How The Thaumaturge Makers Crafted Its Compelling Salutors [EXCLUSIVE]

I recently had the privilege of reviewing The Thaumaturge. It is a story-driven RPG that takes place in early 20th-century Warsaw. You play as Wiktor Szulski, a Thaumaturge who has the ability to connect with Salutors, esoteric beings that give him the ability to read people and situations along 4 different dimensions: Deed, heart, mind, and word.

With the information Wiktor uncovers, you unfold the narrative by unlocking conversation options, as well as the ability to manipulate the people around him. This is all backed with an interesting leveling up and combat system, as well as a rich, vast world to discover,

Having played this game for longer than I care to admit, I was curious about some of the design decisions and inspirations that led to The Thaumaturge’s unique game elements. Despite being busy with their post-launch work, the Design Director of The Thaumaturge, Karolina Kuzia, and Gameplay Designer, Artur Loska, were kind enough for an exclusive Q&A with GamesHorizon.

What was the inspiration behind The Thaumaturge?

Karolina Kuzia, Design Director: After our first game, Seven: The Days Long Gone, we knew we had a soft spot for cheeky, resourceful protagonists accompanied by their ethereal sidekicks. That was the story of Teriel and his “demon” – Artanak. Later on, as the first ideas for the new IP started to take shape, we still wanted to follow that protagonist’s idea, but we really wanted to ‘twist’ his companion, making them grim and powerful, like a guardian over him.

In the process, we came up with this talented but torn man named Wiktor Szulski, who lives on the border between the ‘human’ and ‘salutor’ worlds. He’s deeply rooted in his time and place yet a stranger in his homeland. We also gave him the ability to see traces of people hidden beneath the surface of ordinary objects, allowing players to gather from the surrounding world more than meets the eye.

It must have been a challenge being historically accurate. How did you balance historical realism with fiction to tell the story of Warsaw in 1905?

Karolina Kuzia, Design Director: We adhere closely to factual elements whenever possible, preferring to build upon them rather than manipulate them to fit our narrative (though occasionally, we allow fiction to emerge, particularly as a result of player choices during the game).

Maintaining historical accuracy also provides us with an advantage. By constructing the world of The Thaumaturge from scratch, we can align ourselves with actual or potential events (though lacking confirmed sources) and develop our story around them. This approach not only provides a powerful kickstart but also offers the satisfaction of presenting players with something they may have encountered in history or literature. It enhances the sense of immersion in both the story and the game world.

However, the true enjoyment of such worldbuilding arises when we introduce events that not only contribute to the game’s narrative but also could feasibly have occurred (either because they seem plausible or lack evidence to the contrary).

How did you go about creating the combat system of The Thaumaturge to find a balance between strategy and difficulty?

Artur Loska, Lead Gameplay Designer: We had quite a few approaches to the combat system from different sides. You wouldn’t believe what it looked like a while ago! Our main idea was to present a dynamic duel despite using a turn-based system. We also wanted to combine brutality with the influence of supernatural Salutors without losing the physicality of encounters.

At its core, the combat system has very accessible rules that anyone can understand, regardless of whether they are fans of this type of gameplay. However, the more Salutors you acquire along with skills and upgrades for them, the more you can customize the tactics to your taste.

How you play The Thaumaturge will also affect what challenges you encounter along the way. If you follow only the main story, you will encounter some interesting combats. But the nooks and crannies of Warsaw hide the real challenges, so it’s worth taking a moment to explore them.

What was the inspiration behind the Salutors? What other folklore/Salutors were you considering?

Karolina Kuzia, Design Director: (Careful: spoilers ahead 🙂) Since Poland’s territories were historically inhabited by people of various cultures, we initially delved into folklore from these diverse cultural backgrounds to inspire the creation of our salutors. As a result, many of our salutors have Slavic, Balkan, or Jewish roots.

We also drew inspiration for their appearance from traditional sources. For example, Morana wears a kokoshnik, a traditional Russian headdress that was popular in Russia until the 19th century. Conversely, Upyr dons a coat reminiscent of a Polish nobleman-knight from the 16th century.

However, we didn’t limit ourselves solely to Slavic influences. In the lore of the game, it is mentioned that salutors are drawn to the flaws hidden within people. Therefore, when people move around, it’s highly likely that wild salutors will follow. In one of Wiktor’s notes, he recalls spotting a sphinx in Saint Petersburg, suggesting that salutors can come from various regions

We selected salutors based on what we thought would be interesting, leading to the inclusion of creatures like Krampus from Bavarian regions or a Djinn from the Middle East. Additionally, within the game, there are salutors belonging to other thaumaturges that Wiktor cannot control, as they already have masters.

What was the decision that led to you basing the magic system around flaws? How did you match the Salutors to the flaw?

Karolina Kuzia, Design Director: The concept of thaumaturgy in our game is intentionally portrayed as subtle and nuanced, distinct from the flashy spectacle of throwing fireballs.

In our interpretation of ‘miracle-working,’ thaumaturges deal with matters concerning human souls and characters. Flaws naturally play a central role in this concept, as they are familiar aspects of everyday life. We all harbor imperfections of the psyche, which can serve as both blessings and curses. We either nurture them, attempt to suppress them, or strive to change ourselves in response. However, the more we succumb to our flaws, the more power they wield over us, eventually gaining control.

Powerful yet often concealed flaws attract salutors, providing ample room for exploring discussions about human nature, with salutors serving as embodiments of these imperfections. Each salutor is associated with one of four dimensions: Deed, Heart, Mind, and Word, mirroring the dimensions of the flaws.

During the process of matching salutors to their corresponding flaws, we consider the nature of the flaw, its dimension, and delve into the lore surrounding the salutor. In folklore, nearly every creature holds symbolic significance, representing primal human fears, desires, and indeed, flaws. As such, in our game, the narrative behind each salutor and the flaw it is drawn to is meticulously crafted to convey profound meaning.

Considering the ability to react to situations based on Wiktor’s flaw and the ability to see the flaws Wiktor has collected, it feels like the team intended to do more with Flaws. Is that true? If yes, what were you going to do and why did you pull back?

Karolina Kuzia, Design Director: To begin, we concentrated on narrating the story centered around a single flaw, ‘Pride,’ and its impact on Wiktor. This flaw can either serve as a tool or a curse, depending on the player’s choices.

For Wiktor, it also serves as a coping mechanism as he navigates his return to a city he despises and confronts the ‘ghosts’ of his past that he believed he had buried long ago. Throughout his journey, he collects a diverse array of flaws extracted from other individuals. This mechanic presents ample opportunity for further exploration and development.

We anticipate delving deeper into this mechanic, twisting and turning it to uncover new layers and possibilities. 🙂

Is there a potential for a sequel and if so, what can the fans look forward to?

Karolina Kuzia, Design Director: There is always a potential for one, and with The Thaumaturge’s multiple endings, I’d say we have a handful of options to choose from. But first we shall see what the future holds.

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The Thaumaturge is currently available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG for Windows. It will be released on the PS5 and Xbox later in the year. You can follow the Fool’s Theory Team for updates and additional information on their X, Instagram, YouTube, and website.