KICKSTARTER: L.O.R.E. Tabletop RPG - Antiquarian Games

 

Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Luck Gods Math Rocks,

Having found a really cool actual play of a new game L.O.R.E  Tabletop Roleplay game, we were quickly engrossed by the characters, the play mechanics and the way that the story unwound to show you all that the game had to offer.  As such we wanted to link to that series to you before going to the Kickstarter for this project so you too can get to see what its bringing to the tabletop.  The players, seven nerdy VTubers game under the title of Tales of the Virtual Tabletop which you can view here.

The Kickstarter from Antiquarian Games, launched today and with 29 days to go is a project that we hope gets all the love it deserves.

Here's the information in their own words:

"We know committing to a new system can be a lot! In honor of that, we've made 135 pages of the Player's Companion available for free!

The formatting is basic and missing art, but it highlights most of the game's systems and gives you a glimpse into the game itself including Heritages, Classes, Feats, Equipment, basic rules, and most anything you'd want to know!

Grab the teaser from the sites below:

DriveThruRPG. We recommend this one as our fulfillment with be through DriveThru. It's a great time to get an account if you don't already have one. 

Itch.io. Itch is a great site for indies. A ton of games are available there, including ours! You'll eventually be able to grab our PDFs here as well.

RPG Trader. Newer, and a great contender to the others, RPG Trader is simple, efficient, and has a lot of great discoverability features. 

Each site has a preview of the teaser, but here's a few if you're curious:

For more information and to get the various levels of pledging please visit the site.

More news as we get it,

ThunderMouser 

INDEPENDENT TTRPG CREATOR INTERVIEW: Ramona Alksne - Alderdoodle

Everyone in the TTRPG space loves to create their own little pieces for games and whilst some of us are all fingers and thumbs (I mean me, poor ThunderMouser)  there are a lot of very talented people out there that help bring the experience to the table in magical ways.

To this extent we have an interview today with Ramona Alksne, a lettering artist illustrator based in Bristol, whose beautiful illustrations combine with her letting to create fabulous cards, letters and dreams of her own book of fabulous spells.  Here we let Ramona tell you more about herself and her business Alderdoodle...

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

Ramona Alksne:  Alderdoodle was born at the end of 2019, but it wasn’t until 2020, when I first created the d&d cards, that it felt like it could be something great. 

The name Alderdoodle is my last name translated from Latvian to English + Doodle. A combination of what I love to do and me and my roots (get it? Because an alder is a tree. I’ll let myself out..)

TP:  What is your business best known for?

RA:  Beautiful d&d accessories with gold embellishments.

TP:  Why the TTRPG space?

RA:  Because I love stories. And I love telling stories while rolling dice. Through my d&d spell cards or handwritten letters, I get to be a small part of thousands of stories. It’s an amazing feeling.

TP:  What is your favourite product that you produce?

RA:  One of my absolute favourites is the handwritten letter prop. There’s just something so good about running a game and telling the party they’ve received a letter and then actually handing over a physical thing they can touch and interact with. It’s easily customisable to fit whatever game you’re running and because it’s handwritten, no two will ever be the same.

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

RA:  While I’ll always love and create for d&d, I want to expand and create more accessories for other tabletop rpgs. I already have progress clock cards for Blades in the Dark and there are so many amazing systems and games out there that, I’m sure, could use a shiny accessory or two as well.

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

RA:  The idea usually comes while I’m playing d&d with a ‘wouldn’t it be neat if I had this’ and then seeing if I can make it. It’s how I started making spell scrolls. It’s how I got the idea for the blank spell cards too. I didn’t like how the official ones looked so I designed my own.

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

RA:  No NFTs. No AI. It’s custom work so it won’t be done the next day. Generally, I’m pretty easy going and if you do need something so totally yesterday, I will work with you to see if we can work something out.

