We have exciting news! The pre-launch page for Limitless Champions Adventures is live! We’ve got a groundbreaking Kickstarter campaign on the horizon, and here are the top 10 reasons why you should click that “Notify Me” button right away:

1. Historic Inclusivity: Be part of history by supporting the first-ever published collection of D&D Adventures featuring a wide variety of disabilities represented. Join the movement for a more inclusive gaming world! 
   Click here to get notified 👈
2. You get to push the button! Unlike the elevator buttons where you had to take turns with your siblings to push them, you can push this one yourself without waiting! Push it now! Don’t wait your turn! 🔘👈
3. Versatile Adventures: These adventures can be used in any campaign world and at any 5e table. Whether you’re exploring the urban sprawl, braving the arctic tundra, scaling mountain peaks, wandering enchanted forests, or spelunking in dark caves, we’ve got you covered. Now you have my attention!
   
4. Free Adventure for Early Backers! Get a free bonus horror mystery adventure, The Insiders, if you back it for any reward tier within the first 48 hours of launching. I don’t want to miss out!
   
5. There is no 5th reason. Perfect! I like clicking buttons for no reason!
6. Hardcover Book: Get your hands on a beautifully crafted hardcover book filled with gripping narratives and diverse characters. Sounds like a good addition to my game shelf!
7. Cards and Handouts: Dive deeper into the adventures with tarot-sized character and encounter cards and immersive handouts. It’s all about the details! What a great deal! (Catch what I did there? 🃏)
   
8. Digital Options: We’ve got you covered in the digital realm too! Access our adventures in PDF and other accessible digital formats like plain text, audio, and ePub for easy integration into your campaigns, and all copies include downloadable 4K digital maps for every encounter. I am proficient in clicking!
9. Miniature Add-Ons: Enhance your tabletop experience with miniatures available as add-ons, plus links to extra free downloadable STLs or low-cost printed miniatures to complete the adventures. Paint ‘em, display ‘em, and bring your adventures to life! Color me intrigued!
   
10. Inclusion Tips: The book includes a section to help you make your game more accessible and add representation into your game. That alone sounds like a valuable resource!

So, what are you waiting for? Click that “Notify Me” button, join our quest for limitless adventures, and help us make gaming more inclusive than ever before!

Yes! I like pushing people’s buttons! 😏

This month, we open discussing the new canon autistic character being introduced in D&D, and how meaningful representation is for traditionally marginalized groups. ​​https://www.polygon.com/23850698/dnd-dungeons-dragons-autistic-character-asteria 

Then Dale talks with Aaron Trammell, Associate Professor of Informatics at UC Irvine, about improving representation for people of color in tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons.

Key topics covered:

• How fantasy RPGs have historically lacked racial diversity and inclusion
• Racial stereotypes associated with classic fantasy races like orcs
• Colonialist attitudes reflected in fantasy language use
• Steps publishers and designers can take to improve racial representation in RPG products
• Making your gaming table welcoming for new and diverse players
• Aaron provides insight into issues around race in RPGs, and offers suggestions for how the hobby can become more inclusive. This is an important discussion about seeing diversity reflected in the games we play.

0:00 Introduction: Asteria, the first canon autistic D&D character
6:10 Interview: Aaron Trammell, Associate Professor of Informatics at UC Irvine
54:21 Patreon Showcase & closing

Manually captioned. Transcript available at our website.

Aaron Trammell Links

• Aaron Trammell’s work: http://aarontrammell.com/ 
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/aarontram 

Wyrmworks Publishing

• The Lair: https://cutt.ly/LairYT 
• Wyrmworks Publishing: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com

Dale welcomes George McDermith, a talented gamer and the creative mind behind the character Orrelius from the Limitless Champions campaign. George’s perspective as a blind gamer offers valuable insights into inclusive gaming and the portrayal of disabled characters in Dungeons and Dragons. Discover the importance of authenticity, representation, and accessible gameplay in this enlightening conversation.

0:00 Introduction: Wyrm’s Workshop & Limitless Champions
06:27 Interview: George McDermith
29:10 Patreon Showcase & Closing

Manually captioned. Transcript available at our website.

