Fall 2024 Update: The Moonlit Circus

Welcome, Thainites, to the Moonlit Circus!  Our mostly-annual Halloween event in which a haunted circus takes up residence on our beloved island, bringing revelry and fright!  The Moonlit Circus will be open through December.

The Moonlit Circus offers a custom soundtrack, for those who prefer to keep in-game music on.  See the trailer and the page below for information on what lies ahead!

• The Moonlit Circus

  • The Circus
  • The Autumn Theater
  • Scaredy Cats
  • Bumpin’ Pumpkins
  • Battle for Skullspire Mountain
  • Carrion’s Maze
  • The Challenge of Champions
  • Circus Treasures

 

• Class Changes

  • Class Rework: Divine Champion –> Sacred Crusader

• Player Tools

  • Armor and Weapon HUD
  • New Robes
  • Trick-Or-Treat Bags

 

The Moonlit Circus

As the leaves fall from the trees around the island, the city of Steinkreis is gripped by a sudden explosion of rumors. A noble of the High Council, one of the Kreis’ safest, has been murdered! Among long shadows in cold leaf-strewn streets, not a single person lingers after the sun begins to set. Beyond the gates, farmers bolt their doors, turn out the candles, and stoke the fires. Something stalks the people of the city.

 

Yet those whose needs have driven beyond the threshold of their doors speak of even stranger things in the streets than shadows or murder: odd lights, strange smells, and the sound of carnival music. A rare few speak of the Moonlit Circus, a mysterious realm that has found its way into the city somewhere among the mists…

 

To find the circus, players enter the city of Steinkreis, to the train station of Gwydion station. Monstrous characters often attend the circus, which itself plays host to fey and worse! A land filled with illusions, and the risk of accidentally starting a fight with one of the Circus Master’s own tends to temper aggression here between the monstrous and human. For monstrous characters, there is an entrance just south of the Steinkreis main gate, off in the natural areas of the wilds. Follow the light of the gourds and the white flames.  For the worthy, the circus awaits.

 

The Autumn Theater

Within the circus stands the Autumn Theater, where strange masked performers weave a tale for all to hear.  Those who attend the circus and have earned a circus ticket are able to choose a performance for the theater to play out.

The performances at the Autumn Theater are unique – no mere stage shows, the magic of the theater is said to bring the viewers into moments of history.  Within the theater, the past unfolds, just as it once occurred.  And audiences are equal parts delighted and horrified by what they see.

Five Lives Hang in the Balance

The mystery of the circus holds five separate lives in the balance – awaiting the judgment of the autumn fey court. Uncover the full story of the grisly murder of Arcturus Grauer as you play through attractions and more, and divine who if anyone is innocent in this myriad tapestry of sinners. Be wary – beyond the secrets, a dark will awaits those who seek to aid justice.

Scaredy Cats

A sinister voice whispers on the winds of the Kreis, giving instructions to all manner of foul familiars, and directing them to mischief and tricks. Among the Moonlit Garden, the work of whatever cruel game is at play can only be stopped by solving the riddles posed in those instructions and finding all eight cats.

• Stroll through a moonlit and autumnal garden filled with strange and terrifying things.
• Learn clues and solve riddles to find the cats once they have hidden around the map.
• Prizes are given for accuracy: Three tickets for no mistakes, two tickets for three or less mistakes, one ticket for five or less mistakes.

Bumpin’ Pumpkins

In a booth on the fairgrounds awaits the Gourdomancer, a strange creature who has been tasked this year with finding the finest pumpkin in the patch for Carrion, for… some purpose. To this end he has devised a cruel test: transforming willing participants into pumpkins who roll along the ground, bumping into one another.

• Pick up shrines that spawn periodically to increase the amount you knock others back when you bump into them, or other shrines that briefly haste you, allowing you to set the pace of the bumps and find the vulnerable and further-pushing backs of other pumpkins.
• Ram yourself into the other pumpkins in the arena, knocking them around – don’t get hit from behind or while you’re standing still – you’ll go flying!
• Try to avoid being knocked off the map or into the fire.
• Tickets go to first, second, and third place!

The Battle for Skullspire Mountain

Among the mists of time, a piece of history has emerged: the history of the Grauer wood and the battles between old Vongottstein and ancient Karistad that were once warred upon the edge of it. Within the headless haunting grounds, those who enter are both themselves and not: Their memories of the place after they leave are as if awakening from a fitful dream, yet during the battle they play the role of ghosts of the past rather than themselves in this spooktacular battle royale.

