Dreams of Things to Come

http://maplestory.nexon.net/WZ.ASPX?PART...ntNo=005rP

Something’s coming to MapleStory… I think. It’s GM Maverick and I want to tell you a story -- a MapleStory if you will. A story about new lands and new adventures and exciting things that are on their way to everyone’s favorite fantasy universe. Is it real? Will it really happen? I don’t know, I can’t say, but I think it just might. Listen to what I’ve seen and you be the judge.



I recall seeing a snow-filled wonderland, a dream in red and white with high mountain peaks and frost-caked trees and breathtaking views like nothing I’ve seen in MapleStory before. More amazing than the scenery though, was the being who stood atop a snow-covered peak surveying the terrain as if he owned it. He was incredible; possessing powers like none I had ever seen. He was training, merely exercising his skills as if to prepare for a battle yet to come. Yet even in this relaxed state he was extraordinary. His abilities reminded me of a Cygnus Knight, though far more powerful.



I pulled out my old pet’s binoculars and moved to get a closer view, but by the time I got them out, the man was gone as though he had never been. Who was he? What was his purpose? I stared at the binoculars and thought about Deion, a pet I’d had long ago. Deion was with me for a time and then was gone too. I missed him. I often wondered why I’d had to lose him, if there wasn’t some way of getting him back… I shrugged off the feeling and moved on.



I needed to investigate this. The appearance of such a warrior would surely interest the folks back home so I headed out. Before long I came to a village I didn’t recall ever seeing before. Surely these people would be able to answer my questions? They were all warriors in training, using skills similar to, though clearly not as powerful as the mighty figure I had glimpsed on the mountain. If that wasn’t enough of a clue, they had erected a shrine to the warrior. Clearly this person had inspired others to become like him.



I spoke with the villagers and discovered that, yes, they were indeed in training to become like the figure I had seen. More than that, they told me his name and I could scarcely believe my ears. “Aran,” they whispered. Aran? The one who will battle on the last day of the world? “Aran’s a myth,” I said. “Obviously not,” was the reply.



I watched the villagers train for a time. They worked hard and I found myself startled by their training methods. This was not like any other training regimen I had seen in Maple World. It was faster, better organized, young “Arans” learned skills more quickly than I would have believed possible. The village even allowed a local dungeon filled with low-powered monsters to thrive nearby to serve as a training ground for young fighters. It was perfect -- a model for new training regimens to come.



I continued my journey, eventually coming across yet another small village. The contrast between this place and the training ground for the Arans could not have been greater. Where that place was stark and serious, this place was happy and joyous. There was even a familiar looking figure wearing a red and white suit that presided over the town’s celebration. And what a celebration! There were so many things going on, so many events, each more fun than the last that the many hours -- or was it minutes? -- I passed there seemed like a blur.



Finally I moved on and the last part of my journey was not so pleasant. I found myself surrounded by new enemies, far stronger and more fearsome than any I had ever heard of in Maple World. Had they come in response to the appearance of the warrior and his disciples, or had they appeared because these things were coming? I didn’t know. At the time I didn’t care. All I knew was that I was fighting for my life against monstrosities that didn’t yet have a name. In the end, I was saved by the appearance of my beloved pet Deion who came from nowhere to help me fight these new monsters! He had with him new items, stronger than any I had ever seen that helped my skill in combat grow faster than I would have thought possible. The last thing I remember is fighting with Deion beside me, surrounded on all sides by terrifying things that needed to be destroyed.



And then I awoke in Henesys curled in a heap with a crowd of onlookers asking if I was all right. I leaped up saying, “The snow! Where is the snow? Where are the Arans? We need to fight the monsters!” the crowd looked at me as if I had gone mad. “It doesn’t snow in Henesys,” one person said to me as the crowd broke up, convinced I was a madman. “I’ve seen something amazing!” I yelled to their retreating backs. “Let me tell you what’s coming!” Alas, no one believed me.



Well, that’s not entirely true. An old man with a twinkle in his eye touched me on the shoulder. I turned to face him and… was this Aran? No, it couldn’t be. Yet there was something -- something in the way he moved perhaps.



“I believe you,” he said. And then he was gone. He had moved as fast as the hero on the mountain.



…assuming he was ever really there at all.

fearsome enemies...? No idea on those.

fearsome enemies...? No idea on those.

