“Kingdom’s Knell” unfolds in a cursed land, now desolate and forlorn. As a wandering mystic, the player must study the environment and communicate with the spirits of the dead, in order to uncover the mysteries behind the kingdom’s tragic downfall. This aim of this project was to showcase Environmental storytelling.
After an era of peace, the realm's tranquillity was shattered one fateful night when a mysterious object crashed into the blacksmith's cellar. Entranced by its presence, the blacksmith concealed it from the village, until he suddenly vanished without a trace.
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His disappearance coincided with a sinister malady spreading amongst the villagers, driving them into uncontrollable rage and madness. In response, the desperate king enforced a harsh quarantine and tasked his trusted alchemist with finding a cure. Some progress was made in slowing the infection’s spread using magical crystals, though they couldn’t eradicate it altogether. The king’s burden grew tenfold, when his own daughter fell ill, and in a final act of desperation, he ordered the slaughter of the entire village.
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With most of his subjects dead, rumours of the king’s delirium sparked a mutiny amongst his guards. Disillusioned, a faction of guards slew their comrades, looted the treasury and fled their homeland, having lost faith in its future.
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Everything that had once mattered to the king was gone, save for his daughter who was still fighting the affliction, and he grew obsessed to cure her no matter the cost. However the alchemist had grown wary, convinced that a cure was impossible, and he urged the King to end his daughter’s torment. His pleas fell on deaf ears and their disagreement escalated, resulting in the king murdering his friend. Now alone with his afflicted daughter, the king secluded her in a hidden chamber, fruitlessly trying to restore her sanity. Overwhelmed by regret,guilt and self-hatred, yet lacking the courage to end his daughter’s suffering, he ultimately chose to end his own life with poison.
Soul-Landscape
Right from the level’s beginning, players encounter the game’s mysterious tragedy theme. This is conveyed through the game’s sombre, eerie music, the nocturnal setting, and the desolate world. Sebastian Domsch refers to these elements as “soul-landscapes”, visual cues that mirror the mood of a character, scene or narrative. These soul-landscapes can affect the level’s mood and involve mood associations.
Spatial Stories
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Within the game’s overarching plot, several spatial narratives exist “held together by broadly defined goals and conflicts and pushed forward by the character’s movement across the map” (Henry Jenkins).
These spatial stories are not presented in chronological order, as they’re designed to be a self-contained story within the wider gameworld. Sebastian Domsch describes this as “Spatial Narrative”, prioritising exploration over linear plot progression. He states that it’s crucial “to provide it with high narrativity, without linearizing it back into a sequence of time”. Nonetheless, these spatial narratives contain sufficient information for keen-eyed players to eventually order them chronologically.
Furthermore, these narratives incorporate Smith and Worch’s four pillars of Environmental Storytelling:
1. They rely upon the player to connect different elements, and interpret them as a meaningful whole.
2. They engage the player’s perception and problem solving skills for deeper story involvement.
3. They invite interpretation of situations that depend upon the players' views and experience.
4. They are distinct from each other, to help the player navigate the area.
The following is a breakdown of spatial narratives within this level:
Church:
As players approach this area, they’ll spot 4 corpses on the ground. One stands out in particular - a paladin in ornate armour. According to Ysabelle Coutu, “the most universally acknowledged element as being liked and helping with understanding the story was the placement of objects like bones, discarded weapons and blood decals” hence, many of these spatial narratives will include corpses. Clara Fernández-Vara also wrote that blood pools are a type of indexical storytelling, since they are “indications of previous events” and tell us that “someone has been wounded”.
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This scene suggests a fierce battle: The paladin faces away from the church, as if defending it, while the three other soldiers lie facing it. A lit torch lies beside one of the soldiers, and the church walls are burnt, surrounded by ash with a torch embedded close to its door, implying that the soldiers set fire to it.
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Keen-eyed players will also realise that the paladin was stabbed in the back, suggesting that he was surrounded, though before he died he slew 3 soldiers. The paladin’s corpse is still grasping his sword, implying that even while severely wounded he was determined to protect the villagers sheltering within the church.
​These clues fall under embedded storytelling since “the game space becomes a memory palace whose contents must be deciphered as the player tries to reconstruct the plot.” (Henry Jenkins)
Apart from the visual cues, the player can interact with the paladin’s spirit, to hear their final moments as audio. This acts as an audio diary, and it helps to connect the visual clues together. They intentionally complement each other, giving the full narrative picture once combined; Michael Nitsche wrote “It is only with the accompanying audio diary that the narrative potential of these set pieces is unlocked, and a ‘mini-story’ emerges tied to a particular space.” Many of the other narrative scenes contain audio diaries with similar intent, and according to Sebastian Domsch these audiologs fall under embedded narrative since it includes “all kinds of explicit narrative content that a player encounters while navigating the world of a videogame”
Plot:
When the king’s soldiers began purging the village, some villagers sought refuge in the local church, barricading themselves inside. To complete their mission, the soldiers set the church ablaze, killing those within.
