Yes! We’re almost there and we’re getting ready to stride through that gate! Metaphorically, of course – what we’re really excited about is the At The Gate crowdfunding campaign on BackerKit to start Tuesday, May 7th (tomorrow as I write this) at 2pm EDT!
I remember clearly Danielle pitching me this idea and discussing it in the hallways of PAX Unplugged before Covid hit, so it’s a real joy to see the project come together and finally be here!
Very exciting to think that all of y’all can finally check out the full text and the art during the campaign! Which ties in nicely to the Ashcan, as it is fantastic to get started with, and has a starter adventure that’s playable with everything included but is ALSO playable with the text that you’ll have complete in a month if you back the campaign!
(Plus, the Ashcan softcover PoD joins the already existing PDF on sale at DTRPG this Weds!)
And now, one final, pre-campaign note from At The Gates creator, Danielle Lauzon:
The Backerkit is tomorrow, and I’m at the edge of my seat in anticipation of y’all getting to read the first manuscript preview. I’m going to be playing Chrono Trigger again on Tuesday afternoon as part of my Let’s Play series, and I hope you’ll join me as I talk about the campaign, answer questions, and be extremely hype about At the Gates.
I’ve been trying to do a few interviews about the game in various places. Clearly you can check out the Pathcast, but also, Monica at Bonus Experience did an interview where her listeners sent in questions for me. It was a great time. Towards the end of the month, I’ll be on NotDnD over at ENWorld also talking about At the Gates, so look forward to that as well.
Danielle also gave this bit of designer insight on our Discord:
Yeah, I wanted the game to feel light enough to pick up and run with in the moment, but give enough depth that people can build some really deep stories from the material presented.
I personally hate having to come up with literally all the world-building elements for a game, or figure out what I’m supposed to be doing on my own. So of course I’m going to design a game with a really strong setting and signposts on what to do, but also leave room for people to come up with their own ideas
Matthew Dawkins adds some thoughts as an At The Gates writer, and fellow Earthbane Cycle setting creator:
I cowrote the magic system for At the Gates and am really happy with our magical pillars! It’s such a fluid, comprehensive magical system which I feel really complements the setting the team put together for this game. Everything feels grand and sweeping in At the Gates. I’m very much looking forward to seeing how people interact with and utilise the wide array of magical powers at their disposal in their quests and adventures.
You can catch Matthew’s fellow Onyx Pathcast-ers next Friday as Danielle, Dixie, and Eddy create At The Gates characters!
And, just to wrap up our At The Gates coverage today: as I’ve mentioned these last few weeks, we’re ramping up our social media activity. Here’s a timely example!
Slightly Sideways From The Gates:
Oh boy! Just a bit more than a month until this year’s Onyx Path Virtual Convention! I posted the schedule last week for just the Onyx Path panels, intending to post at least one of the other channels’ schedules this week. But, as fate would have it, there was a glitch and I received a revised schedule this week.
Strange, but typical of anywhere we find those moths.
Here’s the Revised Sched:
For those of you that are new to this convention, maybe you’re wondering what to expect? What goes on during this sort of thing? Well, first off, you’ll want to get a Twitch sub, at least for the weekend, so you can catch these panels as they happen – and even chat with us and send in your questions to the panel. There are several methods of getting a free sub, like, I think, a couple of the streaming services offer them if you’re one of the service’s customers.
Then, for the panels listed above, you get onto our Onyx Path Twitch channel before the time the panel starts. Sometimes a panel doesn’t start right on time, but don’t worry, it’s coming! So, here are what we generally do with these three panels:
Opening Ceremonies: This is the start of the con, and we’re generally full-up with panelists from the Onyx Path Monday Meeting crew. We’re also generally really up and excited, as this is the first panel of a three-day con chock-full of panels, interviews, actual plays, etc.
We’ll announce at least a couple of cool new projects that we’re working on, mention that another panel later on will have even more info and/or announcements about various games, highlight a bunch of actual plays we’re either in or just really think sound cool, and do some Q&A with the chats.
Closing Ceremonies: OK, now this is kind of the opposite, in that it’s after our folks are all tuckered out after doing all the stuff we said we were doing (and usually more), so maybe not as full a crew. I’ll definitely be there this year to ring the Silver Bell of closing, and maybe to mention again some of the things we’ve announced throughout the con. We’ll definitely mention our favorite moments from the past couple of days, and do a kind of wrap-up Q&A session.
