Last Unicorn Games
Last Unicorn Games was an American tabletop game publisher best known for licensed Star Trek role-playing games and the ICON game system.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Last Unicorn Games, commonly abbreviated LUG, was an American tabletop-game publisher founded in 1994 by Christian Moore, Owen Seyler, Greg Ormand, and Bernie Cahill. The company was formed to publish ARIA: Canticle of the Monomyth, a role-playing game rooted in mythic and literary storytelling. It subsequently broadened its catalog to include role-playing games, collectible card games, licensed entertainment properties, and related game products. Among its early releases was Heresy: Kingdom Come, a collectible card game published in 1995. LUG also published the Dune collectible card game in 1997. During the company's development work, Moore and Seyler, together with employee Ross Isaacs, created the ICON gaming system. ICON used six-sided dice: a player generally rolled a number of dice determined by an attribute, selected the highest result, added a skill value, and compared the total with a difficulty established by the Game Master. The system also used a separate Drama die, whose result could introduce an especially tragic or especially favorable development. LUG's most commercially prominent period began with its acquisition of the rights to produce Star Trek role-playing games, miniatures, and live-action games. On May 21, 1998, the company announced a multiyear agreement with Viacom Consumer Products, a division of Paramount Pictures. The license covered Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager. From August 1998 through 2000, LUG published 16 Star Trek role-playing rulebooks, with the published line concentrating on The Original Series, The Next Generation, and Deep Space Nine. The company also released STAR TREK: Red Alert!, a customizable disk game, in early 2000. Financial difficulties led to the sale of Last Unicorn Games to Wizards of the Coast in June 2000. A DUNE: Chronicles of the Imperium role-playing game was under development at the time and was later published by Wizards of the Coast. Wizards of the Coast subsequently lost the Star Trek license when Viacom and Paramount awarded the rights to Decipher, Inc., which already produced Star Trek collectible card games. As a result, LUG's planned Star Trek: Voyager Roleplaying Game was not published by the company. In March 2001, Decipher announced that it had hired a seven-person team consisting largely of former Last Unicorn Games employees, including Christian Moore, for its role-playing and miniatures division. Last Unicorn Games therefore ceased to operate as an independent publisher, while elements of its creative team and design legacy continued elsewhere.
History
Last Unicorn Games was established in 1994 in the United States by Christian Moore, Owen Seyler, Greg Ormand, and Bernie Cahill. The company was based in Pennsylvania and maintained offices in Los Angeles, California. Its first stated publishing objective was ARIA: Canticle of the Monomyth, a role-playing game built around mythic narrative concepts. This initial focus positioned LUG as a specialist publisher rather than a mass-market toy or electronic-game company. The catalog expanded during the mid-1990s. In 1995, LUG published Heresy: Kingdom Come, a collectible card game. It followed this with the Dune collectible card game in 1997, demonstrating an interest in licensed and setting-driven products as well as original game development. During this period, Moore and Seyler worked with Ross Isaacs on the ICON system. ICON was based on pools of six-sided dice. A player rolled a number of dice corresponding to an attribute, used the highest result, added an applicable skill, and compared the outcome with a difficulty chosen by the Game Master. A separate Drama die could produce strongly negative or positive narrative consequences, adding a story-oriented element to the resolution process. The company's most important commercial expansion came through Star Trek. On May 21, 1998, LUG announced that it had signed a multiyear license agreement with Viacom Consumer Products, then a division of Paramount Pictures. The agreement granted rights connected with Star Trek: The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, including role-playing games, miniatures, and live-action games. Beginning in August 1998, LUG published a substantial Star Trek role-playing line. Sixteen rulebooks appeared through 2000, covering The Original Series, The Next Generation, and Deep Space Nine. Although Voyager was included in the licensing announcement, its planned role-playing game was not ultimately released by LUG. The company also produced STAR TREK: Red Alert!, a customizable disk game released in early 2000. The Star Trek line did not prevent financial problems. In June 2000, Last Unicorn Games was sold to Wizards of the Coast. A DUNE: Chronicles of the Imperium role-playing game that had been in development at the time was subsequently published by the acquirer. The corporate transition also affected the Star Trek program. Wizards of the Coast soon lost the Star Trek license after Viacom and Paramount awarded the rights to Decipher, Inc., a company already associated with Star Trek collectible card games. This ended LUG's ability to publish the planned Voyager role-playing product. By March 2001, Decipher reported that it had hired seven people who comprised most of the former LUG team, including Moore. They joined Decipher's role-playing and miniatures division and were assigned to work on its Star Trek role-playing game. Last Unicorn Games consequently became defunct as an independent publisher. Its historical importance rests on its combination of original role-playing design, collectible card games, licensed franchise publishing, and the ICON system, as well as the creative team's later contribution to Decipher's role-playing products.
- 2001
Former team moves to Decipher
[1]Decipher announced the hiring of most of the former LUG team for its role-playing and miniatures division.
- 2000
Acquired by Wizards of the Coast
[1]Financial difficulties led to the company's sale to Wizards of the Coast in June.
- 1998
Star Trek license announced
[1]LUG announced a multiyear Viacom Consumer Products agreement for Star Trek role-playing, miniatures, and live-action games.
- 1997
Dune collectible card game published
[1]The company released a collectible card game based on Dune.
- 1995
Heresy: Kingdom Come published
[1]LUG expanded into collectible card games with Heresy: Kingdom Come.
- 1994
Company founded
[1]Christian Moore, Owen Seyler, Greg Ormand, and Bernie Cahill formed Last Unicorn Games to publish ARIA: Canticle of the Monomyth.
Products and positioning
A creator-led tabletop publisher focused on original role-playing systems and licensed science-fiction and fantasy properties, with particular emphasis on narrative settings and franchise-based role-playing lines.
Tabletop role-playing game · 1994
ARIA: Canticle of the Monomyth
The role-playing game that motivated the formation of Last Unicorn Games. It represents the company's early interest in mythic structures, narrative themes, and setting-centered tabletop design.
Collectible card game · 1995
Heresy: Kingdom Come
A collectible card game published by Last Unicorn Games in 1995, part of the company's expansion beyond traditional role-playing games.
Collectible card game · 1997
Dune
A Dune-themed collectible card game released by LUG in 1997. The product demonstrated the publisher's use of established speculative-fiction properties.
Role-playing game system
ICON
LUG's D6-based game system, developed by Christian Moore, Owen Seyler, and Ross Isaacs. It used attribute-driven dice pools, the highest die result, skill modifiers, Game Master-set difficulties, and a Drama die for strongly positive or negative narrative turns.
Licensed tabletop role-playing game · 1998
Star Trek Roleplaying Game
The company's best-known product line, produced under a Viacom Consumer Products license covering several Star Trek television properties. LUG published 16 rulebooks between 1998 and 2000, with released material covering The Original Series, The Next Generation, and Deep Space Nine.
Customizable disk game · 2000
STAR TREK: Red Alert!
A customizable disk game released by Last Unicorn Games in early 2000 as part of its broader Star Trek product program.
Tabletop role-playing game · 2000
DUNE: Chronicles of the Imperium
A Dune role-playing game that was under development when Last Unicorn Games was sold. Wizards of the Coast subsequently published the project.
Brand decisions
2000
Sell the company to Wizards of the CoastM&ABackground
Financial troubles weakened Last Unicorn Games after several years of publishing and licensed-product development.
Action taken
The company was sold to Wizards of the Coast in June 2000.
Aftermath
The DUNE: Chronicles of the Imperium project continued to publication under Wizards of the Coast, while the Star Trek license was subsequently lost to Decipher.
1998
Enter a multiyear Star Trek licensing agreementOtherBackground
LUG sought to expand its role-playing and licensed-game business through a major entertainment franchise.
Action taken
The company announced an agreement with Viacom Consumer Products covering Star Trek role-playing games, miniatures, and live-action games.
Aftermath
The agreement produced a 16-book role-playing line and related products, but the license later moved to Decipher after the Wizards of the Coast acquisition.
Recent events
- 2001
Decipher hires former Last Unicorn Games team[1]
Leadership change
Decipher announced that it had hired a seven-person team made up largely of former Last Unicorn Games employees, including Christian Moore, for its role-playing and miniatures division.
- 2000
Last Unicorn Games releases STAR TREK: Red Alert![1]
Product launch
LUG released STAR TREK: Red Alert!, described as a customizable disk game, early in 2000.
- 2000
Wizards of the Coast acquires Last Unicorn Games[1]
M&A · Bankruptcy
Financial difficulties preceded the sale of Last Unicorn Games to Wizards of the Coast in June 2000.
- 2000
Decipher receives Star Trek game rights[1]
Other
After the acquisition, Wizards of the Coast lost the Star Trek license when Viacom and Paramount granted rights to Decipher, preventing publication of LUG's planned Voyager role-playing game.
- 1998
Last Unicorn Games announces Star Trek licensing agreement[1]
Other
Last Unicorn Games announced a multiyear agreement with Viacom Consumer Products covering Star Trek role-playing games, miniatures, and live-action games for four television properties.
- 1998
Last Unicorn Games publishes Star Trek role-playing line[1]
Product launch
The company began publishing Star Trek role-playing books, ultimately releasing 16 rulebooks between August 1998 and 2000 for three of the four licensed series.
Sources2 sources
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