My Latest Cyberpunk Audio Drama Series, "72 Hours" Is Now Complete!

If you've picked up any of my TTRPG supplements over the past few years, then you've likely noticed I like to include a little piece of flash fiction in the front of the books to kind of set the tone, and to show at least one of the creations from the supplement in action. Several years ago I started turning these little vignettes into audio dramas on the Azukail Games YouTube channel, and as I got really stuck-in with this project it changed the way I started telling the stories. At first I started having recurring characters, such as the Hedge-diving ogre Jacoby in my Changeling: The Lost supplements, but then I started turning these sections into little series of short stories so that folks who bought all the supplements could get the story from beginning to end as a kind of collectible extra.

I completed the first of these series last year around this time, detailed in My Sci-Fi Audio Drama Series is Now Complete!, and it was last Fall when I followed that up with My Cyberpunk Audio Drama Series is Now Complete! I've completed a third series, and this time I went for a quadrilogy, giving you all a series of 4 stories instead of the previous sets of 3!

So what are you waiting for? Check it out below!

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!

Installment #1: Ordered Arms

The first short story, Ordered Arms, was the introductory fiction for the TTRPG supplement 100 Secret Societies For a Sci Fi Setting. In this story we find an ex-military operator just trying to live his life in one of the city's most corrupt districts. He's got information on all the dirty dealings all throughout this part of the city, but when he tried to take it to security services they threw him a beating, and told him to stay out of it. Someone was listening, though, and they offered the former Captain Masters the tools he needed to get the job done himself... assuming his conviction was strong enough, of course.

Installment #2: Blood In The Water

The second part of this story takes us to Detective Johnny Denton. Denton has been following a series of hits that have been going down in the district for the past several days... in 72 hours there have been dozens of casualties, if you count the gangs, vice cops, and organized crime squads who've wound up dead. He's digging into the cyberpunk version of the darkweb called the DrekNet and trying to find answers in Blood In The Water, the intro story from the supplement 100 Resources and Rumors to Find on The DrekNet.

Installment #3: Conspiracies and Crosshairs

In the third story, Conspiracies and Crosshairs which comes out of the supplement 100 Rumor Mongers and Information Brokers, Denton manages to find a shred of evidence to substantiate the existence of this so-called Angel of Death that's cleaning up the streets. He doesn't know what it means, though, so he seeks out the infamous net diver Simon Sez to get some information. While he gets something, as soon as Denton's back is turned, Simon sends out an SOS. Whoever this mysterious vigilante is, he knows somebody's onto him... and how to find Denton in turn, as the hunted becomes the hunter.

Installment #4: Safeties Off

With a real, solid lead, Denton races through the city to recruit someone else who might be able to help him wrap this case up before anyone else gets hurt. Dwight is a bounty hunter with a bit of a reputation, and the two of them have history. Of course, Denton has barely gotten a chance to explain to Dwight what it is he needs him onboard for, when the Angel of Death himself makes an appearance. Is this curtains for Denton? Or is there some way he can convince the vigilante to stop his killing spree, even while he's under the gun?

Safeties Off is the last installment of the series (for now, at least), and it comes from the TTRPG supplement 100 Professions For a Sci Fi Setting!

Would You Like To See More Series?

While the reaction to the various series I've been putting out seems to be positive overall, some folks have asked when I'm going to make longer, connected episodes to tell bigger, more involved stories. Well, once the Azukail Games YouTube channel gets monetized, that's on the docket for projects to discuss with the publisher. So if you want to see bigger projects, like I talked about in Windy City Shadows: A Chronicles of Darkness Podcast Proposal, then help us get the watch hours we need to get past that 3K minimum (which should only be about 500 hours and change at time of writing).

So if you want to see bigger, more involved audio projects from me, this is the fastest way to make it happen! So share this blog to make more folks aware of my projects, share the videos around on your social media pages, and leave some comments on the videos to let me know which sorts of things you'd like to hear more of! Anything that helps us get a little closer to our goals makes a big difference... and don't forget to like and subscribe if you haven't already!

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.

My Cyberpunk Audio Drama Trilogy is Complete!

As my regular readers know, I've been working on stringing together the opening vignettes in a lot of my TTRPG supplements to create longer-running stories for folks who pick up all my gaming guides. And since folks enjoyed the last time I finished up a trilogy, back in My Sci-Fi Audio Drama Trilogy is Now Complete!, I figured that this week I'd share the most recent wrap-up for the ongoing cyberpunk narrative I've been working on for the past several months.

Because it seems that you all enjoy them, judging from the numbers.

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!

Capitalism, Corporations, and Consequences

The tale starts off with the introductory fiction from 100 Sci Fi Guilds. There's a lockdown at the star port, since the dockers there are attempting to form a union, and corporate isn't having it. When the station's security proves unable to browbeat the dockers into compliance, the company calls in the Harriers, a guild made up entirely of specialized mercenary companies. Of course, corporate realizes too late that they didn't read the contract closely enough in Fine Print.

