Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
@riseupcomus.bsky.social
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Hello! My name is Josh and I like RPGs.
Here's an overview of some of my current projects:
His Majesty the Worm - A new/old-school, tarot-based, megadungeon crawler
Dungeon Design Course - Make a dungeon with me!
Knock! - Adventure gaming bric-a-brac
Here's an overview of some of my current projects:
His Majesty the Worm - A new/old-school, tarot-based, megadungeon crawler
Dungeon Design Course - Make a dungeon with me!
Knock! - Adventure gaming bric-a-brac
Reposted by Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
🤔 What about PC backpacks as secondary objectives for monsters? Taking them off gives +1 to all d20 rolls, but will the walking brains of the Crystal Library walk off with them?
icastlight.blogspot.com/2026/01/your...
icastlight.blogspot.com/2026/01/your...
YOUR BACKPACK IS A SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: Don't Let Monsters Steal Them
There was a discussion in a Discord forum I inhabited about how realistic the encumbrance of ration is in BX D&D. That doesn't interest me...
icastlight.blogspot.com
January 21, 2026 at 2:35 AM
🤔 What about PC backpacks as secondary objectives for monsters? Taking them off gives +1 to all d20 rolls, but will the walking brains of the Crystal Library walk off with them?
icastlight.blogspot.com/2026/01/your...
icastlight.blogspot.com/2026/01/your...
Hobbits have macaroni access, confirmed
January 20, 2026 at 9:22 PM
Hobbits have macaroni access, confirmed
I just discovered this album: In the Forest Singing Sorrowless by Joy Shannon, featuring Ruth Tolkien and members of Heilung and Osi and the Jupiter.
It's Tolkien songs set to harp music. Excellent music to do my daily Middle-earth Hexcrawl writing project to.
It's Tolkien songs set to harp music. Excellent music to do my daily Middle-earth Hexcrawl writing project to.
In The Forest Singing Sorrowless, by Joy Shannon
6 track album
joyshannon.bandcamp.com
January 20, 2026 at 5:02 PM
I just discovered this album: In the Forest Singing Sorrowless by Joy Shannon, featuring Ruth Tolkien and members of Heilung and Osi and the Jupiter.
It's Tolkien songs set to harp music. Excellent music to do my daily Middle-earth Hexcrawl writing project to.
It's Tolkien songs set to harp music. Excellent music to do my daily Middle-earth Hexcrawl writing project to.
It's here! It's finally here!
OK. Listen.
At one level, this game is about being the monsters. Setting traps for heroes, etc.
But the metatextual level is even better: negotiating with management to get decent breakrooms for goblins, cutthroat tactics for promotion, etc.
Don't miss it!
OK. Listen.
At one level, this game is about being the monsters. Setting traps for heroes, etc.
But the metatextual level is even better: negotiating with management to get decent breakrooms for goblins, cutthroat tactics for promotion, etc.
Don't miss it!
January 20, 2026 at 3:22 PM
It's here! It's finally here!
OK. Listen.
At one level, this game is about being the monsters. Setting traps for heroes, etc.
But the metatextual level is even better: negotiating with management to get decent breakrooms for goblins, cutthroat tactics for promotion, etc.
Don't miss it!
OK. Listen.
At one level, this game is about being the monsters. Setting traps for heroes, etc.
But the metatextual level is even better: negotiating with management to get decent breakrooms for goblins, cutthroat tactics for promotion, etc.
Don't miss it!
Went through what was once the longest tunnel in the world, bored straight through the mountains of Appalachia
Number of goblins: 0
The search continues
Number of goblins: 0
The search continues
January 20, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Went through what was once the longest tunnel in the world, bored straight through the mountains of Appalachia
Number of goblins: 0
The search continues
Number of goblins: 0
The search continues
Reposted by Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
In tabletop rpg design, sometimes gameplay doesn't come from the mechanics we add, but the ones we omit.
www.explorersdesign.com/dominant-mec...
www.explorersdesign.com/dominant-mec...
Against Dominant Mechanics
Some rules guide play. And some rules monopolize it. Designing by omission.
www.explorersdesign.com
January 20, 2026 at 2:59 PM
In tabletop rpg design, sometimes gameplay doesn't come from the mechanics we add, but the ones we omit.
www.explorersdesign.com/dominant-mec...
www.explorersdesign.com/dominant-mec...
Hey, I'm on Born to Lose - a Torchbearer RPG Podcast!
