WiddershinsWanderings
@naeolin.bsky.social
TTRPG Fanatic | Editor | Blogger: http://widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
Welcome to the barrow... Additional Bones of Bronze art - part of why it's taken so long is because it's just a lot of skeletons...
December 25, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Welcome to the barrow... Additional Bones of Bronze art - part of why it's taken so long is because it's just a lot of skeletons...
An alternate magic system for Cairn has entered the arena...
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 4:48 PM
An alternate magic system for Cairn has entered the arena...
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
Was thinking of doing an RPGs of 2025 review thing, but then couldn’t because one of my friends who I gamed with died this year and it’s all too much.
So I’ll just say that my number 1 RPG thing this year was running Beyond the Pale in Cairn 2e (both adventure and system written by Yochai Gal).
So I’ll just say that my number 1 RPG thing this year was running Beyond the Pale in Cairn 2e (both adventure and system written by Yochai Gal).
December 23, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Was thinking of doing an RPGs of 2025 review thing, but then couldn’t because one of my friends who I gamed with died this year and it’s all too much.
So I’ll just say that my number 1 RPG thing this year was running Beyond the Pale in Cairn 2e (both adventure and system written by Yochai Gal).
So I’ll just say that my number 1 RPG thing this year was running Beyond the Pale in Cairn 2e (both adventure and system written by Yochai Gal).
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
Flatline on the Blocks has been such a fun project! I hadn’t written for Mothership in a while after writing Resonant so it was a good time to work with everybody. #osr www.backerkit.com/c/projects/s...
FLATLINE ON THE BLOCKS: A dicey district for Mothership RPG
Eighteen Mothership veterans tear open the Spinal Crux District, a 56pg zine detailing the EYE and its twenty Blocks on Prospero's Dream.
www.backerkit.com
December 23, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Flatline on the Blocks has been such a fun project! I hadn’t written for Mothership in a while after writing Resonant so it was a good time to work with everybody. #osr www.backerkit.com/c/projects/s...
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
One of the most gorgeous games I've come across in awhile is Vaults of Vaarn. I love these kind of settings born out of a creators' passion for an imagined place. Ultimately, they're some of my favorite things about roleplaying games.
vaults-of-vaarn-second-edition.backerkit.com/hosted_preor...
vaults-of-vaarn-second-edition.backerkit.com/hosted_preor...
Pre-order Vaults of Vaarn Second Edition on BackerKit
The second edition of Vaults of Vaarn, the acclaimed science-fantasy adventure game.
vaults-of-vaarn-second-edition.backerkit.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:56 PM
One of the most gorgeous games I've come across in awhile is Vaults of Vaarn. I love these kind of settings born out of a creators' passion for an imagined place. Ultimately, they're some of my favorite things about roleplaying games.
vaults-of-vaarn-second-edition.backerkit.com/hosted_preor...
vaults-of-vaarn-second-edition.backerkit.com/hosted_preor...
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
Citation is easy. It's a couple of lines on your credits page.
Citation is encouragement. Every time somebody else acknowledges me this way, I feel like the work is worthwhile.
Citation is introspection. You are marking your trajectory, the ports you have called at, as a maker.
1/
Citation is encouragement. Every time somebody else acknowledges me this way, I feel like the work is worthwhile.
Citation is introspection. You are marking your trajectory, the ports you have called at, as a maker.
1/
December 21, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Citation is easy. It's a couple of lines on your credits page.
Citation is encouragement. Every time somebody else acknowledges me this way, I feel like the work is worthwhile.
Citation is introspection. You are marking your trajectory, the ports you have called at, as a maker.
1/
Citation is encouragement. Every time somebody else acknowledges me this way, I feel like the work is worthwhile.
Citation is introspection. You are marking your trajectory, the ports you have called at, as a maker.
1/
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
New Dungeon (in blog form): Castle Claus, or The Keep on the North Pole
A Rankin Bass Christmas-themed dungeon for the Merry Hexmas Blog Bandwagon. Possibly one of my more high effort blog posts to date
#osr #ttrpg
A Rankin Bass Christmas-themed dungeon for the Merry Hexmas Blog Bandwagon. Possibly one of my more high effort blog posts to date
#osr #ttrpg
Castle Claus: The Keep on the North Pole — Prismatic Wasteland
A Merry Hexmas location: dungeoncrawl through Santa Claus’ castle. Whether you lead an elf and reindeer uprising is up to you!
www.prismaticwasteland.com
December 18, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
Blog map update!
