Announcements - 2002/05 - Hidden Vein

Event Teaser
''Material retrieved from original Zone caches available at http://web.archive.org.

''Original Links (now dead):


 * '' http://www.zone.com/asheronscall/news/ASHEeventteaser0502.asp


 * '' http://www.zone.com/asheronscall/news/ASHEeventteaser20502.asp



 Hidden Vein 

May 13, 2002

Ciandra sat across from him, still stunned by his sudden appearance. She studied his features with amazed eyes and felt like a giddy young girl watching her grandfather mix his wondrous concoctions. The old man flipped through the assembled tomes quickly, imperceptibly reading and drinking the knowledge that the Arcanum had collected. She waited in silence until he looked at her and offered a gentle smile.

“Incredible work you have been doing. Incredible.” He closed one tome and brushed the cover gently with his hand. “But there are some key points that you have missed. I'd have expected nothing more, you are still learning the foundation of the magic here.” He stood without effort and snatched the book from the table and placed it upon the shelf against the wall. He turned to the alchemist. “If you'd like my help that is. . .”

Ciandra nodded.

“I am truly sorry for Nuhmudira's disappearance and imprisonment. If there were anything that I could have done I would have. . .”

Ciandra struggled to find words to speak to the old mage but mustered only another nod. This made him smile.

“You are certainly more accepting of my appearance than your counterpart Hiro. Though less talkative than Bahb.” He sat back in the chair and opened another volume of writings. “As I was saying these books are thorough, containing much information about the times when my people lived upon this world, but your interpretations in some instances are incorrect. Let us move into discussion of what I can do to help you.”

Ciandra finally broke her silence. “Asheron? Why did you wait so long?”

Asheron furrowed his brow and pulled a hand through his beard. “I have. . . had obligations that I needed to attend to, dear child. Those obligations have since been eclipsed by something that menaces us all.” Asheron sighed. “Now, on to what I shall do. An emissary will be sent. . .” As the final blow fell against the Ursuin, the warrior smiled. Ursuin hides were fetching a much better price these days, and by the looks of the wounds that he had inflicted, the hide of this kill was unmarred. He carefully set to skinning the beast and set out to find someone with whom to trade.

__________

The roar of the flames thundered through the hallways. He surveyed the materials smelted within these furnaces and smiled. Such excellent works as these were beyond understanding of such feeble minds.

He walked along the hallways and marveled at the naivete of Nuhmudira. It was simple to make her believe what he had wanted. It took no words to blast her against the wall, and break her bones to squeeze her to within an inch of her existence. Now, he left the decision to her own people, to those she had meant to save. A sick smile crept across his face.

Martyred, by her “people.” A division in the populace, unrest, discord. The thought of it warmed his heart.

He ran his hand along the smooth surface of a bronze behemoth. “Be my eyes and ears, my children, destroy them all, teach them the meaning of pain. Warn the old man that I am coming for him.” A grim laughter grew within him, filling the hallways and overpowering the sound of the flames.

__________

She sat in the darkness. Below she could hear the stirrings of people scurrying to and fro. At times she would feel the jolt of energy enter her; the pain lasted longer but her life was reinforced. Every time the pain came she knew it was not only in her mind. It was the physical effects of losing her abilities with magic. Other times she felt the sickening chill run down her spine, as her skin grew taut and a new memory was forced into her mind. Not her memory but a memory from a forgotten age. Memories taken from somewhere else and supplanted into her own.

And then there was the sobbing. The sobbing would not end--was that her voice? Could it be her voice? She thought by now it would be worn raw and useless, but still the sobbing went on.

She found a new enemy there on the slab where she was now kept prisoner. Time. Time allowed her to reflect on everything that she had done, every action that she had taken and all that she had lost. Her hands had healed from where she had scrawled her notes and forced her last spell upon the world. But the power that was once hers to command drained away like water on a sunny day. As did her life.

