Altheya: The Dragon Empire – A High-Fantasy 5E Setting

Pledge Manager Update and Poll
about 1 month ago – Wed, Apr 29, 2026 at 08:00:07 AM

Hi everyone,

It's been two weeks since the pledge managers went live, so here's an update on how things are shaping up so far.

Popular Add-Ons

We’ve been keeping a close eye on what everyone’s picking up, and right now the top 5 add-ons are:

• D&D Beyond Player Pack
• Clever Toad Coin
• Cloth Region Map
• Magic Item Deck
• Ambient Soundscape Tracks

Strong choices across the board.

Now… for your regularly scheduled coin update. There’s been a lot of requests asking how many coins are being printed, and the numbers are kind of wild. At the moment, it’s looking like we’ll be printing at least:

• 4,500+ Clever Toad Coins
• 4,000+ Empress Gold Coins
• 700+ Jotnyr Silver Coins

Honestly, incredible.

Coin Add-Ons

We’ve also had loads of messages from people wanting to grab extra coins. Right now, the Clever Toad Coin and Empress Gold Coin are both in the add-on store for £10 each.

So here’s the question: should we add the Jotnyr Silver Coin to the add-on store for £10 as well?

Originally, everyone who shared the campaign during the Kickstarter could earn one coin for free. That doesn’t change, if you unlocked a free coin, you’ll still get it no matter what we decide. But, understandably, some backers who are getting a free coin (and those who missed out on the sharing competition) would like to buy more.

There’s a poll attached to this update. Jump in and let us know what you think. We’ll check the results in a week and report back.

In the meantime, check out these photos of early samples that the printer sent us a few days ago. They're looking awesome!

Completion Rate

Over 4,000 backers have now completed their pledge manager! That's just over 68% of you. Amazing, thank you for being so speedy. If you haven't completed your pledge manager already, please do it as soon as you can, it's a massive help for us behind the scenes.

If you’re having any trouble accessing your pledge manager (or need to reset it), click here: https://altheya.backerkit.com/

Have a great week, speak soon,

Sam.

Pledge Manager and Key Dates
about 2 months ago – Tue, Apr 14, 2026 at 07:39:31 AM

Hey there!

We have some important updates to share.

There's info below about the pledge manager, deadlines, fulfilment dates and access to your rewards. Even if you've backed one of Roll & Play Press's previous projects, please have a read through.

Estimated Timeline

• April 2026 – Pledge managers sent* 
• July 2026 – Pledge managers locked and cards charged
• August 2026 – Existing Roll & Play Press digital products sent to backers who selected these add-ons.
• January 2027 – Pledge manager addresses locked
• February 2027- Digital fulfilment of new Altheya add-ons, including D&D Beyond content.
• April 2027 – Fulfilment of all physical rewards begins

*  If you chose Kickstarter's "Pledge Over Time" option, your pledge manager link will be sent once the last instalment of your Kickstarter pledge has been paid (around mid June).

Pledge Manager Info

Receiving the link

The link to the pledge manager will be sent by BackerKit, so look out for their name in your Inbox (and Junk folders, just in case). The link is sent automatically to all backers in batches over the next week. All backers (apart from Pledge Over Time backers, see * above) should receive a link by Wednesday 22nd April. 

If you have any questions or don't receive a link to your pledge manager, send us a Kickstarter message or email and we'll help you out.

Filling in the pledge manager

1. When you open your pledge manager, check that your name, location and pledge level are all correct. If everything looks good, go ahead and click the 'Get Started' button. 
2. If you would like to upgrade your pledge to a higher level, click 'Switch Your Pledge Level' at the start of the survey. This will make sure that your pledge manager is set up with the right rewards for that level, including stretch goal rewards.
3. In the pledge manager, you will be asked a few important questions about your pledge and get access to the Add-On Store – where you can add extra items to your pledge. There is a flat shipping rate for this campaign, so adding more items will not cost you any extra in shipping costs! 
4. At the end of the pledge manager, you will be asked for your shipping address (if receiving physical rewards) and payment information for any outstanding shipping/add-on costs. 

