Hi, everyone! Dixie here, taking over for Rich while he’s on a well-deserved vacation. Also, if you’re in the eastern part of the US right now, it’s extremely hot outside, so I hope both Rich and all of you are staying cool as best you can!
We did still have a meeting today, and during that meeting we noted that our Backerkit campaign for Pugmire Unleashed is over 200% funded! Seems like this campaign is also a hot one!
Here’s what Eddy has to say about that:
Wow! We’re already at 200% funding for Pugmire Unleashed. That’s fantastic! Given a rapidly rising shipping costs and the tariff situation in the US (which really impacts everyone worldwide), I knew this campaign was going to be a challenge. I’ve certainly felt it living in the UK, where I’ve had to pass on some really cool US games I’d love to have purchased but I can’t afford due to both factors.
Rich and I had been considering what a crowdfunder without a physical printed book would look like even before both of these hit, and the current situation seemed like a great time to experiment with that concept, focusing entirely on digital and print-on-demand rewards. By shifting to this model, you can work to get access to a printer that’s closer to you to reduce shipping and make sure your product isn’t crossing a tariffed country border. And to see hundreds of you (including at least a few who are brand-new to Pugmire) are willing to try this way of doing things is incredible! It really feels good to know that there are loads of people still really excited about Pugmire.
Branch Riders art by Gong Studios
Eddy once told me that he thought I was the person who had thought the most about the Pugmire setting besides him, and it might be true. I’ve been lucky enough to have edited the first two corebooks for first edition, before diving into writing on them with Pirates of Pugmire, Squeaks in the Deep, Curious Cats of Mau, and now Pugmire Unleashed. That means it’s time for me to talk a little about badgers.
Curious Cats of Mau art by HIVE Studios
I had the extreme pleasure and privilege of writing the badger clans for Pugmire Unleashed, making them playable for the first time in the line’s history! They’ve long been misunderstood by other uplifted animals, and it was fun to present their side of the story and their lands and traditions in the world of Pugmire.
If you back the crowdfunding campaign, you’ll get access to the whole chapter tomorrow (with all the rules to make your very own badger!), but here’s a sneak peek at the four new callings for badgers:
Callings
Badgers have four callings, representing the four roles they traditionally took in hunting parties. Though many badgers have expanded roles in their society, most train in at least one of these in case they have to go to true war one day, or for when they are called upon to join the hunt due to another’s illness, injury, or even death.
Basher
Bashers are the up-close-and-personal fighters of the badger clans. They run in first to dangerous situations, and they value strength and toughness above all else. Bashers might seem disorganized to soldiers who are used to drilling, or even strays that are used to fighting solo, but the methods badgers have long used rely on disorienting and frightening their prey. They might be attempting to drive the prey into a trap, get it out in the open so a sniper can take it out, or even just making it freeze so it’s easier to defeat. They rarely wear heavy armor for the same reason: it’s scarier when your enemy is running at you with minimal armor while wielding a warhammer than when one approaches you at a languid pace, clanking all the way.
While bashers aren’t always the leaders of a hunt, they’re the ones who instigate an actual fight, after the snipers and wildspeakers find prey or the trappers set up their ambushes. Since a lot of other species have only encountered bashers face to face, those species also think bashers are the main kind of warrior in the badger clans and underestimate them as untrained and undisciplined. However, badgers have worked on their tactics for generations, and they have terrifying screams and zigzag running down to a fine art. Bashers dominate battlefields, drawing attention away from the stealthy activities of trappers and snipers, as well as whatever strange magic the wildspeakers are currently spinning.
In addition to the training required to learn the clans’ ways, bashers need to be willing to face danger head on so the whole hunting party can operate as a unit. They have to be able to look a hungry monster or Unseen demon straight in its eyes and snarl and spit, rather than turn tail. Any group of badgers knows that a battle is lost when a basher lets them down, so bashers can’t let anyone down. They are the backbone of their people’s fighting forces, and community is all they have at the end of the day.
Sniper
Snipers hide in trees or tall grass, waiting for the perfect moment to strike with bow, spear, or dagger. Though they’re most comfortable at range, they have some utility with up-close fighting, even if they prefer when an enemy’s attention is on a basher. Sometimes they lead a charge, sending arrows in to harry their prey, but they usually strike after the bashers have gotten an enemy’s attention so they can keep their location somewhat secret. Snipers are excellent at maneuvering into hidden blinds and underbrush where they can still keep a perfect line of sight for shooting. Some might even dig their way under an enemy’s position to get to a place the enemy thought they’d already cleared.
