Today I have an interview with Tracy Barnett, who is currently Kickstarting Iron Edda: War of Metal and Bone. I’m so excited to have him on the blog! Check out the five or so questions below.
Iron Edda is a Norse fantasy setting where the dwarves rose up against humanity in large, metal destroyers. To fight back, warriors bonded their spirits to the bones of dead giants. It’s epic in scope, and personal in nature. It’s a great setting because there’s room for grand action, personal stories, and everyone who comes to the game table should find a place for themselves in the setting. I’ve worked very hard to make the setting as diverse as possible.
What sparked the idea of Iron Edda?
I pitched the initial idea to Machine Age Productions for their Apotheosis Drive X Kickstarter. I wanted to write for that game, but mecha is not my strong suit. Fantasy, however, is. So when I thought about how to do mecha in a fantasy setting (with some inspiration from Skyrim), the dwarves in destroyers and human as bonebonded came to mind. Turns out that it’s a really sweet idea.
Inclusiveness is important for you. Why? What made it a priority?
I’ve lived a pretty privileged life. And as I’ve come to realize that privilege, I’ve also realized that I can turn it to good ends. There are so many amazing voices in the sci-fi/fantasy, and RPG communities that don’t get heard. I want to do the best I can to provide exposure through paid work, and diversity in the projects that I create. It’s just the right thing to do. As well, I’ve come to realize that I’m transgender. Specifically, I”m genderqueer. I don’t always identify as male, or as female. I want a space for myself in games, also. And if I’m going to advocate, I’m going to advocate intersectionally, meaning that I’m going to advocate for space for everyone.
What does Iron Edda mean to you, as a project?
That’s a difficult question to answer. One one hand, it’s just my next project and gets all the care and attention that any of my previous projects got. On the other hand, this is the biggest, most in-depth project that I’ve ever done. If it succeeds in the ways I think it could, it would go a long way toward making my dream of writing and designing full-time a reality. That means a lot to me.
What has been the greatest part of the Iron Edda project so far?
Absolutely it has been the response I’ve gotten to it. People seem to really dig the concept, and those that have played it have had a good time. I love seeing a thing that I’ve made prompt a positive response. That means a lot to me. And if I can throw a second thing in there, working with the team I’ve assembled for this project has been amazing. So many talented people working towards a unified goal is a wonder to behold.