CHAINMAIL: 06.30.2024

Chainmail is a weekly newsletter dedicated to sharing the abundance of excellent content available in the TTRPG space. You'll find YouTube videos, blog posts, quotes from books, and many other forms of media related to improving your skills as game masters and world builders. Enjoy!

Bosman's Typology of Player Death - Skeleton Code Machine

This article breaks down the way death is handled in games, specifically video games, then compares it to TTRPGs. When it comes to death in TTRPGs, not many games stray from a more "permadeath" style. Should they? I don't know, but it is interesting to consider new ways of tackling classic aspects of our hobby.


Advanced Gamemastery: The Campaign Stitch - The Alexandrian

I've been running more and more prewritten modules as of late and, to be honest, it's been a breath of fresh air. I have always designed everything for my games myself. I don't know why, I think it just comes from my trad gaming background watching games like Critical Role skew my perspective on what's required. There are amazing writers who put out incredible adventurers that are worth running! This video outlines an awesome way to take those adventurers and turn them into a longform campaign that is sure to impress.


Wilderness Exploration Design Approaches: Tight and Loose - Monsters and Manuals

This is a short little blog post that highlights two ways of tackling overland travel and wilderness-based adventure. It's not so much a complete system, but more a couple ideas that should get you thinking about how you tackle this kind of thing.


I hope these resources inspire you! If you haven't already, the best way to stay up to date with everything hothead-related is to join the discord. See you next week!