The Coin Lords representative for Trivia and Events, Sir Lawrence d'Deneith returns with his next round of events! Join him as he tests your knowledge, and you attempt to win great prizes!

Event Schedule:

Friday, August 4th

7:00 PM Eastern / 4:00 PM Pacific: Adar
8:30PM Eastern / 5:30 PM Pacific: Xoriat
10:00 PM Eastern / 7:00 PM Pacific: Lhazaar

Saturday, August 5th

7:00 PM Eastern / 4:00 PM Pacific: Sarlona
8:30PM Eastern / 5:30 PM Pacific: Khyber
10:00 PM Eastern / 7:00 PM Pacific: Aundair

Go here for the full Event Details.

MMODB Launches First D&D Online Patrons Database

MMODB has launched the first Patrons database for Dungeons & Dragons Online! This database allows you to view which quests allow you to gain favor with which patrons, and how much favor is gained on each difficulty level. It also displays the rewards that you can receive once you earn high standing with each of these patrons.

You can find this database at the following URL:

http://ddo.mmodb.com/patrons.php

Stratics IRC is pleased to announce a new channel available to our users - #Stratics-Gaming! Interested in discussinga new game, comparing two games, letting people know all about your favorite game? #Stratics-Gaming is the place for you.

You can connect to one of our IRC servers through the use of your favorite IRC client, such as mIRC,Ircle, XChat, or whichever you prefer. Connect to irc.stratics.com port 6668 or whichever server is closest to you:

stratics.frws.com port 6668, USA - Colorado
irc.glowfish.de port 6668, EU - Germany
stratics.afraidyet.net 6668, USA - Texas
irc.epaxsys.net port 6668, USA - Colorado

You may also connect through our handy Java link which may be found right here.You must have Sun Java installed to use this which can be downloaded from the Sun Java homepage.

In addition to our new #Stratics-Gaming channel we also have game specific channels such as #Ultima-Online and #WorldofWarcraft. If you have any questionsonce you've joined feel free to join #IRC-Help and we will be happy to assist you!

Looking For Group Enhancements

11-Jul-2006

Now its even easier to find a group in DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™: Stormreach™. Check out the new enhancements to the Social Panel.

Looking for a group is now easier than ever. In April we asked how long it took you to find a group using the current grouping tool. You answered and made many great suggestions on how we can modify the design to make it even more effective. Since then, we have added a number of new features to make finding teammates easy and get you into the dungeons as quickly as possible.

The Social Panel has been redesigned with new options. The Grouping Windows now contains three tabs to help you find a group or add teammates to your existing group: LFG (Looking for Group), LFM (Looking for More) and Who.

LFG (Looking for Group)

The LFG panel displays all characters currently looking to join a group and go on dungeons. When you open it, you can see the character's name, class and level and sort them by these items. The LFG Panel will show the area and instance that the character is currently in, to allow you to gather in a common location more quickly. You can also see any LFG Notes that the player has left, in case they are looking for specific groups or just want you to know something about them.

When you see a person who is LFG, you can click on their name in the LFG window and then click the "Invite" button to allow them into your party. If you wish to speak with them, you can easily send them a tell by clicking on their name and clicking the "Tell" button.

You can also flag yourself as Looking for Group by clicking the "Player Looking For Group" checkbox and update your own LFG Notes on this panel. Your LFG Note will also display under your name in the Who panel.


LFM (Looking for More)

The LFM Panel allows you to show others that you are forming a group, and let them know what types of characters you are looking for. If you are a party leader, you can click on the LFM Tab and flag yourself as LFM by clicking the "Group Looking For More" checkbox. You can also add a comment to the LFM Notes to let people know what your party is doing and what you are looking for. Through the Class Selection buttons, you can specify what types of characters you are looking for. If you are not picky, just choose "Any".

Like the LFG Panel, the LFM Panel also displays the area and instance the Party Leader is, to help the party gather more quickly.

If you see a group you could join in the LFM window, you can click on that group, and then press the "Join" button to become a member. Clicking the "Tell" button will allow you to send a message to the party leader.

TURBINE SHIPS NEW CONTENT AND FEATURES FOR DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™: STORMREACH™

The Twilight Forge Module Adds Drow Race And A New Raid To Hit MMOG

WESTWOOD, MA - July 12, 2006 - Turbine, Inc. announced today the release of a second content module for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™: Stormreach™ (DDO), the hit game that has quickly become one of the fastest-growing MMOGs (massively multiplayer online games) in North America. The Twilight Forge module, the second in a series of modules to be released by Turbine, features a new story module consisting of a series of adventures culminating in an epic encounter against a legendary foe - the Warforged Titan. The Twilight Forge also includes several new features designed to improve game play. Turbine will offer the Twilight Forge module free of charge for all current DDO subscribers as part of its commitment to continue to grow the game for its legions of fans. DDO is based on the world-renowned DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® brand franchise from Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS).

