Part 1: Awakening

Episode 1: Awakening



MYSTERIOUS WOMAN: Now go, Over-



Welcome back, Underlord.

Mendechaus rudely cuts off the first narrator. He's a disembodied voice, but this portrait seemed fitting.

I must say, I wasn't expecting you quite so soon.

The transference may have left you feeling a bit foggy in the head. Focus now - I'll try to ease you back into it.

Fortunately, this does seem to get easier each time.



This is your home realm - the source of your power and the anchor that binds you to reality. Many years ago, it was destroyed, and you were cast out into formless nothing.

Fortunately, you've returned from your exile, to once again challenge those who would stand between us… and the mortal realm of Kairos.



Your resurrection heralds the next phase of our assault upon its wretched Empire, now led by the newly crowned Emperor Lucius.



But he is least and final of our worries: it's his generals, and the protection of their goddess, Kira, that will truly test our mettle.

Ready yourself, Underlord. Let's begin our war for the overworld!



This is our war table, showing the realm of Kairos. Notice the distinct lack of everything being on fire. We're here to fix that.



Unfortunately, we're stuck doing the tutorial level first. We'll make it quick.



Welcome back Underlord. It's been a long time since you were banished to the Aether…

You've returned as a husk of your former self, but I've taught far denser Underlords than you. Let's start with the basics…

The big glowing green thing in the middle is our dungeon core. If that goes, we go. This is unfortunate, because it seems to attract heroes who want to hit it with their swords.



These little green guys are our workers. They're magical creatures summoned by our will, and they're totally disposable. They're usually pretty efficient, but if you're feeling impatient, there's a mechanic for slapping them to make them work a bit faster. Our first priority is to have them tunnel through the rock towards the jagged thing at the top of the screen.



This is a gateway. This is what monsters use to immigrate to our dungeon. Now that our workers have tunneled to it and claimed it, worthwhile monsters can start appearing here. However, first we have to build something that will attract the monsters. Maybe closets or a big bed for them to hide under?



Actually, what the tutorial wants us to build is this room with a training dummy. Maybe this will attract some really big, muscular fitness bro monsters?



Oh.

A gnarling has entered your dungeon. Attracted by the Barracks, these green-skinned scrappers aren't quite right in the head, and they'll happily hack at your foes until someone is dead.



Actually, gnarlings aren't that bad. Among your early-game monsters, gnarlings are decent melee fighters that work well in large numbers. And since they're attracted by the barracks, which you need to train all of your units, you're inevitably going to attract a lot of them.

In order to keep them fed and happy, I build a pigsty for meat.



And this sleeping quarter. Apparently the latest trend in monster bedroom décor is "gibbet chic".



Before I can complain any more about the interior of this dungeon, the walls are breached by little blue ghosts! They strike so suddenly that I can't even get a good shot of them!



I send in the gnarlings. The ghosts are roughly equivalent to my workers, who are worthless, so the gnarlings make short work of them. Beating the ghosts is the end of the tutorial level, thankfully.



Well done, Underlord. I see it's all coming back quite quickly… I expected nothing less. But there's much still to learn, but why don't we work in a bit of murder while we're at it? It's time for you to enter the realm of Kairos.

Next time, we'll actually get to face some heroes and pillage all their stuff!