Caliya’s Chronicle of Runes

July Update
12 days ago – Fri, Jul 31, 2026 at 03:52:30 PM

Hey folks! Got an update here for you on the status of everything.

As noted in last month's update, I had to pivot to a new designer for the Thieves' Cant font because the original designer unfortunately ghosted me partway through. The good news is, I was able to find a new designer to work with relatively quickly and the script is looking fantastic. It will be finished in about 1 week. Once I have it, I'll send that font file out, as well as the Wilderyn font, and the updated collection of all the Runic Fonts for those who ordered the full set!

Once I get that final font, I'll slot it in all the places it's meant to be used in the book, and then I'll be able to send it off to the printer! As I suspected with tackling that hurdle, it set us back a bit from my previous estimate of shipping by early September—that's now looking like it will be more like late September/early October.

But other than that, the book is complete, and man does it look beautiful. Extremely happy with how it's turned out. I know it's taken far too long to get to this point. (Trust me, I'm right there with you all with excitement to finally be able to hold this book in my hands!) But I'm so glad things are finally entering/in production and collecting at the warehouse to work toward distribution. 😄

I'll make a note here again that, if you're receiving physical products and haven't updated your info recently, please check on your pledge via BackerKit to make sure your address and card information are correct so shipping everything goes smoothly. (Let me know if you need a link to your survey.)

Please feel free to reach out to me any time if you have questions! The best ways to contact me as always are either on here, via email, or on the Discord server. Thanks!

– Tony

June Update
2 months ago – Tue, Jun 09, 2026 at 09:47:16 PM

Hiya folks! I wanted to give a brief update here since it's been about a month since the last one.

I received the Heliana's crafting specs for each rune from the folks at Loot Tavern, so all the rune prices are now in the book! I wasn't originally planning on doing another Pre-Release PDF before the Final PDF (the final-final version of the book that gets printed), but since it's been a while since the last one, and there's been some other small tweaks throughout too (plus several more pieces of art), I'm going to send out an updated PDF tomorrow, so keep an eye out for that.

Unfortunately, the designer I was working with for the Thieves' Cant script (who also already did the Necril script for the book) has been unresponsive, so I'm having to work with someone else now to get that finished ASAP, as that is starting to run up against when I intended to have the final version off to the printer (for both the book and the bookmarks). I'll keep you all updated as that progresses.

Note: If you're receiving physical products and haven't updated your info recently, it'd be worth checking on your pledge via BackerKit to make sure your address and card information are correct so shipping everything goes smoothly. Let me know if you need a link to your survey for this!

Creator Spotlight

In other news, I wanted to shout out my friend and fellow D&D 5e creator "somanyrobots" who just launched his second Kickstarter: Machines of Blood and Bone. It's already more than doubled it's funding goal on Day 1, and I'm sure many of you backed his first project, Songs of the Spellbound Sea, which was also a great success.

This one includes a new Abomination class as well as a fully fleshed-out (heh) Necromancer class, plus tons of new subclasses, species, spells, items, and monsters. Somanyrobots is truly a stellar designer, and I'm excited to see everything he's cooked up in this compendium themed around "Necroindustrial Adventures"! Just some delicious flavor, go check out the project video!

That's all for now! As always, feel free to reach out to me if you've got any questions! Either here or via email/the Discord server. Thanks, friends!

– Tony

April/May Update
3 months ago – Wed, May 06, 2026 at 08:09:27 PM

Hello there! I've got some details for you all on the latest with the project:

• The Book - I'm currently squaring away the details for the Deluxe Edition with the printer. With any luck, I'll have the first test print within a couple weeks. The only section still outstanding in the book itself is the individual rune prices, which are currently being finished up by folks at Loot Tavern (since it ties into their Heliana's crafting system). As I mentioned previously, this isn't hindering progress on printing, as I can easily slot these updates in before the final version of the book goes to print.
• Runic Fonts - Druidic and Necril fonts are done and will be sent out in the morning, so check your email tomorrow if you got either of these fonts (individually or in the full set). Wilderyn needed some final adjustments, but its font should also be ready within a week or two. Thieves' Cant is the last one that is still in progress, as the designer needed some more time. If they're unable to complete it soon, I'll have to pivot to someone else to finish it in a more timely manner.
• Translation Key Bookmarks - Waiting to send these to print until the fonts are all finalized. A small batch of the Infernal bookmarks are being printed first a) as a test run, and b) because they will ship with the Infernal Dice.
• Dracolisk Mini - Done and waiting at the warehouse. (The STL file was of course sent out a while back.)
• Runic Scroll Dice Tray - This is working its way through Elderwood Academy's production schedule and should be finished in July.
• Adventure - The story has been written and details are being fleshed out. Custom battlemaps to go along with it are also being worked on.

