Dear Elyndrans!
Today’s devlog is going to be mostly about the lore. The world of Elyndra has plenty of it to uncover. One of our Discord server members told us a while ago that some of the things in the demo didn’t quite make sense to them. Like, why are the villagers dismissive or mean? What’s the deal with The Arconian Empire? We’ll talk about some important concepts in this entry!
This post is spoiler-heavy, but it mostly features early-game stuff. If you’ve played through the demo, then there shouldn’t be any real big spoilers.
We’re also sprinkling in some nice art pieces and WIPs we have made as of late.
Before we get into that…
Let's make a monster together!
Wanna have fun and contribute to Call of Elyndra? Pop in tomorrow, Jan 18th 2025, 2 PM EST, to our Discord server. We will be hosting an event for the community - let’s design a monster together! Through discussion, democracy, and a bit of craziness, we’ll create something that will become a mob in the full version of the game. We’re talking about both looks and behavior and attacks.
See you!
A Good Reason
We had been working on the demo for quite a while. Its first version was ready around July. One of the first things that we noticed was that it takes a couple of minutes to get to the point where you start the current demo version. As it’s important to start playing the game as quickly as possible, the start had to be cut. We’re sure it was a good decision… But as a result, some explanations were skipped.
Why did you end up in Elyndra? (spoilers ahead)
The intro scene shows us the dream that starts the whole endeavour. An entity that we’ll not talk about at this point, bestowed it upon you, Ariadne, and Kaelan. You are thus the Dreamers - ones chosen by destiny (...or maybe something entirely else?) to fulfil a very special task. A task of a more “mystic” and “ethereal” quality.
As the common knowledge says, it’s better not to ignore blatant supernatural signs you’ve seen in your dreams. Thus, you venture to Elyndra - a village on the edge of the civilized world. The place mentioned by the entity.
Elyndra’s glorious past (spoilers ahead)
Elyndra wasn’t always this middle-of-nowhere it is now. As we mentioned in our previous devlog, it is what was left of a great city, a rich and bustling commerce centre. Due to cataclysms and hardships, the city fell. Its people started forgetting about their great past and their trading ways. The environment and circumstances forced them to live off the land. Some huge ruins nearby paint a bit of the story, but Elyndrans don’t wander there - the area is considered dangerous.
This isolation and simple lives made them self-sufficient, but not very talkative and apprehensive to aliens. This is why you are not exactly welcomed with arms wide open. They treat you and the other 2 dreamers as intruders. It would be hard not to see their point. They also heard that the Empire was making some aggressive moves in other parts of the world. Speaking of which…
Arconia and its domination (spoilers ahead)
The Arconian Empire is your homeland. It also happens to be the dominant geo-political force in the world. Life there was good. You lived with your mother and thought you’d have a regular imperial citizen’s life. Of course, it turned out differently. In the eyes of The Empire, it didn’t matter much. You were just a speck. It wouldn’t matter anyway soon.
By the end of the demo, Vexaris, the Chancellor of Arconia, waltzes with armed soldiers into Elyndra. This is what empires do. They expand, encroach on other people’s territories, and exploit them. A tale as old as the world itself. However, some questions arise. Why is he so nonchalant when talking about the possible use of violence? Why does Arconia need that backwater village? Are they calculated, just evil, or is there something else at play?
More answers and questions will come in the future.
—
Thanks for reading this entry and for being with us. Have a good one, follow us on social media, and see you soon! Cheers!