A streamlined fantasy rules system with an evocative setting that's both family-friendly and deep enough to create compelling stories.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Hello Good Doggos,
As we work our way through this final week, I've got one last sneak peek to share with you before the final manuscript preview is made available. On Tuesday, we'll get Chapter 9 - which is an adventure set in the Realms of Pugmire. It's great for Guides to introduce the world and set the tone and establish a bit of what characters do in this game and setting.
But we'll also get the Appendix on Tuesday. That contains some guidance for Cat and Rodent characters, which you can emulate using the dog rules from Realms of Pugmire. Let's look a bit at the Cat notes today...
One of the most common questions players new to Realms of Pugmire ask is “Can I play a cat?” Yes, you can! Detailed rules for cat player characters may eventually be available in a theoretical book, Cats of Pugmire, but if someone wants to play a cat right meow, we’ll give you some suggestions on how to use the rules presented in this book to give a rough approximation of a cat character.
Cats have several distinctive features, but many can be emulated using the existing rules. Below we’ll list the relevant changes to make a character according to the rules presented in Chapter Two.
Since the six monarchies unified, the residents and rulers of each monarchy found themselves a part of one of the six major houses. Most cats pledge their loyalty to one of these six houses, while those who stand alone or belong to minor (but powerful) families and factions have banded together into a political bloc for mutual support. Cats can and do change allegiances, so the idea of devotion to a biological family isn’t as strong as with, say, dogs.
Aside from a set of house colors, houses all have one tenet that they follow, acting as a combination of house motto and mission statement for those who pledge allegiance. They also have a private language, which is a dense lexicon that (generally) only cats of that house use with each other. Further, each house has a “secret” agenda. These are plans and goals that no one in the house openly speaks of, but most cats savvy to the monarchies’ ancient animosities have a good sense of each house’s desires. However, no cat is crass enough to accuse another house of holding such a secret agenda. It’s all about face — even when a cat stumbles and accidentally reveals her house plans, everyone immediately pretends like it never happened.
Scholars and intellectuals, House Angora devotes itself to finding and preserving knowledge and magic. They believe learning is the best path forward against the enemies of the monarchies. In public, they claim their only focus is their education on topics about which the other houses approve, but in secret there is nothing off-limits to their studies — not even knowledge of summoning and controlling the Unseen.
Diplomats and negotiators, House Cymric was one of the first houses to see the value in the Treaty of Unification. They believe the Old Ones worshipped cats for their grace. As such, acting as the Old Ones envisioned by the graceful enforcement of those social mores will preserve cat unity. In public, they claim they only seek to support the nation, but in secret they work to oust House Mau as the de facto leaders and institute themselves in Mau’s place.
Soldiers and tacticians, House Korat dedicates its cats to assuring the monarchies are ready to march on their enemies, no matter what. They believe force is the only way the monarchies will remain strong, and they constantly test the strength of others and each other. In public, they grumble and reluctantly agree that reconciliation with Pugmire and the other species is the only way they can focus on the Unseen, but they secretly desire another War of Dogs and Cats, so they can prove their superiority in open warfare.
Leaders and judges, House Mau was the first to propose the unification of the monarchies, as well as codifying the study of magic. They believe that careful thinking and devotion to the truth will keep cat society safe. In public, they steadfastly refused to seize power, allowing the other houses to have an equal part in ruling the nation. The other houses don’t trust such altruism, and they are right not to: House Mau works behind the scenes to chip away at the power bases of the other houses and rule the Monarchies of Mau openly.
Cats have distinctive callings, but there are rough equivalents to dog callings.
Cats fight for noble reasons as often as they do for the sake of reputation. Champions run the gamut between defenders of the kingdom and paragons of moral causes, to braggart swashbucklers and rough-and-tumble brawlers. Few bands of adventuring cats will tackle a nest of the Unseen without a champion among them, to lead the charge and slay with pride.
