Entertainment Writing
Game Writing & Publishing

Roleplay Game Rules, Setting & Adventures

Cover - Murphy's World RPG
Murphy’s World
An entire planet ruled by Murphy’s Laws — “if something can go wrong it will” — Murphy's World, a humorous techno-fantasy roleplay game, which was published in 1995 and ultimately sold out. A European game company purchased the rights and produced a hardbound French-language edition.
The descriptions of places and cultures of the Faerie Lands parody the classic themes and elements of fantasy and mythology. Much of the content of the book is provided in the context of a narrative detailing the misadventures of Sean Murphy, an intergalactic entrepreneur who 'discovers' the planet, only to become stranded on the world he has an 'official claim' on.
The book describes the planet, its sun Ludo, and the strange effects it has on the forces of nature and the unpopulated geography, teleportation gates, technology, and magic. It includes races and cultures described via their Physical Characteristics and Abilities, Special Traits and Powers, Language, Geographic Distribution and settlements, Customs and Lifestyle, Skills and Labor Practices, Religion and Superstition, along with a profile of several actual settlements and kingdoms. Also provided are adventure creation and management tips, sample characters, creatures, places, and things.
A complete 19 page adventure:
Robyn's Summer Romance in Asgard (or Robyn and Her Merry Sven), is also included.
The original draft was written by myself; gameplay was handled by a simplified version of
Weapons & Wonder, roleplaying rules that I had designed previously. A partner I acquired for my company Peregrine, David Brown, contributed some written material and assisted with the editing of the final draft.

Promotional Adventures, Supplements & Narrative Documents
Cover - Asgard Gazetteer
Cover - Adventure - A Slice of Life
As part of the task of promoting Murphy's World to retailers and the public I co-wrote with David Brown an introductory adventure, A Slice of Life (published in Adventures Unlimited magazine), and a narrative gazetteer, Asgard – The Vacation Pick of the Multiverse! (published in The Familiar magazine). Both publications were also provided free by our distributors to retailers and game conventions.
The Asgard Gazetteer describes Sean Murphy’s mis-adventures in the Aesir Giants’ capital city, Asgard, which resembles Las Vegas — while providing enough setting details that a player could easily recreate the place in their game.
From 1995 to 2000 various adventure scenarios were written and used to demonstrate Murphy’s World and Bob, Lord of Evil at various conventions in the USA and Canada. They included:
The Trowlish Triangle (Dwarvish pirates and Elvish spies clash in a race to salvage a submarine), The Goblin King (a Dark Lands tale of royal treachery with a nod to Shakespeare), and Boburbia, The Suburban Inferno (a campaign beneath the Dark Lands and a parody of Dante's Inferno).

Cover - Bob, Lord of Evil RPG
Bob, Lord of Evil
With the success of Murphy's World, I decided to produce a sequel, Bob, Lord of Evil, a humorous techno-horror roleplay game published by Peregrine in 1998. It employs the same planetary setting as Murphy's World but functions as a stand-alone game that parodies the classic themes and elements of the horror genre.
Drawing - Bob's Mansion.
The book describes Tir Nan Bob and the surrounding Dark Lands, along with the strange supernatural effects affecting those within its borders. It includes races and cultures described via their Physical Characteristics and Abilities, Special Traits and Powers, Language, Geographic Distribution and settlements, Customs and Lifestyle, Skills and Labor Practices, Religion and Superstition, along with a profile of several actual settlements and kingdoms. Also provided are adventure creation and management tips, sample characters, creatures, places, and things, and some special rules exploiting classic horror clichés. Narrative descriptions of Sean Murphy's encounters with Dark Lands denizens also punctuate the text.
A complete 20 page adventure:
Bob’s Horizon (or On a Mission From Bob), is also included.
I wrote practically all of this book; my publishing and writing partner David Brown, ceased his work on the project and his association with Peregrine part-way through its development.


COVER - Adventures in the Northern Wilderness
A Roleplay Game Adventure

To Serve the Pixie Crown
In 1989, I wrote and provided map illustrations for a roleplay game adventure scenario, To Serve the Pixie Crown, published by Palladium Games in the RPG book Adventures in the Northern Wilderness.


Drawing - Surveyor
Writing, Game Design, Illustration & Graphic Design Assignments
I am always seeking new commissions and assignments. Please contact me to discuss the details.

Kevin Davies
email: webmail@kevindavies.com
phone: (416) 461-9884
mail: 40 Seymour Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M4J 3T4.

I am seeking employment or a long-term contract as a Game Designer, Writer and/or Concept Artist. To view my Résumé as a pdf please click here.


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This page was last updated July 19, 2010
Content copyright © 1980 to 2010 by Kevin Davies. All rights reserved.