In other words: last week we released The World Below Ashcan. Which we’re pretty happy with, as it has already started a lot of folks asking us to tell them more about the game and the world.

In fact, Master Delver Matthew Dawkins put up a Q&A blog last Thursday that touches on a lot of the questions folks have been asking, both during last, last week’s Onyx Path Virtual Convention and since the Ashcan has been released: https://theonyxpath.com/the-world-below-your-questions-answered/

But before those questions, here’s one I know at least a few folks are asking: What is an Ashcan, anyway?

In general, it’s like a preview, although what an ashcan contains can be incredibly varied depending on what its creators are hoping to do with it. They do tend to have a rougher, work-in-progress feel. I think, and please do jump in and correct me if I’m wrong, that the idea of a rough lead-in project for your main one began with ashcans created for comics. In particular, indie comics. And from there I think the idea spread to indie TTRPG creators, and then into wider use.

Our World Below Ashcan is designed to give you a taste for where we’re going with it visually – but a taste only as we continue to refine that aesthetic. Badges and heraldry, page borders and fonts, even which artists we’ll be using; that’s all still in progress. But in terms of text info, well, here’s what Matthew said about it:

“The Ashcan contains every major beat we want to cover at this time”.

Basically, the Ashcan gives you enough info to start playing a series of games in The World Below using the Storypath Ultra System – including a starting adventure scenario. As usual we’ve included an errata form with the Ashcan Advance PDF, and besides anything readers find that needs tweaking, we’d love to hear about how the ideas in there went down at your table.

The World Below is the first of our new fantasy series of games that as a group we’re calling the Earthbane Cycle, and the first full game we’ve built using Storypath Ultra, so anybody who is out there and kicking its tires is helping us to refine it even further before we get to the crowdfunding campaign later this year. Which will pay off even more as we release the next game in The Cycle, and the one after that, etc.

Within the Ashcan, there’s enough to get you started with a selection of the Ancestries, the playable peoples that survive below, their connections to the various settlements (such as Mud Town or Telver’s Hearth), orders, guilds, etc., and starting abilities. There is info on The Well, which may be the source of Kaos magic and Kaos portals into unknown worlds, but which is so deep within the earth that few, if any, have returned from seeking it.

There is both setting and rules info on The Kalm, that period every year when the Kaos storms rage through the caverns and most people stay huddled within the safety (hopefully) of their homes and/or settlements. Of course, no setting is complete without monsters, creatures, and long-leggedy beasties – so we’ve got a fine selection of the things that scuttle, crawl, slither, and drift through the tunnels.

Plus much more that just touches on the basics of what else is contained within (echo chamber activated) The World Below! low… low… ow.

The World Below, Ashcan Edition

Before adding in more about our Monday Meeting today, I would just like to mention a few things about the art work in The World Below Ashcan, because basically, those are my drawrings in there.

Long-time readers of this blog may recall that last October, I participated in Inktober, an annual artists’ non-competition to create an ink drawing per day, for the 31 days that make up October. It’s a bit of a marathon, really, as you’re creating an ink drawing every single day until you have 31.

I’ve found that I can – just – make it each year if I pick an overall theme for what I’m drawing, and this year I decided to take the monster descriptions that Matthew, Michele Marsala, and the mighty Ed Greenwood created and basically illustrate the concept art for 31 creatures from The World Below.

I figured that would give us a nice head-start in conceptualizing the setting, and reference material for the many artists we’d be reaching out to once art direction got started. Some of you might recall my sketches of all the Pugmire and Monarchies of Mau NPCs leading up to their respective art phases, and this sort of art prep is something that goes as far back as the first editions of Exalted and Aeon.

New worlds need new visuals, y’know?

Overall, I was really happy with the Inktober art, and we had a lot of good reactions to it, even if no one really knew what is was for outside of our creative team. Matthew and I were able to do some additional world-building based on questions and ideas that popped up while I was doing the drawings, and there were some pieces, like the Fossil Dragon that was used on the Ashcan‘s cover that really caught the feeling of the write-ups.

I’ve been drawing monsters since I was four, and have been using the classic pen and ink and brush since high school. What I’ve found every year since I started doing the Inktober challenges is that the intensity of doing a piece every day, as well as just doing a drawing every damn day, has pushed my technical ability further now than ever before. What I see when looking at the Fossil Dragon is that in a few places, and I’m saying just a few, I see bits of pen-work that remind me of the legendary Jack Davis and the illustrations he did.

