Hello Outlanders!

Great news! As we finish up with our first week, we've unlocked our 4th Stretch Goal of the project so far! This one is a bit of a milestone marker, a regular Onyx Path bonus reward added to the rewards list of all backers supporting this project!


ACHIEVED! - At $43,000 in Funding - AT THE GATES Digital Wallpaper - Awesome At The Gates artwork will be used to create a wallpaper for your computer desktop. This digital wallpaper will be added to the rewards list of all backers supporting this project.



These milestone markers are fun little Stretch Goals that help us keep pace between some of the bigger goals that add new content and projects. It's always fun to grow our reward lists with these bonuses, and it's a fun way to break up the funding targets into manageable pieces as we work towards the next big goal.

For those who've been around a few rodeos, you'll know that projects tend to have big starts and big finishes and are usually a lot quieter during the middle stretch. As we head into our second week of this 30-day campaign, it's important to use these milestone markers to maintain our momentum and provide celebrations and encouragement for new backers to join in.

So, now that we've unlocked all of our posted goals, let's see if we can plan out a trio of targets to carry us through these middle weeks and into our homestretch!


As we increase the overall funding and support for the project, we’re able to add additional resources to the project, expand the rewards listed, and add in new offers and opportunities. Each Stretch Goal will have a target that, once reached, will add a project to the reward list for backers of the relevant Stretch Goal path. Whenever we achieve a stretch goal, the image will be updated to reflect the achievement.


At $46,000 in Funding – AT THE GATES SHIRT ON REDBUBBLE – An At The Gates-themed Backer shirt will be hosted on Onyx Path’s Redbubble store for a limited time. Only backers will be notified when the shirt becomes available for purchase.


At $48,000 in Funding – AT THE GATES VTT TOKEN PACK – Digital assets will be created to support online play for At The Gates, including key character and creature tokens from the book. This online asset pack will be added to the rewards list of all backers.


At $50,000 in Funding - AT THE GATES Companion - New Advanced Paths - The Companion PDF will be expanded to include a section with new Advanced Profession Paths for characters to take if they want to unlock new Arts specific to their mastery of these professions. Backers receiving the At The Gates PDF as one of their rewards will automatically have the Companion PDF added to their rewards list as a bonus.



We haven't yet delved into the idea of Advanced Profession Paths yet - that'll come tomorrow when the second Backer manuscript section is posted - but we're already talking about adding more! In the next draft manuscript section, we'll learn about the Archmage, the Assassin, the Champion, the Sage, and the Tactician... but I'm pretty sure Danielle and the team has many more ideas for additional Advanced Paths for dedicated characters to pursue!

And if we manage to unlock another three Stretch Goals, the Companion PDF will be expanded to include these additional player options!

As I noted, I expect things to slow down a bit over the next few weeks, so it may be a bit before we close in on these targets, but they are absolutely within reach as long as we continue to spread the word and invite new backers to join in! So let's continue to talk about At The Gates for the next three weeks!

And I'll make it easier to keep talking about the game tomorrow when the next draft manuscript section is made available to backers. All backers of this project will have access to the entire current manuscript for the book before any pledges are processed or payments collected. If you're curious about the game, you can pick a pledge level and read the entire book before the end, and you'll know for sure if this game is for you. 

So, let's keep up the good work and I'll be back tomorrow with more At The Gates goodness!

Hello Outlanders,

I've got another sneak peek for you today! Backers will have access to the current draft version of Chapter 3 and 4 on Tuesday, but let's get a quick look at a few bits dealing with two important choices you make when creating your new character.


A character is how a player engages with a game of At the Gates. Players create characters to act as avatars within the game world. The player makes decisions for the character and uses them to experience the rich environment available in the game. Characters go on thrilling adventures, engage in political intrigue, spy on enemies, fight monsters, foment uprisings, engage in piracy, and so much more at the hands of the players controlling them.

