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Fedmar

@behindthehelm.bsky.social
131 followers 171 following 43 posts

i like tabletop adventure games. blog and links: behindthehelm.bearblog.dev ☭

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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
New post! Reviewing my new favorite RPG-adjectent book, trying to identify what makes its gameplay *tick*, and what lessons you can get from it as a Game-Master. Presenting: Nalsco's ZYMO. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/lessons-from... #osr
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Lessons from Zymo - the necessity of a gameplay loop
TW: the game i'm reviewing is about body horror, which i’m not discussing in depth and leaving in the footnotes anyway if you wanna skip them, but be warned~...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
THAT'S SO COOL!!! I wanna see how it looks like keyed and described out, bet it's rediculous :P
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
i am absolutely here for this :0
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
(round of applause for exactly hitting the character count for a bleet)
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Prepping a campaign of SALVAGE UNION to get off the ground in July, and it got me thinking of all the places where one could add drama. Put rival parties in your PC's home base. Put shops under the tyranny of a local faction. All of those essential services adventurers need, give those some trouble.
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
TTRPG game-mastering question: you ever give NPCs prewritten lines of dialog? How do you run them? I've been considering adding them to modules simply cuz they're a very easy and flavorful way to convey their personality to the GM, but i don't know how well they'd work at the table.
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
I shall! If ☝️i ever have a junk pc.
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
zamn a lotta ppl getting linux nowadays ._. should i do that too
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Why not both? Intent is crucial to understand what the story is moving towards in the process, but IMO the nitpicky details of how an action is done are just as much a component of player skill. @bastionland.bsky.social did this brilliantly in Mythic Bastionland's "Action Procedure".
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
> The Odd offers you a deal. Do you accept? [Y/N] behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/bargaining-w...
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Bargaining with the Odd
As adventurers venture further and further into the Odd World with each passing session, it begins to… rub off onto them. They will it to do so themselves. T...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Sixty (60) guns (for shooting). behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/d60-guns/
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
D60 GUNS
Written for Into the Odd and adjecent systems. Merchant’s Maid (d6 Bulky): Unwieldy shotgun with a vast array of pouches and satchels stapled onto the stock...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
what's silhouette damage?
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Wanna put guns in your game? Beware of the terms and conditons. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/a-brief-obse...
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
A Brief Observation on Putting Guns in your Fantasy Game
Why are guns a problem for systems designed to accommodate melee combat? Whenever we take a game that facilitates heroic action fantasy, with strong PCs tear...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
An alternative magic system: Spell-Circles. System-agnostic as always. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/spell-circles/ #osr
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Spell-Circles
A is a collection of glyphs capable of manifesting a magical effect. They are all circular, or at least radially symmetrical in shape, and must be drawn or ...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
new post. rules for sentient machines. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/machines/ #osr
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Machines
When an electronic computer or any kind of “thinking” machine is left undisturbed for long enough, it acquires free will. The amount of time is proportional ...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
Continuing the series, here's some illness and poisoning rules. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/illness-pois... #osr
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Illness, Poisons, and Medication
In situations of prolonged/grievous exposure to environmental pressures, you have a chance of . Roll a d12, and compare the result to the Illness Chance for ...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Compact weather rules. For your enjoyment. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/weather/
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Weather
Weather is tracked on three axes, each on a 1-to-6 scale: Clouds, Wind, and Heat. At the beginning of the game (or every time the players enter a new regi...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
I could say the same for you, I suppose 🤣 well at least I found ya!
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
(Two posts in a day? What is this?) Well, if you like X-in-6 but you also like classes, here's some fun for you. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/classes-for-...
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Classes for X-in-6
So! After... a bit of radio silence, I released the game I've been working on, called X-in-6. Find it . It's classless, but if you want to use classes with i...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
(who's calling it the cairn-killer now? xD)
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
Where have I been all this time? Mostly doing nothing, but I also made a game. Check it out, it's PWYW on Itch. fedmar.itch.io/x-in-6
fedmar.itch.io
X-IN-6 by Fedmar
a rules-light dungeon crawler
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