Following on the launch of solo game play in June, the Twilight Forge module offers a host of features, including the introduction of the drow as another playable race, content for players of all levels, enhanced grouping tools to improve the player experience, an in-game mail system, an adventurer's compendium to track completed quests, a "favor" system to track a player's standing in the world, additional inventory slots and bank slots, and a plethora of new items, benefits and monsters. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is under license from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro.

"The Twilight Forge module introduces a tremendous amount of new content to DDO - the drow, new dungeons and enhanced tools to improve the overall player experience," said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "With the launch of this module, we have increased the size of DDO by over 25 percent since launch and added many innovative features."

In addition to the ability to create characters based on the drow, also known as the dark elf, players can expect to encounter new monsters from the D&D® universe, including the Mindflayer, Ogre Magi, and Warforged Titan. The player experience has been updated by including an improved user interface with tools that make grouping easier and the introduction of a new in-game mail system that allows the delivery of items and messages between other players regardless of their online status. Finally, the Twilight Forge module includes a new award system that gives players bonuses for completing dungeons on all difficulty levels.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE: Stormreach recreates the essence of the classic pen-and-paper roleplaying experience - with an emphasis on non-grinding, instanced quests that provide a unique, immersive experience for each party. Authentic features in the game include customizable characters; dungeons filled with devious traps; monsters and stories from the Eberron® campaign setting; an on-screen d20 (20-sided die) and a dungeon master. The unique online world of Stormreach™ is a bustling city with thousands of players from around the world. It represents a new paradigm for the MMO genre with unique features including party-based quests, integrated voice chat, real-time action combat, and award winning graphics.

Published by Atari, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATAR) in February, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™ has been enthusiastically received by many gaming critics, including The New York Times, PC Gamer, Game Informer and many more. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE: Stormreach is currently available in retail stores for $49.99. Additional information can be found at www.ddo.com.

About Turbine
Turbine, Inc. is a premier developer, publisher and operator of online subscription entertainment and is headquartered in Westwood, Massachusetts. The company is one of the largest privately-held online games company in North America. Turbine's catalogue includes some of the most famous online entertainment brands, including Asheron's Call®, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™: Stormreach™, and The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™. For more information on Turbine and its services, please visit www.turbine.com.

About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) develops interactive games for all platforms and is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company's 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre-defining franchises such as DRIVER™, The Matrix™ (Enter The Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo), and Test Drive®; and mass-market and children's franchises such as Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues™ and Dora the Explorer™, and Dragon Ball Z®. Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext - ISIN: FR-0000052573), the largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit www.atari.com.

About The HASBRO PROPERTIES GROUP
The Hasbro Properties Group (HPG), the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc., (NYSE:HAS), translates one of the industry's richest portfolios of brands into a world of fun and excitement for children and adults globally. Through a host of publishing, digital media, lifestyle and entertainment platforms, HPG is able to surround fans worldwide with consumer products that expand Hasbro's core brands, such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, MY LITTLE PONY, MONOPOLY, G.I. JOE, TONKA and PLAYSKOOL.

# # #

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, STORMREACH, EBERRON and Wizards of the Coast and related logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast Inc. in the U.S. and/or other jurisdictions, and are used with permission. Hasbro and its logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other jurisdictions, and are used with permission. Atari and the Atari logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc. Turbine and the Turbine logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Turbine, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other jurisdictions. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

There were three fixes in tonight’s release:

First, there was a code change to prevent the server crashes we were experiencing on a few of the live worlds.

Second, several fixes to the experience point panel to correct the display and xp calculation issues that were reported. The experience rewards are being calculated correctly and the xp panel should correctly reflect that.

Third, the stacking issue with three returning weapons has been fixed on the server-side so that they are now Bind on Acquire and have stacks of only 1. Since this is only a server-side fix, the game clients will display them as their old stack numbers but they will function as if the stack count was 1. If you find that you can’t split a stack of 50 of a returning weapon, that is the correct behavior since the server thinks there’s only one in the stack. A future patch will fix this display issue.

Please join us on Thursday, July 13, 2006 for a Dungeons and Dragons Online House of Commons at 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern in the #StraticsHoC channel on Stratics IRC.

You can connect to one of our IRC servers through the use of your favorite IRC client, such as mIRC, ircle, xchat, or whichever you prefer. Connect to irc.stratics.com port 6668 or whichever server is closest to you:

• stratics.frws.com port 6668, USA - Colorado
• irc.glowfish.de port 6668, EU - Germany
• irc.glowfish.de port 6668, EU - Germany
• irc.epaxsys.net port 6668, USA - Colorado

You may also connect through our handy Java link which may be found right here.

You must have Java installed to use this which can be downloaded from the Java Homepage.

General chat relating to DDO will take place before, during, and after the chat in room #ddo. We hope to see you there!

MMO DB Launches Dungeons & Dragons Online Database

MMODB.com launches aiming for #1 MMORPG database resource website position.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – August 18, 2006 – MMO DB is happy to announce the official launch of its database resource website for the MMORPG community. It has launched databases for one of the most popular online games today: Guild Wars.

