Artists are being assigned to our Monster Kingdoms corebook and things are slowly moving forward. As soon as there's any artwork to preview, I'll sneak it into my monthly update. I think they're also about to assign artwork duties for the stretch goal jumpstart, so not yet time to fill in a dot for that one, but soon!
But, if you wanna know what's really going on with Monster Kingdoms and the other Earthbane Cycle titles, I have a perfect source for you...
A great place to learn more about pending and future Earthbane Cycle projects is Onyx Path's annual Virtual Gaming Convention! In just over two weeks, Onyx Path will be running their online convention - FRIDAY JUNE 5 to SUNDAY JUNE 7.
If you want information on current and possible future Trinity Continuum projects, I'd suggest checking out:
What's Up with Onyx Path on Saturday June 6 at Noon EDT
Earthbane Cycle Panel on Saturday June 6 at 4:30 EDT
Ask Us Anything Panel on Sunday June 7 at 2:00 PM EDT
Hopefully we'll get some news about Monster Kingdoms and other related projects.
Pending Projects
Next month I expect the Art Direction dot to start for the jumpstart.
REWARDS DISTRIBUTED TO BACKERS
The World Below Core Rulebook PDF (Nov 6 '25 Update)
At the Gates Draft Manuscript (Nov 6 '25 Update)
Pledge Manager
If you need to review your information or pledge status, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://monster-kingdoms.backerkit.com/
I will continue to post regular updates every month until the final reward has gone out.
Remember: You can use the links at the bottom of this e-mail to unsubscribe from updates or Manage your notification settings. These status updates are available on the campaign page for you to review at any time.
Onyx Path Discussion Channels
If you've got questions about the rules or setting, or just want to discuss this game with other fans (as well as the Onyx Path writers and developers!), you can check out these Onyx Path discussion zones:
No massive changes from last month; our jumpstart stretch goal has moved forward and art notes are still being sorted for our main Monster Kingdoms corebook.
Pending Projects
Incremental progress. I'll fill in dots as things move forward.
REWARDS DISTRIBUTED TO BACKERS
The World Below Core Rulebook PDF (Nov 6 '25 Update)
At the Gates Draft Manuscript (Nov 6 '25 Update)
Pledge Manager
If you need to review your information or pledge status, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://monster-kingdoms.backerkit.com/
I will continue to post regular updates every month until the final reward has gone out.
Remember: You can use the links at the bottom of this e-mail to unsubscribe from updates or Manage your notification settings. These status updates are available on the campaign page for you to review at any time.
Onyx Path Discussion Channels
If you've got questions about the rules or setting, or just want to discuss this game with other fans (as well as the Onyx Path writers and developers!), you can check out these Onyx Path discussion zones:
Our main reward, the Monster Kingdoms core rules, are in final tweaks for the manuscript and starting in Art Notes in the art direction phase. Our Stretch Goal reward, the jumpstart, has advanced to the editing phase.
Pending Projects
With the main book mostly in the hands of the Art Director and Developer, the team have been able to focus on our stretch goal adventure and finished it up for turnover to the editing team. (I like calling them a team, but I think it's more about which Onyx Path person's name gets listed first in the e-mail chain.)
Anyway, incremental progress!
REWARDS DISTRIBUTED TO BACKERS
The World Below Core Rulebook PDF (Nov 6 '25 Update)
At the Gates Draft Manuscript (Nov 6 '25 Update)
Pledge Manager
If you need to review your information or pledge status, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://monster-kingdoms.backerkit.com/
You can read Onyx Path's most recent monthly summary, covering all projects and their status up to that point here: <February 2026 Project Status Summary>
You can find the weekly Monday Meeting blog updates <here>, which note any projects with status changes since the previous Month End summary. The project statuses listed are current as of last Monday, so do check it out each Monday night to see if anything may have progressed!
I will continue to post regular updates every month until the final reward has gone out.
Remember: You can use the links at the bottom of this e-mail to unsubscribe from updates or Manage your notification settings. These status updates are available on the campaign page for you to review at any time.
ONYX PATH DISCUSSION CHANNELS
If you've got questions about the rules or setting, or just want to discuss this game with other fans (as well as the Onyx Path writers and developers!), you can check out these Onyx Path discussion zones:
While our main book works through the Art Direction process, one of our Stretch Goal supplements - the Mosnter Kingdoms jumpstart - has finished up in drafts and is now in development, where the Developer hammers all the pieces together to make it into a cohesive whole. Incremental progress, and a few dots filled in.
Let's get to our monthly review!
Pending Projects
REWARDS DISTRIBUTED TO BACKERS
The World Below Core Rulebook PDF (Nov 6 '25 Update)
At the Gates Draft Manuscript (Nov 6 '25 Update)
Pledge Manager
If you need to review your information or pledge status, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://monster-kingdoms.backerkit.com/
Even as we're mostly playing with the draft manuscript, Onyx Path is introducing new support for the Storypath Ultra system in general each month. These can easily be added to your Earthbane Cycle games or any game using the SPU system.
This Storypath Ultra Tasty Bit introduces traps for use with the Storypath Ultra Core Manual or any game using the Storypath Ultra system.
