My first ever contribution to the Anbennar universe, Newshire tells the story of a nation of plucky halflings ready to take Escann by storm. Initially led by the brave Dustin Smallknight, the country grows throughout the game, eventually becoming a magocratic empire ruled from within the player’s choice of giant vegetable. Yes, really.
The bulk of Newshire’s narrative is told from the perspective of the Kettlebrooks – a somewhat-eccentric family that quickly begin to advance the field of transmutation to never-before-seen heights. That advancement, of course, brings with it a whole host of problems the player has to deal with over the course of their game.
Pictured below are some screenshots from a game as Newshire, alongside my favourite events and mission descriptions.
Start as the Small Fellows adventurer company, in what remains of Escann after the events of the Greentide.Newshire’s design was heavily influenced by Tolkien’s Shire, but also by elements of traditional British culture. Like classism!Silvervord was one of the most important cities in Escann before the Greentide. As Newshire, you’ll restore it to serve as (one of your many) capitals, and give it a fancy new name to boot.I was teaching myself how to use Paradox script whilst making Newshire. That “+25% Trade Goods Size in provinces producing Grain and Livestock” took me a good while to figure out.One of the most widely discussed events of the mission tree. Many get a little confused and say that the nation elects its rulers based on who can make the best pie, but it’s only sort-of true! The pie-making just becomes a traditional part of the process.Moving quite late in the mission tree now. You’ve taken all of Escann at this point, including the legendary city of Castonath. Devin here – a Chloromancer, Newshire’s mage guild famed for their prowess in transmutation – goes a little bit power mad.The capstone of the mission tree, and one of my favourite events out of the ones I’ve written – to this day, years after writing it!
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