Welcome! As we’ve mentioned in the past, we’re working within a fantasy setting, and by no means are we trying to make a historical recreation of any real-world location. While we do largely rely on Slavic culture to give our world depth and a feeling of authenticity, we’re leaving any notion of realism to other projects like Kingdom Come: Deliverance as well as Mount & Blade . So, with realism being thrown out the window, we have room to play with something very exciting. Magic. In order to create a magic system that fits within our game world, we decided that a mixture of traditional fantasy magic along with elements of religion would suit us perfectly.
Within the world of Tribal, the fabric of the universe is permeated with magical currents. They exist and work according to the same principles as a real-world electromagnetic field does. People and creatures who are sensitive to magic can learn to “weave” streams of magical energy from the environment into spells. Within areas where that energy is highly concentrated, cast spells are significantly more powerful. The opposite applies to lower energy places.
Supernatural forces don’t belong to sorcerers alone. While they can’t use magic in any traditional way, Volhvy can still be extraordinarily powerful. They’re servants of The Divine Pantheon of the Svarogi Gods, and by using special prayers they ask the Gods for aid.
Sorcerers are only limited by the ebbs and flows of the magical currents and their own understanding of magic, which rightfully frightens many people. In some lands, those who practice using magic are frowned upon, openly condemned, or even persecuted. With the level of suspicion and fear surrounding Sorcerers’ form of magic, it’s usually practiced in secret, and rarely discussed in the open. When ordinary people talk about magic, more often than not they’re referring to the prayers of the Volhvy. Most of Volhvy’s petitions to the Gods aren’t heard, so most become little more than preachers. However, those that have earned the Gods’ favor can be a force to be reckoned with. In the animation below, the volhv prays to Perun and calls for lightning.
( video here )
Unable to find support in most Slavin states, sorcerers unite in cults. The most powerful of these communities is known as the Order. Members of the Order devote much of their time to studying ancient knowledge and do everything within their power to avoid interfering in any conflicts. However… not all sorcerers are peaceful. Black Wizards and witches believe magic and witchcraft are powers that must be wielded against any and all who oppose them, which they do with extreme prejudice. Fortunately, they’re very few in number due to near-constant fighting with vigilantes. Many witches and Black Wizards find themselves burned at the stake on a long enough timeline.
Humans aren’t the only beings capable of wielding magic either. Intelligent creatures can use magic as well or even better than humans, for example imps.
Oftentimes sorcerers exchange experience and teachings with friendly representatives of the Demon race.
Within the world of Tribal, there’s another force, skulking around in the darkness. The Shadow Warriors, backed by the incredible power of the Dark Goddess Mara. This goddess was expelled from the surface long ago and now holds dominion over the underworld. Shadow Warriors’ use of magic resembles Volhvy’s prayers, with a few key differences. Unlike the Volhvy, who may call upon any God they see fit, Shadow Warriors swear allegiance to the Goddess. They must carry out her will and give up their humanity in exchange for eternal life and dark power. Once joined to the Shadow Warriors, they’re caught between life and death, and forced to serve Mara for eternity.
Within the timeframe of the game, there are very few Shadow Warriors left, practically just fairytales to keep unruly children in line. Those who talk about seeing one while out adventuring are surely doing little more than drunkenly boasting, as it’s next to impossible to walk away from an encounter with one alive.
That’s all for today! Soon we plan on going into detail on how Tribal’s world is structured. We’re also actively working on a demo, where you’ll be able to use the powers of a volhv to see their power firsthand! Subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss out on any details regarding the release of the demo. Also, come visit our Discord channel, we make some important announcements there and chat with the community!
Goodbye for now!
Date : 22 05 2022 Tribal development team
