Narrative board game in solo or cooperative, in a post-apocalyptic saga with giant insects !
Latest Updates from Our Project:
đŠ Once Upon a Line - Daily Reveal đ #14
about 2 years ago
â Tue, Jan 31, 2023 at 07:20:39 AM
ÊÄÉ ââââ± Version Française - voir plus bas â°âââ ÊÄÉ
"Men as they really are, insects devouring one another on a little atom of mud" - Voltaire
In the world of Kell, it sometimes happens that certain individuals weave with others such a powerful spiritual connection that each draws from the other a symbiotic force. From then on, the Zephyrhymes hold extensive control by tapping into the natural abilities of that Hero's companion.
In Splendor & Degradation, you may be lucky enough to be able to add one of them to your Hero pool.
đŹ The authors' note:
âTo create is to throw hundreds of stupid ideas, mechanical wanderings, and useless artifices into a big mess bag and wait for an accident. Because yes, our discoveries are most of the time born of an error: bad pronunciation, a joke taken seriously or a misunderstanding. And when a creative deposit seems to have been unearthed, we follow it hoping to find a prolific vein. It is then explored until validating, invalidating or rectifying the initial idea.
This laborious search in which everything is permitted is a small moment of grace and complicity that is dear to us. He reminds us of the RPG years and our teenage madness (see  Daily Reveal #13). But of all the phases in the design of a game, the most delicate stage (for us) is that of purification!
Once the heart of the mechanics has stopped, we circle around like butterflies near a flame and seek to extract the best juice (with the pulp please) only finding a stoppage within our limits at the one-upmanship.
And that's where our sneakiest enemy lurks: Mr. Plus!
While it is easy to add layers like garnishing a burger, you have to know how to find a balance that preserves the user experience and generates the much sought-after playful ecstasy. And that is why we apply to all external proposals from enthusiastic âfansâ the basic precept: less is more!â
đŠ A New Companion
In Splendor & Degradation, you have the possibility to unlock one of the rare Heroes with his companion!
If you have already seen or tested the Prologue of the Butterflyâs Breath saga, in a video, at a convention, or on Tabletop Simulator, then you have already met these two individuals intimately linked by their common history.
By unlocking Father Latreille's third Talent, you gain the ability to associate his pet moth with him.
One Hero in play but two talent cards and their associated tiles: the moth then grants you two new exclusive Talents.
âïž This Hero and his companion can be played in the The Butterflyâs Breath saga, (except the Prologue, as indicated on the Latreille Hero card).
Illustration: Leandro Di Terlizzi
Moth Illustration Making-Of
Next Update
Stay tuned for the next expansion update on "The Trance of the Silverfish" later today!
Last Campaign Livestream
We'll also meet again on Thursday at 8pm CET for the last livestream of this Kickstarter campaign, tell us in comments all the topics you want us to discuss.
ÊÄÉ ââââ± French Version starts here â°âââ ÊÄÉ
On se retrouve Jeudi Ă 20h CET pour le dernier Live de cette campagne Kickstarter, dites-nous en commentaire tous les sujets que vous souhaitez que lâon aborde !
Merci et Ă demain pour la derniĂšre Daily Reveal de cette campagne âŠ
Dan & William
đ Expansion Update - The Water of our Discontent
about 2 years ago
â Mon, Jan 30, 2023 at 11:20:49 AM
ÊÄÉ ââââ± Version Française - voir plus bas â°âââ ÊÄÉ
A few kilometers from the Icelandic coast, hidden at the bottom of a gigantic fault, a huge underwater city guarantees thousands of Icelandic citizens a bright future, far from the savagery of the terrestrial world.
đExpansion: The Water of our DiscontentÂ
A single entrance, a single exit, this jewel of technology has the ocean as its silent guardian. Going down the abyssal tunnel which plunges vertiginously hundreds of meters deep, the eyes struggle to get used to the darkness of this gaping trench. Approaching the earth's crust, a glow emanates from the ground and suggests a recording room, occupied by a division of soldiers and scientists.
