Hello, everyone.

It’s been a while.

I can hardly believe that almost a month ago I was telling you the books were finally arriving and that fulfillment should be wrapping up within a week or two. And yet, here we are.

The lack of updates has a reason, though not a particularly good one: we simply haven't been able to get a clear picture of what's happening.

Let me explain.

For the first time, Critical Kit partnered with distribution centers in the US and EU. On paper, this seemed like the best decision. It would speed up fulfillment, simplify international shipping, and, most importantly, avoid burdening you backers with unexpected fees, tariffs, or customs charges.

Unfortunately, the reality has been very different.

There have been customs complications in the EU, misplaced shipments, distributors not realizing that deliveries had already arrived, delays while they tried to locate those shipments, and a frustrating lack of communication about what was actually happening. We've also had reports of books arriving damaged.

If something could go wrong, it feels like it has.

The hardest part has been having so little control over these issues. But worse than that is not having answers for you.

When someone asks me, "Where is my book?", it's incredibly frustrating, and frankly embarrassing, to have to answer, "I don't know."

Critical Kit has been contacting the distribution partners daily, pushing for information and working to resolve these problems. Some backers have received their books, and more copies are making their way to people. But for others, we're still waiting for reliable information.

I can't give you a precise estimate right now. Anything I told you would be a guess, and after everything that's happened, I don't want to make another promise based on information I can't verify.

The books exist. They're printed. Many have already been delivered. But the distribution process we believed would make things easier has turned into a series of unfortunate events.

And I am deeply sorry.

I'm frustrated and, to be honest, ashamed of how this has unfolded.

This whole experience has taken a considerable toll on my mental health and even made me reconsider what I want to do next in my career. But that's something for me to work through, not a burden I want to place on you.

What matters here is that you supported this project, trusted us to deliver it, and have been waiting far longer than you should have.

I take that responsibility seriously.

I want to be very clear about one thing: I remain committed to getting every one of you the books you've paid for. We're not walking away from this, and we're continuing to work with Critical Kit to resolve the outstanding deliveries.

I've also put my future projects on hold while I focus on seeing this one through and earning back the confidence of those who supported it.

I wish I had more concrete news to share today. I really do. But I'd rather be transparent about what we know and what we don't than offer another optimistic timeline that might not hold.

I know this doesn't compensate for the delays or the frustration you've experienced, but I'd still like to offer you something as a token of appreciation.

You'll receive a notification from BackerKit letting you know that new digital downloads have been added to your account. From there, you can download the game at no additional cost.

I hope you enjoy it, and perhaps it will bring a little something good to your gaming table while we continue working through this.

I know I've said this many times already, but thank you for your patience and for sticking with me.

I understand that patience isn't endless, and I don't take your trust for granted. I hope you can still trust that this project hasn't been neglected, even when the lack of visible progress or communication might have suggested otherwise.

I'll continue pushing for answers and will share concrete information as soon as I have it.

For now, that's where things stand.

I hope you have a good week, everyone.

Take care,

—Cezar