When you create a character for At the Gates you imbue it with a sense of history, a motivation to act, social dynamics to explore, and the skills and abilities necessary to get on in the world. Who are you? How did your upbringing shape you? How has where you've grown up influenced the person you've become? Who do you want society to see you as? How are you connected to the people around you? These questions are at the core of creating a character for At the Gates.

At the Gates is a game about epic fantasy that comes from humble beginnings. Consider what kind of person you want to portray, and how they’ll react to danger, political intrigue, mystery, magical wonders, and the variety of adventures you might play through in this game. chapter 4 will guide you through creating a character and get you started on your journey.

The first steps in making a character for At the Gates include selecting three Paths.

The first Path you choose is your Heritage. This determines what nation your character comes from — if any — and what kind of advantages that conveys to them. When you pick your Heritage Path, you will choose one of two perks, which represent the kind of focus your character’s family had in that society. This will grant them Attributes and Skills based on the traditional training and education someone from that nation and background is likely to have.

Let's look at our top two vote getters in our poll: The Federation of Eves and Vitrumaria.

With salt and wind in your hair, you're happiest on the open seas or at home on one of the islands of the Federation of Eves. A robust maritime culture and sense of community unite your people. You grew up living a life of hard work and playing on and in the tides. The Elders claim magic from the Well of Creation has suffused all your people, but you're not so sure. Your early years were dominated by the oppression of an occupation force. You either grew up during a war to win your nation’s independence or fought in it yourself. You might have been raised in oppressive or hard times, but now you are ready to make your mark on the world and show it what Evesians are made of.

Proximity to the Well of Creation has influenced how you see the world. You watch the ebb and flow of the currents pulsing with Gaia’s lifeforce. This insight has also allowed you to understand the people around you better. 

Attributes: Mental 2, Physical 1, Social 1
Skills: Esoterica, Leadership, Persuasion, Science

Insight: You have an intrinsic understanding of how people feel. Whether you are experiencing their emotions yourself or seeing the color of their aura, you understand people. This understanding grants you +1 Enhancement that stacks during social interactions in which you’ve spent more than a few moments with a person.

Second Keystone: Magic has taken root in you in a way you're still trying to understand. Where other people have only one Keystone, you can have a second one outside your Profession's offered Pillar.  

Life on an island has centered your culture's dependence on the ocean’s bounty. You grew up on or around ships, and probably learned to sail at a very early age. Every island is different, but you're used to living in a close-knit community where everyone works together to succeed and provide for their families. 

Attributes: Mental 1, Physical 1, Social 2
Skills: Athletics, Culture, Larceny, Pilot 

Freedom of Navigation: You understand the currents and the position of the stars to navigate without the guidance of tools or a map. You always know which way you are facing and never suffer penalties or Complications to navigate. Gain a +1 Enhancement that stacks to navigate or reorient yourself when using your instincts.  

Sea Legs: Your constant time at sea has given you the ability to keep your footing in even the most tumultuous circumstances. Downgrade any Complications from Area effects that would affect your movement by one step. If this would reduce that Complication to 0, the character just ignores it.

You grew up in the blazing sun and dry desert sands of Vitrumaria. Your culture prizes self-reliance, which has made you independent and motivated. You’re used to the lavish lifestyle of a wealthy nation juxtaposed against the harsh unforgiving desert environment. You know that community is what keeps people safe, and striking out on your own can lead to disaster if you aren’t properly prepared. This has made you careful, and not a little jaded when it comes to others. It doesn’t help that your beautiful nation is led by a despot and a liar who has dragged your people into a grueling war. Now, you don’t know what to believe as you are inundated daily with lies, but you know that your very way of life is in danger, and it isn’t from those on the outside. 

Outsiders are both an opportunity and a threat to your community. You've learned to present a friendly demeanor when interacting with others to keep collaboration alive, even when you distrust your temporary partners. Life under the desert sun has made you resilient and proficient at surviving when resources are low.

