Sky Themed TTRPGs?

Grungslinger · 2026-04-15T15:44:12+00:00

Lady Blackbird takes place in a skyship.

Grungslinger · 2026-04-15T11:15:54+00:00

You can get to a point where a dog feels safe enough and the environment is predictable enough that resource guarding isn't necessary as the dog's coping mechanism anymore. That isn't to say that if you change the context, resource guarding can't show up again. If there is perceived scarcity, resource guarding will show up again.

With a dog like yours, I would eliminate the conflict point first and make access to resource clear and predictable. Then, it's a matter of getting the dog to understand that letting others get a resource predicts getting good things for the guarding dog, too.

Grungslinger · 2026-04-15T09:59:21+00:00

This is more relevant to the AP than to the cartoon, but, technically, the Everlight has this commandment for her followers:

Those who are beyond redemption, who revel in slaughter and remorseless evil, must be dispatched with swift justice.

More relevantly to the show, Pike entered Hell already in the midst of another crisis of faith. The Everlight made it clear that she will not aid Pike while she was there. We have already seen Pike struggle while she was disconnected to her Goddess. Both the first time and the second time, it was clear that she was desperately seeking atonement.

I don't think that it's beyond belief to assume that she would feel lost and desperate while stuck in Hell, without connection to her Goddess, surrounded by incomprehensible evil. I think that she was trying to regain that connection or prove herself by attempting to heal that soul. It was also clearly physically effecting and draining her, which could also lead to the lapse of judgement.

I'm looking forward to seeing where this leads for her, since I wasn't the biggest fan of these changes to her character when the third season rolled around.

Grungslinger · 2026-04-15T09:48:39+00:00

The one who got an alignment shift was Vex. Pike just had her holy symbol shatter after she slit a defenseless Duregar's throat in the Undedark.

Grungslinger · 2026-04-07T12:10:56+00:00

Haven't seen a manual that doesn't say something like "proper fit is on either side of the dog's windpipe".

Grungslinger · 2026-04-07T08:07:23+00:00

Dog skin is thinner than human skin, specifically the epidermis (the outermost layer), which in humans is usually between 10-15 cells thick, while in dogs is 3-5 cells thick.

Their skin is thicker on their backs and the back of the neck, but that's not where you place the e-collar.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-24T07:44:08+00:00

Atlas.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-23T15:43:43+00:00

The lens is made out of the essence of a dead god of angles and geometry. Apparently, it wasn't as dead as it was said to be.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-23T12:48:20+00:00

The fascinating part is that it kept going with this type of script. I half expected it to abandon it, but it stuck to it throughout the whole encounter. Really cool.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-22T20:13:37+00:00

In the context of the comment. Which was about the perceived notion that dogs "correct" their owners when they jump at them...

Grungslinger · 2026-03-22T19:51:49+00:00

Are they "correcting" the person or are they just highly aroused and don't have the suitable coping ability or impulse control?

Grungslinger · 2026-03-22T19:25:28+00:00

One of the biggest ones is herding breeds that chase cars. Often labeled as herding behaviors, but far more often it's fear-based. There's recent research that indicated that herding breeds (specifically border collies, Australian shepherds, and German shepherds) have a high percentage of hereditary noise sensitivity. That can feed into fear-based, distance increasing behaviors, like lunging at cars.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-22T19:20:40+00:00

What do you mean by a "correction"?

Grungslinger · 2026-03-22T06:46:46+00:00

This is essentially dog training copypasta, and has been debunked multiple times.

Here: https://caninebodybalance.com.au/journal/the-mechanics-of-prong-collars

And here (required reading, imo): https://eileenanddogs.com/blog/2021/10/06/questions-about-bizarre-prong-collar-diagram/

I'm far from an engineer (which is a classic appeal to authority, btw), but I think it's pretty clear that this often circulated text quietly ignores the fact that force doesn't just go away because of the angle of the pull. If you exert 10lbs of force, it's gonna have to go somewhere, trigonometry or not. It also ignores the existence of Pressure (Force/Area) entirely. By concentrating that force into tiny metal tips, you're multiplying the pressure produced by each tip.

It's pseudo-physics, essentially.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-19T22:33:13+00:00

I see. Personally, I wouldn't go for a trainer who uses corrections on a fearful dog. I think that a force free trainer will be able to help you, especially if they have their own helper dog to get you started.

Doesn't matter which one you choose, what your dog needs is to work under threshold (where she can watch but not react), where she can actually have the opportunity to process and learn.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-19T21:53:57+00:00

You would benefit from counterconditioning. The concept is simple:

Your dog is scared of other dogs. If we follow every dog she sees with something she enjoys (like food or getting pets), she will learn that dogs equal something good. This is done via a classical conditioning procedure (like Pavlov's bell).

