Stout Stoat
@stoutstoat.co.uk
Pinned
Stout Stoat
@stoutstoat.co.uk
· Nov 12
Carved in Stone is officially out!
In this comprehensive setting guide you'll be able to see, touch, taste, hear and smell your way through everything that modern-day scholars currently know of the enigmatic culture of the Picts, from the perspective of someone living in the late 7th Century.
In this comprehensive setting guide you'll be able to see, touch, taste, hear and smell your way through everything that modern-day scholars currently know of the enigmatic culture of the Picts, from the perspective of someone living in the late 7th Century.
Reposted by Stout Stoat
France’s highest-profile board game prize, the As d’Or, has updated its rules for 2026 to ensure that artist names must appear on a game box in order for designs to be eligible for the award:
boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...
boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...
January 29, 2026 at 3:13 PM
France’s highest-profile board game prize, the As d’Or, has updated its rules for 2026 to ensure that artist names must appear on a game box in order for designs to be eligible for the award:
boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...
boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...
More Apwthecaria! More-wthecaria?
If you're hankering for potion brewing, wandering the Scottish wilds on four legs, and gathering trinkets from the birds and beasts your help, this is the solo-rpg for you.
If you're hankering for potion brewing, wandering the Scottish wilds on four legs, and gathering trinkets from the birds and beasts your help, this is the solo-rpg for you.
Did you miss out on our last print run?
Been eagerly waiting for more copies of Apawthecaria to exist?
Well good news!
We're printing 200 copies next month and are taking pre-orders now at www.blackwellwriter.com/products/apa...
Been eagerly waiting for more copies of Apawthecaria to exist?
Well good news!
We're printing 200 copies next month and are taking pre-orders now at www.blackwellwriter.com/products/apa...
January 31, 2026 at 3:35 PM
More Apwthecaria! More-wthecaria?
If you're hankering for potion brewing, wandering the Scottish wilds on four legs, and gathering trinkets from the birds and beasts your help, this is the solo-rpg for you.
If you're hankering for potion brewing, wandering the Scottish wilds on four legs, and gathering trinkets from the birds and beasts your help, this is the solo-rpg for you.
Reposted by Stout Stoat
Reposted by Stout Stoat
FINANCE GURU FUGU
January 8, 2026 at 6:30 AM
FINANCE GURU FUGU
Reposted by Stout Stoat
There's a streaming link, too, so those not in Luxembourg should be able to tune in!
Anyone in Luxembourg next Monday? Free talk, by moi (non non non, c'est en Anglais, pardonne-moi) www.linkedin.com/posts/sandra...
New year, new History@Play talk! Joining us from the land of Oz, we’re delighted to welcome Prof. Erik Champion.
This talk looks at how virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, along with semi-serious…...
New year, new History@Play talk! Joining us from the land of Oz, we’re delighted to welcome Prof. Erik Champion.
This talk looks at how virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, along with semi-serious ...
www.linkedin.com
January 27, 2026 at 11:36 AM
There's a streaming link, too, so those not in Luxembourg should be able to tune in!
Some guidance on this issue was written up by my IOSS integration provider:
easproject.com/romania-ital...
Long story short, new €2 fees to Italy (unlikely to proc) and ~€5 fees to Romania (very likely to proc). I believe these fees will be bundled in as part of shipping services (e.g. Royal Mail)
easproject.com/romania-ital...
Long story short, new €2 fees to Italy (unlikely to proc) and ~€5 fees to Romania (very likely to proc). I believe these fees will be bundled in as part of shipping services (e.g. Royal Mail)
January 26, 2026 at 10:19 AM
Some guidance on this issue was written up by my IOSS integration provider:
easproject.com/romania-ital...
Long story short, new €2 fees to Italy (unlikely to proc) and ~€5 fees to Romania (very likely to proc). I believe these fees will be bundled in as part of shipping services (e.g. Royal Mail)
easproject.com/romania-ital...
