Henlooo! This little guide is based on my latest experience, when I volunteered myself to host server of Valheim for my dear ones. I was motivated from several sides, one of them were prices for Valheim server hosting and second, I love Linux! I couldn’t slip my chance to dip my toes and try this!

So! What we gonna need?

Before Valheim server installation

Alright, here are some requirements before we start installation.

Is hosting server free?

Yes, you do not need to own the game to host the server, also you do not need steam account. We will be using SteamCMD, but it’s not necessary to put there your credentials. Only price you pay is price of server itself.

Where to get server?

There are many hosting providers out there, you can google them. I personaly have best experience with AlphaVPS, as their prices are reasonable and their staff is very nice. Also, many VPS providers have in their TOS, that they do not allow game servers on their VPS.

Do I need experience?

Not much really, if you will be following this guide and read last part about troubleshooting, I believe anyone with help of searching internet + LLM help, could make it work. Biggest pain in the ass are mods, truly.

Can I transfer to Valheim Server my existing local world?

Yes, we will get into it 🙂

VM requirements

Public IPv4
I recommend Debian/Ubuntu
2 Cores, 4 GB RAM, 16 GB free disk space
SSH access to server

Base Installation, let’s SSH!

Install package dependencies:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update

sudo apt install -y \
  steamcmd \
  lib32gcc-s1 \
  lib32stdc++6 \
  libatomic1 \
  libpulse0 \
  libpulse-dev \
  unzip

Prepare dedicated user for running the sever, do not add password to user. If you are not using pub/privkey pairs to login, it will increase security of this account.

sudo adduser \
  --system \
  --group \
  --home /srv/valheim \
  valheim

Create server directory structure

sudo install -d -o valheim -g valheim /srv/valheim/server
sudo install -d -o valheim -g valheim /srv/valheim/data
sudo install -d -o valheim -g valheim /srv/valheim/data/worlds_local
sudo install -d -o valheim -g valheim /srv/valheim/backups

sudo chown -R valheim:valheim /srv/valheim/data
sudo chmod 750 /srv/valheim/data
sudo chmod 750 /srv/valheim/data/worlds_local

Test the directory structure and your user permissions. You should get “Directory is Writable“

sudo install -d -o valheim -g valheim -m 0750 /srv/valheim/server

sudo -u valheim test -w /srv/valheim/server \
  && echo "Directory is writable" \
  || echo "Directory is NOT writable"

Let’s install the valheim server!

sudo -u valheim /usr/games/steamcmd \
  +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType linux \
  +force_install_dir /srv/valheim/server \
  +login anonymous \
  +app_update 896660 validate \
  +quit

Valheim Vanilla Server installation finished

Alright, now you should have installed server. It is now in Vanilla state, no mods, no imported world.

If you want just vanilla world, without any mods you can stop here. For now, you need to open ports, first run your server and set configuration.

Open Firewall ports (Firewalld and UFW)

#For UFW
sudo ufw allow 2456/udp
sudo ufw allow 2457/udp
sudo ufw reload

#For Firewalld
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-port=2456/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-port=2457/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Create simple launch script and give it executable property

sudo nano /srv/valheim/start-server.sh

#!/bin/bash

cd /srv/valheim/server || exit 1

export SteamAppId=892970
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="./linux64:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}"

exec ./valheim_server.x86_64 \
  -nographics \
  -batchmode \
  -name "NAMEYOURSERVER" \
  -port 2456 \
  -world "NewWorld" \
  -password "PASSWORD_TO_LOGIN" \
  -savedir "/srv/valheim/data" \
  -public 0

sudo chown valheim:valheim /srv/valheim/start-server.sh
sudo chmod 750 /srv/valheim/start-server.sh

Now start the server, it will take while as it will start to generate the world aaaand do bunch of stuff.

sudo -u valheim /srv/valheim/start-server.sh

You want to see “Game server connected“. Once that is done, you are finished! Create daemon to automatically start your server and keep it running. And connect to the server using your IP address and port 2456 (Like, 194.55.66.77:2456)!

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/valheim.service

[Unit]
Description=Valheim modded dedicated server
Documentation=https://www.valheimgame.com/support/a-guide-to-dedicated-servers/
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=simple

User=valheim
Group=valheim

WorkingDirectory=/srv/valheim/server

Environment=HOME=/home/valheim
Environment=SteamAppId=892970
Environment=SteamGameId=892970

ExecStart=/bin/bash /srv/valheim/server/start-server.sh

# Valheim handles Ctrl+C/SIGINT as a graceful save and shutdown.
KillSignal=SIGINT
TimeoutStopSec=180

Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=15

LimitNOFILE=100000
UMask=0027

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Now reload the deamons and enable and start the server.

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now valheim

Now you have to wait like 10 minutes before you can log in.

I want server with mods and transfer my local game!

Now things get bit complicated, but it is manageable. If you will follow this guide step by step, you should be able to pull this off.

What to be aware of?

Most important thing is, that mods on server and on client side (your game), need to match. And that means also by the version.

If you are also importing your world, you need to save game, and import it without playing on the save. Or there will be save and world mismatch and it can cause troubles.

How to export existing world?

Start Valheim.
Open Manage Saves.
Select the correct world.
Use Move to Local if it is currently a cloud save.
Exit Valheim completely.
Go to: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local\ (Windows)
Go to: ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/ (Linux)
Get: WorldName.db and WorldName.fwl
Upload these files on your server with SFTP

How to export your mod profile

I will be honest I was doing this only with Thunderstore so if you use different mod manager, you will have to improvise a bit. For this guide to work you need to have BepInExPack downloaded.

Open Thunderstore
Open the profile used for this world.
Select Settings.
Open Profile.
Export the profile as a file.
Upload profile on your server with SFTP, it will be file like *.r2z or something.

Let’s assemble and install the mods!

First let’s import the Thunderstore profile

sudo install -d -o valheim -g valheim -m 0750 \
  /srv/valheim/import/mods \
  /srv/valheim/import/mods/profile \
  /srv/valheim/import/mods/downloaded-profile

sudo install \
  -o valheim \
  -g valheim \
  -m 0640 \
  /home/user/Default_1785711977993.r2z \
  /srv/valheim/import/mods/Default_1785711977993.r2z

Let’s Inspect and unpack the profile.

file /srv/valheim/import/mods/Default_1785711977993.r2z

unzip -l /srv/valheim/import/mods/Default_1785711977993.r2z |
grep -E 'manifest|profile|BepInEx|plugins|config|patchers' |
head -100

sudo rm -rf /srv/valheim/import/mods/profile

sudo install -d \
  -o valheim \
  -g valheim \
  /srv/valheim/import/mods/profile

sudo -u valheim unzip \
  /srv/valheim/import/mods/Default_1785711977993.r2z \
  -d /srv/valheim/import/mods/profile

Now we need to create startup script for our server which will be using bepinex

nano /srv/valheim/server/start-modded.sh

Paste this content, do not forget to change the password and name. “world” needs to match exact name of your world save, you exported earlier.

#!/bin/bash
set -euo pipefail

cd /srv/valheim/server

exec ./start_server_bepinex.sh \
  -name "Your server name" \
  -port 2456 \
  -world "worldname" \
  -password "YourPassword" \
  -savedir "/srv/valheim/data" \
  -public 1

Let’s make downloader for mods. This will help you to download your mods to correct folders without worrying too much about it.

First, we will need our modlist file. Here you will be writing what mods you want installed

sudo nano /srv/valheim/mods.txt

Example content

# Core loader
denikson-BepInExPack_Valheim-5.4.2333

# Server and client mods, write mods with versions here
ValheimModding-Jotunn-2.29.2
plumga-Clutter-0.1.7
Advize-PlantEverything-1.20.0
OdinPlus-OdinHorse-1.6.5
TastyChickenLegs-NoSmokeStayLit-2.3.8

# Keep Valheim Plus absent unless both server and clients use it.
# Grantapher-ValheimPlus_Grantapher_Temporary-9.17.1

Set correct permissions

sudo chown root:valheim /srv/valheim/mods.txt
sudo chmod 640 /srv/valheim/mods.txt

Install dependencies

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y python3 python3-yaml unzip wget rsync

Create the download python script

sudo nano /usr/local/sbin/download-valheim-mods.py

And paste these contents!

