Author: matt

Gamer. Writer. Dad. Serial Ex-husband. Creator of The 23rd Letter, SpaceNinjaCyberCrisis XDO, ZOMBI, Testament, Creed. Slightly megalomaniac

New: The Naturalists Guide to the Lost World: Dinosaurs in Vaesen

A Jungle Beyond Time. A Sky Full of Teeth. A Mystery Waiting to Swallow You.
“There was a time when men believed the world was mapped. They were wrong.”

Lost World: Dinosaur Island is a full-length sandbox campaign setting for the Vaesen RPG, inspired by pulp science adventure, survival horror, and Edwardian airship expeditions. Players descend into the storm-wracked skies of Isla Verelia, a place lost to maps but alive with prehistoric danger, colonial secrets, and the uncanny thrum of something ancient beneath the canopy.

Instead of haunted manors and Nordic spirits, you’ll confront living fossils, whispering ruins, and dirigibles that groan through fog-choked skies. This is a new kind of horror: primal, uncertain, and vast.

Inside this 78-page book, you’ll find:
Dinosaur Bestiary grounded in naturalist logic, not fantasy tropes
Rules for Dirigibles – mooring towers, aerial hazards, mechanical failures
Island Map with exploration mechanics and region-based secrets
New Roles – Naturalist, Jungle Scout, Balloon Mechanic, and more
Campaign Frameworks & Scenario Hooks including a full starter mystery: The Bones of Flight
Factions – including stranded scientists, rogue traders, and indigenous survivors
Random Tables – weather shifts, jungle events, dinosaur migrations, and airship encounters

Themes include:
• Scientific hubris and the illusion of control
• Colonial intrusion and ecological reverence
• Survival, camaraderie, and psychological decay
• Deep time and temporal dislocation
Compatible with Vaesen, this book is also easily adapted to systems like Tales from the Loop, Things from the Flood, Call of Cthulhu, MAJESTIC, Rise of R’lyeh, Forbidden Lands, or Savage Worlds. Whether you’re piloting a creaking dirigible, cataloguing thunder-lizards, or fleeing something that was never meant to wake, The Island harbours untold secrets.

One Page RPG Jam

I released three entries in the One Page RPG Jam 2025

https://lategamer.itch.io/bloom-newborns-in-the-rootsong-grove – A solarpunk hex crawl of blooming growth

https://lategamer.itch.io/cyst – A visceral roleplaying game of flesh, fear, and becoming.

https://lategamer.itch.io/hollow-shells – A biotech RPG of grafted flesh, failing minds, and survival through growth and adaptation.

DINOSAUR ISLAND – A Twilight: 2000 Campaign Expansion

In the shadow of a forgotten war, something older stirs…

South of the Pacific dead zones lies Isla Virelia, off the maps, out of history, and teeming with Cold War secrets. Bombed, abandoned, and overgrown, this classified Soviet research site now hosts something terrifying: dinosaurs. Real, living, hunting dinosaurs. Remnants of the Jurassic and Triassic, here to hunt you down.

Your squad isn’t here by accident. Whether you’re the first team in, a rescue unit, or hired guns sent to steal raptor eggs for a biotech firm, one thing’s certain, you’re not at the top of the food chain.

Inside you’ll find:

Tactical campaign arcs: First In, Search & Rescue, Capture & Cull

– Fully-statted dinosaur profiles and action tables
– Hex-crawl rules, weather hazards, and encounter generators
– New gear: tranq rifles, elephant guns..
– Merc teams, corporate rivals, and apex predators

Dinosaur Island is a survival horror sandbox for Twilight: 2000 4e, where the past never died… it just adapted.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/528890/dinosaur-island-rebirth-jurassic-remnants-to-challenge-your-players

Screenshot

Twilight: 2000 – Jurassic Dawn

We got talking on one of the Discords about how there hasn’t been a Dinosaurs mod for T2000.

Well, here’s some stuff….

Velociraptor (Pack Hunter)

Small, cunning, lightning-fast predator. Attacks in coordination with its pack.
Size: Small
Strength: C
Agility: A
Wits: C
Empathy: –
Mobility: A
Recon: B
Close Combat: B
Armor: 1 (tough scales, fast movement)
Hit Capacity: 3
Speed: 2 zones/round
Special: Always attacks as a group. +1 initiative if in pack of 3+. (For cards: They pick two and use the best one)
Base damage 2, Crit 4.

