News

As most of you know our guild member Nachimir has been building a custom map called Th-Breandor. I'll let him do the "talking". Read the story, and see the screenshots.

Breandor Manor:

I've been working on it for almost nine months, and am nearly happy with it. More than 50% of the map was deleted during development. Sometimes bits of this 50% were rebuilt differently, but mostly disposed of because it was a) too big, and b) too crap. As subsequent versions of Thievery have been released I've been able to make use of more features, such as DamageActors and Patrol Splitters. I've also progressed from knowing nearly nothing about PhotoShop last August (when I started this map) to now being able to do some fairly satisfactory texture work. Lots of people have helped out in various ways: Textures, sounds, and especially Beta testing. About 25 people have beta tested so far. I'd like to thank them all because their help has been indispensable, as has their relentless encouragement. There are things it would have taken me a long time to notice and fix if it weren't for them, and there were many tedious points where I was sick of it and wanted to give up. Through sticking to it, I've learned a lot and made friends I might not have otherwise. So thank you all, I hope you enjoy it.

A public release is a short way off, but for now here's some background:

Breandor Manor is owned and occupied by the Ossington family, who became Lords during Feudal times while fighting the various successors to the brief and fractured empire of the Balgarat tribes. After many military distinctions and temporary homes, the family built and settled here. The Lords Ossington have always been keenly interested in nature, art, and warfare. These overt and seemingly contradictory fascinations, grounded in creation and destruction, are what has enabled the family to weather many historical tides. They have never been consciously or zealously religious, and it is this that enables the forces present at Breandor to work on them.

A much bigger conflict runs through the manor than guardianship and theft. Between them, the influences of Vine and Flame destroyed an Abbey and a Castle, and they have always vied for supremacy over the Manor through the heart of its owner. Presently the Vine appears to be predominant, but the current Lord Ossington has a growing interest in machines. This metaphysical conflict both enabled and necessitated that the Ossington family made Breandor such an important social locus. During the balls and dinners held in the great halls, prosperous deals are negotiated, noble courtships have their origins, and weighty intelligence is exchanged. In more than one way this is the means of the Ossintons survival and prosperity: The conflicting forces of the location are what attract the various factions and individuals from which the family can extract wealth and information, and the relatively open nature of the manor and its functions are what keep the forces proportionally balanced.

Were it not for their cultural and creative interests, the Ossington Line would long since have been fettered to the place by Gormenghastian ritual, but creative influences maintain it as merely a convenient location. Should the Vine and Flame ever return to imbalance, it is uncertain exactly what would become of the family. It is of little consequence to you, because as always there are plenty of potential replacements. The Ossington family is one of the richest in the land. They have contributed substantially to the military, and founded museums, parks, and gardens. Though these martial and cultural achievements are lofty, the family do not seem to have any direct interest in those who are oppressed and underpriveledged. That's the only reason you're here tonight.

I would like to announce the new additions to our site layout, the TSG logo underneath the navigation bar and the star which is featured after each article to create some space because we thought the news articles looked a bit crampy. They are both created by mOdEtWo we hope you like the new stuff.

NeoPendragon has released another one of his kick-ass maps. It's named Th-SoulsHarbor, and is probably the scariest map for Thievery ever. Haunts as guards, falling objects, scary sounds and an amazing atmosphere. You definitely don't want to play this map when you're home alone.

Read more about the map on TearsofBlood.com, or download it from our Files page.