ASHES OF YGGRASIL

CINDER AND S TONE

(Concept Phase)

Cinder and Stone is a dark, Norse-inspired first-person dungeon crawler that challenges you to delve into the depths of a living, breathing labyrinth. Inspired by classics like Eye of the Beholder and Legend of Grimrock, this grid-based, party-driven RPG blends tactical real-time combat, intricate runic puzzles, and a groundbreaking psychological system where every choice leaves a permanent mark on your characters.

Set within the post-Ragnarök universe of Ashes of Yggdrasil, the dungeon is not just a location—it is an antagonist that learns, adapts, and responds to your every move.

Characters Become What They Survive.

Crawling through the darkness, overcoming every challenge, succumbing to your fears will leave a mark and the trauma will be edged upon your characters. What path will your party take

Key Features

  • The dungeon remembers. Through our innovative Dungeon Memory System, the environment adapts to your playstyle. Retreat too often, and the dungeon will lay new traps. Rely heavily on one school of magic, and the dungeon builds resistance against it. Every action shapes the world around you, ensuring no two descents are ever the same.

  • Control a party of four adventurers in a 2x2 formation, moving as a single unit through claustrophobic corridors. Master the "Dungeon Dance"—repositioning in real-time to avoid enemy strikes, managing your formation, and unleashing devastating combos. Positioning is everything when facing the mutated remnants and spectral horrors of a broken cosmos.

  • Forget grinding for levels. In Cinder and Stone, skills improve through contextual learning. Your proficiencies grow based on the equipment you use, the puzzles you solve, and the challenges you overcome.

    •18 Proficiencies across Weapons, Defense, Magic, Dungeon Survival, and Psychology.

    •8 Distinct Classes (Archetypes) including the Einherjar, Shieldmaiden, Völva, and Runemaster.

  • The dark depths take a toll on the mind. Our Stress and Affliction System tracks the psychological pressure on your party. Taking damage, failing puzzles, or witnessing an ally fall increases stress. If a character breaks, they suffer permanent afflictions—but they might also forge a powerful Legacy Trait, emerging as a "Scarred Veteran." Your characters are defined by the trauma they endure.

  • Discover Elder Futhark runes scattered throughout the ruins. In our unique Runic Magic System, you must "weave" runes into sequences to cast spells, solve complex environmental puzzles, and dispel magical barriers. Experimentation yields great power, but failure in this unstable, post-Ragnarök magic system carries dangerous risks.

Join the Althingi Initiative

At Polar Region Games, we believe games are built with players, not just for them. Shelter from the Gods is developed hand-in-hand with our community through the Althingi Initiative — inspired by the ancient Icelandic assembly where great decisions were made together.

Join our Discord, participate in playtests, and help shape the fate of the Nine Realms. Your voice matters.

[Join our Discord]


Forge Your Legacy

In Cinder and Stone, every decision matters. Will your party succumb to the darkness and stress of the deep, or will they emerge hardened, forever changed by the trials they survived?

Prepare your party. The descent begins soon.