The Alleyman returns with THREE brand new decks as one-time printings: the Alleyway Tarot, Oracle of Secrets, and Oracle of Play.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
The Cycle of Death Continues | Goodnight Oracles
4 months ago
– Wed, Oct 30, 2024 at 03:45:23 PM
Hello Alleyfolk,
First, thank you for this project. It created not just one amazing thing, but three. And I am thankful for your help in making that possible. As of today, I am putting the Alleyway Oracles to bed for good. At least, for updates and the like. Please enjoy your Oracles, and share the love with the world around you!
At this time, people's items should be in hand or they should have reached out to New Titan already at [email protected]. I can be reached at [email protected] if there are additional issues. But as the terms and conditions go, the project is fully put to bed now on the project page.
I will be reaching out directly to touched deck backers and painted statue buyers for future communications. I am also aware of issues with some backer's 3-deck wood boxes, and we are working on a fix. Likewise, we will just communicate directly with those people outside of updates. I am also quite heartened by people who have reached out to let me know their boxes arrived in perfect condition and are lovely!
So, goodnight Oracles. Who knows what may lay ahead still for the Alleyman, but that story will find a new path forward on its own.
The Future of Publishing Goblin
As an independent creator, it has been my great reward to have support for the things I make. But it has not been easy. I live on fairly little, as far as money goes. I have a part time job and have for the last year, I make the money last until it's out, then disburse enough to cover rent a few months to me from the business, but I don't take home any kind of regular paycheck or salary. A big part of that has been because for the past 3 years, all the money the business has made has gone to Confluence (which is live on Backerkit right now!) It was a project of my heart, I've tried to bring it to life for a while on my own, and used the last 3 years and the business's funds to make it real.
While it's doing alright towards its base goal, our internal hopes for it were in the six digits. As it stands, it will not only not make any of the many thousands I've put into it the last 3 years back, it will only be able to release largely as-is, with little further work. So if you have interest, or know friends into role playing games, please share as you are comfortable.
Also, please note there is a LORE BUNDLE TIER, which includes just the books that show off the world and lore of it all, which ties into all my games and projects. The Alleyman is a frequent visitor of that world, the Publishing Goblin itself and its many friends in the Lords of the Oracle Dice are from Ajurea (the world of Confluence), and all my games end up there in one way or another.
So what does this mean for the future of Pub Gob?
Simply put, I have to keep up the current pace of project releases to keep money flowing in until the business is stabilized. If all the bills came to me right now that are outstanding for manufacturing or future fulfillment, we would be maxed out on the business lines of credit, with no immediate prospect of paying it off. So forthcoming projects will help by paying off that credit and putting some more money into the business so we have a positive business bank account, and so I can pay myself money again and not need a part time job, which I would very much like! :)
My ideal place would be one game project and one divination project a year, with a small side project of pins or a novel or poetry, something small. But this year alone, the Oracles shipped, What We Possess and ZOETROPE manufactured and shipped, the Normal Tarot funded, manufactured, and is shipping now, the enamel pin project happened and fulfilled, Hot Housewives Tarot went live and is in creation with weekly updates, my new poetry collection released and is in production, Confluence is live for funding, and on December 3rd, we have the Misery Tarot going to funding.
I think it's easy to say I'm doing a lot more than would be best at the moment, and I think individual projects suffer for it, as there isn't breathing room for backers and creator alike between projects. I would love a vacation someday! This has been, very much so, self-inflicted by my continued mass-financial support of Confluence. However, the crowdfunding project marks the end of my funding of the Confluence project, and the start of it funding itself as best it can. This means the business is back to the normal process of funding itself and making actual excess funds to fund future projects!
To get Publishing Goblin back to black then, please consider the upcoming projects for the year ahead:
December 3rd, the Misery Tarot goes live to lead into the new year. This deck carries in its cards a museum of your pain and traumas, the suffering you have experienced, and that perhaps you still let yourself experience. A bony hand from the dark will take you on a tour of your exhibits to help you understand them, and help you in the journey to the light and a return to the world you want to live in.
