The Firebird
@thefirebirdslair.bsky.social
OSR fan. Practical simulationist. Working on Expedition-N and Weather Generation. https://thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/.
Firebird by rosinka (https://www.deviantart.com/rosinka/art/Firebird-3-925061701). Check out her other work!
Firebird by rosinka (https://www.deviantart.com/rosinka/art/Firebird-3-925061701). Check out her other work!
Really cool story. It's hard not to think of Girard's Violence and the Sacred. We know so little about these people but what we do feels poignant and sad, an acute sense of loss.
November 27, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Really cool story. It's hard not to think of Girard's Violence and the Sacred. We know so little about these people but what we do feels poignant and sad, an acute sense of loss.
I've run Sailors on the Starless Sea a few times for con games but it's never quite worked. I think the combination of the funnel (hard for new players) and the decently hard puzzle solving makes it too challenging for a new audience.
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/adve...
#ttrpg #osr
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/adve...
#ttrpg #osr
Adventure Review: Sailors on the Starless Sea
Adventure Review: Sailors on the Starless Sea Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. Level 0. My experience: Run 2x for public games. A solid mod...
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:24 PM
I've run Sailors on the Starless Sea a few times for con games but it's never quite worked. I think the combination of the funnel (hard for new players) and the decently hard puzzle solving makes it too challenging for a new audience.
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/adve...
#ttrpg #osr
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/adve...
#ttrpg #osr
A fun article. I want to push on this--playability and realism are aligned to the extent that realism gives the players unwritten rules. "Gravity" is implemented for realism; without it, gaming is harder because the players don't know how the world works.
November 17, 2025 at 7:44 PM
A fun article. I want to push on this--playability and realism are aligned to the extent that realism gives the players unwritten rules. "Gravity" is implemented for realism; without it, gaming is harder because the players don't know how the world works.
I started the ludonarrative dissidents podcast at a friend's recommendation. It turns out the games they cover are all outside my wheelhouse. Lots of narrative heavy stuff.
Lancer and Mothership, though, make the jump.
Lancer and Mothership, though, make the jump.
November 14, 2025 at 3:03 AM
I started the ludonarrative dissidents podcast at a friend's recommendation. It turns out the games they cover are all outside my wheelhouse. Lots of narrative heavy stuff.
Lancer and Mothership, though, make the jump.
Lancer and Mothership, though, make the jump.
On variance in games--is it better for a RPG to be high variance (poker; skill matters but the winner is uncertain) or low variance (chess; only skill?).
It's different than in competitive games, but there is a agon-esque component...if someone's build is outright much stronger, no fun.
It's different than in competitive games, but there is a agon-esque component...if someone's build is outright much stronger, no fun.
November 14, 2025 at 1:19 AM
On variance in games--is it better for a RPG to be high variance (poker; skill matters but the winner is uncertain) or low variance (chess; only skill?).
It's different than in competitive games, but there is a agon-esque component...if someone's build is outright much stronger, no fun.
It's different than in competitive games, but there is a agon-esque component...if someone's build is outright much stronger, no fun.
Tried a of mothership a few nights ago. It was...ok as a system. The atmosphere and the skill system work well, although there is nothing exceptional. But the combat, when it occurred, dragged because of too many rolls.
I'd play it again but I don't get why it has so much staying power.
I'd play it again but I don't get why it has so much staying power.
November 9, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Tried a of mothership a few nights ago. It was...ok as a system. The atmosphere and the skill system work well, although there is nothing exceptional. But the combat, when it occurred, dragged because of too many rolls.
I'd play it again but I don't get why it has so much staying power.
I'd play it again but I don't get why it has so much staying power.
The Isle of Dread--an expedition, an overland hex crawl, a focus on exploration. Does it do anything with weather? Not much. It discusses climate on the island but gives no mechanical effects. And it has some rules for weather on the journey...but states the characters must complete it successfully.
November 7, 2025 at 5:24 PM
The Isle of Dread--an expedition, an overland hex crawl, a focus on exploration. Does it do anything with weather? Not much. It discusses climate on the island but gives no mechanical effects. And it has some rules for weather on the journey...but states the characters must complete it successfully.
