Sealed Forest
From Against the Storm Official Wiki
Overview
The Sealed Forest, a biome that unfolds its mysteries only at the culmination of one's journey. To gain entry into this realm and reforge the dreaded Seal, one must amass a requisite number of 
Seal Fragments during the course of their odyssey.
New complications such as gaining Hostility when felling trees and facing several Plagues whilst trying to reforge the Seal will undoubtedly challenge even the most experienced of Viceroys! Find Guidance in Small Glades.
Effects
Requirements for Entry
Depending on the Seal type, a Viceroy will need a specified amount of Seal Fragments to enter the Sealed Forest. Viceroys will also need to be within reach of one of the hex tiles surrounding the Sealed Forest modifier tile. Upon entry, Viceroys have an indefinite amount of years to complete this biome and close the Seal, no matter how many years they had left in the run.
On the left is a scenario where a Viceroy cannot reach the Sealed Forest, because they do not have the requisite 1 year left to complete a last settlement and then enter the Sealed Forest, on the right is a scenario where a Viceroy does not have enough years left to explore further and reach the Sealed Forest. Thus, a Viceroy is advised to calculate years and Seal Fragments carefully.
Seal Fragments are earned by Viceroys upon completion of settlements. Negative Modifiers grant a 
Royal Resupply, from where Viceroys can choose to receive 5 additional Seal Fragments.
Seal Orders
Prestige 11 - Prestige 20:
| Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Rewards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Heart of Amber | Heart of the Forest | Mechanical Heart | Gift of the Keeper |
| Deliver: 15  Pack of Crops15  Pack of Provisions15  Pack of Building Materials
|
Open or Send 4 Abandoned Caches (NOT retroactive) | Install 10 Rainpunk Engines in production buildings | Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 2 | Golden Blood | Blood of the Stag | Mortal Blood | Gift of the Keeper |
| Reach Standing Level 3 with 3 Settlements. | Earn 6 Reputation Points from Events (Retroactive) |
Earn 6 Reputation points from Resolve (Retroactive) |
Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 3 | Crystal Feathers | Queen's Feathers | Metal Feathers | Gift of the Keeper |
Deliver 100  Amber |
Fulfill the following needs for 60 Seconds: 25 Complex Food Need 25 Services Need 25 Clothing Need |
Deliver: 50  Tools30  Pipes12  Parts
|
Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 4 | Forbidden Essence | Fire Essence | Essence of Corruption | Reforge! |
| Complete 2 Forbidden Glade Events with no more than 1000 seconds between them. (NOT retroactive) |
Keep Fox Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Beaver Resolve above 40 for 300 seconds Keep Harpy Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Lizard Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Human Resolve above 45 for 300 seconds Keep Frog Resolve above 40 for 300 seconds Keep Bat Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds |
Burn 40 Blightrot Cysts in one year (progress resets at the start of Drizzle Season) | Forging the Seal! | |
Veteran - Prestige 10:
| Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Rewards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Heart of Amber | Heart of the Forest | Mechanical Heart | Gift of the Keeper |
| Deliver: 12 Pack of Crops12 Pack of Provisions12 Pack of Building Materials
|
Open or Send 3 Abandoned Caches (NOT retroactive) | Install 8 Rainpunk Engines in production buildings | Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 2 | Golden Blood | Blood of the Stag | Mortal Blood | Gift of the Keeper |
| Reach Standing Level 2 with 3 Settlements. | Earn 5 Reputation Points from Events (Retroactive) |
Earn 5 Reputation points from Resolve (Retroactive) |
Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 3 | Crystal Feathers | Queen's Feathers | Metal Feathers | Gift of the Keeper |
| Deliver 80 Amber |
Fulfill the following needs for 60 Seconds: 25 Complex Food Need 25 Services Need |
Deliver: 40 Tools25 Pipes10 Parts
|
Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 4 | Forbidden Essence | Fire Essence | Essence of Corruption | Reforge! |
| Complete 2 Forbidden Glade Events with no more than 1200 seconds between them. (NOT retroactive) |
