Been ages since I've passed by Tier 1's end or started a run at Tier 2, but I still remember the many times I visited Moorcraft Manor.

I really have no idea if anyone's developing anything for the place, hopefully they are, but in case they aren't, I just brew an interesting idea in my brain. Hope it's tasty.

Anyway, let's start with a few facts players and developers know.

- Moorcraft Manor is a residence for spirits. This, by context (and logic, durr), allows us all to see that, somehow, spirits come to it from somewhere. If I'd to guess, looking a north-west of a Knight's entrance point to the manor (if anybody's ever explored), you'll see a train stop. We're in agreement that spirits probably use this in order to come to rest at the Manor, yes? The manager kat at the desk explicitally says 'you may never leave again', but that is of course meant for the residents (spirits), and not the Knights, or else they wouldn't be able to proceed and be forever trapped in there.

Ergo, the Knights are freely able to enter and leave the Moorcroft Manor. Everyone knows that, I just wanted to brush up on the details so I could elaborate on my suggestion by setting the table first.

- The recently implemented Shadow Lairs count with the ??? depth factor that suggests the Clockworks are not by any means lineal in descent (Ignoring the horizontal level cycling gimmick of course), therefore, taking an elevator at Depth 23 and going through the Rabid Snarbolax stages up until Sanctuary and then to the Core is equal to going through the Darkfire Vanaduke stages until Sanctuary and then to the Core. It really does not need any explanation that we're being given 2 extra stages in Ultimate Firestorm Citadel for a generic Tier 3 expedition.

This results in me theorizing the possibility of expanding the repertoire of 'side' stages available to players. We already have the Shadow Lairs situated at the T3 Clockworks' Terminal. How about we add extra ??? Depths, my dear providers of fun and entertainment, Three Rings? :D

Here's my suggestion: The Underworld. A purgatory for tormented souls that threatens to engulf the Cradle in its sinister grasp at the hands of a high-level, immensely powerful Fiend. Until today, it had only served to hold souls and send off those that deserved a better chance (To the Moorcroft Manor, perhaps?), but recently, the Underworld's influence has started to spread and cause the lower level fiends to become agitated (More than usually), more aggressive, and certainly more active in reaping the souls of the innocents to turn them into the walking undead.

With the high-level Fiend gaining power as his ranks of hard-working devilites and overwhelming armies of the living dead increase day by day, the world the Spiral Knights' order is currently in faces a potential Hell on Earth situations, and they will be no stranger (no pun intended) to the upcoming disaster. This sounds like a job for the experienced Knight, am I correct? Of course I am.

The problem is, The Underworld is not a realm where material beings composed of living tissue may materialize as conveniently. Therefore, I go back to the Facts people know of:

- The Ritual Kat. You've no idea how many times I've seen the joke "what dark ritual", and frankly, I think that Kat deserves some sort of job. Well, in conjuncture with my idea, why not give him that job then?

What is that job you ask? Why, to perform the dark ritual! The high-level Fiend will not come out of his Underworld, why would he? He's at the most powerful there, and if he can manipulate his army to spread the influence of the underworld to the clockworks and ultimately the Cradle, why would he need to leave his comfy couch surrounded by all he'll ever need?

Bottom line, he doesn't. His plan is perfect, no one can stop him because no living being can enter the Underworld. ...not under normal circumstances anyhow. The Moorcroft Manor has been holding the short straw on this whole high-level Fiend deal, and frankly, business is not as good. Souls that are reaped before their time comes usually become tormented and earth-bound, and those just won't do for the prestige of the manor. The clientele needs not only be the finest, but there also needs to be clientele at all, correct?

Well, here's the deal the manor makes with the Knights: Perform the Dark Ritual, a magical spell able to tune a being's soul with that of the foul creature's that dwell in the Underworld.

Gain first the clearance to proceed with it, not just any Knight should be able to go there. Gather the required materials, Dark Shards, Soul Dust, Shadow Steel, etcetera. Produce that all-special item that will grant the Knight entrance to the Underworld via a separate elevator in the Manor (maybe with some effort, a departure train at the north-west of it).

So now that you're a bit more enlightened to what my half-baked story is, let's turn the heat on a bit, okay?

The Underworld. A hidden Boss stratum much like the Shadow Lairs, accessible only via a special side-quest (Every MMO needs one or two, right?). It should be hard, but it shouldn't be impossible.

Players should be able to enjoy it, yet be on their toes. It's not going to be a picnic day out, and it's going to be challenging, but there's no need to swamp them with impossibly high standards, right?

Well, I'd very much like to leave the levels before the Boss to the developers. I'm more interested in the skeleton, or supports for the idea, if you will.

We all know what kind of place we're heading into when I say The Underworld, yes? Curse, Shadow. Fiends, Undead. Deadly fires burning the souls that will never be at peace. Yes, Hell.

But I disgress, been moving this along for enough time, so let's get to the point.

Tier 3 clearance is needed. Item for entrance needs to be fabricated from a number of materials, crowns and energy (Hey, like an actual craft!) at the Ritual Kat in Moorcraft Manor. The Item permanently stays as a "Unique Artifact" that cannot be traded, dropped or sold under any circumstance in the individual Knight's arsenal and grants indefinite access to The Underworld. I suggest making the item-gathering quest tedious, but not ridiculous. No making the energy cost 4000, for instance.

Once all the requirements are met, that single Knight can descend into the first floor of The Undeworld. For a Party to go down there, each member will require this "Unique Artifact", the item required to enter The Underworld. If one Party member does not have it, then entrance will be denied to the whole Party.

The Underworld should be 4 floors long, the fifth being a Boss fight where the Knights are pitted against the high-level Fiend I've kept mentioning. I do realize we're going from Depth 9 to something T3-difficult, but that is why T3 clearance and the Item are needed. The players that beat The Underworld dungeon would come back to Moorcroft Manor, as if they had cleared the last depth of T1. In this way, by entering The Underworld, they don't get to go to Basil, Emberlight or much less skip to the Core.

Why the loop? Well, it's The Underworld, right? You left from Moorcroft Manor; only natural you'll come back to it from that place. :)

Now, some things you people might be asking yourselves...

- Why is Mewey suggesting this? Mewey hates devilites! (Little known fact /sarcasm)

Answer: We have four bosses currently. I do believe more variety to the bunch is in order, not to mention entirely new levels. Elemental, Normal and Piercing defense have always been a need, not only because of the majority of enemies dealing that kind of damage, but also because of the traps. Why not add Curse traps that deal Shadow damage? That makes sense to me. Why not add a Fiend-type boss? He gets his own backstory, like Lord Vanaduke.

- Are there any cons to this?

Answer: So far, all I can say is that if it's ever considered, it's going to take a heckuva lot of time. Everything that I've so far suggested is quite deviant in contrast to how the developers have been updating the game. It's all new, it requires reinventing things, but I'm sure it won't be a problem considering we're dealing with professionals here. I've my every confidence that this implementation is both possible and achieveable through some effort. If they gave us Unknown Passage, they can give us The Underworld.

- What are the pros to this?

Answer: A New Boss. Entirely New levels. New Tokens. ReNewed necessity to build Shadow-resistant gear. New side-quest. It breaks the habit, deviates from the norm and allows players for a change of pace.

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tl;dr: New Boss Stratum called The Underworld. Need to complete formerly introduced side-quest to gain entrance. Starts at Moorcroft, ends at Moorcroft.

Any questions?

Oh, I have one for you all.

Yay or nay? :L