Velociraptor Pack (2–5 creatures)

Behavior: Highly coordinated, uses flanking and feinting. Hunts in silence until strike. Attacks using AGILITY+CLOSECOMBAT.
Action/Reaction Table (d6):

  1. Pincer Ambush – Two raptors distract while a third leaps from cover (+2 mobility, surprise test).
  2. Disarm and Disorient – One raptor targets the weapon or limb, forcing a gear check or prone.
  3. Screech Command – The pack leader emits a shriek; all raptors gain +1 initiative next round (or again, for cards, draw twice).
  4. Feint and Withdraw – Raptors strike and retreat 2 hexes to lure prey into terrain trap.
  5. Pack Swarm – All nearby raptors coordinate a multi-attack (each targets a separate PC).
  6. Target the Wounded – Raptors shift focus to the bloodied or isolated.

Tyrannosaurus rex (Apex Carnivore)

Towering alpha predator. Territorial, loud, and catastrophic if engaged.
Size: Huge
Strength: A
Agility: D
Wits: C
Empathy: –
Mobility: C
Recon: D
Close Combat: A
Armor: 3 (thick hide, muscle mass)
Hit Capacity: 10
Speed: 1–2 zones/round
Special: Scent-based tracking; automatically locates bleeding or panicked PCs. Area knockback on hit.
Based Damage: 3, Crit 4.

Tyrannosaurus rex (Solo Apex Predator)

Behavior: Territory-based; attacks loudly and directly. Poor sight, but excellent smell and hearing. Uses STRENGTH+CLOSECOMBAT to attack.
Action/Reaction Table (d6):

  1. Roaring Challenge – T-Rex bellows; all non-vehicle PCs within 2 zones must roll Cool or Panic.
  2. Crush and Pin – Grabs one PC with jaws; next round it can throw or crush.
  3. Tail Sweep – Clears a 90° arc around it, knocking down everyone in melee range.
  4. Charge – Sprints 2 zones in a straight line; anything in the path must test Mobility or be trampled.
  5. Sniff and Roar – Spends a round sniffing; locks onto a wounded PC’s scent regardless of hiding.
  6. Rampage – If reduced below half HP, it enters a frenzy: two actions/turn for 1d3 rounds.

Triceratops (Defensive Tank)

Armored herbivore with territorial instincts. Will charge perceived threats or to protect herd.
Size: Large
Strength: B
Agility: C
Wits: D
Empathy: –
Mobility: C
Recon: D
Close Combat: B
Armor: 4 (frill shield, thick body)
Hit Capacity: 8
Speed: 1 zone/round
Special: Charge attack does double damage if it moves at least 1 zone before striking.
Base Damage: 2, Critical 4

Triceratops Herd (3–7 individuals)

Behavior: Defensive unless provoked or wounded. Will protect young aggressively. Uses STRENGTH+CLOSECOMBAT to ATTACK
Action/Reaction Table (d6):

  1. Form the Wall – Adults form a shield line; all ranged attacks suffer -2 unless flanking.
  2. Charge as One – All triceratops move 1 zone forward and attempt to gore.
  3. Retreat Circle – The herd begins a slow withdrawal; a baby or wounded adult may be left behind.
  4. Stomp and Bellow – A warning display; anyone who doesn’t retreat is charged next round.
  5. Flank Breaker – A single bull moves around the players to strike from behind.
  6. Blind Fury – A triceratops with 50% HP or less chooses the nearest PC and attempts to impale them, ignoring cover.

Twilight Tangents 2.0 – ZOMBI

So, we decided to change some things.

  1. Twilight Tangents is by far our best selling book. People just love zombies in Twilight: 2000. It’s probably been tempered by the release of The Walking Dead but it’s still a solid seller.
  2. I had a load of writing for Zombi stuff that I wanted to use but it seemed out of place in with the psychic powers stuff.
  3. Twilight Tangents is also my oldest supplement by a country mile. It was the first thing I put together for the Free League Workshop so its update was well overdue. I mean it’s been up there for about four years!

We’re splitting Twilight Tangents into two separate books – so if you previously got it you won’t lose access to anything Zombi-like or even the rules for Psychic Abilities. You’re getting the Twilight Tangents upgraded Zombi content for free and retaining all of the previous book.

Twilight Tangents: Zombi warps the cold realism of Twilight: 2000 into a fungal nightmare of paranoid aggression, plague-scarred survivors, and walking corpses born not of mysticism, but bioweapons. Set in a world where Agent INFERNO, an engineered mould, has twisted fear into fury and death into zombification, players navigate a crumbling civilisation where trust is deadlier than bullets and infection is only a breath away.

This sourcebook reimagines the apocalypse with horrifying biological plausibility: zombis driven by neural-hyphae infestations, panicked survivors clutching to faith, violence, or denial, and institutions turning to the dead as weapons of control. It’s not survival horror. It’s a war against your own instincts, played out across ruined cities, quarantined zones, and overrun compounds. With new campaign options, adversaries, factions, life paths, and grim narrative hooks, Zombi doesn’t ask if you’ll survive, only how much of your humanity you’ll lose before the end.

