Tuesday, August 27, 2013

[Special Feature] V: Borrin Gamult


  Borrin Gamult is the unofficial King of the Dwarves on Telara. He can be found primarily in the throne room of the Sanctum of the Vigil, in Sanctum, standing beside the great Cyril Kalmar and Shyla Starhearth. He helps run the city of Sanctum and co ordinates Guardian incursions into enemy territory.

     Borrin was the erstwhile king of Lord's Hall (a dwarven city called a Delve located deep in Scarwood Reach) during the Mathosian Civil War. When he discovered that Aedraxis was using sourcestone technology to weaken the Ward, the dwarven king led his army to Mathosia to stop the tyrant. However, when Aedraxis used that same technology to unleash a massive death rift and cause planar creatures to be set upon Telara once again, Borrin and his army were slaughtered, unable to stand up to the strength and power of the Plane of Death. After this disastrous battle, the Vigil resurrected Borrin and many of his people alongside Cyril and Shyla. Borrin became Ascended and fought once again to defeat Aedraxis once and for all and prevent Telara from surrendering to the Shade of Regulos. Regulos was once again pushed back beyond the Ward.

     Years later, Borrin received a vision from the gods of a majestic shining city of light rising out of the sea. Traveling to the coast of Silverwood, an island rose right before his eyes. He knew this would the location of the newly formed Guardians' city, the Sanctum, from where they could launch their crusade against the Planes and the Defiant, a group of heretics. Borrin became the master architect behind the construction of Sanctum.

     Borrin now resides within Holy Sanctum, the new capital of the Guardians, as the official leader of the surviving dwarven population. He helps their efforts to retake Telara from the dragon cults but also seeks to unite his people as the proud mighty race they once were.

     As of a few years ago, when the seas finally calmed and it seemed that at last some stability returned to the land of Mathosia, Borrin and many of his loyal dwarves were determined to see how their people on Ember Isle fared since they had heard of the disaster that had befallen the distant islands. If you venture to Ember Isle yourself you can find Borrin there with his people, bravely defending Farhall against the onslaught of the many dangers of Ember Isle.


Stats:
  • Level 52 raid 10 Lieutenant
  • Faction: Dwarves/Guardians
  • Title: Architect of Sanctum, King of the Dwarves
  • Carries a large hammer
  • Can be found in Mathosia starting zone at Ardenburgh fountain, Sanctum of the Vigil to the left of Cyril and in Farhall, Ember Isle
  • Is a powerful Ascended
  • Seems to think rather highly of Solya Karini, queen of the Farclan dwarves on Ember Isle, praising her looks and bravery
  • Wrote a letter to Brother Jebiah about his experience with the Farclan, which is a book that can be read and is found in Fort Zarnost (12505, 4064) on the second floor in the northern most structure. The book is called "the Fair Jungle Queen"



References: The information for Borrin is very easily gotten if you just talk to him, both in Ardenburgh and in his seat of power inside Sanctum. What he says gives you plenty of information on who he is and how he got there. Also, he admits to being Ascended. You can gain more information on Borrin, and on the dwarves as a whole by doing Scarwood Reach and Moonshade Highland quests, as well as running the Hammerknell chronicles! Enjoy! This information, and this character belongs to Trion, not me, by the way!

Monday, August 19, 2013

[Raeslyn's Story] Chapter 3.0: Welcome to Gloamwood!

Location: Sanctum
Time: Late Morning
Date: Year 1509, 8th Moon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     Several days after my second (and hopefully last) demise at the hands of Kongeegon, I was approached on my way to a merchant's stand by a courier in the colors of Argent Glade's militia. The courier, a man barely old enough to be called that, seemed in complete awe of me. Rather amusing, I dare say. As I quickly read the missive he'd given me, I could see out of the corner of my eye the way the boy kept glancing back at me, mystified, as he made his way back to his sturdy looking pony he'd left by the Vigil statue. Presumably he thought it was bad manners to approach me while still mounted.
     I sighed as I read the letter, which asked for my aid in a matter involving the goblins, this time in Gloamwood. Again? Didn't I put an end to their biggest threat already? Couldn't a poor helpless Ascended catch a break? Well okay, so I wasn't that poor or helpless. And I was one of the strongest beings who could stand up against the bad guys now. I and my fellow Ascended were created for this, after all. I suppose. If I had to. Well, no time like the present right?
     Since Gloamwood, which had at one point been part of the Forest of Tavra, was a large and dense forest, I opted to leave my mare behind again. It just didn't seem feasible to bring a large animal along into a relatively unknown forest. I had heard stories about Gloamwood for as long as I could remember, none of them good, but I hadn't actually had reason to venture much beyond the surrounding woodland of the college, so this would be new territory for me. I was actually a bit thrilled to explore a new part of the forest, despite the rumors of dark forces at work there. My abilities, and my faith in them, had grown over the past month since my rebirth, and I felt quite confident in my ability to handle any "dark forces" that tried to tangle with me in Gloamwood! In fact, I was rather looking forward to the challenge. Not to mention, I was running low on coin, since I'd never exactly been rich, and having to outfit myself in proper leathers wasn't cheap. They brought me back from the dead and all, couldn't they at least make sure I was well taken care of? Oh well, I'd rather pick out my own livery anyway. I was picky when I came to the kind of leather I wanted. I needed it to be supple but strong, and very breathable. Being trained in the art of subtly and assassination, I demanded a lot of flexibility out of my body, and in turn, my clothing. Dexterity and agility were what kept me alive in my profession.
     As I mused over the finer details of how to get the people of the wood to pay me for my services, I wandered toward the entrance of Sanctum. Then I paused. Right, the people of Argent Glade had mentioned the porticulum! That seemed a much faster and convenient method of travel, despite it feeling too much like magic. But the ways had been blessed by Thontic, I even knew that, so it seemed safe enough to use. The porticulums had always been in service since the beginning, a gift to us sentient races, or so I'd always been told. I'd heard that they employed the magic of the other planes in order to function, so I guess that makes sense of why they had only recently been "rediscovered", since before the disaster with Aedraxis (not going to think about that!) no one had ever used or mentioned them except in history lectures at the school. I snorted.

     After asking a guard who'd been lounging by the Vigil statue where the porticulum was, I ventured inside the actual Sanctum, the holy temple to the Vigil that the city of Sanctum had been built around. As always when I stepped inside, I could veritably feel the presence of the gods all around me, like a vast heavenly choir singing music only I could hear. I raised a hand to my left ear, almost absently. The weight and presence of the Vigil nearly brought tears to my eyes the last time I'd entered this building. Taking a deep breath, I down the stone hallway that curved gently toward the central atrium of the temple. The ceiling soared overhead, high and majestic and I found myself drawn to stare upward like it was my very first time here. I just couldn't help it. I always tell myself I'm a practical person. Of course I give my whole heart and soul to the Vigil. How could you deny the sanctity of their vision? But I've always been focused more on a down to earth way of life, where I went about my business, and the holy priests of the order went about theirs. But there were times....meh, enough reminiscing! I shook my head in exasperation with myself. Aha, there was the travel gate. A large archway embedded in the stone against the wall. The beautiful elf standing beside it, humming and reading a book, looked up and beamed at me.

     "Hello Ascended! Have you come to use Sanctum's porticulum?" Obviously, I thought to myself. She continued on, oblivious to my inner monologue. "Don't be shy, step up and I will activate the gate. Where do you wish to travel?" She gazed at me in awe and expectation and I huffed, making a show of adjusting the many daggers attached to my slight frame. I was not shy! Or nervous! I just didn't trust magic, especially with my own wellbeing. And rightfully so. Determinedly I stepped forward.

