NOTE: the opinions expressed in interviews are those of the guests, not necessarily those of shadomain.com.
Today we talk with Xane and Bunni from Dungeon Damsel.
You can find their work at
http://youtube.com/@TheDungeonDamsel
https://www.facebook.com/TheDungeonDamsel
Hi, thanks for talking to us!. Let’s start with Dungeon Damsel. What do you do and how did it start?
Xane: We make TTRPG supplements and rules expansions specifically for Shadowdark. I’ll let Bunni tell you where the name Dungeon Damsel came from, but the idea to make it into a company came after I created a Shadowdark class for our long-running campaign and Bunni said, “Wow. That’s really good. We should make a book!”
Bunni: Dungeon Damsel started because I was a woman who loved playing D&D and wanted a name that felt… like me. I originally used it for a miniature business years ago, then placed it on a shelf where it stayed untouched and dusty until I met Xane. We discovered a whole new world of creative possibilities together because we are two halves of a perfect circle. I’m the artist and he’s the writer, and when our love for Shadowdark took hold, we wanted our friends to step away from 5E and feel that same excitement. So Dungeon Damsel came back off the shelf and into the candlelight, and that’s how our Shadowdark supplements and its rebirth began as a publishing company!
You’ve got a new project coming up, Druskara. Can you tell us about that?
Xane: It’s that long-running campaign I just mentioned. Before Shadowdark released, I had been running it in Basic Fantasy. I love the OSR style. Rules light and deadly. And I also had the opportunity to run three groups of players all adventuring in the same world. So their actions inadvertently (or intentionally) affected each other. And I wanted cities that were just as fantastical as dungeons. Mind-blowing worlds. Druskara is THAT world. Something I’d been creating for 4 years with 3 groups playing in it simultaneously. It features scary forbidden magic, powerful world-changing artifacts, and Game-of-Thrones-like factions all vying for power and control over those artifacts. It’s also built on an evolution system that keeps the world changing and shifting on its own, whether the players involve themselves or not. It’s a massive undertaking at over 1000 pages, but it’s mostly written – just not all entered into the format nor full of art yet!
Bunni: What he said!
Druskara is designed for Shadowdark. How did that decision get made and what’s your favorite part about Shadowdark?
Xane: As I mentioned, I love the simplicity of OSR. I need to flow when I’m GMing, and stopping and looking up rules because I can’t remember how it works breaks the flow! I also love that old art style. I was a child in the late 70s and early 80s, so I definitely have nostalgia. There are many aspects of Shadowdark that I love. Other than the simplicity, it’s gotta be the easy character creation and inventory slots. Encumbrance and weight calculations are gone! HOORAY!
Bunni: My favorite part of Shadowdark is that you really have to roleplay your way through it. You can’t just min-max or cheese your way to safety. You’re not invincible, and it’s honestly the deadliest game I’ve ever played in the best way. The stakes feel real. I especially love the spellcasting system. You cast until you fail, and if you roll a 1, you trigger a calamity. It’s hard to pick one favorite thing because the system works so well as a whole. Everything vibes together in a way that’s quite honestly perfect.
How did you get your start in gaming? Were you first an artist, writer, or gamer?
Xane: I’ve made games since childhood. I played TTRPGs (red box set) and made my own video games in my younger years. It was my grandfather who taught me how to program a computer – nobody’s grandfather even knew what a computer WAS in the late 70s, early 80s! My life has been dedicated to games professionally since then. For 22 years I was a producer and executive producer in the video game industry. I worked on Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance and Hunter: The Reckoning among many other games – but those feel the most relevant here.
Bunni: I didn’t grow up around TTRPGs. I first played around 2012 with friends in Washington State using Pathfinder, Basic Fantasy, AD&D, but it wasn’t until I moved to where I live now and found a group I play with every Wednesday that it truly became part of my life. That’s when I really started investing in tabletop gaming and exploring beyond my comfort zone. It’s been about four years of consistent play, and I’ve completely fallen in love with it!
What’s your favorite thing about roleplaying games, compared to video games, writing or other creative pursuits?
Xane: The pure creativity by all members of the group. The players and the GM have to be at the top of their creative game! It’s a team effort, and I love teamwork. That’s my favorite part about life in general. Teamwork! Writing is cool too, but only when I think about my audience. Picturing how they will respond is an incredibly important aspect to joyful writing.
