Thu Dec 14 '23 Announcement
9 months ago – Thu, Dec 14, 2023 at 07:10:03 AM

'Lo, Gravediggers!

Welcome to the final hours of this campaign! It's been a pretty fun ride, and after 29 days we find ourselves with more than 1700 backers and over 500% funded!

The best part, though, is just that we've funded Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave!

That is, afterall, what it's all about!

As I post this, we've got about 17 hours remaining in this campaign.

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST tonight!

(Or about 3:00 AM on Friday, for me! I'll be honest, I may not be awake at the end. But I'll try with the help of coffee!)

There's still a little time to jump in if you haven't yet joined, but that window is closing rapidly. With that in mind, I've been touching on some of the basics for this campaign over this last week, making sure that everyone has all of the information they need to support the project in the way that works best for them.

Final Week Schedule

Dec 7 - Final Week Review - Things to Know Before the End
Dec 9 - Pledge Perks & Add On Review
Dec 12 - Stretch Goal review
Dec 13 - Complete Draft Manuscript Available
Dec 14 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next (That's Today!)

Whether you've just Exalted or have memories of earlier ages, these are good items to review to make sure we all end up where we want to be.

(An aside to all backers new and old - if you're curious about this project and looking for more information, scroll back a few days on the Updates to find a Final Week Countdown post that lists a bunch of resources, the Pledge Perks and Add Ons review, which talks about adjusting the Indiegogo tip, and yesterday's Draft Manuscript update which features the entire current version of this book for your reading pleasure!)

Refresher Course

Note for Backers: Please check out the updates listed above. There's a lot of information there that will be important to know about before the end, like:

Indiegogo automatically adds a "Tip" to your pledge, and you'll need to adjust it if you want to include a different amount;
We're not including shipping charges in our pledges for this campaign and instead will be charging them in our pledge manager before we ship out the books. See the campaign page for our best estimates on what those costs may look like.

We've had, and will have, a bunch of new backers join in during these last days. I want to take a moment to highlight some key Update posts that new backers may want to check out (and existing backers may want to read as a refresher!).

MANUSCRIPT PREVIEW - As noted, the complete Preview Manuscript for the book is available for you to review prior to the conclusion of the campaign. If you're a backer, you'll have access to a compiled manuscript once we launch our Pledge Manager after the campaign. Remember, though, there are still some minor edits, development and proofing that need to be done. But, you can consider it about 98.7% finished. Making the manuscript available for review before the campaign ends ensures that everyone knows exactly what our goal is - making this book - and are on board with our aims for this project. Thanks for your support, we're all in this together!

PLEDGE TIERS - The December 9th Update breaks down your best starting point for figuring out which Pledge Perk to choose to help support this project in a way that works for you.

The first decision you need to make in figuring out your reward tier is whether you want to receive the PDF version or the deluxe hardcover edition (which comes with bonus PDF versions).

STYGIAN CITIZEN: Not ready to commit, or just looking to offer general support? This pledge tier is for you. This does not include our primary reward, but allows you to select some digital optional Add Ons, as well as participating in the post-campaign Pledge Manager as a backer. You'll also be able to read the draft manuscript of Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave that we post throughout this campaign.
ACOLYTE OF THE DEATHLORDS: This is the PDF-only reward tier. So, if you're saving trees or saving shelf space - or avoiding the shipping charges that are absolutely ever-increasing - this is the reward tier options that you should begin with. The PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com - when it is ready, you will receive a link to add it to your DTRPG library at no cost and be able to download at your leisure.
CHOSEN OF DEATH: This reward tier includes the deluxe hardcover version of this book. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager. In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.

ADD ON PERKS - The other half of our Pledge Tiers update, including information on the second step of pledging. There are several Add On options that you can add as part of your pledging process, including other Exalted Third Edition books (Exalted Third Edition Core Rules, Dragon-Blooded, Lunars, Exigents, the pre-order for Sidereals, as well as Exalted Essence) plus supplements like Crucible of Legend, Arms of the Chosen, and The Realm, and two bundles (a music bundle and a fiction bundle) to fill out your library in one click!

PLEDGE PROCESS - TIPS on the TIP

As we've mentioned a few times, this is not the first time Onyx Path has run a campaign on Indiegogo. Though we normally use one of two alternates, we sometimes find ourselves needing a third option to get things done in a timely manner. The last campaign we ran was for Exigents, and it worked fairly well!

There have been a few changes to the Pledging process since that campaign, however, and we found out about them after launch. Apologies for not getting this info to you sooner - Indiegogo actually prohibits people from pledging to their own campaign, so I didn't see this until others brought it up.

When you choose your Perk and make your pledge, Indiegogo has a spot for an Indiegogo Tip. It should be noted that this does not go to Onyx Path - not even to me! It is an extra gratuity that Indiegogo takes to invest in their platform.

Which is not a terrible thing, 'cause the platforms could always use some work. However, the issue that's come up is the amount does not default to $0 - the space autofills in an amount based on your perk selection. You must select the amount, then choose "An other amount" and adjust to $0 if you do not want to include an extra tip for Indiegogo.