Attributes: Mental 1, Physical 2, Social 1
Skills: Artistry, Larceny, Persuasion, Survival

False Smile: You've learned to say a lot without revealing anything to lull others into a false sense of security. When you make an influence action to lie to someone gain access to the following Trick:

Pry (1 hit): Your lie is so convincing that your target shares a secret they wouldn’t normally share with you.

Durable: The extreme heat of your home has made you more resistant to extreme temperatures. You may ignore the effects of the Extreme Temperature (heat) Area effect if you are prepared, and if this effect is magically created, you downgrade the Complication to Minor.

You’ve grown increasingly disenfranchised by your nation’s leadership. Maybe you were radicalized young and have grown up always knowing the government was corrupt, or something recent happened to radicalize you. Now, you hone all your energy into setting wrongs to right.

Attributes: Mental 1, Physical 1, Social 2
Skills: Athletics, Culture, Leadership, Persuasion

Rallying Cry: You’ve learned how to motivate others with just your words. When take influence actions to sway a crowd or persuade people to join your cause, gain +2 Enhancement.

Tough as Nails: You have an exceptional ability to anticipate danger and act swiftly, as well as a knack for evading threats and maneuvering through tricky situations. You gain a +1 Enhancement that stacks to Initiative rolls or Defense actions (chosen when you take this Perk).

Your Upbringing Path describes how your character was trained and educated based on her economic status, her family’s traditional vocation, or even her own special interests. Instead of representing the things she learned based on where she’s from, this represents the major factors in her young life that shaped her knowledge and core skills. 

Your family always taught you to seek out opportunities and take them where you can. Through cutthroat business, backroom dealing, and not a little luck, they’ve come into wealth. Raised during your family’s rise to power, their vision of the world is instilled upon you. You know how to work the system, manage people, and leverage all your resources to get ahead in the world.

Attributes: Mental 2, Social 2
Skills: Larceny, Leadership, and Persuasion

Leverage: You know how to read people and what to say to put them off guard. When intimidating someone, you can insinuate that you have some information on them that puts them in a compromising position, even if you are lying about the knowledge. Later, when either you or they act on that leverage, gain a +2 Enhancement that stacks to the action.

Resolute: Working in tense social situations has granted you a level of resolve to maintain your composure despite yourself. When people try to persuade you or change your mind about something, gain +1 Enhancement that stacks to your Integrity action.

Your family has known wealth for several generations. You grew up with the luxury to pursue your own interests, but you’ve always known that your family expected you to follow in their footsteps. You’ve always worked under the burden of responsibility, and it has taught you both how to effectively get work out of others and shirk your own duties without notice.

Attributes: Mental 1, Physical 1, Social 2
Skills: Culture, Leadership, and Persuasion

Efficient: You know how to get things done with minimal effort. Once per session, you may forgo rolling for an action to immediately succeed on it. If there are any Complications, you must suffer the effects, though you may spend Momentum for Enhancement as per normal to buy them off. 

Commanding Presence: You radiate an aura of authority, confidence, and leadership. Your mere presence demands attention and respect from those around you, enabling you to inspire and influence others with ease. When other people act on your orders, they gain a +1 Enhancement to follow through.

We'll learn about all of the Heritage and Upbringing options on Tuesday, along with the important third Path of your Profession! And we'll learn how to assign your dots and finishing designing your characters, and also about new stuff like Advanced Professions!!

So, let's continue to spread the word and invite our friends and friendly gamers to join in on this campaign! We've come a long way so far in this first week, but we still have many weeks ahead -- and much more of the manuscript to share!

Our next update on Tuesday will feature the current drafts of chapters 3 and 4. Backers will have access to the complete manuscript before we reach the end - before any pledges are processed or payments collected. It's about the most risk-free way of learning about the game as exists. So join in if you haven't, and let's see if we can't unlock some more Stretch Goals before we get to the final chapter!