"Here's a secret, young adventurer. No cave you delve into, no volcano that erupts, no monsters that lashes at you from the bowels of the stone is "natural". It's the dwarves, it's always been the dwarves." behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/dwarf-ecology/
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Dwarf Ecology
The first-generation dwarves are born programmed with one, simple goal: with blinding speed they dig upwards in all directions, spreading like ants search...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
"where there's a whip-"
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
im going to get them all for that rich fierce distinguished artist-philosopher vibe
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
(old timey sales pitch voice) "Are you tired of having to continuously make dungeon rooms just to fill out space between the players and the treasure? Do you want your dungeon prep to last more than just the first encounter? Well fret no more!" behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/dungeon-repl...
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Dungeon Replayability
A common way of playing long-term dungeon adventures takes the same format of the West Marches campaign: go down an entrance at the start of the session, do ...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Published a short dungeon adventure: The Basement of Old Man Hamsy. Check it out on Itch! Writing, art and layout by me. fedmar.itch.io/the-basement...
fedmar.itch.io
The Basement of Old Man Hamsy by Fedmar
a six-room dungeon adventure
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
Last-minute contribution to the Conclave Bandwagon by Prismatic Wasteland - d4 weird Cardinals you might meet before the election starts. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/d4-cardinals...
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
D4 Cardinals Coming to the Conclave (Blogclave Bandwagon)
Hail, citizen of Theocastrum: the Blogclave has commenced! The Blope, after many years of prosperous reign over your ancient and grand city, has keeled o...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
Found you! Was looking for you from the Reddit post. Your stuff is amazing, thanks!
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
dodging seagulls mostly. but i want to make this now.
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
A big blogpost today, in two parts: a procedure to quickly make meaty dungeons, and a free six-room example ready to run! behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/building-mic... behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/basement-of-...
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Building Micro-Dungeons, in 60 minutes or less.
Prepare a Spark Table. Ideally, you should use one you already have for the general setting, but if you don’t have one, making one isn’t at all hard (); i...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
ink fineliners on paper - 19.04.2025
a knight in chainmail with a horned helmet, lifing a sword up in front of them
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
liking this just for the pfp
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
bettle patrol every 4 hours on the outside?
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
god, i really ned to get myself a dip pen. my ink fineliners are all frayed and busted. Do you know if there's an analogous tool that's also packable for travel? (I know I'll spill the ink everywhere if i attempt to carry it in my bag.)
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
Well, have fun writing on the plane! Greeting from the Italian side of the OSR, of which I am but a humble participant.
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
Nice! It does what good writing for RPGs is supposed to do, which is provide places for the GM to put questhooks. I'm sure it'd be both a breeze and a blast to run.
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
BLOGPOST - On why resolution systems with binary success/failure provide more choice on how to run the game for the GM and more strategic possibilities for the player. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/why-i-like-b... #osr #nsr #posr #ttrpg
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Why I Like Binary Resolution Systems
In most OSR games a roll (or Check, or Save, or Test, or however you want to call it) can have three outcomes: 1) Total Success: the action succee...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
how my account looks at me when i haven't posted a drawing in five whole days
sad pig sitting at a table and looking at an empty plate
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 30/03/2025
Honestly, I think the OSR is more alive now than it has ever been, even if it looks more dead - it has just decentralized. This here Bluesky is a big public meeting ground, sure, but the large amount of tiny Discords has created sooo many wonderfully friendly and tight-knit communities.
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
BLOG POST - On the way I start sandbox campaigns with one-shots in order to introduce plothooks in as interesting a way as possible. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/guide-to-the...
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
Guide to the Starter One-Shot
There are many different ways of kicking off a sandbox campaign, and the way you do it influences the path(s) the party will take. The one I favor is what I ...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
I love this approach to ability checks. Maybe a but random, but a simple random table for outcomes is a really elegant solution.
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
First actual bleet! Here's a blogpost on how character classes work in my most recent project, and how they illustrate the world's lore. behindthehelm.bearblog.dev/the-birth-of...
behindthehelm.bearblog.dev
The birth of a class - NIGHT DESCENDS ON UR devlog
In the process of writing classes for a side-project I'm slowly nibbling at - a post-apocalypse game set in the wake of the Bronze Age Collapse - I've been e...
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Fedmar @behindthehelm.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
*taps mic* is this thing on? ridiculously late to the bluesky party but here we are ig. #osr
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