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Travis Miller's Blog About Sword & Sorcery Fiction and Classic Fantasy Adventure Gaming

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Tag: #fantasy

Gamehole Con 2025 Report

On October 27, 2025October 28, 2025 By Travis MillerIn conventions, travel1 Comment

Gamehole Con was a great time and I look forward to coming back again next year.

Nostalgia for the OSR Blogs of Yore

On July 24, 2025July 24, 2025 By Travis MillerIn blog dialogue, D.I.O., musings3 Comments

James at Grognardia and John from The Nine and Thirty Kingdoms wrote some nostalgia posts about the OSR blogging scene circa 2010 and a few years after. I share their wistful thoughts about the early days of the OSR blogging scene. During that time, I read blogs, occasionally commented and would use some of the …

Continue reading Nostalgia for the OSR Blogs of Yore

Origins 2025 Convention Report

On June 26, 2025June 26, 2025 By Travis MillerIn conventions, game business, travel

I went to Origins 2025 and had a great time.

Signal Boost: OSRIC 3.0 Crowdfunding on Backerkit

On May 15, 2025May 15, 2025 By Travis MillerIn crowd funding, recommended

OSRIC 3rd edition is crowdfunding on Backerkit and I pledged my support to it. I am not part of the team the wrote it and I have no affiliation with Mythmere Games. I backed it because I value the game and the people who produced it.

Books about storytelling and writing on a shelf

Why is Game Mastering Easier Than Storytelling?

On April 10, 2025November 29, 2025 By Travis MillerIn game mastering advice5 Comments

Some of the most common, well meaning, and simply wrong advice given to game masters in the last 30 years is "tell a story." Storytelling is hard to do well. Game mastering less difficult and often produces better results if you just let the game do the work.

Why I Include Awful Things In My Tabletop RPG Campaigns

On January 9, 2025January 14, 2025 By Travis MillerIn musings

A topic that emerges every so often in roleplaying game discussion is the question of what is appropriate to include in a game. What should be allowed?

Why, When, and Where I Place Secret Doors In Dungeons

On December 12, 2024December 14, 2024 By Travis MillerIn adventure design, encounter design, game mastering advice3 Comments

Most referees know the rules and how to make rulings for secret doors. Why, when, and where to use them in a dungeon might is also worth considering.

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Travis Miller

I write about tabletop role-playing games, sword-and-sorcery fiction, storytelling, and heavy metal. 

The friendships I’ve forged while playing adventure games, listening to heavy music, and sharing stories saved my life and made it worth living.  

I live in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. America’s most underrated city.

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Cover of a a roleplaying game product titled "Hogwater: Village of Secrets" by Travis Miller

If you aren't logged into DTRPG or have your account settings to see adult content, Hogwater won't show up for you when you click on the link. The "adult" content is limited to the cover and bit of suggestive text in one encounter.

Hogwater: Village of Secrets is a starting location for a sandbox campaign. It includes everything you need to begin a campaign while still having the space to add your favorite old school modules or build your own. There are factions, non-player characters, unique monsters, locations, and a series of pre-written hooks for you to introduce players to the village of Hogwater and its troubles.

Immortals Inc, one of Cleveland's best Friendly Local Game Stores, keeps signed copies of Hogwater in stock. They ship to locations inside of the United States or you can pick it up yourself if you happen to be in the area. Great shop and great people. I also run special events and appear on their YouTube channel from time to time.

Buy Hogwater on Lulu in Print. Send me the receipt and I'll send you a PDF for free.

Buy Hogwater in PDF on Lulu

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