Community

When I launched this project, I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. I knew what Afterglow was — the game, the world, the stories — but knowing isn't the same as finding out others care too. You all answered that question loud and clear.

Seeing the support come in is a great feeling and something I won't forget. Every backer and every share meant more than I can properly articulate. You didn't just fund a game. You told me Afterglow deserves to exist, and that matters to me deeply.

Here's where I'm at: I'm heads-down right now, getting as much artwork finalized as I can and pushing hard to wrap things up and get rewards into your hands as fast as possible. I want to deliver something that lives up to what you deserve.

Thank you. Genuinely. Afterglow is real because you helped make it real.

=Jakob

Cyril Tenar Discord: cyriltenar

Cyril Tenar took on four of Afterglow's classes — the Boomshade, Ranger, Coil-Bound, and Forged — and delivered exactly what was asked for, every time.

The Boomshade illustration is where Cyril really shines. The detailed line work is deliberate, and the silent, espionage-edged tone I was chasing for that class comes through without needing to be explained. You look at it and you just get the Boomshade.

The Ranger hits the same mark from a completely different direction — rugged, self-sufficient, built for the wild. It captures the kind of person who doesn't need the world to be intact to survive in it.

Cyril is a straightforward collaborator — clear communication, delivers on the brief, easy to work with. If you want to reach out directly, hit them up on Discord.

Ben Foster portfolio: behance.net/Art-Glorified | Discord: ben_foster1

Not every creature in Afterglow is trying to kill you — some are just wonderfully weird, and Ben Foster is one of the artists making that corner of the Shatterlands come alive.

Ben worked on two of my personal favorite entries in the guide: the Floose, a fire-breathing goose that is exactly as dangerous as it sounds, and the Buzzkits, a genetic mashup of honey bees and squirrels that adds a genuine sense of wonderment to the field guide. The design details make these creatures feel deliberately and intentionally made — because in the Shatterlands, they were.

The standout piece though is the full page flora illustration. The detail is staggering. You look at it and you don't just see dangerous plants — you feel what it would be like to stand at the edge of that garden as a player, knowing you have no choice but to walk through it. All teeth and spines and no good options.

Highly recommend. Go check out their portfolio.

Before the Shatterlands became what it is, there were years of unraveling — and Afterglow doesn't skip over it.

The main lore chapter "Becoming the Shatterlands" is a collection of short stories drawn from real sessions, scattered across the years when the world was starting its spiral. Fear, uncertainty, distrust, anger, loss — each story carries its own emotional fingerprint, and each one is anchored by a single image meant to freeze that moment in amber.

Mary Bennett is the artist carrying that entire chapter on their shoulders, and the work speaks for itself. Every image lands exactly where it needs to — you read the story, you look at the illustration, and something locks into place. You don't just understand what the character is going through. You feel it.

This is no small ask for a single artist. The scope is significant and the schedule has been demanding. Mary has exceeded expectations at every turn without missing a beat.

Seriously — go check out their portfolio. The talent is obvious, and I'm grateful to have them on this project.