November Update – Alpha v0.2 on the way + Progress
10 months ago – Mon, Nov 20, 2023 at 03:04:09 PM

Hi folks,

I've got another monthly update to share how things are progressing and what to expect next!

Alpha PDF v0.2 soon!

I've gotten lots of great critiques from folks on the first Alpha draft released a few weeks ago. (If you haven't gotten it yet and believe you should've, reach out to me and I'll get you sorted.) Feedback is continuously welcome, especially if you've had a chance to live playtest something—even if that feedback is just sharing a particular moment you had fun with a rune or feature or lore you've included in your games. I love to hear about it all!

The second Alpha doc will be sent out by the end of the month, so be on the lookout for that!

This draft will include:

• 5 more Runic Languages (Abyssal, Druidic, Gnomish, Sylvan, and Undercommon) plus their runes—for a total of 9 languages and about 175 runes.
• 7–8 more full race/subrace options—which will cover about 80% of the race options that will be in the book.
• 2–3 more subclasses—which will cover about two-thirds of the subclasses that will be in the book.
• Lots of revisions throughout to the runes, races, subclasses, and spells that were included in Alpha v0.1—thanks for your feedback!

"Where can I provide Feedback?" 

I figure it's good to reiterate: You can direct feedback to [email protected] or the #kickstarter-general channel on the Spectre Creations Discord server. If necessary, you can share feedback in the comments here on this Update, but Kickstarter comments really aren't a great format for doing so, so I'd much prefer feedback via email or Discord.

Updated Timeline

As noted on the project page, the original estimate for the final PDF to be sent out was the end of December. From processing feedback and revising current content, to finishing up the remaining pieces of content, to working with artists and designers for more art and languages, we're certainly making lots of great progress!

If I had to estimate right now, I'd say that the content of the book itself—as in, the stuff you can use in your games—should be completed pretty close to that, probably around mid-January. However, we'll also still need to finish up any final pieces of art that will be included as well as continue gathering feedback and refining everything to polish it up and make it perfect before sending to print, so I'm estimating the final PDF to be complete around mid-late February.

The good news is that, as I mentioned in the September update, even if the final release of the PDF is pushed along further into the Winter, there will already have been multiple, progressively larger Alpha playtests and likely a complete Beta draft of the book in your hands well before then.

Of course, the side effect of the final PDF being released later in the Winter is that the manufacturing and ultimately the shipment of physical products may also get pushed further along. The original goal for that was this coming June, and I'll continue working to make that happen, but that may also get pushed further into the Summer.

I will continue to update you all each month as things progress! Thanks for your continued excitement and sharing your thoughts on it all. Next Alpha release in a week or so. See you soon!

– Tony

CCoR Alpha Playtest #1 is out!
11 months ago – Thu, Nov 02, 2023 at 03:27:00 PM

Hiya folks!

Alpha Playtest v0.1 is now available via BackerKit

If the PDF for Caliya's Chronicle of Runes is part of your order—and you've completed your survey—you should be receiving an email notifying you that you have a new download available. (If you don't receive this email and believe you should have, message me here or on Discord, or email me at [email protected] and I'll get it sorted out ASAP!)

This is not a complete draft. These Alpha drafts are inherently a work-in-progress. (There may be blank spaces on pages still where art or notes will fill in later, the page numbers will jump from section to section, etc.) Nevertheless, these playtests are vital for starting to gather feedback on the content in the book, particularly for player options!

This draft includes:

• Lore for 4 Runic Languages + 73 Runes (Celestial, Draconic, Elvish, Giant)
• 8 Race Options (Demisphinx, Asteroid Dwarf, Azerblood, Etherean, Half-Dryad, Nagaran, Pterogoblin, Sahuagin)
• 6 Subclasses (Hellknight Fighter, Transcendence Monk, Gravekeeper Ranger, Enforcer Rogue, Seasonal Sorcerer, Eldritch Lore Wizard)
• 6 Spells (Anti-blight, Divine Vigor, Greater Identify, Tornado, Wing Blade, Witch Vial)

Nothing here is set in stone. There isn't a codified Table of Contents included yet, as the page numbers and sections are still in flux. (However, I've made sure to thoroughly bookmark the PDF so you can quickly jump between sections.) Essentially everything at this stage is subject to change, so we are open to any and all feedback and nothing should be taken as 100% final.