After many months of hard work, MMO DB’s databases are live full of useful data and resources for every MMORPG gamer. . The Dungeons & Dragons Online database contains the latest detailed information on Monsters, Items, NPCs, Quests, Skills, Spells, Zones and Maps.

MMO DB’s content is updated daily to keep up with changes in the various games and to give players the most accurate information available. It is in the process of developing databases for World of Warcraft, Lineage 2, Final Fantasy XI, and Star Wars Galaxies.

To see all what our databases have to offer, visit our URLs:

Dungeons & Dragons Online Database - http://ddo.mmodb.com/

About MMO DB
MMO DB is the best resource for all your data and information needs for massively multiplayer online games (MMORPGs). It features databases for games like Guild Wars, Everquest 2, and Dungeons & Dragons Online. It is also set to launch databases for World of Warcraft, Lineage 2, Star Wars Galaxies and just about any large MMORPG in the market today and in the future. For more information about MMO DB contact webmaster@mmodb.com.

Introducing... Stratics Links!

Welcome to Stratics Links, your new online gaming informational resource provided by the Stratics Network!

A compilation of websites all in one place, maintained and supported by our Stratics Staff, and you - our community! You can provide new links, share information on existing links, provide feedback, and help us maintain this fantastic resource of MMORPG-related sites that are available to you!

Now, you can share, bookmark, rate, and submit links! Yes... you can submit links to be added to the database! You can create folders to manage your bookmarks! You can sort those bookmarks based on preferences you set! There is so much customization to the functionality... it's fantastic to finally be able to keep all of your favorites in one location, and share them with all of your friends!

To get started, just go to Stratics Links, and on the left-hand menu you'll see "Register". Once you have registered, when you log in you can quickly access your bookmarked links by clicking on "My Bookmarks" in the left menu.

This service is free to all of our Stratics users, so don't delay! We look forward to seeing your favorite links and sharing ours with you!

Your Stratics Network Staff

Explore The Restless Isles
06-Jul-2006

The Restless Isles – Outdoor Adventure Area

Long ago, the Restless Isles were a chain of peaks linked by a labyrinth of tunnels and caverns. This natural fortress was transformed into a war foundry by the ancient lords of Dal Quor in their battle against the giants of Xen'drik. Known as the 'Twilight Forge,' this armory created warforged and other weapons for the cataclysmic war that ultimately ended in defeat for the quori and ruin for the giants.

Thousands of years have passed since then, and the land has been inundated with water from the Thunder Sea. Only the tops of the peaks remain above sea level, but quori-reinforced tunnels continue to link the islands in this mysterious chain. Although the quori are 40,000 years gone, their strange architecture survives. So do the wildmen -- a race of crazed humanoids known nowhere else in Eberron, and presumed to have evolved from servants that the quori left behind.

The players land safely on the Foothold, a tiny island now populated by smugglers and used as a transfer point for priceless artifacts. But the rest of the islands are dominated by an invading race of magic-wielding ogres and their evil masters, as well as enslaved and vicious wildmen. Only a powerful party will survive the challenges of the Restless Isles!

Dungeons found in the Restless Isles:

Cartamon's Shipping Warehouse (CR 10)
Baudry Cartamon is once again locked in a struggle with the bugbear smuggler, Hazadill, who has cut a deal with the Aurum and returned to prominence as a powerful crime boss. The players must delve into Hazadill's new lair -- located where Baudry Cartamon least expected it -- and discover the source of Hazadill's sudden fortunes.

Ghola Fan's Compound (CR 10)
Since the old khan's death, the ogre mage named Ghola-Fan rules the Runetusk Ogres with a clenched fist. But some of the Runetusks are disturbed by Ghola-Fan's alliance with the illithids. Following the advice of the ogre renegade Mul-Tong, players must storm the compound and challenge Ghola-Fan himself. But clever players might discover a way to infiltrate Ghola-Fan's compound without alerting its guards...

The Shrieking Mines (CR 10)
The enslaved wildmen work in dangerous conditions, mining resonant crystal from the deadly Shrieking Mines. Many wildmen who descend into the mines never escape, and not all deaths are due to natural dangers -- the illithids find this place a ready source of victims. Can the players free the wildmen from their bondage? Will the bloodthirsty wildmen turn against the players when their captors are slain?

The Twilight Forge (CR 11)
Buried beneath the largest of the Restless Isles, the Twilight Forge was built by quori invaders and used to wage war against the ancient giants. Now the Twilight Forge has been re-occupied by the mind flayers and their new minions. The fires of the forge burn brightly as weapons are created for a fresh assault on Xen'drik. Only the most cunning of heroes will survive the fiendish puzzles and traps of the Twilight Forge -- and only the strongest of will and body can hope to defeat the illithid mastermind!

The Twilight Forge (CR 11) – Raid Boss
The Warforged Titan was built to fight a war that ended 40,000 years ago. Now it awakens to its ancient purpose....

Restless Isles Q&A

• What level will you need to be to access the Restless Isles? Lower-level players can tag along with their veteran friends, but the recommended levels are 7-10. The Restless Isles contain some of the toughest challenges in the game!
  
