PREVIEW: Halifax
over 4 years ago – Fri, Nov 29, 2019 at 02:22:01 PM

Arise, backers!

And welcome to Friday! Welcome to all the new backers who've joined us recently - feel free to dig through the updates to catch up. I'll also be posting some overall general information starting on Sunday to get everyone on the same page as this campaign draws to a close.

But we're not done yet! In fact, we hit another Stretch Goal yesterday! We've added another memory (in the form of a 1E PDF title) to our Scroll of Fading Memory (1E PDF Bundle) Add On Reward.

ACHIEVED! - At $53,000 in funding  – SCROLL OF FADING MEMORY ADD-ON UPGRADE: We’ll add the Mummy: The Curse Storyteller’s Screen [1E] PDF to the list of contents included in this 1st Edition digital bundle.

Now, let's keep up the pace from the past few days and work on getting the next 1...2...3 Stretch Goals nailed down!

And to keep excitement, a phrase that I sometimes use when talking about summer vacations plans...

Let's talk about Halifax!

K’jipuktuk (Halifax), Canada

Sea and storm buffet Halifax, the largest Canadian city east of Quebec. Famous for its breweries, waterfronts, and proud military history, Nova Scotia’s capital hosts Canada’s largest naval base. Halifax’s intimacy and comfort attract thousands of university students from across North America each fall. Yet Halifax does not comfort the Arisen.

Mummies have a long history in Halifax, rich with war, resentment, and betrayal. The city’s guilds never unified and still strive to undercut each other. Under the best of conditions, this makes Halifax a nest of conspiracy and intrigue, but these are not the best of times. Vessels no longer flow from Halifax to Duat, and the Judges are angry. The Arisen search amid their ranks for the mummy whose sabotage disrupts the natural order, but everyone knows their shattered Memories have robbed them of crucial information. The Saboteur could be anyone, even the mummies searching for them.

Facing the Judges’ wrath, the Arisen must adapt or face oblivion, yet they are stubborn and unchanging creatures. The return of Memory forces Halifax’s mummies to confront uncomfortable questions. If the guilds set aside centuries of hatred and mistrust, does anything stop them from setting aside their devotion to the Judges as well? Are the Judges gods worth worshiping? No one has an answer yet, but one thing is sure: When change comes, it will crash like a cold wave on the cliffs.

The Origin

Settlers founded Halifax in late 1749, but Arisen presence in the region dates back even farther. The first mummies in what is now Nova Scotia were Shepherds hidden amid the Acadian colonists from France in the 1600s. The Mi’kmaq First Nation utilized Halifax Harbour for centuries, calling it K’jipuktuk, the Great Harbor. Catholic priests hoped to convert the Mi’kmaq to Christianity, while the Su-Menent saw them as a vector to spread their cults inland and establish themselves in the new world.

British imperial ambition shattered the relative peace between the Acadians and the Mi’kmaq. Frequent skirmishes broke out as British colonists expanded northward from the Thirteen Colonies, but the establishment of Halifax was a direct challenge to French and Mi’kmaq power in Acadie. The Su-Menent found themselves conflicted. Their cultists fought to retain their way of life, but the Maa-Kep and the Tef-Aabhi both allied with the invading British. Deportation to the Thirteen Colonies or back to France followed the Acadian defeat in 1755. The Necromancers remained, yet those who remember the Great Expulsion have not forgiven the other guilds for devastating their cults.

With Nova Scotia now firmly under British control and Halifax as its capital, the city’s fortunes rose and fell with the tides of war. Halifax served as a primary naval base for the Empire through the Seven Years’ War, the American Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, and the American Civil War. Blood flowed on the ocean’s ship decks and the world’s battlefields as war funded Halifax’s development. The Arisen took their due, using the sacrifice of military souls to harness Sekhem, dedwen, and heka.

