IsaacGS
2008-07-03, 02:32 PM
Collecting CKPQ class statue descriptions. Need Mage, Pirate, and Thief.
Since people are now asking for the proof for my list of possible expansions, here it is. These are mostly based on things from in game and the data, but also a few from things that have been stated outside of the game, like by NxProse, etc. I'll split them along those two groups.
Wondering where the TCG item descriptions went? Click here (http://www.southperry.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2806).
One of the updates since this thread began is the addition of... the People of Masteria! This section is dedicated to shining some light on those unseen characters who are often referenced to but never actually encountered in game. Since its' writing, some of these NPCs have come out.
The People of Masteria Updated
Well, with the tcg items, there's also been an onslaught of seemingly important new characters. I'm gonna split them up according to what time in the past or present they existed in.
Past Era
LeFay
A dark sorceress from Crimsonwood Keep. She wasn't evil, but she was a bit weird. LeFay would often create useless items and equipments with no potential purpose, and was best known for wearing an exceptionally colorful headpiece. The LeFay Jester also seems to have belonged to her. Eventually, she left the Keep because she felt that their laws were getting in the way of her research.
LeFay was apparently in love with a warrior named Killian. Killian eventually became the Headless Horseman. The story of how this happened is posted in the Maple's Story thread. She was also a Disciple of Ridley. She still exists today in the form of Headless Horseman's horse.
Christopher Crimsonheart
An "immortal warrior" who is buried deep in the MesoGears area. His name did show up as a monster in the data at NLC's release. He could end up being a boss, a friendly monster (like the Henesys PQ bunny, the tamable hog, or Tylus of El Nath PQ), or even a potential ally who actually fights along side you. He was a member of an entire race of immortal warriors, all of whom seem to have paradoxically died out.
Christopher Crimsonheart was the founder of Crimsonwood Keep (hence the name) and the Warrior Grandmaster. In the present, the "Twisted Masters" who are currently in possession of the keep are planning an attack on New Leaf City in order to raid his tomb for a currently unknown reason.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/eye3.png
Ridley
The potent sorcerer who wrote "Ridley's Book of Rituals," a guide to restoring ancient armor. The book itself is inhabited with magic powers which allow even non-magicians to use its power.
Ridley, being a powerful magician, was able to embed his consciousness in a statue built to his likeness at the entrance to Crimsonwood Keep. Normally, he remains dormant, however if a person with a Ridley's Stone approaches, he will awaken and make a deal with them. Ridley trained a number of famous figures in the past of Masteria, including LeFay, the chaos magician, and Rafael, the person who tricked the Headless Horseman into searching for his head, which doesn't really exist anymore, forever.
New info:
Ridley experimented on Crimson Guardians, and through this experimentation created the dangerous variation, the Master Guardians, who have huge amounts of stamina. He also experimented a lot with the Antellion, and through this created the Sigils. He seems to have done a lot for the Keep.
Gurdle the Unarmored
A legendary warrior who valued attack over everything else. He would never wear anything unless it gave him some sort of attack boost. His prize creation is the Facestomper, shoes with inherent attack properties. He met an untimely fate by having his face chewed off by rabbits since he couldn't hit them or protect himself due to lack of armor.
Subani
A powerful sorcerer of Light. He created the white scrolls and was in a constant battle with Naricain, a terrible demon. Eventually, he sealed Naricain away and subsequently disappeared from this world as well. We don't know much about them, but apparently they were worshiped in the Nihal Desert in olden times, and were opposing forces. The Subani Ankh led John Barricade to Masteria as well.
New info:
Subani is the one who returned Masteria to the Maple world. Through a deal with the Mayor, he constructed NLC and anchored Masteria firmly here. Still a lot we don't know yet, but his blessing does allow anyone who dies in the first two stages of Crimsonwood Keep's Party Quest to be revived without being sent out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/ckPQfloorobj283.png
Naricain
A demon of the darkness. He seems to have been human at one point, but was eventually corrupted to the point of losing all humanity. Naricain created the Dark Scrolls and is constantly in battle with Subani. We don't know much about them, but apparently they were worshiped in the Nihal Desert in olden times, and were opposing forces.
New info:
A hologram of Naricain is seen in the Secret Chamber right before you exit the Crimsonwood Keep Party Quest. All the Twisted Masters carry a Mark of Naricain on them, proving that they are under his command.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand0-1.png
Killian
The man who became the Headless Horseman. Killian was known for his mastery of fire and for being an extremely dangerous opponent. He was in love with LeFay, and when she was captured by the Krakians one day, he was forced to become a test subject for the mysterious Alchemist. After a long time of this, the Alchemist created an army of beings who could use his fire powers, and he wanted Killian to lead it. Forced between choosing to fight against his friends, or the death of his lover, he used his fire powers to burn his own head off. This didn't stop the Alchemist, however, who simply put a carved out Pumpkin in its place. After transforming LeFay into a pink horse, he set the newly created Headless Horseman on the attack. During the battle, the magician Rafael cast a spell on the Horseman to cause him to eternally wander the Phantom Forest in search of a head that no longer exists.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand0-2.png
Rafael
An exceptionally talented magician and another disciple of Ridley. He was the one responsible for setting the Headless Horseman on his impossible task to find his head.
New info:
He was the Grandmaster Mage at the time of Crimsonwood Keep's fall. The statue in the Courtyard represents him, and states that he has been missing for some time, as he left the Keep during its final days to search out the "Temple of Elementals".
Delgrund
A former Magician Grandmaster, who preceded Rafael. Since it was stated that the Grandmaster Mage was responsible for the creation of the Mystic Astrolabe, we can assume it was him (Though Delgrund is a somewhat masculine name and the mystic astrolabe seems to imply a female). Not much else is known about him aside from his name at this time.
"The Alchemist"
A mysterious figure in Masteria's past. He created the Headless Horseman and was the one who set the Krakians on their warpath that completely destroyed the Taru and, eventually, the Keep as well. He shares a lot of traits with Ossyria's villain, the Black Magician. both are Alchemists, and each one wreaked havoc across his own continent (The Black magician poisoned Elin Forest, terrorized Ossyria in general for ages, and the search for the Black Magician was the reason that the Nautilus has been gone for so long.). It may come to light that they are the same person...
New info:
In Magatia, Dr. De Lang's Note suggests that the Black Magician had a disciple, who is likely this Alchemist.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand0-3.png
Ryo
The Thief Grandmaster at the time of Crimsonwood Keep's fall. We don't really know much about him, aside from what is stated on his Statue in the courtyard. He was a part time bosshunter, best known for fighting Crimson Balrogs. Seems to be a "Robin Hood"-esque figure who would steal things and give to those less fortunate.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand0-4.png
Lockewood
The Archer Grandmaster at the time of Crimsonwood Keep's fall. He apparently had extraordinary abilities, being described as a "Holy Archer" and capable of shooting down Typhons from huge distances. Lockewood's name first appeared on the Lockewood Hat, an event item from the Lunar New Years of 2007 and 2008. At the time, there was some speculation that he may have been from Crimsonwood Keep (As was the case with LeFay), which turned out to be the case. Other than what's stated on the Statue, little is known about him.
Lireni
Lireni was a Shadowknight heroine who led many of the dangerous missions to attempt to retake the keep. She was the one who discovered that the Krakians were being manipulated by the Alchemist, but they never wrote down whether they knew who he was.
Present Era
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand10.png
Jack Barricade
John Barricade's twin brother and a founding member of the Barricade Brothers exploration company. Jack was the first of the duo to visit Masteria, and after sending a letter to his brother depicting the Subani Ankh, John decided to come to New Leaf City as well. At the release of NLC, Jack was exploring something in Aqua Road, but we don't know much about what he investigated.
Jack is an NPC in Crimsonwood Keep's first area. He can be found at the Cavern of Pain. He was captured by these Twisted Masters who currently hold the keep, and is still interested in getting inside. He discovered the plans of an attack on NLC and is in the process of finding a way to penetrate the Keep's dark energy field.
New info:
Jack is also the CKPQ guide NPC.