  
• Will we encounter new creatures? Yes! For example, the devious Ogre Mage...
  
  
• Will we find new loot and items? Yes! There are new and unique items to be found in the Restless Isles. Click here for a sneak peek.

Weekly Development Activities: July 5, 2006
05-Jul-2006

Check out the latest updates to the "Weekly Development Activities." The goal for this feature is to give solid expectations on what you can expect to see in future updates.

In QA
These items are in QA and should be a part of the Twilight Forge Module. Please note: this list is still a work in progress and should not be viewed as final.

Performance

• NEW – Xbox 360 controllers will be more responsive to player input. In particular players will now be able to run at full speed.

UI Improvements

• NEW – You will be able to turn "loot spam" off if you want.
• NEW – Players will be able to enter up to 256 characters into the chat bar before having to start a new line.
• We are adding Guild Names! They will be visible under player names.
• Party Member names will be distinguished from other player names by color.
• The colors for names of party members, other players, npcs, and monsters will be able to be changed.
• Displayed damage values for sneak attacks and critical hits will appear in a distinctive fashion.
• Hostile monsters names will now appear in a configurable color (default red). Friendly or neutral monster’s names will look like NPCs names rather than hostile monster’s names.
• “Accept Choice” is no longer mapped to the number pad enter key by default. Existing players will still have this mapped to the number pad enter key and will need to change the setting on their own if they wish to unmap it. "Accept Choice" is intended to be what you use to answer "yes" to dialogs in the game. This change will prevent players from accidentally releasing from their body when they did not wish to.
• When dragging items over the equipment slots in the UI, they will only highlight if the slot is compatible with the item. In addition, whenever you select an item, all of the compatible inventory slots will be highlighted.
• The latency meter will be located in the main menu bar. Also, the latency meter will no longer want to be on top of everything (tooltips, for example).
• Apostrophes and spaces will once again be allowed in player surnames and guild names.
• The player biography panel will be adjusted to allow for more punctuation and printable character types.
• The alive/incapacitated/dead state of members of your fellowship will update properly even when your group members are far from you.
• The tooltip for feats will display how many times you have acquired the feat if you have acquired it more then once.
• The tooltip for "Sneak Attack" will display how much extra damage you cause when performing a sneak attack.
• Correcting a text error with the tooltip for Greater Bane items that improperly states that Greater Bane is a +2 bonus instead of a +4 bonus.
• Alerts for "Missing Spell Component" will now list what the missing component is.
• The “/help alias” description of the /alias command is being updated to properly reflect /alias’ capabilities.
• There is now an option to ignore all guild invites.
• Guild invites from squelched players will now be ignored.
• The correct error message will now be displayed if your guild invite expires.
• If you die from constitution damage you will no longer have an ability damage icon appear on your screen after you have resurrected.
• In order to explain the death penalty more clearly, the Death Penalty tooltip will be changed to read "You are significantly below the minimum amount of experience points required for your level. Your maximum hit points and spell points have been reduced, and you suffer a penalty to your attack rolls, saves, skills, and caster level."
• When you hover over the icon for items in your inventory, shops, chests, and reward UI, you will receive the examination information in a tooltip. This is in addition to the current method of examination (using the "z" key or the magnifying glass on the focus orb).
• The effect descriptions will be displayed directly upon examination, you will no longer need to hover over the effect names to get the descriptions from a tooltip.
• We are fixing a display issue where players who are wearing a +Con item or are under the effect of a +Con spell during level advancement see an incorrect increase to hit points.
• The "Play this Character" button in character generation will be renamed to "Create this Character" to more accurately describe what the button does.
• Pressing the "Default" button at the bottom of the options panel is incorrectly setting Engine Speed to "Very Low". It will be fixed to correctly set it to "Very High".
• NEW – Ctrl-k will no longer bring up the UI diagnostic screen.

General

• NEW – The dwarven racial save bonus against magic effects will work against bestow curse.
• We are adding a new emote into the game! You will soon be able to /eat.
• You will now be able to log out while incapacitated.
• You will no longer be able to be both exhausted and fatigued; exhaustion will remove and block fatigue.
• The upper limit of 40 on skills will be removed.
• We are changing the way “Over Time” spells and effects work. The intervals will be closer together (i.e., 2 seconds instead of 6 seconds), but will do less damage/benefit during each interval. There will be no change to the total amount of damage/benefit, this is purely a change to how the damage/benefit is spread out over time. This change also applies to the way lava does damage over time.
• Owing to their construct nature, Warforged will find that they are able to hold their breath under water significantly longer than they could before.
• Human males are being given a more “manly” run.
• You can no longer hear the sounds of dead party members running along with you.