Long story short, new €2 fees to Italy (unlikely to proc) and ~€5 fees to Romania (very likely to proc). I believe these fees will be bundled in as part of shipping services (e.g. Royal Mail)
Reposted by Stout Stoat
LinkedIn probably wasn’t the best channel to post this, but I stand by it
January 26, 2026 at 6:23 AM
LinkedIn probably wasn’t the best channel to post this, but I stand by it
Reposted by Stout Stoat
![a Kirby frame, inspired by Anthony Moser
Frame (F is happening!): The protestor had a gun!
Negation (F is not true!): The observer had a gun permit
Kirby (K is happening. That's why they're saying F): THEY ARE NAZI DEATH SQUADS
[eats the frame saying "gun man bad"]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:eawrzkefxggvqbrmagkhsmcc/bafkreifkywskuzbxiuoyfbasyous2f2fsvuukhcckmiet43f4yhwtslo4e@jpeg)
Reposted by Stout Stoat
Also crowdfunding games imo.
Look, I'm going to tell you a secret. If you buy an e-book while it's on sale, you never have to read it. If you have $2 to spare & want to help that particular author, you can just chuck the book into the oubliette of your TBR. Every sale helps. The author will never know, but you gave them a gift.
January 21, 2026 at 8:53 PM
Also crowdfunding games imo.
Reposted by Stout Stoat
I try not to say "this is required reading" because that gets old really quick, but I genuinely think this is great advice that will help make you an absolute gem to work with.
You'll get better layout, timelines, and collaboration by following this advice. Give it a read if you can.
You'll get better layout, timelines, and collaboration by following this advice. Give it a read if you can.
New Blog Post! I (Emily) wanted to put down some tips for those of you who are hiring layout designers to layout your games.
Thanks to the Explorer's Design discord also for their thoughts.
Thanks to the Explorer's Design discord also for their thoughts.
How to Deliver your Game Copy to a Layout Designer - Graftbound
Make layout design faster, more efficient, and less prone to mistakes with tips for TTRPG writers on delivering your manuscript to your layout designer.
graftbound.com
January 20, 2026 at 6:06 PM
I try not to say "this is required reading" because that gets old really quick, but I genuinely think this is great advice that will help make you an absolute gem to work with.
You'll get better layout, timelines, and collaboration by following this advice. Give it a read if you can.
You'll get better layout, timelines, and collaboration by following this advice. Give it a read if you can.
Reposted by Stout Stoat
i wish i could still buy things at the prices i used to complain about
January 19, 2026 at 6:28 PM
i wish i could still buy things at the prices i used to complain about
Reposted by Stout Stoat
The TAGS Fest 2025 report is now live! We collated and analysed all our stats for this event and reflected on feedback submitted by our exhibitors.
🏷️ docs.google.com/document/d/e...
🏷️ docs.google.com/document/d/e...
January 19, 2026 at 3:52 PM
The TAGS Fest 2025 report is now live! We collated and analysed all our stats for this event and reflected on feedback submitted by our exhibitors.
🏷️ docs.google.com/document/d/e...
🏷️ docs.google.com/document/d/e...
Reposted by Stout Stoat
Whenever I hear devs or other creatives who do worldbuilding say they *have* to use ch*tGPT to help with their lore bibles because no human could possibly collate such a huge and complex world… I glare in historian
January 19, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Whenever I hear devs or other creatives who do worldbuilding say they *have* to use ch*tGPT to help with their lore bibles because no human could possibly collate such a huge and complex world… I glare in historian
I'm not quite back, but thinking about it! Slowly creaking my rusty hinges and shedding dust.
January 15, 2026 at 11:52 AM
I'm not quite back, but thinking about it! Slowly creaking my rusty hinges and shedding dust.
Reposted by Stout Stoat
Some notes about how I write TTRPG adventures:
My texts tend to be terse. A location described in two lines; a single spoken sentence to describe a character.
The aim is *not* to be laconic, but to mirror the pace of natural dialogue; a TTRPG is a conversation between players, after all!