Making Adjustments Before the End

Re-Pledge and Refund

If you're looking to switch up your Perk selection before the end of the campaign (or want to revise your pledge so the Indiegogo Tip is adjusted), you can pick Re-Pledge for your new Perk (or same Perk with a correct total amount) and then refund your old pledge to cancel it.

To check your pledge

In the top right of the page is your account square. Selecting that, you can see options that include "My Contributions"

Selecting "My Contributions" will bring up the amount you've pledged for this campaign (and any other Indiegogo campaigns).

You can see your Perk selection and the amount you'd paid.

At this point, if you decide to revise your pledge, you can select VIEW DETAILS which will bring up an overview of your pledge and payment like this...

And at this point, if you need to, you can choose to REFUND your CONTRIBUTION.

For more info about refunds and Indiegogo, you can see their FAQ here: https://support.indiegogo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360052234552-Tips-for-Indiegogo

If you refund your contribution, you are able to re-pledge and adjust the tip amount as noted above without any issue. You'll also be able to select any ADD ON options that you may have missed in the first go round.

You can also perform these actions in the reverse order - pledging to a premium tier immediately, for example, and refunding the pledge that no longer meets your goals.

Stretch Goal Achievements

Since our Stretch Goal review on Tuesday, we've unlocked our 16th Achievement!

ACHIEVED! - At $150,000 in Funding - Shadowland Locations

At $160,000 in Funding - More Necromancy 2

More Necromantic arts will be added to the Companion PDF, including information and rules for necromantic constructs.

Will we unlock our 17th Stretch Goal before the campaign ends? Let's keep at it!

1. Choose Your Pledge Tier Wisely

Choosing the correct Reward Tier for your desired rewards, and then filling in any "gaps" with add-ons, ensures that you'll be claiming all of your desired rewards as a thank you for supporting this project and bringing this world to life.

Remember, your CAMPAIGN PLEDGE AMOUNT is equal to your REWARD TIER + ADD ONS only - Any International Shipping costs will be collected at a later date. You will also be able to select Add On options in the Pledge Manager after the campaign, but remember that only funds added during the campaign count towards Stretch Goal funding targets.

Any amount included as an "Indiegogo Tip" goes to the platform, not to Onyx Path, and does not count towards Stretch Goal funding targets. We can't even see those funds or tip totals.

Also to note, only those who participate during the campaign are able to have Stretch Goal rewards added automatically to their rewards lists. If you're waiting to pre-order at a later time, it's better to pledge to the Stygian Citizen perk now and then simply upgrade your pledge later to include these bonus rewards.

I'm going to speak against my own self interest for a moment, and repeat myself one last time - though 2023 has been a bit better than the past three years, the world is still unpredictable and some futures are a little less certain. Ensure that your circumstances enable to afford this pledge at this moment - Indiegogo processes payments at the time of your pledge and neither Onyx Path nor I have any involvement in that process. Once we hit that campaign end point tonight, your ability to refund your contribution is switched off. If you are unsure of your financial situation but don't want to miss out, please pledge for a tier you can afford now and know that you will be able to upgrade to open pledge levels in our post-campaign Pledge Manager for some time before the book is completed.

Choose a Reward Tier You Can Afford
Read the Manuscripts and Make Sure You Know What You're Getting
Be Aware of the Projected Delivery Date (Onyx Path will try to deliver earlier than this, but the book will take some time to get perfect)

2. CONTACT INFORMATION

Once you're comfortable with your pledge, please ensure that your contact information in your Indiegogo account is up to date and correct. Making sure your e-mail is entered correctly so you'll receive your Pledge Manager invite at the correct address when the time comes.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

3. AFTER THE CAMPAIGN ENDS

First, we celebrate. Indiegogo will turn off the Perk selection part of the campaign and maybe send out a virtual "Hooray!" email confirming the campaign ended with final totals. We'll give electronic high fives and digital fist bumps in the comments section and on Discord.

Over the next 2-3 weeks, Indiegogo will confirm the totals, gather up all the payments and figure out what Onyx Path generated in the end (less fees and some holdbacks).

Once this step is done, which will likely be by the end of 2023, Indiegogo will confirm everything with Onyx Path and I can begin to set up the project with the BackerKit Pledge Manager and link it to the Indiegogo data.

BackerKit's Pledge Manager is a robust fulfillment integration and pledge management program that will allow us to work with all of the data and distribute the rewards to you. It will take me a few weeks to set the project up. Once I've got it all entered and built, the team from BackerKit will review to ensure I didn't mess anything up too badly, and then I'll make any changes they've suggested and we can move on to the Survey stage.

4. BACKERKIT SURVEYS

Once BackerKit says I'm good to go, I will send out a survey to all backers. This is why confirming your e-mail is important!

The BackerKit survey is both a verb and a noun - it will collect data for the analysis of some aspect of a group (enabling Onyx Path to set print runs, prioritize new projects, and fine-tune future campaigns), as well as providing a general review or summary of the reward tier you've chosen, confirm all of the rewards associated with that reward tier, and confirm your total pledge amount.

