My name is Stephen Dewey. I'm a game designer, and I have too many ideas. You may know me through Ten Candles, which is a tabletop storytelling game I wrote about the end of the world where everyone dies at the end. I also wrote the heavy parlor LARP Uncanny Valley, a Game Chef 2016 finalist about androids and assault, and the pervasive comedy LARP Too Many Mediums, a Golden Cobra 2016 honorable mention about eager mediums and very confused ghosts. Maybe you've played some of my lesser known or unreleased games, like Annalers of the Skein, Gather, or To Serve Her Wintry Hunger. Whatever brings you here, my hope is that you enjoy some of the things I'm doing, like some of the games I'm making, and that you're interested in helping me do and make even more.

I want to make games. I want to make little roleplaying games that fit on just a handful of pages. I want to make big alternate reality games that completely change the world around you. I want to make megagames, live action game experiences, parlor LARPs, board games, card games, and dice games. I want to make games that are emotional and impactful and atmospheric and evocative and diverse. I want to create experiences, and use those experiences to approach issues and themes that are hard to discuss. I have a lot of ideas. Some are silly, some profound, some important, and others less so, but I think that they have merit, and I think that you will enjoy them. But, at the end of the day, I just don't have the resources to make all of these ideas a reality.

If you like what I do and want to help me do more of it, you can become a Patron. By making a monthly donation you will help support me as a designer, helping me pay for the software, supplies, resources, and equipment that I need to make more games. Supporting me helps support more prototypes and playtests, higher quality components, more customized art, and most importantly more finished games.

Every single dollar I earn through Patreon is going toward making games. It's not going toward my groceries, rent, or gas money. Every generous penny goes directly toward putting games out there - each one bigger and better than the last. If Patreon funds aren't paying for software and hardware, they're funding resources to make me a better designer, creating opportunities for me to get my games out there to the world, building a platform for me to provide these games to those looking to play them, and working to build this community of fans and supporters. My goal is to be as transparent with my funds as possible so you can see exactly where your money is going.

We are in this together!

At the COPPER level you'll receive:

A shout-out on my website.
Access to my Patreon posts about special offers, invitations to exclusive patron-only convention meet-ups, and information about upcoming game releases or crowdfunding projects before they are announced or released to the public.

At the SILVER level, you'll also receive:

A digital copy of any game I design and publish.
Access to additional Patreon posts about game and design theory, designer diaries, game idea pitches, and art/graphic design previews.
Invitations to bi-monthly Google hangouts.
Access to games at their external playtest "beta" level so you can play them with your friends and provide valuable feedback prior to the game's full release.

At the GOLD level, you'll also receive:

Access to my works-in-progress to watch my games take shape during development, with notifications whenever new content is posted and commentary about design decisions.
Access to games at their internal playtest "alpha" level so you can play them with me (yes, me!) at conventions or online.
An actionable say in how I prioritize my game projects so you can help me work on the stuff you're most excited about.

At the PLATINUM level, you'll also receive:

A free copy, both digital and physical, of everything I design and release to the public (including full games, expansions, RPGs, board games, Kickstarter add-ons, everything) at the time of the product's release.
Exclusive participation in Mantlewarden, a play-by-mail alternate-reality game designed solely for platinum level patrons that will never be released to the public in this format.

At the MITHRIL level, you'll also receive:

A shout-out of thanks to you specifically in every single game I design and publish, showing the world how awesome you are!
An exclusive annual VIP invitation to a private and ultra-classy wine, cheese, and games hangout at METATOPIA where I will run a private game session for the attendees.

At the DIAMOND level, you'll also receive:

A spot by my side as the co-designer for an RPG. And not just one game, one game every year. We'll work side by side to put out a game annually as fully vested co-designers.
A personal invitation and free VIP admission to every gaming event hosted by Cavalry Games. Potential events include game jams, live action RPGs, megagames, conventions, and more.

Six months of DIAMOND level funding are required before rewards become available.

I'm pretty new when it comes to the industry and to the world of game design, but I am nonetheless dedicated to producing only the highest quality products, providing professionalism throughout my work and interactions with others, and establishing a positive, inclusive, diverse, and loving community around every inch of what I'm trying to do here in my own little corner of design. So, don't let my newness fool you, I am ready to bring the thunder and make some really awesome stuff. If you don't believe me, then here are some kind words from other industry professionals about the work that I'm doing:

"Ya'll seriously need to get in on this."
Caitlynn Belle, Our Radios are Dying, A Real Game

"Stephen's better than anyone else I've met at making players feel emotion, with mechanics that reinforce this. Astonishing."
Kevin Kulp, Timewatch

"Stephen is deeply passionate about indie games and indie game design, and I think he represents the future of the hobby."
Jason Cordova, Gauntlet Podcast

"Stephen Dewey designs games with candles and snowflakes and what more could you possibly ask for? He deserves all the dollars! Go Stephen, go!"
Hannah Shaffer, Questlandia, 14 Days

"This guy is too good for a designer this young. We old fogies need to strangle him in his crib."
Robert Bohl, Misspent Youth