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

RA:  There are 2 things. One is a spell book. Think big, leather cover tome. Gold embellishments and ornate decor. Filled with sheets of intricately illustrated spell scrolls.

The other would be a collaboration between myself and an adventure writer. I would love to work with them on a module that would involve handwritten handouts and scrolls and cards. 

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

RA:  As far as services go, custom lettering for sure. Whether that’s calligraphy for letter props or a custom lettered logo - drawing pretty letters for nerds is my jam.

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?

RA:  I’m a firm believer that a rising tide lifts all boats and ideally, the only people we should be competing with is ourselves from last year. 

That being said, I make some kick ass paper goods for your ttrpgs that will help you stay organised in style and create a more immersive experience for your games.

I also create trade dress and illustration freebies to help out the writers and designers that might not have the budget for custom art.

INDEPENDENT TTRPG CREATOR INTERVIEW: Adventure Slang

Finding a team of creators who support each other is a wonderful thing, and here in their world of Nuovarden (loosely translates as New Garden) is a world that is not only a blast to explore but can add so much more to your own adventures (you can visit at their own website here.)  With a firm belief in supporting the community with regular podcasts, as well as appearing at conventions (see list later in the article) they're well placed to bring many a new player to the hobby.

We were lucky enough to grab a word with Dungeon Misterly who let us know quite a bit more about Nuovarden and a live twitch stream from the 10th April 2023 through to 1st May here...

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

Dungeon Misterly:  As modules go I wrote a number of separate adventures for Dragon Turtle Press and their Carbon 2185 line. The one I’m most proud of is called “Transcendent Nouveau” (part of the Legacy Rising series). I was inspired to explore a bit into transhumanism, a disturbing and fascinating theory about how humanity might change with the direct integration of technology into our bodies. Since the genre is cyberpunk, it was the prefect opportunity to give it a shot, and Robert Dodds (the owner of Dragon Turtle and the Carbon line) was kind enough to give me carte blanche on my ideas. Cyberpunk is one of my favorite genres because it crosses so many borders between what is and what might be. We’re really living an early cyberpunk reality right now, and it’s evolving all the time.

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

DM:  For sure it’s my storytelling. I’ve been obsessed with fiction my whole life, and when I finally went to college my goal was to be a fantasy writer. I ended up going down the literary fiction rabbit hole, and I also learned and practiced just about every other kind of writing, but I always come back to story. When I write anything for TTRPGs I think hard about story: why are the characters here? What are their motivations? What is the plot and is it tight?

TP:  Why the TTRPG space?

DM:  I took the infamous 25-year hiatus from TTRPGs in the early 90s and went on with college, family, and career. At the end of the hiatus, I didn’t think I would get back into these games, so I gave away all my stuff, haha. Six months later, on a whim, I sat down for my first game of 5e and was immediately transported back to the early days of my gaming obsession. After playing for about a year (and creating my own adventures for a friends and family campaign) I started branching out into playtesting for companies when they advertised it, and I joined Discord servers where I met creators. My years of writing experience ended up serving me as a freelance editor, design consultant, and eventually writer. It was a perfect venue for me to write things that actually saw an audience.

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

DM:  Without question my favorite product is my Nuovarden setting and associated Fortunes d4 System. I knew one day I wanted to have my own line of products, and I figured it would be something I would pick up later in life, maybe after retirement (I’m a long way from that in any formal sense). But after I moved, I ended up in a home game, and through some pretty heavy discussions with my friend Mike, ended up dreaming about a game where player agency was as much a part of the game as any mechanic. I woke up and started writing, and I’ve been working on it non-stop for the better part of two years. It’s my favorite for many reasons, one of which is because it came out of that dream, and the other because it gives me that old feeling back to when I was a kid and first discovered TTRPGS.