I expect Surveys to go out by by late January 2024.

During the Survey period, you can choose to increase your reward tier or add on additional options. If you've gone back to work or found an alternate income source and decide it's time to trade up to the hardcover version of the books or include another add-on, you can do so at this time. Note, you will not be able to reduce your reward tier selection, only increase.

We'll also open a pre-order page around this time, though any pre-orders won't automatically receive the Stretch Goal supplements as bonus rewards.

Note that you'll be able to upgrade your pledge tier for quite some time - until we're getting ready to print the book itself and have figured out International shipping costs. So don't feel pressure to have it all figured out right away - we'll make sure there's plenty of time to get it all sorted before the books go out.

Similarly, if you have the hardcover book as one of your rewards, the survey will ask you to confirm your shipping address, even though it'll be some time before we ship out the final product. Do not worry about moving before shipping begins - you will be able to update BackerKit right up until the point that we begin fulfilling the final book. We will send out a notice prior to lock down so you can update any information.

I'll also use the Survey to confirm some details for the premium reward tiers.

5. REWARD DISTRIBUTION

This is a long process, but I will send out regular updates (usually at the end of the month) to keep you up to speed on Onyx Path's progress. There will be strings of updates that are just "still working on it," but I will share new artwork or information when I can.

Eventually, we will have a completed PDF of Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave. Onyx Path will take some time to distribute, review, and compile any errata or corrections that need to be made. When they've made any necessary changes, they'll make an updated version of the PDF available in your DriveThruRPG digital library and then begin creating print-ready files for the Print-on-Demand and the hardcover versions.

It's yet another long road ahead, likely full of twists and turns and unexpected challenges, but one that we wouldn't be undertaking if not for your faith and support.

#ExaltedAbyssals

#AbyssalsSwornToTheGrave

Wed Dec 13 '23 Announcement
9 months ago – Wed, Dec 13, 2023 at 06:10:49 AM

'Lo, Gravediggers!

Today, we have our final section of the draft manuscript for Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave! With just over a day-and-a-half before our campaign ends, you can now read the entire current draft version of this book.

Remember, though, there are still some minor edits, development and proofing that need to be done. But, you can consider it about 95% finished. Making the manuscript available for review during the campaign ensures that everyone knows exactly what our goal is - making this book - and are on board with our aims for this project. Thanks for your support, we're all in this together!

Your feedback will also help guide the developers and editors to get the book to that final 100% status. Later in this update post, I'll share the link to the Feedback Form, which will be open for another few days for you to share your errata, and note any clarifications or corrections needed in the final manuscript.

Before we get to that, though, I just wanna remind everyone that we're in our FINAL DAYS of the campaign, and I've been posting a few process updates that are important to review before we get to the end.

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!

Final Week Schedule

Dec 7 - Final Week Review - Things to Know Before the End
Dec 9 - Pledge Perks & Add On Review
Dec 10 - Manuscript Preview # 7 - Chapters 7+8
Dec 12 - Stretch Goal review
Dec 13 - Manuscript Preview # 8 - Chapter 9 (that's today!)
Dec 14 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next

Whether you've just Exalted or have memories of earlier ages, these are good items to review to make sure we all end up where we want to be.

(An aside to all backers new and old - if you're curious about this project and looking for more information, scroll back a few days on the Updates to find a Final Week Countdown post that lists a bunch of resources, including most of the current draft manuscript, and the Pledge Perks and Add Ons review, which talks about adjusting the Indiegogo tip!)

Refresher Course

Note for Backers: Please check out the updates listed above. There's a lot of information there that will be important to know about before the end, like:

Indiegogo automatically adds a "Tip" to your pledge, and you'll need to adjust it if you want to include a different amount;
We're not including shipping charges in our pledges for this campaign and instead will be charging them in our pledge manager before we ship out the books. See the campaign page for our best estimates on what those costs may look like.

PLEDGE TIERS - The December 9th Update breaks down your best starting point for figuring out which Pledge Perk to choose to help support this project in a way that works for you.

The first decision you need to make in figuring out your reward tier is whether you want to receive the PDF version or the deluxe hardcover edition (which comes with bonus PDF versions).

STYGIAN CITIZEN: Not ready to commit, or just looking to offer general support? This pledge tier is for you. This does not include our primary reward, but allows you to select some digital optional Add Ons, as well as participating in the post-campaign Pledge Manager as a backer. You'll also be able to read the draft manuscript of Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave that we post throughout this campaign.
ACOLYTE OF THE DEATHLORDS: This is the PDF-only reward tier. So, if you're saving trees or saving shelf space - or avoiding the shipping charges that are absolutely ever-increasing - this is the reward tier options that you should begin with. The PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com - when it is ready, you will receive a link to add it to your DTRPG library at no cost and be able to download at your leisure.
CHOSEN OF DEATH: This reward tier includes the deluxe hardcover version of this book. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager. In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.

Choose Wisely

Any amount included as an "Indiegogo Tip" goes to the platform, not to Onyx Path, and does not count towards Stretch Goal funding targets. We can't even see those funds or tip totals.

