# KAILIAN: HEARTH & HARVEST — OFFICIAL KICKSTARTER SETUP & LAUNCH PLAYBOOK **Target Launch Date:** Today (October 4, 2026) **Project Lead:** Rooted Creative Group **Live Companion Site:** [https://rootedcreativegroup.com/kailian/](https://rootedcreativegroup.com/kailian/) **Admin Back Office:** [https://rootedcreativegroup.com/kailian/admin.php](https://rootedcreativegroup.com/kailian/admin.php) --- ## EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & CAMPAIGN DNA | Key Attribute | Specification | | :--- | :--- | | **Project Title** | **Kailian: Hearth & Harvest — The Filipino Heritage Tabletop & Digital Sim** | | **Subtitle** | A handcrafted strategy board game & playable simulation honoring Ilocano culture, pre-colonial maritime trade, and native language learning. | | **Primary Category** | Games / Tabletop Games | | **Secondary Category** | Games / Video Games (Hybrid) | | **Funding Goal** | **$15,000 USD** | | **Campaign Duration** | **30 Days** (Closes Day 30 at 11:59 PM PST) | | **First 24-Hour Goal** | **$15,000 (100% Funded)** to trigger Kickstarter's "Popular / Trending" algorithmic ranking and earn the "Project We Love" badge. | | **Anti-AI Guarantee** | 100% Handcrafted relief linocut prints, hand-carved woodblocks, and human-verified linguistic scholarship. Strictly zero generative art. | --- ## 1. KICKSTARTER PROJECT EDITOR FIELD-BY-FIELD SETUP ### A. "Basics" Tab 1. **Project Title:** ```text Kailian: Hearth & Harvest — The Filipino Heritage Tabletop & Digital Sim ``` 2. **Short Blurb (135 characters max):** ```text Weave sacred Binakol, build settlements with Ammoyo mutual aid, and learn Ilocano words in this handcrafted anti-AI Philippine heritage game. ``` 3. **Primary Category:** `Tabletop Games` **Subcategory:** `Card Games` 4. **Project Location:** Select your legal banking entity location (USA or Philippines). 5. **Target Launch Date & Time:** * **Tuesday or Thursday at 8:00 AM PST (11:00 AM EST / 11:00 PM PHT).** Launching in the morning captures both US East/West Coast rush hours and the evening diaspora in Manila/Hawaii/California. 6. **Project Image:** Upload `box-art.jpg` (Letterpress luxury box packaging with Kur-itan embossed border). 7. **Project Video:** * Duration: 90 - 120 seconds. * Soundtrack: Traditional acoustic bamboo *kubing* (jaw harp) + *kulintang* gongs transitioning to celebratory folk rhythm. * Visuals: Close-up macro shots of the 350gsm linen cards, tactile wood tokens, hand-carved relief linocut blocks, and a live smartphone running the offline PWA. --- ### B. "Funding & Goal" Calculation * **Minimum Manufacturing Run (500 units):** $7,200 ($14.40/unit box + cards + meeples) * **Custom Tooling & Die Cutting:** $1,800 * **Ocean Freight & Customs Clearance:** $2,200 * **Kickstarter & Payment Processing Fees (8%):** $1,200 * **Fulfillment Buffer & Packaging Supplies:** $1,600 * **Contingency Reserve:** $1,000 * **Total Minimum Viable Goal:** **$15,000 USD** --- ### C. "Rewards" Tab: Pledge Tier Matrix #### Tier 1: Digital Scholar ($15 USD) * **Title:** `Digital Kailian & Print-and-Play (PnP)` * **Description:** * Full lifetime digital access to the installable PWA-Beta game (iOS, Android, PC). * High-resolution Print-and-Play PDF sheets for all 160 Samtoy cards (front and back with crop marks). * Digital 52-page Bilingual Field Guide & Ilocano Pronunciation Audio MP3 collection. * Your name in the digital & physical rulebook credits as a Founding Kailian. * **Estimated Delivery:** November 2026 (Instant PWA access upon campaign end). * **Shipping:** Digital Delivery ($0). #### Tier 2: The Samtoy Box — Standard Tabletop Edition ($45 USD) — *MOST POPULAR* * **Title:** `The Samtoy Box (Core Tabletop Edition)` * **Description:** * 1x Complete Kailian Tabletop Game in a rigid magnetic collector box. * 160 Tarot-Sized Playing Cards (70x120mm, 350gsm German linen cardstock with rounded corners). * 4x Dual-Layer Kraftboard Settlement Player Boards (5x5 terrain grid). * 50x Die-cut Burnay Clay Jar & Inabel Cloth Resource Chits. * 1x 52-Page Bound Bilingual Rulebook with Ilocano-English-Tagalog glossary and Kur-itan script guide. * All Unlocked Physical Stretch Goals included. * Lifetime PWA Digital Game License included. * **Early Bird Price:** **$39 USD** (First 48 Hours or First 150 Backers). * **Estimated Delivery:** April 2027. * **Shipping:** US ($9), PH ($7), CA ($14), UK/EU ($15), Rest of World ($19). #### Tier 3: Deluxe Ilokandia Collector's Edition ($85 USD) * **Title:** `Deluxe Ilokandia Edition (Authentic Inabel & Hardwood)` * **Description:** * Everything in The Samtoy Box. * 1x Authentic Handwoven Inabel Card Pouch crafted by traditional heritage weavers in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. * 40x Solid Beechwood Carved Rice & Carabao Meeples (custom engraved). * 4x Metallic Gold Foil Promo Tarot Cards: *Gabriela Silang*, *Diego Silang*, *Lam-ang*, and *Ines Kannoyan*. * 1x Solid Antiqued Brass Currimao Maritime Barter Coin (weighted metal collector coin). * Numbered Certificate of Authenticity signed by the design team. * **Estimated Delivery:** April 2027. * **Shipping:** US ($12), PH ($9), CA ($18), UK/EU ($19), Rest of World ($24). #### Tier 4: Kailian Guild & Classroom 5-Pack ($220 USD) * **Title:** `Kailian Guild Bundle (5x Collector Boxes + Curriculum)` * **Description:** * 5x Complete Samtoy Tabletop Game Boxes. * 5x Deluxe Inabel Card Pouches. * 1x Comprehensive Educator & Cultural Heritage Curriculum Guide (designed for universities, diaspora schools, and cultural centers). * Unlimited Digital PWA Guild Licenses for institutional classrooms. * **Estimated Delivery:** April 2027. * **Shipping:** US ($25), PH ($18), International ($45). --- ### D. "Story" Page Narrative Template (Ready to Paste) ```markdown # WEAVE SACRED CLOTH. DEFY EMPIRES. SPEAK THE ANCIENT WORDS. Across the rugged coastal valleys of Northern Luzon, before conquistadors mapped the seas, the people of Samtoy cultivated autonomous communities through **Ammoyo**—a philosophy of unquantified mutual aid. **Kailian: Hearth & Harvest** is a dual-format historical tabletop board game and playable digital simulation that immerses players in the agricultural, spiritual, and maritime heritage of the Ilocano people. --- ### ZERO GENERATIVE AI GUARANTEE: 100% HANDCRAFTED HERITAGE In an era inundated with synthetic imagery, *Kailian* honors our ancestors with uncompromising craftsmanship: - Every card illustration is hand-carved in relief linocut and woodblock prints by Filipino artists. - Authentic typography grounded in 17th-century Northern Luzon letterpress and native Kur-itan syllabary. - Every vocabulary word, proverb, and historical event is vetted in partnership with indigenous cultural researchers and elders. --- ### HOW IT PLAYS: 4 SEASONS OF THE NORTH 1. **Panag-talon (Planting & Irrigation):** Build terraces and manage paduyot canal systems. 2. **Ammoyo (Mutual Harvest Feasting):** Pool resources with neighbors to survive dry seasons without predatory debt. 3. **Pannakibiang (Currimao Barter):** Trade Inabel cloth and fermented Basi wine with arriving maritime merchant junks. 4. **Panagsursuro (Language Immersion):** Unlock and speak 50+ Ilocano vocabulary words through intuitive card interplay. --- ### WHAT'S IN THE BOX - 160 Tarot-Sized Playing Cards (German Linen Finish, 350gsm) - 4 Dual-Layer Player Settlement Boards - 40 Solid Beechwood Carved Tokens - 50 Punchboard Resource Tokens - 52-Page Bound Cultural & Linguistic Field Guide ``` --- ## 2. STRETCH GOALS ROADMAP | Funding Level | Status | Milestone Reward | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **$15,000** | **FUNDED (Goal)** | Base Game Funded: 160 Cards + Magnetic Box | | **$20,000** | **STRETCH GOAL #1** | Upgraded 350gsm German Linen Finish on all cards | | **$35,000** | **STRETCH GOAL #2** | Custom Carved Wooden Carabao Meeples for all physical tiers | | **$50,000** | **STRETCH GOAL #3** | *Biag ni Lam-ang* Epic Expansion (20 new legendary quest cards) | | **$75,000** | **STRETCH GOAL #4** | Authentic Handwoven Binakol Neoprene Playmat add-on unlocked | | **$100,000** | **STRETCH GOAL #5** | Full Professional Orchestral Soundtrack (Kulintang & Classical Strings) | --- ## 3. DAY-1 LAUNCH PLAYBOOK (HOUR-BY-HOUR) ### T-Minus 2 Hours (06:00 AM PST) 1. Verify database and API readiness: - Hit `https://rootedcreativegroup.com/kailian/api/stats.php` to ensure 200 OK. - Confirm Admin Command Center is active at `https://rootedcreativegroup.com/kailian/admin.php`. 2. Ensure social media link-in-bio points directly to the campaign page. ### Hour 0 (08:00 AM PST) — THE LAUNCH BLAST 1. Click **"Launch Campaign"** in Kickstarter Creator Dashboard. 2. Send **VIP Backer Email Blast #1** (Copy provided below). 3. Post launch announcement on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X with `hero-art.jpg` and video link. 4. Update the website notification banner to: `"🔥 WE ARE LIVE ON KICKSTARTER! Day-1 Early Bird Special Active!"` ### Hour 2 (10:00 AM PST) — DIASPORA & CULTURAL OUTREACH 1. Post in target cultural communities: - Reddit: `r/Philippines`, `r/Filipino`, `r/boardgames`, `r/soloboardgaming` (follow self-promotion guidelines by highlighting the anti-AI relief print art and playable browser beta). - Facebook Groups: Filipino Cultural Heritage Society, Ilocano Worldwide, Tabletop Games Philippines. 2. Send personal WhatsApp / SMS messages to key core supporters and family asking for Day 1 backing. ### Hour 4 (12:00 PM PST) — FIRST MILESTONE CELEBRATION 1. Post progress update on social channels: *"50% Funded in 4 Hours! Salamat unay!"* 2. Kickstarter rewards campaigns with fast initial momentum by featuring them on the front page as "Trending". ### Hour 8 (04:00 PM PST) — PRESS & INFLUENCER PUSH 1. Send ready-to-send press pitch email to gaming journalists and Filipino cultural editors (contacts listed in Section 4). 2. Share playable game link: `"Reviewers and journalists can test the complete game immediately in their browser at https://rootedcreativegroup.com/kailian/ without an emulator."` ### Hour 12 (08:00 PM PST) — 100% FUNDED ANNOUNCEMENT 1. Post Kickstarter Backer Update #1: *"100% FUNDED IN UNDER 12 HOURS! Unlocking Stretch Goal #1!"* 2. Send Celebration Email to the general waitlist celebrating the milestone and creating urgency for remaining Early Bird slots. --- ## 4. COPY-PASTE EMAIL & SOCIAL BROADCAST TEMPLATES ### Template A: Launch Blast to $1 VIP Reservation Holders **Subject:** `🚀 WE ARE LIVE! Claim your 35% Early Bird + Gold Foil Gabriela Silang Card` **Preview Text:** `Your VIP reservation is ready to redeem on Kickstarter now.