A few months back I posted a series of Sovereign Spotlight. Turns out that I kind of failed to include the main character of this entire game. (Let’s just say I actually forgot to post this one! It’s been in my draft for a while). I find it appropriate to post his spotlight three days before the game’s launch. Do enjoy this little writeup and the design process involving Kadmon.
Root
Some of my constant readers might have noticed that I have revealed the origin of Kadmon in my second design diary. Kadmon began as a nameless lich whose exact identity is unknown. In the beginning, I had no idea who Kadmon really is. What values does he stand for? What should be his theme? I have no answer to that. In a way, Kadmon’s identity grows hand in hand with my growth as a writer and game designer. Well… he is after all my main character. I do believe that there is some sweetness to it. Sadly, because the Morbidia saga was only just beginning—with 2 more books to complete and maybe more games to come—answering who exactly Kadmon is is a constant work in progress.
But hey, here’s what I can share with you.
Character Inspirations
Dark Sun Gwyndolin (Dark Souls)
When it comes to Kadmon’s looks, I wanted to do a little tribute to one of the aesthetic inspirations for the game. And that inspiration would be Dark Souls. There is a really cool character from Dark Souls that I often used as a reference, looks wise, when it comes to Kadmon. Dark Sun Gwyndolin.
A key art I used for reference when sending the commission job description to Spearthymint was a fanart of Gwyndolin by JLIEN. I became obsessed with the colour combination of white and gold over a black background. There was something dark about it, yet mesmerising at the same time.
Canonically, Kadmon suffered from albinism. This was really my reason why Kadmon has white hair. If you look at the art closely, you’ll also be able to see that there is a lack of pigmentation in his eyes. Giving it a little red tinge amidst the cloudy grey.
A White Lie
The basis of Kadmon’s philosophy lies in the question whether or not it is favourable to bring forth hope through lies. Kadmon’s struggle comes through his desire of wanting to do good. And for a while, his lies beat hope for the downtrodden and helpless. But how much can one take before it eats your own conscience alive? When is the limit? And at what point will your own lie turn you into an evil of your own creation?
Sadly, it might be difficult for players to identify this quality of his through playing the game alone. His artwork alone wasn’t enough to put this into display. Legions of Kadmon also mark Kadmon at the end of his journey. He was at his peak where he had finally learned the truth of the realm. As such, the question is then passed on to you, the players: If Kadmon sitting on that throne was built based on a white lie which gave Morbidians hope, then is usurping him justified?
That is for you to decide.
(Or you can also be less philosophical and play because you want to be a Necromancer).
Gameplay Design & History
Being the final adversary in Legions of Kadmon, Kadmon’s design had the challenge of elevating the stake of the game. Before I explored Kadmon’s mechanic, I knew that Kadmon’s battle needed to feel different and more intense. The word “Final Boss” became one of my simplest blueprints when it came to designing a Sovereign. The term, however, was so broad that I had to do multiple play tests to get Kadmon’s battle right.
Resurrection
The simplest approach to making the final battle more intense was obviously to increase the magnitude of the threat. This can be achieved easily by increasing the number of units to fend off in the Legion. Being a Death Summoner, naturally the first thing that came to mind was Kadmon’s ability to resurrect. While this ability had gone through various iterations, it stuck until the final version of the game. Kadmon’s ability to essentially bring 2 units into the Legion adds a much needed intensity as the final boss battle. There was a time when this ability was a resurrect 2 instead of 1, but we had to nerf him quickly because the players just couldn’t keep up.
When the players couldn’t keep up with the Legion, it bred various problems like removal of player’s interaction which is something many of the game’s playtesters really dislike. This problem of the Legion being a big threat persists even when I’ve reduced the number of resurrections, simply because the balance of the Player vs Legion had been significantly tipped. However, rather than removing the resurrection completely, I decided to give a little bit more power to the players. And that brings us to…
The Wild Action Token
This token awarded by Kadmon to all players was at first a quick hotfix to the imbalance problem I had. In fact, the first series of tests performed on the Wild Action Tokens were done during TableconQuest 2024 where I first revealed the game to the public. I was surprised to see the result. Not only that it fixed the Player vs Legion imbalance, it also fulfilled the idea of increasing the intensity of Kadmon’s battle through a different means.
Instead of giving greater strength for the Legion, increasing intensity here is achieved by increasing the number of options and player interaction. Often, I forgot that the true adversary in Legions of Kadmon wasn’t exactly the Legion or Kadmon ahaha. It’s the players.
So I give them the resources to battle it out against each other.
The Tomb Unlocks
When the Tomb wasn’t around, Kadmon didn’t have a signature skill per se. Look at it this way, without the Tomb, Kadmon and the Fragment’s ability is oddly similar. Such… is the power of a Death Summoner. However, the Tomb adds a layer to Kadmon’s ability in many ways.
If both the players and Kadmon are Death Summoners, why couldn’t Kadmon have access to the Sovereign’s abilities? By answering this question, I essentially turned the Tomb into Kadmon’s hand. Throughout the course of the game, when a player decides to access the Sovereign’s spell, they would give up that Sovereign’s power for Kadmon to use in the final battle. The cool part is… if you’re playing Legions of Kadmon for the first time, you won’t know this. Kadmon accessing the Tomb became a surprise!
A more advanced player can also use this mechanic to their advantage. By timing a Sovereign’s spell activation, they could place them into the Tomb right before Kadmon triggers his Calamity in hope that it could twist the battlefield to their favour. This is an extremely situational and advanced move that I would consider unconventional in a way. But when it happened, it was still really cool and pleasant to see.
Illustrating Kadmon
Funnily enough, despite my constant discovery of Kadmon’s character, I knew—from the very first time I set my eyes on her works—I wanted Spearthymint to illustrate Kadmon. There really were no other options.
Here’s a little brief context. I used to work with Spearthymint before on a completely different project. It’s a mobile game we won’t be able to disclose any information about. On top of the work she posted in her online portfolio, I have seen her work on some of the most impressive fantasy art in the world. If there is something remotely available for you guys to check out, please check out her painting of Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower.
Kadmon’s illustration hides much more implications than you think. The broken throne implies that he was the original usurper, long before you (the players) venture into Morbidia to seek the very same throne. His white robes were designed closely to the vitars of the Church of Samael, which he tore and bastardized, indicating his previous involvement with the Church and his eventual rejection. But most importantly… is the head, sitting on his lap.
That… is something to be shared about in the near future.
Leave a Reply