content, patch stuff

PATCH UPDATES AND STUFF

Infernal Dawn

RIFT 1.8

1.8 Two dragons have joined in unholy union, and all Telara stands on the brink of molten ruin. Maelforge and Laethys are poised to rise from Ember Isle, and only the mightiest Ascended can brave the heart of Maelforge's volcanic prison to slay the Flame Sire and his covetous mate.

Filled to the brim with searing excitement, RIFT™ 1.8: Infernal Dawn is but the latest update in our unrelenting eruption of new content. Take a look at everything that will rise with the Infernal Dawn.

RIFT 1.8 Key Features

1=New 20-player raid: Infernal Dawn

Maelforge, Laethys, and their mightiest lieutenants await in the boiling veins of a great volcano. You and your allies must face seven deadly bosses to conquer the most advanced raid in Telara.

2=New tradeskills: Fishing and Survival

Live off the land as you explore and defend Telara. Catch fish, artifacts, and even companions with Fishing. Then use Survival to cook meals for in-game buffs, or to craft fishing poles and lures! Fishing and Survival do not count against the tradeskill limit.

3=Instant Adventure: Ember Isle

Teleport on-demand to the lost home of the Kelari for heart-pounding action and the richest Instant Adventure rewards yet.

4=Guild Finder

Looking for a home and allies for your Ascended? Use Guild Finder to find like-minded immortals. You’ll be seeing that green text scrolling by in no time!

5=Infernal Dawn World Event

The Carnival of the Ascended ends in fiery catastrophe in RIFT 1.8, when the Wanton Maw launch their final, frenzied assault. Can you halt the allied cults and their Blood Storm masters?

Catch up with Infernal Dawn!

Hammerknell World Event: Waves of Madness Update 1.3

The oceans rise

The Runeguard of Moonshade Highlands report that Abyssal activity has grown more frantic of late, as if the Cult of Akylios has finally found something they’ve sought since the rifts appeared. Attacks at sea are on the rise, and the cabal’s violence extends to open conflict with the Endless Court. Now the Abyssal prepare to unleash a massive offensive that will threaten every living being throughout Telara.

Faceless cultists and slimy beasts will march forth, assaulting Telaran forces in a tidal wave of unbridled violence. But this is only a prelude to the invasion that will rock Moonshade as the main body of the Abyssal force tries to break down the doors to Hammerknell. Lead by Jornaru, a powerful Tidelord, they will fight with reckless abandon, desperate to unearth the secrets that lie sealed within the Delve.

Death follows drowning

The wise Ascended realize that even if the Abyssal are thrown back from Hammerknell, whatever the cult seeks within the accursed city must be destroyed. Reluctantly, the Runeguard will have to open the gates they once shut, letting all the world learn of the Dwarves' great folly. Titanic pent-up Death energies will rush through those gates on the heels of the Abyssal offensive and out into Telara, setting off a worldwide Shadetouched invasion whose ancient terrors are eager to spew their hatred on their Dwarven jailors and the Ascended alike.

Hell in Hammerknell

Assuming the Ascended survive the back-to-back onslaughts of Water and Death, they’ll face a thousand horrible dooms within the haunted dark of Hammerknell Fortress. Here in their capital, the Dwarves worked wonders at the expense of captured souls, and their folly infected the very walls and filled the streets with monsters.

Hammerknell Fortress is an enormous complex, divided into several wings. The exploration of each chamber is an adventure in and of itself, with dread beasts to fight and glittering prizes to be won. Even the most experienced force of twenty Ascended is in for a dungeon delve more epic than any Telara has ever seen.

As they confront the awful secrets of Hammerknell, Ascended will encounter the shades of hapless Dwarves sealed in the deeps, hear their miserable attempts to escape, and meet their tormentors. The revelation of why Hammerknell was sealed may drive all who enter to lunacy, and if not, the ancient, awful being imprisoned deep within most certainly will.

Tricorne Mount

Ancient treasures await

The worldwide invasion that leads to the opening of Hammerknell Fortress will only happen for a limited time, but everyone who participates (and every Ascended can participate, regardless of experience) will have a chance to receive a Tricorne of the Drowned Thief (an awesome pirate hat), distinctive Water-and Death-themed banners for the Abyssal and the Endless Court that you can plant anywhere in Telara, and the fearsome Murdantix Mount, a powerful new steed.

All of these once-in-a-lifetime Waves of Madness rewards will drop from the rifts as you defeat your adversaries. Fight off enough invaders, and you will earn valuable Rune King’s Seals, tokens that you can spend with merchants to buy special 1.3 in-game treasures such as unique Calling-specific necklaces and special customized vanity armor!

Waves of Madness RIFT 1.3

June 22 (NA) / June 23 (EU)

Hammerknell. The long-hidden secrets of the accursed Delve stand revealed in RIFT 1.3: Waves of Madness, and you will be able to experience them in an all-new 20-Player Raid. The forsaken Dwarven city has lain silent since the rifts came, sealed by its fleeing inhabitants out of shame for some unspoken crime. The Ascended have long known that something terrible hides in the deeps of the Delve, but before they can raid this abandoned fortress, they must secure its gates and hold back the rising tides of Water and Death.

1.3

A dark tide rises

You need not be a scout or spy to notice the Water and Death Rifts that will burst forth across the Telaran sky, or the frenzy of their riftspawn invaders. The Faceless will rush forth as an unstoppable wave of the living and undead. Creatures foul and obscene will smash against the doors of Hammerknell to free a great monstrosity. Learn more about what the forces of the Abyssal and the Endless Court have in store during the Hammerknell Opening Event.

