We wanted to give an update on the progress that we're making on getting the book and materials completed so we can send you a PDF soon. Here's where we are:
As we sit here today, on Monday, November 20th, we are cautiously optimistic that the PDF will be delivered the first week of December, depending on the artwork. We are waiting on 5 artists to deliver the final 12 pieces.
In addition, Unnatural Selection has been integrated into Shadowdarklings and is undergoing review. It is also currently being integrated into Foundry.
We're almost there! We appreciate your patience and continued support, and we're excited to unleash it soon!
Please check out another incredible art piece by Matt Morrow, depicting each of the Stretch Goal Ancestries below! (If you are unable to see it, make sure you are logged in under the account you used to back the campaign.)
See you at the finish line! The Dungeon Damsel Team
I just wanted to give everyone a quick update to talk about the surveys and shipping.
I am very excited to say that the surveys will be finalised this week and a smoke test will occur either this weekend or next week depending on if everything is signed off by Backerkit.
As you are all aware you will be charged both Shipping and VAT in the pledge manager which you can access once the surveys go live. I will leave things open for changes until we can begin fulfilment so you have time to confirm addresses and complete your payment details.
Shipping is as follows here depending on your location and pledge level, everything is done by weight so be aware that these may vary depending on the add-ons you have purchased.
Shipping and fulfilment is being handled by Gamesquest, who are a leading partner in the industry, so you can rest assured your game will arrive safely.
A note on VAT
This is my first large scale project, so to ensure I was doing my due diligence and making all the right legal moves, I consulted an accountant and legal advisor to help me navigate the scary world of Business Tax.
I have been made aware that in the UK, if a business reaches over £85,000 GBP in revenue in within a single year, they must become VAT registered and charge tax on all goods.
In our case, the campaign reached lower than that threshold but we must also factor in the additional revenue paid in for shipping which would take us well over this number.
What does this mean?
This means that to continue as a business and avoid any legal issues all UK backers will be charged VAT during the pledge manager stage. Shipping will also be subject to VAT.
As an example, here in the UK, VAT is charged at a flat 20%.
So if you pledged at £15 and £10 for shipping = £25, you will be charged £5 (20% of £25) to cover the VAT.
The good news is that this will handle importing issues which allows us to import products into the EU, US and all locations far easier and make it less of a headache on your end.
If you are familiar with crowdfunding, this may not be a surprise to you but I though it prudent to ensure the information is readily available.
What a campaign! You brought us to nearly 200% funded, and we're so grateful.
There is much to do as we head out to meet our timeline. One of our first items of business will be to set up a pre-order page. We're doing this because from the moment the campaign ended, requests came in from late arrivals. We won't be able to offer late pre-order prices as low as the campaign prices our backers received, but we'll do our best. We're crunching the numbers and projections right now to figure that out. So, if you're one of our late followers, stick with us and fear not. A pre-order page is coming.
We have a Lightraiders Discord server almost complete. If you're not familiar with Discord, it is a type of digital community where folks can hang out, chat, and share. Ours was built entirely by the same Lightraiders teens you may have seen in our videos, under the supervision of our adult team who mostly stood around and asked, "How are you making it do that?" Those teens are pretty incredible. All Lightraiders backers will get a special Discord invitation that will give you a special role on our server, recognizing your amazing contribution to getting us off the ground. Stand by for that backer-only update.
Once again, we're so grateful to all of you, and we're incredibly excited for what the future holds!
Jay here! We're halfway there through this crowdfunding project and I wanted to reach out to show off some new art for Grand Guignol and Harvest. Right now everything's just sketches, but the level of detail being applied to these setting elements do an amazing job of building out the historical world of 18th/19th century England and the strange magic present there.
These depict The Blood That Flows and The Embrace of Night, two setting elements from Grand Guignol, with art by Rowan MacColl.
These depict the Empire, the University, the Holy Church, and the Deathless Wyrm, four of the powerful masters of Harvest, with art by Sarcoma.
We have just 11 days to support Grand Guignol and Harvest, so be sure to tell your friends. Don't forget that last update we released the manuscript of Grand Guignol to all backers, so if that's something that interests you, be sure to go check it out!
We've had a good smoke test, so we've decided to send out the full blast. Please check your emails and complete your surveys. You'll have until January 30, 2024 before we'll need to lock your orders, and we won't be charging credit cards until we get closer to fulfillment. Also please note, as the surveys will inform you, we have not included shipping costs at this time. You'll have a chance to review those details closer to fulfillment (and before we charge your credit card) once we get those locked in.
Here's a quick update on Adventure in the Hundred Acre Wood. I'm ready to send everything out but just need to figure out how to do it. Kickstarter is second nature to me now but Backerkit is still new and confusing. However, they are always helpful so I'm sure they will walk me through it soon. Hopefully, the PDFs will be going out today and the physical book orders can be entered, too.
