RJ Lackie
@rjlackie.com
Writer @ Epic Games. Screenwriter. Emerging tabletop RPG designer. Gay as hell, broken in a fundamental but amusing way, and trying his best to make you laugh and/or cry.
He/him.
He/him.
Pinned
RJ Lackie
@rjlackie.com
· Sep 4
RJ Lackie's Into the Portal
Thoughts, stories and ideas from a budding TTRPG designer.
www.rjlackie.com
Heyo! I’m RJ, a game writer, screenwriter and burgeoning self-taught TTRPG designer who’s three years into a grand adventure at Epic Games. I’m gay as fuck, very friendly, and a barely-functioning human being with a general addiction to yearning.
You can find my TTRPG ramblings at Into the Portal.
You can find my TTRPG ramblings at Into the Portal.
I also broke multiple broom handles using them as pretend bo staffs.
So did you practice the way you’d throw a Poké Ball when you were a kid or were you normal
December 3, 2025 at 5:00 AM
I also broke multiple broom handles using them as pretend bo staffs.
Reposted by RJ Lackie
GDC 2026 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS OPEN 📣
Our alumni say it best!
🗣️"This opportunity allowed me to connect with other marginalized game designers, who helped me navigate challenging experiences in AAA & continue to act as mentors for me."
✏️ www.gamedevsofcolor.org/scholarship
#GDC2026 #gamedev
Our alumni say it best!
🗣️"This opportunity allowed me to connect with other marginalized game designers, who helped me navigate challenging experiences in AAA & continue to act as mentors for me."
✏️ www.gamedevsofcolor.org/scholarship
#GDC2026 #gamedev
December 1, 2025 at 8:00 PM
GDC 2026 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS OPEN 📣
Our alumni say it best!
🗣️"This opportunity allowed me to connect with other marginalized game designers, who helped me navigate challenging experiences in AAA & continue to act as mentors for me."
✏️ www.gamedevsofcolor.org/scholarship
#GDC2026 #gamedev
Our alumni say it best!
🗣️"This opportunity allowed me to connect with other marginalized game designers, who helped me navigate challenging experiences in AAA & continue to act as mentors for me."
✏️ www.gamedevsofcolor.org/scholarship
#GDC2026 #gamedev
Though they’re still in early, unplaytested state, I had a ton of fun designing these games and am very excited to share ‘em with folks. If you are at all curious about em, please check them, and Into the Portal, out. I promise to be respectful of your email inbox 😁 #ttrpg
It's out! Portalier Press' first packet of playtestable micro-TTRPGs -- which includes previously released REFLECTIONS IN A DYING WORLD, THE STATION and FAE GOTHIC, and new games THE BOX, STORY BUILDERS and GILDED BLADES -- is up at the blog for all subscribers! #ttrpg
Portalier Press Playtesting Packet, Fall '25
Welcome to Portalier Press' first Playtesting Packet! Featuring six games: Reflections in a Dying World, The Box, Story Builders, Gilded Blades (created by RJ Lackie & Megan MacKay), fae gothic and Th...
www.rjlackie.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Though they’re still in early, unplaytested state, I had a ton of fun designing these games and am very excited to share ‘em with folks. If you are at all curious about em, please check them, and Into the Portal, out. I promise to be respectful of your email inbox 😁 #ttrpg
D&D day is upon us, and the DM is adorned with roses.
November 30, 2025 at 7:07 PM
D&D day is upon us, and the DM is adorned with roses.
