Anniversary

Every year, EverQuest has an Anniversary Celebration to commemorate the March 16, 1999 launch of EQ. It now begins in late February and has staggered content for several months.

While there are a bunch of events, the important ones are the anniversary quests. The anniversary quests are available only during the celebration each year.

In addition, there are Fabled monsters and Fabled loot that will only be around for a short time.

For 2016, the 17th Anniversary events began on February 24th with the quest "War Games". Further events went live in March and April. It ended on June 8.

17th anniversary (2016)
For 2016, the 17th Anniversary events began on February 24th with the quest "War Games". Further events went live in March and April. It ended on June 8.

Daybreak announced some new things for the 17th Anniversary.

Extension
"'The end date on the Player Designed Missions' anniversary events has been extended 2 weeks to June 8th.' &mdash; Hotfix Notes: May 24, 2016" It is unclear exactly which missions this refers to, but it was assumed to mean the 14th, 15th, & 16th Anniversary Player-Designed Missions.

Quests

 * Allakhazam's anniversary quest list

You can examine your completed and uncompleted anniversary tasks by using the Achievements window (/ach or Shift-M) under EverQuest > Special.

The Plane of Knowledge has an anniversary quest NPC, the Mechanical Fortune Teller. She will give you information to get the quests for anniversary years five through seventeen.

Fifth anniversary

 * Fifth Anniversary Scavenger Hunt - This quest starts in each home city. The reward is one of five varieties of Staff of Endless Adventure (clicky graphics effect) dependent on your character's creation date (e.g., March 2000 and before yields the Nagafen version), with each year casting a different fireworks display to celebrate EverQuest's fifth anniversary.

Sixth anniversary

 * Sixth Anniversary Scavenger Hunt - This quest is given by Sarvil Amberstone in the Dreadlands, located near the wizard and druid portals, or by Nilvara Rishal in Firiona Vie at 787.87, -1974.70, 143.10, just outside the elven faction outpost.  The reward is Dusty Ceremonial Elixir of Scholarship, an experience potion.  This quest can only be done once per character.

Seventh anniversary

 * Seventh Anniversary Scavenger Hunt (Dragons) - Reward is Draconic Cane of the Everlasting with clicky graphics effect.
 * Seventh Anniversary Scavenger Hunt (Dwarves) - Reward is Coldain Pikestaff of the Steadfast with clicky graphics effect.
 * Seventh Anniversary Scavenger Hunt (Giants - Reward is Kromzekian Walking Stick of Allegiance with clicky graphics effect.

Eighth anniversary

 * Eighth Anniversary Scavenger Hunt - Reward is Lunar Fungus, a Sporali familiar with water breathing effect.

Ninth anniversary

 * Ninth Anniversary Scavenger Hunt - Reward is Brick of Knowledge, a device which can port you to the Plane of Knowledge once every 20 hours.

Tenth anniversary

 * See also: Dragons, Dragons, Dragons!.

Tenth Anniversary: Deity Favors - 16 tasks. Upon completing all 16 tasks you receive (in addition to their numerous individual rewards) the title "Favored of the Gods" and Shiny New [Class I Collapsable Roboboar] mount.

Each Deity Favors task offers the reward of Celebratory Fireworks Caster, some platinum, and the choice of one of seven different potions. In addition, you are offered an experience potion (it is believed that repeating a quest will not get you the experience potion again).

Each quest also offers a Fireworks focus. You only get one no matter how many quests you do, but for each quest you do you get the ability to change the focus to the one from the quest by using the effect.

Eleventh anniversary

 * Gifts of Steel - Solo quest. Reward is an AC augment.  If you shroud down you can do it several times for several augments.
 * Stealing My Life Back - Group quest. Reward is a chest containing a random item.

Twelfth anniversary

 * Hunt of the Shards - Solo quest. Reward is Glowing Lena Fete Rune.
 * Infiltrating the Guardian - Group quest.
 * The Short Circuit - Optional side task in the Mechamatic Guardian anniversary instance for "Infiltrating the Guardian".
 * The Mechamatic Guardian - This is not a quest but attacking The Mechamatic Guardian is required to complete Parts is Parts and Maximum Capacity. Note that someone on your server must first do one of the Infiltrating the Guardian quests (above) to spawn the Mechamatic Guardian.
 * Parts is Parts and Maximum Capacity - New paired solo quests for 12th Anniversary. The Mechamatic Guardian must brought to 80% HP to complete Parts is Parts and be brought to 10% HP to complete Maximum Capacity.

