We're in the Final Days countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. Trinity Continuum: Aegis finishes the crowdfunding campaign on Thursday, August 17th at 2:00 PM EDT. There's still time to Inspire others to drink the ambrosia, 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 five days to make sure everyone has the information they need to support this project in the way that works best for them.
Aug 15 - Draft Manuscript Preview #6 - Chapter 7 + Appendix for backers
Aug 16 - Stretch Goal review
Aug 17 - Final Day Checklist and Next Steps
Whether you're a veteran of many voyages or just setting sail on your first adventure, there 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 fun fiction.)
PLEDGE REWARD TIERS
Like it says right at the top of the campaign story page, we've come together to help create a fully developed PDF and hardcover version for this epic "historical" expansion to the Trinity Continuum tabletop roleplaying game. Many of you have already explored different eras and genres within the Trinity Continuum, but this setting takes us back as far as we've ever gone in the Continuum, though it may have echoes that can be felt far in the future. While the book is focused on the Iron age of Greece, the ideas and options contained within can easily be incorporated into your Æon, Aberrant, Adventure!, Anima, Aether or Assassin game. Time travel and dimensional travel are already part of the Trinity Continuum, so who's to say what crossovers could be possible in your game!
PLEDGING YOUR SUPPORT
To borrow an analogy that I've used in past campaigns, this process we're a part of works similar to the "Viewers Like You" support campaign from your local Public Broadcasting Station (for those who get American television channels or watched Sesame Street in the pre-HBO era): There are various levels of support that you can pledge to, and these come with various levels of rewards offered as a thank you. Like getting a tote bag or t-shirt when you give money to public broadcasting to fund them doing their thing, you can get rewards for helping Onyx Path work on this project.
Let's review the Backer Reward Tiers to ensure that you've pledged to a Reward Tier that provides all the rewards you wish to receive.
Hardcover Book or PDF Version
The main reward offered in this campaign is, of course, the main goal of the entire proposition: the finished book for Trinity Continuum: Aegis. The first decision you need to make is what form your rewards will take. Do you want your main rewards in digital form and are going for the PDF rulebook? Or are you do you the full tactile solution as a hardcover version (which includes the PDF as a bonus!).
With that decision in mind, we've got two key reward tiers to choose from:
The Nautikoi: This is the PDF-only reward allegiance. 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 options 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 and be able to download at your leisure.
The Society of the Lion: This reward allegiance includes the 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.
Two important reminders at this stage:
Shipping Costs: We’ll be charging for shipping in the Pledge Manager once the books are being printed and we can deal with the actual shipping charges rather than using our best-guesses this far out. We’re still anticipating pretty hefty costs to ship the book internationally (see our current guesses on the story page) so be forewarned, but we’ll cross that enormous bridge when we get to it.
Trinity Continuum: Aegis is a setting and rules expansion for the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook. The TC Core Rulebook forms the basis for all of the settings and expansions within the Trinity Continuum, so to make full use of this book, you will need the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook.
That said, if you don't already have the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook, there's a digital Pledge Allegiances that will take care of you with a single click:
The Fellowship of Āšipu: A digital entry into the Trinity Continuum, this pledge path contains PDF versions of both Trinity Continuum: Aegis as well as the Trinity Continuum Core Rules.
In addition to these primary reward pledge paths, we also offer the following options:
The Delphic League: Not ready to commit, or just looking to offer general support? This pledge allegiance is for you. This does not include our primary reward, but allows you to select some digital optional Add Ons, as well as participating in the post-campaign Pledge Manager as a backer. You'll also be able to read the draft manuscript of Trinity Continuum: Aegis that we post throughout this campaign.
Scribes of the Shell, Circle of Heroes: A few Reward Allegiances offer special limited premium rewards in addition to the basics, including an option to act as a Art Model or a chance to supply a name to be used by an NPC included in a supplement. Check each of the Pledge Tier descriptions for more details.
