Latest from the Creator
James Bell
5 days ago
May 2025 Monthly Update
Hello Outlanders, Back again for my monthly backer update. No big news from me this month, just incremental progress behind the scenes.  If you want more information right f...
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James Bell
about 1 month ago
April 2025 Monthly Update
Hello Outlanders, No major changes to report this month, the Onyx Path team continues to work on things behind the scenes making incremental progress but we're not coloring ...
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James Bell
2 months ago
March 2025 Monhtly Update
Hello Outlanders, As we slide through these final days of March, it's time, once again, for our monthly update! Rewards Still Pending Forward progress on our Companion PD...
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James Bell
3 months ago
February 2025 Monthly Update
Hello Outlanders, February is the shortest month, so let's see if I can keep our monthly update brief. Rewards Still Pending While work continues on the final development ...
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James Bell
4 months ago
January 2025 Monthly Update
Hello Outlanders, We start off regular monthly updates for 2025 in pretty standard form. We'll review our rewards still pending, we'll confirm which rewards have been dis...
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James Bell
6 months ago
December 2024 Monthly Update
Hello Outlanders, I'm back with our final month end status check-in of 2024! I'm coming to you a bit early this month for a pretty obvious reason - the time crunch and shift...
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PROJECT UPDATE
James Bell
CREATOR
12 months ago

Project Update: Backer Draft Manuscript Part 5

Hello Outlanders,

We're in the Final Days countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. At The Gates finishes the crowdfunding campaign on Thursday, June 6th at 2:00 PM EDT. There's still time to Inspire others to help explore Everend, 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 final four days to make sure everyone has the information they need to support this project in the way that works best for them.


Final Days Schedule


  • June 2 - Reward Tier & Add On Review 
  • June 4 - Manuscript Preview # 5 - Adversaries! (That's today!)
  • June 5 - Stretch Goal Review
  • June 6 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next

Whether you're a veteran of many daemon summonings or just learning your first Art, these are some good topics to review over this week to make sure we all end up where we want to be. If you're looking at this update and deciding whether or not to join, please click on the Pledge Tier Review link to get a better idea of which rewards are included in our pledge tiers.

(An aside, if you're a new backer, make sure you check out our Final Week Countdown / Resource Update. It has links to the manuscript previews,  podcasts, and a ton of Actual Play sessions.)



Before we get to the manuscript, just a quick reminder...

WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

IF you notice that the Pillars are named Providence and Mentalism in one section and then Anima andCognition, in another, you'll know that there's an opportunity for Danielle and the team can gather feedback to help guide the manuscript through the next steps of editing and development. To that end, they've created a special Feedback Form for you to submit your comments after reading each section!


You can submit your Feedback here: AT THE GATES FEEDBACK FORM <link>

And one more reminder...

International Shipping – Collected in the Pledge Manager

One quick note about Shipping before we get into the manuscript previews. 

First up, it's amazingly expensive to ship, especially from Onyx Path's home base in the US. We get that, but there's not much we can do at this time. Onyx Path is in a difficult space where the company is big enough that they're not saving money by fulfilling out of Rich's garage, but small enough that they can't really set up international partners to handle portions of the fulfillment. So we are where we are - for now. 

The best we can do at this point is to plan carefully, advise everyone up front that international shipping will likely be expensive (see our projections on the main page) and only charge what it costs us when the time comes. 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. If you live outside the US and aren't sure you want the hardcover or other physical items, you can pledge to the PDF tier now and upgrade your pledge in the Pledge Manager once we know the final shipping costs.

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS - BACKERS ONLY

Remember, thanks to BackerKit magic, these download links are visible to Backers only - you must be logged in and reading this on the website to have access to the manuscript preview links. So, if you're reading this via e-mail, click that "Reply to this Update" link on the bottom and I'll see you below the title treatment.

