I'm a blabby nerd that lives in the high desert...
PAPER AND CLOTH The United States is not a monarchy, a single religion, an ethnicity, or a chunk of dirt. The United States is an idea written down on a piece of paper: the Constitution. Our American flag is a symbol of that document. When you corrupt the rule of law, combine chu
Bulls Roundtable Podcast: Draft Chat w/ Jam from No Ceilings 'Twas my pleasure to join some of my Bulls brethren, and chat about the draft with Jam from No Ceilings. We dig into the Bulls' strategy at picks #4 and #15. We also get philosophical and examine the value of gr
Drive home safely, Stacey. Beep beep. #bulls #rip #too_much_mustard_on_a_hotdog
The Frog & the Scorpion A scorpion asks a frog to carry it across a river. The frog hesitates, saying, "You'll sting me!" The scorpion argues, "Why would I do that? If I sting you, we both drown." The frog thinks it over, agrees, and halfway across th
Calling CQ So... there are people that write a blog and there are bloggers. Bloggers don't write "content". I mean, we do. Posts are technically content but bloggers do not fill a slot. To a blogger, a blog is... a role; an identity. A person with a blog owns a tool
2026 NBA Draft This is my annual NBA draft tradition. I go through Tankathon and start from the bottom up. I specifically do NOT look at stats or bio first. I know NOTHING about these guys beforehand. I jump right into the highlights and see what I see. I watch ~5mins or less of
Platform-Brain is brutal. It is nearly impossible to escape. The Fediverse itself is an example: let's remake all the platforms... but more ethical? This was a bad move or at the very least, a missed opportunity. Twitter is both horrible and perfect. Posts the size of a punc
So... I wrote discover. I've been dreading writing this post because I have SO much shit spinning around in my head that I'd rather talk about. But it's adjacent to discover... so I need to start there. Fine. discover is a curated list of RSS feeds worth following.
"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." ~ Goodhart's Law paraphrased I'm paraphrasing Charles Goodhart from 1975. He was talking about monetary policy but it it applies to every metric humans have invented; ever. And in 1975 he nailed
For the past week I've been rewriting the software I use to run this blog. Yes... I'm that kind of dummy. The kind that writes their own blog software. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ For years, this blog has been a static website, written in markdown and hosted on Github Pages. Total cost: $0
Wightbred and Brine definitely don't talk about AI, zine page counts, future warfare weapons that make you a wizard, whether Dark Secrets needs a hopeful counterpart and migrating off Discord. They also don't talk about AI some more. Wightbred Brine Unnamed Worlds World
I bumped into this thread from Vincent Baker about character sheets. In it, he shows an image of a character and then brilliantly defines the character from the image: "He's got some immediate evident qualities: his gun, his attention to his surroundings, his energy/ad
Wightbred and Brine bring in the new year by talking about why systems are awesome! They then accidentally stress this point by systemizing the podcast itself. No spoilers on who won the podcast. By a lot. Wightbred Brine Apocalypse World 50/50 Dice Exploder #podcast #wob #
Wightbred and Brine get in the holiday spirit and wrap up 2025 by bashing systems. Coal for every stocking! But also our plea for the new year: unless you need the money, stop trying to fix D&D and instead, make cool stuff we can steal! Wightbred Brine Group Combat Named Of
A character was fighting a bunch of wraiths and found my regular combat rules weren't cutting it. I just threw something together for the meantime but later crafted them into this... GROUP COMBAT When groups fight, zoom out. Use the following threat levels to track the situat
Wightbred and Brine talk about trust... why real trust at the table isn't about verification or "high trust" frameworks... it's about creating a normal conversational environment where everyone collaborates to tell interesting stories together. We're NOT ta
A gothic fantasy one-shot for Of Yarn and Bone or any system Compatible With Roleplaying Introduction Fog chokes Veshra Cemetery. Monuments lean at drunken angles and a half-collapsed chapel marks the cemetery's northern edge. At its center, three excavated graves form a t