     "Argent Glade, please." I said simply, giving the woman a nod. Within moments, I'd been whisked off into the stream of magic that transported people across distance on the physical plane. I found myself plunked down in the green curtain of another gate, in the bright open air of Silverwood. The familiar surroundings of Argent Glade reassured me that I'd arrived in one piece. I stepped down off the platform and glanced around hesitantly. The missive said that a man named Ralph Bonser needed to speak to me urgently about a goblin matter. I wonder how I was supposed to find him. The name was unfamiliar, likely one of the wilderness guides or woodsmen that patrolled the wood. It didn't sound like an official Guardian matter, after all. As I made to walk off, a gruff looking man in muted colors approached me, frowning. I almost rolled my eyes. Now what? If it wasn't broad daylight I'd say he'd want to rob me.

     "Hello, are you Raeslyn? The Ascended?" The man eyed me up and down, as if he was doubtful that I was anything more than some random little elf girl who'd gotten lost. I crossed my arms over my breasts and struck my best no nonsense pose.
     "Yes. May I help you? Are you Ralph?" I asked the last on a whim, realizing that he might be my contact. The man nodded and I nodded back, relaxing. That solved that problem. Looking around carefully, he drew me off to the side. I raised an eyebrow.

     "I've heard of how you took down Kongeegon and saved Silverwood from being overrun by the Plane of Life." Ralph began earnestly. I nodded slowly. Where was he going with this?

     "Well, it wasn't just me. There was a small army of Guardian forces, plus a few other Ascended." I replied. Might as well show some modesty. I smirked.

     Ralph nodded again, but didn't seem to be really listening. "That's good, we have a bit of a situation. I've been in communication with an old of mine lately, Brion. He's a Waykeeper up in Gloamwood. Patrols the Darkened Trace path and the roads along the border of Silverwood." He paused, looking worried, and I made a noncommittal noise along the lines of 'yes and?'. I could already see where this was going. Ralph was worried for his friend, whatever his name was, and wanted me to go make sure he was alright. Or some variation of that. "He's reported strange things happening in the gloam. Mutated beasts, red eyes in the dark, deadly man sized spiders, and the goblins have become much more brave and vicious. Almost desperate in their attacks. Something's happening up there, I just know it. Something bad. It's always been a bit dark up in the gloam. The people there keep to themselves and solve their own problems, but Brion's messages are beginning to worry me."

     "I see." I said softly, thoughtfully. Ralph gazed at me beseechingly. I ignored him as I considered this information. Now that I thought about it, there hadn't been much trade and travel out of Gloamwood before my death and the defection of the Aelfwar. Even in the times of peace that we'd had before the Mathosions had to start their civil war, I'd not met anyone from Gloamwood, or who had traveled there. In fact, I'd always been told that if you entered Gloamwood, you usually didn't come back. I frowned. That sounded ominous. And with the stirring of the dragons in their prisons....it definitely bore investigating, I think.

     Misinterpreting my silence, Ralph frowned. "If it's a matter of cost, I can pay you! Or my friend can. He gets quite an allowance from Sanctuary Guard as a Waykeeper. I'm sure he would agree to an allowance for your help." I perked up, giving Ralph my full attention. "Well in that case." I said. "I think it would be a good idea if I did go check up on your friend....." I trailed off as I realized I couldn't remember the guy's name. Honestly, I'd been more focused on the relevant information.

     "Brion." Ralph helpfully supplied. "Waykeeper Brion. Oh, thank you very much Ascended. It's much appreciated! When can you leave?" He leaned forward eagerly. I backed up a step and glared at him. "I'm already packed and have my things, I can leave today." I replied slowly, glancing down at myself to make sure. Yep, had my daggers, was wearing my newly outfitted leather armor. My pack was slung across a shoulder, and my pouch of herbs and vials was securely tied at my belt. Again I admired my new armor. It fit like a glove, dyed muted forest colors of browns and greens. I looked quite good, if I don't say so myself. I grinned. Ralph saw me off with plenty more thank you's and promises of payment and I strode down the path leading toward the jagged mountainous border between Gloamwood and Silverwood, a spring in my step. Today was a good day. The promise of earning some coin, exploring a new part of the forest, having a task to focus on. And the day was quite bright and warm for this month.

     It took me the better part of the day to reach the border of Silverwood. There wasn't any clear demarcation that said "Gloamwood starts here" or anything, but you could tell the forest was changing. The trees became taller and larger. The shadows seemed to lengthen, a rather odd occurrence actually. The vegetation became darker in color and more spread out, and the path became less well marked and traveled. At last I came upon a stone archway that spanned a pass through the low mountain range that surrounded Silverwood. Standing on either side of the archway were two men, each bearing fiercely burning torches. Nearby, a large bonfire roared cheerily, and a small camp had been set up. The two sentries eyed me warily as I approached.

    "This Gloamwood?" I asked unnecessarily, just for something to say, since they were just staring mutely at me. One of them nodded, grudgingly.

     "You planning on entering the gloam, stranger?" He asked roughly, peering behind me. I glanced behind me as well, then cocked an eyebrow at him.

     "Well yes, actually. I was sent to lend aid to the Waykeepers since there hasn't been any communication from Gloamwood in a while." I kept my tone calm, but I was getting annoyed with their attitude.

     The other man held up his torch and squinted at me, as if it was dark out and he couldn't quite see me. Which made me realize that yes, nearly inside the gloamwood itself, it was actually quite dark. Strange, it wasn't even evening yet. "Consider your next steps carefully traveler." The man said in a harsh voice. "The road ahead leads deep into the gloam, where outsiders don't often feel welcome." I blinked, unimpressed.

     "Are you threatening me?" I asked sharply, hand going to my dagger. The two men glanced at each other then shrugged. My annoyance went up another level.

     "Merely a warning. Gloamwood is not what it seems. Beware the witch of the wood. We keep to the old ways here. The families of the gloam, like the trees, have deep roots. We take care of our own, and the Waykeepers have always taken care of Gloamwood themselves. An outsider from that holy city will be unwelcome." I frowned at this information.

     "What do you mean, beware the witch of the wood? Who's that? And I'm not afraid of those living in the wood." I tossed my hair.
     Instead of answering my questions, the man said "If you insist on entering Gloamwood, take this road west and you'll find Gnarlwood Post. If you're looking for work or someone in particular, the Waykeepers there should be able to help you."

      The men fell silent, not saying anymore on the subject and I shrugged.
     "Well, I'll be off then." I said, and strode beneath the stone arch. I didn't look back but I could almost feel the stares of the two sentries boring into my back as I walked. I kept my head high, not wanting them to see my nervousness. Because I was rather....concerned. The minute I actually walked beneath the ancient trees that made up the outskirts of Gloamwood, it was like a heavy blanket of gloom fell across me. My heart felt heavier, and it was almost like it was hard to breath. A very disturbing feeling. As the mountains sharply fell away behind me, rolling hills continued on either side of the tiny meandering cobbled road that led through the forest. The trees loomed on either side, reaching out with skeletal branches like fingers of the dead. Not a warm thought. Suddenly, an unearthly howl pierced the shadows and I froze mid-step. I glanced to my left, daggers in both hands in an eye blink. Despite my superior Ascended eyesight and senses, I couldn't seem to see beyond the shadows at the edge of the path. It seemed to me that something was there, staring out at me, judging and weighing me. I gulped. Come on Rae, keep it together. Nothing there. And even if there was, it couldn't threaten me.