Combat

• NEW – Repeating crossbow users rejoice, the machinegun issue will soon be gone.
• NEW – The "no dice shown when attacking a fire reaver" bug should be fixed; it caused an intermittent problem (with all monsters, but particularly noticeable with fire reavers and ice flensers) where you would make a melee swing, and see no dice, combat chat, or damage.
• All enemy trip and knockdown attacks (including Grease) will give the player a reflex save attempt every 2 seconds for the duration of the knockdown. This mechanic is most likely changing again in the future.
• Ranger's favored enemy bonus will now apply a +2 to the bluff skill against favored enemies.
• All races will be able to cause damage when they attempt to attack while sneaking with a shield.
• The display for your party member’s HP/SP bars will refresh more frequently.
• We are fixing a display issue where the damage over time component of Slicing Blow isn’t displaying properly (please note: the DOT is occurring properly, it just isn’t displaying properly.).
• We are fixing a display error that sometimes causes the damage numbers over your target's head to be incorrect when a sneak attack is performed while the precision attack feat is active.

Enhancements

• Warforged with Improved Fortification will no longer be healed, even if they have taken the "Healer's Friend" enhancement.

Items

• NEW – We are fixing a bug that causes some bracers to be created without their intended effects.
• NEW – Light Hammers will get the benefits of Weapon Finesse Feat.
• NEW – Potions of Remove Fear will now actually remove fear effects. The potion retains its bonus to saving throws vs Fear.
• Common collectables will have their stack sizes increased to 99.
• Wizards and Sorcerers will have a greater chance to receive Damage Amplification modified weapons as part of NPC-based quest rewards.
• Scrolls for Death Ward and Ball Lightning will be added to the game.
• Outsider-Chaotic, Outsider-Lawful, and Outsider-Evil Bane effects will function correctly on the appropriate monsters.
• We are adding Immunity special effects to treasure effects (for example, Proof against Poison).
• The Kundarak Warding Shield’s minimum level requirement will be changed from level 2 to level 10 for shields looted after this change goes live.
• Any wand offered as a quest reward will now be fully charged.
• We have fixed a display error in the description text for mithril armor where the text stated that mithril armor was a medium armor instead of a light armor. This was a text error only and will not change performance.

Spells

• NEW – Icestorm will no longer hit people for extra damage (you will be hit once for cold damage and once for bludgeon damage, but previously you were being hit twice by both.)
• NEW – Melf’s acid arrow will not invoke spell resistance.
• NEW – Shout will no longer have deafen as one of its effects.
• Jump spell bonus will increase to 20 at 5th level and 30 at 9th level.
• The Phantasmal Killer spell will include a will save to disbelieve and completely negate the effects (this will bring it in line with the Player’s Handbook 3.5 rules).
• We are fixing a problem where the Flame Arrow spell can fail based upon your spell resistance.
• We are fixing a problem where holy smite is not properly stunning evil creatures.
• Lightning bolt and flaming sphere would periodically hit targets more than once. This issue will be fixed.
• The Divine power spell is being fixed to properly apply the correct amount of temporary hit points to its target.
• We are fixing the Bard song “Inspire Greatness” and the spell “Greater Heroism” so that their greatness effects will no longer prematurely end when the bonus temporary hit points are used up.
• Melf’s Acid Arrow is having its look and effects changed so that it appears bigger and brighter.
• We are fixing an issue where if you’ve been hit by multiple blindness spells, all of the spells would end as soon as the first spell expired. Now your full sight won’t be restored until the final blindness effect has ended.
• The "doom" spell will now properly give you a -2 to your attack rolls (as per D&D rules).
• Having the benefit "Improved Heightening" will no longer give a discount to spells that are already maximum level.
• The poison spell will now show immunity effects if cast on an immune target.
• When you resist a spell due to an item of spell resistance, it will now send feedback to the combat chat tab.

Monsters

• NEW – Skeleton Arcii will be slightly easier to turn.
• NEW - Monster Drow will no longer be caught sleeping, as elves do not sleep.
• NEW - We are fixing a problem with the animation for tripped/knocked down monsters. This is an animation issue only.
• We are adjusting several monsters’ vulnerability to light. Ghouls, wights, skeletons and slimes will no longer take extra damage from light. On the other hand, Vampires will be more vulnerable to light.
• The Beholder’s Scorching Ray eyebeam will function properly. Beholders will also no longer be able to shoot through walls. Dead beholders will no longer emit antimagic fields. Vorpal weapons will no longer effect Beholders.
• The alchemist fire thrown by kobolds will have a reflex save for half damage instead of having the regular to-hit roll.
• We are making some adjustments to Fleshrender, Ice Flenser, and Fire Reaver AI's.
• Storm Giant's arrows will no longer disappear before being fired, and will also now fire from their bow.
• The Guardian of the Seal of Shan-to-Kor will now be less likely to walk on top of people (float) during combat.
• Xorian skeletons will no longer be immune to fire.
• Casting “Blind” on Velah the Dragon will have no effect.
• When a wraith kills something that is already undead, it will not spawn a new wraith.
• Icestorm will have the proper visual effects when cast by troglodytes, kobolds, and hobgoblins.
• We are fixing a bug that is incorrectly inflating trolls’ vulnerability to poison. In conjunction with this fix, we are also raising the strength and damage capabilities of trolls and ogres on the “hard” and “elite” settings.
• NEW - Monsters will no longer look like they are "moonwalking."

