Ngl this was a tough one. I went back and completely redid Tasi (still not happy with it lol) and also got REALLY slowed down on Orthros and Zolrath. Some cheesy joke about time is probably in there. Proud of Isabella though... and Lucius and Warek were surprisingly a breeze.
Oh I'm rambling now but while drawing Warek, I realized that one of the reasons I dislike his design is because his sprite art has him with like... human teeth??? Why tf would a bear guy have flat teeth smh
Part 2 here - and that one links to part one. I don't like doing links!
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
ā Live Streamingā Interactive Chatā Private Showsā HD Qualityā Free Actions
Free to watch ā¢ No registration required ā¢ HD streaming
(Transcribed directly from the game, errors included.)
Dear (Player),
The end of another busy year again, but aside from making money, I didnāt actually do anything.
Itās time to pack my bags and see whatās going on in the world.
Perhaps a trip to the dusty desert, or maybe the lush forest?
Iāll ramble all over and become friends with time. Ah, friends. Just you lot wait, Iāll be sending you all letters soon enough.
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
-
Dear (Player),
Hey, how have you been recently? Hope you havenāt forgotten about your globe trotter friend, Rowan.
Recently I stumbled upon a magically enchanted forest. All of the creatures in the forest are magical. I even came across a squirrel, sheās trying to invent a new type of shampoo that can make her bushy tail even bushier!
But she doesnāt seem to be on the right track. I wonder if you could help me find a friend who knows a lot about plant research. If they lived nearby that would be even better!
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
If you choose Solise.
Dear (Player),
This shampoo! Itās a genius invention! Probably the best gift you could hope to receive in the new year. Not only can it wake up your hair, it can also wake up your brain! Weary traveler? Not me!
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
If you choose Peggy, according to a screenshot from another player.
Dear (Player),
Why you, youā¦ meany! Good job Iām fast on my feet, or Iād have been caught. Alright alright, here take these gifts. Donāt cause any more mischief, okay? That obnoxious princess nearly burnt this whole place down to the ground!
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
If you choose any other hero.
Dear (Player),
Achoo! The friend you recommended to help design this shampoo really got stuck in the whole process. The shampoos smell is really quite pungent! Howeverā¦ hmm there seems to be something wrong with me, but I canāt put my finger on it.
Well, Iāll give it a go anyway. I hope all my hair doesnāt fall out!
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
-
Dear (Player),
Hey, friend. Iāve arrived at the City of Bards - Kuilin City.
I donāt know whoās been blabbing, but somehow Peggy has caught wind of my whereabouts! It seems like sheās got her soldiers out looking for clues as to my whereabouts. Iāve only just set out on my journey, I really donāt want to get caught up with those guys. Luckily I managed to dive into the Megamouth Shark Troupeās Gift Cart and buy myself a really cool pair of sunglasses. What do you think of them?
Remember to spread some misinformation about my location, in the meantime take these gifts off my hands!
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
-
Dear (Player),
My friend, how are things lately?
I canāt believe itās already been another year, and Iāve been able to enjoy the festivities of another Spring Spree.
Itās a great day when people sing and dance and pray for the flame to bring happiness to all.
Eh-hem, Iāve learned how to do a fire dance, but there are still many problems with my form. Could you help arrange for a dance instructor to come teach me how itās done properly?
Itās said that the best dancer at the festival will win a really special prize.
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
If you choose Satrana.
Dear (Player),
Satrana is a brilliant dancer! People were enchanted by her dance, everyone gathered around her and joined in. What a lively festival, really thank you, please accept this gift!
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
If you choose Peggy.
Dear (Player),
You told Peggy? Good job I managed to run into the crowd undetected. If I were any later Iād definitely have been apprehended. Stop it with your pranks! Here, take this gift, maybe itāll make you behave for a while.
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
If you choose any other hero.
Dear (Player),
Although the friend you recommended canāt really dance too well, they still brought me a lot of joy! We spent a great time enjoying the festivities together. Hereās a gift for you.
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
-
Dear (Player),
Hey friend, Iāve arrived at MuttāHeer town.
This Mauler town is really bustling. Itās like a pearl shining in a sea of sand. Itās full of great food and great activities, thereās too much to write down! The barbecued meats, the sunbathing, itās all awesome!
The most famous place here is the Crimson Arena, situated at the center of MuttāHeer. Although I enrolled to participate in the arena, well, Iām not really strong enough to go it alone.
Perhaps you could arrange to send someone over to partner with me? Youād be really doing me a favor!
I hear they crown the most powerful warrior with the grand scepter of MuttāHeer, and a tailor-made cloak.
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
If you choose Tidus or Warek.
Dear (Player),
So this is how it feels to crush your opponents?
Hey friend, thanks for all your help, we were victorious!
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
If you choose Peggy.
