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riseupcomus.bsky.social
Rise Up Comus - CASTLE AUTOMATIC Crowdfunding Now!
@riseupcomus.bsky.social
Award-winning TTRPG designer/idiot

His Majesty the Worm Out Now! http://hismajestytheworm.games/
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Hello! My name is Josh and I like RPGs.

Here's an overview of some of my current projects:

His Majesty the Worm - A new/old-school, tarot-based, megadungeon crawler

Dungeon Design Course - Make a dungeon with me!

Knock! - Adventure gaming bric-a-brac
I finally got to meet Emily Allen (@cavegirl.bsky.social), a long-time RPG influence, on Reading D&D Aloud

You can check out our discussion of hemipenes and how they relate to player information and LARPs in the latest episode.
In Which We Discuss Snake Genitalia: A conversation with Josh McCrowell & Emily Allen: Ep 88
open.spotify.com
February 17, 2026 at 5:32 PM
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Multiple matchups are being decided by less than 10 votes.

“Combat As My Balls” won by 2.

VOTE!
www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-202...
February 17, 2026 at 3:51 PM
One of the myths in play is the Wyrm. We were fighting some Wyrm cultists as an omen, and my GM shouted: "How dare you stand against His Majesty the Wyrm"

The table went nuts.
Played some more Mythic Bastionland yesterday. Having a lot of fun with the combat system. Rolling all of our dice at the same time and deciding what to do as a group really speeds up combat.
February 17, 2026 at 3:47 PM
If I haven't posted about the Middle-earth Hexcrawl Project in a while, it's not because I've been idle. Today, explore two (of five) dungeons in the perfidious wilds of the Trollshaws
Middle-earth Hexcrawl Project: Two Dungeons of the Trollshaws
It's February. I posted my finished Shire Hexcrawl back in December and stopped making regular updates about the Middle-earth project.  But...
riseupcomus.blogspot.com
February 17, 2026 at 2:18 PM
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A merry night in the tavern.

This is one of the biggest pieces I've drawn.
February 17, 2026 at 9:53 AM
I was reminded of these ads I did for Worm a bit ago. Haha. I still like them.
February 16, 2026 at 4:54 PM
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Bloggies voting has begun! This week is the tournament: the Thunderdome of rpg blogs. If you're thinking to yourself, "This is a lot of reading." I've got bad news: you're already running out of time.

Here's everything you need to know for this week... 1/4

www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 16, 2026 at 2:59 AM
Played some more Mythic Bastionland yesterday. Having a lot of fun with the combat system. Rolling all of our dice at the same time and deciding what to do as a group really speeds up combat.
February 16, 2026 at 12:56 PM
The Trashmouth catches her own tail
February 15, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Finally got my copy of The Elusive Shift back from those punkass book jockies
February 15, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Hi. If you design games, I think you should read this blog post. It's short! I agree with everything Markus says here.

personable.blog/human-centri...
Human Centric Game Design: A Manifesto
Exploring how we make games designed for humans to play with humans.
personable.blog
February 14, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Rebleet for the weekend crowd
I wrote a d100 random advancement table for humans. Ostensibly for my Middle-earth Hexcrawl ruleset, I think this could easily be used for any fantasy adventure game. As I think that humans are the most warlike of peoples, this list could be used for your fighter random advancements:
Random Human Advancement
When you level up, you gain a random benefit based on your race or class. Here's what humans get. You can either roll a d9 for your culture ...
riseupcomus.blogspot.com
February 14, 2026 at 4:50 PM
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The other book I got today is one I’ve also wanted for ages, perhaps most notable for always being sold out: His Majesty the Worm! It’s chonky.
February 14, 2026 at 4:05 AM
I consider you all my Valentine
February 14, 2026 at 2:24 PM
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This post is a banger - it inspired me to write up a neat bit of dungeon design tech from the ol' mental toolbox. Read Sean's blog and then check out my take here x
February 13, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Hold on. Is this the soyjack pointing meme in this Robh Ruppel cover of the 1992 AD&D module?!?!?
February 13, 2026 at 1:00 PM
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It's now time to enact my get rich quick scheme: designing and publishing indie TTRPGs
February 12, 2026 at 5:52 PM
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Downrooted is 80% Funded! $100 to go!
February 12, 2026 at 4:35 PM
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🚨 Our Gilded Legacy Tarot deck is live! 🚨

✨ Gold-foiled, queer-friendly deck
🪶 Inspired by a magic Renaissance setting
📖 With new guidebook delving into Tarot wisdom and setting lore

Plus, there's early bird discounts for the next 48 hours!
February 12, 2026 at 4:09 PM
I wrote a d100 random advancement table for humans. Ostensibly for my Middle-earth Hexcrawl ruleset, I think this could easily be used for any fantasy adventure game. As I think that humans are the most warlike of peoples, this list could be used for your fighter random advancements:
Random Human Advancement
When you level up, you gain a random benefit based on your race or class. Here's what humans get. You can either roll a d9 for your culture ...
riseupcomus.blogspot.com
February 12, 2026 at 3:16 PM
February 12, 2026 at 9:12 AM
This is probably the most exciting/most important community project going on in my side of the RPG scene right now.

All the bloggies entries read by community members so you can catch up on the best of RPG theory and reviews from this past year.
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/
We Read The Bloggies (@WeReadTheBloggies) • Activity
We’re volunteers turning Bloggies-nominated blog posts into audio. So you can enjoy them anywhere, in a more accessible format.
podcast.bloggies.org
February 11, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Sometimes I reread my own old blog posts and I'm like: Who wrote this? A genius? This is one of those times.

A blog post about owlbears and owlcats.

Bonus: picture of a cat.
Two mistakes
Cats give you a brainworm that makes you love them. How else do you explain letting a little yelling claw monster into your house? Just look...
riseupcomus.blogspot.com
February 11, 2026 at 12:53 PM
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Blog enthusiasts!

It's been a huge community effort. We're proud to present WE READ THE BLOGGIES.

The year's best blogging coming to you - in audio form.

A show to SAVE YOUR EYES and SOOTHE YOUR EARS.

Catch up on all your Bloggies reading before voting commences next week!

#ttrpg #podcast #blog
We Read The Bloggies
Games Podcast · We’re volunteers turning Bloggies-nominated blog posts into audio. So you can enjoy them anywhere, in a more accessible format.
podcasts.apple.com
February 11, 2026 at 1:22 AM
Because of my fondness for The Hobbit and feeling that it makes "better" adventure game fodder, I am tending to use the word "goblin" when writing entries in the Middle-earth Hexcrawl.
February 10, 2026 at 6:07 PM