Mike Underwood
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mikerunderwood.bsky.social
Mike Underwood
@mikerunderwood.bsky.social
They/he. Trans & non-binary Midwest Princex.
Author (Annihilation Aria, Genrenauts, etc). Hugo & Stabby-Award finalist.
Game designer (Daggerheart, Dungeons of Drakkenheim: Daggerheart, Candela Obscura, etc.)
https://linktr.ee/mikerunderwood
Pinned
New introduction:

I write science fiction and fantasy as Michael R. Underwood (Genrenauts, Geekomancy, etc.) do game design as Mike Underwood (currently: Daggerheart), and I'm developing a new actual play show.

Previously, I was a cohost of @speculate.bsky.social and @skiffyandfanty.bsky.social.
Reposted by Mike Underwood
Last days to get involved with this awesome project!!!
We're entering the final days of the Mörk Sol Kickstarter! We have a ton of great stretch goals still out there, so if you haven't backed yet, I'd love it if you check it out!

www.kickstarter.com/projects/inf...
Mörk Sol
A faster-than-light Mörk Borg-inspired RPG set in a horrific galaxy consumed by entropic decay.
www.kickstarter.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:11 PM
When people claiming to be leftists go aggro on authors when said authors complain about having work pirated, I've never seen any of those leftists actually present a sensible argument *why* authors are not entitled to the value of the goods created by their labor.
November 25, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
The fact that itch posted this and not even an hour later I got a bunch of new sales proves how big it is when other people talk about your games.

It can literally be a life changing events.

When John Harper made a nice quote tweet about Breathless, hundreds of people looked at the game.

Wild
Voidlight: A rules-bright sci-fi horror dungeon crawl where your only safety is a beam of light that shrinks every ten minutes.

farirpgs.itch.io/voidlight
November 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
Yup. Here is another lovely example of the evolutionary, refinement of game design. The section of Daggerheart titled Pitfalls to Avoid is remarkably useful and a clear sign of effective playtesting. Show people both the best practices and the mistakes folks make.
November 25, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
As announced, I'm doing a full #Daggerheart December of streams where I'll be working on my campaign frame! First though, I'll be doing a "Daggerheart 101" on December 1st to help newcomers understand the ins and outs of the game, including showing other free online utilities for the system!
November 24, 2025 at 7:52 PM
I mentioned my idea for GM classes for Daggerheart this weekend and it reminded me to go back and do more with it.

My next step for the idea: Class Fear Features to mirror/match class Hope features.
November 24, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
I'd never heard of this site until tonight. Both my books are on there. Did you know my publisher offers one of three lowest royalty rates in the entire industry? And that I didn't get an advance? Literally all I make is from royalties. Royalties I don't earn when you pirate my book.
I posted a buy link here to "A Magical Inheritance" a few days ago, and 24 of you immediately went to Anna's Archives and fucking stole it from me.

Yes, stole it.

I do not get paid for your download there because YOU ARE STEALING FROM ME.

🖕
November 24, 2025 at 5:07 AM
ICYMI, the PAXU panel where the @darringtonpress.bsky.social team shared a cool stuff from HOPE & FEAR as well as other announcements is here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=caRP...

BONUS - you can see me briefly at about 10:40 when they shout out the Dungeons of Drakkenheim: Daggerheart KS :)
PAX U LIVE DAGGERHEART PANEL | NEW BOOK Hope & Fear + Surprises! | ft. MATT MERCER and MORE
YouTube video by Darrington Press
www.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
I see it's the seasonal argument about why piracy to fuck over Amazon and publishers is okay while many authors live below the poverty line.
November 24, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
HUGE update to the BUREAU of CHRONOLOGICAL AFFAIRS. The #Daggerheart campaign frame has been expanded into a 62 page book that now includes an Agent class and a reworked version of the Daggerheart SRD -- stripped down and remixed to fit the game perfectly.

Now includes EVERYTHING you need to play.
November 24, 2025 at 2:04 AM
I think Monty of the @dungeondudes.bsky.social may be having too much fun GMing Daggerheart with Fear features to torment the PCs in the Escape from Drakkenheim game at PAXU.

And it's my job to make this even more frightful for GMs running Drakkenheim in Daggerheart.

I'm sorry/you're welcome.
November 23, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
i demand that you stop by the good luck press both today (4059) and check out @smolghost.bsky.social’s surprise solo drop: WE SHALL BE MONSTERS
November 23, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Rowan fully fleshing out this Friday Night Braziers dream for Tucker the Juggernaut Brawler.
November 22, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Almost showtime for Daggerheart Live: Building the Next Chapter!
November 22, 2025 at 2:46 PM
If you aren't at PAXU, you can still watch live!
Tune in TODAY at 10am Eastern / 7am Pacific for our #Daggerheart panel at #PAXUnplugged and streaming live to our YouTube channel!

We have news, reveals, deep dives into Hope & Fear, and an actual play from a new campaign frame!

👀 https://bit.ly/4igtmXv
November 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
I wonder how companies are feeling about the huge surge of unsubscribes they are getting from people who refuse to let Google train a plagarism machine on their emails due to the huge drop in functionality (no promotions/social tabs, etc.

I've unsubbed from a good 50+ companies & groups this week.
November 22, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
Hollow Knight - Silksong - A pause from the Hive 🪡
September 18, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
I’m fucking tired of having to go under the hood and re-tool my entire life every two months just to get rid of AI features nobody asked for.
November 22, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Now you can delve into Drakkenheim using Daggerheart with the beta campaign frame on Roll20 & Demiplane!
The Dungeons of Drakkenheim: Daggerheart Campaign Guide is coming to Roll20!

Explore the iconic urban wasteland with full #Daggerheart compatibility. Can't wait? You can try the Campaign Frame Beta FREE right now!

🐙 Read & create your characters: buff.ly/yW5rpmK
November 21, 2025 at 7:45 PM
What a great start to PAXU weekend! I plan to go take a closer look at the display set they have at the booth today. :)
November 21, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
It is infuriating that if you tell GMail that it can't train its plagiarism machine on your stuff that it takes away all the Promotions/Social Media junk-adjacent tabs and throws everything into one huge Inbox.

It's a shitty thing to do because those tabs and mail being sorted existed before the AI
November 20, 2025 at 6:21 PM
ICYMI, my crowdfunding roundup video is now on YouTube, talking about recent, current, and upcoming campaigns that I want folks to know about.
youtu.be/odlgNmAJkzc?...
TTRPG Crowdfunding Roundup (November 2025)
YouTube video by Mike Underwood
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Someone on the Daggerheart subreddit pulled out a fun bit from this chat where I talked about the GM ad tour guide. I might have to go back and make a whole video unpacking that idea a bit more. :)

But for now, PAX Unplugged!
Designing Adventures in Daggerheart with @mikerunderwood.bsky.social

What sets Daggerheart adventures apart from other heroic-fantasy TTRPGs?

A brilliant chat with Mike that has left me inspired

youtu.be/jhbaLuqQWpY
Designing Adventures in Daggerheart w/ @MikeUnderwood #daggerheart
YouTube video by The Welsh DM
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
On this Trans Day of Remembrance, we remember the bright and courageous trans people whose lives were stolen by hatred. Their absence is felt across our city.

We will honor them by building a New York where every trans person can live safely, fully and freely.
November 20, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Reposted by Mike Underwood
Not much to say about Trans Day of Remembrance anymore besides “try loving and celebrating us while we are alive”
November 20, 2025 at 2:10 PM