Mon Dec 11 '23 Announcement
12 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
12 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!
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 (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.
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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.
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Chapter Eight: Artifacts details soulsteel wonders fit for the champions of death.
DRAFT MANUSCRIPT DOWNLOAD LINKS
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!
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:
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!
#AbyssalExalted
Sat Dec 9 '23 Announcement
12 months ago
– Sat, Dec 09, 2023 at 09:57:13 AM
Lo Gravediggers,
We're in the final days countdown for Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave on Indiegogo - it ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th! There's still time to pledge to a Deathlord, but we're definately getting closer to the finish line. With that in mind, I wanted to touch on some of the basics over these last 6 days to make sure that everyone has all the information they need to support the project in a 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 (that's today!)
- Dec 10 - Manuscript Preview # 7 - Chapters 7+9
- 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!)
PLEDGING YOUR SUPPORT
To borrow an analogy that I've used in past crowdfunding campaigns, this process we're a part of works similar to the "Viewers Like You" support campaign from your local Public Broadcasting Station (for those who get American television channels or watched Sesame Street in the pre-HBO era): There are various levels of support that you can pledge to, and these come with various levels of rewards offered as a thank you. Like getting a tote bag or t-shirt when you give money to public broadcasting to fund them doing their thing, you can get rewards for helping Onyx Path work on this project.
Let's review the primary choices to ensure that you've pledged to a Perk that provides all the rewards you wish to receive.
STEP 1: CHOOSE YOUR PERK
To pledge support to this project and receive the book in one (or both) of the formats offered, this Indiegogo campaign builds upon three core Perks:
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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.
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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.
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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.
The first step in joining our campaign is to select your Perk. When you join us, you pledge a certain amount to support this campaign's main goal, which is the creation of a limited deluxe edition Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave book and PDF. As thanks for your support, we offer perk rewards based on your level of funding pledged. The Perk descriptions outline the various rewards reflecting various levels of support pledged. Please note that pledges DO NOT include the cost of shipping. Shipping costs will be calculated and charged later in the Pledge Manager, when the final books are printing and we have a better handle on the associated costs. For estimates on what shipping may look like when the books are ready, see our main campaign page.
It's also important to know the projected delivery dates on these rewards. Onyx Path likes to add some padding to their release projections, so chance are the rewards will go out earlier than this... but, the past few years have demonstrated why it's important to add in some padding! The team works hard to turn the draft manuscript you've been reading into these fantastic books, but that absolutely takes a lot of time, so be aware that there will be some waiting for these rewards. I'll keep you updated all throughout the post-campaign period, though, so you'll always know where we stand on each reward. More on that in an upcoming post.
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.
PLEDGE MANAGER ACCESS - About 4-6 weeks after the campaign has ended we'll launch BackerKit, our post-campaign pledge manager, and invite the backers to set up their rewards via survey. This allows you to confirm your pledge and add on anything that you might have missed, as well as possibly increasing your pledged reward Perk, should you choose to expand your reward selection. This option will give international backers additional time to investigate shipping options, should they choose, knowing they can confirm a physical reward at a later date. Funding collected in BackerKit after the campaign does not count toward any campaign Stretch Goals, however.
In addition to these primary Perk options, there are several limited premium Perks that involve a little more interaction with the setting and lore of Abyssals. Whether you want to submit a name to be used for an NPC in our upcoming Stretch Goal PDF supplement, or want to suggest a new Underworld location to be further detailed, or even inspire a new Soulsteel artifact, these premium Perks have interesting options for you. Check the Perk listing down the right side of the main page for additional details. These premium perks do have limited spots available, however. At this time, they may all be accounted for but pledges slip and slide around as we move through these final days, so if you were interested in any of these rewards, keep checking in as we approach the finish line, because early backers may change their plans as we get closer to locking in.
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.
ABYSSALS: SWORN TO THE GRAVE BACKER PDF - Indiegogo backers will receive a redemption link for an advance version of this book before it goes on sale to the public. This initial "Backer Version" will be used to get feedback from the fans to make the final version the best that it can be. When it has been updated to the final version, it will automatically be added to your DriveThruRPG library and available for download at your convenience.
