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!

Adventures in Sundara- Where Should They Begin?

While I'm taking a break on fresh Sundara: Dawn of a New Age content this month (though Merchants of Sundara is done, dusted, and should be coming out soon!), I am putting together plans for what I want to do in the coming year with my setting. I've done location books, species books, a book on the gods, and books of factions... but it feels like it's time to finally get down to business and give you all some adventures to try out.

The real question is, of course, where in the setting would you like to explore?

And what sort of things would you like to do?

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!

The Trouble With Adventure Modules (Can Sundara Avoid It?)

I've been a TTRPG writer for a while now, and I've written my share of modules. From the murder mystery False Valor, to the horror movie/Beowulf mashup of The Curse of Sapphire Lake, to the spine-tingling encounters in Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh, the dark fey incursions of The Price of Iron, and even a mystery involving mad science in the Victorian Gothic system's Dreadful Tales, I'm no stranger to these bite-sized adventures.

If you've ever wanted to kick fantasy Proud Boys in the teeth, check it out!

The trouble with adventure modules is that, even though everyone asks for them, not a lot of people actually buy them when they're finally out. Perhaps the best example of this is that while The Price of Iron was part of a Kickstarter run by High Level Games, it's only sold about 5 copies after the campaign was done. Of the others, False Valor is probably the top seller, and it's moved less than 100 copies since it came out several years ago at this point.

That's not a great return on investment for the publisher, nor is it great for my royalty earnings as the creator. Still, there has been a fairly steady demand for modules from folks who do enjoy Sundara, so I figured that it would be worth at least dipping in a toe to see whether this time things would be different. Because in addition to just being a fun adventure to really bring your party together, modules would also act as ways to bring players into the setting, and to explore it from the street level instead of from the bird's eye view we usually have when we get the broad overview from a supplement.

What Part of The Setting Would You Like To Explore?

At time of writing, I've released 5 full city books set in Sundara, along with a single book of 10 smaller towns and villages scattered across the map. And while I could just look at the numbers and see which one has sold the most copies, I wanted to take a moment to ask my regular readers what they would like to see in this project.

So what would strike your fancy? Mercenaries in the City of Steel? Delving into the tunnels beneath the City of Bones? Navigating the City of Wyrms and getting involved in the affairs of dragons? Or would you like to meddle with mad scientists in the City of Sails, or enter the floating city of Archbliss? Or would you prefer something smaller scale, set in one of the outlying villages or towns that dot the map? Perhaps getting dragged out into the wilderness, or dealing with a Primquake when there's no one else around to handle the fallout?

The sky is the limit (and even that, only barely).

In addition to where in the setting you'd like to see a module, feel free to give as much input as you'd like to shape the project as I start putting my ideas together. From genre/subgenres you'd like included, to preferred level of play, to whether it should be the start of a longer-running series of adventures, or just a stand alone story, please toss your thoughts into the comments below, or share them on social media where you found this post!

And for some idea as to what these modules may be like, I talked about this a while back in an episode of Speaking of Sundara. So if you haven't kept up with that series, consider stopping by the Azukail Games YouTube channel and giving them a watch to see just what awaits you in this setting!

Locations in Sundara

In case you aren't familiar with the parts of the setting that have been released so far, consider checking out the following supplements:

- Ironfire: The City of Steel (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Built around the Dragon Forge, Ironfire is where the secret to dragon steel was first cracked. The center of the mercenary trade in the region, as well as boasting some of the finest schools for teaching practical sciences, Ironfire is a place where discovery and danger walk hand in hand!

- Moüd: The City of Bones (Pathfinder and DND 5E): An ancient center of trade and magic, Moüd was lost to a cataclysm, and then buried in myth. Reclaimed by the necromantic arts of the Silver Wraiths guild, this city has once again become a place teeming with life. Despite the burgeoning population, though, it is the continued presence of the undead that helps keep the city running, ensuring that Moüd is not swallowed up once more.

