Merek Longhold, also known as “The Bolstering Might”, is the newest Hero to join the distinguished ranks of The Order. Wielding a massive halberd and with an ego to match, this hard-hitting, close-combat bruiser is an imposing figure on and off the battlefield. Despite presenting himself as a paragon of law and order, Merek has been known to demonstrate some moral flexibility when it benefits his desires and coin purse.
WHO IS MEREK?
Merek has been a lackey for Hector, the Archbishop of The Order, for more than 20 years. Throughout that time, he doggedly followed Hector’s orders, doing whatever was needed and without question, regardless whether the actions were “right” or “wrong”. Such is the will of The Order.
Merek has developed a desire for living large – with his affluence and narcissism pushing him further into his vices of gambling and drinking. Although he wouldn’t give Edwin the honour of knowing, he is secretly ashamed of how far he has fallen. That said, as the world of Erodar continues to fall deeper into ruins, The Order continues down its broken path, and the glory days fade to just a distant memory, why not have a little fun and earn a bit of coin while doing it?
HALBERD AS BIG AS HIS EGO
It was important to have Merek to have a unique visual identity compared with Edwin and demonstrate his tank/support abilities at-a-glance.
As a starting point, The Order's faction identity generally consists of more use of metal and heavy armour than the other Factions – to emphasise their strength and defensive capabilities. Keeping this in mind, there needed to be a differentiation between Merek and Edwin. Edwin was always intended to be more of a conventional Knight, whereas Merek has been able to take more liberties over his years, with plenty of flair linked to his questionable morality.
Merek is a very powerful and heavy hitting character. He has a much larger and imposing body build, which lends to the visual representation of him being a tank hero, who can also protect those valiant warriors who fight alongside him. Out of all the Heroes, Merek has the largest build and weapon, just to bolster his ego a little bit more.
Merek flaunts his authority with badges adorning his flamboyant armour. Merek's design features pieces of The Order’s flame motif across his metal armour, along with the flaming sword on his tabard. He's much more proud of his affiliation with The Order than Edwin, so we wanted this to feature heavily in his outfit.
However, despite his flashy garb, Merek is also a little unkempt due to the debauchery he gets up to after a hard day's work. He cares little about his appearance outside his golden trinkets and his commitment to The Order, so his armour is never fully maintained. As Merek is always in need of a drink, he is never seen without his wineskin to slake his thirst. You’ll notice he also sneaks a drink during his idle animations and during some of his abilities.
Merek’s voice actor captures his arrogant personality as he tends to have a bit of a brazen attitude and often doesn’t care about the image he projects to others when speaking to them.
Each Hero bears small yet distinct features that link them to their storyline. Make sure to check out our Hero Select screen for even more detail on our characters. For Merek, he bears a scar on his face inflicted by Vizargo twenty years prior in a heated fight… but you’ll learn more about that encounter later in our Campaign.
“THE BOLSTERING MIGHT”
“The Bolstering Might” title came about when our team was deciding to create a Hero combining both tank and support archetypes. The idea was to encourage tight melee unit formations from start-to-end, via a hero with strong melee combat abilities and decent buffs for nearby allies. Merek’s gameplay style is quite different to the other heroes – he is most effective when paired with melee units rather than clearing hordes of enemies by himself. Cleverly using his ability to “heal” closeby units en masse in critical moments is key to mastering his playstyle.
Drinks on Me!: Merek’s passive Skill is unlocked from level 1. Drinks on Me! will activate once Merek takes enough damage, whereby he will then heal allies around him for 5% of his maximum HP. When Merek’s Ultimate, Holy Protector, is active, Drinks on Me! will also heal Merek.
Crushing Weight: At level 2, Merek leaps into action with his active Skill, Crushing Weight. This Skill gives Merek the ability to jump forward, slamming into the ground and damaging and stunning enemies within an Area of Effect radius. Merek also regains armour for each Nightmare slain, scaling per level.
