Afraid of Encounters
@isaacisafraid.bsky.social
He/Him, Game Dev (Narrative Designer/Game Writer), Tabletop RPG Designer. I write, roleplay, and roll dice to tell stories.
https://isaacisafraid.itch.io/
https://afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev/
Nusantara, Maritime Southeast Asia
https://isaacisafraid.itch.io/
https://afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev/
Nusantara, Maritime Southeast Asia
Pinned
The Knight Errant ranked 1st out of 227 entries in the Appendix N Jam 😭 This feels surreal!
Huge thanks to @dankdungeons.bsky.social & @jorphdan.bsky.social for hosting the jam, and to everyone who rated my first OSR adventure!
And congratulations to all the amazing participants and their works!
Huge thanks to @dankdungeons.bsky.social & @jorphdan.bsky.social for hosting the jam, and to everyone who rated my first OSR adventure!
And congratulations to all the amazing participants and their works!
I've been really slacking on this play report. The previous one was posted on Halloween and the campaign ended on that day as well. Here's my play report of @zedecksiew.bsky.social's A Perfect Wife Session 3 & 4.
afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev/afraid-of-pl...
afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev/afraid-of-pl...
Afraid of Play Reports - A Perfect Wife (Session 3 & 4)
<i>Afraid of Play Reports is a series of blogposts where I write play reports of the campaign that I have finished or currently running. I name it that way b...
afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev
December 2, 2025 at 3:20 AM
I've been really slacking on this play report. The previous one was posted on Halloween and the campaign ended on that day as well. Here's my play report of @zedecksiew.bsky.social's A Perfect Wife Session 3 & 4.
afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev/afraid-of-pl...
afraidofencounters.bearblog.dev/afraid-of-pl...
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
But mostly this is me trying to get you to get behind Islands of Weirdhope, by @davidblandyrpgs.bsky.social & @daniellocke.bsky.social !
Just three more days to go: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/c...
2/
Just three more days to go: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/c...
2/
ISLANDS OF WEIRDHOPE - ECO MOFOS!! sets sail!!
Windwaker meets Waterworld in this rules light procedure-heavy TTRPG for solo and group play. Explore a near-future hazardous but hopeful world, smashing Corpo Schemes while discovering Monsters and M...
www.backerkit.com
November 30, 2025 at 10:55 AM
But mostly this is me trying to get you to get behind Islands of Weirdhope, by @davidblandyrpgs.bsky.social & @daniellocke.bsky.social !
Just three more days to go: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/c...
2/
Just three more days to go: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/c...
2/
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
Some thoughts about hope:
"Last week, Senyar, a cyclone, formed in the Straits of Malacca. This never happens in the Strait of Malacca, you understand? Ours are relatively halcyon waters, protected from monsoons, tsunamis.
Not any more, I guess."
slowlorispress.com/post/8016257...
1/
"Last week, Senyar, a cyclone, formed in the Straits of Malacca. This never happens in the Strait of Malacca, you understand? Ours are relatively halcyon waters, protected from monsoons, tsunamis.
Not any more, I guess."
slowlorispress.com/post/8016257...
1/
TO DRINK UP THE SEA
Islands of Weirdhope, the maritime expandalone to ECO MOFOS!!, by the fearsome pairing of David Blandy and Daniel Locke, is currently crowdfunding.
Scant hours left! The Backerkit campaign ends...
slowlorispress.com
November 30, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Some thoughts about hope:
"Last week, Senyar, a cyclone, formed in the Straits of Malacca. This never happens in the Strait of Malacca, you understand? Ours are relatively halcyon waters, protected from monsoons, tsunamis.
Not any more, I guess."
slowlorispress.com/post/8016257...
1/
"Last week, Senyar, a cyclone, formed in the Straits of Malacca. This never happens in the Strait of Malacca, you understand? Ours are relatively halcyon waters, protected from monsoons, tsunamis.
Not any more, I guess."
slowlorispress.com/post/8016257...
1/
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
🦎CREATURES IN OTHER CLIMES🦎
Look what I got in the mail! Thank you so much @zedecksiew.bsky.social @chincarok.bsky.social for Creatures of Near Kingdoms! Looking forward to seeing a follow up and future works from you two!
