Good day! We're feeling optimistic over here at Cephalofair and we get to check off lots of boxes for elements that are ready for the printer on Gloomhaven! We'll talk more about the progress below, but it feels good to finally start wrapping things up.

Some people ask why it took so long when it wasn't even a new product, but, from a production standpoint, it basically was. We built this game fresh from the ground up, and hopefully that shows in the final quality.

So, without further ado, let's get to it!

From Arch:

With drafts of nearly all components in hand, game design and graphic design teams have had their hands full in the past month with final component proofing and revisions. We’re thankful to our playtesters who have been particularly thorough in their ongoing reviews and feedback!

The flowcharts and punchboards are some of the more complicated components to produce. While the game design team reviews these, the graphic design team has been working on color correction and optimization for print. We’re looking forward to getting those boards out to the manufacturer within the next week so they can begin to build the custom tools that are needed to cut them. 

The scenario books and rule book are also well underway. The scenario books are currently being reviewed, while the rule book is just waiting on final component images to get dropped in before a final design and playtester pass.

We’re expecting to have all final game component files off to production by early October. 

That’s all for now! Back to work for me!

Our miniature manufacturer is preparing samples of our flight stands and base rings for physical product line testing. Our team has requested samples of these so we can make sure we're happy with the usability, design, and fit before things move further and faster with wider sculpt production.

We received and approved a few more digital modifications this week, but are still largely waiting for the factory designers to shift focus back to our project this month. We've been told they have several new artists and production team members being prepared to move back onto our production line and we're excited for this, continuing to communicate that we all hope to start seeing that progress soon.

As you saw last time, the layout of the roughly 300 pages continues. It looks like at this point the last thing we'll be waiting on to send this to the printers are the art pieces, which are about 2 months out from completion.

In the meantime, we are continuing to do high-level playtesting to make any tweaks to cards and stats that are needed. Then, when the full layout comes in, we'll do a thorough review pass on the book with the sketches and rough color art. Then it should all come together as the final art comes in so that we can drop those in and then begin work with the factory. And once that process has started, we'll be able to put together a much more thorough timeline.

For now, here is the latest designer diary from Danielle:

Greetings Mercenaries!

It’s time for our August update! Layout is moving along nicely, and I’ve contracted artists for about 70% of the book. I’m currently working with our layout artist to put placeholders within the rest of the book so I can get those pieces of art commissioned. The process of getting art takes time. I’ve definitely let all our artists know that we would like these illustrations sooner rather than later, but I’m determined to take the time to ensure that we are getting the best illustrations. So if that means corrections or edits that make it take a little longer, those are a necessary step. The Gloomhaven RPG is the first time we really get to show off so many parts of the world that just aren’t in the board game, or aren’t illustrated there. So we want to make sure that everyone’s first look is as creepy and beautiful as it is in our imaginations.

Once I start getting sketches in, I’ll share them, but that won’t be until next month’s update. Instead, have a couple of layout images from the ancestry chapter so you can get an idea of what the Skills look like in RPG layout as opposed to what they’ll look like on the cards. I’ll note that the 3-column design here is specifically so that each ancestry fits exactly on two page spreads, which makes my ADHD brain that craves organization extremely happy. The class Talents and Skills might not get the same column treatment, but the Skills will look the same for consistency. 

We are also beginning playtesting of the higher levels of character play. We feel we have a good handle on how the game plays at level 1, but we want to make sure nothing falls apart as characters level, or if a group has a mixed level party. So far, the playtesters are feeling really good about the game, and we’ve had some great feedback coming in from them already.

Finally, I’m going to be attending Spiel in Essen, Germany at the start of October. If you’re in the area, come by the booth and I’ll be running folks through demos much like we did at UK Games Expo. Come by and say hi, and maybe get a game in. I’ll also run folks through character creation using the materials we had available at Gencon.

Until next time!

Danielle

                                       

And that's about it. Sorry for the lateness on this one. You can find the latest scenario for the Frosthaven community-driven campaign here. And thanks to everyone who came out to the booth at PAX West and Grandcon! Catch you next time!