On Thursday, I'll be posting one further "Final Day" update, covering What Happens Next and outlining what to expect once the campaign ends.

Stretch Goal Achievements

Since our Stretch Goal review yesterday, we've unlocked our 15th Achievement!

ACHIEVED! - At $140,000 in Funding - New Abyssal Charms 2

At $150,000 in Funding - Shadowland Locations

New locations in the death-touched place where Creation and the Underworld overlap will be explored in the supplemental Companion PDF.

Will we unlock our 16th Stretch Goal before the campaign ends? Let's keep at it!

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS

Draft Manuscript Previews have been made available in update posts during the campaign. Breaking the manuscript into sections and spreading them out over 4 weeks helps guide and focus the conversation, and helps the development team keep on top of the feedback while these manuscripts go through their final development and editing stages.

In fact, if you want to provide feedback directly to the development team, Onyx Path has created a special Feedback Form just for Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave! You can access that form during the campaign here: https://forms.gle/iWbzZDwuRGJxUSnf6

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS

In today’s preview, we’ve got the two great chapters from the book.

Chapter Nine: The Roll of Deathly Personages offers an array of characters who might serve as allies and antagonists, including powerful ghosts, undead behemoths, and Abyssal Exalted.

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT DOWNLOAD LINKS

And, with that, the full manuscript is now available for review! Please check it out and submit any feedback over these final days so the editing and design team can use your comments and questions to help guide their next rounds of work on the manuscript.

In Janary, once the Pledge Manager is up and running, backers will have access to a compiled manuscript which smashes all of these sections together (along with the fiction we've been sharing) into one document.

If you've got questions about the rules or setting, or just want to discuss this game with other fans (as well as the Onyx Path writers and developers!), you can check out these Onyx Path discussion zones:

#AbyssalExalted

#FinalDays

Tue Dec 12 '23 Announcement
9 months ago – Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 11:07:22 AM

'Lo, Gravediggers!

We're in the final DAYS countdown for this Indiegogo campaign.

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!

Final Week Schedule

Dec 7 - Final Week Review - Things to Know Before the End
Dec 9 - Pledge Perks & Add On Review
Dec 10 - Manuscript Preview # 7 - Chapters 7+8
Dec 12 - Stretch Goal review (that's today!)
Dec 13 - Manuscript Preview # 8 - Chapter 9
Dec 14 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next

Whether you've just Exalted or have memories of earlier ages, these are good items to review to make sure we all end up where we want to be.

(An aside to all backers new and old - if you're curious about this project and looking for more information, scroll back a few days on the Updates to find a Final Week Countdown post that lists a bunch of resources, including most of the current draft manuscript, and the Pledge Perks and Add Ons review, which talks about adjusting the Indiegogo tip!)

Refresher Course

Note for Backers: Please check out the updates listed above. There's a lot of information there that will be important to know about before the end, like:

Indiegogo automatically adds a "Tip" to your pledge, and you'll need to adjust it if you want to include a different amount;
we're not including international shipping charges in our pledges for this campaign and instead will be charging them in our pledge manager before we ship out the books
You'll be able to read the entire draft manuscript before the end of the campaign, with the final chapter coming tomorrow!

COMPILED DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEW – During the course of the campaign, we will be posting the ENTIRE manuscript for Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave over a series of preview updates. After the campaign, these draft previews will be compiled into a single document and made available to supporters of this campaign.

PLEDGE TIERS - The December 9th Update breaks down your best starting point for figuring out which Pledge Perk to choose to help support this project in a way that works for you.

The first decision you need to make in figuring out your reward tier is whether you want to receive the PDF version or the deluxe hardcover edition (which comes with bonus PDF versions).

STYGIAN CITIZEN: Not ready to commit, or just looking to offer general support? This pledge tier is for you. This does not include our primary reward, but allows you to select some digital optional Add Ons, as well as participating in the post-campaign Pledge Manager as a backer. You'll also be able to read the draft manuscript of Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave that we post throughout this campaign.
ACOLYTE OF THE DEATHLORDS: This is the PDF-only reward tier. So, if you're saving trees or saving shelf space - or avoiding the shipping charges that are absolutely ever-increasing - this is the reward tier options that you should begin with. The PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com - when it is ready, you will receive a link to add it to your DTRPG library at no cost and be able to download at your leisure.
CHOSEN OF DEATH: This reward tier includes the deluxe hardcover version of this book. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager. In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.

Choose Wisely

Any amount included as an "Indiegogo Tip" goes to the platform, not to Onyx Path, and does not count towards Stretch Goal funding targets. We can't even see those funds or tip totals.

On Thursday, I'll be posting one further "Final Day" update, covering What Happens Next and outlining what to expect once the campaign ends.

But until then, we're going to hopefully hunt down a final Stretch Goal achievement as we race through our final days of the campaign!

Over the past 26 days as we've worked through this campaign we've not only funded the book but also unlocked FORUTEEN Stretch Goal targets!

Within these Stretch Goals are some milestone markers that allowed us to maintain our pace through the middle parts of the campaign, and some really cool sections that will be added to a digital Abyssals supplement that we expanded and grew by working together. Let's review and see what we've accomplished so far...

