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Trinity Continuum: Aegis tabletop roleplaying game

Created by Onyx Path

Trinity Continuum: Aegis is a game of epic adventure and exploration set in Greece’s Iron Age.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Final Week Review - Reward Tiers & Add Ons
over 1 year ago – Sun, Aug 13, 2023 at 07:01:07 AM

Hello Argonauts,

We're in the Final Days countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. Trinity Continuum: Aegis finishes the crowdfunding campaign on Thursday, August 17th at 2:00 PM EDT. There's still time to Inspire others to drink the ambrosia, 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 final five days to make sure everyone has the information they need to support this project in the way that works best for them.


Final Days Schedule


  • Aug 11 - Chapter 7 Preview - Antagonists
  • Aug 13 - Reward Tiers & Add Ons
  • Aug 15 - Draft Manuscript Preview #6 - Chapter 7 + Appendix for backers
  • Aug 16 - Stretch Goal review
  • Aug 17 - Final Day Checklist and Next Steps

Whether you're a veteran of many voyages or just setting sail on your first adventure, there are some good topics to review over this week to make sure we all end up where we want to be.

(An aside, if you're a new backer, make sure you check out our Final Week Countdown / Resource Update. It has links to the manuscript previews,  podcasts, and fun fiction.)




PLEDGE 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 this epic "historical" expansion to the Trinity Continuum tabletop roleplaying game. Many of you have already explored different eras and genres within the Trinity Continuum, but this setting takes us back as far as we've ever gone in the Continuum, though it may have echoes that can be felt far in the future. While the book is focused on the Iron age of Greece, the ideas and options contained within can easily be incorporated into your Æon, Aberrant, Adventure!, Anima, Aether or Assassin game. Time travel and dimensional travel are already part of the Trinity Continuum, so who's to say what crossovers could be possible in your game!


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.

Hardcover Book or PDF Version

The main reward offered in this campaign is, of course, the main goal of the entire proposition: the finished book for Trinity Continuum: Aegis. 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 the full tactile solution 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:




  • The Nautikoi: This is the PDF-only reward allegiance. 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.
  • The Society of the Lion: This reward allegiance 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:

  • 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.
  • Trinity Continuum: Aegis is a setting and rules expansion for the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook. The TC Core Rulebook forms the basis for all of the settings and expansions within the Trinity Continuum, so to make full use of this book, you will need the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook.

That said, if you don't already have the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook, there's a digital Pledge Allegiances that will take care of you with a single click:

  • The Fellowship of Āšipu: A digital entry into the Trinity Continuum, this pledge path contains PDF versions of both Trinity Continuum: Aegis as well as the Trinity Continuum Core Rules.

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

  • The Delphic League: Not ready to commit, or just looking to offer general support? This pledge allegiance 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 Trinity Continuum: Aegis that we post throughout this campaign.
  • Scribes of the Shell, Circle of Heroes: A few Reward Allegiances 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.



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 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 Trinity Continuum: Aegis 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.

TRINITY CONTINUUM: AEGIS PDF VERSION - The digital version of Trinity Continuum: Aegis, 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.

TRINITY CONTINUUM: AEGIS 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 extras can be added to your pledge by selecting Add On options 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 crowdfunding campaign is to ensure you've selected the appropriate Backer Reward Tier. Selecting the right Reward Tier covers about 95% 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 Options

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 select an Add On option, which will increase the amount of your pledge by the listed amount. Add on options will be selected and confirmed again in the Pledge Manager when that's up and running.


The Trinity Continuum is a tabletop roleplaying game about possibilities and human potential. In the continuum, you will portray characters who can act and achieve even the most outlandish goals. Talents are people who have the ability to unknowingly reach into the continuum and change their own circumstances, appearing to be extremely lucky or very skilled individuals.

  • Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook - The Trinity Continuum Corebook is a standalone setting within the Trinity Continuum, but also serves as the foundation for other era/genre expansions, such as Æon, Aberrant, Adventure! Inside, you will find rules for creating characters within the Trinity Continuum; rules for Action Adventure, Intrigue, and Procedural play; advice for running genre games and styles of play in the Trinity Continuum; information on playing Talents in the modern era.
  • Trinity Continuum: Aberrant - Trinity Continuum: Aberrant is a game of superpowered adventure in the near-future of the Trinity Continuum. In 2018, novas — people with superhuman powers — first appeared following the explosion of a space station high above Earth. Now, 10 years later, thousands of novas have transformed the world, using their extraordinary powers to fight crime, clean up the environment, invent new technologies, and create wonders.
  • Trinity Continuum: Æon - Humanity has begun settling on planets circling other suns. Teleporters and the new Leviathan jump ships can take anyone across the galaxy in a few hours, so the stars are at last within our reach. However, we have found dangers as well as wonders out there, and only by working together can we overcome them and take our place on the galactic stage. 
  • Trinity Continuum: Adventure! - Trinity Continuum: Adventure! is a pulp action game set in an alternate history 1930s putting the players in the shoes of daring adventurers who seek to right wrongs and stop evildoers. In a world altered by strange telluric energy, characters may find themselves transported to places out of time where dinosaurs still roam or stopping an evil genius from blowing up the moon.
  • Trinity Continuum: Assassins - Trinity Continuum: Assassins transports players to the Contiuum’s underworld where well-dressed killers-for-hire use high-tech weapons and gear to eliminate their targets. Assassins join hidden Societies, each unified by their preferred method of doing violence. Their lives are brutal, blood-stained, and glamorous.
  • Trinity Continuum: Anima - Trinity Continuum: Anima is a game of cyberpunk and LitRPG (short for “literary roleplaying”) adventure set in the future of the Trinity Continuum. Characters in Anima are Talents — supremely talented individuals with an innate and unconscious ability to change the world. They have come to Cascade for their own reasons but are drawn into the intrigues of both the physical and virtual worlds. Some will enter the dangerous world of corporate cloak and dagger to uncover the answers lurking in shady business deals, while others will delve deep into the virtual world’s mysteries, discovering secrets meant to be left buried. Whatever the campaign’s focus, troupes will need to work in both worlds to ensure survival. Players need strong allies for security in the real world as well as high-level animas to fight back about the forces seeking to control a world fighting to rebuild itself.  
  • Trinity Continuum: Aether [Pre-Order] - Trinity Continuum: Aether is a game of steampunk adventure, exploration, and mystery set in 1895 in the Trinity Continuum. In the decade prior, Nikola Tesla identified and learned to harness Aether, an energy source capable of spinning new realities or unwinding the effect to restore reality. Now, Aether users dot the globe, silently spinning and unwinding with ease while Victorian era society goes about unaware of the dangerous experiments taking place in underground laboratories, dark alleys, and foreign worlds. Projected to deliver to pre-order backers by March 2024.
  • Trinity Continuum Player's Guide [Pre-Order] - The worlds of the Trinity Continuum contain a wealth of mysteries that are mostly invisible or at minimum very rarely encountered by the un-Inspired. However, Talents have unique sensitivities to some phenomena and have uncovered unusual realms to visit and new methods of travel. In addition to flux being the source of Talents’ luck, it is also a potent force that permits individuals to travel between parallel universes or even venture into the past or onto distant worlds. This book also explores other realms characters can visit, including ancient undersea settlements, as well as stranger destinations, such as microscopic worlds that characters can only reach by shrinking. Projected to deliver to pre-order backers by September 2024.

All of the Trinity Continuum game PDFs listed above also include a discounted Print-on-Demand option, if you choose to use DriveThruRPG's services and want to order a hardcopy of the PDF. 

Trinity Continuum PDF Bundles. 

Get a digital library full of supplements and expansions for three eras within the Trinity Continuum.

  • Contemporary PDF Bundle - This digital bundle expands on the action-adventure world introduced in the Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook and includes In Media Res PDF, Core Screen PDF, Hunt for the Red Widow Encounter, New Lives PDF, A Fight at the Museum PDF.
  • Aberrant PDF Bundle - This digital bundle expands on the world of 2028 as presented in Trinity Continuum: Aberrant and includes You Are Not Alone PDF, Aberrant Screen PDF, Swine & Cheese PDF, Amalgamated Idea Dynamics PDF, N!WE Unleashed PDF, The Queer Nova Alliance PDF, Proteus Novas Compendium PDF, Novas Worldwide PDF, Terat PDF, Panopticon PDF.
  • Æon PDF Bundle - This digital bundle builds on the sci-fi world of Trinity Continuum: Æon and includes Æon Æxpansion PDF, Æon Screen PDF, Æon Ready-Made Characters PDF, Distant Worlds PDF, Terra Firma PDF, Under Alien Skies PDF, Æon VTT Tokens, Pets PDF, Prometheus Unbound PDF, Earth Oribital Habitat PDF, The Phoebe Trust PDF, Mission Statements PDF, Dawn PDF, Meridian PDF.

