There’s no way I could top Dixie’s headline for the MMN blog last week, so I’m going straight to the point. Right in the gist! And huge thanks to Dixie for filling in with providing a great blog and a preview for Monster Kingdoms, too!

I’m using our BackerKit sign up graphic this week because it really does touch on some key elements of Monster Kingdoms. The vampire skull surmounted by a crown but transfixed by a dagger contains a lot of our themes including “we’re talking kings and successions – even you can’t be caught unaware!”

And for those folks who asked if there’s going to be a map…you can just about see some of the borders of the world, including some mountains and forests, behind everything. That’s really why I popped it up there as our headline art this week. Easier to see the details.

So here are some more details: we’re planning on going live with the BackerKit crowdfunding campaign on Tuesday, Aug 26th at 2pm Eastern US time!

And here are some more details, or at least more teaser info, pulled together by Dixie and providing a quick look at Mantles in the Monster Kingdoms:

Hi everyone, Dixie here! Last week we previewed the heritages from Monster Kingdoms, so this week, here’s a taste of the Mantles, the second Path that makes up your Monster Kingdoms characters. Again, these aren’t the full writeups; the book will include more on each Mantle, plus all the mechanics that affect your character.

Mantles
Mantles represent how a character goes about making their mark on the world. Some channel magic, while others rely on the might of sword or fist. Still others operate in shadows, stealing and killing their way to power. No matter how you choose to go about it, each Mantle requires some amount of training and discipline, as well as adhering to the standards and qualifications of your chosen path.

Cultist
Sobriquets: Diviners (common), Alfaithful (priest of the Alfaith), Blaspheme of the Katekistrix (priest of the Katekistrix), Entrusted (priest of the Old Ways)

Cultists channel and speak to divinity in the Monster Kingdoms, wherever they can find it. They adhere to one of the myriad faiths that exist throughout Gewinn, and they use that faith to power their magic and give strength to their allies. Most cultists are quite happy working alongside others who don’t share their faith, as the end justifies the means, and working with a heretic merely gives one more time to convert
them.
Ordinary faithful find cultists intense, but opinions differ on whether it’s a horrific or divine intensity. Some say cultists are filled with the holy light and perfect intentions of their faiths, while others think their zeal is misplaced, and that faith should guide you but not be the sole motivating factor behind your actions. Still others, mostly those who eschew any sort of religion, think cultists are absolutely delusional,
and that there must be some other explanation for what powers their strange magic.

Executioner
Sobriquets: Assassins (common), Needles (common), Venomspeakers (Kingdom of Verot), Excisors (The Alfaith)

Executioners do the dirty work throughout the Monster Kingdoms. They are the first to be called up when someone wants to take out a political or personal enemy, as they promise to do the deed without being noticed or detected. They learn from master assassins in dark enclaves and hidden schools, and every ruler keeps at least a couple on retainer. Of course, though most stay loyal to their patron, order, or kingdom, others can be bought with greater promises of power or wealth. For every employed executioner, a handful of free agents roams the kingdoms, ready to wield poison or stiletto in their gruesome tasks.

Gauntlet
Sobriquets: Legionnaires (common), Fiends (undead warriors), Judges (fighter for the Kingdom of Shards)

Gauntlets are the heavily armored frontline fighters in the kingdoms. They wear massive suits of armor and use prodigious strength to back up their belief in kingdom and doctrine. Most are trained in a variety of weapons, and some inscribe their armor or shields with symbols of their faith, their homeland, or their heritage. They are the first and last thing many enemies see, as they charge into battle with sword and sceptre. Gauntlets have to be disciplined, drilled, trained, and loyal to their comrades above all, for they must be able to trust their brethren in battle.
Gauntlets must hold themselves as holy warriors or dogmatic subjects, fighting for what they believe is right, or at least for what their ruler deems so. They inspire others in the field through leadership and bloodshed, proving their might for all to see.

