Beneath a blood-red sky lies the Valley of the Sleeping Gods, a vast ring of idols and madness where mountains dream and divinity decays. Step into the myth. Read “The Valley of the Sleeping Gods”

From the mist-choked ruins of the Borderlands come the Swine-Things. Part beast, part nightmare, and wholly unforgettable. Inspired by Hodgson and reimagined for the OSR. Read “The Swine-Things of the Borderlands”

Tomb of Horrors is a deadly, unforgettable rite of passage. A masterpiece of D&D design that killed characters and shaped generations. Read ‘Tomb of Horrors: The Adventure That Killed a Generation’

AD&D 2nd Edition never quite found its footing, caught between old-school design and the narrative revolution. But in its missteps, it carved out a space for some truly unique ideas. Read “AD&D 2nd Edition: The Edition That Never Stood a Chance”

MÖRK BORG is a doom-metal hymn to chaos and creativity. Beneath its screaming yellow pages lies a design philosophy as raw as it is brilliant. Read “MÖRK BORG and the Gospel of Doom Metal Design”

Don’t let The Black Hack’s simplicity fool you. Beneath its scrappy charm beats one of the cleverest OSR hearts in modern gaming – fast, human, and beautifully brutal. Read “The Secret Brilliance of The Black Hack”

Back after a few chaotic weeks (work, illness, life!) and surprised to find we’re halfway through #OSROctober2025#OSROctober2025 I’ve posted my full list of prompts – from The Black Hack to Vancian Magic – with essays coming soon! #OSROctober2025 #OSRtober2025

Only lawful orders must be obeyed. Officers: your oath is to the Constitution, not a man. Enlisted: unlawful orders — like targeting civilians — must be refused. Always. #MilitaryOath #DutyNotObedience #DefendTheConstitution #UCMJ

From TSR castles made of paper to the creation of Dragonlance itself, Harold Johnson has stories you won’t want to miss. I sat down with one of the unsung architects of D&D’s golden age to talk Slavers, Dragon Days, and the secret of why the game still works 50 years on.

Before Mordenkainen, before Greyhawk, Gary Gygax was Sub Commander Gygax, sallying forth with the “Curse of Yig” in a galactic postal wargame called War of the Empires. Read how this obscure 1966 ditto-printed experiment foreshadowed RPG culture as we know it today.

What really fuels the OSR/NuSR? Not the rules. Not the dice. It’s imagination, composted from pulp, myth, metal, and even the trashiest zines. The broader your influences, the richer your game.

Ever wondered what happens when you give Zeus hit points? Or when Elric of Melniboné gets written up like a goblin with better hair? My latest retrospective dives into Gods, Demigods, and Heroes (1976) – the strangest, most audacious of the OD&D supplements.

Steel, shadow, and dice – what makes a weapon truly matter at the table? My latest post dives into the old-school debate over damage, mastery, and dual-wielding, and why it still sparks fire in today’s OSR/NuSR circles.

Some dungeons hold dragons. Some hold treasure. Then there’s the Tomb of Horrors, which holds only your hubris and a demi-lich with a very dark sense of humour. Johnny Nine-Fingers went in so you don’t have to (but you probably will anyway).

There are dungeons… and then there’s Tomb of Horrors. The killer dungeon that tested egos, devoured characters, and made legends out of survivors. In my latest blog, I dive into the history of S1, Gary Gygax’s cruel masterpiece, and why it still matters nearly 50 years on. Dare you enter?

Day 31: REWARD. Not treasure, not XP – the real reward is the people we play with, the stories we share, and the chance to look back at the journey. Thanks to everyone who took part in #RPGaDAY2025. See you next year!

I’ve been offline for most of August, but here’s my whirlwind tour of #RPGaDAY2025 prompts 11–30: flavour, path, mystery, darkness, destiny, suspense, and more. From Moldvay nostalgia to imposter syndrome, and why Dolmenwood feels fated.

