Greetings, Taernians!
There were omens and signs. Notes long forgotten, voices coming from places where no one should be. Some of you asked questions. Others preferred not to. You were right - something is coming.
On May 19, Broken Ranks: In Cold Blood launches - a free endgame update for our MMORPG that will take you to a place no sane person would seek out. The Monastery of the Order of the Forgotten Dawn still stands. The knights do not. But are they truly nothing more than fleeting memories?
Here’s what you can expect:
- a new region - the Monastery Grounds
- a new endgame party instance (for characters level 140) together with a boss (Volkhard)
- new enemies
- a new Daily Quest required to create a component of the boss entry item
- 4 new rare pieces of gear,
- a new Side Quest for the boss.
The full changelog will be published around the time the update goes live.
How Did It Begin?
“The Emerald Night... a nightmare that lasted ten years, from which blessed Falkmar von Grimmfels awakened our homeland. He destroyed the cursed Tablets and founded the Order.”
For two centuries, the Order dealt with matters the royal courts preferred not to know about. Necromancers, cults, things without names in official records. As the Empire grew stronger, the Order was pushed aside. “Trifles” - that’s what one of the imperial ministers called it.
One night, the monastery stopped responding to calls. Parties were sent. They never returned.
The Imperial Council decided it was not their problem. The finest knights were chosen and sent once again. At the same time, emissaries of vampiric bloodlines arrived beneath the monastery walls. They have their own reasons for being here - and their own reasons for keeping them secret.
The Order remains silent. Rumors increasingly suggest that Volkhard, once a knight of the Order, stands behind it all. Has he returned from the dead?
Enter the monastery and uncover what truly happened that night.
Remember: the quest “To the Last Drop of Blood” can be started from Albrecht on the Monastery Grounds if your character is level 140.
Discover the Darkness of the Monastery.
You cross the monastery gates and immediately know - something so horrific happened here that it defies human comprehension. The floor remembers. The walls remember. Only the knights who once served here no longer remember who they were.
The path to the boss instance leads through long-forgotten corridors... Do not expect an easy journey - along the way you will face not only powerful enemies, but also puzzles requiring as much cunning as strength.
You Know Their Armor. You Will Not Recognize Their Eyes.
Ready to cross the borders of new lands? Most of what awaits you beyond the walls are not monsters born of darkness. They are knights of the Order transformed by the power of the Blade - yes, the very same knights who defended the Empire against dark forces for years. Keep your eyes open, because among those you encounter will be the Slashers.
Alongside them are the Falkmarites - once healers tending to brothers wounded by things others dared not touch. Now they are nothing but abominations - flying Night Hags.
The stronger healers - the Arkanthas - have become unimaginable threats.
Well… even the nearby wolves and bats were not spared. They lived too close when Volkhard returned with the sword.
The Order protected others from transformation. It could not protect itself.
He Was One of Them. A Knight. A Victim. A Boss.
Volkhard was one of them. He served the Order, died for his brothers, rose from the dead, and instead of help found condemnation. The Blade did the rest.
It was not forged for mankind. It grants power as long as it spills blood. But when it rests… something happens to its wielder. At the end of corridors filled with traps and puzzles, you will see what a sword with a will of its own does to a man. If you make it deep enough.
By defeating the main boss, you have a chance to obtain:
- Praetoris (helmet for physical classes)
- Sacrigar (belt for physical classes)
- Exarchius (helmet for magical classes)
- Arcana (boots for magical classes).
These items are intended for characters level 140.
Additionally, rare items obtainable from Sidraga will be moved down to T4 with the launch of In Cold Blood. Equipment from the new boss will belong to a special tier. Furthermore, the guaranteed drop counter for the special tier will first be reduced by approximately 20% and then reset. The guaranteed drop counter for T4 items will be set to the lower of the two values: the special tier counter or the T4 counter.
For example: if a player had 50 bosses remaining until a guaranteed T4 item and 20 bosses remaining until a guaranteed special-tier item, after the change the T4 counter will be set to 20, while the special-tier counter will be reset.
What Else Should You Know?
Access to the instance is limited. Every Wednesday, you can purchase a bundle of 7 entries - not individually, but as a full package. You can accumulate them, but with certain restrictions - if you still have 7 unused entries left from the previous week, you will not be able to buy more. If you have fewer remaining, you will only pay for the missing amount, although such a purchase will also impose a cooldown.
To purchase entries, you will need to pay in gold and gather components. The first component is Grandmaster Glyphs - the same ones used in crafting Legends, now with a new purpose. The second component will be obtained through a daily quest.
Don’t have time for the daily quest? Components can be bought from other players. It’s also a good option for those still too weak for the instance - instead of fighting, they can earn gold by selling gathered materials.
The full list of features implemented in the upcoming update can be found in the news section on our website. The changelog will be published around the time the update goes live.
We hope the monastery of the Order will prove to be exactly what our most demanding players are looking for - a satisfying challenge and a story you will remember long after Volkhard falls.
Thank you for being with us, and see you beyond the walls!
