We’re less than two weeks from the ever-glorious Onyx Path Virtual Gaming Convention, so naturally we’ve been pulling things together including a bunch of time checking over all the cool things we’ll be announcing and delving into during the con.
Which are fun and often the highlights that get us all excited, but the work still needs to get done that brings these projects to fruition. The convention is much the same, with everyone chipping in, but the day-to-day organization – the pulling of all the various elements together – is overseen by our own Travis Legge, who has this in-depth message for you:
Onyx Path Con 2025 is coming up June 6th through June 8th and things are trucking along as we make final preparations. Putting a convention together often involves making tweaks as the event draws near to accommodate guests and maximize enjoyment for attendees.
Among the tweaks, we’ve locked in our Curseborne panels!
On Friday we are holding the Making of Curseborne panel in which we will focus on the road up to last year’s reveal of Curseborne at Onyx Path Con. From the concept, to the look, to the video teasers we released in the lead up, this panel will provide a look at where Curseborne has come from.
On Saturday we have the Curseborne Player’s Guide Preview/ Q&A and Character Creation panel. This is the panel where we dive into options available to players in Curseborne and take a look at what’s to come in the Curseborne Player’s Guide.
On Sunday we will look to the Future of Curseborne. We’ll look at recent releases, such as our Tasty Bits and the updated Ashcan Edition, but also discuss the immediate future of the line and beyond.
All three panels will provide an opportunity for attendees to ask questions, and we’ve done our best to ensure folks have an opportunity to catch at least one panel over the weekend! We have so much information to share, we couldn’t fit it all in one!
Beyond panels and actual plays we are also working with Startplaying.games and our partners at Envoy to set up opportunities for you to play our games with professional Storyguides. In fact, I’ll be running The World Below shortly after the closing ceremonies myself! Listings can be found at https://startplaying.games/event/onyx-path-2025
The event is also open for you to run your own games! You can sign up to run a game during the weekend and add your listing to the event. You may choose to charge for it, or you can set the game up to be free. If there’s a game of ours you’ve always wanted to try running but perhaps haven’t had the chance to put a group together for, you can set up a free game and try to pull together a group through this event! It could be a great time for a one-shot, and who knows? You might find a new regular group out of it.
For information on how to sign up to run games at Startplaying.games visit https://intercom.help/startplaying/en/articles/8719124-how-do-i-sign-up-as-a-game-master-on-startplaying
I run games on Startplaying.games regularly and I love the platform. It’s easy to use and a great way to find new groups to play with. I recommend checking them out, and signing up to play in or run games at Onyx Path Con 2025!
We wanted to be sure and get the Curseborne panels’ news out there ASAP as we know a lot of folks are very excited by the project. We’ll have more info next week on a bunch of the other panels! As for demo-games, actual plays, and games you can sign up for, the most important thing to add a bit more emphasis on is how much we recommend using the link and signing up to run a game.
It’s true that we’ve assembled a solid core of Storyguides, including the folks from our Envoy demo-team, but we can always use more game runners as you set the tone by providing the variety of game worlds and ways of playing that are very much a part of our Many Worlds!
One Path!
Sorry, force of habit.
oh makes me miss my great uncle’s shooting car
In the Monday Meeting today we were reminiscing about Memorial Day celebrations, and the above was quoted. I can’t explain any further as we’ve all learned from past experience that there are things we aren’t meant to know, so no questions were asked.
Besides the Onyx Path Virtual Gaming Con, we are also setting up the details for the crowdfunding for Pugmire and Beyond. Here’s Eddy with some info about that very book:
“Last week I showed you how Pugmire and Beyond intersects with the theme of Realms of Pugmire. Now here’s a look at how it connects to the mood of Mystery.
Mood: Mystery
Some mysteries are answered within the pages of this book, although many more are introduced. As Realms of Pugmire pointed out, dogs are eager to put information together in whatever way makes sense to them, even if the answers lead to more questions. One such mystery is “what happened to the badger clans?” Since the rise of Kibu the Red, the badgers have changed, becoming both more unified and less insular in recent years. Here we’ll uncover some of what happened, and how the badgers are forever changed by the actions of their leader.
Birds and reptiles were first introduced in Pirates of Pugmire, but they were presented purely in the context of being seafaring explorers and adventurers. Similarly, the lagomorphs were presented in Squeaks in the Deep Companion, but only as another faction in the world of rodents and the mysterious Underneath. Pugmire and Beyond digs deeper into all three species, expanding on them to not only bring original callings and concepts into the new edition of the game, but also to give each of them more context. Things left unstated in earlier works will be explained, while new mysteries will abound.
More specifically, instead of relying solely on existing spells presented in Pugmire or Monarchies of Mau, each species will have their spellcasters presented with a new mix of spells — spells that work well from Realms of Pugmire will be referenced again, but unique spells are also presented here, allowing each spellcasting calling to have its own distinctive style of magic.”
