Ossi Hiekkala
@ossihiekkala.bsky.social
Illustrator, Staff Artist at Chaosium Inc. Only art, RPG's, Boardgames, and other positive stuff. No AI.
Pinned
Ossi Hiekkala
@ossihiekkala.bsky.social
· May 11
Staff Artist at Chaosium Inc.
My job is to bring worlds to life. I like to illustrate subtle stories of the mundane, not just the stories of the heroes. And the heroes are not perfect either. My view is not focused in the middle of the scene. It’s a little bit off*.
I am where I want to be.
My job is to bring worlds to life. I like to illustrate subtle stories of the mundane, not just the stories of the heroes. And the heroes are not perfect either. My view is not focused in the middle of the scene. It’s a little bit off*.
I am where I want to be.
My brain rots when I see this picture. The trailer for Nolan's The Odyssey has been released. The good: they have decided the film in locations. The bad: everything else.
December 23, 2025 at 6:09 AM
My brain rots when I see this picture. The trailer for Nolan's The Odyssey has been released. The good: they have decided the film in locations. The bad: everything else.
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
Mark Morrison writes, "With all my gaming groups I’ve always tried to run a special themed game as the last one of the year.
Naturally, I mark the occasion by trying to kill them all in a special one-night adventure, usually with some variety of homicidal Santa..."
Naturally, I mark the occasion by trying to kill them all in a special one-night adventure, usually with some variety of homicidal Santa..."
Table Tales - Happy Holiday Adventures
With all my gaming groups I’ve always tried to run a special themed game as the last one of the year. There’s something about getting together just before the holidays that brings on a special mood: e...
www.chaosium.com
December 21, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Mark Morrison writes, "With all my gaming groups I’ve always tried to run a special themed game as the last one of the year.
Naturally, I mark the occasion by trying to kill them all in a special one-night adventure, usually with some variety of homicidal Santa..."
Naturally, I mark the occasion by trying to kill them all in a special one-night adventure, usually with some variety of homicidal Santa..."
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
"concept artists can experiment with AI to make their lives easi-"
wrong
I smack you with Claire Hummel's immaculate and detailed understanding of costume design, which she got by studying historical references, which made her strong, which you will not become by relying on AI
get good
wrong
I smack you with Claire Hummel's immaculate and detailed understanding of costume design, which she got by studying historical references, which made her strong, which you will not become by relying on AI
get good
December 18, 2025 at 9:39 PM
"concept artists can experiment with AI to make their lives easi-"
wrong
I smack you with Claire Hummel's immaculate and detailed understanding of costume design, which she got by studying historical references, which made her strong, which you will not become by relying on AI
get good
wrong
I smack you with Claire Hummel's immaculate and detailed understanding of costume design, which she got by studying historical references, which made her strong, which you will not become by relying on AI
get good
Well this came as a happy surprise to me! Lautapelit fi has just released Kyūshū and Shikoku, the last two games in the same series as Honshu and Hokkaido, by Kalle Malmioja. They've been waiting to be published for years, and now they're out! I knew they were coming, but had no idea when.
2025 uutuuksia: Kyushu ja Shikoku
www.lautapelit.fi
December 18, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Well this came as a happy surprise to me! Lautapelit fi has just released Kyūshū and Shikoku, the last two games in the same series as Honshu and Hokkaido, by Kalle Malmioja. They've been waiting to be published for years, and now they're out! I knew they were coming, but had no idea when.
Well.. Slava Ukraini!
First Combat Use of Underwater Kamikaze Drones: Russian Kilo class Submarine Disabled in Novorossiysk
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has carried out a special operation in the port of Novorossiysk, marking the first-ever combat use of underwater kamikaze drones.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has carried out a special operation in the port of Novorossiysk, marking the first-ever combat use of underwater kamikaze drones.
December 15, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Well.. Slava Ukraini!
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
I think the fundamental gap here is that non-creative people think that creative people make things for the end product, when in fact it’s the act of creation and not the end point that makes it worthwhile.
I have grown to believe that excessive wealth does something to your brain that is analogous to a serious head injury
December 15, 2025 at 6:26 AM
I think the fundamental gap here is that non-creative people think that creative people make things for the end product, when in fact it’s the act of creation and not the end point that makes it worthwhile.
Besides, I had an opportunity to try a "X-card" thing first time. It was a subject that I personally feel very uncomfortable, and you know what? Everybody was totally fine with that! It was a misunderstanding anyway, but the fact was the thing is there for a reason and does not destroy any game.
Played yesterday a homebrew Fiasco Glorantha. It was the first time I have played anything Fiasco, and I enjoyed it immensely. The system was quick to learn and the setting worked perfectly. We started by randomly picking the runes for each character and that was the character creation.
