(1) ENNIE TABLETOP GAME AWARD BANS AI ENTRIES. The ENNIE Awards will no longer allow AI content in submissions, effective with the 2025-26 awards season: “Revised Policy on Generative AI Usage”. The complete discussion is at the link.
…In 2023, the ENNIE Awards introduced their initial policy on generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). The policy recognized the growing presence of these technologies in modern society and their nuanced applications, from generating visual and written content to supporting background tasks such as PDF creation and word processing. The intent was to encourage honesty and transparency from creators while maintaining a commitment to human-driven creativity. Under this policy, creators self-reported AI involvement, and submissions with AI contributions were deemed ineligible for certain categories. For example, products featuring AI-generated art were excluded from art categories but remained eligible for writing categories if the text was entirely human-generated, and vice versa. The organizers faced challenges in crafting a policy that balanced inclusivity with the need to uphold the values of creativity and originality. Recognizing that smaller publishers and self-published creators often lack the resources of larger companies, the ENNIE Awards sought to avoid policies that might disproportionately impact those with limited budgets.
However, feedback from the TTRPG community has made it clear that this policy does not go far enough. Generative AI remains a divisive issue, with many in the community viewing it as a threat to the creativity and originality that define the TTRPG industry. The prevailing sentiment is that AI-generated content, in any form, detracts from a product rather than enhancing it.
In response to this feedback, the ENNIE Awards are amending their policy regarding generative AI. Beginning with the 2025-2026 submission cycle, the ENNIE Awards will no longer accept any products containing generative AI or created with the assistance of Large Language Models or similar technologies for visual, written, or edited content. Creators wishing to submit products must ensure that no AI-generated elements are included in their works. While it is not feasible to retroactively alter the rules for the 2024-2025 season, this revised policy reflects the ENNIE Awards commitment to celebrating the human creativity at the heart of the TTRPG community…
(2) ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDALS. The 2025 Andrew Carnegie Medal winners were announced by the American Library Association today. Neither is a genre work.
FICTION
James by Percival Everett (Doubelday)
NONFICTION
Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko (Scribner)
…Calling James “an astounding riposte” to Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the ALA said that Everett “takes the story in a completely different direction than the original, exemplifying the relentless courage and moral clarity of an honorable man with nothing to lose.” Fedarko’s A Walk in the Park, which “follows the author on a canyon-spanning group hike…particularly inspires in detailing the ancestral history of the land and some of the Indigenous individuals who continue to fight against overdevelopment and ever-booming tourism,” the ALA said….
(3) FOREVER CHANGED. Sakinah Hofler, winner of the 2024 Analog Award for Emerging Black Voices, tells in a new essay how science fiction, especially Octavia Butler’s, opened Hofler’s mind to new possibilities in her writing: “Defamiliarization: Against Reality to Examine Reality” at The Astounding Analog Companion.
… I remember this as a pivotal moment when science fiction changed everything I thought I knew about what I wanted to write as well as what I thought writing could do.
The first book in the Patternist series, Wild Seed, mainly takes place in West Africa and America. There are elements of slavery in it, but we are also introduced to two evolved humans—Doro, an immortal spirit who can travel from body to body, and Anwanyu, a shape-shifter and healer—characters who, over the centuries, fluctuate between being allies and enemies. During the height of the slave trade, both of them, separately, wind up starting their own colonies of superhumans. What drew me in and what made this novel feel different and refreshing was Butler’s ability to make the familiar unfamiliar, or, as dubbed by Darko Suvin, evoke a feeling of “cognitive estrangement.” She created a world familiar enough for me to recognize, yet, by injecting supernatural elements had destabilized my understanding of reality, thwarted my expectations, and offered an alternative, complicated, hopeful history and future….
We are delighted to announce the Sea Star Scholarship, an annual full-tuition scholarship for our flagship Six-Week Workshop, offered by an anonymous donor, which will be awarded each year to one qualifying student who identifies as two-spirit, trans, nonbinary, or under the gender expansive umbrella.
Through the generosity of our donors, Clarion West provides a number of scholarships for writers every year. Approximately 60–90% of our Six-Week Workshop participants receive full and partial-tuition scholarships. Interested students must indicate financial need when applying to the summer workshop. Applications are reviewed without regard to financial aid requests. You can learn more about scholarships for the Six-Week Workshop here.
At Clarion West we are proud to be part of a supportive community for trans, two-spirit, nonbinary, and other gender expansive authors who continue to change and inform the landscape of speculative fiction for the better. We know that trans writers are and will continue to be essential in expanding the boundaries of SFFH and are equally essential in inviting new exciting voices into the field.
We know the journey for each trans writer is different, and that trans people represent all racial and ethnic backgrounds, faith traditions, and countries around the world. And we know that while there has been significant progress in the publishing world, the transgender community is still facing significant political and personal attacks through discrimination and violence, especially against Black and Brown trans women.
We remain committed to supporting trans authors and learning how to better support them in a field that can be hostile and unwelcoming. We do this through our efforts to provide an intersectional framework of support for trans authors. The organization welcomes trans faculty, seeks to create supportive spaces for trans authors in workshop groups, and makes every effort to create an inclusive community throughout our programs.
