Meet The Team, Part 1 (Patreon)

So, who's who here at LAWhammer?

Time for a quick Q&A with the team to find out. Let me introduce you to the first half of us: Me, Erin, Ed, Bee, and Sage! The second half can be found here.

Let's start with me to get that out of the way, eh?

The level of worried I look in this image in no way reflects how panicked I am about this Friday! Especially given my internet has been down for 5 hours this evening/morning! :O

Hi! I’m Andy Law (he/him). I’m a gamer who is also the CEO of Rookery Publications, the one-time producer and designer of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition (WFRP4), and a games-industry freelancer who makes games, drafts maps, writes words, and generally has a ball creating stuff he loves. I've worked for everyone from Critical Role and Games Workshop to Chaosium and Fantasy Flight. I’m also diabetic, neurodiverse, eat crisps far too often, and can juggle.

Most importantly, I’m a gamer.

What got you into roleplaying?

The urge to sing Killing Joke’s Eighties is strong! Back in that era of huge shoulder pads and neon, I played my first RPGs with my parents! I’m still unsure if Fighting Fantasy or Timeship came first, but it was definitely one of the two. Next was the seminal RuneQuest with my friends. Then a bit of D&D at school. WFRP came not long after that, and I never looked back. By the time I was 17, I owned my own gaming store and ran a weekly games club. And I roleplayed a lot!

What’s your experience of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay?

I’ve played WFRP constantly since it was first released. During the WFRP1 era, I ran The Enemy Within more times than I can remember. Before WFRP2 was released, I’d written my own 2nd edition of the game (heretically using d6s!). I bought the first retail copy available for WFRP2, and not only played it, but was hired to write for it, develop it, illustrate it, map it, and more besides. I then moved to WFRP3 and had a ball, though the game needed modification to match my tastes. Lastly, I designed WFRP4, worked as its line developer, and continued playing the game long after I moved on from that job.

So, yes, I have some experience with WFRP.

What are you playing in LAWhammer?

THE ENTIRE WORLD!

MWUHAHAHAHAH!

I’m the GM for this campaign, so I play everything that isn’t a PC.

Nuff said.

What do you most enjoy about GMing?

That’s really bloody hard to answer!

Helping everyone build really cool stories? Attempting varied, terrible accents? Inhabiting other characters and bringing them to life? Laughing at all the ridiculous messes everyone will inevitably get into?

Gods. I really have no idea what I enjoy most. What I do know is that I love GMing, and that roleplaying has been a foundational part of my ongoing post-COVID recovery. It’s been a rough few years for me with physical and mental health disasters enough for a lifetime, and I value the escape that roleplaying provides.

If you were going to play one of the PCs, which would it be?

All of them? Their stories are individually astonishing, and all would be an absolute delight to explore. Instead of answering the question directly, I’ll quickly discuss what I would like to play out with each PC:

Alamennowyth (Eonir Spy played by Lindsay). Hoo boy! I'd want to play out her relationship with her sister, I think! I’d want to explore that horror show in depth!

Birdie (Middenlander Rat Catcher played by Cath). I’d love to tackle the ongoing issues she has with her employers. That'd be super fun to play.

Elrick (Talabeclander Bright Wizard played by Dan). Easy: The mighty confrontation he has ahead of him as family tugs one way and duty tugs the other.

Gerhardt (Reiklander Student played by Gerhardt). Hmm, I’d love to play through what he does when he realises his connections to the core plot. That will be quite the discovery!

Luitpold (Reiklander Warrior Priest of Sigmar played by Andy Leask). I’d really love to portray the challenges to his developing faith as the adventure progresses. Because… well… yeah… Lots to sink my teeth into there.

Yume (Nipponese Cleric of Ranald played by Sage). I’d want to explore her thoughts when she is confronted with what happened to her friends and family. And, more importantly, why.

Next up, let's turn to Erin, the ruler of Production Corner in the... well... corner of my livingroom. Without her, our streams wouldn't be happening. No way I could handle the ins and outs of streaming live by myself and also present and GM.

Hi! I’m Erin Rea, but I’m normally known on the internet as Scribble Imp. I’m the producer on LAWhammer. While you watch the show, I’m tucked away in a dark corner making sure you are seeing and hearing what you should.

I also directed and produced the credits you will see in the stream, which was so much fun to do.

Do you roleplay?

My experience with roleplaying is limited. I’ve dabbled in Dark Heresy 1E and a little in D&D. I’m not sure if I’m very good but over the years I’ve listened to a lot more as a viewer and think I’d be much better in the future if I was to dive in.

What’s your experience of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay?

After saying that my roleplay experience has been limited, my relationship with WFRP is somewhat contradictory. I’ve been professionally illustrating WFRP4 for over 4 years; ever since Andy asked me if I would like to for the Starter Set!

