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 Here is a random D100 table designed for a post-apocalyptic setting using the SIEGE Engine by Troll Lord Games. This blog entry picks right up from d100 Random Sword & Sorcery Barbarian Hordes For Castles & Crusades rpg CampaignTo keep this perfectly tailored to the system, each entry includes essential mechanical anchors: Hit Dice (HD), Armor Class (AC), Primary Attributes (Needleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11243274667834930867noreply@blogger.com0

There are a lot of opinions about setting in rpgs and how much is the right amount or too much. Consequently, a lot has been written about it by a lot of people, me included. As readers of this blog likely know, I am pro-setting, in the sense that I personally like thinking of and writing about them, but one might also have intuited that I enjoy them as a player or GM. They are a major part of what gets me into a game, a fundamental part of supporting imagining the game world. I realize there are people who like their settings merely implied or at the least as light as possible, and that's their right, but to me that would reduce an rpg to the same sorts of pleasure I might get from a board or arcade game, and that would not have been enough to sustain my longterm interest.

As I have been working on the setting for my new campaign, I've talked with my players for the first time about how I feel about GM creation vs. player creation of setting material. It's not that it was a secret before, but it never game up in an explicit way. My personal observation is that while most players don't want to be given a lot of homework to play a game, they also don't tend to be told impromptu to imagine things for a world. A framework to inspire their character creation tends to be what most of my players are looking for, though how much they intend to flesh things out varies.

Encouraging this sort of engagement, though, means that the world is a bit out of focus until we get into the playing of it. I can have thought of a lot of things, but a lot of details I have in mind stay flexible on until the players get their hands on them. In the end, the worlds winds up being a collaborative process even if it mostly starts in my mind.

Here's an example. In creating Azurth, I clearly called out that despite a number of animal people in the setting, there were no cat people. Now, the fact that I noted that and didn't mention a whole list of other animal people that would never appeared in Azurth was meant to suggest "something's going on here." And it was. 

However, my friend Jim, in creating his bard Kully missed that. Jim did a very flavorful, brief character write-up, nailing the Ozian sort of vibe. The only problem was he mentioned Kully encountering a Cat Man at a pivotal moment.

I could have suggest a change to that detail and in some circumstances, I might have. Here though, because I had already intended something to be going on with that point, I used what Jim came up with. I told him that Kully had had that encounter, which was odd because there aren't supposed to be Cat-folk in Azurth, and so no one believes him. Jim was creating a little mystery in his characters backstory, which wound up tying into a minor mystery of the entire setting. Kully's backstory became setting material supporting a future reveal that at least one player was going to care out.

Not all instances of a player's view of the world and my own having a discrepency turn out so serendipitously, but I think it's worth looking for those opportunities and leaving things just a little fuzzy to facilitate those clarifications.

 In Robert E. Howard’s original stories—specifically "The Tower of the Elephant" and "Rogues in the House"—Conan’s time as a thief in the cities of Zamora and Corinthia features a distinct version of the character. He isn't yet the seasoned general or king; he is a raw, hot-blooded, powerful teenager (around 17–18 years old) navigating the decadent, civilized "Maul" of Arenjun.He lacks the Needleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11243274667834930867noreply@blogger.com0

An Interview with Carbo_Creates, Puerto Rican Artist and Game Designer

Happy Sunday, dear reader! We are back for another interview with a Boricua creator. Today’s subject is someone I’ve had the pleasure of knowing through the active Puerto Rican TTRPG online community. He is a true gaming polymath—designing content, creating art, and even producing gaming-related music. I genuinely hope to sit down and play a game with him someday.

Let’s get right to the interview!

Introduce yourself! Who are you and what do you create?

Hello there! My name is Eddie, also known as Carbo_Creates on social media. I create all sorts of things. I draw (characters, maps, places, etc.), write adventure modules and mini-zines, make dungeon tiles, and create sculptures (in clay and cold porcelain). I also design tattoo pieces.

How would you describe your art or creative endeavor?

I would describe my creative endeavor and art style as chaotic and improvised. Sure, I can have a theme or idea in mind, but I let things flow as they go. I might start drawing something, but that inspires another vision or way around it, and I try to explore that too—basically, a chill, go-with-the-flow kinda mindset.

How did you discover TTRPGs?

I started playing and getting involved with TTRPGs in 2017, but I had heard of them way before that. Funny enough, what got me interested again was watching a live play where Matt Mercer game-mastered, and Vin Diesel was a player. I saw it and thought that I’d love to play that game.

(I believe he’s referring to this!)

It’s like making a movie or series episode in collaboration, and I love movies and fantasy shows. After that, I went online and read everything I could find about systems, adventures, modules, bestiaries, etc. I really fell in love with the Numenera setting. It got me through the Hurricane Maria recovery time.

Do you actively play TTRPGs? What are you playing?

Right now, I have a campaign starting soon with a group of players from various Puerto Rico TTRPG Discord servers. It’s a Shadowdark campaign that I will GM for.

What do you want to play next?

I really want to get that Shadowdark campaign going, but I haven’t set an official date for it yet. Beyond that, I would also love to GM Numenera and play one-shots in a variety of different systems.

What projects do you have available right now, and what are you working on next?

Wow, this will be a long answer, so I’ll try my best to keep it short! I have many mini-zines available, from a simple D6 ruleset inspired by EZd6 and other TTRPGs to setting-inspiring zines. I also sell stickers and prints of my art. I’m currently working on turning my first published adventure, The Grand Palace Opera, into single pages so I can send it to print.

I also have a lot of ideas in mind, and some of them are starting to manifest, like a dungeon synth album and many more mini-zines. On the drawing side of things, I’m focusing on doodling every day. I love how it has inspired some of my best work. Also, I do art commissions and will soon be taking clients for tattoos!

Where can people find your work?

My work can be found on my Carbo_Creates itch.io and DriveThruRPG pages. You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook as Carbo_Creates. Most of my work is free in digital form, except for my music and The Grand Palace Opera adventure zine for Shadowdark.

Any closing thoughts? To close, I must thank you for this opportunity to share my story with TTRPGs and my art. To anyone reading this: keep imagining a better world, keep playing and having fun, experience joy in the little things, and explore your creativity as much as possible. Oh, and I guess check out my work!

We will definitely check it out, Eddie! I am really looking forward to seeing your future projects.

On a general note, I am actively looking for other Puerto Rican creatives in the TTRPG space—creating art, writing, or whatever it may be—who would like to share their experiences and their work. Your art does not even have to be directly related to TTRPGs, but I want to continue sharing interviews with Boricua gamer-creatives for this ongoing Sunday series.

I’m also open to interviewing other creators worldwide who want to share their art and experiences or have me review their products. If you’d be interested in a conversation or have some game-related project you’d like me to look at, reach out here via the blog or on my socials! I want this year of celebrating my 40th gaming anniversary to be a time to talk with and get to know other gamers and creators, and to help spread the word about new, interesting projects in our gaming space.

The post Video of the Day – Doctor Who: Vengeance on Varos, 1985 appeared first on Blogtor Who.

 Here is a custom d100 Encounter Table designed for the subterranean depths beneath a Victorious campaign. It bridges the gap between the historical, soot-stained Victorian Underground (sewers, tube tunnels, catacombs) and the cosmic horror, primeval dangers of the deep Underdark (caverns, forgotten civilizations, and hollow-earth fringes).Use this table when your heroes descend into the Needleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11243274667834930867noreply@blogger.com0

 The Claw is one of the most bizarre, visually striking, and historically significant supervillains of the Golden Age of Comic Books. Created by Jack Cole (who later created Plastic Man), The Claw first appeared in Silver Streak Comics #1 (December 1939) published by Lev Gleason Publications. The blog post picks up right from Using the Belle Apoque, Red Rpg By The Red Room & Needleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11243274667834930867noreply@blogger.com0

SALEM, OR. Madeleine Holly-Rosing, writer/creator of the graphic novel series Boston Metaphysical Society, announced the launch of her campaign to fund the printing of the hardback edition of volume three…

The post Boston Metaphysical Society Comic Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for Special Edition Hardback of Volume 3 appeared first on First Comics News.

The post Video of the Day – The Bishop Exchange Podcast, 2026 appeared first on Blogtor Who.

In addition to MARY JANE: FACE IT, TIGER #1, a special giant-sized one-shot, Marvel Comics celebrates Mary Jane’s 60th anniversary this August with stunning new MARY JANE WATSON VARIANT COVERS.…

The post MARVEL CELEBRATES THE ONE AND ONLY MARY JANE WATSON WITH NEW VARIANT COVERS! appeared first on First Comics News.

This July, Jeff the Land Shark faces off against iconic X-Men villain Mojo in JEFF THE LAND SHARK: SUPERSTAR, an all-new five issue limited series by Kelly Thompson and Tokitokoro.…

The post NEW VARIANT COVERS SPOTLIGHT MOJO’S MASHUP MARVEL HEROES DEBUTING IN JEFF THE LAND SHARK: SUPERSTAR! appeared first on First Comics News.

Ram V and Mike Perkins Open the Door to Britain’s Secret War. Occult warfare is a fantasy…or is that what they want you to think? Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1…

The post Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy appeared first on First Comics News.

PORTLAND, Ore. 05/15/2026 — Fan favorite writer Doug Wagner (Narco, Plastic, I Was A Fashion School Serial Killer) teams up with rising star artist Hoyt Silva for an all-new, action-packed thrill-ride…

The post EXPLOSIVE NEW ANTI-SPY THRILLER YUMI: 00EX WILL HIT SHELVES THIS AUGUST appeared first on First Comics News.

This August, Marvel and Lucasfilm join forces to complete Kylo Ren’s saga in STAR WARS: THE FALL OF KYLO REN, a five-issue comic series by Charles Soule and Will Sliney.…

The post KYLO REN TAKES CONTROL OF HIS DESTINY IN STAR WARS: THE FALL OF KYLO REN COMIC SERIES appeared first on First Comics News.

