Tales of the Moonlight Maiden: The Meaning of Family (Exalted)

I'm not gonna deny, multiple different titles for this post came to me, most of them either too-appropriate or inappropriate or both (depending on one's individual sensibilities). And while I try not to make them too jokey, I just couldn't think of a fully-serious title. Just be glad I'm not doing a 'Fast and the Furious' joke.

So let's get to it, with my usual caveat that the talky bits might not be exactly verbatim.

Tales of the Moonlight Maiden: Tea and Sympathy (Exalted)

Hey there, folks, I'm back with another Exalted write-up featuring the crew of the Moonlight Maiden. For the record, this is merely a last-minute post, not an extremely late one; we just didn't play the week of the 14th, which is why I got around to getting this to a presentable state. I've been poking at it on and off for a while, and just kinda held off because I wasn't (and to be fair, I'm still not) convinced there's enough to put there for it to be worth the effort, but had to get it out of the way eventually. 

And other than that, I don't think I've got any big personal updates. So let's get into it.

Just a heads-up, the write-up does begin with description of NPC-on-NPC fights. While there are elements and in-character commentary in the fights that will be relevant in the larger story, if you want to skip ahead to when the focus returns to the plot and the PCs, just do a text search for "As the woman falls".

My Published Fiction

As you may have noticed, I've got a page where I keep track of gaming stuff I've written, that I update on occasion. I've been meaning to do so for my fiction work as well, and here we are. (Current as of 5/9/2023)

First, to get it out of the way, there's some stuff I have posted online, freely available. I have a bunch of furry fiction posted over at my FurAffinity page. (Note that while adult material is locked behind signing up for an account, the site may still trip some work filters.) Also, elsewhere on this blog, is a bunch of Chronicles of Darkness fanfic. There's also the 'writing' tag, but honestly I think the two pages linked already linked should cover pretty much anything listed there and more. This page isn't for highlighting those, but thoroughness demands I mention them while I'm here.

The intent with this page is serving as a central link to published fiction I've written. Some of it will be gaming-related (especially as of the initial writing of this), some will not, though for completeness' sake I am including links to gaming books where I wrote the opening fiction. (Free book previews on DriveThruRPG may extend far enough into the book that you can read the opening fictions for free.) I'm also mentioning stuff that's not out yet, but I'm not detailing those until they're available.

I'm going to loosely group these by genre, so let's get to it.

(As a reminder, some links may be affiliate links and I may benefit from their use.)

Urban Fantasy/Horror

Samhain Secrets: World Premiere, from Blackwarren Books, set in the Argent City. I wrote "The Kit Gloves Are Off," about a handful of Kitsune investigating an old mystery to prevent war between the City's Tricksters. Book blurb and alternate purchase links follow: 

In the Argent City, where supernatural creatures like dragons, fae, and tricksters live alongside blissfully unaware humanity, Halloween Night remains the craziest night of the year. A dragon who would be king struggles to establish his identity and find his passion in hosting a popular radio show, while the wily Kitsune seek to unmask a conspiracy against the feuding Tricksters of the City, where anyone could be the culprit. Across the City, a pair of Fae entrepreneurs stake their future on cleansing a murder site for the police, but a nosy Brownie can't accept the given cause of death and suspects murder. And finally, a hopeful actress takes a chance at scoring the lead in the reboot of a much-beloved vampire action series, only to find the audition process far more bizarre, and deadly, than even the most committed actor would expect.

Featuring contributions from Chris Shaffer, David DeMar, Vaughn R. Demont, and special guest Sierra Dean, the Argent City is explored through the eyes of the different denizens that call it home, and the one night a year where the brave and curious can discover the secrets lying just beyond the human eye.

Direct from publisher (as a reminder, the publisher and authors benefit more from buying direct)

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Apple Books

Smashwords

In addition, if you would like to listen to me read the story as part of Blackwarren's 'Allora Public Radio' podcast, it's in two hour-long parts: Part 1, Part 2

Gaming-related

The Idigam Chronicle Anthology, from Onyx Path Publishing, set in the Chronicles of Darkness. I wrote the fiction "Legacy," about a werewolf with personal baggage about leadership finding himself in charge of his first Sacred Hunt. Book blurb follows.