Dr. Krakia
Professor Foxwit's archrival who also seems to have come from the Future. He discovered Krakia, a town of people who cybernetically enhance their bodies, which was lost in the Krakian Jungle many years ago. He is responsible for pumping out the Turkey Commandos during Thanksgiving. Foxwit says that Dr. Krakia has begun to modify his own body, so he could potentially become a boss in the future.
New info:
Dr. Krakia has surfaced once again, helping the Twisted Masters to lead an attack on NLC. Since it looks like Krakia will be the next area released on Masteria, expect to hear more from him soon. Given that he is capable of time travel, he could possibly be "The Alchemist."
New Section!
The Factions of Masteria
In Masteria, there are a number of factions, both past and present, who are competing for power in the continent. Some are allies, and not all are mutually exclusive, but they are significant to understanding the storyline of the Continent.
Windreavers
The Crimsonwood Keep guild made up of ranged attackers, including rangers, hermits, and possibly gunslingers. They were led by Lockewood, and used weapons such as the Neva and Winkel. One of the 5 major guilds, a mix of Thief and Archer.
Stormcasters
The Crimsonwood Keep guild made up of Spear-wielding warriors who could also use lightning-based magic to attack from afar. The best known guild by far, due to the Stormcaster gloves, and the new Stormshear spear. Lukan was a high-ranking Stormcaster, and the only known living member. One of the 5 major guilds, a mix of warrior and Magician.
Flamekeepers
The Crimsonwood Keep guild made up of Archers and Fire Mages. They are probably best known for the Flamekeeper Cordon gloves. They are perhaps the most enigmatic of the 5 guilds, as we know very little about them and they weren't seen before Crimsonwood Keep part 1's release. One of the 5 major guilds, mixed Archer and Magician.
Shadowknights
The Crimsonwood Keep guild that consists of dagger wielding Thieves and short sword Warriors, possibly including other forms of close-range combat such as fistfighting. Since it was mostly thieves, they were often disdained by the other guilds, especially Lukan, though they still had a strict moral code for which he granted them a begrudging respect. After the fall of the Keep, the Shadowknights retreated to their secret base on the Isle of Vigilance, just in time to see the continent of Masteria disappear. After it was gone, the rigid moral code broke down and the Shadowknights began to splinter off into many groups. One of the 5 major guilds, mixed Warrior and Thief.
Bosshunters
A legendary group of powerful soldiers, made up of members of the other guilds. They were often sent out to defeat Boss monsters that were terrorizing various towns around the world, including battles with the Tengu Black Crow, Balrogs, and other such beasts. They had strong armor specially designed for fighting bosses, and could repair it by using the remains of their fallen enemies. They are the 5th major guild in the Keep, and the only ones not impersonated by the Corrupted Army.
Antellion Guard
A special group set up to protect the Antellion, a precious relic located deep inside of the Keep, which can teleport people (and things) great distances. We really don't know much about them, but the Antellion Miter is an artifact that symbolizes their task. They were one of the lesser guilds that existed here in the Keep.
Taru Tribe
The Taru are a group of natives to Masteria who lived in the Krakian Jungle. The entire tribe was wiped out by the Krakians, whom they were formerly friends with. The only living Taru descendant is Corine, whose family managed to flee to Victoria. Taru warriors are given a weapon at birth, and what discipline they fall under is determined by what weapon they pick as a baby. Later, they are also bonded with an animal companion. It is rare to see a Taru without both their weapon and their animal companion, as they soon become inseparable. The Taru worship a Jungle spirit, who would sometimes bless special warriors with a Taru Feather that would grant their weapon a huge increase in power.
Krakians
The sentient plant-like race that lived in the Krakian Jungle, alongside the Taru. They usually kept to themselves, and only traded with the Taru. One day, they fell under the sway of the Alchemist, and suddenly became violent and dangerous. Their first victims were the Taru, and then they proceeded to march on Crimsonwood Keep. The war between the Keep and the Krakians lasted for years, but the Keep finally fell to them right before Masteria disappeared. Krakians who fell in battle during this war would try to bond their spirits to the nearby foliage, and so the Phantom Trees that inhabit Phantom Forest are the aggressive spirits of fallen Krakians. In the present era, the Krakians are being cybernetically modified by the evil Dr. Krakia, a time traveling villain.
Corrupt Army
The army, led by the Twisted Masters, which currently has control of the Keep. They used the texts of the 4 major guilds to train their soldiers in these disciplines, but without the strict moral codes, it has become extremely dangerous. Made up of the Windraiders, Nightshadows, Firebrands, and Stormbreakers, as well as the 4 Twisted Masters. They are from Versal, and currently are trying to reclaim the body of Christopher Crimsonheart from the Mesogears, though we still don't know why.
Raven Ninja Clan
The successors of the Shadowknights, one of the splintered groups leftover after the Shadowknights broke apart. They try to stick to the moral code of the Shadowknights, and maintained watch over the Isle of Vigilance for the eons since Masteria's disappearance. Now that it's back, the Raven Ninjas dispatched Taggrin, Joko, Fiona and Mo to explore and find out why it has returned.
Dragon Ninja Clan
We know very little about these people. They're related to the Dragon Door, but that's all that is factually solid. It is likely that they are also a splintered group from the Shadowknights, since Taggrin explicitly mentions that some of the splinter groups did not keep up their morals. The two new bosses, Scarlet Phoenix and Azure Ocelot, may be members of this group, though again that isn't known for sure. They are likely an evil faction.
Now, on to the list. I'll go from oldest to newest, and do the in-game evidence first.
Expansions mentioned in Game or in Data
1. Vineland
Not much is known about exactly what this is. Presumably, it's an overgrown jungle type area. It may be related to the "Beanstalk" (a name from the data.) that passes through the Mountain Slopes map. Additionally, there are still a number of aquatic-themed weapons in the string data that have not been released. If this area is an Amazon jungle type area near a river, these weapons might be obtainable here.
Some of the weapons that MIGHT come from here include the River Rattler, Barracuda Bow, and the Devil Rain throwing stars.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/ThemetownBeanstalk0.png
Beanstalk
2. Affluent Tower
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/Themetownsign90.png
An even more mysterious expansion. It's only reference is the sign that is in game. It seems that whatever this area is, it takes place along the Eiffel Tower that's on the right side of NLC. Knowing that, it's likely a metallic style place, and may be related to Electricity. The Skunk Pet mentions Affluent Tower when given the "Chat" command over level 10. Hint? Possibly.
3. "???", AKA the Pharaoh's Gate.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/04031676infoicon.png
An egyptian area that would be underneath the Statue of the Yetinx (This is another name gleaned from the data.) Another supporting item that gives us the name is the Lost Ankh, which claims to be the key to opening the Pharaoh's Gate under Bigger Ben. John Barricade also mentions that he believes more ruins are accessible from Bigger Ben, so this fits in with that statement as well. This may very well be related to Ariant, the town on Ossyria which is located in the Nihal desert. The Pharaoh's Wrappings suggest that Nihal is important to Masteria.
http://sauna.gibbed.us/item/4031676/ - Lost Ankh's Sauna page.
4. Theme Park
The legendary "Cody's Theme Park that has been rumored since the end of Beta. This was confirmed as true (http://forum.nexon.net/MapleStory/forums/post/86149.aspx) by NxProse. The data contains Background images from this area, which were also seen in the EMS event preview for Bastille Day's event. We do not have a name for this area yet, as the BG images in the data are not particularly descriptively named. It IS real, and it will be on Masteria.
Click to see the images from the Theme Park.
Backgrounds:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/NLC-theme-3.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/NLC-theme-2.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/NLC-theme-1.png
Houses:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/CarnivalHut.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/CarnivalHut2.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/HotDogHouse.png
Reminds me of Zipangu...
5. Dragon Door, AKA the Inner Sanctum of the Dragon Ninja Clan
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/04031679infoiconRaw.png
An enormous, beautifully crafted door that appeared in the hidden NLC map, the Badlands. Before it was put onto that map, I had found it and shared it. There is also an item in the data, the Dragon Jewel, which mentions this Dragon Ninja clan. Undoubtedly these two are related, and perhaps this is the key to enter this map. It seems to be an asian themed area, but through the lens of western culture (http://forum.nexon.net/MapleStory/forums/post/124123.aspx); "Kung Fu movie style", as it has been put.