Man I love this adventure. I agree with the criticism here, but the answer just comes down to...it's for Adventurer's League.
I ran AL for years. The players want to show up, save the day, level up, and go home. You might have new players. This means the DM has to control the pacing.
I ran AL for years. The players want to show up, save the day, level up, and go home. You might have new players. This means the DM has to control the pacing.
A review of one of the earliest official 5e adventures (but one you’ve never heard of) which also explores the 5e play culture of the time and whether you can “fix” an adventure with lots of fun aspects without subverting the intended play culture
#dnd #rpg #osr
#dnd #rpg #osr
Review: Outlaws of the Iron Route — Prismatic Wasteland
Reviewing one of the earliest adventures for 5th Edition D&D: how I would improve player agency and how my proposed fixes grind up against the play culture of 5e.
www.prismaticwasteland.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Man I love this adventure. I agree with the criticism here, but the answer just comes down to...it's for Adventurer's League.
I ran AL for years. The players want to show up, save the day, level up, and go home. You might have new players. This means the DM has to control the pacing.
I ran AL for years. The players want to show up, save the day, level up, and go home. You might have new players. This means the DM has to control the pacing.
G2: The Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, featured rules for ice and snow. PCs had a chance to fall to their deaths (1-in-6, each turn) while a "howling maze of cold" reduced movement by 50%.
#osr #rpg #simulationism
#osr #rpg #simulationism
November 6, 2025 at 7:29 PM
G2: The Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, featured rules for ice and snow. PCs had a chance to fall to their deaths (1-in-6, each turn) while a "howling maze of cold" reduced movement by 50%.
#osr #rpg #simulationism
#osr #rpg #simulationism
This motivated my search for a system that was easy to run but matched reality. Something that is practical, simulationist, and algorithmic. To match the weather of any place on Earth with a table.
I lay out the problem below #osr #rpg #simulationism
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/weat...
I lay out the problem below #osr #rpg #simulationism
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/weat...
November 5, 2025 at 6:37 PM
This motivated my search for a system that was easy to run but matched reality. Something that is practical, simulationist, and algorithmic. To match the weather of any place on Earth with a table.
I lay out the problem below #osr #rpg #simulationism
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/weat...
I lay out the problem below #osr #rpg #simulationism
thefirebirdslair.blogspot.com/2025/11/weat...
Of all the systems I've surveyed the emphasis is on matching the feel, not the reality, of weather. They set up systems such that today's weather informs tomorrow. But few have checked if their systems match real weather.
November 5, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Of all the systems I've surveyed the emphasis is on matching the feel, not the reality, of weather. They set up systems such that today's weather informs tomorrow. But few have checked if their systems match real weather.
The most creative attempt at weather generation is the hexflower. This reimagines the weather table as a 2d object and allows for transitions explicitly. The whole thing looks great and is easy to use.
goblinshenchman.wordpress.com/hex-power-fl...
goblinshenchman.wordpress.com/hex-power-fl...
November 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
The most creative attempt at weather generation is the hexflower. This reimagines the weather table as a 2d object and allows for transitions explicitly. The whole thing looks great and is easy to use.
goblinshenchman.wordpress.com/hex-power-fl...
goblinshenchman.wordpress.com/hex-power-fl...
Post 1980s attempts at weather either i) take advantage of computers or ii) try to use tables in a clever way to combine ease with state information.
Here, for example, a system with lots of little dials to tune.
www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindT...
Here, for example, a system with lots of little dials to tune.
www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindT...
November 4, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Post 1980s attempts at weather either i) take advantage of computers or ii) try to use tables in a clever way to combine ease with state information.
Here, for example, a system with lots of little dials to tune.
www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindT...
Here, for example, a system with lots of little dials to tune.
www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindT...
More on Cabala's weather algorithm.
For each of 30 days:
-roll for temperature
-roll for precipitation chance
Then roll once for worst precipitation that month
Finally construct a 'logical weather pattern', including wind, by hand
If you need help, you can roll for wind strength
For each of 30 days:
-roll for temperature
-roll for precipitation chance
Then roll once for worst precipitation that month
Finally construct a 'logical weather pattern', including wind, by hand
If you need help, you can roll for wind strength
November 4, 2025 at 5:10 PM
More on Cabala's weather algorithm.
