‘Maps & Mishaps’ Brings Mischief To The Gaming Table

Welcome to the table,

There are a handful of people on this planet who can reach out to me and say, “Hey, check this out,” and I will drop everything and check it out.

That is not to say I don’t give things my attention. I try to look over everything that crosses my desk, provided it is not scrape-bot generated or created by someone who I know to be problematic in real life. I’m just profoundly busy most of the hours that traditional humans are up and about. It sometimes takes an hour or three before I can grab a second and check something out, or it may be the next morning before I can read something that is not the latest Curious Objects comic.

However, if my buddy Bob says something is going to be rad in the tabletop role-playing game space, I’m going to stop whatever I’m doing and give it my full attention. Bob is one of the best players I have had at my table in my long term campaigns. He’s one of the best players I have adventured beside in our pal Cullen’s long term campaign, and honestly one of the people I text the most because he’s an all-around great guy.

So if Bob says, “Check this out,” I know it’s the sauce!

This brings me to Maps & Mishaps, an original tabletop roleplaying game by Jeremy Melloul.  Melloul is self-publishing this collaborative storytelling game under Bardlight Studios, over on Kickstarter as part of their annual Zine Quest 2026.

Now, Maps & Mishaps is a one-shot “misadventure engine” that is built to help you and your pals at the table to overcome adversity at the table. What I think is interesting is that this runs with a storyteller-free system. It was put together to be used in practically any setting you want, and is touted to provide a satisfying one-shot adventure for everyone at the table.

Maps & Mishaps is fully completed and has launched on Kickstarter at this link. The launch is to raise funds for a print run, and if mine and Bob’s intuition are correct, this will for sure meet its goal by the time the campaign draws to a close on Sunday, February 22nd.

As far as the nuts and bolts, you can set your one-shot in any setting you wish. There is a flexible character-creation system to design “Travelers” who fit that world and serve as your player characters for the misadventure. You’ll define their goals, skills, and personal troubles before you embark on a journey filled with challenges and opportunities. It’s all shaped by your imagination and the guidance of a standard deck of playing cards and the prompts they present to you.

As your misadventure unfolds, you’ll hone your own Traveler’s abilities and accumulate strain that represents the emotional and physical burdens of your adventure. To make it through, you’ll need to rely on your fellow Travelers.

Maps & Mishaps balances simple mechanics with a deep narrative focus to help you tell stories about journeys. That alone feels like it is worth the alone time with your friends around the table.

Until next time, check out the Kickstarter, tell your friends, and let me know what you think once the project funds and you have tried it out at your table.