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Scion: God

Created by Onyx Path - Scion: God Crowdfunding Campaign

Founded in 2012, Onyx Path Publishing is a Pennsylvania-based company dedicated to the development of exemplary, immersive worlds. Working with a group of amazingly talented creators, we explore print, electronic and other forms of media distribution to make our products available to our fans. With over 20 years of publishing experience from which to draw, we are industry professionals who love the art of the game and plan to continue making meaningful, innovative contributions in the years to come.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Final Week Review - Reward Tiers & Add Ons
over 1 year ago – Sun, Nov 13, 2022 at 07:08:29 AM

Salutations, Scions!

We're in the final days countdown for this Kickstarter campaign! Scion: God is finished crowdfunding on BackerKit on Thursday November 17th at 2:00 PM EST - there's still time to find additional heroes and demigods and invite them into our growing pantheon, 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

  • November 11 - For Emanuel fiction from Scion: God
  • November 12 - Sneak Peek: Overworlds
  • November 13 - Reward Tiers + Add On options (That's today!)
  • November 14 - Sneak Peek: Antagonists
  • November 15 - Draft Manuscript #5 for Backers
  • November 16 - Stretch Goal Review
  • November 17 - Final Day Checklist & Next Steps

Whether you've just discovered your divine spark or you're working your way through apotheosis, 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 post. It sets up our final week updates and notes some important points to remember before you pledge. But even more importantly, check out last week's Draft Manuscript Preview post, which contains the manuscript links for backers to download and review before any pledges are collected or payments processed.)



 

BACKER REWARD TIERS

Like it says right at the top of the campaign story page, we've come together to help create a fully developed PDF and hardcover version for the epic culmination of the tabletop roleplaying game, Scion Second Edition. For many, this will be the epic conclusion (or, at least an epic step) in their Scion's story, which began back in Scion: Origins and Scion: Hero and continued through Scion: Demigod. Or perhaps you came from a slightly different angle, dealing with the unknowable or unthinkable in Scion: Masks of the Mythos, or even fought for your own secret history in Scion: Dragon. Regardless of how you may have arrived at this point, Scion: God presents the ultimate expression of a Scion's story, and we're happy to have you with us. 

PLEDGING YOUR SUPPORT

To borrow an analogy that I've used in past 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.

Physical Incarnation or Divinely Digital

The main reward offered in this campaign is, of course, the main goal of the entire proposition: the finished book for Scion: God. 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 do you want your book to fully incarnate as a hardcover version (which includes the PDF as a bonus!).

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



  • Aspirant: 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.
  • Relic: 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 story page) so be forewarned, but we’ll cross that enormous bridge when we get to it.
  •  Scion: God is Book 4 in the Scion Second Edition cycle. To better understand what God is, we need to be good folklorists and consider the steps that led us to this point.
  • Scion: Origin introduced players to The World and the basic mechanics of Scion, Second Edition. Origin gave the tools needed to play divinely-inspired characters skirting the edges of the supernatural elements and discovering the abilities and knowledge that separated them from ordinary mortals. Pre-Visitation Scions understand a fraction of The World.
  • Scion: Hero expanded options, casting open the doors to the divine. At the Heroic tier, Scions gain a fraction of the power of the Gods, giving them the opportunity to take their adventures further. This creates new choices for players, allowing their Scions to shape The World: protecting their neighborhood from Titanspawn, investigating dangers, and helping prevent catastrophes.
  • In Scion: Demigod, Scions stride further from humanity, becoming too powerful to be mistaken for mortals any longer. While most Scions of this tier continue working to better The World, the quest for power becomes its own irresistible journey. Apotheosis — the process of becoming a God — defines Demigod Scions as much as anything else. Demigods no longer wrestle with the question of whether or not to become a God, but rather what kind of God they wish to become, forging their own Legend.



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

  • Petitioner: 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 Scion: God that we post throughout this campaign.
  • Name an NPC, Art Model: 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 Pledge Tier descriptions for more details.

Need the first three Scion Second Edition core rulebooks as well? They form the basic system upon which your Scion: God character (and all Scion Second Edition 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 Scion books, you soon will by choosing either of these reward tiers.

  • Seeker: A digital entry into Scion, this pledge path contains PDF versions of Scion: Origin, Scion: Hero, and Scion: Demigod, as well as our primary reward for this project, Scion: God.
  • Legendary Relic Set: This pledge path will get you both the PDF and hardcover books for all four of the Scion Second Edition core books (Scion: Origin, Scion: Hero, Scion: Demigod, and our primary reward for this project, Scion: God.)