NPCs

• NEW - The Brothers and Sisters of the Silver Flame stationed in Taverns to resurrect fallen heroes will also cast several curative spells for a small donation to the Church. The spells available are Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Remove Blindness (if you can find your way to the tavern), Restoration and Heal. Those the Church of the Silver Flame feel are Reclaimed will be given a significant discount.
• Henda Boulderbreaker will actually pay you if you win your gambling game.
• All vendors in House Jorasco once again give price discounts for finishing the Delera's Tomb storyquest.
• Many dungeon-based NPCs will only converse with one player at a time. This will alleviate a number of quest NPCs who might toggle a door or item twice in succession due to multiple conversations taking place simultaneously.
• Any open conversations with an NPC will be closed when a player recalls out, to ensure player and NPC don't get locked.

Quests

• Party members will not be able to leave their party while in a dungeon. If you wish to leave your party you will first have to recall to a public space.
• Attempting to abandon a story arc quest will alert the player that they will be abandoning multiple quests (and will list these quests).
• NEW - Bonebite Hideout
  • The ogre's kobold friends will always arrive to help defend him.
• Caverns of Korramar
  • NEW - The Ability scores DCs required to complete certain objectives in Caverns of Korromar are being removed. Characters of all classes will be able to complete the main objective.
  • A chest will have its loot table adjusted upwards.
• NEW - Delera's Tomb
  • The Skeleton Arcii located near the omaren pugilist will no longer respawn.
• NEW - Gambler's Den
  • The boss will not be able to respawn.
• NEW - Ruins of Threnal
  • A particularly nasty colony of glass spider queens is moving in to the South Threnal caves and, in the process, will chase away many of the slimes that are residing there.
  • The beholder objective will be clarified to indicate the beholder in the caves.
  • The objectives for "acquiring the silver and jeweled keys" will be changed to "opening the doors" requiring those keys. Each door will have a lockpick skill set on it. A party with a talented rogue may advance by picking those doors, a party without may advance by finding the keys.
• Sharpwood's Warehouse
  • You will have to complete all objectives in order to finish the quest.
• Sorrowdusk Island
  • NEW - Hragg will have a quest chalice above his head when appropriate.
  • NEW - The hellhound encounter will no longer respawn.
  • NEW - The Cultist encounter will no longer respawn.
    
  • Fane of the Six
    • Sear will no longer respawn.
  • Grey Moons Den
    • Hammerfist will no longer count towards the kill trolls objective.
• Stormcleave Outpost
  • Killing 50 minions is now a required objective
• Tear of Dhakaan
  • The Warmage will always spawn.
  • Karnat Thaar will have the appropriate quest chalices over his head.
• NEW - Tempest Spine
  • An optional quest is being adjusted so that the chest will only appear once you have killed the mini-boss.
• NEW - Temple of Vol
  • We are improving the graphics performance for this dungeon.
• Three-Barrel Cove
  • Fixed a bug where both Red Tom and Rosie the Jinx weren’t giving players the option to repeat their quests.
• NEW – Xorian Cipher
  • An optional quest rune will be moved for consistencies sake. This will not change the difficulty or nature of the quest.

Under Development
These items are currently in development and are scheduled for after the Twilight Forge Module.

To come.

Shadows of Stormreach: Chapter Four
30-Jun-2006

SHADOWS OF STORMREACH
By Keith Baker

Chapter Four

Shadow had learned her trade on the streets of Sharn. If she'd let her parents decide her fate, she probably would have ended up studying history. Her father would have preferred for Shadow to stay securely on the administrative side of the family business, or possibly even enter Sharn politics, like her older sister. But Shadow had never taken an interest in books or numbers. She preferred to learn more practical skills. How to locate a hidden door. How to unlock an arcane seal.

How to spot a trap.

She should have kept Spike away from the door. Of course there'd be some sort of security inside. That was common sense. But common sense and Spike had little to do with each other. It was hardly surprising. Spike was an enforcer, not a thief. When Shadow's father had sent her away from Sharn, he'd assigned Spike to protect her. But Saidan Boromar expected his daughter to go into hiding, to find a secure hole and seal herself inside, not to go searching for adventure. Spike was a good soldier, but he was built for battle, not burglary.

Shadow could sense the presence of the trap as the door opened. Magical glyphs gave off a certain resonance—a tingle one felt in the spirit as much as in the nerves. Shadow had worked hard to develop this second sense, and it had saved her life in the past. Given a minute, she could use her tools to deactivate the glyph, allowing her friends to pass unharmed. But Spike had other ideas. As soon as the door opened, he leaped over Shadow and into the small passage. The gems embedded into his armor glowed, a reflection of his fervor. If there was danger, he would meet it head on.

And so he did.

Shadow was already rolling to the side when Spike triggered the glyph. Flame poured out of the passageway. Pressed against the corner of the alley, Shadow escaped the column of fire, but the heat alone was terrible. Through the flames she could faintly see Marcus kneeling behind his broad shield, and she could hear the faintest cry for divine protection over the sound of the explosion.