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

DM:  As mentioned, I am still at work on Nuovarden. Pretty quickly after I got working on it, I started a company called Adventure Slang Productions. My daughter has a great mind for games and is a designer herself, and together we’ve been doing the gritty work of fine-tuning things and making it look nice. The setting is a non-medieval garden dimension where a cataclysmic event changed the dimension in wildly dynamic ways. The original people, called Lanplac, and a visiting trans-dimensional people called Starnam, found themselves sharing the world with six other peoples that manifested overnight thanks to the release of manifesting energy into the dimension by the Starnam. The result trapped the Starnam in the garden along with all of the other people, and the change also affected the flora and fauna in strange ways that, even 100 years later, the people are trying to learn about. The setting has flavor elements that might appeal to fans of Avatar: the Last Airbender, Castlevania, Monster Hunter, and other high adventure media. Technology in Nuovarden is loosely Bronze Age, though rumors of lost technology abound. Players choose from eight “cultures” and seven subcultures, and each is attached to a specific discipline. There are no classes in the traditional sense, rather the characters use mastery of their discipline (referred to as Primacy) to manifesting the things they need. There are eight core disciplines: Body/Mind, Song/Silence, Element/Technology, and Lore/Mystery. As characters evolve, they gain new disciplines to help them control the environment they live in.

The system is also unique. We use a d4 system that offers a robust series of mechanics that carry the simulation of reality without interfering with the narrative. Players make one or two actions, and may apply one to two dice per action, based on a limited pool. To help increase the percentage chance to hit the mark (usually ‘4’), the characters also have a pool of points representing primacy in their discipline(s). There are several other mechanics, but one of the most popular is our Assist Roll mechanic. During an active player’s turn, any other player may, if they have dice available in their pool, throw in on the active player’s turn once per roll. The Assist die is compared with the other di(c)e in the roll to determine a variety of outcomes. It’s a very cool feature of the game because it keeps the table engaged regardless of whose turn it is.

TP:  Who do you think would love to play your TTRPGs and why?

DM:  Our games genuinely strive to create a new experience, in setting, system, or both. With Nuovarden it’s definitely both. Erin and I agree that Nuovarden offers appeal to players looking for something different from medieval fantasy in particular. It also appeals to veteran players looking for that elusive “early experience” where the players truly don’t know what’s around the next corner. As mentioned, the system also encourages player agency and creativity – no spell slots or limits on ability beyond resource points and discipline primacy. If a player think it up (and it fits within their discipline) they can try it.

Anecdotally, our play testers say that Nuovarden feels truly original, and they tell us it’s “fun.” We’re also proud of the speediness of the game. Combat is legitimately quick, despite a virtually infinite number of options for PCs to explore.

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

DM:  My hope in five years is to have several Nuovarden products available for players, in addition to a couple of other “secret” projects currently on the horizon. I’ve had an amazing career path in my life, from education to science, and now game design. Every job I’ve ever had involved writing, so I can say I’ve not only achieved my personal goal, but I continue to use my education. If things go all right, in five years lots of people will be playing Nuovarden and discovering our other games along the way. I continue to do freelance work here and there, but I plan to be writing and designing exclusively for my own projects by that time.

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

DM:  Fait accompli! Now I just have to perfect it. But I am always thinking about how to make unique things – I’m not much for tropes and other cliches.

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

DM:  I have a lot of friends in the space, and while not all of them are writers, they are all creators. I really appreciate the work and insight that Brandish Gilhelm (Runehammer) brings. He has a philosophical angle and great sense of humor that both appeal to me. I also have a lot of respect for Matt Mercer for being an old school DM, but also a seemingly genuine, and genuinely good, person. I also think Deborah Ann Woll is outstanding as a writer/creator. Others that come to mind are Connor Alexander, B. Dave Walters, Tanya DePass. There are so many awesome people, and not just writers but creatives all around.

