iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Shawn Merwin

The Welsh DM @thewelshdm.bsky.social · 21h

Okay legitimately DnDBeyond drops is probably the best thing coming from D&D in a while. The latest one having a whole - pretty damn cool - subclass in it as well. And it hits @shawnmerwin.bsky.social's three Fs of game design. Love it (now to convince my player to be taken by the shadowfell...)

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Today's writing and design is brought to you by John Lee Hooker, and the letter B.

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Feeling joyful and so very lucky that I get to wake up this morning, think about #ttrpgs, make rules and adventures for #dnd, and interact with an amazing and creative community.

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Shu Qing Tan @the-i-of-qing.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

G'day, Australia! I'll be speaking about freelancing in TTRPGs at ARC TTRPG Online Con. Details below! Time and Date: 12.00pm - 1.30pm, 4 October (AEDT/GMT+10) Discord server link: discord.gg/dRHUhjqD3 (Table Talk 1 voice channel)

Freelancing in the TTRPG Industry, a webinar by Shu Qing Tan at ARC TTRPG Online Con

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Darren M. A. Calvert @dmacalvert.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I was talking about running D&D for my nephews with some of my students this morning and brought up Peril in Pinebrook by @shawnmerwin.bsky.social as a super simple way to introduce the game to people. www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1625-p...

dndbeyond.com

Peril in Pinebrook: A Free Introductory Adventure for Young Players

Peril in Pinebrook is a short adventure written with new and young D&D players in mind. Download this free PDF and jump into the adventure within mi...

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Parking lot prophet: “There’s not much you can do about anything.”

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Time to make the #ttrpgs! Wishing everyone a fun-filled and restful Labor Day to those who celebrate. For everyone else, have a fun-filled Monday!

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

What's the difference between a good bit of writing and a great one? Far too often the answer is "one more draft."

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I love people who love the #dnd and #rpg hobby and work to make it better for everyone. And THE @dndfanatic.bsky.social is a great voice in our hobby! It was a pleasure to chat about game design, where the game has been, and where it might be going.

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

My coworkers today are quite devout.

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Them: "Could you tell us a little about your creative process in #ttrpg design?" Me:

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

I've backed this project by my friend @jamesintrocaso.bsky.social and I hope you'll check it out. I playtested the game last year and had a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to the final version!

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

One of the joys of #ttrpg design is the variety of mental muscles you use: detailed rules design now, mapping in a hour, adventure content design tomorrow, playtesting the next day, rules development tomorrow night, editing after, and something different next week: a whirlwind of creative energy.

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Elizabeth Hargrave @elizhargrave.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Saturday 6pm - a creator meetup hosted by TTGDA. You DO NOT need to be a member to attend! Come network with other game designers and creatives. We have the room until 10 so bring a prototype to playtest. (Sorry this overlaps with the night market! We took the space at the time it was available!) 🧵

gencon.eventdb.us

TTGDA Creator Meetup

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

I dreamed last night that I had to come up with one word to describe my worldview. I woke up remembering just one word: nihilarity. My brain is stupid, and I love it and hate it.

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Talos the Storm Lord @talosstormlord.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Some nightmares are scary because they cleave close to reality. And some are scary because they are absolutely unhinged. “I’ve Got My Eye on You”, a dream encounter in my second #Ravenloft mod for #dungeonsanddragons, is the latter. Come try it and it’s more-sane siblings on @dmsguild.com now!

For sheer surreal horror check out the dream encounter called “I’ve got my eye on you” in the adventure named “dream destination”. The dream encounter is a sensory nightmare and probably the most insane dream in the this Ravenloft series. Available now on DMs Guild. The image on the page is an ink blocked that looks like something between an animal face and a cartoon, but it looms terrifying and terrified.

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David J. Peterson @dedalvs.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

#Supergirl has been out a week or so, so I figured it’s time to release all the #conlang dialogue @quothalinguist.bsky.social and I translated. Lots of #Kryptonian plus three new full languages and four conlang sketches. A LOT of work, but a lot of fun! archiveofourown.org/works/88310311

archiveofourown.org

Conlang Dialogue: Supergirl - Dedalvs - Supergirl (Movie 2026) [Archive of Our Own]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

One adventure down. [Looks at schedule.] Infinite adventures to go. I hope everyone has a great #ttrpg weekend!

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

We're trying an experiment at Mastering Dungeons. We're going to create an adventure, one encounter at a time, with Patron feedback guiding the path forward. We'll also supplement the ongoing adventure with new #dnd monsters, items, feats, backgrounds, and worldbuilding as we go. Join us!

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

In 15 minutes I'll be joining Tom Christy of @d20play.bsky.social live to talk about game design, #Dnd Encounters, and other topics. Join us! youtube.com/live/pA3U84l...

youtube.com

DnD ENCOUNTERS with Shawn Merwin - d20play Live 104

YouTube video by d20play

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

My visit with the #dnd team at the home offices last week was amazing. Such a great group of folks working on this game we love: smart, creative, and dedicated to the best experience possible for the fans. They were all so welcoming and kind. Except for....

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Reposted by Shawn Merwin

Tabletop Journeys @ttjourneys.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Whether you're a GM, player, or aspiring creator, there's something here that'll level up your game. Join us with Teos Abadía! 🚀 #TTRPG #DungeonMaster #GameMaster #DrawSteel #TabletopJourneys spotifycreators-web....

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Traveled back from Seattle last night. Running some #dnd Learn to Play events today at Power Nine, our new local game store. Probably won't see many of you there, but I hope you're having a great weekend and taking part in #freeRPGday in some way!