Congratulations!
Way to go! Thanks to you, Lightraiders has surpassed 150% funding. We can't tell you how much we appreciate you . . . but we can certainly show you.
As promised, by achieving this goal, you have earned an A4 size mini poster of Dean Zachary's mystery Lightraiders art piece for every backer at the Lightraiders Boxed Set level and up. You can see the preliminary sketch below, but what you'll receive is Dean's final inked art piece. And as a reminder, even though we can show you the art, we can't tell you its ultimate purpose. That part remains top secret. You can still vote in the poll for what you think or hope it's for.
So, now what? We hit that 150% funded goal with 4 days remaining. Can we hit 175%? 200%. Remember, the first 100% goal was our minimum level. The more backers who support this initial production run, the more affordable we'll be able to make Lightraiders and the expansions for churches and families in the future. We have five days left to make this the best possible launch. If you haven't joined in, please do. We need your support in these early days to make Lightraiders a long-term success that will touch lives for years to come.
And now, for those who haven't seen it, here is Dean's incredible preliminary sketch that he will finalize for all our backers.
Lightraiders "Mystery Art" by Dean Zachary, Preliminary Sketch
Blessings and Thank You! The Lightraiders Team,
Your discount codes for the web store are set to expire TODAY.
So, if you plan to use them please make sure you do so before midnight.
You can use the code below at the checkout on our web store at THIS LINK.
YOUR COUPON
Whispers Upon the Waves
I'm glad to report that I've almost caught up after our eventful couple of weeks and that this adventure will be heading out to you all very soon.
Given the size of the Seaport of Vandermire, this adventure is a bit more involved and I made some changes to the labelled area map, so commissioning has taken a little longer than expected. We’ll probably publish the adventure next week without the labelled map if it isn’t ready yet. And then release another version later to include the map.
For those of you who are interested, here is some text from the adventure itself.
Introduction The salty pages of this ancient maritime log are damp with the mists of lost souls. Whispers Upon the Waves is the beginning of a haunting voyage that will enthrall, mystify, and challenge your players. This tale submerges players into abyssal depths of tabletop roleplaying, casting them into a tale awash with legends of phantom ships and their cursed crews.
Whispers Upon the Waves is a brine-worn compass that will guide your table through treacherous waters and stormy seas. So, gather your crew, ignite a lantern, and embark on a journey where the boundary between myth and truth dissolves is but another horizon for crossing. Beware, however, for the heaving seas are vast and sometimes their waves churn loose secrets best left forgotten.
Seaport of Vandermire Though not yet large enough to be considered a city, this seaport has gracefully evolved from a humble fishing enclave to a vital and vibrant trading hub. Vandermire’s layout reflects its growth over the years, balancing the needs of its residents with the demands of trade and maritime activities.The town’s activities center around its large crescent-shaped harbor, known by locals as “the Moon of Vandermire” or simply “the Moon”. A lighthouse stands watch over the harbor and bustling wooden piers hug its sweeping alabaster cliffs. Above the harbor lies the cobblestoned Market District, alive with vendors peddling seafood, spices, and exotic goods shipped from as far as the Burning Isles of Sundra. Fisherman’s Wharf, dotted with modest docks, lowly warehouses, and processing sheds, sprawls over and beyond the harbor’s western cliffs. The more opulent Merchant’s Quarter, home to wealthy traders, is situated in the east. Seafarer’s taverns pepper the town, providing respite for weary sailors. In the north of the town Temple Hill rises gently, crowned by the majestic white Temple of Vander from which the town derives its name. A formidable stone wall encircles Vandermire, hinting at past threats, with the town’s garrison stationed on the northern edge upon a natural ridge overlooking the Skovahar Grasslands. Residential areas, consisting of homes, wells, and communal spaces, fill the gaps between walls and markets. Parallel to Fisherman’s Wharf, the air of Craftsmen’s Lane clangs and clatters with the sounds of artisans at work. The Green Meadow encircles much of Vandermire’s outskirts. The most northerly meadows stretch towards the Larma Range before giving way to hilly farmland along the banks of the Vander River.