And we always use this time to thank our attendees, great question-askers, staff, and crew – and especially the folks at our streaming partners who keep everybody playing their favorites of our many game lines!
What’s Up with Onyx Path?: Now this is really the big rundown of all our game lines, announcements, reveals, etc as we go through each line with the folks in charge of them, as well as some other projects that don’t fall in our usual categories. We’ve had guests in the past sit in for a spell if they were a key mover and shaker in something we were up to – and that may very well happen again this year!
This is also prime Q&A territory as a big point of the What’s Up panels are us actually drilling down on what we do when we do the voodoo that we do so well!
If that sounds like there’s sort of a historical pattern for the What’s Up panels, that’s exactly what is going on. Eddy and I started doing What’s Up with White Wolf? panels something like 15 years ago, or more, when we wanted to reassure WW fans at Gen Con that their favorite TTRPG company wasn’t going to abandon the hobby. We did them at cons all over the place!
When it became time to announce the formation of Onyx Path and the projects we were doing, it was at a What’s Up panel – and the next year the panel was What’s Up With Onyx Path?! Several of them featured so many freelance writers and developers that we had to extend the panelist seating to either side and along the walls! Total chaos! We don’t have to worry about that with this virtual con, but otherwise this year’s panel is following in proud and often hilarious footsteps.
Because, we really work at not letting any of our panels fall into just reporting a list of facts – we have fun creating our worlds and want all of you who watch to also have fun and join us in having a great time together!
More panel notes and descriptions in the weeks to come!
A bunch of you already joined us in a couple of character creation sessions with some of our streaming friends – and there are more of them coming this week! If you think these might be tied to a couple of the panels and actual plays I didn’t describe this week…you’d be absolutely right!
Here’s a link to Devil’s Luck/Fiendish Foundation Dead character creation – https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2137395614
And the link for Dork Tales Primal character creation –
Y’know, I meant to talk about them this week, too! But then, I just sort of started thinking all about our other panels and wrote about them instead. Which isn’t that strange, now, is it? After all, we have so:
Many Worlds, One Path!
Blurbs!
Crowdfunding!:
At The Gates Coming THIS TUESDAY, May 7th, 2PM EDT on BackerKit!
Follow this link to sign up to be notified when it goes live! https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/4bee2599-c6a8-4b43-957f-556265b83e37/landing
And let’s not forget this awesome Ashcan:
Check it out on DTRPG! https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/475586
Onyx Path Media!
This week: Danielle, Dixie, and Eddy make characters for At the Gates!
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:
There have been some rather curious character creation videos recently, on the channels of our friends at Dork Tales and FiendishFoundation…
This one concerns some group known as the Primals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMt0jZ62pcg
Another one is to do with a rather morbid group known as the Dead: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2137395614
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=ljYdWRadoZI
Virtual Tabletop!
The Monsters of the Deep Compendium with all of the monsters added to the They Came From Beneath the Sea! Compendium core, including Tokens for VTT play, will be on Roll20 and DTRPG this Weds!
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/
CofD Sale at IPR!
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!
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!
In celebration of the BackerKit crowdfunding campaign, we’re releasing the PDF and physical book PoD versions of the At The Gates Ashcan! On sale this Weds on DTRPG!
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!
Matthew and Eddy and a few of our other Onyx Path creators will be attending and even running games at UK Games Expo May 31st – June 2nd:
https://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/
We will be repped by Studio 2 (and maybe IPR) at Origins Game Fair in June.
Onyx Path Virtual Con will be June 14-16. Check out some descriptions of the scheduled events in the blog above!
Game Night With Onyx Path Publishing at StartPlaying will be the last Friday of each month! Come play some of our games 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-2024/
DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY
Here are the projects that moved to the next stage of production:
FIRST DRAFT
Tasty Bit – CLASSIFIED Villain #3 (July)
- Matthew: “Where am I?!” “In the village.”
FINAL DRAFT
Tasty Bit – Scion Dragon Lair #2 (June)
- Danielle: I got a chance to read through this and there’s so much cool political stuff in this Lair writeup, I am stoked.
Storypath – Storypath Ultra Core Manual
- Eddy: The redlines prompted a lot of discussion for upcoming Storypath Ultra games, such as The World Below, At the Gates (crowdfunding tomorrow!), They Came from the RPG Anthology, and… I think there’s one more? It keeps slipping out of my head. Anyway, on to final drafts!
