iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

It can send the unintended message that you think their judgment/opinion is suspect.… …but I still have a hard time accepting a compliment.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Dibs on the Mystery Machine! When do we start playtesting?

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

If you've got a big battle, you could also consider an environmental feature along the lines of "Overwhelming Force - Reaction - When you take the spotlight, if the PCs are outnumbered, gain 1 Fear." It's reasonable that the situation is more dangerous with more threats.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Today's TTRPG lesson from improv class: Try "warming up" your players before diving into the game. Consider interactive recaps or games focused on listening and collaboration (even if completely unrelated to the game). Help everyone at the table shift gears before settling in to play.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Was it a case of being Fear-starved, or struggling to find opportunities for GM moves? For large-scale battles, consider using Fear to activate groups of lesser enemies or adding on-the-fly environmental challenges that affect the whole battlefield.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Still working on "Dixie Needs a Walk" (walk your reactive dog!) for @binarystar.games Minimalist Game Jam. I've only written for established TTRPGs, so it's exhilarating to explore new mechanics & how the underlying math can support storytelling. Tail Wags, Bag of Treats, Bouncy Steps anyone?

itch.io

Minimalist TTRPG Jam 5

A game jam from 2026-09-01 to 2026-11-01 hosted by Binary Star Games. Make a Thing Right Now V: How are there 5 of these This, for the FIFTH year in a row somehow, is a jam all about primal, elemental...

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

My brain is busy filling in the associated Call of Cthulhu story.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

For a change of pace, we played some Delta Green today. There's an interesting tension between leaning into experiencing the horror and sanity loss and trying to be the hero in an ongoing story. We love our characters. How often does that push us into the "safe" choice over the "story" choice?

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

"How did you get into TTRPGs?" My mom brought home the D&D red box in the early 80s and ran a dungeon for my dad and me. No Satanic panic in our household!

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Reposted by Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch

Definitely Not a Hag @def-not-a-hag.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

And we are LIVE

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

"Ten customers of Real Life Too, makers of long-term VR pods, were found in their pods minus multiple organs. Real Life Too notes that under the ToS, they are not liable for any loss, real or imagined." +99 more reasons your PCs should stop reading the Feed. www.drivethrurpg.com/product/5870...

drivethrurpg.com

Cyberpunk D100: 100 Headlines Overloading the Feed | Skywater Ranch Publishing, LLC | Skywater Ranch Publishing, LLC | DriveThruRPG

Corporate advertising, crime sprees, politics, human interest…everyone’s talking about the latest newsworthy events in the city. 100 Headlines Overloading the Feed gives you 100 news blurbs to add col...

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

FamCon Update: Daggerheart Goblin Urban Rebels heist attempt on the warehouse of corrupt Chancellor Whitmore... End-of-Session Questions - What's in Whitmore's warehouse? - Who did we rob? - What's in those vials we stole? - What scrolls did we set on fire? - Where can we find a 2nd safehouse?

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

My sister and I still instantly transform into Scotland Yard detectives when playing Mystery Rummy: Jack the Ripper. Any game is an RPG if it's in your heart.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

On the upside, I am getting lots of new ideas as I chase this old one down

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Enjoying a nice bowl of spaghetti as I wake up and browse the socials. Feeling seen.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I keep our publishing idea backlog on a poster: The Sea of Possibility. I've found the fatal flaw with this system. On my list of potential GM tools, I have written "Roll for Blame." Love the title. Can't for the life of me remember what the product was supposed to be.

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Reposted by Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch

Adam "Graphic Design Is Not My Passion" Seats @iknowadamseats.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I really cannot properly emphasize how huge of a resource the Liminal Horror TTRPG wiki is in terms of being an index of excellent writing resources (not just for horror stuff). You should dig into this and go read/save as much as you can. liminalhorrorrpg.com

liminalhorrorrpg.com

Home

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Today's TTRPG lesson from improv class: Some improv games use gibberish (think "Simlish") in place of another language. Why not do the same for demonic, celestial, or other fantasy languages? Try it out: pick signs and billboards you pass and "translate" them aloud into gibberish.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Whoops. Cursed Dolls just spilled out of my mind. There are 100 of them. That certainly won't be a problem. www.drivethrurpg.com/product/5859...

An image of the cover of the Cursed Dolls supplement. The image is a book cover with a superimposed face screaming in the center, as if trapped in the book.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Their stories do become instant epics. I hadn't thought about it as a way to immortalize a character. They certainly seem more heroic than ones who was alway chose a safer route.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

DeeDee the clank wizard just went out in a Blaze of Glory in our BeastFeast game, saving the party. GMs seem surprised when players choose Blaze of Glory in an ongoing campaign. But I've seen it happen a lot. Maybe having control over your character's death makes you more willing to embrace it?

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Rowan's comment about players creating the story engine through Hope/Fear dice spoke to me. Especially for horror: every roll risks feeding Fear to the GM. The players actively create the fuel for those nightmarish turns of fate, while Hope gives them the resources to fight back.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

TTRPG question: How would you feel about a player introducing a new PC in an ongoing campaign as a major, established figure in the setting, such as the Fanewraith from Witherwild? I'm realizing it feels different to me than a PC becoming important through play. #Daggerheart

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I played this as my first solo RPG back in its v1.1.1 iteration. It's amazing how much emotional punch it delivers with such short prompts. Possibly because I can't help but cast my puppers as the heroes. It sold me on solo journaling games. Excited to see the new multiplayer options!