The pledge manager should take 3–5 minutes to complete.

If something doesn't look right, click the 'Need Help?' button to contact BackerKit support.

Pledge manager deadline

• Pledge managers will be locked in mid July 2026. Backers who complete their pledge manager after this time will likely receive their physical rewards later than other backers.
• Existing Roll & Play Press digital products purchased in the pledge manager before the early July cut-off will be fulfilled in August 2026. Backers who complete their survey after this date will receive all digital files during the digital fulfilment of Altheya products in February 2027.

Making payments

You won't be charged for any outstanding balances, shipping costs or add-ons until July 2026. We will notify you again nearer the time, then charge the debit/credit card linked to your account.

Moving house soon?

If you are moving house soon, or aren't sure where you will be living during physical fulfilment in April 2027, we recommend using a friend or family member's address when asked for your shipping details.

You can change the address in your pledge manager up until January 2027. After this, address changes won't be possible, as the data will have been passed on to our fulfilment partners.

Upgrade to a signed copy!

During the pledge manager, anyone getting a physical book (standard or crownsteel edition) will have the option to upgrade it to a signed copy! Look for the question in your pledge manager if you're already getting a book, or opt for it in the add-on store.

Your book will be signed by the full High Rollers cast!

Free coins

We know the Dragon Empire runs on treasure, so here's our collectable coin check-in:

When you get your pledge manager, you'll answer some questions and be led to the add-on store. On the right-hand side of the add-on store, you'll be able to see what's already in your order, including any coins.

Bronze Clever Toad Coin 

• You'll see this if you were an early backer (with a physical reward in your order), or an Empress Bundle backer. If you're both, you'll have two! 
• If you were an early backer but didn't originally have a physical product in your order, you won't receive the coin automatically. If you now want to upgrade to a physical pledge level, or add a physical item, let us know, and we can manually adjust your pledge to include the coin. 
• You can also buy the Bronze Clever Toad Coin as an add-on.

Silver Jotnyr Coin 

• This coin has been added to all backer orders who qualified by sharing the project during the campaign. If you think you are eligible and cannot see you coin in your pledge, please get in touch.

Gold Empress Coin 

• This has been added to all backer orders who pledged for a physical reward during the campaign. 
• If you didn't originally have a physical product in your order, you won't receive the coin automatically. If you now want to upgrade to a physical pledge level, or add a physical item, let us know, and we can manually adjust your pledge to include the coin. 
• You can also buy the Gold Empress Coin as an add-on.

D&D Beyond Player Pack

If your pledge included the D&D Beyond Player Pack, or if you purchase it in the pledge manager add-on store, you will receive a digital code for D&D Beyond access with the rest of your digital rewards in February 2027. Stay tuned for more updates on how to redeem it.

Questions and support

Feel free to post a comment on this update, send us a Kickstarter message or drop us an email if you have any questions about this process, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

We'll be back next month with a more detailed creative update. At the moment, Mara is hard at work developing all the subclasses you unlocked with stretch goals. Stay tuned for updates on playtesting this awesome new content!

Have a great week,

Beth

FOR THE EMPRESS! CAMPAIGN COMPLETE!!
3 months ago – Fri, Mar 20, 2026 at 08:17:00 AM

YOU DID IT!!!! ALL GOALS SMASHED!

What a whirlwind of a last day, I still can't believe we smashed through our bonus stretch goal with less than 15 minutes left on the clock. The excitement in the office was unreal.

A free Empress Gold Coin will now be added to every physical pledge as a thank you from us all! We'll have the visuals to share soon.

The incredible support of the High Rollers community has also helped this become Roll & Play Press's most highly funded campaign ever. That's a testament to how you came out in force to bring the Altheya book to life – and how much you love shiny coins!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for making this all possible. In 30 days we raised £701,937 ($934,843) with 5,845 backers. Absolutely amazing.

Important Coin Info

The pledge manager (sent out in a few weeks) is where you'll be able to see any of the coins that were added to your rewards as a perk. That includes early backing (Clever Toad Bronze Coin), sharing the project (Jotnyr Silver Coin), and from the final stretch goal (Empress Gold Coin). 

