Novels

The Fall of the Empire of Ever and Always, Vol XI

Months before Game of Thrones was an HBO blockbuster, I came up with an idea that has become my personal White Whale for about a decade. Drawing inspiration from Dune, Fading Suns, and similar medieval/sci-fi, I created a setting where the universe was finally dying. The stars were exploding one by one, and a once great Galactic Empire crumbled to dust as petty warlords squabbled for food, priests called out to a god-emperor who had long since died, and scholars fell to despair as they learned of their inescapable fate.

Poems

With Kindness

With a knife

I have cut the cake into slices.

Little slices, big slices, some get the flowers.

Here is your slice, here is mine.

You cannot have my slice. It is for me. That one is yours.

Aren’t you grateful to me?

And my knife?

Original Post

Cemetery of Swords

This poem was made using the solo RPG Cemetery of Swords, by Efarrisgames.

Gentleman Bandit

This poem was made using the solo RPG Gentleman Bandit, by Allison Arth. I used the Mode variant, and played three times, rolling on the Poker Play table after each.

RPGs

Manifest RPG Design Blog

About

After reading so many RPGs, playing so many RPGs, and thinking about everything that is the medium of RPG, I decided I needed to put my money where my mouth is, and actually create an RPG. The following are the posts of me detailing my thought processes.

NOTE: All references to games and RPG systems are to be considered “as of writing.” New versions of games might render some of my comments inaccurate.

Short Stories

Here is a collection of all my short stories:

Bright and Terrible

This story was made using the solo RPG Bright and Terrible, by Rose on Mars.

Caveat Emptor

This story was made using the solo RPG Caveat Emptor, by Exeunt Press.

Grimdark Future

Justice

Heresy

Translation

Freedom

Reborn

Monster Hunter

This story was made using the solo RPG Monster Hunter, by La esquina del rol.

The Game Moves

This story was made using the solo RPG Last Dispatch, by Symbolic City. I used the Freestation Tethys template, to ensure quality structure.

Event Roll Cards Result Rescue/Promote Discard
Background 3 5c,3c,6d Opposition 6d 3c
1 2 7c,3s Opposition 3s 7c
2 5 Jh,7h,6s,As,3d Intervention As Jh,3d
3 3 Kd,5s,2h Intervention Kd 5s,2h
4 6 Kc,2c,Ac,Qs,6h,5d Assembly Kc 2c,Qs,6h,5d
5 3 Kh,4h,2d Opposition Kh 4h,2d
6 6 Jd,7d,Ad,8h,3h,6c Intervention Jd - Ad 3h,7d,6c
7 3 Ks,Js,7s Assertion Ks Js
8 5 Qh,9h,5h,Qd,Jc Intervention Qd 5h
9 6 Qc,10c,8c,4c,8s,2s Opposition Qc 4c,2s
10 4 9d,8d,4d,9c Opposition 9c 4d
11 6 10c,9c,4c,10h,Ah,10d Intervention Ah 10d,4s
12 6 8s,3s,8h,7h,6d,8c Assembly 8c 7h,6d,3s
13 5 Qh,9h,10c,9c,9d Intervention Qh 9h,10c,9c
14 4 10s,7s,8d,5c Intervention 5c 7s,8d
15 4 9s,6s,As,Ac Opposition Ac 6s
16 2 10h,10s Opposition 10h 10s
17 1 8c Assertion 8c
18 5 9s,8s,9d,8h,5c Assembly 9d 9s,8h,5c
19 2 As,9d Opposition As 9d
20 4 END

B Homestation Defense has ignored recent Gleaner attempts to adjust resource distribution, taking their old share regardless. 1 Defense resists demands from Lifeboat Corp to acquiesce to new distribution 2 Spy Researcher gives preliminary research to Lifeboat Corp, who reveals political machinations and the coming economic crisis. Researchers suddenly viewed as political, Lifeboat Corp seen as “voice of the people.” 3 Head of Mining Kd holds “science round-table” with members from scientists and Lifeboats, revealing new tech/supplies/food, promising a new and better life for the station, urging unity. 4 General Ks calls a summit to officially take supply distribution out of the Gleaner’s hands and into the military. Public hearings result in new shares of supplies. 5 Head Researcher Kh speaks out against gleaner’s new tech aims, as the sentience of the planet’s ecosystem is still in doubt. 6 Scoop! Kd is ousted by vote of no confidence, Jd takes over and increases Researcher supplies to keep conversation going, while reducing Military to keep them from acting instead of discussing 7 Newly elected Chief of Lifeboat Corp uses Manifesto speech to remind station how vital the lifeboat corp is, which several agitators and radicals turn into threats. 8 General Kc is assassinated. Qd, newly formed owner of organics collection, is challenged by Xenoethicists, delaying if not halting completely operations, suggesting they are responsible. 9 Second in Command Qc is ordered to turn Lifeboat Corp into occupied martial law industry to maintain function in light of threats and assassination. 10 Gleaners push back, reducing Military’s supplies and reducing their effectiveness 11 Military withdraws defense protections from scientists during researches, blaming gleaner cutbacks 12 Peace talks attempt to find new accord with distribution and resolve ethics. Gleaner collection program is halted, giving ethicists time to study 13 Gleaners protest and refuse cooperation, but Military interceeds and ensures Xenos get their due. Gleaners seen as petty and weak. 14 Open conflict begins, but the Lifeboat Corp threatens life-support shutdown and calms with the nuclear option 15 Scoop! The Lifeboat Corp is now throwing their weight around and is claiming judicial control over the station, demanding the Defense stepdown/surrender their role 16 Xenos develop new food source from planet, challenging Lifeboat Corp’s monopoly 17 Military refuses to back down, public address threatening violence if they are not respected 18 Violent riots break out on station. Lifeboat Corp space several decks 19 Gleaners sabatoge their own equipment and wipe the database of their tech. Station is abandoned

Welcome

Welcome one and all, to my collection of all my books, short stories, posts, musings, and other little oddscrawls that crawled across my brain. This website may change format semi-regularly as I experiment with format and schedule; I appreciate your patience as this repository evolves.

Currently, I am involved in uploading the following projects:

Short Stories
Whether old or new, I am constantly writing short stories. Some of them are created through solo RPGs, others are made without such structure. Some of them are from many years ago, written on my commute to work.
The Ever Lord Series
My white whale; a setting and project that I’ve struggled to finish for almost a decade now. Instead of writing a series of books, I am instead trying to write it as a series of short stories. We’ll see how well it goes.
Personal Posts
Anything else that pops into my head. Feel free to skip these if you’re not in the mood…