Deep in the Delve

Only when the gates are secured will the Ascended enter Hammerknell, where the anguished wailing of Dwarven ghosts is the very least of horrors. Here, the Defiant and the Guardians will confront the awful truth of the Dwarves’ great crime. Their sin was unspeakable, and for their transgression the Dwarves watched helplessly as their homes were besieged by necrotic hordes, condemned wretches who haunt Hammerknell still. Worse, beyond the Endless Court’s intrusion, the echoes of deep water sound beneath the ruined land. Great treasures await those Ascended who hold tight to their sanity and survive their journey into this most ancient of prisons.

1.3

Bank on your comrades

If you plan on raiding Hammerknell, you will need stalwart allies at your side. To help organize your Delve-delving efforts, RIFT 1.3 introduces free character transfers and Guild Banks! Join your companions wherever they may be, and toss your loot into your new Guild Bank to help prepare for the fearsome trials in Hammerknell and beyond.

RIFT 1.3 Summary

• Free In-Game Character Transfers: Move your characters between selected shards once a week, free of charge! 

• Hammerknell Raid: Our colossal 20-player raid will pit you and your Ascended comrades against Tidelord Jornaru’s unspeakable minions, new adversaries, and fearsome challenges! 

• Hammerknell World Event: The forces of Water and Death will wash across the land in an attempt to claim Hammerknell. Awesome bind-on-account loot awaits the Ascended. 

• Hammerknell Item Sets: Earn added benefits for collecting all the pieces in these new item sets. 

• Guild Banks: We’ve heard your cries! Organize your loot in your new Guild Bank. 

• Bind-on-Account Wardrobe/Vanity Items: Share wardrobe and vanity items between characters on your account via in-game mail. 

• More Wardrobe Items: including Hammerknell-themed items! 

• Twisted Artifacts: Go in quest of new artifact collections from beyond the planes. If you have obtained Omen Sight or Quantum Sight abilities, these rare and special items are yours to discover. 

• Open World PvP Quests: New level-50 daily quests that grant favor rewards have been added. Visit Thedeor’s Circle in Sanctum or the Catari Command Center in Meridian to learn more!

In the wake of dragons UPDATE 1.4

RIFT 1.4

Some among the Ascended believed when one of the Blood Storm fell, that dragon’s cult would shatter from the blow. Greenscale is slain and Akylios sunk, yet House Aelfwar and the Abyssal continue to plot and scheme. Now the Ascended must overcome both groups of desperate cultists and their rivals in the opposite faction in RIFT 1.4: Legacy of the Fallen.

After their deaths, the vanquished dragons’ essences exploded into elemental energy. Now their cultists strive to claim the Dragon Mote fallout scattered throughout Telara. The Guardians and Defiant must race to harvest these motes for themselves lest the Abyssal or House Aelfwar reclaim the power of their fallen masters.

Read more about Dragon Motes and the Planar Menace that threatens Telara.

1.4

The Water Saga

To combat the Abyssal, Ascended can embark on the Water Saga, an epic quest series that unravels the origin of this lunatic cult. Guardians and Defiant must stop the Abyssal resurgence, save important members of their faction from the cult’s insanity, and learn more about the sinister Tidelords, the heroes who first imprisoned Akylios, and the Faceless Man’s secret past. Aimed at high-level Ascended acting alone and in groups, the Water Saga offers both epic loot and a swift and cold-blooded Crocnard Mount.

Drowned Halls

The Abyssal threat looms large in Drowned Halls, a terrifying sliver in Scarwood where Akylios has conquered Telara. The Ascended must enter this alternate dimension and stop the faceless sorceress Hydriss from leading her forces into other timelines. This 10-player sliver offers rich rewards and terrible dangers to any Guardians and Defiant who brave its apocalyptic events.

1.4

Escalation of hostilities

As the Cults of Water and Life rail at their gods’ demise, tensions rise between the Ascended factions. Soon, Defiant and Guardians will clash in the open world combat offered by PvP Rifts. On top of Capture-the-Flag, the Warfront of Whitefall Steppes will feature an alternate “Escalation” mission where combatants must race to charge their side’s cannon with sourcestone shards issuing from an Air Rift. Every week, strategic focus will shift between Warfronts, and completing the week’s featured Warfront will earn Ascended greater rewards.

LFG leaps across shards

To ensure you get into groups and dungeons faster, the Looking for Group system now works across multiple Shards, swiftly recruiting Ascended to join your quest.

RIFT 1.4 Summary

• PvP Rifts: More open-world PvP goodness! 

• Cross-Shard LFG 

• Water Saga: Quest line that lets you earn epic loot and a vicious Crocnard Mount 

• Planar Menace: Stop House Aelfwar and the Abyssal from claiming the Dragon Motes 

• Drowned Halls: A new 10-player raid sliver 

• Quest Item Keyring: Save space in your inventory with an extra bag to hold your quest items 

• New rare materials: New tier of epic materials for each harvesting profession 

• New crafted item sets: Eight new crafted item sets for dungeon and raid players 

• Player-crafted augments: Apothecaries can salvage planar essences to make powerful item augments! 

• And more!

LEGACY OF THE FALL UPDATE 1.4: Chasing the Dragon Motes

Dragons defeated

1.4

Eons ago, the Blood Storm came to Telara, and no one could imagine ever slaying such vast and primal evil. Then rose the immortal Ascended, who slew both Greenscale and Akylios in a series of savage battles. Now, House Aelfwar and the Abyssal are frenzied with desperation, and the Ascended must race across Telara to collect fragments of the dragons’ power and devastate these leaderless cults.