- Silkgift: The City of Sails (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Built on the cottage industry of Archer cloth (an extremely durable material used for sails, windmills, etc.), Silkgift is a place that prizes invention and discovery. From gravity batteries that store the potential of the wind, to unique irrigation systems, to aether weapons, the city positively churns out discoveries... and then there's the canal they cut through the mountains that makes them a major center of trade across the region.

- Hoardreach: The City of Wyrms (Pathfinder and DND 5E): A center of power across an entire region, Hoardreach is ruled over by a Cooperation of five different dragons. A place for refugees and outcasts of all sorts, Hoardreach boasts some of the most unusual citizens and creations from across Sundara. Infamous for their sky ships, which require the cast-off scales and unique arcane sciences of the Dragon Works to take to the air, one never knows just what they'll find in this city built atop a mountain.

- Archbliss: The City of The Sorcerers (Pathfinder and DND 5E): A floating city in the sky, Archbliss has been a refuge for sorcerers for thousands of years. It's only in relatively recent years that the city has allowed those from the ground below who lack the power of a bloodline to join them in the clouds. However, while there are certainly amazing wonders to behold, there is a darkness in Archbliss. Something rotting away at its heart that could, if not healed, bring the city crashing to the ground once more.

- Towns of Sundara: A collection of 10 towns and villages scattered across the countryside, this supplement has maps, histories, NPCs, whispers and rumors, and more which could all make for particularly good fodder for adventure modules going forward!

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 Daily Motion channel!. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, 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!

Genre Guides For Game Masters... What Would You Want To See?

This past summer was my first time attending World Con in Chicago. While I can't say it was a phenomenal experience, I did get the opportunity to meet a lot of fellow authors, and to be on some fun panels. One that stuck with me (both because it was my first panel of the convention, and because it turned out I was the moderator) was the panel about the genre of Midwest Gothic, what it was, and how to apply it to your stories as an author.

While it's been some time since that panel, I started rolling it around in my head, and wondering... would a guide about this particular genre be something that Game Masters out there would find useful? If so, should it be the first of a series about exploring such genres through the medium of TTRPGs?

It could be done... if it's something folks want to see.

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!

Genre Guides For All Your GMing Needs

Regular readers who've checked out my supplements before now know that I tend to stick to two major formats; 100 Random X, and A Baker's Dozen of More Detailed Y. In case you're one of the folks out there who hasn't gotten a copy of any of my supplements so far, the former category has entries like my Platinum-selling supplement 100 NPCs You Might Meet At The Tavern or the slightly-less-popular 100 Sci Fi Bands. The latter category has entries like my somewhat-controversial bestseller World's Oldest Profession: A Baker's Dozen of Brothels, as well as the Electrum-selling 10 Fantasy Villages.

While I've also written world guides, feat lists, modules, and other styles of supplements, these two formats make up the bulk of my catalog. What makes them so popular, based on feedback from the audience as well as observed trends, seems to be the following factors:

- Game Neutral: A long as you're playing within a given genre, the supplement is still usable.

- Supplemental Resource: These guides fill-in things that GMs don't want to make up on the fly, but they aren't, themselves, necessary for running any particular game.

- Evergreen: Whether you're playing now, or in 25 years, these resources will still be usable.

Looking at these broad strokes, the GM's Genre Guide project fits within all of these parameters, so I feel like it could work... if, that is, it's something readers show an interest in.

What Would Be Included?

I have not yet nailed down the specific format for how this guide would go, and what would be between the pages. With that said, I do have a general layout in mind, and some things I would like it to offer players. Those include:

- Introductory Story: This would set the tone, and be written in the style of the genre in question.

- Genre Overview: The first section would explore the broad strokes of the genre, giving GMs a foundation to work from.

- Genre Elements: Once the overview is established, and examples are given, we break down the genre's most important elements, providing them like the ingredients in a recipe.