At this time, the theme of the pintopia is being reworked, so thank you for your patience as we begin sharing the designs for the project in late December. Signup to be notified here.
HISTORIC | Pocketopia 2025
I also have assets coming in now for the next Storyline system game like ZOETROPE for March 2025's Pocketopia on Backerkit. Art is just now coming in, so you can look forward to more about HISTORIC The Road Eternal on its teaser page in the coming month.
HISTORIC is a grimdark roleplaying game run on cards where you outrun an annihilating sun, delve into barrows for safety and supplies, and protect your soul from the many beings who wish to claim it. The incredible art by Salty Water will get some good spotlighting in the near future, thank you for your patience as the project begins to come together!
At the moment, I'm waiting to hear confirmation on the remaining topias. I would like to run a project for each Topia in 2025, which takes place every other month. But ideally, I will take part in small projects with just one or two items each. You can stay tuned for what that may look like with launch emails!
I will be doing a small comic, and I would like to do just a set of alleyman tarot boosters as a project to heralds in the proper full release of the Hot Housewives Tarot and the Misery Tarot, and it looks like that may come to fruition more likely in September.
There's also a themed topia coming up around July I am looking forward to taking part in, we will see!
Floating in Limbo
The action adventure roleplaying game Fur & Scale: Adventures in Sehe Gandia is sitting as a teaser page for now. Imagine a furry D&D, and you're most of the way there for this one!
The Third (and final!) edition of the Pub Gob's Oracle dice are coming together for a mid-late launch in 2025, featuring a finalized guidebook, box-set that can keep ALL THE ITEMS together in a box worth keeping, cheat sheets, adjustable guidebook, reading journals, cute little expansion sets of dice and more. There is no teaser page, as I may run this one on Kickstarter. Stay tuned as I send out launch emails next year, and inevitably send an update on the oracle dice project itself!
It's fair to say it will likely be an October plan for next year!
Alright well, I suppose that's it for good, now!
Thank you for making this all possible, for bringing in the money that could help realize not only the Alleyway Oracles but also Confluence, a true project of my heart!
The Box Delay (Coming Now!) | My Box Arrived | Build a Booth
6 months ago
– Mon, Sep 23, 2024 at 03:32:17 PM
Hello Alleyfolk,
FAQ?
Please check previous update for the most recent FAQ, with the one exception being boxes/statues are just finally heading out.
Touched Decks/Painted Statues
I'm setting a date for myself that I need them done and shipped out by October 14th. These are a big mental block bogeyman for me, it's hard to get started and it's hard to stay on because it's not something I can finish in a day or three, it takes weeks as a process. Thank you for your patience!! I'm really glad we accidentally sent un-touched decks to touched deck backers bc it means you aren't waiting for decks, just the fancier ones. Still, I need to put this project to rest entirely, and it can't until I get this part done.
Boxes Held at Port... Again
First off, I have to give the news of the delay on the boxes and statues. But also, I get to share the box! So there's some give and take here. Boxes arrived to port with the remaining statues but haven't been picked up. The same issue we had last time we got a big container is true here again-- I've seen the communications with the pick up company. For some reason our container was put into an area where we needed an appointment to pick up, and there were no appointments available until the 25th. So we're picking up on the 25th.
That means we'll have some items in hand shortly, but we're sending the others to Texas and New Jersey again, as the boxes are BIG, and are costly to ship beyond Zone 6, so we're getting them closer to you at their warehouses then shooting them out to you.
Official timeline now that we have an actual pickup date for the container is first week of October for people getting items from California, and from Texas/New Jersey, that will be another week. So by October 14th or so, everyone should have their boxes/statues.
Now, it doesn't escape me that we had this same setup with wave 1 shipments and getting items over to Texas/New Jersey took much, much longer than it should have. So I will be asking for updates to let people know about their boxes if there are further delays.
The Box in Person!
