Honestly even though it doesn’t have art, the oubliette is probably my fave for this month…

Monster Monday: Oubliette (Heliosail + D&D 5e) | Penfeather Games Get more from Penfeather Games on Patreon

Monster Monday: Oubliette.
This is a plant-based pit trap, with stat blocks for Heliosail and 5e both. Unfortunately I don't have any artwork for this one, but it was a bunch of fun to make, and I really hope people like it anyway! Get the blocks here: www.patreon.com/posts/monste...

I can’t eat AI tokens

Monster Monday: Giant Vulture (Heliosail Only) | Penfeather Games Get more from Penfeather Games on Patreon

Giant Vultures this week for Monster Monday! No D&D stat block, since those already exist for that system. Simple, versatile, and perfect for a spaghetti western vibe.
#HeliosailGame #StatBlock #TTRPG #SciFi #Vulture

www.patreon.com/posts/monste...

We're sending Heliosail off to print in less than 24 hours, which means you have just a little bit of time left to back us and get your copy if you missed the campaign in October/November!

gamefound.com/en/projects/...

I was a little late on promoting this, but Gamefound is doing another round of RPG party! This was a fantastic opportunity, and I highly recommend anyone who is interested apply. You never know what magic might happen :)
gamefound.com/en/blog/post...

A screenshot from hidden door's about page: ROLEPLAY MEETS FANFICTION Established in 2020, Hidden Door is building a new kind of story experience centered on creativity, decision-making and authorship. Players experience their favorite fictional worlds through an online roleplaying game, remixing and combining story elements to craft custom narratives while encountering meaningful challenges. We're excited to collaborate with storytellers from around the world to create immersive, fan-focused story experiences for everyone. OUR TEAM We're an intersectional mix of game professionals and Al experts, with a wide range of perspectives, who are inventing a delightful & safe experience for players. (I have underlined "AI experts.")

a screencap from hidden door's FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Last Updated: August 13, 2025 WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE? We're a diverse collection of nerds who love stories, games, and making things. Several of us are machine learning research scientists, also. Some of us are game designers and artists. We rock a mean database, too. (I have underlined "machine learning research scientists" and "We rock a mean database, too.")

screenshot of text from hidden door's faq: IS THIS AI? Sorta, it's all Artisanal Brooklyn ML made with love and care. (Here I have underlined "Sorta" and written "LOL. LMAO" WAIT, SO HOW DOES IT WORK? It's a fractal combinatorial trope engine. Our narrative team of real humans write flexible, structured plot beats, and we then use a variety of ML tools to combine those beats with the rules of the world, the player's choices, the characters in a given scenario, generic plot beats, and our trope soup into a delicious story meal. We update our game engine layer with a structured representation of everything in your world, from story events to character stats and conditions. This, along with the narrative beats and the tropes and rules of a specific world, is what we use to make the actual text and assemble the bits of art that— (The screenshot cuts off here. I have underlined "a variety of ML tools" and "what we use to make the actual text and assemble the bits of art")

hey, as a heads up to other ttrpg creators. if you get a gushy friendly email from a "hiddendoor.co" saying they looove your work + asking you to test drive their site/consider a partnership — they have tried pretty hard to hide the fact that it's AI, but it's AI. it's buried in their about and FAQ

Monster Monday: Agave Arachnid (Heliosail Only) | Penfeather Games Get more from Penfeather Games on Patreon

Monster Monday: Agave Arachnid. This scorpion-inspired ambush predator is smaller than the Trapdoor Spider, and camouflages itself among succulents in the plains and high desert. Heliosail-only stat block this week. Check it out!
#HeliosailGame #TTRPG #StatBlock

www.patreon.com/posts/monste...

Monster Monday: Ajya | Penfeather Games Get more from Penfeather Games on Patreon

Critter of the week is the Ajya. These enormous alien birds are heavily inspired by roseate spoonbills! No video this week, as I ran out of time to get it done, but as always there is a stat block for both Heliosail and 5e available!
#TTRPG #IndieRPG #HeliosailGame
www.patreon.com/posts/monste...

Seminole Nation Becomes First Indigenous Group to Ban Planet-Cooking Data Centers From Its Land The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma just became the first Indigenous Nation in the US to ban data centers from their territory.