That has me curious too, as does the emphasis on the pet returning and the "He had with him new items, stronger than any I had ever seen that helped my skill in combat grow faster than I would have thought possible."

fearsome enemies...? No idea on those.

Well they havent been named yet.

So Aran, Christmas...and a new area with new monsters and equipment for this patch?

So we got

Definite: Aran + Christmas events (Already knew though)

Speculation: Something about pets, maybe help with training

+ New enemies/maps

Yeah the nameless enemies were the only thing that caught my eye too. Kind of seemed like they were just using them to pitch new CS pet items though, haha.

"He had with him new items, stronger than any I had ever seen that helped my skill in combat grow faster than I would have thought possible."

More equips with levels, maybe? I dunno. :\
(KMS Crimsonwood weapons? ...Nah.)

The only logical reason for new enemies would be those from Aran's home town, but those aren't exactly ferocious or powerful. Also, he didn't mention these beasts being in the ice area. According to the text, the new enemies are probably not part of the christmas event either considering that the storyteller is in one area talking about christmas, then moves to another area to talk about the new mobs. So yeah... still doesn't quite make sense unless these enemies are ones we haven't seen before.

(b'.')b cool

"There were so many things going on, so many events, each more fun than the last that the many hours -- or was it minutes? -- I passed there seemed like a blur."

Nexon: Now with more honest Self descriptions >.>

Mmm... High level content? It'd be awesome, I've gotta admit.

"Finally I moved on and the last part of my journey was not so pleasant. I found myself surrounded by new enemies, far stronger and more fearsome than any I had ever heard of in Maple World. Had they come in response to the appearance of the warrior and his disciples, or had they appeared because these things were coming? I didn’t know. At the time I didn’t care. All I knew was that I was fighting for my life against monstrosities that didn’t yet have a name. In the end, I was saved by the appearance of my beloved pet Deion who came from nowhere to help me fight these new monsters! He had with him new items, stronger than any I had ever seen that helped my skill in combat grow faster than I would have thought possible. The last thing I remember is fighting with Deion beside me, surrounded on all sides by terrifying things that needed to be destroyed."

Pet equip/rings for attack? It does sound like new pet equips, maybe the leash, chew toy and collar mentioned in the last blog.

The only logical reason for new enemies would be those from Aran's home town, but those aren't exactly ferocious or powerful. Also, he didn't mention these beasts being in the ice area. According to the text, the new enemies are probably not part of the christmas event either considering that the storyteller is in one area talking about christmas, then moves to another area to talk about the new mobs. So yeah... still doesn't quite make sense unless these enemies are ones we haven't seen before.

It's possible, since we're seeing episodic content. It would make sense that the next episode will have more ferocious enemies (40 - 80?) and perhaps a new area. I can't see them continuously making bosses for each episode.

remember for nexon high level means 70+

If my black dragon Guts becomes useful in combat I'll be dancing about (If its just stat scrolls for pet equips I wont dance).
If these monsters, "stronger than the GM ever saw before in the maple world", actually are what he claims, then it almost have to be something in Masteria... Nothing up to date that's not world tour Zipangu can match the oblivion foes, right?

Yay for hopes that will be crushed in the end for sure!

"The next pieces of evidence I uncovered were a leash, a chew toy, and a collar in the break room. At first, I thought our office intern had gotten loose again. But then I noticed that the word “permanent” was inscribed on the collar, which left me even more confused. No one is weird enough to name their pet “Permanent,” even in our office. Then it hit me: this must be a part of whatever it is development is so pumped about… but I don’t understand what it all means. Help me!"

+

"I pulled out my old pet’s binoculars and moved to get a closer view, but by the time I got them out, the man was gone as though he had never been. Who was he? What was his purpose? I stared at the binoculars and thought about Deion, a pet I’d had long ago. Deion was with me for a time and then was gone too. I missed him. I often wondered why I’d had to lose him, if there wasn’t some way of getting him back… I shrugged off the feeling and moved on."

= Making old pets Permanent?

Or is it wishful thinking?

WE'RE GETTING KRAKiA GUYS!

I know it's 100% impossible, but while reading how the pet came back with equips I thought Evan o,o [the dragon is like a pet [and for some reason my normal parenthesis isn't working]]

Neo Tokyo?

Neo Tokyo?

Needs Kaede Castle.

Kaede Castle is another possibility, though.

What about the Black Magician mobs that appeared in the Aran intro video? Could those be the monsters being referenced?