Help A Creator Out On His 42nd Birthday?

It's been one hell of a year, and I've had a rough ride over the past decade or so. The wheel doesn't stop its grinding just because you have a milestone coming up, though, so I wanted to take a moment to both acknowledge my birthday this year (something I don't normally do), and to ask folks to help me out with a couple of projects I've been having trouble getting eyes and ears tuned in to.

 

So, if you'd like to help me make sure that this Douglas Adams birthday of mine is a good one, please check the list below for how you can help!

 

 

It would really give me something to celebrate!

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

 

How Can You Help (Free Stuff)?

 

First and foremost, I know we're all on the struggle these days, and most of my regulars are on very tight budgets. So, most of the things I'm going to ask for are things that will cost you nothing but a bit of time, but it will still go a long way toward helping make my coming year a little easier.

 

I'm not getting any younger, after all.

 

 

At the top of the list is the new project I launched with Alice Liddell a few months back, The A.L.I.C.E. Files. This YouTube channel features audio book readings, as well as an ongoing plot involving the mysterious Carroll Institute, and the latest "Alice" who has signed on as a witness cataloger. And because this project is new, we simply aren't getting paid for it yet. It's a huge amount of time, effort, and energy, though, which is why I'd really appreciate folks going to the channel, and giving the episodes we have out a watch. If you like what you see (or you just want to help us reach our goals so YouTube will actually share ad revenue with us), subscribe to the channels, like the videos, and leave some comments on ones you enjoy the most.

 

We just broke 300 subscribers, and we've got less than 1,000 watch hours. Those numbers need to be 1,000 and 4,000 respectively for us to actually start getting paid... so even getting us a few steps closer would be great!

 

We also have an AMA planned for when we hit 350 subscribers, which I wrote about recently in Ask Me Anything For The A.L.I.C.E. Files... Our Next Stretch Goal!

The second thing you could do to help also involves YouTube! I've been making videos for the Azukail Games YouTube channel for some time, and we did manage to get the channel monetized (in no small part thanks to the surprise success of my video essay The Problem With Pentex). However, we're really close to hitting a new milestone over there as well! At time of writing we're about 30 people away from crossing over the 2,000 subscriber mark... it's a drop in the bucket by YouTube standards, but it would still be a pretty awesome finish line to cross.

 

Especially since the channel only had 300 and change folks subscribed when I first started making videos for it.

 

Second verse same as the first with this one. If you aren't subscribed, please do so. And whether you are or not, watch a couple of videos, and see if there's something here that you'd like! We've got advice for World/Chronicles of Darkness, discussions about my fantasy setting Sundara: Dawn of a New Age, crafting videos, previews of supplements, videos about my RPG Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic... and so much more!

 

And last on the free list, I want to let folks know about my Vocal.Media archive. I've got more than 300 free articles over there covering fantasy and sci fi, RPGs, fan and original fiction, and more... but more importantly, I get paid for every read! So consider bookmarking it, and reading through the archive. It's only a penny a read, but if you find something you really like, consider sharing it on your socials, telling your friends about it, etc. as well to help me grab some more eyeballs.

 

It really does help, when all is said and done.

 

If You Want To Throw Money At Something, Though...

 

If you're one of those people out there who wants to get me something to mark the occasion, and help me pay my bills at the same time, then you might consider becoming a Patreon patron. I recently switched to the monthly subscription model, and it's been tough to rebuild my earnings on that platform. Or if you just want to give me a little tip to help keep me going, you could just Buy Me A Ko-Fi.

 

Of course, buying a book or two is always great, as well...

If you want to actually get some of my work, though, then picking up a copy of Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic (or one of the mission modules I've written for it like A Night At Breckon's Beacon or Assault on Outpost 13) would also be great! And if you're more of a traditional fantasy RPG player (especially if you play either Pathfinder or DND 5E), then consider grabbing some of the books from my Sundara: Dawn of a New Age setting! You can find a full list of supplements for that setting in the post A New Year Is Coming For Sundara: Dawn of a New Age (What Would You Like To See)?

Of course, you can also check out my Amazon author page, or type my full name (Neal Litherland, for those who don't know) into Drive Thru RPG. You'll find a dozen or so books on the former site, and over 200 separate supplements on the latter to choose from!