For each of 30 days:
-roll for temperature
-roll for precipitation chance
Then roll once for worst precipitation that month
Finally construct a 'logical weather pattern', including wind, by hand
If you need help, you can roll for wind strength
For each of 30 days:
-roll for temperature
-roll for precipitation chance
Then roll once for worst precipitation that month
Finally construct a 'logical weather pattern', including wind, by hand
If you need help, you can roll for wind strength
Agreed. Also it interacts with unwritten rules in an unsatisfying way. Every TTRPG has these rules--e.g., 'gravity'. A marble on a slanted floor rolls down.
The "Rule of Cool" grates especially when it breaks both written and unwritten rules. The action shouldn't work but does.
The "Rule of Cool" grates especially when it breaks both written and unwritten rules. The action shouldn't work but does.
If you're a staunch defender and frequent user of the "Rule of Cool" or "Rule Zero" then I have one question: Why use a TTRPG at all?
It seems like you just really want an excuse to play pretend with your friends and I have great news! You can do that! It would be pretty cool of you too!
It seems like you just really want an excuse to play pretend with your friends and I have great news! You can do that! It would be pretty cool of you too!
*says quietly* the rule of cool props up bad trpgs instead of people accepting they're bad and moving on to games that are actually good.
November 4, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Agreed. Also it interacts with unwritten rules in an unsatisfying way. Every TTRPG has these rules--e.g., 'gravity'. A marble on a slanted floor rolls down.
The "Rule of Cool" grates especially when it breaks both written and unwritten rules. The action shouldn't work but does.
The "Rule of Cool" grates especially when it breaks both written and unwritten rules. The action shouldn't work but does.
The punchline: we need anywhere from two rolls and two tables to 4 or 5 die rolls and 4 or 5 tables, daily.
Does this model actual weather? And do we need that much complexity to do so?
No and no. We can do better with a d100 and a single table. Stay tuned... #osr #rpg #simulationism
Does this model actual weather? And do we need that much complexity to do so?
No and no. We can do better with a d100 and a single table. Stay tuned... #osr #rpg #simulationism
November 3, 2025 at 11:19 PM
The punchline: we need anywhere from two rolls and two tables to 4 or 5 die rolls and 4 or 5 tables, daily.
Does this model actual weather? And do we need that much complexity to do so?
No and no. We can do better with a d100 and a single table. Stay tuned... #osr #rpg #simulationism
Does this model actual weather? And do we need that much complexity to do so?
No and no. We can do better with a d100 and a single table. Stay tuned... #osr #rpg #simulationism
A second go at weather was Lisa Cabala's article in Dragon #137. An extensive set of tables, this first gives a 'climate category'. Then you have rolls on temperature tables (12, by climate), a second for precipitation/clouds and a third for wind.
November 3, 2025 at 2:16 PM
A second go at weather was Lisa Cabala's article in Dragon #137. An extensive set of tables, this first gives a 'climate category'. Then you have rolls on temperature tables (12, by climate), a second for precipitation/clouds and a third for wind.
One of the most comprehensive attempts at historical weather generation was the Wilderness Survival Guide. First you check terrain and month to get a temperature range--that's what the letters give you. (A is -40 to -20). Then, you get a daily 2d6 roll to move the range up or down.
November 2, 2025 at 5:11 PM
One of the most comprehensive attempts at historical weather generation was the Wilderness Survival Guide. First you check terrain and month to get a temperature range--that's what the letters give you. (A is -40 to -20). Then, you get a daily 2d6 roll to move the range up or down.
Here I do practical simulationism: rpg mechanics that match reality and work at the table. An example--a weather table for Chicago in the Fall based on the last 80 years of data.
It produces seasons which are as statistically likely as the real thing (including transition probabilities).
It produces seasons which are as statistically likely as the real thing (including transition probabilities).
November 1, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Here I do practical simulationism: rpg mechanics that match reality and work at the table. An example--a weather table for Chicago in the Fall based on the last 80 years of data.
It produces seasons which are as statistically likely as the real thing (including transition probabilities).
It produces seasons which are as statistically likely as the real thing (including transition probabilities).