MILESTONE MARKERS

Helping us maintain our pace during the regular "Crowdfunding Plateau," these milestone markers are great celebratory moments allowing us to keep our focus, and fun rewards going out to all who supported this project during the Indiegogo campaign.

ONLINE TOOLS

Like many of you, my days of actutally gathering around a physical gaming table with friends to tell stories with our favorite characters have grown much less frequent in these past years. Online sessions have become the norm in my world and allow us to join gamers across the world to build our chronicles. We've unlocked some tools to help make that a little more fun!

NEW CONTENT SUPPLEMENT

We've unlocked an exciting supplement as part of our campaign! Expanding on information presented in the Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave book, it's always great to get MORE!

Additional Underworld locations and a new map featuring everything added to the Underworld in the Abyssals book and the supplement? Yes, please! More Charms, more Spells, more artifacts? Yes, please! More info on Ghosts and an expanded Storyteller section? Yes! Additional write-ups for some Deathlords? YES!

Thanks to your support during this campaign, we've expanded this supplement into a pretty hefty tome full of more options for our Abyssals characters!

WHY STOP THERE?

It's great that we've unlocked 14 Stretch Goal rewards... but what about 15? Or - maybe- even 16?

With just over two days left in our campaign, I think one more Stretch Goal is attainable within the next day, and maybe one beyond that before the end. Let's see if we can't set up three more goals to really stretch before the end of this campaign!

At $140,000 in Funding - New Abyssal Charms 2

More Abyssals Charms will be added to the Companion PDF.

At $150,000 in Funding - Shadowland Locations

New locations in the death-touched place where Creation and the Underworld overlap will be explored in the supplemental Companion PDF.

At $160,000 in Funding - More Necromancy 2

More Necromantic arts will be added to the Companion PDF, including information and rules for necromantic constructs.

YOUR REWARDS!

That's right! You backed this project to help make and publish Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave! Our primary reward - the big thank you that we'll send out in appreciation for your support - are PDFs and/or deluxe hardcover copies of these book! BUT AS A BONUS, you may also have the Abyssals Companion PDF Supplement, a digital wallpaper, an opportunity to add to your wardrobe, an overlay to show the theme of your streamed games, and a set of tokens for your online game!

Not Much More Time

The Deathlords are calling!

Unfortunately, we seem to continue to move forward at a regular pace, and our campaign will some come to the inescapable end. We've achieved our primary goal of funding the book, but there are these two - maybe three? - possible Stretch Goal rewards that are still almost within grasp! I know that last funding target may seem daunting, but it wouldn't be a STRETCH goals if we didn't have to really STRETCH to reach it! We're SO CLOSE to hitting target number 15 and I'm confident we'll unlock that soon, but those last two may take a little bit of work. They're certainly within reach, but won't be easy, so let's keep at it!

So, as every update concludes: let's keep the enthusiasm rolling! Keep spreading the word and letting others know about this project. They've got these final days to jump in and share the Stretch Goals we've achieved!

And every backer who joins in as we approach the end is not only able to enjoy the additional rewards already added by the early fans and backers, but also help reward those early backers by maybe unlocking that Shadowlands section!

Remember, only the funds generated during the Indiegogo campaign go toward achieving these Stretch Goal targets, so the time to act is now! Together, we can bring this game to life and make great things happen!

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!

#ExaltedThirdEdition

#AbyssalsSwornToTheGrave

Mon Dec 11 '23 Announcement
9 months ago – Mon, Dec 11, 2023 at 11:17:19 AM

Lo Gravediggers,

I've got the final entry in our Abyssal fiction today. If you haven't kept up, you should definiately go back and ready parts 1-4. It's been great fun!

Before we get to that, though, I just wanna remind everyone that we're in our Final Week of the campaign, and I've been posting a few process updates that are important to review before we get to the end.

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!

Final Week Schedule

Dec 7 - Final Week Review - Things to Know Before the End
Dec 9 - Pledge Perks & Add On Review
Dec 10 - Manuscript Preview # 7 - Chapters 7+8
Dec 11 - Fiction finale (that's today!)
Dec 12 - Stretch Goal review
Dec 13 - Manuscript Preview # 8 - Chapter 9
Dec 14 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next

Whether you've just Exalted or have memories of earlier ages, these are good items to review to make sure we all end up where we want to be.

(An aside to all backers new and old - if you're curious about this project and looking for more information, scroll back a few days on the Updates to find a Final Week Countdown post that lists a bunch of resources, including most of the current draft manuscript, and the Pledge Perks and Add Ons review, which talks about adjusting the Indiegogo tip!)

The shipyard lay hidden in a mist-shrouded harbor on the Isle of Bitter Tears. The Mask of Winters had quietly built it and ferried the workers there, where they labored to produce ships made from the bones of a dead behemoth dragged from the depths. Spindly looking scaffolds and drydocks littered the shore. A beacon tower grown from pale coral loomed up over it all, though no light shone at its peak to guide crews to safety.