However you choose to help, it's much appreciated! Thanks in advance, and I'm going to try to keep things going in 2026 to get even more stuff right in front of all of you!

 

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my additional audio dramas over on The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Obligatory Patreon Shout Out (And Progress On A New YouTube Project)!

It's a new month, and you all know what that means... time for my Patreon patron shout out! So, for all the folks who shoot me at least $10 a month, you can have a spot on this list as well. Before I move on, I wanted to offer my regular (and very heartfelt thanks) to:

 

- Joy Von Holle

- Brenton Ayres

- Phillip Litherland

- Tracy Bailey-Matthews

 

If you're a patron who wants a spot on this list, check my Patreon page and see if you can get up to that level! But even if that's outside of your current budget, you have my thanks as well. Big or small, everyone helps keep the wheels turning and the lights on over here!

 

 

Seriously... without you all, I couldn't do what I do.

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

 

I've Got Some Fresh Updates For Folks, As Well!

 

As I promised in the title, I do have one other update this week that I wanted to get folks in on. If you're a regular reader you might already know about this project, but in the event you aren't, I recently launched a YouTube channel with Alice Liddell called The A.L.I.C.E. Files, which is a sci fi reimagining of Alice in Wonderland. We follow Alice, a witness cataloger for the mysterious Carroll Institute as she sees the reports that agents have filed, and realizes exactly how many other dimensions there are out there.

 

 

The channel currently has 12 videos on it which follow Alice's encounters at the Institute, the files she's examined thus far, a chapter-by-chapter reading of the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (which may have some significance for folks who are looking for patterns), as well as our first behind-the-scenes video for folks who are curious about what it actually looks like to put together an audio drama.

 

And I bring this up at the start of this week because we've been straining to cross a certain threshold for a while. Because while the channel did very well for the first few weeks it was up, YouTube's algorithm quickly clamped on the chains to hold us back. We're currently at 296 subscribers at time of writing, and I wanted to get us at least to 300 before I offered a new incentive to get folks interested in helping us push forward.

 

So if you want to open up that door, and help me put together something new, please subscribe to The A.L.I.C.E. Files, and leave a comment on Episode 1 saying that you came there from Improved Initiative so we can track your arrival. Because while we're shooting for 300 subscribers, we need 500 before YouTube opens up some of the monetization options, and a full 1,000 subscribers before they share ad revenue, so we need all the help we can get!

 

I doubt we'll get there by the 12th of this month, which happens to be my birthday, but if you did want to give me a little present that won't cost you anything, a subscription to the channel and a nice comment will go a long way!

 

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my additional audio dramas over on The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

"Old Soldiers" Has An Audio Preview (And You Should Absolutely Check It Out!)

Folks who regularly stop by this blog are probably aware of the fact that I have written a slew of space marine fan stories for the grimdark future of Warhammer 40K. And if you're one of the readers out there who has enjoyed The Final Lamentation (my story of a Lamenter savaging a Black Legion ship), Blackest Knights (a story of Kill Team Errant for the Deathwatch), or even my Waking Dogs series (featuring a renegade World Eater), then I wanted to take a moment to let you know about my sci fi dystopian thriller Old Soldiers.

Not just that, but it now has an audio reading for the first two chapters from Altered State Adventures!

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

A New Update (While I Work On Some More 40K Nonsense)

For folks who haven't come across this book before, Old Soldiers is a novel of mine that's been out for some time. In this book we follow Pollux, one of the myrmidon, who is attempting to survive in a world that was not meant for him. A genetic experiment who was one of hundreds of different doomsday weapons created by humanity, these gigantic, albino shock troopers weren't meant to survive their clash with the alien Hyperion... but some of them did. Ghosts of their former selves, the myrmidon have become relics of the past, mostly forgotten by the world they fought for. Pollux is just about to get his life together, when assassins come for him, and the woman he's formed a connection with.

Their bullets weren't enough, though. And when he gets the remnants of his squad back together, they'll tear apart the city until they find the answers that have been buried for far too long.

So grab your copy if you haven't yet!

And I bring this up this week because this is the second piece of mine that's been dramatized by Altered State Adventures. The first one of mine the channel put together was my Warhammer 40K Knight story Broken Heroes, whose video is approaching 10K views as of this reading...

