Who are We?
VSR Ink is made up of game designer Anthony Alipio and the MAWA Playtest Group. What started off as a simple writing contest entry has turned into a growing freelance opportunity and fledgling game publishing business.
Anthony has collaborated on several groundbreaking projects in recent years, including Uncaged Anthology, which challenged the traditional representation of female monsters in D&D; Unbreakable, an own voices project for Asian writers and artists; Eyes Unclouded, with its Studio Ghibli-esque aesthetic and Miyazaki-inspired mindset; and Vengeance of the Shunned, an epic full-length campaign which spanned 10 adventure modules, 8 side quest modules produced by more than 20 community content creators.
Starting From Scratch
When my cousin and older brother sat me down and introduced me to tabletop roleplaying, they were probably just looking for any warm body to fill the seat. Either that or our parents made them include me so I didn’t feel left out. At the time however, I was oblivious and simply enjoyed the imaginative play, the strange but intriguing crayon-marked dice, and all the monsters, mayhem, and magic I could shake a stick (or sun sword) at.
Fast forward several decades, and just when I thought real life had long since overtaken such childish fantasies, an opportunity to play in a virtual tabletop game of D&D 5e presented itself. Not only did I have a blast, but I discovered a hidden talent for writing and designing for the game. More importantly, I rediscovered a passion for creativity that the daily grind had kept suppressed.
I decided to challenge myself to create an entire game world from scratch, complete with custom monsters, mechanics, and yes, mayhem and magic. A world setting that could live and breathe, and inspire new generations to innovate and play and enjoy. While that particular destination is still a little ways off, the journey has been enlightening, and I’ve developed an interest in a whole slew of TTRPGs to design for, play around in, and enjoy.
VSR Ink is a way for me to continue creating and exploring new worlds — and hopefully bringing a few friends along for the ride!