TTRPG NEWS: Warhammer: The Old World to not include Starter Box Set - Games Workshop

 

OK, today at Warhammer Fest, Warhammer Old World was announced and whilst it has a whole host of promises the main thing that I noticed was that there are no plans to release rules included starter armies set for this title, (whilst another one announced over the weekend, Warhammer 40K:  Leviathan does.)

This, for me, is a mega problem for a number of reasons but the key one is that a rules related release starter army box sets always includes a number of miniatures that are extremely good value and allows people to start collecting and playing until they can get additional units and up their army points count.  Without these, it does feel like they're trying to cut out a number of younger hobbiers or those wanting to return especially when they announced that the game wasn't for new players only to contradict themselves later by stating that there would be ways for new players to join.  

I feel its imperative to include a starter set as it gives all hobbiers an even ground to start with as they can be learning the rules alongside tactics as they await the release date for the army that they want to collect.  This also generates a set of problems as for example with them working on the Bretonnians and Tomb Lord books first, they are going to be the armies with the bigger selection of troops to begin with that means it could easily counteract other armies troops.  For example a Bretonnian/Tomb Lord Army is going to quickly out point all other factions and if your friend wanted to wait to get say a Chaos Faction or an Orruk/Gitz army, they could have a 6-18 month delay until they can get the troops/characters to balance out the tabletop battle whilst also making rash decisions on troops only to discover that for their tactics that the troops they bought aren't suited.  

Having a starter set with the rules allows new players the chance to play armies they wouldn't have considered and having tried them, may spark a love for that forces tactics or figures that they may have otherwise ignored.  

Now OK this might seem like I'm making a mountain out of a molehill as the rules will the available for free and of course they can easily be updated when problems are identified but it does feel strange to get a boxed set for one title and not another.  OK, so yes, they have announced legacy figures to be included (which would have to be characters like the Green Knight and the Fey Enchantress for the Bretonnian army, but another major problem with setting it 500 years before which I think sets us up in the beginning of the Second Millenium with the cult of Sigmar promising to eradicate Witchcraft and Sorcery (which will make magic tricky) and Finubar of the High Elves only having arrived at a Bretonnian port which will restrict the high elf option.

 

All round whilst a release date hasn't yet been announced for this title I really do hope that they reconsider a starter box set or at least ask the fans their opinions.  Here's hoping.

This is based on me remembering;

Warhammer Fantasy Battle Starter Box set that included the rules, High Elves and Goblins (4th Edition)

Warhammer Fantasy Battle Starter Box set that included the rules, Lizardmen and Bretonnians (5th Edition)

Warhammer Fantasy Regiments (that included Dark Elves, dwarves, goblins, orcs, wood elves, Skaven)

TTRPG INDEPENDENT ARTIST CREATOR: Edward Yorke

Having seen an ad for the cover art of forthcoming game Rune (a fab collaboration between Gila RPG's, NS Miniatures and artist Edward Yorke), I was more than intrigued and dug into finding out about the artist.  I loved his dark themes and so when I saw that he was a Freelance Artist doing contract work as well as commissions for D&D I had to contact him to discover more.

Here he answers our first set of interview questions and reveals a few things about himself...

Totally Pawsome:  As an artist, what comes first for you, the story or a snapshot and why?

Ed Yorke:  Personally to me the image always comes first, as they say an image says 1000 words so crafting the right image is first and foremost. The story is right up there second, but I can enjoy art that tells a story all by itself without having any context. 

TP:  What would you say sells your art to people?

EY:  My TTRPG art is fairly dark, I tend to approach things with a bit of grit and grime. In my mind adventuring is mucky business and I like my artwork to reflect that, I think people respond to that mood well.

Why the TTRPG space?

EY:  I don’t actually play TTRPG’s myself, the connection was purely down to putting my art out there and getting a good response from the folks in that community. I like working on projects that include world building, narrative, and overarching themes, which is the bread and butter of TTRPGs so it’s a natural fit. Even though I’m not a player myself, I relate to the feeling of losing yourself in imagined worlds, I feel that is enough to make art without understanding what all the stats and rolls mean.

What is your favourite piece that you've created and why?

EY:  Thats a hard one to answer, I think personally my favourite piece was Rain. I ran a contest on Twitter for some art, and the winner let me do whatever I wanted. I had just finished a bunch of highly prescriptive briefs so was feeling ready to do my own thing, and I let loose on Rain. I enjoy paintings that look like paintings, but since I work 99% digitally it’s an interesting process to get the look of an Oil Painting, which I really had fun recreating here.

