Fabled Lands News

[p][/p][p]Folks, happy New Year – and happy to bring you the first patch of 2026![/p][p]May the luck of the dice always be on your side, and your stamina never run out. In these uncertain times, I wish you hope, strength, and quiet moments with your family, friends, and loved ones. And may we keep returning to our magical gaming worlds – they make us braver and stronger.[/p][h2]Stay safe[/h2][p]I spent the holidays recharging my batteries and mentally gearing up for a big sprint ahead, with my upcoming game Blood Sword planned for 2026.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]I dug deep into hobbies. I played a lot of gamebooks. I finally completed Ori and the Will of the Wisps – something I’d wanted to do ever since finishing the first Ori. But what I enjoyed the most this winter was playing HeroQuest with my son.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]"Hero Quest is the best game ever made and anyone who says otherwise is wrong!" :D [/p][p]My D&D itch hasn’t been scratched in years, and being able to finally pull my son into this kind of hobby… that’s priceless. When my daughter grows up a bit, she’ll join the party too, and then things will get really interesting.

Anyways, anyways – got carried away. Time to get back to the grindstone 🙂 Here’s the changelog.[/p][h2]
Incremented version to 3.0.1c[/h2]

• [p]Fixed saving on dice roll at the Fortune-teller in Lynton causing a corrupted story state.[/p]
• [p]Fixed Flask and Saint Birinus’ Traveller Bag not allowing item transfer via controllers.[/p]
• [p]Fixed Eleonora removing a curse causing a critical story error. [/p]
• [p]Fixed Large UI setting causing a critical story error when accessing the Minstrel gallery.[/p]
• [p]Fixed DLC items appearing when enchanting items without owning the DLCs.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a performance issue in shops and the enchantment forge caused by excessive DLC API checks.[/p]
• [p]Upgraded Unity.[/p]

[h2]
Incremented version to 3.0.1b[/h2]

• [p]Fixed crossbow not triggering the Chon-Chon shot.[/p]
• [p]Fixed music looping when teleporting between zones.[/p]
• [p]Updated latest news with DLC information.[/p]
• [p]Fixed resurrecting after reaching Part 4 while in another region not teleporting you to the Castle of Lost Souls.[/p]
• [p]Fixed swapped text for resurrecting at Tyrnai’s temple in Caran-Baru and Yellowport.[/p]

[p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

Before anything else I want to start with this absolutely amazing milestone! For the last 3 days we've sold 1700 copies, and that is entirely thanks to all of you. Your support, messages, streams have been incredible. I am genuinely grateful for the warm reception. Thank you.

[h2]Now, onto the update[/h2]

This patch ended up touching more things than originally planned, because I did a full refactor of the resurrection system. Please do not ask me why I decided to do that right after launching a DLC. I was adding support for multiple resurrections and apparently decided to take a quick detour into the depths of my own codebase. One thing led to another and I vanished into the rabbit hole for a while.

Everything should now work correctly, but because the resurrection logic has been rewritten from the ground up, I am keeping an eye on edge cases. If you spot a bug, please let me know!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4184260/

[h2]Incremented version to 3.0.1[/h2]
---

• Fixed Underworld soundtrack not triggering correctly.
  
• Fixed resurrections breaking when more than one resurrection was active.
  
• Fixed Blue Leather Gloves appearing again as loot after they had already been used.
  
• Fixed teleportation items not working as intended. Travelling to Yellowport or using a resurrection deal will now reset their state.
  
• Fixed the brass clover being reclaimed on resurrection even if you had never found it.
  
• Fixed Potion of Dazzling Speed description showing +1 AP instead of the correct +2.
  
• Fixed being able to repeatedly ask about the Velvet Eye-patch man at the Monastery of Molhern and respawn him after he was already defeated.
  
• Removed leftover meta text in the Salakar Joust encounter.
  