Halberd Hurricane: Merek comes in like a destructive force at level 4 with Halberd Hurricane! The Bolstering Might sweeps his Halberd in a 360 degree arc, damaging all units in the area. There is also a chance to proc Drinks on Me! when he kills an enemy using this skill. Halberd Hurricane can be used multiple times in quick succession and the amount of uses that can be stored increases as Merek levels up. The time it takes for each use to be stored also reduced with each level.
Holy Protector: At level 6, Merek gains the ability to buff and support his loyal comrades with Holy Protector. When this Skill is activated, Merek temporarily grants nearby allies Armor equal to his maximum and recovers it to that maximum if it has been damaged – this applies even to units that don’t ordinarily have Armor. While Merek’s Ultimate is active, Drink's on Me! also restores health to Merek. Holy Protector also buffs Merek's other skills by temporarily increasing the area of effect.
His commitment to protecting The Order is unwavering, despite his questionable judgement… will Merek be the hero you side with? The drinks are on him once the battle has been won!
Please report bugs or crashes to us either through the Steam forums, our Discord server in the ‘bug-reporting’ channel or using the in-game bug reporting tool.
Have a question about the game? We have a handy FAQ we’ve posted on the Steam forums that you can view. If your question hasn’t been answered there, we’ll be doing our best to keep up with questions here, on the forums and our Discord server.
Flames of Retribution is coming! Act I & II of the long-anticipated campaign for Age of Darkness: Final Stand will arrive 19 April worldwide! The Campaign will feature three different Acts, each with their own unique missions building upon the story and taking it to new and horrifying depths.
Let’s take a look back at the story of Age of Darkness: Final Stand, contextualising the perils Protectors face in Survival Mode and setting the scene for new explorers of the grim, dark world of Erodar throughout the Campaign.
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THE ELOSAN WARS - PART 1
Before the world of Erodar had been decimated by The Veil and the vile Nightmares that spewed from it, a different yet equally sinister battle was being waged between the people. Their greed for power created a corrupt world for The Veil to feed on and thus, plunged the world into darkness…
The continents of Erodar, Surabia and Va’Shin are situated on the lush planet of Marua. The overlands, specifically Erodar, were once inhabited by an ancient race known as the Elosa.
The Elosa appear to have originated in Erodar before gradually venturing across the seas to Surabia and Va’Shin, where they first encountered human civilization. Early humanity was scattered and tribal, living in basic communes, eking out their simple existences with meagre farming techniques, basic tools, implements and weaponry. Much later, these settlements would eventually combine to become the first regions of the human Alderin empire.
Both the Elosa and humans were plagued by an emerging threat: Nightmares - horrific creatures that emerged from fissures in the landscape to feed. The Elosa, over time, developed powerful techniques to keep the Nightmares under some semblance of control. Harnessing their own blood as a source of power, the Elosa were able to create enormous protective Dark Crystals, imbued with an energy that prevented the Nightmares from advancing.
Humans, however, had to rely on their own wits and rudimentary devices. As a result, they were heavily predated.
Humans were not viewed by the Elosan society as a threat, but as an opportunity to be harnessed. Through careful intervention, it was believed that human blood might help the Elosans uncover new discoveries, combining human ingenuity with Elosan techniques and capabilities. As such, the Elosan rulers took humanity under their protective reach.
After establishing diplomatic relations, a slow exchange of knowledge took place. It is believed the Elosa are responsible for conferring complex metallurgy and construction techniques upon humanity, teaching them how to create secure settlements and more sophisticated defensive techniques. They also taught the first human Kings how to repair the enormous Dark Crystals that had been damaged by ongoing Nightmare infestations.
These two races worked together and prospered, and for a time, the overlands of Erodar were purged of Nightmares completely. All known fissures were sealed beneath Dark Crystals, held in place by the potent blood rites of the Elosa, and upheld by both the Elosa and trained human representatives.
After several generations, the great human King, Ezekiel, took the throne. Until then, relations between humans and Elosa were steady, but discontent was spreading in the newly-settled human cities on Erodar. Ezekiel’s expansionist mindset proved fruitful for humanity; new cities were being constructed as populations swelled. However, Ezekiel craved more. It was clear to King Ezekiel that the Elosa had a firm hold on the most critical resources of all: Dark Crystal – and the blood in their veins that imbued them with powerful capabilities. Humans had become reliant on the Elosa for protection from the Nightmares for too long. It was time to shift that balance of power…
—————
In our next entry, we continue the story of the Elosans sombre fate…
FLAMES OF RETRIBUTION
Act I & II of the Campaign, Flames of Retribution, includes seven distinct Missions where you step into a world full of epic battles and dire threats. The aftermath of the Elosan Wars has created both internal and external threats for each Hero and character throughout the world.
Watch the story unfold in beautifully scripted cinematics and in game cutscenes, where you will be introduced to captivating characters, some who you have never met before. You may either love or loathe them, so who’s side of history will you be on?
Each Hero has such a rich backstory and thorough gameplay, you will have the chance to learn more about the past and present history of Erodar through voice-acted Lore entries. Within the Missions, Protectors will also have the opportunity to play with characters who are not available in Survival Mode.
The dazzling 3D Mission Select Map will help players feel grounded in the world of Erodar as it provides a visual representation of the landscape the story is taking place in. With each Mission complete, the Hero you are playing as in will move between the regions of the map to get to the next checkmark – which helps players keep track of where they are travelling to throughout the world.
For our apprentice Protectors who have only now joined the fight, the initial Campaign Missions can also act as a tutorial for those who have yet to brave the Darkness in Survival Mode. So whether you are a seasoned fighter or new to the cause, Campaign Mode will immerse you into a world where each decision you make could be the difference between life and death.
With every great saga, there will always be twists and turns… Flames of Retribution is only the beginning.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
Expect more updates and content will rise out of the Darkness once they are ready! A key player in Campaign will also be joining the stellar lineup of Heroes available in Survival Mode to help players defend their Keep from the looming threats that are invading the lands – You’ll be meeting our new valiant Hero very soon.
Keep your sharp eyes peeled for future Campaign release announcements as we are excited to share with you soon when Act III will be available.
So, Protectors, keep your villagers out of harm's way and the enemies abay… you never know what’s lurking in the darkness.
Please report bugs or crashes to us either through the Steam forums, our Discord server in the ‘bug-reporting’ channel or using the in-game bug reporting tool.
Have a question about the game? We have a handy FAQ we’ve posted on the Steam forums that you can view. If your question hasn’t been answered there, we’ll be doing our best to keep up with questions here, on the forums and our Discord server.
Save 25% on Age Of Darkness: Final Stand during the Team17 Spring Sale
Prepare for battle, warriors! ⚔️🛡️
Age of Darkness Final Stand is now 25% off during the Team17 Spring sale! Immerse yourself in this epic strategy game and lead your armies to victory. Don't wait, grab it now at a discounted price!
Now is the ultimate time for you to dive in, defend humanity, and experience Age of Darkness: Final Stand for yourself!
Have a question about the game? We have a handy FAQ we’ve posted on the Steam forums that you can view. If your question hasn’t been answered there, we’ll be doing our best to keep up with questions here, on the forums and our Discord server.
Have a question about the game? We have a handy FAQ we’ve posted on the Steam forums that you can view. If your question hasn’t been answered there, we’ll be doing our best to keep up with questions here, on the forums and our Discord server.
Our fearless Queen of Nothing has always been a community favourite since her release, so we wanted to take the opportunity to give her the justice she deserves and delve deeper into her conception, creation and backstory.
WHO IS AELIS?
After Alderin assassins murdered the royal Syren family, a young Princess Aelis was forced into hiding. From the depths of this betrayal, she formed The Rebellion. Aelis, now known as The Queen of Nothing, rules her loyal rebels with unwavering – and often merciless – strength and cunning.
From a young age, Aelis was more interested in the power of persuasion and politics rather than depending on her privileged upbringing. She showed strength in soft-power techniques – bargaining, diplomacy and, at times, manipulation by coercion. After crossing paths with Sir Edwin, Knight of The Order, he took it upon himself to train her as his protégé, in hopes of tempering her manipulative qualities with some positive social interaction and responsibility.
