The Manifesto | 20 October

Here’s what’s new this week:

This Week’s Discount Code: TYRANNUS

What? It’s a reference to a new book we just released. Why, is there something else going on that makes your mind go there? Use this code at checkout to save 20% on any purchase from the Lightspress shop through 5 November, 2024.

Artificer Character Handbook

The Simple Approach Edition November 2024

Unlike other materials that feel like a collection of disconnected options, the Artificer Character Handbook offers a deep dive into the creative minds of these characters. This isn’t a guy with a wrench and a scroll. We’re talking inventors whose very existence shifts the course of the story. Every blueprint, every miscalculation, and every invention-gone-wrong has consequences, for better or worse. And you, yes, you, are the one driving those decisions. Read More

Character Death

Character Death flips the script on the idea that death is some sacred element in roleplaying, and we’re going to do it with a good dose of sarcasm and just enough rage to make it interesting. Character death in roleplaying games is one of those tired, old tropes that should’ve been put to rest years ago, yet somehow it keeps staggering back to life like a zombie that just won’t quit. Well, this book is here to take that zombie out once with a head shot and for all. It’s time we stopped pretending that killing off characters is the only way to create drama or consequences. Read More

Adversaria Tyrannus

Adversaria Tyrannus is the villain sourcebook you’ve been waiting for, if you’re in the market for oppressive, authoritarian antagonists who make you feel more than a little too uncomfortable. This is not your typical mustache-twirling evil-doers' club. These are villains who serve a regime that's both horrifying and unsettlingly close to real-world horrors, even if you’re running a heroic fantasy setting. Whether you’re a fan of dark dystopian fiction or just someone who needs fresh yet disturbingly familiar enemies, this book will twist the knife in your expectations.

Adversaria Tyrannus dives deep into the mindsets that create these villains, showing how an authoritarian state grinds people down, corrupts ideals, and shapes monsters out of mortals. They aren’t just out for power, they’re enforcing a nightmare system that thrives on obedience, fear, and a complete disregard for human decency. Some serve out of loyalty, others out of fear, and a few because they genuinely believe they’re doing the right thing. That’s what makes them truly terrifying: they’re committed to the cause.

Perfect for fans of dark, dystopian horror, Adversaria Tyrannus is a must-have for anyone looking to push their heroic fantasy roleplaying campaign into the shadows. These villains won’t just test your players’ combat skills, they’ll test their convictions. Read More

Historia Transfiguri

Historia Transfiguri is a wild ride through myths, legends, and the bizarre missteps of early 20th-century scholarship, taking its cues from Frank Hamel’s Human Animals (1915). What starts as an exploration of shapeshifters, humans becoming animals and vice versa, quickly veers off into the deep end of the paranormal pool. Witches, ghosts, and all manner of creepy nocturnal things make their way into the mix. You might think you're getting a collection of folklore, but Hamel has other plans, none of which involve sticking to the topic. Read More