Haruki & Asmo's Guide to VG #1: Basics

Introduction

Haruki: "Hello everyone! Welcome to the first edition of Haruki and Asmo's Guide to Verethragna Gloria." *applause*

Haruki: "I'm Haruki, your friendly neighborhood Sovereign of Lust. And this here's my assistant…"

Asmo: "The cute and cuddly, loyal and lovely, smart and savvy System Guide, Asmo!"

Haruki: "Two many alliterative adjectives in that sentence, Asmo."

Asmo: "Really? Monad says it's cool and Asmo thinks so, too!"

Haruki: "Fine, I'm not gonna rain on your parade, in virtue of this being our first outing."

Asmo: "And the first time the author uses a script-like writing style~"

Haruki: "Oh yeah, didn't notice that."

Asmo: "The author thinks it's easier to impart incredible infusions of information with an interview-like format!"

Haruki: "I agree, but you should really tone down the alliteration."

Asmo: "Asmo obeys!"

Haruki: "Moving on, with me and Asmo here, we will talk about some supplementary stuff about the game Verethragna Gloria, which serves as the setting for the story!"

Asmo: "Asmo thinks Master likes doing some alliteration, too."

Haruki: "C-coincidence! Just a coincidence!"

Haruki: *coughs* "Anyway, since we will be talking a lot about the game and its mechanics and nuances, readers should be aware that there would be mild to significant spoilers in the auxiliary chapters."

Asmo: "Asmo believes that readers who haven't reached the end of Volume 2 to beware~"

Haruki: "Right! We'll try not to spoil that much, since most of the game's relevant features come up in the actual story content."

Haruki: "We will focus more on things that weren't mentioned yet, or those that were implied or stated once, but never elaborated."

Asmo: "Asmo knows everything there is! After all, Asmo is a 'System Guide' and a 'Familiar'."

Haruki: "I highly doubt that. The best use you had so far is as an indestructible scout, a scaredy-cat decoy, and a very limited teleporting machine."

Asmo: "Th-that's because Asmo is still Level 1!"

Haruki: "And that's your maximum Level."

Asmo: "Ah?"

Haruki: "Remember your buggy Status back in Chapter 2?"

Asmo: "..."

Haruki: "Ah, memories."

Verethragna Gloria

Haruki: "Anyway, Asmo being stuck at Level 1 aside, it's time to talk about the game's background!"

Haruki: "Verethragna Gloria is a turn-based strategy 4X game. Like other games in the genre, the player's goal is to raise the most powerful civilization in the realm."

Haruki: "These 'civilizations' are known as Factions in-game. There are fourteen in all, seven each for the Human and Demon races."

Haruki: "Humans and Demons represent the God of Creation and the God of Corruption respectively. According to the backstory, Humans came first then the Demons were born from their collective sins."

Haruki: "This is what makes Demons a little more mysterious. Unlike Humans made of flesh and blood, Demons are beings of pure Corrupted Mana turned tangible. This also carries into their in-game characteristics and playstyle."

Haruki: "Victory in the game happens when either the Humans or Demons control most of the map, usually at the peak 75% or three-fourths point."

Haruki: "Unlike most games of the same genre, Verethragna Gloria highlights cooperation between the Factions of the same race. So, winning and losing also depends not on warfare, but also diplomacy."

Haruki: "This makes fans of the game a little TOO attached to the race they represent. As for me, our dear readers would know my predilection by now~"

Haruki: "The big question though: will my 'game' in this new world end if the Demons take most of the world? No one knows but that doesn't stop from bringing my A-game~"

Asmo: "Master is so cool~"

Haruki: "Of course!"

Asmo: "But Monad says Master looks best when lying naked in bed!"

Haruki: "..."

Asmo: "Raze agrees, too. Especially when Master starts screaming-"

Haruki: "Aaaaand that's enough for the unnecessary commentary! Let's talk more about the game, shall we?"

Asmo: "Oh! Asmo knows something that the readers don't know! The continent where the game is set is also named Verethragna."

Haruki: "Ohhh, I didn't know this one. No wonder it's in the game. So Verethragna Gloria also translates as 'taking glory for Verethragna' or something similar."

Asmo: "The author explains it as 'creative license' and 'mixing two words that sound cool'."

Haruki: "..."

Haruki: "Anyway, if you play the game, maps are randomly generated. The continent of Verethragna only serves as a backdrop of the game."

Asmo: "And the actual setting of the story!"

Haruki: "Oof, I completely forgot about that, so I guess there's no harm in discussing more about it."

Asmo: "Yes! The land of Verethragna is divided into ten distinct Greater Territories, each with their own landscape, climate, inhabitants, and local flora and fauna."

Haruki: "The Extollan Wastes, where Harlux is located, is one such Greater Territory, right?"

Asmo: "Yes, the City of Divine Pleasures is located around the middle and southeast part of the Wastes. Also, Asmo knows that Greater Territories are subdivided into Territories, which the game also uses for detailed localities in the map where the player can establish Cities on."

