UO:20th Anniversary Event

20th Anniversary Global Event Arc

The Shattered Obelisk was scheduled to begin on August 16th, 2017 at approximately 11:00am ET. Due to a shard crash issue with Publish 98, the start was delayed to August 17th, 2017.

On 8/17/2017, just after 3 PM EST, the new flaming trade quest ambushes were deactivated due to a bug. They were turned back on on 8/18/2017 after server maintenance for all shards except Oceania. Oceania will be turned back on after server maintenance on 8/19/2017.

Non-Storyline Changes

The Town Cryer

The Town Cryer has been resurrected to publish new fiction for the first time since 2000. Issues are now released using a in-game item that looks like a newspaper, rather than being posted out-of-game to uo.com.

UO Store

Three new Haochi's Pigments have been spotted in the UO Store: (8/16/2017)

• Celtic Lime
• Minocian Fire
• Yewish Pine

Storyline

Part I – The Not-So-Ordinary World

This part started on August 16th, 2017.

"It is just another day in Britannia, or is it? In an effort to stimulate trade and bolster city treasuries his Royal Highness has announced a reduction in tariffs, giving a large bonus to all city trade deliveries. With an increase in trade traffic, royal trade carts are finding themselves ambushed on Britannia’s roads. Who are these unknown attackers and what is their intent? Are they merely highway men looking to score some easy coin or are there more sinister forces at work…"

Official fiction

2017-08-10: The Shattered Obelisk: The Oracle and the Bard

2017-08-16: The Shattered Obelisk: Enlightenment

2017-08-21: The Shattered Obelisk: Hickory Dickory Dock

The Town Cryer

2017-08-17: Feeling Pressure, Crown Announces Tariff Reduction to Spur Trade

Trade Quests

A proclamation from King Blackthorn has encouraged citizens to fill trade quests. However, trade quests are currently being ambushed.

'Curious' Items

New 'curious' items come as rare drops from doing trade quests:

Item	Skill required	Description
A Daemonic Amulet	Magery	The amulet bears a large pentagram hanging from a series of interlocking beads. Small bits of daemon flesh grind between the links as you manipulate them.
A Mysterious Rolled Map	Cartography	The map shows the location of several locations throughout Britannia, but none seem to stand out as noteworthy.
An Oddly Modified Gorget	Blacksmithing	The gorget appears to have been modified to fit the neck of a large creature. There are chafe marks scarring the interior showing signs of struggle against it by the wearer. Large rings stud the circumference of the gorget.
A Soul Trapped Within A Phylactery	Necromancy	A tool used by those wishing to entrap the souls of the undead and command them to do their bidding.
Boline	Swordsmanship	The crescent blade is crude but you surmise is formidable for performing intricate engraving work. The tip is stained with the shavings of wax and soft metal.
Dried Incense	Alchemy	The strong smell of sage and deadwood emanates from the bundle.
Folded Stole	Tailoring	Often used during official ceremonies and ritual this long flowing vestment is worn draped over the neck and is embroidered with pentagrams at either end.
Goblet	Tinkering	The goblet is relatively unassuming. The interior of the pewter cup is stained a deep ruby. An etching of a pentagram decorates the base.
Pentagram Adorned Wand	Arms Lore	The wand is pretty standard among other wands you may have seen. The twin shaft is made of cedar and is crested with an intricate pentagram made of etched rock, inlaid with blueish crystals.
Ritual Tome	Spirit Speak	The large tome is adorned with a pentagram, not uncommon to many arcane items found throughout Britannia. There appear to be pages upon pages of ritualistic instructions and incantations, none of which are in a familiar language.
Scourge	Provocation	Not unlike tools used to provoke a response from an intended victim, this whip is studded with beads of hard rock. The leather is stained deep red from repeated self use.

