But as his infamy grew, so did the kingdom's resistance. Vile knights in shining armor marched from the castles, and powerful wizards began setting up defensive towers to shoot him out of the sky. To make matters worse, the smoke and chaos attracted rival dragons from neighboring mountains. Soon, the valley became a frantic battleground. Ignis had to dodge wizard spells, burn down arrow-flinging town centers, and physically clash mid-air with rival wyrms who desperately tried to steal gold directly out of his cave.
As the sun set on the valley, Ignis flew back into his massive cavern. The once bare stone floor was now completely buried under a sea of shimmering coins, glowing gems, and priceless artifacts. He curled his massive, heavily armored body on top of the mountain of gold. He had outsmarted the humans, outfought his rivals, and survived the kingdom's best warriors. Ignis closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, finally achieving his ultimate dream: becoming a true Legendary Wyrm. Hoard | Grinding Down HOARD PSN
With every massive load of treasure Ignis successfully deposited into his nest, a strange, ancient magic surged through his veins. The gold leveled him up. He felt his wings grow faster, his armored scales harden, and his fiery breath turn from a mere campfire flicker into a roaring, unstoppable inferno. But as his infamy grew, so did the kingdom's resistance
Ignis looked down from his high mountain ledge and surveyed a living, breathing kingdom thriving in the valley below. It was full of ripe crops, bustling towns, and heavily guarded castles. He realized a grand truth: the more he allowed the humans to build and farm, the more gold they would generate for him to eventually steal. Soon, the valley became a frantic battleground
He took to the skies, his shadow casting dread across the land. He began his campaign by burning down the outer farmlands to draw out the merchants. As the terrified farmers fled, heavy wooden merchant wagons rolled out to supply the towns. Ignis swooped in, strafing the wagons with precision fire, watching with delight as shimmering piles of gold spilled onto the dirt. He scooped up the heavy gems and flew them back to his empty cave, establishing his very first hoard. Act II: Escalation and Rivalry
The ransom was set. Knights arrived at the base of his mountain not to fight, but to deliver overflowing chests of gold to secure the princess's safe return. Ignis accepted the massive tribute and released the royal heir.
The 2010 PlayStation Network arcade game HOARD did not actually have a built-in narrative or campaign mode. However, the core gameplay loop and mechanics perfectly set the stage for a classic fantasy tale. 🐉 The Legend of Ignis the Greedy