A Faeseeker's Guide to Avallen - A Celtic Sourcebook

IT'S ALIVE! - Faeseeker's Shipping Update
4 months ago – Tue, Feb 10, 2026 at 02:40:12 AM

Quick Summary

It's alive! The printing factory has produced everything! Well, almost everything (see below for nitty-gritty). Last friday everything was packaged up, ready for shipping to the UK and the USA!

Timeline

Here's what happens next before it gets to your doorstep.

1. Shipping time estimates are 40-55 days.
2. The products go through customs at the port: 1 - 7 days.
3. Delivery to fulfilment warehouses: 1 - 3 days.
4. Warehouse prepares fulfilment: 7 - 21 days.
5. Warehouse sends tracking information and posts to you: 1 - 7 days.

That's 50 days at our luckiest (end of March) and 90+ days at our unluckiest (end of May). In my experience, it'll be somewhere in the middle. So last update's estimate of March-April still stands.

As always, I'll let you know if anything changes!

Shipping Costs

I'm waiting on information for import costs. Once I get that, I'll be able to calculate shipping costs and update BackerKit for your final payments. Despite overall inflation and price increases, costs will remain close to the estimates we provided over a year ago.

Once shipping costs are included, you'll have one final opportunity to update your shipping information before being charged the shipping fee and any applicable taxes. You'll get an email alert before that happens, and I'll post an update about it titled "IMPORTANT".

Behind the Scenes Nitty-Gritty

Behind the scenes, there was some logistical excitement! Ooo, logistics!

As mentioned in the previous update, I wanted improvements made to some of the products. The goods were good, but I wanted them to be better. The factory team followed through and did a great job. However, as Chinese Lunar New Year was approaching, the Collector's Edition Dust Jackets had undergone multiple iterations and still needed to be produced. The jackets couldn't be made before the holiday.

Chinese New Year is a major holiday in China, where most printing factories are located, including ours. During this period, the factories are closed for a full month! Our factory kindly presented me with three options:

• Option 1: Delay the project by a month and ship everything together when it is ready after CNY.
• Option 2: Ship everything except the jackets before CNY and ship the jackets after CNY, delaying fulfilment only for those who ordered the collector's jackets.
• Option 3: Ship everything except the jackets before CNY and afterwards air mail the collector's jackets, taking on extra cost to myself, so they would arrive around the same time as the ships!

Option 1 was the most cost effective, but I really don't want us to wait any longer than need be. Option 2 meant 95% of backers would be unaffected, but those who gave this project the most support would have to wait longer, and that isn't right. So, of course, I opted for option 3. Which meant a mad rush getting things ready last week, but all should be well!

End Notes

92% of you have completed your backer surveys! Thank you! If you're not sure whether you've completed yours yet, you can find it by clicking here.

Our next update will be about shipping progress and fulfilment costs.

Now I have the joy of monitoring shipping logistics and creating weight/cost matrices for every country we ship to. Please wish me luck and give me strength!

- Deren and the Adder Stone Games team

Production Samples - Happy New Year!
5 months ago – Fri, Jan 16, 2026 at 03:10:37 AM

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you're all doing alright in these crazy times. I have some production news to share, so let's get to it!

Samples

I received samples from the factory and everything looks amazing! Here are some photos I took.

It all looks wonderful. I've worked with this factory before. They are very reliable and thorough, and they make great stuff. Unfortunately, it took them much longer to make the samples than they projected. A combination of a busy time of year, lots of different items in this project, and some production issues that they had to resolve.

Usually, I approve the samples immediately, and production begins. However, we identified a few issues, and there are a few changes I want to make to improve specific products. For transparency and a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into this kind of thing, here are the changes being made:

• Page numbers in the book were being clipped in the cutting process. They are being adjusted in the layout to avoid this.
• The factory thought the tarot cards were too thin and suggested upgrading to a thicker card stock. I agreed.
• The morgen (mermaid) minis tail broke off in transit. This is mostly because the sample minis aren't as sturdy as the mould-injected production versions, but just in case they are thickening her tail slightly.
• The collector's edition dust jackets were difficult to sleeve onto the books. The design is being adjusted to improve that.
• The canvas map print looked great, but the fabric it was printed on wasn't the texture I was hoping for. There was nothing wrong with it, but I'm asking them to look at alternatives. If there aren't suitable alternatives, then this won't actually change.

Timeline

The factory must remake samples to check all those changes. Coupled with their slow turnaround time over the holidays, our estimated shipping date is shifting from February-March to March-April. Delays suck. Unfortunately, it's out of my control at this point. Rest assured, everything is being made. I'm doing all I can to make them the best products possible, and I'll keep you fully informed along the way! Let me know if you have any questions. 

Surveys

90% of you have completed your backer surveys! Thank you! If you're not sure whether you've completed yours yet, you can find it by clicking here.