#!/usr/bin/env python3

from __future__ import annotations

import json
import re
import shutil
import sys
import tempfile
import urllib.error
import urllib.request
import zipfile
from collections import deque
from dataclasses import dataclass
from pathlib import Path, PurePosixPath


MOD_LIST = Path("/srv/valheim/mods.txt")

STAGE = Path(
    "/srv/valheim/import/mods/downloaded-profile"
)

CACHE = Path(
    "/srv/valheim/import/mods/package-cache"
)

LOCK_FILE = Path(
    "/srv/valheim/import/mods/mods-resolved.lock"
)

METADATA_FILES = {
    "icon.png",
    "manifest.json",
    "readme.md",
    "changelog.md",
    "license",
    "license.md",
}

VERSION_PATTERN = re.compile(r"^\d+\.\d+\.\d+$")


@dataclass(frozen=True)
class Package:
    namespace: str
    name: str
    version: str

    @property
    def identity(self) -> str:
        return f"{self.namespace}-{self.name}"

    @property
    def dependency_string(self) -> str:
        return (
            f"{self.namespace}-{self.name}-{self.version}"
        )

    @property
    def archive_name(self) -> str:
        return f"{self.dependency_string}.zip"

    @property
    def download_url(self) -> str:
        return (
            "https://thunderstore.io/package/download/"
            f"{self.namespace}/{self.name}/{self.version}/"
        )


def parse_dependency_string(value: str) -> Package:
    """
    Parse Namespace-Package-Version.

    Split the version from the right because package names may
    contain separators. The remaining first separator divides
    namespace from package name.
    """
    value = value.strip()

    try:
        package_identity, version = value.rsplit("-", 1)
        namespace, package_name = package_identity.split("-", 1)
    except ValueError as error:
        raise ValueError(
            "Expected Namespace-Package-Version, got: "
            f"{value!r}"
        ) from error

    if not namespace or not package_name:
        raise ValueError(
            f"Invalid package identity: {value!r}"
        )

    if not VERSION_PATTERN.fullmatch(version):
        raise ValueError(
            f"Invalid semantic version in {value!r}"
        )

    return Package(
        namespace=namespace,
        name=package_name,
        version=version,
    )


def read_requested_packages() -> list[Package]:
    if not MOD_LIST.is_file():
        raise FileNotFoundError(
            f"Mod list not found: {MOD_LIST}"
        )

    packages: list[Package] = []

    with MOD_LIST.open("r", encoding="utf-8") as file:
        for line_number, raw_line in enumerate(file, start=1):
            # Allow comments after an entry as well as full-line
            # comments.
            value = raw_line.split("#", 1)[0].strip()

            if not value:
                continue

            try:
                packages.append(
                    parse_dependency_string(value)
                )
            except ValueError as error:
                raise ValueError(
                    f"{MOD_LIST}:{line_number}: {error}"
                ) from error

    if not packages:
        raise RuntimeError(
            f"No packages found in {MOD_LIST}"
        )

    return packages


def download(package: Package, destination: Path) -> None:
    destination.parent.mkdir(
        parents=True,
        exist_ok=True,
    )

    partial = destination.with_suffix(
        destination.suffix + ".partial"
    )

    partial.unlink(missing_ok=True)

    request = urllib.request.Request(
        package.download_url,
        headers={
            "User-Agent": (
                "Darkpost-Valheim-Mod-Downloader/2.0"
            )
        },
    )

    print(f"  Downloading {package.download_url}")

    try:
        with urllib.request.urlopen(
            request,
            timeout=180,
        ) as response:
            with partial.open("wb") as output:
                shutil.copyfileobj(response, output)

        # Test before adding the file to the persistent cache.
        with zipfile.ZipFile(partial) as archive:
            bad_member = archive.testzip()

            if bad_member is not None:
                raise RuntimeError(
                    "Corrupt ZIP member: "
                    f"{bad_member}"
                )

        partial.replace(destination)

    except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
        partial.unlink(missing_ok=True)

        raise RuntimeError(
            f"Thunderstore returned HTTP {error.code} for "
            f"{package.dependency_string}"
        ) from error

    except Exception:
        partial.unlink(missing_ok=True)
        raise


def get_archive(package: Package) -> Path:
    archive = CACHE / package.archive_name

    if archive.is_file():
        try:
            with zipfile.ZipFile(archive) as zip_file:
                bad_member = zip_file.testzip()

                if bad_member is None:
                    print("  Using cached archive")
                    return archive

                print(
                    "  Cached archive is corrupt; "
                    "downloading again"
                )
        except zipfile.BadZipFile:
            print(
                "  Cached archive is not a valid ZIP; "
                "downloading again"
            )

        archive.unlink(missing_ok=True)

    download(package, archive)
    return archive


def safe_extract(
    archive_path: Path,
    destination: Path,
) -> None:
    """
    Extract a ZIP while rejecting absolute paths and '..'.
    """
    destination.mkdir(
        parents=True,
        exist_ok=True,
    )

    with zipfile.ZipFile(archive_path) as archive:
        for member in archive.infolist():
            member_path = PurePosixPath(member.filename)

            if member_path.is_absolute():
                raise RuntimeError(
                    f"Unsafe absolute ZIP path: "
                    f"{member.filename}"
                )

            if ".." in member_path.parts:
                raise RuntimeError(
                    f"Unsafe parent path in ZIP: "
                    f"{member.filename}"
                )

        archive.extractall(destination)


def find_manifest(extracted: Path) -> Path:
    manifests = [
        path
        for path in extracted.rglob("manifest.json")
        if path.is_file()
    ]

    if not manifests:
        raise RuntimeError(
            "Package does not contain manifest.json"
        )

    # Thunderstore packages normally place it at archive root.
    manifests.sort(
        key=lambda path: (
            len(path.relative_to(extracted).parts),
            str(path),
        )
    )

    return manifests[0]


def load_manifest(
    extracted: Path,
    package: Package,
) -> dict:
    manifest_path = find_manifest(extracted)

    try:
        with manifest_path.open(
            "r",
            encoding="utf-8-sig",
        ) as file:
            manifest = json.load(file)
    except (OSError, json.JSONDecodeError) as error:
        raise RuntimeError(
            f"Cannot read manifest for "
            f"{package.dependency_string}: {error}"
        ) from error

    dependencies = manifest.get("dependencies", [])

    if not isinstance(dependencies, list):
        raise RuntimeError(
            f"Invalid dependencies field in "
            f"{package.dependency_string}"
        )

    return manifest


def copy_item(
    source: Path,
    destination: Path,
) -> None:
    destination.parent.mkdir(
        parents=True,
        exist_ok=True,
    )

    if source.is_dir():
        shutil.copytree(
            source,
            destination,
            dirs_exist_ok=True,
        )
    else:
        shutil.copy2(source, destination)


def copy_contents(
    source: Path,
    destination: Path,
) -> None:
    destination.mkdir(
        parents=True,
        exist_ok=True,
    )

    for item in source.iterdir():
        copy_item(
            item,
            destination / item.name,
        )


def install_package(
    extracted: Path,
    package: Package,
) -> None:
    if package.name == "BepInExPack_Valheim":
        startup_scripts = list(
            extracted.rglob("start_server_bepinex.sh")
        )

        if not startup_scripts:
            raise RuntimeError(
                "BepInExPack_Valheim does not contain "
                "start_server_bepinex.sh"
            )

        # The startup script should be in the directory that
        # represents the Valheim installation root.
        package_root = startup_scripts[0].parent

        copy_contents(package_root, STAGE)
        return

    handled_layout = False

    # Normal layout:
    #
    # BepInEx/plugins
    # BepInEx/config
    # BepInEx/patchers
    for bepinex_directory in extracted.rglob("BepInEx"):
        if not bepinex_directory.is_dir():
            continue

        copy_contents(
            bepinex_directory,
            STAGE / "BepInEx",
        )

        handled_layout = True

    # Some packages start directly with plugins/, config/, etc.
    for directory_name in (
        "plugins",
        "patchers",
        "config",
        "core",
        "monomod",
    ):
        for directory in extracted.rglob(directory_name):
            if not directory.is_dir():
                continue

            if "BepInEx" in directory.parts:
                continue

            copy_contents(
                directory,
                STAGE / "BepInEx" / directory_name,
            )

            handled_layout = True

    # Loose-package fallback. Keep the complete package together,
    # including asset bundles, translations and supporting data.
    if not handled_layout:
        destination = (
            STAGE
            / "BepInEx"
            / "plugins"
            / package.identity
        )

        destination.mkdir(
            parents=True,
            exist_ok=True,
        )

        for item in extracted.iterdir():
            if item.name.lower() in METADATA_FILES:
                continue

            copy_item(
                item,
                destination / item.name,
            )


def resolve_and_install(
    requested: list[Package],
) -> dict[str, Package]:
    queue: deque[Package] = deque(requested)

    resolved: dict[str, Package] = {}
    installed_order: list[Package] = []

    while queue:
        package = queue.popleft()

        existing = resolved.get(package.identity)

        if existing is not None:
            if existing.version != package.version:
                raise RuntimeError(
                    "Dependency version conflict:\n"
                    f"  {existing.dependency_string}\n"
                    f"  {package.dependency_string}\n"
                    "Choose one compatible version explicitly."
                )

            continue

        print(
            f"[{len(resolved) + 1}] "
            f"{package.dependency_string}"
        )

        archive = get_archive(package)