And then the voices began. Ringing in her head. Singing to her. Calling to her. But were they calling her?

She once thought that she had shed all of her tears, she thought there was none left to give, none left to offer the world. But there in the darkness, alone and forgotten she wept. And she felt the tears roll into the basin that would one day harvest her blood.

__________

“You say they are in league?” Martine rolled a pyreal along the back of his fingers.

“Yes, Master. The research facility that they established has been rife with activity in the past few days. If you wish--”

“Wish? Wish! I wish for my home, my wife, my child! Her! Do not ask me what I wish for, unless you have the capacity to grant me my wishes. My patience with you is at its end. You are treading dangerously close to feeling what an unspeakable agony life can truly be.” Martine twitched. The flesh on his head rippled beneath the surface.

“I have imparted what you wanted to know, Master.”

“Yes, you have done that haven't you, apprentice,” Martine snapped.

The man nodded, calmly and quietly.

Martine grunted and turned his attention to the wall. His apprentice bowed his head and move to the far side of the antechamber.

“Send a force there. See they do not fail. Use everything at your disposal to disrupt whatever it is that they are working on.” Martine stared at the pyreal, and rose to his feet. “I need some fresh air.”

__________

Elysa looked out over the verdant landscape. She was waiting for him. He said he would come and though she had doubted so much in recent weeks, she knew that he would arrive. The only question was when.

She had commissioned her Royal Guard to assist in the clearing of the Arcanum Storehouse. There they cleared the entry vestibule of the Sclavus menace but had been called away shortly after to help with the building of a new library of sorts near Xarabydun. The Arcanum wanted her help now that Nuhmudira was gone. She obliged; this was not a time to hold petty grudges. Her people needed her and she needed him.

“How quickly things change,” she said into the wind.

“Indeed they do, Elly.” Asheron smiled behind her.

“You took your time in getting here,” she quipped.

“I told you once that I wouldn't be there, Elly.”

“I know.”

“But something has changed that.”

Elysa arched a brow and studied her old friend. Asheron motioned to a set of seats that she had prepared. As they sat she noticed how distant his eyes seemed, like he was there but somewhere else.

“What is it, Ash?”

“I have made a difficult decision. Nothing more.” He mustered a weak smile.

__________

The screams were maddening. Quivering with fear he tried to clear them from his mind long enough to read the letters that he had found scattered on the floor. Something about the levers, and a choice. He looked about and felt the pull toward the plain lever against the wall. He found himself inching toward it, reaching for it, grasping it and pulling down. His body was ripped violently into portal space, and shunted out again unceremoniously.

“My master has readied his reward, friend. It is time to reap the benefits of your actions.” Kai smiled at him and as the enchanter spoke a chill ran down his spine. What had he done?

__________

'''Unlike any other gaming experience, the world of Asheron's Call continues to evolve. In April, Residential Quarters opened, weddings recommenced, and Endurance took on fine improvements. For May, the changes and additions taking place will all soon be revealed. Join us, as we open our May Event, Hidden Vein. Be sure to continue your part in this incredible ongoing story, and we'll see you in Dereth!

Roll Out Article
''Material retrieved from original Zone caches available at http://web.archive.org.

''Original Link (now dead) - http://www.zone.com/asheronscall/news/ASHEeventrollout.asp



 Hidden Vein 

May 15, 2002

Spring is in full bloom across the land now, the snows have retreated like rabbits before a raging archmage. Dark clouds boil, thunder booms, and like thunder the bronze statues have suddenly come to life, cutting a swath of destruction through the towns. Rain soaks the ground, the mud soiling the armor of Isparian fighters as they desperately try to defend their towns from the rampaging bronze giants. The defenders' bodies lie scattered like so many trampled flowers. Madness reigns. The bestower's evil intent is clear now but who this may be is still unknown. It is apparent that the Arcanum is not responsible for these treacherous gifts as they themselves scramble to solve the mystery. How may the statues be turned off? The need is ever greater, the answer still elusive. The Arcanum has asked High Queen Elysa Strathelar for help.

