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Exalted: Essence Tabletop Roleplaying Game

Created by Onyx Path - Exalted: Essence

Help us create a traditionally printed version and a deluxe version of Exalted: Essence.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Jan '24 Update
2 months ago – Wed, Jan 24, 2024 at 07:18:35 AM

Hello Exalted Essentials,

It's the first backer update of 2024! I'm hoping we'll have a lot of fun updates and rewards distributed this year. As noted in the updates over the end of 2023, our books are currently printing and I'm hoping we'll see them in transit to Onyx Path's fulfillment partners in the spring. Once we get closer to that, I'll go over order lockdown steps. I'm also hopeful we'll see some of our Stretch Goal projects move forward over these next months.

I do know that there's also some non-Kickstarter-related Exalted: Essence projects in the works, such as an ExEss Player's Guide. I'll let you know anything I can find out about those projects as well.

And speaking of non-Kickstarter-related projects, there's something else you may be interested in...

ACROSS THE EIGHT DIRECTIONS

Now available in advance PDF from DriveThruRPG: Across the Eight Directions for Exalted 3rd Edition!

From frozen Northern tundra to vast Southern deserts, from dense Eastern forests to the West’s endless waters, Creation shelters myriad cultures and civilizations.

Night horrors stalk the farmlands outside Whitewall, while residents and refugees within struggle with overpopulation and hunger. In the rebel satrapy of Fray, dragonlord Hanto Galina has named herself Empress and laid claim to the Scarlet Throne. Intelligent wolves rule in Wolf’s Paw, adopting human finery and demanding loyalty from human servants. By the Dreaming Sea, Tzakul relicts play their soul game, competing to seize opponents’ bodies. Varangian astrologers study citizens’ horoscopes, setting social status from the moment of birth. Alien structures loom over Decanthus, a Southwestern city recently returned from Hell. Smiths in the empire of Makelo produce fantastic works, their craft handed down from the forge-goddess Ninegala. An ominous heart beats beneath the Silverswept Plains, drawing the plains clans into the entity’s inhuman nightmares.

Across the Eight Directions provides details about locations throughout Creation, including their history, culture, government structure, religious practices, and more. It introduces new settings, and expands upon familiar locales. It also discusses prominent figures active in each location, and presents information on local neighbors such as allies, rival cities, or wilderness areas with intriguing mysteries for explorers to encounter. 

While Across the Eight Directions was written for Exalted Third Edition and therefore uses that system (rather than the streamlined system of Essence), this book is mostly lore and setting material and is very usable in your Essence campaign. It's kinda like The Realm, but only covering a lot more territory and with a massive page count!

As noted up top, this wasn't a Kickstarter project, so has been released in advance PDF form. Errata has been collected, and the final PDF will get updated over the next few months, with page XXs corrected and other issues sorted, and eventually a Print-on-Demand release as well.

REWARDS STILL PENDING

No major changes from the end of last year in terms of our progress tracker. All of the bits are moving behind the scenes, but nothing ready to jump a step yet. I'll continue to report each month.

REWARDS DISTRIBUTED TO BACKERS

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://exalted-essence.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: <December 2023 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 Stretch Goal reward has gone out. 

ONYX PATH DISCUSSION CHANNELS

If you've got questions about the rules or setting, or just want to discuss this game with other fans (as well as the Onyx Path writers and developers!), you can check out these Onyx Path discussion zones:

TO CONTACT JAMES

If you've got a question about your pledge or BackerKit page or any part of the process, you can contact me with any of these methods

  • Via E-Mail: Onyx.Kickstarter [at] gmail.com
  • Via Kickstarter: Click Richard Thomas under the "Created By" heading on the main page, and then press the "Contact Me" button - the message will come to me!
  • Via BackerKit: Click "Need Help?" from your page, and then fill in the Contact Us form. BackerKit will pass your message along to me.

CURRENTLY CROWDFUNDING

We’re all out of the traditionally-printed copies of several of our core rulebooks from previous crowdfunding campaigns. So we’re going back for more!