Good day! I'll keep the intro short today and just briefly address miniatures, which you can read more about below. A comprehensive update, which will include a timeline update, is very much in the works, but it has and does require a lot of communication with the factory, along with other work, and that process is still ongoing. In the meantime, we'll continue to give you a progress graphic each update and let you know what work is being done.

With the Israel hub getting shipped out on the 16th, we can officially close the book on wave 1 & 2 fulfillment. I'll also be closing up this segment of the update until wave 3 shipping begins. As always, though, if you need any help with any part of your order, please reach out to [email protected]!

From Danielle:
We have a couple of updates this week for you on the RPG front. We’ve moved into higher level playtesting and ensuring all class and ancestry picks are good and meaningful. I’m already seeing some of the playtesters writing about enjoying their experience.

New for this week: we are in the process of contracting artists for book artwork. Because we are illustrating parts of the Gloomhaven world that have never been seen before, we’re taking a lot of care in how we describe people, clothing styles, buildings, and even the activities they partake in.

Layout is moving apace. By our next update, we should be fully into our first proofing pass. The layout artist does everything from choose fonts, colors, adds stylistic effects on the page, chooses texture, and in this case, leaves blank placeholders for art to hang out in. I’ve got a couple of single-page layout images to show you, which highlight the current style.

From Arch:
Hey everyone! Over the past few weeks we’ve continued working on multiple fronts to bring graphic design for Gloomhaven 2.0 to a close. 

One of the things I’m really proud about with this project is the “from scratch” factor. This is still Gloomhaven, but many of its components have been rebuilt from the ground up. This has become much more than a fresh coat of paint, as we’ve been working to incorporate the best of Frosthaven and Jaws of the Lion back into our core game. I’ve been thrilled with the level of polish we’ve been able to bring.

Price and I have received our white box samples from the manufacturer. We’ve been triple checking the physical dimensions of the components within to ensure a snug and efficient fit in shipping as well as a satisfying storage solution once the game has been opened and punched.

Punchboard layout continues, as do component proofing, revisions, and final fit-and-finish adjustments. Our game design team and playtesters have joined us in a thorough review of the game component design and per their feedback, the graphic design team has been making adjustments for a clearer and more intuitive experience. As these efforts continue, I will be working with the manufacturer to get some physical color proofs so we know what to expect when mass production begins. 

Arch out! Wishing a very merry PAX West to those who celebrate. Catch y’all in the next update!

We are nearing completion of all initial sculpts and submissions to our manufacturer! Most excitedly, we have received (and approved) physical red wax samples of our GH2E Mercenary miniatures (seen above) and are proud to say these are some of our best and most detailed miniatures to date. With these officially off to mold production, our internal miniatures focus gets to shift entirely to the few remaining monsters, bosses, and summons.

As some of you have noticed, we haven't been able to provide many updates beyond initial 3D sculpts and digital revisions. We did need to pause the project for a time because of evolving art needs on Gloomhaven, which had a ripple effect on finishing the sculpts based on those pieces. The manufacturer has many resources and specialists on hand to get us moving forward, and we just needed to be in the best place ourselves for their staffing allocations, which we feel we are now.

We are being told to expect more hands-on resource commitment from our manufacturing partner starting in September—specifically, their digital modification artists and physical red wax/plastics production team members. This will allow us to start making some significant strides in those areas over the coming months.

We don't, however, want to speak to that progress or timeline before we've seen the promised results, but our production team is meeting with them multiple times per week, preparing to making meaningful progress that we can start sharing back with you.



                               



In other news, the third scenario of the Frosthaven community-driven campaign has been released. In addition, the officially licensed TTS mod for Frosthaven, Frosthaven Enhanced, has been released, and you'll even be able to play new community-driven scenarios on there as they are released!

We'll continue to work over here to get all the projects out to you, and I'll catch you next time with more updates on our progress.

Good day! We've got a lot of interesting stuff coming at you this week, including another artist spotlight, an RPG designer diary, and an update on miniatures.

Most of the feedback on the last update was about more info on miniatures, and all that will be discussed below, so let's get to it!