So, you know, go check that out if you haven't!

I've Got Some New Stuff on The Horizon!

While I'm currently getting ready for my last event of 2025, once I pack up and get back home I have plans to settle down and to work on the next installment of the Gav and Bob series, which tells the tale of the Imperium's Bravest Ogryn! I don't know if I'm going to manage to get the next installment done by Sanguinala this year, but I'm going to do my best!

And for folks who haven't come across this series yet, check out this playlist over on A Vox in The Void!

And, of course, if you want to help me make a little extra scratch for the holidays, you can read my contributions to the series directly on Vocal.media:

- Gav and Bob Part IV: The Emperor's Hand

- Gav and Bob Part V: Faith and Martyrs

- Gav and Bob Part VI: The Laughter of a Thirsting God

Lastly, if you've already read these stories, consider sharing them around on your social media site of choice! It's tough to get eyes on these stories, but the more folks who cheer for Gav, the more of these stories I'll be able to put together... so raise your voice, because it matters!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Table Talk. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Additional Audio Dramas (And An Update On Azukail Games' Goals)

As regular readers know, I make a lot of videos over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel. While I have shows like Speaking of Sundara (where I talk about my fantasy setting Sundara: Dawn of a New Age), Discussions of Darkness (where I discuss the World and Chronicles of Darkness setting), and Tabletop Mercenary (which covers the ins and outs of the job of creating tabletop RPGs), I also have a lot of audio dramas on the channel.

These are, honestly, some of my favorite projects to work on. It's hard to get ears on them, though, so I wanted to take this week to talk about some of my recent pieces, and what I'm hoping to do in the near future regarding this art form.

I've got plans... come along on this journey with me?

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Dark Dramas, Noir Mysteries, and One Comedic Sequel

For folks who aren't familiar with my audio drama projects on the channel, each of these little vignettes is a dramatized version of the introductory stories from my TTRPG supplements. So while they tend to jump around between genre and setting, they're meant to give folks a glimpse into the kind of game these splat books are here to help you run.

While most of the following audio dramas are unconnected from the existing series on the channel, consider giving them a watch. And, if you enjoy them, like the video and subscribe over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel.

#1: Dark Destinies of a Dying Day

The introductory short story for my first Mork Borg supplement 100 Prophecies and Proverbs of The Black Basilisk, this tale deals with a hermit trying to live out the rest of his days in a world on the verge of death. When a slayer with venomous eyes invades his sanctum in search of a dark prophecy, cold sweat runs down the hermit's spine... can this man prevent the end of the world? Or will he merely drive his blade into its heart that much sooner?

#2: Drinks With The Devils

The second half of a story I began a while back, this story starts off World's Oldest Profession: 100 Courtesans and Concubines. This tale picks up with our party cleric down in the infernal-themed brothel known as The Pit, when the rest of his companions kick down the door. And now he has to defuse the situation before they start lashing out, thinking this is a dark and corrupt cult, rather than a mere house of pleasure.

#3: Cloak and Dagger

The first tale set in the world of Army Men, this story kicked off Army Men: Medals of Honor. Set in the alleys of one of the biggest cities in United Polymeria, the section chief of naval intelligence goes to meet with a contact. Of course, as with any intelligence operation, there's a chance something goes wrong when you stick your hand into the shadows.

#4: Secrets of The Shadowed Heart

A grim tale taken from the supplement 100 Dark Secrets, this tale takes us inside the mind of a man who used to be a monster. A brutal enforcer for a regime of blood and terror, he has tried to leave that life behind him... but he cannot hide from his deeds in his dreams. A place where a mirror is held up to his memories, and he is forced to see them again, and again, and again.

#5: Born in The Boneyard

The story taken from 100 Effects of a Primquake, takes place in my Sundara: Dawn of a New Age fantasy setting. It deals with an expectant mother willing to do anything she can to ensure her son makes it into the world... but she hasn't asked what the consequences might be of the decision she's about to make.

