w.s. healed | the HORIZON MACHINE
@thehorizonmachine.bsky.social
a machine that prints tabletop roleplaying games | https://thehorizonmachine.itch.io/ | despatches from w.s. healed (she/her) | games by w.s. healed & associates
Pinned
currently working on:
- Underside (traumatized capes struggling with identity, out as playtest!)
- PRAXI: Protocol Against Xenoimperialism (OSR-flavored guerilla communist xcom, in dev)
- ULTRADAMNATION: Indebted To The Gods of the Dark (chuunicore urban horror fantasy teenfeels, early dev)
- Underside (traumatized capes struggling with identity, out as playtest!)
- PRAXI: Protocol Against Xenoimperialism (OSR-flavored guerilla communist xcom, in dev)
- ULTRADAMNATION: Indebted To The Gods of the Dark (chuunicore urban horror fantasy teenfeels, early dev)
Reposted by w.s. healed | the HORIZON MACHINE
"babies are born worshipping unknown gods" is one of the most incredible dwarf fortress bugs i have heard of. its poetry.
November 11, 2025 at 4:18 PM
"babies are born worshipping unknown gods" is one of the most incredible dwarf fortress bugs i have heard of. its poetry.
edh tip: if you're like me and have trouble paying attention to stuff that doesn't involve the most important and specialest person at the table (me) i can't recommend enough playing a deck with lots of instant-speed plays
November 7, 2025 at 1:34 AM
edh tip: if you're like me and have trouble paying attention to stuff that doesn't involve the most important and specialest person at the table (me) i can't recommend enough playing a deck with lots of instant-speed plays
Reposted by w.s. healed | the HORIZON MACHINE
My heart is like a claw machine
It’s only function is to reach
It can’t hold on to anything
No, I can’t hold on to anything
It’s only function is to reach
It can’t hold on to anything
No, I can’t hold on to anything
November 5, 2025 at 2:03 AM
My heart is like a claw machine
It’s only function is to reach
It can’t hold on to anything
No, I can’t hold on to anything
It’s only function is to reach
It can’t hold on to anything
No, I can’t hold on to anything
white people trying to express their dislike for an inanimate object: okay imagine a racialized minority
November 2, 2025 at 5:27 PM
white people trying to express their dislike for an inanimate object: okay imagine a racialized minority
i fucking love the duo cards. what an incredible way to emphasize that bloomburrow was about multiple factions coming together ahd finding common ground, literally printing cards featuring two different animal folk with mechanical effects bridging the common ground between those animals' mechanics
November 1, 2025 at 9:43 PM
i fucking love the duo cards. what an incredible way to emphasize that bloomburrow was about multiple factions coming together ahd finding common ground, literally printing cards featuring two different animal folk with mechanical effects bridging the common ground between those animals' mechanics
first look at my upcoming chuunicore ultraviolent teenfeelings ttrpg ULTRADAMNATION: INDEBTED TO THE GODS OF THE DARKNESS is up on my patreon:
www.patreon.com/posts/ultrad...
www.patreon.com/posts/ultrad...
ULTRADAMNATION: INDEBTED TO THE GODS OF THE DARK -- a first look | rose quarter-drifting
Get more from rose quarter-drifting on Patreon
www.patreon.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:45 AM
first look at my upcoming chuunicore ultraviolent teenfeelings ttrpg ULTRADAMNATION: INDEBTED TO THE GODS OF THE DARKNESS is up on my patreon:
www.patreon.com/posts/ultrad...
www.patreon.com/posts/ultrad...
people who think the badass antihero who looks cool is badass and cool are not in fact producing an illegitimate or unfounded reading of the work just because you disagree with it. Yes even if the antihero does a bunch of bad stuff and is really sad
October 29, 2025 at 7:19 PM
people who think the badass antihero who looks cool is badass and cool are not in fact producing an illegitimate or unfounded reading of the work just because you disagree with it. Yes even if the antihero does a bunch of bad stuff and is really sad
Reposted by w.s. healed | the HORIZON MACHINE
See, the trick is that "the GM exists for the players' amusement, whose job is to ruin their plans for fun" and "the GM rules like a king, and the players exist to be their playthings" is that these SEEM like opposite maladaptive approaches to play, but they both result in the GM doing all the work.
