Just finished up a blog post about how I prepared for, and continue prepping for my Shadowdark/ Caverns of Thracia campaign. If you're like me and prefer improvisation and light work to Blorb and legwork, give it a read. Hell, give it a read anyway!
billhook.bearblog.dev/building-out...
I rate every room in White Plume Mountain (X out of 5 Stars) and explain why each room does, or does not, work and how you can take these lessons into designing your own dungeons, be they of the funhouse variety or not
#osr #ttrpg
Hopefully the first in a new series of play reports detailing a campaign taking place in my custom sandbox for dungeon Module B1: In Search of the Unknown. #TTRPG #D&D #AD&D #OSR
If you ask someone how Into the Odd has streamlined their games, they will probably mention removing the "to hit" roll and just rolling damage.
I blasphemously ask the question: can we re-incorporate accuracy and missed attacks with Into the Odd without turning it into a major slog?
#osr #ttrpg
The Bloggies have concluded for 2026! Congratulations to this year's winners. You can find the results (and a whole slew of awesome blog posts) here:
www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
The accomplishment of "We Read the Bloggies" is incredible. In just a few weeks they produces nearly the same number of episodes as Blogs on Tape has in almost 9 years. Bravo to everyone involved, that's incredible.
Catch ‘Em All while you can! In commemoration of the 30th anniversary, I’m heistfunding a Poképocalyptic game based on Into the Odd. I call it INTO THE ODDISH!
You can pre-order it now (until ???)
#ttrpg #pokemon #osr
New blog post!
In it, I talk about a settlement first way of building a sandbox, with the intention of visiting the same communities over and over. Check it out!
www.mindstormpress.com/settlement-o...
I know, I know, I keep talking about the Bloggies.
But I built an archive of all the past Bloggies Awards. If that's your kind of thing, take a look!
You can also grab yearly OPML files of all nominees for your RSS reader.
bloggies.org
See also @forlornencystment.bsky.social post about minimalist location sketches. This should be taught in public schools forlornencystment.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-...
I agree!
I wrote about treasure maps as adventure hooks in AD&D. How likely are they to be found in dungeons? What monsters have them? To where & what do they lead? What does it take to claim the treasure they reveal, who else is after it, & to what lengths will they go to obtain it? #D&D #AD&D #OSR #blog
The second half of The Bloggies is happening. Check out this year's nominations for Best Debut Blog, Best Series, and Best Overall Post, then vote on your favorites!
forms.gle/VNA674tbsW4m...
Voting for the Bloggies’ bonus categories is now open! My AD&D Series is nominated & I would love your support! The competition is crazy! & don’t forget to vote for Best Debut Blog.
Great brackets this year! Overall very happy with these results.
i was super inspired by @knightattheopera.bsky.social and @forlornencystment.bsky.social’s posts about mapping to incorporate similar dynamics into my pirate game
and i felt the best way in my context was to make maps and mapping into a resource 🗺️
traversefantasy.blogspot.com/2026/02/stat...
I said blogger instead of bloggie…..
It’s the final round of the blogger brackets (after this is best overall post, then bonus categories). These are all great matchups! Vote!
I wrote about player mapping in dungeons in AD&D, specifically about how the dungeon map enables expedited travel along mapped routes, allowing not only a quick escape from the dungeon to rest, but also a quick route back into the dungeon to continue exploration on subsequent delves. #D&D #AD&D #OSR
Vote for my analysis of Dungeon Module B1's room descriptions in the Critique category! & also vote for other posts in that category & the remaining categories. But especially vote for mine!
My condensed sandbox for Dungeon Module B3: Palace of the Silver Princess is featured in this newsletter as part of a fantastic selection of blog posts!
Reading and LISTENING to the bloggies!
Favs so far:
The 10 types of special rooms @traipsehex.bsky.social
Writing rooms in pairs @sean.tuesdayknightgames.com
WHY MEGADUNGEONS? @icastlight.bsky.social
Dealing With NPCs Should Be Expensive and Irritating @forlornencystment.bsky.social
I think it seems less nightmarish with ocean-dwelling characters, but there are still a lot of considerations to take into account for sure.
Yeah I think an underwater campaign for landlubbers would be a pain, but one with undersea peoples would be quite fun. Would require quite a bit of additional considerations however.
It certainly helps explain those ancient ruined civilizations at the bottom of the ocean!
I wrote about underwater adventures in D&D. Aquatic environments have everything you need in a D&D game - dungeons & dragons (in turtle form). Why don't we go there more, & how might we change that? Did you know about The Deluge in the ancient past of AD&D's implied setting? I didn't! #AD&D #OSR
I recorded two of my posts for the WE READ THE BLOGGIES podcast. If you need to catch up on your blog posts before voting starts next week, this is a great way to do it!
The awesome @bommyknocker.bsky.social, @elmc.at, Grace of Choir of Fire @seraphimseraphina.bsky.social and many community members have organized a group recording effort of every Bloggies post as podcast episodes inspired by Blogs on Tape!https://podcast.bloggies.org/
My series of posts on AD&D is nominated in the Best Series category. These posts run the gamut from implied setting to intended playstyle to detailed breakdowns of mechanics & procedures, providing in-depth analysis of one weird guy's very specific vision of fantasy gaming.
