Goblincow 🍉
@goblincow.bsky.social
My book is crowdfunding 🐞🐛🕷
www.melsonia.com/products/pre-order-pudwick
analogue game design | illustration | words | tabletop roleplaying games | goblincow.carrd.co
he/him | audhd iconoclast
newsletter | patreon.com/goblincow459
www.melsonia.com/products/pre-order-pudwick
analogue game design | illustration | words | tabletop roleplaying games | goblincow.carrd.co
he/him | audhd iconoclast
newsletter | patreon.com/goblincow459
October 6, 2025 at 4:40 PM
🍐 3 DAYS REMAIN
Preorder by Oct 7 (18:00 GMT)
🦋 Shrink to size & explore a labyrinthine world of bug factions inside a sapient pear tree, racing against the clock to shape the future of a dungeon that was never yours to delve & escape before you grow to full size!
www.melsonia.com/products/pre...
Preorder by Oct 7 (18:00 GMT)
🦋 Shrink to size & explore a labyrinthine world of bug factions inside a sapient pear tree, racing against the clock to shape the future of a dungeon that was never yours to delve & escape before you grow to full size!
www.melsonia.com/products/pre...
October 5, 2025 at 1:27 AM
🍐 3 DAYS REMAIN
Preorder by Oct 7 (18:00 GMT)
🦋 Shrink to size & explore a labyrinthine world of bug factions inside a sapient pear tree, racing against the clock to shape the future of a dungeon that was never yours to delve & escape before you grow to full size!
www.melsonia.com/products/pre...
Preorder by Oct 7 (18:00 GMT)
🦋 Shrink to size & explore a labyrinthine world of bug factions inside a sapient pear tree, racing against the clock to shape the future of a dungeon that was never yours to delve & escape before you grow to full size!
www.melsonia.com/products/pre...
A year ago I blogged about wrapping work on Pudwick, my DIY manifesto as a disabled person, and the reason I'm sharing again now – a contextualisation of the UK's fascist "riots" of August '24.
Permacrisis attacks our ability to remember. Maybe this is helpful:
www.patreon.com/posts/green-...
Permacrisis attacks our ability to remember. Maybe this is helpful:
www.patreon.com/posts/green-...
September 24, 2025 at 5:59 PM
A year ago I blogged about wrapping work on Pudwick, my DIY manifesto as a disabled person, and the reason I'm sharing again now – a contextualisation of the UK's fascist "riots" of August '24.
Permacrisis attacks our ability to remember. Maybe this is helpful:
www.patreon.com/posts/green-...
Permacrisis attacks our ability to remember. Maybe this is helpful:
www.patreon.com/posts/green-...
Oh to breach containment & satiate the hunger of the #Silksong crowd 🤞🐛
Shrink to size & explore a labyrinthine world of bug factions inside a sapient pear tree.
Race against a ticking clock to shape the future of a dungeon that was never yours to delve... and escape before you grow to full size!
Shrink to size & explore a labyrinthine world of bug factions inside a sapient pear tree.
Race against a ticking clock to shape the future of a dungeon that was never yours to delve... and escape before you grow to full size!
September 21, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Oh to breach containment & satiate the hunger of the #Silksong crowd 🤞🐛
Shrink to size & explore a labyrinthine world of bug factions inside a sapient pear tree.
Race against a ticking clock to shape the future of a dungeon that was never yours to delve... and escape before you grow to full size!
Shrink to size & explore a labyrinthine world of bug factions inside a sapient pear tree.
Race against a ticking clock to shape the future of a dungeon that was never yours to delve... and escape before you grow to full size!
And while I'm here, preorder my Troika! bug adventure The Perilous Pear & Plum Pies of Pudwick, available at: www.melsonia.com/products/pre...
September 14, 2025 at 3:38 PM
And while I'm here, preorder my Troika! bug adventure The Perilous Pear & Plum Pies of Pudwick, available at: www.melsonia.com/products/pre...
September 14, 2025 at 3:38 PM
+ an old-school revival of the wargaming variety;
+ moving beyond "rulings not rules" with the freedom of @totally_not_panicking's Sun Rot;
+ why the playful antagonism of dungeon games is a goblin you love to hate.
+ moving beyond "rulings not rules" with the freedom of @totally_not_panicking's Sun Rot;
+ why the playful antagonism of dungeon games is a goblin you love to hate.
September 14, 2025 at 3:38 PM
+ an old-school revival of the wargaming variety;
+ moving beyond "rulings not rules" with the freedom of @totally_not_panicking's Sun Rot;
+ why the playful antagonism of dungeon games is a goblin you love to hate.
+ moving beyond "rulings not rules" with the freedom of @totally_not_panicking's Sun Rot;
+ why the playful antagonism of dungeon games is a goblin you love to hate.
