Dark Age Of Camelot: A Message from the Deep

Sanya writes in the Camelot Herald:

As I returned from lunch, I saw wet footprints leading into my office. There on my chair was a thick bundle tied with twine, and someone had used my favorite marker to write "From Atlantis" on the top sheet of parchment. What follows is the content of that package.

THE TALE OF ATLANTIS

The Trials of Atlantis
The civilization of Atlantis was long-lived and prosperous. Their achievements in magical technology were unmatched among the ancient kingdoms of the world. With their magical supremacy, the Atlanteans spread throughout the world, interacting with (and conquering) other peoples as necessary. The Atlanteans fully shared their knowledge of magic to other peoples, but only if those others were deemed worthy. To assess the worthiness of a culture, a series of Trials were created. Anyone that successfully completed these trials was granted insight into the powerful Atlantean magic.

To create the Trials, the Atlanteans built separate planes of existence and populated them with monsters and beasts taken from the many different cultures they had encountered in their expansion. The lands and beasts of the Trials were bound by magic to play specific roles in the Trials.

The Atlanteans knew that their civilization would not last forever, and they built their Trials to last for centuries even after Atlantis faded from the face of the earth. With this foresight, through the use of the Trials they could continue to spread the knowledge of their magical power - even long after they themselves ceased to exist

The Fall of Atlantis
Atlantis was a civilization that had advanced further than any in magical technologies. They were always seeking more knowledge, and they were not afraid of experimenting with the new things they discovered. This was their downfall.

There was a time when the magical technology of Atlantis advanced further than their understanding of that magic. There is no known record of what magical technology the Atlanteans were experimenting before their destruction, or what it was they were trying to accomplish with it. (Legend has it that they were trying to create cities in the sky. Cities, that didn't just hover in the air, but traveled and attempted to control the weather and the environment around them.) Whatever it was, the result of the application of new magic resulted in the catastrophic destruction of Atlantis. In one day and one night the skies crackled and split, the oceans rose, and the land of Atlantis exploded from within in a fiery volcanic blast. What happened to any possible survivors of the Atlantis cataclysm is unknown. All that remains now are ruined pieces of the once great civilization and the planes of trials that they created.

The planes of trials were affected by the catastrophic destruction of Atlantis. The magic weakened, and while the planes were spared complete destruction, they did suffer some of the effects of the catastrophe. Some areas were flooded, others were altered environmentally, but the magic of Atlantis protected the planes from the worst. But while the magic of the planes kept them from destruction, it can no longer keep the areas pristine as in the time of Atlantis. Now, the structures show signs of decay and age, and areas that suffered some of the effects of Atlantis' destruction were never rebuilt. The magic's purpose is now solely to keep the planes in existence.

The area that suffered the greatest effects was the entrance to the first set of trials, known as Oceanus. Oceanus was built as a representation of what was finest in the Atlantean kingdom. The builders of the planes felt that the first impression made on participants should be of the architectural wonders of Atlantis. As Oceanus symbolized the glory of the kingdom, so did it come to symbolize the destruction of Atlantis. Much of the land was sunk into the ocean, leaving many underwater sections of the city and islands filled with ruins. Likewise, the creatures of the first Trials have departed greatly from the original tests, corrupting and twisting the intent of the creators of the Trials into new and, sometimes, more deadly perils as they evolved on their own and formed their own societies.

In summary, though it has been many centuries since the fall of Atlantis, the planes remain largely intact, yet perhaps somewhat altered from the intent of the Atlanteans. Many magical treasures and secrets of enormous power await heroes of enough skill, knowledge, and daring.

The Finding of Atlantis
For many years now since the death of Arthur, the remnants of his realm have been locked in a bitter stalemate. The realms of Midgard, Hibernia, and Albion have fought one another with little result, one realm holding sway for a time, only to be thrown back to their own shores.

Always the wise men and women of each realm have searched for a secret power that could help tip the scales and give them the strength to triumph once and for all.

