#tabletop roleplaying game

[herecomesthementalmeltdown]

one-page RPG idea: two-player game where one is trying to burn down the Gävle Goat and the other is the exhausted local government trying to stop them

[heartfighters]

We’ll be doing character spotlights for indie ttrpg characters on Artfight in the lead up to the event!

We aren’t litigating the “indie” definition for this challenge — any non dnd/pathfinder oc will count!

Form to submit your oc for a feature! Have your favorite piece of art handy, and a screenshot of a notable part of their character sheet!

[wyllora]

Month of Stability day 3: Competency

My Assistant General Manager Competency! I designed and made the art for it as an entry in the Triangle Agency Fanzine, Haasio did the layout so it matches the book!

I published it by itself on itch after Haunted Table's team member Satah shouted it out specifically on the Community Spotlight for the Triangle Agency Fanzine! Huge honor ❤️

[story-richmond]

An endlessly frustrating thing to deal with as a game designer is people immediately dismissing your game because they think its for kids.

This year my brother and I brought our game The Magical Land of Yeld to several major conventions for the first time, and a bunch of small ones too. GAMA, Origins, Gencon. We spent 8 months on the con circuit showing our game to everyone who would look. Overall Yeld was pretty well received. People who sat down to play it really liked it. People who stopped and listened to us talk about the game often bought it. Some people walked up and bought it without having to hear the pitch at all! And of course some people just weren't interested. Not every game is for everyone.

But we heard one thing over and over:

"Oh, I don't have kids."

Or variations of this.

"My kids aren't old enough to play games yet."

"My kids are too old for this. They're 12 now and only interested in adult games."

"I don't like games made for kids."

"I'm an experienced gamer. Why would I play a game made for kids?"

Here's the thing. Yeld isn't for kids. Its a game where you PLAY kids.

Kids CAN play it. We made the game easy to learn, and because of that its a good option for new and young players (and we sell a lot of books to families for that reason). But we made the game easy to learn so players can EASILY LEARN IT. That's a great quality in ANY GAME, not just games for kids. The game is approachable and easy to learn because we WANT PEOPLE TO PLAY IT! We included comics that teach the game's rules because we know a lot of players can't be bothered to learn new rules. Or even realize that different games have different rules??? So we went out of our way to make our game as easy to learn as possible. That doesn't mean its for kids. IT MEANS ITS FOR YOU!!!

You're not a dwarf or an elf, but you're into games about dwarves and elves! You're not a mech pilot, but you're interested in games about mech pilots! A game ABOUT children doesn't have to be JUST for children. It can be for everyone. Stories about children can be enjoyed by adults. How do I know this? So many people telling us how much they love Owl House and Avatar and Adventure Time and Stranger Things and Naruto and Zelda and Pokemon and She-Ra and this endless list of stories about kids having big adventures... And then saying "But why would I want to play a game where you're a kid???" Endlessly frustrating.

Anyway, our game is called The Magical Land of Yeld. Its awesome, even if you're an adult. You can get it as a book or pdf from our site, DrivethruRPG, itch.io, Tabletop Bookshelf or IPR. (Some people just said "Oh neat. Not for me, I think!" That's great. Solid answer. I love you.)

[onlessdev]

World Ending Game

We played our last session of World Ending Game last night

as an epilogue for our long-running campaign that began in January of 2022. While I’ve been separately running non dnd games since 2023, we only switched systems starting in January of 2026. It’s strange mapping out the timeline - we’ve forgotten so many things already and World Ending Game helped us recall all the brightest and darkest moments of our adventures.