        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(
            prefix="valheim-mod-"
        ) as temporary_directory:
            extracted = Path(temporary_directory)

            safe_extract(archive, extracted)

            manifest = load_manifest(
                extracted,
                package,
            )

            manifest_name = manifest.get("name")
            manifest_version = manifest.get("version_number")

            if (
                manifest_version
                and manifest_version != package.version
            ):
                raise RuntimeError(
                    "Downloaded package version mismatch: "
                    f"requested {package.version}, "
                    f"manifest contains {manifest_version}"
                )

            print(
                f"  Package manifest: "
                f"{manifest_name or package.name} "
                f"{manifest_version or package.version}"
            )

            dependencies = manifest.get(
                "dependencies",
                [],
            )

            for dependency_value in dependencies:
                dependency = parse_dependency_string(
                    dependency_value
                )

                print(
                    "  Requires: "
                    f"{dependency.dependency_string}"
                )

                queue.append(dependency)

            install_package(
                extracted,
                package,
            )

        resolved[package.identity] = package
        installed_order.append(package)

    return resolved


def write_lock_file(
    resolved: dict[str, Package],
) -> None:
    LOCK_FILE.parent.mkdir(
        parents=True,
        exist_ok=True,
    )

    temporary = LOCK_FILE.with_suffix(".lock.partial")

    with temporary.open(
        "w",
        encoding="utf-8",
    ) as file:
        file.write(
            "# Resolved Valheim Thunderstore packages\n"
        )
        file.write(
            "# Generated automatically; do not edit.\n\n"
        )

        for package in sorted(
            resolved.values(),
            key=lambda item: item.identity.lower(),
        ):
            file.write(
                package.dependency_string + "\n"
            )

    temporary.replace(LOCK_FILE)


def main() -> int:
    try:
        requested = read_requested_packages()

        print(f"Mod list: {MOD_LIST}")
        print(f"Requested root packages: {len(requested)}")
        print()

        shutil.rmtree(
            STAGE,
            ignore_errors=True,
        )

        STAGE.mkdir(
            parents=True,
            exist_ok=True,
        )

        CACHE.mkdir(
            parents=True,
            exist_ok=True,
        )

        resolved = resolve_and_install(requested)

        write_lock_file(resolved)

        dll_directory = STAGE / "BepInEx"
        dll_files = (
            list(dll_directory.rglob("*.dll"))
            if dll_directory.exists()
            else []
        )

        print()
        print("Staging completed successfully.")
        print(f"Requested packages: {len(requested)}")
        print(f"Resolved packages:  {len(resolved)}")
        print(f"DLL files found:    {len(dll_files)}")
        print(f"Staging directory:  {STAGE}")
        print(f"Resolved lock file: {LOCK_FILE}")

        return 0

    except KeyboardInterrupt:
        print("\nInterrupted.", file=sys.stderr)
        return 130

    except Exception as error:
        print(
            f"ERROR: {error}",
            file=sys.stderr,
        )
        return 1


if __name__ == "__main__":
    raise SystemExit(main())

Set permissions once more

sudo chown root:root /usr/local/sbin/download-valheim-mods.py
sudo chmod 750 /usr/local/sbin/download-valheim-mods.py

Download the mods to staging

sudo /usr/local/sbin/download-valheim-mods.py

You should see something like this. Now the mods are downloaded to staging folder. They are not yet on your server. That will be next step.

Mod list: /srv/valheim/mods.txt
Requested root packages: 6

[1] denikson-BepInExPack_Valheim-5.4.2333
  Downloading ...
  Package manifest: BepInExPack_Valheim 5.4.2333
[2] ValheimModding-Jotunn-2.29.2
  Downloading ...
...
Staging completed successfully.
Requested packages: 6
Resolved packages:  6
DLL files found:    ...
Staging directory:  /srv/valheim/import/mods/downloaded-profile
Resolved lock file: /srv/valheim/import/mods/mods-resolved.lock

Move mods from staging to production

sudo rsync -a \
  /srv/valheim/import/mods/downloaded-profile/ \
  /srv/valheim/server/

sudo chown -R valheim:valheim /srv/valheim/server

sudo chmod 750 \
  /srv/valheim/server/start_server_bepinex.sh \
  /srv/valheim/server/start-modded.sh

And now the map

To install your map you played on in your local game, place .db and .fwl files into this location

sudo install \
  -o valheim \
  -g valheim \
  -m 0640 \
  /home/user/worlds_local/worldname.db \
  /srv/valheim/data/worlds_local/worldname.db

sudo install \
  -o valheim \
  -g valheim \
  -m 0640 \
  /home/user/worlds_local/worldname.fwl \
  /srv/valheim/data/worlds_local/worldname.fwl

Now let’s verify that our user can write to those files!

sudo -u valheim test -r \
  /srv/valheim/data/worlds_local/SiiskusLefLeg.db &&
echo "DB readable"

sudo -u valheim test -w \
  /srv/valheim/data/worlds_local/SiiskusLefLeg.db &&
echo "DB writable"

sudo -u valheim test -r \
  /srv/valheim/data/worlds_local/SiiskusLefLeg.fwl &&
echo "FWL readable"

sudo -u valheim test -w \
  /srv/valheim/data/worlds_local/SiiskusLefLeg.fwl &&
echo "FWL writable"

Let’s create daemon and start the server

nano /etc/systemd/system/valheim.service


[Unit]
Description=Valheim modded dedicated server
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=simple

User=valheim
Group=valheim

WorkingDirectory=/srv/valheim/server

ExecStart=/srv/valheim/server/start-modded.sh

Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10

KillSignal=SIGINT
TimeoutStopSec=180

StandardOutput=journal
StandardError=journal

# Basic limits
LimitNOFILE=100000

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

sudo chown valheim:valheim \
  /srv/valheim/server/start-modded.sh \
  /srv/valheim/server/start_server_bepinex.sh

sudo chmod 750 \
  /srv/valheim/server/start-modded.sh \
  /srv/valheim/server/start_server_bepinex.sh

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now valheim

How to update mods?

To update mods, just change versions in mods.txt and rerun the command for downloading mods. And then deploy. You can bundle it in this script.

nano /usr/local/sbin/update-valheim-mods

Paste content

#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -Eeuo pipefail

SERVICE="valheim"

VALHEIM_ROOT="/srv/valheim"
SERVER_DIR="${VALHEIM_ROOT}/server"
DATA_DIR="${VALHEIM_ROOT}/data"
BACKUP_DIR="${VALHEIM_ROOT}/backups"

MOD_LIST="${VALHEIM_ROOT}/mods.txt"
DOWNLOADER="/usr/local/sbin/download-valheim-mods.py"

STAGE_DIR="${VALHEIM_ROOT}/import/mods/downloaded-profile"
STAGE_BEPINEX="${STAGE_DIR}/BepInEx"

ACTIVE_BEPINEX="${SERVER_DIR}/BepInEx"
ACTIVE_PLUGINS="${ACTIVE_BEPINEX}/plugins"
ACTIVE_CONFIG="${ACTIVE_BEPINEX}/config"

STAMP="$(date +%F-%H%M%S)"
BACKUP_FILE="${BACKUP_DIR}/pre-mod-update-${STAMP}.tar.gz"
OLD_PLUGINS="${SERVER_DIR}/BepInEx/plugins.before-${STAMP}"

SERVER_WAS_ACTIVE=0
DEPLOYMENT_STARTED=0


log() {
    printf '[%s] %s\n' "$(date '+%F %T')" "$*"
}


die() {
    printf '[%s] ERROR: %s\n' "$(date '+%F %T')" "$*" >&2
    exit 1
}


rollback() {
    local exit_code=$?

    if [[ "$DEPLOYMENT_STARTED" -ne 1 ]]; then
        exit "$exit_code"
    fi

    log "Update failed. Attempting rollback."

    systemctl stop "$SERVICE" 2>/dev/null || true

    if [[ -f "$BACKUP_FILE" ]]; then
        log "Restoring BepInEx and world backup."

        rm -rf "$ACTIVE_BEPINEX"

        tar -C "$VALHEIM_ROOT" -xzf "$BACKUP_FILE" || {
            printf 'Rollback extraction failed: %s\n' \
                "$BACKUP_FILE" >&2
            exit "$exit_code"
        }

        chown -R valheim:valheim \
            "$SERVER_DIR" \
            "$DATA_DIR"
    elif [[ -d "$OLD_PLUGINS" ]]; then
        log "Restoring previous plugin directory."