Goldsman
Sobriquets: Rogues (common), Thieves (common), Highwaymen (The Wanderer’s Road), Assessors (The Nithera Empire)

Goldsmen are the masters of wheeling and dealing. They can talk an elderly farmer out of their last coin of rent money — or a king out of his crown, if they’re good enough. Though most prefer to bloodlessly extract wealth to fuel their own causes, goldsmen aren’t above taking what they perceive to be theirs by force. It’s not just money and jewels they lust after, either; they’ll happily trade secrets, favors, power and other, more esoteric items. Really, anything that can help them out is fair game.
Some goldsmen work alone, accruing their wealth to their own ends, but many work in guilds, rings, or gangs, shoring each other up while they build influence and assets behind closed doors. It’s paramount to the best goldsmen that no one outside of their circle knows exactly how much they have or over whom they hold sway. When they choose to apply pressure to the highest power, they do so in secret. Some say goldsmen control more of the kingdoms than the wealthiest rulers, but that can’t be true, can it?

Harlequin
Sobriquets: Players (common), Buskers (common) Jesters (Pandemion), Mendicants (Katekistrix)

Oddly cheerful against the sinister, brutal background of the monster kingdoms, harlequins hale from all kingdoms and heritages fairly equally, though the tone and tenor of their performances are drastically different. Every nation produces performers and artists, but the melancholy Dyso dirges are a far cry from the war drums of Branduur or the manic dancing popular in Pandemion. Harlequins ply their various trades to inspire, delight, distract, and disorient. One might write an epic poem to help two nobles fall in love and thus unite two noble houses, while another uses illusion and inspiration to help their allies on the battlefield.
While many harlequins form troupes to travel the lands with the safety of numbers and a harmless demeanor, others hold positions in courts, as wandering storytellers and bards, or work as teachers of various arts. When someone asks what is real, what is illusion, and what is magic, a harlequin simply winks and smiles before darting off.

Magus
Sobriquets: Magicians (common), Masters (Draoidahaek), Avengers (Kingdom of Shards), Clerics (The Alfaith and Katekistrix)

Whether raising corpses to do their bidding, hurling balls of sickly green flame at enemy gauntlets, or conjuring mysterious and blinding mists, magi are unpredictable at best. Thus, they’re generally the prime targets in large-scale combat. Wily magi know to stand as far back from the fray as possible, and to try to keep their positions shrouded and mysterious. A typical magus has an innate connection to the old magic, but has gone through some period of training with an elder sage who demonstrates similar aptitudes to their own. Those of Draoidahaek likely studied the lengthy volumes penned or recorded by the archlich masters of that realm. Magi who aren’t subjects of Draoidahaek have the additional burden of the
possibility they’ll be forcibly conscripted as part of that nation’s desire to have all magic for themselves.

Though rootwinders, harlequins, and executioners demonstrate some level of skill in the magical arts, magi devote themselves entirely to magic, having little in the way of practical combat training. Very few magi wander the world on their own, instead needing at least a bodyguard, though most offer their
services to whatever organization they most believe in. Every faith has an order of magi, though there are few among the Old Ways.

Marauder
Sobriquets: Bashers (Common), Raiders (Branduur), Enforcers (The Alfaith), Toughs (The Wanderer’s Road)

If gauntlets are famed for their discipline, rigor, and tactics, marauders are famed for the exact opposite. One of the more fearsome sights throughout the kingdoms is a band of marauders charging into battle, weapons and fists raised high, while they unleash war cries that ring across the land. The more hurt they are, the harder they fight, though it takes a lot to hurt one. Like all Mantles, marauders can be found everywhere, but they’re far less common in Branduur, the Nithera Empire, and the Kingdom of Shards, all places that value stability and a measure of self-control.

Marauders rarely wear armor, and their weapons tend to bash and crack rather than slice. However, they’re happy to pick up anyone else’s discarded weapons or even a tree branch if they need to improvise. Some are superstitious when it comes to the sort of magic other Mantles channel, and they wouldn’t call any of their abilities magical, even if others may see them that way. They just know they’re the biggest, strongest, scariest thing in any room.

