I played throught the brakka path and it seems like the event in Fort Ard is happening at the same time(haven’t played the crawler path yet), while we escape brakka. So does that mean that my MC can’t become the leader of the rebels, and eventually chancelor after the entire pirate journey in New Yeirshee?
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Hi, @Randomguy, thanks for joining those hard-working Brakka folks, they need a bit of help.
If you escape the crawler path you will not be able to join it, although this does not mean you won’t see the crawler again. As you said, events continue on the crawler, except now you are not a part of them. Instead, you will join the road pirates (similar to the rebels in many ways) or end up on a Cold Pact Crawler.
When/if you encounter the Despair’s Demise again, you may still be able to wield influence over it, though as an outside party. You won’t become a chancellor of the Despair’s Demise, but can take an important role in the establishment of a new nation in the ash, the Free Country.
At present, the crawler path is the most developed. I am expanding the New Yeirshee/Road Pirate path right now and will continue the Brakka path afterwards. Each path will give you differing insights into the coming war and the revolution.
The affects of these choices will continue into book 2 (the final book).
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Love the game, but I wanted to ask what was the name of the Dwarven faction again? I mean its pretty sick cuz the faction gives you chaos dwarves vibe (and yes I despise the humans and the clean shaven dwarves AHAHAHA). But I forgot its name while playing the game, and also are there any fan art on some of these ash crawlers? Would be real nice if I can see what crawlers made by meh might race look like.
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What kind of discipline habits may I ask? I struggle with doing my assignments for college cuz I always get hooked up by discord or some WIP games or ytube and then I spend the whole day on it. Would be really nice to see how other people discipline themselves.
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Hi @Zahmed, the factions of dwarven supremacists applaud you! May our beards grow long and voluminous!
The northern alliance, which contains the vast majority of dwarven nations, and the human nation of Yonderfolde, is called the Cold Pact. The greatest, most powerful dwarven nation is Brimstone’s Goad, although Yonderfolde is, nominally, the leader of the Cold Pact. These hardy humans, who are very much into raising the undead, are seen to be a cut above their kin by the dwarves.
As to my habits, it is very difficult to ignore the distractions of life. I would say, as much as my opinion is worth, to set aside some time everyday, or most days, even just half an hour, although don’t be too strict. If, on certain days, the muse isn’t with you, perhaps 20 minutes will do. On other days, perhaps more than half a hour. Before you start the writing session, to warm up, read through what you did the day before and modify it if you find mistakes.
Set a realistic minimum wordcount. If time is very pressing, 250 words, or 500 perhaps (even 100 to start with). Then, whatever happens, you can ensure that, mentally, you don’t feel disappointed if you don’t get as much done as you wanted.
Try to stick to this, to maintain enthusiasm, and you might find the wordcount increase, along with your writing endurance. Sometimes, it is good to divide your writing session, if more than an hour, into two separate sessions.
I am not an expert by any means. When I was in college, writing 500 words seemed loads and distraction were plentiful. I am able to control my workflow much better now.
Another thing I find helps is that if I watch a show, movie, read a book or listen to music and something suddenly gives me ideas and inspiration, I make sure to scribble them down. This helps me look forward to my next writing session.
It might be a cliché, but I view it like exercise, start slow and light and gradually build up. If you take a break, go back and start slow and light again.
These days, when I have more time, I set aside many hours. Some days, I do 2 sessions of this. But I have become a bit obsessed and misanthropic!!!
These are just my thoughts. You ask a very good question, it might be worth asking it again in the general forum to see what some of the more accomplished writers say.
May your beard always be bristly!
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So I played through the rebel path, really enjoyed it especially the end fight.
Just have to say, I can’t wait to see what’s happening in Drekiana’s wish,and just the mention of the dragon islands makes me deduce that you will make a separate game about exploring them,The thought of meeting a mythical dragon is exhilarating. Just a quick question, what sort of power will uncorrupted etherneer MC be able to wield? I assume it’s not that much since magic is not what it used to be. But the idea of an MC that uses ancient magic is enticing perhaps in this or another game in the world of Arbit/Behatland. To think of it I don’t remember the name of the planet/world this story is set in,if it was mentioned anywhere.Anyways I really love this demo and endless possibilities you have coded.
