We’re finally back! Thanks for sticking with us, and sorry for the long wait - our team has been working hard making assets for this newsletter, and we have a lot to show for it. In this newsletter, we’re going to cover some details about Sterling’s notebook, the first story location (including the characters that inhabit it), and of course, release some new OST tracks. But first of all, let’s address the elephant in the room.

NEW LOGO?!?!?

You may have seen it already, but UTL has a new logo! Showing off a symbol that ties deeply with the story, this new logo is the perfect encapsulation of our vision for the game. Undertale Lavender has never looked better!

(Sprite and Logo Design by Scissors_7)

We hope you like the logo! With that out of the way, let’s talk about Sterling’s Notebook.

THE TORN NOTEBOOK

Magic has always been a vital element of UTL, but Sterling’s notebook is something different. It doesn’t just store spells and notes. It thinks. It speaks.

In our last newsletter, we brought up that the notebook could do this. But here’s what we didn’t tell you: it’s not the notebook itself speaking to you. 

It’s something else. 

Something much older.

Something unfathomable.

First of all, here’s the book’s design, by @Ajiyuu7 :

The story and name of this character are some things we’ve chosen to keep hidden; it’s simply too important! However, she will accompany you throughout the Underground through your Notebook, and lend you some magical powers.

Here’s a look at her! Don’t look for too long; she might start staring back!

(Dialogue Portrait by @MeroNekomata_2 )

STERLING’S SPELLS

Staying on the topic of magic for just a little while longer; we have sprites for all of Sterling’s spell schools, those being INCENDIA, GLACIA and STATIA!

(INCENDIA, by Peacefulorenz)

(GLACIA, by Scissors_7)

(STATIA, by th3redstone)

These are for the utility spells which Sterling will be using in the overworld to traverse and solve puzzles. These spell schools will be present in all areas of story and gameplay, informing what type of monsters you’ll encounter, the spells you can cast, the items you can find - etc. Legend has it there’s even a monster entirely made of GLACIA magic… but that story’s for another day.

THE FIRST AREA

Now it’s time to have a look at our first story area, where Sterling’s story truly begins! It’s been a long time in the making, especially due to the fact that it’s made up of two distinct subsections, but we’re ready to show you what we’ve been working on.

(Art by Koffe)

Just as our cities are built on top of ancient civilisations, beneath the Ruins lies the deep underbelly of the Caves; a sprawling, labyrinthine underground network of tunnels and caverns. Only a few monsters still call this decrepit place home, with the rest having migrated from the hellish ravines a long time ago.

Due to the subsections mentioned earlier, we’ll go through this area in parts. Let’s begin with Part 1 - The Hollow.

THE HOLLOW

(Art by @Red_Qube )

The Hollow makes up around ⅓ of the Caves, and it follows a mostly linear path. The cave walls are damp and narrow, fluorescent crystals and mushrooms sprout up in every corner, and an underground line of rivers runs through the whole area. 

The area is mostly untouched by monsterkind, and even those who normally live in the Caves wouldn’t often wander through the Hollow. For this reason, the water is pure, and the only remnants of buildings that still exist have been ruined for a very long time.

All the water in the Hollow comes from one single swallet in the ceiling of a large cavern. Sometimes, the large stream of water can be seen from certain points in the Caves - it acts as a large spectacle that travellers often stop to marvel at.

Have a look at it in game:

(Tileset by Scissors_7)

Perhaps the Hollow can be seen as a calm before the storm - and thank goodness for that, because the subsection that succeeds it is sure to put an end to many wanderers…!

THE CATACOMBS

(Art by th3redstone)

Unlike the previous subsection, the Catacombs were once teeming with monsters, but that age has long since passed.

There are remnants present; cryptic etchings carved into stone, ancient traps long forgotten, and the threat of danger around every corner. The wide cavern holds a sprawling network of interconnected towers, with their winding paths forming a labyrinth that confounds even the most seasoned travellers.

The bridges are broad and heavy. The pillars are monumental. There are few ways in, and fewer ways out.

The Catacombs are built almost entirely from stone, with metal struts gilded in fading gold leaf. The place hums with the eerie stillness of a long-abandoned tomb or lost temple; vague statues, hidden doors, and the secrets they hold. Faint traces of the Hollow’s crystals can still be found, though most have long since been harvested.

Reminiscent of ancient Dwarven cities from classic fantasy, the entire structure sits within a vast subterranean cavern - its base drowned in pale, polluted water.

It looks as though it could collapse at any moment.

THE ROYAL INCINERATOR

No area is complete without a miniboss, after all. Introducing the “Royal Incinerator”!

(Art by th3redstone)

As you’ve probably gleaned from the cracks and wounds in his chassis - not to mention his missing arm - this automaton’s code has been completely malfunctioning in the absence of constant upkeep and maintenance. What was once a guide for travellers passing through the Catacombs became the Royal Guard’s greatest blunder yet - a killing machine, with the fury of a thousand fires.

As a robot, the Royal Incinerator shouldn’t be able to manipulate and weaponise fire with such precision - yet, it still does. It poses the question, how well do magic and tech really mix?

THE CAVE-DWELLING RECLUSE

The second character residing in the caves is nothing short of monstrous - but perhaps, that’s the point. Introducing Vidal!

(Sprite by @MeroNekomata_2 )

If you’ve ever wondered what the purest essence of magic looks like, look no further. Somehow, this monster’s magical essence was separated from their body and became trapped in this tattered cloth. With magic being a core part of a monster’s identity, he was turned into something even more monstrous than monsterkind itself.

Being sealed away in the forsaken Caves for so long has severed his link to normalcy - he has no sense of time. Perhaps, there is a way to return him to his home up above - and maybe you’ll also find out what exactly caused his magical fracturing.  

OST TRACKS

We’re releasing three new OST tracks along with this newsletter, as follows:

• Hollow - 2ndgear

• Catacombs - 2ndgear

• Somewhere Glistening - Velora

We’ve also cycled out a few older tracks - don’t worry, they’re still on our YouTube playlist while we give them a fresh coat of polish.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

And that’s all for our second newsletter! Thank you all for joining us, and we’ll be working on another newsletter in the future. When that time comes, maybe we’ll open a door that should have stayed shut. Until then, stay safe, keep persevering, and do not stare too deep, lest it stare back.