Our next update will be about the full production. Until then, take care out there!

- Deren and the Adder Stone Games team

Quick Update - Digital Release
7 months ago – Thu, Dec 04, 2025 at 03:03:12 AM

This is a short update to share a few quick things.

If you have any questions about anything or what happens next, please check our last bigger update that covered a lot: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/legendsofavallen/a-faeseekers-guide-to-avallen/posts/4549972

Digital Release

First, all of the digital files for this Kickstarter were released to backers over the weekend on BackerKit! If you haven't downloaded yours yet, you can access them at the end of your backer survey here, https://a-faeseekers-guide-to-avallen.backerkit.com

There was an error where backers who included books as add-ons in BackerKit couldn't access their associated PDF files. This error has now been fixed. Apologies if you were affected. You should be able to access everything now.

Thank you to everyone who's messaged to say how much they are enjoying the PDF! We're happy to see the book became what you wanted it to be! And we can't wait for the physical copies, too.

Celebration

Last Thursday, we had our last stream of the year, where we took a stroll through the whole book and talked about lots of behind-the-scenes tidbits! Thank you to all who came by to say hi or just watch. If you missed it but want to see, you can catch the video here:

Production

Production quantities have been set, all files have been accepted and I've paid a deposit with the factory. So that's all good and going as it should be!

And that's it! I'll be back with more updates when I have more updates from the factory.

- Deren and the Adder Stone Games team

IMPORTANT! - Digital Release Date - Fulfilment Process
7 months ago – Mon, Nov 24, 2025 at 09:49:28 AM

Last week I created barcodes (fun) and finalised the last product file with our factory! Just less than a year after this Kickstarter was funded, our work on creating A Faeseeker's Guide to Avallen is complete, and now the factory will begin production!

That means the final digital files for the project are ready and will be made available through BackerKit this Saturday, the 29th of November.

We will host a Twitch stream on Thursday the 27th of November, at 13:00 UTC to celebrate! We will go through the book and discuss the behind-the-scenes stories of its making.

We are collecting questions from you all to answer on stream, so if you want to know anything about A Faeseeker's Guide to Avallen, ourselves, the world of Avallen, or anything else, please leave a question in the comments below, and we'll answer it on stream!

If you can't make the stream, don't worry. The video will be available on our YouTube channel on Friday, so you can get our answers to all your questions there and then.

Locking BackerKit Orders

86% of you have completed your Backer Surveys! Thank you! You will receive an email from BackerKit letting you know that your pledges and add-ons will be locked in 48 hours, Wednesday the 26th of November.

This is your last chance to include any add-ons with your pledge!

You will then get an email letting you know that in another 48 hours, you will be charged for any unpaid add-ons you have included in BackerKit (you will not be charged again for add-ons you already paid for on Kickstarter).

This has to happen so backers who included digital files as add-ons can access them upon release on Saturday. You will gain access to all your digital files once your payment is settled. That includes the final book PDFs, character sheets, mini STLs, digital map packs, and any others you pledged for.

There can sometimes be issues with BackerKit collecting payments from banks. BackerKit will let you know if there are any issues and will help you resolve them. If nothing is working, you can direct message me here on Kickstarter, and I will personally help you.

IMPORTANT NOTE: YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED FOR SHIPPING AT THIS POINT. If you pledged for physical items, you will still be able to alter your shipping address and will only be charged for shipping when shipping actually begins. 

Digital Backers

If you only backed for digital rewards, this project will be completed for you on Saturday! Just make sure to complete your Backer Survey on BackerKit to get access to your rewards.

If you need to find or review your pledge, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://a-faeseekers-guide-to-avallen.backerkit.com.

Physical Backers

I bolded "creating" in that first paragraph because, of course, my work on this project is not yet finished. For those of us getting physical products (myself included!), there is still work to be done. Much of the fulfilment process is out of my hands, but I do what I can to make sure it's as smooth and efficient as possible. This includes:

• Responding to factory queries about production
• Opting for two shipments, one to the UK and the other to the USA, so that North American backers should receive their books around the same time as us in the UK and Europe
• Preparing product shipping to our fulfilment companies in the UK and USA
• Preparing UK and USA import fees
• Logging delivery with the fulfilment centres
• Collating your shipping information for the fulfilment companies
• Liaising between the factory, shippers, and fulfilment companies
• Keeping you all informed along the way

How Long Will It Take?

Here are the time estimates, based on the information I have been given and my experience, for how long it will take for the product to get from the factory to your hands:

• Samples are made for review: 4 - 10 days.
• Assuming all is well, full production happens: 15 - 20 days.
• Shipment to UK and USA : 30 - 50 days. This is when shipping costs are calculated. You will be notified to review the delivery cost and the taxes/tariffs of your pledge before you are charged.
• Customs clearance: 1 - 7 days. 
• Delivery to fulfilment warehouse: 1 - 3 days. This is when your shipping address is locked.
• Warehouse prepares fulfilment: 7 - 21 days.
• Warehouse sends tracking information and ships to you: 1 - 7 days.