• Be the last one standing in this ghostly battle royale!
• Choose a boon at the start and defeat its guardian in your own private battlefield to secure a boon from a list you choose from, that adds to your strengths or subtracts from your weaknesses.
• Tickets for first, second, and third place!

Carrion’s Maze

A returning attraction from previous years, the maze is the work of the horrifying scarecrow known as Carrion – a powerful fey creature who delights in mortal suffering.  It is filled with all manner of darkened horrors, but offers great rewards to those who brave its depths!

To complete the maze, the player must light the lanterns they find within the halls. The more lanterns a player is able to light, the greater their rewards.  The assortment of weapons Carrion sells in his booth has proven a strong temptation for some to brave the maze, though wiser creatures know the dangers of holding the dark Scarecrow’s attention for too long.

The Challenge of Champions

​A returning attraction, The Challenge of Champions allows players to challenge the Circus’s three famed announcers to a challenging battle. The Circus staff offers a variety of challenges, while bonebats and shrieking monsters cheer from the crowd.

​In this challenge, a player and their party must battle three ever-changing opponents at once upon a grand stage. This fight is a theatrical performance as much as a battle. Players can select a difficulty for the battle based on the size of their party and their capabilities, with higher difficulties earning greater ticket rewards.

At Carrion’s ticket counter on the fairgrounds, players can unlock past fights from Circuses gone by as well – allowing them to earn another three tickets per day each time they complete those in addition to the other challenges.​

Treasures and Weapons

For those who earn enough tickets in the circus attractions, Carrion offers all manner of valuable prizes and rewards.  The ticket booth offers all manner of treasure, from shape-shifting masks to unique weapon visuals to rare adventuring gear.  Most valuable of all is the assortment of unique and specialized weapons, ancient fey-changed weapons that can only be earned at the Moonlit Circus. 

Each weapon Carrion sells has a unique model and ability, with appearances that cannot be found anywhere else in the game.  These weapons will only be available during the circus, so make sure to earn any you are interested in before the circus closes!

Systems Addition: Appearance HUD

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This year we also took the opportunity to overhaul the visual crafting system with some absolutely beautiful work by Kira on a custom HUD to replace what was once a fairly buggy and hard to add to conversation system. Included in the system are icons that dynamically change as the weapon you have equipped and shield type you have equipped change, as well as a broad gamut of customization options at easy access.

We’ve also started adding our own new and custom robes using a conversion system we developed in house that allows us to take game assets and rig them across Neverwinter’s animation directory. It takes a fair amount of time to convert one of these robes, but this patch we are adding twelve new ones, many in rich preset color options. These robe recolors will be individually and randomly available as unlocks through circus trick or treat bags, and will later find their way into the loot table as Tablet-esque drops around the server, and in gold chests.

We’re looking forward to adding more of these in future patches as the conversion system becomes more streamlined. More on this and the appearance HUD can be found in the [Developer Diary]

 

 

Updated Class: Divine Champion –> Sacred Crusader

The Divine Champion has been rebranded to Sacred Crusader and has been updated with new abilities!

For some time Divine Champion has struggled both in its expression of an identity among Paladins, Clerics, and Blackguards; and in its mechanical usage – being a class that typically amounts to little more than fighter bonus feats and bonus saves. In this update, we sought to better identify what a Sacred Crusader’s role is in a party, making a hard-hitting striker who becomes more dangerous the more wounded their enemies become. The damage power of “Smiting Attack” is further given utility by Crusaders Rituals – feats that can be taken on bonus feat levels that add different benefits usually triggered by the Smiting Attack.

For more insight into the design process and goals, you can read more in the [Developer Diary]

 

Removed:

Lay on Hands
Smite Evil
Divine Wrath
Sacred Defense

 

Sacred Mission (Gained at level 1)

​The mission of the crusader is unique to each one, but it is an inseparable part of their lives. Reflecting upon the mission gives the crusader keen insight in combat – finding those enemies whose resolve is lacking and bringing the ferocity of their zeal to bear.

Channel in prayer for 6 seconds before embarking on your mission of faith. If you don’t move during this time, gain an aura around yourself that marks nearby enemies. When an enemy has three marks, you can use a smiting attack that gains your Charisma modifier to your next attack roll on that target.​​​

As a show of faith, Sacred Mission removes the bonuses from Divine Shield and Divine Might while active.

