Michael DM ✍️ Absurdonauts
@fortofnovelty.bsky.social
Hi, I'm Michael DM (actual initials)
I make TTRPGs and yap about them too.
fortofnovelty.itch.io
🇵🇸🇺🇦🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈ally
🚫GenAI
Destroy Fascists, no matter what mask they wear.
I make TTRPGs and yap about them too.
fortofnovelty.itch.io
🇵🇸🇺🇦🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈ally
🚫GenAI
Destroy Fascists, no matter what mask they wear.
Pinned
Twilight Country
The American West. Late 1800s. Everyone is entrapped in life’s turmoil. But beneath the fabric of this reality was a different frontier. One even more bleak. This reality pounced upon you like a puma...
plusoneexp.com
Wager your humanity in a western frontier that WANTS YOU DEAD. Get Twilight Country NOW at plusoneexp.com/products/twi...
Brought to you by @plusoneexp.bsky.social
#ttrpg #wildwest #horror #zineclub
Brought to you by @plusoneexp.bsky.social
#ttrpg #wildwest #horror #zineclub
When you grin sinisterly because your next game conviently coincides with this game jam, roll with the questions:
- are you ready to make hard moves?
- are you pumped to see other designers make hard moves?
- are you ready to make hard moves?
- are you pumped to see other designers make hard moves?
Announced on stream tonight w/@aaronmfking.bsky.social!
As part of our Make Hard Moves theme for 2026 we are hosting a year long jam encouraging folks to Make Moves!
Exploring life & design through the lens of Powered by the Apocalypse design principles.
You can join at ttrpg.link/makemovesjam
As part of our Make Hard Moves theme for 2026 we are hosting a year long jam encouraging folks to Make Moves!
Exploring life & design through the lens of Powered by the Apocalypse design principles.
You can join at ttrpg.link/makemovesjam
Make Moves Jam
A game jam from 2025-12-31 to 2026-12-31 hosted by Plus One Exp, Kegan (@Keganexe) & Aaron King. It's time to make moves. This is a jam to make moves inspired by the Powered by the Apocalypse design p...
ttrpg.link
December 8, 2025 at 2:35 PM
When you grin sinisterly because your next game conviently coincides with this game jam, roll with the questions:
- are you ready to make hard moves?
- are you pumped to see other designers make hard moves?
- are you ready to make hard moves?
- are you pumped to see other designers make hard moves?
Reposted by Michael DM ✍️ Absurdonauts
The reason your fantasy pantheon doesn't feel authentic is because you're starting from the wrong end. Real polytheism is syncretic – just deities from neighbouring cultures getting smashed together at high speed and leaving it for nerds with too much time on their hands to make sense of it. [1/2]
December 8, 2025 at 12:08 AM
The reason your fantasy pantheon doesn't feel authentic is because you're starting from the wrong end. Real polytheism is syncretic – just deities from neighbouring cultures getting smashed together at high speed and leaving it for nerds with too much time on their hands to make sense of it. [1/2]
If I hear another one of my friends say they're "adapting dnd" instead of learning a new system because "learning a new system is hard" I am going to set myself on fire and finish reading all the rules of a given indie #ttrpg before I burn to death
December 6, 2025 at 6:59 PM
If I hear another one of my friends say they're "adapting dnd" instead of learning a new system because "learning a new system is hard" I am going to set myself on fire and finish reading all the rules of a given indie #ttrpg before I burn to death
Reposted by Michael DM ✍️ Absurdonauts
In the RPG community, statements that shouldn't be controversial in any way -- like "you should read the rulebook before playing the game" -- are instead seen as radical and unreasonable because D&D's core rules are 900+ pages.
It's like everyone's first board game was Advanced Squad Leader.
It's like everyone's first board game was Advanced Squad Leader.
December 5, 2025 at 6:48 AM
In the RPG community, statements that shouldn't be controversial in any way -- like "you should read the rulebook before playing the game" -- are instead seen as radical and unreasonable because D&D's core rules are 900+ pages.
It's like everyone's first board game was Advanced Squad Leader.
It's like everyone's first board game was Advanced Squad Leader.
Reposted by Michael DM ✍️ Absurdonauts
listen. listen to me. libraries are getting indie TTRPGs in circulation. high school teachers are bringing weird stuff to the teenz TTRPG club. we continue to be in a beautiful moment for showing more people the full breadth of what games can be. nurture it by playing & loving games!!! a gift!!!!!
December 5, 2025 at 6:54 PM
listen. listen to me. libraries are getting indie TTRPGs in circulation. high school teachers are bringing weird stuff to the teenz TTRPG club. we continue to be in a beautiful moment for showing more people the full breadth of what games can be. nurture it by playing & loving games!!! a gift!!!!!
