iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 21h

Showing up to the weekly Children of Time RPG game with my very own Portid!

🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 23h

Running a TTRPG adventure that you wrote is the polar opposite of 'Death Of The Author'. 'The Author Is In The Room And They're Trying To Kill You.'

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Newest addition to the reading pile. Been looking forward to this! Though it does feel odd to read a big hardback Mothership book! I’m so used to the small zine format I assumed it was A5 until it arrived.

A photograph of a book cover titled Wages of Sin. The cover is bright red with a black crunchy image of a gun toting sci-fi character with a teddy bear mascot head

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I have THOUGHTS about picking the right TTRPG system for the right game time/energy level. It doesn't feel like something folk talk about though? As if they find a game they like and try to squeeze it into every time slot they can. But like, you wouldn't eat a steak for every meal, would you?

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of countless indy designers and wild-eyed GMs treating this like a challenge and frantically conceiving metaphysical 'yes-and's.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Just left A showing of Hope at the local cinema and, guys, you gotta see this film with a crowd if you can. I strongly recommend going in blind like I did! Just trust me! It‘s some of the most fun I’ve had at the cinema in years. An absolute riot of ‘WTF’ moments made even better with a crowd.

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Sar Cousins @6knifes.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Finally printed some zines of my "Underdog" comic from a few years back, I'll have these at @inqcomicfair.bsky.social on Sunday ✌️

grotty looking printed zines, A5 size, with pink, dark pink, and blue paper covers

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

First session of a new Mothership campaign tonight! Rolled minimum HP for my character so I've committed to driving them like a stolen car and pushing all the buttons. Place your bets below on how many sessions she lives!

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Geek Native @geeknative.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

UK Games Expo has banned generative AI art, text, and merchandise across all NEC exhibition halls, bringing the convention in line with broader British tabletop standards. Standholders face removal or bans if their products aren't made by humans. #UKGE

geeknative.com

UK Games Expo bans generative AI art and text across all trade halls

UK Games Expo has introduced a mandatory policy prohibiting generative AI art and text across all NEC trade halls, requiring exhibitors to sell only human-made games.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

IMO One of the best things you can do as a writer/designer is carefully curate a group of close friends *COUGH suckers *COUGH who buy a lot of books and happily lend them to you. I swear, any time I look at my TTRPG to-read-pile about half of them are loaners. I might even return some one day!

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Fun fact: Once had a player drop out of a campaign because they knew I made TTRPGs, put me on a pedestal, and then lost respect for me when I just ran a pretty normal game (all their own words). They were genuinely upset that I didn’t live up to their expectations. I think about that a lot. :/

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Ancient Robot Games @ancientrobotgames.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

New RPGs available now! -Discworld: Adventures in Ankh-Morpork -Heart: Ways and Means -The Horrendous Hounds of Hendenburgh -Thieves of the Tome -Spells that are a Bit Off -Project Colossus Zero -Macchiato Monsters

The RPG book Discworld: Adventures in Ankh-Morpork stands upon a table in Ancient Robot Games

The RPG book Heart: Ways and Means stands upon a table in Ancient Robot Games

Five RPG zines lie upon a table in Ancient Robot Games

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I'm a stretch goal scenario writer on this! Back it so I get to write my love-letter to Dawn of the Dead / Dead Rising: Just a big american mall full of zombies (and KILLER DEALS!)

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innes mck @innes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

have you ever wanted to have EMOTIONS and THOUGHTS that aren't caused by SITUATIONS?? you should try engaging with art

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Confession: I've used ticking clocks so much over the years, I've accidentally conditioned my players. They can get SO ANXIOUS in-game. A while back, one player called for a rest but another shouted, "No! No way! Elaine's got some horrible ticking clock going!" Dear reader, there was no clock...👀💦

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I find it weird that folk still spout odd claims that MMOs (WoW in particular) are somehow uniquely or overwhelmingly addictive? It's 2026, gang! MMOs are practically QUAINT compared to the lab-grown attention hacking used on social media/shortform content. The call's coming from inside the house!

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Who cares what she thinks. She had her chance.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

This is the kind of hands on customer service you only get in the Indy scene.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Like all good art, this makes me feel both seen and attacked in equal measure.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

I can’t be the only one who had a visceral negative reaction to the marketing pitch around Warcraft Forever, right? “Adventure forever in an Azeroth you never leave.” Sounds like hell, actually.

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No Pun Included @nopunincluded.com · 12/09/2026

please say hi to our new space youtu.be/Sst0fzdKGOU

youtu.be

the new space

YouTube video by No Pun Included

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Oh to be a cat, quietly cleaning yourself in the sun, not a care in the world.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Come for the spicy indy vs DnD debate. Stay for the spicy almond connect four! Genuinly love Adventuring Academy getting in folk from the wider TTRPG sphere. Plus the sneaky Heart mention in there was a v-cool surprise! I cracked up at Brennan's eyes going wide when Quinns described Zenith Beats.

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Austin Kelmore @austinkelmore.com · 10/09/2026

Closing out the rally, @nershly.bsky.social beautifully speaks about her experience being fired by Rockstar and how they try to use fear.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

As a genuine lover of video-essays, it's so depressing how much youtube is being drowned by slop videos of AI voiceovers reading wikipedia entries (or straight up hallucinating) for 30-60mins. These days I'm spending less time on Youtube and more on Nebula where the quality seems to be holding out.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

This feels like a natural 'yes and' to my design ethos that you should ideally be able to pitch your game as "You are X doing Y". It focuses your design, makes marketing the game a breeze, AND means GMs can effortlessly pitch your game to their players (a crucial step often forgotten by devs IMO).

