I am happy to let you all know that the first draft of the game is out to alpha testers.

Step into the mystical world of Fate’s Hunter, a solo tabletop RPG set in the rich, magipunk-infused universe of Barren’s End. As a new initiate of the Ifreann Tan, you must navigate the trials of fate, decipher the will of the Twin Sisters of Destiny, and determine whether to align with or defy the threads woven before you. Blending deep narrative exploration with an intuitive solo play system, Fate’s Hunter challenges you to uncover hidden truths, embrace your role as an agent of fate, and shape the galaxy’s future. Are you ready to seek the path laid before you—or forge your own?

The game is finally ready for full testing. It was created with the Cypher System Open License.

Players are given the option of building a character with either the Shorts Method or the Full Version. I created:

• 6 playable species (descriptors)

• 4 new Flavors for the Basic Types

• 7 NPCs (The Masters of the Academy)

• 20 Original Creatures for the Bestiary

• 25 Gods of the Phersu

• 25 Artifacts

To open the game up to solo play, I needed to create a few new systems for:

• Fate Readings

• Fate Levels

• Marks of Fate

• Fate Intrusions

• The Harrowing

• Solo Play elements

  • Map Generator

  • NPC Interactions

  • NPC Combat System

After this initial round of testing, v2 will be made available to paid subscribers to test, as will all subsequent versions of the game.

I am so excited to get to this point. This game is a fulfillment of a dream. I started creating this setting at Oakland Wondercon in April 2002 with the intent of making a game. Six published books and all these years later, I finished a version of the game I can share with others. Words fail to express how happy I am to reach this point. I can’t wait to share more details with you.

When I wasn’t being an unholy terror outside, I sat in front of our TV watching Voltron and Robotech reruns, and my newest favorite show, He-man and the Masters of the Universe. It had everything from the magic of the Sorceress and Orko to dragons. Heroes and villains struggled against each other to hold the power of Castle Grayskull. I always loved mythology, and this show was like new legends coming alive on the screen.

I didn’t know how much my life was about to change when my sister Chris came for a visit with my young niece around my ninth birthday. She always showered me with gifts, and this year was no different. Among the books and toys was one that would forever change the course of my life.

Chris bought me my first D&D Book, the Monster Manual.

I sat with it on my lap for a long time, taking in all the creatures on the cover. I recognized the dragon, the unicorn, and the centaur, but I didn’t know what the other three monsters were. After a while, just staring at it, I opened the book and entered a world filled with creatures familiar and bizarre. There was something different about this book. All the creatures had stat blocks above them.

Dungeons and Dragons launched two years before I was born, in 1974. These initial box sets were variations of the war game Chainmail. Advanced Dungeons and Dragons came out in 1977 and allowed players to create their own original characters. Even though the game had been out for 8 years, I had never heard of it.

I was obsessed with the book, and got a copy of Player’s Handbook and the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

When we moved to Maryland, AD&D was the way I made friends. I ran games for the other kids in the neighborhood and played in their games. In time, my experience of Table Top Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs) expanded to many FASA games, from Star Trek to Shadowrun and Earthdawn. We played through all the White Wolf games that came out and even joined in the LARPs (Live Action Roleplaying) of Vampire the Masquerade.

Ever since my sister gave me that copy of the Monster Manual, TTRPGs have been a big part of my life. I still play them with my friends. If she hadn’t given me that book, I don’t know how I would have made friends as an introvert who enjoys being alone. The games sharpened my imagination and honed my creativity. They also empowered me to build new personas and try out new modes of acting to figure out who I am.

Now, I want to create a Shared Imaginary Space (SIS) for all of us to play in.

Our Solemn Hour has been a collaborative project from the beginning. I started building the world when I was in high school and wrote my first novel and a bevy of short stories in the setting. I adapted elements of it into many games I ran for friends.

When I wrote my first published novel, I returned to the setting. In fact, that book was the result of a failed attempt to make my first table top roleplaying game. I met Ryan Dacey at a games panel at an Oakland Wondercon in April 2002. He gave a talk about game creation and I mentioned the game I wanted to make, which he hilariously christened, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Starship.”

