Final Day Review - Stretch Goal Achievements
over 3 years ago – Tue, Dec 29, 2020 at 09:13:56 AM

Hello there, Heroes of the Hornsaw!

We're in the final day countdown for Scarred Lands: Dead Man's Rust on Kickstarter - it ends on Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:00 PM EST - there's still a tiny amount of time to recruit additional members to our party, but we're definitely getting ready to finish up. With that in mind, I want to make sure that everyone has all of the information they need to support the project in the way that works best for them.

Review topics covered over these final days:

• Reward Tiers (See Update #23)
• Add-Ons (See Update #24)
• Stretch Goal Review
• Final Checklist & Next Steps

Whether you're just learning your first cantrips or you've maxed out your abilities and taken a few feats, these are good items to review to make sure that we all end up where we want to be.

(An aside, if you're a new backer, make sure you check out the Final Week resource post. It has links to the manuscript previews, interviews & podcast discussions, Actual Plays, and Scarred Lands deep dives!)

Before we get to our Stretch Goal review, though, I just want to share to a handful of quick things...

REFRESHER COURSE

We've had, and will have, a lot of new backers join in during these last days. I want to take a moment to highlight some key Update posts that new backers may want to check out (and existing backers may want to read as a refresher!).

MANUSCRIPT PREVIEW- As noted, the complete Preview Manuscript is available for you to review prior to the conclusion of the campaign. If you're a backer, you'll have access to this preview manuscript after the campaign. Remember, though, there are still some minor edits, development and proofing that need to be done. But, you can consider this about 96.8% finished. Making the manuscript available for review before the campaign ends ensures that everyone know exactly what our goal is - making this book - and are on board with our aims for this project. So, unlike the secrets of Glivid-Autel, no unknown dangers to be found here!

December 18 update - REWARD TIERS - your best starting point for figuring out which Backer Reward Level to choose to help support this project.

December 19 update - ADD ON REWARDS - the important companion piece to the Reward Tiers topic, including information on how to increase your pledge amount to maybe add the Creature Collection or maybe the Vigil Watch PDF bundle to your list of rewards.

If you've been looking at the Premium Reward Tiers - the expensive ones that offer a bit more interaction with the setting, system, and design team - there's always some churn near the end so some rewards that were completely claimed may become available again before the end.

Choosing the correct Reward Tier for your desired rewards, and then filling in any "gaps" with add-ons, ensures that you'll be claiming all of your desired rewards as a thank you for supporting this project and bringing this world to life.

Remember, your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT is equal to your REWARD TIER + SHIPPING + ADD ONS. And we will confirm your Add On selection with our post-campaign pledge manager, Backerkit, a few weeks after the campaign ends.

On Wednesday, I'll be posting one further "Final Day" update, covering What Happens Next and outlining what to expect once the campaign ends.

But until then, we're going to hopefully unlock a final Stretch Goal achievement (or two!) as we race through our final day of the campaign!

STRETCH GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Over the course of the campaign, we've achieved 9 Stretch Goals!  We've been doing amazingly well, crushing Stretch Goal targets throughout the entire duration of this campaign, and we're picking up steam again as we rush toward the finish line! Just yesterday we unlocked our final VTT support goal, and there's a solid chance to make it 10 (or 11?) in total before we finish...

REWARDS, OPPORTUNITIES, CELEBRATIONS

Thanks to the success of the campaign, we've been able to unlock some great opportunities to spread some Dead Man's Rust love (a T-shirt, a desktop wallpaper), digital assets to make it a bit simpler to run an online game (with VTT Tokens and Map packs) and new content in the form of the Gazetteer: Dier Drendal PDF!

SCARRED LANDS: DEAD MAN'S RUST SUPPORT

DIGITAL ASSETS

All backers pledged to a reward tier that includes the Scarred Lands: Dead Man's Rust PDF (all tiers $20+) will automatically have these additional items added to their rewards list:

NEW CONTENT

Again, all backers pledged to a reward tier that includes the Scarred Lands: Dead Man's Rust  PDF (all tiers $20+) will automatically have this additional content added to their rewards list:

Gazetteer: Dier Drendal – A supplemental PDF focused on the underground city of Dier Drendal, providing hooks and guidance on how to incorporate it into the Dead Man’s Rust mega-adventure

NEXT STRETCH GOALS

As we head into our final day, we still have time to land a another one or maybe two Stretch Goal achievements and add even more content to our list of rewards.

