project-image

The World Below

Created by The World Below RPG by Onyx Path

A tabletop roleplaying game of subterranean fantasy, horror, and exploration.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

January 2024 - Existing PDFs going out
10 months ago – Thu, Jan 25, 2024 at 06:44:29 AM

Hello Dark Delvers,

It's been just about 10 days since we announced the Pledge Manager and we've got about 80% of backers responding so far. That means there are still some Delvers out there who haven't clicked their link yet - please do so as soon as you can. All fulfillment is managed through the Pledge Manager, so you'll need to have your pledge confirmed to receive your downloads and other items.

Hopefully some reward distribution will help Inspire you! Because I've got some rewards to send out!




If you need to review your information or pledge status, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://the-world-below.backerkit.com/


DIGITAL REWARD DISTRIBUTION

Many of the rewards for our Crowdfunding projects take a lot of time and effort to complete. Usually, the campaign is a means of moving the project from an idea (even when it's a mostly-fully-written idea) into the actual channel that turns it into a project/product. It'll be a while before we're ready to talk about delivery on The World Below, and even longer for our projects generated via Stretch Goals (the Underworld Adventures supplement, Ed Greenwood's Monstrous Ecology, and the rest).

That said, there are a few rewards that are available now, as they were mostly add-on PDFs or bundles of existing products. And now we can work on getting those out to you over the weekend.

The following Add On Rewards Will Be Distributed This Week:

  1. Trinity Continuum Digital Starter Bundle
  2. Scion Second Edition Digital Starter Bundle
  3. They Came From Digital Starter Bundle

Within each of those items are 4-5 PDF products, so it's a much bigger list than it appears. It's basically this section from our Add On menu during the campaign.



If you want any of these and didn't add them on during the campaign, you can still update your BackerKit page and add them to your rewards list. See the BackerKit How-To instructions above.

REWARD DISTRIBUTION

Your link to claim these digital rewards will be sent out by our BackerKit pledge manager over the next few days. Since we are using our partners at DriveThruRPG as the hosts for these, you will need to set up a DriveThru account if you don't have one already. If you encounter any problems with downloading your rewards, please contact DTRPG's customer service to resolve the matter, they've always been top-rated for customer service. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/contact_us.ph





The best way to ensure these redemption codes work smoothly is to log in to your DTRPG account first, and then click (or copy) the link shown in your BackerKit.

Again, you will receive an e-mail from BackerKit with links for these rewards over the next 2-3 days if any of them are on your expected list of rewards. I'll be releasing them in waves, so don't panic if you only see a couple links at first... the rest are coming. (We're in a digital world, but there are still a lot of manual processes. And there are many links to go out!!)

The easiest way to see if you've got digital downloads available is to login to your backerkit account: https://the-world-below.backerkit.com/ and it'll show anything available. Your backerkit account should also confirm all rewards that you should expect from your reward tier selected.

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT

In addition to redemption links for these digital rewards, all backers will be receiving a link to the compiled draft manuscript. This link can be found in your BackerKit digital rewards page, and you'll receive an e-mail linking to that with the first wave of rewards going out. Again, this isn't a new manuscript, it's just all of the pieces we shared during the campaign put together in order. It's the same link that I share at the bottom of these campaign updates, but I want to make sure you have access to it in any place that makes sense.

MONTHLY UPDATES

With the Pledge Manager up and running, this is officially the first "regular" monthly update for our project. I'll send these updates out every month to let you know where we sit. We're still in the earliest stages of this post-campaign, where projects make incremental movements along the progress path. A lot of months will be pretty similar, just a quick note to let you know that the Onyx Path team is still working on it. Any time we have a new reward or something of interest to share, I'll include that as well.

At the end of each month, I'll include a summary of our rewards and their current status (they'll either be delivered or marked as still pending, possibly with additional details if I know more). I'll also list any relevant Update posts, in case you want to go back and check into something.

Each month, I'll list our "Pending" rewards and our "Delivered" rewards. We'll track the project status of our pending rewards by filling in the stage dots, and I'll note which update (and include a link) with each delivered reward, in case you want to go back and re-read the relevant update for more information. If any of these rewards were on your pledge list, you can access download codes in your BackerKit Digital Rewards page. And once they've been added to your DriveThruRPG library, you can access them through your DTRPG digital library at any time.

REWARDS STILL PENDING


There's a lot of stuff on this list! Our main reward, The World Below PDF, standard and deluxe hardcover, along with the Print-on-Demand option, is all part of that first line, and those various formats will be rewarded at different stages near the end of the production side. Right now, we can see that the manuscript is in editing before one final development pass finishes that up and then it's on to Art Direction.

