Dear patreons, dear readers!

Until a couple of days ago, I was flush with joy – after all, I will be able to, for the first time in my life, attend Gencon!

Suffice to say, that, your generosity and my birthday did make me actually feel rather good. I was extremely busy, but I think, I still managed to provide enough reviews for you – and more are to come, with prioritized reviews covering Tribality Publishing material for 5e.

I’ll cut to the chase.

I’m sorry I can’t be as ecstatic as I’d like to be, not as positive in this update as usual.

Steven D. Russell, the master of Rite Publishing, has passed away this week in a car accident.

Steven was the first publisher to send me complimentary copies. He never shirked away from criticizing my reviews and my evolution from just listing contents, like in my earliest reviews, to what you see now, is in large parts due to his influence. He also was the first publisher ever to publish something I wrote.

On a personal level, when I hit rock bottom in 2010/2011, he had an open ear, sound advice and a caring, compassionate heart for me. He helped lift me back up. He also never got me as a reviewer, and me as a person confused- even in the rare cases I had to rate something down, he may have grumbled and complained…but never took it personally.

Rite Publishing, his evocative designs and his influence as a person on me, not only on how I run games, cannot be overstated.

I don’t know if I’d be doing this reviewing-thing right now without him.

While we talked quite a lot online, I was supposed to share a room with him on Gencon and was looking very much forward to talking with him in person, to explaining in detail how much of a positive force in my life he’d been.

I am basically still shell-shocked and reading the FB-posts of so many like-minded individuals he touched is just staggering. I’ve basically been stunned ever since I heard about his passing.

The 3pp-circuit has lost a major motor for creative innovation. Many of us have lost a friend and colleague.

So, if you do have some great stories about Steve or Rite Publishing material to share, I’d be honored to hear about them.

…

I’m sorry, not too “talkative” today, so here are are the reviews I finished this month:

Raging Swan Press – I loot the Druid’s Body! (PFRPG/system-neutral)

Legendary Games – Mythic Monsters: Egypt

Quasar Knight Enterprises – Playable Monsters for 5th Edition (5e)

Fat Goblin Games – Astonishing Races: Dog-faced Kobolds

Raging Swan Press – I loot the Cleric’s Body! (PFRPG/system-neutral)

Legendary Games – Mythic Monsters: Demons, Too

Legendary Games – Starfall

Playground Adventures – Royal Class

Everyman Gaming – Everyman Unchained: Eidolons

Casey Brown – The Unofficial Living Greyhawk Bandit Kingdoms Summary

Rogue Genius Games – Four Horsemen Present: Hybrid Class – Shifu

Interjection Games – Subterranean Races: Puddlings

Casey Brown – Shadows over Riverton I: A Page of Scrolls

Land’s End Press – Ottolf’s Handy Manual of Everyday Magic

Interjection Games – Subterranean Races: Puddling Archetypes

Playground Adventures – After School Adventures: Madam Margareth’s Magic Potion

Drop Dead Studios – The Telekinetic’s Handbook

Purple Duck Games – Drow of Porphyra: Xelusine, Sirens of Sin

Legendary Games – Mythic Monsters: Mesoamerica

Playground Adventures – After School Adventures: Adventures in Wonderland #1: Chasing the White Rabbit

Playground Adventures – After School Adventures: Adventures in Wonderland #1: Chasing the White Rabbit (5e)

Purple Duck Games – Lands of Porphyra Campaign Setting

Frog God Games – Swords & Wizardry Complete Rule Book (OSR)

AAW Games – Mini-Dungeon: Heart of Sacred Dawn

Rite Publishing – In the Company of Treants

Miscellaneous Musings – Captain America: Civil War

Raging Swan Press – GM’s Miscellany: 20 Things Volume I

Misfit Studios – Crawthorne’s Catalog of Creatures: Werespider

Fat Goblin Games – Knowledge Check: Codes & Cyphers

Dreamscarred Press – Path of War Expanded

Kobold Press – New Paths: The Trickster (revised edition)

Catalyst Game Labs – Rigger 5.0 (Shadowrun)

Tribality Publishing – Alchemist (5e)

Silver Games – Ponyfinder: Tribes of Everglow

Fat Goblin Games – Faction: Tear Sworn

Rogue Genius Games – Four Horsemen Present: Mature Character Options

Flaming Crab Games – Letters from the Flaming Crab: Haunted Places

Flying Pincushion Games – Tides of War: Volley Fire Feats Redux

Rite Publishing – #30 Haunts for Battlefields

Frog God Games – Cults of the Sundered Kingdoms (PFRPG/OSR)

…as always, thank you for your support and, if you are at Gencon, let me know and we’ll talk – Steve would have wanted for everyone to enjoy it. So let’s roll the bones (or go DICELESS) in his honor, ladies and gentlemen! Although he’s gone, he shall live on in our memories and the joy his creativity brought to our lives!

Here’s to a great man, an industry legend and a friend!

His family has set up a GoFundMe to help with expenses. If you’re inclined to, here’s the link.

Endzeitgeist out.

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