Within seconds, the fire had faded. Shadow glanced at Marcus. Whether through luck or defensive magic, the priest's shield seemed to have absorbed the brunt of the blast, and he was singed but unharmed. Nocking an arrow to her bow, Shadow spun around the corner, scanning the passage that lay before her.

The walls were largely unharmed by the blast. The glyph had been designed to channel its force at intruders. Spike lay in the center of the narrow stone passage, blown on his back by the explosion, his axe lying next to his outstretched hand. His heartstones were dim.

"Idiot," Shadow murmured, but she did feel a pang of concern for the damaged warforged. Spike might have brought this on himself, but he had been trying to protect her, and she could remember a dozen other times he'd almost been destroyed acting in her defense.

There was no time to get Petra to fix him. The glyph had probably triggered other mystic alarms. Shadow reached into her belt pouch and produced a glass vial filled with glowing green liquid. Pulling the stopper, she flicked her wrist and scattered its contents across Spike's blackened torso. As it struck the warforged, the fluid came to life. It swam across the surface of his body, passing over scorched metal and burned wood, transforming it. Within seconds the damage was fully repaired. Spike's chassis was as polished and perfect as the dress armor of a soldier on parade. As the liquid faded, the light returned to his eyes.

"Princess Sharalin ..." he murmured, gazing up at her.

"Shadow," she reminded him, hoping that the damage hadn't affected his memory. "Watch yourself. Those repair oils are costly, and we can't afford to pour our gold away."

"Yes, Shadow," he said, his fluting voice low and subdued.

"Get up. I'm sure the guards will be here any moment. And now that we're committed, don't hold back."

Imminent bloodshed was a sure way to restore Spike's spirits, and the warforged leaped to his feet and reclaimed his axe. The others joined them.

"Let's make our stand here," Shadow said. "If we're going to fight, I want to be sure we can retreat. Petra, can you work with the hallway?"

The elf nodded, calm as ever.

Shadow heard footsteps approaching. "Right. Petra first. Spike and Marcus to close the gap. Everyone ready for this?"

"We serve the Silver Flame this day," Marcus said, striking the amulet on his chest with a mailed fist. "Truly, this is a noble cause."

"If we're serving the Silver Flame, it would be nice to see a little silver for it," Shadow muttered.

And then the enemy appeared. There were six of them, dwarves and humans, with little in common except dark clothing and sharp weaponry. Only two had the rat-like features of the creatures they'd fought before.

Earlier that night ... that battle had been a challenge. At that point Shadow didn't know what her enemies were capable of. She didn't have a plan.

This time she was ready.

The hallway was narrow, and the gang members were forced to approach in single file. One of the wererats, a massive creature almost as large as Spike, took the lead. His fur was black, his teeth long, and he held a heavy knife in each hand. Petra stood before him, her only weapon her staff, which seemed to be as delicate and unsuited to battle as Petra herself. If she felt any fear – or indeed, any emotion at all – she kept it hidden. Petra stood her ground, waiting until she could see each tooth and whisker in the beast's snout. And then she raised her hand.

Petra's staff was touching the floor, and it drew energy from the stone—a crackling wreath of electricity that rose up the shaft. This force flashed from the staff to her outstretched hand, growing ever brighter. The lightning lashed out, transfixing the huge wererat and arcing on to strike the thieves lined up behind him. The beast howled, twitching in the grip of the magical force. He seemed to double in size as his fur stood on end, and the air filled with the scent of ozone and burning hair. Shadow almost felt pity for their enemies, as she listened to their cries. Almost.

As powerful as Petra's lightning strike was, the energy only lasted a few moments. But the impact was dramatic. When the lightning faded, five of their foes collapsed to the floor, including the black-furred wererat. His knives clattered against the stone, and wisps of steam drifted from his mouth. The only survivor was the other wererat, who had been standing at the end of the line. This one was female. Her fur was gray and matted, and she wielded a heavy club studded with spikes of dark glass.

This wererat was no fool. She could see that the tide had turned against her, and she turned to flee. But Shadow and her companions had prepared for just such a situation.

"STOP!" Marcus cried. His voice was deeper than usual, filled with confidence and authority. Even though the priest wasn't speaking to her, Shadow felt an instinctive compulsion to obey. The wererat froze in midstride, almost falling to the ground, every muscle rigid.

The paralysis only lasted a moment, but this was all Spike needed. The warforged leaped across the fallen thieves and drove the haft of his axe into her knees. The wererat fell to the ground. The warforged soldier dropped his axe to grapple with her. A moment later, he had her arms pinned and his full weight on her back.

Before the woman could scream, Shadow was upon her, dagger in hand. "Silver, rat," she whispered. "One sound from you and I cut out your tongue."

The captive's eyes widened. As Shadow had seen earlier, these creatures could heal from wounds inflicted by iron or steel, but a silvered blade cut through this magical defense.

"Let me explain a few things. My friend with the commanding voice? He thinks you should die just because you're, well, a rat. But I want to know who you're working for. Why you've broken your vows to my family." Shadow traced a line down the prisoner's snout with the point of her silver blade. "If you give me answers, you might live to see the morning. Do we understand each other?"

