A: Runes are fossil stones with strange markings on them, found by the Simerian Explorer who is studying Simeria. They are required to pass the Temple of Transubstantiation.
Q: How many runes are there and how available are they?
A: As of November 2008 there are a total of 24 runes. Strange enough, runes are all as of today rarity 11. That number does not seem to have any influence on rune availability as some of them seem to be more common than others. However, distribution is based on randomness.
Q: How do I find runes?
A: The Simerian Explorer rewards you with a rune randomly when finishing his quest. A treasure map is needed to have lifetime access to the quest.
Q: How can I get the Treasure Map?
A: The Simerian Explorer Treasure Map is part of an account upgrade still available from July 2008, and may retire at any moment. You can also buy the pieces in user shops or trades (see below). The cost of the upgrade is roughly $16USD (American Dollars) or £8UK Pounds. You only get 7 pieces per upgrade. Look below for an image of the completed map, click to enlarge.
Q: How many total pieces are there and how much is their value?
A: There are 16 pieces of the treasure map to put together and their value is based on availability. You should expect to pay anywhere from 250,000 marapoints to 500,000 marapoints for EACH piece in shop search. Minimum of 4 million marapoints total for all the pieces. Once you have all the pieces to the exact location of the Explorer, you can click on the Explorer image to begin questing!
Q: How much are runes worth?
A: Their value is not yet defined, as the quest is fairly young. As more people complete the map, runes will certainly drop in price. I personally estimate runes will sell for about 30k to 75k in a year or so. But right now, you can expect to pay as much as 500k for just one rune. Some desperate sellers have sold runes in their shop for as low as 50,000 marapoints; but as of today that's rare. There's no telling how much the price of runes will drop as more people complete the map.
Click Map To Enlarge
Q: Are the strange markings on the runes part of a real life ancient tribe tongue?
A: Not that I know of. There is yet no proven fact that it does include real life tribe markings. Simeria is a lost city, only available in Marada. So I should be free to say the runes, markings, meanings, etc. are all fictitious and an authentic, original concept, attributed to the Marapets game site.
Q: What do runes and the treasure map pieces look like?
A: Here is a picture of what the completed map looks like with the number of the pieces. Pay close attention to the order of the pieces which can be somewhat awkward. Look below for an image of all the runes, click on it to see the full size image. This is the page for them in the wishlist: http://www.marapets.com/wishlist.php?do=browse&id=991
Click To Enlarge
Q: Do I get a runes every time I complete a quest?
A: No you don't. The number of runes you get may be based on the number of quests you have finished. For example, recently I had a total of 32 [4 Years Cake] in my inventory (that means I had finished 32 Explorer quests) and the next quest gave me 1 rune. I have been rewarded one rune after 10 quests as well. I received another rune when I completed 8 quests after that. I have also gotten one rune followed by another rune. This is rare but possible.
Q: How often can I expect to get a rune?
A: Distribution of the runes is random, some may be more common than others and their availability fluctuate day by day. When the quest had just been introduced, Rune A seemed to be the hardest rune to come by. As the quest has matured, Rune A seems to be as available as the others. I myself have not gotten Rune W as reward with 1100 Explorer quests up my sleeve. This is true for me but other people seem not to have problems with it. Rune M seems to be so far the most common rune which often drops to prices under 90,000 marapoints sometimes. While Rune N is selling for a steady 487,000 marapoints as I am typing this. Rune S is also selling high for 383,000 marapoints.
Q: Overall, how would you say runes are distributed?
A: My experience, you can get a rune roughly every 10 to 40 quests. However it is still normal not to get a rune even when you have completed 50 quests! In a case like that, I have found to have been rewarded 4-5 runes next 50 quests or so. Like you, I also thought luck was NOT on my side many times and became frustrated often. The key is to go on a roll and complete a high number of quests. It is normal to get 4 to 8 runes every 100 quests.
Q: Explorer Quests can be expensive, how many marapoints should I spend overall in one quest?
A: If you are a beginner and have a very small amount of marapoints (under 200,000) overall, try not to spend more than 6,000 marapoints per quest. Once you have sold two or more runes you should go ahead and spend a little more but it is wise not to go over 15,000 per quest. Click on the image to the left to look at an example of the items on one of my quests, which came up to 15,000 marapoints.
Q: What other rewards does the Explorer give?
A: As of November 2008 the only reward he gives apart from runes is marapoints (unless you actually see the 4 Years Cake as a reliable reward) o_0. Marapoint reward can vary from a few thousand marapoints (1.300MP) to four thousand or so (without a rune). With a rune the reward is usually more than 4,000 but no more than 9,000 or so. Click on the image to the right to see an example of the marapoints reward.
Q: I have seen awful comments about the Explorer Quest in the forums, do you recommend putting the map together?
A: I have completed about 1100 explorer quests and made 13 million marapoints. I am not spending marapoints in anything at the moment. I bought a geek costume and a couple of knick-knacks about 2 weeks ago, but otherwise nothing else. I have completed a very small amount of the other quests (Elger, Snowman, etc.); so yeah I attribute my millions to the Explorer Quest. You be the judge.
Q: Can you sell me, or give me runes/pieces of the treasure map?
A: I am sad to say you will have to earn them. I can not sell you any map pieces because I do not have any, and I can not trade you runes because I have my reasons. However my shop has many runes; they usually sit on page 5 (or 4 if enough items sell).
