A fantasy TTRPG about insatiable hunger in a blighted land, inspired by Hollow Knight, Bloodborne, Dark Souls, and Elden Ring.
We aim to start shipping physical rewards by June 2026. Digital rewards for already-existing books will be sent when orders are locked down (July 2025). Once they're ready, all other digital rewards will be made accessible (estimated Q2 2026).
Pre-order sales are final. Shipping will be charged closer to fulfillment. You can check estimated shipping pricesHERE (Shipping and Fulfillment section)
Latest Updates from Our Project:
June Update, the Books are Almost Done
23 days ago
– Sun, Jun 07, 2026 at 07:38:53 AM
Hello Dowsers,
It's June, almost summer, and work on Bitter Chalice is entering its hot phase. How appropriate.
Project Status
The Core Book layout is 90% complete. I was hoping to share the full Beta with this update, but we need a little more time. The latest chapter (Challenges) required a particularly intricate layout (lots of formatting details to get right) which slowed things down. All that remains now is the Appendix, which is mostly tables. In the meantime, while Matteo Sciutteri continued laying out new pages, Enrico did a first polish pass and flagged around 250 improvements: typos, missing or incorrect translations, and so on. This is completely normal; each pass typically turns up a few hundred comments, much to the delight of our layout artists. The upside is that by the time the Beta reaches you, most of those fixes will already be in.
Bringing the other Matteo (Carioni) on board has made a real difference: the second book's layout is now complete at just under 120 pages. We could technically send that Beta now, but sending the expansion before the Core Book feels a bit backwards, so we'll release both together with the next update, using the extra time for additional polish.
I'm 70% of the way through translating the third and final book, Escape the Mud Fields. In early May I had to shift focus briefly to keep the rest of the team moving without bottlenecks, but I'm confident I can finish the remaining 30% within the next ten days. Once done, Matteo Carioni jumps straight into layout.
Below are some new pages from the books. I tried to pick pages with the fewest spoilers possible, but remember, everything is a spoiler, so look away if you're not the GM!
Production is officially moving
This past week we sent the first batch of files to our production partner to kick off samples and prototypes — maps, stickers, tokens, meeples, dice, and bookmarks. We're working with Boda Games, the team behind acclaimed titles like Arcs, Hegemony, Everdell, Onitama, and more. Safe to say we're in good hands on component quality.
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• Instagram: See behind-the-scenes content and more.
May Update, Reinforcements Are Here!
about 2 months ago
– Thu, May 07, 2026 at 03:32:14 AM
Hello, Dowsers! it’s time for our monthly update, so let’s dive right in.
Project Status
I am happy to confirm that the Solo Mode chapter is finished. With its completion, Dirge of the Dust King is also officially content-complete. The chapter is headed to translation now; this should only take a few days, after which the text will be ready for layout.
This month we also completed the third and final book, Escape the Mud Fields. Translation will begin immediately following the Solo Mode chapter, likely as early as next week. As this book is significantly shorter than the others, we expect a swift turnaround.
Layout for the Core Book is currently underway. While we aren't quite ready for the full Beta, we are aiming at an early June release (but no promises, it takes the time it takes). Below is a preview of the layout for Chapter 8, which covers campaign events. (Note: These contain potential spoilers, so look away if you want to keep the surprises intact!) Area illustrations will be integrated within the next few days.
Reinforcements Have Arrived!
As you have likely gathered, this project is a massive undertaking. To ensure we meet our milestones, we have brought on an additional layout artist, Matteo Carioni. Matteo previously collaborated with us on Valraven: The Chronicles of Blood and Iron, and he will be joining Matteo Sciutteri to streamline our production timeline. We have an extensive list of assets requiring layout beyond the books, but with a "Team of Matteos" at our disposal, we are moving full steam ahead.
Production Partner
To streamline our final stages, we have begun collaborating with a premier board game manufacturer for all editions of Bitter Chalice (you've probably played or heard of some of the games they've been working on). We are currently in the estimation phase, which tends to take a while, particularly for a complex project involving many different elements. This partnership allows us to begin prototyping physical components that require iteration—such as maps, meeples, stickers, dice, and boxes—well in advance. Our goal is to finalize these elements now so we can focus exclusively on the books once translation and layout wrap up.