We will be following this up later this year with two new books. Twilight Tangents: Espers and Twilight Tangents: Lycanthropes. I’ve not started writing them yet but the summer is coming up and I’ll have plenty of time to put stuff together.
​
Twilight Tangents: Espers

The Mind Is a Weapon – But Who Pulled the Trigger?

Twilight Tangents: Espers tears back the veil on a secret war fought not with bullets, but with thoughts sharp enough to kill. Born from classified experiments and the shattered psy-ops of The 23rd Letter, these are the invisible soldiers of the Twilight War; remote viewers, psychic assassins, telepaths embedded in command bunkers, and precognitive assets burned out before their twentieth birthday.

The Twilight War didn’t just scorch the Earth. It ruptured the human psyche. This supplement brings full psychic warfare to Twilight: 2000 4th Edition, revealing how nations cultivated Espers to manipulate battlefields, undermine leadership, and rewrite reality one mind at a time. Players step into a world of neural blacksites, psionic backlash, mental conditioning, and conspiracies so deep they were never meant to be remembered.

​
Twilight Tangents: Lycanthrope

We didn’t create them. We just stopped giving them a reason to hide.

In the smoke and chaos of the Twilight War, something older than humanity emerged from the forests, the mountains, and the ruins. Not a bioweapon. Not a myth. Something that had always been there, watching. Waiting.

Twilight Tangents: Lycanthrope is a savage expansion for Twilight: 2000 4th Edition, introducing werewolves not as fairy tale monsters, but as apex predators whose packs have turned warzones into hunting grounds. These aren’t cursed peasants or Hollywood beasts. They are strategic, feral, and organized and they remember what humanity has forgotten: how to stalk, how to kill, and how to survive.

From black-ops werewolf handling units to insurgent packs tearing through the last enclaves of civilisation, this sourcebook explores lycanthropy as a battlefield reality. Inside: new lifepaths, rules for transformation, hunting instincts, and feral politics. The beasts are real. And they’re not hiding anymore.

Support Indie RPGs

In response to this post on Reddit.

Please don’t take this as any more than a spirited devils advocate in the spirit of debate and jocularity. I’m not disagreeing with you per se or saying you’re wrong.
This isn’t a defence of that other thing but it is maybe being a little honest about what it means to be an indie. It’s not all roses and buttercups and problems won’t be solved by putting away a few dollars every week.

Services like Fiverr are pretty terrible for sourcing art…particularly because there’s a good chance that when you pay your money, you’re just getting a “prompt engineer” anyway. I had a long relationship with an artist from around 2001 and just last year he switched to using AI to do the “groundwork” and allow him to focus on the specifics of what clients wanted. Why? Because he wanted more clients. So, I found a different artist.

Art is easily the single highest cost of my books and that includes my time in the commissioning process for free. It’s much more expensive than the writing. I mean, a small book might require 10 pieces of art – with very little re-use available to you. The next book might require another 10. By your numbers that means a cost of between 750 and 3000 per book on art. (it’s usually higher because commercial licenses tend to be higher for some reason and ten is a low amount of art).

For the indie (lets say the hundreds of one-person-bands out there bringing their RPG heartbreaker to life) that art cost is paid out before the book is finished; so before the book has a chance to earn a cent. Even if you’re not printing physical copies, you’ve months of writing and editing and planning and commissioning and hoping it delivers. You hope you’ll make back the investment in art alone because for many it is something they do after a day processing Excel sheets, or stacking shelves or backbreaking outdoors work – the real work which pays the bills. They would love to create and just live on the proceeds but that’s not going to be for everyone; the industry, like most industries, can only support so many rockstars and getting that right vibe isn’t for everyone.

Sure, you can spend months on a crowdfunding plan but knowing some folk who had successful kickstarter campaigns personally, one quipped after a few beers – “failure is better than success if you don’t make it big”. His kickstarter was enough to deliver the product to backers as long as nothing went wrong. And maybe he should have absolutely flooded Facebook/Insta/Reddit with adverts (as I saw some other company do recently).

And then, to top it all, you get a sense of how much you can charge. I am well aware that I self-limit – but that’s because I abhor fame and recognition (this isn’t my therapy session, dammit). So, you build the book over a few months, engage with people for testing and readthrus. commission and pay for art, then do the layout and post the finished product. 30-50% of cover price goes to the aggregator (meanwhile Apple is being hit for charging 30%). And out of what’s left you hope to cover the art for the next book. Which means probably 1000 sales. Probably more if you engage in promotions. Meanwhile you’re already to writing the next one while fielding piracy and people who think, without reading it, the book you’ve poured passion into isn’t worth a cup of coffee. Even better when they use a public forum (like Reddit) to tell a million people their opinion based on not reading it.