After the campaign is over we'll launch our BackerKit Pledge Manager and invite the backers to set up their rewards via survey. This allows you to confirm your pledge and add on anything that you might have missed, as well as possibly increasing your pledged reward tier, should you choose to expand your reward selection. This option will give international backers additional time to investigate shipping options, should they choose, knowing they can confirm a physical reward at a later date. We will also use BackerKit's Pledge Manager to charge actual shipping costs for orders when we're approaching order fulfillment. Funding collected by BackerKit after the crowdfunding campaign does not count toward any campaign Stretch Goals, however.
You'll note that two rewards - Access to the Manuscript Previews and Participation in Post-Campaign Pledge Manager - are included in ALL reward tiers. That's just one of the perks of participating in this crowdfunding campaign!
OPTIONAL DISCOUNTED PoD VERSION – For this Trinity Continuum: Aegis campaign, you will have the option of using DriveThruRPG.com’s Print-On-Demand service to purchase a physical, printed copy of the PDF directly from their PoD partners at discounted cost (this cost is not included in your pledge, and you do not need to increase the cost of your pledge to use this option). When the PoD versions are available to order (which maybe some time after the books have gone to print), you will receive links to purchase these versions of the books from DriveThruRPG.com. You DO NOT need to take advantage of this PoD offer as it does not affect in any way your pledge rewards.
TRINITY CONTINUUM: AEGIS PDF VERSION - The digital version of Trinity Continuum: Aegis, fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Backers will receive redemption links for an early version of this book before it goes on sale to the public. This initial "Advance Version" will be used to get feedback from the fans to make the final version the best that it can be. When it has been updated to the final version, it will automatically be added to your DriveThruRPG library and available for download at your convenience.
TRINITY CONTINUUM: AEGIS HARDCOVER BOOK - The main goal of this campaign is to fund the creation, production, and print run of a hardcover edition of this book. Note that all Reward Tiers that include the physical hardcover version also include the digital PDF version as a bonus. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager.
Choosing Your Reward Tier
There has been some churn over this past week - a few Reward Tier adjustments and changes by backers, as budgets changed and people have read the manuscript previews. In these final days it's best to ensure that you've selected the Reward Tier that offers you the options and rewards you want to receive and are ready to lock down. This timing - before the campaign ends - is the absolute most affordable and inclusive these rewards will be, and will save headaches and heartbreaks if fully considered now.
This is just the first step, however, in completing your pledge for this campaign. Funds for additional extras can be added to your pledge by selecting Add On options and increasing the overall funding and maybe getting us closer to a Stretch Goal.
First Step: Reward Tier
To summarize the first part of this post, the absolute best way to ensure that you're getting the primary rewards you want from this crowdfunding campaign is to ensure you've selected the appropriate Backer Reward Tier. Selecting the right Reward Tier covers about 95% of the options available to you. If you want a PDF only, make sure you've selected the correct reward. If you want the hardcover version, double-check your reward tier to ensure the proper option is featured. If you're going digital now but want the option of getting a discounted Print-on-Demand copy later, make sure you've got a reward tier that includes it.
Once you've completed that important step, you're going to want to look at the Add On rewards for any reward "bits" that don't automatically fall into your reward tier. That takes us to the Add On step.
Step Two: Add-On Options
Once you've chosen your pledge tier, you've likely already included the main rewards you want. In addition to the rewards offered as part of the Reward Tier configurations, there are a few other possible rewards you may wish to add. All Add-On rewards are described in our Add On menu below.
You can select an Add On option, which will increase the amount of your pledge by the listed amount. Add on options will be selected and confirmed again in the Pledge Manager when that's up and running.
The Trinity Continuum is a tabletop roleplaying game about possibilities and human potential. In the continuum, you will portray characters who can act and achieve even the most outlandish goals. Talents are people who have the ability to unknowingly reach into the continuum and change their own circumstances, appearing to be extremely lucky or very skilled individuals.
Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook - The Trinity Continuum Corebook is a standalone setting within the Trinity Continuum, but also serves as the foundation for other era/genre expansions, such as Æon, Aberrant, Adventure! Inside, you will find rules for creating characters within the Trinity Continuum; rules for Action Adventure, Intrigue, and Procedural play; advice for running genre games and styles of play in the Trinity Continuum; information on playing Talents in the modern era.
