CAVALIERS OF MARS

WE DID IT!
over 6 years ago – Wed, Nov 01, 2017 at 03:36:46 PM

Fellow Martians!  

We made it! Or, we will make it! The Cavaliers of Mars Core Rules that is! Thanks to you, this project has funded!  

A word from the creator, Rose Bailey:  
<<  Today is the sixth anniversary of Rich telling me he wanted to publish Cavaliers of Mars. I'd been laid off from our mutual employer, CCP, earlier that morning, and Rich called me to say he wanted me to do a new version of Vampire, and asked if I'd be interested in licensing Cavaliers.

We had only the earliest ideas about using Kickstarter at the time. But six years later, you've made my dream book and some awesome stretch goals possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and from the team's hearts.

See you on Mars!
 >>

And a note from publisher Rich Thomas of Onyx Path:
**
Wow! Thank you all for such a great Kickstarter and all your support! We really didn't know going into this whether Cavaliers of Mars would be something that appealed to enough people so that we'd be able to make it the way we always wanted. But you all answered that question with a resounding YES!

Again, thanks for enabling us to tread the red sands of Mars and transport everybody to this world of flashing blades and derring-do!
**

So, let’s look at what we’ve made happen:

FIRST OFF, CAVALIERS OF MARS will be published. You’ve got your copy of the text manuscript – (if not, see update #1) - that’s going to be turned into an amazing-looking PDF and hardcover book filled with EXTRA ART that you helped fund! So, the game will be a reality. 

That’s thanks to 885 BACKERS who combined to help this project achieve 767% of its initial funding goal! Amazing!

Secondly, even more content will be added to the setting. Witch-Queen of the Shadowed Citadel and City of the Towered Tombs (Part 1-3) will now be created and eventually sent out to all backers who are getting a PDF of the core book.

MORE ART – see the Red Planet as imagined by Rose and talented artists in 6 digital postcards that will be sent out to all backers getting a PDF of the core rules. Featuring locations as chosen by participating backers. The final votes are in, and our winners are:

ILLIUM, VANCE and ZODIAC from round 1.

CHIARO, SURTUR and ZIGGUR from round 2.

And Martian fashion – one of our first stretch goals, we’ve unlocked a discounted Cavaliers of Mars T-shirt that will be added to the Onyx Path redbubble store for a limited time.

NEXT STEPS:

Over the next few weeks, Kickstarter will be processing the payments. Please review your payment information in your Kickstarter profile to ensure you’ve got everything set up correctly. As I understand it, the system will re-try a few times if there are any issues, but there are always a few delays or issues that take some time to get resolved. The sooner we move through this phase, the sooner we can get to:

BACKER SURVEYS

I’ll be using BackerKit to build a reward and fulfillment database. This will send out surveys to all backers to review relevant information and give me a list of everything that needs to go out to you. It will also give me the ability to send stuff out to you. Getting that data back will take some time (as we have all 885 backers to process) but after a few weeks, I hope to be able to send out the earliest of the rewards.

Likely first stuff you see from me will relate to the discounted T-shirt and the mini-games PDFs from Rose. So, there will be 3-4 weeks between this update (wahoo!) and the next update (rewards!) with payment processing and backerkit surveys sitting in the middle. 

After that, I’m going to try to send an update once a month as long as there are still rewards to be fulfilled. There could be several months of pretty basic status updates (“Layout is coming along. Here’s a new piece of art!”) but I do not want to go into radio silence and have everyone wondering what’s going on.

That said, while updates may be slowed down, the comment section will remain open. If you’ve got questions or want to post fun NPCs you’ve created, I will be checking regularly and passing along any issues (or compliments!) to the design team and Onyx Path crew!

SO, thank you all so much for making this such a fun campaign and exciting project. Your enthusiasm was awesome. This is the first Kickstarter I’ve run for Onyx Path and you’re such a great group that I hope you’ll come along on the next ones! And now I’ve got to go fix my F5 Refresh key after hitting it for the past 100 minutes to track where we were. Thanks again everyone, and I’ll be in touch soon.

- James

Final Countdown
over 6 years ago – Mon, Oct 23, 2017 at 04:38:24 PM

Greetings fellow Martians,

We're about 16 hours until blast off, so I just wanted to send out one last update before we hit those final moments.