Catching up on #RPGaDAY2025 with four prompts in one go: Journey, Explore, Inspire, Origin. From salt-flat expeditions to Moldvay nostalgia, from Hodgson’s haunted horizons to the sound of dice at 3 a.m., this is what keeps me playing.

Day 6: MOTIVE. Gold starts the quest, but why you want it shapes the story. Two d6 motive tables, a look at villainous conviction, and my own reasons for starting new games. #RPGaDAY2025

Day 5: ANCIENT. An ancient man leads you to the Silent Observatory of Quagmar, home to a sundial that points to what you seek… if you’ll trade a memory. Also: oldest RPG? Braunstein, maybe? #RPGaDAY2025

Day 4: MESSAGE. Johnny Nine-Fingers and I talk about the one you don’t find on a dagger tip – it’s an invite to join the game. Bring curiosity, we’ll handle the rest. The lantern’s lit at The Hanged Goat. #RPGaDAY2025

Day 3 of #RPGaDAY2025 : TAVERN. Adventurers seeking luck need look no further than The Hanged Goat in Quag Keep. Between a dice roll and a tankard of ale, fortune – and peril – await. #Tabletop #Adventure #IntoTheBorderlands

Day 2 of #RPGaDAY2025 : Prompt. Gary Gygax never told me to use a GM screen; he showed me how to own it. From filing cabinet fortresses to cardboard battlements, the right screen is more than a shield, it’s a stage.

Day 1 of #RPGaDAY2025 : Patron. Mine wasn’t a noble or a wizard. It was my older sister Tammy, who gifted me the Moldvay Basic Set in 1982. From kobold disguises to wild sack-swinging, my first adventure was pure magic.

Savage Frontiers: The Pulp Roots of RPG Storytelling (Part VII) In pulp, treasure is never just gold – it’s a debt waiting to be paid. Every crown, every gem, every bloodstained coin carries a curse. The best RPGs know this: the treasure whispers, it watches, and it weighs. And when you count your…

There’s always a deeper pit, another door, another hell. Part VI of my dungeon deep dive explores the otherworlds of pulp fantasy – realms that twist reality, mock the soul, and never let you leave clean. Step lightly. Something’s watching.

Before Discord servers and hashtags, we found fellow adventurers by post – letters, maps, and house rules typed on creaky typewriters. My latest piece reflects on the corkboard of the mind, where names of strangers once meant friendship. Come pin yours beside mine.

Support us here: soulmuppet-store.co.uk There is potential for this to affect *any* storefront if the payment providers deemed it so. We have to stand up and stand together and fight against this. Contact your local representatives and payment provider. Sign the repeal online safety act petition.

In pulp, you fight because there’s no other way. Every battle costs you – blood, pride, pieces of your soul. Part V of my dungeon deep dive is up now: Death is the Prize. Bring a blade, but don’t expect to come out clean.

Unearthed from a serpent-haunted jungle: Tears of the Feathered Serpent – a zine for OSR/NuSR play. Doom-cycles, weeping gods, and temples that remember your name. Free to steal. Free to bleed. #ttrpg #OSR #zine #mythicfantasy #indierpg #hexcrawl

At What Price, Glory? It was suggested that I start posting some of my stuff to Reddit, so I gave it a go. Threw a test post up on r/rpg. Granted, not my finest choice of material, and I’m very glad it was anonymous, because it got pounced on almost immediately. Are there any threads or subreddits…

What if your dungeon wasn’t just a place, but a living thing? A wound in the world that swallows you whole and spits you back changed – if you’re lucky. Part IV of my dungeon deep dive is up now. Bring a torch.

