In Monster Kingdoms, you play a creature of darkness. You may be vampiric magus, or feyborn harlequin. You might be a warrior gauntlet, an orc cultist, a druidic elf, or a flame-spitting dragonkin. You can play a wildly creative goblinoid, a chaotic dwarf, a fierce ice elementor, or a shame-filled fiend. Your characters can be anything from hulking dreadnauts to disturbing mentalists, and many Mantles in between.
Name your weapon and make it your sceptre.
Slay a beast and seize its crown.
Build your infamy either as a monster or as a servant of the light. Perform deeds worthy of repute: vanquishing a beast greater than yourself, toppling a lord from his tower and seizing control of his lands and people, or freeing slaves to weaken the Malignant Mind. A character’s infamy is a means of measuring their success in the Monster Kingdoms, whether virtuous or vicious. The only unworthy deeds are the ones no one hears about.
In the chaos of the Monster Kingdoms, now is your time to make a mark and shape the world to your liking.
Monster Kingdoms portrays a world split into 13 realms, governed by a crumbling, ruined empire. Darkness has consumed the hearts and spirits of the people in these realms, called the Monster Kingdoms, leading them down the roads of destructive, selfish philosophies and into following single-minded, hateful autocrats. As the empire’s degraded, the Monster Kingdoms that once paid fealty to it rebel against their former masters. At the same time, one of the kingdoms has emerged as a beacon of hope in the darkness, drawing monsters to invade, enslave, torment, and slay champions of light. Uprisings of light occur within every Monster Kingdom, threatening the horrific status quo.
The darkness is physically present, as much of the Monster Kingdoms is swaddled in shadow, smog, and autumn, with a near perpetual dusk in many parts of the realm. These offset the areas where brightness reigns to make them seem alien and disconcerting to the people, who have lived under the blacks, grays, and purples of the dark since the Nithera Empire emerged. Each kingdom might as well be its own planet, as the ruling monarchs of each wield enough power to alter environments, summon the dark, and banish light, as they see fit. Moving from one kingdom to another is never a slow transition: each kingdom is marked and blighted differently, depending on the ruling principles and characters within.
Monster Kingdoms is a complete tabletop roleplaying game of dark fantasy, where evil is a natural state, adventure boasts horror and violence, and politics are cutthroat. It includes:
A massive number of playable monstrous characters.
A dangerous setting encompassing 13 unique, competing kingdoms.
The entire dynamic Storypath Ultra system.
Monster Kingdoms uses the Storypath Ultra system. Some of the benefits of using Storypath include:
Competence: The player characters are assumed to be competent in their area of specialization, be it research, combat, persuasion, or any other field of monstrous endeavor. Dice rolls aren’t always meant to assume success or failure: They’re used to determine influence over the story and the degree to which the character succeeds.
Enhanced Combat: Storypath combat uses range bands, area effects, and Tricks, allowing players to contribute more to a fight beyond just damage. Combined, these techniques keep fights interesting. They’re also convertible to miniature play or for use with virtual tabletops.
Cinematic Pacing: Storypath divides sessions into different units of time that support a story moving at the speed of plot. Campaigns are modeled similarly to most fiction, emphasizing story and characters over minutiae or real-time competency.
Bonding: Though the rules are designed to portray individual characters, Storypath also uses group mechanics to create a collaborative storytelling roleplaying experience. The bonds formed during character creation and over sessions bring new overarching mechanics and collaborative themes into play.
