Silvershade Is Back On The Trail

The soft blankets of snow over Santae were proving extremely fruitful for tracking new Minimals -- but the trail was leading Silvershade into steeper and harsher territory.

With Quinn the Quibblet tucked into the front of their jacket to keep warm, Silvershade continued their tracking expedition through the wilderness. It might be a tough, cold journey, but discovering brand-new Minimal trails was worth it!

Silvershade noticed some tiny cat-like pawprints meandering back and forth across the path and decided to follow them. There were tell-tale signs that whoever made these tracks was quite rambunctious : The trail showed clear signs of leaps and tumbles, and a nearby tree's low branches were bare of snow where a Minimal had clambered up. On a hunch, Silvershade peeked into the pine tree's dense needles. Sure enough, a small fluffy Grifkit was curled up close to the trunk, fast asleep on its perch after a long day of play!

Moving on, it wasn't long before Silvershade was high enough on the trail that the trees were mostly gone. Instead, tall cliffs and tumbled boulders surrounded their path. The bare rock underfoot made it harder to find the signs of Minimals, but luck was on Silvershade's side. The afternoon sun broke through the clouds to bathe the nearby cliffside with light. Near the clifftop, something was reflecting like a mirror! Silvershade peered up to confirm: It was a shiny-feathered Silvertalon surveying its territory.

Silvershade was halfway up the steep cliffside path when a faint crackling sound got their attention. They perked their ears and looked around, noticing that the clouds had closed in again and an almost stormy feeling of static was in the air. "Woah!" Silvershade yelped, ducking as something swooped out of the clouds overhead at unbelievable speed. They turned to look as quickly as they could, catching a glimpse of dark blue feathers crackling with electricity. This Thundergryph wasn't taking kindly to intrusions upon its territory!

Respecting the Thundergryph's wishes, Silvershade changed direction. Their journey took them down from the icy peaks and closer to the distant Flamefall Cascade. In the distance, the volcanic mountaintops were bare of ice, but the trail was still surrounded by a snowy winter wonderland. Except for one spot... Silvershade noticed that one nearby stony crag was not just snow-free, but also warm to the touch! A snoozing Brimtalon was sunning itself on the outcrop, molten wings spread wide.

Silvershade headed back home with a notebook bursting with sketches and notes. The info from this expedition would surely help them track these four new gryphons and lead Adventurers to find them in Herding!

Let's Get Cooking, New Pet Cookie Recipes Available!

Now that there is more than one location to create cooked items, the Cooking list has been updated to display both the Aurora Bakehouse and Culinary Creations.

Gather your ingredients, check your recipe, and enjoy creating delicious treats no matter where you choose to cook! It seems like Icelyn is ready to reveal the final six of the twelve Primal Pet Gingerroot Cookies.  You can find these new recipes in the Aurora Bakeshop.

Put your baking skills to the test, what cute cookie creations you can bake now?

Fishy Discoveries In The Celestial Pools

It seems that Pets are bringing back even more new fish from the Celestial Pools in their hauls whilst searching for the magical Aurorite Ore.

These fish glitter and shine the colors of the Aurora, looking like fresh-fallen snow and icy caps of the peaks themselves. Something about the magic of Winterlight must have brought them to the surface, encouraging them out of their hiding places within the Celestial Pools! And now they are here to stay, can you fish them all up?

TL;DR

★ Four new Minimals are available in Herding.
★ The Cooking List has been updated with new banners and links
★ The 6 remaining Primal Pet recipes are now available in the Aurora Bakeshop
★ Four new fish are now available from Fishing at the Celestial Pools!

Sweet Treats Await At The Celestial Peaks

Jasper raised a hand to shade his eyes as he looked out toward the edge of town, where the mountain trail began. A familiar pair of figures were coming into view! Skylar could be mistaken for anybody from this distance, but there was no mistaking Hop's distinctive luminous Synthwave wings.

"Skylar!" Jasper called out, waving. "Welcome back!"

Skylar and Hop walked over, tired from their hike down the mountain, but with an unmistakable spring in their step thanks to their excitement to share their discoveries. "Hi Jasper!" Skylar greeted the armorer warmly. "You won't believe it -- we really found a secret at the Celestial Peaktop!"

"Come inside where it's warm," Jasper urged, "and you can tell me all about it. I know the perfect place! There's a new store in town, since you left..."

Jasper led Skylar and Hop to the Aurora Bakehouse, and all three went inside. The interior was deliciously warm and full of sugary, buttery baking smells.

