#AAE expedition

[johntorrington]

the nimrod expedition was the wild west. it’s like a frat house where everyone ended up becoming a politician. guys there would go on to be part of the AAE, the terra nova, the endurance, the ross sea party AND the karluk. some dudes climbed a volcano that had never been climbed before- without anything close to proper gear and ended up chucking some of their stuff down the mountain to get back faster. george marston was getting really into drag. shackleton was just out of his weird polycule divorce with scott and wilson. they had a little canvas bathtub that multiple people took nudes in. a 50 year old geologist was put in charge of a manhauling party and was so bad at it he had to be threatened with being declared insane by the doctor in order for him to hand command over to mawson. aeneas mackintosh lost an eye. the car. they got a new furthest south but shackleton ended up so badly in debt he tried to get into gold mining. what a time.

[hms-melodrama]

Finished reading Alone on the Ice by David Roberts. The section about various expedition members surviving the AAE only to enlist and then die in WWI was heartbreaking.

Learning about the harrowing time these men had in the antarctic and how they were subsequently cut down on the front lines, injured in the trenches, or died from the effects of mustard gas was deeply moving and a stark reminder of the horror and scope of a war occurring in a new age for that generation.

[pandoriasbox]

Dino Valley Expedition Idea

Long time no writing huh? Life has been very busy and while I've still be on SSO especially for events, I've stepped back a lot. However one thing I've always wanted to share on this blog was my personal take on how Dino Valley should be redone. I was rereading over my old Kalter idea and it got me thinking about this quest line idea again. Of note this thing is from all the way back in April 2021, I'm just now sharing it proper.

Quality of Life Changes:

Immediately having a fast travel point as soon as you set down in the Valley. Maybe it’s a wagon?

No weird Epona needing the optional quests of unlocking Dino when you could just portal in or out without unlocking it anyways (not sure if this is still a thing? Making unlocking Dino a main quest removes the problem anyways.)

A balloon at the Icengate would still be nice, maybe the druids added it once they got in contact with the Kalters?

Ice resistant horses are no longer a thing but I had originally planned to suggest ice resist potions along with a general potion gameplay feature separate from the story

Short Change Notes:

This quest runs as part of the main quest, after completing the first act, the remainder becomes a local side quest.

Elizabeth is only involved during the first act and is absent from the rest for obvious reasons for anyone who’s completed the story thus far.

Nic Stoneground is still a previous druid but he joins the expedition as the leader of the AAE side of the team.

A new druid character is introduced to act as the leader for their side of the team.

The expedition is a joint endeavor by both the AAE and druids and is fully planned by both with safety in mind. They each have their own intentions for it, AAE is seeking to do primarily scientific research while the druids are hoping to reconnect with the Kalters as well as collect some very rare and important supplies from the valley.

Rest below the cut:

Quest Rundown

The player is introduced to the expedition by Elizabeth who gives them a brief run down and at this point the player is relatively familiar with the group. Because of this, they’re deemed to be a valuable potential team member and someone quite reliable. The team is composed of people from both AAE and the druids and was put in motion due to the melting ice and the opened entrance to the valley. Elizabeth joins with Calanthe and once the player initiates it, the team makes their way up the path before everything fades to black. The player meets them on the other side of the melted wall of ice which has just barely opened enough to allow pack animals and maybe some wagons through.

The valley would require a rehaul for my idea to work but it definitely deserves one. The initial area the player finds everyone in is just on a cliff overlooking the main valley. It’s large enough to fit everyone but not where they want to set up camp. A mining expedition occurred many years ago and left very old machinery including a huge elevator for quicker travel and transport up and down from the valley’s entrance. Beyond that is a series of ramshackle, mostly broken stairs used before the elevator was put in place. When the player next speaks to the NPCs, they’re told everyone will need to work together to repair the elevator and stairs.