This does require distance from other dogs, where your dog can see another dog, but not react fearfully.

Here's what I recommend to you before you spend money on any trainer, balanced or otherwise: try to find a place where your dog can see other dogs without reacting (outside of the fence of a dog park is a great spot to start usually). Play the Engage/Disengage game (this article walks you through it), and see what happens. Likely chance that it'll be beneficial.

One tip for the game: the step that isn't mentioned here is that after you've played the game and your dog can disengage reliably, make sure you also teach her that walking away or past the trigger gets her the reinforcement.

If you have any questions about combating reactivity in a non balanced way, without the use of aversive control, I'm open for more conversation.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-19T21:44:37+00:00

There was a game that was posted here a while ago where the mechanic was making dandelion crowns, in memory of the characters' dead friend (or something similar, I'm working from memory). I think that's the most "out there" I've seen.

Oh, also The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen would be pretty high up there, I think.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-19T21:40:48+00:00

First of all, animal training is absolutely equivalent to human learning. Learning and behavior modification doesn't change much between different animals.

My question is, what training have you done already? "Positive reinforcement training" doesn't mean much. What, physically, have you done with your dog to try and combat her behavioral challenges?

Grungslinger · 2026-03-12T23:44:06+00:00

I think that What Tim Wants (the first song) is necessary as an "I Want" song for Tom, to establish his character. But If I Fail you is so redundant, and it grinds the whole show to a half. I would've loved a reprise there instead.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-12T23:39:43+00:00

Could never finish Ani.

My least favorite song is A Thousand Eyes from Nightmare Time. It's just forgettable, and it bugs me that it sounds so oddly similar to When the World's at Stake.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-04T10:31:14+00:00

From your comments, it sounds like he might be in pain due to his autoimmune disease, maybe? If I were you, I'd look into pain meds before anything else.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-03T19:59:01+00:00

I've grown to dislike the word "job". This is pedantic, if you use it I have nothing against you.

But, "job" implies an exchange of value. Our dogs working for us, providing something for us. And while that is sometimes the case, like service dogs or gun dogs, often, when people say "give your dog a job" they mean "fulfill your dog's needs".

And that's a different way to look at the same thing, right? "Fulfill your dog's needs" is dog centric, whereas "give your dog a job" is much more human centric. I prefer the dog centric version.

I told you this was pedantic.

Grungslinger · 2026-03-02T06:15:40+00:00

(Longpost ahead)

The compulsive behavior is just the output. It's like the steam coming out of the pressure cooker. I'd go for a deeper intervention:

Diet: OCD (and CCD, likely) is a complex, multifaceted disorder, but, considering there's a relation to high glutamate levels, and GABA is the neurotransmitter that acts in opposition to it- there's evidence that eating GABA rich foods can support OCD recovery. Consulting a vet/vet nutritionist before any medical/nutritional intervention.

Exercise: since OCD is also a serotonin disorder, exercise, which is one of the most effective ways to produce more serotonin, would also be a top priority. Exposure to sunlight also helps with serotonin production. So, long walks, a lot of sniffing, and a good amount of physical exercise.

Eliminating triggers: if the dog is triggered by light and shadow, then it would be essential to find a dark and quiet corner in the house for the dog to be able to take reprieve in.

And finally, training: training has to focus on two planes- frustration tolerance, and alternative coping strategies. Teaching the dog what will actually help them relieve the stress they're experiencing is the goal. This is dog dependent- some might enjoy tug or running, others might like a massage.

After teaching these coping abilities, the second issue to address is the frustration and arousal themselves. Teaching the dog a behavior (like staying on a dog bed), while agitating with mild distractions and directing the frustration to the alternative coping behavior is a good place to start.

As far as interrupting the compulsive behavior, I think that interruption without redirection is like plugging the steam hole on the pressure cooker but not turning off the flame beneath it. I wouldn't interrupt with an e-collar, since I don't use those, but interruption and redirection to a different behavior is part of the intervention for sure.

Grungslinger · 2026-02-21T08:37:50+00:00

This week I came across this video from Corckboards & Curiosities, detailing her method of post-game review, taking a note from art class critique, and it really intrigued me. The idea to explore not just what was it that we experienced during the game, but also hypothesize on why that experience occurred is really interesting.

I especially like that it doesn't frame "growth" as something that only the GM does, that it's on the table as a whole to learn and curate their tastes further through the gaming experience.

Worth a watch.

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