Some recent highlights from the RPG blogosphere and elsewhere.
Running Curse of Strahd for ShadowDark
John over at Dreams in the Lich House has shared some fantastic resources for running the classic Curse of Strahd campaign using the ShadowDark ruleset! He's created monster conversions, plot hooks, and XP tables that make the transition seamless. His analysis of the XP distribution across Barovia is particularly valuable - he's calculated that there's roughly 275 XP available in the sandbox, meaning players can reach levels 5-6 without being completionists. Some locations like Argynvostholt and Old Bonegrinder will need additional treasure parcels, but overall it's a solid conversion that maintains the intended level progression of the original module.
Feng Shui 2 Bundle Alert!
Kung fu action movie fans rejoice! Beyond the Bundle is offering not one but TWO Feng Shui bundles through April 21st. The first is a revival of their April 2018 Feng Shui 2 bundle with the core rulebook and essential supplements. The second is the all-new "Feng Shui Ammo Pack" featuring recent FS2 adventures and 1E sourcebooks.
Robin D. Laws' action-packed game lets you leap off buildings, sword-fight across treetops, and battle ancient sorcerers, transformed animals, and cyborg apes in a desperate race to save history itself. Kiii-yaaah!
Mothership + Hazard Die = Space Horror Gold
Ramanan at Save vs. Total Party Kill has adapted the brilliant Hazard Die mechanic for the Mothership RPG! This clever addition adds structure to exploration while integrating Mothership's stress mechanic. The d10 Hazard Die features results like Encounter (roll on encounter table, gain 1 stress), Environment (surroundings change, gain 1 stress), Exhaustion (rest or gain stress), Expiration (equipment fails), and Easement (potential stress relief).
It's a perfect way to create that "it's quiet, too quiet" Alien vibe while ensuring players gradually accumulate stress during exploration.
The OSR Renaissance Continues
In another thoughtful post, Ramanan pushes back against the idea that the OSR is merely nostalgic or backward-looking, arguing that experimentation has always been at its core. He points out that innovative games like LotFP (now 15 years old), DCC RPG, Troika, and Into the Odd all emerged from the OSR scene years ago and pushed boundaries in exciting ways. As he puts it: "The OSR is a gaming movement focused on player agency, problem solving, and simple open-ended rule sets inspired by old editions of D&D and games from that period of time."
Lovecraftesque: Beyond the Mythos
Paul Beakley at the Indie Game Reading Club gave a fascinating deep dive into Lovecraftesque (Second Edition) from Black Armada. This card-driven story game creates collaborative cosmic horror tales without relying on the traditional Mythos trappings. The game's brilliant "Leap to Conclusions" mechanic has players secretly write down theories about what's happening and refine them as new clues emerge.
With rotating roles of Witness, Narrator, and Whisperer, plus a three-act structure culminating in a Journey Into Darkness, Lovecraftesque creates satisfying horror stories in about two hours. Perfect for up to five players!
A CROCODILE, EATING: Art Installation as Shrine
Zedeck Siew has created a fascinating installation work called "A CROCODILE, EATING" as part of the WEIRD HOPE ENGINES exhibition at Bonington Gallery in Nottingham, UK (running until May 10, 2025). This ritual performance and shrine combines stones arranged in the shape of a crocodile with bowls and jars on its back. Visitors participate by reading printed stories of generational pain and family trauma, tearing them up, and placing the shreds in jars to be "eaten" by the crocodile.
Zedeck connects this work to both tabletop roleplaying games and Southeast Asian magical practices, viewing both as forms of shrine-making that resist dogma and evolve through local practices. A powerful reminder of how games and art intersect!
Joseph Conrad's Nuanced Travel Tales
For literary-minded gamers, JSTOR Daily published an interesting piece on Joseph Conrad's travel stories set in Southeast Asia. While Conrad is often associated with imperial exploration narratives, scholars note that his work actually acknowledges the darker side of colonialism. His stories deliberately show European travelers as physically white and bright but often symbolically blind to the humanity of non-white counterparts.
This kind of nuanced portrayal of colonial encounters could inspire more thoughtful approaches to historical or exploration-themed RPGs!
What gaming goodness has caught your eye this week? Drop a comment below!
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