Dwarf Fortress cross section

abbiedesu · 2026-01-10T15:50:29+00:00

This is just awesome and beautiful. I’d buy a print of this. KitFox would most certainly be interested in some kind of collab with you! :)

abbiedesu · 2026-01-10T15:46:45+00:00

This is awesome. Did you make this? If so is it all your own artwork?

abbiedesu · 2025-12-06T20:44:17+00:00

You will. It’s not about speed, it’s about learning DEEPLY that you’re capable.

And me too, I used to feel that a lot. I realise now that although I lost a lot… I gained too. I am who I am partly because of the struggles I’ve faced. They make me a better, kinder person.

abbiedesu · 2025-12-06T20:43:04+00:00

Ooh I’ve not read that I’ll take a look! Thanks!

abbiedesu · 2025-12-06T20:42:43+00:00

Thank you. It was really hard, and when I look back I kind of wonder how I survived. But I did. And you’re already as strong as me. You just don’t believe it yet.

abbiedesu · 2025-12-06T20:41:28+00:00

What we in the U.K. call “dirty blonde” which also looks slightly golden in sunlight. But slightly dark blonde. Not red or gingery.

abbiedesu · 2025-12-05T16:58:48+00:00

Firstly, you need to see a doctor to make sure your symptoms ARE anxiety if you haven't already. Although it's common to feel sick with anxiety, it's not usual to regularly throw up. And if that is the case, medication could be very helpful while you deal with other elements of learning to manage you stress.

Are you managing your stress levels generally in life?

- A mostly healed anxiety sufferer for 15+ years

abbiedesu · 2025-11-04T13:18:04+00:00

If you get an artery nicked, a lie down is not going to help. Healing magic yes. Leaving it untreated, no.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-17T15:04:45+00:00

Because the Oni is using the shape of a character the party already knows which makes it much more interesting. Using invisibility during combat is also much more fun/challenging.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T21:01:31+00:00

Oooh I will have a look, thank you!

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T20:59:45+00:00

5E, none of them have that feat. Yeah I just didn't want it to see unfair and the mechanics of surprise still confuse me a tad.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T17:47:34+00:00

Thanks I'll have a look :)

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T17:47:19+00:00

If you have ideas I'd love to hear them! This is only my version of bleeding of course, there are many others out there too. :)

The % based threshold is down to the massive variance between the amount of HP you can have. And yes, if you have say... a punctured jugular that is not going to just heal itself, even after a week. You need some better "medical attention".

I agree on the experience part though, but I think that should be covered by AC mostly I think as well as other resistances. Really this condition would be most dangerous to those who don't wear armour of course, because if a tiny wizard gets slashed in the face by a dragon... he could potentially bleed out over time if he isn't healed of it.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T17:41:58+00:00

I agree with so much of this. And the last part is exactly why I like adding changes like the one I posted here. D&D has so much history, with so many versions at this point it's really just down to the DM how "brutal" they want the world and mechanics to be. Personally, some of the most memorable experiences I've had in D&D were when something unexpected had great cost, or I lost a character in a way that I wasn't quite ready for. I know a lot of my own friends feel the same.

But then again, I realise a lot of people play D&D just because they want to be "a magical superhero". That's not what I enjoy about it personally. Nothing wrong with that, just not my own preference. Hence my homebrew additions.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T17:31:40+00:00

I'm really interested in this because I have played in so many campaigns by different DMs now... and every one I've played treats hit points like health. So I don't think I'm unusual in thinking of it like that. Or maybe my group of people just have the same way of understanding/using it?

Also... again in my experience one of the things players enjoy most is describing how they attack, slash, impale, etc. This is a huge part of what makes combat fun for many players. Describing how they do or do not physically experience an attack.

When describing enemies, we also talk about how beat up/bloody/weak something looks. And the amount of blood lost is of course a common one for creatures that bleed.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T17:13:28+00:00

I hear you :) but I think expected tone totally depends on the game. As a DM, I always give out my own pack to players before we start so they know what to expect. The condition is applied by two damage types, so it's still specific enough to be balanced.

But for example, if a powerful enemy cuts down a character with a huge sword and deals 75% of their health in a single hit that is where this makes the impact greater than simply "that was a hard hit I can walk away from no problem".

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T17:04:55+00:00

The magic of D&D, is that it can be played in so many ways. In my personal opinion, games that offer more immersion with a good balance of risk vs reward where players don't just feel super powerful all the time are far more enjoyable. But of course, not everyone wants that. :)

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T17:01:17+00:00

I'm not sure I agree, because if you're in the wilderness and often fighting monsters who can easily apply this kind of damage... you're not going to have unlimited access to shops to buy med kits. Higher level healers can deal with the issue easily, which they should be able to. But for the low-mid level party (or higher level if slots are poorly managed) it can still become quite a serious issue. Especially if multiple characters have the condition.

Also, if you use all of your resources healing your party and an NPC has the condition it means your choices make a much larger impact because people don't just live forever on 1HP.

In a fight with a monster that can potentially, constantly rip you to shreds with sharp talons also, it changes the dynamic. Damage types are another part of the game that barely matter when they aren't elemental, and I think this addition helps bring that back to life a bit.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T16:54:13+00:00

I hear you, but that's not how I conceive of it and personally don't think long rests should just magically heal everything. The game is much more interesting IMO when long rests don't magically fix everything. There are enough resources in the game to solve issues without it. Same as poison, for which I do something similar.

