Clayton
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explorersdesign.bsky.social
Clayton
@explorersdesign.bsky.social
3.6K followers 830 following 1.1K posts
Pronunciation: "Klay-tun Note-Styne" Designer. Writer. Educator. Tabletop games. Explorers Design. Pro-union and cooperatives. He/Him.
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explorersdesign.bsky.social
Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · Nov 13
This is a new introduction thread for myself. I'm Clayton Notestine ("note-styne"). I'm a learner, reviewer, and design writer in tabletop rpgs. I make tools and resources.

This thread is my current list of favorite articles and projects on Explorers Design.
Explorers Design
Bespoke adventures, tools, and resources for tabletop rpg designers.
www.explorersdesign.com
explorersdesign.bsky.social
This year's Bloggies might be the most competitive yet.
Let me show you some of the matches from round 1.

Let's look at the advice bracket.

The difference between these was no more than 8 votes. The matchup between A Lock with No Key and Don't Write Lore? Decided by 1 vote.
Matchup example chart. Matchup example chart. Matchup example chart. Matchup example chart.
February 18, 2026 at 12:49 AM
explorersdesign.bsky.social
This is your nightly invitation to read through The Bloggies and vote on your favorite rpg blogs from last year.

If you haven't participated already, that's okay. You can jump in now and vote on one or more matchups. You might even walk away with new ideas or house rules in the process.

🧙‍♂️🗳️👇
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 18, 2026 at 12:31 AM
Reposted by Clayton
thedicepool.bsky.social
There are waaaay fewer posts to read and judge mercilessly this round. You should be able to get to all of them. VOTE!

www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-res...
Bloggies Breakdown: Round 1
After The Bloggies Blog Bath: Who won? And by how much?
www.explorersdesign.com
February 17, 2026 at 5:41 PM
explorersdesign.bsky.social
Can someone check to see if there's a typo in the confirmation message of this Bloggies ballot?

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
The Bloggies: Theory Round 2
Welcome to The Bloggies. You're currently voting in the second round of the Theory bracket. What's in this category? This category is all about systems, mechanics, settings, and more. What are The Bl...
docs.google.com
February 17, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Reposted by Clayton
eclipse.gay
Faggot Games has hit round 2 of the Meta category! Go vote. ✨
explorersdesign.bsky.social Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 22h
You have less than 24 hours to vote in round 2.

The good news: There are half as many posts in round 2, and if you voted in the first round, you've likely read most of them.

The official webpage for this year can be found here:
www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 17, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Clayton
wayspell.bsky.social
Round 2 is live and "[HMTW] Using Divination to Generate a Character" squeaked through! Go give it a vote in the Gameable section, please!
explorersdesign.bsky.social Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 22h
You have less than 24 hours to vote in round 2.

The good news: There are half as many posts in round 2, and if you voted in the first round, you've likely read most of them.

The official webpage for this year can be found here:
www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 17, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Reposted by Clayton
naeolin.bsky.social
So many masterpieces have fallen too soon.

Please keep voting! May the best posts win!
explorersdesign.bsky.social Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 22h
You have less than 24 hours to vote in round 2.

The good news: There are half as many posts in round 2, and if you voted in the first round, you've likely read most of them.

The official webpage for this year can be found here:
www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 17, 2026 at 4:24 PM
explorersdesign.bsky.social
If you're reading this, round 1 of the Bloggies' Hunger Games is over and round 2 has already started!

This post has all of the voting breakdowns sans the vote count (it would have taken me an extra hour to add those in, and I have a day job 😔.)

You won't believe the margins on these matchups!
Bloggies Breakdown: Round 1
After The Bloggies Blog Bath: Who won? And by how much?
www.explorersdesign.com
February 17, 2026 at 2:51 PM
explorersdesign.bsky.social
Steely Dan's Can't Buy a Thrill is the official soundtrack of Between Two Cons. That or something from King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.

Someone should go for me. I've already burnt all my vacation time on trips to various Hard Rock Cafes. Can't swing it this year.
bradkerr.net Brad Kerr @bradkerr.net · 1d
Between Two Cairns is organizing a gaming convention in Portland, OR. Please come! betweentwocons.com @betterlegends.bsky.social @yochaigal.bsky.social
Two big stone heads with ruby eyes. Text: "Tabletop Gaming Convention. Between Two Cons. Norse Hall, Portland OR. June 26 - 27 2026. Betweentwocons.com for more information".
February 16, 2026 at 10:59 PM
Reposted by Clayton
thedicepool.bsky.social
Go vote in the Bloggies people! Choose one or two categories that you are most interested in, read those posts and choose your favourites. @explorersdesign.bsky.social needs more votes in categories that don’t happen to be “Advice” coz its first in the list!

www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-202...
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:30 PM
Reposted by Clayton
velocitree2.bsky.social
Voting is live!

www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 15, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Reposted by Clayton
thenovelgamemaster.bsky.social
Time to vote!
www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
#bloggies #ttrpg #rpgblogs
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 15, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Reposted by Clayton
bellebitesback.bsky.social
Voting for the Bloggies is open!! Vote for my friends!!

