Avatar’s Update #312: Ask Atos Anything Livestream Today & 50% Weekend Sale

Greetings Fellow Avatars! Here’s what we have for you in this week’s edition of Update of the Avatar:

News Announcements

Community Updates

AAA (Ask Atos Anything) Livestream Today!

Another content packed weekly Community Livestream is this Friday December 28 at 4 PM CT on Twitch!

This week we have a AAA (Ask Atos Anything)! Post your questions inTwitch chat during the stream and Chris “Atos” Spears will do his best to answer as many as he can. Chris will also be showing off the new rework of Mysterious Swamp and his personal Player Dungeon.

This is the third Friday to earn the Release 61 Dark Winter stretch goals (in honor of Krampus) by making a purchase or by participating in the Rewards program! As a reminder we will be having massive sales (up to 50% off!) all weekend to help us hit those stretch goals.

ACHIEVED $10K: Black Ice Wings
ACHIEVED $25K: Black Ice Building Blocks Set
ACHIEVED $35K: Haunted Snowman Mask
ACHIEVED $50K: Black Ice Bow & Black Ice Sword
ACHIEVED $65K: Haunted Snow Family
ACHIEVED $75K: Black Ice Staff & Black Ice Wand
$85K: Haunted Yule Tree Set
$95K: Icy Dungeon Encounter Room with Fishing Spot
$105K: Dark Leather & Fur Yule Outfit

As usual we will be giving out prizes at 4:15 and 4:45! To be eligible all you need to do is either make any purchase in the store or log into the game and type “Its Cold Outside” in the chat window (no purchase necessary).

Watch on Twitch this Friday at 4 PM CDT

Login during R61 for free Respec!

Players who login December 20th through January 30th will receive a complementary item entitled “Obsidian Item of Greater Unlearning (Expires Soon)” that when used allows them to to reset all skills in a skill tree to minimum levels and move 100% of the experience to the experience pool for spending elsewhere. Alternatively, they can use it to set all adventurer or crafting skills to their minimums and return 100% of experience to your pool for reapplying in a new way. This effectively grants players a full respec to rebuild their character however they choose.

NOTE: This item must be used by January 30!

Additional identical items entitled “Obsidian Item of Greater Unlearning” can be purchased from the Crown Merchant interface. The purchased version has no expiration.

Shipping Phase 2 Update – December 2018

We are in the middle of Phase 2 of shipping physical pledge rewards to eligible backers, and are happy to hear some of you have already received yours. If you got an email from Stamps.com with a tracking number, that means your package is on its way!

If you have not yet received an email from Stamps.com, don’t worry: We expect to resume Phase 2 of shipping mid-January.

As a reminder, please make sure your shipping address is up-to-date and confirmed in your Profile Settings and that if your address is outside the United States you need to have an International Shipping voucher listed on your Account page. You can purchase International Shipping here if you do not have this voucher yet.

If you are not sure whether you are eligible for physical rewards, please email support@portalarium.com from the email address associated with your account.

Thank you for your continued patience and support, Avatars!

50% Items All Weekend & Final Friday for Crown Sale!

To celebrate our final release of our launch year we are putting most items* in the store on sale for 50% off, our deepest discounts ever, all weekend, through Monday December 31st! We are also going to track the R61 Dark Winter Stretch Goals all weekend (versus just the traditional Friday noon to midnight)!

Winter 2018 Items

With winter almost upon us the Winter 2018 items have appeared! These winter holiday items are only available until February 1, 2019 and then they are gone forever so get them while they are ice cold! This year we added functionality to the Menorahs where they now light the correct number of candles per day during Hanukkah (note this is retroactive for all Menorahs).

Winter Recurring Items (now with Yule Hat)!

Winter is coming and with it winter recurring items have returned for a limited time, including the Ice Nightmare mask and Ornate Sleigh! Get these rare items while they are cold because they will go away again until next winter on February 1, 2019. NEW! This week after a concerted campaign by our players we added a Traditional Yule Hat!

