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Confluence: The Living Archive

Created by Publishing Goblin, LLC

Confluence is an expansive tabletop roleplaying game of in-world artifacts and Atlases, built upon a world and a system that grows and changes as you explore. Shipping yet to be added or charged on orders-- will be adding and charging in 2025 closer to our ship date.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Day 28 Progress | Dicey Banter Interview TOMORROW | Update #16
about 1 month ago – Mon, Nov 11, 2024 at 12:08:57 PM

TL;DR

  • Less than $5k to funded with 4 days left! 
  • We have unlocked Chrona, the Color Dome, and Rgnb with for "10 Things To Do In" treatments.
  • Less than 20 backers to unlock the the pirate city of Delrun.
  • Dicey Banter interview Tuesday, November 12th at 7pm EST on Twitch.
  • Confluence: The Living Archive could be the next big D&D competitor article from Polygon.
  • And the winner is... the Jernang!
  • Vote on the first match up of Bracket #3, Alfira Vs. Gods.


Day 28 Progress and Backer Achievement Update

We need just over $4k to fund with 4 days left and we are less than 20 backers to unlock the fourth "10 Things To Do In" city! The poll to chose the cities ended today so the list is below. 
  1. Chrona - time bubble city UNLOCKED
  2. Color Dome - underwater domed city UNLOCKED
  3. Rgnb - a village based on conservation and nature UNLOCKED
  4. Delrun - city run by pirates (Unlocks at 575 backers)
  5. Gravity Isles - islands with gravity wells (Unlocks at 600 backers)
  6. Crop Circle Junction - city based on manufacturing and unions (Unlocks at 625 backers)
  7. Project C-1019 - science and research based center (Unlocks at 650 backers)
  8. Rockwater Isles - islands in the Swirling Sea (Unlocks at 675 backers)

Dicey Banter Interview 



Project Lead Laya Liebeseller and Lore/QA Lead Kandi J. Williams sat down with Valiant Dorian of Dicey Banter to talk about Confluence, worldbuilding, and challenging industry standards! Check out the interview on Tuesday, November 12th at 7pm EST on Twitch. We will also be in chat to answer any questions! 


Polygon Review

Confluence: The Living Archive could be the next big D&D competitor heads the article by Rowan Zeoli of Polygon. That is quite the compliment! Check out the article that breaks down the basics of the world and the mechanics.


Lineage Knockout Tournament: Bracket #3 Match up 1

And the winner of the last match up in Bracket #2 is... the Jernang!

We are getting close to crowning a winner! For those that missed the early polls check below for info on these two lineages then vote on your favorite!
Alfira Vs. Gods

The Alfira are a beloved lineage and are survivors of the collapse of their entire Era of origin, Era 8 Labyrinthea. Alfira look a lot like mice from Earth. They are short and stout with incredible senses, especially their sense of smell. Alfira are the progenitors of one anomalous ability that is widely used in Ajurea: Smoke. Smoke was initially created by Alfira to navigate the mazes of Labyrinthea and defend against anything that might harm them. These days, Smoke is used for more domestic tasks, such as incense, cleansing, and even aromatherapy.

Fallen and Full Gods
Divinity is an interesting concept in Ajurea, as there truly are full gods just walking among everyone, living their own lives. Fallen gods are a popular lineage and are an exploration of the concept of mortality and the idea of one’s own finite existence. In Ajurea, divinity is an expendable resource. Once a god or fallen god has used up their divinity, they die and are reduced to an object with their lingering essence. Divine beings are incredibly diverse, as you can be the god of basically anything in this game, and take on any type of physical form, from a towering mountain-sized fallen god slowly giving way to slumber to a small mote of sparkling dust, causing mischief wherever you please.