Two of our Stretch Goal rewards have entered first draft status. They're outlined and now being worked on by the various writers who will get feedback (redlines) from the developers. This goes back and forth a number of times until they have a final draft to submit and then the project moves to the developer's hands (or, screens, I guess). 

I'll post this chart in each monthly update, and fill in dots as projects move along.


REWARDS DISTRIBUTED TO BACKERS

  • Trinity Continuum Digital Starter Bundle (January 25 '24 Update)
  • Scion Second Edition Digital Starter Bundle (January 25 '24 Update)
  • They Came From Digital Starter Bundle (January 25 '24 Update)

Once a project finishes up on the progress chart and is distributed to backers, I'll move it down to this list and note which update talks about reward distribution for that item in case you want to go back and get more information.

ONYX PATH PROJECT TRACKING

You can read Onyx Path's most recent monthly summary, covering all projects and their status up to that point here: <December 2023 Project Status Summary>

You can find the weekly Monday Meeting blog updates <here>, which note any projects with status changes since the previous Month End summary. The project statuses listed are current as of last Monday, so do check it out each Monday night to see if anything may have progressed!

I will continue to post regular updates every month until the final Stretch Goal reward has gone out. 

ONYX PATH DISCUSSION CHANNELS

You may be able to get further insight and possibly some in-depth conversation at these Onyx Path discussion zones:


TO CONTACT JAMES
  •  Via E-Mail: Onyx.Kickstarter [at] gmail.com
  •  Via BackerKit: Click "Need Help?" from your page, and then fill in the Contact Us form. BackerKit will pass your message along to me.


CURRENTLY CROWDFUNDING

We’re all out of the traditionally-printed copies of several of our core rulebooks from previous crowdfunding campaigns. So we’re going back for more!

This should help us fund a new print run for:

  • You, if you back this. Fulfillment, probably later this year. No development needed, just printing.
  • Other campaigns: we like adding core rulebooks as add-ons to other campaigns (we did a bunch of those on this campaign too!), and this helps us keep doing that.
  • Retailers: Put our games in front of other faces at physical game stores!

The books have all received minor edits to fix a few errors we’ve noticed over the years. This Friday's Onyx Pathcast will talk about these books and the possible minor edits that are being worked on. You can check out the campaign for one more week <here>.



Pledge Manager Surveys Coming Over the Next 4 Days
10 months ago – Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 08:15:26 AM

Hello Dark Delvers!

Welcome to 2024! It's been a while since our campaign ended. I hope everyone was able to take a break or pause as the year rolled over.

We finished up the Crowdfunding portion of our campaign last year with a successful run, adding many backers and extra bonus rewards. Now it's time to start the next phase of the project - the Post-Campaign, where we track the progress of the various projects we helped fund and send out rewards as they become available.

To help with all of that we use BackerKit's Pledge Manager.

Today's Topics

  •  BackerKit Pledge Manager Surveys Coming This Week 
  •  Compiled Draft Manuscript (available in BackerKit Digital Rewards) 
  •  Coming Next 

BACKER SURVEYS

Over the next handful of days (Jan 16-19), you’ll receive an email from us with a special link to your Pledge Manager survey. It’s important to respond to your survey as quickly as you can since we need this information to fulfill your rewards.



You don’t need to create a BackerKit account to fill out your survey (although you probably already have one from pledging to this campaign). When you receive the email with the survey, click the survey invitation link to respond. Answer the questions about your reward preferences, provide shipping information, and purchase add-on items if you like. You don’t have access to this survey link yet, but it will be available later this week via email!

The e-mail will look something like this:


After you respond to your survey, you can go back later and change your responses at any time before we close the surveys and get our final counts, and that won't happen until the books are being printed and we're preparing to ship.

If you need to review your information or pledge status, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://the-world-below.backerkit.com/

If you have any other questions or concerns, you can post them to the comments for this update, the comment section, or message me via one of these methods:

TO CONTACT JAMES

  •  Via E-Mail: Onyx.Kickstarter [at] gmail.com
  •  Via BackerKit: Click "Need Help?" from your page, and then fill in the Contact Us form. BackerKit will pass your message along to me.

If there are any issues you find with the Pledge Manager, please contact me as soon as possible to let me know. It rolls out in waves so that I can correct issues on the fly and make it work as best possible as people come on board.



Within the BackerKit Survey and Pledge Manager, you can:

  • Review your Pledge Tier Selection and Rewards
  • Upgrade your Reward Tier pledge selection
  • Confirm Add On selections
  • Set up payment information for any failed payments from the Crowdfunding campaign or to pay for any new Add On options selected.

When you click on your BackerKit invitation link, you should see something like this...



