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FriendlyFiend

@friendlyfiendish.bsky.social
380 followers 715 following 928 posts

Telly writer, quondam story editor, full-time geek. This is my account for the geeky stuff.

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Kieron Gillen @kierongillen.bsky.social · 13h
A year on from me starting it, I complete my list of 101 TTRPGs I played before my 50th birthday. How did you spend your birthday? I bet it wasn't doing your work and then hammering out 3.5k words about the chatgames with funny dice (or no funny dice, or no dice.) #ttrpg
oldmenrunningtheworld.com
My 101 Favourite TTRPGS: 10-1 - Old Men Running The World
Lawks. We've only gone and done it. I set myself a year to write about my 101 favourite TTRPGs. In my tribute to freelancers everywhere, I do almost all the
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Dirk the Dice @thegrognardfiles.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Really enjoyed speaking to Nick about ‘zines and beyond. You can catch the additional chat in this Patreon exclusive www.patreon.com/theGROGNARDf...
patreon.com
Dirk the Dice: A brand new Dossier is available for Patreons only - Nick Edwards on ‘zines, The Book Club on The Daughter of Time and Dirk and Blythy on mu
A brand new Dossier is available for Patreons only - Nick Edwards on ‘zines, The Book Club on The Daughter of Time and Dirk and Blythy on mu
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Richard August @rpgaugust.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
TTRPGs needs a genuine and discerning critical apparatus. I can’t practice this sort of criticism of TTRPGs. I’m too embedded in the guts of it all to find perspective - I’m glad someone as discerning as @laurieoc.bsky.social and the writers here are leading that work, and I’m happy to support it!
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Tof Eklund @tofeklund.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
"DnD, for horror?" You ask, aghast. "No," I whisper, voice soft and sibilant, "5E horror that takes your comfortable, familiar, safe ruleset and twists it, wringing all the safety and mercy out of it until it is an uncanny perversion of the game you once knew." Then the lights go out.
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Seyed P. Razavi (aka Syd) @monkeyx.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
In this episode of the Dogs of Durango: Sofia finds out if words can kill, Isabel deals with grief and Juan is pulled into a dangerous torrent of lies by all sides. Campaign log for our Cartel game: blog.monkeyx.games/2026/09/18/c...
blog.monkeyx.games
Cartel #3
The RV had been moved again, which was supposed to make it safer. Isabel García had found a car park far enough from the school to avoid another confrontation with the mothers and anonymous enough…
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FriendlyFiend @friendlyfiendish.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Share the last 4 TTRPGs you played and expose your gaming habits, should that take your fancy. Stonetop Beach Blanket Body Bag Liminal Horror Vaesen
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Huw Bowen / Sundog @huwbowen.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I still find it hilarious that despite being an NT member for over a decade, it was the Restore Trust people who actually made me vote in NT elections, purely because they are horrible and I feel compelled to vote against every one of their propositions
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Gaz @evilgaz.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
It's Self-Promo-Saturday and we've got a delightful episode of The Smart Party with Mike Mason and Paul Fricker from @chaosium.bsky.social talking about their recent expedition to Gen Con and Necronomicon, writing for Miskatonic Repository and much more! open.spotify.com/episode/16E5...
open.spotify.com
Chaosium Interview with Mike Mason and Paul Fricker
What Would The Smart Party Do? · Episode
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Wyrd Science Magazine @wyrdscience.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
For the 5 people on Bluesky who will click this link, Hooks & Rumours 4 has just been cast out into the pitiless void. This week we point you towards D&D in prison, Black Flag in the UK, hunting whales, magickal essays, occult rock, punkhammer zines and lots more.
wyrd-science.ghost.io
Hooks & Rumours #4
What we've been reading, watching, listening to and buying this weekend and think you should check out too....
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Scratchpad Publishing @scratchpadpub.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Later this year, I'll be crowdfunding reprints of Dusk City Outlaws and Spectaculars, both of which have been out of print for a few years. If you've been wanting to get your hands on a print copy of either or both, this will be your chance to make it happen! www.backerkit.com/c/projects/s...
backerkit.com
Spectaculars/Dusk City Outlaws Second Printing
Get notified when Spectaculars/Dusk City Outlaws Second Printing launches on BackerKit!
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Philhammer Fantasy Roleplay @thedicemechanic.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
SPECTACULARS REPRINT COMING SOON! This is not a drill! @scratchpadpub.bsky.social discord confirmed today You too can own a physical copy of the greatest Superhero RPG of all time!! (sorry Steve, Cam, Steve, George, etc) www.backerkit.com/c/projects/s...
backerkit.com
Spectaculars/Dusk City Outlaws Second Printing
Get notified when Spectaculars/Dusk City Outlaws Second Printing launches on BackerKit!
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FriendlyFiend @friendlyfiendish.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
The Chronicles of Prydain (although, in truth Flatland Games have already done a brilliant job of designing a TCoP game with Beyond the Wall).
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Dennis Detwiller @drgonzo123.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
In San Francisco, the Lord of the Rings is that book series about an awesome, clever, magical guy who made fucking incredible ring technology to organize everything until some fucking dirty shoeless hippies found an exploit and fucking ruined it.
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Joel Morris @gralefrit.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Might pitch "The Great Height Myth" to Channel 4. Oh hang on. Question mark. "The Great Height Myth?" Are some people really taller than others? Have so called 'tall people' measured themselves? I can get a ball into a basket, does that mean I'm tall?
