Land Control

Overview

Introduced in the Ancient Powers event.
There are two land control Fortresses (more commonly called Keeps), one called Northwatch Castle in North Osteth and the other is called Freebooter Keep found on Freebooter Isle.
The Keeps are normally occupied by the creature forces of the Creeping Blight (T'thuun's minions), however, Player Killers that are allied with either the Celestial Hand, Eldrytch Web or Radiant Blood, may claim the Keep for their faction.
You must be also be Player Killer to participate in Land Control in any meaningful way. NPKs can help kill the Creeping Blight creatures but cannot attack banners and claim the Keeps nor can they receive the reward from the NPC after the Keep is claimed.
You must also be level 180+ and a member of the faction that currently controls the keep to enter the Black Market portal.
Warning: The land block of the Keeps and the Black Market are no log so if you log off too close to the Keep you will find yourself back at the lifestone when you log in.

The Keeps

Freebooter Keep

Freebooter Keep is located at 64.0S 97.5E on Freebooter Isle. You must be at least a Knight in your faction to access the island. To reach the keep, use Sanctuary Recall or buy an Invitation Ithanc Cathedral from a Wedding Planner. From the Cathedral run west and use the Statue of Transport found on a raised platform at 82.6S 88.8E to be portaled to Freebooter Isle. The Keep is a short run to the southeast and up a hill.

There are three banner locations plus the Crystal Array:

Courtyard - 81.6N 24.8E - On the ground in the middle of the courtyard near the north wall.
Spire - 81.4N 24.9E - On the checkerboard landing by the spire tower (above the entrance).
Tower - 81.5N 24.6E - On the top of a floating tower on the west side connected to the castle wall by a bridge.
The Crystal Array spawns on the platform over the Courtyard.

Freebooter Keep (Under Celestial Hand Control)

Northwatch Castle

Northwatch Castle is located at 81.5N 25.0E in Northern Osteth.

Portals that drop nearby are:

Celdiseth's Beach Settlement at 66.6N 14.3E in Crater Lake Village, drops at 86.7N 29.4E.
Celdiseth's Portal Gem that drops at 86.6N 21.6E.
Dagger Vale at 32.9N 59.6E in Arwic, drops at 83.3N 28.8E
Neydisa Castle in Holtburg that drops at 69.6N 17.6E
Patron's Honor Cottages at 66.2N 14.2E in Crater Lake Village, drops at 75.3N 27.2E.
Temple Entrance (tie to surface at end of dungeon) drops at 84.3N 24.7E.

There are three banner locations plus the Crystal Array:

Courtyard - 81.6N 24.8E - On the ground in the middle of the courtyard near the north wall.
Spire - 81.4N 24.9E - On the checkerboard landing by the spire tower (above the entrance).
Tower - 81.5N 24.6E - On the top of a floating tower on the west side connected to the castle wall by a bridge.
The Crystal Array spawns on the platform over the Courtyard.

Northwatch Castle (Under Radiant Blood Control)

Taking a Keep

Before the Keep reverts back the Creeping Blight and can be claimed again there are several global messages that go out to announce the change. The global messages start one hour before the Keep is available.
When you see the globals you should get ready and become a player killer then head out to whichever Keep is about to revert to the Creeping Blight.
When the Keep reverts back to the Creeping Blight the Society Soldiers will be replaced with Moarsmen and Armored Sclavus. Three Creeping Blight Banners will appear in the Keep: one in the Courtyard, the Spire, and the Tower.
- Note: The creatures there do not yield any xp nor do they have any loot or trophies.
Use one of the Banners to claim it for your society. A single player can only use one Banner every 5 minutes so unless you have 2 other people with you from the same society you will have to wait about 15 minutes to get every Banner solo.
There is a 5 minute waiting period after you use a Banner till the time it is officially claimed. During this time the Banner can be destroyed by someone from a rival society. After 5 minutes the Banner is claimed but is still able to be killed but gains a regeneration rate making it harder to kill. If a player from a rival society claims a Banner you have to destroy their Banner in order to revert it back to the Creeping Blight then you can claim it. The best way to kill a banner is with archers using rended weapons and perching it from above (rended weps because the banners cannot be imped/vulned).
Once all three Banners have been claimed by the same society for five minutes then you have successfully captured the Keep.
Unless the Crystal Array (see below) is destroyed then your society will control the keep for roughly the next 3 days (68 hours).

Banners

Creeping Blight Banner of the Courtyard Creeping Blight Banner of the Spire Creeping Blight Banner of the Tower Celestial Hand Banner of the Courtyard Celestial Hand Banner of the Spire Celestial Hand Banner of the Tower Eldrytch Web Banner of the Courtyard Eldrytch Web Banner of the Spire Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower Radiant Blood Banner of the Courtyard Radiant Blood Banner of the Spire Radiant Blood Banner of the Tower Creeping Blight Banner of the Courtyard Crystal Array

Rewards

Once your faction controls the keep, it will gain the following benefits:

In the Courtyard an NPC called Mitsuhara Takeo (CH), Mitsuhara Kamekeka (EW), or Mitsuhara Ryuhi (RB) will spawn. Talk to him and he will reward you with a Braced Mana Forge Key. You must be a PK to receive the reward. The NPC remains at the Keep for 5 minutes.
Access to the Black Market (level 180+) which is found down the tunnel in the center of the Keep.
A Buffing Array crystal will appear next to the Black Market Cave entrance in the courtyard that will provide 90 minute level VIII life protections.
The Keep will fill with Soldiers that will defend your fort and attack players of the opposing factions.