ABYSSALS: SWORN TO THE GRAVE DELUXE HARDCOVER - - The main goal of this campaign is to fund the creation, production, and print run of a deluxe hardcover edition of this book. Note that all Perks that include the hardcover version also include the digital PDF version as a bonus. International shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager.
OPTIONAL DISCOUNTED PoD VERSION – For this Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave campaign, you will have the option of using DriveThruRPG.com’s Print-On-Demand service to purchase a printed copy of the PDF directly from their PoD partners at discounted cost (this cost is not included in your pledge, and you do not need to increase the cost of your pledge to use this option). When the PoD versions are available to order, you will receive links to purchase these versions of the books from DriveThruRPG.com. You DO NOT need to take advantage of this PoD offer as it does not affect in any way your pledge rewards.
I know that many backers were eager to join the campaign, but also interested in seeing more about the book before any larger commitments were made. Since Indiegogo collects your support pledge when you confirm your Perk, it's not easy to modify your pledge after the fact. In our post-campaign pledge manager, Backerkit, you'll be able to upgrade if you decided to move from Supporter to PDF or Hardcover version, as well as adding in any Add On optional rewards that you've decided to grab at a later time.
The only other option that I know of for altering your pledge at this time (before the campaign concludes) is to pledge a second time, picking your new pledge, and then canceling your current pledge in your Contributions review page. That has the benefit of getting everything locked in early, but BackerKit will allow flexibility and we won't process any charges until the Abyssals book is finalized and preparing for distribution.
So, if you're interested and hesitant, I suggest pledging at the $5 STYGIAN CITIZEN tier to ensure full access to rewards and options when the BackerKit pledge manager is launched. If, like me, you're ready to go, pick your final Perk now and ensure that's what's showing up in your Indiegogo Contributions review page.
STEP 2: CHOOSE ANY ADD-ONS
After you've chosen your Perk you will see a menu of additional reward options that you can select before your final confirmation. Each can be added to your DriveThruRPG.com digital library via a special redemption link that will be sent out as part of our perk fulfillment plan.
In addition to this selection of Add On options, there are a few other Exalted Third Edition PDFs available, including the Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought, Lunars: Fangs at the Gate, Exigents: Out of the Ashes, Exalted: Essence, Crucible of Legend, Arms of the Chosen, and The Realm, as well as a Fiction and Music bundle. You can also pre-order the Sidereals PDF and get the draft manuscript ahead of the PDF and discounted Print-on-Demand link when it becomes available. Again, these options will also be available in BackerKit, our post-campaign pledge manager.
Once you've picked your Perk and chosen your Add-Ons, you will be asked for a final confirmation and your supporting pledge will be processed by Indiegogo.
While we will have a pre-order option for those who are unable to participate in this Indiegogo project, joining in with our crowdfunding campaign before the December 14th conclusion provides the following benefits:
- You'll have full access in the BackerKit Pledge Manager and the ability to upgrade your pledge and add on additional rewards
- You'll be listed as a supporter in the Deluxe Abyssals book
- You'll be eligable to have any unlocked Stretch Goal rewards added to your Perk Reward list as a bonus!
Refund and Repledge
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 Refund your current pledge and re-Pledge to this campaign with the correct selection and pledge amounts.
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.
REWARD DELIVERY
About 6-8 weeks after the campaign has ended, I'll launch our post-campaign Pledge Manager to collect information from all backers and confirm which rewards you'll be receiving. At this point, you'll be able to review your rewards and also also adjust any Add On Options that you may have missed. Once we have everything confirmed, I'll be able to deliver any rewards that are currently available - like the PDF versions of the other Exalted Third Edition rulebooks, like Dragon-Blooded and Lunars or The Realm and Arms of the Chosen, or the fiction bundle, audio bundle, or the Exalted Third Edition core rulebook! Backers who have pledged for these options will be sent special redemption links to claim these digital rewards from our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Clicking these redemption links will allow you to add these PDF titles to your digital library to download anytime. I'll send an update when all of that is happening, though, so you are aware every step of the way.