This means the whole process can range from the quickest 59 days (end of January) to a conservative 118 days (end of March). I know that's a wide range, but previous projects have been delayed by a dry spell in the Panama Canal and wars in the Middle East. It's a wild world out there, a lot is going on, and it affects everyone. Rest assured, I'm along for the ride with you, and as with previous projects, I will keep you updated on everything as we go.

A Faeseeker's Guide to Avallen

This sourcebook for Avallen is such an incredible work. It's jam-packed with lore, intrigue, fun, adventure, myth, culture, mystery, and much more! Not to mention all the gorgeous artwork.

I'm always humbled by how so many people want to support niche creative projects like this! Thank you all, sincerely, for helping us make this book for our world. It could not have happened without you. Thanks also to my team, Kurt, Jasmine, and Krissy, for your hard work and wisdom. As well as the incredible illustrators, layout artists, and many others who helped out.

We hope you all enjoy the book as much as we did making it!

And don't forget to post your questions about the book below, so that we can answer them on stream this Thursday.

- Deren and the Adder Stone Games team

IMPORTANT! - Your BackerKit Survey + Pre-Production Preview
8 months ago – Tue, Oct 21, 2025 at 05:58:04 AM

Over the coming days you’ll receive an email from us with a special link to your BackerKit survey. It’s essential to respond to your survey as quickly as possible since we need this information to:

• Fulfil your rewards
• Get your chosen name in the credits
• Know how many add-ons we need to make

When you fill in your survey, you will also gain access to an exclusive Backer Pre-Production Preview Copy PDF of A Faeseeker's Guide to Avallen!

I've included a lot of information in this update as I wanted to be thorough. Take your time reading, or skip to relevant headings. See you at the bottom!

Using BackerKit

You do not need to create a BackerKit account to fill out your survey. When you receive the survey invite email, click the survey link to respond. Answer the questions about your reward preferences, provide shipping information, and purchase add-on items if you like. If you don’t have access to this survey link yet, it will be available soon via email!

After you respond to your survey, you can go back later and change your responses at any time before we close the surveys and get our final counts.

If you need to review your information or pledge status, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://a-faeseekers-guide-to-avallen.backerkit.com.

Later Shipping Costs

Due to the volatility of shipping prices and tariffs globally right now, shipping fees, taxes, and tariffs for this project will be calculated at a later date once we have the best estimates for everyone after production. We plan to enter & charge backers for shipping a month or two before fulfilment when we have better estimates of what it will cost to ship your rewards. We will alert backers when shipping costs are finalised & before we charge your cards in your BackerKit survey. We will keep you informed all along the way!

Shipping Estimates can be found on our Kickstarter Campaign page.

If you need to later change your information or pledge, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://a-faeseekers-guide-to-avallen.backerkit.com.

Troubleshooting

If you haven't received your survey by Friday the 24th of October, you can try to manually access it by requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://a-faeseekers-guide-to-avallen.backerkit.com.

If you used your Facebook credentials to log in to your crowdfunding account, the BackerKit survey is sent to the email address associated with your Facebook account. If you have another email address that you prefer to use, please contact support at https://a-faeseekers-guide-to-avallen.backerkit.com/faq.

If you signed in with Apple ID, your email address might be a private relay email address. You can learn more about your email hiding for your Apple ID here.

If those options don't work, and you haven't received your survey by Monday the 27th of October, message me directly on Kickstarter and I'll personally investigate it for you.

Credits

If you want a name included in the credits, please respond to the survey as soon as you can. Once the book begins printing in November, it'll be too late to be included!

Digital Downloads

After completing your survey you will gain access to digital downloads depending on your pledge and add-ons! These include:

• A Faeseeker's Guide to Avallen - Backer Pre-Production Preview Copy PDF
• The Art Compendium of Avallen - Backer Pre-Production Preview Copy PDF
• Legends of Avallen - Rulebook PDF
• Against the Faerie Queene - Campaign Book PDF
• Caer on the Borderlands - Prologue Adventure PDFs

The pre-production copies are an exclusive preview of the new books for backers. They show the books as they are right now, including all the final art and written content. They do not have front covers, credits, contents, an index, or PDF bookmarks. They are also missing their final update for typos, layout, and additional small story texts needed to fill spaces.

Once production begins, the digital downloads will be updated to include ALL of the digital content for this project as well as the final official version of the new book PDFs. When that happen,s you'll receive an email to download them, and I'll post an update here too.

That's All!

Wow, that was a lot to get through. If you made it this far, leave a comment below saying "I made it!" and let me know if you have any questions.

- Deren and the Adder Stone Games team