Mentalist
Sobriquets: Psychics (common), Empaths (common), Aberrations (Malignant Mind), Enlightened (Cognition’s Grace)

While magi and others channel magic through nature or the old magic, mentalists use the power of their own minds to cause harm, soothe, riot, and extract secrets. None know precisely how this power is initially unlocked; if you ask five mentalists, you get the same number of answers. Some claim to be born
with the power to manipulate thoughts, others say they spent years in meditation and contemplation to be able to use such powers, and a few claim to be blessed by a god or spirit. No matter how they came about, mentalists are insidious manipulators, able to sway others’ minds in any situation.

The general kingdoms’ populace regard mentalists with a mixture of fear and disgust. Not only do they fear a connection with the Malignant Mind, they know if there’s a mentalist around, they can’t trust their own thoughts. They especially fear mentalists getting close to their leaders and clergy, as if they can take over a leader, they effectively rule from the shadows.

Rootwinder
Sobriquets: Soothsayer (Common), Guerillas (Common), Saviors (Tsul Gazar), Terrorists (Nithera Empire)

Rootwinders work in harmony with the natural world. They say if you listen hard enough, everything in nature beats to certain rhythms, and by learning those rhythms you can ask the world for favors. Their powers involve manipulating and working in concert with the earth, trees, stones, water, and fire. The natural elements are at their beck and call. They can use these powers to heal and harm in equal measure, believing in the importance of balance. Many rootwinders are followers of the Old Ways, concrete in their beliefs that people are a blight on Gewinn, at least where they’re not living in harmony with nature. Some take this to extreme and violent ends, razing towns and keeps in the name of restoring the primal order.

While most of the more martial people laugh at the thought of a rootwinder doing much harm versus an army or fortress, they sing a different tune when their troops get sucked into a fetid marsh or their castle’s foundations crumble due to an abundance of new root growth. Rootwinders can also use their powers to commune with various beasts, calling them to their side for aid.

Lots of material there to chew through as we watch the days wind down until Tuesday the 26th! And if you haven’t yet and are perhaps inspired by the above excerpt to want to know more – please do click on the link below in our Crowdfunding section of The Blurbs! We’ve garnered over 200 folks who also are interested and signed up for the pre-launch page – we’d love to have you join us, fellow Monster!

As a heads-up, Monster Kingdoms writer Tom Murr will be running demos of the game via our partners at Startplaying.Games during the crowdfunding campaign to give folks a chance to learn to play! 

August 28th at 2 PM EDT: https://startplaying.games/adventure/cmed9yctx00icjo04i6ibootv
August 29th at 2 PM EDT: https://startplaying.games/adventure/cmeda17m300iujo04erufnppl
September 3rd at 2 PM EDT: https://startplaying.games/adventure/cmeda3rs500lzjo045vtnvtyf
September 4th at 2 PM EDT: https://startplaying.games/adventure/cmeda4w7j003dle0435lnk7nl

If you’re new to Startplaying, here’s a link to get $10 credit when you sign up! https://startplaying.games/referral/clog9y0v10006ju0968iev95m

And don’t forget, the last weekend of each month is Onyx Path Game Night on Startplaying! Find something to play or set up a game to run for the event! Learn more at https://startplaying.games/

We all got caught up on a lot of projects today in the Monday Meeting, as we are working on a lot of projects besides Monster Kingdoms!

We’re reviewing the layout pages from Mirthful Mike for Curseborne, and putting together a bunch of moth-y surprises as we lead up to the Curseborne PG on Kickstarter this October!

We talked about the ongoing and continuing chaos in international shipping and tariffs. Still nothing is settled in a way that we can print out of the US with any degree of assurance that the tariff we expect to cover when we make the order will be the same once the books get to the US weeks and months later.

Several more examples of companies imposing new charges on their customers and backers, sometimes seemingly wildly, were brought up today by the crew, so if you’re wondering why our little company is holding back – including holding back on adding tariff fees to our projects – please do seek out more info on what’s actually going on out there. It is really ugly for small businesses that deal with customers and manufacturers world-wide.