December 1, 2025 at 4:22 AM
🦎CREATURES IN OTHER CLIMES🦎
Look what I got in the mail! Thank you so much @zedecksiew.bsky.social @chincarok.bsky.social for Creatures of Near Kingdoms! Looking forward to seeing a follow up and future works from you two!
December 1, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Look what I got in the mail! Thank you so much @zedecksiew.bsky.social @chincarok.bsky.social for Creatures of Near Kingdoms! Looking forward to seeing a follow up and future works from you two!
My blog is a tiny little star among all these bigger stars, this starting to feel like some Cosmic Horror thing that I love
November 27, 2025 at 12:50 AM
My blog is a tiny little star among all these bigger stars, this starting to feel like some Cosmic Horror thing that I love
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
Stop what you’re doing and go read this. It’s so fucking cool
Spent the last month mapping the blogosphere by its links. The graph is finally ready
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Mapping the Blogosphere
An interactive graph of TTRPG blogs, showing who links to whom, how communities change over time, plus stats and how it all works.
elmc.at
November 26, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Stop what you’re doing and go read this. It’s so fucking cool
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
Someone needs to create a blog called "Glognardia" to unite "Community 0" and "Community 3" in an alliance against the upstart "Community 2"
Spent the last month mapping the blogosphere by its links. The graph is finally ready
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Mapping the Blogosphere
An interactive graph of TTRPG blogs, showing who links to whom, how communities change over time, plus stats and how it all works.
elmc.at
November 26, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Someone needs to create a blog called "Glognardia" to unite "Community 0" and "Community 3" in an alliance against the upstart "Community 2"
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
Of course I couldn't just share Elmact's project about blogging without also blogging about it. Amazing work.
November 26, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Of course I couldn't just share Elmact's project about blogging without also blogging about it. Amazing work.
I've been keeping up with what @elmc.at has been doing for the past few weeks and I can say it's an amazing work. Congratulations, you should be proud of your effort and the result!
Side note, I should be linking more blogposts.
Side note, I should be linking more blogposts.
Spent the last month mapping the blogosphere by its links. The graph is finally ready
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Mapping the Blogosphere
An interactive graph of TTRPG blogs, showing who links to whom, how communities change over time, plus stats and how it all works.
elmc.at
November 26, 2025 at 11:41 PM
I've been keeping up with what @elmc.at has been doing for the past few weeks and I can say it's an amazing work. Congratulations, you should be proud of your effort and the result!
Side note, I should be linking more blogposts.
Side note, I should be linking more blogposts.
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
Spent the last month mapping the blogosphere by its links. The graph is finally ready
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Mapping the Blogosphere
An interactive graph of TTRPG blogs, showing who links to whom, how communities change over time, plus stats and how it all works.
elmc.at
November 26, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Spent the last month mapping the blogosphere by its links. The graph is finally ready
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
I attended a local video game convention this weekend and I find it amusing that the two video games I'm currently working on have their booths side by side
November 24, 2025 at 1:03 PM
I attended a local video game convention this weekend and I find it amusing that the two video games I'm currently working on have their booths side by side
I need my Mafia Tabletop RPG that isn't mixed with gothic steampunk. I need my Western Tabletop RPG that isn't mixed with Weird Fiction stuff.
I love the genre mashup. Give me all the Golden Girls/Cthulhus and WWII/Draculas you've got.
But I'm also looking for non-mashups. Sometimes it feels like the industry has an allergy. Westerns without magic. Drama without aliens. Detectives without Cthulhu.
www.explorersdesign.com/one-genre-ga...
But I'm also looking for non-mashups. Sometimes it feels like the industry has an allergy. Westerns without magic. Drama without aliens. Detectives without Cthulhu.
www.explorersdesign.com/one-genre-ga...
Dare to Play it Straight
The rarest tabletop genre is the simplest one. A call for more anti-mashups.
www.explorersdesign.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:53 PM
I need my Mafia Tabletop RPG that isn't mixed with gothic steampunk. I need my Western Tabletop RPG that isn't mixed with Weird Fiction stuff.