After the campaign is over we'll launch our BackerKit 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 additional time to investigate shipping options, should they choose, knowing they can confirm a physical reward at a later date. We will also use BackerKit's Pledge Manager to charge actual shipping costs for international orders when we're approaching order fulfillment. Funding collected by BackerKit after the crowdfunding 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 crowdfunding campaign!

OPTIONAL DISCOUNTED PoD VERSION – For this Scion: God 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.

SCION: GOD PDF VERSION - The digital version of Scion: God, fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Backers will receive 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.

SCION: GOD 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 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. Funds for additional optional extras can be added to your pledge in preparation for 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-On Funds

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.

You can increase the amount of your pledge by the amount of the add-ons you wish to add in the pledge confirmation screen if you want to account for the funds now, or you can wait to add them and be charged later in the pledge manager after the campaign is over.



Scion is a game about Gods and humanity, and everything in between. It's a game about mythic deeds and the reasons people talk about those mythic deeds.
  • Scion: Origin (Second Edition Book 1) introduced players to The World and the basic mechanics of Scion, Second Edition. Origin gave the tools needed to play divinely-inspired characters skirting the edges of the supernatural elements and discovering the abilities and knowledge that separated them from ordinary mortals. Pre-Visitation Scions understand a fraction of The World.
  • Scion: Hero (Second Edition Book 2) expanded options, casting open the doors to the divine. At the Heroic tier, Scions gain a fraction of the power of the Gods, giving them the opportunity to take their adventures further. This creates new choices for players, allowing their Scions to shape The World: protecting their neighborhood from Titanspawn, investigating dangers, and helping prevent catastrophes. 
  • In Scion: Demigod (Second Edition Book 3), Scions stride further from humanity, becoming too powerful to be mistaken for mortals any longer. While most Scions of this tier continue working to better The World, the quest for power becomes its own irresistible journey. Apotheosis — the process of becoming a God — defines Demigod Scions as much as anything else. Demigods no longer wrestle with the question of whether or not to become a God, but rather what kind of God they wish to become, forging their own Legend.
  • Scion: Dragon details the stories of Heirs, those chosen by Dragons to act within The World as their agents. It is the story of discovering history, subverting enemies, and espionage. Your Draconic patron seeks to embroil you in millennia old plots and ancient grudges as shadowy manipulators. All the while, you must learn their secrets, and either embrace the Dragon’s goals for you or make your own. Scion: Dragon is a standalone game in the World of Scion, and is meant for use with Scion: Origin.
  • Scion: Masks of the Mythos introduces powers older than humanity, Gods, and Titans, with an unknowable otherness that can shatter them all. Those that touch the Mythos are forever altered. The World explodes into full view for them, leaving some shattered, others power-mad, and still others knowing only secrecy protects humanity. Mythos Scions fair little better, empowered by these alien beings that alter their very essence, the ability to break Fate and leave the walls of reality weaker in their wake. These human embodiments of the Mythos are not good or evil; such easily definable morality is for lesser beings. What does one do when their power comes with a cost? Scion: Origin and Scion: Hero are required to use this book.

The Scion Second Edition Supplement Bundle comes with 12 PDF titles to enhance and expand your Scion game. A quick way to build your Scion library, this bundle includes the Storyguide Screen PDF, Titanomachy (new threats from the Titans' eternal cold war against the Gods), the Scion Player's Guide, Heroes of the World (Ready-Made Characters), Mysteries of the World (A companion with optional rules and new pantheons), Mythical Denizens (Ready-Made Antagonists), Car Competition (a new and unique avenue of competition for Scions), Tales of Heroes (a fiction anthology), So Now You're a Hero (advice to bring characters through Origin to Hero level), Making History Modern (advice on adapting elements of myth to the setting), Annie X (a new Ready-Made Character ), and Zeus We Just Wanna Talk (a lighthearted scenario providing an inciting event to bring Hero-level Scions together into a Band).

That's a lot of new and interesting Scion ideas and expansions all in one easy package.

And finally, the Scion: God Storyguide Reference Screen is a new Add On option that we unlocked via Funding Achievement earlier in the campaign. The reference screen is a three-panel shield with new charts and tables, and updated artwork to reflect the ongoing journey of the characters introduced on the Origin/Hero screen  


The system that powers Scion Second Edition also provides a foundation for some other Onyx Path game lines. You can take your knowledge and experience of the Storypath system from Scion to explore these new genres and games right away in these special beginner bundles.

