Wandering outdoors
about 3 years ago – Fri, Apr 30, 2021 at 03:46:05 AM

Ho there, adventurers!

We know it has been a little while since we last sent an update, but we hope you will be okay with that because we have been working on some big things! Firstly, next week we will have a big announcement regarding the game. We can’t tell you what it is yet, but after the announcement you can expect a lot more regular updates from here on in, giving you even more insight into the content we are making as well as the all-important release plans too.  

In the meantime here is a video that shows concept art of actual areas you can visit in Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness, with one of the wandering songs of the game as background music.

 We will return next week - stay tuned!

Tools of the Trade
about 3 years ago – Fri, Apr 02, 2021 at 11:50:03 PM

Ho there, adventurers!

The numerous adventurers of Yerengal are trained in a wide range of talents to aid them on their journeys – and your party is no exception. The skills discussed below are among those that can be employed by them.

Pray, Dream, Commune

Keepers of lore, wisdom, of divine and spiritual secrets. Commonly called priests, they are some of the few who get to communicate with the gods and spirits of Yerengal. They all have their own ways of achieving this. Clerics pray to their deities, druids dream about the Green Mother, and shamans will commune with the spirits of the land. No matter the method used however, these supernatural beings will sometimes bestow their blessings upon those who ask. They have their own secretive ways though, and the reason behind why any blessing was given can rarely be known by the priests.

Blessings can affect a priest character in many ways. Some will enhance their protection against the elements, or increase the effects of their spells, while some may send animals to aid them in battle when they are attacked. It is only up to the gods and spirits to decide what happens.

Arcane Studies

Wizards are true masters of the arcane arts, no matter which path they take. Some of the spells they learn are more mentally and physically taxing – they are called Elevated energy-level spells. Through deepening their studies, they prepare and train their minds to better withstand the strain caused by casting these more complex spells.

Specializing a wizard this way will allow them to cast their Elevated energy-level spells more often, and memorize them in greater number.

Finding and Disarming Traps

Shady faces, scoundrels and thieves know the ins and outs of life among the shadows. Sites of break in or infiltration are often protected by traps to fend off burglars, but the best will of course know how to get around them.

Thieves and swindlers can specialize themselves into seeking out and neutralizing traps. As long as it has mechanical components, a well-trained outlaw will find it. There are however traps that are fully magical in nature. For those, one will need help from a wizard.

Command Company

Army generals, cunning mercenaries, the heroes of legends.  They are hardened in the real thick of the fight, and become naturally attuned to commanding a group. Their imposing presence strikes fear into the hearts of their enemies, and strengthens the resolve of their allies.

Those with this ability to lead can train and drill their allies to follow different tactics during combat. Knowing the right strategy for the right situation can mean the difference between life and death.

Some tactics will enhance the group’s ability to quickly engage combat and end the battle quickly, while others will make them fight more efficiently during the night, or against undead enemies.

There are still a few Enerants left to defeat for us, but we will return soon – stay tuned!

Misfits of Isilmerald
about 3 years ago – Mon, Mar 29, 2021 at 08:16:49 AM

Ho there, adventurers!

Our current update introduces three misfits you will be able to recruit as companions. Think twice before you accept such a person into your party!

Jade, the Necromancer

Jade was a child of the city with indifferent, borderline neglectful parents working in Isilbright’s sprawling bureaucracy. Her fascination with both dead things and magic was born with the death of her pet squirrel, Mindy. Jade did her best to bring Mindy back to life, first through failed attempts at homemade magic involving really large candles and inexpertly drawn symbols, later by gutting the tiny corpse and installing a crude armature alongside its skeleton.

Jade did get over the loss of Mindy, mostly, but never lost her desire to see the dead come back to life, in any form and preferably by her own hand.

Her chosen profession has unfortunately hurt her prospects of ever having a love life, since necromancers are typically isolated loners, if not by their own choice, then by everyone else’s.

Phimm

Phimm is a true loudmouth. A master of fake smiles, gambles and drama. Once he was a cypher in the city of Isilbright, but that walk of life never really fit him. His travels took him all over Isilmerald and beyond, one of his favorite stamping grounds being the Garden of Delights. The colors and hustle of the Garden never ceases to amuse him.

Phimm is a man of words, one of rather chaotic nature. While he is more than likely to talk himself out of sticky situations, he is also very likely to cause mentioned sticky situations. If there is place for a jibe or a – preferably – in appropriate joke, nothing will keep him from saying it. He is also a talented player of cards. Phimm made it a personal goal in life to challenge and best the greatest gamblers and cardsharpers of Yerengal.