How Your Views Will Help The Channel (And Me)

For folks who aren't in the know, I've been trying to get the Azukail Games YouTube channel monetized for several years now. And while we have the 500 subscribers that the platform requires, we've been roughly 200 hours short of the 3,000 hours of watched content we need for the platform to start sharing ad revenue with us. And, because you have to get those 3,000 hours of watched videos within the past 365 days, we've been struggling to make up for the views dropping off our record, while still trying to get enough fresh views to get us over that finish line.

That's where you all come in!

My audio dramas tend to run between 8 and 10 minutes long, meaning that if someone watches all 5 of the videos I shared above, that's less than 1 hour of content added to the channel's running total. However, every view, every comment, every like, share, and subscriptions adds up over time. So please, check out the channel, and if you enjoy my audio drams, check out the full Audio Drama Playlist which currently has 49 videos on it!

Now, if you're a fan of audio dramas, but you want to see me do something bigger and more involved than these short pieces, you're in luck! Once we get the channel monetized, my plan is to start work on a long-running audio drama podcast for the Chronicles of Darkness titled Windy City Shadows. Every episode should be between 30 and 45 minutes, taking listeners deep into the shadows as we begin exploring the dark side of this strange and horrifying version of Chicago.

If you're curious about this project, please check out my original pitch "Windy City Shadows," A Chronicles of Darkness Podcast Proposal, as well as the Ask Me Anything video I did on the Azukail Games channel a little while back:

My hope is that we can reach our goal in the near future, and then I can really get cranking on the scripts and recordings. I've also got some previews and trailers ready to record as a juicy little reward for folks who help us get to that 3,000 hour mark. So please, if you want to help push us over the line, consider checking out the channel, and sharing around your favorite audio dramas on your own social media pages so that other folks can give them a listen as well!

What's Next on Table Talk?

That's it for this installment of Table Talk! What would you like to see next? I'm listening for your comments and votes!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel for Azukail Games. Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, my hard-boiled noir series featuring the street beasts of NYC in Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.

Extra Short Stories (For Those Who've Been Enjoying My Audio Offerings)

Folks who have been enjoying my fiction releases recently have likely noticed I've been putting together a lot of short vignettes and flash fiction series when it comes to my audio dramas. And while the ones most folks see are taken from the introductory material in my TTRPG supplements, there are some longer, more in-depth stories out there. Some bigger, complete tales that are just waiting for you to come check out.

And if you haven't given them a look yet, I'd highly recommend stopping by my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary, in addition to following the Azukail Games YouTube channel.

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

A Few Examples From "The Rejects"

Most of the audio dramas I've put together, like the one above, are only a few minutes long. Typically they're dramatized versions of vignettes that set the scene for a supplement, but even when I put together a series of these little shorts they can feel more like eating several small, bite-sized candies instead of a meal.

However, for folks who don't know, I write more than just TTRPGs. In addition to the nearly 200 supplements and games with my name on them, I've also written several novels, and even a few collections of short stories. And in my free time a while back, I started dramatizing some of the short stories from my collection The Rejects, which is a book that features all the short stories I wrote that kept almost getting chosen by publishers, but which were ultimately passed on.

 

EDIT: Both of these tales have been moved over to the new YouTube channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files, which I highly recommend checking out if you haven't yet! 

 

The first story is Dead Man's Bluff, a weird Western. A ghoulish little story that features a game of cards between an itinerant gambler and a mysterious young man, the twist at the end is a particularly dark one. The moral of this story, of course, is to never cross a witch, and be careful where you bury one if you do.

 

 

The second story is Suffer The Children, which gives us a glimpse into the dark underbelly of a modern fantasy setting subtly unlike any other you've come across before. We meet Malachi, an angel walking the shadowed back alleys and nasty streets of Los Angeles, as he attempts to stop a cult of child stealers. This is, technically, the second story featuring Malachi and his adventures, but it gives readers a glimpse into the sort of hard, nasty choices he often has to make. While I haven't added to Malachi's world since this tale, there were plans for more stories (as well as a few novels) featuring additional cases that he had to handle. If it turns out more folks are interested in Malachi's saga, though, it's something I could squeeze in if folks wanted to hear/see more!

What Other Stories Would You Like To See?

My original plan with these tales was to give my readers (and potential readers) a little taste of the stories that could be found in The Rejects. However, I would like to dramatize at least half of them, leaving the other half as a mystery for readers to uncover for themselves... but which stories would you like to get this treatment?