     Although I wasn't so sure about that. I had only recently found out that I could, in fact, die. And it had been painful as hell. Not an experience I'd like to repeat. Ever. Being immortal did not make me immune to injury or anything else. Also, I didn't actually know if I was truly immortal, or if my soul was more firmly tethered to my body, and could be quite easily retrieved by a healer. If that was the case, I was kind of screwed if I died out here, because I couldn't see a random traveler coming across my corpse and attempting a resurrection spell.

     After several more minutes of watching and listening, I relaxed slightly and kept walking. But I kept my daggers in hand. As the minutes ticked by, I found myself growing ever more antsy and jumpy. The muscles between my shoulder blades began to ache from the strain. This was no pleasant trip. Gloamwood was not at all as I'd imagined it.

     I can't say for how long I walked, becoming more tense as time went by. The trees and shadows played havoc with my sense of direction and time, and I couldn't make out the angle of the sun from below the canopy of skeletal branches. Eventually, the road saw more use and then curved to the left. Through the trees I could see flickering flames and if I strained, I could make out voices, strangely muffled for how close they were. Warily, I stepped around the curve, half thinking maybe I should have used my trick with the shadows to shroud myself in invisibility. A small military style camp came in to view in a clearing. A woman carrying a torch stood watch by the perimeter, and several men sat on tree stumps oiling their weapons. A large bonfire burned in the center, around which several more men and women gathered, talking in low voices. Now that I was closer, I could hear and see them clearer. Gloamwood was a strange forest.

     "Who goes there?" The woman declared as I walked toward her. She held the torch high and reached for a sword with the other hand. I quickly sheathed my daggers and held up my hands. "Hello to the camp." I said as a general greeting. "My name is Raeslyn. I was sent here from Argent Glade." The woman frowned at me. "Argent Glade? Isn't that in Silverwood?" She eyed me skeptically, as if not able to believe I'd come all the way here from Silverwood. Or maybe, that I'd come all the way here and was still alive. With how I'd felt out in the open on the road, I could believe that. The woman stared me down for a few seconds, then nodded.

     "Very well, you don't have the mark on you. This way." I blinked. The mark? What did that mean? Another eerie howl rent the air and I stopped, glancing around. The woman stopped as well and raised the torch a bit. She glanced around warily, then grinned at me. "You get used to it." She said when she saw my tense posture. I gave one more sweep of the surrounding darkness before following her toward the light and warmth of the bonfire. Get used to it? I doubt it. I'd only been in Gloamwood for what felt a few hours and already I was eager to leave.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

[Glossary] II: Magic and Technology Terms

     A list of words and definitions (as I've come to know them) from Rift, specifically those that relate to technology, magic, and the kind of abilities the Ascended are able to employ to protect Telara!
Here is the list of terms and their definitions or descriptions*:

Magitech Definitions:

Ascended: Telaran warriors that died but were resurrected after the Coming of the Shade in order to fight against the forces of Regulos and the Blood Storm.

Comet of Ahnket: A mysterious and powerful sentient Tenebrean construct, vast and secretive with the ability to travel through the Planes and the cosmos with ease.

Empyrean Technology: Brevane's equivalent of Sourcestone tech, with the notable difference being it does not aggravate the Vigil, and it is far more stable and predictable than Sourcestone. It is used much in the same manner as the Defiant's magitech, and technicians on Brevane have been using it for thousands of years, before even the Blood Storm's arrival, to augment their defenses, constructs, and machines for every day use. When compared to Sourcestone tech, Empyrean does not match it in sheer raw potential, but it has vastly more potential in the long term due to its safer and more stable nature. It was this tech that drew Crucia's interest in Telara and while the other dragons greedily divided up their portion of the world, she made a beeline for Tempest Bay and the amazing wonders of the God Engines.

Failsafe Device: A mysterious but powerful magitech apparatus created by Orphiel Farwind that allowed Defiant Ascended to travel back in time and avert the apocalypse. It's origins are unknown as well as how it was created and how it actually works.

God Engines: Vast and powerful magitech artifacts created using Empyrean technology that have the potential for devastating power if in the wrong hands. The Tempest Engine, Sun Orb, and Infinity Gate are three such God Engines.

Machine Born: A term referring specifically to Defiant Ascended, who were not gifted a second life as with the Guardian Ascended, but were rather created out of technology and Sourcestone by prominent Ethian and Kelari scientists. Usually an insulting term coined by the Guardians.

Magitech: A unique and powerful tool that combines the powers of magic with the innovation of technology and machines. First discovered and used by the Ethians during the Age of Dragons, to help turn the tide of battle in the Blood Storm Wars. Magitech is powered by Sourcestone. In present day Telara, most of this information and skill is lost and the Defiants research the relics and artifacts of the past to employ their own brand of technomancy against the Guardians and the dragon cults.

Nalthema: A Kelari term, meaning a Kelari child born without the gift of being able to talk to the Spirits and lesser powerful beings that inhabit the Ember Isles and elsewhere. Such men and women are often pitied and shunned do their low social status and inability to commune with the Spirits.

Planar Attunement: Upon reaching lvl 50 in the game, your character officially becomes powerful enough for a new type of planar advancement, allowing the Ascended one access to multiple gifts granted by specific planes that you attune to. After a special ceremony, you gain an additional exp bar and level up your planar attunement much like your own leveling process. Each level awards Planar Attunement(PA) points.

Porticulum: A way of travel shown to Telarans long ago by Thontic, his gift to the sentient creatures of Telara. It allows a Telaran to instantly teleport from one location to another, but only after that Telaran has been to that specific location. The magic of porticulums was lost during the Age of Dragons, and after that, the Wards inhibited the use of them. After the Shade War, when the Wards were weakened, the Ascended discovered that the Porticulums could work again.

Project Omega: A phrase mentioned in the future timeline, likely referring to the research of resurrection. "Following the initial discovery of the Life Factory, more were found in the vicinity, and we expanded them for our purposes. When the Guardians destroyed Meridian, we shut ourselves away, creating magical fortifications to keep ourselves save to pursue Project Omega." -Knowledge Collective #1 inside the Life Factory

Quantum Stream Slivers: Alternate timestreams that became a problem after the breaking of the Ward, spilling their strange battles and twisted histories into the true Telara. Though being in a different place and time, everything in a Sliver is quite real. If you manage to find your way out of one, anything you carry, including wounds, will come with you.

Resurrection Forges: Designed by the Ethian Empire many years ago, these magitech devices aspired to return people from the dead. This ancient technology later became the basis for research into machine born Ascended.

Rune Technology: A mastery of magitech specific to the dwarves of Hammerknell that bonds Spirits into machines, and the machines would then power many of their great works. This technology eventually led to the tragic downfall of Hammerknell and serves as another reminder to the Guardians that magitech is a heretics tool.

Soul Attunement: An Ascended's ability to change the elements of nature to their will, harnessing vast elemental and planar power for their own use. This ability is obtained through the souls of those slain long ago or during the Shade War who then impart knowledge onto the host body and soul.

Sourcestone: Elementally-charged metal that was used by the Vigil to create the physical world of Telara. It is used by the Guardians as a sacred gift of the gods and the Defiants use it as a simple tool to power their machines.