Hello Outlanders,

We're still in the first week of our campaign, covering some of the initial aspects of this game. Today, I've got a podcast and a poll for you, both digging in to creating your character for At The Gates.

Before we get into that, though, a celebration! We've *just* passed our third Stretch Goal target and unlocked our first reward that adds additional content for the game!


ACHIEVED! - At $40,000 in Funding - AT THE GATES Companion - More On Professions and Arts - The At The Gates team will create a small Companion PDF containing more information on each of the Professions and new associated Arts (special Professional techniques). All backers receiving the At The Gates PDF as one of their rewards will have the Companion PDF added to their rewards list as a bonus!

Right now, the At The Gates Companion PDF is a small supplement, focused on just this one area of the game. I sure would love to maybe add to it in size and scope with some more Stretch Goals in the future! Let's keep working towards our next goal and see what may lay beyond our current bonus rewards!

When you make a character for At the Gates, you choose three Paths that define her strengths and abilities. First you choose her Heritage, which is where she grew up and how that impacted her life. Then you choose her Upbringing, which defines the kind of life she lived, the trade skills she knows, and her social and economic standing. Finally, you choose her Profession, which is what she does now and her role in the group. Each of these Paths grants your character Attributes and Skills derived from what’s she learned and how she’s developed along the way. The character’s Heritage and Upbringing gives her special Perks, which are upgrades and special bonuses that come from her specialized training or education. Her Profession defines her Arts, which are her specialized professional training, and the kind of magic that she employs.

If you want to hear about this process in action, you can listen to the latest episode of the Onyx Pathcast. In this episode, At The Gates developer Danielle details character creation with Eddy and Dixie as they work through the steps mentioned above.

You can hear the episode here: Ep 310: ATG Character Creation


Two days ago, we had our first Sneak Peek at two of the Professions that are included in our next backer draft manuscript preview. On Sunday, we'll take a quick look at the other two paths that plant the seeds for your character - Heritage and Upbringing.

Our first backer draft manuscript section <linked here> covers the geography and history of Everend, and we reviewed some of this information in our Nations of Everend post. At the end of that post, we had a poll about which nation you'd choose as a starting point for your character.

There are no wrong answers with this one - they're all amazing and each provides a ton of story potential. However, I am going to take the top 2 answers from that poll and spotlight those nations in the Heritage sneak peek coming on Sunday! So, vote in that poll if you haven't already!

Which means we still have to decide which Upbringings we'll get a peek at in the next update! So let's run another poll! I'll take the top 2 answers and use that to guide my Sunday post.

Our Upbringing options:

So, make sure you VOTE on the HERITAGE POLL and then VOTE on the UPBRINGING POLL below and I'll use the top answers to put together my sneak peek on Sunday!

SO - let's keep up the good work! I can't believe we've already unlocked three Stretch Goals (we are *way* ahead of schedule, and I'm certainly hoping this will open up more Companion goals in the future!), so please continue to share with your friends and friendly gamers! Tell those in your social circles and on social media and I'll be back on Sunday with our sneak peek at two of the paths that help build your character!

Hello Outlanders!

Well, we're just smashing through Stretch Goals in these early days! We've just knocked through our second target!

ACHIEVED! - At $36,000 in Funding - AT THE GATES Bookmark Set - Need something cool to mark your place? We'll have a set of six At The Gates cardstock bookmarks offered as an Add On to any hardcover reward tier for +$15.



It may take me a little bit to get the new Add On set up and running, but in the meantime, let's look at our next set of Stretch Goals!


As we increase the overall funding and support for the project, we’re able to add additional resources to the project, expand the rewards listed, and add in new offers and opportunities. Each Stretch Goal will have a target that, once reached, will add a project to the reward list for backers of the relevant Stretch Goal path. Whenever we achieve a stretch goal, the image will be updated to reflect the achievement.


At $40,000 in Funding - AT THE GATES Companion - More On Professions and Arts - The At The Gates team will create a small Companion PDF containing more information on each of the Professions and new associated Arts (special Professional techniques). All backers receiving the At The Gates PDF as one of their rewards will have the Companion PDF added to their rewards list as a bonus!


