Smoke Tests going out & Pre-Orders open!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, May 22, 2025 at 11:22:40 AM
Hello Dowsers,
Just a quick update today.
As mentioned in the previous update, we’re now ready to launch the Smoke Test for the Pledge Manager. Here’s what that means:
-
Only 5% of backers will receive an email with a link to the Pledge Manager. The selection is handled automatically, and usually includes a good mix of pledge levels, locations, and other variables.
-
We’ll monitor how this group navigates the survey to identify any issues or unclear steps.
- Once we’re confident everything is working as it should, the remaining 95% of backers will receive their surveys. I’ll post another update when we’re ready to go live for everyone.
If you don’t receive an email, that just means you’re not part of the test group—nothing to worry about.
For those who do receive the link:
The process should be straightforward, but here are a few tips for things that might not be immediately obvious:
-
You can switch pledge levels from the very first screen after clicking the link. It’s a little tucked away, so I’ve included a screenshot below to help.
-
Shipping costs will not be shown or charged at this stage. As mentioned during the campaign, we’ll finalize shipping fees later, closer to fulfillment. You can use the price ranges in the campaign as a fairly precise indication (as of today).
- If you add any extras to your order now, your card won’t be charged until we lock the surveys—currently planned for early July.
That should be everything you need to complete the survey smoothly. If anything unexpected comes up, feel free to reach out and we’ll take a look.
Late Pledge preorders
Last but not least, the Late Pledge Pre-Order page is now live—you can find it HERE. If you know someone who missed the campaign but would love a copy of Bitter Chalice, feel free to share the link with them!
And don’t worry: as a campaign backer, you’re still getting the best deal.
That’s all for today, thanks again for your support!
– Tommaso
Reminders:
You can reach out directly to me at [email protected]. Please read the FAQ before doing so.
You can also find 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.
Next step: the Pledge Manager
over 1 year ago
– Thu, May 15, 2025 at 04:48:28 AM
Hello Dowsers,
After a couple of weeks to catch our breath post-campaign, we’re back at work, and first on the list is configuring the Pledge Manager. This will be the place where you confirm your order, select Add-Ons, and enter your shipping details. Most of you are probably familiar with the process, but don’t worry—we’ll provide clear, step-by-step instructions when it goes live.
Setting it up properly takes time. Think of it like building a global e-commerce platform from scratch—it’s about that level of complexity. With 57 Add-Ons available (yes, we counted), we want to be absolutely sure everything functions as intended before inviting you in.
Once we’re confident the setup is solid, we’ll launch a Smoke Test: this sends the Pledge Manager to about 5% of backers to make sure the system works smoothly and nothing’s been overlooked. I’ll share more details when we’re ready to go.
As foretold by prophecy (and Kickstarter’s historic averages), about 5% of pledges failed due to card issues. If that happened to you, don’t worry—you’ll have a second chance to fix it once the Pledge Manager opens.
On the content side, I’ve also started locking in internal deadlines for wrapping up the books. Work continues in parallel on all three volumes to ensure everything stays consistent across them, and we’re aiming to begin translations in early September.
That’s it for now. I’ll be in touch in a few days with more news about the Smoke Test.
– Tommaso
Reminders:
You can reach out directly to me at [email protected]. Please read the FAQ before doing so.
You can also find 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.
The Gates are Closed!
over 1 year ago
– Tue, Apr 29, 2025 at 10:03:01 AM
Hello Dowsers,
The campaign has ended—but our journey into the Blighted Lands has only just begun!
First, a huge thank you to all our backers for making this game possible. We’ll do everything we can to live up to your expectations.
We launched Bitter Chalice at a tricky moment for the tabletop industry, and honestly, we weren’t sure how things would go. Thanks to you, it went better than we could have hoped. Here’s my promise: while some challenges still lie ahead, we’ve already proven our resilience—we made it through COVID, when everything broke at once. If we can survive that, we can navigate whatever comes next. Besides, we wouldn’t be the team behind Bitter Chalice if we weren’t ready to stare adversity in the face.
Second, we have unlocked the final Stretch Goal, and we’ll be able to add more art to Dirge of the Dust King, and possibly in some of the other books as well.
Third, unaware that my rants would be used unfiltered, yours truly was featured in a Rascal article about Bitter Chalice.
And finally…enough serious talk—it’s time for a little celebration!
Come join us on our Discord server. It’s a small but welcoming community of players and creators, and we’re always happy to welcome new blood (insert high-pitched “hehehehehe” here).
But before you go…
Projects We Love
…we’d like to pay it forward and mention one more project from a team of creators that deserve some attention: Gates of Krystalia – Last Deux from Top Notch International.
Gates of Krystalia is a tabletop role-playing game that fuses the wonder of anime with a unique, strategic card-based system. Its new campaign, Gates of Krystalia: Last Deux, is now live on Kickstarter!
Step into a vibrant fantasy world where you play as a hero summoned from Earth, tasked with exploring mysterious dungeons, battling fantastical creatures, and uncovering the secrets of a magical realm teetering on the edge of collapse.