In the Crimsonwood 1 patch, we were introduced to the Raven Ninja Clan. When Masteria disappeared, the Shadowknights (A guild of Crimsonwood) had retreated to their secret base on the Island of Vigilance. As such, they were the only witnesses to the final disappearance of Masteria. Without the influence of the other guilds to keep their ethics intact, the Shadowknights began to splinter into smaller factions. The Raven Ninjas are one such group. Taggrin states that there are many other groups who do not share the Raven Ninjas good behavior. It is no stretch to think that the Dragon Ninjas are another group descended from the Shadowknights, and that they might be one of the more aggressive groups that Taggrin warns of. Since we now know humanoid enemies aren't out of the question, I'd expect to see dragon ninjas as enemies here.
New info:
Two ninja-like bosses, Azure Ocelot and Scarlet Phoenix, spawn after the defeat of the Warrior Twisted Master Red Nirg. They may be Dragon Ninjas, or the "Komodo Duo". Since Dr. Krakia helped lead the invasion of NLC alongside the Twisted Masters, it's not out of the question that other currently unknown bad guys might help, and the Dragon Ninjas are a strong candidate.
http://sauna.gibbed.us/item/4031679/ - Dragon Jewel's Sauna Page
Dragon Door:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/Themetowndragondoor0.png
6. Foxwit's Den
There is also the Komodo Key, which is dropped by the "Komodo Duo." The Komodo Duo could be a two-headed Komodo Dragon, or it could be a pair of ninjas. We simply don't know yet. If it is the latter, then this item may very well drop in the Dragon Ninja Clan's Sanctum. That would make these two areas inseparably tied. Knowing that Foxwit is from the future, and that he created the I.AM.ROBOTs, then this may be a very advanced, scientific area.
New info:
As mentioned above, there's a pair of Ninjas in the Keep who spawn after Red Nirg is defeated. It's possible that they are the "Komodo Duo".
http://sauna.gibbed.us/item/4031677/ - Komodo Key's Sauna Page (note that this image on here is a placeholder from the data. The key is not actually a Steak.)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand0-45.png
Prof. Foxwit
7. Badlands
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/miniMapcanvas-8.png
(Badlands Mini Map)
A single map in the data; unlike the Krakian Jungle maps, this one sort of fades from the edge of the city into the jungle-style area. This map contains the Dragon Door. It may only be one map, but I suspect it will lead down a separate path through the jungle, perhaps a bit more rocky in style. Not much to speculate on, except that there are a few characters still trapped there from a glitch in .40's patch which allowed access to it through the use of Priest's Door skill.
http://sauna.gibbed.us/map/600010000/ - Urban Underground, the first and currently only Badlands map.
8. The True Bigger Ben
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/04031678infoicon.png
Yes, Bigger Ben was "released" in the first patch. However, if you pay attention as you descend, only the first map is labeled as being Bigger Ben; all others are MesoGears. NxProse has stated (http://forum.nexon.net/MapleStory/forums/post/146938.aspx) that there is more to Bigger Ben than what we have seen thus far. The data confirms this; an item called the Lift Key says it allows for use of an elevator in Bigger Ben. This might lead to the rest of the clocktower's innards or to a new area altogether.
http://sauna.gibbed.us/item/4031678/ - Lift Key's Sauna Page
11. Isle of Vigilance
The former base of the Shadowknights, currently being occupied by the remnants of the Raven Ninja Clan. This was a secret location which they kept completely separated from the Keep, and for this reason they were able to retreat here after it fell. Taggrin describes it as having been swamped by tidal waves caused by Masteria's disappearance. There is a huge building here, called the Watchtower, which is where the Shadowknights kept up their fight for Crimsonwood. It seems likely that as the story of the Raven Ninjas unfolds, we may eventually pay a visit to this place.
Areas confirmed outside of the game
9. Versal
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/02002015infoicon.png
(Elpam Elixir, a potion from Versal)
A flurry of items reference this place or are directly from this place. Elpam Gorlab is also from this place. All we know about it is told to us by him: Mushmom is the cruelest and Strongest monster in Versal, and the Balrogs are friendly and loyal to humans. There is not much sunlight here; only 3 months of the year are lit. They also use cheese as perfume, though it may just be a bizarre joke on Nexon's part. This place serves as the mirror universe of Maple World. NxProse (http://forum.nexon.net/MapleStory/forums/post/120795.aspx) has been reluctant to comment on it, but he said that one speculation (made before July 30th) was spot on. Attempts to find this post weren't successful... However, the fact that someone could describe the place correctly does in fact confirm it is a real location that one can visit.
Update!
So, as many of you know as of this week, the christmas event is tied into Versal. In particular, Elpam is being joined by someone else from his world: O-Pongo the mouse, who celebrates the Versal equivalent of Christmas, which is rather simply "Versalmas". The key of the event is that you must choose whether to celebrate Versalmas or "Maplemas", which is our usual christmas stuff. Additionally, you have to convince another NPC to join the same side as you. If more people support Versal, everyone is supposed to get a special item.
Update 2
Versalmas is a holiday in Versal which celebrates the end of their dark portion of the year and the beginning of the "30 Days of Delight." Over time, the originally 99 days of light have shortened down to a mere 30. Versalmas is a legal holiday in the Land of Versal, and is presided over by O-Pongo, the Versalmas mouse, and his Ostrich Pwnzer. He must deliver a present to everyone, regardless of how far away they are, which is how he got stranded here in the Maple World with Elpam, since Elpam was last on the list. They tend to eat very strange foods in celebration of Versalmas, such as Caramel covered Onions (similar to Caramel Apples), Ssiws Cheese (Swiss), Smoken Salmon (the only normal food on their menu), and Sugar-coated Olives. They decorate cacti instead of trees. Since they live in the dark for most of the year, their skin tends to be very pale, so sunburn during the 30 days of light is a real threat; thus, Sunblock is a common gift to protect friends.
According to an old Versal myth, the sun once shone throughout their land as much as it does in the Maple World. This allowed them to grow abundant Onion crops, and they lived in relative comfort. To ensure their crops would grow, the Versalians would hold a ceremony to worship the sun. The monsters envied their lives, and they would often steal from the fields. The leaders of the Village decided that if they could strike a deal with the most powerful creature in the woods nearby, then it would protect them from the others. In return, they would share their crops.
This pact with the beast was so successful that soon, they had far more Onions than they needed. With such success, they soon gave up their ceremonies in honor of the sun. Without these ceremonies, the sun grew gradually weaker and weaker. with so much food lying around, the beast began to grow unhappy with his share of the crops and wanted more. If the Versalians refused, the beast threatened to eat them; so, they continually gave in. Eventually, nothing would satisfy its hunger. There was only one thing it could eat that could grant the amount of energy it desired: The sun. The monster leapt into the sky and devoured the sun.
The skies grew permanently dark. Their crops couldn't grow without sunlight, and they began to starve. The monsters which the beast had once kept at bay now raided the village once more. A group of brave hunters decided they could take no more, and headed right into the beast's lair. After a long battle, the beast finally coughed up what remained of the sun. It flew back up into the sky, but it was so weakened after all that time that it couldn't shine as it once had. The villagers began singing their songs in honor of the sun once more. This would give it the strength it needed to shine once a year for 99 days. This became the basis of the holiday known as Versalmas.
I suspect this beast may be the Versal Mushmom...
New info: (Update 3)
The Twisted Masters, the evil influence in control of Crimsonwood Keep, are from Versal. They are taking direct orders from Naricain, it seems. According to the Mayor's new dialog, it seems that Versal may be under control of Naricain, and irreversibly so; for this reason, it seems like Versal will be one of the last places we will see, with Naricain as the extremely powerful final boss of Masteria.
