The State of the Lab, End of Year Edition

2022, am I right?

Woof. It's been a tumultuous year. But in a very real way, it's been one that I needed. This year is definitely going to shape how things go forward, and I want to share the resulting schematic for 2023 with you all. But first, let's see where things settled over the past 12 months yeah?

• Helped raise over $3,000 for charity
• Released 2 Adventures (Soiree, The Wandering at Witchlight)
• Launched the YouTube show
• Played in some wonderful TTRPG live-plays
• Ran/Produced a live play on my Twitch channel with an amazing cast

2022 had a lot of heartache, no lie, but looking at that list makes me smile. I still managed to accomplish a lot. What's more, the lessons imparted here have set the tone for 2023.

Simply put, this year showed me where my real passion lies, and the content that not only makes me happiest, but challenges me the most as a creator. And I want to reclaim that in the coming year.

TTRPG Content.

Don't get me wrong; making will never go away. I still love teaching folks how to do what I do in terrain making, mini painting, and prop work. But beyond educating, I'm a writer, designer, and performer. The live plays I've been in, or produced, are highlights for me. Knowing that there are people out there running and enjoying my adventures means more to me than I can convey.

So that's where the focus shall be. Let me lay out the roadmap for you. Here are the goals for 2023:

• Release at least two new adventures and possibly one supplement.
• Three new live-play one shots on my Twitch Channel for charity.
• Resume small-release D&D content (items, monsters, NPCs, etc.) for supporters here.
• Launch new line of fantasy digital paintings

Technically, we're in the realm of "can't afford to do this." DMs Guild alone takes 50% of each sale, and publishing that content doesn't pay the bills. But realistically, I can't afford to leave it lie, either. This is the stuff I'm passionate about, and not doing it just leaves me feeling sluggish and depressed.

You can consider this the call to action, then. Over the next month, I'll be including new rewards at certain tiers to reflect the content I'll be putting out. You're supporting the work, so you better believe that I am going to have you share in the results!

But more than ever, this Patreon is going to be the main source of keeping the lights on while I work on all of these new creations for you to play. Apologies in advance for the blitz to come on social media, but it's very much an all hands on deck situation.

Because 2023 will also set the tone for what I can afford to do in 2024. I still have plans on the books for a 10 episode live play. I've got ideas for larger publications and collaborations. I want to constantly improve the streams, the YouTube show, and the quality of everything I put out.

And I need your help to do it.

You in?

~X.R.
The Artificer