TP:  Coming up with a piece is often an idea that gets written into a journal to come back on. How often do you find yourself working on one piece and another comes to mind and can you give an example?

EY:  That’s a problem I don’t really have at the moment, I’m working on a few TTRPG’s and a video game, in between commissions. I don’t really have much time for personal work. However when I do I tend to drop everything to get it done, I don’t have a journal of ideas but maybe I should keep one…

TP:  What do you think is most inspiring about your pieces and why?

EY:  I don’t think I’d call my work inspiring, maybe interesting due to the textures and colours I use.

TP:  Where do you see your artwork taking you in 5 years?

EY:  I hope to be working on my own ideas in the future. Developing my own work and partnering with writers and designers to help flesh the ideas into something for other people to enjoy. I’ve got some world building brewing in a document that is waiting for me to really dive into making art for. I’m also developing video games, I hope that I can create some niche for myself there and make some interesting new ideas in that space.

TP:  If you were given the time and opportunity to create anything you wanted what would it be and why?

EY:  I’d get weird, I love the idea of exploring different media such as VR and animation. An infinite budget and I’d just hire a bunch of my friends to drop everything and create strange and new experiences for people, paintings coming to life in Virtual Reality with music and sensory accoutrements to elevate the experience. I would eventually return to my comfort zone of painting but I want to really explore visual communication and all the esoteric forms it can take, before bringing it back to painting.

TP:  Who do you admire in the fantasy art community and why?

EY:  So many people, I find new artists, writers, designers and developers every day. To name just a few I really love the work of Ivan Kohetnov, Tooth Wu, Sergey Kolesov, Greg Rutkowski, Karla Ortiz, Dominik Mayer, Anato Finnstark, Betty Jiang, Edward Delandre. Those are all names I’d say are the giants I admire in the art form, I’m sure I’ve missed a million but they come to mind first today.

TP:  What got you into TTRPG's in the first place?

EY:  Since I don’t play TTRPG’s myself, it’s got to be the community. The folks in this space (generally) are very accepting, open minded, and excitable! I always enjoy talking to people about the art I’m going to be making with them, since it’s collaborative, they always get so excited and that is such a fun dynamic.

INDEPENDENT TTRPG MINIATURE CREATOR: Isaiah Tanenbaum - Eldritch Foundry

As a fan of miniatures, I'm always on the look out for something special and unique, after all, if I'm going to play a TTRPG I want my character to be not only unique but epically posed as well,  so finding a character like that used to be nigh impossible unless you modded a standard one yourself and it was pretty difficult to do so.

These days, however things have changed and companies like Eldritch Foundry, have brought out a UI where you can create a character from the ground up where heritage gives you variety of species to pick (and future plans to add more) and you can not only dress them according to your tastes but also pose them epically so that your character will be unique not only physically but facially too.

Here we have been lucky enough to talk to their marketing manager Isaiah Tanenbaum about them and where they hope to be going in the next few years...

Totally Pawsome:  How do you work out which themes to create pieces for?

Isaiah Tanenbaum:  It's a combination, really, of a few factors.

First, what do our users tell us they want? We can't do everything -- we're a small team -- but if they're all speaking with one voice that a certain kind of weapon or ancestry needs expanding, we want to be receptive to that. For instance, a LOT of folks have been asking for additional animal ancestries, so we plan to add more animal kin later this year.

Second, each December we look to the year ahead for major releases and events: movies, RPG supplements, holidays, even gaming conventions, and try to match those with thematic releases. For instance, we released a number of class-themed backpacks a few weeks ago, our riff on the "adventuring pack" that is a staple of many Level 1 builds, since we think a lot of folks will be inspired by the D&D movie to kick off new campaigns. There are a number of high-profile TTRPGs coming out in the next few months, and we're working with several of them to line up matching ancestries and equipment to match. And the upcoming triple-hit of a new Fast & Furious movie, The Mandalorian, and Guardians of the Galaxy 3 led us to our upcoming "Space and Speed" pack, which expands on our sci-fi and space offerings with a bit of flair.