George McDermith Links

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/blindpaladin 
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/blindpaladin 

Wyrmworks Publishing

• Wyrm’s Workshop: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com/product/wyrms-workshop/ 
• Limitless Champions Miniatures: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com/product-tag/limitless-champions/ 
• The Lair: https://cutt.ly/LairYT (Free 7-Day Trial!)
• Wyrmworks Publishing: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com 

I keep seeing headlines like, “(Some name) becomes first Black/Latino/etc. (some respected position),” and every time, I think, “Wow, what year is it that this is the first time?” But besides women, disabled people are the largest marginalized demographic in the world. Their “firsts” are still rare. For most of those same positions, “…becomes first disabled…,” hasn’t happened yet.

But we tabletop gamers live in worlds filled with minotaurs and merfolk, halflings and centaurs, so we of all people should have no problem imagining people with diverse abilities in every segment of society. And yet we encounter fewer disabled people anywhere in TTRPG worlds than in executive real-world positions.

We want this year to be “that year” in every TTRPG world where that representation isn’t happening yet, and we want to help you make that happen. To that end, we developed the largest, most diverse collection of disabled fantasy minis ever made, now available as downloadable STLs or printed miniatures.

Fighting ableism with stat blocks

Disability representation in tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) fosters inclusive gaming environments. It creates a diverse and welcoming experience. Disabled miniatures enhance the overall storytelling and offer a more authentic and empathetic gaming experience. By incorporating disabled miniatures, RPGs acknowledge and validate the experiences of individuals with disabilities, promoting inclusivity and breaking down barriers. Players with disabilities can recognize themselves reflected in the game, communicating belonging and empowerment.

I never see my condition represented in any media, and now, I’m in D&D!

A Limitless Heroics backer

Diverse miniatures featuring representative characters also broaden the narrative possibilities within TTRPGs. They allow players to explore different perspectives, experiences, and challenges that disabled characters may face. This not only enhances storytelling but also encourages empathy and understanding among players. This representation promotes dialogue, encourages education, and contributes to a culture of acceptance and respect.

Accessible Conditions

Most TTRPG content is still only available in paper or PDF, two of the least accessible formats for blind and low-vision players, especially watermarked PDF, which screen readers can’t access, and PDF without image alt text, which is common due to all layout software except Adobe InDesign refuses to include image alt text capability. For miniatures, condition rings may be color-coded or use embossed text, which gives the same accessibility issues.

So we offer plain text versions of our products and audio and ePub for most, plus the Lair, our online compendium that’s accessible to browser tools and screen readers and offers the most affordable option to access all of our content.

For miniatures, we’ve included condition monitors as bases that give visual and tactile indications of their meaning, and as bases, they’re easy to use—players just set the mini on the base. The bottom of each base also has a braille label as an additional accessibility measure.

Access the Discount

Through the month of August 2023, the Limitless Champions miniatures are available at Kickstarter prices, which is the lowest price we can offer. We hope you love them as much as we do.

Find them all at our store.

Dale interviews Bill Lemmond, a passionate gamer and comic artist. Bill shares his personal story of how tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) have played a pivotal role in transforming his life, from finding joy and relaxation to overcoming depression and pursuing education. Discover the power of gaming to create a supportive community, foster creativity, and provide a much-needed escape. Join us as we explore the impact of TTRPGs on mental well-being and the importance of inclusivity and fun in gaming.

0:00 Introduction: Limitless Champions Update
01:35 Interview: Bill Lemmond
51:30 Patreon Showcase & Closing

Manually captioned. Transcript available at our website.

Bill Lemmond Links

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/PastshelfdateJr 

Wyrmworks Publishing

• The Lair: https://cutt.ly/LairYT 
• Wyrmworks Publishing: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com

Dale interviews Drew Wale about the Dretelia campaign setting, which is based on his chronic illness,  and the importance of vulnerability and authenticity in creating meaningful and resonant tabletop roleplaying games. We discuss how drawing on personal experiences and emotions can help to create more engaging and immersive worlds, and how being open and honest about our own struggles can help to create a more welcoming and inclusive gaming community. 