This should help us fund a new print run for:

  • You, if you back this. Fulfillment, probably later this year. No development needed, just printing.
  • Other campaigns: we like adding core rulebooks as add-ons to other campaigns (we did a bunch of those on this campaign too!), and this helps us keep doing that.
  • Retailers: Put our games in front of other faces at physical game stores!

The books have all received minor edits to fix a few errors we’ve noticed over the years. This Friday's Onyx Pathcast will talk about these books and the possible minor edits that are being worked on. You can check out the campaign for one more week <here>.

December '22 Update
4 months ago – Wed, Dec 13, 2023 at 07:13:11 AM

Hello Exalted Essentials,

In last month's update, I let you know about the projected printing delays for the hardcover books. I don't have any updates on that, but I'll track it through next year and update you as progress is made. 

Instead of stuff from next year, let's talk about stuff for today! 

ABYSSALS: SWORN TO THE GRAVE

The crowdfunding campaign for Abyssals: Sworn to the Grave has just about two days left. It ends tomorrow, December 14th at 11:59 PM PST (That's just about 3 AM EST on Friday, so we'll see how awake I am at the end!)

Here's a link to the campaign: <LINK>

The reason why I'm bringing this up today:

Right now, if you click over to the campaign and check out today's update, you'll be able to read the entire draft manuscript for the book as it stands now.

I know Essence uses a streamlined rules system, but there's a ton of lore packed into the Exalted Third Edition fatsplats, and this one is no exception, with great stuff on the Underworld and other aspects that are touched by the Abyssal Exalted.

  • If you pledge at the $5 Stygian Citizen level, you'll have access to the Pledge Manager when it launches in January and have access to a compiled version of the draft manuscript and the ability to trade up to the PDF or deluxe hardcover tiers in the future.
  • If you pledge at the $25 Acolyte of the Deathlords level, you'll get the compiled draft manuscript when the Pledge Manager launches, receive the PDF when it's finished and released to backers, and receive all of the unlocked Stretch Goals as a bonus reward. Right now, we've got a few milestone markers and a big companion book that we've expanded with 11 new sections.

Anyway, it's fun reading even if you don't end up pledging, and always fun to see what the Exalted developers are currently working on.

Speaking of...

REWARDS STILL PENDING

The interiors are set up with Onyx Path's overseas printer. The covers, binding, and finishing is handled after the interiors are done (of course) with different departments/facilities handling the standard and deluxe edition. The screens will be available at the warehouse by the time the hardcovers are printed and ready for distribution next year. Work continues on the stretch goal supplements.

REWARDS DISTRIBUTED TO BACKERS

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://exalted-essence.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: <November 2023 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 goes out.

ONYX PATH DISCUSSION CHANNELS

If you've got questions about the rules or setting, or just want to discuss this game with other fans (as well as the Onyx Path writers and developers!), you can check out these Onyx Path discussion zones:

TO CONTACT JAMES

If you've got a question about your pledge or BackerKit page or any part of the process, you can contact me with any of these methods

  • Via E-Mail: Onyx.Kickstarter [at] gmail.com
  • Via Kickstarter: Click Richard Thomas under the "Created By" heading on the main page, and then press the "Contact Me" button - the message will come to me!
  • Via BackerKit: Click "Need Help?" from your page, and then fill in the Contact Us form. BackerKit will pass your message along to me.

Nov '23 Update - Printing Delays
4 months ago – Thu, Nov 16, 2023 at 06:30:11 AM

Hello Exalted Essentials,

We've had a pretty good string of updates over the past few months. I think the last 4 updates have all included reward distribution, which is great because I've got some disappointing news. Not bad news, just frustrating.

Hardcover reward delay

Looking at my calendar, we're obviously not going to hit the projected distribution target of October 2023 for the hardcover rewards. Right now, I believe the Onyx Path team is looking at a delay of between 6-9 months on production and delivery for the standard and deluxe hardcover books.

From what I understand, the regular process would have had this printed by now, but the printing industry - already struggling - continues to be affected by repercussions from the pandemic in addition to ongoing global supply issues. Regular domestic print partners are already running behind on project by 12-18 months, so overseas printing partners are being used when available, though that means a longer prep and receipt process.

