What Is This?

Rpgs
You probably have an image in your head about what Tabletop Role-playing Games “are.” Even if you’ve never played one, you have a shape in your head, defined enough that you can see a group sitting around a table with dice, paper, pencils, and a cardboard screen and say “ah yes, that is an RPG. I saw it on Stranger Things.”

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.

If you’re new here, you’re probably wondering where to start. If you want my recommendations:

The Macabre Tale of Edmund Moulde (Novel)
This is the book I think of when I wonder what is my best work. Is it? I have no idea, but it certainly underwent the longest period of revision and polish out of everything I’ve done. If anyone were to ask what story I was most proud of, this is certainly in the top three.
The Chains of Gods (Novel)
A more experimental work inspired by John Gardner’s Grendel. It explores the philosophies of morality and questions the ethical abilities of those who have more power than others. Can anyone ever be good if there is a power imbalance? And if so, what does that look like?
The RPG Medium (RPGs)
I love tabletop RPGs, and I’ve always believed there was something “more” to them than just a fun kids game. In this treatise, I explore the core concept of what an RPG “is,” and how — as an artistic medium in its own right — it can be used to fulfill and enrich our lives.
The Watch in the Sand (Short Story)
This is my origin story. I half-cringe at it, but it’s the first work I finished and published while I was still wrapped in the complex struggles of depression and crippling social anxiety, so it’s kinda symbolic of my being able to overcome those obstacles in my life.

Of course, you are free to browse wherever you like, but these are some of my favorites. The rest is a mix of good, middling, and experimental work that I’ve been plugging away at for over fifteen years. I upload regularly — or try to, internet availability permitting — on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday of every week.

The Game Moves

Short Stories

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

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.

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.

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.

Ko-Fi

My work is, and shall always remain, free on this website. I don’t believe in gate-keeping my work from people who don’t have the money to spare on subsidizing my art.

That said, I do like food…

If you like what I’m doing, and want to make sure I don’t starve to death, please consider leaving me a small donation here, on my Ko-Fi account.

If you can’t spend a dollar, no worries. Instead consider spending a minute telling a friend about my work; what you liked, what you didn’t like, or even what you could have done better!