We're not quite in the final 24 hours, but getting very close! With these last hours, I wanted to review some important topics, most especially our current Stretch Goal situation! Let's get reviewin'!
We're in the Final Days countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. Mythic Shards finishes the crowdfunding campaign on Thursday, August 15th at 2:00 PM EDT. There's still time to visit others to help explore these new Worlds, 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 completed your apotheosis or have just had your first visitation, 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, podcasts, and a ton of Actual Play sessions.)
Refresher Course
Note for New Backers: Please check out the updates listed above. There's a lot of information there that will be important to know about before the end, like how we're not including international shipping charges in our pledges for this campaign and instead will be charging them in our pledge manager before we ship out the books, and you can also read the entire draft manuscript before the end of the campaign and any pledges are processed.
Note for Since-the-Start Backers: It's probably a good idea to review that stuff as well. Never hurts to make sure you haven't missed anything! And it's fun to listento those podcasts and watch the Actual Plays.
We've had, and will have, a bunch of new backers join in during these last days. I want to take a moment to highlight some key Update posts that new backers may want to check out (and existing backers may want to read as a refresher!).
MANUSCRIPT PREVIEW - As noted, the complete Preview Manuscript for the book is available for you to review prior to the conclusion of the campaign. If you're a backer, you'll have access to this preview manuscript after the campaign. Remember, though, there are still some minor edits, development and proofing that need to be done, plus two new shards that will be added to the final version. But, you can consider it most of the way there and a good representation of what you'll get in the final book. Making the manuscript available for review before the campaign ends ensures that everyone knows exactly what our goal is - making this book - and are on board with our aims for this project. Thanks for your support, we're all in this together!
PLEDGE TIERS -This update breaks down your best starting point for figuring out which Backer Reward Tier to choose to help support this project in a way that works for you.
The first decision you need to make in figuring out your reward tier is whether you want to receive the PDF version or the hardcover edition (which comes with bonus PDF version).
MUTATED SCION: 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.
HERAKLES INCIDENT: This reward tier includes the standard 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.
ADD-ON OPTIONS - The other half of our Reward Tiers update, including information on the second step of pledging. There are several Add On options that you can add as part of your pledging process, including semi-shard settings Scion: Dragon and Scion: Masks of the Mythos, plus the four core Scion books! We've also got different dice sets themed around the five shards presented that we've unlocked via Stretch Goal achievement!
Choose Wisely
Choosing the correct Reward Tier for your desired rewards, and then filling in any "gaps" with add-ons, ensures that you'll be claiming all of your desired rewards as a thank you for supporting this project and bringing this world to life.
Remember, your PLEDGE AMOUNT is equal to your REWARD TIER + ADD ONS only - Any International Shipping costs will be collected at a later date. You will also be able to select Add On options in the Pledge Manager after the campaign, but remember that only funds added during the campaign count towards Stretch Goal funding targets.
Also to note, only those who participate during the campaign are able to have Stretch Goal rewards added automatically to their rewards lists. If you're waiting to pre-order at a later time, it's better to pledge to the Everend Explorer tier now and then simply upgrade your pledge later to include these bonus rewards.
Tomorrow I'll be posting one further "Final Day" update, covering What Happens Next and outlining what to expect once the campaign ends.
But until then, we're going to hopefully hunt down a final Stretch Goal achievement as we race through our final day of the campaign!
Over the past 29 days as we've worked through this campaign we've not only funded the book but also unlocked THIRTEEN Stretch Goal targets! That's right - we've unlocked all of the Stretch Goals that I had just posted a few days ago and thought would take us until the end of the campaign!
We started our Stretch Goal journey with an regular milestone marker that helped set our pace and allowed me to plan out the rest of our campaign, built a "DIY Storyguide Screen" Reference PDF that will include charts and tables for all five of the existing shards, added five sets of dice themed around our shard settings as new Add On options, and added two new shards to the final book! Let's review and see what we've accomplished so far...
MILESTONE MARKERS
Monitoring our pace at the start and end of the campaign, these milestone markers are great celebratory moments allowing us to keep our focus, and fun rewards going out to all who supported this project during the Crowdfunding campaign.
ACHIEVED! – MYTHCI SHARDS SHIRT ON REDBUBBLE – A Mythic Shards-themed Backer shirt will be hosted on Onyx Path’s Redbubble store for a limited time. Only backers will be notified when the shirt becomes available for purchase.
ADD ON OPTIONS
The support that this campaign has received has allowed Onyx Path to offer a bunch of new Add On options! Co-developer Hiromi Cota personally picked out dice sets and dice bags that matched the theme and feel of each of our five shard settings. Each of these dice sets contains a set of ten d10s and a velvet bag and are available to add on to your hardcover reward pledge for only +$20 each.
STORYGUIDE SUPPORT
Printing a different physical screen for each shard setting was logistically and financially prohibitive, so the team came up with the idea of a digital product allowing backers to create their own Storyguide screens using only the references they needed for the shards they were incorporating into their game. This "DIY Screen" supplement will be turned into a Storyguide Reference PDF that will be added as a bonus reward to all backers receiving the Scion: Mythic Shards PDF as one of their rewards. Over the course of the campaign, we've managed to unlock all five of our shard settings.
A BIGGER BOOK
Probably the most exciting Stretch Goals involved the two new Shards which will be added to the final version of the PDF and hardcover Mythic Shards book. Not only did we come together to add more content to this project, backers voted on the topics to cover for the new shards. In fact, voting is still going on for the second shard!
ACHIEVED! - ADDITIONAL MYTHIC SHARD - A sixth Mythic Shard setting for Scion second edition will be added to the Scion: Mythic Shards PDF and hardcover book. The theme for this additional Shard will be decided by Backer vote! The new section is LOST TIME (Rules for playing a battle for the stability of all realities as Scions slip through the different shards and semi shards trying to thwart a usurper's plan to invade another reality. Sliders and Doctor Who style adventures with a group of Scions who are selected to be reality police.)
ACHIEVED! - ADDITIONAL MYTHIC SHARD #2 - A seventh Mythic Shard setting for Scion second edition will be added to the Scion: Mythic Shards PDF and hardcover book. The theme for this additional Shard will be decided by Backer vote!
Thanks to your support, the green light has been given to add a seventh shard to the book, but the final theme of that last shard is still to be determined, chosen by backer vote when this campaign concludes on Thursday, August 15th around 2 PM EDT. There's still time to vote if you haven't, and time to plead your case if your choice isn't currently in first place!
Your options for a new shard:
Teen Drama: Scion High, but with a more action-y style and greatly expanded. More like Riverdale than other teen dramas.
Cartoon: Where being made a fool is worse than being Taken Out.
Sports Drama: Drawing inspiration from Ted Lasso, A League of Their Own, and the Sandlot. Personal growth through sports competition.
Journey to the Wild West: Journey to the West, but it's set in the Wild West. Wuxia cowboys!
Aquatic Adventures: An Atlantis meets Waterworld and pirate-themed shard. Dive into the depths to recover lost relics or awaken the slumbering Earth Gods to create new lands.
Right now, we have about 300 votes, which is just over a third of all backers. So there are still lots of votes that could come in and make some dramatic shifts over the next two days!
VOTE BEFORE THE END OF THE CAMPAIGN! YOU DECIDE THE CONTENT TO BE ADDED TO THE BOOK!
WHY STOP THERE?
It's great that we've unlocked 13 Stretch Goal rewards... but what about 14? Or even 15?
With just over a day left in our campaign, I think one more Stretch Goal is certainly within our grasp. Let's do our best to unlock this before the end!
I've set up another standard Onyx Path milestone marker, just a fun celebration for our achievement as we approach the end and the final backers join in!
At $46,000 in Funding - DIGITAL WALLPAPER - Awesome Mythic Shards artwork will be used to create a wallpaper for your computer desktop. This digital wallpaper will be added to the rewards list of all backers supporting this project.
And the, a little bit more of a stretch. Not sure if we'll make it to this one, but if you're anything like me, most of your gaming happens online these days. While my gaming group does make a special effort to get together in person at least a few times a year, our regular sessions take place via Discord and a VTT. These online tools help make those online sessions a little easier to run, and a little more thematic.
At $48,000 in Funding - VTT TOKEN PACK - Digital assets will be created to support online play for Mythic Shards settings, including key character and creature tokens from the book. This online asset pack will be added to the rewards list of all backers.
YOUR REWARDS!
That's right! You backed this project to help make and publish Scion: Mythic Shards! Our primary reward - the big thank you that we'll send out in appreciation for your support - are PDFs and/or hardcover copies of this book! BUT AS A BONUS, you may also have the Mythic Shards Storyguide Reference PDF, a digital wallpaper, some online tokens, and an opportunity to add to your wardrobe, plus a bunch of cool Mythic Shards dice set add on options! AND TWO MORE SHARDS ADDED TO OUR BOOK! (Don't forget to vote on Shard Seven)
Not Much More Time
Close to Apotheosis!
Unfortunately, we seem to continue to move forward at a regular pace, and our campaign will some come to the inescapable end. We've achieved our primary goal of funding the book, but there is still one possible Stretch Goal rewards that is almost within grasp, and maybe another within reach just beyond that! I know this last funding target may seem daunting, but it wouldn't be a STRETCH goals if we didn't have to really STRETCH to reach it! That last one may take a little bit of work. It's certainly within sight, but won't be easy, so let's keep at it!
So, as every update concludes: let's keep the enthusiasm rolling! Keep spreading the word and letting others know about this project. They've got this final day to jump in and share the Stretch Goals we've achieved!
And every backer who joins in as we approach the end is not only able to enjoy the additional rewards already added by the early fans and backers, but also help reward those early backers by maybevoting for a favorite idea for the Seventh Shard?
Remember, only the funds generated during the Crowdfunding campaign go toward achieving these Stretch Goal targets, so the time to act is now! Together, we can bring this game to life and make great things happen!
MYTHIC SHARDS enters OVERTIME MODE on Thursday, August 15th at 2:00 PM EDT.
We will finish up as soon as our backer train ends after that point! So let's see if we can't hit a final Stretch Goal and then keep that train running for an extra 10 or 20 minutes!!
