The Novel Game Master
@thenovelgamemaster.bsky.social
TTRPG blogger @ https://thenovelgamemaster.com/
Sci-fi & fantasy author at shannonrampe.com
Sci-fi & fantasy author at shannonrampe.com
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
All bloggers are hereby cordially invited to participate in a new blog bandwagon on the topic of MAPS, featuring art (which you can use, remix, distort as you see fit) from @amandalee.bsky.social (Garbage Barge, Vampire Cruise, et al)
You have 80 days starting now!
#osr #tttpg #blog
You have 80 days starting now!
#osr #tttpg #blog
Bandwagon: The Map is Not the Territory But It is the Topic — Prismatic Wasteland
Announcing a new blog bandwagon! This time you have 80 days in which to write something on your blog about maps and/or to annotate/remix/expand a map drawn by the esteemed Amanda Lee Franck!
www.prismaticwasteland.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:57 PM
All bloggers are hereby cordially invited to participate in a new blog bandwagon on the topic of MAPS, featuring art (which you can use, remix, distort as you see fit) from @amandalee.bsky.social (Garbage Barge, Vampire Cruise, et al)
You have 80 days starting now!
#osr #tttpg #blog
You have 80 days starting now!
#osr #tttpg #blog
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
a response to the @rascal.news article on yazeba's bed & breakfast, clarifying some misunderstandings and (hopefully) providing a clearer explanation of what happened
possumcreek.medium.com/a-response-t...
possumcreek.medium.com/a-response-t...
February 7, 2026 at 1:49 PM
a response to the @rascal.news article on yazeba's bed & breakfast, clarifying some misunderstandings and (hopefully) providing a clearer explanation of what happened
possumcreek.medium.com/a-response-t...
possumcreek.medium.com/a-response-t...
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
Continuing to work through the implications of this deep dive the other week. In this one, I posit a framework for managing the reputation of a state entity or other powerful patron. #osr #ttrpg
tbr.bearblog.dev/a-reputation...
tbr.bearblog.dev/a-reputation...
A Reputation System for Surveyors
This post was originally titled "A Lightweight Reputation System" and it turned out to be truly anything but. .
I've been sharpening up the major gamepla...
tbr.bearblog.dev
February 7, 2026 at 8:13 PM
Continuing to work through the implications of this deep dive the other week. In this one, I posit a framework for managing the reputation of a state entity or other powerful patron. #osr #ttrpg
tbr.bearblog.dev/a-reputation...
tbr.bearblog.dev/a-reputation...
I really dig this. Got me thinking about switching from hexcrawls to pointcrawls.
From the brilliant mind of Magnolia Keep comes some ways I like to spice up pointcrawls!
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2026/02/basi...
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2026/02/basi...
Basic Terrain for Pointcrawls
Lots of digital ink has been spilled on the merits of hexcrawls and pointcrawls (though I think Dinkie Rizzle has the right of it ), and so...
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com
February 8, 2026 at 6:59 PM
I really dig this. Got me thinking about switching from hexcrawls to pointcrawls.
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
From the brilliant mind of Magnolia Keep comes a high-octane blogpost about video games and elfgames!
I played Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 last month, and I think a lot of what made it fresh can be ported over to your campaign with very little trouble.
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2026/02/what...
I played Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 last month, and I think a lot of what made it fresh can be ported over to your campaign with very little trouble.
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2026/02/what...
What Elfgames Can Learn From Kingdom Come: Deliverance
I've been spending a lot of time playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. To sum the game up briefly, imagine if Skyrim or The Witcher 3 we...
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com
February 8, 2026 at 6:13 PM
From the brilliant mind of Magnolia Keep comes a high-octane blogpost about video games and elfgames!
I played Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 last month, and I think a lot of what made it fresh can be ported over to your campaign with very little trouble.
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2026/02/what...
I played Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 last month, and I think a lot of what made it fresh can be ported over to your campaign with very little trouble.
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2026/02/what...
I spent a lot of time thinking about mental models and GMing. One of the underlying models I use is what I call a narrative framework.
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/02/narr...
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/02/narr...
Narrative Frameworks in TTRPGs
One of the most essential tools I employ when game mastering, both in prep and play, is what I call a narrative framework . This is my term ...
www.thenovelgamemaster.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:23 PM
I spent a lot of time thinking about mental models and GMing. One of the underlying models I use is what I call a narrative framework.
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/02/narr...
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/02/narr...
Yo! People! You need a Valentine's gift for your loved one? For yourself? Then hit up @hodagrpg.bsky.social for a copy of this month's HODAG MAG. You will not be disappointed. Includes the "Eat like a Goblin" follow up - Eat like a Centaur!
February 5, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Yo! People! You need a Valentine's gift for your loved one? For yourself? Then hit up @hodagrpg.bsky.social for a copy of this month's HODAG MAG. You will not be disappointed. Includes the "Eat like a Goblin" follow up - Eat like a Centaur!
Pretty excited to get my hands on Twisting Unseen, a build-the-dungeon zine for Mothership RPG! www.backerkit.com/c/projects/5...
