[UO Herald] Explorers of the Stygian Abyss Event

[UO News]

Hail Adventurers!

The kingdoms of Britannia and Ter-Mur are attempting to build outposts in the Stygian Abyss where they can get early warning of any new dangers that might spring from its depths. There is much work to be done and they need your help! Will you become the new Ranger of the Abyss for Britannia or Warden of the Abyss for Ter-Mur?

This quest series will give a number of new rare items as well as other prizes. The grand prize is a special housing plot in the mysterious Stygian Abyss! There are two Stygian Abyss housing plots per shard and one lucky human or elf will win one and one lucky gargoyle will win the other.

This event is divided into two quest lines of three parts each. Each character may do only one quest line. The event begins on April 5th with parts one and two; part three will begin on April 12th. Parts two and three may be repeated daily to give you a new chance to win something rare and glorious. The Stygian Abyss houses can only be won during part three of the series and are rewarded by chance for completing the quest. Each quest line will end separately when someone wins the grand prize. We will be posting the winners of the houses for each shard on the UO Herald each day as they are discovered.

To begin the quest, humans and elves should visit Dexter on the second floor of Castle Britannia in Trammel. Gargoyles should visit the Lens Maker at his home in the Holy City of Ter Mur (the city near the entrance to the Abyss). If you are playing on Siege, Dexter and Sir Geoffrey have been moved to Serpent’s Hold fortress.

Both quests will take players around the world and through the Stygian Abyss and require the Stygian Abyss expansion to participate. If you win one of the houses on your shard, you will receive a ticket that will entitle you to the prize and that ticket is tradable or sellable within the game. When you have the ticket and you are ready to have the house transferred to you, contact Mesanna at barmstrong AT ea.com




More...

 

[Gheed]

Will this outpost condem any house the account currently holds?

 

[Mark_Mythic]

You will get a 'golden ticket' that will entitle you to the house. You can then have time to sell your old house... or you could sell the ticket. You redeem the ticket with a GM to have the housing plot transferred to you.

 

[Kandorian Demons]

What size plot is it? How many Lockdowns?

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

You will get a 'golden ticket' that will entitle you to the house. You can then have time to sell your old house... or you could sell the ticket. You redeem the ticket with a GM to have the housing plot transferred to you.

I wonder if Galen will retire if he gets the ticket and sells it (assuming I don't just give it away for some RP purpose).

Nah, he wouldn't retire anyway.

*chuckles*

-Galen's player

 

[Lord Chaos]

You will get a 'golden ticket' that will entitle you to the house. You can then have time to sell your old house... or you could sell the ticket. You redeem the ticket with a GM to have the housing plot transferred to you.

Why *more* new and rare items? Is it possible to hold some events without showering a select few in a short period with massive rewards?

And why announce an event that started the 5th on the 6th? This gives us 6 days to do this in, provided we're equipped and ready, and even have what is needed to do the quests.

 

[Picus at the office]

Why *more* new and rare items? Is it possible to hold some events without showering a select few in a short period with massive rewards?

And why announce an event that started the 5th on the 6th? This gives us 6 days to do this in, provided we're equipped and ready, and even have what is needed to do the quests.

Oh my goodness. You play this game why?

 

[Lord Chaos]

Oh my goodness. You play this game why?

To have fun and not be thrown events right in my face after they already started. And again throwing loads of new rares after a select few.

 

[omgmir]

To have fun and not be thrown events right in my face after they already started. And again throwing loads of new rares after a select few.

You seriously need to take a break if you're reduced to complaining about this.

 

[Picus at the office]

To have fun and not be thrown events right in my face after they already started. And again throwing loads of new rares after a select few.

Then go do the quest and see if its fun. There is no select few if everyone can do it, its only selective if you decide not to do it and then complain 3 months later.

 

[Lord Chaos]

Then go do the quest and see if its fun. There is no select few if everyone can do it, its only selective if you decide not to do it and then complain 3 months later.

