Status Update

Okay, so I realize it's been a while since I've really posted anything (or at least it feels like it), and it's time for an update.

So I've been struggling with some burnout these past few weeks. I had trips in June, July, and August, and in between those I had a dozen little stressors that collectively were wearing me down. most of this last month has been a legitimate blur. To be frank, I haven't been okay, but I'm getting out of it. I've been trying to whittle down the stuff that's been eating at me, with enough success I'm getting back to functional.

Part of the issue is that I had a freelancing gig that wound up being harder than I'd anticipated, and I was struggling with it in places, and I didn't feel comfortable writing anything for fun while I still had deadlines for that over my head. I do have my final draft turned in, so that's one thing off my plate. (Song in the Dark 3 was finished and released in between first and final drafts)

Another issue is that there was a recall on the blood pressure medication I was on, and I waited a while for a suitable replacement to get in stock, and figured 'how long could this take?' Well, it took long enough that the medication cleared my system and my blood pressure started getting back into 'regular headache' levels, where I could feel the physical effects of the stress -- which stressed me out. They've since worked out a replacement (my medication was a combination of two drugs in one pill, and now I'm just taking both drugs separately), and I'm getting back to normal there as well.

But I'm still kind of emotionally and mentally drained and getting caught up on stuff. In addition, due to scheduling and life problems, my gaming group hasn't been able to get together to play anything since July (and it's been even longer since I've had the entire group at once). And playing a couple of games and running one at Gencon haven't exactly been enough to scratch that itch.

But, I mean, I'm managing as best I can right now.



And now, more specific updates:

Conversion: Working on the new chapter. That's been a little slow because a bunch of stuff came to me while I was working on the previous chapter that's changed the story's ending, and the new version of events is going to take a little more planning than the previous one. But it's cool and exciting and I'm looking forward to working on it.

Song in the Dark: On pause until I get the new chapter of Conversion out. And to be honest, I need the break, as the recent news about Alec Holowka (one of the developers of the game) has kind of dulled my enthusiasm somewhat. But I'm sure once I'm finished with the next chapter of Conversion, assuming I don't have anything else I absolutely need to do right then (i.e., something with a deadline) I'll probably be fine to get back into it. Though during all of the discussion about Alec, it's come up that there is apparently an epilogue planned for the game that was in the works and may still come out in some form, which means I might have to make some decisions on how to handle portions of the story that extend beyond the game's ending. Yes, I'm aware I could just say "this was always a fan story, I always knew I might just separate it from canon," but at the same time there's a part of me that wonders "but what if the official epilogue has lots of choice stuff I could mine for material for my fanfic." You see the conundrum I'm in.

In addition, I've got some urban fantasy stuff I've been poking at, taking a story that's been on the back burner and applying some new ideas to rework it into something that might be worth submitting to a publisher. And while I'm doing that, I'm fending off the constant itching in my brain to start something new that likely won't be worth finishing, or dust off something I've previously decided wasn't worth finishing and write three paragraphs before realizing I never had any functional ideas there to begin with.

And... hm. Honestly, I can't really think of anything else to add here. Hope everyone's summer has been a pleasant one.

This year's Gencon

So, in case you haven't heard, I went to Gencon this year, and I wanted to just do a quick rundown post. I mean, there's not much to say -- I didn't exactly do anything too terribly profound. Maybe if I had even the first clue about how to try and network at conventions, I'd get more done but it's possible there's a part of me that's not ready to make the leap from 'gaming vacation' to 'work opportunity.' (It's more likely that I don't know what I'm doing, am aware of that fact, and am afraid to just ask for help.)

While I'm not going to do blow-by-blow write-ups of every little thing that happened while I was there, I'll at least give the quick gist of what games I played and what happened in those games underneath the cut.

Space Brigade's Legacy (Gencon special!) [Æon]

Hey there, folks. Another Gencon has come and gone. I'll probably go into a more detailed run-down of the convention's events in another post, but for now I've got a write-up of the Æon game I ran at the convention, "Space Brigade's Legacy."

This adventure is a sequel to the one that I ran last year, following up on the question of of "Has the Russian mob on Luna been totally compromised by Aberrants?" that came up in last year's session. That said, I'm wondering if running a sequel was the best idea since I had to spend time doing a recap of last year's session while also explaining the setting and system to a few players. I'm pondering my options for next year.

Again, the books aren't out yet and it's still kind of a new system for a lot of people. So if you read this and have any questions, feel free to ask me here or anyplace else where you can find me.

Song in the Dark, Day 3

I know it's been a little while, but after getting some other writing projects off my plate, I was finally able to return to this to finish the third chapter of my Night in the Woods fanfic.

In case you missed them, the first chapter can be found here and the second can be found here. Alternate sites for this chapter can be found here (with a downloadable PDF version) and here. (Note that while adult content is hidden unless you're signed in, those two sites may trip NSFW content filters.)

Disclaimer: Events of this story overlap with events of the video game, as Eric Hostetler and Mae Borowski are having largely separate-but-parallel adventures. I'm not rewriting game events to fit it, but there will be a "canonical" series of story choices that may become evident. This and future chapters will spoil certain events of the main game as well as the 'Lost Constellation' side-game. (this chapter in particular spoils a big event for the game, in fact)

And with that out of the way, you'll find the chapter beneath the cut. Enjoy!

