online tools

Vancian Stacks

Aron Clark2 Comments
Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland
britannica.com w/ Prisma Gothic filter

In March ‘26 I read Matt Schumer’s “Something Big Is Happening”, which encouraged me to explore AI more than scratching I had been doing at the corners. Copilot, Notebook LM, Gemini Gems are all things that I had experimented with; most as search without ads, research primers, and custom agents to help shape complex messages.

Schumer fired my imagination in his descriptions of software development through natural language and the concept of machines building machines. Here was an opportunity (for $20 a month) to try my hand at building software applications that I dreamed of as a washed up CS undergrad who happily cut over to history. Like many of my technology adventures I apply them to my hobbies first to help me learn their practical and professional applications.

I started big, I mean really big. Why not build a tool that could be used to play Holmes & Clark solo. I wrestled with context preservation, establishing design principals, project instructions, false declarations, and genuine hallucinations. It was great!

I scaled back in some areas, established a framework that is improving results, and in support of my regular AD&D 1 Eeeeeee game tinkered with some Claude.ai skills to serve my immediate needs and produced:

  • DMG Appendix A – Random Dungeon Generator – in progress
  • DMG Appendix C – Random Dungeon Stocking – done
  • DMG Appendix C – Random Party Generator – done
  • DMG pg xx – Random Gems & Jewelry – done
  • Custom Magic-User Spellbook Generator – supporting PHB, UA, and Wizards Spell Compendium via data sourced from What’s In Your Spellbook (thank you Delta) – done

The spellbook generator is based on principals I’m using to define higher level characters, where spell and magic item selection are significant blocking points in my preparing for play quickly.

Here’s a sample library of spellbooks & user guide, both prepared in just a few minutes by the Claude.ai skill that could produce trillions more in whatever combination might be of interest.

Please let me know if there is any interest in reading more about how I’ve been experimenting with AI or if the above skills might be useful to you too.

Urmalk the Boundless

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Prisma Gothic filter of the Echoes From Fomalhaut No. 12 players map

Open Tables

Packing for DunDraCon 49 last weekend I grabbed a few copies of Holmes & Clark in the off chance of organizing a pickup game. Leafing through a few adventures eventually settled on Urmalk the Boundless as I had run it a few months earlier at North Texas RPG con.

This is a fine little adventure for levels 3 to 5 offering an outdoor sandbox location and an underground dungeon. The outdoor area has some very interesting keyed locations though much of the exploration here is done though a series of random table roles.

I had such a fantastic time running this adventure at DunDraCon I was committed to doing so again as soon as possible.

Random Tables

The exploration in Urmalk the Boundless is driven by random tables, a series of d10 rolls with some conditional modifiers applied to these rolls. A little fiddly at the table and a prepared list would likely help streamline the play experience. In support of that effort I prepared a Google Sheet to generate these results quickly and consistently, available here.

Real Tables

Some thoughts on running Urmalk the Boundless:

  • Provide the PC with the highest Wis some rumors
  • PCs approach the Necropolis from a random (1d4) direction
  • The Necropolis is 1d6 hours form the nearby town
  • Provide the players a token to show there position on the map
  • Mark off explored locations with more tokens on the map
  • Mark the DM map with location of keyed monsters so that it can be understood if they will be draw by a nearby commotion
  • At North Texas RPG Con ‘25 we had as few as 2 players all the way up to 12 at one point, this was an epic session easily over 10 hour, Jeff Dee joined us in the final hours and that was a real highlight
  • At DunDraCon 49 my badge read “Can’t we just play D&D?” A buddy gathered a group and we explored the Necropolis for about 3h
  • Have at least 6 pre-generated characters so players can jump in quickly
The Google Sheet in action
Example table produced w/ afore mentioned Google Sheet
The player map in action
North Texas – Aron Clark, Tim, Glenn, and Jeff Dee
DunDraCon – Aron Clark, Jerry, Dave, Mike, Dan, Peter (who I’ve been gaming w/ for 40+ years)
The plays the thing…

Littorally

Aron Clark2 Comments
The USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) represented in the game

Inspiration

Sometime in 2022 I stumbled across an interview with Sebastian Bae discussing his upcoming wargame Littoral Commander; a wargame set in a near future Indo-Pacifc. I was fascinated and promptly ordered a copy from the Dietz Foundation.

