Lots of layers to this title coming to you at the end of the Labor Day holiday weekend here in the US. But the most overt meaning, and the one I’m intending, is that tomorrow is the start of the Storypath Ultra Core Rulebook crowdfunding campaign on BackerKit!

It’s been a long strange trip to get here – to get to the point that we have a base dice pool system that we really think gives folks an interconnected basis for a wide variety of gaming experiences. In other words, we and all of you can add on to SPU‘s rules in order to play the sort of games we want to explore.

The first iteration of Storypath was worked on for years before folks outside the company had a chance to try it, all started because we realized, as so many players had earlier, that the original system used in the Trinity and Scion games broke apart at higher power levels. When I purchased those games, I knew we needed to come up with a house system that solved that problem, and a few other issues, too. When the SP rules were ready we wanted to be sure that they could work as the underlying rules set for both game lines, and so worked on them more or less simultaneously.

So we tried some tweaks for the epic, mythic, nature of Scion, and also other tweaks to better reflect the sci-fi genre spanning nature of the Trinity Continuum. In other words, we wanted the best version of Scion, and the best version of TC, and the Storypath System was a means to that end. The next round of games like Dystopia Rising: Evolution and It Came From Beneath the Sea!, further built on the earlier system, with added parts or fine tuning. Each effort was there in order for us to really test what SP could do, and to determine how flexible it was.

By experimenting on the one hand, and being cognizant of the comments and concerns of our audience on the other, our team began to take the original Storypath, and cleaned up parts, emphasized some elements, reduced or even eliminated some aspects, and wrote and rewrote and rerewrote the rules for clarity. It was a laboUr of love adding that Ultra to the original and now not only is SPU being used for our newest games like At The Gates and Curseborne, but it can stand alone and is ready to be used by other creators using this SPU Core Manual as a foundation and a guide!

Tomorrow (as I write this) at 2pm Eastern US time, you too will be able to review this Ultra new system – in fact, if you haven’t yet, here’s the link to the prelaunch and sign-up page:

https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/e1e8ffda-b5fb-485e-9b8c-4bed270ffde9/landing

Here’s Eddy, who laboUred over this very book, to talk about how excited he is here on the cusp of its delivery:

Oh man, the SPU crowdfunder is tomorrow! I’m really excited for it. A few people have asked how the example setting (Pinfall from Grace, Body Slams from Hell) will educate people on how to use SPU, so I thought I’d pull a small chunk of text to illustrate that. I wrote a number of sidebars explaining my thought process, and hopefully folks find them useful!

Under the Mask: Character Creation
While you don’t need to reprint the character creation rules, the individual steps are relatively short, so there’s not much harm in putting all the character creation rules, both core and unique to your game, in one place for ease of reference. Besides, it allows you to integrate the changes specific to your game, to avoid flipping back and forth between two sets of rules.

You may notice that step four allows the player to choose between an additional dot of Grace or an additional attribute dot. Not all dots on the character sheet are the same, but if you check the advancement chart on p. XX, you’ll notice that an attribute dot and a power dot cost the same amount. So, in this case, it’s possible to offer a choice because either option is equivalent on the final character. You can offer similar equivalent choices, such as awarding characters bonus contact dots in lieu of bonus Skill dots.

Similarly, notice how in step five there’s a requirement to have at least one of the Skill dots go into Close Combat. Since that’s a vital skill for Pinfall in Grace, Body Slams from Hell, you want to make sure no player ends up with no dots in it. If you’ve looked ahead, you’ll see that every Wrestling Style Path has Close Combat as a Path skill, but it’s still possible that players might decide to put zero dots into it. Adding a quick rule here ensures that no player is completely bereft of a vital Skill.

We’ll see you folks at BackerKit tomorrow! Plus, please check out this Friday’s Pathcast as Eddy and Matthew talk about how to make mysteries work in TTRPGs, and especially using Storypath Ultra!

Is there a U in Eewie Gooie?

No, but that phrase was used at one point in our Monday Meeting today.

As we enter September, we will now be posting Curseborne blogs every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday until we hit October. (Monday is reserved for this blog, Wednesday for the “What’s On Sale” blog). This week we begin looking at several Families of The Hungry, our vampires, for those of you interested in such things!

We’ll also be running a couple more AMAs in September; with plans that include an AMA thread on RPGnet this Friday at 12 noon Eastern, an AMA on the Onyx Path rpg subReddit, and we’re looking into running a Twitch AMA, too. More news on those as they get closer!

One of the things we were recently asked, I don’t recall if it came up on the previous AMAs, is whether you can play a campaign where all the PCs are members of the same Lineage. The answer is, of course! Even within a Family, there’s enough ways to differentiate your Hyde character from another player’s Hyde. We built Curseborne so that multi-Lineage games are simple to play and make sense in the world, but Curseborne is more than just a gang of different monster types kind of game and more than just a vampire game.

It’s designed to be as focused or as wildly diverse as you want it to be.

If you’re used to “Year One: core book of a single monster type with supplements”, then “Year Two: core book of another single monster type”, rinse and repeat, that is not what we’re doing with Curseborne. But if all you love is the Primal protean shapeshifters, you’re going to have more than enough material to dive right in from our first book, with supplements that expand and go deeper and deeper into Primal lore and rules!