December 14, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Besides, I had an opportunity to try a "X-card" thing first time. It was a subject that I personally feel very uncomfortable, and you know what? Everybody was totally fine with that! It was a misunderstanding anyway, but the fact was the thing is there for a reason and does not destroy any game.
Played yesterday a homebrew Fiasco Glorantha. It was the first time I have played anything Fiasco, and I enjoyed it immensely. The system was quick to learn and the setting worked perfectly. We started by randomly picking the runes for each character and that was the character creation.
December 14, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Played yesterday a homebrew Fiasco Glorantha. It was the first time I have played anything Fiasco, and I enjoyed it immensely. The system was quick to learn and the setting worked perfectly. We started by randomly picking the runes for each character and that was the character creation.
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
Drawing some busybody adventurers (part 1 of 3).
December 11, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Drawing some busybody adventurers (part 1 of 3).
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
Chaosium is delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Tobin as Art Director. Paul has had a distinguished career as a Senior Concept Artist at Wētā Workshop, contributing to major projects inc The Hobbit trilogy, Avatar, Bladerunner 2049, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, The Expanse, and Narnia.
Paul Tobin (ex-Weta Workshop) joins Chaosium as Art Director
Chaosium is delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Tobin as an Art Director. Based in Wellington, New Zealand, Paul has had a distinguished career as a Senior Concept Artist and Art Director at...
www.chaosium.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Chaosium is delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Tobin as Art Director. Paul has had a distinguished career as a Senior Concept Artist at Wētā Workshop, contributing to major projects inc The Hobbit trilogy, Avatar, Bladerunner 2049, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, The Expanse, and Narnia.
I absolutely love how grounded Age of Vikings is. It not always necessary to fight some huge god monster to make an exciting adventure. Very common things can become something that has far reaching consequences. Fantastic free form magic system really supports this kind of games.
Age of Vikings: How To Live Like a Viking
An Age of Vikings campaign is not only comprised of epic sagas but also memorable interactions with NPCs, social trouble, and even situations where your Farming skill could be of critical importance. ...
www.chaosium.com
December 8, 2025 at 10:09 AM
I absolutely love how grounded Age of Vikings is. It not always necessary to fight some huge god monster to make an exciting adventure. Very common things can become something that has far reaching consequences. Fantastic free form magic system really supports this kind of games.
BRP is a great system!
Basic Roleplaying: Creatures Review
I expected Chaosium to forget about Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine after releasing it under the ORC-license, leaving its future entirely in the community’s hands. Fortunately, I was wrong. W...
vorpalmace.github.io
December 5, 2025 at 6:01 PM
BRP is a great system!
RuneQuest. The best fantasy game.
Call of Cthulhu. You can run this in every setting.
Pendragon. Maybe the best game ever?
Age of Vikings. Great magic, great feeling of the historical setting.
Yes, I’m a Chaosium fanboy and love BRP, but these games are absolutely great. Try them.
Call of Cthulhu. You can run this in every setting.
Pendragon. Maybe the best game ever?
Age of Vikings. Great magic, great feeling of the historical setting.
Yes, I’m a Chaosium fanboy and love BRP, but these games are absolutely great. Try them.
If you wanted to run say, four different games that weren't Dungeons & Dragons in hopes of showing people the breadth of the TTRPG hobby, what games would you run for them? Assume that they are sort of familiar with 5E.
December 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM
RuneQuest. The best fantasy game.
Call of Cthulhu. You can run this in every setting.
Pendragon. Maybe the best game ever?
Age of Vikings. Great magic, great feeling of the historical setting.
Yes, I’m a Chaosium fanboy and love BRP, but these games are absolutely great. Try them.
Call of Cthulhu. You can run this in every setting.
Pendragon. Maybe the best game ever?
Age of Vikings. Great magic, great feeling of the historical setting.
Yes, I’m a Chaosium fanboy and love BRP, but these games are absolutely great. Try them.
I am often puzzled why RuneQuest is considered too intimidating game to learn when people are ok with D&D.
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 7:13 AM
I am often puzzled why RuneQuest is considered too intimidating game to learn when people are ok with D&D.
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
If you'd like to see a bunch of my old @chaosium.bsky.social work, I've got it up here (for free) on the patreon - absolutely some of my fave work from that period! Nothing I love like bronze age fantasy of any and all types
And these are fabulous too! www.patreon.com/posts/gloran...
Glorantha | Simon Roy
Get more from Simon Roy on Patreon
www.patreon.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:36 PM
If you'd like to see a bunch of my old @chaosium.bsky.social work, I've got it up here (for free) on the patreon - absolutely some of my fave work from that period! Nothing I love like bronze age fantasy of any and all types
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
Our forthcoming Lands of #RuneQuest: Sartar book has a section on Creating Duck Adventurers, with art by Ossi Hiekkala @ossihiekkala.bsky.social. There's also more Duck art coming by Mark Smiley. Ducks, Ducks, and More Ducks.
