Mad Jay
@madjay.bsky.social
Plays Games Fearlessly. Often pretends with Strangers. A Game designer.
WIP: Lifted: Indomitable. Catch me on www.patreon.com/madjayzero and playfearless.substack.com #ttrpg
WIP: Lifted: Indomitable. Catch me on www.patreon.com/madjayzero and playfearless.substack.com #ttrpg
Pinned
The Play Fearless Greatest Crits Zine
A Zine of Essays, Tools, and Table Truths from the Play Fearless Newsletter.
www.kickstarter.com
Alright, The Play Fearless Greatest Crits zine is live!!
I’ve been writing Play Fearless for years.
This is the part I wanted for my coffee table.
If you’ve ever pulled something from this work into your own games, I’d love your support.
You know what to do!
#ttrpg
I’ve been writing Play Fearless for years.
This is the part I wanted for my coffee table.
If you’ve ever pulled something from this work into your own games, I’d love your support.
You know what to do!
#ttrpg
all the boring, non-sexy stuff for prototyping card play of my deckbuilder: Zero Day Bandits.
'cause nobody's working on a Netrunner Deckbuilder game for me to play. 🤷🏾♂️ #indiegamedev
'cause nobody's working on a Netrunner Deckbuilder game for me to play. 🤷🏾♂️ #indiegamedev
February 9, 2026 at 7:57 PM
all the boring, non-sexy stuff for prototyping card play of my deckbuilder: Zero Day Bandits.
'cause nobody's working on a Netrunner Deckbuilder game for me to play. 🤷🏾♂️ #indiegamedev
'cause nobody's working on a Netrunner Deckbuilder game for me to play. 🤷🏾♂️ #indiegamedev
"Magic is believing in yourself. If you can do that, you can make anything happen." — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Magic and frog monster shenanigans in Occulted KC (our Monster of the Week campaign), a Zine update and a Zero Day Bandits update.
Good Monday Gamers!!
#TTRPG #Gamedev
Magic and frog monster shenanigans in Occulted KC (our Monster of the Week campaign), a Zine update and a Zero Day Bandits update.
Good Monday Gamers!!
#TTRPG #Gamedev
MM138: The Magic of Letting Go & ZINES!!! | Diceology on Patreon
Get more from Diceology on Patreon on Patreon
www.patreon.com
February 9, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Alright, The Play Fearless Greatest Crits zine is live!!
I’ve been writing Play Fearless for years.
This is the part I wanted for my coffee table.
If you’ve ever pulled something from this work into your own games, I’d love your support.
You know what to do!
#ttrpg
I’ve been writing Play Fearless for years.
This is the part I wanted for my coffee table.
If you’ve ever pulled something from this work into your own games, I’d love your support.
You know what to do!
#ttrpg
The Play Fearless Greatest Crits Zine
A Zine of Essays, Tools, and Table Truths from the Play Fearless Newsletter.
www.kickstarter.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:14 PM
Alright, The Play Fearless Greatest Crits zine is live!!
I’ve been writing Play Fearless for years.
This is the part I wanted for my coffee table.
If you’ve ever pulled something from this work into your own games, I’d love your support.
You know what to do!
#ttrpg
I’ve been writing Play Fearless for years.
This is the part I wanted for my coffee table.
If you’ve ever pulled something from this work into your own games, I’d love your support.
You know what to do!
#ttrpg
Reposted by Mad Jay
Hey in the run up to the crowdfunding campaign for Cold City and Hot War, (Both games are now out in PDF) I sat down with @malcolmcraig.bsky.social to chat about the upcoming new edition. You can watch (or listen) to all of the parts in one go: youtu.be/Hds6fbPzvJE #coldcity
All the Cold City Hot War short videos in one long video
YouTube video by Handiwork Games
youtu.be
February 4, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Hey in the run up to the crowdfunding campaign for Cold City and Hot War, (Both games are now out in PDF) I sat down with @malcolmcraig.bsky.social to chat about the upcoming new edition. You can watch (or listen) to all of the parts in one go: youtu.be/Hds6fbPzvJE #coldcity
This is one of those weeks where a bunch of small, separate things quietly click into place.
