Avram Grumer
@avramg.bsky.social
Brooklynite, early blogger, general-purpose nerd, ttRPG noodle-arounder, once and future cartoonist, typeface addict, doggerelist, one-time Hugo finalist, occasional crank. He/him.
“A second Ryan Lizza piece has hit Telos.”
November 22, 2025 at 6:10 AM
“A second Ryan Lizza piece has hit Telos.”
Sounds like Washington Square Park hasn’t changed much since I used to hang out there 35 years ago.
November 13, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Sounds like Washington Square Park hasn’t changed much since I used to hang out there 35 years ago.
I’ll only be happy if they include the musical number.
November 11, 2025 at 2:47 AM
I’ll only be happy if they include the musical number.
Finally got myself a physical copy of first-edition Fiasco, plus the Companion. Found ’em on eBay, $10 for both, plus $8 for shipping.
#ttRPG
#ttRPG
November 11, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Finally got myself a physical copy of first-edition Fiasco, plus the Companion. Found ’em on eBay, $10 for both, plus $8 for shipping.
#ttRPG
#ttRPG
I’m gonna be playing Monsterhearts for the first time on Sunday, with a group of people I don’t know well, so I made up a bunch of fancy X-cards, so I can be sure there’ll be some on hand.
#ttRPG
#ttRPG
November 8, 2025 at 2:27 AM
I’m gonna be playing Monsterhearts for the first time on Sunday, with a group of people I don’t know well, so I made up a bunch of fancy X-cards, so I can be sure there’ll be some on hand.
#ttRPG
#ttRPG
Maybe with those eyestalks
![FLUMPH
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 2-16
ARMOUR CLASS:
Upper surface O;
underside 8
MOVE: 6"
HIT DICE: 2
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK:
1-8 plus 1-4 (acid)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENCES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Lawful good
SIZE: S (2' diameter)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defence Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE:
11/36 + 2 per hit point
[pen and ink drawing of a weird saucer-shaped creature, with two eyestalks projecting upward and an array of tentacles projecting downward]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:76ahqapcojnivrabrjtohb7v/bafkreib333dzn5tv4izkfbw7pm6z7voh7ctu3sgbt26tjprww4d5dg6ujy@jpeg)
November 7, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Maybe with those eyestalks
I knew I’d seen this before. Anyone else remember this panel from Marvelman/Miracleman?
November 7, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I knew I’d seen this before. Anyone else remember this panel from Marvelman/Miracleman?
It doesn’t look very threatening.
It looks a lot like a lazy 1980s sci-fi illustration. Artist just sits down with a circle template and a rapidograph, and lightly stipples shading on a bunch of circles.
It looks a lot like a lazy 1980s sci-fi illustration. Artist just sits down with a circle template and a rapidograph, and lightly stipples shading on a bunch of circles.
November 7, 2025 at 5:30 AM
It doesn’t look very threatening.
It looks a lot like a lazy 1980s sci-fi illustration. Artist just sits down with a circle template and a rapidograph, and lightly stipples shading on a bunch of circles.
It looks a lot like a lazy 1980s sci-fi illustration. Artist just sits down with a circle template and a rapidograph, and lightly stipples shading on a bunch of circles.
In 2021, a 2-point victory (50.6%–48.6%) by a Republican in the Virginia gov race meant Republicans had “schooled the left” and “Democrats [were] in trouble.”
Last night, a Democrat trounced the Republican in the VA gov race by 15 points (57.5%–42.3%). Any comment on that from Douthat or Stephens?
Last night, a Democrat trounced the Republican in the VA gov race by 15 points (57.5%–42.3%). Any comment on that from Douthat or Stephens?
November 5, 2025 at 9:59 PM
In 2021, a 2-point victory (50.6%–48.6%) by a Republican in the Virginia gov race meant Republicans had “schooled the left” and “Democrats [were] in trouble.”
