TITLE: "The Third Challenge of Dun'ilsar"
SUBMITTED: On the 13th day of the 12th month.
AUTHOR: Marcus Antonius, Toisech of the Brotherhood of Independents
(76th day of autumn in the 614th year of the Ascendancy)
Glory to the Clans!
For the third Dun'ilsar the Brotherhood of Independents challenged
E'las Loth'mon Ferindril to an arena battle and a money hunt.
Needless to say, as planned, ELF picked the money hunt.
Unfortunately ELF agreed to Sunday at 10pm
PST and thought they had agreed to Saturday at that time - BoI
scrambled to accomodate, but was unable to locate any clan healers
in time. As it was both sides were able to make a good turnout
on Sunday at the appointed time in the Inn of the Purple Tor.
7 ELF members showed up to attempt to face
down 8 members of the BoI. MarkusWelby served to hold our purses
while we hunted.
At 11 minutes after the hour both clans left
the Inn and headed east with some members splitting off to hunt
solo, and others racing ahead. We ran past stunned exiles in the
east field and strangely enough both clans ended up at the north
pass.
Some of BoI stayed in the passes and Greymyr
Village, while some hunted solo or harassed ELF. Cygnus in particular
helped delay ELF in rescuing Miltiades in the East Forest despite
Chum giving away his location.
Tara, strangely enough, tried to solo a few
Wendeckas and apparantly an Orga Berzerk. Devil found time to
dance in a Night Wendy's Entrails.
With about 5 minutes left both clans started
to head back to the Inn.
On returning to the Inn congratulations and
condolences were offered as BoI easily defeated ELF with 1597
coins to ELF's 487. A good effort from both clans.
Next week: Rising Claw is expected to challenge
the Brotherhood of Independents.
Marcus Antonius and Wisher would like to dedicate
our efforts in this challenge to Da'heb Shaar.
Dun'ilsar is a weekly clan competition formed
to promote friendly rivalry and interaction between the clans
of Puddleby. Currently only the Brotherhood of Independents,
the Clan of the Rising Claw, and E'las Loth'mon Ferindril have
stepped forward to defend the honor of their clans. Those interested
in finding out more or having their clan join should look at the
scrolls.
TITLE: Merlisk's Quest for a Sunstone
SUBMITTED: The 12th day of the 12th month
AUTHOR: Merlisk
What a day. I decided to help and heal a few in the hive, but to my surprise, I found myself participating in an assault on the Queen's Room! Wow! We were in the first wave and were continuously assaulted by the Queen's personal guards.
While engaged in this terrible battle, Pauly said something that stuck with me "one of you could sunstone for help." Hmmm....I've heard about these miraculous stones that transmit thoughts, but I never could acquire one. Later, while severely crushed by the Queen Myrm, I thought more about this.
After a daring rescue by Polerand and Sassy (amongst many others! - special thanks to Malkor), I decided to join a brave group of adventures. Kclepi, Blade X, Ziff Rengar, Lumpy, and I set out on an adventure to the heart of the Wendecka land. With Greymyrs stalking our every move, we traveled for days, only resting while taking turns sleeping.
Several of them fell to the pounding fists of the Wendeckas, but my humble healing skills was enough to bring them back. It was an arduous but rewarding adventure. After what seemed like an eternity, I collected enough for a sunstone (with multiple generous donations by all involved!) But, could we make the adventure to find a sunstone? After wandering the Tanglewood, we finally found Elendil Fa'ril hidden behind a beautiful and ancient tree. I bargained hard, but I was unable to get a sunstone for less than 1540 coins. By the Ancients, I could barely afford it, but I willingly paid the price!
So to all fellow exiles, I can only say that you must follow your dreams. Make many friends along the way because they are the true measure of your worth.
Take care. Risk all but be wise.
I've noticed that many of you fighters have
not been sharing your healers. So in this article I enclose
two messages:
To fighters: Please share your healers. It's
practically the only way we get exp, and you get a 1% bonus
for each healer you share.
To healers: Do like I and many others do and
give the sharing precedence. It seems like this is the only
way fighters are going to learn.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Greetings and Salutations,
I am writing this to you for your entertainment. Yesterday while entertaining a small crowd in town square, by pretending to be a Greymyr, I was turned into a slug by Mai, I believe. As you can see in the pictures, which were not altered, I was infact a slug. I was quite confused at first not knowing what was happening, but I quickly made the best of it and continued entertaining the crowd. Contrary to what Drew said I was quite content being a slug, even if I couldn't speak. After a short while I, regretfully, turned back to normal, and finally got paid a coin for my "show". Ultimately it was a most interesting day
----Forgoten your local jester
I am dictating
this to a human scribe, as we People have little patience for
writing. This is being written for the benefit of other weak-minded
races who rely on such things to remember their tales of note.
As an exile, I have had many adventures. Here
I tell of two rescues and a nightmare.
I fell asleep one evening, with a full belly.
Perhaps too full. Or it is possible the Starbuck liver I had dined
on earlier did not agree with me. Whatever the case, I had a terrible,
terrible dream. It began with shouts of Unicorns and Drakes surrounding
Puddleby. I woke, or so I thought in my dream, only to find the
town jammed with exiles, many more than I have ever seen before
in one place. I skirted the crowd. Many people shouted, and more
were using their mystical sun stones to communicate their thoughts
to others. It was a torrent that left me reeling. Then the nightmare
truly began.
Stone fists grew out of the ground and drew
us to an awful place (as you can see here in this drawing). There
beings of tremendous power slew us one by one. It was all the
more terrifying to be caught in a spell of lassitude. Everything
moved in slow motion. Soon it seemed we were doomed to bleed forever
in this pit of damnation, when in the manner of dreams we all
stood again, healthy and hale. Unfortunately the spell of slowness
was still in effect. One by one we fell to the huge claws of our
attackers. I felt the pain of my wounds as if they were real.
Eventually, the nightmare ended. When I awoke,
I felt quite edified by the dream. I am certain never to venture
into such an abyss.
Disturbed by my dream, I awoke and wandered
far to the east, where I rarely go alone. I found the mountains
and turned south, soon discovering a wide avenue to the east that
lead into the mountains. I was later told this is the South Pass,
but at that time I was lost. Many creatures were there, most dire
a great flock of Bloodhawks which harried me mercilessly. In my
wandering I spotted a fallen exile, Kclepi. I heard a shout for
Skye, and I could only imagine that the noble Skye had also fallen.
Concerned, I tried to rescue them immediately, but was quickly
chased back to Puddleby.
There I recruited a team of rescuers. Unfortunately,
I was the only healer among them. I must admit I neglect my study
of the healing arts, which made this situation even less ideal.
With proper tactics, however, I was certain a rescue could be
made. We would need to run, eschew combat, and upon arriving at
Skye's side, I would have to heal him quickly while others distracted
the creatures in the area.
Unfortunately,
it proved impossible to restrain the members of my rescue team
from engaging creatures in combat. By the time we reached the
mountains, accompanied by Kclepi who had been raised, Ard Ri who
served well as a "sweeper," making sure he was last
of the rescue party as we travelled (preventing stragglers), and
the doughty but somewhat hare-brained Ananna, we had already fought
much. Time was passing, and I couldn't help but think of the noble
Skye, mortally wounded and passing the time by watching the clouds
go by. Entering the mountains, we continued to fight, despite
the entreaties of wiser rescuers, and when we reached the stony
valley where Skye had fallen, almost all of us had a number of
wounds.
The inevitable happened. One by one, we fell
to Wendeckas and Night Wendeckas. I was set upon while attempting
to heal Skye's many wounds and was finally struck down. There
we lay, staring at the clouds. What should we do, we wondered?
Then, wonder of wonders, the Stag appeared.
I have provided his likeness here. He was accompanied by a strange
lion, which seemed to attack Wendeckas, as pictured, with his
mighty claws. After much running to and fro, the Stag eventually
healed the wounds of some of the fallen. That plus the arrival
of other rescuers turned the balance, and we managed to escape
the mountains and return to Puddleby.
Later that
day, a strange thing happened. Some sort of self-proclaimed wizard
appeared in Puddleby. He declared he was seeking Martlett. His
touch was deadly, and he felled many in his search. Eventually
he found Martlet and made off with him, along with two other exiles.
Soon he reported, via his sun stone, that he was in an area he'd
never seen before. It wasn't long before I'd gathered a hunting
party: if Martlet had been taken away from us, we would regain
him! In the meantime, I exchanged hard thoughts with Qual, and
soon found myself...transformed. Much to my embarrassment, I could
not speak, except to say "glub glub." Luckily, this
transformation was short-lived.
Hearing from Martlet that a beach he had found
was obviously on the west side of an island, I lead a small team
of hunters to the south beach area, in the hopes that we might
be able to find him. Luckily, Martlet and his fellow kidnappees
found their own way out of their predicament, appearing out of
the rocks just as we arrived. Unfortunately, we could not find
a way to travel south.
My human scribe appears tired, so I will end
this tale of a nightmare and two rescues. There are some lessons
here to be learned, however. When rescuing, avoid fighting unless
there is plenty of healing available! Meddle in the affairs of
the powerful at your own risk! And finally: there is nothing on
this island that our concerted effort cannot affect. When many
said "why search for Martlet?" a few brave souls
stepped forward to assist. This assertiveness is the soul of adventuring...and
I am certain it is this spirit that will in the end save us all.
Arod, Healer of Puddleby
Yes, I know the headline is odd, but it
will make sense in a minute. (I hope.)
It is my belief that the undine and the darshaks
are working together.
Couldn't fathom that? Lemme say it again:
It is my belief that the undine and the darshaks
are working together.
Think about it. First off, Wiktus at regular
times has darshaks in his hut. My theory there is that he is getting
shipment. The Ancients, in texts available to the public, have
already acknowledged the darshaks' slaves. Hmm, I wonder what
those slaves are making?...
Second, the undine are practically invulnerable.
It takes a really experienced fighter to defeat a corpse warrior.
Hooded are not much easier. Who wouldn't want that kinda force
as their ally?
Third, those aforementioned weapons could be
very beneficial to the undine. Currently, they're unarmed, and
attack by brute force (of which they have much). With a sword
or something in hand, an undine could rip thru you like
a hot knife thru butter.
And fourth, have you ever seen the secret passageways
that go from the Dark Temple to the Darshak Horde and Outpost?
Would enemies have something like that - marked, no less
- to find their way from one side's camp to the other, that
both sides knew about (the marking ARE prominent)?
It takes no genius to figure out from the above
evidence that the term Undarshaks is most likely well-founded.
If true, we had better hope that blacksmith being built
in North Puddleby comes soon, for we'll need every able-bodied
person and sharp weapon we can muster.
Greetings fellow clanners!
As many of you who know me might have noticed,
I've recently started a business. The philosophy is simple:
to provide quality service and fine goods from hard to reach places.
I'd much rather brave Tangle Wood myself than give directions
to some poor fellow only to see him fall and depart a few times
before reaching his goal.
In the few days that I've been practicing this
trade, however, I've noted a few things that are missing in our
good old Puddleby, and a few reactions that suggest some explanations
are in order.
First of all, ever since I've started the business,
I've been feeling like a shady dealer, selling on the fly from
his pack. I'd love to be able to rent a stall in a marketplace
and display my wares, rather than walk around town and selling
from my pack. Alas, that is not an option currently, but
I hope the powers that be in Puddleby consider the suggestion
for a marketplace. I would be willing to pay a fair price
for renting a stall. The Purple Tor Inn seems to have made
a successful business out of renting private rooms, so it can
be done.
Second, I should clarify my position and philosophy
as a merchant.
I am a fashion merchant, not an arms dealer.
I deal in things pleasant to the eye, not in those meant to pry
it out of unsuspecting orgas. Although I carry an axe and
am quite capable of defending myself, I do not sell them.
So if you want to buy weapons, go find somebody else. On
the other hand, if you want a custom tailored pair of brilliant
gold pants, or a lavish green velvet skirt, I'm your man.
There has been some outcry from people about
my asking prices. "That's an exorbitant markup!"
- they cry. "I can get those for much less from <insert
favorite clothes seller location here>" - they say.
Well, you're more than welcome to go there and get them.
And if you manage to stay alive through the whole process, more
power to you. But I have to make some profit for my troubles.
I've worked hard to be skilled enough to obtain some of these
clothes, and to be strong enough to survive the trip for procuring
some others.
Besides, those asking prices are just that
- _asking_ prices. You're free to bargain. Go ahead.
Make an offer and I might meet you half way. Tell me the
sap story of the recently deceased aunt whose funeral absolutely
requires formal gold attire, and I might give you a discount if
you're convincing enough. My pricing structure is very flexible.
I give bulk and repeat customer discounts. So if you're
buying a complete set of pants, or if you bought something from
me before, you'll almost certainly get a discount. Also,
I tend to be more likely to offer a discount to those with a good
reputation. And if your reputation is very good, I'd probably
consider a financing option. The bottom line is, learn to
bargain. This is a bazaar, not an imperial store.
On top of that, I sell more than just clothes.
I sell service and quality, with an eye for fashion. I only
use the finest fabrics and the best tailors. I will make
sure those pants fit you just right, and have them adjusted
if necessary. If you're trustworthy enough, I'll let you
try them on before you buy. And I always carry the widest
possible selection, so you can choose the ones that suit you best.
On a related note, I've also noticed that many
people are displeased with the sales tax. Rejoice!
It means that Puddleby is getting organized enough to rob you
legally. =)
Besides, where do you think the money for all
those nifty public buildings and stone city walls came from?
Those workers have to be paid, you know? Now if they could
only get the construction crews working on that marketplace project
...
Yes, people have a tendency to practice tax
evasion by selling at 0 coins over the counter, and then receiving
the money after in secret. I've done it, too. However,
there are risks involved. The customer might walk away without
ever paying. Sure, you can curse them out, and you can ruin
their reputation, but most won't care. So if you have any
reason not to trust the person, or are not willing to risk loosing
your investment, don't evade the tax. Also, there might
be a thief standing by. If you sell at 0, he or she will
be more than happy to take the item off your hands before your
customer has a chance to grab it. If you sell at full price,
however, they most likely won't bother. In the worst case,
you customer will not get their item, but you still get the money.
And most of the time you can always get another item.
Well, I hope this has been helpful to some,
clarifying for others, and an utter bore to at least a few.
I hope to see you all in Puddleby, doing well and eager to enlarge
your wardrobe.
Cheers,
Dah'eb Shaar
Healer to the Stars and
Merchant of Fine Wares