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1299620

Achievement Unlocked: Surprise Major Content Update

Surprise! Didn’t expect this one to drop so suddenly, did you?

Quietly working on a big content update with almost no marketing noise has apparently become my new jam - and today I finally get to reveal it: Fabled Lands – The Castle of Lost Souls, a substantial new questline that dives straight into one of the oldest and most fascinating corners of Fabled Lands history.



And what better way to introduce it than with the incredible new cover art by Elena Katsarova, which I’ve been sitting on like a dragon hoarding treasure. I’m thrilled I can finally share it with all of you.

This adventure has a special place in the gamebook timeline. Long before the modern Fabled Lands series, before Sokara and Golnir became the open-world playground we know today, Castle of Lost Souls appeared in White Dwarf magazine in the mid-80s, then as part of the Golden Dragon series, and then resurfaced decades later in a revised edition. Now it evolves once again, rebuilt and expanded by Paul Gresty to fit seamlessly into the Fabled Lands setting. Adapting this new version into the CRPG has been a fascinating challenge - the kind of classic, atmospheric quest that works beautifully in a digital format.

[h2]A major questline with loads of hidden secrets[/h2]

This DLC is not a gigantic new landmass like Serpent King’s Domain - instead, it’s a deeply branching questline woven directly into Golnir, leading you from the quiet town of Lynton through haunted hills, swamps and ruined settlements, and finally into the Underworld itself. There are several paths, several ways to prepare, and multiple endings depending on the choices you make and the secrets you uncover. If you enjoy replaying content to see alternative routes, you’ll find a lot to sink your teeth into here.



Working on this while juggling Blood Sword development (and the ever-present real-life events that definitely don’t care about release schedules) has been a quieter process - but the end result is a quest I’m genuinely proud of. It expands the world in a more nuanced direction: one that emphasizes mystery, atmosphere, discovery and player agency.

[h2]What to Expect in The Castle of Lost Souls[/h2]

• A branching, replayable journey with multiple routes to the finale and several distinct approaches to the final confrontation.
  
• New Golnir content, centered around the town of Lynton, along with haunted roads, swamps, ruins, and story events that connect the surface to the Underworld.
  
• The Underworld itself, brought to life with new map, encounters and lore, tied directly to decades-old Fabled Lands concepts.
  
• New enemies and combat arenas, including such as spectral knights, wraith executioners, chon-chon swarms, lammasu guardians, the Rauchwurm, the Undine, - culminating in multiple confrontations with Slank himself.
  
• New treasures and items, including cursed artefacts, holy relics and rare rewards that carry over into your wider campaign.
  
• New achievements, perfect for completionists who enjoy diving into hidden conditions and alternate outcomes.
  

[h2]Bonus Feature: Start in Any Book[/h2]

There’s one more thing I’m really happy to finally include, because it has been requested since the very early days of the game: you can now choose your starting region.

If you want to begin your adventure in the Great Steppes of the North, sail into Violet Ocean, wander the haunted roads of Uttaku, or jump straight into the political chaos of Akatsurai - you can. Pick any book you like, and the game will automatically adjust your Rank and core abilities so the region feels appropriately challenging.



This feature has been widely praised during testing, especially by returning players who want to experience the world in a different order, or by newcomers who watched a video from Book 7 and want to start right where the inspiration struck.

Just note: achievements tied to Rank or ability progression won’t unlock in this mode, since the scaling is automatic. Everything else works as normal.

It’s a feature I’ve wanted to add for quite some time, and I’m really glad it’s finally here.



[h2]Special Thanks[/h2]

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in the closed beta and provided feedback - especially on the alternate routes and hidden mechanics. And of course, heartfelt gratitude to Dave Morris and especially Paul Gresty for creating a fresh, expanded version of this classic adventure, and to Elena for the evocative artwork that sets the tone instantly.

[h2]Looking Ahead[/h2]

The Castle of Lost Souls DLC is available now on Steam and GOG.