On the hunt, your blood races. When something hunts you, it runs cold. Your blood carries the future of Uratha and the burning fire of kuruth. It’s powerful, but ultimately transient.

You know things in your bones. They change with your forms but stay strong. The power of your teeth and claws comes from your bone. It runs deeper than blood, a slow power that doesn’t fade.

So you hunt. It’s what you do, a key part of your psyche. You hunt people and spirits, hosts and other werewolves. But those things hunt you in turn. Werewolves are always one bad choice away from being the prey.

The Idigam Chronicle Anthology contains 11 short stories (7 original to this collection) of bestial violence and supernatural terror, in celebration of the second edition of Werewolf: The Forsaken.

Realms of Magic and Mystery, a sourcebook for Scion Second Edition from Onyx Path Publishing. I wrote the opening fiction, "Inside Out," about an investigator finding the unseen side of an apartment building and a secret hidden within.

Sci-Fi

Gaming-related

Prometheus Unbound, a sourcebook for Trinity Continuum: Aeon from Onyx Path Publishing. I wrote the opening fiction, "Interlocking Pieces," wherein a group of psions from the different Psi Orders come together to stop a monstrous threat.

Trinity Continuum Player's Guide, a yet-to-be-released sourcebook for Trinity Continuum from Onyx Path Publishing, combining what was originally known as Brave New Worlds, which I initially worked on, and another book called the Talent Player's Guide. I wrote "Falling Into Place," originally intended to be the opening fiction for Brave New Worlds, which has been previewed as part of the crowdfunding campaign.

Anthro fiction

ROAR Volume 8, an anthology from Bad Dog Books with the theme of 'Paradise.' I wrote "Bite the Apple," about a journalist trying to uncover the secrets of a hotel that's too good to be true. Book blurb follows. (ebook link)

Paradise can be the stark natural beauty of our own world; it can be the connections we have with the people we love; it can be a moment in time. Paradise can be a place we're seeking or a place that we didn't realize we already had until it started to slip away. It can have a dark side. Even shining science-fiction utopias can come with a price.

Read this book and take a journey through eighteen different visions of paradise—beginning with the personal and natural, traveling through the societal and technological, and all the way out to the supernal and divine. A great book can heal you when you're hurting, give you an escape that you desperately need, or even rekindle a lost spark of hope.

Let this book be a small piece of paradise for you.

FANG Volume 8, a M/M adult anthology from Bad Dog Books, also with the theme of 'Paradise.' I wrote "Too Good," about someone discovering a hidden truth of what feels like the perfect resort. Book blurb follows. (ebook link)

Paradise: An ideal or idyllic place or state

 

Well that would be boring to read about. Join the authors of Fang 8 as they tease your senses, tug on your hearts, and in some cases stab you right in the gut. Paradise can be lost, paradise can be gained, paradise can be found, and in some cases paradise can even be made. Be it an underpaid college graduate finally finding his own way, a lover taking the ultimate risk to keep their perfect lives, diving into the darkest parts of the unconscious to build a future, or the crushing sorrow of realizing it was all a fantasy.

FANG Volume 9, a M/M adult anthology from Bad Dog Books with the theme of 'Bad Romance.' I wrote "Swipe Right, Now What," about an incognito celebrity trying to date like a normal person with hilarious results. Winner of a 2019 Leo Literary Award. Book blurb follows. (ebook link)

All your lovers revenge…

 

Fucking crazy can be crazy fucking hot. Bad Romances - we’ve all had them. Sometimes the sex is so good we can overlook the flaws in our relationship, sometimes a romance is bad because there isn’t enough time, and still others because we want to try and stop the train wreck we know is coming. Join the authors of Fang 9 as we explore doomed relationships and the hot times that keep them going. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll swear, and hopefully get turned on.

Tales of the Moonlight Maiden: Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Exalted)

So before you accidentally get the idea that this blog is ever about anything but my gaming write-ups, I'm back with another Exalted post for ya.

Though that said, I'm still open to suggestions and such from my previous post. Even if you're not familiar with or interested in the setting, any thoughts on how to go about sorting my issue would be greatly appreciated. I've gotten literally no response at all from anyone on the subject.