Stoneshard Update – Rumor System & Artifacts

Ink Stains Games brings us a new development update for their turn-based RPG Stoneshard highlighting two new features the upcoming City of Gold early access update is going to introduce. First is the Rumor system that will help you discover various hidden dungeons and points of interest, and then there are the Artifacts you’ll be able to find in those remote dungeons.

Here’s more on that:

Hello everyone!

The City of Gold is almost here! Before its release on November 18th, we plan to publish one more devlog with a summary of the update’s most important changes and additions. Today, however, we’d like to tell you about two previously unannounced systems.

Rumor System

Rumors are closely tied to the new global map. As you may recall from its designated devlog, the global map will be initially concealed in the fog of war that you need to clear by exploring the world. The same principle applies to Points of Interest, the location of which will be hidden until you stumble upon them yourself or learn about them from rumors.

Rumors are scraps of the latest news, gossip, and other interesting information, mostly exaggerated and sometimes not matching the reality at all. This mechanic is already partially present in the game: most NPCs can be chatted up to learn their thoughts about recent events, although this feature currently doesn’t have any gameplay applications.

After the CoG update, talking with some characters will actually provide you with valuable information, usually hinting at nearby POIs, which will then be marked on the global map. Different types of Points of Interest will have their own rumors associated with them: you’ll be able to learn about nearby camps, hunting grounds, monster dens, unique locations, distant dungeons, and so on.

Keep in mind that sometimes NPCs will request payment for valuable rumors, so make sure to bring your gold purse when fishing for information. If you fail to learn anything useful on your first attempt, don’t be discouraged – you’ll be able to try again in a few days.

Artifacts

Let’s talk about artifacts, a new type of loot with special properties. Artifacts are powerful relics of both recent and ancient past, some of them even dating back to antiquity. They’re usually imbued with mystical properties and can greatly benefit your character if you’re willing to sacrifice inventory space to carry them around.

Artifacts function as unique items: each of them can only be acquired once per playthrough. You’ll be able to find them in distant dungeons – dangerous locations situated far from settlements. These distant dungeons don’t have contracts associated with them, so you’ll have to either find them on your own or rely on rumors.

In the future, we might introduce additional means of acquiring artifacts: you’ll be able to find some of them in special locations, and others – in secret rooms or during quests. But for now, here are some of the artifacts you’ll have a chance to encounter in this update:

Casket with St Wald Relics

“St Wald, one of the first Aldorian saints, left his mark in history as a great preacher and an implacable enemy of heretics and the wicked. His relics are said to possess miraculous properties, capable of warding off the evil eye and cleansing malicious curses”

Effect: grants +30% Unholy Resistance and immunity to the “Curse” effect.

Codex of the Triple Hand Order

“This hefty tome is written in the Order’s notorious code which no one has yet managed to crack. It’s rumored that this book was blessed by all three Hands of the Host, and that it contains the full history of the Order and every mystery of creation they were privy to…”

Effect: killing undead or Proselyte enemies has 25% chance to grant “Blessing” for 100 turns.

Nikos of Arpheon’s Astrolabe

“Nikos of Arpheon was perhaps the greatest seafarer known to the world. He was the first one to make a successful voyage around the Continent about a century ago. Even in the eye of Southern storms or amid icebergs of the North, Nikos’s unparalleled skill as a navigator allowed him to always keep his ship on the chosen course”

Effect: can be used on the surface during night time once per day. Upon activation, grants the effect of “Clear Vision” for 2880 turns, boosting Crit Chance, Accuracy, Vision, and Bonus Range.

Blessed Aquamanile

“A bronze jug in the form of a lion, expertly crafted on the Bronze Isles by an unknown master. Somehow this aquamanile found its way to Aldor, where it was blessed by the Archtheurgist of the High Hieron himself to serve as an eternal source of water to those dying of thirst – whenever emptied, it miraculously refills itself”

Effect: can be used once per day. Upon activation, sates 50% Thirst and also replenishes 25% Health and 15% Condition to each body part.

That’s all for now. Until the next devlog!