Shroud of the Apocrea

Official Artwork of the Apocrea event featuring the Apocrean Harvester.

Shroud of the Apocrea is an event.

Overview

In the deep dark below, beyond the space where time wakens and yawns, beyond the shadows cast by the great leviathan of eternity, the Apocrea stir. Within cities where geometry and madness share meaning, constructed from thought, from unnatural impulse, the Apocrea dream dark machines into being.

Only souls keep these engines roaring, heard screaming across distant stars. Only souls can fill their void, sublime in its vast emptiness. Oh such beautiful souls! Bright and vibrant like fruit warming on the branch from a summer’s sun, longing for the pull of the earth below, the chance to seed and grow and birth anew.

What terrible naivety! What utter farce! All of them mere crops against their relentless scythe! Though they may steal sanctuary in the cracks and corners of their terrible realm, it is ever fleeting. The blinding gaze of the Apocrea is boundless.

The daylight, the starlight; all hope is merely waiting for their dark shroud to return this cosmic play to its primordial black.

Dear heavens! The stars grin down with lustful intent! It is an abomination, an embodiment of sublime beauty, dark and blooded! I weep and laugh before the shroud that waits!

Nuul-duggath, I am seared in your gaze oh Apocrea, teeming filth of ages! Nyarrlotth-MORG!

(The remaining pages are a series of indecipherable symbols and patterns, seemingly drawn with great haste.)

- Recovered from the journal of Prof. Allister Danford, Dean of Antiquities - Forum Post.

Gameplay

Arcade

There are no changes to regular gameplay in the arcade. The only gameplay available for Shroud of the Apocrea is through the event-exclusive prestige mission.

Prestige

Main article: Shroud of the Apocrea (Mission)

"Shroud of the Apocrea" is a prestige mission that can be started as often as the player desires during the event, so long as the player is at least Rank 4-1. It features a large graveyard called the Grasping Plateau, in which players can search for Apocrean Sigils (by freeing Souls) and encounter difficult monsters. The mission has several random floors of arenas, tunnels, and Grasping Plateaus. The last combat floor is always a Grasping Plateau.

The Shroud of Apocrea

The Shroud of Apocrea mission entails a trip through depths 19 to 25. Most depths are random fiend / undead random levels, with a chance of encountering the Grasping Plateau. The first true level, depth 21, will always be a normal level. The normal levels play normally and hold normal loot payouts. Apocrean Sigils can only be gained in the grasping plateau. The plateau is also where knights will run into the Apocrean Harvester.

The Grasping Plateau

The Grasping Plateau is a large, dimly lit rectangular area that looks like a graveyard. It is populated with grave stones, walls, and bushes. The gravestones are arranged in a grid like pattern. It has no arsenal stations, so a knight cannot change their gear in this area. It is also mostly void of heat, health, and crowns, making survival the main goal. If a knight is brave, they may be able to obtain Apocrean Sigils here.

Upon entering, knights from your team will be placed randomly in the plateau. The radar will be disabled, forcing knights to rely on sight and communication to guide them. To proceed to the next level, knights must find the elevator somewhere on the plateau. Once the elevator is found, its icon appears on radar and can be used as a landmark. The plateau may also hold locked doors and keys which will appear on radar once discovered, and can be used as a landmark as well.

The plateau is home to the Apocrean Harvester. This giant enemy seeks out and attacks knights who dare venture into its domain. The plateau is also host to trapped souls. Freeing these souls will reward knights with Apocrean sigils.

The Apocrean Harvester

The Apocrean Harvester is a large enemy. It has mini-scythes near its mouth. It will appear shortly after a knight is finished loading into the level. The Harvester can teleport and will move towards a knight and attack when it gets close. If the Harvester has targeted or teleported next to you, then a purple flash with the Harvester's outline will flash on screen.

The Harvester attacks by shaking the ground and sending a series of hands to grasp a nearby knight. If a hand latches on to the knight, then that knight will not be able to move for a long period of time. The Harvester will then approach and fire a dark beam and siphon the knight's life force. This beam will eventually destroy the hand holding the knight down, allowing the knight to move again, but not before doing a lot of damage. Maskeraiths Shadow Cloak will prevent being grabbed or have the harvester forget about a knight.

The Harvester's beam attack will pierce through a knight's shield, but the damage can be partially mitigated by blocking. The Harvester's hands attack in a flame-thrower attack pattern and can be dodged.

When the last knight dies, the harvester will sink into the ground. Reviving will cause the Harvester to reappear and start chasing nearby knights again.

The Harvester has a finite amount of health and can be defeated. However, defeating the Harvester gives no reward. Upon defeat, the Harvester will sink into the ground. It will then reappear nearby in about 13 seconds, which is barely enough time to do anything. Thus, it's best to avoid the Harvester.

Even though the Harvester may teleport, there is only one Harvester per level. A good group strategy is to have one person kite the Harvester while the others focus on getting Apocrean Sigils.

Rewards and Prizes

Apocrean Sigils

In the grasping Plateau, the following tasks may be completed to obtain Apocrean Sigils. Values shown are on (Normal / Advanced / Elite) Difficulty

Attacking a gravestone may release three “free spirits.” Killing these spirits will release them, earning the team (2 / 3 / 4) Apocrean sigils per spirit freed.