*** OLYMPUS SAGA: MEGALITH #2  *** Written by MATT KINDT Art by LEWIS LAROSA Colors by LAURA MARTIN Cover by LEWIS LAROSA $5.99  |  32 PGS.  |  FULL COLOR FINAL…

The post OLYMPUS SAGA: MEGALITH #2 — PLUS DYSART, LAPHAM, SIENKIEWICZ’S THE HAB #3 ! appeared first on First Comics News.

AVAILABLE 05.20.26 The Grimm Fairy Tales 2026 Dark Circus Cosplay Pinup Special is coming! Get ready to check out all your favorite Grimm Universe heroines and villainesses, donning the cosplays of…

The post The Dark Circus is Coming to Town appeared first on First Comics News.

In addition to MARY JANE: FACE IT, TIGER #1, a special giant-sized one-shot, Marvel Comics celebrates Mary Jane’s 60th anniversary this August with stunning new MARY JANE WATSON VARIANT COVERS.…

The post MARVEL CELEBRATES THE ONE AND ONLY MARY JANE WATSON WITH NEW VARIANT COVERS! appeared first on First Comics News.

The Fugitive Doctor and Osgood face the Daleks in the first of two Titan Comics entries for Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker

This summer the Fugitive Doctor takes over the Whoniverse for Circuit Breaker. The multimedia Doctor Who epic will be winding its way through audios, novels, games, and more, starting in June. Also included in the adventures are two new issues from Titan Comics. The first of these is titled Adversary of the Daleks and is out on the 8th of July.

In Circuit Breaker’s overall story arc UNIT scientist Osgood discovers that items from the highly secure Black Archive have gone missing. Worse, these powerful alien artifacts could also tear reality itself apart. But when Osgood summons the Doctor for help, she comes face to face with a stranger. In Adversary of the Daleks, the Doctor and Osgood begin their quest to put things right and immediately run straight into conflict with the Daleks. The Time Lord would appear to be at a disadvantage, against an unfamiliar threat that seems to know her better than she knows herself. But then again, the Fugitive Doctor is more ruthless than any incarnation the Daleks have ever met before…

Adversary of the Daleks is written by Dolce M Montoya and Dan Watters. Watters also wrote the recent Doctor Who series Everyone Must Go! and The Prison Paradox as well as the acclaimed Batman series Dark Patterns. Meanwhile, Watters’ Prison Paradox collaborator Sami Kivelä joins them on art duties.

Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker #1. Cover A by Jay Anacleto (c) Titan Comics

You can pre-order Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker #1 now from Forbidden Planet. There’s a choice of five cardstock covers, though only the Cover A art by Jay Anacleto has been revealed so far.

• Cover A – Jay Anacleto
• Cover B – Photo Cover
• Cover C – Robert Sienecki
• Cover D – Flops
• Cover E – Blank

 

Your guide to the different elements of Doctor Who: Circuit Break (c) BBC Studios How to Follow the Story

• 25 June: Calling the Doctor – UNIT website written by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson
• 8 July: Adversary of the Daleks – Titan Comics, written by Dulce M. Montoya and Dan Watters, with stunning art from Roberta Ingranata and Sami Kivelä
• 23 July: The Honourable Society – Doctor Who Magazine issue 632, written by Jason Quinn and illustrated by Anthony Williams
• 30 July: The Deadliest Weapon – BBC Audiobooks Audio Original written by Steve Lyons, narrated by Jo Martin with David Banks as the Cyber-Leader
• 4 August: Dawn of the Daleks –Titan Comics, written by Dulce M. Montoya and Dan Watters, with stunning art from Roberta Ingranata and Sami Kivelä
• 6 August: Castling – East Side Games written by Mario Mentasti. (The icon for this game in the official guide suggests this will feature the Sontarans.)
• 17 August: Don’t Blink! – UNIT website written by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson. (As if the title wasn’t a big enough clue, the guide icon also suggests this features the Weeping Angels.)
• 20 August: The Doctor and the Three Witches – Puffin book written by Janelle McCurdy. (With the icon for this being the crystal ball from The Shakespeare Code, this novel likely involves the Carrionites.)
• 27 August: Moment Mori – East Side Games written by Mario Mentasti. Based on the game icon, this appears to bring back the Clockwork Droids from The Girl in the Fireplace.)
• 31 August: The Black Archive Files – Circuit Breaker DVD release
• 3 September: The Kaleidoscope – Penguin Random House book written by Jo Martin. The icon for Martin’s debut novel indicates an appearance by the Silence. ​
• 22 September: Full Circuit – Big Finish audio story written by Robert Valentine
• 24 September: Short Circuits – Big Finish audio story written by Robert Valentine

 

Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker, the new multimedia event for 2026 (c) BBC Studios Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker begins with Calling the Doctor, free on the UNIT website on the 25th of June

The post Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker Comic Cover Reveal appeared first on Blogtor Who.

Deniz Camp and Eric Zawadski’s Assorted Crisis Events & James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds’ The Department of Truth lead with multiple nominations each PORTLAND, Ore. 05/15/2026 — This year,…

The post IMAGE COMICS CREATORS HONORED WITH 12 EISNER AWARD NOMINATIONS, PLUS 9 SHARED NOMINATIONS appeared first on First Comics News.