Exciting Progress & Exclusive Previews: NPC Cards and Microsettings Artwork!
about 1 year ago – Tue, Jul 18, 2023 at 03:33:34 PM

We're back with an exciting update on our ongoing work for "Anansi's Tapestry of Lives." Your early access to the 318-page PDF was only the beginning - there's so much more magic to share!

Unveiling the NPC Cards

First up, we're excited to share a video showcasing the ongoing layout for our two decks of NPC cards! As you know, these tarot-sized cards feature gorgeous character art on the front and essential details on the back, including name, occupation, personality, goal, and quirk. We've even added a handy footer indicating the corresponding page number in the "Anansi's Tapestry of Lives" book, along with any associated inventories, stat blocks, story tables, and more.

Deck 1 has the City, Town, and Village NPCs. Deck 2 has the Farmlands, Coast, and Wilds NPCs. 

A lot of extra work is going into these, in part because we can only fit about 1,000 characters onto the back. That means we're editing down many (most?) of the NPC Personality, Driving Goal, and Quirk sections. Don't worry. We've made lots of progress!

A Glimpse into Anansi's Journal of Common Places

Next, we'd like to share a sneak peek of just a little of the new artwork for "Anansi's Journal of Common Places." We've been working tirelessly to bring the 70 unique locations to life, and now you can catch a glimpse of 12 of them in our new video! Each location features an evocative description (perfect for reading aloud to your players), additional immersive details, and a range of "noticeable," "hidden," and "secret" searchable secrets ready for your players to discover. 

We didn't promise art for each location, but as we working on editing written content, our illustrators are using the time to create as many art pieces as they can. We already have art for 51 of the 70 locations!

As we continue to work towards delivering all the TTRPG/D&D 5E tools Anansi has to offer, we're thrilled to share the work that goes on behind the scenes and the progress we're making every day. Your support fuels our dedication and creativity, and we can't wait to show you what's next.

Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, happy gaming!

Best,

Jamie Van Doren 

And the Anansi's Team

Your Early Access to "Anansi's Tapestry of Lives" is Here!
about 1 year ago – Tue, Jul 11, 2023 at 03:56:01 PM

Exciting news! The early release version of "Anansi's Tapestry of Lives" is now available, and an exclusive download link has been dispatched to your email from DriveThruRPG! That's assuming you completed the Backerkit Survey, and were supposed to get the PDF for the main book. This version comprises the detailed layout of 318 pages, showcasing 106 of the 110 promised NPCs, along with a plethora of other captivating content.

If you haven't seen the email in your inbox yet, don't worry! These things can sometimes find their way into the spam folder, so be sure to check there.

The early release is your first taste of the rich tapestry we've been diligently weaving for you. While we continue to add the finishing touches and finalize the remaining content, we wanted you to have the opportunity to be able to enjoy the bulk of the content right now.

Remember, this is just the start. We've got a lot more content on the way, as we work towards finalizing the complete 350-page version of "Anansi's Tapestry of Lives." Your patience, enthusiasm, and support have played a massive role in bringing this project to life, and we can't wait to deliver the full experience to you.

We're thrilled to hear your thoughts on the early release, so please don't hesitate to share your feedback and experiences with us. It's an honor to have you all on this incredible journey.

Until the next update, happy adventuring!

Best, 

Jamie Van Doren

And the Anansi's Team

Email from DriveThruRPG Coming Soon
about 1 year ago – Sat, Jul 08, 2023 at 04:26:22 PM

Quick update! We're just waiting on approval from DriveThruRPG to send the links so you can download your copy of the 320 page PDF. Remember, there's still more content coming!

As soon as we get the all clear, the emails will go out to backers with the download link to the current PDF for Anansi's Tapestry of Lives. Stay tuned!

- Jamie

An Abundance of Adventure: Update on Anansi's Tapestry of Lives
about 1 year ago – Thu, Jul 06, 2023 at 02:11:46 PM

Greetings, extraordinary backer!

We hope you're as excited as we are for this update, because we've been laboring relentlessly to deliver the magic of Anansi's Tapestry of Lives. As you're aware, creating an immersive, beautifully crafted products (2 books, NPC cards, an app, dice) is a labor of love, requiring constant refinement. And we're delighted to share our progress.

Page by Page, NPC by NPC

We are thrilled to announce that we've successfully laid out 318 pages of Anansi's Tapestry of Lives. That includes the personalities, bios, goals, quirks, and extras for each and every one of the 106 of the 110 promised NPCs. As we type this, we are doing some last minute polishing so we can send an updated version of Anansi's Tapestry of Lives to you. So mark your calendars, this Saturday, you will have a chance to witness what we've been pouring our hearts and souls into.