Day 27 Progress | Regional Pricing PDF Bundles | Update #15
about 1 month ago – Sun, Nov 10, 2024 at 11:31:51 AM

TL;DR

  • Need about $5.5k to fund in 5 days!
  • Unlocked a third city for "10 Things To Do In". Next unlock at 575 backers!
  • Regional pricing for some foreign countries: PDF Bundle = $18 and PDF All-in Bundle for $30
  • Confluence One Shot with Ponderkind Thursday, November 14th @ 12:30am PST (yes AM!)
  • Strange Ecologies Panel with Gnome Anne Friday, November 15th @ 3pm PST
  • Check out Part 1 and Part 2 VODs for Confluence and Friends Live.
  • And the winner for match up 3 is the Umbrans!
  • Vote on the last match up of Bracket #2, the Jernang Vs. the Mirrar. 

Day 27 Progress and Backer Achievement Update

We are just over $5k to funded with 5 days left. We also hit the third Backer Achievement yesterday and will be adding another city to the "10 Things To Do In" list! Our next one unlocks at 575 backers so let's keep the momentum going! 
 

Regional Pricing Discount

We know the US dollar can convert to hundreds or thousands in foreign currencies so we are offering a regional discount on PDF Bundles of Confluence. for those that don't live in the US, Canada, the UK, or Australia. 

The Regional PDF Bundle includes a digital version of all the books and access to Confluence on Alchemy RPG for $18.

The Regional PDF All-in Bundle includes a digital version of all the books, access to Confluence on Alchemy RPG, Motley Coat Adventures, and the digital Focus Card Deck for $30.

Last Week Schedule

We have a couple things dropping this week including the below. Keep an eye on the updates to see other media/press that may pop up!
  • Thursday, November 14th @ 12:30am PST (yes AM!) - Confluence One Shot with Ponderkind 
  • Friday, November 15th @ 3pm PST - Strange Ecologies Panel with Gnome Anne

Confluence and Friends VODs

If you missed our 10 hour live stream yesterday you can check the VODs out here with chapters to make it easy to skip around!

Part 1 features an Intro to Confluence, Mechanics and Design Guide Discussion, An Interview with Dan Muñoz from Alchemy RPG, A Walkthrough of Calibration, and an Interview with Dice from Rat Wave Game House.

Part 2 features Why a $55k Funding Goal, an Interview with the Scott Falzone of Fatebound, The Other Worlds of Publishing Goblin with Seven Dane Asmund, Pronunciation and History of Motley Coast, and a chill hang out session with some of the Confluence Crew.

Lineage Knockout Tournament: Bracket #2 Match up 4

And the winner of the second match up in Bracket #2 is... the Umbran!

For those that missed the early polls check below for info on these two lineages then vote on your favorite!

Jernang Vs. Mirrar

Jernang are birthed in the water, where they spend their first few years as shark-like pups, growing their small legs until they can walk on land. Their tall frames feature two pairs of shoulder-mounted arms that come in during pubescence. The secondary arms allow Jernang to wield their massive weapons.

While they can live on land, and often do, they never stray too far from water; their smooth seal-like skin always has a wet sheen to it as a result. Their tall rabbit-like ears give them acute hearing, and their all-black eyes have great sight at long distances. Their bodies already appear strong, but their muscles and digits are all incredibly dense, giving them even greater strength than expected. 

Their long tails let them navigate waters with complete fluidity, and their plated chests and lower legs offer them more aquadynamic movement. They have prominent whiskers on their face. Unlike any whiskers I have seen on Earth, their whiskers detect changes in the weather and allow them to get to safety when needed.   

The Mirrar have a serpentine lower body with a humanoid torso. Six tentacles grow from their primary shoulders, descending in size to the smallest terminal tentacles. Mirrar have minor elements of an exoskeleton in the form of rib plates across their torso which possess a central hinge to allow for expansion during breathing. Their mouths are bifurcated both vertically and horizontally beneath nasal slits. Mirrar have a pair of nimble sensitive tongues which provide environmental information to a Vomeronasal cavity on the roof of their mouth. This provides the Mirrar with a sharp sense of smell.  