Transphobia is not welcome or tolerated in our classrooms, at our events, nor in our workspace. We support our students and community members with robust community guidelines and anti-harassment reporting policies. When we are informed of instructor or participant misconduct, Clarion West makes every effort to verify, follow up with those who may have been harmed, and to ensure that we take the steps necessary to prevent future misconduct, up to and including exclusion from Clarion West classes and events.
In the spirit of celebrating the contributions of trans and nonbinary writers to our field, we are working on a recommended reading list of trans and nonbinary writers who are either Clarion West alumni and/or Clarion West faculty! If you would like your website or stories on this list, please contact us at workshop@clarionwest.org!
In an ominous indication of the new administration’s approach to book censorship, on Friday the new leadership of the Department of Education announced that its Office for Civil Rights has “dismissed” 17 complaints and pending complaints “related to so-called ‘book bans’ ” and said the idea that “local school districts’ removal of age-inappropriate, sexually explicit, or obscene materials from their school libraries created a hostile environment for students” and constitutes a civil rights violation is “a meritless claim based upon a dubious legal theory.” The Office for Civil Rights also ended the position of “book ban coordinator” and rescinded an agreement reached with Forsyth County School District in Georgia. The Office’s statement has the headline, “U.S. Department of Education Ends Biden’s Book Ban Hoax.”
The announcement of the changes stated in part, “On Jan. 20, 2025, incoming OCR leadership initiated a review of alleged ‘book banning’ cases pending at the department. Attorneys quickly confirmed that books are not being ‘banned,’ but that school districts, in consultation with parents and community stakeholders, have established commonsense processes by which to evaluate and remove age-inappropriate materials. Because this is a question of parental and community judgment, not civil rights, OCR has no role in these matters.”
The Department’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor added, “By dismissing these complaints and eliminating the position and authorities of a so-called ‘book ban coordinator,’ the department is beginning the process of restoring the fundamental rights of parents to direct their children’s education. The department adheres to the deeply rooted American principle that local control over public education best allows parents and teachers alike to assess the educational needs of their children and communities. Parents and school boards have broad discretion to fulfill that important responsibility. These decisions will no longer be second-guessed by the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education.”
Several book world organizations responded quickly. Kasey Meehan, director, Freedom to Read, at PEN America, said in a statement: “For over three years we have countered rhetoric that book bans occurring in public schools are a ‘hoax.’ They are absolutely not. This kind of language from the U.S. Department of Education is alarming and dismissive of the students, educators, librarians, and authors who have firsthand experiences of censorship happening within school libraries and classrooms….
(6) KGB. Fantastic Fiction at KGB reading series hosts Ellen Datlow and Matthew Kressel present: Clay McLeod Chapman & Rebecca Fraimow on Wednesday, February 12. Location: KGB Bar, 85 East 4th Street, New York, NY 10003, (Just off 2nd Ave, upstairs). Starts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
Clay McLeod Chapman
Clay McLeod Chapman writes books, comic books, young adult and middle grade books, as well as for film and television. His most recent novels include Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, What Kind of Mother, and Ghost Eaters.
Version 1.0.0
Rebecca Fraimow
Rebecca Fraimow is the author of science fiction romantic comedy Lady Eve’s Last Con, a NY Times Best Romance Novel of 2024, as well as the science fiction novella The Iron Children. Rebecca has also published short stories in various venues, including the Hugo-longlisted “This Is New Gehesran Calling,” and cohosts the podcast Eight Days of Diana Wynne Jones with Emily Tesh. Rebecca also works as an audiovisual archivist preserving the history of public television. She’s married to fellow author Elizabeth Porter Birdsall and lives in Boston with a couple of extremely lucky black cats.
Join me as I look back at the trouble I had getting out of an elevator at the first Star Trek convention, what my ballot looked like when I voted for the 1968 Alley Awards, the composers who wrote the music to match the lyrics I had Rick Jones sing in Captain Marvel #50, what teen me got wrong (twice!) about Jim Steranko, the three comics characters I almost cosplayed as at the 1972 Rutland Halloween parade, the mystery woman who would have been my Beautiful Dreamer on a Forever People float, and much more.
And it can be downloaded through a variety of platforms at this link.
(8) MEMORY LANE.
[Written by Cat Eldridge.]
January 27, 1999 — Voyager episode “Bride of Chaotica”
Captain Janeway: Coffee, black.
Neelix: I’m sorry, Captain. We’ve lost another two replicators
Kathryn Janeway: Listen to me very carefully because I’m only going to say this once. Coffee – black.
Twenty-six years ago this evening on the UPN network Star Trek: Voyager‘s “Bride of Chaotica!” first aired. It was the twelfth episode of the fifth season of the series. The episode is a loving homage to the 1936 Flash Gordon film serial and 1939 Buck Rogers film serial that followed. Much of the episode was shot in black and white to emulate the look of those shows.
The episode largely takes place on the Holodeck set because of a small fire to the Bridge set that had occurred while the episode was in production, so the Bridge scenes were shot weeks later after the set was repaired and many of the scenes that were originally set for the Bridge were either entirely rewritten or set on a different part of the ship.