So, to be honest, I was pretty disappointed when I got the box last week, or the week before. It's hard to say what a week is anymore, I've been a busy goblin. My box arrived just in time for my booth setup (more on that later in this update), and when I got past the huge box and wonderful packaging (that made sure it arrived safely!), I was face to face with a missing magnet, a deep scratch on the top, and a miscolored piece. As of today I have been told that they took this one from the batch of B-grade boxes, ones that didn't make it through Quality Assurance. Not sure why I got a B-grade one, but so it goes.
I was originally going to share it immediately, but I was kind of deflated due to the defects, but now knowing that they did QA with all of your boxes and you won't receive items like this, I feel better about sharing it. So look, the box!
I'm really glad I designed this huge thing, but wow it's really big haha. Not sure where to put it in my space, I have no shelf big enough! I'll settle in eventually and put the decks inside, but I need to get used to this particular box not being perfect. I'll get there!
You Mentioned a Booth?
Why yes, I did. I apply for booth space at exhibitor halls every GenCon and PaxUnplugged and etc etc. I want to be a vendor at a convention darnit! My biggest hurdle each time seems to be that I've never vended in a big way at one of these conventions, so I have no videos/photos to share my booths from years past.
I had all these plans for what I needed for my booth, but until I had certainty I'd have one, I couldn't justify buying all the things. But then it's a feedback loop of not getting the chance because I have nothing to show. So fine, I found an almost-10x10 foot space in my apartment, cleared it of furniture, and bought all the things I needed for my booth. Then I built it in my apartment.
So uhhh yeah I got real sweaty and made the whole darn thing and tore it down and put the living room back together in one afternoon/evening. There are some open spots still in the setup for items that aren't in hand yet, or things I'm revising now for 2nd editions, or games that are going to crowdfunding in the near future. coughConfluence October 15thcough.
I'm also doing Pintopia in January and a role playing game in March for a topia and another thing for May and-- it never ends. So there will be lots of space for the goods. I've already made plans for making the shelves even taller to include extra items, plushies (!!), and more higher signs. There are also so very many art prints it's hard to include them all anywhere, I didn't put up any of the Normal Tarot prints on that print area, or the 22 Lords from the Oracle Dice art print set! So many options.
I went all in. There's games, divination, gashapon, pins, prints, lanyards, and so much more. Dry erase price signs with info on the items, sale stickers, sold out stickers-- I planned for just about everything after doing my due diligence in researching all I will need. Wildly hopeful for 2025, and I'll be applying to any mildly large con in my neck of the woods next year.
Will be setting up Pub Gob Games as a Backerkit/Kickstarter account, as well as Pub Gob Trinkets, as I intend to make a lot more fun side trinkets that aren't games or divination. Drawing up plans for plushies, ita bags, keychains, and so many more enamel pins. So wish me luck, friends.
Poetry, Confluence, and the Road Ahead
As I'm sure many of you are already plenty aware, I have other projects always happening. The Normal Tarot is about to be picked and packed and shipped (shipping container leaves China the 30th!), Zoetrope and What We Possess have largely already shipped out, leaving the Alleyway Oracles, ironically the oldest of these projects, the last one to get its final items out the door. But it's happening.
Just under 3 days left on my latest poetry project, and we unlocked a whole other new book release! While Widening the Wound is a proper release, as it was meant to be, with black pages and green text and black edges, of my thesis poem from grad school, plus the followup long poem I published separately, but edited down to be what I wanted it to be.
The cover for both books, Like Warm Plastic and While Widening the Wound, are by Reid Aster. This one here is still in progress, but close to complete. So if you like poetry, please consider come giving some support on that! Just 70 hours remain!
And of course, October 15th is the massive TTRPG Confluence: The Living Archive. I cannot stress enough how important this project is. Every extra dollar I've had since the Alleyman's Tarot over these last 3 years has gone into this project supporting a team of 14 people, game designers, artists, editors, and more. And I myself have tried for years before this to create the game. It's the meeting point for all my worlds, across my games and divination tools and more. Seeing this thing fun, and in a huge way, would give me so much relief and let me slow down on my projects. To know there's money to keep it moving to its completion and I can make smaller things for a little bit would let me rest, and your Gobbo here needs some rest.
