Ross Heubner

Founder & Head Scribe

AI product leader, active D&D game master, TTRPG enthusiast

Founder of ScriptoriumGM and AI Leadership Lab. Built this platform to help my brother manage his multiple campaigns, and discovered thousands of GMs needed the same tools. Active D&D game master running weekly sessions — the workflows and tool stacks we publish are the ones I actually use at my own table. Previously led product teams at tech companies, now focused on building AI-powered tools for creators.

Articles by Ross Heubner

Two hooded figures sit at a small table lit by a single shaft of green light, dwarfed by the vast dark hall around them

TTRPG Systems

Aug 10, 202621 min read

Two-Player TTRPGs Built for Real Campaigns

Down to two players and want more than a one-night stopgap? These are the duet TTRPGs built to actually carry a campaign, and why they hold up.

Leather-bound rulebooks on a candlelit scriptorium desk, arranged tallest to smallest, the largest glowing gold and the second glowing blue, with brass measuring instruments and dice in front

TTRPG Systems

Jul 27, 202622 min read

The Most Popular TTRPG Systems in 2026

Which tabletop RPG systems actually have players at the table in 2026? A combined ranking from three independent lists.

A medieval scriptorium desk where an open campaign ledger glows with a thin line of light connecting one underlined entry to a quill, while a blank scroll beside it shows faint half-formed shapes dissolving into smoke

AI for Game Masters

Jun 23, 202616 min read

Why Your AI Doesn't Know Your Campaign (And the Fix)

Your AI just confidently invented a promise an NPC never made. Here's why chat-window AI forgets your world, and the one principle that actually fixes it.

A scriptorium desk where an open D&D Beyond-style tome glows with weekly subscription seals, a Cthulhu sigil rises from a Ravenloft map, and a stack of crowdfunding coins towers beside polyhedral dice and a quill

TTRPG News

Jun 12, 202615 min read

May 2026 TTRPG News: D&D Live Service, Cthulhu & Carl

Hasbro tells you to think of D&D as a live-service game, Cthulhu joins the Ravenloft Darklords, and Dungeon Crawler Carl closes at $13.29M. May was about strategy declarations and follow-through.

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TTRPG Systems

Jun 1, 202616 min read

Low-Friction TTRPG Systems: Play Tonight, Skip the Homework

Tired of two-hour character creation and mid-session rulebook stalls? The rules-light systems that get your table playing fast, sorted by what your group wants.

A medieval scriptorium desk strewn with science-fiction artifacts: a derelict spaceship blueprint, a battered mech token, a glowing star chart, a laminated cyberpunk pamphlet, and a worn d100 die

TTRPG Systems

May 11, 202629 min read

10 Indie Sci-Fi TTRPGs Worth Running in 2026

Mech wars, derelict horror, solo frontiers, cyberpunk one-shots, hoverboarders. Ten indie sci-fi TTRPGs worth running in 2026, and which one fits your table.

Medieval scriptorium desk with a glowing AI rune-circle hovering over an open campaign tome, polyhedral dice, a Ravenloft-style sealed letter, and a vampire's silver goblet

TTRPG News

May 2, 202613 min read

April 2026 TTRPG News: Voyage, Dungeon Masters & Carl

Latitude launches an AI-native RPG platform, WotC premieres its own actual play, and Dungeon Crawler Carl breaks $8M on Kickstarter. April delivered the follow-through to March's hype.

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GM Tips

Apr 28, 202613 min read

You Don't Need to Do Accents: Make Every NPC Recognizable

Every dwarf ends up Scottish. Every wizard ends up British. Here's the four-variable system for NPC voices that any GM can run tonight — no acting training required.

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AI for Game Masters

Apr 24, 20267 min read

We're Launching ScriptoriumGM on Product Hunt Today

ScriptoriumGM is live on Product Hunt today. A Campaign Assistant that reads your notes and cites your rulebooks. Here's the short version of why.

Fantasy game master's desk divided into three zones — a pre-session prep area with open tome and 45-minute hourglass, a quiet at-the-table zone with closed book, GM screen, and dice, and a post-session zone with a smaller hourglass, scroll, and wax-sealed letter, all connected by a golden thread of magical light

AI for Game Masters

Apr 20, 202619 min read

AI Dungeon Master Prep in Under an Hour

Three phases, real prompts, and which tool to use for each: the AI workflow that gets D&D session prep under an hour without gutting your at-table pacing.