The last of fulfillment is finishing up! Product to the Israel fulfillment hub is set to arrive at the end of week, with all other hubs having received product and have delivered it to backers. This means that by the next update, we should be able to fully put waves 1 & 2 to bed. If you haven’t yet received your Wave 1 (Frosthaven) or Wave 2 (Buttons & Bugs) items, please contact support to check on your order!

We are catching up on some support tickets from over the weekend, but we're still seeing turnover within a couple days, so we're going strong there. Let us know if we can help with anything at [email protected]!

So now let's talk miniatures, and we'll start with an updated progress graphic:



While we do have the updated progress here, we are unfortunately still finalizing the timeline with the factory. They've given us some preliminary dates to work with that have us finishing the molds and entering production at the beginning of quarter 2 of next year, but there's still some questions we need to resolve with them before we are comfortable presenting you with a confident timeline.

Now that the last of the sculpts are coming in, we've been able to more effectively communicate with the factory about dates and get things moving faster on that end. I know you haven't gotten a good update on miniatures since March, and I am sorry about that, but going forward, expect regular updates about the progress and what is going on.

For info on where Gloomhaven is at, here is an update from Arch:

Our Gloomhaven component graphic designers have shifted their focus to punchboard development. Making all these creatures, map tiles, and tokens fit efficiently onto a board is one of the most technical production aspects of creating a game of this scale. Layne and Andrew have been doing incredible work to make this happen, and I’ve been working with them to make sure the punchboard assets are formatted properly for placement. 

We’ve got some much appreciated Gloomhaven alumni help as well. Aaron Estepa, who put together the normal Frosthaven scenario books and the Frosthaven play surface books, has been closing in on finalizing the scenario book after several rounds of edits. And Jason Kingsley, who created the rulebooks for Jaws of the Lion and Frosthaven, is hard at work on the rulebook. Expanding our collaborative team has allowed us to make strides across all aspects of the project simultaneously, but having the knowledge and wisdom of legacy teammates makes a huge difference in helping us deliver the consistent experience you expect. 

While we finish up graphic design, we're also moving forward with proofing with the factory. Price and I have received white box samples of the full boxed game and all its components, and we will be reviewing those this week. We’ll be looking at the configuration of its contents to ensure that your games all arrive in good shape, unjumbled, and ready to unpack and enjoy!

– Arch

We’re continuing our artist spotlight series with Fabian Parente! He worked with us on the Gloomhaven project to shine a new light on an old foe and help fully define the appearance of another, offering creative angles that we hadn’t yet considered and working with Isaac and I to create these updated entries. 

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I’m Fabian Parente, a self-taught illustrator with a deep passion for fantasy and art. My fascination with vivid illustrations in role-playing, card, and board games from a young age sparked my journey into the world of illustration. Over the past eight years, I’ve had the privilege of working as a freelancer with prominent clients within the TTRPG community, contributing to various exciting projects. I’m excited to continue creating compelling images and am always eager to learn and grow as an artist. I look forward to the possibility of collaborating on more incredible projects.

I love Aesthers the most because of their mystical and enigmatic nature. Their deep connection to powerful magic and otherworldly origins resonate with my love for fantasy and the unknown. 

One of my hobbies is practicing martial arts, which I enjoy for its discipline and the mental and physical challenge it provides. I also love traveling, as it broadens my horizons and inspires my creativity. Playing the bass is another passion of mine, allowing me to express myself musically. Additionally, I've been learning Italian and Japanese for several years, which enriches my understanding of different cultures. Living in Japan for the past four years has significantly influenced my creative perspective. I also have a rescued injured Japanese bird as a pet, which adds a special touch to my daily life.

My favorite subject to draw is fantasy because it lets me bring to life the worlds and creatures I've always imagined. There's something magical about creating characters and places that don’t exist in reality—it's like turning dreams into something you can see and feel. Fantasy art gives me the freedom to be as creative as possible, and that's what I love most about it. My all-time favorite video game is the Baldur's Gate saga. It’s a classic in the RPG genre, offering deep storytelling, memorable characters, and a rich fantasy world that has had a lasting impact on how I approach both playing and creating games. Plus, who can resist the nostalgia of those epic adventures?