Some societies see the footpad as an unwelcome rogue, thieving from her betters and becoming rich on larceny. In cat culture, the footpad takes on a role of greater reverence. Acrobats and scouts, investigators and assassins, and yes, thieves, the footpad is an urban hunter recruited for delving and exploring where other cats fear to tread.
Cats born both low and high respect the study of magical arts. The undeniable presence of magic in the world enthralls many cats, though few who explore mysticism come away with full understanding. Those who do commonly earn the epithet of mancer. Though death, preservation, and life-giving magic sees a great focus within the Monarchies of Mau, mancers may wield power well beyond the animation of necrotic flesh.
Some cats have abandoned the monarchies to focus on their personal enlightenment and their connection to the Old Ones. These wanderers hone their minds, bodies, and souls into objects of peace or devastation, with some cats practicing a duality between the two. Dedicated to maintaining simplistic lives, wanderer cats rankle at those who would seek to control others, harm the world around them, or otherwise interfere with the natural order of things.
Cats have access to a new Aptitude trick: Magic Aptitude.
Magic Aptitude (Aptitude Trick)
All cats have a little bit of magical capability, and a cat who learns Magic Aptitude (called a dabbler) has access to some first-magnitude spells, which can sometimes be the crucial ace in the hole.
Upon taking this trick, the cat chooses to focus on either artisan (mancer) spells or shepherd (minister) spells. Once chosen, this choice is permanent, so think carefully! If the cat chooses artisan spells as a focus, Intellect is the attribute the cat uses for spellcasting, while shepherd spells use Presence.
Once you decide on your cat’s focus, the cat has a number of spell points equal to 1 plus her Vitality (minimum 1), with an additional 1 plus her Vitality each additional level after taking this trick. She also gains all basic spells for her focus, and can choose two first-magnitude spells from her area of focus as well. She does not gain any additional spells for going up in level unless she refines this trick.
Mancers and ministers cannot take this trick, as they have tricks of their own which replace and improve on this aptitude.
Refinements
That's just a taste of about half of the notes on cats for the Realms of Pugmire. On Tuesday, you'll get access to the complete draft, which has more info on additional Upbringings (Houses)and other Callings, as well as information on Rodents in the Realms.
Let's keep this project rolling over these final days and inspire Eddy to continue the work begin with Realms of Pugmire and hopefully extend it into new books about Cats and Rodents (and birds and rabbits...)
Hello Good Doggos,
We're in the final days countdown for this Kickstarter campaign! Realms of Pugmire is finished on Kickstarter on Thursday February 23rd at 2:00 PM EST - there's still time to find some curious cats and dogs and invite them into our pack, but we're definitely getting closer to the finish line. With that in mind, I wanted to touch on some of the basics over these next 5 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.
Whether you're a proud puppy just starting out or a hardened hound with years of experience, these are all good items to review to make sure 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 Countdown/ Resource post. It has links to the manuscript previews, interviews, podcast discussions, actual plays, and fun fiction.)
Like it says right at the top of the campaign page, we've come together to help create a fully developed PDF, a standard hardcover, and a limited edition deluxe hardcover for this game, an evolution of the system and setting for thedogs of Pugmire.
Realms of Pugmire is an updated and revised version of the Pugmire Tabletop RPG, designed to welcome new players and reintroduce old friends to the world of adventurous dogs. It contains all the mechanics and advice players and Guides need to run dog-centric games of Realms of Pugmire, along with advice and guidance for updating or adapting additional content from Pugmire 1st Edition.
To borrow an analogy that I've used in past Kickstarter campaigns, this process we're a part of works similar to the "Viewers Like You" support campaign from your local Public Broadcasting Station (for those who get American television channels or watched Sesame Street in the pre-HBO era): There are various levels of support that you can pledge to, and these come with various levels of rewards offered as a thank you. Like getting a tote bag or t-shirt when you give money to public broadcasting to fund them doing their thing, you can get rewards for helping Onyx Path work on this project.
