Hello Green Sun Princes,

With so much to read in the draft manuscripts, I'd sort of lost track as to how long we've been running this campaign, but we're already starting our final week! And with that, it's time to start our Final Week Countdown!

Over the next 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 Crowdfunding 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.

We've got a brand new Time Extension Charm and we may be able to manipulate our planned finish line a bit. We're going to try and unleash our Exalted power when we get to the big finale! It's called "OVERTIME MODE" and it allows us to keep the campaign rolling as long as backers are pledging.

Overtime Mode

Overtime Mode extends the campaign past its original end time to give backers a final chance to make their pledge and adds an interesting twist to the end of the campaign. How long will it extend? That’s entirely up to backers: The campaign will keep going for an additional 10 minutes as long as pledges keep coming in – a chain of back-to-back pledges is called the Backer Train. The campaign will end only when the Backer Train stops after a period of 10 minutes passing without any pledges.

You’ll know we’re in Overtime Mode when the campaign’s Backer Train counter displays a bright rainbow border and a new countdown that resets to 10 minutes after each new backer joins that final Backer Train ride.

So, we've scheduled the campaign to conclude on December 18th at 2:00 pm Eeastern Time, but it'll be extended in 10 minute chunks as long as backers keep pledging. Will we add an extra 10 minutes? An extra 20? Or will it all finish up as we programmed? Who knows, but we'll find out together! Exalted indeed!

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 an Infernals Influencer for this Crowdfunding project. It's time to share your excitement for the Infernals: Crowned by Hellfire! Basically, we want to recruit as many curious backers as possible to see how long we can keep our Backer Train running over this final week.

I know I've ended many update posts 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 the Infernals until 2:01 PM Eastern next Thursday Dec 18th  (and then as long as we continue running in Overtime Mode). Yes, family and friends are tired of me talking about it. But what else have I got to talk about? Sorting through the tree lights again? I swear, every year, I watch as strands go out one by one each day. Well, I've certainly got some Infernal rage brewing. Anyway -  they've learned to tolerate me during a crowdfunding 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 Onyx Path and Exalted fans who haven't yet heard about this campaign and would love to join in. We're right in the middle of a the 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.

Onyx Path does their best to let everyone know about their projects through their social media, streams, youtube videos, and on their webpage, but I still get fans contacting me affer every campaign saying they just missed out! And even though you will be able to pre-order the book through the Pledge Manager later, late backers won't be able to Add On the Infernals Companion that we've built via Stretch Goal achievement to their pre-order items.

So, let's help out our awesome Exalted fans and make sure that we've spread the word as best we can and everyone has an opportunity to participate in this campaign!

If you're inviting new backers, or if you are a new backer (hi new backers!), here are a few key resources to be aware of for this campaign.

Backers are able to review the (soon-to-be) complete manuscript for this book before the campaign closes and any pledges are processed. With the exception of the Infernal Personages chapter coming on Tuesday, the entirety of the rules and options from this book are available for download and review by backers. That's a massive pile of Charms, Artifacts, Sorcery and more for your Infernal Exalted!

Anyone who pledges to this campaign before the end can read the entire book now AND provide feedback directly to the developers to help guide the manuscript through the final phases of development and editing!

And, if you join now, as I've noted, we'll be posting the final chapter of the book next week before we reach the finish line. This final chapter is all about the myriad peoples of the Demon Realm. In fact, here's a taste of what's coming your way next week:

At the center of each layer of Hell sits Ligier, the Green Sun, whose shadowless radiance is life and woe to the Demon City. He is the heart of Malfeas, his foremost soul and living core. Should he truly perish, all of Hell would be remade. 

There is no greater smith among demonkind than Ligier. The wonders he forges stretch to scales that boggle the mind, from rivers of molten brass cast into triumphal arches through which stars could pass, to black iron wrought giants tall enough to challenge the heavens. In this work he finds joy and fulfillment, but his perfectionism demands strange or painful reagents, from children’s blood to the taste of betrayal. Denied those, he inevitably introduces flaws unknowingly into his work. 