The Gallows Bride stood at the prow of the skiff as the Mariner steered out of the billowing mists. They were protected for a time, the spray clinging to them even as they sailed out of it, drawn along by a gesture the Mariner made. The Kingeater hauled on the oars, propelling them through the waves toward a small cove. The Voice That Speaks in the Silence and the One Who Walks Behind You were already ashore, rowed there by the Mariner’s crew. Now the Stonefish and its crew would wait on the other side of the mists, watchful for the Circle’s return.

The Mask’s fleet was a formidable sight, even if dozens of ships were still just frames. Impressive as they all were, they were overshadowed by what was obviously meant to be the Mask’s new flagship. The Gallows Bride knew little about boats, aside from how to fight aboard them, but even to her untrained eye the ship seemed menacing, violent, and swift. If she’d spotted it giving chase through a spyglass, she’d worry for whatever vessel she was on. It was made of gleaming wood and polished bone, and she was certain from its shape that the ribbing beneath the hull was that of some great pelagial beast.

A figure paced the deck, tall and broad, with the hilt of a grand daiklave peeking up over their shoulder. The Bride knew that confident stride, and the slash of crimson that lined his cloak. The Knight of Broken Shadows. She’d patrolled at his side many times, before she’d renounced the Mask’s service. He was one of her most zealous hunters.

The skiff pulled even with a rocky jetty, and the Gallows Bride readied her bow. “This is far enough for me,” she said. “I’ll draw him off. You two get to the ship.”

The Kingeater held the boat steady as the Bride clambered up onto the rocks. “Are you sure? I can come with you. The Mariner could take the ship alone.”

“There’s something else belowdecks,” said the Mariner. “I can feel it.”

“Ah,” said the Kingeater. “Seems like I have a job to do anyway.”

The Bride smiled. “It’s all right. We have old business best left between the two of us.”

“Luck to you, then,” said the Kingeater. “When this is all over, I’ll take you sailing.”

The Bride muffled a laugh so it didn’t carry out over the water, then she gently pushed the skiff away from the jetty, and straightened to face her old friend.

The arrow flew straight and true, burying itself in his shoulder and spinning him with the force of its hit. His hand came up to tug it free or break it off, but already it was corkscrewing deeper and deeper into his flesh, spurred on by cruelty and Essence. She pushed back her hood and let the wind whip her violet hair around. The Knight recognized it and wasted no time. He vaulted from the deckrail and onto the water, rushing across the surface of the waves toward where the Bride waited on the jetty.

***

Walks Behind’s informants had mentioned the shipwrights and architects being funneled from the Mask’s stronghold of Black Diamond to the isle, but seeing the sheer number of them in person was still impressive. The docks buzzed with activity as workers transported materials, shaped wood, and sewed sails. Messengers hurried between drydocks, and cooks parceled out bowls of fish stew for the living. Many of the workers were undead, but even those gathered for the scent of warm stew and fresh bread.

Walks Behind and the Voice moved through them with the air of inspectors examining the shipyard’s progress. Few challenged them as they made their way through, and those who did quickly ducked their heads and averted their eyes at Walks Behind’s imperious frown. He’d cowed some of Stygia’s most dangerous criminals with that look; it worked just as well on the Mask’s laborers.

The guards at the beacon tower, however, weren’t quite so easily moved. These were dedicated soldiers, ghosts from the Lookshyan legion used to enemies attempting to infiltrate their ranks. The Mask had hardly been secretive about his maneuvering; he certainly would have expected his rivals to respond, and the guards had their warnings.

Still, that was something Walks Behind could use. He strode straight up to the tower’s gate, nodding in satisfaction as the half-dozen ghost-guards closed ranks. “Good,” he said, adopting a general’s booming tone. “You’re assembled and ready. We’ve been betrayed.”

A murmur rippled through them, and their commander stepped forward. “By whom?”

“Our liege is dealing with that. Our duty is to root out the saboteurs before they can do any harm.” He swept an arm toward the shore, to the cove where his allies had beached their skiff. It was empty now, the Kingeater and the Mariner already gone, their bootprints leading toward the shipyard. “Go,” he said. “Stop them. The dock’s guards are already on watch, but we might be able to catch them before they make it there.”

The commander barked a sharp order, and her troops fell in line. Walks Behind had only a moment to relish the triumph as they marched toward the cove.

A shadow filled the gate, and the whisper-screams of soulsteel accompanied the darkness that bloomed around the nephwrack barring their way.

The Voice stepped even with Walks Behind, pushing up the sleeves of his robes to reveal arms tattooed with sigils and snakes. “I’d thought the others were going to do all the heavy lifting,” he said. He raised his hands, and all around the courtyard, the ground trembled. This isle had once been a burial place, and now the dead beneath it clawed at the earth, eager to serve.

***

The Kingeater launched herself onto the flagship’s deck with one mighty leap, bounding over cowering dockworkers. The Mariner wasn’t far behind, hauling themself up the scaffolding in a matter of seconds. They’d been right about the Knight of Broken Shadows not being alone. Waiting for them on the deck was a man seven feet in height, wearing a helm fashioned from a siaka’s skull, its many-toothed maw framing his face. He was one of the leaders in the Mask’s Perfect Circle, named the Duke with Seven Jaws. The Kingeater had heard tales of him — an admiral, a shapeshifter, and a terrifying foe.