Badger snipers have to cultivate an enormous amount of patience, waiting for everyone to be in place for the next flurry of activity. They’re often sent as advance scouts to hunting grounds, and they also serve that purpose when the clans are on the move. Wily snipers are the ones trained to spot lagomorph burrows, pioneer bands, and other, more sinister things easily encountered in the wild. Keen eyesight is necessary for a badger sniper, though they also sing tales of Remy One-Eyed, who they say was the best shot in history, so skill and luck might have as much to do with their tracking abilities. Snipers are also excellent at telling which way the wind’s blowing, both literally and in interpersonal conflict, and they’ll adjust their aim accordingly.
A good sniper must be patient, calm, and quiet, or at least know when to be those things. The wrong move can easily give away an entire hunting party, which can also mean losing out on food or warm furs. Snipers are also quick to reposition and find their footing in uncertain terrain, assuring they can dodge enemy arrows as easily as they find their marks.
Trapper
Trapping is seen as a dirty job by most badgers, because it is. It involves getting down in the mud and leaves and using camouflage and subterfuge to lure your prey to you. While snipers strike from afar, trappers have to wait until their enemy is almost on top of them before they strike, attempting to tangle up or incapacitate their foes before hitting them with clubs or stabbing them with knives, short swords, and spears. Trappers excel as using the natural landscape to trip people and monsters up, wearing self-made camouflage cloaks and laying deceptive networks of vine and rope or turning what looks like muddy ground into a sucking mire. They’re also known to fight with nets or bolos, trying to capture an enemy’s weapons even if they can’t fully wrap up the enemy.
Trappers have a couple of ways of fighting, depending on the situation and the foe. They learn to set all manner of traps, from simple pit traps and tripwires to elaborate systems of rope and pulleys, and they’re also taught to dual wield a weapon with some incapacitating object, like a net, lasso, or even their cloaks. For a large, dangerous monster, they might work together to bring it down in a huge net so the bashers and snipers can do their job, but when they fight one on one, they seem almost like swashbucklers, parrying and blocking with little more than fabric or rope.
While some badgers think of trappers as little more than a helpful utility, in truth trappers are the most versatile fighters among them, able to battle even with improvised or hastily sourced weapons. They must know when to wait and when to rush into the fray, and they also need to be excellent craftspeople who can come up with a mechanical solution with few supplies and on short notice. If and when badgers start building cities, trappers will almost certainly end up being the engineers who make sure nothing collapses.
Wildspeaker
Though badgers have their own languages as well as the common tongue, some of them can speak a secret, third language: that of the wild places and creatures. Usually such speakers are noticed while young, as they have a special affinity for the spiritual realm, as well as the animals and plants spirits touch. Wildspeakers talk to animals and plants alike via the spirits, though some might prefer or be better at one over the other. It’s possible to learn to wildspeak through training, but it’s incredibly difficult for badgers without the latent talent already within. From sending woodland creatures on messaging errands or spy missions to coaxing flowers to bloom or choking vines to strangle an area, wildspeakers are the strangest badgers most outsiders encounter.
Wildspeakers are often adorned in nature’s trappings, from cast-off antlers to floral cloaks, and they’re usually accompanied by their chosen animal companion, which can be anything from a squeaker to a boar, deer, or forest shark. They are also prominent among the badgers’ spiritual leaders, as nature can inform them about the Unseen’s presence or other strange magic. Wildspeakers contribute to hunting parties by sending in their companions or other animals to scout when snipers can’t, growing cover or materials for trappers, and using their spirit magic to heal or otherwise help out bashers. They’re also invaluable when food runs low or while trying to scavenge in the winter, as they can grow food or find caches with their companions’ help.
They usually fight with blunt weapons when they use weapons at all, as they dislike spilling other creatures’ blood in battle. When they field dress or otherwise break down animals for food, they employ a spiritual reverence, thanking the wilderness for its sacrifice. Many badgers find wildspeakers odd while also treating them with a great deal of respect out of either fear or awe. Knowing your clanmate could turn the trees themselves against you has a sobering effect, especially when they’re accompanied everywhere by a huge feline with wicked fangs.
