Atlas of the Ancients

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The Atlas of the Ancients was a plot lasting beginning on 15 October 2009 and concluding on 25 November, with prizes released on 4 December. It featured the return of Roxton A. Colchester III from the Journey to the Lost Isle plot as he travelled with Jordie and Clara Chatham to save Neopia from natural disasters. During their quest, they discovered the underground city of Moltara.

Plot participation didn't involve puzzle solving or fighting Battledome challengers, nor did players acquire plot points. Instead, players earned plot-related items by clicking certain panels in the plot comics, explored the locations the heroes visited, and re-enacted their adventures through certain flash games. The final prizes that were given out varied depending not just on how much of the plot the player completed, but when they completed it: the top prizes were only given out to players who completed each step on the day it was released. This received much criticism, especially as it was not mentioned before prizes were released, and although a similar mechanic was used in site events like the Disappearance of Krawk Island and the Festival of Neggs, it did not return in the next plot.

This was also the first plot to have a Neocash component.

Synopsis

Predicting the onset of increasingly dangerous natural disasters, Master Gnorbu recruits Roxton Colchester and his assistant Jordie to follow the clues in an old tome to save the world. He sent with them his assistant Clara Chatham.

Together, they travelled through hazardous storms to Altador, Faerieland, and Terror Mountain, recovering at each location strange mechanical gadgets. The final clue in the book lead them to an archipelago in the middle of the ocean, where they found an enormous metal door leading down to an underground city called Moltara. The Moltarans explained that they were descended from a mission of scientists, engineers, and mystics who travelled to the centre of Neopia and discovered the planet's core was unstable. They built a core stabilisation unit to counteract this, but the machine had worn down over time and wasn't working as well: this was the cause of the natural disasters.

With the mechanical gadgets they had retrieved and the help of two tribes of Moltarans, they were able to repair the machine and save Neopia. Roxton, Jordie, and Clara returned to the surface, and the Moltarans decided to leave the entrance to their world open to all.

Story

Master Gnorbu senses that change is in the air. After studying an old tome, he decides that an adventure must be undertaken that he is too old to make himself. He sends a message to Roxton, who is vacationing on Mystery Island requesting that he come to Shenkuu to lead an expedition that will take him all over Neopia from Shenkuu to Altador, Terror Mountain, and, finally, Faerieland. His only requirement is that Roxton take his apprentice Clara with him on the journey. Although Roxton would prefer to go without her, he is tempted by the promise of "danger, excitement, and the chance to save the world" and agrees to taker her with him. Together with Clara and Roxton's assistant, Jordie, Roxton set off to Altador in order to start solving the mystery.

They rented a flying boat from a local Shenkuu merchant, but soon ran into storms and were forced to hide in a cave until they passed. There, they discovered ancient cave drawings depicting the fire breathing creatures. The following morning the group arrived in Altador, and saved a fisherman from drowning in abnormally heavy waves. The group followed the clues in the book to the Hall of Heroes, where Roxton located an old pocket watch hidden behind the statues of the Council.

The trio then made their way to Faerieland, but while exploring the city Jordie was struck by lightning. Roxton immediately rushed him to the Healing Springs, and there Roxton followed another clue to locate one of the pumps for the spring. With a little help from Clara, he was able to distract the Healing Springs Faerie for long enough to steal the pump.

The three escaped Faerieland and set course for Terror Mountain. As they rested, Clara discovered that the pump they had stolen was actually a very complex clockwork device of unknown origin. Before they could figure out more however, the boat was attacked by a fleet of pirate Cloud Raiders, and Roxton had to use all his skills to successfully pilot them to Terror Mountain.

On Terror Mountain, they discovered that the normally permanent ice was beginning to melt, and normally rare Moltenores were appearing. They trekked through the Ice Caves, and located a brass horn buried in the ice. They recovered the horn, and narrowly avoided the subsequent avalanche, before heading back to their vessel. There, Roxton was able to cross reference all of the places they had visited to form an X, pointing towards their next destination. They made their way towards the deserted island chain near Altador, where they found a volcano - as described in the book.

Exploring the island, they found a large door in the mountainside, and the key to it located in the bushes nearby. The trio entered the mountain, to find that a large mining shaft disappeared deep into the planet. They parachuted down the shaft, and when they reached the bottom they discovered the long lost city of Moltara. They soon came across a local, Cog, who showed them to the Mayor of Moltara of the city.

The Mayor informed the traveling group that Moltara was founded centuries ago by a group of scientists and mystics that traveled to the planet's core in order to put an end to horrible natural disasters occurring on the surface. Together they created a device to stabilize the planet's core and end the disasters, and then elected to stay nearby to keep watch over it. Over time, the machine had worn down, and the disasters had started to return. The materials the book had instructed them to gather turned out to collectively be a device to restore the core to working order. However, when Cog attempted to use it, the core erupted. The Mayor instructed Roxton and Cog to travel further into the magma caves, where a group of outcast Moltarans lived that might be able to help control the lava.

In the Moltaran Caves, they located Igneot and his followers, mystics that had become so attuned with magma that their bodies had changed appearance. Igneot agreed to help, and together with the inhabitants of Moltara City, they were able to stabilize the core long enough for Cog to use the repairing device again. With the core repaired, the Moltarans decided it was time to open their city to the rest of Neopia. Roxton, Clara, and Jordie returned to the surface to tell the Wise Gnorbu of their adventures.

Participation

...to be added...

Neocash Challenges

...to be added...

Prizes

...to be added...

Trivia

• Before the plot began, it was speculated that Lutari Island would be the focus of this plot. This was due to the now defunct Neopets Mobile service (the only way to visit Lutari Island) shutting down, and the Lutari Island page suddenly sporting a new blurb.
• The release of the plot was foreshadowed on 12 October in an e-mail newsletter, saying "The journey begins October 15th. See where it leads...".

External links

• Plot Info: Atlas of the Ancients