+ the influence of Games Workshop in British games culture;
+ why the DNA of Troika! is science fantasy & genre fiction;
+ talking to Dan Sell about work that sounds like its culture;
+ why the DNA of Troika! is science fantasy & genre fiction;
+ talking to Dan Sell about work that sounds like its culture;
September 14, 2025 at 3:38 PM
+ the influence of Games Workshop in British games culture;
+ why the DNA of Troika! is science fantasy & genre fiction;
+ talking to Dan Sell about work that sounds like its culture;
+ why the DNA of Troika! is science fantasy & genre fiction;
+ talking to Dan Sell about work that sounds like its culture;
From the piece I just wrote about on my blog trying to characterise the shared quality of modern old-school-inspired dungeon rpgs & The Hobby of miniatures skirmish games/kitbashing/scratchbuilding.
I think there's maybe a similar philosophy here?
I think there's maybe a similar philosophy here?
September 14, 2025 at 3:03 PM
From the piece I just wrote about on my blog trying to characterise the shared quality of modern old-school-inspired dungeon rpgs & The Hobby of miniatures skirmish games/kitbashing/scratchbuilding.
I think there's maybe a similar philosophy here?
I think there's maybe a similar philosophy here?
🪰 TPPAPPOP has been a labour of love. I put so much care and attention into simultaneously prioritising both table use & playful reading, so if you're the type who loves to just read adventures (like me) there are all sorts of surprises & prose to enjoy (while still being great for reference).
September 4, 2025 at 6:45 PM
🪰 TPPAPPOP has been a labour of love. I put so much care and attention into simultaneously prioritising both table use & playful reading, so if you're the type who loves to just read adventures (like me) there are all sorts of surprises & prose to enjoy (while still being great for reference).
🦋 Please go buy a copy, I wrote & illustrated the entire thing (there are 36 colour illustrations, still not sure why I did that to myself) and layout is being done by Shuyi Zhang, who is the reason that everything Melsonia publishes is a beauty to behold and reads like magic.
September 4, 2025 at 6:45 PM
🦋 Please go buy a copy, I wrote & illustrated the entire thing (there are 36 colour illustrations, still not sure why I did that to myself) and layout is being done by Shuyi Zhang, who is the reason that everything Melsonia publishes is a beauty to behold and reads like magic.
🪱 DIY crowdfunding lets Melsonia drop kayfabe (the book goes to print either way) but if we hit the funding goal I get to pay back the people that got me here by commissioning some bug NPCs from the friends I made on Twitter & Tumblr who supported & inspired me while I made this book!
September 4, 2025 at 6:45 PM
🪱 DIY crowdfunding lets Melsonia drop kayfabe (the book goes to print either way) but if we hit the funding goal I get to pay back the people that got me here by commissioning some bug NPCs from the friends I made on Twitter & Tumblr who supported & inspired me while I made this book!
🐜 Shrink to insectoid size in a 52 page full-colour, fully illustrated weird fantasy pointcrawl inside a sapient pear tree, written & illustrated by me with layout by Shuyi Zhang.
🪲 Inspired by #HOLLOWKNIGHT | #BUGFABLES | THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE MINISH CAP | HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS | A BUGS LIFE.
🪲 Inspired by #HOLLOWKNIGHT | #BUGFABLES | THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE MINISH CAP | HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS | A BUGS LIFE.
September 4, 2025 at 6:45 PM
🐜 Shrink to insectoid size in a 52 page full-colour, fully illustrated weird fantasy pointcrawl inside a sapient pear tree, written & illustrated by me with layout by Shuyi Zhang.
🪲 Inspired by #HOLLOWKNIGHT | #BUGFABLES | THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE MINISH CAP | HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS | A BUGS LIFE.
🪲 Inspired by #HOLLOWKNIGHT | #BUGFABLES | THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE MINISH CAP | HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS | A BUGS LIFE.
It's really happening?!
For those unaware I wrote and illustrated a book for @melsonian-arts-council.itch.io a while back inspired by Hollow Knight's worldbuilding!
By the time you finish the sequel* you'll be shrinking to size & exploring a world of anthropomorphic bug factions at the table too!
For those unaware I wrote and illustrated a book for @melsonian-arts-council.itch.io a while back inspired by Hollow Knight's worldbuilding!
By the time you finish the sequel* you'll be shrinking to size & exploring a world of anthropomorphic bug factions at the table too!
August 19, 2025 at 5:56 PM
It's really happening?!
For those unaware I wrote and illustrated a book for @melsonian-arts-council.itch.io a while back inspired by Hollow Knight's worldbuilding!
By the time you finish the sequel* you'll be shrinking to size & exploring a world of anthropomorphic bug factions at the table too!
For those unaware I wrote and illustrated a book for @melsonian-arts-council.itch.io a while back inspired by Hollow Knight's worldbuilding!
By the time you finish the sequel* you'll be shrinking to size & exploring a world of anthropomorphic bug factions at the table too!
We're getting somewhere with this.
Weathering is well underway, keeping all the offcut chunks for rocks.
Weathering is well underway, keeping all the offcut chunks for rocks.
July 31, 2025 at 6:45 PM
We're getting somewhere with this.
Weathering is well underway, keeping all the offcut chunks for rocks.
Weathering is well underway, keeping all the offcut chunks for rocks.
Playing miniatures games for free requires a full time hobby and space to chop and glue and paint.
Which I think is more than half the point.