The Trinity Continuum - The world is fraught with dangers, from the products of mad science and corporate greed to the perils of lost civilizations. Fortunately, as many of the Talented will tell you, danger is their middle name, and the Æon Society is here to help them put things to right. The only constant in the world is change, and that’s where you come in. With this beginner bundle, you can explore three eras within the Trinity Continuum, including a modern action/adventure setting (the Core Rules and In Media Res), a near-future superhero setting (Aberrant and You Are Not Alone), and a sci-fi setting of powerful psions (Aeon and the Æon Æxpansion). There are other eras and many more supplements for expanding Trinity Continuum setting, but this beginner bundle will provide you with a ton of gaming material to explore and find your footing.

They Came From - Cinema-inspired exploration of subgenres, the They Came From games can be used as a serious or tongue-in-cheek exploration of the many facets of horror. From the Atomic-fueled monster movies of the 1950s and 60s (They Came from Beneath the Sea! and Monsters from the Deep) to the dark gothic films of the 1970s and 80s (They Came from Beyond the Grave, Dracula's Tomb), these games take the tropes and themes of our favorite movies and make them part of the game itself. Other genres are explored in other They Came From games, and each of these is further expanded in different supplements, but this beginner bundle is perfect to get you started in the sometimes satirical and often hilarious send-ups in the They Came From line.



You can modify your pledges to add funds to cover Add Ons right up until the campaign ends on Thursday, September 17th at 2:00 PDF EST.

Once you've decided to Pledge to the campaign, or to Manage your Pledge if you've already backed, you either Confirm or Edit Your Pledge until Thursday, November 17th at 2:00 PM EST.

Pick a Pledge Tier, then Add On Funds


Ready to join in? If you're backing for the first time, you can click BACK IT and select your Pledge Tier and finalize funding amount in the next menu.

Using myself as an example, I've got the three previous Scion Second Edition books, and I know for sure that I want the hardcover version of Scion: God to continue my story and sit proudly on my gaming shelf. Once I click BACK IT, I see my pledge level options. If I want to know a bit more about each level, I can click Learn More, or if I know what I'm looking for, I can click Back It.



Clicking Learn More expands the Pledge Level info. Once I'm ready, I can click Pledge.


As mentioned, I've decided to back at the hardcover reward level, the Relic tier. I also want to pre-fund some Add ons, including the Storyguide Screen (+$25) and the Scion Second Edition Supplement Bundle (+$35). That brings my total to $115 USD.  


When everything is correct, I can click Confirm Your Pledge, and I'll get an e-mail confirmation sent to me.




If you're already a backer but want to update to maybe pick a new pledge tier or add extra funds to include some Add On options in the Pledge Manager, you can select Manage Your Pledge at the top of the campaign page, and then Edit Your Pledge from the review menu.

This allows me to review my current pledge, changing either the pledge level with a pull down menu or pledge amount as needed.

Once I've pledged or updated my pledge, I will confirm and receive an e-mail confirmation of my choices.


And with that, my pledge level and Add On funds are set for my pledge. At this time, I don't need to worry about setting my shipping information. Even though I'm an "international backer" (that's anyone outside the US), shipping information will be handled and international charges handled in our Pledge Manager 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 Scion: God 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 crowdfunding 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 Scion: God books are printed and ready to fulfill.



REWARD DELIVERY

About 2-3 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 Scion Second Edition Core Rulebooks, as well as the Scion Supplement PDF Bundle and the Storypath Beginner 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 Scion: God 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 4-5 weeks or so, just enough time for us to set up the reward infrastructure.)

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 Scion: God 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 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 add additional funds 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 can investigate PDF and digital options. If you select the hardcover tier, you will be able to add physical reward options. You cannot add on additional physical rewards if the Scion: God 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, so take into account your conversion as needed.

It Adds Up!

That should explain the process of Selecting your Reward Level and adding Add On funding 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. BackerKit will begin charging your payment method once the campaign ends, so ensure you've budgeted correctly. Choose what works best for you now and is affordable at this time, knowing that you can upgrade your pledge level or choose Add Ons in the Pledge Manager at a late date.




Conclusion

As we move through these final days of the campaign, please ensure you've chosen the correct Reward Level 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 figuring out the Add On funding, you can reach out to me or to the support team at BackerKit. I've found them to respond quickly and offer great support.

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 work on our final great deeds, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!

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

#ScionGod



Sneak Peek: Overworlds
over 1 year ago – Sat, Nov 12, 2022 at 08:26:02 AM

Hello Scions,

I've got a sneak peek from Chapter 6 for you today. We'll have the entire chapter on Overworlds available for backers to download and review on Tuesday, but I wanted to share a small taste to get us ready.