Thirteenth anniversary

 * EQ Resource 13th Anniversary Quests Overview
 * Allakhazam - Sam Napth quests

Sam Napth, a Halfling in the Plane of Knowledge at about -215, -90, -155 (next to the Soulbinder) gives out the quests. Completing all the solo, shared (1-6 players), and group (3-6 players, mercs count) tasks grants you an achievement and the Satchel of the Superstitious.

Solo


 * A Cat-tastrophe
 * Improper Boating Attire
 * Lucky 13
 * Music For a Weary Soul
 * Not For the Rabbit
 * Spider's Bite
 * The Lady of Elks

Shared


 * Breaking Mirrors
 * Ferocious Feralings - Reward is Sweetcookie's Special Pie. You can also get the title "Feraling Feeder" if you complete an achievement during the quest.
 * Responsible Mining
 * Rumor Has It
 * Step on a Crack

Group


 * A Different Perspective
 * Summoning the Master

Fourteenth anniversary

 * EQ Resource 14th Anniversary Quests Overview


 * Evil Eye Operative
 * Huckle Thornleaf is the last remaining member of a covert task force whose sole focus was to gather intelligence on Xorbb's army. Alone in the woods, Huckle is bound by honor to remain at his post, but worries for the safety of his comrades who he believes were captured by Xorbb's minions. Luckily, Huckle has a plan, and it involves you using the guise of an evil eye to infiltrate Xorbb's stronghold and rescue the remaining task force members.


 * Ogres at the Gates
 * This is an easy to do solo mission needed to request or zone into Big Gnomes, Big Problems.
 * Big Gnomes, Big Problems (requires Ogres at the Gates to be completed to request and zone in)
 * Giant skeletons have started attacking the gates of Ak'anon, and threaten to crush the small gnome army defending it. Join the resistance and help them not only stop the giant skeleton invasion, but uncover who's behind it all. Gnomish inventors will aid you in your mission, granting you boons like super-size, a flamethrower, and a top-secret bunny disguise. Best of all, the mission is level-agnostic, allowing characters of any level play through it together without the use of shrouds.


 * Piestro's Day Off
 * Piestro was enjoying a day off wandering about the Great Divide, when the designers contacted him and gave him some alarming news: Bristlebane is making a huge stink about how the developers haven't paid him any attention lately, so he kidnapped one of them and stashed them away in the Plane of Mischief.


 * The design team has asked Piestro to find some brave adventurers to rescue the captured developer. You will have to play by Bristlebane's rules in his realm, however, and become one of his wacky minions. What tricks does Bristlebane have in store for you and your fellow adventurers? There is only one way to find out; enter the Plane of Mischief and try to keep your wits about you!


 * Surviving Xmiticzin
 * A necromancer by the name of Xmiticzin has obtained a larger piece of a Cazic's shard, and gained control over the artifact vault in Chapterhouse of the Fist. The Harbingers want his shard as part of their mission to revive Cazic Thule. Unfortunately, he has barricaded himself inside the vault and forces anyone trying to reach him to play demented games. In order to reach him, you'll have to get through his games alive.


 * Be True - Be False
 * To Thine Own Creator... Be True
 * To Thine Own Creator... Be False
 * Choose to either work with the minions of the First Creation in Convorteum to discover which of his creations has become a traitor, or to overthrow his tyrannical rule! (you can do both, but they share a 6 hour lockout timer)

Rewards

Each fourteenth anniversary mission (except for Ogres at the Gates) has a reward chest. The items in the chests, according to EQ Resource, are Tier 2 Rain of Fear equivalent gear, as well as an augmentation. Experience is a choice of around 2-3% Regular each or 4-5 AA each.

The augmentations are:


 * Blue Stone of Power
 * Green Stone of Power
 * Red Stone of Power
 * White Stone of Power
 * Yellow Stone of Power

You can only have one Stone of Power (Lore Group: Stones of Power).

Fifteenth anniversary

 * EQ Resource: 15th Anniversary Quests Overview

Each fifteenth anniversary quest rewards you with five Commemorative Coin upon completion (repeatable). Commemorative coins can purchase items from a jubilant merchant (Special Celebratory Goods).

