#29 - The final Core Book, Book of the Eclipse, and Playbooks PDFs are now available!
Hello Mercenaries,
TL;DR: Today we’re releasing the final PDFs for the Core Book, the Book of the Eclipse, and the Role Playbooks.
Final PDFs
We gave it one last push a...
0
0
1
The World Anvil Publishing
11 days ago
#28 - August Update: Final Touches, preparing for print
Mercenaries,
TL;DR: Final files are being assembled and we’re prepping for print!
(Yes I know, it’s still July, but close enough).
Final Touches
After the release of the ...
3
0
0
The World Anvil Publishing
about 1 month ago
#27 - July Update: Core Book BETA!
Hello Mercenaries,
TL;DR: The full Core Book of Valraven is now ready in Beta for you to check out.
Core Book Beta
Today’s the day: the full Core Book of Valraven: The C...
1
0
0
The World Anvil Publishing
2 months ago
#26 - June Update: Book of the Eclipse BETA!
Hello Mercenaries,
TL;DR: The full Book of the Eclipse is now ready in Beta for you to check out.
Book of the Eclipse Beta
All right, I know what you’re thinking. And no...
1
0
0
The World Anvil Publishing
3 months ago
#25 - May Update: The Lands of Valraven
Hello Mercenaries,
TL;DR: We have a new preview from the Core Book.
The Lands of Valraven preview
I’m excited to share a new 45-page preview from the Valraven Core Bo...
1
0
0
The World Anvil Publishing
4 months ago
#24 - April Update: 3 Chapters from the Core Book!
Hello Mercenaries,
TL;DR: We have the first preview of the Core Book! Oh, we also have a new game on Kickstarter.
Core Book preview
I can finally share a preview from t...
TL;DR: Today we’re releasing the final PDFs for the Core Book, the Book of the Eclipse, and the Role Playbooks.
Final PDFs
We gave it one last push and have now completed the layouts and applied all fixes for:
Valraven: The Chronicle of Blood and Iron – Core Book
Valraven: The Book of the Eclipse
The Role Playbooks
A collection of all sheets and maps used during play
If these are included in your pledge, you’ll soon receive a Backerkit email with your download links. Barring any major errors, these are the final versions for now, the same ones we’re preparing for print.
Within the next 72 hours, we’ll also send complimentary copies via DriveThruRPG.
These PDFs will be made available to the general public at a higher price point in early September, when we’ll also open preorders for printed books and accessories on our store.
What’s Missing?
We’re still finalizing the layout for the Tarot Deck and its instructions, aiming to complete it by the first week of September.
We're also working on some additional pregen that will be freely available on our website as soon as all the critical items are in print.
Downgrading incomplete Survey Pledges
Around 25 surveys remain incomplete in the Pledge Manager, including 4 with physical rewards. Since we cannot ship without a confirmed address, these pledges will be downgraded to fully digital in one week.
We’ve sent multiple reminders, both here and directly via email, and it’s now time to proceed as outlined in our FAQ.
For affected backers, this is the final opportunity to complete your survey so we can deliver your rewards. If you backed at the €1 level, it’s also your last chance to upgrade to a higher tier. After one week, these orders will be considered null.
Reminders
The Late Pledge is now CLOSED.
You can always access your Pledge Manager survey from HERE. Orders are locked but get in touch if you need changes.
If you missed it, you can now also access the Late Pledge also for our most recent game, Bitter Chalice, HERE.
TL;DR: Final files are being assembled and we’re prepping for print!
(Yes I know, it’s still July, but close enough).
Final Touches
After the release of the Core Book Beta, we began our traditional final review and identified around 300 minor improvements to both text and layout. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed by spotting issues and inconsistencies!
We’re now implementing these final fixes and preparing the files for release. Barring a few real-life slowdowns (some well-deserved summer holidays for our layout team), we’re aiming to have the final PDFs ready by late August or early September. This includes the Core Book, the Book of the Eclipse, Tarot Deck, Playbooks, Sheets, and all other components not yet shared.
Prepping for Print
In parallel, we’re finalizing details with our printing partner. We’re in the last phase of confirming estimates and feel confident in the quality of the printer we’ve chosen—who also works with several major games in the industry. You can expect a high production standard across the board.
US Tariffs
The current situation around US import tariffs remains unclear, frustrating and subject to sudden changes. To move forward responsibly, we’ve decided to proceed with production in a way that ensures the sustainability of the business.
This may result in some backers in the US being asked to pay a small fee to clear customs. That said, we’ve consulted with our UK fulfillment partner, Zatu, and as of our last conversation, they were confident that single packages shipped from the UK to the USA continue to arrive without issues.
While we won’t add extra shipping charges, we do want to be transparent: there is a small risk of customs fees upon delivery, and unfortunately this is beyond our control. Frankly, I think the customs officers themselves don't yet know exactly which tariff applies to what.
Want to See a Mercenary Company Come to Life?
Right now on our Discord server, some of our players are collaboratively building a brand-new mercenary Company that will later be used in an actual campaign. Check out The Curse Eaters and feel free to jump in or follow along!
Reminders
The Late Pledge for Valraven WILL CLOSE BEFORE THE END OF AUGUST. If you know anyone who wants in, send them HERE.
You can always access your Pledge Manager survey from HERE. Orders are locked but get in touch if you need changes.