The Endings we chose this time were:

- 20 Years Later

- Tableaux

- I Need Answers

- The Earth Swallows Time

- Full Circle

- Apocalypse

- Ride Into the Sunset

We really enjoyed revisiting montages of different parts of the adventure:

- how they fought living (corrupted, evil) trees in the small “starting town” to save a witch, a fallen god and the Phoenix

- a mysterious packet of seeds that was never planted and now they returned to it post-journey - it became a tree that has burning leaves and absorbs magical corruption

- a character’s favorite meal from ancient Dalmatia which they later learn to cook themself - accidentally petrifying it at least once when learning the recipe

- the gift of a golden acorn from a mysterious stranger who was never called upon to fulfill their promise of aid - the heroes found out that they lived very happily because of this

- a meeting with were-ravens drawn to the final battlefield in ancient Rome; they met them again and impressed them with the lie that they were really tight with Apollo

- when the group set off magical fireworks and pretended to have a performing bear (really a shapeshifter) to help out a circus for a day - now the world accepts their magic and their acts can be true to themselves

- when they performed a ritual near an ancient Arthurian castle to restore the Phoenix’s memories and senses to the fullest as she had lost them along with her heart; they had never been loved like they are loved now

- all slowly stepping inside the final dungeon, the imperial palace flooded with Underworld river water….

We decided upon reviewing Apocalypse,

that we really didn’t want an apocalyptic final ending. Instead, I pitched the idea that, now that they defeated the evil deity and cruel empire who hated the natural magic of the world, the world surges with magic anew and over time simply changes in a more magical way, perhaps even to the point we wouldn’t recognize it in the future. Perhaps there are more stories and adventures to be had in this transformed world one day.

(Though I definitely won’t be running dnd! I am very happy to run systems that don’t require statblocks, combat balance, dungeons, hit points, rolling to attack….. etc.)

For The Earth Swallows time, we narrated:

- the fire giant (kept trapped in Odin’s treasure vault beneath the Birch Lady’s London estate) now escapes, fire bursting forth and blazing through the city

- deep within the forest, ivy grows over the remains of a cottage sunken deep within the earth, birds building nests in the eaves

- a shining statue of an androgynous figure, an aura of flames cleverly suggested with a detail here and there, stands tall, an inscription of a long-dead love written to be witnessed now only by the stars

- the stars retreat as the world fades…. the spirits of the stars, uplifted heroes and monsters, look towards new worlds. Orion the Hunter departs first, eager for a new hunting grounds. Ursa Major, once Callisto, leaves next with her similarly transformed son. The others depart one after one. The last to leave, the Seven Sisters, once so closely tied to the earth as nymphs, clasp bright shining hands and walk together into the skies. Other realms await.

It’s the end of an era.

We’ll start another (short, short, five-week) campaign next week. While we’re all sad about this adventure ending, and saying goodbye to all of these characters, it’s exciting to think about the next adventure to come.

The descriptions of the stars and constellations reminds me of this Theros art by Jason Engle:

[damsels-n-dice]

my game for the One-Page RPG Jam, a most devouring kind, is now available on itch.io as a PWYW game! if you like solo journaling games, or themes of secrets, hunger and body horror, you might enjoy this game. it's a project i'm really happy with visually speaking, so i hope people enjoy it! it'll also be available on my ko-fi and drivethrurpg in the near future, but for now check it out on itch.io:

a most devouring kind by Damsels & Dice

a solo ttrpg about secrets, hunger and the language of flowers.

[dm-moe]

D&D x DUNE

🏜️ DUNE 🏜️

Sometimes called the Lord of the Rings of science fiction, Frank Herbert's magnum opus, Dune, offers a number of unique and excellent ideas for even the most adamantly anti-sci-fi D&D player. The universe presented shows a depth of detail rarely seen in contemporary fiction. Everything and everyone has a history, giving the reality in which the novel's events occur the same weight of minutiae experienced when exploring a world as detailed as the FORGOTTEN REALMS. Dune traces the path of young Paul Atreides from 15-year-old ducal heir on the water-rich planet of Caladan to his rise as a young man who becomes messiah-emperor on the desert planet Arrakis—Dune itself. Along the way, the novel packs in political intrigue, betrayal, murder, and a little philosophy. Alongside his mother, the Lady Jessica, Paul escapes into the death-dealing desert wilderness, where they come under the protection of Stilgar of the Fremen. Under the tutelage of both Jessica and Stilgar, Paul embraces and reworks the Fremen way even as Fremen culture embraces and reworks him. Like any great adventure fiction, Dune also packs in lots of cool and imaginative concepts. Many of these ideas easily translate to D&D, from Stillsuits to Defensive Shields. Of course, the most evocative aspect of Dune is the spice called Melange and its cycle of creation and use. The following presents a way for you to use a similar cycle in your D&D game.