- Running The Genre: After the genre has been explained and explored somewhat, this section would offer advice for how to run games set in this genre, along with tips and tricks to make the game stand out, and how to get your players in the spirit.

- Reading and Viewing Recommendations: Since genre can be a complex beast, I'd like to follow the best practices I've seen in other gaming books, and offer some examples for GMs to also take in to immerse themselves in a particular genre.

All of that would, ideally, come out to about 10,000 words or so by the time all is said and done. It might run a little longer, or a little shorter, but that's about the word count I'd be aiming for with these. And while I'd like to start with a Gothic line (Midwest Gothic, New England Gothic, Southern Gothic, you get the idea), if folks enjoy the project I'd be more than happy to stretch out to other genres and provide insight into how to best make those work, too.

How You Can Help

If this sounds like a neat idea, there's a couple of things you can do to help make it a reality. First and foremost, share this post around to get as many eyes on it as possible, and to help gather support. Secondly, leave a comment (here, as well as on social media if that's where you found this blog post) with the genre or subgenre you'd most like to see get its own guide in this series. Gothic preferred, but not required!

The other thing that will really help is, once the series starts coming out, make sure you pick up your copy, and leave a review so that more folks will see the supplement. The more copies something sells, and the more ratings and reviews it gets, the more likely it is that the algorithm will promote it, which creates a cycle where the publisher will want to keep the train rolling... so keep that in mind if you want to see this idea made into a reality sometime in 2024!

Also, if you'd like a short, snappy guide to tide you over till then (and to give you an idea of the sorts of advice I normally give in a project like this), you might want to check out 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master!

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 Daily Motion channel!. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, 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!

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.

Should I Start Up My Character Conversions Once Again?

I've been creating RPG content for quite a number of years, now. I've worked for companies big and small, I've dabbled in half a dozen systems, added to existing settings, and made one of my own. However, if I look back to where it all got started, I can trace my career (such as it is) back to my Character Conversions project... something that started as a lark, but became something more.

You never know the places you'll go.

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!

How It All Got Started

This whole, sordid tale actually goes back to one of my earliest gaming stories, Don't Ever Field a One-Eyed Dragon. During the course of this game there was something of an arms race between myself and the GM, who had a bad habit of letting far more players than he could handle join the table, and then scrambling to come up with appropriate challenges for that many adventurers. This led to my acquiring a cohort via the Leadership feat, and I built him using one of the earlier drafts of my Incredible Hulk character conversion guide. I enjoyed the character so much (and there were so many shenanigans) that I turned the build I'd used into an early draft of that guide, and threw it online on a website called Associated Content that hasn't been around for a long, long time.

And folks really liked that guide. So much so that I was getting a dozen or more requests for other characters. That was when I realized I might have opened up a Pandora's box; I could either struggle to close it, or throw the lid wide open and see where it went.

I went with the latter option, for those who are curious.

The first thing I did was put together other members of the Avengers, such as Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Thor. I spiraled out from there, touching on characters from the DC Universe, Game of Thrones, figures from history, horror movies, action films, and toward the end of my active run, from the Warhammer 40K universe. The project currently has about 60 or so guides in it, and it spans more than 6 years. Not only that, but it was started on Associated Content, which then became Yahoo! Voices. That site closed and I started moving the guides to HubPages, but Google banned my AdSense profile, so I was no longer allowed to make money with that site. I moved them to InfoBarrel, which is also now defunct, and eventually they found a new home over on Vocal.

That was a lot of work to both move the old guides (which were updated and remastered when they went up on Vocal), but I can honestly say that without them I probably wouldn't have half the career I do today as a game designer. It was these guides that got me noticed by Azukail Games, who is the primary publisher I work with. It's also what got me a gig with Louis Porter Junior when I put together the entry Lucia Krille: Enemies of NeoExodus, which was a direct riff on the character of Absorbing Man from Marvel Comics.