Automatic Redemption of Rewards Release 62

As part of our continuing improvements to Quality of Life in Shroud of the Avatar we are going to remove the extra step required when receiving purchased items inside the game. You will no longer have to click on a “Redeem Rewards” button. Instead we will automatically send the items to your rewards interface when you next login to the game. If you are currently logged in then they will appear as soon as the purchase transaction completes. We are also going to provide an onscreen notice for when rewards are delivered to your Rewards Interface. This improvement will go live with Release 62 on January 31, 2019.

Amazon Boxed Edition $19.99!

For those of you who missed the opportunity to purchase the Collector’s Boxed Edition of Shroud of the Avatar during the Kickstarter (expired on January 4, 2016), you can now purchase the retail Boxed Edition from Amazon. Additionally for a limited time we are also offering a signed version of the retail Boxed Edition (see above) for purchase directly from our website!

Each signed box will be numbered, making them even more unique, with only 200 of these special numbered boxes available! There are only a few signed boxes left!

Amazon Version $19.99 through New Year! As a special event we are going to discount the Amazon version to $19.99 through January 2 ($70 off the regular price!)

These editions include:

Physical Goods:

Game Box signed by Lord British* (signed edition only)
Game Manual
DVD in case
Runic Translation Card
Ankh Trinket
Cloth Map
Our Epic Origins

Digital Items:

Digital Download of Shroud of the Avatar, Episode 1 (Full Game Access)
30 Bank Slots to store your gear
1 Gold Crown
Pick 1 Obsidian Potion
Digital Download of Shroud of the Avatar, Episode 2 (Full Game Access when released)
Exclusive Title: Visionary
Exclusive Emote (exact emote to be created at a future date)
NEW: Unique Item (to be created at a a future date)

Release 61 Livestream (YouTube)

The Release 61 Livestream last week was so incredible! We had deep dives, answered questions, handed out prizes and had an amazing Lava Fishing contest!

Fishing Contest Prizes:

UPDATED: Prize winners listed below:
Runners Up (2): Longboat Water Decoration (digital)
- Twilight Tempest: Ammonite 1.2
- Ammonite 1.1:
  - AlleyOop
  - Anse
  - Arthur Dent
  - CatherineRose
  - D’Laein Lachlan
  - Echondas
  - Gaelis Trajan
  - Gwendolyn Obscuro
  - Hemswal Genis
  - Hex
  - Ian Berie
  - Kardall Vanyen
  - Kron Caledon
  - Luca Xante
  - Michael Vasq
  - Peobo
  - Rook Strife
  - scar face
  - Scoffer Kada
  - Shimizu
  - Sindariya Tyelma
  - Tialessa
  - Tila Tenderfoot
  - Torulv Silvershield
  - Vladamir Begemot
3rd Prize: Ornate Post & Rope Water Fence Set (digital)
- Mia Sway: Dunkleosteus 4.5
2nd Prize: Shogun Lighthouse Village Water Home (digital)Synergy Blaize: Dunkleosteus 4.6
1st Prize: Player Owned Town Village Water Lot Property Deed (digital)
- Cleo: Mosasaurus 7.2

We also made great progress towards our Release 61 Dark Winter Stretch Goals!

ACHIEVED $10K: Black Ice Wings
ACHIEVED $25K: Black Ice Building Blocks Set
ACHIEVED $35K: Haunted Snowman Mask
$50K: Black Ice Bow & Black Ice Sword
$65K: Haunted Snow Family
$75K: Black Ice Staff & Black Ice Wand
$85K: Haunted Yule Tree Set
$95K: Icy Dungeon Encounter Room with Fishing Spot
$105K: Dark Leather & Fur Yule Outfit

In case you missed the fun times here is the stream on YouTube:

Shroud of the Avatar Rewards Program

The Shroud of the Avatar Rewards Program lets you earn the best rate on purchasing Gold Crowns, AND receive rare stretch-goal items from our monthly livestreams! This program automatically enrolls you in the monthly livestreams (counts as the $5 minimum purchase) along with other perks.

