Drathrok's Duskruin

Drathrok's Duskruin has been run the following times:

• Drathrok's Duskruin 419: January 22 – January 31, 2016
• Drathrok's Duskruin 421: September 16 – September 25, 2016
• Drathrok's Duskruin 422: March 17 – March 26, 2017
• Drathrok's Duskruin 426: March 23 – April 1, 2018
• Drathrok's Duskruin 430: March 15 – March 31, 2019
• Drathrok's Duskruin 435: July 17 – July 26, 2020

About

At times, Drathrok and Zoluren's leaders send out the call far and wide for brave adventurers to step into arenas and Dwarven mazes to hone their skills for the battles that lie ahead. Compete against dangerous (some long forgotten) foes with mighty spells and abilities, never-before-seen traps, and the clock to earn bloodscrip, or explore the shifting maze below to search out bloodscrip and other treasures.

Map

• External link to Kythryn's map of the area

Entry

Check NEWS 4 1 for portal locations.

Bloodscrip

Bloodscrip is a currency similar to the Grey Raven Commissary scrip. While Grey Raven scrip is automatically accumulated in your character's total listed under the TICKETS, some bloodscrip starts off as an actual item when found and can be bought, sold, or otherwise traded to other characters. Once REDEEMed on a character, bloodscrip cannot be turned back into an item and traded. Bloodscrip can be obtained in the Duskruin Arena and Duskruin Labyrinth and redeemed at various locations within Duskruin and appears as Duskruin bloodscrip.

Note: Because bloodscrip can be a actual item in game, it is highly recommended you treat it with the caution you would any item you would not want to lose.

Arena

The arena is an individual event where a player fights against various creatures and traps in the hopes of earning prizes and bloodscrip. There are multiple arena rooms, allowing up to 50 players to be competing in the arena at once.

Spectators can use YELL and CHEER to encourage those in the arena, or taunt their failings. The WATCH LIST command will show who is currently competing, while WATCHing any player, such as WATCH BOB will allow you to track their progress.

To enter, players can GO PORTCULLIS while holding a dueling slip and will be escorted to an arena and the announcer will explain the rules. Players will face 25 challengers, and every 5th one will be a 'boss', or more difficult opponent. Only one creature or opponent will face a player at a time. Players can use the WATCH command to assess the situation and react accordingly to try and avoid these traps. Your time in the arena is limited, so make good use of it. If your time expires, you will be moved out to collect your winnings.

To avoid the traps, you can attempt to WATCH to see how to respond to any traps that are active. If at any point you've had enough, you can SURRENDER and quit early. However, if you surrender your coin and bloodscrip earnings for that session will be cut in half. Should you fail and die in the arena, you cannot DEPART but will be automatically dragged out, and healed to full health. The arena's healing services include returning you back to life, but any normal death penalties (lost field experience, scrolls, etc) will still apply normally.

If a player does everything perfectly in a single session, the most they can earn is 250 bloodscrip. Players always get some bloodscrip even if they SURRENDER or die, with the minimum at 50 bloodscrip for participating. For killing every mob they also relieve 1 RPA.

In 2017, a combat mode with construct-only creatures for Empaths was introduced. Necromancer, Empath and other pets are allowed in the arena. Players may receive buffs or other help from players before entering.

Arena Titles

Players can get several temporary titles by participating in the Duskruin Arena. These titles are temporary and clear after logging out and back in. However, if you are wearing a title the announcer will skip the introduction and rules segment of the arena session, allowing you to do more sessions faster. You are also able to purchase slips that grant you these titles if you have one worn at the time of purchase.

Duskruin Combatant - Earned by participating in any Duskruin arena session.

Duskruin Arena Champion - Earned by making it through and beating all 25 rounds.

Duskruin Arena Hero/Heroine - Earned by beating all 25 rounds without getting a 30 second warning and scoring over 220 (needs confirmation).

Arena Names

Each time you enter the portcullis, you end up in a single-room battle arena area. Each of the battle rooms is "sponsored" by a prominent member or house from around Elanthia. Possible battle areas include:

• Drensyld Arena
• Mysandanuva'r Arena
• Olgievi Arena
• Owirvald Arena
• Sel'hevor Arena
• Tanglefoot Arena
• Tuulpon'u Arena
• Verdegti Arena

Duskruin Vault

This is the abbreviated method to gain access to bloodscrip and incidental prizes. Once entering, the player will be asked to perform a series of verbs in order to complete the mission.