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Steal away! But beware: once you do this, abandoning a game halfway through becomes “planning for next year.”

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

The "We finish what we start" FamCon lineup: Fri: Mothership: Moonbase Blues Sat: Daggerheart: Goblin Urban Rebels Sun: OMEN: It's the End of the World Mon: Gotham City: Library of Lost Voices Four days. Four unfinished stories. Let's see how many we actually finish.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

3x/year my family takes time off work for our own private TTRPG convention, FamCon. Last FamCon's theme was "All deaths are final." Six PCs met untimely ends. We kick off again Friday w/a new theme: "We finish what we start." We're pulling out games-in-progress & getting them back to the table.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A newbie gets a character sheet (CS), a page (or set) of feature cards, & a slideout explainer for the CS (if using Sablewood Messengers). The bookmark lists the three spots to find your abilities: cards, under hope on CS, and class features on CS. It also describes team ups & downtime moves.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

What better way to start a Sunday morning than with a little light survival horror? The second Heart of Fear scenario offers a night of zombie mayhem. Drop it into any dark Daggerheart campaign, and see if your PCs can survive the Blood-Soaked Field. www.drivethrurpg.com/product/5853...

The cover for The Blood-Soaked Field scenario. The center image shows two figures tensely walking through a spooky forest

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Wings would be amazing if you can get the "skeletal ribcage-iness" to them

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I love that doggo just wants to go outside and play with its new friends.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Played Scarlet Minotaur in Shadowdark & realized I could turn over my character sheet & do equally well. The "answers" weren't on the sheet. Meanwhile, running Daggerheart for new players, I made a bookmark to help them find all their cool abilities. Neither's better, just different. #ttrpg

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

This is one of my favorite podcasts. These two always give me much to contemplate in the Daggerheart realm.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

One should never miss the opportunity to be a very good doggo!

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

My instinct is to find every possible way to offer constructive criticism, and I end up with way too much feedback. It feels like my feedback is most appreciated when I point out several things done well & offer a couple key suggestions. I try to separate grammar/spelling from broader feedback.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Share the last 4 TTRPGs you played and expose your gaming habits (Or don't. I'm not a cop). Daggerheart (currently hitting this 3-5 times/week) Shadowdark (scarlet minotaur) Ashes without Number (techno wizads have invaded Oregon) Delta Green (doing my best impersonation of Alt Natil Park Service)

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I've heard good things about this project from another designer! Anything you learned from Mike and Carlos that really stuck with you?

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Today's TTRPG lesson from improv class: We give other players space for a scene with an NPC played by the GM. But scenes can be more powerful when multiple players are involved. A great group scene creates that same "we did that!" feeling as winning a tough battle. Roleplay can be a team sport.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I love that hope/fear dice means you can end up with 5 outcomes: Success w/Hope, Success w/Fear, Failure w/Hope, Failure w/Fear, & critical success. It opens the story up in so many more directions than just "Did I succeed?".

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I found that too. Their additions changed both the battle and the story. I love a beautiful pre-printed map, but as a player (esp. on a VTT), I catch myself trying to “solve” the map. What did the designer put here for me to use? With a blank map, we created options instead of looking for them.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A different take on collaborative storytelling in Dying Spire: I laid out a blank battlemat, marked the Spire, & asked what else was there. I drew their ideas, then revealed the Goathogs. The players' additions got lots of use in battle w/o a pre-printed map dictating the terrain. #daggerheart

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Ran Daggerheart's Dying Spire @ RoseCityCC Sunday. My table was a mix of Daggerheart newcomers + forever GMs finally getting to play. Turns out having GMs on the other side of the screen guarantees drama. Finale: Blaze of Glory made the boss vulnerable + 2 tag teams. Last one crit for 99 damage!

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I ran @trekiros.bsky.social 's revamped Sablewood Messengers @ Rose City Comic Con. 3 newbies & 2 Daggerheart veterans scrambled to save the city. Added stakes kept everyone engaged. New countdowns added tension & the rules remained accessible. Trek's vid overview: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZeu...

youtube.com

I Fixed Daggerheart's Starter Adventure

YouTube video by Trekiros

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

At Rose City Comic Con yesterday, I was struck by the number of solo comic book characters that wandered around in pairs. Seeing pairs of Batmen and Spidermen especially tickled my funny bone.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Backstage at improv shows, the cast does a round of "I've got your back!" before the show starts. Maybe we need to start doing something similar at the gaming table.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Exactly! The hardest part, in improv and at the gaming table, is remembering to get out of your own head and think about the people around you. Less "what cool thing am I going to do?" and more "how can I help them do the cool thing?"

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Today's TTRPG lesson from improv class: Don't be afraid to jump into a scene where someone has the spotlight. Help them shine; interact with the PC & build on what's happening. Ask a question, paint the scene, advance conflict. Impactful character moments don't have to be solo moments.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Our heroes faced a Haven harvester in our quest to save the Fanewick yesterday. Fighting a Colossus in the middle of the Witherwild was epic. We made it go "boom". My only regret is that my hedge witch didn't get to don her holocaust cloak and go inside the inferno of its inner workings.

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Elizabeth | Skywater Ranch @eelangill.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Third, Daggerheart's "voice" gives permission to the GM to play. "I Got 'Em" "Runaround" "What's Yours is Mine" Feature names colorfully introduce mechanics while simultaneously winking at the GM. Daggerheart makes designing adversaries feel like part of playing the game.

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