Our adventurers delve deep into the Forsaken Maw – traps, owlbears, mimes, and all – only to find the real prize was... paperwork? Read the latest chaotic chapter now! #FantasyFiction #DungeonCrawl #OneManAndHisDice

Savage Frontiers: The Pulp Roots of RPG Storytelling (Part III) In the blood-drenched pages of pulp fantasy, magic is not a science – it’s a sin. Every spell is a theft from the natural order, paid in flesh, madness, or soul. The sorcerer is no sage but a butcher of reality, trading humanity for…

New on the blog: we lift the veil on the Night-Woman archetype – that shadowy blend of ghost, lover, and doom. A pivot point in every sword & sorcery tale. Read now... if you dare. #SwordAndSorcery #OSR #TTRPG

Sharpen your blades and watch the shadows – they’re watching you back. In Part I of In the Wake of the Sword, we drag pulp fantasy from the abyss and remind ourselves why adventurers aren’t heroes – they’re survivors. Read now, if you dare.

What if dungeons weren’t stories, but arenas? I’ve written about the dungeon as proving ground – where player skill, not backstory, determines who survives. Ready to test your mettle? Read on. #OSR #TTRPG #DungeonsAndDragons

Steel against sorcery, shadows without masters, and the price of one’s soul – my latest tale of grim fantasy is live. Step into the ruins of Blackglass Keep… if you dare.

Your players think every chest is just loot? Prove them wrong. I’ve cooked up a d12 Chest Trap Table to make sure every treasure comes with a side of pain, panic, or poison. Use it. Abuse it. Watch them sweat.

What if your dungeon wasn’t a place – but a predator? I’ve written about designing dungeons that lure, confound, and bite back. If your players come out scarred and confused, you’ve done it right. Read on:

Johnny Nine-Fingers is back! This time, he's drunk, lost, and accidentally recruited into a band of charming outlaws. Join him at the Inn of the Split Tree for wine and bad decisions. #OSRFiction #BorderlandsTales #JohnnyNineFingers

Face your master. Bow to your ancestors. Prove your worth with fists and spirit alone. I’ve brewed up a lean OSR monk duel for your table. Who says level-ups come easy? #OSR #TTRPG #OneManAndHisDice

Is this thing on? One Man and His Dice wants to hear from you. Tell me what you want to see: fiction, hacks, solo tools, cursed fungi? Or should I just keep shouting into the void with Johnny Nine-Fingers at my side? #OSR #ttrpg #blog

Day 2 at UKGE got off to a late start after Johnny brought a travelling circus back to our room. There was booze, a fez-wearing otter, and a triple TPK in Tomb of Horrors. Hotel management was... less impressed. Read the full misadventure now! #UKGE2025 #OMaHD #RPGChaos

A Brief Dispatch from Across the Pond Just a quick note to say that I’m currently Stateside for a couple of weeks, wandering the wilds of America (well, visiting family — but let’s not ruin the image). Internet access is patchy at best, so blog updates will be on hold for the duration. My…

Better late than never… Day 1 of UKGE 2025 is up! Join me and Johnny Nine-Fingers as we navigate bargain bins, bardic pirates, and Bring & Buy chaos — with a pen, a pint, and only mild disruption. #UKGE2025 #TTRPG #JohnnyNineFingers #OneManAndHisDice

Just survived Day One of UKGE 2025 with Johnny Nine-Fingers in tow. We dodged troopers, offended Vikings, and barely escaped the Bring & Buy queue. Full tale of chaos, dice, and convention madness now up on One Man and His Dice! #UKGE2025 #TTRPG #JohnnyNineFingers #OMaHD

Johnny rides to Camelot for the Tournament of Virtue – faces a boar, offends the Queen, and utterly fails at Chastity. But hey, he got a pewter goblet! Read his gloriously awkward rise to almost-knighthood now! #PendragonRPG #JohnnyNineFingers #SoloRPG #OneManAndHisDice

Just landed at UK Games Expo 2025 — badge around my neck, lucky d12 in my pocket. If there’s anything you want me to poke, prod, play, or pass judgement on for One Man and His Dice, give me a shout. OSR oddities, NuSR novelties, or anything in between. #UKGE2025 #TTRPG #OSR #OneManAndHisDice