January 2002 - Announcements Page
Game Changes[]
- 400 Cottages, 90 Villas and 10 Mansions added to the world.
- Settlement Portals added for housing introduced during the The First Strike update.
- The treasure system is now able to generate "cantrips" on certain high-level armor and weapons. See the Letter to the Players for details.
- The treasure system is now able to generate additional spells on certain high-level jewelry. See the Letter to the Players for details.
- Low-level monsters such as Drudge Slinkers, Drudge Skulkers, Mosswart Young, Creeper Mosswarts, Old Bones, Young Banderlings, Gnawer Shreths, and Mite Snippets no longer attack players unless they are attacked first.
- Other changes:
- Villas now have 70 hooks, 50 of which are useable.
- Improved artwork for Empyrean Stone Heads.
- New icon for Calling Stone.
New Quests[]
New NPCs[]
New Locations[]
Updated Locations[]
Updated as part of the Elysa's Favor Quest
- Asuger Temple - Creatures updated, Level 5+ restriction changed to 20+
- Darkened Halls - Creatures updated, now has a 20+ level restriction
- Fort Witshire - Creatures updated, Lifestone removed, now barricaded
- Witshire Dungeon - Creatures updated and can now be accessed via Underground Passages (20+) in the three mainland starter towns.
New Items[]
Elysa's Favor (Red)
Elysa's Favor (Blue)
Elysa's Favor (Yellow)
Elysa's Favor (White)
Copy of Witshire's Key
Storage Key
Glass Spherule
Folded Guard's Uniform
Human Husk
A Cryptic Note
A Folded Note
An Unsigned Message
Menacet's Orders
Dame Tsaya's Letter to Sir Rylanan (Yaraq Version) Dame Tsaya's Letter to Sir Rylanan (Shoushi & Holtburg Versions) Sir Tenshin's Letter to Dame Tsaya (Shoushi Version) Sir Tenshin's Letter to Dame Tsaya (Yaraq & Holtburg Versions) Sir Rylanan's Letter to Sir Tenshin (Holtburg Version) Sir Rylanan's Letter to Sir Tenshin (Shoushi & Yaraq Versions)
Updated Items[]
New Emotes[]
- Pointing Up (points up, pointsup, pointing up, pointingup, point up state, pointupstate).
- Point Up (point up, pointup).
- Pointing Down (points down, pointsdown, pointing down, pointingdown, point down state, pointdownstate).
- Point Down (point down, pointdown).
- Reading (read, read something, readsomething, read a book, readabook).
- Offering someone a seat (have a seat, haveaseat, offer seat, offerseat).
- Offer someone a seat (musical chair, musicalchair).
- Knock knock knock (knock).
- Scan the Horizon (scan horizon, scanhorizon, scan, lookout, peer).
- Drudge Dance Step (dance step, dancestep).
- Sit and think (thinker)
New Creatures[]
Updated Creatures[]
- Dark Myrmidon - Spawns improved (drops the Osseous Mace).
- Knathtead - Can now be found in game again.
- Olthoi Eviscerators - Now inflict acid, blade and pierce damage.
New Dialog[]
- Town Crier
- Town Crier tells you, "I haven't seen a snow like this since..."
- Town Crier tells you, "Never mind, this is a natural Winter for sure."
- Town Crier tells you, "My friends report of finding armor and weapons with more magic than usual."
- Town Crier tells you, "Psst, I heard some houses appeared Southwest of Sawato! You look like someone worthy of a fine residence."
- Town Crier tells you, "Seems the Arcanum started making those fireplaces just in time. Plenty of people are glad to have a roaring fire in their house to be sure."
- Town Crier tells you, "The snow is really coming in. I suppose we need a real winter after last year. Which reminds me, have you seen any snowmen around?"
- Town Crier tells you, "Notice anything odd about them? I've heard some strange reports, but I won't report anything until I corroborate the stories."
- Town Crier tells you, "Call me a skeptic, but has anyone besides me been wondering why the Training Academies in Holtburg, Shoushi, and Yaraq survived the Hollow Minions' assault so easily?"
- Town Crier tells you, "Quick, what am I?"
- Town Crier tells you, "Give up? I'm a windmill!"
- Town Crier tells you, "Ehe, well, I thought it was funny."
- Town Crier tells you, "We've fought the Virindi's Hollow Minions long enough to know their strengths and weaknesses...but do any of us know that much about Martine's?"
- Town Crier tells you, "Hey, there's a rumor of new houses South of Crater Village and North of New'ic. A friend also told me she saw some South of Plateau Village, near Stonehold and a few on the North coast. But those are too far a commute for me."
- Town Crier tells you, "In light of last month's attack on the Training Academies, Queen Elysa has ordered her Senior Guards to build garrisions to fortify the three towns of Holtburg, Shoushi, and Yaraq."
- Town Crier tells you, "Ok, I'll tell you what I've heard, but don't spread it around, ok? Seems that some people weren't happy just making normal Snowmen last month. They created a bizarre variation of your normal snowman. Somehow these things are alive now and they are pretty unstable. Watch yourself out there."
- Town Crier tells you, "I've heard whispers that if the moon is shining at the right time of night, certain beautiful jewelry pieces are endowed with additional enchantments. Or maybe it was only if the sun is directly overhead...or maybe it was...well, you get the point
- Magical jewelry will occasionally have multiple enchantments laid upon them. That's all I know."
- Town Crier tells you, "It's true Weapons seem to be more magical of late. I've heard tell of weapons with more than four spells on them! You can't believe everything you hear though. I mean four spells? Maybe if it was some sort of ancient magic weapon. They say the same magic surplus is affecting armor too. Something is afoot, mark my words."
- Town Crier tells you, "The Senior Guards in Holtburg, Shoushi, and Yaraq have asked me to report all suspicious activity. They must be taking their new positions very seriously."
- Town Crier tells you, "I heard some new houses have appeared East and Southeast of Tufa. I love that area. Like living on a giant beach!"
- Town Crier tells you, "Fort Witshire was built to defend against the Tumeroks years and years ago, but its maintenance costs were too high. It's lain abandoned ever since-easy shelter for squatters, no doubt."
- Ulgrim the Unpleasant
No new dialog this month.
Related Articles[]
- Teaser
- Nexus Armor on Darktide
- Rollout Article
- Release Notes
- Letter to the Players
- State of the Code
Media[]
Click image for full size version.
Portal.dat