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:

4-4-24 Backer T-Shirt Bonanza
almost 2 years ago – Thu, Apr 04, 2024 at 04:47:35 AM

Hello Dark Delvers,

A quick update at the start of the month because I've got a Stretch Goal reward for you!

Remember this during our Crowdfunding campaign?



Well, we unlocked that (along with a bunch of other fun things) and now it's ready for you!



If you're ready to glow in the dark, check out the design and various shirt options here: The World Below Backer Shirt <LINK>

AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW - FOR A LIMITED TIME!


So, this Stretch Goal during the Crowdfunding campaign was for a special available-for-a-limited-timeThe World Below Backer Shirt <LINK>. I listed it as a Backer T-Shirt, but really there are more than just T-shirt options there (and more colors as well!)

If you click over to Onyx Path's REDBUBBLE T-shirt Shop using this link <World Below Shirt> you will see the backer shirts, which will be available for a LIMITED TIME ONLY! You have ONE WEEK to order a shirt with this design if you'd like to announce you're ready for a Kalm season!

If you scroll down a bit, you'll see other options - including hoodies and other styles - you can change the style, color, and size to make sure it works for you! Changing the style and size may change the cost, so be aware. Make sure you review your selection before you process payment to ensure you've got the correct images, style, color, and size.

One last time: This shirt will be available for a LIMITED TIME ONLY - please act quickly if you're interested!

I'll be back later in the month for our regular monthly summary, now with one more reward moved from Pending to Delivered!

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.


March 2024 Monthly Update
almost 2 years ago – Thu, Mar 28, 2024 at 08:30:13 AM

Hello Dark Delvers,

Up here on the mythical surface world, I'm heading into spring. That means it's time for our regular monthly update. 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.

Before I get into our regular review, I wanna talk about a brand new release from Onyx Path which you may find interesting...




Now available in PDF: At the Gates, Ashcan Edition!


On the continent of Everend in the world of Gaia, magic suffuses everything, keeping all in harmony. The seven nations of Everend maintain peace after centuries of struggle — a peace now rapidly deteriorating. In an explosive demonstration of power, one nation pierced reality and called forth daemons from the Void through the resulting gates.

Now, all nations rush to gain daemonic magic for themselves. As the nations prepare for battle, common folk go about their daily lives fearing the brutality of war and the daemons’ incomprehensible power. All the while, the Void spilling through the gates collides with Gaia’s magic, creating Void-tainted landscapes. The taint transforms wildlife into ravenous beasts that rove across Everend. The balance has been upended.
Everend needs heroes to stop the march of destruction and to help people understand their place in the new world.

Will you heed the call?

At the Gates: Ashcan Edition is an early access experience designed to introduce you to the world of Everend and get you started playing the game today.

Inside you will find:
  • Details on how to play Storypath Ultra.
  • Four pre-made characters, along with all the rules necessary to play and understand them.
  • Rules on two nations and a couple of antagonists in which to set your story.
  • A short scenario to introduce you to the world.

In the most recent Monday Meeting Notes, Rich says of the At the Gates Ashcan Edition: 

It’s a bare-bones version of our newest fantasy game in the Earthbane Cycle, so it’ll give folks a real solid taste of the setting and rules before the actual text is released during its crowdfunding campaign. Which is the next one we’re doing – real dates coming soon!

Danielle and team did a fantastic job evoking the elements we love in JRPGs, as well as taking those elements and creating a bright, fun, and threatened world to play in. Plus, they made the tone dangerous in a very different way than in The World Below, while still working with the Storypath Ultra rules. Even in just the Ashcan, I think those qualities shine forth.

Oh, and about the Earthbane Cycle: we’ve very specifically not publicly tied down just what about these fantasy games make them part of Earthbane, or a cycle, so if you see anybody telling you what the connection is as if we announced it…nope, they’re only guessing, themselves. Someday, the truth will be out there, but that day is not today!

So... At the Gates is related to The World Below somehow, as both are part of Onyx Path's Earthbane Cycle in some fashion... but the actual connection is yet to be revealed.



REWARDS STILL PENDING



A bit of progress on one of our Stretch Goal supplements. Ed Greenwood's Monstrous Ecology has moved quickly through the writer stages and is now in the hands of developer Matthew Dawkins. This is the phase where Matthew takes all of the bits of the manuscript and ensures that it works holistically, presented in a consistent voice, and works within the aims of the greater game line. 

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.




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/



DRAFT MANUSCRIPT

In addition to redemption links for distibuted digital rewards, all backers have received a link to the compiled draft manuscript. This link can be found in your BackerKit digital rewards page (See the link above for Claiming Your Digital Rewards if you need a refresher). Again, this isn't a new manuscript, it's just all of the pieces we shared during the campaign put together in order. 

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: <February 2024 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.




February 2024 Update
about 2 years ago – Thu, Feb 29, 2024 at 05:23:59 AM

Hello Dark Delvers,

Thanks to Leap Year, it's the final Thursday of the month and time for our regular monthly check in.

As mentioned last month, 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



A bit of progress on one of our Stretch Goal supplements. Ed Greenwood's Monstrous Ecology has moved quickly through the writer stages and is now in the hands of developer Matthew Dawkins. This is the phase where Matthew takes all of the bits of the manuscript and ensures that it works holistically, presented in a consistent voice, and works within the aims of the greater game line. 

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.




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/



DRAFT MANUSCRIPT

In addition to redemption links for distibuted digital rewards, all backers have received a link to the compiled draft manuscript. This link can be found in your BackerKit digital rewards page (See the link above for Claiming Your Digital Rewards if you need a refresher). Again, this isn't a new manuscript, it's just all of the pieces we shared during the campaign put together in order. 

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: <February 2024 Project Status Summary>.

(That link may not be live until later today, as it's the final day of the month)

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


Trust your instincts. Reward loyalty. Respect an honest duel.
And always, always pounce on the minions of the Unseen.

The Age of Man is long over. Cats – uplifted from our clever feline companions to use tools and language – now rule the world. In the Monarchies of Mau, cats study relics the Old Ones left behind to create new wonders, expand their understanding of the world, and combat the monsters and minions of the Unseen that threaten catkind. Curious cats explore ruins and set sail on the Acid Sea, or participate in games of intrigue against other houses, the dogs of Pugmire, and other rival species.
 
The world is full of mysteries and dangers, which excellent cats are eager to face.

January 2024 - Existing PDFs going out
about 2 years 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
about 2 years 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.