Adam
@afcbrodie.bsky.social
Blog here: https://afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/. I write about TTRPGs and history and probably other things.
#BlogsOfTheWeek
1. 'Three decades ago, most extremely poor people lived in Asia; today, most are in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the coming years, this trend is expected to continue.' Max Roser
ourworldindata.org/end-progress...
1. 'Three decades ago, most extremely poor people lived in Asia; today, most are in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the coming years, this trend is expected to continue.' Max Roser
ourworldindata.org/end-progress...
The end of progress against extreme poverty?
In the last three decades, the world has made progress against extreme poverty faster than ever before. But unless the poorest economies start growing, this period of progress against the worst form o...
ourworldindata.org
November 24, 2025 at 2:35 PM
#BlogsOfTheWeek
1. 'Three decades ago, most extremely poor people lived in Asia; today, most are in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the coming years, this trend is expected to continue.' Max Roser
ourworldindata.org/end-progress...
1. 'Three decades ago, most extremely poor people lived in Asia; today, most are in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the coming years, this trend is expected to continue.' Max Roser
ourworldindata.org/end-progress...
#BlogsOfTheWeek
1. 'John Gerard’s 1597 botanical reference book explains that the [horsetail] plant’s roughness "is not unknowen to women, who scowre their pewter and wooden things of the kitchen therewith".' Erin Braid.
tinyurl.com/dcrjv8zv
1. 'John Gerard’s 1597 botanical reference book explains that the [horsetail] plant’s roughness "is not unknowen to women, who scowre their pewter and wooden things of the kitchen therewith".' Erin Braid.
tinyurl.com/dcrjv8zv
Washer woman - Works in Progress Magazine
In 1965, married American women did 34 hours of housework weekly. By 2010, that fell to 18 hours. The dishwasher helped.
tinyurl.com
November 15, 2025 at 10:48 PM
#BlogsOfTheWeek
1. 'John Gerard’s 1597 botanical reference book explains that the [horsetail] plant’s roughness "is not unknowen to women, who scowre their pewter and wooden things of the kitchen therewith".' Erin Braid.
tinyurl.com/dcrjv8zv
1. 'John Gerard’s 1597 botanical reference book explains that the [horsetail] plant’s roughness "is not unknowen to women, who scowre their pewter and wooden things of the kitchen therewith".' Erin Braid.
tinyurl.com/dcrjv8zv
#BlogsOfTheWeek
1. "To start, I want to pull on some threads from the incident two weeks ago, when I—and many Palestinians—came very close to being lynched by a mob of Israeli settlers." (Jasper Diamond Nathaniel)
infinitejaz.substack.com/p/a-lynch-mo...
1. "To start, I want to pull on some threads from the incident two weeks ago, when I—and many Palestinians—came very close to being lynched by a mob of Israeli settlers." (Jasper Diamond Nathaniel)
infinitejaz.substack.com/p/a-lynch-mo...
A Lynch Mob in the Olive Fields—and the State Behind It
Pulling at the threads of the attack in Turmus’ayya
infinitejaz.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:31 AM
#BlogsOfTheWeek
1. "To start, I want to pull on some threads from the incident two weeks ago, when I—and many Palestinians—came very close to being lynched by a mob of Israeli settlers." (Jasper Diamond Nathaniel)
infinitejaz.substack.com/p/a-lynch-mo...
1. "To start, I want to pull on some threads from the incident two weeks ago, when I—and many Palestinians—came very close to being lynched by a mob of Israeli settlers." (Jasper Diamond Nathaniel)
infinitejaz.substack.com/p/a-lynch-mo...
Offhand reaction to post below - creeping nationalisation of elections is also a problem in the UK, because the nation in question is the United States.
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/demo...
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/demo...
The Democrats' problem in the Senate is not progressives | Weekly roundup for November 2, 2025
Their big problem is not a lack of moderates, it's nationalization of party brands. And: A new era for the exit poll; The end game of partisan gerrymandering; and how Substack's AI works. + more!
www.gelliottmorris.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Offhand reaction to post below - creeping nationalisation of elections is also a problem in the UK, because the nation in question is the United States.
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/demo...
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/demo...
The Prisoner's Dilemma by @brendanmcleod.com and @matthewguz.bsky.social is really great, a podcast with material limitations but that doesn't cut corners, much like its subject.
November 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM
The Prisoner's Dilemma by @brendanmcleod.com and @matthewguz.bsky.social is really great, a podcast with material limitations but that doesn't cut corners, much like its subject.
