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!