fortress sieges lore

Epic siege battles are something we’ve all longed for in RIFT. Storming a castle, breaking down its walls, and breaching the gates to face the dread foes inside – with Starfall Prophecy this dream becomes a reality! Solo, group and ten-man raid content awaits!

Throughout the lands of the fateful Comet, evil lords maintain sway over strong fortresses. Long unchallenged, perhaps they tremble just slightly, knowing they must soon face hordes of valorous and driven Ascended, but they are even now preparing to defend their domains. Perhaps they chuckle instead, relishing the thought of fresh meat at the gates.
The first fortress available with Starfall Prophecy is Xarth’s Skull, the seat of Queen Una. Built inside the massive remains of an Akvan struck down in a long-ago war with the gods, the Tuath’de have expended great effort over millennia to build a perfect defense against any who might assail them. Rings of curtain walls and mighty gates surround the inner courtyard and protect the leaders of the Tuath’de.
Ascended who wish to advance their reputations as heroic fighters (and perhaps line their pockets) will be well employed in keeping the Tuath’de in check – it seems that almost as soon as they fall, more arrive from regions unknown to replace them.
A sole warrior may wish to face challenges around the exterior walls of the fortress, picking off less protected foes, a vital task to support those further in.
Further feats of valor are within the grasp of a group of Ascended, as they penetrate deeper into the concentric rings of fortifications, facing lieutenants with their squadrons.
With enough skilled veterans on hand, it may even be possible to wrest control of powerful siege weaponry to blast down the inner gates themselves!
Listen for the call to battle that will sound at times of direst need. This signals a far more intense and challenging fight!
When this challenge begins, we must prevent the forces of Xarth’s Skull from deploying fresh troops across the Planar Anchors, the sub-fortresses scattered throughout the Mire. These strategic locations provide the Tuath’de valuable information and access to resources, enabling them to strengthen the defenders at the main fortress. Prevent our foes from holding these vital defenses; this is key for our long term victory over their aggressions.
In these times of pitched battle, should we be successful in defeating all of the inner defenses, we will finally be able to enter the portal and meet the greater danger of the spider Hexathal – or at least what appears to be a strange melding of spider, metal and treant – It will most assuredly be a fight to the death, but whether ours or hers only the fates know. Ware her Hexalotls as well, for they will quickly overwhelm your raid party if not dispatched rapidly.
Whether for glory, justice or riches, we welcome you to join our ranks as we challenge the dark lords of the Tuath’de.
This represents only the first of such challenges that await us all in Starfall Prophecy.
Draw your weapons and hurl your battle cries!

planar fragments lore

Do you fill multiple roles in group content? Are you tired of carrying around all that extra gear that clutters up your inventory? Are you frustrated with needing twice as many item drops of everyone else? Well look no further, because RIFT has the answer for you! Starfall Prophecy will take your gear from ordinary to extraordinary… with Planar Fragments!