Some NPCs can be positioned nearby different parts of the area, maybe animated to look like they’re repairing items. The player is given a handful of tasks to do themself but everything requires them to remain in the upper level where the machinery’s main contents is housed or to work their way down the stairs repairing them as they go. This should all be relatively brief as to not detract from the actual expedition. I’d prefer to see NPCs actually doing most of the work instead of having something like the bridges where we do everything. The player instead acts as a connection between everyone, using their horse to haul repair materials and maybe making a quick trip back down to Valedale if needed since it’d be easiest for them.

With the stairs and elevator finally repaired everyone safely reaches the bottom and a camp is set up near the center. There could be some small work here too where the player helps unpack tents but again, don’t make them do everything. (Possibly similar to setting up the Redwoods area?) The camp consists of a set of sleeping tents including one for skipping the night if need be. There’s a mess tent where the player can buy food, an apparel and tack stall maybe by a storage/supply tent. Important NPCs relevant to the area are also located at the camp such as Professor Jura and Harley who will take any bones or special finds the player uncovers from the local archeology. If Elsa and Franke are still part of the group they too would have their own tents. I don’t think Berzelius or her dog are necessary, you could just have a generic AAE or druid running the local races. A vet probably isn’t necessary unless a champ is put up there since there should be one in Valedale. We don’t need a cafe and I don’t think Igor is needed in this area. Lastly, of course a small ramshackle stable should be made with local lumber to house the animals. I’d personally love to see mules used if they’re ever added to the game since they’re so good for pack work like this. Lastly, there should be no dig spots left within the camp’s vicinity and the mailbox can be removed, instead the player can make trips to Valedale to do mail as a daily quest.

The first act of the questline (and therefore the main quest portion) can wrap up with the player assisting Elizabeth in collecting materials. I think it would be wonderful to have a moment of actually doing this with her and interacting with her. We could have a lot more chances to get to know her and build up a relationship and understanding of her throughout this quest which is badly needed to make her part in the story later pay off better. Once any additional bits of the quest are completed, Elizabeth will announce her departure and thank the player. She leaves the expedition in the capable hands of Nic and the other druids. This is where the quest can then shift to having the next main quest available and allow the player to move on with the now side quests unique to Dino Valley.

Either throughout the first act or beginning in the second act, the player gets clued into someone watching them. This turns out later to be the Kalters who have been very removed from any other societies on Jorvik. The reasons are unknown but perhaps the druids believe it’s connected to an old prophecy about snow encasing Jorvik in eternal winter. The Kalters are extremely wary of outsiders however so they cannot be interacted with at first. The druid leader of the expedition tasks the player with inspecting the Icengate to see its state and to look for any recent activity of the Kalters exiting it.

Through this, the player finally comes in contact with someone from the Kalters. They speak to them and end up forming a small connection through their equal love of horses. Through the conversation the player manages to convince this person they’re trustworthy enough to stay in contact with. The Kalter requests the player do a favor for them by fetching them some very difficult and rare materials from the valley in order to better earn their trust. These could be some of the items the player got with Elizabeth or new items. Meanwhile, the player gets other quests at the same time from the expedition team, things such as introductions to archeology, perhaps cartography, surveying, collecting and so on. All of these can result in daily quests for the player too or to progress their rep with the camp, learn about the different people of it and the history of the valley as told by AAE and the druids. However due to the limited resources this could also be used to provide an interesting source of conflict between the druids and Kalters as well as push the player to choose one or the other or treat them equally and try to smooth relations out between the two.

One of the major themes of this quest is understanding how history is told from different perspectives. AAE members focus heavily on the scientific and non-mythical history, druids are more interested in the more magical aspects or how it ties to Garnok and Nic gives a sort of in between view. But when the player begins interacting with the Kalters, they too have their own perspective that is completely different from the others. The valley is their home and it is a place to be respected and possibly even feared due to the dangerous temperatures, terrain and creatures within it. They too have their own myths and legends as well which differ greatly from the druids but there are similar aspects that tie the two together. This is also where my old ideas for the Kalters really could come into play, allowing the player to build up reputation with them, earn favors, learn their lore and about people from their culture and possibly even be allowed one of their unique horses.

