2024
The only Stats I care about:
-37 Posts. I didn’t achieve my goal of a post per week, but wrote more than twice per month on average, which isn’t bad.
-477 Subscribers. I’m quite astounded by this number. It keeps going up. It’s slow but steady and better than I could have hoped for. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read what I write.
Now, let’s review what I accomplished this year.
I published a short solo play of Kal Arath by Castle Grief, called “The Short Life of Calraith”, Part 1 and Part 2.
I finished up book 1 of my campaign of The Blade Runner RPG, “Shadow of the Waxwing Slain”, Chapter 20 and Chapter 21. I am eagerly anticipating a new supplement with rules to play members of the replicant rebellion, as well as solo rules. Once I get into that, you can expect to see me begin Book 2 of SOTWS.
I began my project to build a world using a variety of world-building games, “Kol Noth”. First, I used a game called Foundations for “Kol Noth: The First Era.” I tried to include some reader/subscriber feedback using polls to determine which games I played.
Next, after going through something difficult, I played The Last Tea Shop because I needed something cozy, simple and calming. I’m really quite proud of this playthrough. It felt like therapy and even rereading it, I get chills and sometimes tears. The power of games is astonishing.
I returned to Kol Noth with Microscope to play out the rise and fall of the empire, Ledera, which I really enjoyed! Microscope solo really works and can flesh out a world, region, empire, etc.
I then played The Quiet Year to determine the fate of the northern settlement, Turris. Part 1, and Part 2.
I took a break to write about the movie Dune 2 before returning to Kol Noth using the game, The Deep Forest, Part 1 and Part 2, to build a forest colony of monsters in the southern continent of Zuid.
I then played The Lonesome Cartographer to map out the land of Feor Llen and Ex Novo to build the city of Ongann, Part 1 and Part 2.
After that, I had to take a break from ‘world-building’. While I enjoyed crafting a world, playing through timelines, seeing territories and settlements evolve, playing 6 different creation games left me itching to play some characters!
So I dove into the new release from Shawn Tomkins, Sundered Isles with a fresh campaign, “Waves Breaking”, starting with a character shipwrecked with no memory. I wrote thirteen chapters of swashbuckling adventures that I hope to return to. The kraken-cursed tales of Harrow are far from over…
For October, I played the horror game Exclusion Zone Botanist. Things did not end well for my character! Great fun!
Finally, in December, I wrote up two parts of a playthrough of my own game that I’d been working on over the course of the entire year, Niv Lova, (heavily inspired/based on systems from Castle Grief’s game, Kal Arath). Here’s Part 1, Part 2, and the most recent post, Niv Lova Playtest, so you can check out the rules yourself, if you’d like! That post also has a link to my very own discord where you can join and ask me questions about anything you’d like.
I also joined a project called Death By Dungeon (previously called The Nameless Dungeon project), a Megadungeon collaboratively created by a variety of authors/creators in the Substack ttrpg space. You can check out the first issue here.
Coming in 2025…
-Niv Lova final version: I already have this mostly completed in Canva, with art about half-finished. I also have to finish a character sheet / remnant sheet. I’m thinking about looking into a PDF creator and attempting to lay out Niv Lova as a printable zine but that’s likely far in the future…
-Niv Lova Supplement: I’d love to make some more tables, introduce more of everything, as well as include some factions/faction generation rules and making the world of the zone more alive. Whether these things make it into the final version or end up as an additional supplement is up in the air.
-A Short Stay in Niv Lova: I plan on continuing Olmak’s story. It’s fun and a great way to playtest the current Niv Lova rules. Hopefully readers are enjoying it.
-Book 2 of Shadow of the Waxwing Slain: I honestly can’t wait to return to my two blade runner characters (and maybe introducing a third?) and seeing what they come up against next and the choices they will make.
-Kol Noth: I really enjoyed making this world but am unsure what to do with it. A setting supplement seems doable and fun.
-Waves Breaking: I’d like to return to the story of Harrow at some point.
-My contribution to Death By Dungeon. I’m creating the 3rd level/issue, Under-crypts of the Bell-Scar. It will be a pretty basic dungeon compared to the ambitions of others, but it’s my first time, and I want to keep it simple. I’ve got the premise and general layout ready to go.
-New games/ideas: I’ve got an idea simmering in my mind, based off Long Haul 1983’s system, but instead of driving a truck, you’re making your way through an ‘annihilation’-like zone to get to the center. I’m really keen to create my own solo-journaling-type game.
-Other? I’m sure I’ll take breaks to do one-offs, one-shots and the like as the year goes on. I’m also open to ideas and suggestions of games, systems or settings to try, so throw me any and all thoughts you have. I’m always open to reading and trying a new game.
-Table of contents: I really need to update that, don’t I…
That’s all for 2024. 2025 is already off to an exciting start. I put out the Niv Lova playtest. I think I’ll leave it up for a month or two, as I gather feedback and polish up the final version. I’ve also gotten interest from an artist so I’m hoping to include some hand-drawn art, which would be awesome.
As always, a special thank you to Andrew Wylde, BuddhaRandom, and Eric for being paid subscribers.
Thanks for reading!
My playing and writing will always be available for free, but if you enjoy what I write and would be willing, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription which allows you to vote on the tools/games I play. If that’s too much commitment, you can also just buy me a coffee.
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Check out the Table of Contents for previous games I’ve played as well as other stuff I’ve written.
Congrats on a productive and creative year! Your 2025 looks exciting!