Late last week, the folks over at Paradox announced that they were reactivating the name White Wolf for a “company” within the larger Paradox company. Obviously, there’s been tons of speculation as to just what they intend to do, and how that affects the many other license partners including us, but very little real info for now. I am quite sure that more announcements are coming, so I really wouldn’t worry that you won’t hear more – but I’m also sure that telling everybody to sit tight isn’t going to stop folks from talking!
Until then, please do appreciate that nobody here has any secret info about Paradox‘s plans at this point. I will suggest checking out the Gentleman Gamer‘s vid about this on his YouTube channel, for one knowledgeable point of view overlooking the whole thing.
From our point of view, we have the GG‘s deep dive into the Primals Lineage for Curseborne! If you’re a fan of werewolves, lycanthropes, and other shape-shifters of that “bestial” ilk, it’s a great peek into the Families of the Primals: https://youtu.be/X2-nBwht7YA
So yeah, we’re forging ahead this week right through May and by next week’s blog we’ll already be in June! Hard to believe that here in the US, where Memorial Day is the traditional “start of Summer”, we’re almost done with May Flowers. Well, not that hard to believe as my allergies are finally easing up.
Which I’m super-glad about with the Onyx Path Con coming up. I do not need to sneeze and snuffle and cough through our panels!
Until next week then, enjoy what you may of May, and maybe check out our:
Many Worlds, One Path!
Blurbs!
Crowdfunding!
Coming Soon: Pugmire and Beyond!…
Onyx Path Media!
Check out our attached media schedule for the videos on our Twitch channel this week!
On this week’s Onyx Path News Matthew discusses Trinity Continuum: Anima DLC and various VTT assets! Check it out right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtYegdEIWHQ
On The Gentleman Gamer’s YouTube channel, we dive into the Primal Damnation and abilities in Curseborne:
Virtual Tabletop!
Scion Demigod Available on Roll20 NOW!
The Scion: Origin and Scion Hero Compendiums are now available on Roll20!
https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/publisher/1716/onyx-path-publishing
The first of our official Scion sheets designed for Foundry VTT are
now available! https://foundryvtt.co
They Came From Beneath the Sea! on Roll20 VTT!
https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/bundle/22308/they-came-from-beneath-the-sea
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!
Pugmire/Mau and some screens are 50% off at Studio 2:
https://studio2publishing.com/collections/onx-onyx-path-publishing
Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books, dice, and screens? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/
As always, you can find Onyx Path’s titles in PDF and PoD versions at DriveThruRPG.com!
The first part of the print shopping experiment is live on DTRPG:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?format=1000240-book-printed-publisher-fulfilled
This is limited to the USA only at first, but will expand later after
data crunching and review.
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).
On Sale This Week!
The Scion Demigod Companion, chock-filled with expanded info for Scion Demigod, dramatically appears in PDF and PoD formats on DTRPG Weds!
This month’s Curseborne Tasty Bit PDF, the Symbol of Murder, is also on DTRPG this Weds!
Conventions!
Here’s where you can find out more info on physical and virtual conventions we’re going to be involved with!
This year’s Onyx Path Virtual Game Con will be happening on June 6-8! Mark your calendars! Here’s the signup link for gaming:
https://startplaying.games/event/onyx-path-2025
Envoy will be running multiple demos of Curseborne at Gen Con, Thu, Jul 31, 2025 – Sun, Aug 3, 2025 in Indy, so sign up and get to actually play the game if you’re curious (but do it as soon as you can because Curseborn has been getting a lot of attention and is sure to sell out like happened at PAXunplugged), and we’ll have books and screens for sale at the Studio 2 booth. Here’s the signup link:
https://www.gencon.com/events?c=indy2025&host=Onyx%20Path%20Publishing
Game Night With Onyx Path Publishing at StartPlaying is this Friday the 30th! Come play some Scion that night! (But any of our game lines are welcome all day long!)
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 April’s full list report here: https://theonyxpath.com/release-roundup-april-2025/
DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY!
Here are the projects that moved to the next stage of production:
FIRST DRAFT
The World Below – Secrets of Kalm and Kaos: The World Below Storyguide’s Handbook
- I have my meeting with the authors about this one today, so I hope to have some exciting news in time for Onyx Path Con!
DEVELOPMENT
Storypath Ultra – SPU additional settings
- The two additional settings that backers voted for are now in my hands, and ready for development!
POST-APPROVAL DEVELOPMENT
TC Steam Wars – Steam Wars Leviathan Companion
- The steam-powered war robots march further into the sea, as the manuscript has been approved and handed back for post-approval development!
ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!
In Art Direction
- Ex3 Alchemicals – Awaiting art notes.
