#Arrhenius Biology 101:
The subterranean world of the Great Dark is home to many different bioluminescent creatures, insects, fungi, & plants. The torisal mushroom is colloquially referred to as "stars" by the Dorrem people due to their tendency to dot dark cave ceilings with pinpoints of light.
New York’s hottest #ttrpg is Arrhenius. IT. HAS. EVERYTHING.
✅Exploding dice
✅Psychotropic eel poop
✅Feral AI
✅Human snowpants
(What’s “human snowpants”?)
It’s that thing of when a robot decides it isn’t human enough so it skins you and wears it out on the glaciers.
jesseharlin.itch.io/arrhenius
One of the absolute hardest parts of being an #indie #ttrpg designer is playtesting how your game works for other GMs. I can run players through the game all day and all night. But getting someone else to run the game as a GM and then geting feedback from then about how it went?
I spent 5 years working on it, but the day I came up with the idea was the day I started on it. I sat down to brainstorm setting ideas for a new rpg and made a big list on a sheet of paper. After brainstorming for a bit, I circled “Set in the next Ice Age” and got to work!
And the glaciers. Lots of the encampments built on glaciers just slowly drift off.
Circling the drain, Dan. Circling the drain.
Joke answer aside: I’ve intentionally not made one because I’m not sure if making the map is helpful by expanding world building or if it’s instead too narrowing by deciding for people where everything is. I guess it’s sorta like the difference between regular #DnD vs the #ForgottenRealms.
Sure!
That is definitely James Carville.
I’ve been posting about my #indie #rpg Arrhenius for about a year now. Feel free to Ask Me Anything about:
- the game itself
- the world building
- the process of making Arrhenius
- video game music
- cartoons from the 80s
- Star Wars
- LucasArts games
I dunno what else. Just ask stuff.
Happy Saturday, #ttrpg goblins! Hope all of your games today are a blast.
May all your 20s be natural!
I haven’t said this in a while, but a reminder that in this age of ai, I’m supporting human creators by keeping DMs open to ALL new and aspiring comics creators. You want advice or feedback on writing, art, or the industry at large?
Hit me up.
I have, yes! And thankfully the wonderful folks at @whpubs.bsky.social did actually play Arrhenius for a 5 part story. I thought they did an amazing job with it.
youtu.be/nVc2iRTOFh4?...
Full-time #indie #ttrpg authors: how the hell do you do this?
How do you get eyeballs on your games? It’s been ten months since I launched my game and it’s such a slog to try and get anyone to check out the game.
When people check it out, they seem to like it, but there’s a wide engagement gulf.
Winnipeg: The Role-Playing Game!
Now with 14% less drunken muggers!
As the world falls apart, you can skip ahead to the index at the back by reading about the future yet to come in the #Arrhenius core rulebook.
jesseharlin.itch.io/arrhenius
Did you buy the "No ICE in Minnesota" charity bundle last month?
Congrats! You now own the full core rulebook for #Arrhenius! Just download it and check it out! ❄️
And feel free to ask me any questions you have about it, tell me anything you're digging about it, or just say hey. I won't bite.
More of the game? I'm working on two expansions right now. One is for gear and the other is a stand alone adventure with an additional player character Heritage.
Hope you enjoy it!
Did you buy the "No ICE in Minnesota" charity bundle last month?
Congrats! You now own the full core rulebook for #Arrhenius! Just download it and check it out! ❄️
And feel free to ask me any questions you have about it, tell me anything you're digging about it, or just say hey. I won't bite.
"The White Above" from the official #Arrhenius soundtrack:
youtu.be/ivfoN34gRyU
Lots of lore in the video to help introduce the world. #worldbuilding
"The White Above" from the official #Arrhenius soundtrack:
youtu.be/ivfoN34gRyU
Lots of lore in the video to help introduce the world. #worldbuilding
The King In Black. 2025. Digital mixed medium. A human figure facing left wearing a long black robe standing against a textured wall that's shades of red and green from top to bottom. Their head resembles a burning ember and has a crown of flames and billowing smoke.
This piece, "The King In Black", is something of a self portrait in that it's a visual representation of living with Long Covid and its impact on me. It's a milestone in my progress to regain my creative and technical skills as an artist LC had damaged or wiped out.
That mortal man should feed upon the creature that feeds his lamp
I love working with amazing artists on Arrhenius. 🙂 It’s my favorite part of making the game, to be honest. I feel like I’d have been the perfect kind of person to be a Renaissance patron, back in the day. I just want to see amazing art and to share it with the world.
Figurines of Brady Bunch and Partridge Family fighting each other
I have created a diorama of the Partridge family attacking the Brady Bunch family. My life is very boring.
Thundarr the Barbarian is up there as one of the big childhood memory influences on Arrhenius. Haven’t watched an episode of it in probably 40+ years, but I think it was the first post-apocalyptic media I ever saw as a kid.
Digital painting of TV’s THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN
MAN’S CIVILIZATION IS CAST IN RUIN
Twister is just the LARP variant of Tetris.