The story was Bryan Fuller who was the writer and executive producer on Voyager and Deep Space Nine; he is also the co-creator of Discovery. The script was by Fuller and Michael Taylor who was best known as a writer on Deep Space Nine and Voyager.
Critics really liked it. SyFy Wire said it was “campy, hilarious, hysterical, brilliant, and an absolute joy.” And CBR noted that Voyager was “having fun with its goofier side.”
The coffee dialogue had me looking up drink preferences for the Captains. We know Picard liked Earl Grey tea, and I’m reasonably sure Kirk was never shown drinking a morning brew. (Alcoholic drinks are another matter, aren’t they for all of them?) Sisko enjoyed raktajino, a potent Klingon coffee, and Archer drank sweetened iced tea. I can’t find anything that indicates what Burnham had for a morning drink.
(9) TODAY’S BIRTHDAY.
[Written by Paul Weimer.]
January 27, 1957 — Frank Miller, 68.
By Paul Weimer: I come to talk to you about Frank Miller strictly in his movie adaptations and work. As is my wont and practice, these writeups are my own personal engagement with a creator and their work. I could write a Wikipedia-style article cribbed from sources but that wouldn’t be me. That would be barely better than LLM.
So I’ve never sat down to read his extensive comic book oeuvre. I am not a huge comics fan to begin with, my interests are occasional, narrow and scattershot. But that’s a story for another time.
Frank Miller came to my attention through the movies, and it was through the original Sin City that he really came to my attention. I was absorbed by the visuals, the style, and the strong archetypal characters that we see in the original movie. I didn’t even know, until after I had watched it, that there was a graphic novel that had originated the story. I did later flip through it, just to see how the one had been adapted to the other.
But time and life is short and I didn’t go into Miller’s comic oeuvre. Instead, I kept an eye out on the films he wrote and directed and contributed to. The ahistorical 300, which I rationalize its utter ahistoricity in my mind as being a pack of lies being told by the one-eyed Dilios to get the Greeks pumped up and ready to fight. He’s a storyteller, he’s lying about the battle rhinos and everything else.
300 Rise of an Empire doesn’t have that frame to work, and I think it’s a stronger film, too. The Spirit? An utter and terrible mess and I can’t recommend it for any real reason. I did not need to see Samuel Jackson in a fascist uniform. I just didn’t. And the second Sin City? For me, it didn’t capture the magic of the first. Maybe because we “Saw it already before” and the surprise splash of the first had receded. We know the tricks in the bag for the film, and so the second movie just is…there, and not as good as one might like. I’ve never revisited it, although I’ve watched the original Sin City again more than once.
In any event, his visuals have been a leading light of neo-noir style and are strong on those axes, an inspiration for those interested in visuals of that type.
The Big Bang Theory finished 2024 as the year’s “most-binged title” in streaming, according to a new report from Nielsen.
The sitcom averaged 265.5 episodes per viewer on Max, the measurement firm said, or 29.1 billion minutes of total viewing. The long-running former CBS series has 281 total episodes available for streaming.
Coming in at No. 7 overall among this year’s top streaming titles, Big Bang saw 58% of its watch time accounted for by adults 18 to 49.
The “average episodes per viewer” stat refers to the amount of time (with episodes lasting at least 20 minutes each) spent viewing the show. It does not indicate the number of unique episodes seen by each viewer….
It certainly wasn’t obvious from the beginning when someone in a Milanese court added 22 new picture cards – drawing on Roman gods or classical virtues such as temperance or love which could act as an allegory for life – to a standard deck in order to enhance the complexity and fun of the game. “It wouldn’t be until the late-18th century,” says co-curator Jonathan Allen, “that a French pastor and scholar of the occult, Antoine Court de Gébelin, came to the conclusion that what he was looking at wasn’t an ordinary set of cards, but actually a concealed Egyptian religious text called the Book of Thoth.” A Parisian print seller and former seed merchant called John-Baptiste Alliette soon appropriated the theory, founded a society dedicated to its study and established himself as interpreter of the Book of Thoth before producing a new tarot deck explicitly used for fortune-telling under the reversed pen-name Etteilla. His deck, largely used by secret aristocratic magical societies, set the visual and spiritual tone in thinking and practice for the next few centuries until the early 20th century and the British occult revival.
It was the various expulsions and fragmentations of the Hermetic Order of theGolden Dawn – a secret society exploring magic and occult mysticism which included WB Yeats and Aleister Crowley as members – that then created the dominant decks of the 20th and 21st centuries…
Elton John has backed Paul McCartney in criticising a proposed overhaul of the UK copyright system, and has called for new rules to prevent tech companies from riding “roughshod over the traditional copyright laws that protect artists’ livelihoods”.
John has backed proposed amendments to the data (use and access) bill that would extend existing copyright protections, when it goes before a vote in the House of Lords on Tuesday.
The government is also consulting on an overhaul of copyright laws that would result in artists having to opt out of letting AI companies train their models using their work, rather than an opt-in model.
McCartney told the BBC that the proposed changes could disincentivise writers and artists and result in a “loss of creativity”. The former Beatle said: “You get young guys, girls, coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don’t own it, and they don’t have anything to do with it. And anyone who wants can just rip it off.”