In each realm the same thing happened. No one knows what triggered it, but the leaders and selected people of each realm received a vision of a strange and amazing land. The vision showed of people participating in competitions against fantastical creatures. Then the vision changed to show some brave souls being welcomed into a very large, elegant building while others stood beside them and cheered. As the vision faded, the voice spoke, whispering of the great abilities and power that awaited successful heroes in the lands of Atlantis.

In each realm, the leaders gathered to discuss the visions they had seen. At first, there was skepticism as to the authenticity of the visions. Some folk said the visions were sent by the gods, while others thought that they were sent by some magical source. Still others thought that false visions had been sent by their enemies to distract and deceive them. The skeptical ones soon changed their minds, as others in each land came forward and spoke of the visions they had received. Although they could not agree on the source, they all soon agreed that the visions were real.

Each realm organized expeditions of scholars and explorers to follow the instructions set out in the visions, and searched for the lost realm. Far into the frightful seas that encircled the known world, they discovered the remnants of a once-great land. Only a few scattered islands, dotted with ruins of magnificent architecture, remained. Each realm stumbled upon a different island in this vast, watery ruin and began to work to unlock the secrets of Atlantis. They discovered the Halls of Heroes, magical portals that allowed access to the Planes of Trial, and began to send through parties to investigate.

Soon word spread through each realm - that the other two had also received invitations to participate in the trials. The race was now on to see which realm would be the first to gain the knowledge and power of Atlantis.

FEATURES OF DARK AGE OF CAMELOT: TRIALS OF ATLANTIS

New Areas
The dimensional gateways that are part of the Trials of Atlantis are still functional, and new areas have become available for exploration. These new lands are populated by a variety of creatures and people. Whatever and whomever you meet in these new lands, rest assured they are of magical origin and will provide great challenges.

The new Trials areas each contain several outdoor terrain zones and dungeons:

Oceanus - A land of sunken ruins, islands, and deep oceans. This zone features sunken ships, destroyed temples and underwater caverns full of hostile creatures, as well as ships that players can buy and sail where they wish.

Stygia - Stygia is a searing desert where players will encounter creatures from a twisted Egyptian mythology.

Volcanus - A land of fiery lava flows, violent eruptions and blasted landscape. Here you will encounter many fearsome creatures, including the warlike Taurs. Also in Volcanus is a temple, a fiery hell hidden deep within the heart of an active volcano!

Aerus - Once-pristine forests on the slopes of a giant mountain. This was once the pinnacle of Atlantean civilization, where they perfected the art of suspending cities in the sky and had animated statues to do their bidding. Now decaying after the fall of Atlantis, the sky city has begun to crumble and the inhabitants to run amok.

Who Can Take the Trials?
The routes to Atlantis are open to any adventurer, at any level, who wishes to explore this amazing new territory and the Atlantean ruins. However, you must be at least level 40 to begin the first of the specific Trials of Atlantis. The trials must be completed in order, and each successive trial will have specific requirements before it can be undertaken. The non-trial content is geared for players above level 25th.

What Are the Trials of Atlantis?
The Trials of Atlantis were designed by the ancient Atlanteans as a test to find those most worthy of their power and knowledge. There are nine trials in all, and each must be completed in order. The trials differ from the type of quests you may be familiar with in that you will not receive steps to follow, but must discover clues on your own, conquering several encounters of varying complexity and difficulty along the way. In addition to conquering the lands of the Trials, the ancient Atlanteans required that candidates perform feats of heroism and valor in their own homelands, so for each Trial you may be required to prove yourself against creatures of myth in your homeland, or perhaps defend your realm against foreign invaders.

Master Levels
For each trial you complete, you will be awarded Master Abilities, chosen from specific lines tailored for your character's class. These new skills cannot be gained in any other way, and are rewards for the successful completion of the Atlantean trials. To begin your journey, speak with those in the Hall of Heroes.

Once all tasks for a given Trial are complete, advancement to the next Master Level (or Trial) is possible. With each Master Level. you will receive new abilities that will be useful in different situations, both PvE and RvR.

· The Master Level Trials are started by talking to the Arbiter in the Hall of Heroes, before porting to the Trial Planes.
· /Master in game will bring up a list of the things you have to do to complete your current Master Level. The information given about the encounters is sometimes vague, as the Arbiters have not yet unlocked all of the secrets of Atlantis. You must explore and adventure through the Trial Planes in order to discover some of the things you must do.
· You must be level 40 to start the trial for Master Level 1.
· You much be level 45 to start the trial for Master Level 2.
· There are 9 Master Levels total.
· Each Master Level consists of several encounters, and potentially some special PvE or RvR tasks. These will be shown in general terms in your master level interface window (/master).
· Upon achieving Master Level 1, you must go back to the Arbiter who will give you a choice of 2 Master Level Tracks to choose from. These Tracks determine what Master Level Abilities you receive.
· Upon completion of all of the requirements for a given Master Level you must return to the Arbiter in your realms' Hall of Heroes to gain your abilities.
· Each Track grants one Master Level Ability at each Master Level.
· While striving for certain of the Master Levels, the player will need to perform certain PvE or RvR tasks. The completion of these requirements is shown in an RvR or PvE experience bar located on either side of the Master Level Sheet (/master in game).

Each class gets to choose between two "tracks." These will determine which abilities you gain as you progress through the master levels. Here are basic descriptions of the tracks (remember that to receive the full extent of these descriptions, you must complete all nine trials):

Banelord
The Banelord uses his ancient Atlantean teachings to both weaken the
physical and mental properties of his opponents as well as aid his allies by
guiding their blows. His is the art of diminishment. Some of his abilities
include those that will drain power, endurance or health from his enemies.
He can also slow his foes movement on the battlefield. Conversely, he also
guides his allies in their strikes upon the enemy improving their aim and
their effectiveness.

Warlord
The Warlord has mastered the Atlantean arts of battle leadership and
tactics. His abilities reach out to aid his allies in the grand scheme of
their war. He can bolster the healing; power and endurance of those under
his protection. His presence on the battlefield can cause his enemies to be
demoralized such that they will be less able to strike upon his vassals.

Battlemaster
The Battlemaster lives in the thick of battle. He uses his Atlantean
teachings to guard and protect his allies on the field. His skills enable
his allies to avoid blows; strike harder; and endure the rigors of battle
easier. In extreme situations, he can even prevent blows landing on his
protected charge till he falls.

Convoker
The Convoker is a student of the ancient Atlantean artificers. He uses his
gifts to conjure both items and creatures to aid him in his battles. He can
create items that will aid in sieges by helping his allies or damaging his
foes. The pets can aid him and his allies both with intelligence and a
strong arm for battle.

Perfecter
The Perfecter uses the tomes of Atlantean healers long gone to improve his
allies' abilities and his medicinal arts. The power of his healing and
curative magic is increased and expanded. He has learned how to improve his
comrades abilities and natures. Finally, he can reduce the enemies'
effectiveness by dampening their magic.

Sojourner
The Sojourner uses his gifts to better aid his allies in their travels. His
arts allow him to move himself and others great distances and to clear the
path from enemy obstructions. He has learned to travel both upon the land
and in the water with grace and ease. His abilities can even reach beyond
his immediate companions and affect others that are traveling in his
vicinity.

Stormlord
The Stormlord brings forth the fury of the tempest upon his enemies. His
Atlantean learned arts allow him to bring forth storms that diminish and
damage his enemies in various areas of the battlefield. He can also use
these gifts to control the storms of his opponents thereby diminishing their
effect.

Spymaster
The Spymaster emulates the great Atlantean spy lords by sowing confusion and
misdirection upon his foes. He can obscure the minds of his enemies to make
himself and his companions appear not as what they really are. He can lay
traps that will damage his foes and also sabotage their fortifications and
siege engines.

