Tyranny Developer Diary #9: Beasts and Bane

The latest developer diary installment for Tyranny is penned by narrative designer Megan Starks and game director Brian Heins and includes some words on two of the fantastical creatures that inhabit the world of Terratus, the Beastmen and the Magebane. An excerpt:

Though the truth of their legends cannot be confirmed, by and large the Beasts believe that rather than evolving from smaller, four-legged carnivores, they are a more developed version of the human race, shaped over thousands of years by the magic of the land, sea, and sky in order to become tougher, fiercer, and more deadly—in order to be better predators than their hairless, blunt-clawed ancestors.

Regardless of the veracity of who’s evolved from whom, there’s certainly little dispute regarding these creatures’ ties to the land, as seen by the varied adaptations distinctive to each tribe. Dark and sleek as a starless night, the Shadowhunters were clever, agile predators who killed from the shadows, whereas the Stonestalkers tend to larger builds and can be as dull-witted as boulders. The Mantaborn of Stalwart’s coast are a semi-aquatic tribe, rarely if ever seen outside their nests.

Beasts do not think the same as humans do. As wild, animalistic creatures, their experience of the world is extremely visceral and sensory-related. They consider themselves apex predators and take great pride and exhilaration in their ability to stalk and kill creatures of all types, humans sometimes included. However, they form strong emotional ties with their own kith, and will often express a range of complex, intense feelings within their speech, from thrill to fury to easy-going contentment.

The tribes themselves are split amongst fiercely-fought-for territories—a pride of relatives led by a single, strongest female called the Prima, her rank won through bloodshed and dominance and just as often lost the same way. While Beast tribes are often matriarchal due to the fact that females are typically larger and more aggressive than the males of their race, it’s not completely unheard of for a male to lead a smaller hunting pack within the larger tribe.