Unusually-hued items

Some unusually hued normal items have also been spotted as loot on brigand ambushers:

Bear Mask (hue 2683)

Cloak (hue 1150)

Cloak (hue 2406)

Cloth Ninja Hood (hue 2406)

Gnarled Staff (hue 1345)

Hatchet (hue 1345)

Hooded Robe (hue 1345)

Kamishimo (hue 1745)

Kilt (hue 1208)

Kilt (hue 1227)

Kilt (hue 1616)

Kilt (hue 1802)

Kilt (hue 1883)

Leather Gloves (hue 1345)

Leather Mempo (hue 1345)

Leather Ninja Hood (hue 1748)

Leather Sleeves (hue 1345)

Plain Dress (hue 2404)

Ringmail Tunic (hue 1510)

Robe (hue 1345)

Robe (hue 2306)

Shirt (hue 1201)

Shirt (hue 1224)

Shirt (hue 1324)

Shirt (hue 1416)

Shirt (hue 1427)

Shirt (hue 1512)

Shirt (hue 1520)

Shirt (hue 1536)

Shirt (hue 1540)

Shirt (hue 1547)

Shirt (hue 1637)

Shirt (hue 1650)

Shirt (hue 1708)

Shirt (hue 1714)

Shirt (hue 1723)

Shirt (hue 1729)

Shirt (hue 1731)

Shirt (hue 1746)

Shirt (hue 1747)

Shirt (hue 1809)

Shirt (hue 1824)

Shirt (hue 1884)

Short Pants (hue 1202)

Short Pants (hue 1310)

Short Pants (hue 1314)

Short Pants (hue 1525)

Short Pants (hue 1634)

Short Pants (hue 1710)

Short Pants (hue 1886)

Skirt (hue 1405)

Skirt (hue 1431)

Skirt (hue 1635)

Skullcap (hue 2406)

Other colors of clothing have been found, but this listing excludes any dyable colors.

Part II – Exotic Treasures

This part started on August 23, 2017.

The treasuries of Britannia’s cities overflow with coin as brave citizens take to protecting the commerce of the realm, hoping to recover otherwise useless trinkets of unknown highwaymen. Clues from those trinkets have raised more questions then they have answered. As the questions continue to mount, exotic treasures are found buried deep in the otherwise quiet Britannian countryside…to what end are these treasures important and what role do they play – only time will tell…

Official fiction

2017-08-23: The Shattered Obelisk: Talking Through Wisps

The Town Cryer

2017-08-23: Classifieds: Yearning for Adventure? HUGE Treasure Map Sale!

New Treasure Maps

To start this week's content, the Town Cryer's advertisement sends you to Needful Things in Jhelom, northeast of the central teleporters. There you meet an NPC named Al the Treasure Hunter:

Al the Treasure Hunter: Greetings Traveler! Is it fine provisions you seek? Then look no further!

Player: I saw your ad, can I buy some maps?

Al the Treasure Hunter: You and everyone else! Ever since running that ad we haven't been able to keep anything in stock, treasure maps especially! Look friend, don't take this the wrong way but you wouldn't want to get involved in treasure hunting. Dangerous business you know.

Player: I think I can handle it. I've got coin!

Al the Treasure Hunter: The coin is nay the problem! I merely do not have any more maps to sell!

Player: Perhaps I could find them for myself?

Al the Treasure Hunter: I suppose there is no harm in telling you...you will probably end up getting yourself eaten by something and my associates and I will scavenge that fancy gear of yours *chuckles*

Player: *eyes narrow* The location?

Al the Treasure Hunter: *nervous laugh* Fine, fine! Us Treasure Hunters get together every so often, and recently we have been coming across some strange stuff buried out there. Normally we find pirate treasure or the hidden stash of some highway bandits, but recently...I dunno. Instead of rusty chests there have been these...objects. I really dunno how to describe them. Kinda like a statue with weird carvings...and the flashes and thunder, really bizarre. Treasure's all there though, same creatures still protecting them, just now we been finding these statue things from maps recovered from Hythloth, Deceit, and Destard. Good luck getting your hands on one though!

Player: *nods* I'll have a look, farewell!

Al the Treasure Hunter: Well met, *mumbles* can't wait to come across your corpse in...I mean good luck with everything and thanks for stopping in!

The new treasure maps can be recovered from corpses while hunting in Hythloth, Deceit, and Destard.

