A Mischievous Pair Of Minimals Appears

Silvershade has been tracking down some reports of strange noises in the wilderness recently. It sounds almost like...giggling?

The culprits are these two mischievous Minimals: The Sunspire Giggleroo and Moonshade Giggleroo! These playful pals love to leap and tumble as they explore, always searching for the next shiny treasure to collect. Their bellies are equipped with stretchy pouches in which they keep their hoard of shimmering objects.

Silvershade's adventures have brought them all over Santae in search of more information about these adorable and mysterious new creatures. They've discovered that, while they may look similar, the two varieties of Giggleroo have different habits and live in completely different habitats!

The Sunspire Giggleroo, identifiable by its sunny yellow markings, can be found only in Santae's northern hemisphere, Valaria. It's most active during bright sunny weather, and prefers to hide during the dark of night. It can only be Herded during the day!

The Moonshade Giggleroo, distinguished by its cream-and-teal fur, lives only in Santae's southern reaches, Aleriea. It sleeps each day away, emerging only at night to wander and play. It can only be Herded at night!

Now that Silvershade has practiced tracking the Giggleroos down, they are both available via Herding! Visit Silvershade's Ranch at Lani Archipelago to get started.

Research on these mysterious new Minimals is still ongoing. Silvershade suspects that we might soon learn that they are capable of using brand-new abilities . Perhaps they might even be able to help us discover a way through the landslide that is blocking the entrance to Echoes Cavern!

A Sparkling Assortment Of Ores

A new selection of items has been freshly revamped with brand-new beautiful artwork. These rare ores are looking more precious than ever!

To find them all, you'll need to travel beneath the surface of Santae into the mines -- but unfortunately the deepest caves and caverns are not yet accessible. Follow Vespera's adventure through Sienna Canyon and stay tuned for more Mining updates, coming soon!

A Fresh Batch Of Revamped Potions

Something exciting is brewing at Shadow Alchemy. Naveen has been hard at work perfecting his recipes! Five classic potions have had their ingredients tweaked, their recipes perfected, and they've been decanted into beautiful new bottles. Bottled Sunshine, Bottled Rain, Bottle of Butterflies, Bottle of Love, and Bottle of Clouds have all received lovely refreshed artwork!

Next time you find yourself in Shadow Veil Pass, pay Shadow Alchemy a visit to sample these revamped concoctions for yourself.

TL;DR

★ Two new Minimals, the Sunspire Giggleroo and Moonshade Giggleroo, are available via Herding.
★ Several ore items have received upgraded and refreshed artwork for the upcoming mining update.
★ Five potions have received updated artwork.

Onward To Sienna Canyon!

This was it! Vespera couldn't wait to get back to adventuring across Santae, and the opportunity had just been delivered directly into her lap. River showed Vespera the envelope she had brought. The envelope was, thankfully, no worse for the wear. Vespera tore it open and examined the note inside. It was from Orion, the wise scholar in residence at Halo Haven!

Vespera read aloud from Orion's note. "I would like to invite you to return to Halo Haven and meet with me at your earliest convenience. I have new information that may assist us with the search for the Resurrection Stone.... which we have discovered is called the Petrastone Relic, in Sienna Canyon."

Vespera felt like cheering, finally a lead! After some hasty preparations, Vespera, Ripple, and River took flight along the familiar route to Halo Haven. Arriving in the middle of a sunny afternoon, they alighted in the courtyard and immediately sought out Orion.

The scholar was, as usual, studying in the library. He greeted Vespera warmly when he saw her. "Welcome back to Halo Haven," he said. "We have much to discuss!"

"Your letter said you might know where to find the Petrastone Relic?" Vespera asked.

"Not quite yet," Orion replied. "But I know of somebody who might. Come, look at the map -- I will show you where to find them."

"We are here," Orion pointed at a cluster of markings on the map that outlined an archipelago of floating islands -- Halo Haven itself. Then, he traced a line slowly southwards. "And here is where you must go next." Orion indicated the southern corner of the map: A remote, craggy location that Vespera had never visited before.

"My studies indicate that the Petrastone Relic is hidden somewhere near there, but I cannot pinpoint it using this map alone. That's why I am dispatching you to Sienna Canyon, to meet with a local miner. Harrison Oreheart will advise you when you arrive."

As they flew, the land below began to transform. Before too long, trees and forests were replaced by grass and scrub, and then by red-orange desert dirt. The landscape was deeply carved by bright blue rushing rivers. It was wild and beautiful -- rugged, and very different from the other landscapes Vespera had explored. But it seemed to be empty of inhabitants.

