The Ice Caverns of Mars Is now available. Released as an #appxnjam entry. Play as proto-martians trying to pass the trials of their creators. spicytunarpg.itch.io/ice-caverns-... Colored in character illustration from KATTAPULKA patreon @garin.bsky.social @pbbeta.bsky.social

Just in time for the weekend. Appendix N finished. There's over 300 titles to read and rate. My brother and I wrote Rite of the Wriggling Gulf. A pirate dungeon-crawl and a ritual to complete before the sea beast's rage pulls the coast into the depths. #osr #ttrpg

Rite of the Wriggling Gulf by Drew_Makes

A cataclysmic event for Cairn

drew-makes-games.itch.io

Remember Itch has a handy link to take you to the jam entries that haven’t gotten many (or any) ratings and comments yet. Make sure to give a look to the work from newer folks in the scene that might get missed, not just the big names. #TTRPG #OSR

This week in the bathtub it’s Drought Dragon Desolation! Is this desert sandbox dry as bones, or hiding treasures? Find out! idlecartulary.com/2026/07/27/b...

Bathtub Review: Drought Dragon Desolation

Bathtub Reviews are an excuse for me to read modules a little more closely. I’m doing them to critique a wide range of modules from the perspective of my own table and to learn for my own module de…

idlecartulary.com

This week in the Bathtub, it’s Oni, a Mothership module where you break into a mafia ship run by a hallucinating ai! Is it supernaturally good, or is it just wearing a mask? Find out! idlecartulary.com/2026/07/20/b...

Bathtub Review: Oni

Bathtub Reviews are an excuse for me to read modules a little more closely. I’m doing them to critique a wide range of modules from the perspective of my own table and to learn for my own module de…

idlecartulary.com

SEVEN PART PACT STRETCH GOALS ive recieved the blessing of the slumbering gods to announce the stretch goals ! we kept these to a bare minimum, focusing on giving back to the team and filling the core game with even more art

Hey! You know I have my first Kickstarter next week, right? Featuring three #Shadowdark zines in print and PDF! #osr #ttrpg #dnd www.kickstarter.com/projects/jos...

Coming soon: Shadowdark Triple Feature

Three one-shot adventure zines by Joseph R. Lewis

kickstarter.com

Really positive review of @slimemindstudio.bsky.social's latest module!

Idle Cartulary@idlecartulary.itch.io · last mo.

This week in the bathtub: Outcast Unseelie and the Ooze Inbetween! Should you throw this module out, or does it ooze into our good graces? Find out! idlecartulary.com/2026/07/06/b...

Duuude! Thanks for the review. I'm so glad you liked it!

Idle Cartulary@idlecartulary.itch.io · last mo.

This week in the bathtub: Outcast Unseelie and the Ooze Inbetween! Should you throw this module out, or does it ooze into our good graces? Find out! idlecartulary.com/2026/07/06/b...

The quotes this is an excellent one to trawl through the quotes for! Amazing work illustration bluesky!

𝔾𝕆ℝ𝔸ℕ@gorangligovic.bsky.social · last mo.

Thought of another fun exercise everyone can try: turn Bouba and Kiki (of the Bouba/Kiki Effect) into characters that fit your own tastes and interests

This week in the bathtub: Outcast Unseelie and the Ooze Inbetween! Should you throw this module out, or does it ooze into our good graces? Find out! idlecartulary.com/2026/07/06/b...

Bathtub Review: Outcast Unseelie and the Ooze Between

Bathtub Reviews are an excuse for me to read modules a little more closely. I’m doing them to critique a wide range of modules from the perspective of my own table and to learn for my own module de…

idlecartulary.com

A really nice thoughtful review of Full Send by @idlecartulary.itch.io , do I agree with every criticism? No, (I'd probably do the information design the same way if I did it again) but I'm extremely glad that somebody took the time to read it. idlecartulary.com/2026/06/29/i...

I Read Full Send: A Game of Mountaineering

I Read Games reviews are me reading games when I have nothing better to do, like read a module or write or play a game. I don’t seriously believe that I can judge a game without playing it, usually…

idlecartulary.com

A few sales recently off the back of some Youtube coverage, B2Cons and @idlecartulary.itch.io review So that means more community copies!

Martin Orchard@orchardmartin.bsky.social · 2mo ago

BLACKOUT is my first module for Mothership, taking your crew underground to restore a colony power supply, and finding some unexpected things... Featuring art by @emo-sludge.com pointlessmonument.itch.io/blackout

If you wish TTRPGS were more like birding, I’d encourage y’all to consider looking at Field Agent’s Handbooks, a TTRPG on the birding end of the TTRPG to birding spectrum. Super unique. idlecartulary.com/2025/12/24/c...

sam “genial conversationalist” sorensen@samsorensen.bsky.social · last mo.

Good God! it's another episode of DEAD LETTERS, this time about THOUSAND YEAR OLD VAMPIRE! join us as we discuss historical play, Sartre, alea as fate, the role of expectations, bad faith moral choices, and my favorite solo RPG. come listen! open.spotify.com/episode/57QP...

