Songs of Conquest News

• Small balance changes to battles in the first Tales of Wonder tale map
  
• Replace Archery with Chaos as starting skill in Tales of Wonder
  
• Make “map completion checkmarks” in Tales buttons also check for completion of tale maps from before 1.8
  
• Make DLC menus “map completion checkmarks” check for completion of 1.8 tales maps
  
• Fixed issue with not being able to level up an existing skill as a reward from map entities if you had no empty skill slots
  
• Fixed Poachers never showing up in randomized neutral armies
  
• Fixed case where research purchase buttons would not show the correct current levels if you lost a corresponding research building
  
• Battle: Fixed troops moving due to Charge ability, Bullrush ability or the Repel spell not triggering Overwatch or Spearwall abilities on the final hex
  
• Battle: Improved AI target selection when using Blind Hatred spell
  
• Map editor: Fixed “Random Value” trigger criteria not working correctly when playing using certain languages
  

[p]Greetings Wielders[/p][p]We are back from a refreshing break, and that means it is time for updates. The team has been split into smaller groups to work on several things in parallel. Right now, our main focus is on two upcoming DLCs, one Tale and one new faction. In this post, we want to shine the spotlight on the Tale, called Rise Eternal.[/p][p]We will not share an exact release date just yet, but it will not be long before you can take on the mantle of Kastus Maal and quite literally walk a mile in his singular shoe. He is missing the other one (occupational hazard).

[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Stay ahead of those pursuing Arleon thugs by wishlisting Rise Eternal![/p][p][/p][p]With release day slowly approaching at the pace of a shambling corpse, we felt it was appropriate to share more details about what you will get in this undead-themed DLC.[/p][p]First, the Tale itself. Rise Eternal features four connected, story-driven maps that follow Kastus Maal, his rise as a Wielder, and his quest for vengeance against those who wronged him and his family.



I think he's just happy to be here personally
[/p][p]As the image suggests, Kastus is very much dead. He was raised again through his oath to Aurelia. He fell at the Battle of Grey Tor in the final mission of the Arleon campaign, one of many casualties as Cecilia Stoutheart secured victory over the Barony of Loth by defeating the powerful Wielder Wiesh. Now, Kastus returns, changed in more ways than one. Death does that to a person.[/p][p]When you purchase Rise Eternal, Kastus Maal joins your roster as a new Wielder for the Barony of Loth. He comes with his own Specialization and a new skill, Call the Faithful.
[/p][p]We know some of you just love a good stat-block

Kastus enters the war at a critical moment. The Tale shows what happens next as the Barony of Loth and the Unseen Society struggle to regain lost ground. But Kastus is not only a devout follower of Aurelia. He is also a father, a husband, and a scholar, driven by goals of his own.[/p][p]Rise Eternal also introduces a new set of artifacts, especially suited for Kastus. These will play an important role in the unfolding story, and you will have plenty of time to see them in action.[/p][p]
There is a lot to uncover, or maybe unearth?

Finally, the DLC also brings a generous batch of free content to the base game. New research, the artifacts we mentioned, and a range of new map buildings will be available for everyone to enjoy, giving map creators even more tools to work with.[/p][p]We will not show you more pictures than we already have, though. Some surprises are best left unspoiled.[/p][p]We hope you are as excited as we are for Rise Eternal. It has been a long time coming, and while there is still some writing left to do, the work is moving steadily forward.
[/p][p]Rise Eternal, for her![/p][p]/ Anders and the rest of the Lavapotion team[/p][p]