None of it is flashy on its own. Taken together, though, it feels like momentum—and I’ll take that kind of Monday every Monday.
Good Monday, Gamer!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpg
None of it is flashy on its own. Taken together, though, it feels like momentum—and I’ll take that kind of Monday every Monday.
Good Monday, Gamer!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpg
Monday Musings #137 🤬
Muses, and Zines, and Games, Oh My!
open.substack.com
February 2, 2026 at 3:22 PM
This is one of those weeks where a bunch of small, separate things quietly click into place.
None of it is flashy on its own. Taken together, though, it feels like momentum—and I’ll take that kind of Monday every Monday.
Good Monday, Gamer!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpg
None of it is flashy on its own. Taken together, though, it feels like momentum—and I’ll take that kind of Monday every Monday.
Good Monday, Gamer!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpg
A little something-something I’ve been working on with the most awesome @scorchadoom.bsky.social Creativity in the TTRPG space. Should be going live today, it’s been a while since I did any podcast work, a brotha’s a bit rusty!
January 30, 2026 at 6:30 PM
A little something-something I’ve been working on with the most awesome @scorchadoom.bsky.social Creativity in the TTRPG space. Should be going live today, it’s been a while since I did any podcast work, a brotha’s a bit rusty!
Secret KC: Winter's Last Dance - Warm Rooms, Slow Vibes & Quiet Intentions! www.secretkc.com/p/the-big-th...
Secret KC: Winter's Last Dance - Warm Rooms, Slow Vibes & Quiet Intentions!
Discover KC's cozy winter weekend: Thawing out after the storm, embracing slow moments, and quietly preparing for February's gentle transitions with warm rooms and easy vibes.
www.secretkc.com
January 29, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Secret KC: Winter's Last Dance - Warm Rooms, Slow Vibes & Quiet Intentions! www.secretkc.com/p/the-big-th...
Someone ran the experiment anyway.
It worked.
It can’t be shut down.
Occult infrastructure.
Leaking systems.
Bad assumptions baked into reality.
Good Monday, Gamer. You Don’t Know Jack
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
#ttrpg
It worked.
It can’t be shut down.
Occult infrastructure.
Leaking systems.
Bad assumptions baked into reality.
Good Monday, Gamer. You Don’t Know Jack
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
#ttrpg
Monday Musings #136 🤬
You don't know Jack!
open.substack.com
January 26, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Someone ran the experiment anyway.
It worked.
It can’t be shut down.
Occult infrastructure.
Leaking systems.
Bad assumptions baked into reality.
Good Monday, Gamer. You Don’t Know Jack
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
#ttrpg
It worked.
It can’t be shut down.
Occult infrastructure.
Leaking systems.
Bad assumptions baked into reality.
Good Monday, Gamer. You Don’t Know Jack
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
#ttrpg
Reposted by Mad Jay
just submitted two of my games, Birth of the Resistance Age (which is about fighting an authoritarian regime) and Imp of the Perverse (which is about ending the threat of monsters in your community), it’s not much but something’s better than nothing!
abolish ice, all power to MN.
abolish ice, all power to MN.
The No ICE in Minnesota charity bundle submission period is now open: itch.io/jam/no-ice-i...
All games, free and paid, TTRPG and browser based-alike are welcome
Submissions are open until January 26 & the charity bundle supporting a Minnesota based Immigrants' rights org will go live in February
All games, free and paid, TTRPG and browser based-alike are welcome
Submissions are open until January 26 & the charity bundle supporting a Minnesota based Immigrants' rights org will go live in February
January 25, 2026 at 4:40 PM
just submitted two of my games, Birth of the Resistance Age (which is about fighting an authoritarian regime) and Imp of the Perverse (which is about ending the threat of monsters in your community), it’s not much but something’s better than nothing!
abolish ice, all power to MN.
abolish ice, all power to MN.
Behind the scenes of my weekly Monster of the Week campaign in an Occulted Kansas City. Practical prep, player-led discovery, table presence, and why I don’t stat baddies until I must.
