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Take an interdimensional journey through the creation of Meow Wolf's first TTRPG—that's “tabletop roleplaying game” for the uninitiated.
You find yourself standing before a shimmering portal, its edges crackling with chromatic energy that defies conventional physics. The air around you hums with possibility—memories of places you’ve never been, echoes of stories yet to be told. As you step closer, the portal’s surface ripples like liquid starlight, and you catch glimpses of the worlds beyond: an otherworldly city pulsing with neon energy, subterranean corridors weaving through hidden depths, ethereal realms where thoughts crystallize into being...
But wait, there’s someone else here. A figure emerges from the swirling energy, carrying what appears to be a manuscript crackling with cosmic potential. This is Tiger Wizard, and he’s about to take you on a journey through the making of something unprecedented—TAVERS: The Meow Wolf Roleplaying Game.
Tiger Wizard materializes from the portal’s edge with the easy confidence of someone who’s spent years crafting unconventional experiences, which makes sense—nothing about TAVERS follows typical conventions. Working as a game designer at Exalted Funeral Press, T-wizzy brings years of professional TTRPG experience to the project. This year has been particularly noteworthy as he received his first Ennie Award nomination, while Exalted Funeral received an unprecedented 14 nominations (and seven wins).
“Well, well, well,” he says with obvious delight. “A curious Taver seeking knowledge about our little project, eh? Tell you what…let’s let the dice decide how much I can reveal.”
He produces an eight-sided die that seems to shift colors in the portal’s otherworldly light. “Roll this 1d8, and I’ll share that many secrets about TAVERS with you.”
The die tumbles through the air before landing with a decisive click...
You rolled a 7.
Tiger’s eyes widen slightly and eyebrows arch in obvious admiration. He lets out a soft chortle which echoes through the dimensional corridors. “Seven secrets? That’s...actually quite a lot to reveal. I was really hoping for like, a three or maybe a four tops.” He shakes his head with mock resignation. “But the die has spoken. Seven secrets it is.”
“Come on then,” he gestures toward the portal. “Let’s gather the team and see what mysteries we can safely unveil about TAVERS without completely spoiling the magic.”
You step through the portal, and the secrets begin to unfold…
Revealed by: David Hoskins - Art Director, Exalted Funeral
Your first destination is a workshop of pure aesthetic decision-making, where David Hoskins appears surrounded by cover concepts that shimmer with the ability to catch wandering eyes.
“They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but you’re a lot less likely to give a book a chance if it doesn’t stand out on a crowded shelf,” Hoskins reveals. “The ultimate goal of a cover is to catch the viewer’s eye and compel them to pick it up. It’s how you get your foot in the door.”
His choice of comics legend Tradd Moore to illustrate the cover of TAVERS was strategic: “He was my first choice. His art is very bold and has a lot of rushing fluidity to it. That’s how I personally view the Tave—I imagine it has a current that can go from lazy river to rapids pretty quickly. He has the ability to fill a page with an immense amount of detail while keeping the main subject in focus. This falls in line with Meow Wolf’s maximalist sensibilities.”
The cover must work for multiple audiences: “It’s a bit of a balancing act. The Meow Wolf fans are the true test—we want to make sure we’re staying authentic to the universe so they feel confident while infusing it with something new. TTRPG veterans need to get drawn in, too. The Meow Wolf aesthetic alone is enough to make the cover pop on a shelf next to the current influx of grimdark and classic OSR (Old School Revival) titles.”
Revealed by Matt Kelley - Co-Founder, Exalted Funeral
Your next stop finds you wading through knee-deep pools of congealed anticipation, where you encounter Matt Kelley, whose approach to risk-taking immediately becomes clear.
“When it comes to choosing projects, it’s not as clandestine as everyone thinks,” Matt begins. “Usually I like to think of projects as challenges. Many games we make are because typically everyone tells us not to do it, and I instead trust my instincts and go with challenges as a positive.”
His reaction to the Meow Wolf collaboration exemplifies this philosophy: “My initial reaction was one of possibilities. Meow Wolf isn’t an ordinary experience and I love that. Being able to bring that to fans is a great honor, so naturally I was flooded with excitement.”
But it’s Matt’s perspective on risk that reveals Exalted’s true approach: “All of it is a risk! But I think that risks are what push the boundaries and codify the immersion. Meow Wolf are risk takers, so everywhere we turn it’s a risk, but I find that comforting because I would be way more worried if it was a linear project. That’s the unique marrow under the guise of a simple game that will entice fans new and old.”
Revealed by Luke Dorman - Senior Creative Director of Visual Development, Meow Wolf
Luke Dorman appears through a dimensional rift, and immediately addresses how Meow Wolf maintains its identity across impossible creative challenges. “I’m always trying to think about Meow Wolf as a character or an entity,” Dorman explains, gesturing to the kaleidoscopic formations around us. “So each project starts with questions like, ‘What would Meow Wolf do?’ or ‘What would Meow Wolf want to see here?’ I think it’s easier to make the right decisions if I’m trying to think like Meow Wolf the entity.”
This approach solves a fundamental creative problem: “Since we have such a kaleidoscopic visual identity, this thinking is an important aspect of how we evolve in new directions while keeping things spiritually consistent. Our kaleidoscopic nature means we can be many different things, sometimes all at once.”
The TTRPG format unlocks new possibilities for this type of thinking: “When I started at Meow Wolf, I thought we were building spaces in which visitors could experience our stories. But I realized we’re making spaces in which to create your own stories. The TTRPG format allows us to go even further in that direction—unlike anything we’ve done before.”
