#RPGaDAY2026 - Day Thirty-Two!!! Let's wrap this up

 

It's the first of September, so #RPGaDAY2026 is officially over. Thank you to everyone who took part this year, there have been some amazing entries, from those who took every prompt, and every element from the additional prompts, and used them to create whole settings for their games, to those who threw the prompts away completely but fully embraced the true meaning of #RPGaDAY and got people talking in a positive way about the hobby. 

It's been amazing. While it was quite evident this year that the big corporations were doing their best to make our content and hard work harder to find, communities on Discord and the (currently) unmonetised BlueSky proved that these discussions were still going strong and producing some of the coolest creations and discussions around tabletop gaming. 

Once again, I'd like to thank those who provided the translations this year (Roberto Micheri, Richard 'Bat' Brewster, Eric Souza, Miguel Therriault, Bartimeaus, and edu-rpg.de) and, of course, to Anthony 'Runeslinger' Boyd, for creating the prompts this year and hosting our intro and outro videos. 

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On a more serious note, August is always hard for me, but this year was particularly tough. As the weeks progress, I've been finding it more and more difficult to know just what the heck I'm doing. We had a meeting of like-minded game designers recently, and did those little introductions... I used to be able to say, 'Hi, I'm David F Chapman, I'm a producer at Cubicle 7 Games and probably best known as the designer of the Doctor Who RPG'. 

Now, I can't. I kinda fumbled it all, as I realised I'm not a producer. Hell, I'm not even employed. I know Tyler Durden said 'You are not your job', but it just felt odd to say... 'I'm... er... making some stuff for myself'. 

So what am I doing? 

I'm a way into the player's book for Hex Education, but need to really ponder some rules decisions before I get any further. 

I've a freelance gig that I'm working on, but can't talk about. 

And I live in hope for something else. 

Maybe Tabletop Scotland this year will be as inspiring to me as it was a couple of years ago... 

Maybe I should dig the video camera out again. Maybe I should draw that comic. 

I just need to stay multi-classy. 

And so should you.

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#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 31: Edge

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 31: Edge

We've made it, the final day of #RPGaDAY2026 and we teeter on the edge of the world... The last of the NPCs I've written up for Hex Education based on a hastily drawn tarot card image.

Kim Coleman

Sometimes you just need to get away from everything and everyone. To go to the edge of school, to the clifftops, and look out on the land to the west. The land where, legend states, evil is stirring. Kim's not sure if there really is anything out there. The pupils aren't allowed to venture off of school property, and only have the history lessons to tell them of the horrors and creatures that threatens the school and the mundane realm beyond. 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 30: Pride

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 30: Pride

One thing I really wanted to do with Hex Education was to provide fans of a certain magic school a way to play cool and exciting mysteries and adventures in a slightly familiar setting, without supporting the creator whose actions over the last few years have turned many away. However, since then it has escalated and changed to become a game of portal fantasy, with a healthy dose of Arthurian mythology and journeys to a Narnia or Fillory-like land to face evil while studying at a magical school. 

At its heart, however, is acceptance. Everyone is welcome. Everyone. As long as you're not evil. Though that often is only apparent when one does evil. 

Dainius

One of the first centaurs to graduate from the Academy, Dainius is testament to the school's stance on accepting and adapting to everyone who wishes to attend, as long as they show some form of magical potential, and are willing to put the work in to develop such ability. Though adapting the graduation gown has proved to be a little tricky...

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 29: Labour

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 29: Labour

It has taken a lot of work to create 400+ prompts, and to host #RPGaDAY every year, and I have to say thanks to Runeslinger for his valuable help in hosting, creating prompts, and without his input the whole initiative would have ended after its third year... 

Kevin Cimino

Punishment for misbehaving at the Academy is usually some form of detention, though the herbology professor particularly likes to add some additional form of torture for those suffering detention from his class – the wonders of cleaning the classroom and greenhouses... without the use of magic. That's right, get the mops and cloths out, buckets of water and cleaning fluids, and be prepared to get messy. You'll be cleaning your own uniform afterwards, too, as Kevin found out. All he did was pass a note to Sophie, but he was caught out. 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 28: Devotion

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 28: Devotion

It takes a lot of dedication and devotion to get through to this stage of #RPGaDAY2026. Heck, even more devotion if you've been doing this since it began... If you've done every day of #RPGaDAY since it began, this is your 400th entry to the challenge. I feel tired just thinking about that!

