Setting Up Some Sidereals Stretch Goals
over 1 year ago – Mon, Dec 19, 2022 at 03:26:05 PM

Hey there, Superstars!

Here we are, in our final days, and planning to review our Stretch Goal accomplishments on Wednesday.

Except we've just unlocked the last posted goal! So, let's sneak in a mini-review and announce some more targets before we have our full review on our second last day.

Recently unlocked, a milestone marker that helped us keep pace through these final days and gave us a launching point for our final announced goal...

ACHIEVED! - At $195,000 in Funding - Sidereals Mobile Wallpaper - Sensational Sidereals artwork will be used to create a wallpaper for your mobile device lockscreen. This mobile wallpaper will be added to the rewards list of all Kickstarter backers supporting this project.

So, after pausing for a moment to mark that milestone, we've unlocked our final posted target...

ACHIEVED! - At $200,000 in Funding - Sidereals Supplemental Content: Battle Arts of the Back Alleys - A selection of martial arts favored by criminals and disreputable grandmasters: Seven Drunken Gods, Devil Pipe, Roaring Iron, and Prince-Eating Mendicant styles.

So, let's set up a couple more targets and see if we can't unlock one by Wednesday and maybe another before the end of the campaign.

At $210,000 in Funding - Sidereals Supplemental Content: Celestial Geomancy - Descriptions of notable heavenly manses and an assortment of new hearthstones

At $220,000 in Funding - Sidereals Supplemental Content: Beware the Flying Guillotine - The Flying Guillotine, both a spell and a martial art unto itself.

There we go! Some final Stretch Goal targets for our final days of the campaign! Now let's work together and see if we can Duck Fate... I mean, Unlock Stretch Goals!

#Sidereals

#StretchGoals

Sneak Peek: Artifacts
over 1 year ago – Sun, Dec 18, 2022 at 07:03:41 AM

Hello Superstars,

One final Sneak Peek before the final manuscript chapter is made available to backers. This time, we're all about artifacts!

Sneak Peek: Artifacts

Tulat’s Tread (Starmetal God-Kicking Boots, Artifact •••)

The strange beast Tulat was possessed of ten thousand faceless shapes and diverse secret arts of concealment, for to be perceived was agony to him. Heaven was his greatest foe, for while most were blinded to him, he could not escape Yu-Shan’s unwavering eye, nor purge his history from its capacious records. While the Burnt Temple Riots threw Heaven into upheaval, Tulat made his way into the city, taking the shape of a vine to creep up the Forbidden Manse of Ivy’s walls, to destroy its records of his secret name and nature.

Here, Tulat found himself thwarted, for he was seen by the Oracle Senn. She greeted him by name:

“Hail, great Tulat, in your form of ivy. What brings you to visit Heaven?” said she.

The beast, much aggrieved at this, answered tersely. “My business is my own, and my name is not for you to use.”

“But your business is within,” she replied, undeterred. “Perhaps we can help one another.”

“And how,” hissed Tulat, “might we do that?”

“I am due for an important meeting inside,” said Senn, “but have foolishly left my manse bare-footed, and will surely be ridiculed by my superiors. If it is within your power, perhaps you could take the form of some meager footwear, and we may enter together without incident.”

“Meager?” hissed Tulat, whose pride was legend. “I, who possess ten thousand faceless shapes, will become only the finest of sandals.”

“If it is within your power,” replied Senn.

“Then behold!”

And indeed, Senn had never seen a pair of sandals to match Tulat: the wood of him was rich dark mahogany, gleaming with mother-of-pearl, and his lachets cords of gold. Quick as a flash, the Oracle drove a pair of starmetal nails through the sandals’ heels, for she had long foreseen the unforeseeable beast’s coming. Glinting with light gleaned from the polestar, the nails bound Tulat to his shape. He howled and gnashed, but could not change.

Senn attended the meeting to report her assignment complete, and was complimented by all on her fine sandals.

Passage-Erasing Step

• Cost: 5m; Mins: Essence 1
• Type: Reflexive
• Keywords: Mute
• Duration: Instant
• Prerequisites: None

Tulat urges his wearer to rethink a move he considers a mistake.

The wearer can use this Evocation after moving — voluntarily or not — to return to her previous location without crossing the space between. Any damage or other harm she’d take as a result of moving is negated: falling, environmental hazards, damage from Heaven Thunder Hammer, etc.

Alternatively, the wearer can use this Evocation at the end of any tick on which she moves, letting her act before she returns to where she was at the start of the tick. Doing so offers no protection against harm from her movement and doesn’t refund Initiative for disengaging.

Any Initiative lost from disengaging is refunded if the wearer uses this Evocation to undo that movement.

The Serene Misfortune Sashes (Starmetal Silk Armor, Artifact •••)

Upon her loom of sacred cypress, Ouzha Nine-Handed wove nine sashes from nine bolts of rainbow fabric. Nine measures of starmetal she used for her weft, beaten thinner than a maiden’s hair. Nine are the colors of the sashes themselves: crimson and ultramarine, jonquil and viridian, cyan and gamboge, indigo and rose, and a singular black snipped from cloth-of-night. She wove for nine years, and smiled at her works, for Ouzha feared nothing in the world but death, and fear was the tenth fabric upon her loom.

Each of the Serene Misfortune Sashes is a delicate froth of woven rainbow and irregular brocade, unique in its pattern from its sister-sashes. They may be tied around the waist or fastened with a needle-fine starmetal pin, their hues shifting subtly to suit the wearer’s outfit and complexion. Of the eight sashes whose locations are known to Heaven, some are kept by the Cerulean Lute’s quartermasters for Sidereals of suitable temperament. Others belong to the treasure-wardrobes of powerful celestial gods, having been given as gifts by Ouzha (and subsequently changing hands several times). Some of these gods have been known lend their sashes — freely or otherwise — to allies and proteges, whether to curry favor or enrich their sash’s burgeoning mythos. Of the ninth, nothing is known.

Woven with Ouzha’s fear of death, the sashes are silken armor that subtly bend fate to transform their wearer’s tragedies into calamitous bad luck. One might escape certain doom by the grace of their sash, only to find their lives crumbling around them. They are infrequent plot devices in heavenly plays. In tragedies, their wearers batter their fists against the ground in despair; in comedies, they look upon their misfortune and smile.They say: Calamities may pass with time, but death gives no reprieve.

Tomorrow’s Troubles Defense

• Cost: 2m per health level; Mins: Essence 1
• Type: Reflexive
• Keywords: Decisive-only, Perilous
• Duration: Instant
• Prerequisites: Dancing Among Razors

Swords and arrows turn aside at the last moment as the sash cinches tight around the wearer’s waist, heavy with knotted misfortune.