And that’s if you’re just trying to break even on cash. Survival wages in my part of the world are about €25,000. I’d have to be selling literally 20 times more books to earn that. (hey…and that’s the dream, right? I’d love to be able to sit here and hallucinate wildly onto paper every day). And the art costs would go up. Actually it might be cheaper to literally hire an artist with a salary than do commissions. And selling 20X more books? That means targetting one of the bigger markets like D&D or CoC. (and I don’t want to do that). D&D would seem to the obvious one – but everyone thinks that – so being specialised into a little niche kinda works. The D&D market is 20x bigger easily….but there’s 100x more competition for those precious leisure dollars. That would mean much more time spent on promotion – the bit I don’t like.

I’m very glad my TTRPG sales are funding artists and not my life.

Nothing more demoralising than seeing the proportion of gamers who think “artists should be paid” (oh, 90%?) and the proportion of gamers who set the PWYW amount on DTRPG to “zero” (oh, probably 95%). That’s some slap-in-the-face irony right there. One of the nice things about a little credit on DTRPG is that when someone in my creative community makes a new book, I have no problems dropping $10 on it even if it’s PWYW ($4).

To give a concrete example; in the last six months I sold 145 copies of one of my PWYW books…bringing in a grand total of $26.27, of which I saw…$18.30. The art cost for that book was about $300. A sunk cost because it’s an into to a later book (the one I just dropped more cash on art for) and I figure that’s 145 people I can send an email to and tell them about the next book, right?

Piracy is absolutely rampant in the industry as well. Never mind that web site that was eventually taken down (one of my early RPGs was on there and was evidently painstakingly scanned) but Scribd too? I don’t know how that site survives. And it’s not that pirates wouldn’t have bought the product – one of them did – but they also thought it was better that others didn’t have to. Kick in the nuts there.

Just this week I spent about $1000 on art. Not enough art for the books in the pipeline but then I needed a new laptop and so I’ll find the cash a little later. That will bring the total for art spend this calendar year (first six months) to around $2000 – that includes two stock art/photography subscriptions. The sales for books in the same period brought in $1514. Now the obvious response is “make better books” (which is pretty insulting) or get better at sales (which I have no interest in doing). That does include a Promo by DTRPG which sold one of the best books at a significant discount.

So that was $2000 to support art sources, and about $1000 in fees to DTRPG.

Buit I’m also running at -500 for the year. Whoops. Maybe I suck at business.

I’m not even going to address printing. A lot more work and you make even less. And the main sites for distributors take 80% of cover price. Out of the remaining 20% you commonly have to commission the art, lay it out, print the book and ship it to them at your cost. (and this is why I’m not on IPR – not their fault…but I was royally screwed by Key20 back in the day when they sold my books, kept the money and to get any remaining stock returned, I had to pay for shipping it back). Paper is bloody heavy.

So, it’s not easy….but it is enjoyable. As long as I’m not relying on it for the mortgage or to put kids through college then it’s a creative outlet that pays an artist a chunk of cash every few months. Maybe it helps them not have to have a dreary office or shelf-stacking job or goes into their kids college fund.

That’s worth it.

Also. Buy indie RPGs. Sermon over. Welcome to my TED Talk. etc

VTT woes

So, someone asked about a T2000 game today but specified they weren’t interested in paying. Odd request, I thought, but I could run one.

“So, it’s not apocalypse sorrow, the theme is about building and restoration. About 20 years after the Fall. Someone has the idea of setting up a centralised postal service so it’s a “limited sandbox”. PCs are the first recruits. Inspirations would be the movies “The Postman” and “News of the World”. Some episodic play and some development in-game.”

Then I revealed it’s on Discord and with Discord dice rolling and using a Whiteboard for some TOTM.

“Oh? It’s not on Foundry?”

“No, I don’t like Foundry.”

“Well, never mind then. I don’t think I could play a game that wasn’t on Foundry”

So, I’m a bit gobsmacked.

I don’t like Foundry. Some people love it; I just find the setup to be tedious. And then the implementation to be buyggy. I was something simpler. Something that can run on a tablet without complaining.

New books!

We released two books this month.

PERMAFROST for Twilight 2000. – the horrors of the nuclear winter d66 Horrid Things in an Abandoned Storage Unit
Permafrost is a battlefield where the cold itself is the deadliest enemy. In a world stripped of sunlight and warmth, survival is a desperate dance with the elements. Every step leaves a trail in the snow that can lead to rescue or betrayal. Soldiers fight not just the enemy but the creeping numbness in their fingers, the exhaustion that sinks into bones, and the isolation that whispers doubts into every sleepless night.

In this frozen world, every choice matters. The line between survival and surrender is as thin as the ice beneath your feet. Trust is a luxury. Supplies are lifelines. Every day the wind grows stronger, the silence deeper, and the darkness colder. This is the world of Permafrost, where the cold always wins.

 In this system-neutral supplement, you’ll find:

  • 66 meticulously unnerving items, from taxidermy mistakes and coded journals to whispering hearing horns and boxes of cadaver teeth.
  • Creeping lore that unfolds across entries—clues, contradictions, and recurring figures like the forgotten doctor J.H.T.
  • In-world artifacts, notes, and final confessions that suggest something in the unit is waking.
  • A perfect resource for horror RPGs, investigative campaigns, or unsettling one-shots.
Discount Link Discount Link

The Map for Xiangguo

This map is based on the 1402 Kangnido map, drawn by Korean scholars. I’ve overlabelled it freehand with some details (those aren’t in the finished version obviously).

Welcome to Xiángguó (祥国), the Auspicious Kingdom — a land of scholars, strategists, and sword saints. Here, the brushstroke holds the same weight as the blade, and power moves in silence, poetry, and ritual. From the wind-scoured banners of the northern steppes to the rain-drenched canals of the south, Xiángguó is a realm bound by tradition and haunted by its own perfection. Everyone knows their place —until they don’t. Beneath every decree lies a compromise. Behind every silk screen, a scheme.

As a player, you are entering a world where elegance conceals tension, and every word has history behind it. You might play a magistrate balancing law and loyalty, a wandering sword sage with too much past, a spy who speaks better with her silence, or a river witch who remembers names the empire has forgotten. Xiángguó rewards patience, perception, and precision. The rules are old, but the cracks are widening—and if you move with the right kind of grace, you just might redraw the lines yourself.

Character Profile: Fa Guan Ruò

Character Profile: Fa Guan Ruò

Title: Wandering Magistrate of the Outer Provinces
Alias: The Ink Blade, The Quiet Seal, Right Hand of the Emperor (future)
Rank: Provincial Magistrate (Senior, Unorthodox Post)

Attribute | Stat | Description
Vitality ( Qì) | d8 | Stronger than he looks. Though nearing the middle of his years, Ruò’s body is kept lean and capable through disciplined lifestyle and martial arts practice.
Dexterity ( Xíng) | d8 | Precise and fluid in motion, more in writing and bladework than in acrobatics. He is deliberate, not fast, but rarely wastes movement.
Wisdom ( Wù) | d12 | Extraordinary perception, insight, and grasp of cause and consequence. He reads both the ink of the past and the hearts of the present.
Resolve ( Zhì) | d10 | Endures grief, political failure, and spiritual doubt with quiet strength. He has stood alone more than once—and will again.

Martial and Physical

Skill | Stat | Description
Fighting (??, Zhàndòu) | d8 | Trained in the Empty Scabbard Way—his swordplay is clean, reactive, and economical. He is dangerous when pressed but rarely initiates violence.
Marksmanship (??, Shèshù) | d4 | Rarely touches bows or thrown weapons. Relies on others or his sword in times of need.
Athletics (??, T?shù) | d6 | Reasonably fit from travel and fieldwork, but prefers walking to climbing.
Stealth (??, Qiánxíng) | d6 | Moves quietly when necessary but lacks training in shadow work. Not his natural domain.

Talents:
The Coiled Serpent Guard (????, Pánshé Yùsh?u): When successfully parrying or dodging an attack, you may immediately counterattack as part of the same reaction. If you have successfully nullified an incoming attack, you may make an extra attack roll which cannot cause Harm but Successes will serve as a negative modifier on your opponents next roll.

Knowledge and Lore

Skill | Stat | Description
Medicine (??, Y?shù) | d6 | Knows enough to treat wounds in the field, but relies on local herbalists or Lián for deeper care.
Lore (??, Xuéshí) | d12 | An absolute master of classical texts, dynastic histories, regional rituals, and obscure laws. His memory for the written word is ink-perfect.
Tactics (??, B?ngf?) | d8 | Understands battlefield theory and siege law; has never led an army, but can outthink one.
Investigation (??, Diàochá) | d12 | Peerless insight into lies, concealment, and intent. Notices what others ignore. Solves not just crimes, but patterns.

Talents:
The Sage’s Mind (????, Zhìshèng Zh? S?): When confronted with a riddle, complex problem, or difficult moral question, you may roll twice and take the better result.
The Calculus of Heaven (????, Ti?nj? Shùjué): Once per session, you may gain an Automatic Success on a failed Intelligence-based check if you had time to analyse the situation. (Forbidden)

Social and Psychological

Skill | Stat | Description
Persuasion (??, Biànlùn) | d10 | His words have stopped riots and turned mourning into repentance. Never emotional, always precise.
Deception (??, Q?zhà) | d6 | Rarely deceives. When he does, it’s a sharp tool for a sharp need. Others tend to lie to him.
Etiquette (??, L?yí) | d10 | Perfect knowledge of court, temple, and noble etiquette—used like a scalpel in rural places to unsettle or impress.
Bargaining (??, Tánpàn) | d8 | Negotiates terms and reparations with quiet menace. Does not haggle—he judges.