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Josh Fox 🔜 Kickstarting Black Armada's Advent Adventures @armadajosh.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
PS boycott Amazon* * and now, Temu et al. Johnnies come lately.
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The French History Podcast @fhp.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
France has had 3 historic heatwaves in a row this year. Unless humanity rapidly cuts emissions then this all-time hot year will be one of the coolest of our lives. Graph is a visual production of data from glacial scientist Dr. Shaun Marcott, 2013.
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Mutable Joe @mutablejoe.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
if you have been affected by any of the haircuts in this picture please call the bbc support line where a trained counsellor can help you
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404 Media @404media.co · 17/08/2026
SCOOP: 404 Media placed a tracking device in a shipment of rare books to see which AI company was buying it. What did we find? It ended up at an Amazon facility where Amazon scans and destroys books. Yes. This is literally the logo outside the Amazon warehouse door. Read now:
404media.co
We Tracked a Shipment of Rare Books. It Ended at an Amazon AI Training Facility
We placed a tracking device in a shipment of rare books to see which AI company was buying it, and found an Amazon facility where Amazon scans and destroys books.
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ConcentratedAndi @concentratedandi.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
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Andy Hemming @andyhemming.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
I see a lot of people upset about getting a text, but less talking about the message of taking care. I dont think it’s a terrible thing to remind people to be sensible with fire right now. Sending it when a lot of people were at the pub possibly sensible, maybe get folk talking?
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ianthemouthofmadness.fenrisgames @fenrisgames.com · 14/08/2026
need an adobe settlement for your tabletop that'll suit historical, fantasy AND SF settings? current 20% off sale - ending Sunday - is the perfect time to stock up just use the discount code SWEATY when you get to the checkout...
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Scott M | Haunted Edition 🎃 @voxparlour.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Having both Beowulf and 5.5e books side-by-side shows the massive quality disparity. Beowulf is absolutely beautiful and 5.5e looks like a poor POD
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Helen Czerski @helenczerski.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
A teenager at a talk once said to me "it's fine for you - you're in all these rooms where decisions are made. What am I supposed to do?". And I said "Every room is that room. Every room matters. Change things in your school, community, and remember that little things matter if there are enough"
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Shane Ivey of the delta-green.com Iveys @shaneivey.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
This looks terriffic. Arc Dream is backing it at $250. So far. We'll match your backing dollar for dollar up til we hit $1,000. Just forward your confirmation email to info@arcdream.com. www.kickstarter.com/projects/olu...
kickstarter.com
African Boardgames Convention- AB Con 2026
Celebrating 10 years of bringing Tabletop Game lovers and creators together.
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Gaz @evilgaz.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I'm clearly a big fan and advocate of Pendragon #ttrpg, and have run it regularly at conventions for (checks notes) decades (😲), so great to see the new edition doing better than Lancelot at a jousting tourney. What thoughts does everyone have on the new version? Or if you're new, what do you like?
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Viscount Jonkeer @viscountjonkeer.eurosky.social · 14/08/2026
Postie has been! @handiworkgames.bsky.social
Cold city/Hot war slipcase and playpacks
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Ashley Lynch ✂️🎞️ @ashleylynch.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
"It's everyone else's problem that our plagiarism machine that confidently spits out answers has no mechanism to verify the results."
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Met Office - weather and climate @metoffice.gov.uk · 13/08/2026
Temperatures have now provisionally exceeded 37°C 🌡️ Before 2026, the UK had recorded 37°C or higher on only six occasions. This year alone, we've already reached that mark three times.
A table of top temperatures so far. The highest currently at 37.6°C at Charlwood.
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FriendlyFiend @friendlyfiendish.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Eclipse watch is going well.
A view of the partial eclipse of the sun, sadly obscured by a perfectly placed cloud.
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Stella Sacco @antlervel.vet · 11/08/2026
I didn’t even see this had been announced. I was lead writer on this one! And Saber replaced me with ChatGPT midway through development. All the passenger voices were AI too. Either they changed direction at some point or they’re not disclosing it on Steam
youtu.be
Rideshare "Stimulator" - Announce Trailer | PS5 Games
YouTube video by PlayStation
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Sardonicus @sardonicus.eu · 10/01/2026
Almost finished with the Call of Cthulhu Welsh Sourcebook. A few more bits and a visit to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth and done. I'll need to put it in the hands of people more talented and experienced than I am.
Carew Castle
Francis Lockey, 1855-1860
a large impressive but ruined castle
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Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Axios writer: I melted my brain with AI. Not only can I no longer read, but I don't even understand the purpose of reading anymore. Here's how you can also do this. www.axios.com/2026/08/11/r...
Axios: AI has become my reading buddy as I've plowed through my summer book list, helping me keep track of plots and characters, unpack themes, and make sense of wordy, old prose.

