anything, that audiobooks, romance and graphic novels are all valid formats and genres, and that some authors suck but we’re still not stopping you from reading them.
Reposted by Jesse Ross
My End of Year video is on the "Golden Age of Indie RPGs," from roughly 2010 to 2025. I start with Apocalypse World's release, work through the Google+ Era, and follow design lineages and historical events that have impacted the hobby up through 2025.
The Golden Age of Indie RPGs: 2010-2025
YouTube video by A.A. Voigt
youtu.be
December 29, 2025 at 5:07 PM
My End of Year video is on the "Golden Age of Indie RPGs," from roughly 2010 to 2025. I start with Apocalypse World's release, work through the Google+ Era, and follow design lineages and historical events that have impacted the hobby up through 2025.
I just finished listening to @aavoigt.bsky.social’s massive overview of the indie TTRPG scene. Definitely worth checking out, and be sure to stick around until the very end for a sweet story by @megueyb.bsky.social and @lumpley.bsky.social.
youtu.be/dm0dnjbQzD4
youtu.be/dm0dnjbQzD4
The Golden Age of Indie RPGs: 2010-2025
YouTube video by A.A. Voigt
youtu.be
December 29, 2025 at 9:05 PM
I just finished listening to @aavoigt.bsky.social’s massive overview of the indie TTRPG scene. Definitely worth checking out, and be sure to stick around until the very end for a sweet story by @megueyb.bsky.social and @lumpley.bsky.social.
youtu.be/dm0dnjbQzD4
youtu.be/dm0dnjbQzD4
Reposted by Jesse Ross
December was a LOT, but I still managed to put the finishing touches on the PT-BR translation for one of my favourite games ever, the Codex Gold version of Trophy Gold!
It's out now on my Ko-Fi, free of charge, and it includes printer-friendly versions of the rulebook and all the character sheets.
It's out now on my Ko-Fi, free of charge, and it includes printer-friendly versions of the rulebook and all the character sheets.
December 27, 2025 at 10:27 PM
December was a LOT, but I still managed to put the finishing touches on the PT-BR translation for one of my favourite games ever, the Codex Gold version of Trophy Gold!
It's out now on my Ko-Fi, free of charge, and it includes printer-friendly versions of the rulebook and all the character sheets.
It's out now on my Ko-Fi, free of charge, and it includes printer-friendly versions of the rulebook and all the character sheets.
Reposted by Jesse Ross
A lot of you know the games I've made, but there are surely many who don't. I wrote one in 2001 called The Pool that I almost never talk about, but I'm very proud of it. I'll tell you about it now, for giggles.
It's a "rules lite" game. It's a GM game. It is universal, generic, or non-setting. 1/5
It's a "rules lite" game. It's a GM game. It is universal, generic, or non-setting. 1/5
December 27, 2025 at 4:58 AM
A lot of you know the games I've made, but there are surely many who don't. I wrote one in 2001 called The Pool that I almost never talk about, but I'm very proud of it. I'll tell you about it now, for giggles.
It's a "rules lite" game. It's a GM game. It is universal, generic, or non-setting. 1/5
It's a "rules lite" game. It's a GM game. It is universal, generic, or non-setting. 1/5
Reposted by Jesse Ross
lol I cannot tell you how many times I've heard this. I feel fairly confident that I executed the best iteration of the World of Darkness Storyteller System. Feels good.
I have been annoying my partner non stop for two months now, every day calling Vampire Dark Ages 20th edition "the good one", and only today i connected "wait, that is the one @machineiv.bsky.social was the lead dev for" and it is so obvious now lmao.
Yeah, the good one.
Yeah, the good one.
December 27, 2025 at 1:45 AM
lol I cannot tell you how many times I've heard this. I feel fairly confident that I executed the best iteration of the World of Darkness Storyteller System. Feels good.
Reposted by Jesse Ross
From the publisher that brings you Sprigs & Kindling (that's me!), in collaboration with @jesseross.com and @pemetawe.bsky.social comes a new anthology of one shot incursions for Trophy! Sign up to be notified of launch 😄 www.kickstarter.com/projects/fir...
Coming soon: Ruin: An Anthology of One Shot Incursions for Trophy
A collection of 14 new incursions for Trophy Gold and Trophy Dark.
www.kickstarter.com
December 22, 2025 at 1:37 PM
From the publisher that brings you Sprigs & Kindling (that's me!), in collaboration with @jesseross.com and @pemetawe.bsky.social comes a new anthology of one shot incursions for Trophy! Sign up to be notified of launch 😄 www.kickstarter.com/projects/fir...
