BARBARIAN NATION

Welcome to Barbarian Nation, our new feature. Herein you will come to know other individuals who have boldly devoted their time and creativity toward the noble task of spreading the Way of the Barbarian, each according to their own talents and inclinations

STEVEN TRUSTRUM

Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian certainly inspired and influenced my life and that of my mate. The Barbarian Chronicles is our way of sharing our passion with the world. There are others whose feelings run just as deep and whose dedication is just as strong. One such individual is Steven Trustrum, President of Misfit Studios and creator of the OGL Barbarian gaming system.

 

Thor: You give your nickname as 'Conan' and your personal website is called 'Cimmeria'. I'm guessing that you too have been greatly inspired by Robert E. Howard's immortal creation.

Steven: Oh yeah. My first exposure to Conan was as a kid through a collection of comics my uncle had but I didn’t really go much beyond that at first. At eight or so I began reading HP Lovecraft and discovered RE Howard’s original material through the connection the two authors shared. Although my appreciation and enjoyment of Howard’s Conan has always stuck with me (as one can guess based on my personal web site’s name), the nickname actually comes from the way I played hockey rather than from my choice of reading material.

Thor: What destiny led you to become a freelance sword-for-hire in the gaming industry?

Steven: My first foray into the rpg world began as with a brief submission to Palladium Book’s first “Rifter.” If I recall correctly, it was just a few super powers I quickly cobbled together.

Thor: Tell us about some of your early exploits.

Steven: Although I was thrilled to see my work printed, I wasn’t actually proud of the work I submitted. The piece took me about ten minutes and was rushed because of my university exams. Honestly, I was shocked to see it was accepted, let alone that everything else I submitted made the cut. Shortly after my submission for Rifter #5 was sent in, I was jokingly asked to write some full manuscripts to give other writers a shot at the limited space in the Rifter.

From there I did a few full manuscripts, but things did not work out between Palladium and me, and I almost left the industry before I truly got started because of the sour experience. Thankfully, some friends convinced me to try other companies and I soon began answering open calls for d20 material, which saw some contributions to companies like Atlas Games, Eden Studios and Green Ronin.

Thor: And then you became king by your own hand, forming Misfit Studios.

Steven: Yep, made a king by my own hand (wink, wink, nod, nod)!

There was not much more to Misfit Studios’ origins beyond a bunch of friends pressuring me to produce my own stuff because they knew I was tired of freelancing only to see publishers put the project on hold or can it altogether for various reasons. Although this is common enough in the industry, it does not make it any less frustrating for a freelancer with a day job who has to spend the few remaining hours left him wisely. The time wasted in this manner was beginning to pile up and I was becoming extremely frustrated.

One night when I was extremely upset after having a less than encouraging talk with a publisher, I ended up speaking with Tom Veitch (author of the cult classic comic book series “The Light and Darkness Wars.”) I’d asked him about working together on bringing one of his projects out as a rpg and he suggested what my friends had been telling me for ages: start up my own company. That was the final push I needed.

I had recently reconnected with Bill Coffin (of Palladium Books fame) and we began talking about some joint projects. Soon after Bill told me he was going to step away from the industry for a while for personal reasons, but he not before he and I brainstormed company names back and forth, finally arriving at “Misfit Studios.”

Thor: Do you actually see yourself and those you lead as misfits? If yes, how so?

Steven: By Crom, yes! For me, it’s all about having fun and enjoying publishing my own stuff. That’s not to say I don’t take running Misfit Studios seriously, but I don’t take it SERIOUSLY, if you catch my drift. It’s still all about having a good time.

For me, the whole thing has to be just another facet of the game or I’d go nuts from it all. Even a (currently) small operator such as myself can easily become overwhelmed with everything that’s involved with running a small business, and if you begin to take it too seriously you’ll go crazy. This means I write the kind of products I want to write. I want to produce the kind of product that is as fun to create as it is for my customers to play. There are a number of projects I started working on for Misfit Studios that I ended up dropping before even bringing them to anyone else’s attention (including the other misfits) because I wasn’t having fun working on them. If I can’t put my heart into writing the project how can I be certain people will be getting the best quality and the most fun out of my work?