October 29, 2025 at 3:33 AM
See, the trick is that "the GM exists for the players' amusement, whose job is to ruin their plans for fun" and "the GM rules like a king, and the players exist to be their playthings" is that these SEEM like opposite maladaptive approaches to play, but they both result in the GM doing all the work.
if you dont like the insane and bigoted mods on bsky dont worry you can go to mastodon and choose between one of infinity billion sets of insane and bigoted mods with more free time on their hands #dencentralization
October 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
if you dont like the insane and bigoted mods on bsky dont worry you can go to mastodon and choose between one of infinity billion sets of insane and bigoted mods with more free time on their hands #dencentralization
thinking about my favourite low empathy characters... racter... wenduag... villanelle... delaney 'regina-saskatoon' pollack... aracely sosa... baru cormorant... c'venash vishneri... insul... ianthe... notice how much like any other narrative trope its cooler and better when girls do it
October 2, 2025 at 5:49 PM
thinking about my favourite low empathy characters... racter... wenduag... villanelle... delaney 'regina-saskatoon' pollack... aracely sosa... baru cormorant... c'venash vishneri... insul... ianthe... notice how much like any other narrative trope its cooler and better when girls do it
skills are often most fun when they are provided 'by' something... (background, npc, class even)... it turns something that is only a technical competency into something produced by a history and a social world... +2 to lockpicking or basket-weaving can be a narrative ability if you let it be...
October 2, 2025 at 5:01 PM
skills are often most fun when they are provided 'by' something... (background, npc, class even)... it turns something that is only a technical competency into something produced by a history and a social world... +2 to lockpicking or basket-weaving can be a narrative ability if you let it be...
Reposted by w.s. healed | the HORIZON MACHINE
"if your whole personality is hating men-" have you considered that the ease with which you are willing to shrink a woman down to one single trait that you have perceived based on what you've been told is "man hating" may be an indicator of misogynistic thinking?
September 28, 2025 at 11:56 PM
"if your whole personality is hating men-" have you considered that the ease with which you are willing to shrink a woman down to one single trait that you have perceived based on what you've been told is "man hating" may be an indicator of misogynistic thinking?
for my patreons--the game of the ball, pt. i, a short fable helping illustrate some of the paradoxes of defining 'the game', and a prequel to an essay i'm hoping to have out next month :)
www.patreon.com/posts/game-o...
www.patreon.com/posts/game-o...
THE GAME OF THE BALL, PT. I | rose quarter-drifting
Get more from rose quarter-drifting on Patreon
www.patreon.com
September 28, 2025 at 11:19 PM
for my patreons--the game of the ball, pt. i, a short fable helping illustrate some of the paradoxes of defining 'the game', and a prequel to an essay i'm hoping to have out next month :)
www.patreon.com/posts/game-o...
www.patreon.com/posts/game-o...
Reposted by w.s. healed | the HORIZON MACHINE
![A screenshot of a page from the core rulebook of the tabletop RPG "Lancer". The screenshot is of a third-tier talent called "Here, catch!", describing an ability where mechs can eject superheated fuel rods as a means of attacking their enemies. Exact text follows:
Here, Catch!
You've modified your mech to launch its superheated fuel rods at enemies. Gain the following weapon as an integrated mount:
Fuel Rod Gun
Main CQB, Limited 3, Unique
[Threat 3][Range 3][1d3+2 Energy damage]
On Attack: Clear 4 Heat](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:bg44nvcnrvgqu7rhymjkmg6c/bafkreichl5mpwf6n2j2qicvyr5jss7g2fmo47zhswmki2fwcdajg6ojvke@jpeg)
Reposted by w.s. healed | the HORIZON MACHINE
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an online woman, in possession of an interesting post, must be in want of really annoying guys replying to her.
September 15, 2025 at 8:36 AM
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an online woman, in possession of an interesting post, must be in want of really annoying guys replying to her.
it is veryu fashionable to be making games About Trauma (no judgement, my current big project is About Trauma!) but perhaps we could all benefit to uhhh take the pains to Define Trauma when we do so and actually be thoughtful about what our chosen definition means and what that says
September 28, 2025 at 6:51 PM
it is veryu fashionable to be making games About Trauma (no judgement, my current big project is About Trauma!) but perhaps we could all benefit to uhhh take the pains to Define Trauma when we do so and actually be thoughtful about what our chosen definition means and what that says
jay dragons evil manifesto grew legs came to my house spat in my salad etc... its all Really Fucked Up
September 28, 2025 at 6:48 PM
jay dragons evil manifesto grew legs came to my house spat in my salad etc... its all Really Fucked Up
currently working on:
- Underside (traumatized capes struggling with identity, out as playtest!)
- PRAXI: Protocol Against Xenoimperialism (OSR-flavored guerilla communist xcom, in dev)
- ULTRADAMNATION: Indebted To The Gods of the Dark (chuunicore urban horror fantasy teenfeels, early dev)
- Underside (traumatized capes struggling with identity, out as playtest!)
- PRAXI: Protocol Against Xenoimperialism (OSR-flavored guerilla communist xcom, in dev)
- ULTRADAMNATION: Indebted To The Gods of the Dark (chuunicore urban horror fantasy teenfeels, early dev)
September 19, 2025 at 4:26 PM
currently working on:
- Underside (traumatized capes struggling with identity, out as playtest!)
