The Delver's Guide to Beast World: a 5e Supplement & Setting
Created by Heartleaf Games
Pre-order store for The Delver's Guide to Beast World
Latest Updates from Our Project:
The Relentless March of Fulfillment
about 3 years ago
– Wed, May 24, 2023 at 02:32:22 PM
ADevblog
Hey y’all, Selius here again. Somehow, it’s been a month and a half since our last update. Where does the time go? I’m convinced that this whole “temporality” thing is a big lie... I’m just not sure anymore. But I’m here now, so let’s talk.
Shipping Continues
Right off the bat, I want you all to know that we’re still shipping packages out, both domestic and international. We underestimated the work of this whole part of the endeavor. There are just… so many… so many boxes. And it goes beyond sheer mass, but to all the little logistics that have to be addressed too. Stuff we overlooked, such as “how do we actually get the spices into 6,000 individual packets?” (More on that later).
Cullen, Lexi, and I are pushing ourselves to the brink to get this all done; we want the book in your hands, and we want to share our ideas for the future! We have such grand ambitions… No one wants fulfillment done more than us. And we’ll get there.
In the prior update (4/5/23), I said that fulfillment was set to begin. That was absolutely true. But I should have been more clear about how long the extended process would take. I would have surely underestimated that, too, but it would have been a little clearer.
If you haven’t received your order yet, don’t worry. We’re still trucking.
There are still many more packages to go, so you’re definitely not alone. Some people have asked for an estimated percentage of fulfillment, but even that isn’t the simplest question to answer. If we’re speaking in terms of pure order count, I think we’re getting close to the halfway point. But that is a deceiving number, because the bigger and more complicated orders can take a lot more time. And that's not accounting for all the extra hoops of international delivery—our approach to VAT has made things difficult, for instance. All the little challenges add up pretty quickly.
I offer my sincere apologies for the extended wait, which falls on our shoulders. It is taking its toll on the three of us, to be sure; fatigue, financials, and stress. But we’re still at it! Just hold on a little longer, we’ll get there. It’s not a delay, it’s all just part of the process. We’re learning many lessons along the way.
We’ve come a long way. Thank you for your support, and for your patience too.
A clarification on tracking numbers:
When your package ships, you will receive a tracking number. But the number only goes live once the package is scanned by the post office. Until we physically hand over the box, you won’t have your tracking number emailed.
There's no need to worry about your package yet if you haven’t received that automated email. Of course, you are more than welcome to ask us if you have a specific worry, I’m always willing to talk with you! But for now, know that the holdup is almost assuredly on our end.
International Book of Mystery
I want to speak to our backers across borders for a moment! While domestic orders are ongoing, there are some additional hoops we have to jump through to send a package overseas. We’re getting through it, but it does expand the process in terms of complexity, time, and effort. Much as we’d like to, we can’t simply hand an international package over to USPS and call it a day. Each country has its own rules, each requiring extra research and caution, because the stakes are that much higher.
Also, we took the wrong approach to VAT. It’s complicated, and if it wasn’t for Fenris Publishing’s help, we’d probably never get a single package through. We’re in good hands there, which I am constantly thankful for. We’re getting a VAT license registered (actually, two licenses, because of course) in order to send those packages with the VAT pre-appeased. Next time, we will not be accounting for VAT on our end, I can tell you that much.
Out VAT license(s) should be approved in just a few more weeks at most. Like I said, we’re learning. So much learning… But the progress marches on, and no matter which country, we'll soon be able to send your box.
Spice Kits are the Spice of Life
For a peek behind the curtain, I want to talk briefly about the “Recipes from the Homelands & Spice Kit” add-on. In short, we vastly underestimated what kind of labor it would take on our end to put these together. They aren’t even particularly complicated individually; 10 recipe cards, 5 custom spice packets, all put into one bigger packet. A nice, compact bundle!
But we’re doing them from scratch. Each individual packet must be measured by hand, its contents labeled, then heat sealed. Those must be sorted and combined into the big packet, which must also be labeled. Custom printing failed us, so we must apply the labels ourselves by hand. Each piece, 1,200 total times. We’re an industrious trio, but as it goes, a trio has only 3 pairs of hands (at max!).
On the upside, lots of interesting smells.
All that to say, if your order includes the Recipes from the Homelands & Spice Kit add-on, I can only implore that you grant us some extra time to deliver. We should have seen this coming, but we didn’t, and for that I deeply apologize. This experience shall surely inform every future decision we make. We dug our hole, just have to get back out.
