Jeff's Game Box

Behind the Screen: Making a TableTop RolePlaying Game. TLDR: a certain DungeonTuber recently told his audience that making a TTRPG is "too difficult" for most of us. I can probably kick out an entire core book in about a month from concept to finished PDF. I'm here to tell him and everyone else, "It ain't that hard."

NaRoPlaDeMo stands for NAtional ROlePLAying DEsign MOnth. I wish it was a real official thing like NaNoWriMo, but really it's just me poking at a DungeonTuber rather than blowing up his comments section with a rant. Can I pop out an entire tabletop roleplaying game in one month? Watch me.

Monday Monster: Fleshfeather Horror. "Gobble gobble gorble grarrr!"

A late addition to the Monday Monster collection; the first in a fall/Thanksgiving themed month of monsters. The Fleshfeather Horror looks innocuous until some poor unsuspecting traveler gets too close. Then its second maw full of razor sharp teeth opens up and chomps down on them.

Where Have I Been? Kittens. That is all for now.

I've fallen off the last few days. We are attempting to raise a pair of black kittens we found under our deck over week ago. They're very cute and cuddly on top of being a lot of work.

Monstober Day 24: Carrion – Carrionling #Monstober2025 Day 24: Carrion.

"We rounded the corner where the raptors had previously feasted to find something larger, more disgusting feasting on the remains. The very smell of the vile beast was enough to convince us to keep our distance" --Morgan Firebrand.

Monstober Day 23 Cryptid: Chupacabra #Monstober2025; Cryptid.

One of the world's most famous cryptids is La Chupacabra. The infamous goat sucker preys upon grazing animals, but has been known to stalk small parties of travelers, waiting to feed on stragglers. It avoids daylight and larger groups whenever possible.

How I Would Fix Dungeons & Dragons. TLDR: Well, I’m barking into the void as usual. Someone asked me what it would take to get me back into D&D again. Above is the long answer. The short answer is, “Stop screwing around on social media and focus on making good game content.”

Another very in depth article. The short of it is, I wanted to respond to a video about How I Would Run Wizards of the Coast Dungeons & Dragons. It's complicated and intense because I care. If WotC wants me back as a customer/advocate, they have a very long way to go.

Trudvang Tuesday. I've been wondering what was coming after Arkand and Book of Magic. I guess we know now.

I am so happy and grateful Free League Publishing has announced the next major release for Dragonbane will be Trudvang. This epic campaign setting is finally coming to Dragonbane in English early in 2026 on Kickstarter in a four book collection. Woo Hoo!!!

Monstober Day 20: Jack-O-Lantern Monstober 2025 continues with Day 20: Jack-O-Lantern

Set as wards against intruders and evil spirits, these Jack-O-Lanterns can be employed by friend and foe alike. They are easiest to summon when the veil between worlds is thin and gourds are abundant in autumn. They are most often persuadable.

Freedom Day October 2025 Edition. Very long article. Lots to discuss.

More discussion of AI use in TTRPG design and content creation. My YouTube journey. And a goodly portion about why I don't seem to fit in with most of the TTRPG "community." Probably because it's nothing of the sort. Very long article ahead.

Monstober 2025 Day 18: DRACOLISK Monstober2025 Day 18: Basilisk.

The unfortunate result of a possibly magical mating between a dragon and a basilisk. It is a truly fearsome sight to behold and few adventurers live to tell the tale.

Wizards of the Coast/ Dungeons & Dragons Does It Again. TLDR? We got played for suckers by the industry leader again. Their virtue signaling has once again divided the community and chased off half the fan base.

Wizards of the Coast started a riot over on X (Twitter) by posting a trans pride picture on a known conservative social media platform without context just to get everyone all stirred up again. But at least we're talking about Dungeons & Dragons again... sorta. I'm back to looking at kittens again.

MONSTOBER DAY 15: THE SERPENT GOOSE #Monstober2025.

Actually intended to be a part of a much larger Chimera project to be released at a later date.
This one is special, probably deserving a better name. No matter what they call it, the group may wish to steer clear.

MONSTOBER DAY 14: THE GORPY #Monstober2025 Harpy.

We all know how the Canada Goose is frightening when provoked. Add that look and disposition to a Harpy. Now it's a Gorpy. an acid spitting, pecking, clawing menace. Natural yet unnatural at the same time, an outcast amongst harpies. But, it can be reasoned with under the right circumstances...

MONSTOBER DAY 13: THE NIGHTMARE WHISPERER #Monstober2025 Day 13: Nightmare

Multiple Western cultures have an urban legend of the Hat Man aka the Slender Man or some variation of him. He is presented here for Dragonbane. GMs are urged to use discretion with players who may be sensitive to certain in-game imagery.

MONSTOBER DAY 12: SHADE #Monstober2025 Shade.