Mirrar are a fungal people diverse in appearance, boasting a wide range of colors. They possess mantles, a fringe which grows from the head and neck and may manifest as fine gills floral in appearance, in full fungal caps or with harder scales that may resemble metal, glass or opal plates.

Day 26 Progress | Confluence and Friends Stream TODAY | Update #14
about 1 month ago – Sat, Nov 09, 2024 at 11:04:33 AM

Short and sweet since we are streaming today! Watch us on the BackerKit page or on YouTube right now!


Day 25 Progress and Achievement Update

89% to funded with 6 days left and 7 backers from our next achievement to add a third city to get the "10 Things To Do In" treatment!  


Lineage Knockout Tournament: Bracket #2 Match up 3

And the winner of the second match up in Bracket #2 is... the Alfira!

For those that missed the early polls check below for info on these two lineages then vote on your favorite!

Bande Dhaben Vs. Umbran

The Bande Dhaben come from Engine 3 Sehe Gandia, a completely separate world from this one. Any animal found on Earth and even some mythological creatures may have a Bande analog, meaning there is incredible diversity amongst Bande. They are mostly bipedal, typically having two arms and two legs even when their antecedent species had more. Arthropod-derived Bande seem to be the most common outlier in this regard, but within Bande from the same species, there can be variation even among siblings. Differences in size are also reduced, as the smallest Bande are about three to four feet tall while the largest are about eight feet tall.

Umbran are a centauroid species possessing six arms, four of which serve as legs but possess four-fingered hands. They have prominent bony protrusions on their fingertips and chest, and a naturally occurring bony plate called a mask that serves as a face. Masks rest on exposed condyles near the lower jaw and act as the upper jaw. Masks can be removed without physical damage; they are essentially connected by a ball and socket joint. 
Umbrans require a mask to chew and see, however this doesn’t need to be their original mask as long as it has been appropriately tempered.

Umbran bodies are composed of epithelial, muscle, and bone tissues serving as an envelope around a central cavity that enjoins their two torsos. What appears to be flame in their central cavity at first glance is not the result of a chemical reaction, but several decentralized photonuclear ones that produce energy. 

Day 25 Progress | Backer Achievement Progress | Update #13
about 1 month ago – Fri, Nov 08, 2024 at 12:01:52 PM

TL;DR

  • Over $6k from funded with 7 days left!
  • Another achievement down means the top 2 locations will get the "10 Things To Do In" treatment and less than 20 backers from adding a third. Don't forget to vote on your favorite location!
  • Check out the schedule for the Confluence and Friends live stream this Saturday beginning 9am PST.
  • And the Gods are moving to the next round!
  • Vote on the mouse-like Alfira or the bat-like Unlelo for the next match up.

Day 25 Progress

Another nice bump in the last 24 hours and we are just over $6k away from goal! 


Backer Achievement Progress

We hit the second Backer Achievement goal yesterday so we are now up to 2 "10 Things To Do In..." locations that will be given to everyone who pledges to the PDF level or higher. We are less than 20 backers away from adding another city! You have until Monday at 12pm PST to vote on the city/location. 


Confluence and Friends Live Stream Schedule


Are you ready for 10 hours of Confluence and Friends? Check us out live on Saturday, November 9th starting at 9am PST on our BackerKit page or on our YouTube. 


Lineage Knockout Tournament: Bracket #2 Match up 2

And the winner of the first match up in Bracket #2 is... the Gods!

This next match up of Bracket #2 is also going to be difficult to choose between and will only be up for 24 hours. For those that missed the early polls check below for info on these two lineages then vote on your favorite!


Alfira Vs. Unlelo

The Alfira are a beloved lineage and are survivors of the collapse of their entire Era of origin, Era 8 Labyrinthea. Alfira look a lot like mice from Earth. They are short and stout with incredible senses, especially their sense of smell. Alfira are the progenitors of one anomalous ability that is widely used in Ajurea: Smoke. Smoke was initially created by Alfira to navigate the mazes of Labyrinthea and defend against anything that might harm them. These days, Smoke is used for more domestic tasks, such as incense, cleansing, and even aromatherapy. 

