Good day! It's a Tuesday! If you didn't see our last update, we have decided to move updates to every other Tuesday in order to better engage with you—it gives us more time to prepare the update, and more time to answer questions after the update is posted. So you'll see these updates posted on Tuesdays moving forward.

Before we get into anything else, I want to let everyone know that we are going to push back the closing of the pledge manager one last time to June 7, the Friday after our next update. This will be explained further down below.

So in an effort to do better with engagement, I want to first address the fulfillment of waves 1 and 2 in the EU. The fact that there is so much frustration and confusion here is totally on us, and I apologize for that. For update after update, we were reporting what our shipping partners were reporting to us, but the problem was that you were experiencing something different than what we were reporting, and we weren't listening to your feedback. Had we listened earlier, we could have done better to clear up the confusion and solve whatever issues there were. And so, while we are late to do so, we'll try to clear things up for you as best we can now.

First of all, containers of Frosthaven did arrive at our EU fulfillment partner back in the beginning of March, and they began fulfillment of that. However, the container of add-ons got delayed (both in transit, due to the Suez Canal issues, and at port), so only orders of just Frosthaven were able to be fulfilled at that time. This is why it looked like nothing was being fulfilled, even though we were fulfilling as much as we could. We should have been more clear that no orders with any add-ons were being fulfilled, and I apologize for that.

Even after the container of add-ons and Buttons & Bugs did arrive, we had two other main issues that caused shipping delays. First, there was an issue with DHL where they would not allow Buttons & Bugs to ship in the cartons we’d created due to the size. This required ordering mailing envelopes they could place Buttons & Bugs in. On top of waiting for the envelopes to arrive, this also caused an extra step in the packing process that took time. Second, the warehouse team had an illness that spread through their facility completely shutting them down for several weeks. While we were notified that there may be some delays due to some illness, we did not realize that the entire warehouse had shut down. All around, there could have been better communication with the fulfillment center, and better communication with you, and we are working to improve both.

EU/RoW: The good news is that the fulfillment center has everything they need and is fully operational, and so have been sending out lots of orders. They reported that they have about 500 Buttons & Bugs left to ship (out of 6000 total), which should all be shipped out by the end of the week. Then next week, they've got about 500 larger Frosthaven orders requiring longer pick times that still need to be sent out.

Asia: Unfortunately, due to a clerical error and a miscommunication with VFI, some regions did not get shipped out with the others, but have either shipped now or are in the queue to ship ASAP. This is especially frustrating for us as well, as we try to improve communication, and I apologize for the further delays here. We are going to do better on future waves.

Here is the breakdown by region of what has shipped:
Japan: Shipment expected to arrive at the fulfillment center on 6/15/2024.
South Korea: Shipment expected to arrive at the fulfillment center on 6/22/2024.
Taiwan: Shipment expected to arrive at the fulfillment center on 6/20/2024.

China/Hong Kong: Parcels shipped starting on May 15th.

India: Shipment expected to arrive at the fulfillment center on 5/30/2024.

Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates: Shipment expected to arrive at the fulfillment center on 7/02/2024.

Thailand: Shipment expected to arrive at the fulfillment center on 6/20/2024.

FedEx regions (like Cyprus): These have all shipped. Backers should've received a tracking number to their provided email.

Our fulfillment partner has also provided a link to us with a page they update, you can view that here, and they’ll be updating it as more product ships (the project listed under Frosthaven).

UK: All but ~50 orders have shipped as of May 3. Our fulfillment partner had an incorrect inventory count on one product, delaying these specific orders. We’ve rushed a box to them and expect to have these few remaining orders shipping out within the next week.

US/MX: COMPLETE!

CANADA: COMPLETE!

AU/NZ: COMPLETE!

As always, if you’re in one of the regions marked complete and haven’t received your wave 1 or 2 products please contact us at [email protected], and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

The other major thing we could be doing better is providing updated timelines for the outstanding projects, with the schedule for the new edition of Gloomhaven being the major thing that needs to be addressed.

We are working hard to get a revised timeline together for you, but, unfortunately, we won't be able to have something concrete until the next update. What I can tell you is that there is an end in sight. All art should be in by the first week of June, and we're hoping to wrap up graphic design by the end of June, but I want to spend some more time getting concrete estimates together, along with taking those estimates to the factory and our other partners to coordinate and project the rest of the manufacturing and shipping process. We'll do our best to get that all together by the next update, but we may still have to make some estimates about the final stages of fulfillment.

And because we are unable to provide you with a timeline for this update, we don't feel comfortable closing the wave 3 pledge manager just yet. This is why we are pushing back the closing of the pledge manager to June 7.

As for the RPG, this could also use a timeline update. We are continuing through the editing process, with half the chapters sent off to editing while we finish revising the rest. This means we are now on track to go into layout in July. We can estimate from there manufacturing in August/September and freight and fulfillment in October/November, but, like for Gloomhaven, we are hoping to get a more concrete timeline estimate for you in a future update.

For a small preview of some of the RPG writing, check out Danielle's designer diary for last month:

                                 

Greetings Mercenaries!

I hope you’ve had a wonderful April. My update today is going to be a bit of behind the scenes on how the development process goes, along with a sneak peek at some WIP setting information. 