Seminole Nation of Oklahoma Becomes First Native Nation to Ban Planet-Cooking Data Centers From Its Lands. futurism.com/artificial-i...

My mom had one, I remember it fondly

honestly public applications for gen AI should be shut down. Its use needs to be restricted to any niche applications it actually has potential to do good with. I know saying that will make the AI fan bros mad, and I don't care.

I would love to throw my hat into the ring! I hope I'm cool

I miss station wagons

Something like that should cost at least $30 imo. Good on you for standing your ground.

Poll ends tomorrow at 5 MST! We're still tied, someone come weigh in!

The Problematic Author The online portfolio of Maia Kobabe.

Here's my breaking up with Harry Potter essay comic- if you need some fuel to convince relatives or friends not to watch the new show, maybe this will help: redgoldsparkspress.com/projects/718...

Public Poll: April 2026 Theme | Penfeather Games Get more from Penfeather Games on Patreon

Poll is up for April's creature theme for Monster Monday! Space Dwellers and Desert Things are neck and neck. Help break the tie! www.patreon.com/posts/public...

Public Poll: April 2026 Theme | Penfeather Games Get more from Penfeather Games on Patreon

Poll is up for April's creature theme for Monster Monday! Space Dwellers and Desert Things are neck and neck. Help break the tie! www.patreon.com/posts/public...

Monster Monday: Mudraker | Penfeather Games Get more from Penfeather Games on Patreon

Oops, I forgot to post monster monday yesterday. This week, mudrakers! These giant boat-swallowing critters will delight adventurers in any genre. Stat block available for Heliosail + 5e.
#HeliosailGame #SciFi #Aliens #D&D #TTRPG #IndieRPG
www.patreon.com/posts/monste...

Happy Thursday! - Life updates | Penfeather Games Get more from Penfeather Games on Patreon

Just some personal updates, for those who are interested in how it's going!

www.patreon.com/posts/happy-...

Once a car crashed through a brick building half a block from me, and the next day I went looking for news about it to find out what happened. Only reporting was 2 weeks later with 1 paragraph and nothing of substance.

I mention it because that's what climate reporting from big news feels like tbh

For sure. VR settled in to where it is well suited. AI is the perfect Silicon Valley storm: a dream being sold without the technology to actually back it up. LLMs cannot effectively do half of what they are sold for which is why news stories about remote operators are popping up every month

VR, unlike AI, is a medium that serves specific art well. The people who made Myst back in the day now make their games for VR, and that makes perfect sense. That's the best medium for their work and it was always going to be. I can't think of a single work for which AI is the "right" medium.

"Realis by Austin Walker on Kickstarter April 2026" is layered over a science-fantasy image of four adventures.

Realis—the moon-hopping TTRPG by @austinwalker.bsky.social—lands on Kickstarter April 2026! Featuring 55 classes, 150+ NPCs, 100+ illustrations, expanded GM & homebrew guidance, and much more, bookmark the campaign today at: www.kickstarter.com/projects/cru... | teaser art: @decassette.bsky.social

55 classes? Holy heck that's an incredible scope!

Monster Monday: Vyndra #dnd5e #heliosailgame #ttrpg #plants #hydra YouTube video by QuinnSilverStudios

Monster Monday: Vyndra! These plant-based hydras were a blast to design. Stat blocks available for both 5e & Heliosail on patreon! www.patreon.com/posts/monste...
#D&D #HeliosailGame #TTRPG

Video file was too large to upload direct, so here's the youtube link: youtube.com/shorts/P9qJy...

Those knees are too sexy for the god fearing world

Balcony solar is taking state legislatures by storm In more than half of U.S. states, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation that would boost adoption of DIY solar systems.

In more than half of US states, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation that would boost adoption of small plug-in solar panels that sit on apartment balconies and plug directly into household outlets. Canary Media buff.ly/5B79fOA #ShareGoodNewsToo

The future of geothermal energy may depend on fossil fuel workers The next generation of geothermal energy is drawing on decades of talent and technical expertise developed in the oil and gas industries.

The future of geothermal energy may depend on fossil fuel workers