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
I love the genre mashup. Give me all the Golden Girls/Cthulhus and WWII/Draculas you've got.
But I'm also looking for non-mashups. Sometimes it feels like the industry has an allergy. Westerns without magic. Drama without aliens. Detectives without Cthulhu.
www.explorersdesign.com/one-genre-ga...
But I'm also looking for non-mashups. Sometimes it feels like the industry has an allergy. Westerns without magic. Drama without aliens. Detectives without Cthulhu.
www.explorersdesign.com/one-genre-ga...
Dare to Play it Straight
The rarest tabletop genre is the simplest one. A call for more anti-mashups.
www.explorersdesign.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:45 PM
I love the genre mashup. Give me all the Golden Girls/Cthulhus and WWII/Draculas you've got.
But I'm also looking for non-mashups. Sometimes it feels like the industry has an allergy. Westerns without magic. Drama without aliens. Detectives without Cthulhu.
www.explorersdesign.com/one-genre-ga...
But I'm also looking for non-mashups. Sometimes it feels like the industry has an allergy. Westerns without magic. Drama without aliens. Detectives without Cthulhu.
www.explorersdesign.com/one-genre-ga...
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
#over/under was not one of a kind. I have been playing similar games for the last EIGHT YEARS. Today, I give this medium a name - "Live Text Roleplay" - and help you build a community of your own.
www.valerialoves.com/how-to-repli...
www.valerialoves.com/how-to-repli...
How to Replicate Over/Under
A Guide to Live Text Roleplay
www.valerialoves.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:00 AM
#over/under was not one of a kind. I have been playing similar games for the last EIGHT YEARS. Today, I give this medium a name - "Live Text Roleplay" - and help you build a community of your own.
www.valerialoves.com/how-to-repli...
www.valerialoves.com/how-to-repli...
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
I'm surprised how earnest CHAPTER SERF turned out, tbh. I'd thought it would be all jokes and memes.
But why not take it seriously? The peon, the clerk, the mutant, the youth warming a Space Marine's bed---the little people, crushed by grimdark. Why not make a game about them? Subaltern 40K.
3/3
But why not take it seriously? The peon, the clerk, the mutant, the youth warming a Space Marine's bed---the little people, crushed by grimdark. Why not make a game about them? Subaltern 40K.
3/3
November 18, 2025 at 5:17 PM
I'm surprised how earnest CHAPTER SERF turned out, tbh. I'd thought it would be all jokes and memes.
But why not take it seriously? The peon, the clerk, the mutant, the youth warming a Space Marine's bed---the little people, crushed by grimdark. Why not make a game about them? Subaltern 40K.
3/3
But why not take it seriously? The peon, the clerk, the mutant, the youth warming a Space Marine's bed---the little people, crushed by grimdark. Why not make a game about them? Subaltern 40K.
3/3
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
Spent the last two weeks working on this, missing deadlines and not answering messages---but this thing was in my mind like a psychic worm; I just had to get it out, you know?
Process notes and extra thoughts here: slowlorispress.com/post/8005714...
2/
Process notes and extra thoughts here: slowlorispress.com/post/8005714...
2/
CHAPTER SERF
CHAPTER SERF is a tabletop roleplaying game and adventure, set in Warhammer 40K, where you play those hooded peasant weirdos you sometimes spot in the backgrounds of the art.
Full PDF downloadable...
slowlorispress.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Spent the last two weeks working on this, missing deadlines and not answering messages---but this thing was in my mind like a psychic worm; I just had to get it out, you know?
Process notes and extra thoughts here: slowlorispress.com/post/8005714...
2/
Process notes and extra thoughts here: slowlorispress.com/post/8005714...
2/
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
🙏CHAPTER SERF🙏
I finished it! A Warhammer 40K adventure & TTRPG where you *don't* play Space Marines. Instead you play those little hooded freaks loitering in the background while Space Marines hog the limelight.
PDF here: drive.google.com/file/d/1V4Mt...
1/
I finished it! A Warhammer 40K adventure & TTRPG where you *don't* play Space Marines. Instead you play those little hooded freaks loitering in the background while Space Marines hog the limelight.