The Nintendo Switch version will arrive later, and the current plan is to have it ready before the end of 2025.

Thank you all for continuing to support this game, explore its strange corners and share your experiences with the community. This chapter has been a joy to work on, and I can’t wait to hear the stories that come out of your journeys into Slank’s domain.

Full changelog follows below - and may the sun never set on your adventures… even if it never rises in the Underworld.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4184260/Fabled_Lands__The_Castle_of_Lost_Souls/

[h2]Incremented version to 3.0.0[/h2]
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• Added The Castle of Lost Souls questline (50,000 words).
  
• Added 3 new quests.
  
• Added 2 new titles.
  
• Added 10 new achievements.
  
• Added 30 new encounters.
  
• Added 21 new enemies.
  
• Added 40 new items.
  

[h3]Exploration[/h3]

• Added custom starting region selection (highly requested!).
  
• Added random region start option.
  
• Added new town maps and icons for Slank’s Castle.
  

[h3]Items & Weaponry[/h3]

• Added various new Legendary and Mythical items.
  
• Added new weapons with unique stats and special effects.
  
• Added the Traveller’s Bag, an item that increases inventory space.
  
• Rebalanced multiple existing items.
  

[h3]General[/h3]

• Added new blessing type: Luck Charms.
  
• Added new potion type: Potion of Dazzling Speed.
  
• Added new combat statuses and curses.
  
• Added Castle of Lost Souls enemies to the Bestiary.
  
• Added support for displaying black-and-white art within story text (for a future content update).
  
• Added a DLC slot on the main menu for The Castle of Lost Souls.
  
• Updated soundtrack tracks for the Underworld.
  

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• Fixed Ruby Citadel 3d6 damage not accounting for armour as stated in the text.
  
• Fixed Ruby Citadel negative damage increasing Stamina instead of reducing it.
  
• Fixed Net selling for 800 shards in Golnir instead of the correct 200.
  
• Fixed breathing shader to look natural on smaller enemies.
  
• Fixed an issue where enemies attacking twice could shift out of position with a delayed second strike.
  

[h3]Platform[/h3]

• Upgraded Unity version, including the major 2025 security patch.
  

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1299620/Fabled_Lands/

The Arch-fiend Slank stalks the land!

Beyond the hills and haunted swamps, within the foul underworld where the sun never rises, lies the grim castle of the demon lord Slank. For centuries this infernal monster has plundered the souls of mortal beings, gathering them to his terrible abode to dwell in eternal torment.

Now, the secret magic that can destroy Slank is known at last. You agree to undertake this perilous adventure - but can you rid the world of the demon’s evil shadow, or are you merely destined to become the next of his victims?

[h2]The Underworld Opens At Last[/h2]

For the first time ever in Fabled Lands, you’ll be able to step into the Underworld – a realm that was originally intended to appear in the never-published Book 12, but only existed as a tantalising “one day…” in the lore.

In this DLC, that “one day” finally arrives.

Beneath the familiar fields of Golnir lies the Sodden Blight and the plains of ash, the sunless domain of the arch-fiend Slank and his Castle of Lost Souls. This new questline takes you from the surface world you know into a completely new layer of the setting – and back again, if you live long enough.



[h2]A New Chapter in Fabled Lands Mythos[/h2]

Like many of you, I was disappointed when Fabled Lands Book 8 had to be delayed. Life got in the way, and those plans had to be pushed back. But out of that gap came something special.

Paul Gresty (author of Fabled Lands Book 7: The Serpent King’s Domain) has crafted a brand new take on The Castle of Lost Souls – originally a classic quest adventure by Dave Morris, now completely reworked and expanded to fit seamlessly into the Fabled Lands system, setting, and tone.

This new version is fully integrated with Fabled Lands rules and mechanics and packed with new items, new encounters, and new ways to die horribly in service of heroism.