After Aelis went into hiding, she let rumour spread that she had died along with her family, granting her time to heal from injuries sustained in battle and to regroup her remaining loyalists to fight alongside her. She soon realised there was no way to retake her throne, so she began to slowly amass a following of loyal Syren survivors, and villagers loyal to House Syren. From this support, a new House was formed: The Rebellion, with Aelis assuming the title ‘Queen of Nothing’.
THE QUEEN OF NOTHING
The way Aelis’ title ‘The Queen of Nothing’ came to be is deeply intertwined with her backstory and family politics. Aelis was the last-born in the Syren family, which meant she would likely never become Queen. However, Aelis took her future into her own hands, and although she has no lands of her own, she solidified herself as a self made Queen.
Aelis decided to take destiny into her own hands by utilising her own hard-fought skills, rather than relying on her family name.
She trained endlessly to develop physical skills that would bring her success in battle, as well as honing her martial prowess under the tutelage of Edwin Everard. In fact, Aelis was Edwin’s protégé until the Syren family was dethroned and destroyed by the Alderin Empire. Edwin had not completed her training when war broke out, and had thought she had died that day – and for that, he never forgave himself.
As Aelis laid low for months, she began gathering allies and information, which led to the origins of The Rebellion movement. The Royal Guard she trained with were the loyal soldiers that helped Aelis usurp her fathers throne. The events thereafter added to her purpose, her driven nature and her indiscriminate punishment to all against her cause.
REBEL WITH A CAUSE
Visually, her armour is a combination of her time as a member of a royal family, a reminder of the battles she endured, and a symbol of her rebellious spirit. It is made up of many different materials that she accumulated throughout her life. Aelis’ spear and pieces of her clothing are remnants of Syren regalia and attire combined with elements of the new Rebellion motifs. The sigil on her clothing is that of the Syren monarchy, as is the Spear she wears – a trademark of the late Syren Army.
To bring some more of her own personality into her design, Aelis carries with her an ornate chalice. Aelis has always appreciated a fine wine of Bravaris origin, and this remains one of the few things she allows herself to indulge in.
AELIS’ SKILLS
Each Hero has Skills that are unique to them but also tie into their Faction Identity. The Rebellion is known for their ability to rapidly expand their base and Aelis’ Skills lend to this playstyle.
Royal Decree: Aelis’ first Skill is Royal Decree, her passive. While this Skill is not on cooldown, Aelis Condemns enemies she hits, causing them to take 10% more damage from other sources. As she levels up she will gain Loyal Guards to protect her, if Aelis were to die while a Loyal Guard was alive, the weakest Loyal Guard will die instead, and Aelis will heal for 10% of her max health. This powerful passive has a long cooldown, but as Aelis levels up, the bonus damage enemies are inflicted with will increase and the cooldown period will reduce.
Queens Rage: At level 3, Aelis gains her first active Skill, Queens Rage. This gives her the ability to cast an Area of Effect Skill on player units, causing them to lose -25% Max Health with the trade off of increasing their Attack Damage, including Loyal Guards when active. With each additional level, the Attack Damage buff will increase, as well as the duration of the Skill.
Loyal Command: The Loyal Guards come to Aelis’ aid at level 4 with Loyal Command. She has the ability to spawn two non-controllable Honed Esquires that auto-target enemies, and defend Aelis from nearby threats. If they perish in battle, recasting the Skill will revive any dead Esquires within the maximum available. When Aelis reaches level 5 and 6, she will gain an extra Loyal Guard at both levels.
Eradicate: Aelis’ Ultimate, Eradicate, is unlocked at level 5. This Skill buffs Aelis to give her spear extended range, piercing, and stun chance increase. This buff will also be applied to any Loyal Guards spawned.
Bow down to the rightful ruler and let her guide you on a path to victory… will you stand up and fight for the Queen of Nothing?
Please report bugs or crashes to us either through the Steam forums, our Discord server in the ‘bug-reporting’ channel or using the in-game bug reporting tool.
Have a question about the game? We have a handy FAQ we’ve posted on the Steam forums that you can view. If your question hasn’t been answered there, we’ll be doing our best to keep up with questions here, on the forums and our Discord server.
Save 25% on Age Of Darkness: Final Stand during the Steam Base Builder Fest!