When I first read Torchbearer, I knew I still had to create His Majesty the Worm to get the perfect dungeoneering experience *for me*. Ross got me on a hot mic at the beginning talking about that--I didn't know we were recording yet! 😁
When I first read Torchbearer, I knew I still had to create His Majesty the Worm to get the perfect dungeoneering experience *for me*. Ross got me on a hot mic at the beginning talking about that--I didn't know we were recording yet! 😁
January 19, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Hey, I'm on Born to Lose - a Torchbearer RPG Podcast!
When I first read Torchbearer, I knew I still had to create His Majesty the Worm to get the perfect dungeoneering experience *for me*. Ross got me on a hot mic at the beginning talking about that--I didn't know we were recording yet! 😁
When I first read Torchbearer, I knew I still had to create His Majesty the Worm to get the perfect dungeoneering experience *for me*. Ross got me on a hot mic at the beginning talking about that--I didn't know we were recording yet! 😁
Reposted by Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
January 18, 2026 at 1:04 PM
Shadowrun 2E was one of my first RPGs. Yesterday, I woke up and dug back in after a long time away from crunchy trad games.
While researching, I also dug into SINLESS, a Shadowrun retroclone by Courtney Campbell. It was cool!
A short thread about the QOL improvements and innovations in SINLESS.
While researching, I also dug into SINLESS, a Shadowrun retroclone by Courtney Campbell. It was cool!
A short thread about the QOL improvements and innovations in SINLESS.
January 19, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Shadowrun 2E was one of my first RPGs. Yesterday, I woke up and dug back in after a long time away from crunchy trad games.
While researching, I also dug into SINLESS, a Shadowrun retroclone by Courtney Campbell. It was cool!
A short thread about the QOL improvements and innovations in SINLESS.
While researching, I also dug into SINLESS, a Shadowrun retroclone by Courtney Campbell. It was cool!
A short thread about the QOL improvements and innovations in SINLESS.
Help me, I woke up and remembered the rules for Shadowrun 2E, one of the very first RPGs I ever played.
Lord forgive me for what I am about to do.
(Suck cheese, shark face)
Lord forgive me for what I am about to do.
(Suck cheese, shark face)
January 18, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Help me, I woke up and remembered the rules for Shadowrun 2E, one of the very first RPGs I ever played.
Lord forgive me for what I am about to do.
(Suck cheese, shark face)
Lord forgive me for what I am about to do.
(Suck cheese, shark face)
January 18, 2026 at 1:04 PM
This, too, is yuri
January 17, 2026 at 9:45 PM
This, too, is yuri
Robert Howard and Hemingway team up to write Towers Like White Elephants. Conan climbs the tower to get the treasure of reproductive healthcare.
January 17, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Robert Howard and Hemingway team up to write Towers Like White Elephants. Conan climbs the tower to get the treasure of reproductive healthcare.
Reposted by Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
Oh it looks neat! Thanks for recommendation, I think I'll do mordant arcana as well as Ukrainian Tarot also advised by my fellow UA Worm gamer.
So.. I'm trading tarot link for a tarot link with you :)
www.kickstarter.com/projects/116...
So.. I'm trading tarot link for a tarot link with you :)
www.kickstarter.com/projects/116...
Ukrainian Night Tarot by Old God's Temple
Explore Ukrainian folktales and witchcraft through a fully illustrated deck, researched and drawn by local artist Mariya Tobischeck.
www.kickstarter.com
January 17, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Oh it looks neat! Thanks for recommendation, I think I'll do mordant arcana as well as Ukrainian Tarot also advised by my fellow UA Worm gamer.
So.. I'm trading tarot link for a tarot link with you :)
www.kickstarter.com/projects/116...
So.. I'm trading tarot link for a tarot link with you :)
www.kickstarter.com/projects/116...
Reposted by Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
"the ttrpg system isn't gonna fuck you" it will. It will if i roll good
January 17, 2026 at 9:53 AM
"the ttrpg system isn't gonna fuck you" it will. It will if i roll good
Reposted by Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
Love seeing the snelmet here! It was made by redanthalas on insta and it is real, not ai, he wears it with a full set of snail armour
www.instagram.com/redanthalas/
www.instagram.com/redanthalas/
January 17, 2026 at 2:07 PM
Love seeing the snelmet here! It was made by redanthalas on insta and it is real, not ai, he wears it with a full set of snail armour
www.instagram.com/redanthalas/
www.instagram.com/redanthalas/
When Bilbo says things like "It's my birthday on 22 September" you forget how complex the calendars can actually get in Middle-earth. Sure, the Shire Reckoning more or less corresponds to ours. But it was mildly different from the Bree Reckoning. Both were based on the Kings' Reckoning.
AND!...
+
AND!...