One frustrating thing about this project, though, is that every time it started getting close to really building momentum, something went wrong. Just as my Gotham guides were really getting a lot of attention, Yahoo! decided to deep six the site, which sent my searchability plummeting. I got half of them back up on HubPages, and then they were no longer allowed to pay my bills. I got them on InfoBarrel, and a site update that was never fixed tanked both creator tools, and made articles almost impossible to find via a search. Then I got them all up on Vocal, and Pathfinder announced a new edition was coming out, telling me that once more the project's days were numbered.

Would Readers Like To See It Return?

While there have been a couple of updates to the project, such as my guides for The Mandalorian, or the soldiers of 40k's Death Korps of Krieg, my character conversions have more or less been in cold storage for 2022. And the reason for that has been, honestly, new installments just didn't get the views I needed to justify the time, energy, and effort to keep the hits coming. For context, I make $6 for every 1,000 reads an article gets. When guides were getting 5k reads, I was more than happy to spend the 2+ hours it takes to put them together. When they get 250 reads, though, not so much.

With that said, writing these guides is something I did long enough that I sort of miss it now... so I figured I'd ask if it's something my readers would like to see make one more triumphant return?

There are, however, some provisos here.

Before anyone leaves a comment below, or on social media where you found this link, I want to make something clear. If I do bring this project back and start adding to it once again, I will more than likely continue these write ups in Pathfinder Classic. While it's possible to write some guides for DND 5E, I do not have access to the material for that edition (it doesn't have a complete SRD like Pathfinder does), and I feel that it is much too limited, mechanically, for the sorts of tricks and tips that I feel is necessary for the deep dive into a character's abilities that is the series' main selling point. While it might be possible to start making guides for Pathfinder's second edition, I am extremely reluctant to do so. I did not care for the playtest, and while there were changes made afterward, none of them served to make me eager to create anything for that system the more I read about its finalized version.

With that said, if there's folks who want to sponsor guides for particular characters in a particular edition, I'm always happy to listen to business proposals. But I wanted to be clear about the direction that I would take things if left to my own devices so that folks know what they're supporting/asking for.

If you're still with me, there are a couple of things I would like you to do in order to help let me know this is a project you want to come back:

- Leave a Comment: Either below or on social media is fine, just put it somewhere I'll see it. Feel free to make a character request in your comment if I haven't covered them yet!

- Share a Guide: Increased traffic is what really gets my attention. So share which guide you like best, or just the Character Conversion master list to help get it seen by folks.

That's it!

I'll be reading the comments and checking the numbers. If enough people are willing to help me break the seal and take this one out of cold storage, then it's something I'm happy to do in the coming months!

Lastly, if you're someone who's been thinking about trying their hand at writing a character conversion, I'd recommend reading through Tips For Writing RPG Character Conversions. I basically boiled down my process, what I learned, and how I was able to keep things going as long as I did.

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 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!

Azukail Games, Audio Dramas, and My Latest Projects

Something most folks don't know about me is that I didn't really grow up listening to music. I wasn't actually aware of how a radio worked until I was a teen, and while there were kids' movies, Disney tunes, and musicals aplenty, when I needed to fill the silence I usually went for audio dramas. The Shadow was a favorite of mine, but The Green Hornet put in plenty of appearances, alongside quite a few dramatized Westerns by authors like Louis L'Amour. While I eventually discovered alternative music, heavy metal, folk, punk, and a dozen other genres that are great for filling up the background, sometimes I just want to kick back and listen to a drama unfold in my mind.

To that end, even though I said I was going to take my foot off the gas a bit this year, I've picked up a new project... dramatizing some of my own RPG fiction for all the folks out there who share my unusual audio tastes!

And if that's something you want to help out with, keep reading!

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!

Blowing The Dust Off My Old Mic

For folks who've been on this blog a long time, I was one of the voices who helped out over on Dungeon Keeper Radio for about a year and change. The project was fun, but we never managed to really get a foothold, or to get the channel monetized, so it sort of fell by the wayside. I enjoyed putting scripts and readings together, though, so when Azukail Games asked if I wanted to help create some content for their YouTube channel, I figured that I might have an idea or two that would get folks attention; turning some of the short fiction pieces included in my supplements into full-on audio dramas.