Sourcestone Matrix: A complex net of Sourcestone and magitech that makes up the body of a Defiant Ascended.

Sourcestone Technology: The infusion of sourcestone with machines and magic to create beings and objects with amazing power and ability. Used exclusively by the Defiant as a source of power for their cities, experiments, and even their new saviors, Sourcestone Tech is the source of contention between the two main factions of Telara and is an abomination in the eyes of the Vigil. It is unstable, unpredictable, and powerful enough to destroy entire Empires. It was first discovered by the inventive Eth during the Blood Storm Wars when they were researching more effective and long range weapons against the Dragons and their followers. The Defiant Ascended are created using this technology.

Technomancy: A category of magical abilities that affect technology, or magical powers that are gained through the use of technology. Tactician souls are a prime example of this.

Temporal Flux: A machine that powers the Failsafe Device, a generator that uses a vast amount of Sourcestone and power that breaks the temporal weave, allowed a fixed time travel.

Tenebrean Ascended: A group of unknown Ascended who do not originate from our Telara. They appear to be the biggest threat facing Telara at the moment, according to Aia the Goddess of Fate.

The Ward: A mysterious and powerful barrier surrounding Telara that protects the world from both Regulos and invasions by planar rifts from the elemental planes that surround and touch the special nexus that makes up Telara.

Wardstone: A kind of mystical cornerstone to the Ward. Guardian Wardstones are blessed and protected by the vigil and are often surrounded by devout warriors. Defiant Wardstones are manufactured machines made of magitech that augment the Ward with technomancy. As each Wardstone is targeted and destroyed by planar creatures and minions of the Blood Storm, the Ward weakens, allowing the dragons and other powerful beings more leeway on Telara.

Magical Definitions:

Area of Effect: A spell that effects more than one target within a predetermined radius.

Artifice: The creation of magical technology. Magically imbued machinery. Such items are called artifacts or relics.

Elemental Magic: A school, or schools, or magic that deals with the natural or unnatural elements found in a caster's surroundings, such as Air, Fire, Death, and Life magic.

Enchanter: A person who uses magic or sorcery, especially to put something or someone under a spell.

Evocation: Calling forth. The branch of magic most associated with flashy, obvious effects. When a caster throws lightning or calls forth a fireball to decimate foes, that is called evocation.

Invocation: Summoning magic. Usually involves calling up a supernatural entity to do your bidding. Generally strong, high level magic. Like the ability to summon a Faerie minion for a Cleric, or the training a Warrior undergoes to call forth the spiritual essence of a saber-tooth cat as a battle companion. These such companions can be literal slaves to the caster's bidding, or if you want to RP it a different way, they can be much-loved comrades, wherein the caster protects their summoned minions as they would a fellow in arms.

Magic: To move, change, or create using a supernatural force or a force that is not something seen or done by physical force or exertion. There are many types of magic such as Pyromancy (magic involving fire), Necromancy (magic involving death and conjuring up undead creatures) Chloromancy (the type of magic that Mages use in order to heal their allies, which involves both death and life magic), Shamanism (spiritual magic), Ward Magic (creation of barriers and magical protections), and many more types that Mages and Clerics both utilize in the game.

Mana: A generalized supernatural font of power or magic, which may be concentrated in persons or objects. The well of magic that a spellcaster has access to. When a caster's mana is drained, or empty, the caster suffers effects, RP wise, such as weakness, dizziness, fainting, etc. Or, gameplay wise, the caster is unable to continue casting spells and is vulnerable to attack as spells are a caster's main defense.

Potion: A liquid with healing, magical, or poisonous properties.


*I did a lot of research into these terms to make sure that, as far as I know, all the descriptions are accurate for Rift! This information, as well as the game of Rift and its world, doesn't belong to me, but rather to the awesome Trion Worlds! As I gain more knowledge in Rift and explore more of the higher end content I'll come back and edit this!

Monday, August 12, 2013

[Karazhan's Story] 2.3: A Shift In Focus

  
  Looking around, I noticed strange, sand colored obelisks dotting the landscape. There weren't very many of them, and they were small, but they definitely didn't look good. As I waded through the Endless Cult forces that assaulted the Ark, I kept my eye on the obelisks, curious about what they were. I was kept quite busy fending off various fanatics and zealots, all proclaiming Regulos as their true master. It sickens me that some people were so taken in by the death dragon's promises of power and immortality. Could they not see that he cared nothing about our lives, about our precious world. We have but one world, the one we were born unto, and I'll never let Regulos get his evil claws on Telara.

     "Oomph!" I exclaimed. One fanatic had managed to send a nasty spell that knocked me backwards and caused me to feel dizzy. I automatically threw out my arm to catch myself as I fell and to my horror, my hand came in contact with a stiffened dead body. I gasped and jerked my fingers up to my chest, staring wide eyed. It's not like I've not seen a dead body before. I'd come from the grimmest of all possible futures after all. But to see one up close, when I wasn't expecting it, and to touch it, was quite alarming! I cautiously turned my head and glanced at the body, feeling my shoulders stoop slightly when I recognized the gold and red colors that denoted a soldier of the Defiant. Yet another brave soul lost in the battle against Regulos. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my fire spell finally consume the cultist, who'd been flailing about after cursing me. I grunted in satisfaction, before forcing my eyes back to the soldier. Perhaps I could bring some article of his back to the Ark for recognition in case he had family. Although from what I've noticed, most of the Defiant seemed to be alone in the world, men and women joined by the common cause of defeating Regulos.

     Among the dead soldier's belongings, I found a pack with a small incendiary device that looked similar to something I'd seen saboteurs creating in their labs. A thrown gadget that exploded on impact and caused a lot of damage in a localized area. Glancing around again, I noticed another one of those obelisks nearby. It was shattered into pieces and I realized that this poor sod had been blowing up those strange little towers. I counted the incendiary charges he had left and considered. I could try to finish his mission for him. That seemed like the right thing to do. Determined, I stood up, dragging the pack of incendiaries with me. I made a show of dusting my Defiant issue robes off, giving a last glare to the now-dead cultists. The armor I'd been reborn in may not be the fanciest or have eye catching flare, but it was better then what I'd worn before, apprentices robes, and I wanted to wear them proudly, undamaged.
    
     I entertained myself chucking the incendiary devices at obelisks that I saw. It took a few tries to get my aim right, and how to figure out how to make them actually explode. The devices themselves were very well made, and I wondered if the dead man had made them himself, or had been issued them by a military Saboteur. I'd probably never know, but I'm always curious about anything that crosses my path. I even managed to blow up a few unsuspecting cultists who'd been standing too near one of my targets. Ha, serves them right for joining the wrong side.

     I readied my arm for another grenade toss when the ground suddenly shook under my feet and I nearly blew myself up in shock. "What in all Telara was that?" I exclaimed in alarm. I glanced behind me, and saw the ground in a wide circle begin to blacken, as if a giant hand of darkness had covered that particular area. Feeling dread seep into my souls, I reluctantly glanced upward. Out of nowhere in the air many feet above my reach, a great rent in the fabric of the universe tore open and a half dozen large tentacles pushed their way into Telara. The tentacles, pulsing with death magic, slammed into the ground all around me, digging deep into Telaran soil. It was just like what happened in the future, when Regulos had come and we'd nearly failed in our mission. Feeling frozen with horror, I watched, expecting the dread dragon himself to make an appearance. After several moments when nothing else happened except this rift spreading its influence across the ground, I shakily pushed a strand of hair off my forehead. Right, of course. Regulos was still an incorporeal spirit locked outside of the Ward that protected Telara in this timeline. This was just one of the planar rifts I'd heard about that frequently afflicted Telara in this time. Between one blink and the next, undead planar creatures seemed to spawn inside the rift, following the magical link between their plane and Telara.

