Recent Events Of August 1st-18th

Shorah,

I never thought this day would come. Greetings, all, I am Calum Traveler, and today I’m writing this post to express to you all something new that’s happening within our homely Cavern of D’ni.

New Ages have been announced to be unveiled on Friday, August 21st, at 1300 KI Time.

The following post is a recap of major announcements earlier in the month as well as today, the day I’m posting this new blog at something of a rather rapid fire pace. Please forgive the dust as I work on trying to make this place look okay.

Earlier this month at the August All Guilds Meeting, Patrick Dulebohn appeared and gave an announcement. You can read the established chat log here. Following this announcement came Mysterium, during which no announcement was made regarding the status of the Cavern.

Earlier today, 8/18/2020, barriers were finally observed as being put up within the Watchers Pub.

Explorers gathered to observe and speculate, as well as attempt to climb over the barrier into the area beyond. Not long after this, Patrick, alongside GoMe_Nev’yn, appeared again to deliver a brief Question and Answer session to the awaiting explorers.

Chatlog as follows.

(08/18 17:11:52) Patrick Dulebohn: Ah, I see the new barriers are in place. Excellent!
(08/18 17:11:55) Calum Traveler: shorah!
(08/18 17:12:10) Calum Traveler: yeah, people have been climbing over them already 😛
(08/18 17:12:11) Patrick Dulebohn: Hello everyone! I see our work has caught your eye.
(08/18 17:12:14) Patrick Dulebohn grins
(08/18 17:12:28) Patrick Dulebohn: Sorry to tease you like this, but the room is not quite ready yet.
(08/18 17:12:30) GoMe_Nev’yn: @Calum: Shorah, b’shem!
(08/18 17:12:32) Calum Traveler: oh yeah. ^^
(08/18 17:12:43) Calum Traveler: shorah nev,
(08/18 17:13:09) Patrick Dulebohn: Just so you know, we *do* plan an official unveiling here on Friday at 13:00 KI time.
(08/18 17:13:18) Twitch: Yeah but that’s then and this is now
(08/18 17:13:36) gmz1023: Yeah, what Twitch said!
(08/18 17:13:56) Calum Traveler: i think people just have a sixth sense for when shenanigans are afoot
(08/18 17:13:56) Patrick Dulebohn: Well, I suppose you could keep our engineers company while they work.
(08/18 17:14:00) Maurus laughs
(08/18 17:14:00) Patrick Dulebohn smiles
(08/18 17:14:55) Calum Traveler: speaking of shenanigans, im glad to hear that things are finally moving forwards. its been a long time coming 🙂
(08/18 17:15:02) GoMe_Nev’yn: Will have to remember to bring snacks over from the Tavern periodically for everyone.
(08/18 17:15:18) Sussaro: nah go the lower on was in the wall then fell
(08/18 17:15:20) Ro”Jethhe: Pizza and Beer is plenty
(08/18 17:15:24) Hander: Shorah all again )
(08/18 17:15:24) Maurus: dang look at all these folks in here
(08/18 17:15:33) Patrick Dulebohn: Our friend Nev’yn there has been instrumental in the upkeep of one of the new areas we’ll be revealing Friday.
(08/18 17:15:38) Calum Traveler: i think ive still got the keys to my old bar set up somewhere. feel free to raid that pantry if its still got anything in it after all these years XD
(08/18 17:15:44) GoMe_Nev’yn laughs
(08/18 17:15:51) Calum Traveler tosses those keys over to Nev’yn
(08/18 17:15:53) Christo: Wow. Great to see so many people in here again. Everyone ready for this Friday?
(08/18 17:16:01) GoMe_Nev’yn: That’s what we had for dinner on the surface a bit ago.
(08/18 17:16:17) Patrick Dulebohn: Note that I don’t want to reveal too much before the big day, but I will try to answer a few questions if you have them.
(08/18 17:16:19) Ro”Jethhe: yum yum
(08/18 17:16:29) Ro”Jethhe: DOOBES!!!
(08/18 17:16:48) Patrick Dulebohn: Yes, I sometimes go by that nickname in my travels.
(08/18 17:16:50) Patrick Dulebohn smiles
(08/18 17:17:05) Calum Traveler: hmm, yes, i dont really got a question, but rather, I’m just glad to see everything is happening
(08/18 17:17:19) Patrick Dulebohn: I’ve just come down to make sure that the barriers haven’t been knocked over. I know they’re so very tempting to tip over.
(08/18 17:17:20) Calum Traveler: its been far too long since the Cavern’s had some good new activity to it.
(08/18 17:17:20) Patrick Dulebohn laughs
(08/18 17:17:25) cire_07: Did all these curtains used to have something behind?
(08/18 17:17:39) gmz1023: they are very tempting, but also nigh impossible to knock over.
(08/18 17:17:43) Calum Traveler chuckles at the idea of those horses falling over…
(08/18 17:17:43) Twitch: Someone poked a hole in the curtain, though
(08/18 17:17:52) Ro”Jethhe: once you could jump over the barriers in the Museum
(08/18 17:17:53) Maurus: WATCH ME, PAT
(08/18 17:17:54) Patrick Dulebohn: Each of these curtains has a room, but they haven’t been structurally checked yet. The DRC left them closed for that reason.
(08/18 17:17:58) Ro”Jethhe: and at the Great Curtain

