NEW WEEKLY EXPERIENCE BONUS SYSTEM!

Prometheus has long been the champion of mortals. He deceived Zeus in order to give them knowledge.

Prometheus wished to give mortals something that would forever raise them above animals, and thus he stole fire from Zeus and gave it to them in their dark caves.

The gift of divine fire unleashed a flood of inventiveness, productivity and, most of all, respect for the immortal gods. Within no time (by immortal standards), culture, art, and literacy permeated the land around Olympus.

And now Prometheus risks the wrath of Zeus to extend his aid once again.

With the Legacy of Prometheus, mortals will have increased mental powers with which to aid in the absorption of knowledge, so they might continue to learn and to grow.

For more information, please check the boards.

MINING AREA NOW OPEN!

Plataea and the mining engine was released as the first project for the Activity Development team in September 2004.

Plataea is divided up into three areas, the mine, the quarry and the ruins. Anyone can quarry, but you need to be above 20 to mine and above 30 to dig. All three systems require tools to work. (These are available to buy at the Supply Shoppe.)

Experience is granted for successful digs, less experience for unsuccessful. With a wide range of items, ores, gems, stones and nasties to find, there's always going to be something new to discover.

So get digging, you never know what you might find!

NEW SWIMMING ENGINE!

All those recommendations that you train the Swimming skill once per level have finally paid off! The swim engine is now live, along with a brand new system for creating interactive water environments.

But beware! Swimming isn't the only skill needed to survive in the water, strength, health and coordination play a big part as swimming can be extremely tiring. If you run out of air or out of energy, you run the risk of feeding the fishes.

Modified verbs for water areas:

• SWIM
• DIVE
• PADDLE **
• WADE **
• PUNCH **
• KICK
• PULL **
• PUSH **
• SPLASH **
• LEAN
• PACE
• FLIP
• ROLL
• FLAIL
• SPIT
• COUGH
• POSE
• DRAG <player> <direction> -- NOTE: This is only possible in underwater
  rooms when rescuing a drowning player.

** These verbs do not work in underwater rooms.

PEARL DIVING AREA IS NOW LIVE!

Go diving in the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, swim along the reefs and cliffs off the Alexandria coast. If you see a reef or some sand, why not SEARCH it to see what you can find!

Pearl Diving is the second activity to come from the Activity Development team and was released in November 2004. It utilizes the new swimming engine to provide experience and treasure from searching for coral and pearl-giving oysters.

NEW SPELL: HOLY FORGE

Ritual 3022 of the Magical Alteration realm.

"Burns that sting need not come from the flames. The ritual of Holy Forge grants the ability to cause a weapon to flare with divine energy for a time, causing additional damage upon use."

NEW SMELL ENGINE!

Phew!! What IS that smell!? Well fear not, another avenue of ridding yourselves of those revolting reeks is now open. Seek ye out yon soap baskets in diverse bath houses across the lands. You can GET soap (costing a bargain 5 dinar) to scrub yourself clean again!

Fragrances Available

• Honey and cream
• Sandalwood
• Aloe
• Summer fruits
• Lemon and lime
• Wild Rose
• Peppermint
• Lavender
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon
• Oatmeal
• Unscented (just removes any existing smell)

NEW VERB: ALTER

We've added the new ALTER verb to offer guidelines for players requesting alterations from merchants.

Comments or questions can be on the forums.

UPDATES TO APPRAISE VERB

You can now APPRAISE your gems to see the quality and value of the gem. But only if you have the skill to do so. Higher valued gems will be harder to appraise. (NOTE: You can still have your gems appraised in gemshops as usual.)

NEW QUEST: DRAGONFELL

Dragonfell. The highest of the peaks in the volcanic mountains of Midgard. Wreathed in steam and bathed in fire, birthed in ice.

Long, long ago Dragonfell was home to the great black dragons of Midgard, it’s bulk riddled with caves and tunnels leading into great arching caverns filled with the heat of slow-flowing lava. The dragons made this their lair, they reared their young and whiled away the deep winters in the warmth of Dragonfell’s core.

Many years passed, and it was thought that the last of the black dragons had long-since died, and in time, a castle was built on the flanks of Dragonfell, surrounded by a moat of lava and protected by traps, spells and puzzles. The castle was named Kastali Hyrriss.

Kastali Hyrriss conceals a secret, and many adventurers have tried (and failed) to solve the mystery and discover what is hidden beneath the walls of Kastali Hyrriss.

An adventurer by the name of Einmyria roams the streets of Gamlebyen, seeking knowledge of what lies within Dragonfell. She will reward any who can bring back information - and proof - of the secret of Kastali Hyriss.

See News 28 in-game for more information.