Risen - Interview @ Risen Island

Polish Risen fansite Risen Island has interviewed Piranha Bytes' Björn Pankratz about Risen.  The original English version is on offer on the World of Risen forums and here's a sample:

Could you tell us just a bit of your secrets about: the number of
towns, guilds and monsters or maybe type of monsters?

Björn Pankratz: We’ve got 3 different factions. The Inquisitor’s army is definitely the
strongest faction in Risen. The Inquisitor has taken over the command over
the island the game is taking place, and has sent all inhabitants into a
small coastal town where they live partially on the streets. He enforces a
curfew for all but his followers, and everyone who is caught outside is
taken prisoner and impressed into becoming a soldier for the Inquisition.

A group of mighty mages from that Island try to help the inhabitants, but
the Inquisitor has also taken the monastery as his headquarter.

And there’s a small group of outlaws lead by the shady “Don” who don’t
conform to the Inquisitor’s new rules. They hide near a deserted ruin in
the swamp and continue their temple raids from there.

Monster-wise we tried to create a set of monsters that have not been seen
in other games before. One of them for example is the Ashbeast. Ashbeasts
owe their name to their gray pelt and the fact that, as a rule, they live
in caves and rocky gorges near volcanoes. They live underground and are
blind, but have an excellent sense of smell. They are very dangerous for
people, who are found on their menu. Ashbeasts are creatures of the
underworld and generally do not leave their caves. However, with the
displacement of the temple ruins to the surface, they have become alarmed
and can now also be found on the surface.