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

DM:  My introduction to TTRPGs came as a request from my friends in 1983 middle school. They had heard about this Dungeons and Dragons game and told me to go meet a kid in the library (Mike W.) that would explain it to me. So, I learned the rules, taught my friends, and continued as a forever DM until about 2016 or 2017 when I made new friends who also liked to run games. But, man, I am grateful that my middle school friends got me to check it all out.

If you're out and about, Adventure Slang will be appearing at the following Cons:

May 26 - May 28 2023 - KublaCon - Burlingame, CA

June 30 - July 2, 2023 - RageCon Reno, NV

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INDEPENDENT TTRPG CREATOR INTERVIEW: Skies of Fortune - Dread Priate Syzer, Hipster Cthulhu

TTRPG's really do bring people together and whilst you usually tend to think about independent creators as individuals games like Skies of Fortune has two from opposite sides of the world.  Dread Pirate Syzer and Hipster Cthulhu, met through a well known anime youtubers discord.

Bouncing idea's off of each other from Iowa and London (UK), they're bringing Skies of Fortune to the TTRPG space in 2024 where players can take their adventures to the air...  Here they tell us about their rich environment that will spark many an adventure where pirating pays off well...

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

Skies of Fortune:  Our lore-rich setting and emphasis on pirates as adventurers helps us stand out! 

TP:  Why the TTRPG space?

Skies of Fortune:  As two people who were the forever GMs amongst our friend groups, we’ve always enjoyed giving people all the tools we can to tell their own stories. And creating a ttrpg is the ultimate form of that. 

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

SoF:  Skies of Fortune is an independent, semi-crunchy, lore-rich setting in which players take on the role of sky pirates, making their fortunes while keeping the tyrannical imperial powers off their backs. It has 10 unique classes, classic fantasy ancestries alongside a whole pet shop of anthro ancestries, and a cooperative and fun airship combat system. 

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

SoF:  Fans of DnD will feel right at home in the Skies as the combat and skill systems have similar feels. Also, anyone who wants to cast aside the surly shackles of gravity and the strictures of polite society should enjoy their time as a rebellious sky pirate. 

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

SoF:  It all depends on how well the Kickstarter goes lol. But potentially adding expansions to Skies of Fortune and even producing brand new settings! 

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

SoF:  We would still be making Skies of Fortune! This is THE project, the one that we’re putting our all into! 

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

SoF:  Dread Pirate Syzer’s answer: Ever since my first DnD adventure in Sigil, I’ve been a fan of Monte Cook, one of the chief designers of Planescape and creative lead at Monte Cook Games. He produces unique and engaging settings. 

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

Dread Pirate Syzer’s answer: Games I used to play with my childhood best friend, that were just a step up from pretend, based on Mega Man and Star Wars.

Hipster Cthulhu’s answer: Futurama – Bender’s Game. I went out and bought a DnD Homes basic set that day.

Twitter Art credits: Logo : @LostHavenArt Leviaspawn: @artcher_artwork Savin the Sky Witch: @TheHoly_Bro The Sirocco Airship: @RossySculpts

Letter Writer by Jennifer Brown (no Twitter)

INDEPENDENT TTRPG CREATOR INTERVIEW: Kai Medina

The best thing about the TTRPG community, is that there's always an independent creator out there that makes something that not only players can get behind, but create it out of love with some wonderfully quirky options.  Kia Medina, an ecologist as well as photographer in New Jersey has dug deep and created quite a few independent titles that not only give you something different but also allows a whole heap of fun on his Itch.io site.  

Here we were lucky enough to be able to ask him some questions to learn all about what he brought to the table to amuse as well as fascinate....

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

Kai Medina:  The game I'm most proud of is "The Goblin Thought", where you play as a goblin collecting items for their hoard, but each item represents their memory of that day. As you collect and lose items, you tell a wonderful story, encounter change and loss, and practice skills relating to mindfulness, having a growth mindset, and being in a hive-mind.