Reposted by Adam
I have written a guest-post for Adam Kotsko's "Late Star Trek" blog, on a bizarre Deep Space 9 episode. latestartrek.substack.com/p/resurrecti...
Resurrection of the Trek
A guest-post by UK writer Adam Roberts
latestartrek.substack.com
November 1, 2025 at 2:36 PM
I have written a guest-post for Adam Kotsko's "Late Star Trek" blog, on a bizarre Deep Space 9 episode. latestartrek.substack.com/p/resurrecti...
#BlogsOfTheWeek
1. '...inasmuch as so many people have said that a roleplaying game is, at its heart, a conversation, I do think that the way we “talk” at the table has larger ramifications for the whole game.' (Patchwork Paladin)
patchworkpaladin.com/2025/10/29/c...
1. '...inasmuch as so many people have said that a roleplaying game is, at its heart, a conversation, I do think that the way we “talk” at the table has larger ramifications for the whole game.' (Patchwork Paladin)
patchworkpaladin.com/2025/10/29/c...
Close and Distant Playstyles
I compare two styles of the “conversation” that is a ttrpg game, looking at how players represent their characters at the table, using 5e and Mythic Bastionland examples.
patchworkpaladin.com
November 1, 2025 at 3:35 PM
#BlogsOfTheWeek
1. '...inasmuch as so many people have said that a roleplaying game is, at its heart, a conversation, I do think that the way we “talk” at the table has larger ramifications for the whole game.' (Patchwork Paladin)
patchworkpaladin.com/2025/10/29/c...
1. '...inasmuch as so many people have said that a roleplaying game is, at its heart, a conversation, I do think that the way we “talk” at the table has larger ramifications for the whole game.' (Patchwork Paladin)
patchworkpaladin.com/2025/10/29/c...
Reposted by Adam
with the release of Outer Worlds 2 - now thoroughly sick of the omnipresent "Fuck Capitalism" story: loose, toothless, mugging at the camera with no specificity or intent. it has gone the way of "be gay, do crimes"
October 26, 2025 at 8:50 PM
with the release of Outer Worlds 2 - now thoroughly sick of the omnipresent "Fuck Capitalism" story: loose, toothless, mugging at the camera with no specificity or intent. it has gone the way of "be gay, do crimes"
A thread of quotes from the online Samuel Delany interview on Triton that I found interesting, made ahead of book club.
October 25, 2025 at 2:00 PM
A thread of quotes from the online Samuel Delany interview on Triton that I found interesting, made ahead of book club.
Given how self-abnegating a lot of GM-ing is, we probably owe ourselves a little onanism
GM prep is onanism for the GM and the GM only send tweet
October 25, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Given how self-abnegating a lot of GM-ing is, we probably owe ourselves a little onanism
I've been loving this series on Backwards Tabletop about books and their presence in play, while also feeling strangely at a distance from the project. Which is cool! I don't need to be included. But I wanted to know why I felt apart.
www.backwardstabletop.com/liz...
www.backwardstabletop.com/liz...
Interview: Liz Little on Games and Ergodic Lit
An interview with Liz Little on Games and Ergodic Literature
www.backwardstabletop.com
October 23, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I've been loving this series on Backwards Tabletop about books and their presence in play, while also feeling strangely at a distance from the project. Which is cool! I don't need to be included. But I wanted to know why I felt apart.
www.backwardstabletop.com/liz...
www.backwardstabletop.com/liz...
I have a blog waiting to be fully written about why Sean McTiernan is the world’s best podcaster, but perhaps I could save my time and just post this image he sent out on Patreon
October 23, 2025 at 12:01 PM
I have a blog waiting to be fully written about why Sean McTiernan is the world’s best podcaster, but perhaps I could save my time and just post this image he sent out on Patreon
Just about landing within my self-imposed deadline, I have posted a new blog: afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/blog/all-tha.... It's about All That You Know (@allthatyouknow.com) an actual play that just returned from hiatus, and I'm very happy to be listening to again.
CW: body horror, gross descriptions
CW: body horror, gross descriptions
All That You Know — afcbrodie
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog
October 12, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Just about landing within my self-imposed deadline, I have posted a new blog: afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/blog/all-tha.... It's about All That You Know (@allthatyouknow.com) an actual play that just returned from hiatus, and I'm very happy to be listening to again.
CW: body horror, gross descriptions
CW: body horror, gross descriptions
Today I fully restructured the rulebook for Other Side Station, tossing out old and extraneous rules, and making room for new (and more necessary) thoughts.
October 9, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Today I fully restructured the rulebook for Other Side Station, tossing out old and extraneous rules, and making room for new (and more necessary) thoughts.