If you missed it, you can now also access the Late Pledge also for our most recent game, Bitter Chalice, HERE.
TL;DR: The full Core Book of Valraven is now ready in Beta for you to check out.
Core Book Beta
Today’s the day: the full Core Book of Valraven: The Chronicles of Blood and Iron is fresh from layout. We’re beginning our full re-read as I write this, so don’t be surprised if you come across an overly long index, something slightly off, or the occasional typo or formatting issue. That said, this is it: you now have everything you need to start playing.
Why is this a Beta and not the final release?
Just like we did with The Book of the Eclipse, we want to do one final pass to catch any lingering issues. Since the Eclipse Beta, we’ve made over 400 small improvements, and we think this round is just as important. As before, you can help.
How?
Read the Core Book Beta.
If you find a typo, layout problem, or anything that feels unclear, head over to our Discord and post it in the #valraven-typos channel.
We’ll review everything, and if it’s relevant, we’ll incorporate your notes into the final version. You will get an email with a download link for the Core Book from Backerkit. Please check your SPAM folder before reaching out, and make sure it was actually included in your pledge. Feel free to share your thoughts on our Discord Server.
When is it going to print?
Once we’ve completed this review of the Core Book and can confidently replace all the “XXX” placeholders with final page numbers. We had hoped the tariff situation would be clearer after July 9, but it’s been postponed—again. We’ll make a final decision in August, and share the updated timeline shortly after.
Reminders
You can always access your Pledge Manager survey from HERE. Orders are locked but get in touch if you need changes.
TL;DR: The full Book of the Eclipse is now ready in Beta for you to check out.
Book of the Eclipse Beta
All right, I know what you’re thinking. And no—you didn’t miss an update. We’re sending out the full PDF of the expansion, the Book of the Eclipse, before the Core Book.
If you’ve been following our journey, you already know we worked on Book of the Eclipse first and moved to the Core Book later, since that one was undergoing a full rework. So, the good news: the complete Book of the Eclipse is now ready for you to read! Even without the Core Book in hand, there’s plenty here to explore, enjoy, and draw inspiration from.
Why is it called a Beta, and not just the final release?
Because we just wrapped up the layout, and before calling it “final,” we’re doing one more full read-through to catch anything that might still need fixing before going to print. And here’s the fun part: you can help.
Community feedback has been a huge help in past projects, allowing us to squash the last remaining typos and polish any fuzzy bits of text. Just to be clear: the book has been professionally edited, but no matter how much we love Lovecraft, your collective eyeballs outnumber ours.
How can you help?
Read the Book of the Eclipse Beta
If you spot a typo, a layout hiccup, or anything that seems unclear, hop over to our Discord and drop your findings in the #valraven-typos channel.
We’ll review everything, and if it’s relevant, we’ll incorporate your notes into the final version. It’s a tried-and-true method that’s helped us deliver print-ready books with almost zero errors: a win for everyone.
So go ahead, dive in, and thanks in advance for making this the best version it can be.
You will get an email with a download link for the Book of the Eclipse from Backerkit. Please check your SPAM folder before reaching out, and make sure it was actually included in your pledge. Feel free to share your thoughts on our Discord Server.
Core Book? When?
Soon! I’m currently translating the final chapter. Once that’s done, we’ll need about a week for editing and another for layout. If all goes according to plan, the Core Book Beta should be ready by mid July.
We’re almost there!
Reminders
You can always access your Pledge Manager survey from HERE. Orders are locked but get in touch if you need changes.
I’m excited to share a new 45-page preview from the Valraven Core Book: The Lands of Valraven. This chapter explores all the game’s Factions, detailing their structure, goals, and the most notable NPCs within each. It’s a rich lore section that’s sure to spark your imagination (and your war plans).
You’ll also find the two mercenary Companies we created together during the campaign: The Twilight Spears and their darker counterpart, The Shadows of Twilight.
You will get an email with a download link from Backerkit. Please check your SPAM folder before reaching out. Feel free to share your thoughts on our Discord Server.
Where are we?
I’m currently working on the largest chapter in the Core Book—actually, in both books—Character Creation. Due to a major reorganization of the text compared to the original Italian edition, this chapter alone comes in at over 100 pages (pre-layout). It’s a substantial piece to handle, but progress is going well, even if it’s not quite finished yet.
Once this section is wrapped up, the remaining content will be much quicker to finalize.
As mentioned in the previous update, we’re still assessing how potential tariffs might impact production. Despite recent announcements suggesting a pause on some tariffs (see here), the situation remains confusing and unstable (like… what happens after 90 days?).
Right now, I’m gathering updated quotes from both China and Europe to evaluate where production is most affordable and, importantly, which option has the least impact on U.S. backers. Up until just two days ago, printing in Europe seemed like the safest path—now, that’s less clear.
Will someone end up with a worse deal? Possibly, but it’s difficult to say who, or to what extent. The final decision may need to be made close to the start of production, and while I can’t rule out additional costs for U.S. backers*, I’ll do everything in my power to minimize the impact.
That said, we’re navigating forces well beyond our control. At a certain point, we all need to recognize that these broader shifts are happening—and they’re not something any one of us can fix alone. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we do our best to find the most balanced and sustainable path forward.
– Tommaso
*No backers outside of the U.S. will be affected by tariffs whatever happens.
Reminders
You can always access your Pledge Manager survey from HERE. Orders are locked but get in touch if you need changes.