When Greenscale and Akylios fell, their power dispersed across Telara. Where this planar energy congeals, a Dragon Mote is formed. If left untouched, the Mote will become a blight upon the land, mutating plants and beasts and driving men to madness. But a broken Dragon Mote leaks Dragon Tears, the pure elemental energy of the hideous gods. The cults would use this power to resurrect their masters, unless the Ascended can harvest the Tears first.

Scattered energies

Dragon Motes can appear anywhere in Telara, promising fierce fighting between Defiant and Guardians over the valuable Dragon Tears within. Daily Quests will also become available over time, offering Dragon Tears as a reward and gradually revealing the secrets of the dying cults.

For all the dangers of the Dragon Motes, Dragon Tears can be traded for gear charged with the life-force of elemental gods. The Tome of Regrowth, for just one example, contains secrets of healing once known only to the Dragon of Life. Each faction’s vendors carry wonders for every Calling: weapons and armor to smite the Blood Storm, and a hat that overflows with primordial stylishness.

Swift, mossy vengeance

Where the energies of Greenscale and Akylios mingle, the factions have discovered mysterious Blossoming Maelstroms, knots of magic from the Planes of Water and Life. Ascended can purchase these oddities, as chunks of concentrated Dragon Tears called Quintessence. When fed enough Dragon Quintessence, a Maelstrom blossoms into the Mossy Tartagon, a turtle far faster than any turtle ought to be.

The cults are on the move to secure their masters’ energy, and only you can stop them from raising the vanquished Blood Storm. Claim the essence of the dragons, arm yourself with planar might, and claim the Legacy of the Fallen.

Ashes of History RIFT 1.5

Scorched Earth

The Ashes of History are upon us! Two sinister dragon cults have joined forces to ravage Telara. The reason for this alliance remains a mystery, but scholars see a connection to dark portents from across the sea.

Planar Attunement brings advancement for level-50 Ascended, and Chronicles let you experience Telara's endgame instances with a friend. A new Warfront, a dungeon for master adventurers, Veteran Rewards, and more await in RIFT 1.5!

1.5

The Travel Stones

Before the Age of Dragons, Travel Stones allowed instant movement throughout Telara. But Akylios bade the sea swallow them up, and so they stayed until the Ascended slew that mad god.

The Travel Stones have emerged in dire disrepair and haunted by a strange song. Karine, the first Bard, calls the Ascended to restore the Stones and use them to reach an exiled people’s distant kingdom, where the Wanton and the Golden Maw work together to unleash volcanic doom upon Telara.

Can the Ascended break the cults’ brutal alliance, or will Telara choke upon the Ashes of History?

RIFT 1.5 Key Features

Planar Attunement

Advance beyond level 50 with Planar Attunement. Every quest completed and planespawn slain brings you closer to your next elemental upgrade.

Chronicles

Teams of two players (or one, if you've got the gear) can take on RIFT Chronicles, exploring breathtaking dungeons—including Greenscale’s Blight, Hammerknell, and more—in fun, story-driven adventures!

New Warfront: Library of the Runemasters

PvP combat erupts in Hammerknell's Library of the Runemasters. Race the enemy faction to control Dwarven secrets, and rise through the ranks in this pulse-pounding new Warfront. Library of the Runemasters is available for play on select weekends.

Veteran Rewards

Subscribers earn rewards the longer they play RIFT, including special gear and a personal vendor. Learn more.

The Master Dungeon

Darkening Deeps now sports a Master Dungeon mode. Rebalanced for elite groups of Ascended, the Master Dungeon holds epic challenges and epic rewards.

World Event

Update 1.5 ushers in the next World Event! Repair the ancient Travel Stones and stop two dragon cults before they overwhelm Telara with Earth and Fire. Face down the molten fury of new rifts and win scorching loot like an Ash Strider mount!

AddOns beta

Customize your play with new AddOns, fan-created mods for your RIFT user interface. 

Scorched earth World Event

1.5

The Blood Storm has been divided since the Age of Dragons, and only their infighting allowed the gods and mortals to survive. Now, allied hordes of Fire and Earth run rampant across Telara, and Guardian and Defiant spies report that the Wanton and Golden Maw have joined forces to ferry mysterious artifacts across the ocean.

The seas remain impassible to Telarans. But Akylios’s death has uncovered the enchanted Travel Stones once used to traverse the world. The ghost of Karine, the first Bard, sings to the Ascended of how to repair these long-lost artifacts. If you cannot reach the wicked allies’ new base, everything will vanish beneath the Ashes of History.

Race to the charred island

In the latest RIFT World Event, Ashes of History, you must confront two frenzied dragon cults. Earn Magma Opals from rifts or invasions of Earth or Fire, or from the daily quests that will roll out in phases as the Ashes of History event progresses. Then use them to repair the Travel Stones that could open passage to the lost island kingdom where the slaves of Laethys and Maelforge hatch their plots.

Magma Opals can be traded to merchants who carry rare and epic weapons for your Calling, planar essences, and a gold oreling companion. And make sure you collect Burning Earth Shards to feed your growing Ash Strider mount!

RIFT 1.6 Dying embers

Earth and Fire have joined forces as the Wanton Maw to besiege Ember Isle, abandoned home of the proud Kelari. The Ascended must journey through the repaired Travel Stones and stop the cultists before Maelforge breaks free to doom the world.

Dark eruptions

Once, the Kelari ruled Ember Isle, forging pacts with ancient spirits to build a mighty kingdom. They fled when the rifts came, leaving behind the Farclan Dwarves, imposing ruins, and an order ofmonks to guard the volcano where the Dragon of Fire rages, imprisoned.