So, while it will take some time for Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave to move from manuscript form to a final product, you won't be waiting a year for PDFs that already exist. (You'll be waiting about 6-8 weeks or so, just enough time for us to set up the reward infrastructure.)
Physical Books
It's going to take some time to create the final PDF for Abyssals and even longer for the eventual print run for the hardcover books. When the books are at the printer, I will be in touch with all Indiegogo backers and go over lockdown procedures and confirming addresses one final time. But that's a long time away, and we'll cover all of that as we get closer to that part of the process.
Conclusion
As we move through these final days of the campaign, please ensure you've chosen the correct Perk for the rewards you want. If you have any issues with the pledge process, either selecting the reward tier or Adding On optional rewards, try a different browser or device. Indiegogo is always refining their processes, but sometimes things are a little sticky. Changing browsers often solves the issue.
On Thursday, before the campaign ends, I will send an update detailing the steps that occur after the campaign concludes, including notes about our Pledge Manager and the communication plan going forward.
So, just like always: Spread the word! Share your excitement on social media! Tell your friends! We're about to begin our final run towards the finish, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!
And I'll be back tomorrow with our next manuscript section for Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave, covering Necromancy and Martial Arts! We'll finish up our fiction on Monday, and then review Stretch Goals on Tuesday!
Speaking of which, we've unlocked two additional goals and have another in our sights for this final week!
ACHIEVED! -At $125,000 in Funding - Abyssals Streaming Overlay
ACHIEVED! - At $130,000 in Funding - New Underworld Locales 2
At $140,000 in Funding - New Abyssal Charms 2
More Abyssals Charms will be added to the Companion PDF.
This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!
#ExaltedThirdEdition
#AbyssalsSwornToTheGrave
Fri Dec 8 '23 Announcement
12 months ago
– Fri, Dec 08, 2023 at 10:15:56 AM
Necromancy
Necromancy shouldn’t be. Like the Underworld itself, it is a fractured power built from broken pieces. It emerges from the crypt-bodies of the Neverborn and the cracks in reality caused by their fall; from the enigmatic structure of the Old Laws that existed before there even was an Underworld; from the memory and rites of the living, which have shaped the Underworld’s Essence over millennia as a river shapes its canyon. From this mishmash of disparate fragments comes the art of necromancy — the ability to transform Essence by sheer will, creating bleak, beautiful, and horrifying miracles.
Necromancy has been studied, practiced, and employed by the Exalted from the First Age’s dawn to the modern age. Those who initiate into its mysteries are often transformed by the experience, developing insight into nonexistence, death, memory, and ritual — the strata of the Underworld itself. For all their majesty, for all their insight, the Exalted of the past never truly mastered necromancy. Its deepest circle eluded Solar genius and Lunar intuition even at the height of the First Age.
But no more.
As the Abyssals emerge, eager to explore their power, necromancy finally has its true masters, and Creation and the Underworld alike will bend to their design.
Learning Necromancy
Sorcery is a rare gift, and necromancy is rarer still. Like sorcery, it takes a certain spark of enlightenment, but beyond that, it requires a deathly nature. Some are born with this affinity, drawn to the mysteries of the grave; others twist themselves body and soul to develop the proper mindset. When combined with the fabulous difficulty of finding a true mentor in the art and surviving initiation, there are precious few necromancers in any realm of reality.
The most numerous practitioners of necromancy are specters and nephwracks — those ghosts who have succumbed to the whispers of the Neverborn. Some are foolish enough to seek out this cursed existence for power, only to find themselves too warped to wield it for their original purposes. They are mad kings of Labyrinth-kingdoms, the beings that other ghosts fear in their nightmares.
