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:
March Update, New Preview and Project Status
17 days 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.
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Four Preview Chapters
3 months ago
– Wed, Dec 17, 2025 at 09:00:48 AM
Hello Dowsers,
I know, I know—we skipped the November update. That was simply because we were heads-down working on the game, and I don’t always have exciting news to broadcast. Trust the process! Remember, if you have questions in the meantime, you can find me every day on our Discord server.
That said, today I do have news to share!
Four preview Chapters
As a holiday gift, we are sharing the first four chapters of the Core Book, fully laid out. These chapters cover the Introduction, Character Creation, Tests/Mechanics, and Combat. While they don’t touch upon the deeper setting mechanics, lore, campaign details, or specific Challenges (as those are covered in the remaining six chapters), they will give you a solid understanding of how the game plays at its core.
If you completed your survey you’ll get an email from Backerkit with a download link.
Please note: These chapters are previews, fresh from layout. We will conduct a full review of the Core Book once it is 100% in layout to ensure a final round of polish. You may encounter residual typos or slight inconsistencies in terminology or formatting. This is normal at this stage; it makes the most sense for us to perform the comprehensive review when the entire book is complete.
If you spot something that feels unclear, feel free to mention it on our Discord, and we will make a note for future improvements. However, please remember this is not yet the formal Beta review phase.
In other news
I am currently working on Chapter 9: Challenges, which effectively houses all the profiles for enemies and threats. It is a massive chapter requiring us to crosscheck a million different terms, so it is taking some time.
I have temporarily bypassed Chapter 8: Areas & Locations. As the other two books in the line are currently being written, I want to ensure consistency across the entire collection before finalizing that section. I will circle back to it shortly.
I also have one piece of good news (excellent for you, slightly heavier lifting for us): the Core Book is shaping up to be about 33% larger than anticipated. This is also due to the layout style—we opted for a look that is airy and readable rather than cramped and busy. This means you are likely receiving 300+ pages of content rather than the originally planned 200+.
I plan to keep working on the manuscript over the holidays, and I will be back with another update around mid-January.
Let us know how you enjoy the first four chapters!
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October update & New Game LIVE
5 months ago
– Tue, Oct 21, 2025 at 11:03:44 AM
The Shacks
Hello Dowsers, I waited a little before sharing this update so we could gather a few pieces of news together.
Project Status
I’m deep into the translation of the Core Book, with the first 6 chapters (out of 10) already completed and the seventh underway. The rules chapters are essentially done—what’s left now is work on the campaign itself, including Threats, Areas, and Locations, which (I won’t lie) are long chapters.
English editing is also complete for the first 6 chapters, and 3 of them are already in layout. I believe we’ll have something to show before Christmas.
Meanwhile, Giacomo and Enrico are also working on Dirge of the Dust King: 4 out of 7 chapters are done, but the Strategic Guide, the chapter on customizing the game and the Solo Mode still require substantial work.
Other Digital Rewards Available
A few of you added the Valraven Tarot Deck to your pledge—you should be receiving the digital version now. It includes all the print-and-play cards and instructions on how to use the Tarots.
The printed version of the Tarot Deck is currently in production, and everything is progressing smoothly.
If you included it in your pledge, you’ll receive a notification from Backerkit when the file is ready to download.
It’s Tarantino meets Sin City, soaked in ’80s grit and neon. Built on the same system behind Broken Tales, Dead Air: Seasons, and Valraven: The Chronicles of Blood and Iron, Dirt City Blues puts you in the boots of the Badasses—ex-heroes who thought their glory days were over… until the city came calling for one last job.
We’ve got slipcases, bullet-shaped dice, and a stack of gritty extras waiting for you. If you like what we do, come take a look and support the project!
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• Instagram: See behind-the-scenes content and more.
September update and Valraven digital files available!
7 months ago
– Thu, Sep 04, 2025 at 10:23:14 AM
Are those... black marks in his hand?
Hello Dowsers, Time flies, and we’ve got good news to share.
Project Status
We’re on track to begin translations this month. Though the first release is in English, both our authors work primarily in Italian, so translation is a necessary step. I’ve just received the Core Book material and expect to start next week.
To support this, Enrico is building a detailed glossary of about 700 entries covering all game and lore terms. This isn’t something you need to memorize, it’s an internal tool to keep translations sharp and consistent. I’ll report back on progress in the next update.
Valraven PDFs Available Now!
If you added items from Valraven: The Chronicles of Blood and Iron to your pledge, today’s the day: the Core Book, the Book of the Eclipse, and the Playbooks are now live. You'll get an email with download links from Backerkit. The Tarot Deck is still in progress and will follow soon.
A New Game on the Horizon
Last week we also unveiled the Quickstart for a brand-new game we’ve been working on: Dirt City Blues. Built on the same system that powers Broken Tales, Valraven and Dead Air: Seasons, it offers a very different tone and atmosphere from Bitter Chalice—hardboiled, noir, and with a sharp focus on a specific flavor of play. It's Sin City meets Tarantino.
Dirt City Blues is a roleplaying game about people of action—hard-edged protagonists with haunted pasts, short fuses, and nothing left to prove except to themselves.
Set in a city stuck between the late ’80s and early ’90s, the game plays out in a world of neon grime, bad TV, flickering motel signs, VHS static, and cigarette burns. Think busted payphones, cheap cologne, ridiculous haircuts, leather jackets, and way too many enemies.
You can follow and interact with us on multiple platforms:
• Discord: Join our community and chat directly with us. • Facebook: Follow The World Anvil Publishing page. • Bluesky: Stay updated with our latest posts. • Telegram: Get quick updates straight to your device. • Instagram: See behind-the-scenes content and more.