From the Pledge Manager welcome page you can choose to

  •  Review Your Pledge Level and Rewards
  •  Start Your Survey, confirming pledge rewards, confirming or selecting new Add On options, and confirming any shipping and payment info that may be needed
  • Switch Your Pledge Level

If you've pledged to a reward tier that includes physical rewards, you can enter your shipping country at this stage. As noted during our campaign, we haven't set international shipping costs yet - those will be calculated and added in when we're preparing to ship the book. That won't be for a long time, though, and there will be plenty of opportunity - and notice - for you to make changes.

If you click on your Pledge Level, you will see a list of all items included in your Pledge Rewards (including Stretch Goals and the Draft Manuscript), and also have the option to switch your Pledge Level, in case you've decided to get the hardcover pledge instead of the PDF-only pledge tier for example.


Once you've confirmed that your Pledge Level is correct and where you want it to be, you can GET STARTED with your BackerKit Pledge Manager Survey.

Once we've got a fair response to our survey and collected a reasonable amount of info, I'll be working on fulfilling rewards that are available now - like the PDFs of the titles included in our Add On section (for example, the Scion Starter Bundle, the Trinity Continuum Starter Bundle, and the They Came From Starter Bundle). Those will likely be coming out before the end of January, and I'll send another update with more info when that time comes.

So, in summary:

  • Look for an e-mail invitation to BackerKit's Pledge Manager sometime over the next 4 days
  • Get Started on your survey
  • Confirm your Pledge Level (or SWITCH your Pledge Level if you want to change it)
  • Confirm and Select Any Add On options
  • Confirm Your Shipping Information (if needed)
  • Confirm Your Payment Information (if needed)

I will post an update in another week or two as I begin outlining the delivery of our first Add On rewards (the existing Starter Bundles, as noted above) and beginning distribution of those PDF rewards.

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT

Looking in the example pledge list above, you can see a listing for the Draft Manuscript. In your BackerKit digital rewards page, you will have access to the compiled draft manuscript. It won't be different from the one that was shared during the campaign - it'll just be all gathered together in one big file. The Draft Manuscript link may not be active when you first login to your BackerKit survey, but I'll throw the switch and it'll send you a notice next week after all of the invitations have gone out.

I will talk about how to access your BackerKit digital rewards links in an update coming later this month, when I send out the first wave of available rewards.

COMING NEXT

In the next week or two, I'll send an update with details about the distribution for that first wave of Starter Bundle rewards. I'll also get the compiled draft manuscript up and ready for you.

We'll also begin our regular monthly check-ins, tracking the progress of this project as it moves through this phase. It'll take some time, but we'll have regular updates all through the process. I'll also have notes on how to check the weekly and monthly All Project Progress updates on Onyx Path's website.

TO CONTACT JAMES

  •  Via E-Mail: Onyx.Kickstarter [at] gmail.com
  •  Via BackerKit: Click "Need Help?" from your page, and then fill in the Contact Us form. BackerKit will pass your message along to me.

COMING TOMORROW


Onyx Path is launching a quick campaign to get Scion: Origin (Second Edition Book 1), the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook, and Trinity Continuum: Æon back into print! Sign up <HERE> to be notified when this campaign launches.

The World Below Provides!
about 1 year ago – Tue, Nov 14, 2023 at 11:00:52 AM

The World Below provides... and we are worthy!

We did it! We built a community, explored the dark recesses of this underworld, and brought light and life to some new places in preparation for our Kalm season!

Thanks to the support of more than 1,000 backers, Onyx Path will be able to develop and print hardcover editions (standard and deluxe) for The World Below, a brand new game using the Storypath Ultra ruleset.


A lotta great stuff coming from this one! I'm a big fan of new and unusual, and this game certainly delivers!

There's more to celebrate! Not only did we fund this project by Day 3, we also unlocked a variety of fun Stretch Goals. From standard Onyx Path milestone markers to a Monstrous Ecology PDF by Ed Greenwood, to an epic adventure path for your delvers!

All is well, Liches!
It came down to the final hours, but we managed to hit our longshot final goal, adding an epic conclusion to our adventure scenario supplement.
 

Our Bonus Reward Collection

Some Milestone Markers


An Alternative Add On

Online Gaming Tools




Additional and Expanded New Content Supplements!










A lucky 13 Stretch Goal rewards!

I'm so happy we were able to introduce - and then unlock - that final Stretch Goal just today! It will really put an epic conclusion to an adventure in the World Below! I mean, we were at eleven just yesterday! Always awesome to unlock one final Stretch Goal as we head into the final hours.

