Soaring Into The Clouds

Vespera let out a whoop of delight as River soared up into the clouds. Flying was exhilarating! Buoyed up by River's strong wings, Vespera felt like she could touch the sky itself. High above, wisps of icy cloud decorated the bright blue sky. Far down below, Vespera could see the tiny speck of River's shadow pacing them along the ground beneath.

Before long, a new shape appeared on the horizon. At first it was shrouded in mist, but then the brisk wind cleared the way for Vespera to see their destination. They were getting close to an archipelago of floating islands, connected by narrow hanging bridges.

It was Halo Haven -- and it was beautiful! The sun gleamed off of the white domed roofs of the stately buildings scattered across the islands. Most domes were crowned by gleaming golden hoops: The halos that gave this floating refuge its name.

Vespera clung to River's feathers as the Raylen stooped into a shallow dive, spiraling downwards to land in a cobbled courtyard outside one of the largest buildings. Vespera leaped lightly down from River's back and gratefully stretched out her legs, a little stiff after the long flight. Now that they were back on the ground, a shimmer of magic swirled around River and lifted away from her. As the sparkles of magical energy dissipated, the Raylen shrunk back to her normal size.

"We made it!" Vespera cheered, affectionately ruffling River's feathery crest. "Thanks for the ride -- but now I can give you a lift, again." River fluttered back to her typical perch on Vespera's shoulder with a chirp.

"Welcome," a deep voice startled Vespera and River, drawing their attention to the edge of the courtyard. A dignified-looking man in ornate, red scholarly robes was standing there, and had watched the adventurous duo arrive. "What brings you to Halo Haven?" He asked.

"Hello, sir," Vespera greeted him politely. "On the advice of our friend Rose Clearwater, we're looking for Scholar Orion. I was told he could help teach us more about an ancient mystery."

The old man's stern face relaxed into a smile. "You're in luck," he said. "I am Orion."

"It's an honor to meet you!" Vespera said. "Is what Rose said true? Are you an expert on Fossils?"

Scholar Orion's amber eyes widened in surprise. "Fossils? Why, yes. I have long made a study of Santae's ancient past. Why don't you come inside, and I will show you some of my research."

Vespera followed Orion from the warm, sunny courtyard into a cool, vaulted library. Tiny specks of airborne dust glowed like little stars in the streams of light lancing down through the windows. The shelves were lined with books and scrolls of every description. Vespera marveled at the sight. This was truly an incredible place of learning!

Orion led the way to a desk where an enormous tome was resting. He opened the book and flipped through the pages with the ease of long familiarity, finally pointing out a particular chapter.

"This book is very old," Orion said, "but the time it describes is far more ancient still. Eons ago, large reptiles and other creatures unlike any modern type roamed Santae. They lived among the species we know today." Orion's finger traced down the page as he summarized the ancient record.

"But, the history shows, these ancient creatures gradually vanished over the millennia. They left only fragments of themselves behind. Fossils."

"Like this one?" Vespera said, reaching into her pack to pull out the Fossil she had gotten from the traveler.

If Orion was surprised, he hid it well, but his white eyebrows did climb higher on his forehead. "Indeed," he said mildly, but his eager gaze betrayed his calm tone. "May I examine this?" He asked.

"Go ahead," Vespera handed the Fossil over. Orion held it delicately, tracing one finger over the imprints of feather and bone with a reverent touch. He examined it with a keen, knowing eye, taking a few moments to observe every detail. Then, he handed it back to Vespera with a nod.

"A remarkable find," Orion said. "And one invaluable to the next stage of my research. Would you be willing to collaborate with me to try and unlock these Fossils' deeper mysteries?"

"Of course!" Vespera exclaimed. "What do you need? What could we learn?"

"I believe," Orion intoned solemnly, "that with enough of these Fossil Fragments -- we could return the creatures of the ancient past to life."

"If my theory is correct, we will need eight Fossil Fragments in total." Orion continued to explain. "But collecting the Fossils will all be for naught if we can't find the final missing piece of the puzzle. We will require a legendary artifact known as the Resurrection Stone."

"What is the Resurrection Stone?" Vespera asked.

"It is ancient, and very powerful. To put it simply: It is an item imbued with magic capable of bringing the Fossils to life." Orion sighed. "But no-one has laid eyes on the Resurrection Stone for centuries."

"All hope is not lost, however," he continued. "Follow me." Orion closed the book and led Vespera to another part of the library. He selected a dusty scroll and unfurled it carefully, revealing a faded map.

"This ancient map contains symbols and markings that may indicate the location of the Resurrection Stone -- but further study is needed before I could say for sure. For now," Orion said, carefully rolling the map back up, "we should focus on finding the Fossil Fragments. The Stone will do us no good if we don't have enough Fossils to resurrect!"

"Of course!" Vespera replied. There were sure to be more Fossil Fragments waiting to be discovered out there. "There are so many Adventurers exploring Santae every day -- if we ask them to look, surely they'll be able to help discover what we need!"

Before further exploring Halo Haven, we must figure this mystery out. Until then you will not see anything available in this area.

New Items are Appearing Across Gathering Locations!

Some new growth has been spotted in a number of different gathering locations across Santae!

Send your pets gathering with some pouches from Tangle & Tote for your best chance to acquire these new items to use on your adventure!

Hunt For Hidden Avatars

Looking for the perfect avatar to express yourself on the Forums? Some exciting new options are available to you -- if you're able to discover them!

5 New Hidden Avatars are now available! Unlock them all by exploring and interacting with the world of Santae. Can you find where they are all hidden?

Exciting News: New Beta Testers Are Arriving!

The time has come! Starting at Midnight Santae Time (SST), our community will begin to welcome a fresh wave of Beta Testers into Santae! We are beyond excited to have these new Adventurers join us, and we know they’ll make Amazing friends along the way. Let’s all get ready to meet new Friends, share Stories, and enjoy even more Gifting!

To our existing members: you’re Amazing. Your warmth and Kindness make Santae a wonderful place, and we can't wait to see how you help our new testers feel right at home. Be sure to spread the Love, share your Experiences, and make this an Unforgettable Welcome!

Here’s to new Friendships and great Adventures ahead. Let's make this Beta an experience to Remember!

Redeem Code: WELCOMEBETA

Expires: 2025-05-31 @ 23:59:00