As some of you have noticed, games began shipping to backers last week—ahead of schedule, and while I (Rue, your friendly local update-maker) was out of town for a trade show. I apologize for not making an update when shipping began, but I'm excited to do so now!
The time dragon roars over a river of magma.
Shipments have started in the United States, Canada, Australia, Asia, and Europe! For our handful of folks outside of these regions, your shipments are also underway—they will ship from our warehouse here in Seattle.
We hope to complete Wave 1 fulfillment by the end of next week (June 12th) for all backers! Once our warehouse and our international shipping partners have completed shipping, we'll be back with another update!
Also—for our backers who purchased PDF add ons during the campaign, such as the Core Rulebook bundle or Crown of the Kobold King, those will be distributed via BackerKit this week! Stay tuned for an update on how to redeem your codes.
We are also doing final checks on the Foreteller Narrative App and will have an update coming this week on how to access the app!
If your game arrives, please tell us about it! We can't wait to hear how your table fares in Pathfinder Quest!
You did it! Your collective efforts have permanently unlocked both stretch goals. This means Mike Apollo, The Prophet has been added to ALL copies of The Big Squeeze going forward. Congratulations!
If you'd like to join playtesting for The Prophet, join our Discord where we will soon begin hosting games of The Big Squeeze on Tabletopia after the campaign.
Thank you for your support in getting us here! Now, we can finally share who you've unlocked...
Character Highlight: Mike Apollo
Mike has dealt with his fair share of lemons in life. Last year, he launched a new segment on his radio station where he played 'suspicious waveforms' on-air to predict the future. For some reason, his listener count has plummeted since then. But even worse, each waveform predicted the same thing: an apocalypse, a huge... crushing of society... was coming soon. Mike had to save anyone who would listen.
Mike became a radio host as an excuse for owning so much audio gear.
Unfortunately, his radio station no longer had enough listeners to spread the word, so Mike had to take to the streets for the first time in years. Taking notes from his previous radio sponsors, he decided on just one simple phrase that he'd use to warn Rinddale. He put his slogan on posters, handed it out in flyers, and shouted it from crates in town square.
Mike was surprised at the positive reception: the townsfolk were thankful to be reminded, and soon it was spreading all over town. It wasn't until the Mayor approached, asking Mike if he'd participate in the festival himself, that Mike realized his slogan about "preparing for the giant crushing of society" had been misinterpreted.
"SAVE UP FOR THE BIG SQUEEZE!"
Whoops. So, seeing one last chance to warn the town, Mike indeed entered The Big Squeeze (festival) as a contestant. And if he's correct about this apocalypse, it'd be a good opportunity for him to save up for The Big Squeeze (apocalypse) himself.
Mike can predict the future. Play as him to borrow abilities from lemonades you haven't even made yet! In exchange, you'll want to fulfill your own prophecies to unlock new ones. You'll know things are going well when you start taking actions off the board to "visit yourself" instead...
While The Big Squeeze is all about making lemonade from whatever life gives you, Mike is designed for players who like having a specific mini-quest to aim for, and especially if they like trying characters that feel weirder than normal.
Stretch Goals Complete!
With that stretch goal, The Big Squeeze officially has all content fully unlocked. Thank you for being a part of this community, and welcome! We're glad to have you all here just in time for the final hours of this campaign.
What’s next for Lairs of Etharis: Transformed? Get these dates in your calendars!
💀Hey everyone!
Now that the dust has settled on the campaign, we’re back with the full breakdown of what happens between now and the moment your new lairs land on your doorstep. Below you’ll find the post-campaign schedule, an explanation of each stage, and a few things we’d love for you to do to make sure your pledge is set up correctly.
⌛Late Pledges & Stretch Goals
First up, a note about late pledges and stretch goals. As you may have assumed, as the campaign has now closed no additional stretch goals can be unlocked. We need to lock down the scope of the content so we can keep production on track and deliver everything we’ve promised on time.
Late pledges will remain open through our BackerKit page for a limited time, so if you’ve got friends who missed out, point them our way before that window shuts. We’ll share the late pledge closing date in an upcoming update, as we get closer to printing.
📅Post-Campaign Schedule
Below is the schedule of key dates we’d love every backer to have on their radar between now and fulfilment. We’ll remind you about each milestone as we get closer, but it’s worth dropping these in your calendar so nothing sneaks up on you.
All Current Pledge Manager Surveys: Sent out by Monday 8th June, 26 🟡
Lock orders (continuous): Begins 17th July, 26 🔴
Charge cards (continuous): Begins 10th Aug, 26 🔴
Lock addresses: February, 2027 🔴
Fulfilment begins: Shipping to start March, 2027 🔴
❗Check Your Pledge: NOW!
This one is the easiest thing on your plate, and the most important. Please log in to your BackerKit account and confirm your pledge has gone through successfully. Only successful pledges can be fulfilled.
If something has gone sideways on the payment side, that’s usually between you and your bank, and unfortunately it’s not something we can resolve directly. If you think we might be able to help, drop us a line at [email protected] and our team will take a look.
