Ichor: The Red Stones and the Cycle of Violence in Tsarevna

What are the red stones (Ichor) in TSAREVNA. Age of Tales?

Ichor is the name the game gives to its red stones, and they are at the centre of the world's violence. In the game's own trailer announcement, the developers describe violence in Tsarevna's world as "an endless cycle, frozen within the facets of Ichor," and they set out exactly what the stones are and what they cost.

Where do the Ichor stones come from?

Ichor blooms on the bodies of the dead. The official trailer announcement states that the cinematic reveals "the terrifying nature of these stones: they bloom on the bodies of the dead, offering power to those willing to part with their soul." That is the whole of the official explanation so far — the announcement does not describe how the stones are gathered in play, how many there are, or what they do numerically. Anything beyond appearance and story role is not documented yet.

What do the stones offer, and what do they cost?

Power, in exchange for something far more than a fight. The stones offer strength to anyone willing to give up their soul, and the same announcement frames that trade as too high a price. Ichor is not presented as a neutral resource; it is a temptation built into the world's history.

Why does Tsarevna fear the red stones?

Tsarevna fears the call of Ichor because of the madness it brings. She knows the madness of Ichor is "too high a price for victory," as the trailer announcement puts it. Her journey starts as revenge for Buyan — she destroys the unholy creatures in her path — but each step takes her further from who she was, to a place where she "will no longer be the same, no longer be herself."

Is Ichor a gameplay mechanic or a story element?

It is confirmed as story material; its mechanics are not documented. The Ichor stones appear in the game's cinematic and in the framing of Tsarevna's path, but neither the trailer announcement nor the Steam store page describes a pickup system, a currency, or a stat tied to them. The store description talks about Swan — the heroine — choosing how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice before she becomes the very monster she set out to destroy. That story arc and the warning about the red stones point in the same direction, but no official post describes an Ichor mechanic in detail yet, so treat anything more specific as unconfirmed.

What the official material doesn't say

There is no official count of Ichor stones, no list of their locations, and no stated effect in combat. The game is listed for release in 2027, and the developers have said in update posts that combat and animation are still being refined, so systems tied to the stones may change or be revealed later. On the review side, Metacritic shows no critic reviews and no user ratings recorded yet.

For now, the safe reading is simple: Ichor is the red stone that grows on the dead, promises power at the cost of a soul, and stands for the cycle of violence Tsarevna is walking into.

Related guides

• The Prima Ballerina Behind Tsarevna's Combat Animation
• Swan, the Tsarevna: The Heroine's Story and Transformation
• Tsarevna: Age of Tales Development and Update History
• Tsarevna: Age of Tales PC Requirements (Minimum and Recommended)