1) What got you into the game industry?
Desperation.
I was living on the charity of friends, making no money, starving to death. I turned in an article to a local gaming magazine (SHADIS) and it caught the editor’s eye. They were looking for a staff writer to take up some of the writing duties and he recommended me to the management. I went in for an interview, they liked me, and I got hired that day. A week or so later, they were talking about a CCG they wanted to do. Based on the BUSHIDO RPG and a 500 year old book on samurai philosophy. They were calling it “Legend of the Five Rings.” They had the Clans figured out, already assinged some of the art, but the idea of a storyline came from a conversation between myself and Matt Wilson. We wrote up the basic outline and presented it to the company. A card game with a storyline. Beginning, middle, and end. That’s how it started.

2) Where did you get insparation for L5R and 7th sea?
I’ve answered this question so may times it comes down to shorthand.
L5R: Musashi, Kurasawa, Mifune, Sun Tzu, Joseph Campbell
7th Sea: William Blake, Isaac Newton, Veronica Franco, Alexandre Dumas

Here’s something, though. The women who “inspired” Kachiko:

Matt used Stephanie Seymore as the initial model for Kachiko.
A night with *&^%$ inspired the Egg of P’an Ku scene.
Jennifer was Kachiko at the first L5R LARP.
Jaimie was Kachiko at my bachelor party.
Bayushi Betty has been the walking, talking Kachiko.

And although she’s never been Kachiko, learsfool played Hoturi to my Kachiko at a LARP. THAT was something to be seen to be believed.

3) Why Tzimisce?
Because nobody in LA was playing one. At least, when I came up with the idea of Mr. Finger, nobody was. It reflected a state of mind in the Cam I really resent. A Sabbat venue filled with Obtenebroken and no Tzimisce. Tons and tons of Lasombra and not a single Fiend.

I did some research, enjoyed the theme, and made up Mr. Finger. I knew there was no way he could get approved as he was so I put him in my table top game. (The players called him “Marcus, Part II,” by the way.)

Finger is, as far as I’m concerned, the embodiment of the Tzimisce philosophy. Constant, eternal change. Adopting new personalities as he sees fit. Not a multiple personality disorder character, but an intentional transformation into something different, something new. Something he’s never been before.

What Finger has become… is something terrifying. Something so awful. It’s the darkest character I’ve ever played. My table top players got a glimpse of it. The Cam has no clue. They’ve seen him once and that’s not enough. I feel like I have to take a bath in Listerene after playing him. You’ll see what I mean soon enough…

4) If you could add one thing to WoD 2.0 what would it be?
Keep the Tremere. 😉

5) Do you ever want children? Why or why not?
Once upon a time, I met the only woman I’d want to be the mother of my children.
Thus, I did.
No longer.

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