Waiting for Waiting for Waiting for Wai-
I can only hope to take away some valuable skills from all this. Each month since October has been a lesson in logistics. Waiting for the books to print, waiting for the cards to print, waiting for the boxes to find a boat, waiting for the boat to find a route, waiting for the boat to reach the US, waiting for customs to clear, waiting for the boat to unload, waiting for the freight to find a truck, waiting for the truck to reach Flagstaff—
Sorry, I think I blacked out there. But yeah, there’s a lot of waiting. And we’re waiting even more, as we get fresh copies of the Pathpost Kit too. Logistics… it never ends. Those are coming much quicker this time, though, since we can use US-based printers. We just need a little extra processing time there, so much like the spice kits: if your order includes the Pathpost Dungeon Scout Kit adventure book, I can only beg for some extra time to make sure we get it tucked in with all the other goodies set to come your way.
Future Hopes for Local Folks
To the handful of you out there who are set to pick up your packages in-person in Buffalo, we have some plans! We’re still working on getting a whole pile of stuff to our office, but once things finally settle down and we have the chance, we want to organize a meet-up event somewhere in the city. This will be a good chance to deliver the bulk of the goods to those interested, plus the weather around here is about to be really nice.
We don’t have it locked in yet, but I just wanted y’all to be aware. Of course, the event would not be a requirement to get your stuff; we’ll make sure our office hours are plenty available for folks who’d rather go that route. I’ll have more news for you either way in the coming weeks.
That’s All for Now
We’re going to keep on chipping away at this. It’s our top priority each day, including weekends (bad for mental health, to be sure). We can’t stop thinking about it, literally, it’s the first and last thought every morning and night. Just know that we’re not going to rest, truly, until it’s done. There’s so much more to come, too. This wagon rolls on, thank you for waiting at the destination for us.
Long live love,
Selius 🐀
P.S. For the usual communication options, should you ever need to reach out:
Discord Support: Selius#2654 (send a message any time!)
Fulfillment Has Begun! Heartleaf at TFF, New Online Store and More!
about 3 years ago
– Wed, Apr 05, 2023 at 03:57:13 PM
🐀
Hello there, fellow delvers! The Heartleaf team is back in Buffalo, and we have a whole lot to say. Which is good, because I know a lot of you want to hear from us.
Just like always, we don't like to flood your inbox, so this is a long one! Here's a preview of what's in this update:
Fulfillment is go! Shipment batches, tracking from Fenris Publishing, support for damaged/lost stuff
Pics of the boxes in Flagstaff
Summary of our time at Texas Furry Fiesta!
How to get extra stuff from now on (Online store now open!)
Upcoming conventions we'll be at this summer
A chance to win a colored sketch of your character by our lead artist by clicking a few checkboxes
This is Selius, and I'll be guiding you through today's Kickstarter update.
UPDATE #31: FULFILLMENT & YOU
📦 Part 1: BoxesofBooks 📦
The biggest news first: fulfillment is underway! That's right, it's finally time. Like everything, it's a process, so keep on holding tight for just a little bit longer—the weight of our freight was over40,000lbs. It's a lot of books. Luckily, the work doesn't fall to just Cullen, Lexi, and myself (though we've lifted our fair share of boxes). Major props to our partners and friends at Fenris Publishing, who are leading this part of the project. They've been a huge help and are invaluable allies in this endeavor. Also, it was a ton of fun hanging out with them in Flagstaff for a couple weeks.
Getting all the stuff to them was no easy feat, but after some hectic days (and sleepless nights), the trove was officially delivered. The timing was wild though, TFF was that same weekend! More on that later.
Boxes and boxes and boxes... we offer our sincerest apologies to Rex and Leo.
We've been on a nonstop grind since late 2021, so to see the culmination of that work in person, well... it was a sight to behold. The magic lasted aboooout half a day, before we had to start moving andopening the boxes. Cullen signed 2,000 copies of special edition books.
No, the table didn't break under the weight of so much fabulous literature. But it was close.
For some lucky folks out there, this announcement is old news. Manyof you have already received yourpackages! If you're still waiting, know that you're not alone, and that's expected for now. Generally, books and other goodies are prepared in batches. There are other variables as well, but we're working as quick as we can to get it all to you.
The sheer scale demands time, effort, and muscle. Luckily, Fenris Publishing is really good at this sort of thing. If the task had been left to just Lexi, Cullen, and I, we would have been literally buried beneath the weight and mass of the delivery.
