Published by: The Santae Team
Secrets Within The Forgotten Cavern
Vespera and Orion quickly realized they needed another expert to help explore the possibilities of the Forgotten Cavern. Skylar -- one of Santae's foremost investigators of flora and fauna -- would be the perfect! Vespera sent a letter inviting Skylar to the Forgotten Cavern, and before long, they arrived. Finally, Vespera, Skylar, and Orion were ready to continue exploring.
The trio arrived at the Gathering cave, and Skylar spent some time familiarizing themself with the fascinating plants and crystals. When they were satisfied with their sketches and notes, they looked to the others.
"Where to next?" Skylar asked, surveying the walls of the chamber for signs of further paths to take.
Scholar Orion hummed thoughtfully, sweeping one foot to clear away some of the sand on the ground near the edge of the pool. The soft sand scattered, revealing a harder floor underneath. He could see that -- unlike the natural craggy walls of the cavern -- the floor underfoot was chiseled with ancient inscriptions and designs!
"Look at this!" Orion called Skylar and Vespera's attention to the etchings, and they all paused to admire the designs in a moment of awed silence. The layer of sand showed that nobody had been here for a very long time, but the presence of the mystical inscriptions showed that the depths of this cavern were rich with ancient magic.
"We should try to follow the inscriptions," Orion suggested, carefully sweeping away more sand to reveal the direction the designs were pointing.
"Good idea!" Vespera agreed. Together, the trio set off into another dark, twisting corridor through the depths of the hidden mountain cave.
They proceeded slowly and carefully into the darkness, leaving the soft violet glow of the crystals behind as they entered a new tunnel. Vespera, in the lead, was guided by one hand resting gently on the tunnel wall -- and by the occasional sound of skittering claws or flapping wings. Tiny gleaming eyes reflected the scant light within the passageway. The dragon Minimals were here, deep in the cavern!
After a few minutes of carefully following the traces of the dragon Minimals, a new glow became faintly visible up ahead. Vespera quickened her pace.
As she stepped into the next chamber, Vespera stopped short, causing Skylar to stop too, and Orion to bump into them from behind. "Oof!" he said -- then he, too froze, enraptured by the sight in front of the trio.
It was a chamber even bigger and more beautiful than the last, with a lush carpet of flowers and greenery sloping down toward a massive, gorgeous pool. The water cast rippling reflections of glowing pink crystals upon the cavern walls, and small golden sparkles of magic danced over the pool's surface. The walls were marked with even more ancient inscriptions that Scholar Orion eyed eagerly. The greenery carpeting the floor, the air, and the waters of the pool were full of dragon Minimals! Flying, frolicking, sleeping -- they seemed perfectly at home in the idyllic cavern.
"This is the Lair of the Quenaris," Vespera whispered into the cathedral-like space. "It has to be!"
"I think so, too," Scholar Orion murmured in reply. "But where is the Quenaris itself?"
The trio stepped into the center of the chamber, closer to the edge of the enormous pool. The waters were crystal clear, but so deep that the bottom couldn't be seen. The small, shadowy shapes of swimming dragon Minimals were all that could be seen in the depths.
"If the Quenaris is here," Orion said, "it probably hasn't seen any visitors for a long time. The secret of this cavern has been lost for centuries -- until now. It might not trust us enough to show itself."
"I think I have an idea," said Vespera, smiling at the dragon Minimals scattered throughout the cavern.
Community Event: Befriend Dragons To Draw Out The Quenaris
"Here's what I think, Adventurers! What better way to show the Quenaris that we're friendly than to befriend some of these Minimals?
"These dragons have known about this cave forever, even when nobody else remembered it. They've been flying here ever since we started investigating this mystery -- and for who knows how long before that. Surely the Quenaris knows them, and probably trusts their judgment."
"Let's tame as many dragon Minimals as we can -- that will show the Quenaris that we're friendly! I'll let Silvershade know so they can help as well."