Next are the Chosen, who have long practiced necromancy as a path to morbid abilities that might not otherwise be available to them. The No Moon Niesha Kiss-of-Hemlock was a student of the Black Nadir Concordat who taught a dozen Lunar apprentices in the First Age and the early days of the Silver Pact. Sidereal dabblers and savants alike are attested in the rolls of the Bureau of Destiny, especially in the Divisions of Secrets and Endings. The rare Dragon-Blooded born with a talent for necromancy often embraces that gift, knowing that if they are already set apart from their kin, it is best to do so on their own terms.
Last of all are the living and the dead, necromancers neither raised up by Exaltation nor twisted by the will of the Neverborn. The living usually outnumber the dead — savants put forward that there is something in necromancy itself that hungers to be employed by the living, feasting on their vitality even as it strengthens them to rule over ghostly servitors. Those necromancers who leave ghosts — a surprisingly slim minority — are among the handful of dead spellcasters uncorrupted by the Neverborn, joined by the scant few who achieve enlightenment in death.
The Three Circles
Necromancy is divided into three circles, each a dramatic increase in power and rarity from the one before.
The First Circle of necromancy — more poetically, the Ivory Circle — allows its practitioner to reshape reality in ways that are limited and local. It spells lay potent curses on single foes, bind and enchant lesser ghosts, and conjure ghostly perils like pyreflame and prayer-ash. Its most common practitioners are those puissant ghosts with necromantic talent; for them, initiation is a road to power and status. A few gods and other spirits likewise have the talent, usually because their nature is touched with death.
The Second Circle, known as the Shadow Circle, is far mightier, and orders of magnitude more uncommon. Its spells reshape battlefields, curse families and towns, and bring all but the greatest ghosts to heel. Those rare ghosts with such talent become true powerbrokers of the Underworld, matched for millennia only by Solar and Lunar necromancers and perhaps a handful of exceptional spirits.
The Third Circle, the Void Circle, is the prerogative of the Deathlords and Abyssals. It has the power to topple citadels, blight city-states, and endow the dead with terrible might. With only a scant few masters throughout history, its true limits remain enigmatic.
Necromancy and Sorcery
Necromancy and sorcery exert similar forces, but are based on separate metaphysical principles. Necromancers can learn most sorcerous spells, though they are often distorted through the lens of the Underworld when purchased in this manner, drawing on its equivalent elements and powers — Cirrus Skiff conjures a wisp of pyre-smoke, Incomparable Body Arsenal becomes a carapace of sharpened bone, and Torrential Cascade summons an inky tidal wave from the Sea of Shadows. Other spells like Blood Lash require no adaptation at all, revealing the intersecting themes between necromancy and sorcery.
There are differences, however. The most notable is that necromancy can’t be used to summon Creation’s elementals or the demons of Malfeas; the former are anathema to the Essence of the Underworld, and the latter swore their oaths of submission to the Exalted, not the dead. Necromancy is also unable to replicate spells of true healing or growth, like Benediction of Archgenesis (Exalted, p. 480).
In return, necromancy grants access to a wide array of unique spells. These spells are especially keen at creating, summoning, and manipulating the dead, exploiting the nature of the Underworld and shadowlands, laying deathly curses, and other bleak magics. If a spell creates or draws on the five elements, its necromantic equivalent instead manifests phantasmal phenomena of the Underworld.
Some savants pursue both sorcery and necromancy, gaining access to the unique benefits of each appropriate to the circles they’ve mastered. Even those who study both arts find themselves drawn to particular magics may have only a single control spell at the first, second, or third circle. A character who learns a control spell through Terrestrial Circle Sorcery who later initiates into Ivory Circle Necromancy may choose a new control spell from her necromantic ones, but this replaces her older choice.
In all other respects, sorcery and necromancy interact as if they were parallel. Necromancy can be used to distort sorcery and vice-versa. Unless otherwise specified, necromantic and sorcerous motes can be spent interchangeably. Likewise, Ivory Circle Necromancy can be used instead of Terrestrial Circle Sorcery to to learn Craft (First Age Artifice), and necromantic workings can be used to create First Age artifice.