If you haven't backed yet and are just swinging by to check it out, you should know that backers will be able to download the complete draft manuscript before the campaign concludes and any pledges are processed or funds collected. Most of the manuscript is available for backers now, in weekly updates, and we'll have our final two chapters posted on Tuesday, so there's no risk in joining now to check it out.

But you've got to move fast! The campaign ends next Thursday at 2:00 PM EST. So join in, check out the manuscript, dream about exploring some epic Overworlds, and help us reach another Stretch Goal!



God Realms

God Realms are the Overworlds shaped and defined by the presence of a Pantheon’s Gods, even if they did not create them themselves. They may act as afterlives for devotees of the Pantheon as well, but their primary role is to be a home and sanctuary. In size, they appear to vary from cities to islands to worlds, and in fact they have no fixed dimensions at all: if a new God arises to join the Pantheon, there is never the risk that it will crowd any of the others, since all of the existing structures will shift to remain exactly as far apart as they were before the addition. Those that seem to have boundaries, like island realms, are surrounded by endless waters whose far shores no God has ever considered trying to reach.

While most Pantheons recognize that The World has changed over the centuries, the architecture in God Realms reflects whatever period its inhabitants are most comfortable in, the age when they believe they were at the height of their power. They may not shun modern amenities, especially if the population includes human souls unprepared for a Bronze Age afterlife, but they usually keep them hidden behind traditional facades. As well as everything else, God Realms are stories that the Gods tell themselves about who they are, and appearances are important.

Ásgarð

The Æsir realized long ago that they get along best when they have some distance between them. Fortunately, Ásgarð — a realm that they settled as much as shaped — is large enough for all of the Gods to have lands and homes of their own. As well as reducing the number of quarrels and giving Gods places to let their tempers cool when arguments run the risk of becoming feuds, their private houses also let them do two vital things: first, show off their wealth (even if it is meaningless in a realm without any real economy), and second, offer proper hospitality by throwing lavish feasts for their guests.

Valhalla, with its roof of golden shields supported by rafters made from enormous spears, is both an afterlife for half the dead who fall in battle and an occasional home to Odin in a part of Ásgarð called Gladsheim. The All-Father roams The World too often to have any permanent presence there, but if a visitor sees a pair of ravens perched atop the hall, they know he is somewhere within. The hall itself is enormous and never empty. When the warrior souls there, the Einherjar, are not eating and drinking at the end of a day of training for Ragnarok, many of them remain within to clean the floors and wash the dishes from the previous night’s festivities. There are no servants in Odin’s hall; everyone, whether king, hero, or lowly footsoldier, must do their part to maintain it. (For more on Valhalla, see Scion: Demigod and Realms of Magic & Mystery.)

The other half of the battle-dead go to Freyja’s hall, Séssrumnir, built in the shape of a half-sunken ship in the field called Fólkvangr. While the hall is as large as Valhalla and its tables appear to stretch on forever through its length, it does not have the same overwhelmingly martial aesthetic. Where Valhalla’s benches are covered with coats of mail, Séssrumnir’s have furs. Where one is lit by shining swords, the other is filled with the soft glow of jewels. Enormous cats roam freely throughout, leaping onto tables at meal times and dozing in beams of perpetually late-afternoon sunlight at others. The luxuriousness of the interior should not make visitors forget that its occupants are Einherjar as well and fully capable of a fight when the Lady of the hall calls upon them. (For more on Séssrumnir, see Scion: Demigod and Realms of Magic & Mystery.)

Thor and Sif live together with their children in Bilskirnir, part of the thunder God’s own land of Þru­ðheimr. Þru­ðheimr, unlike many of the other Æsir’s domains, resembles a vast working farm more than anything else, and visitors can always see some of the favored dead laboring there. When he is not away fighting jotunn or on a fishing trip, Thor himself often works alongside them, so that the entire region resembles a self-sustaining agricultural commune more than anything else. Bilskirnir itself is gigantic, as befits a God of Thor’s status, but more rustic in its décor than other halls: every table, every bench, and every tapestry has the small imperfections that are the sign of hand-crafted work and while food and drink are as abundant as they are elsewhere, they are the products of ordinary labor instead of magic.

The other Æsir have similar homes and halls, all according to their preferences. Baldr’s home, shining Breiðablik, is a place of peace and beauty where he hosts his mother when she does not have the patience for one of Odin’s latest schemes. Skadi and Njörðr keep separate homes — her in her dead father’s mountaintop hall, Þrymheimr, and him in Nóatún on the shores of Asgard’s encircling ocean — rarely visiting each other after their amicable divorce. All of these halls have a splendor of their own that matches the nature of their owners.

Axes Mundi
Bifröst, the rainbow bridge, is the chief way in and out of Asgard. It is flanked by impassable mountains, atop one of which is Heimdall’s hall and watchpost, Himinbjörg, from which he guards the entrance to the realm and decides who may and may not enter. It has no fixed location in The World, but is open to any Scion of the Æsir within sight of a rainbow.

A second way to reach the realm is one used only by Thor, whose habit of bringing stormclouds with him wherever he goes makes crossing a rainbow difficult. Instead of Bifröst, he wades through a series of rivers that run through Þru­ðheimr to enter The World, and can return by crossing any river there. If the other Gods know this route, they do not use it.




Kan

Kan’s origins lay in the hazy mists of time, but most K’uh simply acknowledge the God Realm’s existence and weave plots to conquer it. 

Four mighty deities, known as “Bacabs,” stretch their arms skyward from the corners of creation to hold Kan high above The World. Each of Kan’s 13 levels is governed by a potent God, collectively known as the “Oxlahuntiku.” The Oxlahuntiku stand aloof from K’uh politics, but intervene ferociously if their level is threatened. Itzamna’s throne rests within Kan’s highest level, where he routinely ascends skyward as a two-headed serpent to form the vault of the sky.

Kan boasts shaded gardens, pleasant lakes, bountiful orchards, and idealized replicas of K’uh environs from The World. The Yaxche, a massive ceiba tree with roots extending to Xibalba, grows upward from The World’s center, shading all of Kan under its branches. These branches form an intricate web affording the K’uh ease of travel between Kan, The World, and Xibalba.

A portion of Kan is reserved for the honored dead, including fallen warriors, women who die in childbirth, sacrificial victims, and those who commit suicide by hanging. Here, the dead feast lavishly and enjoy luxuries rivaling those of distant Tlālōcān. 

Most K’uh, except for the denizens of Xibalba, maintain holdings in Kan themed to their unique tastes. These include fantastical palaces, temples, and gardens that also incorporate unique elements like Buhuc-Chabtan’s fortress temples, or the warehouses and cacao farms of Ek Chuaj. The K’uh of Kan continually jockey for position, ascending or descending levels as their status waxes and wanes. They attempt to expand their holdings at every opportunity through carefully plotted schemes, lavish gifts, games on the ball court, or outright conflict. The K’uh also compete with their Teotl neighbors via cunning intrigues, espionage, and duels of honor designed to expand their territory without breaching the Treaty of Xol. 

Axes Mundi
Kan is easily traversed by full-blooded K’uh and their guests via an instinctual ability to navigate the K’uh’s metaphysical roads or the tortuous roots and branches of the Yaxche. Access for Scions and mortals is slightly more complex. A good death is the fastest (if least appealing) option for entering Kan, but enterprising travelers can simulate death by entering Xibalba through cenotes or ball courts like the ones located in Chichen Itza, then advance heavenward via the Yaxche.

Another option is the road network crisscrossing K’uh territory. Obscure rituals allow mortals to summon Xibalban owls to guide them to these otherwise invisible thoroughfares. The roads are color-coded by direction, and understanding these colors can lead prospective travelers straight to Kan. This journey is not without peril, however. Xibalba’s owls are lethal and apt to lead unwary travelers down the black road to Xibalba for Cizin’s amusement. The roads are also prone to speak and provide inaccurate directions that lead travelers astray. For additional confusion, the K’uh network intersects with its Teotl counterpart that uses a different system of color-coding, making it easy to get lost or worse.

Road Colors of the K’uh & Teotl

Direction           K’uh    Teotl
North                White  Black
East                   Red      Red
South                Yellow Blue
West                  Black   White
Center                    Green

Primordial Realms

The distinction between God and Primordial can be as blurred as that between God and Titan. A Primordial can, like Viracocha, hold an active role in a Pantheon while turning its leadership over to a younger generation of Gods, but most of them are more distant and have grander concerns. They may have created the universe and The World within it, and now exist solely to ensure its continued existence on a scale that no God can match. A few are The World itself, always present but unapproachable by the tiny creatures that crawl across their face. Many of them lack bodies in any comprehensible sense, manifesting as light, truth, or simply Being.