Collect Planar Fragments throughout your adventures in The Celestial Lands, through questing, PVP, dungeons, Planar Assaults, crafting, and Planar Fortress Sieges. With these fragments, you’ll be able to customize your stats for the role that you wish to play. For example, if you want to bolster your tanking ability, seek out fragments that have Dodge, Block, Guard, and Endurance as their primary attributes. If you want focus on damage or healing, collect fragments with Attack Power/Spell Power, Crit Chance, Crit Power, and the main stat of your calling (such as Wisdom for Clerics).
With Planar Fragments being the only source of tertiary stats, RIFT reduces the burden of obtaining multiple sets of gear and hoarding pieces of gear that might be required at some point in the future if you need to swap roles. Now you can do everything with just ONE set of gear and a few sets of Planar Fragments!
Over the past few updates, we’ve been working hard to reduce/remove the need for different sets of gear based on your role. For instance, in Mind of Madness, we removed the chance for gear to drop as tank specific, and instead provided side-grade paths for all DPS drops to change into tank gear. This certainly helped with dealing with the challenge of players who Tank and DPS in obtaining their desired role gear, but it still wasn’t the complete solution that we were looking for. Planar Fragments are a much bigger step in that direction, and we think you’ll like them!
Whether a Planar Fragment is desirable for your character or not depends on the sum of its parts:
The first is the primary attribute. This is the stat that you will focus on when judging if you want to equip a fragment and invest in it for the long term. For instance, if you’re going for a more PVP focused build, you’d probably value Endurance and base HP forat survivability higher than you would offensive stats such as Attack Power or Crit Rate – those may be preferred by someone aiming for PVE group content.
A fragment can also carry up to four secondary attributes. These can never be the same as the primary attribute, nor can they be the same as each other. Therefore, an Aggressive Fire Planar Fragment with Attack Power as the primary attribute cannot have Attack Power among its secondary attributes. Depending upon the rarity of the fragment, these secondary attributes will either be hidden or revealed. For now, rarity levels start at Common and go up to Relic. For each rarity starting with Uncommon, a secondary attribute is revealed on the fragment. As such, a Rare quality fragment will have two of the possible four revealed, three for Epic quality, and so on.
Once you have some good Fragments to work with, they can be improved through Infusion. By default, Fragments drop at Infusion level 0 and can increase to level 15. Each time an infusion level is completed, the primary attribute is increased, with a extra large increase at level 15! The secondary attributes also have a chance to improve and be revealed as the Infusion level is increased.
The final aspect affecting a fragment is planar affinity. The combination of the affinity and the primary attribute denote how much the fragment gains between infusion levels as well as what the maximum attribute value will be at level 15. For instance, Fire is an offensive-oriented affinity, so stats like Attack Power and Spell Power will more potent on a Fire fragment than on one with a planar affinity of Earth, which is more defensive oriented. However, Guard would be very potent for Earth.
This combination of aspects creates a compelling reward system that will help even the most die-hard of Rift players invest further in their character and advancement. Additionally, fragments are account bound by default, so your main character can find fragments for your alt characters and help gear them up, something that we’ve heard you asking for quite frequently of late.
We are excited about the introduction of Planar Fragments to Telara and can’t wait to see the imaginative ways you’ll put them to use

[Off Topic] Twas the Night before Legion Launch and All Through the House...

...Not a soul was prepared, not even the mouse!

     So, anyway. Tomorrow I'm heading over to the game store to pick up my Collector's Edition of Legion expansion for WoW! Super excited, but also kind of depressed and frustrated because there were a few things I'd really like to get done before it launches but alas, time waits for no one. One of the main things that I will be losing with the expansion is the ability to finish my legendary ring quest, which admittedly I had about a year to complete so it's my own darn fault that I didn't finish it in time, but it felt like time just flew by, what with cosplay, BlizzCon, writing my fanfiction story, playing WoW and Rift, working, Edmonton Expo, sleep! I can't believe it's August already! The year literally flew by on  the wings of the Vigil. But I'm not going to lie, I am anticipating this expansion sooooooo much! I usually hesitate to point out negative or bad things about expansions/games that I play because I'm usually just grateful that these people have created this magical, suspended world that I'm able to play in and forget my own reality, but I really detested Warlords of Draenor. Like, a lot. There was so many things about it that frustrated, annoyed, or just plain bugged me. The biggest and most obvious being the garrisons. Because I've been spoiled by Rift's idea of player housing, I guess I was expecting too much when WoW first introduced garrisons, because I was picturing player housing, or something similar to dimensions. Boy was I ever wrong! I hated being forced to live in my garrison pretty much the entire expansion and then from there go out and explore the world. I felt so isolated and alone, because each character got their own garrison and it was phased content, so I hardly ever saw another soul during my leveling experience except for the brief visits to the quest hub city for my respective faction. And it didn't sit well with me that such famous and amazing and awe-inspiring historical figures like Thrall, Khadgar, Jaina, Varian Wrynn, Yrel, The Prophet Velen, and Vol'jin were catering to my needs like my servants. I felt like it should be the other way around. Yes, I am a hero and adventurer, and helped slay such evils like Deathwing and the Old Gods, but the key word h ere being "HELPED". I couldn't have gotten vey far without their aid and guidance, and suddenly they were bowing before my superior knowledge and everyone was saluting me and calling me Commander and I felt like I hadn't done much to deserve that, lore wise. So it felt very jarring in that sense.
     From what I saw of things at last BlizzCon, there will be a similar system in place to garrisons, called Class Hall, but it will work differently. For one thing, each class will have one, and all of us who play that class will able to go there. So yay, I can see people! And not just any people, but people who have the same passion and love for that class as me! For example, my Druid can go to the Druid Class Hall in Val'shara and see other druids of all lvls all running around doing their thing! There is a mission map, just like the garrisons, but it runs a bit differently, and thankfully doesn't feel as much of a requirement as in WoD. Of course, you can gain a few handy quests by doing it, and you need to access your map in the class hall to figure out where you're going to quest next. Another cool feature they introduced with Legion is that no matter what zone you choose to lvl in, and you can literally choose any zone you want, there's no restriction, the lvl of the zone will match your lvl! Even if your lvl 110 and your finishing up questing in a zone you did at 102, all the mobs and everything will match you at 110. So cool! Another thing I really love about Legion is all the amazing cinematics and the improved graphics for everything!!!!! I love cinematics so much and I wish Rift did more, I really do. And even though there were quite a few cinematics that legit moved me to real life tears, they were still so beautifully done and masterfully crafted that you were left feeling in awe. And at 110, tons of other things open up for you, like World Quests, world bosses, mythic and heroic dungeons, and rep grinding, as well as finishing up the zones you never got a chance to do as you lvled!