"Where can I provide Feedback?" 

Please direct feedback to [email protected] or the #kickstarter-general channel on the Spectre Creations Discord server. If necessary, you can share feedback in the comments here on this Update, but Kickstarter comments really aren't a great format for doing so, so I'd much prefer feedback via email or Discord.

I know I had hoped to have this out by the end of October, so thanks for your patience as I wrapped up this first playtest release!

Kickstarter Spotlight

I also wanted to shoutout a really neat project from Earl of Fife Games called "Dungeons Deep and Caverns Old: Secrets of the Sacred Stone" using their best-selling universal RPG system Heroes & Hardships (4.9/5 stars on DriveThruRPG!).

Here's a note from them:

Dungeons Deep and Caverns Old: Secrets of the Sacred Stone is a dwarven campaign setting and adventure for the universal RPG system Heroes & Hardships. In Secrets of the Sacred Stone, you will explore ancient underground ruins, navigate clan rivalries, experience mysterious magics, and fight dark denizens from the deep.  This campaign setting and adventure will be an estimated 100 pages, and will include various digital handouts, maps, and extras to enhance play. This perfect bound, softcover book features thick and durable FSC paper with satin coating, premium color interior, and gorgeous hand-crafted art.

It's fully funded and has just under 2 weeks left to back, so don't miss out!

Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/heroes-and-hardships/dungeons-deep-and-caverns-old-secrets-of-sacred-stone?ref=caz9sx

Thanks, friends! I'll check back in with you all again on the 20th for our monthly update!

– Tony

October Update – Alpha PDF incoming, Adventure update, & more!
11 months ago – Fri, Oct 20, 2023 at 05:41:27 PM

Hi folks,

Fairly quick update today, as I'll have another one for you at the end of the month when the first draft of the book is sent out, but I want to stick to the schedule of putting out an update on the 20th of every month so you all know what to expect!

Have you filled out your Survey?

There are currently 272 backers who haven't yet completed their survey. Even if you only pledged for digital content, this survey is still required in order for BackerKit to start distributing your rewards.

If you are having trouble locating your survey or don't think you've received one, you can follow this link (https://chronicle-of-runes.backerkit.com/) and enter the email address associated with your Kickstarter account to get a new one sent to you. If you still have trouble, please feel free to message me here on Kickstarter or email me at [email protected] and we can get you sorted out.

Caliya's Chronicle of Runes Alpha PDF is coming!

Ryan and I have been hard at work getting content and the layout ready for this release, and I'm very excited to get it out to you! I'll reiterate that the draft I send out in a little over a week will be an "Alpha" version, meaning it will not be a complete draft of the book. It will include the lore and runes for several of the languages, as well as quite a few player options (races, subclasses, spells, etc.) that you can start using and playtesting.

There is still plenty more to come—more art, more runes, more player options, and more refinement via feedback from playtesters (including you!)—but I want to get a version of the book in your hands ASAP, even if it isn't finalized for a few months yet.

Adventure Art Update!

At the $100k funding mark, we unlocked a surprise Stretch Goal: the Ascension of the Behidra adventure, which is an optional companion supplement to Caliya's Chronicle of Runes. It will come in two forms: digital ($5 PDF) or physical ($20 softcover), and you can still preorder it on BackerKit if you'd like!

The adventure features a cult of Kobold Vipers (Behir-Kobolds) seeking to deify their religious icon—an ancient and terrifying amalgamation of Behir and Hydra!

We also, with the final Stretch Goal, unlocked a bit of additional content to be included in this adventure: two subclasses (Oath of the Seekers Paladin and Serpent Domain Cleric), as well as a new Group Patron ("The Seekers")—an organization that hunts down long-lost knowledge, magic items, and runes! If you're looking to further explore worldbuilding via runes, this adventure is sure to provide a wealth of inspiration for your games.

That's all for now! As always, feel free to contact me here in the comments or DMs, by email ([email protected]), or over on the Spectre Creations Discord server.

Thanks, friends! And see you at the end of the month!

– Tony

September Update and Important FAQs!
about 1 year ago – Wed, Sep 20, 2023 at 07:08:29 PM

Greetings folks!