Reposted by Adam
guy who's only seen 'boss baby' meeting a real baby: there's a few things here I wasn't expecting
October 7, 2025 at 10:15 AM
guy who's only seen 'boss baby' meeting a real baby: there's a few things here I wasn't expecting
Reposted by Adam
they're calling her "the coolest person who has ever been alive"
October 5, 2025 at 12:49 AM
they're calling her "the coolest person who has ever been alive"
Reposted by Adam
In fact, Labour to Reform voters on average see themselves as less right-wing than other Reform voters, while also not sharing those voters’ view that Labour is a very left-wing party. They’re also a little less enthusiastic than other Reformers for the party or Farage.
October 5, 2025 at 7:59 AM
In fact, Labour to Reform voters on average see themselves as less right-wing than other Reform voters, while also not sharing those voters’ view that Labour is a very left-wing party. They’re also a little less enthusiastic than other Reformers for the party or Farage.
Incredible chart here. The cross-voter opposition to spending cuts, matched by an ideological split on wealth redistribution, a recipe for our current paralysis. The vehemence of opposition to immigration on the right, and the lukewarm "ah lads do we have to be bothered about this" left sentiment.
The Tory to Reform movement is seemingly quite ideological, being consistently one of the most economically right-wing, socially conservative and authoritarian voter groups, the latter two points contrasting to an extent with loyaler Tories.
October 5, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Incredible chart here. The cross-voter opposition to spending cuts, matched by an ideological split on wealth redistribution, a recipe for our current paralysis. The vehemence of opposition to immigration on the right, and the lukewarm "ah lads do we have to be bothered about this" left sentiment.
Ok now, this blog is good. I suppose I think they're all good, otherwise I wouldn't post them (or at least bad in an interesting way) but this one is **good**. Five years into consistent roleplaying and I feel I have grasped what it is I've been doing.
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/blog/common-...
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/blog/common-...
Common Understanding — afcbrodie
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog
October 5, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Ok now, this blog is good. I suppose I think they're all good, otherwise I wouldn't post them (or at least bad in an interesting way) but this one is **good**. Five years into consistent roleplaying and I feel I have grasped what it is I've been doing.
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/blog/common-...
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/blog/common-...
Reposted by Adam
an interesting challenge i sometimes run up against is the tension between the anti-canon quality of RPG as game-objects and the benefits of a single consistent visual style / canonical set of appearances in a game-book
October 3, 2025 at 6:40 PM
an interesting challenge i sometimes run up against is the tension between the anti-canon quality of RPG as game-objects and the benefits of a single consistent visual style / canonical set of appearances in a game-book
I wrote a blog about how games are made of speech not writing, and what that means for GMing.
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/blog/games-a...
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/blog/games-a...
Games are made of speech — afcbrodie
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog
September 28, 2025 at 8:41 PM
I wrote a blog about how games are made of speech not writing, and what that means for GMing.
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/blog/games-a...
afcbrodie.mataroa.blog/blog/games-a...
Reposted by Adam
This here: GM Kayfabe is a whole, extensive thing, to the point that some games ought to address it way more directly.
Paranoia's another one where I use a wrestling analogy. The GM should be an asshole in Paranoia, but in a kayfabe way. Not an actual dick to the players, a fun villain to suspend your disbelief and shake your fist.
September 26, 2025 at 4:14 PM
This here: GM Kayfabe is a whole, extensive thing, to the point that some games ought to address it way more directly.
LeGuin wrote a utopian story about a guy who’s socially alienated because he’s a genius, and Delany wrote one about a guy who’s alienated because he’s a prick, and all I’m saying is guess which one the readership likes more
September 23, 2025 at 7:55 AM
LeGuin wrote a utopian story about a guy who’s socially alienated because he’s a genius, and Delany wrote one about a guy who’s alienated because he’s a prick, and all I’m saying is guess which one the readership likes more
I have gotten to the point in Triton where Bron takes The Spike out to dinner, and I’m sorry, this is just a British sitcom now
September 21, 2025 at 8:27 AM
I have gotten to the point in Triton where Bron takes The Spike out to dinner, and I’m sorry, this is just a British sitcom now
Reposted by Adam
Latest ITV BarnCymru 🏴 poll confirms trend seen over last 6 months - neck and neck race between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK for largest party, with Labour falling to even more distant third. Evidence growing of distinct realignment in Wales 🧵
September 16, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Latest ITV BarnCymru 🏴 poll confirms trend seen over last 6 months - neck and neck race between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK for largest party, with Labour falling to even more distant third. Evidence growing of distinct realignment in Wales 🧵