I've been building a Weird West cosmic horror campaign built on Daggerheart, where the party plays ordinary people (a gunslinger, a doctor, a preacher, a shaman) rather than heroes. Against outlaws a revolver is enough but not against what sleeps under the desert :)

I wanted the art to match that tone, so I commissioned traditional illustrations from Alessandro Paderi, an Italian illustrator who works in ink and pencil. Sharing a few pieces here, because I think his take on "frontier dread" turned out beautifully.

A question for other GMs running horror in Daggerheart: how do you handle the visual side at the table? Do you show creature art the moment the party meets something, or do you hold it back and let descriptions do the work until the horror is fully revealed? I keep going back and forth on this.

All artwork by Alessandro Paderi, commissioned by me and shared with his permission. No AI was used in the creation of this artwork. The campaign is an independent production compatible with Daggerheart, created under the Darrington Press Community Gaming License. Not affiliated with Darrington Press or Critical Role.

https://preview.redd.it/ggnleokle6bh1.png?width=637&format=png&auto=webp&s=3937dbf5f03595f9565d3dec1682be5ec711de3f

https://preview.redd.it/ynmc8r4ie6bh1.png?width=638&format=png&auto=webp&s=5a19f669e1060445afcb55b62f342ee480b66839

https://preview.redd.it/n5imztvfe6bh1.png?width=637&format=png&auto=webp&s=8608db783aa93a6ff6c654d240269867f4fa77b5

I always wanted to play Root. The boardgame I mean. I always found it quite alluring, I always loved strategy games and the art and concept always seemed right on my alley. Unfortunately, I did not get the occasion to play it yet. However, I learned that the boardgame also received a TTRPG adaptation, made by none others then Magpie Games. For those who are not aware, Magpie are the reigning kings of PbtA RPGs, with titles such as Masks, Avatar Legends, Cartel and many many others. So when we approached them for a partnership, Root was at the top of my wishlist. They were gracious enough to send a review copy our way and with the occasion of Playcon, an amazing local con which held its first edition back at the end of May I got the chance to run a couple of public sessions there.

Needless to say, I had a blast, I adored the art, the setting and the implementation of PbtA (between us, I actually enjoyed this one way better than Avatar Legends). And it wasn't just me who had a blast with the system, but also my groups of players! So I knew that I had to make a review and explain at large why you might enjoy this little gem. Unfortunately, life is sometimes a bitch and some personal stuff delayed said review, but I am proud to tell you that it is now ready and published!

So if any of you have even the smallest amounts of interest towards lite-political games, fun low fantasy adventure, a nostalgia for series such as Redwall or Guardians of Ga'Hoole I think you should give this game a try! My thoughts at large are found in the review, I hope you will enjoy it and I hope you will give this game a try, I assure you, it will be a fun time!

Hey I wanted to share my solo hexcrawling game "Hex Hunter" with you.

Hex Hunter takes a lot of inspiration from classic OSR hexcrawl design - Justin Alexander's hexcrawl articles were a big influence.

I wanted to create an easy to play solo game, that leaves enough space for imagination while being a bit more "gamyfied" than usual solo rpgs I played.

The base game is currently 75% off on itch.io and DriveThruRPG. There are also three expansions available for free. More will be released soon!

It love to get some reviews from people who try out the game, so I can fix potential problems etc. I haven't found myself so far.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/de/product/503812

https://sickd6.itch.io/hex-hunter

For the longest time I have been fascinated by the medieval. Looking back, I think the first "gateway drug" for this obsession was the Redwall cartoon, when I was a little kid. Of course, Lord of The Rings followed not too far behind, various video games such as Mount and Blade, Assassin's Creed and of course Oblivion and Skyrim. In 2016, when I first started playing D&D, incidentally also the year I started to watch Game of Thrones (it is such a shame it got canceled after the 6th season), the general quasi-medieval setting of the game was quite a big plus in my books. I continued to play D&D, eventually venturing towards other systems and about 4 years ago I also got to play Vampire: The Masquerade for the first time.

Thus I was introduced to the franchise, or rather I realized it was a franchised, I was somewhat aware of the videogames, I knew some of the clans and I saw some pics and memes with Smiling Jack and Jeanette, but until I started playing, I didn't really delve that much into it. But then I did and I fell in love with both the game and its setting and I was aching to learn more about it and I was imaging how cool it would be to also see a medieval version of the game... and OH MY CAIN, it is a thing! I rejoiced in the fact that it existed, but for about three years, I didn't get around playing a single session of Dark Ages. I read on the lore, I fell in love with the whole Constantinople Saga, but I didn't knew any ST who runs it. Then Yuno met Horia and in turn I met Horia and we became friends with him and at one point he dropped the bombshell that he also runs Dark Ages, but he currently has a full campaign and does not know when he will get to play something with us as well. So it goes...

A couple of weeks ago however, one of my D&D players, who is also quite an experienced ST started a new Dark Ages chronicle and was gracious enough to invite me! So thank you Anca!

I played my first ever session, I am very much looking forward to play some more (in case anyone is wondering, I am playing an Old Clan Tzimisce Koldun and the chronicle is set in 14th century Wallachia + Transylvania), but until then I decided to write this piece on some of the differences I have perceived so far between the two systems and why I think that the assumption I have seen on my side of the internet, that Dark Ages would be less political then its modern nights counterpart is, frankly speaking a bit silly!

I hope you will enjoy this piece, I am going back to read a bit more on the lore and to plan for the next session!