Ivory Circle Spells
Abhorrence of Breath
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Cost: 14nm, 1wp
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Keywords: None
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Duration: One scene
With a keen and shattering screech, the necromancer cracks the shell of the world to create a void which draws in air, sound, and hope.
A pin-sized void opens at a point within medium range of the necromancer. It begins to draw in all air and loose matter within long range. At the start of each character’s turn, they must make a reflexive (Strength + Athletics) roll against (higher of necromancer’s Essence or 3) to avoid begin dragged one range band towards it.
A vacuum forms within short range of the void, silencing all mundane sound and causing characters to suffocate (Exalted, p. 232). The necromancer is immune to the void’s pull, but is still silenced and breathless. The void is too small for most things to pass through, but liquid — especially shed blood — is greedily drawn in.
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Control: The necromancer moves with unearthly quiet, inflicting a −2 penalty to detect her by hearing. Spirits of air and sky — and the ghosts of all who died by suffocation or drowning — gain an automatic Minor Tie of enmity for her upon meeting her for the first time.
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Distortion (10): The necromancer is no longer immune to her own hazard. Other characters reduce the difficulty to resist being drawn in by one, except for the necromancer herself — whatever exists beyond the void, it delights in treachery.
Bone Puppet Dance
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Cost: 13nm, 1wp
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Keywords: None
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Duration: Instant
With a dire syllable of command, the necromancer’s brand blooms on her victim’s ribcage, calling his skeleton to free itself from his flesh.
The necromancer rolls (Intelligence + Occult) against the Resolve of a target at up to medium range. If successful, the necromancer may command the target’s bones for (1 + threshold successes) rounds. Every round, the victim must take a miscellaneous action to roll (Stamina + Resistance) against a difficulty of the necromancer’s (Intelligence). On failure, the necromancer may select one of the following effects:
- The victim’s skeleton twists and dances within his flesh. The victim suffers three dice of withering damage as her body contorts, which doesn’t award Initiative to the necromancer. In Initiative Crash, the victim’s flesh tears, inflicting three dice of lethal damage instead, ignoring Hardness.
- She can force the victim to fall prone, make him move one range band in any direction, force him to drop a weapon or object or inflict similar effects by seizing control of his skeleton at Storyteller’s discretion.
- The skeleton attempts to tear the victim apart. The necromancer makes a decisive attack through the skeleton that automatically hits, adding one die of damage for each remaining rounds of the spell’s duration. The necromancer resets to base Initiative afterward. This automatically ends the spell.
Alternatively, this spell may be cast on a corpse to permanently raise it as a bonesider (Exalted, p. 506) with a Defining Tie of obedience to the necromancer that cannot be altered.
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Control: Skeletons that kill their host tear themselves free of the victim to become bonesiders with a Defining Tie of obedience to the necromancer that cannot be altered. Bonesiders born from the spell are loyal to the necromancer; however this does not extend to those infected by the bonesider. Whenever the necromancer experiences intense emotion, such as anger or sadness, her own skeleton twists in odd ways, contorting her like a gruesome marionette.
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Distortion (8): Distorting Bone Puppet Dance allows a contesting necromancer to take control of a skeleton affected by this spell (or give control back to the skeleton’s owner, ending the effect).
Malediction of the Infested Heart
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Cost: 13nm, 1wp
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Keywords: None
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Duration: Indefinite
With a wretched cooing noise, the necromancer calls forth a clutch of creeping, writhing pyreworms — centipedes of congealed pyreflame who feed on passion.
The necromancer touches her target, requiring a difficulty 3 gambit in combat. On success, pyreworms mass and burrow harmlessly into his skin and wrap themselves around his heart. When he invokes an Intimacy based on passionate feelings to resist influence or is affected by an inspire roll to create these feelings, he must either pay one Willpower or roll (Wits + Integrity) at a difficulty of (necromancer’s Manipulation). If he fails, he suffers (necromancer’s Essence/2, rounded up) dice of lethal damage, ignoring Hardness.
