Rory Philstrom

Roll for Initiative: Registration is Open for Holy Rollers 2026! Holy Rollers is an annual retreat where faith leaders, curious seekers, and RPG enthusiasts of all stripes come together to explore the big questions of life and spirit — through the world of a tabletop roleplaying game. It's part D&D campaign, part spiritual retreat, and entirely unlike anything else out there.

The dice are calling. Early bird registration is officially open for Holy Rollers 2026! If you've ever wanted to spend four days in the Minnesota wilderness playing Dungeons & Dragons alongside a community of nerdy adventurers of faith, this is your moment.

Commentary: This is not normal: Why a fake arrest photo from the White House matters The White House altered a photo of Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer arrested in Minneapolis for protesting inside a church.

"The message the White House is sending with Armstrong’s photo is that they control the truth, they decide what it is. Our job is to fight for truth, know it when we see it, and demand it not be erased." www.latimes.com/politics/sto... via @anitachabria.bsky.social

An Essential Adventurers League Tool for D&D Organized Play Track your character's organized play journey with the Adventurers League Character Log (AL 2026), designed to simplify character tracking and provide essential rule reminders, making gameplay more enjoyable.

Track your character's organized play journey with the Adventurers League Character Log (AL 2026), designed to simplify character tracking and provide essential rule reminders, making gameplay more enjoyable.

Merry Christmas to all!

I really really hate the sycophantic, resource hungry, climate killing, creativity stealing, dehumanizing thing that is AI. Think for yourself people! Be a human being!

The pastors' white elephant gift exchange did not disappoint this year. I came away with a custom crucifix slingshot. One of a kind!

Announcing Roll for Joy: Adventurers League! This week we are launching Roll for Joy Adventurers League, where curiosity, creativity, and community meet around the gaming table. Whether you’re brand-new to tabletop role-playing or a seasoned adventurer, you’ll find a place here to imagine boldly, laugh freely, and play joyfully. We will gather every 2nd and 4th Saturday, starting this Saturday, December 13th, at Dreamer’s Vault in Burnsville, MN from 5–8pm. Come for Dungeons & Dragons, indie TTRPGs, or your favorite board and card games. Stay for the friendships, the storytelling, and the sense of belonging that grows around shared play.

Imagination, community, and joy are sacred gifts and make life worth living. That's why we're creating spaces for more of them. This Saturday we're launching Roll for Joy: Adventurers League, a regular opportunity to play in community. Come play! Come wonder! Come belong!

magic santa

I'm conversations with my 7yr old, he asks me, "Where does Santa's magic come from?"
What do you think? Is 🎅 a wizard, warlock, sorcerer, bard, cleric, or something else???
#StatSanta

a woman in a long skirt is running through a flooded area . ALT: a woman in a long skirt is running through a flooded area .

In this case I used multiple progress clocks to keep the urgency up. One for the flooding dungeon, another for a diseased shoulder, and a third for an intelligent magic weapon's hold on its new wielder.

Ran my lunch #dnd game today. The party was exploring the rest of the dungeon after defeating the boss and guards. It was very combat light (just a single Gazer left in the entire place for a level 9 party). I managed to hold tension by using a clock ala Blades in the Dark. Such a good tool.

I'm running a session today that features exploration and interparty conversation. Any #ttrpg can handle this, but is there a system is REALLY good at it?

I just started playing Stardew Valley for the first time. This is a game that holds up. It's so good. Like if Chrono Trigger was just about inheriting a farm. I'm obsessed.

This was a fun little exercise in vulnerability. Exorcising the demons of old bad poems that have haunted me for years!

@roll4joy.bsky.social

2025 Fall Harvest Get tickets online for 2025 Fall Harvest here.

For locals to the Twin Cities, you can play games and heal kids, one week from today!

I'm super excited to get to host this epic day of back to back Dungeons & Dragons fun. Plenty of room to join in one or both games. All proceeds go to Gillette Children's.
twinheim.ticketspice.com/2025-fall-ha...

I'm building a playlist of #Halloween songs that don't suck. What would you put on it?

I've had enough Monster Mash, Addams Family, and Ghostbusters for the rest of my life.

My question: will it rise to the levels of Zanzer Tem's dungeon in the starter set I cut my teeth on in the early 90s? (Mostly kidding, but that old set did have a solo adventure you could run that would slowly teach you the rules. That was cool.)

It's a solid product. My only gripe is that I wanted the class boards to be actual cardboard! Cardboard with shallow divits for the cards to slot into, instead of paper that just lays on top. Ah well.

Cracked open the new #DnD starter set last weekend at the church BBQ to teach some kids how to play. They ventured into town, quickly discovered that they couldn't order cake, and were off to adventure to restore the cake supply lines. One kid said, "These adventures actually make sense!"

Spiritual Companionship Spiritual Companionship or Spiritual Direction offers a compassionate and imaginative space for exploring the Sacred, one that honors the wisdom within each person and the diversity of the human sp…

🌱 You don’t have to journey alone.

Curious? Reach out to schedule a free online intro session. roll4joy.org/spiritual-co...

a purple background with the words remember who you are on it ALT: a purple background with the words remember who you are on it

For the next few months I'll be offering free spiritual direction sessions as I complete my practicum. Spiritual Direction offers an agena-less space to pause and listen for the Sacred within your own story. Remembering who you are and reconnecting with the wonder of being alive.
#Spirituality

New books, who dis? I'm very excited about my new reading material. I was just telling someone this week that I oscillate between deep and dense theological/spiritual works and pure escapist fun. It's definitely time for some fun.

#readabook

I am so tired of hot takes and clap backs and performative official statements.

New version:

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

GM Tip - Get to the adventure already!

Don't start your session with the party milling about town searching for purpose. Lay out the adventure hooks & make them super clear! Unless it's a mystery, don't make your players search for what's happening. And if it is, lead with the mysterious!

#ttrpg

You can use a Charisma (Persuasion) check to honestly and graciously convince someone of something.

Or you might want to spice it up and make a Wisdom (Persuasion) check to convince or comfort someone by speaking to their feelings with insight and understanding.

#dnd #ttrpg

You can use a Charisma (Persuasion) check to honestly and graciously convince someone of something.

Or you might want to spice it up and make an Intelligence (Persuasion) check to convince someone of something by appealing to their sense of reason.

#dnd #ttrpg

As a TCU alum, I am loving seeing the Tar Heels drop millions on their fancy new coach and create mountains of hype only to showcase themselves getting absolutely spanked by the Horned Frogs.

#gofrogs

You can use a Charisma (Persuasion) check to honestly and graciously convince someone of something.

Or you might want to spice it up and make a Constitution (Persuasion) check to build trust with dwarves by quaffing a significant amount of alcohol.

#dnd #ttrpg

You can use a Charisma (Persuasion) check to honestly and graciously convince someone of something.

Or you might want to spice it up and make a Dexterity (Persuasion) check to build favor with someone by wowing them on the dance floor.

#dnd #ttrpg