Rowan
@dodo-decahedron.bsky.social
Blogger & aspiring game designer in the NSR milieu: dododecahedron.blog
1/16th of the Carousing Collective: carouse.blog
(he/him)
1/16th of the Carousing Collective: carouse.blog
(he/him)
Reposted by Rowan
Starting at 1pm Central Time! Get REAL with Small Business SaturDAG with commissions done TO ORDER day of!!!
FANTASY!
SCI-FI!
HORROR!
SUPERHEROES!
AND MORE!
PLUS, A ONCE IN-A-LIFETIME OPPURTUNITY TO GET YOUR "MICE GAME" CHARACTERS DONE BY A CERTIFIED HATER!
FANTASY!
SCI-FI!
HORROR!
SUPERHEROES!
AND MORE!
PLUS, A ONCE IN-A-LIFETIME OPPURTUNITY TO GET YOUR "MICE GAME" CHARACTERS DONE BY A CERTIFIED HATER!
November 29, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Starting at 1pm Central Time! Get REAL with Small Business SaturDAG with commissions done TO ORDER day of!!!
FANTASY!
SCI-FI!
HORROR!
SUPERHEROES!
AND MORE!
PLUS, A ONCE IN-A-LIFETIME OPPURTUNITY TO GET YOUR "MICE GAME" CHARACTERS DONE BY A CERTIFIED HATER!
FANTASY!
SCI-FI!
HORROR!
SUPERHEROES!
AND MORE!
PLUS, A ONCE IN-A-LIFETIME OPPURTUNITY TO GET YOUR "MICE GAME" CHARACTERS DONE BY A CERTIFIED HATER!
Reposted by Rowan
Spent the last month mapping the blogosphere by its links. The graph is finally ready
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Mapping the Blogosphere
An interactive graph of TTRPG blogs, showing who links to whom, how communities change over time, plus stats and how it all works.
elmc.at
November 26, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Spent the last month mapping the blogosphere by its links. The graph is finally ready
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Every RPG blogger is allowed one “What is the OSR?” post. Here’s mine:
The OSR Onion
The OSR may be best understood as a layered approach to design centered around a specific way of writing, refereeing, and playing adventures.
dododecahedron.blog
November 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Every RPG blogger is allowed one “What is the OSR?” post. Here’s mine:
Reposted by Rowan
The Castle Automatic is a dungeon where you control the time of year, time of day, and the weather to solve puzzles, avoid vampires, and reclaim the world's most magical treasures.
Be an Early Worm and back the preorder at a discounted price!
www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/the-ca...
Be an Early Worm and back the preorder at a discounted price!
www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/the-ca...
November 20, 2025 at 11:47 AM
The Castle Automatic is a dungeon where you control the time of year, time of day, and the weather to solve puzzles, avoid vampires, and reclaim the world's most magical treasures.
Be an Early Worm and back the preorder at a discounted price!
www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/the-ca...
Be an Early Worm and back the preorder at a discounted price!
www.exaltedfuneral.com/pages/the-ca...
Reposted by Rowan
Added a community detection algorithm to the data and it found five clusters.
The layout now forms a pentagram unintentionally fitting for this little satanic panic hobby.
Here's a fun scroll through the years
The layout now forms a pentagram unintentionally fitting for this little satanic panic hobby.
Here's a fun scroll through the years
November 18, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Added a community detection algorithm to the data and it found five clusters.
The layout now forms a pentagram unintentionally fitting for this little satanic panic hobby.
Here's a fun scroll through the years
The layout now forms a pentagram unintentionally fitting for this little satanic panic hobby.
Here's a fun scroll through the years
Took a break from writing about role-playing game design to post about… board game design!
dododecahedron.blog/2025/11/12/p...
dododecahedron.blog/2025/11/12/p...
Project Turnstone 1
Reflections on co-designing a board game with my partner.
dododecahedron.blog
November 12, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Took a break from writing about role-playing game design to post about… board game design!
dododecahedron.blog/2025/11/12/p...
dododecahedron.blog/2025/11/12/p...
Reposted by Rowan
The Black Cauldron, Saruman, and especially the wizards from Patricia Wrede’s Enchanted Forest Chronicles were the inspiration for this crusty old Magus and the creepy homunculus he’s summoning. Another illustration for the next fairy tale role playing adventure for Perils & Princesses.
November 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM
The Black Cauldron, Saruman, and especially the wizards from Patricia Wrede’s Enchanted Forest Chronicles were the inspiration for this crusty old Magus and the creepy homunculus he’s summoning. Another illustration for the next fairy tale role playing adventure for Perils & Princesses.