Includes Backer-Exclusive Content
user avatar image for Danielle L
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PROJECT UPDATE
James Bell
CREATOR
5 days ago

Project Update: May 2025 Monthly Update

Hello Outlanders,

Back again for my monthly backer update. No big news from me this month, just incremental progress behind the scenes. 

If you want more information right from the source, the best place to hear about the anticipated World Below and Earthbane Cycle projects is in Onyx Path's annual virtual convention!


Onyx Path Virtual Gaming Convention 2025 is just around the corner! As they enter the final weeks of preparation, the schedule is settling in. Some panels and actual plays needed minor tweaks, which is normal for this stage of the game. People’s availability shifts and schedule issues bubble up, but so far they’ve been able to roll with the punches pretty easily and are on track for a smooth, fun, and informative show!



They’re also getting games for attendees to play ramped up via Startplaying.games. There are already a few games set up, and your encouraged to consider setting one up yourself, if you like running games! It’s a great opportunity to try out games you might not otherwise get the chance to, meet new players, and make a few bucks. Onyx Path's partners at Envoy who run convention games for them will also be running games via Startplaying.games and those entries will be showing up very soon at https://startplaying.games/event/onyx-path-2025!

As noted, all panels will be streaming on Onyx Path's Twitch channel running Friday June 6 - Sunday June 8, and Actual Plays will be streaming at Plastic Age Plays channel. I'd suggest checking out

  • Earthbane Cycle Panel on Saturday June 7 at 11:30 AM EDT
  • What's Up with Onyx Path on Sunday June 8 at 12:30 PM EDT
  • Storypath Ultra Panel on Sunday June 8 at 12:00 PM EDT

Rewards Still Pending



Our Stretch Goal supplements have slid forward. Work continues on our main book.


Rewards Distributed to Backers

  • Trinity Continuum Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • Scion Second Edition Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • They Came From Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • The World Below PDF (Oct 31 '24 Update)


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://at-the-gates.backerkit.com



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: <April 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.

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

You may be able to get further insight and possibly some in-depth conversation at these Onyx Path discussion zones:

To Contact James

  •  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.
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PROJECT UPDATE
James Bell
CREATOR
about 1 month ago

Project Update: April 2025 Monthly Update

Hello Outlanders,

No major changes to report this month, the Onyx Path team continues to work on things behind the scenes making incremental progress but we're not coloring in any dots yet. Let's get to it!

Rewards Still Pending



No major changes since March, though work continues.

Rewards Distributed to Backers

  • Trinity Continuum Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • Scion Second Edition Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • They Came From Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • The World Below PDF (Oct 31 '24 Update)


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://at-the-gates.backerkit.com



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: <March 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.

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

You may be able to get further insight and possibly some in-depth conversation at these Onyx Path discussion zones:

To Contact James

  •  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.

FINAL DAY FOR REAL


FINAL DAY TO JOIN IN

Chosen by the gods, their power tempered only by human hearts, the Exalted are all that stand between Creation and the forces that would ruin the world. Set in a rich and intriguing setting that draws from real-world histories and fantasy archetypes, Exalted: Essence features streamlined rules for a new way of playing a classic game, incorporating story-focused action and a presentation designed to appeal to new players and longtime fans alike.

The Exalted: Essence Player’s Guide is a book chock full of player-facing content. Within, we’ll walk you through how to think about playing your character, what kind of person they might shape up to be, and how to consider their strengths and weaknesses as well as Intimacies and Virtues. Beyond advice for roleplaying, each chapter also contains dozens of new Charms for characters to take, shaping the outcome of your campaigns. 

Unlike other Exalted books, this does not contain any new setting material. It’s all about your character and your campaigns. Most books also speak directly to the Storyteller, assuming they’re the person who does most of the reading. Not so here! If you’re a player in a game of Exalted, this book is for you. You don’t have to read the whole thing cover to cover, but the section that applies to your character has so much there for you. 

Learn what it means to be Exalted.
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PROJECT UPDATE
James Bell
CREATOR
2 months ago

Project Update: March 2025 Monhtly Update

Hello Outlanders,

As we slide through these final days of March, it's time, once again, for our monthly update!