Eventually act two ends and the beginning of act 3 would kick off. I’ve always loved the idea of a snowy apocalypse in Jorvik and with the new snow and blizzard features we’ve gotten with the winter updates I think having a visual for it would be far more possible now to integrate it. The cause of this massive snow storm might be due to the local ice witch, I personally had wanted Katja connected to her but that’s up to the team. Her introduction could be foreshadowed but for sure the actual expedition should be mostly fully set up before the quest begins, possibly locked off thanks to rep or other associated quests. The player may also be required to have completed making amends between the druids and Kalters before this point as well.

When this quest begins, the player is outside the Valley and meets with a druid from Valedale. They inform the player that the pass is sealed and all connection with the team has been lost. I’d recommend this occur after Garnok and act as a new main questline involving the soul riders facing off against a new foe before any other new areas of Jorvik are unlocked. During this time, a massive blizzard has consumed Dino Valley and with the pass sealed there’s no way in or out of the valley anymore. Fast travel inside is disabled until the blizzard is cleared. As the player and possibly the other soul riders leave, Avalon leaves them with an ominous vision of Valedale covered in eternal snow and it will only stretch further out to all of Jorvik if it’s not stopped.

Using magic, they break through the ice barrier and find they can barely see anything through the whirling snow within the valley. Slowly they make their way in, the blizzard growing worse the further they go. They reach the camp and find it abandoned and half torn up by the winds, not even the horses are left there. However there are a series of scratches on the trees leading towards the Icengate. The player works out a puzzle that allows them inside and finally they manage to find protection from the storm. One of the Kalters from before greets them but warns them there is no going back now that the witch has awoken. But the good news is the entire expedition team and their equines had made it to the Icengate. Everyone is safe within the Kalter’s homeland.

The player (and likely the other soul riders) can’t accept this is the end of the world. The player being trusted by the Kalter convince them to allow them to speak to their leader(s). Doing so, they convince them that they are capable of defeating this ice witch. I don’t have a lot more details from here on out yet but I do think going through Ashland and visiting Garnok’s Fury is a must. The player should also really need to work with the Kalters, either through learning from them or literally working alongside them or being guided through the area by them. Another cool idea I had was possibly having the ice witch bring the old hidden dinosaur back to life to fight the soul riders. I had also considered perhaps the reason the ice witch attempts to take over Jorvik is because she’s sick of people “invading her valley” and so wants to turn the rest of Jorvik to ice both in retaliation as well to allow herself to go out beyond the valley. Could be other reasons though.

While some of the gameplay of archeology and such or accessing vendors might be able to be done inside the Icengate (and its own fast travel added within) I think it would likely mostly get paused due to the blizzard. Once the blizzard is quelled and the quest completed, then the expedition team would return to camp, repair what was broken and everything goes back to normal. The player can continue trading with the Kalter, continue doing dailies or fetching archeology for the expedition team, ect. It would be really neat though to see things like the textures on the tents change to have patches or sewn up holes on them afterwards.

[buildify01]

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[hobartbathroomrenos]

Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum

About Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum

The Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum at Cape Denison stands as a tribute to the commitment and dedication of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) of 1911-14. Its purpose is twofold, as it was built to generate funds for the continued conservation of the historic buildings at Cape Denison and as an educational facility to promote the enduring legacy of the AAE. Remarkably, the Museum is a meticulous replica of Mawson’s original base and serves as a testament to the courage and endurance of the men who braved the rough and frozen terrain of Antarctica. Visitors to the Museum can marvel at the sheer determination of the expedition members and learn about the harrowing sacrifices they made in the name of exploration. Its prime location on Hobart’s waterfront is a poignant reminder of the boundless potential of human endeavour and the unwavering desire to challenge the unknown.

The construction of the Replica Museum was a collaborative effort that relied on the generosity of many stakeholders. The Tasmanian Ports Authority provided a space for off-site construction, which was done in three sections to enable easy transportation to the final site. The Hobart City Council was pivotal in supporting the project by providing the land and securing the necessary funds. The Replica became a reality when the Federal Government contributed $350,000 in 2011, and many local businesses and individuals offered their time, goods, and goodwill to bring the project to fruition. With the Replica now standing as a testament to the generosity and community spirit of the people of Tasmania, visitors can appreciate the wonders of Tasmania’s maritime history.

