Sneak Peek: Martians
over 2 years ago – Sat, Aug 20, 2022 at 11:28:42 AM

Hello Aethernauts,

Our reconnaissance forces have been able to gather some preliminary information about the Martian threat. We'll receive a full briefing on Tuesday, when backers are able to read and review the entirety of Chapter 7. But, until then, this sneak peek will have to suffice.

Martians

Aggressive alien invaders intent on conquering Earth and enslaving humanity. The few nonviolent human encounters suggest the Martians desire to learn more about harnessing Aether and weaponizing its potential. However, humanity has no idea why this drives the Martians to the extreme levels of aggression and destruction they inflict upon the Earth.

Humans have witnessed Martians in a wide variety of guises, from small, green, humanoid forms that interacted with Aethernauts like peers and contemporaries, to alien cephalopod-like creatures wholly intent on mayhem and destruction. Humanity is unsure whether these different shapes denote allied species operating under the ‘Martian’ label, or a single race with incredible diversity of form. Few care about such distinction when the glowing green death rays from their war machines cut swathes of destruction through human populations.

Martian Traits

Martians possess great power, though it isn’t the same spinning and unwinding of Aether that humans do. Discovering the secrets behind this human ability appears to be one driver of Martian aggression. Martian powers do interact with Aether in a more forceful, clumsier manner that nonetheless produces effects of great power. Humans have learned that Martians call this power source Flux, harnessing the fundamental forces of the universe to their will. Each Martian has a Flux trait and a pool of Flux points that it can draw on to ensnare Aether and upgrade its form and abilities to suit the challenges it faces, or to unleash greater devastation on humanity.

Martian Flux abilities seem to grab at Aether and force it into submission, rather than work within the natural threads that spinning and unwinding manipulate. As such, Martian powers fall into one of two Aetheric variations — Entanglements and Snares. Entanglements are semi-permanent mutations to an individual Martian’s being. Entanglements can change, and Aethernauts have reported the same Martian exhibiting different variations in separate encounters. However, Entanglements appear to take time and effort for a Martian to shift and have never occurred before human witnesses. In contrast, Snares are a temporary grasping of Aetheric energies to momentarily supplement or enhance the Martian’s actions. Despite being fleeting, Snares are often devastating manipulations of energy that enhance Martian weaponry and unleash even greater devastation upon the world.

Spending and Regaining Flux Points

Unless specifically noted otherwise, Entanglements are permanently active and don’t cost the Martian Flux points to use. In contrast, using Snares almost always costs Flux points to activate. Martians can spend Flux points as a reflexive action to activate Snares but can only activate one Snare per round. They can wait until after dice have been rolled and successes counted before deciding to activate Snares but must do so before stunts are purchased.

Martian antagonists begin each scene with full Flux pools, unless the Storyguide determines otherwise for narrative reasons. Martians don’t naturally regain Flux points within a scene, though some possess Entanglements and Snares that can overcome this limitation and refresh their pools while interacting with the player’s characters.

Entanglements

These are semi-fixed transformations or mutations possessed by an individual Martian, which can’t be changed without time and effort. The individual retains its Entanglements until at least the next session and can only alter them if given several scenes of relative privacy and seclusion — not when hunting humans or interacting with the player’s characters. Entanglements have an associated Flux rating; each Martian can have up to its Flux trait in Entanglements but may have fewer if wanted.

The Entanglements below are common examples of what are available but are far from the only ones. Storyguides should feel free to create their own for their Martian antagonists.

Adaptive Defenses (2 Flux)

The Martian’s body is even more malleable and changeable than its peers, responding to injury by becoming more resistant to future damage. When the Martian suffers the loss of Health, it increases its Defense by the number of Health boxes it has marked off. If the Martian regains Health boxes, either through some healing power or medical aid devices, its Defense drops again by the equivalent amount.

Camouflage (1 Flux)

The Martian’s form disappears into the background, losing itself in the shadows, and becoming almost impossible to detect. This may be due to the Martian’s skin bending light around it, via adaptive chromatophores that constantly chance the alien’s skin to match its surroundings, the Martian’s skin and organs being transparent as air, or any other uncanny explanation. This Camouflage isn’t perfect invisibility, and the Martian becomes more visible when it moves, like a refraction or heat haze against the environment. Martians with this Entanglement gain +4 Defense and +4 Enhancement to avoid detection if it remains motionless. This drops to +2 Defense and +2 Enhancement if the Martian is moving.

Flight (1 Flux)

The Martian can surround itself in a glowing orb of crackling green energy, rendering itself immune to gravity’s effects. The Martian ignores non-atmospheric Difficult or Dangerous Terrain. The Martian can move at a Speed Scale equal to its Flux trait in any direction, and if it chooses to move vertically is unable to be attacked or followed by aggressors without ranged weapons, their own flying power, or some other means of reaching the alien.

Unstoppable (4 Flux)

The Martian has incredible reserves, at equally incredible cost. If the Martian is reduced to one remaining Health it can activate this Entanglement, drawing on strange energies and powers to replenish itself. The Martian permanently reduces its Flux trait by 1 (and reduces its Flux pool accordingly), in return, the Martian regains all Health and replenishes its (reduced) Flux pool to full. An individual Martian may only activate Unstoppable once per scene.

Snares

Snares are rapidly deployed powers that Martians use in their ongoing assault on humanity. These Flux-fueled abilities are often more expensive than Entanglements but have the benefit of being available flexibly and in response to shifting situations and needs. Each Snare has a minimum Flux point cost (some can have increased effects for greater cost) and activates as a reflexive action, unless otherwise noted. Each Martian starts with a number of Snares equal to its Flux trait.

Concussive Ray

Cost: 1 Flux

Martians are renowned for the sickly green glow and shrieking tearing sounds of their energy rays. A Martian using this ability can overcharge their ray emitters. Attacks benefiting from this ability gain +1 Scale for the current round.

Harvest

Cost: 3 Flux

The Martian’s claws, tentacles, or ray emitter pulses with black-green energies inimical to life. Whenever a living victim takes damage from an attack enhanced by this Snare, the Martian itself heals as many Health boxes. If the Martian is uninjured when deploying this Snare, it instead gains Scale to its attacks equal to half the number of Health boxes absorbed, rounded up. This Scale-enhancing effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Martian’s Flux trait.

Invulnerability

Cost: 1 Flux

Choose a direct such as Ballistic, Edged, or Blunt, or an indirect damage source, such as electricity, fire, radiation, or vacuum. The Martian does not take any damage from this source for a number of rounds equal to its Flux trait. The Martian can purchase Invulnerability to multiple damage source at once by paying the Flux cost for each one. Martians explicitly can’t be immune to damage directly caused by Aetheric effects.

Sample Martian Antagonists

The Martian antagonists below are examples that may appear in a chronicle, each one listing the threat power level it is based on from Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (p. 139). Storyguides can quickly make any given Martian antagonist a greater or lesser threat by changing its threat level. Most Martian antagonists don’t possess Edges by default, but Storyguides can assign suitable Edges to recurring or important characters.

Martians encountered outside their war machines frequently carry handheld (or more accurately, tentacle-held) death ray and tentacle whip weapons.

Martian Infiltrator (Medium Threat)

Usually appearing completely human thanks to their shape changing abilities, Infiltrators still find human behavior and mannerisms difficult to accurately emulate. As such, they prefer to move within groups of human sympathizers and cultists to obfuscate their alien tells.

• Primary Pool: 7 (Emulating human behavior)
• Secondary Pool: 5 (Destruction)
• Desperation Pool: 3
• Enhancement: 1
• Defense: 3
• Health: 4
• Flux: 3
• Flux Pool: 6
• Common Entanglements: Alternate Form (2), Camouflage (1)
• Common Snares: Harvest, Invulnerability, Rapid Reaction

Martian Vehicles

Martian technology functions in ways humans don’t understand. While Martian technology and vehicles appear as machines — and they are — they are also extensions of the individual Martians controlling the machinery. A Martian drives its Tripod, Scarab, Nautilus, or Orb as naturally and easily as a human moves their arms, hands, or legs. Each Martian vehicle carries a single Martian pilot as its sole crew.