Thirdly, our team has their our own priorities and desires! Our modelers are real artists, and we want to let them follow their passions where they lead. If they make something that inspires them, we figure it will inspire our users as well. We have an awesome set of dwarven-inspired armor that our modeler Yuda has been working on for a little while, and I can't wait to share that with folks.

Finally, there are times when nobody in particular is demanding something, but we have an instinct that it's needed in the space. That's how we ended up with our elemental pack, for instance. When these hit, they really hit, because it expands folks' idea of what's even possible with our system.

TP:  What would you say sells your miniatures to people?

IT:  When I came on, I would have said it's our ultra-high-resolution printing (30 microns!), our resin's amazing durability, or our level of design detail, all of which we offer at a much more attractive price point versus our competitors. And that's all true, but what I've come to learn is that ultimately people choose us because of how our minis make them FEEL. When you hold an Eldritch Foundry miniature, the care and detail we took to provide it is immediately evident, and the art style, custom body morphology for different ancestries, and fully-adjustable faces and posing says "this is an epic, mature character that looks like a custom head-to-toe sculpt by an artist, not the result of interchangeable, cookie-cutter parts being pushed against one another and stretched to fit." We believe, and hold ourselves to, the North Star that every miniature someone makes on our site is beautiful, and each design should feel like it's really your own and nobody else's, just like your character is. Otherwise, what's the point?

TP:  What is the turn around time from designing a concept to having it ready for printing?

IT:  It depends on the complexity. A new ancestry, lineage, or pose might take MONTHS, as our team tweaks and prints real-world prototypes and tests and iterates. In the case of our diverse human lineages and amputee options, we also build in time to hear back from consultants from the groups we're representing, on everything from design choices to messaging. On the other hand, a new item might be ready to go in as little as a few weeks. Even then, because of that different morphology, each "soft" item (which adjusts to the underlying figure's form; think clothing, hair, or a new pose) is actually several dozen releases: two each (male and female) for Humans, Elves, Undead, and similarly-proportioned bodies, another pair to cover Dwarves and Halflings, another pair to cover Goliaths, Ogres, and Half-Orcs, and so on. Swords, shields, bases, and other "hard" items (which don't change depending on who you put them on) are a little faster, but still need testing and iterating before we're ready to release them.

Bit of trivia related to the above: as far as our system is concerned, we actually have over half a million individual "things" to choose from. That's on the backend, though; what the user actually sees when creating a character is more like dozens of ancestries and starting poses, and hundreds of items.

TP:  What is your favourite piece that you've created and why?

IT:  The next one! I'm joking of course, but also not. I always want to be looking forward, and thinking about what people could create with our newest release (and they always surprise me, in the best ways).

If you had to ask me what I'm most proud of that's already out, I'd say that our dynamic chain weapons are real show-stoppers. Seeing peoples' faces light up when I demonstrate a flail or nun-chuck that actually swings around in real life is so fulfilling. I feel like a magician pulling off a trick. I also think the "flying books" base effect is just super cool.

TP:  Coming up with a piece is often an idea that gets written into a journal to come back to. How often do you find yourself working on one piece and another comes to mind and can you give an example?

IT:  I'm not a modeler myself, I'm just the guy asking the team "hey, wouldn't it be cool if we could do X"? And then they tell me why I'm an idiot and that can't happen, or what it would take to do it. Or, every now and then, they say "yeah sure, we can do that."

One thing that's been a big lift for us, much requested, has been creating poses with one or more feet off the base. We've wanted to do it for a while, but it took some significant work behind the scenes to make it possible -- everything from changing how we store bone data to creating soles for every. single. shoe and boot to testing the poses to see whether the figures would even print -- and only then could we even consider creating and releasing the poses. As I write this, we are nearly ready to release the first batch of these, which we're calling "epic poses", but it's been the better part of a year with us chipping away at it while also releasing other new features that upend our system a little bit less.

TP:  What do you think is most inspiring about your miniatures and why?

IT:  The care that we take. I'm constantly amazed by the work our team puts in making sure each release is not only epic and cool, but looks good (and holds up) in the real world. Yes, it means our pipeline is a little slower than it otherwise might be, but ultimately every single thing we put out is the result of hours, days, weeks, and months of intense care by real artists. I think you can feel that when you hold one of our miniatures in your hand.

TP:  Where do you see your business taking you in 5 years?

IT:  There are certainly a number of features we want to tick off: pre-colored miniatures, additional ancestries and lineages, better body diversity, more female clothing options, native VTT support, and so on. But in general, the most important thing about our five-year plan is increased market awareness. We don't need to be the biggest kid on the block -- there's actually a certain freedom to being the Pepsi instead of the Coke of the custom miniatures game -- but I would like more folks to know about our product and make a fully informed choice about who to go with. Hopefully, this interview helps! 🙂

TP:  If you were given the time and opportunity to create anything you wanted what would it be and why?

IT:  I mean, I have a toddler and another one on the way. I'm pretty excited about creating THOSE, but after that, if I had infinite time I'd say I'd just like to be able to get an in-person game going. I miss making stories with my friends! But, see above re: one, soon two kids under the age of three. Not exactly prime time to make a regular game night happen!

TP:  Who do you admire in the fantasy community and why?

IT:  I admire anyone and everyone who is putting original work out there into the world. I come from a theater background myself, and so I know full well that the act of making yourself vulnerable by creating is really hard, but also the most human and necessary thing any of us can do. I'm also in utter awe of people like Kobold Press (our partners in Tales of the Valiant) who saw an issue in the TTRPG community and are moving mountains to provide a product that will probably not bring them a whole lot of income, but is super needed.

TP:  What got you all into TTRPG's in the first place?

IT:  I think my first game was a GURPS campaign in sleepaway summer camp in between eighth and ninth grade. The idea that you could just make up a story that was also a game was so thrilling. We spent every free moment (and more than a few meals) smashing goblins and having a ball of a time. I've never looked back.

INDEPENDENT TTRPG CREATOR INTERVIEW: Radley Stuckey

Creators for TTRPG's can be found everywhere and everyone brings something fun to the genre, and at times, quite zany, here we had the opportunity to catch up with Mad cap tweeter and possibly Howlin' Mad Murdoch for Millenials, Radley Stuckey, who's Friday night games set in his world of Auwym, are popular with his players.  Here we managed to grab a word with the goblin minded creature in a sentient moment... 

Totally Pawsome:  As a creator of modules for TTRPG's, what inspired you to write the one you're most proud of?

Radley Stuckey:  To be fair, what I am writing is more of a setting then a module. The way I see it if the mechanics of the game are the bones and muscle, I am providing the skin and tattoo's. My inspiration comes from a love of classic sword and sorcery, real world history, memes, video games, film and books; in a blender, set to puree.

What I am most proud of aside from connecting everything, is how from a simple what if question led to a whole rabbit hole of knowledge. In this case, seeing a video game called Blasphemous, I was like 'hmm catholic Spanish gnomes??' mainly due to the fact the main character in said game has a pointed hat. 

Some research later and there's all sorts of things that Spanish history can be adapted easily to my version of gnome. 

disclaimer; I don't think Spanish folk are gnomes.

TP:  What would you say is the best selling point of your TTRPG's?

RS:  I'd like to think that what my setting brings to the table  is something a little tongue in cheek that has a dark edge , yet whimsical. Think Willow (the film) crossed with a very dumbed down of LoTR with a pinch of Pratchett. 

TP:  Why the TTRPG space?

RS:  I love TTRPG's, having a dense warhammer background (both fantasy and 40k) and painting mini's I guess it was inevitable that I'd dabble in roleplay. Will draw the line at LARPing though. Im game for fancy dress but thinking I'm a sword master when a sword is made of foam... feels like alcohol should be involved, and I no longer drink. Plus not to stereotype but there's always someone who takes it way to seriously.

TP:  What is your favourite product that you produce and why?

RS:  Favourite product... I answer that with favourite part (s)  and even that I don't think I can per say. Any Divine intervention from the list of God's I have as well as the main events in the history timeline of the Continent of Tribian and to save myself from prattling on, a part I have enjoyed is the little things, like the flora and fauna, brewed drinks and the exports that are distinctive to the nations in Tribian. Can I tempt you with Beetroot wine from Stroedenheim? It has a very earthy bouquet. 

TP:  What is your current work in progress and what can you tell us about it?

RS:  Currently revisiting Pratchettshire, was in development called Tomseers (its an anagram of Somerset) where in short (to excuse the pun) is a halfling dominated nation that goes from knights of the round table to a militarised Vatican inspired country. the main event that defines the nation is what is known as The Callus Insurrection which is totally not inspired by The Horus Heresy from Gamesworkshop.

TP:  Who do you think would love to play your TTRPG's and why?