The illustration I'm most proud of so far is actually one of the pieces I did for Cephalofair. I genuinely think it's some of my best work yet. It pushed me to explore new techniques and capture the essence of the fantasy world in a way that felt both challenging and incredibly rewarding.

We are really thrilled to have met Fabian through this project and we're pleased to introduce him to the Gloomhaven community! In addition to creating commissioned art for game publishers, he makes frequent contributions to the TTRPG community through Oracle Press via Patreon where he creates magical content to elevate D&D adventures. You can also find more of Fabian’s work on his Artstation page!

All the information on where the RPG is at is in Danielle's latest designer diary:

Greetings Mercenaries!

It’s time for the July update… in the middle of August. Yeah, I know it’s been a minute, but better late than never, am I right? I wanted to wait until after Gen Con so I could talk about how that went, but I got sick at the tail end of the convention and spent all last week recovering. 

But! That gave the game enough time that I can report some pretty amazing news! The entire text of the RPG (sans a small item appendix) is finished with editing and on to layout! With the full edited text of the draft complete, graphic design becomes the new hotness. I’m sure I’ll share some images of what that looks like in the coming months.

We’ve been through several small tweaks over the course of writing and design that happens over the life of any brand new RPG. We might make extremely tiny changes, such as to a number here or a line there, during proofing. Usually, once the text is fully edited, we try to make as few changes as possible so as to not introduce any unintentional errors (this means all errors are in fact intentional!). Layout always feels like the home stretch because I’m not going to be making any large text changes beyond this point. While we’re still playtesting and ensuring mechanical structural integrity, the game part is DONE.

Which is great, because we've been getting stellar feedback from fans who have had a chance to interact with the RPG at conventions. Our friends at Lurking Fears ran games for us at Origins Game Fair and Gen Con, and their players were all having a great time. At Gen Con we made characters in the booth, and then ran through a short combat and a short social scenario. People were thrilled to get a chance to look at how easy it is to create an RPG character, which even explaining the game to folks who were entirely unfamiliar only took at most 30 minutes. Everyone had great fun running through both the short combat (eager to start the next round, though I had to shoo them out to invite the next group in) and the social scenario.

Last month I shared some Mindthief Skills with you, and I saw some folks asking about the conversion from hexes to feet. In specific, why 5 ft, why feet at all, and why not just keep using hexes? While we think it’s easiest to run the RPG combat using a hex grid, we didn’t want to limit people’s accessibility and enjoyment if maps and minis just aren’t their thing. We wanted to ensure folks could use the theater of the mind to a certain degree. And while using exact numbers and distances isn’t always easy to think about, it’s far more grounding and narrative than saying 1 or 2 spaces. So we abstract a number and set it to a real life unit of measurement, and we then just say 1 hex = 5 ft. And we chose feet because we’re an American company, and it's the unit of distance we’re most familiar with thinking about.

Finally, some RPG teasers:

Because we made characters at Gen Con, I wanted to share the materials folks saw at the convention. I give you both the simplified creation steps handout that Monica created, and the demo character sheet created by Wilting Moon we had for folks during the show.

And speaking of how during character creation you start with choosing your ancestry, I wanted to share an ancestry excerpt that would give you an idea of how we characterize the ancestries and their Skills. 

Play a quatryl if you want to portray a hyper-intelligent individual who has a penchant for following their impulses and indulging their curiosity. Quatryls might be small in stature, but they are big in personality and presence. Quatryls become mercenaries as a way to make a living, satiate their curiosity, and travel in a semi-nomadic lifestyle. 

Fighting Styles 

What a quatryl lacks in sheer strength, they more than make up for with ingenuity. No matter what their chosen profession, a quatryl knows how to handle most weapons, especially ones that require gunpowder or flint. Quatryls are cold and calculating in a fight, watching their opponent and waiting for an opportunity to strike a fatal blow. They tend to be fast, and others underestimate their strength and fighting skill, much to their detriment. While some quatryls might be duelists, guards, or other martial professions that give formal combat training, most quatryls learn how to fight the hard way, by getting beaten and then figuring out how to defend themselves. These quatryls aren’t above fighting dirty and employ an arsenal of ready-made gadgetry and weapons to ensure they don’t ever suffer the same fate twice. 