Shake Down Cruise

In 2023 I hosted my first game of Littoral Commander for 6 players at Pacificon, a local tabletop game convention I’ve been attending since the 80s.

All 7 of us had a very enjoyable 4 hour session, learning the game, experimenting with the mechanics, and many of us ready to play again. One interesting component of the game is the tracking of hits and resources associated with each unit / counter, which is done in the core game with cards and cubes. I found that particular aspect to be a bit cumbersome, while really appreciating the unique resources of each unit.

The outset of our first game

At the Ready

Rather than give up on the game for being “too fiddly” I was convinced that these details could be better managed on paper. It has taken me some time to return to the concept, but requests to play Littoral Commander have inspired me to action.

I have created a Google Sheet (linked here) here that can produce a paper roster for any given scenario and task force. Hits and resources for any given unit can be tracked using a simple checklist model.

Sample roster from the Luzon Pass scenario

County Road Z1ed

Aron Clark1 Comment
Still from “Return of the Living Dead” – Prisma Gothic filter

…2022

I stumbled on miniature game County Road Z being played in 15mm at Pacificon. I quickly sourced the rules and set them aside for a someday project.

…2023

Again at Pacificon, flea market delivered a large zombie wargaming collection in 15mm and I committed to hosting a game soonest.

…2024

I studied the rules, prepared a quick reference, and hosted a game for friends at Kublacon.

…today

The following are on offer in a workbook that collects:

  • a quick reference
  • an X / Y sheet
  • a random survivor generator
  • a 3×5 character card

Some thoughts

County Road Z (CRZ) is a fine little game from a first time indie publisher, Jordan Heckman – Earthbound Games. Looking forward to seeing what comes next.

CRZ at its heart is a solo or co-op miniatures wargame; but I can see room here for multiple players participating in something closer to an RPG.

Game play is nicely segmented into a tactical game of fighting off the living dead and a strategic game of resource management.

There is a virtual tabletop version! No miniatures, no space, no time – no problem – play online when you can.

My copy of the rules and supporting assets are based on v1 and should be compatible with the latest Modipus version, v2.

v2 is described as being a new layout for the same core rules, but with new settings – equipment – monsters – and so on.

I’m unlikely to pick-up the latest version of CRZ, but feel free to get in touch and request any edits that are linked to v2.

Best Laid Plans

Aron Clark2 Comments
“Maus” by Art Spiegelman

123123…4

The new year has come and gone, and I’m not entirely too sure what day it is – thanks in large part to some extended time off from my regular 9-5.

As is tradition amongst my tabletop gaming friends we consider our hobby plans for the new year, describing projects we plan to take on or commitments to finish things long overdue. In an attempt to organize whirling ideas I have for my own tabletop games in ‘24 I’m applying some principals from my professional world.

In short, I’ve set broad goals for myself and defined some projects that fit into goals, with a simple task list that I can organize week over week. If projects are not on the list, or doesn’t fit into one of my goals, I don’t work on them. All the crazy ideas that pop into my head I collect in a separate list which can be considered if and when I have some spare capacity.

There’s a good chance this could work well for me, and if you’d like to take a look at how this concept is shaping up here.

Let’s Review

‘23 was a fine year for my tabletop gaming efforts. I have continued regular games both online and in person, but with little data to show for it (above methods should help in the next year’s analysis). This blog continues to grow with 2,220 visitors in ‘23 (up 31%), the most popular post being Holmes & Clark with 1,110 views.

Post volume is still low, with on 4 posts in ‘23 (down 40%). So perhaps that’s something that needs more attention.

I did experiment with tracking my miniature purchases and completed output in ‘23, but by the summer I had fallen out of the practice of tracking such things. However, it still seams a reasonable excercise and one I’ll attempt again in ‘24. Find those details here.