Let's review the Backer Reward Tiers to ensure that you've pledged to a Reward Tier that provides all the rewards you wish to receive.
The main rewards offered in this campaign is, of course, the main goal of the entire proposition: the Realms of Pugmire book. The first decision you need to make in figuring out your reward tier is whether you want to receive the PDF version, the standard hardcover, or the limited edition deluxe hardcover.
While the world of Pugmire may be full of unseen dangers, options, and opportunities, we've kept supporting this project as simple and straightforward as possible. To pledge support to this project, pick one of these pledge path tiers:
If you're a big fan of Pugmire and want to really impress your pack mates, we're also offering a special edition Deluxe Realms of Pugmire hardcover book.
In addition to these primary reward pledge paths, we also offer the following options:
Availability of these two premium tiers is limited and may be all claimed. If there's one you're really looking for, check carefully over these final days, as many backers will begin settling into their final pledges and you'll see them pop in and out of availability.
PLEDGE MANAGER ACCESS - After the campaign is over we'll launch BackerKit, our post-campaign pledge manager, and invite the backers to set up their rewards via survey. This allows you to confirm your pledge and add on anything that you might have missed, as well as possibly increasing your pledged reward tier, should you choose to expand your reward selection. This option will give international backers additional time to investigate shipping options, should they choose, knowing they can confirm a physical reward at a later date. Funding collected in BackerKit after the campaign does not count toward any campaign Stretch Goals, however.
An important reminder at this stage:
You'll note that two rewards - Access to the Manuscript Previews and Participation in Post-Campaign Pledge Manager - are included in ALL reward tiers. That's just one of the perks of participating in this kickstarter campaign!
MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS – All Reward Tiers include access to Backers-Only manuscript previews. With the exception of the final chapter and appendix (which will be posted on Tuesday), I have posted the entire manuscripts across multiple sections. You must be a kickstarter backer to access these previews, as the link will remain in a backers-only update post. The manuscript previews may not be available to those who pre-order the book at a later date.
OPTIONAL DISCOUNTED PoD VERSION – For this Realms of Pugmire campaign, you will have the option of using DriveThruRPG.com’s Print-On-Demand service to purchase a physical, printed copy of the PDF directly from their PoD partners at discounted cost (this cost is not included in your pledge, and you do not need to increase the cost of your pledge to use this option). When the PoD versions are available to order (which may be some time after the books have gone to print), you will receive links to purchase these versions of the books from DriveThruRPG.com. You DO NOT need to take advantage of this PoD offer as it does not affect in any way your pledge rewards.
REALMS OF PUGMIRE PDF VERSION - The digital version of Realms of Pugmire, fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Kickstarter backers will receive a redemption links for an early version of this book before it goes on sale to the public. This initial "Advance Version" will be used to get feedback from the fans to make the final version the best that it can be. When it has been updated to the final version, it will automatically be added to your DriveThruRPG library and available for download at your convenience.
REALMS OF PUGMIRE HARDCOVER BOOKS - The main goal of this campaign is to fund the creation, production, and print run of a standard and limited edition deluxe hardcover editions of this book. Note that all Reward Tiers that include the physical hardcover version also include the digital PDF version as a bonus. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager.
There has been some churn over this past week - a few Reward Tier adjustments and changes by backers, as budgets changed and people have seen the game in play and worked through the draft manuscript. In these final days it's best to ensure that you've selected the Reward Tier that offers you the options and rewards you want to receive and are ready to lock down. This timing - before the campaign ends - is the absolute most affordable and inclusive these rewards will be, and will save headaches and heartbreaks if fully considered now.