Against a decisive attack, she may pay two motes per health level to transform damage into bad luck, up to (higher of Essence of 3) health levels. This misfortune takes a form of the Storyteller’s choice at some point after the scene but before the end of the story, based on the number of health levels transformed:

Health Levels Transformed Effect

• 1 or 2  - Small twists of fate that inflict a −2 penalty, such as unusual traffic, awful weather, misplaced papers, etc.
• 3 or 4  - Temporary, personal setbacks, such as the theft of an important document, the arrival of an unexpected investigator, or mistaken identity.
• 5 or more  - Significant trouble, often for the character’s Merits, such as seized assets, incapacitated contacts, or misunderstandings that sour a relationship.

• Reset: Once per scene unless reset by falling to a −2 wound penalty or lower.
• Resonant: This Charm loses the Perilous keyword.

Oadenol’s Wheel (Starmetal Chariot, Artifact •••)

Oadenol’s Wheel was made by the Sidereal arch-artificer Oadenol for her young Circlemate Sagacious Sloth, the reincarnation of her closest companion. Sagacious Sloth was perpetually late to his appointments, owing to his preoccupation with outlandish adventures. Oadenol made excuses for him when he skipped a convention meeting to dance and take lovers in the Demon City. She covered for when he dodged a vital mission assigned to the Circle to visit the cities of the cloud people and study their astrology. But when he missed his own wedding, trapped at the bottom of the sea after an unwise wager with Zhuzhao, tentacled god of the depths, Oadenol could no longer sit idly by.

She cut a sliver of starmetal from a comet passing through the constellation of the Messenger to forge the chariot’s wheel-spokes, and bound two of the lumenir, wild spirit-horses that chased after the comet, to draw the chariot. Knowing her Circlemate’s predilection for rash heroics, she constructed the chariot so it could also be wielded as a weapon, collapsing into a single chariot-wheel with which to bludgeon obstacles to arriving on time.

Sagacious Sloth thanked Oadenol for her gift, which he put to use on a new adventure into the Wyld, battling the many-shadowed princes of the Far Gloaming. This took several years, with intermittent breaks to tend to his official duties, but despite everything, he was later than ever.

Chariots

Riding a chariot in combat uses the mounted combat rules for the steed that draws the chariot (Exalted, p. 202). Most chariots designed for war can carry one to two passengers, who also gain the benefits of mounted combat. Chariots provide light cover to its driver and passengers, without requiring take cover rolls. However, mounts drawing a chariot suffer a −1 mobility penalty. Exceptional chariots, including artifact chariots, have no mobility penalty, which replaces the usual equipment bonus.

Evocations of Oadenol’s Wheel

Oadenol’s Wheel can be changed between its chariot and weapon forms as a miscellaneous action.

As a chariot, Oadenol’s Wheel is an elegant sweep of dark wood, unremarkable save for the glint of starmetal and a light frosting of stellar ice along the spokes of its wheels and can carry its driver and up to two others. It’s drawn by the lumenir Skere and Andras, who use horse traits (Exalted, p. 567), but add +2 to all dice pools, have soak 10 and Hardness 5. They’re spirits, reforming by the next sunrise or sunset if slain, but lack mote pools or Charms. They’re naturally material, like elementals. Sidereals treat the lumenir as familiars, as do those like Twilight Caste Solars who can take spirit familiars. They can both be enhanced with a single use or purchase of magic that permanently improves familiars.

As a weapon, Oadenol’s Wheel is a single large wheel with a glint of starmetal along its rim. It isn’t Improvised, but it’s compatible with Martial Arts that use improvised weapons and other magic that enhances them.

Godcarver (Starmetal Chisel, Artifact ••••)

In every legend of Ashjun Paja — the Zenith Caste priest-artisan who created some of the First Age’s greatest shrines, idols, and temples — the chisel Godcarver is at his side. It’s a flat sculptor’s chisel, a finger-thin starmetal rod gently widening to a thumbnail sized, flat-topped blade. The Old Realm character for “Harmony” is inlaid in orichalcum on both sides of the blade at its base.

Ashjun dedicated his holy service not just to the Unconquered Sun, but to all Creation’s gods, and wielded Godcarver as a symbol of sacred authority. The ruins of his Western dominion are still dotted with hundreds of idols to ancient storm gods who once protected the land from drought and typhoon. The deep Wyld has yet to corrupt the embassy-temple he raised in Yo-Ping’s name, where Heaven’s ambassadors negotiated the Thousand Star Armistice. In Yu-Shan’s slums, some walls still bear his frescoes, commemorating the downtrodden and the destitute.

Not all Godcarver’s masters have shared its creator’s compassionate purpose. In the Great Contagion’s aftermath, the Joybringer Anthuris created a shadow-heaven from the sanctuaries of her divine conspirators, using Godcarver to bind them to her hidden labyrinth-manse. Though her Circlemates ultimately thwarted her sedition, by the time they reached her shadow-heaven’s heart, she was long gone, never to be seen again. Godcarver was thought lost with her, but was rediscovered the next Calibration, laid atop the tomb of its first inheritor, Ashjun’s apprentice.

Heaven-Pleasing Altar

• Cost: 1m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 1
• Type: Simple
• Keywords: Resonant
• Duration: Instant
• Prerequisites: None

No god can bring himself to ignore a prayer spoken before an altar or idol crafted with Godcarver.

The wielder can use this Evocation when she listens to someone pray in or before an idol, shrine, altar, or temple for a god that she’s created with Godcarver. That god hears the supplicant’s words and counts as having a Minor Tie of gratitude toward him if he makes an influence roll through the prayer. This Intimacy doesn’t apply to gods with negative Ties to him, but with an appropriate offering, those Ties may be treated as one step weaker.

The god may choose to answer the prayer in person, manifesting within a depiction of themself or an immaterial apparition within a holy place, letting them speak and otherwise interact with others there for the scene. They can’t take physical actions or use magic through this projection.

• Resonant: A god can use a single Charm through their manifestation. Its minimum Essence can’t exceed the wielder’s.

Sidereal Hearthstones

Covenant Stone (Sidereal, Standard)

• Keywords: Manse-Borm

The bearer of this yellow-orange topaz can hear prayers directed to her by her worshipers. Gleaning useful information from these prayers or seeking out a specific suppliant's prayer requires a (Perception + Occult) roll against whatever difficulty the Storyteller deems appropriate. Spirits and other characters already capable of hearing prayers instead double 7s on such rolls.

Silken Steel Pearl (Sidereal, Greater)

• Keywords: Dependent

This nacreous jewel is strangely light when held, almost as if it might float free of one’s grasp. When socketed in armor, the armor counts as one step lighter to determine its compatibility with Martial Arts styles. Light armor doesn’t count as arm

Final Week Review - Reward Tiers & Add Ons
over 1 year ago – Sat, Dec 17, 2022 at 05:56:14 AM

Hello Superstars,

We're in the final days countdown for this Kickstarter campaign! Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course is finished on Kickstarter on Thursday December 22nd at 2:00 PM EST - there's still time to find exalt additional Sidereals and invite them into our circle, but we're definitely getting closer to the finish line. With that in mind, I wanted to touch on some of the basics over these next 5 days to make sure that everyone has all of the information they need to support the project in the way that works best for them.

