Exploration & World

Understanding the World

The world of Of Ash and Steel is a vast, interconnected landscape filled with danger, mystery, and opportunity. Unlike many modern open-world games, there are no quest markers, no minimap icons, and no GPS-style navigation. Exploration is organic, reward-driven, and genuinely dangerous. Success requires observation, planning, and careful decision-making.

World Structure and Regions

Starting Area (The Ashen Plains)

A desolate flatland where most players begin their journey. Relatively safe compared to other regions, with basic resources and weaker enemies. Key locations include abandoned homesteads, small bandit camps, and scattered ruins. This area serves as a tutorial zone without explicitly telling you it is one.

The Blackwood Forest

Dense woodland providing abundant resources but limited visibility. Home to wolves, bears, and human outlaws. Excellent for hunting and gathering wood, but easy to get lost without landmarks. Contains hidden caves and ancient tree groves with rare materials.

Mountain Regions

Treacherous elevated terrain with extreme cold, steep cliffs, and limited resources. High-value ore deposits and rare materials make it worth the danger. Ancient ruins built into mountainsides contain powerful equipment and valuable loot. Only attempt with proper cold-weather gear.

Wetlands and Marshes

Difficult terrain with disease-carrying insects, poisonous plants, and ambush predators. Water is abundant but often contaminated. Hidden underwater ruins and sunken treasures reward thorough exploration. Visibility is poor, making navigation challenging.

Desert Wastes

Extreme heat and water scarcity define this harsh environment. Long distances between points of interest test survival skills. Ancient tombs and buried cities hold incredible treasure but also terrible dangers. Travel during dawn and dusk to avoid peak heat.

Ruined Cities

Remnants of civilization before the fall. Densely packed with both loot and enemies. Complex vertical environments with multiple levels to explore. Dungeons beneath cities contain the greatest challenges and rewards. High enemy density makes these endgame content.

Navigation Without Maps

Celestial Navigation

• The sun rises in the east and sets in the west—use it to maintain cardinal directions
• Stars at night provide consistent navigation reference points
• The moon's position and phase can help estimate time and direction
• Cloud patterns and weather systems often move in predictable directions

Landmark Navigation

• Identify distinctive terrain features—unique rock formations, dead trees, ruined buildings
• Mountains and high terrain serve as long-distance reference points
• Rivers and streams provide natural navigation corridors
• Create your own landmarks—cairns of stacked stones mark paths you've traveled
• Mental mapping improves with repeated travel through areas

Trail Marking

• Break branches at specific heights to mark paths
• Stack stones in recognizable patterns
• Carve marks into trees (if you have a blade)
• Place torches or items in visible locations as markers
• Note that enemies may follow your marks or be alerted by them

Exploration Strategies

Daylight Exploration

Conduct most exploration during daylight hours when visibility is optimal and many dangerous nocturnal enemies are inactive:

• Start expeditions at dawn to maximize daylight hours
• Know your return distance—always have time to reach safety before dark
• Scout dangerous areas during day, then return prepared
• Use midday peak visibility for detailed area searches

Night Exploration

Night exploration is high-risk, high-reward. Some areas and enemies are only accessible at night:

• Carry multiple light sources—torches burn out, lanterns can break
• Light attracts attention—be prepared for enemy encounters
• Some enemies fear fire and will avoid torch-bearing players
• Certain rare materials and creatures only appear at night
• Navigate primarily by starlight when stealth is required

Systematic Area Coverage

• Divide regions into manageable sectors and clear them methodically
• Work outward from established safe points
• Check every structure, cave, and suspicious terrain feature
• Look up—vertical spaces often hide secrets
• Look down—ground-level details reveal hidden paths and buried items

Points of Interest

Abandoned Settlements

Former villages and homesteads now empty or occupied by hostiles. Usually contain basic supplies, crafting stations, and shelter. Some can be claimed and fortified as player bases. Thoroughly loot buildings—check attics, basements, and hidden storage.

Dungeons and Underground Areas

Complex multi-level environments with the best loot and toughest enemies:

• Bring extensive supplies—exits may be distant or blocked
• Map mentally as you descend—getting lost underground is often fatal
• Light sources are critical—many dungeons are pitch black
• Traps are common—watch for pressure plates, tripwires, and suspicious gaps
• Boss enemies guard the deepest sections and best treasure

Campsites and Rest Areas

Both friendly and hostile NPCs maintain camps. Friendly camps offer trade, information, and temporary safety. Hostile camps contain enemies but also valuable loot. Approach cautiously—determine camp allegiance before entering.

Natural Resources

Learn to recognize resource-rich areas:

• Specific tree types in forests yield different wood qualities
• Rocky outcroppings may hide ore deposits
• Certain plants grow only in specific biomes
• Animal tracks lead to hunting grounds
• Water sources attract both prey and predators

Hidden Content and Secrets

Environmental Storytelling

The world tells stories through environmental details:

• Skeletons and corpses positioned in specific ways reveal past events
• Destroyed settlements show evidence of how they fell
• Scattered items create narratives of escape, last stands, or hidden treasure
• Following environmental clues can lead to secret areas

Secret Areas

• False Walls: Some dungeon walls are illusory. Attack suspicious walls or push against them to reveal hidden passages.
• Underwater Locations: Lakes and rivers hide sunken ruins accessible only by diving. Bring water-breathing potions or hold your breath.
• High Ledges: Valuable items placed on difficult-to-reach locations reward climbing and exploration.
• Puzzle Doors: Some areas require solving environmental puzzles—moving statues, lighting braziers in correct order, etc.

Rare Encounters

• Wandering merchants appear randomly on roads offering rare goods
• Mysterious NPCs provide cryptic hints about hidden treasures
• World bosses spawn in specific locations on timers
• Random events like ambushes, wildlife migrations, or supernatural phenomena

Dangers and Hazards

Environmental Hazards

• Fall Damage: Height kills. Be extremely careful near cliffs and ledges. Falls that would wound during day are fatal when encumbered.
• Traps: Bear traps, spike pits, tripwires, and pressure plates. Watch the ground, especially in high-traffic areas and dungeons.
• Poisonous Areas: Gas-filled rooms, toxic swamps, and contaminated ruins. Require resistance potions or will quickly kill you.
• Unstable Structures: Damaged buildings may collapse when disturbed. Avoid lingering in structurally questionable areas.

Weather Events

• Blizzards reduce visibility to near-zero and can freeze you solid
• Thunderstorms make travel dangerous—avoid high ground and metal equipment
• Sandstorms in deserts disorient and damage over time
• Heavy rain can make surfaces slippery and extinguish torches

Exploration Equipment

Essential Exploration Gear

• Multiple light sources (torches, lanterns, glow sticks)
• Rope for climbing or descending safely
• Lockpicks or crowbars for accessing locked containers
• Food and water for extended trips
• Basic medical supplies
• Bedroll for safe sleeping in the field
• Backup weapons and tools

Specialized Equipment

• Grappling hooks for reaching elevated areas
• Water-breathing potions for underwater exploration
• Antidotes and resistance potions for hazardous areas
• Mapping materials (paper, charcoal) for note-taking
• Signal items for marking important locations