This book contains the following chapters, providing you everything you need to establish your chronicle within the Monster Kingdoms, your characters within it, and your tales of conquest and power:
Chapter One: How Darkness Dominated Light - the fall of the Nithera Empire and the history of how the world fractured into the Monster Kingdoms;
Chapter Two: Paths and Character Creation - three Paths make up your character: Kingdom (heritage, house, and doctrine), Mantles (your profession and how you interact with others), and Dusk (your philosophies and motivations);
Chapter Three: Storypath Ultra System - designed to enable action-oriented gameplay, where each action drives the story forward in three main areas - action-adventure, investigation, and influence;
Chapter Four: Edges, Sceptres, and Crowns - innate talents born of a person’s experience and training, unique magical artifacts and weapons, and mysterious nexuses of magical power;
Chapter Five: The Monster Kingdoms - details of each of the 13 Monster Kingdoms;
Chapter Six: Storyguiding Monstrosity - the tools needed to run a game of Monster Kingdoms, from preparation tips and story ideas, to communication strategies and guidances on managing themes and mood;
Appendix I-V - Storyguide aids from quick encounter tables, battlefield systems, warfare mechanids, and a list of infamous dungeons.
The primary purpose behind this crowdfunding campaign is to enable Onyx Path to create a fully-developed PDF and two hardcover versions of Monster Kingdoms. With your support we create a standard full-color hardcover book, which will be sent out as a reward to backers and also made available to game and hobby stores through Onyx Path's distribution partners. In addition, we want to create a limited edition deluxe version, with special cover design featured on a leatherette cover and a bound-in bookmark that'll be available only through a special pledge tier.
Exceptional funding may allow the Monster Kingdoms team to investigate and describe some of the setting in further detail, or even outline some adventure scenarios and story paths to pursue in your game. Additional support will provide Onyx Path with inspiration and resources to unlock even more reward options!
Beyond those campaign-specific goals, the hope is to do what these games have always done — build a community invested in each other's stories and shared imagination. Every person who participates is joining with the goal of bringing this game into the world, and that common goal is a powerful binding element that we can't help but want to share. When you back this project, you join us on this exciting journey and become part of our own community.
PRODUCTION TIMELINE: Despite having a robust written draft and some of the artwork and design already completed, the game will take time to produce. We're aiming to have the first Backer PDF out to supporters by September 2026, and the hardcover book reward out to backers by September 2027. We hope to deliver before these dates, but are aware of the challenges that may arise during production, so have attempted to incorporate some flexibility in the schedule. We will keep you notified of the progress on these rewards through regular BackerKit updates each month, and via the Onyx Path website.
All participants who would like to make this project happen can pledge their support and add to the overall campaign total. If the campaign meets the funding target ($15,000), then we will have funded the project and it will become a reality. Your pledge will only be collected if we achieve our funding target.
In thanks for your support, we offer rewards based on your level of funding pledged. The Pledge Levels linked at the top of the page outline the various rewards reflecting various levels of support pledged. Please note that shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager.
Choose Your Sceptre: do you save some shelf space and go digital-only with the PDF version or go all in with the hardcover version? Are you just interested in the new book created by this campaign, or are you looking to delve into other games in the Earthbane Cycle? You can order the PDF versions of other games using Storypath Ultra! Once again, please note that shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager.
While the world of the Monster Kingdoms is fractured and challenging and full of deadly peril, we've tried to keep supporting this project as simple and straightforward as possible. To pledge support to this project, select one of these pledge path tiers:
WRAITH: This is the PDF-only reward tier. So, if you're saving trees or saving shelf space - or avoiding the ever-increasing shipping charges - this is the reward tier option that you should begin with. The PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com - when it is ready, you will receive a link to add it to your DTRPG library at no cost for you to download at your leisure.
DWARF: This reward tier includes the standard hardcover version of this book. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager. In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.
If you're really excited to take the journey into the Monster Kingdoms and want to really impress your gaming friends, we're also offering a special edition Deluxe Edition Monster Kingdoms hardcover book.
DRAGONKIN: This reward tier includes the limited edition deluxe version of Monster Kingdoms hardcover book, with a leatherette cover, special cover design, and bound-in silk bookmark. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager. In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.
PLEASE NOTE: Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping—and have an opportunity to adjust your pledge— through the pledge manager once the books are printed and preparing for distribution. For additional options, see the "Shipping" section further down the page.
