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Reposted by Jon at Handiwork Games

Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The Tyrant Philosophers RPG playtest sign up is now open! If you'd like to be among the first to play, then please sign up! We're building on the Cold City Hot War framework to create your meaningful and moving adventures in @aptshadow.bsky.social's Ilmar, City of Last Chances.

docs.google.com

The Tyrant Philosophers Roleplaying Game Playtest Sign Up

Thanks for your interest in the Tyrant Philosophers Roleplaying Game!

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 18h

Looking through photos for a nice shot of a river to finish a thing, and found this old friend. Love this photo. From "The Burn" by @malcolmcraig.bsky.social handiwork.games/home/the-sil... #ttrpg #rpgart

A photograph of two wee folk in a leaf covered landscape. In the distance a culvert.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Artist, show us how you draw black women. (Some pretty mixed media here for “draw” but I think that’s ok)

A character from a|state second edition.

A character from Maskwitches. One of my favourite pieces from the book.

A character from a Maskwitches supplement.

Character created for Jacob Rodger’s’ desert setting.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Poorly dog means working from the house today. Bit that does mean a lot of writing will get done early today. What an exciting line up of documents… Also pictured: he looks after me and I look after him. Even if he did keep me up all night.

A photo of OP’s iPad screen, showing a list of Google docs, with their bespectacled face reflected in the screen.

The text on the screen is:

Last opened by me
Witch Activities
Autism in the classroom
Ammarn and Ranoll
CC HW EU Backer Exclusive
Fish Ghost

A selfie of a black coated greyhound nestling into OP’s arm.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

docs.google.com

The Tyrant Philosophers Roleplaying Game Playtest Sign Up

Thanks for your interest in the Tyrant Philosophers Roleplaying Game!

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The Robot Future Backdrop Book has successfully confused a bunch of people! It's a book for your Japanese robot kits and other sci-fi models. Check out all the backdrops included in this information film: youtu.be/N-7efYQFntk #jhbackdrops

youtu.be

Robot Future Backdrops Book Walkthrough

YouTube video by Handiwork Games

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The folks at LMJU history department are lovely, and getting to see Malcolm chat about the second editions of these games will be well worth your time if you can make it!

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Reposted by Jon at Handiwork Games

Cobalt Corvid @cobaltcorvid-sf.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Finished the audiobook City of Last Chances by @aptshadow.bsky.social and all I have to say is.. wow! The city of Ilmar just feels so alive, watching the ebb and flow of events on one side of the city spreading out and impacting other POV characters. Jumping straight into book 2! #booksky #fantasy

The cover of "City of Last Chances", book one in "The Tyrant Philosophers" series by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Some interesting thoughts from Tanya who has had an early glimpse at the current playtest draft of the upcoming Tyrant Philosophers RPG. Sign up for the campaign: www.tyrantphilosophersrpg.com #ttrpg

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

It’s Sunday morning here so naturally it’s time to take a look at the new Horror and Hellscapes Backdrop Book. Get one here: handiwork.games/product-tag/... #jhbackdrops

youtu.be

Horror and Hellscapes Walkthrough

YouTube video by Handiwork Games

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I shoot a lot of video documenting things we make. I don’t always know what to do with it, and perhaps stupidly I don’t have any great ambition to start making “proper” crafting videos, where the videography becomes important. But anyway these were some stands for a3 backdrop books. Put eyes on em.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

A walkthrough the new More Fantasy Backdrop Book. 32 more fantasy paintings for your fantasy, historical, and mythic figures! #jhbackdrops

youtu.be

More Fantasy Backdrops Walkthrough

YouTube video by Handiwork Games

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Random but: that thing when you put Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain by Pavement on, and the intro to Silence Kid sounds just ***perfect***. For sure I know there's a lot of nostalgia in there etc but holy cow its dialled me in to the perfect frame of mind with sounds.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I legit had loads of fun shooting this one: building a scene with a backdrop book. Starring Turkey Man from @badsquiddogames.bsky.social Find out more backdrop books over this way: handiwork.games/jon-hodgson-... #jhbackdrops

youtu.be

How to set up a Backdrops Book shoot

YouTube video by Handiwork Games

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

POV your car broke down on Romney Marsh in 1992, you started walking, but it doesnt look like Romney Marsh any more and now Turkey Man is chasing you and you're hiding in a ditch. That actually happened to me by the way. Horror and Hellscapes Book is out now. handiwork.games/product/jon-...

A photograph of Bad Squiddo Games Turkey Man against a backdrop from the new Horror and Hellscapes book.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

With a new round of Backdrop Books just released, here's a public information film about choosing between A3 and A4 sizes. handiwork.games/product-cate... #jhbackdrops

youtu.be

Jon Hodgson Backdrop Books - A4 or A3?

YouTube video by Handiwork Games

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Know what would have been really cool? If I'd have got the figures properly in focus? This is the downside of my current love affair with vintage lenses. But hey. Beautiful figures from @knucklebonesminis.bsky.social and the new Scifi Cityscapes book looking fresh. Shame I can't work my camera...

