Draconi was kind enough to answer a few questions about what is going on in Moonglow right now over in UHall, so we are now sharing this information with all of you.
Questions:
1. What is up with the "you suddenly feel you have the strength of 2 men"?
Those who were there on day one receive a heal buff while remaining inside the timerift. This is not the only effect, and your continued presence in the rift will no doubt bring you even more benefits...
2. Has anyone gotten any arties aside from Planesword & Planeshield?
Good question! (Draconi has stated that the top three attackers on the ethereal Shadowlords will get cloaks of Corruption, and Threads of Fate and Threads of Life can be found as loot on some monsters too.)
3. Has anyone seen any Mystic weapons drop on any corpses?
Hmm, maybe Berserkers?
4. What's up with the totally insane lag? I didn't lag this much even at the beginning of Magincia.
Hundreds of people on the same screen at once
5. I notice that the area we're fighting in has the dynamic objects. Is there going to be rubble?
Nope
6. Why is there no area where we can rez without being rezkilled over and over? The creatures spawn everywhere, including right at the entrance gate.
I'm sure a solution will present itself in due course
7. What happens if you lose the piece of blackrock you had with you on the first day? Is it the blackrock that's marked or it the character that's marked, or even possibly the account?
Character. More things will reveal themselves in the timerift over the coming weeks. Think Magincia.
8. Loyalties?
Some have already chosen, more will be given a choice directly, and most can simply align themselves to the cause they feel is their own.
9. Blackrock usefulness in the timerift?
Try casting armageddon, spellcaster or no, in front of a Shadowlord.
10.Are the Shadowlords really back?
Astaroth, Nosfentor, Faulinei: Yes. (The "ethereal" forms of the three Shadowlords will continually reappear in the timerift. You cannot kill the real Shadowlords at this time, these are merely extensions. They seek blackrock, but they also fear it. *The* spell, Armageddon, may aid you for once. Destroying an ethereal form of a Shadowlord will yield great riches, and greater curses.)
11. Wait, aren't we killing them in the timerift?
Not the true forms of the ones that have been freed in Britannia. These are echoes lost in the ethereal void.
12. What happened to Kronos
Murdered by Astaroth.
13. What happened to Melissa, why did they fail to protect the gate?
...
14. Can we join the Shadowlords faction?
... your choice.
That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure there will be more.
Again, thanks for any answers anyone can provide.
THese two questions I added myself because I am sure many of you are wondering how to cast the Armageddon spell with Blackrock.
15. What were the words you needed to say to cast Armageddon with a piece of blackrock?
Vas Kal An Mani In Corp Hur Tym
16.How can Blackrock be found?
The first way was when the blackrock pillars was destroyed, pieces of blackrock were found around them. The next was small pieces of blackrock were found all over the ground of the lands.(Some people still claim to find some on the ground once in a while), Third they could be found as part of the ToT2 (Treasures of Tokuno 2) and lastly you can get some through mining. (They fall in your backpack much like the rare gems, and that is the way most players get them.)
Some people have also been asking me who these Shadowlords are, so here is a story that I wrote last years during "The Candle of Love" event about them.
Just who is this Astaroth the Shadowlord and why did he corrupt those three Shrines? People have asked this question of me ever since the Quest for the Candle of Love started. Well first off there are three Shadowlords and they represent the antithesis of the three principles of Truth, Love and Courage.
The two brothers represent Hatred and falsehood and their sister represents cowardice. If you have started the new quest you already know Astaroth is the Shadowlord of Hatred, but his brother Faulinei is the Shadowlord of Falsehood, and their sister names Nosfentor is the Shadowlord of Cowardice.
The Shadowlords are perpetual, undying, and near indestructible incarnations of Hatred, Falsehood, and Cowardice born from the Shards of the Gem of Immortality. They can only influence their victims and are unable to bring about any physical acts on their own. By whispering their thoughts and desires into their victims minds they slowly bend and twist those that are open to them into doing the acts the Shadowlords wish them to do.
The Shadowlords were first seen in the old “Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny Game (1988)”. In it Lord British who is on an expedition to the Underworld, to recover the lost Codex of Ultimate Wisdom, when he is captured by the Shadowlords. When Lord British disappeared Lord Blackthorn took power in Britannia, unfortunately the Shadowlords had been influencing him and twisted and corrupted him into a evil tyrant. At the same time the Shadowlords started to attack the virtues by persuading the people of the land to perform evil acts. meanwhile Blackthorn forced ruthless high-minded laws, based on his now warped version of the Virtues, upon the people of Britannia.
Honesty: Thou shalt not lie, or thou shalt lose thy tongue.