Talents:
Imperial Command (????, W?ilìng Ti?nchéng): When addressing someone of lower rank, they must test their Resolve before defying your orders unless they have a strong reason to resist.

Spiritual and Environmental

Skill | Stat | Description
Rituals (??, L?f?) | d10 | Knows the bones of proper rites, even obscure regional variations. Can conduct sacred proceedings alone.
Exorcism (??, Q?xié) | d6 | Still learning. Recently shaken by the ghost of Hébì. Not a ritualist in the Daoist sense—yet.
Meditation (??, Míngxi?ng) | d8 | Maintains discipline of breath, clarity, and emotional control. Has not yet reached true spiritual openness.
Survival (??, Sh?ngcún) | d6 | Travels often but relies on Miè and Yingz? for navigation, foraging, and shelter.

Talents:
Tranquil Mind (????, X?nrú Zh?shu?): Gain a +2 bonus against fear or mind-affecting magic.

NEW RELEASE: The UFOlogists Field Manual – a Quickstart for MAJESTIC

Step into the shadowy world of conspiracy, cover-ups, and cosmic intrigue with the Ufologists Field Manual, the Quickstart for the upcoming tabletop RPG, MAJESTIC. This essential manual invites players with pre-generated characters to unravel the enigma of UFO phenomena, blending investigative rigour with the suspense of extraterrestrial encounters.

Face off against the labyrinth of government secrecy, alien abductions, and unexplained occurrences armed with practical tools for fieldwork and a gripping ruleset designed for intense roleplay.

Immerse yourself in high-stakes investigations involving mysterious artifacts, grotesque experiments, and life-or-death choices. Designed for newcomers and veterans alike, the manual provides pre-generated characters and a streamlined system emphasizing fast-paced storytelling and tactical depth.

Will you uncover humanity’s place in the cosmos or will the truth remain buried? The answers lie within this manual, but beware: chasing the unknown might change you forever. Prepare to enter the frontlines of the ultimate mystery. The truth is out there, waiting.

Contents include an introduction to the world, detailed rules, a sample scenario outline and pre-generated characters.

Take this book for free or fire us a few dollars for art!

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/510091/the-ufologists-field-manual-quickstart-for-majestic

New Release: Short Tales of Distant Lands

Short Tales of Distant Lands

Step into a world where magic whispers through ancient forests, shadows hold forgotten secrets, and ordinary lives are touched by the extraordinary. Short Tales of Distant Lands is a spellbinding collection of stories set in the richly imagined universe of Talking to Dragons.

The Short Tales of Distant Lands are a companion to Talking to Dragons, Book 1 of Tales of Distant Lands and the Tales of Distant Lands tabletop roleplaying game. These stories are intended to enrich and expand the world first introduced in the novel, delving into its history, its mysteries, and its people. The lands of this world are vast and varied, shaped by forces both magical and mundane, and within them lie countless stories waiting to be uncovered.

Where Talking to Dragons follows the journey of a central narrative, the Short Tales offer glimpses into other corners of this world, highlighting moments and characters that might otherwise remain in the shadows. These tales stand alone, each a complete story in its own right, but together they weave a tapestry that deepens our understanding of the setting and its intricacies.

From wizards grappling with the cost of power to rebels fighting for freedom on the high seas, each tale unveils a corner of this vast and enchanting world. Journey to the bustling harbors of Thee, the shadowed depths of Saaland’s forests, and the rolling hills of Erea, where subtle magic lingers in the air. Meet characters who face their fears, uncover ancient truths, and learn that the greatest magic lies in patience and discovery.

Whether you are a returning traveler or a first-time visitor to these distant lands, this collection offers something for every reader: high adventure, heartfelt lessons, and the quiet wonder of worlds waiting to be explored. Perfect for fans of fantasy who love rich settings, unforgettable characters, and stories brimming with magic and mystery.

Enter a land where every shadow hides a story and every whispered secret holds a spark of wonder. Short Tales of Distant Lands will captivate your imagination and leave you yearning for more.

New Year Game: Star Trek Adventures in the 2270s

The premise for this game is the post Star Trek the Motion Picture era, but before 2278 when the new red uniforms arrived. Starfleet and the Federation are mid-transition to the militaristic 2280s and resumption of the hot war which results in the conflicts around Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

The basis for the game is the new 2nd Edition of Star Trek Adventures which has simplified and streamlined a lot.

The game will be run face-to-face at the WARS club in Floriana, Malta. I’ve got a couple of Trekkers already interested, which is cool, though how they will react to the era is interesting. It’s set after Discovery and Strange New Worlds, after the Original Series and in the aftermath of the Motion Picture.