Asmo: "The City of Harlux, the Chimera Nest and the Stonecutter's Village are all specific local Territories in the Extollan Wastes, the southeasternmost Greater Territory in the continent. The rest of Verethragna is divided into the southwest, south, east, central, west, northwest, north, and northeast Great Territories, each with their own name." 

Asmo: "And oh, the last one is the group of islands in the west, so ten in total! Asmo almost forgot, Master might accuse Asmo of being bad at math."

Haruki: "You think too much."

Haruki: "Anyway, knowing all this, if I want to win the game, the Demons should take control of at least eight of these big chunks of land…"

Haruki: "How many story volumes and chapters do you think it would take?"

Asmo: "Only the author knows, Master~"

Haruki: "That he does."

Resources

Haruki: "In the story, the concept of Mana had been mentioned more than once. It's one of the vital Resources used by all Factions in the game."

Haruki: "To make it short, Mana is the embodiment of both vital energy and magical power in the world. All beings in Verethragna Gloria require Mana to live, so training new Units and building certain Structures will cost Mana."

Haruki: "One of the most expensive uses of Mana is to Summon Heroes, powerful Units that can significantly influence one's playthrough!"

Haruki: "This is why searching for and securing Mana Veins in the early to mid-game is essential!"

Asmo: "Narrating from the game's database, Asmo states that Mana Veins are a naturally recurring harvestable feature in the map. These mineral-like clumps of pure Mana will only appear in areas with high concentrations of vital energy and magical power, usually in the dwellings of powerful monsters."

Haruki: "That's just the game's way of saying that besides the one you spawn near to, it takes a lot of effort to conquer another one."

Asmo: "No wonder Asmo, Master and Monad encountered a 'Crowned Horned Serpent' near a Mana Vein!"

Haruki: *shudders* "That was almost an instant game over back then."

Haruki: "Oh yeah, Mana touched and utilized by Demons become Corrupted. It's very easy to spot - the once blue Mana darkens with an inky shade of black."

Asmo: "Corrupted Mana can be purified by Holy Magic, though. While it might take a lot of effort, Cities and Territories overrun by Corruption can still be saved!"

Haruki: "Well, not all Humans have access to it. But Human factions do possess the ability to clear Corruption without using Holy Magic, though it requires a lot of investment in Research to access the Technology that unlocks it."

Haruki: "Ah, these are new terms. Want to explain it straight from the textbook, Asmo?"

Asmo: "Asmo shall read it. A Technology is an innovative concept, methodology or principle that allows the Faction to train new Units, build more Structures, cast specialized Magic and access other noteworthy and positive effects."

Asmo: "Technologies are earned through Research, done through several ways, but the most common way is by assigning civilian-type Units to specific Structures that output the Resource known as Knowledge."

Asmo: "A Technology requires a certain amount of Knowledge to be accumulated before it is unlocked. The more useful Technologies require lots of Knowledge and for certain other Technologies to already be researched."

Haruki: "Because of their racial differences, Humans and Demons have their own unique Technology trees. Each Faction shares the same tree with others of their species, with only slight variations stemming from their Faction-specific Units, Structures and Abilities."

Haruki: "For example, the Technology that Humans need to clear Corrupted Territories does not appear in the Demon's Technology tree. It makes sense - after all, why would the Demons even clean up the very thing that allows their hearts to beat?"

Haruki: "Instead, Demons have Technologies that increase the rate of Corruption on adjacent Territories and some other nasty effects that make warfare against Humans more convenient."

Haruki: "The next in-game Resource is Growth, which dictates how much Population are living in player-controlled Cities."

Haruki: "Growth varies widely depending on the race. Humans need Food to grow while Demons propagate through Vices. Both require the building of Structures, such as Farms and Granaries for the Humans and Brothels and similar establishments for Lust Demons."

Haruki: "Other Demon Factions have their own Vice Structures, based on the Sin they represent. Gluttony Demons have disgusting Slaughterhouses and lavish Dining Chambers, while Sloth Demons find comfort in the best Sleeping Quarters."

Haruki: "For the Human Factions, they also have Luxuries and the Structures that provide it, each with a different flavor, this time based on virtues. The citizens of the Nit Magedom, those who live for Wisdom, favor Paper and Incense, for example."

Haruki: "Human Luxuries also affect Growth and the Satisfaction of the citizenry. For Demons, Satisfaction depends on Vices."

Haruki: "There are also many other factors that affect the Satisfaction of your Cities, based on the trait of the citizens living there. Wrath Demons want to be in constant warfare, while the Varuna Theocracy don't like to be near Corrupted Territories."

Haruki: "Satisfaction affects the player's Territories' Resource output, such as Knowledge used in Research, and also the Army's Morale, so it's important to keep it high at all times."

Asmo: "The Lust Demons are always Satisfied with Master."

