With dragons hunted near extinction, the Ox King sends a wounded dragon to his heir, the twenty-seventh in line of succession. Hand-watercolored piece by pbbeta for my TTRPG Burial Cloud.

People who didn't back the Kickstarter are finally getting their hands on the retail copies. I'm so happy!

After more than a year of yearning, I’ve finally acquired a hard copy of @worldsbywatt.bsky.social’s CLOUD EMPRESS, and I’m so excited to dig into it. 🥰

As I reimagine how I publish games, I share 6 inspirations for an early access TTRPG development approach in my newsletter: open.substack.com/pub/worldsby...

This is a fun conclusion to Pit's Peak, feat. a guest appearance from one of the strangest 'creatures' I've designed, The Earm

"Kids will devour vast amounts of garbage (and it is good for them) but they are not like adults: they have not yet learned to eat plastic." what a fucking banger

I'm putting future Sky Burial ttrpg content (my mid-industrial fantasy about dragon hunters, their enemies, and the Endless Empire) up for a vote to all levels (including free trial tier) of my Patreon. Pick the next expansion I write here: www.patreon.com/posts/vote-o...

Really appreciate this crowdfund post mortem. More confirmation that art direction can make or break you, expensive extras can be devastating, and a long, community-driven marketing build is vital.

I really appreciate this write-up by watt! Both the decision to cancel and this analysis are thoughtful and mature. Worth reading and thinking about these takeaways, especially if you have a game in development. I'm prone to especially emphasize the seventh point--community participation.

A very honest look inside current day kickstarting from the creator of Cloud Empress:

A truly fascinating write-up that gets into a lot of the backend details on a project like this. A number of reasons listed are the same reason I ultimately didn't back the project, but I'm hopeful that it finds an audience.

121 of my supporters provided feedback on why my (canceled) Rust Wings campaign failed to gather the funding of previous campaigns. Here are 7 lessons I took from their feedback and hindsight: open.substack.com/pub/worldsby...

#14 Cloud Empress from @worldsbywatt.bsky.social A fantastic Nausicaa inspired setting for Mothership. This one improves on the stress mechanics for Mothership as well.

Come help pick the color treatment for my upcoming mid-industrial fantasy setting inspired by Princess Mononoke, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Moby Dick! open.substack.com/pub/worldsby...

Oh hey! Episode 2 of 3 is out today! Listen as our crew explore deeper into @alfredvalley.bsky.social's Pit's Peak and see some pretty unsettling stuff! All this & more on the Cloud Empress Lorecast- I mean, on @dndlorecast.bsky.social! Get it wherever you cast your pods.

I wrote about Marathon's bathrooms and why I include so many toilet closets in my adventures! Subscribe (with a free trial) to read. www.patreon.com/posts/marath...

Another wonderful post by @worldsbywatt.bsky.social... The world needs more artists. I'd venture that if you don't consider your "day job" art, then you may not be doing it right. And, there's maybe something else you could be doing right now... Onward! :) www.patreon.com/posts/what-i...

1 like = 1 TTRPG in my library How deep can we get into my library? I'm betting less than 5%

#34 Cloud Empress from @worldsbywatt.bsky.social Science fantasy the way it's meant to be

The latest Missive is here! I talk a bit about the freedom of adventure writing in modern-day settings, my Violence scenario AMELIA, recap the MCGW blog, and more cool stuff (Rust Wings, Last Light Station, and more)! Check it out: meatcastle.substack.com/p/the-freedo...

New games are in! Cozy Dragons, Arthurian legends, and more from @graftbound.bsky.social + @worldsbywatt.bsky.social's Cloud Empress (now in hardcover!) available at your favorite gaming rat store! 📚 🐀 📚

#CloudEmpress 'Land of the Living' and 'Land of the Dead' hit retail in Canada. Woot! Kudos @ratti.bsky.social and @worldsbywatt.bsky.social :)

Glatisant spotted. I wrote about how it uses limited communication (in a good way) at Skeleton Code Machine: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/glatisant

Check this out. I hear they got a really talented beautiful wonderful kind etc etc person in there doing some art, but what do I know.

watt is one of the only designers out there who, when they say "Ghibli-inspired," really *means* it--they don't just mean the aesthetic, but the themes as well. Also Rust Wings looks fantastic, the cards are such a great touch!