Trinity Continuum: Aegis Add Ons

Of course, in addition to these Trinity Continuum releases, you can also add an additional redemption for your eventual PDF code, or add another copy of the hardcover to your rewards shipment. Unlocked via Stretch Goal achievement, we've also got the Aegis Storyguide Screen, a reference screen with charts and tables on the inside to make running the game a little easier.


You can modify your pledges to select Add Ons right up until the campaign ends. 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, August 17th at 2:00 PM EDT

Pick a Pledge Tier, then Add On Options


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 many of the previous Trinity Continuum books, and I know for sure that I want the hardcover version of Trinity Continuum: Aegis to 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.


The two main Pledges focusing on Trinity Continuum: Aegis are the $25 Nautikoi for PDF only rewards, and the $60 Society of the Lion Allegiance for the hardcover book.

Clicking "Learn More" expands the Pledge Level info. For example, clicking "Learn More" on The Society of the Lion gives you...



This is the reward I'm choosing, as it exactly fits my needs for this project.

Once you're ready, you can click that BACK IT button and go right to Add On options.

For example, I've decided on the $60 Society of the Lion Allegiance, so I select BACK IT for that tier, and then I want to add on some of the more recent Trinity Continuum releases - the Anima, Aether, and the Player's Guide PDFs to my rewards list.



My total is $120.00 USD.
That's $60 for my Society of the Lion pledge Allegiance,
+$20 for the Trinity Continuum: Anima PDF Add On option
+$20 for the Trinity Continuum: Aether PDF Add On option
+$20 for the Trinity Continuum Player's Guide PDF Add On option

When everything is correct, click NEXT and then Confirm Your Pledge. You'll get an e-mail confirmation of your choices.

If you're already a backer but want to update your pledge or Add On choices...

Select "Manage Your Pledge" at the top of the page, and then "Edit Your Pledge" on your listing, and then...



You can select a new Pledge Level from the available option menu, or Change your Add On selection.

As before, you'll confirm all of your choices, and then receive an e-mail confirmation once that's done.

And with that, my pledge level and Add On options are set for your pledge. At this time, you don't need to worry about setting shipping information. 

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 Trinity Continuum: Aegis 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.




REWARD DELIVERY

About 3-4 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 that 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 Trinity Continuum Rulebooks, as well as the three Era Supplement PDF 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 Trinity Continuum: Aegis 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 Trinity Continuum: Aegis 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 select additional rewards 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 should not add on additional physical rewards (like the Storyguide Screen) if the Trinity Continuum: Aegis 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 options 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 at midnight the day 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 options, 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 Trinity Continuum: Aegis, making the complete text available for all backers to review before the campaign ends!

#Aegis

#TrinityContinuum

Preview: Antagonists
over 1 year ago – Fri, Aug 11, 2023 at 08:03:08 AM

Hey Argonauts,

One final quick sneak peek at Chapter 7 before it comes your way on Tuesday. It can't always be easy... and now we're going to look at some potential antagonists for the heroes in the stories we create.



Antagonists: Gods and Monsters

Ambrosia represents a tempting glance into divinity. Anyone who encounters it can say that they have witnessed the grandeur of Olympus, dipped a hand into the rushing waters of the River Styx, or heard the echoes of Khaos’s sleeping murmurs. Its existence compels philosophers, architects, poets, generals, and monarchs to abandon all of their previous pursuits. What is this divine liquid? What is its true nature? Can it be controlled? Can it be exploited? Can it at least be weaponized?

Smart warriors know not to rely on untested blades, but ambition often trumps caution. In the bloody waters of the Aegean, no potential advantage can be ignored. Scientists and philosophers seek to understand it and direct it toward noble pursuits. Its arrival brought forth horrors and wonders in equal measure, could humanity use the latter to address the former?

Monsters created by ambrosia often become violent and aggressive, but this is not because ambrosia twisted their minds: the trauma of transformation and dysmorphia of a twisted body can warp kind souls without proper support and assistance.

Unfortunately, this is not a world of understanding or patience, and sometimes a person’s new form is dangerous to be around. These tormented souls are doomed to lonely lives away from their families, their humanity a half-remembered dream.

