Telara Saga Season Ends in Fond Adieu - Nouvelle - RIFT

Nouvelle

26 janv. 2012

Highly attended lore event suspends after second season.

For many who wanted lore to be more than quest text, the role-play server Faeblight was the home of an event known as the Telara Saga - a live-action introduction to the lore of Telara. Yesterday, the Telara Saga completed it's second 22-week season, and there are no immediate plans for a third.

We were able to sit down with Benjamin "Foghladha" Foley, event host and leader of the Gaiscioch Family for a retrospective on the event and to learn why the Saga has been suspended.

According to Foley, the Telara Saga is not shutting its doors. Simply, "in retreat to prepare for the battles ahead". According to Foley, the 44-week total event has run the course of the lore already in-game, but will continue again with the addition of new content.

What was the Telara Saga?

For those who were unfamiliar with the event, the Telara Saga was a live-action, roleplay-optional event. Scripts were written to place players into the story of Rift, and players would then fight together against the enemies of Telara. The event both brought players closer to the lore written by Morgan Lockhart (Defiant) and Nick McDowell (Guardian) as well as the occasional ad-lib.

Highly controversial amongst the ad-lib was a story written by Foley himself which temporarily united both factions in a fight against the Dragon Cults. Foley explains the story:

"Cyril told us [Guardians] to take back Telara. Now as we went along, we learned that the Endless Court was playing both factions - weakening us as a whole.

The Guardians marched across Telara on a quest to destroy the Defiant leaders. Conquering every territory on the way, the Guardians found themselves at the gates of Meridian ready for battle. War erupted blanketing Freemarch and Meridian in blood. hundreds fell upon the soil only to be brought back again to fall again. Hours past and blood tainted the soil.

The Defiant forces fought with all their might sending the Guardians to the grave time an time again. As night fell a scout rushed into Dacia Ultan's den and delivered a message. The message that would change the war forever.

The Dragon Cults used Cyril's blind quest for power to encourage a battle with Asha Catari who's revenge thirsty antics made easy prey to the cleaver ways of the Endless Court. The intent was to keep the Guardians and Defiants killing each other long enough for the Endless Court and the other Dragon Cults to establish a foothold and regain the upper hand in Telara.

The Guardians and Defiant weren't originally at war, but pitted against each other by the Abyssal and House Aelfwar. Meanwhile, the Endless Court was calling the shots all along.

Now the Heroes of Telara have fought valiantly against these common foes. They aren't dispelled completely, and it's likely we will see them again in time.

Since then, the ties that bonded both factions are already beginning to wane as the hostilities between Telarans and the Dragon Cults find a temporary respite. There aren't those leaders anymore to unite the factions."

Return as PvP Event?

We asked if the Telara Saga, which has seen as many as 500 simultaneous participants, would renew as a PvP event - as it had been in the first season. Foley told us that it would likely return to being a PvP/lore event, though would be run by both factions.

We also had the opportunity to participate in the epic final trek of the season. In the culmination of the fight against the Dragon Cults, players of all levels participated in the closure of raid rifts on Ember Isle.

In retrospect, Foley told us:

"We have stood up to many challenges and succeeded in almost every one. We were able to bring people closer to the story of Telara and make some awesome memories. Which is important, because when you are chasing a goal and making memories along the way, the game never really ends.

It has been alot of fun, and that's why we play the game after all. We will be looking forward to leading the community in the next epic saga."