I am away most of this week and have little time to play. Either way, there's little to no warning for people, especially those who are not on Stratics or don't sit checking every day.

And looking at the rewards, then its stupid, introducing such powerful items for a very short period of time to a few, is just screaming to unbalance the game even more.

 

[longshanks]

well from a personal standpoint i could sure use both those items. the tali can very easily replace a totem of the void as u can get lmc elsewhere.

the cloak has nice spell damage which if combined with sdi on a ring a mage can run a weapon and get the 15 sdi cap wiot needing to run hat of magi.

i can certainly see this persons consternation that these will be available for only a short amount of time and luck and will probably command a significant price tag on the luna market.

but the same can be said for the trinket, garb, dreadhorse and various other items introduced for a short period of time over the past 3 years which is as long as i've been playing

having not tried the event i'll reserve my reservations on its attainability however.

 

[Trevelyan]

Some questions for clarification

- Is the chance to get the house based on each character, each account, or each attempt at a quest

- What is the point of part 2 in regards to the houses?
- How long will part 2 be active for?

- If we get a ticket, is there a time limit to use it in?

 

[R Traveler]

Spoiler

This quest is part of a chain that will lead to one player winning a special housing plot within the Stygian Abyss. You may complete this quest once each day on each of your characters, each day you do it is a new chance to win!

***You must complete this quest to win***

Take the bottle of magic ink that Sir Geoffrey gives you to the Britannia outpost location in the Stygian Abyss. Pour it over your lamp of spirituality while the lamp is lit. You will know instantly if you have won the contest (fireworks and a big hubbub means you won).

Win or lose, return to Sir Geoffrey and he will give you a quest reward from his war chest. If you win, Sir Geoffrey will also give you a scroll that entitles you to the housing plot and Mythic will contact you about transferring ownership to your winning character. You will not need to take possession of the housing plot immediately.

Oh good, you're back. Now that we have found a suitable place to build an outpost, we have one final task. All houses in Sosaria are protected by powerful magic that keeps them secure. This magic is infused in the ink that we use to make house deeds. Our normal house deed ink has failed to deed the outpost so Dexter has been working on an alternate formula.

Because so many have helped get us to this point, Queen Dawn has decided to turn the selection of the Ranger of the Abyss over to fate. To that end, I have been ordered to commission those who have helped with this campaign to test the new formulas. Whoever tests the winning formula will be appointed the Ranger of the Abyss.

You will need your lamp of spirituality for this test, take the lamp and the ink into the Stygian Abyss and go to the location of the Outpost. When your lamp has turned its normal color, pour the ink into the flame. If the formula is right, the flame will dance wildly, otherwise it will probably go out. Return to me and report your findings and you will be rewarded from my war chest.

Spoiler

This quest is part of a chain that will lead to one player winning a special housing plot within the Stygian Abyss. You may complete this quest once each day on each of your characters, each day you do it is a new chance to win!

***You must complete this quest to win***

Take the bottle of magic ink that Uskadesh gives you to the Ter-Mur outpost location in the Stygian Abyss. Pour it over your lamp of singularity while the lamp is lit. You will know instantly if you have won the contest (fireworks and a big hubbub means you won).

Win or lose, return to Uskadesh and he will give you a quest reward from his war chest. If you win, Uskadesh will also give you a scroll that entitles you to the housing plot and Mythic will contact you about transferring ownership to your winning character. You will not need to take possession of the housing plot immediately.

I have some bad news. A new problem has come upon us but we must be strong. All houses in Ter-Mur are protected by powerful magic that keeps them secure. This magic is in the ingredients of the ink which is used to deed the house. The problem is, our ink is not working in the Stygian Abyss, even where the lamp of singularity does not detect chaos.

Now for the good news. You have a very small chance to become the Warden of the Abyss. Naxatilor is trying to create an ink formula that will work in the Stygian Abyss. I have in my possession a vial of one of his new formulas. I offer you the chance to take it to the outpost site and test it. The queen has declared that whoever tests the formula that secures the outpost will be appointed Warden of the Abyss.

