The outside doesn’t look like much. But boy ever does it make up for it inside!
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
MagiQuest Colorado Springs: Far from Blucifer's Baleful Gaze (a post by Lutra)
Hello folks, this is Lutra, and this is the realm that I visited! I also took my girlfriend here, and this was the first MagiQuest she’d ever been to. Would she like it, I wondered? Would she think it’s as fun as Annacat and I do? The answer my friends is yes, she loved it, and we are likely going to go again someday.
The outside doesn’t look like much. But boy ever does it make up for it inside!
The outside doesn’t look like much. But boy ever does it make up for it inside!
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
MagiQuest at Great Wolf Lodge Colorado Springs (CO)
A note from Annacat: This is just a basic informational overview of the realm. Magi Lutra was kind enough to provide us with an in-depth review, which will be in the following post. All pictures in both posts were taken by her. So, on to the summary...
Location: Great Wolf Lodge Colorado Springs (Colorado Springs,
Colorado)
Physical
Address: 9494 Federal Drive, Colorado
Springs, CO 80921
Realm
Type: Forest Realm
Chronicle: Guardians of the Realm Portals, Rise of the Totem Masters
Primary
Landmarks: Howling Hills, Tangled
Timbers, Cryptic Caverns, Whispering Woods, Coastal Cliffs, Dragon's Lair,
Goblin's Lair, Pixie's Perch/Princess's Home
Magi Runes Available: Lightning, Enchant Creature, Portal, Distract, Ice Arrow, Protection, Freeze, Heal, Dazzle, Master Magi*
Magi Adventures Available: Red Dragon, Goblin, Pixie
*Note: In this realm, you must
complete all three adventures (and, of course, earn all the other runes) before you can embark on the Master
Magi Rune quest. This makes sense from a logical standpoint but is probably not
the order most magi are used to completing our tasks in.
Totem
Relics Available:
Power Relics: Staff of Fireballs, Staff of Charlock's Vengeance, Scorching Wand, Hand Cannon, Caduceus Staff, Staff of Thorns, Wand of Bone, Unicorn Horn Wand, The Malaki Staff, Snowflake Wand, Staff of Ages, Ivan's Wand, Ruby Rod, Diamondhead Staff, Jasper Wand of Petrification, Staff of Sandstorms, Lightning Rod, Rod of Resonance, Rod of the Gathering Storm, Copper Wand
Weapon
Relics: Charlock's Fang, Fire Brand,
Steel Sword, Brazier of Eternal Fire, Sabrecat Fang, Mistletoe Dagger, Oak
Stake, Wooden Club, Winterra's Fang, Ice Brand, Glass Dagger, Ancient Sword,
Diamond Sword, Spiked Mace, Jewel Hilted Dagger, Rune Blade of Abjuration,
Storm Brand, Bronze Bell, Laughing Jack's Cutlass, Hidden Blade
Shield Relics: Gauntlet of Justice, Wall of Flame, Ivarro's Iron Shield, Dragonscale Shield, Terrapin Shield, Gorgo's Gift, Shield of Bone/Hide/Horn, Lumina's Bracers, Mirror Shield, Prismatic Shield, Ice Wall, Ancient Shield, Spiked Shield, Diamond Shield, Runestone Shield, Stone Wall, Aegis of Illusion, Swash Buckler, Aegis of the Master Magi, Shield of Bandyshanks
Arcane
Relics: Mana Drain Amulet, Amulet of
Charlock, Amulet of Agonista, Ironskin Amulet, Scroll of Regeneration, Scroll
of Barkskin, Scroll of Wild Growth, Scroll of Death and Decay, Sign of
Inversion, Sign of Counterspell, Sign of the Blizzard, Elder Sign, Ring of
Destruction, Dark Gem Ring, Mystic Gem Ring, Jasper Ring of Petrification,
Aetherial Tome, Tome of the Master Magi, Tome of Breakhame, Tome of the
Gathering Storm
I (Annacat) have not journeyed to
this realm yet, but Lutra has. If you need any additional information about
this location, please leave us a comment and we'll do our best to answer! :)
~Annacat
Sunday, March 11, 2018
MagiQuest at Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls, ON)
Location: Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls, Ontario)
https://www.greatwolf.com/niagara
Physical Address: 3950 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls ON, Canada L2E 7M8
Note to magi unfamiliar with the region: There are two towns with the name "Niagara Falls" in close proximity to each other, Niagara Falls New York and Niagara Falls Ontario. This realm is in Niagara Falls Ontario, on the Canadian side of the Falls. Magi traveling from the United States should double check that they are carrying the necessary ID to cross the border into Canada.
Realm Type: Forest Realm
Chronicle: Runes of the Quest Master
Primary Landmarks: Enchanted Woods, Whispering Woods, Piney Path, Tangled Woods, Dragon's Lair, Pixie's Perch, Forgotten Hallway
Runes Available: Dazzle, Enchant Creature, Healing, Portal, Freezing, Ice Arrow, Protection, Celestial, Wolf, Master Magi
Adventures Available: Red Dragon, Pixie, Ursa Major, Silver Dragon
The exterior of the Lodge has a bright First Nations theme. (First Nations is the term for Canada's indigenous people.)
At this location, MagiQuest is played primarily on the upper two floors of the hotel, though a handful of quests will send you to the Forgotten Hallway on the floor below.
This realm is mostly pretty much identical in floor plan to Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains, which I covered in more detail here.