This isn't the first time Onyx Path has used overseas partners since I've been around; there was one or two Vampire books printed in Liechtenstein about 4-5 years ago. So it's not unfamiliar territory for the team, but it wasn't part of the initial plan which has thrown a wrench into things. They've now established a partnership with new printers who can print the books much earlier than any of the domestic printers Onyx Path was working with, however there will be a delayed delivery as the books travel to the distribution warehouse. 

The expectation is that the print files will be submitted to the printer by the end of the month. There's still a proofing process that will ensure everything is coming out correctly, and holiday closures that will push things around a bit, but the team is working to get the books to you as quickly as possible - even though it seems like an eternity. 

I hate the cliché of Kickstarter delivery delays, and they've done a pretty good job hitting the projections for about 95% of their last 25 books, but sometimes the world just takes control and smashes the best-laid plans. As always, I appreciate your patience as the team works through this.

So, let's say 6-9 months after our projected delivery, which puts them in your hands between late spring or summer 2024.  

REWARDS STILL PENDING

The "good" news is that a different printer will be handling the Screen, so it will be into the warehouse of Onyx Path's distribution partner when the books are ready (no extended waiting for that), and the remaining Stretch Goals are all digital products so won't be affected by the printing issues. Hopefully we can continue to receive Stretch Goal rewards over the next months while we wait for printing updates.

REWARDS DISTRIBUTED TO BACKERS

ABYSSALS: SWORN TO THE GRAVE

And after telling you about print delays, I'm also going to tell you about the next Exalted Third Edition book, which begins a crowdfunding campaign today. I'll note we'll be previewing the manuscript during the campaign and a $5 pledge will get you the compiled draft manuscript after the campaign (and a $25 pledge will put you down for the PDF, a discounted PoD version, and any Stretch Goal rewards that get unlocked). You will be able to upgrade to a deluxe hardcover in the Pledge Manager after the campaign if you wanna hedge your bets and see how the timelines are working.

While the Exalted Third Edition system differs from the streamlined Essence system, the information contained in the book will be pretty interesting for anyone running an Abyssal-focused campaign or planning a trip to the Underworld. 

Anyway, I get the tone shift from the beginning of this update to this point, but I wouldn't want you to miss out on new Exalted stuff while we wait for our books to get printed. The campaign launches on Indiegogo at 2:00 EST today, and you can sign up to get notified when it goes live <here>

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: <October 2023 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.

ONYX PATH DISCUSSION CHANNELS

If you've got questions about the rules or setting, or just want to discuss this game with other fans (as well as the Onyx Path writers and developers!), you can check out these Onyx Path discussion zones:

TO CONTACT JAMES

If you've got a question about your pledge or BackerKit page or any part of the process, you can contact me with any of these methods

  • Via E-Mail: Onyx.Kickstarter [at] gmail.com
  • Via Kickstarter: Click Richard Thomas under the "Created By" heading on the main page, and then press the "Contact Me" button - the message will come to me!
  • Via BackerKit: Click "Need Help?" from your page, and then fill in the Contact Us form. BackerKit will pass your message along to me.

October '23 Update - Novella Distribution
5 months ago – Fri, Oct 20, 2023 at 07:41:20 AM

Hello Exalted Essentials,

I've got another reward for you today! Remember this Stretch Goal during the campaign?

And now it's time for our third Novella reward!

Reward: A MURDER IN WHITEWALL

When the Sidereal Velta and the Dragon-Blooded Lani arrive in Whitewall to investigate the shocking murder of a god, they find a mystery that points to Velta’s past in the city. As the pair follows the god slayer’s trail, they find an increasingly bizarre set of circumstances outside the confines of fate. Something more is happening in Whitewall, and they must get to the bottom of it before the whole city is subsumed by a twisted destiny.