"Skylar, meet Icelyn Frostwhisk," Jasper gestured as he stepped over the threshold, drawing Skylar's attention to the smiling dark-haired elf behind the counter. "And Drift, of course," Jasper smiled down at the white-furred Wolperjack who was currently busy re-aligning the stock on one of the store's lower shelves.

Icelyn grinned back. "Welcome, Skylar! I've heard so much about you. It sounds like you went on quite the adventure."

"Yes," Skylar agreed, "all the way up to the Peaktop! Let me tell you about it..."

In the comfortable warmth of the bakery, Skylar described their long search for the path to the summit, the incredible view from the top -- and finally, the secret hollow underneath the icy spring, where the Luffins were hiding.

"But I wouldn't have found it at all if that Luffin hadn't stolen those cookies," Skylar chuckled. "That sweet tooth of theirs is the only reason I had a trail to follow at all. I want to go back, but I need to think of some way to befriend the Luffins first."

Icelyn hummed thoughtfully. "They like sweet things, hmm? I have an idea. Step into the back with me!"

Intrigued, Skylar and Hop followed Icelyn and Drift through a door behind the storefront counter and down a set of stairs. The room beyond was even warmer, heated by the fires of several stovetops and ovens. Racks of freshly baked cookies were cooling on the countertops, and the air was full of a sweet and spicy scent.

"This is the real Aurora Bakehouse -- where the magic happens!" Icelyn proclaimed pointing to a tray of freshly baked cookies.

"If the Luffins want sweets, you'll just have to bake some!" The elf continued with a grin. "You're welcome to use the facilities here, if you want."

Skylar raised their eyebrows. "That's very nice of you, but I'm not a very experienced baker..."

"Not a problem!" Icelyn was quick to reassure them. "I've got recipes you can follow. With a little bit of practice, you'll be baking delicious treats in no time!"

"Well then, how can I say no?" Skylar smiled. "Let's get to work baking something the Luffin will like!"

Baking At The Aurora Bakehouse

A brand-new Cooking location is now available at the Aurora Bakehouse! Use the facilities here to create delicious baked treats and fill up your Bakehouse Goodies Checklist. With the announcement of this location Icelyn has decided to rename the Shopfront to the Aurora Bakeshop, to help Adventurer's fine their store with ease.
 

Icelyn Frostwhisk has everything you need to get started in stock at the storefront side of the Bakehouse. You can purchase recipes and ingredients from her in exchange for sP! Combine flour, butter, and the perfect decorations to create gingerroot cookies in the shape of pets! They're almost too cute to eat, but they're too delicious to resist.

The Aurora Bakehouse is busy as Skylar and friends experiment to perfect a cookie recipe to tempt the Luffins with -- and you can help!

What kind of sweet treats will you bake first? Enjoy creating delicious goodies and exploring the Aurora Bakehouse! Can you even find the forum avatar hidden inside?

A Sparkling Treasure Becomes Widespread

Ever since the superchill swept Santae and the Winterlight season began, Aurorite Ore has been appearing in the Celestial Pools and the Eerie Caves. As the Winter chill grows deeper, these sparkling crystals are getting more common!

Aurorite Ore has become Widespread, and will remain so for the duration of Winterlight celebrations!

What connection does this mysterious Ore hold to the magic of Winterlight? Perhaps continuing to explore the Celestial Peaktop will someday reveal its secrets...

TL;DR

★ After returning to the town at the base of the Celestial Peaks, Skylar is cooperating with Icelyn Frostwhisk to bake cookies for the Luffin they met at the Peaktop.
★ A new Cooking location is available at the Aurora Bakehouse! Purchase recipes and ingredients from Icelyn to get started.
★ New Hidden Avatar released.
★ Icelyn has renamed their NPC Shop to Aurora Bakeshop.
★ Aurorite Ore is Widespread for the duration of Winterlight celebrations.

The Secret Beneath The Spring

Skylar woke up feeling refreshed from their nap and ready to take on the challenge of exploring the mysterious Celestial Peaktop. They stretched, yawned, and reached into their pack for a quick snack.

Puzzled, Skylar withdrew their hand holding the container of cookies from the Winterlight Machine -- but it was completely empty! Had somebody been in here?

"Hop," Skylar asked, "did you eat these?"

The Quibbit shook its head, croaking a denial.

"Then who did?" Skylar wondered aloud. They quickly donned their coat and boots to head out onto the Peaktop and investigate.