But, better news, there’s a sale going on at DTRPG/Roll20, and they are not involved in issues with tariffs! (So far.) We have a few of our PDFs on sale in this: The Cosmic Horror/Cthulhu Mythos Sale on DTRPG/Roll20:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/4261/onyx-path-publishing?promo=1000147

And our good friend Travis Legge has some fun info about the Savage Worlds Scarred Lands project he’s working on:

I’d like to share a quick update about Scarred Lands for Savage Worlds! I’ve just gotten the text for Ring of Spiragos (SWADE) back from approval, which means it’s officially in the layout queue! Since this will wrap up the Spiragos Trilogy, I wanted to take a moment to share a peek at the system we’re including for invoking the gods! Invocations were detailed in The Divine and the Defeated during the 3.5 era as a means of imploring the gods for assistance. With the gods of the Scarred Lands having a very direct role in the lives of Scarn’s inhabitants, I felt that bringing invocations to the Savage Worlds system made perfect sense! Each god’s invocation benefit will be unique to reflect the god’s divine profile. As an example, here’s the benefit you gain for invoking Madriel, the Redeemer, who plays a vital role in Ring of Spiragos (SWADE).

To invoke Madriel, the character must spend 1 turn in prayer to the goddess. At the end of that turn, they may make a Spirit roll. If the invoking character is a druid or a cleric of another god, they suffer a –4 penalty. If they hold no patron deity, they suffer a –2 penalty. If the invoker is a cleric of Madriel, they may claim a +2 bonus to the roll. Any character may add a +2 to their result if they ask for Madriel’s aid in healing a child, elderly person, or foe on the brink of death, such as Incapacitated or Bleeding Out.
If the invocation is successful, Madriel hears the prayer, granting the invoker a +1 modifier to all Healing rolls and arcane skill rolls made to heal Wounds, relieve Fatigue, cure diseases, or counteract poison for the next minute. On a raise, this benefit increases to +2. While this benefit is in place, the healer can also ignore the Golden Hour, applying healing to Wounds more than an hour old.
Clerics of Belsameth, Chardun, and Sethris cannot offer nor benefit from Support (Savage Worlds core rules, Chapter Three) to a character benefiting from invoking Madriel. Invoking Madriel is considered a violation of the Vow (Major) for any cleric serving Belsameth, Chardun, or Sethris. Any of these clerics who do so suffer the consequences of breaking their vow.

Look out for Ring of Spiragos (SWADE) coming soon to Advance PDF at DriveThruRPG!

I’ve really been enjoying how Travis and his team have updated our Scarred Lands books for Savage Worlds, and also what they’ve added to the projects!

Travis, and Matthew in absentia, also wanted me to add this:

We remain on the lookout for media featuring Onyx Path Publishing games. Whether it be podcasts with lore dives, actual plays on Twitch or Youtube, or Where I Read threads on RPG net, we’d love to hear where you are talking about our games! Perhaps you don’t run anything yet, but you’re interested in creating content such as actual plays, interview shows, or lore discussions.

If you have any Onyx Path related content you are currently creating or are interested in starting something new, please reach out to us via our Content Creator Form: https://forms.gle/aqTBztswhRQLMADd9

It was pointed out that 13 years ago this last weekend, Onyx Path went public at GenCon – which as I recall was a wildly fun time! Thanks to all of you who have been with us since then, and to all of you who have come on after to enjoy our:

Many Worlds, One Path!

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Blurbs!

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Crowdfunding!

Coming Tuesday, August 26th:
Monster Kingdoms!

Sign up here to be notified when we launch!

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Onyx Path Media!

Check out our attached media schedule for the videos on our Twitch channel this week!

This week on the Onyx Path News, Matthew discusses the upcoming Monster Kingdoms crowdfunder, the Scion Mythic Shards Storyguide Reference, and the Scion God Wallpapers: https://youtu.be/SJFnVUJkW6I

Matthew has also made a very handy introduction to Monster Kingdoms right here: https://youtu.be/Njtr9wu3z18

If you’re a Curseborne fan, Matthew has created a new adversary video focused on the mysterious Orderly: https://youtu.be/oWBM5pYFbHk

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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

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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!

