The Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen team gave its first detailed account of Black Rose Keep in an August 18 dev diary, saying the zone was scheduled to open to players on August 27. The post was signed by creative director Chris 'Joppa' Perkins.
Perkins pointed to the layout and prop work inside the fortress, the difficulty it presents, the geographic contrast of the chasm running beneath it, and the way its story connects to Thronefast's history. He described it as one of the team's favorite areas to date and said the studio was looking forward to players making their own stories inside it.
It's without a doubt one of our favorite areas we've built
What the release includes
- A sprawling fortress built for groups of adventurers from level 15 to 40, described as filled with challenges, secrets and treasure.
- Two boss encounters, plus more than 20 rare NPCs to track down.
- A chasm labyrinth far beneath the keep, where players may find the camp of the nomadic Aridola and where Zakaat goblins and other creatures have settled.
- Story content covering recent turning points in Thronefast's history and the intrigue around E'mani Karos and his Black Rose.
- Perception-driven investigation, built on rumors and overheard conversations, running from the disaster in the Veil of Azeris to the organizations competing for influence afterward.
The studio framed the setup in fiction as well as in features. Merchants, nobles and Thronefast Regulars are reported to have been attacked across the southern lands, and mercenary soldiers have been seen manning the keep's walls. With no official statement on the status of the keep, the post said, some adventurers have taken it on themselves to investigate. Those who do should expect a hostile reception.
The diary stopped short of a full change list, positioning itself as an introduction to the zone in the run-up to the release date.
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