Although our illustration above, by long, long-time WoD artist Ken Meyer, Jr., isn’t really all that funny or punny, and only sort of a mime, that’s kind of the point today. A lot of our game lines are pretty serious. They’re about catharsis and dealing with (un)life in an unfair world.

We have extended that range over the years and have created game lines that allow a wide range of play-styles and expectations. Really, we have touched on a range of genres, and those genres tend towards particular moods and sets of themes. We try and stay within certain parameters that are within that genre and our take on it within a game line.

I used to call it the Doctrine of Appropriateness when discussing what visuals, artist styles, and graphic design elements we’d use. Even the coolest visual wouldn’t do well for a line where it didn’t sustain the overall look for that line. That still works when looking at everything that goes into a game, I think.

You can see that overall thematic attention when looking at Pugmire‘s core book, for example, since that’s a good example of us creating a game from scratch. In Pugmire‘s case, Eddy and I worked hand-in-hand (paw-in-paw) to determine how to deliver a lighter and family-friendly playing experience. The writing, the delivery of that writing, the design and art chosen, all work together towards that experience. (Even if there are some deep and mature themes under the surface!) Similarly, each of the They Came From…! games has a particular aesthetic that plays off of the genre it is spoofing.

There’s a whole ‘nother blog post in there about how to write funny without making a TTRPG impossible to take seriously – and leave oxygen for the players to actually be the funny ones and funny-makers, so remind me about that and I’ll go into it another time!

Which I guess brings me back around to the “funny” MMN blog titles I make up each week. Every week, week after week, month after month, year after year! Next year I can say decade after decade…gulp. Mostly, I enjoy a bit of word-play, mostly foolish, and since this is my direct weekly place to talk right at ya’ll, you get a silly title each week.

Just like our range of game lines, though, these MMNs are pretty important to me, and the crew here, and even though the antici…………………..pation can be nerve-wracking when folks are waiting for a project to progress, we do take our transparency with the Progress Reports seriously. Basically, we have fun, can be funny, and at the same time we’re really committed to what we’re doing.

Here’s a line I think nails what I’m saying here, and I’m paraphrasing: We’re serious about what we do, but not necessarily about how we do it!

Some KS items: we’re hoping to get the Exalted: Essence Kickstarter page over to Paradox this week for their OK, and also we need to submit to KS for their OK.

We’ll let you know but unless everything happens perfectly (and quickly), we won’t be starting any KSs next week. But sooooon….

Looking at a KS reward ship-out that is finishing up, I wanted to share an excerpt from the latest V5 Cults of the Blood Gods Backer Update by our Crowdfunding Concierge, James Bell, concerning the difficulties that our outsourced fulfillment partners went through:

To say the past 16 months have been a struggle for many is an understatement. Even those who have been lucky enough to avoid the worst of the challenges over the past year have still had to deal with the cascade of delays and obstacles as everyone managed through the pandemic as best they could. The shifting of employment and workloads, the changing schedules and manufacturing ability, not to mention personal losses, and the reorganization of how Paradox manages the Vampire: The Masquerade brand have certainly presented challenges to this project. But, at last, I’m happy to be able to confirm that the final 20 packages for this project were shipped out today.

What would have been a 10-day pick, pack, and ship process took double that, as our fulfillment partners at Studio 2 continued to deal with the ongoing obstacles from the past year, but at last we’re here.

Thanks to everyone for your patience and enthusiasm as these books trickled out of the shipping bay and work their way through the various delivery systems. 

Normally, US backers would start seeing deliveries a week or two after the orders have left the warehouse, but the strain on delivery infrastructure during this pandemic has a cascading effect that’s just slowing all processes down. That’s also affecting tracking updates – but, I’m told, information should catch up as packages move through the system. Many of us have actually received our books before the tracking status got updated, but the good news is that, eventually, everything should be delivered and confirmed.

I wanted to get James’ words out here because they underline what I’ve been letting you regular readers in on since last year; the effects of everything that happened in 2020 continue to be felt. Here, specifically, and around the world.