Beyond a natural curiosity, quatryls tend to be friendly. Some are high-strung and anxious, always needing to be working on a new project or goal to feel normal. Others are easy-going, taking life as it comes at them and treating every new experience with childlike wonder and joy. Sometimes the same quatryl will oscillate between both states, making it hard to relate to others. As mercenaries, quatryls lend their talents as fixers, problem solvers, and sometimes thrill-seekers to their fellows, earning a reputation for often mad-hat enterprises. 

Classes 

Many quatryls never leave their university, but those who do take their training with them. Many quatryls are tinkerers, using their engineering studies to create new and deadlier weapons to deploy against their enemies, or innovating ways to keep their allies healthy. Quatryls make excellent quartermasters, always keeping stock of the company’s wares and ensuring everything is in proper working order. Quatryls who have taken up the arts tend to be soothsingers, wielding their robust knowledge to read other people. They use this to encourage their allies and demoralize their enemies in equal measure. Quatryls who take an interest in magic tend to be spellweavers, finding the dichotomy between Ice and Fire a satisfying quandary to puzzle over for a lifetime. 

Common Names 

Quatryls tend to have names associated with their interests. While all quatryls have given names that they use when they are young, they often choose their own names as they get older. Sometimes they append titles to their names to designate their specialties. Other quatryls show a great deal of reverence to the title of Master, Professor, and Magus, even if the quatryl using them has never stepped foot into a higher-degree program. 

Examples: Archmaster Trini, Colbert, Dean Hubert, Inventor Olga, Klein, Lord Lightning Brass, Master Clock Smith, Professor Jules, Senior Agriculturalist Prizz, Top Engineer Madrigal, Warden Hall, Xander, Zeze
 

Ancestry Skills 

Quatryls all have above-average intelligence, which they often put toward invention and experimentation. Even those who do not follow the life of an engineer find an affinity for technology and study. Their culture encourages unreserved curiosity, which can lead them to great things and get them into big trouble. They are also smaller in stature than most other ancestries, leading people to view them as weak. 

Gain a bonus to Attribute checks when the quatryl uses their Ancestry Skills to study, understand, avoid, activate, or otherwise interact with a piece of technology. Additionally, gain this bonus when they make checks to satisfy their curiosity, come up with a quick solution to a problem, prove someone wrong about them, show off, or surprise someone, especially someone who has underestimated them in some way. 

Technological Affinity 

Level: 1 

Initiative: 42 

Primary: Recover up to 2 Expended items. Then you may immediately play a different Skill or Talent to perform one of its actions. 

Secondary: Jump up to 25 ft. Then give one adjacent enemy the Wound condition. 

Bonus: Advantage, +1 

There isn’t a single piece of technology in this world that is foreign to you.

Underestimated 

Level: 1 

Initiative: 14 

Primary: Make a ranged attack 4 on one target within 15 ft. All attacks targeting you this round gain Disadvantage, and you Taunt until the end of the round. 

Secondary: Heal yourself for 3, and you Taunt until the end of the round. Whenever you are attacked this round, the attacker gains the Immobilize condition. 

Bonus: Advantage, +1 

Those who don’t know you would never suspect what you’re capable of. 

Quick Thinking 

Level: 1 

Initiative: 10 

Primary: Make a ranged attack 3 with pierce 3 on one target within 15 ft. 

Secondary: Gain retaliate 1 until the end of the round. The next enemy that suffers damage from your retaliate this round gains the Pacify condition. 

Bonus: Advantage, +1 

Until next time!
– Danielle

                                   

And that will do it for this update! I had an absolutely wonderful time at Gen Con earlier this month, and I just want to sincerely thank all the fans who came out to talk to me about their experiences with all our games. And to the one marvelous fan who came cosplaying as the Saw! Stuff like that really energizes me and the team to keep doing what we're doing, so thank you!

