Reading · Arbiter of Worlds

I hope that everyone had a splendid New Year's Day and is looking forward to a prosperous 2026. Here at Autarch, it's only been a week, and it feels like a month has already passed.

The Auran Empire is best known as the default setting of ACKS and ACKS II, but it’s more than that - it’s my own personal campaign setting, one that I’ve used to run BX, D&D 3.5E, and even RuneQuest, in campaigns that long predate ACKS.

As it happens, today marks the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Auran Empire, with my earliest files dating to January 6, 2006! To celebrate this milestone, I’m delighted to announce a major new project: Annals of the Auran Empire!

Autarch’s new anthology Annals of the Auran Empire brings together an extraordinary roster of fantasy authors to explore the Auran Empire’s dangers, dungeons, and doomed champions.
Leading the anthology is Nebula Award finalist John C. Wright, whose tale “Shadowblade” unfolds in the kingdom of Rorn during the dark days following the death of Arëtar Pendaelen. More authors will be revealed in the weeks ahead.
Crowdfunding launches Spring 2026. Follow now to be first in line and unlock an exclusive preview of Chapter 1 of Wright’s story before anyone else.

Be sure to click the link to follow the BackerKit page to get your sneak preview.

I’m also pleased to let you know that Ascendant Star-Spangled Squadron Volume II is now available in PDF format on DriveThruComics and DriveThruRPG. As a newsletter subscriber, you can use this coupon code to purchase the PDF at a 10% discount.

Ascendant: Star-Spangled Squadron Volume II is an action-packed 64-page tale that plunges the heroes of the Star-Spangled Squadron into a desperate battle against Exodus. While American Eagle and Stiletto took center stage in Volume I, we see Aurora in the lead in Volume II, with the megalomaniacal Maximum Leader as the main antagonist.

Crowdfunding backers will be getting the book in softcover in March and it will then become available at retail the following month. In the meantime, be sure to get your PDF now!

Ross from Mythic Mountains Folk Tabletop recently featured me in a two-hour session to discuss the Simulation Renaissance. I think it’s one of the best conversations I’ve had on simulationism. Ross and I tackled some difficult questions in a depth you don’t usually see on YouTube. If the theory and practice of simulationist RPGs is a topic you’re interested in, this is must-watch interview.

The Living Ascendant campaign is our new multi-GM living campaign set in the official Ascendant universe. It’s based on the Ascendant: Platinum Edition RPG rules and it’s open to every free member of the Autarch Discord and Patreon. The campaign began on November 5 and we’ve had an unbroken streak of multiple sessions every week, with every session jammed with players. You can read about the Living Ascendant Campaign here. We’re actively recruiting more players and gamemasters; join the Discord as the first step.

Our latest crowdfunding campaign, Before All Others: The Cyclopedia of Elven Civilization, reached 1300% funding on October 15th. However, the project remains open for late backing and we if we can reach $150,000 in pledges by March 2026 it will unlock the Bitter War campaign. If this is your first time hearing about Before All Others, check out the special 16-page full-color sneak preview of the book. By This Axe has proven to be one of my most enduringly popular books, and I think Before All Others will prove equally well-loved, so don’t miss out!

Meanwhile, Autarch is manufacturing the print rewards for Ascendant: Star-Spangled Squadron Volume II graphic novel and the ACKS II Treasure Tome sourcebook. Both books should be dispatched to backers in March.

Here’s the links to everything you need to get involved in the Autarch Community:

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Announcing Annals of the Auran Empire

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