Final Days Schedule

• Dec 15 - Final Week Resources 
• Dec 17 - Pledge Tier & Add On Review (That's today!) 
• Dec 18 - Sneak Peek: Artifacts 
• Dec 20 - Manuscript Preview # 5 - Artifacts and the Roll of Heavenly Personages
• Dec 21 - Stretch Goal Review 
• Dec 22 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next 

Even got the right month this time! Whether it's your first day at the bureau or you're a seasoned division leader, these are good items to review to make sure that we all end up where we want to be.

(An aside, if you're a new backer, make sure you check out the Final Week Countdown/ Resource post. It has links to the manuscript previews, interviews, podcast discussions, and amazing in-game fiction.)

BACKER REWARD TIERS

Like it says right at the top of the campaign page, we've come together to help create a fully developed PDF and deluxe hardcover version for the latest expansion in the Exalted Third Edition tabletop roleplaying game line, the missions of destiny as described in Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course.

PLEDGING YOUR SUPPORT

To borrow an analogy that I've used in past Kickstarter campaigns, this process we're a part of works similar to the "Viewers Like You" support campaign from your local Public Broadcasting Station (for those who get American television channels or watched Sesame Street in the pre-HBO era): There are various levels of support that you can pledge to, and these come with various levels of rewards offered as a thank you. Like getting a tote bag or t-shirt when you give money to public broadcasting to fund them doing their thing, you can get rewards for helping Onyx Path work on this project.

Let's review the Backer Reward Tiers to ensure that you've pledged to a Reward Tier that provides all the rewards you wish to receive.

Digital vs Deluxe?

The main reward offered in this campaign is, of course, the main goal of the entire proposition: the finished book for Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course. The first decision you need to make is what form your rewards will take. Do you want your main rewards in digital form and are going for the PDF rulebook? Or does your destiny lie with the deluxe edition hardcover version (which includes the PDF as a bonus!).

With that decision in mind, we've got two key reward tiers to choose from:

•  Friend of the Pattern Spiders: This is the PDF-only reward tier. So, if you're saving trees or saving shelf space - or avoiding the shipping charges that are absolutely ever-increasing - this is the reward tier options 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 and be able to download at your leisure.
•  Agent of Destiny: This reward tier includes the deluxe 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.

Two important reminders at this stage:

•  International Shipping Costs: 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. We’re still anticipating pretty hefty costs to ship the book internationally (see our current guesses on the front page) so be forewarned, but we’ll cross that enormous bridge when we get to it.
•  Exalted Third Edition Core Rules: You will need a copy of the Exalted Third Edition Core Rulebook to make full use of the material found in Sidereals.

In addition to these primary reward pledge paths, we also offer the following options:

•  Citizen of Heaven: 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 participating in the post-campaign Pledge Manager as a backer. You'll also be able to read the draft manuscript of Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course that we post throughout this campaign.

A selection of Premium Tiers offer special limited rewards in addition to our core rewards for this campaign. Check each of the individual Reward Tier descriptions for more detail, but in summary:

•  Disciple of Secret Arts has you input suggestions to create a unique "secret technique" Charm for any non-Sidereal Martial Art.
•  Host of Celestial Personages aka Copy of Disciple of Secret Arts will create a Quick Character write-up for any living god or spirit that you nominate.
•  Grandmaster of Secret Arts asks you to suggest a "secret technique" Charm for any Sidereal Martial Art featured in this book or possibly unlocked via Stretch Goal achievement.
•  Recruiter of Prodigal Stars offers a Quick Character Write-up for a living Sidereal of your choice
•  Sorcerer of the Celestial Design offers a Custom Spell based on your suggestions.
•  Muse of the Ambrosial Atelier asks you to describe your character, so that Onyx Path artists can incorporate it into an interior illustration for an upcoming Exalted supplement, most likely a Sidereals expansion unlocked via Stretch Goal.
•  Keeper of the Heavenly Vault has you suggest ideas or themes for a starmetal artifact.
•  Visage of the Grandmaster combines two rewards from earlier, looking for a "secret technique" for a Sidereal Martial Art as well as asking for a interior art character description.
•  Master of Twofold Enlightenment features a Custom Spell and a Sidereal Martial Arts Charm based on your suggestions.
•  Legend of Secret Arts features a Quick Character write-up of a Sidereal of your choice, along with a secret technique they possess for one of their Martial Arts styles.
•  Legend of Sorcerous Wisdom offers a Quick Character write-up of a Sidereal of your choice, along with a Custom Spell based on your suggestions.
•  Bearer of the Lotus Daiklave similarly combines two previous special rewards, building a starmetal artifact and unlocking a "secret technique" for a Martial Art of your choice.
•  Heritor of the Sorcerer's Mantle offers both a Custom artifact and a Custom Spell based on your suggestions.

Note that these limited Premium reward tiers go pretty fast, BUT there is often a lot of churn and movement over the final week, so if there's one that you're keenly interested in, keep an eye on the availability over the next few days because it just may open up as others finalize their pledge.

PLEDGE MANAGER ACCESS - After the campaign is over we'll launch BackerKit, our post-campaign 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. This option will give international backers a wait to discover the shipping costs, knowing they can confirm their physical reward at a later date once final costs are determined. Funding collected in BackerKit after the campaign does not count toward any campaign Stretch Goals, however.

You'll note that two rewards - Access to the Manuscript Previews and Participation in Post-Campaign Pledge Manager - are included in ALL reward tiers. That's just one of the perks of participating in this kickstarter campaign!

ACCESS TO DRAFT MANUSCRIPT UPDATES – During the course of the campaign, we will be posting the ENTIRE manuscript for Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course. These previews will be shared via Backer-Only updates. You must be a backer of this project to receive these updates.

OPTIONAL DISCOUNTED PoD VERSION – For this Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course campaign, you will have the option of using DriveThruRPG.com’s Print-On-Demand service to purchase a printed copy of the PDF directly from their PoD partners at discounted cost (this cost is not included in your pledge, and you do not need to increase the cost of your pledge to use this option). When the PoD versions are available to order (which may be some time after the books have gone to print), you will receive links to purchase these versions of the books from DriveThruRPG.com. You DO NOT need to take advantage of this PoD offer as it does not affect in any way your pledge rewards.

SIDEREALS: CHARTING FATE'S COURSE BACKER PDF  - Kickstarter backers will receive a redemption link for an advance version of this book before it goes on sale to the public. This initial "Backer Version" will be used to get feedback from the fans to make the final version the best that it can be. When it has been updated to the final version, it will automatically be added to your DriveThruRPG library and available for download at your convenience.

