J.T. Evans

Griffin's Feather (my debut novel) has been rereleased into the wild again! It's now available in ebook and print formats with a whole new cover and layout.

If you didn't get a chance to check it out before, now is your chance!

books2read.com/u/bzNM7G

Handwavium Handwavium is a neat concept in fiction that can be applied to tabletop RPGs. It can be used as a McGuffin for a goal. It can be used as a solution for an esoteric problem at hand. It can be used as p...

Another @gnomestew.bsky.social post is live!

This time, I'm writing about handwavium in fiction and in RPGs. Not sure what handwavium is? Go check the link, and you'll find out! gnomestew.com/handwavium/

My Tech Stack - J.T. Evans

I've been involved in LOTS of conversations about tech stacks for authors lately. The answers are lengthy, and I got tired of repeating the info in different venues. This means it's time for a post on my site about what I use and why and all that good stuff.

jtevans.net/2025/08/my-t...

Gnomecast 216 - How Do You Prep https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/CG_216-How-do-you-prep-final.mp3 Join Ang and JT as Matt leads the questions on how to prep for our games and how to make that easier for yourself. ...

I hopped in the mics with @orikes.bsky.social and Matt for a @gnomestew.bsky.social Gnomecast episode. Ang and I were interviewed by Matt for how to prep a game. We had so much fun talking, there were a few side tangent conversations in there as well.

gnomestew.com/gnomecast-21...

Starting a Fresh Group When forming a new group to play RPGs with, there are quite a few considerations to take into account. So many, in fact, that I don't think I can hit them all. I'm also certain I can't even think of t...

Looking to form a new #ttrpg gaming group? I have some advice for you over at @gnomestew.bsky.social on how to approach doing this.

gnomestew.com/starting-a-f...

Another Modern Mythology starring Marcus Barber short story is out in the world! This time, it's in the Ashes and Embers anthology.

www.amazon.com/Ashes-Embers...

Collaborative Storytelling Loop Most RPGs tell a story of some kind. Some are deeper than others, but there is a story hiding under the cover of the mechanics somewhere. Since most RPGs are played in a group, this makes the storytel...

I had a new @gnomestew.bsky.social article drop today about my views of what I call the collaborative storytelling loop during an RPG session or story arc.

gnomestew.com/collaborativ...

New releases from @hygregor.bsky.social and Shady! They arrived today, and I can't wait to get them to sign their respective stories.

www.amazon.com/dp/B0FCDD5ZHH

and

www.amazon.com/dp/B0FC6PCMNK

Collaborative Storytelling Styles Here's a strong opinion of mine. I'll die on a hill defending this opinion as well. Here goes. The main point of role playing games is to get a group together to tell stories in a collaborative and fu...

I had a @gnomestew.bsky.social article drop a few days ago and was too busy to post about it! This one's about collaborative storytelling styles in #ttrpg!

gnomestew.com/collaborativ...

Why I Play RPGs Friends The main reason I play tabletop role playing games is for the friends I have at the table. I've been gaming with the members of my current group for between 7 and 25 years, depending on which...

My latest @gnomestew.bsky.social post is about why I play #ttrpgs. I'd love to hear why you game. In this case, "game" can be an RPG, a card game, a board game, a computer game, or whatever. I'm curious what brings you to the fun of playing a game.

gnomestew.com/why-i-play-r...

Gnomecast 210 - System Screen Burn https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GC_210_System_Screen_Burn_final.mp3 Join Ang along with Josh and JT as they talk about how to navigate having multiple game systems embedded in your b...

I hopped on the mics with @orikes.bsky.social and @soless.bsky.social for a @gnomestew.bsky.social Gnomecast. We talked about "System Screen Burn" where subtle changes in systems can sometimes throw you off and how to handle it.

gnomestew.com/gnomecast-21...

Adventure Design: Node-Based Design This is the final article in my adventure design series. Over a year ago, I put out a call on social media for ideas that people wanted me to include in the series. I guess my list of ideas (the previ...

My final installment of my adventure design series for #ttrpgs over at @gnomestew.bsky.social is now live! This covers how to handle node-based design in your adventures. It's a brief overview of a DEEP topic with links to other, more in-depth, articles. gnomestew.com/adventure-de...

Adventure Design: Clues, Rumors, and Connective Tissue To get your PCs to move from one scene to the next logical scene, you need a series of connective tissues. These can come in the form of clues, rumors, lies, truths, and red herrings. Each one of thes...

I have a new @gnomestew.bsky.social article up on adventure design. This one is over clues, lies, rumors, and other connective tissue to guide your PCs through the adventure.

gnomestew.com/adventure-de...

Gnomecast 206 - Splitting the Party https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CG_206_SplittingtheParty.mp3 Join Ang, Josh, and JT as they talk about the dreaded, forbidden topic of splitting the party! Is it good? Is it bad? Does...