The first of these bite-sized pieces was the intro story from my 100 Resources and Rumors to Find on SchreckNet, where we get a glimpse into a Nosferatu skulking through a mostly abandoned train station on their way to seek a meeting with a power broker in the literal underground. It's got a bit of a John Wick feel to it, but I like to think that adds to the charm.

The second story that got this treatment was the introduction from 100 Mourning Cant Dialects, Phrases, and Meanings for Changeling: The Lost. This tale is a brief glimpse into a Winter Court handler having a meeting with one of his field agents... there's a mess in the city, and bodies need to be cleaned up quietly before authorities start sniffing around and asking questions.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that it's been a hot minute since I was on a mic. Not only that, but I was never the one who handled sound editing, special effects, or any of that. Far as those aspects, I'm learning as I go, and there's still plenty of dust I need to knock off before I add additional stuff to my skill set. However, my intended goal is to keep making these little shorts both to get some additional eyes onto the supplements they're part of, but also to try to help grow the Azukail Games YouTube channel.

This is where you come in, readers.

You see, in order to get monetized on YouTube a channel needs to have 1,000 subscribers, and at least 4,000 hours of watched content in the past year. Ideally if something goes viral you can manage both of those goals fairly easily... but I'm just a lone creator doing my best to be heard in the TTRPG space, and I need all the help I can get on this one. Especially since the channel just hit 116 subscribers the other day, which puts it around 11% of the way to the first goal post.

So what I'm asking folks to do is to give my videos a watch. If you like them and want to see me make more (even acknowledging the room for improvement), then subscribe to the Azukail Games YouTube channel and give the videos a share on your social media. Because I don't own this channel; I'm making content for a games company that I work for. And just like with any of the supplements I've made, the best way to send the company a message that you want more is to be sure their metrics show people consuming the thing they make. Because in addition to other World/Chronicles of Darkness nonsense, I also have the stories in my Cities of Sundara guides, as well as the stories found in further fantasy supplements that will be released in the coming months that I'd like to give this treatment to.

And, of course, if the channel gets monetized then Azukail Games will be able to expand, get more creators to contribute, and fund additional incentives. The more folks we can get on board, the further I'll be able to push this, and hopefully the better it's going to get!

Looking For More Tie-In Fiction?

Just saying, I've got plenty more stuff!

If you're looking for even more gaming tie-in stories to fill your eyes and ears, don't you worry, I've got plenty of other things you should check out!

First up is Tales From The Moot, a collection of short stories for Werewolf: The Apocalypse. I was the one who proposed the initial project, and I wrote the introduction (which you can read for free) in addition to the Silver Fang story Late Bloomer, so make sure you give that one a look if it slipped under your radar!

Also, for those who like official tie-ins with RPG settings, my contribution to the Pathfinder Tales The Irregulars is finally available on DTRPG! The best and the brightest of the bottom of the barrel, this team of behind-enemy-lines soldiers are masters of sabotage, and it's their job to stop problems before they really begin happening. And when Molthune seems to be revving up their war machine, these misfit commandos are the ones who get the job done.

Those who enjoy Pathfinder, and the world of Golarion, may also want to check out my ongoing series The Silver Raven Chronicles! A dramatic retelling of my group's run through the Hell's Rebels adventure path, trouble is stirring in the city of Kintargo. A rebellion is forming, made up of disillusioned nobles, a private detective, several tengu spies, and more. Will they be able to root out Barzillai Thrune and his oppressive regime? And who (or what) is the mysterious figure known to most in the city only as the Ghost? Is this shadowy creature a friend, or a foe? Find out!

