[New RPG Jumpstart Release] Legacy of Lies for V20 Dark Ages

V20 Dark Ages | Jumpstart | Legacy of Lies

Two Princes. Bitter Rivals. And a Coterie Caught Between Them.

Marcus Verus, the vampiric Prince of Chester, secretly prepares to go into torpor. Should his plans be made public, the Prince knows the wolves — both real and imagined — would launch an attack, threatening all within his domain.

That’s where you come in.

Legacy of Lies is a jumpstart for the Vampire The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Dark Ages Edition corebook. This standalone jumpstart is a taste to whet your vampiric appetite. It includes:

• Basic rules for players and Storytellers
• Introduction to the V20: Dark Ages setting
• Introductory adventure
• Characters for players and Storytellers

About Legacy of Lies

Marcus Verus, Prince of Chester, is secretly preparing to go into torpor, and wants to ensure his house is in order. Verus does not wish to make his plans public, because he knows the minute he announces his desire to rest, the wolves will be at his door, and all would be threatened within his domain which was entrusted to him by his sire, Mithras, the King of the British Isles. Instead, Verus is assessing who will be worthy to take the reins of leadership once he leaves Chester by appointing a council of peers to rule in his stead. Of course, such a position carries a price: Whomever sits as the Baron of Chester will have to answer to Mithras, himself.

First, however, Marcus Verus needs to convince a group of vampires (the characters) to carry out a secret mission on his behalf. Verus, a seasoned warlord, is not a vampire of many words; he will test the characters by asking them to question an informant hiding in Rouen and take further actions if necessary. What the characters do not know, is that Verus is already aware of the secrets the informant possesses. He’s more curious to know what they’ll do next.

What secrets will your characters unravel? What dark decisions must they make? Whose favor will they win? Find out in Legacy of Lies!

Announcing a Serial Fiction Release: Diary of an Aspiring Alchemist

Diary of an Aspiring Alchemist
Cover Art by Meredith Gerber

Though I write a lot, I don’t always take time for myself. My stories. The ones I have to write, but don’t know if they’ll sell or not. This year, I made a pledge: I was going to write those stories, because while I don’t know if anyone will read them I also don’t want to wait. I can’t afford to. Not now, not anymore. Not even with insane (and I do have them!) deadlines and responsibilities.

Back in July, I started a journey to tell the story of William Sand. William is a key figure in my modern fantasy novel; he’s a supporting character whose motivation is caused by preceding events. This journal is the story of how William Sand was saved, stumbled, and then fell. This background is hinted at in the novel; his story and connection to the other characters isn’t crucial to the plot, however. I felt it’d be better to separate that narrative out, rather than bog down the novel with these details.

Here’s the rub: Diary of an Aspiring Alchemist is also my first, untouched draft, written in dribs and drabs, and posted for you to read.

I know this story. It’s a tale that I don’t want to write, but it’s been driving me mad. Don’t write it, the story matters only to me, causing me no shortage of frustration. Do write it? See what happens. I also know this is a difficult and challenging story to sell or be marketable, because William Sand is not a hero. Or, at least, I don’t see him that way.

Diary of an Aspiring Alchemist is written as an epistolary, and the entries take place in real time. They were either written shortly before posting or the night before; I made one edit to fix a placeholder for a character’s name. Other than that, this is all William. Raw. Alone. Found. Then very, very lost.

I hope you enjoy Diary of an Aspiring Alchemist. It is the kernel, the seed of what’s to come in a world I’ve wandered in for some time.

New Podcast Episode! Originality No 12: Writing is Time Travel

Originality Podcast

Hello! I am pleased to announce that I’m on a podcast called Originality, hosted by K. Tempest Bradford and Aleen Simms. What is Originality?

“The most common question creative people get asked is, “Where do you get your ideas?” That’s what Originality is all about: exploring the wheres, hows, and whys of creative genius with K Tempest Bradford, Aleen Simms, and a diverse assortment of guests from a variety of fields.”

I guest star on Episode 12: Writing is Time Travel, and talk about RPGs–and so much more! Join us, and check out this nifty little podcast!

[Announcement] Guest of Honor at Capricon 38

Capricon 38 | Expanding Universes

I am pleased to announce I am the Gaming Guest of Honor at Capricon 38 in Wheeling, Illinois. The theme for 2018’s show is “Expanded Universes”, and I love it.

From the website: “Capricon 38: Expanding Universes, will be a celebration of the infinite loop from the written word, to the screen, to games, and back again. When fans find a universe they enjoy, they can’t wait for the next book, episode, movie, or game. So, these universes are expanded across a variety of media.”

This philosophy, that the art we make and enjoy is part of an infinite loop, is one I hold very dear to my heart. It’s one of the pillars for my business plan, and it’s also the reason why I’m continually inspired to keep chipping away at different points on that loop.

I hope you’ll join us in February!

A New Alchemical Addition to a Rare Auction

Dear readers,

Today I am happy to share with you that I have finished my preparations to ensure a mysterious book called the Mythica d’Argent(1) will be included in book filled with similar listings for other, enigmatic tomes of the occult.

This new book, called The Dagon Collection, will be a follow-up to The Starry Wisdom Library edited by Nate Pedersen.

More news will be forthcoming!

(1) Mark this as a momentous occasion, for reasons I’ll get into later.

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