When the campaign closes, Kickstarter will begin the payment process. If you could take a moment to ensure your payment information is up to date and accurate, that'll help speed us through the steps that follow and keep us on track. I'll have more information about what comes next and what to expect out to you after the campaign closes (probably in a big "Hooray!" update.)

As we near the end, please review your pledge level and ensure that you're at the correct tier for the reward you'd like. Also (gentle up-sell time...), please consider the following:

If you're at the $20 Core Book PDF + Wallpaper level, and have the funds and interest, take a look at the $30 PDF & PDF Mini-Games. 

Similarly, if you're at the $30 Physical Book level, take a quick peek at the $45 Physical Book & Mini-Games level.

Note that at both levels, you're already getting all of the currently unlocked stretch goals, and for a modest increase in pledge, you'd also be receiving these mini-games:

- BLAZON, cosmic superheroes in a universe of Law and Chaos, inspired by Green Lantern and new wave fantasy. (38 pages)  
- Bright and Terrible, a game of swords and tragedy in the style of Michael Moorcock's Elric and Tanith Lee's Flat Earth. (24 pages)
- Die For You, the game of monsters and feels, inspired by paranormal drama in general and the web series Carmilla in particular. (16 pages)
- The Shadow of Golgotha, a post-apocalyptic feudal world ruled by a blood-drinking aristocracy. (32 pages)
- Sharded, fantasy noir where death is not the end. (19 pages)
- State Machine, android espionage inspired by Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell. (17 pages)

These mini-games will be among the first wave of rewards sent out to backers (mid-November, I expect), so you'll be able to enjoy them right away! Again, only if you have the funds and interest - because I don't want anyone missing out on a good deal on something cool... but also because every little bit brings us closer to our next stretch goal and I've got a d10 FOR SELF motivation! 

Similarly, if you've pledged at the $20 Core Book PDF + Wallpaper, consider the $30 Physical Book support level, as it adds the sure-to-be amazing hardcover book for only $15 more. (Again, that's only if you've got the means and interest... and note, there will be additional shipping costs added on if, like me, you do not live in the United States. So factor that in too.) But this is going to be a really personal boutique-style rpg and I don't want anyone having regrets in the future.

OK, all of that aside - this has been a really fun campaign to be a part of, and every backer participating in the comments and on social media and that I've talked to in the "real world" has been amazing and generous, and we all really appreciate your support. I love seeing the votes for the postcards come in, and watching as different locations start to break away from the pack. Looking forward to further discussion even after the campaign ends!

For those who've joined us in this past week, don't forget to check out Update #1 for the full text preview of the manuscript for CAVALIERS OF MARS.

Also, don't forget to have fun with the NPC Generator and post your favorite results in the comments!

And keep voting for the location for the next 3 postcards: Pick 3 from Anger, Chiaro, Cimmeria, Surtur, Wyela, and Ziggur and share in the comments. I'll take the final tally when the campaign comes to a close.

Let's keep working in these last few hours and see if we can't hit those next stretch goals, and I look forward to sending out tomorrow's first post-campaign update so we can celebrate what we've accomplished and what the next steps will be.

Thanks!

- James

Last Day, Last Stretch Goals
over 6 years ago – Mon, Oct 23, 2017 at 03:48:28 PM

Less than 30 hours left! We had a great day yesterday, adding another 3 digital postcards to the backer rewards. Keep voting for your location choices in the comments - we'll total up the votes once the campaign ends to see who wins. Remember, you can pick 3 from this list: Anger, Chiaro, Cimmeria, Surtur, Wyela, and Ziggur.

As we enter the frenzy of the final day, I'll leave this big challenge - our next two stretch goals.

At $40,000 - SKY-MINERS OF DEIMOS! Fly with the Dawn Runners, brave (or foolhardy!) pilots who fling their rattletrap ships to and from the Far Moon to bring back much-prized Deimos steel! Visit the mining towns and metal forges of the moon, wheeling and dealing among the hard-bitten workers who make their lives thousands of miles above Mars!

That's right, out-of-this-world content added as a PDF digital file to all backers who have pledged to a reward tier that contains a PDF copy of the CAVALIERS OF MARS Core Book.

And for those who like to fill bookshelves, here's a reward if we manage to shoot the moon:

At $44,000 – CAVALIERS OF MARS COMPANION POD Coupon – “Witch-Queen of the Shadowed Citadel,” “City of Towered Tombs Part 1-3,” and “Sky-Miners of Deimos” will be combined into one single product, tentatively titled The Cavaliers of Mars Companion. Upon achieving this funding goal, we will add a coupon for “at-cost” discounted Print-On-Demand (POD) version of this book to every pledge reward level that includes a physical copy of the Cavaliers of Mars core book.