I just pledged for Rust Wings by @worldsbywatt.bsky.social .A Mausritter hack, but very much its own game. I think the fulfillment cycle is painfully long, so I almost passed, but the game seems really innovative and interesting #OSR #NSR

I just backed Rust Wings on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/wat... Excited for @worldsbywatt.bsky.social to take a swing at a different side of the Ghibli canon

I had the pleasure of doing some early development work on Rust Wings, and I'm excited to be doing even more (and further playtesting) soon! This is a really unique game that I think is really going to connect with a lot of folks. Check it out!

Get out the blocks, let's go explore some ruins for our planes!

I'm excited for some Porco Rosso inspired shenanigans!

After 1.5 years of hard work, Rust Wings, my Ghibli-inspired adventure TTRPG using Mausritter's rules, is live on Kickstarter. Come help make this upbeat and joyous exploration of resistance, ecological survival, and teenage joy a success. www.kickstarter.com/projects/wat...

New Talk of the Table! Brian and Elliot are joined by @worldsbywatt.bsky.social , the designer of Cloud Empress, to discuss designing inside established systems, Ghibli-inspired games, and their latest project Rust Wings. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

New ep! Ryan sits down once again with @worldsbywatt.bsky.social to talk Cloud Empress Life & Death, fulfilling Kickstarters in the time of tariffs, and Rust Wings—a Ghibli-inspired adventure roleplaying where you explore abandoned cities on an endless ocean. watch here 👇

BACK SO I CAN DRAW THIS COVER! PLEASE!

Just launched an AMA over on Reddit for anyone who wants to ask me about indie tabletop roleplaying publishing, crowdfunding, my designs, Ghibli, etc! www.reddit.com/r/rpg/commen...

Oh hey, Ryan is live with @worldsbywatt.bsky.social to talk Cloud Empress, Rust Wings, and much more!! go here 👇 www.twitch.tv/theweeklyscroll

I've made the Rust Wings (my Ghibli-inspired standalone Mausritter setting) launch page prettier! Only about two weeks until launch now. www.kickstarter.com/projects/wat...

Take a look at the new Rust Wings trailer (and share it with your friends who like Studio Ghibli)! www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdAa...

It was awesome talking to Chris about a favorite Mothership module of mine, Picket Line Tango on the Ansible Uplink!

Proud to be the 310th backer 😎 on @BackerKit Crowdfunding for Twisting Unseen, a build-the-dungeon zine for Mothership RPG! Was already watching this, but the Cloud Empress conversion made me back it. Let's get that 3rd stretch goal! #ttrpg #Mothership @worldsbywatt.bsky.social @chrisair.itch.io

Profound testimony from Minneapolis resident and US citizen Aliyah Rahman, describing not only the vicious attack by federal agents that illegally dragged her from her vehicle, but also the torturous treatment happening at the Whipple Building. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrcW...

#microreviewmonday Cloud Empress by @worldsbywatt.bsky.social is a gorgeous eco-scifi-fantasy #ttrpg where things have gone bloinsake in a way that makes one think about our dependency on nature and harms we cause. Pretty, simple but thought provocing, rappy gives it 10/mushrooms.

I wrote about a missing element of many "Ghibli-inspired" TTRPGs and what we lose when inspirations don't transcend their origin. I should have a free trial for those interested in checking out my Patreon. www.patreon.com/posts/missin...

So excited for this weird mech game to come to life by @snow117.bsky.social Crowdfunding for Screaming Metal: Vector Soul now live. www.backerkit.com/c/projects/s...

Double crowdfunding delivery day! Lilancholy reprint and poetry zine by @snow117.bsky.social and Cloud Empress box from @worldsbywatt.bsky.social, all beautiful!

Here's my experience as a TTRPG creator in Minneapolis right now, 10 new relics for Cloud Empress, plus a new way to support my work (and all new Patreon). worldsbywatt.substack.com/p/minneapoli...

Probably my most anticipated game of the year! Let's make sure this project is a success for snow.

The Quiet Year is now back in stock no matter where you live! The Quiet Year is an award-winning map-making game about building community after the collapse. It comes in a little box with everything you need to play. And it's back in stock in the US! store.buriedwithoutceremony.com/products/the...

This month's newsletter showcases adventure modules from @directsun.bsky.social, @wacomatrixo.bsky.social, @proton31.bsky.social, @slimemindstudio.bsky.social and @cameronmaas.bsky.social launching alongside Twisting Unseen this Zine Month. Some cool stuff coming up!

I'm launching a new Ghibli-inspired Mausritter setting on Kickstarter March 3rd. Play as a group of teens exploring abandoned megacities filled with rebelling robots while avoiding the authoritarian military. Follow using the link below: www.kickstarter.com/projects/wat...