RS:  Anyone that loves the whimsy and has a dark sense of humour like I have. The group I currently DM for are very much interested in the world I have made, which considering they are green as grass players is a boon to my own confidence, making me put on the best I can, which in turn makes their experience all the better. I am very lucky to have a group of gents like them.

TP:  Where do you see your TTRPG writing career taking you in 5 years?

RS:  I hope to get my writing published, the whole wizards of the coast fiasco concerned me a bit. I intend to carry it on regardless. I have also discovered Osprey publishing who do a miniature agnostic game called Dragons Rampant. It be amazing to see armies from my setting manifest on the board. Progenies of Pravdos marching alongside their Menaurosian allies against the Sapphire Guard of Agarvel and their dragon overlords would be awesome to see on the tabletop. 

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

RS:  Aside from what I am writing, actual miniatures of heroes, villains from my setting. that would be zenith for me. That or something Sci fi. usually producers (says me) have a fantasy product and a sci-fi one. I mean look at Bethesda with the Elder scrolls and Fallout.

TP:  Who do you admire in the Independent TTRPG writing space and why?

RS:  Not Matt Mercer, or MCDM. Ill tell you why, one I am not basic, secondly I fell MCDM bollocks its viewer for sucking as a DM/ player. That is not to say I haven't heeded these two masters advice. I have, I guess my contrarian nature instinctively goes against the grain.

However Noah Antwiler gets credit. Used to go by the name of The Spoony Experiment, and while he has fallen from grace (sort of, the man has gone through some shit) his roleplaying stories are something to be listened to and enjoyed. 

Additonally Adam Cobell aka Skinnyghost. Another master in TTRPG who unfortunately caused a bit of upset live in a roleplay session but that aside (to be fair and from my own opinion after seeing the footage, yeah its a bit on the nose, but the person who felt 'attacked' needs to know that its make believe; unless they have experienced something in the real world. That's why session zero is soooooooo important. 

Also Matt Mercer needs to get a bloody haircut. I'm not saying that due to hair envy... honest. Plus he's so ruddy nice. It's like the Ed Sheeran of nerds. I mean he's a handsome chap and humble with it to... which just makes it all the more urrrgh about it all. But if you want some entertainment, go and watch the Mythica series. I mean as fantasy films go, its beautifully trash, yet I have watched all of them, but Mercer plays the villain and by God its (chef kiss) brilliantly bad/good. 

oh yeah his voice acting is top notch but still... 

TP:  What got you into TTRPG's in the first place?

RS:  Thats a Good question. First roleplay experience was playing Paranoia (praise the machine) which was interesting and then playing DnD with the dreaded 3.5 edition but in short after some time hating DnD and moving up to somerset from Torbaydos I got into 5th edition and well the rest is history. 

INDEPENDENT TTRPG CREATOR INTERVIEW: Brandon M Steward - Weaponized Ink

 

There are times when you get the opportunity to chat some some of the bigger independents who create modules for various games as well as their own Core system, and here, for us, this has been Weaponized Ink. (Their DriveThru page and here's their facebook page.)  

Here, Editor/Writer Brandon M Steward, answers our questions about them, what they're working on and what is to come alongside getting to talk about their Hammer and Stake title during a quiet moment when Chris Gunning (designer/developer and Captain Cap wearing revolutionary) is having a coffee...  

TP:  As a creator of modules for TTRPG's, what inspired you to write the one you're most proud of? 

BMS:  I'm not sure if it counts as a module, but last year saw the release of a short fiction anthology (complete with material for in-game use) called Tales of the Savage Age, which was a passion project I spearheaded after Chris agreed to take a chance on it.

 For me, that's my proudest moment, not specifically because of my text contributions, or even any sales numbers, but because it allowed me to use my platform, such as it is, to give other new authors and creators a chance to show off their talents. 

I still remember the exact moment my first gig – a contribution to Joe Nassise's Darkened Streets anthology – saw publication, and I remember thinking, "Huh. Maybe Pinnochio *is* a real boy. Maybe I *can* do this."

Humble and niche as it was, it was a turning point for Brandon vs Imposter syndrome, and if, on some level, I can provide that feeling and type of opportunity to other creatives so that they'll continue (or begin) to put their stuff out into the world, then I can't ask for more than that.

