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I. Foreward
Greetings friends!
The runway is open, and the coffee shop visits are aplenty. I’m excited to write to you while on the road to one of the the largest conventions in the hobby gaming industry, Gen Con 2025! … It has been the quintessential "meeting ground" and "battleground" for all types of gaming for all ages for the past 55 years, founded by the Dungeons and Dragons co-creator and legend, Gary Gygax.
It is a long weekend of tabletop RPGs, TCGs, card games, board games, family games, live-action role-playing games (LARPs), miniatures, video games, and so much more!
This week, I’ll be running Daggerheart demos, and taking notes of all of the ongoings and happenings at the con! You can join me on Bluesky, Instagram, and Substack for some of the latest photos, thoughts, and updates!
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Here’s just a snapshot of what I’ll be up to during my GenCon visit!
I’ll be running 45-minute demos of Daggerhearts Quick Start adventure from 10AM - 4PM Thursday through Saturday, and 10AM - 12PM Sunday!
Witnessing science nerds create creatures in Monsterology 101!
Get an inside peek at how cons are built at The Great Big Convention Panel about Conventions!
Partying at: Nerdprov Live!, and D20 Burlesque's Nerdlesque Extravaganza
The 2025 ENnies is sold out =( … but I’ll be reporting results in a future article! Maybe I’ll see if showing to the cocktail reception gets me in? =3
Celebrating my 38th birthday on Saturday! Just vibing at the con.
My goals for 2025 GenCon!
Improve my sense of branding identity and community building.
Kick ass at Daggerheart GMing! … Make amazing memories!
OF COURSE, if you are unable to go to GenCon, and are feeling a bit of FOMO, I have some good news for you! You can still celebrate this week with people just like you! … A Discord community “FOMO Con” has been opened to host a handful of fun discussions and events in parallel with GenCon.
As we wrap up July, the RPG Blog Carnival topic: “Improv, Roleplay, and Warm-ups”…. is about to come to an end! … We have 3 submissions!
Seed of Worlds posts “Improv To Warm Up A Table”
Advantage on Arcana posts “Preparation, Interpretation, Improvisation”
VDonnut Valley launches “Crumbs of Improvisation”
A Chaotican Writer roundup is incoming this week, plus a soon coming submission from myself!
Once again, I appreciate Phoenix Dice for the opportunity to partner with them and offer some of their fantastic dice! Note that the Dungeon Delve newsletter is a free publication. Therefore, I rely on affiliates to support the project!
This partnership is for a limited time!! The Phoenix Dice SUMMER SALE with up to 30% off of a bunch of dice sets! … Add another 10% off with the code DELVE25!
II. Markings on the Wall
Latest rumors, discoveries, and puzzling finds in the RPG world and beyond!
TTRPG News and Finds
One final look at the ENnie Awards nominees for 2025 before the awards are announced this week at GenCon!
Under pressure from Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, and an Australian anti-porn group in a campaign of censorship, Itch.io is delisting NSFW and Queer games, Rascal News reports.
Also, a Change.org petition against this censorship has reached 180k signatures!
Seeking a way to delve into the realm of gun-fu assassins John Wick style? CGMagOnline’s Erik McDowell posted a review of Outgunned: World of Killers. You can find it on sale at DriveThruRPG!
Announced on BlueSky last week, Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere RPG is available now on DriveThruRPG!
Are TTRPG actual play podcasts infringing on copyright? TTRPGInsider reports a recent peer-reviewed law school articles findings on the matter.
Parable Games, creators of the horror-themed SHIVER RPG, are releasing an expansion via Backerkit set in a dystopian world of… corporate culture? You’re hired!
Paizo is teaming up with the developers of the action shooter game Warframe to release Operation Orias, a fusion Starfinder 2E setting.
This weeks Reddit post highlight! … Ceartas1992 states r/rpg subreddit: 12 years of TTRPGs, and not once have I been able to complete a campaign. Does this happen to anyone else?
Gameable and Design Advice
How characters search or investigate a room or gain information should have stakes and consequences all their own, as Mindstorm Press observes in Ransacking the Room.
When developing a setting, why use random tables when you can choose motifs instead? Lair of the Dusk Witch brings us the Context Engine, a way to prep a location for a session, quest, or campaign.
Travel across a large geographic location creates all sorts of implications. How do you capture the risks, enable choice, and make it engaging? Rise Up Comus embarks on their own search for better travel rules!
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100 One Shots: Instant Adventures for Fantasy RPGs - Need a quick resource for adventures? This book of easy-to-prep quests is perfect for any fantasy TTRPG campaign.
IV. Looting the Room
RPG Bundles and Deals
NO ICE in California bundle is funding the Immigrant Defenders Law Center and RAÍCES for immigrant social justice! (No affiliate link)
HawtPixel Font Firesale is a 650+ font asset pack for designers!
$190$19The discounts continue on POPULAR DriveThruRPG guides and supplements:Tome of Worldbuilding | No-Prep Game Master | West Marches Campaign Playstyle Book | How to Solo Any Game | Ancestry and Culture 5E
V. Treasure Chest (Advertising!)
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