Compassion: Thou shalt help those in need, or thou shalt suffer the same need.
Valor: Thou shalt fight to the death if challenged, or thou shalt be banished as a coward.
Justice: Thou shalt confess to thy crime and suffer its just punishment, or thou shalt be put to death.
Sacrifice: Thou shalt donate half of thy income to charity, or thou shalt have no income.
Honor: If thou dost lose thine own honour, thou shalt take thine own life.
Spirituality: Thou shalt enforce the laws of virtue, or thou shalt die as a heretic.
Humility: Thou shalt humble thyself to thy superiors, or thou shalt suffer their wrath.
The Avatar was then summoned back to Britannia, forming the Warriors of Destiny with Some of those who had aided him before in his quests. They gather the known remaining shards of the Gem of Immortality, (The Gem of Immortality was used by Mondain the Wizard to control Sosaria. When destroyed it lead to the creation of the shards or mirror images of Sosaria in which we live.) and destroyed the Shadowlords, exile Lord Blackthorn and saved Lord British.
Some of you also asked what a gargoyle has to do with the start with the Quest for the Candle of Love? Well, in Early Ultima times gone by Lord British befriends the gargoyle Sin'Vraal, believing him to be a daemon. He convinces Sin'Vraal to give up his wicked behavior and escape from his servitude to the evil Shadowlord Astaroth. Though I am sure the use of him was also a nod towards Gargoyles becoming the next player race to the game this summer.
It has also been asked too what the Candle of Love is? the Candle of Love, Book of Truth and Bell of Courage are the embodiment of the three Principles that form the 8 Virtues. To protect these three powerful artifacts the construction of 3 keeps was ordered. The Empath Abbey protects the flame of Love, the Lycaeum holds the search for the Book of Truth, and Serpent's Hold should hold the Bell of Courage somehow. So there is a good chance in the future we will have to do something in Serpent’s Hold involving the Bell of Courage. These three items are powerful representatives of the three Principles that appose the Shadowlords and their desires for our lands. Hopefully they will help hold the Shadowlords back and away from influencing the minds of the beings that reside in our lands. So the reason that players need to complete the Quest of the Candle of Love is to drive back the Shadowlords with the Light of Love.
May the Virtues stay strong in all of you!
Hope that answered some of your questions about what is going on, and I look forward to seeing all of you in the ongoing fight.
Questions:
1. What is up with the "you suddenly feel you have the strength of 2 men"?
Those who were there on day one receive a heal buff while remaining inside the timerift. This is not the only effect, and your continued presence in the rift will no doubt bring you even more benefits...
2. Has anyone gotten any arties aside from Planesword & Planeshield?
Good question! (Draconi has stated that the top three attackers on the ethereal Shadowlords will get cloaks of Corruption, and Threads of Fate and Threads of Life can be found as loot on some monsters too.)
3. Has anyone seen any Mystic weapons drop on any corpses?
Hmm, maybe Berserkers?
4. What's up with the totally insane lag? I didn't lag this much even at the beginning of Magincia.
Hundreds of people on the same screen at once
5. I notice that the area we're fighting in has the dynamic objects. Is there going to be rubble?
Nope
6. Why is there no area where we can rez without being rezkilled over and over? The creatures spawn everywhere, including right at the entrance gate.
I'm sure a solution will present itself in due course
7. What happens if you lose the piece of blackrock you had with you on the first day? Is it the blackrock that's marked or it the character that's marked, or even possibly the account?
Character. More things will reveal themselves in the timerift over the coming weeks. Think Magincia.
8. Loyalties?
Some have already chosen, more will be given a choice directly, and most can simply align themselves to the cause they feel is their own.
9. Blackrock usefulness in the timerift?
Try casting armageddon, spellcaster or no, in front of a Shadowlord.
10.Are the Shadowlords really back?
Astaroth, Nosfentor, Faulinei: Yes. (The "ethereal" forms of the three Shadowlords will continually reappear in the timerift. You cannot kill the real Shadowlords at this time, these are merely extensions. They seek blackrock, but they also fear it. *The* spell, Armageddon, may aid you for once. Destroying an ethereal form of a Shadowlord will yield great riches, and greater curses.)
11. Wait, aren't we killing them in the timerift?
Not the true forms of the ones that have been freed in Britannia. These are echoes lost in the ethereal void.
12. What happened to Kronos
Murdered by Astaroth.
13. What happened to Melissa, why did they fail to protect the gate?
...
14. Can we join the Shadowlords faction?
... your choice.
That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure there will be more.
Again, thanks for any answers anyone can provide.