Sea Hag

Not much is known about Sea Hag. Her past is veiled in darkness, even to herself. She was born among the tides of the Zarndur Sea, swept ashore by the deep blue waves. She used to be a mortal before, but her old self now lies on the seafloor along with the ship she sailed. Her path is guided by Omeyrenon, the god of seas. The deity guides her on a journey quite mysterious to her. Nevertheless, she follows devoutly.

Sea Hag is a somewhat contradictory character, an attribute she came to accept and understand. She was given the magical powers of a druid by the god of seas, but she is also undead. Many will shun her for this state, and she often needs to prove her benign nature until she is trusted. She is particularly easy going and open about her knowledge, and will gladly share it with those in need of it.

That's all for today! See you again next week!

Those that lurk in the shadows
about 3 years ago – Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 01:38:15 AM

Greetings, adventurers!

If you have the Royal Herbalist, Boxed Edition, Undead Miser, Early Access, Royal Historian or any higher level tier and haven't yet filled out the herb/loot/catacomb message survey(s) we have sent you, please make sure to do so before 26th March 2021. After that point, these aspects of the game will be locked and cannot be customzied any longer with your input. (More advanced rewards such as helping us design NPCs, items or encounters will not be locked. We even haven't sent surveys for those reward types yet.) 

While our previous update dealt with cults and religions of Yerengal, the current post presents some of the horrors and monsters employed by the dark cults: Zoria Abomination, Zoria Moon Horror, Blood Elemental and Shadowfury Demon.

Zoria Abomination 

The cult of Zoria often uses transformation into an abomination as a form of punishment among its ranks. A rather spectacular form of it, that is. Most initiates only need to see it once to understand that appropriate behavior is a must.  

The will of the abomination is taken away, along with any semblance of personality it ever had. Only a hunger for flesh, and an urge to kill remains. Therefore, Zoria abominations can be used effectively as the first line of defense against anyone who would threaten the cult. They are not considerably stronger or faster than regular human beings, but their complete disregard for their own well-being makes them fierce opponents in combat. They are led on a short leash, and the cultists have developed their methods for controlling them over the years. There is always a few of them to spare when the time comes. 

Moon Horror 

The magic of Zoria is a very dark sort, potent, but dangerous. Her power can combine life and death, or turn one into the other, but there might be a sombre price to pay, should one wish to use it. Her cultists train for many moons before making an attempt at using her dark arts. Those unfortunate souls however, who come into contact with her magic unprepared, might soon find themselves twisted into malformed beings known as Moon Horrors. Moon Horrors barely resemble their original form, and their body is engulfed in a shroud of dark, glimmering mist that is the manifestation of Zoria’s magic.  

The cultists of Zoria often used this to their advantage. To protect their secrets from unwanted attention, their most important scrolls and items were enchanted with such magic. Should these items fall into the wrong hands, their examination would lead to the investigator’s painful demise. 

Blood Elemental 

Elementals are formed by the primal forces of nature, beings animated by pure wild energy. Blood elementals are formed when the world is corrupted to the extent that even these primal forces become warped. Rothgor’s influence on Yerengal made all of it possible. Countless cauldrons of blood have been collected by them to fuel the creation of these elementals. These monstrosities often walk the halls of the hideouts used by his cultists, protecting them from threats both inside and outside. The sight of these coagulated beasts strike fear into the hearts of anyone that should set their sights on them. 

They are surprisingly docile, however, once one learns how to control them. The cultists of Rothgor quickly become used to their presence, and learn how to control them during their initiation. They mean no harm to the initiates, until they decide to cross the will of the devil-god. Should they do, however, they would soon find out the strength of these dark beings. 

Shadowfury Demon

Brought to existence through the pure, swirling hatred of the devil-god Rothgor, the Shadowfury Demon is a true menace to the denizens of Yerengal. These creatures rarely set their clawed feet outside the magical realm of their master, but when they do, only pain and suffering is left in their wake. Their throbbing hearts are filled burning, scalding-hot blood, fueled by a singular intent to kill and maim anything that moves. Shadowfuries are somewhat intelligent creatures, capable of thought and planning, but their savage nature prevents anything more complex than that. During their time in the realm of Rothgor, they tend to feed off the thick fumes that are vented through the barren grounds.  