+
January 17, 2026 at 1:39 PM
When Bilbo says things like "It's my birthday on 22 September" you forget how complex the calendars can actually get in Middle-earth. Sure, the Shire Reckoning more or less corresponds to ours. But it was mildly different from the Bree Reckoning. Both were based on the Kings' Reckoning.
AND!...
+
AND!...
+
Reposted by Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
And finally the big one, The Castle Automatic map I made for @riseupcomus.bsky.social
www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/the-ca...
www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/the-ca...
January 17, 2026 at 12:15 PM
And finally the big one, The Castle Automatic map I made for @riseupcomus.bsky.social
www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/the-ca...
www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/the-ca...
Lord, you people never get tired of this, do you?
January 16, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Lord, you people never get tired of this, do you?
Reposted by Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
I wrote a theory post. Don't worry, I paid taxes at the end.
newschoolrevolution.com/turning-the-...
newschoolrevolution.com/turning-the-...
Turning the Dial
Nerds love taxonomy; it gives order to the world, and provides a meaningful sense of control. Of course, it's all an illusion. At best taxonomy is a useful t...
newschoolrevolution.com
January 16, 2026 at 2:06 PM
I wrote a theory post. Don't worry, I paid taxes at the end.
newschoolrevolution.com/turning-the-...
newschoolrevolution.com/turning-the-...
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells
Where hammers fell like ringing bells
My rules for making items and carving them with runes of power. Maybe they can be your rules, too!
Where hammers fell like ringing bells
My rules for making items and carving them with runes of power. Maybe they can be your rules, too!
Forging and Artifice
Schwew. OK. This turned into a long one. Break!! has the best crafting rules for an OSR game that I've ever seen. Originally, I was trying ...
riseupcomus.blogspot.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:18 PM
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells
Where hammers fell like ringing bells
My rules for making items and carving them with runes of power. Maybe they can be your rules, too!
Where hammers fell like ringing bells
My rules for making items and carving them with runes of power. Maybe they can be your rules, too!
Reposted by Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
It reads like it's going to be such fun. Free rules on the backerkit: www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
Get Ready for FLAIL: an old-school fantasy brawler
From Games Omnivorous - Get Ready for FLAIL: an old-school fantasy brawler
www.backerkit.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:07 AM
It reads like it's going to be such fun. Free rules on the backerkit: www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
Reposted by Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
🤴 TONIGHT, 8:30PM EST - Our party has ventured far enough in the King of Snakes deep to find, you guessed it, A CULT!
Their response: "Uh. Time to go home!"
#HisMajestyTheWorm is back & it's time for a good ol' adventuring reset & restock trip! #ttrpg
#Twitch: www.twitch.tv/highshelfcol...
Their response: "Uh. Time to go home!"
#HisMajestyTheWorm is back & it's time for a good ol' adventuring reset & restock trip! #ttrpg
#Twitch: www.twitch.tv/highshelfcol...
January 15, 2026 at 9:06 PM
🤴 TONIGHT, 8:30PM EST - Our party has ventured far enough in the King of Snakes deep to find, you guessed it, A CULT!
Their response: "Uh. Time to go home!"
#HisMajestyTheWorm is back & it's time for a good ol' adventuring reset & restock trip! #ttrpg
#Twitch: www.twitch.tv/highshelfcol...
Their response: "Uh. Time to go home!"
#HisMajestyTheWorm is back & it's time for a good ol' adventuring reset & restock trip! #ttrpg
#Twitch: www.twitch.tv/highshelfcol...
Sometimes I have hacked a game without playing it because it's how I learn the original rules of the game. It's like…I'm a child putting the game in my mouth to better explore its texture.
These hacks aren't worth the bits of the blog they're published on, but they're not valueless exercises.
These hacks aren't worth the bits of the blog they're published on, but they're not valueless exercises.
January 15, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Sometimes I have hacked a game without playing it because it's how I learn the original rules of the game. It's like…I'm a child putting the game in my mouth to better explore its texture.
These hacks aren't worth the bits of the blog they're published on, but they're not valueless exercises.
These hacks aren't worth the bits of the blog they're published on, but they're not valueless exercises.
Yes I am pleased to accept these awards for my award pile
January issue of Carouse just dropped!
If you like indie TTRPGs check out this collaborative newsletter from a diverse group of indie creators.
www.carouse.blog/january-2026...
If you like indie TTRPGs check out this collaborative newsletter from a diverse group of indie creators.
www.carouse.blog/january-2026...
January 2026 - The Carousies
Happy New Year! This issue is a little different; in place of our usual columns and gameable goodness we're handing out some awards! Plus, you'll find a thoughtful review by Sprinting Owl of a unique ...
www.carouse.blog
January 15, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Yes I am pleased to accept these awards for my award pile