“The truth is, the money’s going somewhere … Somebody’s getting paid, so why shouldn’t it be the guy who sat down and wrote Yesterday?”
John told the Sunday Times that he felt “wheels are in motion to allow AI companies to ride roughshod over the traditional copyright laws that protect artists’ livelihoods. This will allow global big tech companies to gain free and easy access to artists’ work in order to train their artificial intelligence and create competing music. This will dilute and threaten young artists’ earnings even further. The musician community rejects it wholeheartedly.”
A teaser trailer of a spaceship making a crash landing on Earth dropped during the AFC Championship game [on Sunday]….
…From Noah Hawley, Alien: Earth is set two years before the events of the 1979 film Alien.
According to the show’s synopsis, “When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat in the sci-fi horror series Alien: Earth.
(16) COOL WORLDS. [Item by SF Concatenation’s Jonathan Cowie.] Prof David Kipping, the Brit astrophysicist at Columbia U, USA, over at Cool Worlds looks at a forthcoming paper due to be published in Nature Astronomy.
What they have done is surveyed exoplanets that are more or less Earth-sized around K and M type stars. (M-type stars are small red dwarfs that are so cold that habitable exoplanets have to be close to the star and so are tidally locked. Also, because of their low mass, M-types stars prone to flaring which is not good for any nearby putative life. However, K-type stars are just a little more like Earth’s G-type Sun and so are of exobiological interest.) what they have found is that these planet’s orbits are almost circular just like our Earth’s…
[Thanks to SF Concatenation’s Jonathan Cowie, Steven French, Kathy Sullivan, Mark Roth-Whitworth, Teddy Harvia, Mike Kennedy, Andrew Porter, John King Tarpinian, Chris Barkley, and Cat Eldridge for some of these stories. Title credit belongs to File 770 contributing editor of the day John Hertz.]
The 2024 ENnie Awards winners were announced at Gen Con on August 2.
The ENnie Awards are an annual, fan-based juried award system for all tabletop RPGs. The ENnies were created in 2001 as an annual award ceremony, hosted by the leading D&D/d20 system fan site, EN World in partnership with Eric Noah’s Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News.
The ENnie Awards are an annual, fan-based juried award system for all tabletop RPGs. The ENnies were created in 2001 as an annual award ceremony, hosted by the leading D&D/d20 system fan site, EN World in partnership with Eric Noah’s Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News.
Final voting will take place from July 12-21. Winners will be announced from Gen Con on August 2 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern in the Crown Plaza Union Station Grand Hall. The ceremony can also be watched live via the ENNIE Award YouTube channel.
The ENnie Awards are an annual, fan-based juried award system for all tabletop RPGs. The ENnies were created in 2001 as an annual award ceremony, hosted by the leading D&D/d20 system fan site, EN World in partnership with Eric Noah’s Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News.
BEST ADVENTURE
Gold
Vaesen RPG – Seasons of Mystery, Free League Authors: Gabrielle de Bourg, Tomas Harenstam, Andreas Marklund, Kiku Pukk Harenstam
Silver
Journeys through the Radiant Citadel, Wizards of the Coast Authors: Justice Ramin Arman, Dominique Dickey, Ajit A. George, Basheer Ghouse, Alastor Guzman, D. Fox Harrell, T.K. Johnson, Felice Tzehuei Kuan, Surena Marie, Mimi Mondal, Mario Ortegón, Miyuki Jane Pinckard, Pam Punzalan, Erin Roberts, Terry H. Romero, Stephanie Yoon
Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game Starter Set, Magpie Games Authors: Sharang Biswas, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Brendan Conway, James Mendez Hodes, Yeonsoo Julian Kim, Simon Moody, Lysa Penrose, Mark Diaz Truman, Daniel Kwan, Sen-Foong Lim
Fabula Ultima – Core Rulebook, Need Games, Rooster Games Author : Emanuele Galletto Editing/Sensitivity : Nicola Degobbis, Courteney Penney, Marta Palvarini Art : Moryo, Christian Benevides, Lorenzo Magalotti, Susu Nonohara, Catthy Trinh, ExtantLily, Ben Henry, Sascha Anderer, Lorc
Silver
Trophy RPG, The Gauntlet Gaming Community, Hedgemaze Press Author: Jesse Ross Editing : Lauren McManamon, Jason Cordova, David LaFreniere Art : Anna Zee, Rian Magee, Anton Cheykin
Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game,Magpie Games Author: Sharang Biswas, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Brendan Conway, James Mendez Hodes, Yeonsoo Julian Kim, Simon Moody, Lysa Penrose, Mark Diaz Truman, Daniel Kwan, Sen-Foong Lim
Silver
Rivers of London: The Roleplaying Game, Chaosium Inc. Authors: Ben Aaronvitch, Graeme Barber, Paul Fricker, Adam Guantlet, Llyod Gyan, Lynne Hardy, Gavin Inglis, Mike Mason, Keris McDonald, Lucya Szachnowski
Barkeep on the Borderlands, Prismatic Wasteland Authors: W.F. Smith, Anne Hunter, Ava Islam, Ben Laurence, Chris McDowell, Emmy Verte, Gus L., Luka Rejec, Marcia B., Nick LS Whelan, Ty Pitre, Zedeck Siew
The ENnie Awards are an annual, fan-based juried award system for all tabletop RPGs. The ENnies were created in 2001 as an annual award ceremony, hosted by the leading D&D/d20 system fan site, EN World in partnership with Eric Noah’s Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News.