"I'll help, too! If you've already made friends with some dragon Minimals, they can help convince the Quenaris to appear, too. We'll just need to collect them and bring them up here to Halo Haven!
"Bring me dragon Minimals you've already tamed -- it'll be a big help. And if you do, I've got prizes to share in exchange!"
New Supply Packages Help You Tame Minimals With Ease
The day at Silvershade's Ranch was coming to a close, and the Herding expert was getting ready to head home and relax.
It had been a great day so far. First, they had gotten an exciting letter from Vespera -- it sounded like it was time to prepare for taming even of the dragon Minimals still flocking around Santae. Plus, the last couple chores of the day had gone by quickly and easily -- almost suspiciously easily.
On their walk across the Ranch after finishing up, Silvershade finally put their finger on what felt amiss. There weren't a lot of Minimals underfoot like usual, and their usual buddy Quin the Quibblet was nowhere to be seen.
"Now that's odd," Silvershade muttered to themself. "I wonder what the critters are up to?"
When they arrived at the main building of the Ranch, they found out!
Inside was chaos. Minimals were racing and leaping around, playing with piles of toys and plushies heaped across the floor. Quin and a handful of other Minimals had scattered a pile of berries everywhere and were snacking away merrily. All the supplies that Silvershade kept on hand to share with Adventurers who need materials for Herding were scattered everywhere!
"Aw, come on now." Silvershade stepped inside to scoop Quin up and plop the Quibblet back on its usual perch on their shoulder. "Looks like you had fun, buddy! Why'd y'all have to go and break into all this stuff?" Silvershade addressed the playful Minimals around the room with mock sternness. "You know I'd play with you whenever you like!"
Silvershade surveyed the mess with a pragmatic eye. In a way, this wasn't all bad. They had been meaning to reorganize the materials soon, anyway. Silvershade got to work.
As night fell, Silvershade finally closed the lid on the last boxed-up package of Herding supplies.
"Done!" Silvershade exclaimed, and Quin let out a happy chirp. "This'll be much more organized -- and convenient!"
"These new Herding Supplies are sure to give Adventurers everything they need to tame a Minimal all in one place. I hope everyone finds them especially useful to win the friendship of even more dragons."
Herding Supplies is a new container-type item available from Silvershade regardless if you have insufficient materials to begin Herding. It can be opened to reveal a variety of useful Plushie, Toy, and Berry items!
TL;DR
★ Vespera and Orion discovered a new chamber deep in the Forgotten Caverns. It looks like the Lair of the Quenaris, but there's no Quenaris inside.
★ Community Event goal: Tame 10,000 dragon Minimals
★ You can also contribute progress toward the Community Event by turning in dragon Minimals you've already tamed to Skylar, who is offering Ancient Echoes clothing in exchange.
★ Silvershade is now offering new Herding Supplies bundles instead of individual berries, toys, and plushies
Published by: The Santae Team
The Twelfth Orb Appears
Orion beckoned Vespera out of the library, leading her to a small workshop in an adjacent building. "Let me show you what else I've been working on. As a resident of the Shadow Veil Pass, I'm sure you'll find this interesting, especially now that the Nether Moon has risen again--"
"Orion, wait!" Vespera cut the Scholar off. She was looking up into the sky over Halo Haven, eyes wide. Something was shining there, standing out against the clouds.
Scholar Orion fell silent, following Vespera's gaze. He squinted into the bright sunlight, then gasped. "Is that...?"
"I think it is!" Vespera exclaimed. "River -- we have to go see for sure!"
With a swirl of draconic magic, River once again grew large enough for Vespera to ride. The duo took off with a mighty flap, bounding up into the skies to investigate the mysterious object.
High above Halo Haven, suspended in midair, they saw it. There was no mistaking it: The final Quenaris Orb was here.
River soared up toward the Orb. Vespera reached out as far as she could without falling off to try and grab it. Closer and closer... they were almost there!