- Added many more blogs
- Pulled in more historical post data (Substack, Ghost + others)
- Reworked the side-panel stats to be clearer
The new data also reshaped the communities. We're at eight now.
graph.elmc.at
- Added many more blogs
- Pulled in more historical post data (Substack, Ghost + others)
- Reworked the side-panel stats to be clearer
The new data also reshaped the communities. We're at eight now.
graph.elmc.at
Blogosphere Map
An interactive map of TTRPG related blogs, linked by who cites whom.
graph.elmc.at
December 18, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Blog map update!
- Added many more blogs
- Pulled in more historical post data (Substack, Ghost + others)
- Reworked the side-panel stats to be clearer
The new data also reshaped the communities. We're at eight now.
graph.elmc.at
- Added many more blogs
- Pulled in more historical post data (Substack, Ghost + others)
- Reworked the side-panel stats to be clearer
The new data also reshaped the communities. We're at eight now.
graph.elmc.at
Clayton consistently gives the best design advice in the business, most of it free for all. Anyone who works on TTRPG books, whether they do Layout or not, would be a damn fool not to subscribe to Explorers Design.
99% of rpg zines and books should have page numbers.
And that's just the start. There's actually a lot of technique and intentionality behind things like page numbers, running headers, etc.
Let me know what you think!
www.explorersdesign.com/designing-si...
And that's just the start. There's actually a lot of technique and intentionality behind things like page numbers, running headers, etc.
Let me know what you think!
www.explorersdesign.com/designing-si...
How to Design Signals in Books
User-friendly definitions, tips, and tricks for tabletop rpg designers.
www.explorersdesign.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Clayton consistently gives the best design advice in the business, most of it free for all. Anyone who works on TTRPG books, whether they do Layout or not, would be a damn fool not to subscribe to Explorers Design.
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
If you are a fan of the BlueSky OSR feed Yochai created, that I now manage, please consider donating for its upkeep costs! The service we use has created this convenient page where you can donate directly to paying for the feed’s hosting.
blueskyfeedcreator.com/p/save.vs.to...
blueskyfeedcreator.com/p/save.vs.to...
OSR Feed
This feed collects posts related to the OSR, the RPG scene centred around old-school Dungeons & Dragons and friends. The feed will pull posts related to OSR games and topics, like B/X, Mork Borg, Mega...
blueskyfeedcreator.com
December 13, 2025 at 3:41 PM
If you are a fan of the BlueSky OSR feed Yochai created, that I now manage, please consider donating for its upkeep costs! The service we use has created this convenient page where you can donate directly to paying for the feed’s hosting.
blueskyfeedcreator.com/p/save.vs.to...
blueskyfeedcreator.com/p/save.vs.to...
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
I'm back at work on my Patreon (link in bio), with a new Whispered Secrets dropping Monday. It's 15 zine pages of sweet lore on ancient Zyanese history, and religion! I think I figured out how I want to present lore for Zyan when it assumes its final form. I'll say more Monday.
December 13, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I'm back at work on my Patreon (link in bio), with a new Whispered Secrets dropping Monday. It's 15 zine pages of sweet lore on ancient Zyanese history, and religion! I think I figured out how I want to present lore for Zyan when it assumes its final form. I'll say more Monday.
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
"Well, I'm back" he said.
Over the last three months, I've keyed every hex in the bounds of the Shire, including rumors, nested random encounters, and five embedded mini-dungeons. I've collated them into a document, linked on the blog:
Over the last three months, I've keyed every hex in the bounds of the Shire, including rumors, nested random encounters, and five embedded mini-dungeons. I've collated them into a document, linked on the blog:
Middle-earth Hexcrawl Project: The Shire (Complete)
Back in September of this year , I began a daily writing prompt inspired by this year's reread of The Lord of the Rings and Idraluna Archiv...
riseupcomus.blogspot.com
December 12, 2025 at 5:05 PM
"Well, I'm back" he said.
Over the last three months, I've keyed every hex in the bounds of the Shire, including rumors, nested random encounters, and five embedded mini-dungeons. I've collated them into a document, linked on the blog:
Over the last three months, I've keyed every hex in the bounds of the Shire, including rumors, nested random encounters, and five embedded mini-dungeons. I've collated them into a document, linked on the blog:
I'm back with another Play Style Preferences. Let us travel back to the early days of the OSR: before Shadowdark, OSE, or Cairn.