Test the ink by pouring the vial into the flame of your lamp of singularity while standing in the spot where we are building an outpost. If this is the formula that works, you will know it immediately as the flame will sparkle and pop. If the formula fails, it will probably douse the lamp. Either way, you have done another service to your people and I will reward it from my war chest.

 

[Storm]

nice thanks Rtraveler

 

[Spellbound]

Please confirm that receiving a ticket will not condemn your house, or multiple houses of a grandfathered account?

 

[Mapper]

Please confirm that receiving a ticket will not condemn your house, or multiple houses of a grandfathered account?

I highly doubt it will, The Devs need to place the house for you if you win the ticket.

 

[R Traveler]

Few more:
You may only do this quest once per day, doing it more than once per day does not increase your chance to win.

Unable to put the winning ticket in your backpack, attempting to put it in your bank...

This is the Ter-Mur winning ticket for ~1_SERVER~
This is the Britannian winning ticket for ~1_SERVER~

 

[Gheed]

1. Is it possible for a Gargoyle and Human char on the same account to win both plots?

2. Is it possible to win plots on multiple shards with the same account?

 

[Taylor]

Fun! But life's too busy this month to participate.

Someone win a house for me. Will it help if I bat my eyelashes?

 

[Mark_Mythic]

Both houses will be 18x18, they will have the normal number of lockdowns. The house will be placed by a GM and then transferred to the player with the winning ticket when they are ready to receive the house. (you don't have to buy the 18x18 foundation)

I'm happy to see so many people are into the quest and like the new rares.

 

[BeefSupreme]

Both houses will be 18x18, they will have the normal number of lockdowns. The house will be placed by a GM and then transferred to the player with the winning ticket when they are ready to receive the house. (you don't have to buy the 18x18 foundation)

I'm happy to see so many people are into the quest and like the new rares.

Very unique contest within a quest. Ranger cloak sure doesn't hurt either!

 

[Harlequin]

Both houses will be 18x18, they will have the normal number of lockdowns. The house will be placed by a GM and then transferred to the player with the winning ticket when they are ready to receive the house. (you don't have to buy the 18x18 foundation)

I'm happy to see so many people are into the quest and like the new rares.

Thanks for the info! I am taking that to mean receiving the ticket itself won't condemn your other houses. The condemning will only happen when the GM transfer the plot to you.

1 more question, will the owner/friends be able to recall to the house? What about using linked telporters?

 

[Fireman Sam]

when i won a small tower in malas many years ago in a competition it would have condemned any other house, it was placed by a GM too then xfered to me. it condemned and dropped when i placed another house as it was too small anyways. but it was nice to win something

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

I wanted to say, assuming that Geoffrey is the same Geoffrey from Ultima lore, that it's nice to see him in-game.

Can we expect to see more Ultima heroes in the future?

Dexter is an interesting choice to be Royal Mage. Is he the same one who was Kronos's apprentice during the Blackrock affair? Or is this another person? If it's the same Dexter, wasn't he the one who was sleeping with Melissa or was that someone else (maybe Kronos himself?)? I forget.

Even if it's the same person I guess it makes sense for Dexter to be elevated, based solely on pretty much every other important mage NPC being dead. Or, at least, every important mage NPC I can remember.

Hopefully Dexter has now come to realize that his previous employer, Kronos, was a complete nut, and Dexter will display more wisdom than his former boss.

-Galen's player

 

[Mark_Mythic]

"I wanted to say, assuming that Geoffrey is the same Geoffrey from Ultima lore, that it's nice to see him in-game.

Can we expect to see more Ultima heroes in the future?"


Yes, they are the same.

I do intend to bring back some oldies but goodies in the upcoming months. I'm just starting a new live event thread now in which you will recognize many of the characters.

I'm a fan of character continuity and development. That is why I tried to tie Queen Dawn back to her roots in the latest fiction on the herald.

