The first council vote: Etherblade
Since the Void broke out, we have stood together, learning how to resist, how to fight back, and how to claim just one more day of survival in Nobura.
The Etherblade, forged by the Exalted with the aid of Luminary technology, was imbued with the Void itself, making it the most powerful artifact this world has ever known.
But its power came with a price. As its influence grew, so did the fractures in reality around it. Destruction loomed, not from enemies, but from within.
So the people of Nobura made a fateful choice. Not to wield it. Not to seal it. But to break it.
The Etherblade was shattered.
Its fragments, now known as the Etherblade Shards, were scattered across the world and fused into different forms of technology. Tools. Weapons. Relics. Each carrying a whisper of the Void… and a fragment of its will.
Now, for the first time since the Shattering, the Council of Etherstone has been called.
Not to question the past.
But to decide what comes next.
EVOLUTION ASPECT
- The Etherblade will no longer be printed. All future versions of the game will feature the Reforged Etherblade (which will be included in the next expansion).
- The Etherblade in existence is becoming a limited collectible card.
- A new expansion will emerge from this decision, with its contents shaped by the path chosen by the Council.
- NEW GOLDEN RULE: If you choose to wield the original Etherblade, it now demands an additional life cost, on top of its Etherstone cost. The new ability reads:
“ Defeat a [threat], spending X [etherstone] and X [life] equal to its level.”
COUNCIL VOTE
The Council is not deciding what was done, but how Nobura will live with it.
There are four ideological paths, each shaping the evolution of the game according to the will of the Council. If two or more paths receive the same number of votes, their directions will coexist.
Here is the list of the different paths. You may choose only one.
We have provided additional context in terms of emotions related to the path and possible outcome of mechanisms that will be included in the next expansion. Make an informed decision.
1. The Path of Control
“We must master the shards, or they will master us.”
- Centralize shards under council authority
- Rise of champions, born from order
- Order, discipline, progress at a cost
2. The Path of Harmony
“The Void is not our enemy. It is part of the world now.”
- Study the shards, coexist with their influence
- Hybrid mechanics, risk/reward systems
- Spiritual, adaptive, slightly unsettling
3. The Path of Severance
“We made a mistake. The shards must be contained, hidden… or erased.”
- Limit shard usage, focus on purification
- Scarcity-driven gameplay, alternative power sources
- Survival, restraint, tension
4. The Path of Ambition
“If one blade could reshape the world… what could many do?”
- Encourage experimentation, even at great risk
- Push new boundaries at the cost of unleashed threats
- Bold, dangerous, power-hungry
As this is the Council’s first vote, and given both its importance and the need to fully understand its implications, it will remain open for two months to allow for thoughtful consideration.
Let’s discuss and explore this together, and see what this decision may lead to.
As a Council member, your vote counts! You will be able to receive your council gift once the expansion is released.
The Council and initial FAQs are now available at thundergryph.com/council