I struggled with game mechanics for about a year, and as I did, I outlined a novel to tell the story. In the end, I had the Legends of the Jade Moon and no game. Over the years I added Shine Like Thunder and Fate’s Harrow to setting, but the dream of making a game never went away.

With the Cypher System Open License, I realized the time had finally come to bring this game into being. I had already run a campaign in the Cypher System in my Barren’s End setting. So I disappeared from the internet and started working on a new game, Our Solemn Hour, which takes place in that space opera setting.

The game has been in development for some time and while it isn’t ready for release yet, I am ready to start talking about the stages of Beta release:

Barrens’ Wanderer: a starship system for Cypher

The first part of the project is a new starship system built from the ground up to make the ships as vital a part of the game as they are in the stories themselves. I’ve worked hard to make this new system compatible with the existing ships in Cypher, The Stars are Fire, Expanded Worlds, and other Cypher worlds, while making them a vibrant, playable element to the world.

As I have developed a more fleshed out downtime and travel system, I realized they would work as a standalone solo game, so that is my planned first release. I will talk about it more as its release approaches.

Fate’s Hunters: An Adventure in the Galactic Underworld

The same thing happened when I was working on the fate system for the game since the twin goddesses of fate play such powerful role in the stories. The fate system with the associated other downtime systems will make an interesting solo game experience for players to enjoy.

I can’t wait to share more of the process and the games with you, as well as the new stories that will accompany them. This is an exciting new adventure. Let’s take it together.

The Dark Nova

The Dark Nova destroyed the home world of the An-sarra empire which controlled a large portion of the galaxy. There was no warning, no signs of an issue, just sudden, violent destruction. The entire royal family died as did most of the ministers of government. Whatever destroyed the system sent a shockwave through the jump gate network devastating worlds throughout the galaxy. Some worlds still haven’t recovered.

[read more here]

Tair Kor class superstation

Other than the plethora of conspiracy and fractured loyalties that arose from the Dark Nova, the Tair Kor project gave purpose to many and culminated in the construction of the Cenotaph.

[read more here]

The Cenotaph

The Cenotaph was meant to be a collective project to bring people together to heal the trauma of the Dark Nova, but its construction and the politics that surrounded it shaped the galaxy to this day.

[read more here]

Moving Forward

Next up, we will explore the orders, sects, and organizations that arose after the Dark Nova and how the struggles and strife between them shaped the galaxy.

Your questions and comments are welcomed. That is how we make this setting better. What do you want to know more about and what corners of the galaxy do you want to see built out more?

In time for its 7th Anniversary

It is hard to believe that it has been 7 years since I wrote the adventures of Ara'lu Nergal, Dov Lavan, Tien Shaa, and Adir Radd.  How time flies?

I want to thank everyone who helped me get this book ready, and everyone who voted for the cover.  None of this would be possible without your care and support.

This edition of the book contains the original unpublished prologue, Dreaming of Midnight, and the unpublished final chapter, Wings of Destiny.  So if you read it when it originally came out almost 7 years ago, there is even more in this edition.

Get your copy here.  It will be free until Friday, so don't wait too long to pick up your copy.
 

7 years of Fate's Harrow

It is hard for me to believe that on December 30th, Fate's Harrow will be 7 years old.  It really doesn't feel right, but time flies when you are having fun, right?

This serial was a milestone for me.  It was my first story to hit #1 on the Amazon bestseller chart.  After my experience with Liquid Sky, I needed that boost to my confidence to keep me going.

If it wasn't for this book, I might not have kept writing.  Thank you to everyone who picked up a copy when it first came out, and thank you for getting your copy of the new edition.
 

Christmas specials

Keep an eye out for the releases of this years Christmas specials. 

The Krampus is coming to Dragons of Night in the new story, The Yule Mask (Facebook Page | Google+ Page).

Our Solemn Hour has come with the new story, Sisters of the Light (Facebook Page | Google+ Page).
 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I hope that all you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  I have a lot of resolutions for next year, and I expect you to help keep me on track.

Yesterday, I sent out the Newsletter, and started on the massive project to restart the zine next year.  If you didn't get your copy, you can read it here and sign up to receive it here.  I have so many irons in the fire, it is a great way to keep from missing something.