We also released a new promo scenario at Gen Con for Buttons & Bugs, which you can also find at the Buttons & Bugs website. And check out this graphic for info on where the team will be in the near future!



See you next time!

Good day! And greetings from Indiana! Gen Con will be kicking off in a few days, and it's the first big convention I (Isaac) have been to since PAXU, so I'm excited to hang out at the booth and show off Buttons & Bugs and the RPG to fans.

In lieu of running RPG demos at the booth, we're going to be running interactive highlights of different elements of the game each day of the con, so if you stop by for a little bit each day, you'll get to learn all about character creation (Thursday), faction missions (Friday), combat scenes (Saturday), and exploration scenes (Sunday). Or just stop by one day and experience whatever you're most interested in!

No changes since last update. Still finishing up wave 1 and 2 fulfillment in Asia and done everywhere else. I will also say that we understand the pain points better now with fulfillment in Asia and will be taking steps to not have it lag behind like this in future waves.

We're also keeping on top of support requests. So if you have any unresolved problems with wave 1/2 fulfillment (missing delivery, etc.) or you sent in a request that hasn't been resolved for more than a week, please reach back out to [email protected] so we can fix the issue.

The end of the month approaches, and here is an update on getting all the files finished from art director Arch.



Hello friends! As anticipated, July was a busy month for component graphic design. With all of the general illustrations complete we’ve been able to move forward on a number of components, including character mats, ability cards, and punch boards. The game design team has been reviewing the rulebook and scenario book as they continue their visual development. 

We’ve discovered that there isn’t exactly a linear handoff between graphic design and proofing in this project. Since many components have contingencies that rely on completion of other components, the overall design process has involved close collaboration and constant iteration between the game designers and graphic designers. The resulting workflow sees us working in tandem with the game designers in a process that is more intertwined than was originally projected. As a result, graphic design for this project is about 80% complete at this point. Importantly, proofing and related revisions are also underway well ahead of when we expected them to begin in earnest. 

In the coming weeks we will continue this collaborative process with the game designers. We still hope to begin reviewing physical printed proofs in late August for color calibration and quality. 

Anyway, back to work! A very merry Gen Con to all who celebrate. Please say hi to Genevieve for me! 

In addition to these updated components of the Silent Knife, we're also previewing the updated art of a locked class (Eclipse) on Reddit. You can head over there to check it out, but be warned of spoilers!

We are still neck deep in editing and layout on the book over here, but things continue to move along. We're starting to get pages back from layout, and it is all looking quite nice. We got some love for the lore dump last time, so we'll work on bringing more of those in future updates, along with more solid info on where we're at once layout is further along and Gen Con is behind us.

The continued clamoring for miniatures updates is heard, but unfortunately we're not quite there yet. We're still in the middle of talks with the factory to figure out the timing of everything. It is a big project with a lot of moving parts, so planning all this out can take some time. What I can tell you is that the last batch of sculpts for the entirety of the miniatures project is being finished now, and we are actively working on getting you a proper miniatures update with the progress graphic as soon as we can. In the mean time, here are a couple mini previews to tide you over.

                                         

Once again, please come say hello if you're going out to Gen Con, and if you're not, we'll have some highlights from the show in the next update. Also just gonna drop a link to the next scenario in the Frosthaven community campaign. Have a great week, and I'll catch you next time!

Good day! We are back with yet another Backerkit update!

Now that we've updated the Gloomhaven and RPG timelines, there has understandably been some clamoring to get an update on the minis project, and we hear you! It has been too long, and this is something we are definitely working on. There's a lot of elements that need to be arranged and discussed before we'll have all the info on updated timelines ready to present to you, but that work is being done behind the scenes, and we will do our best to get you a miniatures update as soon as we can.

For now, what I have for you this week is updates on shipping and support requests, a new artist spotlight for the new edition of Gloomhaven, and a lore excerpt from the RPG.

At this point, all shipping is complete for waves 1 and 2, aside from some outstanding regions in Asia, and the update there is the same as it has been. You can track the progress of your region here: https://vfi.asia/hubs/ (The project is listed under Frosthaven).

