THE GRAND LIBRARY OPENS: Welcome to Apocrypha

It is both heartening and exciting to see how many of you have gathered only weeks after the Eldfall Chronicles: Apocrypha preview opened. If this early response is any indication, the XVIIth Prospecting Expedition will be one to remember.

For our first update, we would like to take you deeper into the setting of Apocrypha: the Sand Kingdoms, the Grand Library, and the forbidden knowledge waiting beneath it.

A thousand and one nights have passed since the events of Northern Wind. The calamity that tore apart Mt. Byōdō sent ripples across Calad, disturbing the currents of mana far beyond its frozen peaks.

Now, those echoes have reached the scorching heart of the Sand Kingdoms—a cradle of civilization and the birthplace of magic, writing, and much of Calad’s culture. Across its otherwise lifeless dunes rise prosperous city-kingdoms, sustained by the waters of the Ashara River. Along its banks stands Men’Nefer, the mighty capital and seat of the Grand Academy, where scholars, merchants, arcanists, pilgrims, and adventurers journey from across Calad in search of the knowledge guarded within the city. 

Towering above the city is the Grand Library. Deep beneath it, the corruption contained within the Sealed Archives is growing. Profane Taint has begun to seep through ancient wards.

The next Prospecting Expedition was not due for another two years, yet the Librarian has called it early.

The Grand Library is among the greatest wonders of the known world: a monolithic tower rising tenfold higher than any structure built by mortal hands.

It is said to predate the arrival of mortals in the sands, tracing its origins as far back as the Age of Darkness. Its countless galleries contain secrets gathered across ages. Histories, arcane treatises, artefacts, tomes in forgotten languages, and works whose original authors and civilizations have long since vanished.

The Library belongs to no kingdom or faction. Its halls extend for hours of travel both above and below ground, and within them, all visitors stand upon neutral ground. 

Its collection is overseen by the enigmatic Librarian, an immense, silent figure concealed beneath long robes and a golden mask. Through Maarais, his Sphinx herald, the Librarian offers mortals access to the Library’s knowledge in exchange for an annual tribute of new literary works.

Yet the halls open to scholars represent only a fraction of what the Library contains.

Far below lie the Sealed Archives.

Deep within the Library stands an ancient stone gateway, its passage closed by the Barrier of a rippling veil, resembling a dim reflection upon the surface of water.

Ages ago, the Librarian sealed profane corruption within the Archives to prevent it from spreading outward. In doing so, he also locked away an immense repository of ancient knowledge.

That knowledge has not remained untouched. Over the centuries, time and profane taint have consumed, altered, and rewritten parts of the Archives. Corridors shift. Stories take form. Forgotten legends stir among shelves.

The seals have never been opened without consequence. Each expedition has claimed lives, allowing corruption to adapt and spread. 

This is why access is brief, controlled, and exceedingly rare.

In the days following the Northern Wind calamity, new works began to appear within the Sealed Archives: the Apocrypha—volumes containing vast, forbidden knowledge never intended for mortal minds. Their origins and number remain unknown. 

The Library has issued a strict directive: the Apocrypha must be recovered at all costs, but never transcribed.

For each Apocrypha recovered, the Librarian has promised a reward beyond wealth, status, or ancient artefacts. A single wish of knowledge, granted to those who return it.

The hunt for the Apocrypha has begun.

Beings deeply intertwined with mana, including the Librarian and his Sphinx herald, cannot endure the profane corruption below. They must therefore rely upon mortals to venture inside. 

Once every twenty years, the Grand Library weakens the Barrier for a month-long Prospecting Expedition. During this brief period, adventurers and scholars enter the Sealed Archives to recover endangered texts, transcribe lost works, and retrieve valuable artefacts. 

The expeditions are organized around the recovery of knowledge and relics. Prospectors clear designated areas, copy surviving texts, gather artefacts, and return their findings to the Sphinx for evaluation. In exchange, they may retain treasures equal in value to the knowledge they have preserved.

With the approval of Maarais and the four dominant factions, the Adventurers Guild oversees the expeditions, organizes logistics, and establishes Camps within the Archives.

This time, however, the expedition has been called early.

With Apocrypha, we are leaving the frozen peaks of Northern Wind behind and descending into the scorching desert—and from there, into the forbidden depths of the Grand Library.

A new Chronicle means new heroes and new enemies.

Apocrypha will introduce a new cast of adventurers to lead through the campaign, alongside strange creatures, ancient guardians, and formidable eldritch beings lurking within the Library. All will be brought to the table as highly detailed, premium-quality Unicool Hard Plastic+ miniatures that have become a signature of Eldfall Chronicles.

Apocrypha builds upon the dungeon-crawling foundations of Northern Wind, incorporating everything we learned while developing our first Chronicle.

Alongside numerous quality-of-life improvements, this campaign places a much greater emphasis on exploration. Players will have more freedom to venture through the Library, pursue discoveries, and uncover the secrets concealed within its shifting depths.

Expect dangerous expeditions, meaningful decisions, strange encounters, and stories that may lead you far from the path you first thought to follow.

As always, Apocrypha remains fully connected with the wider world of Eldfall Chronicles.

Its heroes, enemies, and miniatures will be cross-compatible with the rest of the range, allowing them to expand your collection and gameplay beyond the campaign itself.

In the coming weeks, we will introduce the four heroes of the expedition, take a look at the bestiary of the Sealed Archives, explore new mechanics, share behind-the-scenes development, and take a closer look at how Apocrypha expands.

Until then, ready your gear and polish your skills. The Barrier is opening in November.