     Even the nearby cultists looked uneasy, backing away from the rift. 'See!' I wanted to shout at them. 'See what your master seeks to unleash upon our world!' But I knew it was no use. Even if they'd wanted to, these souls had already been promised to Regulos in life and in death, and couldn't be rescued from their fate. Gripping the cool wood of my staff tighter, I took a determined step toward the dark energy pulsating in the rift. I felt almost like the magic there called to me. My body had been crafted out of pure Sourcestone, which was a product of the rifts when they interacted with the physical nexus of Telara, so it stood to reason that the rifts would resonate with me, but I didn't like this at all. At the same time, it made me less afraid of the rift. I knew that I could fix this. I don't know how I knew, but I just knew that there was a way to close this rift, something that would normally be impossible without eldritch machinery and powerful magics. The very core of my being resonated with the rifts and using that, I could control them. A scary thought all on its own. When I stepped foot inside the blackened ground that distinctly marked where the plane of death intruded onto Telara, I felt the thick malevolence that was the Plane of Death press down on my tiny mortal shell. I had to firmly remind myself that I was an Ascended now. A being reborn to be unstoppable and all powerful. Or so I'd been led to believe.

     All the creatures who'd been summoned by the rift, who were milling around inside the blackened area and gnashing their teeth at the living creatures outside that they couldn't reach focused their attention squarely on me the second I entered their "territory".

     "Back to where you belong, fiends!" I growled out. The words made me feel more confident more then anything. Thus followed the longest battle of my new life so far. I used every skill and trick I knew to evade and deflect their attacks, dancing around the area and slinging spell after spell at the death creatures. There were a lot of them, but they were slow, and I was a powerful spellcaster. Add to that the unlimited potential that I could tap into, and they didn't stand a chance. A fireball took one fiend in the face, sending him flailing backward, while forked lightning arced from creature to creature, dealing devastating magical damage. I felt a savage glee in their deaths. This is what I'd been made to do. To defend Telara. All the souls housed inside my Sourcestone body veritably sang with the thrill of battle, in perfect synchronization with my own body and mind for once. We destroyed the planar enemy, leaving nothing but the darkened ground and the pulsing tentacles. Soon, the air became eerily still. Alert for any other potential dangers, I was instantly aware when the atmosphere changed, becoming colder. In the center of the rift, a new, terrifying creature formed. I stared, wide eyed, and reflexively stumbled backward, nearly to the edge of the shadetouched ground. This was like those flying creatures I'd seen wheeling through the sky in the future, watching the Defiant's last stronghold like vultures waiting for the animal to weaken sufficiently so they could tear it apart and devour it live.

     The creature was large, the size of a horse. It had leathery grey skin, like an entombed corpse, and wicked yellow teeth. The eyes were small and sunken into its head. There was intelligence, self awareness, or emotion in them. It was like a puppet. The claws were easily the size of my longest finger and I choked out a laugh. How in the hells was I supposed to defeat that thing?! I couldn't do this! Who was I kidding? I was just a naïve elf with grandiose visions of saving Telara and making a difference in the world. I realized that I'd been shaking my head the entire time I'd been staring at the dragon-like creature, and immediately stilled myself. And then immediately regretted it as the creature homed in on me like a magical missile. I had the urge to say 'nice critter' in a sing song voice while backing away, but my body felt like it wouldn't obey me. The souls inside were all clamoring in time with my heartbeat and I couldn't think. Pressure built inside my head and I gasped at the pain.
     "STOP!" I roared out loud. The creature paused and cocked its head, much like a curious cat. The souls inside all ceased their disruption, but I sensed discord. It was by the far the strangest feeling and notion, that you were essentially, at odds with yourself, except technically it wasn't yourself, but multiple selves....I shook my head as the pain flared again. Something to think about later, not right now.

     "We can't win this one." I whispered, half in despair, half in resignation, knowing the other souls, who at times seemed like invisible friends who protected me, kept me safe, and lent me their powers and at other times seemed like an alien affliction that I didn't know to deal with, would hear me. A shiver ran down my spine as a feeling of warm flooded my mind. As if randomly recalled, memories seeped into my mind, pictures that I could see, even with my eyes open, staring at the undead dragon creature in front of me. Images of hot deserts, dusty planes, beautiful grasslands. These images, which I knew were projected through me by the other souls that shared my body, served to calm me. I felt tears wet the corners of my eyes. I missed my home so badly. The other souls, too many to count, all lived in various times and places around Telara, and their idea of home was vastly different from mine, but I could grasp the idea.

     Jerking my head up, I glared at the dragon, who pawed the ground and flared its wings. "Bring it on, scaley." I muttered, flexing my legs. The creature roared and charged. At the last second, I erected a barrier woven out of fire magic, which was just as effective as shield of iron. The creature slammed into the barrier, knocking me back a step and stunning itself for a few precious seconds. Hastily I darted away from its razor sharp claws and twisted around to face it sideways, staff tilted at a sharp angle. I muttered the words to the spell and swung my staff and a streak of fire slammed into the drake. The fires licked greedily at its dried skin. The creature didn't seemed phased by the fact that it was on fire, charging straight at me again. I guess being dead had certain benefits, I thought dryly. We led an odd dance around the rift's perimeter. I was careful to stay within the charred black area that was the territory belonging to the plane of death, as the cultists were afraid to step food inside it and be mulched by the dragon. As long as I knew they wouldn't or couldn't get close enough to attack me, I could concentrate fully on the real threat. And the dragon was indeed a challenge. It felt none of the attacks I threw at it. By this point, it was limping, on 3 legs, with torn wings and a slashed open back, still on fire, and sizzling with live electricity, but it still doggedly came on. I was barely able to keep ahead of it, and even though I was able to keep casting my barrier spell, it was becoming more exhausting the longer I held it. I may be Ascended but apparently my magic, though now a nearly bottomless well, was still dependent upon my physical body, which still felt exhaustion, hunger, and pain.

     My side ached where the dragon had gotten lucky and torn into my flesh with its claws. I could feel the death magic pulsing in the wound, but I didn't have time to tend to it. If I stopped moving, I was dead, and the creature knew it. Even though its attacks hadn't changed, and its expression was still as dead and lifeless as ever, I could sense its excitement as I grew exhausted. The other souls were lending what support they could, but they were just formless shapeless pockets of potential that I could tap into. How I could do that, or how much I could tap into was still a mystery to me. It's all well and good to be an all powerful being but if you are unfamiliar with most of your potential then your just as useless as the next half trained mage. Finally the tide turned, and not in my favor. I tripped over a large tentacle which I could have sworn wasn't there before, and fell onto my back. Immediately I put all my effort into reinforcing my fire shield, knowing I wouldn't even have time to try getting up before the dragon attacked me. I was right. In seconds, it was bounding at me. I felt the magic surrounding me flex, the strain causing an ache between my eyes.

