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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 24 Progress | Confluence and Friends Live Stream Saturday | Update #12
over 1 year 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!

Day 22 Progress | 11 More Backers to Hit Achievement | Update #11
over 1 year ago – Tue, Nov 05, 2024 at 04:50:35 PM

TL;DR

  • 82% to goal with 10 days left.
  • 11 more backers to hit the 500 backer achievement to get more things to do in a city you choose by poll.
  • And the winner is... the serpentine Mirrar!
  • Vote on the last bracket #1 matchup. The Hahens Vs. the Jernang.

Day 22 Progress

82% is just over $10k needed to fund. We have 10 days left to get there. 

500 Backer Achievement Update

We need 11 more backers to hit this achievement! Once we hit it, we will release a poll so you can choose the next location to get the 10 Things To Do treatment.

Lineage Knockout Tournament: Bracket #1 Match up 8

And the winner is... the Mirrar!


Lineage Spotlight : Hahen

Though similar to Mortals’ body shape, the Hahen's major joints are not connected physically; instead, they use an unusual form of covalent bonding. This leaves gaps between their primary body and their limbs, which float a little away from the body. Similarly, most Hahen have either one large cavity or several smaller ones within their torso. It seems that, when their natural forms are translated to solid mass, the majority of Hahen do not have enough base material to fill these cavities.

Almost all Hahen have naturally growing crowns made up of horns that follow the curve of their head before rising up into points. These features may play a role in the reproductive process of Hahen within Ajurea, as those with more prominent crowns tend to produce more offspring via an energy-based osmotic process. 


Lineage Spotlight: Jernang

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.   

Day 20 Progress | New Achievement at 500 Backers | Update #10
over 1 year ago – Sun, Nov 03, 2024 at 09:43:22 AM

TL;DR

  • A little more than $10k needed to fund. 
  • At 500 backers, PDF level and higher will get 10 Things To Do in a city chosen by poll.
  • And the winner is... the centauroid Umbrans!
  • Vote on your favorite between the cloned Chell and the serpentine Mirrar.

Day 20 Progress

Just over $10k needed to fund in 12 days! 

New Achievement: 10 Things To Do in ??? at 500 Backers

The largest city in the region, Motley Coast City has a 10 Things To Do section in the Atlas. When we reach 500 backers we will add another 10 Things To Do section for another city/location of your choosing through a poll! Want more places or events to visit for your campaign in the Gravity Isles or the pirate city of Delrun? Help us reach our goal and all backers at PDF pledge level or higher will receive this extra material.

Lineage Knockout Tournament: Bracket #1 Match up 7

And the winner is... Umbrans!


Lineage Spotlight: Chell

The cloned Chell look similar to Ell’el with fewer variations: short legs, long arms, and pale yellow chitinous skin. They were bioengineered by the Limitless AI to perform upkeep for the AI and their homes. For example, their short legs allow them to remain stationary for long periods and bend down with ease. The Chell will have some slight anatomical differences depending on their assigned duty, but they share many characteristics. Two flexible pieces of chitin on top of their heads that can split to allow access to their brains for direct connection to their exosuits and other Chell tech.


Lineage Spotlight: Mirrar

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 18 Progress | The Catalog of Lists Deep Dive | Update #9
over 1 year ago – Fri, Nov 01, 2024 at 11:28:33 AM

TL;DR

  • 80% funded!
  • The Catalog of Lists is a comprehensive reference for many things that you may need to look at for your character throughout your sessions,
  • And the winner of the last match up is... the Bande Dhaben!
  • Vote on your favorite between the Fellkin and the Umbran.

Day 18 Progress

80% funded with 14 days left! Don't forget to share our campaign to help us get funded.

Deep Dive: The Catalog of Lists

The Catalog of Lists is, simply put, a bunch of lists. This text is both a mechanical reference text and mix of indexes. Here you can find the mechanics for your Facets and Specialties: major parts of your character which serve as a big part of who they are, their skills and abilities, and more. It contains our Callings which are a lot like occupations, hobbies, and even affiliations. Moreover, it indexes Themes, Area Traits, and Focuses! It is a comprehensive reference for many things that you may need to look at for your character throughout your sessions. 

Lineage Knockout Tournament: Bracket #1 Match up 6

And the winner is... Bande Dhaben!


Lineage Spotlight: Fellkin
Fellkin and Goblins are closely related. They are both quite short in stature, but the Fellkin have soft short fur and weasel-like faces that distinguish them from their Goblin cousins. They have three eyes arranged in a triangle.  Their ears are medium-sized, but the large openings allow them to hear even soft noises up to fifty feet away. The Fellkin’s fur usually ranges from beige to a darker orange-brown with dark brown or black markings, but there are some really rare colorings like gray and jet black.


Lineage Spotlight: Umbran
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. 

Vote for your favorite in the poll below!

Day 14 Progress | Calibration Deep Dive | Update #8
over 1 year ago – Mon, Oct 28, 2024 at 11:56:24 AM

TL;DR

  • Just shy of 80%!
  • Calibration is our step-by-step guide to session zero.
  • The team had a great time teaching people how to make compelling ephemera at Big Bad Con.
  • As usual Keyassa has been wandering...
  • And the winner is... the bat-like Unlelo!
  • Vote in the new poll! The Bande Dhaben Vs. the Mortals.

Day 14 Progress

We are chugging along and close to 80% funded with 18 days left. 

Deep Dive: The Calibration

The Calibration is our step-by-step guide to session zero and is more than just character creation. It helps a table of an SL and their players put together Themes for the campaign, decide which Area to start in, establish bonds between the player characters, between NPCs, and design characters according to what kind of story they want to play. It also takes time to carefully go over table safety, trying to make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to their boundaries and aspirations for the game. 

The Calibration is divided into sections and you can go page-by-page, but you can also turn to sections as you need them. It reads conversational and you can read it together as a table as you’re figuring things out.

Making Compelling Ephemera Workshop at Big Bad Con

The Confluence team ran a workshop at Big Bad Con this past weekend. Our Atlas includes tons of ephemera and they wanted to show people how to make compelling ephemera for their own games. Check out these photos from the workshop.

Keyassa Report



Lineage Knockout Tournament: Bracket #1 Match up 5 

And the winner is... the bat-like Unlelo!


Lineage Spotlight: Bande Dhaben

The Bande 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. 


Lineage Spotlight: Mortals

Mortals are almost exactly like humans: they have the same bipedalism, as well as variation in skin, body, and hair. The largest difference is that they were once immortal. But that hasn’t been true for thousands of years at this point. Though immortality would be a living memory for the Servitors, it is ancient history to the Mortals today.