A finance executive from Sanford, Maine, has carved out a distinctive niche in the urban fantasy genre by creating an interconnected universe that extends beyond traditional storytelling into immersive tabletop gaming experiences.
Reed Logan Westgate, who serves as Chief Financial Officer at Catholic Charities Maine by day, has published seven novels and developed a companion tabletop roleplaying game centered around what he calls the “Baku-verse”—a dark fantasy setting where ancient Celtic mythology collides with modern-day Portland, Maine. His work operates under the central premise that “the world you know is a lie,” inviting readers into a reality where magic and monsters hide behind an enchanted veil.
The foundation of Westgate’s creative output rests on the Baku Trilogy, which follows Xlina Dar’Karrow, a descendant of legendary dream-eaters navigating life in coastal Maine while battling demons and managing her supernatural hunger. The series began with “The Infernal Games” in 2020, continued through “Dirge of the Dead” in 2021, and concluded with “Beyond The Mist: Dark Messiah” in 2022. A linked novel, “The Druid Of The Morrigu,” followed in 2024.
What distinguishes Westgate’s approach is his deliberate avoidance of oversaturated genre tropes. Rather than defaulting to vampire and werewolf narratives, he draws from a more eclectic mythological palette—combining Celtic lore like the Morrigu and druids with Japanese folklore surrounding the Baku and Christian Templar history. This blend creates what reviewers have described as a fresh experience for genre enthusiasts.
The breakout element of Westgate’s universe emerged through a supporting character who proved compelling enough to warrant his own prequel trilogy. Oxivius Soulforge, a cannibalistic necromancer who paradoxically serves as a moral anchor throughout the series, became the focus of the Soulstealer Trilogy. These books trace his journey from 1010 AD through multiple centuries, examining how an immortal monster retains fragments of humanity while humans themselves display monstrous tendencies.
Independent Book Review characterized “Soulstealer: Origins” as “a bewitching tale weaving fact and fiction” that “tells a heartfelt story that asserts the humanity of a monster while affirming the monstrousness of humanity.” The trilogy, completed with “Mistress of the Waterfall” and “Exile” in 2023, explores what one reviewer described as “dark fantasy with heart and the exploration of what it means to be human.”
Critical reception has consistently highlighted Westgate’s cinematic pacing and world-building depth. JamReads noted that “The Infernal Games” proved “perfect for somebody who wants a more adult-oriented urban fantasy story,” while ManyBooks praised his ability to “weave compelling stories and create engaging characters no matter what time period he uses.” An Audible listener review credited Westgate with making “the Urban Fantasy Genre accessible and interesting” through “a diverse group of characters to create a dysfunctional found family.”
The thematic core of Westgate’s work revolves around found family rather than bloodlines, a concept encapsulated in a quote from Oxivius Soulforge: “That’s the secret, love. It’s not about finding what you’re searching for…it’s about valuing what you find.” This philosophy extends to characters who exist on moral spectrums rather than in binary categories of good and evil.
In 2024, Westgate expanded his narrative universe into interactive gaming territory with Mistfall: Armageddon, a tabletop roleplaying game set in the same world as his novels. The game allows players to create their own stories in a post-apocalyptic America where the “Mist” concealing magic has collapsed and ancient deities walk city streets.
The gaming system distinguishes itself through several mechanical innovations. Rather than using traditional hit points, Mistfall: Armageddon employs a Status Spectrum where damage directly reduces character attributes and can result in specific critical injuries like internal bleeding or psychosis. Magic operates through a flexible, soul-fueled system where players construct spells on the fly rather than selecting from predetermined lists.
The game’s setting reimagines a fractured United States divided into three hostile nations following a magical apocalypse. Portland, Maine—grounded in the real coastal fog that inspired the series’ mystical Mist—serves as a central location where humanity and supernatural forces collide. This regional specificity provides what reviewers have identified as a gritty, tangible atmosphere distinct from generic metropolitan settings common in urban fantasy.
Westgate credits his personal background for shaping his creative output. His work in social services informs the human elements of his fantasy narratives, while his passion for tabletop gaming directly inspired the development of his roleplaying system. He cites his two daughters as inspiration for the complex female characters populating his stories, and describes meeting his wife in grade school.
The cross-media approach creates what amounts to a gamified literary ecosystem. Readers can experience Westgate’s world through novels and then actively participate in that same setting through structured gameplay, fostering deeper engagement than traditional single-medium franchises. This bridge between passive reading and active roleplaying represents an increasingly relevant model as genre audiences seek more immersive experiences beyond conventional storytelling formats.