At $27,000 in funding – Card Decks: 5E Spell Deck & Magic Items 1 – All backers receiving the Dead Man’s Rust PDF as part of their pledge rewards will have a discounted Print-on-Demand option and the PDFs of Scarred Lands: 5E Spell Cards and Scarred Lands: Magic Items 1 added to their rewards list.

At $28,000 in funding – Card Decks: Magic Items 2 & 3 – All backers receiving the Dead Man’s Rust PDF as part of their pledge rewards will have a discounted Print-on-Demand option and the PDFs of Scarred Lands: Magic Items 2 and 3 added to their rewards list.

At $30,000 in funding – Gazetteer: Burok Torn – A supplemental PDF focused on the ancient dwarven city of Burok Torn, providing hooks and guidance on how to incorporate it into the Dead Man’s Rust mega-adventure. All backers receiving the Dead Man’s Rust PDF will automatically have the Burok Torn Gazetteer PDF added to their rewards list.

YOUR REWARDS!

That's right! You backed this project to help make and publish Scarred Lands: Dead Man's Rust. Our primary reward - the big thank you that we'll send out in appreciation for your support - is a PDF and/or hardcover copy of this book! BUT AS A BONUS, you may also have the VTT Token & Map Packs, Digital Wallpaper, and Gazetteer: Dier Drendal PDF supplement added to your rewards list as an even bigger thank you for our success in this campaign!

And, with some more luck - and more backers! - we'll be able to add some Magic Item and Spell Card PDFs to our list of rewards, as well as another brand new Gazetteer, if we push really hard.

More Stretch Goals, Not Much More Time

I know these numbers may seem challenging after we've already been working so hard for these past 29 days, but they wouldn't be STRETCH goals if we didn't have to really STRETCH to reach them!

So, as every update concludes: let's keep the enthusiasm rolling! Keep spreading the word and letting others know about this project. They've got this final day to jump in and share the 9 (can we make it 10? 11!! ) Stretch Goals we've achieved!

And every backer who joins in as we approach the end is not only able to enjoy the additional rewards already added by the early fans and backers, but also help reward those early backers by expanding everyone's stretch goal rewards!

Remember, only the funds generated during the Kickstarter campaign go toward achieving these Stretch Goal targets, so the time to act is now! Together, we can bring this game to life and make great things happen!

THIS CAMPAIGN ENDS AT 2:00 PM EDT on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23rd, 2020!

So, let's finish strong, maybe hit another Stretch Goal, and then we can roll dice for the rest of the year!

(LOL, like most of us aren't rolling dice any chance we get)

#ScarredLands

#DeadMansRust

Backers Only - Manuscript Preview #5
over 3 years ago – Tue, Dec 29, 2020 at 07:43:03 AM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

Final Week Review - Add On Rewards
over 3 years ago – Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 02:41:17 PM

Hello there, Heroes of the Hornsaw!

We're in the final week countdown for Scarred Lands: Dead Man's Rust on Kickstarter - it ends on Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:00 PM EST - there's still time to recruit additional members to our party, but we're definitely getting closer to the finish line. With that in mind, I wanted to touch on some of the basics over the next 4 days to make sure that everyone has all of the information they need to support the project in the way that works best for them.

Review topics to cover over these final days:

• Reward Tiers (See Update #23)
• Add-Ons
• Stretch Goal Review
• Final Checklist & Next Steps

Whether you're just learning your first cantrips or you've maxed out your abilities and taken a few feats, these are good items to review to make sure that we all end up where we want to be.

(An aside, if you're a new backer, make sure you check out the Final Week resource post. It has links to the manuscript previews, interviews & podcast discussions, Actual Plays, and Scarred Lands deep dives!)

Today, I am going to talk about ADD ON reward options. On Wednesday, before the campaign finishes I will post an update with a Final Checklist & What Comes Next.

First Step: Reward Tier

The absolute best way to ensure that you're getting all of the available rewards you want from this kickstarter is to ensure you've selected the appropriate Backer Reward Tier, as detailed in our . Selecting the right Reward Tier covers about 95% of the options that will matter to you. If you want the PDF only, make sure you've selected the correct reward. If you want the hardcover version, double-check your reward tier to ensure it's featured. If your going digital now but want the option of getting a discounted Print-on-Demand copy later, make sure you've got a reward tier that includes that option.