Today's post focuses on the fabled OSR G+ campaigns and the lessons they have to teach us about building worlds.
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/playstyle-pr...
Today's post focuses on the fabled OSR G+ campaigns and the lessons they have to teach us about building worlds.
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/playstyle-pr...
Play Style Preferences: Widdershins Worldbuilding
A blog post talking about my ideal campaign structure for an Adventure game of the OSR play style.
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev
December 12, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I'm back with another Play Style Preferences. Let us travel back to the early days of the OSR: before Shadowdark, OSE, or Cairn.
Today's post focuses on the fabled OSR G+ campaigns and the lessons they have to teach us about building worlds.
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/playstyle-pr...
Today's post focuses on the fabled OSR G+ campaigns and the lessons they have to teach us about building worlds.
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/playstyle-pr...
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
One of my favorite artists and people, Skullboy, is making an illustrated book of Demons as part of OSE Month. Follow it on Backerkit!
www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
Get Ready for Skullboy's Illustrated Guide to Demons
From Better Legends - Get Ready for Skullboy's Illustrated Guide to Demons
www.backerkit.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:00 PM
One of my favorite artists and people, Skullboy, is making an illustrated book of Demons as part of OSE Month. Follow it on Backerkit!
www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
This holiday season, give your favorite creators the perfect gift: attention. A 5-star rating, a product review on Exalted, or even a share on Reddit.
www.explorersdesign.com/critmas-2025/
www.explorersdesign.com/critmas-2025/
Critmas Gift Guide 2025
The 3 gifts every game designer wants (and a holiday party idea).
www.explorersdesign.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:54 PM
This holiday season, give your favorite creators the perfect gift: attention. A 5-star rating, a product review on Exalted, or even a share on Reddit.
www.explorersdesign.com/critmas-2025/
www.explorersdesign.com/critmas-2025/
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
Critique Navidad! Brinkwood and Spire, eat your hearts out, Chain x Link is the fantastical revolution for me. Play revolutionary leaders, jailed in a megadungaeon, fighting your way out, smuggling loot to your faction, while also running the faction above ground! idlecartulary.com/2025/12/09/c...
Critique Navidad: Chain x Link
Each holiday season, I review different modules, games or supplements as a thank you to the wider tabletop roleplaying game community. All of the work I review during Critique Navidad is either giv…
idlecartulary.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Critique Navidad! Brinkwood and Spire, eat your hearts out, Chain x Link is the fantastical revolution for me. Play revolutionary leaders, jailed in a megadungaeon, fighting your way out, smuggling loot to your faction, while also running the faction above ground! idlecartulary.com/2025/12/09/c...
I really enjoy reading about things people like about their play styles. This is an interesting perspective.
From scenario design to non-diegetic information, I bring a sort of character-tailored play to the table that flies in the face of the classic OSR blorb principles.
www.fluoriteguillotine.com/blog/2025/12...
www.fluoriteguillotine.com/blog/2025/12...
anti-blorb principles
I hang out with a lot of OSR folks. It’s where I’ve found community, and it’s where I perceive the most discussion happening in the ttrpg space. The blogging culture is thriving and it feels like peop...
www.fluoriteguillotine.com
December 6, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I really enjoy reading about things people like about their play styles. This is an interesting perspective.
Martin always makes great stuff. Do yourself a favor and pick this up.
New Adventure: RUIN OF REPUTATION is a free, one session beginner puzzle dungeon for Cairn 2E. It has 10 rooms and should take around 3.5 hours.
Supplementary material is provided for continuing the adventure's story through a longer campaign.
pointlessmonument.itch.io/ruin-of-repu...
Supplementary material is provided for continuing the adventure's story through a longer campaign.
pointlessmonument.itch.io/ruin-of-repu...
Ruin of Reputation by Pointless Monument
A one session beginner puzzle dungeon for Cairn 2E
pointlessmonument.itch.io
December 6, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Martin always makes great stuff. Do yourself a favor and pick this up.
If there is one thing I am nostalgic about, it is G+ campaigns. I love that Ram is reposting his old Carcosa play reports.
In session 4 of Masters of Carcosa, the Rainbow Connection travels North to attack the Orange Man Citadel, home to cultists weirdos and allies to their most hated enemy, the Jale slavers. This was the session I also decided I needed proper procedures for play for my hexcrawl, like a real OSR nerd.