Traps are a natural fit for action-adventure scenes, endangering the protagonists without needing to directly confront their enemies. The characters may also set traps of their own to even the odds against a superior foe in pursuit. Regardless of who’s wielding them, traps ensure the environment’s perilous to any who tread carelessly.
Troublesome Traps includes:
Rules for setting and disarming traps
Expanded crafting rules for traps
New trap tags, Edges, and Area and Status Effects
Thirteen trap elements to inspire you
Onyx Path Project Tracking
You can read Onyx Path's most recent monthly summary, covering all projects and their status up to that point here: <January 2026 Project Status Summary>
You can find the weekly Monday Meeting blog updates <here>, which note any projects with status changes since the previous Month End summary. The project statuses listed are current as of last Monday, so do check it out each Monday night to see if anything may have progressed!
I will continue to post regular updates every month until the final reward has gone out.
Remember: You can use the links at the bottom of this e-mail to unsubscribe from updates or Manage your notification settings. These status updates are available on the campaign page for you to review at any time.
ONYX PATH DISCUSSION CHANNELS
If you've got questions about the rules or setting, or just want to discuss this game with other fans (as well as the Onyx Path writers and developers!), you can check out these Onyx Path discussion zones:
If you've got a question about your pledge or BackerKit page or any part of the process, you can contact me with any of these methods
Via E-Mail: Onyx.Kickstarter [at] gmail.com
Via BackerKit: Click "Need Help?" from your page, and then fill in the Contact Us form. BackerKit will pass your message along to me.
CURRENTLY CROWDFUNDING!
The World Below: Buried Treasures
As you know, The World Below is a game of adversity, heroism, terror, and awe. Your characters will overcome or be defeated by terrible beasts, environmental calamities, and Kaos storms ravaging their surroundings and the souls they encounter. They will chart their journeys, chronicle their tales, and pass their stories down to their descendants, who will, in turn, become your characters when your old ones perish or retire.
Now, two new books will let you delve deeper into The World Below and illuminate some of the darkness!
The Delver’s Guide is a Player's Manual for The World Below.
Delvers may be brave, but that doesn’t mean they don’t require help once in a while. That’s what this guide is: help for all delvers, explorers, and survivors in the World Below. New Callings and weapons, new Dialectics and powers, a new scenario and fresh rules for crafting and harvesting, and much, much more await within, so every delver can feel properly equipped for the adventures ahead.
Secrets of Kalm and Kaos is a Storyguide’s Handbook for The World Below.
There are hundreds of tales to tell of the World Below. From stories of adventurers braving Kaos storms to intrepid explorers who throw themselves into the dreamlike Obscura or harrowing Abyss. From chronicles of settlements rising and falling to those of bold delvers who go so far as to tame the beasts of their realm and call them pets. New playable options, new powers, new rules for Kalm, machinery, monstrous mounts, and more besides await within.
Our main reward, the Monster Kingdoms core rulebook, has just tiptoed into the first stages of production. Now that the manuscript has gone through a final development pass (though, it's never really finished until it's printed), preliminary work in Art Direction has begun. The Developer and Art Director are figuring out the artwork needs for the book, both in general and then specific illustrations, and then seeing how those needs can line up with artist's styles, abilities, and availability before figuring out contracts and getting the illustrations rolling.
So, we've got a bit to wait for our backer PDF still, but I'll be tracking progress each month in these regular updates.
I know many groups have been playing with the draft version of the manuscript while we wait. If that's the case - or you want to prep for the future - I have new rules that you can incorporate into your game right now!
This Storypath Ultra Tasty Bit introduces two new kinds of antagonists for use with the Storypath Ultra Core Manual or any game using the Storypath Ultra system.
Giants are characters, creatures, or artificial constructs operating on a scale where meaningful, direct interaction with human-sized creatures is possible, while titanic-scale creatures are beings so immense that human-sized creatures are unable to interact directly with them in any meaningful way.
Massive Monsters includes:
Four new antagonists ready to drop directly into your Storypath Ultra game
Two new antagonist types: Giants and Titanic-Scale Creatures
New Antagonist qualities
New Area Effects
Onyx Path will be releasing Storypath Ultra Tasty Bits all year - bite-sized rules & tools that you can drop into your Storypath Ultra system games with ease.
Now let's get to our regular check in...
Pending Projects
While our main book moves into Art Direction, our jumpstart supplement unlocked via Stretch Goal achievement is in redlines, where the developer provides the writers with direction to take the manuscript to a final draft before further development happens.
REWARDS DISTRIBUTED TO BACKERS
The World Below Core Rulebook PDF (Nov 6 '25 Update)
At the Gates Draft Manuscript (Nov 6 '25 Update)
Pledge Manager
If you need to review your information or pledge status, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://monster-kingdoms.backerkit.com/
You can read Onyx Path's most recent monthly summary, covering all projects and their status up to that point here: <December 2025 Project Status Summary>
You can find the weekly Monday Meeting blog updates <here>, which note any projects with status changes since the previous Month End summary. The project statuses listed are current as of last Monday, so do check it out each Monday night to see if anything may have progressed!
I will continue to post regular updates every month until the final reward has gone out.
ONYX PATH DISCUSSION CHANNELS
You may be able to get further insight and possibly some in-depth conversation at these Onyx Path discussion zones:
