Timed runs of the five dungeons: sigils, tiers, the week's omens, the rating and the boards.
Hourglass runs are timed runs of the Hollow Crypt, Rootdeep Warrens, the Drowned Grotto, the Cinder Forge and the Vault of the Last Lantern for heroes of level 35 and up. Ysolde Marrowglass, the Horologist, keeps the Great Hourglass on Harrowford's square and hands out sigils there. Turn a sigil in the glass and its dungeon opens at the sigil's tier under the week's omens; beat the par time and the sigil rises one to three tiers, run too slow and it drops one. Your best runs add up to a rating, each dungeon keeps a board of its ten fastest runs, and once a week the Horologist's Coffer holds an item for anyone who finished a run in time.
A monument on Harrowford's square: a stepped sandstone plinth with a marble cornice and brass rosettes, two posts under an arch, and a brass frame on its pivot holding a glass of gold sand that glows. The sand runs through in two minutes, the same moment for everyone; then the frame swings over and it runs again. Turning a sigil swings it at once in a column of sand-gold light.
A sigil names a dungeon and a tier, from 2 to 25. Ysolde Marrowglass hands one to any hero of level 35 or more who has none. After a run it moves on to another of the five dungeons; anyone in the run without a sigil of their own is given one, a tier below the holder's new one. Its colour climbs with its tier.
Turn the sigil in the Great Hourglass and its dungeon opens at the sigil's tier, for you and the members of your party within 40 metres; companions can fill the empty places. One lying fallen there is told of the run and joins it at the glass once on their feet. Monsters are level 34 + the tier, with 8% more life and damage for each tier above 2, compounding, and the week's omens on top. A ten-second count, then the sand runs.
Everyone in the run gets a cache when it ends.
Beside the glass, once a week. Finish a run in time and the coffer holds an item for you: a rare item three levels above the monster level of your best tier finished in time that week, and from tier 5 a chance (10%, 2% more a tier) of a unique instead. It fills again on Monday at 00:00 UTC.
Each run scores points: in time, ten a tier and thirty, with up to eight more the faster it was, so a tier higher always counts for more; out of time, ten a tier less one, and fifteen. Your best score in each dungeon adds up to your Hourglass rating. Each dungeon keeps a board of its ten best runs, with in-time runs first, then the higher tier, then the faster.
Monsters other than bosses have 25% more life and deal 20% more damage.
Bosses have 30% more life and deal 15% more damage.
Slain monsters burst in a ring of fire a moment after they fall.
When a monster falls, its kin within 12 metres are emboldened: 12% more damage and 10% faster, up to five times.
Monsters other than bosses seethe below 30% of their life: 40% more damage and 20% faster.
Slain monsters leave a pool of mending water for 8 seconds that heals other monsters 6% of their life a second.
Every 20 seconds the ground cracks under each hero; two seconds later it heaves, and everyone still on it loses 12% of their life and stops casting.
Heroes below 90% of their life suffer grievous wounds that bleed and deepen every 3 seconds until healed above 90%.
Rare monsters rise again as spectres.
A week runs from Monday 00:00 UTC. Each week has three omens: a run of tier 2 or more is under the first, tier 4 or more the second as well, and tier 7 or more all three. The rotation starts again after week 8.
| Week | From tier 2 | From tier 4 | From tier 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 this week |  Hardened |  Volatile |  Quaking |
| 2 this week |  Lordly |  Kindred |  Grievous |
| 3 this week | Hardened |  Mending |  Haunted |
| 4 this week | Lordly |  Seething | Quaking |
| 5 this week | Hardened | Kindred | Haunted |
| 6 this week | Lordly | Volatile | Grievous |
| 7 this week | Hardened | Seething | Grievous |
| 8 this week | Lordly | Mending | Haunted |
| Tier | Monster level | More life and damage | Omens | Sigil | Score in time | Gold in time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 36 | – | 1 | Magic | 50–58 | 460 |
| 3 | 37 | +8% | 1 | Magic | 60–68 | 540 |
| 4 | 38 | +17% | 2 | Magic | 70–78 | 620 |
| 5 | 39 | +26% | 2 | Rare | 80–88 | 700 |
| 6 | 40 | +36% | 2 | Rare | 90–98 | 780 |
| 7 | 41 | +47% | 3 | Rare | 100–108 | 860 |
| 8 | 42 | +59% | 3 | Rare | 110–118 | 940 |
| 9 | 43 | +71% | 3 | Rare | 120–128 | 1,020 |
| 10 | 44 | +85% | 3 | Unique | 130–138 | 1,100 |
| 11 | 45 | +100% | 3 | Unique | 140–148 | 1,180 |
| 12 | 46 | +116% | 3 | Unique | 150–158 | 1,260 |
| 13 | 47 | +133% | 3 | Unique | 160–168 | 1,340 |
| 14 | 48 | +152% | 3 | Unique | 170–178 | 1,420 |
| 15 | 49 | +172% | 3 | Unique | 180–188 | 1,500 |
| 16 | 50 | +194% | 3 | Unique | 190–198 | 1,580 |
| 17 | 51 | +217% | 3 | Unique | 200–208 | 1,660 |
| 18 | 52 | +243% | 3 | Unique | 210–218 | 1,740 |
| 19 | 53 | +270% | 3 | Unique | 220–228 | 1,820 |
| 20 | 54 | +300% | 3 | Unique | 230–238 | 1,900 |
| 21 | 55 | +332% | 3 | Unique | 240–248 | 1,980 |
| 22 | 56 | +366% | 3 | Unique | 250–258 | 2,060 |
| 23 | 57 | +403% | 3 | Unique | 260–268 | 2,140 |
| 24 | 58 | +444% | 3 | Unique | 270–278 | 2,220 |
| 25 | 59 | +487% | 3 | Unique | 280–288 | 2,300 |