Unlelo have diverse features that are most comparable to bats. They are long-limbed relative to the length of the core body, with a wide variety of specialized noses and ears. The different suborders of Unlelo vary greatly in size. Unlelo wingspans typically range 1.3 times their height. Their wings and related structures appear delicate at a glance, but the wing bones possess unusual tensile strength by weight and are linked by incredibly elastic ligaments allowing for effective absorption of impact. They can be found all over Ajurea, and are most populous in the underground and cave communities. 

Day 24 Progress | Confluence and Friends Live Stream Saturday | Update #12
about 1 month ago – Thu, Nov 07, 2024 at 12:16:27 PM

TL;DR

  • Just shy of $8k funded with 8 days left.
  • Check out our live stream Saturday starting at 9am PST on Backerkit page or Youtube.
  • Hit 500 backers! Go vote in the poll to choose the next city/location to get "10 Things To Do In" section.
  • Next achievement is 525 backers and we are just 8 shy of adding another city to "10 Things To Do In".
  • And the winner of the last match up in Bracket #1 is the Jernang.
  • Vote on the first of Bracket #2 matchup, the Gen Vs. the Gods!

Day 24 Progress

After a nice bump yesterday we are looking at just over $8k to fund with 8 days left! If you haven't backed yet, now is the time so we can start working towards some of those stretch goals (did someone say dice)!

Confluence and Friends Live Stream Saturday

The Confluence Team will be live streaming this Saturday from 9am - 7pm PST. You can watch the stream on our Backerkit page or our YouTube. We'll get deep into style guides, walk through Calibration, talk about the campaign and where your money is going, learn about histories of Confluence, and explore the other worlds under Publishing Goblin. We also have special guests joining us from Alchemy RPG, Rat Wave Games, and Eerie Games!!! Check our socials for updates with a full schedule. 

Backer Achievement Update

We hit the first Backer Achievement yesterday! Thank you to the 500+ backers that have helped us get this far. Check the poll linked below and vote on a city that will get the "10 Things To Do In" treatment. 

Our next achievement is at 525 backers and we are almost there! The city/location with the second most votes in the poll will be added to the list. This will continue for every 25 backers achievements hit.  

Lineage Knockout Tournament: Bracket #2 Match up 1

And the winner of the last match up in Bracket #1 is... the Jernang!

This first match up of Bracket #2 is going to be difficult to choose between and will only be up for 24 hours. For those that missed the early polls check below for info on these two lineages then vote on your favorite!

Gen Vs. Gods

Gen are a fascinating lineage with the capability to molt and shape themselves according to a form that suits them best. Whether they form wheels on the soles of their feet to be able to deliver messages from one end of Motley Coast City to the other or they become big, towering figures that guard a valley with precious plants, the Gen have no size limitations for their bodies, whether big or small. They can emerge from their molting even larger than before.

On an even cooler note, it has been found that under a deep OV-ray scan, one can see the various forms curled deep and layered within their bodies and in the order that a Gen would need them. Are these forms predetermined or self-determined? Who knows…

Fallen and Full Gods
Divinity is an interesting concept in Ajurea, as there truly are full gods just walking among everyone, living their own lives. Fallen gods are a popular lineage and are an exploration of the concept of mortality and the idea of one’s own finite existence. In Ajurea, divinity is an expendable resource. Once a god or fallen god has used up their divinity, they die and are reduced to an object with their lingering essence. Divine beings are incredibly diverse, as you can be the god of basically anything in this game, and take on any type of physical form, from a towering mountain-sized fallen god slowly giving way to slumber to a small mote of sparkling dust, causing mischief wherever you please.

Vote here!