The game is available in six languages: 🇺🇸 English | 🇮🇹 Italian | 🇩🇪 German | 🇫🇷 French | 🇪🇸 Spanish | 🇧🇷 Brazilian Portuguese.
Take a look!
– Tommaso
PS: if you haven’t done it yet, read here what happens after the end of the campaign.
Group Meeple unlocked, Path of the Distiller Epilogue
over 1 year ago
– Mon, Apr 28, 2025 at 08:39:02 AM
Hello Dowsers,
Just over 24 hours to go. We've unlocked the Group Meeple, but there's still something we can unlock before the end.
We also wrote a small epilogue to the Path of the Distiller storyline. If you missed the previous episodes, you can read them here: FIRST, SECOND and THIRD.
Stretch Goals
60 000€ UNLOCKED - Group Meeple in the Upgrade Pack
A big 30 x 15 x 8mm meeple to represent the group of Dowsers in the map will be added to all Upgrade Packs at no extra charge.
If we hit this Stretch Goal, we’ll be able to commission additional artwork for Dirge of the Dust King, illustrating key parts of the world’s deep lore through a stunning series of “stained glass windows.” While a few pieces are already planned, unlocking this goal will allow us to triple the number of illustrations, adding even more beauty and depth to the book.
Path of the Distiller - Epilogue
Orios leafed through the pages of the Ramul Manuscript—one more time among countless others. The parchment, wrinkled with age, crackled under his ink-stained fingers. Orios paused, gazing at his hands: old, spent embers.
Years had passed—decades, certainly—since he first received that tome, and yet most of its secrets remained stubbornly hidden.
There was a time when he and Diacro had believed they could bring the Sovereign back to reason, that they could stop Coira, that they might halt the spread of the Dust. But, as Gravan had once said, this world had already reached its end.
Diacro had lost himself within those pages… perhaps he had understood something Orios still could not grasp, or perhaps he had simply grown too weary to fight. He raved about how the Holy Water was not salvation but the root of all evil—the very thing they had so desperately sought to harness.
Diacro grew more distant with each passing day, until at last, he disappeared entirely. In his place rose the Walls of the Seal: high, solid, and dark—a looming companion that every soul in the lands of Vathan would soon have to accept.
Orios turned another page, his eyes roaming across the twisted Ramul symbols—an alien script, difficult to decipher, inviting too many interpretations. His study was littered with notes, filled with the endless combinations of what each phrase—each word—might mean.
Infinite permutations, each one pushing his mind closer to its breaking point.
Diacro could no longer help him.
Ghildan had never returned from his expedition to the mountains.
Coira, after witnessing firsthand the curse she had unleashed upon Vathan and its beloved Sovereign, had vanished forever.
Even Gravan, with her mocking smile, was now just a distant memory.
Orios was alone.
Alone with the withered pages, the ruin of all things, and the faint flicker of hope that still clung to his heart.
– Tommaso
Reminders
- What happens after the end of the campaign? Read THIS UPDATE.
- There is still time to submit your entry for a Bitter Chalice Cocktail to be immortalized in the Core Book. Read the rules HERE.
You can find 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.
IMPORTANT: what happens after the end of the campaign
over 1 year ago
– Sun, Apr 27, 2025 at 10:16:24 AM
Hello Dowsers,
The campaign has entered its final 48 hours—please read this carefully!
Before the campaign ends:
-
Check your pledge: Make sure you’re pledged for what you want. To add anything, click “Manage your pledge.” If you selected the Broken Ones (Book Only) Add-On, you can now upgrade to the full bundle for a small extra cost.
-
Check your payment method: If you’re using a prepaid card, ensure it has enough funds. About 5% of payments fail at the end of a campaign—don’t let that happen to you! Failed payments will delay things and impact Stretch Goals, so please double-check now.
-
Some banks/cards may require an extra confirmation. Kickstarter will email you if that’s needed. (This is especially common with German banks.)
Coming Soon: Pledge Manager
- The campaign ends Tuesday, April 29 at 7:00 PM CET. After that, no changes can be made. Check the FAQ to avoid surpises.
- Kickstarter transfers funds to us within a couple of weeks.
- We’ll spend May setting up the Pledge Manager on BackerKit.
-
In late May or early June, you’ll get a survey confirming your pledge and giving you a chance to add extras.
-
Shipping costs will be finalized later to secure the best rates.
-
No extra charges when completing the survey—payment will only be requested closer to shipping time.
- After that, all you need to do is sit back, relax, and wait for updates!
The Work Ahead:
- I’ll be taking a short break after the campaign wraps.
- Expect regular development updates, roughly once a month.
Let’s unlock everything we can in these last two days and have fun!
– Tommaso
Reminders
- There is still time to submit your entry for a Bitter Chalice Cocktail to be immortalized in the Core Book. Read the rules HERE.
- You can still vote in the third and last episode of the Path of the Distiller, HERE.
You can find 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.