That’s all for this month! If you have any questions, feel free to join our Discord server, where you can chat with me and the rest of the team daily.
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• Instagram: See behind-the-scenes content and more.
April Update: Bitter? Have a Bitter Chalice Cocktail!
3 months ago
– Mon, Apr 06, 2026 at 08:13:29 AM
Hello, Dowsers!
Thirsty? You might recall the cocktail competition we hosted during the campaign. If so, read on for a bitter treat!
Have a Bitter Chalice
The final illustration for Bitter Chalice is complete! This piece features the cocktail submitted by Daniel Björkman during our campaign competition. Daniel’s winning entry will be featured in the Bitter Chalice Core Book wherever we have a page to fill.
While your bitterness might be increasing as you wait for the game’s completion, you can now sip Daniel’s concoction in a dark room from the most goth chalice you own. (If you do, please send us a picture!)
Here’s how to prepare it:
1 bottle of Porter (preferably a sweeter Baltic style, rather than a dry stout)
1 small spoon of honey
1 drop of Bäska Droppar (or any very bitter snaps, such as Gammel Dansk, Jeppson’s Malört, Piratens Besk, Fernet-Branca, or Riga Black Balsam)
1 dash of lemon juice
Fresh ginger, grated (to taste)
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients and mix gently.
Cheers!
Project Status
We’ve made pretty decent progress this month. Here is where things stand:
Core Book: All missing chapters are translated and in layout. Our next major milestone is the full Beta; I will have a specific timeline for that after this week.
Dirge of the Dust King: Two chapters are still awaiting translation. First is the Strategy Guide, which I expect to complete this week. Second is the Solo Mode chapter, which we are still tinkering with; this will likely be the last piece to be finalized. I spent Easter weekend on a Solo run and am happy to report that the mechanics work as intended, though the chapter needs some clarification. We are currently evaluating the difficulty of the Solo experience. At the moment, the Companions you start with or find along the way feel a bit too powerful because their simplified mechanics make them immune to certain dramatic events. We have a few ideas on how to balance this more effectively.
Escape from the Mud Fields: Likely to be completed within the week.
Art: 100% Complete!
My solo setup. Several of these printouts will be replaced by the game screen. However, companions and a modified campaign arc will be downloadable and printable for ease of use at the table.
Game journal and notes on areas for improvement. Hopefully my handwriting is illegible!
So far, we’ve received excellent feedback on the chapters we've shared. Please continue to let us know your impressions on our Discord server or in the comments below.
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• Instagram: See behind-the-scenes content and more.
March Update, New Preview and Project Status
4 months ago
– Sat, Mar 07, 2026 at 10:33:48 AM
Hello Dowsers,
Yep, we skipped the February update, but just because February is shorter and it caught us off guard. We are here now!
A New Core Book Preview
We have updated the Core Book preview to include the first seven chapters. In addition to various layout improvements throughout, this version introduces three brand-new chapters:
Chapter 5: Setting Mechanics
Chapter 6: GM Compendium
Chapter 7: Campaign [Warning: MAJOR Spoilers]
The much-anticipated Chapter 8—which contains all the specific events for the campaign—is now complete and awaiting translation. While I’m currently managing a few other bottlenecks, I expect to dive into the translation from early next week. Once that is finished, everything else in the Core Book will be ready for layout.
A note of caution: Chapter 7 details the primary events, secrets, and potential endings of the campaign. Reading it will reveal all major plot points. We recommend skipping this chapter unless you are a GM or are unconcerned with spoilers.
As always, this is a WIP version of the Core Book. You're welcome to point out typos and glitches on our Discord server.
Project Status
To be transparent: we are currently behind our original schedule.
I am personally on parental leave for a few weeks; however, ongoing demands from my primary job (I work in video games, and my team just launched this) and the (wonderful but all-consuming) needs of a new baby have limited my ability to find long stretches of focused time.
The rest of the team has also faced a series of significant personal hurdles recently—ranging from job transitions and career shifts to fighting ICE to protect family members, as well as the theft of essential work equipment. While none of these obstacles are insurmountable, they have collectively slowed our momentum.
Here is where we currently stand:
Core Book: We expect to have the full BETA layout wrapped up in April.