Sure enough, there were signs of disturbance right outside the entrance to the tent. A handful of marks were in the snow: A mix of webbed claw- and paw-prints. Along the trail, Skylar also spotted some scattered cookie crumbs. The creator of these tracks must also be the cookie thief!

Skylar and Hop followed the prints. After a while, the trail changed from individual prints to a single wide depression, like something had slid along the surface of the snow. The sliding track vanished over the edge of the deep, icy spring and disappeared into the water.

"It went into the water..." Skylar kneeled to examine the end of the trail. "Hop, this one's up to you! Can you get us to the bottom of this spring?" Skylar winced, thinking of how cold the water must be -- but their warm gear, and Hop's skillful aquatic navigation, would make exploring underwater a lot safer and easier than it could be.

Hop fluttered its wings and croaked reassuringly. Together, they could explore anywhere!

Skylar and Hop descended into the spring, Skylar gasping at the shock of cold. But the way to go was almost immediately clear. There was a big open space nearby, in a pocket of air trapped beneath the surface ice -- and it was glowing with soft rainbow light!

The adventurous duo popped out into a cavern, and Skylar quickly scrambled out of the water onto the hidden shore.

The ice in the ceiling was a prism, lighting the whole chamber with rainbow light. It acted almost like a greenhouse: Not only was it surprisingly warm in here, but the ground was also covered in thriving greenery. It was a lush oasis of life -- hidden directly under one of the most remote and frigid places in Santae. How incredible!

As Skylar was slowly getting their bearings, a croak from Hop caught their attention. The Quibbit was pointing across the pool they had just emerged from, gesturing toward something half-hidden in the greenery.

Skylar peered over, catching a glimpse of sleek blue-black feathers and a bright orange beak. It was a Luffin!

As Skylar watched, the Luffin tossed its head, throwing a beautifully iced gingerroot cookie into the air. It caught it with an effortless snap of its beak, swallowing the baked treat with evident delight.

"You're the thief!" Skylar exclaimed with a laugh. "You know, I would have shared if you asked," they said. The Luffin simply blinked its wide eyes in response.

Skylar held out one hand in a gentle beckoning gesture, stepping slowly around the pool to try and approach the Luffin. But the Luffin wouldn't let them get any closer, sidling around the edge of the water to keep the pool between Skylar and itself the whole time. When Skylar tried to catch its gaze, it tilted its head away, aloof.

"I really think we could be good friends," Skylar remarked, "but it looks like you're not interested in leaving here yet. Your home really is very beautiful," Skylar said, gaze turning upward to the prism-like ice crystals in the ceiling.

"We'll be back!" Skylar declared. "But for now, let's leave and figure out what to do next. And I bet everyone back at the Celestial Peaks can't wait to hear about this hidden hollow!"

A Sparkling Discovery: Luffin Hollow

Skylar and Hop have discovered a brand-new location at the Celestial Peaktop. Luffin Hollow is a submerged cavern hidden below the Peaktop's deep spring. It's the natural habitat of the mysterious Luffin: An adorable, playful, but very rare resident of the Celestial Peaks.

There must be some way to befriend the Luffins within the Hollow and bond with them to bring them along with you on your adventure through Santae. But how...?

Skylar is on their way  back to the Celestial Peaks to think about this mystery, and they will need the Adventurers' help to solve it!

Skylar will reach the base of the Celestial Peaks on December 27th for the next phase of this investigation!

Tracking Through The Snow

Accustomed to the sunny warmth of the Lani Archipelago, Silvershade didn't care much for the superchilled Winter weather sweeping Santae. But there was one undeniable benefit: Snow made tracking Minimals a lot easier!

Silvershade was familiarizing themself with the snowy paw- and claw-prints of all kinds of different creatures. A fresh layer of soft snow was like a blank page for Minimals to write the story of their day on by scurrying around -- and Silvershade had the skill to read it.

The abundance of snow prints had even helped them track down three new Minimals they had never seen before!

One trail was a trail of mixed talon- and paw-prints. There were occasional imprints of wing-shapes on either side -- but although the shapes were familiar, the outline had none of the softness of normal feathers. It led Silvershade to a stony gray gryphon sitting as still as a statue: Rocktalon!

Another trail led to marks where sharp claws had dug into the earth to search for something. The snow where the Minimal had crouched held the imprints of smooth scales. Silvershade thought they were on the trail of a reptile at first, but in the end they found the true culprit. It was a shiny, scaly gryphon: Wingclaw!