RIFT 1.6 Key Features

1=Ember Isle

Twice the size of Stillmoor and far more dangerous, Ember Isle provides tons of content for level-50 Ascended. Fight the Wanton Maw and the enemy faction to control the Sourcewells and save this spirit-haunted jungle.

2=Caduceus Rise

A powerful spirit succumbs to corruption in RIFT's newest and largest dungeon. Sporting 11 bosses and nonlinear progression, Caduceus Rise debuts with Normal mode and two Expert-mode wings.

3=Rise of the Phoenix

Rush back through time to when the Eth first summoned Titan slaves into Stonefield. A Dragonian force interferes, releasing flame and fury in the latest 10-player sliver.

4=Black Garden alternate mode

Fight for Black Garden in the new Stockpile mode, which premiers as a Weekend Warfront.

5=Planar Attunement: Tier 2

Unlock even more elemental might with the next set of powers and abilities.

6=Fae Yule World Event

Find the joy of the season this Fae Yule… before Yulelogon the Yuletide Treant finds you!

Hark, the herald faeries sing!

Fae Yule

Once long ago, a shy Elven huntress would brave the winter woods, placing candles to light the way for travelers. Today she is remembered as the Yulemother, and her festival—marked by candlelight, compassion, and joy—is a balm for Telarans tormented by rifts and invasions.

Of course, not even the happiest day on the Telaran calendar is festive enough for a whole race of newly-liberated hedonists like the Fae. Greenscale is dead, and with him cruel Lord Twyl and arrogant Hylas, leaving the fair folk free at last. Free to do what they do best: party! The Fae have taken to Telara in a frenzy of revelry and decorating, ringing in the very first Fae Yule!

Fae Yule

Ring in the season

The Fae have turned the Telaran tradition of Yuletide—lighting the longest nights of the year with candles and giving gifts to those in need—into a rollicking revel. Lights and decorations are everywhere, and merry faeries like Grandfather Frost urge their Ascended former enemies to celebrate. Even the most devout Guardians and studious Defiant find it hard to resist the call, as the laughter of the Fae, freed from horrid servitude, serves as a symbol of victory over Greenscale.

Amid all this revelry, Telarans still honor the Yulemother by lighting candles to stave off the dread Winter Dark. And winter does bring darkness. Crucia, cold-hearted Dragon of Air, seeks to enslave the Fae anew, and one grumpy Satyr—unable to find proper festive drink—is determined to ruin everyone’s holiday.

Merry Fae Yule, and a Happy World Event

Fae Yule is the latest RIFT™ World Event, and though it’s more festive than a terrifying invasion, it’s no less epic in scope or reward! Ascended are invited to celebrate the passing of winter and the freedom of the Fae.

During the three phases of Fae Yule, Guardians and Defiant will earn Unique Snowflakes for lighting candles to honor the Yulemother, decorating their cities, plying a disgruntled Satyr with mead, and fighting against a whole new wintry Zone Event featuring Yulelogon the Yuletide Treant. Trade these snowflakes to vendors in Meridian and Sanctum for epic gear, a festive corgi pet, a fancy vaiyuu mount, and more!

Fae Yule is here, so log on and get in the spirit!

Carnival of the Ascended RIFT 1.7

1.7 The new year is here, and the next RIFT content update is hot on its heels. RIFT 1.7: Carnival of the Ascended sees the Guardians and Defiant secure the territory they’ve gained in the War of the Rifts. Infiltrate the River of Souls Chronicle with a friend, or join an elite group in the new Master Dungeon. The Prestige system has been streamlined, and the Ascended share their love for all eternity! All this and more from the most aggressive update schedule in MMOs when RIFT 1.7 goes live!

Six elements, 12 months

Speaking of new years, we’re coming up fast on a whole year of RIFT. In this time, the Ascended have slain the dragons of Life and Water and held off the forces of Fire and Earth. Now you can enjoy these victories, explore new dangers, and redouble your efforts against the enemy faction. Love is in the air, but new challenges approach as the Carnival of the Ascended gets under way.

RIFT 1.7 Key Features

1=River of Souls Chronicle

Disguised as cultists of the Endless Court, you and an ally (or maybe just you) must sneak into the River of Souls to foil Alsbeth’s schemes. Terrible foes and an old friend await in our latest Chronicle for one or two Ascended.

2=Ascended weddings

Even immortal Ascended need to share eternity with the one they love. Amid the horrors of the rifts, Guardians and Defiant have each created a ritual to pledge undying devotion. Invite your friends and allies to witness your in-game nuptials, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

3=PvP improvements

The restige system gets major improvements, changing the number of ranks to 40. We’re removing Prestige requirements from PvP gear, and rolling PvP Soul abilities and benefits into their own Planar Attunement tree.

4=Expert Mode

Advanced dungeoneers now have more adventures to choose from, as Tier 1 and Tier 2 have merged. Expert Mode dungeons become a single category in LFG, sporting trials and rewards on par with Tier 2.

5=Master Mode Caduceus Rise

Take your elite group into the second Master Mode Dungeon. Caduceus Rise gets the hardcore upgrade, with badder bosses, bigger fights, and the richest rewards you can get without raiding.

6=Endgame gear gets an upgrade

Tons of level 45+ equipment gets a boost in power to help you better face your foes across Telara.

7=Premade Soul templates

New to RIFT, new to a Calling, or just looking to streamline your Ascended? Optional Soul templates guide you through Soul Trees, abilities, and hotbars, tailoring a character to any combat role.

