Infernal Host

The Infernal Host, otherwise referred to as Infernals or as "demons" by humans,2024-06-25, Stormgate - More Lore, Analysis, Visual Updates, and Co-op news. YouTube, accessed on 2024-07-03 is one of the playable factions of Stormgate.
==Overview==
The Infernals are an assortment of alien creatures2022-12-07, Stormgate Technology & Art Reveal - December 2022. YouTube, accessed on 2022-12-07 and otherworldly lifeforms, absorbed into the Host through conquest.2022-07-21, PlayStormgate. Twitter, accessed on 2022-07-26 
Infernals are capable of using magic,2022-06-09, Frost Giant Studios’ Debut Mixes Starcraft With Diablo. Wired, accessed on 2022-07-06 which powers their weapons,2022-12-23, James Anhalt & Tim Morten Interview: SnowPlay Technology & Stormgate. ScreenRant, accessed on 2022-12-24 and their forces rely on weight of numbers and savage tactics.2022-10-15, Stormgate Developer Interviews with Frost Giant Studios. YouTube, accessed on 2022-10-19 Their biology is very different compared to humans', and they are apparently connected by a psychic link.
The Infernals travel through stormgates to descend upon unsuspecting worlds like a plague of locusts; harvesting resources, decimating resistance, and conscripting their mightiest foes. This is done to collect resources, most importantly, animus. Through their invasions, the Infernals' numbers are bolstered, as the indigenous lifeforms are absorbed into the Host.Play Stormgate, accessed on 2023-12-22 Infernals are summoned to the worlds they invade from the Infernal homeworld. 
===Culture===
A warrior-race of star-spanning marauders,Infernal, PlayStormgate. Accessed on 2023-12-22 the Infernals are a violent, warmongering society. As domineering as the Infernals may seem, they believe they're serving a greater purpose: that strength in numbers and powerful magic will be necessary to save the universe.2022-12-24, Frost Giant Newsletter - December '22. 
The Host is bound by a strict code of conduct, valuing victory, strength, and loyalty above all else. Infernals live and die by the code of "victory at any cost."2023-08-23, Stormgate Infernal Host First Look | Opening Night Live Gamescom 2023. YouTube, accessed on 2023-08-27 They do not believe that individual lives matter, and believe that the ends justify the means. As such, the Infernals will sacrifice any number of their own in order to achieve their goals.2023-06-12, The Perfect Mix of Warcraft & Starcraft? Stormgate Developers Deep Dive. YouTube, accessed on 2023-06-14
===History===
The Infernals have made their way across the galaxy in their never-ending pursuit of power. Entire civilizations have been subjugated by the Infernals, their worlds changed to match the Infernals' image. They are the sworn enemies of the Celestial Armada.2024-06-10, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnq6SQnYk94&t= Stormgate third faction reveal trailer and developer interview | PC Gaming Show 2024]. YouTube, accessed on 2024-07-01
The Infernals arrived on Earth c. 4900 BCE, where they fought a war with the Celestial Armada. While the details of this war are unclear, the Celestials apparently defeated the Infernals and deployed the Suppressor, which prevented the Infernals from again accessing Earth via stormgate. In the aftermath, the Infernals became the basis of demon myths for various human cultures.
Sometime in the early 2110s, an Infernal known only as "the Whisperer" used her patsies in the Sigma Program to disable the Suppressor, once again granting the Infernals access to Earth.Bentele, Jack. "Beyond the Brink" (March 5, 2024). Frost Giant Studios. Beyond the Brink. A stormgate opened a portal to the Infernals' homeworld, allowing them to again invade the planet.2022-06-16, STORMGATE Dev Interview: Doing RTS the "Right Way" & Addressing Criticisms (with Tim Morten, CEO). 'YouTube, accessed on 2022-07-13 The Infernals' use of magic was an enigma to humanity, which was unable to understand how they functioned, and the Infernals nearly succeeded in overrunning the planet. Humanity successfully defended Earth, but the planet was decimated in the conflict.2022-06-09, Stormgate, PC RTS From Ex-Blizzard Devs, Looks A Lot Like A Blizzard Game. GameSpot, accessed on 2022-07-06
 
Twenty years after they reappeared on Earth,2022-09-08, Stormgate Twitter. Twitter, accessed on 2022-09-12 the Infernals remained hellbent on claiming the planet as their own.2022-06-09, Frost Giant Studios unveils social real-time strategy game Stormgate. GamesBeat, accessed on 2022-07-05 In the Host's minds, they were fully justified in their actions. Twenty years after the Infernals' initial incursion, Warz continued to lead the Host on Earth.2024-06-27, Introducing Warz: The Fallen Celestial - Stormgate reveal at gamescom latam 2024. YouTube, accessed on 2024-06-27 Around this point or afterwards, the Celestial Armada arrived at Earth, and fought the Infernals for control of the planet.2024-06-10, THE CELESTIAL ARMADA IS COMING. PlayStormgate, accessed on 2024-07-01
==Gameplay==
The Infernals are the most unit-centric faction in Stormgate.2024-07-24, Stormgate: A new generation of RTS | PC Gaming Show documentary. YouTube, accessed on 2024-07-25 They are a "swarm-type" faction, fielding a large variety and number of units,2022-12-09, PC GAMER COVER FEATURE: GAME MODELS AND ART. Stormgate Nexus, accessed on 2022-12-14 and are suitable to players who value speed. Infernals produce units quickly, and are designed to overwhelm their opponent through force of numbers.2024-07-12, Stormgate Hands-On: Modern RTS Masterpiece In The Making. CGM, accessed on 2024-07-13 However, there is a playstyle available where a small number of highly-powered Infernals is available. It has been indicated that the Infernals have a mechanic where they sacrifice their own units in order to gain greater power. While the Infernals have "swarm" elements, they are also suited to territory control.2024-06-09, Stormgate Hands-On Preview. GameRant, accessed on 2024-06-29 The Infernals are not recommended for first-time players.
