Materia Magica Latest News

Professor Concludes Hare Search

Vassago — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:55:09 CST

The Professor has left the town of Sigil (much to the relief of Lord Vendredi who had it up to *ear* with hares) and has gone back to his secret laboratory. His assistants are remaining behind to clean up the rest of the mess and reward Adventurers for their diligence for a bit, then they will return to their research as well.

Professor Silax's Missing Hares

Vassago — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 09:57:25 CST

Professor Silax is a fairly obscure magical scientist from the Towne of Sigil. Funded by a grant from the Council of the Arcane, he has been researching the great jumping ability of the hare and potential applications for use in designing magical apparatus to enhance humans' jumping ability, perhaps producing a real pair of Seven League Boots. Fraudulent versions of the boots exist in the world, but none can actually send the wearer seven leagues in a given direction. Rumors have been circulating that the Professor had produced a prototype pair that could send the wearer four leagues, but not the full seven leagues as required by the specification.

Due to this end the Professor has been experimenting on hares, giving some of them unusual powers as a result. Thieves and vandals from an organization calling themselves "The Alliance for Animal Rights" recently broke into Silax Labs in Sigil and stole several rare hare specimens and released them into the wild.

Unfortunately, hares are renowned for their fecundity - and especially these hares, who had been magically enhanced - and in no time at all had reproduced and reproduced and are now spreading to many of the major Townes, causing no end of trouble to the residents, who are partially to blame for the spread of the hares off the continent of Auryn. Many people thought them cute, and would take them home, only to discover that in a few weeks they had several dozen hares when they only wanted the original two.

Professor Silax has come up with a magical trap for the hares, which he has been giving out to anyone who offers to help him. The trap - operating under an alchemical spell - will attract the hares and transform them into small baubles of varying power, which may then be given to Professor Silax's assistants Snide, Bide, Wide, and Pride, who are located in the townes with the hares. The trap must be outfitted with a special lure to work, however, and the list of lures that will attract the hares is somewhat limited. Professor Silax will sell you lure. You can see the various lures by typing SHOP LIST. Buy the one most appropriate for your level. Place the lure in the trap and then set the trap on the ground. There can only be one baited trap placed per location.

A special lure, silver clover, is offered to help brave adventurers capture the illustrious silver hare, a magically mutated version of the previous hares. This hare will turn into a pair of two, three, four, or five-league boots when he is captured. If you should happen to stumble across a pair of these two, three, four, or five-League boots, take advantage of them while you can! They will last about a week maximum before the magical field sustaining them wears out.

Professor Silax had a second experiment underway with some of these unique hares that allows them to produce, of all things, brightly- colored eggs. The purpose of this experiment has yet to be understood by anyone outside the magio-scientific community, but the Professor has made it clear that he will reward adventurers who, should they run across one of these special eggs, return them to him or one of his assistants.

Unfortunately the eggs are extremely frail and reactive to their environment. A slight trip or lapse of concentration while carrying one of these eggs will almost instantly cause the egg to shatter. The special hares that produce these eggs have mixed in with the others, so it's anyone's guess as to where the eggs will appear, but you can bet there will be hares nearby!

The hares have been cleared from Sigil using the traps, but the Townes of Xaventry (where you will find hares for levels 11-60), New Rigel (where you will find hares for levels 61-120), Rune (where you will find hares for levels 121-180), and Vospire (where you will find hares for levels 181-241) yet remain hare-ified.

If you'd like to help Professor Silax, try finding him in Sigil and saying to him, "I will help recover the missing hares". It is expected that it will take until Monday, 3/24/2008, 10am CST to recover all of the hares.

To discuss this global quest, please see this thread.

Alyrian Yule Global Quest

Iyora — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:25:36 CST

Professor Silax is a fairly obscure magical scientist from the Towne of Sigil. Funded by a grant from the Council of the Arcane, he has been researching animal breeding experiments, in attempts to produce faster, more efficient, leaner, tauter animals. His latest experiments have focused on Lord Vendredi's prized pack animals, south Auryn reindeer. Magically tampering with their physical and mental prowess has produced very interesting results. An original sixteen reindeer were selected for the breeding program, with half as the control group. The other eight were made nine, after one of the control group proved himself too intelligent and rowdy to be tricked by pine wands, rather than yew. They were experimented on over a course of months, finally producing three quarters of a dozen super reindeer. The test was a success, producing capable, strong, responsible reindeer for towing Vendredi about the winter solstice nights, as he traditionally delivers all of his year's work worth of toys to children around Alyria.