Other Books: Translation for Dirge of the Dust King is 50% complete, and Escape the Mud Fields will be ready for translation sometime this month.
Solo & GM-less Mode: Solo mode playtesting for Act 1 (of 3) is complete. We are currently implementing those insights to ensure the difficulty and flow are balanced. (And yes, the game fully supports GM-less play!)
Art: Fabio has completed all book illustrations, with the exception of five stained-glass windows destined for the third book.
Regarding production, we are re-evaluating our manufacturing partners. Recent experience with our primary lead has been frustrating. Finalizing simple accessory details for another project took nearly three months, followed by another three months for production. Considering the complexity of Bitter Chalice, I don’t find that timeline acceptable. As soon as the final page count is reasonably clear, I’ll begin requesting quotes from our existing list of alternative manufacturers.
While delays are never ideal, there is a silver lining: we will take the time needed to make a great game. No one benefits from a rushed, subpar release—neither us nor the players who are waiting for it. Also, as we finish fulfillment for our previous Valraven campaign and face some frustrating delays and additional expenses because of international tensions, the extra time may allow for more clarity regarding the current volatile tariff situation in the US, which could ultimately benefit our North American backers.
Bitter Chalice is our main focus this year.
Artist Spotlight: A Timelapse by Harry Conway
Following the great response to our stained-glass process feature, I wanted to showcase the work of our other artist, Harry Conway.
Below, you can see how he brought the Necrocer—a formidable adversary from the Blighted Lands—to life. Click [HERE] or view the video below for an informative timelapse of his creative process.
In these complicated times, I think it’s important to stress how much work goes into the games we create, and the games most of our fellow creators make.
As an example, I want you to take a peek at one of the stained-glass windows created by Fabio Porfidia. This piece will embellish the Core Book and is part of a series unlocked during the campaign (we’ll be doing 15 in total).
These windows are designed to retell central lore from the world of Bitter Chalice, revealing what happened to our protagonists and why they are the way they are. The main inspiration here is traditional; we’ve looked to the Via Crucis from the Catholic tradition, among other sources. We’re not overly religious—actually, I suspect we’re all going to hell—but the Passion is a well-documented event in religious art, and it served as a strong guideline here.
First, we decided on the frame design: we will have three series of five stained-glass windows each. For each series, the frame and background color will feature distinctive elements to reflect the three different protagonists. Then, we moved on to the subject matter.
In this specific case, this is Station 2 of 5. We started with a detailed brief composed by Giacomo (blurred here to avoid spoilers), after which Fabio drew a quick initial draft for discussion. From there, he created the line art composition and, finally, added color. For this particular piece, we tested a few color combinations (not shown here) but landed on this one, as it clearly communicates the urgency of the situation.
Ultimately, I wanted to highlight that a massive amount of work goes into these details, with at least four people involved in the creation of a single image. We hope you love the final result and the human-centric approach we’re adopting with Bitter Chalice.
Project Status
The Core Book translation is complete, with the exception of Chapter 8. We are keeping that chapter open to ensure the work we’re doing on the Solo Mode doesn’t conflict with specific game events.
This week, I’ll start the translation of the second book, Dirge of the Dust King. Since this book is focused mostly on lore rather than rules, terminology, and numbers, it should require a bit less cross-checking.
Enrico is working on Book 3, Escape the Mud Fields. It is fully written but needs to be "tutorialized" further.
Giacomo has completed all other tasks and is now focused on the Solo Mode. He’s being a bit mysterious about it, but we should see something this week. However, this is the most challenging part of the project, and we want to make absolutely sure we get it right, so I’m not 100% sure when we will be finished with it.
Layout hasn't progressed much since the preview we sent because our layout artist, Matteo, changed his day job during December. That required a little adjustment period, but as of this week, he is back on it.
Fabio has completed all standard images on his list and is now working on the stained-glass windows, with fewer than 10 left to create. After that, we believe we have all the illustrations we need, though we’ll double-check once more material is in layout.
Unboxing another game
Some of you added Valraven: The Chronicles of Blood and Iron to your pledge. I’m happy to report that the game is done! Below, you can see an unboxing of all the material we produced. Orders are technically locked, but if you want to grab a copy, get in touch and I’ll help you add it to your pledge.