NEW: A special TTRPG charity bundle to help designer Rae Nedjadi offset their medical expenses after serious illness and a month-long hospital stay. Includes Apocalypse Keys plus a terrific selection of other games. Get over $285 in games for just 25 bucks! 👇 www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/5...

2 things we are known for Gluttony Punishment Once again Tony has agreed to judge the Appx N Jam w/ @jorphdan.bsky.social @dankdungeons.bsky.social @idlecartulary.itch.io @thejenya.bsky.social @bobworldbuilder.bsky.social @lootthebody.bsky.social @isaacisafraid.bsky.social itch.io/jam/appx-n-j...

Appx. N Jam 2026

A game jam from 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-01 hosted by Dank Dungeons. A list of fantasy and science fiction literature that inspired Dungeons & Dragons. Featuring authors such as Robert E Howard, Fritz Li...

itch.io

This week i read Full Send, a mountaineering game! Does it scale the peak, or retreat to base camp? find out! idlecartulary.com/2026/06/29/i...

I Read Full Send: A Game of Mountaineering

I Read Games reviews are me reading games when I have nothing better to do, like read a module or write or play a game. I don’t seriously believe that I can judge a game without playing it, usually…

idlecartulary.com

Appx. N Jam 2026 by @dankdungeons.bsky.social and @jorphdan.bsky.social is starting next week! So I wrote something about the Appendix N and why TTRPG can be weirder. I wasn't expecting it to be a manifesto, but here we are 😂 afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev/appendix-n-m...

I was just sent this new RPG storefront. It’s worth checking out both as a player and a creator rpg-trader.com

RPG Trader

TTRPGs from digital to print, made simple.

rpg-trader.com

I'll happily take "stellar one shot" as a logline from Nova's review of BLACKOUT - thanks very much!

Idle Cartulary@idlecartulary.itch.io · last mo.

This week in the bathtub, the lights go out in Blackout! Will this crew ever figure out why the power is out, or will they be slaughtered by an ineffable horror? Find out! idlecartulary.com/2026/06/22/b...

This week in the bathtub, the lights go out in Blackout! Will this crew ever figure out why the power is out, or will they be slaughtered by an ineffable horror? Find out! idlecartulary.com/2026/06/22/b...

Bathtub Review: Blackout

Bathtub Reviews are an excuse for me to read modules a little more closely. I’m doing them to critique a wide range of modules from the perspective of my own table and to learn for my own module de…

idlecartulary.com

There are a bunch of really cool jams happening right now that I feel people should jump on — two that come to mind are the Black Hack jam and the Chain Link jam, and I’m judging the second Appx N Jam, which you could co-join with either of these!

There are a bunch of really cool jams happening right now that I feel people should jump on — two that come to mind are the Black Hack jam and the Chain Link jam, and I’m judging the second Appx N Jam, which you could co-join with either of these!

There is a game jam happening for one of the greats of the OSR, an early game that didn’t aim to just be a retro clone, the Black Hack!

The Black Hack 10th Anniversary Jam

A game jam from 2026-08-01 to 2026-09-01 hosted by pikliz. Ten years ago David Black caved our heads in when he released The Black Hack into the world. Providing a hyper-streamlined ruleset, TBH is a ...

itch.io

In which I unbox and review the new (ish) D&D starter set, Heroes of the Borderlands. Does it live up to there legacy of its venerable predecessor? Or is it an offence to the holy memory of E Gary Gygax? The answer may surprise you! idlecartulary.com/2026/06/15/i...

In which I unbox and review the new (ish) D&D starter set, Heroes of the Borderlands. Does it live up to there legacy of its venerable predecessor? Or is it an offence to the holy memory of E Gary Gygax? The answer may surprise you! idlecartulary.com/2026/06/15/i...

This year for our Appx. N Jam we have a bunch of really awesome judges!

The Appx. N Jam 2026 page is live! Sign up to participate! @itch.io #gamejam #osr #dnd #pulpfantasy itch.io/jam/appx-n-j...

Appx. N Jam 2026

A game jam from 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-01 hosted by Dank Dungeons. A list of fantasy and science fiction literature that inspired Dungeons & Dragons. Featuring authors such as Robert E Howard, Fritz Li...

itch.io

This week, in the Bathtub, I take a look at nostalgic parody Vileplume Mountain! idlecartulary.com/2026/06/08/b...

Bathtub Review: Vileplume Mountain

Bathtub Reviews are an excuse for me to read modules a little more closely. I’m doing them to critique a wide range of modules from the perspective of my own table and to learn for my own module de…

idlecartulary.com

Now that the discourse has died down, and my birding has lessened, I want to talk about lists in rpgs. I like what both sides of the debate make. So, like everything else, "good" isn't about which side you choose but how you execute the idea. If you choose to use lists, use them well.

How to Design Lists in RPGs

User-friendly definitions, tips, and tricks for graphic design in rpgs.

explorersdesign.com