Camelot Unchained

Camelot Unchained
Developer(s)	City State Entertainment
Publisher(s)	City State Entertainment
Designer(s)	Mark Jacobs
Engine	Unchained Engine (Proprietary)
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	‹See Tfd› : 2017
Genre(s)	Massively multiplayer online role-playing
Mode(s)	Multiplayer

Camelot Unchained is an upcoming fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game from City State Entertainment which was partially funded through Kickstarter. Involved in its production is Mark Jacobs the former designer of Dark Age of Camelot. Its crowd funding campaign raised US$2,232,933 through Kickstarter, with Jacobs promising to contribute an additional US$2 million from his own assets, as well as an additional US$1 million from investors pending completion of a successful Kickstarter campaign which occurred on May 2, 2013.

Gameplay

Camelot Unchained is considered to be a spiritual successor to Mark Jacobs' prior game Dark Age of Camelot and will prominently feature a PvP-centric design which Jacobs now calls "Tri-Realm".^[1][2] Also like DAoC, the game will borrow from Arthurian legend, Norse mythology, and Irish mythology while adding new and original elements to it.^[2][3] The game is planned to have large scale PvP battles as a primary focus to its gameplay.^[4] Jacobs denies considering the game a spiritual successor to DAoC although stating he could have legally done so had he chosen to.^[5][6]

Setting

Taking place after an apocalyptic event known as First Breaking of the World. Eons ago, the Veil was pierced. The Veil was the only border between our world and a stranger, more magical world Beyond. Through that tear in reality came the Dragons. Some hold that the Veil itself is alive; a mysterious entity that did not like being pierced. At all. Its violent reactions caused the Veilstorms. These storms tore across the earth and changed everything. Abominations and new races were forged from the fires of magic and winds of the Veilstorms, creating something new out of humanity. Sometimes, the changes made them stronger; usually, the unchecked magic made humans into monsters.

Then came the Emissaries; mysterious creatures from beyond the Veil who came to this world during the Piercing. The Emissaries gifted the diverse races with immortality in order to repopulate the world. They forged three swords of power and who ever can pull the sword from anvil will become a king. Three brothers appeared, and took the three swords. With the power of these artifacts, they became what they were most like inside: Arthur, Sigurd, and Nuada. Each forged a Realm out of the tiny area of habitable land left in the world. In the center, they founded Camelot, the glorious place of peace known as the One True City. However, Camelot fell. The land broke apart as the stabilizers failed, and the three Realms were torn asunder by explosive magic. Three islands of civilization remained, lost in the vastness of the Stormlands.

The Vikings

Dvergar

The noble Dvergar are born deep within the earth, in a land they call the Inner World. Though they love a good joke–or even a bad one–the Dvergar are staunch warriors and sturdy defenders, who bring great bravery and determination to the battlefield. Their stony bodies are difficult to damage, but the Dvergar can shatter under a perfect storm of attacks. Infused with stone and crystal, they are resistant to many elemental assaults, and they can sense minerals and precious stones, as they feel the earth itself within their bones. The Dvergar are the greatest miners in the world, and love the smell of smelting in the morning. They form powerful and lasting friendships, believing that nothing is more sacred than such a bond. Each Dvergr would give everything to protect the Realm, or to follow the Viking leader Sigurd wherever he may lead.

Valkyries

Though their race was born of great suffering and tragedy, the Valkyries have risen high above their past on hidden wings of magic. Some of the Valkyries can truly fly with their delicate wings; others glide overhead. Harsh dispensers of justice, the Valkyries seek eternal revenge, and never forget a wrong. However, a merciful streak runs deeply through their culture, for the Valkyries know pain and suffering well. They are serious as a rule, and none are much good at festivals, though the men of the race tend to be less quick to anger. The Valkyries are the authors and the keepers of the Valkyric Code, the basis of law in the Viking Realm, and one of the most important documents ever written. Chanting its passages, the Valkyries fly to ferocious battle, ever fighting to protect the Realm.

Humans

Explorers and mighty warriors of legend, the Vikings are hungry. Hungry for battle, hungry for plunder, and starving to rule by right of conquest. They are a hard people, who wear their scars as badges of honor, and choose to live in some of the harshest lands imaginable. They will brazenly homestead in foreign territory and claim it as their own, upholding a culture that is welcoming to friends but ruthless to foes. A people of blood and steel, they will devour the Realms as masters of the sea-lanes, raiding and pillaging what they need, as they swim swiftly and their watercraft move too fast to catch. There is no place on earth the Vikings fear to tread; let the other Realms tremble at their approach.

Jötnar

A large and imposing people infused with ice, the blue-skinned Jötnar are known as Frost Giants. As they age they literally get bigger, stronger and tougher and even more frightening to behold on the battlefield. The Jötnar are not unthinking brutes however, for not all stories and legends are true, even here among the Changed.