After a hiatus, I'm back podcasting about TTRPGs. I'll continue to post actual plays I'm part of, but I've also launched a new series centered around what Whitebred and I refer to as Conversation-First Roleplaying. "We start with the conversation, then we ad
This is the first episode in a new series of conversations between myself, Wightbred and whomever else. We talk about Wightbred's new zine, Unnammed Worlds; the magic system in brine's game Of Yarn and Bone; why we like narrative-first, conversation-driven ttrpgs, and a
"I never want to belong to any club that would have me as a member." ~Groucho The Problem Communities collapse into groupthink if tied to: Money/product: Financial incentives demand conformity. Personality: Disagreeing with the figurehead feels like betrayal. In the
Setup Establish The World at the table; setting, tone, and stakes Play Loop Set the Scene build from their last choice (they chose to go to the temple) honor or twist their expectations (ghouls attack as expected OR are friendly?) push character buttons (challenge what they care
Based on Richard Williams' Unfamiliar and adapted for use with Of Yarn and Bone. The Broken Bond Your character was once a mage's familiar but is now a stray living in the wild. The communion between mage and familiar is severed, but the world remembers what you were. Y
Of Yarn and Bone is a conversation-first game of identity with stakes, magic with awe, and play with trust. WHO IN THE WORLD ARE YOU? Your character is a product of the world; they start with three Names that describe their place in it. Names are epithets that might be a role the
I'm updating my magic system, including the original post that describes the system narratively (sorry if this annoys). I thought I'd also walk through it a bit in this post... The goal is a magic system that feels magical; no easy task. I took elements from my favorite
The Southern Coast, despite its rugged terrain, enjoys a mild climate shaped by soft sea breezes and rolling coastal fog. Passage to the northern kingdoms is best conducted by sea; circumventing the Sorrow Mountains and the West Marshes. This land once served as a sacred druidic
Torrential rain in Ravencross washed over Blackthorn Lane Lucinda got her stockings wet when she called on Edmund Graves all along the wrought-iron gate the shadows scratch and claw while drops the size of bullets strike the eaves with wild applause Who comes calling tonight?
A vengeful dybuk haunts the town that burned her at the stake. She flits unseen among the inhabitants, gleaning their darkest secrets, hidden weaknesses, and prized possessions. Periodically, she possesses unwitting townsfolk, compelling them to deliver letters to visiting advent
an actual play using Named Toolkit Amongst the jukebox joints and DJ dives, there are only four lounges left in downtown Night City where a band can get a regular gig. At least, one that will keep the landlord at bay for another month. Tension is building in the flea hotels and
From the memoirs of Rown Varkana - Mage, Council of Six @Yagul Fane... I have no skill with quill or ink, but my wife insists I write. "Who should know of you if you don't?", she says. "I am a mage on the Council of Six", I reply! I neglect to tell her I&#
Welcome aboard the Delta Queen, your ticket to cosmic extravagance and discovery! This interstellar marvel stands as one of only two remaining Halo Class Cosmos Cruisers in the galaxy, promising a journey unlike any other. Glide through the stars in unparalleled style and grace,
This is session 0 for a new Traveller/Named game. If you were ever curious about "how the sausage gets made", you're in luck! And that's TWO Ls. Wightbred - GM brine - Cypress Shaw Reluctant Captain, Butcher, Disappointment Paulo - "Chief" Monday Lew
At any one time, there are exactly 42 Incarnates in the world; give or take 9 months. I suppose it depends if being in the womb is considered in the world. I've been in a womb 100 times; I say it counts. Birth for an Incarnate--a silly moniker we begrudgingly accept--is reall
Kurt Vonnegut is my fav author. I've been re-reading all his books including his workshops on writing. It occurred to me that his advice for creative writing was hilariously inline with rpg writing; which makes sense but still; interesting. 1. Use the time of a total stranger
I love me some random generators but mine were showing my neglect and kinda all over the place. My friend Wightbred turned me onto GM's Apprentice Cards, which inspired me to refactor and extend my own generators into a single web app. Thus, Rando was born. Thanks to feedback