And then there's the Misery Tarot, a bit in limbo at the moment. It will either go to fund November or I'll amend the contract with the artist and pay early with it funding in May instead. I think since Tarotopia will be in May next year, I may do that.
To keep Publishing Goblin alive as a business, to keep funding new and big and amazing projects like Confluence, I must always keep moving. It can seem like a lot, I'm sure, but it's everything I have to do to keep money moving into the business and make it possible for new things to happen, and for the many people who work with me on projects to be able to pay their bills, as I need to pay my own!
So I hope you'll consider joining me on all the future endeavors, and now that I have the booth setup ready, I hope to see some of you at conventions throughout 2025! (and maybe yet in 2024... : ) )
Thanks all,
7DA
your pub gob
The Alleyway Oracles Funeral | Let us get ready to lay this to rest!
7 months ago
– Fri, Aug 09, 2024 at 12:20:54 PM
Hello Alleyfolk,
In May last year, this project went live. I wasn't sure how hungry people would be for a sequel project to the Alleyman's, and realistically, it looks like I was right to be dubious. We raised nearly half the funds, which is incredible (7th most funded on kickstarter!!), but with 1/4 of the people. Most people weren't interested in rejoining our festivities, but those who did were enthusiastic!
We aimed to ship around April, and while we did begin the process then, it's been clear it's been a bumpy road to completion. Delivery truck delays, shipping containers being kept from us for weeks on end, storms, apparently construction at the California warehouse, labor shortages-- it's been slow. We have all seen this for sure. But as of today, all but 2 orders we had to fulfill are fulfilled. These last 2 are the biggest ones we've had, and are just finding methods out to people. There are also 4 or 5 orders that got oracle dice that we ran out of guidebooks in the states for-- but those are arriving literally tomorrow. Our bad!
Now, of course, caveats to that:
Wooden 3-deck boxes are shipping out late this month into September, as has been shared already. This has been known for a bit now.
8" statues-- only 6 are in the states right now, the rest are making it here with the wooden boxes and will go out late this month and early September. I wasn't aware of this one, but now we know.
If you have either of these and are moving/have moved, please let New Titan know: [email protected]
I have also now officially cancelled all orders that didn't get their surveys done. Definitely felt weird to do, but we are a month past the due date to get a survey in, and we had over a year for people to get them done. I sent many reminder emails and some from my own email box directly. All that's left now are some artists who never did their surveys, but I'll get those taken care of personally.
Our New FAQ
When should my order arrive?: Realistically you should all already have your items or tracking. If you have not received it, REACH OUT TO NEW TITAN.
Who to Contact: Please reach out to New Titan, but read the full FAQ so you aren't asking questions already answered when possible! They are getting lots of requests, and that makes their backlog of answering take longer. So be sure your answer isn't below! [email protected]
Carried by the Alleyman Decks: I messaged all carried backers months ago to let them know their 'touched' decks will be coming later still (I dont have the decks in hand to begin the process yet), but they were sent untouched sets to compensate for now in their main order. I'll be messaging directly for touched deck backers, so that won't be talked about in updates. I will ONLY be sending you the touched decks, the other items should all have been sent by New Titan already.
Ordering things you didn't get...? : We will put the remaining items on www.alleymantarot.com when we are done fulfilling. This will be in mid September once boxes and statues are all sent out.
REFUNDS: Refunds were offered until July 16th 2023. No more are/were offered after that no matter the reason.
Damagedor Missing Items, Lost or Misdelivered Packages: You will have until September 10th to report to [email protected] if you need replacement items or have missing items in your order. For packages that go missing, you will have until September 25th to report lost or misdelivered packages to have us resend or follow up on the items.
WHO TO CONTACT?: New Titan is our manufacturer and shipper. Reach out to them please! I can't help with missing or lost packages, tracking information, or things missing items. I'd love to, but I have no access to that information, only New Titan does. So reach out to them at the email below, thank you!
Or if you just wanna say hi and let me know how great the decks are, email at [email protected]!