Haruki: "Well, Demons ARE easily coaxed as long as you let them indulge in their desires."

Asmo: "But now, the Chimeras have joined Master!"

Haruki: "And like Humans, Chimeras need Food and have their own distinct likes and dislikes. When absorbing and cohabiting with minor Races, management of the Territories became a little more complex."

Haruki: "While the game has all kinds of statistics and numbers to guide you, my current reality is a different story." *sighs*

Asmo: "Hang in there, Master!"

Haruki: "The next Resource in the game is Production. Cities in your Territories can train Units, build Structures and do all sorts of things, and the rate at which they produce these things is based on Production."

Haruki: "More Population means more people to do things, so Production is highly dependent on both Growth and Satisfaction. Like Knowledge, certain Structures also focus on providing boosts for Production, so you can also build them to make your Cities more productive."

Asmo: "Everyone works together in perfect harmony~"

Haruki: "In the best case scenarios, they do. Otherwise, you best quit the game and restart."

Haruki: "Finally, the last resource is Gold. Simply put, it's money."

Asmo: "Gold has a lot of uses. Master can use it to buy and sell things."

Haruki: "Also for upkeep, expediting Unit training, hiring mercenaries, gifts for minor races, tributes, bribes, some Skill usage, all sorts of deals and events…"

Haruki: "Anyway, whether you play the Greed Demons or not, having good amounts of Gold in the bank is always useful."

Haruki: "And of course, in real life, money is absolutely necessary."

Asmo: "Money can't buy affection or loyalty!"

Haruki: "In the game it does, but I digress."

Haruki: "Moving on, there are also special Resources called Materials and Artifacts that can also affect one's courses of actions in a playthrough!"

Haruki: "Materials are what they say in the tin, used for all sorts of purposes, normally through the Blacksmith and Magicraft Assembly, to create equipment and other Items for Heroes and other Units to use."

Haruki: "Like Mana Veins, you will have to look for them on the map. For example, they appear on the terrain like mountains filled with minerals or forests providing quality lumber and more, even underground or beneath bodies of water."

Haruki: "On the other hand, Artifacts are powerful, otherworldly relics that grant game-changing bonuses. They are extremely hard to find and require Heroes and Armies to explore dangerous and mysterious structures known as Haunts."

Haruki: "We'll talk more about Artifacts and Haunts in a future auxiliary chapter!"

Asmo: "Specifically, when Master encounters them in the story."

Haruki: "I have a feeling that it'll be quite soon though…"

Turns

Haruki: "This will be a brief section since it only applies to the game."

Haruki: "The game works on a per Turn basis, where the player decides what specific actions to take for each in-game Turn. With Cities, a player can choose which Units or Structures to produce. With Heroes, Armies and Units, a player can move and attack hostile targets."

Haruki: "You can also pick which Technology to currently invest Knowledge on, do Diplomacy-related functions like interacting with other Factions and minor races, go into trade deals, use certain Abilities and many other functions!"

Haruki: "In a way, anything a city management game has, Verethragna Gloria has it, too."

Haruki: "Output rates are also on a per Turn basis, so that includes all Resources except Materials and Artifacts. Skill durations and cooldowns are also programmed based on the number of Turns."

Haruki: "However, reality doesn't work like this and the passage of time is the closest equivalent."

Amso: "And it's almost time to end this chapter, Master!"

Haruki: "Yep."

Haruki: "Oh yeah, each playthrough has only a limited amount of Turns. Once it's also used up, the game ends."

Haruki: "In such cases, victory usually depends on which Race controls the most territory at the end of the Turn limit. If there is a tie, points will be given depending on how good the player was!"

Haruki: "Limited Turns are commonplace in competitions, otherwise it'd take a lot of time for one game to end!"

Asmo: "Asmo advocates the principle of a healthy lifestyle. Make sure to touch grass once in a while~"

Haruki: "For some reason, I find you a little patronizing right now."

Haruki: "It's time for the good old Asmo rub."

Asmo: "Nooooooo…"

Wrapping Up

Haruki: "Ah, the soft, smooth fur with the round, even body. Asmo is really the best comfort plush~"

Asmo: "Asmo thinks he is not paid enough for such a 'dangerous' pastime…"

Haruki: "Go complain with the World's System, not me."

Asmo: "Master is such a fickle master…"

Haruki: "Shush, don't overstay your welcome."

Asmo: *cries*

Haruki: "The same is true for this self-made guide so it's time to bid our readers goodbye~"

Haruki: "Hope you guys learned a lot about the game! In the next installment of Haruki and Asmo's Guide to Verethragna Gloria, we will get to know the different Human and Demon Factions!"

Asmo: "Ohhh, the big reveal for some of the Factions not yet mentioned in the main text! Asmo is very excited~"

Haruki: "Good to know, since we will have a lot to talk about in the next chapter!"

Asmo: "Asmo bids farewell to our readers. Asmo hopes to see you next time~"

Haruki: "See you later everyone! Bye~"