SIDEREALS: CHARTING FATE'S COURSE DELUXE HARDCOVER BOOK - The main goal of this campaign is to fund the creation, production, and print run of a deluxe hardcover edition of this book. Note that all Reward Tiers that include the hardcover version also include the digital PDF version as a bonus. International shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager.

Choosing Your Reward Tier

As noted, there has been some churn over this past week - a few Reward Tier adjustments and changes by backers, as budgets changed and people have read the manuscript previews. In these final days it's best to ensure that you've selected the Reward Tier that offers you the options and rewards you want to receive and are ready to lock down. This timing - before the campaign ends - is the absolute most affordable and inclusive these rewards will be, and will save headaches and heartbreaks if fully considered now.

This is just the first step, however, in completing your pledge for this campaign. Additional optional extras can be added to your pledge, rounding our your rewards and increasing the overall funding and maybe getting us closer to a Stretch Goal.

First Step: Reward Tier

To summarize the first part of this post, the absolute best way to ensure that you're getting the primary rewards you want from this kickstarter is to ensure you've selected the appropriate Backer Reward Tier. Selecting the right Reward Tier covers about 90% of the options available to you. If you want a PDF only, make sure you've selected the correct reward. If you want the deluxe hardcover version, double-check your reward tier to ensure the proper option is featured. If you're going digital now but want the option of getting a discounted Print-on-Demand copy later, make sure you've got a reward tier that includes it.

Once you've completed that important step, you're going to want to look at the Add On rewards for any reward "bits" that don't automatically fall into your reward tier. That takes us to the Add On step.

Step Two: Add-Ons.

Once you've chosen your pledge tier, you've likely already included the main rewards you want. In addition to the rewards offered as part of the Reward Tier configurations, there are a few other possible rewards you may wish to add. All Add-On rewards are described in our Add On menu below.

Each Add On includes an extra amount to add on to your total pledge amount.

The Add On option menu appears in the second part of your pledge confirmation. When you decided to back the Sidereals campaign, you first choose a Pledge Reward Tier. Once you've selected that, you can configure your reward with additional options.

•  Exalted Third Edition Core Rulebook PDF - As noted, the Core Rulebook is necessary to make full use of the material contained in the Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course book. This book depicts both a revitalized and expanded Creaton, as the triumphant return of the Solar Exalted.
•  Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought PDF - A Third Edition sourcebook providing details of life in the Scarlet Realm, Lookshy, and among a variety of outcaste groups.
•  Lunars: Fangs at the Gate PDF - A Third Edition sourcebook detailing the Silver Pact, it's ancient vendetta, and the Lunar dominions spread throughout Creation.
•  Exigents: Out of the Ashes PDF  - Pre-order this Third Edition sourcebook, which details the Chosen of Creation's countless little gods and provides key examples of this build-your-own Exalted type. This is a pre-order, estimaged delivery is December 2023.
•  Arms of the Chosen PDF - A sourcebook containing infomration on the ancient wonders and miracle machines from before the dawn of time.
•  The Realm PDF- This book expands the history, politics, culture, law, and economics of Creation's greatest and most terrible empire.
•  Exalted Fiction Bundle - Six tales of adventure to inspire your Exalted stories
•  Exalted Music Bundle - Two suites of digital music to help set the stage for your Exalted adventures.

Backers who've chosen to receive the deluxe edition of Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course also have a few  options for additional rewards. All physical rewards will be sent as a single shipment once the Sidereals book is printed and ready to go. As with all physical items, International shipping charges will be added in the Pledge Manager once the final dimensions and costs are known, and must be paid before the shipments are sent out.

•  Sidereal's Storyteller Screen - unlocked via Stretch Goal, this reference screen features Sidereal artwork on the outside and handy charts and tables on the inside to make a Storyteller's job a bit easier.
•  Additional copy of the Sidereals Deluxe hardcover - you can add an extra copy to your rewards shipment
•  Pre-order the Exigents Deluxe hardcover - you can pre-order this deluxe book and have it included in your Sidereals shipment. Also includes a pre-order for the PDF, which will deliver once available.

SECRET MENU

Just like the McDonald's Snickers Iced Coffee or the Burger King Ham and Cheese Sandwich, only much better for you! The following two items are not featured on our main Add On menu, but are available to backers of this campaign. Two large bundles of Exalted majesty from previous editions, they're fairly expensive additions, but actually offer great savings versus buying all of the titles individually.

For $150 each, you can add either (or both!) of the Complete Collection PDF Bundles for Exalted 1st Edition or Exalted 2nd Edition. 

You can add or update your Add On choices right up until the campaign ends on August 18th at 2:00 EDT. If you've already pledged, you just have to hit the Manage Your Pledge button on the top of the campaign main page.

Once you've decided to Pledge to the campaign, or to Manage your Pledge if you've already backed, you either Confirm or Change Your Pledge on the first menu.

Pick a Pledge Tier, then Add On Options

Once I select my pledge, I'm given the opportunity to click a green "Pledge" confirmation button. Once confirmed, I am taken to the second part of the Pledge process, where I can further Configure my reward. There are many optional Add Ons, not just those visible at the top of the page. It pays to scroll down.

Once you've selected your Pledge, and then picked any Add On options, you press continue and review one final time before confirming your pledge.

In this example, I've udpated my pledge to include the Sidereals Storyteller Screen that we unlocked via Stretch Goal achievement. I'd love to add either of the Complete Collection 1E or 2E bundles, but I've spent all of my money this month on gifts for others instead of myself for a change!

Once I click Confirm, my reward tier and add ons are set for my pledge. Note that I've included my shipping destination, but no international shipping charges have been calculated. Those will be handled and charged in BackerKit when the books are preparing to ship.

You should also be aware that any available Add On options will be made available in our BackerKit pledge manager, so if you're unsure about adding on something at this point, you will be able to adjust your pledge in the post-campaign phase.

Pledging to the campaign also opens up the Stretch Goal rewards as thanks for your participation. We'll review our Stretch Goal accomplishments on Wednesday, but it's important to note that backers who wait and Pre-Order Sidereals at a later date will not have any Stretch Goal rewards automatically added to their rewards list. The Stretch Goal rewards will only automatically be added to the rewards for those who participated in this Kickstarter campaign.

OPTIONAL HARDCOVER ADD ON REWARDS

All Add On and additional hardcovers can only be added to a reward tier that already includes a hardcover version of this book (and has therefore established shipping parameters). The Storyteller Screen must also be added to a hardcover reward tier, since it is a physical item that requires shipping. As with your pledge, international shipping charges will be calculated in the Pledge Manager with all physical rewards  sent in a single shipment once the Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course books are printed and ready to fulfill.

