Home - caraminden/anathema-roguelike GitHub Wiki

Anathema Manual/Design Document

Story

You have just been named the newest Champion of Darkness, a chosen warrior of Nyx, Goddess of Night. Throughout your homeland of Umbra, the plane of shadow, invaders have been building Temples honoring Sol, God of the Sun and foe to all who dwell in shadow. Nyx has been greatly weakened by this incursion into Umbra, and many of her Champions have fallen in their fight to stem the tide of the coming dawn. As a loyal worshipper of Nyx you have taken up the mantle of Champion of Darkness and set out to prove you are the one who can save your homeland from the invaders. While Nyx has graced you with some measure of her power, she has precious little left to spare and you must help her regain her power to show her that you are worthy to be granted more.

Sol’s worshipers have begun to channel the influence he has gained from these Temples to power the Sunstone, a horrifying artifact with the power to vanquish shadow forever, destroying Nyx, and plunging Umbra into eternal light. You must save your home, and your god, from this a terrible fate. While you alone do not have the strength to face this army in direct combat, you hope that through stealth, guile, and the cover of the remaining darkness, you can prevail. You must travel across the dangerous landscape of Umbra to Desecrate these profane Temples. However, the longer you take, the brighter the Sunstone will grow, and you will begin to lose your greatest advantage, the natural darkness of Umbra.

Each Temple you Desecrate will diminish the light of the Sunstone, and help Nyx regain some the power she has lost, allowing her to grant you enough knowledge to gain a Level. While Desecrating Temples is your main goal as a Champion of Darkness, is not the only way to prove yourself to Nyx and recieve her aid. As you fight Nyx's enemies and save her loyal worshippers who have become Thralls you will gain Favor. This Favor can be expended to gain various small Blessings from Nyx that will aid you in your quest.

Starting the Game

After Character Creation, Nyx teleports you to to a region of Umbra which has had recent reports of enemy activity. Search for the Temple and attempt to kill any of Sol's Zealots or Champions you encounter along the way if you can. Sol's worshipers are not the only threats you must worry about, while Nyx has managed to protect you from the corrupting influence of Sol's Temples, the rest of the inhabitants of Umbra in the area will have become Thralls to Sol's power, and will attempt to kill you on sight. Once you Desecrate the Temple they will be freed, and Nyx will have the strength to grant you enough knowledge and power to gain a Level in the Class of your choice and send you to the next area.

Winning the Game

After you Desecrate 25 of Sol's Temples, Nyx will grant you the title Avatar of Shadow and entrust you with task of striking the final blow in the war for the survival of your entire plane of existence. Nyx will gather all her followers to make a final stand against Sol's army of light. While you will have restored much of Nyx's lost power at this point, there is still no hope in a frontal assault. This desperate attack is only a distraction, an attempt to buy you enough time to stop Sol forever. While the enemy is focused elsewhere, you must sneak into the final Temple, find the Sunstone, and destroy it.

Table Of Contents