A Martian can channel its strange Aetheric Flux powers through its vehicle’s chassis and weaponry as easily as if the Martian had enhanced its own tentacle or form. Because of this strange symbiosis, Martian vehicles are treated as antagonists following the rules in Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (p. 137-140) with the additional rules in this section. Depleting the Health of a Martian war machine destroys the machine but doesn’t necessarily injure the Martian inside. Depending on the needs of the narrative, the Martian may emerge from the destruction ready to continue the fight. Storyguides should save this for specific antagonists or major events. For most conflicts, eliminating the threat of the machine is sufficient, with the alien pilots rendered insensate due to Flux disruption or feedback from the destruction, and at the mercy of the player’s characters.

Martian Nautilus (Major Threat)

Martian Nautiluses are flattened-sphere submersible vessels clearly built to the same basic chassis as Tripods. Nautiluses have three long, flattened tentacles to the rear of the central chamber, that whirl in flagella-like motions to generate aquatic thrust and maneuverability. Nautiluses also have two to four shorter tentacles projecting from the front half of the vehicle, used to shoot weaponry adapted to underwater use, or to grasp at human ships or other Earth-life prey to capture or tear them apart. Nautiluses specialize in rushing up from the deeps beneath their prey, striking fast and creating as much panic and confusion in their destruction before sinking into the depths to attack again from a different angle.

• Primary Pool: 9 (Surprise attack)
• Secondary Pool: 7 (Marine maneuverability)
• Desperation Pool: 5
• Enhancement: 4
• Defense: 4
• Health: 6
• Flux: 5
• Flux Pool: 10
• Common Entanglements: Aquatic (1), Armor (2), Giant (2)
• Common Snares: Concussive Ray, Disruptor, Harvest, Rapid Reaction, Sudden Defense
• Note: Martian Nautiluses are equipped with Death Ray and Tentacle Whips. Tripods are Size 3, with Scale 3 weaponry and armor to match.  

Backers will be able to read and review the full contents of Chapter 7 on Tuesday, when our latest draft manuscript preview download is posted. In addition to the full martian write-up, there are, of course, other antagonists and challenges, and TONS of advice on running your group through different kinds of stories and different genres of adventure. Really great stuff!

So please continue to spread the word about our campaign on your social media and in your social circles, and let's see if we can't get more recruits for HRH-PDP!

#Aether

#PlanetaryDefense 

BACKERS ONLY – Manuscript Preview #7
over 2 years ago – Sat, Aug 20, 2022 at 11:25:33 AM

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

FINAL WEEK COUNTDOWN!
over 2 years ago – Sat, Aug 20, 2022 at 11:22:28 AM

Attention Aethernauts!

We're officially in the final week countdown for this Kickstarter campaign! Over this final week I'll be sharing a handful of instruction and review-type posts about Reward Tiers & Add Ons, Stretch Goal reviews, 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 Program

• Aug 13 - Resource Reference List (Actual plays, interviews, podcasts, all the links)
• Aug 14 - Pledge Tier & Add On Review
• Aug 16 - Manuscript Preview # 8 - Setting Secrets available to backers
• Aug 17 - Stretch Goal Review
• Aug 18 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next

Spinning New Aethernauts

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 Aether ambassador for this Kickstarter project. It's time to share your excitement for Trinity Continuum: Aether! Basically, we want to recruit as many interested aethernauts as possible to form our own Aetheric Society 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 Trinity Continuum: Aether until 2:01 PM EDT next Thursday August 18th (when the campaign has ended). Yes, family and friends (and the people next to me on the airplane) were tired of me talking about it, but what else have I got to talk about? And they've learned to tolerate me during a kickstarter campaign. But here's the thing - there are others around who haven't heard or don't know about the campaign.