I hope you’re all enjoying Pugmire Unleashed so far, and I can’t wait for everyone to see all the updated rules and new species and callings! The team was stellar on this one, and I am so glad I got to be a part of it.
Branch Riders art by Gong Studios
We also talked a little about our current projects, and that includes the Making of Curseborne book that Travis and myself are working on. This means that not only are we interviewing the team about their recollections and anecdotes from the years-long process, but I’m also delving into my email records and Discord chats from as far back as 2018, when I joined the team here at Onyx Path! There are a few gems (and, honestly, shitposts) in there that I hope make it into the final version, but if not I’m sure we can share some things on the website at a later date.
Anyway, those are just two of the things I’m currently working on for our
Many Worlds, One Path!
Blurbs!
Crowdfunding!
Currently running on Backerkit: Pugmire Unleashed!…
Join us here: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/onyx-path/pugmire-and-beyond-ttrpg-rulebook-tariff-free
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 Scion: Mythic Shards, Pugmire Unleashed, the big Scarred Lands bundle, and Onyx Path in the news! Check it out right here:
On The Gentleman Gamer‘s YouTube channel, we dive into the Sorcerer Damnation for Curseborne:
Also if you need to catch up on AwkwardGM Corbin‘s Accursed in Boston actual-play series, here’s a playlist!
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!
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!
This week we present our June Tasty Bit for Curseborne: The Harrowed!
Conventions!
Here’s where you can find out more info on physical and virtual conventions we’re going to be involved with!
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 Curseborne has been getting a lot of attention and is sure to sell out like happened at PAX Unplugged), 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 the last Friday of every month! Come play some Essence 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 May’s full list report here: https://theonyxpath.com/release-roundup-may-2025/
DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY!
Here are the projects that moved to the next stage of production:
development
At the Gates – Companion
- I’m so excited for the new, and juicy, bits we’ve got for you in this book. The authors did such a fabulous job! -Danielle
Curseborne – Curseborne Fiction Anthology
- The stories are all back in Lauren’s capable hands, and she’s carefully reviewing and tweaking them to be the best horror stories they can be. -Eddy
ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!
As a note on this one, I'm not sure by what arcane means Rich usually shapes Mike's report into something streamlined for the website, so if anything's missing that was there before, vice versa, etc., that's entirely on me. -Dixie
In Art Direction
- Ex3 Alchemicals – should be with Navella.
- Ex3 Exigents Champions of the Divine Flame – with HIVE
- Ex Essence PG -funded
- TCF Witchford – Art buy configured
- Heroes of Action and Wonder – Contracted
- Curseborne – I got Wooten’s revisions in
- SCION Dragon Companion – Going over sketches
- SCION Rock Gods – continuing to go over sketches and color roughs
- TC Hated and Feared – Cover contracted
- At The Gates – Continuing to look at sketches and contracting the rest
Layout
- Scion Tasty Bit Combo
- TC Aether Screen
- Pugmire 2e Screen
- World Below Screen
- Essence Novella Omnibus – With Travis.
- TC Aether Jumpstart
- TC Anima AR
- Ex3 Miracles of the Divine Flame – Still working on it.
Proofing
- Curious Cats – With Ron Thompson
Indexing
At Press
- Ex 3 Exigents – Quoting.
- Ex 3 Exigents Screen – At Studio 2
- Ex 3 Sidereals – Quoting.
- TC Aether – In the states… on the way to the warehouse.
- Scion: God – In the states… on the way to the warehouse.
- SCION God Storyguide Screen – Quoting.
- Scion God Wallpaper – Going out to backers.
- Ex3 Abyssals – Going out to backers this week.
- TC Aegis
- SCION Mythic Shards – PDF and PoD versions on sale DTRPG!
Today’s Reason to Celebrate!
Though there aren’t officially hedgehogs in Pugmire, you know if they were, there would have to be at least one joke about them being fast, blue, or liking to wear gold rings. That’s because Sonic the Hedgehog released on this day in 1991 (it’s 34!), and Sonic’s sort of the primary cultural touchstone for hedgies.
What’s most shocking to me about Sonic in 2025 is that it’s spawned a successful movie franchise that includes Idris Elba and Keanu Reeves as animated Sega characters. But hey, happy birthday you lovable hedgehog, and thanks for giving us Ugly Sonic back in 2019, too. It was a great time for memes.