Darkness Rising is Dark Age of Camelot's fourth retail expansion and without a doubt its smallest, which is why it costs only $20 and why I dared attempt to create this section - intended to be the destination for all things Darkness Rising.

Expansion Overview: Champion, Champion, Champion, Champion, Champion...

The single most confusing thing about Darkness Rising is that the word "Champion" is used in just about every part of it. There are Champion Quests, Champion Levels, Champion Weapons, Champion Abilities, and Champion Tasks. How do they relate?

Champion Quests are tied in with the main storyline of the expansion. Starting at level 30, you can begin Chapter One (Rebellion), and help put down a rebellion against your King. At level 40, you can begin Chapter 2 (Conspiracy) and learn more about the forces behind the rebellion. And at level 50, you can begin Chapter 3 (Inferno) and defeat those forces. The rewards for Champion Quests are:

At the beginning of Chapter 3, you receive your Champion Weapon.
After defeating the Circle of Five, the first special ability of your Champion Weapon will be unlocked.
After finishing Chapter 3, you will be able to choose the second ability of your Champion Weapon.
Each of the Circle of Five mobs is worth 0.4 bubbles of Champion Experience the first time you kill them (and only when you are on the CoF step).

Champion Levels are another post-50 advancement method. You get them simply by talking to the King and then earning ANY experience. Each Champion Level unlocks horses and horse features, and Champion Levels have a title. CL3 gives all classes the ability (not the skill) to use small shields and slashing, crushing, and thrusting weapons. At CL5, players receive a fully activated Champion Weapon. The main purpose of Champion Levels, however, is points to spend on Champion Abilities.

Champion Weapons are an alternative to Artifacts, perhaps what Artifacts should have been. There's one available for each spec for each class (except for casters, whose weapons are designed to be one size fits all), as well as off-hand, two-handed, and damage type choices. Players can get a Champion Weapon either through Champion Quests or Champion Levels.

Champion Abilities are the reward for Champion Levels, intended to provide utility, rather than power, to classes. With each CL, a player will get a point to spend on a Champion Ability. Champion Abilities are lower-value versions of abilities given to various class types - buffs, heals, direct damage, styles, etc.

Champion Tasks, despite the name, are unrelated to the rest of the expansion. They're just another way to earn experience - normal experience. They're available from levels 5 to 49.