Development of a project is fun, because you take the words a bunch of different authors have written, and you put them together in a way that makes it look like a single narrative voice. It takes a bit of style, and a firm understanding of the scope and desires for the project to do, so if you ever hear someone talking about the development process being difficult, believe them. For me, I’ve spent the past month compiling chapters, filling in holes in the text, and moving things around. I’ve also been consulting with Wilting Moon, our official lore keeper here at Cephalofair. This process has been extremely helpful and enlightening, and the amount of information and lore I’ve put into my brainpan in the past month or two has been extreme. The setting chapter alone is huge, and it covers a brief history of the world (including things that are major spoilers for the Gloomhaven board game), a detailed district guide for the city of Gloomhaven, some setting information for all the places nearby to Gloomhaven, and a bit lighter information on places further afield, such as Vair-in-Sul, the valrath nation, and Cyrgen, the eastern continent where quatryls and orchids hail from.

We’ve also got a whole chapter on the different factions that are active in Gloomhaven, and what it’s like to be a part of them. Your faction is a part of your gameplay, just like your ancestry or class, and informs the kinds of things your mercenary cares about, along with the kinds of side quests you’ll have to do while out on missions. These factions set up the political atmosphere for the city, and your mercenaries can engage with them as much or as little as you want. Speaking of, I think the idea of factions and how you interact with them is extremely cool. So, I’m going to share a little excerpt from the Merchant’s Guild to give you a taste of what those look like.

MERCHANT'S GUILD

In the human nation, the Merchant's Guild is literally the government. Composed of the richest of the rich across the nation, this group of oligarchs exerts a total stranglehold on commerce and politics nationwide, with only one exception: the city of Gloomhaven. Guild rule is very hands off. They control and finance both maintaining city infrastructure and law enforcement but little else. Private businesses handle the remainder, and even non-Guild businesses must tithe for the public fund. This often creates tension with the Keepers of the Great Oak, as the Guild explores new sources of profit that deplete or displace natural resources. It also creates a predatory economy of private business concerns. 

Despite devoting extensive resources to it, the Guild has failed consistently to replace the military leadership of Gloomhaven. Bribes, mercenaries, spies, and assassins have all proved distressingly ineffective at destabilizing the Shields. So far, that is. 

When it comes to its membership, those driven by a lust for money and power are usually drawn to the unvarnished avarice of the Guild. Likewise, those with a talent for paperwork and bureaucracy see Guild work as prestigious as well as profitable. Ambition and avarice join hands in its membership. 

FACTION GOALS

The Merchant Guild’s goals always boil down to creating or protecting profit on one hand, and working to take Gloomhaven on the other. Everyone in the Guild works towards these goals. Starting agents serve as guards for Guild resources or VIPs, or acting as thugs against the Shields’ interests. Respected agents are trusted to  "remove impediments", be they people or evidence, negotiate trade deals, and mediate business conflicts. All agents of the Guild within Gloomhaven find themselves engaged in espionage and sabotage against the Shields on a frequent basis. A number of them are also in place at the University, positions assured by Guild donations to the school. 

Possible Missions: Protect or deliver a shipment of goods, kill or weaken members of the Shields, eliminate someone blocking the advancement of a new business venture.

FACTION ALIGNMENT

Allies: Needle-Eye's Freebooters prove to be reliable middlemen and information-brokers. The Sin-Ra Syndicate is a valuable investment when things have to get messy to secure profits.

Enemies: The Shields are the last bastion of militaristic resistance in Casskia, and the Guild believes it is only a matter of time before the overthrow the Shields' power. Those entitled whiners in the Weavers Guild Trade Union are also a persistent thorn in the side of business.

REPUTATION TIER

Debtor: Thankfully, the Guild’s loans department likes gold more than swords. Gain no Faction Benefits.

Goon: Prove your trustworthiness as an asset. When in a city, you may pay a Merchant’s Guild Banker 5 gold in ‘apprenticeship’ fees which gives you access to the Guild Bazaar. The Guild Bazaar contains one Concealed Dagger.

Promoter: You’re considered a reliable asset to the Guild. Gain a 20% gold bonus on top of your share of mission rewards. The Guild Bazaar now also contains an Opulent Robe.

Investor: Congratulations, you’re officially an employed mercenary. Gain a 20% gold bonus on top of your share of mission rewards. The Guild Bazaar now also contains a Merchant’s Insignia and an Exceptional Hat.

Mogul: You’ve made a real name for yourself in the business. Gain a 20% gold bonus on top of your share of mission rewards. The Guild Bazaar now also contains a Guild Signet Ring. In addition, once per scene, when you are targeted by an attack, you may make an opposed Finesse check with an adjacent ally to have them be the target of the attack instead, regardless of range or line-of-sight.

Hostile: Seeing your face on a poster wasn’t the best feeling. Possible consequences: A gang of bandits attempts to bring your head in. You are given a sizable debt to pay. Corrupt Guild agents in the city guard attempt to arrest or frame you.

AND THAT’S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU THIS MONTH. UNTIL NEXT TIME!

                               

We’ll have several of our staff at several conventions over the next month, so if you’re attending please stop by our booth! We’re also still looking for a couple more booth staff for Game Con Canada in Edmonton, AB, June 14-16. If you’re interested in joining please fill out our application here!

So that's it for this week's update. I hope this has been a step up from previous updates, though I acknowledge there is still a lot to improve, and we will continue to work to do so. Until next time!