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🟠 ORANGESPICE 🟠

Orangespice appears as a fine orange powder that smells heavily of cinnamon. At low doses, orangespice becomes mildly addictive; At high doses, orangespice becomes fatally so. Consumed over a lifetime, orangespice adds years to your life and grants you insight into the future. Orangespice acts much like a disease and in some ways like a drug from the Book of Vile Darkness. Some creatures actively seek exposure to orangespice for its beneficial qualities, oblivious to the dangers. Others, especially those who live near areas high in orangespice, cannot help but become exposed to it, for good or ill. As long as you ingest a steady amount of orangespice in your diet, you suffer no ill effects. The following table outlines the effects of orangespice.

Frequency: This lists how often you must either consume a dose of orangespice or else make a Fortitude save. You set this frequency by the length of time between your previous 2 doses of orangespice, although you can never move higher on the chart (you cannot wean yourself off orangespice over time). Once you've established a frequency of use, you can only maintain that frequency, increase the frequency of use, or quit orangespice altogether. If your frequency of consumption falls between 2 of the levels on the chart, use the more frequent level. For example, if you consume 2 doses of orangespice 6 months apart, your frequency becomes 1 month, and you must thereafter either consume a dose of orangespice or make a Fortitude save every month.

Spell-Like Ability (CL): This indicates which spell-like ability you gain from the spice you consume, as well as the caster level of that ability. The spell-like abilities are cumulative, so you gain all of the spell-like abilities higher on the list. You may use a particular spell-like ability once per dose you consume, and you may not use any spell-like abilities if you don't consume spice (whether or not you make your Fortitude save). Fort DC: This is the DC of the Fortitude save you must make if you miss consuming a dose at the appropriate frequency interval. Number of Saves: This is how many Fortitude saves you must make in a row in order to break your reliance on orangespice. If you later take a dose of orangespice after making the appropriate number of saves in a row, your frequency reverts to its previous level and you must succeed at this number of consecutive Fortitude saves to quit again. Damage: The amount of damage you take if you fail a Fortitude save. Certain spells (such as restoration) can cure this damage normally, but no spell short of wish or miracle can prevent it from occurring. Lifespan Increase: Orangespice grants a longer life if you're exposed to it for your entire life. Your DM adds the indicated number of years onto your maximum age when he makes your maximum age roll.

ORANGESPICE EFFECTS

_________________________________________________ Frequency | Spell-Like Ability (CL) | Fort DC | Number of Saves | Damage | Lifespan Increase _________________________________________________

Year | — | 8 | 2 | 1d2 Wis | — Month | Guidance (1st) | 16 | 3 | 1d2 Wis + 1d4 Str | 10d2 years Week | Augury (3rd) | 24 | 4 | 1d2 Wis* + 1d4 Str + 1d6 Con | 10d6 years Day | Divination (7th) | 32 | 5 | 2d2 Wis* + 2d4 Str* + 2d6 Con | 10d10 years __________________________________________________

*Permanent drain, not temporary damage.

A dose of orangespice costs 500 GP and has no appreciable weight.