As far as a module proper, that would probably be Broken Brother, the first book I got to take lead on. The writing was primarily mine – featuring a great character contribution from Andy Howell along with edits from Alicia Howell & Chris Gunning – with the format being what's called a Jumpstart. A Jumpstart is traditionally a short, inexpensive book – a dozen pages or so– filled with plot hooks, sample characters, and other things to help provide a springboard for folks to craft their stories.

Ultimately Broken Brother exceeded 50 pages and was released (still with a low price tag) as an Epic Jumpstart, because we felt like that sounded better than "Brandon is really long-winded." At the risk of arrogance, it may very well be the single greatest Epic Jumpstart about war-traumatized werebears ever published under a community content license.

Inspiration-wise, the goal was to provide a toolbox to make jumping into our setting as easy and hassle free as possible. I've often come across really unique, interesting TTRPGs that make for a great read, but found myself asking, "Okay, but what do we *do*? What does a tabletop story told in this world or a game in this system *look* like?" The goal of Broken Brother and its upcoming successor is to help provide answers and easy examples so folks can get to having fun.

TP:  What would you say is the best selling point of your TTRPG's?

BMS:  Gorgeous, gorgeous Paul Way art acting as bait before I open with way too many parentheses and em dashes. In all seriousness, when it comes to Savage Age, I think it's a combination of appealing to folks who love classic Werewolf The Apocalypse and World of Darkness while offering something different with our prehistoric setting. 

With Hammer & Stake, I think having a unique system and setting again plays into it, along with the appeal of underdog revolutionaries taking on an evil dictator (who just happens to be one of the more famous literary characters). 

But equally seriously, Paul and our other contributing artists have been absolutely vital for sparking folks' curiosity and getting eyes on our team's work. It's a bit axiomatic, but covers are the first thing one sees, and first impressions matter. The words inside are pretty neat too, though.

TP:  Why the TTRPG space?

BMS:  Initially, I just sort of fell into it. I'm a longtime TTRPG fan, and I happened to come across a Facebook post from author Joe Nassise looking for submissions for his aforementioned World of Darkess anthology, Darkened Streets.

While that was probably more ttrpg-adjacent than anything, it gave me the confidence to later submit some samples to Weaponized Ink during development of Savage Age Vol 3: Tools of Extinction (our book of magic items, functionally), which brought me onto the team.

As for why I enjoy it so much, apart from my overall love of the TTRPG medium and having awesome co-workers, writing game books presents a unique combination of challenges for me as a creator.

There's the tasks of world-building and character-crafting, sure, but you're also in the business of designing tools for other folks to tell their stories. So not only does it need to be a fun and compelling read, but ideally you're providing the means for your readers to be inspired and to flex their own creativity at their tables. To my mind, the best praise we can get is being told that someone brought what we wrote to their game night and had fun running with it.

TP:  What is your favourite product that you produce and why?

BMS:  At present, Savage Age, as that's the line I've been the most involved with. I enjoy getting to work in such a unique setting, the creative freedom it affords, and the people I work with. And just as much, I love getting to hear from fans who tell us that our work brought them back to the World of Darkness or added some entertainment to their game nights.

TP:   What is your current work in progress and what can you tell us about it?

BMS:  I'm currently working with writer Max Peeples on a follow-up Epic Jumpstart which will highlight a lot of the Fera (our word for the various werecreatures) we've released since Broken Brother came out. 

Currently titled Waking Nightmares, it's going to feature our original Savage Age antagonists The Nightmare Gods, which are primordial, godlike fear entities that may or may not have a connection to the classic Changeling the Dreaming and Exalted TTRPGs. Oh, and we're delving into what is possibly humankind's first war. Again, as one does.

Not entirely TTRPG related, but my first novel, the third volume of the HELLStalkers series co-written with Joe Nassise, will be out later this year, and I have the TTRPG space (along with Mr. Nassise himself) to thank for that.

TP:  Who do you think would love to play your TTRPG's and why? 

BMS:  With Savage Age, I think any fans of classic World of Darkness will find something to enjoy. Beyond that, though, one of our design goals is to allow folks to tell both gritty tales of fireside survival or godlike epics that bring your favorite heavy metal album cover to life. In that vein, our prehistoric setting lets us play around with something that doesn't have quite the ubiquity of medieval fantasy or modern day, so anyone looking for a setting that's unique and different should check it out.