The spell ends when the necromancer releases the target or once he’s spent (higher of necromancer’s Essence or 3) total Willpower. The victim may dramatically embody their lack of passion as if it was a Flaw (Exalted, p. 167) to earn an Expression Bonus for the session.
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Control: The hot glow of a symbiotic pyreworm is visible beneath the necromancer’s unclothed chest. She may spend three motes or one Willpower to reduce the intensity of one of her own emotion-based Intimacies or feelings created by an inspire action for one scene.
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Distortion (9): A rival necromancer may loosen the pyreworms from their host’s heart, granting him a non-Charm bonus on his next roll to resist the hazard and reducing the total Willpower to break the spell by one.
Seat of Deadly Splendor
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Cost: 11nm, 1wp
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Keywords: None
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Duration: One scene
A great fist of ancient bone bursts from the ground, arranging itself into a dolorous throne fit for a lord of the dead.
While seated on it, she gains the following benefits against characters who can perceive her:
- The necromancer gains a bonus dot of Appearance and may choose to gain or suppress the Hideous Merit (Exalted, p. 162).
- She gains (Essence /2, rounded up) non-Charm dice on inspire or instill rolls based on awe, fear, or respect.
- Characters who wish to approach her must enter a Decision Point, spending one Willpower and citing at least a Minor Intimacy to do so.
- In combat, the pressure of her majesty is an environmental hazard out to short range against all characters suffering this roll’s Intimacy with difficulty (necromancer’s Appearance), Damage 2i/round. The withering damage dealt by this special hazard is unsoakable, but doesn’t award Initiative to the necromancer. If a character is crashed by it, he falls prone, bowing before his master.
The throne can be destroyed with a difficulty 5 feat of demolition requiring Strength 3. If it survives the scene, it fossilizes, becoming non-magical but permanent.
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Control: Any mundane seat transforms to fit the necromancer’s majesty, ossifying into elegant bone as she sits in it. While seated, she gains the spell’s usual bonus dice on inspire and instill rolls.
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Distortion (9): The throne tightens around the seated necromancer like a fist, holding her in place until the start of the distorting necromancer’s next turn. She is immobilized and suffers a −3 penalty to all physical actions.
Thu Dec 7 '23 Announcement
12 months ago
– Thu, Dec 07, 2023 at 09:56:28 AM
Lo, Gravediggers!
We've officially begun the Final Week Countdown for this Indiegogo campaign. Over this final week I'll be sharing a handful of instruction and review-type posts about Reward Tiers & Add On Perks, reviewing our Stretch Goal achievements and targets, and What Comes Next, so if you've got any process questions or are wondering about how the Indiegogo steps work, I'm hoping to clarify any remaining questions before we finish. Of course, if you're still wondering about something, please ask and I'll help as best I can.
This Indiegogo campaign ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, December 14th!
(That's just about 3 AM my time on December 15th, so we'll find out how awake I am in those final hours!)
Final Week Schedule
- Dec 8 - Sneak Peek at Necromancy
- Dec 9 - Pledge Perks & Add On Review
- Dec 10 - Manuscript Preview # 7 - Chapters 7+9
- Dec 11 - Fiction finale
- Dec 12 - Stretch Goal review
- Dec 13 - Manuscript Preview # 8 - Chapter 9
- Dec 14 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next
Recruiting New Backers
I know, this is something I've already said many times (and seem to say during every project!), but for this final week, you are officially an Abyssal Ambassador for this Indiegogo project. It's time to share your excitement for Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave! Basically, we want to recruit as many interested backers as possible to form our Underworld gang over this final week.
I know I end many update posts with "Keep spreading the word! Invite others to join in!" - but what does that mean, and how do you do it?
Easy answer - don't stop talking about Abyssals until midnight PST next Thursday December 14th (when the campaign has ended). Yes, family and friends are tired of me talking about it. The end, that's all I can say. But what else have I got to talk about? And they've learned to tolerate me during a crowdfunding campaign. But here's the thing - there are others around who haven't heard or don't know about the campaign.