Friday Field Notes: Occulted KC. open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Friday Field Notes: Occulted KC. open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Field Notes: Occulted Kansas City
Running a Weekly Monster of the Week Campaign
open.substack.com
January 23, 2026 at 10:22 PM
Behind the scenes of my weekly Monster of the Week campaign in an Occulted Kansas City. Practical prep, player-led discovery, table presence, and why I don’t stat baddies until I must.
Friday Field Notes: Occulted KC. open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Friday Field Notes: Occulted KC. open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Reposted by Mad Jay
Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History: Ep. 6 Godlike & Wild Talents
In this ep @madjay.bsky.social and I cover Godlike, the WW2 supers game that leans into realism and consistency. Second Wild Talents, which can follow that first game's history or be recast into a generic supers RPG.
#ttrpg
In this ep @madjay.bsky.social and I cover Godlike, the WW2 supers game that leans into realism and consistency. Second Wild Talents, which can follow that first game's history or be recast into a generic supers RPG.
#ttrpg
Around the Hearth | Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History: Ep. 6 Godlike & Wild Talents
Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History looks at two related RPG systems. First Godlike, the World War II supers game that leans into realism and consistency. Second Wild Talents, the evolution of th...
aroundthehearth.openhearthgaming.com
January 20, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History: Ep. 6 Godlike & Wild Talents
In this ep @madjay.bsky.social and I cover Godlike, the WW2 supers game that leans into realism and consistency. Second Wild Talents, which can follow that first game's history or be recast into a generic supers RPG.
#ttrpg
In this ep @madjay.bsky.social and I cover Godlike, the WW2 supers game that leans into realism and consistency. Second Wild Talents, which can follow that first game's history or be recast into a generic supers RPG.
#ttrpg
Your best NPCs aren’t planned.
For me, they’re often player consequences.
A failed roll created Bennie.
Three sessions later, he’s an emergent antagonist with ambitions.
I wrote about letting the table grow your villains vs forcing them.
Good Monday, Gamers!!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
For me, they’re often player consequences.
A failed roll created Bennie.
Three sessions later, he’s an emergent antagonist with ambitions.
I wrote about letting the table grow your villains vs forcing them.
Good Monday, Gamers!!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Monday Musings #135 🤬
Why the Most Dangerous NPCs Are Player-Generated
open.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Your best NPCs aren’t planned.
For me, they’re often player consequences.
A failed roll created Bennie.
Three sessions later, he’s an emergent antagonist with ambitions.
I wrote about letting the table grow your villains vs forcing them.
Good Monday, Gamers!!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
For me, they’re often player consequences.
A failed roll created Bennie.
Three sessions later, he’s an emergent antagonist with ambitions.
I wrote about letting the table grow your villains vs forcing them.
Good Monday, Gamers!!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
2025 by the numbers.
Not the games I bought or meant to play.
The ones that actually hit the table — plus what readers told me they need most right now, a check-in on play, people, and what really mattered.
What counted most at your table this year?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Not the games I bought or meant to play.
The ones that actually hit the table — plus what readers told me they need most right now, a check-in on play, people, and what really mattered.
What counted most at your table this year?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Monday Musings #134 🤬
Stats, sessions, and what survived contact IRL
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:04 AM
2025 by the numbers.
Not the games I bought or meant to play.
The ones that actually hit the table — plus what readers told me they need most right now, a check-in on play, people, and what really mattered.
What counted most at your table this year?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Not the games I bought or meant to play.
The ones that actually hit the table — plus what readers told me they need most right now, a check-in on play, people, and what really mattered.
What counted most at your table this year?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
🎷 Start Strong. Stay Out Late. 🍽️ Dive into Kansas City Restaurant Week (Jan 9–18) with prix-fixe menus & jazz vibes. Discover the best spots to start & end your night. Book early, stay late! More details: www.secretkc.com/p/start-stro... #KCRestaurantWeek #SecretKC
Secret KC: Restaurant Week, Jazz & Late Night Vibes - Jan Guide!
