Meet Benjamin Palmer, a passionate RPG creator who turned his love for storytelling and game design into a full-time career. What started as an afterschool D&D program blossomed into a prolific creative journey, with over 150 TTRPG products under his belt. From the success of his first Kickstarter to the challenges of independent publishing, Benjamin shares his insights on balancing creativity with game mechanics, managing the business side of game design, and staying inspired. His journey is filled with unexpected twists, memorable player moments, and ambitious future projects. Read on to learn how he navigates the ever-evolving world of tabletop RPGs.

How Benjamin Palmer Started Writing RPG Adventures

Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in creating RPG content?

„Well my name is Benjamin Palmer, I’m 36, based out of Massachusetts. I love puzzles and games of all types. I first started creating RPG content about five years ago. I was running an afterschool D&D program and we ran out of published content to run. At the urging of my players, I gave it a shot. The very first adventure I wrote, *Something’s Rotten in the City-State of Dennmarsh*, was a smash hit and now, five years late, I’ve written over 150 TTRPG products.“

What inspired you to take the leap into doing this full-time? Was there a defining moment or project?

„It was a combination of physical health issues and my first Kickstarter. I was diagnosed with COVID early on in the pandemic and it developed into long COVID (which I’m still dealing with to this day). I was out of work for several months and eventually lost my job because of it. Right around that time I launched my first Kickstarter campaign for a collection of 40 adventures I had written. I ended up raising over $80,000 in total, and that kind of cemented the idea in my head that I could do this full time.“

The Creative Process Behind Designing 5e Roleplaying Adventures

Where do you find inspiration for your stories, settings, and characters?

„I’m very much a visual person. I write all my books in layout format now so I can adjust them as I go to make them look the way I want. I tend to look at other mediums (paintings, illustrations, etc.) to find inspiration for adventures and content. I also like themes, so I’ll often look for a specific one I can build a series around, whether that’s a trio of linked adventures or a collection of similar monsters. Movies also play anhuge part in inspiring me. For example, I recently watch *Kingdom of Heaven* and it sent me down a rabbit hole regarding the crusades and indulgences period of early Christianity and now I’m creating an entirely new and original TTRPG set in an alternate version of that time period.“

Do you follow a structured process when designing adventures, or is it more organic?

„It’s very much organic. I see what sounds and feels right and go from there. Often times I’ll start with a cool story beat or an interesting encounter and extrapolate from there. A good example of this is the free adventure on my website, *Rage of the Chained*, where I had the idea of doing a Roman colosseum style gladiator adventure, that pitted the characters against waves of various enemies. As they do, they learn more about the champion of the arena before finally confronting him during the finale.“

How do you approach creating content that’s both engaging and compatible with 5e rules?

„I do my best to balance the three main pillars of what I consider to be a good adventure: combat, exploration, and roleplay. This allows characters of all types to pitch in, and it lets players who don’t just go with a combat focused class still feel important and useful. One of my favorite adventures, *The Mines of Khazakahn*, does this well. It starts out with a roleplay-heavy investigation and interviews with various NPCs, moves on to some exploration and tracking, and culminates in a short dungeon crawl.“

What’s the most challenging part of balancing creativity with mechanics when designing original RPGs or game systems?

„Sometimes you need to jury-rig things with bubblegum and duct tape. 5e has a lot of things accounted for, but often you end up having to construct your own mini systems to account for things the original designers didn’t. For my series *The Rust Saga* I had to add in mechanics to represent radiation sickness, rebalance encounters due to equipment limitations the adventures impose, and find a way to allow characters from a fantasy-based game to learn how to use modern technology. As long as you stick to classic fantasy, 5e has the majority of what you need, but as soon as you stray from that given genre, it can get dicey.“

Memorable RPG Moments: Player Reactions and Storytelling Surprises

What was the most memorable scene or storyline you’ve ever created in one of your adventures?

„Oh that’s a tough one. I guess if I had to pick just one it would be the finale of *Greed is Good*. I originally wrote this one for my own gaming group, who were a bunch of murderhobos and loot goblins. They get to the final chamber and it’s literally a massive vault, maybe 90 feet by 90 feet, and it’s FULL of gold coins. The party almost wipes taking out the final boss before finally striking the killing blow. Just as they’re discussing the ridiculous amount of magic items they plan on buying with the gold from the chamber (it was in the millions) I smile, and their faces drop as they know something awful is coming. I inform them that the creature they killed was a worshipper of the god of greed, and as punishment, they watch as all the gold coins turn into copper pieces. I think I may have actually made a couple grown men cry that day.“

Have you ever been surprised by how players interpret or interact with your content? Any standout moments?

„I’m always surprised by the crazy things players will attempt. I’ve had everything from bards seducing liches to party members siding with the bad guy. Although I try to give my one shot adventures some direction, I make sure to leave things open enough that they can realy make the story their own.“

The Business of Writing RPG Adventures: Challenges and Successes

You’re working on your hobby full-time—a dream for many people. Can you share the upsides and challenges of turning your passion into a career?