     So far from what I've seen in beta, I will never be bored with Legion, which is a definite plus in my book! Well done Blizzard, well done. You definitely 5 stars out of 5 from this gamer! And now, I suppose I should be off to bed, because I want to be well rested for the excitement that begins tomorrow at midnight! #soexcited #Legion

    Dark out.

gedlo badlands lore

Starfall Prophecy: Gedlo Badlands

August 18, 2016

Not much good comes out of the Gedlo Badlands. Of course “bad” is a judgment call. A Telaran would find a certain beauty to the sharp ridges of rock and shifting beds of fine gravel, particularly at dawn or dusk when their brown and black tones are enriched with gold and red. But to the devils that now rule the Plane of Fire, this desert expanse is fit only for goblins.

The land is almost barren, and harsh. No soft and nourishing forests, no comforting leafy shade. You’ll be glad to hear that there are no rivers of lava, raging wildfires or burning atmosphere either. If the liquid pools of the caustic oasis were water instead of clear, flammable oil, it might actually be habitable for someone other than an Ascended or the cruel denizens of the Plane of Fire.
While mortals would find the badlands arid and hot, the goblins of the Gedlo Conclave consider it an exile in the freezing wastes, denied their rightful place among the burning fields of condemned souls that they covet. Only the kobolds of Saint Taranis deigned to travel to this desert wasteland, and then only for the yearly pilgrimage to wage holy war.
The goblins have been in the badlands since time immemorial and are hard at work, single-mindedly simmering with rage and thoughts of revenge against all who wronged them. The devils of Ashenfell, the mortals of Telara, and most especially the noble kobolds of Saint Taranis. The Ascended must discover what the Goblin horde is up to; rumors of a stolen prophecy of Ananke, and the plans to destroy Saint Taranis are about to hatch, now that the kobolds are trapped on the comet with them.
The goblins are centered an area known as Gedlonia, and some say they have closely guarded drake hatching grounds nearby. The most bloodthirsty among them rove about the land in war bands and attack the kobolds whenever they can; revenge for the many years of defeat at the hands of the dog-like warriors.
The Kobolds of Saint Taranis, on the other hand, are a noble, if similarly warlike faction, devoted to earning honor and redemption that the souls of their ancestors failed to find in the mortal realm. Taranis, a kobold that ascended to sainthood, has shown them the way. Each year they make pilgrimage to these badlands as a test of their prowess and courage. If they can stand against the horde of goblins with artistry, courage and nobility, then they too may just find redemption. Each year they made this pilgrimage to defeat the Gedlo Conclave and each year they returned home victorious. It was their unwelcome fate that Ahnket tore their battlefield from the Plane of Fire while their temporary holy city was erected in the badlands. Now the prospect of victory and redemption grows fainter as the goblins lay siege, and faith is shaken in the various camps of artists.
The leader of Saint Taranis is the kobold monk Veist, who has struggled to hold the various camps together and inspire them to face the horde of goblins in what might be an unwinnable battle. He knows that noble warriors respect action more than mere words, so he has embarked on a quest to find a champion or two among the strange lands from distant planes that have been taken by the Comet of Ahnket. It is this quest that brings him in contact with the Ascended of Telara and the Champion of the Vigil, Cyril Kalmar, who has too long been temple bound.
Together, these mighty warriors will help the Ascended in learning more about the Gedlo goblins, the monstrous denizens of the badlands and the Devil Lords of Ashenfell who plan to unleash a fiery apocalypse upon the world of Telara. Best prepare yourself well first, in knowledge and armament. The Gedlo Badlands is a crucible for the heroic spirit, and is part of RIFT: Starfall Prophecy, coming this fall!