As they progressed deeper into the canyonlands, something unusual caught Vespera's eye. Nestled between the crags and cliffs, she could see a collection of rooftops. There was a settlement down below!

"Let's go look," Vespera urged Ripple, and the adventurous trio began to descend. This must be the Sienna Canyon!

She knew that is Harrison was a miner, so Vespera began to examine the nearby storefronts for signs of a mining operation. One nearby building had a mining cart parked just outside, overflowing with stones that glimmered with traces of ore. That seemed like a likely place to start!

Vespera stepped through the front door. The proprietor -- a burly man with rugged salt and pepper hair  -- greeted her from behind the counter: "Welcome to the Bedrock Outpost. How can I help you?"

"Hello, I'm Vespera, I've been sent by Scholar Orion of Halo Haven University in search for a local by the name of Harrison Oreheart. Orion tells me, he may be able to help me on my quest to discover the secrets of the mysterious fossil and Resurrection Stone."

"Well," with a wry smile, "you've found him. It's nice to meet you, Vespera!"

"Yes! Hello, it is wonderful to meet you!" Vespera chimed, "We're searching for fossils and more. Orion believes the fossils might lead us to an ancient and powerful artifact called the Petrastone Relic ."

"Hmm," Harrison hummed thoughtfully. "I don't know about any Petrastone Relic, but I sure have seen a few fossils in my day. I can tell you where to start looking, for sure." 

"Where?" Vespera eagerly asked.

"Well, you'll want to start with Echoes Cavern, but...It's a little complicated," Harrison said with an apologetic grin. "The Caverns stretch all through the cliffs around here. There's good Fishing and Gathering to be had in there, but we recently had a nasty landslide. I'm afraid the entrance is buried right now. Nobody can get inside."

"Buried..." Vespera frowned. That would certainly pose a challenge. "Well, I'm sure we can find a way to gain access again."

Shop At The Bedrock Outpost

Harrison has opened the doors of his mining shop - Bedrock Outpost- for all to purchase from! It is filled with many tools and equipment we might need for a mining expedition.  Let us get prepared for some mining adventures very soon, I wonder what new discoveries we may find deep in the mines of Echoes Cavern...

Mesmerizing Minimals Twist Space And Time

Vespera, River, and Ripple spent a little more time strolling the streets of Sienna Canyon as the sun began to sink the sky overhead. Before long, it was time to settle in for the night. Her chosen campsite wasn't far from the center of town, but it was remote enough to afford a beautiful view of the cliffs and ridges of the landscape surrounding the settlement. When Vespera saw the glow, at first she mistook it for the aurora -- but the Winterlights season was coming to a close, and she was very far from the Celestial Peaks.

Before long, the culprits prowled into view. Their silhouettes were clearly outlined on the ridgetop: Three magnificent Minimals, each bathed in an unearthly glow that reminded Vespera of swirling galaxies and shimmering starlight.

Every step the lithe, golden-marked Chronova took sent a ripple through the air around it. Its graceful movements caused time and space to shiver like a pond when a pebble is dropped into it. The starlike markings on its deep purple pelt were a perfect disguise against the constellations of the night sky behind it.

The limbs and tail of the graceful Astravane were encircled by softly glowing celestial rings that pulsed with celestial energy. Their galaxy-like glow was echoed in the cloudy markings that adorned its dark fur. Vespera watched as the Astravane bounded lightly along the top of the cliff, seeming equally at home upon the earth and floating through the skies.

The noble Graviton immediately drew Vespera's attention when it appeared. Its sparkling, crystalline mane was the brightest thing to be seen in the desert night. The lion-like Minimal walked with unbreakable poise and balance along the edge of the ridge, carrying an aura of weight and steadiness wherever it stepped.

Vespera watched closely until the three catlike Minimals had disappeared again behind the ridge, exhaling her held breath when they were finally gone. "What a lucky sighting!" She whispered to River and Ripple. 

Follow some feedback regarding our Cash/Dust shops, the Chronova, Astravane, and Graviton are now available in the Cash Shop and Dust Shop! These will stay in those shops for an entire month instead of for a fortnight. The second set of minimals that would have been released on that fortnight, will be released throughout the month through an in-game method!

Referral Contest Reminders + The Coveted Wispyr Raffles!

