Missive just received.
Greetings Gifted One,
It has been some time since we have spoken to you regarding the state of Istaria and the battle against the Withered Aegis. During that time our lines of communication were often intercepted by the very denizens of evil which we battle daily against. I can only hope that this message is delivered safely to you and that it finds you in good health. Lately, reports we have received from our scouts near Harro and across Istaria lead us to believe that we will soon require the aid of each of you.
Lest I trouble your mind needlessly, though, let me speak first of why I am sending this missive to you now. It is to bring you hope for a brighter future, and to tell you of recent events which should be to the benefit of all Gifted throughout Istaria.
Some months ago, reports reached us that the Nadia and her band of Velio had gone against the will of the Empire and raised the cost for their goods to an exorbitant level. Initial negotiations with them were met with much hostility, and our attempts at diplomacy failed miserably. While we had hoped to be able to solve this issue with words, it soon became clear that stronger measures would be required before Nadia would listen to reason.
Our hope had been that the Empire would not have to interfere with the economy, that the Gifted would banned together and stand against Nadia's outrageous prices. However, it soon became clear to us that many of the components required for creating armor needed by the Gifted to prevail in their fight against the Withered Aegis were being hoarded by Nadia and her clan, and so the Empire would have to step in. I am happy to report to you that our latest group of diplomats was successful in convincing Nadia to return her prices for magical components to a more reasonable rate. If, however, you find that she has continued to overcharge for any component, please send a letter detailing the item you attempted to purchase and the cost she quoted to you to our Minister of Finance and we will look in to the matter immediately.
I am also happy to report that after extensive research by Master Lairshaper Relstaroth and his team, new designs for corridors and chambers in dragon lairs have been completed. These new designs call for significantly fewer resources than the previous ones. Rest assured that the safety of these new designs was throughly tested to ensure that they will not collapse. In addition, a new formula for the creation of tri-cut gems was also released. This formula, when perfected, will require only one of each of the three gem types to create the tri-cut gem.
Research continues in the kitchens of the Imperial Confectioners to discover new foods and recipes which will aid the Gifted in a variety of ways. In preparation for the release of these new recipes, the Imperial Building Commission has authorized the release of plans for the construction of Storehouses. These special Storehouses are specially designed to hold food and keep it fresh to be used in recipes later. Due to the uniqueness of their design, non-foodstuffs cannot be kept in Storehouses.
As a final note, newly Gifted will find that there are new residents on New Trismus who require their help. Warriors, Scouts, Mages and Clerics of all experience range will find that the trainers on New Trismus have a series of tasks designed to teach the Gifted about their specific abilities as well as assess their combat readiness. Once they feel ready to take on more challenging foes, Gifted may wish to depart for Sslanis and speak to Farmer Idamon at his farm near town. The Town Marshall in Sslanis, Ssoren, has also sent word to us that he requires the assistance of any Gifted willing to raise their weapon in defense of the town.
Truly, Gifted One, this is a time of great change in Istaria. In taverns throughout the land, the Gifted gather to share messages of hope that ancient forces which forged Istaria have returned. It is my hope that you too will be a part of this future. That we can band together as one strong force and drive the Withered Aegis out of Istaria once and for all.
Respectfully,
Alistair Ballent, Professor
Imperial Academy of Tazoon
If you wish to read more about what's going on in Horizons, please visit our community site at http://community.istaria.com and join in the discussions on our forums. From each of us at Vitrium LLC, thank you for playing Horizons.
Nice tone, and all around nifty.
Re: Missive just received.
Simultaneously accomplishing informing the playerbase of the update. Thanks Virtrium! *hugs*
