Making the World a Better Place
Worldbuilders was founded in 2008 by New York Times bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss to bring the geek community together to make the world a better place. We work hard to raise money for reputable charities while giving back to the community who supports us with things like giveaways, auctions, and our online store.
To date, Worldbuilders has raised just shy of $5 million for charities like First Book, Mercy Corps, and Heifer International, and this year, we’re continuing to expand our fundraising efforts.
In addition to our annual end-of-the-year fundraiser, we have another tradition: the week-long Geeks Doing Good summer campaign. This is different from our usual lottery and auction set up, where you might win fabulous prizes, or you pay top-dollar at auction for something rare or limited. Instead, for this summer fundraiser, we’ve taken the chance out of it.
When you donate during this Geeks Doing Good campaign, you are guaranteed to get the advertised reward. They’re affordable, they’re cool, and there’s no guesswork. You pledge at the soap level, you will get a bar of beautiful, handmade soap. Wha-BOOM! Hit in the face with Awesome!
The Goods
We want to raise as much money as possible to change lives for the long term. To do that, we're featuring some really cool products, goodies, and services, including:
- The Karen Hallion Calendar!
For our third calendar with Karen Hallion, we're branching out to include all sorts of pop culture mashups, not just those featuring a blue-boxed traveler. He'll still drop in from time to time, but now he's sharing space with mashups from all across fandom.
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Every $5 JoCoCruise donation of this perk gets you a snazzy digital post card and an entry into a contest for a cabin on the JoCo Cruise 2017. Multiple donations get you multiple entries - you get one entry for every $5 you pledge at this level, whether it's one $20 pledge or four $5 pledges (both examples get you four entries). After the fundraiser you'll be sent a short entry form based on our Contest Rules. (http://worldbuilders.org/contest-rules)
We love everyone at JoCo so much, and they must love us too - aside from donating this cabin, they'll also be donating a portion of JoCo Cruise 2017's proceeds to us!
We've been making t-shirts for a long time, and now we're bringing you even more. They're high quality t-shirts, printed here in the states, and we think you're going to love them...
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We've teamed up with lots of cool people this year, like Jim Butcher for his PARKOUR! shirt, Rat Queens' beloved D20 shirt, and the famously-tweeted "Don't Not Ever Stop Not Writing Nothing" shirt from Sam Sykes.
People have been asking us for a Worldbuilders shirt for a while, so we've finally made one for you. And we couldn't not do a new Kingkiller shirt, so EXCLUSIVE to this fundraiser, you can get the Ademic Emoji Collection shirt.
If you want to see the shirt designs in all their glory, check out Parkour!, Rat Queens D20, "Not Writing Nothing", Worldbuilders logo, and Ademic Emojis.
If you just can't choose which of those five shirts you want, then good news: we have a mix-and-match t-shirt 3-pack! You can choose any combination of the five shirts above, and save some money at the same time.
Then there's Litographs, who blaze a trail all their own...
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We love the Slow Regard shirt they made for our 2015 summer fundraiser, and we're even more excited to debut a new shirt from them, this one inspired by The Name of the Wind. Since we've gotten a few questions about it so far: yes, the Litographs shirts WILL be available in both unisex and women's cuts! See the shirt styles and design close-ups here. (NOTE: the Litographs shirt is not eligible for the t-shirt 3-pack.) And if shirts aren't your thing, you can get the same design on a high-quality tote!
If you're looking ahead to colder times and need more than a t-shirt to keep you warm, we've got you covered there, too:
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We did a zip-up hoodie last year, but we heard your cries. "We want pull-over hoodies!" some of you said, and we're more than happy to oblige. We're using the un-zippered real estate on the front of this hoodie to show off the emblem and motto of the Amyr, as designed by Sarah Hartwick. Check out this design in full detail.
Then, for all you writers out there (or for anyone who gets cold hands), we have something to warm your palms right up.