- Part One: Devil's Night

- Part Two: From The Ashes

- Part Three: The Raven's Nest

- Part Four: Circles in Salt

Lastly, for those who enjoy the grim darkness of the far future, consider checking out some of my Warhammer 40K stories as well! Both Field Test and Waking Dogs: A World Eaters Tale have been dramatized by A Vox in The Void, and if you haven't followed his channel yet, make sure you do! Every view makes him more likely to expand the content he reads, and every read sent my way makes it that much more likely I'll keep the stories coming!

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!

My Latest Craft Project: My Noble Squire Becomes a Dark Angel

Folks who've been watching my feed for the past little while know that I've been dabbling in the grim darkness of the far future since the pandemic got started a year and a half or so ago. Hell, the last three additions to my Character Conversions page were Pathfinder guides for an Imperial Commissar, the Death Korps of Krieg, and the Catachan Jungle Fighters. And for those who didn't see it recently, I even penned a piece of game tie-in fiction with my short story Waking Dogs- A World Eaters Tale.

Incidentally, I have had a tough time getting reads on that, so if you're a fan of watching what happens when one of these berserkers has a moment of clarity, I'd urge you to take a look!

But all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, as the saying goes. And while I do have fun writing up articles and stories like that, it is still work. So I thought that I'd try to do something that I hadn't really tried my hand at yet. Something that I kept seeing a lot of progress photos and such about... miniature painting.

Only problem was that I didn't have a miniature... but I did have a squire.

So rather than attempt to replace my companion Sir Pencival, I decided to do my best to give him an upgrade. So now after watching a lot of videos, making a couple of mistake, and redoing a couple of layers until I was satisfied, I present to you Brother Pencival of the Dark Angels!

Your weapon, my lord.

An Extra Large "Mini," and a Very Long, Terrible Joke

This little craft project occurred to me because I don't have the cash to purchase an army of my own, but when the pandemic hit I often joked that it was finally time to get into learning how to paint. Rather than buy expensive minis to practice on, though, it was my stalwart companion Sir Pencival who caught my eye. I acquired him years ago from Amazon, and he's traveled to many signings and conventions at my side to keep my pen at the ready should someone request a signature on one of my books. And it was because of Pencival's knightly look that my mind went to the Dark Angels, and I remembered the tales of old when Caliban was young, and many of the knights were raised up by augmentation and surgical alteration even if they were too old to become true space marines.

While I was warming to the idea (having a story behind any craft project always makes me that much more interested in where it's going) there was one question I couldn't quite figure out. Why would a space marine, especially once from the proud and noble first legion, be charged with caring for my pen in between when I was wielding it?

When the answer came to me, I knew I was going to have to complete the project... because I realized that as a professional author that makes me a legitimate CHAPTER MASTER!

Thank you for reading along with me this far. And yes, for those who are wondering, I am proud of myself for this truly awful pun.

Only in death does service end.

For Folks Who'd Like More, Check These Out!

If you didn't click away in disgust after that awful joke, there is some more amusing stuff of mine you might be interested in on this topic!

Firstly, if you're into game comparison articles, then you might want to check out Which Space Marine Chapters Best Represent The Garou Tribes of Werewolf: The Apocalypse? I've found that using another grimdark property as a point of reference allows me to more easily help people I talk to find their bearings, and I had a couple of laughs while I was putting this together.

Also, if you need more 9-foot-tall bioweapons in your life, but you wish we got to see them deal with things like PTSD, civilian re-integration, and coming to grips with the damage that's done to a child soldier over the term of their careers, then you should definitely check out my latest novel Old Soldiers as well!

Recently re-released with a new cover, and extra content!

Lastly, if you're one of the folks out there who enjoys your 40K stories being performed by someone who puts a lot of heart and soul into their videos, you should definitely check out A Vox in The Void. He's certainly no slouch in the field, and he's done dramatic readings of two of my tales, linked below!

First is the dramatic reading of "Waking Dogs," listed above:

And if you're more of a fan of the Imperial Guard, then you should definitely check out "Almost":

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!