        rm -rf "$ACTIVE_PLUGINS"
        mv "$OLD_PLUGINS" "$ACTIVE_PLUGINS"
        chown -R valheim:valheim "$ACTIVE_PLUGINS"
    fi

    if [[ "$SERVER_WAS_ACTIVE" -eq 1 ]]; then
        log "Starting rolled-back server."
        systemctl start "$SERVICE" || true
    fi

    printf '\nUpdate failed. Backup retained at:\n%s\n' \
        "$BACKUP_FILE" >&2

    exit "$exit_code"
}


trap rollback ERR


require_root() {
    if [[ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]]; then
        die "Run this script as root or with sudo."
    fi
}


check_requirements() {
    local command_name

    for command_name in \
        systemctl \
        tar \
        rsync \
        find \
        grep \
        sed
    do
        command -v "$command_name" >/dev/null 2>&1 ||
            die "Required command not found: $command_name"
    done

    [[ -x "$DOWNLOADER" ]] ||
        die "Downloader is missing or not executable: $DOWNLOADER"

    [[ -f "$MOD_LIST" ]] ||
        die "Mod list not found: $MOD_LIST"

    [[ -d "$SERVER_DIR" ]] ||
        die "Server directory not found: $SERVER_DIR"

    [[ -d "${DATA_DIR}/worlds_local" ]] ||
        die "World directory not found: ${DATA_DIR}/worlds_local"

    install -d \
        -o valheim \
        -g valheim \
        -m 0750 \
        "$BACKUP_DIR"
}


show_requested_mods() {
    log "Requested root packages:"

    grep -Ev '^[[:space:]]*(#|$)' "$MOD_LIST" |
        sed 's/^/  /'
}


build_staging() {
    log "Downloading mods and resolving dependencies."

    "$DOWNLOADER"

    [[ -d "$STAGE_BEPINEX" ]] ||
        die "Downloader did not create: $STAGE_BEPINEX"

    [[ -d "${STAGE_BEPINEX}/plugins" ]] ||
        die "Staged plugin directory is missing."

    local dll_count

    dll_count="$(
        find "$STAGE_BEPINEX" \
            -type f \
            -iname '*.dll' |
        wc -l
    )"

    [[ "$dll_count" -gt 0 ]] ||
        die "No DLL files were found in staging."

    log "Staging contains ${dll_count} DLL files."
}


stop_server() {
    if systemctl is-active --quiet "$SERVICE"; then
        SERVER_WAS_ACTIVE=1
        log "Stopping ${SERVICE}.service."
        systemctl stop "$SERVICE"
    else
        log "${SERVICE}.service is already stopped."
    fi

    if systemctl is-active --quiet "$SERVICE"; then
        die "Valheim service did not stop."
    fi
}


create_backup() {
    log "Creating backup: $BACKUP_FILE"

    local paths=()

    [[ -d "$ACTIVE_BEPINEX" ]] &&
        paths+=("server/BepInEx")

    [[ -d "${DATA_DIR}/worlds_local" ]] &&
        paths+=("data/worlds_local")

    [[ -f "$MOD_LIST" ]] &&
        paths+=("mods.txt")

    [[ "${#paths[@]}" -gt 0 ]] ||
        die "Nothing was found to back up."

    tar -C "$VALHEIM_ROOT" \
        -czf "$BACKUP_FILE" \
        "${paths[@]}"

    test -s "$BACKUP_FILE" ||
        die "Backup file is empty."
}


deploy_plugins() {
    DEPLOYMENT_STARTED=1

    if [[ -d "$ACTIVE_PLUGINS" ]]; then
        log "Moving current plugins to:"
        log "$OLD_PLUGINS"

        mv "$ACTIVE_PLUGINS" "$OLD_PLUGINS"
    fi

    install -d \
        -o valheim \
        -g valheim \
        -m 0750 \
        "$ACTIVE_PLUGINS"

    log "Deploying fresh plugin set."

    rsync -a \
        "${STAGE_BEPINEX}/plugins/" \
        "${ACTIVE_PLUGINS}/"
}


deploy_supporting_files() {
    log "Updating BepInEx loader and supporting files."

    rsync -a \
        --exclude='BepInEx/plugins/' \
        --exclude='BepInEx/config/' \
        "${STAGE_DIR}/" \
        "${SERVER_DIR}/"

    if [[ -d "${STAGE_BEPINEX}/config" ]]; then
        log "Adding new configuration files without overwriting existing settings."

        install -d \
            -o valheim \
            -g valheim \
            -m 0750 \
            "$ACTIVE_CONFIG"

        rsync -a \
            --ignore-existing \
            "${STAGE_BEPINEX}/config/" \
            "${ACTIVE_CONFIG}/"
    fi
}


fix_permissions() {
    log "Fixing ownership and executable permissions."

    chown -R valheim:valheim "$SERVER_DIR"

    find "$SERVER_DIR" \
        -type d \
        -exec chmod 0750 {} +

    find "$SERVER_DIR" \
        -type f \
        -name '*.sh' \
        -exec chmod 0750 {} +

    if [[ -f "${SERVER_DIR}/valheim_server.x86_64" ]]; then
        chmod 0750 "${SERVER_DIR}/valheim_server.x86_64"
    fi
}


start_and_verify() {
    log "Starting ${SERVICE}.service."

    systemctl start "$SERVICE"

    sleep 15

    if ! systemctl is-active --quiet "$SERVICE"; then
        systemctl status "$SERVICE" \
            --no-pager \
            -l || true

        die "Valheim service failed to remain active."
    fi

    local start_time
    local journal

    start_time="$(
        systemctl show "$SERVICE" \
            -p ExecMainStartTimestamp \
            --value
    )"

    journal="$(
        journalctl \
            -u "$SERVICE" \
            --since "$start_time" \
            --no-pager
    )"

    if grep -Eqi \
        'missing dependency|mod version mismatch|failed to load|fatal|unauthorizedaccessexception' \
        <<<"$journal"
    then
        printf '%s\n' "$journal" |
            grep -Ei -B5 -A15 \
                'missing dependency|mod version mismatch|failed to load|fatal|unauthorizedaccessexception' \
            >&2 || true

        die "A critical error was detected in the startup log."
    fi

    log "Service is active."

    printf '\nLoaded BepInEx plugins:\n'

    if [[ -f "${ACTIVE_BEPINEX}/LogOutput.log" ]]; then
        grep 'Loading \[' \
            "${ACTIVE_BEPINEX}/LogOutput.log" |
            sed -E 's/^.*Loading \[([^]]+)\].*$/  \1/' ||
            true
    else
        printf '  BepInEx log has not been created yet.\n'
    fi

    printf '\nRelevant server startup lines:\n'

    printf '%s\n' "$journal" |
        grep -Ei \
            'setting -savedir|load world:|loading [0-9]+ zdos|game server connected|opened steam server|chainloader startup complete' ||
        true
}


remove_old_plugin_backup() {
    if [[ -d "$OLD_PLUGINS" ]]; then
        log "Previous plugins retained for rollback:"
        log "$OLD_PLUGINS"
    fi
}


main() {
    require_root
    check_requirements
    show_requested_mods
    build_staging
    stop_server
    create_backup
    deploy_plugins
    deploy_supporting_files
    fix_permissions
    start_and_verify
    remove_old_plugin_backup

    DEPLOYMENT_STARTED=0
    trap - ERR

    printf '\nMod update completed successfully.\n'
    printf 'Backup: %s\n' "$BACKUP_FILE"
}


main "$@"

Set permissions

sudo chown root:root /usr/local/sbin/update-valheim-mods
sudo chmod 750 /usr/local/sbin/update-valheim-mods

EXECUTE!

sudo /usr/local/sbin/update-valheim-mods

Server is not working, I cannot connect?

During the process a lot of things can mess up, do not feel bad for it. Luckily the server itself is rather talkative. You can inpect what is going on by running launch scripts manualy, or check logs of the service itself.

sudo journalctl -u valheim -f

This is stage, where any LLM is extremely helpful and may help you to debug the whole mess. I spent two days on making this work and it was fun experience and when my friends finally landed on server and I saw them playing, my heart got warmer exactly by 3 degrees.

Anyhow! I wish you luck, and if you run into any problems, leave comment, I will try to help!

Shadowrun 5: The Grinman (Toxic Shinto Shaman)

Okay, so I was thinking about writing some villain. And this idea came to my mind. Toxic Shinto Shaman. I never wrote toxic magicians, so this is my firs one, bear with me.

Urban legend of The Grinman

Nobody know his original name, in bustling Neo-Tokyo is very easy to lose your name, even your face. Legends say, that he used to be Shinto shaman, taking care one of the many shrines in Neo-Tokyo.

He was kind-hearted, humble and gods favored him. But, darkness was circling around his wife, and he wasn’t able to stop it. He failed to notice change in her behavior. One day, when he came to their humble home, he had strange feeling something terrible happened.