But then, with a mirage-like shimmer, it disappeared! Vespera's hand closed on empty air as River shot past.
"What?" Vespera gasped. River flapped in a tight circle, looking back and forth for the vanished Orb.
"Sorry, Orion!" Vespera called down after a moment. "That was definitely the Orb -- we can't let this opportunity go by! We'll go chase it down. I'll be back as soon as I can!"
Orion waved in farewell as Vespera and River soared off toward the horizon on a quest for a Quenaris Orb one final time.
The duo flew far and wide, eyes on the sky for another glimpse of the mysterious Orb. Vespera had a strong feeling that the Orb was still out there somewhere, traveling the skies just as she was -- but she wasn't sure where it would appear next.
The search consumed the rest of the day. As the sun sunk down toward the horizon, Vespera was napping on River's back as the Raylen soared. But just as the last daylight was fading, a squawk from River caused Vespera to snap awake.
River banked her wings to soar toward a sparkling speck on the horizon. "Did you see something?" Vespera asked, crouching down against River's neck to speed her flight. Then she gasped. It was the Orb! "I see it too! We won't miss it this time!"
Together, the duo sped toward the glittering Orb -- and Vespera snatched it out of the air. They had claimed the final Quenaris Orb at last!
Search For The Final Quenaris Orb!
The twelfth and final Orb is now appearing around Santae! Can you discover its location and claim it for yourself?
The Orb moves from place to place every hour. If you find the right location, you'll see it hovering in front of you -- the same way a wild Minimal wanders a location when you're trying to tame it in Herding.
When you find the Orb, you can claim it for yourself -- and, if you like, you can share the secret with your friends! The Orb's location will be the same for every Adventurer in Santae each time it appears.
Good luck, and happy hunting!
The Secret At Skybound Outlook
Vespera and River returned to Halo Haven as quickly as they could. When they arrived, they rushed with Orion to Ascendants Shrine. They could finally place the final Orb -- and see what secrets the magic of the shrine would reveal!
"It is time," Scholar Orion said, nodding at Vespera.
"Here we go!" Vespera reached out and carefully placed the final Quenaris Orb onto its glowing pedestal. Like all the others, it fit perfectly.
The faint magical hum in the air intensified as all the Quenaris Orbs flared with light. Slowly at first, then faster and faster, a great sparkling whirl of energy engulfed the shrine. Scholar Orion threw up an arm to shade his face, and Vespera squeezed her eyes shut. The surge of magical energy was too bright to look at!
When they opened their eyes, only a few sparkles of magical energy remained -- but something had changed!
The path leading to the edge of the Outlook now connected to a sturdy wooden bridge. On the other side, an entirely new island had appeared! A craggy mountain was suspended in midair, with two dark cave entrances yawning in its side.
"Incredible!' Scholar Orion exclaimed. "It's just as the illustration we were examining predicted -- an island was hiding here after all!"
Vespera approached the edge of the Outlook and paused for a moment with her hand on the arch in front of the bridge. She gazed deep into the caves across the way, brimming with excitement. What was waiting to be discovered within? "Let's go in! We have to go look."
Together, Vespera and Orion crossed the bridge and entered the cool shadows of the Forgotten Cavern.
They proceeded cautiously through the darkness, but before long a deep violet glow helped illuminate the cavern's interior. Crystals embedded in the walls emitted the mystical light. Vespera and Orion followed the sound of water through the cave's twists and turns. Eventually, they found the source of the noise: a chamber with soaring ceilings, enclosing a luminous pool!
Lush plants crowded the shore of the deep pool, unlike any flora Vespera had seen before. Deep in the waters, strange fish were visible as shimmering silhouettes. The cave was home to a rich, beautiful, and totally unknown ecosystem!
"This is beautiful!" Vespera remarked, turning in a slow circle to admire the whole chamber. "I'm sure there are all kinds of new things to Gather here."