Hopefully, we are actually coming out of these repercussions, and things can return to what passes for normal here at Onyx Path. But we don’t know all of what that means right now, do we?

Dynamic Dixie is hiring editors as fast as she can review their work, and Mirthful Mike is bringing on more graphic designers to get the books laid out once that edited text is done, but we still have a huge backlog of projects that collected during sequestering and Covid, and everything that made making our stuff so much harder to do.

I’m hoping that we will be “regularized” by the end of the year, because we sure do have some great projects waiting in the wings that you’re going to love – but first we need to get all the current games and books through the pipeline and into your hands!

Punny You Should Ask About the Monday Meeting!

We talked about the TryItCon this weekend, the 14th – 16th, and I just heard today as we pinned things down, that we will have a What’s Up With Onyx Path? panel at 2pm EDT on Saturday the 15th. Hope a bunch of you can stop in for the panel and even try a few games ala the name of the con. More info in the Media section below, including details of the charitable contributions that will be made with its proceeds.

The full schedule is here: https://tabletop.events/conventions/tryitcon-2021/schedule#?query=

Which of course led right into discussion on the progress of our very own Onyx Path Online Con in June – here are some links to the Code of Conduct and for a GM sign-up list. Please do consider signing up as we’re looking at some great games already planned that we’d love you to be a part of.

Code of Conduct: https://intercom.help/startplayinggames/en/articles/5208570-onyx-path-code-of-conduct

GM Sign-up: https://intercom.help/startplayinggames/en/articles/5217651-onyx-path-virtual-gaming-convention-2021-faq

We are planning on having some great in-depth panels for our game lines, and have a few reveals slated, or at least some serious teasers! (Both, really). We also hope to have our new online brochure ready to debut there during the con, but prepping for our upcoming KSs diverted a bit of time and effort from the Brochure – so we’ll see!

Which naturally led to more sales and marketing stuff, including that we are doing another three-prong sale: this time it’s the Scarred Lands Sale – with PDFs and PoDs on sale at DTRPG, and hardcover physical books on sale at both Studio2 and IPR. Scarred Lands is a hugely popular game setting for our Twitch-playing friends and we have a delightful amount of games and Actual Plays and info-sessions up on our YouTube channel. Check them out if you’d like to know more!

As James noted above, we’re still seeing all sorts of delays in shipping processes, so I let the team know that even though I had ordered PoD proofs for three different books weeks ago, I don’t have them yet. But, you know, they could show up at any point. 😛

We noted that while we feel like we put up a notice with the PDFs we put out asking for errata specifying that we don’t want pgXX corrections, folks still seem to want to include them. Not sure where this is coming from, but seriously, we don’t want them because if any of the other errata fixes change the text to such a degree that some of it flows from one page to another, then we have to redo all the XXs anyway.

And if we miss the fact that a page-shift has occurred…Hoo Boy is that ugly.

So seriously, we appreciate the attempt to help, but please check to see if we’ve specifically said that we don’t want that – most of the time, we do have a reason for those sorts of restrictions.

Folks mentioned both the big pile-up of projects but also the much reduced listings in the phases before Editing – why is that? It’s a combination of secret projects that we aren’t announcing yet, and holding off on green-lighting too much stuff while the logjam continues. We have a really big list of projects waiting in the wings, and we sure do want to show you those – but we also have a ton we need to finish!

Which is not the worse situation ever, but it is an out-of-balance one and we want to get it fixed! Then we can better take you to all of our:

Many Worlds, One Path!

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BLURBS!

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Kickstarter!

Like I mentioned above, we’re still pulling together the graphics in order to get the approvals for our next couple of crowd-funding campaigns. More when we have it!

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Onyx Path Media!

This week: The Terrifically Terrible Trio chit and chat and dish and gush all about what they are playing RIGHT NOW! Insights, rants and raves, all that good stuff!

As always, this Friday’s Onyx Pathcast will be on Podbean or your favorite podcast venue! https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/

TryItCon online is running a number of OPP games the weekend of May 14-16th and has open seats still available for Changeling: The Lost, Beast: The Primordial, Dark Ages Fae, Demon: The Fallen, Demon: The Descent, Changeling: The Dreaming, Mage: The Ascension, Mage: The Awakening, Exalted, Trinity Continuum: Aeon, and Vampire: The Requiem and Masquerade.

The full schedule is here: https://tabletop.events/conventions/tryitcon-2021/schedule#?query=

All badge proceeds are going to the Helen Keller Foundation and the first $1,500 in ticket sales are being matched and donated as well.

For anyone new to our media section, you can find us running and playing games over on twitch.tv/theonyxpath pretty much every day of the week! Plus, if you’d like your games hosted there, just get in touch with Matthew Dawkins using the contact link on matthewdawkins.com. 

Please check out our attached media schedule for the impressive number of videos on our Twitch channel this week!

Come take a look at our YouTube channel, youtube.com/user/theonyxpath, where you can find a whole load of videos of actual plays, dissections of our games, and more, including:

Squeaks in the Deep Playtest – https://youtu.be/fdcLhg7vO2s

Trinity Continuum Jumpstart – A Quantum Leap – https://youtu.be/cBQZZec5T2A

Scion – Become as Gods – Wrap-Up – https://youtu.be/LS-MBcM0R1I

Changeling: The Dreaming – Yours to Keep – Episode 2 – https://youtu.be/loWeNrxxPM0

Deviant: The Renegades – A Cautionary Tale – Episode 17 – https://youtu.be/rqDWzs3eyGs

Vampire: The Requiem – Reap The Whirlwind – FINALE – https://youtu.be/kRLhzeZVJgY

Squeaks in the Deep – Virtual Horror Con Playtest Episode – https://youtu.be/UZPnV9Obg_0

Subscribe to our channel and click the bell icon if you want to be notified whenever new news videos and uploads come online!

If you’re fans of Exalted, you’ll want to check out https://swordofcreation.net/. 

Sword of Creation is a brand new forum for the Exalted community, aiming to let conversation breathe and give a platform for people to showcase their homebrew, art, podcasts and other fan content. They’re aiming to run regular contests for fan works and for the launch of the site they’re even offering $20 prizes for the best homebrew and character designs people have to offer.

The Story Told Podcast are back with The Fall of JiaraExalted recap! This is one of the best Dragon-Blooded chronicles around, so please give them a listen: http://thestorytold.foolsmoon.ca/fall-of-jiara-act-2-recap

A Bunch of Gamers continue their Werewolf: The Apocalypse chronicle here: https://abunchofgamers.podbean.com/e/werewolf-the-apocalypse-episode-69-rest-and-recovery/ This is episode 69, so you know it’ll be nice.

Caffeinated Conquests has been running a superb They Came from Beneath the Sea! story over on their Twitch channel. Give them a follow and enjoy their hilarious roleplay!https://www.twitch.tv/caffeinatedconquests

McStabber Studios run a whole hell of a lot of our games over on Twitch, so here’s one of their YouTube playlists for Wraith: The Oblivion: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNJbJLVC_ivx1SSy-J_PoeN9Aa6UWYDnA As a lot of people talk about not knowing how to play Wraith, this would be a good place to start!

Ekorren continues their excellent Exalted 3rd Edition series over on YouTube! You can find their latest video – on Making Better Stunts – right here: https://youtu.be/tOSHES7Ycm8

The Exaltcast continues its fantastic show introducing you to the wonders and horrors of the Realm and its various inhabitants. The next episode is for Holistic Battle Understanding – https://www.exaltcast.com/2021/05/07/holistic-battle-understanding-commanding-armies-and-ships/ – Exalted often has a demigod square off against a Deathlord, but what about lesser encounters like an Exalt vs several dinosaurs, the Brides of Alhat or maybe several boats? Monica and Chazz talk mass combat, triremes and reducing people to statistics. 

Over on ExalTwitch they’ve been running some amazing games of Exalted, and even have a show wiki for viewers to follow along! ExalTwitch: Academy is set in The House of Bells, a prestigious school for Dragon-Blooded Exalted of the Realm to train in the ways of war. The chronicle follows three young Dragon-Bloods as they try to prove their worth to their fellow students, their Houses, and themselves.

Their most recent VOD, Episode 16 (“Torn”), is here:https://youtu.be/rV01PMNWF8o

The playlist for the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zb3M2x8PJk&list=PLsZP95-GZNa0ynoCIVyliNF5rypCHvh0M

The show wiki, with synopses, character descriptions, etc: RPGClinic Wiki | Fandom

Wards & Witchcraft continue their wonderful Mage: The Awakening chronicle which you can watch right here:

Hah-nah’s Life force meet the hand of Death. A tense conflict of wits and lightsabers ensues. Stay tuned until the end for a special message!    https://youtu.be/rX1kc-Nfig8

Please check these out and let us know if you find or produce any actual plays of our games! We’d love to feature you!

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Electronic Gaming!

As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is live! The dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is awesome! (Seriously, you need to roll 100 dice for Exalted? This app has you covered.)

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Virtual TableTop!

Two Virtual Tabletop adventures: the Gauntlet of Spiragos and the Dagger of Spiragos for Scarred Lands on Astral TableTop and DriveThruRPG!

Scars of the Divine War, which ended less than 200 years ago, have still not healed. One such scar is the Chasm of Flies, a rent in the earth created when the titan Spiragos the Ambusher was smote down by one of the young gods, Vangal the Ravager. Now, the Chasm is inhabited by spider-eye goblins and their spider allies, but it is also thought to be the resting place of powerful artifacts from that elder age.

Astral TableTop is the easiest way to play any tabletop RPG online, free. Astral already supports popular systems like D&D and Pathfinder, and Astral can support virtually any tabletop roleplaying game. Get started quickly with built-in support for most popular game systems. Whether you’re brand new to TTRPGs or a veteran tabletop gamer, Astral‘s ease-of-use and built in automation is designed to streamline gameplay.

Build your own adventure, or choose from pre-generated game kits like Gauntlet of Spiragos and Dagger of Spiragos. Create character sheets, craft maps, or just jump right in to connect with your friends and start your adventures!

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On Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue from which you bought it. Reviews really, really help us get folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these latest fiction books:

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Our Sales Partners!

We’re working with Studio2 to provide our traditionally printed books out into your local game stores. Game stores can order via their usual distributors, and can also contact Studio2 directly. And individuals can check out our projects via the links below!

You can pick up the traditionally printed Pugmire and Monarchies of Mau main books, screens, and the official dice through our friends there! https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire

Now, we’ve added Chronicles of Darkness books such as Changeling: The Lost Second Edition products to Studio2‘s store! See them here: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/all-products/changeling-the-lost

Scion 2e books and other products are available now at Studio2: https://studio2publishing.com/blogs/new-releases/scion-second-edition-book-one-origin-now-available-at-your-local-retailer-or-online

Our Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition books are also available from Studio2 in the US: https://studio2publishing.com/products/vampire-the-masquerade-chicago-by-night-sourcebook

Here’s the link to Studio2‘s part of the Scarred Lands Sale!

Studio 2:https://studio2publishing.com/collections/scarred-lands

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

And you can order Pugmire, Monarchies of Mau, Cavaliers of Mars, and Changeling: The Lost 2e at the same link! And now Scion Origin and Scion Hero and Trinity Continuum Core and Trinity Continuum: Aeon are available to order!

Here’s the link for IPR‘s part of the Scarred Lands Sale!

IPR: https://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Deals-and-Specials/

As always, you can find Onyx Path’s titles at DriveThruRPG.com!

Here’s the link to DTRPG‘s part of the Scarred Lands Sale! DTRPG:https://www.drivethrurpg.com/saleguide.php

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On Sale This Week!

On Wednesday we’re going to be offering a new batch of TShirt designs for CofD game lines like Vampire: The Requiem 2e on our RedBubble store! Just in time for Spring and Summer!

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Conventions!

Because dates for physical conventions are subject to change due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, we don’t yet have a list of upcoming physical conventions. Instead, keep an eye out here for more virtual conventions we’re going to be involved with!

As announced, the 2nd Onyx Path Virtual Gaming Convention will be coming to you live starting Friday, June 11th and running until Sunday, June 13th (including a special post-con Jackbox gamefest Sunday night hosted by Dixie)!

The GM Sign-up Page & Code of Conduct for OPP Con are now live:

Code of Conduct:https://intercom.help/startplayinggames/en/articles/5208570-onyx-path-code-of-conduct

GM Sign-up:https://intercom.help/startplayinggames/en/articles/5217651-onyx-path-virtual-gaming-convention-2021-faq

A collection of World of Darkness podcasters are putting together an online convention called TryItCon the weekend of May 14th-16th geared towards trying new games – including a lot of ours! We’re also setting up a few Onyx Path specific panels right now – more on those when we have the times!

TryItCon is this weekend and has open seats for a bunch of our games:
https://tabletop.events/conventions/tryitcon-2021

More info about both these conventions in the Media section and the blog itself, above!

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And now, the new project status updates!

Development Status from Eddy Webb! (Projects in bold have changed status since last week.):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep.)

• Exalted Essay Collection (Exalted)
• Tasty Bit: Car Lifting Competition (Scion 2nd Edition)
• Panopticon Novella (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)
• Scion: God (Scion 2e)

Redlines

• Dragon-Blooded Novella #2 (Exalted 3rd Edition)
• Tome of the Pentacle (Mage: the Awakening 2e)
• The Hedge (Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition)
• M20 Lore of the Traditions (Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
• Apocalyptic Record (Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
• TC: Adventure! Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum: Adventure!)

Second Draft

• No Gods, No Masters (Scion 2nd Edition)

Development

• Contagion Chronicle: Global Outbreaks (Chronicles of Darkness)
• Kith and Kin (Changeling: The Lost 2e)
• Adversaries of the Righteous (Exalted 3rd Edition)
• Wild Hunt (Scion 2nd Edition)

Manuscript Approval

• Once and Future (Scion 2nd Edition)
• Exigents (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Post-Approval Development

• Many-Faced Strangers – Lunars Companion (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Editing

• Lunars Novella (Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)
• The Book of Lasting Death (Mummy: The Curse 2e)
• Dead Man’s Rust (Scarred Lands)
• M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
• Mission Statements (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)
• The Clades Companion (Deviant: The Renegades)
• Yugman’s Appendix: People of Ghelspad (Scarred Lands)
• CtL2e Novella Collection: Hollow Courts (Changeling: The Lost 2e)
• Heroes in a World of Horror! (They Came From…!)
• Dystopia Rising: Evolution Fiction Anthology (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)
• Prometheus Unbound (was Psi Orders) (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)
• Legacies of Earth (Legendlore)
• Scion Fiction Anthology (Scion 2nd Edition)
• M20 Rich Bastard’s Guide To Magick (Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary)
• They Came From Beyond the Grave! Jumpstart (They Came From…!)
• Across the Eight Directions (Exalted 3rd Edition)
• Monsters From the Crypt! (They Came From…!)
• TC: Aeon Novella: Meridian (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)
• Exalted Essence Edition (Exalted 3rd Edition)
• Crucible of Legends (Exalted 3rd Edition)
• The Devoted Companion (Deviant: The Renegades)
• Proteus Nova Compendium (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)
• TC: Aeon Novella: Dawn (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)
• Tasty Bit: Pets (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)
• Trinity Continuum: Assassins (Trinity Continuum Core)
• Saints and Monsters (Scion 2nd Edition)
• They Came From Camp Murder Lake! (They Came From…!)
• Contagion Chronicle Ready-Made Characters (Chronicles of Darkness)
• Trinity Continuum: Anima
• Tales of Depravity! (They Came From…!)
• They Came From [Classified]! (They Came From…!)
• They Came From [Classified]! Jumpstart (They Came From…!)
• Realms of Magic and Mystery (was Terra Incognita) (Scion 2nd Edition)
• Trinity Continuum: Adventure! core (Trinity Continuum: Adventure!)
• Tasty Bit: Les Fantomes (Trinity Continuum)
• Vigil Watch: The Kelder Mountains (Scarred Lands)
• Ghost Hunters Jumpstart w/RMCs (WoD 20th)
• The Paranormal Investigator’s Handbook (WoD 20th)

