Hello Outlanders!
Well, I've got to admit, I really thought daemons would take the majority of votes in our poll to decide which creature we'd be previewing first! They did com...
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James Bell
2 days ago
Backers Draft Manuscript Part 4
Hello Outlanders,
Are you ready for a little magic? It's Arts & Pillars time as we gain access to the draft version of Chapter 6 of the At The Gates manuscript!
Before we ge...
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James Bell
4 days ago
Sneak Peek: Pillar of Transformation
Hello Outlanders,
By popular vote, let's get a sneak peek at the Pillar of Transformation! This is a small section from the next backer manuscript preview, which will be coming...
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James Bell
6 days ago
Stretching Goals and Actually Playing
Hello Outlanders,
I've got pretty far on a cup of coffee today (so many chores!) but it's really our group who's been kicking butt lately! It's been about 5 days since we last ...
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James Bell
7 days ago
The Arts of Motion and Control
Hello Outlanders,
I've got another sneak peek for you today, touching on some of the cool stuff that's coming our way in the next backer manuscript drop. Again, this is just a ...
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James Bell
9 days ago
New Minigame - Backer Recruiting
Hello Outlanders,
I've been impressed for a long time with Danielle's creativity! Watching the Storypath system grow from those first Scion Second Edition and Trinity Continuum...
Well, I've got to admit, I really thought daemons would take the majority of votes in our poll to decide which creature we'd be previewing first! They did come first, but with only 48% of the vote! It was a photo finish with Dragons, who finished at 44%, and undead showing up in third with a respectable 8% competing with those powerhouses!
The complete draft manuscript for Chapter 8 will be available for all backers on Tuesday, so anyone who's joined in to support this project will have access to the entire book before any pledges are processed or payments collected!
Even with that, who wants to wait to see some goodies, so let's get a sneak peek at Daemons...
Daemons
Before the past year, the creatures of the Void had no substantial presence on Gaia, bound as they were to Rifts and temporary passages to escape the chains of their prison. With Vitrumaria bringing the practice of daemon summoning to Everend, though, the entities now play a crucial role in determining the fate of the world, whether anyone — daemons included — like it or not.
Although daemons experience the frameworks of human morality again and again as their interactions with people become more regular and thus nobody can say what the future holds for their kind, as a whole the entities are more amoral than good or evil. Eons spent in the Void forced them to adapt to a reality whose nature doesn’t align with the wellbeing of this world. In fact, most daemons ignore their kind was once native to Gaia, the secret being only known to the most ancient and cunning among them. Daemons embody concepts and forms of magic from primordial Gaia such as destruction, creation, and rebirth, twisted by an eternity passed outside the boundaries of reality. They have magic of their own, many replicating the effects the spellcasters of Everend can create, but their powers — their mere presence — corrupts the world and changes the essence of the creatures inside it, tainting them with the primordial elements.
Two broad categories of daemons exist: The lesser daemons, who vary wildly in rank and power, and the mighty sovereigns, who are more akin to actual divinities.
Rule-wise, lesser daemons use Qualities, Arts, and Magic just as any other supporting character or antagonist, but few substantial differences mark them as creatures from beyond reality.
Outside of Rifts or Void-corrupted areas, daemon can only exist on Gaia when summoned (p. XX) and return to the Void when slain or when the summoning ends.
When daemons use magic, they replicate the effects of a spell, but draw power from the Void and corrupt Gaia while doing so.
A summoned daemon gives access to their summoner and their allies to daemon magic befitting their nature, special Tricks that can be purchased for any action as long as the summoning lasts. The effects of the Tricks on characters, antagonists, objects, and environment end along with the summoning unless specified otherwise.
Some Tricks grant access to antagonists’ Qualities and Arts to characters. Activating any Art costs 1 Energy and is still subjected to cooldowns. The Trick specifies which dice pools the characters should use to employ the Art.
The cooldowns on a daemon’s Art start the moment they are summoned, meaning they need time before they can activate any.
Any player character or the antagonist who summoned a daemon can renounce their actions for a round to have the daemon gain the spotlight instead, using the creature — along with their dice pools and traits — to act.
Adept Tier
Flagros
Even more than other daemons, the flagros interact with us with eagerness: Our emotions and desires feed them, conflict helps them grow. They start as living flames, with clever eyes and fanged mouths, only to turn into furious bonfires and raging stars. Be careful with them, though: Those taking their first step into the art of summoning love flagros for how happy to fight they are, not to mention they infuse their energy into items of any sort — even buildings! — and turn them into marvelous means of transportation, but the daemons yearn to find their purest expression of self in a devasting explosion.
Both sociable and easy to summon when compared to stronger daemons, flagros nevertheless hold within their blazing form the potential to be extremely dangerous. Their essence as daemons of fire and strong emotions with a love for battle certainly make them excellent picks for any summoner in need of help to defeat their enemies, but it’s the sheer destructive potential of flagros who solidified their reputation as living weapons.
Vitrumaria dreams to employ flagros in great number someday, the daemons’ ability to explode at will after their flames are fueled a precious tool in any general’s arsenal, while the secretive summoners of Talpidium discovered their nation’s geothermically active nature suits well the flagros and that the creatures’ help can power instruments and tools away from indiscreet eyes.
Feed The Flames: One use. When a flagros is at 1 Injury, it can activate this art as a simple action by rolling its secondary dice pool. On a success, at the beginning of the next round it heals any damage and grows by one template, up to Elite.
Rebirth: If slain by their own Explosive Demise, flagros don’t die but rather reform as Adepts on the following scene. Their demise still ends their summoning.
Flagros’s Magic
Blazing Strikes (1 hit): All the character’s attacks gain the Flaming tag.
Blazing Shield (2 hits): The character becomes immune to fire and explosions.
Incinerate(2 hits): Inflict the On Fire area effect (Minor) on the Area or increase its Complication rating by one step.
Immolation (3 hits): The flagros gains the spotlight as soon as the character passes it, detonating with the Explosive Demise Art.
Fuel (3 hits): The flagros reflexively activates the Feed the Flames Art, regardless of their current Injury.
Kronalli
Foolish summoners think the only daemons worth calling from the Void are those who can lay a battlefield to waste with fire storms or pestilential winds. Nonsense. Each daemon is creature made of pure power; it only takes for an enlightened mind to know how to employ it. Take the kronalli, for example. Alien, like few other daemons, these golden wheels covered in eyes rotate around a glowing core made of pure temporal energy, the very essence of their being and the source of their powers. Kronalli manipulate time, accelerating and slowing creatures with the same ease I can move my hand, all while showing a terrifying mastery of the forces of entropy as well and the kind of stimulating perspective I appreciate in any intelligent conversation.