As we approach one month left for the Referral Event, with over 7500+ users joining Santae, we are excited to announce that we will be holding two (2) separate Wispyr Raffles at the conclusion of the event. When the Raffle Contest ends on February 15, we will be raffling a total of 100 Wispyr Figurines to give those with fewer than 5 referrals a chance to also receive one of these rare pets! 

One raffle with a prize pool of 50 Wispyrs will be held for Santarians with 0 referrals.

A second raffle with a prize pool of 50 Wispyrs will be held for Santarians with 1-4 referrals.

Disclaimers:
The only people entered into the above Raffles are users who have been Active since the start of the Referral Event!

Additionally, for the contest of having 1 or 4 referrals, you will receive one entry for the second Raffle. (Example: If you refer 1 user you will receive 1 entry to the raffle, however if you refer 4 users, you will also only receive one entry to the raffle.

Thank you everyone who has spread the word about Santae, and joined us during this Referral Event! Keep it up to work toward earning your own exclusive Wispyr pet!

Don't forget, Adventurers: Right now is a better time than ever to invite your friends to the world of Santae!

The ongoing Referral Contest will reward you with Referral Points for every new user that signs up using your special referral link. Spend your RP at the new Referrals Shop to take home rare prizes, including rare Divine Wispyr Figurines for 5 RP each!

TL;DR

★ A New Location has been unveiled, the Sienna Canyon
★ The Bedrock Outpost, a New NPC shop filled with gear for expeditions is now open.
★ Go and Meet Harrison Oreheart (This character is apart of our NPC Revamp Series)
★ 3 New minimals have been released in the Cash and Dust shops!
★ Instead of releasing a second set of minimals in 2 weeks to the Cash/Dust Shop we will be released the second set of minimals sometime this month in an in-game feature. This will be the new cycle going forward.
★ At the conclusion of the Referral Contest on February 15, we will be holding two Raffles for a total of 100 Divine Wispyr Figurines to give users who have less than 5 referrals a chance to win one of the coveted pets!

Star-Chasing Xyrens Soar Down From Above

Skylar and Jasper examined the Xyren Altar closely, looking for signs of what other purpose it might serve. The surface of the pedestal shimmered faintly with the residue of the Auroralight Shimmer Dust Skylar had recently crafted.

"I just can't shake the feeling that there's more to discover here," Skylar shook their head, aimlessly tracing their finger through the sparkling dust on the pedestal to create a swirling pattern.

"I feel the same way," Jasper replied. He reached out to lay one hand on the structure of the Altar itself, feeling the sharpness of one of the carved claws.

The moment he touched it, an aurora-like glow flared to life! Jasper and Skylar leaped backwards in surprise.

As they watched, the light around the Altar flickered and shifted. Jasper squinted, peering closer. He could see mirage-like shapes within the aurora glow: Ghostly crystals and flowers, fish and mushrooms.

"Do you see that?" Jasper could hardly believe his eyes.

"Yes!" Skylar gasped. "I think I recognize this stuff..." they took out a notebook from their pack and flipped through their expedition notes. "That's it! The images it's showing are all materials that can be Gathered from the Celestial Pools below."

"Do you have samples of any of them?' Jasper asked.

"I do," Skylar replied. "Hop and I did plenty of Gathering while we climbed the Celestial Peaks." Digging deeper into their pack, Skylar withdrew an assortment of materials gathered from the Celestial Pools.

Jasper took the offerings and carefully arranged them on the surface of the pedestal in front of the Xyren Altar.

The aurora-like glow grew brighter and brighter, then flashed with an intensity that made Jasper and Skylar cover their eyes. When they looked again, the collected items had vanished -- and in their place, a beautiful gemstone was siting on the pedestal!

"Amazing," Jasper muttered under his breath. He picked up the Star Opal and turned it over in his hand, watching the silvery star-bright colors within shift and change. "It looks just like a star!" Jasper held the Star Opal out so he could admire it against the dark backdrop of the night sky.

"Huh?" Something high in the night sky caught his attention -- distant movement. All at once, a shooting star flashed to life and began to trace a golden path across the skies. Jasper reached into his own adventuring gear and pulled out a Stargazing Telescope to get a closer look.

Through the telescope, Jasper could see the brilliant shining comet tracing a trail of light across the night sky -- in addition to several smaller shapes chasing it! A flock of flying creatures were soaring at incredible speed, racing against the shooting star.

It was a flock of Xyren! Like the Luffin, these rare creatures were essentially the stuff of legend.  But, looking down at the Star Opal in his hand, Jasper suddenly felt like he understood how to bring the Xyrens down from the skies and back to join Adventurers in the world of Santae. This special gemstone was the key!