Would you like to hear the tale of the young boy, his uncle, and the dark, dangerous secret no one else would ever believe that we see in Bloody Bones? Perhaps the gritty, sword and sorcery tale Champion For Hire is more your speed, with weaving steel and dark plans in a city desperate to avoid a bloody war of succession in its underworld? From the steampunk gruesomeness of Eyes, Hands, and Heart, to the strange, harsh reality of The Mark of The Legion, there are a lot of options in this book... but which ones would you like to hear?

And, lastly, if you haven't left a review of this book yet, please consider dropping by Amazon and leaving me some stars and a review so more people can find these stories!

What's Next on Table Talk?

That's it for this installment of Table Talk! What would you like to see next? I'm listening for your comments and votes!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel for Azukail Games or the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, my hard-boiled noir series featuring the street beasts of NYC in Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.

"The Final Lamentation" is Out! (And There's More To Come)

Back in April I released my latest Warhammer 40K fan story The Final Lamentation, which tells the tale of Astin Furon, the last of a squad of Lamenters taken prisoner onboard a Black Legion ship. Things go poorly, of course, as the bad luck of this cursed chapter manifests itself, leading to ship-wide mayhem.

The story was, as far as my short fiction on Vocal goes, mostly a flash in the pan. When last I checked, the reads on the story had barely broken triple digits. Then the audio version by A Vox in The Void dropped, and it is doing really well! At time of writing it's sitting at around 53K views, and it was only released 5 days ago!

That's a really solid debut, and my hope is that this kind of attention from the audience means that I can keep this train rolling!

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Delving Deeper Into The Grim Darkness of The Far Future

Back in March on this very segment, I laid out a plan for where I'd like to go with some of my Warhammer 40K fan stories. The details can be found in Gathering The Grimdark (Tying My Warhammer 40K Shorts Together) for those who missed it, but it involves taking the 3 major threads of characters and stories that I've laid down (Inquisitor Hargrave and her retinue from Field Test, Kill Team Errant from my Deathwatch story Blackest Knights, and Crixus's journey of vengeance that began with Waking Dogs) and tying them all into a single narrative that leads to a conclusion for multiple stories.

Of course, as with any other fiction project of mine, whether or not this happens depends on you all as my readers and listeners!

Raise your banners! The crusade begins today!

So what can you all do to help make sure that I keep this project going, tie off the threads I have so far, and possibly start some new ones? Well, I'm going to need your ears, your eyes, and your voices!

First, Help Increase My Reads

Real talk, here. I may be the author of these stories, but I do not draw nearly as much traffic as when they appear on A Vox in The Void with an audio cast. But if you want to help show me, directly, how many people are reading my stories, then please check them out, and share them with like-minded folks who may be interested in joining the audience!

Crixus's Stories (Renegade World Eater)

- Waking Dogs: Crixus awakens from the haze of the Butcher's Nails, and decides that he and his brothers have been a plague on the galaxy long enough.

- Broken Chains: The Skull Cutters warband is invading a hive city, when something goes wrong. Crixus has a score to settle with the band's Captain, and either he or his former sergeant is going to die tonight.

Inquisitor Hargrave (Inquisition)

- Field Test: Hargrave came to a world in the path of an ork waaaaugh, and promised them a weapon that would destroy the greenskins. What that weapon is, though, shocks even the hardened commander of the planet's garrisoned force.

Kill Team Errant (Deathwatch)

- Blackest Knights: Kill Team Errant has a reputation for efficiency, and a refusal to surrender. When they find themselves on a drukhari ship rescuing a captured inquisitor, though, they find out there's something far more valuable on this ship even than a member of the Ordo Malleus.

Other Stories

- Gav and Bob Part IV: The Emperor's Hand: The Word Bearers were ready for anything when they began their ritual to swallow an entire world into the warp... anything except the intervention of the Imperium's bravest ogryn, that is!

- Broken Heroes: When Renn led a team into the wilds to recover a prototype weapon, he knew it would be dangerous. Hemmed in on all sides, and ready to face death, he never expected to find something capable of destroying an entire hive of Dead Heads... something that's been waiting in stasis to be awoken to finish a fight it began thousands of years ago.