Trinity Continuum: Aberrant - Trinity Continuum: Aberrant is a game of superpowered adventure in the near-future of the Trinity Continuum. In 2018, novas — people with superhuman powers — first appeared following the explosion of a space station high above Earth. Now, 10 years later, thousands of novas have transformed the world, using their extraordinary powers to fight crime, clean up the environment, invent new technologies, and create wonders.
Trinity Continuum: Æon - Humanity has begun settling on planets circling other suns. Teleporters and the new Leviathan jump ships can take anyone across the galaxy in a few hours, so the stars are at last within our reach. However, we have found dangers as well as wonders out there, and only by working together can we overcome them and take our place on the galactic stage.
Trinity Continuum: Adventure! - Trinity Continuum: Adventure! is a pulp action game set in an alternate history 1930s putting the players in the shoes of daring adventurers who seek to right wrongs and stop evildoers. In a world altered by strange telluric energy, characters may find themselves transported to places out of time where dinosaurs still roam or stopping an evil genius from blowing up the moon.
Trinity Continuum: Assassins - Trinity Continuum: Assassins transports players to the Contiuum’s underworld where well-dressed killers-for-hire use high-tech weapons and gear to eliminate their targets. Assassins join hidden Societies, each unified by their preferred method of doing violence. Their lives are brutal, blood-stained, and glamorous.
Trinity Continuum: Anima - Trinity Continuum: Anima is a game of cyberpunk and LitRPG (short for “literary roleplaying”) adventure set in the future of the Trinity Continuum. Characters in Anima are Talents — supremely talented individuals with an innate and unconscious ability to change the world. They have come to Cascade for their own reasons but are drawn into the intrigues of both the physical and virtual worlds. Some will enter the dangerous world of corporate cloak and dagger to uncover the answers lurking in shady business deals, while others will delve deep into the virtual world’s mysteries, discovering secrets meant to be left buried. Whatever the campaign’s focus, troupes will need to work in both worlds to ensure survival. Players need strong allies for security in the real world as well as high-level animas to fight back about the forces seeking to control a world fighting to rebuild itself.
Trinity Continuum: Aether [Pre-Order] - Trinity Continuum: Aether is a game of steampunk adventure, exploration, and mystery set in 1895 in the Trinity Continuum. In the decade prior, Nikola Tesla identified and learned to harness Aether, an energy source capable of spinning new realities or unwinding the effect to restore reality. Now, Aether users dot the globe, silently spinning and unwinding with ease while Victorian era society goes about unaware of the dangerous experiments taking place in underground laboratories, dark alleys, and foreign worlds. Projected to deliver to pre-order backers by March 2024.
Trinity Continuum Player's Guide[Pre-Order] - The worlds of the Trinity Continuum contain a wealth of mysteries that are mostly invisible or at minimum very rarely encountered by the un-Inspired. However, Talents have unique sensitivities to some phenomena and have uncovered unusual realms to visit and new methods of travel. In addition to flux being the source of Talents’ luck, it is also a potent force that permits individuals to travel between parallel universes or even venture into the past or onto distant worlds. This book also explores other realms characters can visit, including ancient undersea settlements, as well as stranger destinations, such as microscopic worlds that characters can only reach by shrinking. Projected to deliver to pre-order backers by September 2024.
All of the Trinity Continuum game PDFs listed above also include a discounted Print-on-Demand option, if you choose to use DriveThruRPG's services and want to order a hardcopy of the PDF.
Trinity Continuum PDF Bundles.
Get a digital library full of supplements and expansions for three eras within the Trinity Continuum.
Contemporary PDF Bundle - This digital bundle expands on the action-adventure world introduced in the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook and includes In Media Res PDF, Core Screen PDF, Hunt for the Red Widow Encounter, New Lives PDF, A Fight at the Museum PDF.