If a Primordial has a realm — and many are so far beyond the cosmos that they cannot be said to — then they may be able to focus their being enough to manifest within it in order to communicate with those who approach them. They do not do this for anything less than a God or a Titan of comparable power. The stars do not halt because an ant wants their attention. Should they take form within their own realm, it will often be in a size that matches their power, the kind whose height is measured in how many thousands of years it would take to measure. More often, though, they communicate indirectly through the realm itself, delivering cryptic messages that are to the Gods as their own omens are to the uncomprehending mortals who receive them. It is a humbling experience.

Most Primordial Realms lack an Axis Mundi: either the Primordial is present somewhere or they are not, and there is no way to cross the gap without them wishing it to happen.

Anu

There was a time when Anu, the heavens that contain all that is, took a more active hand in the rulership of the universe, but that time is long past now. All that remains is the memory that he once did, and having passed a measure of his authority on to the Anunna who succeeded him, he can no longer return to that earlier state for more than brief moments. He is always, and will always be, a figure of ages gone by.

Anu’s Primordial Realm is also a God Realm, the seat of power in which the Anunna meet in their councils and issue their decrees for The World. It takes the form of a walled city in which stands an orderly collection of temples, palaces, canals, libraries, treasuries, and storehouses that rise up from a level landscape of uniformly red stone. The waterways surrounding these structures are all lined with lush vegetation, giving the entire complex the air of an oasis amid a vast wasteland. While the Anunna are not incapable of bringing more life to the realm, they see little point to it: they conduct all of their business within the walls or in The World.

In the throneroom of the largest and most central palace stand the thrones of the God-kings of the Anunna, Enlil, Marduk, and Anu. Most of the time, Anu’s throne is empty, but he is still present: he is the authority that gives the other Gods their power, and while they rarely speak of it, they know that he can bestow or remove it as he chooses. Should he decide to make an appearance, an outsider in the throneroom will immediately notice the change in atmosphere as the usually-commanding Anunna fall into respectful silence to listen to what he has to say. Such visits are always as brief as his words are direct, after which the Gods move immediately to act on his dictates.

The nature of Anu is such that visitors who are not already connected to the Anunna will quickly feel themselves obeying their instructions without question as soon as they arrive. Other Gods know this from past experience, so they pay visits to Anu’s realm only when they can send members of their Pantheons whose status will ensure that they are treated as honored dignitaries, not servants.

Axes Mundi
While there is no Axis Mundi that connects Anu directly to The World, it is possible to descend from it to the lower realm of the Annunaki, the lesser Gods who serve the Annuna as they serve Anu, and from there, to descend once more through the dome of the sky to reach the realm of humanity. The reverse is also possible, if one can find the proper entry point. At the right times of the year, after performing rites to show submission to and respect for the Anunna, a Scion of the Pantheon who stands on top of the White Temple in Uruk, Iraq, may be rewarded by having the stairs to the heavens revealed.


The Body of Nut

For some Pantheons, the idea that a Primordial Realm is the body of a God is mostly metaphorical, a way of expressing that the God is present in every part of it. For the Netjer, it is quite literal. Nut, the night sky, stretches high above The World in both a physical form — a woman who arches from horizon to horizon, supported by her father Shu — and an expanse of starry darkness through which Ra passes every night in his solar barque. The Duat Underworld lies within her body, while a group of celestial Gods, the Decans, guard her from the outside against attacks by Titans.

Unless traveling with Ra on his nightly journey, joining in the battle against Apep to ensure that the Sun rises again the next morning, there is little reason for most Gods to try to reach Nut. She is not very communicative herself unless a visitor comes with news of her husband, Geb, or any of her children among the Netjer. Even if one does manage to draw her into conversation, there is very little she can do; her father makes certain that she does not descend to The World, knowing that the last time she did, her lovemaking with Geb left no room between Earth and the stars for anything else to exist. The twelve Decans are more likely to be of assistance, but even they are better dealt with as sources of information. Collectively, they are aware of all disturbances in the heavens, each of them having knowledge of one-twelfth of the night sky, and they will share what they know with Scions of the Netjer if entreated with the proper rites. Some Sorcerers know how to call on them as well for the same purpose, and the Decans are only too willing to respond.

Fortunately for Scions who do not wish to make a journey into the sky, those who are familiar with the sciences of astromony and astrology can study Nut and the Decans through a telescope to glean information. It cannot reveal the future, but such study can be very rewarding when trying to perceive anything happening in The World where Nut and her attendant Gods can see it, which is everywhere. For this reason, many of The World’s larger observatories maintain a shrine to the Primordial, and several also keep an astrologer-priest of the Netjer on hand to interpret unusual cosmic events. From supernovas, black holes, and the pulses of distant stars, these priests calculate portents and pass that information on to the Netjer’s Scions. (For more on the body of Nut, see Realms of Magic & Mystery.)