In this timeline, V’GER continues on it’s evolution through the galaxy but returns many of the beings it “stored” before departing. The space station, Epsilon IX, is returned to it’s previous location but there are unforeseen changes. Commander Branch will be recalled to Starfleet and a new command crew will be sent out. These will be the PCs.

Much later in the timeline, Epsilon IX is the location of a secret science project in 2369.

Into Darkness, TALKING TO DRAGONS, book 1 of TALES OF DISTANT LANDS

After their meal, they continued their journey, the forest growing darker and more foreboding as the rain intensified. The compass remained steady, its needle pointing unwaveringly ahead. It was late afternoon when they reached a clearing, the sudden openness startling after hours of navigating the dense woods.

At the clearing’s centre stood a monolith, its surface slick with rain. The stone was ancient, its surface weathered but still imposing. As they approached, they noticed the carvings: intricate patterns of vines and flowers on the front, and on the back, a massive face, its features exaggerated and grotesque. The mouth, carved open, led into a dark cave.

Newt stopped in his tracks, his expression a mix of awe and fear. “This isn’t on the route,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “We avoid this place.”

Joy frowned, stepping closer to the monolith. “Why? What is it?”

“It’s old,” Newt replied, his voice heavy with reverence.

Shei approached the monolith cautiously, their gaze lingering on the carved face. “It’s eerie,” they said, their voice uncharacteristically quiet. “Like it’s watching us.”

Makaira stepped forward, his movements deliberate. He ran his fingers over the carvings, feeling the grooves and ridges beneath his touch. “It’s well-crafted,” he remarked, more to himself than to the others. “The work of master stonemasons. But it’s not magical. Not directly.”

Joy glanced at the compass, its needle unwavering in its direction. “Do we go through?” she asked, her voice tinged with both excitement and trepidation.

Makaira hesitated, his gaze fixed on the dark mouth of the cave. The forest was silent around them, the rain muffled by the thick canopy above. The monolith loomed, its presence oppressive yet strangely compelling.

“We proceed,” he said finally, his voice firm.

Newt shifted uncomfortably but nodded, his resolve outweighing his fear. The group gathered their courage and stepped toward the monolith, its shadow swallowing them as they entered the darkness beyond.

TALKING TO DRAGONS, the novel, which is book 1 of TALES OF DISTANT LANDS, is being released on my Patreon. You can read a lot more about the world and about the novel there.