Shades are Humans or Orcs (usually) who have voluntarily become creatures of the night.. Now they strike from the depths of darkness.

Saturday Soapbox: TTRPG Gatekeeping, the Use of AI Art, This is my version of old man yelling at clouds. I trust people to use their own discernment. This week we saw that people in the TTRPG "Community" have plenty of ways to express an opinion. Feel free.

I don't think a DungeonTuber with a $Million Kickstarters should punch down on other, smaller creators for using AI tools to ASSIST in the creation of what they do. Yes, support human artists when possible. Try to keep TableTop RolePlaying Games welcome to everyone, not just the cool kids club.

Saturday RPG Shoutout Episode 89 YouTube video by The OG GM

www.youtube.com/live/d6fTkpF...
Thank you @jjcttrpg.bsky.social

MONSTOBER 2025 DAY 10: THE GOLEM #Monstober2025 Day 10: Golem.

An Oni artisan carefully crafted a body for one of its masters in the lower realms. When the summoning was successful, it became rapidly apparent that whatever he summoned was no servant, but a master looking to take over trapped in a body of clay, wood, and metal.

Monstober Day 19: Specter #Monstober2025. Normally I write a personal article on the 19th and I had second thoughts about the Mimic as it is kind of a Dungeons & Dragons thing. Someday we might circle back to that conversion, though.

#Monstober2025 Day 19: Specter. These grim servants of death are trapped in their final moments and won't let anyone forget it. When encountered its best just to move away slowly and not ask what happened.

Sorry, no Mimics here today.

MONSTOBER DAY 8: HAG #Monstober2025

A kindly old Mallard lady invites you into her cottage for refreshments after a long day on the road. But the facade quickly falls away and the characters realize she's an agent of misery and despair.

MONSTOBER DAY 7: POLTERGEIST #Monstober2025 Day 7: Poltergeist

One of my favorite real world phenomena is poltergeist activities. It might start out subtle at first with a draft in a closed room or a cabinet found open in the morning with its contents all over the floor, but it can grow into a paranormal experience that might startle seasoned adventurers.

MONSTOBER 2025 DAY 6: REVENANT #Monstober2025 Day 6: Revenant

The angry (usually a Dwarf who took Unforgiving beyond the grave with him) undead manifestation that never forgives nor forgets. Your character might be someone who slighted her in life or just looks like someone who did. Either way, she's coming to get you!

Monstober Day 5: Ghouls #Monstober2025 Day 5: Ghouls As a side note, Pexels has a really large number of pics when you search for "ghouls." Neat!

Today we tackle three encounters of the ghoulish kind. The stats for Ghouls appear in the Dragonbane Bestiary. Here are three plot hooks for the Game Master's use.

#Monstober2025 Day 4: Lich. #Monstober2025

When a wizard or necromancer becomes so obsessed with their own immortality that they go to the trouble of creating a phylactery (or something akin to one,) avoid them at all costs. Adventuring parties in Dragonbane's Misty Vale and beyond should beware the undead monster, the Lich!

Monstober Day Three: Banshee #Monstober2025

Spirits of grief, banshees are often born from elves or wolfkin who died tragically, leaving sorrow too heavy to release. Their keening wails foretell doom and lash the living with curses that do not fade easily. Toss a coin to your Animist friend after this one.

Gandalf.

Monstober Day Two: Wraith — Hunger That Never Ends #Monstober2025 continues.

The Wraith waits, lurking in the dark, waiting to drain the life force of any soul unfortunate enough to cross its path.

Monstober Day One: Wisp (Glowing Orb.) Kicking off Day 1 of #Monstober2025

Starting off with a slightly different version of a Will-o-Wisp. These glowing tricksters appear as a glowing ball of light in the darkness.

Monstober 2025 Is Nigh! Here's a convenient list version to go with the calendar. 1. wisp2. wraith3. banshee4. lich5. ghoul6. revenant7. poltergeist8. hag9. mimic10. golem11. kraken12. shade13. nightmare14. harpy15. chimera16. wyvern17. manticore18. basilisk19. specter20. jack-o-lantern21. tomb22. cobweb23. cryptid24. carrion25. whisper…

Monstober 2025 Is Nigh!

Here's a convenient list version to go with the calendar. 1. wisp2. wraith3. banshee4. lich5. ghoul6. revenant7. poltergeist8. hag9. mimic10. golem11. kraken12. shade13. nightmare14. harpy15. chimera16. wyvern17. manticore18. basilisk19. specter20. jack-o-lantern21. tomb22.…

Decapus, Kaiju It's huge. Tentacles everywhere. Can we take on Sirenhead instead?

It's a kaiju. Originally i thought about a cross between this and Sirenhead. We omitted the middle, uh, pole and went with the destructive screaming tentacle monster.