Also I did find it a little weird that in the rebel path when running for chancellor, if you have earned Rumble’s respect, it says he won’t badmouth you, but later campaigning he spreads rumors and attacks your supporters.
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@Randomguy Awesome that you played it through and enjoyed it! Makes my day! Hope you got hold of the Chancellorship despite Rumble’s intentions.
Yes, Rumble has become possessed by ambition. He does not play fair and will scheme against you regardless; however, his rumours will have less of an effect if he respects you. He doesn’t get quite so nasty, but still wants to win.
The world is called WHITTLEWEALD, though called KROG PILE by the orcs. You can find the name on the stat pages when you see the map of Behatland. I try not to lore drop out of context and let the player discover things as they go along through the eyes of their character, who would already know the name of the world. However, this does mean that I rarely mention the name of the world as the story takes place across 2 continents and not the whole globe. I should really mention it more often! Players need to know where they are!
Officially, I have named the games set in this world the Krog Pile Arc, though after A Shriek of Ash and Fire, Book 2, the third main game will take on galactic proportions in the far future.
You have a good point. Our non-corrupted etherneer MC is not the most powerful of mages. It is a good idea to give them more oomph when they finally reach Drekiana’s Wish- which will be in book 2. If they play their cards right, they may well get to deal with dragons… Magic is a big deal to the folks here, similar to the Nagarese, except the Dragonlands haven’t had to compete with other nations going through industrialisation, though have had their fair share of internal troubles.
I know some other types of MCs can get pretty powerful, although most of the book focuses on them merely surviving. The full influence of every type of MC will be unleashed in book 2, especially when we return to Behatland.
EDIT: Ah, yes, a visit to the Dragonlands. This is a possibility for a DLC for An Unexpectedly Green Journey (my previous game), perhaps for an expanded Adventurer’s Guild route. Perhaps even in other future stories. I envision the place to be a continent-sized archipelago of towering cliff islands traversable only through flight, or an intricate network of bridges. This may change.
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Hello! I’m wondering if the next update will be about the Basilisk. I’ve played all the possible playthrough and I think the Basilisk route is the most interesting. Cheers!
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Hi @Door_kiczx
The Basilisk path does change things up. I am looking forward to getting back to it.
However, I want to bring the New Yerishee path up to date and bring you, eventually, to Fort Ard. This may happen this month. After that, I’ll work on the Brakka path, which will need to arrive at Fort Ard, too, eventually.
Then, we’ll be on the last few segments of this book, where, with variances, all paths will converge for the final act.
Though there will be similarities with the endings here, your choices will greatly affect the start of book 2 and the subsequent events. The threads of your story will converge and knot, before splitting again.
EDIT: (22/05/2025)
Quick update. I am finishing up my newest Patreon update (update 12) over the next few days, or week or so. This will bring the full WIP to over 1.12 million words.
When I post the new Patreon update I will also post update 11 here, the Free Country Update. This will take the HG Forum version up to 985k words.
Thought the Road Warriors among you would like to hear! Don’t want those cranker spigots to get rusty.
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In recognition of my 2-year anniversary on these forums (yesterday) I present…
HG FORUM UPDATE 11 (approx 110K, 995k+ total- 29th May 2025)
Hi ash-smudged, fearless road warriors,
The latest update, with an extra 110K+ of revving content, totalling over 995K (almost a million!!!), has just dropped for the hard-as-nails HG Forum folks!
Create the largest road fleet in Zthullu, battle against the gangs of the wasteland, defeat a possessed Cold Pact Crawler and forge a new nation, the Free Country. Your band of pirates, the dregs of the ash, possess the grit and ingenuity to rise above their misery and the mistakes of the old world. Even in Zthullu, the toxic, barren, haunted land, those with the will and courage can persevere.
-Added two new testing starts, one for those with oily, engine-delving panache and one for wannabe snake mages starting in New Yerishee. Be advised, these test-starts present you with an unrealistically well-rounded and competent MC.
-Build your fleet to take on all-comers and bring order to the ash.
-Use tactics, diplomacy or sheer force to tame the largest gangs in the wastes.
-Fight the Zthullu Zoomers, a bunch of goblins led by orcs driving a giga-carrier.