Behind them, a huge glass wall gives a breathtaking view of a long glazed corridor and at the very end of this corridor, a luminous dome of titanic dimensions: ReykjavĂk II
But why on earth are your seasoned Zephyrhyme senses on high alert?
Could it be that a deep evil is brewing and threatening this âperfectâ city?
đŠ Content of the Expansion
Each box of The Water of our Discontent expansion contains:
4 large format Grids of Destiny, 200x200mm for games of around 3 hours
~200 XXL Story Cards, 126x88mm format
1 Tragedy Grid
9 Hero Cards + Talent Cards
1 Rules Sheet
âïžNew MechanicsÂ
The Water of our Discontent expansion contains 2 fundamental mechanical differences with The Buttlerflyâs Breath saga. The first concerns the Heroes.
From the beginning of the adventure, you manage to spot and embody eight individuals more talented than any others. A strong but inexplicable bond seems to bind them.A Pilot, a special forces agent, a psychiatrist⊠each excels in their field and will bring you an undeniable advantage on the ground.
Yes, but here it is⊠this immediate connection with all these Heroes makes your mental link less powerful. Only time alongside each will improve their performance. In gameplay terms, the Heroes start with very few standard tiles.
Fortunately, each of their talents comes with an additional standard tile that is very useful for progressing through the Grids of Destiny. Each Word of Power will therefore be all the more precious to you in order to succeed in your quest.
 đ€Some Heroes...Â
LOGI
Child of the authoritarian regime of Reykjavik II and ward of the nation, Logi has a sixth sense for spotting suspicious individuals. A highly-trained man of action, he intervenes in cases of terrorism or rebellion. Authorized to use force and weapons, he has little recourse as his natural charisma and authority are usually enough to unseat strong headed people. It must also be said that Logi is set up as a model by the government, making him a virile Stakhanov from the depths.
However, Logi shelters at the core of him a fault deeper than that of the ocean; knowledge of a classified file concerning his parents, dead on the surface, which opened a breach in his armor of authority.
UNNUR
Daughter of a teacher and a diver technician, Unnur has developed a great intelligence of the heart from a very young age. At almost 34 years old, she officiates as a psychiatrist in charge of monitoring the mental health of the population of Reykjavik II. Calm and thoughtful, she knows how to keep her cool where others would gladly get carried away by their emotions. She owes her temperance to an unshakeable self-confidence and a daily practice of yoga.
She lives in the third periphery, quite upscale, and secretly hosts her girlfriend, a hacker actively sought by the authorities and known under the pseudonym of FrÄg.
FRĂ G
FrÄg is a young woman aged 28, passionate about ancient languages and experimental music. A true night owl, she spends most of her time wandering with her digital self in an encrypted computer network beyond the control of the Icelandic authorities. If FrÄg prefers to flee her physical life in favor of a virtual existence, it is because her undeniable precocity has always kept her away from the futilities brewed by people her age. For 5 years now, she has been hacking into the organs of power, primarily targeting surveillance systems and political propaganda networks. Her unhealthy obsession as a hacker now earns her a hot spot by the computer police and jeopardizes her relationship with Unnur.
And many other amazing characters like HALLDĂRâŠ
 đŠGrid of Tragedy
In The Water of our Discontent, there is no Challenge Portal, but instead, a whole new way to play with Tragedy!
For each Word of Power discovered you can complete the Talents of your Heroes in play as normal.
BUT⊠for each letter you cannot assign to a Hero, you scratch a square off of the Gridof Tragedy starting with the center square stamped with a crab icon. Each time you have to scratch a new box, you will always have to choose a box adjacent to a scratched box.
Inscribed on the layer of scratch-off ink, Utopia Points will guide your journey, but beware, the path ahead is strewn with pitfalls and surprises: bonus letters, walls, chain reactions⊠and Dystopia Points!!!
