As an example, the blood-sucking Count Draynor might start roaming further afield if you leave him unattended, and more dangerous cards will be shuffled into the event deck to represent his meddling.
Failing a task or ignoring your main objective will cause it to increase over time, and when it reaches a boiling point, you'll have to draw a new campaign mechanic that adds complications. To get around this and provide an impetus for engaging with the adventure, an 'Escalation Track' was introduced. While Shadow of Elvarg recreates beloved storylines from the MMO, Steamforged felt that they were a little too localised - they didn't affect the world around them.
Even though you can embark upon as many side-quests as you want (including encounters with the infamous Sandwich Lady or Evil Chicken), ignoring your primary mission for too long may have increasingly dire consequences. Still, it's wise not to get too distracted. Leave bosses like Count Draynor to their own devices and they'll eventually come to get you (Image credit: Steamforged Games)