Braced Mana Forge Key Buffing Array

The Crystal Array

The Crystal Array appears on a platform in the courtyard after 27 hours. The array has 1.5 million health and if destroyed will cause the fortress to revert to the Creeping Blight (instead of waiting for the 68 hour timer to expire). If the array is never destroyed, the 68 hour timer will simply expire and the fortress will become neutral as before.

A global will go out signaling that an array has appeared at one of the Keeps.
The Crystal Array is located on the platform above the Keep's Courtyard. Run past all the soldiers of the opposing faction and get on the platform where there are only two soldiers.
- Warning: An archer on the ledge below may be able to hit you even though you are on the platform.
Use Archers and Melees with rended weapons to kill the the Crystal Array. Mages just provide support since they can't do much damage or debuff the Array.
The Array will spawn Satellite Fragments when it is attacked. These fragments only appear on the platform with the Array and will attack any player nearby regardless of what society they belong to.
- Note: If your society already controls the Keep and the soldiers won't attack then you can avoid the satellites. You can kill the Array with archers who fire from the wall near the bridge to the tower. If you have a couple archers it is probably easier to do this rather than fight the satellites.
When the Crystal Array dies it will be replaced with a Creeping Blight Banner of the Courtyard that looks just like the Array you just killed. The "Banner" Crystal has a count down timer on it and will remain for 5 minutes.
If a member of an opposing faction uses the Banner Crystal then the Keep is reverted to the Creeping Blight and then it may be claimed normally in the manner written above.
- If 5 minutes passes and the Banner Crystal remains then a member the Defender Faction may use it to restore the old Crystal Array (unconfirmed how that actually works).

Crystal

Supply Crates

Occasionally while destroying the Crystal Array or just after a a Keep has been claimed a Supply Chest will appear somewhere in the Keep. It is very rare and the circumstances surrounding its appearance are not currently known. It may be totally random.
So far it has been seen in two places:
- In the courtyard behind the cave entrance to the Black Market
- In the attic of the house.
It is guarded by 4 Society Soldiers.
It always contains a single use Mana Forge Key and some pieces of tier 7 loot (often spell components).

Freebooter Keep Supply Crate Northwatch Castle Supply Crate

Images

A Celestial Hand Banner that was claimed after 5 minutes and will regenerate damage.
The Celestial Hand Crystal Array that appears on the courtyard platform after the Celestial Hand takes control of the keep.
Buffing Array inside the Freebooter Keep.

Lore & Dialog

The Society of the Radiant Blood has claimed Freebooter Keep! Those members of the Society of the Radiant Blood may now use the resources contained within the castle!

After 68 hours (a little less than 3 days) the banner revert back to the Creeping Blight. There are warnings given at 1 hour, 30 minutes, and 10 minutes before:

Northwatch Castle will fall to the Creeping Blight in 30 minutes!
Northwatch Castle will fall to the Creeping Blight in 10 minutes!

During the battle, there are regular updates:

<Player> has destroyed the Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower! Control of this location has been lost to the Creeping Blight, for now.
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Spire will become claimed in two minutes!
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Courtyard will become claimed in two minutes!
<Player Name> has claimed the Creeping Blight Banner of the Tower for the Society of the Eldrytch Web!
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower will remain in a contested state for 5 minutes. After that time, the Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower will become claimed and begin repairing any damage done to itself! If at any point the Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower is destroyed, the location will revert to the control of the Creeping Blight.
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Spire will become claimed in one minute!
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Courtyard will become claimed in one minute!
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower will become claimed in four minutes!
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Spire has been successfully claimed! At this point, the Eldrytch Web Banner of the Spire may still be destroyed, but it will regularly repair some of the damage done to it!
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Courtyard has been successfully claimed! At this point, the Eldrytch Web Banner of the Courtyard may still be destroyed, but it will regularly repair some of the damage done to it!
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower will become claimed in three minutes!
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower will become claimed in two minutes!
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower will become claimed in one minute!
The Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower has been successfully claimed! At this point, the Eldrytch Web Banner of the Tower may still be destroyed, but it will regularly repair some of the damage done to it!
The Society of the Eldrytch Web has claimed Freebooter Keep! Those members of the Society of the Eldrytch Web may now use the resources contained within the castle!

Radiant Blood Crystal Array suffers a frozen fate!
The Creeping Blight Banner of the Courtyard falls to the ground! It is now vulnerable to being destroyed! If protected for 5 minutes, Radiant Blood Geomancers can repair it!

Mitsuhara Takeo tells you, "Well done. Very well done indeed. You have aided our Society with the taking of this keep, and helped gain us access to both the Nexus and the Market beneath our feet. Take this, from our Masters, with their gratitude."
Mitsuhara Takeo gives you Braced Mana Forge Key.

Mitsuhara Takeo tells you, "I am sorry. I only have rewards for those who have truly endangered themselves in all ways in the taking of this Ley Line Nexus."
You must be a Player Killer to receive any rewards from this Officer.

Update History


What Once was Lost Crystal Array mechanic added. A level VIII Buffing Array has been added by the cave entrance that gives 90 minute life protections. NPC added that gives society members Braced Mana Forge Key's after claiming a fort. Picking up the Pieces The Crystal Array now spawns satellite crystals to defend it. The satellite crystals attack everyone regardless of what society they belong to.