Úlfhéðnar

Known as Berserkers, the Úlfhéðnar watch for Ragnarök and the ending of the world. They believe they were born for war, and their battle-rage is legendary, as well as the long recovery they require afterward. Fearless and unforgiving, their power rises from unbridled passion and anger: Every Úlfhéðnar must struggle to contain that power when among friends. Whispered rumors claim that the passions of these Berzerkers may run so high their bodies cannot contain the raw emotion, and burst in a cataclysmic explosion. This darkness inside, this doom, waits to be unleashed upon their enemies like a storm that brooks no resistance. Unstoppable and hungry for havoc, the Úlfhéðnar eagerly lay down their lives to defend the Realm that is their home.

The Tuatha Dé Danann

Tuatha

Tall, proud, and filled with the strength of the forest, the Tuatha Dé Danann grow branching horns on the crown of their heads. They are the defenders of the woods, and the keepers of its deepest secrets. The Tuatha consider themselves the leaders of the Realm, for they are descendants of great heroes. Their power rises and falls with the turning of the seasons, and they are known to suffer greater harm at certain times of year. As sentinels of the forest paths, they refuse to work with fire. The Tuatha fight for the glory of the natural world, and believe the story of their great deeds will echo down the ages as the greatest of epics.

Silverhands

The Silverhands have a long tradition of tremendous sacrifice. When they come of age, each member of this race gives up their arm as a sign of dedication to the Realm. This is replaced with a silver limb, filled with mysterious power, though none can say whether the arm was transformed, replaced, or covered in metal. Among their powers is a talent for finding ore, and the Silverhands are great miners. Though they profess to be noble protectors of the forest Realm, the Silverhands have a dark connection to The Depths™ forged long ago when Nuada, the first Silverhand, perished in the darkness. The Arthurian Stormriders, who hate this race, claim the Silverhands are not afraid to draw power from that evil place when pressed. In truth, they dream of destroying The Depths, and slaying the evil that breathes within. And they will, once they find their forefather's final resting place. The Silverhands see no contradiction here; they are humorless folk. Never ask a Silverhand if they "need a hand" in jest.

Humans

Humans have always had a place in the courts of the Tuatha Dé Danann, whether through fairy tales of captured children, lost souls looking for the Otherworld, or simply by seeking a place of refuge in their magnificent forests. While some in other Realms, particularly their hated enemies the Cait Sith, call the Human races of the Tuatha Dé Danann "pets" of their more powerful "masters", nothing could be further from the truth. The Human races of this Realm share the same social, political, and military status of their compatriots. Just as importantly, these humans do not share the Banes of some of their fellow races among the Tuatha Dé Danann. Then again, tales are told in quiet corners of Humans in this Realm who are not quite what they seem to be…

Hamadryads

Hamadryads defend the Great Protectors of the forest, the mighty oak trees that drink in the destructive power of the Veilstorms like water. In all the Realms, the Hamadryads are the closest to the forest, for they are part of it themselves. This matriarchal race bears a powerful plant tail, which can lash out in anger or aid in spellcasting. The Hamadryads are versatile, and have many talents they can call upon, and many ways they can develop their power. Infused with verdant magic, each Hamadryad would fight to the end to protect the forest, or the great oaks at its heart.

Luchorpán

Small and often underestimated, the Luchorpán are natural-born tricksters, masters of misdirection and illusion. They believe that lies can reveal the truth, that a person's hidden nature is revealed when they are the victim of a prank. The clever fingers of the Luchorpán are naturally skilled at powerful crafting, and their quick reflexes, excellent hiding skills, or talent for climbing often get them out of whatever trouble their mischief gets them into. If all else fails, rumor holds that Luchorpán can simply vanish and reappear elsewhere. Bonds of love are considered unbreakable among the Luchorpán, and any of them would give up life itself to defend their family or their Realm.

Bean Sidhe

The Bean Sidhe are a ghostly race, who float rather than walk upon the earth, and whose heads often hover above their bodies. They are mournful creatures, born of terrible tragedy in the lands of the Tuatha Dé Danann. It is said their keening songs call to the soul of suffering in the world, and their power over sound is unmatched. Haunting and mysterious, the Bean Sidhe seek to bring justice to an unjust world, and make the hearts of their enemies bleed with despair. Their powers are challenging to wield, but a greater challenge to face. Even a soul is not too great a price to pay to avenge injustice.

Fir Bog

Known as the Caretakers, the Fir Bog protect the bogs and swamps with giant-sized might. Some say that dark secrets lie deep down in the peat and moss, and each Fir Bog hides a deep mental connection to every other Caretaker. Reading the future in omens, they watch for danger to the Realm. They are seers and mighty wardens of the wilds, secretive and powerful. The Fir Bog believe in preserving the deep mysteries of the Realm, and defending against all comers with great strength. Family ties are the strongest ties among the Fir Bog, and they ferociously defend their kith and kin.

The Arthurians

Cait Sith

The Veilstorms changed felines forever. Lithe but powerful, the Cait Sith are fiercely unforgiving in their defense of themselves or their kin when threatened. They distrust most other races deeply, and mockingly call them the Furless. Blessed with incredible memories and a sarcastic streak, each member of the Cait Sith is an historian, able to recall events from long ago with a dry wit. The Cait Sith are fanatical in their devotion to a cause, and recall with gratitude how Arthur was willing to sacrifice himself to save a member of their race. In return, they would lay down their lives for King Arthur, and call it an honor.