Final voting will take place from July 14-23. Winners will be announced from Gen Con on August 4 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern in the Crown Plaza Union Station Grand Hall. The ceremony can also be watched live via the ENNIE Award YouTube channel.
Kevin Combs– One Breath left, Stout Stoat Press Author: Ian Howard
Jim D’Alessio – Dungeons of Drakkenheim, Ghostfire Gaming Authors: Monty Martin, Kelly McLaughlin
Christopher Gath – Void 1680 AM , Bannerless Games Author: Ken Lowery
Candace McAfee – Moonlight on Roseville Beach: A Queer Game of Disco and Cosmic Horror, R. Rook Studio Authors: Richard Ruane, Rob Abrazado, Bendi Barrett, Sharang Biswas, Rick Chia, Alison Cybe, Ezakur, Ethan Harvey, Maxwell Lander, Catherine Ramen, Erin Roberts, Ennis Rook Bashe, Noora Rose, R.J. Ryan, Sean F. Smith, Anne Toole, Preston Leslie, Logan Rollins
Shauna Ratliff – Faecraft, Exalted Funeral Author: Will Purves
BEST ADVENTURE
Broken Tales, The World Anvil Publishing Author: Alberto Tronchi
Journeys through the Radiant Citadel, Wizards of the Coast Authors: Justice Ramin Arman, Dominique Dickey, Ajit A. George, Basheer Ghouse, Alastor Guzman, D. Fox Harrell, T.K. Johnson, Felice Tzehuei Kuan, Surena Marie, Mimi Mondal, Mario Ortegón, Miyuki Jane Pinckard, Pam Punzalan, Erin Roberts, Terry H. Romero, Stephanie Yoon
Flabbergasted!, The Wanderer’s Tome Artists: Andy Bennett, Fleur Sciortino, Ricardo Bessa, Dozerdraws, Daniela “Iella” Attard
Incantations, Metal Weave Games Artists: Zander Barcelo, Cher Chen, Stephanie cost, Reil Hye, Genel Jumalon, Maiwenn Kasprzyk, Allaine Kate B Leoncio, Erika Lundrigan (Mizomel), Patricia Maura L Mercado, Anna Moshak, Mike Pape, Devon Ste Marie Robin, The _Gobbo, Lauren Walsh
Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game Starter Set, Magpie Games Authors: Sharang Biswas, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Brendan Conway, James Mendez Hodes, Yeonsoo Julian Kim, Simon Moody, Lysa Penrose, Mark Diaz Truman, Daniel Kwan, Sen-Foong Lim
Color My Quest, Dice Up Games Author: Kristin & Tim Devine
Horseshoe Academy, 9th Level Games Authors: Nat Mesnard & Patrick Watson
Princess Guard, Amalara Game Studio Author: David Garrett
The 2022 Level 1 Anthology, 9th Level Games Authors: Gabrielle Rabinowitz, Evlyn Moreau, Dustin Winter, Quinn B. Rodriguez, Sea Carnelian, Loretta Brady, Skylar Bottcher, Gianna Cormier, Glenn Givens, Samantha Sinacori, Steffie de Vaan, Graham Gentz, Monica Valentinelli, Kyle Ott, Desks and Dorks, Patrick Watson, Dare Hickman, V.R. Collins, Zane Graves, Scott Slater, Alexi Sargeant, Jim Dagg
BEST GAME
Fabula Ultima – Core Rulebook, Need Games, Rooster Games Author : Emanuele Galletto Editing/Sensitivity : Nicola Degobbis, Courteney Penney, Marta Palvarini Art : Moryo, Christian Benevides, Lorenzo Magalotti, Susu Nonohara, Catthy Trinh, ExtantLily, Ben Henry, Sascha Anderer, Lorc
Flabbergasted!, The Wanderer’s Tome Author: Chelsea Sciortino, Fleur Sciortino Editing/Sensitivity : Amber Logdson, Hannah Givens Art : Andy Bennett, Fleur Sciortino, Ricardo Bessa, Dozerdraws, Daniela “Iella” Attard
Pasión de las Pasiones, Magpie Games Authors: Brandon Leon-Gambetta, Brendan Conway, Claudia Sánchez Quiroz Editing : Mark Diaz Truman, Monte Lin Art : Miguel Angel Espinoza, Marissa Kelly
Slugblaster | Kickflip Over a Quantum Centipede, Wilkie’s Candy Lab Authors: Mikey Hamm, Robyn Slack, Michael Elliott and guests Editing : Ryan A. Markle Art : Sex on a Pizza, Galen Pejeau, Susanna Wong, Scott A. Ford, Halie Finney, Rupam Grimoeuvre, Taylor Reese, Mike Perschon
Trophy RPG, The Gauntlet Gaming Community, Hedgemaze Press Author: Jesse Ross Editing : Lauren McManamon, Jason Cordova, David LaFreniere Art : Anna Zee, Rian Magee, Anton Cheykin
Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game,Magpie Games Author: Sharang Biswas, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Brendan Conway, James Mendez Hodes, Yeonsoo Julian Kim, Simon Moody, Lysa Penrose, Mark Diaz Truman, Daniel Kwan, Sen-Foong Lim
Rivers of London: The Roleplaying Game, Chaosium Inc. Authors: Ben Aaronvitch, Graeme Barber, Paul Fricker, Adam Guantlet, Llyod Gyan, Lynne Hardy, Gavin Inglis, Mike Mason, Keris McDonald, Lucya Szachnowski
Trophy RPG, The Gauntlet Gaming Community, Hedgemaze Press Author: Jessie Ross
BEST SETTING
Drakkenhall: City of Monsters, Pelgrane Press Authors: Liz Argall, AnneMarie Boeve, Benjamin Feehan, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Cal Moore, Corey Reddin
Barkeep on the Borderlands, Prismatic Wasteland Authors: W.F. Smith, Anne Hunter, Ava Islam, Ben Laurence, Chris McDowell, Emmy Verte, Gus L., Luka Rejec, Marcia B., Nick LS Whelan, Ty Pitre, Zedeck Siew
Incantations, Metal Weave Games Authors: HTTPaladin, Kirsten Bell, Lucia Versprille
Necrobiotic Core Rule Book, Penny for a Tale Authors: Valerio Amadei, Andrea Marmugi, Mitchell Wallace Editor: Hannah Wallace, Amber Logsdon, Adi Slepack
Swords of the Serpentine, Pelgrane Press Authors: Kevin Kulp, Emily Dresner Editing/Sensitivity: Tim Gray, Cathriona Tobin, Misha Bushyager
The One Ring RPG, Second Edition, Free League Publishing Artists: Martin Grip, Alvaro Tapia, Jan Pospíšil, Niklas Brandt, Henrik Rosenborg, Antonio De Luca, Federica Costantini, Luca Sotgiu, Daniele Sorrentino, Melissa Spandri, Giuditta Betti
Silver
Wanderhome, Possum Creek Games Artist: Ruby Lavin, Letty Wilson, Jennie Lindberg, Conner Fawcett, Danny Kyobe, Jo Thierolf, L Henderson, Dominique Ramsey, Nadhir Nor, Geneva Bowers, Cam Adjodha, Juho Choi, Núria Tamarit, Kimberli Johnson, and Sabii Borno
Questlings: RPG, Letiman Games, LLC Authors: Banana Chan, Tim Devine
BEST FREE GAME / PRODUCT
Gold
The 2021 Level 1 Anthology, 9th Level Games Authors: Adam Bell, Whitney Delaglio, Michael Faulk, Zane Graves, Josh Hittie, Tim Hutchings, N. Maxwell Lander, Mara Li, Tim McCracken, Nat Mesnard, Dawn Metcalf, RK Payne, Lysa Penrose, Helena Real, Jack Rosetree, Starshine Scribbles, Joel Salda, Alexi Sargeant, Scott Uhls, and Max V.
Haunted West, Darker Hue Studios Authors: Chris Spivey, Angel Adeyoha, Evan Perlman, Daniel Kwan, Alexandra Jackson, Adam Alexander, Alex Mayo, Neall Raemonn Price, Misha Bushyager, Cameron Hays, Rose Bailey, Kenneth Hite, Cori Redford, Mark Morrison, Dennis Detwiller
Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall, Wet Ink Games, Game and a Curry Authors: Banana Chan, Sen-Foong Lim, Elton Lau, James Mendez Hodes, Aaron Catano-Saez, Ross Cheung, Kienna Shaw, Daniel Kwan, Jonaya Kemper, Sammi Lai
Root: The RPG: Travelers and Outsiders, Magpie Games Authors: Brendan Conway, Sarah Doom, Marissa Kelly, Danielle Lauzon, Simon Moody, Sarah “Sam” Saltiel, Mark Diaz Truman, Camdon Wright, Miguel Ángel Espinoza
BEST WRITING
Gold
Dune – Adventures in the Imperium: Core Rulebook , Modiphius Entertainment Authors: Richard August, Simon Berman, Banana Chan, Nathan Dowdell, Jason Durall, Khaldoun Khelil, Helena Nash, Andrew Peregrine, Hilary Sklar, Chris Spivey, Mari Tokuda, Rachel J Wilkinson, Ben Woerner
The ENnie Awards are an annual, fan-based juried award system for all tabletop RPGs. The ENnies were created in 2001 as an annual award ceremony, hosted by the leading D&D/d20 system fan site, EN World in partnership with Eric Noah’s Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News.
Winners will be announced from Gen Con on August 5 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern in the Crown Plaza Union Station Grand Hall. The ceremony can also be watched live via the ENNIE Award YouTube channel.
