Hello from the Chimera team!
We're working on a new 4x strategy fantasy game Songs of Silence. Wishlist and follow the game development progress on Steam or subscribe to our Twitter!
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Many of you have been curious about Silence - is it the name of a cool faction, an epic hero, or something even more exciting? And why do we make such a big deal out of capitalizing the "S" and using it in the game's title? Well, in this article, we'll dive into what Silence really is, its role in the game world's history, and how it's all connected to Purgatories.
And, of course, if you have any questions or want to chat, head over to our dedicated Discord channel. We're always happy to hear from you!
So let's kick things off by returning to the beginning of time - get ready for an adventure!
What is Hymn?
In the Days of Old, when the world was young and new, there was nothing but a Hymn echoed through the cosmos. It was a song that spoke of every living being, every creature great and small, and the very essence of nature itself - the core of creation, a perfect symphony of life.
It was from this divine energy that many gods were born, each one imbued with power beyond measure. And yet, when they came together on the advent of light, they waged a war unlike any other. Their battle rent the very fabric of the universe asunder.
Out of this war, two new worlds have emerged - one of light populated by Starborn, and one of the dark, where the Firstborn made their home.
The sacred Hymn that once united all now tore everything apart. Its disintegration has caused a rift in the fabric of space, giving birth to an unfathomable chasm - a World Between Worlds with something dangerous lurking in it.
That’s when the Primal Purgatory spawned.
What is Purgatory?
Here’s what’s in the ancient grimoires:
“First seen more than 300 years ago, the original Purgatory was believed to be a unique phenomenon for some time. After several realms had fallen to the Silence emanating from deep within the sphere, other Purgatories appeared throughout both worlds - yet, none has grown bigger than the source of it all.”
Purgatories, or so-called Harbingers of the Silence, are a natural phenomenon, manifesting in a moving sphere of energy that consumes everything on its way, leaving the deadly Silence behind.
“Though mere splinters of the Primal Purgatory, these smaller variations still pose an immense threat to all life. At first, there were only a few, but over the last three centuries, these unstoppable Harbingers of the Silence have slowly spread their corruption throughout both worlds.”
Purgatories are not only essential elements of our lore but also represent unique game mechanics, as they act as portals from one world to another. They always exist in pairs - if one shows up in the Light World, there’s surely another one in the Dark World. You can travel through them, but prepare to pay the price - there are powerful denizens of the Void hidden in the dark, ready to shred your army into pieces!
Now let’s dig deeper into the Silence.
What is Silence?
This is one of the essential elements of the game’s lore - it affects both races and threatens the mere existence of the world itself. In short, it’s the opposite of Hymn - it’s a state of when Hymn is corrupted, or as it is portrayed in the game: Silence represents destruction and death.
Visually, Hymn symbolizes golden light that turns red when the area is corrupted by Silence.
Songs of Silence - a story behind the name
Now that you are familiar with Purgatory and Silence, it’s time to spill the beans on how we came up with the game’s title.
Here’s what our Creative Director Alexander Kehr says:
“Our game’s name was designed to reflect our unique setting: The ‘Songs’ refer to the divine Hymn which is central to our world’s creation myth, and the ‘Silence’ describes the new era, in which this Hymn is fading from the worlds, and the actual phenomenon of the Silence.
The name also piques interest even without knowing of our lore, as it describes an obvious contradiction.
It was also important for us to have a fun and easy-to-remember name and a good abbreviation: SoS! And no, this is not a hidden cry for help from the Chimera office…”
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That’s it for now! If you liked what we’ve shown you today or have any comments or questions for us, leave a thumbs up and a message down below. And don’t forget to follow Songs of Silence on Reddit, Twitter, and Discord.