In addition to these primary reward pledge paths, we also offer the following options:
ELF: Not ready to commit, or just looking to offer general support? This pledge tier is for you. This does not include our primary reward, but allows you to select some digital optional Add Ons, as well as participate in the post-campaign Pledge Manager as a backer. You'll also be able to read the draft manuscript of Monster Kingdoms that we post throughout this campaign.
SHAPESHIFTER / FORLORN / VAMPIRE: A few Reward Tiers offer special limited premium rewards in addition to the basics, including participation in an online game session run by Matthew Dawkins, an option to supply a name to be used by an NPC and their sceptre which will be incorporated into the game, and the ability to name and describe a dungeon which will be added to setting's lore. Check each of the Reward Tier descriptions for more details.
Finally, we love retailers, but modern publishing methods don’t always make it easy for them to get books into their stores. With this Monster Kingdoms campaign, we have created a special Reward Tier just for you.
ELEMENTOR: Any retailer who pledges at the Retail Reward Tier will get 5 copies of the standard Monster Kingdoms hardcover books (as well as the PDF versions) at a retail-specific discount so that they can sell in-store. You must have prior approval to back at this level. Otherwise your pledge will be adjusted in our post-campaign Pledge Manager. Please contact [email protected] to confirm your eligibility.
MONSTER KINGDOMS PDF: The Monster Kingdoms PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Crowdfunding backers will receive redemption links allowing you to add the item to your cart at a $0 cost. Once you check out, it will be added to your DriveThruRPG library and available for download at your convenience.
MONSTER KINGDOMS HARDCOVER BOOKS - The main goal of this campaign is to fund the creation, production, and print run of a standard and limited edition deluxe hardcover editions of this book. Note that all Reward Tiers that include the physical hardcover version also include the digital PDF version as a bonus. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager prior to hardcover reward fulfillment.
MONSTER KINGDOMSPRINT-on-DEMAND BOOK: In addition to the PDF releases, Monster Kingdoms willavailable for purchase in Print-on-Demand formats offered by DriveThruRPG. The cost of printing and shipping a PoD book is not part of your pledge amount, however Crowdfunding backers will receive a special link allowing you to purchase the PoD book at a discounted price.
In addition to the rewards listed in each Pledge Level, backers can add extra options via the Add On menu associated with your Pledge Level.
As we increase the overall funding and support for the project, we’re able to add additional resources to the project, expand the rewards listed, and add in new offers and opportunities. Each Stretch Goal will have a target that, once reached, will add a project to the reward list for backers of the relevant Pledge Levels. Whenever we achieve a stretch goal, the listing will be updated to reflect the achievement.
Achieved! - At $20,000 - NEW ADD ON: STORYGUIDE SCREEN
NEW ADD ON: STORYGUIDE SCREEN - A three-panel Storyguide Reference Screen with charts and information for running a Monster Kingdoms game will be created and offered as an Add On to any hardcover reward tiers for +$25.
Achieved! - At $30,000 - READY-MADE CHARACTERS PDF
READY-MADE CHARACTERS PDF - Do you want to game but your players aren’t sure what to play? Looking for inspiration to get you into the world of Monster Kingdoms? These five characters cover a range of Kingdoms, Mantles, and Dusks are ready to make their mark in the Monster Kingdoms! This PDF will be added to the rewards list of all backers receiving the Monster Kingdoms PDF as one of their rewards.
Achieved! - At $32,000 - BACKER SHIRT DESIGN
BACKER SHIRT DESIGN - A Monster Kingdoms-themed Backer shirt will be hosted on Onyx Path’s Redbubble store for a limited time. Backers will be notified when the shirt becomes available for purchase.
Achieved! - At $35,000 - JUMPSTART PDF
MONSTER KINGDOMS JUMPSTART PDF - A basic rules overview and a starting scenario will be added to the Ready-Made Characters PDF, expanding it to a full Monster Kingdoms Jumpstart PDF supplement. Everything you need to kick off your own story in the Monster Kingdoms in one PDF that will be added to the rewards list of all backers receiving the Monster Kingdoms PDF as one of their rewards.