Central Harbor: The Moon of Vandermire, this expansive harbor is surrounded by long wooden piers and stone quays. The harbor’s crescent shape protects ships from the worst of the sea’s wrath, especially in winter. A grand lighthouse stands at the harbor’s mouth, guiding ships safely with its ever-burning flame. Market District: Located directly behind the harbor, this bustling area hosts merchants from all corners, selling fresh seafood, spices, fabrics, and artifacts. The streets are lined with cobblestones, and the market stalls, made largely of wood and canvas, are arranged in a semi-circular pattern following the harbor’s curve. Fisherman’s Wharf: Located to the west of the harbor, this area is filled with smaller docks mainly used by local fishermen. There are also numerous establishments like smokehouses, brine huts, and salting sheds where the day’s catch is processed. Merchant’s Quarter: Situated to the east of the harbor, this affluent area is where the wealthy traders and shipowners reside. The houses here are multi-storied, with ornate balconies, decorated pillars, and lush gardens. Seafarer’s Taverns: Scattered around the harbor and into the town, these establishments offer a warm bed, a hot meal, and tales of the sea. Some are rowdy, catering to the fresh-off-the-ship crowd, while others are more refined, serving officers and genteel travelers. Temple Hill: A gentle slope to the north of the town hosts various temples and shrines. The largest is the Temple of Poseilea, the goddess of the sea, with its iconic blue dome and cascading water features. Garrison and Walls: Vandermire is encircled by a robust stone wall, a remnant from days of old when pirates roamed the seas. The garrison, located at the town’s western edge, houses the town’s guards and a small contingent of soldiers. Residential Areas: Beyond the market district and stretching towards the town walls, these are areas of clustered homes, ranging from modest cottages to more spacious family dwellings. Interspersed are communal wells and green spaces where children play and elders gather. Craftsmen’s Lane: Parallel to the Fisherman’s Wharf, this district is where skilled artisans — blacksmiths, carpenters, sailmakers, and coopers — have their workshops.
And here's the ship battle map
Artwork by Liam Hammond
Look forward to getting this adventure into your inboxes.
As promised in Update #19, every backer who completed their BackerKit survey by this morning are receiving DriveThruRPG PDF download codes for the four new Absolute Power RPG expansions and add-ons today.
If your BackerKit email is the same as your DriveThru email, the download links will also conveniently appear in our DriveThru inbox. Once you log into your account, you can retrieve your inbox messages here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/account_notification_inbox.php
Digital rewards for late surveys will be fulfilled irregularly as they come in – typically within a few days of completion.
Physical Reward Timeline Update
Some awesome news coming your way if you pledged for physical products as well. We have worked with the printer to advance our production timeline by several months! If everything proceeds as planned, physical rewards will ship to backers in January 2024 instead of April as originally announced. The holiday season may delay shipping into February, but we believe January is still possible.
We’ll provide shipping updates when we have it. Until then, enjoy the free digital copies that come with your physical pledge.
If you have any questions about any aspects relating to this crowdfunding campaign that isn’t addressed in this update – seriously, ANY and ALL aspects – please email [email protected] directly with as much detail as you can. This will allow us to address your situation quickly and efficiently. Please do not send us BackerKit messages, or post in the campaign comments section, or post on social media. If you have issues that you want us to address, [email protected] is always the best way to reach us. Always.
That’s all for today. Enjoy the PDFs and please spread the word about the Kickstarter! Thanks.
Season's Greetings (I still feel weird saying that before Thanksgiving),
You might not have noticed this yet, but we've added more information on the December One Shot Workshop on the campaign page. A few people have reached out asking what it's all about. It's a fairly simple idea. We've published a couple dozen adventures (and counting) and we figured, "Heck, why not run a workshop to show people how to take an adventure from idea to publication themselves?"
The crazy part is, our team of experts are involved. These are people who create D&D content for a living!
This 6-hour gig is a masterclass in adventure creation, with exercises, handouts, and presentations.
You won't find an event like it...especially not at the current price.
I'll cover game design, marketing, and publishing. Our head lorekeeper (and lead producer), Nicci, will cover writing and lore. Our art director, Darren, will cover working with artists. And our layout artist, Piotr, will cover everything you need to know to create a stunning PDF (and print book too of course). Oh, and our COO, Kayleigh, will be hosting the event and keeping us all in check :)
We have a limited number of spots! Only 10 available on this Kickstarter...which we honestly won't max out, but we wanted to give as many people as possible a chance to get a seat.
Oh, and this is looking to become an annual event...Will you be there for the first ever Penny Dragon Workshop?
You can get more information in add-ons and over HERE.
While we're at it, congratulations on unlocking 2 new stretch goals!
1 x New Monster (Artackain)
4 x Pre-gen Character Sheets
We made an error on the graphics on the campaign. But we're working on updating it so it reflects the above!
Next up is the coveted Labelled Map!
Don't forget to share this campaign with your gaming friends to unlock this and more stretch goals :)
And as always, thank you so much for everything!
Cheers, Paddy
P.S. Below are some examples of labelled maps from our other campaigns...by Moreno Paisan.
Compilation of some of our maps! Awesome, right?
Close of of the Burning Fields map for more detail...Exquisite!
We'll also talking about how we design maps and work with map artists/cartographers to bring our vision to life. Don't miss out. Check out the One Shot Workshop!
