H.H. Holmes In Redwall
The Rotten Pixie Issue 1, Our first Backerkit, Mausritter Month, Tabletop RPG Reviews, Nimble, Draw Steel, Daggerheart and upcoming games.
Welcome travelers to the first issue of the Rotten Pixie!
Our first adventure!
The Rotten Pixie’s core philosophy is to create adventures and campaigns in dynamic, memorable settings for as many systems as possible. Mausritter - as one of our favorite games - seemed like such a great starting point to create an adventure with our unusual sensibilities. So, we’re excited to announce the first official Rotten Pixie adventure, The Devil in the Glass City!
Inspired by real stories of the 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Expedition, adventuring mice will explore a haunted, oversized chandelier that once hosted a great fair. Now it’s abandoned, and all that are left is what was once a grand expression of mouse ingenuity. This adventure zine will feature carnival games, strange magic, futuristic inventions, and devils (both figurative and literal, of course). Will you be daring enough to explore the chandelier?
As lovers of architecture, Chicago history, and all things adorably mouse-sized, this has been our dream project for years and we cannot wait to share it with you. Our adventure will launch in unison with the highly anticipated Mausritter Month, which will host some incredible Mausritter content. You can learn more about it here.
Be sure to follow our project on Backerkit to see all the details! We truly appreciate your support!
Mini Reviews!
As the tabletop roleplaying market expands, we’ve been exploring some of 2025’s biggest releases. Here are some quick, nondetailed thoughts of three of those games. (Spoiler alert, they’re all great).
Nimble
Nimble has been an absolute favorite for us. Our creative director, Nick, recently used it to run several sessions, and it’s been a knockout at the table. Fast, decisive combat, simple character creation, and 5e compatibility makes it a must have.
Draw Steel
It’s hard to argue with Matt Colville. After more than a decade of teaching people how to run TTRPGs, the master has made his own, Draw Steel! Nick’s first Dungeons and Dragons game ever was fourth edition, so he’s inclined to the complex builds and tactical combat. Mr. Colville deserves a healthy amount of kudos for creating a fun fantasy setting that feels more unique and inviting than anything Wizards of the Coast has made.
Daggerheart
It’s even harder to argue with Matthew Mercer. Daggerheart’s approach to design is a refreshing blend of narrative and crunch that we never thought could be compatible. Whatever style of game appeals to you as a player, Daggerheart’s duality dice system really allows for interesting gameplay. In what some might say is an overcrowded landscape of heroic fantasy gameplay, Darrington Press has done an excellent job standing apart from the competition.
One thing that all three games have in common is how they handle dying. Rather than make a player character unconscious and force them to sit and wait, each game retains player agency and lets them continue in the game or end their character’s story on their terms. Do you have a favorite system for handling dying? Feel free to let us know!
Darcy’s Art Corner
Darcy made a mouse of herself to help promote The Devil in the Glass City!
Nick’s Upcoming Games!
Live in Chicago and want to play a tabletop RPG with a professional GM? Then sign up for one of Nick’s games!
Nick will be running Nimble at Dovetail Brewry!
And he’ll be running Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition games for Rough Magic!
Thanks again for subscribing!
-D & N
P.S. Fun fact: The 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Expedition introduced some classic American fare such as Cracker Jack, Wrigley Chewing Gum, Ferris Wheels, and Zippers.
MOTHERSHIP has an interesting death mechanic. When your character receives all of their wounds allocated, then they roll a dice secretly under an opaque cup. They get one last heroic move, one last stand, one final farewell. Then the dice value is revealed and it can mean they are simply unconscious, they will die within X turns, they are comatose, or they are dead. Very dramatic!
I'm inordinately excited for Mausritter Month! So many great modules coming along the way!