What to Hunt

This lists all mobs from those 3 dungeons which are known to drop treasure maps:

Level 1: Plainly Drawn

• Blazing Gargoyle
• Burning Gargoyle
• Fiery Gargoyle
• Fire Gargoyle
• Flaming Gargoyle
• Gargoyle
• Gazer
• Mummy
• Scalding Gargoyle
• Scorching Gargoyle
• Searing Gargoyle
• Smoldering Gargoyle
• Sweltering Gargoyle

Level 2: Expertly Drawn

• Drake
• Evil Mage Lord
• Fire Elemental
• Stone Gargoyle
• Water Elemental
• Wyvern

Level 3: Adeptly Drawn

• Lich

Level 4: Cleverly Drawn

• Daemon
• Dragon
• Elder Gazer
• Lich Lord

Level 5: Deviously Drawn

• Ancient Wyrm
• Balron
• Greater Dragon
• Shadow Wyrm

Level 6: Ingeniously Drawn

None

Level 7: Diabolically Drawn

None

The Treasure Hunt

They can be traded between characters, and must be decoded by a character with Cartography skill.

Level	Cartography Skill Required
1: Plainly Drawn	27.0
2: Expertly Drawn	71.0
3: Adeptly Drawn	81.0
4: Cleverly Drawn	91.0
5: Deviously Drawn	100
6: Ingeniously Drawn	100
7: Diabolically Drawn	100

When decoded and opened, these maps will have an additional tag, "Recovered in Dungeon (dungeon name)", with the description "The map appears unlike other treasure maps common to this area. The map is much newer and includes detailed notations related to the treasure hoarde's proximity to major trade routes."

At the location given by the treasure map, once you dig, "A Mysterious Obelisk" will appear. As with all treasure chests, skill in Mining will be a great help.

A group of guardians will spawn, which must be killed. Then the obelisk must be destroyed before the treasure can be unlocked - target the green crystal at the top. A "Stone Base" will be left behind.

The Stone Base looks different, but functions exactly like a normal treasure chest. To unlock, use either Lockpicking or the spell Unlock on the top of the obelisk, not the base (the "Obelisk Tip" part). The stone base will then be trapped; the Remove Trap skill or the Telekinesis spell can be used to remove the traps.

While looting the stone base, additional mobs will spawn, until the stone base is empty.

New items found in the treasure obelisks

Scrolls

• Grant Peace
• Intervention
• Summon Perihelion

Double clicking on these scrolls gives the message, "*The scroll seems unwilling to unfurl. Perhaps it belongs in a spellbook of otherworldly origin...*".

Reagents

Item	Skill required	Description
Candle (black)	Magery	A rather unassuming candle, from what you understand it has some ritualistic use.
Candle (red)	Magery	A rather unassuming candle, from what you understand it has some ritualistic use.
Blackmoor
Executioner's Cap
Obsidian
Pumice

Note: This new Obsidian is NOT the same graphic as the old rare Obsidian.

Old version:

New version:

However, the other reagents are identical in all respects to the old items.

Part III

This part (partially) started on August 30, 2017:

• 2017-08-30: "This part is now active on Origin & Europa, and as we monitor the event it will become active on additional shards. Siege will be active following its next scheduled maintenance."

Skara Brae reels from the devastation of a recent earthquake, Britain’s farms are engulfed in an inferno, and Vesper is drowned in catastrophic floods – despite these events, the whole of Britannia seems mostly unfazed. Perhaps a testament to the resolve of the Britannian people, or are there riches drawing the attention of would be treasure seekers – to what end are these events connected? Will it be too late before that question is answered…

Official fiction

2017-08-30: The Shattered Obelisk: The House Between There and Here

The Town Cryer

2017-08-30: Murder in Moonglow! Lycaeum Ransacked - Again!

Map Changes

• Houses in the Britain farms are on fire
• Part of eastern Vesper is under water (you can still walk on the new water areas)
• There is a new crack in the ground, and mountain ridge off-shore, in the northern part of Skara Brae. (This change actually went in with Publish 98's client patch, but now the storyline has caught up with the map change.)
• New Necromancer NPCs have been spotted in Vesper. They do not yet seem to be active.