A cluttered detective's desk lit by candlelight: a bloodstained letter, a magnifying glass over wolf tracks, a pinned-up map with red string, and a d20 resting on a page of suspect notes

GM Tips

Apr 15, 202612 min read

How to Run a Mystery in D&D Without Railroading

Your players have stalled again and you're out of clues. The Three Clue Rule, portable clue lists, and the villain-clock technique keep D&D mysteries moving without railroading.

Medieval scriptorium desk overflowing with fantasy news scrolls, maps of Greyhawk and Ravenloft, polyhedral dice, and glowing quill pens

TTRPG News

Apr 7, 202611 min read

March 2026 TTRPG News: Ravenloft, Greyhawk & More

WotC finally reveals the 2026 D&D roadmap, Luke Gygax brings Greyhawk home, and crowdfunding records shatter. Here's what March means for your table.

Fantasy scriptorium desk with magical GM tools: glowing tome, crystal orb battle map, automaton, self-writing quill, and dice

AI for Game Masters

Mar 31, 202622 min read

Best AI Dungeon Master Tools 2026: $0 to $50

We build one of these tools, and we name the rivals that beat us on maps, recaps, and price. All 15 compared, with working stacks from $0 to $50/month.

Enchanted quill writing campaign notes autonomously while golden magical threads organize documents on a medieval desk with dice and miniatures

AI for Game Masters

Mar 25, 202612 min read

Meet Your Campaign Companion: What the AI Can Do

ScriptoriumGM's AI assistant creates notes, generates images, edits documents, rolls dice, and searches your library. Here's everything it can do.

Dark medieval scriptorium desk with a teetering wooden block tower, burning candles, an open grimoire, and a cosmic void visible through a stone window

TTRPG Systems

Mar 16, 202612 min read

3 Horror TTRPGs With Mechanics That Actually Scare You

Forget adding a spooky dungeon to D&D. These three horror RPGs have mechanics built from the ground up to make your players genuinely uncomfortable.

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AI for Game Masters

Mar 14, 202612 min read

Your First Hour with ScriptoriumGM: A Survival Guide

Set up your campaign, build your library, import your Obsidian vault, and talk to an AI that actually knows your world. One hour, sorted.

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TTRPG News

Feb 23, 202610 min read

February 2026 TTRPG News: Dark Sun, Daggerheart & More

WotC goes quiet on 2026 releases while Daggerheart, Draw Steel, and a wave of new games fill the gap. Here's what matters for your table.

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GM Tips

Jan 26, 202612 min read

Murder Hobos: Redirect, Don't Punish

Your players killed the quest giver. Again. Before you reach for 'rocks fall,' here are four redirection techniques that actually work.

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GM Tips

Jan 26, 202611 min read

The Quiet Player Problem: Inclusion Without Pressure

Not all players roleplay loudly, and that's okay. Here's how to create space for quiet players without putting them on the spot.

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GM Tips

Jan 26, 202613 min read

Scheduling Hell: Keeping Campaigns Alive in 2026

Your campaign didn't die from a dragon. It died from Google Calendar. Here's how to defeat the real BBEG of tabletop gaming: scheduling.

Glowing rulebook with arcane symbols beside simplified reference cards and polyhedral dice on a candlelit desk

GM Tips

Jan 26, 202612 min read

When Players Don't Read the Rules (And That's Okay)

Explained Sneak Attack three times this session alone? Here's why some players never learn the rules - and practical ways to make peace with it.

Fantasy game shop shelf displaying indie TTRPG books like Heroes of Amber and Dungeon Crawl, with tarot cards, colorful dice, a golden trophy, and glowing Kickstarter badge on a wooden table

TTRPG News

Dec 15, 202513 min read

The Most Successful Indie TTRPG Projects of 2025

From record-breaking crowdfunding campaigns to ENNIE Award winners, discover the indie tabletop RPG projects that defined 2025 and where to find them.

A shadowy D&D monster emerging from swirling darkness with psychic energy, inspired by Stranger Things' Vecna and the Mind Flayer

Session Prep

Dec 1, 202529 min read

D&D Monsters That Haunt Players: Stranger Things Lessons

Vecna and the Mind Flayer stick in your memory while most D&D monsters fade. Learn to craft villains that haunt your players using Stranger Things Season 5 techniques.

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AI for Game Masters

Nov 25, 202519 min read

How RAG-Powered Knowledge Base Saves Your Campaign Memory

Why dumping all your campaign notes into ChatGPT gives generic responses, and how RAG-powered knowledge bases remember everything that matters.