This is just the first step, however, in completing your pledge for this campaign. Additional optional extras can be added to your pledge, rounding our your rewards and increasing the overall funding and maybe getting us closer to a Stretch Goal. This book does contain guidance and suggestions for adapting first edition material, and the conversion guide for updating your Pugmire 1e dog characters will be available online, so you can absolutely make use of earlier edition supplements. In fact, many of the first edition books are available as Add On options.
To summarize the first part of this post, the absolute best way to ensure that you're getting the primary rewards you want from this kickstarter is to ensure you've selected the appropriate Backer Reward Tier. Selecting the right Reward Tier covers about 95% of the options available to you. If you want a PDF only, make sure you've selected the correct reward. If you want the deluxe hardcover version, double-check your reward tier to ensure the proper option is featured. If you're 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 it.
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.
Once you've chosen your pledge tier, you've likely already included the main 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 are described in our Add On menu below.
Each Add On includes an extra amount to add on to your total pledge amount.
The Add On option menu appears in the second part of your pledge confirmation. When you decided to back the Realms of Pugmire campaign, you first choose a Pledge Reward Tier. Once you've selected that, you can configure your reward with additional options.
Backers who've chosen to receive either of the hardcover editions of Realms of Pugmire also have a few options for additional rewards. All physical rewards will be sent as a single shipment once the Realms of Pugmire books are printed and ready to go. As with all physical items, International shipping charges will be added in the Pledge Manager once the final dimensions and costs are known, and must be paid before the shipments are sent out.
You can add or update your Add On choices right up until the campaign ends on August 18th at 2:00 EDT. If you've already pledged, you just have to hit the Manage Your Pledge button on the top of the campaign main page.
Once you've decided to Pledge to the campaign, or to Manage your Pledge if you've already backed, you either Confirm or Change Your Pledge on the first menu.
Once I select my pledge, I'm given the opportunity to click a green "Pledge" confirmation button. Once confirmed, I am taken to the second part of the Pledge process, where I can further Configure my reward. There are many optional Add Ons, not just those visible at the top of the page. It pays to scroll down.
Once you've selected your Pledge, and then picked any Add On options, you press continue and review one final time before confirming your pledge.
Using myself as an example, I've pledged to the deluxe edition tier. During the Add On option review, I decided to add a standard copy of the hardcover that'll be a gift for my eldest child (planning ahead!), as well as a Guide Screen for myself!
Once I click Confirm, my reward tier and add ons are set for my pledge. Note that I've included my shipping destination, but no international shipping charges have been calculated. Those will be handled and charged in BackerKit when the books are preparing to ship.
You should also be aware that any available Add On options will be made available in our BackerKit pledge manager, so if you're unsure about adding on something at this point, you will be able to adjust your pledge in the post-campaign phase.
Pledging to the campaign also opens up the Stretch Goal rewards as thanks for your participation. We'll review our Stretch Goal accomplishments on Wednesday, but it's important to note that backers who wait and Pre-Order Realms of Pugmire at a later date will not have any Stretch Goal rewards automatically added to their rewards list. The Stretch Goal rewards will only automatically be added to the rewards for those who participated in this Kickstarter campaign.
All Add On and additional or extra hardcovers can only be added to a reward tier that already includes a hardcover version of this book (and has therefore established shipping parameters). The Guide Screen must also be added to a hardcover reward tier, since it is a physical item that requires shipping. As with your pledge, international shipping charges will be calculated in the Pledge Manager with all physical rewards sent in a single shipment once the Realms of Pugmire books are printed and ready to fulfill.
To add to Yosha's words, don't fret if you had forgotten to select 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.
Again, your first step should involve your main reward selection, and your Add On Options will build upon that. If you selected the PDF-only tier, you will be presented with digital options. If you select a hardcover tier, you will be presented with physical reward options. You cannot add on additional physical rewards if neither of the Realms of Pugmire hardcover books are included in your pledge tier reward list, but these Add Ons will appear in BackerKit if you later adjust your pledge choice.
Note that all funds are expressed in US Dollars, although Kickstarter displays the approximate conversion rate.
