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About

About
Arcanum
Worlds

Creators of cinematic tabletop adventures and unforgettable worlds.

Arcanum Worlds was founded in 2019 by BioWare veterans James Ohlen and Jesse Sky with the launch of Odyssey of the Dragonlords, an epic 5E campaign blending classic fantasy with Greek mythology. Drawing on decades of experience from titles like Baldur’s Gate I & II, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dragon Age: Origins, and Neverwinter Nights, the duo invited heroes into the mythic world of Thylea to challenge gods, titans, and fate itself.

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Backed by thousands of players, Odyssey of the Dragonlords became a landmark release for Arcanum Worlds and established a passionate community around its characters, stories, and setting.

Following that debut, James Ohlen founded Archetype Entertainment, a AAA video game studio, with Jesse Sky joining him as creative director. But the worlds of Arcanum were never far from their minds.

In November 2025, Arcanum Worlds returned with a fully remastered edition of Odyssey of the Dragonlords, updated for the 2024 5E ruleset and expanded with hundreds of pages of new content, revised character options, and new realms to explore.

Our philosophy is simple: bring the lessons of great video game design to the tabletop. We create campaigns with cinematic pacing, memorable characters, meaningful choices, and worlds deep enough to become lost in, designed for modern tables and crafted to endure.

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The Adventure Is Just Beginning.

Welcome to Arcanum Worlds.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE WORLDS

JAMES OHLEN

Co Founder & Writer & Designer
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James brings 30 years of experience as a lead designer, storyteller, and creative director at BioWare and Electronic Arts. His portfolio includes some of the most celebrated role playing games in modern history, shaping entire genres and inspiring millions of players worldwide. His leadership helped define the tone, worlds, and systems behind several landmark RPG franchises.
His work includes:
• Baldur’s Gate
• Baldur’s Gate II
• Neverwinter Nights
• Dragon Age: Origins
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Star Wars: The Old Republic
James continues that legacy through tabletop worldbuilding, narrative design, and creative direction, bringing the same level of depth, storytelling, and mythic ambition to Arcanum Worlds releases.

JESSE SKY

Co Founder & Designer
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Jesse has 8 years of experience as a lead designer and creative director at BioWare and Electronic Arts. During his time there, he helped shape major expansions and story arcs for Star Wars The Old Republic before leaving in 2015 to pursue independent projects and original worldbuilding.
His contributions at BioWare include:
• Star Wars The Old Republic
• Galactic Strongholds
• Shadow of Revan
• Knights of the Fallen Empire
Jesse co-founded Arcanum Worlds and contributed to the early development of its creative direction and worldbuilding. He is currently working on Exodus, a new science fiction role playing project. Although no longer actively involved in Arcanum Worlds, his foundational contributions continue to influence its creative legacy.

DREW KARPYSHYN

Writer
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Drew is a New York Times bestselling writer whose contributions shaped some of the most acclaimed role playing games of the modern era. His work is known for emotional stakes, philosophical depth, and large scale character arcs that have influenced fans for decades.
His writing credits include
• Baldur’s Gate II
• Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
• Mass Effect
• Mass Effect 2
Drew has authored numerous novels across the fantasy and science fiction genres, and his storytelling continues to inspire new generations of fans who discovered roleplaying through the worlds he helped build.

GWEN LEE

Executive Producer
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As Executive Producer, Gwen oversees Arcanum Worlds’ business operations, manufacturing, and digital presence. She coordinates the practical work that brings each project from development through production and release.

BRENT KNOWLES

Writer & Designer
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Brent brings over fifteen years as a lead designer and creative consultant at BioWare, Electronic Arts, and Beamdog, with credits on Neverwinter Nights, Dragon Age Origins, and Baldur’s Gate II. An accomplished fiction writer, he is also the writer of Raiders of the Serpent Sea.

MICHAL CROSS

Layouts and Graphic Designer
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Michal is an experienced graphic designer and layout artist known for his work on visually distinctive tabletop roleplaying books. His design sensibilities emphasize readability, strong thematic style, and premium book presentation.
Notable credits include:
• Odyssey of the Dragonlords
• Heroes of Baldur’s Gate
• Odyssey of the Dragonlords: Remastered Edition
CREATIVE COLLABORATORS

Marc Simonetti

Cover Artist

World renowned illustrator known for Game of Thrones and Brandon Sanderson titles. Created the signature cover art for Odyssey of the Dragonlords.

John Stevenson

Cartographer

Principal cartographer behind Odyssey of the Dragonlords and the Remastered Edition, crafting regional world maps, palace interiors, and coastal settlements that define the Odyssey line.

Lius Lasahido

Character and Monster Illustrator

Known for work on Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons. Painted many of the defining heroes and creatures within our worlds.

Marieke Cross

Main Editor

Led editorial process, refining content for clarity, consistency, and narrative flow.

Ian West

Video Producer

Directed and produced the promotional videos for The Stygian Passage and the Chivalric Handbook.

Sebastian Kowoll

Creature Illustrator

Brought larger than life mythic beings to the page, including monstrous Titans and legendary adversaries.

Chris Anderson

Character Illustrator

Designed many of the gods, Titans, and notable figures appearing in Arcanum Worlds titles.

Wadim Kashin

Environmental Illustrator

Painted major locations, cities, and landmarks central to our settings.

Erikas Perl

Landscape Illustrator

Rendered wilderness regions, coastal territories, and expansive landscapes across our worlds.

Sergei Sarichev

Video Producer

Directed and produced the marketing trailer for the Remastered Edition.

Julian Calle

Environment and Landscape Artist

Produced the new large-scale landscapes for the Remastered Edition.

Nicholas Spinelli

Dungeon Cartographer

Created detailed architectural maps and interior layouts for key locations.

Andreana Lozano

Writer

Contributed narrative development, content revisions, and supplemental writing across multiple books.

Juan Pablo

Illustrator

Created new art for Lutheria, Sydon, and the New Pantheon.

Alex Hansen

Game Designer

Designed subclasses, species, and spells, enhancing player options and systems.

Pedro Ferreira

Game Designer & Editor

Designed subclasses and species, refining and editing player options for clarity.

Meditating Munky

Roll20 Developer

Converts Arcanum Worlds adventures into fully playable Roll20 modules.

Special thanks to our Discord moderators, Nethalri and Terrehdactyl, for helping us build and support the Arcanum Worlds community.
THANK YOUTo everyone who helps bring Arcanum Worlds to life.