TTRPG Community Interview with Moss Powers

Hey there and welcome to another TTRPG Community interview! These are low key, prewritten interviews which are available to fill out on this page. If you are a part of the TTRPG space in almost any way at all, there should be something for you!

Today, we're hearing from Moss Powers, a TTRPG Writer/Creator at Brewist Tabletop Games!

Please introduce yourself and the content you create!

Hi! I’m Moss, I’m a ttrpg designer and occasionally design board games as well. I work with a small team under the banner Brewist Tabletop Games. I’ve been designing games since 2017, but I’ve only recently entered the ttrpg space online, I’d say within the last year and a half.

How did you get started making TTRPG content? What motivated you to begin?

I was actually inspired initially by a project from Hit Point Press called Humblewood. I was a longtime GM and a writer, and I thought to myself… Wow! There’s a huge community for third party D&D stuff. I could do that! Then, right as the pandemic hit, I had all this free time, as my job had furloughed me, so I put together a small team, and we started designing a D&D setting. About a year into that process, I got overwhelmed by the scope of what we’d been working on, and needed something accomplished to celebrate a small win. I made a small indie game over the course of a month, and released it shortly after. I’ve since been completely into the indie TTRPG scene, and haven’t finished our D&D supplement. I’m not sure we ever will, and that’s ok. It jumpstarted this journey in a great way.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

All sorts of things. Most of my games have some kind of theme personal to how I feel about the world. I have games critical of capitalism, games about my fear of mortality or illness, and another one upcoming about my experience with organized religion. I also have some lighthearted stuff, but even that carries themes and subtext. I majored in English during college, so I’m absolutely loading my games with symbolism and analogies.

What was the first thing you ever made? Are you still proud of it?

I made a quirky 5 minute card game in 2017 that I’m actually immensely proud of. It’s very good. I’m going to rerelease it some day with better art and updates. If you’re talking TTRPGs, Trashtronautica was my first finished project, the one I mentioned helped me move into indie design. It’s about urban animals in space, and it’s a blast. I know your game Trash Pals had some similar stuff in it, although they’re radically different games. Still absolutely love Trashtronautica, and it’s sure to get a remastered edition someday.

What's your favourite TTRPG system to create content for?

I mostly design in my own systems. I’ve done one Caltrop Core game, but otherwise all my games are original to my designs. I’ve always wanted to design a LUMEN game though. NOVA is one of my favorite games, and Spencer Campbell is a fantastic designer.

What other TTRPG systems do you enjoy playing?

I love all sorts of games, but I really favor low prep games that take the burden of play off the gm’s shoulders. GM light or GMless games are my preference, so I gravitate toward a lot of Belonging Outside Belonging games, and also love the designs of Grant Howitt. His work with rules light systems is incredible. Some of my favorite overall games are Sleepaway, by Possum Creek Games, Warrior Poet, by Grant Howitt, and Pokémon Tales, by Iron Echo Games.

AI has proved to have a huge impact on the TTRPG community. As succinctly as possible, what is your general opinion on the use of AI for writing/content creation?

I think there’s a lot of potential for AI to help humanity, but I don’t trust current applications of it. We need to slow down and figure out what we’re doing with AI before we’re too far down the rabbit hole.

Are you a part of the LGBTQIA2S+, BIPOC, AAPI, Disabled or any other marginalised community?

I’m a white queer person. I’m non-binary and have a currently well managed disability.

If yes, do you reflect this in the content you create? How important do you think it is for folks of all identities to feel recognised within the games they play?

I mostly create games that are personal to my worldview, so naturally that includes some of those things. I think it’s absolutely important for representation in games. Almost all of my games feature a queer and/or non-binary NPC, and all of them have the option to play as one. As far as disability, one of my games is secretly themed around my fears and feelings about it.

What's the next project people will see from you?

HELLWHALERS is my next project, coming in Summer. It’s a ttrpg of nautical and religious horror. Our largest project yet, it features a combination of bespoke linocut stamps and old timey public domain maritime and biblical art. It ended up almost 14k words, and my co-writer/collaborator for the project, Bogus Cheesecake, did a fantastic job with a lot of it. I’m very excited for it.

Of all of the things you've created, which one is your personal favourite?

My solo/duo gmless ttrpg, Kn1ght. It’s thematically cool, and mechanically innovative. You play as a knight of medieval fantasy facing near certain death in a dragon’s lair. I played a game of it on a stream with CorrosiveSquid. It’s incredibly intense when you get into it.

Tell us about your process when creating. Do you have any tips or tricks for other creators in the same space as you?

I usually come up with a concept, or a set piece, or a mechanic, and build out from there. Write some things around it, then figure out how to get it into a game. Make the barest prototype you can, then iterate, iterate, iterate. Eventually you’ll have something.

Shout out a fellow creator! Who in the TTRPG community inspires you? Why do you admire them/their work? Please provide a link to their website/social media.

@IronEchoGames on Twitter. Liz has been a great friend and an inspiration for design. I mentioned Pokémon Tales earlier briefly, but it’s such good design. I still find myself opening their games to look at what they’ve done and draw from the cool spaces they’ve carved in the scene.

Are you playing in any TTRPG campaigns at the moment? Tell us about your favourite character!

I’m playing a hockey player named Minatoba in a game of Tournament Arc (BiscuitFundGames). He’s a thicc boy and kind of a jerk, but last session we had him give the closest thing to a compliment he’s ever given to a teammate. “I wouldn’t replace you with a trash can.” His arc of friendship is gonna be great.

What is the strangest food combination you enjoy?

Peanut butter and pickle sandwiches.

If time, money and skill were no object, what would your ultimate cosplay/Halloween costume be?

Full body Mimikyu from Pokémon.

Would you rather own a horse the size of a cat or a cat the size of a horse?

Horse the size of a cat, but both sound awful to own, haha.

Where should folks go to find out more about you, and/or check out your content?

I’m @MossDaggar on Twitter, Twitch, and Tumblr. Also on Itch.io as BrewistTabletopGames. Thanks for the interview!

Disclaimer: The information and answers contained in the interview posted above represents the views and opinions of the interviewee only and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of myself (gothHoblin). The appearance of an interview on this website does not constitute an endorsement of the interviewee or their statements.