One Story At A Time

Sam and I initially met through a card game called Magic: the Gathering over six years ago, however the bond we share now didn’t truly develop until we played in the same Pathfinder game. I have no idea what our characters were, what our story was about, or how long we played, but I do remember the fun and laughs we shared at that gaming table. What we both love so much about role playing games specifically, and tabletop games in general, is that the stories we share at the table are only the beginning of what can be a much greater adventure. This manifested itself in our company tagline, “the story is only the beginning” and we stand firmly behind it as our personal motto. The story we shared at that table so long ago was only the beginning of not only our friendship, but also our partnership in game design and co-founders of our company. We believe that if it had not been for that one story, none of what we have now would be possible, and we dearly want to recreate our experience, through the games we design, at your table.

The one thing that we committed to at the very beginning of the design process for the Aether Above was that we wanted this game to be accessible, inclusive, and unique. For us this meant designing a role playing system that offered diverse character options, a deep and interesting world, and role playing potential that was inviting. All designed to be played by anyone who wanted to. The inclusion was the most important for us, and is reflected in our mission statement, “building community, one story at a time.” For us, this means creating an inviting game that can be picked up and played by anyone. However, that is only the beginning for us. What good is a game for everyone if we don’t also stand behind our mission statement and motto? To that end we also firmly and defiantly stand behind our creed as a games company that promotes diversity and inclusiveness for all people. We are not all the same, and we should celebrate that fact, especially now.

Throughout our friendship, partnership, and design process we have continued to play games together, both in person when we can and online when distance separates us. We currently live in separate parts of the country, Sam in Chicago and myself in Albuquerque, but the distance hasn’t diminished our love for games or the design process or for the friendship that we share. Our sincere hope is that if you choose to play this game we are so very proud of, that you will do so knowing that it was written for you. And if you choose to sit at a table and enjoy a story with us that you will feel loved, accepted, and valued. We look forward, most of all, to what happens beyond the story, because after all...the story is only the beginning.

Karl Richter