„I love what I do, and I’m very blessed to do it, but this industry is not for everyone. For full transparency, I live with my parents now and technically my total income puts me below the poverty line. I am not a rich man by any means. Some months the bills stack up pretty high. I’m actually actively looking for additional work just so take some of the financial pressure off. My advice to those looking to get into this line of work is to not quit your day job. Writing and creating is an amazing outlet and a super fun gig, but in this economy it’s hard to find stability. If by some chance you happen to launch a crowdfunding campaign and raise a few hundred thousand dollars though, then maybe quit your day job. Just keep track of your money!“

What’s your approach to managing the business side of things, like marketing, distribution, and community engagement?

„As a one person show I struggle at times to balance everything. Marketing is hard because organic avenues are shrinking. AI and automated stuff floods Instagram, Twitter/X, etc. so it can be really hard to get engagement on those platforms unless you have cash to spend on ad campaigns, and even then you need to really spend thousands to see an impact. Distribution is likewise difficult if you want to exist physically in stores. Most printers require a 500-1000 unit print run to even consider taking on your business, and then you need to find a distributor who can get those products into retail. On the cheap end, you’re looking at a few thousand dollars upfront with no guarantee your stuff will even be picked up by stores. Community engagement is the one place I feel like small creators can shine. I have a core group of patrons that have been with me from the start and they know their few bucks a month is what helps keep a roof over my head while I write silly adventures for them. I am eternally grateful for all they do for me.“

How Player Feedback Shapes Better 5e Roleplaying Adventures

What’s been the most rewarding feedback you’ve received from players or Dungeon Masters who’ve used your content?

„I’ve had several people reach out and tell me that I’m the reason they got into DMing, or that I’m the reason they have content each week for their players. I’ve even had people tell me that I was the reason they decided to start writing their own content. Interactions like that are incredible and so heartwarming.“

How do you incorporate player or community feedback into your work?

„I’m always looking for inspiration, feedback, etc. from my patrons. I want to know what they think about the themes I’m working with, the adventures I’m putting out, and my plans for the future. They help me steer the ship that is my business.“

Future RPG Projects: Expanding Roleplay and Creative Writing

What’s a dream project or collaboration you’d love to tackle in the future?

„There are a ton of amazing creators I’d love to work with, but the thing I would love most is to do an actual play of some sort with professional voice actors like what you see on Critical Role. I actually had an idea for a Fallout TTRPG I wanted to run using the modified system made by Jacob from XP to Level 3 (check him out his stuff is amazing). It was to take place in Michigan, involved a Vault-Tec conspiracy, warring cereal gangs hopped up on sugar, a super mutant scientist running a zoo, and it would’ve had video and audio logs to add even more immersion for the players. It’s still there in a folder on my computer, and hopefully one day I’ll get to run it.“

Do you see yourself branching out into other forms of storytelling, like novels, video games, or film?

„I’d love to work on video games. I originally went to school for video game design fresh out of high school. I could also see myself getting involved in a web series or short films. If I had a budget to work with, the prop creation process has always fascinated me.“

A Day in the Life of a Full-Time RPG Adventure Creator

What does a typical day look like for you as a full-time RPG creator?

„Due to health issues I’m not the most energetic person. I usually start my day around 10AM with a fistful of medication, work for a couple hours, take a break for lunch, maybe game for an hour or two, then hammer out some more work until about dinner time. If I’m really knee deep in something, I might go until midnight, or if I’m having an off day I might work a nap in there somewhere. It all depends on how I’m feeling physically and mentally.“

What advice would you give to aspiring creators looking to break into this space?

„Whatever you do, do NOT quit your day job. Not until you have five to six figures in your bank account or a spouse that can support you. Getting noticed and getting your stuff out there takes money. I wish it didn’t, but it does. So if you want to put out a book of stuff, be it adventures, a new game system, monsters, magic items, etc., make sure doing so won’t bankrupt you. There’s no quicker way to kill a passion than to watch it bleed your bank account dry.“

What do you do to recharge or get out of a creative rut?

„I watch movies, read books, and I play a lot of games. Recently, I’ve gotten into playing BattleTech with some friends at my local game store. I’ve always loved big stompy robots, so BattleTech was an easy sell. I find it’s important not to push yourself too hard. If you have to squeeze blood from a stone to put something out there, it’s probably not your best work.“

What’s Next for „Adventure Awaits Studios“ in the RPG and 5e Space?

What’s next for you? Any exciting projects or releases you can share with us?

„My next crowdfunding campaign is live right now! It’s for my new original TTRPG „Lead and Chrome“. It’s a post-apocalyptic game set in a Mad Max style world. It’s got everything you’d expect from a wasteland RPG including killer vehicle combat and a TON of modification options. I’m also in the process of writing a game called „Byzantium: The Holy City“. It’s set in the dark ages and sees mankind abandoned by God and subsequently flocking to the only safe place left: the last city he touched.“

Where can people find your work and follow your journey?

They can follow me and all my upcoming projects over on my website: https://www.adventuresawaitstudios.com/