How to begin

• Bank Heists are begun with Chrematistic Investor battlemaster or Unscrupulous Ringleader brigand.
• The Bank Heist is started by JOIN BATTLEMASTER or JOIN BRIGAND.
• BATTLEMASTER: You need to immediately LISTEN for threats.
• BRIGADE: You need to immediately OBSERVE for threats.
  • WARNING: Joining the BRIGAND will result in learning Thievery. Paladins beware.

How to progress once inside

• Eliminate threats as fast as possible.

Note - Empaths are given constructs. Nissa's Binding and Paralysis work. Guardian Spirit does begin at melee.

BATTLEMASTER

• Use TRACK after threats are dead and for messages like the following

Some movement can be seen out of the corner of your eye.

You should track where the assassin came from.

• Use LISTEN immediately after moving from TRACK.
• Use GUARD every time you see a message similar to the following

You notice something of importance under a floorboard. You should guard it before it is stolen.

BRIGADE

• Use STEAL every time you see a message similar to the following AND after OBSERVE or killing a threat.

You should steal whatever is inside the wine rack.

• Use PACE every time you see a message similar to the following

You should pace to make some extra footprints.

Failure

• If you use HELP too many times or if you run out of time, you will be instantly killed and see the following messages

Suddenly, a band of assassins surrounds you! You attempt to escape, but are met with a dagger across your throat.

Suddenly, a squad of marauders and watchdogs surrounds you! You attempt to escape, but are met with a mattock smashing in your head.

• You will be instantly brought back to life and returned to the battlemaster or brigand upon failure and given a nondescript burlap pouch that contains bloodscrip and an incidental.
  • Note - for BRIGAND runs, bloodscrip is stolen via STEAL in the event and will NOT be in the pouch.

Success

• After killing a threat and using TRACK or STEAL you may see a message like the following

You glance around, but see no signs of any threats. You begin making your way out of the bank.

• Any non-coin loot items you did not pick up will be moved to your hands and your atfeet slot. This can result in your reward pouch (nondescript burlap pouch) being placed at your feet.
• BATTLEMASTER Rewards should be one incidental, and 200 bloodscrip.
• BRIGADE Rewards should be one incidental and 200 bloodscrip that you acquired from STEAL along the way.

Labyrinth

Located on the eastern side of the arena, the labyrinth does not have any combat. Players enter by paying with Golden Rat Tokens or dueling slips, and are lead inside. True to its name, the labyrinth is a maze that occasionally reorganizes itself, so any attempt at mapping it is futile. Players can attempt to chase and capture the rat running around inside via the SEARCH command. Each session, a player may do 10 searches and obtain various treasures hidden within labyrinth. There is a 1 hour time limit to perform the SEARCHes with a 5 minute warning near the end.

Only one rat may be obtained per character, per opening of Duskruin. However, there are many different treasures hidden in the labyrinth, so even if a player already has a rat there are things to search for.

The most bloodscrip that can be earned in any one labyrinth session is 200 bloodscrip.

Entering the Labyrinth

• Find the archway and go through it and follow it down. At the bottom there is a portcullis entrance.
• You must have a golden rat token or a dueling slip in hand to enter.

Finding a Rat

• Using SEARCH after a message similar to the following gives you the best chance

Something scurries about the area.

• If you see messages like the following, the rat cannot be found in the room you are in until the maze reshuffles.

A small rat scurries southwest!

Plixbraggle's Goat-Werx

Located in the tent at the NW part of the grounds is both a novelty shop, Plixbraggle's Goat-Werx, and a game area that houses 2 different games, the Agility Course and Goat Catching.

• Agility Course: On entry into the game area, climb ladder, then attempt to MOVE onto the next obstacle (barrel, log, etc.). If you are successful and reach the end of the course (ring the bell!), you will receive 100 Bloodscrip.
• Goat Catching: This is similar to other Capture the Critter games. In the rooms NE from the entry, catch goat. If you are successful, return to the start and put goat in pen.

See Also

• A number of high-end foods and drinks as well as pickable items can be found on the Duskruin grounds.
• an alternate map of the area can be found on Kythryn's Journal here.