Twisting Unseen, a build-the-dungeon zine for Mothership RPG
Twisting Unseen is a 36pg adventure module where crewmembers Build the Superstructure using long-defunct Gate tech. A Sleeper Crew Adventure inspired by BLAME!, Half-Life, and Pandorum for Mothership ...
www.backerkit.com
February 4, 2026 at 6:26 AM
Pretty excited to get my hands on Twisting Unseen, a build-the-dungeon zine for Mothership RPG! www.backerkit.com/c/projects/5...
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
Happy #ZineMonth / #ZiMo26!
Are you working on a project? I want to hear about it.
Use this as your soapbox.
Are you working on a project? I want to hear about it.
Use this as your soapbox.
February 1, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Happy #ZineMonth / #ZiMo26!
Are you working on a project? I want to hear about it.
Use this as your soapbox.
Are you working on a project? I want to hear about it.
Use this as your soapbox.
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
Black Polished Chrome
Because, what the hell, this art needs a home, right?
(repost because of a typo)
Because, what the hell, this art needs a home, right?
(repost because of a typo)
February 3, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Black Polished Chrome
Because, what the hell, this art needs a home, right?
(repost because of a typo)
Because, what the hell, this art needs a home, right?
(repost because of a typo)
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
NULL_SPACE IS ITCHFUNDING NOW!
Let me tell you a little more about it, if you don't know about it yet. 🧵
binarystar.games/null-space-i...
Let me tell you a little more about it, if you don't know about it yet. 🧵
binarystar.games/null-space-i...
NULL_SPACE by Binary Star Games
Freelancing in the solar system of the 24th century
binarystar.games
February 3, 2026 at 12:15 PM
NULL_SPACE IS ITCHFUNDING NOW!
Let me tell you a little more about it, if you don't know about it yet. 🧵
binarystar.games/null-space-i...
Let me tell you a little more about it, if you don't know about it yet. 🧵
binarystar.games/null-space-i...
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
My #ZineMonth project for Mothership RPG is live!
Get out the scissors and glue, cuz you're making a map to escape this portal tech twisted nightmare: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/5...
Get out the scissors and glue, cuz you're making a map to escape this portal tech twisted nightmare: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/5...
February 2, 2026 at 6:37 PM
My #ZineMonth project for Mothership RPG is live!
Get out the scissors and glue, cuz you're making a map to escape this portal tech twisted nightmare: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/5...
Get out the scissors and glue, cuz you're making a map to escape this portal tech twisted nightmare: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/5...
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
Demidirge - Fanged Funnel is now live
www.kickstarter.com/projects/laz...
Obey, toil, scheme and conspire to escape the Malic Mindshaft
#zinequest #ttrpg #Shadowdark #dnd
www.kickstarter.com/projects/laz...
Obey, toil, scheme and conspire to escape the Malic Mindshaft
#zinequest #ttrpg #Shadowdark #dnd
Demidirge - Fanged Funnel
An acidic nightmare adventure for Shadowdark RPG
www.kickstarter.com
February 3, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Demidirge - Fanged Funnel is now live
www.kickstarter.com/projects/laz...
Obey, toil, scheme and conspire to escape the Malic Mindshaft
#zinequest #ttrpg #Shadowdark #dnd
www.kickstarter.com/projects/laz...
Obey, toil, scheme and conspire to escape the Malic Mindshaft
#zinequest #ttrpg #Shadowdark #dnd
Another delightful newsletter to tickle my inbox.
I'm joining the newsletter game. Don't ask me why! I'm not sure either. I just want to help more good blogs get found
elmc.at/catmail-1/
elmc.at/catmail-1/
CATMAIL #1
Look what the cat dragged in. Monthly project updates, plus curated blog posts and oddments worth your time.
elmc.at
February 3, 2026 at 8:16 PM
Another delightful newsletter to tickle my inbox.
Here's a fun adventure location you can drop into your next puzzle dungeon, weird wizard tower, or science-fantasy techo-lab.
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/02/the-...
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/02/the-...
The Time Tuner - an Adventure Location
The Time Tuner is a magical location that could appear in a magical dungeon, a wizard's tower, or a strange lab. It could prove to be a puzz...
www.thenovelgamemaster.com
February 3, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Here's a fun adventure location you can drop into your next puzzle dungeon, weird wizard tower, or science-fantasy techo-lab.
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/02/the-...
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/02/the-...
This sounds cool as hell.
January 30, 2026 at 5:11 AM
This sounds cool as hell.
Hells yes. Working on shoehorning rules on creating and running your own faction into my BX
January 30, 2026 at 5:10 AM
Hells yes. Working on shoehorning rules on creating and running your own faction into my BX
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
Every creator should remake B/X, read or unread, remembered or dreamed, atleast once every 5 years or so, and I'm NOT JOKING.
You should remake dnd twice a decade. If not for the OSR's sake, for your own.
Take a stab at Blue Box!
Adnd!
Spelljammer!
Make the past *better* with your heart.
You should remake dnd twice a decade. If not for the OSR's sake, for your own.
Take a stab at Blue Box!
Adnd!
Spelljammer!
Make the past *better* with your heart.
January 30, 2026 at 12:14 AM
Every creator should remake B/X, read or unread, remembered or dreamed, atleast once every 5 years or so, and I'm NOT JOKING.
You should remake dnd twice a decade. If not for the OSR's sake, for your own.
Take a stab at Blue Box!
Adnd!
Spelljammer!
Make the past *better* with your heart.
You should remake dnd twice a decade. If not for the OSR's sake, for your own.
Take a stab at Blue Box!
Adnd!
Spelljammer!
Make the past *better* with your heart.
@isaacisafraid.bsky.social is out here making the global gaming world a better place! Give this one a read.
I have been writing this blogpost for months to share my personal perspective and insight to the Indonesian Tabletop RPG scene. Check it out!
afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev/afraid-of-co...
afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev/afraid-of-co...
Afraid of Communities - Indonesian Tabletop RPG scene & LFG
A look at the Indonesian Tabletop RPG scene
afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev
January 29, 2026 at 8:15 PM
@isaacisafraid.bsky.social is out here making the global gaming world a better place! Give this one a read.
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
IT'S ALMOST FEBRUARY!!!
HODAG MAG IS BACK AT IT AGAIN:
PRINT AND PERUSE YOUR WAY TO A GREAT ST. VALENTINE'S DAY WITH HODAG MAG!
ROMANCEABLE OSR NPCS, A SALUTE TO THE BLACK ACTORS OF MY PERSONAL "APPENDIX N" FILM CANON, PLUS CENTAURS, CENTAURS, CENTAURS!
DO!
NOT!
MISS!
HODAG MAG IS BACK AT IT AGAIN:
PRINT AND PERUSE YOUR WAY TO A GREAT ST. VALENTINE'S DAY WITH HODAG MAG!
ROMANCEABLE OSR NPCS, A SALUTE TO THE BLACK ACTORS OF MY PERSONAL "APPENDIX N" FILM CANON, PLUS CENTAURS, CENTAURS, CENTAURS!
DO!
NOT!
MISS!
January 29, 2026 at 8:24 AM
IT'S ALMOST FEBRUARY!!!
HODAG MAG IS BACK AT IT AGAIN:
PRINT AND PERUSE YOUR WAY TO A GREAT ST. VALENTINE'S DAY WITH HODAG MAG!
ROMANCEABLE OSR NPCS, A SALUTE TO THE BLACK ACTORS OF MY PERSONAL "APPENDIX N" FILM CANON, PLUS CENTAURS, CENTAURS, CENTAURS!
DO!
NOT!
MISS!
HODAG MAG IS BACK AT IT AGAIN:
PRINT AND PERUSE YOUR WAY TO A GREAT ST. VALENTINE'S DAY WITH HODAG MAG!
ROMANCEABLE OSR NPCS, A SALUTE TO THE BLACK ACTORS OF MY PERSONAL "APPENDIX N" FILM CANON, PLUS CENTAURS, CENTAURS, CENTAURS!
DO!
NOT!
MISS!
Reposted by The Novel Game Master
In my latest blog post, I give thee A Tactile Technique for Tracking Time in TTRPGs! Do with it as you will ⏰
(It can also track other stuff; I talk about it in the post)
#osr #ttrpg
(It can also track other stuff; I talk about it in the post)
#osr #ttrpg
All Along the Clocktower — Prismatic Wasteland
Are you using overloaded encounter dice to track time? Clocks like from Blades in the Dark? Here is a more tangible, toyetic alternative method for tracking progress of anything in TTRPGs from time to...
www.prismaticwasteland.com
January 29, 2026 at 1:22 PM
Great read from @personable.bsky.social on Kingdoms, a game I'd very much like to run if I could figure out how!
I read Kingdoms, which is and OSR game full of cool ideas but in the end fails to cohere for me. You can read my review!
personable.blog/zine-zone-ki...
personable.blog/zine-zone-ki...
Zine Zone: Kingdoms
A reading informed review of Kingdoms.
personable.blog
January 29, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Great read from @personable.bsky.social on Kingdoms, a game I'd very much like to run if I could figure out how!
I love the idea of vampires as rulers of kingdoms of the undead, keeping humans/demihumans as cattle for feeding.
January 27, 2026 at 7:42 PM
I love the idea of vampires as rulers of kingdoms of the undead, keeping humans/demihumans as cattle for feeding.
I have been thinking a lot about pacing in sandbox games and how much leverage the GM should apply. I brought the topic up in the Prismatic Wasteland discord to hear other GMs' opinions and got some really fascinating insights!
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/01/paci...
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/01/paci...
Pacing and Random Encounters in the Sandbox
Recently, in my homebrew Worlds Without Number sandbox campaign, the party was camping outside of a corrupted keep they've been exploring th...
www.thenovelgamemaster.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:51 PM
I have been thinking a lot about pacing in sandbox games and how much leverage the GM should apply. I brought the topic up in the Prismatic Wasteland discord to hear other GMs' opinions and got some really fascinating insights!
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/01/paci...
www.thenovelgamemaster.com/2026/01/paci...