Those celebrations and milestone markers along the way are fun - I certainly like having something to mark our accomplishments during the campaign and they help keep the enthusiasm up. But I really really love when we can add additional content, especially an a chance for the writers to light up some dark places and show us more of The World Below! And I think I've made it pretty clear how excited I am for more Ed Greenwood ecology writing!

And all of that is, of course, on top of our main purpose here - the creating of the actual book itself! This is the real reward - everything else is a bonus!


So a huge congratulations to Matthew and the creative team on this project, and to all of the backers who've joined in to make this possible. I'm happy about the goals we hit and rewards we introduced, but I'm also always amazed and excited about having more than 1,000 backers join in during this campaign. A new game - especially one as unusual and interesting as this one - is always a risk. But when a game finds and builds a community, it's extra rewarding. And this is just the beginning, I'm sure...

AN EXTRA THANK YOU! 

So, thank you to all the backers who supported us and made this happen. And an extra thanks to everyone who participated online, either in the Community comments section of the campaign, and on social media around the web. Thanks to everyone who talked about the project on the Discord and thanks to the Onyx Path team who answered questions and provided insight.

COMMUNICATION

So, as noted in today's earlier update, starting in 2024 I'll be sending out updates once a month and whenever we've got a new goal, survey, or other item to cover. If you have any questions or need clarification on something related to the campaign, feel free to get in touch. I may take a bit to answer as I recover from these past four weeks, but I'll eventually have an answer!

TO CONTACT ME

  • Via E-Mail: Onyx.Kickstarter [at] gmail.com
  • Via BackerKit: Click "Need Help?" from your forthcoming survey page, and then fill in the Contact Us form. BackerKit will pass your message along to me.

ONYX PATH DISCUSSION CHANNELS

If you've got questions about the rules or setting, or just want to discuss this game with other fans (as well as the Onyx Path writers and developers!), you can check out these Onyx Path discussion zones:


The World Below Provides!

The Discord is particularly lively, and I loved seeing the detective work put into the mysteries of The World Below as the chapters came out bit by bit. 

BackerKit will begin collected pledges and processing payments later tonight, so be ready for that.

If I wasn't already tired enough, I'm off to get my flu shot for the season, so expect to hibernate for the next 24 hours! High fives all around in the comment section and on the Discord, and you'll hear from me again in the new year when I've got the pledge manager set up and ready to roll out!

(So happy holidays and happy new year well in advance!)

#TheWorldBelow



Project Update: Final Hours - Checklist & What Comes Next
about 1 year ago – Tue, Nov 14, 2023 at 04:29:18 AM

Good morning, Diggers!

Welcome to the final hours of this campaign! We've had a pretty great run - funding fairly quickly by the third day day and then unlocking TWELVE Stretch Goals along the way. We're closing in on 970 backers, which is just amazing!

That's right, we landed our final posted Stretch Goal in the darkness of the night.


ACHIEVED! - At $58,000 in Funding – FURTHER INTO THE WORLD BELOW – The World Below Adventure Scenario PDF will be expanded to include a third adventure. Our third adventure tasks our heroes with making contact with a distant settlement that's fallen unnervingly silent, reestablishing dead links, and facing the nightmares that have occupied the empty space where the living once dwelled.

Can we get up to 1,000 backers before the end? Can we hit 200% of our Funding Target? Should we try for one more Stretch Goal?

Let's go for it! ONE FINAL STRETCH GOAL...

At $60,000 in Funding – THE WELL LICH OF THE WORLD BELOW  – The World Below Adventure Scenario PDF will be expanded to include a final adventure. Our fourth adventure sees our protagonists in a race against the Kaos storm and one of its horrifying drivers: a Well Lich. Do you jump through a Kaos Portal and take your chances, face down the undead monstrosity, or run for your lives?

With mere hours left, this one will truly be a race to the finish line. Let's see if we can get there before our light runs out!!


The best part of this campaign, though, is that we have successfully funded this project! Thanks to everyone who's come out to support this campaign, we'll be getting this amazing game book (and a deluxe version as well!)

Now that we've added a third scenario to our adventure path (and could maybe add a fourth?), that's an expanded bonus reward for everyone who's backed this project and has The World Below PDF as one of their rewards! Let's see if we can get our backer count to 1,000 so even more members of our community get to enjoy this achievement!

 

FINAL DAY CHECKLIST

Whether you're a veteran of many Kaos storms or just prepping for your first Kalm season, these are some good topics to review over these final six hours...

1.  Know What You're Supporting

In the body of <this post>, you'll see links to podcasts that will let you know more about the creation (and creators) of this game and how it plays in action, but the best way to confirm what the team is building is to hear their actual words.

