DM Advice

Who’s Carrying the Torch? Using Hirelings in Your Shadowdark Campaign

12/12/2025 Happy Friday, and welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts! Today I want to talk about something that doesn’t always get the spotlight in our dungeon-delving sessions, but… Read more “Who’s Carrying the Torch? Using Hirelings in Your Shadowdark Campaign”

12/05/2025 Happy Friday, and welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts! This week, I’ve been tinkering with something small-but-mighty for Shadowdark tables: a simple, player-friendly method for learning new… Read more “Speak Friend and Enter: Adding Language Learning to Your Shadowdark Campaign”

11/21/2025 Happy Friday, and welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts! Last Friday, we forged arcane power in the Shadowdark, crafting spells the old-school way — with ink, grit,… Read more “Petitions of Power: How Priests Research Spells in Shadowdark”

11/14/2025 Happy Friday, and welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts! One of the things I’ve always loved about Shadowdark is how clean and quick the magic system is…… Read more “Forging New Spells in the Shadowdark: A Wizard’s Guide to Arcane Creation”

11/12/2025 Happy Thursday, adventurers, and welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts! Let’s talk about something I’ve come to love in my campaigns — the bulletin board. You know… Read more “Notes, Rumors, and Rewards: The Tavern Bulletin Board”

11/07/2025 Happy Friday, and welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts! Every GM has been there: you’ve got your dice, your notes, your snacks… but no idea what’s behind… Read more “Tools & Tables: Best Random Generators and Adventure Starters”

10/31/2025 Happy Halloween, and welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts! Let’s talk monsters — not just their claws, teeth, or bloated hit point totals — but their hearts,… Read more “More Than Hit Points: Giving Monsters Hearts, Fears, and Reasons”

10/24/2025 Happy Wednesday, and welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts! Halloween is creeping up fast, and if you’re planning a get-together this year, why not toss a spooky… Read more “Spooky One-Shots: Running a Halloween Adventure at Your Table”

10/17/2025 Magic in Shadowdark RPG is thrilling — and dangerous. The “roll to cast” mechanic turns every spell into a gamble. Fail, and your spell fizzles, leaving… Read more “High Stakes Magic: Why Failure Makes Shadowdark Spellcasting Fun”

10/10/2025 The Shadowdark RPG wears its old-school roots proudly. Torches burn out after an hour, hit points are precious, and death lurks behind every flickering shadow. But… Read more “Translating OSR Elements: What Shadowdark Keeps, What It Fixes”