Reposted by Rowan
tiny spot illustration - survival skills... I love the magic user just sitting there reading while the others work.
#ttrpgart #osr #indieartist #inkillustration #spotart
#ttrpgart #osr #indieartist #inkillustration #spotart
November 7, 2025 at 1:08 PM
tiny spot illustration - survival skills... I love the magic user just sitting there reading while the others work.
#ttrpgart #osr #indieartist #inkillustration #spotart
#ttrpgart #osr #indieartist #inkillustration #spotart
In Castle Kelpsprot, the megadungeon I’m running, I use specific naming conventions for different factions. Members of one faction all have virtue names (Clement, Harmony, Prudence), while members of another faction are named after “vermin” (Flea, Rat, Roach). Helpful in a game with many characters!
November 3, 2025 at 10:19 PM
In Castle Kelpsprot, the megadungeon I’m running, I use specific naming conventions for different factions. Members of one faction all have virtue names (Clement, Harmony, Prudence), while members of another faction are named after “vermin” (Flea, Rat, Roach). Helpful in a game with many characters!
Reposted by Rowan
New Carouse, Carouse!
This time featuring, among other things, me writing about Over/Under, AI in games (not like that) from Patchwork Paladin, a review of Gorman's Larder by @giantrobottackler.bsky.social and a selection of blog posts, as always!
www.carouse.blog/november-202...
This time featuring, among other things, me writing about Over/Under, AI in games (not like that) from Patchwork Paladin, a review of Gorman's Larder by @giantrobottackler.bsky.social and a selection of blog posts, as always!
www.carouse.blog/november-202...
November 2025 - Jacked In
We're approaching the end of the year, and the northern hemisphere is getting properly gray and wet now (the perfect weather to stay in and play RPGs). Perhaps the southern contingent will play outsid...
www.carouse.blog
November 1, 2025 at 12:26 PM
New Carouse, Carouse!
This time featuring, among other things, me writing about Over/Under, AI in games (not like that) from Patchwork Paladin, a review of Gorman's Larder by @giantrobottackler.bsky.social and a selection of blog posts, as always!
www.carouse.blog/november-202...
This time featuring, among other things, me writing about Over/Under, AI in games (not like that) from Patchwork Paladin, a review of Gorman's Larder by @giantrobottackler.bsky.social and a selection of blog posts, as always!
www.carouse.blog/november-202...
Reposted by Rowan
Wrote a new #OSR focused blog post about how both players and GMs can make the play style more fun. With thanks to @magnoliakeep.itch.io, @serket08.bsky.social, and @dodo-decahedron.bsky.social.
billhook.bearblog.dev/how-to-make-...
billhook.bearblog.dev/how-to-make-...
How to make OSR play unfun
An examination of bad OSR behaviors
billhook.bearblog.dev
October 16, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Wrote a new #OSR focused blog post about how both players and GMs can make the play style more fun. With thanks to @magnoliakeep.itch.io, @serket08.bsky.social, and @dodo-decahedron.bsky.social.
billhook.bearblog.dev/how-to-make-...
billhook.bearblog.dev/how-to-make-...
Reposted by Rowan
Wilderness Stocking - Expanded
A Resource to assist with Hex Stocking and Point-of-Interest Placement
blog.d4caltrops.com/2025/10/wild...
#osr #randomtables #ttrpgs
A Resource to assist with Hex Stocking and Point-of-Interest Placement
blog.d4caltrops.com/2025/10/wild...
#osr #randomtables #ttrpgs
Wilderness Stocking - Expanded
H ere is the Outdoor Companion for my Dungeon Stocking – Expanded Resource that provides similar Links and Prompts to assist with Overla...
blog.d4caltrops.com
October 15, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Wilderness Stocking - Expanded
A Resource to assist with Hex Stocking and Point-of-Interest Placement
blog.d4caltrops.com/2025/10/wild...
#osr #randomtables #ttrpgs
A Resource to assist with Hex Stocking and Point-of-Interest Placement
blog.d4caltrops.com/2025/10/wild...
#osr #randomtables #ttrpgs
Reposted by Rowan
The big box Kickstarter - The overly produced roleplaying game - The New Novelty - The horror - The history - The Glamour
www.failforward.moe/2025/10/the-...
www.failforward.moe/2025/10/the-...
