Where Winds Meet has just rolled out Version 1.1.0, “Timeless Bonds“, and with it comes a new sect for players to join, and it is the Velvet Shade.
Elegant, secretive, and a little dangerous, Velvet Shade quickly stands out as one of the more intriguing sect in the game, both in terms of theme and how you actually unlock it.
Who Are the Velvet Shade?
Velvet Shade disciples thrive in secrets. According to the game’s lore, they have seen the cost of love and loyalty, and deliberately chose neither. Instead, they move through the world with charm, manipulation, and careful calculation, gathering influence through charm rather than brute force.
In short, if you like stylish, morally gray factions that operate from the shadows, Velvet Shade is very much that sect.
When Does the Velvet Shade Unlock?
Before you can even start looking for Velvet Shade, there are a few basic requirements:
- You must be Level 10 or higher. This is the minimum level to unlock sects to begin with
- You need to have reached Kaifeng
- The Velvet Shade clue is tied to two side quests you need to complete:
- Shadows in Bloom
- Gathering of Heroes
Once those conditions are met, the Velvet Shade clue becomes available, allowing you to start the process. This clue should appear near the Velvet Shade building in Kaifeng. As a reminder, clues are those little book icons that can appear on your map.
How to Join the Velvet Shade Sect
This is where things get… unusual. Currently, there are only two confirmed ways to join Velvet Shade, and one of them involves the game’s marriage system.
The Marriage → Divorce Method
One of the easiest and, at the same time, most annoying ways to join this sect is to use the marriage system. However, for that you do need another player to do this with. Here is how it works:
- Select another player and initiate a partnership
- Take a vow at Crimson Cliff by speaking to Shi Yimo
- Speak to Shi Yimo again to divorce your partner
- Wait through the 24-hour cooldown period
- After the cooldown, you should receive an invitation from the Velvet Shade sect
If the invitation does not appear, remarrying another player should trigger it. Yes… it is strange, but it currently appears to be intentional. Since the sect decided to go against getting married, it seems that divorcing is an entry requirement.
What About Elegance Points?
There is another way to unlock Velvet Shade and it is by stacking Elegance Points. This simply involves equipping as many cosmetics as possible until an invitation appears.
To raise your Elegance Points, you want to head to your appearance menu, and equip as many cosmetics as you can in every slot. Each cosmetic will contribute to your overall total Elegance score. Some cosmetics have a higher value than others, so keep swapping until you find those who raise it higher. Paid cosmetics do tend to give you more. The threshold seems to be between 2000 and 4000 Elegance Points in total. After that, you need to wait for the invitation letter.
With Version 1.1.0 “Timeless Bonds” now available, you can start working toward unlocking Velvet Shade immediately. Even if the joining method is definitely unconventional, the sect’s unique identity and lore already make it one of the best additions in the update.
As always with Where Winds Meet, secrets tend to reveal themselves slowly, and Velvet Shade feels very “on-brand” in that regard.
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