Champions, Olympians, and Oracles are no different. While their newfound skills and powers come with few downsides, excellence can be isolating in its own way. As they find new success, they are sought by hopeful devotees, would-be worshippers, and jealous rivals. Strangers seek their divinity, not their humanity, while those close to them grow embittered by jealousy or simply find themselves forgotten as the Inspired revel in their newfound glory.

As their power reveals who they are, those exposed to ambrosia set out to right the wrongs they’ve suffered and reshape the world to their wishes. Sometimes their causes are just and righteous, but even the best of intentions and noblest of pursuits can lead men down dark paths. Just revolutionaries overthrow their oppressive rulers and find themselves becoming a new tyrant to enforce the peace they fought for. Soothsayers refuse to dispense their wisdom to those they deem unfit or unworthy. And above all else, they destroy any potential threat to their new power with extreme prejudice.

Antagonist-Only Edges

Storyguide characters may select the following Edges in addition to the options available to player characters, representing capabilities or properties inappropriate for player use or abstractions of more complex suites of abilities.

Elusive Target (•-•••)
The antagonist may create a Complication each session at this Edge’s value during the first combat or action scene they appear in. If it’s not overcome, this character escapes the scene, forcing the characters to give immediate pursuit in a chase scene or accept they’ve lost track of the antagonist.

Eureka! (••)
The antagonist may use their most applicable pool to create improvised super-science items. They gain their Enhancement value to this action.

Skirmisher (•)
The antagonist is skilled at moving through combat. Whenever the antagonist makes a mixed action with a sprint and an attack, they use the higher pool. This includes making sprint actions in the air and underwater.

Example Antagonists

Mortals
Ambrosia has changed the world, but it has not been fairly distributed. Not everyone who has access to it wishes to suffer the horrifying transformations it can cause. There are vastly more ordinary humans in the world than all the Champions, Oracles, Olympians, and monsters combined. Their hearts are just as resolute, their wits just as sharp, their will just as indomitable.

Mortals are kings, patrons, commoners, pirates, generals, wives, soldiers, and often many of these things at once. They can challenge Champions, teach Oracles, and humble Olympians. Someone who underestimates their tenacity risks losing everything.


Sea People Raiders

Raiders terrorize the coasts of the Aegean. They ransack towns and villages and are so prevalent some of their victims rebuild farther away from the coastline to provide an extra layer of defense against invasion from the water.

The Sea People are not a unified culture: they are the desperate and dispossessed who have turned to piracy. They avoid combat unless they feel they have an advantage and flee to seek easier prey if the tide turns against them. Subjected to the horrors of war, famine, and disease, Sea People are slow to trust but consider the Atlantean imperial navy their primary threat. While not keen to pick a fight with Atlantis’s superior technology and weapons, they would be a useful ally for anyone who considers the empire an enemy.

Primary Pool: 7 (piracy, navigating the Mediterranean, evaluating treasure)
Secondary Pool: 5 (finding targets, gossip)
Desperation Pool: 3
Enhancement: 1
Defense: 3
Health: 4
Initiative: 3
Edges: Breath Control, Demolitions Training, Fame, Sniper, Weak Spots

Atlantean Soldiers

Conquerors and raiders in the service of King Atlas III, Atlantean soldiers leap into battle wielding horrifying mystic weapons, clad in impenetrable golden armor, and possessed by an unending appetite for conquest. At the core of their being is a belief that the destiny of Atlantis is to rule the seas through the might of their spears.

Atlantis strictly controls the secrets of orichalcum technology and its soldiers are expected to make regular journeys home to recharge and repair their weapons and ships. They do not linger where they land, and they closely track their gear. Soldiers hunt down any missing equipment and kill anyone unwise enough to interfere.

Primary Pool: 8 (cruel tactics, boarding actions)
Secondary Pool: 6 (sailing, operating orichalcum devices)
Desperation Pool: 4
Enhancement: 2
Defense: 4
Health: 6
Edges: Danger Sense, Fast Draw, Precise Martial Arts (Spear) 1, Skirmisher, Small Unit Tactics 2

An example of a Champion-level antagonist.

Theseus of Troezen

Theseus was raised by his mother, Aethra, in the region of Troezen. He grew up believing that his father had been claimed by Poseidon, dead in a shipwreck. When he was a young man, while exploring the shores of his home, he witnessed a falling star crash into the beach. From within the crater, he drew a length of sharp metal unlike anything he had ever seen, and felt a surge of divine purpose.

