Campaign ‘26: Exiles of a Thousand Islands, Session 7

This is a report concerning the seventh session of Pariah: Exiles of a Thousand Islands, an old school sandbox game set in [a version of] the world of  A Thousand Thousand Islands, as described in a series of zines and seminal adventure Reach of the Roach God, all by Zedeck Siew and Munkao.

Campaign '26 is a challenge issued by RPG blogger/man-mountain Nathan Bateman in this post:  participants pledge to run or play a game for most of the year 2026. I have sworn a sacred oath to run a PARIAH Campaign using the ATTI zines (and accompanying adventure, Reach of the Roach God) for the whole of 20026. 

A group of outcast hunter-gatherer elders and a gang of youths have crossed the perilous seas in dugout canoes and landed on a mysterious island. Though they are surviving off the land, they have lost one of their number to a tiger attack. The elders are looking to secure the future of their new home by contacting neighbouring settlements and spirit-of-the land, both in the Here & Now and through the parallel realm of the Dawn.

On their trip to Dawn they were informed that gold was to be found in a range of rocky hills to the east: this was confirmed by a mysterious crow-spirit, who offered to trade them the lives of their youths for some gold. They declined, electing to seek gold the old fashioned way. Previous session reports below:

Session 0

Session 1

Session 2

Sessions 3-6

A Sunda Crow

Solo Blueholme: Second Delve, Part 3/3

This concludes the write-up of a solo-game exploring the Stygian Library, using BLUEHOLME as operating system.  The previous post can be read here.

Aged philologist and wannabe wizard POLSTRUM had organised a second delve into the STYGIAN LIBRARY after previously failing to retrieve MAZIRIAN’S GRIMOIRE. In addition to his faithful servant, MAREK, he has enlisted the aid of the following adventurers:

• Larkin (Eliza Larkinkis), fighter 1
• Sirka, changeling fighter-mage 1/1
• Bastien, fighter 1 (a hired retainer)
• Emmeline, fighter 1 (follower of Larkin)
• Schmidt, Cleric 1 (a hired retainer)

Additionally, thief-for-hire Kurdt fled following his death and subsequent resurrection. After a series of bruising encounters the party may have finally reached their goal...

Illustration by Alec Sorenson

City of 100 Gods Part 9: Temples of the Engineer (ward 50)

This post is the in the City '26 series and continues our ongoing exploration of the City of a Hundred Gods: 

Part 1... City Limits

Part 2... Gates and Ladders
Part 3... Further Along the Ladders

Part 4... The Last Ladders

Part N.... Navigating the City

Part  5... Traders Wake

Part 6... Final Traders Wake Wards 
Part 7... Artisans Quarter

Part 8... The Serpent of the Sky

This post examines the Temples of the Engineer.

Bas relief of Thoth from the Temple of Kom Obo.

But first, here's a City '26 update:

Campaign '26: Exiles of a Thousand islands, Sessions 3-6

Campaign '26 is a challenge issued by RPG blogger/epic poetry enthusiast N.Bateman in this post: in short, participants pledge to run or play a game for most of the year. I have sworn a sacred oath to run a PARIAH Campaign using the ATTI zines (and accompanying adventure, Reach of the Roach God) for the whole of 20026. Previous session reports below:

Session 0

Session 1

Session 2

A Yellow Book, if ever there was one

Campaign '26 Pariah Generator

This is the PARIAH GENERATOR used for the Campaign '26 game I'm running. It's set up to generate either 1d4, 1d6 or 1d8 hit die pariahs, which has a corresponding effect on their likely background, traits and starting gear. As the campaign progresses I'll add backgrounds more tailored to A Thousand Thousand Islands

* * *

Campaign '26 – Exiles of a Thousand Islands: Session 2

Campaign '26 is a challenge issued by RPG blogger/epic poetry enthusiast N.Bateman in this post: in short, participants pledge to run or play a game for most of the year. I have sworn a sacred oath to run a PARIAH Campaign using the ATTI zines (and accompanying adventure, Reach of the Roach God) for the whole of 20026, details of which can be found here and here. 

Sumatran Tiger caught on trail cam, courtesy International Tiger Project https://www.internationaltigerproject.org/

Alone in the Wilderness

Real World Date: 15th January 2026

We were 3 payers short this session (2 due to unforeseen life stuff, 1 who'll be AWOL for at least 6 weeks due to travel) but still had 3 players ready to go. We picked up the morning after an uncanny visitor in the night had interrupted the youths, departing with a wooden pangolin but leaving some interesting information about the nearest settlements: Quiet Lake and the Death-Rolled-Kingdom.

City of 100 Gods Pt.8: The Serpent of the Sky (ward 49)

This post is the in the City '26 series and continues our ongoing exploration of the City of a Hundred Gods: 

Part 1... City Limits

Part 2... Gates and Ladders
Part 3... Further Along the Ladders

Part 4... The Last Ladders

Part N.... Navigating the City

Part  5... Traders Wake

Part 6... Final Traders Wake Wards 
Part 7... Artisans Quarter

I will need to return to the Artisans and add the NINE other wards I have failed to include at a later date, but I feel obliged to show my working to a wider audience than Instagram... thus this post.

Roman Serpent Carving

...this ward centres on the The Temple of the Sky Serpent: being the penultimate ward of the Artisans' District, the Sky Serpent is a god of a particular craft requiring a particular set of skills...

City of 100 Gods Pt.7: The Artisans Quarter plus Ward 41. The Gardeners

In a Neolithic proto-Megalopolis where each individual ward has its own deity, it's hard to find a denizen embracing the concept of a single, creator god. But the artisans know, for they carry the divine knowledge that can only be imparted by The Creator. For She made this world through craft and by design, and She shared this power with her children – through her ten avatars.

The Mesopotamian Goddess Bau

This post continues our ongoing exploration of the City of a Hundred Gods: 

Part 1... City Limits

Part 2... Gates and Ladders
Part 3... Further Along the Ladders

Part 4... The Last Ladders

Part N.... Navigating the City

Part  5... Traders Wake

Part 6... Final Traders Wake Wards 

Let us meet the Artisans!

Campaign '26 – Exiles of a Thousand Islands: Session 1

 First session report of this A Thousand Thousand Islands campaign, part of Campaign 26. 

Ornamental prowhead figures from Borneo via https://www.artoftheancestors.com/

Childhood Appendix N

All the hip young bear-bloggers are doing it so why can't I.

Don't answer that.

Here's my Childhood Appendix N: media I experienced that I feel/fear continues to inform the creation of stuff. In (approximate) chronological order: childhood begins with self-awareness and ends with Urotsukidoji (I'm sorry to say).

Campaign '26 – Exiles of a Thousand Islands (ATTI+Pariah): Session 0

Contrary to popular belief, one can never start the year with too many challenges on the go. So whilst I  watch City 26 gathering momentum with almost manic glee, I'm equally excited to pick up the gauntlet cast by N. Bateman in his Campaign ‘26 post.

I intend to run a Pariah Campaign (sort of) set in the world of A Thousand Thousand Islands every Thursday night for at least the rest of the year. Occasionally I’ll be writing about it here.