At $43,000 in Funding - AT THE GATES Digital Wallpaper - Awesome At The Gates artwork will be used to create a wallpaper for your computer desktop. This digital wallpaper will be added to the rewards list of all backers supporting this project.



A few more Stretch Goals to act as guide posts and milestone markers along our journey! While I enjoy the standard Onyx Path celebratory Stretch Goals like the digital wallpaper, I'm especially intrigued by the Companion PDF which will have more information on Professions and their Arts! New Content!! Love it!

Please continue the great work we've done so far - share this campaign with your friends and friendly gamers! And let's keep it growing and going!

Hello Outlanders,

Backers have access to the first two chapters from the draft manuscript for At The Gates, and we'll get the next two chapters on Tuesday May 14. But who wants to wait until then to see some of the fun stuff that we'll get to play with?

It' sounds like it's time for a Sneak Peek!

But first! Let's celebrate our first Stretch Goal achievement!


ACHIEVED! - At $32,000 in Funding - AT THE GATES Storyguide Screen - A three-panel Storyguide Reference Screen with charts and information for running a game set in the lands of Everend will be created and offered as an Add On to any hardcover reward tiers for +$25.

In Gaia, the term mage denotes someone who had dedicated their life to the study of magic. While everyone can utilize Gaia’s magic in their everyday lives, mages don’t just use magic, they seek to understand it and the very fabric of existence. A mage is a scholar first and foremost, open to learning everything they can about the world, how it works, magic, the gods, and the nature of all things. In this, they develop a strong affinity for the magic of the world itself, able to wield the elements or take magic apart at its roots.

Anyone who takes a special interest in magic and its nature is bound to learn how to not only wield it, but also control it. Mages learn the Art of Control early in their career, which allows them control over magical elements. This art is both physical and mystical in nature, giving the mage the ability to enhance her magic, and the magic of others. The Art of Control is one of focus and determination, allowing the mage to infuse her magic into everything she does.

Mages learn from one of two schools of magic, either to manipulate the world itself and the elements that make it up, or to manipulate magic itself. Those who concentrate on learning about Gaia, Outlands, and the nature of the magical world tend toward the Pillar of Elementalism, learning to create, destroy, and hold both those things in balance. They harness the generating forces of the world and turn them to their own designs. An elemental mage can conjure the elements to perform a variety of tasks from building fortifications from earth, creating a healing spring, or bringing down lightning. They also learn to manipulate time and fate, which holds all things in balance.

Mages who study the fundamental elements of magic itself instead learn the Pillar of Transformation. With it, they can manipulate magic to change the world around them, often affecting immaterial objects and constructs, giving them life, making, and breaking them, and even changing themselves to fit any situation.

While mages clearly delineate themselves into two groups, scholarly and wild mages, there are few formal organizations built up around the profession. Mages are too headstrong to listen to anyone other than an archmage tell them what to do, and so they don’t even try.

That said, many mages have strong ties to the community that taught them. Wild mages aren’t all loners who experiment wildly. The most famous group are from Clan Mistwalk in Caparanite, who have a tight-knit community of generational mages. They are secretive of their magical ways, but those who leave their lands are conversant in magic that can only be found in the Outlands. Rumors state that their affinity for shapeshifting comes not from learning about the nature of magic and the natural world, but instead from the Void itself. Of course, there’s no foundation for these rumors that anyone can see.

Mages who study within an academic setting find that their colleagues are lifelong allies. No matter where they came from, or where they move to, those allegiances tend to ignore national borders. When Vitrumaria summoned daemons to attack Invesse, they refused to share their research with outsiders, marking the first time this tradition had ever been broken. Many mages who trained in Vitrumaria feel betrayed by their once friends, and blame President Hollister for the separation.

Why Play a Mage?