Dead Suns: Gate 1 (Starfinder)

Greetings, folks. It's been a while, I know. Fact of the matter is, my current gaming group's schedule is pretty limited at the moment even before you get into the occasional cancellation. And then with the fact that I don't do individual posts for every Starfinder session (usual disclaimer about multiple posts, people appearing or disappearing, etc.), it sometimes means annoyingly-large gaps in the posting. But that's just life. It's only stupid luck that the trips I've taken in the last month and change haven't interfered as it is.

Speaking of which, just as a reminder that I'm going to be at Gencon this year, and I'm running another Æon game, a sequel to last year's. The game is currently full-up, but if anyone wants to drop by with generics just in case, it's Saturday at 6pm, at the Crowne Plaza. I'll be getting in Wednesday evening and leaving Sunday afternoon, and unless something happens and I have to bail at the last minute, I've got games I'm playing Thursday afternoon, Friday evening, and Sunday morning. Outside of those times, if anyone sees this and also wants to hang out at the convention, just reach out through any of the various social media channels and we'll see what we can do.

And now, on to Starfinder!

My Game Writing

I thought it'd be good to create sort of a central list of RPG (and related) books I've worked on, basically so I've got something I can point people to if I need to. This is going to get updated as new stuff comes out, in case it needs to be said. I'll keep in-progress book status up to date as best as I can, but at least on the Onyx Path books the most recent information will be in the Monday Meeting notes. (Current as of 08/10/2026)

A similar page for my published fiction can be found here.

(By the way, full disclosure, using any of the links here and then buying something shortly afterwards will get me some DTRPG store credit.)

Trinity Continuum
(For Onyx Path)

Trinity Continuum: Æon -- One of the big setting books for the Trinity Continuum (and does require the Trinity Continuum core book), presenting a world of sci-fi adventure and heroics in the future of 2123. I wrote the section on Luna, as well as the write-ups for the Chromatics and the Coalition.
The links above are for PDFs and PoD copies. Traditionally-printed copies of the TC core book can also be found on Studio 2's website, but they're out of Æon. A new printing of the traditionally-printed books is in the works.

Terra Firma -- A setting book for Trinity Continuum: Æon, fleshing out 10 nations described in the core with a significant city detailed in each. It also includes threats and weirdness facing Earth, as well as a bunch of technology both mundane and bizarre. I wrote the sections on China/Shanghai, Luna/Olympus, and half of the 'Relics of Mad Science and the Nova Age.'

Under Alien Skies -- A sister-book to Distant Worlds, a guide to the alien races of Æon, including a guide on using them as player characters. I wrote the setting and Storyguiding information for the Coalition chapter.

Prometheus Unbound -- A guide to the Psi Orders of the TC: Æon setting. I wrote the opening fiction (which you can read in the in-site preview) and the Æsculapian chapter.

Trinity Continuum Player's Guide -- Trinity core supplement combining the Talent Player's Guide and Brave New Worlds, the latter of which I initially worked on. It fleshes out a bunch of factions and includes extra Gifts and systems for characters as well as guidelines for travel to other worlds and times. I worked on the time travel stuff (with some associated mechanical material), and wrote one of the fictions.

Scion

(For Onyx Path)

Realms of Magic and Mystery -- A guide to Terra Incognita for Scion: Second Edition, detailing strange places within The World, as well as Midrealms, Overworlds, and Underworlds. (This will require at least Scion: Origin to use, and probably also Scion: Hero.) I wrote the opening fiction, "Under the Bridge" under the section on 'Realms Next Door,' the Midrealm known as the Thrice-Tenth Kingdom, and the Underworld of Yomi. 

Exalted

(For Onyx Path)

Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God -- A sourcebook for playing the Alchemical Exalted, Chosen of the Great Maker, as well as the realm of Autochthonia in which they and the communities they serve live. I worked on a little bit of everything in the book. I wrote the one-page fictions at the start of Chapters Seven and Eight, the write-up for the city of Loran, the 'Bygone Predator' and 'Prismatic Bulwark' artifacts, and the 'Fix Beetle' and 'Crystal Fly' machine-spirits.

Chronicles of Darkness
(For White Wolf/CCP/Onyx Path)

Night Horrors: The Unbidden -- A book of antagonists for Mage: The Awakening. I wrote the Abyssal Imprint and the Lucid.

Night Horrors: The Tormented -- A book of antagonists for Promethean: The Created. I wrote a big chunk of the 'regular' Pandorans: The Cavin, the Hitchhiker, the Scrub Talons, the Stack, and the Student Project.



The Idigam Chronicle Anthology (fiction) -- A collection of Werewolf: The Forsaken stories. I wrote "Legacy."


Classic World of Darkness
(For White Wolf/CCP/Onyx Path)

W20 Rage Across the World -- A supplement for Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition, providing setting updates showing the state of the world in the 21st century. I wrote the "Weaver" Chapter.

W20 Umbra: The Velvet Shadow -- A supplement for Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition, updating mechanics and settings for the edition and providing an easy resource for Umbral Realms. I wrote the sections on the CyberRealm and Wolfhome, as well as pretty much the first half of the "Spirits" chapter (like, all of the setting stuff leading up to the 'Denizens' section).

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Dead Suns: The Gate of Twelve Suns (Starfinder)

Hey there, folks, looks like the long-range scanners have picked up another Starfinder session.

.....

Wait, wait, come back, I'll never make that joke again, I swear!

But anyhow, all kidding aside, we've begun the fifth volume of the Dead Suns Adventure Path, The Thirteenth Gate.

So let's get on with it!

(again, as often happens, this is a combination of multiple sessions, so characters may appear or vanish, etc.)