freemarch lore

Freemarch

The rolling fields of Freemarch

Travelling back through time, the Defiant arrive in Freemarch and see lush, rolling fields falling away to white sand beaches and the sparkling sea, so different from the hollow shell of a future they hail from. And then they turn and see a Death Rift, pulsing with sinister purpose, and learn what they are fighting for.

Once, Freemarch was the breadbasket of the Eth Empire, called the Emerald March for its fruitful fields. When the Empire fell, a warlord named Jakub crushed the March-folk, ruling from his hilltop fortress of Iron Keep. A simple peasant named Eliam roused the people to cast down Jakub and was elected the first of the March Wardens. Even as part of the Mathosian Empire, the March Wardens were allowed free reign over what came to be called Freemarch, and the land prospered.

Evil abroad

But nothing can prosper in the time of rifts. Death Rifts bloom to spite the fertile plains of Freemarch, and Water Rifts send out their quivering horrors to make the people fear the water. Almost immediately new Defiant see the walls of Port Scion, overgrown with death taint like mold on bread, necrotic ooze seeping from the city’s sluices to poison the sea. Port Scion has been sealed since it fell to the Deathtouched, but Freemarch lives in fear lest the gates swing open, releasing the massed undead within.

In the shadow of one fallen city, another emerges into the light as the Defiant excavate ancient Arkeen, where the Eth sought to master the strands of life itself. Whether the ancient ruin is boon or bane to the Defiant is yet to be seen. Not far from the dig site, the Defiant fend off a Guardian incursion near the broken bridge to Port Scion, hoping to keep the gods’ puppets from invading Freemarch and destroying their work.

The coasts are no safer than the hills, as slimy monsters spill through Water Rifts, their influence sometimes insidious but always horrific. In the fishing village at Lakeside Outpost, the people wear pained smiles and seem to breathe only as an afterthought, following passersby with cold, glassy eyes. Deep Ones scuttle along the beach nearby, the clacking of their claws eerie in the moonlight.

A rot in the heart of defiance

Freemarch is the heart of the Defiant faction. Their wondrous city of Meridian stands by the coast, its back to the mountains, sending out waves of Defiant to keep Freemarch free. Yet every day new rifts open, new monsters emerge, and the laughter of cultists grows ever more confident and shrill. Undead claw their way from their graves to feast on the living and raze farmsteads, turning the heartland black.

This evil traces back to Iron Keep on its hill, a monument to the tyranny of Jakub the Warlord. Jakub lay buried within its nigh-impregnable walls, but the Endless Court drew him forth from the grave, using his cruelty and aggression to form a spearhead into Freemarch. This time, the current March Warden’s forces may be too weak to stop him. Someone must charge into Iron Keep and end Jakub once and for all, lest he rule Freemarch again as the puppet of Regulos.

Jakub the Warlord, heard from atop Iron Keep after the coming of the rifts

“Oh Freemarch, I have missed you! Your fertile hills, your yielding soil. I know we parted on ill terms, but I have returned, and we can start anew. I do not blame you for turning on me, for you were poisoned against me by the lies of weak and petty men. Yes, I will punish you for your disobedience, but there is no spite in it! I do this for your own good!

Though I am stern, though I seem cruel, always remember that I love you. I have made powerful friends, and I serve unstoppable masters. Do not resist me, my land and people. If you do, it will go poorly for you. Always remember, Freemarch, that you are mine. It pains me to have to remind you.”