Hi Chieftains!
It's your community managers, Maggie & Peter, and we are back again! Not sure if you are ready to enter the world of Soulmask later - if you're not sure about how to build your home, you can check it out here:
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2646460/announcements/detail/4176600429544594338?snr=2___
As our game approaches its release date, it's time to talk about the deep stuff: what happens in this world?
I don't think when Chieftains explore the world of Soulmask, they simply see these ruins and remains as "places to kill monsters and loot." What happened in these ruins?
ZIMA, our chief producer, is a total mystic. Maggie has reached out to him, but he was unwilling to reveal all the details about Soulmask! However, our developers hope that Chieftains can enjoy their time exploring, digging, and piecing together the fragments of the story on their own. Fortunately, thanks to a weekend barbecue, Maggie finally got a tiny hint from ZIMA's mouth...
What's more, this time, the developer's updates will focus more on telling stories from the perspective of our adorable Chieftains. We would be more delighted to hear from you that the Soulmask game allows you to explore and develop your thoughts about this world. Remaining mysterious isn't always a bad thing, right?
So are you ready? Unveiling the mysterious face of this world.
A Barbaric World
We are about to feast, using your food and flesh!
——by a invading Barbarian
From the moment you, Chieftains, receive the masks and step into the world of Soulmask, the first thing that catches your eye is primeval and savagery.
Dangerous beasts, bloodthirsty barbarians, and mysterious ruins... There may have been glorious civilizations here once, but time has eroded them.
And among them, if we were to mention any remnants of "civilization," it would be the exiled outcasts struggling to survive. Apart from them, there are only three major tribes: Fang, Claw, and Flint. But remember, they hate mask users like you. Bloodshed and human sacrifices are their specialties. You and your subordinates could be captured by their patrols at any moment and used as offerings to worship everything they hold dear...
*Maggie's Top 1 Least Desirable Event: Tribesmen being captured for sacrifice
As the three major tribes, Fang excels in brewing poisons and prefers using the power of nature to harm or heal others. The Claw tribe is bloodthirsty by nature but possesses remarkable talent in combat, making them natural-born warriors. The Flint tribe is the most civilized, with great achievements in agriculture and technology, preferring to use sophisticated tools to protect themselves. They seem to rely on the legacy of ancient civilizations to grow rapidly, but they still maintain their primal and savage nature.
The three major tribes are constantly at war and claim control over most of the world's territories. For example, when it comes to mapping information and reconnaissance camps on the waterfront, Chieftains need to rely on their scouts for intelligence:
Highly fortified barracks with distinct production and combat roles are home to strong leaders and priests. They provide valuable materials, tools for summoning guardians, and even skilled craftsman. But beware, extinguishing the beacon can lead to being surrounded by reinforcements.
Even their largest stronghold, the massive ancient stone structure at the heart of the tribe, would make anyone feel suffocated. Recklessly attacking them is definitely not a good idea, as their Tribal Priest awaits deep within, awaiting living sacrifices...
And when you finally defeat the tribal leader of the fortress and gaze up at the majestic stone tower, it's hard to imagine that this is just the tip of the iceberg of an ancient civilization that is so awe-inspiring—what exactly happened to them?
Lost Kingdom
In this most magnificent temple, we await your return. Praise be to you, our god…
——Excerpt from the inscription on the ancient ruin tablet
I believe that any chieftain would find it difficult to ignore the comprehensive impact brought by the ancient civilization of Soulmask— your first encounter with the mysterious lost empire begins when you obtain the first green crystal from the tiny ruins infested with wild beasts.
As we explore further, you'll discover ancient ruins of colossal structures, whether on the surface or underground. Unlike the crumbling remnants, these majestic and intricate townships allow you to experience the immense splendor of the ancient empire firsthand.
Amongst the ruins, you will encounter a new enemy: the Plunderer. Their leaders possess mask powers like you, but they are not as noble. Lurking in the depths, they seek to greedily obtain even a small amount of the mysterious power possessed by the chieftains.
Of course, defeating these shameless bandits brings us rich rewards. In addition to acquiring high-quality sunstones, crystals, and rare minerals they have stored, we can also obtain the highest-grade armor mod within the ruins.
However, there is also an item that might draw your attention: Within any accessible ancient ruin, there are ancient ruin tablets that have transcended time, seemingly inscribed with traces of the glorious ancient civilization.
*"It is here, silently watching everything."
From the fragments of the inscriptions on the stone tablet, we can see their extreme reverence for the gods.
We found traces of the gods and discovered countless artifacts… Perhaps this is a blessing from the gods. Behold its magnificence!
We offer you all that we have… We built this eternal temple in anticipation of your arrival.
Take it, take it all, and become a god… Look down upon all living things…
But beyond that, everything remains a mystery: Who are its enemies? What caused its destruction? Most importantly, what exactly is this "god" they worship?
”GOD“？
Light… Blue and red light as far as the eye can see. Death…
——Excerpt from the inscription on the ancient ruin tablet
As the chieftains progress through the game, they may have discovered some clues.
For instance, deep within certain dungeons, using your mask abilities will teleport you to an underground city with a completely different architectural style from the ancient civilization, filled with metal and pipes. Here, triangular constructs stand silently, awaiting the chieftains to arrive and unleash their fangs...
For instance, the guardians of the pyramids, these giant beasts transcend the natural laws of evolution, as if divine beings have descended. The ancient civilization worshipped them as messengers of the gods. In the inscriptions of the ancient civilization, they are depicted as powerful and immortal...
As the central metallic chamber of the ancient civilization remains, referred to as the "Holy Ruins" in the inscriptions. In reality, it is indeed guarded by something fearsome: colossal metallic killers whose attacks seem to originate from another world.
No one knows what these seemingly otherworldly creations are, but it is confirmed that they are closely related to our source of power—the masks. New mask abilities can be obtained in the gigantic pyramid, upgrade Modules in the underground city, and the Holy Ruins is the only way to obtain an entirely new mask.
From the first green crystal to controlling the first tribesmen, the leap in technology, to various scans, enhancements, mimicry... all the superhuman abilities the masks bring to the chieftains point towards one ultimate question: where do they come from? The destroyed ancient civilization and their worshiped "gods." What is the relationship between them?
What is this "god"?
Finally
As mentioned, Maggie still hopes everyone can pexplore Soulmask to find the answers. There are many secrets in this world, and regardless of the ultimate mystery, I still hope the chieftains unveil it!
It's still us, Maggie & Peter, and we'll see you next week! If you have anything related to the game you'd like to discuss, feel free to leave a comment in the section below or join our official Discord to have an in-depth conversation.
Join discord: https://discord.com/invite/4G2K7FDbtp