Second, Help Increase My Views

Not all of us have time to sit down and dedicate our eyeballs to a screen these days. However, if you like to listen to audio dramas while you're on the bus, at the gym, going for a walk, or just painting minis, then drop by A Vox in The Void, subscribe to the channel, and give the stories there a listen! Most of the stories I've linked to on this page either have an audio rendition over there, or will have one shortly, but when you're done with my stories, go back through the archive and give the others a listen as well!

Most importantly, though, leave comments on the stories you like, and give feedback. You can just say, "I really liked this story!" or you could leave requests for future narrations, ask questions, etc. Interaction is key to helping channels grow, and helping creators get the support they need to keep creating!

Lastly, Something 40K Adjacent

If you've already gone through all of my previous stories, but you still find that you could go for one more helping of gigantic, genetically-engineered soldiers in a dystopian setting, then you should also check out my novel Old Soldiers. This book follows Pollux, a colossal shock trooper forged to fight in the Hyperion Conflict, trying to live his life as a civilian in a world never meant for him, or those like him. When a violent conspiracy seems to be gunning for him, he assembles the remains of his old squad to get to the bottom of what's happening... but what if it's all mixed up in his head, and he simply can't live in a world where there isn't a war to fight, or an enemy to oppose?

Get your copy today!

Alternatively, if you're in the market for even more audio drama content, make sure you check out my channel The Literary Mercenary over on Rumble, as well as the Azukail Games YouTube channel where I put together all kinds of stories taken from my TTRPG supplements. There's all sorts of stuff out there, so read, listen, and consume away!

Just remember that it's the stories and projects that get attention that get sequels... so if you want more of something, make sure you make your voice heard!

What's Next on Table Talk?

That's it for this installment of Table Talk! What would you like to see next? I'm listening for your comments and votes!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel for Azukail Games. Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.

More 2-Sentence Horror Stories! Where Should The Series Go Next?

It's that time of the month again, and it just so happens to coincide with a little side project I've been working on. Some folks are no doubt aware that several years back I put together a short list of snacky scares for 50 Two-Sentence Horror Stories, and to this day it remains one of the most popular pieces of fiction I've ever published. Since then I've put out other installments, including a Warhammer 40K edition, an SCP Foundation edition, and the most recent one (which I thought I'd mentioned on this blog, but hadn't), my Cthulhu Mythos edition!

In fact, the audio version of that last one just went up over on the YouTube channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files, so check that out if you haven't yet!

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Where Should I Take This Series From Here?

Real talk, writing fiction is the easy part of the process. Getting people to actually see that fiction thanks to all the algorithms fighting to smother your signal? And getting people to actually read these stories once they find them? Whew, that's the hard part of things. Even when the stories are free!

Though I'm sure folks around here already knew that.

As such, I wanted to ask my regular readers here whether they think I should continue this particular series going forward. And if you do think I should keep adding to this growing list, I'd like you to do three things for me.

- Read/listen to the existing entries that you haven't yet.

- Share the links on your socials to help them find fresh eyes.

- Suggest a new topic for additional entries to the series.

Honestly, the first two are the most important part of this week's ask. Because while the original list did quite well, the others have had one hell of a time actually coming anywhere close to the breakout 5K reads it managed (partially due to a more niche market, I think, but also due to Vocal being put on the hitlist for Reddit's bots, making it harder to get traction on that site).

However, as far as future installments, I did have some ideas of my own, including:

- World of Darkness stories

- Slasher stories

- DM horror stories (more of a funny entry)

- Medical/Body Horror stories

- Tales of The Dark Woods

These are just some of the ideas I've had rolling around off the top of my head. However, if you've got fresh ideas (or you want to see sequels to the existing entries), feel free to toss those into the comments as well!

Don't Forget My Other Stories As Well!

For those who want something a little more substantial than these little snacks, I do have a lot of other stories out there! For example, the Azukail Games YouTube channel has more than 30 audio dramas by yours truly, and my Vocal archive has several pieces of short fiction for both Pathfinder and Warhammer 40K.

But if you want something more than just short stories, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife is available on Amazon. Not only that, but my formerly out-of-print sci fi thriller Old Soldiers is coming back, and is currently on preorder! This one is a must-have for folks who've enjoyed my space marine stories, as Pollux's story is where I first wrote about abnormally-sized transhuman supersoldiers!