The Rest of the Year
SEPTEMBER
Like Warm Plastic is my project for Backerkit's Booktopia, launching early September. This is poems from this last three years from my sister's death, transition and detransition, sex, and kink. It's an exploration of identity change and the malleability of our bodies and wants. It means a lot to me, but I also know poetry exists for the 3 people in the center of the Earth who read it, so no big expectations here. Just help me pay for the cover art and a small print run, if you want! : )
OCTOBER
First in October, we will be shipping out the Normal Tarot!
Then, Like Warm Plastic should be heading straight to supporters into November.
Alongside the Hot Housewives Tarot, which I'm working on now into the next year, the other card from the Alleyman's Tarot I wanted to see brought home to its own deck is the Bogeyman in the Misery Tarot! So in November, when Confluence finishes its project, we are going to give it a chance! I have an amazing artist already lined up to take on the illustrative work alongside me as I create the guide and design the deck. It will take its year to come to fruition, like the Hot Housewives deck, and feature a weekly update on the journey for the deck. Then when it's complete, it will get a release alongside the Hot Housewives Tarot for general purchase! If you join us early in November, you'll get cheaper pledge tiers, join us for the deck's creation journey, and cheaper final add-ons that are made for the final release as well!
The Misery Tarot is a dark but kind hand drawing you into the wound of your heart. It's a hard journey through your pain, misery, and trauma, but one with an end in sight. There is a path out, but it is always through. This is an important deck for shadow work, living through your pain, and survival. And I hope you'll join me on it.
Into 2025
The Hot Housewives Tarot, Misery Tarot, and Confluence will all be on their journeys to completion and shipping and full release! But of course, I always have another dozen things on the back burner itching for their chance to fund. Secret Halls, the 2nd season of the Alleyman Podcast, a new Podcast or two (??), The Final Alley Project, New Oracle Dice, and so very many games! I'm also going to be putting out 2nd editions of older games without crowdfunding projects, just updating into the new catalog of Publishing Goblin!
The final percent of packages!
7 months ago
– Thu, Aug 01, 2024 at 06:47:55 AM
First off, for most questions you might have, such as "who do i contact about a missing item?"and the like: read the previous FAQ update here.
New Titan has been working ceaselessly to get people's packages out. By Friday their job will be finished for 99% of you.
The only thing theyll have left are the big packages, which will wrap up in a few days, but take longer per package, as every one has different packaging needs.
-- At the mmoment i am at GenCon wwith nl iinternet so im dokmg yhis on my phone. This pparagraph im leaving as-is. Im not making these typos, the uupdate eeditor on kickstarter is. It does t like phones. So ive beven ttyping aND fixing over aND over, sseems to miss the ffirst letter i type every time aND then make a word out ofor the tremaining lletters. Ttruly a terrible experience lol! --
Please start reaching out to New Titan starting wednesday next week if you havent gotten a package or shipping notification!
Thanks,
7
Hurricane Problems | Box updates!
8 months ago
– Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 03:10:28 PM
The hurricane that hit Texas did damage to the warehouse down there and took out the power for the last week. As a result, New Titan is asking for 2 more weeks to get things out. They kept trying to get things shipped and sent out but they had to take items to other places that had power and internet to print labels and it was a difficult and much slower process.
This shouldn't affect orders outside of the southern US, but I think it's probably best to just hang tight the next two weeks for those to be confirmed taken care of. The official timeline for you to report when your items are missing or packages are lost is based on when your items are sent, not really a global deadline, so no worries. You will still have time after receiving tracking info to get your emails in to New Titan about missing items or lost packages.
Thank you, AGAIN, for your patience. New Titan is working round the clock to get the items out.
The Boxes
"Foam insert and shipping boxes were made to provide protection for this precious little stuff. Fumigation was done after all boxes are well packed and palletized. Ocean freight was booked and the forwarder has given the shipment to the consolidator but we haven't got any further update yet. We estimate the boxes will arrive in the USA around late August and fulfillment around the end of August to early September."
From the manufacturer's mouth! The boxes are heaving over soon, safe and sound. Reminder, in case you've missed past updates, that the 3-chamber wood boxes are coming separate from your order. : )