Collapsed House:
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This house lies in ruins, with a large boulder at its centre, and a body buried beneath it. The boulder is clearly responsible for the destruction, and upon crossing the river the player will notice a catapult, with similar boulders nearby, implying that the boulder was fired from it.
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Plot: When the villagers realised they were under attack, the king’s soldiers abandoned their stealthful approach and launched a full assault.
Farm House:
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Upon entering this house, the player immediately encounters the central narrative: a soldier hangs from the wall, impaled by a garden fork, while another skeleton lies upon the ground armed with a scythe but missing an arm. The house doorway narrows the player’s vision to focus on the core scene, and the light is intentionally placed next to the impaled soldier and dead farmer. Clara Fernandez-Vara wrote that “camera movements, reveals and lighting” help to focus the player’s attention on specific events.
Since the soldier is impaled by a garden fork, players should connect this with the houses’ environment such as the field and farming tools (rake, scythe, spade), implying that the houses’ owner killed the soldier. The soldier’s hands are still grasping the fork, suggesting that he spent his dying moments desperately trying to pull it out.
The nearby shattered table and surrounding blood pools indicate a fierce struggle between the soldier and farmer. In fact the other skeleton that lies upon the ground holds a sickle, implying he’s the farmer, and he is missing an arm. His lost arm can be found between his corpse and the soldier, and since he is armed with a sickle, it suggests that he kept trying to defend his family after he was wounded, though some other soldiers must have overwhelmed him.
In a secluded corner, an adult skeleton cradles a child’s remains (suggesting they were comforting it), though there are no signs of violence. Instead, an empty vial lies near their feet, implying that they chose poison over a more gruesome fate, a sentiment that is reinforced by an accompanying audiodiary, featuring the mother urging her child to “drink this"
Outside the house, players will find a wooden rod bearing a strange symbol, which happens to be present near most of the houses. This suggests that it’s part of some local superstition, though we’ll learn more about it at other locations.
Blacksmith:
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Similar to the farmer’s house, the blacksmith’s home is defined by its contents (an anvil, tools, external sign, ingots). The presence of cobwebs hint that it was ‘abandoned’ earlier than the other houses. This is the only house that lacks a ‘warding symbol’, implying that this superstition started after the house was ‘abandoned’ (which helps to link it with the infection).
Within the cellar players can find a strange glowing object with mysterious tendrils extending into the ground, suggesting an unnatural and alien origin. The blacksmith’s skeleton can be found gazing into this object, while caressing it in an almost ‘loving’ way. There are no signs of blood or violence nearby and the way his corpse is found, suggests that he might have died from starvation while enthralled by this object (further insinuating its ‘magical’ nature) or that it somehow consumed his life.
Observant players will notice that this object impacted the ground with significant force since it disrupted the floor, and there is a scorched hole in the ceiling above it (which is visible above ground), suggesting that it crashed from the sky.
The alien-nature of the object, its strange vessels, its otherworldly origin, and its enthralling effect fall under evoked narrative since they “draw upon our previously existing narrative competencies” (Henry Jenkins) connecting the level with lovecraftian stories, “The Colour out of Space” in particular. This transmedia storytelling is also seen in the madness associated with the infection, since this is a typical theme within lovecraftian mythology.
Fisherman's House:
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As the player approaches this house, they can deduce it belonged to a fisherman from clues like fishing rods, a fishing rack and a fish trophy.
Upon descending into the basement, the doorway narrows the player’s attention to a chain hanging at the wall’s end, suggesting someone was imprisoned here. If the player takes a closer look, they’ll notice strange symbols hanging from the wall together with a ‘warding’ staff nearby which imply that these symbols are a superstition cure for the infection. It also implies that the captive was infected, and the nearby bed and chair indicate that the prisoner’s wellbeing was looked after, probably by someone that loved them, and was trying to cure them.
The busted cellar door suggests that someone forced their way into this room. There is also a blood trail leading from the chain to a charred skeleton lying upon a pile of ash, and this is a type of Indexical storytelling using indices, since it involves an idea connected to a sign. Clara Fernandez-Vars wrote that “The player has to connect the relationship between the sign and the event that it points to”. In this case, the sign is the blood trail from which we gather that the prisoner was wounded and dragged away. We can then connect it with the charred skeleton that lies at the end of the bloodtrail, to understand that this skeleton and the prisoner were the same person. The skeleton’s chest is embedded with a spear that is identical to that of the king’s soldiers, and all of these clues indicate that the soldiers slew the prisoner, dragged his body and burnt it.