Valiant adventurers have wound their way through a dark labyrinth to find a chamber of suffering and pain. And a choice. Nuhmudira has been found! But she could not be freed, not directly. The pull of a lever determines her fate. Pull the plain lever or the lever with the polished skull? The people run their fingers along the surface of the skull, tracing its contours. . . Perhaps Isparians have become too familiar with the cycle of death and life. Does the smooth surface of the skull beckon them overmuch? Or will mercy compel their hand? Nuhmudira's sobs are incessant, trickling down from the top of the chamber like rain from a roof's eaves. Which lever, which lever, which lever?

Though the spring has brought rain and some ill tidings, the sun has shone through in some matters--to their delight, Isparians have found their appraisal of most items and creatures no longer obstructed. Better yet, many Isparians have found that upon arriving at a Lifestone after an unhappy encounter with a savage denizen, their purses are heavier and their weapon was not ripped from their hand. If they prevailed in the encounter, people are finding they are a bit more skilled for their efforts. Such positive circumstances are widely discussed, as well as a rumor of a method to enhance weapons made with pyreal.

In the light of the sun, entrepreneurship is yet whole and hale in Dereth. Isparians may purchase the means to a device touted to drive away Olthoi and other undesirable creatures, only available in Zaikhal, for a short time only! Can such a thing be too good to be true? A leather crafter at Bandit Castle proffers Ursuin hide rugs as a new ware, for those purchasers who enjoy simpler goods.

The storm clouds seethe, hiding the sun. The bronze statues rage. Martine is sure to be watching the rain.

''Be sure to check the Developer's Notes for May, the State of the Code, and the  Letter to the Players , to learn more details of the Hidden Vein event. Join us as we continue the ongoing saga of Asheron's Call, and we'll see you in Dereth!

Build Notes
''Material retrieved from original Zone caches available at http://web.archive.org.

''Original Link (now dead) - http://www.zone.com/asheronscall/news/ASHEeventbuild.asp



 Developer's Notes 

May 15, 2002

We appreciate your feedback and bug reports in helping to ensure that the world of Dereth is a stable and fun place to be. Please submit any such bug reports to http://bugs.zone.com.

New Functionality and Content


 * There's a number of new quests available this month.
 * Monster activity on the Caul Island has now increased significantly.
 * Monsters that now become “stuck” for a long period of time will teleport back to their home position, instantly regaining their full hit points.
 * It is now significantly harder to “lure” monsters away from their pack one at a time without them alerting all of their fellow monsters.
 * All duplicate hooks, storage chests, and Covenant Crystals have been removed. Any items in those hooks or storage chests have been lost.
 * Players now no longer need their appraisal skills to successfully appraise any items except for some rare quest/monster items, which will remain unappraisable regardless of a player's skill.
 * There have been a number of changes to the way item loss on death works. From levels 1-5, players no longer lose any items or pyreals. From 6-10, players lose half their pyreals on death, but no items. From 11-20, players lose half their pyreals and 1 non-wielded item on death. From 21-35, players lose half their pyreals, and a normal (compared to the previous system) number of non-wielded items on death. For levels 36 and up, there are no changes to the previous system. Players will continue to lose the normal amount of pyreals and items, including wielded items. Please note this change does not affect any PK interactions at all.
 * Two new spellcasting tabs have been added, for a total of seven.
 * The fellowship panel now displays the hps/mana/stamina levels for each player in the fellowship.
 * Players are now able to point the mouse over a town icon on the map panel to display the town name. Settlements previously represented by a white dot now have their own separate icon.
 * There is a new option in the Character Panel called “Display Allegiance Logins”. When checked, you will receive a friends-list style notification when your patron or any of your vassals logs on or off. This option is off by default.
 * @house available command now lists # of apartments available, although it does not list locations.
 * If a player has less than 10 mb of hard drive space open when attempting to download the latest Event update, a dialog box will popup letting the player be able to clear up space on their hard drive before continuing.
 * Changing Natural Resistances so that they have no effect on Hollow damage, and changing the transfer spells so that drain resistance has no effect on them, were two changes that did not make their way into the May Event, but will be changed in June. Please see this month's Letter to the Players  for more details.