8=RIFT Lite!

Want to experience Telara before you subscribe? RIFT Lite makes levels 1-20 available for free with no time restrictions. Now anyone with a Trion Worlds account can download RIFT and help fight the Blood Storm.

9=Step right up!

Arriving a few weeks after RIFT 1.7, but just in time for the one-year anniversary of RIFT, is the Carnival of the Ascended itself. Celebrate a year of the most dynamic MMO in the world with the most dynamic party in Telara. The Dragon Balloons alone are worth the price of Ascension in our latest World Event.

Step right up

1.7 Not yet a year old, RIFT™ has released enough content updates to leave other MMOs in the dust. To celebrate our first anniversary, we're throwing the most extravagant World Event yet! You've never seen a party like this, with hours of new solo, group, raid, PvP, crafting gameplay, and more event quests than ever before!

In these turbulent times, the people of Telara have arranged a festival to honor their immortal protectors. Giant floats mock the dragons as parades prepare to set forth across the great roads. Carnival boats sail for Fortune’s Shore to host and oversee the games and booths going up around the bay, promising a joyful riot of laughter and light.

Prepare to be amazed!

Take a look at the wondrous attractions to be unveiled when the Carnival of the Ascended comes to town:

1=Carnival games

Test yourself in many exciting games of skill and chance to win tickets to spend on carnival prizes.

2=Pummel the piñata

Break festive piñatas scattered across Telara to collect rare rewards.

3=Relive history

The Herald of Heroes hosts an arena in Shimmersand where the Ascended gather in raid-sized groups to thrill audiences by recreating epic battles from Telara's past.

5=Anniversary tabard

Stop by the carnival vendor in your capital for a free tabard that shows the other Ascended you're here to party, available only during the World Event!

6=Return to Telara is back

Eager to try out all the changes in RIFT 1.7? Between Mar. 8 and Mar. 14, veteran Ascended can return to their high-level characters. And since RIFT Lite is here, new players can already level all the way to 20 for free!

7=Subscriber bonuses

Our amazing subscriber bonuses will be in effect all through the Carnival of the Ascended. Log on and reap the benefits!

4=The winner is...YOU!

Carnival of the Ascended is the most rewarding World Event ever. Here’s just some of the awesome loot that will become available as Carnival unfolds

The River of Souls

RIFT 1.1

Since the rifts first appeared, the undead have plagued Telara, a nightmare of reanimated flesh. Lately, however, the threat has grown even more terrible, as Death Rifts surge open all across the world, pouring forth walking corpses like never before. This calamity will shake Telara to its core and tax the limits of Ascended endurance, yet it is only the first of many to follow… assuming the defenders can throw back Telara’s foes.

Soon the Endless Court will launch an unprecedented mass invasion. The most terrifying servants of Regulos will lead these hordes into battle: liches, ettins, gravemakers. Alsbeth herself will march through every region of the world, raising dread champions to sow the discord for which she is named. Old enemies will rise and fight for oblivion alongside flesh-crafted colossi from the Plane of Death, until the offensive presses on toward Stillmoor.

Every last Ascended must battle Alsbeth’s forces. While veteran heroes will bear the worst of the conflict, even novice Guardians and Defiant can do their part, confront dire foes, and reap rich rewards as the war unfolds over the course of a week.

Play

Stolen souls

All of this upheaval can be traced to Alsbeth’s newfound control of the Soulstream, the mystical river of light where all souls (hero, cultist, and even riftspawn) are drawn after death. All of her schemes: corrupting the Hag of Gloamwood and the March Wardens’ ghosts in Iron Tomb, resurrecting Jakub the Warlord, and foiling the Ascended at every turn, have led to her capture and corruption of this spiritual wonder.

From her lab on the edge of the Plane of Death, Alsbeth yanks forth and reanimates souls. The dross she tosses aside, creating the seemingly numberless undead that spill into Telara. The mightiest souls she resurrects as powerful minions of Regulos. Conquered enemies from dungeons and adventures past have risen again, mightier than ever and eager to serve the Devourer.

Marching out from the River of Souls, these unliving throngs must be thrown back before they overrun the world. Ascended who do their part will face intense combat, but every downed general or colossus carries once-in-a-lifetime items that will mark out those heroes who stood against the Bride of Regulos. Then, if the Shadetouched are defeated, Ascended can journey to the River of Souls, wade through armies of reborn enemies, and finally bring Alsbeth to account for her crimes.

"You look like Death"

Ascended who fight the undead armies heralding the River of Souls will have the chance to appear a bit gaunt and pale themselves. Certain monsters will drop items that transmogrify their owners into one of the living dead. These artifacts work in combat, so the dead won’t know who to fight! Some Ascended will even get to ride like the dead atop a rare Spectral Horse. While the normal steed—usable by Ascended of any level—will only be available during the actual event, the armored version will remain in the game, exclusive to the River of Souls raid.

The Spoils of War

RIFT 1.2

Prelude to riches

Beginning May 4, fragments of ancient golden dragon shell will appear wherever there are Earth or Fire rifts, and mysterious coins will rain down into Sanctum and Meridian. The Ascended will have a chance to collect these artifacts in new daily quests, earning coveted rewards such as plaques, rare artifacts, and crafting currency.

Read all about the RIFT 1.2: The Spoils of War prelude.

The Spoils of War

Coming May 10

Plunder. What more could motivate degenerates of the Golden Maw? There is no place and no time, in this dimension or any other, where the Cult of Laethys does not seek riches. Indeed, if the Ascended hope to counter the greed of the Golden Maw, they must learn to see between time streams and battle the cults wherever—and whenever—they rear their heads.

Luckily, the war of the rifts offers rewards not only to scheming cultists but to glorious Ascended. Whether arming themselves with the treasures of alternate timelines, gaining another combat role, or customizing their appearance, the Chosen have earned these Spoils of War.

RIFT 1.2 Summary

• SLIVERS: The Planar Goods merchants in Meridian and Sanctum now sell any Ascended the power to view slivers – Omen Sight for Guardians and Quantum Sight for Defiant. These new abilities allow you to discover entrances to alternate time streams, including the way to the Gilded Sanctum, a raid instance intended for 10 players. 

•  You may now purchase a 5th role at your Calling trainer! 

•  New Looking for Group tool helps you band together with other Ascended. 

• CRAFTING RIFTS: Lures for Crafting Rifts are obtained by completing the new weekly crafting quests. These rifts drop raw materials, augments, and other goodies for crafters. Reaching the final stages gives a chance of obtaining an additional plaque! 

•  Across-the-board improvements for PvP rewards and dailies. 

•  Many bosses (especially in Expert Dungeons) have had a pass done to bring them in line with their intended difficulty and to make them more fun for melee-damage characters. 

•  Many improvements to Auction House UI. 

•  Use Appearance Slots to set up outfits that display regardless of what you wear for stats. 

•  Facebook integration lets you post updates and screenshots from Telara to your wall. 

•  Much, much more! 

Raid the Slivers

In these dire times, every choice the Ascended must make balances Telara on the edge of a blade. In this dimensional maelstrom, every possible outcome could play out in its own pocket dimension. Those Ascended who purchase what the Guardians call Omen Sight and the Defiant call Quantum Sight can see slivers of these alternate dimensions, and lead their fellow heroes to stop the dire possibilities within from coming to fruition.

In one such "Sliver" of possibility, the Golden Maw has stolen a relic of Laethys and brought it to Goldenstone Sanctum, where they hope to use it to awaken the Dragon of Greed. Confronting the cult within this pocket of alternate time, the Ascended can discover the artifact’s location, ensuring their own dimension can be protected from the cult’s plot. Slivers like this one are dangerous, often requiring a large team of heavily-armed heroes, but offer amazing rewards to those willing to brave the gulf between space and time.

Learn another Role

The Ascended are already incredibly adaptable, switching between four combat roles to meet any challenge or foe. Yet among the Spoils of War comes a new, fifth role, giving you almost as many ways to slay the dragons as there are dragons to slay!

Appear as you wish

People remember heroes as much for their legendary deeds as for their iconic appearance: Cyril in his heavy metal, Asha in her breastplate. Now every Ascended can define the way they look, no matter what gear they wear.

Appearance Slots allow you to assign your character’s outfit. No longer must you surrender your imposing and lovingly-dyed piece of armor to wear a more magically potent piece that doesn’t match your style. With Appearance Slots, you can control not only how the people tell your story, but the image of heroism seared forever into their minds.

Seek out allies

As Defiant and Guardian ranks swell, the new Looking for Group system will help you find allies for every dungeon. Sign up as an individual or group and LFG will fill out your party with the necessary roles. New dungeon quests reward you for doing up to three random dungeons per day.

Facebook integration

Broadcast your adventures beyond Telara with our new Facebook integration. Once you log into your Facebook through the RIFT patcher, you will be able to send updates directly to your wall. Using the game interface, just type “/fb” followed by any text you like to post a message, or “/fbpic” to post your message and a screenshot of whatever you’re looking at.

RIFT 1.9

Maelforge and Laethys are dead, and with the Dragon Cults on the run, the Ascended have splintered over philosophical differences. Three groups have risen among these mighty immortals, and their inter-dimensional war has come to a head in a battle that rages across realities.
Conquest introduces factions that transcend the differences between Guardian and Defiant. Join the Oathsworn, the Dominion, or the Nightfall, and experience pulse-pounding player-on-player bloodshed in a whole new way. Earn PvP ranks and armor sets as you fight your way across this incredible conflict.

RIFT 1.9 Key Features

Conquest

Three factions wage an inter-dimensional war across an alternate-reality Stillmoor. Fight to control the Sourcestone Extractors as you earn new bonuses that persist after the battle ends. Player-killers, monster-slayers, and crafters all have a role to play!

Barbershop

Change your hair, your face, your height — almost everything about your appearance with a quick visit to a Stylist.

Mentoring

Progress at your level while playing alongside your lower-level friends! Mentoring allows you to play through lower-level content without sacrificing the XP, Planar Attunement, and other rewards due to an Ascended of your experience.

Instant Adventure: Silverwood, Freemarch, Gloamwood, and Stonefield

Instant Adventure has come to four more zones! Level up a new or existing character with relentless action and endless rewards at the click of a button. Level down with Mentoring and join new recruits where your high-level character first made his bones!

New Sliver: Primeval Feast

Fae Lord Twyl has defeated Greenscale in this brutal new Sliver. Bring nine friends and slay the weather-warping maniac before he breaks through into our reality.

Chat now global

Catch up with friends and allies, no matter which shard they’re on.

New World Event: Summerfest

The Ascended welcome a glorious summer with fishing, cook-outs, scavenger hunts, and more while the Swarm Lord and his biting insects set upon unsuspecting heroes in the latest zone event. Join new Scavenger Hunts that feature riddles and challenges throughout Telara for great rewards!

The dragon days of summer

It promises to be a hot and glorious summer, but not the one Maelforge and Laethys intended. With those mighty monsters dead, the Ascended look forward to a joyous season of fishing and exploring, fresh meat cooking under a balmy summer sky.
Summerfest offers Telara’s hard-fighting defenders a chance to relax, soak up the sun, and enjoy a relative peace. Crucia and Regulos scheme in the clouds and shadows, but in this calm between storms, immortal heroes can bask in all the things that make Telara worth saving – though not without braving terrible dangers, or else this wouldn’t be RIFT.

Summertime clues

Join your friends and go on a scavenger hunt through Telara! Ride a barrel down Scarlet Gorge Falls, risk life and lips to plant a kiss on some of Telara’s greatest villains, and more … but you’ll have to follow the clues, because the scavenger hunt objectives aren’t marked on your map.

New zone event: Savage Swarm

Endless clouds of ravenous insects descend upon hapless campers throughout Telara. Survive the stinging onslaught and defeat the Swarm Lord to purge the invading pests.

All the beasts of the field

Unique and adorable beasties have emerged for the summer in each mainland zone. Befriend each critter to earn up to 11 new companions, from black bunnies to striped prairie dogs and colorful cobras.

How to cook Sunfish

Delicious Summer Sunfish will be swimming in special nodes throughout the event, and your Survival trainers will be teaching new recipes that your friends will find … transformative.

Rewards for merit

Ascended who are wise in the ways of camping can earn the title “the Counselor.” And as you complete Summerfest quests, you’ll acquire Friendship Bracelets and Merit Badges you can trade in for seasonal rewards including epic weapons from the Plane of Life!

 

Calm Before the Storm

RIFT 1.10

Autumn Harvest offers a respite from endless battle, featuring unheard-of cooperation between Guardians and Defiant. Yet the season’s tinged with foreboding – rumors spread of unnatural cold sweeping from Iron Pine Peak to Stillmoor. Heralds warn that world-shattering events are nigh while Ascended begin preparations for the coming storm!
RIFT 1.10: Calm Before the Storm throws open the gates on cross-faction gameplay, challenging Guardians and Defiant to work together to face Telara’s toughest battles – past, present, and future. Join members of the opposite faction to conquer content from dungeons to raids – but do it soon. The storm is coming ...

RIFT 1.10 Key Features

Cross-faction gameplay

Group up with Ascended of both factions and march as one into dungeons, raids, Instant Adventure, PvP, and more. Playing on a PvE shard? Join a cross-faction guild and add friends from both sides – you’ll need them to survive the Queen of Storms!

Instant Adventure: Scarwood Reach

Continue your rampage through the lower-level zones with all-new Instant Adventures in Scarwood Reach! Whether you’re leveling for the first time, preparing an alt for Storm Legion™, or mentoring new recruits, dive into live action at the push of a button.

Autumn Harvest

Travel to the Realm of the Autumn Harvest, an enchanted hideaway where the Fae gather to relax, plot, and stash the vast store of artifacts and goods they “liberate” throughout the year. Help Atrophinius prepare for the deadly winter to come, and reclaim artifacts, treats, and mounts that belong in Telara!

Return to Telara

Play FREE Sept. 14-16
Discover all the new faction changes and Instant Adventure in RIFT 1.10. Ride away on a new spectral mount!
Most of the year Atrophinius is a sot, a lay-about, or a rage-and-mead-fueled killing machine. During Autumn Harvest, though, he comes into his own as the Harvest Master, driving his minions to gather materials from all over Telara and make mead and other delights to last the year.
This season, the Harvest is even more frenzied than usual. Rumors of a deadly winter have spurred Atrophinius to seek Ascended aid and stockpile like never before. Take advantage of his offer – and the calm before the storm – to see the wonders of the Realm of the Autumn Harvest and pillage from the coffers of Fae!

The Realm revisited

Travel to the Realm of the Autumn Harvest, an enchanted hideaway where the Fae gather to relax, plot, and stash the vast store of artifacts and goods they “liberate” from Telara throughout the year. Portals to the realm blink in and out of every zone save Iron Peak Peak, where an unnatural frost has taken hold …

Master the harvest

This season, Atrophinius needs all the help he can muster. Battle against Frostjacks to defend the realm from the coming winter, fight off rapacious scarabs trying to devour the harvest, and re-steal loot that belongs in Telara!

Spectral rewards

Drink "Autumn Eyes" reward potions to reveal the invisible artifacts, treats, and other delights strewn across the Realm of the Autumn Harvest. Collect special reward tokens for helping Atrophinius and the Fae to spend on rare loot including – rumor has it – spectral mounts!

Tempest Rising

RIFT 1.11

Telara as you know it is coming unhinged. Familiar souls grow strange while new souls lurk in the shadows. Machines and demons battle through the streets of capital cities. Worse, a messenger delivers dire tidings from a distant shore: Crucia's imprisonment is a façade. Soon, she'll break free of the Icewatch and join her massed legion in the conquest of the planes.
RIFT 1.11: Tempest Rising sets in motion the furious tide of events building to the release of Storm Legion™. Explore sweeping changes to Souls and Callings while a 4-phase World Event sows destruction across Mathosia. Be there for the entire upheaval, and prepare to face the Dragon of Air!

RIFT 1.11 Key Features

Major class changes

An overhauled Ascended Soul System and worldwide Soul reset levels the playing field: whether you’re new to Telara or a veteran of updates 1-10, log in and experiment from the ground up, harnessing the power of new and altered abilities. Relearn familiar Souls and find new favorites while honing builds to face the challenges ahead.