What to do at Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum

Nestled on the outskirts of Hobart, Tasmania, the Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum is a world-class small museum that transports visitors back in time to the early 1900s. Here, they are given a unique opportunity to witness the daily lives of the Australian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) expeditioners who lived and worked in the treacherous conditions of Antarctica’s Cape Denison for two winters. The museum offers a remarkable exhibit of the authentic wooden huts that were built by Sir Douglas Mawson and his team of expeditioners as well as a range of artefacts that were discovered during the excavation of the site. From the intricate details of the expeditions living quarters to the tools they used daily, the Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum offers a glimpse into the true home of the blizzard and the courage of these brave explorers as they endured the harshest conditions on the planet.

The Mawson’s Huts Foundation is a remarkable organization dedicated to the preservation of historic huts located in the pristine wilderness of Cape Denison, Antarctica. The focus is ensuring that visitors can experience a fascinating glimpse into the “Heroic age” of Antarctic exploration and learn about the lives of the intrepid pioneers who called this remote and inhospitable region home. Staff and volunteers work tirelessly to maintain and showcase artefacts and exhibits that help to provide a vivid picture of what life was like for early explorers. Visitors can explore the museum at their own pace or arrange a private tour for a more immersive experience. Additionally, the on-site gift shop offers a selection of unique items, allowing visitors to take home a souvenir that embodies their experience. The Mawson’s Huts Foundation welcomes all visitors and is proud to share their passion for Antarctic conservation with the world.

One local company in Hobart that is involved in this tourist attraction site is:

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Address: 199 New Town Rd, New Town TAS 7008

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source https://hobartbathroomrenos.wordpress.com/2023/07/14/mawsons-huts-replica-museum/

[bouncykhotchillipeppers]

the thing about polar exploration is that 99% of all content is regarding franklin or terra nova or endurance… everyone else get fucked i guess

[snowdogs11]

Frank Hurley is an icon of Australian documentary photography and Antarctic exploration.

In 1911, Hurley began his Antarctic career by persuading Douglas Mawson to employ him as official photographer on the 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE). Hurley’s famous motion picture images of expeditioners being driven backwards by the strength of the katabatic winds at Cape Denison captured the day-to-day hardships and heroism of life in the Antarctic. He used a hand-crank movie camera, the Debrie Parvo L 35mm, to document expedition activities. Hurley took part in a record-breaking sledging journey to the South Magnetic Pole (averaging 66km per day) and filmed key events along the way.

[adelaide-swiftheart-sso]

Chapter 7!! In which @ruth-westside​‘s Dark Ruth makes a brief appearance, also influenced by @wolfy-lenabluebell‘s shoulder demon XD

 Nic’s news about the person he had seen on the lake was met with silence. “Nic…You’ve seen more of this place than we have. Is it really likely that any human, could live here? I mean, at least we have the option of leaving, and brought food. If what you’re saying is true, then there would probably be more than one person making a life here. And life beyond humans and horses.” Liza finally said cautiously. “If that’s true, this is way bigger than just being able to study a barren valley. If there is an entire unknown culture here…” she didn’t have to finish her thought.  If there was an entire new culture here, it would be groundbreaking. If the AAE didn’t declare the valley off limits, scientists and explorers would swarm the place. “Wasn’t there some family that went missing after a helicopter crash…. twenty years ago? What if they survived?” Atli offered. “It isn’t unheard of.” Nic shrugged and looked around the small group. “I don’t know how; I just know what I saw. And what I saw was someone on a horse.” Mikaël frowned, gazing into the fire. “There is one other option… but it’s always been considered myth more than fact.” Lifting his eyes to meet Nic’s, he continued. “There is some evidence that has been found of a tribe of known as Kallter. They are thought to be relatives of ancient Inuit and ancient Enets that found their way to Jorvik a long time ago, but the evidence of their presence is has only been found strictly in the coldest regions of Jorvik, one of which being, well, here. So obviously, the evidence of their existence is very small and extremely theoretical. But, if any group of people could possibly survive this hellscape, it would be a group of people who came here from a relatively similar hellscape.” Liza broke in at that, unable to contain her disbelief. “Mikaël, what you’re suggesting is quite honestly, ridiculous. Are you really trying to say that an already theoretical tribe managed to not only survive this long in this place, but have numbers sufficient enough that they haven’t inbred so severely that they didn’t wipe themselves out?”   The expedition leader frowned and nodded at her words. “From now on, we travel in pairs as much as we can. I’m interested to know if we’ll see any more signs of life, human or horse.”

