Update Notes – March 2001 – Spring’s Sorrows
Balle was rich. Unbelievably rich. While in Samsur he had acquired Dranal’s carving tool to crack open the Mnemosynes, but the tool apparently had far more uses than its maker knew.
He found the key discarded on the ground near a known Virindi war camp by the Obsidian Plains. A spoil of battle either unseen or unwanted, and Balle happily slipped it into his pocket. It was only later that night that he took out the strange artifact, the twisted rings dimly glowing purple, and thought he saw in its alien outline the makings of a key. He took out his carving knife.
And then the following morning, while traveling along the eastern shore to the north of Wai Jhou, he came across the floating Trove.
Balle now made his way to Tufa, after trading and selling the contents of the Trove in Ayan Baqur. All those rumors of travelers being slaughtered on the outskirts of town actually helped his profits. When people were scared, they became foolish.
His mind still spinning at the value of what he’d found in the Trove, Balle didn’t notice the glowing shapes floating softly toward him. Even had he looked up, he would not have known what a Doll was. Later, the echoes of his screams still carried far over the deserted sands.
Unlike any other gaming experience, the world of Asheron’s Call continues to evolve. Last month, winter kept its icy grip about the land; yet along with the snow and cold came new Item Magic spells, pack toys, and the loot of vanguard leaders. One can only wonder what additions — and what dangers — will be added when we open our March event, “Spring’s Sorrows.”
Be sure to continue your part in this incredible ongoing story, and we’ll see you in Dereth!
The winter snows have given way to the song of spring across Dereth. As the land awakens from its slumber the Children of Ispar find the stirrings of adventure filling their hearts once again.
In the desert a new portal has opened into the catacombs beneath Samsur, within three Undead that speak of collecting their memories inside of tiny pyramids reside. These pyramids are carried by the strongest and most intelligent of the undead and are scattered throughout Dereth. To unlock the memories within one needs to craft an ornate key from the heart of Golem with a tool purchased from one of three towns and their understanding of locks as their only guides. An unlocked pyramid gains a greater reward from these undead collectors.
In Tufa, humans have taken to collecting these green triangles as well. Their rewards are those of new arrowheads, potent healing kits, and gems that purge harmful spells from one’s being. Again the unlocked forms of these pyramids grant a greater reward.
But traveling in the desert has become difficult as the floating Virindi masters have become increasingly aggressive, sending new creations out into the world to strike down the other races of Dereth. Undead creations, called Marionettes, glide across the landscape, their lifeless bodies dancing to the machinations of a cruel puppeteer. Standing beside their grim cohorts are Dolls, creatures made from nothing more than energy and cherubic masks that terrorize those who travel the desert sands.
These two new additions to the Virindi forces are augmented by the arrival of new Virindi champions. Swathed in cloaks of near impenetrable darkness these Virindi Executors assault and lay waste to rank upon rank of Dereth’s defenders. In the remote town of Ayan Baqur these beings are most prominent as here they bolster the Virindi troops that lie just beyond the town’s border.
As adventurers brave the forces on the Obsidian Plains they find that Virindi and their most feared servitors, Hollow Minions, now carry vibrant, radiant, and alien devices. These devices bind themselves to those who touch them, but only those with the greatest knowledge of locks armed with the intricate tools for carving keys can craft them into anything usable by Isparians. The resulting Singularity keys are used to unlock the floating troves guarded by the most dominant of the Virindi.
What designs do the floating masters have planned for the future? Is it their taint that stains the sky? These mysteries remain yet unanswered.
- Fixed the problem of cycling through items on the ground using the keyboard. Before, if two or more items were the same distance from a player, only one would be selected and the rest would be ignored. Now all items are cycled through.
- Shadow Children no longer cast portals to Savao upon death. This should have been changed when the rest of the Shard of the Herald quest was removed, but was overlooked.
- Increased the drop rates of Vial Organic Acid for Bane, Harrower, and Virulent Grievvers.
- Blunt daggers are no longer able to be enchanted.
- Replaced a door with static artwork to eliminate a shortcut in the Hieromancer Halls.
- Aerlinthe Smithing Golem no longer broadcasts global messages that the volcanoes are active. This was cueing the Behemoth of Tenkarrdun quest spawn jumpers.
- Changed the level of Relic Bones Portal (“the Watchman”) to match the other Relic Bones. Now he is an individual, like all his other friends.
- Updated Aerfalle’s Keep with the new anti-macro design. All creatures in the dungeon, except for the Hellfires and Lag Beasts, are now on event generators. The death of the Watchman will activate the spawn. The death of Aerfalle *OR* the passage of ninety minutes will turn off all generators and empty the dungeon again. You can’t macro drain what isn’t there.
- There are now powerful Mana Drain hotspots in Aerfalle’s Keep exit portal room. Do not enter this area unless you intend to leave.
- The cells in lower Aerfalle’s Keep have been changed. Increased the spawn rate of the Umbris from ten to twelve minutes. The big, peaceful Panumbris next door has been removed. Its room is now filled with Mana Drain hotspots.
- Removed many Mana Blight and Dispel traps in the final hallway of Aerfalle’s Keep.
- Aerfalle’s Key is now a no-drop item.
- Lady Aerfalle cracked open some of her dusty old grimoires and learned new spells. Expect painful but brief (one to five minute) debuffs.
- Changed the damage values of Singularity weapons.
- Guardian and Nephol Golems at the Thaumaturgic Plate Lyceum were made, despite lore and intentions to the contrary, drainable. Bad. Fixed.
- Lowered the max mana of all Thaumaturgic and Exarch Plate pieces to 2000, and reduced the burn rates to one point per eight seconds. This gives the pieces the same 4.4 hour endurance as before, but at 1/4 the mana charge cost.
- Lowered the value of all Thaumaturgic and Exarch Plate pieces by 20% (coat: 8000, leggings: 4800, girth: 2400).
- Lowered encumbrance on both Thaumaturgic and Exarch Plate pieces to make a full set nearly as lightweight as a robe (coat: 100, leggings: 75, girth: 50).
- On the Exarch Plate Girth, replaced Fauna Perlustration with Mana Renewal 6.
- The Thaumaturgic and Exarch Plate Coats have been extended to cover the hands. That’s one less armor piece (gloves/gauntlets) to buff.