The Plane of War

 * Allakhazam: War Games
 * EQ Resource: War Games

The Plane of War 15th anniversary group mission is called War Games. You obtain it by speaking to Commander Gorok in the Plane of Tranquility. It is designed for players level 65 and up. It will scale in difficultly and reward based on the level of those in the mission.

The loot chest should contain one of the following items. These items are all Lore Group: Lesser Remnants of War, which means you can only have one of the five.
 * Bloodied Brawn Stone
 * Chipped Stone of Starfall
 * Essence of the Bear Spirit
 * Fragment of Purethought
 * Rune of the Nimble

There is also an illusion item with AC. This item is intended to be in the chest every time.
 * Bloodmetal Inlaid Gnollish Totem - Note this will be made No Trade and Lore soon. It changes the user into a Gnoll and casts another spell that offers some AC.

If you turn the Totem in to Yaldu Bwor (the Gnoll shroud NPC in Plane of Knowledge), this will unlock five Gnoll Shrouds to use, as you level these shrouds the AC buff on the Totem Clicky will gain in power, at max rank it is 173 ac at level 100. This AC buff stacks with all other AC buffs.

Should you complete the mission with a "high score" you will be granted a bonus title "Dog of War".

SOE teaser info:
 * SOE Official Forum Post "The Long-Hidden Plane of War Beckons to You with Eternal Battle"
 * SOE Official Forum Post "The Long-Hidden Plane of War Beckons to You with Eternal Battle" (additional post)

Player-designed missions

 * A Ranger's Tale - A ranger, Fen Sightwell, has arrived in East Karana, chasing a storm dragon. In his encounter with the dragon, he was struck down, and his magical bow was broken and tossed into the wilderness. Sarissa in the Plane of Knowledge hopes that you will be able to retrieve and repair the bow in order to destroy the dragon once and for all.
 * This is a mission for players that are level 65 and higher.
 * Reward: Bottled Essence of Vex - Effect: Lightning Breath


 * Defending Knowledge - Armies from the chaotic planes are attempting to launch an assault on the Plane of Knowledge, by leading assaults through the Plane of Tranquility to the Plane of Knowledge book. Bjerg Sen the Tranquil has sent out a call for adventurers to travel to the Plane of Tranquility to defend the portal. Will you do your part and defend the Plane of Knowledge from those that would seek to conquer it?
 * This is a mission for players that are level 75 and higher.
 * Reward: Miniature Horn of Unity


 * Magically Delicious - Jimothy the Delicious (a walking, talking gingerbread man) is in Plane of Knowledge, looking for someone to create sweets, treats, and a bouquet of flowers in order to help a lovelorn druid attract the affection of her love interest.
 * This is a quest for players that are level 80 and higher.
 * Reward: Familiar Jimothy Junior - A familiar that reduces food and drink consumption by 50%.


 * Sprucing Up Shakey - Reebo Leafsway has ventured to the Plane of Knowledge in search of adventurers willing to risk life and limb to fetch some new stuffing for Shakey the Scarecrow. According to rumor, the Miller's farm in West Karana is filled with Ethernere-enchanted dirt that can grow special crops, but it'll take a harvester of the wee'est proportions to till that special soil! It's up to the players to re-create an EverQuest classic harvester and spruce up Shakey.
 * This is a mission for players that are level 65 and higher.
 * Rewards: Big Belt of the River and Wee'er Harvester


 * What Happens In Neriak... - Sayden G`Noir is looking for help in Nektulos Forest. A diplomatic crisis is brewing in Neriak! Someone has stolen sensitive documents from Ambassador Rylan, and they must be recovered before their contents become public knowledge. Will you return the documents to the Ambassador, or use them for leverage in true Neriak fashion? Sayden G'Noir in Nektulos Forest seeks your help.
 * This is a quest for players that are level 75 and higher.
 * Reward: Diplomatic Papers

Sixteenth anniversary
Seven quests have been added for the sixteenth anniversary.

Each quest rewards you with some Commemorative Coin upon completion (repeatable). Commemorative coins can purchase items from a jubilant merchant (Special Celebratory Goods).

Each of the quests will also give a bonus reward item for completing an extra step.


