#055 - march 2026 TTRPG newsletter
Call of Cthulhu, D&D 5E, Cairn, Shadowdark, Elric
Despite business trips, I had a lot of ttrpg sessions this month. Here is my recap of March.
What’s new at my gaming table?
After a month-long hiatus, the Rise of the Drows campaign for D&D 5E (2014) is back with two sessions this month, tracking down the treacherous dark elves. We’re leaving the starting village to try to catch up with the drows who have kidnapped some villagers. And we’ve added a new player to the group.
Also two sessions this month of the Call of Cthulhu mini-campaign deep inside a coal mine, on the trail of well-buried secrets (uh, uh).
On the GM side, another session of my open-table Shadowdark game. For the first time ever, I had a group of 6 players —my record! However, little progress was made in exploring a mysterious valley, with plenty of caution but also roleplay to find clues and rumors of adventure, which are plentiful around the small fortress that now serves as the players’ base.
I ran a few solo gaming sessions, a Cairn hack I’ve named… Apocairn! As the name suggests, it’s post-apocalyptic, featuring a lone character exploring devastated wastelands. The vibe isn’t gonzo (no mutant psychic dinosaurs, sorry!) but more like The Walking Dead and Mad Max! I’m also putting stuff from Into the Odd, Kal-Arath and more in the homebrew rules I use. If it turns interesting, maybe I’ll write some stories about it, who knows?
Readings
I’m continuing to read the Elric series and have finished The Fortress of the Pearl. I’m now on volume 3, The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, which I’m really enjoying.
There are a lot of editions and covers but who wouldn’t like the one above?
Movies/series
Is it why I’m playing Apocairn! ? I’m not sure, since the style isn’t quite the same, but I’m watching Season 2 of Fallout at a leisurely pace, and it’s still a joy to watch.
Creations, tips, shop…
I’m currently drawing dungeon maps by hand and a lot of people seem to like it too so I’ve posted one for free on my Ko-fi page and on Patreon. You can download it in high resolution if you’re interested. If there’s enough demand, I’ll add a quick one-page description. More will follow, as well as a 2-floors Dungeon Alchemist map, being the lair of a nasty adversary…
My creations are also on DriveThruRPG.
Follow me on the web
Do not hesitate to leave a message or comment below or answer to the email to let me know what you think of this letter.
What is it that makes these maps so aesthetic?