His beloved wife, haunted by dark thoughts jumped under the train. Crushed by sorrow, humble priest descended into the the madness.

It is said that he now wanders the city’s forgotten stations, maintenance shafts and flooded tunnels. He summons vile spirits, sends them to haunt people. Other say, that with different faces he waits on Railway stations porches and with power of suggestion, lures poor souls to jump under the trains. Where he appears accident happens, and most likely tragic.

Many claim, that his most favorite spirit are The Hands. Haunting stories tell tales, those hands are hands of his deceased wife. That he corrupted her innocent spirit and now calls her hands to do his biding and torment people.

Rumors

“If a smiling man asks whether you hear the train, don’t answer.”
“People who see wet handprints near the tunnel walls should leave immediately.”
“Construction deaths spike whenever someone reports laughter in sealed shafts.”
“The Hands don’t kill first. They herd.”
“He can’t make you jump if you never meet his eyes.”
“He stands where no train stops anymore.”

Stats

The Grinman

The grinning japanesese man, toxic shaman

B	A	R	S	W	L	I	C	ESS	EDG	M
3	3	4	2	5	4	5	6	6.0	3	6

Substats

Initiative: 9 + 1D6 (Physical); 10 + 2D6 (Astral)
Condition Monitor (P/S): 10 / 11
Limits: Physical 4, Mental 6, Social 8
Armor: 9 (Lined Coat or armored clothing)

Active Skills

Sorcery Group: 6 (Spellcasting, Counterspelling, Ritual Spellcasting)
Conjuring Group: 6 (Summoning, Binding, Banishing)
Influence Group: 5 (Con, Etiquette, Negotiation)
Perception: 5
Sneaking (Urban): 4
Assensing: 5Astral Combat: 4

Qualities

Mentor Spirit (Doom): Provides bonuses to destruction-based magic; embodies the desire to end life and hastening an “apocalypse” for those he targets.
Bad Rep: Known as a malevolent urban myth inhabiting the city’s tunnels.
Guts: +2 to resist fear and intimidation.
Focused Concentration 3: Allows him to sustain mental suggestions without penalty

Spells

Influence: Used for his “whispered suggestions,” implanting post-hypnotic commands that victims carry out as their own ideas.
Control Thoughts: Nudges people toward fatal movements or losing their grip.
Chaotic World: Induces hesitation and confusion, causing victims to falter at critical moments.
Pollutant Stream: A specialized toxic spell that blasts targets with a concentrated stream of filth.
Physical Mask: Maintains his calm, polite appearance to hide his true, warped nature.Silence: Used to move through maintenance shafts and tunnels without sound

The Hands

B	A	R	S	W	L	I	C	F	EDG	M
6	9	8	6	7	6	7	8	6	3	6

Initiative: 15 + 2D6 (Physical); 13 + 3D6 (Astral)
Skills: Assensing, Astral Combat, Con, Gymnastics, Intimidation, Perception, Unarmed Combat

Powers

Energy Drain (Karma): Feeds on the negative emotional energy and disrupted fate of his victims.
Compulsion (Sorrow): Deepens loss and loneliness, nudging victims toward suicide.
Shadow Cloak: Allows the Hands to reach out from deep, supernatural shadows.
Silence: Ensures the Hands can grasp victims without a sound.
Materialization: Used to manifest as enormous gray hands in the physical world.
Fear: Living creatures are struck by unreasoning terror when the Hands appear

July 17, 2026

Shadowrun 5: Unique uses of Astral Projection.

In many campaigns, Astral Projection is overlooked, or it is only used as scouting tool. We all know it. Magician will use astral projection to get close to the target, and scout area and then it will give information to the team.

But, when you think about it, isn’t it too narrow minded, or too little? This power is unlocked only to full mages, and there should be some more utility to it, right?

Through years of playing magician in Shadowrun, I encountered several situations, where astral projection was more just scouting tool, and in some cases completely turned tide of battle. Let’s look into those!

Breaking stalemate aka Astral “Boo!”

I rank this one up, because it was most funny one. Our group was pinned down by very competent killer, and they couldn’t move. Trying to advance would mean serious injuries as killer was holding the stairs. Situation was dire and grim, as fast response team was on the way, and something had to be done.

Magician of the group got an idea, they ran into toilet on bottom floor, locked themself in it and declared astral projection. As shoot out continued, the mage manifested behind the killer and did “Boo!”.

How would professional killer react in such manner, they know there shouldn’t be anyone behind them. They looked over over startled and saw astral manifestation of the mage. This little opening gave rest of the party enough time, to make breakthrough and take the killer out.

Simple, effective, no rolls, just RP. It can be done in many more situations. Especially if astral form of mage is well described to GM. You see, NPCs are not masters of magic most of the time, so they might confuse mage form for a spirit and focus fire on the form, instead of party. Until, they realize that it does nothing. But, even one round can give enough opening to change course of battle.

Also this is perfect opportunity to use Intimidate skill, as target can hear you and see you.

Meeting contacts while projecting

This one is more straightforward. Is meeting contact too dangerous? Is it too far? This is good use of astral projection. Meet the contact while manifesting.

There is a catch though. You can’t write down anything, you can’t see screens and what is written on the papers, so every information has to be said verbally to you. Why this matters?

Because as player you can write it down, but your character can’t. In this type of encounters excel Hermetic Mages over Shamans, as their Logic gives them higher chances on Memory tests.

Yes, GMs! If your mage player wants to do legwork through astral perception, make them do memory tests on every piece of information. This punishes dump stats, and makes game more believable.

When someone describes you whole floor plan by words, if you are not genius with trained memory, you will bring back only fragments of it.

Paracritter hunting

This is where you use your Parazoologist contacts, and your Parazoology Knowledge Skill. It can be good easy game session to make money.

Find paracritter, which is dual-natured and has no means to defend itself in ranged combat. Use your spirits to find such critter and tell your team.

You do not have to leave your bedroom, just rest on your bed and go hunting with your friends. While your street sam, rigger friends chase down creature, give it some good bully.

Float above, cast mana barriers, manabolts and other mana spells to slow down and hunt down creature. It will be much easier for your friends to deal with it, when you manage to corner it in mana barrier, or you bring down it’s dices by constant stun damage.

This approach needs bit investment in drain management, but, it’s worth considering. You do not have to be everywhere physically.

Hanging around

Astral space is interesting place. Dangerous, but interesting. In many cases, much more interesting then bubble gum stuck to your ceiling, above your bed, which you observe every night.

Why not utilize it? If you have Knowledge skill: Awakened Hangout, you can actually go out, without leaving your home. You can flow through mysterious astral plane and appear on places where magicians, awakened creatures appear.

You may indulge in astral sex (yes it is possible, and very very intense), you may meet new contacts, magical groups. Heck you may even meet vampires, or other infected! If that is your alluring path of progression, you may even convince them to change you (For service or cash), into infected. Immortality and mages go well together.

NOTE: Be mindful of other players, GM and also meta. Do not spend several hours of game time, just goofing around astral plane, while rest of group is bored. Consult this with your GM. Let them be prepared for this downtime activity. Especially being turned into infected. This shouldn’t be quickie to bypass karma cost in character creation.

GMs: Make astral space dangerous. If someone is hanging around it too much, they should meet encounters. But, fast. Or rest of table will fall asleep.

Actual exploration

This one is more session building. You can help your GM. Sometimes coming up with idea what to do next, can be rather daunting. Search magazines about cryptids, conspiracies, mythical places, interesting historical places.

Aside of your shadowrunning friends, you are the one, which can explore them within a moment and with no cost. Tell your GM about your idea visiting picked place and send them materials. I’m sure they will be happy, that they will get some interesting idea to work with.

When you start the game, go into astral exploration mode and check that place out. Maybe there grow interesting expensive awakened herbs, awakened critters, mysterious glowing runes or unknown mana barrier? Maybe in those ancient Celtic ruins sits some spirit, which notices you and asks you to come to him!

In any way, after scouting convince your team, that some holiday and change of Seattle air, would benefit them. And then, of you go on interesting adventure, where you can change and experiment with different styles of game!

Conclusion

And there you have it! Quick article. I hope it will give you some ideas for usage of Astral Perception in Shadowrun 5, and how to utilize it aside from simple scouting.

If you made this far, I love you and thank you for reading!

July 12, 2026

Shadowrun 5: How to RP Spirits

So, YouTube or forums are full of questions how to manage spirits by rules, how to use them effectively. Same as most sourcebooks. We will learn from them how to use spirits in game and we will get some basic information about them.

But, how to actually RP them? How we will portray them in our games, so that they are more than just a bunch of generic numbers that we throw on the enemy?

That is a question we get little answers to. And because I love playing awakened characters in Shadowrun, and I love spirits, I did some research on that.