What's Next on Table Talk?

That's it for this installment of Table Talk! What would you like to see next? I'm listening for your comments and votes!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel for Azukail Games. Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.

My Sci-Fi Audio Drama Trilogy is Complete!

As regular readers are no doubt aware, I've been putting together little audio dramas on the Azukail Games YouTube channel for a hot minute now. It all started when I began adding introductory vignettes to my gaming supplements, and I wanted to give readers some kind of preview as to what they were going to be getting if they picked up a copy. So while you might argue these are glorified commercials, I thought I'd try something a little sneaky and string together some of the stories into a single, continuous plot.

I first did this with some of my Changeling: The Lost supplements, but those are kind of niche as far as gaming interests go. So I thought I'd go a little bit bigger with a series of sci-fi shorts, given that the supplements they were attached to seem to be quite popular.

And in case you haven't seen them, I didn't want anyone to miss the update!

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron!

Lastly, to be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree!

A Trilogy of Tales

This whole thing began with the supplement 100 Spacer Superstitions, which was a sci fi response to the popularity of 100 Superstitions For a Fantasy Setting. A relatively short tale, it gives us some insight into the world of long-haul space transport, and the adjustments one can have moving from military life onto a simple ice hauler. It also has a warning about the sirens that dwell in the void, and the strange things that might (or might not) lurk out in the deep black.

That story was originally just a stand-alone piece, not really meant to go anywhere, but both the video and the supplement were so popular that I decided to expand on them, and go a little grander with the next installment. In 100 Sci-Fi Cults (which was the answer to 100 Cults To Encounter) we find that the ice hauler from the first story has been set upon by space pirates. All seems lost, until a single boarding torpedo delivers them their salvation, in the form of a member of the Knights of The Void.

The last part of the story takes place in the middle of a warzone. In the intro story from 100 Knightly Orders For a Sci Fi Setting (which follows on from the fantasy supplement 100 Knightly Orders), we find a squad of Titansworn Knights, and their colossal war machines defending the space port our ice hauler was bound for... and they are in for one hell of a fight!

Would You Like To See More?

I've been interconnecting my stories more and more frequently as I write more TTRPG supplements. I mentioned I've done it with Changeling, but there's also a deliberate plotline that starts in my 50 Geists supplement where a former hitman named Johnny Hammer makes a deal with a creature called the Six-Gun Saint, and we follow that up with the tale from 100 Shadow Names (And Their Meanings), where the mafioso who took over Johnny's family is revealed to be the Moros known to the Mage community as Cyprian.

I would like to expand this part of my work, though, and do something a little grander.

This video, for those who aren't familiar with it, is something I put together a little while ago. Suffer The Children is a modern fantasy short story taken from my collection The Rejects, and it follows an Old Testament angel Malachi as he stalks through the bloody back alleys of Los Angeles. Old gods and new sins lurk in that place, and he does what he can within the rules he's been set. He bears witness to the worst humanity has to offer, but when a kidnapper takes a child under Malachi's protection, he intervenes before it's sacrificed to one of the true powers that claims dominion in Hollywood.

This is one of several videos I'm intending on sharing on my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary, so consider stopping by, following, and giving me some likes and comments if you have the time!

The question I have for folks this week, however, is do you want to see more stuff like this? If so, what form would you like to see? Would you be more interested in:

- More vignettes (which will likely just be more audio versions of supplement short stories).

- Longer, complete short stories (stand-alone pieces like Suffer The Children, and others).

- Longer, connected series (likely in the form of a podcast).

Lastly, if you have a preference, would you like to see more content for:

- World/Chronicles of Darkness

- Call of Cthulhu

- Golarion

- Sundara

- Unspecified Sci Fi Setting

- Stories not related to pre-existing TTRPG content/settings

Please leave your thoughts in the comments, as well as on my social media channels! I like to try to give my readers things they're actually interested in, and I don't want to put in the hours making something folks don't really want to see... or hear, as the case may be.

What's Next on Table Talk?

That's it for this installment of Table Talk! What would you like to see next? I'm listening for your comments and votes!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel for Azukail Games. Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.