 * Belle of the Ball (Allakhazam, EQ Resource) - Bonus reward: Metamorph Totem: Speckled Hare.
 * Cleansing the Ground (Allakhazam, EQ Resource) - Bonus reward: Cleansing Rod.
 * Dead Dragons (Allakhazam, EQ Resource) - Bonus reward: Necromantic Dragon Bone.
 * Korucust's Royal Pain (Allakhazam, EQ Resource) - Bonus reward: Sarnak Seneschal Mask.
 * Liquid Courage (Allakhazam, EQ Resource) - Bonus reward: Golden Helm of Rallos Zek trophy.
 * Pirates of Timorous Deep (Allakhazam, EQ Resource) - Bonus reward: Shimmering Black Pearl.
 * Pub Crawl (Allakhazam, EQ Resource) - Bonus reward: Drunkard's Stein.

Seventeenth anniversary
The seventeenth anniversary adds a drunken gnome race.

Get a new gnome character, find Tipsy Teena in Ak`anon, and join us for a drunken gnome race of WHATEVER server you play on!

This event starts a few times each day! Server-wide messages will go out prior to each race, so you always have a chance to join if you want.


 * Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays this event starts at 3AM PDT, 9AM PDT, 3PM PDT and 9PM PDT
 * Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays this event starts at 12AM (midnight) PDT, 6AM PDT, 12PM (noon), PDT and 6PM PDT.

The reward for being one of the first players to complete the drunken gnome race is YOUR CHOICE of a piece of Tipsy Gnomework Hero’s Forge Ornaments.

In addition, a fabled Legacy of Ykesha group/raid event, Hate’s Fury: Seventeen Pieces of Silver.

Raids

 * See also: Dragons, Dragons, Dragons!

Eleventh anniversary
 * Steel Behemoths - The reward is your choice of several items. The raid can be repeated (69 hour lockout) to gain more of the items.

Thirteenth anniversary
 * Anniversary Raid: Tower of Frozen Shadow

Fifteenth anniversary
 * Main article: The Plane of War > Raid

On May 12, 2014, SOE announced this raid will be permanently added to the game.
 * Anniversary Raid: The Plane of War

Seventeenth anniversary

Hate’s Fury: Seventeen Pieces of Silver raid:

Hate's Fury Sails Again

For our 17th Anniversary, we've added a hybrid event to Norrath called “Hate’s Fury: Seventeen Pieces of Silver.” Krasnok's ship, Hate's Fury: The Scorned Maiden, has set sail once again, and this time he's got friends. Sixteen of them, in fact. Each of them will give a reward of Commemorative Coins, and if you defeat all of the crew members, you can unlock the door to Krasnok's cabin and face the Captain (#17!) himself for raid-quality rewards.

Krasnok’s 16 new officers will offer a challenge for groups of level 105 adventurers. Each carries a Commemorative Coin as a reward for defeating them. If you can overpower all of them you will be able to unlock the door to Krasnok's cabin and face the Captain himself! To battle him, however, you will need a raid of level 105 characters. Defeating Captain Krasnok will result in raid-quality rewards.

Dragons, Dragons, Dragons!
Dragons, Dragons, Dragons! is both a group quest and a raid. If you form a raid, you get the raid version. It can appear at various times of the year. It first appeared during the 10th Anniversary.

The reward is two augments. One is Gold Plated Contact Spring Model ____, which fits most slots and the other is Gold Plated Spiked Gear Model ____, which fits in the Charm slot. The model of the Charm aug that you receive depends on the credited time on your account, unlike the other model augs that are based on how far you advance in the quest.

The rewards listed as "Model ____" are rewards where the better you do on the quest, the greater the reward and the higher the model number. For example, Model XX (twenty) is better then Model XIX (nineteen). You can not have two of the same name but of different models. You can destroy them and at any time just request new ones from Distribution Facilitator XCV in the Plane of Knowledge, who will always give you the highest models you are entitled to.

Items
Here are some useful items that my be obtained only during the anniversaries.


 * Allakhazam: Search "fabled"
 * EQItems: Search "fabled"

Fabled mob drops


 * Fabled Ball of Golem Clay - Has Mitigate Melee Damage by 5%, 84925 total, and procs snare.
 * Fabled Journeyman's Boots - Obtained as a drop from The Fabled Drelzna. Speed equal to Run5 AA (normal Journeyman's Boots are slower).