"It is," Orion agreed. "But one thing perplexes me. This is supposed to be the cave of the Quenaris -- the Shrine, and the illustrations from earlier make that seem clear. But I see no sign of any Quenaris here. I don't even see traces of any dragon Minimals."
"Let's keep exploring!" Vespera said. "We can invite the Adventurers here to investigate. Surely together we can find the rest of this place's secrets."
Gather and Fish In The Forgotten Cavern
What wonders will we discover inside, Adventurers? It's time to explore every corner of the Forgotten Cavern and discover its secrets. By Gathering the items found there, we can learn more about this mysterious and newly discovered place.
Visit Gathering or Fishing to discover the bounty of the Forgotten Cavern for yourself today!
Conveniently Complete Your Apparel Collections With New Chests
The Cash Shop has two new items available: The Eventide Beast Chest and Corrupted Enchanter Chest!
The Eventide Beast Chest radiates fierce energy, encased in molten metal with chains and sharp, monstrous adornments. The Corrupted Enchanter Chest is an ethereal treasure adorned with mystical gems and dark tendrils, exuding a mysterious, otherworldly charm. Each contains the corresponding set of 14 wearable items -- a convenient way to grab the complete collection of these Ancient Echoes apparel sets all at once!
TL;DR
★ The final Quenaris Orb is discoverable! It can be found at a random location around Santae that shifts every hour.
★ Orion and Vespera placed all 12 orbs at Ascendants Shrine and revealed a new island with caves inside.
★ New Gathering location available: Forgotten Cavern
★ New Cash Shop items: Eventide Beast Chest and Corrupted Enchanter Chest
Published by: The Santae Team
Vespera's Orb Search Continues
After a harrowing night of camping -- and a strange encounter with shadowy Minimals -- Vespera and River were ready to stop by somewhere more civilized to rest, resupply, and continue the hunt for the orbs. Taking flight again, they left the spooky forest far behind. They soared far across Santae, finally alighting in the sun-drenched sands of Mirage Haven to resupply.
"It's a pleasure to see you, Vespera!" Melina greeted the adventurer warmly as Vespera approached the Mirage Grove Vegetables stand. "What brings you all the way out here?"
Vespera answered as she perused the stand, picking out some fresh vegetables to pack up as provisions for the rest of her journey. "The usual," she said with a smile. "River and I are working with a Scholar in Halo Haven to track down some ancient artifacts. There's always something new to discover out there!"
The two women continued chatting amiably as Vespera finished picking out her purchases. Eventually, Vespera passed over a pouch of sanPoints in exchange for a substantial stack of supplies.
"Wait, Vespera!" Melina called out as Vespera was finishing up packing her purchases away. The shopkeeper rooted around in a basket of carrots and parsnips for a moment before withdrawing something round and golden.
Melina slipped the object into Vespera's hand with a wink. "Here, a little extra for you -- since you're such a good customer."
Vespera looked down at her hand in astonishment. The object was sparkling with unmistakable magic -- it was a Quenaris Orb!
"Melina -- where did you find this? It's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for!" Vespera asked.
"I thought it might be, when you got to talking about ancient artifacts," Melina replied. "It just turned up in the Grove one day, and I figured I'd know when the time was right to pass it along to somebody else. I've heard rumors that a lot of shopkeepers are finding strange things like that in their shops recently!"
"Thank you so much," Vespera said, carefully stowing the Orb away.
"With this, we've finally discovered nearly all of the Quenaris Orbs. I should go show Orion -- together, we can make a plan to find the last one!"
The newest Quenaris Orb can be discovered while making purchases at any NPC shop!
Orion's Discoveries
Vespera went to find Orion in the library as soon as she returned to Halo Haven.
"Welcome back," Scholar Orion greeted her. "I've been busy while you've been gone. And it looks like you have been, too," he remarked, eyes locking on to the golden Quenaris Orb Vespera pulled from her pack.
"Yes," Vespera replied. "This is the eleventh one. Only one more to go, and then we'll finally be able to see what Ascendants Shrine is for!"