October 13, 2025 at 8:54 PM
The big box Kickstarter - The overly produced roleplaying game - The New Novelty - The horror - The history - The Glamour
www.failforward.moe/2025/10/the-...
www.failforward.moe/2025/10/the-...
If the best film reviews enhance the audience’s viewing experience, then the best role-playing game reviews should enhance the play experience.
dododecahedron.blog/2025/10/13/r...
dododecahedron.blog/2025/10/13/r...
Reviews: What Are They Good For?
Four functions of a review—and how most role-playing game reviews fall short (including my own).
dododecahedron.blog
October 13, 2025 at 8:26 PM
If the best film reviews enhance the audience’s viewing experience, then the best role-playing game reviews should enhance the play experience.
dododecahedron.blog/2025/10/13/r...
dododecahedron.blog/2025/10/13/r...
Reposted by Rowan
We need more puzzle dungeons! This is my siren call to creators. Make a dungeon with help thus November. itch.io/jam/puzzle-d...
Puzzle Dungeon Jam
A game jam from 2025-11-03 to 2026-01-10 hosted by Directsun Games. We're talking adventure game dungeons filled with OSR-style puzzles and challenges . At the end of the jam, I'll highlight some of m...
itch.io
October 13, 2025 at 1:40 PM
We need more puzzle dungeons! This is my siren call to creators. Make a dungeon with help thus November. itch.io/jam/puzzle-d...
Reposted by Rowan
The last article in my Awards Debrief is up. What even is the point of an award show? Should anyone care?
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-4/
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-4/
Where do rpg awards go next?
An insider's look into the 2025 Ennie Awards. Part four. What's the point of an award show? And what do we want to see in the future?
www.explorersdesign.com
October 10, 2025 at 7:51 PM
The last article in my Awards Debrief is up. What even is the point of an award show? Should anyone care?
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-4/
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-4/
Reposted by Rowan
New gameable blogpost: summon one of 3d6 good dogs with this holy relic.
#osr #blogpost #dogpost
bommyknocker.bearblog.dev/dog-dagger/
#osr #blogpost #dogpost
bommyknocker.bearblog.dev/dog-dagger/
Dog Dagger
3d6 magical dogs and a means to summon them (apart from a juicy steak).
bommyknocker.bearblog.dev
October 9, 2025 at 2:44 PM
New gameable blogpost: summon one of 3d6 good dogs with this holy relic.
#osr #blogpost #dogpost
bommyknocker.bearblog.dev/dog-dagger/
#osr #blogpost #dogpost
bommyknocker.bearblog.dev/dog-dagger/
Reposted by Rowan
Part 3 is here. The deep dive into the Ennies. If you're someone who doesn't know much about the Ennie Awards, you should read parts 1 and 2. But if you like a bit of inside baseball and are interested in award shows in general—this is the article for you.
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-3/
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-3/
How are the Ennies designed?
An insider's look into the 2025 Ennie Awards. Part three. How does the structure of the Ennies determine its outcomes? And what does it mean for others?
www.explorersdesign.com
October 8, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Part 3 is here. The deep dive into the Ennies. If you're someone who doesn't know much about the Ennie Awards, you should read parts 1 and 2. But if you like a bit of inside baseball and are interested in award shows in general—this is the article for you.
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-3/
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-3/
Reposted by Rowan
Alright, the first in-depth article of my awards debrief is live. "How do the Ennies work?" A top-down look at my judging experience from A to Z.
Please share, leave comments, and ask questions. And don't forget to read part 1 if you haven't already.
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-2/
Please share, leave comments, and ask questions. And don't forget to read part 1 if you haven't already.
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-2/
How do the Ennies work?
An insider's look into the 2025 Ennie Awards. Part two. What is the award process like behind closed doors, and how do the judges select nominees?
www.explorersdesign.com
October 7, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Alright, the first in-depth article of my awards debrief is live. "How do the Ennies work?" A top-down look at my judging experience from A to Z.
Please share, leave comments, and ask questions. And don't forget to read part 1 if you haven't already.
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-2/
Please share, leave comments, and ask questions. And don't forget to read part 1 if you haven't already.
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-2/
Reposted by Rowan
I love award shows. It's no secret. It's why I've spent months writing, refining, and trying to distill my Ennies judging experience.
It's a 4-part series (I know, I know). One article a day. Today's lays out my goals and puts the focus on awards in general.
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-1/
It's a 4-part series (I know, I know). One article a day. Today's lays out my goals and puts the focus on awards in general.