JUDGES’ SPOTLIGHT WINNERS
Amelia Antrim– Dwelling, Good Luck Press Author: Seb Pines
Salim Hakima – Kobold Guide to Monsters, Kobold Press Authors: Monte Cook, Wolfgang Baur, Mike Mason, Crystal Frasier, Mike Shea, Shanna Germain, Steve Winter, and many more
Shiny O’Brien – Wickedness, Possum Creek Games Author: M Veselak
Wanderhome, Possum Creek Games Artist: Ruby Lavin and Sylvia Bi
BEST ART, INTERIOR
Historia – Dark Fantasy Renaissance Setting for 5e, Mana Project Studio Artists: Alberto Besi, Andrea Tentori Montalto, Angelo Peluso, Antonio De Luca, Daniela Giubellini, Daniele Solimene, Domenico Cava, Edoardo Campagnolo, Fabio Porfidia, Federica Costantini, Giulio Perozziello, Imma Botti, Mauro
The One Ring RPG, Second Edition, Free League Publishing Artists: Martin Grip, Alvaro Tapia, Jan Pospíšil, Niklas Brandt, Henrik Rosenborg, Antonio De Luca, Federica Costantini, Luca Sotgiu, Daniele Sorrentino, Melissa Spandri, Giuditta Betti
Thirsty Sword Lesbians, Evil Hat Productions Artists: Kanesha C. Bryant, Hannah Templer, Avery Andruszkiewicz, Chelsea Geter, Faith Schaffer, Kiku Hughes, Marty Tina G., Naomi Castro, Ryan Kingdom, Trivia Fox
Uncaged: Goddesses, Unseelie Studios Artists: Alaire Racicot, Alex Niederberger, Amelia Ng, Angela O’Hara, Beatriz F. Valverde, Cecilia Nesti, David Markiwsky, DW Dagon, Elaine Ho, Fernando Salvaterra, Flo Young, Gretchen Meinzen, Gwen Bassett, H. “Ink” Kugler, Herman Lau, Jeong Kim, Kari Kawachi, Kata Kemi, Kendal Gates, Lore Evans, Maartje Heere, Margarita Bourkova, Mike Pape, Mina Dupont-Issalys, Morrighan Corbel, Nala J. Wu, Reid Aster, Sabaa Bismil, Saga Mackenzie, Samara Lee, Sejuti Bala, Sonya Henar, William Hallett
Wanderhome, Possum Creek Games Artist: Ruby Lavin, Letty Wilson, Jennie Lindberg, Conner Fawcett, Danny Kyobe, Jo Thierolf, L Henderson, Dominique Ramsey, Nadhir Nor, Geneva Bowers, Cam Adjodha, Juho Choi, Núria Tamarit, Kimberli Johnson, and Sabii Borno
The 2021 Level 1 Anthology, 9th Level Games Authors: Adam Bell, Whitney Delaglio, Michael Faulk, Zane Graves, Josh Hittie, Tim Hutchings, N. Maxwell Lander, Mara Li, Tim McCracken, Nat Mesnard, Dawn Metcalf, RK Payne, Lysa Penrose, Helena Real, Jack Rosetree, Starshine Scribbles, Joel Salda, Alexi Sargeant, Scott Uhls, and Max V.
Big Bad Booklet 19-30, Hit Point Press Authors: Bailey Wright, Verity Lane, Serena Langton, Jamila R. Nedjadi, Celeste Conowitch, Beth Ball, Lulu St James, Jasmine Bhullar, Jessica Marcrum, Kat Kruger, Jason Levine, Yubi Coates
Haunted West, Darker Hue Studios Authors: Chris Spivey, Angel Adeyoha, Evan Perlman, Daniel Kwan, Alexandra Jackson, Adam Alexander, Alex Mayo, Neall Raemonn Price, Misha Bushyager, Cameron Hays, Rose Bailey, Kenneth Hite, Cori Redford, Mark Morrison, Dennis Detwiller
Eldritch Century – Chronicles of the Wounded Earth, Draco Studios Authors: Ezzy Languzzi, Helen Gould, Lara Paige Turner, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Hiromi Cota, Erykah Fassett, Spider B. Perry, David Castro, Bernardo Alvarez, JC Alvarez, Ruben Bañuelos, Alastor Guzmán, Alvaros Zinos-Amaro, Dan SRT, Angus Abranson, Jerry D. Grayson, Hugo Huesca Thomas
Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall, Wet Ink Games, Game and a Curry Authors: Banana Chan, Sen-Foong Lim, Elton Lau, James Mendez Hodes, Aaron Catano-Saez, Ross Cheung, Kienna Shaw, Daniel Kwan, Jonaya Kemper, Sammi Lai
City of Mist: Shadows & Showdowns, Son of Oak Game Studio Authors: Amit Moshe, Omer Shapira, Eran Aviram, Itamar Karbian, Jack Godwin, Chris Gunning, Saar Shai, Alicia Zur Szpiro, Marshall Oppel, Marcin Soboń
Root: The RPG: Travelers and Outsiders, Magpie Games Authors: Brendan Conway, Sarah Doom, Marissa Kelly, Danielle Lauzon, Simon Moody, Sarah “Sam” Saltiel, Mark Diaz Truman, Camdon Wright, Miguel Ángel Espinoza
Sin: A Spire Sourcebook, Rowan, Rook and Decard Authors: Grant Howitt, Christopher Taylor, JP Bradley, Basheer Ghouse, N Masyk, Thomas Manuel, Pauline Chan, Helen Gould, Cat Evans, Lio Keahna, Viditya Voleti, Chris Farnell, Christine Beard, Eleanor Hingley, Adrian Stone, Minerva McJanda, Mary Hamilton, Kyle Latino, Alex Darnaceno, Diogo assunção
Dune – Adventures in the Imperium: Core Rulebook , Modiphius Entertainment Authors: Richard August, Simon Berman, Banana Chan, Nathan Dowdell, Jason Durall, Khaldoun Khelil, Helena Nash, Andrew Peregrine, Hilary Sklar, Chris Spivey, Mari Tokuda, Rachel J Wilkinson, Ben Woerner
The ENnie Awards are an annual, fan-based juried award system for all tabletop RPGs. The ENnies were created in 2001 as an annual award ceremony, hosted by the leading D&D/d20 system fan site, EN World in partnership with Eric Noah’s Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News.
