Content Update: Rumours and More

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The first update of our roadmap is finally here!

You can read the full patch notes here.

In general, the rumours system, as introduced at the beginning of early access, was minimal compared to what we had in mind for this feature. We were very happy to see how many of you already enjoyed it at that phase!

The goal of this update was to expand the system and introduce another layer of decision-making and consequences that reflect the kind of Bloodlord you choose to be. Will you rule as a tyrant or a respected lord?

Let’s sink our teeth into it!

Rumours are spreading...

First, we expanded the pool of rumours from 25 to 54, divided into several categories: very positive, positive, neutral, negative, and very negative. Each rumour now directly affects the Prosperity and Morale of your village, depending on the category it belongs to.

Example:

Short-tempered

Village effect: Village Morale -2 (each night)

Effect if turned into a Vampire: Max. Loyalty -5, Max Loyalty of all Vampire Servants -1

Prosperity and Morale

These new village statistics replace the previous Wealth stat.

Both are influenced by the villagers living in your settlement and the rumours associated with them. Your actions also play a role: killing a villager or turning them into a vampire will impact these stats.

Prosperity determines how much tax you can collect from Overseers and the head of the village of Medresti Boian.

Morale affects how your village grows. It determines the maximum number of villagers that can be in your village and how many new villagers arrive each night. It also influences the quality of Morale-related rumours in the village.

Both of these can also be affected by the Aristocrat outfit you wear. Until now, wearing an Aristocrat outfit simply made villagers less fearful of you. We have expanded this, and Aristocrat outfits now influence several interactions: they increase the chance of receiving an additional rumour, reduce the cost of fast travel with the Coachman, and can affect whether conversations with villagers increase village Morale or Prosperity.

Vampire Servants

Your undead servants are also influenced by the rumours. The rumours about a villager determine what effects they may have on loyalty and what kinds of demands they develop in undeath, both positive and negative. Choosing whom to turn into a vampire is, therefore, an important decision!

For example, a vampire might increase or decrease the maximum loyalty of your servants on Castle Hill based on rumours such as “Respected by the community” or “Can’t stand people.” Some may even bring unexpected benefits, like delivering a gem to the Global Storage each night, while others might develop unusual… demands.

Vampire Demands

The variety of demands your servants can develop has also been expanded.

Certain rumours may eventually manifest as demands tied directly to a vampire’s past. This can lead to a variety of demands, from something as simple as requesting a new piece of furniture for the castle, to far more sinister requests… such as demanding the death of a villager.

Other Smaller Updates

• The Coachman is a well-travelled man and, for a couple of coins, can now offer rumours from other regions.

• The Castle level now determines the maximum loyalty vampires can reach on Castle Hill, giving you more room to manage and develop your undead court as the castle expands.

• Every region in Sangavia is different, and we wanted to reflect this in villager names as well. Villager names now depend on the village they originate from.

• There is now a chance to obtain a Frozen Vampire Tear when looting the corpse of a defeated Inquisitor. This item can be used to gain 1 Arcana point for yourself, sold to a trader, or given to another player in multiplayer.

We hope you enjoy exploring the expanded rumours system and the new possibilities it brings to your rule! As always, we look forward to hearing your feedback.

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