Post-Editing Development

• Masks of the Mythos (Scion 2nd Edition)
• They Came From Beyond the Grave! (They Came From!)
• Scion: Demigod (Scion 2nd Edition)
• Scion: Dragon (Scion 2nd Edition)
• Player’s Guide to the Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)
• N!ternational Wrestling Entertainment (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)
• Dearly Bleak – Novella (Deviant: The Renegades)
• V5 Trails of Ash and Bone (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)
• V5 Forbidden Religions (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)
• Squeaks In The Deep (Realms of Pugmire)
• Novas Worldwide (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)
• They Came From Beneath the Sea! Jumpstart (They Came From…!)
• Tasty Bit: Zeus We Just Wanna Talk! (Scion 2nd Edition)

Indexing

• Mummy: The Curse 2e

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Art Direction from Mike Chaney!

In Art Direction

• Scion: Dragon (KS)
• Masks of the Mythos (KS)
• Scion: Demigod – All notes out to artists. Still need to lockdown 1 more artist for Pantheons.
• They Came From Beyond the Grave! – Sketches coming in.
• TC: Adventure! (KS)
• M20 Victorian (KS)
• Dead Man’s Rust
• M20 Technocracy Jumpstart
• Exalted Essence (KS) – KS graphics almost finished.
• V5 Forbidden Religions
• TC Mission Statements
• TC Aberrant N!WE – Talking with artists.
• M20 Technocracy Dossier/Companion – Starting on this.
• Hundred Devils Night Parade
• Squeaks In The Deep (KS)
• Players Guide to the Contagion Chronicle
• TC Prometheus Unbound
• They Came From Camp Murder Lake!
• Realms of Magic and Mystery
• Saints and Monsters
• TC: Anima (KS) – Reaching out to artists for the two different art styles.
• TC: Assassin

In Layout

• Spiragos Collected Adventures
• Hunter: The Vigil 2e – Josh working on it as art trickles in.
• 21-22 Onyx Brochure – looking good so far.
• WoD Ghost Hunters (KS) – putting together the layout.
• Legendlore – revised text coming in end of week.
• M20 Rich Bastards Guide – Over to Charles, art is all in.
• They Came From Beneath the Sea! Jumpstart
• V5 Trail of Ash and Bone

Proofing

• Mummy 2 – In Indexing.
• TC: Under Alien Skies – Wrapping this up.
• Heirs to the Shogunate – Dev Proof changes being input.
• M20 Technocracy Reloaded – Errata gathering from backers.
• TC Aberrant Jumpstart
• Deviant Screen – To Paradox for approval.

At Press

• V5 Cults of the Blood Gods – KS fulfillment finishing.
• Aberrant – KS fulfillment started.
• TC: Aberrant Screen – KS fulfillment started.
• Contagion Chronicle Jumpstart (Chronicles of Darkness) – PoD proofs ordered.
• Children of the Blood – PoD proofs ordered.
• Vigil Watch Compiled – PoD proofs ordered.
• Mummy 2e Screen
• Deviant – Need printer specs.

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Today’s Reason to Celebrate!

17 years ago the edge of Infinity book for Scarred Lands was released. Which is all well and good, it’s sort of a nod to Planescape but for SL, but the important part and why we celebrate, is that it is our own Impish Ian A. A. Watson’s first published TTRPG writing! Good going, eh!