Four Knucklebones minis in front of a Scifi cityscapes backdrop

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The new "More Fantasy" Backdrop Book in action - this is the A3 book, with some fancy @badsquiddogames.bsky.social figurines. Super easy to set up your scenery, and just pull the book out, flip the page and put it back. #jhbackdrops handiwork.games/product/jon-...

A trio of Bad Squiddo adventurers in front of the new MORE FANTASY Backdrop book

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

With the "Pledge over Time" Backer parcels dispatched, the third wave of Backdrop Books are now available to buy. We already sold out of "More Fantasy" but more stock arrives tomorrow! handiwork.games/product-cate... #jhbackdrops

The covers to Robot Future Backdrops, Horror and Hellscapes Backdrops, Sci-fi Cityscapes, and More Fantasy Backdrops

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Hair drier powered soz about the focus Some of the… tendrils made it to the top of the Billy bookcases in the background.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Morgue has the skinny on FiveEvil. It’s such an impressive set of revisions to the underlying system, absolute tuned for horror.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Yay! It’s another 10000 year old demon from the ice made of pine pitch and dog hair and rabies #maskwitches

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Got some dog hair “felt” from the vacuum cleaner (it’s a mix of dog hair and sheddings from a new wool rug). Got some fake teeth. Got some black hot glue. Let’s gooooooo

A photo of some black hot glue sticks, some fake teeth and some grey dog hair felt.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Looks like Visions of War, The first Trench Crusade Backdrop Book is back on the menu, boys. And also girls, and adult men and adult women and non binary folks like whatever just stop shooting your models in front of your paints? Hashtag more inclusive than an orc but also somehow more eltist.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

You’ve got about 45 mins before I can get to the controls and switch the birthday sale off. Thanks for all the good wishes!

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

New scenario map for the Maskwitches GM’s Companion. Can’t tell you nuffink about it because it’d all be spoilers, and I’ve take the labels off. But these in world bead maps of scenarios are working out great. #maskwitches Maskwitches is on sale for today only. www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher...

A selection of rounded resin gems attached with nettle cordage lying on a deer skin.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Repost for the next corner of the timecube! I’ve been told off for the goodness of this deal but no one can tell me nothing because I’M THE BOSS AND ITS MY SPECIAL DAY. #ttrpg

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Hey it's my birthday so the corebooks PDFs for FiveEvil, a|state, Maskwitches and BEOWULF are all $4.99 for the day. Enjoy! Corebooks? Scorebooks more like amirite www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher...

An image that shows the covers to BEOWULF, a|state, Maskwitches and FiveEvil

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Have the Maskwitches guarding you on the shower! Or hide under a massive maskwitches blanket. Or have them judge you from a clock. Why are you always late? Why are you like this? 3 new Maskwitches bangers on the ole RedBubble store now: www.redbubble.com/people/Handi...

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

What do fish call breathing? They do respiration, obviously, but “breathing” with all its allusions to air and gas and breath doesn’t seem like a word a fish would use. Any fish on here willing to say?

The Frodo meme “all right, then. Keep your secrets” amended to include the word “fishy” so that it reads “all right then. Keep your fishy secrets”

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Reposted by Jon at Handiwork Games

Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Our intense internal playtest for the Tyrant Philosophers RPG is coming to a rip-roaring close! We'll soon be opening applications for external play testers & telling everyone more about it! Find out more and sign up for the Kickstarter here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/han... #tryrantphilosophers

The cover to the Tyrant Philosophers Roleplaying Game by Joe Wilson and Jon Hodgson

A flier for The Tyrant Philopshers RPG, which reads:

H A N D I W O R K G A M E S
I N A S S O C I A T I O N W I T H
A D R I A N T C H A I K O V S K Y
I S P R O U D T O B R I N G Y O U

The Tyrant Philosophers Roleplaying Game

There has always been a darkness to Ilmar, but never
more so than now. The city chafes under the heavy hand
of the Palleseen occupation, the choke-hold of its criminal
underworld, the boot of its factory owners, the weight of its
wretched poor and the burden of its ancient curse.

What will be the spark that lights the conflagration?

Despite the city’s refugees, wanderers, murderers,
madmen, fanatics and thieves, the catalyst, as always,
will be the Anchorwood - that dark grove of trees, that
primeval remnant, that portal, when the moon is full, to
strange and distant shores.

Ilmar, some say, is the worst place in the world and the
gateway to a thousand worse places.

Ilmar, City of Long Shadows.
City of Bad Decisions.
City of Last Chances.

The third page of the Tyrant Philosophers RPG flier which reads

The Tyrant Philosophers Roleplaying Game features a rules
system specially adapted by Morgan Davie (a|state second
edition) from Malcolm Craig’s Cold City Hot War.

Trust, betrayal, hope and despair all meet in the
backstreets of Ilmar. The game is designed to create tense
stories of resistance at both a deeply personal and city-
spanning political level.

Art and illustration from series cover artist Joe Wilson,
Jon Hodgson & the Handiwork Games team

The rulebook will be a tour de force of both in-world
imagery and epic scenes from the worlds of the novels.