[h2]From Gamebook Pages to Digital Quest[/h2]

I played through the new Castle of Lost Souls gamebook this summer, before its release, and I genuinely loved it. I got hyped in exactly the way I did when I first discovered Fabled Lands years ago. Halfway through the adventure I was already thinking:

“Okay, I have to adapt this. Maybe I can squeeze in one big update before the year is out…”

That became the plan: take this Underworld quest and turn it into a substantial DLC, not just a tiny side-branch.

Of course, working side by side on two games - Blood Sword and Fabled Lands - while also juggling family life (my kids do not respect production schedules 😅) meant I had less time to post behind-the-curtain updates than I’d have liked. But all that quiet work has gone into this: a chunky, story-rich expansion that deepens Golnir rather than just bolting a new map on the side.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3645170/Blood_Sword/

[h2]What This DLC Adds[/h2]

Here’s what you can expect from Fabled Lands: Castle of Lost Souls:

[h3]🏰New locations in Golnir[/h3]

The town of Lynton, where anyone who owns the DLC will be able to enter and take on the new quests as well as additional points of interest on the Golnir map tied to the Slank storyline

[h3]🌋A Descent into the Underworld[/h3]

Travel beneath Golnir into the Plain of Ash, a vast subterranean wasteland where the sun never rises. Explore the grim Castle of Lost Souls, Slank’s fortress of torment.

[h3]🧿A Major Questline[/h3]

Hunt for the secret magic needed to destroy Slank. Decide how far you’re willing to go: saint’s ashes, penitent’s hair, infernal bargains… there are multiple ways to prepare for the final confrontation.

[h3]⚔️New Enemies & Combat Arenas[/h3]

Demons, chon-chons, clockwork horrors, smoke serpents, and other creatures of the Underworld. Battle through new combat locations, from mirrored labyrinths to sacrificial chapels and demon-haunted towers



[h3]💎New Legendary & Mythical Items[/h3]



Discover powerful artefacts and cursed treasures forged for the Fabled Lands setting. Bring them back into your wider campaign to shake things up in other regions!

[h2]The Road to the Castle of Lost Souls[/h2]

This DLC is intended as an “in-betweener” – a substantial quest arc set in Golnir and the Underworld that you can tackle between your existing adventures, not a full-numbered book replacement like FL8.

But make no mistake: this is a big journey.

From the quiet town of Lynton, through haunted hills and swamps, down into the Underworld, and finally to the iron gates of the Castle of Lost Souls, this is a pilgrimage into the dark heart of Fabled Lands.

I honestly can’t wait to see how many of you make it to Slank…
…or how many of you end up as decorations on his walls.

More info, screenshots, and a release date are coming soon. Until then:

Sharpen your sword.
Count your blessings.
And don’t look back when the Underworld opens beneath your feet.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1299620/Fabled_Lands/

[p]Fellow adventurers, rejoice! Fabled Lands is now available to play on GeForce NOW, NVIDIA’s cloud gaming service. This means you can journey across Golnir, Sokara, and beyond from virtually any device - whether it’s a low-spec laptop or even your phone.[/p][p]
Your saved games and progress should carry over, so you can pick up your adventure wherever you left off, and on whatever screen you happen to have in front of you. The open world of Fabled Lands has never been more accessible. [/p][p][/p][h2]New content update incoming! [/h2][p]
And that’s not all. While you’re exploring on the cloud, I’m also working on a new content update that will expand the game with more quests, encounters, and polish. I’ll share more details soon, but let’s just say you’ll be venturing deeper than ever before - into places long whispered about, where shadows cling, demons stir, and the very air feels heavy with dread. For the first time, you’ll be able to truly set foot there… and survive, if you’re strong enough.[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for continuing to support Fabled Lands. Whether you’ve been sailing the Violet Ocean since the books came out or joined the adventure for the first time on Steam, this wouldn’t be possible without you.[/p][p][/p][p]Stay tuned - and keep your swords sharp.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]