Play a mage if you want to be a scholar who experiments with magic, be a battle mage who wades into a fight wielding the elements, be a crafter who infuses magic to make legendary items, have control over the very elements of the world, be able to make and unmake magic, or just really like being a know-it-all with a great deal of power to back it up.

No matter where you come from in Everend, you’re expected to learn how to defend yourself against monsters, beasts, and void tainted creatures. Even the highest nobility has some training with a sword. A warrior isn’t just someone who has trained but has mastered the sword and all other weapons. They are in their element when armed, though are equally as skilled when carrying nothing more than the clothes on their back. A warrior isn’t just someone who fights well. They have trained in a variety of brutal attack styles and can easily switch based on the situation. If a warlord is an army’s commander and tactical mind, the warrior is the army’s right arm, as good as a hundred trained soldiers when in the heat of battle.

Warriors are weapon masters trained in a variety of fighting styles and martial arts to ensure they can pick up anything and be a deadly force. All warriors use the Art of Might , which teaches them not just how to fight, but to be a whirlwind of damage in combat. They can set their sights on an opponent and goad them into one-on-one combat, then unleash a barrage of attacks that leave them staggered. They train with ranged weapons to maximize their output, allowing them to shoot further and with more deadly accuracy than any normal archer. As they learn deeper parts of the art, they can even summon their weapon to their side through magical attunement.

Warriors don’t just learn to wield a weapon, they learn to become one with their weapon, treating it as an extension of themselves. They specialize in the Pillar of Transformation, which allows them to perfect both themselves and their weapons, or even just create weapons out of nothing but light. Some warriors prefer the Perfection Block as their Keystone, allowing them to keep their weapon in pristine condition regardless of the stresses they put it under. Others choose Metamorphosis to allow them to dominate the battlefield by weakening opponents and changing to meet any situation. Finally, those warriors who focus on Transmogrify do so to let their weapon loose to fight on its own, or make or destroy weapons on a whim.

People have two views of warriors depending on where they come from. Either a warrior is a representative of a nation’s military, and they should be feared for what they are capable of. Otherwise, a warrior is a home-grown hero, who protects their friends and family from outside dangers. These are extremely simplistic views of what a warrior is and can be, but it’s the common trope.

When people first meet a warrior, they might be wary of who she works for. Is she a mercenary for hire? Is she a noble’s personal bodyguard? Is she part of the army? If she proves herself useful, those concerns seem to melt away. Most people are happy to have a trained warrior nearby if a problem arises, no matter who they work for. Then again, cut-throats, thieves, or established mercenary groups might see a new warrior as a threat to business and try to run her out of town or kill her if they think she’s overstaying her welcome.

While most people in political positions tend to be warlords or harriers, warriors easily slot into leadership roles through dent of might. In Caparanite, warriors are valued as leaders over all other professions, regardless of how tactically minded or smooth talking someone might be. Warleader Tristan Beard is a warrior of great renown, and he earned his title through combat prowess. Of course, he would be a fool not to listen to a warlord’s council, and is smart enough to keep council with the other clan leaders and pay them mind.

Why Play a Warrior?

Play a warrior if you want to be an elite fighter, be able to take on multiple opponents at the same time, focus on having a single cool weapon that changes and grows with you, fly into a furious rage of metal and death, be a knight of the realm, or protect those you care about most.

This is just an excerpt from Chapter 3, which covers the Professions your characters can take in At The Gates. We'll get the whole manuscript for this chapter (along with Chapter 4) on Tuesday.

On Sunday, we'll get another sneak peek looking at Heritage and Upbringing, two other important Paths in building your characters.

Until then, please continue to spread the word to your friends and friendly gamers and let's see if we can't unlock a Stretch Goal or two while we journey across Everend!


 

At $36,000 in Funding - AT THE GATES Bookmark Set - Need something cool to mark your place? We'll have a set of six At The Gates cardstock bookmarks offered as an Add On to any hardcover reward tier for +$15.