Axes Mundi
Ra’s barque is the only way to enter the body of Nut. A traveler must board is at the moment of sunset when it prepares to depart in the west, then be willing to fight alongside the Netjer as they face Apep over the course of the night. While someone could decide to leap from the barque at any point in its journey and thereby enter one of the regions of Duat, abandoning the Gods when they are under attack is a sure way never to be permitted to set foot in Ra’s presence again.

Other Overworlds

There are places that were once the Gods’ that they have abandoned. In some cases, it is because the God or Primordial who gave it its form died; in others, because the Gods were driven out through their own actions. Other realms stand empty because it is not their time yet, so they wait silently for their future occupants.

Scions may try to seek out one of these realms and claim it as their own. In the case of an Overworld of a dead God, especially one of the prehistoric ones whose name and deeds are now lost to memory, the most difficult challenge is finding a way to enter. Explorers should keep in mind, however, that not every dead God is completely dead. Some of them are only sleeping, and take great offense to being woken.

Crossing into an abandoned Overworld is more dangerous. There is always a reason why the Gods left it, and unless a Scion is able to right whatever wrong drove them out (a quest that could be the culmination of a Demigod’s Apotheosis), there will always be repercussions to trespassing. Even if the way into such a realm is relatively easy, whatever lurks there is sure to be a threat.

Niðvellir

Niðvellir, which lies far below The World near where the dragon Niðhöggr feasts on corpses and sharpens its teeth on the roots of Yggdrasil, is best described as a work in progress. Hidden away from the other realms of the Æsir in an enormous cavern, it is Fated to become an afterlife for the race of humans who populate The World after Ragnarok. At the moment, it is a sprawling construction project overseen by the dwarves, a city made from gold and cunning artifice that glows with its own light to such an extent that one could be forgiven for forgetting how far away it is from the Sun.

Under the leadership of Sindri, the dwarves bustle about the city to add new buildings, forge decorations, and lay out its complex infrastructure. Most of them have very little time to speak with visitors: they know they have a deadline to complete it, but none of them know when it is, so they always work as if Ragnarok could come at any moment. The only thing that slows them down is if they near Niðhöggr crawling around beyond the cavern walls. When that happens, everyone stops, holds their breath, and waits for the dragon to fall silent again.




Final Week Schedule

  • November 13 - Reward Tiers + Add On options
  • November 14 - Sneak Peek: Antagonists
  • November 15 - Draft Manuscript #5 for Backers
  • November 16 - Stretch Goal Review
  • November 17 - Final Day Checklist & Next Steps

I'll be back tomorrow to review our Reward Tiers and discuss some of the Add On options for this project, and then we'll get a sneak peek at some of the Antagonists ahead of Tuesday's manuscript preview. We're in the homestretch now, so it's time to start firming up pledges and joining in if you haven't already! We're also really close to achieving another milestone marker, so let's keep working together to recruit new backers and build our pantheon!

#ScionGod

Friday Fiction: For Emanuel
over 1 year ago – Fri, Nov 11, 2022 at 08:47:57 AM

Hello Scions,
We're in our final week of the campaign, working our way towards our conclusion next Thursday, November 17th at 2:00 PM EST. As noted yesterday, I've got a couple more sneak peeks to share before our final manuscript drop on Tuesday, and I'll also be touching on a few key reminders about the campaign over these last 6 days to make sure we're all on the same page as we come to the conclusion.

Today I'm happy to share a final fiction piece with you, something that will be in the final book, coming as the last bit of text in Scion: God, after the antagonists chapter I think. So we're jumping ahead of our manuscript drafts a bit, but I wouldn't worry about reading it all in order. 
 
It's a pretty big story, though, so I'm not going to fill your e-mail with it. Instead, we'll have this full update available to read on the website after the image below. So, click to visit and read some excellent fiction from The World, and please continue to share your enthusiasm and excitement for this campaign with potential backers as we approach the finish line. 

#ScionGod


FINAL WEEK!
over 1 year ago – Thu, Nov 10, 2022 at 08:41:32 AM

Hello Scions,

We're officially in the Final Week countdown for this BackerKit crowdfunding campaign. Even with our weird time change day we can only carry on for so many hours, and we'll be coming to an end next Thursday, November 17th.