Bunni: For me, in the beginning, it was the escape. I was in a really difficult place in my life, and stepping into my characters and collaborative stories gave me somewhere else to exist for a while. It wasn’t just for entertainment, it was also a relief. Over time though, it became more than that. What I love about roleplaying games compared to other creative pursuits is that they’re alive. You’re not creating alone. The story shifts because of everyone at the table, and that shared imagination creates something none of us could have made alone. Now I play for the love and joy of the game, and create to share it.
What’s your favorite non-TTRPG (board game, video game, card game), and why?
Xane: Atari 2600 Adventure is my favorite video game of all time. The first open world game, the first game with an easter egg. My second runner-up is any good party game. I actually really like party games because it requires teamwork. Everyone is laughing and screaming! It’s the best.
Bunni: I second the party games. Xane made up this VERY entertaining game that I love playing during the holidays. We pretty much laugh until we cry every time. Oh… and Dragon Age Inquisition will always stand out to me. Solas was one of the deepest characters ever created for an RPG videogame, and probably the most heart-breaking romance.
If roleplaying games never existed, what do you think you’d be doing as a creator? What would you be making?
Xane: I’d probably have ended up back in video games. I definitely burned myself out of that realm since I was always working for someone else. That was a lot of sacrifice for a paycheck as opposed to building something that’s truly your own. However, I’d probably have gotten back into video games after a well-deserved break. That break consisted of selling all of my possessions and living the Van Life for a few years. It’s actually how I met Bunni!
Bunni: I’d probably still be doing commissioned artwork and focusing on illustration. That’s what I was doing before TTRPGs became such a big part of my life. Maybe even write a book, as the stories I wrote to escape reality were top-notch. But roleplaying games connected me to Xane and gave us a shared creative purpose. Without them, I’d still be making art on my own, instead of building something together. I much prefer their existence, thank you very much!
What’s your favorite style of music? Favorite artist?
Xane: Many genres. I was into metal as a kid. Now I actually like instrumental music the best because I can write and concentrate on complex things. If I’m listening to lyrics, I end up listening to the lyrics instead of what I’m supposed to be focused on. Electronic music offers the best instrumental in my opinion, and new music is always being released so it stays fresh.
Bunni: I’ve always been drawn to the beauty and emotion of strings, especially cello and violin. Apocalyptica was a big favorite of mine growing up, and I love music that blends orchestral elements with electronic beats. I’m pretty open across genres though. If the mood, lyrics, or rhythm resonate with me, I’ll listen to anything. Xane and I overlap a lot in taste, and I definitely have a strong pull toward rock and metal.
What other hobbies or interests do you have outside of gaming?
Xane: Gardening! I love permaculture – a self-sustaining growth of plants and trees. I’m not all that good at it, but I love learning it.
Bunni: Cats, rescuing cats–did I mention kitties? Along with traveling, sunbathing and singing karaoke in VRChat. I also work out regularly… or used to before I fractured my foot, and design enamel pins, which has become one of my favorite creative outlets. I’m even starting to explore mimic plushies…
Do any of your projects take inspiration from other media, such as a movie, book, etc?
Xane: I read the Shannara books as a kid, so that’s always present. Game of Thrones. Comic books for sure. I was a big Spider-Man fan. The marvel movies, despite their flaws, brought back that childhood love for comics. I love the power dynamics. How do you take this character’s talent and create interplay with another character’s talent?! I set up my adventures so players have to use each other’s skills in creative ways to succeed.
Bunni: My personal projects just come from my dark little mind of doom, and my brain is a treasure trove of random thoughts. I’m sure I’m influenced by the media around me like anyone is, but there isn’t one specific book. Artist, show or movie I can point to.
What haven’t we asked you that you’d like our readers to know?
Xane: With the success of Unnatural Selection, and our belief in our upcoming products, we’ve moved from just a couple of nerds into full-fledged publishing! We have another project that we’ve been working on for about a year that we’ll be announcing soon as well. So the future of Dungeon Damsel Publishing is looking bright!
Bunni: Star Wars or Star Trek? And I mean the OG! Both. They are both exceptional. Though my fondness for TNG, Voyager and DS9 maybe makes me more of a trekkie. It’s Q’s fault.
Thanks Xane and Bunni! You can follow their Backerkit here.
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