` ```text Kailian, The wait is over—Kailian: Hearth & Harvest has officially launched on Kickstarter! Because you claimed a Day-1 VIP Pass, your early backer privileges are locked in: ✓ Guaranteed 35% Early Bird discount on The Samtoy Box and Deluxe Edition ✓ FREE Kickstarter-Exclusive Metallic Gold Foil "Gabriela Silang" Tarot Card ✓ Immediate access to all unlocked stretch goals 👉 Back Kailian on Kickstarter Now: [YOUR_KICKSTARTER_LINK_HERE] IMPORTANT: Early Bird tiers are strictly limited and will sell out today. Please complete your pledge within the next 24 hours to secure your founder perks. Agbiag ti kultura tayo! (Long live our culture!) — The Kailian Heritage Team Rooted Creative Group ``` --- ### Template B: Press Pitch Email to Cultural & Gaming Media **Subject:** `PITCH: Filipino Heritage Board Game Honors Ilocano Language & Rejects Generative AI with Hand-Carved Linocut Art` ```text Dear [Editor/Writer Name], At a moment when commercial games increasingly rely on synthetic generative art, an indie team of Filipino-American designers and traditional printmakers has taken the opposite approach. Today marks the launch of *Kailian: Hearth & Harvest* on Kickstarter: https://rootedcreativegroup.com/kailian/ Kailian is a dual-format historical tabletop board game and digital simulation dedicated to Northern Luzon's Ilocano heritage. Rather than passive memorization, players learn 50+ authentic Ilocano vocabulary words organically while managing ancient Paduyot canal irrigation, weaving sacred Binakol textiles, and practicing Ammoyo—the indigenous system of mutual aid feasting. Key Story Highlights: 1. Strictly Anti-AI: Every single one of the 160 cards is illustrated using physical, hand-carved relief linocuts and 17th-century letterpress aesthetics. 2. Playable Today in Browser: Journalists and backers can play the full simulation immediately without downloads or emulators: https://rootedcreativegroup.com/kailian/ 3. Diaspora Heritage: Preserves pre-colonial maritime trade and Kur-itan syllabary for younger generations. High-resolution press kit, printmaker studio photos, and interview access are available upon request. Warm regards, Vic Cortez Rooted Creative Group vcortez1004@gmail.com ``` --- ## 5. META / FACEBOOK AD CAMPAIGN BLUEPRINT ### Campaign Objective: Conversions (Pledge / Lead) * **Budget:** $30 - $50/day during Day 1 to Day 3. * **Target Geographies:** United States (California, Hawaii, Washington, New York, Texas, Illinois), Canada (Vancouver, Toronto), Philippines (Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Baguio). * **Demographics:** Age 22 - 58, All Genders. * **Detailed Targeting (Interests):** * Group 1 (Culture): *Filipino Americans, Ilocano language, Tagalog language, Baybayin, History of the Philippines, Philippine folklore.* * Group 2 (Tabletop & Kickstarter): *BoardGameGeek, Kickstarter (crowdfunding), Tabletop games, Catan, Wingspan, Root (board game).* * **Primary Ad Creative:** `hero-art.jpg` (Gabriela Silang on horseback) with overlay text: *"The Tabletop Game That Teaches Your Ancestral Language. 100% Handcrafted. Zero AI."* * **Headline:** *"Kailian: Hearth & Harvest — Live on Kickstarter"* * **Call to Action:** *"Learn More"* or *"Back Now"* --- ## 6. BACK OFFICE & REVENUE RECONCILIATION Throughout the campaign, use your live Back Office Command Center: * **URL:** `https://rootedcreativegroup.com/kailian/admin.php` * **Default Credentials:** * Username: `admin` * Password: `RootedAdmin2026!` * **Functions:** * Track real-time VIP $1 deposits and customer emails. * 1-Click CSV export for importing directly into BackerKit or Mailchimp post-campaign. * Adjust dynamic counter display on the website to match Kickstarter milestones. * Review live game telemetry to see how many turns and words backers have completed. *Mabuhay ken agbiag ti Kailian!*