Miscellaneous Improvements and Changes


 * There was a bug with the new portal changes that allowed characters who tied to summoned portals to bypass the restrictions on the original portal. This has now been fixed, and the earlier ties will now summon portals with the correct restrictions.
 * Over 150 creatures now have higher experience point values. The increases range from minor to very significant.
 * There was a bug where house hooks would become visible even after the owner had turned them invisible, under a variety of different circumstances. This has now been fixed.
 * The Crystal Lord and its Minions have been tweaked to present a tougher challenge for players. Players should expect to have work together with a number of fellows to take down the Crystal Lord.
 * The rate at which dual and treble-spell jewelry drops have been doubled again. There is now also a possibility of finding dual-spell clothing.
 * There are now new versions of the “newbie creatures” (e.g., Drudge Slinker, Young Banderling, etc.) in dungeons that are aggressive, i.e., they will attack players unprovoked. The landscape versions of these creatures remain non-aggressive.
 * House Settlement Portals for those settlements added in April have been added to the world.
 * Players can no longer use keys to lock a chest.
 * Players are now told that they have 90 days grace period for a Residential Quarter, as opposed to the 30 days for a landscape dwelling.
 * Lifestone Tie's spell difficulty has been lowered from 150 to 100, to match Lifestone Recall's difficulty.
 * A bug preventing players from imbuing their Hollow Mace with Bloodhunter oil has been fixed.
 * Virindi Executors now have a small chance of dropping Singularity Keys.
 * Handing in Unlocked Tiny, Small, and Large Mnemosynes to their Undead Collectors now award 5, 25, and 75k xp respectively. The old values were 3, 15, and 45k.
 * We had planned on having a successful craft interaction to create Wood, Copper or Obsidian keys from the appropriate Golem heart to create three keys instead of one. Unfortunately, this is bugged for the May prop and will be fixed for June.
 * Players are now able to appraise an item while it is on a hook.
 * Wrapped arrowheads can now interact with wrapped atlatl darts.
 * A number of macro spots in the Serac Vault have been removed.
 * A number of macro spots in the Singularity Dungeon have been removed.
 * A bug that sometimes prevented the appearance of a Thorsten Armor quest chest in a cottage south of Eastham was fixed.
 * Magic items spawned in monster loot now can have more max_mana, and will always spawn with maximum mana.
 * A number of changes were made to the Aerlinthe quest. Please see our previous Zone note to the players  for more details.
 * The Bronze trophies have been made no-drop/no-give.

Minor Details


 * Both sets of wedding raiment can now be dyed in all nine colors.
 * Help text was added for @help endurance, to explain the new basic properties of endurance, which were added in the April update. Note that there is no @endurance command.
 * The Timaru Crafter will now exchange the Siraluun Hat for a Siraluun Bag with one Kithless feather inside.
 * Shield of Valor, Songview, and Tusker Notch Settlement Portals have now been placed.
 * Some typos were corrected in the letters in the Thorsten's Armor quest.
 * The message a player gets when imbuing a Hollow Sword with Bloodhunter oil now correctly refers to a sword instead of a spear.
 * Diamond Powder is now droppable/givable.
 * Quiddity Fragments, Olthoi Claws, Red/Gold Letters, dye plants, Palenqual totems, mana stones, and a number of food items are now hookable.
 * The Ruined Cave portal's level restriction has been upped to level 20.
 * We removed the old Wedding books from Scribes' inventories.

__________