February Comes In On Little Cat Feet [Monday Meeting Notes]

Meeeoooowwww!

That’s right, we’re not kitten! The BackerKit crowdfunding campaign for The Curious Cats of Mau starts next Tuesday the 20th at 2pm EST!

So, what exactly is The Curious Cats of Mau? Is it Monarchies of Mau 2nd Edition? Well, yes, sorta. If you already are a fan of Monarchies of Mau and how the cat realms are presented, then Curious Cats will get you updated to the added history and character refinements first revealed in Realms of Pugmire last year, as well as the new Onyx20 system (a refinement of the system in Monarchies).

But really, it is one of several books that will be updating the original first edition books so that everything works, from the first, as a coherent setting and rules. Realms of Pugmire was the start, and sets the stage for Curious Cats and everything else that is released afterwards.

Which is why we’re also including Realms of Pugmire as a pledge/add-on in this upcoming Curious Cats of Mau campaign on BackerKit.

Yep, we’re back on BK, just like we did last year with Realms. We still think it’s a great crowdfunding platform, and hopefully you’ll agree that they’ve added a bunch of useful bits since last year! In fact, here’s a link to the pre-campaign page so you can sign up for a reminder before the campaign launches:

https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/d9e2aef4-a45e-4ecd-8247-9936f5d956a1/landing

Plus, as we like to do, we have a Deep Dive on Curious Cats coming this Friday on the Onyx Pathcast! You’ll be able to hear Eddy (obviously), Dixie, and Danielle, who all contributed to the book, really go into the details and inspiration for the “cat book” for Realms of Pugmire. I’m not sure if Eddy is prouder of the system tweaks or the new lore – so give it a listen and find out!

Check it out – it’ll be purrfect!

Hiss-Free Rest of the Blog

Last week, I mentioned the exciting Storypath Nexus Game Jam that has been put together for our community content contributors. Here are some official words about the contest from Travis Legge to update us on how things are going:

We are 12 days in on the Storypath Nexus Game Jam! In case you missed it, the full rules are posted in this lovely blog entry. The short version is that members of our community including Awkward GM Corbin, Liam Conway, Gilbert Ramos and Korvis Krow have come together to facilitate a game jam to create projects for Scion Second Edition, Trinity Continuum, They Came From Beneath the Sea, and Dystopia Rising: Evolution! There are prizes on offer, and there are several folks in the Storypath Nexus channel of our discord working on collaborations or seeking others to do the same! We’ve even seen the first release for the jam, with New Beginners from Mateus Luz!

Corbin and Liam are both running workshops on Twitch this week, and our veteran community content scribe Comrade Bubbles is shifting gears on their regular show, Behind the Screen, to work on Game Jam Material as well! There’s just over 2 weeks left to get involved, so get your entry created and join the jam!

Thanks, Travis! And also: Hi, Travis! He’s back with a few words describing something you may have noticed: an increase of activity on our various social media sites!

We’ve been working to ramp up our presence on various social media platforms. We’ve maintained a constant and steady presence on Twitter, and with Bluesky opening up to the public, we’ve ramped up our presence there. Both sites feature links, celebrations of release anniversaries, programming announcements and more! We’re also expanding onto Pinterest to showcase some of the beautiful art that has graced our books!

We have ongoing and new actual plays, interviews, and community creator content on our Twitch channel, and those videos migrate over to our YouTube channel where we are implementing more use of Shorts and using other tools to make our videos there a great viewing experience for the audience. We’re also ramping up our presence on TikTok and Instagram Reels with smaller, bite-size content including actual play clips, video-enhanced fiction reads, and more.

We also have our official discord, our forums, the Onyx Path RPG subreddit, and our official Facebook page where fans and creators can get together to discuss our games.

Going forward, we will be expanding activity on these sites and always pushing forward into new territories on social media. We look forward to seeing you out there!

As Travis noted, this is a much needed refresh of a whole buncha venues we already have out there, and some new social media options as well. I mean Bluesky just opened up to everyone a week or so ago. Up until then it was “invite only”, so we’re hoping that it’ll grow quite a bit now! The reality is, our community is pretty far-flung in terms of social media, and we’ve been putting together how to talk with folks in the kind of social media they enjoy for quite some time now.

This is, as Travis notes, really just the start.

Last week, Mirthful Mike and Danielle and I put our heads together to design the logo for At The Gates because Danielle is hard at work creating the At The Gates Ashcan – and we kind thought a logo would be a nice touch, even if ashcans are supposed to be pretty bare bones. Keeping with the game’s JRPG inspirations was a huge part of what we fine-tuned with the logo, and we’re really looking forward to revealing it soon!

At The Gates is the second Earthbane Cycle fantasy game using the Storypath Ultra rules system, following The World Below, and presents a world very, very different than the mysterious and magical underground settlements of TWB. You might even say it does a 180. Still not time to say more, but keep your eyes out for more info leading up the release of the At The Gates Ashcan!

Here’s something I can share with you, and another piece of a different world – the pantheon symbol for the Ilhm from Scion: God:

Just to share a couple of sales we have going on right now, as these were actually a part of our meeting today, and it’s good to let y’all know when you can get a deal!

We have a Chronicles of Darkness sale over at IPR this month:
https://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Deals-and-Specials/

And also, Trinity Continuum: Aeon and TC: Aberrant novellas are on sale for a few days:
https://www.drivethrufiction.com/saleguide.php

Finally, it was nice to actually get through a conversation with Matthew today without either of our computers going hinky on us. I’ve also noted that the anonymous incursions into our media have seemed to ease down. Don’t know if it’s a good sign or a bad one though. Maybe the intruders have gone elsewhere, or are busy…but maybe they are just lying in wait and gathering their strength and resources for an all-out blitz!

A couple of our Monday Meeting gang have mentioned either falling asleep in front of, or waking up in front of, their computers. Not sure if that phenomenon is connected, but it’s not how things are usually done, so it’s suspect at this point.

EDIT: And after I wrote this, I heard from Mirthful Mike that his power is out until tomorrow, so he can’t send the art pieces we usually display each week!

Meanwhile, as we try and get things sorted, please worry not, and don’t fear our:

Moth Worlds, Moth Path!


Blurbs!


Crowdfunding!

Coming Tuesday the 20th on BackerKit Crowdfunding: The Curious Cats of Mau for Realms of Pugmire!

https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/d9e2aef4-a45e-4ecd-8247-9936f5d956a1/landing


Onyx Path Media!

This week: Curious Cats Deep Dive with Eddy, Danielle, and Dixie (who all worked on the book).

As always, this Friday’s Onyx Pathcast will be on Podbean or your favorite podcast venue!


Please check out our attached media schedule for the videos on our Twitch channel this week! In particular, keep those eyes open for our Storypath Showcase, where we give an excellent profile of our various Storypath games and how to play them!

MEDIA HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK:

Scion: The Coming Storm is an actual play we’re steadily uploading onto our YouTube channel, with parts 1 and 2 of episode 1 already live for viewing. Hop on board for part 1 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va7v_nKodIU

The Onyx Path News discusses recent and upcoming releases! You can find it on our YouTube channel (click the bell to be informed when we go live!) but if you missed the last episode, here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5snRlYXCWhA


Virtual Tabletop!


They Came From Beneath the Sea! on Roll20 VTT!
https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/bundle/22308/they-came-from-beneath-the-sea

The Scion: Origin and Scion Hero Compendiums are now available on Roll20!
https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/publisher/1716/onyx-path-publishing

Scion is just the start! They Came From Beneath the Sea! and other
Onyx Path RPGs are in development for Roll20 virtual tabletop!

The first of our official Scion sheets designed for Foundry VTT are
now available! https://foundryvtt.co

Looking for more virtual tabletop resources? We have a selection of
Tokens, Encounters, and more available now at DriveThruRPG! https://bit.ly/3SnrNJ7


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!

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

We have some CofD Screens on discount on IPR:

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

We have a Chronicles of Darkness sale over at IPR this month:

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

As always, you can find Onyx Path’s titles in PDF and PoD versions at DriveThruRPG.com!

Trinity Continuum: Aeon and TC: Aberrant novellas are on sale for a few days:

https://www.drivethrufiction.com/saleguide.php

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).

Check out Melody Through the Mirrorshade Lens and Facets of Truth, as well as Trinity Continuum: Terat and The Hollow Courts on Kindle in the Kindle store!


On Sale This Week!

CAMELOT! Could that be the home of the Once and Future supplement for Scion? Noooo, it’s at DTRPG starting this Weds – where you can purchase both the PDF and hardcover PoD copies!


Conventions!

