View source for Winter Event 2005

{{historical|reason=event}}
{{TOCright}}
== Overview ==

On December 2, 2005, an announcement was made via a radio address by Miss Liberty that there were going to be special events occurring in Paragon City in the coming weeks. The Winter Event 2005 consists of three separate parts that occurred beginning on December 8, 2005, on December 15, 2005, and December 19, 2005. An e-mail was sent by PlayNC to subscribers describing the events in more detail. In the e-mail the last day of the events is noted as January 2nd, 2006.

== The Announcement ==

On December 2, [[Miss Liberty]] said in a radio address that every hero would receive "a special treat," and referred to it being "only the beginning of our upcoming festivities." In a message from [[Black Scorpion]] to [[Silver Mantis]], we were informed that Villains would be partaking in the treat as well.
{{clr}}
== A New Toy ==
[[Image:Rocket_Pack.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The [[Holiday Rocket Pack]] temporary power in action!]]

=== Description ===

''From the PlayNC e-mail sent to subscribers:''

The holidays have come to Paragon City and the Rogue Isles! Thanks to the kindness of Miss Liberty and the greed of Black Scorpion, heroes and villains alike are zipping around with their brand new, top of the line jet packs.

The first gifts have arrived but that was only the beginning!

=== Details ===

Beginning midnight on December 8, 2005, all Heroes began receiving the [[Longbow Reservist Badge]]. All Villains began receiving the [[Jet-Setter Badge]]. In addition, Heroes and Villains both received the [[Holiday Rocket Pack]] Temporary Power.
{{PowerBox|Icon=Temporary AntigravityMatrix.png|Name=Holiday Rocket Pack|Effect=Self Fly|Desc=This jet pack allows you to fly for a short period. If you attack a target while this pack is on, your Flight speed will be temporarily reduced to Hover speed. This Rocket Pack will last for 30 days.}}

Heroes logging in during the event received the [[Longbow Reservist Badge]].
{{BadgeBox|Longbow Reservist}}

Villains logging in during the event received the [[Jet-Setter Badge]].
{{BadgeBox|Jet-Setter}}

== Operation Holiday Cheer and Operation Scrooge ==
[[Image:Stocking_Cap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The Holiday Stocking Cap in your choice of colors!]]

=== Description ===

''From the PlayNC e-mail sent to subscribers:''

As the sounds of joyful holiday celebrations in Paragon City reach the shores of the Rogue Isles, Lord Recluse grows uneasy. Fearing that his destined ones will be lured away by the promise of a jolly holiday season, he has set Operation Scrooge into action. At his bidding, villains will soon begin to creep towards the peaceful streets of Paragon City, bent on making sure that no one has anything to celebrate.

Whiff of this nefarious scheme has reached Miss Liberty and she has organized a counter strike. No one will destroy her plans and so she sets Operation Holiday Cheer in motion.

Heroes and villains prepare to enter enemy territory! Beginning December 15th, Operation Scrooge and Operation Holiday Cheer will battle for control of the holidays.

=== Details ===

At noon CST on December 15, the servers shut down for a two-hour-long maintenance window. After this time, a game patch was rolled out to clients and upon logging in, there were new Contacts in the city. For Heroes in Paragon City, the Contacts were [[Agent Wallace]] in Atlas Park, [[Agent Davis]] in Steel Canyon, and [[Agent McClane]] in Talos Island. For Villains in the Rogue Islands, the Contacts were [[Operative Karl]] in Mercy Island, [[Operative Franco]] in Cap au Diable, and [[Operative Gruber]] in Sharkhead Isle.

All agents assigned an identical mission, as did all operatives. The operatives instructed Villains to steal presents en route to Paragon City, and the agents instructed Heroes to go recover the stolen presents. Upon completion of this mission, a Hero received the [[Holiday Spirit Badge|Holiday Spirit]] Accolade and a Villain received the [[Scrooge Badge|Scrooge]] Accolade. Both Heroes and Villains received a free costume change at any Icon or Face store and a new costume option: a "Stocking cap."

