Erannorth Renaissance News

Hi folks,

In our previous post about the upcoming Ironvein Hold update, we discussed the River Dwarves and the new crafting system. As mentioned then, the beta branch (currently version 0.7.09) is where you can try these features early. So, let’s talk about what’s been added since that first look.

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2657930/view/535471839481169376?l=english

While the initial post touched on how crafted items support Discoveries, I’ve also been working on making the world itself feel more reactive.

There's a new simulation system so every region in Elos now changes over time. Things like population, stability, infrastructure, law, and faith shift based on events like bandit raids, vampire trouble, or even you successfully completing contracts. You'll pick up on these changes through rumors, giving you a sense that things are happening even when you're not directly involved.

Simulation can trigger discoveries, and discoveries, when needed, can lead to full-fledged quests. The entire system is fully moddable, opening up all sorts of possibilities for both modders and myself.



Remember how I mentioned the River Dwarves are big on trade? To make that more meaningful for everyone, trading and commerce got a big overhaul. Each region calculates its own trade tariff based on local stuff like unrest, law, corruption, and infrastructure. These tariffs change item prices, so deciding where to buy low and sell high becomes a new strategic choice. That miner’s pick might be cheap in the highland or hill settlements but cost you way more down in the forest towns.

To go along with that, there's a new Haggling bonus based on your skill versus the merchant's. The barter screen now gives you a clearer idea if you're getting a good deal or being taken for a ride. And merchants are smarter now; they'll remember what they paid you for an item and won't just sell it back to you for less a few seconds later.



Shops are also getting smarter about stocking goods that make sense for their region. You’ll likely find more pelts and wood in a forest town, while a mountain settlement will have more ore and ingots. Trade goods affected by local conditions now show both their base value and the regional price, along with helpful tags like “Scarce” or “Abundant” to guide your trading ventures.

Building on the Discovery system improvements I talked about last time (where having the right tools or skills matters), I've added a bunch of new discoveries across all terrain types, plus arid lands and caves. City events can also pop up as discoveries now, letting you choose to investigate or pass them by.



And to help you make those choices, hovering over reaction buttons now shows their requirements. Certain tools, like shovels, may break if you fail, and consumable items such as torches or fishing bait will be used up.



Lastly, I've added more recipes into our crafting system, starting with Alchemy. You'll find new potion recipes and a wider variety of ingredients scattered around the world. To support this, I've added specific herb gathering discoveries, and the type of herbs you get depends on the terrain. For instance, gathering herbs in a marsh will yield different herbs than in the hills or deep in the woods.



On a personal note, I’ll be taking about two weeks off for my Easter break starting soon. Don't worry, I'll jump right back into development when I return! The plan is still to get the full update polished up and ready for everyone sometime in mid to late May.

If you're eager to try the new simulation and trading systems, remember that the beta branch is always open for testing. And with so many bug fixes and improvements across the board, if you’re actively playing the game right now, I’d highly recommend switching to the beta either way. As always, I’ll post detailed patch notes for any beta updates over on our Discord.

Have fun, and if you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment below!

Hi folks,

You can now try Erannorth Renaissance for free with our newly released demo. Dive into deep character customization, tactical turn-based combat, and the rich narrative and sandbox world that define the game. The demo is based on the current live Early Access build, and aside from a few minor restrictions, you can play as much as you like to see if it's a game you'd enjoy.

So, what's missing? For one, updates. The demo version won't receive updates and isn't supported in any way. Steam achievements are also disabled, as is the modding toolkit. However, you can still run mods if you install them locally, and you're free to create new ones using your favorite text editor and modding skills.

If you enjoy what you see, consider supporting the game. Just keep in mind that it's currently in Early Access and likely to remain so for another year or two, or three... In either case, have fun!

Hi folks!

Our next major update is underway and is expected to arrive in mid to late May. As development continues, you'll be able to access the latest stable builds through the beta branch if you want to dive in early and help squash any glaring bugs or share your feedback before the big release.

So, what’s in the Ironvein Hold update? Well, a lot of things. But let’s focus on what’s already available in beta build 0.7.02 right now.

First off, Dwarves!

Dwarves in Elos share many traits with their typical fantasy counterparts, but they’re also a little different. They don’t live deep in mountain mines. They live by rivers. If you’ve played Chronicles, you might remember them as the River Dwarves.

Their ancestors, the folk of Ironvein Hold, once lived deep beneath the mountains, carving their cities from stone and working metal with unmatched skill. But when the great earthquake shattered their homeland, they had no choice but to leave the caverns behind. They followed the rivers, searching for new lands, and there, in the heart of trade routes and waterways, they rebuilt as merchants and traders.