Keep Fox Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds Keep Beaver Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Harpy Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds Keep Lizard Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds Keep Human Resolve above 40 for 300 seconds Keep Frog Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Bat Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds |
Burn 20 Blightrot Cysts in one year (progress resets at the start of Drizzle Season) | Forging the Seal! | |
Pioneer:
| Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Rewards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Heart of Amber | Heart of the Forest | Heart of the Ancient Flame | Gift of the Keeper |
| Deliver: 8 Pack of Crops8 Pack of Provisions8 Pack of Building Materials
|
Open or Send 2 Abandoned Caches (NOT retroactive) | Sacrifice 125  Wood in the Ancient Hearth Deliver 3  Wildfire Essence
|
Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 2 | Golden Blood | Blood of the Stag | Mortal Blood | Gift of the Keeper |
Sell 30  Pack of Trade Goods to any traderBuy at least 5 Perks or blueprints from traders |
Earn 3 Reputation Points from Events (Retroactive) | Earn 3 Reputation points from Resolve (Retroactive) | Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 3 | Crystal Feathers | Queen's Feathers | Stormbird Feathers | Gift of the Keeper |
| Deliver 40 Amber
|
Fulfill the following needs for 60 Seconds: 15 Complex Food Need 15 Services Need |
Complete 1 Forbidden Glade Event (NOT retroactive) |
Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 4 | Forbidden Essence | Fire Essence | Essence of Wealth | Reforge! |
| Deliver: 4  Ancient TabletsComplete 2 Dangerous or Forbidden Glade Events with no more than 1200 seconds between them. (NOT retroactive) |
(Only two Species) Keep Fox Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Beaver Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds Keep Harpy Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds Keep Lizard Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Human Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Frog Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds Keep Bat Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds |
Sell 50 Amber worth of goods to a trader or trade route. Deliver 50  Pack of Luxury Goods
|
Forging the Seal! | |
Settler:
| Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Rewards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Heart of Amber | Heart of the Forest | Heart of the Ancient Flame | Gift of the Keeper |
| Deliver: 8 Pack of Crops8 Pack of Provisions8 Pack of Building Materials
|
Open or Send 2 Abandoned Caches (NOT retroactive) | Sacrifice 125 Wood in the Ancient Hearth Deliver 3 Wildfire Essence
|
Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 2 | Golden Blood | Blood of the Stag | Mortal Blood | Gift of the Keeper |
| Sell 30 Pack of Trade Goods to any trader Buy at least 5 Perks or blueprints from traders |
Earn 3 Reputation Points from Events (Retroactive) | Earn 3 Reputation points from Resolve (Retroactive) | Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 3 | Crystal Feathers | Queen's Feathers | Stormbird Feathers | Gift of the Keeper |
| Deliver 40 Amber
|
Fulfill the following needs for 60 Seconds: 15 Complex Food Need 15 Services Need |
Complete 1 Forbidden Glade Event (NOT retroactive) |
Choose from an array of Epic Cornerstones | |
| Level 4 | Forbidden Essence | Fire Essence | Essence of Wealth | Reforge! |
| Deliver: 4 Ancient TabletsComplete 2 Dangerous or Forbidden Glade Events with no more than 1200 seconds between them. (NOT retroactive) |
(Only two Species) Keep Fox Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Beaver Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds Keep Harpy Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds Keep Lizard Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Human Resolve above 35 for 300 seconds Keep Frog Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds Keep Bat Resolve above 30 for 300 seconds |
Sell 50 Amber worth of goods to a trader or trade route. Deliver 50 Pack of Luxury Goods
|
Forging the Seal! | |
Resources
The Sealed Forest contains the following resources:
Trees
| Trees | Charges | Bonus Resources | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 Abyssal trees
|
2 |  Meat (10%) + Sea Marrow (10%) + Leather (10%)
|
A bizarre, writhing growth... is this even really a tree? |
 Overgrown Abyssal Trees
|
20 | Meat (10%) + Sea Marrow (10%) + Leather (10%)
|
A giant, bizarre growth... it's bigger than the other trees in the area. |