"What is an OSR" (Meta) by @juniperhl.bsky.social
"How to Replicate Over/Under" (Advice) & "Promises - A Mythic Bastionland House Rule" (Gameable) by @valerialoves.bsky.social

www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 16, 2026 at 1:35 PM
Reposted by Clayton
samsorensen.bsky.social
important memetic information www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
screenshot of a google form with voting between two options, "Got no game: Should your module be system agnostic?" and "Ten Intangible Tips for Development Editing Your RPG Manuscript," with the latter selected screenshot of a google form with voting between two options, "Doing a Cool Move" and "Review of Initiative Methods," with the former highlighted screenshot of a google form with voting between two options, "1d20 Diegetic Rules, 1d20 Hypo-Diegetic Rules" and "What do people know about the Mythos?," with the former highlighted screenshot of a google form with voting between two options, "Sam's Three-Question Taxonomy" and "the default dungeon is colonial," with the former selected
February 16, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Reposted by Clayton
magnoliakeep.itch.io
Bloggies voting is live! Vote for *Combat as My Balls* in the theory ballot!

https://www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/#the-bloggies-tournament
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 16, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Reposted by Clayton
prismaticwasteland.com
Go vote for my posts! I think I’m in all non-advice categories (because I only give bad advice, like “go vote for my posts”)

www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-202...
February 16, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Reposted by Clayton
personable.bsky.social
I voted, did you?
explorersdesign.bsky.social Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 2d
Bloggies voting has begun! This week is the tournament: the Thunderdome of rpg blogs. If you're thinking to yourself, "This is a lot of reading." I've got bad news: you're already running out of time.

Here's everything you need to know for this week... 1/4

www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 16, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Reposted by Clayton
naeolin.bsky.social
Bloggies PSA! Round 1 of all 5 initial Categories is open until 7 AM EST. Not just Advice.

Advice: forms.gle/LApoXPh7cVhy...
Critique: forms.gle/5Qvwxxsvyhq8...
Gameable: forms.gle/WjPxMyQunpPZ...
Theory: forms.gle/VSa1fwjYLcrk...
Meta: forms.gle/R26nY7qm7DaA...

Vote for your favorites. PSA over
February 16, 2026 at 4:46 PM
explorersdesign.bsky.social
I need more people to vote in the categories not labeled "advice."
February 16, 2026 at 3:07 PM
explorersdesign.bsky.social
Bloggies voting has begun! This week is the tournament: the Thunderdome of rpg blogs. If you're thinking to yourself, "This is a lot of reading." I've got bad news: you're already running out of time.

Here's everything you need to know for this week... 1/4

www.explorersdesign.com/bloggies-2026/
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 16, 2026 at 2:59 AM
Reposted by Clayton
idlecartulary.itch.io
Vote now! Preferably for my posts — Got No Game, I Read Spine, and Don’t Wait To Create, all of which you can listen to at We Read The Bloggies!
explorersdesign.bsky.social Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 2d
Bloggies Voting goes live Monday morning, but the voting forms stealthily go live today...

So, you might be asking, "What blog posts are in this year's Thunderdome?" You can find the whole list here.
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 15, 2026 at 7:23 PM
explorersdesign.bsky.social
Psssst, like right now.
explorersdesign.bsky.social Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 2d
Bloggies Voting goes live Monday morning, but the voting forms stealthily go live today...

So, you might be asking, "What blog posts are in this year's Thunderdome?" You can find the whole list here.
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 15, 2026 at 6:41 PM
explorersdesign.bsky.social
Bloggies Voting goes live Monday morning, but the voting forms stealthily go live today...

So, you might be asking, "What blog posts are in this year's Thunderdome?" You can find the whole list here.
The Bloggies 2026
A yearly celebration of blogging in tabletop roleplaying games.
www.explorersdesign.com
February 15, 2026 at 4:07 PM
explorersdesign.bsky.social
Alright, time to make these voting forms. Next week is going to be a challenge.
February 13, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Reposted by Clayton
directsun.bsky.social
Reading and LISTENING to the bloggies!

Favs so far:

The 10 types of special rooms @traipsehex.bsky.social

Writing rooms in pairs @sean.tuesdayknightgames.com

WHY MEGADUNGEONS? @icastlight.bsky.social

Dealing With NPCs Should Be Expensive and Irritating @forlornencystment.bsky.social
traipsehex.bsky.social 𝔗ℜ𝔄ℑ𝔓𝔖𝔈 @traipsehex.bsky.social · 5d
In a stunning reversal of the civilizational transition from orality to literacy, the bloggie nominees are becoming audio.

Thank you @directsun.bsky.social for the stellar job narrating my post! You navigated my tongue-twisting typos with admirable alacrity. podcast.bloggies.org
We Read The Bloggies (@WeReadTheBloggies) • Activity
We’re volunteers turning Bloggies-nominated blog posts into audio. So you can enjoy them anywhere, in a more accessible format.
podcast.bloggies.org
February 12, 2026 at 7:46 PM