This is one of the most important dates on the schedule. From Friday of this week, we’ll send out pledge manager surveys through BackerKit - starting with a smoke test to a subsection of backers to make sure everything works. All current pledges should receive their survey by Monday of next week. This is where you’ll:
• Confirm your pledge level and items
• Add any add-ons you’d like to your order
• Enter your shipping address
• Pay your shipping costs
Shipping is not charged during the campaign itself, so the survey is where shipping is calculated and paid based on your region and items. Any extra money you pledged on the campaign above your tier will appear as credit inside BackerKit and can be put toward add-ons.
As mentioned, we’ll send a smoke test to a small group of backers first so we can iron out any issues before everyone gets their survey. If you’re one of those early backers, your feedback helps us make the process smoother for the rest of the community.
❓New to BackerKit?
If this is your first BackerKit campaign, no worries. Here’s how it works:
When surveys go out, you’ll receive an email from [email protected] with the subject line “Response Needed: Get your reward from Lairs of Etharis: Transformed.” The link inside takes you to your survey. From there, you’ll workthrough the items in your pledge, add any extras you’d like, then continue to the shipping payment section.
If you don’t yet have a BackerKit account, you can create one ahead of time. Just make sure you use the same email address you used to back the campaign so your pledge links up correctly.
🔒Lock Addresses: February, 2027
A few months before fulfilment we’ll lock shipping addresses. After this point, address changes are difficult and may incur additional shipping costs if a parcel needs to be redirected, so make sure your details are accurate well before the lock date.
A quick note on P.O. Boxes and Parcel Lockers: Our couriers cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes or parcel lockers. If your address is one of these, your pledge will not be able to be delivered. Please enter a street address in BackerKit so your books actually arrive at your door.
🚚Fulfilment: Shipping Begins March, 2027
The bit everyone is waiting for. We’ll do everything in our power to hit this date, but we want to be upfront that production and shipping sometimes throw unanticipated curveballs at us, and that can push timelines. If anything changes, we’ll communicate it as early as we can through Kickstarter and BackerKit updates rather than going quiet on you.
When fulfilment starts, we’ll break the schedule down by region (US, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia, NZ and Rest of World) so you know roughly when to expect your wave.
💬Join Us on Discord
If you want to chat about all things Etharis with fellow backers and the team, our Ghostfire Gaming Discord is the place. We share early previews, behind-the-scenes peeks, and it’s where the backer beta discussion will live too.
Join us here: https://discord.com/invite/DfxJfVHQZ3
🧟That’s the Plan
That’s everything for now. The only thing you need to do today is double-check your pledge has gone through cleanly. Beyond that, sit tight, keep an eye on your inbox, and we’ll be back with the next update when pledge manager surveys are about to land.
Thank you again for backing Lairs of Etharis: Transformed and for helping us grow the world of Etharis. We cannot wait to put these new lairs in your hands.
With only a few hours remaining in the voyage, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude. From the very beginning of this voyage, your support, excitement, kindness, and belief in Jason and the Argonauts have meant more to me than words can truly express. Watching over three thousand Adventurers gather aboard the Argo, celebrate achievements, unlock stretch goals together, and share in the excitement of this journey has been something I will never forget.
I had an amazing time running this campaign for you all, and I truly hope you’ve enjoyed this crowdfunding adventure as much as I have. I poured my heart into this voyage, striving to fill it with as much exciting free content and community involvement as possible, from the ever growing Add-On Pack to achievements, stretch goals, and exclusive rewards.
To every Adventurer who chose to board the Argo beside us… thank you.
Your support helped transform this project into something truly legendary.
From my table to yours… thank you for joining this legendary voyage.
But this is not farewell, Adventurer. The voyage may be nearing its end, yet the true journey is only just beginning.
What Comes Next?
Though the crowdfunding campaign draws to a close, much work still lies ahead upon the seas.
Thanks to the many stretch goals unlocked throughout this voyage, there is still a great deal of artwork left to complete. Beyond that, we will begin preparing production files for the manufacturer as we move toward mass production of the game itself.
Throughout this process, we will also receive physical sample copies to inspect the quality of every component, card, token, and detail within the game. Should we discover any issues along the way, revisions will be made and new samples produced until everything meets the standard this legendary voyage deserves.
The road to production can take time, but know this:
We will be working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring Jason and the Argonauts to life in the best way possible.
And as always, we will continue doing our best to remain transparent throughout the entire process. You can expect monthly updates from us as progress is made and new milestones are reached.
Soon, these legends will leave the shores of crowdfunding and make their way to your tables, where new stories, victories, and adventures await.
Until then… may the winds remain favorable, and may we meet again upon another legendary journey.
Hi listeners, I wanted to gauge your interest in having an additional copy of the softcover book as an add-on. As with all of these things, economies of scale does reduce costs across the board, so I wanted to understand your thoughts before I go down the path of seeking quotes and checking delivery options. This may be something I also explore for the store post-campaign.