Resource Reference

On Saturday, I'll share an update with a list of links to resources we've shared throughout the campaign - actual play videos, podcast interviews and discussions, fiction pieces, manuscript download updates. This will be a one stop shop page for you to pass along to potential new Aethernauts to give them a feel for the book and help you if you're trying to spread the word about this campaign.

Things to Remember Before Backing

All of that said, there are a few things to remember before we finish the campaign and your pledges are collected. I don't think these are really deterrents, but it is stuff best discussed and referenced before we finish to ensure everyone has a complete understanding of the process.

Projected Delivery Dates

You'll have the current approved draft manuscript in your hands at the end of the campaign. And, really, aside from some minor corrections and maybe some rules clarifications, you'll have everything you need to start playing in the Victorian Era of the Trinity Continuum immediately.

Which is good, because these books take some time to put together. Even though we'll have the nearly there manuscript, Onyx Path works very hard to create these books at a high standard, and that takes time. In our pledge listings, you'll see that the PDF reward is projected to release to backers by March 2024, and the hardcover by August 2024. The plan is to get them to you earlier - as quickly as possible while managing workloads and quality - but things happen to slow the process sometimes. We've built in plenty of padding in those dates to account for some of the unexpected hurdles, but just be aware that we're at the beginning of the process, not yet in sight of the finish line.

I will be in constant contact after the campaign, and you'll know about each stage of progress along the way. I'll talk more about that on our final update, when we go over the Next Steps.

International Shipping – Collected in the Pledge Manager

One quick note about International Shipping before we get into the manuscript previews. Unlike previous Onyx Path Kickstarter projects, we won’t be collecting funds to cover International Shipping during this Kickstarter campaign. Instead, we’ll be charging for shipping in the Pledge Manager once the books are being printed and we can deal with the actual shipping charges rather than using our best-guesses this far out. We’re still anticipating pretty hefty costs to ship the book internationally (see our current guesses on the front page) so be forewarned, but we’ll cross that enormous bridge when we get to it.

Manuscript Previews- You Know What You're Getting

And lastly, something to think about - before the end of this campaign, before any pledges are processed or payments are collected, you'll be able to read the entire Trinity Continuum: Aether book. This allows you to ensure that you're backing a project you're interested in and know exactly what you're getting in to. We've got a final Setting Secrets chapter to share on Tuesday, but there are no secrets we're keeping about this project. Once the campaign is finished, the process to move it along the progress track starts immediately, and we want to make sure that everyone is interested in coming along with us on the ride.

So, if you've reviewed the material and this game isn't for you, you can cancel your pledge before next Thursday and we'll wish you well and hope a future project captures your interest. If you're on the fence, it's best to pledge to a reward tier that you can afford and are comfortable with now - you'll be able to upgrade your pledge after the campaign, but it's much more difficult to reverse a decision filled with regret later.

All of that said - I think everyone reading this is pretty much on the same page. The chapters I've read so far are amazing. There's SO MUCH game in this setting and I feel like each one of the Societies can sustain it's own kind of chronicle or campaign. There are a lot of areas to explore, and a lot of different ways to explore contained within this book. I'm really happy to see the ways the Trinity Continuum is expanding beyond what we've already experienced.

Final Week

We've got one week to go, everyone! Thank you all so much for your support! Like the Planetary Defense Troops, we've come together to achieve mighty goals! Over the past 3 weeks, working together, we've funded the book and unlocked SEVEN stretch goals, including a jumpstart with ready-made characters and the Aethernaut Collection, full of "fictional" characters to introduce into your game.

Let's continue to work together to grow our backer count and enjoy these moments of escape from the chaos and confusion of the world, if only for a brief moment. Let's trade some quips, speculate about the nature of Aether and the martian invasion, discuss the best apparatus, and celebrate all that this campaign has done in the next week!