Traveling to Atlantis
You can gain access to the Atlantean Remnants, which are your gateway to the Trials, by taking a special Atlantean ship, which will depart from one of the following locations:
Albion: Caer Gothwaite dock
Midgard: Aegirhamn dock
Hibernia: A new dock on the river at the base of the Grove of Domnann

The masters at the portal keeps in each of the realms have created medallions of passage that will allow adventures to travel to the Remnants of Atlantis.

Adventuring Underwater
Many of the lands of Atlantis have been sunken beneath the sea, and you must spend long periods of time submerged. You will need special magic to adventure for very long underwater. You will be able to "hold your breath" for 30 seconds before starting to take damage from drowning. After your "hold your breath" period is over, you will take damage every 3 seconds for the next 60 seconds until you have drowned (drowning will come quicker if you are at less than full health). The Mastery of Water Realm Ability will increase the length of time you can hold your breath and stave off drowning.

Here are your other options:

· Store-Bought Potions - There are stores which can be found in the Havens of Atlantis from which you can purchase a potion that has a duration of 15 minutes, has 3 charges, but does not increase your swim speed. This potion is useful for quick trips underwater or short hunting excursions, but for long raids or expeditions you will want to use one or more of the following options. See below for the NPCs where you can buy these potions in Atlantis.

Albion
Ruins of Atlantis - Ramzia
Oceanus Haven - Amabelle
Stygia Haven - Colsen
Volcanus Haven - Mouna
Aerus Haven - Teyrn

Midgard
Ruinerar av Atlantis - Kodran
Oceanus Haven - Domarr
Stygia Haven - Sevald
Volcanus Haven - Priska
Aerus Haven - Teklan

Hibernia
Scios de Atlantis - Deivin
Oceanus Haven - Torcaill
Stygia Haven - Bylana
Volcanus Haven - Kyne
Aerus Haven - Peggy

· Bounty Potions - You can buy water breathing potions at the bounty stores, using bounty points. Bounty stores can be found in their normal locations in the old world, or in the Havens in the Atlantis Trial areas (see below for a list of new bounty NPCs). The bounty version of the potion has 5 charges and each of which lasts for 30 minutes, and allows a player to move at 80% normal land speed. (note that normal abilities, spells, songs, and other speed-buffing magic will increase underwater speed just like land speed.)

Atlantis Starting Zones - Allyney
Oceanus Haven - Talen
Stygia Haven - Winn
Aerus Haven - Arlene
Volcanus Haven - Markham

· Alchemy Potions - Alchemists can create potions (greater nereid potion) that have 20 charges and last for 30 minutes, allowing the player to move at 90% normal land speed. (plus speed buffs).

Swimming underwater is not so different from swimming on the surface, except that you will have to use your Up and Down controls to change your depth. All other movement controls remain the same, as does combat.

Since underwater combat is slightly more challenging than regular land combat, you will get higher camp bonus experience for underwater encounters, similar to the bonus given by hunting in dungeons.

Atlantean Ferry Boats
The remnants of the Atlantean's magical ferry boat system still run throughout Oceanus, connecting each of the havens with each other. You can find the ferries at any of the docks near the havens. The name of the boat indicates which trial area it sails to.

To board a boat ferry, simply double-click on it and you will be automatically put on board. As the ferry approaches each dock, the passengers will be disembarked and placed on the shore. You can disembark from a ferry at any point during your voyage by hitting the 'jump' key (A by default).