I figure since the project launched on June 20th and ended on July 20th, it only makes sense to also release major monthly updates on...the 20th! So you can expect that going forward each month (in addition to other smaller Updates I may need to share here and there).

Progress and New Downloads

It's been a busy month with more fonts and art in the works, coordinating production with manufacturers, brainstorming with Ryan, runes being made, and the early stages of layout being...laid out!

Folks who ordered the Dracolisk Mini STL should have received an email earlier today that the download for those files is now available. If you didn't order these 3D print files for the Dracolisk Mini and you're interested, you can still do so over on the BackerKit Pre-Order store here: https://chronicle-of-runes.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

Estimated Timeline

The PDF. Many folks have been asking when they can expect the final PDF for the book to be sent out—a very important question! On the Kickstarter page I estimated the delivery of the PDF to be by the end of December. I've also elaborated further in some comments and elsewhere that the plan is to release a couple Beta versions of the PDF throughout the Fall for playtesting and feedback from backers.

I am aiming to send out the first Beta PDF draft of Caliya's Chronicle of Runes by the end of next month! This most likely won’t be the *entire* book, but I’m hoping to be able to get some portion of it in everyone’s hands by then to start playtesting things and gathering feedback!

Depending on how development throughout the Fall goes and playtesting and feedback progresses, I could see the final PDF coming along further into the Winter, but the important thing is that there will be some version of the book in your hands in a little over a month or so, and then we will continue to add content and refine and finalize it over the course of the following months.

The Book (and other Physical rewards). Once that final version of the PDF is complete, the current estimate is that it will take about 6 months for the production process—test prints, making adjustments as needed, manufacturing the other physical rewards, etc.—and then books and all the other fun physical goodies (such as the Decks of Cards, Dice, Minis, and Bookmarks) will begin shipping to folks around the world!

That means if the PDF is finalized by the end of December, books should start being sent out by June next year, which is the original estimate given on the Kickstarter page. If that final version of the PDF goes further into the Winter, that might end up looking more like August or so for shipment of physical rewards, but I'll be keeping you all posted every step of the way!

Other Digital Rewards. Digital rewards in general will be distributed as soon as they're completed. If a digital reward was part of your pledge (and you've completed your survey), you will receive an email from BackerKit with a link to your downloads letting you know when a new reward is available.

Some of the digital rewards (many of the Fonts, the Masters of the Gauntlet Compendium, the digital pieces of the Cosmic Dragon Breviary Bundle, and the Dracolisk Mini STL files) have already been distributed.

Of the digital rewards that have not yet been sent out, some (such as the rest of the Fonts, the Art Pack, and the VTT Token Pack) are an integral part of the content of the book itself. You can expect these soonest, distributed over the course of the next couple months.

Others (such as the Sets of Digital Rune Cards, the Digital Translation Key Bookmarks, and the Ascension of the Behidra adventure PDF) are integral to the production of other physical rewards besides the book, so you can expect those likely around Spring 2024.

And finally, the VTT adaptations of the book I'm expecting to be available around the time physical rewards are being shipped, Summer next year. I am working with several folks who are far more experienced than myself at creating VTT modules (for Roll20, Foundry, and Shard Tabletop), so these will ultimately depend on their pace and workload. I know VTT modules can often present various hang-ups in implementation, and of course, they can't really get started until the book itself is complete, so while it's certainly feasible that these modules may start being available as soon as Spring, I don't want to put undue pressure on these folks who will already be performing a wonderful service for us, so I'm estimating Summer for now.

Wrap-up

I think that is all the main things I wanted to hit for now, and I appreciate you all reading through a rather lengthy update. Of course, always feel free to reach out to me here in comments or DMs, by email ([email protected]), or over on the Spectre Creations Discord server.

And if there are any pieces of the project you (or your friends) still want to add, the Pre-order store is available here. Some rewards will have to be locked down there once production starts, but until at least early next year, that store will still be open in full for folks to order rewards from the project.

Thanks, friends!

– Tony

All Surveys Are Out Now! (*Required to receive your rewards) + Font Previews!!
about 1 year ago – Tue, Aug 22, 2023 at 01:22:39 PM

Greetings, folks!