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[p]It is that time of year again. The time when game developers in our part of the world swap hoodies for knitted jumpers and coffee mugs for… slightly different coffee mugs. What we are trying to say is that Lavapotion will soon close the office for our winter holiday and return in early January.[/p][p]There may still be some activity on our social channels and Steam during this time, but things will certainly move at a slower pace. It’s time for us to take a short break, spend time with our families, and work through the never-ending list of Steam games we've bought but never quite found the time to play![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]You would think that is a gif from Songs, but it's just the view from the office
[/p][p]Looking back, it has been an eventful year for Songs of Conquest. We released the Roots faction on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. We introduced Simultaneous Battles, improved co-op play, and made meaningful changes to random maps. Along the way, we passed 750,000 copies sold, and work on our next faction continues steadily behind the scenes. All in all, we are very proud of what the year has brought.[/p][p]It is still surreal to see how far this small HOMMage has come. What began as a love letter to a genre we grew up with has become something much bigger, and that is entirely thanks to you. Your support, feedback, and enthusiasm made all of this possible. We know we say this often, but it remains just as true.[/p][p]We will not go too deep into what lies ahead. We only recently shared our PC roadmap, and repeating ourselves would take some of the fun out of it. Soon, we will release the Steam page for Yulan, and after that, it will be time for my personal favorite Kastus Maal and Rise Eternal to take the stage and put the death back in undeath.
[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Before we power down our workstations and head into the break, we do have a small Christmas gift for you. We are sharing a short scene featuring some of the art assets for Yulan, our upcoming faction. Please keep in mind that this is still a work in progress, but it is already shaping up as a unique addition to the varied biomes of Songs of Conquest.
[/p][p][/p][p]We can't wait to see what you create from this and all the things still under production! [/p][p]And with that, we want to wish you all the best in the weeks ahead, wherever you are and however you choose to spend your time. We look forward to continuing the journey together in the new year.
[/p][p]/ Anders and the rest of the Lavapotion team[/p][p]P.S.

One final note. We recently sent out the first rough demo of Wielders of the Essence to colleagues and friends, and the feedback so far is very promising! We are looking forward to sharing it with you early next year. It may be a smaller project, but the team working on it is deeply invested. Wishlist it to stay up to date with development and future updates.

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[h2]Greetings Wielders
[/h2][p]Come gather around the campfire friends, it’s time to tell Tales! What does that mean? It means we have just launched a major update for Songs of Conquest with a strong focus on the story and world of Aerbor.[/p][p]Before we go through everything included in the patch, let us answer the simple question of why. The first reason is simply that we love to tell stories (both grand and humble) inside SoC. The second reason is that you asked us to. While the response to our faction DLCs has been excellent, many of you have asked for more story-driven content. More lore. More insight into what happens in our world Aerbor. Adding fully fledged campaigns is a huge undertaking, but creating linked story maps is a way for us to at least start scratching the same itch. There are still many unanswered questions from the campaigns after all![/p][p]Another common point of feedback was that we have already created story-heavy maps, only in a smaller format. The tales of Sorg the troll or the Roots Wielder Grow were clear examples, yet we did not do enough to present them as the lore-rich experiences they were. So we decided to add Tales as a new section in the game, making sure they were easily found, gathered up in a nice bundle for you to play.

Look at them, all bundled up, just for you![/p][p]We also want our campaigns and Tales to be for everyone, regardless of playstyle. That means revisiting the difficulty of the Tales we have already made. Originally, these were story-driven challenge maps, and not necessarily the first thing a new player would tackle. To open them up, both new and old maps now come with the full range of difficulty settings. Whether you enjoy overwhelming challenges or prefer a more relaxed gaming experience, as I do, you can approach the Tales in a way that fits your playstyle.

[/p][p]You also asked for more connected stories. With this update, we are adding the Tale of Wonder as a free addition to the game. It contains two lore-heavy missions that follow the tinkersmith Mehry Wondercraft after her capture in the fourth Loth mission. The missions explore the aftermath of the activation of the beacons in the Loth campaign. Her path is not an easy one. She will face determined foes, angry Rana, and more than one mystery that may reveal answers for her guild.
Tough start for a tough Wielder, although she did loose to a guy with a rat fixation[/p][p]Mehry is only the beginning as more Tales are coming! Kastus Maal is preparing to rise from his grave to claim vengeance on behalf of the Unseen Society. As a newly risen undead Wielder, Kastus will gather forgotten artifacts, uncover old research, and command the Risen in large numbers with new abilities. His campaign will be larger in scope, with four connected missions that carry him across Aerbor in search of power and the remnants of his family.

[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Rise Eternal, together for her.[/p][p]There are many stories left to tell and many questions waiting to be answered. Which Tale or Wielder would you like to see next in Songs of Conquest? Your feedback is, as always, important and really helps us decide what we do next. We are also aware that there is a great wish for more “traditional” campaigns (or songs, as well call them!) but this is a way for us to get more stories playable for you while we consider the long term feasibility of creating more traditional songs![/p][p]Enjoy the new Tale, and look forward to more news next year about Kastus Maal and the progress on our new faction.
[/p][p]/ Anders and the rest of the Lavapotion team[/p][p]
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