That's all we know for now, though. I'll continue updating this once either the patch is up on the FTP or it is finished.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/eye0.png
Elpam Gorlab, a person from Versal
10. Krakia, the lost city
Krakia is an expansion which has only appeared on the expansion radar since Thanksgiving 2007. It's a lost city that was located in the Krakian Jungle (where the jungle's name comes from.) and populated by people who made good use of cybernetic enhancements. Dr. Krakia, Professor Foxwit's evil nemesis, has seemingly found this town and set up his base here, where the Turkey Commandos are produced. They seem like they are only a trial of things to come... I would expect this place to be a "Mad Scientist's Lair" type area, filled with monsters that have been improved with cybernetic implants and/or other scientific means. Additionally, if Dr. Krakia and Foxwit know each other, then it seems likely that Krakia is also from the future (or maybe even the past...) The other Krakian item, the Stone Tiger Head, seems to imply that it is from the same culture that created the Taru Totem and all the strange primitive monuments on Masteria.
http://media.strategywiki.org/images/1/11/MS_Monster_Turkey_Commando.png
The first monster we have seen that was produced in Krakia.
Update 2
we learned a lot about Krakia with the Crimsonwood patch. Krakia was a town of secretive plant-people who lived deep in the Krakian jungle. One day, after centuries of being peaceful, they suddenly went on the war path and wiped out the Taru. Corine's family seems to be the only survivors of this massacre. After the Taru fell, the Krakia began to attack the Keep. While the Krakians weren't very skilled in the arts of war, they had numbers on their side, as well as a size advantage, and the war went on for many years. It was eventually discovered and made known (to Ridley, Taggrin, Lita, and others) that the Krakians were being manipulated by an evil Alchemist. Is this Alchemist the Black Magician of Ossyria, or perhaps Foxwit's enemy, Professor Krakia? We don't know yet, but we should all expect to see Krakia once Crimsonwood's chapter is complete.
New info:
Dr. Krakia, as mentioned in his personal description, has been seen aiding the Twisted Masters in invading NLC. There can be no doubt now; Krakia WILL be the next Masteria area released.
Correct predictions/ Released expansions
This section is for Masteria expansions which were predicted before hand and then released.
1. Crimsonwood Keep
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/Themetownsign10.png
This area started out as a mere signpost in the data. Just a single mysterious name, and no more to it. Now, it is mentioned by the Glimmer Man in his TCG quest, and by John Barricade when I asked him about the Mystic Astrolabe. Apparently, it is located in the Phantom Forest; this leads me to believe that either it will be added to the NLC Taxi as a destination, or perhaps even walked to from the Mansion. Warriors and mages would travel great distances to reach this place, according to Barricade. The Astrolabe was created by the Grandmasters of Crimsonwood Keep, particularly the Mage Grandmaster.
The Antellion, a massive magical statue situated here, is one of the key features. Additionally, the name, "Crimsonwood", is too close to the name "Christopher Crimsonheart" for it to be a mere coincidence. Could he have been a Grandmaster? So many questions...
New information: LeFay, a powerful magician who went insane from using dark magic, is apparently from here. She would create lots of items that seemingly had no use. Some of her more useful inventions were the Glitter Gloves and the LeFay Jester, an event item from Lunar New Year. Since LeFay seems to be a person in Crimsonwood Keep, I'd bet that Lockewood and Hercule are also from here (from the warrior and archer event hats.) There's no way to be sure, though. Apparently, there were other items from here, like the Crux Arcana (Cross of the Arcane, which is obscure or lost knowledge that has little use. Mostly used to describe magic.)
Another thing we've learned about Crimsonwood is that, in addition to the Stormcaster Knights, there was another group that stayed here: The Windreavers. They were a group of talented ranged fighters, mostly assassins and rangers it seems. They created the Neva and the Winkel, which were extremely light weapons that would guide their projectiles to their targets. The Windreavers and Stormcasters were at odds with each other.
The last, and most obvious new info, is that there was a group of powerful fighters that would go around and destroy bosses for people. They were the bosshunters, and they would use the remains of their defeated foes to power up their armor to extreme levels. They didn't seem to interact with the other two groups very much.
Edit:
added the NxProse links.
Edit3:
This is my speculations based on the information gathered from the TCG items. That being said, this is your warning that the facts are up there ^^^ and the speculation is down below.
The Antellion statue, or at least its shattered remains, will probably be located in one of the future towns, perhaps Crimsonwood Keep. Judging by the description, which states that it could teleport you anywhere instantly, it may very well provide us with an alternate method of transportation to reach NLC.
Mystic Astrolabe's description is probably the most important description. It reveals the location of Crimsonwood Keep: in the Phantom Forest. That means it is relatively close to the Mansion. It could be that a portal will be added near the NLC taxi allowing us to walk there, or that we will just take the Taxi straight there (or maybe even both!). It says that the Mystic Compass could teleport you, so it may have been used in conjunction with the Antellion statue. Perhaps you could use the Antellion to go all the way out to somewhere, and then the Mystic Compass to get back. Additionally, he says they were created by the Grandmaster Mage. It seems that there are 4 grandmasters of Crimsonwood Keep, each of a job.
Naricain Jewel's description is almost as valuable. Naricain is the demon who was responsible for the creation of the dark scrolls. Barricade says he is "not from this world.." Well, there's only one other world. The depiction of a "many-armed beast" calls forth a lot of different images (at least for me) one of which is Zakum. I doubt that Naricain is related to zakum, but it could just be that having more than 2 arms is an evil trait. It also says he was once human, and his dark magic transformed him into a demon. This is consistent with my own research on the matter: Grendel attempted to study dark magic, and that ended with the disastrous creation of Zombie Lupins. That's why there's no "Black Mage" class in MapleStory; all people who study dark magic in the Maple World do so at the cost of becoming a demon eventually.
I can't wait to see the Subani Ankh now...
Taru Totem is interesting in that it's the only thing besides Foxwit's Turkey analysis that mentions the lost Krakia city. The way he describes the population also makes me think of Chris Crimsonheart... He could have been one of them, then founded the keep along with the other masters.
The "Blinking Dingbat", while it has a funny name, also gives us some clues. Foxwit says it was part of a communications device, and it's still operating. That probably means it is sending information back to whomever launched it still. Who could this be? I don't think it's the grays; they mostly live in Omega Sector's invasion fleet since it seems their homeworld was destroyed. The Glimmer Man says that there's not much out there besides the grays... Which leaves us with a mystery then. I guess we can't count out the Mateons. This item seems to be the strongest evidence for a space-based area.
Well, the first sentence of Foxwit's statement is true in our world as well: Dark Matter is the stuff that exists and has mass, but can't really be seen just by looking. The rest, however, is maple lore. Not much here besides that bit.
Vorticular Gyro is making a Star Trek joke. The whole "atomic stabilization" thing is poking fun at Star Trek Transporters, and the "hyper food processor" is another one. This just sort of explains how the foxwit doors work. Not too significant in the long run, but it adds more to the world.
Zeta Residue seems to be the radioactive particles that destroyed the Grays' homeworld. It could be that it hurts the Grays very much, but doesn't affect humans; Foxwit's logical reasoning isn't very conclusive. The part about it being Alien Poo is just a funny joke, I think. xD I wouldn't take that part too seriously.
Black Versal Materia is overflowing with Chaos energy. Foxwit's description is almost like a black hole, but if that were the case we would get sucked into it.
Now, there are also explanations on the items that you forge as well. The Zeta Cape, as Foxwit explained it, uses the energy of Power Crystals to create some sort of force field around them. It's funny because the Zeta Grays actually do wear capes. Omega Sector seems to be very important to NLC; the research that enables Foxwit to make a Zeta Cape comes from here also.
The only other Item I could forge was the Dark Shards. Foxwit explains that he once had a colleague that smashed particles of Black Crystal into Particles of Power Crystals to create Dark Shards, which gave off a protective aura. His colleague eventually goes on to dangerous experiments using these Shards to protect him. I speculate that this colleague was none other than Dr. Krakia. To me, it seems that it would make quite a bit of sense for Dr. Krakia to have been some sort of apprentice to Foxwit, with whom he eventually had a falling out, probably over these dangerous experiments. Now they are enemies across time... Not much more to go on than that, though, and even this is stretching it.