The rat-creature nodded.

"Good. How many more of you rats are here tonight?"

"Nine," the creature said. "Guarding."

Shadow was an excellent judge of expression and tone. It was considerably harder to read the face of a rat, but she could still smell a lie. No, not a lie ... but something left unsaid. "Guarding, hmm? Guarding what?"

The rat paused. Shadow could smell the lie brewing, so she poked the captive in the forehead. Blood welled around the silver blade.

"Don't think. Answer. Guarding what?"

"Below!" the rat yelped.

Now we're getting somewhere. Shadow leaned closer. "And what is below?"

Shadow could feel the prisoner's raw emotions, rage mingled with panic. She opened her snout, and for a moment Shadow thought the rat was going to bite her, but Spike had her pinned to the ground, and she couldn't possibly reach Shadow.

At least, not with her teeth.

There was a blur of motion, a dark shape flashing forward to strike at Shadow. The halfling tumbled backwards, and the strange weapon came up an inch from her neck. Instinct had saved her, and it was instinct that guided her arm. She flung her dagger before she even recognized the nature of the threat, and an instant later her silver blade was protruding from the wererat's left eye. It was only then that Shadow realized what the creature had attacked her with.

Its tongue.

Shadow's blade had struck true, and the wererat fell limp against the ground. But the creature's tongue was stretched out from its mouth... a writhing tendril of muscle almost two feet in length. Its obscene length was tipped by what appeared to be a normal human tongue. Coiled as it was, it reminded Shadow of the hood of a cobra. A sharp barb was tucked beneath this hood, and it was this stinger that had stabbed at Shadow's throat. As the others watched in amazement, the tongue pulled free of the wererat's mouth. Shadow reached for her sword, but the tongueworm was already racing towards her, its venomous barb extending for a second blow.

The attack never came. Spike's axe came down, splitting the creature's tongue-hood in two. The worm writhed in agony, until a second blow brought an end to its struggles.

Shadow slumped against the ground and let her breath flow out of her. "Marcus, do they all do that?" she said. "Because if they do, I'm starting to get your whole ‘kill them all' philosophy."

The cleric shook his head. Beneath his steel helm, his skin glistened with sweat. "I've never seen anything like that," he said. "Though in truth, I've never seen one of these creatures in the flesh until this night. All that I know, I know from the doctrine of the faith."

"Which is surely why you know so little," Petra said. The sorceress was examining the body of the male wererat. Marcus stared at her, but Petra was armored in indifference, and even Shadow couldn't decide if the elf had meant the comment as an insult.

"So... does that one have a tongue?" Shadow said. She sheathed her dagger and nocked an arrow. If there were more brigands about, they needed to remain on guard.

"Oh, yes," said Petra. "He seems to have all the usual parts—and then some."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Petra held out her hand, revealing a small piece of raw muscle that twitched and shuddered. As Shadow looked closer, she could see that it was some sort of small creature. It had no eyes, but a tiny, lamprey-like mouth flexed in the center of its mass.

"It was attached to the palm of our enemy's hand," Petra said. "It wants to bond with me. I can feel it. Its thoughts radiate out through the skin."

"Dorn's Teeth!" Marcus swore, raising his morningstar for a blow. "Is there no end to the foulness? Drop it. I'd hate to crush your hand when I smash it." He considered. "Well, perhaps hate is a strong word."

Shadow couldn't reach Marcus's raised arm, but she pulled back on his belt. "Hold. Petra, what is it? Some sort of parasite?"

"Not at all," Petra said. She held the creature up before her face, ignoring Marcus's scowl. "It's a symbiant, a lifeform designed to bond with other creatures. And unless I miss my guess, it's a key."

"Key?"

"I told you I can feel its thoughts. I think it's a key for a very unusual lock—a gate that can only be opened through the projection of a specific thought-image."

Shadow considered this. "So if this thief had it on his hand . . ."

Petra nodded, and the tiny creature undulated on her palm. "I suspect it's a key to something in this warehouse."

Marcus still had his morningstar ready to strike, and Shadow could feel his tension. "We should not suffer the existence of such abominations."

"Don't worry," Shadow said. "You'll get to destroy it before the night is done. But if Petra is right I want to keep it intact for now. Petra, are you sure it can't... do anything to you?"

"My will is far too strong for it to force a bonding," Petra said dismissively. "Let's just keep it away from Spike."

As if on cue, the warforged soldier sprinted down the passage. "More coming," he said. "I was going to take them on myself, but I know you told me to share."

"Good boy," Shadow said. "Battle lines!"

And the enemy was upon them.

(To be continued next week...)

6.29.06 - Untrained Melody III: Level 3 Bard Spells

6.28.06 - Siren Songs: A Guide to Bardic Music

6.27.06 - Upon Further Review (UFR): Crowd Control Bard

6.27.06 - DDO Top 10: Reasons to Play a Bard

6.26.06 - Poll: Spell Swapping

6.26.06 - Community Viewpoint: Bard Spell-Swapping