COVINGTON, Ky. — Covington couple Anthony Thon and Erin Mathews are banking on the technology and ideals of an earlier era to promote their independent tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) business.
The two launched their business Fantasy Audio Magazine in 2020 to combine their love of TTRPGs and music.
“Dungeons & Dragons” (D&D) is the most recognizable TTRPG. According to a2020 estimate by Forbes Magazine, over 50 million people worldwide have sat around the table and rolled dice with their friends since its inception in the 1970s.
That number has likely only increased since then with the 2023 release of the big budget “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” movie, its heavy presence in the breakout “Stranger Things” show and the popular “Baldur’s Gate 3” computer game.
At the forefront of Mathews and Thon’s strategy is a staple of the 1980s: the cassette tape.
Released monthly, each of their audio editions contain an original soundtrack for any party of would-be adventurers off to storm the castle.
"We offer cassette tapes of music suitable for a fun, immersive tabletop roleplaying atmosphere — known as 'dungeon synth' or 'fantasy synth'. Every issue of 'Candle' features a full-length music compilation," Thon said.
Using outdated technology may seem an odd choice in our increasingly digital age, but the decision fits the "punk work ethic" embraced by Thon and Mathews. Thon performs as a musician and writes under the name "Descender" and Mathews writes and produces under the alias "Queen Submunda."
“To be honest, I have always loved the cassette format. I remember getting into alternative physical media as a preteen and scouring the flea markets of Elizabethtown and Radcliff for old Cure tapes or whatever great music I could find,” Thon said of their choice. “There's something inherently punk rock about the accessibility and practicality of the audio cassette that will always keep it at the number one spot for me."
Mathews recalls fond memories of listening to the “Goosebumps” book series in her youth. “I used to pop in those book tapes as soon as I came from school. This probably explains a lot about me.”
Thon and Mathews have also utilized the VHS tape, another quintessential artifact from the 1980s.
"We have produced a 2-hour long fireplace video called 'Fantasy Audio Magazine's Video Fireplace' available via YouTube and on VHS tape," Thon said. "The video boasts 3 different fantasy fireplace settings throughout the video--one with standard fire, one with green fire, and a third with a spectral purple fire. Perfect for the spooky season!"
Besides using retro technology, the two have embraced a movement within the TTRPG community called Old School Revival (OSR). This concept of gaming looks more to the roots of the hobby rather than the most modern incarnation of D&D, which is currently on its fifth edition.
“I do play Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition, but it is not my first choice... my opinion is that while it is generally seen as the face of tabletop roleplay gaming to the greater public, it doesn't completely resemble what new players often have in mind before ever playing,” Thon said.
"Stranger Things’ captured maybe the best what it was like to play those old games before it became so modernized. I think 5th Edition often alienates new players more than it welcomes them," Mathews said.
Thon, whose day job is teaching, manages the afterschool TTRPG club. “I start all the kids on Old School Revival games for that very reason. Each and every time I ‘graduate’ them to something like 5th edition the reaction is something along the lines of ‘oh, yeah, I never would have made any sense of this.’"
Thon and Mathews do provide more "traditional" offerings. In their home workshop, where they produce most of the tapes, they also self-publish and print a series of fan magazines (called zines) with OSR content such as new creatures, magic items, and possible adventures.
The two stay busy by releasing monthly music, producing zines and launching fundraisers on Kickstarter; the next one is set to go live in late Fall of this year. Another way they showcase their work is going in person to festivals and events. Their first storefront was at the Covington Cryptid Block party in September, and they are sponsoring the Battletown Witch Festival in Brandenburg, Ky. on Saturday, October 28.
Knowing that not everyone will want to dig out their old tape decks out of storage, or invest in a new one, they stream digitally at the website Bandcamp. The two invite musicians looking for an outlet to release their music, gaming or not, to reach out to them if interested in showcasing their talent on this online platform.
Thon and Mathews still hope players will give the retro gaming style and cassette tapes a try. Thon offers this advice for anyone wary, “Now, finding a tape deck can be a hurdle for some, but I haven't actually found it to be terribly difficult to track one down. But hey--does that not sound kinda’ fun in its own way? Who doesn't love a good side quest?”
