Latest from the Creator
PROJECT UPDATE
Project Update: The Winners of the Art Poll! (and a health update from the project lead)
Hey, all!
Here's the results from the poll! It was a tie between these three:
Here's the results from the poll! It was a tie between these three:
So! These are the three we will get prints done up of! Stay tuned to the pledge manager and pre-order store in the coming weeks as we get these pieces ready to order and added to the add-ons!
In our last update, we shared the current status for Rick's family. In this one, we'll let you know what our management team is dealing with currently:
Our project manager spent a week out of town for Kublacon (which fell on their birthday as well! 45 years!). After returning home from that, they have had a series of medical appointment follow-ups with their specialists only to learn they need three surgeries this year! Deviated septum (ENT specialist was waiting for their lungs to recover enough to withstand surgery), optic nerve lesion/pit in the left eye (they'll share the imaging from the optometrist below; it's actually on both eye nerves but is currently only dramatically affecting the left eye), and surgery on their left hip (avascular necrosis of femoral head alongside arthritis).
They are home for now, but over the next few weeks will be getting all those surgeries scheduled, so we don't know exact timings on some things until those are on the calendar to plan around. Will try to update monthly as we move forward, as much as health allows us to remember, so don't be afraid to poke in the comments to ask for updates - the reminders are appreciated, given the state of ... well ... *waves hands around* everything.
Here's the eye scans from last week's appointment. left vs right, and last year vs this. You can see the layer separation happening, it's kind of crazy!
PROJECT UPDATE
Project Update: Quick Update
Just a quick update for everyone on how our artist Rick's family is doing.
(Tonya is their family friend who organised the Go Fund Me and has been a huge help to them all in so many ways.)
The art poll should be closing soon, so we'll have the final pieces that were popular on the pledge manager once that's finished. We are also collaborating with Rick's team at Kids In the Attic to do some charity stream one shots of Rick's ttrpgs. So stay tuned for those on our Twitch channel over the summer!
Meanwhile, here's the update from Rick:
May 22nd, 2025
We wanted to share a quick update on how the kids are doing, and to thank you, truly, for every bit of support you’ve given. This road hasn’t been easy, but your kindness has helped us breathe, regroup, and keep moving forward.
Here’s where we are right now:
Mya is still scheduled to undergo reconstructive surgery on her knee. She's in pain most days wearing an immobilization brace, but handling it like a champ. She just had an ER visit because ortho wanted to make sure she had no clots from swelling, and all is good for now. We’ll know more soon about timing and the recovery process ahead.
Marilyn continues to wear a back brace for her spinal fractures and is still healing from a broken collarbone and hand. She had X-rays today and has a neuro appointment at the end of this week to check on progress. She’s been pushing hard to graduate early, but the injuries have made that a struggle. We’re doing everything we can to help her cross that finish line.
Madilyn is doing better physically. She still has soreness and aches, but overall she's recovering well. Emotionally, though, this has hit her hard, as it has with all the kids in different ways.
Ricky is healing from major abdominal surgery. He had a nick to his kidney and aorta, and then had a small seroma we needed to treat with antibiotics. We're now waiting on follow-up appointments with a cardiovascular surgeon to monitor his recovery and make sure everything is healing as it should.
This week we also started psychological evaluations, and we should have resources in place soon for PTSD and trauma recovery, not just for one, but for any of the kids who need it. That kind of help is hard to come by, and it’s happening because of the support we’ve received.
There’s still a long way to go, but we’re doing it together. One day at a time. Thank you for helping us get this far and thank you to Tonya Sparks for organizing and handling this (and so much more).
With gratitude,
Rick Hershey & Family
(Tonya is their family friend who organised the Go Fund Me and has been a huge help to them all in so many ways.)
The art poll should be closing soon, so we'll have the final pieces that were popular on the pledge manager once that's finished. We are also collaborating with Rick's team at Kids In the Attic to do some charity stream one shots of Rick's ttrpgs. So stay tuned for those on our Twitch channel over the summer!
