Cinderlight Games events hero artwork
Cinderlight Events

Play Cinderlight Live

Cinderlight events are for people who want to sit down and play. Join the weekly Fatefully Tragic Hero campaign at Is/Was Brewing, drop into standalone sessions across the line, or catch us at conventions where we are running games live.

Whether you want a regular table or a single night with a strong hook, the next chance to jump in is here.

Ask About a Seat Explore Games View Full Event Page
Weekly Campaign Fatefully Tragic Hero returns as a standing public table at Is/Was Brewing.
One-Shot Nights Single-night stories across the line, each built to get you into the game fast.
Convention Dates Live Fatefully Tragic Hero games at Anime Central on May 16 and May 17 with SavePoint.
Jump to Weekly Campaign One-Shots Conventions

Upcoming Events

Weekly Campaign

Recurring Campaign Is/Was Brewing
Fatefully Tragic Hero core rule book cover
Fatefully Tragic Hero Weekly Campaign

Fatefully Tragic Hero — Weekly Campaign Night

Come play Fatefully Tragic Hero every Wednesday! Meet fellow players, and get a real feel for how the game plays over time.

Format Weekly recurring campaign play.
Venue Is/Was Brewing in Chicago.
Best for Come see what Fatefully Tragic Hero is all about with our Weekly Campaign in collaboration with Save Point Chicago.

One-Shot Nights at Is/Was Brewing

Five standalone sessions. Pick what works for you, claim a seat and show up ready to play.

Play Events
Apr 3 2026
Fatefully Tragic Hero Max 5

The Dreams Beneath the City

You wake in Castleton with no memory of how you arrived but something below the city remembers you.

In the shadowed city of Castleton, lanterns flicker beneath an endless, starless sky. Whispers drift through the streets, promising answers—or something darker. You wake here with no memory of how you arrived, only the sense that the city has been waiting for you. Only this is certain: something waits beneath the ruins of the great cathedral and has not forgotten you.

7:30 PM Is/Was Brewing 5121 N Ravenswood Ave · Chicago Max 5 Players
Apr 11 2026
Fade to Black Max 6

The Keeper’s Light

An abandoned lighthouse blazes back to life in the middle of a killing storm, the only rule that matters is the one you’ve already broken: don’t look at the light.

A sudden snowstorm cuts you off from the rest of the world, trapping you inside a seaside inn. And a lighthouse that has stood abandoned for years, now tonight, its light has returned, sweeping the cliffs with a searching glare. The innkeeper’s warning echoes in your head: “Don’t look at the light.” With the storm closing around you, the town falling dark, and whatever waits beyond the beam beginning to hunt, will you uncover its secret, or let the light consume you?

7:30 PM Is/Was Brewing 5121 N Ravenswood Ave · Chicago Max 6 Players
Apr 17 2026
O.A.R. Max 6

The Orchard of Quiet

A hidden valley, a buried objective, and a mission that may not be what it seems.

You are sent to the last green place left after the “Divine Rain” – a catastrophe where gods and warheads went off together. In this valley stands a lush, impossibly thriving Orchard watched over by robed “Gardeners.” Under every tree, buried deep, lies dormant "Seeds". The mission: extract the seed known as Mourning Child. But the deeper you go, the less certain it becomes who should be trusted, what is being protected, and what your mission is really asking you to do.

7:30 PM Is/Was Brewing 5121 N Ravenswood Ave · Chicago Max 6 Players
Apr 24 2026
Fade to Black Max 4

Knock, Knock

A hole opens in the wall, revealing an impossible apartment next door — and the wrong side may be yours.

Last night was supposed to be nothing more than drinks and crashing back at the apartment. But sometime in the dead of night, you and your roommates are jolted awake by knocking from the other side of the living room wall. When a hole begins to open, it reveals something impossible: an apartment next door, empty and waiting. At first it seems harmless — but every time one of you looks through, you see something different on the other side: beautiful, familiar, and deeply wrong. Now something is watching back. And the longer you stare, the less certain it feels which side of the wall you belong on.

7:30 PM Is/Was Brewing 5121 N Ravenswood Ave · Chicago Max 4 Players
May 1 2026
Fatefully Tragic Hero Max 5

Beneath Bread and Ash

The city is close to breaking, and something unseen is already moving beneath it.

Tensions in the city are reaching a breaking point. Arguments flare over missing food, old debts, and rising suspicion, and it is only a matter of time before unrest turns to violence. When a young Fae girl begs the heroes for help after her father vanishes, they are drawn from crowded streets and shuttered kitchens into the forgotten dark beneath the city—where something unseen is feeding, and the fate of everyone above hangs in the balance.

7:30 PM Is/Was Brewing 5121 N Ravenswood Ave · Chicago Max 5 Players

Convention Appearances

Two Anime Central dates with SavePoint, with live games at the table.

In Person
May 16 2026
Anime Central SavePoint

Anime Central

Day one of Cinderlight’s Anime Central weekend in Rosemont.
Cinderlight will be running games at Anime Central with SavePoint on May 16. Stop by, see Fatefully Tragic Hero at the table, and get a feel for how the game plays live.
May 16, 2026 Donald E. Stephens Convention Center 5555 N River Rd · Rosemont Hyatt Regency O’Hare
May 17 2026
Anime Central SavePoint

Anime Central

Day two of the studio’s Anime Central appearance.
We return on May 17 for a second day of games at Anime Central with SavePoint. Come by, watch a session, and see what Fatefully Tragic Hero feels like in play.
May 17, 2026 Donald E. Stephens Convention Center 5555 N River Rd · Rosemont Hyatt Regency O’Hare
Cinderlight Games banner artwork

The best way to understand the games is to play them.

Weekly sessions, one-shots, and convention tables are where people can sit down, get a feel for the system, and see what each game is trying to do in motion.

Interested in joining a session?

Want to playtest games yourself and meet other testers? Contact us through our contact page to ask about open seats, upcoming one-shots, and where Cinderlight will be appearing next.

You can also request access to our Discord server for the latest updates and to connect with fellow playtesters.

Ask About a Seat Explore Games View Full Event Page
Looking for a first session? The weekly Fatefully Tragic Hero table is the clearest ongoing entry point for new players.
Watching for one-night stories? The one-shots above are built as self-contained sessions, each with its own premise and player cap.
Following the studio in person? Convention appearances stay listed here so you can track where Cinderlight will be next beyond the regular Chicago schedule.