Quest items
 * Glowing Lena Fete Rune - Obtained through the Anniversary Solo Task: Hunt of the Shards.
 * Hardened Steel Spur - Possible chest loot from twelfth anniversary mission Infiltrating the Guardian.
 * Ring of the Ancients - Effect: Shrink - Obtained through the Anniversary Shared Task: Rumor Has It.
 * Satchel of the Superstitious - Obtained by completing all the 13th anniversary shared and group tasks.

Celebratory goods
Nine merchants of "Celebratory Goods" appear in the Plane of Knowledge during anniversary who give away and sell party food, drink, and fireworks, as well as a few unusual items.

Commemorative Coins
Beginning with the fifteenth anniversary quests, completing quests reward you with some Commemorative Coin. Commemorative coins can purchase items from a jubilant merchant (Special Celebratory Goods).


 * Bold Blowfish: 5 Commemorative Coins
 * Bread of Bravado: 5 Commemorative Coins
 * Brilliant Peony: 1 Commemorative Coin
 * Celeste Starburst: 1 Commemorative Coin
 * Citrine Strobe: 1 Commemorative Coin
 * Courageous Casserole: 5 Commemorative Coins
 * Fireworks Familiar: 50 Commemorative Coins
 * Golden Palm: 1 Commemorative Coin
 * Magnificent Merlot: 5 Commemorative Coins
 * Resplendent Rucksack: 500 Commemorative Coins
 * Salubrious Smoothie: 5 Commemorative Coins
 * Satchel of Celebration: 700 Commemorative Coins
 * Shadow Prowler Saddle: 1000 Commemorative Coins
 * Spirited Stout: 5 Commemorative Coins
 * Stalwart Stew: 5 Commemorative Coins

13th Anniversary (2012)
We're celebrating EverQuest's 13th birthday! Beginning at 12:01 AM PDT on Friday, March 16, 2012, we will be launching EverQuest Free to Play. Your Way. This year we are combining it with one of the most exciting things to happen in the history of EQ. Mark your calendars and get ready for one huge celebration, with 13th Anniversary events and the transition to free-to-play both coming on March 16!

To celebrate EverQuest’s 13th birthday, players will be able to embark on anniversary missions and quests. Stop by the Plane of Knowledge to join the celebration. Just look for the festive anniversary décor to get started.

There are thirteen new themed quests, including a spectacular mission as some of the greatest villains of EverQuest, a raid to stop a familiar face from gaining ultimate power, and over 40 events from past anniversaries.

In addition, there will be some bonus xp and increased rare spawn rates. It appears that the bonus xp will be an additional 30% and that both the bonus xp and rare spawn rate increase will be from 3/16/2012 through 3/31/2012.

The 13th anniversary events this year [2012] last for 13 weeks. The older events should last 1 month. The usual reason for the extension is when there are gating [sic] bugs. Those were fixed for previous ones. We of course hope we have none for the new ones.

14th Anniversary (2013)

 * SOE EverQuest Community News: Get Ready to Celebrate EverQuest’s 14th Anniversary

14th Anniversary - New missions, many created with player help at SOE Live 2012, are available starting March 15th, 2013, and lasting an additional month, through May 26th through June 26, 2013. The Mechanical Fortune Teller in the Plane of Knowledge will be happy to help players locate quest givers for the new quests.

The 2013 EQ 14th Anniversary Celebration began on Friday, March 15, 2013 and ran until April 26. The new 2013 anniversary quests ran until May 26 June 26 July 26.

On March 16th, EverQuest is turning 14 and we have a few cool things to share with you.

At SOE Live in Las Vegas last October, we had a “Design a Mission” panel where we divided everyone up in smaller groups to work with a Designer on the EverQuest team. The goal of that panel was to have everyone participate in designing a mission that could be experienced by players of varying levels. We have had this panel in past years and the hope has always been to put them into game quickly for everyone to play. We’ve succeeded at times but other times, it takes us a while to fit them into our schedule. I’m happy to inform you that we will be launching several of these player-designed missions during our March Game Update to help celebrate our 14th Anniversary.