Since people are now asking for the proof for my list of possible expansions, here it is. These are mostly based on things from in game and the data, but also a few from things that have been stated outside of the game, like by NxProse, etc. I'll split them along those two groups.
Wondering where the TCG item descriptions went? Click here (http://www.southperry.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2806).
One of the updates since this thread began is the addition of... the People of Masteria! This section is dedicated to shining some light on those unseen characters who are often referenced to but never actually encountered in game. Since its' writing, some of these NPCs have come out.
The People of Masteria Updated
Well, with the tcg items, there's also been an onslaught of seemingly important new characters. I'm gonna split them up according to what time in the past or present they existed in.
Past Era
LeFay
A dark sorceress from Crimsonwood Keep. She wasn't evil, but she was a bit weird. LeFay would often create useless items and equipments with no potential purpose, and was best known for wearing an exceptionally colorful headpiece. The LeFay Jester also seems to have belonged to her. Eventually, she left the Keep because she felt that their laws were getting in the way of her research.
LeFay was apparently in love with a warrior named Killian. Killian eventually became the Headless Horseman. The story of how this happened is posted in the Maple's Story thread. She was also a Disciple of Ridley. She still exists today in the form of Headless Horseman's horse.
Christopher Crimsonheart
An "immortal warrior" who is buried deep in the MesoGears area. His name did show up as a monster in the data at NLC's release. He could end up being a boss, a friendly monster (like the Henesys PQ bunny, the tamable hog, or Tylus of El Nath PQ), or even a potential ally who actually fights along side you. He was a member of an entire race of immortal warriors, all of whom seem to have paradoxically died out.
Christopher Crimsonheart was the founder of Crimsonwood Keep (hence the name) and the Warrior Grandmaster. In the present, the "Twisted Masters" who are currently in possession of the keep are planning an attack on New Leaf City in order to raid his tomb for a currently unknown reason.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/eye3.png
Ridley
The potent sorcerer who wrote "Ridley's Book of Rituals," a guide to restoring ancient armor. The book itself is inhabited with magic powers which allow even non-magicians to use its power.
Ridley, being a powerful magician, was able to embed his consciousness in a statue built to his likeness at the entrance to Crimsonwood Keep. Normally, he remains dormant, however if a person with a Ridley's Stone approaches, he will awaken and make a deal with them. Ridley trained a number of famous figures in the past of Masteria, including LeFay, the chaos magician, and Rafael, the person who tricked the Headless Horseman into searching for his head, which doesn't really exist anymore, forever.
New info:
Ridley experimented on Crimson Guardians, and through this experimentation created the dangerous variation, the Master Guardians, who have huge amounts of stamina. He also experimented a lot with the Antellion, and through this created the Sigils. He seems to have done a lot for the Keep.
Gurdle the Unarmored
A legendary warrior who valued attack over everything else. He would never wear anything unless it gave him some sort of attack boost. His prize creation is the Facestomper, shoes with inherent attack properties. He met an untimely fate by having his face chewed off by rabbits since he couldn't hit them or protect himself due to lack of armor.
Subani
A powerful sorcerer of Light. He created the white scrolls and was in a constant battle with Naricain, a terrible demon. Eventually, he sealed Naricain away and subsequently disappeared from this world as well. We don't know much about them, but apparently they were worshiped in the Nihal Desert in olden times, and were opposing forces. The Subani Ankh led John Barricade to Masteria as well.
New info:
Subani is the one who returned Masteria to the Maple world. Through a deal with the Mayor, he constructed NLC and anchored Masteria firmly here. Still a lot we don't know yet, but his blessing does allow anyone who dies in the first two stages of Crimsonwood Keep's Party Quest to be revived without being sent out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/ckPQfloorobj283.png
Naricain
A demon of the darkness. He seems to have been human at one point, but was eventually corrupted to the point of losing all humanity. Naricain created the Dark Scrolls and is constantly in battle with Subani. We don't know much about them, but apparently they were worshiped in the Nihal Desert in olden times, and were opposing forces.
New info:
A hologram of Naricain is seen in the Secret Chamber right before you exit the Crimsonwood Keep Party Quest. All the Twisted Masters carry a Mark of Naricain on them, proving that they are under his command.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand0-1.png
Killian
The man who became the Headless Horseman. Killian was known for his mastery of fire and for being an extremely dangerous opponent. He was in love with LeFay, and when she was captured by the Krakians one day, he was forced to become a test subject for the mysterious Alchemist. After a long time of this, the Alchemist created an army of beings who could use his fire powers, and he wanted Killian to lead it. Forced between choosing to fight against his friends, or the death of his lover, he used his fire powers to burn his own head off. This didn't stop the Alchemist, however, who simply put a carved out Pumpkin in its place. After transforming LeFay into a pink horse, he set the newly created Headless Horseman on the attack. During the battle, the magician Rafael cast a spell on the Horseman to cause him to eternally wander the Phantom Forest in search of a head that no longer exists.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand0-2.png
Rafael
An exceptionally talented magician and another disciple of Ridley. He was the one responsible for setting the Headless Horseman on his impossible task to find his head.
New info:
He was the Grandmaster Mage at the time of Crimsonwood Keep's fall. The statue in the Courtyard represents him, and states that he has been missing for some time, as he left the Keep during its final days to search out the "Temple of Elementals".
Delgrund
A former Magician Grandmaster, who preceded Rafael. Since it was stated that the Grandmaster Mage was responsible for the creation of the Mystic Astrolabe, we can assume it was him (Though Delgrund is a somewhat masculine name and the mystic astrolabe seems to imply a female). Not much else is known about him aside from his name at this time.
"The Alchemist"
A mysterious figure in Masteria's past. He created the Headless Horseman and was the one who set the Krakians on their warpath that completely destroyed the Taru and, eventually, the Keep as well. He shares a lot of traits with Ossyria's villain, the Black Magician. both are Alchemists, and each one wreaked havoc across his own continent (The Black magician poisoned Elin Forest, terrorized Ossyria in general for ages, and the search for the Black Magician was the reason that the Nautilus has been gone for so long.). It may come to light that they are the same person...
New info:
In Magatia, Dr. De Lang's Note suggests that the Black Magician had a disciple, who is likely this Alchemist.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand0-3.png
Ryo
The Thief Grandmaster at the time of Crimsonwood Keep's fall. We don't really know much about him, aside from what is stated on his Statue in the courtyard. He was a part time bosshunter, best known for fighting Crimson Balrogs. Seems to be a "Robin Hood"-esque figure who would steal things and give to those less fortunate.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand0-4.png
Lockewood
The Archer Grandmaster at the time of Crimsonwood Keep's fall. He apparently had extraordinary abilities, being described as a "Holy Archer" and capable of shooting down Typhons from huge distances. Lockewood's name first appeared on the Lockewood Hat, an event item from the Lunar New Years of 2007 and 2008. At the time, there was some speculation that he may have been from Crimsonwood Keep (As was the case with LeFay), which turned out to be the case. Other than what's stated on the Statue, little is known about him.
Lireni
Lireni was a Shadowknight heroine who led many of the dangerous missions to attempt to retake the keep. She was the one who discovered that the Krakians were being manipulated by the Alchemist, but they never wrote down whether they knew who he was.
Present Era
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand10.png
Jack Barricade
John Barricade's twin brother and a founding member of the Barricade Brothers exploration company. Jack was the first of the duo to visit Masteria, and after sending a letter to his brother depicting the Subani Ankh, John decided to come to New Leaf City as well. At the release of NLC, Jack was exploring something in Aqua Road, but we don't know much about what he investigated.
Jack is an NPC in Crimsonwood Keep's first area. He can be found at the Cavern of Pain. He was captured by these Twisted Masters who currently hold the keep, and is still interested in getting inside. He discovered the plans of an attack on NLC and is in the process of finding a way to penetrate the Keep's dark energy field.
New info:
Jack is also the CKPQ guide NPC.