We’ve never put together anything exactly like this game before, as you’ll learn next month!

Another very different looking project for us is the upcoming soon Realms of Pugmire monster book, Threats and Curs! Once we go live, and I’m hoping that’s next Weds a week from this Weds, you’ll see what I mean. It’s like a longtime D&Der meets modern gaming, with a retro overall look and all the illustrations are by yours truly!

Speaking of Lab20rs of Love!

Besides all that, everybody just gabbed and gabbed today, so I’ll let you go with further gabbing, myself. Looking forward to further:

Many Worlds, One Path!

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Blurbs!

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Crowdfunding!

Storypath Ultra Core Manual!

Goes Live 2pm Eastern US Tuesday, September 3rd on BackerKit Crowdfunding!

https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/e1e8ffda-b5fb-485e-9b8c-4bed270ffde9/landing

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Onyx Path Media!

This week: Matthew and Eddy talk about how to structure mysteries in RPGs, and specifically in Storypath Ultra.

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

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

In this week’s Onyx Path News, you’ll find Matthew talking about the Trinity Continuum: AEON and Curseborne! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYt2dAvsvXs

Awkward GM Corbin continues with his excellent run of videos, now with a breakdown of the Curseborne game he’s been running: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJR–CDUS40

We keep promoting the excellent Awkward GM Corbin because he keeps promoting our games! If you want your media highlighted here, please tell us about it!

But be warned:

Corbin will fight you for the spot.

To the death.

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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

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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/

CofD: Dark Eras sale at Indie Press Revolution:

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).

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On Sale This Week!

As the child of a god, you must rise to meet your Fate! The Path to Apotheosis for Scion 2e features a series of adventures that can bring your characters to the next phase of their transformative rise! PDF and PoD physical versions On Sale This 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!

GameHoleCon – Oct 17th – 19th

https://www.gameholecon.com/

PAX Unplugged – December 6th – 8th

https://unplugged.paxsite.com/

Game Night With Onyx Path Publishing at StartPlaying is the last Friday of every 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

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Project Status Updates!

Our full list of projects will be available monthly on our blog! Check out August’s full list report here: https://theonyxpath.com/release-roundup-august-2024/

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY!

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

Development

Scion – Mythic Shards Reference PDFs

• Matthew: We are locking down authors for our new Mythic Shards chapters! Stay tuned for previews of them as they’re written!

Approval

Realms of Pugmire – Rumble in Riverwall

• Eddy: The second stretch goal adventure for Realms of Pugmire is now in hand. We’re doing some initial discussion on how to make it the best it can possibly be, but I expect it’ll catch up with its littermate shortly!

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ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!

In Art Direction

• Ex3 Abyssals – Getting notes over to Maria.
• Ex3 Alchemicals (KS) – Got Mels splats in and starting to contract KS artwork.
• TCF RPG Anthology – Sent notes out to artists.
• M20 Forbidden and Forgotten Orders – Sam is working on the fulls.
• SCION Titans Rising – The few remaining pcs will get assigned post Aegis art turn in.
• TC Anima Jumpstart (Terra Surge) – Going over color comps.
• TC Aegis – Notes with Maria.
• SPU Core Manual (BK) – Tuesday at 2pm it’s live!

Layout

• Trinity Continuum CC – Assets with Dixie.
• Scion Tasty Bit Combo
• The World Below
• Ex Essence Pillars of Creation – We can at least start the layout while we hash out all the fixes with DAC.
• Ex Essence Deeds Yet Undone (Dirt Cheap) – We can also start on this as HIVE is almost done with their artwork.
• SCION God Storyguide Screen – Art is in… gonna work on this shortly.

Proofing

• They Came From Classified Jumpstart – making fixes from first proof.
• Sidereals Novella – wrapping up and then sending over to Paradox.

Indexing

• Ex3 Sidereals 

At Press

• Reprints:
• Scion Origin – At port, then to Studio2.
• TC Core – At port, then to Studio2.

• Ex 3 Exigents – Reviewing quotes.
• Ex 3 Exigents Screen – Looking at proofs.
• TC Aether – Reviewing quotes.
• TC Anima – Printing.
• TC Anima Terra Surge Screen – Looking at proofs.
• Ex3 Sidereals – Indexing.
• Ex Essence Jumpstart – With Travis for fixing.
• Ex Essence Charm Cards – Got about half of the PoD’s set up…
• Realms of Pugmire – Errata input.
• Scion: God – Uploading PoD. Reviewing quotes for trad printing.
• They Came From the Cyclops’s Cave – Printing.
• They Came From the Cyclops’s Cave Screen – Looking at proofs.
• They Came From CLASSIFIED – Printing.
• They Came From CLASSIFIED Screen – Looking at proofs.
• Pugmire: Threats and Curs – Getting PDF ready for DTRPG.
• TC Player’s Guide – Backer PDF going out to backers this week.
• SCION Path to Apotheosis – PDF and PoD versions go live this Weds. on DTRPG!

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Today’s Reason to Celebrate!

First Monday of September, and our Monday Meeting again lands on a Labor Day Monday holiday! “Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements in the United States.” It’s also treated as the last time folks have a summer vacation, and as a huge day for all sorts of sales. With those additions, it might be the only Fed holiday that actually helps the people it is celebrating – everybody working hard can use more vacay and sale prices!