A bouncing trail of tiny pawprints led Silvershade on a looping, swirling trail across a snowfield. Eventually, they discovered the round, fluffy gryphon responsible fast asleep, tuckered out from its romping: Fluffon!

Now that Silvershade is familiar with their tracks, all three of these new gryphons are available for discovery via Herding at Silvershade's Ranch!

Quality Of Life Update: Receive Log

As this is the season of giving, we thought it important to be able to know who has gifted you during this time. So with that, we have added the Receive Log. You can find the Received Log linked under your Inventory header menu. It allows you to review all items that have been sent to you from other users over the last 7 days. This is the first of several updates the "Send to User" feature will see over the coming weeks.

Vespera Discovers Missing Pet Colors

Vespera walked out to her store front and glanced at her stock. She was proud of the rare trinkets she was able to provide for the adventurers of Santae. She walked down the aisles, adjusting item positions as she went, humming to herself whilst making sure that it was dust free and organized.

As she approached the shelves where the Rhymoss And Ursoso Figurines were placed, she gasped as she noticed something really odd - one of the shelves had tilted back, obstructing the view of the items on the next shelf behind it.

After tinkering with the bolts and screws, the shelf finally returned to its default position. She ducked into the next row of shelves to check on the wares and was shocked at what she saw -- 

She reached forward and grabbed the figurines that now had dust gathering on them. "Ah!" she grinned, "So that's why I haven't been selling any of these!".

Within a few minutes, the figurines were as good as new -- clean, shiny and ready for sale. Vespera placed them proudly at the front of all of the Divine Figurines so adventurers wouldn't miss them!

Divine Netherflame Rhymoss Figurine

Divine Regal Rhymoss Figurine

Divine Netherflame Ursoso Figurine

Divine Regal Ursoso Figurine

Vespera only has enough stock of the original Rhymoss and Ursoso Figurines to last a few more days, so they will still be leaving her shop as scheduled.

However, Vespera will have these new figurines in stock for another 30 days!

TL;DR

★ Skylar and Hop discovered a new location under the spring at the Celestial Peaktop: Luffin Hollow!
★ The investigation of how to bond with the Luffins within the Hollow will continue on December 27th.
★ Three new Minimals are available via Herding: Rocktalon, Wingclaw, and Fluffon.
★ QoL: Inventory now has a Receive Log so you can review who has sent you items in the previous 7 days.
★ Additional Ursoso and Rhymoss Divine Figurines (Netherflame and Regal) are now stocking in the Cash Shop and Dust Shop for the next 30 days.

A Surprise Winter Gift

Surprise! We have a third present to share with all the Adventurers of Santae, as a gift from the entire Santae Team to you. Thank you for being such an incredible community!

For this reward - the Chataeu Surprise Present - all we want to know is what our community are up to this Winterlight! Visit this forum thread to share a story about your winter so far. Be as factual or fictional as you like with your response (but remember not to reveal any personal information such as locations or names)!

Share your story on this thread by 28th December at 12:00 NOON SST. Anyone who replies to this thread will receive this free gift, which won't return again until Winterlight 2025!

As Winter's cold sweeps Santae, we hope you are all staying comfortable, warm, and merry. Happy Winterlight!

An Assortment Of Arms And Armor

Despite the excitement in the Celestial Peaks with the discovery of the path to the Peaktop, Jasper has remained hard at work at the Celestial Armory. Inspired by the darkness and chill of the Winter season, three Black Frost armor items have been updated with a new look!

This matching set of Cuirass, Helm, and Shield are made of strong black
steel and imbued with a faint glow of icy magic. Stop by the Celestial Armory to collect the set!

Meanwhile, Gruff has forged a brand-new type of sword at his forge, Gruff's Weaponry. Inspired by Santae's most iconic serpent, the Rattlinz Blade draws its warm brown color and scaly patterns from the spikes and scales of the Rattlinz itself.

This one doesn't look as dangerous! The Plushie Sword -- available as a prize from Balloon Pop -- may not be the right weapon to bring to a fight. But it's brand-new art makes this toy a perfectly adorable addition to your plushie collection!

TL;DR

★ A third surprise present available in exchange for responding to this forum thread. Happy Winterlight!
★ A new weapon is stocking at Gruff’s Weaponry: the Rattlinz Blade
★ Three Black Frost armor items, plus the Plushie Sword, have received new artwork.