Brancalonia – Spaghetti Fantasy Setting Book, Acheron Games Authors: Mauro Longo, Andrea Macchi, Max Castellani, Edoardo Cremaschi, Giovanni De Feo, Luca Mazza, Mala Spina, Alessandro Savino, Jack Sensolini, Umberto Spaticchia.
Brancalonia – Spaghetti Fantasy Setting Book, Acheron Games Authors: Mauro Longo, Andrea Macchi, Max Castellani, Mauro Longo, Andrea Macchi, Max Castellani, Edoardo Cremaschi, Giovanni De Feo, Luca Mazza, Mala Spina, Alessandro Savino, Jack Sensolini, Umberto Spaticchia
The ENnie Awards are an annual, fan-based juried award system for all tabletop RPGs. The ENnies were created in 2001 as an annual award ceremony, hosted by the leading D&D/d20 system fan site, EN World in partnership with Eric Noah’s Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News.
Winners will be announced online from Gen Con on September 17 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern..
Eyes Unclouded, The Secret Cat Shop Authors: Anthony Alipio, Tineke Bolleman, C. Michael Chase, Bridie Dutton, Brittney Hay, Kat Kruger, Jacky Leung, Amber Litke, Sadie Lowry, Collette Quach, Toto Joe Sullivan
Cortex Prime Game Handbook, Fandom, Inc. Artists: Reza Afshar, Carol Azevedo, Natalia Bacetti, Zoe Badini, Venus Bambisa, Brett Barkley, Bethany Berg, Alex Jay Brady, Estefany Calderón, CoupleofKooks, Joel DuQue, Jason Engle, Grace P. Fong, Jessica Fong, Hao Shuang, Lisa Heidhoff, Kevin Hong, Fiona Hsieh, Odera Igbokwe, Anthony “RobotPencil” Jones, Giby Joseph, kinixuki, Burak Kirk, Kekai Kotaki, Coey Kuhn, Sabina Lewis, Noé Leyva, Linda Lithén, Tithi Luadthong, Oriana Menendez, Viko Menezes, Julia Metzger, Alexandra Mims Cook, Vanessa Morales, Anna “Sarianne” Neumannová, Jeremy Nguyen, Dominique Ramsey, Rafael Sarmento, Thomas Scholes, Lie Setiawan, Lenka Šimecková, Janna Sophia, Artur Treffner, H. Won, J Yang
BEOWULF: Age of Heroes, Handiwork Games Authors: Jon Hodgson, David Rea and Jacob Rodgers
Brancalonia – Spaghetti Fantasy Setting Book, Acheron Games Authors: Mauro Longo, Andrea Macchi, Max Castellani, Edoardo Cremaschi, Giovanni De Feo, Luca Mazza, Mala Spina, Alessandro Savino, Jack Sensolini, Umberto Spaticchia.
Eyes Unclouded, The Secret Cat Shop Authors: Anthony Alipio, Tineke Bolleman, C. Michael Chase, Bridie Dutton, Brittney Hay, Kat Kruger, Jacky Leung, Amber Litke, Sadie Lowry, Collette Quach, Toto Joe Sullivan
The Spy Game, Black Cats Gaming Authors: Sam Webb, James Barry, Eric Campbell, Oz Mills, Virginia Page, Rob Wieland
BEST SETTING
Brancalonia – Spaghetti Fantasy Setting Book, Acheron Games Authors: Mauro Longo, Andrea Macchi, Max Castellani, Mauro Longo, Andrea Macchi, Max Castellani, Edoardo Cremaschi, Giovanni De Feo, Luca Mazza, Mala Spina, Alessandro Savino, Jack Sensolini, Umberto Spaticchia
The ENnie Awards are an annual, fan-based juried award system for all tabletop RPGs. The ENnies were created in 2001 as an annual award ceremony, hosted by the leading D&D/d20 system fan site, EN World in partnership with Eric Noah’s Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News.
Rachel Campbell – Glitter Hearts, Leatherman Games Author: Greg Leatherman
Christopher Gath – Refractions in Glasston, Chaosium Inc. Authors: Taylor University PWR Press, Sam Guinsatao, Carson Jacobs, T.R. Knight, Joy Lemont, Elijah Oates, Rayce Patterson, Emily Pawlowski, J. Tucker White