Mitchell Parkinson

Mitch is the captain of the Towers team for his house. He's worked hard to get there, training every day, even when it's not scheduled practice. If there's a spare hour in the evening, he's practicing. Or preparing. Polishing his shield to give it the best chance at deflecting the energy-ball and to provide the best accuracy to aim it back at his opponents. He'll win, through hard work and dedication. 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 27: Hunger

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 27: Hunger

It's day twenty-seven, we're nearly at the end. Are you hungry for more, or just eager to finish!? The strange thing about writing a magical academy, no one should be going hungry in it – meals are provided, but then my lovely wife pointed out that the Academy allows everyone to attend. There is no discrimination or exclusion, as long as you're not evil! Which led to the following NPC for Hex Education. 

Cezar Dragomir

Cezar is one of the first vampires to attend the Academy. The faculty has been very accommodating, and the classrooms have been protected against UV light, and the route between classes have been planned to only use corridors and secret passageways. The only thing they haven't quite adjusted to is his feeding requirements. Luckily, he only needs to feed upon a small amount of blood every night, carefully donated by volunteers, but he still ends up sitting at the vast tables in the dining hall at mealtimes. It can be awkward, and he still feels hungry, watching all of those mortals eat their normal food...

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 26: Regret

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 26: Regret

Well, I hope you don't regret taking on the challenge of #RPGaDAY2026. Today's a difficult one if you want to keep things positive, as we always ask for when it comes to #RPGaDAY, but there could be that game you regret not getting, or anything you could imagine. I have plenty of regrets, but very few of them are RPG related... though there is one... no... 

Once again, let's focus on NPCs from my game in progress, Hex Education.

Piotr Santaniello

Always a bit of a troublemaker, Piotr was always rebelling. Bunking off of classes to hide in the greenhouses to race snails. Mocking the teachers behind their backs. Playing pranks on the other students. He was notorious for it. However, his biggest regret was throwing that jinxed ball of parchment. He thought it was a great laugh, aiming for that freshman. Instead, it went straight for the head of house. That'll be the rest of term in detention...

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 25: Familiarity

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 25: Familiarity

I must admit, I really struggled with this one. It was really tricky to come up with something art-wise for the prompt Familiarity, and then suddenly it dawned on me. If I dropped a couple of letters, it's the perfect word for a witchy-academy setting! 

Jessica Patterson

Jess was incredibly happy to hear that she could bring her beloved pet with her to the Academy. Mr Fuzzles, however, wasn't so sure. Part of the curriculum for those bringing pets include additional training in bonding with an animal so that it becomes a loyal and helpful familiar that can understand instruction, and also help out with some tasks. As the familiar advances, it can develop speech, and assist in hex-casting. 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 24: Distance

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 24: Distance

Day Twenty-Four of #RPGaDAY2026 and it's all about DISTANCE. How far have you gone in your game? How far have you travelled to get to a game or convention? Once again, I've used the prompt to draw another tarot card to inspire an NPC for the game I'm working on, Hex Education. 

Christian Schroeder

One thing Christian has not yet come to grips with is the concept of there being two Academies. One in the mundane world, a boarding school for students to learn everything they could need for the future - maths, languages, science, history... and a second Academy, through a mysterious portal, in the Otherworld, where magic is taught. It seems like another world, but it feels like ours. Do you travel a long distance to this other realm, or is it right on our doorstep, but 'shifted' slightly out of our reality. 

Christian finds this fascinating, and is focusing his studies on finding out more about other worlds beyond our own, and how they are connected.

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 23: Fortune

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 23: Fortune

If there's one thing you won't make when making RPGs (unless you're lucky enough to get a crazy-huge license like Dungeon Crawler Carl or Cosmere) is a fortune. But that doesn't mean we can't dream! However, Fortune can relate to other things too - and is particularly apt for a magic academy.

Carmen Mora

Carmie has always been plagued with visions – premonitions of imminent dangers and threats. Thankfully, the Academy has been teaching them how to control these visions, and to channel the predictive and precognitive energies into clearer and easier to define methods, such as cards and crystals. Their uncanny predictions have made Carmen incredibly popular in the run-up to exam season, as they are besieged by students asking for advice as to what questions will be on the papers.