So, let's keep recruiting new backers, keep spreading the word - KEEP VOTING ON POSTCARDS - and let's finish big!

- James

Final Days & Next Stretch Goal
over 6 years ago – Thu, Oct 19, 2017 at 06:39:08 AM

NEXT STRETCH GOAL: At $35,500 - POSTCARDS FROM MARS Round 2! - Three scenic images of astounding Martian locations. Let your friends know you wish they were here! These will be released as digital image files, sent to all backers who pledge for a reward tier that include a CAVALIERS OF MARS core book PDF. Which locations would you like to see - let's VOTE IN THE COMMENTS! Choices are: Anger, Chiaro, Cimmeria, Surtur, Wyela, and Ziggur

We'll tally up the votes when the countdown clock hits 0.

Anger

Anger is made up of gleaming, white-and-red stone and metal structu11res built upon the remains of an ancient First Martian terraforming machine. The city is a series of circular plateaus set atop one another, each smaller than the one before. Five major roads lead from the highest plateau in the center of the city all the way out to the farthest reaches, truncated with large white obelisks. Firestorms and windstorms ravage the city on a regular basis, causing constant danger and change.

Chiaro

Far to the north lies Chiaro, a Red Martian city of monuments and mystery. The city was built upon the ruins of past civilizations, which in turn were built upon First Martian ruins. Chiaro-that-was is located near great Cydonian pyramids and First Martian catacombs. The area is rife with tomb raiders and artifact hunters. Chiaro-that-is is a high-walled trade city located on the Stygian canal. This area thrives on the relics from Chiaro-that-was and the ice caravans traveling between the poles. People of all ilk make their way to Chiaro seeking adventure and glory within the ruins near Chiaro-that-was, yet much of the surface has been picked clean.

Cimmeria

Nomadic Red Martians sparsely populate the violet plains of Cimmeria. A fungus that grows on the dead, consuming corpses and creating walking dead that spread the fungus far and wide mars the area. Those who make their homes there set fire to the ground before making camp, and burn their dead as opposed to allowing the fungus to take them. Despite the common threat, the Qan and Ozaks are at war with one another and have been for centuries. Qan create small tent cities and attempt to carve space from the fungus to live normal lives. Ozaks are more nomadic and seek peace through hard work and training.

Surtur

Built on top of an ancient volcano, Surtur is the home of Pale and Red Martians alike. Smoke and ash from the volcano constantly covers the place, which casts the city into a perpetual twilight state. The city is a First Martian construct, built in tiers across the volcano’s surface, with mine entrances interspersed between homes and shops.

Wyela

Wyela is the easternmost city in the Wyeth Valley, founded upon a knot of giant trees twisting up and in upon one another. The crevices, trunks, root systems and leafy cover are all the makings of a Wyeth home.

Ziggur

Built on and around a large atmosphere processor, Ziggur is the largest Roundhead settlement, and the only city ruled by Roundheads. Much of the city is built of mismatched blocks pulled from nearby Cydonian ruins, or built directly on the processor. The city is filled with cobbled together hovels gathered in the shadow of the great processor. The Yellow Silks rule the city and live within garden terraces built up along the processor’s side. These quarters are decadent by comparison to the rest of the houses in the city.

72 Hours to go...
over 6 years ago – Mon, Oct 16, 2017 at 09:27:05 AM

Greetings fellow Martians,

We're on our last three days of this Kickstarter campaign, and coming into the hectic final hours.

We're also creeping in on another stretch goal - at $34,000, we're going to increase the art budget for the core rules again and pack this incredible book with imaginative illustrations.

It's time to let everyone know that this book IS HAPPENING and with help, CAN BE PACKED WITH AWESOMENESS. And there have already been many amazing stretch goals that have added bonus content to your pledge. So, time for last minute joiners to jump on board and help us make the best book we can. And for those who've already backed this project - review your reward. If you haven't picked a reward with a physical book... I can say that the bits I've seen look great. It's going to be a really cool book to have in your collection. And, more importantly, to play!

Keep on spreading the word, inviting friends to join in. The clock is ticking louder now, so get your final pledges sorted, double-check your info on your Kickstarter profile, and let's kick this thing into high gear as we blast through the next three days!

- James