I make no claims to being anywhere near that exalted level, but just getting that close is thrilling. Looking back, there’s a clear evolution of technique and style that is very satisfying, and so I was glad when Mike Chaney asked if he could use some pieces that he particularly liked in The World Below Ashcan. Because while I created them for last Inktober, and intended them as concept art pieces then, it’s cool that they can set the mood now in the Ashcan.

Hope folks enjoy them!

Now That I’ve Used Up All the Space…

…there was also the Monday Meeting. I might have mentioned last week that our Monday Meeting crew were focused on attending the Onyx Path Virtual Convention before getting some much-needed R&R. This has now started, and so our folks are bopping in and out and our meeting tends towards being a fair bit shorter.

Today we discussed the They Came From the RPG Anthology! Kickstarter and what our next steps are now that we seem to have added 6 new setting chapters to the 5 already planned for the book! Matthew already has several writers on board and is getting them started, and we’re diving in immediately in order to deliver the finished book well within the estimation.

Those of you who backed either of the CofD Dark Eras projects, which also featured new chapters added by voting, can attest that there was more waiting involved than originally planned. We believe we have learned from those KSs, as we do try to do!

All in all, though, it sure seemed that our backers had a lot of fun with the whole thing, including some tense moments when new genres were neck and neck in the voting, as well as two new chapters being added in the last day! Phew!

We also noted during the meeting that Start.Playing, who hosted our game playing during the OP Virtual Con are also hosting our Game Night With Onyx Path this Friday, the 30th! It’s really an all-day thing, and we do it every month on the last Friday.

Responding to some of the conversations we had with folks during the convention, we’ve had several of our creators interested in, and willing to, run games during upcoming Game Nights. These will be a chance to play in games with the actual creators of those games, so as things firm up, expect to hear more about this. Hell, maybe even this Friday one of them will run a game, but that’s pretty short notice!

We’ll give the idea a try, as we’re pretty sure these game sessions will be a lot of fun for all involved, and it’s a really super way to get even more folks playing in our:

MANY WORLDS, ONE PATH!

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BLURBS!

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KICKSTARTER/CROWDFUNDING!

Coming up on crowdfunding next: Trinity Continuum: Aegis on BackerKit!

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Onyx Path Media!

This week:

Eddy, Danielle, Matthew, and Dixie talk about a wide variety of things in the OPP Con Live episode!

As always, this Friday’s Onyx Pathcast will be on Podbean or your favorite podcast venue! https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/

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Onyx Path Media now has its own blog on Tuesdays! We’ll continue posting our highlight of the week here, but Tuesday will be the day to visit if you want to catch up on actual plays, interviews, deep dives, and other assorted Onyx Path media!

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:

And today, while we have media appearing everywhere – from exciting Scion videos breaking down the game’s themes into essays, new actual plays for They Came From, Trinity, and Mummy, and more besides – we today want you to check out the various panels we’ve been uploading to our YouTube channel from Onyx Path Con! Those panels will continue to be uploaded until we’ve covered the whole lot, and then the actual plays from the convention will follow! Please give them a look and leave your thoughts on the topics discussed.

https://www.youtube.com/user/theonyxpath

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/live/J6LtEoqKxuc?feature=share

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Virtual Tabletop!

NEW!
They Came From Beneath the Sea! on Roll20 VTT!
https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/bundle/22308/they-came-from-beneath-the-sea

Here are some more shots from the They Came From Beneath the Sea! Compendium!

And there’s also the Scion Jumpstart, all ready for Roll20 VTT fun!

https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/bundle/21165/a-light-extinguished-a-jumpstart-for-scion-second-edition

More news and links when we have them!

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!

Direct Link: https://foundryvtt.co

Looking for more virtual tabletop resources? We have a selection of
Tokens, Encounters, and more available now at DriveThruRPG!

Get ’em here: 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/

Special Onyx Path deals 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).

Check out Melody Through the Mirrorshade Lens and Facets of Truth , as well as Trinity Continuum: Terat and The Hollow Courts on Kindle in the Kindle store!

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On Sale This Week!

WOW – it’s the end of the month already!?! Time for this month’s Tasty Bit PDF! This time it’s Scion Demigod: The Village and it’s available this Weds on DTRPG!