Backers can read the entire current draft of the manuscript <HERE>. Please make sure you read the manuscript before the campaign concludes so you know exactly what you're pledging to support.

2. Pledge Tier and Add Ons

This update breaks down your best starting point for figuring out which Backer Reward Tier to choose to help support this project in a way that works for you.

The first decision you need to make in figuring out your reward tier is whether you want to receive the PDF version or the standard or deluxe hardcover edition (which comes with  bonus PDF versions).

  • HUNTER: This is the PDF-only reward tier. So, if you're saving trees or saving shelf space - or avoiding the shipping charges that are absolutely ever-increasing - this is the reward tier option that you should begin with. The PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com - when it is ready, you will receive a link to add it to your DTRPG library at no cost for you to download at your leisure.

  • CARTOGRAPHER: This reward tier includes the standard hardcover version of this book. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager. In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.

  • ARTIFICER: This reward tier includes the limited edition deluxe version of The World Below hardcover book, with a special cover design and bound-in silk bookmark. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager.  In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.

As noted, shipping charges will be calculated later and charged in the BackerKit Pledge Manager. We'll have exact shipping costs once the book is in production and we know the specifications, but we do expect it to be expensive. See our estimates on the front pate. If you're an international backer, you can pledge at The Hunter tier and upgrade in the pledge manager to one of the hardcover tiers once the shipping costs are known before we lockdown orders.

ADD-ON OPTIONS -  The other half of our Reward Tiers update, including information on the second step of pledging. There are several Add On options that you can add as part of your pledging process, including other The World Below items (like pendants and pins) plus messenger bags, Storyguide Screens, and a premium glowing dice set! We've also got digital starter bundles of some other Onyx Path games that are well worth checking out!

ADD ON selections will be available in the post-campaign Pledge Manager as well.

SO: Ensure that you've selected the Reward Tier you want, and select any Add On options you wish to include. AND - make sure that you are comfortable with the Pledge amount, in terms of it covering everything you want and the affordability of the pledge at this moment!

I'm going to speak against my own self interest for a moment, and repeat something I say at the end of every campaign - though 2023 has been a bit better than the past three years, the world is still unpredictable and some futures are a little less certain. Ensure that your circumstances enable to afford this pledge at this moment - BackerKit will begin processing payments late tonight after the campaign ends and neither Onyx Path nor I have any involvement in that process. If you are unsure of your financial situation but don't want to miss out, please pledge for a tier you can afford now and know that you will be able to upgrade to open pledge levels in our post-campaign Pledge Manager for some time before the book is completed.

  • Choose a Reward Tier You Can Afford
  • Read the Manuscripts and Make Sure You Know What You're Getting
  • Be Aware of the Projected Delivery Date (Onyx Path will try to deliver earlier than this, but the book will take some time to get perfect)

3. PAYMENT AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Once you're comfortable with your pledge, please ensure that the payment and contact information in your BackerKit account is up to date and correct. Making sure your e-mail is entered correctly and your credit card isn't expired will speed up the next step process. (I have learned from experience!)




WHAT COMES NEXT?

3. AFTER THE CAMPAIGN ENDS

First, we celebrate. The campaign page will subtly change, locking out the ability to pledge and showing the final totals. We'll give socially-distanced high fives and digital fist bumps in the Community section and over on Discord.

Then, the BackerKit payment process begins. Starting late tonight and continuing over the next week, Backerkit will begin charging your payment methods for the total amount you've pledged.

If there is an issue with your payment method (expired credit card or incorrect number or pre-paid Visa awaiting funds, for example), BackerKit will keep trying to process payment during this time.

Once this step is done, which will likely be by the end of November, BackerKit will confirm everything with Onyx Path and I can begin to set up the project in the Pledge Manager and load in all of the campaign data.


In addition to providing the crowdfunding platform for this campaign, BackerKit is also Onyx Path's regular Pledge Manager partner.

BackerKit provides a robust fulfillment integration and pledge management program that will allow us to work with all of the data and distribute the rewards to you. It will take me about a month to set the project up. Once I've got it all entered and built, the team from BackerKit will review to ensure I didn't mess anything up too badly, and then I'll make any changes they've suggested and we can move on to the Survey stage.

4. BACKERKIT SURVEYS

Once BackerKit says I'm good to go, I will send out a survey to all backers. This is why confirming your e-mail is important!

The BackerKit survey is both a verb and a noun - it will collect data for the analysis of some aspect of a group (enabling Onyx Path to set print runs, prioritize new projects, and fine-tune future campaigns), as well as providing a general review or summary of the reward tier you've chosen, confirm all of the rewards associated with that reward tier, and confirm your total pledge amount.