REWARD DELIVERY

About 6 weeks after the campaign has ended, I'll launch our post-campaign Pledge Manager to collect information from all backers and confirm which rewards you'll be receiving. At this point, you'll be able to review your rewards and also also adjust any Add On Options that you may have missed. Once we have everything confirmed, I'll be able to deliver any rewards that are currently available - like the PDF versions of the other Exalted Third Edition Rulebooks (Exalted Third Edition Core Rulebook (Solars), Dragon-Blooded, Lunars, Arms of the Chosen, The Realm), as well as the fiction and music Bundles, and the earlier edition Complete Collections. Backers who have pledged for these options will be sent special redemption links to claim these digital rewards from our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Clicking these redemption links will allow you to add these PDF titles to your digital library to download anytime. I'll send an update when all of that is happening, though, so you are aware every step of the way.

So, while it will take some time for Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course to move from manuscript form to a final product, you won't be waiting a year for PDFs that already exist. (You'll be waiting about 6-8 weeks or so, just enough time for us to set up the reward infrastructure.)

Some of our Add On Rewards aren't yet available, but any digital rewards will be delivered once available (for example, the Exigents PDF).

Physical Books

If you're waiting to see the International shipping costs before upgrading your PDF pledge to the hardcover reward tier, you'll have lots of time for that. We won't close the Pledge Manager until the books are ready to print and we know what shipping costs will be, so you'll be able to go back and adjust your pledge tier at that time.

It's going to take some time to create the final PDF for Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course and even longer for the eventual print run for the deluxe hardcover book. When the books are at the printer, I will be in touch with all kickstarter backers to outline timeline for pledge adjustments, as well as lockdown procedures and when we'll be confirming addresses and processing BackerKit Add Ons and Shipping payments. That's a long time away, and we'll cover that as we get closer to that part of the process.

Don't fret if you had forgotten to select an Add On by the end of the campaign. These Add Ons will be available to select in our post-campaign Pledge Manager for those who participated in our campaign and have full access to the Pledge Manager. So, if you are undecided at this time, you will be able to hold off until we're closer to the final reward shipment goes out.

Step 1: Pledge Tier

Step 2: Add On Options

Again, your first step should involve your main reward selection, and your Add On Options will build upon that. If you selected the PDF-only tier, you will be presented with digital options. If you select the hardcover tier, you will be presented with physical reward options. You cannot add on additional physical rewards if the Sidereals hardcover book is not included in your pledge tier reward list, but these Add Ons will appear in BackerKit if you later adjust your pledge choice.

Note that all funds are expressed in US Dollars, although Kickstarter displays the approximate conversion rate.

It Adds Up!

That should explain the process of Selecting your Reward Tier and Add On options and confirming your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT. Since increasing your pledge amount increases the overall funding level of the project, add-ons can help us achieve our Stretch Goal funding targets, so it benefits us all to suggest that you double-check to make sure you're getting all of the rewards you want.

Additionally, this may go without saying, please review your personal budget and ensure you've selected the appropriate reward tier and add ons for your current financial situation. Kickstarter will begin charging your payment method once the campaign ends, so ensure you've budgeted correctly.

Conclusion

As we move through these final days of the campaign, please ensure you've chosen the correct Reward Tier for the rewards you want (at least at this point). And beyond that - please make sure you've investigated and selected any add-ons you wish to receive. If you have any issues with the Pledge process, either selecting the reward tier or Adding On optional rewards, try a different browser or device. Kickstarter is always refining their processes, but sometimes things are a little sticky. Changing browsers often solves the issue.

On Thursday, just before the campaign ends, I will send an update detailing the steps that occur after the campaign concludes, including notes about our Pledge Manager and the communication plan going forward.

So, just like always: Spread the word! Share your excitement on social media! Tell your friends! We're about to find out our final fate, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!

And I'll be back Tuesday with the FINAL manuscript section for Sidereals, making the complete text available for all backers to review before the campaign ends!

#Sidereals

#Exalted

A Sidereal Story (Finale)
over 1 year ago – Fri, Dec 16, 2022 at 08:11:47 AM

Previous Entries

• A Sidereal Story
• A Sidereal Story Part 2
• A Sidereal Story Part 3
• A Sidereal Story Part 4
• A Sidereal Story Part 5

The innkeeper had lit the fire, though none of Dozan’s other companions seemed to appreciate it. They sat around Adhim’s table, debating what to do about Cymelos of Ond. Dozan sprawled on the divan, their pattern spider curled atop their chest, dozing.

Dozan half-listened to the conversation, but their mind was troubled. They were missing something, all of them. But what?

Sometimes, the best answers came from within, from the truths you’d grasped without realizing it. You just had to find them. Dozan’s eyes slipped closed even as their thoughts continued to whirl. The walls of a labyrinth grew up around them, a tangle of flowers like those in Turutan’s parks.

They wandered awhile, enjoying the warm sunlight and the pleasant scents. Beside them walked a dream-Adhim, nearly twice as tall as the true one. Dozan had to scurry to keep up with his steps. “Cymelos of Ond claims he was a king,” Adhim said. “He likes being surrounded by the wealthy and powerful. We could present ourselves as such, befriend him, and attempt to turn him to our side. I don’t know that he’s a lost cause.”

Dozan pondered this. They had to crane their neck to see Adhim’s face. “Your last point is true; he isn’t lost, not yet. But tonight, you said it’s bad to build a society based on a lie. I think you’d be disappointed if I suggested building a friendship on them, too.”

With his next step, Adhim was his normal height. He smiled and said, “Just so.” Then he turned a corner and disappeared.

Dozan followed the sound of a hacking blade next, and came upon Koraia, attempting to cut her way through the labyrinth’s wall. Petals flew around her in a flurry. “Can I help?” asked Dozan.

“Show me what you’ve got.” She handed them a blade.

Dozan tried, but the knife’s edge was dull.

“It’s not,” said Koraia when they pointed this out. “It’s the twin of mine. Your arm simply isn’t as strong.”

Dozan set the blade down and began twining the vines together, weaving them into pleasing patterns and guiding them gently apart.

“We could spread rumors,” Koraia said. “Something that would discredit him among his allies.”

“It’s as hard to control rumors once they leave your lips as it is to contain a wildfire. We might begin the rebellion Adhim fears.”

“That’s true,” said Koraia. “And look, you’ve made an opening for me without harming the flowers. Brute force isn’t always the answer, but I’ll be at your side whenever it is.”

At the next turn, Silent Moth’s swinging grimcleaver nearly cut off Dozan’s nose. “Oh,” she said. “Stay there. I need to practice my stances.”

Dozan trusted Moth, but had to admit they were a little afraid of her. Her temper could flare, though its heat hadn’t ever been directed at Dozan or the others. Still, whenever she pivoted and swung, they felt the wind of the blade as it passed within inches of their throat.