Through Gaia and the Void, all daemons maintain a connection with the primordial elements of the universe. For the kronalli, said element is none other than time itself. Kronalli perceive and understand time on a scale people and most other daemons can’t even fathom, their minds traveling through odds, distant pasts, and possible futures at an impossible pace. The multitude of wheels composing a kronalli’s body whirl with eerie intensity whenever the creature meditates, only stopping — sometimes all at once, sometimes only a few — whenever events demand their attention.
Despite their nature, the kronalli hold no respect for the sanctity of time on Gaia, a consequence of their lives spent in the Void, where the boundaries of time and space lose meaning. The daemons care little about other beings, and don’t hesitate to absorb their life energies for themselves.
Entropic Strikes (1 hit): All the character’s attacks gain the Piercing tag.
Slow Down (1 hit): All the character’s attacks gain access to the following Trick:
Decelerate (1+ hit): Inflict the Slowed status effect on your target. This status effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 plus any additional hits garnered on the action roll spent to inflict it.
Haste (2 hits): The character can move between Close and Medium range as a reflexive action and doesn’t need to use a mixed action when rising from prone or performing a Rush action.
Deteriorate (3 hits): The character renders the mundane gear of a target within Short range useless for the remainder of the scene. Magical gear isn’t affected by this Trick.
Time Warp (4 hits): Next round, the character can reroll one of their actions and choose which result to use to determine the outcome.
Elite Tier
Aglomps
Defining our first encounters with aglomps as disasters wouldn’t be an exaggeration. If anything, they provided a useful reminder that looks can be deceiving: Aglomps resemble strange hybrids of frogs and fish, no taller than the average person’s knees. Round, soft, and without any defining feature other than their big eyes and the luminescent lantern-like filament dangling over their heads, the aglomps don’t look like much. They’re almost cute, in an ugly sort of way. Even the few pointy crooked teeth showing out of their mouth act more as decorations than actual fangs. Things change when an aglomp opens said mouth wide to its fully uncanny extent and swallows an entire person, a chariot, a daemon ten times their size, absorbing their features to fight against whoever dares to underestimate them or hurt other daemons.
Among the weirdest daemons ever called forth from the Void, aglomps are far more terrifying than their deceptive appearance would suggest. The small daemons are a bundle of paradoxes: Seemingly embodying primordial concepts such as hunger and consumption, they’re also examples of extreme adaptability and care for those who can’t defend themselves. Their diminutive size hides the threat their all-devouring mouths — whose dangers ignore any law of reality — represent, not to mention the innate strength and mutation power each aglomp possesses.
Other daemons came to fear the aglomps, for the little beasts are both near the top of the Void’s food chain and show a penchant for feeding on whoever threatens the creatures of the Void, be them daemons or otherwise.
Gluttonous Abyss: Aglomps can use Devour on creatures of bigger size.
Absorb Power Art: 3 uses; The Aglomp copies one of the powers, Qualities, Arts, or Advantages of any creature currently subjected to their Devour Art, losing access to it at the end of the scene.
Aglomps’s Magic
Little Terror Armor (1 hit): The character gains an armor with the Elemental (One element), Padded, and Resistant tags.
Bounce (1 hit): The character gains the Leap Art and can move again after using it.
Adaptability (2 hits): End any amount of status effects the character suffers from.
Eat Whole (3 hits): The character gains the Devour Art. They can eat creatures of any size with it and the Difficulty to break out for ingested creatures amounts to 3.
Absorb (3 hits): The character gains one of the Qualities or Arts of any creature currently subjected to an instance of the Devour Art by them or their allies.
All-Devouring Hunger (3 hits): Lower the aglomp’s Devour Art current cooldown by 1. If the Art’s cooldown is at 0, the aglomp activates it right after you pass the spotlight.
Nightmare Lanterns
Summoning a nightmare lantern equals confronting your worst fears. Even when properly enticed and bound, the daemons elicit a primal response in whoever looks at them, tapping into the deepest recesses of their mind. Resembling a floating cluster of giant disembodied eyes, nightmare lanterns already look horrifying before you notice the translucid mass surrounding the eye core. The actual “body” of the daemon, an ephemeral structure made of dream matter with vague resemblance to a cephalopod or jellyfish, tentacles, and all. Whether they devastate your mind with their psychic powers or crush your bones through a combination of ectoplasmic limbs and telekinesis, nightmare lanterns are behind a good amount of the cautionary tales about botched evocations that circulate nowadays.
Among all the daemons thus far observed and summoned on Everend, nightmare lanterns achieved a dreaded reputation, although not because of sheer physical power. Many other daemons are stronger, lots are better warriors, and plenty make for more efficient tools on the battlefield. What makes the nightmare lanterns unique, though, is how they combine their formidable intellect with their terrifying control of fears and their capability to wield both as weapons.
Despite their theoretical potential for both good and evil, nightmare lanterns are born out of all the terrors that plague the mind, creatures of nightmares, panicked frenzies, and screams. For each summoner entertaining a dialogue with one, dozens of stories about the horrors routing entire battalions with a gesture or haunting the dreams of a careless scholar spread across Everend.
Template: Elite Drive: Cause nightmares and feed on fears Primary Pool: 10 (Terrorize, Analyze, Power of The Mind) Secondary Pool: 8 (Physical Combat, Intellectual Dialogue, Stealth) Desperation Pool: 5 Enhancement: +1 Terrorize, +1 Power of The Mind Defense: 2 Integrity: 2 Injury: 9 Initiative: 5 Source: 5 Qualities: Clingy 1 (Aggressive), Frightening Presence, Malleable, Natural Weapons 3 (Ectoplasmic Tentacles; Piercing, Reach, Stun), Reset, Willful, Unusual Anatomy Arts: Alter Bonds 1, Bend Minds 3, Dreadful Gaze (Stunned) 2, Drain 2, Elusive Shape 1, Hypnotize 3, Mental Disruption 3, Read Minds 2, Telekinesis 4 Magic: Fear, Illusory Image Soul: 3 (12) Extra: +2 Intellect Advantage, +1 Social Advantage
Special:
Telepathic Omniglot: Nightmare lanterns understand all languages and can communicate with any creature in the Area they can perceive.
Nightmare Lantern’s Magic
Oneiric Horror Strikes (1 hit): All the character’s attacks gain the Stun tag.
Partially Corporeal (2 hit): The character gains a +1 Enhancement on Defense rolls. Can be purchased multiple times, up to +3.
Power of The Mind (2 hits): The character gains the Telekinesis (Short Range) Art and can use it to hold grapples.
Superior Intellect (3 hits): The character gains 1 Intellect Advantage. Can be purchased multiple times, but can’t take their Intellect Advantage total above 2.
Nightmarish Flesh (3 hits): The character gains the Unusual Anatomy Quality.
Horrors Unleashed (3 hits): Lower the nightmare lantern’s Mental Disruption Art current cooldown by 1. If the Art’s cooldown is 0, the nightmare lantern activates it right after you pass the spotlight.
