Hi everyone,

We have a lot to cover in this update, so let’s jump right in.

Dice Trays Shipping Separately
First, a quick note for those of you who added the Green Fox hardwood dice trays to your pledge: these trays will be shipping out ahead of the main Vault shipment. They’ll be fulfilled directly from our US warehouse rather than routed to international hubs. This approach will keep costs down and help get them into your hands faster.

Shipping Rates and Address Locking
Production has moved far enough along that we have gotten actual weights and dimensions from the manufacturer. Now that these figures are in hand we’ve been able to solicit our fulfillment partners for shipping rates and add those rates to BackerKit. 

One important detail to keep in mind: The Vault is not a lightweight item. A single Vault weighs 10 pounds 3 ounces—about the same as:

For those of you who pledged for everything, including all the add-ons, your shipment will weigh a whopping 31 pounds 1 ounce. That’s roughly the weight of a small child, a car tire, or a microwave oven.

This all means that the final shipping cost will be high. You can now login to your BackerKit account to see what your shipping costs will be. We still need to add VAT charges to some orders, so if this applies to you, you’ll see those adjustments reflected in BackerKit soon.

We had planned on locking shipping addresses and collecting shipping fees this week, but are holding off due to a production setback. Details follow below.

Standee Base Mold Setback
We also received word from our manufacturer that the standee bases were produced with tolerances that are too tight. From the video they sent, it was obvious the fit wasn’t acceptable. The good news is that this issue was caught before the full run went into production.

This delay pushes our timeline into September. It’s a gut punch because we’d really hoped you would have your Vaults in hand before PAX West, and that we’d have finished units to sell at the show. We may still be able to showcase a manufacturer’s sample there, but it means we’ll be scrambling to adjust plans for our already-booked booth. 

Looking Ahead
We know this is frustrating news. It is for us, too. But it’s far better to find problems now than after everything has been produced and boxed.

Here’s what comes next:

We’ll continue to keep you posted every step of the way. Thank you for your patience and your support.

Onward,

Mike, Lane, Chris, and Marshall

Hello Vaulters,

We’re closing in on the finish line, and it’s time for an important step in the fulfillment process.

If you’ve moved—or if you plan to move soon—please make sure your shipping address is up to date in BackerKit. If you’ve changed countries or moved to a different state and are unable to update your information in the pledge manager, reach out to us directly at [email protected]. We’ll take care of it manually. This is also the last time you'll be able to add anything to your order that you may have been holding off on.

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This week we’re finalizing our shipping tables based on updated information from our fulfillment partners. Once the new rates are entered, you’ll receive another update letting you know that we’re ready to charge shipping and any applicable VAT.

At that time, you’ll be able to log in to your pledge manager and view those charges before anything is processed.

The hardwood dice trays made by Green Fox Woodworking are now finished. Originally, we planned to ship these trays separately to our fulfillment partners outside the US. However, we’re now looking into whether it might be more cost-effective to ship them directly from our US facility. We’ll follow up once that decision has been finalized.

Thanks again for your continued support and patience. We’re excited to move this next phase forward—and to get the Vault of Mini Things into your hands soon.

Onward,

Mike, Lane, Chris, and Marshall

Hey Vaulters,

ACTION REQUIRED: Confirm Your Address!
We recently met with our manufacturing partners at Whatz and secured an understanding that the manufacturing for the Vault of Mini Things will be completed and shipped to our fulfillment locations by August 11th. We've already begun informing our fulfillment partners to prepare for the inbound freight.

This makes it absolutely essential that you confirm your BackerKit survey is complete and your shipping address is up-to-date. If you're planning on moving in August, please let us know immediately so we can coordinate the best solution for you.

We are currently obtaining updated shipping rates from our fulfillment partners and will follow up with another update including detailed shipping information. Please keep an eye out for another email next week.

In our next update, we’re aiming to share some exciting production samples—fingers crossed!

A Quick Note on Tariffs (for US Backers): We're still navigating the ongoing tariff situation in our legal battle against the unconstitutional taxes introduced during the Trump administration. Unfortunately, our lawsuit remains pending as we await a ruling from the Appeals court. Rest assured, we remain committed to not charging US backers for these tariffs.

We're incredibly close to crossing the finish line, and it's thanks to all of your continued support and enthusiasm. Hang tight, and we'll be adventuring together very soon!

Onward,

Mike, Lane, Chris, and Marshall

We wanted to keep you up to speed on our ongoing legal battle over the tariffs impacting The Vault of Mini Things and so many other tabletop projects. As we shared last week, our coalition—including small businesses, publishers, and several U.S. states (with Oregon out front!)—won a big decision at the United States Court of International Trade. The court ruled that the President does not have unlimited power to impose tariffs simply by declaring a national emergency, and that Congress alone has the authority to impose such sweeping import taxes. The court declared the recent tariffs invalid and issued a permanent injunction blocking their enforcement .

The government has announced it will appeal the ruling. This means the tariffs won’t disappear overnight, and the legal fight continues at the next level. For us—and for countless small businesses, retailers, and even states like Oregon that have joined the cause—this is frustrating, but not unexpected. It’s common for the government to appeal major constitutional decisions, especially those with far-reaching economic impact.

In short, the final outcome is still in flux. We’re still pushing for relief, and we’re not alone: this case has drawn support from across the tabletop industry, including voices like Jamie Stegmaier of Stonemaier Games, who has written extensively about the damage these tariffs cause to small publishers and the broader community.

This is still a huge step forward. The court’s decision is a strong sign that these tariffs are on shaky legal ground—and the fact that states like Oregon are standing up alongside small businesses shows just how wide-reaching these issues are.

We’ll continue to update you as the appeal process unfolds. In the meantime, know that your support makes a difference—not just for The Vault, but for every small publisher, game store, and creative project impacted by these policies.

Thank you for standing with us, and with our industry, as we fight for a fairer future for tabletop creators. If you want more legal background or the publisher’s perspective, check out previous updates and Jamie’s blog at Stonemaier Games.

Onward,

Mike, Lane, Chris, and Marshall