The Magic of Side Quests

We have at least a rough draft for all of the promised 20 side quests. Most of these are...significantly more robust than we anticipated. But, hey, that makes your life easier and more fun. As our creative team puts finishing touches on these fantastic quests, we couldn't be more excited about the adventures you're about to embark on!

An Unexpected Bonus: TOO MUCH CONTENT!

We've stumbled upon an interesting issue - we have too much content. That's right, we've outdone ourselves! As we're taking everything through editing, we're realizing with our current layout, it would take the book about 382 pages. Consequently, we're making some slight layout adjustments and going through another round of edits, focusing more on tightening up some of the content and language. However, this is wonderful news for you - you're getting a LOT, a gargantuan amount of content.

To clarify, thefinal version ofAnansi’s Tapestry of Lives will be LESS than382 pages. 382 is the estimate with our current layout and word counts. We’re working to reduce the page count, however, this is still a ridiculously wild amount of content.

Beautiful Lands, Exquisite Locales

We haven’t forgotten about Anansi’s Journal of Common Places! I hope you haven’t either. Of the 70 detailed locations, we have 62 of them finalized or in editing. This is such an amazing book, and with the ability to add depth to even the most mundane location, you’re going to wonder how you lived without it.

Hold onto Your Hats

Stay tuned for our next message on Saturday. We'll be sharing how you can access the current 318-page PDF of Anansi’s Tapestry of Lives (assuming you pledged for at least the PDF, and you completed your pledge on Backerkit). You'll be able to delve into the rich tapestry we've been weaving and get a taste of what's to come.

Your patience, enthusiasm, and unwavering support have made this journey worthwhile. The end result will be something we can all be proud of, a book bursting with inspiring characters, epic side quests, and countless hours of fun and adventure.

Thank you, as always, for being a part of this incredible journey.

Stay tuned, and happy gaming!

All The Best,

Jamie Van Doren

And The Anansi's Team

Locking Orders, Charging Cards & Tales Unfolding
about 1 year ago – Mon, Jun 26, 2023 at 11:28:00 AM

Hello, dear backers!

Once again, we're immensely grateful for your continued support and patience as we continue to weave the intricate threads of "Anansi's Tapestry of Lives". Your faith in us fuels our resolve to create a compelling compendium, bursting with TTRPG content for your adventures.

Order Lockdown & Card Charging

Take Action Now! Mark your calendars for Thursday, June 29. On this date, we will be locking orders and charging cards for add-ons. I know we had said Saturday, June 24 - but I really wanted to give people a little more time. If there's anything you wish to add or if you're considering upgrading your pledge, now is the time! Although orders will be locked, you can still unlock them upon request until three weeks prior to shipping. Don't worry, we'll give you a heads up about this too!

Still Need Surveys

A friendly reminder to our 90 backers who have yet to complete their surveys: we need your input! Please fill out your surveys as soon as possible to confirm your rewards.

Writing Progress

Adventures Await! We've hit some more milestones in our writing! Five more Non-Player Characters (NPCs) have been lovingly crafted, bringing our count up to 103 of 110. We've also completed three fresh, exciting adventures for you - a haunting journey on a ship where someone or something is stealing dreams, a high-stakes chase along the coast to retrieve a precious item, and a diplomatic mission to stave off an impending orc invasion. These detailed side quests not only tie into specific NPCs, they have different approaches and tones, allowing for very different play experiences.

Weaving a Grand Tapestry

The creation of our beautiful art continues to move forward steadily, each stroke of the digital brush bringing the tapestry closer to completion. While it's been a journey filled with challenges, it's a journey we wouldn't trade for anything. Our imagination is transforming into imagery one piece of art at a time, and we can't wait to share it all with you.

In the Midst of Creation: A Work in Progress

Despite being a behind our original timeline, we are diligently working on making "Anansi's Tapestry of Lives" the best it can be. Quality, as we've all heard, takes time and we're dedicated to creating the finest collection of NPCs, intriguing side quests, and delightful magic items. We’re still committing to getting everyone an updated 300 pages of fantastic content the first week of July, so you can start spinning your own tales with this amazing cast of characters. As a reminder, we'll also have an update on expected shipping by that time.

Thank you for your continued understanding, enthusiasm, and most of all, your faith in us.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

Jamie Van Doren

And the Anansi's Team.