Revealed by Michael Wilson - Senior Story Editor, Meow Wolf
As you continue your journey, passing through quantum fields of liquid architecture, Michael Wilson reveals the scope of what TAVERS makes possible within the Meow Wolf multiverse.
“It’s set everywhere and anywhere,” Wilson explains with unmitigated excitement. “The entire Meow Wolf Universe is open to you. We’re going to be providing adventures set in specific locations, but TAVERS is about imagination and open exploration. Go where you want!”
The possibilities are genuinely endless: “Want to explore the Forked Earth with a crystal chicken companion? Open a portal! Want to see what’s become of Portals Bermuda in the years since it closed? Crack open that fridge! From The Gyre to the Selig House, you name it, it’s here.”
Wilson’s approach balances familiar and new: “This isn’t just checking off the greatest hits. We want YOU to create your own spaces, your own Meow Wolf adventures, creatures, and locations. But we obviously want to provide those things for folks who want them.”
What excites him most?: “I’m really excited for fans to start to explore places like The Gyre and The Tave. Places we’ve only alluded to. I’m also excited for fans to see how this is really their world to play in. We’ve just been holding open the door a bit to let them in.”
Revealed by Tiger Wizard - Game Designer, Exalted Funeral
Upon drifting deeper into the psychedelic streams of the Tave, Tiger Wizard reappears beside you, ready to reveal the mechanical heart that makes TAVERS tick.
“Storing memories in Oss crystals is a core mechanic in TAVERS,” he reveals, source energy crackling around his fingers. “Players will have the opportunity to create memories and dreams collaboratively as they are accessed or discovered. What’s so cool about this process is the whole group will learn interesting details and quirks about each other and then see in real time how that memory or dream impacts the story that’s being told together.”
The innovation extends far beyond simple mechanics: “Every memory or dream the group creates helps shape the players (or Tavers, as player characters are called) towards solving not only the mysteries presented in the story, but also in uncovering truths about themselves. From a mechanical perspective, discovering a truth or core dream about yourself is akin to gaining a level, and adds a bonus to your rolls moving forward.”
Tiger Wizard’s enthusiasm becomes evident as he addresses how the game mechanics capture the feeling of exploring a Meow Wolf exhibit: “This was especially important to achieve, and I think the open exploration with easter eggs and fun finds littered around the gameplay emulates the wandering-with-purpose feeling you experience as a visitor to a Meow Wolf location. There is a special vibe you can tap into when you allow your imagination to tell you a story about what you’re experiencing, and I can’t wait to share that with everyone in a tabletop roleplaying game format.”
Revealed by Joe LeFavi - CEO, Genuine Entertainment
As you navigate through the swirling interdimensional currents, you encounter Joe LeFavi, whose enthusiasm for tabletop roleplaying games is immediately infectious. As one the architects behind the Meow Wolf-Exalted Funeral partnership, Joe’s passion for TTRPGs runs deep—and his excitement about TAVERS’ collaborative storytelling mechanics is palpable.
“Oh, you want to know about the exquisite corpse storytelling?” Joe begins, his eyes lighting up. “This is where things get really interesting. See, the way TAVERS handles collaborative narrative is—”
[REDACTED BY THE CHARTER]
Joe pauses mid-sentence, blinking in confusion as cosmic static fills the air around you. He looks around, then grins sheepishly.
“I got redacted, didn’t I?” He chuckles, shaking his head. “That’s cosmic censorship for you. Trust me though, some secrets are worth waiting for.”
Revealed by: Cristin Kelley - Co-Founder, Exalted Funeral
You discover Cristin in a crystalline nexus where funding streams converge, her enthusiasm for community-driven publishing immediately evident.
“We actually use both traditional and crowdfunding approaches,” she explains. “We use traditional publishing for smaller direct-to-print titles, but find that games that have multiple components, or a large following, warrant a crowdfunding campaign. This is often due to a need to raise more capital and to build or support a community around the development of a game.”
Her insight into the biggest misconception about Kickstarter campaigns is particularly valuable: “That the licensed company is the one running the (Kickstarter) campaign and making the game. In this case, Exalted Funeral is running the campaign, raising funds to make the Meow Wolf roleplaying game, developing and manufacturing the game, and managing fulfillment. Meow Wolf is partnering in marketing and allowing us to develop a game under their license.”
The community involvement goes deep: “Ahead of the Kickstarter, followers may be invited to participate in playtesting. During the campaign, backers will help unlock stretch goals and participate in polls that may determine certain component attributes. We keep backers engaged through social media posts, campaign updates, live plays, interviews, polls, and stretch goal announcements.”
The book plans to showcase five mysteries (or “Chapters”), each designed for hours of gameplay. These chapters tightly connect specific locations, established characters, and events throughout the worlds of Meow Wolf—with the players acting as the thread throughout the story.
“Imagination and creativity are the real magic of our world, and it’s similar in the Meow Wolf universes,” reflects Tiger Wizard, his enthusiasm now leaking into parallel timelines. “Immortal cybernetic hamsters, underground rat punks, sentient pizza, and community radio are just the appetizers. We’re going full gonzo on this menu.”
As the portal begins to shimmer with new possibilities, one thing becomes clear: TAVERS is an expansion of the Meow Wolf universes that transforms fans from visitors into active creators. As the boundaries between art, storytelling, and gaming continue to blur, TAVERS promises to offer something unprecedented: a chance to not just visit the Meow Wolf universe, but to actively shape it through the power of collaborative imagination.
Ready to follow the journey? Check out the Kickstarter page and follow the campaign for early backer rewards (ooh!), exclusive downloads and pre-orders (nice!), and other multidimensional perks (wow!).
