Navigating Vallas

• 1: Alternative Routes
• 2: Cast of Characters
• 3: Marika's Reputation
• 4: Vallan Technology
• 5: Tips and Tricks

Welcome to the Vallan Empire

Marika begins her story in the woods outside Lyrika Village, in the upper-left corner of the map. Once she escapes from the Vallan encampment, she will enter the Vallas Map Screen.

She can then navigate to any revealed levels—marked as points of interest. Initially, only the village and encampment are shown. Additional levels are unlocked as the game progresses.

Points of interest come in several varieties:

• Villages are safe areas. Marika will find most of the friendly NPCs to converse with in villages. She may also find shops, and other services.

• Outposts are small areas. Some outposts are hard to clear, and are effectively bonus areas.

• The remaining varieties are all larger areas. The EXP bonuses for earning a high Rogue Rating rank are approximately double that earned from clearing outposts. Larger areas may also include branching areas, referred to as “alternative routes”.

1 - Alternative Routes

Secret Areas and Alternative Routes

Marika’s world is full of secret areas—some easy to find, and some less so. Secret alcoves may contain bonus items, such as rare elixirs and gold.

More importantly, larger areas may contain entirely different routes. In the first few areas you may see doors that Marika cannot reach. As she gains additional abilities, she will be able to reach them. Alternative routes count as entirely different areas in the high score table, so these routes will go a long way toward helping Marika gain experience.

Once Marika enters an alternative route, none of her actions in the original area count toward the Rogue Rating rank—neither for or against.

Tip! In the first two chapters, every area (except outposts) have two alternative routes. In the third chapter, every area (except outposts) has one alternative route.

Exception! One special area breaks this trend by having an extra alternative route! Marika will learn where it is eventually…

2 - Cast of Characters

Meet the Cast

Marika will meet a variety of characters throughout her journey. Not everyone is against her!

We won’t list all of the characters, but here are the first three key characters you will meet.

Conversing with characters is essential. Marika will gain new objectives, and unlock new areas, by talking to NPCs.

Rayda, Marika’s Mentor

Rayda is Marika’s mentor, a role he should have relinquished four years ago. He is trying to help her find a trade, but grows increasingly frustrated that she doesn’t appreciate his efforts.

Rayda will guide Marika, but he would like to see her find her place in the world.

Desaka, Marika’s Childhood Friend

Lyrikans are not raised in individual families. Instead, the entire village cooperates in raising their youngest in the Halls of Children.

Desaka was Marika’s best friend in the halls. She now runs a shop in Lyrika and has married a Vallan merchant.

Desaka’s husband, Mazen, doesn’t understand Lyrikan culture. In Vallas, children are raised in traditional families. As Lyrika is annexed, a culture clash is inevitable.

Marika can purchase supplies from Desaka’s store. She can also talk to her about her adventures.

Note! Marika can only buy items that she has learned about through her explorations. For instance, the throwing knife will not be available in Desaka’s shop until Marika finds one in an area—and, of course, also clears that area at least once.

The receipts item in her inventory will list all of the purchases that have been made.

Tip! There is enough gold in the game to max out every purchase. However, there is not enough easily obtainable gold to do this! To purchase everything, Marika will need to find money in the hard-to-reach places.

Karada, the Bully

Karada grew up in the halls with Marika. He bullied her through childhood, then disappeared for several years. He has now returned. Marika doesn’t trust him.

Character Names Fun Fact

Vallan names are nothing special. Lyrikan names, on the other hand, follow a specific rule: Masculine names end with -da. Feminine names end with -ka. The names of scholars, who are expected to stay celibate, end with -ta.

3 - Marika's Reputation

R-E-S-P-s’vee-T

Marika’s reputation affects how friendly NPCs interact with her. If they are dismissive, she will need to gain reputation.

Marika’s reputation with Lyrika, her home city-state, rises as she gains Rogue Rating ranks. A perfect rating contributes more than a lower rating, but any rating other than E contributes something.

Marika’s reputation with Golga, the head of Vallas, rises as she completes areas. She starts off as unknown, but can quickly make a name for herself! She gains one point toward this reputation per area completed, regardless of rank.

Shopkeepers tend to care more about Marika’s city-state reputation, as do NPCs that may reveal bonus areas.

Other NPCs, such as those that unlock key progression areas, care more about Marika’s reputation with Golga and Vallas.

Tip! If you are playing especially well, you may earn a high reputation with Lyrika early, thus unlocking hard levels before Marika is well-equipped to clear them. In the first chapter, one such level is Oil Well. However, there are powerful rewards for completing hard levels early!

4 - Vallan Technology

Much Ado About Oil and Gas

Marika’s world is powered by coal, gas, and steam, so she is used to seeing pipes sprawling every which way. But the Vallan Empire is implementing something new, sourced from the ruins revealed by the sinking sea.

The new Vallan technology is powered by “black boxes”, sealed power generating devices whose secrets even the Vallans themselves don’t understand.

Marika’s ability to comprehend how the technology works is essential to her survival in Vallan compounds.

Vallan technology grows increasingly sophisticated as Marika ventures deeper into Vallas. Can you help her learn how to circumvent defensive structures?

It is up to you to help Marika learn how switches, buttons, triggers, “automatic eyes”, and alarms interact with the environment—so study these devices closely when Marika encounters them! Keep in mind that the Vallans are learning how to use these devices, too—so they may not use them consistently. They may not even use them correctly!

Tip! Study where the pipes lead. Some pipes are buried behind walls, so you may need to infer where they go. Most of the time, though, pipes are retrofitted onto older structures, and so mounted directly to the walls.

5 - Tips and Tricks

Things to Keep An Eye Out For

You’ll want to pay close attention to the environment! As mentioned in the Vallan Technology section, watch where pipes go.

Also keep an eye out for warning signs. The Vallas Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires known hazards to be clearly marked. Sometimes, Vallan engineers even comply with this law. When Marika encounters warning placards, take a moment to scout the area.

Scout, in general, is an invaluable skill. Neither Vallas nor Lyrika are liable if Marika blindly charges into a dangerous area like a nitwit.

Finally, don’t forget to use light and shadows to your advantage. “Automatic eyes” and enemy NPCs cannot see Marika if she is hiding in the shadows. (Note: Enemy NPCs can still hear her footsteps, though—and they will react!)

Axes and knives are particularly useful for turning off lights—albeit they are less useful for turning them back on. Some lamps are built out of stronger housing than others, so take note of which kind are most resilient and use limited weapon resources wisely. When Marika ventures into secured Vallan compounds, she should keep a few axes and throwing knives on-hand for dispensing with alarms.

Turrets are built tough, but the sensors are much weaker. Taking out the sensors is a more effective way of dealing with turrets than taking out the turrets themselves.

Stand back from gas lamps if you have Marika take them out! They will explode and drop flaming debirs in their vicinity.

Good luck!