Designed by the folks at Storiarts, we have a fierce love for these. They contain a portion of the text from The Name of the Wind, and will help you get past that pesky writer's block. NOTE: these gloves may not fit all hand sizes, so measure carefully! The arm band is 7" around, and the palm is 8" around. You can see the text layout here.
- The adorably ferocious draccus!
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Just look at how cute he is! We're still working with our producer, Gann Memorials, to get the draccus plushie just right, so the final product will look a little different, but this should give you a good idea of the fierce little monster you'll be able to cuddle.
We have Mystery Book Bundles for you again (it wouldn't be a summer fundraiser without them!), and Book Bundle E is full of excellent books from Prime Books. These are books we've never featured in book bundles before, so if you're already the proud owner of our previous book bundles, this is the one for you. If you've never bought one of our book bundles before, Book Bundle A/B/C/D might be just the thing for you: it has a mix of books from all of our previous bundles.
We have 77 copies of The Name of the Wind that Pat is going to sign and inscribe with 7 words. We're not sure what those 7 words will be (it might be a book quote, or 7 random words, or the same word 7 times, or any other set of 7 words), and if Pat knows how he plans to inscribe those books, he's not telling us. They're bound to be unique and wonderful, though.
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We get a lot of damaged copies of The Wise Man's Fear, so we spent some time damaging them even more by hollowing them out! You can get your very own secret hiding place that will blend right in to any bookshelf.
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All the parents on the Worldbuilders Team love this book, and their kids have made it a popular request for bedtime reading. Based on the song by Jonathan Coulton, written by Greg Pak, illustrated by Takeshi Miyazawa, with colors by Jessica Kholinne, and letters by Simon Bowland, this is a book for a new generation of empowered kids.
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The ever-awesome Nate Taylor did some beautiful sketches in copies of The Slow Regard of Silent Things for us last year, and this year he's back with more! Each illustration will be unique and lovely, and each book will be signed by Nate and Pat.
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We also have doodled first edition copies of The Princess & Mr. Whiffle: The Thing Beneath the Bed. Each copy has a different character doodle, and is signed by Nate and Pat.
And if you want non-doodled copies of the Princess & Whiffle books, we've got a bundle for that! Get both Princess & Whiffle books at a discounted price.
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We're really excited to bring you our first-ever puzzle! Featuring the art of Matt Rhodes (concept artist for Dragon Age: Inquisition), this 500-piece puzzle of "Kvothe in Tarbean" is made right here in the US, and will keep you off dangerous streets.
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Terri Windling sent us some of her beautiful "Dryad and Friend" print, and we're happy to put them up for you to own! Each print is signed by Terri, and sure to improve any wall.
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If you've seen the Worldbuilders comic, you know we have a lot of fun. Now you too can join us in a walk-on appearance! Come have fun with the Worldbuilders Team in best comic style.
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We worked with a local coffee roaster in Stevens Point to bring to life a variety of Coffees from Temerant, and now you can have them all for your own. You can get one bag of the Imre blend, the sort of coffee that would have gotten Kvothe through his long days at the University, or a sampler pack of three half-pound bags, which will get you the Imre blend, the dark Tarbean blend, and the exotic Tinuë Blend.
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If you need something to drink your coffee from, we have a stoneware mug! Beautiful and similar to the sort of mug you might actually find at the Eolian, this hefty mug is perfect for water, coffee, juice, and anything stronger.
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The wonderful people at Badali Jewelry Specialties have started making custom Vintish court rings, giving you the opportunity to show others just where they rank with you.
There's just so much stuff we want to show you!
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We have another bar of soap made by Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs, this one smelling of summer and sunshine and cinnas fruit. We had a hard time guessing what this might smell like, but the folks at Black Phoenix did a stellar job.
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Also made by our friends at Black Phoenix, we're excited to let you smell like some of the characters from The Kingkiller Chronicle! You can get a single 5 ml bottle of one scent, or a three-pack that has one bottle of each of the three character scents, Kvothe, Bast, and Denna.
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Some cool geeks at a place called Geekify in Colorado worked with us on this adorable Foxen nightlight, so that your nights can be a little less scary. The final version might look a little different than the prototype, but it will be just as adorable!