Key and Lock – Somewhere on the plateau there may be a key and a corresponding locked door. The key usually requires a task to be performed, such as destroying some statues nearby. Bringing the key to the locked door and inspecting the contents inside will award your team with (10 / ?? / ??) Apocrean sigils.

Colored Candles. Somewhere on the plateau may be a tombstone decorated with different colored candles. Somewhere else on the plateau, usually somewhere close, may be a line of graves marked with the same color candles. Touch the graves in the order in which these candles appeared on the one gravestone, from bottom to top, for your team to receive (10 / ?? / ??) Apocrean sigils.

Ember and unlit candle - Somewhere on the plateau may be an ember and a corresponding unlit candle. Bring the ember to the candle and light it to receive (10 / ?? / ??) Apocrean sigils.

Water and Fire - Somewhere on the plateau may be a well of water. Somewhere else may be a house that is burning. Use the water to put out the fire. Step on the switch under the fire for your team to receive (10 / ?? / ??) Apocrean Sigils.

Note that one part of each puzzle may exist without the other being present. For instance, knights may find a locked door with no corresponding key, or may find an unlit candle without a corresponding ember.

Recipes

The following weapons can be created at the Obelisk of Creation:

The alchemy cost for these 5-star item is 25,000 crowns (each). Below are the materials needed to make them.

Obsidian Crusher Recipe

Name	Amount
Dark Shard	40
Vile Seal	10
Sinful Brew	8
Obsidian Shard	6
Binding Essence	4
Perplexing Element	2
Eternal Orb of Alchemy	3
Graviton Bomb (Heat Level 10)

Note: When crafting using bound equipment as a precursor, the upgraded item will also be bound.

Obsidian Carbine Recipe

Name	Amount
Dark Shard	40
Vile Seal	10
Grave Soil	8
Obsidian Shard	6
Binding Essence	4
Perplexing Element	2
Eternal Orb of Alchemy	3
Blackhawk (Heat Level 10)

Note: When crafting using bound equipment as a precursor, the upgraded item will also be bound.

Obsidian Edge Recipe

Name	Amount
Dark Shard	40
Vile Seal	10
Swordstone	8
Obsidian Shard	6
Binding Essence	4
Perplexing Element	2
Eternal Orb of Alchemy	3
Silent Nightblade (Heat Level 10)

Note: When crafting using bound equipment as a precursor, the upgraded item will also be bound.

Token Exchange

Main article: Mysterious Alchemy Machine

Apocrean Sigils can be exchanged with Lost Soul (Apocrean Item Trader) for related materials or aesthetics. Players can use the materials to craft various Apocrea-related gear.

Prize Boxes

Obsidian Prize Box - from the Supply Depot for 2,600 Energy (only in some occasions, check calendar for more info.)

Notes

Apocrean Sigils do not expire.

This event and its related items (materials, gear, and so on) seem to be described in the style of Lovecraftian Horror.

Other events considered "scary" or "spooky" by the community (such as the Dark Harvest Festival) are not directly tied into the Shroud of the Apocrea. These events just sometimes occur simultaneously.

Gallery

The Haven Fountain has...changed.
Souls can move on if players help free them.
A Guild Hall adorned with Obsidian Obelisks.

Calendar

The Shroud of the Apocrea has happened several times. Below is a calendar for each occurrence of this event. Usually, directly-Shroud of the Apocrea-related-items that were introduced during a given Shroud of the Apocrea event have been available in some way during Shroud of the Apocrea events following the Shroud of the Apocrea event in which they were introduced.

	Dates and Forum	Duration	Notes
1	2013.18 23 October 2013 - 4 November 2013	13 days	The Obsidian Crusher, Obsidian Carbine, and Obsidian Edge weapons were introduced during this event. The Obsidian Mantle and Obsidian Hood costumes were introduced during this event. Related Patch Notes: 1, 2
2	2014.15 18 June 2014 - 30 June 2014	13 days	The Grasping Aura was introduced during this event. The Obsidian Obelisk type of furniture was introduced during this event. Related Patch Notes: 1
3	2015.03 28 January 2015 - 3 February 2015	7 days	This event was notably shorter than previous events.
4	2015.24 12 August 2015 - 25 August 2015	14 days	The Obsidian Prize Box was available from the supply depot for 2,600 Energy. Obsidian Obelisk furniture items were also available from the supply depot.
5	2016.13 2 June 2016 - 16 June 2016	15 days	The Obsidian Prize Box was available from the supply depot for 2,600 Energy. Obsidian Obelisk furniture items were available from the Featured Auction House.
6	2016.250 22 November 2016 - 5 December 2016	14 days	Obsidian Obelisk furniture items were available from the Featured Auction House.
7	2017.14 21 June 2017 - 5 July 2017	15 days	The event was paired with Solstice Prize Box promotion. The Golden Slime Casino was available in the Clockworks.
8	2017.22 16 November 2017 - 30 November 2017	15 days
9	2018.07 1 June 2018 - 17 June 2018	17 days	The Obsidian Prize Box was available from the Supply Depot for 2,600 Energy. Obsidian Obelisk furniture items were also available from the Supply Depot.
10	2018.16 15 November 2018 - 29 November 2018	15 days
11	2019.12 11 July 2019 - 24 July 2019	14 days	The Obsidian Prize Box was available from the Supply Depot for 2,600 Energy.
12	2019.19 21 November 2019 - 5 December 2019	14 days