And let's continue our campaign towards the next Stretch Goal! Will we have more to review next Wednesday when we share the wonder of our discoveries? I certainly think so!

#Aether

#IDidn'tEvenMentionHuntingMonstersOrWeirdScienceOrDimensionalTravel

FINAL DAYS: ALL THE LINKS
over 2 years ago – Sat, Aug 20, 2022 at 11:19:23 AM

Hello Aethernauts,

We are absolutely in our final days of this campaign, adding new backers and knocking down Stretch Goal targets as we race towards our big finale on Thursday August 18th at 2:00 PM EDT.

I wanna share some update posts over the next five days that serve to answer some process questions and ensure we're all on the same page as to the goals and methods of this Kickstarter campaign. In the last update, I shared some quick things to be aware of before backing this project, just key things like how we're working international shipping charges for this one and projected delivery dates. Important things to be aware of. 

But unlike that brief list of amber light cautions, I'm all green light awesomeness today! Today's post will be a gathering of awesome points about this campaign, from being able to watch Actual Play sessions to see the Aether action to podcast interviews and manuscript breakdowns. If you're spreading the word to new backers, or are a potential or new backer yourself (or just want to review a bunch of cool stuff before the end of the campaign), I'm gathering a bunch in one spot here so you can just link to or read this page!

First up, let's review this Trinity Continuum: Aether project! We have officially funded, which means this book will begin it's transformation from a manuscript to a completely-developed illustrated release!

Trinity Continuum: Aether is a game of steampunk adventure, exploration, and mystery set in 1895 in the Trinity Continuum. In the decade prior, Nikola Tesla identified and learned to harness Aether, an energy source capable of spinning new realities or unwinding the effect to restore reality. Now, Aether users dot the globe, silently spinning and unwinding with ease while Victorian era society goes about unaware of the dangerous experiments taking place in underground laboratories, dark alleys, and foreign worlds.

This Victorian Age within the Trinity Continuum is ripe for adventure, and will allow you to explore different aspects and genres within the overall Aether theme. I mean, just look at some of these Societies that any or all of the characters in your story can be a part of:

•  Edison's Unwinders are trying to keep the world safe from Aetheric technologies run amok. They're the clean-up and control crew, stopping catastrophes and investigating strange occurrences.
•  The Esoteric Order of Æon are explorers and investigators, examining the strange and unusual, the wild and weird. They're traveling across the world - or even through different dimensions - in search of knowledge.
•  HRH Planetary Defense Pact are our best defense against the Martian invasion. Action-packed infiltration or desperate defensive missions are the bread and butter of the HRH-PDP.
•  The Society for the Opposition of Monsters are, to borrow dialogue from the first Hellboy movie, those who bump back at the things that go bump in the night. Hunting down vampires, stopping a werewolf's rampage, bringing light to the shadows - these are the exploits of the S.O.M.

These are just a small taste of the many, many Societies (and counter-Societies) within Aether that can spur stories in this setting. Look at the breadth of tales to be told within just these 4 groups? Fighting Martians tripods in downtown London? Stopping mad scientists from unleashing global destruction? Unearthing a strange artifact and discovering it's secrets? Hunting Dracula? Come on! Each one of those could be it's own game, but there all possible together in Trinity Continuum: Aether.

A reminder that you will need a copy of the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook to play Aether.

 MANUSCRIPT PREVIEW

But you don't have to take my word for it. In fact, if you're a backer, you can read the complete draft of the manuscript before this campaign concludes and any pledges are processed! That's right, here's our fist important link for backers:

Trinity Continuum: Manuscript Previews

That page features every chapter from the book, save the final section which will be available to backers on Tuesday. Unlike the unpredictability of some Aetheric apparatus, there are no surprises here - you can read the whole book and know exactly what you're getting into before your payment is collected. 

Bonus: it's a great read!