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Talent pipes for all your on-the-go needs!
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Some bumper stickers for, as Pat says, "those who like to bump."
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Heather at Kirkii Creations made us two cloaks for the end-of-year fundraiser, and then she was awesome enough to make us five more! You can get the many-pocketed cloak in either large or medium size, and feel just as dashing as Kvothe.
Grab one or all!
And, for those of you who are new to Indiegogo, you can have as many perks as you’re willing to pay for. You have to do each as a separate transaction, but you don’t have to limit yourself to just one. It’s a whole new ballgame over here.
If you're looking at a lot of perks and want to save some money, there are a few bundles available at discounted rates. There's a mix & match t-shirt 3-pack, the coffee sampler pack, and the perfume 3-pack. We also have great bundles of games or books, for those who want to go in for a little mystery...
There are a lot of pre-orders involved here, and we'll be sending things out after the campaign as they come back from production, or arrive in the office from the awesome people who are donating them. If we need to collect information from you (like your t-shirt size), we’ll contact you for it once the campaign has ended. We'll keep you updated with the progress of things as the fundraiser goes on, and afterward.
We’re confident that all perks will be delivered before our annual fundraiser in November, and definitely in time for the holidays.
Other Ways You Can Help
We know not everyone can contribute money to this campaign. We completely understand that. That being said, there are a few other ways you can help us out:
- Spread the word far and wide. Tell friends and neighbors. Post on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Have a slumber party. Send a courier pigeon.
- Use our awesome banner photo on your Facebook or Twitter profile!
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F.A.Q.
What do I do if I want more than one perk?
Each purchase of a perk is a new transaction, so you click on the perk you want, fill in your info, and buy it. Then, go back and select the other perk you wanted, and repeat the process.
Make a mistake with that earlier? No problem! Send us an email at fundraiser [at] worldbuilders.org and we'll work it out with you.
Where is the International Shipping perk?
This year, instead of raising the prices of each perk to cover US shipping, and asking international people to remember to add on their own shipping, Indiegogo has a nice solution: shipping is added on during the checkout process.
The Book and Game Bundles ship worldwide now?
They do! Because of the handy new shipping feature, we can figure out how much it will cost to send those heavy bundles anywhere. As long as you're willing to pay shipping, we're willing to send you bundles!
Is there any overlap between the three Game Bundles?
There is NO overlap between the Buncha Games and MoreBuncha Games: if you buy both, you will get all new games with no duplicates. Even better, if you bought any game bundles in the 2015 fundraiser, there is no overlap between the new bundles and the previous bundles. There IS some overlap between Games Remix and both other bundles, but Games Remix also has some games that were only in the 2015 bundles.
Can I get 3 of the same t-shirt design in different sizes if I buy the 3-shirt pack?
Absolutely. Any combination of those shirts can be purchased, in any size, design, or style, as long as it adds up to three individual t-shirts.
What's included in the JoCo Cruise?
Glad you asked! The JoCo Cruise prize will be a balcony stateroom, and the winner may upgrade to a larger stateroom if one is available, but will be responsible for any price difference beyond the estimated cash value of the prize.
Being on the cruise includes most of the onboard entertainment, all of your onboard meals (including room service), and access to all exclusive JCC2017 entertainment and events.
It does NOT include airfare to San Diego, or a hotel in San Diego before or after the cruise.
Are there any stretch goals?
Not yet, but we're thinking about them - any suggestions? Let us know in the comments or via email at fundraiser [at] worldbuilders.org!
Is my donation here tax deductible?
Unfortunately, no. Since you will be receiving a product or service, most places won't allow for this to be tax-deductible.
Exceptions are for any perks that are simple money donations ("Life, the Universe, & Everything" or "Buy a Goat!" for example) - since you will not be receiving anyhting in exchange for your donation, these are tax-deductible.
I have more questions!
Well that's not a question, but we can still help! You can check out other F.A.Q.s on our website, or email us at fundraiser [at] worldbuilders.org.