Archon Tier
Crystal Seraphim
Other daemons we questioned about the creatures of the Void consistently mentioned the might of crystal seraphim, but we didn’t get a true sense of it until our first successful summoning of one. Kelabaxis, that was their name. I was there on the field when my lab partner managed to call the creature to Gaia. The seraphim made their triumphant appearance in a halo of iridescent light: This vaguely anthropomorphic being made of azure crystal, wreathed in golden veins. On their back, a host of floating crystals arranged like wings. I since discovered no crystal seraphim look exactly like another, but I’ll never forget Kelabaxis. Within a few seconds since their arrival, they summoned a crystalline sword in each of their four hands. A minute later, our enemies were no more.
It’s unclear whether crystal seraphim once were creatures of different shape who eventually transformed into crystal during their time spent in the Void or if concentrated primordial magic evolved form and sentience into these mighty angelic beings, but no summoner or daemon doubts they rank among the most powerful entities from beyond the boundaries of this world.
No less dangerous to Gaia than that of other daemons, the nature of crystal seraphim speaks of luminous might, judgement, fury, and ruthless purity. While crystal seraphim maintain a distance — or a disdain — for other not-crystalline daemons that betrays a sense of longing for Gaia and its freedom, they hold little tolerance for any perceived imperfections, weakness, or whatever they consider a corrupting influence.
Template: Archon Drive: Unleash its furious might against anyone who provokes them or violates their righteous mandate. Primary Pool: 12 (Attacking, Dreadful Shows of Power, Defile an Area) Secondary Pool: 10 (Scout the Lair, Sense Where Gaia’s energies converge) Desperation Pool: 6 Enhancement: +1 Close Combat, +2 Scare Defense: 3 Integrity: 3 Injury: 10 Armor: 3 Initiative: 6 Qualities: Attentive, Magical Weapons 3 (Crystal Arsenal; Animated, Ranged: Short, Wounding), Extraordinary Speed, Frightening Presence, Immunity (Light), Reset, Willful Arts: Defensive Aura 1, Dreadful Gaze (Senses Occluded) 3, Elemental Teleportation (Light) 2, Explosive Demise 1, Hypnotize 3, Trample 2, Usurp Flesh (Petrification) 2,Wave of Destruction (Rain of crystals) 3 Magic: Magic Resistance, Judgment Soul: 5 (20) Extra: +1 Durability Advantage, +1 Power Advantage, +1 Social Advantage, +1 Speed Advantage
Special:
Luminous Champion: When activating Alter Environment, Crystal seraphim causes the Blinding Light (Major) area effect. The area effect works like Darkness (p. XX), except for its different nature and Complication rating.
Crystal Seraphim’s Magic
Shining Avenger Strikes (1 hit): All the character’s attacks gain the Crystal tag.
Crystal: The gem-like weapon turns enemies into crystal. Gain access to the following Trick when making attacks with this weapon:
Crystallize (2 hits): Inflict the Petrification status effect (p. XX) on your target.
Crystalline Wings (1 hit): The character grows wings of crystal and light, ignoring any penalty or Complication related to the terrain or weather during their movement.
Luminous Blessing (2 hits): The character becomes immune to any light-related hazard, Complication, or attack.
Judgement Light (2 hits): Inflict the Blinding Light area effect on the Area.
Crystalline Body (2 hit): The character gains the Unusual Anatomy Quality.
Bright Champion (3 hits): The crystal seraphim gets the spotlight as soon as the character passes it, acting without the need for them to renounce their actions. Can be purchased only once per round.
Sovereigns
Above any other creature, claiming the title of divinity and well worth of it, Sovereign are entities of immense power, timeless age, and otherworldly perspective, eidolons of greatness both bright and terrible unbound by the limitations affecting beings of less godly nature. Their might ignores — or shatters — the laws of Gaia and their actions reshape the world as each step and gesture they make changes the fate of entire nations. A Sovereign can raze a mountain or lay waste to an entire army with a manifestation of power, making them coveted forces to summon despite the risks channeling one of them into service entails both for the summoner, their enemies, and the nearby region.
As beings of nearly supreme power well above lesser demons, Sovereigns don’t have dice pools. Rather, their traits describe the effects they impose over the battlefield, both as formidable blessing for their summoners, terrible afflictions against their enemies, or impossible challenges to face.
Whoever summons a Sovereign into the battlefield commands a force with few equals on Gaia and beyond, but the call of the Void binds the divine creatures to temporary manifestations. Still, a single Sovereign can change the tides of history with their mere presence, a truth the inhabitants of Gaia discovered with dreadful clarity.
Summoning a Sovereign requires the expenditure of 4 Energy and works as a normal lesser daemon summoning except for the following differences:
Sovereign daemons cannot be slain.
Sovereign daemons don’t have traits, but rather impose a wide range of effects on the Area. Negative effects only influence the enemies of the character who summoned the Sovereign, with them and their allies being completely immune.
Ongoing area effects happen immediately when a Sovereign is summoned as the entity warps reality to make room for their divine presence. Once the summoning ends, said area effects end at Storyguide’s discretion.
In addition to the effects a Sovereign imposes on the Area, any player character or the antagonist who summoned the daemon can renounce all their actions for a round to activate the Sovereign Outburst Art with a single use.
Sovereign Outburst
Type: Simple Action
The Sovereign rolls an attack dice pool of 13 and +4 Enhancement against the highest Defense among all enemies. On a success, it equally affects all not-allied characters in the Area. The attack benefits from the tags listed in the Sovereign entry and ignores any Advantage both from characters and structures.
Zohaki, the Hell Wyrm
Darkness reminiscent of the nothingness before creation reclaims its domain over the world. Then, in a conflagration of chaos, anger, and hellish fire, the abyss explodes. Something that should not be, a primordial horror emerging outside the crucible of existence with nothing but hatred for a world who refused it greatness, slithers through darkness and smoke. Colossal onyx black coils rush through the darkness, the trace of a crimson underbelly beneath. The monster delights in the terror it causes, before revealing the true extent of its nightmarish majesty: A terrible serpentine cobra-like creature, as tall as the highest mountain, with six bat-like wings and two pairs of blazing eyes, hisses in triumphant delight, fire and magma spewing from its maw as it flies above. The thing laughs, as if that bellow can be called laughter, and descends on the battlefield.
The primordial horror known as Zohaki is a creature born out of chaos, fire, and darkness. Its blazing breath condemns its foes to eternal damnation.
Effects: Bearing the profane blessings of the Hell Wyrm, characters gain +1 Power Advantage on all attacks, along the Flaming and Shadow tags. Zohaki imposes the On Fire (Major) and Darkness (Moderate)area effects on the scene. The Hell Wyrm scorches the soul of any antagonist whose Injury reaches 0 during the summoning, using their pain to open a rift to summon a daemon minion of equal template — or with the same Skills and Attributes for player characters — to fight for the character’s side. The minions’ attacks benefit from the Brutal, Flaming, and Shadow tags.