     Holding the staff crosswise in front of me, I desperately searched my mind for something to help. Anything. There seemed to be an interesting divide in my mind between me and the souls that formed my new machine crafted body. In my desperation, I shoved right past that wall that normally I wasn't able to pass. It was like stone. I ripped through it and suddenly I knew spells I'd never even heard of before. The thing about spells though, was that you had to study them, practice them, spend years honing your art, like a scientist with his magitech. I learned these new strange spells in seconds, but I'd never used them. My barrier weakened. The creature, sensing that, renewed its scrabbling, claws digging at thin air inches from my vulnerable body, and I could swear I saw wicked glee enter its eyes. The creature was nearly on top of my prone body and I knew that when my fire shield fell, so would I. I did not want this to my second end. I forced one of the new spells to the forefront of my mind. I analyzed the words of the spell, something called 'Thunder Burst' and hoped it would be enough to at least get the creature off of me. Along with learning about the spell came images of the soul who'd used it. I knew that it was a spell designed to knock enemies back, to deal large amounts of damage using the very air around them. Just as I cast the spell, turning my head and throwing my arm out in front of me, the creature ripped through my magic shields. I felt burning pain in my outflung arm, which then went numb and useless. There was a strange soundless boom, like the sound that follows lightning. But the weight of the dragon was gone. I lay there stunned, and if someone wanted to finish me off, I'd likely not be able to put up much of a defense.

     That spell had taken a lot of out of me, but I had felt its power as I'd cast it. And in the act of casting it, I'd made it my own. I knew, intrinsically, that it was something I'd be able to easily recall now. Apparently another perk of being Ascended. I could learn spells as record speed. Panting, I cautiously sat up. My side flared in agony and I looked down and felt suddenly dizzy to see blood staining the ground in a wide pool around my body. My mangled arm lay in my lap and I could see the white of bone among the muscle.

     "Wonder why it doesn't hurt much..." I wondered, and my voice cracked. Finally, when no large leathery creature came flying out of the air to tear me apart, I sat up straighter and looked around. To my utter shock, the ground afflicted by the planar energy was now lightening, as if someone was painting over it with matching colors to the rest of the grassy valley. The sun seemed to suddenly spring up out of nowhere and shine down on me in blinding radiance and I only just now noticed that its rays hadn't been able to pierce the area afflicted by the rift. A strange magic related to the planes themselves no doubt. About a dozen feet from my outstretched boots lay the body of the dragon. The fire was still merrily eating away at its form, and almost the entire body was now charred and blackened. I sagged with relief. The tentacles which seemed to rope off this part of Telara and claim it for the plane of death reluctantly loosened their hold on the earth, snapping back up into the vortex that was the center of the rift, way above my head. There was a low popping sound, followed by pressure in my ears and eyes, and the rift disappeared entirely, as if it had never been. I blinked, a little dazed to find myself resting now on sweet green grass. The cultists had all ran away when I'd defeated the dragon, no doubt expecting me to attack them next. If only I was that ambitious. I felt bone weary. There was a light tinkling sound, like a harp played at the wrong sound level, and small glowing orb landed on the grass by my hand. It was beautiful, a vivid pearly color between blue and white. "Sourcestone!" all the souls chorused inside me at once. I knew they were right. I'd never seen raw, unrefined sourcestone before, but I knew this was it. It was brimming with such power and potential. As if in a trance, I reached out and touched the orb with my index finger. There was a strange tingle that shivered its way up my arm, like the feeling you get when a limb falls asleep, and the orb just...sank into my hand. I shook my hand and stared at it in shock. What had just happened? I saw double vision and felt dizzy for a few seconds and wondered if I'd somehow poisoned myself with the sourcestone. Then my body became really warm. My torn side tingled and I looked at it, amazed to see the flesh knitting together right under my eyes. My arm was doing the same. Weariness and exhaustion seemed to just melt off me, and my eyesight became even more sharper then before. Already I was coming up with theories about why the sourcestone interacted with me this way, backed up by the excited fluttering of the other souls.

     Apparently my body, being made up of a matrix of sourcestone grafted to souls and activated with technology and magic, was able to absorb and use sourcestone like other people used food. What an amazing feeling. I felt well fed, refreshed, and more alert than I'd felt since coming to the past. I leapt to my feet and laughed at how light and flexible I felt. I tucked away this information for future thought.