If you are having any trouble with a shipment, you can reach out to [email protected], and we will sort it out for you. As of now, I am happy to report that we are at zero outstanding tickets in the support inbox, so turnaround time should be very quick on your support requests now!

We're making great progress on all the graphic design here. Realistically, we are still doing our best to have all files ready by the end of the month, but we may end up overshooting that deadline by a week or two, especially as we have to contend with Gen Con at the end of the month, where most of the industry is out of commission for a week, including some of our contractors.

I'll check in next time once we hit the end of the month with more details on where we're at, but for now, we thought it would be nice to send out another artist spotlight.



Alex Elichev has more than 15 years of experience as an illustrator, photographer, and explorer. He’s a long-time Cephalofair friend and collaborator, having worked closely with Isaac to develop some of the first people and creatures to inhabit the World of Gloomhaven. You can see his work on Gloomhaven, Forgotten Circles, Founders of Gloomhaven, and Jaws of the Lion as well as the upcoming new edition of Gloomhaven. 

A: In 2012 I entered the world of board games with my first illustration "Twilight Gate" for Warhammer. Since then I have worked on many different projects from Fantasy Flight Games and now have a whole collection of cards for a variety of universes.

A: Orchids are close to me, they are magnificent and mysterious. They are close to nature, their ability to crystallize makes them so graceful and fantastic.

A: Many are interesting to me like Spellweaver and Hatchet although I prefer to develop them. I love lore in games, it's amazing to create a character from scratch and imagine them in motion to try to understand their character.

A: I love to travel to different countries, try new foods, and photograph unique landscapes and animals. I also like to develop logic and tactics with a good game of Chess.

A: Of course I do! I search for films, music, art, and historical clothing that’s relevant to the setting I’m working in. Sometimes I go to a museum. I do everything I can for inspiration.

A: Back in art school I saw Lord of the Rings. I fell asleep the first time, but the second time I watched it and eventually read all the books. I make time to enjoy these movies again every year.

A: I think everyone knows Baldur’s Gate 3. I am inspired by this world, the characters and especially the team itself. They are very interesting and creative people who are always honest with their fans. They make a great game! 

A: I particularly enjoy subjects in which I can show my imagination to the maximum. Monsters. Fantastic creatures. Dragons and much more.

A: This is probably the very first CRPG I've played. Neverwinter Nights and all its additions. Lots of skills, spells, races and all in my favorite world of Forgotten Realms and with the enchanting music of Jeremy Soule.

A: Look for inspiration in everything, be positive, try to think about your future. 

A: I really like Ruan Jia. I always wanted to make the most detailed illustration like him, but unfortunately I don't have that much free time. He can make one illustration for about a month.

A: I’m most proud of the original Gloomhaven cover art because it tells a story. 

A: Do good things for people, walk in parks, don’t forget about art ;) 

The new edition of Gloomhaven will feature a number of classic and new art pieces by Alex, including more items and summon, like the Iron Beast above. We’re thrilled to continue working with this inspirational and imaginative artist! Check out his full portfolio at https://www.artstation.com/alexandrelichev to see everything he’s been up to!

Everything is continuing smoothly along on the RPG as well, as we work on editing and layout. And as we have some of the cool lore chapters back from editing, we thought we'd share with you an except that we're excited about. Here is some info on the quatryl homeland of Cyrgen:

Far to the east of Casskia, across the Misty Sea, lies Cyrgen, the ancestral home of orchids and quatryls. The western side of Cyrgen is a lush land filled with forests and gentle rolling hills. The north is dominated by the Risen Peaks, a massive mountain range that spans the continent. In the south, the Wild Peaks separate west from east with the Shimmering Desert on the leeward side.

Orchids view Cyrgen as a treasure to protect and preserve. They discourage immigration, spreading stories about impoverished, rocky wastelands. On the other hand, quatryls love visitors and encourage newcomers to stay as long as they like. This causes some tension between the two, though nothing has come of it yet.

Recently, the coasts have seen an influx of quatryls wishing to gain access to the greater world. Their curiosity drives them, and they have built settlements spreading out from Declyod as they prepare to travel the world.

In contrast to the relatively new cities in Casskia, the cities of Cyrgen are old, refined, and built to interact and coexist with their surroundings. While this has changed recently near Declyod, there is still a general respect for the land, even in the most industrialized areas.

Declyod
While traditionally nomadic, quatryls love living in cities. Their shining jewel is Declyod, which sits in a natural bay created by the Silver River. The city, originally founded by orchids, now serves as their capital. Quatryl nomads originally built a university near the city as a place for study and rest between their constant travels. As more people came to study, the university grew and soon quatryls were more populous than orchids. The orchids simply made space for the quatryls, who eventually took over the city.

Declyod is a modern marvel filled with technological delights. The city is lit with electric lights powered by both magically captured air and hydroelectric power. They have a working sewer system complete with flushing commodes and water treatment. They have long-distance communication, automatic single- and double-person vehicles, and a wide variety of hand-held personal devices that make life easier.

The center of the city is the oldest part, and still has the sturdy stone and crystal spires built by the original orchid inhabitants. The docks are made of treated wood, worn to a lustrous dark brown with age and use. The areas further out from the city center are a hodgepodge of construction, buildings pile on top of one another, the newer simply built atop the older. The newest areas, built stretching around the arms of the bay, are a mix of temporary homes and permanent sprawling estates taking advantage of the extra space.

Declyod’s inventors are the best of the best, often working to one up each other in friendly rivalry. Twice a year, the city hosts a maker’s faire. It opens the old university courtyard to the city and crafters from all over the world bring their latest inventions to show off. The entire city celebrates the occasions in week-long festivities offering everything from special baked goods to discounts in shops.

Quatryl society encourages curiosity, rewarding failure and success in equal measure as long as something is learned. Young quatryls have a great many opportunities for learning and study, though the pressure to study engineering at the Great University is often burdensome. Declyod has recently suffered from a loss of their younger generation, who seek to find their paths and fortunes across the sea in Casskia. They wish to find adventure and new experiences and believe the only way to achieve that is to leave home.

The Great University
Another major quatryl city lies north of Declyod at the southern tip of the Violet Delta. Here, the Declyod Institute for Scientific Study and Research (DISSR) has created the largest learning institution in the world. The entire city is the Great University itself, boasting over three dozen different colleges devoted to specific areas of engineering and study. Student and professor housing lies nestled in between each college so that they may easily walk to their primary class buildings. Broad boulevards separate colleges and residents into districts, each with restaurants, shops, and entertainment to supply them. Non-matriculating residents live in housing that spreads outward from the city center, and commute to the campuses to work and experience the brilliance that comes out of the Great University daily.

The Great University’s colleges are primarily dedicated to engineering disciplines. The quatryl definition of engineering is rather loose, and includes agriculture, architecture, manufacture, distillation, baking, astronomy, and even poetry and prose. While many quatryls prefer the natural sciences and practical applications of their studies, some study the more esoteric fields and seek to gain a basic understanding of their environment.

The Great University’s motto is “To Learn and Grow” which is embodied by every student. They prioritize innovation over perfection, though the professors urge students to at least grasp the fundamentals before they start innovating.

                                     

And one other exciting bit of news to report before I sign off: the first 10-scenario community-driven campaign for Frosthaven has begun! This was something I've been aiming to do ever since we launched the Frosthaven Kickstarter back in 2020. And now that the second printing of Frosthaven has finally delivered, it seemed like a good time as any to get into it.

You can find out more about the campaign here, but, basically, I'll be posting a scenario every two weeks and then giving the community the power to vote on what happens next in the campaign. In this way, it becomes more of a choose-your-own-adventure, where none of us really know what's around the corner, because I make up everything on the spot in response to the voting results. We've done a few for Gloomhaven in the past, and they're always a lot of fun.

You can follow this link to get the first scenario and vote on what happens next. And the best way to follow along as it happens is to subscribe the this geeklist, so you get a notification any time something new is posted.

And that's all there is to report! Like I said, we're working on bringing you a miniatures update, so stay tuned for that as well as more info on the new edition and the RPG. Until next time!