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Quests

Double click on the city herald to get the first quest. (It is not in his popup menu; you have to double click). You'll get the first quest, which is just to buy a newspaper from him, and to read it.

Upon doing so, you'll be offerred the next quest, which sends you to Vesper's Marsh Hall.

Marsh Hall

In Marsh Hall you'll find 3 NPCs wearing cloaks. Speak to each of them.

The Baroness

Baroness *She looks at you with disinterest and a furled lip*

Player: Begging thy pardon, may I sit?

Baroness If you must.

Player: Fine day? Care for some wine?

Baroness Oh? *she smiles a bit and extends her cup as if she expected it*

Player: Read the Town Cryer much?

Baroness I have one of my servants read it to me. I think they make up stories to sell issues.

Player: What of the ambushes?

Baroness People ought not to go on the roads anyway, dangerous places! Wouldn't catch me out there without my personal militia.

Player: What of the treasures?

Baroness I've got plenty of treasure, you could probably use some of it though *smiles slightly and shuffles away some*

Player: What of the Lycaeum?

Baroness Moonglow is too hot anyway! The climate here in Vesper is much more appealing.

The Guard

Guard What do you want? I'm off duty!

Player: Buy you a drink?

Guard Guards aren't allowed to accept gifts. But if you buy an extra mug of cider and I happen to drink it, no calling the guards! *winks*

Player: So you're a guard?

Guard No, I wear platemail because I like the way it tones the muscles in my legs during kilt season. Of course I'm a guard!

Player: Town Cryer has been troubling...

Guard Has it? If you citizens only knew the half of what we dealt with on a regular basis, you'd never leave your homes! Lucky for you there's guys like me who stand up to the scum of our society and make sure you are safe!

Player: What of the ambushes?

Guard Roads are dangerous places, always best to check in with guard outposts when going on long journeys. And carry a blade or bow.

Player: What of the treasures?

Guard Did they find the treasure inside city limits? No? Then I'll concentrate on this cider. *glug* *glug* *glug*

Player: What of the Lycaeum?

Guard We don't comment on investigations that are ongoing.

The Merchant

Merchant I'll have another mug of ale, and send over some bacon! All this ale has given me a King's hunger!

Player: I'm no wench, but could I buy you a drink?

Merchant Well met...and of course! I'm never one to turn down a free drink!

Player: What business are you in, mate?

Merchant I'm a dealer of this and that, a merchant of sorts. If it's *hic* something I can move off the shelves, I'm willing to buy and sell it!

Player: Have you read the latest Town Cryer?

Merchant That old rag? Don't know why we even need that paper - bunch of sensationalist stories if you ask me!

Player: What of the ambushes?

Merchant That sort of thing happens all the time, and that's what we've got the guards for! No matter, hasn't hurt my business - so nothing to be concerned about as far as I care.

Player: What of the treasures?

Merchant Who am I to begrudge some treasure hunters trying to make some honest coin? So they dug up some weird stuff, people do that all the time! Once I caught a pillow fishing - the strangest thing!

Player: What of the Lycaeum?

Merchant They need to up the security at the Lycaeum, less this sort of thing is going to keep happening - ah no bother. Hopefully whatever they stole ends up on the market and it'll fetch me some coin!

Sherry The Mouse

After you speak with all three NPCs, Sherry the Mouse, hiding over in the corner behind the bar, will pop up some text of her own.

Sherry the Mouse *squeak! squeak!* I hope you'll pardon the intrusion, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversations with some of the tavern goers *mousey-grin* Perhaps you could see fit to lend me your attention so that I may perhaps give you a different perspective of things? *the mouse scurries off to a corner of the tavern*

Double click on her to continue the conversation. She will offer you the quest "A Squeaky Request".

Sherry the Mouse *squeak squeak* Thank you for taking the time to speak to me! *mousey grin* What if I told you the recent events you've read about in the Town Cryer were the beginning of a terrible evil? I know...I know...you've heard it before and I'm sure you'll want to know what's in it for you. I can only tell you what I've seen and heard, and heroes like you will need to stand and defend Britannia against the coming evil. There are powerful forces at work in the ethereal void! I may be just a mouse but you don't have to take my word for it! Take this spell scroll and use it to travel to the Ethereal Void. There you will meet a mage called Mythran, please give him this note. Learn from him all you can, and together we may stand a chance!