Why it matters: The way many of us actually read books — a few pages before bed, a chapter at the beach, another on a plane — makes it easy to lose the thread. AI can help you pick it back up without starting over.
📖 I really got into using AI while reading James Fenimore Cooper's "The Last of the Mohicans." The text was far too dense for casual vacation reading. My first prompt asked:

"I'd like a guide as I read The Last of the Mohicans who can help me understand what I've read and where the story is, without giving spoilers or getting ahead of my progress. Can you do this, chapter by chapter?"
The robot agreed: "Cooper's sentences are long and his diction is archaic."
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Osprey Games 🎲 @ospreygames.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
HARD CITY: NOIR ROLEPLAYING: bit.ly/3D96NEo Swift & simple character creation ✅ Fast action resolution ✅ Sandbox setting with evocative adventure hooks ✅
An image with copies of the RPG rulebook Hard City alongside a sample spread from inside the book, with a full page illustration of a film noir era thug and the title "HITTING THE MEAN STREETS". The game's cover art depicts a classic private detective and the background of this image is textured in grainy textured black and white. Red splash textboxes read "A PLACE FULL OF CRIME AND DANGER AND TROUBLE AT EVERY TURN" and "YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN SOON ENOUGH"
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Simon Rogers @simonjrogers.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
England in drought.
Patchwork quilt of bone-dry fields viewed from a aeroplane.
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Jason Behnke @jasonbehnke.com · 11/08/2026
wip081126 jasonbehnke.com/wips/e16nlvc... Support indy artists, authors, and creators. #wip #Faerie&Folklore #LiminalRPG #Fae #Faerie #art #artsky #drawing #painting #illustration #conceptart #scifi #sff #fantasy #horror #ttrpg #rpg #noai @bsky.art 🎨💙🪐
jasonbehnke.com
wip081126 — Jason Behnke
wip081126
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Jonathan Tweet @jonathantweet.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Missing multiplication symbols in my game is my karma for using actual math symbols instead of capital Xs. That's what I get for trying to be special. The Fighter Wizard Elf PDF is here, and buyers get the updated version for free when it's released. 2/2 #ttrpg www.drivethrurpg.com/de/product/5...
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Newham Bookshop @newhambookshop.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Please read and share widely.
Newham Bookshop facing 32% rent increase with £20K due immediately.
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109 Hells Bring Heaven 🔞 @trundlebeast.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
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Matt is Just Trying His Best @thegrampus.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
"You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can't control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone." - Marcus Aurelius on the Guardian's "The Hill I Will Die On" column.
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Tom Toro @tbtoro.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Spin that wheel 🫩 My latest for @climateconnections.bsky.social
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Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Gonna need all the short-story writers to drop everything and work on their own versions of whatever's happening here
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Seth Skorkowsky @sskorkowsky.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
The Dungeon Master OSR players want but are afraid to ask for
Still from Zardoz (1974)
Sean Connery shirtless behind a 1e AD&D Dungeon Master Screen standing above a mirrored table. Behind him, the walls are covered in weirdness
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🎃 Agent Pumpkin 🎃 @agentpumpkin.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
What!!? Oh so my house is suddenly a museum now is it!? 😂😂😂 I feel old. 😆
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Popverse @popversesays.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
An internal Marvel Comics document from 1973 breaking down the demographics of each of its then titles
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Tim Gray @timgray101.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
This is useful and also very silly.
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Kaye Elling @k000.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
I've been given a bit of free reign for my Case Studies lectures and am looking to stuff them full of wonderful examples based on existing worlds in literature, film, and games. So I'll be asking for lots of ideas. First one: Your best #sci-fi #villains and why. Go!
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FriendlyFiend @friendlyfiendish.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Cracking not review of Stonetop. Having run my fabulous players through Session Zero last Sunday, I’ve passed it onto them so they can get even more of a feel for the system (and a sense of how hard I’ll be working on their behalf as I put together Adventure 1, natch).
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Kieron Gillen @kierongillen.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
the only stonetop not-review to reference a charlixcx remix album.
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waltydunlop @waltydunlop.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
I've just seen the cover to the Complete Trumptonshire blu-ray, and now I need you all to see it too, so there can be an outbreak of delighted cooing and "aw" noises all across Bluesky. It's done my heart the power of good, it really has.
Cover to "The Complete Trumptonshire" blu-ray set, a rather lovely Sergeant Pepper pastiche featuring characters from across all three series.
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Paul Baldowski 🔜 Furnace, Sheffield (Oct. 10–11) @paulbaldowski.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Worth a mention that along with Sanction's hardcover, @allrolledup.bsky.social has discounts across the roleplaying section of their site for those hankering something new to add to their shelf. 13th Age, a|state, Alien, BRP, CoC, Mörk Borg, indie stuff... www.allrolledup.co.uk/product-cate...
Sunburst backdrop of yellow, gold and orange with prominant words in red declaring Summer Sale, Up to 70% off most RPG's, at All Rolled Up
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