To all those who once stood beside us during the trials of Hercules and the 12 Labors… we come one final time to extend an invitation to join us on the Jason and the Argonaut voyage before it ends.
The Jason and the Argonauts campaign now enters its final days upon the seas.
First and foremost, thank you. Without your support during Hercules and the 12 Labors, none of this would have been possible. Your belief in these mythological adventures helped pave the way for everything Jason and the Argonauts has become.
And truly… this campaign has surpassed even our wildest expectations.
Funded in just 10 minutes, Over 2,600 Adventurers aboard the Argo. More than $190,000 raised, Countless stretch goals conquered, Exclusive upgrades, bonus content, and rewards unlocked throughout the campaign.
DO NOT MISS OUT on the massive amount of FREE bonus content unlocked throughout this legendary voyage. We are talking about 14+ bonus cards, component upgrades, exclusive stickers, and more, all added to Jason and the Argonauts absolutely FREE for eligible backers who join before the campaign comes to an end.
Every eligible Adventurer aboard the Argo will receive an enormous collection of bonus content unlocked throughout the campaign, and we dont want you to miss out on it.
If you loved Hercules and the 12 Labors, we truly believe you will feel right at home within Jason and the Argonauts. Built upon the same core system, yet expanded with new mechanics, legacy systems, journey cards, discoveries, lore, and strategic decisions, this is the next great mythological adventure forged from everything we learned creating Hercules and the 12 Labors.
This is your final chance to board the Argo before the voyage ends.
Your support has helped turn these mythological worlds into reality, and we cannot wait for you to experience the next chapter of the legend beside us.
Decide if there should be another stretch goal and, if so, give input on what it might be. What actually happens will be decided by considering both the wishes of backers and the feasibility of the possible stretch goal.
Today we'll peek at new Constellation art, highlight your chosen character, and vote on the FINAL Lemonade Stand-Off. Let's get started!
Freshly Squeezed Constellation Art
Cam has already begun finishing art for the Constellations you've chosen, and it looks sweet. Take a look:
Stay tuned next week for more pictures, and a written interview with Cam about his art style and illustrations for The Big Squeeze!
Character Highlight: Billy
Billy won the last Lemonade Stand-Off with a super-narrow 51% of votes, which really shows how much each vote matters. Congratulations to all who voted for Billy!
Billy has already dealt with his share of lemons in life. When he took on the legendary lemon tree of his father, grandfather, great-grandmother and beyond, its signature flavour in Tiger Style lemonade helped his stand start strong... until his lemon tree began showing strange signs of illness, producing fewer and fewer lemons. Billy didn't want to let down his family, so when Zephyr Beverages approached his stand and offered a cure, Billy happily let them take a cutting from his lemon tree for testing. His tree recovered shortly after...
Why is it called Tiger Style? "Because it's awesome!"
It wasn't long until Zephyr released a 'new' drink line, Leopard Lemonade, with a very familiar flavour, and announced their entry into The Big Squeeze to show the world their latest Original Lemonade. Worried he accidentally gave away his family's legacy, Billy signed up for the contest as well. He'd have to win in order to prove that Tiger Lemonade is the true original, and that lemonade is about more than just a special strain of lemon.
Can the youngest contestant truly outpace Zephyr and prove that Tiger Lemonade can go the distance? We're all excited to find out!
At least Billy (now 'Renegade Bill') got some payback by building his running blade from Zephyr drone parts.
Billy's primary strengths are adaptation and snowball potential. The ability to move upgrades is weaker than a guaranteed upgrade in one particular area, but this lets him shift focus as the game continues so Billy can always adapt to the current stage of the game.
While Billy starts slow, his post-apocalypse powers are great for keeping momentum while scoring bounties. He has to avoid rushing in too soon, and build up his menu first! But once Billy is ready, he's the best in the game at catching up to almost any opponent. This makes him ideal for players who love big setups with game-ending payoffs!
Lemonade Stand-Off #3: Jack vs. Carol vs. Midas
Our final Stand-Off is a three-way poll, featuring Jack along with returning contestants Carol and Midas. This will determine which character gets the final spotlight before the campaign wraps up.
Midas is the infamous infomercial salesman of "Ice-10", which he claims are self-propagating ice crystals. Carol is a pilot and farmer known for inventing a form of Aerial Application for lemon trees. She's suspected to be the "Santa of Rinddale". Jack is the CEO of Zephyr Beverages, a top competitor in the food & beverage industry.
Whose story needs to be exposed? Cast your vote now, and whoever wins will be featured in the next character introduction! Voting closes Saturday at 8:00pm ET.
If we reach 80% funded in the next 48 hours, one random backer (pulled from current backer list at the time of hitting 80%) will win a signed prototype copy - one of only two in the world!
Goal: $3,200 reached! — We did it! This project reached this goal!
![user avatar image for Chris Rio [Cheer Up Games]](https://images.backerkit.com/active_storage/backerkit_production/blob/bitpkir6vcexhm1kasjy83jsw9o9?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&w=40&h=40&fit=crop&crop=center&auto=compress%2Cformat)