However, you can count on the presence of clues in the form of numbers indicating the presence of as many Dystopia symbols as the number indicated. This will surely speak to fans of a particularly explosive game.
Stay tuned for the nextupdate :
The Trance of the Silverfish Expansion!
ÊÄÉ ââââ± French Version starts here â°âââ ÊÄÉ
đŠ Once Upon a Line - Daily Reveal đ #13
about 2 years ago
â Mon, Jan 30, 2023 at 07:59:56 AM
ÊÄÉ ââââ± Version Française - voir plus bas â°âââ ÊÄÉ
Let us risk a little more light, shone upon the expansion available exclusively for this Kickstarter campaign Splendor & Degradation
As a warden at the old docks, Father Latreille has spent the last twenty years managing reintegration of marginalized people and offenders at small construction sites. One day, a fortune-teller friend delivers this prophecy to him: "You will attain The Way of the Butterfly, and your true life will begin".
Encouraged by this prediction, Latreille sets himself a crazy dream: to join the prestigious Assembly of Lepilazuli and then rise to the rank of the venerable.
đŹ The authors' note:
âMore than the adventure of a game, this project is a major turning point in our personal and professional lives. The birth of our friendship dates back to the summer of 1998, thanks to a life-size amateur role-playing game. Let us tell you about this genesisâŠ
One modestly co-organizing LARP with a few sweet dreamy friends, the other licensed player with a frenetic family delegation, their eventful meeting (because the toadmen had little friendship for the thieves' guild) found his stop at the Dashing Rabbit Inn (the Prancing Ponyâs lesser known franchise), around a lemonade beer and a ham and butter sandwich. There, the two friends understood that they shared a common passion for the imagination, role-playing games and drawing.
From then on, they founded with some associates the âDelegation of Amateur and Confirmed RĂŽlistesâ (DRAC) then carried out several life-size fantasy atmospheres, vampire⊠or even Sicilian mafia!
A few years later, we finally found ourselves on a common professional project within a web-print agency and one thing leading to another: a publishing house of board games.
In the end, it would therefore seem that our entire amateur and professional journey naturally led us to Once Upon a Line. Here you are, now you know a little better about the birth of the two-headed troll Perte & Fracas!â
đ€ New Hero:
Since the death of his wife, a Buceronne mortally wounded by a wild centipede, Latreille is only a shadow of himself. Once a deserving scar mason, he has wandered for almost twenty years in pursuit of his past life.
But the recent prediction of his fortune-telling friend has awakened in him a burning desire for renewal. He therefore decided that his place was with the Lepidores and that he could reach the coveted rank of Venerable.
But the world has changed a lot since his early youth, his great experience in the field will perhaps not compensate for his theoretical knowledge from another era.
Illustration: Leandro Di Terlizzi
Will he be able to overcome the highly selective theoretical exam designed for all new entrants to the academy?
Each year, many candidates see their dreams shattered by the merciless grading of the dean and the eminent professors...
Will he withstand the equally fearsome practical test that one out of two applicant fails? Alone, at night, in the middle of a swampy desert, the best candidates test their nerves, for it is not uncommon for some to never return from this expedition.
That's what you'll discover when you play Clipped Wings, a scenario offered exclusively to each backer of this Kickstarter campaign!
đșïž New Grid:
Let's also add to this box, a first Grid of Destiny format 200x100mm, covered with scratch ink on its front, for 60 to 90 minutes of adventure approximately. Bastien's illustration represents an essential step in the scenario that will lead you to survive a practical test in the middle of a small, infamous island at night! In the middle of this wild and swampy expanse, the most brilliant candidates find their nerves subjected to a severe test because it is not uncommon for some to be visited by nocturnal creatures ⊠or simply never to return from this expedition.
Illustration: Bastien Boulai
Making Of the visuals of Clipped Wings
đđ Result of the Contest!
The Contest has been closed and the counting of Likes took place across the four different platforms. Your massive votes totaled 412 votes in all, a sign for us of our enthusiasm for this approach.
