Tumulus 07 "Slay the dragon" 🐉

The latest issue of Tumulus is shipping now, packed with game design inspiration and hands-on exercises. Dragons, neutral components, swords, lairs, hidden information, and sipping tea.

Tumulus 07 “Slay the dragon.”

Issue 07. Slay the dragon.

Tumulus Issue 7 is shipping out to subscribers around the world!

Tumulus is a quarterly collection of analog gaming inspiration, tools, design theory, and playable content from Skeleton Code Machine. Each issue has a theme such as “Do not trust robots.” or “Return to the sea.” Design exercises are included for you to try what you’ve learned.

Tumulus is creative, thought-provoking, and worthy of a place on your shelf.

What’s inside this issue

Tumulus Issue 7 Table of Contents

The theme of Tumulus Issue 7 is “Slay the dragon.” and is focused on dragons big and small. It begins by asking the question: What is a dragon?

In Constructing Legendary Dragons (p. 7) you can read about the common elements of dragons and roll some dice to make your own. There are game design lessons to be learned from SPI’s 1981 Dragonslayer board game (p. 15).

Passive Aggressive Dragons

This issue has two playable games. The first is Passive Aggressive Dragons in which you and an opponent competitively build a lair all while trying to force the other to leave (p. 29). The other is Kill the Worm — an adaptation of the classic Fox and Geese game with villagers battling the mythological Lambton Worm (p. 51).

Cozy Dragons Sipping Tea

The article about Precious Things (a game about cozy dragons collecting things) includes a three-question interview with designer Lucas Zellers.

Free Dragon Pages bookmark TTRPG

Dragon Pages Bookmark TTRPG (Front)

This issue of Tumulus is shipping with a free Dragon Pages bookmark game.

You are a knight on a quest to slay a dragon. Journey to its lair, discovering boons, banes, and omens along the way. But move swiftly, lest your supplies run out! The dragon awaits!

• Use any book you’d like along with a few six-sided dice.

• Watch for key words in the text.

• Words will add or subtract from the attack dice pool.

• Each real day that passes consumes your supplies.

Created by Exeunt Press for the TTRPG Bookmark Jam 2025.

Pick your issues when ordering

D6+D6: Dragons & Swords

Please select your issues when subscribing. Tumulus 07 “Slay the dragon.” is the current issue and will ship immediately. Tumulus 08 is the next one and will ship September 2026.

If you start a new subscription, your first issue will ship out right away if you select the current issue. Subsequent issues will be mailed to you once per quarter. No matter when you subscribe, you’ll always receive four issues.

Resubscribing? No problem! Just select the issues you want to ensure you don’t get a duplicate issue. Remember that subscriptions don’t auto-renew by design. You’ll need to resubscribe to receive four more issues.

As always, if you have any questions about your order or need to update your address, please send an email to games@exeunt.press.

Back issues are available

Tumulus Issue 1 “Do not trust robots.” Table of Contents

Not ready to subscribe just yet? A limited number of back issues are available at full list price. New issues are added after the next one has shipped.

Ragdoll by Strega Wolf. Frame not included.

And good news! Tumulus Issue 01 “Do not trust robots.” is back in stock! Due to the number of requests I’ve received and the fact that its print run was smaller than the others, I did another printing of it. Grab Issue 01 as a back issue and get an art print of Ragdoll by Strega Wolf while supplies last.¹

Upcoming issues

Preview cover for Issue 8 “Insert coin to continue.” Subject to change.

Curious what’s coming up in future issues? Here are the themes for the next three:

• Issue 08. “Insert coin to continue.” (September 2026)

  • Exploring how video games can influence tabletop games

  • Includes printed Massive Damage TTRPG bookmark

• Issue 09. “Ponder the orb.” (December 2026)

  • Wizards, magic, spellcasting, crystal balls, classic fantasy

• Issue 10. “Get in the mech.” (March 2027)

  • Mecha, skirmish games, pilots, kaiju, heat, navigation

What do you think? Which issue sounds the most interesting?

Issue titles and covers are subject to change, but that’s the plan! Images above are mockups. Issues 1 through 7 are printed and in stock. The two TTRPG bookmarks are already printed and ready to be included.

— E.P. 💀

P.S. Subscribe to Tumulus and get four quarterly, print-only issues packed with game design inspiration at 33% off list price. Limited back issues available. 🩻

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Skeleton Code Machine is a production of Exeunt Press. All previous posts are in the Archive on the web. Subscribe to TUMULUS to get more design inspiration. If you want to see what else is happening at Exeunt Press, check out the Exeunt Omnes newsletter.

Skeleton Code Machine and TUMULUS are written, augmented, purged, and published by Exeunt Press. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission. TUMULUS and Skeleton Code Machine are Copyright 2026 Exeunt Press.

For comments or questions: games@exeunt.press

1. The art prints are black and white, A5. I have some left from the launch of Tumulus and will include them with back issues of Tumulus Issue 1. When they run out they are gone. Only available while supplies last.