Monday, August 05, 2013

[Chapter Summary]: Silverwood

 Silverwood's Storyline
  
Wow, another chapter down! We're moving right along here, and I'm excited to finally get out in the world. A few things were hard to write in this chapter. The main thing was writing the Realm of the Fae dungeon. I couldn't decide if I wanted to include it into the story, make it into a side story, or just ignore it and then add a lore/gameplay blurb on it later on. Eventually, I went with making it into a special side story. I'll be doing the same for all the cult saga quests, and then giving each one it's own unique lore page after the chapter is finished. For the cult sagas though they are very long and each chapter of the quest list is given at different levels so I don't know exactly how I'm going to swing that one, but the lore and story behind it is just too much to ignore!
     I'm trying to keep Rae consistent as I go along, but she's so hard to write hehe. She seems to have a will of her own when it comes to interacting with others. And she's a bit sarcastic no? It makes her a bit fun to write, but also challenging! As always, below you can find the links to all the lore and story pages that were included under the Silverwood heading. Only those that relate to Rae are listed here. The lore and story pages that involve Kara are going to be on her own chapter summary page. I'm trying to keep as two separate stories with their own backgrounds. It's a pain, but fun too.
     If you'll notice, Rae got an update on what she looks like halfway through this chapter. I really liked the idea of her having green armor and a cloak, it made her look more foresty and elfish. As she get's more experienced (aka gains levels) the armor will change and be upgraded and different, thus the pictures will look different with her in it. :) Also, I'm skipping over most of the fights, since it's mainly just the same thing, slash and stab. Every once in a while, especially on the big fights, I'll give a detailed explanation, but other then that, it's all the same and meh, who wants to just keep reading the same thing over and over?
Chapter Two Archives:                                                        Chapter Two Story List:
 Archive I: The Vigil                                                    2.0: Into the Future!
Archive II: Fall of Port Scion                                        2.1: Battle On the Bridge
Archive III: The Guardians                                           2.2: The Holy Forest
Archive IV: Shyla Starhearth                                       2.3: Carrying the Light
Archive V: Bladedancer Soul                                           2.4: Message Delivery!
Archive VI: Quicksilver College                                      2.5: Investigating Quicksilver
Archive VII: History of the High Elves                            2.6: Spiders and Trip to the March
Archive VIII: Boglings                                                  2.7: Swamp Thing
Archive IX: Assassin Soul                                             2.8: The Aelfwar Problem
Archive X: Tavril                                                           2.9: Ties to Greenscale
Archive XI: UI Setup and Addons                                     2.10: City of Sanctum
Archive XII: Zareph Mathos                                          2.11: Wood of Silverwood
Archive XIII: The Fae                                                   2.12: Visions of Shyla Danced In My Head
Archive XIV: The High Elves                                         2.13: Among the Hedges
Archive XV: Realm of the Fae                                        2.14: The Mirror of Ages
Archive XVI: The Aelfwar                                              2.15: Scotty's Empowerment
Archive XVII: Goblin Titles and Aliases                            2.16: Tokens of a Dragon
Archive XVIII: Greenscale                                             2.17: Assault on Overwatch Keep
Archive XIX: Tactician Soul                                           2.18: Kongeegon
Archive XX: Sanctum                                                    2.19: Be The Hero
Archive XXI: Silverwood                                                                    
Side Stories:
Extras List:
The Story Thus Far:
     Raeslyn ends up 20 years in the future after witnessing the dire warnings of the Vigil. She does what she can to help the folks of Silverwood who are in trouble. She does this mostly because she loves her home and she doesn't want to see the creatures in it suffer more than a sense of duty to the Guardians, who are a relatively new faction of diverse individuals. She has joined these Guardians by default because of her Ascended status, but she sticks to her own beliefs and follows Tavril's view more than the entire Vigil as a whole. Raeslyn encounters many enemies attacking Silverwood, the most disturbing being her beloved Prince Hylas. She also finds out about a troubling invasion by the Fae from the Plane of Life. It seems that both Greenscale and Maelforge have made a move to take Silverwood for their own. She also learns that Silverwood has become the main focal point for the Gaurdians' efforts in repelling the invaders from the Planes and the various cults that seek to destroy Telara. She also has to contend with multiple goblin hoards.
     Raeslyn is successful in stopping the evil that has invaded her wood, but she has experienced death for the first time since her resurrection and is thankful that she doesn't remember it and that it apparently wasn't painful after the initial dying (which was very painful!). She's found several troubling discoveries along the way, including the fact that there seems to be something sinister stirring in the dark forest of Gloamwood through the mountains and that Hylas seems to have gone completely over to the Blood Storm. Was he tricked into it, or did he join happily with no looking back? She will have to find this out, as well as many other alarming things as she continues to travel Telara in her quest to keep it safe and take it back from the creatures of the planes.
For the list of quests I'd like to note that those with 2 **stars at the end of the name are CARNAGE quests. The ones with 1 *star are Cult Saga quests. There are a few quests that I'm not sure the co-ordinates of the objects, or what NPC gave the quest. All quests are given exactly in order of how I received them when I went methodically through the zone. All drop or clickable quests are located in the same area as the other quests listed! If you have questions leave me a message!
Zone Details:
  • Mob Types
    • Humanoid
    • Beast
    • Demihuman
    • Fae
    • Planar
  • Total Time Spent in Zone
    • 5-6 days approximately, I can't remember. There was SOOOO much to explore and check out that I spent so long there just doing that.
  • Level Upon Leaving Zong
    • 24- This was after I'd done the cult saga quests that were available to me as well as one run through of Realm of the Fae.
  • Extensive List of All Quests in Zone (as far as I can tell)
    • The Return- Messenger of the Vigil
    • Wanton Flame-Orin Bancroft
    • Divine Inspiration-Sir Andrin Kahn
    • The Art of Soul Binding- Ethain Melankis
    • The Planar Porticum- Ethain Melankis
    • Guardian of Ways and Means- Berthold Stronn
    • Minions of Maelforge-Flameweaver Totem-drop from Flameweaver Goblins (6259, 3329)
    • Introduction: Dimensions- Automatic quest gained at lvl 8
    • Introduction: Instant Adventure- Automatic quest gained at lvl 10
    • Introduction: Mentoring- Automatic quest gained at lvl 15
    • Ghastly Tinder- Extinguished Wanton Tinder- clickable item
    • Offworld Woes- Guardian Sigil- drop from Wanton Destroyers**
    • Out of the Hands of Evil- Corrupted Reliquary- clickable item
    • Recovered Notes- Scattered Stones- clickable item
    • Carrying the Light- Carwin Mathos
    • Singed Hives- Rudi Tanlop
    • A Tear in Telara- Dame Veira Connal
    • Agitated Wildlife- Flamebound Dust- drop from Vespid Hives**
    • Seek Out Argent Glade- Rudi Tanlop
    • Shrines of Tavril- Colten Feddel
    • Your First Fishing Pole- Molly Graysby
    • How to Catch a Fish- Molly Graysby
    • On the Verge- Goblin Head- drop from Goblin Scouts**
    • Immolation Avenged- Colten Feddel
    • Brougan Grote- Colten Feddel
    • Theoretical Absolution- Brougan Grote
    • Minions of Maelforge- Goblin Torch- drop from fire planar demons
    • Border Town- Bronze Beacon- clickable item
    • Midterm Mayhem- Alan Paton
    • Big Brother Hazer- Murbo Malm
    • Barrel Full of Goblins- Destroyed Barrel- clickable item
    • Required Reading- Misplaced Tome- clickable item
    • Trial of the Elements- Murbo Malm
    • Teacher's Pet- Thelliam Bedstraw
    • March Out to the March- Murbo Malm
    • Bug Off- Thelliam Bedstraw
    • The Perfect Specimen- Nora Glen
    • Anti-Intelligence Report- Furias Talwin
    • Saving the Spirit Guide- Thomas Penthas
    • Stolen Implements- Professor Nora Glen's Journal- clickable item
    • Ritual Reappropriation- Ritual Brazier- clickable item
    • The Altar of Reflection- Thomas Penthas