I'm in the scratch build deep end atm and just taking in the whole process.
This is as much part of these games as their rules.
Which I think is more than half the point.
I'm in the scratch build deep end atm and just taking in the whole process.
This is as much part of these games as their rules.
July 31, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Playing miniatures games for free requires a full time hobby and space to chop and glue and paint.
Which I think is more than half the point.
I'm in the scratch build deep end atm and just taking in the whole process.
This is as much part of these games as their rules.
Which I think is more than half the point.
I'm in the scratch build deep end atm and just taking in the whole process.
This is as much part of these games as their rules.
Still working on my bookmark game.
I firmly believe working with a business card or bookmark scale (something really small) forces your design to be well considered.
Form follows function, function follows form.
I firmly believe working with a business card or bookmark scale (something really small) forces your design to be well considered.
Form follows function, function follows form.
July 21, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Still working on my bookmark game.
I firmly believe working with a business card or bookmark scale (something really small) forces your design to be well considered.
Form follows function, function follows form.
I firmly believe working with a business card or bookmark scale (something really small) forces your design to be well considered.
Form follows function, function follows form.
I chopped and collaged parts from local gig flyers for this (plus my trusty label maker).
Cut stuff up and see what happens, I started with no ideas and figured it out as I went.
Cut stuff up and see what happens, I started with no ideas and figured it out as I went.
July 8, 2025 at 5:37 PM
I chopped and collaged parts from local gig flyers for this (plus my trusty label maker).
Cut stuff up and see what happens, I started with no ideas and figured it out as I went.
Cut stuff up and see what happens, I started with no ideas and figured it out as I went.
I'm hacking.
There's something of the spirit of the first time I tried to fix a bad board game, but this time I'm being invited to ass flesh to the skeleton and see what sticks.
Sun Rot is keen on Rulings Not Rules. Ask interesting questions, make choices and run with them. Play as Design.
There's something of the spirit of the first time I tried to fix a bad board game, but this time I'm being invited to ass flesh to the skeleton and see what sticks.
Sun Rot is keen on Rulings Not Rules. Ask interesting questions, make choices and run with them. Play as Design.
July 8, 2025 at 5:37 PM
I'm hacking.
There's something of the spirit of the first time I tried to fix a bad board game, but this time I'm being invited to ass flesh to the skeleton and see what sticks.
Sun Rot is keen on Rulings Not Rules. Ask interesting questions, make choices and run with them. Play as Design.
There's something of the spirit of the first time I tried to fix a bad board game, but this time I'm being invited to ass flesh to the skeleton and see what sticks.
Sun Rot is keen on Rulings Not Rules. Ask interesting questions, make choices and run with them. Play as Design.
This tiny game might just be That Good.
I'm close reading, I'm annotating, I'm having ideas, I'm titling a blog post:
sun rot is the hacker maker
www.smashbash.org/sunrot
I'm close reading, I'm annotating, I'm having ideas, I'm titling a blog post:
sun rot is the hacker maker
www.smashbash.org/sunrot
July 7, 2025 at 9:11 PM
This tiny game might just be That Good.
I'm close reading, I'm annotating, I'm having ideas, I'm titling a blog post:
sun rot is the hacker maker
www.smashbash.org/sunrot
I'm close reading, I'm annotating, I'm having ideas, I'm titling a blog post:
sun rot is the hacker maker
www.smashbash.org/sunrot
Intermittently continuing work on an adventure, just collecting lots of strong images and weird ideas.
Not 100% on the final format yet but I'm feeling inspired by the "guides guided games that don't exist" genre.
Either way I'm sure a lot of this writing will stick around.
Not 100% on the final format yet but I'm feeling inspired by the "guides guided games that don't exist" genre.
Either way I'm sure a lot of this writing will stick around.
June 24, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Intermittently continuing work on an adventure, just collecting lots of strong images and weird ideas.
Not 100% on the final format yet but I'm feeling inspired by the "guides guided games that don't exist" genre.
Either way I'm sure a lot of this writing will stick around.
Not 100% on the final format yet but I'm feeling inspired by the "guides guided games that don't exist" genre.
Either way I'm sure a lot of this writing will stick around.
Now that the #Silksong release seems imminent you should know I spent the last few years working on a Hollow Knight inspired old-school ttrpg adventure/micro-setting inside a talking tree:
The Perilous Pear & Plum Pies of Pudwick, coming soon!
I wrote & illustrated the whole thing 🐛🐞🐜🦋
The Perilous Pear & Plum Pies of Pudwick, coming soon!
I wrote & illustrated the whole thing 🐛🐞🐜🦋
June 6, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Now that the #Silksong release seems imminent you should know I spent the last few years working on a Hollow Knight inspired old-school ttrpg adventure/micro-setting inside a talking tree:
The Perilous Pear & Plum Pies of Pudwick, coming soon!
I wrote & illustrated the whole thing 🐛🐞🐜🦋
The Perilous Pear & Plum Pies of Pudwick, coming soon!
I wrote & illustrated the whole thing 🐛🐞🐜🦋
Can you tell this is a convention centre Y/N
May 31, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Can you tell this is a convention centre Y/N