Last night, a Democrat trounced the Republican in the VA gov race by 15 points (57.5%–42.3%). Any comment on that from Douthat or Stephens?
Last night, a Democrat trounced the Republican in the VA gov race by 15 points (57.5%–42.3%). Any comment on that from Douthat or Stephens?
It’s a real nail-biter, folks!
November 5, 2025 at 1:06 AM
It’s a real nail-biter, folks!
Italians also invented anti-Fascism. Cuomo’s not sucking up to Trump’s backers because he’s Italian; he’s doing it because he’s a corrupt asshole, a category which transcends ethnicity.
November 4, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Italians also invented anti-Fascism. Cuomo’s not sucking up to Trump’s backers because he’s Italian; he’s doing it because he’s a corrupt asshole, a category which transcends ethnicity.
Imagine if they’d started by adapting the dueling rules from En Garde!
![Screencap of part of a page of RPG rules. Page header: "En Garde!"
Duelling Table A: Actions and Routines
Actions
[boxed text]
X = Rest/Guard/Recover
(called Rest for simplicity)
L = Lunge
S = Slash
C = Cut
K = Kick
JB = Jump Back
CL = Close
R = Riposte
T = Throw
P = Parry
B = Block
Sur = Surrender
OPI = Optional Parry I
OP2 = Optional Parry 2
OBI = Optional Block
OB2 = Optional Block 2
[end of boxed text]
Recording Actions
Each turn, both players will simultaneously perform an action. To enable simultaneity of actions, players will record their actions ahead of time. A player records an entire sequence (12 turns) of actions and then performs them one per turn. One action must be recorded for each turn of the sequence. Each action recorded must be part of a routine as listed on Duelling Table A. All actions in a routine must be performed in the exact order given on the table, and no routine may be begun before the previous routine is completed.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:76ahqapcojnivrabrjtohb7v/bafkreidoeepk7jzhvl2dc22csj445baqmjm373gh4rrj4lct4tyqb4qqai@jpeg)
November 2, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Imagine if they’d started by adapting the dueling rules from En Garde!
This is how I’m gonna look every time someone hits the dislike button one of my posts.
November 2, 2025 at 2:58 AM
This is how I’m gonna look every time someone hits the dislike button one of my posts.
If you see this, post a vampire that isn't Dracula
(This is by Mike Russell, who I think is on here as @culturepulp.bsky.social)
(This is by Mike Russell, who I think is on here as @culturepulp.bsky.social)
October 31, 2025 at 5:24 AM
If you see this, post a vampire that isn't Dracula
(This is by Mike Russell, who I think is on here as @culturepulp.bsky.social)
(This is by Mike Russell, who I think is on here as @culturepulp.bsky.social)
Mamdani waited till two days after I voted to let this drop
October 31, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Mamdani waited till two days after I voted to let this drop
Amused to see that both of these start off declaring themselves open letters (אפענער בריוו), but one is *a* (א) open letter, and the other *an* (אן) open letter.
October 29, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Amused to see that both of these start off declaring themselves open letters (אפענער בריוו), but one is *a* (א) open letter, and the other *an* (אן) open letter.
October 29, 2025 at 12:20 AM
"You may choose one person to tell you the Aristocrats joke"
October 28, 2025 at 4:53 AM
"You may choose one person to tell you the Aristocrats joke"
Just realized that this 2005 comment by Neel Krishnaswami, in the defunct #ttRPG blog The 20' x 20' Room, pretty much describes the way Values work in Smallville/Cortex Drama (2010).
web.archive.org/web/20081014...
web.archive.org/web/20081014...
October 24, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Just realized that this 2005 comment by Neel Krishnaswami, in the defunct #ttRPG blog The 20' x 20' Room, pretty much describes the way Values work in Smallville/Cortex Drama (2010).
web.archive.org/web/20081014...
web.archive.org/web/20081014...
Honestly never expected this boardgame to catch on among the political set.
October 22, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Honestly never expected this boardgame to catch on among the political set.