I had the idea to write this a while back, but "A Thousand Year Old Vampire" gave me some more ideas for the mechanics that could let it run, and books like "The Last Human" by Zack Jordan helped me out when it came to flavor. As I put it all together, I ended up pouring into  it with my autistic experience, in a way that helped provide a strong platform for personal understanding and growth. I wanted people to see that the goblin's experience isn't lesser, it's just different. Being a goblin in this world can be tougher for some more than others, but it’s something certainly worth getting to know. As an educator, I tried to build in an equal amount of adventure/fantasy/intrigue as well as real life topics of stress management, neuro-diversity, and the idea of a day where everything went right, it can still feel sad sometimes, and that’s ok.

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

KM:  My tabletop games all revolve around understanding. They’re meant to both be entertaining, but offer a new lense and perspective. ‘The Last Step’ asks the player to understand other alien civilizations, while combining with real topics of having multiple identities. ‘To Care is to Cairn’ has you worldbuild a town out of reflections of ordinary objects that shape and are shaped by history, while growing on the idea that items and symbols of the past can have real-world power in the present. ‘BeHoRo’ has you tower-defending your dwarven base from crazy things like pitch-rain and meteorite monsters, but also says that we can’t always act perfectly when we’re out here trying to survive.

TP:  Why the TTRPG space?

KM:  A good monument lets you approach it, and engage with it. You get to see the reliefs on it (carvings / sculpted pieces bonded to it) and learn about the history, stand at a point and look out from the perspective of historical figures, and feel something. It’s a conversation. Games provide a means of conversation; facilitation, where we can escape and have fun in a fantasy world, while also encountering interesting topics we don’t always seek out in real life. It lets me convey what I have to say, and the player gets to hold and explore it without accepting it as fact or fiction. As they play they slowly bringing their own thoughts into physical being, like holding a piece of clay. It’s not forceful and lets them mold it, but has bounds that keep it from falling apart or wandering, giving specifics to engage with. Games allow for a kind of connection with others, even when they’re not fully with you. I’ve been playing dungeons and dragons for the past eight years, and managed to find community everywhere I’ve been - from Boston to Quito, I could find my group of friends, which can be  difficult otherwise.

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

KM:  Definitely ‘The Goblin Thought’. It’s the least bulky (The Last Step is fun but isn’t wholly my own and takes quite a bit of reading), most entertaining (To Care is to Cairn is really great to play, if you fit that little boring niche that I reside in), and puts in the most of my personal life. Playtesting this game worked well with so many different people, and we created such interesting worlds within five turns. It takes a moment to get into, but once you get past the first turn, it’s smooth sailing.

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

KM:  I’m toying with a goblin expansion, where a part of your hoard acts as a raft on the ocean. With lifelines (physically and mentally) holding you to it, you can choose to peacefully fish, or dive deep into yourself and the depths where lovecraftian beasts roam. The point of the game will be to add more direct adventure, as well as scaling up the threats for those ready for it. Plus I love throwing in some good fish flavor - I got my B.A. in ecology after all.

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

KM:  I think anyone can get into The Goblin Thought. When I resigned from a job, doing a couple rounds of it quickly each morning helped me cope. When I was playing with friends we had a goofy, battle filled time as we messed about and caused hissing shenanigans. The core of the game is to meet people where they are. When it comes to my other games, if the premise calls to you, it’ll be good. If not, fair enough.

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

KM:  I still see myself working on it as a hobby, but I’m hopeful to get something in a game store one day. Heck one of these is already up online on Barnes and Noble. That’s crazy.

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

KM:  More of what I do. I am thankful to have the time and opportunity now, so I use what I can and wait for more inspiration to strike.

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

KM:   I love a shared table. Weird fantastic art pieces like “A Collection of Improving Exercises” by Tim Hutchings that really push the genre past the normal monopoly borders. Places that revitalize history like assets ‘Rabbits & Demons’ traced by Exeunt Press (not to mention their great Exclusion Zone two-pager). Stories that are continually advancing classroom STEAM topics and cultural discussion in places such as “Kampala Yénkya”, and others that provide players with a physical product to look at, take home, and admire like in BlackwellWriter’s ‘DELVE’. Finally the fact that a community where the same $5 get’s passed around managed to raise over $250k for Trans Rights in Florida from a $5 bundle. That’s something incredible.