What are you looking forward to most about the stream?

I think I’m most looking forward to the audience’s impression of it. Like the viewers, I get to watch everything unfold, albeit a few seconds before, and I believe they will really find it fun.

What do you enjoy most about producing LAWhammer?

The dynamic between the players and observing Andy’s ability to tell a story first-hand is really great.

Would you ever consider joining the live stream, perhaps as a guest appearance?

Yes, I definitely would. Maybe as a dwarf or something.

Next up, let's turn to... one of our players! Let me introduce you all to Ed, king among men.

Hello! I’m Ed Silvester I’ve been involved with the tabletop scene for about 10 years and roleplaying for about 7 of those. I’m big into my fitness and outdoor adventures. Most weekends I’ll be in a wood, up a mountain, or on a beach (this has very much started to sound like a lonely hearts ad!). Obviously, I’m a big nerd, but I don’t think that will make me stand out from everyone else. I’m originally from the south of England and moved to Edinburgh within the last year.

What got you into roleplaying?

I scoffed at my first TTRPG experience. It was 2014. I had recently started board gaming and really enjoyed the tactility of the experience. Back then, I limited myself to one ‘well-researched and cheap’ game a month. In March, I picked up Boss Monster, a rather inexpensive game. Like the addict I am, I thought that I could maybe buy something else in the £15 area that month. All I could find in my local shop was the D&D Starter Set, so I bought it. I may have initially scoffed, but in very little time I had switched my board gaming group into a roleplaying one and never looked back. I loved it so much, I even went on to host The Starter Set podcast to help others into the game!

What’s your experience of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay?

I have never played Warhammer in any iteration. I collected some models as a teenager and have vivid memories of listening to Nu-metal while blobbing red in the general direction of some Space Marines. But nothing more.

UNTIL NOW!

Andy put the call out on Discord for players and I hadn’t role-played for a while as I had moved to a new city and had yet to find a group. And I thought: hey I’ll give it a go!

So, here I am.

What are you playing?

I have the pleasure of playing a human noble named Gerhardt of House Jungfreud. Before play, he was broadening his mind with study at Altdorf University, but is now in somewhat of a pickle. He has a taste for the finer things in life, including good food, excellent art, and superb music. I’m neither confirming nor denying this, but some say that he maybe throws himself into his passions to avoid a past altercation and the pressure of his father’s looming shadow.

What do you most enjoy about your character?

As this is my first experience of Warhammer, I asked Andy to suggest a character who would be mechanically straightforward and had a narrow scope of lore to learn. This meant I could focus my energies on learning what I needed to know without being overwhelmed. As I learnt more about the ways the nobility operates in the Empire and how it mirrored the aristocracy in the real world, it occurred to me that Gerhardt is perfectly placed to parody such traits. I gain the most enjoyment when Gerhardt is put in a position of what he defines as ‘extreme discomfort’, and has to learn a lesson about the real world. It should be mentioned that ‘extreme discomfort’ for Gerhard is not having access to 21 different styles of boots or a minimum of 5 courses followed by cheese and port.

If you couldn’t play your current character, which other PC would you like to play?

That is a tough one. For me, Gerhardt is my first character for WFRP, so I would really want to experience a character most unlike him. In our group, that’s Birdie, played by Cath. She’s a woman of few words, knows how to handle herself in the world and is a badass warrior. And, boy, can she take a hit! It would be nice to know that when combat goes down I’m not going to get hit by a feather and fall down immediately.

Next, let's sneak in a wee surprise! I'd like to introduce you to one of my favourite people in the entire world, the magnificent Bee, a ridiculously creative writer I'm fortunate enough to have worked alongside when I was the producer for WFRP.

I’m Ben “Bee” Scerri (they/them), an Ammi Maltese writer, designer, and producer of video, live-action, and tabletop games. You may have seen my work throughout the first few years of WFRP4’s releases, or scattered through a bunch of other titles here and there (AGON 2e, Mutants in the Night, etc.). I currently spend most of my time writing for and running a West Marches-style Pathfinder 2e living-campaign called So Below, which you can check out here.

What got you into roleplaying?

As a young child of 4, with older siblings and an internet connection, I managed to find a site called RPGsheets.net before I knew how to read. The strange bubbles and boxes, cells and columns fascinated me, and my eldest brother was able to explain enough about them being game aids that I was able to make some rules up for us to play in the front yard. We did that for a few years until I relented and finally learned to read, ultimately picking up Dragon Warriors 1e. I’ve been reading, disregarding, and rewriting rules ever since.

What’s your experience of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay?

When I changed schools as a teenager, I needed to get a new group of people into RPGs. Luckily, the friends I found were already playing Warhammer Fantasy Battle, so equipped with our bands of Dwarfs, Empire state troops, Goblins, and the odd Tau proxy Broadside Battlesuit to represent a troll, we lept into WFRP2! I was scouring forums from that point on, and unknowingly met Andy well before I talked to him properly over a decade later when I submitted my first piece for WFRP4.