Astral Plane

Before we jump into spirits themselves, let’s first rewind definition of Astral Plane from SR5 Core Rulebook.

While the physical world is the one we interact with every day, there is another world, invisible and largely unnoticed, yet indirectly influenced by everyone living in the material plane. This world is known as the astral plane.

The astral plane is an emotionally charged reflection of the physical world. Only living beings and objects infused with mana truly exist there; ordinary physical objects appear only as faint, intangible shadows.

Mana, the essence of magic, flows through the astral plane, connecting the metaplanes to the physical world. It is sustained by the life force of all living things on the planet. This collective life energy bathes the astral plane in a constant ambient glow.

Objects and events from the physical world can still be perceived from the astral, but they appear blurred and muted. Emotional impressions are far more vivid than physical details such as light or sound, often replacing them entirely.

Places and objects marked by powerful emotions may leave lasting astral echoes. These remnants of the past appear as lingering shadows whose strength depends on the intensity of the emotions associated with them. Such echoes are often more colorful and tangible in the astral plane than the physical objects themselves.

(page 312)

So, Astral plane is this vast vibrant, living, breathing space that bridges our physical world with metaplanes. It’s colorful and full of emotions. Spirits fly and lurk in it freely, as it is their home. Bigger spirits might hunt smaller ones. Trickster spirits might try to trick gullible awakened character into traps, while projecting.

Many tables, put this world on side, and when some Astral Projection scouting is in place, it’s generally skipped. You are there, done.

But, given the Astral world is the foundation of magic and spirits in general, it makes us forget, how strange this world truly is. Let me entertain you.

What might the Astral Plane look like?

You close your eyes in peace of your cramped room, that you call your home. Sounds of Seattle rain meld with sounds of your apartment. The electronics buzzing, shuffling of your blanket and creaking of floors above you, until nothing then just deafening shimmer remains.

Then you open your eyes, but not your true eyes. They remain shut. You stand up from bed, leaving your body behind and you look around the apartment. Everything is dull, blurred filled with unmistakable fog of background count.

One of spirits that might be encountered in Astral Plane — Astral is weird and spirits in it, even weirder. And they might be after you.

You move through the wall and you are about to see new side of Seattle, the same side, that spirits living in this strange place see every day. The tall, dark corporate skyscrapers sticking out from ground, like menacing claws trying to grasp the sky. They are all dark, unimportant, but yet they are still there. Above them flocks of colorful dots are blazing through the skies with speeds, that normal eye couldn’t catch. Between streets, strange and formless creatures slither, unbothered by physical world. Some small, some big as whales, with teeth sharp and multiple eyes. They search, they lurk and in many cases they hunt. Among them, ever flowing mass of metahumans and their auras are flowing like a river, leading them to their jobs and to their lives.

Auras, creatures. They are all colorful. Some deep red by hatred, some blue and green filled with peace. You see one spirit, it looks like a man in suitcase. He is following another man, glowing red like hot iron with curiosity and alien intent.

It all feels like vivid dream. Like you would wake up in depths of Mariana’s trench on bottom of the ocean and your wildest imagination would run wild. You look on your hands, they sparkle with bright yellow, fear and anxiety. Six legged woman grasping street lamp notices. She turns her head your direction and starts to walk “air” your direction. She has no face. You do not wait to find out what she wants. Your quickly return back to your body.

Creatures are gone, colors are gone, fog is gone and first thing you hear is sound of your fan. World is normal again.

How to actually RP a spirit

Okay, now to the meat? What we can make out of it? If you are not in combat, where things are fast paced and you wish to interact with spirits, here it how I think it should go.

Cornerstone of spirits is EMOTION. They perceive them, they carry them and for them, it’s the most recognizable thing.

Spirits’ perception of world and you

Spirits will be asensing you the whole time during conversation. For them worded facts are not as important as emotion behind the words. When you try to explain something to them, they will try to read what emotions are behind it. Are you scared when you plead to them? Are you angry, are you anxious? They will make out of it their own truth.

You can hit spirit with scientific facts, and it will listen to you, it will try to think about it. But, it will also read your emotions, how much you believe in what you say. Whole magical world is based on my belief, my world. That’s the reason, why spirits take shape and form based on caster and his tradition.

Carried emotion

As you can see in examples of spirits Carngull and Eileen I wrote, they carry certain emotions in them. For Carngull, it’s hunger, survival. For Eileen it’s sorrow and wish to live life.

Therefore when you are creating concept of spirit, try to think about emotion, which resonates with them. It gives them form, and it gives them something players can attach to.

Things that used to be

A good way to link those emotions is written in core rulebook. It’s kind of hidden, but when you will pay attention, there is written:

“These remnants of the past appear as lingering shadows whose strength depends on the intensity of the emotions associated with them. Such echoes are often more colorful and tangible in the astral plane than the physical objects themselves.”.

Which is kind of cool when you think about it. In astral space might be things, that are no longer in physical world, and can be explored. Those things can be linked back to certain spirits. In case of Eileen, it can be wreck of S.S. Clara Barton, or the ship might be still floating around. Or it may be locket in some house, which children of passed away mother still remember.

Make them weird

Do not be afraid to use these references. They might play into spirit weirdness. Spirits might even reenact certain events of history, just for sake of it, just because emotions on that place are still present. Bunch of fire spirits might reenact in astral plane Gettysburg battle, just for sake of it.

Some other spirit might prepare for players dinner, because it’s reenacts or represents certain aspect, like grandmother. Some spirit might reenact Sioux pathfinder out of joy of it.

Another take you can make, you can surprise caster player, by spirit returning back, without summoning. Maybe spirit enjoyed time with caster so much, it starts to linger in it’s space. Watches the caster from astral. It can be quite hilarious to see shaman getting rid of clingy spirit, they summoned a while ago >:D

What do spirits like to do when you summon them?

I was trying to piece together some information about how to RP ghosts, and I stumbled upon amazing post on Reddit about this topic. It was written by Hammaer96, and he proposed this table of spirits and what they might like as task, and what not.

Man: likes people tasks, hates non-people tasks
Beast: likes chasing/hunting/guarding, hates being summoned and given nothing to do
Fire: likes fighting/destruction, hates watching/guarding
Air: likes fun/chaos/jokes, hates calm/relaxing/peaceful times
Water: likes relaxing/constant activities, hates being told to do several things at once
Earth: likes quiet/stationary/consistent tasks, hates chaos & confusion.

This is interesting take and I really like it. It can also correlate with existing Astral Reputation, which has quite few ways how to move. You summon spirits to wrong tasks, and they get annoyed and tell among themselves.

I do not say, give bad reputation for every bad task, but if you conjure fire spirit every day, to guard bottle with bee inside? He might get pretty mad. He expects fight, he wants that thrill and juice of emotion of thrill. No, he watches fucking bee.

Players, write your own spirits!

Shadowrun is collaborative storytelling, that means, story you are experiencing shouldn’t come only from your GM. You as player can contribute to story, I dare to say, with 35%.

Consult with GM possibility to write your own spirits. When you summon spirit it comes from SOMEWHERE and goes SOMEWHERE, when it fulfilled your wishes. Why not summon the same spirit again?

If you write your own spirits, which are most aligned with your magician, it will add depth to your own character and to story overall. If you summon same spirit again and again, GM will learn it’s personality, party will learn to recognize that spirit and its quirks. It will stop being stat blob, which you throw on enemies.

How to design your own spirit?

As I pointed up, I made so far two for my character Sha. When you think about the concept of calling the same spirit again, it makes sense you need to learn it’s habits. For example, what it represents? Is it former human, or just memory of a human? Does it represent hunt, battle, anything really.

The Location

Set its location. Every spirit will have some location it favors, is it sea? Alleyways, coffee shop, hospital? Any place where your character actually has to go, to summon this specific spirit.

The Offering

Set its offerings. Being on a place is not enough to lure specific spirit. What is it, that tells spirit you are calling them? Leaving hot coffee on table, while you sit in stuffer shack? Footprint in dirt, driven through with nail to lure Sioux tracker? Splash of cider on roots of the tree? Something unique.

Story Hooks

Designing your own spirit doesn’t only give your party some other memorable character to interact with, it also gives your character things to do and GM story hooks to develop. Here are some examples.

Increase of Force: When you set your spirit on specific force, it might ask you, or you might get idea to raise it. You might embark on adventure to its metaplane to help it get higher force. Sure, it will be harder to summon it, but at some point, spirit might stop being summon, and become powerful contact.
Memory: You might want to learn more about spirit, and you decide to travel to location linked to it. Visiting wreck of ship, family which might remember that person, forgotten track in Apalachian mountains. Those are powerful stories, which you may be part of.
Ally spirit: If you like certain spirit you designed, you also might choose to make it your ally spirit. Gathering karma, materials so you can match it’s strength, convincing spirit to give you it’s true name.

