2015.... how was it for you?

Welcome back to Purgatory and a Happy New Year from the team. We hope that 2016 is a successful one for you and that all of your hopes and aspirations are achieved. Go get 'em tiger.

So, it's been a while right? You probably thought we had deserted you right? Nope. You could not be more wrong on that front. In actual fact, I have moved house and well, that kinda strangles things with Christmas coming at the same time. Carnage.

But a lot has happened in the world of Purgatory, let's bring you up to speed:

• Salute is 4 months away and we are in full on planning mode. We have the backing poster, it's a 6 x 4 beast of one of our most iconic images! We will have the book of cohorts and hosts as well as some great artwork and 5 models!!! Yep you read that right, Death and St Peter will be joined by Keysha in late January and in March Hannibal and Bobby B will be landing just in time for Salute with Lux being the provider! We can't wait!
• The game is 96% done, I say 96% as a deliberate point to say, it's literally on the cusp. We almost alpha tested on Saturday just past but it was just shy, so e hope by next week this first battle in the #warforheaven will commence!
• We have found our third sculptor and with that our plans for the models after Salute are in place, Erishkigal will be making an entrance. This important host from the world of Purgatory will be making her arrival known and this has been a long wait but we are excited!
• The first 50 of Peter didn't quite sell out immediately but it wasn't far off, we have around 6 left and will be ordering the next batch in the coming weeks. Come get your copy!
• Gift of the Gods cards are in development...

2015 saw the start of the #warforheaven. It's the year it all 'began' from a business point of view and let's look back at how it's fared.

Starting something like this is not easy. When you first start up you convince yourself you can do this quite comfortably. You would be wrong lol. However, that is not a bad thing, you become swamped and entrenched by it, but you live it and much like the astronomican there is a light pulling, guiding and dragging you in the right direction. That light is delivering something really cool. A range of models that are unique and diverse and we think we are making serious headway with that.

Looking back I could never conceive that I would have a 50 page set of rules in my hand, ready to play an actual game.

I never thought I would work with talented people and I will name them all:

Lux, Lorinda, Ania, Dario, Sarana, Nicholas, Fancagne and more to come in 2016

You plan for it for, you almost dream it, but little compares to the moment when you sell your first model. That someone pics your model and says "hey, I would like to paint this" but here comes the best bit of the year for me. It wasn't:

• Receiving the email with the finished Death sculpt
• Selling the first model
• Setting up the company
• Launching some of the artwork
• Making a rulebook

No. The honour goes to a chap called Alex Barkley. Other than the Purgatory team, he was the first person to paint Death and showcase her. There is quite simply no words to describe the feeling when someone puts their time and effort into something you have created. The moment it came through, we were hyped and proud in equal measure. We had achieved some degree of success.

Second only to that was a chap called Norm. He sent me a picture of a diorama base that he was making for St. Peter. The model (Peter) was not even finished yet and Norm had created this fantastic scene ready to plonk him straight in the middle. It was made in anticipation, the pride swells (though we are mindful of the dark side, don't fear)

So no matter how many spreadsheets I run or receipts I cross check and store it's moments like that made 2015 a year, that no matter what happens with Purgatory going forward, it was one of the greatest achievements most certainly of my life. (and I got married in 2015!!! shh don't tell the wife ;) )

For that we thank you.

So where does that leave us as we plough through the rainwater and dirge that el nino has brought us at the start of 2016?

It leaves us hungry, keen and more focused than ever. We have increased from a team of two to three and Joe comes on board as of today and we welcome him, his creativity and passion to the fold.

The #warforheaven is only beginning my friends and soon, so very soon, you will be able to choose, are you a Refugee of Religion? Do you have soul running through your veins and choose the Soul Train? Are you a Gangbanger and hang around seedy nightclubs doing the dirty work of St. Peter? Or is magic and science your thing as you perform some Parlour Tricks?

Get ready for some alpha testing in the next month, grab some dice, a template or two and brush down your favourite tape measure because Purgatory is coming to life!