- PRAXI: Protocol Against Xenoimperialism (OSR-flavored guerilla communist xcom, in dev)
- ULTRADAMNATION: Indebted To The Gods of the Dark (chuunicore urban horror fantasy teenfeels, early dev)
- Underside (traumatized capes struggling with identity, out as playtest!)
- PRAXI: Protocol Against Xenoimperialism (OSR-flavored guerilla communist xcom, in dev)
- ULTRADAMNATION: Indebted To The Gods of the Dark (chuunicore urban horror fantasy teenfeels, early dev)
Reposted by w.s. healed | the HORIZON MACHINE
"Just tell them" is such an underrated piece of advice for telegraphing dangers in RPGs.
"How can I hint that the hallway is trapped? How can I hint that if they defeat the dungeon lord, they become the next dungeon lord?"
Just tell them. Tell them out loud. With your words.
"How can I hint that the hallway is trapped? How can I hint that if they defeat the dungeon lord, they become the next dungeon lord?"
Just tell them. Tell them out loud. With your words.
September 18, 2025 at 1:26 PM
"Just tell them" is such an underrated piece of advice for telegraphing dangers in RPGs.
"How can I hint that the hallway is trapped? How can I hint that if they defeat the dungeon lord, they become the next dungeon lord?"
Just tell them. Tell them out loud. With your words.
"How can I hint that the hallway is trapped? How can I hint that if they defeat the dungeon lord, they become the next dungeon lord?"
Just tell them. Tell them out loud. With your words.
UNDERSIDE is a dark superhero TTRPG about the rupture between ordinary life and the exosociety you're forced into when trauma marks you as different and inhuman--and about dressing up in a colorful costume to punch people. Get in on the playtest now at my Patreon:
www.patreon.com/posts/unders...
www.patreon.com/posts/unders...
UNDERSIDE PLAYTEST | rose quarter-drifting
Get more from rose quarter-drifting on Patreon
www.patreon.com
September 17, 2025 at 12:52 PM
UNDERSIDE is a dark superhero TTRPG about the rupture between ordinary life and the exosociety you're forced into when trauma marks you as different and inhuman--and about dressing up in a colorful costume to punch people. Get in on the playtest now at my Patreon:
www.patreon.com/posts/unders...
www.patreon.com/posts/unders...
solo rpg where you write out your opinions on the new sabrina carpenter album cover on a piece of paper and you bundle it up and you Eat it. You eat it
June 18, 2025 at 1:40 PM
solo rpg where you write out your opinions on the new sabrina carpenter album cover on a piece of paper and you bundle it up and you Eat it. You eat it
i say this a lot but it's really baffling to me how the popular reaction to wanderhome was that it's 'cozy' when it is literally like a desperately sad game first and foremost
June 17, 2025 at 2:49 PM
i say this a lot but it's really baffling to me how the popular reaction to wanderhome was that it's 'cozy' when it is literally like a desperately sad game first and foremost
After years of fruitless negotiations and exhausting archival work we've finally managed to dig up the long-lost character sheet for the acclaimed SCREAMER-KILLER: Sixth Edition Core Rulebook!
thehorizonmachine.itch.io/screamerkill...
thehorizonmachine.itch.io/screamerkill...
SCREAMER-KILLER 6e Character Sheet by the HORIZON MACHINE
the long-lost character sheet, updated for the newest edition
thehorizonmachine.itch.io
June 17, 2025 at 12:09 AM
After years of fruitless negotiations and exhausting archival work we've finally managed to dig up the long-lost character sheet for the acclaimed SCREAMER-KILLER: Sixth Edition Core Rulebook!
thehorizonmachine.itch.io/screamerkill...
thehorizonmachine.itch.io/screamerkill...
if you're anti-AI you need to stop making it sound awesome and cool. "slop generator" thats good, accurately conveys that LLMs largely produce worthless garbage. but "theft machine"? sorry thats awesome "automatic collage machine" thats badass "copyright infringement" yippeee!
April 27, 2025 at 4:05 PM
if you're anti-AI you need to stop making it sound awesome and cool. "slop generator" thats good, accurately conveys that LLMs largely produce worthless garbage. but "theft machine"? sorry thats awesome "automatic collage machine" thats badass "copyright infringement" yippeee!
Reposted by w.s. healed | the HORIZON MACHINE
Regardless of how one feels about the Catholic Church or about Pope Francis, now is a time to come together to claim that JD Vance killed him
April 21, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Regardless of how one feels about the Catholic Church or about Pope Francis, now is a time to come together to claim that JD Vance killed him