Outburst Tags: Brutal, Flaming
We'll see a LOT more on daemons when we get the full chapter on Tuesday, along with all of the other Antagonist systems and information like templates, qualities, arts, and principles of encounter design. Lots of great stuff coming our way!
On Friday, we'll get a sneak peek at Dragons!
Tomorrow is officially the start of our FINAL WEEK of the campaign! I'll be sending out a schedule of key update posts to look for over the final week, possibly outlining an additional Stretch Goal or two, and generally setting up a reference page for new backers and current backers as we head into the finish!
Let's keep our momentum rolling! Please remember to invite your gaming friends and friendly gamers and share this campaign in your social circles and on your social media!
Are you ready for a little magic? It's Arts & Pillars time as we gain access to the draft version of Chapter 6 of the At The Gates manuscript!
Before we get to the manuscript, just a quick reminder...
WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK
IF you notice that the Pillars are named Providence and Mentalism in one section and then Anima andCognition, in another, you'll know that there's an opportunity for Danielle and the team can gather feedback to help guide the manuscript through the next steps of editing and development. To that end, they've created a special Feedback Form for you to submit your comments after reading each section!
International Shipping – Collected in the Pledge Manager
One quick note about Shipping before we get into the manuscript previews.
First up, it's amazingly expensive to ship, especially from Onyx Path's home base in the US. We get that, but there's not much we can do at this time. Onyx Path is in a difficult space where the company is big enough that they're not saving money by fulfilling out of Rich's garage, but small enough that they can't really set up international partners to handle portions of the fulfillment. So we are where we are - for now.
The best we can do at this point is to plan carefully, advise everyone up front that international shipping will likely be expensive (see our projections on the main page) and only charge what it costs us when the time comes. 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. If you live outside the US and aren't sure you want the hardcover or other physical items, you can pledge to the PDF tier now and upgrade your pledge in the Pledge Manager once we know the final shipping costs.
DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS - BACKERS ONLY
Remember, thanks to BackerKit magic, these download links are visible to Backers only - you must be logged in and reading this on the website to have access to the manuscript preview links. So, if you're reading this via e-mail, click that "Reply to this Update" link on the bottom and I'll see you below the title treatment.
By popular vote, let's get a sneak peek at the Pillar of Transformation! This is a small section from the next backer manuscript preview, which will be coming your way on Tuesday! As we've mentioned, anyone backing this project will be able to read the entire draft manuscript before any pledges are processed or payments collected, so you'll know exactly what you're getting into with your support!
The Pillars of Magic
Magic instills fear in the hearts of the meek and wonder in the souls of the bold. As present as it is throughout Gaia, even the most prestigious magic user keeps in mind how dangerous magic can be. As a caster’s skill with magic strengthens, so does their capacity for hubris and great harm. How long before an archmage decides that the swiftest way of finding and punishing a skulking killer is to burn down the city in which he hides with a magic-born inferno? How quickly might a sorcerer lose sight of who she is or was, due to the many augmentations she’s made to her appearance, persona, and psyche?
Magic is therefore studied with care by those who seek to use it responsibly and not lose themselves to its powerful allure. Magisters of old defined magic as emerging from four Pillars — though some occultists claim there are more forbidden Pillars hidden from the sight of who they call “fumbling practitioners” — and those four Pillars have remained the established norm throughout the kingdoms of Gaia. These four Pillars are generally known as Elementalism, Mentalism, Providence, and Transformation, though regional variations on these names exist.
When a character takes their first step toward wielding magic, they select a single Pillar from which to draw their Spells. For some, this Pillar comes naturally as an extension of their person, while others must seek out a Pillar and access it through exertion of will, overcoming a typically symbolic obstacle, or via Job training and apprenticeship.
Each Pillar is in turn divided into multiple Blocks, with the number varying depending on the Pillar. When a character first links to a Pillar, they feel an innate resonance from one of its Blocks, which becomes their Keystone. Spells from a character’s Keystone Block can be refreshed once per session without the expenditure of Energy.
Magical Structure
Magic in At the Gates operates on a cooldown system, limiting the number of times a Spell can be cast without a refresh. A Spell can be broken from its cooldown period through the expenditure of Energy, at a rate of 1 Pool for 1 refresh, regardless of the Spell’s Echelon rating. Without Pool, however, Spells are restricted to one of the following casting periods:
Dynamic Spells can be used once per round. These Spells tend to be low impact, frequent use magical effects, not requiring the expenditure of Pool to refresh them from one round to the next.
Elevated Spells can be used once per scene. Once used, the Spell is usable again in the subsequent scene, or before, if the caster expends Pool to refresh it. These Spells are the most likely to see use in strategic ways, such as magical disguises, battlefield Spells, and the manipulation of another’s mind.
Iconic Spells are usable once per game session. Once used, the Spell isn’t usable again until the next game session, or sooner, if the caster uses Pool to refresh their access to it. Though abstracted as a game session, in Gaia this is a process taking hours, potentially including bed rest, meditation, or a good meal. Iconic Spells are rare abilities or extraordinary displays of power with a broad effect on their targets.
Casting a Spell is as simple as applying its described effects. When a target needs to resist its effects, they roll the dice pool specified in the Spell description (or an appropriate equivalent), with the difficulty equal to the caster’s Echelon.
The Pillar of Transformation
Gaia powers the Pillar of Transformation and empowers the caster to manipulate magic itself. While other Pillars connect to the mind, body, and Soul of others, or even the elements, Transformationists connect to the underlying magic residing in all things, and enact change at a fundamental level. The hallmark of Transformation magic is change. Whether by changing themselves, perfecting or destroying a weapon, or changing the very nature of a material, the caster manipulates the natural order and asserts her own will through the change.
The Advantaged The Pillar of Transformation utilizes Advantage. Advantage is an additive feature. If a character has access to Advantage through multiple sources, those sources all work together to create the most advantageous outcome. All sources of Advantage stack unless otherwise noted, but the highest Advantage rating any one character can have is 5. Remember, if a character has three or more Advantage over another character, she automatically succeeds on actions against the other character.
Perfection
Perfection magic is considered the most straightforward application of transformation magic. The Transformationist strengthens his subjects rather than radically altering them. Wealthy clients seek out Perfectionists to endow themselves with strength, wit, and charm, engineers and smiths hire them as consultants, and many Perfectionists assist healers, artisans, and any other professional who needs their body or tools operating at maximum capacity.
Empower
Keywords: Elevated
Jade’s muscles swell as her magic courses through her body, making her ready for her next attack against the void-tainted beast.
When casting Empower, choose one: Speed, Power, Social, or Intellect. Gain +1 Advantage on the next action the character takes that would take advantage of the type chosen. If not used by the end of the scene, this spell’s effects are wasted.
Advancements
Empower Other •• Choose an ally the caster can see in Medium Range to cast the Spell on instead.
Ontological Inertia ••• The benefit lasts up to the caster’s Echelon actions, or until the caster dismisses the effect. If the caster casts the Spell again, the previous cast ends immediately.