  The next time Nic went out, it was Atli who joined him on an odd little mare he called Yak. When asked to explain the odd name, Atli had just shrugged and said it was a Yakut mare he’d had imported to Jorvik when he left Yakutia and he was too unimaginative to come up with something else. The mare was beyond fluffy and seemed to not have a care in the world with the freezing temperatures of the Hidden Valley.  It was times like this that Nic was beyond jealous of the horses they had brought to the valley, as he leaned against his own mount, trying to glean what warmth he could while he waited for his friend.  “Atli? You almost done? I’m freezing my ass off over here.” He called over Boreas’ back. He waited a moment, but there was no reply. Pulling himself away from Boreas, he noticed that both him and Yak were staring at something, still as stone. “Boreas? What do you see?” He asked the stallion, who didn’t even flicker an ear towards Nic. Unease began to sneak into his body, and he ducked under his horse’s neck to look for Atli. “Atli? Where d-“ his words died in his throat. He saw Atli, who seemed paralyzed, also gazing in the same direction as the horses. But it was what he saw that stole his voice. There was a dark, humanoid figure on the shore only about 50 yards away, between two barren trees. It bobbed gently up and down as if floating, with strange tendrils waving around it that seemed to be scraps of cloth. The strangest thing though, had to be the where the figure’s eyes should have been. They were pure, glowing white. But they gave off no light, rather, they seemed to suck it in. Destroying it. And its gaze was firmly on Atli. It was all that Nic could do to creep down closer to his friend, his eyes trained on the figure opposite them, who must have known he was moving closer by then, but it didn’t seem to care in the slightest. Grasping Atli’s parka sleeve, he pulled the man as hard as he could, but had a difficult time even budging the burly Yukutian man. “Atli, snap out of this. We need to get out of here. Now.” Glancing back to the shadowy figure, he noted, with no small amount of fear, that it had stopped its floating movements, and had gotten closer. Turning back, he moved in front of the man. “Atli, let’s go. We have to go now.” Glancing over his shoulder, he realized it had come even closer, perhaps only 30 some yards out, and he realized with a jolt that it wasn’t just humanoid, it was human. This time, he grabbed Atli by the hood, and forced the man’s head to break eye contact, which seemed to work to some degree as Atli stumbled over and looked up at him, confusion and fear in his eyes. “Nic…” he groaned, but Nic interrupted him, refusing to look back. “Not now. We have to go, and don’t look back.” They stumbled up the small rocky island, and hurriedly mounted their horses. It was only when they’d gotten well away from the island at a ridiculous pace that Nic looked back, and nearly screamed. In his face, mounted behind him on his own horse, was the figure with long ears and the same glowing eyes. Before he could do anything, the figure simply tilted its head, as if studying him, and vanished. 

   It was nearly nightfall when they reached the camp, both the riders and their mounts trembling with fear and exhaustion. Mikaël took one look at them from where he sat by the roaring flames and ran to them. “Nic? Atli? Where have you been? What happened? You should have been back hours ago.” Through the haze that shrouded his tired mind, Nic muttered “Hours? Mik…. we left at sunrise. We were only gone for a few hours…” Mikaël looked at him like he was insane. “Nic, look at the damn sun. It sure as hell ain’t early. Go to bed, both of you. You look like you’ve looked into a demon’s eyes!” Frowning at Mikaël’s choice of words, Nic slid off of Boreas, dimly registering that Atli had slid off of little Yak, and they stumbled off to a tent, letting the expedition leader lead the horses away. It was only when he’d curled up under the skins they used as blankets and shut his eyes that he realized. Mikaël never mentioned demons, he was far too superstitious. He believed mentioning true evil would bring it down upon them. But if they hadn’t spoken to Mikaël, then who had it been?