Get ready to build your base defences and hold the nightmares back for less! 🛠️
Age Of Darkness: Final Stand is now 25% off during the Steam Base Builder Fest event until Jan 30th 🤑
Prepare to construct walls, watch towers and Ballista towers and pray that they can hold back the hordes of nightmares that wish to extinguish humanity!
Have a question about the game? We have a handy FAQ we’ve posted on the Steam forums that you can view. If your question hasn’t been answered there, we’ll be doing our best to keep up with questions here, on the forums and our Discord server.
Have a question about the game? We have a handy FAQ we’ve posted on the Steam forums that you can view. If your question hasn’t been answered there, we’ll be doing our best to keep up with questions here, on the forums and our Discord server.
October marked our one year anniversary of our Early Access launch of Age of Darkness: Final Stand. As we approach the end of 2022, we wanted to take this opportunity to show our appreciation for our loyal fans, showcase what we achieved this year, and give you all a taste of what’s to come.
From the beginning, we wanted our journey through Early Access to be undertaken alongside our community. On behalf of the dev team, we appreciate and value everyone's support throughout this period and look forward to bringing you even more exciting content through to v1.0.
This year saw us take Age of Darkness: Final Stand to both Gamescom and PAX Australia to showcase our latest updates. We were also humbled to receive the Australian Game Developer Award (AGDA) for Best Technical Achievement for SwarmTech, our internally-created technology that helps us render up to 70,000 units on screen at once.
To all our regular players, your fight against The Veil hasn’t gone unnoticed! Over the last year you have slain more than two trillion Nightmares and survived almost 30,000 Death Nights. Unfortunately, some were not so lucky, with over 13 million Units and more than 350,000 Heroes fighting valiantly until their dying breath.
NEW FEATURES IN 2022
In 2022, our main goal for Survival Mode was to begin building and solidifying Faction Identity across the board. We wanted each Faction to feel unique, replete with Heroes, Units and Buildings that fit within the world of Erodar and simultaneously represent their Faction’s playstyle.
The Rebellion and Volatist Factions each gained a new Hero to champion their forces:
Vizargo, The Consumed Hand, who was tempted by the Veil and corrupted by the Dark Essence he consumed.
Cyrus, The Rebel Arm, a valiant long ranged Hero of the Rebellion, who will do anything to protect the lands that were taken from his Queen.
Along with the new Heroes, our existing two, Edwin and Aelis, levelled up and gained a new ability each to continue to cleanse Erodar of the evil that plagues it.
To join their fearless leaders on their quest to defend their land, each Faction was granted several new Units to bolster their defences:
The Pikeman joined all three Factions, which added a new melee Unit to defend the Keep.
The Order looked to the Light and were bestowed with the Siege Catapult and Lightbearer.
The Rebellion gained strength for their expansion with the Rogue and Hunter.
Last but not least The Volatists continued their dark experimentation, creating the Cultist and Harbinger.
Across all Factions, a plethora of new Buildings were introduced which expanded the different gameplay styles and build options available to players. Over this year, five new buildings were released: the Watchtower, Triage Tent, Fishing Port, and Refined Lumberyard.
It remains incredibly important that each Faction plays and feels differently, so as an addition on top of the unique Units, the unit modifiers for each Faction were changed slightly. This means that depending on the Faction you choose, your starting Units and Resources will differ, meaning different strategies are required for each.
Along with all these exciting new features, there was also a focus on quality of life implementations, the most notable of these being Priority Targeting and Enemy Inspection. The new Armour system meant that players needed to change their tactics when it came to their Death Night strategy, with each Unit now having a specific place thanks to the need to shred Armour.
New Hardships, Blessings and Malices were created for those who crave an extra challenge – Time Waits for No One and Mortal Coil Hardships, the Rigged Defences Blessing and Catalysing Injuries Malices. Alongside that, we created a more grounded feel to the world with the new Map Progression update, which showed the corruption of The Veil as you explore the Map. To help you find your way around, the Mini-Map filtering system was put in place to better highlight your Hero, Units, Resources and Enemies.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON
As much as we would love to show you everything we are working on, we have to keep some things a secret… but we promise it’s worth the wait!