It's out! Portalier Press' first packet of playtestable micro-TTRPGs -- which includes previously released REFLECTIONS IN A DYING WORLD, THE STATION and FAE GOTHIC, and new games THE BOX, STORY BUILDERS and GILDED BLADES -- is up at the blog for all subscribers! #ttrpg
Portalier Press Playtesting Packet, Fall '25
Welcome to Portalier Press' first Playtesting Packet! Featuring six games: Reflections in a Dying World, The Box, Story Builders, Gilded Blades (created by RJ Lackie & Megan MacKay), fae gothic and Th...
www.rjlackie.com
November 30, 2025 at 5:19 PM
It's out! Portalier Press' first packet of playtestable micro-TTRPGs -- which includes previously released REFLECTIONS IN A DYING WORLD, THE STATION and FAE GOTHIC, and new games THE BOX, STORY BUILDERS and GILDED BLADES -- is up at the blog for all subscribers! #ttrpg
Unless something goes awry, I should be posting Portalier Press' first packet of playtestable micro-TTRPGs tomorrow on the blog!
If you're interested to see (and test!) our first wave of creations, subscribe - for zero dollars! - at Into the Portal to make sure you get access to the PDF. 😁 #ttrpg
If you're interested to see (and test!) our first wave of creations, subscribe - for zero dollars! - at Into the Portal to make sure you get access to the PDF. 😁 #ttrpg
RJ Lackie's Into the Portal
Thoughts, stories and ideas from a budding TTRPG designer.
www.rjlackie.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Unless something goes awry, I should be posting Portalier Press' first packet of playtestable micro-TTRPGs tomorrow on the blog!
If you're interested to see (and test!) our first wave of creations, subscribe - for zero dollars! - at Into the Portal to make sure you get access to the PDF. 😁 #ttrpg
If you're interested to see (and test!) our first wave of creations, subscribe - for zero dollars! - at Into the Portal to make sure you get access to the PDF. 😁 #ttrpg
The Portalier Press page on my site has been updated with our Itch.io page, and to welcome @mmmegan.bsky.social publicly to this nonsense. 😁 Y'all will get a glimpse of Megan's contributions to Portalier pretty soon.
Portalier Press
Portalier Press is an independent TTRPG publisher, currently known for creating D&D 5e supplements including the Portalier Artificer subclass and the Pact of the Empty Warlock subclass. They are curre...
www.rjlackie.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:07 AM
The Portalier Press page on my site has been updated with our Itch.io page, and to welcome @mmmegan.bsky.social publicly to this nonsense. 😁 Y'all will get a glimpse of Megan's contributions to Portalier pretty soon.
For me, it's to inhabit a character and their world, to engage in emotional relationships with other characters/players, and have fun in strategic engagement with mechanics.
Or more simply: to unlock the power of playing pretend as a kid, but with the structure and support craved by an adult.
Or more simply: to unlock the power of playing pretend as a kid, but with the structure and support craved by an adult.
What, in your opinion, is the actual end goal or "purpose" of playing a TTRPG?
This is for an in-progress writing project and would really love input (via replies, quotes, and/or shares).
This is for an in-progress writing project and would really love input (via replies, quotes, and/or shares).
November 30, 2025 at 12:06 AM
For me, it's to inhabit a character and their world, to engage in emotional relationships with other characters/players, and have fun in strategic engagement with mechanics.
Or more simply: to unlock the power of playing pretend as a kid, but with the structure and support craved by an adult.
Or more simply: to unlock the power of playing pretend as a kid, but with the structure and support craved by an adult.
Reposted by RJ Lackie
im freshly paranoid about my imminent disappearance from the internet so my how to make a zine guide is now available as a free pdf on naumin.itch.io/how-to-zine
July 11, 2025 at 2:02 PM
im freshly paranoid about my imminent disappearance from the internet so my how to make a zine guide is now available as a free pdf on naumin.itch.io/how-to-zine
fuck yes!
@rjlackie.com has swears! They've used 146 profanities in their last 1,177 posts.
🥇 "fucking" (40 times)
🥈 "fuck" (28 times)
🥉 "shit" (23 times)
🥇 "fucking" (40 times)
🥈 "fuck" (28 times)
🥉 "shit" (23 times)
November 29, 2025 at 10:59 PM
fuck yes!
November 29, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Probably bank it as an art fund to commission art for my smaller TTRPG projects (and also as a ‘break in case of emergencies/layoffs’ fund)
Honest question: If everyone got Universal Basic Income, no strings attached, what would YOU do with it?