Aberrant PDF Bundle - This digital bundle expands on the world of 2028 as presented in Trinity Continuum: Aberrant and includes You Are Not Alone PDF, Aberrant Screen PDF, Swine & Cheese PDF, Amalgamated Idea Dynamics PDF, N!WE Unleashed PDF, The Queer Nova Alliance PDF, Proteus Novas Compendium PDF, Novas Worldwide PDF, Terat PDF, Panopticon PDF.
Æon PDF Bundle - This digital bundle builds on the sci-fi world of Trinity Continuum: Æon and includes Æon Æxpansion PDF, Æon Screen PDF, Æon Ready-Made Characters PDF, Distant Worlds PDF, Terra Firma PDF, Under Alien Skies PDF, Æon VTT Tokens, Pets PDF, Prometheus Unbound PDF, Earth Oribital Habitat PDF, The Phoebe Trust PDF, Mission Statements PDF, Dawn PDF, Meridian PDF.
Trinity Continuum: Aegis Add Ons
Of course, in addition to these Trinity Continuum releases, you can also add an additional redemption for your eventual PDF code, or add another copy of the hardcover to your rewards shipment. Unlocked via Stretch Goal achievement, we've also got the Aegis Storyguide Screen, a reference screen with charts and tables on the inside to make running the game a little easier.
You can modify your pledges to select Add Ons right up until the campaign ends. Once you've decided to Pledge to the campaign, or to Manage your Pledge if you've already backed, you either Confirm or Edit Your Pledge until Thursday, August 17th at 2:00 PM EDT
Pick a Pledge Tier, then Add On Options
Ready to join in? If you're backing for the first time, you can click BACK IT and select your Pledge Tier and finalize funding amount in the next menu.
Using myself as an example, I've got many of the previous Trinity Continuum books, and I know for sure that I want the hardcover version of Trinity Continuum: Aegis to sit proudly on my gaming shelf. Once I click BACK IT, I see my pledge level options. If I want to know a bit more about each level, I can click Learn More, or if I know what I'm looking for, I can click Back It.
The two main Pledges focusing on Trinity Continuum: Aegis are the $25 Nautikoi for PDF only rewards, and the $60 Society of the Lion Allegiance for the hardcover book.
Clicking "Learn More" expands the Pledge Level info. For example, clicking "Learn More" on The Society of the Lion gives you...
This is the reward I'm choosing, as it exactly fits my needs for this project.
Once you're ready, you can click that BACK IT button and go right to Add On options.
For example, I've decided on the $60 Society of the Lion Allegiance, so I select BACK IT for that tier, and then I want to add on some of the more recent Trinity Continuum releases - the Anima, Aether, and the Player's Guide PDFs to my rewards list.
My total is $120.00 USD. That's $60 for my Society of the Lion pledge Allegiance, +$20 for the Trinity Continuum: Anima PDF Add On option +$20 for the Trinity Continuum: Aether PDF Add On option +$20 for the Trinity Continuum Player's Guide PDF Add On option
When everything is correct, click NEXT and then Confirm Your Pledge. You'll get an e-mail confirmation of your choices.
If you're already a backer but want to update your pledge or Add On choices...
Select "Manage Your Pledge" at the top of the page, and then "Edit Your Pledge" on your listing, and then...
You can select a new Pledge Level from the available option menu, or Change your Add On selection.
As before, you'll confirm all of your choices, and then receive an e-mail confirmation once that's done.
And with that, my pledge level and Add On options are set for your pledge. At this time, you don't need to worry about setting shipping information.
You should also be aware that any available Add On options will be made available in our BackerKit pledge manager, so if you're unsure about adding on something at this point, you will be able to adjust your pledge in the post-campaign phase.
Pledging to the campaign also opens up the Stretch Goal rewards as thanks for your participation. We'll review our Stretch Goal accomplishments on Wednesday, but it's important to note that backers who wait and Pre-Order Trinity Continuum: Aegis at a later date will not have any Stretch Goal rewards automatically added to their rewards list. The Stretch Goal rewards will only automatically be added to the rewards for those who participated in this crowdfunding campaign.