Me when I GM a game system I wrote and the players enter a fail state
i don’t make the rules, i just yes i do
December 5, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Me when I GM a game system I wrote and the players enter a fail state
One side effect of working #GamesOnDemand every day of #PaxU is I can now run the adventure I prepped with no notes, possibly even in my sleep
Repetition is magic ya'll
#PaxUnplugged #ttrpg #gamemaster
Repetition is magic ya'll
#PaxUnplugged #ttrpg #gamemaster
December 5, 2025 at 2:18 PM
One side effect of working #GamesOnDemand every day of #PaxU is I can now run the adventure I prepped with no notes, possibly even in my sleep
Repetition is magic ya'll
#PaxUnplugged #ttrpg #gamemaster
Repetition is magic ya'll
#PaxUnplugged #ttrpg #gamemaster
Mfw 6 min 34 sec into this video
December 5, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Mfw 6 min 34 sec into this video
I am so pumped to see so many #ttrpg designers using playing cards in their games more. Dice are cool and all, but cards do so much more:
+ can be in a hand, deck, discard, or traded
+ more levers for designers: not just #, but suit, color, face card
+ curate probabilities by removing cards
[1/4]
+ can be in a hand, deck, discard, or traded
+ more levers for designers: not just #, but suit, color, face card
+ curate probabilities by removing cards
[1/4]
December 4, 2025 at 11:06 PM
I am so pumped to see so many #ttrpg designers using playing cards in their games more. Dice are cool and all, but cards do so much more:
+ can be in a hand, deck, discard, or traded
+ more levers for designers: not just #, but suit, color, face card
+ curate probabilities by removing cards
[1/4]
+ can be in a hand, deck, discard, or traded
+ more levers for designers: not just #, but suit, color, face card
+ curate probabilities by removing cards
[1/4]
December 4, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Reposted by Michael DM ✍️ Absurdonauts
Here’s my Spotify Wrapped 🎵✨
December 3, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Here’s my Spotify Wrapped 🎵✨
Cyberpunk reinvention of the spaghetti west ghost town trope where the town still bustles with automated machines kinds goes hard. Too bad it's also becoming reality :/
I'm glad to see Waymo take off, I would like to see more human cities populated with ghosts. Our time is over. The dead own these streets.
December 3, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Cyberpunk reinvention of the spaghetti west ghost town trope where the town still bustles with automated machines kinds goes hard. Too bad it's also becoming reality :/
Just rolled credits on #Hades2 in under 100 runs
Y'all that ending was cool af, and I'm glad there's seemingly more post-game plot to explore than in Hades 1
Y'all that ending was cool af, and I'm glad there's seemingly more post-game plot to explore than in Hades 1
December 3, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Just rolled credits on #Hades2 in under 100 runs
Y'all that ending was cool af, and I'm glad there's seemingly more post-game plot to explore than in Hades 1
Y'all that ending was cool af, and I'm glad there's seemingly more post-game plot to explore than in Hades 1
My b I just got stuck
December 2, 2025 at 8:23 PM
My b I just got stuck
Hey I'm in this right at the end! Thanks for having me on the show :)
#ttrpg #indierpg #gamedesign #gamedev #gamemechanics #PaxU
#ttrpg #indierpg #gamedesign #gamedev #gamemechanics #PaxU
The Mechanics went to Pax Unplugged! Well, Greg did and met a bunch of really cool folks and talked about their games and their favorite game mechanics. #paxunplugged
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/2gnj...
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/2gnj...
Mechanics at PAXU - GM2 39
Podcast Episode · Game Mechanics - A Critical Tabletop Podcast · 12/02/2025 · 55m
podcasts.apple.com
December 2, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Hey I'm in this right at the end! Thanks for having me on the show :)
#ttrpg #indierpg #gamedesign #gamedev #gamemechanics #PaxU
#ttrpg #indierpg #gamedesign #gamedev #gamemechanics #PaxU
Hey history sickos, I need your help! I have this idea floating of a #ttrpg where you play as the Punic Gods taking revenge on the Roman Pantheon for the destruction of Carthage. [1/3]
December 2, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Hey history sickos, I need your help! I have this idea floating of a #ttrpg where you play as the Punic Gods taking revenge on the Roman Pantheon for the destruction of Carthage. [1/3]
Have you seen @amabel.bsky.social 's most recent video? If you're in the TTRPG or board game world I think it's important that you do
youtu.be/dgfVE_qbWC8?...
youtu.be/dgfVE_qbWC8?...
Boxes: Selling, Framing, Meaning
YouTube video by Hollandspiele
youtu.be
November 30, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Have you seen @amabel.bsky.social 's most recent video? If you're in the TTRPG or board game world I think it's important that you do
youtu.be/dgfVE_qbWC8?...
youtu.be/dgfVE_qbWC8?...