After corporate realizes that it's bitten off more than it can chew (and that it's facing a real body count along with lost revenue), the dockers get their union. In 100 Body Mods and Augmentations For Your Sci Fi Game, we cut into the celebration that's raging throughout the red light district. Particularly since the dockers got all their back pay from the corporation, and as far as they're concerned, the Harriers all drink free, since without the aid of the mercs there's no way they would have been victorious. Of course, corporate isn't going to take this laying down, but the gun lugger Hadrian along with a docker named Torg, get in the way of the company's revenge in Paying Your Dues.

Our final installment (for now, at least) comes in the supplement 100 Sci Fi Bands. After all the shots have been fired, and the adrenaline shakes wear off, Hadrian and Torg share a nightcap in a busted down, out-of-the-way auto jack. The after effects of combat are well-known to Hadrian, but this is Torg's first time being this up-close and personal with it. As such, it's important to find some quiet, and to put on some tunes that will relax his jangled nerves in Soothe The Savage Beasts.

Where Should I Go From Here?

While I've currently got 2 complete trilogies of sci-fi audio dramas on the Azukail Games YouTube channel (which you should go subscribe to, if you haven't done so yet), and I've started something fresh with the intro tale Ordered Arms found in 100 Secret Societies For a Sci Fi Setting, I'd love to hear your thoughts as my readers. Should I pen crossovers in future stories? Should Hadrian and his unit end up getting reinforced by the Titansworn Knights in their colossal war machines? Should the Knights of The Void end up joining Gabriel in his attempts to take down the syndicates that have eaten into the lower hab blocks like cancer?

I'm open to ideas, and since several of these audio dramas are my most listened-to ones on the channel, I figured this might be something folks might want to weigh in on!

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.

5 Phenomenal Authors Whose Work You Should Check Out

As anyone who reads my Monday updates knows, when I'm not giving my thoughts on improving your performance behind the DM screen, I'm typically trying to big up a signal for other creators. And since I recently released my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, I figured I'd take a moment to share with you the work of some other authors who should be on your shelf as well.

The following will be particularly useful if you're in the market for Christmas presents (and you want your friends and loved ones to do more reading), or if you've got a resolution this new year to try reading one book a month.

#1: Clinton Boomer

Seriously, why haven't you read this yet?

If you're a regular on my blog, you know that I mention Clinton a lot. He's a fellow RPG writer, and his Tumblr That Boomer Kid is chock-full of strange, dark, and bizarre ideas for your games. However, his novel The Hole Behind Midnight is a wild ride that will take you into the 25th hour. If you liked his gaming contributions, they have only barely prepared you for this book. Seriously, strap in for the strange, the unusual, and the bizarre, because you'll find all of that and more in this novel.

#2: Lauren Jankowski

For you series lovers out there, here's one to sink your teeth into.

If you're looking for a series that's both different and familiar all at the same time, then the Shape Shifter Chronicles is definitely something you should take a look at. It's got shape shifters, characters protecting the Earth, characters trying to destroy it, and a lot of solid twists and turns throughout. The series recently got a re-release, and a whole new series of covers, so if you're looking for a new book, read the preview on Sere From The Green to see if it grabs you. Then, if you like it, check out Lauren Jankowski's Amazon Author Page.

Also of note is her project Asexual Artists, which has been running for some time, and is meant to give a platform to a community of artists who are often ignored or marginalized.

#3: Megan Mackie

If you love worlds with magic and tech, you're in for a treat.

For folks who read my other blog, The Literary Mercenary, I had an interview with Megan there about her first book Finder of The Lucky Devil. In a world that combines magic and high-tech, Rune Leveau acts as a Finder for potent, and often lost things. When she's contracted by a cybernetically-enhanced corporate spy to track down a mysterious, wanted woman, things quickly go off the rails. A solid read, and the sequel The Saint of Liars is finally out! They'll keep you turning the pages, and when you have no more to turn, you'll start checking her release dates to see when the next one's coming out.

You can find all of her books, past, present, and future, on Megan Mackie's Amazon Author Page.

#4: Rick Heinz

I checked, the author DOES in fact have that coat.

If you cannot get enough of stories where the safe, sane, scientific world is peeled back by the ghoulish fingers of the dead and damned, then Rick Heinz may just be your newest favorite author. Following a man hell-bent on lifting the veil on the world of the dead, he soon finds himself caught between forces far larger than he ever suspected lurked in the world. The Seventh Age Dawn is a lot of fun, and you can find the author's other books on Rick Heinz's Amazon Author Page.

#5: K.M. Herkes

When your mid-life crisis gives you superpowers, things can get VERY weird.

We've all ready our share of superhero novels in this day and age, but K.M. Herkes puts a twist on her tales... what if you didn't develop your powers until you hit middle age? Or even older? She's got several books set in this universe, and they're unlike anything you'll read from DC or Marvel. So why not check out her book Rough Passages, or head over to K.M. Herkes Amazon Author Page to see if anything else there strikes your fancy?

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday update. If you check out any of the authors here, make sure you help spread the word about them, and leave reviews on their books. And, while you're at it, don't forget to stop by My Amazon Author Page where you can find Crier's Knife along with a dozen other books to keep you turning pages well into the new year!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, or stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I get together with other gamers to make shows for players and dungeon masters alike! To stay on top of all my releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. Lastly, to help support me, consider leaving a tip by Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or going to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a patron today!