In the old days she was this 'Whose big idea was it to capture a plant creature for questioning anyway...' guard. I saw her as the kind of character who said what everyone else was thinking. I suppose when she became a noblewoman and then queen, she has had to grow a filter on her mouth. But I wanted players to know that she is still the same Dawn on the inside.

"1 more question, will the owner/friends be able to recall to the house? What about using linked telporters?"

Anyone who can mark runes in a normal house can mark runes in the Abyss house.
Linked teleporters will work.

 

[RawHeadRex]

"I wanted to say, assuming that Geoffrey is the same Geoffrey from Ultima lore, that it's nice to see him in-game.

Can we expect to see more Ultima heroes in the future?"


Yes, they are the same.

I do intend to bring back some oldies but goodies in the upcoming months. I'm just starting a new live event thread now in which you will recognize many of the characters.

I'm a fan of character continuity and development. That is why I tried to tie Queen Dawn back to her roots in the latest fiction on the herald.

In the old days she was this 'Whose big idea was it to capture a plant creature for questioning anyway...' guard. I saw her as the kind of character who said what everyone else was thinking. I suppose when she became a noblewoman and then queen, she has had to grow a filter on her mouth. But I wanted players to know that she is still the same Dawn on the inside.

"1 more question, will the owner/friends be able to recall to the house? What about using linked telporters?"

Anyone who can mark runes in a normal house can mark runes in the Abyss house.
Linked teleporters will work.

I'd like to take a moment to THANK all the Dev's for their dedication and passion to the game we all enjoy. The creativity you all show gives me a warm fuzzy uo feeling inside. Ok enough praise, back to work.

 

[DarkVoid]

Will the house owner's account be subject to normal house decay rules? Does anything prevent monsters from appearing and getting in casting range of the house? It would be bad to have some monster wander up to the player and kill them before they could enter customization mode to put some barriers up. It'd be even worse to allow them to use a house plot for free no-risk monster killing.

If this has been thought out properly, you're going to use some invisible server barrier to prevent such mishaps, where there is a server line buried around the house that monsters simply cannot cross or cast spells over, and that there is nothing except very light spawn (if any) aroiund the house.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

"I wanted to say, assuming that Geoffrey is the same Geoffrey from Ultima lore, that it's nice to see him in-game.

Can we expect to see more Ultima heroes in the future?"

Yes, they are the same.

Good good...Nice to see him again.

I do intend to bring back some oldies but goodies in the upcoming months. I'm just starting a new live event thread now in which you will recognize many of the characters.

Neat.

I'm a fan of character continuity and development. That is why I tried to tie Queen Dawn back to her roots in the latest fiction on the herald.

In the old days she was this 'Whose big idea was it to capture a plant creature for questioning anyway...' guard. I saw her as the kind of character who said what everyone else was thinking. I suppose when she became a noblewoman and then queen, she has had to grow a filter on her mouth. But I wanted players to know that she is still the same Dawn on the inside.

I actually noticed that touch and liked it. I remembered Dawn, during her first appearances, openly referring to the Meer as "monsters" and her basically having to learn from interacting with the Meer that not everything that looks like a monster really is one. The new fiction echoed that when Dawn thought about her sense of unease with the gargoyles, knowing that it wasn't entirely rational, but she couldn't quite get out of it entirely either.

I was worried that Dawn in the official fiction slipped in nicely with how she was portrayed by Great Lakes's Event Moderators. I can't speak for how she was played on other shards, but what we saw in the official fiction fit what we saw on Great Lakes (at least I thought so).

One thing I have to point out, though. I don't recall anything about Dawn becoming a noble lady.

As I recall, it was Yew Warrior, to Royal Guard, to leader, to housewife, to Queen.

http://www.uoguide.com/Dawn

What I recall was this.

Dawn was, like your fiction pointed out, was a 3rd generation Royal Guard, thrust into a leadership role more or less by accident.

After she killed Blackthorn, though, she kind of just faded. The "real" reason of course was that the UO team at the time didn't like Dawn, and considered her a product of the previous team.

However, as an off-hand remark, one of the team member stated that Dawn had married and retired to Yew. (Didn't like being in the public eye.)