Achieved! - At $37,000 - DIGITAL WALLPAPER
MONSTER KINGDOMS DIGITAL WALLPAPER - Marvelous Monster Kingdoms artwork will be used to create a wallpaper for your computer desktop. This digital wallpaper will be added to the rewards list of all backers supporting this project.
Achieved! - At $41,000 - VTT TOKEN PACK
VTT TOKEN PACK - Digital assets will be created to support online play for Monster Kingdoms, including key character and creature tokens from the book. This online asset pack will be added to the rewards list of all backers.
Shipping has become increasingly expensive and is often prohibitive to non-US backers. Several contemporary publishers have decided to discontinue international shipping completely. For this project, Onyx Path wants to keep all options open to our customers, though shipping costs will reflect the expense.
PLEASE NOTE: Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping—and have an opportunity to adjust your pledge—prior to reward fulfillment through the pledge manager. Shipping cost payments must be processed and fulfillment addresses confirmed prior to reward delivery.
The following are estimates for shipping a copy of the hardcover book with full package tracking, projected on current trends. Please note that these are estimates only and are subject to change by the time of fulfillment (currently projected by September 2027)
DOMESTIC MEDIA MAIL (USA): $10 USD
CANADA: $50 USD
UNITED KINGDOM: $65 USD
EUROPEAN UNION: $70 USD
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND: $70 USD
BRAZIL*: $90.00 USD
THE REST OF THE WORLD: $60-$80 USD
Again, we will be charging the actual costs via our BackerKit pledge manager once the books are preparing to ship. These are estimated costs only, and the final costs charged will reflect the actual rates at the time of shipping. At this time, there's a lot of speculation about what that may mean, but we have no real way of knowing until we're there. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
*Orders to Brazil will be shipped with tracking numbers once only. Should the order become lost in customs processing or during last-mile delivery within Brazil, we'll need full payment of a second order before any re-ships can take place. At this time, we can only ship books to Brazil.
ALTERNATE OPTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL BACKERS:
If you live outside of the US, here are your options for obtaining a physical copy:
Pledge to the campaign at the $30 Wraith pledge level to get the PDF version plus a redemption code to purchase the print-on-demand version of the book at a discounted cost (plus shipping) from DriveThruRPG.com once it's available (see Reward Descriptions, above, for more details).
Pledge to the campaign at the $5 Elf reward tier to get access to the preview manuscript. Later, you can buy the PDF and/or Print-on-Demand when eventually released.
Contact your local game store and make sure you're put on a preorder list so they know there's demand for the game that they're being asked to fill, and then encourage them to back at the Retailer Tier for this campaign!
Look into a freight forwarding service that can give you a US-based shipping address and get packages delivered to it and forwarded to you.
After the campaign is over we'll launch our Pledge Manager and invite the backers to set up their rewards via survey. This allows you to confirm your pledge and add on anything that you might have missed, as well as possibly increasing your pledged reward tier, should you choose to expand your reward selection. Funding collected by BackerKit after the crowdfunding campaign does not count toward any campaign Stretch Goals, however.
After the Crowdfunding campaign, in the Pledge Manager, you 'll be able to:
Review and update your Pledge Level selection - for example, you can pledge to the DWARF level during the Crowdfunding campaign and then switch to the DRAGONKIN level once we know shipping costs and are preapring to fulfill the hardcover rewards
Confirm and Update your Shipping information - you'll be able to update your final delivery address up until we're shipping out the hardcover rewards
Pay for Shipping and additional Add On Options - we'll process payments for shipping costs and additional add-ons selected in your Pledge Manager survey when we get closer to hardcover reward fulfillment
Download Digital Reward Redemption Links - the Pledge Manager will have links to access all of your digital rewards as they are fulfilled
Onyx Path Publishing has managed more than 70 crowdfunded projects, and that experience allows us to maintain manageable projects and achievable goals. To read more about the knowledge that has been applied to this project, you can read the FAQ linked here: http://theonyxpath.com/about/faq/crowdfunding/