With Hammer & Stake, we offer a mechanical system that, to my knowledge, is unlike any other TTRPG on the market, with a great deal of inspiration taken from games outside of the traditional TTRPG space, such as the dice game craps. It encourages cooperative play in a really cool way that fits the themes of collective action and revolution, and I think folks will really enjoy how it all flows together. Anyone that enjoys alternate history, in-depth settings, stories of rebels taking on evil empires, or just the pulp horror fun of fighting Dracula and his vampires will find something for them.

TP:  Where do you see your TTRPG writing career taking you in 5 years?

BMS:  I've never been that good at predicting the future, but my hope is to continue to help Weaponized Ink put out fun, engaging books, while also getting to a place where I can afford to freelance more often.

 In regards to writing in general, I've often joked that I chose it as a career path because I loathe food and shelter, and it's a great way to avoid both, but the truth is that the more writing I'm able to do, the more I can afford to write. I don't pretend that my stuff is anything glamorous, but getting to do work that one loves is a privilege not everybody is afforded, so my hope is that I'll be able to continue and contribute to stuff that people enjoy while helping other creatives do the same.

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

BMS:  I'd like to think prehistoric animist eco-warrior werewolves is already a little off the beaten path, and I've been really fortunate that Chris and the rest of the team have been receptive to my ideas and pitches. 

Apart from current stuff, though, I'd love to do bring my own spin on something Noir-oriented. It's a genre of storytelling that has a special place in my heart, and things like the GUMSHOE system have shown that it has a ton of potential in the TTRPG space. 

In a weird way, much like with Werewolf, I find a certain optimism hiding beneath the pessimism and fatalism that comes from characters that say, "Things are bad and I probably can't win" only to fight the good fight anyhow.

TP:  Who do you admire in the Independent TTRPG writing space and why? 

BMS:  I could fill up a dozen interviews just listing some of the kind and talented folks I've had the pleasure to cross paths with, but to just name a few:

April Allsop is a member of our team whose writing continually pushes me to improve my own work by sheer virtue of how damn good it is. I was a fan of her stuff prior to reaching out to see if she wanted to collaborate with us, and she continues to knock it out of the park.

Josh Heath, of High Level Games (RORPG.Com) and host of Werewolf the Podcast, is someone I have a great deal of appreciation for. In addition to being an awesome creator and just a swell guy, he does a lot of work exploring the TTRPG medium as a community-building tool. Also, his Dark New England books for Vampire The Masquerade introduced me to the concept of jumpstarts, which ultimately led to my writing Broken Brother.

Ian Hogan of Nocturne Publishing is someone who has regularly produced top quality books while providing advice, promotion, and platforms to other indie creators, and that sort of thing is absolutely critical to folks in our space. Full disclosure, I'm currently working with him on a Black Spiral Dancers book for the Storytellers Vault, so Werewolf the Apocalypse fans should stay tuned!

TP:  What got you into TTRPG's in the first place? 

BMS:  A lot of the blame could probably be put on 90s AOL chat communities which first introduced me to the concept of role-playing (going to mention Rhy'Din just to make some of my fellow millenials' joints hurt). As far as entering into the TTRPG hobby proper, I owe that to a circle of wonderfully nerdy and persistent friends who introduced me to Pathfinder 1st edition.

Addendum from Brandon M Steward 27/04/23:
To wrap up, I'd just like to let folks know that you can find mine and Weaponized Ink's stuff (along with Josh's and Ian's) at http://Storytellersvault.com & http://drivethrurpg.com, and our Discord is open at https://discord.gg/WSPhbwxfyZ I can also be found at

@BrandonMSteward

on Twitter talking about TTRPGS and showing off preview art and pet pictures for so long as that sinking ship exists. And I know I got pretty wordy, so for anyone still here, I'd like to offer a free copy of Savage Age Vol 1: Accounting for The Dead as a Thank You. Just send an email to WeaponizedInk@gmail.com and we'll get you set up!

INDEPENDENT TTRPG ARTIST CREATOR INTERVIEW: ARTCHER

I was lucky enough to come across Artcher on Twitter, when one of their whimsical monster/murder hobo pieces (an Owl Warrior with a cupboard door as a shield.)  I loved it so asked if they were available for interview.  

Artcher, who started creating pieces for indie TTRPG's two years ago, is a fantasy artist who is available for commissions and dreams of working with some of the major publishers here are their answers to our questions...