In fact, not only was it a success, breeding the smartest, strongest reindeer possible, but it was too successful, allowing the reindeer to see their inbred inferiority and subjugation by the humans. Although never Lord Vendredi's intent, it was indeed true. The last test subject from the program, Charles, led a revolt among his fellow enhanced reindeer. Up, they levitated into the night sky, as they always have, only without their master's sleigh. Feeling vindicated, free of their social, zoological and physical bonds, they also freed their lesser kin, the hundreds of other reindeer raised in captivity since the start of the domestication of the animals. The original nine led their brethren through the sky, dispersing themselves back into the lands whence they came.

However, many had only known city life for their entire upbringing, particularly the young, and quickly gravitated towards the respective city centers of the continents they landed on. Viewing it as a temporary setback, rather than a fundamental flaw in their plan for freedom, the nine followed them into the towns, to help them adjust to life beyond the feedbag. Professor Silax, the director of the experiments, now needs help in gathering the creatures, to bring them back into captivity.

He has come up with a magical trap for the reindeer, which he has been giving out to anyone who offers to help him. The trap - operating under an alchemical spell - will attract the reindeer and magically teleport their organic matter back to Sigil, where they can be chained once more. To receive credit for their captures, their original laboratory tags will fall to the ground after their teleportation, and the tags may be redeemed by Professor Silax's assistants Snide, Bide, Wide, and Pride, who are located in the townes with the reindeer, attempting to corral the beasts. The trap must be outfitted with a special lure to work, however, and the list of lures that will attract them is somewhat limited. Professor Silax will sell you lure. You can see the various lures by typing SHOP LIST, and may purchase the one best suited for the type of reindeer you will be catching.

A special lure, the reindeer moss, is offered to help brave adventurers capture the illustrious silver reindeer, the fastest reindeer bred that did not receive neural enhancements.

The reindeer have been cleared from Sigil using the traps, but the Townes of Xaventry (where you will find reindeer for levels 11-60), New Rigel (where you will find reindeer for levels 61-120), Rune (where you will find reindeer for levels 121-180), and Tellerium (where you will find reindeer for levels 181-241) are still plagued with the antlered beasts.

Keep on the lookout for the lead reindeer, Charles Billingsworth III, and his fellow conspirators, Temper, Stamper, Doughnut, Mitten, Tulip, Steelwool, Stupid, and Pigeon. They have managed to make themselves immune to Professor Silax's traps and therefore must be fought to quell the reindeer resistance.

If you wish to change your class after receiving your trap, and need a new trap to accomodate this change, you may sayto Professor Silax "Exchange my trap", and he will give you a new one.

If you'd like to help Professor Silax, try saying to him, "I will help recover the missing reindeer".

The Legend of the Bearded Gnome

Iyora — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 10:03:42 CST

As the Yule season begins each year, talk inevitably turns to the Bearded Gnome. While this has been a tradition in some areas for many years, he has been celebrated mostly in the countryside--the traditions only recently making their way to Alyria's cities and towns.

With five clockwork winged mules pulling his flying sleigh, the Bearded Gnome sneaks into denizens' homes during the Yule holiday, leaving behind gifts for the owner of the house. It is traditional in the Alyrian countryside to leave snacks out for him, as legend says his gifts are better if his belly is full of cookies and milk. Some even leave presents of oil for his clockwork mules.

A Special Engagement

Iyora — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 09:44:38 CST

On behalf of Professor Silax himself, you are cordially invited to attend a special event:

TODAY
AT SILAX LABS IN THE MAGICAL TOWNE OF SIGIL
FOR A DEMONSTRATION AND TOUR OF THE WORK AT SILAX LABS
AT 2:00pm SYSTEM TIME

Materia Magica Review on The Mud Connector

Vassago — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:42:53 CST

A review has been posted about Materia Magica on The Mud Connector. This is The Mud Connector's first official review in four years.