Save vs. Total Party Kill - Masters of Carcosa - Session 4
Almost a full month since our last game! The fastest way to kill a campaign is to miss games, and playing every week meant that a missed game had an oversized impact. I’m impressed the Carcosa game ma...
save.vs.totalpartykill.ca
December 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM
If there is one thing I am nostalgic about, it is G+ campaigns. I love that Ram is reposting his old Carcosa play reports.
Once more because I'm a silly goose and always forget to #osr posts.
I'm back with another of my Play Style Preferences. This time, I'm talking about Diegetic Advancement and how I prefer Character Cultivation over Character Builds.
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/playstyle-pr...
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/playstyle-pr...
Play Style Preferences: Character Cultivation, Not Character Builds
A blog post talking about the benefits of developing and advancing your character based on experiences grounded in in-session action when playing Adventure games of the OSR play style.
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev
December 5, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Once more because I'm a silly goose and always forget to #osr posts.
I'm back with another of my Play Style Preferences. This time, I'm talking about Diegetic Advancement and how I prefer Character Cultivation over Character Builds.
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/playstyle-pr...
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/playstyle-pr...
Play Style Preferences: Character Cultivation, Not Character Builds
A blog post talking about the benefits of developing and advancing your character based on experiences grounded in in-session action when playing Adventure games of the OSR play style.
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev
December 4, 2025 at 10:41 PM
I'm back with another of my Play Style Preferences. This time, I'm talking about Diegetic Advancement and how I prefer Character Cultivation over Character Builds.
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/playstyle-pr...
widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/playstyle-pr...
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
I come to you like Paul Revere on the back of a liger. The Bloggies are coming!
Like, share, and subscribe.
www.explorersdesign.com/the-bloggies...
Like, share, and subscribe.
www.explorersdesign.com/the-bloggies...
The Bloggies 2026!
The blogosphere's annual celebration is coming back.
www.explorersdesign.com
December 3, 2025 at 3:33 PM
I come to you like Paul Revere on the back of a liger. The Bloggies are coming!
Like, share, and subscribe.
www.explorersdesign.com/the-bloggies...
Like, share, and subscribe.
www.explorersdesign.com/the-bloggies...
The most important play report of all: How Prismatic Wasteland prevailed over Widdershins Wanderings and Bastionland in a board game battle.
I had fun at PAX Unplugged! I played over 20 hours worth of games and went out to the local taverns every night. How did I do it all? That’s proprietary, but you can instead read all about the games I played
#osr #ttrpg
#osr #ttrpg
PAXU: Cram a Month of Gaming into One Weekend — Prismatic Wasteland
I Played Seven Games at PAX Unplugged and Lived To Tell You the Tales Thereof
www.prismaticwasteland.com
December 2, 2025 at 3:12 PM
The most important play report of all: How Prismatic Wasteland prevailed over Widdershins Wanderings and Bastionland in a board game battle.
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
The Explorateur #14 is out now! The only newsletter designed to level-up your design skills (how's that for sales copy?).
Please like, share, and subscribe. If you have any links you particularly like, drop a comment on Explorers Design or here.
www.explorersdesign.com/explorateur-...
Please like, share, and subscribe. If you have any links you particularly like, drop a comment on Explorers Design or here.
www.explorersdesign.com/explorateur-...
The Explorateur: Issue #14
Monthly design jams, critique, theory, and inspiration for tabletop rpg designers by rpg designers. Vetted. Looted. Curated.
www.explorersdesign.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:06 PM
The Explorateur #14 is out now! The only newsletter designed to level-up your design skills (how's that for sales copy?).
Please like, share, and subscribe. If you have any links you particularly like, drop a comment on Explorers Design or here.
www.explorersdesign.com/explorateur-...
Please like, share, and subscribe. If you have any links you particularly like, drop a comment on Explorers Design or here.
www.explorersdesign.com/explorateur-...
Reposted by WiddershinsWanderings
Here’s my recap of PAX Unplugged 2025 weirdwonder.net/pax-unplugge...
PAX Unplugged 2025 Recap
This past weekend I attended PAX Unplugged for the third time, a con that I highly recommend as it is a very fun mix of board games and roleplaying games.
...
weirdwonder.net
November 28, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Here’s my recap of PAX Unplugged 2025 weirdwonder.net/pax-unplugge...