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Etherstone

Created by Gonzalo Aguirre Bisi

An evolving card game designed by Virginio Gigli and Simone Luciani. Illustrated by Paolo Voto.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

New goals and Etherstone on Tabletop Simulator
7 months ago – Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 10:15:45 AM

Dear Noburians,

How is everyone doing?

Your final vote for the remaining memento card is done, and here are the results and the final five memento cards available just for anyone who joins this campaign with a Deluxe pledge or more. These cards will become living proof of your support towards the first few steps of Etherstone!

Also congrats to our winner of the Council Card: Hessel van der Eijk


New Goals Revealed

We are so close to unlocking the Etherblade and here are a couple of new Stretch Goals including a new Threat card!

Etherstone on Tabletop Simulator

We are excited to announce that the demo version of Etherstone is now live on Tabletop Simulator. You will find 5 different pre-made decks to discover the different aspects of each faction and a few more Leaders in case you prefer to mix all the cards and draft right away!

Click the link below to download the Workshop! (Tabletop Simulator is required to play)

Thank you so much for your support and talk to you in our next update!

Sincerely yours,
Everyone here at Thundergryph Games

The Void - Last vote for the final foil card!
7 months ago – Mon, Mar 18, 2024 at 09:30:43 AM

Dear Noburians,

We hope you had a great weekend!

The votes for the Luminary card were cast and counted. Congrats to the winner of the Council Card: Vermeesch Tieme, and to the most-voted card!

We want to remind you that tonight we have a special livestream in Italian. We will be doing another one on the 21st in English.

We are also heading towards unlocking the box for Victory Points and Counters and we are glad to reveal one additional goal, related to the Void, which is the topic of this update!

The Void

Nobura remained untouched by anyone from inside or outside the galaxy since the last extinction.

Etherstones shaped Nobura's different environments and gifted plants and animals with special traits. Life on the planet includes tropical areas, caves filled with water, and a strange, colorless landscape made by one kind of Etherstone.

On the other hand, the Vacuous settled on a small piece of land and stayed there for millions of years, digging its roots deep into the ground.

During earthquakes, the Vacuous rises from the planet's core to the surface as vapor. It encounters various life forms on Nobura. Upon contact, it imparts enlightenment, enhancing their abilities while subtly infecting them. As the infection progresses, the host loses consciousness and exhibits erratic behavior. Eventually, the host implodes, releasing the Etherstones, which return to orbit to reform the cosmic being, initiating a new cycle.

Vote on the next Memento!

It’s time to choose the foil card for the Void!Visit the comment section and vote before tomorrow, March 19th at 17:00 CET | 11:00 am EST.

Thank you so much for your kind support and talk to you again soon!

Sincerely yours,
Everyone here at Thundergryph Games

An Empowered vault, Luminary vote, and live stream!
7 months ago – Fri, Mar 15, 2024 at 10:41:55 AM

Dear Noburians,

How is everyone today?
It seems like you're enjoying the excitement surrounding the voting process, and what an explosive victory for the Unstable Fighter, literally! snowQQ is the winner of the Council card, congrats!


Hold on tight to your Grit, because we've got some exciting announcements lined up for this update, starting with our new Stretch Goal reveal!


New dice tray illustration

This new art will replace the old art with the logo. You will receive it included in your Council Bundle pledge or you can add it as an add-on for 10€. This dice tray is a Kickstarter Special and only a single print run will be made.

Even if we are talking about something nice and practical, we wanted the dice tray to tell more about Nobura. Paolo Voto illustrated the Cosmic being that gave life to the planet.

The legend narrates that Rhea gave up her divine essence to give life to Nobura. Bright Etherstones fell on the planet's lands to create its biodiversity. Since then, Rhea hasn't made her presence known, leading to rumors that she breathes through the lands of Nobura.

The Etherstones

Rhea's divine essence was a quincunx. Sacrificing herself to give birth to Nobura anew, the five elements that composed her transformed into Etherstones.

The quincunx, a geometric pattern of five points arranged in a cross, with four circles forming a square and one at the center, explains the divine nature and the five Etherstones:

Life (green) - The essence of being alive, essential for healing and rebirth in Nobura.

Flow (white) - The mental state of energized focus, full involvement, and success in finding purpose without hindering others.

Grit (red) - Represents unyielding courage in adversity, fostering resilience and growth, though it can lead to anger and risk-taking.

Crave (black) - The strong desire to achieve purpose, acknowledging sacrifice as necessary, though it can lead to nihilistic tendencies if embraced too deeply.

Vacuous (purple) - The tiniest element in the center of the quincunx that is kept in our divine nature as a reminder of the inevitability of death, of the end of our own existence and our purpose.
 

Art direction and gameplay live stream!


Vote on the next Memento!

It’s time to choose the foil card of your favorite faction, the Luminary! This one will last for the weekend until Monday 18th at 11:00 am CET | 8:00 am EST.

Visit our comment section and please comment by replying to the pinned thread.

We will not be posting an update this weekend, but we will resume daily posting on Monday!

Wishing you a great time!

Sincerely yours,
Everyone here at Thundergryph Games

The Limbics, new vote, and stretch goal revealed
7 months ago – Thu, Mar 14, 2024 at 10:06:48 AM

Dear Noburians,

We hope you are all well!
Luis has been collecting all your votes for the second memento from the Exalted, and this time it was close! Congrats to the winner of the Council Card: Marcos and to the most voted card which will become foil!


The next voting is for the Limbic faction, and in this update, we will explore this last faction further. Before that, here is the new stretch goal to unlock!