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🟠 ORANGESEER 🟠

Large Monstrous Humanoid Hit Dice: 8d8+16 (52 hp) Initiative: +11 Speed: 20 ft (4 squares), fly 10 ft. (clumsy) Armor Class: 20 (–1 size, –1 Dex, +4 natural, +8 dodge), touch 16, flat-footed 20 Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+12 Attack: Claw +7 melee (1d6) Full Attack: 2 claws +5 melee (1d6) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Psionics Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/magic, future sight, immunities, orangespice dependence, spell resistance 19, tongues, uncanny dodge Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +8 Abilities: STR 11 | DEX 8 | CON 15 | INT 26 | WIS 15 | CHA 14 Skills: Concentration +13, Diplomacy +15, Gather Information +13, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Knowledge (geography) +19, Knowledge (psionics) +19, Knowledge (the planes) +19, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +21 Feats: Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Spell Penetration Environment: Any land Organization: Solitary, band (1 Orangeseer + 4–6 1st-level warrior attendants), or guild ( 2–6 Orangeseers + 3–7 3rd-level warrior sergeants and 12–36 1st-level warrior attendants) Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: — This bloated creature appears somewhat humanoid, but its arms and legs seem vestigial compared to the immense bulk of its orange-skinned body. The strong scent of cinnamon assaults your nostrils. Their minds open to the possibilities of the future and the vast existences of the present, Orangeseers make dangerous assassins and spies. Only the wealthiest organizations can hope to maintain even one Orangeseer for long periods of time. An Orangeseer was once a humanoid who has since surrendered himself/herself to Orangespice's effects, making him/her wholly dependent on Orangespice but giving him vast powers beyond those of even daily dosage users. An Orangeseer looks like an impossibly bloated human whose atrophied legs can no longer support it but yet somehow do. An Orangeseer weighs about 1,000 pounds.

COMBAT

In combat, an Orangeseer tries to stay out of melee, using his/her psionics to blast his/her foes. If the fight begins to go against him/her, the Orangeseer grabs what Orangespice it can and uses Dimension Door or Plane Shift to escape.

Psionics (Sp): At will — Augury, Divination, Guidance; 3/day — Commune, Dimension Door, Touch of Idiocy; 1/day — Charm Person (DC 13), Daze Monster (DC 14), Greater Scrying (DC 19), Hold Person (DC 15), Plane Shift (DC 19), Suggestion (DC 15). Caster level 13th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Future Sight (Su): An Orangeseer constantly sees several possible futures simultaneous with its view of the present. This Ability grants the Orangeseer a dodge bonus to Armor Class and an Insight bonus on Initiative rolls equal to its Intelligence Modifier (usually +8). Immunities: The Orangeseers are immune to mind-affecting effects, disease, and poison. Orangespice Dependence (Ex): An Orangeseer must use Orangespice hourly. Because of its extreme reliance on Orangespice, it automatically fails all Fortitude saves related to Orangespice. Uncanny Dodge (Ex): An Orangeseer retains its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) and any dodge bonuses to AC even if caught flat-footed or attacked by an invisible creature.

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🟠 SANDWORMS 🟠

You can easily introduce Sandworms into your campaign by changing a few of the abilities of a Purple Worm. Sandworms create orangespice as a natural part of their life cycle, making their preservation imperative to those who harvest or use orangespice. Creating a Sandworm from a Purple Worm takes a few easy steps that mostly don't affect combat. First, take away the Purple Worm's poisonous sting attack. Give the worm the following Orangespice creation special quality, and increase its tremorsense range to 1 mile. Change its environment to warm desert. A Sandworm can run even when burrowing, but it can only burrow through sand and other loose material. Reduce its CR by 1. Finally, change the worm's advancement line to 16-32 HD (Gargantuan); 33+ (Colossal). Don't fear making your Sandworm bigger. The statistics given on page 211 of the Monster Manual represent the average Purple Worm but only an immature Sandworm. Sandworms average about 300 feet long, 20 feet in diameter, and about 80 tons. Some deep desert dwellers claim to have spotted Sandworms of around 1,000 feet long, and their legends tell of Sandworms approaching a 3rd of a mile in length. Orangespice Creation (Ex): A Sandworm produces 1 pound per HD of Orangespice once per week. It leaves Orangespice in its wake wherever it travels. Patches of Orangespice occasionally work their way to the surface where they are easily harvested.