She unsheathed her rapier and spread her arms wide. “Come on, then. Let’s begin.”

The Duke laughed, a sound hollow as the grave. He hefted a massive mace and raced for the Kingeater, his steps thundering across the deck. The Kingeater was a blur of motion herself, phantoms splitting off from her shadow to dart in and stab at him even as she dove beneath his swing.

Behind her, the Mariner intoned words that made the Kingeater’s gut twist. As she rose up behind the Duke, the admiral’s movements slowed. His limbs grew stiff and pale as veins of ivory shot through his skin and solidified. He moved despite it, groaning as his corpus cracked and bled, but the Mariner’s spell gave the Kingeater an opening. Chains shaped from her Essence spooled out from her and wrapped around him, immobilizing him further. “The Mask should have sent more of you,” the Kingeater said.

Then the Duke’s form twisted and writhed as he changed shape beneath her grasp. The Kingeater sprung backwards, chains still taut, eager to see what else he had in store.

***

Sea spray surrounded the Bride and the Knight as they faced one another along the jetty. He stood, daiklave drawn, regarding her with regret. “You could come back,” he said. “Even now, the Mask might forgive you.”

The offer was empty, and they both knew it. She’d sold their liege’s secrets again and again, not to buy her own power, but to chip away at his. The Mask rewarded ambition — if she’d done it for her own personal gain, he might have given her a chance to earn back his good graces. But her actions were an affront to him, and while she had benefited, the profits were of the hide-saving kind. She’d bought safety and protection, boltholes and allies, but little more.

“I can never go back,” she said. “I made sure of it. But you could come with me, if you wanted.”

The Knight shook his head. “Far better for me to haul you in myself. I imagine the reward will be quite handsome.”

“I tried,” she said. “Remember that when I send you back to him bloodied.” The Bride reached into her shadow, and from it drew a broadsword shaped and honed with her hate. Then she dove toward him with a roar that matched the ocean’s fury, stepping into shadows thrown by the crashing waves and reappearing behind him with a mighty swing.

***

Walks Behind reached the tower’s summit alone. From below came the sound of the Voice’s sermon as he clashed with the nephwrack, punctuated by the sound of his fists in their righteous rage. The Moonshadow looked out over the isle, where he saw the chaos his Circle had sown. The docks were in disarray, their planks twisted into strange labyrinthine configurations at the Mariner’s bidding. Down on the jetty, the Gallows Bride stood alone, resting on her blade a moment as she watched a body sink beneath the waves. On the flagship, the Kingeater soared into the air and dove gracefully toward her hulking opponent, making their fight look like a dance. The Mariner was busy with the flagship’s sails, unfurling them before turning to haul up the anchor.

He peered out into the mists, scanning for shapes in the dense cloud, but whatever lay beyond remained stubbornly hidden.

Only one thing left to do.

Walks Behind pulled several vials from his robes, handling them carefully as he mixed their contents atop the silver disk in the center of the space. Bright blue fire shot forth from them, a beacon made of pyreflame to cut through the mists. “It’s time!” he called down to the Voice, hoping his own shout would cut through the priest’s battle-frenzy.

From below came the sound of something wet and heavy tumbling down the spiral stairs. A moment later, his companion peered up at him, exhilarated. “We should run,” he said. “He won’t be down for long.”

***

The Mask’s flagship groaned and creaked as it broke free of its moorings. Its sails filled with the whipping winds, and it picked up speed as it headed toward the mists. Alarms sounded from the harbor behind them. It wouldn’t be long before the Duke with Seven Jaws would recover and give chase.

“It’s a long way to Stygia,” said the Bride.

“We’ll have the Stonefish with us,” said the Mariner. “My crew is good; they’ll buy us extra time.”

“We’re close enough to Black Diamond that they’ll catch us before long,” said the Kingeater. “Two against the Mask’s fleet. I hope you all can swim.”

“About that,” said Walks Behind as they passed through the mists. Behind them, the pyreflame beacon burned, hazy but a clear landmark. They emerged from the mists to find not only the Stonefish, but a score of other ships besides, bearing the flag of the Damned Sails. Aikeret herself, crimson coat flapping in the wind, raised a hand from the prow of the Sanguine Marauder.

“I met with Aikeret before we set sail,” he said. “She offered us an escort, to show that her allegiance is still with the Silver Prince.”

The pirate fleet joined them in formation as the Mariner set course for Stygia. The Bride looked out over the waves as the Isle of Bitter Tears receded into the mists. “I suspect the bounty on my head might have tripled,” she said, as the Kingeater joined her at the rail.

“Let him try,” she said. “Now come on. I found some wine in the cargo hold, and I promised I’d take you sailing.”

Sun Dec 10 '23 Announcement
9 months ago – Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 04:18:01 AM

Lo Gravediggers,

I've got two great chapters for you today, covering a lot of fun stuff! Martial Arts, Necromancy, and Artifacts! I can't wait to dig in!

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!