What I'm saying is, we probably owe our very lives to Fenris.
🐾 Part 1.5: Tracking& Order Fixes 🐾
When Fenris Publishing puts your package in the mail, you will receive anemail with a tracking number! This is a common question, so I want to give it a special spot here. Keep an eye out for the email, it's the best way to know if your order is ready; the message ought to come from stamps.com, so it shouldn't end up in your spam folder, but be vigilant for an email via "Fenris Publishing Orders" just in case.
"Something is missing from my order/My pin poked a hole in my deck!" (this happened already)
If your order is either missing an item or was damaged in transit, we're here to help. The best way to get it resolved is to talk to Fenris directly, they're professionals and will get you situated. If you need to get ahold of them for assistance, use this email:
If you got a damaged item, be sure to sendthem pictures of the busted stuff as well the address to which they can send a replacement.
Additionally, we are aware of a bug that failed to deliver certain backers their Deck of Delvers or character plush. We discovered the source of the problem and we're working to rectify it; I have a list of all those instances and will pass it over to Fenris after they return from GSFC next week. All the same, if you find that your order is missing an item, let us know and I'll doublecheck the list. Talk to us at [email protected] or in Discord (me @ Selius#2564, or our server: discord.gg/4RwYgnbYrb).
What a long, strange trip it's been.
🐺🦊🐀 Part 2: Delvers at TFF 🐀🦊🐺
Betwixt the rush of fulfillment, we also attended Texas Furry Fiesta down in Dallas as special guests! For us, that meant packing a rental Audi Q7 to the absolute brim and driving 15 hours overnight from Flagstaff to North Texas, a journey that started with the worst blizzard I've ever driven in.
I can't recommend doing that, in retrospect.
But, we did make it there alive and well (thank you, Ixrin, who helped us out a ton at the convention), and it was an absolute blast. We brought as much stuff as we could, which included loose batwolves that Lexi had to keep in her lap the entire trek.
For those of you who were there and came by, thank you, seriously. It was a pleasure to meet, and to sell books too!
Charlie, Lexi, and Cullen at our rather spacious TFF booth (I was holding the camera).
On top of our booth in the Dealers Den, we also ran three (3) panels! It was our very first time on stage at a con, and after our experience at TFF, we can't wait to do it again. The highlight was the Beast World one-shotlive play that Cullen ran with the three of us as players (thank you, Charlie). Cullen designed the session with audienceinput for key moments of the adventure; it was the inaugural attempt of a wild idea, and I think it was a hit. Something to explore in the future, perhaps...
We were unable to capture video of the panels, but we do have the audio. It will take some time and effort, but we'll eventually edit it and put it up on YouTube for everyone who wants to experience the madness.
Charlie, Lexi, Cullen, Selius - marker commission from TFF by chupakaibra!
🚗 Part3:Intermission 🚗
After TFF, we made a quick detour for a secretmeeting concerning a secret future Heartleaf project... And then it was back on the road! Lexi took her return flight to Buffalo while Cullen and I made the looooong drive back to Flagstaff—with significantly fewer boxes and much easier weather, at least.
The two of us didn't make it all the way there in one day; it got late and we were both exceptionally exhausted from everything 'til that point. Signing, lifting, hours and hours on the road and in the air, a nonstop blitz at a TFF, and even more road hours after that. We made it to Gallup, New Mexico; plenty far enough, eager for a good night's sleep after so much toil. Cullen found us a cheap-but-well-reviewed hotel, and at 1 AM, we were ready for some rest.
Gonna be honest with y'all, neither of us expected a Predator table with Predator head stools in the lobby.
What??
We survived the night, at least. Thank you, Howard Johnson by Wyndham in Gallup, NM. I won't ever forget you.
📚Part 4: Online Store & Future Cons! ✈️
"The stuff looks so cool! How can I buy it now that Backerkit is done?"
BIG NEWS, we're launching a permanent online store with Fenris Publishing, and by "launching," I mean it's all live right now this very instant oh my god-
To be clear, anything ordered now and in the near future will take a couple weeks to ship, because Fenris Publishing is still very busy with fulfilling the Kickstarter pledges and Backerkit pre-orders. We wanted to get the store up now, though, to be ahead of the curve and to give us a place to point at. Many have asked us about a permanent storefront for our stuff, whether from missing the original run or wanting some of the extra Beast World goods.