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 22: Grit

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 22: Grit

Sometimes, like doing a month-long challenge like #RPGaDAY2026, you just have to grit your teeth and plough on through until it's finished. You can do it. You're almost in the home stretch. 

Isla Trevino

It's not just magic that is taught at the Academy. While the traditional mundane subjects are also taught, especially as many magical practices involve knowledge of languages, science, and mathematics, the 'physical fitness' part of the curriculum also involves basic levels of combat. From self-defence, martial arts, to fencing, if a student shows promise in these areas they are encouraged and the classes expand to other areas such as cavalry, broad swords, archery, and more. 

Isla excelled in fencing, mastering the foil and rapier levels of tutoring. Her swordmaster immediately recommended that she progress onto full swordsmanship, though the swords are a lot heavier and require a lot more resolve and grit to swing.

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 21: Charity

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 21: Charity

On day twenty-one, we're all asking for a little charity. I must admit, I always try to be charitable, also since becoming freelance and having just about zero income at the moment, that is certainly difficult. But being charitable doesn't necessarily mean financially. It can also be simply being supportive, and offering help when you can. 

Bradford Young

Brad noticed that Paula was falling behind in her classes. He didn't know what the cause was, but he was getting worried that she was going to drop out of the Academy altogether. If her grades fell too severely, she'd be sent home, back to mundane life, with all knowledge of the Academy, and of magic, erased from her memory. Since then, Brad has become a good friend, helping with some additional tutoring at the weekends that have really improved her understanding of the complex machinations of magic. As a result, she's no longer constantly worried, and is finally eating again - even if sometimes she has extra from Brad's plate. 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 20: Promise

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 20: Promise

Day Twenty of #RPGaDAY2026 is all about your friends and making a promise. Usually this is a promise to support them and not to do anything that could cause them any harm. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone was like that? 

Draven Vaughn

Draven and his best friend, Harland, have made a promise. If one of the gets onto the Towers squad, and not the other, they'll quit. They're a team, and the coach will have to take them both or neither of them at all. They work best when they work together, and once the coach realises that, the team will easily come out on top of the table. 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 19: Desire

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 19: Desire

Day Nineteen of #RPGaDAY2026 could make you immediately leap to the wrong conclusions as to where this one is going, but DESIRE doesn't have to be romantic longing. 

Andrea Barajas

While it had only been a couple of weeks into their first term at the Academy, Andrea was already feeling homesick. The postcards to their family have to be carefully worded to avoid the 'mundies' reading about a secret magic school in another realm, but the text is similar to any student's letter home from a boarding school. Filled with longing to be home, how they don't get one with the other kids, and miss their family. It'll get better, and Andrea will settle in. The friends are there, just waiting to be let in.

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 18: Directness

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 18: Directness

We're onto day eighteen of #RPGaDAY2026, and the prompt for today is DIRECTNESS. I've never been very direct, but here goes - let's get to the point and the NPC I've written about for today's entry.

Matthew Moretti

Matt has had a crush on many of his classmates, worshipping them from afar for months on end and never having the courage to speak of his affections. He just doesn't think he's cool or attractive enough to even bother. I mean, why put yourself out there when you know you're just lining yourself up for rejection and disappointment. 

It was quite a surprise to discover that he was the object of such a crush from another of his classmates. And they did have the courage to speak up!

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 17: Intensity

 #RPGaDAY2026 - Day 17: Intensity

It's day seventeen of #RPGaDAY2026 and it's only when you zoom right in onto the graphic I drew that you see how scrappy it is. I don't think it's meant to be blown up that much. Oh well... maybe we shouldn't look at things quite so intensely. Which is, of course, the word of the day - Intensity. There's always one in the class...

Kenton Vargas

Kenton spends a lot of their time alone and frowning. It seems to be their natural state. No one seems to be able to get close or to get them to open up, and instead they just drift from one class to the next, or sitting alone in the dining hall. Someone is going to get through to them, and finally get them to speak. I'm sure Kenton has an interesting story to tell... 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 16: Composure

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 16: Composure

It's day sixteen of #RPGaDAY2026, and the prompt is COMPOSURE. Can you keep your head when all around you are losing theirs? I'm continuing my challenge to use the prompts to inspire some hastily drawn tarot cards, and using them to create NPCs for the game I'm tinkering with, Hex Education. 