Discover KC's vibrant Restaurant Week: Dive into prix-fixe menus, hidden cocktail gems, and spontaneous nights that transform from first sips to unforgettable urban adventures!
www.secretkc.com
January 8, 2026 at 5:29 PM
🎷 Start Strong. Stay Out Late. 🍽️ Dive into Kansas City Restaurant Week (Jan 9–18) with prix-fixe menus & jazz vibes. Discover the best spots to start & end your night. Book early, stay late! More details: www.secretkc.com/p/start-stro... #KCRestaurantWeek #SecretKC
First Monday of 2026.
No resolutions. No “must-play” list. Just a new IRL Monster of the Week table.
Wrote this week’s Monday Musing about starting the year with play instead of promises.
What are you carrying into your 2026 games?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpg
No resolutions. No “must-play” list. Just a new IRL Monster of the Week table.
Wrote this week’s Monday Musing about starting the year with play instead of promises.
What are you carrying into your 2026 games?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpg
Monday Musings #133 🤬
Why I’m starting 2026 with a table instead of a checklist
open.substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 4:45 PM
First Monday of 2026.
No resolutions. No “must-play” list. Just a new IRL Monster of the Week table.
Wrote this week’s Monday Musing about starting the year with play instead of promises.
What are you carrying into your 2026 games?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpg
No resolutions. No “must-play” list. Just a new IRL Monster of the Week table.
Wrote this week’s Monday Musing about starting the year with play instead of promises.
What are you carrying into your 2026 games?
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpg
🎉 Happy New Year!! 🎉 Dive into 2026 with SecretKC's guide to KC's best nights out! From First Fridays to jazz lounges, let's celebrate all month long. Check out the full scoop: www.secretkc.com/p/happy-new-... #KCnights #FirstFriday
Secret KC: NYE Bash, Yachties & Vibrant City Vibes - Welcome 2026!
Discover KC's cozy New Year kickoff: Winter jazz vibes, Knuckleheads NYE magic, and insider nightlife secrets that'll warm up your January adventure!
www.secretkc.com
January 2, 2026 at 6:03 PM
🎉 Happy New Year!! 🎉 Dive into 2026 with SecretKC's guide to KC's best nights out! From First Fridays to jazz lounges, let's celebrate all month long. Check out the full scoop: www.secretkc.com/p/happy-new-... #KCnights #FirstFriday
Like most years, my ambitions far exceeded my calendar. Some games hit the table. Some lived in notebooks. Here's what worked—and my one secret weird trick for campaigns that actually get played.
🎲 Good Monday, Gamers!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
🎲 Good Monday, Gamers!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Monday Musings #132 🤬
What got played, dropped and what's next.
open.substack.com
December 29, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Like most years, my ambitions far exceeded my calendar. Some games hit the table. Some lived in notebooks. Here's what worked—and my one secret weird trick for campaigns that actually get played.
🎲 Good Monday, Gamers!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
🎲 Good Monday, Gamers!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Reposted by Mad Jay
Legitimately the single best FPS campaign ever made.
If you've never played it, get it.
If you've never played it, get it.
Titanfall 2: Ultimate Edition is $4.49 on Steam buff.ly/tfDLZi8
US PSN buff.ly/P0RyNye
XBL buff.ly/HT6MQwE
Deck playable
US PSN buff.ly/P0RyNye
XBL buff.ly/HT6MQwE
Deck playable
December 27, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Legitimately the single best FPS campaign ever made.
If you've never played it, get it.
If you've never played it, get it.
Make a Bond movie casual
Live and let Dance!
Live and let Dance!
Make a Bond movie casual
Graphite Is Forever
Graphite Is Forever
Make a Bond movie casual
THE WORLD IS PLENTY, THANK YOU
THE WORLD IS PLENTY, THANK YOU
December 26, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Make a Bond movie casual
Live and let Dance!
Live and let Dance!
Last two Mondays of the year are easy to skip.
But I’m still here — coffee in hand, Bolognese sauce simmering, writing words...
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpgs
But I’m still here — coffee in hand, Bolognese sauce simmering, writing words...