DEVELOPMENT
Exalted – Exigents Jumpstart
- Danielle: MJ has gotten finals in and is working towards getting this shaped up to ship out.
MANUSCRIPT APPROVAL
Scion – Rock Gods and Side Quests
- Matthew: Get ready to rock and roll on the road in this epic Scion book that’ll expand the options for every one of your Scion games with the new Mythic Engine.
POST-EDITING DEVELOPMENT
The World Below – Ed Greenwood’s Monstrous Ecology of The World Below
- Matthew: New content added and approved! Look out for new ancestries including the vulpa, the orx, the avraine, and more!
ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!
In Art Direction
- M20 Victorian Weird Wonders and Revolutionary Magic – Moving to layout now that art is finished.
- M20 Victorian Bizarre Tales and Unusual Characters – Sending the rest to Leblanc.
- SCION Path to Apotheosis – Finals should be in next week.
- TC Player’s Guide – First sets of sketches in and approved.
- TC With Great Power – Reviewing sketches still.
- At The Gates (BK) – Ready for Tuesday.
- Branch Riders (KS) – Remaining color pieces in.
In Layout
- Ex3 Sidereals – Finishing that up by mid-week.
- Ex Essence Charm Cards – Universals proofing. I gotta do some reconfiguring for the Exalt ones.
- Ex 3 Exigents Screen
- CofD Contagion Chronicles RMCs – Working on it.
- Squeaks in the Deep Companion
- Scion No Gods, No Masters
Proofing
- Ex Essence Jumpstart
Indexing
- TC Aether
- Scion God
At Press
- Reprints:
- Scion Origin – Looking at proofs.
- TC Core – Looking at proofs.
- TC Aeon – Printer files uploaded.
- Exalted Essence – Getting on the boat.
- Ex Essence Screen – At Studio 2.
- TC Anima Terra Surge Screen – Sending info to screen printer for quotes.
- TC Anima – Pinging printer about cover specs again.
- M20 Lore of the Traditions – Getting on the boat.
- They Came From the Cyclops Cave!
- They Came From CLASSIFIED!
- They Came From the Cyclops’s Cave Screen – Sending info to screen printer for quotes.
- They Came From CLASSIFIED Screen – Sending info to screen printer for quotes.
- M20 Victorian Jumpstart – Prepping to send Backer PDF out to backers.
- Deviant Clade Companion – Prepping to send Backer PDF out to backers.
- Ex 3 Exigents – PoD proofs on the way.
- At The Gates Ashcan – PDF and PoD versions on sale at DTRPG this Weds!
Today’s Reason to Celebrate!
This Friday is the 20 year anniversary of the publication of the Edge of Infinity: The Scarred Planes book for Scarred Lands: which is the first writing credit for our very own Ian A. A. Watson! Congrats, Ian!
Looking forward to At The Gates. Quick question, will Branch Riders have a Kickstarter hosted by onyx path or another company?
The Branch Riders KS will be run by the Bodhana Group, although our very own crowdfunding concierge, James Bell, will be doing the same thing for them! Looking at June for it, so far!
I haven’t seen any updates on the Scion TV show in quite some time. Can you give us an update on it?
Sure – it’s a lot of try this and then wait, follow up, and then wait, wait and then wait. Jenkins and Tate are still working on different sorts of media for Scion, as well as pitching the completed TV treatment and stuff to various streaming venues. That market has gotten weird, it seems, and some of the places to pitch are not accepting new ideas or have actually imploded. Plus, the UK (where J&T are based) is in a tough economic place right now, so money people are less apt to risk their funds on new properties. So, nothing real to report, but rest assured that when things break and something is finalized, we’ll be crowing from the rooftops about it!
“Deviant Clade Companion – Prepping to send Backer PDF out to backers.”
I speak for myself and I believe many others when I say, WOO-Frikin-HOO!!!!
We’re right there with you: WOO-Frikin-HOO!!!!
Rich,
I’m not sure if this is a question for you are for James, but would it be possible to extend the length of the KS backer t-shirt availability, or perhaps make that design available after the discount ends? I’ve missed out on quite a few due to bad timing and would very much like to get them.
Sorry to hear you missed out! Unfortunately, there’s no real way for us to make the shirts available on RedBubble like we do on, say, DTRPG, with a discount just for backers. So we put the backer shirts up for a week at a sale price, and then yank them down and replace them with a similar designed shirt at regular price. Leaving them up longer would really put us at a greatly increased risk of piracy – which is already awful online.