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Grant Howitt @gshowitt.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Here at Rowan, Rook and Decard we do our own special effects

A photoshoot for the Hollows corebook. The book is on a table surrounded by bits of slate and steel. Grant and Chris are crouched either side of the table exhaling vape over it for maximum dramatic impact

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Video creators hunting folk through convention halls like: "There she is! Get her when she's sweaty and exhausted! Quick! While she's right under the harsh strip lights! Yeees! Make it look like she's just lurched awake on a mortuary slab!"💀 (Posted in solidarity with fellow exhausted con-goers.)

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I STG any time I see footage of me someone else has recorded, I experience an uncanny whiplash. Why do I always pull my chin into my throat when I talk? Why does my voice sound like that? Why does it always look like my skeleton is trying to escape? Why doesn't this happen when I record myself?!

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Round three: This time when out for lunch with a friend at a fancy restaurant. Sitting at the table, resting my chin in my hands, when a ladybug just saunters out from my sleeve, up my arm, and perches on my finger like “Hey I wanna be involved in the convo!” Friend called me a Disney Princess 💀

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Geek Native @geeknative.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

At stand I-09 at Tabletop Scotland, IWGB delegates are selling member-designed board games while rallying support against industry redundancies. Here is why the tabletop sector is organising.

geeknative.com

UK games union brings industry dispute and tabletop worker advocacy to Tabletop Scotland

The IWGB Game Workers union made its Tabletop Scotland debut at stand I-09, organising tabletop freelancers and rallying support against industry redundancies.

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Sar Cousins @6knifes.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Here's my schedule for September, I'll be in Reading, Bristol, and London! (Links below)

Announcement graphic showing: Bookface in Reading 12th September, PrideCAF Bristol 19th September, and InQ! London 27th September

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Sometimes, when I get home from a con or other day-long event, Mini just sits and stares at me like this for ages. The look of utter betrayal makes me giggle every time. “You abandon, Mini? You abandon her like the orphan?”

Photograph of a black and white cat staring at the camera with a haunted expression

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Exhausting day at Tabletop Scotland today. Barely stopped for more than a couple mins. Sorry if I missed anyone!

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Rowan Rook and Decard @rowanrookanddecard.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

If you're at Tabletop Scotland today, @elainelithgow.bsky.social is on the IWGB stand talking about unionising! Head over there and start organising 💪

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

PSA: The ember months are here! So it's time to remind everyone that Seasonal Affected Disorder is real and can make your life miserable. Here's what helps manage my SAD: - Vitamin D tablets - Sunlight lamp (medical grade!) - Lunchtime walks - Playing bright/sunny videogames (yes really)

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Fun Fact: Years ago I wrote a short story called "My Home Has Legs" all about a failed-colony-planet where queer teens lived in scrappy mechs and used giant bows to hunt biological horrors. I think about it a lot! One day I might release it... if I ever pick up my fiction writing dream again.

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Grant Howitt @gshowitt.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Art by @hulkhoquinn.bsky.social from the RRD server. I like how actionable this one is

Image of a seven-fingered hand that’s become a sort of hydra creature. It has been run through with pencils. Text reads “DEATH TO AI, KILL IT WITH HUMAN HANDS”

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

For years, I’ve called any TTRPG book that’s a hardback US letter with 300+ pages a “Burglar Basher” (cause if someone breaks into your house you can use it for self defence). But it’s been so long I’m not sure if it’s a term I made up, or something I picked up somewhere. 🤔

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I feel so bad whenever a bright-eyed youngster asks how to get into professional TTRPGs. Cause: - There’s almost no dedicated higher education on TTRPGs - Even if there was, the industry doesn’t care much about qualifications - There’s no Hollywood or Silicone Valley-esq nexus you can move to 1/2

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Been watching Jujitsu Kaisen lately (yes I’m very late to the party). Hit the Shibuya arc and I’m like “Oh hey! I remember hearing a lot of buzz about this arc a few years back! This should be fun!” Dear reader, it was, in fact, not fun.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Finished our westmarches style Spire game last night. 10 people huddled around single table talking about the brutal costs of revolution, as the Spire descends into anarchy, and the lingering legacy of the Ministry as the city pulls itself up from the ashes. Great way to end a Spire campaign!

A photograph of the Spire map, in all its intricacies. It’s covered in green and red poker chips used to represent investment in narrative outcomes.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Fully a decade ago, long before FLGS over here started regularly stocking indy titles, I paid a small fortune to import a copy of The Quiet Year direct from Avery to Scotland. Worth every penny.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Sure this is a reference to something that Happened before, but it has a very sinister aura. If I mysteriously disappear you know where to look!

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

This lines up with my '500 sickos' idea. i.e. An indy TTRPG dev can get by with a community of ~500 sickos who reliably turn up to buy and/or champion your stuff. Building a small community that size is pretty doable for most folk! It just takes some time and effort to find your sickos.

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Made it precisely one day into my holiday before I started writing/designing again... but it’s on personal projects! That’s fine, right? RIGHT? I don’t have a problem…

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🌱Elaine Lithgow🌱 @elainelithgow.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Robyn is having an MS flareup and Mini (our cat) is obsessed with making sure she's looked after. She keeps searching through the house to find me and making quiet, upset meows until I follow her to the bedroom to check up on Robyn (Mini then jumps up and big purrs ofc). Great wee nurse, our Mini.

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