We are happy to announce the victory of the proposal:
It belongs to Jojojo95, congratulations to you!
Your nickname and the description of your insect will therefore appear in the Voyages Through the Lands of Kell by Lukane the Elder logbook. It will be illustrated by Alexandre GIMBEL, our artist in charge of the illustrations for this booklet.
ÊÄÉ ââââ± French Version starts here â°âââ ÊÄÉ
đŠ Once Upon a Line - Daily Reveal đ #12
about 2 years ago
â Sun, Jan 29, 2023 at 06:59:26 AM
ÊÄÉ ââââ± Version Française - voir plus bas â°âââ ÊÄÉ
âIf the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left.â- A. Einstein
It's been nearly a dozen days since we've been gradually revealing the scenarios contained in Splendor & Degradation. However, these completely independent stories have their roots in scenes well anchored in the main saga The Butterflyâs Breath.
Through a few regular updates, we let you glimpse the soul of this little world that we have modestly built. Many of you have been in comments and on the networks to ask us if the content would be provided in the game boxes.
We are therefore very happy to announce that we have indeed planned to include in each box of the main saga The Logbook entitled: Voyages Through the Lands of Kell - by Lukane the Elder.
đŹ The authors' note:
âYou play as heroes of ancient Greece, from the small fishing village of Asklepieros. The village elder comes to you all out of breath, PYTHIA asks for you, she has an important message to send you. You know that she resides in a TEMPLE on top of a HILL. Scratch in a straight line from space I18 to S18 and reveal the corresponding card.â
Here are the very first words born from the very first adventure of Once Upon a Line. The file dates from November 25th, 2020, the day after our mechanics were discovered. We needed to experience the potential of this narrative game by immersing it in a universe conducive to a real test. Armed with an Excel file to blacken and reveal letters, we had our very first adventure in the middle of ancient and mythological Greece.
Several elements of the game were still shaky, the story quite wacky, the material resources really precarious... the magic worked however! We had both become heroes of antiquity in search of a sword and a shield to free Asklepios from the terror imposed by a fearsome minotaur.
So, if this political intrigue in a world of anticipation under insectoid domination has caught your attention, follow our upcoming productions because we still have dozens of universes to invent.
 đ New content:
It is therefore to Lukane the Elder that will return the role of narrator, guiding you, as he has already done in previous news, through the World of Kell.
The form of this document is still to be defined (size, number of pages, orientation, etc.) but we already know what function it will fulfill in this game box. In addition to a presentation of the major and minor guilds, a presentation of the functions and characteristics of some insects, we want this booklet to be both an immersion support but also a little memo to help you during the adventure so that you don't need to have advanced entomological knowledge to be able to understand details that the story offers.
If there's anything you'd really like to see in this universe document, let us know in the comments. We will be happy to study this...
đđ The winner in this Logbook!
As planned, voting closes today at 8 p.m. CET for our contest.
This is your last chance to vote for your favorite proposals. The winner will see their idea included in the Voyages Through the Lands of Kell by Lukane the Elder in each box of Once Upon a Line - The Butterflyâs Breath!
So go quickly to vote if you haven't already done so:
For as long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated by the world around us. Even today, it sometimes happens that I sink into the limbo of my thoughts, my feet dredging the bottom of the river, directly above a gypsum cliff or at the bend of the paths of my garden. At each solstice, each equinox, my ancestors brought us together, my sisters and I, to sing to us the history of men, when they were still living happy days, settled on the summit of the modern world.
I only remember from this past the hazy stories, borrowed by intrusion from a collective memory and which wither with the seasons. I thought of my life as a journey, only stopping to immortalize the beauty of this Earth. I am Lukane the Elder and this is my travel journal through the lands of Kell.
Illustrations : Alexandre Gimbel, Leandro Di Terlizzi
Making-Of & Insect Research
ÊÄÉ ââââ± French Version starts here â°âââ ÊÄÉ
Alors, si notre intrigue politique dans un monde dâanticipation sous domination insectoĂŻde a su piquer votre attention, suivez nos productions Ă venir car nous avons encore des dizaines dâunivers Ă partager.â
Illustrations : Alexandre Gimbel, Leandro Di Terlizzi
Making-Of & Recherches sur les Insectes
Merci et Ă demainâŠ
Dan & William
đŠ Once Upon a Line - Daily Reveal đ #11
about 2 years ago
â Sat, Jan 28, 2023 at 07:57:26 AM
ÊÄÉ ââââ± Version Française - voir plus bas â°âââ ÊÄÉ
« Don't weep, insects
Lovers, stars themselves,
Must part. »
Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828)
The veil is now well lifted on this astonishing scenario in two distinct parts. Two grids certainly, but combine them cleverly to get to the end of the adventure. Whether you start with one or the other, you will need both to unravel the mystery of Get Butterflies.
The first word of this scenario takes you on board at the very moment which will see a part of Noctide's life change forever, whatever the outcome of this scenario.
So, our dear Noctide was comfortably installed in his chenille leather armchair enjoying a honeydew liqueur when a courier discreetly knocked on the knocker of his front door. On the doorstep, an old gentleman, worn out by the weight of the years, handed him a carefully wrapped package. But neither the caress of the gentle wind nor the evanescence of this moment prepared Noctide for one of the greatest shocks of his life...
đŹ The authors' note:
âA hundred times on the loom, hand over your work, wrote Boileau. Creating a world is indeed a perilous exercise. On each page of the story, the credibility of the entire work is at stake and, through it, that of the authors!
Geography, meteorology, laws, politics, fashions, customs⊠each part of Kell's life must respond to a coherent and structured whole. If the rough and main framework will have been our first project - all in all quite easily validated - we will have had to go through decisive milestones to anchor a credible story, and supported by a common frame of reference. Who says apocalypse, says migration. Who says migration, says survival. Who says survival, says temperate climate.
Because we have traveled little outside of Europe, we chose to put Kell's suitcases in Florence, Italy. A city that we visited and which immediately reminded us of a whole Mediterranean style of living, from gastronomy to music, architecture to painting. Due to its geographical position, this city offers us the comfort of being able to rely on dreamlike vestiges, an advantageous topography, maritime proximity, and equatorial seasonalities conducive to creating all kinds of atmospheres.
Historically, we have decided to freeze history at the great pandemic (in 2067) which marked the beginning of the era of the Great Arthropods. Then going back along the path of the ball to 2410, in the City of Kell as you discover it. Focused on this corner of the world, we voluntarily ignore the rest of the planet, allowing us at leisure tomorrow to imagine dozens of other forms of new societies, but that is another storyâŠâ
Plot Opening:
When Noctide opened the package that day, he immediately felt the blood rush from his being. Within that ordinary looking box sat a long lock of black hair; its peppery scent filled the room. The olfactory signature was that of the one he loved: Cigadelia. At the bottom of the box was a ransom note, written on a wing of mayfly. It asked for an exorbitant amount, even for a surgeon of his renown.Â
The news reverberated like a cyclone in our man's heart... and in his head. After the amazement came the anguish, after the anguish came the guilt, after the guilt came the rage. But Noctide had learned over time to keep his feelings in check. He then dominated his mind, forcing himself to pull himself together, because he knew that the survival of his beloved depended on his composure. He decided to go to the brewery in town square the next day at noon precisely, as the instructions indicated. With a steady hand, he slipped his small scalpel case into the inside pocket of his immaculate white coat.
Illustration : Guillaume Weber
Thecreation of the visual for the MISSING card:
Important: The number of cards in each scenario could increase or decrease (likely by a maximum of 3 cards) when the whole game is finished in order to harmonize and balance the contents and the duration of the game.
đđ Once Upon a Line THE CONTEST
Don't forget to vote for the 10 selected!
Choose the best proposal that you think deserves to be in Once Upon a Line - The Butterfly's Breath!