Once you've completed that important step, you're going to want to look at the Add On rewards for any reward "bits" that don't automatically fall into your reward tier. That takes us to the Add On step.

Step Two: Add-Ons.

If you've selected one of the "core" Reward Tiers, you've likely already included most of the rewards you want. In addition to the rewards offered as part of the Reward Tier configurations, there are a few other possible rewards you may wish to add. All Add-On rewards will be described below.

Each Add On includes an extra amount to add on to your total pledge amount. Remember that your total pledge amount includes all shipping charges and not just your reward tier level.

I'm a longtime Scarred Lands fan, so let's pretend that I had backed at a PDF-only reward tier on Day 1 but now want the hardcover version (plus maybe some other options) to make my reward complete. And because we're using Kickstarter's new Add On system, this should be easier than ever!

So  I'm going to change my pledge in this final week to ensure I've got that option covered. On my PC, the button I'm looking for is this one:

On the mobile app, it's a little sleeker:

And that brings up my current Pledge Tier reward choice and allows me to investigate my options.

So, it's time to CHANGE MY PLEDGE. On my PC, I select the Change Your Pledge button, while in the mobile app you select the ellipses (...) in the top corner to present options.

I can scroll down or read the kickstarter rewards page to review the list of rewards with my Tier. Since I've decided to ensure I have the hardcover book included, the Hero of the Hornsaw tier seems to be the one I want!

OK, that shows my new pledge, with my revised reward list and shipping costs. I can click the green button in the corner to continue.

If you're hoping to add on additional rewards in the mobile app, you can enter an additional dollar amount in the Bonus Support section to cover the additional rewards. I'll talk more about that further down, but you just need to hit the "+" under Bonus Support enough to cover your Add Ons.

If you're modifying your pledge on the website version of Kickstarter, the new Add On system kicks in at this point. Depending on your pledge tier, you 'll see all of your Add On options.

Looking at my collection, I've decided to fill some holes, so I'm going to add the Yugman's Guide PDF Bundle, the Vigil Watch PDF Bundle, and the Wise & The Wicked softcover book to complete my list of rewards. Physical Add On rewards are only available to pledge tiers that include the Dead Man's Rust hardcover, since they'll all be included in one shipment when that final book goes out.

Clicking Add to these rewards includes them in my rewards list and adds them to my total pledge amount. I can modify how many I want or remove them from this list before confirming the new total pledge amount and hitting Continue.

And one last review before Confirming everything. My new pledge tier, my Add On rewards, and my total Pledge amount, which includes any shipping charges.

If you were adjusting on the mobile app, the Add Ons would not be listed - instead, you'd have to manually adjust your total pledge via the Bonus Support option and confirm your selected rewards in our post-campaign Pledge Manager.

Just over a month after the campaign has ended and Kickstarter has processed your payment, I will send out a survey via BackerKit - a complex system of tools used to manage the back-end of the kickstarter fulfillment process. When you receive the survey, you will confirm your Backer Reward Tier and Add Ons. If you modified your pledge via the mobile app, the Pledge Manager will allow you to assign your Bonus Support dollars to any add-on items that you wish to include. I'll repeat and expand on this information in an upcoming post about "What Happens Next?" in Wednesday's update.

DIGITAL REWARDS

In addition to the rewards listed in each Reward Tier, backers can increase their overall pledge to add on the following additional rewards. Simply choose them during the Add On stage when modifying your pledge, or on the mobile app, just increase your total pledge amount by the value indicated – we will confirm which add on rewards you’ve chosen via BackerKit surveys after the campaign has run (again, we'll talk about that more on Wednesday, before the campaign ends).

The Scarred Lands 5E Supplement PDF bundle includes Wise & The Wicked, The Blood Sea, and the Spiragos Saga!

PHYSICAL REWARDS

All physical items that will require shipping (additional books, etc.) can only be added to reward tiers that already include a hardcover copy of Dead Man's Rust (Reward Tiers of $55+). Your rewards will be sent in a single shipment when Dead Man's Rust becomes available.

And, one more time - remember to check the Pledge Reward Tier to see if your desired rewards are covered first before moving to Add Ons. Additional copies of Dead Man's Rust are already included in the CENTURION OF THE VALLEY multiple copy tier! Similarly, the physical Add Ons for the Scarred Lands Player's Guide, Creature Collection, and Wise & the Wicked include the PDFs, so you don't need to add those on to your list.

REWARD DELIVERY

Just over a month after the campaign has ended, I'll launch our post-campaign Pledge Manager to collect information from all backers and confirm which rewards you'll be receiving. At this point, you'll also confirm which Add On Rewards you've paid for. Once we have that information, I'll be able to deliver any rewards that are currently available - like the PDF versions of Player's Guide, Creature Collection, etc. -  by sending special redemption links to claim your digital rewards from our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Clicking these redemption links will allow you to add these PDF titles to your digital library to download anytime.

So, while it will take some time for Scarred Lands: Dead Man's Rust to move from it's manuscript form to a final product, you won't be waiting a year for PDFs that already exist. (You'll be waiting about 8 weeks or so, just enough time for us to set up the reward infrastructure.)

Physical Books

It's going to take some time to create the PDF for Scarred Lands: Dead Man's Rust and even longer for the eventual print run. When the book is at the printer, I will be in touch with all kickstarter backers and go over lockdown procedures and confirming addresses one final time. But that's a long time away, and we'll cover all of that as we get closer to that part of the process.

Don't fret if you had forgotten to increase your pledge amount to cover an Add On by the end of the campaign. These Add Ons will be available to select in our post-campaign Pledge Manager for those who participated in our campaign and have full access to the Pledge Manager. So, if you are undecided at this time, you will be able to hold off until we're closer to the final reward shipment goes out.

Add Ons AFTER Reward Tiers

Again, your first step should always be choosing the proper reward tier. Please review your reward pledge tier first and then proceed to add on top of that.

It probably goes without saying that all funds are expressed in US Dollars, although Kickstarter displays the approximate conversion rate.

It Adds Up!

That should explain the process of Selecting your Reward Tier and increasing your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT to account for any additional rewards you wish to receive. Since increasing your pledge amount increases the overall funding level of the project, add-ons can help us achieve our funding target, so it benefits us all to suggest that you double-check to make sure you're getting all of the rewards you want.

Additionally, this may go without saying, please review your personal budget and ensure you've selected the appropriate reward tier and add ons for your current financial situation. Kickstarter will begin charging your payment method once the campaign ends, so ensure you've budgeted correctly.

Conclusion

As we move through these final days of the campaign, please ensure you've chosen the correct Reward Tier for the rewards you want. And beyond that - please make sure you've adjusted your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT to include the additional funds that will cover any add-ons you wish to receive.

On Wednesday, just before the campaign ends, I will send an update detailing the steps that occur after the campaign concludes, including how and when to confirm your add-on rewards.

So, just like always: Spread the word! Share your excitement on social media! Tell your friends! We're about to enter the rapid race to the finish line, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!

#DeadMansRust

#ScarredLands

Stretch Goal Unlocked! More XP For All Backers!
over 3 years ago – Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 11:10:01 AM

Hello Hornsaw Heroes,

We're still a few days away from my "Stretch Goal Review" post as we race toward the conclusion of this campaign, and I'm already having to change my notes. Because we just hit another Stretch Goal target!

UNLOCKED! - At $22,000 in funding – Gazetteer: Dier Drendal – A supplemental PDF focused on the underground city of Dier Drendal, providing hooks and guidance on how to incorporate it into the Dead Man’s Rust mega-adventure. All backers receiving the Dead Man’s Rust PDF will automatically have the Dier Drendal Gazetteer PDF added to their rewards list.

I was really excited for this one! I love the Scarred Lands setting, and always want more information. A new gazetteer on Dier Drendal and how to tie it into the Dead Man's Rust storyline is an amazing addition to our list of rewards!

Let's see what's up next:

At $23,000 in funding – VTT Tokens & Map Pack: Hornsaw Hazards – Digital assets will be created to support online play for 1-2 encounters in Dead Man’s Rust, including location maps and necessary character and creature tokens. All backers receiving the Dead Man’s Rust PDF will automatically have this digital pack added to their rewards list.

At $24,000 in funding – VTT Tokens & Map Pack: Fortress Forrays – Digital assets will be created to support online play for 1-2 encounters in Dead Man’s Rust, including location maps and necessary character and creature tokens. All backers receiving the Dead Man’s Rust PDF will automatically have this digital pack added to their rewards list.

At $25,000 in funding – VTT Tokens & Map Pack: Stronghold Sorties – Digital assets will be created to support online play for 1-2 encounters in Dead Man’s Rust, including location maps and necessary character and creature tokens. All backers receiving the Dead Man’s Rust PDF will automatically have this digital pack added to their rewards list.