[jennifershysea]

Archaeology tips?

For the most part, I’m nearly done with all my SSO quests. I still technically could/should grind reputation (I just... have no patience with daily quests-- once I’ve done them once, doing them again is like pulling teeth and it’s part of my hold-up with the fishing quests... I actually had to take a long break from them as they burned me out and I just get... incredibly burnt out with repeatables) as I have very few maxed (I’ll list my Reputations at the bottom), but besides the next two Fishing Legendaries (Mr. Evil and The death haddock), I only have Archaeology stuff left-- one for Dinosaur Valley and four for New Hillcrest (Not sure if there’s more after or not). 

I’ve seen some people make maps and things, but to be blunt, I can’t read maps. Or more accurately, I just am terrible at navigating. I get turned around very easily and while I’ve tried asking friends for help, the long wait between unlocking areas means they usually get bored before they even get that far. 

Just any tips on how to better find things would be great or like good routes to go... Or heck, somewhere that lists coordinates and not just circles on a map. I only have the Spectacular Dinosaur Skeleton left for Dino Valley. Right now I have 3 Large bones, 2 Heads, and 2 Small Bones.

For New Hillcrest, I have a Roman Amphora, a Captain’s canteen of Cutlery, a Sword, and a Captain’s telescope to go (so, all of them). I have a few random items so far-- 1 Wine Glass, 5 Forks, 3 Knives, 1 Large Shard, 3 Small Shards, 2 Parts of handle, and 2 Copper Rings, but nothing close to completion.

Reputation lists behind a cut:

At Neutral: Wolf Hall Inn At Friendly: Bobcats, Crescent Moon Village, The Jarlasson Family, Jarlaheim, New Hillcrest, Jorvik City Mall, Epona, South Hoof Peninsula, Hermit on the heath At Liked: Dundull, Firgrove, Jorvik City, Jorvik Stables, The Stoneground Expedition (AAE), Valedale, The Keepers of Aideen: The Lightning's Inner Circle, Ricky Winterwell, AAE's Archaeological Department, Jorvik Fishing Club: The Southern Chapter At Popular: Fort Pinta, The Goldenleaves, Keepers of Aideen: The Sun Circle, The Kallters: outdoor expedition, Silverglade Manor, GED Jarlaheim Office, Jorvik Fishing Club, AAE, Jamie Olivetree, Jorvik Rangers: Mistfall Station At Admired: The Sunfield family, Fort Pinta Beach Association, Ferdinand's horse market, Silverglade Village, Spirit, The Vineyard's Master Gardeners, Keepers of Aideen: The Lightning Circle, The Keepers of Aideen, Moorland Stable, The Goldspur Family

Just to really drive home my issues with dailies, I have 28 horses. Of those, 3 are level 15 (One is Spirit so automatic) and both of the ones I leveled were through Star Coins because I can’t stand doing races beyond the first time (Working on achievements is going to be slow :( ).

I’m hoping to get my Andalusian up next as I believe it has 1 star higher than my Hanoverian which would be my best horse otherwise? But I guess we’ll see x-x

[hobbithorsewhat]

Remaining To-Do Reference

That’s going to get spread out as long as possible because like hell I’m going to catch up and have nothing 

Quests:

Jamie Olivetree

A Spy Story

Foal Rescue and Rehabilitation

Fishing Quests

Archaeology:

Epona Digging 

Reputation Grinding: 

AAE Archaeology Department - Popular

Crescent Moon Village - Popular

Fort Pinta Beach Association - Popular

Jamie Olivetree - Neutral

Jorvik Fishing Club - Popular

Jorvik Rangers - Popular

Stoneground Expedition - Popular 

Horse Training:

Need to max 14 horses 

[petermorse]

1911-14 AAE Glass Plates in Colour from Peter Morse on Vimeo.