When he showed the blade to his mother, and told her that he intended to set out and make his name as a hero, she revealed to him that he was actually the son of Aegeus of Athens. Rather than shake his resolve, he decided that Athens would be his first destination, and set out on foot on the Saronic Gulf.

Primary Pool: 8 (combat, forced marches)
Secondary Pool: 6 (sailing, spelunking)
Desperation Pool: 4
Enhancement: 2
Defense: 4
Health: 5
Initiative: 5
Edges: Fast Draw, Precise Martial Arts 2, Striking
Source: Inspiration 4
Gifts: Anathema, Cutting Through the Knot, Infuriating Gibe, Vision of Argus

An example of an Oracle-level antagonist.

Circe of Ea

The island of Ea is a nexus of ambrosia. It collects in and infuses the soil, the life that grows from it, and the springs that provide it with fresh water. The witch Circe rules this mythic place. She is also the sorceress Circe, who sprouts ambrosia from the soil. And she is the goddess Circe, daughter of Helios, who reshapes flesh with herbal brews and magical incantations.

To trespass upon Ea invites harsh retribution. No creature is safe from Circe’s power: mortal sailors are transformed into swine, nymphs are transformed into terrible monsters, kings into birds. She is known for pettiness and jealousy, but also for mercy and honor. As a patron, she offers a chance to study ambrosia from the safety of her traveling domain, and her knowledge of potions and alchemy is second to none.

Despite her power, she is loath to leave Ea for too long, but there is much in the world that attracts her attention. Artifacts empowered by ambrosia are tremendously valuable to her, and she will favor anyone who can provide her with a steady supply.

Primary Pool: 10 (brewing potions, mystic presence)
Secondary Pool: 8 (cultivating alchemical reagents, wrath of the gods)
Enhancement: 5
Defense: 5
Health: 8
Initiative: 6
Edges: Animal Ken 2, Eureka!, Fame 3, Indomitable, Intense Focus
Source: Inspiration 6
Gifts: Balm of Healing, Fast Travel, Hyper Intelligent, The Food of Transformation, Vision of Panoptes, Voice of the Wild

An example of an Olympian-level antagonist.

King Midas

Is there a greater tragedy about the short-sighted greed of kings than the tale of King Midas? Who wished that all he touched would turn to gold and starved himself when his food and drink turned to gold with everything else?

Midas begged Dionysus to undo his wish, and washed the power of his boon-turned-curse into the Pactolus River. Unbeknownst to history, Midas retained his power, but it was weakened in exchange for control. Regardless, he rejected his wealth and dedicated himself to the god of fields and satyrs, Pan.

His troubles were not over, however. By chance he met a group of celebrants during a Dionysian festival and joined them. Three days later he awoke with the ears of a horse. He hides his mutation with a large headdress and hopes to cure himself of his affliction.

Primary Pool: 9 (impulsive decision-making, scholar of Orphic lore)
Secondary Pool: 7 (pan pipes, musical connoisseur, throwing parties)
Desperation Pool: 5
Enhancement: 4
Defense: 4
Health: 6
Initiative: 5
Edges: Fame 2, Striking, Wealth 3
Source: Inspiration 5
Gifts: Transmute (The Midas Touch)

The Midas Touch: Midas may spend 1 Source to transmute a creature or object that he touches up to Size Scale 0 into solid gold. This only affects what he is touching directly: clothes or weapons become gold if he doesn’t touch a person’s bare skin, subjecting the target to a Complication. The transformation is permanent, but can be undone. Submerging the subject in the waters of the Pactolus River or applying a salve made with ambrosia will transform them back, and Midas can reverse the effect by touching them and spending another Source. Theoretically, he could do this to other beings affected by a similar curse.



Minoan Bull

Found mostly on the island of Crete, these bulls have been empowered by ambrosia with armor-like hides, horns like iron, massive wings, and a lust for violence.

Primary Pool: 9 (charging threats, bellowing warnings)
Secondary Pool: 7 (clumsy flight, irascible temper)
Desperation Pool: 5
Enhancement: 4
Defense: 4
Health: 6
Initiative: 5
Edges: Adrenaline Spike, Iron Will 2, Powerful Martial Arts, Skirmisher
Source: 5
Powers: Enhanced Attack (steel), Enormous Size, Flight, Hardened Skin 2, Natural Weapons (horns)

Final Week Coundown!
over 1 year ago – Thu, Aug 10, 2023 at 08:38:21 AM

Hello Argonauts,

We're officially in the Final Week Countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. Over this final week, I'll be sharing a handful of instructional and review-type posts about Reward Tiers and Add Ons and outlining What Comes Next after the campaign ends, so if you've got any process questions or are wondering about how the Crowdfunding steps work, I'm hoping to clarify any remaining questions before we finish. Of course, if you're still wondering about something, please ask and I'll help out as best I can.



