Release 102

RELEASE 102, May 26, 2022
Welcome! The Catnip Games development team marks this monthly release of Shroud of the Avatar with new content and improvements. For Release 102 (R102), we offer expanded character customization!

New Character Customization Options
Make Your Mark!

A basic set of face and body markings (tattoos, scars, freckles, etc.) has been added to character creation, with a greatly expanded set (including new hair colors) available at the New You Salons in Central Britanny (uphill northwest from the docks, on the left before the fountain) and Ardoris (behind the magic shop at the docks).

When previewing markings, be sure to spin yourself around! Many options have components on upper and lower torso, upper and lower arms, back, or sides and back of head that may be hidden by some hairstyles. You’ll now be shown without clothing in the mirror, so body art will be clearly visible. Placement and coloring for each are fixed.

A random button was also recently added to the character design interface, which can produce some startling results with the new options available!

There is also a new “Load” button in the interface: when you finish creating or modifying a character, the settings you chose will be exported to a text file on your computer that can be imported when you return to New You, whether with the same character or another, if you wish to match customizations exactly across multiple characters. Only the basic appearance and morph features from character creation can be reloaded this way, not options exclusive to the New You Salons.

(As always, if you pay to enter New You and leave by canceling and discarding your changes instead of finishing, the salon manager will remember that you have a credit and allow you to re-enter without additional payment.)

Release 102 Patch Notes
Below are a list of the updates that are live as of Release 102 (R102) in the game of Shroud of the Avatar! R102 is a polish, improvements, and bug fixes month. Content, additional improvements, and bug fixes are inbound for R103 next month. We hope you enjoy the changes that are live today as of Release 102!

Crafting, Decoration, & Inventory Item Changes:


 * An Altar Lockbox recipe will be added to North Paladis deco merchants in a patch soon after release.


 * Fixed issue with mini greyhound deco pet. SOTA-68886
 * Fixed incorrect name on saber-toothed tiger carcass. SOTA-70412
 * Set Dread Artifacts to use normal repair kits. SOTA-70402
 * Removed dye slots from Flaming Skull Mask. SOTA-70421
 * Removed dye slots from Ancient Xenossian Winged Plate Helm. SOTA-70420
 * Cloth tunic should now show correct skin color at bottom of the neck. SOTA-69111
 * Fixed visual issues while wearing a frogkin ring and some specific body/legs equipments. SOTA-68146
 * Wearing bodice bottoms on a male character should now show the correct skin color. SOTA-68719

Combat & Skill Changes:


 * Obsidian Snow Leopards should now be tameable. SOTA-70248

User Interface, Store Information, & Lua Changes:


 * Added UI when exiting the game to rate and/or comment about your game session. Feel free to give us your opinion! The survey is completely optional and only appears when the game asks you to confirm you want to exit to the main menu or quit.
 * The exit survey is intended to help us identify issues and get feedback from new and old players. This does not replace bug reports, feedback on mechanics, wishlist requests, or AskADev questions.
 * The purpose for the rating and feedback is mainly to determine what new players think of the game and their overall session experience. Of course, feedback from existing players is welcome as well, but please do not flood the survey feedback with duplicate information already being sent through AskADev or the forums, especially as the forums will allow for better detailed feedback from the veteran players on specific issues.


 * Added CapsLock detection at login screen (for Windows only)
 * Moved the currently equipped deck name near the Swap Deck icon button so it doesn’t hide under the alternate deck name
 * Made the name of the equipped deck white, but still bigger than the alternate deck to differentiate them
 * Hair and eye colors will stay the same instead of changing back to default when visiting New You Salons
 * Fixed the sounds functions in Lua which had index problems being off by 1

World and Quest Changes:


 * The Archlapin has gone into hiding for the year, but the Luminous Atavist is now making his presence known in encounters in Grunvald and in Northern Grunvald Barrens. Speak to Ranees Binders in Desolis to learn more.
 * Aether Dragons, Aether Liches, and Aether Corpions have awoken in their respective stomping grounds while the two-tailed comet is within range of the world.


 * Removed cap on crafting skills in Shardfalls. (Adventurer cap remains unchanged.) SOTA-70106
 * Fixed the town crier conversation being broken after saying “I lost my mail” for the mail delivery quest. SOTA-70486
 * Blackblade Foothills: Fixed an area of lava that was causing damage too far from the source. SOTA-70468
 * Blackblade Pass: Corrected compass marker names and locations for exits to Southeast Blackblade Mountains and Northwest Blackblade Mountains. SOTA-70496
 * Blood River Outskirts: Updated the “Poison Vigilante Food Supply” journal entry to clarify a replacement poison item can be collected from Phineas.
 * Blood River: Added extra opportunities to archive Arabella’s “Travel to Blood River” task with Robert Villines’ hello responses and the task’s “flag to complete” mechanism. SOTA-70360
 * Broken Echoes Silver Mines: Compass markers for the “Stop the Broken Echoes Foreman” should no longer appear until after acquiring that task. SOTA-70474
 * Castle Atos: Fixed a stuck spot in the bank. SOTA-70513
 * Caverns of Skrekk: Fixed non-interactive crates and regenerated the path grid. SOTA-70472
 * Crypt of the Avatar: Fixed an issue where the player couldn’t cast location-based spells on some floors. SOTA-70469
 * Crypt of the Avatar: Fixed issues including replacing a missing section of hallway, correcting hallway materials, and removing mysterious black effect throughout the scene. SOTA-70461
 * Desolis: Added additional compass markers for the “Obsidian Logbook” quest. Also, added “Obsidian Logbook” to description on all books. SOTA-70477
 * Grusk: Fixed a typo in one of Vishpop’s stories. Added a lantern near the lighthouse keeper.
 * Grusk: Fixed an issue with Vishpop’s story about “Skyfall,” which was only showing the final “come back tomorrow” comment.
 * Helpful Automaton: Added “helpful automaton” NPCs to Aerie, Blood River Outskirts, Castle Atos, Central Brittany, Grusk, Highvale Outskirts, Resolute, Solace Bridge Outskirts, and Soltown. In addition to useful tips, they offer helpful guidebooks, but only once! Additional tips will be added to their conversations over time.
 * Hilt Fortress: Fixed a bad path grid on a spiral staircase.
 * Hilt Fortress: Moved an inaccessible ore node to a nearby location where it can be mined. SOTA-70483
 * Hilt Fortress: Updated the compass markers that point avatars to the Obsidian Forge. SOTA-70482
 * Kingsport Sewer: Duke Rath’molag’s “Talk to Prisoner” task should only be given to the avatar upon his first death. SOTA-70446
 * Lost Whiteguard Silver Mine: Avatars entering Aelfraed’s Cathedral should no longer get the “Find Evidence that Wen is at Peace” compass marker unless they are on the previous stage of the quest. SOTA-70473
 * Midmaer Passage: Corrected location of compass marker for exit to Midras Vault. Added compass markers for exits to Mysterious Crypt and *Necropolis. SOTA-70499, 70497
 * Midmaer Passage: Fixed an area of the water that allowed avatars to swim above the water. SOTA-70467
 * Necropolis Barrens: Converted the “destructible” Love Letters into an official resource node. SOTA-70478
 * Necropolis: Added compass marker for Exit to Midmaer Passage. SOTA-70498
 * Northwood: Fixed a visible “seam” in the terrain textures at a certain lot location. SOTA-68464
 * Rhun Vault: Fixed a stuck spot. SOTA-70494
 * Ruined Keep: Rebaked the navmesh. SOTA-70495
 * Solace Bridge Outskirts: Moved zombie spawners away from the bridge connecting to the guardpost bivouac.
 * Solace Bridge Outskirts: Sedgewick now also rewards feathers at the end of his arrow crafting quest. SOTA-70493
 * Solania Catacombs: Improved the path grid. SOTA-70466
 * Soltown: Fixed typos in Stanley’s “Baozhai” response. SOTA-70476
 * South Midmaer Way and Lamech’s Bazaar: Ensured palm trees are near each possible coconut resource node location. SOTA-70470
 * Spite: Slightly randomized the placement of the red rugs in the Mortuarium.
 * Spite: Updated the responses from Thetis to stop her from repeating herself. SOTA-66957
 * Tenebris Harbor: Moved a tree that was poking through a building wall. Regenerated the path grid. SOTA-70471
 * The Outlaws’ Run: Fixed several large rock formations which NPCs had trouble navigating and would sometimes walk through. SOTA-70512
 * Troll’s Bridge: Added a couple of places where wolves can spawn. Randomized where a chest can spawn.
 * Xenos: Fixed bumpy terrain within a housing lot that was blocking placement of decorations. SOTA-70457
 * Yew: Moved several problematic trees away from housing lots because their branches were reaching into the lots. SOTA-70481
 * POT Mountain Template: Increased the radius of ambient bird sound effects.

Player-Owned Town Changes:


 * Mith Trysull: Changed owner
 * Rampage Island: Upgraded to Crossroads Village
 * Shearwater Island: Changed biome to Island 01 and upgraded to Crossroads Village

Sales and Bonus Events
For Memorial Day weekend, the currently-running lot upgrade sale will be increased from 20% to 30% and Crowns of the Obsidians will go on sale (20%)! These will end Tuesday, as well as the currently-running double XP.

Release 102 Subscriber Login Rewards
Furnish your ritual space with fine pieces (…for whatever rituals you are performing; we don’t judge.) The Rewards Program login items for Release 102 really dress up a space. This month’s collection includes a Large Altar, a Table Altar, and an Octagonal Side Table.



Subscribers to the Rewards Program must log in during Release 102 to receive these special login items.

June Login Reward


Log in during the month of June and you’ll receive a Double Candle Stand with which to lighten your nights.

Crown Store Updates
New in the crown store for release day:


 * Large Ornate Altar


 * Altar Pew


 * Altar Bench


 * Tall Candle Stand


 * Short Candle Stand

Arriving June 1st:


 * Double Candle Stand

Arriving June 17th:


 * Large Altar


 * Table Altar


 * Octagonal Side Table

The Darkstarr store items are leaving the store on Saturday, May 28th:


 * Darkstarr Basement Entrance Eternal Pattern
 * Darkstarr Chaos Throne
 * Darkstarr Chaos Throne (Reverse Colors)
 * Darkstarr Clock Tower
 * Darkstarr Clock Tower (Reverse Colors)
 * Darkstarr Fur Collared Cloak
 * Darkstarr Pavers
 * Darkstarr Shield
 * Darkstarr Shield Pattern Pack
 * Lord British vs Darkstarr Battle Banner
 * Mosh Emote

The Summer Seasonal store items will become available Friday May 27th:


 * Firedancer Outfit
 * Fire Dance Emote
 * Fire Dance Cross Emote
 * Flame Scimitar
 * Flame Shield
 * Flame Stained Glass Table Lamp 3-Pack
 * Flaming Bagpipes
 * Hula Emote
 * Island Spear
 * Island Flower Crown
 * Island Dress

Upcoming Release Dates
Be sure to check out the Upcoming Events page for spotlighted events plus links to various areas to post or find events on our forums. The upcoming 2022 Release Schedule is as follows:


 * This Release 102 – May 26 (Polish)
 * Release 103 – June 30 (Content)
 * Release 104 – July 28 (Polish)
 * Release 105 – August 25 (Content)
 * Release 106 – September 29 (Polish)
 * Release 107 – October 27 (Content)
 * Release 108 – November 17 (Polish)
 * Release 109 – December 15 (Content)

Additional Information

 * Release 103 Instructions
 * Release 103 Known Issues
 * Quick Reference Card