Currently, things are still on track for shipping this Summer. As that solidifies and the time approaches, I'll give multiple updates as a heads up that shipping addresses will be locking soon. So stay tuned!

I think that's all I've got, but feel free to reach out, as always, if you have any questions for me. Thanks folks!

– Tony

March Update
5 months ago – Sat, Mar 21, 2026 at 09:40:16 PM

Hi folks! Got an update for you all just to check in about the progress of things.

As you know, I sent out the Pre-Release PDF of the book toward the end of January. I got a great reminder from a fellow backer about adding clickable links on text throughout the PDF wherever page numbers are referenced (primarily, the Table of Contents but also elsewhere throughout the book), so that will be included in the final draft.

For some updates on other pieces of the project:

• I'm in contact with the printer about getting test prints, so I'll be sure to share those once I receive the first from them. As things progress, I'll keep you all up to date on the expected timeline for physical copies of the book. As of right now, it's looking like a late-Spring/Summer shipment date.
• I've also received word from the custom Infernal dicemaker that all of the d20s and 3-of-the-5 full dice sets are fully ready to go, and the last two sets are being polished up now. So those will be sent out to folks once the last ones are finished!
• The Druidic font is finished, and the Wilderyn font is just about done as well, so I'll be sending those out soon. Thieves' Cant and Necril are still in progress, but I'm aiming to have those finished up next month.
• Almost all of the art is finally laid out in the book, which will of course be included in the final release of the PDF I send out. Can't tell you how exciting it is to scroll through and see everything looking so complete and filled in with all this awesome artwork. I'll also compile the VTT Token Pack and get that sent out since the art for the book's just about finished.
• For those who ordered a VTT module (Roll20, Foundry, or Shard), I'm also having folks work on those. Wish I could've gotten them rolling sooner, but it would've been largely fruitless before the book was finalized since they would've had to keep editing the module to match the latest version of the book.
• And the Ascension of the Behidra adventure is in progress as well. I'll share an update on that once I get the first complete draft back from the writer.

I think that mostly covers the latest aspects of the project I've been working on. Lots of coordinating with different folks at this stage, which is always a joy! And apologies for missing the February update. My whole family had a nasty flu tear through us around the end of last month, so I was squarely incapacitated around then.

As always, you're welcome to reach out at any time if you have any questions! Best ways to contact me are either on here or via email/the Discord server. Thanks folks!

– Tony

January Update (Pre-Release PDF is out!)
7 months ago – Sun, Jan 25, 2026 at 02:03:39 PM

Hiya folks!

Just wanted to send an update here that the PDF for Caliya's Chronicle of Runes has been sent out, so check your inboxes for an email from BackerKit.

I'm calling this PDF "Pre-Release"...because I can't help myself but perfect and edit things until I can't edit no more! (i.e. when the final PDF is approved with the printer) Hence the "Final Release" PDF that will fully match the printed book will be v1.0.

The layout for the book is set. (Those who have been keeping tabs throughout the playtest process will notice some very nice-looking changes that I'm quite proud of!) A few final pieces of art that are in progress, as well as the last couple fonts and rune prices, will be slotted in as I receive them from the artists/designers I'm working with. However, those will pretty much be drag and drop, so this isn't hindering my progress moving forward with the printer.

I know it's been a long time coming folks. I won't sugarcoat it, I dramatically underestimated how long it'd take me to finish the book, so I apologize. I've tried my best to be transparent on my progress throughout this process—sending out 18 PDF updates over the past 2 years. However, I understand that that only goes so far, and it's hard to have patience past a certain point. So thank you for continuing to follow along as this project has developed. I'm genuinely appreciative for every bit of support—and, yes, even criticism—from all of you. Thank you.

And as for the latest on expected timeline for distributing final products, it's still looking like things should begin shipping out in the Spring. I know we're all anxious to have the various pieces of this project in our hands ASAP, so thanks again for sticking with me through it.

I also wanted to shout out John Webb (aka "JKWRPG"), who wrote some of the lore in the book for the Runemaster NPCs. He's working on a 5e adventure Kickstarter of his own: "The Temple of Haath'ress" So be sure to follow over there, and check it out once that project goes live on February 1st!

As usual, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions! Either here or via email/the Discord server. Thank you, friends!

– Tony