(08/18 17:18:01) Maurus: i kid. 🙂
(08/18 17:18:13) cileeeeeee starts to laugh
(08/18 17:18:13) Patrick Dulebohn grins
(08/18 17:18:14) Calum Traveler: sturdy curtains, ill say that much XD
(08/18 17:18:38) Patrick Dulebohn: I’ve certainly found them to be, yes. Getting these open to start renovating the room was quite the challenge!
(08/18 17:18:40) Ro”Jethhe: well thank goodness Mistery took them down at COD
(08/18 17:18:52) EMM: Patrick, how long have you all been working on this release?
(08/18 17:18:58) Calum Traveler: i can only imagine how stubborn the zippers were
(08/18 17:19:02) cire_07: Nara curtains
(08/18 17:19:19) Patrick Dulebohn: Give it some time. We’ll probably open these side rooms someday. Everyone needs to sit after walking around the cavern, after all.
(08/18 17:19:33) Ro”Jethhe: I hope less time Dulcamara spent doing her Ages.
(08/18 17:19:49) Calum Traveler: there has been a disturbing amount of sitting on the floor over the years XD
(08/18 17:19:49) Patrick Dulebohn: This will be slow going. This is all volunteer work and we’re even less staffed than the DRC was before they left.
(08/18 17:19:54) Patrick Dulebohn: We’ll do the best we can though!
(08/18 17:20:10) Patrick Dulebohn laughs
(08/18 17:20:12) Thumbs up from Calum Traveler
(08/18 17:20:13)
(08/18 17:20:33) EMM: That’s great to hear Patrick. I think we are a patient and easy to please group.
(08/18 17:20:34) Patrick Dulebohn: Trust me…nothing back there yet except heavy equipment and lots…LOTS…of debris.
(08/18 17:20:35) EMM laughs
(08/18 17:20:37) Wugzi: ah so you have future plans after this release as well yes?
(08/18 17:20:53) cileeeeeee waves hello
(08/18 17:20:59) Ro”Jethhe wants to ask a question…
(08/18 17:21:00) Twitch: I’m forklift certified, call me
(08/18 17:21:03) cileeeeeee leans left
(08/18 17:21:04) Soda Fountain leans right
(08/18 17:21:05) EMM: Is there…anything anywhere else before Friday…?
(08/18 17:21:07) Patrick Dulebohn: Certainly! We’re hoping to feature many Ages in the future.
(08/18 17:21:25) Wugzi: nice to hear! any with puzzles?
(08/18 17:21:29) Patrick Dulebohn: We’ll work with any restoration effort in the cavern to make that happen.
(08/18 17:21:31) Ro”Jethhe: Will any new Ages coming here have puzzles?
(08/18 17:21:40) Wugzi: lol me and Ro think alike
(08/18 17:21:52) Sussaro: big red buttons
(08/18 17:21:59) Calum Traveler: new restoration efforts in the Cavern itself sounds like a dream, Patrick, ^^
(08/18 17:21:59) Patrick Dulebohn: You’ll find the creators of these Ages were not fond of puzzles…but as you know, the D’ni certainly had their security systems!
(08/18 17:22:08) Ro”Jethhe: Great minds think alike Wugzi
(08/18 17:22:12) Patrick Dulebohn: Indeed, Calum!
(08/18 17:22:25) Patrick Dulebohn: This is what many have been hoping for since the DRC opened the cavern to the public!
(08/18 17:22:30) cjherkeless: Question, Patrick: How does the DRC feel about Friday’s event?
(08/18 17:22:34) aqua: Mr Dulebohn, what is your position exactly? Are you with the new Guild of Writers? Something different?
(08/18 17:22:37) EMM: Yes, restoration in any capacity would be so so great
(08/18 17:22:42) cjherkeless: also when are we getting a quab hat
(08/18 17:23:01) Wugzi: lol forget new ages…. quab hat is where it’s at
(08/18 17:23:04) Patrick Dulebohn: I’m more of an independent contractor, but I have worked with the explorer driven GoW. Great bunch, those folks.
(08/18 17:23:11) Ro”Jethhe says he is NOT going to wear a quab hat.
(08/18 17:23:22) Twitch: That means one extra quab hat for me!
(08/18 17:23:25) Patrick Dulebohn: I haven’t heard from the DRC as yet. I did send them an open invitation, so I hope they can come!
(08/18 17:23:44) Ro”Jethhe wonders if Rand will be here on Friday
(08/18 17:23:44) Calum Traveler: well, if anyone shows up, im sure they’ll be as happy as we are to see things moving along.
(08/18 17:23:52) Patrick Dulebohn: I also sent one to the good folks at Cyan, Inc. who have also had a presence here in the cavern and have handled D’ni lore in their Myst series of games.
(08/18 17:23:56) Ask_Trixie: What’s goin’ on?
(08/18 17:23:56) Patrick Dulebohn smiles
(08/18 17:24:03) Soda Fountain leans right