Dear (Player)
That girl! She chased me through three streets in the center of MuttāHeer. Cāmon, stop pranking me!
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
If you choose any other hero.
Dear (Player),
Thanks to you, we didnāt lose too badly.
The person you selected was pretty strong, but they didnāt really understand the rules of the Crimson Arena.
The merchant you can always rely on, Rowan
-
Dear (Player),
I received a letter from my dear brother, itās a poem.
Ā«Oh my little brother, youāre having a blast, but you know it cannot last, you canāt stay out there forever.
Itās nice to know that even in that beautiful, faraway land, I still have a dear brother on who I can depend.
This chapter is over, this story has been told, now itās time to return and start making more of that shiny gold.
Now itās time to put on your best clothes, itās time to for you to finally come home!Ā»
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
ā Live Streamingā Interactive Chatā Private Showsā HD Qualityā Free Actions
Free to watch ā¢ No registration required ā¢ HD streaming
So yesterday, AFK Arena released a letter to the players for a happy new year. And honestly, it was really uplifting! No corporate babbling, not even a single mention about resources or budgeting, just a nice letter to the fanbase about what's to come ā speaking of which!
According to the letter, we are going to be getting many MANY more awakened heroes! Older hero reworks are now gonna be done in this way. There should be one awakened hero every 2-3 months and when there's an awakened hero, there won't be a new hero coming out around that time period. But the best part about this is that AFK Arena is going to shift its focus from pure grind and mechanical aspects, from churning out new op chapters and floors in towers, to storytelling. Each and every awakened hero will get their own story-based event at the end of which, we'll see their awakened version ā and there will be another event to obtain one copy of the awakened version without spending in-game resources!
There was more but this is mostly what I wanted to talk about. The Talene event we're getting right now is just a little taste of things to come, and I for one am ECSTATIC! AFK Arena's storytelling is what pulled me into it in the first place. It just grabbed me and didn't let go, which sadly can't be said about most of my other fandoms (looking at you, Twst, pull yourself together). The fact that they started releasing several webcomics and now want to focus on story-based events with animated trailers and new theme songs, all that to rework old heroes we all know and love... I am so SO glad to see this!
But now to my guesses. I want to make a quick little list of which character from each faction I think will get their awakened versions first. I will probably be wrong but I wanna share my guesses. Feel free to rb and add your own, let's see if we can figure Lilith out!
Zolrath ā For Hypogeans, my first guess would be Zolrath. Lilith really likes to put Zolrath in story-focused content, and for a good reason. His breaking of the fourth wall as he manipulates even us players outside of the fame is incredibly fun to go through and immersive. Whether the story tackles a clash with Orthros or eliminating a particularly powerful enemy, I'm on board!
Khazard ā At the same time, if we're talking storytelling potential, no Hypogean can match what Khazard has. Seeing more details about his battle with Respen, and possibly even getting some inner monologue and see what more of Khazard's personality would just be cool.
Lucius ā From Lightbearers, I have two main guesses for their very own reasons. Lucius is here because of how much attention has been focused on him lately with all the VoWs. From his lost friendships, to his failing faith in the CoL, to his doubt when it comes to the divine light itself. Him coming to terms with all of this and finding a way to overcome it would make for a tense but ultimately amazing story.
Thane ā Thane is one of the characters who need a rework most desperately. That paired up with Silent Blade and the fact that Lilith did tease Thaden meeting in their first anniversary quest makes me hopeful that we might see some of Thane's brilliance once more.
Warek ā I wasn't sure who to pick with the Maulers tbh. Most of their stories are pretty finished and while there could potentially be more to add, it would just feel disconnected. Warek though, I think would be an excellent exception. He fights for honor to restore the pride of his clan ā so what is he going to do once it's restored? Or maybe he gets nearly beaten and has to gather all his strength to keep going? Either way would be exciting to watch!
Lyca ā Unlike the Maulers, there's a TON of Wilders who could benefit from expansions to their stories. But I'm placing my chips on Lyca. Lilith likes Lyca, there's no doubt about it. They even called her the incarnation of the game itself ā mediocre at first but through preserverence and hard work, she became someone well-known and respected. It would be interesting to see what more they will do with her now that her arc is practically over.
Shemira ā The earliest carry in the game, Shemira is another character with a desperate need of a buff. That and I saw some leaked art from Chinese servers with Shemira without her eyemask. I don't know if that has anything to do with awakenings but it could. That's mainly it for my reasoning.
Baden ā Meanwhile, I have actual reasoning for Baden. For one, there's the Silent Blade comic again which is as much Baden's story as it is Thane's. And just like Thane, Baden could benefit from a solid buff. But unlike Thane, Baden has a clear direction of where to go next. Fighting off his spectral lich for a second time, Baden might be able to finally break free and show us his own attack power!