Alyrian Yule Global Quest

Vassago — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 20:28:58 CST

Be sure to join us December 23rd at around 2:00pm CST for an Alyrian Yuletime Global Quest, lasting until December 24th at 2:00pm CST. Details to follow!

The Alyrian Rumble PK Tournament

Phronesis — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 19:27:20 CST

Spell up, pack away your CPK gear, and stock up on reagents and potions! Do whatever it takes to be prepared for

The Alyrian Rumble
Thursday, December 6th 2007 at 8:00 pm (System Time)

Hosted by Kaelian, and sponsored by the Immortals of Materia Magica, this 1 vs. 1 bracketed PK tournament will have the most fearless killers of Alyria in one place.

Brackets will be by class level (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, archon), with prizes for first and second place.

For rules, preregistration information, and entry fees, check out the thread on the Materia Magica message board [here].

Good luck!

An Alyrian Turkey Hunt!

Vassago — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 11:41:29 CST

GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE! It seems that a mad turkey has escaped Strecht's carving knife, and isn't too happy about the pending massacre! Turkeys have been disappearing from butchers' storehouses for weeks, with nary a trace of their whereabouts... but it looks as though the Mad Turkey has been gathering them for a full attack on the citizens of Alyria! Fortunately, the adventurers do not stand alone in their protection of the world's citizens. The renowned Turkey Huntress has been brought out of retirement, and is currently holding court in Rune. Should any adventurers care to help her bring down the threat against our populace posed by the feathered foes, she should be consulted. Due to her long travels, however, she has not eaten in several days, nor have the Beltan refugees she was in the midst of rescuing when this global threat arrived. Should any food be found in the course of the battle, it would likely be appreciated most by the pilgrims new to Sepharia's shores.

Spies have uncovered the following information about the locations of specific turkeys:

Levels 2-29: a tiny turkey, appearing in Rune Forest, Sigil, Xaventry, and Tellerium

Level 30-60: a small turkey, appearing in Rune Forest, Sigil, Xaventry, and Tellerium

Level 61-120: a medium-sized turkey, appearing in Rune Forest, Sigil, Xaventry, and Tellerium

Level 121-180: a large turkey, appearing in Pirate's Cove, Diocletian, and Atlantis

Level 181-239: a huge turkey, appearing in Pirate's Cove, Diocletian, and Atlantis

Level 240: a plump turkey, appearing in Maldra's Keep, Pirate's Cove, Diocletian, and Atlantis

Level 241: a champion-sized tom, appearing in Hellbent Mountain and Maldra's Keep

It is expected to take until Friday, November 23rd at noon CST to restore order to Sepharia. Every Adventurer should do what he or she can!

To discuss tips and strategies, or for other commentary regarding this quest, please see this thread.

Reward Unit Vouchers for the Holidays

Vassago — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 13:13:28 CST

To assist with holiday gift-giving, reward unit vouchers have been added back to the Van Pelt's Reward Emporium (the largest one - featuring fun items for home decorating - is located to the west of the Towne of Rune, and the smaller Emporiums in all major townes), in denominations of 10, 25, 50, and 100 rewardunits. For more information on reward units (including how to get them), please see this. Give a great gift and support Materia Magica at the same time! What more could one want?

All Spirits' Eve Costume Contest Results

Vassago — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:37:16 CST

Thanks to everyone who participated in our All Spirits' Eve Costume Contest! Entrants had to make costumes out of items in the game (not restrung items) and were judged on theme, creativity, and completeness. The first place winner was Thralk for his Alyrian Pimp costume, second went to Shinde and Kayuki for their Sexy Master and Slave costumes, and third went to Egoful for her Cruella De Vil costume. Honorable mentions went to Bloodsong for his Johnny Cash costume, Solus for his Dragon costume, and Slayback for his Streaker costume.

To view the entrants' costumes and themes in full, please check out this thread in the Towne Hall Message Boards.