Welcome to Elemental:War of Magic, a fantasy strategy game for the PC!
Elemental is about you.
It turns out, you are a powerful Sorcerer. And the world needs you. Badly. About 160 years ago, there was a huge cataclysmic battle that nearly destroyed the world. It was so bad that it has been only in the past few years that people have become numerous enough to begin starting up settlements again.
So the world is in pretty bad shape. How much of it you want to take on is up to you. You can either begin your efforts in a place you already know or you can just randomly be transported to begin your epic saga. But the world isn’t a very pleasant place right now.
During the past century though, the wilds have become populated by bandits, monsters, and other nasties that you will have to fight off as you try to reclaim the world in the name of your Kingdom – or Empire.
Speaking of which, you will need to decide which group of people you want to lead. It turns out that very few people actually are capable of using magic. A long time ago, a group of evil magic users decided that only they should be able to use magic and took all the world’s magic and stored them into a series of large crystals that themselves are really just pieces of an even larger crystal. These “shards” will become crucial to your future. In the meantime, these people are looking to you for leadership since you happen to be able to channel magic from these shards.
The world is populated by 10 different groups of people.
And I use the term “people” loosely here.
These people have loosely gravitated towards two ideologies.
One ideology believes in the rule of law and the importance of an orderly society. These are the Kingdoms. 5 different factions have chosen this ideology and all of them are the same race – men. However, if you ask them, they’ll scoff at this. They’ll say there are huge differences between Amarians and Ironeers. Whatever.
The other ideology believes that power comes from the individual. That the world has become savage and to survive and prosper, the strongest and most fittest must be allowed to rise up to their potential. These are the Empires. And unlike the Kingdoms which are all men, the Empires are much more diverse.
Each of the five factions of the Empires are a different race.
Now, not all these factions are equally capable. Some are challenging, some are “normal”, some are fools and some are doom givers. How you deal with this is up to you.
When you start out, you have nothing.
Nothing.
But you’re not alone. Well, okay, yes, you’re alone but you won’t be alone for long.
The world is still littered with the flotsam and jetsam of ruined civilizations which you can scavenge things from. In addition, there are some powerful people out there looking to join a cause greater than themselves.
The key, however, is making sure you find right locations for your settlements. The world isn’t in any shape to just build farms anywhere. Only tiny bits of land are arable.
Once you found your Kingdom (or Empire) you will want to set up a beacon, some sign to let people know that you’re open for business. Get people to start coming out of the wilds to begin living a civilized existence again (and for some, the first time).
As you venture out into the wilds, you will find that there are bits of civilization already out there. The occasional Inn or Hut may offer you a chance for some adventure. These are great ways to find much needed equipment, knowledge, and other relics.
Unfortunately, the wilds aren’t particularly safe. Wandering alone (or letting your settlement go undefended) is dangerous.
For that reason, you’ll want to train some of your new citizens to defend the settlement and your territory in general.
As your new Empire (or Kingdom) expands, you’ll discover that you’re not the only one who has ambitions. Soon you will have to contend with them either peacefully or at the tip of a sword.
Your strategy for victory? That’s up to you. Magical Spell knowledge is one path. Mundane conquest is another. Or perhaps you may locate some ultimate magical weapon to dominate all beings in the world. All I can say is that your adventure is just beginning.
Good luck!