The biggest layout difference is that the MagiQuest shop is not on the bottom floor as it is at many multi-storey lodges. It's actually at the back of the Trading Post, in a place called the Quest Cottage. This might lead to some congestion at peak times when both shops are really busy (my visit was in the off season, so it wasn't crowded,) but overall I think it's a good arrangement. It makes MagiQuest more prominent and makes it more clear to guests how to get started, and it would also be easier to get help from an employee if you had any problems.
Obviously the quests are not exactly identical between any two locations, but you will see some cool things that may remind you of other realms - for example, do you spot the Portal Star in this picture? Don't forget to enchant it five times, and then do so again. ;)
Unlike the Poconos, Niagara Falls does not have ShadowQuest or CompassQuest. As a result of having less content within the same basic area, there are a few spatial oddities, like the Forgotten Hallway being used in only a couple of quests and a weird stairway corner with a common game element in it - the fairy statue - that never gets used at all.
There's also a corner nook known as the "Training Room." No quests take you there, and as far as I can tell the staff never direct people there. Most realms have something like this, but in this particular realm it's sort of front and center right across from the Quest Stones, so it's noticeable but pretty much unused.
The decor relies more on enhanced photograph backgrounds rather than painted ones.
There are also a few uniquely Canadian touches, like this wrecked boat beneath a waterfall in the Dragon's Lair.
As with the other Great Wolf Lodge locations, is not necessary to be an overnight guest at the Lodge to play. Because Niagara Falls is such a popular tourist destination, there are loads and loads of hotels and motels nearby at various price points. During the off season, you can find very cheap accommodations within a short drive from the Lodge.
Overall summary: I had a fun visit. It was well worth the trip! The employees were (as always) friendly and helpful, the game elements were well maintained and in good working order, and this Lodge does a great job of accommodating non-Canadian guests.
If you need any additional information about this location, please leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer! :)
~Annacat
https://www.greatwolf.com/niagara
Physical Address: 3950 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls ON, Canada L2E 7M8
Note to magi unfamiliar with the region: There are two towns with the name "Niagara Falls" in close proximity to each other, Niagara Falls New York and Niagara Falls Ontario. This realm is in Niagara Falls Ontario, on the Canadian side of the Falls. Magi traveling from the United States should double check that they are carrying the necessary ID to cross the border into Canada.
Realm Type: Forest Realm
Chronicle: Runes of the Quest Master
Primary Landmarks: Enchanted Woods, Whispering Woods, Piney Path, Tangled Woods, Dragon's Lair, Pixie's Perch, Forgotten Hallway
Runes Available: Dazzle, Enchant Creature, Healing, Portal, Freezing, Ice Arrow, Protection, Celestial, Wolf, Master Magi
Adventures Available: Red Dragon, Pixie, Ursa Major, Silver Dragon
The exterior of the Lodge has a bright First Nations theme. (First Nations is the term for Canada's indigenous people.)
At this location, MagiQuest is played primarily on the upper two floors of the hotel, though a handful of quests will send you to the Forgotten Hallway on the floor below.
This realm is mostly pretty much identical in floor plan to Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains, which I covered in more detail here.
The biggest layout difference is that the MagiQuest shop is not on the bottom floor as it is at many multi-storey lodges. It's actually at the back of the Trading Post, in a place called the Quest Cottage. This might lead to some congestion at peak times when both shops are really busy (my visit was in the off season, so it wasn't crowded,) but overall I think it's a good arrangement. It makes MagiQuest more prominent and makes it more clear to guests how to get started, and it would also be easier to get help from an employee if you had any problems.
Obviously the quests are not exactly identical between any two locations, but you will see some cool things that may remind you of other realms - for example, do you spot the Portal Star in this picture? Don't forget to enchant it five times, and then do so again. ;)
"Twinkle, twinkle, Portal Star,
How high above the realm you are..."
Unlike the Poconos, Niagara Falls does not have ShadowQuest or CompassQuest. As a result of having less content within the same basic area, there are a few spatial oddities, like the Forgotten Hallway being used in only a couple of quests and a weird stairway corner with a common game element in it - the fairy statue - that never gets used at all.
Seriously - you don't use this for any quest ever.
There's also a corner nook known as the "Training Room." No quests take you there, and as far as I can tell the staff never direct people there. Most realms have something like this, but in this particular realm it's sort of front and center right across from the Quest Stones, so it's noticeable but pretty much unused.
There are also a few uniquely Canadian touches, like this wrecked boat beneath a waterfall in the Dragon's Lair.
As with the other Great Wolf Lodge locations, is not necessary to be an overnight guest at the Lodge to play. Because Niagara Falls is such a popular tourist destination, there are loads and loads of hotels and motels nearby at various price points. During the off season, you can find very cheap accommodations within a short drive from the Lodge.
Overall summary: I had a fun visit. It was well worth the trip! The employees were (as always) friendly and helpful, the game elements were well maintained and in good working order, and this Lodge does a great job of accommodating non-Canadian guests.
~Annacat
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Princess Candice Scares Me
For the record, I do not mean by the title of this post that Candice Night the real person scares me. I very much enjoy her music, and she seems like a nice lady.
But is it? What are the full implications of Princess Candice's gift? And if she is so powerful, why is she a princess rather than a queen, and why does she not actually appear to rule anything?
What I mean is that Princess Candice - the character she plays - is terrifying because she is by far the most powerful character we see in MagiQuest, and her powers could have some pretty devastating uses if the magi were to get on her bad side
Now, I know what you're probably thinking. Something along the lines of, "You're crazy, Annacat! Singing and creating stars is a nice, harmless power. Sweet, even."
But is it? What are the full implications of Princess Candice's gift? And if she is so powerful, why is she a princess rather than a queen, and why does she not actually appear to rule anything?
All will be explained in due time...
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