Age of Wonders 4: Tharru'Cath Guide (2024)

The "Eldritch Realms" DLC for Age of Wonders 4 comes with two new story realms that feature all the new material that comes with the expansion. The first of these story realms is Tharru'Cath, which is deceptively straightforward.

For the sake of focusing on the new material, Tharru'Cath features an unusual set of realm features. Each empire can only build a single massive city, the underground layer is insignificant, and there are no free cities dotting the landscape. There is a neutral party present, but this party is part of the new Umbral Abyss layer. More on that later.

Escaping the Abyss

After choosing or creating your faction and leader (note that you're free to use the new Eldritch Sovereign ruler type), you awaken in an Eldritch Prison. The options you get for your first choice depend on your starting Affinities and ruler type. For instance, the Astral Affinity can give your ruler the Warmage trait, while the Eldritch Sovereign gets a special Displacement defense that causes them to teleport the first time they take damage each turn. The last option is always available, and it gives your ruler a free level.

Your ruler is then awakened and freed by Zwen'tywan the Outlaw. Zwen is a Syron, one of the two new body forms introduced in "Eldritch Realms." He explains that you're in the realm of Tharru'Cath, a prison plane where prisoners are twisted by Urrath into Umbral Demons. He's hoping to escape, but he needs a Godir like you to lead the way and defeat the wardens guarding the exit.

But before anything else, you need to get out of the Umbral Abyss. The Umbral Abyss is a special new map layer, one that features Lovecraftian monsters that slowly expand out of their nightmare realm into the normal world. Unlike the underground layer, the Umbral Abyss doesn't map to the surface layer, and (at least in Tharru'Cath) each portal leads to an isolated area of the Umbral Abyss.

The Abyss also features Gloom, a province trait that stops units from healing and inflicts six hit points of damage each turn. This trait can spread to Surface provinces under the right conditions, and annexing them can severely reduce your cities' Stability.

Between this issue and the fact that you don't start out with a city, you'll want to follow Zwen's advice and get out of the Umbral Abyss as fast as you can. During this section, Zwen will introduce you to the basics of the Umbral Abyss: Umbral Nests (a special type of infestation), Sanctuary Outposts (these work like regular outposts, but you can only build them in provinces with a Beacon of Light), and Umbral Gates (these work identically to Underground Passages).

For now, you should avoid spending any more time than you have to in the Umbral Abyss and look for the exit. It should be west of your starting location. You may be able to defeat the sleeping Umbral Nest you encounter along the way, but sticking around isn't the best idea. You can use the Sanctuary Outpost to grow your territory and heal from the Gloom damage, but if your leader dies before you find your capital, the game will end.

Getting the Lay of the Land

Once you reach the Surface layer, head to the quest marker to find your capital city. Once there, you'll take control of it without a fight, and Zwen will explain the real main quest to you: find and open the Gate of Tharru'Cath and escape the realm.

However, reaching the Gate won't be easy. You first need to investigate three Umbral Gates scattered across the map, and you need to deal with at least one of the two warden factions that will try to stop you.

One other potential enemy you'll encounter is an Umbral Dwelling. Umbral Dwellings work like regular Free Cities, but the only way to gain their loyalty and "vassalize" them is to become an evil faction and provide them with sacrifices. These sacrifices can include Population, Thralls, Souls, Mana, and Gold.

You also gain Umbral Dwelling allegiance by controlling Void Stones, a magic material that only appears on the Umbral Abyss layer. However, you should keep in mind that Umbral Dwellings can spread Gloom to new Surface provinces if you don't destroy them.

Dealing with the Wardens

Both warden factions should be somewhere north of your capital. The first faction, led by Thrallwarden Ryc'turi, will immediately declare war the moment you encounter them, and this war will continue until you defeat him or win the scenario. However, the second faction leader, Cult Leader Werlac of Insaldur, is willing to cut a deal.