1/
My texts tend to be terse. A location described in two lines; a single spoken sentence to describe a character.
The aim is *not* to be laconic, but to mirror the pace of natural dialogue; a TTRPG is a conversation between players, after all!
1/
January 15, 2026 at 10:16 AM
Some notes about how I write TTRPG adventures:
My texts tend to be terse. A location described in two lines; a single spoken sentence to describe a character.
The aim is *not* to be laconic, but to mirror the pace of natural dialogue; a TTRPG is a conversation between players, after all!
1/
My texts tend to be terse. A location described in two lines; a single spoken sentence to describe a character.
The aim is *not* to be laconic, but to mirror the pace of natural dialogue; a TTRPG is a conversation between players, after all!
1/
I'm taking a break till January 5th!
I won't be checking work social media, work email, or discord until then.
See youse in the new year :)
I won't be checking work social media, work email, or discord until then.
See youse in the new year :)
December 15, 2025 at 11:41 AM
I'm taking a break till January 5th!
I won't be checking work social media, work email, or discord until then.
See youse in the new year :)
I won't be checking work social media, work email, or discord until then.
See youse in the new year :)
Rian Johnson's latest Knives Out is by no means subtle but sometimes it is wonderful to be beaten in the face repeatedly with the narrative and its (barely) subtext. I enjoyed it, even though I personally feel like I am not *necessarily* the target audience 😉
December 14, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Rian Johnson's latest Knives Out is by no means subtle but sometimes it is wonderful to be beaten in the face repeatedly with the narrative and its (barely) subtext. I enjoyed it, even though I personally feel like I am not *necessarily* the target audience 😉
Reposted by Stout Stoat
Critique Navidad! What do you get when you hire a university to write the most comprehensive history of a civilisation to support a module, and illustrate it better than most children’s history books? You get Carved in Stone, a module about living among the picts! idlecartulary.com/2025/12/13/c...
Critique Navidad: Carved in Stone
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 13, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Critique Navidad! What do you get when you hire a university to write the most comprehensive history of a civilisation to support a module, and illustrate it better than most children’s history books? You get Carved in Stone, a module about living among the picts! idlecartulary.com/2025/12/13/c...
Reposted by Stout Stoat
2025 goals: listen to all of dice exploder (again)
November 21, 2024 at 11:10 PM
2025 goals: listen to all of dice exploder (again)
Reposted by Stout Stoat
what's up gamers, I'm back with ten more tangible tips for editing your tabletop RPG manuscript: samsorensen.blot.im/ten-more-tan...
![screenshot of a blogpost that reads:
"Ten More Tangible Tips for Editing Your RPG Manuscript
"1. Remove instances of here from location descriptions—it’s obvious you’re describing the location already. Instead of 'A hobgoblin hammers iron here,' write 'A hobgoblin hammers iron on an anvil.'
"2. For the same reason, remove instances of this in description entries. If you must reference the entry’s subject, use 'the.' Instead of 'Smoke fills this room,' write 'Smoke fills the room,' or better yet 'Smoke fills the air.'
"3. When writing entries for monsters, magic items, and so on, skip repeating the name of the subject with [X] is or [X] are in the first sentence. Instead of 'VODYANOY: Vodyanoy are froggy, pot-bellied water spirits,' write 'VODYANOY: Froggy, pot-bellied water spirits.'"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ku77xydmphm4eg5jvbgnqo7o/bafkreia6hlg2lyvb25iupssafeg44fqc43sb3a24zjabs7spzz3dt3ojgi@jpeg)
December 12, 2025 at 12:56 AM
what's up gamers, I'm back with ten more tangible tips for editing your tabletop RPG manuscript: samsorensen.blot.im/ten-more-tan...
Reposted by Stout Stoat
Carved in Stone - St. Serf & St. Mungo
For some of the smaller saint illustrations I went with iconography surrounding events and deeds from each saint's life.
St. Serf: the Dragon of Strathearn & the staff he rebuked it with.
St. Mungo: the robin he miraculously brought back to life.
