Legends of Eisenwald Preview
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Legends of Eisenwald is based on scenarios, or (legends) as they're called. They work the same as the kind of scenarios you would play in any strategy game. They all have an individual map with its own set of characters, stories and quests. As you start one of these legends, you will have to choose between three distinct heroes to serve as your avatar. There's the Knight, the big guy in heavy armor who excels at killing people with all sorts of close-range weaponry; the Baroness, a roguish noblewoman who prefers to shoot at things from a distance; and the Mystic, who I suppose is a sort of spellcaster (he is currently not available to play in the beta). Regarding the Mystic, I should perhaps clarify that the world of Eisenwald is very much a medieval world with very little magic besides the magic used in combat (which mostly consists of healing spells).
You're not developing towns and you're not controlling several individual armies, as you do in strategy/RPG hybrids such as Heroes of Might & Magic or Age of Wonders. Instead, you focus on controlling a single band of adventurers led by your hero. Perhaps a likeness could be drawn to Mount & Blade in this regard. As you come across villages, churches and other locations, you will be able to recruit low tier units such as peasants or priests. Your followers, like in Mount & Blade, will gain experience in battle. With sufficient experience points, you will then be able to upgrade them. Peasants will become armored and blonde women will turn brunette. Your hero on the other hand, will instead be able to upgrade via skills chosen in a talent tree. Another way to improve your hero and your hero's followers is to equip items. These items, such as weapons, armors, potions and trinkets, can be bought from merchants found in locations scattered all over the scenario map. You may also see some items drop from defeated enemies if you're lucky, or get them as quest rewards.
The centerpiece locations on the scenario maps are the castles. The main stories in scenarios (judging from the beta and Aterdux' previous game Discord Times) seem to revolve around you and other noblemen and noblewomen, and your castles. In the beta scenario, a baron hosting a masquerade at his castle has gone missing. Of course, you are to investigate.