What next?

Now the project is officially funded, we'll be diving straight into making these products the best they can be: writing the book, commissioning art, developing rules, planning play tests, getting production samples.

While we're busy with that, there are a couple of things you'll be asked to do:

1. Pay for your pledge – Over the next couple of weeks, Kickstarter will start charging cards and processing pledges. If there's an issue with your card, you'll have 7 days to resolve it before they try again. (And if there are still problems, this can usually be fixed in the pledge manager via PayPal).

2. Fill in the pledge manager – In a few weeks, you'll get a link to our pledge manager from BackerKit. We'll collect your shipping details, and a few other key bits of info. You can also upgrade your pledge or add extra rewards in the Add-On Store.

Orders and addresses won't be locked until later in the project, so there's plenty of time left to make changes to your pledge. If you have any questions, reach out to us at [email protected].

Project updates 

From now until we fulfil your rewards, we'll keep you up-to-date with progress in monthly updates. Look out for illustration reveals, photos of samples and other sneak peeks.

You'll also hear from us with any important fulfilment news. Here's a timeline of our key milestones:

• April 2026 - Pledge managers sent to backers to confirm rewards.
• July 2026 – Pledge managers locked and charged 
• August 2026 – Existing Roll & Play Press digital products sent to backers who selected these add-ons.
• January 2027 – Pledge manager addresses locked
• February 2027 - Digital fulfilment of new Altheya add-ons
• April 2027 - Physical fulfilment of all rewards

We'll explain each and every stage of the process as it happens. Between updates, you can join us on Discord, Facebook and Instagram where we chat about all things RPGs, from GM tips to dice hoarding. You can also sign up to the Roll & Play Press newsletter for a free random table every month.

Keep up-to-date with all High Rollers news and releases on their website, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Patreon and Discord server.

Until then, a HUGE thanks again to every single one of you.

Sam, the Roll & Play Press team, and the High Rollers team.

P.S. Projects We Love

As one door closes, another opens. Check out these incredible projects from our other creator friends that are still live on Kickstarter. Don't miss out!

Beyond the Woods for Legend in the Mist RPG

Beyond the Woods offers fans of Legend in the Mist a new way to play, trading the rustic fantasy charm of Ravensdale for a beautiful and terrifying world inspired by Irish mythology and influenced by games like Elden Ring. Click here to check out the campaign.

Heliana & Ryoko's Guide to Mythozoology

Mythozoology unites two awesome D&D supplements for one brand-new, expansion! Two 400+ page tomes bursting with incredible new monsters, deadly adventures, and inspirational player options. Click here to check out the campaign.

BIG BADS: Most Wanted

Big Bads: Most Wanted collects 25+ boss monsters from the Big Bads line and includes tons of new content: a new shadowy organisation, plus campaign frames that connect multiple Big Bads into a larger story. Click here to check out the campaign.

STRETCH GOAL UNLOCKED: One Shiny New Bonus Stretch Goal Added!
3 months ago – Wed, Mar 18, 2026 at 11:52:12 AM

Hey everyone,

We’ve SMASHED the £625,000 stretch goal, and we now have over 5,000 backers!!! 🎉

That means we’re adding the two final subclasses to the Altheya: The Dragon Empire book and D&D Beyond Player Pack, Cleric and Ranger!

• 🐲 CLERIC: DRAGON DOMAIN – Praise the Dragon Empress! Draw upon the the divine to power your dragon-themed spells, and dazzle your enemies with draconic majesty.
• ⚡️ RANGER: STORMRUNNER – Rangers from Azarr Steppe train in the lightning fields, and learn to harness it to their own ends. Zap around the battlefield with breakneck speed and use the weather against your enemies.

Honestly, we’re completely blown away. This is everything we hoped for and more, and it’s all thanks to you.

One More Bonus Stretch Goal!

We’re super excited that this is our biggest Kickstarter campaign ever, and that we've been able to unlock every subclass. So, we thought we'd have some fun by adding ONE BONUS final stretch goal at £700,000 for the final 24 hours:

✨ The Empress Gold Coin ✨

If we hit this huge goal, every backer with a physical pledge will receive an Empress Gold Coin for free. That means you’ll be able to complete the full set:

• Clever Toad Bronze Coin
• Silver Jotnyr Coin
• Empress Gold Coin

BUT, there's less than 24 Hours to go until the campaign wraps up... can we do it? With how this campaign has been going, honestly, it might just be possible. But we need your help.

Keep sharing the campaign, keep spreading the word, and let’s see how far we can go in the final day. And don’t forget, if you share the campaign and tell us where you shared it, we’ll add a Silver Jotnyr Coin to your pledge for free. The full rules for getting that coin can be found here: https://www.rollandplaypress.com/coin

Thank you so much for being part of this amazing 30-day journey, you’ve made this campaign unforgettable.

Let's go!!

Sam.

D&D Beyond Announcement!!!!
3 months ago – Fri, Mar 13, 2026 at 07:04:51 AM

Everyone,

We have HUGE news... a Player Pack for D&D Beyond has officially become an add-on for the Altheya: The Dragon Empire Kickstarter campaign!!!!!

Yes, you read that right, with this add-on you'll be able to play as any of the awesome new subclasses and species, and use all the feats, spells and backgrounds that are being created for this book directly on D&D Beyond. 

The add-on is £11 (around $14.99 at current exchange rates). If you're an EMPRESS BUNDLE backer, this add-on will be included in your pledge for free!

A big thank you to the team at D&D Beyond and Wizards of the Coast for making it possible. This Player Pack will be our third time working with the team on a D&D Beyond launch, and they are always such a pleasure to work with.

What’s inside the Player Pack? 

⚔️ 10 subclasses (or 12 if we unlock the £625,000 stretch goal!)
🪲 2 species – Dynastians and Wildhearts
💪 4 feats
🪄 10 spells 
🧑‍🌾 4 backgrounds

These options will be fully integrated into D&D Beyond, meaning you’ll be able to add them directly to your character sheets and use them seamlessly with the platform’s tools.

How do I get the Player Pack?

To get access, follow these steps:

1. Head to the Kickstarter page on your phone or desktop 
2. Click "Manage" on your pledge
3. Add "D&D Beyond Player Pack" as an add-on

OR

If you back at (or upgrade to) the EMPRESS BUNDLE: STANDARD or EMPRESS BUNDLE: CROWNSTEEL levels, you don't need to do anything, as we'll automatically add the D&D Beyond Player Pack to your pledge for free in the pledge manager after the campaign ends.

(Note: You will not lose your Clever Toad Coin early bird reward by upgrading or adding to your pledge, as the system will still know when you first backed. However, if you cancel your pledge and re-pledge, you will lose your early bird reward.)

When is the Player Pack released?

You will get access to the D&D Beyond Player Pack in February 2027 at the same time we fulfil the digital rewards from this campaign. If the add-on is one of your rewards, you will get a code that you can use to redeem it on D&D Beyond when it's live.

Stretch Goal Unlocked

Yesterday we smashed through our £550,000 stretch goal! So, we're adding a brand-new subclass for Rogues and Wizards to the book. These are both in early development and Mark/Mara is working hard on them, but here's a taste of what to expect:

• 🔐 ROGUE: AGENT – Working for clandestine guilds, agencies, or even dragons, this subclass gives Rogues passive abilities or buffs depending on the assignment they take each day.
• 🪞 WIZARD: METALLURGIST – Trained in the ways of metal manipulation, Wizards using this subclass can enhance the weapons of their allies, create armour and influence the battlefield.

What's Next?

Next up is our £625,000 stretch goal, where we’ll unlock two final subclasses, Clerics and Rangers!

Keep sharing the campaign, and keep the hype train going, and let’s see if we can get to the next stretch goal together in under a week.

Don't forget about our Jotnyr Silver Coin reward for sharing the campaign! If you haven't already signed up and shared, check out the full details here: https://www.rollandplaypress.com/coin

Have a great week!

Sam.