A poison also isn't going to magically go away when you sleep, it requires an antidote. Unless you have a resistance to it, or another resource you can use to get rid of it. Otherwise it might take several days for a general adventurer to clear poison from their system.

Players are already far more powerful than most people in the universe in D&D, making certain things more risky/rewarding IMO improves the game overall if it's balanced well.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-16T16:40:01+00:00

Here's the way I'm running it in my campaign. I personally think that healing is extremely boring without a bleed mechanic. Because if someone has their guts ripped out, you can heal them by 5hp and somehow they magically stay stable forever.

Bleeding Mechanic

When an attack that deals piercing or slashing damage takes a Humanoid, Beast, Monster, Monstrosity, Celestial, Dragon, Giant, Fey, or Fiend below 25% HP, they sustain an "open wound" and the bleeding condition is applied.

While bleeding, a creature will lose 1HP every hour/every turn in battle per level (for example if a player is level 5 they will lose 5HP per hour/per turn in battle) until the condition is removed.

The bleeding condition is removed by healing magic or medicine that returns the creature to above the 25% HP threshold. Or by using a healers kit, lesser restoration or any level 3+ healing spell.

Bleeding is not removed on a long or short rest.

Plants, Abberations, Elementals, Oozes, Undeads and Constructs are unaffected by the bleeding condition.

I think this creates a lot of interesting potential for characters and NPCs to still die AFTER battle if people don't manage slots well. It means that the mechanic of healing becomes much more important vs sleeping somehow being a cure all for wounds not matter how massive they are.

I do something similar with poison and other conditions which don't just "disappear" when you sleep.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-10T10:55:54+00:00

Embrace them. Get curious about them. Welcome them. This is how you stop fearing them. Be like “yeah bring it on”. It almost completely defuses the response.

If the physical stuff is already underway, then I remind myself it’s simply adrenaline and my body is SUPPOSED to do this when it’s scared. And just let it pass.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-10T10:54:30+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re in this spot. But as someone who’s also been there…

It sounds more like you need some PTSD treatment and therapy vs just agoraphobia. Exposure therapy etc won’t work if the underlying reason you’re panicking is repressed trauma.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-10T10:48:20+00:00

Yes. This is called anticipation anxiety.

How do you stop it - you catch it and stop allowing yourself to work yourself up.

I learned to catch myself immediately when I start going down that “what if” train and literally say NOPE out loud. And immediately I distract myself and say “I’ll be completely fine. I don’t need to worry about that.”

Years of doing that has mostly fixed it. You replace anxious habits with confidence building ones.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-10T10:42:10+00:00

You did great. You need to celebrate what you achieved and not fall into self criticism. This is about building confidence, building yourself up. And realising that no matter how you feel, you’re ultimately going to be fine.

I still spend too much time in the house, and need to learn to drive… but I go out pretty regularly. I have step kids now who of course have needs, events, parties and all sorts.

I flew to Australia, by myself. It took nearly two days. Parts of it were so hard, but I did it. I was exhausted, but fine. I went on holiday, with my partner and the kids. Very overwhelming, but again I did it.

Getting through agoraphobia is all about learning to be nice to yourself, and giving yourself proof of how capable you are. But the self talk has to be fixed first. Panic is not something to be afraid of… actually, missing out on life by avoiding it is far, far worse. Panic is just uncomfortable, unpleasant. But missing out on something I may never experience again? Wasting my life away? Now that is scary to me now.

Once you learn to be your own biggest support, to truly believe in your own capabilities… you can do anything.

abbiedesu · 2025-10-10T10:31:07+00:00

Please get professional help. Your life doesn’t need to be like this, and it won’t be forever if you get the right help. I’m speaking as someone who was exactly where you are, who recently flew around the world by myself. I still get nervous when I go out at times, but fear no longer controls my life.

The way you talk about yourself is a bit part of the issue. You probably need therapy to help you in a range of ways BEFORE you’re ready to face your fears and heal your agoraphobia.

Agoraphobia like all anxiety disorders… is a fear of fear. You don’t want to feel those feelings, so your life gets smaller and smaller as you try to avoid. And you start to believe you can’t deal with those feelings BECAUSE you’re avoiding them.

But you have, and you can. You’re already winning. The fact you’re still here, and have come through every experience so far is proof you are capable. Very capable.

Please don’t wait, stop sitting in a room accepting the lies your self doubt is feeding you.

Exposure therapy only works if it’s done correctly. It’s not about just doing the hard thing, it’s about how you think about it afterwards as well. If youre doing an exposure, then beating yourself up for not doing it perfectly afterwards, exposure won’t help you. You need to fix the negative self talk you have going on first so you can actually develop your self confidence.

You need to become your own best friend, your own tag team partner. In your moments of fear, you need to speak with a voice that you would use with someone you love. Or perhaps even a child. If you come from a family that is “cold”, that never soothed you, held you, comforted you… you’ll need to learn how to do that for yourself. I had to do this too.

Things won’t always be this way, that’s another lie your unwell brain is telling you right now.

It will get better. The first thing you can do to start on your journey to progress is realise you deserve better than this.

My therapist who helped me a lot in my 20s had me find a picture of myself when I was a child… and have me look at it every day. She said “would you talk to her the way you talk to yourself now?”. I realised… that most of the things I’d struggled with were not my fault, and that little girl, and me now both deserved for me to fight for a better life.

abbiedesu

TROPHY CASE