"About that..." Scholar Orion shuffled some papers around on his desk, carefully arranging two worn sheets of parchment next to each other. "I believe I've found yet another clue. Look at this illustration -- these two fragments fit together perfectly!"
Vespera leaned over to look.
"Those look like the Quenaris Orbs!" Vespera gasped, pointing at the left-hand side. "And that..." she peered at the right side. "That's the legendary Quenaris itself, isn't it?"
"Yes," Orion replied with a nod. "I believe so. And the most interesting piece is in the center," he indicated the central illustration with a sweep of his hand. "Where the Orbs and the Quenaris meet, there is an island!"
"What could that mean?" Vespera wondered aloud. "The sky islands of Halo Haven have all been thoroughly explored, and certainly no Quenaris has been found here in living memory."
"Hard to say," Scholar Orion replied. "But I'm confident that, when we discover the final Orb, all will become clear."
Vespera nodded. She could feel a sense of burgeoning excitement in the air. They were so close!
Orion smiled, seeing that Vespera was already eager to get moving again. She truly couldn't stay in one place for long! "I can see you're ready to return to exploring," Scholar Orion said, "but wait a little longer if you can. I have one more thing to show you, and I think you'd find it useful to take with you and share."
New Backgrounds Bring You To Sunny Skies And Foggy Forests
Two beautiful new backgrounds are now available to help you customize your HA exactly the way you like! Take to the skies and soar among sparkling clouds, or creep through the luminous mist of an ancient forest -- the choice is yours.
Is one of these backgrounds the perfect complement for your HA's newest outfit? Get your hands on the Shining Clouds and Essence of the Forest at Seeker of Knowledge and Shadow Alchemy today!
Book Art Refreshment
The Book Emporium shelves just got brighter! Eight beloved books across Santae have had their cover art refreshed, bringing vibrant new visuals to these timeless tales.
QoL Update
NPC purchase pop-up box's have received an update, they are now less intrusive on the purchase/fail responses.
TL;DR
Published by: The Santae Team
More Mystery At Ascendants Shrine
Vespera and River approached Halo Haven from above. River tilted her wings into a gentle, spiraling descent that landed the duo directly at Skybound Outlook, where the shrine was waiting.
"Orion!" Vespera called out as she leapt down from River's back. The Raylen returned to her normal size as the dragon magic fizzled out. "This last trip was a big success. I have five more orbs to show you! Two from the Berry Trees -- and then the three that will fit into the pedestals you wrote to me about."
Scholar Orion was standing near the inscriptions at Ascendants Shrine, contemplating the mysterious symbols. He moved to join Vespera at the pillars as the adventurer approached. "Very good!" He said warmly. "That's nearly all of them."
Together, Vespera and Orion gently placed each collected Quenaris Orb onto their corresponding glowing pillars. The sense of magical energy around Ascendants Shrine was growing -- the air almost seemed to hum with power as more and more Orbs were put into their rightful places.
Vespera and Orion surveyed their work so far. Eight pillars had Orbs, four more were still empty -- and two of the empty pillars were glowing!
"Ah! Let's have a look." Orion walked over to the newly glowing pillars to inspect it for clues, but after a quick examination, his eyebrows drew together in a worried frown.
"What is it?" Vespera asked, coming over to see for herself.
"The inscription on these pillars are worn with age," said Orion. "It looks like not all of the pedestals have stood the test of time equally. They're definitely glowing, but I can't make out what the markings are..."
Vespera peered closer. "Me neither. Hmm," she hummed thoughtfully.
"Well," Vespera continued after a moment, "because the pillars are glowing, we know the next two Quenaris Orbs must be out there somewhere. Mysteries haven't stopped us before -- we'll just have to search far and wide!"
Community Event: Where Are The Next Orbs?
"Adventurers, we need your help now more than ever!