Magical artifacts representing different campaign management tools - glowing grimoires, crystal orbs, and enchanted scrolls on an ancient table with a hand choosing between them

Campaign Tools

Nov 13, 202519 min read

World Anvil vs Kanka vs Obsidian: 7 Compared

World Anvil, Kanka, LegendKeeper, Notion, Obsidian, and two more, compared by how your brain actually organizes information. Free tiers and real prices.

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GM Tips

Nov 13, 202516 min read

How Being an Organized GM Transforms Your Players' Experience

The difference between a chaotic session and an unforgettable one often comes down to one thing: how organized you are. Here's what that actually looks like at the table.

Medieval scriptorium with magical holographic news projections, crystal orb showing VTT interfaces, and autumn leaves scattered among dice and miniatures

TTRPG News

Oct 31, 202512 min read

October 2025 TTRPG News: VTT Changes, AI Tools & More

From Wizards shutting down Sigil to AI-powered game masters going mainstream, October 2025 brought seismic shifts to the TTRPG world. Here's what matters for your table.

Split-scene medieval scriptorium showing transformation from scattered chaotic notes to organized knowledge base with magical connections

AI for Game Masters

Oct 14, 202510 min read

Your Campaign Notes Finally Work the Way Your Brain Does

Stop hunting through scattered files and disconnected notes. ScriptoriumGM's new workspace puts everything you need exactly where you need it.

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Campaign Tools

Sep 22, 202510 min read

Roll20 vs Foundry vs 7 More VTTs Compared

Nine virtual tabletops compared: what each costs, who each suits, and why the best VTT is simply the one your group will actually log into every week.

Round table prepared for Session Zero with blank character sheets, checklist, dice, and campaign map illuminated by candlelight

Session Prep

Sep 22, 20256 min read

Your Session Zero Checklist: Start a Campaign That Lasts

Skip the awkward mid-campaign conflicts. This Session Zero checklist covers expectations, safety tools, and logistics.

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TTRPG News

Sep 1, 20256 min read

ScriptoriumGM Is Live: Early Access Opens Today!

After months of late nights and countless cups of coffee, we're thrilled to open ScriptoriumGM's doors for early access. Built by a GM who understands the Sunday night prep panic, this is the tool I wished existed years ago.

TTRPG News

Sep 1, 20255 min read

Top 5 TTRPG Developments Shaking Up the Community Right Now

From Critical Role's groundbreaking Campaign 4 format to Dark Sun's potential return, discover the major announcements reshaping the tabletop RPG landscape.

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Beginner DM Guide

Aug 27, 20259 min read

Getting Started with ScriptoriumGM: Your First Campaign in 15 Minutes

Set up your first campaign in 15 minutes. Stop panicking about prep and start running epic sessions with AI that knows your world.

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GM Tips

Aug 25, 20256 min read

Setting the Mood: How to Use Music and Ambience in Your TTRPG

Transform your tabletop sessions from good to unforgettable with the right soundscape. Learn how to choose, time, and manage audio without overwhelming your players or your prep time.

Weary game master at medieval desk with magical light beginning to lift scattered campaign notes, symbolizing hope and recovery from burnout

GM Tips

Aug 15, 202513 min read

When GMing Stops Being Fun: Recovering from GM Burnout

Dreading session prep? Hoping players cancel? You're not broken, you're burned out. Here's how to spot GM burnout, recover, and prevent it.

Medieval scriptorium desk with hastily written 'Bob the Fruit Guy' note, magical holographic NPC portraits emerging from glowing tome

AI for Game Masters

Aug 10, 202512 min read

AI NPC Generation: From Panic to Campaign Gold

Your players ignored the quest giver and adopted the fruit vendor. Here's how AI NPC generation turns those panic moments into campaign gold.

Medieval scriptorium desk with multiple TTRPG rulebooks representing different genres - sci-fi, horror, fantasy, and storytelling - illuminated by warm candlelight

Beginner DM Guide

Jul 9, 202510 min read

Choosing Your First TTRPG System: A Beginner GM's Guide

Overwhelmed by hundreds of TTRPG options? Here's how new GMs can pick the perfect system for their group's first campaign without analysis paralysis.

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GM Tips

May 5, 20257 min read

5 Organization Tips That'll Save Your Sanity (and Your Saturday Nights)

Stop digging through scattered notes and forgotten NPCs. Here's how to organize your campaign without losing your mind.