Canthan New Year 2008

Journey to Shing Jea The Celestial Rat descends New Year brings us luck

Each year, Canthans flock to Shing Jea Monastery to prepare and partake in a great feast to honor the celestial animal that will watch over them during the coming year. This year's animal, the Celestial Rat, will descend from the heavens to enjoy Cantha's culinary delights. If satisfied with the meal, the Celestial Rat will bestow good luck upon the populace for the coming year.

The Canthan New Year's Festival event begins at Noon Pacific (-8 GMT) on Friday, February 8, 2008 and will run all weekend, ending at Noon Pacific (-8 GMT) on Monday, February 11, 2008. On Sunday, February 10, the Celestial Rat will drop from the sky into Shing Jea Monastery every three hours to sample Canthan delicacies. The feast culminates in dancing, fireworks, and the showering of the populace with gifts...but only if the celestial enjoys its meal.

While the bulk of the Canthan New Year's Festival, including the celestial feast, takes place in Shing Jea, Canthans living abroad have taken their customs with them as well. So expect Lion's Arch and Kamadan to host smaller celebrations, complete with traditional New Year's decorations.

You must, however, journey to Shing Jea Monastery if you want to dance the night away in your festival mask and have the chance to receive a special prize should every course of the celestial's meal be completed to perfection.

In addition to the great feast, look for a variety of festival-themed quests available from colorful NPCs, and don't forget to have your fortune read by the Fortune Teller wandering Shing Jea during the festival. If you're feeling up to a trip to the race track, you won't want to miss the return of the Rollerbeetle Races. This PvP mini-game is sure to get your heart, and your rollerbeetle, racing. For those who enjoy a more visceral action, the Dragon Arena will also be open all weekend long.

So, mark your calendars and come help ring in the New Year, Canthan-style. You won't want to miss this annual Guild Wars event!

Festival events
New Year is at hand A time for feasts, friends, and fun Fortunes will come true

A great feast, amazing fireworks displays, dancing, fortunes, and a trip to the races...all this and more awaits you during the Canthan New Year's festival. Here's what you can expect:

Every festival has a variety of problems that must be solved by enterprising young adventurers. Supplies of everything from red dye to fireworks (both used to frighten off the nian) will inevitably run low. And, speaking of the nian, you never know when, or where, these festival-hating creatures might attack. For those who want a preview of the coming year, the fortune teller will peer into your future and provide you with a very real, and legally binding, fortune. Whether your destiny bodes well or ill, it will certainly follow you into the world beyond Shing Jea. That most venerable of Shing Jea events, the Shing Jea Boardwalk will make a special appearance during the festival. Play games to earn tickets and boost your luck, or play to lose and work your way down a different life track.

For you racing fans, make your way to the Rollerbeetle Racing Arena and sign up for the next available race. You'll be outfitted in your very own rollerbeetle racer, complete with its own set of racing skills. Races will roll all weekend long. In addition, the Dragon Arena has become an official part of the festival. So head to the arena for a brawling good time. The Celestial Feast gives players the chance to participate in a cooking competition as they help chefs from across Cantha prepare various dishes for the five-course feast to be presented to the Celestial Rat. Help the chefs acquire all the necessary ingredients for their culinary masterpieces, or suffer bad luck if they fail to please the Celestial Rat. Chefs will reward player generosity with Lunar Tokens, while the Celestial Rat will reward everyone for each properly prepared dish.

Schedule

 * Friday, February 8th, Noon PST (20:00 GMT): Start of the event
 * Sunday, February 10th, 12:01 AM (08:01 GMT): first appearance of the Celestial Rat
 * Monday, February 11th, 12:01 AM (08:01 GMT): last appearance of the Celestial Rat
 * Monday, February 11th, Noon PST (20:00 GMT): Announced end of the festival.

Redecorated towns

 * Lion's Arch
 * Shing Jea Monastery
 * Kamadan, Jewel of Istan

Lion's Arch

 * Captain Li Sah
 * Fortune Teller
 * Keiichi
 * Lorespinner Sta Si
 * Lucky Hochei - (Rock, Paper, Scissors NPC)
 * Lunar Gift Keeper
 * Rena
 * Rollerbeetle Trainer
 * Shion
 * Tien the Lamplighter
 * Zaishen Supply Master x2