The artists working with Misfit Studios seem to have latched onto this when dealing with me on my projects. I’d like to think they all know that I listen to and value their opinions, and when we’re not being serious about our work we’re cracking jokes at each other behind the scenes. The Misfit Studios message boards have an entirely private layer that is only open to the misfits, and if some of the stuff that went on back there ever went public the gaming world would think we all went bonkers. For a taste of this insanity, just look at the board avatars for Jon Hodgson and Scott Purdy. Those two definitely have a few screws loose and I love that about them. Scott Johnson has also been known to have some fun at my expense with his mastery of Photoshop, but it definitely keeps things fun and light-hearted.

Running a business in such a manner may not make sense to everyone – I know it strikes some as extremely naïve and half-hearted – but I wouldn’t run it any other way.

Thor: How does it feel, being the Big Cheese?

Steven: It’s a blast – I’ve yet to experience anything quite like being my own boss (even in a small company.) There are worries, of course, especially when first starting up. It sucks knowing you have to spend this and that money to get things underway, especially when taking one’s time to keep the initial mistakes to a minimum. The logistics of a start-up are also a huge pain, especially when you are not able to devote all their time to it because there’s still that pesky day job that’s paying for everything. That’s a lot of stress to put up with, but it’s definitely worth it when the product starts hitting the shelves (or the download page, as the case may be.)

Now that Misfit Studios has finally started with our first products, with a LOT more already in the works, much of that stress is disappearing to be replaced with the joy of putting out something I can take pride in. I can look at Misfit Studios’ products and think to myself “I did that. I brought that to market and people are buying it!” Few things compare to that feeling.

It’s also a huge rush to see sales come in because there’s always that realization that someone thinks something you’ve done is worth paying for. Sure, that feeling is there while freelancing, but it’s not the same. As a freelancer, you get paid the same regardless of the publisher’s risk, so the exhilaration and anticipation that comes from being the Big Cheese is far superior. In fact, I’m giggling like a giddy school girl right now!

Considering it’s been this fun so far, I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for Misfit Studios and our customers.

Thor: OGL Barbarian, a wothy endeavor. How can rogue freelancers get involved?

Steven: Currently, most of the OGL Barbarian work is being done entirely in-house by myself and Shawn Richter, my overworked primary artist and fellow Torontonian. However, because I’ve got more projects than either I or Shawn can handle, I’ve asked Jason Vey (yet another person I met during my Palladium Books days) to step in and lend a hand with some writing. I also recently made an open call for art to help Shawn before the poor guy passes out from all the whippings I lay on him to keep him awake at his art table.

Thor: What is your vision for OGL Barbarian?

Steven: Right up to the horizon and beyond. The rules are great to play and work with, and the atmosphere within which they are meant to operate is a bounty of potential. I want to keep putting out products that will mesh with OGL Barbarian settings and inspire people as some of the feedback Misfit Studios has received seems to indicate we’re doing. So long as customers like what we produce and keep the OGL Barbarian product line sustainable, I don’t foresee it going anywhere but up.

Thor: Your initial entries into the arena, the Prestige Classes Hawkeye and Sea Devil (available from RPG Now) whetted my appetite for more. When are the Child of Set and Fields of Barbarism coming out?

Fields of Barbarism, on the other hand, does not yet have a release date. I definitely do not want to get into the bad habit of giving a release date and then blowing right through it. The only reason I announced it so early was because I needed to probe the public for playtesters, and I didn’t want to throw such a call out without providing everyone a glimpse at what to expect. Personally, I think Eden Studios’ Fields of Blood system is the best d20 mass combat system going, so I was obviously pleased when Alex Jurkat (of Eden) gave me permission to use the trademark and declare compatibility with Fields of Barbarism.

Because I think so highly of Fields of Blood, though, I refuse to rush Fields of Barbarism to market. I’m taking special care while writing this manuscript and I’m going to put it through its paces with the playtesters so it will be the best I can make it, in true Howardian fashion.

