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  Spring warmth brings out the echidnas and larger lizards. This echidna is trying to avoid attracting attention by hiding at the corner of the house.

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  The poll on my Patreon suggests I should do a series on Australian fauna, prehistoric animals, and cryptids. To that end, the first one is live for everyone to see. It's the infamous Dropbear with 5e and 5.5e stat blocks. https://stephencollins.org/posts/look-up-in-the-forest-the-dropbear/ #ttrpg #dnd

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  I'm spending more of my spare time writing material for TTRPGs, and the words and ideas are beginning to flow. In the interests of trying to do this in a more professional way, I've launched a little Patreon that will showcase that game development work (and the occasional diversion into life in the bush). I'd be delighted if any of you chose to follow my efforts. You can find me at https://www.patreon.com/cw/forestvalleygames. #ttrpg #bushlife #writing

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  In a cynical and desperate bid for attention, I’ve put a poll on my Patreon asking what I should write about next. Poll closes midnight Sunday AEST. Go tell me what to do. There’s a musical surprise in there as well thanks to @NewtonMark. https://www.patreon.com/forestvalleygames/posts/165895681?utm_campaign=postshare_creator

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  Mate, how am I supposed to read this? Coco does not consider my wants as worthy of consideration. #catsofmastodon

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  Farm life content… Cow teats are not supposed to have two holes. But sometimes, you get one like this. Also, cows are filthy a lot of the time and you need to clean off their teats before milking them. #farming #dairyfarming

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  This is 100% Mark Parton areas. He’s a deadshit who hasn’t had a decent idea since well before he was on 2CA. #actpol https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-06/mark-parton-admits-to-texting-f-k-my-job-is-boring-estimates/107002778?utm_source=abc_news_web&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_web

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  The conspiracy theorist take that 15 minute city planning is big government trying to control and restrict population movement is one of the oddest ones they have I think. Yes, weirdos, well-planned neighbourhoods and suburbs is about repression. Fuckin' numpties. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-05/one-nation-victorian-leader-promoted-conspiracy/106997026

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  Thanks to @bedirthan and @Melestrua musing about language and culture, I put my literature education and etymology hobby to good (?) use and came up with a framework and new feat to, I think, better incorporate language and cultural affinity into D&D 5.5e. I hope folks enjoy this. https://stephencollins.org/posts/on-cultural-language-and-practices-some-ideas-for-dandd-55e-that-might-be-useful/ #ttrpg #dnd #dnd5e #language #culture

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  Every time I read or watch something that our current GG is involved in, I like her more. She’s good people and concerned about the right things. #auspol https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jul/31/governor-general-warns-of-growing-catastrophe-that-threatens-to-undermine-democracy-in-australia-ntwnfb

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  Ribs at the pub.

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  @tg Dark Hours is fabulous. Thank you for making this.

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  And we're done... The final post in my toolkit set. This time, audio for your tabletop (physical or digital). https://stephencollins.org/posts/building-an-online-ttrpg-toolkit-part-5-sound-and-fury/ #ttrpg #music

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  We have a planned power outage of up to 6 hours today. Right now, our PV and battery is doing the job we paid it for. #bushlife #solarpower

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  The fourth of my toolkit posts is up, this time on campaign management. It's also a full review of ENNIE-nominated West Marches, which might interest some folks here. https://stephencollins.org/posts/building-an-online-ttrpg-toolkit-part-4-campaign-management-scheduling-economy-and-notes-and-a-review/ #ttrpg #westmarches #ennieawards

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  Second post in my #trrpg toolkit series is up. It's about our Discord setup. No surprises here for many in this audience, but folk may be interested in our particular approach. https://stephencollins.org/posts/building-an-online-ttrpg-toolkit-part-2-group-communication/

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  After starting my new #dnd group last week, I decided to document the way I've built out my tool set for (mostly) online play. I'm breaking it up into several posts, as otherwise it will be *very* long and unwieldy. Anyway, Part 1 is up. First tool: @obsidian. https://stephencollins.org/posts/building-an-online-ttrpg-toolkit-part-1-campaign-record-keeping-and-development/ #ttrpg #obsidian

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  Orion in the eastern sky, looking NE. 5:30am 26/7/2026. 10 second Night Mode exposure on iPhone 16. #ddarksky #astrophotography #bushlife #nofilter #noprocessing

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  First session of my new #DnD campaign done. 🎉 Me not having rolled dice in anger in over 20 years as DM, a complete newbie in @natcbr, and a player who is rusty and hasn't played 5e in several years. Our collective rust and inexperience showed and we were slow (we were also trying to use a VTT for the first time, as none of us had ever played online, so that slowed us significantly). Nonetheless, fun had by all. #ttrpg

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  Good. these scum need to spend a long, long time rotting in a cell. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/jul/18/andrew-tristan-tate-arrested-miami

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  In case there were any doubts, Hanson has moved from noisy, annoying racist with a place in the parliament, to full-blown Nazi. #auspol https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-17/pauline-hanson-tommy-robinson-podcast/106926030

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  Flawed as they are (they're human after all), the best PMs in this corner of the world in recent times have been Jacinda Ardern in NZ and Julia Gillard here in Australia. Human, empathetic, often good listeners (Gillard as education minister, particularly), they showed a different kind of leadership - a better kind - could be successful. #auspol #nzpol https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-17/jacinda-ardern-empathetic-leadership-in-politics/106900418

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  Clearly legit.

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  Don’t forgot the tomato sauce, people.

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  Just started watching Sugar S1 on Apple TV. It’s compelling. But what’s going on under the surface, because something hinky is up? #tv #neonoir #nospoilers

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  In case anyone is interested, I have written up my experience of getting all the digital TTRPG content I own into Calibre, the ebook management software. https://stephencollins.org/posts/calibre-for-your-digital-ttrpgs-and-other-things-you-might-read/ #blog #ttrpg #calibre

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  Looking forward to the first of many massive news fuckups at the ABC off the back of this idiocy. Let alone the unhappy staff feeling their jobs under pressure. https://theconversation.com/abc-will-trial-using-ai-for-journalism-what-are-the-risks-and-benefits-286841

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  @KeithAmmann is there anywhere in my neck of the woods, i.e. Australia, you know of that sells your books? I'm trying to work out the best way to buy for both currency exchange and postage.

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  That’s an efficient day’s work done. 0400-0930 with the cows at the farm, then home to harvest a fallen tree, stacking the logs in storage, and then splitting a week of firewood and bringing it to the rack by the back door. It hasn’t rained in a few weeks, so I’m also dropping about 10,000l of water from our header tanks up the hill to the house, but gravity is doing the work there; I just need to watch the gauge and shut the valve when it’s time. #bushlife #farming #dairyfarming #water

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  C'arn the Mantildas! #AUSvEGY #fifaworldcup