Jupiter Riley

Jupiter hates crystallomancy classes, and it's not because of the divination and the ambiguity of it all. No, it's because their teacher, Mr Bruce, is a ghost. It's very disturbing, and Jupiter finds it hard to concentrate on their studies, never mind actually divining anything with the crystals. They have been taking lessons from Madeline in trying to calm themselves, and to not panic, but it can be tricky when Mr Bruce is looming so close and criticising the work.

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 15: Endurance

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 15: Endurance

Day fifteen of #RPGaDAY2026 and the prompt of the day is the word ENDURANCE. If you've made it this far in #RPGaDAY this year, you're almost half-way there, and have displayed more endurance than you thought! Well done!

As before, I'm creating NPCs based on tarot cards inspired by the prompt. 

Erika Sablecrest

By the time the end of year exams come around, there are those who don't really care about their grades and are quite happy to just do their best and hope it's good enough. And then there are those like Erika who will spend the entire night before the exam revising and preparing for every possible question that may come up on the paper. Will she manage to get through the exam after staying up all night? 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 14: Regard

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 14: Regard

It's day fourteen of #RPGaDAY2026, and this one's a bit tricky. The prompt is REGARD, and I've gone with the definition of "respect or admiration of someone or something." Continuing my challenge to draw tarot cards based on the prompt and then to create a rough backstory for an NPC for the game I'm working on, Hex Education, my immediate thought was that scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark with the student in Indy's class with the writing on her eyelids... but you know, lusting after your teacher is a little weird. Best not go there. 

Arabella Chadwick

Arabella has a massive crush on the student in front of her for her Mathematics of Magic Use class, and it's really distracting. In the first couple of years, her teachers said she had a natural talent for mathemaging and even suggested that she should specialise when the time for choosing options came around. That was before she was smitten. The target of her affection is unaware, despite the strange and cryptic notes, the snacks appearing in their blazer pockets, or the constant requests to borrow their notes from the lesson. Arabella's grades in the class are slipping, and she's going to fail if she doesn't learn to focus. But it's really difficult...

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 13: Strain

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 13: Strain

Onto the thirteenth day of #RPGaDAY2026 and I'm hoping this isn't proving to be too much of a STRAIN. See what I did there? Anyway, as before, I drew a tarot card based upon the prompt, and hope to create a character a day – an NPC for the game I'm tinkering with, Hex Education. 

Dexter Shuttleworth

Dexter understands that violence is not a solution, but sometimes, just sometimes, something needs to be done. Sick of seeing some of his friends getting bullied by the seniors, one day he simply snapped. But Dexter's not strong, or skilled at fighting, and those seniors are twice his size. Luckily, his good friend, Miles, jumped in and held him back, so he didn't get pummelled. Those bullies will get theirs, but it'll take something smarter than violence to teach them a lesson.

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 12: Loss

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 12: Loss

It's day twelve of #RPGaDAY2026, and the prompt of LOSS can be a bit of a thought-provoking one. I'm still continuing to create NPCs for the game I'm working on, Hex Education. #RPGaDAY was initially designed to be a distraction from a loss, so I'm going to go in a different direction.

Quinwarin Eastman

The great inter-house sport of the Academy is called Towers – a reflection of an ancient battle in the past where the four towers the surround the Academy and the town were used to defend the people from dark forces. The sport sees the players standing on platforms, and, instead of defending against invaders, the players hurl a 'ball' at each other, and try to knock their opponents off of their roosts. Quin hoped he was going to lead his house to victory, and everyone was cheering him on, but his fears came true. The best Towers player in the Academy was his final opponent, Jeremiah Braithwaite quickly destroyed his defences and sent him flying off of his platform. 

Quin will be dedicating his afterschool time with practicing his defensive spells and Towers strategy. 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 11: Tact

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 11: Tact

It's day eleven of #RPGaDAY2026 and I'm trying to continue my challenge in creating 31 NPCs for the game, Hex Education, which I'm developing at the moment. Today's prompt is TACT, and I've hastily drawn a tarot card to inspire a character.

