Originally published at: https://ackerlygreen.com/2020/12/14/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-the-briar-society-in-2021/
Since the new subscription page for The Briar Society is now up and running, I wanted to share some helpful details for the new subscription, hints about new, more immersive mechanics, and the reveal of The Briar Society’s 2021 relic!
Most of you know that all the benefits and perks of AG+ are being folded into The Briar Society in 2021. Still, if you’re an existing member of either or are interested in joining, you may have questions about how that will work and what The Briar Society will look like and offer both in and out-of-world. I’m happy to help!
First, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how the merging of AG+ and The Briar Society will work and what you’ll get every month, all for the price of a paperback.
Subscriptions, Old and New
1. All current subscriptions to both AG+ and the 2020 chapter of The Briar Society will end at midnight on December 31st (unless you’ve subscribed to the new TBS in the past few weeks. If you’re unsure about your subscription status, message us through the support chat at the bottom right of the Ackerly Green site.) The original enrollment in The Briar Society would have ended at the end of the year. But, if you bought an annual membership to AG+ later in 2020, you will be refunded a prorated amount in January based on how many months were left in your subscription.
2. We’ve not only taken the most popular perks from the original AG+, but we’ve added some new benefits as well. Things like a non-expiring 15% discount in the shop, monthly narrative recaps and discussions with me, and early (discounted) access to all the cool products we have planned for 2021. You can check out the breakdown of all benefits on the updated Briar Society subscription page.
3. The benefits of the new Briar Society will happen year-round, but the official narrative will launch every February and go through the end of October, during the window of awakened magic in the Briarverse. This will give me time to plan and structure the new story every year, take a little break so I don’t go mad (The Monarch Papers), and give us time to wrap up the adaptation of the previous years’ story! Oh, and we have the cover for the adaptation already, which we’ll be revealing very soon, so if you aren’t following Ackerly Green on Instagram, you should definitely do that. 🙂
4. Managing both AG+ and The Briar Society, especially in 2020, was a real challenge, and I have worked hard behind-the-scenes to make sure things run more smoothly and on a more regular schedule going forward. The Briar Society narrative content will have a more regimented schedule, and you’ll have semi-regular updates out-of-world as well. You will now have a better idea of what to expect and when to expect it while still not giving away the surprise of new content.
5. Finally, with the freedom to fully explore the new terrain of the Briarverse post-Book of Briars, next year’s chapter of The Briar Society is going to dive into a central concept that I have been waiting to reveal for nearly two years. And each Briar will help make that happen with a brand new mechanic that will go along with the current narrative’s “Secret Stories” called “Found Memories.” It won’t just be your actions becoming a part of the final record this time; it will be your actual memories and experiences, all influenced and aided by the magic of The Briar Society.
The New Relic
In 2020, one of the Briars’ first discoveries was a spell for creating a “Lucky” coin. It was given to all new Briars in the original timeline, which explained why there were several “lucky” coins floating around in The Monarch Papers.
In 2021, Briars won’t have to debate what coin to imbue with magimystic power because we have unearthed the official Briar Society token, a beautiful antiqued brass relic from the Lost Age. It’s an inch and a half in diameter and weighs in at a satisfying but not too heavy 1oz. Perfect for a pocket, but I’ve had mine on my desk for the past two months, and it’s become my preferred fidget object.
Immersion
New mechanics, and the release of The Book of Briars, means I’ll be able to integrate a lot more of the interactive experiences I have planned for TBS. But that takes planning. So, if you’re interested in being a Briar in 2021, be sure to subscribe as soon as you can to ensure that you have a place in the more personal and immersive aspects of the story. Subscribing before January will not only lock in your involvement in the new mechanics but will also give you access to the final 2020 narrative arc. It’s going to be a big one that makes way for everything coming in 2021. 🙂