Re-post with your quote or drop your take below.
Re-post with your quote or drop your take below.
November 29, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Probably bank it as an art fund to commission art for my smaller TTRPG projects (and also as a ‘break in case of emergencies/layoffs’ fund)
This inspired me to throw a cardi on while working on this blog post.
Cardigans are good!
Cardigans are good!
November 29, 2025 at 10:14 PM
This inspired me to throw a cardi on while working on this blog post.
Cardigans are good!
Cardigans are good!
Reposted by RJ Lackie
[observing someone’s obsessive passion project] wow i really like whatever’s wrong with that guy
November 28, 2025 at 11:40 PM
[observing someone’s obsessive passion project] wow i really like whatever’s wrong with that guy
What’s one perspective on the world that you feel filters into your work?
For me, one is: tragedy can happen to anyone. You can avoid risk, but ultimately it doesn’t matter if you’re a good person or a bad one: at any time you might be five minutes away from the worst day of your life.
For me, one is: tragedy can happen to anyone. You can avoid risk, but ultimately it doesn’t matter if you’re a good person or a bad one: at any time you might be five minutes away from the worst day of your life.
November 29, 2025 at 4:35 PM
What’s one perspective on the world that you feel filters into your work?
For me, one is: tragedy can happen to anyone. You can avoid risk, but ultimately it doesn’t matter if you’re a good person or a bad one: at any time you might be five minutes away from the worst day of your life.
For me, one is: tragedy can happen to anyone. You can avoid risk, but ultimately it doesn’t matter if you’re a good person or a bad one: at any time you might be five minutes away from the worst day of your life.
Added itch links to these recs in the replies, in case anyone wants to find a new favourite game ^_^
Gonna toss out recs for:
Pallas
Rom Com Drama Bomb
Wickedness
Under the Autumn Strangely
Midnight Melodies
#ttrpg
Pallas
Rom Com Drama Bomb
Wickedness
Under the Autumn Strangely
Midnight Melodies
#ttrpg
Let's get an indie ttrpg HYPE TRAIN going and recommend some cool games for people to buy/gift.
If you're a small #ttrpg creator (or there's an indie game you really love) drop a quick pitch and a link below.
🚅🎲🎲🎲🌟🌟
If you're a small #ttrpg creator (or there's an indie game you really love) drop a quick pitch and a link below.
🚅🎲🎲🎲🌟🌟
November 29, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Added itch links to these recs in the replies, in case anyone wants to find a new favourite game ^_^
Reposted by RJ Lackie
Blankets are on sale til Tuesday!! ❤️🦌 lots of different options of designs/ types/ sizes here!
www.etsy.com/shop/DobieDr...
www.etsy.com/shop/DobieDr...
November 28, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Blankets are on sale til Tuesday!! ❤️🦌 lots of different options of designs/ types/ sizes here!
www.etsy.com/shop/DobieDr...
www.etsy.com/shop/DobieDr...
Now that we've got a faithful Heated Rivalry show that's doing well, it's time to demand a similarly faithful TV adaptation of Ari Baran's Game Misconduct (which is like Heated Rivalry but angrier, their first hookup happens immediately after... or during??... a fistfight.)
The Heated Rivalry show is everything I’d wanted, and I am a little sad that we can’t really expect a hundred more seasons of it.
a man without a shirt is talking into a sports microphone .
Alt: a man without a shirt is talking into a sports microphone .
media.tenor.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Now that we've got a faithful Heated Rivalry show that's doing well, it's time to demand a similarly faithful TV adaptation of Ari Baran's Game Misconduct (which is like Heated Rivalry but angrier, their first hookup happens immediately after... or during??... a fistfight.)
The Heated Rivalry show is everything I’d wanted, and I am a little sad that we can’t really expect a hundred more seasons of it.
a man without a shirt is talking into a sports microphone .
