Laurion’s Song (2023)

Beta

Beta and pre-orders opened together on October 10, 2023. Pre-ordering added "three Crucible Steel Weapon Ornament s [sic] of your choice" and "will instantly grant you access to Beta". Beta would "end once the expansion is ready to launch", and testers who earned enough tokens got the Visage of the Rallosian Goblin. Source [2]

Launch

On November 7 the date was set: Laurion’s Song "is set to launch on December 5, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. PST." The launch post opened with a warning, "Take heed of the bard songs hero as danger is afoot!", and Daybreak posted the same text on its press site. Source [3] Source [4] Source [5]

The Realm of Heroes

The setting, from the launch text: "A door appears in the Plane of Tranquility. The heroes of Norrath walk through to find a warm and cozy-looking building." Light from its windows fell on "a clearing in a forest", with music, voices and "the tantalizing smell of cooking meat and mead". "Welcome to the Realm of Heroes, the place where the greatest heroes go when their adventures are over. Nobody remembers the last time anyone entered or left this place." Daybreak framed it as a mystery: "Can you discover what the mystery is that lies under the façade of comfort and revelry? Why is the Realm open now? Why was it closed for so long?" Source [4]

The inn’s other doors "open onto memories of when someone proved that they are a hero. You can participate in those exploits and see how heroes of the past became the legends of today." Source [4]

The beta announcement gave players their role: "you will be tasked with assisting some of Norrath’s most notable heroes in righting wrongs. Pull up a stump, have a seat, and listen to the stories and memories of each hero." Source [2]

Tier 1 raids

Raids unlocked in three tiers. Tier 1, on January 6, 2024, brought "Eldarr Forest – The Return of Kanghammer", where Dextris Kanghammer takes up the cause of the late Elistyl Kanghammer against a cheating "barker". Source [9]

The other Tier 1 raid was in the Plane of Mischief: "Bidils the Quickhand is a halfling merchant who impressed Bristlebane himself and became a Hero. He was able to steal a great gem directly out from under the God of Thieves in his own plane." Players had to win the gem back from him. Source [9]

Tier 2 raids

Tier 2 opened "at noon PST on February 3, 2024". In Timorous Falls ("Shadow Of My Shadow"), cultists snatch a child, hoping a sacrifice "will get them seen by Innoruuk", and one of their own, Elistyl Kanghammer, tries to stop the ritual. Source [10]

"Prisoners of Ankexfen" had Thormir planning a prison break, needing help to "distract the goblins". In "What Is It For?", in the Moors of Nokk, Dhakka Nogg refuses the war effort: "She takes a st and [sic] against the murdering of those already defeated and surrendered." Source [10]

Tier 3 raids

The final tier, March 2, 2024, had three raids. In Unkempt Woods ("The Artisan and the Druid"), "Thornel and some Elddar have joined with Dagnor Butcherblock to resist the Rallosian invasion". In Hero’s Forge ("Heroes Are Forged"), Shalowain tries to shut down Elmara’s forge. Source [11]

The last, Pal’Lomen ("Final Fugue"), let players "relive the battle for Pal’Lomen" as "The Rallosians try to destroy the Eldarr village" with "waves of orcs and goblins". Source [11]

Alternate Personas

Alternate Personas let players "swap to another class while retaining your name, inventory / bank, crafting skills, keying and much more". Daybreak’s FAQ called a persona a "fully functional class" that can have its own race. Swaps aren’t allowed with "an out of combat timer" outside a non-combat zone or starting city. Source [12]

Personas share achievements and lockout timers with the base character, while discipline timers are "separate for each persona". The Premium and Family & Friends editions included the Phoenix Harness mount, "a symbol of rebirth and renewal that you can ride!" Source [12] Source [13]

After launch

Chan’s year-end letter of December 12 confirmed that "Laurion’s Song, the 30th expansion, was released last week", with "Alternate Personas, new zones, collections, quests, missions, spells, and AAs." Source [6]

Daybreak ran a 25% sale from September 10 to October 7, 2024. In its June 17, 2026 4-1-1 article Daybreak announced: "Laurion’s Song is now Free to Play for all players!" Source [7] Source [8]