Welcome!

The beginning of a new venture

If you're reading this, chances are good that you already know me from my blog, Grognardia, where, since 2008, I’ve been sharing my memories and reflections about the hobby of roleplaying. That blog will continue, just as it always has, but this space serves a different purpose.

Grognardia Games Direct exists to give me a dedicated home for my ongoing RPG design work, especially for two games: Thousand Suns, my science fiction RPG inspired by the literary traditions of classic space opera, and Secrets of sha-Arthan, a fantasy RPG set in an exotic and ancient world. This is where I’ll be sharing new material, design commentary, previews, setting details, and development updates. It’s a space for people who are interested in what I’m building now, not just what I’m remembering about the past.

Why Substack? Frankly, the tools are better. They make it much easier for me to manage subscribers, track what’s resonating, and structure posts in a way that’s more suited to serial creative work. As I move toward publishing Secrets of sha-Arthan and new material for Thousand Suns, I need a platform that supports that process and, I hope, helps me build a community of interested readers and players along the way.

If all goes to plan, I’ll post here a couple of times a week, one update for each game – Fridays for Secrets of sha-Arthan and Mondays for Thousand Suns. Some posts will be short previews or design notes. Others might be longer reflections on game mechanics, worldbuilding, or creative influences. Occasionally, there’ll be downloadable content or playtest material. My hope is to make this space both useful and engaging to anyone with an interest in the kind of science fiction and fantasy RPGs I enjoy writing and playing.

If you’re a longtime reader of Grognardia, welcome. If you’re discovering me for the first time here, I’m glad you’ve come aboard. Either way, thanks for your interest and support. I’m looking forward to sharing more in the days to come.