Shadowfury Demons can be brought to the lands of mortal beings only through Ritual Magic. Their will cannot be controlled, and they only answer the influence of Rothgor. Even the cultists avoid them if possible due to this. These creatures care for their master, but not for his puppets, so cultist initiates are easily treated as free prey. Rothgor sometimes rewards those who meddle with ritual magic – his own invention – with sending a Shadowfury instead of what they hoped to summon. The devil-god finds this rather amusing. 

We will come back after a week with the next update - stay tuned!

Religions and cults in Yerengal
about 3 years ago – Fri, Mar 12, 2021 at 10:50:17 PM

Ho there, adventurers!

Last week, we started collecting input from backers with the following reward tiers: Royal Herbalist, Boxed Edition, Undead Miser, Early Access, Royal Historian and all higher-level tiers that include their rewards.   If you have any of these reward tiers and haven't yet filled out the survey we sent you for the corresponding reward items (such as a message in a Catacomb/Crypt, Undead miser loot, or a herb choice), please make sure to do so before 26th March 2021. Since the development of the game is concluding these months, we have to lock down the design of many things on 26th March, which means it will not be possible to add your input into the game after this date. 

Input for reward items with more advanced design (such as helping us in the creation of an item, NPC or adventurer party) hasn't been initiated yet, so the above deadline doesn't apply here.

The Cults and Beliefs of Yerengal

In the current update of our lore series, we will discuss cults and beliefs in the world of Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness.

Kingdom of Isilmerald 

Religion is a simple matter in Isilmerald. The people living here believe in a pantheon of gods, of whom the most important are Alnarius the king-god, and Tilindia the mother-god. Various aspects of the world are attributed to each of them, and all of them are worshipped to some extent. Those living in the bustling cities traditionally built churches for Alnarius. While many of them ended up joining the expanding human cities, the wood-dwelling Deroni elves centered their beliefs around Tilindia. It is also common for folks living close to nature in remote areas, to pay more attention to the mother-god. In port cities and fishing villages, Omeyrenon, the god of seas is worshipped.

Gods of less benign nature are respected, but seldom worshipped on the lands of Isilmerald. Those who do are shunned and cast out of society. Thus, these outcasts will often gather into sects and cults, to carry their rituals out in secret.

 The Eastern Empires 

For the people of the Eastern Empires, there is only one true god – albeit a demigod himself -, named Elenuator. It is natural for the Rillow to regard him as such though, as Elenuator himself breathed life and soul into the desert sands to create this elephantine race. Their fanatic respect for their creator is above all. The few Rillow who still dare defy his will, or turn to another religion, are quickly exiled and treated as traitors. Assassins are often sent out to rid the world of such heathens.

The Cult of Rothgor

Out of the many cults respecting the forbidden gods of Yerengal, the one that worships Rothgor is probably the most secretive. Members must advance through many ranks of initiation before they are allowed to feel the true influence of the devil-god. They are kept on a short leash, and those who lack devotion often end up as sacrifices for their various rituals and experiments. There is of course no way out of the cult, once one is initiated. Therefore, barely anyone knows about this sect other than its members. Devotees that have proven themselves receive the mark of Rothgor, a black rose that is the symbol of the devil-god. As their minds and bodies are corrupted by his influence, the whites of their eyes turn black, and their skin pales. The most trusting believers get to be joined by a Courier. A spirit under the direct influence of Rothgor is imparted in their minds, controlling every move they make. It is the greatest achievement for these vile fanatics to live this way.

The Cult of Zoria 

Members of the Cult of Zoria devote their lives to strengthening and supporting the goddess of night. She is a goddess of death and decay, with motives beyond the understanding of mortals. The cult seemed to surface and disappear many times during the past decades, as if Zoria’s power has vaned and returned over and over again. The cultists of Zoria often practice necromancy, channeling the essence of undeath to strengthen their goddess. Disobedience among their ranks is punished severely. Such members are turned into Abominations and Moon Horrors, hideous creatures that roam the night. Other unfortunate souls might be slain, then resurrected as mindless ghouls to protect cult members from outside harm.

Monks of the Broken Monastery 

Little is known about the religion that formed around the god believed to reside over the mountain range to the west of Freynagar. Those who dared to set their feet in the forlorn halls of the Broken Monastery have found similarities between their icons and later depictions of the god of frost, Böor. The people of Yerengal can never be sure, as the monks who used to reside here have seemingly disappeared without a trace. What has become of them is unknown, and their many books and scrolls have not withstood the test of time. 

Our next update will cover the lore of some creatures and monsters tied to the dark cults of Rothgor and Zoria. See you later next week!