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpgs
Monday Musings #131 🤬
Musing on the Penultimate Monday!!
open.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Last two Mondays of the year are easy to skip.
But I’m still here — coffee in hand, Bolognese sauce simmering, writing words...
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpgs
But I’m still here — coffee in hand, Bolognese sauce simmering, writing words...
open.substack.com/pub/playfear... #ttrpgs
Dogs walked, coffee brewed. back to discovering the shape of this cyber-hacker deckbuilder thing. Night club system nodes at the top, card 'deck' at the bottom. Thinking about card resolution mechanics, turn structure, stealing from Netrunner and SR:Crossfire until I figure it out. #indiegamedev
December 21, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Dogs walked, coffee brewed. back to discovering the shape of this cyber-hacker deckbuilder thing. Night club system nodes at the top, card 'deck' at the bottom. Thinking about card resolution mechanics, turn structure, stealing from Netrunner and SR:Crossfire until I figure it out. #indiegamedev
🎷✨ Winter Date Night Vibes in KC! Cozy up in igloos, sip holiday cocktails, and enjoy live jazz. Perfect for a magical night out. Naughty or nice, see you at the bar! More info: www.secretkc.com/p/winter-dat... #KansasCity
Secret KC: Winter Date Night Vibes - Igloos, Jazz & Holiday Magic!
Discover KC's winter magic: Cozy rooftop igloos, jazz-filled nights, and secret pop-up bars offering the perfect date night escape this holiday season!
www.secretkc.com
December 18, 2025 at 6:18 PM
🎷✨ Winter Date Night Vibes in KC! Cozy up in igloos, sip holiday cocktails, and enjoy live jazz. Perfect for a magical night out. Naughty or nice, see you at the bar! More info: www.secretkc.com/p/winter-dat... #KansasCity
Reposted by Mad Jay
My friends! The Apocalypse World 3rd Ed kickstarter ends on Friday night. We launched with a Q&A on Reddit and I think we'd like to wrap up with a Q&A here.
Ask me anything! Ask @megueyb.bsky.social anything too!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
Ask me anything! Ask @megueyb.bsky.social anything too!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
Apocalypse World: Burned Over
The 3rd edition of the groundbreaking original.
www.kickstarter.com
December 16, 2025 at 1:11 PM
My friends! The Apocalypse World 3rd Ed kickstarter ends on Friday night. We launched with a Q&A on Reddit and I think we'd like to wrap up with a Q&A here.
Ask me anything! Ask @megueyb.bsky.social anything too!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
Ask me anything! Ask @megueyb.bsky.social anything too!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
It might be nothing.
But it doesn’t feel like nothing.
This week’s Monday Musing is about:
🎲 LFG IRL
🕰️ Scheduling is the real end-boss
📚 William Gibson’s Jackpot trilogy
⚡️ dumb random inspiration
Scheduling: weekly, bi-weekly, or sporadic?
Good Monday, Gamer!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
But it doesn’t feel like nothing.
This week’s Monday Musing is about:
🎲 LFG IRL
🕰️ Scheduling is the real end-boss
📚 William Gibson’s Jackpot trilogy
⚡️ dumb random inspiration
Scheduling: weekly, bi-weekly, or sporadic?
Good Monday, Gamer!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
Monday Musings #130 🤬
Musing on inspiration strikes and LFG
open.substack.com
December 15, 2025 at 4:56 PM
It might be nothing.
But it doesn’t feel like nothing.
This week’s Monday Musing is about:
🎲 LFG IRL
🕰️ Scheduling is the real end-boss
📚 William Gibson’s Jackpot trilogy
⚡️ dumb random inspiration
Scheduling: weekly, bi-weekly, or sporadic?
Good Monday, Gamer!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...
But it doesn’t feel like nothing.
This week’s Monday Musing is about:
🎲 LFG IRL
🕰️ Scheduling is the real end-boss
📚 William Gibson’s Jackpot trilogy
⚡️ dumb random inspiration
Scheduling: weekly, bi-weekly, or sporadic?
Good Monday, Gamer!
open.substack.com/pub/playfear...