Vikland's Obsidian Valley

December 15, 2022

Adventurers must pass through an ancient tunnel system to access the Obsidian Valley beyond.

The initial beauty of the Obsidian Valley deceptively hides the abominations that hide among its ruins.

Keith created the Vikland region as very large, a long coastal forest with many mountains, several ruins, a village, and a secret valley inaccessible to players until after they begin a certain quest. The quest starts in the village and is available to any player with access to Shroud of the Avatar's Episode 2 expansion. Partway through that quest, the player will be sent to a saber-toothed tiger lair, which happens to include an ancient locked door. When two nearby statues are manipulated in the correct way, a puzzle is solved and the door opens.

Beyond the unlocked door are crumbling corridors and large, natural caverns, which include low-threat enemies and harvestable resources. A gatekeeper will be found toward the end of this ancient corridor system who blocks the exit into the valley. Players have the option to convince him to surrender the key, kill him for his key, or avoid him and go through an unlocked corridor with a simple battle.

When a player first enters the Obsidian Valley, they'll find the decaying ruins of a bygone age, overgrown with unrestrained flora and infested with beings unaware that their malicious master was defeated hundreds of years ago. Also, explorers will be happy to find that the valley includes several hidden locations, chests with simple puzzle locks, and Easter eggs.

When players step on a special platform on the far side of the valley, a battle will be triggered that includes several waves of increasingly-tougher enemies and ending with a powerful "witch." Those who kill the witch will find a generous amount of loot that includes a special crystal. For a short time after the battle's conclusion, the crystal can be used to unlock the witch's private lab in a nearby tower, allowing clever players to get even more loot than expected.

Tags: boss fight, Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding