Greetings, survivors!

The enthusiasm of your feedback about the Plague system during the Alpha has been infectious. You have inspired us to overhaul everything Plague-related — from the core design to details like Plague management and deeper mechanics. Today’s post is all about this major Plague redesign that we have devised as a symptom of your feedback. We hope to make Plague mechanics more transparent to you, our players, since the Plague will become a core part of your gameplay, as you devise new ways to fight and even interact with the Plague.

We’ve identified five core pillars of the Plague:

1. Plague as a Physical Force

2. Plague as a Tool and Economic Force

3. Plague as an Environmental System

4. Plague as a Psychological & Biological Threat

5. Plague Counterplay

Plague as a Physical Force

Previously, the Plague was just a random and a wild force, without any real evolving “path” or understandable behavior. But now, as you venture through the world of Norovellir, you will see the Plague change with you. 

We have defined three distinct levels of Plague growth in the world. At the very first level, you will start seeing Plague fungi and spores. These mysterious red “mushrooms” will grow on unburnt corpses and will always be accompanied by Plague Spores, shown with a red mist around them. We highly recommend keeping your distance from these, as a careless approach will only quicken the spread of Plague in the area. If left unchecked, these will evolve to the next stage — Plague Mycelium. 

Plague Mycelium is a much more dangerous stage of Plague evolution. These will grow on unburnt Plague sites and will spread more spores in the area around them. If you are not thorough in your eradication efforts, they will regrow in time and resume spreading the Plague in nearby lands. A more creative approach will be required to either contain or eradicate them for good. 

But what if you didn’t notice Mycelium growth? That’s when the Plague  ascends to the most dangerous stage of its evolution. With time, it will evolve into Plague Scabs — think of them as Plague crystals of sorts. These new formations will protect the Plague source from outside harm and form a protective shell around it. However, it also will provide you with new resources if you manage to break the shell and exterminate the fungus hiding beneath it. These resources will be crucial in your journey, which we will explain in detail below.  

Together with these three stages, there are new ways for the Plague to fight back and hinder your journey. In some areas, you will encounter Plague Roots and Plague Swamps.
The roots will slow you down and deal some damage if you step on them, so tread carefully, survivor.

Plague swamps, on the other hand, are contained areas that you will discover much later on in your journey. Navigating them will require a careful approach, but you might also find the ancient secrets that they hide. If there’s a risk, there’s a reward. 

These are the new ways of interacting with the Plague that infects the world around you. It may sound tough, but worry not: you can also harness Plague powers for your own benefit now.

Plague as a Tool and Economic Force

Every now and then, you will stumble upon Plague-Touched Relics — special items that had been in contact with the Plague for such a long time that they absorbed some of its power. The hidden power of these objects is potent, but no one really knows what it can do to you. Could they serve you as a powerful tool in your adventures? Or lead to your demise? Time will tell.

Next up are the Plague Scabs — destroying these otherworldly objects will yield Plague Ore, a powerful resource that will unlock new item-crafting options as well. And that fungus below it has a Plague nucleus inside of it, which serves as a crucial component for a very potent Plague cure. This is extremely important, since we’ve also changed the entire process of falling ill with the Plague and how it affects you and your villagers. 

Plague as an Environmental System

As the Plague evolves, it will spread to more areas around the original infection site. With time, these zones, if left unchecked, will expand and infect bigger areas of your land. It will be up to you to see how you want to interact with the Plague: either try to eradicate it as fast as possible, or let it grow for a chance of obtaining a powerful resource that will transform your journey in the lands of Norovellir. 

For now, that’s all we can share about the Plague. In the second part, we will share details about how the Plague affects your body, mind, and soul, as well as the countermeasures that you can use to fight it. 

Don’t forget to wishlist and follow Nested Lands so you won’t miss the second part of the story!

Godspeed, survivors.