As we are slowly returning to attending conventions in person after avoiding them during the COVID-19 outbreak, keep an eye out here for more physical and virtual conventions we’re going to be involved with!

We will be repped at the upcoming GAMA Expo in March by both Studio 2 and Indie Press Revolution. We expect that there will be some…interesting…handouts for retailers at the Expo!

Game Night With Onyx Path Publishing at StartPlaying will be the last Friday of the month! Come play some of our games, especially any edition of Realms of Pugmire! (But any of our game lines are welcome all day long!)

Here’s an Onyx Path Game Night event that has open seats:

https://startplaying.games/adventure/clfdj5qob000j08l8eb74ecgh?session=clp1g6vqq000g08jqas0344n7


And here’s a link to give anyone $10 credit to play games on Start.Playing:

https://startplaying.games/referral/clog9y0v10006ju0968iev95m

Please spread the word about GMing games as much as
possible. Details on how list a game are at the bottom of the page in
the FAQ:

https://startplaying.games/event/game-night-onyx-path


Project Status Updates!

Our full list of projects will be available monthly on our blog! Check out January’s full list report here:

https://theonyxpath.com/release-roundup-january-2024/embed/#?secret=dfWwqiGtyv#?secret=8nls9CJo9M

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY

Here are the projects that moved to the next stage of production:

First Draft

Exalted – Alchemicals

  • Danielle: The gears are moving and the wheels are turning. Soon the components will come together into first drafts.

Post-Approval Development

Earthbane – At the Gates

  • Danielle: I’m so excited to move this forward. Now to do a little grinding to level up before we go fight the editing boss.

Editing

Scion – War Games (Titans Rising Hero and Demigod Adventures)

  • Matthew: The adventures in this book look fantastic even before editing, so I’m very much looking forward to how they end up after some editing polish.

Scion – Titans Rising: Gifts of the Titans

  • Matthew: Fancy a Hunter Knack from this book? Here you go: 
  • Predator’s Senses: Attuning your consciousness to the greatest hunters of the animal kingdom allows you to tap into their senses. Be it the eyesight of an eagle, hearing of a horned owl, or sense of smell of a shark, you can turn on this Knack at will while pursuing your quarry, gaining 3 Enhancement to a chosen sense. With a Knack Skill roll you can increase the number of senses active at one time. If you encounter a bright light, loud noise, or any other sudden assault to the senses, make a Survival + Composure roll to avoid being startled and gaining the Stunned Condition.

ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!

In Art Direction

  • Ex3 Sidereals – Back and forth continues…. 
  • Curious Cats (KS) – Wrapping up BK graphics.

In Layout

  • Ex Essence Charm Cards
  • DTR Clade Companion
  • CTL 2e the Hedge
  • M20 Victorian Jumpstart 
  • Squeaks in the Deep Companion
  • Classified and Cyclops Screens
  • CofD Contagion Chronicles RMCs

Proofing

  • Many Faced Strangers – Awaiting errata.
  • SCION God 2e – Working with Travis on wrapping things up for the final proof.
  • TC Aether – First interior proof to devs.

Indexing

  • Ex 3 Exigents

At Press

  • Reprints:
  • Scion Origin – Book files with the printer.
  • TC Core – Fixing those couple of things i missed and getting it exported out.
  • TC Aeon – Working on corrections and tweaking out anything that would get flagged in Pre Press.
  • W20 Apocalyptic Record – Shipping to backers.
  • W20 Apocalyptic Record Screen & Booklet – Shipping to backers.
  • Exalted Essence – At Press. Going over proofs.
  • Ex Essence Screen – At Studio 2.
  • Ex3 Exigents – Indexing.
  • TC Anima Terra Surge Screen
  • TC Anima
  • M20 Lore of the Traditions – Printing.
  • They Came From CLASSIFIED! – XXs and index in…. just have to do the cards.
  • They Came From the Cyclops Cave! – XXs and index in…. just have to do the cards.
  • Ex3 Across the 8 Directions – PoD proofs ordered.
  • Scion Once and Future – PDF and PoD versions on sale this Weds on DTRPG!

Today’s Reason to Celebrate!

Having lived in the US state of Georgia during most of my White Wolf days, I’m happy to say it’s Georgia Day: In 1733 Englishman James Oglethorpe founds Georgia, the 13th colony of the Thirteen Colonies, by settling at Savannah.

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