N M Sheldon
I am an amateur (for now) author, role-playing game designer, fantasy cartographer, software developer, husband and father. At least, those are what I think of myself as.
I live in rural eastern Wisconsin, USA, and am a member of my local writer’s group. If you wish to contact me, use the options available through the social media links in the menu.
(he/him)
About This Blog
This blog is dedicated to updating the world about the creative projects I’m working on, whether it wants to hear them or not. I may also post some articles on random thoughts and happenings.
As is tradition, this blog will probably begin with a burst of posts over the next few months, followed by a gradual decline until it goes ten or twenty years without anything new.
If you are looking for something specific, see below for a list of categories, or a list of series. Or use the search input above to do a text search of all posts and pages. There’s a section about comments way down at the bottom.
Recent Posts
18th-century Inspired Map of Wisconsin
I’ve started an Etsy shop, and I’m selling maps I’ve made myself. My first major product is an 18th-century Inspired Map of Wisconsin. Check it out, and read below to hear the story. Read more...
The Curse of Arenthorp
2023-12-22 Role Playing Games
The small hamlet of Arenthorp has fallen under a curse. Elementals are causing havoc, storms and fires are destroying buildings, and a mysterious hedge maze seems to be the center of the problem. Can you find the source of the curse and break it?
I’ve just released a new adventure, The Curse of Arenthorp, on DM’s Guild. This is a first level adventure for fifth edition D&D, which might bring characters up to third level in two or three sessions. It’s full of details about a small village. There’s an unexpected invasion of minor elementals. It has a maze, with traps and puzzles. There’s also a fun monster or two that I brought over from the ancient days of the game.
The Curse of Arenthorp is available for $4.95 on Dungeon Masters Guild.
I’ve also refreshed my other adventure on DMS Guild, The Smugglers of Grogmock Mound. The exact same content, but a flashier cover, and improved layout and design, with illustrations this time. Read more...
Cosmopoeia
2023-11-28 Worldbuilding, Programming
When I find a monotonous task, I want to spend more time looking for shortcuts than completing the task itself1. When it’s a computer task, the added challenge of building a new program makes the distraction worse. This can be a problem, and I’ve learned tricks to avoid it, such as looking for previous work. But sometimes that previous work isn’t quite what I need. And sometimes the idea sticks in my head and I can’t get it out until I do something about it. This post is about one such project. Read more...
Series
Categories
- Role Playing Games
- Inannak
- Maps
- Worldbuilding
- Fantasy Quest RPG
- Things I've Learned
- Writing Advice
- Programming
- Etsy
- Uncategorized
On Commenting
After several days of research, I decided that there are no decent commenting systems for static websites. The best options I’ve found all require you to log in to some other service. I believe in the power of the shy, polite, anonymous voice, and I want my door open to them. And the only way I can do that without paying money1, or building my own server, is using Disqus2. As I know they are a notorious site tracking system and ad server, I’ve set it up so it is not turned on until you turn it on. Just press the button on the bottom of each post to load the links, iframes, scripts, etc., and you will be able to view and add comments.
If you are uncomfortable with Disqus, and want to make your voice heard, you have a number of options, all of which require you to have an account somewhere. A github account will get you into the discussions forum linked over on the left of every page. Other accounts will give you access to the social media links at the top of every page. You’re still anonymous to me and the rest of its audience, you’re just not anonymous to those companies.
All comments are expected to be respectful, tolerant, legal, rated PG, and non-promotional. All comments require approval, which may take time.
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My site doesn’t get enough traffic to make it worth paying money for it. ↩
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Disqus offers the ability to comment as a guest with pseudonym and e-mail address, which many other services do not offer. After a few tests, I can verify that I can’t see the e-mail you use with it, and I’m not certain that the e-mail address is verified. ↩