November 17, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Our forthcoming Lands of #RuneQuest: Sartar book has a section on Creating Duck Adventurers, with art by Ossi Hiekkala @ossihiekkala.bsky.social. There's also more Duck art coming by Mark Smiley. Ducks, Ducks, and More Ducks.
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
Want to play a Duck? After appearing as a location and then counters in Greg Stafford's 1975 board war game White Bear and Red Moon ("Ducks, Ducks, and More Ducks"), as #TTRPG creatures Ducks first appeared in @chaosium.bsky.social's first edition of #RuneQuest (1978).
November 17, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Want to play a Duck? After appearing as a location and then counters in Greg Stafford's 1975 board war game White Bear and Red Moon ("Ducks, Ducks, and More Ducks"), as #TTRPG creatures Ducks first appeared in @chaosium.bsky.social's first edition of #RuneQuest (1978).
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
hearing reports out of Japan that Tatsuya Nakadai has passed away at 92. RIP to a legit legend.
November 11, 2025 at 2:54 AM
hearing reports out of Japan that Tatsuya Nakadai has passed away at 92. RIP to a legit legend.
This is brilliant!
Behold! The massive RPG Moral Panic video I've been researching and assembling for years, and why people who call the whole affair the Satanic Panic are wrong.
I'm so damned happy to finally have this beast out of my system.
youtu.be/OpjV-melB-c
I'm so damned happy to finally have this beast out of my system.
youtu.be/OpjV-melB-c
The 3 Waves of the RPG Moral Panic - RPG History
YouTube video by Seth Skorkowsky
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 8:41 AM
This is brilliant!
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
November 8, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
In this week’s newsletter, we delve into legendary territory.
The year was 1977…with STORMBRINGER, I completed work on the Elric Saga and received my first World Fantasy Award nomination.
theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com/p/1977-year-...
The year was 1977…with STORMBRINGER, I completed work on the Elric Saga and received my first World Fantasy Award nomination.
theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com/p/1977-year-...
November 9, 2025 at 2:24 PM
In this week’s newsletter, we delve into legendary territory.
The year was 1977…with STORMBRINGER, I completed work on the Elric Saga and received my first World Fantasy Award nomination.
theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com/p/1977-year-...
The year was 1977…with STORMBRINGER, I completed work on the Elric Saga and received my first World Fantasy Award nomination.
theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com/p/1977-year-...
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
Yesterday the RPG Realms zone of tabletop.me in Dubai 🇦🇪 was packed with players, all day. And it was exciting to see so many newcomers trying #TTRPGs for the first time!
Plenty of games to choose: we're running #CallOfCthulhu demos, and there's also more CoC & #Pendragon happening too. Plus D&D etc
Plenty of games to choose: we're running #CallOfCthulhu demos, and there's also more CoC & #Pendragon happening too. Plus D&D etc
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Yesterday the RPG Realms zone of tabletop.me in Dubai 🇦🇪 was packed with players, all day. And it was exciting to see so many newcomers trying #TTRPGs for the first time!
Plenty of games to choose: we're running #CallOfCthulhu demos, and there's also more CoC & #Pendragon happening too. Plus D&D etc
Plenty of games to choose: we're running #CallOfCthulhu demos, and there's also more CoC & #Pendragon happening too. Plus D&D etc
One more but without X before it:
It is more important to be reliable than to be great. The reliable ones are the ones the clients come back to.
It is more important to be reliable than to be great. The reliable ones are the ones the clients come back to.
Artist propaganda I’m not falling for (and you shouldn’t either):
November 8, 2025 at 6:22 PM
One more but without X before it:
It is more important to be reliable than to be great. The reliable ones are the ones the clients come back to.
It is more important to be reliable than to be great. The reliable ones are the ones the clients come back to.
Reposted by Ossi Hiekkala
Carol Tierney says let's talk about hólmgang, a very Viking way of settling scores. This is one the most evocative elements you can drop into an Age of Vikings game.
#ageofvikings #rpg #ttrpg
#ageofvikings #rpg #ttrpg
Age of Vikings: Hólmgang!
Let’s talk about hólmgang, a very Viking way of settling scores. This is one the most evocative elements you can drop into an Age of Vikings game.
www.chaosium.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Carol Tierney says let's talk about hólmgang, a very Viking way of settling scores. This is one the most evocative elements you can drop into an Age of Vikings game.
#ageofvikings #rpg #ttrpg
#ageofvikings #rpg #ttrpg