0:00 Introduction: Help caption the D&D cartoon
03:51 Interview: Drew Wale and Dretelia Campaign Setting
50:07 Patreon Showcase & closing

Manually captioned. Transcript available at our website.

Drew Wale Links

• Dretelia Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dretelia/dretelia-campaign-setting-for-dandd-5e 
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/strongestbunny3 

Wyrmworks Publishing

• The Dragon’s Hoard Email Subscription: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com/hoard
• Help caption the D&D Cartoon: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com/help-caption-the-dungeons-dragons-cartoon/ 
• Reddit Blackout: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com/reddit-ipo-reddit-banishes-the-disabled-community/ 
• The Lair: https://cutt.ly/LairYT 
• Wyrmworks Publishing: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com

Reddit is preparing to go public, which means they need to demonstrate profit to potential stockholders. But profit and control comes at a cost, as we in the TTRPG community know all too well. Their recent API pricing changes have ignited a battle for equal access. It’s time to roll initiative once again.

Impact on the TTRPG Community

The TTRPG community thrives on collaboration, creativity, and diverse perspectives. Reddit has been a vital platform for building real-world adventuring parties of every kind. With the API pricing changes, the TTRPG community faces significant challenges:

• Limited Customization: Third-party apps, like Apollo and Dystopia, have allowed TTRPG fans to personalize their Reddit experience like a homebrew fantasy world. These tools have facilitated streamlined access to TTRPG-specific subreddits, making it easier to find relevant discussions, game advice, and homebrew content.
• Community Engagement: Third-party apps offer advanced features for interacting with Reddit, including real-time notifications, improved search functions, and intuitive interfaces. This gives TTRPG fans Advantage to engage in discussions, seek advice, and collaborate on projects.
• Accessibility Barriers: Many TTRPG players with disabilities rely on third-party apps to overcome the accessibility Wall of Force in the official Reddit apps and interfaces. The loss of these apps will limit their ability to participate fully in TTRPG communities and access valuable resources.

Broader Impact on Disabled Individuals

While the TTRPG community is directly affected, it is essential to recognize that the API changes have an even greater impact on various disabled individuals:

• Visually Impaired Community: Blind and visually impaired individuals heavily rely on third-party apps to access Reddit content through assistive technologies. These apps provide the necessary features for screen readers, alternative text, and other accessibility enhancements that enable equal participation.
• Transcribers and Describers: Reddit is home to numerous volunteer groups dedicated to transcribing and describing images for alt text, making visual content accessible to individuals with visual impairments. The loss of third-party apps may hinder the crucial work of these groups, resulting in a significant loss of accessibility for the broader Reddit community.
• Other Disability Communities: The API changes resonate beyond the visually impaired community. Individuals with motor disabilities, cognitive impairments, or other disabilities may also rely on third-party apps (or hope for new ones that give them better access) to navigate Reddit more efficiently and effectively. The loss of these apps would create additional barriers to access and participation for these individuals.

Unifying for Accessibility and Inclusion

To ensure that the TTRPG community and disabled individuals continue to thrive on Reddit, collective action is vital. By joining forces and advocating for accessibility, we can make a difference:

• Amplify Voices: Share the stories and experiences of TTRPG players and disabled individuals affected by these API changes. Spread the word through your social circles like chain lightning.
• Join the Blackout: Join and follow r/Save3rdPartyApps to learn more, or, if you moderate a subreddit, its sister sub r/ModCoord. Read about the upcoming Blackout on June 12–14, and plan to participate. (And find more suggestions)
• Message Your Mods: Encourage the mods of your favorite subreddits to join the Blackout.
• Seek Media Attention: This change comes on the heels of Reddit’s IPO announcement like a sycophantic imp chasing an arch-devil. Will potential stockholders want to support a company that has received media attention for knowingly making recent discriminatory choices?

It’s time to stand together to ensure that Reddit remains an inclusive platform for all, fostering creativity, collaboration, and accessibility within the TTRPG community and beyond.

