Of course how could we forget CBR+PNK creator, designer, artist, and curator, Emanoel Melo?!? Without Emanoel there would be no CBR+PNK... and on OVERLOAD he's lending his talents to two fantastic brochures - The Ghost of Adélaide and Psychotroniks! Let's get into it...
1. What inspired your Pamphlets?
The Ghost of Adélaide was my submission to the Are You Afraid in the Dark itch.io Jam. The premise developed from my desire to make a haunted mansion scenario, with poltergeists, ghosts and labyrinthine corridors.
For Psychotroniks I wanted to explore a Meta Talent that I couldn’t find room for when writing +Weird. Psionics are present in many cyberpunk stories and I was mostly inspired by characters like Judge Anderson (2000 AD), the Precogs (Minority Report) and, of course, Tetsuo (Akira).
2. Describe your Pamphlet in three words, then explain why you chose them.
The Ghost of Adélaide is eerie, puzzly, and a bit… sad? I wanted to make a scenario where player characters could get lost both physically and emotionally.
Psychotroniks is going to be technical, complementary, and evocative. It is a collection of new mechanical bits around a central theme, but also tied-in with a previous pamphlet (+Weird).
3. What’s a design element - either as part of your Pamphlet or otherwise - that you’re particularly proud of?
There’s a new Drawback in Psychotroniks called 'Transcendence' that's perfect fuel for "main character syndrome", haha. I’m pretty sure you can guess what it does just from the name. However, when played right I think it could lead to some really great roleplaying moments!
4. Do you have any advice for someone designing their first TTRPG or module?
Use SRDs or established frameworks (like the 5-Room Dungeon). Building on tried-and-true formulas helps ease your initial workload, boost your confidence in the process, and free you to focus on exploring the really important aspects of your creation.
5. What’s your signature drink in the CBR+PNK universe—and what’s in it?
This one is non-alcoholic but VERY, VERY expensive in any cyberpunk sprawl, so I’m putting it in the Operator’s tab:
Matcha Orange Spritzer
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Fill glass with ice
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Pour in REAL ORANGE JUICE (yeah the EXPENSIVE stuff)
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Add sparkling water on top
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Top off with a matcha shot (Imperial Grade if you are feeling fancy).
6. Any other projects or thing’s you’d like to plug?
I’m always promoting the Brazilian Tabletop Games collection I’ve been curating for years on itch.io: https://itch.io/c/1142575/brazilian-tabletop-games
It now has 400+ titles, from full games to short supplements. I’m sure you’ll find something to your liking in there!
There is also a LATAM collection, curated by Armanda and Gabriel Caetano: https://itch.io/c/1887714/rpglatam-collection
7. Where can people find you?
Check out my games at http://emanoelmelo.itch.io
I’m @cabinetofcuriosities.games on Bluesky and Instagram and @thecabinetofcuriosities on Tiktok and Youtube
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Don''t forget, CBR+PNK: OVERLOAD runs through the month of June 2025!