Final Week Schedule

Dec 7 - Final Week Review - Things to Know Before the End
Dec 9 - Pledge Perks & Add On Review
Dec 10 - Manuscript Preview # 7 - Chapters 7+8 (that's today!)
Dec 11 - Fiction finale
Dec 12 - Stretch Goal review
Dec 13 - Manuscript Preview # 8 - Chapter 9
Dec 14 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next

Whether you've just Exalted or have memories of earlier ages, these are good items to review to make sure we all end up where we want to be.

(An aside to all backers new and old - if you're curious about this project and looking for more information, scroll back a few days on the Updates to find a Final Week Countdown post that lists a bunch of resources, including most of the current draft manuscript, podcasts and interviews, information on shipping, and really important information on Indiegogo's Tip process!)

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS

Draft Manuscript Previews will be made available in update posts during the campaign. Breaking the manuscript into sections and spreading them out over 4 weeks helps guide and focus the conversation, and helps the development team keep on top of the feedback while these manuscripts go through their final development and editing stages.

In fact, if you want to provide feedback directly to the development team, Onyx Path has created a special Feedback Form just for Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave! You can access that here: https://forms.gle/iWbzZDwuRGJxUSnf6

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS

In today’s preview, we’ve got the two great chapters from the book.

Chapter Seven: Martial Arts and Necromancy presents new martial arts styles employed by the Abyssal Exalted and unleashes the secrets of necromancy — a system of spellcraft based on the principles of the Underworld.
Chapter Eight: Artifacts details soulsteel wonders fit for the champions of death.

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT DOWNLOAD LINKS

Abyssals Draft Manuscript Preview 1 – Intro, Chapters 1-2
Abyssals Draft Manuscript Preview 2 – Chapter 3
Abyssals Draft Manuscript Preview 3 – Chapters 4-5
Abyssals Draft Manuscript Preview 4 – Charms: Archery to Investigation
Abyssals Draft Manuscript Preview 5 – Charms: Larceny to Presence
Abyssals Draft Manuscript Preview 6 – Charms: Resistance to War
Abyssals Draft Manuscript Preview 7 – Chapters 7-8
Abyssals Draft Manuscript Preview 8 – Chapter 9 – coming Dec 13

The comment section is for all members of this community – united by our shared desire to see this project fund and develop – to cheerlead the project and figure out how best to spread the word about what we’re building here. If you’ve started a thread on whatever social media platform exists today or a Discord conversation about the game or this campaign – let me know about it so we can share that info. If you’ve discussed the game on a blog or podcast, let’s hear about it! If you’ve got funny ideas for social media hashtags, well we can do those too!

One final section of the manuscript to go! Five days left in our campaign!

Tomorrow we'll finish up our fiction. On Tuesday we'll review our Stretch Goal progress, and we'll see that final manuscript section on Wednesday! Let's rally, Abyssals!

ABYSSALS: Sworn to the Grave for Exalted 3E

Created by Abyssal Exalted - Onyx Path Publishing

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Thu Dec 14 '23 Announcement 9 months ago – Thu, Dec 14, 2023 at 07:10:03 AM

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST tonight!

Final Week Schedule

Refresher Course

PLEDGE PROCESS - TIPS on the TIP

Making Adjustments Before the End

Re-Pledge and Refund

To check your pledge

Stretch Goal Achievements

1. Choose Your Pledge Tier Wisely

2. CONTACT INFORMATION

WHAT COMES NEXT?

3. AFTER THE CAMPAIGN ENDS

4. BACKERKIT SURVEYS

5. REWARD DISTRIBUTION

#ExaltedAbyssals

#AbyssalsSwornToTheGrave

Wed Dec 13 '23 Announcement 9 months ago – Wed, Dec 13, 2023 at 06:10:49 AM

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!

Final Week Schedule

Refresher Course

Choose Wisely

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT DOWNLOAD LINKS

#AbyssalExalted

Tue Dec 12 '23 Announcement 9 months ago – Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 11:07:22 AM

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!

Final Week Schedule

Refresher Course

Choose Wisely

MILESTONE MARKERS

ONLINE TOOLS

NEW CONTENT SUPPLEMENT

WHY STOP THERE?

YOUR REWARDS!

Not Much More Time

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!

Mon Dec 11 '23 Announcement 9 months ago – Mon, Dec 11, 2023 at 11:17:19 AM

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!

Final Week Schedule

Sun Dec 10 '23 Announcement 9 months ago – Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 04:18:01 AM

This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!

Final Week Schedule

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT DOWNLOAD LINKS

#AbyssalExalted

Thu Dec 14 '23 Announcement
9 months ago – Thu, Dec 14, 2023 at 07:10:03 AM

Wed Dec 13 '23 Announcement
9 months ago – Wed, Dec 13, 2023 at 06:10:49 AM

Tue Dec 12 '23 Announcement
9 months ago – Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 11:07:22 AM

Mon Dec 11 '23 Announcement
9 months ago – Mon, Dec 11, 2023 at 11:17:19 AM

Sun Dec 10 '23 Announcement
9 months ago – Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 04:18:01 AM