"We know two more Quenaris Orbs can be found somewhere in Santae -- but we don't know exactly where. Please search wherever you can think of! When we work together, surely we can find where these ancient artifacts are hiding."
Two more Quenaris Orbs are now available for discovery!
Confront The Void With The Corrupted Enchanter Set
As Ancient Echoes festivities continue, Vespera has even more new items in stock!
These are the vestments of enchanters who seek to gaze beyond the Nether Moon and unlock the secrets of the void itself, but those secrets can come with a price.
The Corrupted Enchanter set cloaks you in fine white and purple garb accented by the inky blackness of the void beyond the stars. Meddling with forces of ancient, unknowable magic can also have… strange effects on those who seek dark knowledge.
A glowing third eye may open upon your forehead, giving you glimpses of the beyond! But don’t gaze too closely…Corrupted Enchanters may find themselves engulfed by eldritch tendrils of the void itself.
A Haunting Nighttime Encounter
Vespera could hardly wait to begin the search for the Orbs again. After conferring briefly with Orion and sharing a quick meal, she and River set back off into the skies to explore Santae.
The duo's flight carried them deep into the wild. They still hadn't reached a settlement by the time the sun grew low in the sky, casting long shadows across the landscape below. When the edge of the larger-than-usual Nether Moon started to peek out from over the horizon, Vespera knew they would have to land and make camp for the night.
River plunged down through the tangled canopy of the forest below, coming in for a landing in the shaded undergrowth. Beneath the trees it was already almost completely dark, so Vespera worked quickly to set up her tent and make a secure place to rest until morning.
It took a long time to get a small campfire lit. There was something ominous in the air as dusk darkened into night. Soon the circle of light from the campfire was just a small island of light in a pitch-black thicket of trees.
Vespera shivered, struggling to see beyond the firelight and into the dark forest beyond. No sliver of moonlight pierced the canopy, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was moving out there...
She kept catching movement out of the corner of her eye -- or she thought she did. A swirl of shadow. The flapping of a dark wing. The rustling of a black branch.
The campfire went out.
Vespera held very still, clutching River close to her side as she tried to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Her vision couldn't pierce the gloom at all, and she quickly lost almost all sense of direction as she looked back and forth. The blackness was complete -- not the normal soft shadows of a deep forest night. There had to be magic at work here!
Then -- a sliver of light appeared!
Vespera watched as a thin golden crescent traced itself through the air. Then it snapped open -- it was the shape of a luminous eye.
Another piercing golden eye appeared, then another, then another!
The eye-shapes shifted and flew through the air with the leathery snap of wings. The movement helped Vespera make sense of what she was seeing: Gleaming eye-like markings on the wings of a dark bat-like Minimal!
The crack of a twig breaking behind her caused Vespera to whirl around. She dreaded turning her back on the sinister bat, but she wanted to try and see what else was moving around out there...
It was almost impossible to notice, but she could have sworn she saw a patch of deeper blackness slinking through the back of the night on silent feet. Perhaps another Minimal, but it was impossible to tell for sure.
Scooping up River into her arms, Vespera dove into her tent and closed the flap. With such strange, shadowy creatures afoot outside, all she wanted to do now was stay snug and safe until the sun rose again and she could resume her travels!
Sleep came slowly to Vespera. Every noise outside the tent seemed magnified, and a mist of shadow seemed to be trying to creep in through the tent's edges. She tossed and turned as she dreamed.
Vespera dreamed that the shadowy mist outside was coalescing around her tent, forming a dark blob that threatened to engulf her and River altogether. The shadow creature took shape, opening two emberlike eyes. Then it lunged, opening a fanged, glowing mouth to bite!
Vespera snapped awake from the nightmare to see morning sunlight dappling the roof of the tent. She poked her head outside. The embers of the campfire were cold, but the forest looked much more normal in the light of day.
She sighed in relief. All those frightening Minimals were just a dream...weren't they?
Dreadveil, Krym, and Zyre are now available in the Cash Shop!