Humans

Through luck, or perhaps something more, a few Humans managed to escape Veilstorm influence entirely. They did not change into something else, and were untouched by the Veil's wrath, as though chosen for a special purpose. They may lack the strange powers that some other races possess, but they are also spared the curses that sometimes accompany these powers. Through sheer determination, Humans survive. They refuse to disappear, and prosper even in the most difficult of times, following the noble path of righteous strength that King Arthur lays before them.

Gargoyles

They were the guardians of the eternal, the watchers on the walls. Now the Gargoyles have come to life to seek something they cannot name, a harmony of the world that none can yet express. Their stone-infused bodies heal slowly, but often keep the Gargoyles safe from damage on their long search, which takes them to secret places yet undiscovered. It is said that powerful noise can shatter a Gargoyle, and they fear disjointed rhythm. However, they themselves seek to master sound and song. Consummate musicians, Gargoyles wander the Realm with sure-footed purpose, seeking to create the harmony they cannot find anywhere in this broken world.

Stormriders

Famous for their fearlessness in the face of a raging Veilstorm, the Stormriders are warriors with a purpose, unstoppable in Arthur's service. With a culture of duty and honor, the Stormriders see the world in black and white terms: there is devotion to Arthur and his vision of rebuilding Camelot, and then there is everything else. The Stormriders are utterly humorless and indomitable in battle, ready and willing to sacrifice themselves to defend their Realm. Each Stormrider is marked by a glowing gem set in their forehead, a shimmering symbol of their chosen path. Filled with conviction, the Stormriders are particularly resistant to any spells or effects that seek to alter their minds. The Stormriders embody the motto, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one."

St’rm

The scaly St’rm are one of the most enigmatic races in all the Realms. Their origins are clouded in rumor and mystery, and the St’rm are only too happy to keep it that way. It is known that the St’rm have a matriarchal society, and their most famous warriors are female–perhaps partly because of unusual differences between the sexes. The St’rm are elegant and graceful, and very proud of the power that lies in their rhythmic movements. They form strong alliances and friendships, for the St’rm are also famous for honoring other races. To the St’rm, to battle is to dance, and their graceful steps are a form of magic themselves.

Golems

Giants of clay and fire, the Golems are known as the Kiln-Born. They are mighty builders, and can transform their bodies into defenses for the Realm. The Golems serve Arthur's vision by sharing their knowledge of a deep word magic, for Arthur took them in when all others rejected them. Many dark rumors circulate about the origins of the Golems, though all are foul lies. Indeed, it is said that any Golem leader who speaks a falsehood is destroyed, as their very existence is tied to truth. Stalwart and wise, the Golems seek greater knowledge, and a piece of the world for their own.

Pict

Well before the First Breaking of the world, the Picts were pirates and raiders. The Picts have a matrilineal society, and it is said their lineage includes many women, even back in the old days, who were both warriors and mothers, leaders and caregivers of their tribes. To frighten their enemies, the Picts used paint to create tattoos on both their male and female warriors. After the breaking, the tradition of these tattoos became more than just part of their culture; it became part of their very being. These tattoos are now meant to do far more than just to frighten their enemies, providing the Picts with special abilities and insight into the world that other races do not possess.

C.U.B.E.

In addition to developing a modern MMO Camelot Unchained is being developed side by side with a building system called CUBE (Camelot Unchained Building Environment) which functions similarly to other block placing building games. The program runs with the same graphics and UI systems as the main game making Addons or mods fairly easy to write and possibly crossover. CUBE is intended to have a fully functioning physics system (although it is a player option). Currently CUBE is available to all backers of Camelot Unchained, and is open 24/7 even while the base game is still in early testing phases.^[7]

Development

On December 23, 2012, Mark Jacobs with City State Entertainment released the first teaser for the game which hinted at the premise a three faction PvP game,^[8] It was later confirmed in a subsequent interview that Jacobs was planning a RvR game similar to his prior game Dark Age of Camelot and that instead of building another "themepark-style MMO", he would focus on a more niche PvP game.^[2][9] City State Entertainment started a Kickstarter funding project for Camelot Unchained on April 2, 2013. By the Kickstarter's conclusion on May 2, 2013, it had 14,873 backers with $2,232,933 USD raised. After the conclusion of their Kickstarter, CSE continued to receive backer funds to unlock various stretch goals. On Mar 3, 2015, Camelot Unchained entered into Tech Alpha 1. The first Beta testing stage was originally scheduled for around July 18, 2015, but was delayed until early the following year.^[10]

References

External links

• Official website
• Camelot Unchained at Kickstarter
• Camelot Unchained fund tracking at Kicktraq.com
• The Unofficial Camelot Unchained Wiki
• The RealmsUnchained Game Information and News Website