Calling all Beta Readers

I also added many of my previously published works to the Beta Readers group for a one last pass before the relaunch of my Scifi/fantasy series, Our Solemn Hour.

• All 5 Issues of Fate's Harrow

• All 4 Legends of the Jade Moon Novelettes

• The full text of Shine Like Thunder

If you want to help with this read through and get early access to drafts of new stories, join the Beta Readers' Group.  As always everyone who helps edit these works will get a shout out in the Acknowledgements and a free ebook version of the final text.

The Return of Fate's Harrow

I know you caught that.  Yes, for the first time in 7 years, my bestselling book Fate's Harrow is coming back!

I am so excited to make this book available again.  I believe all the rights considerations have been taken care of, so I can finally get the book back into print.  If we can keep on schedule, it should be available by December 16th!

Stepping up on Wattpad

Wattpad is an interesting place, and I have dabbled with it from time to time.  I added a bunch of previously unpublished stories there to get your feedback.  Hopefully, I can get my head around the site and community over there.

If you have any advise for me on that, please share.  If you would like to follow me over there, here is my profile.

I am trying to open up

Openness is the secret power of the internet.  I know that is not a shocking statement, but it is something I have struggled with for years.  I am trying to be more open with what I am doing and how I am doing it.

No journey is worth taking if you have to take it alone.  If you want to walk this path with me, Join the Project: Shadow group and follow me on the various social networks.

Reboots and the Return of the Serials

So much has happened over the last year.  I have to thank you all for your support through these trying times.  The good news is, there is a light over at the Frankenstein place, and I am ready to do the time warp again!

Ok, there is no connection between what I am working on and the Rocky Horror Picture Show, but I am pretty sure I know how that bird felt in Magenta's hand.  After a year of ups and downs, the only consistent things have been my faith, friends, family, and all of you.

After all the work, and a steep learning curve in 3D art, it is time to open the flood gates and get you more stories.  A lot more stories. 
 

What I learned this year

You all have supported me beyond belief this year.  Your love and acceptance of Wand and Weaver: The Chain has warmed my heart.  In 1 year, it has sold more copies than any other individual book I've written!

I also learned that you like my $0.99 novelettes.  They have sold consistently throughout the year. 

So, now, as we move towards 2014, I am going to try something new.  Soon, I will launch the first of 2 new serials.  One will be set in Dragons of Night, and will pick up where The Chain ended, the other will continue the world of Liquid Sky and Shine Like Thunder.

With your help, 2014 will be even better.  Spread the word, and get involved.  There is a lot of work ahead, and I know that you will be by my side through it all.  Thank you for everything.  Your support means the world to me.

There isn’t much there at the moment, but I launched the Our Solemn Hour site today. Hopefully, the story will start flowing with the same ease the characters are popping in my head. I want to thank you all in advance for your support over the next month writing. This world really wants to come into being, and together, we can make that happen.

Our Solemn Hour

"I sat down with all my notes about the Swan Knight Story and looked them over. I have an interesting idea for a 4 part serial, but I needed to flesh out and get working on it.

The serial is named, the Mirror Man, for reasons that are hard to explain outside of the story. I'd hoped to outline the serial today, and maybe even write a chunk of the first part, but that was not in the cards.

Fleshing It Out

I wrote the outline of all 4 parts, and I kind of liked it.  This is not a good sign, it really need to be improved.  Something was missing, that spark of magic that made me feel like it was really something that I hadn't seen or written before, so I scrapped version 1 of the outline.

Seeing its flaw.  I think I have a fix.  Then my nemesis struck: how long it takes me to name new characters. I picked a name, Ian... yeah, a villain named Ian, well, it will be good for the outline at least.

I finished the new outline of part 1, and have a decent idea for part 3, but there really needs to be a bridge between them. The new intro could be used to smash the old part 1 and 2 together... I might do that.

The Feel

The story has taken on a nice Alice in Wonderland meets the Matrix feel, even though it doesn't share much in common with either. I want to extend that forward, and that texture was missing in the original outline, so I think I need to take some time to think about it."