Reposted by Michael DM ✍️ Absurdonauts
No. The Thing is a movie about a bunch of people who all distrust and hate each other trapped in one building as the tension between them slowly builds until it reaches a breaking point. It's a Thanksgiving movie.
Should John Carpenter's THE THING be officially classified as a Christmas movie? Let your voice be heard!
Is John Carpenter’s THE THING A Christmas Movie? Have Your Say
Should John Carpenter's THE THING be officially classified as a Christmas movie? Let your voice be heard!
dlvr.it
November 25, 2025 at 6:04 PM
No. The Thing is a movie about a bunch of people who all distrust and hate each other trapped in one building as the tension between them slowly builds until it reaches a breaking point. It's a Thanksgiving movie.
Horror story where AI makes realistic synthetic pets but they're anthropomorphized in subtle ways which allude to the manufacturer using the same hardware as synthetic humans, leading to an implication that there might be a human mind trapped in that animal body and oh wait FullMetal Alchemist Ep 4
The one thing that keeps smacking me in the face about AI-generated cute animal photos is how whatever model most of them are using tends to subtly anthropomorphise the faces. Like, do the people sharing this stuff honestly not notice that that dog has human eyes? That's not creepy to anybody else?
November 26, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Horror story where AI makes realistic synthetic pets but they're anthropomorphized in subtle ways which allude to the manufacturer using the same hardware as synthetic humans, leading to an implication that there might be a human mind trapped in that animal body and oh wait FullMetal Alchemist Ep 4
When I first met @rrookstudio.bsky.social at GenCon 2025 we talked about the value of introducing the suburbs as a setting into TTRPGs. Perhaps this'll be a good tool for GMs/game writers looking to do so!
"Beak, Feather, Bone but for Google Maps" is coming February 2026
Sign up below to follow along
Free demo on release.
Bit.ly/backyard-teaser-bsky
Sign up below to follow along
Free demo on release.
Bit.ly/backyard-teaser-bsky
Build Urban Fantasy in Real Places with Google Maps
From Chase Call and James Quigley - Build Urban Fantasy in Real Places with Google Maps
Bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 1:16 PM
When I first met @rrookstudio.bsky.social at GenCon 2025 we talked about the value of introducing the suburbs as a setting into TTRPGs. Perhaps this'll be a good tool for GMs/game writers looking to do so!
My body is a machine that turns to do lists into 11 hours in Hades 2
November 26, 2025 at 4:56 AM
My body is a machine that turns to do lists into 11 hours in Hades 2
HUGE Ws FOR @plusoneexp.bsky.social AND THE GANG LETS GOOOOO
Can't talk $$$ amounts yet, but here's a few numbers from the @plusoneexp.bsky.social @ Pax U. This is our hometown con, and we love it.
We know it's been a rough year, and I can't/won't generalize from this, but here's what we saw in our own sales.
We know it's been a rough year, and I can't/won't generalize from this, but here's what we saw in our own sales.
November 25, 2025 at 9:56 PM
HUGE Ws FOR @plusoneexp.bsky.social AND THE GANG LETS GOOOOO
I finally got around to finishing Hades 1's post credits story, now I can get in on the Hades 2 hype...
Hey wait a minute why isn't there any media about the Punic gods?
*a Wikipedia search later*
... I have a TTRPG idea about forgotten gods. Gonna log that one for later 😈
Hey wait a minute why isn't there any media about the Punic gods?
*a Wikipedia search later*
... I have a TTRPG idea about forgotten gods. Gonna log that one for later 😈
November 25, 2025 at 4:50 AM
I finally got around to finishing Hades 1's post credits story, now I can get in on the Hades 2 hype...
Hey wait a minute why isn't there any media about the Punic gods?
*a Wikipedia search later*
... I have a TTRPG idea about forgotten gods. Gonna log that one for later 😈
Hey wait a minute why isn't there any media about the Punic gods?
*a Wikipedia search later*
... I have a TTRPG idea about forgotten gods. Gonna log that one for later 😈
Reposted by Michael DM ✍️ Absurdonauts
PAXU is over.
Safe travels everyone!
As the poem goes: “The gamers were nestled all snug in their beds; While visions of soup dumplings danced in their heads;”
🥟 #PAXU #PAXUnplugged #dimsum 🥟
Safe travels everyone!
As the poem goes: “The gamers were nestled all snug in their beds; While visions of soup dumplings danced in their heads;”
🥟 #PAXU #PAXUnplugged #dimsum 🥟
November 23, 2025 at 11:45 PM
PAXU is over.
Safe travels everyone!
As the poem goes: “The gamers were nestled all snug in their beds; While visions of soup dumplings danced in their heads;”
🥟 #PAXU #PAXUnplugged #dimsum 🥟
Safe travels everyone!
As the poem goes: “The gamers were nestled all snug in their beds; While visions of soup dumplings danced in their heads;”
🥟 #PAXU #PAXUnplugged #dimsum 🥟