Tempest Rising World Event

As Crucia stirs, Legion forces descend on Meridian and Sanctum. Fight to secure the faction capitals and battle Iron Drakes leading armies through the failing Ward. Delve into Exodus of the Storm Queen* – the first expansion dungeon – to test your mettle against Crucia’s lieutenants and earn unprecedented gear touched with the power of the Storm!
*Early access to Exodus of the Storm Queen is available Oct 30 to players who have pre-ordered Storm Legion

Return to Telara

Play FREE Nov. 7-11
Ascended of all levels* can play FREE over the long weekend leading up to launch! Join the earth-shaking World Event and defend Telara from the legion’s vanguard troops. Try out the comprehensive Soul updates, as well as any of the new content features that you may have missed since RIFT debuted.
*RIFT owners will be able to access Ascended of any level. As always, levels 1-20 are free for all with RIFT Lite.

Crucia's schemes hurtle toward calamitous fruition. She calls her Legion through the failing Ward and compels her dormant thralls to action. From Cloudbourne Tarn to the whispered Steppes of Infinity, Telara’s wheels of fate and fortune spin out of control, smashing themselves to pieces in a prelude to the war for the planes!
Tempest Rising unleashes a tide of events leading into the Storm Legion™ expansion. Crucia's forces descend on Mathosia while their Broodmother prepares her escape. With cities under siege, an emissary to protect, and invaders to repel, Telara must send its mightiest Ascended against the Queen of Air wherever her flight may lead…

Gust Front

Discover the wreckage of the Endeavor, a strange vessel run ashore in No Man's Land. Meet Queen Miela, an emissary from the Kingdom of Pelladane, and help deliver her dire message: Crucia's forgotten army marches on all of Telara.

Cold Wave

Battle the Storm Legion in Meridian, Sanctum, and across the open world. Repulse the Legion's draconic vanguard and move against unnatural forces swarming the Icewatch. Cleanse your mind of the prying Queen of Air before you succumb to her will.

Tempest Rising

Race against time as madness and chaos grips the land. Fight your way to Crucia’s lair and into the first expansion dungeon, Exodus of the Storm Queen. Behold the dawn of a new era, and pursue all that it offers in forgotten lands where Crucia and Regulos reign!

Monster Mash!

During the week leading up to Halloween, dive into a new alternate-mode Black Garden inspired by the season and spirit of the Fae. Players will fight it out with new tricks after morphing into any number of ghoulish monsters, creatures, and more.

Endless Eclipse

RIFT 2.1

Messengers race from Morban with grave news: Regulos readies an apocalyptic return to Telara. Agents of the Endless Court have collected his shattered essence, selected a host, and prepared a portal to the Plane of Death. The Devourer of Worlds is coming, and unlike Crucia, who offered salvation for submission, he wants only to annihilate the Ascended, their world, and all that lies beyond.
RIFT 2.1: Endless Eclipse chronicles the Queen of Storms' flight from Frozen Tempest and pits Ascended against Regulos at the threshold of Telara. While celebrating victories against the Storm Legion during festive Fae Yule, players will be tasked with the unimaginable – journeying to the Plane of Death and claiming final victory against the Destroyer himself.

RIFT 2.1 Key Features

20-player raid: Endless Eclipse

Plunge into Shapers Citadel, a flesh-and-blood fortress of endless horror. Its ancient evils guard a portal to the Plane of Death, where you’ll come face to face with Regulos in a showdown with cosmic repercussions.

Chronicle: A Hero Rises

As the Guardians and Defiant assault Crucia’s frozen citadel, she launches a vicious counter-attack against Tempest Bay. Take to metal and magic goliaths to battle her troops, airships, and a doomsday device that threatens the Ascended with permanent death.

Fae Yule World Event

Grandfather Frost and the Fae are at it again, spreading decorations – and no small amount of mischief – across Telara. Join the festivities and collect Dimension items, including a special set of holiday gifts

Read the full RIFT 2.1 update notes here.

Free Event: March on the Storm Legion

Play free from Dec. 14-18 when you join ALL Ascended in a march on the forces of Air and Death! Former subscribers can dive deep into the new expansion with no level restrictions, while anyone, including RIFT Lite players, can build Dimensions across Telara.
Make your lists and check them twice – the Fae's Yuletide antics return in RIFT® 2.1. Masters of mischief and giftwrap, the Fae are taking the festival to a rollicking new level!
This year, join Grandfather Frost to usher in all-new events and adventures: Take to the streets in capital city snowball fights and slalom through sledding races in Iron Pine Peak. Embrace your inner werewolf in a Very Merry Warfront, and celebrate with festive Instant Adventures unlocking special villages and vendors with amazing rewards.

Instant Adventure gets festive

Join in a series of Fae Yule adventures from Freemarch, Silverwood, and Scarwood Reach to Cape Jule, Pelladane, and Ashora. Each zone features a village the Ascended will help build and decorate in the spirit of the season. Deck the halls to the Fae’s content to summon an exclusive vendor for your shard, unlocking gifts including a special helm, bags, new pets, and mounts!

Very Merry Whitefall Steppes

Mastered sledding and snowballs and looking for more? Dive into a wintery alt-mode Whitefall Steppes where one person will be “gifted” with an extra-special Yuletide form – at least until it’s stolen by magic and blade. Stock your base with presents to win, but don’t be caught holding the Fae Yule Cake...

Claim your Winter Cape and Dimension items

The festivities carry on outside of Telara! Earn decorative Dimension items during Fae Yule for signing up for the RIFT Watch newsletter(by Dec. 17) and liking us on FacebookWant more to unwrap? Earn a stunning new Winter Cape when you and your Ascended friend purchase Stor Legion™ by the end of the year. Happy Holidays