“Cymelos has plenty of lieutenants,” she said. “I say we send them back with bloody noses and missing teeth until he comes to talk to us.”

“He’ll come ready to fight,” said Dozan. “We need to catch him off guard.”

“Then I’m out of ideas,” said Moth. She pulled Dozan into a hug, then sauntered away.

As Dozan walked, the labyrinth’s flowery walls transitioned to smooth samarskite. Up ahead, Nayalu cupped her hands around something.

“Come see,” she said, holding it out like Dozan’s big sister used to do when she’d caught a toad. “This is what we forgot.”

Dozan drew close and peered at the tiny silver seed cradled in her palms.

“We have to get in that vault,” she said.

Dozan awoke with a gasp.

The air inside the House of Bellicose Skies was stale and cold; Obsidian Saber wished them luck as the heavy doors slid back on ancient mechanisms. Dust whirled in the lantern light, kicked up for the first time in centuries. The descriptions in Whispering Lily’s ancient tome helped in some cases, but it was clear early on that whoever had guided the scholar-priest through its halls had left out some key details. Perhaps she’d passed through before the final traps were laid, or perhaps some things had been lost in translation between editions. Perhaps she’d simply made some of them up.

After what felt like hours of wandering an endless hall, a wall shifted suddenly, separating Koraia and Silent Moth from the others. The two continued in a direction that seemed parallel to their original, huddling close together. When the floor fell away beneath Silent Moth, Koraia caught her by the forearm and hauled her away from the chasm. They held each other close, breath ragged in one another’s ears, and Koraia finally found the courage to say what she’d come to realize these last few weeks in Turutan. “I want—” she began, but Moth pulled away.

Her grimcleaver whistled as she knocked the poisoned darts out of the air before they could bury themselves in Koraia’s neck. “Me too,” she whispered.

In the silence, they heard Adhim’s voice booming close by. Moth took Koraia’s hand as they found the way back to their companions.

Later, the Circle paused before a door guarded by twin automata. They were made of liquid obsidian, flowing and shifting around any attack directed at them. “Wait,” said Nayalu, as Silent Moth gathered the strands of their fate in her hands. “I think we’ll need them later.” She spent some time in contemplation, then gently approached them and, first one, then the other, touched a crystal bottle to their chests. The automata flowed inside.

An hour later, she set them free at the edge of a pit, and they flowed and twisted together on the way across it, hardening into a bridge the Circle could cross.

Dozan, lagging slightly behind, passed by an alcove that held a seven-pointed crown. At first, they walked on past, but something drew them back to contemplate it. Moonlight glinted off the pale-yellow diamonds in each point, though they could see no place from which light might come in. They observed it for a few moments, while they ate a handful of sunflower seeds and considered their options.

“Should we?” they asked the spider perched on their shoulder.

The spider waved its front legs in the gesture Dozan had come to know meant You’re going to anyway.

Dozan laughed. “I could use a little help.”

The spider pondered the crown for a moment, and the moonlight around it. Carefully, they skittered into the alcove and began spinning a web. Thicker and thicker it grew, until the moonlight shone through only a pencil-thin shaft.

When Dozan took the crown, the web caught the arrows meant for their heart.

In the end, they stood before the chamber where Nayalu’s book and Dozan’s dream told them the sprawl-seed was stored. Its lock opened easily under Adhim’s touch. From somewhere behind them came the rumbling of stone. It might have been any of half a dozen traps they’d encountered, but it meant one thing: they had made it ahead of Cymelos.

Cymelos of Ond swept into the chamber, lantern held aloft. The light swept across an arsenal that would make kings and generals weep: Vorenth Skysinger’s moonsilver keris; the red jade vambraces of Karal Merepol, a dark lamp said to hold a fraction of Ligier’s light. All these and more were within his grasp, but Cymelos wanted only one of the manse’s treasures. But, between himself and the plinth on which the sprawl-seed rested, the Circle stood guard.

“You should go,” he said, as he set down his lantern. “None of this concerns you, and I’d prefer not to fight.”

Adhim stepped forward from the center of their arc. “On that last point, we’re agreed. But I’m afraid Heaven disagrees on the former.”

“And will you fight me, then, Adhim Kassar?” Fine threads spun out from Cymelos’ sleeves, not silk, but the strands of fate itself. “The last I saw you, you preferred to exchange words rather than blows.”

“He doesn’t have to.” Koraia raised her bow, an arrow nocked loosely. At her words — and at her side — Silent Moth readied her grimcleaver. “We’re here with him.”

“I hope you’re thankful for such friends,” said Cymelos. It seemed to Adhim that he meant it sincerely. Then Cymelos leapt into the air and stepped across empty space as though supported by invisible threads.

Koraia’s bowstring thrummed as her first arrow flew. It severed a bundle of the silvery threads trailing from Cymelos’ sleeves; when they hit the ground, they melted away like dew in the morning sun. Her second arrow cut his cheek as it passed.

It wasn’t that she’d missed. Silent Moth bounded across the chamber, hopping up onto a plinth and launching herself toward where Cymelos hung. More threads snaked out, looping around her naginata’s shaft just below the blade. He yanked on them, pulling Silent Moth in close. “Listen, all of you,” he said, as she swatted away other strands that threatened to entangle her as well as her weapon. “In Ond as I remember it, I was a philosopher. I spoke against the despots who’d ruled for hundreds of years, passing the throne to their descendants and taking more from the common people with every passing generation. My words sparked a revolution, and together, we overthrew them. The people made me king, and I ruled as best I could. Ond prospered. It thrived.”

For a moment, they all saw it. Little glimpses of Ond as Cymelos knew it flashed in his anima, tinged in cherry-blossom pink: snippets of poetry; a bridge spanning the river, its spindly cables a work of art and engineering; the despots’ palaces turned into libraries and museums. It wasn’t how the world was, but in those glimpses, each saw the way it might have been — perhaps, even, the way it ought to be.

“And now I find myself king of nothing and no one. Ond is a living ruin, and all the things I remember are things that never were. The people I loved are gone, or if they live, they toil and starve under the despots’ rule. Could you live with such knowledge, and do nothing?” He looked at each in turn.

Dozan dropped their gaze. Koraia stared at Silent Moth, caught in Cymelos’ web; she couldn’t see the tears that threatened in the Reckoner’s eyes. Adhim seemed thoughtful. Only Nayalu remained stoic, her lips moving in a silent prayer.

Cymelos nodded. “I refuse to believe what happened once can’t happen again. Its memory lives in me. As long as I breathe, it might yet come to pass. I’m not your enemy, nor are you mine. Let me take the sprawl-seed,” he said softly, turning his attention back to Silent Moth. “When I plant it in the heart of Ond, a city of living silver will grow from it, crushing the old city and its despots beneath. I will wipe them from Creation and build my people the home they deserve in one stroke.”