Sacred Mission can be toggled off as a free action, and toggled back on by channeling again.

 

​Smiting Attack (Gained at level 1)

The unshakeable resolve of the crusader is ever seeking the weaknesses ​of conviction in others: enemies who are marked by their mission can be targeted with a brutal Smiting Attack, sorely wounding and often slaying them outright.​

Smiting Attack adds your Charisma modifier to your attack rolls for the next 18s – once you score a successful hit, this increase is consumed. If your enemy was marked by your Sacred Mission, the smiting attack also deals 1d6 Divine Damage per Sacred Crusader level. Smite Damage is increased the more damage your enemy has already taken. If this attack slays your enemy, Smiting Attack does not go on cooldown and can be used again immediately.

30s Cooldown

 

Judgment (gained at level 10)

The Crusader has mastered the art of finding weaknesses in those who they tirelessly advance the cause against. Deal 1d6 magic damage to select target and to all enemies immediately around them. Each enemy hit by this attack reduces the cooldown remaining on your Smiting Attack by 3s per enemy hit.

6s Cooldown, No Cast Time, Short Range

New Bonus Feats: Sacred Rituals (Available on 2,4,6,8,10, etc. levels)

The Crusader might employ one of many rites and rituals passed down through their order – these are many and varied, and no two crusaders pursue their foes in exactly the same way. A ritual can be intoned, taking 3s and having no cooldown, but only one ritual can be active at any time, and concentration can disrupt the ritual’s casting.

These new rituals are:​

Ritual of the Anointed: Divine Shield and Might can be used while on a Sacred Mission, but your Smiting Attack damage is halved.
Ritual of the Betrayer: Instead of gaining bonus damage on lower health targets, your Smiting Attack always deals double damage – but you take 20 damage each time it is used.
Ritual of the Bulwark: When you slay an enemy with your Smiting Attack, gain the smiting attack damage you dealt as Temporary HP.
Ritual of Castigation: Deal 1 Divine Damage / 2 SC level on enemies standing in your Divine Mission aura.
Ritual of Censorship: Enemies hit by your Smiting Attack save (10+SC Level + Cha mod vs Will) or are silenced.
Ritual of the Dauntless: While your Sacred mission is active, gain +1 save / 2 SC levels.
Ritual of Decimation: When you kill an enemy with your smiting attack, fear nearby enemies for 3s.
Ritual of Disruption: Enemies hit by your Smiting Attack are breached for 4 spells.
Ritual of the Fervent: Enemies hit by your Smiting Attack must save (SC Level + Cha mod vs Fort) or be knocked down for 3s.
Ritual of the Hunter: Enemies hit by your Smiting Attack must save (10 + SC Level + Cha mod vs Reflex) or be slowed for 6s.
Ritual of Ignition: Enemies hit by your Smiting Attack are ignited for 2d6 fire damage each round for SC level rounds.
Ritual of the Mighty: Enemies hit by your Smiting Attack are shrunken by 60% and lose 10 Strength for 6s.
Ritual of the Radiant: Enemies hit by your Smiting Attack must save (10 + SC Level + Cha mod vs Will) or be blinded for 6s.
Ritual of Rime: Enemies hit by your Smiting Attack gain 10% Vulnerability (Cold) per 2 SC levels.
Ritual of the Scriptures: Gain your intelligence modifier to damage on your Smiting Attack.
Ritual of the Slayer: Double the damage of your Smiting Attack if you rolled a 20 when rolling to hit.
Ritual of the Stalker: Smiting Attacks have a 10% chance to leave you invisible after.
Ritual of the Steadfast: Smiting Attacks have a 25% chance to raise a nearby fallen ally.
Ritual of the Unflinching: Your Smiting Attacks grant you Immunity: Knockdown for 1s / SC level.
Ritual of the Vanguard: Your Smiting Attacks heal the nearest ally for your Smite Attack damage.​

Trick-or-Treat Bags

Until Halloween, you can send trick-or-treat bags to other players! These bags contain a small set of circus rewards and prizes, and may contain more powerful items on occasion!

Type /trickortreat <character name> to send a trick or treat bag to another player.  You can also use their player name. This has a cooldown of a few hours per player exchange – so you must wait a few hours between giving a trick-or-treat bag to a specific player, but other accounts may still give that player bags with a separate cooldown. 

We encourage sending trick or treat bags to anyone you see doing especially cool stuff!