This week, I wrote, posted, or inspired (using that term as loosely as possible) several gaming articles as well as a stack of press releases across the RPG news world. Did I publish a ton this week? Not as much as some weeks, but I still was involved in games as a writer, as a reader, and, on Saturday, as a gamer. I wanted to chronicle that, yet what I’ve written is less a clever review of my week and more of my log of my RPG life events this week. One day I’ll reread this post and see how much and how little I did. Go, Team Egg’s Diary!
For EN World, I contributed the “RPG Crowdfunding News 125” in which I looked at the Kickstarters for Torg Eternity – The Nile Empire, The Adventurer’s Prayer, Vindeon, Tegel Manor Returns!, Lost Hall of Tyr, The Vagabond’s Cyclopedia, and more. In the article, I dropped the first mention of the Kickstarter Zine Quest article that Sean Hillman (EN World) and I are planning to do. Since taking over this column from Angus Abranson four weeks ago, my editor, Mike Tresca, and I have searched for a format that makes these articles an easier read while distinguishing the work from my “RPG Kickstarters You Should Back” column on the Open Gaming Network. Thanks to feedback in the comments section of this week’s article, and a note from Morrus, EN World’s owner, it appears that next week’s article will be the finalized format we’re going to run with. I’m excited about that.
Add to that, this column is used as fuel for Morrus and Peter Coffey’s podcast, Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk. They used last week’s article, “RPG Crowdfunding News 124,” to play their “Favourite Game in the World” (starting at 25:17) wherein Morrus gives a Kickstarter’s name and Peter Coffey guesses what the game is about. The results are determined by points but only failures Peter may cause the world to explode. It’s nice to see my work put to good use… or worldwide devastation.
As mentioned above, for the Open Gaming Network, I did another in my “RPG Kickstarters You Should Back” series. While I reviewed the Kickstarters for Into the Wyrd and Wild by Charles Ferguson-Avery and Low Fantasy Gaming – Deluxe Edition from Pickpocket Press, I also looked at Rogue Genius Games’ ALL Genius Guide Bundle! Over 100 Pathfinder 1e products from Owen KC Stephens (Starfinder Design Lead at Paizo Inc.) for $10 available at the Open Gaming Store until the end of the year. Lots of good games to choose from.
Beyond my regular piece for the OGN, I posted (but did not write) another article. Let’s start this story at Origins Game Fair 2018. There, I ran into Cubicle 7’s Andy Peregrine (Doctor Who RPG) and we talked about what games he’d discovered at the show. He shared Nomnivore Games’ Emberwind: The Skies of Axia, which is an epic looking game based in original mechanics. That was June, fast forward to December and Nomnivore Games is running a Kickstarter for EMBERWIND: a new breed of tabletop RPG. Andy, because he loves gaming and is happy to support the industry, did a review of Emberwind: The Skies of Axia to boost the current Kickstarter. It was an excellent gesture by him proving he is a gentleman as well as an RPG professional. However, writing is only part of the battle, so Andy asked if I could help on the publishing side. Being asked to help is an honor and I wanted to do the best I could by Andy, thus I was able to work with my editor on the Open Gaming Network, Kim Frandsen, and get his article published as “OGN Guest Reviews – Andrew Peregrine Reviews Emberwind: The Skies of Axia”. Not mine, but I’m still proud to have helped out and hope you give it a read.
Here on the Tessera Guild, it’s mostly publishing other company’s press releases [see below]. That said, last Friday I shared a piece I was proud to put together discussing, at the highest level, how EN World, the Open Gaming Network, and RPGnet fund their RPG articles (read it here). “Funding RPG News” looks at their ads, stores, Patreons, and crowdfundings to help illustrate how the articles we read are paid for and how you can be involved in bringing them to life.
Speaking of funding and Patreons, Morrus (EN World) started a new one that offers EN5ider adventures as One Page Adventure For DnD! I thought this was an interesting idea and when Morrus’ Patreon newsletter arrived, I decided I could lift it and make something of an announcement using it. With minimal edits, I turned the letter into a press release and put it up here. It’s gained some interest and, I hope, led to more fans joining Morrus’ latest Patreon.
- SURVIVE THIS!! Dark Places & Demogorgons: The Cryptid Manual Coming to Kickstarter
- PAIZOCON 2019 BADGES ON SALE NOW
- GEN CON – 2019 Charity Partners Announcement, Upper Deck Holiday Catalog, and Gen Con 2018 Videos on The Fantasy Network
- Symbaroum: Yndaros – The Darkest Star expansion Released Today
- Kickstarter for MUTANT YEAR ZERO: ELYSIUM RPG – Three Days to Go Before Humanity Falls [NOTE: This Kickstarter has already ended.]
I contributed some interview questions to Ed Jowett (Shades of Vengeance) to appear in an upcoming project. Despite this being our 6th interview (four at the Tessera Guild and one on the Open Gaming Network), he had exceedingly pleasant things to say about the questions. As ever, it’s uplifting to be told your work is good.
I talked with Doug Cole about his Kickstarter, the Lost Hall of Tyr (2nd Edition): Maps and Print Run. I wrote about his project on EN World and, as I do, messaged him to point out the article. From that, we talked and he shared a lot of his work and plans for the project, his 5e variant, Dragon Heresy, and his custom, full-sized Viking shields (available via the Kickstarter). There’s a lot to this project and it’s worth lending it an eye (Odin One Eye would appreciate it).
Beyond what I wrote, I also bought a few items. From the Open Gaming Store’s Warehouse Clearance Sale going on during December, 2018, I picked up Rite Publishing’s Lords of Gossamer & Shadow (Diceless) softcover and PDF for 50% off – $20! Yes, diceless roleplaying! Why try diceless? You have not seen my rolls, if you had you’d know I’d be better off sans dice.
From Amazon, I picked up Kobold Press’ Creature Codex. (As of this writing, it’s $30.03 PRIME then you can take off another $5 then another 10% off. Original price is $49.99. Final price as of this writing is $22.03!)
I’m a sucker for monster manuals and bestiaries, I buy all of them that I can. This is Wolfgang Baur and company’s second monster manual for 5e and it’s a strong addition to the gaming table. Match it up with Kobold Press’ other MM, Tome of Beasts, WotC’s Monster Manual, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, and Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica, as well as Frog God Games’ Fifth Edition Foes and you’ll have monsters enough for the life of this system.
To further fill my monster appetite, I’m reading Power Up Games’ L’gat’s Tome of Amazing Creatures Volume 2. PUGs’ collection of 26 monsters for 5e touches on most every CR with original ideas for your table. What makes this project stand out is each creature’s depth and the creator’s quest to make this product accessible for disabled players. “[Y]ou will find a table listing all of the Named Locations from within the various descriptions throughout the book. Within this table, as well as the name and description, you will find sections relating to the different senses. This is an attempt to allow you as GM a way to make the world both more immersive and accessible to disabled players.” If you’re interested, try it out here.
As an added treat, under the Special Thanks, they mention the Tessera Guild (and myself). It made me feel special.
That leaves gaming this Saturday. Indy RPGing in the early afternoon, Adventures in Middle-Earth in the evening. Wish me good dice rolls!