The Crossing

The Wanderer rocked violently, a fragile speck in the vast, storm-beaten waters. Spicer, the captain, stood barefoot at the helm, his wiry frame braced against the ship’s shuddering frame as waves slapped mercilessly at the hull. A deep-set grin carved into his face despite the danger, he looked more at ease here, at the edge of disaster, than he would lounging in a courtly bed.
“Wizards,” he muttered under his breath, eyeing his three passengers who clung to the mast in various states of distress. “Fools, more like.”
Makaira, the once-was court wizard, clutched the tail of a line in a white-knuckled grip, his cloak pulled tight against the biting spray of seawater. He had wrapped this line three times around his waist. He was a tall, fussy man, ill-suited to the hard edges of the Wanderer and already regretting every boast he’d made. “I tell you,” he had declared to King Frey, “I shall find a dragon, speak with it, perhaps even bend its will to serve you.” And now, barely a day out of Saaland, he feared it would be the waves he’d bow to instead.
Beside him, Joy—a newly appointed wizard who had only recently left the comforts of her study—wavered on her feet, clinging to the mast with one hand and her hat with the other. The wind had whipped her dark hair into a frenzy, and her face was pale, her eyes darting between Spicer and the horizon, as if uncertain which held more danger.
And then there was Shei, a bard whose life of small misdeeds and worse luck had somehow landed him on this ill-advised voyage. Lounging near the prow, he had hooked a leg under a plank, securing his weight. Even as waves broke over the sides, he hummed with a half-hearted bravado, masking his own unease with a forced grin.
“We’ll be fine, Makaira,” he said, though his voice shook. “Spicer knows these waters, don’t you, Captain?”
Spicer chuckled darkly, his eyes fixed on the storm-laden sky. “Know of them, aye. But that don’t mean they’re kind. The Crescent Isle’s just beyond this fury,” he added, as if that knowledge alone would steady the groaning timbers of his ship.
Makaira shifted uneasily, his pride deflating with every lurch of the boat. “You assured me this crossing was… challenging, but manageable. I had no notion it was—”
“I didn’t reckon you’d care to know just how many bones lie beneath this stretch.” Spicer’s gaze was unforgiving. “These waters don’t welcome travelers lightly, wizard.”
As if summoned by his words, the waves grew fiercer, rolling over the Wanderer and crashing against the deck. Joy lost her grip and stumbled forward, barely catching herself before falling overboard. Shei lunged, grabbing her arm with a quickness that betrayed his deftness.
“We’ve made it too far to drown here,” Shei muttered, helping her steady herself. “And Makaira’s got dragons to charm, remember?”
Joy gave him a weak smile. “If we make it to the Crescent Isle in one piece, it’ll be a miracle, let alone finding a dragon.”
Spicer’s laughter cut through the howling wind. “If dragons hear you coming, they’ll laugh just as hard, I’ll wager.” He pointed to the horizon, where a shadowed line of cliffs was barely visible through the mist. “There it is—the Crescent Isle.”
Makaira’s eyes brightened. “At last! There, do you see it?” But his excitement faded as the waves grew more chaotic, as if some unseen force stirred them into a frenzy. “Captain, are we safe to approach?”
“Safe?” Spicer snorted. “No one’s ever ‘safe’ here, wizard. The Crescent Isle’s got a hunger for men and ships alike.” He glanced at Shei, who had gone back to picking his fingernails, his expression tight. “Shei, best play a tune for luck, if you know one.”
Shei shook his head but began to sing, the faltering notes wavering over the chaos of the sea. Makaira muttered incantations under his breath, his fingers tracing symbols in the air. The wind shifted, and for a brief moment, the storm seemed to calm.
But then, as if mocking their efforts, a monstrous wave rose, its peak foaming with rage. It crashed into the Wanderer, sending Joy tumbling and nearly knocking Makaira from his seat, though the line held fast. Shei was drenched, the notes silenced, and even Spicer looked grim as he fought to keep the boat on course.
Makaira clung to his staff, his eyes wild. “Can’t you do something, Captain?”
“Against the sea?” Spicer barked a laugh, though his knuckles whitened on the wheel. “Not even your dragons could tame these waters.”
As if in response, the shadow of a cliff loomed closer, jagged and unforgiving. Crescent Isle had them in its grip, pulling them forward with an invisible hand. And then, as they drew near, the waters abruptly stilled, the fury of the storm falling away into an eerie calm.
Joy looked up, her face pale. “Did… did we make it?”
The Wanderer drifted forward, its timbers creaking in the silence. The air was thick, almost oppressive, and the island loomed ahead, dark and foreboding. On the shore, shadows shifted, half-seen shapes flitting between the twisted trees.
Makaira’s voice was barely a whisper. “This is… Crescent Isle.” He shivered, feeling the weight of the island’s silent watchfulness. “Captain, I… I thought there would be… people.”
“People?” Spicer’s grin returned, sharper than before. “This isn’t Saaland, wizard. The Crescent Isle’s folk don’t welcome strangers. You wanted dragons, did you not?”
Makaira’s bravado faltered, his gaze flicking to Joy and Shei, both as uneasy as he was. But he forced himself to nod. “Yes. We’ve come to parley with dragons. To serve the King.”
Spicer’s laugh was hollow, echoing over the silent waters. “Then you’d best be prepared, wizard. For the Crescent Isle holds no love for fools, nor for those who seek to stir its ancient spirits. Remember,” he said, as they began their slow approach to the shadowed shore, “dragons don’t bargain. They devour.”
The Wanderer drifted closer to the land, the shadows deepening, and the ship slipped silently into the protected lagoon of the Crescent Isle. The air thickened with a silence that held not just menace, but an ancient promise of ruin for those foolish enough to seek what should never be disturbed.
Spicer set an anchor and then collapsed onto a pile of nets. “Now we wait,” he warned, “No-one sets foot on this Isle without invitation.” The other three peered at the silhouette of the land before them and there was no-one to be seen.

Domination….no, not what you’re thinking.

I was a fan of Domination (the RPG) for a while. It was published by Starchilde Publications in 1989. Starchilde also made another game I really liked: Justifiers (and I have to say it is definitely in the heritage of our upcoming new game Whole New World.)

The system used a percentile ‘attribute’ which made up for the bulk of your ability and then skill bonuses in smaller doses which accounted for training.

Domination (and the skirmish battle version Sabot and Laser) had the simple premise that aliens invaded the Earth. We’ve seen this multiple times in fiction from War of the Worlds to Falling Skies, from V to Signs, from Battle: Los Angeles to even more recent versions like A Quiet Place. The premise isn’t new, and it wasn’t new in 1989.

What I liked about it was a couple of things.

I really like the A5 (around half US Letter) format. I kinda like the mess of aliens it creates and the possibilities for play. It seems the big bads, the Kalotions, have enslaved other races to fight for them. So there’s an undercurrent (which isn’t fully explored of both fifth columns within the Kalotion regime and also aliens which defect.

So, of course, as this is an ancient and out of print book, which is a pain in the butt to find…and I love all of the properties listed above, it behoves me to develop my own idea. This will be a supplement for Twilight 2000, (or maybe an independent game) which models the invasion of Earth by an alien species.