Environment

Experience the opportunities and challenges of a changing world

No matter your play style, you would be wise to respect the world around you because there are a variety of different elements to consider as you play. How each one affects you will depend on where your character lives and what role they play in society. Farmers will need to stockpile the harvest for a long winter, or plant resilient crops for a hot summer. Travelers will need to pack the appropriate clothing and travel during advantageous times. Snow-filled mountain passages may become blocked, restricting trade with neighboring towns or trapping a war host that chose the wrong time to march. Cities will crumble and swords will rust if not properly maintained, as the time and weather will wear down even the greatest civilizations.

An Expansive, Dynamic Environment

With thousands of square kilometers to explore, tame, and settle, Elyria is a vast world of unique environments and complex eco-systems. Experience over twenty unique eco-systems, or "biomes," each with their own plant and animal populations, terrain features, and hazards. Each biome contains different resources to exploit, supporting different crafts or unique expressions of common trades. Unique environments also mean unique species, and the eco-systems of Elyria are no exception, offering a literal world full of creatures to discover, tame, hunt, or raise.

As the world changes so too does the environment. If plants and animals can find niches to exploit they will flourish and thrive, potentially even pushing out other species and changing the environment even further. The actions of the Players, NPCs, and animals in the region are all reflected in the changing environments, rippling out across the world to influence everything from the weather to the motivations and needs of the region's animals. When the balance of nature is disturbed, the world reacts.

Survival, Weather, and Seasons

An Elyrian year is seven days on Earth. As Elyria turns, sun, rain, snow, and storms roll through regions contributing to feast and famine the world over. Seasons could last for multiple years and players will need to prepare for each. Everywhere in Elyria, the seasons and weather will be a constant companion - a boon or a challenge to overcome - adding new layers to your experiences and creating economic opportunities!

Similarly, managing temperature, exposure, food, water, and fatigue are core to survival in Elyria. Rather than abstract all these experiences away, Chronicles of Elyria embraces these needs to push players to action, create reasons to interact with others, and drive the economies of the world. Stepping outside a settlement brings risk, but also rewards, for those who dare. Dramatic stories and heroic achievements are made possible through the unexpected.

Discover the Hidden Rewards Below Ground

Ancient caverns and hidden grottoes can be found in many of the biomes of Elyria, each containing unique opportunities or dangers for Elyria's aspiring spelunkers. Priceless gems, deep veins of ore, and even blind horrors of the dark can be found in the caves and sunken ruins of the world. But, should an adventuresome explorer find those hidden riches, a dynasty of wealth and security could be the result.

Beneath the surface of Elyria, a bounty of mineral riches waits to be extracted, smelted, and forged into the tools to drive the progress of Elyria's Kingdoms. Dig out the side of a mountain or cavern as you extract precious ore, excavate the space for a basement beneath your home, or lay out the plans for a grand dungeon or tomb. Tunneling and Mining features allow players to explore and exploit the natural world or even create dungeons.

No Vendor Trash Means a Fully-Working Economy

Elyria is a living, breathing world where what you see is what you get. You can examine anything you see, pick it up, or throw it. You can use tools and furniture and mechanisms. You can hold a candle in your left hand and carry a book in your right. You can chop down a tree or build a structure, changing the world through your action for you and every other player.

Everything in Elyria has a use and a purpose - there is no vendor trash - and the market price will depend on its utility and rarity. Value is determined by the demand, and time will ensure that there will always be demand. The economy of Elyria will depend on recycling of resources and on repair and maintenance as things are worn down by time and weather. In addition, there are no set spawn points for resource nodes and quantities will be limited. There is only so much gold in the world; only so many wolves. Through player action, natural resources could become depleted, maintained, or even cultivated.

Traveling Across Elyria for the Brave

The quality of the terrain upon which you walk will affect how quickly and safely your character will traverse it. A well-worn path will widen with use. If this remains a dirt road, it could become impossibly muddy while it's raining, so paving it could be worth the resources. Steep hillsides will provide a real, high-ground advantage in a skirmish, as sharp inclines and declines will require a character to climb carefully to keep from falling. Sheer rock faces and trees can be climbed with the right equipment or adaptations.

There is no travel or mail system in Elyria that is not handled by the characters. Without fast-travel or UI-based item sharing, players who wish to move things or people from place to place will need to provide the roads, horses, wagons, and other supplies to get there. Between the weather, terrain, rabid animals, and highwaymen that one could encounter, hiring some guards would also be prudent. Even a simple activity like getting to the next town becomes an opportunity for adventure!