R. Rook Studio
Founded in 2019 by Richard Ruane, R. Rook Studio is the creator of Barrow Keep, Sherwood | A Game of Outlaws & Arcana, My Chivalric Bromance, and Moonlight on Roseville Beach
Barrow Keep
A romantic fantasy setting that brings together the intrigue of Game of Thrones with the magic of authors like Robin Hobb or Mercedes Lackey, Barrow Keep launched in 2020 as part of Zine Quest 2. Thefirst volume, Barrow Keep: Den of Spies, was nominated for an IGDN Groundbreaker Award for Best Setting.
Print copies of Barrow Keep: Den of Spies available from Spear Witch, Exalted Funeral, and The Twenty Sided Store. PDF copies are available from Itch and DriveThruRPG.
Download Handouts & Adventures
For GMs. There are two Barrow Keep set in Barrow Keep: Den of Spies setting: Treacherous Kin and The Wildwoods Ambassador. Both include stats for Old School Essentials (Dungeons & Dragons BX), Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, and Troika!
For Players. There are short lifepath playbooks for eight characters who live in Barrow Keep and know its intrigues and factions: Old School Essentials and Labyrinth Lord (D&D BX), Sharp Swrods & Sinister Spells, and Troika!
Standalone Game: Now in Beta
If you're interested in the Barrow Keep setting, but want a standalone game, you can try the free beta rules inspired by Pretendo Games 2400.
Sherwood
A Game of Outlaws & Arcana
A stand-alone game of 2d6 action with character creation, rules of play, and ready-to-run adventures.
No matter where you started—as a merchant, a performer, a peasant, a knight—you found yourself an outlaw in the greenwood. In this Fueled by the Void game of a fantastical 13th century England, take up arms against tyrants, keep your people safe, and fight for justice when law fails.
Pick up Sherwood | A Game of Outlaws & Arcana on Itch or DriveThruRPG, or pick up the free quickstart. Print copies will be available from Spear Witch.
My Chivalric Bromance
Exiled Knights far from Home
My Chivalric Bromance is a game about exiled LGBTQ+ knights and their queer companions living as strangers in strange lands. This book includes the core rules for an old-school-style game of exiles wandering the world and having adventures.
Pick up My Chivalric Bromance on Itch or on DriveThruRPG. Once print copies are ready, they will be available from Exalted Funeral.
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Working with Richard for Zine Month 2023
While I'm excited about my projects for 2023, I'm also interested in working with you on Zine Month and Zine Quest!I began working in TTRPGs in 1999 with White Wolf Publishing and went on to work as a writer and editor for educational media. I have contributed to Gauntlet Codex, Sunken, and Eat Trash Be Free.
Writing & Game Design
As a game writer and designer, my first loves are setting development, scenario design, character creation systems, microfiction, and flash fiction.Genres: Fantasy and horror, with an emphasis on historical fantasy, urban fantasy, cosmic horror, and paranormal romance.Systems: D&D B/X and retroclones, Troika!, Traveller and Cepheus, PbtA, and OSR and NSR systems.Rates: I generally charge at least $.10/word, but for independent creators, especially new independent creators, I'm excited to negotiate and find ways to work together.
Consulting & Editing
Editing and Reading: Developmental editing and "beta" or first reading.Ebooks: ePub creation, PDF and ePub accessibility, and PDF/UA standards.Promotion: Kickstarter campaign management and press kit development.Rates: For editing, reading, consulting, and promotion work, I usually charge a minimum of $30/hour, but if you're an independent creator with a strict budget, I'd love to talk to you about what you can afford.
Interested? Contact me at R. Rook Studio using the form below.
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