Final Days Schedule


  • Aug 11 - Chapter 7 Preview - Antagonists
  • Aug 13 - Reward Tiers & Add Ons
  • Aug 15 - Draft Manuscript Preview #6 - Chapter 7 + Appendix for backers
  • Aug 16 - Stretch Goal review
  • Aug 17 - Final Day Checklist and Next Steps

On Tuesday, I'll be posting the final draft manuscript preview, containing Chapters 7 and the Appendix from this book. We'll get a sneak peek at some Antagonists from Chapter 7 tomorrow, but with the preview download on Tuesday, backers will be able to read the entire draft manuscript before we finish - before any pledges are processed or payments collected. With the entirety of the draft manuscript available to backers, you'll know exactly what this book contains and if it's right for you.  So, if you're still on the fence and curiously reading this to figure out if you should back, know that you can pledge now, read the entire book next Tuesday, and cancel your pledge if it's not for you.

BUT - if it is for you (and if you're reading this, I think you already know that it is), joining up now will help us maybe achieve another Stretch Goal before we review our many accomplishments next Wednesday! I sure would love to add another Stretch Goal reward on to the list!

IF YOU ARE already a backer, then an assignment for you:

Help Inspire other Talents

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 virtual ambassador for this Crowdfunding project. It's time to share your excitement for Trinity Continuum: Aegis! Drink the Ambrosia! Change your Fate! Live a Legend! Basically, we want to recruit as many interested backers as possible 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 Trinity Continuum: Aegis until 2:01 PM EDT next Thursday August 17th (when the campaign has ended). You've probably been wondering what to talk about as we wind through the summer - well now we've got a topic for you! And while I'm sure that's the focus of most of our conversations, there are others around who haven't heard or don't know about the campaign.



Epic Ancient Tales

If you're trying to recruit new backers, convince your group's Storyguide that this book would be valuable for your game (even if it's not set in the ancient Trinity Continuum), or really love to collect as much info as you can about a project, here are some resources to learn more about this campaign. I'll also use this page to as my landing point when spreading the word to potential new backers, so hopefully they've read down this far and can see all of this neat stuff!


Backers are able to review the (soon-to-be) complete manuscript for this book before the campaign closes and any pledges are processed. Even if you're not exploring our slightly askew historical setting and are focused on Æon or Aberrant or Anima, you will pretty quickly find stuff that can be used for your game. From new paths and Gifts to antagonists and plot threads, no need to wonder about contents and compatibility! Know what you're getting into by checking out the draft manuscript!

And, if you join now, as I've noted, we'll be posting the final chapters of the book next week before we reach the finish line.



Podcast Discussions and Q&A

Onyx Pathcast Episode 238: Trinity Aegis <link>

This episode delves into some fun early discussions

  • What is Lauren up to?
  • Trinity Aegis!
  • A bit on the setting
  • On the gods in an ancient setting
  • Groups in Aegis
  • Themes and myths
  • Powers
  • Atlantis
  • Character concepts

And then, if we get into the most recent episode, the team revisits the Aegis discussion now that the project is live and being shared.
  • Aegis is on Backerkit!
  • A new line for Trinity Continuum
  • What is ambrosia?
  • A bit on the setting
  • Strange places
  • Culture and societies
  • Character creation
  • Differences from other eras
  • Historical differences
  • Antagonists

Trinity Continuum: Aegis Fiction

Get a sense of the world from some short stories set in the Trinity Continuum: Aegis era! These epic tales will be included in the final version of the book, but you can check them out now!



Trinity Continuum Discussion Zones

And finally, you may also be able to get further insight and possibly some in-depth conversation at these Onyx Path discussion zones:


I know there's been a thread or two around the web, and the Discord for Aegis has been very active! Lots of great conversations to dive into and get more information and perspectives.



Share the Links!

1) Don't forget to share a link to the Crowdfunding page in any discussion you have (where appropriate) - and feel free to pass any of the long list of links above to those who may need more info (or, just point them to this post!)