Last night, the rest of the BackerKit surveys were sent out to all Kickstarter backers! For folks who haven't worked with BackerKit before, I know the term "survey" sounds like some unnecessary marketing thing, but it's really a confirmation of your order. Even if you change nothing from what you pledged here on Kickstarter, this step is necessary to start receiving your rewards.

If you haven't seen your survey email yet, check your spam folder just in case. If you still see nothing there, you should be able to access your survey by going to this link: "https://chronicle-of-runes.backerkit.com/" From there you can enter the email address associated with your Kickstarter account and hit "Get My Survey."

Shipping Will Be Charged SEPARATELY

This is in the surveys as well, but I want to reiterate:

• Your pledge here on Kickstarter covers the price of all your rewards from your pledge tier plus any add-ons you selected here. That's already paid for (if your payment went through).
• In the surveys, you'll be able to upgrade your pledge tier and/or select additional add-ons for your pledge. If the total exceeds what was processed already by Kickstarter, the difference will be charged via BackerKit shortly after filling out your survey.
• Several months from now—likely not until Winter-Spring 2024—shipping rates will be finalized. This is when shipping will be charged, and I'll be sure to give everyone plenty of notice when that time is coming.

 Font Previews

Several folks have asked to see a preview of the available fonts, so I've put together a PDF here. (I will try to keep this link updated as more fonts are completed.)

As noted in the previous update, the currently available fonts are:

• Celestial Font
• Common Font
• Deep Speech Font
• Draconic Font
• Dwarvish Font
• Elvish Font
• Giant Font
• Halfling Font
• Infernal Font
• Nodal Font
• Orcish Font
• Primordial Font
• Serpentine Font

Other digital rewards that are ready:

• Masters of the Gauntlet Compendium PDF (July 2023 Release)
• Cosmic Dragon Breviary PDF
• Cosmic Dragon Breviary Self-Print Monster Cards
• Cosmic Minions & More PDF
• The Gauntlet: Arena System BETA – Cosmic Edition PDF
• Expanded Dragon Apprentice Ranger PDF
• Dracolisk Mini STL*

* While the mini is complete, this will likely be sent out within a week or so. Eldritch Foundry is checking with "their guy" to make sure it's pre-supported so there aren't any issues for STL prints.

So When Do I Get My Rewards?

If any of the above rewards are part of your order (including if you have All of the Fonts, the 12-Month Subscription to the Compendium, or the Cosmic Dragon Breviary Bundle), you will receive the corresponding available digital files as soon as orders lock.

So when do orders lock? Well, slight quirk with BackerKit's system: Digital rewards can't be distributed to you until your survey is completed, your order is locked, and any additional add-ons selected in your survey are paid for.

Many Kickstarter projects don't start distributing rewards (even digital ones), for a few months after the Kickstarter ends, which gives backers time to adjust their order via the survey if needed. However, since many of the digital rewards for this project are already complete—and I want to get everything that's available in your hands as soon as it's ready—this means I need to lock orders pretty much immediately.

To accommodate this, my plan is to use BackerKit's "Lock Orders with Final Notice" feature, which will give everyone who's already completed their survey an email notification and 48 hours to make any changes if need be. After that, your order will lock, your card will be charged (if you selected any additional add-ons), and you will get an email from BackerKit to access your first digital rewards!

Note: If you have any of the digital rewards listed above as part of your order, and you want them immediately, please feel free to message me and I can manually lock your individual order so you can get the applicable rewards right away!

Then, since your order will already be locked, when other digital rewards are completed over the course of the next year (such as more fonts, the Beta and Final PDFs for Caliya's Chronicle of Runes, VTT Modules, etc.), I will upload them to BackerKit and they will immediately notify you via email that you have more digital rewards available to download!

What If I Want to Add Something Later?

Once your survey has been locked, you won't be able to edit what you pledged here on Kickstarter or any add-ons/changes you selected in the BackerKit survey. So if you want to wait to add any particular rewards until later, you can leave them off your survey for now, and then later on when you're ready, you can place a separate order via the BackerKit Pre-order Store here.

BackerKit conveniently groups together digital rewards for separate orders that came from the same email address. So if you do this, it shouldn't be too much of an imposition to access all your digital rewards in the same place later on down the road.

Thank you for reading through this! I know it's a lot of info, but I think that is all for now. If you have any questions, as always, feel free to message me or leave a comment here. Thanks, friends!

– Tony