Conclusion

The next time your magician summons a spirit, ask yourself one question:

“Who answered?”

If the answer is more than “Force 6 Air Spirit,” you’ve already started telling a better story.

July 3, 2026

Shadowrun 5: Beast Spirit Carngull

Ever-hungry scavenger

This is Shadowrun 5 Critter designed by me, numbers you see are applicable in this game.

The Terror of the Alleys. Carngull is representation of nature’s adaptability, strength and relentlessness even in midst of plastic jungle.

Similar to Eileen, this spirit could fall into category of city spirits, as it is drawn to those shamans, which are living within plastic jungle. It might reveal itself even to wilder shamans, but it’s rather unlikely.

Summoning

Carngull can be summoned anywhere in Seattle, where presence of city wildlife was recent. Which is quite broad. Carngull will not respond to calls in clean and sterile corporate facilities, as Sha discovered, it is place where he can’t hear the prayers.

Carngull is lured by daily ritual, which keeps animals on street fed and thriving, and that’s waste of food. Yes, something which would be seen as “anti-nature”, actually keeps devil rats, seagulls, pigeons, stray cats and dogs alive.

To summon this avatar of street beast, shaman needs to have some food on themselves, throw it on ground and step on it. Inside their mind, they have to clear their mind and forget it.

After this is done, Carngull is allured by offering and standard summoning can begin. If successful, filth, street debris, organic matter will start to form into horrific creature with blood red glowing eyes. Ready, to sate it’s hunger.

Force

Carngull comes in various strengths. He is more of manifestation of hunger, survival on streets and struggle. It could be said it’s not only one spirit, but that would be far from truth. Carngull many forms, are part of one whole. Sha suspects, that smaller summons of Carngull are just shards of Big Form of this spirit. She believes that these shards listen to shamans calls and once hunt ends, they return back to Big Form, lurking somewhere in Astral Plane or on some Metaplane.

Personality

Carngull is a beast. Or should we say THE BEAST. He is not stupid though, in higher forms it can outsmart most humans. Most animals which are living on the streets wouldn’t survive long if they wouldn’t be smart.

Carngull is just not aligned with metahuman thinking or customs. He understands, he has thoughts, but rarely finds need to express them. Yes, he can talk.

He loves chasing, he loves hunt, chasing and tracking down the prey. But, also he is patient, not getting bored waiting and guarding till he is said otherwise.

Behavior towards Summoners

Respectful, obedient. Sadly for all, which would want to have conversation or deeper interaction, this is probably not the one. Sha was never able to convince this spirit to hang out with her outside of confines of huntsman/hound. Carngull will obey every command with ferocity and determination, until forced to return back from where he came from.

The City

The city is ecosystem, strange one, but it is. From small bugs to big awakened critters, that stalk the alleyways. Sewers, backstreets, abandoned buildings, cracks in skyscrapers, open cloudy skies. All this is inhabited by creatures of sorts.

Carngull is part of all of them, and he will not abandon them. He made clear to Sha, that he will never cross borders and leave Seattle. Why? Hard to tell, this spirit doesn’t do reasoning, it might be something he chose to.

Distinctive behavior

Never leaves Seattle
Never stays longer then needs to
When banished, services end it switches to Astral Form and runs away. Can be chased.
Attacks Insect Spirits without command almost like berserker.

Manifestation

The stench is recognizable. Fur, damp street, dumpsters in back alley and mold of cellars. This is first what people say, they noticed, before they encountered Carngull. It’s also reason why Sha never summons it in her own apartment. Carngull is not only summoned, he is presence in the streets. Hiding in alleys, hearing every beating heart. Many met him, many discarded him as another Beast Spirit, not knowing how impressive he is.

Carngull (Spirit of Beast)

Force:

B	A	R	S	W	L	I	C	EDG	ESS	M

Initiative

Astral Initiative

Skills

Assensing	MAG + INT
Astral Combat	MAG + WIL
Perception	MAG + INT
Unarmed Combat	MAG + AGI

PowersAnimal Control, Astral Form, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Smell), Fear, Materialization, Movement, Sapience

Optional Powers

July 3, 2026

Shadowrun 5: Water Spirit Eileen Witkins

Haunt of S.S. Clara Barton

Eileen Witkins, second cook on ship S.S. Clara Barton, sank on February 22, 1942 by German U-Boat (U-129). Or at least, this is what this manifestation of spirit says. It might be truly spirit of Eileen, forever tied to water, or playful spirit of water decided to take on her form.

Eileen Witkins Card, also usable to summon her from her watery grave.

Summoning

By observation of Sha, Eileen seems to listen to summons, only close to the seawater. Anywhere else, any other body of water, random other water spirit appears.

It is very much possible, that this is only Eileen preference and she might choose to come to aid in other circumstances, but it never happened before.

To summon this water spirit shaman needs to stand close to the seawater and stare into it’s wave without disturbance. Repeat her name twice—once for each month before her death in February. After that it’s necessary to throw into water any shining object (preferably mirror).

After this small ritual, water will open and a beautiful woman in a vintage sailor’s uniform, with haunting blue eyes in sailor dress emerges from the waves.

Personality

To those who didn’t summon her, Eileen might appear as malevolent water spirit. Her preferred method of killing is anyways drowning. To others then her Shaman she will be rather dismissive (Unless having good Astral Reputation).

That doesn’t mean others can’t reach out to her, though. It is possible to create connection with her even without being her summoner. It might just take a while.

Eileen is interested in: Cooking, Ships (Obviously), Shanties, Beer, Bars.

Relations with summoners

Towards summoners Eileen behaves more cordial. Eileen often lingers long after the summoning is complete. She enjoys sharing meals, listening to old sea stories, or simply sitting beside the water with her summoner in comfortable silence. Unlike many spirits, she rarely disappears immediately after her task is finished unless dismissed.

Spirit affinity

To those with spirit affinity, she might even show up to their rescue if they will drowning at the sea. Fact, she is not summoned, doesn’t mean she is not somewhere out there. It’s slight chance, but still a chance.

The Vat

Something she never speaks of, but it is way how to gain her respect almost instantly. The Vat is ritual tied to ancient sacrifices called Threefold Death.

Core of The Vat is, that practitioner will strip themselves of all gear and necessary clothes and let themselves embraced by water spirit. She embraces the practitioner and silently descends into the black water until neither moonlight nor surface can be seen.

Practitioner is fully at her mercy and she will decide if they will drowned or not. The idea of fully giving yourself to the mercy of the sea is key of this ritual. If the practitioner survives the ritual, Eileen recognizes their bravery and devotion.

NOTE: Eileen will never perform The Vat with anyone she knows, they have gills or any kind of cyberware close to the lungs. She will try to assensing before the ritual. If she fails and finds out later that practitioner cheater, she will be furious.

Distinctive Behavior

She unconsciously hums old merchant navy shanties while waiting.
She instinctively wipes condensation off bottles before handing someone a beer.
She always faces the nearest body of water when sitting in silence.

Manifestations

In the Astral Plane, billions of spirits roam beneath skies awash with impossible colors. Picking out a single one among them would be all but impossible. Yet somewhere in the deepest corners of the Matrix horror threads, old conspiracy boards, and forgotten trideo discussions—rumors persist among Seattle’s dockworkers. They speak of a woman in a vintage navy uniform who appears on lonely piers shortly before a storm. She stands motionless, watching the sea in silence. Then, just as the first rain begins to fall, she vanishes without a trace.

NOTE: Eileen Witkins has to be summoned as water spirit with Force: 5. Table bellow represents her progression if she gains more Force.

Eileen Witkins (Spirit of Water)

Force:

B	A	R	S	W	L	I	C	EDG	ESS	M

Initiative

Astral Initiative

Skills

Assensing	MAG + INT
Astral Combat	MAG + WIL
Exotic Ranged Weapon	MAG + AGI
Perception	MAG + INT
Unarmed Combat	MAG + AGI

PowersAstral Form, Concealment, Confusion, Engulf, Materialization, Movement, Sapience, Search

Optional Powers

WeaknessesAllergy (Fire, Severe)

SpecialEileen Witkins moves twice as fast when in water.

July 2, 2026

IPSec configuration Ubuntu and Debian

What is happening with IPSec?

Maybe you noticed, or not, but Fortinet company is abandoning SSL VPN and pushes IPSec VPN. They reason it with SSL VPN not being secure anymore. Which is fine, I guess? Maybe your company already moved to new versions of FortiVPN and you are now dealing with this, or it awaits you.

Better security is great, right? Well, if you are using Windows or MacOS, you will likely face very few issues. If you are Linux user, you will be facing problems.