THese two questions I added myself because I am sure many of you are wondering how to cast the Armageddon spell with Blackrock.
15. What were the words you needed to say to cast Armageddon with a piece of blackrock?
Vas Kal An Mani In Corp Hur Tym
16.How can Blackrock be found?
The first way was when the blackrock pillars was destroyed, pieces of blackrock were found around them. The next was small pieces of blackrock were found all over the ground of the lands.(Some people still claim to find some on the ground once in a while), Third they could be found as part of the ToT2 (Treasures of Tokuno 2) and lastly you can get some through mining. (They fall in your backpack much like the rare gems, and that is the way most players get them.)
Some people have also been asking me who these Shadowlords are, so here is a story that I wrote last years during "The Candle of Love" event about them.
Just who is this Astaroth the Shadowlord and why did he corrupt those three Shrines? People have asked this question of me ever since the Quest for the Candle of Love started. Well first off there are three Shadowlords and they represent the antithesis of the three principles of Truth, Love and Courage.
The two brothers represent Hatred and falsehood and their sister represents cowardice. If you have started the new quest you already know Astaroth is the Shadowlord of Hatred, but his brother Faulinei is the Shadowlord of Falsehood, and their sister names Nosfentor is the Shadowlord of Cowardice.
The Shadowlords are perpetual, undying, and near indestructible incarnations of Hatred, Falsehood, and Cowardice born from the Shards of the Gem of Immortality. They can only influence their victims and are unable to bring about any physical acts on their own. By whispering their thoughts and desires into their victims minds they slowly bend and twist those that are open to them into doing the acts the Shadowlords wish them to do.
The Shadowlords were first seen in the old “Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny Game (1988)”. In it Lord British who is on an expedition to the Underworld, to recover the lost Codex of Ultimate Wisdom, when he is captured by the Shadowlords. When Lord British disappeared Lord Blackthorn took power in Britannia, unfortunately the Shadowlords had been influencing him and twisted and corrupted him into a evil tyrant. At the same time the Shadowlords started to attack the virtues by persuading the people of the land to perform evil acts. meanwhile Blackthorn forced ruthless high-minded laws, based on his now warped version of the Virtues, upon the people of Britannia.
Honesty: Thou shalt not lie, or thou shalt lose thy tongue.
Compassion: Thou shalt help those in need, or thou shalt suffer the same need.
Valor: Thou shalt fight to the death if challenged, or thou shalt be banished as a coward.
Justice: Thou shalt confess to thy crime and suffer its just punishment, or thou shalt be put to death.
Sacrifice: Thou shalt donate half of thy income to charity, or thou shalt have no income.
Honor: If thou dost lose thine own honour, thou shalt take thine own life.
Spirituality: Thou shalt enforce the laws of virtue, or thou shalt die as a heretic.
Humility: Thou shalt humble thyself to thy superiors, or thou shalt suffer their wrath.
The Avatar was then summoned back to Britannia, forming the Warriors of Destiny with Some of those who had aided him before in his quests. They gather the known remaining shards of the Gem of Immortality, (The Gem of Immortality was used by Mondain the Wizard to control Sosaria. When destroyed it lead to the creation of the shards or mirror images of Sosaria in which we live.) and destroyed the Shadowlords, exile Lord Blackthorn and saved Lord British.
Some of you also asked what a gargoyle has to do with the start with the Quest for the Candle of Love? Well, in Early Ultima times gone by Lord British befriends the gargoyle Sin'Vraal, believing him to be a daemon. He convinces Sin'Vraal to give up his wicked behavior and escape from his servitude to the evil Shadowlord Astaroth. Though I am sure the use of him was also a nod towards Gargoyles becoming the next player race to the game this summer.
It has also been asked too what the Candle of Love is? the Candle of Love, Book of Truth and Bell of Courage are the embodiment of the three Principles that form the 8 Virtues. To protect these three powerful artifacts the construction of 3 keeps was ordered. The Empath Abbey protects the flame of Love, the Lycaeum holds the search for the Book of Truth, and Serpent's Hold should hold the Bell of Courage somehow. So there is a good chance in the future we will have to do something in Serpent’s Hold involving the Bell of Courage. These three items are powerful representatives of the three Principles that appose the Shadowlords and their desires for our lands. Hopefully they will help hold the Shadowlords back and away from influencing the minds of the beings that reside in our lands. So the reason that players need to complete the Quest of the Candle of Love is to drive back the Shadowlords with the Light of Love.
May the Virtues stay strong in all of you!
Hope that answered some of your questions about what is going on, and I look forward to seeing all of you in the ongoing fight.