2) Don't forget to tell us about any post or review or discussion you write! Come to the comments section and let us know so we can all go and contribute! I know I keep saying it, but really - these last days are key. Keep the enthusiasm high (hitting stretch goals certainly makes that easier!) and keep on inviting others to join in, either directly ("Come see...") or just by setting an example of your enthusiasm and interest.

Final Week

We've got one week to go, everyone! Thank you all so much for your support! Exploring this book is like unearthing some ancient ruins or finding a new perspective on some legendary tales! There's always more to see, but we can do it all together! Let's finish strong! And let's continue exploring this great setting supplement for the Trinity Continuum together, creating new characters and dreaming up new scenarios and situations, and let's see if we can't get another Stretch Goals before we review next Wednesday!

#TrinityContinuum

#Aegis

Preview: Ancient Stories, Modern Tales
over 1 year ago – Wed, Aug 09, 2023 at 07:42:39 AM

Aegis as a setting and structure contains incredible potential to open up huge, epic stories which can span years of in-game (and real-life) time. By planning a little bit ahead of time and being open to change, adapt and adjust as stories, people, and intentions change, Storyguides can create lasting narratives with both sweeping arcs and small, intense interactions between characters.

The vast majority of Chapter Seven: Storyguiding Aegis is intended for Storyguides specifically, but we recommend all players read the advice included here; cooperative storytelling works best when everyone reads from the same page, both metaphorically and literally. Storyguides may find it much easier to discuss setup and boundaries with everyone once everyone has read this chapter, and players may feel more secure knowing that there’s nothing in this chapter which they’re not supposed to read. When players and Storyguide work together to create compelling narratives, there’s no limit to the complexity and intensity of those stories.


Common Genres of Aegis Stories

Aegis stories can exist within many different genres; whatever you do with your chronicle going forward, defining its essential genre up front will permit you and your players to share expectations and build a collaborative story together. When planning your Aegis chronicle, consider the following non-exhaustive list of possibilities:

Adventure

By default, an Aegis game almost certainly contains elements of this genre. Whether your characters are weaving their way through a labyrinth and clinging to a thread metaphorically or literally, an adventure removes them from their everyday life, placing them in circumstances they never would have encountered save for the events of the story. Whether placed on their path by a series of unforeseen random events or by divine intervention or anything between, adventure stories send them to places they’ve never been before, putting them into contact with strange and unusual people, situations, and events. Whether the character runs headlong into the adventure or finds themself coerced or forced into the story, they must eventually take control of the narrative and face facts before the facts face them instead. Characters in an adventure leap into action, whether that happens the first time the challenge is placed before them or the third. Some adventure stories have room for a reluctant hero, but most adventure stories work best when the characters have a solid motivation for engaging the events actively: adventure focuses on action, not reaction.
  • A local leader displeases a god, having lost an important relic. The characters, tasked with retrieving the relic, must navigate a literal labyrinth to bring it home.
  • Fallen from the sky, a strange mechanism literally lands in the lap of a character. What does this artifact do, and more importantly, what will happen if the people chasing them get their hands on it?
  • Unknown forces have captured the sister of a player character. The characters must not only discover who has their sibling, but also the sinister motivations driving these forces, in order to bring her home.


Detective/Mystery

One might not immediately pick Aegis as a vehicle for detective stories, but humans have done wrong by other humans for the whole of history, and with the addition of superhuman powers, aliens, and valuable technology literally falling from the sky, there’s plenty of grist for the detective mill. This genre revolves around some sort of criminal events, the collection of evidence, and the unraveling of a villain’s plans to dramatic ends. Many historical mysteries and detective stories exist to provide a framework for Aegis detective tales. Within the framework of Aegis, a detective story likely features a powerful person attempting to preserve that power, or a desperate individual trying to gain power. Detective stories generally revolve around protection or acquisition of power, with the detective characters standing in as protectors of the powerless and vulnerable. Detective stories focus on facts, and on how those facts can be manipulated by perception; they can also cross over with adventure when antagonists begin to directly act against the investigative forces.

Mystery stories overlap with detective stories, with subtle but crucial differences. In detective stories, the antagonist inevitably begins to act directly against the protagonists; they may try to directly harm them or act against witnesses or informants instead. Mystery also focuses more on the setting itself, focusing on the wonder and strangeness of that setting, where detective stories lean more heavily on the procedural aspects and the interpersonal elements of intrigue.
  • The characters arrive at a temple of Aphrodite immediately in the wake of the priestess’ mysterious death. As events unravel, they must race to find the perpetrator before the murderer frames them for this blasphemous act.
  • A strange shape wanders the forest outside of Athens, glowing subtly. The characters suspect several conflicting groups of staging these sightings for multiple reasons, but could the shape truly be a god, or one of their servants, walking the earth?