REWARD DISTRIBUTION

If this Stretch Goal rewards was on your list of rewards, your link to claim your  Exalted Essence Novella: A Murder in Whitewall PDF will be sent out by our BackerKit pledge manager over the next day. Since we are using our partners at DriveThruFiction as the host for this, you will need to set up a DriveThru account if you don't have one already. If you encounter any problems with downloading your rewards, please contact DTRPG's customer service to resolve the matter, they've always been top-rated for customer service. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/contact_us.php

Note: Your login for DriveThruFiction is the same as your login for DriveThruRPG. Once you've downloaded files from any storefront, they will be available in your central DriveThru digital library.

Again, you will receive an e-mail from BackerKit with links for these rewards over the next 24 hours if they are on your expected list of rewards.

The easiest way to see if you've got digital downloads available is to login to your backerkit account:

https://exalted-essence.backerkit.com/backer/digital_rewards and it'll show anything available. Your backerkit account should also confirm all rewards that you should expect from your reward tier selected.

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://exalted-essence.backerkit.com

ADVANCE PDF VERSION

This is the first version of A Murder in Whitewall to be released. Rai and the Exalted developers and editors have done their best to proofread and correct any errors and typos - but some always sneak through. If you catch any typos, incorrect math, visual glitches, and the like, we want to hear about them and correct them before we send the book off to print.

With that in mind, I'd like to introduce the Murder in Whitewall Feedback Form!

Onyx Path will be launching a special Murder in Whitewall Feedback Form, which you will be able to access here: https://forms.gle/obXsVJvhFRsAVrGp6

Share your feedback directly with the editors and developers using this form.

They are aware of any Page XX notations - those are left in to replace for the final version once any changes you've suggested are made, so they can reference the correct page if any shifts in layout result.

Onyx Path will keep errata collection open for the next week. Please submit your feedback as soon as possible so the team can get on to finalizing this file - and working on our print version as well!

They won't be collecting errata from other spots, just this specific form.

After any needed corrections are made (based on your feedback!), they will prepare an updated final PDF version of the book and you will receive a notice from DrivethruFiction that you can re-download your file with the latest version.

You've already made the book a reality with your Kickstarter support. Now you can make it even better by helping us crowdsource any minor errors and corrections.

SO: Look for your reward email over the next 24 hours, or check your BackerKit page to see your digital reward redemption links. Review the advance PDF and submit any feedback you have, and let's make this book as awesome as possible!

REWARDS STILL PENDING

Onyx Path is in the process of locking in a press time with the printer for the standard and deluxe versions of our book. Hopefully they'll have that soon, although it may still be some time before it's all completed. I'll continue to update as new information comes in, and hopefully we'll continue to see some Stretch Goal rewards while we wait.

REWARDS DISTRIBUTED TO BACKERS

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: <September 2023 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 Stretch Goal reward has gone out.

ONYX PATH DISCUSSION CHANNELS

If you've got questions about the rules or setting, or just want to discuss this game with other fans (as well as the Onyx Path writers and developers!), you can check out these Onyx Path discussion zones:

TO CONTACT JAMES

If you've got a question about your pledge or BackerKit page or any part of the process, you can contact me with any of these methods

  • Via E-Mail: Onyx.Kickstarter [at] gmail.com
  • Via Kickstarter: Click Richard Thomas under the "Created By" heading on the main page, and then press the "Contact Me" button - the message will come to me!
  • Via BackerKit: Click "Need Help?" from your page, and then fill in the Contact Us form. BackerKit will pass your message along to me.

CURRENTLY CROWDFUNDING

The World Below is a game of adversity, heroism, terror, and awe. Your characters will overcome or be defeated by terrible beasts, environmental calamities, and Kaos storms ravaging their surroundings and the souls around them. They will chart their journeys, chronicle their tales, and pass their stories down to their descendants, who will in turn become your characters when your old ones perish or retire.

The World Below provides. But you must dig. You must explore. You must map. You must build. You must defend.

The World Below provides, but only to the worthy. 
The unworthy fall, consumed by bugs, lava, acidic fog, the vagaries of Kaos, and the World Below’s convulsing tunnels.

The World Below is your home, your prison, and your alien world containing terrible threats and wondrous discoveries.