Meanwhile, here's the update from Rick:
May 22nd, 2025
We wanted to share a quick update on how the kids are doing, and to thank you, truly, for every bit of support you’ve given. This road hasn’t been easy, but your kindness has helped us breathe, regroup, and keep moving forward.
Here’s where we are right now:
Mya is still scheduled to undergo reconstructive surgery on her knee. She's in pain most days wearing an immobilization brace, but handling it like a champ. She just had an ER visit because ortho wanted to make sure she had no clots from swelling, and all is good for now. We’ll know more soon about timing and the recovery process ahead.
Marilyn continues to wear a back brace for her spinal fractures and is still healing from a broken collarbone and hand. She had X-rays today and has a neuro appointment at the end of this week to check on progress. She’s been pushing hard to graduate early, but the injuries have made that a struggle. We’re doing everything we can to help her cross that finish line.
Madilyn is doing better physically. She still has soreness and aches, but overall she's recovering well. Emotionally, though, this has hit her hard, as it has with all the kids in different ways.
Ricky is healing from major abdominal surgery. He had a nick to his kidney and aorta, and then had a small seroma we needed to treat with antibiotics. We're now waiting on follow-up appointments with a cardiovascular surgeon to monitor his recovery and make sure everything is healing as it should.
This week we also started psychological evaluations, and we should have resources in place soon for PTSD and trauma recovery, not just for one, but for any of the kids who need it. That kind of help is hard to come by, and it’s happening because of the support we’ve received.
There’s still a long way to go, but we’re doing it together. One day at a time. Thank you for helping us get this far and thank you to Tonya Sparks for organizing and handling this (and so much more).
With gratitude,
Rick Hershey & Family
PROJECT UPDATE
Project Update: A Close-Up of the Art
Someone has asked to see the options in greater detail, so here we go!
Poll is once again attached below, to this update, so no need to scroll back.
The poll only supports ONE vote, but we are willing to run prints of a few designs, so vote for your top pick, and feel free to list the names of others you might want in the comments so we can tally up everything!
Apologies, the projects manager was ill for a bit; so the poll has been extended for an extra week, through the 28th:
Poll is once again attached below, to this update, so no need to scroll back.
The poll only supports ONE vote, but we are willing to run prints of a few designs, so vote for your top pick, and feel free to list the names of others you might want in the comments so we can tally up everything!
Apologies, the projects manager was ill for a bit; so the poll has been extended for an extra week, through the 28th:
Gold Tier
This user is a top contributor to this community!
Are they all fully illustrated, or just the J/Q/K/A and jokers? Are the suits all different illustrations? Trying to decide whether to add them to my pledge, since I love all the artwork so far; I'm really hoping for some cool pics to know what we'll be getting!
PROJECT UPDATE
Project Update: Next Poll
Only one vote, so art it is!
That's probably for the best anyway, as the tariff situation would make doing an enamel pin more volatile currently.
So, lots of options. Sadly it doesn't allow us to set the poll for multiple choice, so just go with what speaks most to you. We will probably order prints of the top two or three choices because we can offer the additional prints at conventions to raise funds for his family as well.
Set the poll for 2 weeks, and anyone with a Backerkit account can take the poll, so feel free to share it around if you know anyone else who may be interested in an art print. We will be adding the prints to the preorder store in addition to the survey add-ons, where anyone who missed the campaign can pick one up.
That's probably for the best anyway, as the tariff situation would make doing an enamel pin more volatile currently.
So, lots of options. Sadly it doesn't allow us to set the poll for multiple choice, so just go with what speaks most to you. We will probably order prints of the top two or three choices because we can offer the additional prints at conventions to raise funds for his family as well.
Set the poll for 2 weeks, and anyone with a Backerkit account can take the poll, so feel free to share it around if you know anyone else who may be interested in an art print. We will be adding the prints to the preorder store in addition to the survey add-ons, where anyone who missed the campaign can pick one up.