Setting consultancy from the series author
Adrian Tchaikovsky
Working as a close member of the creative team, Adrian is
on hand to ensure that this is the definitive, playable guide
to his powerful setting.

System consultancy from legendary game designers
Francesco Nepitello and Marco Maggi
(The One Ring Roleplaying Game)
Known for their incredible work adapting well-loved
literary works to the gaming table, Francesco and Marco
are ideally placed to make this game truly sing.

The last page of the Tyrant Philosophers RPG flier which reads
Coming to
Kickstarter
Autumn 2026
www.TyrantPhilosophersRPG.com
www.Handiwork.Games

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

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Reposted by Jon at Handiwork Games

Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Haven’t done any of these in ages! The Maskwitches Mask generator web app! Free to use. Endless masks! (Also generates characters!) handiwork.games/maskwitches-...

A mask from the Maskwitches Mask generator web app.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

It’s 0743 on a Sunday morning and I’m thinking A LOT about how Starting Situations work in Cold City Hot War. It’s really good, really different, and I’m going to need to come up with some smart ways to explain how this all works within a character limit. It’s not complicated. It’s just… “whole”?

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Haven’t done any of these in ages! The Maskwitches Mask generator web app! Free to use. Endless masks! (Also generates characters!) handiwork.games/maskwitches-...

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Do I like reading “The Lifeways of the Hunter Gatherers” by Robert L Kelly cos it’s full of causal “when the Ache [a Hunter gatherer people from Paraguay] use shotguns to blast monkeys…” or is it because it sounds uncannily like me talking about P and L in small press publishing? It’s both.

A snipped of a page from The Lifeways of Hunter Gatherers by Robert L Kelly which reads

Why Elaborate Technology?
We need to model the decision-making process of technology, just as we modeled the decision-making process of food choice and camp movement. To understand this, let's consider the diet-breadth model (DBM again. You will recall that this model predicts which foods foragers select of all the possible choices an environment presents. Three variables are important to the model: the encounter rate of a resource (which is largely a product of its abundance), the postencounter cost of harvesting it, and the value (in some currency, usually calories) of the resource itself.
The time needed to harvest a resource in light of its value produces the postencounter return rate, the return per unit time of harvesting and processing a food. Low-ranked resources have low return rates, in large part because of their high postencounter harvesting and processing costs.
Diet breadth is narrow or broad depending on which array of food choices maximizes the overall foraging return rate. Lower ranked foods are added to the diet as high return rate resources become rare and consequently entail higher search costs.
Technology enters into this equation. For example, to test the DBM, we gave as an example the Ache's use of shotguns: when the Ache use shotguns, the postencounter cost of small monkeys goes down and the resources taken while foraging narrows. Exchange the shotguns for bows and arrows, and the postencounter cost goes up (because of greater stalking costs) and the diet broadens. Why not hunt with shotguns all the time? In the case of the Ache, the answer is obvious: while a shotgun has benefits, the up-front purchase price and the continuing cost of shells is probibitive. Likewise, consider the Nuvugmiut hunter who is looking for seals. Although it is possible to hunt seals by walking along the coast and grabbing any you find with your bare hands…

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Remember: just because you live in the sinking wreck of a rotting narrow boat doesn’t mean you can’t have an awesome preening routine. Take care of yourself, eh? Sink into the canal, don’t sink into the banal. hashtag life coach hashtag heron not heroine

A photo of a narrow boat sinking into a canal. In the bow a heron.

A close up on the heron grooming their feathers.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Somewhat unusually, I didn’t want to paint the images on these stones, so they’re digitally applied. For “The Horse Child” scenario from the Maskwitches GM’s Companion. Preorders are available here: maskwitches-of-forgotten-doggerland-12254.backerkit.com/hosted_preor... #maskwitches

A photo of some stones with prehistoric looking designs of hunters, horses, people and a circle.

A photo of some prehistoric painting equipment, with painted stones in the background.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Available now direct from us, or from @northstarfigs.bsky.social, Trench Crusade Backdrop Books! (although the A4 Visions of War is currently on back order with us as we're out! New stock arrives next week!) handiwork.games/product-tag/... I'm assembling a new photo shoot soon! Nice. #trenchcrusade

A Trench Crusade figure in front of the Visions of War backdrop

Shrines by DiceVerse

The range of 3 Trench Crusade Backdrop Books

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

This one almost looks like one of those cool illustrations from the cool games that cool people like. But this one is for the Maskwitches GM’s companion which is denied to those cool people because it’s SUPERCOOL #maskwitches

An image from the Maskwitches GM’s Companion showing a load of skulls, one is human the rest are animals.

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Jon at Handiwork Games @handiworkgames.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

A vintage looking robot fellow shot with a vintage Soviet lens in front of the Robot Future book. We keep saying it’ll go on sale “next week” and then the EU and “events” find a new way to make it hard to get our EU backers their books. Fingers crossed this coming week is the week. #jhbackdrops

A Japanese robot kit in front of a ROBOT FUTURE backdrop book

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