Three more VTT asset packs to get us through the chapter we read last week and the ones we'll be looking at tomorrow! I've played so much D&D online this year, and the stuff I've got for Scarred Lands is all pretty great! And all of this is so helpful and useful in our games. Love it!

Let's see if we can't unlock one or two... or THREE?... of these as we race to the finish line!

#ScarredLands

#DeadMansRust

#StretchGoals

FINAL WEEK!
over 3 years ago – Sun, Dec 20, 2020 at 07:26:48 PM

Hey there, Hornsaw Heroes,

We're officially in the FINAL WEEK of the kickstarter campaign. Over this final week I'll be sharing a bunch of instruction and review-type posts about Reward Tiers & Add-Ons, and What Comes Next, so if you've got any process questions or are wondering about how the kickstarter 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.

Final Week Schedule

• Dec 18 - Reward Tiers 
• Dec 19 - Add On Options 
• Dec 22 - Stretch Goal Review 
• Dec 23 - Checklist and Next Steps 

I'll also have the final manuscript preview posted on December 21st, which will make the ENTIRE current manuscript available for review before this project finishes! Also, I'm really hoping we can maybe hit another Stretch Goal (or two?) before we review our accomplishments on December 22nd. A handful of really solid days will get us there, and the final days always bring excitement!

The true impetus behind this post, though, is our big push during this final week! Together, we've done the hard work of this campaign - we've come together to fund the development and production of this book - so now it's time to make sure that we're not missing any potential backers.

Be an Ambassador

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 a duly-deputized ambassador for this Kickstarter project. It's time push back against the dark forces of the Hornsaw or die trying! Ok, maybe not that severe, but let's give it all we've got!

I know I end every update post 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 Scarred Lands: Dead Man's Rust until 2:01 PM ESDT next Wednesday December 23rd (when the campaign has ended and you're drinking eggnog or eating leftover Bolo-Rei or challah or watching the next episode of The Expanse). Yes, family and friends are tired of me talking about it on our weekly check-in, but we'll have a whole new set of topics to discuss in just one week, and they've learned to tolerate me during a kickstarter campaign (for now). But here's the thing - there are others around who haven't heard or don't know about the campaign.

Resources to Share

For new backers and potential players, here are a few key resources to be aware of for this campaign.

PREVIEW MANUSCRIPT - Backers are able to review the (soon-to-be) complete manuscript for this game before the campaign closes and any pledges are processed. No need to Hornsaw forest unprepared! Know what you're getting into by checking the book out!

VIDEO OVERVIEW - The Gentlemen Gamer interrupts his ongoing Scarred Lands series with a pitch for Dead Man's Rust. This is a good invitation to join in and easy to share!

INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREATIVE TEAM - Get info and behind-the-scenes secrets from those in the know! Read, listen, watch these interviews:

• Darker Days Radio Episode 166: Scarred Lands
• 307 RPG Podcast - Episode 111 
• Bunch of Gamers - GM Talks Episode 14
• Onyx PathCast Episode 119
• Onyx PathCast Episode 130
• ENWorld - Egg Embry interviews Travis Legge
• Really Dicey interviews the creative team

ACTUAL PLAYS - Wanna know how fun this adventure is? Watch or listen to it in action:

• Red Moon Roleplay - Dead Man's Rust Episode 01
• PathCast Players - Dead Man's Rust
• Vorpal Tales - Dead Man's Rust Episode 01

SCARRED LANDS SETTING INFO - Or, if you need to cast a bigger net, here are Scarred Lands setting overviews and deep dives to provide even more information on this setting:

•  Jorphdan - Scarred Lands Campaign Setting Part 1 and Part 2 
•  Gentleman's Guide to Scarred Lands 
• Wanderer's Haven - The Lore You Know

Share the Links!

1) Don't forget to share a link to the kickstarter 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 (hitting another Stretch Goal will certainly make that easier!) and keep on inviting others to join in, either directly ("Come see...") or just by setting an example of your enthusiasm and interest.

Final Week

We've got one week to go, everyone! Thank you all so much for your support! Together, we're going to help make the Scarred Lands even more amazing. Let's finish strong! And let's see if we can't get those one or two more Stretch Goals before we review next Tuesday!

#ScarredLands

#DeadMansRust