Thor: What other OGL Barbarian products can we look forward to in the months ahead?

Steven: The PrCs are going to keep coming, although I’ll likely experiment a bit with how I bring them to market. Prestige classes are a good way to enhance a setting’s atmosphere at little cost to the customer because each class requires the Gamemaster to consider new possibilities when figuring out how they will fit into their game. Aside from that and Fields of Barbarism, I’m also working on some adventures and a bestiary, not to mention converting the entire SRD spellbook over to OGL Barbarian format and sorcery styles. Beyond that, we’ll have to see how things go because there are other, non-OGL Barbarian products also planned in the future so time will have to be devoted to those. OGL Barbarian won’t be forgotten, however, because my love for Howard’s work won’t let me leave the barbaric stuff alone for too long.

Thor: Tell us about World Not Known (and any other upcoming product lines).

Steven: The World Not Known is a superhero setting that will see print through Guardians of Order’s Magnum Opus program, but will also include MnM Superlink and HERO System rules. Essentially, the setting is a world that has evolved with a history full of beings with super powers rather than having superheroes and supervillains appear within the last century or so, as is typical of most comic book settings. To do this, all of history is being warped to answer the question of “what would this event have been like if superbeings had been present?” A lot of thought and research is going into it so that the answers to this question will be more realistic than can be found in a typical “four color” superhero setting. The World Not Known will definitely hold some surprises for readers.

Also in the works are some follow-up products for SpirosBlaak, the setting I wrote with Christina Stiles and that is finally seeing print thanks to Chris Pramas and Green Ronin. The entire book (well, okay, not the art) is Open Game Content as an experiment so anyone can produce material for the setting, but Misfit Studios will definitely be the first to do so. Current plans include an expansion for the book’s blackpowder weapon rules, which will include more firearms, more cannons and will introduce medieval mortars and rockets, along with some other choice goodies. Other products will likely include a monster book, adventures and write-ups for all of SpirosBlaak’s communities.

Other stuff is certainly being planned, including a license or two, but those projects are so far down the road I don’t want to give anything away prematurely.

Steven: Getting your foot in the door can be difficult, but keep at it until someone gives you a shot. Once that door is open, though, don’t settle. Certainly, there are sacrifices you’ll have to make when getting started, but don’t let those sacrifices define you or your work. Always keep your sights on where you want to end up in the industry and keep pushing and crawling your way towards that goal.

Never lose sight of why you’re doing it, however. I strongly believe that if you’re not having fun you should find a better way to spend your time because few people have ever become wealthy in the rpg industry.

Thor: Thank you Steven! I look forward to your future releases and wish you great success.

Afterword: There can never be enough quality Sword & Sorcery out there. Misfit Studios has boldly claimed their niche. We'll be examining the initial releases for OGL Barbarian below. To find out more about Misfit Studios and their excellent products: ; to find out more about OGL Barbarian: http://www.misfit-studios.com/oglbarb.html.

OGL BARBARIAN

 

Thor: And tell us about yourself. What do you do when not moderating the group?

Terry: We'll I'm 53 this year so I guess I'm becoming one of the elder statesmen these days LOL . I used to be involved in the print production world for many years , copy writing , editing , proof-reading etc. then I guess I had a mid- life crises and left the rat race . I'm a Postman / Mailman now so though I have an early start it gives me time to mess around on the computer in the afternoons . Reading , listening to music - mainly Santana , and another great Texan Johnny Winter , watching soccer , cricket and generally messing around the house , doing housework , and the cooking before wife and son arrive home.

Thor: You've managed to gather together a wide range of passionate and opinionated people: fans, collectors, scholars and industry professionals. How did you accomplish it?

Terry: Well some of the members came over from other Howard or comics groups when I announced it . Then I spent time trawling the comics boards , checking out threads about the new comic and stared inviting people over . I still do it occasionally when new threads appear - Red Sonja ones at the moment , as well as any new members who appear on groups etc.

Thor: The original mission of the group was to discuss REH inspired comics, it seems to have grown way beyond that...