The Limbics

Location: The Blood Trench

A landscape of deep red mud lakes, where the Limbics submerge to muffle stimuli. Here, only algae and weeping willows thrive amidst the oppressive humidity and scorching heat. The air hangs heavy with moisture, making it nearly unbearable, yet the mud's thermodynamic properties provide a surprising relief, keeping surface and submerged temperatures lower.

Social Structure

In this tribe, individuals refrain from engaging in reproduction in pairs, instead opting for a process resembling parthenogenesis. Each member possesses the biological capability to produce offspring independently, resulting in genetic diversity derived from the assortment of genetic material within the tribe. The specific mechanism of reproduction involves laying eggs.

Due to their underdeveloped prefrontal cortex, the tribe likely lacks a concept of ownership. Resources are shared and distributed based on strength and dominance, adhering to the laws of natural selection. Their brains are predominantly governed by an extended amygdala, leading to limited consciousness, minimal pain awareness, and impulsive traits that can manifest as aggression and loss of control.

Taking all of this into account, the tribe lacks a formal social structure but acknowledges a leadership hierarchy, respected out of a combination of fear and admiration.

Limbics and Whisperers

Once known as the Whisperers, the Limbics isolated themselves from society after pairing with a peculiar reptile. Wildlanders underwent a merging of traits just before complete assimilation. This process caused them to lose the use of their prefrontal cortex and their parthenogenetic mode of reproduction, mirroring the physical structure of their spirit animals. This lack of emotional attachment, makes them sever their connection with spirit animals, disrupting the natural link within the entire Whisperers' kingdom.

Since then, the Whisperers have been studying this event, maintaining a non-aggressive stance towards the Limbics while keeping their distance.

Habits/Mannerisms

Limited Vegetation: With scarcity of vegetation the only presence of it is primarily composed of algae and weeping willows, which poses a critical resource challenge for the tribe, sparking territorial competition for these vital food sources.

Hunting Techniques: The Limbics, in their primitive state, have honed efficient and ruthless hunting methods. Employing ambush tactics, they rely on their strength and impulsiveness to capture prey, often targeting small animals and fish from the muddy lakes.

Storytelling through Physical Displays: With limited verbal communication, storytelling is conveyed through elaborate physical displays. These displays feature rhythmic body movements and visual patterns in the mud, narrating the tribe's history, legends, and cultural knowledge.
 

Vote on the third Memento

Visit our comment section and vote on your favorite card of the Limbics faction. Your most voted choice will become the third memento you will receive.

We will be picking a random comment to win a Council card! 
Voting is open until tomorrow at 17:00 CET | 11:00 EST


Talk to you in our next update and thanks for all your kind support!

Sincerely yours,
Everyone here at Thundergryph Games


 

The Exalted and a new Memento to pick
7 months ago – Wed, Mar 13, 2024 at 11:03:13 AM

Dear Noburians,

Wow! There has been so much engagement with our latest post! Thank you to everyone who voted on your first memento. Congrats to Cyril C for winning a Council card! The voting is closed and here is the winner!


The next one you will pick today is from the Exalted faction, here are the selected cards from the team, and make sure to keep reading to discover a bit more about this faction! 

Visit our comment section and vote on your favorite card of the Whisperers faction. Your most voted choice will become the first memento you will receive.

We will be picking a random comment to win a Council card! Voting is open until tomorrow at 18:00 CET | Noon EST

The Exalted

If you want to know more, ask your question in the comment section.

Location: The Fadedgrounds

In the heart of a colorless black-and-white biome, a silent expanse of Tundra unfolds, interwoven only by interconnected caves. Here, the Exalted carve out their existence, living in a deaf environment.

Social Structure

Collective Ownership: The Exalted constitute a Polycule faction, bound by a connection that is more ancestral than emotional. They are organized into functional units based on shared skills, expertise, or objectives.

Individual Autonomy: Members of these functional units maintain a significant degree of individual autonomy. Decisions are guided by logic and the collective's best interests, prioritizing rationality over emotional considerations.

The Importance of Smoke

Atomizer: The Exalted, with assistance from the Luminary, have developed the Atomizer, enabling them to vaporize just before death and reincarnate through the thermodynamic process of deposition.

Smoke: Representing the pinnacle of freedom, Smoke entails the loss of emotions and all human aspects of being alive (including breathing and physical needs). Dependent on this sense of freedom, individuals vaporize even during recreational moments.

Kin Structure

Drive: Exalted are highly driven, even willing to sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, driven by aggressive destruction closely linked to the essence of smoke. Much like fire, they must control their nihilistic sense of a meaningless life to prevent destructive consequences.

Connections: Offsprings are not born out of emotional bonds but from the primary drive to contribute to the greater good. Exalted select partners based on a careful analysis of personality and skills, aiming to create a unique and special living being.


Habits/Mannerisms

Social Recreation: Exalted are avid drinkers, incorporating Crave into their alcoholic beverages alongside the fruits of Nobura, despite uncertainty about its impact on their metabolism.

Elevated Belonging: Utilizing the Vaporizer for recreational purposes, Exalted find the greatest connection and belonging by mixing their smoke with that of others.

Parenting: Parenting lacks a significant presence, with a small machine providing assumed nutrition for newborns by generating colostrum.

Games: Steel Destruction tournaments, where Creators put their steam-punk constructions against each other in an arena, aim to reach and destroy the Smoke capsule within opponents' creations. The release of smoke signals the end of the fight, adding great excitement. These tournaments serve not only for entertainment but also to apply inventive ideas to their creations in battle.

We are curious to know what you think about this faction!

Talk to you in our next update!

Sincerely yours,
Everyone here at Thundergryph Games