For the low price of $9 USD per month you will receive the following:

9 Gold Crowns of the Obsidians every month
Automatic Participation in the Monthly Livestream Stretchgoals (counts as the $5 minimum purchase)
Exclusive Title every 3 months
- 3 Months: Keeper of the Faith
- 6 Months: Keeper of the Word
- 9 Months: Keeper of the Vow
- 12 Months: Keeper of the Flame
Pick any Dye 12 Pack every 6 months
Pick any three of the 7 Obsidian Potions every month, including:
- Potion of Capacity: Increases carrying capacity
- Potion of Conservation: Reduces reagent use chance
- Potion of Expedience: Swift gathering on all gathering skills
- Potion of Precision: Increases Meticulous Collection to all gathering skills
- Potion of Preservation: Reduces armor and weapon damage
- Potion of Reclamation: Increases Salvage and Repair to all production skills

Upcoming Events Calendar

Jan 31, 2019 – Release 62
Feb 1, 2019 – Release 62 Livestream
Feb 28, 2019 – Release 63
Mar 8, 2019 – Release 63 Livestream
Mar 8 – 17, 2019 – SXSW
Mar 18 – 22, 2019 – GDC
Mar 28, 2019 – Release 64
Apr 5, 2019 – Release 64 Livestream
Apr 25, 2019 – Release 65
May 3, 2019 – Release 65 Livestream
May 30, 2019 – Release 66
June 7, 2019 – Release 66 Livestream
June 27, 2019 – Release 67
July 25, 2019 – Release 68
Aug 29, 2019 – Release 69

Visit the official Community Calendar to see the great lineup of activities our amazing community has planned for this weekend! And be sure to check out this month’s Release Events thread in the SotA forums for additional events.

Community Event: Advent Calendar 2018

[Forum post by Sindariya]

More updates:

Dec 20th
The other day we were doing groceries and stopped at the fish market. Big mistake. Leeroy fell in love with a big fat tuna. Since it was in the morning I left him there and did the other shopping in meantime. It was late when I returned and he was still sitting there. I tried to call him but since he never listens, he ignored me also this time.
If you see him still sitting there, don’t buy him this tuna. He has to learn, he can’t get everything.

Community Event:

Community Event: Grinch’s December Pacu Fishing Adventure

[Forum post by Weins201]

Grumpie Weinie’s Pacu December Pacu Fishing Challenge;

For all those fishers out there is a Pacu that changes its location to random POTs each day at Midnight Server Time (CST) Today it was Formosa and Blackstone Gate. Blackstone gate was Nested and the Name I had to look up in SOTA Wiki Ohh and Blackstone Gate was PvP

In celebration of this new type of fish and mechanic I am holding a Pacu fishing Tournament.

This will be a Winner / Loser (smallest) take all for each day. Fishers will have to send me 1 COTO and the fish caught from either the daily POTs. I will compile all the entries and reward the Largest and Smallest fish for each day. Prizes are 75% / 25% Soo if 4 people enter – 3 cotos to Largest and 1 to smallest. 12 = 8 / 4. I will deliver cotos as soon as winner is determined, on the third day after.

(( if you have a trust issue msg me we can work something out, but I really am not worried about the COTOs just the Community Participation))

Now you have to ask a Town Crier “fish” or “fishing” and they will tell you where the fish are being caught for that day. It changes each night at Midnight CST. Travel to one (or both) of those locations and when you catch a Pacu and wish to enter it all you have to do is Mail me in game. Send 1 Coto and the fish(s) you wish to enter. Today I had to say “catch” – White Heart and Diamond Fields (28 Nov)

Mail is required as the Time stamp will be used to break a Tie, Earliest entry will win. Sooooo if you Catch a Large or Small I would go as fast as you can and mail me your entry. It appears that Pacu have a range of normal from .7 – .8 Length. The large is .9 and 1 (( from Titanforges Tourney) and Small .6 (( At the moment .7 is the smallest found and it is Normal, so assuming a small is .6 ))

Now if you catch a Fish early in the Day say a Large .9 length send it in as soon as possible and if you catch any more you wish to enter later on just mail the fish in you already sent me a Coto Earlier on. 1 Coto to enter each day you want to participate as all paid in make the reward possible

I know this timing could benefit those in Time zones that leave this “Daytime” for them an advantage but I do not have a way to offset this.

