Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
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signalstation.bsky.social
Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
@signalstation.bsky.social
1.2K followers 1K following 2K posts
Writing type person. TTRPG work: Ennie award-winning Wassailing of Claus Manor; Devil, Aim For Me; DIE, GRAVE ROBBER, DIE!, writer on Trophy, Brindlewood Bay, Public Access, Planet Raygun etc. etc. | signalstation.itch.io
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signalstation.bsky.social
Michael Van Vleet (he/him) @signalstation.bsky.social · Nov 17
Hey all, I'm Michael, a writer in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I've written a goodly amount of stuff for The Gauntlet and mostly write TTRPG stuff that alternates between horror and hilarity.

[artwork by @pigeonchild.bsky.social, @rapidpunches.neocities.org (x2), @thoughtographic.bsky.social]
Cover for DEVIL, AIM FOR ME by Michael Van Vleet. Illustration: A man in a grey suit holds a pistol, a single red eye visible under his cowboy hat. He is bleeding from his chest. A shadowy demon figure behind him with many strange eyes is reaching around him, holding his wound closed. The cover of DIE, GRAVE ROBBER, DIE! by Michael Van Vleet. Illustration: A blank eyed green masculine face hovers in the background, its disembodied grasping hands beginning to encircle a shrouded corpse in the foreground, the corpse's mouth in agony, visible even through its sheet. The border is decorated with pink roses. The cover for Moon's Shot by Michael Van Vleet. Illustration: In the foreground, a walrus reclines in a sci-fi flying seat, rockets visible underneath. Its left paw is wrapped around a joystick. In the background, a cave with stalactites. A crude rocket ship has been lowered into it with two stout ropes attached to loops on its roof. Its door is open. Illustration: a bearded man with black glasses gives an evil grin. He is wearing a top hat and a bow tie,and jacket, dressed like a circus ringmaster. Behind him on the left, a grinning clown with black empty eyes. Behind him on the right, a cynical clown looks away, a fez on its head. It holds a balloon decorated with a single unblinking eye.
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
alana-m-vincent.net
We shed as we pick up, like travellers who must carry everything in their arms, and what we let fall will be picked up by those behind. The procession is very long and life is very short. We die on the march. But there is nothing outside the march so nothing can be lost to it.
Thomasina: But instead, the Egyptian noodle made carnal embrace with the enemy who burned the great library of Alexandria without so much as a fine for all that is overdue. Oh, Septimus! -can you bear it? All the lost plays of the Athenians! Two hundred at least BG Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides-thousands of poems, Aristotle's own library brought to Egypt by the noodle's ancestors! How can we sleep for grief? Septimus: By counting our stock. Seven plays from Aeschylus, seven from Sophocles, nineteen from Euripides, my lady! You should no more grieve for the rest than for a buckle lost from your first shoe, or for your lesson book which will be lost when you are old. We shed as we pick up, like travellers who must carry everything in their arms, and what we let fall will be picked up by those behind. The procession is very long and life is very short. We die on the march. But there is nothing outside the march so nothing can be lost to it. The missing plays of Sophocles will turn up piece by piece, or be written again in another language. Ancient cures for diseases will reveal themselves once more. Mathematical discoveries glimpsed and lost to view will have their time again. You do not suppose, my lady, that if all of Archimedes had been hiding in the great library of Alexandria, we would be at a loss for a corkscrew?
November 29, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
gamefiend.bsky.social
I wish I could say I learned through this just through my own insight and wisdom, but the truth is I smashed myself against the rocks several times and had my need for expression and love for design outweigh that need for validation. But I have learned some things i can share...
dairykillsme.bsky.social dairykillsme @dairykillsme.bsky.social · 22h
As someone who is new in this space, I definitely struggle with searching for validation in TTRPGs. Obviously it's bad for my mental health, but any tips that helped you learn that lesson?
November 29, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
signalstation.bsky.social
why don't more cowboys have viziers
November 28, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
deadspiderhands.bsky.social
more lil skull masks
November 29, 2025 at 2:55 AM
signalstation.bsky.social
me, a cowboy: hey, pass me some more of them beans, wouldja?

lumpus, my cowboy jester: ha ha, hell naw, you're dumb as hell... you're dumber'n a donkey-kicked nun, you don't need no beans!

me, a cowboy: dang boy, you got my number, that's why I keep you around
November 28, 2025 at 9:42 PM
signalstation.bsky.social
I would love to help you guys on your quest, but this greasy guy I keep around for advice has whispered in my ear and dang if that sorta thing don't just turn my brain to mush. Sorry fellas.
November 28, 2025 at 9:34 PM
signalstation.bsky.social
hey, if you're shopping today, maybe consider checking out the character art on Pick Me's Kickstarter page and let that guide your heart

it's a game about cutthroat toys competing for the love of a single child and that's what xmas is to me: a fight to the death

www.kickstarter.com/projects/but...
Pick Me TTRPG
Love-starved Christmas toys are delivered to a home where a child plays favorites.
www.kickstarter.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:29 PM
signalstation.bsky.social
I'm converting my bsky account to a weblog and I'm excited to launch my first weblog entry (or "blog") in its entirety:

WHAT IS THE OSR?
by Michael Van Vleet

I don't know.

