Long time no update! We're working towards a vertical slice of the game, which will be ugly and crabbed but will give the first real sense of what BOOK OF HOURS will be like to play. Here're some updates on where we are!
We've finalised the design of the Wisdom Page, the occult sort-of skill tree where you can choose which forbidden knowledge to specialise in, and which affects what you can do elsewhere in the game based on your choices. We've hidden the full size of the chart, but you can see the first four levels here:
(Click for a larger image.)
Players choose cards or objects to commit to each slot up the chain, pledging allegiance - for example - to Birdsong by committing a skill card for Ramsund, the language of secrets. This will enhance the player's Birdsong affinity and ability, opening up new opportunities elsewhere and unlocking the next tier of the branch.
We hope it's also a nice roleplaying opportunity, as you can see that each of the nine Wisdoms is variously associated with several Principles from Cultist Simulator. People have strong feelings about whether they're a Winter-y sort who wants a beautiful end or a Lantern-type who's brilliant but a bit caustic or a Forge-person who really loves hitting things with hammers. The Wisdoms are deliberately broad and ill-defined, drawing from multiple Principles at once, so they should open up new avenues of characterisation. Which is useful in, er, an RPG!
Speaking of the Wisdoms, we've uncovered a new letter from a mysterious 'Arthur' to his nephew, discussing the Illumination-affiliated events that took place in a Pyrhhic battle against the Khusgai of Persia, and the bravery - and unmasking of Lieutenant Malcolmson. Most importantly, though, weep for Menander, the bravest steed that ever was!
"Nephew, make a fist of your hand. Muscles move beneath the skin. So powers move beneath the skin of the world, at impulses equally invisible, but greater."
Click here for full images + alternative read-friendly text.
We also have a mock-up of Hush House's layout to share. Please note that this is not what the game will actually look like (though mmmm isn't it all nice and neat in a grid), but it is likely to represent the layout of rooms in the final game. We've censored some of the more deep-lore rooms, and you can't see all of it - but here's a first glimpse at the library at the centre of it all!
(Click for a larger image, again.)
Finally, as a palette-cleanser from all that war, here're some recent elements for you to deduce the skills going into BoH...
If you like our stuff, please wishlist BOOK OF HOURS to keep updated with our progress! More on that in the next few months.
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SECRET HISTORIAN'S BOXES
Finally, inspired by BOOK OF HOURS and launching to celebrate Cultist Sim's birthday, we're releasing an ultra-limited edition series of Secret Historian boxes each month, focusing each month on one of BOOK OF HOURS' occult libraries. The idea is that these boxes come from librarians' bureaus and reveal some of their most significant interests - including forbidden inks, calling-cards from important personages of the House, and more.
This month, we're releasing the box for the Grove of Green Immortals, a mountain-monastery of renegade Taoists specialising in horticulture and medicine, Moth and Heart lore, under the hand of the Applebright. Check 'em out here.
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OTHER SECRET HISTORIES STUFF
Cultist Simulator and all DLC, soundtracks and The Lady Afterwards TRPG are 50-66% off this week in a mega Midweek Madness sale, so if you've not yet played BOOK OF HOURS' predecessor, now's a great time to jump in.
We also have some other Secret Histories-relevant bits of news:
- The Lady Afterwards: Boxed Edition is back on the merch shop! It restocks every Tuesday - tomorrow it's restocking at noon BST.
- The Locksmith's Dream is a real-world event set in Monmouthshire, UK and running in October and December this year. Tickets have just gone on sale on the official site - check it out!
Stay tuned for more Secret Historian's boxes, environment art and that vertical slice, coming AS SOON AS WE CAN POSSIBLY DO IT <3 <3 <3