 LOOK and LISTEN

Actual Plays

Sure, maybe the game reads great, but nothing beats seeing it in action! Well, you're in luck! In fact, you can watch Matthew Dawkins, the developer of Aether himself, as he runs his two-part TRINITY CONTINUUM: AETHER story for Danielle Lauzon, Kim Godwin, Gilbert Ramos, and Travis Legge!

Podcasts

The OP Cast - Arms Around the Trinity Continuum is an excellent podcast series digging into the Trinity Continuum, looking at the various eras of the game and bringing their expertise and opinions across editions to the discussion.  They've done a Continuum overview, explored the times of Æon, Aberrant, and Adventure!, and talked about some key supplements. For this project, they've got an interview with developer Matthew Dawkins here: OPCast Arms Around the Trinity Continuum interview.

Corey and the occasional guest on the Trinity Continuum Airwaves podcast are exploring the Continuum in manageable chunks. While I may have a face for radio, Corey has the voice for radio, and it's been great to listen to his breakdown and review of the manuscript previews as they've come out throughout the campaign. It's a huge help to me to listen to his podcast after I read a chapter, because I often learn about bits I missed or connections I didn't make, or get even more excited (if that's possible) hearing his excitement.

• Aether is Live - the launch of the campaign
• Aether Societies
• Interview with Kim Godwin
• Squires, Gogs, and Magogs!
• Aether Mechanics
• Aetheric Gifts

FICTION FEELING

And if you need more, I've got one more way for you to get a sense of this game and the setting. From fiction that will be at the front of the book itself, to a fabulous serial tale of the Martian menace invading the Victorian Age, these great pieces will give you a feel for the world of Aether.

Serial Fiction

• (I) From the Depths of Space to the Heart of London, (II) What Fear We, Flame?
• (III) No Sacrifice Too Great, (IV) Swarming and Multiplying
• (V) The Future Unwritten, The Past Erased, (VI) Bows and Arrows against the Lightning

Aether Book Opening Fiction

• The Mercer Correspondences

FINAL DAYS

So, a lot of things to listen to, read, view, or review. If you're driving by and wondering if you should join us in supporting this campaign, or if you've been pointed here by a friend, please check out all of these previews and podcasts and actual plays and hopefully you're as eager to join in as we are to have you join up!

In these final days, we're closing in on our final Stretch Goal targets. Anyone who backs before the campaign concludes gets to join in on all of the Stretch Goals that have already been unlocked AND you help us get closer to unlocking additional Stretch Goals that will further reward all backers supporting this campaign. We'll be reviewing our Stretch Goal accomplishments on Wednesday, but here's what's next in our sights:

At $50,000 in Funding - The Aethernaut Collection 3 – The famous fictional character folio PDF will be expanded a third and final time to include additional characters (such as Dracula) and other possible allies and antagonists.

Final Week Program

• Aug 13 - Resource Reference List (That's Today!) 
• Aug 14 - Pledge Tier & Add On Review 
• Aug 16 - Manuscript Preview # 8 - Setting Secrets available to backers
• Aug 17 - Stretch Goal Review 
• Aug 18 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next 

 Spinning New Aethernauts

Please continue to spread the word in your social circles and on your social media. We're in the homestretch now, and going to see things really ramp up towards the end as we get closer to our finale. With over 940 backers, we've done very well finding Aethernauts ready to join our society - but I know from experience there are so many more out there who haven't yet become aware of the campaign. Let's make sure that those who would love this game find out before we finish up... and maybe we can work together to unlock another Stretch Goal before our review on Wednesday!

Keep up the great work! And let's hunt some vampires!

#Aether

Final Week Review - Reward Tiers & Add Ons
over 2 years ago – Sat, Aug 20, 2022 at 11:17:45 AM

Attention Aethernauts!

We're in the final days countdown for this Kickstarter campaign! Trinity Continuum: Aether is finished on Kickstarter on Thursday August 18th at 2:00 PM EDT - there's still time to find additional aethernauts and invite them into our esoteric order, 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 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.