Frank Hurley's 1911-14 Australasian Antrctic Expedition Stereoscopic Black and White Images - in Colour

[pandoriasbox]

Jade’s SSO Rambles - 7 Cartography

(Please keep in mind that these are my thoughts and opinions at the time of writing these rambles. I may change my mind in the future.)

This ramble is more of an idea for a fun side system to integrate much like how Mary’s lost animals have been added but a lot more Jorvik wide exploration in mind. I’ve had this idea since spring but felt I should cover quite a few other topics first before delving into a new side system idea. If anyone knows me well they will know I adore exploration in games and my idea for a cartography “system” is yet another way to pull more of that into SSO’s beautiful and expansive world.

Overview

Cartography is a daily activity players can participate in where they receive missions (mini quests) each day that incentivize them to go out and explore the whole map and interact with different aspects of the world. It would be a good addition for both new and end game players as the former will have more reasons to explore and learn the map while the latter will receive something else to do to stay invested and entertained within the game. I also think it’s something the team could easily build upon if they wished to integrate it into other gameplay aspects. (And is definitely something explorers like me would love to interact with.)

The cartography mechanic would be set up to be found and completed in the world without visiting an NPC. The player can still visit the NPC to get a hint on where to look for the activator (given that the areas can get quite large) but over time they should get an idea of the spawn points. Some of the cartography quests could even have semi-unique gameplay such as mini games or having different ways of interacting with the world. Lore wise I think the person in charge of the cartography may have markers set out for you or send you a message daily on where to perform the cartography work so as to avoid forcing the player to visit them first. Some characters could use this and some could require you visiting them first as well.

I imagine Chiron and Mario would ask you to place down markers whereas Nic and Evergrey ask you to photograph and survey the landscape in order to fill in a map. Druids (and Evergrey) may end up having you collect samples or the druids could potentially have you seal small budding rifts that don’t require the same amount of work as the larger ones that pop up in the storyline or soul riding.

Areas & NPCS

Silverglade & Mario

Mario is still not willing to leave the observatory so he needs the player to go out and set up equipment throughout Silverglade for him to adjust star maps. (Doesn’t need to be cameras, could be an updated version of calibration for the telescope.)

This can be a simple setup similar to Nic’s original map marking quest or it can require a mini game or some additional work on the player’s part.

I imagine this would be the first cartography quest the player gets and so should be the simplest for them to complete. This would also give them a higher paying and higher rep reward with the AAE Astronomical subset.

Dino Valley & Nic Stoneground

Nic requires the player to fill in blank spots on the map

Could use a similar setup to the existing mini quest just instead it’s a daily event that requires you to visit different parts of Dino Valley. Could also use updated gameplay mechanics and work more like a mini game.

I think while this is a once a day quest for Nic it would be the highest paying quest and reward a large amount of rep (and progress) to the expedition/camp itself. If possible, after maxing the rep with Nic’s group I think rep for this should spill over into increasing the general AAE reputation if possible.

Epona & Professor Chiron

Chiron is looking for additional areas across Epona that may be potential interesting dig sites or places to study.

This might involve a slightly modified version where the player must put out markers for Chiron that denote the edges of the area. (The team would need to be careful in how they set this up and especially with any updates to terrain too.)

Again it gives a once a day high paying quest that would provide a big boost to AAE rep.

Full Map (Minus Dino) & Avalon/The Druids

Avalon (or some other druid if he’s not available for whatever reason) would request the player to inspect pandoric activity across the currently unlocked part of Jorvik besides Dino Valley.

This could have some really interesting game mechanics or mini games and could even bring back the player needing to close rifts. Overall I think this would be a nice way of further making the player feel connected to the druids and as though they are truly a part of the faction. For an example of gameplay perhaps the player would need to record the flora (and fauna?) that is being affected or cropping up from pandoric activity before sealing the tiny rift that has sprouted up.

This would pay well and give a large boost to the Keepers of Aideen rep.

