TTRPG INDEPENDENT CREATOR FEATURE: The Shady Sail

Whilst you always tend to hear of the big names in the TTRPG Community, a lot of the time, its the smaller people who create stories, adventures and items that really help the players get something truly wonderful that improves the experience.  Its to this end, that we want to run features on the individua;/independents that bring their sense of whimsy alongside fun things to the community whilst also sharing their geeky love.

For our first post in this area, we could think of no better company than The Shady Sail, a family team who brought affordable goods to the players table rather than concentrating on Premium wood or resin goods that due to rarity and craftmanship prices a fair number of community members out of being able to own.  .

To this end, there is perhaps no clearer sign of this than the fact that they sat back and thought about how to create the very things we all covet to their own storefront, providing not only a friendly atmosphere but also giving everyone the chance to buy that mini that you've been hankering for or a dice box that not only looks cool but is a thing of beauty you'll love to utilise at the table.  

Here we got a chance to have a chat about themselves and things that they love as well as having the opportunity to show thier wares:

Totally Pawsome:  When was the business launched and how did you pick its name?

Shady Sail:  April 2nd 2022 and we used a random tavern name generator and altered it to fit something we liked a bit more.

TP:  What is your business best known for?

SS:  On TikTok Magnetic Dungeon Tiles, On twitter our Collab Dice Cases!

TP:  Why the TTRPG space?

SS:  We're NERDS: Natisha has always been into gaming starting Pathfinder at the age of 9 and Doug started playing DnD when he was 13 and we met in a local game shop playing MTG.

TP:  What is your favourite product that you produce?

SS:  Dougs favorite is the Cascade Crisis Skywhale and Natishas favorite is the Skull Dice Case.

TP:  How do you see the business developing in the next five years?

SS:  We hope to add a lot more collaborations expanding what we offer including custom painted minis by Doug.

TP:  How do you decide which products to create and sell?

SS:  Random spark of creativity for unique items, but we love connecting and making deals with artists that create 3D models that aren’t equipped for fulfillment so we can give access to their designs to a broader community.

TP:  Whilst you do take commissions, what guidelines do you have in place?

SS:  Case by case, we love hearing peoples ideas and working with them to make them tangible. We aren’t cheap but we try to base our price based on how much we like the project and what the client can afford.

TP:  If you were given the time and opportunity to develop something unique for yourselves, what would it be and why?

SS:  A MTG spinning life counter inspired by the New Capenna set.

TP:  What do you think are the best services you offer to others in the TTRPG space and why?

SS:  We love sponsoring and collaborating with people in the community and have support artists, writers, AP streamers and podcaters with illustrations, dice cases, cosplay props and such. We just want to see the community thrive.

TP:  Competition between independent business is at an all time high, as a small business what makes you unique that you feel helps show customers why they should do business with you?

SS:  We have no interest in competition, we care about the community and collaboration! If we lose business because we support another maker we are happy to see the other maker thriving. We offer unique and custom 3D printed goods conceptualized by the community for the community and I think that speaks for itself.