I've got a lot to go over today, but before we get into it, let's celebrate! Because we've unlocked our last posted Stretch Goal!
Funding the project is the success we strive for with these Crowdfunding campaigns, but hitting Stretch Goals and adding or expanding a bonus reward for the backers who come out again and again to support Onyx Path and Exalted is a lot of fun too! It makes it exciting to back these projects and be part of this community!
So, pats on the back to more than a 1660 supporters who have come together to bring this fatsplat into existence!
Cheers!
Can we expand our Alchemicals Companion one more time before we get to the end? Let's find out over these next few days!
At $145,000 in Funding - ALCHEMICALS COMPANION:Gods from the Machine - Expanded information on the Eight Divine Ministers, the Third Circle souls of Autochthon, as well as the Alchemical machine saints who serve the Divine Ministers in pursuit of their agendas.
We're in the Final Days countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God finishes the crowdfunding campaign on Thursday,December 12th at 2:00 PM EST. There's still time to assemble a few more backers, 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 four days to make sure everyone has the information they need to support this project in the way that works best for them.
Whether you're the size of a Metropolis or are just rolling off the assembly line, these 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, podcast and panels, and other helpful information.)
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 versions for the latest expansion to Exalted Third Edition, Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God. Many of you have touched the Alchemicals through the Exalted: Essence book, but this presents the first real journey into Autochthonia for Third Edition.
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.
Digital vs Deluxe
The main reward offered in this campaign is, of course, the main goal of the entire proposition: the finished book that is Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God. 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 version? Or do you have space on your shelf for the deluxe hardcover book? (Note - the deluxe version includes the PDF as a bonus!).
With that decision in mind, we've got two key reward tiers to choose from:
POPULAT HERO
This is the PDF-only reward tier. 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 option 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 for you to download at your leisure.
ALCHEMICAL CHAMPION
This reward tier includes the deluxe 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.
An 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.
In addition to these primary reward pledge paths, we also offer the following options:
Tripartite Overseer: Not ready to commit, or just looking to offer general support? This pledge tier 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 Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God that we post throughout this campaign.
A selection of Premium Tiers offer special limited rewards in addition to our core rewards for this campaign. Check each of the individual Reward Tier descriptions for more detail, but in summary:
Prolific Scholar of the Furnace Transcendent asks you to suggest a new Charm for the Alchemical Exalted.
Inspiring Champion’s Visage asks you to describe your character so that Onyx Path artists can incorporate it into an interior illustration for an upcoming Alchemicals supplement.
Alchemical Exemplar combines two rewards - suggesting a new Charm as well as describing your character for inclusion in the art notes for a supplemental release.
Living Machine Compact has you suggesting a new First Circle or Second Circle machine spirit or gremlin for a Quick Character write-up.
Manifestation of the Machine-God’s Design has you share your ideas for a new artifact that will get written up in an Alchemicals supplement.
Renowned Chosen of Autochthon asks you to pick an existing Alchemical Exalted, either mentioned in the draft manuscript or previous Exalted material, who will receive a QC write-up.
Soul of Autochthon Embodied will have you pick a divine minister to get a full write-up and stats and be featured in an Alchemical supplement.
Those premium reward tiers have limited slots, but we're not quite at the end, so there's still some room right now if you'd love to help pick which Alchemicals or divine ministers get added to the Companion. Things usually tighten up as we get into the final days and hours and budgets are calculated and pledges locked down, so act quickly if you're thinking about a premium reward tier.
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 Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God campaign, you will have the option of using DriveThruRPG.com’s Print-On-Demand service to purchase a 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.
ALCHEMICALS: FORGED BY THE MACHNE PDF VERSION - The digital version of Alchemicals, 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 "Backer 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.
ALCHEMICALS: FORGED BY THE MACHNE DELUXE HARDCOVER BOOK - The main goal of this campaign is to fund the creation, production, and print run of a deluxe 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. In addition to additional redemptions/copies of the Alchemicals book, Onyx Path is also offering digital version of previous Third Edition releases.
Exalted Third Edition Core RulebookPDF depicts both a revitalized and expanded Creation, and the triumphant return of the Solar Exalted—but whether their rebirth will herald the salvation or destruction of the world, none can say. The system redesign takes the best parts of the previous editions and streamlines the mechanics for maximum playability. The primary rulebook for Solar Exalted.
Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought PDF provides everything that players and Storytellers need to introduce the Dragon-Blooded into their story. In addition to details of life in the Scarlet Realm, Lookshy, and among a variety of outcaste groups, it covers character creation and Dragon-Blooded Charms, along with new Merits, spells, martial arts styles, and heirloom artifacts that can be included in any game.
Lunars: Fangs at the Gates PDF provides everything players and Storytellers need to introduce Lunars into their story. It details the Silver Pact, its ancient vendetta, and the Lunar dominions spread throughout Creation. It also contains Lunar character creation, Charms, and rules for shapeshifting, as well as new Merits, spells, martial arts, and artifacts that can be included in any game.
Exigents: Out of the Ashes PDF covers the Exigents, many and myriad, but also utterly unique. They’re not a single kind of Exalted, but the manifold Chosen of Creation’s countless little gods. In times of dire need, gods can petition the Unconquered Sun for a spark of the Exigence — a bonfire of pure, creative power — to raise up their own Exalted champions. Exigents have left their mark on Creation’s history as individual heroes, tipping the scales of power across countless wars, revolutions, and dynasties.
Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course PDF provides everything players and Storytellers need to include the Sidereals in their stories. The Sidereal Exalted are the elite agents of Heaven, troubleshooting threats to destiny in Creation and beyond. They are legendary martial artists, whose secret techniques tap into the fundamental forces of existence. They are starry-eyed oracles who steer the course of nations with a word in the right ear at the right time. And yet, more than anything else, they are forgotten. Under a veil of mystical anonymity, the Sidereals serve Creation and Heaven alike as heroes who smooth the tangled web of Fate, battle the enemies of the world, and ensure that there will always be a tomorrow.
Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave PDF Pre-Order brings in the Abyssals, In service to their lieges, these deathknights will grind the Underworld to heel and scour life from the face of Creation. Or…they might break from those oaths and set themselves up as death’s own Lawgivers, ruling empires of the dead as sages, arbiters, and reapers. All that can be known for sure is that with the Abyssal Exalted loosed upon the world, it will never be the same again. This is a pre-order, so you will receive the Draft Manuscript and have access to the Backer PDF once released.
Exalted: Essence PDF is a streamlined version of Exalted Third Edition, designed to welcome new players and reintroduce old friends to the world of Creation. It contains all the mechanics and advice players and Storytellers need to run complete games of Exalted: Essence, though setting material and character, place, and creature ideas can be supplemented by the core line’s content.
Many-Faced Strangers PDF details life among the Shadow Fang Vanguard, an authoritarian organization that split from — and occasionally finds its goals at odds with — the Silver Pact; describes Mount Namas and the expanding rift between its Lunar caretakers; expands upon the storied hero Sublime Danger; and introduces several gods and spirit courts of Luna. This book also contains new Lunar Charms, artifacts, and Quick Characters. Finally, it outlines the War for the Caul, including a playable scenario.
Across the Eight Directions PDF provides details about locations throughout Creation, including their history, culture, government structure, religious practices, and more. It introduces new settings, and expands upon familiar locales. It also discusses prominent figures active in each location, and presents information on local neighbors such as allies, rival cities, or wilderness areas with intriguing mysteries for explorers to encounter.
Crucible of Legend PDF presents Storytellers and groups playing Exalted with tools to help them tell the stories of their characters in Creation and beyond. From character generation aids to alternative crafting systems, from details on the secret agendas of the Exalted and the factions ruling Creation, Storytellers will find a wealth of tips and tricks within this book. The conflicts of the Time of Tumult are the myths of the age to come.
Arms of the Chosen PDF lets you discover the mystical power of the five magical materials and the secrets of creating your own Evocations. Wield weapons of fabled might and don the armor of mythic heroes, making their puissance your own. Claim Creationís wonders: the miraculous tools of the Chosen, living automatons, flying machines, hearthstones, and more. And unleash the mighty warstriders, titanic god-engines of conquest and devastation, to once more shake Creation with their footfalls.
The Realm PDF expands on the history, politics, culture, law, and economics of Creation's greatest and most terrible empire. It details the Realm's governmental institutions: the Thousand Scales ministries, the Deliberative, the magistracy, and the All-Seeing Eye military, and its state religion, the Immaculate Order. It also provides an in-depth look at the lands that make up the Realm, both its heart on the Blessed Isle, and its satrapies scattered across the world.
We also have two reward bundles. The Exalted Music Bundle includes Fanfare of the Chosen and Dreams of the Second Age, and the Exalted Fiction Bundle includes ELEVEN epic tales of the Exalted.
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 supported every Exalted campaign since Dragon-Blooded and want to continue building my deluxe library. 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 ALCHEMICALS are the $25 Populat Hero for PDF only rewards, and the $125 Alchemical Champion tier for the deluxe hardcover book, all in all pretty self-explanatory.
Clicking "Learn More" expands the Pledge Level info. For example, clicking "Learn More" on the Alchemical Champion tier 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 $125 Deluxe Hardcover pledge, so I select BACK IT for that tier, and then I want to add on aa few of the optional Add On extras to my rewards list. I'm going to add the PDFs for Across the Eight Directions and Crucible of Legend, two titles that weren't part of previous crowdfunding campaigns and I need for my Exalted library.
My total is $165.00 USD. That's $125 for my Alcehmical Champion pledge tier, +$25 for the Across the Eight Directions PDF +$15 for the Crucible of Legend PDF
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 campaign page, and then you can Edit Your Pledge
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 the Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God book at a later date will not have any Stretch Goal rewards automatically added to their rewards list, though many of the rewards we've unlocked are things that will be open to the Onyx Path community as a whole. That said, the Stretch Goal milestone markers like the Wallpaper and VTT Tokens will only automatically be added to the rewards for those who participated in this crowdfunding campaign.
REWARD DELIVERY
About 6-8 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 starter existing Exalted titles and 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 Alchemicals 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 8-10 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 any of the hardcover reward tiers, 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 Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God and even longer for the eventual print run for the deluxe hardcover books. 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 a hardcover tier, you will be able to add physical reward options. You should not add on additional physical rewards (like the Starbearer Dice) if the Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God 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 Pledge 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 see some rules for the most epic wrestling tournament, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!
I'll be back tomorrow with the FINAL manuscript section for Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God, making the complete text available for all backers to review before the campaign ends!