Reposted by Jesse Ross
Watching THE GREEN KNIGHT again
April 22, 2024 at 7:43 PM
Watching THE GREEN KNIGHT again
Reposted by Jesse Ross
Speaking of TLR, we have a logo now! Courtesy of @jesseross.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Speaking of TLR, we have a logo now! Courtesy of @jesseross.com
Reposted by Jesse Ross
Sure, you know about Vancian Magic, but what about Jackian Magic? (Someone please finish this design.)
www.explorersdesign.com/jackian-magic/
www.explorersdesign.com/jackian-magic/
The Jackian Magic System
Experimental mechanics that combine Mausritter inventory, Tetris, and engine-building into an alternative Vancian magic system.
www.explorersdesign.com
December 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Sure, you know about Vancian Magic, but what about Jackian Magic? (Someone please finish this design.)
www.explorersdesign.com/jackian-magic/
www.explorersdesign.com/jackian-magic/
Reposted by Jesse Ross
This anthology is chock full of incredible designers. Go sign up to back it and get yourself a bunch of fresh Trophy incursions!
From the publisher that brings you Sprigs & Kindling (that's me!), in collaboration with @jesseross.com and @pemetawe.bsky.social comes a new anthology of one shot incursions for Trophy! Sign up to be notified of launch 😄 www.kickstarter.com/projects/fir...
Coming soon: Ruin: An Anthology of One Shot Incursions for Trophy
A collection of 14 new incursions for Trophy Gold and Trophy Dark.
www.kickstarter.com
December 22, 2025 at 1:42 PM
This anthology is chock full of incredible designers. Go sign up to back it and get yourself a bunch of fresh Trophy incursions!
Reposted by Jesse Ross
Hi! I'm Hodag RPG. I'm a 4x Ennie Winning Illustrator and Gamesmaker, originally from Wisconsin.
Anti AI.
I do Black & White Interior illustrations for OSR and NSR projects! I love Star Wars, DC Comics and Pokémon alot. I hate bullies, bigots and jabronis.
Trad Games🤝 Progressive Everything Else
Anti AI.
I do Black & White Interior illustrations for OSR and NSR projects! I love Star Wars, DC Comics and Pokémon alot. I hate bullies, bigots and jabronis.
Trad Games🤝 Progressive Everything Else
December 22, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Hi! I'm Hodag RPG. I'm a 4x Ennie Winning Illustrator and Gamesmaker, originally from Wisconsin.
Anti AI.
I do Black & White Interior illustrations for OSR and NSR projects! I love Star Wars, DC Comics and Pokémon alot. I hate bullies, bigots and jabronis.
Trad Games🤝 Progressive Everything Else
Anti AI.
I do Black & White Interior illustrations for OSR and NSR projects! I love Star Wars, DC Comics and Pokémon alot. I hate bullies, bigots and jabronis.
Trad Games🤝 Progressive Everything Else
Reposted by Jesse Ross
Fomoria Quickstart is crawling out of the earth now, free to download! Includes core rules, an intro adventure and 8 pregen characters ready to be consumed by the Darkness. An epic folk horror TTRPG created by Tania Herrero, laid out and published by @nohr.se
tania-herrero.itch.io/fomoria-quic...
tania-herrero.itch.io/fomoria-quic...
Fomoria - Quickstart by Tania Herrero, Johan Nohr
tania-herrero.itch.io
December 20, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Fomoria Quickstart is crawling out of the earth now, free to download! Includes core rules, an intro adventure and 8 pregen characters ready to be consumed by the Darkness. An epic folk horror TTRPG created by Tania Herrero, laid out and published by @nohr.se
tania-herrero.itch.io/fomoria-quic...
tania-herrero.itch.io/fomoria-quic...
Reposted by Jesse Ross
The pre-order campaign for the Songbirds reprint is still going. I'll be making a blog post about more details, but if like dungeon crawler games, eldritch fantasy, body horror, and weird magic systems, Songbirds is the game for you.
It's set in a sci-fantasy world where the god of Death sleeps~
It's set in a sci-fantasy world where the god of Death sleeps~
December 17, 2025 at 3:58 PM
The pre-order campaign for the Songbirds reprint is still going. I'll be making a blog post about more details, but if like dungeon crawler games, eldritch fantasy, body horror, and weird magic systems, Songbirds is the game for you.
It's set in a sci-fantasy world where the god of Death sleeps~
It's set in a sci-fantasy world where the god of Death sleeps~
Reposted by Jesse Ross
Apocalypse World is profoundly important work. It has shaped the landscape of roleplaying games for over a decade, and with this third edition, I'm sure it'll continue to shape it for a decade more. Clever, gripping, and human. There's still a few hours to snag your kickstarter copy!
Here it is. The final 24 hours. You've helped coax banked embers into a steady flame. Tell me, what is one thing you'll bring with you into What-Comes-Next? Seeds? Thread? A good kitchen knife? What will you make of what's left? Together, let's light up the world.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
Apocalypse World: Burned Over
The 3rd edition of the groundbreaking original.
www.kickstarter.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Apocalypse World is profoundly important work. It has shaped the landscape of roleplaying games for over a decade, and with this third edition, I'm sure it'll continue to shape it for a decade more. Clever, gripping, and human. There's still a few hours to snag your kickstarter copy!