Dr. Krakia
Professor Foxwit's archrival who also seems to have come from the Future. He discovered Krakia, a town of people who cybernetically enhance their bodies, which was lost in the Krakian Jungle many years ago. He is responsible for pumping out the Turkey Commandos during Thanksgiving. Foxwit says that Dr. Krakia has begun to modify his own body, so he could potentially become a boss in the future.
New info:
Dr. Krakia has surfaced once again, helping the Twisted Masters to lead an attack on NLC. Since it looks like Krakia will be the next area released on Masteria, expect to hear more from him soon. Given that he is capable of time travel, he could possibly be "The Alchemist."
New Section!
The Factions of Masteria
In Masteria, there are a number of factions, both past and present, who are competing for power in the continent. Some are allies, and not all are mutually exclusive, but they are significant to understanding the storyline of the Continent.
Windreavers
The Crimsonwood Keep guild made up of ranged attackers, including rangers, hermits, and possibly gunslingers. They were led by Lockewood, and used weapons such as the Neva and Winkel. One of the 5 major guilds, a mix of Thief and Archer.
Stormcasters
The Crimsonwood Keep guild made up of Spear-wielding warriors who could also use lightning-based magic to attack from afar. The best known guild by far, due to the Stormcaster gloves, and the new Stormshear spear. Lukan was a high-ranking Stormcaster, and the only known living member. One of the 5 major guilds, a mix of warrior and Magician.
Flamekeepers
The Crimsonwood Keep guild made up of Archers and Fire Mages. They are probably best known for the Flamekeeper Cordon gloves. They are perhaps the most enigmatic of the 5 guilds, as we know very little about them and they weren't seen before Crimsonwood Keep part 1's release. One of the 5 major guilds, mixed Archer and Magician.
Shadowknights
The Crimsonwood Keep guild that consists of dagger wielding Thieves and short sword Warriors, possibly including other forms of close-range combat such as fistfighting. Since it was mostly thieves, they were often disdained by the other guilds, especially Lukan, though they still had a strict moral code for which he granted them a begrudging respect. After the fall of the Keep, the Shadowknights retreated to their secret base on the Isle of Vigilance, just in time to see the continent of Masteria disappear. After it was gone, the rigid moral code broke down and the Shadowknights began to splinter off into many groups. One of the 5 major guilds, mixed Warrior and Thief.
Bosshunters
A legendary group of powerful soldiers, made up of members of the other guilds. They were often sent out to defeat Boss monsters that were terrorizing various towns around the world, including battles with the Tengu Black Crow, Balrogs, and other such beasts. They had strong armor specially designed for fighting bosses, and could repair it by using the remains of their fallen enemies. They are the 5th major guild in the Keep, and the only ones not impersonated by the Corrupted Army.
Antellion Guard
A special group set up to protect the Antellion, a precious relic located deep inside of the Keep, which can teleport people (and things) great distances. We really don't know much about them, but the Antellion Miter is an artifact that symbolizes their task. They were one of the lesser guilds that existed here in the Keep.
Taru Tribe
The Taru are a group of natives to Masteria who lived in the Krakian Jungle. The entire tribe was wiped out by the Krakians, whom they were formerly friends with. The only living Taru descendant is Corine, whose family managed to flee to Victoria. Taru warriors are given a weapon at birth, and what discipline they fall under is determined by what weapon they pick as a baby. Later, they are also bonded with an animal companion. It is rare to see a Taru without both their weapon and their animal companion, as they soon become inseparable. The Taru worship a Jungle spirit, who would sometimes bless special warriors with a Taru Feather that would grant their weapon a huge increase in power.
Krakians
The sentient plant-like race that lived in the Krakian Jungle, alongside the Taru. They usually kept to themselves, and only traded with the Taru. One day, they fell under the sway of the Alchemist, and suddenly became violent and dangerous. Their first victims were the Taru, and then they proceeded to march on Crimsonwood Keep. The war between the Keep and the Krakians lasted for years, but the Keep finally fell to them right before Masteria disappeared. Krakians who fell in battle during this war would try to bond their spirits to the nearby foliage, and so the Phantom Trees that inhabit Phantom Forest are the aggressive spirits of fallen Krakians. In the present era, the Krakians are being cybernetically modified by the evil Dr. Krakia, a time traveling villain.
Corrupt Army
The army, led by the Twisted Masters, which currently has control of the Keep. They used the texts of the 4 major guilds to train their soldiers in these disciplines, but without the strict moral codes, it has become extremely dangerous. Made up of the Windraiders, Nightshadows, Firebrands, and Stormbreakers, as well as the 4 Twisted Masters. They are from Versal, and currently are trying to reclaim the body of Christopher Crimsonheart from the Mesogears, though we still don't know why.
Raven Ninja Clan
The successors of the Shadowknights, one of the splintered groups leftover after the Shadowknights broke apart. They try to stick to the moral code of the Shadowknights, and maintained watch over the Isle of Vigilance for the eons since Masteria's disappearance. Now that it's back, the Raven Ninjas dispatched Taggrin, Joko, Fiona and Mo to explore and find out why it has returned.
Dragon Ninja Clan
We know very little about these people. They're related to the Dragon Door, but that's all that is factually solid. It is likely that they are also a splintered group from the Shadowknights, since Taggrin explicitly mentions that some of the splinter groups did not keep up their morals. The two new bosses, Scarlet Phoenix and Azure Ocelot, may be members of this group, though again that isn't known for sure. They are likely an evil faction.
Now, on to the list. I'll go from oldest to newest, and do the in-game evidence first.
Expansions mentioned in Game or in Data
1. Vineland
Not much is known about exactly what this is. Presumably, it's an overgrown jungle type area. It may be related to the "Beanstalk" (a name from the data.) that passes through the Mountain Slopes map. Additionally, there are still a number of aquatic-themed weapons in the string data that have not been released. If this area is an Amazon jungle type area near a river, these weapons might be obtainable here.
Some of the weapons that MIGHT come from here include the River Rattler, Barracuda Bow, and the Devil Rain throwing stars.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/ThemetownBeanstalk0.png
Beanstalk
2. Affluent Tower
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/Themetownsign90.png
An even more mysterious expansion. It's only reference is the sign that is in game. It seems that whatever this area is, it takes place along the Eiffel Tower that's on the right side of NLC. Knowing that, it's likely a metallic style place, and may be related to Electricity. The Skunk Pet mentions Affluent Tower when given the "Chat" command over level 10. Hint? Possibly.
3. "???", AKA the Pharaoh's Gate.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/04031676infoicon.png
An egyptian area that would be underneath the Statue of the Yetinx (This is another name gleaned from the data.) Another supporting item that gives us the name is the Lost Ankh, which claims to be the key to opening the Pharaoh's Gate under Bigger Ben. John Barricade also mentions that he believes more ruins are accessible from Bigger Ben, so this fits in with that statement as well. This may very well be related to Ariant, the town on Ossyria which is located in the Nihal desert. The Pharaoh's Wrappings suggest that Nihal is important to Masteria.
http://sauna.gibbed.us/item/4031676/ - Lost Ankh's Sauna page.
4. Theme Park
The legendary "Cody's Theme Park that has been rumored since the end of Beta. This was confirmed as true (http://forum.nexon.net/MapleStory/forums/post/86149.aspx) by NxProse. The data contains Background images from this area, which were also seen in the EMS event preview for Bastille Day's event. We do not have a name for this area yet, as the BG images in the data are not particularly descriptively named. It IS real, and it will be on Masteria.
Click to see the images from the Theme Park.
Backgrounds:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/NLC-theme-3.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/NLC-theme-2.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/NLC-theme-1.png
Houses:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/CarnivalHut.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/CarnivalHut2.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/HotDogHouse.png
Reminds me of Zipangu...
5. Dragon Door, AKA the Inner Sanctum of the Dragon Ninja Clan
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/04031679infoiconRaw.png
An enormous, beautifully crafted door that appeared in the hidden NLC map, the Badlands. Before it was put onto that map, I had found it and shared it. There is also an item in the data, the Dragon Jewel, which mentions this Dragon Ninja clan. Undoubtedly these two are related, and perhaps this is the key to enter this map. It seems to be an asian themed area, but through the lens of western culture (http://forum.nexon.net/MapleStory/forums/post/124123.aspx); "Kung Fu movie style", as it has been put.