PDF here: drive.google.com/file/d/1V4Mt...
1/
November 18, 2025 at 4:59 PM
🙏CHAPTER SERF🙏
I finished it! A Warhammer 40K adventure & TTRPG where you *don't* play Space Marines. Instead you play those little hooded freaks loitering in the background while Space Marines hog the limelight.
PDF here: drive.google.com/file/d/1V4Mt...
1/
I finished it! A Warhammer 40K adventure & TTRPG where you *don't* play Space Marines. Instead you play those little hooded freaks loitering in the background while Space Marines hog the limelight.
PDF here: drive.google.com/file/d/1V4Mt...
1/
What @elmc.at is doing is astounding! I'm looking forward to the final result and his blogpost for this matter. Also, it's nice to know that my blog is somewhere inside 😅
November 18, 2025 at 3:39 PM
What @elmc.at is doing is astounding! I'm looking forward to the final result and his blogpost for this matter. Also, it's nice to know that my blog is somewhere inside 😅
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
Added a community detection algorithm to the data and it found five clusters.
The layout now forms a pentagram unintentionally fitting for this little satanic panic hobby.
Here's a fun scroll through the years
The layout now forms a pentagram unintentionally fitting for this little satanic panic hobby.
Here's a fun scroll through the years
November 18, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Added a community detection algorithm to the data and it found five clusters.
The layout now forms a pentagram unintentionally fitting for this little satanic panic hobby.
Here's a fun scroll through the years
The layout now forms a pentagram unintentionally fitting for this little satanic panic hobby.
Here's a fun scroll through the years
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
I decided it would be beneficial to collect my findings over the past few months with regard to AD&D towns & cities into one "master" post. I came up with a list of four themes that characterize these environments which the DM might keep in mind when running adventures there:
The Implied Setting of AD&D Towns & Cities: Four Themes
This is a topic I've been dancing around a lot for the past few months. As my observations have accumulated, I've begun to feel that it woul...
forlornencystment.blogspot.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:53 PM
I decided it would be beneficial to collect my findings over the past few months with regard to AD&D towns & cities into one "master" post. I came up with a list of four themes that characterize these environments which the DM might keep in mind when running adventures there:
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
Feeling behind on the latest OSR blogs? Simply read them all at once!
November 12, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Feeling behind on the latest OSR blogs? Simply read them all at once!
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
Spent the past week mining my RSS reader to map what I'm calling the "Blogverse"
Still adding data and tuning the graph, but I'll share soon
Early stats: 1027 blogs, 13393 links, 203918 posts - and counting
Still adding data and tuning the graph, but I'll share soon
Early stats: 1027 blogs, 13393 links, 203918 posts - and counting
November 12, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Spent the past week mining my RSS reader to map what I'm calling the "Blogverse"
Still adding data and tuning the graph, but I'll share soon
Early stats: 1027 blogs, 13393 links, 203918 posts - and counting
Still adding data and tuning the graph, but I'll share soon
Early stats: 1027 blogs, 13393 links, 203918 posts - and counting
Reposted by Afraid of Encounters
New Blogpost: I’d Rather Be a Mouse Than an Elf
Why sword & whiskers fantasy is more gameable than your standard pseudo-medieval fantasy settings.
#osr #ttrpg #MausritterMonth
Why sword & whiskers fantasy is more gameable than your standard pseudo-medieval fantasy settings.
#osr #ttrpg #MausritterMonth
I’d Rather Be a Mouse Than an Elf — Prismatic Wasteland
I love pretending to be an elf just as much as the next guy, but it pales in comparison to the joys of pretending to be a mouse with a sewing needle sword at my side.
www.prismaticwasteland.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:11 PM
New Blogpost: I’d Rather Be a Mouse Than an Elf
Why sword & whiskers fantasy is more gameable than your standard pseudo-medieval fantasy settings.
#osr #ttrpg #MausritterMonth
Why sword & whiskers fantasy is more gameable than your standard pseudo-medieval fantasy settings.
#osr #ttrpg #MausritterMonth