Reposted by Jesse Ross
great piece by isi baehr-breen on his old boss rep ilhan omar - "Why Ilhan Omar Makes the Right Lose Its Mind"
www.thenation.com/article/poli...
www.thenation.com/article/poli...
Why Ilhan Omar Makes the Right Lose Its Mind
Trump and his MAGA allies want people like Omar to vanish from this country—and they hate her for refusing to do so.
www.thenation.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:26 PM
great piece by isi baehr-breen on his old boss rep ilhan omar - "Why Ilhan Omar Makes the Right Lose Its Mind"
www.thenation.com/article/poli...
www.thenation.com/article/poli...
Reposted by Jesse Ross
There's only a few days 'til xmas, so if you're panic shopping, maybe consider The Wassailing of Claus Manor and all its attendant expansion zines for your loved ones?
And if someone's been REALLY good, maybe they deserve the deluxe family deck. MAYBE.
plusoneexp.com/collections/...
And if someone's been REALLY good, maybe they deserve the deluxe family deck. MAYBE.
plusoneexp.com/collections/...
The Wassailing of Claus Manor Collection
A Horrific New Holiday Tradition by Martens, Sago & Van Vleet.Brought to you by Plus One Exp & Clear Keep.
plusoneexp.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:43 PM
There's only a few days 'til xmas, so if you're panic shopping, maybe consider The Wassailing of Claus Manor and all its attendant expansion zines for your loved ones?
And if someone's been REALLY good, maybe they deserve the deluxe family deck. MAYBE.
plusoneexp.com/collections/...
And if someone's been REALLY good, maybe they deserve the deluxe family deck. MAYBE.
plusoneexp.com/collections/...
They found the Lost City of Ys! Or at least something that may have inspired the ancestral memory of a sunken city in Celtic cultures. This is very relevant to some world-building I'm doing! www.404media.co/scientists-d...
Scientists Discover Massive Underwater Ruins That May Be a Lost City of Legend
Scientists found submerged stone structures off Brittany that date back at least 7,000 years, which may have been used as fish traps and protective cover for prehistoric people.
www.404media.co
December 18, 2025 at 2:23 PM
They found the Lost City of Ys! Or at least something that may have inspired the ancestral memory of a sunken city in Celtic cultures. This is very relevant to some world-building I'm doing! www.404media.co/scientists-d...
Reposted by Jesse Ross
#TTRPG persons: you have until Christmas Day to get hold of our beloved and acclaimed TEETH zines of 18th century horror, lost pigs, and ballgowns, at a bold 50% off!
It's the incredibly toothsome TEETHAZINE Bundle: itch.io/s/167336/tee...
It's the incredibly toothsome TEETHAZINE Bundle: itch.io/s/167336/tee...
TEETHazine Bundle by TEETH: A ROLEPLAYING GAME
A bundle by TEETH: A ROLEPLAYING GAME, $13.00 for STRANGER & STRANGER, BLOOD COTILLION, MORE TEETH
itch.io
December 17, 2025 at 12:32 PM
#TTRPG persons: you have until Christmas Day to get hold of our beloved and acclaimed TEETH zines of 18th century horror, lost pigs, and ballgowns, at a bold 50% off!
It's the incredibly toothsome TEETHAZINE Bundle: itch.io/s/167336/tee...
It's the incredibly toothsome TEETHAZINE Bundle: itch.io/s/167336/tee...
If you’re into retro video games, this looks like it’ll be super neat: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtOV...
NEW Game Engine, Anyone?
YouTube video by SpaceCat
www.youtube.com
December 16, 2025 at 5:53 PM
If you’re into retro video games, this looks like it’ll be super neat: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtOV...
It’s here! I got to plant some dangerous trees in @clearkeep.bsky.social’s world of Wassailing!
We checked our list w/@clearkeep.bsky.social & found out you've been nice
The Pine Tar of Claus Manor is the second expansion for the award-winning Wassailing of Claus Manor & brings in a wrecking crew of contributors!
Let's dive into it, and why you should grab it TODAY!
ttrpg.link/PineTar
1/4
The Pine Tar of Claus Manor is the second expansion for the award-winning Wassailing of Claus Manor & brings in a wrecking crew of contributors!
Let's dive into it, and why you should grab it TODAY!
ttrpg.link/PineTar
1/4
The Pine Tar of Claus Manor
The Wassailing is back...Have you been naughty or nice? The Pine Tar looks outside the estate grounds for new calamities to befall The Wassailing of Claus Manor. In this holiday number we entangle the...
ttrpg.link
December 16, 2025 at 4:52 PM
It’s here! I got to plant some dangerous trees in @clearkeep.bsky.social’s world of Wassailing!
Reposted by Jesse Ross
I love the minimal approach here with chess pawns especially. It's easy and I agree that the impact of putting a fully painted mini down after mostly fighting green pawns is powerful visual design.
December 15, 2025 at 3:53 PM
I love the minimal approach here with chess pawns especially. It's easy and I agree that the impact of putting a fully painted mini down after mostly fighting green pawns is powerful visual design.