Release Events FAQ
So you've heard about the Dragons, perhaps seen them in Second Life and maybe visited the Cathedral in Limbo or the Welcome Area in Lethe. You might know enough about the dragons now to know that in order to be the proud owner of a full-size Dragon Avatar you need to attend a Release Event, but you're not really sure what one of those is exactly, or how it all works. If that's the case then read on and all will hopefully become clear:
The FAQ
Presented here are the questions with appropriate answers:
What Are the Release Events?
They are special events held in the Limbo sim in Second Life where fresh batches of newly incubated eggs are put on display for prospective dragons to hatch them. The events are a way of limiting the dragon population – of limiting access to the dragon avatars - without applying overly discriminatory constraints: simply put, if you can make it to the event, keep a cool head and have a little bit of luck on your side you will stand a fair chance of purchasing a dragon egg and becoming a full-size dragon.
Do I Need to Attend a Release Event to Get a Dragon Avatar?
The answer to this question is both yes and no. The dragons come in three sizes within each species, representing the dragon at different stages of development. You can become a Hatchling (Baby dragon) or Wyrmling (Adolescent dragon) at any time. It is only the full-size Dragon (Wyrm) avatar that is limited in its availability. See the guide to Purchasing a Dragon Avatar for more information.
Why Are the Dragons Limited At All?
Daryth Kennedy made this is choice as the artist creating the avatars. In her words: A Dragon is a mysterious mythical creature, and should be respected as such. So I limited the number of dragons sold.
For more information, see the Limited Edition FAQ.
Okay, So How Do I Attend a Release Event?
In order to attend one of the release events you need to be in world in Second Life on the appropriate day and time and at the appropriate in world location.
- The release events are held at noon (SLT) on each solstice and equinox with a "second chance" at midnight (SLT) towards the end of the day.
- A general-purpose calendar for the Dates and Times of Equinoxes and Solstices should therefore give a guideline as to the approximate event window and serve as a reminder for when to check for more detailed information.
- The event is usually held in the Cathedral on the Isle of Wyrms in the sim of Limbo (Slurl) but may be moved to the sim of Lethe or the Cathedral (sim) if any problems occur.
- In all cases exact dates, times and locations are entirely at the discretion of Daryth and the High Council and should be verified either in world or on the Council of Wyrms Forums.
What Happens During the Event?
In brief, prospective dragon avatar owners congregate at the event site chatting and hanging out until the exact moment of the release, which is signalled by a "Go" message in a Second Life blue popup from Daryth. Once this signal has been issued, each dragon egg vendor will contain five eggs of the full-size variety and will vend them on a first-come first-served basis until each vendor is empty.
Due to the high level of interest in the avatars, the event sim tends to be filled to capacity and can experiences some lag during the events. Due to this lag the egg vendors may or may not place their items in your inventory immediately, but this is no reason to panic: Daryth reviews all transaction records immediately after the event and ensures that you either get your egg or receive a refund.
For more information on how the egg vendors work, see Purchasing a Dragon Avatar and for more information on the etiquette and mechanics of the event itself along with some useful hints and tips, see the Equinox Survival Guide.
What Are the "New Species" Release Events?
When Daryth creates a new species of dragon she may release it to the general public via its own special release event. These events follow a similar format to the solstice and equinox events, with the following differences:
- It is only the particular dragon egg vendor relevant to the species being released that is stocked with eggs, usually with a clutch of 35
- The dates/times of release are announced as work on the new species nears completion, rather than being scheduled for any particular points on the calendar
As with all release events, once the event is over all existing Council of Wyrms members - all owners of at least one full-size dragon avatar - will be able to purchase the avatar regardless of general availability and as such are asked to not purchase one of the initial batch of 35 eggs.
How Do I Find Out About Upcoming Events?
There are several ways to keep track of dragon egg releases:
- Visit the Cathedral in world and talk to any of the official Isle of Wyrms representatives there
- Visit the Council of Wyrms Forums in particular the News & Events Forum
Perhaps the best way to keep track of dragon-related events is to purchase a hatchling or Wyrmling avatar: As well as all the fun of being a smaller size dragon, a purchase automatically confers membership in the relevant Council group within Second Life where you will receive occasional in world group messages from Council officials about dragon-themed events and other related announcements.
