Welcome to the Crucible

The Architects took great pains to make the Crucible inhabitable for creatures from worlds across the galaxy. But they didn’t make it safe.


In the fast-paced, chaotic clashes of KeyForge, you and your rival take on the roles of ethereal Archons racing to unlock the power hidden within the countless Vaults of the Crucible. In these contests of wits and strength, you'll test your tactical prowess by leading unique teams built from the creatures, technology, and talents of three of the Crucible’s seven Houses. But how did these diverse beings all come to this planet in the first place, and how have their interactions shaped the world beyond the battlefield?

Today, we're pleased to offer you a closer look at the Crucible, the mysterious planet that acts as the setting for your cosmic clashes in KeyForge: Call of the Archons—now available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website!



Unending Evolution
The Crucible is an artificial planet located at the heart of the universe. While the planet itself is ancient, its many layers are constantly under construction by the mysterious Architects, who harvest countless worlds for their materials, paying little mind to what, or who, they bring across the stars. Once creatures are brought to the Crucible, they have no clear way of returning home. They are surrounded by a strange wonderland, and often left unable to communicate with others except via the ethereal Archons, the only native inhabitants of the Crucible, who have the ability to speak with all things.



But there is no use brooding over what has been left behind, and the creatures of the Crucible must learn to adapt to their new surroundings. Some thrive, building societies and developing new technologies with the aid of the psychic substance known as Æmber that runs throughout the planet. Some leave the memories of their home worlds completely to adopt the customs of those who have dwelled on the Crucible for far longer. Still others devolve and incorporate Æmber into their very bodies, twisting them into new beings that would be unrecognizable to those who knew them before.



Boisterous Biomes
From the surface, the Crucible seems much like your average planet: it has gravity, an atmosphere, biomes with vegetables, animals, and minerals, and all the other things one would expect on a planet. But if you were to explore its expanse, you would find so much more than just an average world. The Crucible is as diverse as the civilizations that have been brought to it, featuring complex biomes that cater to every being’s needs. Some live in the wilds in small roving bands or quiet villages, while others favor bustling cities or reside in towering fortresses or serene temples. With the world itself growing and changing with each passing day, it is no wonder that people say if you travel far enough across the Crucible, you will eventually meet yourself.



Deep beneath the ground, the demons of Dis live in the superstructure that divides the current layer of the Crucible from the one below it. They have built tunnels that run throughout the planet and filled them with furnaces and prisons where they collect the souls of their victims nabbed from above or any poor wretch who becomes lost in the labyrinth.



Across the surface of the Crucible, you will find every environment imaginable, from snow-covered mountains to deep seas, from sparsely-populated jungles and deserts to bustling metropolises—and across all of these, you will find creatures once separated by lightyears now living side by side. For instance, Logos is happy to accept brilliant minds of any species, as they will likely shed their fleshy shells in favor of cybernetic bodies soon anyway! But even the most insular communities count aliens among their ranks. The Crucible changes everyone, given enough time. The elves of Shadows or the tribes of Brobar may keep their communities aloof, but they still visit the world’s bustling cities. The Martians may fight to keep their culture pure, but they still interact with the other races and stay up-to-date with the latest trends.



Beyond the relative safety of the city walls, the wilds of the Crucible are boisterously alive, tended by mechanical faeries built by the Architects eons ago. In the eons since their creation, some of these faeries have become… quirky. Still, humans and other sentients who reject civilization gladly accept the perils of the wilds and retreat to these places where they can live true to their natures, no matter what those may be. These beings often become members of the loosely organized House Untamed who value their freedom even as they align with chosen Archons.



Mysteries Remain
Floating above the ground are the improbable island paradises that act as home to the House of Sanctum. Blessed with waterfalls, beautiful rock formations, and plentiful plant life, some believe these islands are the beginnings of a new layer of the Crucible, while others think that they must be leftovers cast off from one of the Architects’ construction projects. Those who reside here stay silent on the matter, but they defend their territory with the staunch certainty of a people who have something to hide.



But the greatest mystery of the Crucible looms even higher than the angelic knights. Rising above the islands of the Sanctum and the rest of the Crucible stands the Spire, an enormous tower that reaches from the surface of the Crucible into the black abyss of space. This edifice is another of the Crucible’s many mysteries, for no one knows its history or purpose. But if you stare into the clouds, a trick of the light may convince you that there are scaffolds in the sky, and the Martians maintain that there is some mysterious force at work that keeps their flying saucers from rising above the atmosphere.



With such a clear, constant reminder of the Architects’ secrecy, it is no wonder that the Archons, kept in the dark about even their own existence, wish to discover the truth. What plans do the Architects have in store for this planet, and what have they already done? Why build this planet in the first place? And why, once they have brought so many to this world, do they continue to keep their plans secret? What are they hiding? The only way for the Archons to find out is to unlock as many of the Architect’s Vaults as possible, advancing their own knowledge and ultimately, their power.

Jump Through the Wormhole
The Crucible continues to grow and change with each new creature, culture, and technology brought by the Architects and soon, your own entry into the world of KeyForge will give you the chance to shape this planet even as it changes you. Are you ready to explore a new world that will challenge even the greatest dreams of your imagination? Answer the call of the Archons and let the adventure begin!