In the Crimsonwood 1 patch, we were introduced to the Raven Ninja Clan. When Masteria disappeared, the Shadowknights (A guild of Crimsonwood) had retreated to their secret base on the Island of Vigilance. As such, they were the only witnesses to the final disappearance of Masteria. Without the influence of the other guilds to keep their ethics intact, the Shadowknights began to splinter into smaller factions. The Raven Ninjas are one such group. Taggrin states that there are many other groups who do not share the Raven Ninjas good behavior. It is no stretch to think that the Dragon Ninjas are another group descended from the Shadowknights, and that they might be one of the more aggressive groups that Taggrin warns of. Since we now know humanoid enemies aren't out of the question, I'd expect to see dragon ninjas as enemies here.
New info:
Two ninja-like bosses, Azure Ocelot and Scarlet Phoenix, spawn after the defeat of the Warrior Twisted Master Red Nirg. They may be Dragon Ninjas, or the "Komodo Duo". Since Dr. Krakia helped lead the invasion of NLC alongside the Twisted Masters, it's not out of the question that other currently unknown bad guys might help, and the Dragon Ninjas are a strong candidate.
http://sauna.gibbed.us/item/4031679/ - Dragon Jewel's Sauna Page
Dragon Door:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/Themetowndragondoor0.png
6. Foxwit's Den
There is also the Komodo Key, which is dropped by the "Komodo Duo." The Komodo Duo could be a two-headed Komodo Dragon, or it could be a pair of ninjas. We simply don't know yet. If it is the latter, then this item may very well drop in the Dragon Ninja Clan's Sanctum. That would make these two areas inseparably tied. Knowing that Foxwit is from the future, and that he created the I.AM.ROBOTs, then this may be a very advanced, scientific area.
New info:
As mentioned above, there's a pair of Ninjas in the Keep who spawn after Red Nirg is defeated. It's possible that they are the "Komodo Duo".
http://sauna.gibbed.us/item/4031677/ - Komodo Key's Sauna Page (note that this image on here is a placeholder from the data. The key is not actually a Steak.)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/stand0-45.png
Prof. Foxwit
7. Badlands
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/miniMapcanvas-8.png
(Badlands Mini Map)
A single map in the data; unlike the Krakian Jungle maps, this one sort of fades from the edge of the city into the jungle-style area. This map contains the Dragon Door. It may only be one map, but I suspect it will lead down a separate path through the jungle, perhaps a bit more rocky in style. Not much to speculate on, except that there are a few characters still trapped there from a glitch in .40's patch which allowed access to it through the use of Priest's Door skill.
http://sauna.gibbed.us/map/600010000/ - Urban Underground, the first and currently only Badlands map.
8. The True Bigger Ben
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/04031678infoicon.png
Yes, Bigger Ben was "released" in the first patch. However, if you pay attention as you descend, only the first map is labeled as being Bigger Ben; all others are MesoGears. NxProse has stated (http://forum.nexon.net/MapleStory/forums/post/146938.aspx) that there is more to Bigger Ben than what we have seen thus far. The data confirms this; an item called the Lift Key says it allows for use of an elevator in Bigger Ben. This might lead to the rest of the clocktower's innards or to a new area altogether.
http://sauna.gibbed.us/item/4031678/ - Lift Key's Sauna Page
11. Isle of Vigilance
The former base of the Shadowknights, currently being occupied by the remnants of the Raven Ninja Clan. This was a secret location which they kept completely separated from the Keep, and for this reason they were able to retreat here after it fell. Taggrin describes it as having been swamped by tidal waves caused by Masteria's disappearance. There is a huge building here, called the Watchtower, which is where the Shadowknights kept up their fight for Crimsonwood. It seems likely that as the story of the Raven Ninjas unfolds, we may eventually pay a visit to this place.
Areas confirmed outside of the game
9. Versal
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/Isaac_mage/Masteria/02002015infoicon.png
(Elpam Elixir, a potion from Versal)
A flurry of items reference this place or are directly from this place. Elpam Gorlab is also from this place. All we know about it is told to us by him: Mushmom is the cruelest and Strongest monster in Versal, and the Balrogs are friendly and loyal to humans. There is not much sunlight here; only 3 months of the year are lit. They also use cheese as perfume, though it may just be a bizarre joke on Nexon's part. This place serves as the mirror universe of Maple World. NxProse (http://forum.nexon.net/MapleStory/forums/post/120795.aspx) has been reluctant to comment on it, but he said that one speculation (made before July 30th) was spot on. Attempts to find this post weren't successful... However, the fact that someone could describe the place correctly does in fact confirm it is a real location that one can visit.
Update!
So, as many of you know as of this week, the christmas event is tied into Versal. In particular, Elpam is being joined by someone else from his world: O-Pongo the mouse, who celebrates the Versal equivalent of Christmas, which is rather simply "Versalmas". The key of the event is that you must choose whether to celebrate Versalmas or "Maplemas", which is our usual christmas stuff. Additionally, you have to convince another NPC to join the same side as you. If more people support Versal, everyone is supposed to get a special item.
Update 2
Versalmas is a holiday in Versal which celebrates the end of their dark portion of the year and the beginning of the "30 Days of Delight." Over time, the originally 99 days of light have shortened down to a mere 30. Versalmas is a legal holiday in the Land of Versal, and is presided over by O-Pongo, the Versalmas mouse, and his Ostrich Pwnzer. He must deliver a present to everyone, regardless of how far away they are, which is how he got stranded here in the Maple World with Elpam, since Elpam was last on the list. They tend to eat very strange foods in celebration of Versalmas, such as Caramel covered Onions (similar to Caramel Apples), Ssiws Cheese (Swiss), Smoken Salmon (the only normal food on their menu), and Sugar-coated Olives. They decorate cacti instead of trees. Since they live in the dark for most of the year, their skin tends to be very pale, so sunburn during the 30 days of light is a real threat; thus, Sunblock is a common gift to protect friends.
According to an old Versal myth, the sun once shone throughout their land as much as it does in the Maple World. This allowed them to grow abundant Onion crops, and they lived in relative comfort. To ensure their crops would grow, the Versalians would hold a ceremony to worship the sun. The monsters envied their lives, and they would often steal from the fields. The leaders of the Village decided that if they could strike a deal with the most powerful creature in the woods nearby, then it would protect them from the others. In return, they would share their crops.
This pact with the beast was so successful that soon, they had far more Onions than they needed. With such success, they soon gave up their ceremonies in honor of the sun. Without these ceremonies, the sun grew gradually weaker and weaker. with so much food lying around, the beast began to grow unhappy with his share of the crops and wanted more. If the Versalians refused, the beast threatened to eat them; so, they continually gave in. Eventually, nothing would satisfy its hunger. There was only one thing it could eat that could grant the amount of energy it desired: The sun. The monster leapt into the sky and devoured the sun.
The skies grew permanently dark. Their crops couldn't grow without sunlight, and they began to starve. The monsters which the beast had once kept at bay now raided the village once more. A group of brave hunters decided they could take no more, and headed right into the beast's lair. After a long battle, the beast finally coughed up what remained of the sun. It flew back up into the sky, but it was so weakened after all that time that it couldn't shine as it once had. The villagers began singing their songs in honor of the sun once more. This would give it the strength it needed to shine once a year for 99 days. This became the basis of the holiday known as Versalmas.
I suspect this beast may be the Versal Mushmom...
New info: (Update 3)
The Twisted Masters, the evil influence in control of Crimsonwood Keep, are from Versal. They are taking direct orders from Naricain, it seems. According to the Mayor's new dialog, it seems that Versal may be under control of Naricain, and irreversibly so; for this reason, it seems like Versal will be one of the last places we will see, with Naricain as the extremely powerful final boss of Masteria.
That's all we know for now, though. I'll continue updating this once either the patch is up on the FTP or it is finished.