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DnD Fanatics @dndfanatic.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

White Wolf and Wizards of the Coast's upcoming 5.5E digital supplement, "Vampire The Masquerade - Bound by Blood" is now available for pre-order on @dndbeyond.com. dungeonsanddragonsfan.com/vampire-the-... #dnd #dnd5e #dndbeyond #WhiteWolf #worldofdarkness #vampirethemasquerade #ttrpg #tabletoprpg

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

I joined Sean @crithitthegiant.bsky.social to talk about #ttrpg design and the #dnd Encounters adventure Shadows of Sithicus. It's great to get to talk about specific adventure details and what they mean to game play. Give a listen if you're so inclined! crithitthegiant.com/2026/06/19/s...

crithitthegiant.com

Shawn Merwin On Designing Shadows Of Sithicus [Interview]

Dungeons & Dragons’ Season of Horror is in full swing. Ravenloft: The Horrors Within is now available for the global community, and the organized play D&D Encounters has launched at a…

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Some people create. Some people destroy. Often we do both without realizing that we’re doing the latter. Whenever possible, be a creator and help lift up creators.

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

It was a great pleasure and a lot of fun to talk with Sergio and James about #TTRPG and #dnd design in general, and then talk about the D&D Encounters program and this first season: Shadows of Sithicus. Give a listen, and then go back and enjoy the back catalog if you haven't already!

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Mastering Dungeons @masteringdnd.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

News: Paizo’s Difficult Future, Renegade Drops Essence20 for 5E, City of Greyhawk on DDB, 3/4 of D&D Players in Last Decade, and more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BOC... #DnD #TTRPG #Paizo

Shawn and Teos describe the recent layoffs and troubles at Paizo. A Paizo goblin wearing a dragon suit is superimposed between them.

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Mastering Dungeons @masteringdnd.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Best of Rime of the Frostmaiden! The best... in just 1 episode? See which parts of the cold will warm your heart. Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRXe... #DnD #TTRPG

Teos and Shawn hold up copies of the regular and alternate covers of Rime of the Frostmaiden.

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Marcello the Valiant DM🔜Nuke-Con @mdvaliant573.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

I have heeded the call! My FLGS! @thegameshoppe.bsky.social has asked me to run D&D Encounters: Ravenloft! Look at that awesome creative team! The Dark Powers chose wisely!! @shawnbanerjee.bsky.social @shawnmerwin.bsky.social @incandescaent.bsky.social @skydawn.bsky.social @christulach.bsky.social

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Dungeons & Dragons @dndbeyond.com · 28/05/2026

Celebrate International Day of Play on June 11 with a new introductory D&D adventure. Claim Borderlands Quest: Dagger Danger on D&D Beyond today: dndbeyond.link/Internationa...

A bugbear with a large hammer blocks the exit of a cave. Text on image: D&D Beyond Borderlands Quest Dagger Danger

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

I can now say that I worked on the adventure content for Shadows of Sithicus, the first season of the newly revamped D&D Encounters program. This adventure, which includes the material for the D&D Celebration kickoff event, is available to play at participating game stores!

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

I love using candy instead of actual miniatures when I'm running #dnd or other #rpgs at public events. I just realized one major drawback though. I don't slowly but surely eat all my actual miniatures throughout the year...

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Reposted by Shawn Merwin

Baldman Games @baldmangames.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

The search continues for these three spirits of Highfolk! Can you capture them? Click the link to learn about the subjects, the rules, and where to submit. They must be captured by Tuesday May 12th! www.legendsofgreyhawk.com/capture-the-...

Have you seen these spirits?
Can you capture them?
"Firespark" Lesser Spirit of Ember (?)
"Music of the Wolves on the Wind" Intermediate Spirit of the Sky (?)
"Grand Old Crag" Greater Spirit of Stone (?)
Deadline Tuesday May 12th
BMG Baldman Games

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Very excited to provide some #dnd and #rpg content to the Patreon backers of @masteringdnd.bsky.social now that we've hit a milestone. First content drop includes two new giants to add to your games: the Earthquaker and the Gem Master. www.patreon.com/c/MasteringDnD

patreon.com

Mastering Dungeons Podcast | Patreon

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

I'm not good at multi-tasking. Come to think of it, single-tasking ain't really my strong suit either. #amwriting-ish

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Reposted by Shawn Merwin

Rob Donoghue @rdonoghue.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

“Work is rework” is not true in EVERY field, but it’s true in a lot of them, esp any that create things. This is a hard lesson to learn, and is often one of the ways to identify a novice - they think the work is the work. This is also why novices are easily impressed by bad AI creations.

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Thought of the century of the day: No matter what speed you drive down the highway, you will at some point be the "maniac" and at another point be the "moron."

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Thought of the century of the day: the Golden Rule is generally great, but please ignore it if you are a masochist.

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Thought of the century of the day: Always ask who "they" are.

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d20play @d20play.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Today I get to talk about adventure design and testing with @alphastream.bsky.social @shawnmerwin.bsky.social and @dmdavid.com! Lots of great topics to cover including this nugget from @mattcolville.bsky.social. I hope you can join us in the chat on the d20play YouTube! 7pm EDT.

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Check out a wonderful #rpg I helped make, along with some very hard working and dedicated people!

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Ben Byrne @thebenbyrne.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

The Eldritch Lorecast is LIVE at 7pm ET / 4pm PT on Twitch this week! Recording time is shifting due to Daylight Savings. Sorry for the lack of a heads up! I'ma be honest, I would never have realized if @shawnmerwin.bsky.social hadn't cast Legend Lore for me. 😬

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Shawn Merwin @shawnmerwin.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

For those publishing #dnd or #rpg adventures, the value of playtesting cannot be emphasized enough. It doesn't matter how good you think your work is. And it's about more than checking difficulty or story. It's about testing your user manual to make sure it does what it needs to.

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