Split the party in #ttrpgs! Yes! Do it! Sometimes, though. What happens when you split the party and how does the GM handle it? @orikes.bsky.social and @soless.bsky.social and I talk about it on the @gnomestew.bsky.social Gnomecast.

gnomestew.com/gnomecast-20...

You're Playing My Game Wrong My FLGS (friendly, local, game store) has a Discord server where patrons can chat about all sorts of subjects in clearly marked channels. Most channels are highly active, and my heart is warmed by the...

I'm here at the COSine Convention, but I did have a @gnomestew.bsky.social article drop today about playing the game "wrong." (Spoiler: Unless you're bringing harm to another person in a tabletop RPG, you're not doing it "wrong.")

gnomestew.com/youre-playin...

Gnomecast 204 - Running vs. Playing https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CG_204_runningVSplaying_finalV01.mp3 Join Ang, JT, and guest Alex Thomas as they talk about the difference in the skills needed to run games versus pl...

Over at the Gnomcast on @gnomestew.bsky.social, I got on the mics with @orikes.bsky.social and Alex to talk about the differences between running and playing tabletop rpgs. gnomestew.com/gnomecast-20...

Adventure Design: Supporting and Opposing NPCs In any adventure, the party of player characters (PCs) will inevitably encounter other intelligent creatures and people. These are the non-player characters (NPCs) of the world that are largely contro...

The latest article in my Adventure Design Series at @gnomestew.bsky.social dropped yesterday. This one is about supporting and opposing NPCs for your adventures. gnomestew.com/adventure-de...

My semi-regular reminder that if you are on Bluesky, looking for RPG professionals and companies, I have a starter pack to get you going.

go.bsky.app/JXt8g6H

Review: Shadowcat Magazine Full disclosure before I launch into my review of the promo issue of Shadowcat Magazine: I received the PDF for free (you can too!) from Chaz Kemp, the creator of the magazine. Additional disclosure: ...

I dropped a 2nd article for Dec. at @gnomestew.bsky.social. This time, it's a review of Shadowcat Magazine by @chazkemp.bsky.social. If you want a free PDF of the promo issue of the magazine, hit the article, read what I have to say, and find the link at the bottom. gnomestew.com/review-shado...

Gnomecast 203 - Resolutions Old & New https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/CG_203_Gaming-Resolutions-2025_final.mp3 Join Ang, JT, and Tomas as they look at what they hoped to accomplish RPG wise in 2024, how that turned out, a...

A new @gnomestew.bsky.social Gnomecast came out yesterday! I was on it with @tgimenezrgm.itch.io and @orikes.bsky.social, and we talked about past 2024 goals and upcoming 2025 goals for our role playing, our lives, and what we expect from ourselves: gnomestew.com/gnomecast-20...

Adventure Design: Maps and PC Handouts Players love getting handed real-life, physical artifacts that tie their characters into the ongoing adventure. There are oodles of props, maps, handouts, images, and so on that can be tossed over the...

My continuing series on adventure design at @gnomestew.bsky.social has a new post! This time, it's about maps and PC handouts.

gnomestew.com/adventure-de...

Big thanks to @shawnmerwin.bsky.social and @alphastream.bsky.social for calling out two of our gnomes, @whatdoiknowjr.bsky.social and @jtevans.bsky.social in the latest episode of Mastering Dungeons! It warms our currently uncooked hearts.

ONYX GATE, the third book in my Flashing Blades series, is now available in ebook! (Print version coming soon.)

www.amazon.com/dp/B0DPGJV43L

If you watch me type a story, and you see the word "that" hit the screen.... cut off my left pinkie finger as punishment.

Please.

I'm 1/3rd through removing "that" from my manuscript. I've already nuked out about 500 words.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!!?!!?

We finally started our Women in TTRPG Starter Pack!

go.bsky.app/P4FN8hM

Go check out this epic list of amazing women, working and creating in the TTRPG space.

We’ll also keep adding to this list over time so make sure you check back.

Gnome Stew Authors Join the conversation

If you like this article from @jtevans.bsky.social and you would like to follow our other Gnome Stew contributors on BlueSky, here is our Starter Pack!

#TTRPGs #RPGs

Adventure Design: Combo Encounters "I stand there and swing my sword." Even though this approach can be effective, it's horribly boring. That's why games in recent decades have expanded combat options to include different combat maneuv...

Part 8 of my Adventure Design series at @gnomestew.bsky.social is now live! It's about setting up combo encounters. There's even some examples in the article!

gnomestew.com/adventure-de...

Hello.

All good. We're probably going to do it there again. Maybe late spring when chances of disruptive, heavy snow decrease.

I'm getting together with a dozen authors to host a book sale/signing at Black Forest Brewing Company on Saturday the 23rd. 11:30AM-6PM. Address is: 11590 Black Forest Rd Ste 50, Colorado Springs, CO 80908

Pick some books as gifts and get a beer, too.

Would love to see some smiling faces there!