-Overcome the Ashland Angels, dray-driving dwarves who’ve carved a town of workshops, roads and turrets from the scrap they’ve found.
-Crush the Bulletlockers, a bunch of carrier-riding humans, led by a demonically possessed nutter commanding a throng of mutants.
-Finally, take on the undead-infested ruin of the Cold Pact Crawler, Pale Lady. Become the Abhidhar and battle the demonic force at the great metal-beast’s core, or salvage her cannons to use against her.
-Found a capital and a new nation, represented on the map in the stats screens.
-Added title music. (Note, the title music does not always play immediately on Cogdemos, sometimes you have to hit ‘restart’ to hear it.)
In ash and hopelessness, can you create the foundations for a new home?
TIP: If you are having trouble with the bounty hunter road battles, become a gunner on a carrier, and your crewmates will see you through.
As always, I hope you all enjoy it. Please let me know if you find typos and bugs, and I will try to get it sorted ASAP!
Currently, the latest Patreon Update, which dropped today, expands the Road Fleet Path further, giving the game 1.14 million words of content. It is available to all Krog Tier patrons and will be up on these forums in about a month.
The link to the HG Forum update can be found in the first post.
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The fact that you’re at a million and the year isnt even halfway done is crazy. Props to you, man. Now I gotta play through everything.
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Hi @q_riley
Thanks for continuing to adventure with me out in the ash! It is always great to have company on the rickety vapour dray.
I think we are well more than halfway through Book 1, although I have a feeling that Book 1 will be longer than Green. I still have the Cold Pact path to add, which will be the more evil-inclined path.
At the end of updates 11 and 12 (the current Patreon update, coming here next month), the Road Fleet and Despair’s Demise paths will merge, although with some differences. Plus, the Basilisk Crawler path may deal with the Road Fleet in an entirely different way.
The end is approaching, but I am rubbish at estimating the length of things and the timings of things!
But somehow, someway, someday we will get there!
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Hey, ill gladly keep waiting, your demos are always a joy to read
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How is this story? It has everything excellent: the writing, the story, the quality, and the quantity. You must learn from this man. He is legendary. I hope his games spread.
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Hi @Mahalalel,
Mate, thanks so much for your support. Really appreciate it, your message helps to keep me going massively. As you know, we must have each other’s backs out in the wasteland!
I just want to take us all on an epic adventure, and it wouldn’t mean anything if nobody enjoyed it. May your wheels always spin true and your fuel pipes pump that good etherash to speed you on your way!
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Hey random question. Is there any news about adding cheats, I remember there being a discussion, is that in the works or is it up in the air?
Trying to decide if I should just run another play through now or wait
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Still up in the air
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I do have news about this. I will be adding cheats, limited only to improving your initial stats. Both here and on Patreon, the majority of players said they would like the option to cheat.
I’m not sure when, exactly. I will also add some achievements which cannot be earned with activated cheats, as an incentive to those who don’t want the option. (There will also be an achievement you get for activating the cheats.) I plan to add the cheats in a dream sequence, a visit from the Crone of Fates on the first night in the Director Lancer train, when you are forcibly conscripted and taken from Grandardgard. Oh- and, siding with the Basilisk will probably nullify cheats as you are given a whole new set of stats.
Right now, I have included many tester starts, available after you decide your character’s name and class. This gives you an overpowered character, though, usually, heavily favoured to rely on one or two stats. It is possible, with stats and skills combined, to cover several ‘classes’, although the tester starts are not set up this way.
I will keep you updated as and when I add the cheat options. It is coming, but I am prioritising getting the base game done first. I will also endeavour to add a checkpoint save system, similar to Green Journey.
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I analyzed the firearms and vehicles present that the MC can use in this game
Note: There are real-life references to similar firearms and vehicles like those described but real-life firearms lack runic techonolgy
Firearms:
Ashsnap
- It is a modified flashsnap that is runed against clogging/jamming, has a rune torch akin to a flashlight, and a retractable combat blade akin to a bayonet commonly found in muskets. For close combat purposes, it can be formed into a long sword by unfolding sheets of metal to form a blade. The Ashsnap closely resembles modern pistols like the Glock or the Desert Eagle
Flashspray
- It is a modified Ashsnap designed to rapid-fire bullets, but it has a limited range which makes it inaccurate, akin to sub-machine guns or SMGs for short, only those skilled in tinkering or blessed with good luck (AKA, those who can manipulate the ether to their benefit) can utilize the Flashspray, in real-life applications of the SMG, it is only useful in close range.