Totally Pawsome: As an artist, what comes first for you, the story or a snapshot and why? Artcher: A good question! It’s definitely a bit of both for me as an artist, however I do lean a bit more towards being more interested in the story when it comes to designing characters and animals. The story and it’s background, environments, and most importantly it’s circumstances heavily impact how a character is designed, and how they’re portrayed in an illustration and I find that it helps a ton to think of those things while I work. TP: What would you say sells your art to people? A: Oh I like this question! I personally think that my art’s main selling point is its overwhelming personality I try to put into each work. I also think my main work’s cuteness, whimsicality and personality for each character and illustration is a large selling point. I do work with tough, super cool TTRPG characters as well though, so I think personality is the best answer for this one! 

TP: Why the TTRPG space? A: I’ve always worked in the TTRPG space, even back in my beginner days on Tumblr I was uploading TTRPG characters and little else. It’s where I feel at home, and I’ve learned how to turn that massive interest of mine into a career because it’s an artistic niche I love! TTRPGs have beena large part of my life since I was a teenager, so I feel it was only natural that I’d start illustrating them into adulthood.

 

TP: What is your favourite piece that you've created and why? A: I actually have three! But my biggest favorite of them is one of my most popular I think: I have this illustration of three Pet Adventurers, two dogfolk and one catfolk and they’re all very happy, and just having a good ol’ time adventuring. I really like how happy I was able to make all of them look even though they’re animals so I think that may be my “favorite” among favorites. I’ll include them in this answer for clarity. I think the “why” simply boils down to the personality and colors in each one, honestly. I love drawing and painting happy things, and each one of these is a “happy thing” so to speak. ( Artist’s clarification: The first one pictured here is the first part of that answer if that helps in your formatting at all!) TP: Coming up with a piece is often an idea that gets written into a journal to come back on. How often do you find yourself working on one piece and another comes to mind and can you give an example? A: Oh, all the time. I tend to work on commissions in big sets of 4-5 at a time, so as I’m working and looking through references or inspiration images (especially on Pinterest!) I’ll constantly have new inspiration for new artworks. For example: I have a long running worldbuilding/brainstorming project for my small Pet Adventurers called Over Rock, Under Hill that I work on when I have time or when I can. I worked on this spreadsheet over the course of a week because I had many illustration orders I was working on at the time as well, but the ideas for this project constantly come to me here and there while working.

TP: What do you think is most inspiring about your pieces and why? A: Oh this is a very hard question. I suppose I’ll go off of what others have told me: I’ve been told that my colors, expressions, and overall painting technique are inspiring for others! I create works with a lot of painterly brush strokes and a good friend of mine has described my technique as “a bunch of scribbles that when you zoom out it’s fully rendered” and I’ve heard a good few folks say that they like that painted quality to my work! TP: Where do you see your artwork taking you in 5 years? A: Oh that’s hard to answer! I honestly couldn’t quite accurately tell you. I really love where I’m at right now, so as I grow my family in the coming years I hope to continue making fantasy art and illustrating TTRPGs as well as getting to draw cute little dudes all the time like I do now. In 5 years I am hoping to sell more prints and have a larger name for my art, but other than that I’d be quite happy if things stayed in a similar spot to now, just with more financial stability and a larger “fanbase” if you’d call it that! However I do see myself working on one or two games in the future if I’m given the chance, I’d really love to work on a cutesy game and design characters or critters for it! TP: If you were given the time and opportunity to create anything you wanted what would it be and why? A: I’d create a full art book for my Pet Adventurers series, Over Rock; Under Hill. I’m really in love with the little LOTR, Frog and Toad style world I’ve placed the characters in, and I never have enough time to fully illustrate my ideas! I’d really love to create more for this little series of mine, and do honestly plan to in the coming years.

TP: Who do you admire in the fantasy art community and why? A: Oh, so many people. It’s really difficult to place one person, honestly. I think my two highest folks I hold a lot of admiration for are Tales from Myriad TTRPG and Teegketch, the artist and creator behind the Knight Light TTRPG. These are the types of TTRPGs I would really really love to work on, and I’m pretty sure they’re both creating them largely by themselves, which I could possibly see myself doing a long way down the road, or creating one with my fiancé ! TP: What got you into TTRPG's in the first place? A: My fiancé! We’ve been together for 10 years, and in our first year together we started playing D&D 3.5e and I’ve been absolutely hooked both mentally and artistically ever since.