Though they are traders first, they haven’t forgotten how to fight. Their caravans are well-guarded, their ships armed, and their warriors trained to protect what is theirs. Bandits and raiders have learned to think twice before crossing a Dwarven merchant, the price of such folly is often paid in steel. The axe and hammer remain familiar weapons, but the spear, crossbow, and saber have found their place as well, suited for river skirmishes and caravan defense.

And of course, there's crafting.

Which brings us to the major feature of this update: a fully moddable crafting system.

Crafting in Erannorth Renaissance lets you combine 1 to 8 ingredients. If there’s a matching recipe, you’ll see the result before finalizing the combination. If there are multiple matches, you’ll be able to browse through them. Recipes can also require tools (which aren’t consumed), skill rolls, or even certain companions to assist you.

So, what can you craft? Pretty much anything.



The tech is flexible, and while it’s all there in the beta build, more recipes will be added as development continues, from Cooking to Herbalism and Alchemy. As of now, there are about 40 recipes to discover by experimenting with materials and ingredients.



So the next question is, of course: why craft? And how do all these items actually make sense in the world? Well, for starters, you can upscale items and sell them for profit. You can also use them to fulfill Supply Contracts, which can earn you money, better rewards, and experience.

And what about your adventures? Absolutely.

You may have noticed that you sometimes fail certain Discoveries or succeed in others. That’s because Discoveries have specific requirements, like Skill rolls, tools, and sometimes even items that can be consumed on success. The feedback system has been updated to give you more details about which checks or tools were needed, whether you succeed or fail.



Crafted items will get even more deeply integrated into the world as practical solutions to events down the road. You’ll get extra options in certain situations if you’re carrying the right gear. Having adventuring staples like torches, ropes, or even climbing tools might be the difference between a favorable outcome and a missed opportunity.

Now, as I mentioned, this update is expected to arrive sometime in May. It won’t be all work, though. I’ll be taking my Easter vacation for two weeks in April. Still, many more additions will make their way into the update before it goes public. If you’re curious or eager to try things early, feel free to switch to the beta branch and be among the first to experience the Ironvein Update as it takes shape. Whenever there's a new update in the beta branch, I'll be posting the patch notes in our Discord.

Have fun, and if you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment below!

Hi folks,

Building a narrative-driven sandbox game means constantly juggling storytelling and gameplay systems. Stories take longer to develop, but new mechanics can be added and tested much faster. We could wait until more narrative content is ready, but I think there are already too many new systems that need testing. Rather than putting everything on hold, we can move forward to make sure these mechanics are fun for everyone and well-polished. Because, let's be honest, if I don't get your feedback, you will just end up with whatever I want. Not necessarily what you want.

The Oxgate update brings a bunch of new features, fixes, and improvements, along with some fresh and updated narrative content. We already covered Contracts in the previous Dev Journal. These are quick procedural jobs that give you a way to earn extra XP, coin, and items.



Another big addition in this update is Discoveries. As the name suggests, these are unexpected situations you might come across while traveling. They are not full events, just smaller moments where you can choose to react or ignore them. If you react, things will usually work out in your favor, though sometimes failure might bring a small setback. More often, it just means nothing happens. You will find these as you explore the world, adding more variety to your journey.





Traveling has also become a little more demanding. Non-vampire characters now have to deal with fatigue, while vampires must manage their thirst. If you keep moving without resting, or if a vampire goes too long without feeding, it will eventually start affecting your Hit Points. It will never drop you below 1 HP, but you probably do not want to be at 1 HP the next time bandits decide to corner you.

It's also hazardous for NPCs to feed while Ravenous.



There are also plenty of other improvements. New perks have been added, giving more options for character builds. Sandbox mode now makes it easier to recruit adventurers to fill out your party. And for those who want to fully embrace the nocturnal lifestyle, you can now start sandbox mode as a vampire.



With all these changes, exploration will feel both more dynamic and rewarding. Whether you are taking on Contracts, stumbling upon Discoveries, or simply going about your day-to-day life, the world of Erannorth just got a little richer.

But development is a constant cycle of implementing, enhancing, refining, and repeating. While we have completed the map for the kingdom of Doven, the places within it still need more depth. We need more stories and quests to truly bring the world to life. That is why, for the next few updates, we will be staying in this region and expanding everything with more content, before moving to other parts of the world. We still have an outlook of two to three years and we are way ahead of schedule, so one freelance writer and I will be on this task. As always, the next update will come as soon as it is ready, whether that is earlier or later.

In addition to preparing more scenes with the story companions, both intimate and otherwise, there are a few new stories in the works, along with the Ironvein Hold and playable Dwarves.

In the meantime, have fun, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below!



[h2]Patch Notes - 18/03/25 # 0.6.85[/h2]

[h3]Bugfixes[/h3]

• Fixed an issue where a certain woodland event choice could be repeated indefinitely.
  
• Overworld action cooldowns are now properly saved.
  