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 Cosmic Horror/Cthulhu Mythos Sale on DTRPG/Roll20 is on now:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/4261/onyx-path-publishing?promo=1000147

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).

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On Sale This Week!

This week we’re releasing the Exalted Essence Omnibus novella compilation in PDF/ebook and PoD versions: Weds on DTRPG!

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Conventions!

Here’s where you can find out more info on physical and virtual conventions we’re going to be involved with!

Game Night With Onyx Path Publishing at StartPlaying is the last Friday of every month and through that weekend! Come play some Curseborne that night! (But any of our game lines are welcome all weekend 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

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Project Status Updates!

Our full list of projects will be available monthly on our blog! Check out July’s full list report here: https://theonyxpath.com/release-roundup-july-2025/

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY!

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

DEVELOPMENT

Exalted – Infernals

• Like all things infernal, it was a bit of a sideways trip to get there, but in the end everything has been pulled together for development!

MANUSCRIPT APPROVAL

Curseborne – Toil and Trouble: Curseborne Player’s Guide

• You ever go to a family dinner and feel like you’ve done everything to pull yourself together, but that one weird uncle is just staring at you disapprovingly? Anyway, unrelated, Toil and Trouble is in approvals!

EDITING

Realms of Pugmire – Pugmire Unleashed (was Expansion of the Realms)

• Pugmire Unleashed was actually mildly leashed for awhile as I finished up the surprisingly large template creation appendix, but it’s been let loose to rampage over an editor! Hey! Stop licking her face!

Curseborne Antagonist – Dr. Seth Winston (Sept 2025 Tasty Bit)

• Dr. Seth Winston, please pick up the editing phone. Dr. Seth Winston, please pick up the editing phone.

POST-EDITING DEVELOPMENT

Earthbane – Monster Kingdoms

• The Monster Kingdoms have rampaged back from editing to invade Matthew’s desk for development.

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ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!

In Art Direction

• Ex3 Alchemicals – Sketches still being revised.
• Heroes of Action and Wonder – Got the map contracted.
• Curseborne – Worked up another layout… and trying to come up with a neat way to show off dice rolling diagrams.
• Curseborne PG KS – Still pinging various artists… I got a couple of bites and I’m gonna check in with Maria to see how she’s doing.
• SCION Rock Gods – Art is in. I’m getting a splat tweaked as there are two bassists and that ain’t right.
• SCION God Player’s Guide – Should see more sketches this week.
• At The Gates – Dealing with Map and other stuff.
• SPU Core Manual – Very slowly but surely.
• Monster Kingdoms (BK) – More sketch feedback, crowdfunding graphics,

Layout

• Ex3 Miracles of the Divine Flame – Travis finishing up layout this week.
• TC Anima AR – Getting map info over to cartographer.
• Curseborne Tasty Bit August – I’m gonna knock it on out….
• Pugmire 2E Screen
• Branch Riders – Ron Thompson is workin’ on it.

Proofing Queue

At Press

• TC Aether Screen – prepping for Drivethru.
• TC Aether – At Studio2, preparing to ship physical books to backers.
• Scion God – At Studio2, preparing to ship physical books to backers.
• TC Aether Screen – Hopefully signing off on proofs
• Scion God Screen – Hopefully signing off on proofs
• TC Aether Jumpstart – Going out to backers this week.
• Essence Novella Omnibus – PDF/ebook and PoD versions on sale Weds on DTRPG!

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Today’s Reason to Celebrate!

Speaking of strange Curseborne-ish things…today in 1587, Virginia Dare, granddaughter of Governor John White of the Colony of Roanoke, was the first child born to English parents in the Americas, and then in 1590, John White, the governor of the Roanoke Colony, returns from a supply trip to England and finds his settlement deserted. CROATOAN.