Pandoria & Evergrey

Evergrey is interested in mapping Pandoria and sending you to study it as he can no longer access it without endangering himself. He assures you that the momentary visits will not injure you as you won’t be staying for prolonged periods. It would be intended as end game cartography.

This is open to some interesting mechanics and could involve actually gathering samples of parts of Pandoria (flora, crystals, ect) for Everygrey to study.

Again, high pay and high rep. I personally love the idea of this being something only for Evergrey so it leaves him as kind of still a semi independent element. I think this could be a neat way of adding a rep system to him and if implemented then a reason to expand upon his character and give him more interactions with the player. (Such as teaching/training or sending them out on his own quests.)

System Ideas

The team could either have it where it’s always in the same place per day of the week but I think a “semi random” system similar to the druids and Mary’s missing animals could be far more interesting. There are a limited number of locations so players can eventually learn all potential spawn spots just like how the druids always have their events in the same spots but it’s somewhat random per day.

I also think having the system favor a certain area depending on the day of the week would be nice though. For example if all of the goldenhills quests are on Fridays then I think Avalon/the druids cartography quest should be available there.

I think the Rangers could also request the player to survey Mistfall or map out Northern Mistfall but that may be something added to a more ranger based mission system.

Another potential future idea is once you go up past Northlink into Wild Warden territory you have to use your cartography skills to build your own map.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my idea for a cartography system as much as I enjoyed writing it! I would adore seeing something like this implemented into SSO and even if it isn’t I know I would certainly love to make my own game with it in it. Let me know what you think or if you have any further ideas on how cartography could work in SSO via a reblog, reply or ask. As always, likes are also appreciated and again thank you for taking the time to read my rambles!

[leanpick]

Mawson radio operator finally recognised

Mawson radio operator finally recognised

One of Australia’s forgotten pioneers of the heroic era of Antarctic exploration will at last have a marked grave, 76 years after his death.

Sidney Harry Jeffryes, the relief wireless operator on Douglas Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) of 1911-14, was buried in an unmarked grave at Ararat in 1942 after 28 years as a patient at the Ararat Mental Hospital.

A plinth for his grave…

[jennifershysea]

Some questions?

1. Does anyone know how many different items you can get from collecting the Rainbow gold? I think I’ve gotten everything but the pants and unfortunately, the only item I wanted (The Rainbow pet) doesn’t seem to be available this year. 

I’m just wondering if I should keep bothering or not then :/ I mostly play at night so I usually can’t catch the rainbow anyway, but I’d still try if the pet turns out to be or there is an item I really want that I haven’t gotten. 

2. How many reputation-based quests are there? I’m pretty terrible with dailies (partially as it’s too repetitive for me and doing them too much burns me out for years) and so I’m trying to only focus on ones where I have to. For ones I know I have, it’s just the legendary fish ones, but that’s it... 

For reference, my reputation levels:

At Neutral: Wolf Hall Inn At Friendly: Bobcats, Crescent Moon Village, The Jarlasson Family, Jarlaheim, New Hillcrest, Jorvik City Mall, Epona, South Hoof Peninsula, Hermit on the heath, Jorvik Fishing Club: Southern Chapter At Liked: AAE's Archaeological Department, Dundull, Firgrove, Jorvik City, Jorvik Stables, The Stoneground Expedition (AAE), Valedale, The Keepers of Aideen: The Lightning's Inner Circle, Ricky Winterwell, Jorvik Fishing Club At Popular: Fort Pinta, The Goldenleaves, Keepers of Aideen: The Sun Circle, The Kallters: outdoor expedition, Silverglade Manor, GED Jarlaheim Office, AAE, Jorvik Rangers: Mistfall Station, Jamie Olivetree At Admired: The Sunfield family, Fort Pinta Beach Association, Ferdinand's horse market, Silverglade Village, Spirit, The Vineyard's Master Gardeners, Keepers of Aideen: The Lightning Circle, The Keepers of Aideen, Moorland Stable, The Goldspur Family

3. Is there anything specific you need to do to make your horse rear at the end of a race? Because mine just... does not seem to bother. 

4. What would people say is the most active and least active servers?