That should explain the process of Selecting your Reward Tier and Add On options and confirming your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT. Since increasing your pledge amount increases the overall funding level of the project, add-ons can help us achieve our Stretch Goal funding targets, so it benefits us all to suggest that you double-check to make sure you're getting all of the rewards you want.
Additionally, to restate Yosha's advice, 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.
As we move through these final days of the campaign, please ensure you've chosen the correct Pledge Tier for the rewards you want (at least at this point). And beyond that - please make sure you've investigated and selected any add-ons you wish to receive. If you have any issues with the Pledge process, either selecting the reward tier or Adding On optional rewards, try a different browser or device. Kickstarter is always refining their processes, but sometimes things are a little sticky. Changing browsers often solves the issue.
On Thursday, just before the campaign ends, I will send an update detailing the steps that occur after the campaign concludes, including notes about our Pledge Manager and the communication plan going forward.
So, just like always: Spread the word! Share your excitement on social media! Tell your friends! We're about to finish this amazing adventure, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!
And I'll be back Tuesday with the FINAL manuscript section for Realms of Pugmire, making the complete text available for all backers to review before the campaign ends!
Our current Stretch Goal target! Let's see if we can't unlock this before the big finale!
At $55,000 in Funding – ROLL20 CHARACTER SHEET – Assisting with online play, a Realms of Pugmire character sheet will be created and made available on Roll20.
Hello Good Doggos!
We're officially in the final week countdown for this Kickstarter campaign! Over these final days I'll be sharing a handful 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.
On Tuesday, I'll be posting the final draft manuscript preview. If you're a backer of this campaign, you'll be able to read the entire draft manuscript before we finish, before any pledges are processed, and before we Kickstarter sends out any funding celebration note. So, if you haven't joined up yet, please do so in these final days and know that you can cancel your pledge before the end if this book isn't for you.
BUT - if it is for you (and if you're reading this, I think you already know that it is), joining up now will help us maybe achieve another Stretch Goal before we review our many accomplishments next Wednesday! I sure would love to add another Stretch Goal reward on to the list!
IF YOU ARE already a backer, then an assignment for you:
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 virtual ambassador for this Kickstarter project. It's time to share your excitement for Realms of Pugmire! Fight against the Unseen! Sort out some Badger Bandits! Explore the Ruins of the Old Ones! Basically, we want to recruit as many interested backers as possible over this final week.
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 Realms of Pugmire until 2:01 PM EST next Thursday February 23rd (when the campaign has ended). Yes, family and friends were tired of me talking about it - especially since my daughters should be studying for exams is in reading week! - but what else have I got to talk about? 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.
If you're inviting new backers, or if you are a new backer (hi new backers!), here are a few key resources to be aware of for this campaign.
Backers are able to review the (soon-to-be) complete manuscript for this book before the campaign closes and any pledges are processed. And if you're planning on being a player, all of the info you need is already available (the final preview is an adventure that is really targeted at the Guide). No need to wonder about upbringings and backgrounds or callings and tricks! Know what you're getting into by checking out the draft manuscript!
And, if you join now, as I've noted, we'll be posting the final adventure-focused chapter of the book next week before we reach the finish line.
See and Hear the game in action with Actual Play episodes from Red Moon Roleplaying and CommanderBubbles
Get a sense of the world from some short stories set in the Realms of Pugmire! These three tales will be included in the final version of the book, but you can check them out now!
You may also be able to get further insight and possibly some in-depth conversation at these Onyx Path discussion zones:
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 stretch goals certainly makes 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.
We've got one week to go, everyone! Thank you all so much for your support! We work together because it's the right thing to do, and because dogs always work at being good! Let's finish strong! And let's continue exploring this new edition/evolution of the Realms of Pugmire together, creating our own characters and delving into the lore, and let's see if we can't get another Stretch Goals before we review next Wednesday!
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.