Living Mythos: a world that goes on without you
Heroes of legend with lives of their own, gods who keep score, and a world that goes on without you: how Living Mythos is designed to work.
Most role-playing games are built like a stage play: the cast waits in the wings until you arrive, and nothing happens until you do. Godsunder works differently. Its heroes of legend have lives, ambitions and rivalries of their own, and history goes on whether or not you step in. The part of the game that makes that happen is called Living Mythos, and today we're explaining how it's designed to work.
Myths as situations, not scripts
Every figure, place and creature in the game comes from the ancient sources, catalogued with the passage behind each fact. A myth is stored not as a fixed script but as a situation with parts to play. In the Cyclops's cave, Odysseus might be the prisoner you free, the one who sent you there, a rival who got there first, or nowhere to be seen.
Rivals who don't wait
The heroes you didn't choose chase their own destinies across the map. Linger, and Jason may reach a deed before you. You'll hear it coming through news and rumours. Nothing is simply lost: the story changes rather than disappearing. And each hero's fated deeds stay theirs, so only Heracles faces the Nemean lion.
The gods keep score
Every god has their own opinion of you, starting where the myths start: a son of Zeus may enjoy his father's favour and Hera's hatred at once. Sacrifices, oaths, hubris and harm to what a god protects all move it, and every change comes with its reason. Gods rule their own lands, too. Leave Greece and Poseidon can't reach you, though he won't forget.
The rules decide
A language model brings ideas, characters and words. The game's own rules decide what's possible, fair and true. New quests are checked against the myths and played through by the game itself before you ever see them, and Living Mythos never decides who wins a fight or what you're given. It's designed to run on your own PC, scale with your hardware, and get better as better models arrive, without ever rewriting a campaign you've already played.
Where it stands
The first quests are already generated from the ancient sources and play in the studio's build: Theseus's road from Troezen to Athens, then the poisoned cup and the sons of Pallas. Rival heroes and the gods' standing are being built and tested in simulation next. The full design is on the new Living Mythos page.