The Celestial Peaktop

"Thank you!" Skylar waved farewell at the Adventurers who had just visited to share the reports from their latest ventures into the Celestial Pools. Taking the collected notes, Skylar began to mark down the newest discoveries on the map they were slowly constructing of the most distant parts of the Celestial Peaks.

"There, and....there," Skylar sketched in the Adventurers' descriptions of the ridges and valleys they had seen. "Wait," Skylar squinted down at the diagram more closely.

"Hop!" Skylar cried, pointing down at the map. "This is it! I think we've really discovered a path to the Peaktop! And we really couldn't have done it without every last one of the Adventurers who helped. They tallied up over 16,400 expeditions!"

Hop leapt up to look with an excited croak. The Quibbit looked between Skylar, the map, and the entrance to their camp as if to say, why aren't we heading up already?

"You're right, buddy," Skylar laughed. "Let's go now!"

Together, Skylar and Hop set off. They hiked the familiar route closer to the bottom of the Celestial Pools, then clambered up over the rougher and less familiar terrain. Eventually, they reached a narrow trail that snaked its way upward between the Pools -- and ended right near the summit!

The path was long. By the time Skylar and Hop approached the top, deep night had fallen and the aurora was blazing like bright green fire overhead. Skylar scrambled up a steep slope, stepped around an icy spire, and then froze -- utterly transfixed by the beauty of the sight in front of them.

Skylar spun slowly in place to take it all in. From up here, the buildings of the settlement at the base of the Celestial Peaks looked as small as toys! Above, the aurora danced and blazed in the gaps between an outcropping of fluffy clouds. The cloud bank seemed almost close enough to touch from here!

At their feet was the shore of a beautiful spring whose surface reflected the aurora's shifting lights. The icy waters formed a deep, still pool near the center of the Peaktop, but also spilled over the edge into a sparkling waterfall. This must be the source of the Celestial Pools and the waterfalls connecting them!

Skylar couldn't wait to begin to explore. They walked all around the spring, leaving a trail of footprints in the untouched snow that outlined the track of their investigation. Vespera's original note -- the one that had sent Skylar on this venture in the first place -- had mentioned a potential link between the Peaks, the superchill, and the mysterious Luffins. If there were any signs of Luffin habitation up here, Skylar was determined to find them!

But after a full circuit of the Peaktop, Skylar and Hop still hadn't found anything unusual. Skylar felt a little disappointed, but gazing out over the gorgeous view from the Peaktop's heights, it was hard to be discouraged for long.

"Let's set up camp for now," Skylar decided. They would need a comfortable base of operations to continue the investigation from after a bit of rest.

Skylar and Hop worked together to set up their small camp with the speed and ease of long experience. With a snug tent to keep out the worst of the snowy chill, the duo settled in and fell asleep.

The Celestial Peaktop is now available to be explored! What discoveries await there...?

An Avatar Hidden In The Heights

Bring the beauty of the Celestial Peaktop to your User Profile and forum posts with this brand-new hidden avatar!

To unlock this new avatar, you'll need to discover its location for yourself. Bundle up and get ready for a hike! Exploring every corner of Santae is the best way to expand your personal avatar collection.

A Magical New Look For The Seeker's Artifacts

In exchange for your assistance, the Seeker of Knowledge offers many strange and magical objects as rewards. Next time you aid Eldrin in one of his Quests, you may receive some items that have been gorgeously re-imagined with brand new artwork!

The Ancient Valarian Artifact, Essence of the Wild, and Essence of the Northwinds are all objects of magical interest -- but the Seeker of Knowledge will part with them provided he knows they will end up in capable hands. Prove your worth by visiting the Azure Abyss and taking on a Seeker of Knowledge Quest today!

Track Your Harvest With Ease

The updated Harvesting system has received another new upgrade! At Gathering and Fishing, you are now once again able to view the "Items Found" at each location. These lists will update dynamically as you discover everything a gathering spot has to offer, making it easier than ever to track which pieces you have yet to find.

This feature has been added to Cooking as well! The Culinary Creations page now also shows the items you have discovered and cooked. The silhouettes of undiscovered items might even help you guess which ingredients you will need to create them, too.

TL;DR

★ A magnificent (16,400+) total Fishing and Gathering expeditions helped Skylar to discover and reach the Celestial Peaktop! This location is now available for Adventurers to visit.
★ A new hidden avatar is available for discovery.
★ 3 Seeker of Knowledge quest reward items have received updated artwork.
★ Fishing, Gathering, and Cooking now show a running list of "Items Found" on each location's page.