Once you accept the quest, Sherry will give you 2 quest items.

A Note From Sherry The Mouse To Mythran

Ethereal Travel

Mythran The Thaumaturgist

Once you cast the Ethereal Travel spell (click on the icon in the scroll), you are transported to the home of Mythran The Thaumaturgist in the Ethereal Void.

First Level

Second Level

Note, you cannot mark in Mythran's home, but you can recall out.

Mythran The Thaumaturgist Given you haven't jumped into the void I'll assume your intentions are genuine, what's this? *You hand him the note* Sherry is persistent isn't she. She is right you know, even though I doubt Britannians will listen. The ambushes you've read about, the strange objects recovered from the maps? And now the incident at your Lycaeum? They are all related you know - and I'm afraid the situation is not good. If you'd like to read more of my research feel free to explore my home, the jist of it, however, is your world and my...former..world are on a collision course with an ancient and powerful evil. I know, I know, its something you've heard before - but you must understand. This is different. My colleague Heigel was researching at the Lycaeum. I haven't been able to reach him since the article in the Town Cryer about the break-in there. Would you check on him, it would mean the world to me.

Mythran's research

On the right side of the hall, a small table is brought to your attention with, "*You notice the drawer of the small table slightly open...* This is the research Mythran mentioned. It has multiple books inside:

An Updated History of Pagan, Volume I

An Updated History of Pagan, Volume II

An Updated History of Pagan, Volume III

An Updated History of Pagan, Volume IV

An Updated History of Pagan, Volume V

An Updated History of Pagan, Volume VI

Letter I - Mythran’s Plea

Letter II - Heigel’s Introduction

Letter III - Mythran’s Warning

Letter IV - Heigel’s Research

Letter V - Mythran’s Plan

The Reagents of Thaumaturgy

Spell of Ethereal Travel - Ort Grav Por

Additionally, there are 4 different books on the nearby counters, each also named "Research Notes".

Research Notes

Research Notes

Research Notes

Research Notes

However, attempting to read any of these books at this point will result only in "*You don't make anything of it.*"

Heigel The Scholar

You can find Heigel sitting in the back left of the Lycaeum.

(emoted): *Heigel is moaning in pain. His robe is soaked through with blood from a large wound on his abdomen*

Player: Heigel! Mythran sent me...let me help!

(emoted): *They are unresponsive*

(server message): You've found Heigel, however he is badly injured. The article in the Town Cryer didn't seem like the crimes here were as bad as they are before you...

(server message): Heigel's lifeforce has expired, perhaps you should examine him closely to glean additional information for your quest...

Double click on Heigel, and:

Heigel The Scholar *Cough...Cough* Heigel looks into your eyes and before shuffling off into the eternal void, he slips you a rolled piece of parchment. Looking into your eyes his dyeing words are, "Go to Mythran...Become the Warrior of Ether"

This will now get you started on the "A Dying Wish" quest, and place a Blood Soaked Parchment into your pack. Now go back to Mythran.

(server message): You found Heigel, however he was badly injured. Despite your best efforts to offer first aid, his lifeforce slipped away as you comforted him in your arms. You deliver the news and the parchment to Mythran.

Mythran The Thaumaturgist Heigel's death only underscores the seriousness of what must be done. Fortunately Heigel was able to isolate incidents across Britannia that are directly related to the recovery of the components of the obelisk. We must continue Heigel's research, with it we can recover the artifacts and you can become a Warrior of Ether! Only then will you be powerful enough to fight the coming threats from Pagan...

This will now get you started on the "Warrior of Ether" quest, and place a Pagan Spellbook into your pack. You also now can open and read the books in Mythran's house.

Warrior of Ether Quest

Objectives:

• Collect 1 Heart of Earth
• Collect 1 Tongue of Flames
• Collect 1 Breath of Air
• Collect 1 Tear of Seas

Part IV – September 7, 2017

Part V – September 28, 2017

References

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