Apologies; I've Started an Email Newsletter
In this era of fractured social media, it's become harder for me to reach out to the specific people who might want to know what sort of gaming things I'm up to — what RPGs I'm running, what time slots I have available to add new games, what games I'm excited to check out and lead people through. (This is Sam Tillis, by the way. If you've received this email, I've GM'd a roleplaying game for you professionally in the past — perhaps am doing so in the present — and would like to do so again in the future.)
I'm not really a Discord guy. I've thrown Facebook and Instagram by the wayside (and was never on Twitter, though now I'm dabbling with Bluesky). But it struck me that people I respect are keeping me updated about their lives with email newsletters — which almost feels subversive, at this point; the Slow Food of the internet; actual writing rather than just pithy 'content' — and so I thought I'd give it a shot myself.
I promise not to clutter your inbox with this: one email a month, tops. I hope that it will surprise and delight, with blips of information about RPGs you've never heard of as well as opportunities to sign up for one-shot experiences (and whole campaigns, and so on) that you otherwise would not have been aware of.
Feel free to share the sign-up link with other folks who might want to join a game; conversely, I will bear no ill will if you choose to unsubscribe. In these dark days, I hope the prospect of more gaming will bring joy to your life, as it does enduringly to mine.
Cheers,
-Sam
Chrome and Fog Homepage | World Anvil
The year is 2074. The Free State of Silicon, an anarcho-capitalist nightmare, groans under the yoke of the megacorps which steer the fates of millions. VR addiction runs rampant as an escape from the purulent world. But out of this miasma of hopelessness, a team of Operators rises, to fight against the powers that would isolate and dehumanize us all. In the megalopolis that once comprised San Francisco and Oakland, great schemes are afoot. The clock is ticking. Soon it will be Midnight in the Garden of Chrome and Fog.
So you know how I've always expressed discomfort in the idea of livestreamed roleplaying games? ...that's right: I'm going to be running a livestreamed roleplaying game.
There are three factors that turned me around and compelled me to do this. The first is that I was invited to do so by the wonderful Tiana Ren, who streams under the name Vanalosswen. Fae're going to be handing all of the hosting/tech business, which is an incredible relief to the tech-unsavvy such as myself. (Fae will be playing in the game as well, which brings me great joy!)
The second is that I get to play in the sandbox of the cyberpunk genre, a major bucket-list item for me. We're going to be using the RPG Cities Without Number for our rules, which is a free download if anyone wants to check it out.
And the third — most important — is that if you watch the show live, you're not actually just watching a livestreamed roleplaying game. By showing up for the stream, you're participating in the game. Here's how:
Ren's character in the game (the delightfully named GlitchAngle) is a 'chromed-out social media #influencer with eyes that record everything she sees. She, the character, will be streaming the missions that she and the other player characters embark on to her small but fierce audience of viewers. That audience... that's you.
When you post in the chat on Twitch, it's the character GlitchAngle who's reading those comments. Say the right thing, convince a player character to take the right action, and you might influence the course of history. (It's like screaming at your TV screen, except it might actually work.)
The link at the top of this segment goes to some setting lore, so you can learn more about the world of SilCent and SilEast. The link below is where you can catch the stream. We play on Wednesdays, starting in April, with Season 1 of the game slated to go through mid-July. Give it a follow now, and I'll see you on Wednesday, April 2, 7-10pm PST for the pilot session.
https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen