Thea: The Awakening News

[p]Our friend at Vagrus have some real treats in store, and we'd like to offer our full support, because we think you will love it too![/p][p]Vagrus: The Riven Realms is an award-winning, turn-based, open-world dark fantasy strategy-RPG set in a deeply immersive world shaped by over two decades of tabletop roleplaying. Developed by Lost Pilgrims, a team who built their own setting – the Riven Realms – through countless DnD-style campaigns, the game features over 2.5 million words of story-driven, lore-heavy, richly-branching narrative that captures the spirit of classic tabletop adventures. In the game, the player takes the role of a vagrus - a sort of a caravan leader who makes a living in a strange and dangerous dark fantasy world by leading a traveling company on all kinds of ventures.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p][p]
Lost Pilgrims have just posted a huge announcement on their Steam development blog about releasing their second expansion of Vagrus – At the Heart of Ruin along with a Ruinous Supporter Pack – on Steam and various console platforms. This expansion offers a tight but multi-layered and dense region fraught with conflict and rich with opportunities. Vagri who decide to brave the forsaken paths of this broken realm will be challenged not only by new foes and villains, but also by the very nature one must traverse the mountainous terrain.[/p][p][/p][h3]New Content and Features[/h3]

• [p]A fresh, dangerous region unfettered from Imperial dominance and brimming with peril[/p]
• [p]A dark narrative adventure with several overarching stories as well as shorter adventures[/p]
• [p]Deep quests with multiple outcomes and a plethora of personalities[/p]
• [p]Many new opportunities and challenges for traders, mercenaries, and explorers[/p]
• [p]A host of new enemies, be they crazed scavengers or creatures cursed beyond recognition[/p]
• [p]A large cast of NPCs, some new and some old, who can be a part of your story[/p]
• [p]New minor factions the likes of which few vagri have ever had the chance to befriend or fight against[/p]
• [p]New obstacles, rewards, lore, and more of our signature visual art[/p]

[p][/p]

[h3][/h3][h3]Camping Redesign[/h3]

• [p]End Turn is now separate from Camping, allowing you to end the turn without performing any other actions.[/p]
• [p]Camping actions now require assigning party members to specific tasks — rest, cook, scavenge, repair, and more.[/p]
• [p]Scavenging added: you can now assign units to gather materials anywhere on a cleared hex. (Resources appear after clearing a POI — i.e. after all its floors are complete.)[/p]
• [p]Crafting Card Booster Packs added: craft a booster pack and choose 1 of 3 cards to add to your deck.[/p]
• [p]Healing updated: each End Turn now heals d3 Wounds (if you have Supplies). Camping can improve healing for the most wounded unit, with no risk of regression as before.[/p]
• [p]Equipment Screen redesigned for faster, cleaner access.[/p]
• [p]Group View now displays which cards belong to which NPCs — so you’ll know what you lose if someone doesn’t make it home.[/p]
• [p]Many new crafting items added, along with material rarity tiers.[/p]
• [p]Meals now have their own screen, clearly showing bonuses and effects.[/p]

[p]⚠️ Note: Because the Research/Tech Tree is not yet implemented, all item rarities are currently available from the start — this will change once the system is in place.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]City Upgrades[/h3]

• [p]3MD Printforge is now part of the Core Development Room.[/p]
• [p]Tower of Commerce offers rotating trade items that change with each season and expand with higher tech levels.[/p]
• [p]Research Lab added (non-functional for now).[/p]
• [p]Council System streamlined: the PC Main and their Alloy Twin now preside at the head of the Council, with three Advisors drawn from the population.[/p]
• [p]Council Skills are calculated like group skills for event checks.[/p]
• [p]Each Councillor’s Domain determines their bonus type.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Map & Exploration[/h3]

• [p]Enemy list accessible at the bottom-left of the UI.[/p]
• [p]Remote Access to the Project unlocks after your first visit.[/p]
• [p]Scavengeable resources appear on cleared POIs.[/p]
• [p]Hide Markers button now works — perfect for those cinematic screenshots.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Battle[/h3]

• [p]Run Away / Pause Menu option implemented — live to fight another day.[/p]
• [p]Enemy cards are briefly displayed during combat; hovering over them extends viewing time.[/p]
• [p]The Main/Expert Hand and Side Hand are now visually distinct — the side hand (MAX 3 cards, drawn each turn) includes Minions.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Skill Challenges[/h3]

• [p]Option to pay Supplies to increase success chance removed.[/p]
• [p]Option to pay Supplies for a re-roll added.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Morale[/h3]

• [p]New events trigger when party members grow deeply unhappy — some may decide to leave.[/p]
• [p]Added info pop-ups when morale changes due to personality traits (Believer, Progressive, Idealist, Pragmatic).[/p]
• [p]Additional morale systems still WIP.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Other Updates[/h3]

• [p]You can now dismiss party members while out in the Wastelands.[/p]
• [p]HUD warnings improved for clarity and readability.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h3]Keep your scanners ready, survivors! A brand-new Project Thea trailer drops during Steam Next Fest on 13th October, where we’ll finally reveal the Early Access release date![/h3]

[p][/p][p]Yes, the time has come, the Project Thea Demo version will be out, live on august 20th! [/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]What to expect from the demo?[/p][p]You’ll get 25 turns of awesome exploration across the post-apocalyptic Wastelands of Thea. Head out with your party to scout locations, gather vital resources, and hunt down roaming enemies — all in the struggle to help your fledgling settlement survive that terrifying first night.[/p][p]Don’t forget to gear up! Manage the party inventory, craft equipment, and cook food to keep your crew strong and ready for whatever lurks out there. Each map hides stories of survivors — some you might ally with, others you might just… remove.[/p][p]Most importantly, bring back those precious Energy Shards. They’re the key to powering up the Project, your home base, letting you build, improve, and secure the future of sentient-kind. Survival is just the start — what you do next is what really matters.[/p][p]This is just a taste of what’s to come in the full game. If you enjoy your time in the Wastelands, don’t forget to wishlist Project Thea and be ready when the full release arrives.[/p]

Project Thea is the latest game to come from our MuHa oven, and it’s entering the exciting stage of being demo-ready. This dark survival RPG blends card-based combat with strategy and city-building, set in a post-apocalyptic world inspired by Slavic folklore.

To celebrate both Thea: The Awakening and Thea 2: The Shattering during the #TurnBasedThursday Steam Fest, we’ve opened public playtests for Project Thea. We’ll be inviting players throughout the summer—sign up and be part of the next chapter!



👉 Visit Project Thea, sign up for the playtest, and don’t forget to wishlist!

The new Rat Tales DLC for Thea 2: The Shattering is now available and it's FREE for all owners of the base game!

Don't have Thea 2 yet? Now is the perfect time to get it, because we've got a special 50% discount for you. Get Thea: The Bundle for even bigger savings!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/606230/Thea_2_The_Shattering/

And while you're here, check out Master of Magic!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1623070/Master_of_Magic/

It's a faithful remake of the cult classic turn-based strategy, where wizards battle for domination using powerful spells and command armies of fantastic creatures - it's on sale now as well!