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

KM:  I listened to ‘The Adventure Zone’. Nobody around me wanted to try D&D but my friend Connor. So the two of us had fun with it. Then, over time, we brought more and more onboard. Real heart is found when sharing a meal with others, and so having some dragons to kill in the meanwhile adds some spice. Always make sure to bring snacks for the table and especially for the host.

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 CREATOR ARTIST INTERVIEW: Maple Dragoon

Artists are a group of people that TTRPG people admire, they bring mental creations to life and give them not only a face but an almost photographic snapshop of what they're imagining. Here we've been lucky enough to grab a word with Maple Dragoon, an Australian TTRPG Artist and podcaster over at Reflex Save.

Here's what they had to say...

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

Maple Dragoon:  The story has to come first. I don’t doodle as a pastime, or draw anything that doesn’t have a purpose per se. There’s always a fun or dark story behind each creation! That’s usually thanks to all the people that have come to me requesting a picture or drawing the scenes of my podcast (Reflex Save) favourite moments. 

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

MD:  Possible that I don’t have a specific style. It’s been described as Painterly or Cartoonish-Realism. It’s not quite like a lot of other artists and definitely a signature of mine that makes it stand out to anyone scrolling across it

TP:  Why the TTRPG space?

MD:  Everyone’s character has a fantastic background! It’s like getting a short story and conjuring up the visual accompaniment for it. I love how enthused people are to sharing their character or monster design, and really getting involved with the minute details. Also knowing that my art will be used in their campaigns is a lovely bonus!

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

MD:  Oh, there’s so many! If I could be cheeky and select 2? The first would be a piece I did for friend who goes by @WintermaneEU and his Female Scourge Aasimar; mainly because I really did improve greatly on how I rendered metal armour. The other would be for the @RollBritannia podcast. I think their show is the only thing I’ve drawn whatever could be considered “fanart”. 

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?

MD:  Unfortunately I do suffer from Aphantasia, meaning I can’t visualise anything in my head, so I rely heavily on getting people to tell me what to draw. I don’t get epiphanies that inspire me and rarely do I go out of my way to draw anything that have “touched” me. It sounds like a really clinical way to approach art, but it’s been working out well so far!

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

MD:  I think whenever someone see my pictures, they will know (or now know after reading this) 90% of them were done for free because I feel everyone deserves something nice, and if I can offer my skills as an artist to give them that, then I will. Art is typically a medium that comes with a heavy price tag (rightfully so because it’s bloody time consuming!) but at least if I forfeit my need to take money for art, another deserving artist will get paid instead in the future. I want to inspire more people to do nice things for each other.

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

MD:  In more 3rd party modules! It’s been a blast to already have my art in 4 works now and I’d love to continue that journey for many years to come.

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

MD:  A coin flip between drawing an entire comic series of my podcast or drawing more Eldritch horror monsters; specifically astronomically huge eyeball beasts staring right into the very soul of a human. I have that 2nd on written down so I don’t forget I should draw that one day! 

TP:  Who do you admire int eh fantasy art community and why?
MD:  There’s no particular one person. I don’t put anyone on a pedestal and say I admire them as there’s so many people that are absolutely fantastic. It would be unfair to single out any one person.

In saying that, Alan Tucker was the first person to ever ask me and follow through with putting my art in a book and I will be forever thankful to him for that. He really is a pillar in believing in fantasy artists and writers and helping them. 

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

MD:  My husband! He introduced me to DND 10 years ago. Before then, I played Scrabble and Cluedo and Dominos. Those were my tabletop games, no RPG at all!