Terry: It had two missions really from the outset . Discuss the comics yes , but also if any of those fans wanted to know more about Howard's original stories point them in the right direction . Thankfully , as I haven't studied Howard in depth like many of the Howard fans , there are a number of very knowledgeable members , associated with the new Wandering Star , Bison etc books on the group .

Thor: How many hours a day do you devote to the group?

Terry: Probably only an hour or so now on the Group . It was more in the early days . Of course I'm usually popping into the other groups / boards or news sites too , looking for information I can pass on so that's probably another hour or two each day as well

Thor: What aspects of your group make it all worthwhile?

Terry: Just hearing that someone has read a Howard story for the first time and enjoyed it and is looking for more .

Of course the real hope is that we find the next Rusty Burke somewhere . Rusty is generally acknowledged to be one of the top Howard scholars around and he found Howard through the comics too . Some Howard fans still look down on the comics , along with the pastiches and films , but they were instrumental in bringing people like Rusty into Howard fandom

Thor: What is your vision for the group's future?

Terry: Spreading the word as much as it can . I think that with new Conan projects and the Red Sonja book a lot more readers will be picking up Howard inspired comics for the first time and hopefully will want to find out more about their creator .

Thor: How can people find out more about, or join, your group?

Terry: Well it's in the Yahoo directory so a search there , or on Google and one or two other search engines usually brings us up.

Thor: What other Robert E. Howard forums can you recommend?

Terry: For anyone who really wants to get into the serious side of Howard fandom two of the other Yahoo Groups http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rehinnercircle and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BEYONDTHEBLACKRIVER_ROBERT_E_HOWARD.
In comparison to them , at times , the comic group is more Howard Lite , but we are a useful stepping stone . Dark Horse Comics has it's own board of course . The official Conan board www.conan.com is also now , under the new Conan Properties , promoting Howard's vision of Conan , and his other works , while still supporting the film , pastiche gaming side of the franchise . There's obviously quite a bit of cross-over at times but the more groups/sites out there means that anyone interested should stumble across one of us at least.

Thor: Do you have any advice for those wishing to start their own themed online groups?

Terry: Be committed . You must promote it else it'll just stagnate . There's always quiet times , after awhile ask questions , post topics to encourage people . But be aware that many just like to lurk and pick up information. There are between about 12 - 15 Howard related Yahoo groups , mainly Conan , but the only chat you'll find is on the comic group , Innercircle or Black River.

Thor: Thank you Terry. Keep up the great work!

Afterword: I recommend this group very highly to anyone who has a passion for Robert E. Howard. You will definitely meet lots of kindred souls who share your passion and will greatly increase your awareness of the emerging Howard renaissance. To join: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheREHcomicsgroup/

Thrud, after a period of obscure wandering, has returned triumphant and now stars in his own 24 page color comic. True to his roots, he also adventures in the pages of Valkyrie Quarterly, an indie gaming magazine http://www.caliverbooks.com/valk%20website/vmain.shtml.

Thrud, as befits a classic barbarian hero, overcomes all obstacles that stand in his way. He is not deterred by any force, great or small, as he single-mindedly quests for the next pub. Such persistence is to be admired and emulated.

In Issue # 2: Ice & A Slice, Trud joins a scholar and his apprentice on a quest for a magical elixir. The perils of a frozen wasteland and the eldritch science of an ancient civilization prove no match for Thrud's axe.

Among all the other arctic wonders contained herein, there is a hilarious homage to Reboert E. Howard's The Frost Giant's Daughter.

More than a loss in trade and tourism revenues is at stake: How long could it be before the deprived Lava Lord demands to be fed? What else is there to feast on save the flesh of the bazaar's few remaining inhabitants?

Hither comes Thrud, great axe in beefy hand, horned helm on diminutive brow. His fate is joined to the doom of Kodin Baatar... alas, the perils of drinking bad beer! Were saving a doomed city and facing down an elemental evil with an army of slavish imps his only concerns our hero would certainly triumph without breaking into a sweat... but no one expected The Black Currant to intervene!

By the sacred jockstrap of Robert E. Howard, We eagerly look forward to the future adventures of Thrud!