Fantasy

Aegis provides a wonderful framework for telling fantasy stories. Oracular powers, strength granted by gods, and fantastic phenomena lend themselves to focusing on the supernatural elements of the Aegis world. The key to telling a fantastic story in Aegis is, of course, keeping the Trinity Continuum’s science fiction underpinning.
  • A strange crystal grows from the skin of residents of a small town shortly after a stone falls from the sky, breaking the statue of Hephaestus in the town’s center. What has caused this bizarre malady?
  • A traveling show claims to have captured both mermaids and unicorns, displaying them as they move from place to place. Are they real, or a fantastic conjuration of illusion, and what of the odd illness which follows the show as they travel?


Romance

Romance as a genre focuses on interpersonal relationships primarily. While this genre does not generally form the backbone of Aegis stories, human interaction, including romance, provides strong drivers for these plots. The Siege of Troy is, at its heart, a story of love, loyalty, and romance. Well, sort of. Nobody asked Helen what she wanted.

Love, longing for family, and seeking the epic highs and lows of romance can provide more emotional meat to a chronicle, but as with all other genres upon which an Aegis game can focus, it should be discussed thoroughly with other players up front. Without buy-in from everybody, romance isn’t romance, it’s just stalking.



War

The epics of ancient Greece focus on war stories above most others, and even those stories which don’t directly focus on war were informed by them, and by the martial culture of ancient Greece. Even in the story of Medea and Jason — not a war story per se — we see the ever-presence of soldiers and the idea that outsmarting soldiers or directing them was a necessary skill for a hero. A war story need not actively involve the war itself for war to play a large part in it; the conflict may have just ended, or may loom large, laying its shadow over everything the players do. Do the characters seek to avoid the fires of war or to stoke them? Or are they merely trying to survive?
  • Recruited to the army to help a neighboring city-state, the characters begin to suspect that those fomenting the war do so for their own financial ends. They must take evidence of this to an important figure who can help them end the war before it begins.
  • In the aftermath of a war, residents find strange mechanisms buried all over the former battlegrounds. What do they do, and why have the people who find them started disappearing?


Manuscript Preview #5 - Gifts
over 1 year ago – Tue, Aug 08, 2023 at 04:46:49 AM

Hello Argonauts,

I've got a real gift for everyone today. That is, I've got Gifts for everyone today. Because today's manuscript preview is for Chapter 6 - Gifts!

Chapter Six: Gifts provides rules for the powers Champions, Oracles, and Olympians wield. In addition to presenting new Gifts across all three character types, this chapter introduces Universal Gifts which can be taken by Inspired characters at any level.

I've been excited for this one since the beginning! Although, I've loved each chapter that's come out, so it hasn't been hard to be patient. But here we are!

STRETCH GOALS

A reminder as we finish up our middle portion of the campaign - we've got a fun Stretch Goal target ahead of us. With one more manuscript preview set to deliver next week, it'll be great to hit this target and unlock additional content that'll come our way in a supplement!



At $40,000 in Funding - Aegis Atlas: Additional Locations and Devices - The Aegis Atlas bonus supplement will be expanded to include additional non-Greek locations, along with some Aegis-appropriate super-science gadgets and devices.



International Shipping – Collected in the Pledge Manager

And our regular reminder about International Shipping before we get into the manuscript previews. Unlike many previous Onyx Path projects, we won’t be collecting funds to cover International Shipping during this Crowdfunding 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.


Feedback Form

Throughout the campaign, I'll be sharing a new update whenever we've got the next section of our Draft Manuscript available to preview. Before the conclusion of the campaign, you'll be able to read the entire draft manuscript for Trinity Continuum: Aegis and know exactly what to expect and exactly what you're helping to build.

In fact, you can help build it even better! The Onyx Path team has created a special Feedback Form that you can use to provide feedback on the draft manuscript to help guide the writers and developers through the next stages of work on this project.

Share your Feedback directly with the writers and developers using this form: Trinity Continuum: Aegis Feedback Form

DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS - BACKERS ONLY

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 This Update" or "Reply to this Update" link on the bottom and I'll see you below the title treatment...