Multifaceted •••• Choose two types of actions when casting the spell, the target receives +1 Advantage to both types of action during the duration.
Ascension ••••• The caster becomes a perfected form of herself. She gains +1 Advantage in all arenas until the end of the scene. Ascension is accompanied by an unmistakably magic visual effect while active: the caster glows with a fiery white aura, the image of a divine being appears behind them, their feet hover above the ground, or any similar effect of the player’s choosing. This advancement is used in place of all other effects.
Reinforce
Keywords: Iconic
Teodoro watched as the dragon’s acidic breath disintegrated Jullian’s shield. “Not you, Isidore,” he whispered to his sword as he poured his Energy into its being.
The caster targets a single item within Short range. That item is now immune to all mundane attempts to break or destroy it for the rest of the scene.
Advancements
Harden •• The item provides its wielder with a point of armor, even if it isn’t armor. If it is an armor, this stacks with any tags or Spells already on it.
Metaphysical Integrity ••• The item is now also immune to magical attempts to break or transform it.
Living Bulwark •••• The caster may choose to target a living target within Short range instead of an item. The target gains 2 points of armor and gains gains +2 Enhancement to resist the End Spell or transformation effects until the end of the scene. This advancement is used in place of all other effects.
Eternal Artifact ••••• The reinforced item becomes not only indestructible, but bound to its owner. Only the item’s original owner can lift or wield it. Neither the item nor its wielder can be moved through the use of forced movement, including Tricks such as Disarm, Knockdown, or Throw Person. It also grants a +1 Enhancement to its primary use, which stacks.
Metamorphosis
Transformationists use Metamorphosis to alter not only the physical aspects of something, but also its fundamental function. Where Perfection magic strengthens and alters something true form, and Transmogrify turns one thing into another, Metamorphosis adapts people and items to any situation, changing parts of the whole to make it better, stronger, faster, and different, but not necessarily new.
Shapechange
Keywords: Iconic
With a small gesture, Terra’s facial features shifted and changed. In moments, she looked like nothing more than a regular bat-person, rather than her normal crystalline form.
The caster alters her body in a superficial way, changing her height, features, sex characteristics, and any of her physical aspects for the rest of the scene. Gain +2 Enhancement on attempts to fool others with the disguise, and choose two of the options below:
Gain 1 additional armor, on top of any armor they’re already wearing.
Gain a natural weapon with the Worn and Wounding tags.
The caster gains +1 Enhancement to Survival and Ranged Combat actions.
Become small and inconspicuous. Gain +2 Enhancement on actions that require stealth.
Grow tentacles that give the caster the Reach tag.
The caster may freely move underwater without worrying about breath at their normal speed.
Wings sprout from the caster’s back, allowing them to fly at up to Short range from the ground.
Advancements
Mimic •• The caster perfectly copies the appearance of another person or creature. Gain +1 Social Advantage when passing themselves off as the person or creature they choose in addition to the +2 Enhancement to disguise attempts. The caster needs to have seen their target either in person or in portraits, but if they can’t see their target when they cast the spell, they manifest a tell, such as the wrong eye or hair color. When the caster takes actions as the person they are impersonating, they suffer a Moderate Complication. Failure to buy it off leads to others investigating her, or trouble arising.
Greater Alteration ••• The caster may choose one additional option, and gains access to the following additional options:
Add the Poisoned tag to attacks made with natural weapons.
When the caster is in control of a grapple, their grappled opponent must spend an extra hit to Overwhelm or Disengage from the grapple.
The caster’s wings harden and may appear to thicken or crystallize. The caster and any ally within Close range is protected as if behind Light Cover.
Internal Shifting •••• The caster may purchase the following Tricks on Defense actions.
Formless Dance (1 hits): This Trick may be purchased multiple times. For each purchase, increase the cost of the Establish Grapple Trick against the caster by 1 hit.
Hidden Organs (1 hits): This Trick may be purchased multiple times. For each purchase, increase the cost of the Critical Trick against the caster by 1 hit.
Final Form ••••• The caster may choose two additional options, and gains access to the following additional options:
The caster’s skin hardens to stone. Gain +1 Durability Advantage.
The caster grows in immense size and strength. Gain +1 Power Advantage.
The caster’s sense become incredibly enhanced. Gain +1 Intellect Advantage.
The caster’s natural weapons become jagged and sharp. Gain +2 Enhancement to attacks made with natural weapons.
The caster’s wings become extremely powerful. The caster can fly up to any range band from the ground and has +1 Speed Advantage while flying.
Transmogrify
The act of transmogrification is not simply transmuting one substance into another. Instead, the Transmogrify Block takes a substance, or person, and changes them into something wholly different and new. Practitioners change the magic itself, making old into young, big into small, solid into liquid and so many other permutations that there are whole schools of magicians devoted to the study of Transmogrify.
Animate
Keywords: Iconic
The pool of water swirled and rose into the air before Ophelia. She nodded once in satisfaction as the small water creature took form and opened its eyes to look at her.
Target a single object to bestow life to for the scene. This can be any kind of physical matter, solid or liquid. The animated entity acts has the Adept template (p. XX) with two Qualities of the caster’s choice. The caster may give the animate commands as a simple action.
Advancements
Independence •• The caster may now give the animate commands as a reflexive action. In combat, it only moves and attacks enemies the caster also attacks.
Greater Animate ••• The caster may choose two additional Qualities for the animate, as well as a single Art which it can use a number of times equal to the caster’s Echelon.
Monstrous Creature •••• The animate now uses the Elite template (see p. XX) instead of the Adept template.
Enlightened Being ••••• The animate now acts of its own accord without commands from its master, and it gains access to a second Art. This spell no longer ends at the end of the scene and the creature persists until killed. At the end of the scene, the caster no longer has any connection to the animate, though it will start with a positive attitude towards her.
Lightspin
Keywords: Dynamic
Lucien pulled at the air and the light bent to follow his gesture. As he moved, the light wove into patterns until he carried a gleaming hammer, ready for use.
The caster creates a mundane object out of pure light that can be used for a single action. Any item created this way grants +1 Enhancement for its primary use, and gains a single tag appropriate for its type. Objects created with Lightspin glow as brightly as a torch with an inner light.
Advancements
Imbued Light •• The created item now lasts for a number of actions equal to the caster’s Echelon.
Motespin ••• The created item is considered magical. It now grants +2 Enhancement to its primary use and has 3 tags.
Soulspun •••• The item is bound to the caster’s soul. If it is a weapon, reduce the cost of Combat Tricks by 1 hit to a minimum of 1. If it is an armor, increase the cost to purchase Combat Tricks against the caster by 1 hit. If it is an item, reduce all Complications associated with its use by one rank.