Blustercrank
- It is a large, heavy, multi-barrelled and rapid-firing gun that shoots out more powerful shots than the Flashspray, the design and recoil of the Blustercrank is very heavy that only strong people can use it, somtimes it is found mounted in certain vehicles, like the Flashspray, it’s rapid fire makes the shots inaccurate. The Blustercrank is a hybrid of a Heavy Machine Gun and a Shotgun, there are some real life examples of hybrid weapons, but the closest examples are the HMGs used in World War 1 and World War 2
Boomtube
- Forged from iron and mithril, it is a explosive-propelled rifle that normally uses flashbang grenades, other types of explosives can be used, the complexity of using it means that, like the Flashspray, only those skilled in tinkering or blessed with good luck (AKA, those who can manipulate the ether to their benefit) can utilize the Boomtube, the Boomtube is akin to real-life Grenade Launchers.
Farsnipe
- It is a long-barrelled, high-velocity rifle, it is used to target long-ranged enemies and snipe them with powerful accuarcy, since the barrel is very long, and the length of the gun itself makes it hard to aim, only those with great perception and hand-to-eye coordination akin to real life snipers can utilize the Farsnipe, the Farsnipe is akin to real-life sniper rifles, more accuartely the Barrett M82A1.
Vehicles:
Steamsteed
- It is a nimble, light, and ultra-responsive two-wheeler that can accelerate rapidly at high speeds, but it is very fragile to more powerful weapons, only a few people, especially with very good reflexes can operate a Steamsteed, it’s small size and frame can only fit two people, and it is mounted with a Flashburst (A bigger and more powerful Flashspray) in the front for rapid-fire but inaacurate shots. The Steamsteed is likely akin to modern motorcycles, the closest is the Harley-Davidson Chopper Bike.
Vapour Dray
- It is a four-wheeled vehicle with a reinforced frame, it is quick and durable and easier to control than the Steamsteed, it’s sligly bigger frame can fit up to 4 people, and it is mounted with two Flashbursts in the front for rapid-fire but inaacurate shots. The Vapour Dray is likely akin to either military jeeps or dune buggies. The more likely reference being dune buggies
Carrier Ram
- It is a thickly armored vehicle that can take a beating from bullets and even explosives, it also has tank tracks for climbing steep slopes and traversing through off-road terrain, it also has a mounted Blustercrank and can fit a dozen people (12 people for numbers), although it is very slow and bulky, making the Carrier Ram an easy targer for more agile vehicles, and is unreliable for chasing and/or escape. The Carrier Ram, although it’s traits resemble those of a tank, it is more likely close to APCs (Armored Personel Carriers).
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Hi mates, you have pretty much hit the nail on the head! Love this.
Steamsteeds are, basically motorbikes.
Vapour drays are 4 seated carriages, with many varieties, though those we find in Zthullu are, indeed, like dune buggies. A jeep would be a good fit too. At a push, you can cram more than 4 in, but it is not designed for this.
Carrier Rams are, pretty much, Armoured Personnel Carriers, though also a mobile gun platform. I do imagine they will form the basis of the first tanks too. At heart, if you strip away the mounted weapons and armour, and replace the tracks with wheels, they are engenies, a civilian bus of sorts.
Also, love your gun descriptions and modern equivalents. I am tempted to take the hidden sword out of the ashsnap- I don’t know if I ever use it! To be sure, luck isn’t that useful for boom tubes. Flashsprays rely more on luck than anything else have have been cast with a dash of etherash to supplement to goads of fortune.
There is one more weapon our MC can get their hands on to attach to their cog and coil panoply in the Basilisk path. I’ll put the description here.
Braychoker
A black, doubled-barrelled braychoker is mounted on your left shoulder. Complex brass piping snakes along its body, venting excess heat from a miniature boiler located near the stock towards the firing chamber.
Firing adamantine rounds in a super-heated steam spray, the braychoker is deadly at close to medium range. Each shot fires 2 rounds.
Perhaps we can call this a, sort of, shotgun.
Great work, Lore Master Patrick!
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