Jasper stood before the Altar and held the Star Opal high. A beam of magical energy burst from the Altar and illuminated the gem in his hand, making it shine just as bright as the shooting star overhead. In response, one of the small dark shapes in the sky broke off from the flock and plunged into a breathlessly fast dive.

The Xyren plummeted from the heavens toward the Altar, swooping up with strong wings at the last second to come in for a graceful landing.

Jasper locked eyes with the Xyren, standing tall in the face of its fearsome golden gaze. He could tell the creature's attention had been drawn by the sparkling Star Opal in his hands -- perhaps this item was also they key to forging a bond with this magnificent wild Xyren.

Jasper held the Star Opal out toward the Xyren. The sparkling light within the stone began to glow brighter and brighter -- and then the Star Opal dissolved into light! The stream of magical energy darted toward the Xyren and swirled around it in a brilliant dance.

As the swirl of energy settled, coating the Xyren's feathers in starlike sparkles, the magic begin to take hold. Jasper and the Xyren looked deeply into one another eyes, feeling a connection of understanding and trust take shape between them.

As he recalled the Xyren's breathtaking flying skills, the perfect name came to Jasper's mind. 

"It's nice to meet you, Comet," Jasper smiled at his new companion, who flicked its ears and dipped its head in response. Jasper laid his palm gently on Comet's forehead, and the Xyren affectionately nuzzled back. They had formed a lifelong bond!

The Altar Quest And Bonding With A Xyren 

Jasper and Skylar have discovered how to befriend the magnificent Xyren Pet, a whimsical creature that chases after the comets that soar in the skies of Santae! Once considered to be the stuff of legend, it is now known that Xyrens only appear in the skies over the Celestial Peaks under the light of the Winter aurora.

In order to bond with a Xyren of your own, the processes is twofold:

The first step is the Altar Quest. When activated, the Xyren Altar will request that an Adventurer ventures forth to collect 15 items that can be found in Gathering and Fishing from the Celestial Pools. The specific assortment of items that you will need is random each time you undertake the Altar Quest.

When you deliver the necessary items and complete the Quest, the Altar will reward you with a rare, sparking stone: a Star Opal!

This dazzling item is part of what is needed to summon a Xyren out of the skies, as their sharp eyes catch the mesmerizing glitter of the precious stone. To summon a random Xyren to bond with, use a Stargazing Telescope to look up into the starry skies to spot a Xyren and beckon one down. The same Three random Xyren will appear to all users each Nighttime Hour (when the nighttime banner is on - during even hours). You will be able to choose which Xyren you want to bond with, which will consume the Stargazing Telescope . The Xyren you have selected will wait for you to have a Star Opal before it will come home with you in the form of an Adoption or Figurine.

Once you have summoned a Xyren, offer the Star Opal to form a bond with it! Once the bond is formed, you may either Adopt the Xyren or imbue its magic into a Divine Figurine to take home. You can bond with a Xyren once each nightfall, however may only complete one Altar Quest per day, so use your Star Opal wisely!

[*When we release the Dynamic Weather Feature, the Xyren Bonding availability will change to only appear when Aurora weather events occur. We will inform everyone again through these newsposts, when this change happens.]

Collect Three New Hidden Avatars

To celebrate the discovery of the Xyren Altar's secrets and the arrival of Xyrens in Santae, three new hidden avatars are now waiting to be uncovered!

Explore the Celestial Peaktop to unlock these two new avatars for yourself. You can see your whole collection on your Avatars page!

Pet Slot Boom!

With the introduction of our new feathered friends, the Xyren's, the maximum available pet slots for users to unlock has increased by 15 more slots. Bringing the total from 135 Pet Slots to 150 Pet Slots!

What Names and Pets will you adopt with all that extra space?

This will be the final increase in pet slots, more information will be made available when the Sanctuary feature is released.

TL;DR

★ Skylar and Jasper discovered the secrets of the Xyren Altar, and Jasper bonded with a new pet: Comet the Xyren!
★ The Xyren can now be obtained through the Xyren Altar Location in Celestial Peaktop.
★ Three new hidden avatars are now available.
★ The number of Pet Slots available to unlock has been increased from 135 to 150.
★ The Winterlight Festival is Over
★ The Winterlight Token Random Event and Winterlight Token drops from Quests have stopped, and will return next Winterlight.
★ Auroralight Crystals are no longer widespread.