Arsenal of Light ••••• As an iconic spell, the caster creates a gleaming armory of shimmering weapons and armor out to Short range that lasts for the scene. Any enemies in Short Range are immediately pushed out to Medium Range. If an enemy comes within Short Range they must make a rolled movement action with a Major Complication. If they fail to buy it off, they are knocked prone and suffer 1 damage. Any enemy within Short range suffers a Moderate Complication on all physical actions, if not bought off, they suffer 2 damage. The caster or any allies within the Spell’s effect may take a weapon and wield it as though it were created with Motespin. This advancement is used in place of all other effects.
We'll have the complete draft manuscript version of Chapter 6 out to backers on Tuesday, leaving our final chapter of amazing Antagonists coming our way on June 4. Before we get to that we'll have two final sneak peeks. What should we look at first? (I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but let's see how many votes we can get by Wednesday morning so I know how much information to share about Daemons!)
I've got pretty far on a cup of coffee today (so many chores!) but it's really our group who's been kicking butt lately! It's been about 5 days since we last reviewed our current Stretch Goal targets and 3 days since we introduced our parallel minigame of Backer Recruitment to add a few more options. Let's check in and see how we're doing...
ACHIEVED! - At $48,000 in Funding – AT THE GATES VTT TOKEN PACK – Digital assets will be created to support online play for At The Gates, including key character and creature tokens from the book. This online asset pack will be added to the rewards list of all backers.
ACHIEVED! - At 900 Backers - NEW ADD ON: AT THE GATE CHIBI PINS - Five different soft enamel 2" pin designs will be available as an Add On option at $14 each or the set of all 5 for $60. Single pin selection will be confirmed in the Pledge Manager. Fulfillment will be handled by NerdyKeppie.com and additional shipping charges will be collected at time of fulfillment.
ACHIEVED! - At $50,000 in Funding - AT THE GATES Companion - New Advanced Paths - The Companion PDF will be expanded to include a section with new Advanced Profession Paths for characters to take if they want to unlock new Arts specific to their mastery of these professions. Backers receiving the At The Gates PDF as one of their rewards will automatically have the Companion PDF added to their rewards list as a bonus.
That's right! Not only did we add the VTT Token pack as a bonus reward for all backers, we've also expanded our At The Gates Companion reward to include more Advanced Paths! Can't wait to see what the team comes up with!
AND PINS! We unlocked a new Add On for the Chibi pins. These are the concept artwork for the pins, and they look amazing! Kudos to Danielle and the team at NerdyKeppie.com for coming up with this awesome option for At The Gates fans! I'm getting a set.
What's next...
At 975 Backers - NEW ADD ON: AT THE GATE LOGO and SIGIL PINS - A single hard enamel screen-printed 2" At The Gates logo pin will be available as an Add On option for $14, and five different soft enamel 1.5" sigil pin designs will be available as an Add On option at $10 each or the set of all 5 for $45. Single pin selection will be confirmed in the Pledge Manager. Fulfillment will be handled by NerdyKeppie.com and additional shipping charges will be collected at time of fulfillment.
We've got one more target in our Backer Recruitment minigame, another set of pins for the profession sigils and the ATG logo. Once we unlock that, we'll probably have some new content Stretch Goals to set up, so let's keep spreading the word to our friends and friendly gamers and ask them to join in!
ACTUAL PLAY PODCAST
Two weeks ago, I shared an episode of the Onyx Pathcast where Danielle detailed ATG character creation with Eddy and Dixie. I've referenced this podcast a bunch while reading through the backer chapters we've received so far.
Well, now that the team has characters it's time to play! You can listen to the first two episodes here:
Hearing the game in action is always my favorite way to learn about the setting and system and seeing how it all interacts.
INTERVIEWS
You can also learn more about the game and the work that went into it with this interview! Developer Danielle talked with The Awkward GM about At The Gates. Check it out on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/YFQKNqQ82U0
And as a bonus, you can check out Danielle's interview on the Bonus Experience hosted by Monica Speca for even more At The Gates talk!
Check that one out on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/p3LhNcxxYF4
So much At The Gates fun!
I'll be back on Sunday with a sneak peek at one of the Pillars of Magic! Remember to vote to decide what we're looking at!
I've got another sneak peek for you today, touching on some of the cool stuff that's coming our way in the next backer manuscript drop. Again, this is just a glimpse into the full draft of Chapter 6, which all backers will have access to on Tuesday.
You voted and our top two results are the Art of Motion and the Art of Control!
Arts
Martial practices rise among warrior-cultures all across Gaia. Scholars of fighting styles and martial history call these methods Arts. Some Arts are passed from master to student across centuries of refinement and study, while others are reflections of individual skill, honed by a singular warrior’s unique style. Though they derive from her character’s profession Path, a player purchasing these Arts chooses how her character knows them.
Arts tie into the Momentum pool with Desperation and Readiness abilities.
Desperation occurs when there are zero Momentum in the pool at the time the Art is activated. A player cannot spend the cost of an Art specifically to declare its Desperation effect. Ignore the normal Momentum cost to activate a Desperation Art when there is no Momentum in the pool.
Readiness requires a certain number of Momentum be available to use. Each Readiness ability specifies the minimum number of Momentum necessary to activate it. Like Desperation, that number must be met at the time the Art is declared. Spending Momentum to use an Art’s effect does not cancel a Readiness ability if it would reduce the pool below the minimum requirement.
The Art of Motion (Harrier)
A character with the harrier Profession Path learns The Art of Motion and unlocks Rogue’s Guile automatically. Motion Arts utilize Athletics, Enigmas, and Larceny. Attacks boosted by the Art of Motion may use any of these Abilities in place of Close Combat, Esoterica, or Ranged Combat. The Art of Motion allows a harrier to make magical attacks with a close combat weapon rather than a focus.
Rogue’s Guile
Prerequisites: Harrier Profession Path
Brick waits patiently as Cassandra brings the Void tainted creature into position. She strikes it, and Brick jumps in to take advantage of the opening she creates.
Whenever your character attacks an enemy that has previously been attacked by an ally and is in the same range band as her and an allied character, treat all Tricks as requiring one fewer hit, to a minimum of 1.
Readiness: If there are half the maximum or more Momentum in the pool and the attack is successful, apply an appropriate combat status effect relevant to your character’s Keystone.
Backup Plan
Prerequisites: Enigmas or Larceny 3, Echelon 2
When things started to go south, Caspian spoke up. Their friends eagerly followed the harrier’s clever plan, deftly avoiding the danger ahead.
Once per session, after seeing the result of any failed non-combat action — including its narrative consequences — you may pause the scene and spend a Momentum. After spending the Momentum, briefly discuss how this could have succeeded because of your character’s backup plan, and then continue with play as if the action had succeeded in the way you agreed upon.
Clever Rogue’s Rush
Prerequisites: Athletics 2
Muriel dashed across the battlefield in a blur. No one even saw her knife plunge into the guard before he was down.