- Heroes of Action and Wonder – I think we got the art notes tweaked enough to send to artists.
- Curseborne – Hunting for new artists. Lovely meeting on Friday about potential format stuff.
- TC From the Shadows – Cover and comic contracted. Art notes getting tweaked but I got guys lined up.
- Branch Riders – Art continues to come in. I’m gonna work on setting up the layout format this week.
- Pugmire 2e Beyond Pugmire – Finals may be in from HIVE for crowdfunding art.
Layout
- Scion Tasty Bit Combo
- TC Aether Screen – Also gonna knock this out while Abyssals is proofing.
- SCION God Storyguide Screen
- Pugmire 2e Screen
- World Below Screen
- Essence Novella Omnibus – With Travis.
- TC Aether Jumpstart
- TC Anima AR – One piece in… one more to go and then I can knock it out.
- Ex3 Miracles of the Divine Flame – Sending art off for Paradox approval. Then layout.
Proofing
- Ex3 Abyssals
Indexing
At Press
- Ex 3 Exigents – Quoting.
- Ex 3 Exigents Screen – At Studio 2
- Ex 3 Sidereals – Quoting.
- TC Aether – Printing.
- Scion: God – Printing.
- SCION Mythic Shards – with backers.
- Ex3 Exigents Jumpstart – Awaiting errata.
- SCION Wild Hunt – Inputting errata.
- CURSEBORNE – May Tasty Bit: Symbol of Murder – PDF on sale Weds on DTRPG!
- SCION Demigod Companion – PoD and PDF versions on sale Weds on DTRPG!
Today’s Reason to Celebrate!
Here in the US, it is Memorial Day, a national vacation day honoring all of those who have died defending their country. Interestingly, the tradition is to lower the flag to half-mast in the morning and then to raise it up to full-mast mid-day to symbolize that their sacrifices were not in vain, and the country’s flag still flies.
I don’t know if it’s an issue with the store itself or not, but there’s no print option on last week’s release Trinity: Anima – DLC
I’ve asked our friends at DriveThruRPG to look into that. Thanks for pointing it out!
The Paradox/White WOlf news has me mostly concerned about Exalted. Ideally they might actually approve more pitches. While wouldn’t think currently in production books are in that much danger, well…we’ll see what they have planned.
That said, I am very impressed with Curseborne so far, and hope to see more if it in the future.
Glad to hear it- we are too, and we’re ecstatic over the response to Curseborne so far. As for Exalted – well, right now we’re keeping on keeping on until things change.
You know I love you guys, but I’m kind of surprised there will be a third Realms of Pugmire book when we don’t have either of the first two yet.
Not terribly long after Onyx got started, it became obvious that there were two paths, if you will, that our books were going on: the PDF/PoD one onto DTRPG, which was for backers and regular folks but not really for stores and distributors, and the traditional printing one that grew out of our crowdfunding campaigns and was for backers, stores, and distributors via Studio2 and IPR. We wanted to have those two paths work together, primarily for our KS backers, but after complications delayed the trad printing path over and over again, we “decoupled” the two paths and decided to release the PDF and PoDs when they were ready, and then do the same with the trad printed projects. That way, a backer gets the original text revealed during the crowdfunding, the PDF, and if they want a PoD physical book they get a discount coupon so they have a physical book at their table without having to wait for the trad printed version.
I talked a fair bit about this decoupling years ago in the MMN blog, and short version, the trad printing versions benefit from the PDF/PoD process in terms of corrections as the trad printing gets started using those files. Now, of course, all our trad printing is in a state of flux due to the chaos surrounding tariffs and shipping, and we’re darn glad we had that decoupling back then as we’d either be scrambling to do that now, or nobody would be getting anything as we waited for some order to the chaos. Not an ideal situation for us, backers, or regular folks wanting to check out the games on DTRPG.
Right now, if we waited to have a situation where we delivered the trad printed part of the projects and then started a new campaign for the next trad printed book, we’d be leaving the rate at which we created new books up to forces well outside our control – and I think to the detriment of the game lines. Which leaves us with waiting, or going ahead like we’re doing for those projects that are trad printed via crowdfunding, or not trad printing/crowdfunding books that really do benefit our community. When we don’t crowdfund a book, that means we don’t have the campaign, which usually includes a chance for backers to contribute their thoughts, to back at levels where they can add to the content, and to gain additional projects via Stretch Goals.
Right now, we’re examining possible other options as well, but that’s a different answer for a different day.
While I would prefer to have the beautiful traditionally-printed books from the get-go, I realize this is no longer the 90s or the 00s and the printing landscape has changed drastically. Thank you for ensuring we, both backers and non-backers alike, have access to the finalized PDFs as soon as they are ready, so we can keep our games moving forward while waiting for the convoluted mess (er, process!) that is printing and shipping and sorting and shipping to backers.