The World Below is a complete tabletop roleplaying game, and includes:

  • Numerous playable options, some from the traditional fantasy mold, others unique to the World Below.
  • The complete Storypath Ultra System, allowing you to play this game straight from the book.
  • A myriad of settings, monsters, powers, and abilities for use in your stories, which you can play as minimalist dungeon crawls or World Below-spanning expeditions.

Come Join Us in The World Below!

Reward Distribution: Novella
6 months ago – Fri, Sep 29, 2023 at 06:43:49 AM

Hello Exalted Essentials,

It's been just over a week since our month end update, but I thought I might squeeze one more reward in before we hit October.

Think back to this Stretch Goal...

And now it's time for...

Reward: WHAT LIES FORGOTTEN NOVELLA

When Jiddan, The Seeker, receives a commission to uncover a fabled city, it seems like just another job with her Alchemical partner, Bulwark. When the Liminal, Amira, asks to join to fifind her missing partner, things get infifinitely more complicated. Now the Circle fifind themselves embroiled in a plot to unseal an ancient evil. They must delve into each others’ pasts and retrieve more than just a lost city if they’re going to stop the evil in time to seal it away forever.

REWARD DISTRIBUTION

If this Stretch Goal rewards was on your list of rewards, your link to claim your  Exalted Essence Novella: What Lies Forgotten PDF will be sent out by our BackerKit pledge manager over the next day. Since we are using our partners at DriveThruFiction as the host for this, you will need to set up a DriveThru account if you don't have one already. If you encounter any problems with downloading your rewards, please contact DTRPG's customer service to resolve the matter, they've always been top-rated for customer service. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/contact_us.php

Note: Your login for DriveThruFiction is the same as your login for DriveThruRPG. Once you've downloaded files from any storefront, they will be available in your central DriveThru digital library.

Again, you will receive an e-mail from BackerKit with links for these rewards over the next 24 hours if they are on your expected list of rewards.

The easiest way to see if you've got digital downloads available is to login to your backerkit account:

https://exalted-essence.backerkit.com/backer/digital_rewards and it'll show anything available. Your backerkit account should also confirm all rewards that you should expect from your reward tier selected.

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://exalted-essence.backerkit.com

ADVANCE PDF VERSION

This is the first version of What Lies Forgotten to be released. Lauren Roy and the Exalted developers and editors have done their best to proofread and correct any errors and typos - but some always sneak through. If you catch any typos, incorrect math, visual glitches, and the like, we want to hear about them and correct them before we send the book off to print.

With that in mind, I'd like to introduce the What Lies Forgotten Feedback Form!

Onyx Path will be launching a special What Lies Forgotten Feedback Form, which you will be able to access here: https://forms.gle/47Zp154ygkz3kcPt5

Share your feedback directly with the editors and developers using this form.

They are aware of any Page XX notations - those are left in to replace for the final version once any changes you've suggested are made, so they can reference the correct page if any shifts in layout result.

Onyx Path will keep errata collection open for the next week. Please submit your feedback as soon as possible so the team can get on to finalizing this file - and working on our print version as well!

They won't be collecting errata from other spots, just this specific form.

After any needed corrections are made (based on your feedback!), they will prepare an updated final PDF version of the book and you will receive a notice from DrivethruFiction that you can re-download your file with the latest version.

You've already made the book a reality with your Kickstarter support. Now you can make it even better by helping us crowdsource any minor errors and corrections.

SO: Look for your reward email over the next 24 hours, or check your BackerKit page to see your digital reward redemption links. Review the advance PDF and submit any feedback you have, and let's make this book as awesome as possible!

TO CONTACT JAMES

I'll be back next month with our regular month end update. If you've got a question about your pledge or BackerKit page or any part of the process, you can contact me with any of these methods

  • Via E-Mail: Onyx.Kickstarter [at] gmail.com
  • Via Kickstarter: Click Richard Thomas under the "Created By" heading on the main page, and then press the "Contact Me" button - the message will come to me!
  • Via BackerKit: Click "Need Help?" from your page, and then fill in the Contact Us form. BackerKit will pass your message along to me.