Whenever your character runs or rushes, spend a Momentum. He may cross one range band further. For example, he may run from Close to Long range. If he is attacked before the end of the round in which he used this Art, he may use the Dive to Cover defense Trick as though it had a cost of 0.
Readiness: If there is half the maximum or more Momentum in the pool, ignore any area effects during this movement.
Discerning Scoundrel’s Sense
Prerequisites: Enigmas or Larceny 2
Hoffrun eyed the woman standing before him for no more than a second before concluding that she posed no threat to him or his allies.
After using an action to observe a target or after successfully stealing something from a target’s person, you may ask the Storyguide to reveal one of the following:
Criminal history or recent criminal activities the target may have done.
The origin and value of any one item or weapon on their person, including if it is magical or not.
The number of dice and actions in the target’s Primary pool.
Readiness: If there are three or more Momentum in the pool, reveal one other piece of information.
Parabolic Step
Prerequisites: Athletics 3
Unbound from the tyranny of the earth, Caspian leaps into the air and away from his pursuers leaving them baffled in his dust.
Once per turn, in place of moving, you may spend one Momentum and instead have your character jump one range band vertically or leap two range bands horizontally. This bypasses any obstacles or area effects that could be cleared by jumping, rather than moving through them.
Desperation: The character may make a reflexive attack against an enemy in the range band where he lands.
Undeterred by Obstructions
Prerequisites: Enigmas or Larceny 4
Willow doesn’t allow something as mundane as doors or windows to stop her from getting to her prize.
Once per scene you may use this Art to declare that your character has bypassed a locked, sealed, obstructed or otherwise unopenable portal such as a door, vault, or window. She may exit the area she accessed using this Art, but may not re-enter it during the same scene and may not take other characters with her.
The Art of Control (Mage)
A character with the mage Profession Path learns The Art of Control and unlocks Arcane Mastery automatically. Control Arts utilize Esoterica, Science, and Technology. Attacks boosted by the Art of Control may use any of these Abilities in place of Close Combat, Esoterica, or Ranged Combat.
Arcane Mastery
Prerequisite: Mage Profession Path
Lucien set down the tome and heaved a sigh. His head throbbed, but he knew the study had paid off; his spells would be so much stronger now.
When you unlock this Art, choose one of the following benefits to permanently benefit your character’s Spells. You may purchase this a second time. Each entry may only be purchased once.
Gain +1 Enhancement that stacks to rolled actions (such as attacks) supplemented by Spells in the character’s Keystone.
Gain +1 Enhancement that stacks to resistance rolls to avoid or ignore the results of Spells that target your character.
Spells that target allies may target one additional ally.
Spells cast in the same scene in which an ally takes a rolled action refresh bond Enhancement with that ally.
Mental Library
Prerequisite: Esoterica 2
Ophelia had spent hours and hours poring over books and scrolls. Her mind was filled to the brim with facts — useful and otherwise.
Whenever an action regarding knowledge of some variety would arise and does not use Esoterica, you may instead substitute your character’s dots of Esoterica for the requisite Skill. The Storyguide should provide you with an answer through the lens of her vast breadth of knowledge, rather than the context of the specific Skill.
Desperation: Add an Enhancement that stacks to this roll.
Readiness: If there are three or more Momentum in the pool, reduce the cost of associated Tricks for this action by 1 to a minimum of 1.
Alchemic Alteration
Prerequisites: Esoterica or Science 5, Echelon 2
Lucien closed his hand around Cassandra’s bleeding wound. He chanted the incantation and the wound closed, transformed from blood and tissue to magical power, leaving his friend with only a sense of euphoria.
Once per round, your character may end a negative status effect by transmuting it into a positive one. This applies once per scene outside of combat. Once per session, she may similiarly end an area effect by transmuting it into another of your choice.
Desperation: If the transformed status effect did not become the Inspired status effect, gain it in addition. If it was, increase the Enhancement bonus from Inspired by 1.
Readiness: If there are four or more Momentum in the pool and the area effect suppressed was Moderate or Major, your character or one ally within Close range of her may heal one injury.
Enchant Item
Prerequisites: Science or Technology 3
Terra waved their hand over the broken compass and imbued it with just a touch of her magic. The cracked glass mended, and the inert needle spun once again, but rather than point due north, it instead tilted directly toward the enemy stronghold.
At the start of a scene or the first time your character takes an action in a scene, including combat, she may declare that she has transformed a mundane non-weapon object into something magical. This may also transform a mundane weapon into a magical one for the purpose of breaking or mending it. For example, a can on a string may become a long-distance communication device, or an ordinary torch may be enchanted to become waterproof, or a bucket of water declared to never run dry. This enchantment lasts until the end of the scene, at which point the item returns to normal.
Mage Sense
Prerequisites: Esoterica or Science 2
Terra turned the strange orb over and over in their hands. Its smooth surface yielded no further information, but it was nothing they couldn’t discern with enough study.
After studying an object or character in an investigation scene or after successfully defending against an attack in combat the first time an opponent attacks your character, you may ask the Storyguide to reveal one of the following:
What magical property or origin does the character or object possess?
Any one Block the target has access to.
Any one magical weakness (such as vulnerability to fire damage) the target has.
Readiness: If the pool contains three or more Momentum, reveal one additional piece of information.
Portal
Prerequisite: Esoterica or Science 4, Echelon 2
With a flourishing gesture, Ophelia opened a hole in the world limned with pale blue light. Gareth Falconer tumbled through the portal to get closer to his prize.
Once per session or once per fight, your character places a portal in one location within her range band or within the immediate area. The portal opens to another location within Long range in combat or another location she is familiar with or have previously been otherwise. This portal stays open for the rest of the scene. Characters may move through it using a movement action as normal.
Desperation: Characters who pass through the portal gain one status effect appropriate to your character’s Keystone. Allies always gain a positive status effect. Enemies gain your choice of either negative or beneficial status effects.
Readiness: If there are half the maximum or more Momentum in the pool, when an enemy moves through the portal, you may place them anywhere within medium range of the portal’s location.
OK, here are two more quick peeks....
Advanced Arts
Characters progress into Advanced Profession Paths, which unlock access to Advanced Arts. Advanced Arts function the same as basic Arts.
The Sagacious Art (Sage)
Sages require the diviner Profession Path, Empathy 4 and Medicine or Persuasion 3. Characters taking this Advanced Art unlock Unleashed God-Rays automatically.
Unleashed God-Rays
Prerequisite: Sage Profession Path, Restore the Soul, Echelon 2
Holding aloft her hand, Aphbet focused the power of her soul and used it to sear straight through the undead warriors in her path.
Make an attack against a creature within Medium range and spend one Momentum. The target must be a daemon, undead, or some other creature of supernatural origin. This attack ignores any Immunity or Invulnerability Qualities the target may have as well as any armor. The target gains the unique Weakenedstatus effect. You may not use this attack again against a target who is already Weakened.