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-1/
The Awards Debrief 2025
An in-depth look at the Ennie Awards, its process, design, and role from the perspective of one former judge.
www.explorersdesign.com
October 6, 2025 at 4:09 PM
I love award shows. It's no secret. It's why I've spent months writing, refining, and trying to distill my Ennies judging experience.
It's a 4-part series (I know, I know). One article a day. Today's lays out my goals and puts the focus on awards in general.
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-1/
It's a 4-part series (I know, I know). One article a day. Today's lays out my goals and puts the focus on awards in general.
www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-1/
Reposted by Rowan
I put up a goal on my ko-fi because I want to help my parents pay for my matriculation fees.
My mom lost her full-time job so my dad has taken on most of our expenses.
Any amount will help immensely! If you can't give anything, even sharing this around will help, too.
ko-fi.com/goobernuts/g...
My mom lost her full-time job so my dad has taken on most of our expenses.
Any amount will help immensely! If you can't give anything, even sharing this around will help, too.
ko-fi.com/goobernuts/g...
Buy goobernuts a Coffee
Become a supporter of goobernuts today!
ko-fi.com
October 5, 2025 at 5:18 PM
I put up a goal on my ko-fi because I want to help my parents pay for my matriculation fees.
My mom lost her full-time job so my dad has taken on most of our expenses.
Any amount will help immensely! If you can't give anything, even sharing this around will help, too.
ko-fi.com/goobernuts/g...
My mom lost her full-time job so my dad has taken on most of our expenses.
Any amount will help immensely! If you can't give anything, even sharing this around will help, too.
ko-fi.com/goobernuts/g...
The gatehouse opens October 11! Looking to welcome up to four more players to Castle Kelpsprot, my open table science-fantasy megadungeon capsule game. My DMs are open! (Discord username same as here minus the hyphen). Learn more: dododecahedron.blog/2025/08/18/c...
Castle Kelpsprot Player’s Guide
Material for a work-in-progress megadungeon capsule game.
dododecahedron.blog
October 4, 2025 at 5:56 PM
The gatehouse opens October 11! Looking to welcome up to four more players to Castle Kelpsprot, my open table science-fantasy megadungeon capsule game. My DMs are open! (Discord username same as here minus the hyphen). Learn more: dododecahedron.blog/2025/08/18/c...
Reposted by Rowan
d100 - “Bottle Episodes" - Seafaring Scenes & Situations
Events to Embellish those Wave Crawls and Nautical Journeys
blog.d4caltrops.com/2025/10/d100...
Events to Embellish those Wave Crawls and Nautical Journeys
blog.d4caltrops.com/2025/10/d100...
d100 - “Bottle Episodes" - Seafaring Scenes & Situations
L ong Journeys by Sea often differ from other types of Travel. Outside of Weather Changes, and the occasional Random Encounter, there is o...
blog.d4caltrops.com
October 4, 2025 at 4:13 PM
d100 - “Bottle Episodes" - Seafaring Scenes & Situations
Events to Embellish those Wave Crawls and Nautical Journeys
blog.d4caltrops.com/2025/10/d100...
Events to Embellish those Wave Crawls and Nautical Journeys
blog.d4caltrops.com/2025/10/d100...
Reposted by Rowan
October 1st already and another installment of our collective newsletter just dropped! just in case you need something to read over your morning coffee:
www.carouse.blog/october-2025...
www.carouse.blog/october-2025...
October 2025 - The Most Spookiful Time of the Year
The last vestiges of summer are leaving the northern hemisphere, and pumpkin season is starting to get going, so the Carousing Collective is once again here to bring you the best in RPG blogging for y...
www.carouse.blog
October 1, 2025 at 12:13 PM
October 1st already and another installment of our collective newsletter just dropped! just in case you need something to read over your morning coffee:
www.carouse.blog/october-2025...
www.carouse.blog/october-2025...
Reposted by Rowan
From the even-more-occupied state of Magnolia Keep comes a high-octane blogpost about humans! Specifically, how you shouldn't just say "They're humans, they're adaptable and ambitious!" and call it a day.
https://magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/09/dont-make-humans.html
https://magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/09/dont-make-humans.html
October 1, 2025 at 1:21 AM
From the even-more-occupied state of Magnolia Keep comes a high-octane blogpost about humans! Specifically, how you shouldn't just say "They're humans, they're adaptable and ambitious!" and call it a day.
https://magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/09/dont-make-humans.html
https://magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/09/dont-make-humans.html