Some snippets from around the web.
Public Domain Goldmine
Throne of Salt's "Public Domain Roundup 2026" dives into 1930 works now free for adaptation, like the first four Nancy Drew mysteries, Miss Marple's Murder at the Vicarage, and Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Fighting Man of Mars plus Tarzan at the Earth’s Core. The post suggests TTRPG hooks such as Nancy Drew investigating Miskatonic University thefts or crossing over with Miss Marple for mentor dynamics, while warning about trademark pitfalls from litigious estates. Golden Bat, a golden skeleton swordsman from kamishibai tradition, gets a nod for easy, lore-light integration into games.
Game Design Axioms
Lord Gwydion explores three axioms for tight TTRPG design: rules must integrate into play, set clear objectives, and reward desired behaviors. Applying them to OSR Modern and Flying Swordsmen 2E, the post trims excess systems like vague challenges while testing combat, chases, hacking, and heat mechanics for action-movie vibes. Playtesting feedback emphasizes simplifying for fun and expanding engaging elements.
Crown of Salt Review
Save vs Total Party Kill praises Crown of Salt, a Mörk Borg adventure by Tania Herrero, for its video game-like cutscenes, flux-space rifts exploration, and stalking Cantigaster dungeon. Highlights include dynamic hirelings with hidden secrets, evocative art/layout akin to Patrick Stuart's works, and hooks tying into doom-laden themes, despite minor layout hiccups and high-lethality spots.
Word Perfect Insights
Awesome Lies laments the gap in TTRPG advice on presenting adventures versus designing them, urging clear summaries, smart structures, graphics like flowcharts, and distinct styles for inspiration versus facts. The blog post critiques cryptic overviews in modules like Terror in Talabheim, praises hybrid formats in Rough Night at the Three Feathers, and calls for explaining design choices to aid GMs as co-creators.
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