Alt: a man without a shirt is talking into a sports microphone .
media.tenor.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:39 AM
The Heated Rivalry show is everything I’d wanted, and I am a little sad that we can’t really expect a hundred more seasons of it.
Gonna toss out recs for:
Pallas
Rom Com Drama Bomb
Wickedness
Under the Autumn Strangely
Midnight Melodies
#ttrpg
Pallas
Rom Com Drama Bomb
Wickedness
Under the Autumn Strangely
Midnight Melodies
#ttrpg
Let's get an indie ttrpg HYPE TRAIN going and recommend some cool games for people to buy/gift.
If you're a small #ttrpg creator (or there's an indie game you really love) drop a quick pitch and a link below.
🚅🎲🎲🎲🌟🌟
If you're a small #ttrpg creator (or there's an indie game you really love) drop a quick pitch and a link below.
🚅🎲🎲🎲🌟🌟
November 28, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Gonna toss out recs for:
Pallas
Rom Com Drama Bomb
Wickedness
Under the Autumn Strangely
Midnight Melodies
#ttrpg
Pallas
Rom Com Drama Bomb
Wickedness
Under the Autumn Strangely
Midnight Melodies
#ttrpg
THE BAYOU remains one of my favourite novellas, and absolutely worth picking up.
I got hit with an unexpected $200 expense today! I need to buy software to keep my new freelance job. It would be amazing to sell some books or get some new patrons to help cover it 😬
Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/ardenpowell
Exclusive fiction: www.patreon.com/ardenpowell
Books on Itchio: ardenpowell.itch.io
Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/ardenpowell
Exclusive fiction: www.patreon.com/ardenpowell
Books on Itchio: ardenpowell.itch.io
November 28, 2025 at 8:20 PM
THE BAYOU remains one of my favourite novellas, and absolutely worth picking up.
Reposted by RJ Lackie
Time Magazine quoting a @thebeaverton.com article about the US shooting a "patriot missile" at Parliament Hill like it's something Pete Hoekstra actually said might be my favourite moment of the week. Congrats, @ianmmacintyre.bsky.social, you very serious reporter! www.cbc.ca/news/world/b...
'Made-up quote' in Canadian satire site The Beaverton fools Time Magazine | CBC News
In a recent article about the United States' strained relationships with other countries, Time Magazine included a made-up quote from Canadian satire site The Beaverton — seemingly as fact.
www.cbc.ca
November 28, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Time Magazine quoting a @thebeaverton.com article about the US shooting a "patriot missile" at Parliament Hill like it's something Pete Hoekstra actually said might be my favourite moment of the week. Congrats, @ianmmacintyre.bsky.social, you very serious reporter! www.cbc.ca/news/world/b...
TTRPG designer folk: What do you do when you're not 100% sure whether a mechanic you're working with is original, or if the seed of it is from something you read and you can't pin down where? What's your first course of action there? #ttrpg
November 28, 2025 at 6:01 PM
TTRPG designer folk: What do you do when you're not 100% sure whether a mechanic you're working with is original, or if the seed of it is from something you read and you can't pin down where? What's your first course of action there? #ttrpg
I learned a lot about this principle when I started developing a wardrobe. So many beautiful clothes I bought online, not realizing I loved their aesthetic but hadn’t thought about whether I’d like them *on my body*, or whether I’d enjoy wearing them.
By the same token, more creative people need to learn to separate "I like it" from "this is right for the project."
Sometimes those are the same thing and sometimes they are very much not!
Sometimes those are the same thing and sometimes they are very much not!
begging people to learn to separate “i like it” with “it’s good.”
i like some things that are objectively crap. you can admit that you do too. it’s fine
i like some things that are objectively crap. you can admit that you do too. it’s fine
November 28, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I learned a lot about this principle when I started developing a wardrobe. So many beautiful clothes I bought online, not realizing I loved their aesthetic but hadn’t thought about whether I’d like them *on my body*, or whether I’d enjoy wearing them.