Weakened The target has been enervated by holy magic. They lose any Enhancement to attacks made against the Sage who applied this status effect. Additionally, their defense is decreased by 1 against attacks made by the Sage.
Resolution: The target deals damage to the Sage who inflicted the condition, or another character within Close range of the Sage.
The Tactical Art (Tactician)
Tactians require the warlord Profession Path, Close Combat 4 and Leadership or Pilot 3. Characters taking this Advanced Art unlock Inspiring Presence automatically.
Nuna walked onto the battlefield and her allies cheered. Her presence was all it took to bend them doubly to their task.
Spend 1 Momentum. All allies within Close range of your character gain double-9s to attack and defense actions so long as they remain within range.
Desperation: Extend the range to Short.
As mentioned, backers will have access to the full draft version of Chapter 6 on Tuesday. In fact, all backers will have access to the complete current draft of the book before the campaign ends - before any pledges are processed or payments collected! So please continue to invite your friends and friendly gamers to join in on our campaign and you could literally start playing by June!
On Tuesday we'll get the full chapter, but who wants to wait until then to learn a bit more about Magic? We'll have another sneak peek on Sunday, this time covering the Pillars of Magic.
The Pillars of Magic
Magic instills fear in the hearts of the meek and wonder in the souls of the bold. As present as it is throughout Gaia, even the most prestigious magic user keeps in mind how dangerous magic can be. As a caster’s skill with magic strengthens, so does their capacity for hubris and great harm. How long before an archmage decides that the swiftest way of finding and punishing a skulking killer is to burn down the city in which he hides with a magic-born inferno? How quickly might a sorcerer lose sight of who she is or was, due to the many augmentations she’s made to her appearance, persona, and psyche?
Magic is therefore studied with care by those who seek to use it responsibly and not lose themselves to its powerful allure. Magisters of old defined magic as emerging from four Pillars — though some occultists claim there are more forbidden Pillars hidden from the sight of who they call “fumbling practitioners” — and those four Pillars have remained the established norm throughout the kingdoms of Gaia.
The Pillar of Anima is a measure of a caster’s connection to her own Soul and that of others. From this connection comes the physical manifestation of health, vitality, protection, purification, and conversely, rot, decay, and the entropy that brings all things to ruin.
The Pillar of Cognition concerns itself with the minds of the inhabitants of Gaia. From the smallest animal to the largest dragon, Cognition soothes, provokes, tricks, and empowers others.
The Pillar of Elementalism represents a caster’s connection to the world around her and to Gaia. It is the most external of all magic, allowing the caster to manipulate the things around her.
The Pillar of Transformation and empowers the caster to manipulate magic itself. While other Pillars connect to the mind, body, and Soul of others, or even the elements, Transformationists connect to the underlying magic residing in all things, and enact change at a fundamental level.
So, which Pillar of Magic should we peek at on Sunday? Let's cast our votes! The top answer will be the subject of our next sneak peek!
I've been impressed for a long time with Danielle's creativity! Watching the Storypath system grow from those first ScionSecond Edition and Trinity Continuum projects through to the latest Storypath Ultra iteration, which sort of evolved to bring At The Gates to life, to all of the early design diaries and bits and pieces she's shared on the Discord...
Well, it's been amazing to watch At The Gates come to life. But it didn't stop when the draft manuscript was ready for final development or the Crowdfunding campaign was set up. Danielle has kept creating and building new bits for this campaign.
Danielle has also been hard at work organizing and making new Add Ons possible. To celebrate, we have a new Minigame: Backer Recruiting!
(Yeah, that's my way of celebrating the Fishing Minigame from the latest backer Manuscript chapters! Check it out if you haven't already! It's a perfect example of genre emulation in this game).
BACKER RECRUITING
The rules for this minigame are similar to our existing Stretch Goal infrastructure, but instead of setting funding targets to trigger bonus rewards and opportunities, we're setting goals based on the number of Backers who have pledged to the project!
At 900 Backers - NEW ADD ON: AT THE GATE CHIBI PINS - Five different soft enamel 2" pin designs will be available as an Add On option at $14 each or the set of all 5 for $60. Single pin selection will be confirmed in the Pledge Manager. Fulfillment will be handled by NerdyKeppie.com and additional shipping charges will be collected at time of fulfillment.
Design subject to change.
At 975 Backers - NEW ADD ON: AT THE GATE LOGO and SIGIL PINS - A single hard enamel screen-printed 2" At The Gates logo pin will be available as an Add On option for $14, and five different soft enamel 1.5" sigil pin designs will be available as an Add On option at $10 each or the set of all 5 for $45. Single pin selection will be confirmed in the Pledge Manager. Fulfillment will be handled by NerdyKeppie.com and additional shipping charges will be collected at time of fulfillment.
Wait, one thing in the new preview I'm confused about: It says you throw a knife with Dexterity + Athletics, but also that you throw a weapon with Might + Ranged Combat.
Another Stretch Goal down! I’m hoping this week the campaign hits that one and we can get some more by the week. Also the Monday Meeting Notes hinted at a possible swag stretch goal which is probably not Log, So I’m excited to see what it is.
I know for sure this game is hitting me hard because it's starting to leak into my subconscious. I had a dream last night that I was a chokobo farmer. Very weird. I am not a Final Fantasy person at all, really, and I don't know where it came from, but reading all of the At The Gates stuff in the manuscript and that Danielle shares in interviews and around the web has definitely got some specific neurons firing.
Anyway, on to today's manuscript section!
Before we get to the manuscript, just a quick reminder...
WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK
I'm sharing the manuscript in sections over the next 2 weeks days. Part of the reason for that is to keep focus on one section at a time so that Danielle and the team can gather feedback to help guide the manuscript through the next steps of editing and development. To that end, they've created a special Feedback Form for you to submit your comments after reading each section!
International Shipping – Collected in the Pledge Manager
One quick note about Shipping before we get into the manuscript previews.
First up, it's amazingly expensive to ship, especially from Onyx Path's home base in the US. We get that, but there's not much we can do at this time. Onyx Path is in a difficult space where the company is big enough that they're not saving money by fulfilling out of Rich's garage, but small enough that they can't really set up international partners to handle portions of the fulfillment. So we are where we are - for now.
The best we can do at this point is to plan carefully, advise everyone up front that international shipping will likely be expensive (see our projections on the main page) and only charge what it costs us when the time comes. 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. If you live outside the US and aren't sure you want the hardcover or other physical items, you can pledge to the PDF tier now and upgrade your pledge in the Pledge Manager once we know the final shipping costs.
DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS - BACKERS ONLY
Remember, thanks to BackerKit magic, these download links are visible to Backers only - you must be logged in and reading this on the website to have access to the manuscript preview links. So, if you're reading this via e-mail, click that "Reply to this Update" link on the bottom and I'll see you below the title treatment.
So, I'm curious if any of y'all think you might have the idea that The World Below is in the same world as At The Gates in your games. Inquiring minds want to know.
