A new Tyranny video and dev diary released today digs into the workings of the game's stronghold system, a staple of any good RPG. But unlike your typical heroic homestead, the player's base in Tyranny will be spread across multiple, massive towers called Spires. Spires are "giant structures that are taller than the clouds themselves," game director Brian Heins explains in the video. They're ancient, and their original purpose is unknown, although they're commonly used as a navigation aid by the people of Terratus. For Fatebinders—that would be you—their benefits are much more practical.
Spires are claimed by the player as they're discovered, and linked to one another via a magical network that enables immediate teleportation across the land—a method of moving around that's a whole lot faster than walking. They can also be upgraded with an Infirmary, Library, Forge, or Training Grounds, each providing a unique benefit. Once upgraded, Spires will attract recruits that will work on behalf of your party.
The description reminds me quite a bit of Morrowind's Dunmer Strongholds. Those crumbling stone structures don't provide much in the way of party benefits, but they do enable teleportation between locations, and I was never entirely sure what, in the game's lore, they were for. Heins says in the video that the Spires do serve a narrative purpose, although naturally he gives no indication as to what it might be.
Tyranny is scheduled for release on November 10. Find out more about the game in our preview of its first ten minutes, which will have a much bigger impact on the rest of the game than you might expect.
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