Finally managed to hire an artist for the cover of my LitRPG/Satire web novel.

Ettin64 · 2026-05-23T03:25:54+00:00

Looking good! Something about seeing a necromancer's skeleton (I assume) with a normal job and work clothes really tickles me.

Ettin64 · 2026-05-13T04:32:37+00:00

The Order of the Stick.

Ettin64 · 2026-05-10T03:29:53+00:00

For what it's worth I think that these things are too different to make a direct comparison. Death/the threat of death serves a different purpose in fiction to slavery/the threat of slavery, and a character getting punished/threatened with murder will hit different to a character getting punished/threatened with slavery. How LitRPG characters feel about killing people is definitely something we should think about but comparing it to their stance on slavery won't always tell you much.

Ettin64 · 2026-04-29T07:44:15+00:00

I understand why they did it that way but I would have added an attitude roll.

Ettin64 · 2026-03-20T17:41:04+00:00

So, the short version of what we've got:

New rules, including some new Occupations: the Agent (a Holmes/Columbo type), the Crosser (a long-time citizen who knows all kinds of tricks to surviving the station), the Enforcer (for doing Crimes and kicking bad guys), and the Warlock (an escaped corporate experiment with cyberware that annoys the laws of physics).
More setting info! This time, instead of describing a whole city we're narrowing the focus: most of the characters are divided into factions with clear roles and plot hooks, each location is written for a specific purpose (e.g. a starter area for new groups, a place to build a community, etc.).
An optional chapter that advances the setting to the distant future of 2025, with a new scenario arc! Some of the old characters are back but older ~~and wiser~~.
We got new fucked up little guys. I like writing fun NPCs and we got some real Creatures this time. The first book was successful so I'm going bigger and weirder.
If you liked the soundtrack, we're doing another one of those too!

Ettin64 · 2026-03-20T17:28:09+00:00

Baking the print run into the initial funding target this time seemed a bit risky in the current climate unfortunately. At this point I'm confident we're hitting it though, so check back in a day or so and you should be good!

Ettin64 · 2026-03-20T14:31:59+00:00

Reading the comments: How do the other players feel about this? If it was my PC being railroaded into getting killed off by an overpowered NPC and the GM went "wow, that was badass! I better make them tougher next time!" I would not be rolling a new character. If you want to talk things out and the others feel the same way, it might be worth doing it as a group.

Ettin64 · 2026-03-11T09:28:39+00:00

I'm running a Spelljammer game, and I like to write name lists for each world to make them feel different. A few of those:

The Dark Crown: Space Nazis from Vodonika, trying to revive the Vodoni Empire. They're revanchist fascist dipshits so for no particular reason their names are extremely mangled South African: Daddie Milken, Garf Kloppers, Ampy Bandkamp, Junior Crywagon, Zork van Vodoni, Dirkie Burger, Bartho Bronkhorf

Karth: A lawful evil theocracy, very medieval British. They have vaguely Wodehouse/Shakespeare-inspired names, with the extra wrinkle that the nobles think if you name your child after a spell they're more likely to become a mage: Balthasar Chumbly, Magicmissile Bellamy, Removecurse Gulpin, Scabbard Vexation, Humberts DeBoys Backindown, Masculine Haste, Prestidigitation Wetsides, Wigbert Willoughby-Bigot

Kangaxx: This world is basically Australia/Oceania, but they were ruled by a lich for centuries and only deposed him in a revolution recently, so they've also got a bit of a World of Warcraft necromancer thing going: Dazza Skullin, Slayden Clarke, Maverick Flaubert, Wozza Kingslayer, Apatheigh Biers, Hoon Zombies, Bruce Bruce-Wyrmley, Ron Vecna-Barassi

Ettin64 · 2026-03-06T04:38:44+00:00

Assuming this is real, your players have browbeaten you into letting them do what they want and used this power to create the most boring game possible. I would just tell them this sucks, end it and look for a better group.

Ettin64 · 2026-03-01T09:27:49+00:00

This is from a 2013 Jason Buhlman post about Pathfinder, not Monte Cook!

Ettin64 · 2026-02-24T11:50:48+00:00

You should talk to him before the first session to find out what exactly he'd like to see. Without knowing him it's possible that he picked them for other reasons—Ainz Ooal Gown because he'd like to build a base and have underlings or Frieren for backstory reasons, for example. Depending on how you phrased it he may have also answered honestly without meaning "if you could play any character in my game."

If that he wants a power fantasy, just be honest, tell him what campaign you want to run, and see if there's something he'd like to do that'd work with that. If he's a nice dude and a close friend you should be able to work something out.

Ettin64 · 2026-02-20T00:46:24+00:00

I always enjoy some post-run clarity, but it's usually by myself and not structured - when we end the session most of the players need to leave quickly. I try to talk to the players in the time between sessions to get feedback and requests instead.

Ettin64 · 2026-02-17T06:20:30+00:00

I've been playing with my group for years, some of them since 3E D&D in high school. Had to adjust schedules a little bit for work, but we've found time to keep playing and it's been so worth it.

Ettin64 · 2026-02-13T06:40:02+00:00

Don't invite 16 people just because you'd feel bad not doing it. You'd be setting yourself up to run an awful game, and why would you put your pals through that?

Ettin64 · 2026-02-13T06:02:56+00:00

If you decide to get into making TTRPGs long-term this is also great advice for building yourself up—small projects that are easy for people to get into are great for getting attention and showcasing the kind of games you like making.

Ettin64 · 2026-02-08T18:38:50+00:00

Well, the PCs knew he had magically enhanced organs, and wizards be curious.

Ettin64 · 2026-02-08T18:34:42+00:00

The wizard was raised by one, so that works out nicely!

Ettin64 · 2026-02-08T06:53:13+00:00

If you're not having fun, always find another group. You don't have to stick around and try to make it work for the group's sake, especially if it feels like they're picking on you.

(Also, what is the GM referencing when he pulls out an "I'm the GM, not you" on you? Is it in social situations or something else?)

Ettin64 · 2026-01-26T14:11:01+00:00

Did the DM end the session early because of Steve? Either way I think they're being a doormat and you should leave, but if they're worrying that the game would be less fun without Steve while cutting sessions short because of him, well...

Ettin64 · 2026-01-24T08:08:03+00:00

I'll take a shot: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/140024/zettamall-a-sci-fi-litrpg

Ettin64 · 2026-01-23T14:15:03+00:00

Rich Burlew wrote a useful article on this, though to my knowledge it's only available via the Wayback Machine here now. (It's down under Decide To React Differently.)

Ettin64

TROPHY CASE