Rewards Still Pending



Forward progress on our Companion PDF that was unlocked via Stretch Goal. Our main book is finishing up in final development, and our jumpstart is currently in early development, while the Companion is now in redlines, where the developers provide feedback and direction for the writers to create their final drafts.


Rewards Distributed to Backers

  • Trinity Continuum Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • Scion Second Edition Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • They Came From Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • The World Below PDF (Oct 31 '24 Update)


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://at-the-gates.backerkit.com



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: <February 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.

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

You may be able to get further insight and possibly some in-depth conversation at these Onyx Path discussion zones:

To Contact James

  •  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.


Launching Today!

Chosen by the gods, their power tempered only by human hearts, the Exalted are all that stand between Creation and the forces that would ruin the world. Set in a rich and intriguing setting that draws from real-world histories and fantasy archetypes, Exalted: Essence features streamlined rules for a new way of playing a classic game, incorporating story-focused action and a presentation designed to appeal to new players and longtime fans alike.

The Exalted: Essence Player’s Guide is a book chock full of player-facing content. Within, we’ll walk you through how to think about playing your character, what kind of person they might shape up to be, and how to consider their strengths and weaknesses as well as Intimacies and Virtues. Beyond advice for roleplaying, each chapter also contains dozens of new Charms for characters to take, shaping the outcome of your campaigns. 

Unlike other Exalted books, this does not contain any new setting material. It’s all about your character and your campaigns. Most books also speak directly to the Storyteller, assuming they’re the person who does most of the reading. Not so here! If you’re a player in a game of Exalted, this book is for you. You don’t have to read the whole thing cover to cover, but the section that applies to your character has so much there for you. 

Learn what it means to be Exalted.
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PROJECT UPDATE
James Bell
CREATOR
3 months ago

Project Update: February 2025 Monthly Update

Hello Outlanders,

February is the shortest month, so let's see if I can keep our monthly update brief.

Rewards Still Pending


While work continues on the final development side for our main reward, the first draft of our Companion, unlocked via Stretch Goal achievements, is now in First Draft status! Great to see more material coming along!


Rewards Distributed to Backers

  • Trinity Continuum Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • Scion Second Edition Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • They Came From Digital Starter Bundle (July 17 '24 Update)
  • The World Below PDF (Oct 31 '24 Update)


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://at-the-gates.backerkit.com



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 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.

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

You may be able to get further insight and possibly some in-depth conversation at these Onyx Path discussion zones:

To Contact James

  •  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.


FINAL HOURS!


Check it out and join in on the fun!

In Trinity Continuum: Steam Wars, your player characters are the crewmembers of a war rig, venturing into battles against people from far off countries, aligned to ideals different than their own, and trying to preserve their peace, their way of life, or their rich deposits of a new, bizarre energy source: condensed coal. Your characters — the crewmembers of these war rigs — are as likely to be enlisted crooks as they are commissioned officers; gung-ho patriots as common as conscripted people from the imperial powers’ colonies. They fight because they have to. But in the fear and fog of battle, bonds form, friendships and rivalries grow, and legends are made.

Trinity Continuum: Steam Wars takes place outside the Trinity Continuum's "Alpha" timeline -- the worlds explored from Aegis to Æon -- taking place in a parallel reality, setting the stage for new adventures and discoveries.

Trinity Continuum: Steam Wars contains:
  • A complete setting based on the acclaimed graphic novel Steam Wars with writing by Larry Blamire and art by David Miller, Steve LeBlanc, and Christoper Ehnot.
  • Detailed rules on piloting, managing, and fighting massive coal-powered giant robots in a parallel 19th century.
  • Six different roles you can perform on a steam rig, along with more than half a dozen Alliances involving in the Second Steam War that you can fight, ally with, or sabotage.
  • Storyguide advice, secrets, hooks, and plots, to enable you to start your game of Trinity Continuum: Steam Wars 
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