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Elpam Gorlab, a person from Versal
10. Krakia, the lost city
Krakia is an expansion which has only appeared on the expansion radar since Thanksgiving 2007. It's a lost city that was located in the Krakian Jungle (where the jungle's name comes from.) and populated by people who made good use of cybernetic enhancements. Dr. Krakia, Professor Foxwit's evil nemesis, has seemingly found this town and set up his base here, where the Turkey Commandos are produced. They seem like they are only a trial of things to come... I would expect this place to be a "Mad Scientist's Lair" type area, filled with monsters that have been improved with cybernetic implants and/or other scientific means. Additionally, if Dr. Krakia and Foxwit know each other, then it seems likely that Krakia is also from the future (or maybe even the past...) The other Krakian item, the Stone Tiger Head, seems to imply that it is from the same culture that created the Taru Totem and all the strange primitive monuments on Masteria.
http://media.strategywiki.org/images/1/11/MS_Monster_Turkey_Commando.png
The first monster we have seen that was produced in Krakia.
Update 2
we learned a lot about Krakia with the Crimsonwood patch. Krakia was a town of secretive plant-people who lived deep in the Krakian jungle. One day, after centuries of being peaceful, they suddenly went on the war path and wiped out the Taru. Corine's family seems to be the only survivors of this massacre. After the Taru fell, the Krakia began to attack the Keep. While the Krakians weren't very skilled in the arts of war, they had numbers on their side, as well as a size advantage, and the war went on for many years. It was eventually discovered and made known (to Ridley, Taggrin, Lita, and others) that the Krakians were being manipulated by an evil Alchemist. Is this Alchemist the Black Magician of Ossyria, or perhaps Foxwit's enemy, Professor Krakia? We don't know yet, but we should all expect to see Krakia once Crimsonwood's chapter is complete.
New info:
Dr. Krakia, as mentioned in his personal description, has been seen aiding the Twisted Masters in invading NLC. There can be no doubt now; Krakia WILL be the next Masteria area released.
Correct predictions/ Released expansions
This section is for Masteria expansions which were predicted before hand and then released.
1. Crimsonwood Keep
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This area started out as a mere signpost in the data. Just a single mysterious name, and no more to it. Now, it is mentioned by the Glimmer Man in his TCG quest, and by John Barricade when I asked him about the Mystic Astrolabe. Apparently, it is located in the Phantom Forest; this leads me to believe that either it will be added to the NLC Taxi as a destination, or perhaps even walked to from the Mansion. Warriors and mages would travel great distances to reach this place, according to Barricade. The Astrolabe was created by the Grandmasters of Crimsonwood Keep, particularly the Mage Grandmaster.
The Antellion, a massive magical statue situated here, is one of the key features. Additionally, the name, "Crimsonwood", is too close to the name "Christopher Crimsonheart" for it to be a mere coincidence. Could he have been a Grandmaster? So many questions...
New information: LeFay, a powerful magician who went insane from using dark magic, is apparently from here. She would create lots of items that seemingly had no use. Some of her more useful inventions were the Glitter Gloves and the LeFay Jester, an event item from Lunar New Year. Since LeFay seems to be a person in Crimsonwood Keep, I'd bet that Lockewood and Hercule are also from here (from the warrior and archer event hats.) There's no way to be sure, though. Apparently, there were other items from here, like the Crux Arcana (Cross of the Arcane, which is obscure or lost knowledge that has little use. Mostly used to describe magic.)
Another thing we've learned about Crimsonwood is that, in addition to the Stormcaster Knights, there was another group that stayed here: The Windreavers. They were a group of talented ranged fighters, mostly assassins and rangers it seems. They created the Neva and the Winkel, which were extremely light weapons that would guide their projectiles to their targets. The Windreavers and Stormcasters were at odds with each other.
The last, and most obvious new info, is that there was a group of powerful fighters that would go around and destroy bosses for people. They were the bosshunters, and they would use the remains of their defeated foes to power up their armor to extreme levels. They didn't seem to interact with the other two groups very much.
Edit:
added the NxProse links.
Edit3:
This is my speculations based on the information gathered from the TCG items. That being said, this is your warning that the facts are up there ^^^ and the speculation is down below.
The Antellion statue, or at least its shattered remains, will probably be located in one of the future towns, perhaps Crimsonwood Keep. Judging by the description, which states that it could teleport you anywhere instantly, it may very well provide us with an alternate method of transportation to reach NLC.
Mystic Astrolabe's description is probably the most important description. It reveals the location of Crimsonwood Keep: in the Phantom Forest. That means it is relatively close to the Mansion. It could be that a portal will be added near the NLC taxi allowing us to walk there, or that we will just take the Taxi straight there (or maybe even both!). It says that the Mystic Compass could teleport you, so it may have been used in conjunction with the Antellion statue. Perhaps you could use the Antellion to go all the way out to somewhere, and then the Mystic Compass to get back. Additionally, he says they were created by the Grandmaster Mage. It seems that there are 4 grandmasters of Crimsonwood Keep, each of a job.
Naricain Jewel's description is almost as valuable. Naricain is the demon who was responsible for the creation of the dark scrolls. Barricade says he is "not from this world.." Well, there's only one other world. The depiction of a "many-armed beast" calls forth a lot of different images (at least for me) one of which is Zakum. I doubt that Naricain is related to zakum, but it could just be that having more than 2 arms is an evil trait. It also says he was once human, and his dark magic transformed him into a demon. This is consistent with my own research on the matter: Grendel attempted to study dark magic, and that ended with the disastrous creation of Zombie Lupins. That's why there's no "Black Mage" class in MapleStory; all people who study dark magic in the Maple World do so at the cost of becoming a demon eventually.
I can't wait to see the Subani Ankh now...
Taru Totem is interesting in that it's the only thing besides Foxwit's Turkey analysis that mentions the lost Krakia city. The way he describes the population also makes me think of Chris Crimsonheart... He could have been one of them, then founded the keep along with the other masters.
The "Blinking Dingbat", while it has a funny name, also gives us some clues. Foxwit says it was part of a communications device, and it's still operating. That probably means it is sending information back to whomever launched it still. Who could this be? I don't think it's the grays; they mostly live in Omega Sector's invasion fleet since it seems their homeworld was destroyed. The Glimmer Man says that there's not much out there besides the grays... Which leaves us with a mystery then. I guess we can't count out the Mateons. This item seems to be the strongest evidence for a space-based area.
Well, the first sentence of Foxwit's statement is true in our world as well: Dark Matter is the stuff that exists and has mass, but can't really be seen just by looking. The rest, however, is maple lore. Not much here besides that bit.
Vorticular Gyro is making a Star Trek joke. The whole "atomic stabilization" thing is poking fun at Star Trek Transporters, and the "hyper food processor" is another one. This just sort of explains how the foxwit doors work. Not too significant in the long run, but it adds more to the world.
Zeta Residue seems to be the radioactive particles that destroyed the Grays' homeworld. It could be that it hurts the Grays very much, but doesn't affect humans; Foxwit's logical reasoning isn't very conclusive. The part about it being Alien Poo is just a funny joke, I think. xD I wouldn't take that part too seriously.
Black Versal Materia is overflowing with Chaos energy. Foxwit's description is almost like a black hole, but if that were the case we would get sucked into it.
Now, there are also explanations on the items that you forge as well. The Zeta Cape, as Foxwit explained it, uses the energy of Power Crystals to create some sort of force field around them. It's funny because the Zeta Grays actually do wear capes. Omega Sector seems to be very important to NLC; the research that enables Foxwit to make a Zeta Cape comes from here also.
The only other Item I could forge was the Dark Shards. Foxwit explains that he once had a colleague that smashed particles of Black Crystal into Particles of Power Crystals to create Dark Shards, which gave off a protective aura. His colleague eventually goes on to dangerous experiments using these Shards to protect him. I speculate that this colleague was none other than Dr. Krakia. To me, it seems that it would make quite a bit of sense for Dr. Krakia to have been some sort of apprentice to Foxwit, with whom he eventually had a falling out, probably over these dangerous experiments. Now they are enemies across time... Not much more to go on than that, though, and even this is stretching it.