Cloud Empress winter jam & CE templates
Welcome to the worlds by watt newsletter. I’m watt, creator of the ecological science fantasy tabletop roleplaying game Cloud Empress. You can preorder the new Cloud Empress box on Backerkit. You can find worlds by watt digital products at DriveThruRPG. For all things Cloud Empress go to CloudEmpress.com.
TL;DR Summary
⛄ Cloud Empress Winter Jam starts January 5th
🎨 Cloud Empress 3rd party templates
📝 Results of the ‘pick my next game survey’
🥳 End of the year message
📖 What I’m reading and playing
⛄ Cloud Empress Winter Jam starts January 5th
In only a few days, a great Cloud Empress GM named Peter (read more about Peter’s distributed CE campaign here) will hold the first Cloud Empress game jam Jan. 5th - 30th on itch! The theme of the jam is ‘Winter,’ so put together your best Cloud Empress pamphlet, mini-adventure, or one-page expansion exploring what the Winter in the Lowland Wastes might look like.
To support the Cloud Empress I’ll be:
Giving away 20 Cloud Empress patches to 20 random jam participants
Presenting a “Writing Literary Adventures for Cloud Empress and Beyond” session on the Weekly Scroll podcast, on Thursday, January 2nd, 12 pm CST, where I’ll outline my ttrpg adventure design philosophy and workflow.
Sharing three free 3rd party Affinity Publisher Templates (see below)
Join the Winter Jam now!
🎨 Cloud Empress 3rd party templates
This month's newsletter expansion content is a bit different. To make the Winter Jam easier to participate in, I’ve created three free 3rd party Cloud Empress Affinity Publisher templates. You can see an example of each template above. I’ve also packaged together a licensee-free font, gold arches, paper background textures, and the Panic Engine logo (Mothership compatible, but not-sci-fi themed).
Download the templates and get started creating 3rd party CE content
📝 Results of the ‘pick my next game survey’
Last month I asked you, to pick my first fantasy ttrpgr setting. With an overwhelming 57% of the votes, many of you said you’re looking forward to Project WYRM. Development work for Project WYRM will begin in mid 2025.
Early writing on Project WYRM looks to be an intergenerational conflict between human beings and the great dragon/wyrms who singe the world around them. The vibes are inspired by Princess Mononoke, Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask, and Final Fantasy 12. I expected Project WYRM to have the largest scope of any ttrpg project I’ve created as I try to create a playspace centered on an imperial wilderness town over 100 years. Expect more updates on Project Wyrm (including a name reveal) and Rust Wings (slated for an early 2026 release) in future newsletters.
🥳 End of year message
It’s been a heck of a year. With your help, Cloud Empress: Life & Death raised over $129k. This newsletter grew from 1,750 followers to 2,800! The worlds by watt Discord is active and strong. These successes could not have happened without you!
I’m apprehensive looking into 2025. 2025 is set to be tough for small businesses, the ttrpg market, and independent creators. Despite storms on the horizon, I’m still energized by my ideas, by games, by writing, by this community, and by the stories we create together. After all, the stories we share instill meaning, hope, and show beauty in an often cold and desolate feeling world.
📖 What I’m reading, watching and playing
Nosferatu, by Robert Eggers
Inside Moebius pt. 1-3, by Moebius
Swyvers by Luke Gearing and David Hoskins
Baldurs Gate 3 by Larian Studios (finally allowing myself to play now that CE is moving into production soon!)
I also watched an obscene amount of streaming services while finishing up Cloud Empress: Life & Death’s layout/graphic design, including Uzumaki, Pom Poko, Peacemaker, Princess Mononoke, Princess Kaguya, Boy and the Heron, Watchmen (HBO TV), the Watchmen Animated movie, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Skeleton Crew.
Thanks for subscribing to the worlds by watt newsletter!
For all things Cloud Empress go to CloudEmpress.com.
-watt
Great stuff my friend! All the best in 2025.