• Fixed an issue where you could rest at the Golden Sparrow Inn before speaking with Olivia.
  
• Skipping time without any world actors in the overworld will now properly refresh the tile inspector as needed.
  
• Fixed an issue where the camp's campfire could disappear on certain occasions.
  
• You can now talk to your non-story companions in camp with the correct interaction option. No more accidentally pickpocketing your party members!
  

[h3]New Content[/h3]

Contracts System

• Contracts are procedurally generated side quests that range from escorting NPCs and hunting bounties to clearing lairs and delivering goods. Success builds trust and opens new opportunities, while failure, betrayal, or unforeseen risks can shape your reputation and standing in the world.
  
• Contracts can offer a variety of randomized rewards.
  
• Added UI for viewing and accepting regional contracts.
  
• Introduced procedurally generated regional contracts.
  
• Currently, the following types of regional contracts are available:
  
  
  
  • Escort: Safely transport an NPC from one location to another.
    
  • Bounty: Track and bring a wanted criminal to justice.
    
  • Lair: Eliminate all hostiles in a designated area.
    
  • Supply: Deliver a shipment of goods to a certain NPC.
    
  • Explore: Explore a location and report back to the contractor NPC.
    
  
  
• Active Escort Contracts will appear on both the Map and the Contracts UI.
  
• Bounty contract destinations are initially hidden, but locals in the region can be questioned for information.
  
• Once a bounty’s location is discovered, it will be revealed on the Map.
  
• When you have an active contract and are in the contractor's tile, a discovery text will prompt you to wait for them.
  
• After bringing an adversary to justice or causing their death while completing a bounty contract, all other contracts involving that actor become void.
  

Weariness System

• Characters accumulate fatigue for every two hours spent without rest in the overworld map. Once fatigue exceeds healthy levels, they begin losing 2 HP per excess turn until they recover.
  
• Vampire characters do not experience fatigue but instead gain hunger, which functions the same way. Hunger can be satiated by feeding, preventing further penalties.
  
• Updated Feeding Rules
  
  • As a vampire, you can now feed up to three times per day (24 hours).
    
  • The amount of HP and Hunger restored depends on the NPC's lifeforce.
    
  • Feeding on NPCs now harms them based on the vampire's hunger.
    
  • Completely draining an NPC gives them a 5% chance to turn into a vampire and a 20% chance to die.
    
  • If they survive a near-death experience, they become Wary of the player and can no longer be fed on.
    
• New passive: Blood Connoisseur +x, Feeding replenishes your hunger at an accelerated rate.
  

Discoveries System

• Discoveries are quick snippets of flavor that appear as you explore the overworld.
  
• Triggering a discovery grants a small amount of XP. Reacting to them often provides various rewards.
  
• Discoveries are fully moddable. While there isn't a UI tool at the moment, custom discoveries can be added as a JSON file in: Mods/My Modname/Discoveries/DiscoveriesDB.json
  
• Added Discoveries for: Plains, Woodlands, Forest, Hills, Highlands, Marsh & Water tiles.
  
• A sound notification now accompanies discoveries, as well as their success or failure outcomes.
  

New Items, Equipment & Perks

• Added new cloaks, now available for purchase from several tailor vendors.
  
• Added new Material, Junk, Ingredient & Valuable items.
  
• Added 42 new perks and their assorted actions.
  

New Locations & Interactions

• New point of interest in Llanford: Llanford's Lake.
  
• Added new types of fish and the ability to use your fishing rod to fish in specific locations, such as Llanford's lake.
  
• Added a Common Room to the Golden Sparrow, where you can quickly meet and recruit adventurers instead of searching around town.
  
• These adventurers start as blank slates with 9 SP, 2 PP, and a bonus weapon proficiency.
  
• You can hire these adventurers in story mode too, as long as your party has fewer than four companions.
  
• Vampire Adventurers (Elizabeth & Trajan) can only be recruited by Vampire players.
  
• Added the Oxgate tiles and random actors. No merchants or vendors in the plague-ridden town at the moment.
  
• Added the option to start in sandbox mode as a vampire.
  

Miscellaneous / QoL Improvements

• Dead or arrested NPCs are removed from town and eventually replaced by a newly generated NPC.
  
• You can now use the 'Introduction' interaction multiple times whenever you meet a stranger.
  
• Clicking on an actor's portrait in the bottom UI now centers the camera on them instead of opening their character sheet. There's already a button for that just below their portrait.
  
• Smoothed out the transitions between different actors' turns.
  
• Move actions will now properly sound like footsteps.
  
• NPC actors can now be pickpocketed up to three times per day, but no more than once every 24 hours on the same person.
  
• When pickpocketing actors with fewer farthings than a certain threshold, you can now steal one of their items instead. Time to pickpocket some hacksaws and fishing rods!
  
