Greetings, Magicians and Technologists!
We are excited to share with you more details from the lore of New Arc Line - the inciting incident, and underlying cause of the game’s story, in fact! The protagonist sets out on a journey to save their family, and their whole village, from a terrible affliction known as the “Iron Plague.” On your quest, you will encounter many obstacles and other adventures and pursuits you can choose to undertake; but the Iron Plague is an integral, ever-present part of the game’s world. That’s why we would like to tell you more about it now.
The Plague’s Origins
No one fully understands how the Iron Plague came to be, how it spreads or what exactly causes it. What is known is that it began spreading after the Mago-Technology Wars. Scientists believe it to be a result of the clash between magic and technology, manifesting directly inside living beings. Even though technology has long dominated the country, the Iron Plague continues to devastate all sentient races.
A Deadly Disease
The sickness causes a person's skin and internal organs to sprout growths composed of iron. Once infected, one can only wait for their inevitable end – the Iron Plague is universally fatal, and nobody has found a cure. Even the transmission methods are not fully understood; still, many communities choose to isolate their sick in a vain attempt to stop the plague from spreading.
Inequality and the So-Called Treatment
There is one remedy that can at least slow down the progress of the disease, but it is extremely rare and expensive, only the rich can hope to obtain it – dragon blood. It is a cruel and deeply ironic twist of fate that a magical substance is the only hope for life that a wealthy technologist has. For those who can't afford such luxuries, the government pretends to control the epidemic. It even tells panicked citizens that they are being treated – all lies, of course. In the game, hospitals have separate blocks for plague patients, and there's even a fully separated Leprosarium. In these institutions, automatons are used to… Provide care to patients.
(Spoiler! wink-wink) A special quest awaits particularly interested players in this location.
Mages or Technologists? Indiscriminate Killer
Our main goal was to highlight the game's core conflict: the clash between magic and technology and class inequality. We focused on how both groups react to the epidemic, possible clashes, and the myths surrounding the disease. In the slums, you can hear all kinds of dubious gossip about the Iron Plague. Irritated technologists blame the mages, while desperate mages look for unlikely cures or simply escape reality with an illicit drug made from pixie dust. The truth is, the disease doesn’t discriminate and kills members of both groups equally – yet not even this great equalizer is enough to bridge the chasm between the distinct social groups and make them work together. And when we say “indiscriminate,” we mean it - even the player character may get infected and feel the effects of the plague.
Inspiration and Narrative Purpose
We drew inspiration from medieval epidemics such as the Black Death, particularly conceptually - the visuals, crafted by our artists, blend classic steampunk aesthetics with reimagined looks of plague doctors and patients. Narratively, we wanted to infuse the game with a sense of uncertainty and anxious anticipation in society;. To that end, the ongoing Iron Plague epidemic serves as a catalyst, highlighting the many other problems inherent in New Arc’s society.
Thank you for joining us on this brief foray into the world of New Arc Line – we hope you enjoyed it! We will soon share even more details from the development of the game. Until then, we will be glad if you share all your questions or even speculations about the Iron Plage here in the comments, the Steam Discussions, or better yet, join the official New Arc Line Discord server! We do reserve the right not to give any spoiler-containing answers though, of course.
And don't forget to wishlist & follow the game here on Steam, so you stay up to date on all news and announcements!
Until next time!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2458310/New_Arc_Line/