"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!

Looking For a Change of Pace? Grab a Copy of XCrawl!

We've all had those moments when our group has been on a little hiatus. Maybe it was end-of-campaign burnout and everyone needed a break, or life stuff happened and some members had to move, change jobs, or handle any of a dozen other things. But when you're looking to get the gang back together, you often want to do something a little different to bring some zest to your next game. Something a little off-the-wall. And if you've been looking for a spark to re-invigorate your group, then might I suggest trying out XCrawl if you haven't done so yet?

Seriously, this thing is a ball!

Before we get into it 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!

What The Hell is XCrawl?

Some of you may have come across this game before, or seen me talk about it in older entries on this blog. However, if you're utterly unfamiliar with this game, the elevator pitch for XCrawl is that it's what happens when WWE has a baby with DND. In a modern fantasy version of our world, dungeon crawling has become a major, televised event with Dungeon Judges lording over their arenas, and "crawlers" becoming one part celebrities, one part athletes, and one part stage persona as they compete for the public's viewing pleasure.

And as they say in Gladiator, you aren't the best because you kill quickly... you're the best when you win the crowd! Which is why crawlers tend to have signature moves, grandstanding and mugging checks (for playing to the audience or the camera, depending on), ring personas they can build up like legends in the minds of the audience, and why it's just as important that you look good when you win as it is that you win in the first place!

And the crowd is hungry for entertainment!

That is a pitch that sticks in your head. Especially when you consider that XCrawl is set in its own version of the 1980s (ish) where you add in elements of The Running Man, the rise of corporate power, and all of the social pressures going on in the American Empire outside the arenas themselves. This can give it a feeling that's almost akin to Shadowrun, especially if you start getting into political corruption, the false face of sports empires, market backstabbings, and whether the games are being used for nefarious purposes. So while you can run a campaign that's just televised dungeon crawls, you've got options for things you can do beyond that as well!

Now, I found the XCrawl core rulebook sitting in my hobby store years ago, and it was for the 3.0/3.5 version of DND. However, Goodman Games has ported this setting to a variety of different systems, including one for Pathfinder Classic for folks who want all the conversions done for them. There's also add-ons that cover additional aspects of the game and the setting such as XCrawl: Sellout which has additional information on gear, agents, fame, and more for players, along with adventures like Dungeonbattle Brooklyn for GMs who just want to pick up and play.

A Few Episodes or a Season, It's Up To You!

I've run XCrawl on and off over the years, usually as a one-shot for a convention game because its premise is absolutely wacky enough to get folks to sit down and play, but it doesn't wear out its welcome by the time the final boss falls. It's also flexible enough that you can make up shows, such as the one-shot I ran that I titled Jersey Shore: Undead! as a way of making fun of both reality TV and the way The Walking Dead had utterly saturated pop culture with zombies.

However, the current idea came from a line in the core book that I'd seen before, but forgotten about. To paraphrase, it recommends starting characters off at level 3 if they're going to be a Division IV team (which is where the death games come in). While you could run a Division III game if you feel you could make it interesting and engaging, the stakes are much smaller in arenas that are geared to be less than lethal.

And since I was still rolling with ideas after my Let's Talk About Non-Lethal Damage in Pathfinder post, I figured I'd actually go against the rulebook's recommendation and start my team off at the beginning of their story in the games. A Division III event called the Mall Crawl!

And you thought YOUR Black Friday sucked...

Because while the world of XCrawl is absolutely bonkers, I wanted to bring a gaggle of new players in at the bottom rung. They're discovering who they are, forming their team (in order to gain access to the precious Mojo that lets you spend resources for bonuses during the game), looking for sponsorship, and getting their feet under them... sure, that hobgoblin might not kill them, and that booby trap they set off is likely to be a firehose instead of a spiked pit trap of death, but they're going to have all kinds of stuff to deal with... like the judgment of the crowd when a bunch of nobodies step into the ring!

Anyway, I wanted to talk about that this week because I'm digging through the rulebook for the first time in a while, and whatever your preferred edition of the game, I think this is a setting that more people should really check out for themselves!

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 YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel 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 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!

Check Out Karol B Clothing and Costuming (You Won't Regret It)

If you're a regular reader, then there's a chance you remember the last time I talked about Karol B in Post-Apocalyptic LARP Accessories That Won't Break The Bank? Check Out Karol B! However, that post went up three years and change ago, and Karol has been doing a lot of growing since then. So I figured I'd take a moment to remind my readers that he's around, and to sing a few praises for the stuff he's been putting out since we last checked in.

Tactical leg bags are still here, and better than ever!

Also, if you're one of the folks out there who finds themselves involved in a lot of live-action games, then you may find the following links useful as well:

- 5 (Specific) Costuming Tips For Your Next LARP
- 5 Tips To Get The Most Out of Your Next LARP

Anyway, back to Karol B!

Same Great Gear, With New Additions

 Back when I first preached the good word of Karol B, I specifically pointed out the tough, post-apocalyptic backpack designs he offers, along with the badass patches (Immortan Joe's mark being one of my personal favorites). However, there have been some additions since those days that are worth your attention.

Witness me!

One of the big additions recently has been the leather bandoliers. Stock varies, but some are meant to hold altoids-style items, others are traditional cartridge belts, and every now and again there are wrist bracers with cartridge loops in them. A great bargain if you catch them while they're in stock. For those who have bigger budgets, items like the spiked leather shoulder holster bag, or the double-hooded wanderer coat are ideal additions to any character that can be used over and over again.

While there are more regular items available on the site now (and a wider array of unusual items that come and go as Karol finds and sells them), one thing remains true of the stock in general. No matter what your budget happens to be, Karol B has stuff that will fit your needs.

Also, for the record, I'm not making any affiliate earnings off these links. I'm not getting a kickback from Karol B, and I'm not even getting a discount on my next purchase from the site. This recommendation is just me trying to boost the signal for a merchant that I feel has a solid product, and which more folks should know about.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. Hopefully you enjoyed!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like 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 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!