Shing Jea Monastery

 * Hai Len
 * Guff Hufflebeak
 * Jiaru
 * Captain Li Sah - Dragon Arena
 * Court Astrologer
 * Lorespinner Ri So
 * Rollerbeetle Trainer - Rollerbeetle Racing
 * Fortune Teller
 * Johai Sohn
 * Kamari
 * Kuujii
 * Hanpo Sai
 * Monastery Keeper - Boardwalk Games (2)
 * Imperial Chef Jiong
 * Imperial Chef Tian
 * Imperial Chef Reun
 * Imperial Chef Chen
 * Imperial Chef Yan
 * Lunar Fortune Giver
 * Lunar Gift Keeper
 * Coordinator Tahyaa
 * Sheng Yi - Victory Token Rewards
 * Seiji - Victory Token Rewards
 * Chuntao - Collector
 * Kao Tseng
 * Ki Leung
 * Sunri
 * Teilah
 * Nishu
 * Noonan
 * Pan
 * Tien
 * Celestial Rat
 * Rat (6)

Kamadan, Jewel of Istan

 * Captain Li Sah
 * Fortune Teller
 * Lien
 * Lorespinner Emmah Li
 * Lunar Gift Keeper
 * Rollerbeetle Trainer
 * Yuen Bao
 * Zaishen Supply Master x2

Great Temple of Balthazar

 * Captain Li Sah
 * Lunar Gift Keeper
 * Rollerbeetle Trainer
 * Zaishen Supply Master x2

Rollerbeetle Racing (outpost)

 * "Shoes" O'Malley
 * "The Gooch"
 * Announcer Spikesan
 * Eldrid the Ancient (Records)
 * Hokusai (Beetle Design)
 * Racer Beetle
 * Rollerbeetle Master (Rollerbeetle Racing)
 * Rollerbeetle Racing Commissioner
 * Lisa the World-Famous Racing Beetle
 * Little Jack (Rewards)
 * Zippy

Quests
Every festival brings with it a variety of problems that can only be solved by enterprising young adventurers willing to undertake a quest or two to ensure the festival runs smoothly. Supplies of everything from red dye (for Nian-scaring party attire) to fireworks (also used to frighten off the nian) will inevitably run low. And, speaking of the Nian, you never know when, or where, these New Year's festival hating creatures might attack. (NOTE: these quests will only be offered to characters that have reached level 5 or higher)

Sunqua Vale
 * Hapless Chong: Just My Luck

Shing Jea Monastery:
 * Coordinator Tahyaa:
 * Fire in the Sky
 * The Big Bang
 * Johai Sohn: The Knights Who Say Nian
 * Hai Len: Hopeless Romantic

Plains of Jarin: or
 * Elder Nofuun: Douse Your Enthusiasm
 * Fehj: A Burning Desire

Finale
Several Chefs stand in Shing Jea Monastery. They will collect specific ingredients during the finale. For each ingredient turned in, you will receive a Lunar Token from that chef. If no dishes are prepared successfully, everyone in the district will be temporarily transformed by the Rat Form disguise.

Opening Dialogue (2008)
Coordinator Tahyaa:

Dishes Inspection
Imperial Chef Yan:

Imperial Chef Reun:

Imperial Chef Jiong:
 * "Today, I have crafted for you, oh great celestial, a delicate kappa shell soup with a tantalizing aroma and a light, but piquant flavor that has no flaw. I have no doubt that once you try this divine concoction, you too, great celestial, shall feel the same."

Imperial Chef Chen:
 * "It is an honor to stand before you great celestial, and to be allowed to cook for such a divine connoisseur. I hope good fortune goes with you in the coming year."
 * "I have prepared for you this day a sizzling azure steak broiled to perfection with a side of steamed spider legs and a delicious butter unctuous dipping sauce, all served in a half-shell. It is a dish I call scurry and turfy.  I hope you enjoy."

Imperial Chef Tian:

Coordinator Tahyaa:

Item Rewards
Below is a chart describing the amount of items the player received based on how many successful dishes were presented to the Celestial: 1 If no succesful dishes were created, players were temporarily turned into Pigs(2007), Rats(2008) or Ox(2009).

Festival Rewards
Many quests and events reward players with special items only available during the festival. Here are some items you might be lucky enough to come across during the Canthan New Year's festival:

Become a Party Animal
The Canthan New Year festival also marks the introduction of the new Party Animal title track. If you want to be a true Party Animal, (and show your festival spirit), you can earn points all weekend long (and even after the festival ends) by setting off fireworks, burning sparklers, or using any of a variety of other festive consumables from our many celebrations.

Special Miniature Rewards
In addition to the festival rewards mentioned above, two special miniatures will be available this year. For those lucky enough to receive multiple miniature pigs during last year's celebration, look for Chuntao, and exchange 5 miniature pigs to get a Miniature Celestial Pig. And watch those Lunar Fortunes closely. Your immediate future just might include a miniature Celestial Rat in your pack.

And, if that's not enough to entice you to attend this year's festival, don't forget that should the Celestial Rat fully enjoy its meal, all those attending the feast will receive an exciting, if somewhat volatile, Crate of Fireworks.

Further Information:

 * Official GuildWars.com entry