I expect Surveys to go out by early January 2024.

During the Survey period, you can choose to increase your reward tier and add on additional options. If you've found $20 in your winter coat or found an alternate income source and decide it's time to trade up to the hardcover version of the books or include another add-on, you can do so at this time. Note, you will not be able to reduce your reward tier selection, only increase.

If you selected Add On options, they'll be added to your reward list automatically.

Note that you'll be able to upgrade your pledge tier for quite some time - until we're getting ready to print the book itself and have figured out International shipping costs. So don't feel pressure to have it all figured out right away - we'll make sure there's plenty of time to get it all sorted before the books go out.

Similarly, if you have a hardcover book as one of your rewards, the survey will ask you to confirm your shipping address, even though it'll be some time before we ship out the final product. Do not worry about moving before shipping begins - you will be able to update BackerKit right up until the point that we begin fulfilling the final book. We will send out a notice prior to lock down so you can update any information.

I'll also use the Survey to confirm some details for the premium reward tiers.

5. REWARD DISTRIBUTION

Once the surveys are up and running, I'll prepare fulfillment for the existing rewards - the Add On options that are all currently available, like the digital Starter Bundles. Depending on how smoothly the Pledge Manager process goes, those should be out fairly soon after the survey stage starts. So, let's say the existing PDF rewards will be out to you by the end of January. That's only the beginning, though.

This is a long process, but I will send out regular updates (usually at the end of the month) to keep you up to speed on Onyx Path's progress. There will be strings of updates that are just "still working on it," but I will share new artwork or information when I can.

Eventually, we will have a completed PDF of The World Below. Onyx Path will take some time to distribute, review, and compile any errata or corrections that need to be made. When they've made any necessary changes, they'll make an updated version of the PDF available in your DriveThruRPG digital library and then begin creating print-ready files for the Print-on-Demand and the hardcover versions.

It's yet another long road ahead, likely full of twists and turns and things hidden in the darkness, but one that we wouldn't be undertaking if not for your ongoing support.

So - one final time - please spread the word to any potential backers and fans, and thanks so much for a great campaign!

#TheWorldBelowProvides

Final Days Review - Stretch Goals
about 1 year ago – Mon, Nov 13, 2023 at 08:15:10 AM

Kalm is a time for building. For reflection. For meditation. For negotiation.

These cellars are much broader than we first anticipated. We’re living under the feet, claws, and spines of the haemexii and building our own small world under here, brick by brick. We wait until they’re out hunting and then we go to work. 

At first, we were at each other’s throats. But we’ve since had many chances to speak, to share ideas, and to find peace among each other.

We may only be three people trapped in the World Below, but we have the skills, the tools, and the powers to carve something out in here. Lines of defense should the haemexii find us, a narrow water channel, a source of green lichen, nutritious seeds, and protein rich bugs, and most importantly, quarters for solitude.

I would not wish to spend my entire life here, but this place could one day become more than a respite: this may be the foundation for a new settlement, built under the ruins of an old one.



Hello Diggers!

We're in the Final Days countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. The World Below finishes the crowdfunding campaign on Tuesday, November 14th at 2:00 PM EST. There's still time to Inspire others to help brighten up the darkness, but we're definitely getting closer to the finish line. With that in mind, I wanted to touch on some of the basics over these final four days to make sure everyone has the information they need to support this project in the way that works best for them.


Final Days Schedule



Whether you're a veteran of many Kaos storms or just prepping for your first Kalm season, these are some good topics to review over this week to make sure we all end up where we want to be.

(An aside, if you're a new backer, make sure you check out our Final Week Countdown / Resource Update. It has links to the manuscript previews,  podcasts, and a ton of Actual Play sessions.)




Refresher Course

Note for New Backers: Please check out the updates listed above. There's a lot of information there that will be important to know about before the end, like how we're not including international shipping charges in our pledges for this campaign and instead will be charging them in our pledge manager before we ship out the books, and you can also read the entire draft manuscript before the end of the campaign and any pledges are processed.

Note for Since-the-Start Backers: It's probably a good idea to review that stuff as well. Never hurts to make sure you haven't missed anything! And it's fun to listen to those podcasts and watch the Actual Plays.

We've had, and will have, a bunch of new backers join in during these last days. I want to take a moment to highlight some key Update posts that new backers may want to check out (and existing backers may want to read as a refresher!).

MANUSCRIPT PREVIEW - As noted, the complete Preview Manuscript for the book is available for you to review prior to the conclusion of the campaign. If you're a backer, you'll have access to this preview manuscript after the campaign. Remember, though, there are still some minor edits, development and proofing that need to be done. But, you can consider it about 98.7% finished. Making the manuscript available for review before the campaign ends ensures that everyone knows exactly what our goal is - making this book - and are on board with our aims for this project. Thanks for your support, we're all in this together!