REWARD DELIVERY
About 3-4 weeks after the campaign has ended, I'll launch our post-campaign Pledge Manager to collect information from all backers and confirm which rewards you'll be receiving. At that point, you'll be able to review your rewards and also also adjust any Add On Options that you may have missed. Once we have everything confirmed, I'll be able to deliver any rewards that are currently available - like the PDF versions of the other Trinity Continuum Rulebooks, as well as the three Era Supplement PDF Bundles. Backers who have pledged for these options will be sent special redemption links to claim these digital rewards from our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Clicking these redemption links will allow you to add these PDF titles to your digital library to download anytime. I'll send an update when all of that is happening, though, so you are aware every step of the way.
So, while it will take some time for Trinity Continuum: Aegis to move from manuscript form to a final product, you won't be waiting a year for PDFs that already exist. (You'll be waiting about 4-5 weeks or so, just enough time for us to set up the reward infrastructure.)
Physical Books
If you're waiting to see the International shipping costs before upgrading your PDF pledge to the hardcover reward tier, you'll have lots of time for that. We won't close the Pledge Manager until the books are ready to print and we know what shipping costs will be, so you'll be able to go back and adjust your pledge tier at that time.
It's going to take some time to create the final PDF for Trinity Continuum: Aegis and even longer for the eventual print run for the hardcover book. When the books are at the printer, I will be in touch with all backers to outline timeline for pledge adjustments, as well as lockdown procedures and when we'll be confirming addresses and processing BackerKit Add Ons and Shipping payments. That's a long time away, and we'll cover that as we get closer to that part of the process.
Don't fret if you had forgotten to select additional rewards by the end of the campaign. These Add Ons will be available to select in our post-campaign Pledge Manager for those who participated in our campaign and have full access to the Pledge Manager. So, if you are undecided at this time, you will be able to hold off until we're closer to the final reward shipment goes out.
Step 1: Pledge Tier
Step 2: Add On Options
Again, your first step should involve your main reward selection, and your Add On Options will build upon that. If you selected the PDF-only tier, you can investigate PDF and digital options. If you select the hardcover tier, you will be able to add physical reward options. You should not add on additional physical rewards (like the Storyguide Screen) if the Trinity Continuum: Aegis hardcover book is not included in your pledge tier reward list, but these Add Ons will appear in BackerKit if you later adjust your pledge choice.
Note that all funds are expressed in US Dollars, so take into account your conversion as needed.
It Adds Up!
That should explain the process of Selecting your Reward Level and adding Add On options and confirming your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT. Since increasing your pledge amount increases the overall funding level of the project, add-ons can help us achieve our Stretch Goal funding targets, so it benefits us all to suggest that you double-check to make sure you're getting all of the rewards you want.
Additionally, this may go without saying,please review your personal budgetand ensure you've selected the appropriate reward tier and add ons for your current financial situation. BackerKit will begincharging your payment methodat midnight the day the campaign ends, so ensure you've budgeted correctly. Choose what works best for you now and is affordable at this time, knowing that you can upgrade your pledge level or choose Add Ons in the Pledge Manager at a late date.
Conclusion
As we move through these final days of the campaign, please ensure you've chosen the correct Reward Level for the rewards you want (at least at this point). And beyond that - please make sure you've investigated and selected any add-ons you wish to receive. If you have any issues with the Pledge process, either selecting the reward tier or figuring out the Add On options, you can reach out to me or to the support team at BackerKit. I've found them to respond quickly and offer great support.
On Thursday, just before the campaign ends, I will send an update detailing the steps that occur after the campaign concludes, including notes about our Pledge Manager and the communication plan going forward.
So, just like always: Spread the word! Share your excitement on social media! Tell your friends! We're about to work on our final great deeds, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!
And I'll be back Tuesday with the FINAL manuscript section for Trinity Continuum: Aegis, making the complete text available for all backers to review before the campaign ends!
The Aegis Atlas bonus supplement will be expanded to include additional non-Greek locations, along with some Aegis-appropriate super-science gadgets and devices.
Goal: $40,000 reached! — We did it! This project reached this goal!