In the meantime, we can let you in on some things we know you will be excited about. We look forward to sharing more about them when we can.
The Veil’s corruption continues, with a new Hero joining the ranks of The Volatists!
2023 will see the release of our Campaign Mode, featuring bespoke Missions that tell the tale of a long brewing conflict between all the major players in Erodar. During Campaign gameplay, you can look forward to choices that will affect your objectives as well as curated in-game cutscenes.
Follow the conflict that is unfolding throughout Erodar with the Mission Select Map. This that updates at the end of each Mission showcasing which Factions are now occupying which lands.
You will also be treated to stunning cinematics throughout the Campaign to immerse yourself in the journey across Erodar and cultivate the beautiful storyline and lore within Age of Darkness: Final Stand.
Lastly, we know you’ve been patiently waiting for an update on Multiplayer Co-op. Don’t worry... More info is coming soon.
This has definitely been the most hotly-requested feature from our community. It is a gameplay mode that we want to get right from the get go and rest-assured there is a lot of time being poured into it. While we don’t yet have a timeline we’re ready to publicly announce, we are continuing to work towards this alongside all the other content we have planned.
We’re just as excited for Multiplayer as much as you are and can’t wait to see the alliances that form from it! For now here’s a sneak peek at what’s to come.
THAT’S IT, FOR NOW…
Over the next two weeks, our dev team will be taking a well-earned break and coming back refreshed early January. This means that there will be no further Updates for the rest of the year and that we will be a little quieter in Discord.
Thank you for your continued support throughout the year. The Age of Darkness: Final Stand community is the reason we strive for the best, and we look forward to continuing this journey together in the New Year.
Don’t forget to keep your towers lit, your defences armed and villagers safe, you never know what’s hiding in The Veil…
Until next year, For The Light!
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We greatly appreciate everyone who has taken the time to let us know about these bugs and crashes you’ve encountered. If you come across any bugs or crashes in the future, please report them to us either through the Steam forums, our Discord server in the ‘bug-reporting’ channel or using the in-game bug reporting tool. Till next time Protectors of the Light… AoD Social Links:
Age of Darkness: Final Stand - Hotfix Update v0.8.4
Protectors of the Light,
Off the back of our latest Content Update, Rebellion’s Rise, we are bringing you a new Hotfix Update to ensure your playing experience is as smooth as possible.
We are aware there have been some issues with the potential to hinder gameplay, therefore we have prioritised a hotfix to allow Age of Darkness: Final Stand players to enjoy the game over the holiday break without any interruptions.
Going forward, players will also have the choice to roll-back their builds to the previous Content Update should they wish to. This will be available from today and will be an ongoing feature of our future Steam Releases. Please note that our previous Content Update, v0.8.1, is currently available as a roll-back option.
To access the v0.8.1 Content Update, please follow these steps:
Launch Steam.
Navigate to your “Library” and look for Age of Darkness: Final Stand.
Right click Age of Darkness: Final Stand and go to “Properties.”
Navigate to the “Betas” tab in the “Properties” window.
In the Beta Dropdown select: v0.8.1_opt_in
This will auto-enrol you in the Beta Branch and trigger a game update (there is no password for this Beta)
You should now have access to the previous Content Updates from v0.8.1 onwards! But be warned, save files created in later Release Versions will not be compatible with earlier versions.
Our development team will be taking a break over the holidays and will be coming back in the second week of the new year, so this will be our last release of 2022. As always please continue to report bugs to our Steam forums or in the bug reporting channel on our Discord, as we will continue to monitor those channels where possible.
Check out the full patch notes below:
Release Notes
QoL Improvements
Updated Credits to include Voice Actors for Cyrus, Rogue, Harbinger and Lightbearer.
Update the Version Number on the General Feedback panel.
Crashes
Fixed a crash that would occur when Final Stand is triggered.
Fixed a crash where players would be notified of a unit under attack after they had already been killed.
Fixed an issue where selling a building while it was researching or queuing units could cause a crash.