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Conventions!

As we are slowly returning to attending conventions in person after the current COVID-19 outbreak, keep an eye out here for more physical and virtual conventions we’re going to be involved with!

Game Night With Onyx Path Publishing at Start.Playing is this Friday: June 30th! Come play some They Came From! in celebration of the just-finished They Came From…? KS! (But any of our game lines are welcome all day long!)

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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And now, the new 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-2023/

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY

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

Final Drafts

TC: Aether – Aether Companion

• Eddy: One TC: Aether project is reading for editing, while another is in final drafts. Soon the Martians will overrun the production board!

They Came From! – Heroes of Action and Wonder!

• Matthew: Just when you thought we had enough Archetypes, along come the Berserker, Shapeshifter, and Antihero to wreak havoc on your sets!

Development

Scion – Titans Rising (was Titanomachy 2)

• Matthew: The wonder team of David, Cat, and Hiromi are now hard at work having split this book neatly between them. This is a book to which I’m very interested in seeing the fan reaction!

Earthbane – At the Gates

• Danielle: I’m nearly vibrating with excitement to read through everyone’s final drafts and see how the whole has come together. Also, this is a great time to ensure there are gates involved somewhere in the game.

Manuscript Approval

Exalted – Exalted Essence – Deeds Yet Undone (was Adventure Trilogy)

• Danielle: This book is sailing along smoothly as it goes off to approvals. H has done a bang-up job on her first development project, and I suspect it will quickly move on to editing.

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ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!

In Art Direction

• Ex3 Exigents – Getting this rolling… art wise.
• Ex3 Many Faced Strangers – This one as well.
• TCF Cyclops Cave/Classified – Getting Classified notes  out… I have enough guys where if anyone runs late it won’t cripple us.
• SCION Titans Rising – KS art almost all in.
• TC Aegis (KS) – Prepping for Backer Kit.
• TC Aether – Getting this going as soon as the art for Aegis and Titans are in.
• DTR Clade Companion – I believe the art is all in.

In Layout

• M20 Lore of the Traditions – What Mike is working on for the next two weeks.
• Legacies of Earth – Sent fixes for Ch1 back over to Dixie. This week we will cover how to text wrap all that stuff in Ch2.
• Scion Dragon Jumpstart
• SCION Once and Future – Art in.
• HtV Jumpstart – Art all in.

Proofing

• Ex3 Crucible of Legends – Josh is on 2nd proofs.
• TC Assassins VTT Adventure

Indexing

At Press

• TC Anima – Backer PDF going out to backers this week.
• TC: Adventure! – Trad printing files prepping. Awaiting specs from Printer.
• TC Adventure Storyguide Screen and Booklet – Quoting with Printers.
• Exalted Essence – Quoting with Printers.
• W20 Apocalyptic Record – Quoting with Printers.
• W20 Apocalyptic Record Screen & Booklet
• HtV Tending the Flame – Backer PDF errata incorporation.
• W20 Howls of Apocalypse – PoD proofs ordered.
• Ex3 Surface Truths – PoD proof on the way.
• MtAw Tome of the Pentacle – PoD proofs ordered.
• The World Below Ashcan – Advance PDF errata gathering until Weds.
• June Tasty Bit – Scion – The Village PDF available this Weds on DTRPG!

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Today’s Reason to Celebrate!

Today we have a theme to celebrate, so stay with me. In 1963 U.S. President John F. Kennedy gave his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech, underlining the support of the United States for democratic West Germany shortly after Soviet-supported East Germany erected the Berlin Wall. There is a widespread misconception that Kennedy accidentally said that he was a Berliner, a German doughnut specialty. This is an urban legend which emerged several decades after the speech, and it is not true that residents of Berlin in 1963 would have mainly understood the word “Berliner” to refer to a jelly doughnut or that the audience laughed at Kennedy’s use of this expression.

Also, today in 1977, Elvis Presley held his final concert in Indianapolis, Indiana at Market Square Arena. From the internet, so you know it’s true, much like the JFK jelly donuts meme: Elvis loved Krispy Kreme doughnuts long before they became America’s new franchise obsession. Jelly doughnuts were his favorite. They were purchased for him at the local Piggly Wiggly.

So, let’s celebrate our theme of the week: jelly donuts!