Now I will take entries on the day of thru the day after. so on the 1st starting day (1 Dec) you can enter fish caught that day (sent 1 dec) or sent on the day after, ((the 2nd )) (any more days out will be ignored / returned) (Please use Subject for which day you are entering for) ( I will be able to figure it out but just makes it a little easier)

You can also come just hand them to me if you find me online. I will start a group each day while I am playing you can Teleport to deliver to me directly. Deliveries will get time stamped from Logs from the time of trade.

On the 3rd I will place the Winner/Loser fish (trophy if it is mounted or want it mounted) in the Fishing Hall I have thrown up near the entrance to my Island. I will also place a chest for each day and place all other fish in there until returned)

I have already created a Excel Spread sheet which I will update here
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YiAeynrjswQtVZ2YJIWh1-itOxrhybnctGKanALlwyI/edit?usp=sharing

Now these “Hot” Pacu POTs rotate each day so I will entertain additions from the POT owner for that day. I.E. if this ends up in my town I will open it up to Largest Fish from Each Fresh Water Category with Winner / Loser winning Cotos 8 / 2 If this does drop into GHH you will not need to spend more to enter other than the 1 Coto for Pacu, all other fish can just be dropped off I will place a chest if this happens. I wll of course place this chest on that day. If POT owners want to also add I can work and place a hest for that POT and we can work out prizes throughout the day. If the POT owner does initiate his own daily contest please add it to this post and let me know ASAP you can also as a POT owner just drop a box in a location at your town to have fish dropped off

Path from Brittany Area to Grumpie Hermits Hide-a-Way

From Main Entrance to Hall and there is a Mailbox near behind the banker.

I will place a Fishing Vendor in the Town Entrance area also.

Summary Daily 1 Coto entry Winner / Loser take all for catching a Pacu from one (both) of the “Hot” fishing POTs each day.

Entries must be mailed (hand delivered) to me on the day or Day after only for Time stamp to break ties.

I will pay out 75%/ 25% to the Winner / Loser (smallest) each day on the 3rd days after. 1st rewarded on the 3rd . . . . .

All Pacu will be returned after the tournament.

((( if you wish to add me as a friend for this please send me a message with request while I am in game )))

If there are any questions or concerns please post them here I will work on any issues as fast as I can.

Port if you can add Time to the trophy Data that would be AWSOME

Ok good luck to all –

The Hall is set up – after each days winning is determined I will Display the winner / loser and place all other entrants in the box for viewing.

Community Event: Novia Market R60 Grandmaster Bundles

[Forum post by ldykllr]

NoMa Grandmastery Bundles (R60)

Every month we are offering four professional-grade bundles:

Adventurer’s Bundle – some of the highest grade gear available in the land, ready to take a novice adventurer to the journeyman level! This month we are featuring armor from Robyn Hood (@ldykllr )!
Crafter’s Bundle – Are you an aspiring crafter? This month we are offering a MEGA Bundle with all the mats to get you started in all 5 crafting skills (Cooking, Tailoring, Blacksmithing, Carpentry, Alchemy)!
Music Bundle – For all our music lovers out there! This bundle has all the instruments you could ever want, courtesy of @Kron Caledon with a special selection of music selected by @Lace !
Consumable Bundle – A great selection of food and potions to help you on your adventures throughout Novia, courtesy of @Zeetocht !

These bundles will be raffled on December 28th (2 weeks after R61 release – extended due to short release schedule). Tickets are on sale now and priced especially for beginners at 500gp each bundle.

No matter how many tickets a character purchases, they will only get a single chance at winning that bundle – so purchase only one ticket per bundle!

We are hosting the ticket vendors and a display table of what each bundle entails at Market Square, at the south end of NoMa (if you check in with the town crier, it is the only City lot in town and under Governor Robyn Hood’s name). As you wander past all of our merchants, please do some window shopping and take a look at what all of our residents have to offer!

(Screenshots below to help you find your way).

Cheers,
Ben & Robyn

Screenshots

Location of the Market Square in Novia Market

Community Event: Novia Market 1st Annual Yuletide Giveaway

[Forum post by ldykllr]

Announcing the 1st Annual Novia Market Yuletide Giveaway!

When: December 1st, midnight NBT – December 31st, midnight NBT
Where: Novia Market, located just south of Britanny along the road
What it is: For the ENTIRE month of December, ANY purchase made at an eligible vendor (see map below) will enter you into a prize drawing! 1 entry per purchase at an eligible vendor PER day (example: 15 participating vendors, if you purchase an item from each = 15 entries for the day).

The PRIZES include:

1 MILLION in GOLD prizes (and not just small amounts – 2 x 250k is up for grabs!)
Furniture (including sets!)!!!!!
Gold COTO’s
Artifacts
Rares — (Dragon Eggs, Aether Weapons, Bunny prints, Homes, etc)
Resources and rare crafting mats!
Pets!
GM crafted items!
…and much, much more! (I would list everything, but there is so much!)

Prizes will be drawn LIVE on New Years Day at 1900 NBT at Market Square on the South End of Novia Market (the same place where we have our Grandmastery Bundle Raffle tickets every month – look for the City lot under “Robyn Hood”)

Additional vendors may be added to the map, so check back before shopping!

Map of eligible vendors:

Community Event: Jade Dragons 4th annual New Years Eve Party

[Forum post by Mal Hari]

Please come join us for our 4th Annual New Years Eve Party.
With Avatar Radio and DJ Amber Okhan.

We look forward to seeing everyone.

Meretz: Win a Replenishing Fireworks Mega Set

Win the Replenishing Fireworks Mega Set & earn free SotA in-game items daily!

Whether you move a little or a lot, as a Meretz user you rack up valuable Meretz Points (MPs). The more MPs you have, the more stuff you can buy!

Think: in-game SotA goodies, Sweepstakes entries, Relics by Rild giveaways, and tons more. With Meretz, we launch several sweepstakes every month. This month, we’re giving away the Replenishing Fireworks Mega Set – valued at $119! You can also enter to win a Relics By Rild $50 Gift Card and other cool prizes. AND, use your MPs every day for in-game items like potions and emotes.

What’re you waiting for? Download Meretz TODAY!

Project to Support – Avatars Radio

Avatars Radio is a community run and community funded radio station founded by community member Amber Raine. They air plays, music, sermons, speeches, and they organize the monthly release dance parties. You can listen to Avatars Radio on their website or through one of the Aether Amplifiers inside Shroud of the Avatar. Consider helping this community endeavor by supporting their Patreon!

“This station was created with the love of our community and fellow citizens in Lord British – Richard Garriott’s new world of Shroud of the Avatar. Our dream desire is to serve and share (simply by airing) communities work through the moon towers. We have an open welcoming of all submissions from our community. Talented musicians (be it instrumental, vocal, or mixer), poets, designers of station identifications and other sound bytes, or perhaps you have the face and voice for radio and would like to try your turn behind the desk as a DJ? This station shall always welcome the creative works of the community weighed over that of earthly!”

Resources – Players Helping Players

The official SotA New Player Welcome Forum and the Player Created Resources Forum have the best player created resources for Shroud of the Avatar, whether it’s a Player Written Guide, a Video Walk-through, or a Wiki-type Website.

Visit the official Community Resources page for a complete listing of all things community.

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