Natural Resources
| Primary Resources | Charges → Resource Deposits | Bonus Resources | Gathering Building | Speed | Specialization Bonus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Roots
|
70 →  Roots Node
|
 30% +  30%
|
 Foragers' Camp ★★
|
00:17 |  Farming  Humans
| |
15 →  Roots Deposit
|
20%
|
 Small Foragers' Camp ★
|
00:25 | |||
 Reed
|
60 →  Reed Field20 →  Reed Field
|
 40% +  40% 20% + 20%
|
 Harvesters' Camp ★★
|
00:08 | none | |
 Berries Mushrooms
|
70 →  Dewberry Bush70 →  Bleeding Tooth Mushrooms
|
 80% 40%
|
 Herbalists' Camp ★★
|
00:17 |  Alchemy  Harpies
| |
15 →  Dewberry Bush15 →  Bleeding Tooth Mushrooms
|
20% 20%
|
 Small Herbalists' Camp ★
|
00:25 | |||
 Clay Sea Marrow
|
60 →  Clay Deposit60 →  Sea Marrow Deposit
|
 75% + 30% 100% +  50% +  1%
|
 Stonecutters' Camp ★★
|
00:08 |  Masonry  Frogs
| |
20 →  Clay Deposit20 →  Sea Marrow Deposit
|
50% + 20% 80% + 40%
| |||||
 Meat Insects
|
70 →  Slickshell Broodmother70 →  Wormtongue Nest
|
 100% 60%
|
 Trappers' Camp ★★
|
00:17 |  Meat production Lizards
| |
15 →  Slickshell Broodmother15 →  Wormtongue Nest
|
20% 20%
|
 Small Trappers' Camp ★
|
00:25 | |||
 Scales Algae
|
80 → Copperfin Pond 80 → Algae Pond |
 100% + 2  50% + 2  30%  100% + 2 50% + 2 20%
|
 Fishing Hut ★★
|
00:08 | none | |
| 60 → Copperfin Pond 60 → Algae Pond |
40% 40%
|
 Small Fishing Hut ★
|
00:12 | |||
 Copper Ore  Salt
|
75 →  Copper Vein 75 →  Salt Vein
|
30% 30%
|
 Mine ★★
|
00:40 |  Engineering Beavers
| |
Node weighting
- Clay Deposits have triple the normal weighting in this biome. [1]
- Reed Fields have double the normal weighting. [1]
Plagues
The Seal is weakening, bringing forth several Plagues upon the world. The only way to stop the Plagues is to reforge the seal by completing Seal orders. An example Plague is The Plague of Mosquitoes, which causes global production speed to be 50% slower.
The first 3 Plagues are always:
- Plague of Mosquitoes
- Plague of Malady
- Plague of Darkness
After that, Plague generation is random.
| Plague | Description |
|---|---|
 Plague of Blindness |
When they lost their sight, they lost all hope along with it. All villagers move slower and have a chance of destroying a production yield. |
 Plague of Corrupted Water |
The rainwater has become contaminated, so rainpunk machinery is now even more hazardous. Using rainwater in rain engines generates Blightrot cysts X quicker. |
 Plague of Darkness |
Some say this is the beginning of the end. The storm season is longer, and sacrificing goods at the Ancient Hearth is banned. |
 Plague of Death |
The Sealed Ones are thirsty for blood. Discover 3 Dangerous or Forbidden Glades during this storm. If you don't, villagers will be killed in the coming drizzle season. |
 Plague of Fire |
Even the eternal rain cannot stop the ghastly fires coming from the abyss. Fuel in the settlement's warehouses is disappearing at a rate of X units every X seconds. |
 Plague of Fishmen |
Fishmen will summon 1 Dangerous or Forbidden Glade Event near the Ancient Hearth. |
 Plague of the Dark Forest |
The Sealed Ones incite the forest to become even more sinister. Hostility from discovered Dangerous and Forbidden Glades is increased by X |
 Plague of Locusts |
Destroys X random resource nodes. |
 Plague of Malady |
The Sealed Ones have inflicted a mysterious disease on the settlement. Villagers take X longer rests and have a X higher chance of consuming twice as much food during a break. |
 Plague of Mosquitoes |
The sky turns black with a swarm of mosquitoes. Bitten villagers can't focus on work. Global production speed is X% slower. |
 Plague of Mysteries |
The Sealed Ones possess the power to control almost everything. Negative Forest Mysteries require a lower Hostility level X to activate during the storm. |
 Plague of Rats |
A horde of ravenous rats crawls out of the uncovered seal. Any cooked or raw food in the settlement's warehouses disappears at a rate of X items every X seconds. |
 Plague of Snakes |
Villagers are horrified by the sight of venomous snakes on the roads. -X to Global Resolve. |
Beacon Tower
The Queen grants each Viceroy who dares to enter the Sealed Forest a new blueprint to be used exclusively in this biome. The Beacon Tower offers three levels of aid, each containing temporary abilities to choose from. A viceroy can choose two abilities from the first two levels, and one from the last.
Construction cost: 4 
Bricks, 1 Wildfire Essence. Once the tower is built, it cannot be destroyed.