There are many, many Exalted Third Edition fans who haven't yet heard about this campaign and would love to join in. We're right in the middle of a very busy season - and on an alternate funding platform - so it's not surprising that new backers are just finding out about the campaign every day. If you have an opportunity to let someone know, please do and let's make sure they have a chance to join in before the end.
Important Things To Know Before The End
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.
Refund and Repledge
If you had already adjusted the tip amount or all good with your pledge amount, no worries, carry on as before. But if you want to adjust your pledge, you actually have to refund and cancel your pledge and then re-pledge again.
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 that the amount was not what you'd initially planned, 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.
The Onyx Path crew and I are not big fans of how the Indiegogo tip amount gets snuck into your pledge and does not default to $0. So, double check your pledge and, if needed, feel free to refund and re-pledge as soon as possible.
SHIPPING CHARGES will be collected in the PLEDGE MANAGER after the campaign
The best we can do at this point is to plan carefully, advise everyone up front that international shipping will likely be expensive (see our projections on the main page) and only charge what it costs us when the time comes. We’ll be charging for shipping in the Pledge Manager once the books are being printed and we can deal with the actual shipping charges rather than using our best-guesses this far out. If you live outside the US and aren't sure you want the hardcover or other physical items, you can pledge to the PDF tier now and upgrade your pledge in the Pledge Manager once we know the final shipping costs.
Draft Manuscript Previews
The current, approved Draft Manuscript has been made available in update posts during the campaign. We'e got two final sections forthcoming, which cover the final 3 chapters of the book.
Spreading the sections out over the course of the campaign has helped 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 over the next week at this link: https://forms.gle/iWbzZDwuRGJxUSnf6
DRAFT MANUSCRIPT DOWNLOAD LINKS
Some time after the campaign has concluded, these individual section downloads will be removed and backers will have access to a compiled draft mansucript which contains all sections assembled into one big document. I'll likley incorporate all of the Abyssals fiction we've been sharing into the complete preview manuscript as well.
Whispers of the Neverborn (Podcast Links!)
Epic Exalted developer Chazz Kellner has been making the rounds, talking about Abyssals and the work that's gone into this book. I'm a huge fan of the Exalted developers - I can only dream about being only half as creative and inspiring as they are on an off day - and getting a peek into the processes and thoughts behind the Exalted Third Edition lore is always a treat.
First up, Chazz is joined by Elliott Freeman for the an episode of the Onyx Pathcast! Give this a listen for some fun Abyssals bits.
Next up, Chazz talks to Kim from The Story Told RPG podcast to discuss all things Abyssal!
And finally, Chazz joins Mike and Chigg from Darker Days Radio and provides a primer for Exalted and a dive into our Abyssals book, with some talk about new Charms that we'll see in upcoming chapters!
Seriously, take some time over this final week to give these podcasts a listen. I love listening to the developers talk about their work, and there are some neat insights and fun discussions about the Abyssals and the world of Exalted.
Stepping away from Chazz's discussions and interviews, you can also get a taste of Abyssal Character creation in an episodes of the Onyx Pathcast.
The Pathcast comes together to make an Abyssal character! Check it out!
Abyssals Discussion Zones
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:
Share the Links!
1) Don't forget to share a link to the Indiegogo in any discussion you have (where appropriate) - and feel free to pass any of the long list of links above to those who may need more info (or, just point them to this post!)
2) Don't forget to tell us about any post or review or discussion you write! Come to the comments section and let us know so we can all go and contribute! I know I keep saying it, but really - these last days are key. Keep the enthusiasm high (hitting stretch goals certainly makes that easier!) and keep on inviting others to join in, either directly ("Come see...") or just by setting an example of your enthusiasm and interest.
Final Week
We've got one week to go, everyone! Thank you all so much for your support! We work together because it's the right thing to do, and because backers make it better! Let's finish strong! And let's continue exploring this new Exalted Third Edition book together, sharing our feedback with the writers and delving into the draft manuscript, and let's see if we can't get another Stretch Goal before we review next Tuesday!
#AbyssalsSwornToTheGrave
#Exalted
