The Broken Lands FAQ | Illyriad

Q: What is the Broken Lands? Is this a new world?

The Broken Lands is Illyriad's first major expansion and an extension to the world of Illyria. This new continent doubles the land size of the world, bringing in new terrain, new Factions and more. It also allows players more choices in how they play the game, with different areas of the lands providing very different challenges.

Q: If I already play Illyriad, can I settle a new city on the Broken Lands?

Yes. Existing players will be able to have towns in the Broken Lands areas. The account limit for towns remains at 10 towns per account, so do not make decisions lightly. Established players can move to the new lands using a costly exodus or a free tenaril spell if they have one.

Q: If I do not already play Illyriad, can I still play on the Broken Lands?

Yes. New players will still start out on Elgea, but these new players can take advantage of one free move. If they choose to move to the Broken Lands, so be it.

Q: Do the Broken Lands have different resources, equipment, buildings or units?

The same in-depth building and city specialisation options exist for players in both Elgea and the Broken Lands. The same large number of buildings are available to all players.

Gather-able resources and equipment that can be crafted from them, may vary per continent however. You will certainly find a wealth of new NPC units in the Broken Land. These are not just varied in their abilities, strengths and weaknesses, but also in how they behave on the map.

Depending on where you are on the map and who you choose to fight, you might be evading elusive Gull-Hai skirmishers, planning to ambush a canny Shadow Mage, or massing vast armies for pitched battle against an undead horde. Different units will provide very different challenges.

Q: What happened to the proposed PvP-free Protected Zone?

As we have been developing the Broken Lands, we discussed in great length the possibility that the PvP-free zones might not be in the best interest of the game. On top of that, coding these zones was proving to be problematic (to say the least.) It’s also quite easy to avoid combat in Illyriad, or to survive combat with the help of your friends or alliance mates. We also paid attention to player discussions on the topic and, in the end, decided that leaving the PvP-free zones out of the new land was the best decision.

Q: Are the eastern areas of the Broken Lands more dangerous than Elgea?

Some specific parts of the Broken Lands are very hazardous. Some of the NPC Factions are extremely unfriendly, and your units may be constantly threatened by them. In some parts of the Broken Lands the Faction Hubs (where trade takes place) may either be a long way from your settlement or may be closed to you as a default.

In this way, some parts of the Broken Lands offer more of a challenge than if you played in Elgea. You may wish to read the Faction descriptions, or send missions to test the Factions' reactions to your units, or talk to other players settling these areas… in other words, this is a new continent full of challenges for you to explore.

Q: Can I trade between Elgea and the Broken Lands?

Yes! The Broken Lands are essentially an extension of the current landmass. if you cross the sea, you will see that your unit will board a ship in order to cross safely. In fact, we cannot wait to see just how the economy will change as more and more players move south!

Q: Can I send troops and diplomats between Elgea and the Broken Lands?

Yes! Feel free to attack, guard, aid or feint your way into the new lands. It’s a dangerous area, so it was important to us to make action possible.

Q: Can I cast magics between Elgea and the Broken Lands?

All magic in Illyriad have a set range. If a spell's range allows it to be cast across the sea between the two continents, then it can be cast across the sea.

Q: How do the new Quests work on the Broken Lands?

Soon after The Broken Lands launch (once players and cities have begun settling in) a new Quest arc will begin – a series of interlinked Quests which will run for several months. Individual players and Alliances will be presented with choices, where they can investigate, scout, thieve, attack, defend, and raid through an evolving story arc.

This is not simply following instructions or doing what the Quest text tells you. It is about making choices. There will be little consequences and small rewards along the way, and then at the end the continent will be permanently changed by the players' combined actions.

This is a new continent. The Quests allow you to explore it, and change it.

Q: Does Elgea have new Quests, too?

Yes. At the same time a new Quest arc will begin in Elgea. This will sometimes be separate from the arc in the Broken Lands, with its own unique challenges and mysteries, and will othertimes be interlinked. Alliances may benefit from maintaining a presence on both continents.

Q: How do Quests influence Factions?

Firstly, each player and Alliance will have a Standing with each Faction. This is a measure of how friendly the Faction is to you. Some choices that you make in the Quests will impress or irritate the Factions, changing your Standing with them.

Secondly, Factions may sometimes send special units to serve those who have helped them in Quests. These units become the receiving player's to do with as they wish. These units may have more extreme stats than normal units, or may have special abilities.

Q: What else is new about Factions?

All Factions all have their own unique units. (This is true of Factions in Elgea and the Broken Lands.) These units have different stats and many have new special abilities.

Factions also now patrol or wander the areas around their Faction Hubs. Players of Illyriad may be aware of the way in which wild animal herds currently wander the land, breeding, dividing, and so forth. Now the factions will be sending out armies to patrol their local areas in a similar way: these armies don't breed or divide, but starting soon, on both continents, they may attempt to harass or destroy units of players whom they do not want to see in their areas.

Q: Why is Faction Standing important?

Factions Standing determines what Faction Hubs you can trade at (and the tax rate that you pay if you sell goods there). So, it is important for getting you access to trade goods, and if you are a trader it determines your costs. Faction Standing also determines whether Faction troops are hostile to your units. So in order to keep access to Trade Hubs, and to minimise the risk to your troops and gathering units in the wilderness, you may want to maintain good relations with your local Factions. You may be able to do this by doing Quests, or by attacking their enemies' troops, or by selling goods (and so paying tax to them) in their Hubs.