In other news, we've locked in twoconventions for later this year. From August 25th to 27th, Heartleaf Games will be in Philadelphia for Furrydelphia, and from September 14th to 17th, we'll be in Virginia Beach for FursonaCon! We're very excited to travel, meet more people, show off The Delver's Guide. If you'll be near either of those, consider coming by to say hi. We'd love to see you there.
Those aren't the only conventions we'll attend this year, we just gotta wait for news to come around for more opportunities. It has been a truly blessed experience at cons so far, we're excited to attend more. All in due time...
Loki the husky helps with books, the Grand Canyon with Rex and Leo (and the Deck of Delvers), prescient change, and Bojangles breakfast in ATL.
💖Part 5: Thank You💖
From Cullen, Lexi, Stasya, myself, and everyone else who worked with us along the way, thank you. Thank you for your support, thank you for your patience and understanding. To be so near the finish line, I think we're finally finding some perspective. This past year and change was a lifechanging experience; in some ways, the start to all of this feels like a thousand years ago, but it also feels like just yesterday. I moved to Buffalo in December of 2021 to work on The Delver's Guide to Beast World, and just about 16 months later, we're putting it into your hands. It was hard-fought and hard-won, and although we're not quite past the finish line, we have one foot over it.
There were times last year when I thought this might be impossible, that we might fall short or fall apart. But that didn't happen, and thanks to your love and passion, we're here today. And with your help, we're here to stay.
Long live love, delvers. Can't wait to talk again.
-Selius
By the way...
🐺Hey, it's Cullen! I have a little favor to ask you.
We're looking at what's coming next, and which of our several project ideas we want to put into motion first!
The form will be open until May 1st. In exchange for your time, we'll pick a random winner to receive a colored sketch of their character from Stasya, our lead artist! Here's the link again:
The ship is on its way! Order info, and more!
over 3 years ago
– Mon, Feb 20, 2023 at 04:40:39 PM
(I closed my browser window and completely lost this update about 3/4 of the way through writing it. I am serene and in control)
Howdy, Delvers!
Quickoverviewof this update:
The cargo ship is en route to Los Angeles, and is expected to arrive March 7th
Pre-orders will be closed and locked on February 27th, which is the last chance to get some items at their current price
Heartleaf Games are special guests at Texas Furry Fiesta!
We recently returned from South Korea, where we attended FurryJOA
If you've been reading the PDF, how do you like the book?
It's on the boat!
We've been quiet with big updates for the last couple months! I didn't want to provide any information about the book that I wasn't certain would be accurate. It's been tough to have to disappoint folks with delays, and I didn't want to get on the mic just to say, "False alarm, still waiting!"
That said... The cargo ship with The Delver's Guide stuff is on its way! All the items are expected to arrive in the Port of Long Beach on March 7th. Once it does, we'll start fulfillment. I'm flying out to the west coast to sign about 2,000 or so Special Edition copies, and help out Fenris Publishing with the domestic mailing.
Here's a video of some of the sixteenpallets of stuff that are on their way:
Once things arrive, we'll take some more photos of the big pile of stuff. Lastly, you can actually track the ship's voyage at this link!
Moving on...
Pre-orders will be closed and locked on Feb. 27th!
If you want to order more items to be shipped with your pledge or pre-order, you've got one week! Some of the items on our Backerkit page will increase in price after initial fulfillment-for example, the Decks and the art book. If you want to save a few bucks and wanted to get the stuff anyway, it might be good to do so now. (It also helps us pay our rent while we finish up fulfillment and get ready for the next campaign, ahaha)
"Hey Slowleaf Games, my address has changed since I made my order!"
Selius#2564 is handling these questions for us, but you can also PM Cullen#9809!
"Can I get stuff after the fulfillment is finished?"
Yes! Just about everything will be available into the future (with the exception of the recipes kit, as it's a bit difficult to keep in inventory.) I don't want to prey on anyone's fear of missing out. You should only get our stuff if you want to get it! No pressure.
"Backerkit says I have a balance/I haven't paid for shipping yet."
Contact us via email or Discord (or leave a comment on this update) sometime this week. There's still time to figure these things out.
In case you hadn't heard...
We've been invited as special guests to Texas Furry Fiesta from March 16-19!
Heartleaf Games will be at TFF with bells on. We're presenting panels on starting a business (and obvious stuff we wish we'd known) as well as a worldbuilding panel and Q&A. We're also going to be putting on a live show! If you'll be at TFF, please come say hi at our booth, or watch us play a session in the Beast World!
Speaking of conventions...