For some of the smaller saint illustrations I went with iconography surrounding events and deeds from each saint's life.
St. Serf: the Dragon of Strathearn & the staff he rebuked it with.
St. Mungo: the robin he miraculously brought back to life.
December 11, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Carved in Stone - St. Serf & St. Mungo
For some of the smaller saint illustrations I went with iconography surrounding events and deeds from each saint's life.
St. Serf: the Dragon of Strathearn & the staff he rebuked it with.
St. Mungo: the robin he miraculously brought back to life.
For some of the smaller saint illustrations I went with iconography surrounding events and deeds from each saint's life.
St. Serf: the Dragon of Strathearn & the staff he rebuked it with.
St. Mungo: the robin he miraculously brought back to life.
Reposted by Stout Stoat
Finally got my hands on the physical book for Carved in Stone by Heather Christie @archaeoplays.bsky.social and Brian Tyrrell @stoutstoat.co.uk. Really gives me hope that early medieval archaeology can inspire worlds that are hopeful, empathetic and overall, fun
www.stoutstoat.co.uk/products/car...
www.stoutstoat.co.uk/products/car...
December 12, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Finally got my hands on the physical book for Carved in Stone by Heather Christie @archaeoplays.bsky.social and Brian Tyrrell @stoutstoat.co.uk. Really gives me hope that early medieval archaeology can inspire worlds that are hopeful, empathetic and overall, fun
www.stoutstoat.co.uk/products/car...
www.stoutstoat.co.uk/products/car...
Reposted by Stout Stoat
This is tonight!!! In-person tickets are sold out, but you can tune in online for free - we look forward to seeing you there!
For those who can't attend at all, I believe our talk will go live on the Society's YouTube page within a week or so 😁
#ArchaeologySky #HistorySky 🏺
For those who can't attend at all, I believe our talk will go live on the Society's YouTube page within a week or so 😁
#ArchaeologySky #HistorySky 🏺
This Thursday at 6pm GMT I'm giving a lecture with the wonderful @archaeoplays.bsky.social about how to conceive and build living images of the past. All the in-person tickets have been snapped up, but you can still watch online for free (I think via Zoom)
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carved-in-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carved-in-...
Carved in Stone: Bringing the Picts to Life
This hybrid discussion panel will feature Stout Stoat’s Brian Tyrell and ArchaeoPlays’ Dr Heather Christie FSAScot.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
December 11, 2025 at 2:49 PM
This is tonight!!! In-person tickets are sold out, but you can tune in online for free - we look forward to seeing you there!
For those who can't attend at all, I believe our talk will go live on the Society's YouTube page within a week or so 😁
#ArchaeologySky #HistorySky 🏺
For those who can't attend at all, I believe our talk will go live on the Society's YouTube page within a week or so 😁
#ArchaeologySky #HistorySky 🏺
"This is a hobby of makers" resonates with my growingly informed opinions on RPGs for the last 5 years.
RPGs are not an industry. Every project is a passion; the results of success would be unequal to the reward, if not also for the fact that it *satisfies* a deep need in the maker.
RPGs are not an industry. Every project is a passion; the results of success would be unequal to the reward, if not also for the fact that it *satisfies* a deep need in the maker.
And for the last thing, I want you to state to state this clearly.
I mean no sleight to zines or ashcans or whatever else, and if anything, they underscore this point.
This is a hobby of makers.
OF COURSE we want to make beautiful, awesome things.
I mean no sleight to zines or ashcans or whatever else, and if anything, they underscore this point.
This is a hobby of makers.
OF COURSE we want to make beautiful, awesome things.
December 11, 2025 at 12:59 PM
"This is a hobby of makers" resonates with my growingly informed opinions on RPGs for the last 5 years.
RPGs are not an industry. Every project is a passion; the results of success would be unequal to the reward, if not also for the fact that it *satisfies* a deep need in the maker.
RPGs are not an industry. Every project is a passion; the results of success would be unequal to the reward, if not also for the fact that it *satisfies* a deep need in the maker.