Heroes who completed the holiday mission received the [[Holiday Spirit Badge]].
{{BadgeBox|Holiday Spirit}}

Villains who completed the holiday mission received the [[Scrooge Badge]].
{{BadgeBox|Scrooge}}

== Gamester's Holiday Festival of Fun ==
[[Image:Winter_2005.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Even the [[Winter Horde]] wishes you Happy Holidays!]]

=== Description ===

As these operations are set into motion, a new figure watches from the shadows. Acting outside any simple definition of "hero" or "villain," a mysterious figure known only as [[Gamester]] has entered the scene. Delighted by the growing holiday tension, he is ready to intervene and announce his presence in a shocking way!

No simple trickster, Gamester is irrationally fond of dangerous pranks and knavish shenanigans. Seeking fun in his own twisted mental world of games and puzzles, he has no concern for the outcome, searching only for the next game to play. The bigger the risk, the more thrilling the challenge.

Inspired by the holiday scheming of [[Miss Liberty]] and [[Lord Recluse]], Gamester has hatched his grandest game yet and now he plots to release it upon both cities. Gamester's Holiday Festival of Fun is a game of chance that allows everyone to play to see what fate holds in store.

With gleeful anticipation, Gamester plans to unleash his Holiday Festival of Fun across [[Paragon City|Paragon]] and the [[Rogue Isles|Isles]] on December 19th!

=== Details ===

During the day on December 19, 2005, mysterious glowing presents began appearing throughout Paragon City and the Rogue Isles.  

Upon opening a present, a Hero or Villain would find that if they were "nice," they would enjoy a nice [[Inspirations#Special Inspirations|Present]] from [[Gamester]].  If they were "naughty," however, they would find themselves surrounded by a [[Winter Horde]], ready to make their holidays downright dangerous!

During this event, one new Badge, the [[Toy Collector Badge]], became available, and one Badge from the last [[Winter Event 2004|Winter Event]], the [[Cold Warrior Badge]] for defeating Winter Horde enemies, was reintroduced. Also, the [[Snowball]] Power and a new Temporary Power, the [[Build Snow Beast]] power were available. Both were obtained as very rare prizes by opening gifts.

{{PowerBox|Icon=Inherent Brawl.png|Name=Snowball|Effect=Ranged Special|Desc=Can be used on friend and foe alike. Although there are no lasting effects when these frozen missiles are hurled, who doesn't love throwing a snowball? Snowballs should last 12 days. Happy Holidays!}}

{{PowerBox|Icon=Temporary WarWolfWhistle.png|Name=Build Snow Beast|Effect=Summon [[Winter_Horde#Snow_Beast|Snow Beast]]|Desc=Creates one [[Winter_Horde#Snow_Beast|Snow Beast]] to do your bidding.  [[Winter_Horde#Snow_Beast|Snow Beasts]] desire nothing more than to freeze everything they come into contact with. You only have one [[Winter_Horde#Snow_Beast|Snow Beast]] and he will last for five minutes before melting. You cannot bring your Snow Beast across zones.}}

Opening 200 presents awarded the [[Toy Collector Badge]].
{{BadgeBox|Toy Collector}}

Defeating 100 Snow Beasts awarded the [[Cold Warrior Badge]].
{{BadgeBox|Cold Warrior}}

== External Links ==

* [http://www.cityofheroes.com/news/fc_radio_address.html Miss Liberty's radio address] from December 2, 2005
* [http://www.cityofvillains.com/news/blackscorpionholiday.html Black Scorpion's memo] to Silver Mantis about Miss Liberty's address
* [http://www.cityofheroes.com/paper/newspaper33.html Festival of Terror] article from The Paragon Times on December 19, 2005

[[Category:Special Events]]
[[Category:Winter Event]]