Hey everybody,
We know we promised you a look at the Necrophage last time, but they’re not easy beasts to tame. It’ll take us a little longer to wrangle the hive into presentable shape, so while we wait for the swarm to grow, we figure we have a moment to take a look at the world of Saiadha itself and some of the other dangers lurking there.
Troubled Waters
First of all, let’s address a question that’s been floating around since we announced the game: If Saiadha is an ocean planet, what about naval gameplay?
Short answer: There isn’t any.
You’d think that being stuck on an island would push the factions of Saiadha to invent sturdy ships and reliable navigation, but none of them dare venture far. The waters of Saiadha are incredibly dangerous. Violent storms frequently rage across the world, dashing any hopes of naval exploration against quite literal rocks. Even when the waters are still, they are far from peaceful. Powerful beasts and titanic predators lurk beneath the waves, ready to drag any poor unfortunate soul they can get their teeth or tentacles on down below the waves.
The Coming Storm
Saiadha has never really been a safe and peaceful world, but the Starfall has brought new risks and dangers. Ancient powers seem to wake as nature itself acts in new, strange, and unpredictable ways. Darkness blankets the land for long periods of time as howling winds and pouring rain drive your people back to shelter.
During these Monsoons, your armies can collect special curiosities that will only appear during this season, not only giving you a lot of Dust, but also restoring movement and health to your armies. It’s an excellent time to be aggressive and maybe start some trouble with your neighbors. Or perhaps it would be wiser to stay home and defend your cities, as minor factions become unusually aggressive during the Monsoon season and will attack you on sight. Not the best of times for your scouts to be out and about by themselves.
Falling Seas
After every Monsoon, the sea level on Saiadha rapidly drops, revealing new land and connecting plateaus that once were islands. This will expand your diplomatic or military horizons as you meet other empires and vie for control of the new regions. The deeper these regions once lay below the ocean, the richer they will be in resources, but the greater the dangers lurking in them.
Wretched Hives of Scum and Villainy
In any region that used to be underwater, you may discover a Fortress occupied by brigands and a powerful tyrant. As they pose a threat to any nearby settlements, you cannot claim the region until you face them in battle and drive them out of their hideout. However, once you have defeated them, their loot is yours to claim, and you may even establish an outpost for free.
Terrors From the Deep
Starting with the second Monsoon, the very ground itself is ravaged by the upheaval the Starfall brought to Saiadha. Deep Rifts open across the land, blocking your path and releasing menacing creatures from the depths of the planet. These Doomwraiths and their accompanying Horrors will settle in a region and corrupt its soil, threatening the peace and prosperity of your realm.
The fastest way to get rid of them is to send an army to take them out in open battle, but if your troops are occupied elsewhere, it might be more convenient to pay a hunter to deal with them or bait them away.