We players basically ran with that, as it seemed like plausible fiction. Also it was all we had.

Late in Casca's regime, he returned to the early work of his regime, which was basically destroying every link he could find to the old regime. (Which is why he was going after Sherry; she was a link.) Dawn was an indirect link at best, but she was a link, so she had to be wiped out. So Casca went after her.

But it backfired, and now Casca is dead and Dawn is Queen.

On GL, EM/player dialogue has established that the off-stage husband is still in the picture, floating in the background someplace.

Galen the character actually prefers Dawn to Lord British; Dawn is one of us, Lord British was a detached philosopher-king. Me as a player....I had mixed feelings about Dawn when she first appeared, but really like the character now.

-Galen's player

 

[Demonous]

why won't the houses be grandfathered like the malas castles? those were pure luck too as to who got them, it would give people more incentive to do the quest as well

 

[Harlequin]

"1 more question, will the owner/friends be able to recall to the house? What about using linked telporters?"

Anyone who can mark runes in a normal house can mark runes in the Abyss house.
Linked teleporters will work.

Cool, thanks Mark!

 

[Der Rock]

You will get a 'golden ticket' that will entitle you to the house. You can then have time to sell your old house... or you could sell the ticket. You redeem the ticket with a GM to have the housing plot transferred to you.

ATTEND PLS:
1.
i realy hope YOU make sure that the golden house deed can only reward player on their HOMESHARD... it would be realy sad if player have to buy the house deed from "SHARDHOPPERS" !!!!!!!!!!!!

2.
also important,make sure the golden house deed DONT reward the best scripter/cheater in UO...make it a fair game to get the house deed....and if a player get the reward..PROOF him..!!!!!!!
use all the possibilities you have and make sure it is NOT a cheater who get the deed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!



IF it is one of the same player who almost always get the unic shard rewards i am realy start to think twice if ill still want to play this game !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


the golden house deeds are realy unic and should ONLY reward a player who support and play HIS HOMESHARD...make it NOT a poor
"playing for a living" reward !!!!!


THX

 

[Smoot]

Ive turned in everything to complete part one on my gargoyle, but the lense maker will only give me a quest to make another lantern. Theres no quest or reference about the ink. Anyone else having this problem?

 

[Frarc]

Second part of the quest is another guy. He is in the baracks outside Ter Mur Royal City.

When you step out Ter Mur moongate run Northwards. You will run right into the building where the questgiver is located.

 

[Der Rock]

Ive turned in everything to complete part one on my gargoyle, but the lense maker will only give me a quest to make another lantern. Theres no quest or reference about the ink. Anyone else having this problem?

go to ugladesh (or so) east of ter mur in the fortress

 

[G.v.P]

Interesting hope these quests are still doable!

And Warden? Someone is playing Dragon Age over there .

 

[Petra Fyde]

I posted this in another thread, but it's a few pages back now. maybe it will help?
take the quest from the lens maker, furthest building east, holy City:


Get the lantern from the minister of war, East of Royal City in the training area:

 

[Faerunner]

I'm sure I'm the only one, but it seems like new quests and events only happen after my account subscription runs out, and by the time I can re-instate it, I missed the fun.

This one looks interesting; I'm not sure if I'd want to give up my current 18x18 for a special abyss house or not, but I'd like to at least try the quests!

 

[BeefSupreme]

I'm sure I'm the only one, but it seems like new quests and events only happen after my account subscription runs out, and by the time I can re-instate it, I missed the fun.

This one looks interesting; I'm not sure if I'd want to give up my current 18x18 for a special abyss house or not, but I'd like to at least try the quests!

They are pretty much done and over with. Most if not all shards houses were won on Sunday.

 

[AximEOB]

So in order to receive this reward house, you must either have second account or drop your current house?

Am I correct?

Thanks.

 

[Otis Firefly]

So in order to receive this reward house, you must either have second account or drop your current house?

Am I correct?

Thanks.

exactly!