Hunt For Three More Hidden Avatars
Personalize your forum posts with three more brand-new hidden avatars -- if you can find them! Explore Santae to find out how to unlock these new discoveries for yourself.
The Berry Tree Bears New Fruit
A brand-new bounty of berries has been discovered at the Great Berry Tree! Several varieties of berry are looking more delicious than ever with freshly updated art. Plus, dedicated gatherers should keep their eyes out for three new never-before-seen berries among the branches.
TL;DR
★ Vespera and Orion discovered that two more Quenaris Orbs are available, but couldn't find any clear clues as to their locations.
★ Community Event: Explore Santae to discover the methods of acquiring the next two Orbs for yourself!
★ The Corrupted Enchanter clothing set is available in the Cash Shop and SanDust Shop.
★ Three new Minimals are available in the Cash Shop and SanDust Shop: Dreadveil, Krym, and Zyre.
★ Three new hidden forum avatars are available now.
★ Berry art updated, and three new berries are available in Gathering.
Published by: The Santae Team
The Quest For The Orbs Continues
The sun filtering through the leaves of the Harmonic Heartwood's canopy dappled the page of the letter in Vespera's hands with speckles of light. It was a note sent from Orion up in Halo Haven -- and it let her know that three more pillars at Ascendants Shrine had begun to glow!
"Perfect timing," Vespera said to River, who was peering down at the letter from Vespera's shoulder. "Now we have a couple more places to check before we return to Halo Haven! Ready for some more adventure?"
River flapped her wings and let out an enthusiastic chirp. It was time to hit the road!
The duo's first stop was the Azure Abyss. Everything seemed quiet along the luminous shore. River flapped over head, riding a gentle breeze that cooled the air as she watched the Abyssal Monster splash and frolic with some Adventurers' pets in the crystalline waters of the Abyssal Lake below.
Eldrin saw Vespera before she noticed him. "Vespera!" The Seeker of Knowledge called out. There was an uncharacteristic note of excitement in the wise elf's usually-calm voice.
"Hello," Vespera greeted Eldrin as she approached the edge of the Lake. "What's going on here?"
"It's the Monster," Eldrin pointed toward the leaping serpent in the Lake. Vespera looked over, puzzled. Nothing looked wrong with the Monster or the Lake to her.
"What about it?" She asked, puzzled. "I was wondering if something had changed recently, since Scholar Orion wrote that even more pillars had started glowing up at Ascendants Shrine. One of the markings he described made me think there would be something to be found here, at the Abyss."
"Excellent," Eldrin sounded deeply intrigued. "I think you're exactly right. The magic at the shrine -- that must be related to this." He reached into one of his robe's deep pockets and withdrew a shining Orb.
"Yes!" Vespera cried. "Where did you get that? That must be one of the Quenaris Orbs!"
"It was given to me by the Abyssal Monster," Eldrin explained. "Ever since the discovery of the Twilight Ore we have known there are many mysterious treasures beneath the Lake's surface -- but I have never seen anything like this before. If you are seeking artifacts of this nature, you should take it with you."
"Thank you," Vespera said as she carefully took the Orb from Eldrin and stowed it in her pack. "We're getting closer to solving this mystery -- I just know it!"
Vespera and River's next stop was closer to home. They crossed the river southwest of Azure Abyss and took the narrow valley road back into Shadow Veil Pass. As they moved deeper into the mountains, the craggy stone around them began to light up with the deep scarlet glow imbued by the Nether Moon overhead. Vespera wanted to check in on her Shop, and see how the Ancient Echoes Festival was proceeding, since they were near the area anyway.
As Vespera strolled the familiar streets of Shadow Veil Pass, a low voice caught her attention. "Vespera," the voice called. "Do you have a moment to speak?"
Invoker Imara beckoned with a white-gloved hand, inviting Vespera closer.
"Imara," Vespera greeted the mysterious artifact collector. "Always a pleasure. What can I do for you?"