(08/18 17:24:16) aqua: Thanks. Is this your first experience with restoration like this? Inside and outside of the cavern?
(08/18 17:24:28) Patrick Dulebohn: Having a little discussion about what will happen in a few days.
(08/18 17:24:42) Christo leans left
(08/18 17:24:52) Patrick Dulebohn: This will be my first public offering, but I’ve been involved with the explorer restoration since the DRC left.
(08/18 17:24:55) aqua: Ah yes the Myst series of games. I think I heard of them
(08/18 17:24:58) Calum Traveler: ill be honest im super excited and not the least bit nostalgic. ^u^
(08/18 17:25:11) Calum Traveler: (okay, maybe a little nostalgic)
(08/18 17:25:27) Ro”Jethhe thanks you
(08/18 17:25:43) Twitch: I have a ton more in a file somewhere
(08/18 17:25:46) aqua: I see, thanks Mr Dulebohn
(08/18 17:25:46) Patrick Dulebohn: This is certainly uncharted territory. There may be a few bumps along the way, but I’m excited to see how things will go.
(08/18 17:26:03) Calum Traveler: i think we all are. hehe.
(08/18 17:26:06) aqua: As are we all I’m sure!
(08/18 17:26:19) EMM: double noted. haha
(08/18 17:26:21) Patrick Dulebohn: We’ll still be doing the usual safety checks of Ages and cavern locations that others present to us. Can’t be too careful, after all.
(08/18 17:26:35) Calum Traveler: naturally, gotta be safety first
(08/18 17:26:39) Patrick Dulebohn: Not to downplay them, but we hope to be a bit more open about things than the DRC was at times.
(08/18 17:26:41) Calum Traveler: dont want any accidents
(08/18 17:27:12) Calum Traveler: yeah, the DRC could be a bit… cryptic at times, didn’t they?
(08/18 17:27:14) Patrick Dulebohn: But as you know, we are explorers too. We want to see this place grow just as much as you do!
(08/18 17:27:24) EMM: That would be wonderful Patrick. The DRC was definitely known to keep some stuff a little too close to the chest.
(08/18 17:27:25) Patrick Dulebohn: Safely, of course.
(08/18 17:27:36) aqua: The Era of Explorers!
(08/18 17:27:42) Patrick Dulebohn: However, we can always use volunteers. Just know the work can be a bit daunting at times.
(08/18 17:27:49) cjherkeless: The Explorers’ Restoration?
(08/18 17:27:56) aqua: I like it
(08/18 17:28:03) Patrick Dulebohn: Well, I don’t want to put a name on it just yet, but…something like that.
(08/18 17:28:05) Patrick Dulebohn winks
(08/18 17:28:07) Ro”Jethhe: Since the Virtual MYSTterium there have been a lot of past explorers returning
(08/18 17:28:27) Calum Traveler: If you need someone to keep an eye on things you know how to message me, i think i might start hanging around a bit more often, as my Surface life allows.
(08/18 17:28:35) Patrick Dulebohn: I too have seen quite a few familiar faces in recent days. It’s very heartening!
(08/18 17:29:14) PhoenixAccio waves hello
(08/18 17:29:17) Patrick Dulebohn: Oh dear. Sadly, I have some paperwork up on the surface.
(08/18 17:29:20) EMM: Yeah, if there is volunteer work or anything that can be done to help let me know. it’s great to see people coming back!
(08/18 17:29:23) Calum Traveler: ah, drat, paperwork
(08/18 17:29:27) Calum Traveler: good luck with that. ^^
(08/18 17:29:32) Patrick Dulebohn: I shall leave you all to ponder what’s behind the curtain.
(08/18 17:29:34) Patrick Dulebohn grins
(08/18 17:29:34) EMM: Thanks for visiting!
(08/18 17:29:37) Calum Traveler waves goodbye
(08/18 17:29:42) Patrick Dulebohn: I shall see you all soon!
(08/18 17:29:44) Patrick Dulebohn waves goodbye
(08/18 17:29:47) Calum Traveler: take care, hope to see you around
(08/18 17:29:47) Wugzi waves hello
(08/18 17:29:48) cileeeeeee waves goodbye
(08/18 17:29:53) Twitch: Shorah, Patrick!
(08/18 17:29:55) Ro”Jethhe: Thanks for coming Pat

---

After this event, Explorers gathered en-mass in Ae’gura around the Kahlo Pub Memorial, to talk about the past and future of the Cavern of D’ni.

Some drinks were had, Neighborhood links were shared, and a good time was had by all. Another attempt at the Barriers in Watcher’s Pub was suggested by well known community member, vid.

Attempts to take down the barriers were unsuccessful. Most explorers noticed the late hour at this point and retired to bed, full of happy thoughts, warm feelings, and cautious optimism for the future.

_Calum Traveler