Trent Lindsey
2026
Tuscarawas County-based writer and game designer Trent Lindsey is introducing Vanguard, a tabletop role-playing game replacing the usual complicated math and stat-tracking in favor of a simplified, story-first campaign. The Vanguard RPG debuts alongside Outbound, Trent’s high fantasy, sword & sorcery world. This setting refreshes the traditional tropes, allowing anyone, including those with little to zero role-playing experience, to easily adopt a unique and memorable character, then hit the ground running. Trent is a graphic designer by trade. All his content, from layout, to books and hexagonal-shaped trading cards, is made from scratch and printed locally in Amish Country.
Vanguard TTRPG
Unlike traditional TTRPGs like Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder, the Vanguard RPG system prioritizes stories over spreadsheets, stripping away all the meticulous modifiers and stat-tracking. The Vanguard RPG system forfeits these rigid rules for something more flexible. Everything feels simple, natural, and off the cuff, crafting memorable situations and stories for every member of the family to enjoy. Every facet of the game boils down to seven core stats, crafting an experience suited for all ages. Anyone, including those with little to zero role-playing experience, can easily adopt a character and hit the ground running.
Trent’s fictional world, Outbound, showcases just how the Vanguard RPG works. Outbound is a sprawling high fantasy, sword & sorcery setting. The solar system is fitted inside a celestial astrolabe, making this world–quite literally, the center of the entire universe; the moons and suns revolve around the Dial, ensuring this flat earth, and its two major planes, Apia and Azra, are always in the limelight and the gods’ most coveted prize. Through Outbound, Trent escapes the traditional tropes, refreshing the fantasy genre with new original ideas.
This TTRPG also incorporates a fully randomized, rogue-like travel and encounter system, meaning no two sessions will ever be the same. Vanguard can be played alone, but is better with friends! Game masters can always introduce unique, standalone systems like Omens, Fiascos, Fortunes, Reputation meters–tweaking the game’s difficulty to best suit their party’s experience. Rather than spending hours building a character over months at a time, players are encouraged to explore pre-made backstories, quickly jumping into a role, testing wildly different playstyles and building brand new legacies!