“Their deaths aren’t yours to decide,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Why not? Isn’t that what you do? How many Lawgivers have you killed, to ensure your vision of the future endures? Isn’t the world better for it, in the end?”

Her tears spilled over at last, and for a moment it seemed she might give in. Below, Koraia let out a soft cry. Then Silent Moth’s grip tightened on her grimcleaver, and a brilliant violet halo surrounded her. She kicked back from Cymelos’ grasp, wrenching her weapon free from the strands. She swung it down with a vicious overhand cut, sending him careening back into the wall. “We’re not the same,” she muttered, as as she alit beside Koraia.

The Getimian recovered quickly, his strange skittering movements carrying him across the chamber in an eyeblink. The strands at his sleeves formed into a lash, snapping toward Adhim like a whip. The Joybringer bent backwards, like a snake preparing to strike. With every lash, he sidestepped and wove, always keeping himself between Cymelos and the sprawl-seed.

“You’re a man of principle,” said Cymelos. “I admire that. I don’t want to harm any of you. Surely you can see that?”

“Then abandon this path,” said Adhim. “Come with us to Yu-Shan and let us help you plead your case. Perhaps the Bureau of Destiny can be convinced to change Ond’s fate.”

“You think I haven’t heard that argument before?” Cymelos shook his head. “Rakan Thulio said much the same: Join my war against Heaven, and we’ll see if we can’t save your kingdom after. Ond needs me now. I won’t let it be an afterthought.”

Adhim might have replied, but behind him, Nayalu finished her prayer. The terrible sound of rattling chains echoed through the chamber. Dozan’s arm slipped around Adhim’s waist as the Harbinger deftly swept their friend out of the barbed weapon’s path. It wrapped around Cymelos’ waist, the spikes piercing his torso as Nayalu pulled them tight.

He went pale with pain, though he didn’t cry out. “All right,” he gasped, looking at the sprawl-seed’s plinth with regret. “Perhaps there might be another way.” The strands whipped out once more, curling around other objects in the chamber: the dark lamp, an orichalcum-and-moonsilver jawbone, and the crown that Dozan had tied to their belt. They sailed into Cymelos’ arms, even as he swayed with agony. “I wore one much like this once,” he said. “Maybe this will suffice until I wear it again. I hope to see you all in Ond, in better days.”

Then the chains clattered to the ground, empty.

Representatives from the Convention of Rogue Assets sat before the Circle in the stuffy hearing room. Baneris Dal, one of Jupiter’s Chosen, had the position of honor in the middle. She’d served Heaven longer than any of her peers present today, and was thus charged with guiding the debriefing.

They’d chosen Adhim to represent them, though Dal had asked questions of each during his recounting, to be sure all angles and perspectives were covered. With the mission’s facts laid out, Dal turned to its trickier aspects.

She adjusted her spectacles and glanced over a report a runner had slipped to her. “Ond has never been as he claimed.” She shuffled the pages, examining a chart. “Do you think there’s truth to his words?”

“We have only what he told us,” said Adhim. “Though there were moments, during the gala, and again in the vault, when I — when all of us — saw him and Ond as he sees them. I couldn’t tell you if it was the force of his belief, or whether those were the echoes of a life he truly lived.”

“In either case,” said Dozan, “His loyalties lie with Ond and its people, not Rakan Thulio.”

Some councilors sat up straighter. Others scribbled furious notes, or hunted through stacks of papers. They weren’t shocked to hear the name; that turncoat and his machinations occupied much of the Council’s time. Still, none had expected the Harbinger to be the one who cut directly to the heart of their questioning.

Adhim, too, had to hide his surprise. Dozan had seemed on the verge of drifting off several times this afternoon. Perhaps they simply thought best when they allowed their mind to meander. It wasn’t the first time since their meeting that Dozan had surpassed Adhim’s expectations.

Dal cleared her throat. “To that matter: The Council would like to hear this Circle’s thoughts on how best to handle those Getimians who haven’t joined Rakan Thulio’s war.”

“Perhaps it’s an opportunity,” said Adhim. “I recommend caution, but if approached carefully, we might win some of them to our side.”

“We should remember what they’ve lost,” said Dozan. “Whether or not they’ve truly experienced what they say, their feelings around it are real. That carries weight.”

“If the others are like Cymelos,” said Silent Moth, “they pose as much of a threat as any Lawgiver. Should we let them snip out sections on the Loom and replace them with their own? It threatens the stability we fight so hard to maintain.” By we,Adhim knew, she meant the Bronze Faction, though she didn’t say so.

Koraia must have realized it as well. It was a long moment before she spoke up. “But declaring them all our enemies outright isn’t the answer, either. We need to know more.” Her knuckles were white with how tightly her fingers were clenched. Then Moth put one of her hands over Koraia’s, and the Shieldbearer breathed a slow sigh of relief.

“He was willing to deceive a whole city and its gods to achieve his aims,” said Nayalu. “We can hold pity in our hearts for what they’ve lost, but that doesn’t mean we should be any less vigilant. A good thief can swipe your purse and make you thank him for doing so. Cymelos didn’t get the sprawl-seed, but the other things he took are just as dangerous. We’d be fools to forget that.”

Dal waited, but no one else weighed in. “I thank you all for your testimony,” she said. “You’re dismissed.”

 Later, when they’d had a chance to sleep and freshen up, they gathered in a private room at the Azure Beetle teahouse. It was a favorite of Nayalu’s, offering brews from every Direction in addition to new blends approved by Ohanlei, the god of tea.

Adhim had arrived with a bottle of red wine cradled in the crook of his elbow. “This was waiting for me when I came home There was a note attached.”

The vineyard that produced this bottle was burned and salted a century ago. But I tell you that twenty years ago for me, it yielded a harvest whose grapes were the sweetest I’ve ever tasted. I hope you’ll drink this with friends, and taste the terroir of a better world. A world that might yet be.

—Cymelos of Ond

“I’m not sure we can trust it,” said Nayalu. “Even if the sentiment is sweet.”

“I agree,” said Adhim. “This wine will keep for another day, and our proprietor has a fine selection already.” He spied the teapot before Dozan, and filled the Messenger’s cup to the brim. “What shall we drink to?”

Dozan thought a moment, then beamed. “To new friends, and the Maidens’ favor.”

The Circle raised their cups and glasses. Koraia whispered something in Silent Moth’s ear that made the Reckoner blush, though after a moment, she laughed and stole a kiss. Nayalu claimed her favorite chair and sat, sketching them: Koraia and Silent Moth, leaning close, carefully navigating their newfound affection; Adhim resting his hand on his chin, listening as Dozan spun an improbable tale; herself, watching over them all contentedly. Then Adhim beckoned her over, and she set the sketchbook aside to go hear Dozan’s story.

