Reading · Arbiter of Worlds

Friends, Aurans, Countrymen -

I pen this missive from a sinkhole of chaos. My home, once a sanctum to the high gods of order, has descended into an entropic maelstrom as I prepare for a cross-country move that will carry Amy and I from Durham, NC to Houston, TX. But not all is woe. Indeed, I come bearing grand tidings!

It’s Christmas in July over at DriveThruRPG, meaning that many of our titles are on sale. But they’re not just on sale — they’re now available in softcover via print on demand.

The softcover books are up to $20 cheaper than the premium leather edition hardcovers, making them an inexpensive option for judges and players who want print copies at the game table that are a little less precious than the collector editions. Huzzah!

Up until yesterday, the ACKS II Revised Rulebook had been out of stock. But if you head over to Autarch Emporium and you’ll see that you can now purchase copies of ACKS II Revised Rulebook, along with the ACKS II Judges Journal, ACKS II Monstrous Manual, ACKS II Treasure Tome, and ACKS II Judges Screen.

Here’s what you need to know:

If you purchase the ACKS II Revised Rulebook, you’re purchasing the second printing with errata corrected. (The first printing exists in theory on the site, but it’s out of stock.)
If you purchase the ACKS II Judges Journal or Monstrous Manual, you can choose between the second printing or first printing. Some collectors prefer first printing books, so we wanted to make sure those were made available while they remain in stock.
If you purchase the ACKS II Treasure Tome or ACKS II Judges Screen, you’re purchasing the original printing, as there hasn’t been a second printing.

While you are visiting the Emporium, be sure to also get your copy of Ascendant: Star-Spangled Squadron Volume II. An original graphic novel set in the Ascendant superhero universe, Ascendant: Star-Spangled Squadron Volume II is an action-packed 64-page tale that plunges its heroes into a desperate battle against an enemy that thrives on fear and destruction.

If you haven’t been following the development of the Ascendant universe, here’s a brief recap. The emergence of superheroes has thrown the world into chaos. As new ascendants manifest around the globe, a sinister organization known as Exodus embarks on a campaign of destruction, determined to use terror to accelerate humanity’s evolution. The world’s only hopes lies in the Star-Spangled Squadron.

But what happens when the Squadron’s brightest star starts burning out? Aurora once dreamed of fame on the runway and reality TV, only to watch her dreams flicker and fade. Now, as a superhero, she has the star power she has always craved, but it dims whenever self-doubt takes hold. To shine brightly enough to save the world, she must first believe she deserves to shine at all…

I consider Star-Spangled Squadron Vol. II probably the funniest piece of fiction I’ve ever written, but there’s a lot of depth hidden behind the humor. I hope you’ll check it out.

Annals of the Auran Empire is the upcoming fiction anthology that brings together an extraordinary roster of fantasy authors to explore the Auran Empire’s dangers, dungeons, and doomed champions. Inspired by and based on the recently-completed ACKSII Treasure Tome, each and every short story in the anthology is centered on a different item from the Treasure Tome, allowing you to glimpse how magic items appear and influence the game’s world.

The longest story in the anthology is “Shadowblade,” by Nebula Award finalist John C. Wright, featuring a Sword of the Manes. “Shadowblade” unfolds in the kingdom of Rorn during the dark days following the death of Arëtar Pendaelen.

We tapped the illustrious Mike Perry to illustrate “Shadowblade,” and his full-color digital painting will serve as the cover of the Annals. It’s an absolutely fantastic piece of art that shows the historical depth of the Auran Empire setting, stretching back over centuries. Mike has released a YouTube video entitled “Painting a Fantasy Book Cover” that shows his entire 40-hour process. If you’ve ever wondered how a master of his craft works, be sure to check it out!

Once you’ve checked out Mike’s video, head over to BackerKit and follow the Annals of the Auran Empire. By doing so, you will unlock an exclusive preview of Chapter 1 of Wright’s story. No, really. Don’t wait. Click the link and follow the BackerKit page to get your sneak preview!

You’re sure to love Mr. Wright’s story. But he’s not the only author to contribute an epic piece. The other amazing stories in the anthology are:

“By Axe and Blade” by Zane Voss, featuring the battle axe Brine Cutter, tells the story of a Jutlandic exile who reluctantly joins forces with a swaggering ex-legionnaire to rescue slaves from an orc camp in the Borderlands, forging the beginnings of an adventuring party.
“Debts on the Long Road” by Ruth Clara, featuring the Hidden Tent, tells the story of a fugitive Shebatean prince who uses the magically invisible pavilion to evade the elite trackers pursuing them across the mountains toward the Auran Empire.
“Expendable” by Sam Robb, featuring a Death Shroud, tells the story of a scholar named Ptolemaios who guides a band of brutal mercenaries to an undead city on behalf of a cruel and mysterious dark captain.
“Family Honor” by A. Kristina Casasent, featuring a Ring Against the Wolf, tells the story of a Tirenean nobleman struggling with the challenge of producing an heir with his new wife.
“Shieldbearer” by B.K. Gibson, featuring the Shield of the Iron Curtain, tells the story of a lowly torchbearer who finds a strange shield during a goblin assault and discovers a heretofore undiscovered gift for combat.
“Siege on the Borderlands” by Nathaniel McIntyre, featuring a Sword +1, Lone Hero, tells the story of an Auran legate who must defend an undermanned border fort against an orc horde and a sinister sorcerer.
The Seat of Contemplation” by Brian Renninger, featuring a Hand of Calamity, tells the story of a grief-stricken Somirean mystic who has spent decades mourning his dead wife when he discovers a way to have all his wishes be granted.
“Falling from Oblivion” by Jonathan Oldenburg, featuring a Helm of Alignment, tells the story of a Zaharan Ruinguard who is captured and converted from darkness to the Empyrean cause.

Do you want to learn more? Well, you’re in luck because…

If you want to learn more about The Annals of the Auran Empire, be sure to check out Episode 770 of the Blasters and Blades Podcast. Co-hosts JR Handley and Jana S Brown had me, Zane Voss, Sam Robb, and Ben & Karen Gibson on as guests to chat about the book for an hour. I hadn’t previously been familiar with Blasters and Blades but some of the other authors knew them and set it up. B&B puts together a great show and I highly recommend it.

Annals of the Auran Empire will crowdfund on BackerKit in September. I hope you’ll support our foray into fiction and spread the word to other interested fans.

OK, this topic isn’t that exciting, so the headline didn’t get an exclamation point.

Previously all products sold on the Autarch Emporium were shipped from our US warehouse by Studio 2 under flat-rate shipping. Going forward, product from the Autarch Emporium is now being delivered from three different warehouses. Canadian, EU, and UK customers are being serviced by Compose Dream Games from their local fulfillment centers, while all other territories are being serviced by US-based Studio 2 Publishing. Shipping is now charged by weight and region.

What motivated the change, you ask? Bluntly — Autarch lost a lot of money on flat-rate shipping. The international flat rate was much less than the actual cost of shipping ($20 flat vs $80 to $200 in some cases). The flat rate shipping was set up almost 10 years ago, in a world of cheap international shipping that no longer exists. To be able to continue to service international markets, Autarch had to begin charging by weight and region.

But charging by weight and region is extremely expensive if you’re not set up with fulfillment services in those regions. Therefore, Autarch had to build business relations with fulfillment services in Canada, Europe, and United Kingdom, set up inventory, and then upgrade the Shopify store to handle the logistical complexity. I am grateful for the assistance of our recently-hired business operations manager, Paris (whom some of you might have interacted with, if you’ve had any customer services issues lately). Without her, this change would not have been possible!

Well, I ended on an exclamation point even if I didn’t start with one.

I really ought to space out these newsletters. That was like four or five months worth of major announcements, all at once. Did you make it through to the end?

Well, if you’re still with me, here’s the obligatory links to everything you need to get involved in the Autarch Community:

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