The ghost of a smile was visible in the shadow of Imara's wide-brimmed hat. "I believe it is I who can do something for you. Are you not seeking certain objects of magical power?" Vespera leaned closer to look as Imara withdrew a smooth white orb from a pouch for her inspection. The orb was clearly magical: Wreathed in wisps of cloud, with a surface that glimmered with subtle prismatic reflections.
"You know I have my ways of getting my hands on unconventional artifacts. But this one holds no purpose for my own invocations." Imara held it out for Vespera to take. "Something tells me you know where this belongs."
Vespera took in Imara's knowing smile, wondering as always how the mysterious Invoker held such a depth of magical insight. "You're right," Vespera replied, "and I thank you. River and I will return this to Ascendants Shrine as soon as we can!"
Thrilled with their discoveries, Vespera and River set off for Halo Haven. Draconic magic swirled around River once again, empowering her to carry Vespera back up into the skies and return to the Shine with the Orbs they had collected so far.
As they approached Halo Haven, the flock of dragon Minimals filling the skies around the floating islands swirled around them. The swarm of smaller dragons soared and dived seemingly at random, sometimes coming perilously close to River's wings as she flew.
One swift-flying Velofang swooped directly toward Vespera on River's back -- it seemed like it was about to crash! Vespera threw up an arm to protect her face, but the small pink dragon flared its wings to check its flight right in the nick of time. It hovered above River's back for a second, seeming to peer closely at Vespera's face, then dropped something from its claw and flew away.
Vespera caught the item the Velofang had dropped on pure instinct, but when she saw what it was, she gasped. The way it caught the light made it almost look like a luminous dragon's eye. It was another Quenaris Orb -- and the Minimal had dropped it for her seemingly at random!
New Feature: Random Events
We are please to unveil the latest new feature being added to Santae - Random Events! They can happen to anyone, any time, and the first Random Event that is available today is in conjunction with the ongoing Quenaris Orbs Event!
There is no way to influence the frequency or type of random event that will appear other than being active on site. Our system will periodically choose people that are online (or have recently been online) to be chosen to receive the Random Event Notification. We'll be monitoring the system closely for the next few days and will adjust the activation of the event rates based on user feedback and system analytics.
We are truly excited to implement this feature and look forward to adding more positive Random Events soon! Let us know in the comments what sort of Random Events you would like to see appearing around Santae!
(Disclaimer: Santae will never implement random events that have a negative impact, such as taking items or currency from accounts, additionally you do not need to have your Show Online status turned on to be randomly chosen)
Community Event: Continue Collecting The Quenaris Orbs
Three new pillars are glowing at Ascendants Shrine, and that means three new orbs are now waiting to be discovered around Santae!
One can be found in the depths of the Abyssal Lake. The Abyssal Monster might be able to dredge one from the depths from you -- but with the right fishing and gathering equipment, you may also be lucky enough to discover one there for yourself.
Another has found its way into the hands of many friendly faces around Santae. If you complete Quests for any quest-giving NPC, there is a small chance you will receive an Orb as a reward.
As for the last -- random chance may just need to be on your side! Good luck!
Commemorate Your Quest With The Event Trophy!
If you participate at any point during the Quenaris Orb community event -- from taming dragon Minimals to collecting Orbs and beyond -- you'll receive a gorgeous event Trophy to commemorate the experience once the event concludes. Take part in the adventure today to make sure you'll receive this beautiful reminder of the magical Quenaris mystery on your profile!
This trophy will not retire so if you do not get an opportunity to earn it during this event, there will be future opportunities to acquire it
TL;DR
★ Vespera and River continue traveling Santae to discover the locations of three more legendary Quenaris Orbs.
★ Three new orbs are available for collection, via the Abyssal Monster or gathering/fishing at the Abyssal Lake; as rewards from Quests; and as a random drop while active on Santae.
★ New Random Event system has been implemented!
★ The art for the Quenaris Event trophy has been revealed!