FINAL WEEK COUNTDOWN!!!
over 1 year ago – Thu, Dec 15, 2022 at 05:49:52 AM

Salutations, Sidereals!

We're officially in the final week countdown for this Kickstarter campaign! Over this final week I'll be sharing a handful of instruction and review-type posts about Reward Tiers & Add Ons, Stretch Goal reviews, and What Comes Next, so if you've got any process questions or are wondering about how the Kickstarter steps work, I'm hoping to clarify any remaining questions before we finish. Of course, if you're still wondering about something, please ask and I'll help as best I can.

Final Week Program

• Dec 16 - A Sidereal Story (Final fiction piece)
• Dec 17 - Pledge Tier & Add On Review 
• Dec 18 - Sneak Peek: Artifacts 
• Dec 20 - Manuscript Preview # 5 - Artifacts and the Roll of Heavenly Personages
• Dec 21 - Stretch Goal Review 
• Dec 22 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next 

 Recruiting New Backers

I know, this is something I've already said many times (and seem to say during every project!), but for this final week, you are officially a virtual Yu-Shan ambassador for this Kickstarter project. It's time to share your excitement for Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course! Basically, we want to recruit as many interested backers as possible to form our own Celestial Division of Crowdfunding Backers over this final week.

I know I end every update post with "Keep spreading the word! Invite others to join in!" - but what does that mean, and how do you do it?

Easy answer - don't stop talking about Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course until 2:01 PM EDT next Thursday December 22nd (when the campaign has ended). Yes, family and friends (and the people getting their tires changed) were tired of me talking about it, but what else have I got to talk about? And they've learned to tolerate me during a kickstarter campaign. But here's the thing - there are others around who haven't heard or don't know about the campaign.

There are many, many Exalted fans who haven't yet heard about this campaign and would love to join in. We're right in the middle of a very busy season - tons of different things competing for our attention - so it's not surprising that new backers are just finding out about the campaign every day. If you have an opportunity to let someone know, please do and let's make sure they have a chance to join in before the end.

Resource Reference

Onyx Pathcast Episode 205: Exalted Roundtable <link> - this is an older episode, back from April 2022, but has an interesting discussion with Dixie talking to Exalted developers and writers Elliott Freeman, Eric Minton, Lauren Roy, and Robert Vance about the current state of the line and upcoming books (including the one we're funding right now!) So check it out for some Sidereals talk from eight months ago.

Systematic Understanding of Everything  Podcast - Sidereals Interview <Link> - for something more recent, a discussion between the Systematic Understanding crew and the Exalted developers. And Exalted fans. And Exalted developer, also fan. Anyway, it's a dive into this very project and a great listen.

Sidereal Story - an excellent fiction piece, which is being shared over six updates. We'll have the conclusion to this tale tomorrow, but you can get a taste for the setting and the Sidereals by reading the first five sections of our story so far...

• A Sidereal Story
• A Sidereal Story Part 2
• A Sidereal Story Part 3
• A Sidereal Story Part 4
• A Sidereal Story Part 5

Manuscript Previews - Throughout the campaign, we'll have the entire approved draft version of Sidereals: Charting Fate's Course available for backers to read. You'll be able to read every word in the draft manuscript before the campaign ends, before any pledges are collected, before any payments are processed. In pledging to this campaign, you know exactly what you're getting in to with this book. We'll have the final chapters posted next Tuesday, but backers can read Chapters 1-7 now <Link>

Feedback Form - As mentioned, this is a draft version of the manuscript. The writing is finished, but there is still a few rounds of editing and development ahead for this text. So you can consider it 95% finished. But if you want to help the editors and developers in their work, you can provide guiding feedback using this form. <Sidereals Feedback Form Link> 

International Shipping - Unlike previous Onyx Path Kickstarter projects, we won’t be collecting funds to cover International Shipping during this Kickstarter campaign. Instead, 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. We’re still anticipating pretty hefty costs to ship the book internationally (see our current guesses on the front page) so be forewarned, but we’ll cross that enormous bridge when we get to it.

International backers who are unsure about pledging for the deluxe hardcover due to the unknown shipping costs may want to consider pledging to the PDF tier at this point. You will be able to adjust your pledge from the PDF to deluxe hardcover tier in the Pledge Manager once we know final shipping costs. But do check out our estimates to give you an idea of what we're looking at right now.

Projected Delivery Dates - You'll have the current approved draft manuscript in your hands at the end of the campaign. And, really, aside from some minor corrections and maybe some rules clarifications, you'll have everything you need to start playing a Sidereal Exalted immediately.

Which is good, because these books take some time to put together. Even though we'll have the nearly there manuscript, Onyx Path works very hard to create these books at a high standard, and that takes time. In our pledge listings, you'll see that the PDF reward is projected to release to backers by June 2024, and the hardcover by April 2025. The plan is to get them to you earlier - as quickly as possible while managing workloads and quality - but things happen to slow the process sometimes. We've built in plenty of padding in those dates to account for some of the unexpected hurdles, but just be aware that we're at the beginning of the process, not yet in sight of the finish line.

I will be in constant contact after the campaign, and you'll know about each stage of progress along the way. I'll talk more about that on our final update, when we go over the Next Steps.

All of that said - I think everyone reading this is pretty much on the same page. The chapters I've read so far are amazing. The writers have done a great job with the Sidereals for Exalted Third Edition. There's a lot of fun in these chapters! Obviously, the Exalted team was hit hard by the pandemic over the past few years, but it's clear they've been working hard to get things moving and deliver the big, key splat books out to us at a pace to catch up a bit. They haven't compromised in their efforts, and it shows.

Final Week

We've got one week to go, everyone! Thank you all so much for your support! We've achieved some impressive feats! Over the past 3 weeks, working together, we've funded the book and unlocked SEVENTEEN stretch goals, including a jumpstart, a novella, and supplemental content that will likely come in the form of a Companion PDF.

Let's continue to work together to grow our backer count and enjoy these moments of escape from the chaos and confusion of the world, if only for a brief moment. Let's trade some quips, speculate about the nature of Fate and Destiny, discuss Charms, Martial Arts, and Sorcery, and celebrate all that this campaign has done in the next week!

And let's continue our campaign towards the next Stretch Goal! Will we have more to review next Wednesday when we share the what fate has brought forth? I certainly think so!

At $195,000 in Funding - Sidereals Mobile Wallpaper - Sensational Sidereals artwork will be used to create a wallpaper for your mobile device lockscreen. This mobile wallpaper will be added to the rewards list of all Kickstarter backers supporting this project.

At $200,000 in Funding - Sidereals Supplemental Content: Battle Arts of the Back Alleys - A selection of martial arts favored by criminals and disreputable grandmasters: Seven Drunken Gods, Devil Pipe, Roaring Iron, and Prince-Eating Mendicant styles.

#Sidereals

#Exalted