Owning & Operating a Personal Boat
You can purchase a personal boat from a merchant in any of the three Realms. In each Realm, you can purchase either an 8-passenger boat or a 32-passenger boat. Boat merchants can be found in the following locations:
· Albion: Shipwright Higuel (Oceanus dock), Shipwright Pierrel (Stygia dock), Shipwright Fanceen (Volcanus dock), Shipwright Blisse (Aerus dock)
· Midgard: Shipwright Maik (Oceanus dock), Shipwright Ydeneye (Stygia dock), Shipwright Dyna (Volcanus dock), Shipwright Amunde (Aerus dock)
· Hibernia: Shipwright Tonwena (Oceanus dock), Shipwright Honyn (Stygia dock), Shipwright Duvian (Volcanus dock), Shipwright Cardixa (Aerus dock)

Once you have purchased a boat, it will become an item in your inventory. To use one:
· You must be near water.
· Drag the boat icon from your inventory and drop it in the water where you want it placed. If the water is deep enough the boat will be placed.

You can apply different paint (hull paint or trim paint) to your boat to personalize it. You can purchase different colored paints from the shipwrights. Just drop the paint onto the boat icon in your inventory to apply, and the next time you place your boat in the world the trim or hull will be tinted. Also you can attach bowsprits to the large boat in each realm, which can also be purchased from the shipwright.

Once you have deployed your boat into the water, you can board it and invite others to board it by using the following commands:
· To board the boat, type /vboard.
· To invite others onto your boat, type /vinvite.
· To start the boat moving forward type /vforward
· Click with your mouse on the water's surface and the boat will travel to that point. (Note that the water must be deep enough for the boat in order for you to set that point as your destination.)

Note that you cannot travel alone in a personal boat! In order to get anywhere, you must have at least half the boat's capacity (four for an 8-person boat and 16 for a 32-person boat). After that, the speed of the boat will increase as you add crew, up to the maximum.

The Artifacts of Atlantis
A long time ago, when Atlantis was the most advanced civilization ever known, items of great power and magic were not uncommon. When Atlantis was destroyed, some of these items found their way to the planes of trials. Today, these items are scattered throughout the planes, hoarded or used by the creatures that currently inhabit the area.

Scholars from the three Realms began finding hints about these artifacts in scrolls, tablets and journals that survived the cataclysm. In time, the researchers realized that the stories and hints could be grouped, and each group of scrolls explained the use and history of the individual artifacts.

Should you wish to make use of these ancient and powerful objects, you must uncover the story of each artifact by finding the appropriate three scrolls. You must also complete an encounter to wrest the item from the creature that is hoarding it.

After adventurers have defeated the creatures that hoard an artifact, found all three of the associated scrolls, and combined the scrolls into a book, they can bring the book and the artifact to the scholar in the havens who is studying that item. The scholar will then help unlock the magic that lies dormant in the artifact, in exchange for the knowledge in the scrolls.

Once obtained and activated by the scholars, the Artifacts of Atlantis will grow in power as you use them. They will start out weakened by the time they spent dormant. Each artifact has certain ways in which it needs to be used to gain power (killing certain types of creatures, using it in RvR in certain situations, hunting in certain areas of the world in certain times of day, to name but a few possibilities). As the artifact gains experience, it will unlock special bonuses, new magical abilities, and unique effects over time.

Obtaining these artifacts presents a new kind of challenge, unlike the quests you may be familiar with. There are no specific steps to follow. For example, you can complete the encounter first and then get the scrolls. As long as you do both, it doesn't matter what order you do them in. But you must have both the combined three scrolls and the artifact before you can approach a scholar to have the item activated.

Legendary Items
Legendary Items are the result of combining recently found Atlantean crafting knowledge with the best skilled crafters the various realms have to offer.

Based off of information that was found by tradesmen, scholars, and sages, crafters now have the knowledge to be able to combine the various elements found in the Atlantean areas with their previously created objects. Utilizing the talents of both mundane and magical crafts, they are able to create unique, different, and powerful items of various
types.

Legendary Item Weapons are the combination of high end base weapons, both spellcraft and alchemy components, and elements from the various Atlantean areas.

This combination will allow crafters to create weapons that hit with an energy force, instead of one that is purely physical. They also have the ability to weaken your opponents' magical resistance towards their energy type for a short duration.