Initially, World War One marked the continuation of this wartime prosperity. Halifax languished for decades following Canadian Confederation, but war in Europe meant Halifax was the last port of call for soldiers from across the nation. Their raucous parties before sailing off to make the ultimate sacrifice fueled debauched Arisen rituals. The war lingered on and dragged more and more cultists away to die across the sea. The few who returned came back broken, even the immortals. In late 1917, two ships collided in Halifax Harbour, setting off the TNT they carried in the largest detonation the world had ever seen. The Halifax Explosion decimated all the guilds, but the Su-Menent were the worst hit and blamed the other guilds once again for destroying their cults.

In the following decades, the guilds regrouped, infiltrating Halifax’s neighborhoods once again. Among them was Africville — a long-neglected and abused African-Canadian community. Something about Africville’s population, marginalized yet vibrant and thriving, stirred the Arisen’s Memory, recalling a time before the Shan’iatu demanded their service. A disproportionate number of mummies developed Touchstones within the region, creating a neutral ground where the guilds laid aside their grievances. For the first time, Halifax’s guilds began to coalesce into a unified whole, but then mortals ruined everything.

In the mid-1960s, Halifax’s government forced the people of Africville from their homes, seizing and demolishing their property to make way for industrial development. In the chaos, the Arisen lost their Touchstones as the community broke apart. Those Arisen who attempted to defend Africville found that the Judges considered such actions to be a frivolous waste of Sekhem, barring them from aiding the community. Denied an outlet for their anger and remorse, the Arisen lashed out at their oldest foes — each other.

Deathless flesh smashed Deathless bone as the Tef-Aabhi and Maa-Kep accused each other of intentionally withholding information about Africville’s impending doom. The Mesen-Nebu lamented the other guild’s foolishness in squandering Africville’s potential, while the Su-Menent protested that losing their Touchstones was one more grievance is their list that reached back to the Acadian cults. There would be no peace, no grand coalition. War came to Halifax once more, but this time it was a supernatural war in the shadows far from mortal eyes.

Today, The Royal Canadian Navy maintains a strong presence within Halifax, but the city moved on beyond its military roots. For decades, Halifax has used its universities to attract young minds, many of whom put down roots in the city. Halifax now possesses one of Canada’s top tech sectors, a booming manufacturing industry, and a hotbed of political activism. The mummies stand in contrast to the eddies of change ensnaring their cultists. Centuries-old grudges encase the Arisen like insects in bloody amber, as they wring each other’s throats for Sekhem and power. Enraptured in their constant feuds, the guilds failed to notice when one of their number broke ranks and crippled the city’s Relic Architecture. Now the Saboteur’s vandalism threatens to bring the Judge’s wrath down on everyone, but the Arisen are too myopic to notice.

Story Hooks

• Halifax’s Necromancers hear whispers amid the ghosts of Argyle Street of something powerful, valuable, and lost on the Titanic. Many of Halifax’s Arisen assume this is a potent Relic, but others suggest it is a high-ranking mummy, perhaps even a guildmaster. Mending the ghosts’ fragmented memories uncovers the truth, but reaching the wreck on the Atlantic’s floor is a different matter.

• Captain William Kidd met the gallows decades before Halifax’s construction, but rumors have always persisted that he buried treasure along Nova Scotia’s south shore. Most Haligonians have fixated on Oak Island as the location of Kidd’s stash, but something calls to the Arisen through the Lifeweb as construction disturbs the city’s foundations. Is the buried pirate treasure in Halifax itself?

• Not all Necromancers remained in Halifax during the Acadian expulsion. Wesem chose to return with her cultists to France, instructing them to transplant her to Spanish Louisiana. In New Orleans, the Acadians became Cajuns and the cult rebuilt its power, but revenge never left her mind. She has yet to return to Halifax, but even now her cult works to insinuate itself within the Junta’s and the Geomancers’ minions. When the time is right, Wesem intends to claim her foes’ vessels, to desecrate their tombs, and to shatter their cults, regardless if they remember their crimes from centuries ago. Revenge is a dish best served cold and paid with interest.

#Mummy2e

#FinalWeek

FINAL WEEK!
over 4 years ago – Fri, Nov 29, 2019 at 01:59:13 AM

Arise, backers!

As with all kickstarter campaigns, we seem to be coming out of our slumber, shaking off the sands of our slower middle weeks, and descending once again into the waking world...

We're about to start our FINAL WEEK countdown! We've come far in the past 3 weeks - funding the project, unlocking additional content with the Book of Lasting Death, sharing the majority of the manuscript - but there's so much further we can go in this final week!

At this part of every campaign I urge everyone to Be An Ambassador - spread the word about the campaign, share your excitement on social media and in your social circles, and let everyone know that not only is this campaign nearing the end, but it's definitely one you want everyone to jump on! Let people know what the parts are that excite you! Encourage them to read the previews and updates, and check out the various interviews we've shared (including a recent OnyxPathcast that takes a deep dive into Mummy: The Curse).

The ONE MORE Phase of the Campaign

We're in the "One More" Phase of the campaign. In this FINAL WEEK, we've got:

• One more sneak peek Preview to share to get you hooked
• One more fiction piece in our Beloved Servants story
• One more manuscript download to post

So, should we work to hit One More Stretch Goal before the end?

NO!

Let's get two more! Three more! Four more Stretch Goals!!

It's a Stretch - of course - but I really think we can add another section to the Book of Lasting Death! Let's keep on it and keep that goal in sight!

"But James," you say, "We've just hit 210% of our funding target! Could we even dream of more than that? I've already committed as much as I can to this project!"

I thank you for that. You are all, indeed, awesome. I'm not looking for our existing backers to add more funds - I'm looking to add more backers to our project and earn us ALL additional rewards! We need to recruit additional cultists - supporters - and bring them into our cause, increasing overall funding and knocking out more Stretch Goals.

But, maybe even more importantly, sharing this awesome game and building an even bigger community of people who will be playing Mummy: The Curse Second Edition in the years to come!

Be an Ambassador

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 a duly-deputized ambassador for this Kickstarter project. I know I often end an 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 the Mummy: The Curse Second Edition kickstarter until 2:01 PM EST next Thursday -December 5- (when the campaign has ended). Yes, family and friends are tired of me talking about it (believe me!), but everything will go back to "normal" in just one week, and they've learned to tolerate me during a kickstarter campaign (for now). For our American friends enjoying a Thanksgiving feast, surely this crowdfunding project is easier to discuss than some touchy topics! And that's a key point - there are others around who haven't heard or don't know about the campaign.

What Excites You?

Thumbs up to everyone who's shared a link to the kickstarter in an online forum, or posted an "I just backed this project" message to their social media - you've done all of the first steps that are critical during the first weeks of the campaign. Now, it's time to let others know why you are backing this project (and, therefore, why they should consider it as well).

That's the thing - for this final week, you don't have to tell people the kickstarter exists. Instead, tell them what's got you excited about the game. What makes this an interesting and exciting toolbox? What kind of stories will you tell? What sources of inspiration are you running with? At this point, people may have seen the "Kickstarter now live!" posts. But the ones that always pull me in are things like:

• Building a cult to share between 3 Mummy players ...
• How to build this or that character from my favorite shows or comics ...
• Possible minor guilds ...
• Plotting out a chronicle that moves back and forth in linear time...

You get the idea. When I start seeing conversations that spin out of posts or ideas like that, I get intrigued about the game. And that's when I click on the link. So, share your ideas! What parts of the manuscript have stirred your imagination? What pop culture touchstones do you want to adapt for your game? What style of game are you thinking of running, and what threads from the book will you incorporate? What kinds of challenges will you throw at your players?

Again, this isn't about getting more funding and unlocking more Stretch Goals (although that's an exciting prospect!). It's about getting those fans who haven't checked it out yet to dip in and see what we're about. It's about making sure anyone who might love this game gets an opportunity to read the manuscript and start imagining stories and ideas like we have.

I get so many e-mails from people just after a campaign ends, would-be-backers who just found out a few days - or sometimes hours - too late to participate and missed out on the fun. Spread the word, share your enthusiasm, and let's get as many people on board for this project as we can.

And don't forget, if you pitch joining - all backers can pledge for $5 and check out the manuscript before deciding if they want to upgrade their pledge to include a PDF or the hardcover book. Or, if the game in the manuscript isn't for you - and it's not for everyone - then you can cancel before the campaign ends. We're not interested in tricking anyone to get you in under false pretenses - -we want you to give your heart to the cult! I mean, we want you to want to be with us on this journey!

So, let's jump into this final week with enthusiasm and excitement about how much bigger we can grow this! Celebrate - we're 210% funded! But let's make sure that none of our gamer friends or family misses out on the opportunity to join in and share in these extra rewards with us!

#Mummy2e

#FinalWeek

BELOVED SERVANTS part 7
over 4 years ago – Wed, Nov 27, 2019 at 10:20:58 AM

BELOVED SERVANTS

Pert-en-hat rose from his sarcophagus, confused. He knew Emma, but she was surrounded by strangers.

“This is your master,” she said to the others. “Kneel before him!”

They did so, save for a woman no older than her late teens. Instead, she moved to him, close enough to get a clear view of her face in the dim torchlight. Her gray eyes seemed alight with wonder. Pert-en-hat stood dumbfounded.

“No!” Emma shouted. “You don’t know what he’ll do!”

“It’s you,” the young woman said, “from my dreams. My father, and his grandfather, they served you. Do you remember?”

The muscles on Pert-en-hat’s skinless face twitched. His mind’s eye saw vague memories of a young man in the desert with eyes like hers, but nothing else. “No.”

The woman signed. “We’ll give it some time, then. I’m Farah.”

#MummyTheCurse

BACKERS ONLY – MANUSCRIPT PREVIEW #4
over 4 years ago – Wed, Nov 27, 2019 at 12:52:38 AM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

STRETCH GOAL ARISEN! The Book of Lasting Death!
over 4 years ago – Mon, Nov 25, 2019 at 10:32:25 PM

Arise, backers!

The journey through the shifting sands has been difficult, and at times our direction seemed uncertain, but we seem to have spotted a landmark on the horizon and can now mark our progress!

THE BOOK OF LASTING DEATH shall be written!

Playable minor guilds comin' at ya!

ACHIEVED! - At $50,000 in funding  – NEW SUPPLEMENT: The Book of Lasting Death PDF - Ab. Onyx Path will create a Player’s Guide to Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition called the Book of Lasting Death, with rules and information on playable minor guilds. All backers receiving the Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition PDF as part of their pledge level will automatically have the Book of Lasting Death PDF added to their rewards list.

We are now at 200% of our funding target, with over 1,000 backers as members of our cult... I mean community! And we've got just over a week to keep it going and growing!

So, let's add a few more landmarks to spot on the horizon; a few more rituals to complete! Stretch Goal time!

 NEW STRETCH GOALS!

At $53,000 in funding  – SCROLL OF FADING MEMORY ADD-ON UPGRADE: We’ll add the Mummy: The Curse Storyteller’s Screen [1E] PDF to the list of contents included in this 1st Edition digital bundle.

At $56,000 in funding  – KICKSTARTER BACKER T-SHIRT – Hosted on the redbubble store for a limited time, a Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition-themed shirt will be priced at a discount. All backers will be notified when the shirt becomes available.

At $59,000 in funding – SCROLL OF FADING MEMORY ADD-ON UPGRADE: We’ll add Ready-Made Characters for Mummy: The Curse [1E] PDF to the list of contents included in this 1st Edition digital bundle. 

At $62,000 in funding  – SUPPLEMENT EXPANSION: The Book of Lasting Death PDF – Ba: A section containing new Judges, Affinities, and Utterances will be added to the Player’s Guide to Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition.

Don't forget to share your impressions, enthusiasm, and excitement about this campaign with your friends and fellow gamers! Tell your social circle and your social media, and let's see if we can create our own Minor Guild of backers!

#MummyTheCurse

#Mummy2e

#MoreStretchGoals!