PLEDGE TIERS - This update breaks down your best starting point for figuring out which Backer Reward Tier to choose to help support this project in a way that works for you.

The first decision you need to make in figuring out your reward tier is whether you want to receive the PDF version or the standard or deluxe hardcover edition (which comes with  bonus PDF versions).

  • HUNTER: This is the PDF-only reward tier. So, if you're saving trees or saving shelf space - or avoiding the shipping charges that are absolutely ever-increasing - this is the reward tier option that you should begin with. The PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com - when it is ready, you will receive a link to add it to your DTRPG library at no cost for you to download at your leisure.

  • CARTOGRAPHER: This reward tier includes the standard hardcover version of this book. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager. In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.

  • ARTIFICER: This reward tier includes the limited edition deluxe version of The World Below hardcover book, with a special cover design and bound-in silk bookmark. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager.  In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.

ADD-ON OPTIONS -  The other half of our Reward Tiers update, including information on the second step of pledging. There are several Add On options that you can add as part of your pledging process, including other The World Below items (like pendants and pins) plus messenger bags, Storyguide Screens, and a premium glowing dice set! We've also got digital starter bundles of some other Onyx Path games that are well worth checking out!

Choose Wisely

Choosing the correct Reward Tier for your desired rewards, and then filling in any "gaps" with add-ons, ensures that you'll be claiming all of your desired rewards as a thank you for supporting this project and bringing this world to life.

Remember, your PLEDGE AMOUNT is equal to your REWARD TIER + ADD ONS only - Any International Shipping costs will be collected at a later date. You will also be able to select Add On options in the Pledge Manager after the campaign, but remember that only funds added during the campaign count towards Stretch Goal funding targets.

Also to note, only those who participate during the campaign are able to have Stretch Goal rewards added automatically to their rewards lists. If you're waiting to pre-order at a later time, it's better to pledge to the Surface-Touched tier now and then simply upgrade your pledge later to include these bonus rewards.

On Tuesday, I'll be posting one further "Final Day" update, covering What Happens Next and outlining what to expect once the campaign ends.

But until then, we're going to hopefully hunt down a final Stretch Goal achievement as we race through our final day of the campaign!


Over the past 28 days as we've worked through this World Below campaign we've not only funded the book but also unlocked ELEVEN Stretch Goal targets! That's right - we've unlocked the first TEN goals that were announced and we've ALREADY unlocked one of the final goals that was going to be announced as part of this update!

Within these Stretch Goals are some milestone markers that allowed us to maintain our pace through the middle parts of the campaign, and some really cool new supplements that we expanded and grew by working together. Let's review and see what we've accomplished so far...

MILESTONE MARKERS

Helping us maintain our pace during the regular "Funding Plateau" and between new content goals, these milestone markers are great celebratory moments allowing us to keep our focus, and fun rewards going out to all who supported this project during the Crowdfunding campaign.


WORLD BELOW T-SHIRT ON REDBUBBLE – A World Below-themed Backer shirt will be hosted on Onyx Path’s Redbubble store for a limited time. Only backers will be notified when the shirt becomes available for purchase.


WORLD BELOW DIGITAL WALLPAPER – Weird and wonderful World Below artwork will be used to create a wallpaper for your computer desktop. This digital wallpaper will be added to the rewards list of all backers supporting this project.



WORLD BELOW MOBILE WALLPAPER – Weird and wonderful World Below artwork will be used to create a wallpaper for your mobile device lockscreen. This lockscreen wallpaper will be added to the rewards list of all backers supporting this project.


ONLINE TOOLS

Like many of you, my days of gathering around the gaming table with friends to tell stories with our favorite characters have grown much less frequent in these past years. Online sessions have become the norm in my world and allow us to join gamers across the world to build our chronicles. We've unlocked some tools to help make that a little more fun!



WORLD BELOW VTT TOKEN PACK – Digital assets will be created to support online play for The World Below, including key character and creature tokens from the book. This online asset pack will be added to the rewards list of all backers.


WORLD BELOW STREAMING OVERLAY – A set of overlays for your online World Below game will be created, for your use when streaming your game. This reward will be added to the rewards list for all backers.

That's right! You've done such a great job spreading the word and recruiting new backers over the past 24 hours that I hadn't even had time to announce this goal yet and we've already unlocked it!

ADD ON OPTIONS

The support that this campaign has received has allowed Onyx Path to offer alternative options for one of their Add On items. Now you'll be able to select the black and green The World Provides bag or the current The World Below messenger bag.