While Fortinet pushed this change, they didn’t put advanced IPSec capabilities from their free FortiVPN clients, for Linux. Those configurations are behind a PAYWALL. You are required to purchase 50 licences / year, to get this thing. It’s truly “Create problem, sell solution thing”, but fret not!

Challenges

For Windows and MacOS users, new model comes with some benefits. Authentication can be tied with EntraID MFA and so on. But, on Linux it is bit trickier. So far, to my knowledge, only working way how to connect to IPSec VPN from Linux is by using Strongswan.

Strongswan is TUI based package to configure and connect to VPNs. Now you probably start to see the problem. If your company will be using EntraID, even Strongswan is not going to help you. You will have hard times to conjure pop up Microsoft Account login window. So, when using Linux, you better hope, your company uses only basic IPSec.

Another challenge you will be facing, is that every distribution has different approaches/packages. Fedora might use libreswan instead of strongswan and donn’t make started on NixOS.

Let’s hope you are not System Administrator in some Software company, which has many Developer contractors and every has own distro, haha!

IPSec and Debian?

When this change first hit me, I was truly struggling to find way how to connect to VPN. I was trying Libreswan, Strongswan and it took me several days. We were going back and forth. But, I finally succeeded and found way, how to make Strongswan work on Debian based distros.

Note: This what I will show you, is ONLY for specific configuration. That configuration is, as follows.

Debian based distribution (Frankly it goes same on every debian based distro)
IPSec with EAP and PSK configured.
Alignment of Jupiter and Saturn.

How to configure IPSec on Debian.

Let’s start with preparation of packages and our service:

apt update
sudo apt install strongswan libstrongswan-extra-plugins libcharon-extra-plugins
sudo ipsec start

Now, in your /etc directory, you will have two files ipsec.conf and ipsec.secrets.

Those are your main files that will interest you.

For EAP/PSK configuration you will first want to edit ipsec.conf file. Paste in this:

Note: left = client, right = remote gateway.

Config files

#ipsec.conf
conn ipsecvpn
  keyexchange=ikev2 <RECOMMENDED TO USE ikev2>
  ike=<IKEV 1st PHASE PROPOSAL - CYPHER>
  esp=<IPSEC/ESP PHASE 2 PROPOSAL - CYPHER>
  dpdaction=<DEAD PEER DETECTION - CAN USE "clear">
  dpddelay=<HOW OFTEN CLIENT CHECKS IF ALIVE IN "s,h">
  dpdtimeout=<HOW LONG CLIENT WAITS BEFORE DC IN "s,h">
  rekey=<ALLOW RENEW KEYS "yes/no">
  left=%defaultroute <LEAVE AS IS>
  leftid=@<DOMAIN OR LOCAL FORTIGATE USERNAME>
  leftauth=eap-mschapv2 <AUTH METHOD FOR CLIENT Authenticate the Linux client using EAP-MSCHAPv2 username/password.>
  eap_identity=%identity <LEAVE AS IS>
  leftsourceip=%config <REQUEST VIRTUAL IP FROM FG>
  right=<PUBLIC IP OF YOUR FORTIGATE>
  rightid=<PUBLIC IP OF YOUR FORTIGATE>
  rightauth=<AUTH METHOD FOR FG SIDE CAN "psk">
  rightsubnet=<SUBNET YOU WILL BE USING>
  auto=add <CAN LEAVE AS IS>
  ikelifetime=86400s
  keylife=43200s

Green is name of your connection.

Yellow is guide what to fill, you can figure it out.

Once you have these set, let’s go on ipsec.secrets

# ipsec.secrets
<USERNAME HERE> : EAP "<PASSWORD HERE>"
@<USERNAME HERE> <DNS OF FORTIGATE HERE ex.vpn.example.com> : PSK "<PRESHARED KEY HERE>"

VPN operation

Now when you have your configuration files ready, you can start to operate your VPN.

# Let's load your configurations first.
sudo ipsec update
ipsec rereadsecrets
systemctl restart strongswan-starter

# ==Start==.Remember in ipsec.conf the green name?
ipsec up ipsecvpn

# ==Turn Off==
ipsec down ipsecvpn

Conclusion

And there you have it! It will really depend on your configuration and how complicated you have it.

This article should serve you only as baseline from where to start. It can also serve as template, for your FortiGate configuration, so transition is painless for MacOs, Windows and even Linux.

If I could choose, I wouldn’t buy/use Fortinet at all.

June 15, 2026

7 useful security headers for NGINX.

So! I saw amazing video on the YouTube, which explains beautifully something obscure about NGINX, and that is headers. I had quite problem to understand headers, as in NGINX lore, they are quite on background. You will learn how to set it as reverse proxy, and then you just stop thinking about it. Only after some time, you will understand that there is more to NGINX as a whole. I stumbled across this video, and I found it super helpful. So, you do not have to watch it (I recommend you should), I wrote down most important headers and you can just copy, paste them into your configuration. Video link is down bellow!

server_tokens off;

Hides the NGINX version from HTTP headers. This makes it harder for attackers to identify the exact NGINX version and search for version-specific vulnerabilities.

Place this in `/etc/nginx/nginx.conf`, inside the `http` block.

more_clear_headers Server;

Completely removes the `Server` header from HTTP responses.

Requires the headers-more module:

apt install libnginx-mod-http-headers-more-filter

Place this in the public-facing NGINX `server` block, usually in `/etc/nginx/sites-available/*.conf`.

add_header Content-Security-Policy “default-src ‘self’;” always;

Restricts the browser to loading content only from the same origin as the website, unless other CSP rules allow additional sources. This helps control where scripts, images, styles, and other resources can be loaded from.

Place this on the public-facing NGINX reverse proxy, usually inside the website’s `server` block.

add_header X-Frame-Options “DENY” always;

Prevents the website from being loaded inside an iframe. This helps protect against clickjacking attacks.

Place this in the public-facing NGINX `server` block, or globally in the `http` block if it should apply to all sites.

add_header X-Content-Type-Options “nosniff” always;

Stops browsers from guessing file types. This prevents files from being interpreted as something else, such as treating an uploaded image or CSS file as executable JavaScript. This helps reduce some XSS risks.

Place this in the public-facing NGINX `server` block, or globally in the `http` block if it should apply to all sites.

proxy_hide_header X-Runtime;

Removes the `X-Runtime` header from backend responses. This hides backend request processing time from clients.

Use this on the reverse proxy, inside the relevant `location` or `server` block.

proxy_hide_header X-Powered-By;

Removes the `X-Powered-By` header from backend responses. This avoids exposing backend technologies such as PHP, Express, ASP.NET, Laravel, or framework versions.

Use this on the reverse proxy, inside the relevant `location` or `server` block.

Original explanation on YouTube:

This text I wrote based on amazing video by The Lazy SysAdmin

June 15, 2026

Author: postmistress

What Character Generator?

Warning

After selecting modules, my stats didn’t show in sheet!

Distribution

BattleTech Character generator showcase

Features included in Battletech Character Generator

1. BattleTech: A Time of War game system

2. Full AToW character sheet

3. AToW Life Module character creator

4. Expanded affiliation and faction backgrounds

5. Master Schools and Officer Candidate School

6. Age and aging system

7. Character portrait system

8. AToW equipment catalogue

Tactical BattleTech additions

9. Hex-grid support

10. Hex-aware token snapping

11. Grid calibration

12. BattleTech unit facing

13. Terrain marker system

BattleTech Unit Library

14. Generic BattleTech unit system

Infantry

Ground Vehicle

Aerospace

Mech

15. BattleTech preset browser

16. TechManual example presets

17. Record Sheets: Succession Wars BattleMechs

Platoon management

18. Platoon Board

19. Platoon accessibility

20. Soldier status and casualties

21. Squad/platoon Skill averaging

22. Infantry motive type

23. Live platoon speed

24. Support weapon system

25. Crew requirements and weapon legality

26. Support weapons affect movement

27. Dynamic infantry damage

Database / backend changes

Before Valheim server installation

Is hosting server free?

Where to get server?

Do I need experience?

Can I transfer to Valheim Server my existing local world?

VM requirements

Base Installation, let’s SSH!

Valheim Vanilla Server installation finished

I want server with mods and transfer my local game!

What to be aware of?

How to export existing world?

How to export your mod profile

Let’s assemble and install the mods!

And now the map

Let’s create daemon and start the server

How to update mods?

Server is not working, I cannot connect?

Basic information

Physical description

Psychological profile

Service record:

Wealth & Property

Contacts

Crew

First Officer

Chief Medical Officer

Chief Science Officer

Chief of Security

Chief of Operations

Boarding Party Officer

Chief of Engineering

Brig Officer

I.K.S. Poregu Bird-of-Prey

Urban legend of The Grinman

Rumors

Stats

The Grinman

Substats