Final Days Schedule

• Aug 13 - Resource Reference List  
• Aug 14 - Pledge Tier & Add On Review (That's Today!) 
• Aug 16 - Manuscript Preview # 8 - Setting Secrets available to backers
• Aug 17 - Stretch Goal Review 
• Aug 18 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next 

Whether you're starting out as a Squire or are a Gog building yet another apparatus, 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 Countdown/ Resource post. It has links to the manuscript previews, interviews, podcast discussions, actual plays, and amazing in-game fiction.)

BACKER REWARD TIERS

Like it says right at the top of the campaign page, we've come together to help create a fully developed PDF and hardcover version for the latest era exploration in the Trinity Continuum tabletop roleplaying game line, the Aether-powered Victorian Era setting of Trinity Continuum: Aether.

PLEDGING YOUR SUPPORT

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.

Innate Talent or Apparatus?

The main reward offered in this campaign is, of course, the main goal of the entire proposition: the finished book for Trinity Continuum: Aether. The first decision you need to make is what form your rewards will take. Do you want your main rewards in digital form and are going for the PDF rulebook? Or are you developing Aether-powered tools and want the hardcover version (which includes the PDF as a bonus!).

With that decision in mind, we've got two key reward tiers to choose from:

•  Squire: This is the PDF-only reward tier. So, if you're saving trees or saving shelf space - or avoiding the shipping charges that are absolutely ever-increasing - this is the reward tier options that you should begin with. The PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com - when it is ready, you will receive a link to add it to your DTRPG library at no cost and be able to download at your leisure.
•  Gog: This reward tier includes the hardcover version of this book. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager. In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.

Two important reminders at this stage:

•  International Shipping Costs: We’ll be charging for shipping in the Pledge Manager once the books are being printed and we can deal with the actual shipping charges rather than using our best-guesses this far out. We’re still anticipating pretty hefty costs to ship the book internationally (see our current guesses on the front page) so be forewarned, but we’ll cross that enormous bridge when we get to it.
•  Trinity Continuum Core Rules: You will need a copy of the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook to play Aether.

In addition to these primary reward pledge paths, we also offer the following options:

•  Aethernaut: Not ready to commit, or just looking to offer general support? This pledge tier is for you. This does not include our primary reward, but allows you to select some digital optional Add Ons, as well as participating in the post-campaign Pledge Manager as a backer. You'll also be able to read the draft manuscript of Trinity Continuum: Aether that we post throughout this campaign.
•  Magog / The Immortals: A few Reward Tiers offer special limited premium rewards in addition to the basics, including an option to act as a Art Model or a chance to supply a name to be used by an NPC included in a supplement. Check each of the Reward Tier descriptions for more details.

Need the Trinity Continuum Core Rules as well? They form the basic system upon which Trinity Continuum: Aether (and all Trinity Continuum games) are built. We've set up these one-click pledge paths to get you started! If you don't already have a copy of the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook, you soon will by choosing either of these reward tiers.

•  Talent: A digital entry into the Trinity Continuum, this pledge path contains PDF versions of both the Trinity Continuum: Aether setting sourcebook as well as the Trinity Continuum Core Rules.
•  Inspired: This pledge path will get you both the PDF and hardcover books for  both the Trinity Continuum: Aether setting sourcebook and the Trinity Continuum Core Rules.

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 a wait to discover the shipping costs, knowing they can confirm their physical reward at a later date once final costs are determined. Funding collected in BackerKit after the campaign does not count toward any campaign Stretch Goals, however.

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 (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 Trinity Continuum: Aether 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.

TRINITY CONTINUUM: AETHER PDF VERSION - The digital version of Trinity Continuum: Aether, 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.

TRINITY CONTINUUM: AETHER HARDCOVER BOOK - The main goal of this campaign is to fund the creation, production, and print run of a hardcover edition 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.

Choosing Your Reward Tier

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 read the manuscript previews. 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.

First Step: Reward Tier

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 90% of the options available to you. If you want a PDF only, make sure you've selected the correct reward. If you want the 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.