What are you doing for LAWhammer?

What I do best! Ahem, that is, talking with Andy about the nonsense he’s dreamed up, and providing thought-provoking jabs that lead him to exclaim and start down an altogether more nonsensical line of thinking. Much later in the season, I may be joining Andy on a post-show fireside chat, where we’ll dive into what LAWhammer means, where it’s been, and where in the Chaos Wastes it might be going…

What are you looking forward to most about the actual play?

*covers microphone and whispers* Can I say that?

[Andy: SPOILERS, BEE!]

Ahem, I don’t recall.

No, but seriously, I’m looking forward to the Enemy Within done right. I’ve always been a huge fan of taking a setting and making it your own, and I’ve always been a fan of Andy’s brain, so smoosh those two together, and hey presto, this is gonna be MAGIC.

Besides, I still remember conversations from way back when as we pinned Enemy in Shadows in place about how things were going to go.

Would you ever consider joining the live stream, perhaps as a guest appearance?

By Dazh, if Andy and Lindsay ever let me back into their home [Bee lives in Australia just now], they’ll have to pry me away tooth and nail from that set. You better believe I’ll be making a guest appearance. I’m already thinking up costumes…

And that was Bee. Enormously looking forward to chatting with them regularly about the stream and where it's going next.

Now, ready for another player? Then please welcome the wonderful Sage to the pages of our Blog for the first time. Take it away, Sage!

Who are you?

Hey, my name is Sage and I use she/they pronouns. I am AuDHD, queer, and Italo-Japanese. I grew up in Italy but moved to the UK about 10 years ago and I have lived in Edinburgh for the last 5. At this point, it might just be easier to describe my main hobby as ‘getting new hobbies’, but the stuff I usually circle back to are crafty/creative stuff, both listening to and performing music, and cute and fantastical worlds to escape into: whether that be in books, shows, or TTRPGs. I am all about mental health advocacy and creating inclusive and accessible safe spaces.

What got you into roleplaying?

My first experience of TTRPGs was playing a Dragonborn Paladin using Pathfinder, where I wrangled my then-boyfriend’s mates into some semblance of order and non-murder-hobo behaviour. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to find friends and a community where we played lots of 6 to 12-week campaigns in a variety of systems, and where I first started GMing. Since the pandemic started, I spent some time unemployed and in a vortex of undiagnosed neurodivergences, so I found solace in the Twitter and Twitch TTRPG communities; even hosting some worldbuilding panels with some friends and content creators to raise money for charity.

What’s your experience of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay?

Even though I’ve played quite a wide range of systems, I’d actually never gotten around to WFRP until now. I’ve painted minis as one of my past hyperfocuses of course – mostly to give away as gifts – and played a few rounds of Bloodbowl, but that was pretty much where my knowledge of the world ended (and it’s only vaguely tangential stuff). I’m really enjoying sinking my teeth into the lore and setting, and getting to play with so many knowledgeable and talented people!

What are you playing?

I am playing a human called Ume Goden, who is the daughter of the Nipponese ambassador in Altdorf. However, by the time our story starts, she is on the run and using a fake name (Yume Goten - very sneaky, of course) and her real personality as a member of the Ranaldan Cult. She keeps her cards close to her chest, and hasn’t opened up much to the group. Unfortunately for her though, her childhood friend, Gerhardt, is far from subtle. The group is helping her keep her secrets, and will hopefully investigate what caused her life to suddenly turn upside down.

What do you most enjoy about your character?

I love playing someone from Nippon, and I'm looking forward to hopefully fleshing that part of the Warhammer world and lore out in a respectful and considerate way. Although Yume is not the strongest fighter, she is definitely a badass with a strong moral code. I love her no-nonsense attitude, strong will and even stronger values and I hope she can finally start taking control of her life. I am also excited by her potential character development. What started off as a lighthearted way to sneak away from her strict upbringing will probably lead her to difficult decisions and hard-learned lessons about the world and her place in it.

If you couldn’t play your current character, which other PC would you like to play?

That’s a tricky question, I think all the other players are doing an amazing job roleplaying their characters, so it’s hard to choose a favourite. However, I think that playing a character like Elrick (played by Dan) would be interesting as a juxtaposition between Yume’s propensity to sneak in the shadows and Elrick’s very obvious and very powerful fire magic. I think he also has a really interesting backstory that adds a lot of depth to the character, in a way that Yume, who has been pretty sheltered so far, just hasn’t had the chance to experience yet. Also, who doesn’t love an explosion or two?

And that's two of our players, one producer, one presenter, and me. The next Meet the Team will introduce our remaining four players, Andy Leask, Cath, Dan, and Lindsay!