[rss]
[comments]

Thank you for giving my first article your attention. This weblog thing is off to a great start.
November 28, 2025 at 6:30 PM
signalstation.bsky.social
Found a group who took the time to translate Devil, Aim For Me into Spanish for their Actual Play session. How cool is that?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFK_...
Devil Aim For Me - Trophy Dark (1/X)
YouTube video by Shirowhasi (Shirowhasi)
www.youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
jasoncordova.bsky.social
The Gauntlet Pitch Day is coming December 6th. We’re taking pitches for our in-development game, The Lands Remaining. Come do some sad fantasy with us!

Details: www.gauntlet-rpg.com/pitch-day.html
Pitch Day
Pitch Day: The Great Forest We’re taking pitches for our upcoming game, The Lands Remaining ! Pitch Day will be December 6th, 2025. There will be three different Zoom calls you can join to make...
www.gauntlet-rpg.com
November 28, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
fridaypacific.bsky.social
November 28, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
thenatalieash.bsky.social
On this Black Friday / itch.io Creator Day, a bunch of our stuff is on sale. I would direct your attention to Northpoleland which is my incredible Christmas themed Trophy Dark incursion. Enjoy the holidays with mirth and mayhem.

byemberandash.itch.io/northpoleland
November 28, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
vinsyn.bsky.social
Our Black Friday Sale is LIVE, now through 11:59 PM ET on Tuesday, Dec 2 💿 Save 50%+ off on close to 1,000 VS, VS Sub-Label, and OCN Partner Label releases. There’s no better time to pick up an old favorite, make a new discovery, and generally blow your cinematic mind—only at VinegarSyndrome.com 🧠
November 28, 2025 at 5:01 AM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
carrion-comfort.com
Posting HOLE

No words can describe how cool it is to see weird little words from my tiny, weird brain in print. Thanks for the opportunity to share space with some talented folks @clearkeep.bsky.social.

Tourist Hole is available now through @plusoneexp.bsky.social
Cover of a strange game by Mike martens called Tourist Hole Screenshot of a page spread I wrote. It's for the Pyramid of Infinity. A truly normal place. Screenshot of a page spread I wrote. It's for the Sapphire Underground Spring. A very fake place based on a very real place
November 25, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
ityslmemes.com
thinking of her today
November 27, 2025 at 3:07 PM
signalstation.bsky.social
Just in time for xmas and from the brilliant mind behind BUTTER PRINCESS!

Play-to-lose as misfit toys, desperate to win the affection of a single child... their heart only has room for one!

www.kickstarter.com/projects/but...
Pick Me TTRPG
Love-starved Christmas toys are delivered to a home where a child plays favorites.
www.kickstarter.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:05 PM
signalstation.bsky.social
Every time I look at horror-themed toys/decorations/merch I'm so glad that I'm not invested in any of the properties that are widely licensed.

I'd be in real trouble if The Abominable Dr Phibes appeared on Spirit Halloween shelves alongside Chucky and that lot.
November 27, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
mikedawson.bsky.social
Side-part Wolverine
Wolverine looking exactly as he does now except he has a side part haircut
November 27, 2025 at 2:56 AM
signalstation.bsky.social
Letterboxd keeps sending me offers to go to screenings, perhaps misunderstanding that the way I watch so many movies is by not going out.
November 26, 2025 at 8:09 PM
signalstation.bsky.social
For Black Friday, I'm offering a special where I give you 50% of my attention.
November 26, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
clearkeep.bsky.social
Wrapped production of the second expansion zine for The Wassailing!

And what is this? @jesseross.com contributed an entirely new rules component where a cursed forest can take over the Manor … if you ask too much of it, which you will, because you're a sicko.

(Art by @oxsago.bsky.social.)
The Deepest Forest spread from The Pine Tar of Claus Manor. Art includes an etching of a fanged mouth forming in moonlit trees, overlaid on a oil painting of dark snowy woods.
November 26, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
vince-vodka.bsky.social
A small dose of the mechs in this show
November 26, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
dngnclub.itch.io
All I want for my birthday are some 5 Star reviews!
DNGN CLUB: BIRTHDAY BUNDLE by DNGNCLUB
A sale by DNGNCLUB, 100% off 16 games
itch.io
November 25, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
dngnclub.itch.io
In the spirit of hobbit birthdays, have some free games!
DNGN Club Birthday Bundle Today I turn 39. For the next 24 hours, 16 of my games are free!
November 25, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Reposted by Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
randomgacha.bsky.social
https://gacha.o0o0.jp/gp/archives/557
『すべてがおしまいになったカエル マスコットフィギュア』発売！あふれんばかりの悲壮感。
"Everything is Over: Frog Mascot Figure" now on sale! Overflowing with a sense of tragedy.
#ガチャポン #gachapon
『すべてがおしまいになったカエル マスコットフィギュア』 ラインナップ＜１＞カエルとバニラアイス＜２＞桃色カエルとイチゴアイス＜３＞青色カエルとミックスアイス＜４＞黄色カエルとチョコアイス＜５＞紫色カエルと抹茶アイス＜６＞シークレット メー "Everything is Over Frog Mascot Figure" Lineup <1> Frog and vanilla ice cream <2> Pink frog and strawberry ice cream <3> Blue frog and mixed ice cream <4> Yellow frog and chocolate ice cream <5> Purple frog and matcha ice cream <6> Secret Ma
November 23, 2025 at 8:00 PM