Fixed an issue where there could be invalid unit data between Order & Volatist units that could cause a crash.
Fixed a rare crash caused by hovering the cursor over a building as it was destroyed.
Added additional Sentry logging around areas of suspected crashes.
Fixes & Changes
Fixed an issue where the Reset button for Gameplay Tips was not functioning.
Fixed an issue where after tabbing through control groups, pressing tab with a building selected would cause the bottom row of icons to disappear in the build menu.
Where possible please ensure all drivers are updated to ensure the best and smoothest performance.
--- We greatly appreciate everyone who has taken the time to let us know about these bugs and crashes you’ve encountered. If you come across any bugs or crashes in the future, please report them to us either through the Steam forums, our Discord server in the ‘bug-reporting’ channel or using the in-game bug reporting tool.
A new loyal Hero has joined the ranks of the Rebellion. Introducing Cyrus Bravaris, The Rebel Arm – the first ranged Hero in Age of Darkness: Final Stand.
Cyrus was born into a noble family who served the Syren monarchy of old. Being the youngest of his family, he was driven to outperform his siblings and quickly gained recognition as a skilled marksman and tactician.
He was a key member of the Syren army during the Rebellion War, however, when the Syrens ultimately lost the conflict, his family’s land was seized. Instead of fleeing with them to start a new life, he returned to save Aelis from the enemy. For his bravery and loyalty, he was appointed as Queen Aelis’ sworn protector and commander of her standing rebel army.
DESIGNING CYRUS
Each Hero’s backstory directly influences their art, design intentions and playstyle. While rescuing Aelis, Cyrus’ leg was badly injured, leaving him with a permanent limp. This created an intriguing and unique choice when it came to how he holds himself, the way he moves and his functionality in-game. This also ties into his gameplay and feel, as you will notice each Hero has a slightly different skill cap level.
When Cyrus is standing or walking, you will notice that he leans on his bow to use as a mobility tool. When it’s time to destroy his enemies, he plants his bow on the ground to stabilise himself.
Cyrus is very powerful, however, he moves at a slightly slower pace in comparison to other Heroes. To compensate for this, Cyrus has a long attack range. As they say, slow and steady wins the race – or in this case, the battle against the Nightmares that plague Erodar.
Cyrus is a proud leader within the Rebellion army, as represented by liberal use of red and a faction crest adorning his chest. Unlike other characters, Cyrus wears gold paint and adornments to reflect his noble background, and uses cloth and leather armour to afford extra dexterity. See concept art below:
CYRUS' SKILLS
Cyrus has four Skills, all of which allow him to put out consistent damage from a safe distance. He is highly capable against swarms, which will be indispensable when the Veil rolls in and the Nightmares crawl out.
Splintering Shot: Cyrus’ first Skill is a Passive Skill which gives his shots a chance to splinter, dealing damage in a cone-shaped area to Nightmares behind the main target.
Caltrops: Unlocking at Level Three, Cyrus’ Caltrops can be placed in a targeted area to cause serious destruction. Once placed, they will lay in wait for an unlucky Nightmare to stumble upon them, causing them to explode and inflicting Slow and damage in an area around them.
Snipe: The second Skill, Snipe, unlocks at Level Four. A manually activated Skill, Snipe charges an arrow that fires a long distance and inflicts high damage to all the enemies it passes through.
Violent Volley: Cyrus at Level Six will unlock his Ultimate Ability, Violent Volley. When Violent Volley is triggered, he will shoot arrows into air that will then rain down on the enemies, dealing damage in a circle where they land. Not only that, but for a short period after, Cyrus gains an increased chance to trigger Splintering Shot and Increased Attack Speed.
It’s time to hone your senses and restring your bows – the enemy will regret the day they crossed Cyrus’ path. Serve your Queen and take over the lands for Rebellion honour!
Please report bugs or crashes to us either through the Steam forums, our Discord server in the ‘bug-reporting’ channel or using the in-game bug reporting tool.
Have a question about the game? We have a handy FAQ we’ve posted on the Steam forums that you can view. If your question hasn’t been answered there, we’ll be doing our best to keep up with questions here, on the forums and our Discord server.