Werlac of Insaldur

If you avoid the dialog options that start a war, Werlac will agree to leave you alone, and he'll let you and your people escape through the Gate. However, in exchange, you must allow him to crush Zwen and any other allies you find along the way.

Players should take this deal when it comes up. You'll still need to use diplomacy to build a good relationship and avoid war with Werlac, but it means you'll complete one of your four objectives right away, and you'll only have to worry about one hostile faction at a time. Plus you can always betray Werlac later, either by declaring war on his faction or by reneging on your deal once you find the Gate.

Ryc'turi

You don't have to defeat either of the warden factions to win the game. However, Ryc'turi will constantly throw his units at you, either to harass your explorers or to attack your provinces and capital. Dealing with him isn't easy, thanks to his advanced city and seemingly endless supply of units, but doing so will make exploring the map much safer and easier. Assuming you don't raze it to the ground, his capital can also give you a new base to explore from.

Following the Leads

Aside from the warden factions, all your objectives are in isolated sections of the Umbral Abyss. This includes the Gate of Tharru'Cath, which you can't access until you complete all four objectives of "Finding the World Gate."

The Wizard

The wizard's area is a spiral, and you'll need to check several guarded and unguarded objects to complete this objective. Each object tells the story of a human wizard who freed a follower of Urrath named Lithyl, and who shattered his own mind once he realized his mistake. You get plenty of resources from this area, including a lot of Knowledge, but nothing else.

The Deserter

Thanks to the layout of this Umbral Abyss area, you'll need to battle either an army of six led by a Bone Dragon or an army of four led by a Reaper. Doing so will let you reach Unde'Xani the Unshackled, who has freed himself from Thrallwarden Ryc'turi. Unde'Xani is willing to join your faction as a hero the moment you speak to her, and your hero cap goes up by one even if you tell her to leave. However, accepting her help is a great idea, because her level leaps up to 19 the moment she joins.

The Prisoner

This area features water, an unusual sight in the Umbral Abyss, and at the center of it is a bronze Ancient Wonder called the Springs of Dissonance. If you defeat the inhabitants, you'll free a Maer called Azanya, who also offers to join your faction. Azanya has been corrupted by the abyss and counts as an Eldritch Sovereign, which means you can play around with the special Eldritch Sovereign hero skills even if you chose a normal hero type. Just like Unde'Xani, you get a free hero cap boost for meeting Azanya, and she starts at level 20.

Escaping Tharru'Cath

After you investigate the three Umbral Gates and either defeat or cut a deal with at least one warden faction, the Umbral Gate that leads to the exit will appear. Note that if you travel to the gate's location before completing "Finding the World Gate," it simply won't be there.

If you did strike a bargain with Werlac, you'll have to deal with the consequences the moment you send an army through the gate. If you honor the deal, the scenario will end in victory. Your allies won't be happy, but you'll instantly win the game.

If you break your pact, Werlac will declare war on you, and an army under Werlac's control will appear next to each of yours. Fortunately, these armies are all composed of tier one and two units, so you should be able to dispose of them easily. Ultimately, this isn't a serious consequence, especially since at least one of your armies should be close to the Gate of Tharru'Cath.

The Gate is a gold Ancient Wonder, and the fight you'll face inside isn't an easy one. The enemy army features three Umbral Tyrants, a special tier five unit that summons two tier one units for free, can buff and attack in every round, and gets free turns when it destroys an enemy unit. If you have access to it, the tactical spell Arcane Bond can be a big help in this fight, because all the enemies aside from the Umbral Tyrants count as Magic Origin units.

If you didn't betray your allies before, clearing the Gate of Tharru'Cath will complete the scenario. These allies play no role in the second realm scenario, so it makes no real difference which choice you make.

Age Of Wonders 4

Platform(s)

PC , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

May 2, 2023

Developer(s)

Triumph Studios

Publisher(s)

Paradox Interactive

Genre(s)

Turn-Based Strategy