We just returned from FurryJOA in Seoul, South Korea
We got the chance to talk with furries and TTRPG players in South Korea. We want to thank FurryJOA for inviting us to their convention. If you have the chance, readers, you should definitely try and attend. Seoul was wonderful, and a small but passionate part of both the furry fandom and the TTRPG scene!
Plus our table was rad as hell. Look at the Deck of Delvers cards!
At the Laughing Goblin game store in Seoul, the Korean translation of Leaving Erin is available for purchase. They've even hung it on the wall of the shop!
This was a surreal moment for us.
Finally...
What's next?
You may have noticed that the TTRPG scene has gone through some... events the last couple of months. We're still working out our future plans, but I want to promise that we're not going anywhere. I have been energized by the response to the PDF release, and I want to give you more of the Beast World and the Dungeon if you're keen to share it with us. Do we keep writing 5e content, or do we branch out? As a thought exercise, I've been filling up whiteboards with draft stuff for a new system. Would you want to see something like that?
planning next campaign got me like
What would you like to see next? If you've been reading the PDF and have opinions about the book, please hit us up on Discord! I am always around, and I want to hear what stuff resonated with you. It will definitely help me shape where we go! Leave a comment here, send us an email... however you'd like to reach out! I've been told I am "exceedingly available" and asked things like, "why are you always on Discord?"
We're thrilled to be at the last stage of the project, and ready to put the next one together. The next time you hear from us via this channel, we'll have photos of packages ready to be shipped. Thank you for your patience with us as we learn how to do a TTRPG publishing business, and for coming with us so far!
Long live love,
Cullen
PS: If you want to write adventures in the Beast World and be published in print, you should hop on Discord and look around. That's something we're working on for the short-term, and we've got design guides and submission channels for that. ;) Talk to you soon!
Still waiting on freight... But we have some other news!
over 3 years ago
– Tue, Dec 13, 2022 at 11:50:38 PM
Hey delvers!
We're still waiting on sea freight and customs, like it says in the header. Just wanted to let you know at the start. I promise as soon as stuff hits the docks, we'll flood you with pictures and updates! We are just as eager to see it hit the dock, I promise. (we really want to start the next project...)
In This Update:
Deck of Delvers box art preview, title changes. If you ordered just "Deck 1", we'll send you one of the 2 randomly unless you email us (see below)
The free PDF codes have been sent. If you still want one, you can still email us at [email protected] with the subject "I Want to Read The Book!"
Midwest FurFest picture!
Form-fillable wagon and character sheets are available here.
We're going to do a Q&A stream on Twitch on December 30th at 7 EST. Submit questions here.
Deck of Delvers
Speaking of updates, I want to share the design of the Deck of Delvers boxes! The decks (which were called "Deck 1 and Deck 2" before now) will look like this:
Powers and Champions!
The two decks are different cards, but there is no defined theme to either of them. We distributed the cards evenly by species, CR, and homeland. (And by "we", I mean "Selius".)
This is important:
For people who pre-ordered only 1 deck, we will send you one randomly. If you want a specific one, please send us an email at [email protected] with the subject line "Fulfillment Deck Selection." We can ensure you get the right one if you have a preference.
This helps us out with fulfillment, as the vast majority of selections were for "Deck 1" just because it's got the number 1. But the two are arbitrary!
For those who couldn't afford the PDF,
If you were having money issues and sent us the "I Want to Read The Book!" email at any point, you should have received an email with a code to download it from itch.io. If you were expecting that email and didn't receive it, or if you want to look at the PDF, you can still send us that email! That offer will be open into the future. :)
It was great to see y'all at Midwest FurFest!
Last weekend we were at MFF in Chicago! Thanks to everyone who came out.
From left: Jesse (our beloved Production Intern), Selius, Cullen, Lexi
We met a lot of readers and got to chat about how things are going! We'll have more news about conventions in 2023 soon, as we get our dealer applications back for the coming year.
Character and Wagon Sheets!
Form-fillable character and wagon sheets are now available for download on our itch.io page. You can grab them for free here.
End of Year Feedback and Q&A Stream!
Finally, we're going to get on stream and answer some reader questions in a couple of weeks. The stream will be on December 30th, at 7 PM EST. If you have questions or comments about the book, the Beast World, or anything else, please submit them here:
As always, thank you all for your support. As soon as we know more about shipping, I'll be in touch! In the meantime, have a good holiday and cherish the people close to you.
Long live love,
Cullen McGuire
ps: get on our discord duh, come bug me about the book and tell me what you liked! ;)