Zaria Bolaan

Zaria is smart. Very smart. She considers herself incredibly lucky as she's been able to go to the Academy with her best friend in the world, Addison. Together, they vowed to work hard, to be the best they could possibly be. The most recent end of term test on interpretation of ancient runes, Zaria aced it, but after many evenings of studying together, Addison only got a B. Rather than gloat or boast, like many of her classmates would, Zaria simply congratulates him on passing with a great result, and may even lie about what grade she got to make him feel better.

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 10: Secret

 #RPGaDAY2026 - Day 10: Secret

Ah, a weird flashback to when I suggested Pretty Little Liars would make a good tabletop roleplaying game... "Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead..." 

It's day ten of #RPGaDAY2026, and the prompt is SECRET. The best roleplaying games involve uncovering cool and exciting secrets. Secret doors, secret passageways, secret societies – I'm hoping that Hex Education has lots of these. Once again, I've used the prompt to inspire a hastily drawn tarot card (though in this case it's the second attempt, as I hated the first one I drew), and using this card to write up a little about an NPC for the game. 

Ursula West

There's got to be an easier way to get through school, and Ursula is convinced she's found it. After weeks of searching, gaining access to the staff areas of the Academy, she's finally found what she thinks is the secret hiding place of the exam answers. Of course, it's not. It's all a bit of a trap – or rather a test – designed by the Headmaster, to discover the most determined, and somewhat sneaky, students. 

There will be punishment, and Ursula will see the extra work as a punishment, but in actuality these sessions are further training in stealth, surveillance, and scouting. 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 9: Privilege

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 9: Privilege

We're onto day nine of #RPGaDAY2026 and today's prompt is PRIVILEGE, a word that, for some reason, my brain just won't let me spell correctly the first time I type it. Once more, continuing with my creating an NPC for each prompt, based on a hastily drawn tarot card. Hopefully by the end of the month I'll have 31 NPCs I can draw at random if I need someone to do something in the game.

Benjamin Frost

Possibly the greatest privilege at the Academy is to be Head Student. You get a badge, one even shinier than the Prefects, and you've a voice with the faculty. In most cases, being Head Student means you try to improve things for your peers, demand more choice at dinners, cleaner bathrooms, less homework, that sort of thing. However, Benjamin (never call him 'Ben') is using his newfound power and authority to throw his weight around, boss the new students around, and threatening them when they refuse to do his assignments for him. 

Oh, he'll get his... 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day 8: Resolve

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day Eight: Resolve

Onto day eight of #RPGaDAY2026 and we're over a week in already! Hurrah!! Once again, I'm creating NPCs for Hex Education based on the art from my hastily drawn Tarot cards inspired by the prompt of the day. The prompt for today is Resolve, which can mean an awful lot of things...

Barbara Weiss

The temptation was always there. Hidden, at the back of a dusty shelf in a forgotten section of the library, were some of the most dangerous and darkest spells in creation. They weren't just powerful, but they were corrupting. They would let the darkness invade and take over your very soul. Alex thought this could be a way to advance in class. He was slipping terribly far behind, but when Barbara realised what book he was using, she was shocked and knew something had to be done. It was tempting, the book even called to her to open it, but she was resolute, and cast it into the fires in the common room. As to whether it could even burn is up to you. 

#RPGaDAY2026: Day 7 - Mercy

 

#RPGaDAY2026 - Day Seven: Mercy

Onto Day Seven of #RPGaDAY2026 and the prompt of the day is the word MERCY. It was tricky to do an image that didn't involve some form of violence, and while doodling I just had Robert Palmer's cover of Marvin Gaye's 'Mercy Mercy Me' stuck in my head, despite not hearing it for many, many years. Weird how songs stay in the mind so long after hearing them. 

Anyway, after realising it could be some form of competitive duelling, then I knew what to draw, and that would lead me to creating the next character for Hex Education. 

Sigrid Berglund

Duelling at the Academy takes many forms. From year three, physical education includes foil and rapier fencing, and those who excel go onto sabre combat and more. When it comes to magical duelling, Sigrid is already top of the inter-house league. She is not violent or ruthless, instead her calm and considerate demeanour can lull her opponents into a false sense of security. Her Fae heritage is more evident, and she may be displaying some form of precognition, allowing her to predict her opponent's next move.