Behind all of Ligier’s creations, there is an idea: To bring order to Creation akin to that of Hell. There is no spite in this. Though Hell be a prison of agony and sorrow, though the Yozis thrash forever in anger and pain, Ligier looks upon the Demon Realm, and sees beauty. What is this prison, if not a temple? What is this thrashing, if not a dance? What is this pain, if not a sacrament? How could the Green Sun hate the ones who bound them all in such exquisite artistry? No, Ligier loves Creation and all of its people, such that one day, Creation’s sun shall shine green, and black stone and brass shall cover the world, with gods and men alike joining the demons in their dance. They will all look upon the Green Sun, and weep with joy, for they will know his wonders.  

It will all have been worth it. 

Ligier is not just the sun of Hell. In his human-like form, Ligier appears as a handsome youth with auburn hair and bronze skin; when he desires to overawe others, he instead appears as a ten-foot tall being crowned in hellfire, with four arms, skin of brass, black iron claws, and a third eye. Like many Unquestionables, he can exist in two places at once. His summoning never darkens the Demon Realm — though his temporary death might. On rare occasion, he has been known to enter Creation at the entreaty of a queen, prince or legendary smith, appearing only for the brief time after the sun sets but before night falls. He has at times been moved to offer his services to them, and, to those who could grasp the beauty he sees, his company. 

Though Ligier styles himself as unconcerned with the politics of Hell, he relishes the widespread impact of his every whim. A brief fling with a citizen may see them vastly elevated in the social hierarchy of the Demon City or bring the knives of assassins; a spur-of-the-moment choice may start a fashion that endures centuries. The fallout of Ligier’s involvement in Malfean society may save or devastate lives, but he himself is above such consequences. Such chaos is Hell’s lifeblood, and there is beauty in ruin. 

When Ligier is not summoned for his crafting prowess, it is instead for his skills as a peerless warrior. A devastating presence on the battlefield, he reveals a radiance before which mortals are unmade and calls forth a sword whose beauty brings the staunchest heart to tears. His graceful motions trail afterimages, and his every blow sends earth-cracking shockwaves. By these tokens, Ligier shows the truth in which he believes: That there is no equal before the Green Sun, he who is immortal and invincible. None have yet been able to challenge this claim. It is, nonetheless, wrong. 

Only those who hold their own in battle against Ligier can earn his true attention. He usually offers such foes one last chance to withdraw; if they refuse, or if his binding compels him to pursue the battle, he adopts his ultimate form. His body implodes in a blast of impossible light, reforming in a shroud of darkness that swirls with stars. He reappears as an inferno of living hellfire around a skeleton of molten brass, sculpted into alien beauty so wondrous as to make one weep in their final moments.

Dont' forget to check out the Infernals fiction we've shared throughout the campaign for a taste of their world and some of the characters that inhabit it. Like the draft manuscript, we've got one more final bit to add, but you can find our entries thus far in previous updates here:

The Discord is particularly lively, but you might be able to gain further insight and some in-depth conversation at any of these Onyx Path discussion zones:

1) Don't forget to share a link to the Crowdfunding page in any discussion you have (where appropriate) - and feel free to pass any of the long list of links above to those who may need more info (or, just point them to this post!)

2) Don't forget to tell us about any post or review or discussion you write! Come to the comments section and let us know so we can all go and contribute! I know I keep saying it, but really - these last days are key. Keep the enthusiasm high and keep on inviting others to join in, either directly ("Come see...") or just by setting an example of your enthusiasm and interest.

I'm really interested to see if we can get a backer train going at the end of the campaign and wondering if we can keep rolling for another 10 or 20 minutes past our set end time!

We've got one week to go, everyone! Thank you all so much for your support! We work together because it's the right thing to do, and because backers make it better! Let's finish strong! And let's continue exploring the Infernals together, sharing our feedback with the writers and delving into the draft manuscript, and let's see if we can't get another Stretch Goal before we review next Wednesday!

Have a great weekend, keep spreading the word, send the developers your feedback using the Feedback Form included with every draft manuscript download update, and I'll see you on Monday to review all of the Pledge Tier options and Add On Reward choices!

We finish this campaign NEXT THURSDAY! Let's keep at it!