    • Dirty Stinking Marsh- Kelnin Malm
    • Further Exploration- Thomas Penthas
    • Beast of Burden- Barkeep Davek Anders
    • Thorn in the Side- Isilwyn Alra
    • Shipwrecked Guardians- Blair Rheese
    • The Aelfwar Threat- Faetouched Shard- drop from Aelfwar Scouts
    • The Priestess of Sanctum Watch- Isilwyn Alrai
    • High Priestess of the Vigil- Maris Telluria
    • Twisted Horticulture- Maris Telluria
    • A Secret Pact- Ramis Twistroot
    • A Breath From Beyond (Daily)- Darien Shale
    • The Holy City of Sanctum- Rhamm Dragonbane
    • The Caretakers (PvP)- Rhamm Dragonbane
    • The Abbots of Sanctum- Lila Medows
    • Secrets and Artifacts- Teldre
    • Thontic's Blessing- Cabalist Elsu
    • Source and Knowledge (PvP)- Rhamm Dragonbane
    • Mischief Unmakers- Dead Faerie- clickable item (6895, 2988)
    • Clearing the Forest- Imbued Sliver- clickable item (6801, 3147)
    • Fateful Vision- Maris Telluria (Saga of the Endless starts here)
    • The Mind's Eye- Dalin Erst (Cult Saga Quest Pre Requisite)*
    • Feeding the Mind- Dalin Erst *(Cult Saga Quest Pre Requisite)*
    • Tonic of Meditation- Dalin Erst *(Cult Saga Quest Pre Requisite)*
    • Lost in Solitude- Maris Telluria (Cult Saga Quest Pre Requisite)*
    • Vision of Danger- Spirit Guide (Cult Saga Quest Pre Requisite)*
    • The Prince's Betrayel- Maris Telluria
    • Lord of the Fae- Tristan Alecourt
    • Fae Invaders-kill Fae**
    • Shining Pests- Mila Darina
    • Rescuing Foresters-Forester Body- clickable item (6682, 2764)
    • Black Eyes and Bloody Claws**
    • Scouts on the Ridge**
    • Delivering the Hostage-Eukar Heln<Maddened Forester>
    • Back to Argent Glade- Tristan Alecourt
    • Twisted Truth Revealed- Guardian Skeleton- clickable item (6118, 2795)
    • Top Shelf Retrieval- Wine Crate-clickable item (6176, 2851)
    • Ask the Elders- Cerys Amare
    • Fall of the Aelfwar- Broken Altar- clickable item (5810, 2826)
    • Beckoning of the Blessing- Spirit Guide
    • Hope and Fear- Spirit Guide
    • Researching the Wretched Weeds- Cerys Amare
    • Professor for a Reason- Cerys Amare
    • The Snarebrush Talon- Professor Thellium Bedstraw
    • Skull and Bones- Fiona Lechtum
    • Hazers to Hazees- Murbo Malm
    • Crash Course In Blood Magic- Wanton Ritual Stone-clickable item (5918, 2637)
    • Rusty War Machines- Gutter's Plans- drop from Gutter the goblin
    • Power of the Vigil- Sacred Mark- clickable purple item (6017, 2742)
    • The Power of Life- Professor Thellium Bedstraw
    • Severing the Tether- Jerome Drift
    • The Angered Wood- kill Treants**
    • Unruly Faerfolk- kill Fae at Wayward Thicket**
    • Highlands Research-Remun Smorkor<Archeologist>-sends you to Moonshade Highlands
    • Your First Minion: Tutorial quest- Cheque Gui<Fanatic of the Ascended>
    • Elder of the Grove-kill Aldern (large wandering Treant) **
    • Dailies Given in Quicksilver College (gives you Quicksilver Scholars rep)
      • Ending the Mischief
      • Practical Application
      • Historical Recovery
      • Out in the Field
      • Raw Materials
    • Aelfwar Monstrosities- kill Aelfwar **
    • For Security's Sake**
    • To Understand One's Foe- Faetouched Vine- clickable item (6169, 2615)
    • The Overwatch Beckons- Professor Bedstraw
    • Overwatch Infiltration-Brougan Grote
    • A Violent Peace Offering- Loras Tivan
    • Rememberance of Things Past- Elven Artifact- clickable item (6312, 3138)
    • Kill Marshal Fianna- White Robed Mage target**
    • Marshal Ebur-Male Elf On Balcony**
    • Tete-a-tete- Vigoth Phar
    • The Vigil's Shield- Nialls Adnar
    • Remember the Chosen-Ancient Idol- clickable item (6580, 3104)
    • Clouded Contemplation- Zealot's Ring- drop from Greenscale Zealot (green robes)
    • Servants of Twyl- High Elf Scroll- drop from Defenders of Twyl (satyrs)
    • Kongeegon, the Glory of the Aelfwar- Spirit Guide
    • Dormant Power- Nialls Adnar
    • An Age of Darkness- Brougan Grote
    • The Deepening Threat- Tam Daggerborn (Realm of the Fae Dungeon quest)
    • A Dire Demise - Kill Kelgnaw**
    • The Source of Spiders-talk to Varian Lofte in Silkweb Pass (Gloamwood)
    • Predatory Panfish- Kill 8 Razormaw Fish (7291, 3018)
    • The Saga of The Aelfwar Chain Part 1 (Req. lvl 20):
      • The Meaning of Danger- Cardinal Fiach
      • Profane Priests- Cardinal Fiach
      • The Care and Imprisonment of Changelings- Cardinal Fiach
      • The Changeling Revealed
      • A Snake In Sanctum
        • The Coup- (dungeon quest: RoTF)
        • The Beastmaster- (dungeon quest: RoTF)
        • The Taking of Overwatch Keep
      • The Green Lady
        • The Crown Of Twyl
      • Hylas Aelfwar, Apostate, Outlaw
  • Locations of Note (With co-ordinates):
    • Peculiar Chest (7167, 3181)- holds item <Marauder's Bow of the Merciless> lvl 10
    • Laura <Bogling Merchant> (6618, 2627)- sells random things, plus some armor
    • "Puzzled At The Top Of The World" - Silverwood's Puzzle (6415, 3154)
      • To complete this puzzle, click on the plaque that sparkles on the wall behind Nialls Adnar. Once you've appeared on the rooftop, move to the right and click the first sparkling mark on the wall. Do this consistently until you reach the top spire of the tower. You need to keep moving to the right...this took me a while to figure lol!
    • "Cairn Do" - Cairn of Miron Sternhammer (6344, 2318)
      • This is a hump of stones located waaaaaay up high in the mountains on the border of Moonshade. Climb up there, explore, have fun!
    • "A High Point" - Right beside the Cairn from above (6331, 2311)
      • If you keep going past these two things and follow the mountain spine, you'll come across some interesting Defiant magitech devices and a gigantic weapon that the Guardians are attacking at (6168, 2364)
    • "Spelunking In Silverwood" - locate 4 caves spread around Silverwood
      • TongueChewer's Cave (6353, 3139)
      • Gutter's Cave (5883, 2604)
      • Spider Cave (6182, 3112)
      • Satyr's Cave (6443, 3195)
    • "So Much Fun I Did It Once" - Silverwood's Jump Achievement (7276, 3054)
      • Rewards title "Base Jumper"
      • This is tricky if you are Defiant by the way...
    • Other Titles/Achievements
      • "Meditating in Sanctum"- Explore all of Sanctum
        • Gives title "Of Sanctum"
      • "Silverwood Campaigner"- Complete all 13 achievements listed (including the artifact ones)
        • Gives title "Tavril's Champion"
      • "Unstable Silverwood"- Complete the list of Unstable Silverwood artifact sets
        • Gives title "Silverwood Stabilizer"
      • "Freshman Orientation"
        • Complete all of Scotty's quests leading up to "Hazers to Hazees"
      • "House Aelfwar Shall Fall"
        • Kill 150 Aelfwar in Silverwood (doesn't matter which)
      • "The Felling of Kongeegon"
        • Kill Kongeegon by completing the Overwatch Keep quests
      • "A Silver Lining"
        • Complete 100 quests in the zone of Silverwood
      • "Silverwoodsman"
        • Explore Silverwood
  • List of Rares (You only need 4 for the achievement):
    • Vengeful Spirit- (6350, 2650) - This creature spawns out of a clickable grave marker
    • Marlrog- (6812, 3200)
    • Pandora<Captain of the Anathema>- (7107, 3476) -located on a tiny island NE of Silver Landing. The island next to the one labeled "shipwreck" on the map. 
    • Werewolf- (5790, 2735) - He walks around in a line near here, just look for mist
    • Brod- (6445, 2921)
    • Mok- (7117, 3223)
    • Pentheus- (6585, 2585)
  • Profession Materials In Silverwood:
    • Ashwood log
    • Yew Log
    • Grieveblossom
    • Coastal Glory
    • Creeperbrush
    • Copper Node
    • Burlap Cloth
    • Cotton Cloth
    • Lean Bacon
    • Lean Steak
  • Other:
    • Puzzling Box-lootable chest underwater (7064, 3505)
    • Sanctum has clickable shrines, one for each Vigil god, that boosts your stats for 30 minutes. I can only confirm Thedeor as giving strength and dexterity.
Map of the Zone:
My Opinion of the Zone:
     I really liked Silverwood. It's so breathtakingly beautiful in spots, that you just can't help but stop and pose for a screenshot. There are many great mountain peaks to look out from, lots of trees to sit in or hide amongst, and the lore about the Aelfwar and Hylas is pretty neat too. Hylas and Shyla are two of my favorites in Rift so I liked reading about their past and how they fell apart and there's lots of lore on them and on the High Elves in general. The Rifts aren't as bad here either because there's always plenty of players in and out of the zone. Since they changed up the questing experience and added a few more Porticums into the zone it's been much easier and faster to get from one area to another, and the mobs are also easy enough to handle. There are still a few challenges of course, like the lvl 8 goblin at the beginning for the carnage quest that I can't seem to ever defeat until I'm higher lvl. But I like that they give you challenges or mobs that require teamwork to kill. I give the Silverwood zone a 5/5 as a starting zone for new Guardians fresh out of Mathosia.