Another skeleton lies in the opposite corner, reaching out to the charred skeleton, as if longing for closeness. An audio diary reveals a woman’s voice, pleading for the soldiers to spare him, implying that she is the fisherman’s wife. This scene tells a tragic tale: The fisherman was confined to the basement after showing signs of infection, and his wife surrounded him with warding symbols, hoping to cure him. When the soldiers attacked the village, they broke into the cellar, killed her husband and burnt his body, before turning their blades upon his wife. In her dying moments she kept pointing and trying to reach out to her beloved.
Village Square:
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The town bell is half-buried in the ground, with a cut rope and a dagger beside it. It implies that the soldiers initially planned a surprise attack upon the village, and they removed the bell to prevent an alarm from being raised.
Observant players who investigate the nearby well will notice strange roots emerging from its water, similar to those from the mysterious object in the blacksmith’s house. This connection implies that the object was the infection’s source, and that it spread underground into the water supply, thus infecting the villagers.
Prison Wagon:
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This wagon contains 2 prisoner corpses, 1 of which is clearly trying to escape from the other (his arm is reaching out of the cage, pleading for help). The other prisoner is pierced by many spears, implying that the guards intervened after he slew his companion. An audio diary suggests that this prisoner was infected, showing signs of madness.
Execution Area:
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Within the guillotine’s basket lies a skull, and a headless corpse hangs nearby. This implies that they belong to the same man, and an audio diary reveals that he was harbinging the infected. His crime can be connected to the ‘Deceiver’ sign that hangs above his corpse, and this is a symbolic type of indexical storytelling.
Traitorous Guard:
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A guard’s corpse lies near the river with a weapon in hand, suggesting an active fight. His mouth is filled with coins, implying that this fight concerned treasure. This idea is encouraged by the nearby treasure chest, and the player can follow a trail of coins leading back to the castle's treasury. The oar that lies next to the corpse suggests that the traitorous guards planned to escape by boat with stolen treasure, though some infighting occurred, and one the guards was slain by his compatriots, who then stuffed coins into his mouth.
Soldier's Camp:
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This area reflects pre-existing tensions between the village and the king’s policies. To quell potential uprisings, soldiers were stationed outside with weapons ready.
Guard Room:
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This area showcases the guard rebellion. One room is untouched (belonging to the rebel guards) and its empty weapon racks imply that they armed themselves before turning on their compatriots.
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The other two guard rooms tell a brutal story. One room contains 5 corpses and signs of battle. Of the two guard corpses closest to the door, one lies in bed, suggesting he was slain in his sleep, while the other rests beside his bed, with ‘betrayal’ written in blood near him. His fingertip is bloodied, indicating that he wrote this message.These corpses closest to the door suggest they were caught by surprise, and were the first to be slain.
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The final guard room presents a more harrowing event. It’s filled with ash and its walls are charred implying that it was set ablaze (the nearby empty torch holder, and the torch that lies amidst the ashes indicate the fire’s source). A charred body of a guard can be found clawing at the door, suggesting that it was locked, and this is further implied through an audio diary. A bed lies against the wall next to the window, with a body lying half way out, suggesting that one of the guards tried to escape through the window, though it was futile.
Alchemist Room:
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This room is designed to have a scientific aura, filled with books, potions, herbs and alchemical devices. At its centre lies the dead alchemist, stabbed in the back (an indication of betrayal), and moonlight is used to focus the players attention upon it. There are many prominent magical crystals within this room, implying their importance and suggesting that the alchemist was studying them.
Alchemist Lab:
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This room contains the bodies of the infected, clearly tied down, suggesting that they were dangerous. Magical crystals can be found near the victims, implying they had some ‘healing’ abilities. A pit lies beneath the room’s grate filled with charred bones, implying that after the infected succumbed to madness, their bodies were burnt and discarded here.
King's Secret Chamber:
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Within this room, the story’s climax unfolds with the king and his daughter. Moonlight is used to draw the player’s attention to the coffin and the central narrative. This coffin is ominously secured with four chains glowing at their bases, hinting at a magically enforced containment for something dangerous.
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Surrounding the coffin are signs of the king’s desperate attempts to cure his daughter. Two large basins overflow with magical crystals, and a table in front of the coffin displays childhood toys, with a music box at its centre. Interacting with this box triggers a faint hum from the coffin, suggesting that some of the daughter’s memories still linger. These details and lighting create melodrama, which according to Henry Jenkins overwhelm the player “with powerful feelings of loss or nostalgia”.
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The toys imply that the coffin contains the king’s child, and the king’s skeleton (indicated by his crown) clutches a painting of a young girl, that of his daughter, clearly someone that mattered immensely to him. It should reflect that his final thoughts were about his daughter, and the empty chalice and bottle at his feet imply that he died by poisoning himself.