A couple years ago, we had an intern join our team and at one point, we let him work on some content just to fill out his remaining schedule and to see what he could do. Well, the content that he created was full of nostalgic Class-specific connections into the world of EverQuest. Some time ago, we placed a few of these missions on the test server for players to run through and they received rave reviews. So without further delay and after the Anniversary Game Update, anyone that has finished their Epic quest for 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0, will be able to test their knowledge and skills by traveling to historic locations in Norrath to earn an Epic Weapon Ornamentation to use on another weapon. We will reveal more information soon, but how can you argue against the ability to Burn Down Freeport and get rewarded for it?! J

Tradeskillers, you’ll be happy to hear that we will be putting in some new recipes to create some Hero’s Forge Armor in March. We have several new animal-themed hats that will immediately take your thoughts to the famous Barbarian Polar Bear hats in Everfrost. Norrathians can find all the items for the recipe but they will need help from their fellow Tradeskillers in order to receive the final product.

We’ll also turn on all past Anniversary events so mark the calendar for cool events to kick-off in two weeks!

For 2013, in addition to the anniversary events, the following special events were added:


 * March 8, 2013 – March 17, 2013: Rare Mobs and Faction Gains/Losses will be dramatically increased.
 * March 11, 2013 – March 17, 2013: Lockout Timers will be reduced by 30%.
 * March 15, 2013 – March 17, 2013: It's Double XP time!

Problems, extending date Here's the scoop:

Past years' anniversary events will still be ending on April 26th. The content that is specific to the 14th anniversary had been scheduled to end on May 26. It will be pushed out to June 26.

Technically Piestro's Day Off and Big Gnomes Big Problems should not be currently available. However there is a potential issue that could have caused them to re-appear. Piestro's Day Off will return with the Shadow of Fear patch with significant changes to improve the overall quality of the mission. We don't have an exact date for Big Gnomes yet, as there are a few minor issues we'd like to address with that mission.

I hope that clarifies everything,

Hey guys,

My apologies for not keeping you better informed while we work out the issues with this mission. As most of you know, the mission was disabled due to technical issues. It took some time (and some intensive code browsing) to uncover exactly what was causing the problem, but we believe we've found the offending bits and solved them.

I tested a new version of the mission on Friday and it seems to be working within acceptable parameters (aka not stealing CPU power from the rest of the server). It is going to QA today for stress-testing, and if it passes inspection, we'll be pushing it to the test server first, then live servers if it works well there.

I don't have an ETA currently, but we're optimistic it will be back soon (tm). We know that it is a big problem (get it?) that this mission is not currently active, and getting it back on live is one of our top priorities atm.

EDIT: I should also note that a few of the mechanics have changed in the mission as a result of these tunings. They should all be accompanied by messaging in-game to help ease the transition. The biggest change is that there can only be 3 gnome skeletons at a time, and they only apply the damage debuffs to the giant skeleton that summoned them, not all skeletons within range.

In the June 19, 2013 patch, it was announced that the 14th Anniversary quests would be extended to July 26, 2013.

15th Anniversary (2014)
Beginning in 2014, SOE announced that they would begin rolling out past years events in late February, rather than beginning in March as in past anniversaries.

It began on February 26 with the release of all anniversary content offered originally between 2004 – 2008 (5th – 9th).

For 2014, the celebration began February 26 and ended June 18.


 * SOE Official forum announcement "Fabled Mobs and Anniversary Content"
 * SOE Official forum announcement "Anniversary Scavenger Hunts, Missions, and More!"
 * SOE Official forum announcement "The Return of the 14th Anniversary Player Missions!"
 * SOE Official forum announcement "Are You Ready for New Player Designed Content?"
 * SOE Official forum announcement "Are You a Challenge Worthy of a Zek?"

16th Anniversary (2015)
For 2015, the 16th Anniversary events began unannounced on February 25th with the quest "War Games". Further events went live in March and April. The 16th Anniversary events ended on June 10. Some events returned the week of June 17 and remained until July 15.

EverQuest's 16th anniversary celebration is nearly upon us! Though, it may be more accurate to say that it's already begun. You can get a head-start collecting anniversary currency by tackling the "War Games" mission in the Plane of War, which may not be a bad idea, as the (Special Celebratory Goods) vendor has a few new unique wares to offer. The main event, seven new Player-Designed Missions, kicks off on the 16th. Like the other anniversary events, these missions reward currency, but there are rumors of hidden bonus rewards if you approach the missions in a certain way or accomplish a side goal...

Extension
The 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, & 13th Anniversary Missions were affected by a bug that would send people to the wrong instance zone. As a result, Daybreak announced they would return (fixed):

We've extended the 5th-13th Anniversary Events to July 15th (7/15). They should re-enable after the June update next week [June 17].