With 2023 in the rear-view, I began to reflect on the year from a gaming perspective. It turns out there are a number of things worthy of a shout-out! 1. Playing Games I am a forever GM. I have run way more games than I've played. In 2023 that changed and I found myself playi
an actual play using Named toolset The final chapter in our Stamford Bridge adventure. Does Jens make it aboard one of twenty four ships that returned to Norway? NO SPOILERS! Paulo- GM brine as Jens Aaberg Swordsman, Guide, Insightful #podcast #actual_play #named #stamford_br
an actual play using Named toolset Jens awakes on the banks of the river Derwent. The Battle of Stamford Bridge is over. It was a battle of Harolds and Jens' Harold has fallen. What now? Paulo- GM brine as Jens Aaberg Swordsman, Guide, Insightful #podcast #actual_play #na
An actual play using Of Yarn and Bone; recorded live on the Play Worlds Discord server. In our final episode of The Southern Coast, Hergest leaves the Prison of Mon and finds not one, but two familiar faces... or is it three? map brine - GM Paulo as Hergest the Healer Herbalist
Skypirates of Jotnaar is an actual play using Named toolset. The final session of Skypirates of Jotnaar... NO SPOILERS!!!1! Wightbred - GM Paulo as Nathaniel Rainsborough: Captain, Chartsman, Talker, +Respected 7th Outpost as Lily Windchaser: Night Witch, Dashing Rogue, Precise
Skypirates of Jotnaar is an actual play using Named toolset. The captains head to Last Drinks to concoct Rainsborough's "simple" plan. Logistics consume everyone's time until news comes over the skwawkbox... Wightbred - GM Paulo as Nathaniel Rainsborough: Capt
an actual play using Of Yarn and Bone Hergest travels alone to The Prison of Mon to find help with a fell beast. He hopes The Hag Kalg--a prisoner there--might provide some answers. Two comrades remain at the logger's camp; infected with an insatiable hunger. Using magic, He
an actual play using Named toolset. Dalt buys lacy shirts for all three captains as they plot against Hexspire. Remember, remember, the 30th of November, Hexspire, treason and plot. Wightbred - GM Paulo as Nathaniel Rainsborough: Captain, Chartsman, Talker, +Respected 7th Outpo
an actual play using Of Yarn and Bone Hergest travels to Fellstead Monastery on the Southern Coast. He's asked to check in on a Logger's Camp in need of healing. He is accompanied by Sir Ealdred, and Brother Estabar, and on their way, they meet The Mad Monk... map brine
The crew returns to Hag's Knife full of helium and two captured ships. During the ensuing celebration, Captain "Lacy" Rainsborough wakes grasping a map... to a treasure of dark secrets. Wightbred - GM Paulo as Nathaniel Rainsborough: Captain, Chartsman, Talker, +R
an actual play using Wightbred's Named toolset. In this, the inaugural episode, Captain "Lacy" Rainsborough gets the answer to the penultimate question: are we warriors or worriers? (SPOILER: it's not 42) Wightbred - GM Paulo as Nathaniel Rainsborough: Captain
We are exploring different approaches to TTRPGs. Through play we have come to value: A shared understanding of a world over rules Table trust over systems Immersion over character sheets Conversation and negotiation over procedures That is, while there is value in the elements
v1.4 Hexcrawls are awesome! They changed my game forever. But I found existing rules complex and/or included needless abstraction. Thus, I wrote my own. I also published a pdf PROCEEDURES Morning Roll weather Consume food/water Break or sustain camp Choose a travel direction and
FKR (Free Kriegsspiel Roleplaying) is an approach to playing tabletop roleplaying games. Its popular catchphrase, "play worlds not rules" , is as reasonable as any catchphrase. Play requires the following: A shared understanding of a world. A Game Maestro trusted to re
I PUNCH IT! While ascending the Frost Spire, the crew come upon a roadblock knight in non-shining armor. As Wrath would tell you, returning from the dead is easy compared to climbing an ice tower in full plate. But the crew ties a rope around him and schleps him along (lest be st
Oh no! He's hot! A frozen sea is no place for a himbo... I mean, if there is nobody around to gaze lovingly into the eyes; strong jawline and moonstruck mustache of a handsome man... is he really handsome? Oh, and there's some wolves or something... whatever. Now MOVE! Yo