Step Two: Add-Ons.

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 Aether campaign, you first choose a Pledge Reward Tier. Once you've selected that, you can configure your reward with additional options.

•  Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook - A standalone action-adventure game within the contemporary Continuum universe, and the base rules that are the building blocks for Aether, Adventure!, Assassins, Aberrant, Anima, and Æon. 
•  Trinity Continuum: Adventure! is a pulp action game set in an alternate history 1930s putting the players in the shoes of daring adventurers who seek to right wrongs and stop evildoers.
•  Trinity Continuum: Assassins transports players to the Continuum’s underworld where well-dressed killers-for-hire use high-tech weapons and gear to eliminate their targets.
•  Trinity Continuum: Aberrant is a game of superpowered adventure in the near-future of the Trinity Continuum. In 2028, thousands of superhuman novas have transformed the world, using their extraordinary powers to fight crime, clean up the environment, invent new technologies, and create wonders.
•  Trinity Continuum: Anima is set in the future of the Trinity Continuum, where characters have come to the city of Cascade for their own reasons but are drawn into the intrigues of both the physical and virtual worlds. Some will enter the dangerous world of corporate cloak and dagger to uncover the answers lurking in shady business deals, while others will delve deep into the virtual world’s mysteries, discovering secrets meant to be left buried.
•  Trinity Continuum: Æon takes place in the early 22nd century, when the stars are at last within our reach. However, we have found dangers as well as wonders out there, and only by working together can we overcome them and take our place on the galactic stage.

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.

Pick a Pledge Tier, then Add On Options

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.

In this example, I've updated my pledge to include the Trinity Continuum: Assassins PDF sourcebook, and the Aether Reference Screen that we unlocked via Stretch Goal achievement. 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 Trinity Continuum: Aether 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.

OPTIONAL HARDCOVER ADD ON REWARDS

All Add On and additional 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 Reference 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 Trinity Continuum: Aether books are printed and ready to fulfill.

REWARD DELIVERY

About 6 weeks 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 be able to review your rewards and also also adjust any Add On Options that you may have missed. Once we have everything confirmed, I'll be able to deliver any rewards that are currently available - like the PDF versions of the other Trinity Continuum Core Rulebooks (TC Core Rulebook, Æon, and Aberrant, etc.), as well as the Trinity PDF Bundles. Backers who have pledged for these options will be sent special redemption links to claim these 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. I'll send an update when all of that is happening, though, so you are aware every step of the way.

So, while it will take some time for Trinity Continuum: Aether to move from manuscript form to a final product, you won't be waiting a year for PDFs that already exist. (You'll be waiting about 6-8 weeks or so, just enough time for us to set up the reward infrastructure.)

Some of our Add On Rewards aren't yet available, but any digital rewards will be delivered once available (for example, the Adventure! and Assassins PDFs and P0D versions). 

Physical Books

If you're waiting to see the International shipping costs before upgrading your PDF pledge to the hardcover reward tier, you'll have lots of time for that. We won't close the Pledge Manager until the books are ready to print and we know what shipping costs will be, so you'll be able to go back and adjust your pledge tier at that time.

It's going to take some time to create the final PDF for Trinity Continuum: Aether and even longer for the eventual print run for the hardcover book. When the books are at the printer, I will be in touch with all kickstarter backers to outline timeline for pledge adjustments, as well as lockdown procedures and when we'll be confirming addresses and processing BackerKit Add Ons and Shipping payments. That's a long time away, and we'll cover that as we get closer to that part of the process.

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.

 Step 1: Pledge Tier

Step 2: Add On Options

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 PDF options. If you select the hardcover tier, you will be presented with physical reward options. You cannot add on additional physical rewards if the Trinity Continuum: Aether hardcover book is not 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.

It Adds Up!

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, 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 (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 begin our final boss encounter, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!

And I'll be back Tuesday with the FINAL manuscript section for Aether, making the complete text available for all backers to review before the campaign ends!

#TrinityContinuumAether