Why OSR Rocks! Welcome to Golem Productions
#001
We are Golem Productions, an indie European OSR tabletop RPG creator, and we believe the world needs another passionate voice highlighting the amazing games, creators, and communities that make OSR special. This blog is our love letter to OSR—its accessibility, ingenuity, and sheer creative power.
What To Expect From This Newsletter
What we are going to do is to highlight and give shout-outs to inspiring, brilliantly designed OSR products and their creators. We want to celebrate outstanding game design and the fantastic, creative OSR communities we’re observing.
Here’s what you can expect from us:
Showcases & Reflections – We’ll highlight OSR modules such as from Pirate Borg, Mothership, Old School Essentials, Dolmenwood, Ultraviolet Grasslands, and more, reflecting on why their mechanics, narrative design, graphic design, and overall ingenuity work well and how they inspire.
Reviews – From adventures to rulebooks to supplements, from time to time, we’ll dive deep into some of (what we perceive as some of) the best OSR content out there.
Behind-the-Scenes & Previews – We’ll share announcements and insights into our own projects at Golem Productions. While this is not meant to be a solely promotional channel, you can expect regular updates about our work as well.
The Spark That Ignited Our Flame
Our own story began in April 2024, when Limithron, creator of Pirate Borg, launched their first community content jam, Cabin Fever. I remember clearly sitting on my couch and reading about it; admiring the art, and thinking: “Wow, I’d love to do that. How amazing would it be if I could join that, too? What a pity that I am not able to.”
I even felt sad about it the next week that I couldn’t join. The week after I got angry at myself, because it felt so obvious that I wasn’t skilled or able to join, so that I had to let such an opportunity pass me by. It couldn’t be helped. I couldn’t join, after all. Then I realized—Why the fuck not?
So, I reached out to my sister Nina, a brilliant graphic designer. She went radio silent for another week. I got mad. Time was running out. Finally, we pulled together and, just four weeks before the deadline, we started working on our first adventure: The Way of the Worm.
I handled writing and came up with the concept, she took on layout and art, and we found someone to proofread. And then—boom!—we submitted it. The jam was fantastic, with 126 entries and a buzzing community. And to our complete shock, we won Best Adventure.
Now, The Way of the Worm is going to be in the official Cabin Fever book. A real, physical book. We’ll be able to hold it in our hands. Unreal.
Fueled by that momentum, we published a second Pirate Borg adventure, The Scarlet Coral Citadel, and now we’re deep into developing a hardcover module, set to be crowdfunded this summer. We’re committed to creating 3PP modules for Pirate Borg and have many ideas as well.
Why The Love For OSR?
I’ve been running games as a GM/referee/warden for over 20 years, but discovering OSR just a few years ago was a revelation. These games are accessible, rules-light, deeply evocative, and packed with creativity. The usability, the player-driven focus gave me more freedom than ever before. It was fun to prep a game, not work.
I still think back with horror to a game session I ran at secondary school, 18 or 19 years ago. We played a popular German high-fantasy RPG, the early editions of which were clearly influenced by AD&D, but which then developed in its own direction with a very complex set of rules geared towards so-called “realism”. One player had introduced a hunter as their new character and the first battle took place. It took us over half an hour to complete a ranged attack with bow and arrow, because distance, inclination, wind direction, and more had to be correctly taken into account. That’s no fun. I don’t have time for that.
Inspired by Those Who Came Before Us
Above that, I am amazed by how much love and effort indie creators put into their work. For me, OSR embodies a DIY spirit. People from all walks of life create and share amazing content, breaking away from mainstream corporate models and crafting experiences on their own terms. That’s what makes these communities empowering and inspiring. How amazing you all are!
Seeing creators start with tiny zines and grow into a well known indie publisher has been incredible. Think about Magnum Galaxy Games’ self-published adventure Nirvana on Fire—it began as a tiny 12-page zine and just three years later evolved into a deluxe boxed set with its own warden screen, poster map, and more, all with stunning production values. That’s the kind of magic we want to celebrate.
Not an OSR Purity Test
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t say that the OSR communities are the only great communities out there. We recognize that OSR isn’t the only great approach to RPGs. Powered by the Apocalypse, Forged in the Dark, 5E, or countless other indie RPGs offer fantastic experiences with vastly different playstyles. But our focus here is OSR.
That said, we won’t engage in definition disputes or gatekeeping. We move within the creative space of people who identify with OSR, NSR, FKR, and adjacent playstyles. Diversity is important, and debates over definitions won’t serve that goal.
Join Us On An Adventure!
This is how we start. OSR Rocks! I am deeply in love with this hobby. This blog will be dedicated to celebrating it. Just like many other publications in the OSR blogosphere, we want to provide value with our content.
How many times, for example, have posts on Win Conditions by Sean McCoy, creator of the Mothership RPG, made me a better GM? Podcasts like Beyond Two Cairns by Yochai Gal, creator of CAIRN, and Brad Kerr, a creator of OSE adventures, have introduced me to new modules in a fun way and helped me better understand the flow of OSR games. We hope to contribute a little to all of this.
“From pebble to monolith—your journey matters. The Golems have spoken.”
Alexander from Golem Productions
I have played through your adventures and am happy to see you grow.
Here for support, cheers and good wishes!