The skies are dark always since the Maker died. Perpetual winter. Perpetual night. We curse the name of Punch the Maker-Killer -- but only when no one can hear. One-hour games have never been filled with more humor and horror, courage and cowardice, childlike wonder and childlike terror than the experimental role-playing game Puppetland. Players say only what their puppets say; the game moderator narrates the unfolding events, speaking in the past tense like the voice of a storybook.

This deluxe edition of Puppetland is lavishly illustrated by Samuel Araya, Heather Hudson, Hollie Mengert, and Raven Mimura, with a stunning cover painting by Alejandro Teran. It includes a new short story about the fall of the Maker; author John Scott Tynes' afterword about history of Puppetland and the surprising turns it took since it first appeared in 1995; and 17 tales ready to be played, written by Tynes and contributors Arnold Cassel, Arinn Dembo, Matt Forbeck, Fred Hicks, Kenneth Hite, Jason Morningstar, Ross Payton, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, and James Wallis. Your puppets are ready to take the stage. But speak softly, lest the Nutcrackers come to call with a sharp rap-rap-rapping at the door.