The Manifesto 🌑 1 December 2024

December always feels like the perfect time to hit pause, recalibrate, and gear up for a fresh start. This year, I’m using the month to wrestle with some behind-the-scenes chaos, mostly the kind that comes down to me getting in my own way. There’s always this feeling of too many variables, like we’re all bracing for whatever the new year might toss our way.

While I’d love nothing more than a stable footing, a predictable way to plan and execute projects, the reality is that constant change is the new normal. The world shifts, the bills keep showing up, and adaptability is the only plan that works. So, I’m focusing on setting things up to roll with the punches, no matter what 2025 decides to do.

But let’s keep things on the brighter side, the newness of whatever this world is now, the potential in the face of uncertainty and undoubted adversity, and a clean slate for a new year. There’s a lot to look forward to, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Here’s to making December count and heading into January ready for anything.

I hope you’re doing well today.

Berin

Keeping Things Interesting

Full disclosure: the current shift toward the Occult and Christmas projects isn’t some last-minute pivot. This has been simmering for a while. The Christmas content? Pretty self-explanatory. Most holiday/roleplaying mashups leave me cold. They’re too one-note, and jokey, and feel like they were jammed into a setting where they don’t fit. Please, as someone guilty of statting up Krampus for various game systems, I beg of you to stop. Just stop.

I want to explore the tones and themes of the season in a way that respects history, tradition, and culture. And yes, it’s purely secular because I’m not interested in either entertaining or offending the pitchfork crowd. This is me being earnest. There’s so much untapped potential in these stories without trying to cram Santa (or the other “reason for the season” guy) into places he doesn’t belong. 

There’s so much to work with. Peace on Earth. Goodwill toward everyone. Kindness. Friends and family. Forgiveness and redemption. The warmth of hearth and home. Coming together for the common good. Feeding the hungry, helping the poor, healing the sick, welcoming the stranger, and treating the least among us with compassion, empathy, and love. Those themes are, or should be, universal and are much needed right now.

Now, the Occult line? That’s where I get to indulge my punk side. I think the material is great, and fun, and has a lot of potential at your tabletop. I also know the kind of people this will upset. I want to upset them. If you’ve been paying attention to the world, you know why. And if you’re one of them, well, cry harder. Sorry not sorry, as the youth used to say. Let me leave you with a little inspiration from The Wild One (1954):

Mildred: Hey Johnny, what are you rebelling against?
Johnny: Whadda you got?

I’ve got plenty. Stay tuned.

Latest Releases

Here’s what’s new in the Lightspress shop this week!

Christmas Academia

Tired of roleplaying Christmas content that feels like a bargain bin of monsters, puns, and half-baked seasonal gags? Me too. That’s why I wrote Christmas Academia, a sourcebook designed to give your roleplaying sessions a thoughtful, layered take on the holiday season. Instead of leaning on lazy tropes or overplayed gimmicks, this book captures the true spirit of Christmas through secular and cultural celebrations, wrapped in the brooding, melancholic tone of contemporary dark academia. No bright-eyed Santas or overstuffed elves here, this is the season as you've always wanted to explore it: reflective, complex, and deeply human. Read More

Occult Academia

Occult Academia is a fresh take on the dark academia genre, designed for those who crave a more grounded, intellectual approach to occultism in roleplaying. If you’re tired of the same old clichéd monsters and eye-roll-worthy puns that dominate most occult-themed content, this book offers something entirely different.

Let’s be real. Most attempts to bring historical occult topics into roleplaying either get bogged down by stereotypes or drown in the ridiculous. Occult Academia sidesteps all that by sticking to established traditions and focusing on the spirit of occultism rather than recycling tired tropes. It avoids heavy-handed religious themes (because, honestly, that’s not what we’re here for), and instead zeroes in on the elements that make occultism, both real and fictional, so fascinating: mystery, intellectual pursuit, secrecy, and, of course, the darker side of human nature. Read More

Christmas Fantasy

Let’s face it, most attempts to bring Christmas into roleplaying either lean too hard into cheesy monster encounters or drown in pun-filled gags that aren’t nearly as charming as the creators think. If you've had enough of that and want something that truly captures the spirit of Christmas without getting bogged down in the usual tropes, then Christmas Fantasy might just be what you’ve been waiting for.

This book isn’t about Santa or reindeer, or any other religious iconography, for that matter (I’m sure we all can guess why). Instead, it's focused on the heart and soul of secular and cultural celebrations that surround the holiday. Forget the overdone clichés. What Christmas Fantasy brings to the table is a fresh take on the season that’s still unmistakably festive. It's about that special vibe: the glow of the season, the warmth of shared traditions, and the simple joy of coming together. And I’m doing it without hitting you over the head with garish decorations or tiresome jokes. Read More

Occult Fantasy

Occult Fantasy is your next obsession if you crave dark, serious roleplaying that dives into the depths of forbidden knowledge and personal struggle. This isn't a hack-and-slash dungeon crawl. It's a story-focused, character-driven experience where the choices you make ripple through the narrative, shaping everything from your character's arc to the world around them. If you're looking for a setting that demands investment, where every secret uncovered adds layers of intrigue and every decision carries weight, this is it. Read More

Redeeming Alignment

This book tackles the beast head-on by taking alignment and tying it directly to mechanics, finally making it more than an abstract thought exercise. The goal isn’t to throw out the baby with the bathwater but to give the system a reason to exist beyond its historical baggage. Concepts like Good, Evil, order, and Chaos are hugely subjective, shaped by cultural biases and misinterpretations. Too often, alignment has been wielded not as a tool for roleplaying but as a blunt instrument to justify bad behavior or reinforce tired stereotypes. This book aims to redeem it, literally and figuratively. Read More

Thank You

Thank you for joining us as we embark on new journeys together. Your support brings fresh energy to our work, letting us plant new seeds of creativity and inspiration. Here’s to beginnings, ideas taking root, and the possibilities ahead. We’re grateful to have you along.

This week’s discount code is YULETIDE. Use it to enjoy 25% off your orders at the Lightspress shop until the end of December.

Our next issue will be released on the day of the next first quarter moon. See you then, and as always, I hope you’re doing well today and always.

The Manifesto is the official source for news on upcoming releases, articles and opinions, and assorted ramblings on our games and our philosophy of roleplaying. New issues are released four times a month, on the new moon, first quarter moon, full moon, and last quarter moon, with special quarterly issues for each equinox and solstice. Stay connected and subscribe to The Manifesto now!

Lightspress promotes a simple approach to roleplaying, focusing on the utility and value of the content rather than flashy production. We strategically employ visual elements to amplify the message conveyed by the text, allowing us to create powerful and affordable toolkits. Remember, the true essence of the roleplaying experience lies not within the pages of a book, but in the creativity and collaboration fostered around your tabletop.