ALTERNATE EXPLORER’S BAG ADD ON OPTION – An alternate version of the Explorer’s Bag will be made available as an Add On option. Backers pledged to the Explorer reward tier will be able to select which bag they wish to receive in the Pledge Manager after the campaign.

NEW CONTENT

We've unlocked two supplements as part of our campaign, and then expanded both! We've also added a fun and useful Storyguide tool to help dive into this game. First up, a starting scenario that we've turned into an adventure path...


DELVING DEEP INTO THE WORLD BELOW – A starting scenario to play or serve as an example for a World Below Storyguide. Our first adventure concerns the most common field of play: venturing from the safety of one's settlement to explore, face dangers, and hopefully return with resources to strengthen one's communities. Expect some surprises in this one! This World Below Adventure Supplement PDF will be added to the rewards list of all backers receiving The World Below PDF as one of their rewards.


DIGGING DEEPER INTO THE WORLD BELOW – The World Below Adventure Supplement PDF will be expanded to include a follow-up adventure. Our second adventure concerns the building and protection of our settlement, the political maneuvering of the guilds, and the clashes of dogmas that go on behind the so-called "safety" of the settlement walls.

Next up, that Storyguide tool I mentioned (although it's a fun product for everyone!)


WORLD BELOW MONSTER CARDS – A set of Monster Cards with illustrations on one side and information on the back will be released as a “Print-and-Play” PDF and added to the rewards list of all backers receiving The World Below PDF as one of their rewards. Backers will receive an option to order a physical version from DriveThruCards at a discounted rate.

And, finally, one of the stretch goal supplements I'm most excited about (no offense to any of the others, which are also amazing) - Ed Greenwood's Monstrous Ecology!




ED GREENWOOD’S MOUNSTROUS ECOLOGY – A PDF supplement detailing some of the strange and unique creatures that dwell in the World Below. The intrepid Ed Greenwood delves into some of the common colossal bugs, monstrous entities, and carnivorous beasts dwelling in the World Below with the first part of our ecology book.  This PDF supplement will be added to the rewards list of all backers receiving The World Below PDF as one of their rewards.



ED GREENWOOD’S MOUNSTROUS ECOLOGY PART 2 – Ed Greenwood returns with an examination of the aberrant horrors, cosmic nightmares, and dreamlike phenomena of the World Below in the second part of our ecology book.


WHY STOP THERE?

It's great that we've unlocked 11 Stretch Goal rewards... but what about an even dozen?

With just over a day left in our campaign, I think one more Stretch Goal is certainly within our grasp. Let's do our best to unlock this before the end!



At $58,000 in Funding – FURTHER INTO THE WORLD BELOW – The World Below Adventure Scenario PDF will be expanded to include a third adventure. Our third adventure tasks our heroes with making contact with a distant settlement that's fallen unnervingly silent, reestablishing dead links, and facing the nightmares that have occupied the empty space where the living once dwelled.


YOUR REWARDS!

That's right! You backed this project to help make and publish The World Below! Our primary reward - the big thank you that we'll send out in appreciation for your support - are PDFs and/or hardcover copies of this book! BUT AS A BONUS, you may also have the Delving Deep/Digging Deeper Adventure Scenarios PDF Supplement, Ed Greenwood's Monstrous Ecology PDF, the Monster Cards PDF (with discounted PoD option), a digital wallpaper and mobile lockscreen wallpaper, an opportunity to add to your wardrobe and a set of tokens and streaming overlay for your online game!

Not Much More Time

The World Below provides, but only to the worthy!

Unfortunately, we seem to continue to move forward at a regular pace, and our campaign will some come to the inescapable end. We've achieved our primary goal of funding the book, but there is still one possible Stretch Goal rewards that is almost within grasp! I know this last funding target may seem daunting, but it wouldn't be a STRETCH goals if we didn't have to really STRETCH to reach it! That last one may take a little bit of work. It's certainly within reach, but won't be easy, so let's keep at it!

So, as every update concludes: let's keep the enthusiasm rolling! Keep spreading the word and letting others know about this project. They've got this final day to jump in and share the Stretch Goals we've achieved!

And every backer who joins in as we approach the end is not only able to enjoy the additional rewards already added by the early fans and backers, but also help reward those early backers by maybe unlocking that final Adventure scenario!

Remember, only the funds generated during the Crowdfunding campaign go toward achieving these Stretch Goal targets, so the time to act is now! Together, we can bring this game to life and make great things happen!

The World Below finishes the crowdfunding campaign on Tuesday, November 14th at 2:00 PM EST.

#TheWorldBelowProvides