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The Clock You Can’t See
Our obsession with mechanical time in roleplaying games undermines the very tension we seek to create. When we tell players ‘the ritual will be completed in three hours,’ we’re offering them the cold comfort of certainty instead of true dread. This essay explores how to transform time pressure from mere arithmetic into a visceral force that drives memorable moments of horror and urgency at the gaming table.
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Alkemion Studio v0.9.0
Hey, folks! New update, and it’s a big one! The first Links Update! We’ve been working very hard on redesigning the node linking system and we’re very happy to finally release a first batch of brand new features! This update also features a new Node management interface we’ve been working on that you’ll now have access to: the Node Table!
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The Art of Meaningful Decisions
There’s a moment of paralysis familiar to every Game Master – when the players sit frozen before infinite possibilities. But the most memorable RPG sessions aren’t built on endless options – they’re forged in the crucible of meaningful choices. Let’s discuss how to craft decisions that matter, hurt, and create stories your players will discuss long after the dice stop rolling.
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The 5×5 Method: A Love Letter to Structured Chaos
As a software engineer, I’ve always been drawn to frameworks that help structure chaos into something manageable. Dave Chalker’s 5×5 method is exactly that kind of framework, and it’s been my go-to tool for the past year, turning my sprawling campaign ideas into organized, flexible structures that actually work at the table.
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Redesigning Node Links
Hey, all! We’re currently in the process of entirely rethinking and redesigning the Node Links feature, and we’d like to share with you our current design candidate and hear your thoughts!
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Lessons from the Road to Elturel
I don’t think I’m alone in believing that an essential ingredient in designing adventures is finding the right balance between structure and improvisation. That’s why I really enjoyed The Road to Elturel: An Object Lesson in Adventure Design from The Angry GM. It’s a great lesson in adventure design, told through the lens of a […]
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Designing Adventures: Resources That Shaped Alkemion Studio
When we started building Alkemion Studio, we wanted to create a tool that embodied the very best of TTRPG adventure design. Along the way, we found inspiration in a treasure trove of articles, essays, and books that explored everything from flexible campaign structures to the art of dungeon mapping. Some of these works shaped the features we built, while others deepened our understanding of what makes great adventures tick. In this post, we’re sharing a curated selection of these resources. Whether you’re looking for practical techniques, design philosophy, or just something to spark your imagination, we hope this list becomes…
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Alkemion Studio v0.8.0
Hey, all! Exciting new release today, bringing a very requested featured: Image Upload!