A very special set of "Thank You's"

Now that I've had a chance to get back from the North Texas RPG Con and take a bit of a breather, I still continue to be humbled and honored by the choice this year for the judges of the Three Castles RPG Design Award to recognize Valley of the Five Fires. It was a true passion project that I thought would go generally unnoticed, but it is also a project that couldn't have happened without the help of others. Unfortunately, only one name is allowed on the entry, so only one person is officially recognized. That's why I'd like to take this opportunity to thank several people, without whom this module would never exist.

First, I'd like to thank my wife for her appreciation of my interests (even if she chooses to remain generally ignorant of them), and for the schedule she keeps (she tends to go to bed early, leaving me plenty of time for said interests).

Second, I'd like to thank my editor and creative collaborator David Welborn. He's the guy that acts as sounding board and realist, and the guy who reads the stuff and says, "Huh?", then makes me rework it. I'd also like to thank his kids for keeping him so occupied during the editing process for the d30 Sandbox Companion. If it weren't for the fact that I was waiting on him for feedback on the Companion, I wouldn't have been looking for anything to occupy me in the meantime. He also took it very well when I doubly loaded him with the tasks of editing the d30 Sandbox Companion AND Valley of the Five Fires. (Yes. Valley of the Five Fires happened simply because I was waiting on the d30 Sandbox Companion to be reviewed/edited.)

Next, I'd like to thank William Dowie over at Ramblings of a Great Khan for hosting the Mongol Adventure Contest that got my juices flowing for the setting. Oddly enough, I don't think I actually ever submitted anything to his contest (though I shared some monsters and NPCs for those submitting to use as they saw fit). When the assignment is a "one-page adventure" and you end up writing an entire setting, it kind of restricts your ability to enter such a contest.

Finally, I'd like to thank the judges that gave their time to judge the contest. Imagine having to give up the time it takes to thoroughly read and review three submissions (including Bill Barsh's Blood Cult Boxed Set from Pacesetter Games, and Zach Glazer's Whisper & Venom Boxed Set, which are both outstanding products). So thanks to Jeff Dee, Steve Marsh, Dr. Dennis Sustare, and James M. Ward for their time.

As the week goes on, I will recap some of my favorite moments from the convention and share those with everyone here. But for now, I have to get back to those non-RPG-related projects that languished while I was out for the con.