• NPC actors' farthings are now replenished every 24 hours.
  
• Expanded the Reward strings with methods to drop random loot and accept Lua setters.
  
• Expanded the Requirement strings with methods to accept party rolls.
  

New Lua Methods

• Obligation(actorId, obligation, tile) – Sets an obligation for the actor.
  
• RemoveObligation(actorId, obligation) – Removes the obligation from the actor.
  
• (bool) HasObligation(actorId, obligation) – Checks if the actor has this obligation.
  
• (bool) AnyObligation(actorId) – Checks if the actor has any obligation.
  
• CompleteContract(actorId, type) / CompleteThisContract(type) – Successfully completes the actor's contract.
  
• EndContract(actorId, type) / EndThisContract(type) – Ends the actor's contract, marking it as failed.
  
• (bool) IsContractInProgress(actorId, type) – Checks if there is an active contract of that type with the specified actor.
  
• ConfirmContract(actorId, type) – Confirms that we have accepted that contract type from the actor.
  
• ClaimContract(actorId, type) – Successfully completes the actor's contract, but only if we are in the destination tile.
  
• (bool) CanClaimContract(actorId, type) – Have the actor's contract and we are in the destination tile.
  
• RevealContractDestination(type) - If a contract matches type and is the one we are asking about, we reveal the contract's destination.
  
• QuickEncounter() - Starts a lair encounter.
  
• PCFeedOn(actorId) - Properly handles the PC feeding on another actor.
  

Hi folks,

Steam Trading Cards are now live for Erannorth Renaissance! Along with them, you'll find exclusive profile backgrounds, emoticons, and, of course, badges to showcase your achievements in the world of Erannorth Renaissance.

Meanwhile, our next content update, unofficially dubbed Oxgate, is well underway, and if all goes as planned, it will be available to everyone by the end of the month. While the plague-ravaged town of Oxgate won’t introduce any new merchants or activities just yet, it plays a crucial role in completing the kingdom of Doven. With Oxgate in place, you'll finally have a fully connected region to explore, making your adventures even more immersive.



All the content in Erannorth Renaissance so far has been handcrafted by me and professional freelance writers. While it often includes many permutations and elements of randomness, the procedural factor has remained minimal.

A good example is the new lake area added in Llanford. It also serves as a nice backdrop for more intimate encounters.

While it may take a few passes to unearth all its secrets and you can use it for fishing, eventually, you will come to expect what you’ll find.

Our handcrafted content offers good replayability, but I want more. After all, Erannorth Renaissance isn’t just a story-rich game. It’s also a sandbox. This brings us to the major feature of the upcoming update: which are procedurally generated contracts.

Contracts are side quests that range from escorting NPCs and tracking bounties to clearing lairs and delivering goods. Success builds trust and opens new opportunities, while failure, betrayal, or unforeseen risks can shape your reputation and standing in the world. Friends can become rivals, rivals can become allies, and NPCs may end up arrested or dead—eventually replaced by others—gradually reshaping the fabric of the world with every action you take.

As of the development build 0.6.75, this system is well in place, most of the quirks are already ironed and you can test it out now in the beta branch. Currently, there are four types of regional contracts available:

- Escort – Safely transport an NPC from one location to another.
- Bounty – Track down and bring a wanted criminal to justice.
- Lair – Eliminate all hostiles in a designated area.
- Supply – Deliver a shipment of goods to a specific NPC.

Completing these contracts will grant various rewards, including farthings, experience, and randomized loot. Additionally, your actions will influence your relationships—positively or negatively—with the person issuing the job or the individual you're pursuing. Most importantly, this update establishes a solid framework that we can build upon and expand even further in the future.

I am looking for work in Valetport.

Escorting this Ulysses fellow sounds like a plan. Okay, so he wants to go outside of Llanford. See the gold pin?

Let's zoom out a bit. Okay, first we actually need to pick him up. That's the first marked tile.

I'm now in Keywick. My thirst is ravenous, but before grabbing a bite, let's see what's on offer here. Hmm, maybe tracking Alden—I’ll have to ask around and see if anyone in Keywick has spotted him. Now, off to feed!

Okay, full disclosure—I was looking for something to drink and instead stumbled upon my bounty. How quaint!

He tried to run, but oh well, I've seen plenty of runners before.

The majority of the new content will, of course, remain handcrafted. However, by blending handcrafted and procedural elements and weaving them together, I believe we can create even more dynamic and immersive adventures—making it truly your story.

So beyond the new contracts and shiny new cloaks, I've also introduced a fatigue system (or thirst for vampires). And depending on how much content I receive from my freelance authors by the end of the month, there may be even more.

In the meantime, you can join the beta and experience the Oxgate update as it takes shape. Your feedback is always welcome, so if you have any questions or suggestions, drop them in the comments!