...But that doesn't mean it gets better.

Nox Valar is the plane betwixt, the city after death, the labyrinth of possibility—and for the souls that are stuck there, the stakes have never been higher. 

The threads of a vast conspiracy that could topple gods and damn eternities have begun to unravel, and right in the midst of it somebody has sprung Thrace's immortal-death-wizard-ex from her unbreakable prison and set her on his tail. 

Devil's Gambit is book 2 in the Streets of Nox Valar, a direct sequel to 2024's The Memory Thief.

I'm C.D. Corrigan — author, artist, game designer, and furball father. These stories (and more!) take place in the universe of The Black Ballad and The Red Opera, a sprawling backdrop for tabletop games, novels, and more that it has been my pleasure to help build alongside Storyteller's Forge.

Looking to catch up? Look no further! Both The Memory Thief and The Black Ballad are available in multiple formats as add-ons for this campaign. 

Hey, you know what'd be pretty cool? Go back my buddy (and Black Ballad writer) Rick's Printopia project as well, and you can snag one of our latest creations:

The Red Opera: Forsaken Pacts is a brand new adventure from Storytellers Forge, a full 67 page pdf set within the Shadelands where you take on the role of Debt Collectors against Warlocks and Patrons both to break some knees over those who have... forgotten what they signed up for. 

Be Judge, Jury, and Executioner in this 6-7 game session short story! 

Ugh, fine.

Please go to the next section, I will wither if I am perceived further. 

(It's "dollars," what did you think?)

If you've ever wondered what it takes to get a book from word doc to shelf, it goes something like this:

Editor(s), layout, typeset, cover art, editor(s) again, printers, proofs, corrections, marketing, freight, distribution, platform and listing fees, narrators, editor (audio this time), and then you hope someone reads it because that all cost something like $10-15,000 and you haven't made a dime for writing it yet.

Supporting me through funding like this takes the edge off of that process, and frees me up to spend less time chasing freelance work and more time creating cool stuff.

And any extra gets turned into puppy treats.

Don't disappoint the puppy.

Printopia hit while Devil's Gambit was still being drafted, so it's a little tricky to predict exactly how all those other steps above are going to unfold at the moment. However as a general rule of thumb I'm expecting this book to head out to backers about twelve months from now. Sometimes the stars align and those steps go smoother than usual, but I'd rather surprise you with good news than send out a "sorry, there's a delay" update.