Over this final week I'll be touching on a handful of instructional and review-type posts about Pledge Tiers and reward lists and Add On options, and also reviewing our Stretch Goal progress and outlining what comes next. So if you've got any process questions or are wondering about any of the parts of this campaign, hopefully I'll answer those questions as we work towards the end. Of course, if you're still wondering about something, please ask and I'll help as best I can.



Final Week Schedule

  • November 11 - For Emanuel fiction from Scion: God
  • November 12 - Sneak Peek: Overworlds
  • November 13 - Reward Tiers + Add On options
  • November 14 - Sneak Peek: Antagonists
  • November 15 - Draft Manuscript #5 for Backers
  • November 16 - Stretch Goal Review
  • November 17 - Final Day Checklist & Next Steps


Growing Our Pantheon

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 the Messenger of the Gods and can invite anyone to this campaign to dance with the divine and see if they've got an interest in joining our cause. By that strained metaphor, I'm saying it's time to share your excitement for Scion: God! Basically, we want to recruit as many interested heroes and demigods as possible to form our own mighty pantheon 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 Scion: God until 2:01 PM EST next Thursday November 17th (when the campaign has ended). Yes, family and friends (and the people getting their tires swapped earlier this morning) 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 crowdfunding campaign. But here's the thing - there are others around who haven't heard or don't know about the campaign.

We've branched out into a new realm with this campaign - a new Terra Incognita or Overworld perhaps - utilizing BackerKit's brand new crowdfunding platform. Though most of our previous backers have utilized BackerKit in some capacity, many may not be aware of this aspect of their services or the fact that our crowdfunding campaign is currently running. So, please, spread the word as best you can, sharing in your social circles and on your social media as much as possible over this final week.



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 exploring the epic scope of Scion: God.

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 FAQ, you'll see that the PDF reward is projected to release to backers by March 2024, and the hardcover by September 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 most previous Onyx Path crowdfunded projects, we won’t be collecting funds to cover International Shipping during this 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 Scion: God 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 preview 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.



Benefits of Backing Now! Backers Make It Better!

And with those caveats covered, I also want to point out the really great stuff about supporting the project and backing now. First off, not only do backers have access to the draft manuscript, but you've also got access to the Feedback Form which Onyx Path is using during this campaign to collect errata and see what needs to be clarified or corrected. The Feedback Form goes directly to the developers and writers for this project and will help guide them through the next steps of development and editing as the project continues down the progress path.

Bonus Rewards

We've unlocked three new supplements via our Funding Accomplishment stretch goals, and these rewards will be added - for free - as bonus rewards to backers receiving the Scion: God PDF as one of their pledge rewards. The Scion: God Jumpstart PDF, the Scion: God Companion PDF, and Divine Inspiration PDF are all new rewards that only existed as ideas before the campaign started, but thanks to the support of all backers they will become a reality. And better, they'll automatically be rewarded to those who supported this campaign. 

In fact, these projects are still growing - we've got Stretch Goal targets ahead that further expand the material that may be included. The more backers we have, the bigger these projects get, and the more backers we'll be sending them out to when completed.

Pledge Manager

I'll talk about this a bit more when I talk about our next steps on our final day, but backing the campaign now - at any pledge level - opens up full participation in the Pledge Manager after the crowdfunding campaign concludes. Within the Pledge Manager, you'll be able to confirm or select Add On options as well as upgrading your reward tier should you wish. So backing now opens up access to flexibility and additional options right up until we're ready to ship our rewards.





Final Week

We've got one week to go, everyone! Thank you all so much for your support! Like new gods forming their own pantheon, 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, the Companion providing additional insight and rules for aspects of your game, and Divine Inspiration to help build your own epic mythology and stories!

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 upcoming Overworlds and Adversaries and imagine new Legendary Relics and epic deeds, 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!

#ScionGod


Manuscript Preview #4
over 1 year ago – Tue, Nov 08, 2022 at 03:12:17 AM

Hello Scions,

We're in the Final third of the campaign - the last ten days - and we've got another big manuscript preview for you today!

For the first time in this campaign, we've got two chapters in one preview! OK, we had the introduction in with Chapter 1 in the first preview, but this time we've got two complete chapters, with numbers!

What that means is a big pile of fun to read for the Scion fans! I'm sure it'll be a good distraction while our American friends are waiting for preliminary election results tonight. So, let's get to it...

Remember, thanks to BackerKit magic, these download links are visible to Backers only - you must be logged in and reading this on the website to have access to the manuscript preview links. So, if you're reading this via e-mail, click that "Read The Update" link on the bottom and I'll see you below the title treatment...