Dale interviews Hunter Goetzman, the creator of Mercury Adventure Club, a TTRPG club and summer day camp that uses tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons to empower kids. The camp aims to provide a low-cost and accessible way for children to learn and enjoy the game while building a supportive community. Hunter discusses the benefits of introducing kids to gaming, the structure of the camp, and the positive impact it can have on their lives. The episode also highlights the Limitless Champions Kickstarter campaign, which aims to create a diverse collection of disabled fantasy game miniatures to promote inclusion in the gaming industry. 

0:00 Introduction: Limitless Champions Update
05:21 Interview: Hunter Goetzman of Mercury Adventure Club
35:09 Patreon Showcase & closing

Manually captioned. Transcript available at our website.

Hunter Goetzman Links

• Mercury Adventure Club: https://mercuryadventureclub.com 

Wyrmworks Publishing

• Limitless Champions: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wyrmworkspublishing/limitless-champions-disabled-dandd-5e-npc-cards-and-miniatures?ref=d7yy50 
• The Lair: https://cutt.ly/LairYT 
• Wyrmworks Publishing: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com

Disabilities and chronic conditions are isolating. For us, any kind of social life is a unicorn. As Briana describes at The Daily Disability,

The more my health problems grew, the harder it was to find a community that I felt like I fit in to. I joined group after group in hopes of finding a few that would help how I was feeling. I ended up not even being able to join discussions in one of the groups, because I didn’t have close relationships with anyone in the group. It was very disheartening.

Even when we have a free block of time that could be spent with friends,

• My ADHD and hearing loss make parties, conventions, crowded restaurants, and anywhere else with a lot of noise nearly impossible to navigate, as I can’t filter one voice from another.
• Other neurodivergent traits and mental illness in my family lead to disdainful looks and disparaging comments from the public.
• Potential friends ghost us when they get a taste of the chaos that is our life, unable to handle the stress.
• Neighbors avoid us.

You might be experiencing stress just reading this list.

But aside from our church, the one environment I’ve found welcoming is the tabletop roleplaying game community, at least the ones I’ve facilitated. Here’s how that magic works:

Enchanting Communities

While the enchantment school of magic tends to focus more on manipulating people, there’s power in making a roleplaying game community charming. An accessible environment communicates a welcoming atmosphere. Proactively designing an environment considers a wide range of access needs.

• Consider diverse mobility needs. Do people have space to move?
• How does your environment affect those with sensory needs, such as sensitivity to noise?
• Do you allow electronic character sheets and other assistive technology? 
• Do you meet in a place that’s financially prohibitive to people on limited budgets, like a restaurant or a FLGS with a cover charge?
• Do you exclude people like us from your game world? (Check out Limitless Champions as a way to add that representation.)

Evoking Trust

You can say you’re welcoming, but we’ve been targets of Vicious Mockery before, so you’ll need more than one successful Charisma check to gain our trust. So be patient with us if we seem reserved or aloof. It’s not arrogance. It’s caution. If you want people to feel like they can relax and truly have fun at your table, allow time for that to happen.

• We may ask for less than we need, worried about how willing you are to coexist with us and being used to settling for less.
• We want to be treated like any other member of the party, but don’t ignore our traits and degrees of ability, either. That is, we want to be accepted as we are, neither expecting us to be someone else nor treating us as inspirations.
• When things get inconvenient for you, but you roll with it like you would any other friend’s needs, then we start to trust, but we all move at a different rate on that scale.

Conjuring Community

So you have a welcoming and inclusive environment, but we’re still sitting at home, reluctant to put ourselves out there. We may never know about you, and we’re probably not looking, because you’re a unicorn.

• Join local online communities, and mention inclusion and representation. Demonstrate that you’re an ally.
• If you play at an FLGS, put a copy of Limitless Heroics on the corner of the table.
• Post flyers on LFG boards at your FLGS. Include a note that you’re accessible.

Friendship Necromancy

We may believe that the idea of social connections or even friendships is dead, that it would truly take some magic to change that. But by creating inclusive and welcoming spaces, we can create environments that truly communicate that D&D is for everyone.