The Shroud is a key mechanic for the Infernals.2023-08-22, More RTS games should have gross ogres that burst open for a reverse Alien-like surprise. Rock Paper Shotgun, accessed on 2023-08-26 Every Infernal unit has a secondary health bar colloquially referred to as "white health" that fills up when the unit is within the Shroud, buffing them. This makes early-game harassment of the Infernals difficult.2023-11-30, Stormgate Is a Very StarCraft-y RTS Made By Ex-StarCraft Developers. IGN, accessed on 2023-11-30 Generally, the "white health" is 25% of the 'core health.' The "white health" is restored when the Infernal is on the Shroud.2024-01-30, New Unit + Patch Notes w/ Artosis. YouTube, accessed on 2024-02-01
Infernal units build instantly, but each structure has only so many 'charges' to build a unit at any given time. As such, a player can spawn multiple units simultaniously if they have held off unit construction for a sufficient period of time.
Infernal structures are summoned by imps. The imp sacrifices itself to construct the structure.
Animus is a resource unique to the Infernals.
===Structures===
*Conclave
*Iron vault
*Meat farm
*Ritual chamber
*Shadowcleft
*Shrine
**Greater shrine
*Shroudstone
*Twilight spire
===Units===
*Battle thrall
*Brute
**Fiend
**Fire giant
*Burned one
*Chimera
*Dire mastiff
*Doombringer
*Felhog
*Fire giant
*Flayed dragon
*Gaunt
*Hellborne
*Imp
*Incarnate
*Magmadon
**Mortardon
*Mist reaper
*Shadowflyer
*Spriggan
*Weaver
==Known Infernals==
*Dagon
*Gorgana
*Maloc, leader of the Red Right Hand
*The Domina
*The Whisperer
*Warz
==Notes==
*The Infernal Host's motivations for invading Earth will be revealed over the course of the game's storyline.2022-06-16, STORMGATE Dev Interview: Doing RTS the "Right Way" & Addressing Criticisms (with Tim Morten, CEO). 'YouTube, accessed on 2022-07-13
===Development===
*In late 2022, the concept team spent six weeks focusing on the visual development of the Infernals.
*The developers want to keep the Infernals "generally dark and gritty," but there's some areas where they want to have charm and levity.
*The Infernals' OST and sound palette was composed by Frank Klepacki. He intended the music to be eerie and unsettling, while also having an aggressive side to it. Some playfulness was included in the sound palette. The sound palette included chanting-esque effects, while the music uses synthisized sounds.2023-09-07, Legendary RTS Composer on Creating Infernal Music for Stormgate - Frank Klepacki. YouTube, accessed on 2023-09-09 
====Inspirations====
*The Infernals have been described as a mix of the demons of the Diablo franchise2022-06-09, Frost Giant Studios’ Debut Mixes Starcraft With Diablo. Wired, accessed on 2022-07-06 with the zerg of the StarCraft franchise.2023-06-11, Stormgate fuses StarCraft and Warcraft in new gameplay footage. Video Games, accessed on 2023-06-14 Gameplay-wise, they are most akin to the zerg and Scourge from StarCraft and Warcraft III respectively, given their nature as a swarm-type faction.2023-06-12, The Perfect Mix of Warcraft & Starcraft? Stormgate Developers Deep Dive. YouTube, accessed on 2023-06-14
*It has been indicated, if not by Frost Giant themselves, that the Infernals are representative of the Diablo IP as a whole.
*While not outright stated as such, the Host can also be compared to the Burning Legion from Warcraft; an army of various demons that has decimated numerous worlds. Notably, the Infernal is a Legion unit that debuted in Warcraft III.
*That Infernal units are summoned from their homeworld to the field of battle is similar to the protoss in StarCraft.
==References==
Category: Factions
Category: Races