New Graphical Engine
With the release of Trials of Atlantis, you'll notice that the lands, both new and old, have a new look. For instance, we have upgraded our trees throughout the world, giving them a much more realistic and lifelike feel. Also, we have upgraded the detail of the terrain throughout the game, allowing for realistic dirt, rock, grass, and cobblestone textures on the ground. Lastly, we have upgraded the game engine to NDL's Gamebryo engine, allowing for more detailed monsters and environments, with a myriad of new graphical effects, while at the same time increasing performance. See the newly designed options menu from the character selection screen for various graphical options available to you based on your hardware.

New Skinnable Interface
With Dark Age of Camelot: Trials of Atlantis, we have introduced a redesigned interface. The interface will include features such as resizable windows, scroll bars, and will be sinkable. There will be four new skins with Trials of Atlantis as well as the existing Classic interface and Shrouded Isles skins. In addition, you will be able to design your own customized skins. Detailed, step by step documentation will follow.

New Races
Recently, new allies have appeared to join in the fight for supremacy. One new race has appeared in each Realm:

Albion
Half Ogre
Due to some misunderstandings that occurred at the time of the Drakoran invasion, the Thrawn Ogres of Krondon consider themselves enemies of Albion. However, they were once allies, and at that time there was some interbreeding between Avalonions and Ogres, resulting in a new breed, now referred to as Half Ogres. These Half Ogres have inherited the brute strength of their Ogre ancestors and the intelligence and curiosity of the Avalonians. They may not react as quickly as the typical Avalonian, and some consider them dimwitted as a result. With very high strength and above average constitution and intelligence, Half Ogres are natural tanks, in many ways similar to trolls in Midgard, but can also make average spellcasters. Their dexterity and quickness statistics, however, are very low.

Hibernia
Shar
The Queen of the Shar has approached the Hibernians to offer her creatures in their struggle against Albion and Midgard. However, as the Elves well know, the Shar are inherently evil creatures, and do nothing that is good without ulterior motives. In truth, the Queen of the Shar has plans to help Hibernia defeat their enemies, and then, when they are weak, to turn on them and destroy them utterly. However, as the war is going badly, the Celts have argued that they should accept the assistance of the Shar. None but the Elves really know the Shar, and they are watchful and distrustful, but have agreed to this uneasy alliance. With fairly evenly distributed base statistics and high constitution, the Shar are durable and versatile, although they don't excel in any specific area.

Midgard
Frostalf
The origins of the Frostalf date back many generations to the time of the twin Svartalfar princes, Hauk and Enar, who, when their parents both died suddenly, were left to determine who should rule. One, and only one, could rule the kingdom, but they did not know which twin was the firstborn and therefore the rightful ruler. Into this situation came a human stranger. Being unfriendly to strangers, the Svartalfar meant to imprison the traveler. But the stranger suggested that if he could but speak with the princes, he could offer a solution to their dilemma - a trial of combat and magical craftsmanship - in exchange for his freedom.

However, the stranger was treacherous, and sabotaged Enar's artifact during the competition. With further treachery, he carefully laid the blame on Hauk. In the ensuing disruption, Hauk left the kingdom with a few of his followers. The stranger disappeared with the kingdom's treasured artifacts, and Enar became the ruler, but was terribly remorseful at having falsely accused his brother. However, despite Enar's pleas, Hauk decided to remain where he had settled, in Niflheim - a place of darkness, bitter cold and icy fogs and mists. It was the lowest level of the universe.

Generations later, Hauk's descendents came to be known as the Frostalfs, and they were recently discovered by a band of dwarves seeking a way to bolster the forces of Midgard. Realizing that their fate was still bound with that of Midgard, the Frostalfs have agreed to come to the aid of the Realm and fight side by side with Midgard's forces. With naturally high Piety they are especially suitable as Spiritmasters, Runemasters, Healers and Shamans.