LEVEL I: Supplies (Choose 2)
Cost: free
- Pack of Meat: Gain 30 Meat
- Box of Grain: Gain 40
Grain - Chest of Farming Tools: A special delivery from the First Dawn Company. All buildings using Fertile Soil will produce 50% more goods. This effect lasts 3 seasons including the current one and must be active during planting to affect harvested crops.
LEVEL II: Bells (Choose 2)
Cost: free
- Song of Haste: An energetic, inspiring melody. Global Production rate is 50% faster for the current season.
- Song of Hope: A peaceful song of hope. Villagers with low resolve leave 50% slower for the current season.
- Song of Prosperity: The clang of a golden bell. All Trade Routes are 100% faster for the current season. (Active Trade Routes included.)
LEVEL III: Miracles (Choose 1)
Cost: free
- Miracle of Peace: A sign from the Queen herself. Hostility is decreased by 100 for the duration of the current season.
- Miracle of Strength: A powerful connection between the settlement's Hearth and the Citadel. The Ancient Hearth's Corruption Resistance is increased by 1500 for the duration of the current season.
- Miracle of Agility: Looking in the direction of the citadel, one can see a hopeful glow on the horizon. Scouts work 50% faster on Glade Events for the duration of the current season.
Strategy
- There are some clues in Glades providing guidance to where the Seal is located. The Seal will always be located in a Dangerous Glade, and Guidance Stones that point to the Seal's location spawn in all Glades until the Seal is discovered.
- In order to successfully complete the Sealed Forest, a Viceroy needs to reforge the Seal by completing Seal Orders. All Seals above Pioneer difficulty have the same Seal Orders to complete, no matter the color, with only a slight variation in the numbers depending on difficulty. As opposed to other biomes, Viceroys need not fill up the Reputation bar to complete the settlement. A Viceroy cannot win the Sealed Forest by filling up the Reputation bar, and once the bar is filled, it is no longer possible to lower Impatience without special perks like Badge of Courage.
- Since Reputation points don't win you the game, not turning in completable Orders is a good back-up plan to make use of any Last Stand time you've gotten from Citadel upgrades.[2]
- It is always a good idea to hold in SHIFT while marking trees so you can choose to only chop Overgrown trees, which have 20 charges instead of 2, giving you more Wood and less Hostility. However, don't be afraid to chop a few normal trees to make room. So long as most of your wood comes from Overgrown Abyssal trees, the hostility gain from a few chopped normal trees will be negligible.[3]
- Consider not opening Abandoned Caches until you reveal the Seal's location, as the level one cache-themed Seal Order Heart of the Forest is not retroactive.[3]
- Beacon Tower's level 3 ability that increases scouts' Glade Event working speed can be of great help when working on two Forbidden Glade Events at the same time for the Forbidden Essence Seal Order.
- The upcoming Plague for the current year's Storm can be previewed during Drizzle and Clearance seasons by selecting the Ancient Seal once it has been discovered. You can use this to plan ahead for the next Plague well before it takes effect, which can be critical for more devastating Plagues.
- Plague of Mysteries can trigger high hostility Forest Mysteries much earlier than expected, so if this Plague appears, check your Forest Mysteries and plan out counter-strategies.
- Plague of Fishmen will summon a random Dangerous or Forbidden glade event inside of your settlement. This could ruin your chances if an Infected Drainage Mole or other event with severe consequences appears. You can call a trader early just before Storm season begins so that you can try to buy the necessary goods to solve the event once you know which one it is.
- Plague of Rats could destroy your food supplies, leaving your villagers to starve. Much like dealing with Blood Flowers, you can "hide" food inside of buildings that use food as inputs for production temporarily, then remove the food after the storm is over so that your villagers can eat.
- If you see that Plague of Locusts will activate next Storm and you have resource nodes you can't afford to lose, consider opening 1-2 Small Glades to dilute the pool of nodes that can be destroyed.
- Two Plagues can be used to your advantage when completing Seal Orders:
- Plague of Corrupted Water allows you to generate Blightrot Cysts significantly faster than normally.
- Plague of Fishmen may reduce the need for opening Glades if it happens to spawn a Forbidden Glade Event.
References
- Datamining done by Discord user @forwindz (Analysis tab) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Fwy2H84BZ6_FSuoiH7asT2gYrS7BiqA0/edit?gid=244521242#gid=244521242
- Advice to turn in Orders only when in Last Stand by Discord user VinylScratch.
- Heart of the Forest Seal order advice and reminder to chop normal trees for space by Discord user Priestess of Athe.
