Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 32m

I'm always excited to see the art! I definitely have a little folder on my desk of anything that I wrote that got an illustration because that is so surreal and awesome to me as a writer. I think I had 2 in Towns/Cities and 2-3 in Legendary Locations 😁
Can't wait to see these!

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 3h

I can't wait to see the illustrations by Luke Eidenschink @lukeink.bsky.social who has done phenomenal work on other Game Master's Books and I'm so excited to have a foreword from Taylor Dianne Robinson of Taylor's Tavern Tales! @taylorstaverntales.bsky.social

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 3h

And of course it wouldn't be a Game Master's book without random tables. Find hundreds of entries to help customize a divinity or religion with history, beliefs, practices and holy days. And secret motivations, weaknesses and quirks to customize your Supernatural patrons

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 3h

Every element of the book is made with actual storytelling at the table in mind, not just talking about divinities or mythologies or patrons but looking at how they create story hooks and driving motivations for players. Like 5 new factions, including the fey Court of Servitors and the Ordo Mortalis

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 3h

And to explore all of these new themes there's also 5 new subclasses like the Faithless Warlock, abandoned by gods and spirits, the Oath of the Divine Fist Paladin who turns their body into a weapon against evil and the Way of the Monastic Monk who chants holy verses to create powerful effects

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 3h

Or patrons like the twisted Sin Eater, a monstrous evil-devouring angelic weapon created by the gods and then sealed away, the Archfey Anthocyanin, the King in Autumn, who reigns over transitions, impermanence and decay or Melursia the great bear spirit of sloth, hibernation and decadence

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 3h

There's also almost 50 example divinities & patrons. Like Ruesart, the patchwork god of riots, revolutions & the dispossessed, & Renard of Nine Tails, an accidental fox god who seduced emperors & monks, terrorized travelers & lived countless lives before inadvertently stumbling into divinity

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 3h

With both survey level explanations of different approaches to religion in your TTRPG world and deep dives into topics like Oaths, Bargains and Contracts with Supernatural beings, you'll be ready to tackle world building and storytelling with these larger than life powers

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 3h

Using the Favor and Gifts mechanic, PCs can build (or lose) favor with their supernatural or divine benefactors by embracing and carrying out their agendas and ideals in the world, earning boons, blessings and powers tailored to their bond.

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 3h

This book is intended to equip GMs (and players) to build a robust religious and supernatural backdrop for their world, with layered and engaging religions (reflecting a breadth of real world and fictional approaches) and incredible supernatural patrons to tempt, empower and manipulate

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 3h

Hey folks!
Since it is starting to appear for pre-order, I can officially announce that I've finished my first solo book for the Game Master's series!
Introducing the Game Master's Handbook of Patrons, Pacts and Pantheons!
Coming August 2026 but available for pre-order now!
#ttrpg #dnd #gmbppp

Blue Book Cover "The Game Master's Handbook of Patrons, Pacts and Pantheons" "A comprehensive guide to incorporating fiends, fey and the fallen into your 5th edition TTRPG adventures" Colby Whittaker Foreword by Taylor Dianne Robinson Illustrations by Luke Eidenschink

Cover Art: Blue background with white symbols. A D20 in the center with a staff and spear crossed behind it. To the left a scale, lightning bolt and trident. To the right a skull, rod of hermes and an anvil and hammer

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 4h

Oh yeah very similar energy. And I think you can see that Nintendo v. Others philosophy running through both sets. Sonic has done some amazing storytelling but also put out some real bizarre garbage narratively and video game-wise

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 4h

Lol I was one of the little casuals sheltering in the shade of a medium sized raid guild. I got to hang out with people and benefit from the expertise and resources of the hardcores but never had to get into much of the grind of it

I had a similar guild in FFXIV that my wife even liked

Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 4h

I think it's an interesting demonstration of conservative IP execution vs. experimental. Narratively and mechanically Pokemon has barely changed across 30 years of games, anime, cards etc. Digimon throws spaghetti at the wall all the time and that means sometimes its great and sometimes it stinks

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 4h

Yeah, they don't really have a unified video game vision the way Pokemon has. It's hard to say what a main entry Digimon game is. I'd love to argue for the JRPG Cybersleuth family of games but even I have to admit that that isn't necessarily more true to origin than a visual novel or survival game

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 13h

I don't know that I'll ever have time to play again but I definitely miss my guild and just getting to know the random folks around the Burning Crusade era. Some zones are still like painfully nostalgic for the sheer amount of time I spent in them

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 14h

I love Good Kid and I need them to come to the East Coast
I went through like half a year where I was just spamming their albums on repeat while I worked
Now I have to look up Origami Angel lol

Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 14h

I have not kept up with #Digimon the same way as #Pokemon but wow, the brazen confidence to be like "No. The heroes grow up and lose their companions. No adventure is forever" (sorta)

It's such a stark storytelling contrast to the immortal adventures of Ash/Pikachu

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 15h

Making a random weekly complications chart for my ascendant demigods where literally the lowest possible roll causes the evil BBEG Construct God to show up and the highest causes them to annex an abandoned heaven and absorb all its power.
This couldn't possibly go wrong 😅
#ttrpg #dnd #godfall

a demon with horns and red eyes is standing in the dark .

ALT: a demon with horns and red eyes is standing in the dark .

media.tenor.com

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 17h

Oh no, Cyberpunk Imperial Court Drama
Eunuch AI's formed from hallucinating mental ghosts extracted from "exiled" admins, Firewalled Courts, a bureaucratic administration of literal admins controlling a digital empire of countless souls
the Emperor of 1s & 0s, the Emperor in Neon
#ttrpg #cyberpunk

an aerial view of a futuristic city at night with a coca cola sign in the foreground

ALT: an aerial view of a futuristic city at night with a coca cola sign in the foreground

media.tenor.com

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 19h

The almost $500 Fabula Ultima hardback collector's set looks gorgeous but that's also like more than what I usually spend on Backerkit/KS total in a calendar year
#ttrpg

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Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 21h

Boo, cutting one of my favorite lines from a monster because I'm not sure the name of another monster is usable in this project 😑

Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 21h

One more editing pass tonight and I am officially project free for the first time since last November. Open for whatever #ttrpg projects y'all need a writer or dev for!

Also, sharp eyed folks might have seen it already but I have a big announcement I'm finally posting tomorrow!
#gmbppp #dnd

a man in a leather jacket is talking to another man in a room .

Alt: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Neegan in Walking Dead smirking and saying "Big Day Tomorrow"

media.tenor.com

Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 21h

Catching up on Batman: Wayne Family Adventures and I never knew how much I needed Talia al Ghul to storm into a parent teacher disciplinary meeting 😂

a cartoon woman is saying `` do as i say '' .

Alt: Talia al Ghul from a DC animation project saying "Do as I say"

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist)

Colby Whittaker (Hagiologist) @hagiologist.bsky.social · 1d

Honestly really excited to write up this new monster statblock. It's going to sound horrifying but it's actually just a big real world accurate camel 😂

#ttrpg #dnd #daggerheart

a camel is walking in the desert near a car

ALT: a camel is walking in the desert near a car

media.tenor.com

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