December 2002

From Gurney:

Greetings Citizens, Time is drawing near to the conclusion of the election. While a new governor will have been selected the other cabinet positions will still be vacant and someone must fill these positions in order for the government to function as the charter instructs. So here is the grand announcement. If you feel that you are most capable of filling the following positions. Post here with contact information that way once the winner of the election is announced, that person can see who is interested in a cabinet position. Minister of Commerce Minister of Foreign Affairs Grand Justice of Trinsic For details of each of these positions please refer to the town charter for more information. To Apply please refer to the Trinsic Community board to apply at http://www.uotrinsic.com or contact Duke Gurney by pidgeon :39206349. Interviews will be conducted by the new governor who will be announced on Jan 4th.

Hear ye, hear ye,

The 26th Meeting of the High Council of Britannia will take place this evening at 8:00 PM CST in the North Dining Room of Castle Britain on the Trammel Facet. The public is invited to bring issue forth before the High Council at the start of the meeting, and we will then move to items on the Council's agenda and from the Councilors themselves. This evening will be the first phase in a meeting process designed to make the meetings move more swiftly, and more detail will be coming at the start of the meeting -- I apologize in advance if the meeting moves a little awkwardly as this will be the first meeting such is attempted.

Thank you,


Ra'Dian Fl'Gith
Chancellor of Virtue
High Council of Britannia

From Joa'Qyyn Blade:

It is the final ruling of the High Court of the Independent City-State of Dracona, through this opinion so recorded, that in leaving trial unlawfully and prior to its conclusion, that Lady Lust, Jabbress of the Bregan D'Aerth, admits to the charges so brought against her, and shall stand for sentencing at such point she is caught and brought forth before this bench for such purpose. Lord Mordain, her Counsel, stands in contempt of court, and is hereby barred from serving as Counsel at any future Draconan trial. In addition, Lord Mordain is fined a sum of 50,000 gold for his contempt of the court, to be paid in full, or to serve 6 months incarcerated as equality.

By Draconan law, I am required to, based upon evidence presented thusfar in the trial, to make known both public record of the trial, and my intended ruling based on facts available at the close of the trial had trial progressed without disruption. So then it should be known that based upon evidence presented in the charge of Lady Lust having directly ordering the desecration of Dwarven burial grounds for necromantic purposes, that this Court would have dismissed such charges on the grounds that the evidence thus presented, while from a credible source in our opinion (that of Lord Damon Omenborn, Dwarven King), was obtained during the torture of a prisoner known to be a thief. While being a thief already discredits the witness, who could not be examined due to death, and the fact that his head was resting upon a pike in Dwarven lands, it is recognized by this Court that torture can draw any man to provide information desired by those who conduct the torture, and as such, is not untainted testimony. In the matter of the kidnapping of Lady Omenborn, this Court could not decide on such based solely on Lord Omenborn's testimony; that while the note from his wife stood missing and in question, there too was testimony that ransom demands were forthcoming from the Bregan D'Aerth, and had been done so in the presence of members of the Highland Guard. Should further testimony have confirmed such, guilt may well have been established, but without having had the opportunity to proceed past the first witness, it is impossible to so
decide.

In closing, it is Draconan law that all before its courts are afforded a fair trial, regardless of background. Such was so granted, and it is my belief that Lord Mordain's actions and insistance in being both Counsel and Witness in the case played serious role in destabilizing the courtroom atmosphere. In fairness, the discussion so recorded to public record that was held in private chambers may well in the final words have indicated a pre-judgement to Lord Mordain with regards to the kidnapping, however, no such decision had been made, and in fact, the words spoken were to illustrate that the Court was already keeping in mind such information as the torture of the thief and the inability for anyone to examine the note from Lord Omenborn's wife, and that countering that, Lord Mordain, the Counsel, had spoken that Lady Omenborn was a guest of the Temple that would be released to Lord Omenborn, and yet, she was not yet at the trial either, and indeed, had she been present, it would have laid credence to their claim that she had not been kidnapped. It is clear that Lord Mordain acted as more than Counsel in this case, and for his actions in taking Lady Lust from the courtroom, I feel he has done a great disservice to her.

Thus sworn as true in the case of the people of Clan Omenborn versus Lady Lust of Bregan D'Aerth.


Joa'Qyyn Blade
Magistrate, High Court of Dracona

Public record of this case may be found here.

From Damon Omenborn:

Let it be put forth that the Jabbress shall be placed on Trial on Saturday Eve at the Court of Truth in Yew(Trammel)at *pm as the sunsets in the eastern skies. She is to be charged with ordering the kidnapping of Crea Omenborn, Wife to the Dwarven King. She is also to be charged with violating the Tombs of the Dwarf people for the purpose of Necromancy. Lord Lore Denin shall represent the Dwarf people since the Drow is to be tried under Britannia Law. Word has be recevied that Mordain of the Temple of Mondain shall do so for Lady Lust.

this christmassy pun story comes to you from UO.com:

Sannio Claus strolled through the workshop one last time. He quickly flipped through Cynthe’s “Naughty and Nice database,” double-checking the data required for the mission. He passed his sleigh, noting several elves proceeding through a last-minute pre-flight checklist under the guidance of the great hart named Vexen.

“There are forces at work, Sannio. Forces that don’t want this sort of information to get out.” The elf named Binky appeared behind Sannio, momentarily surprising him. Binky was dressed in black from his pointy ears down to his curly, bell-tipped boot and moved more quietly than a shadow.

Sannio composed himself and nodded. “But time’s running out, and we shouldn’t wait much longer. Think of all the little boys and girls out there waiting to see the new land! We’ve got to get them that map, Binky…we’ve got to!”

Binky adjusted his backpack and repelling gear, preparing for his mission inside the secretive ORIGIN office. “Then that’s what we’ll do. My elves are all set. If the people need a map of Malas, they’ve got it.”

Thanks to the successful efforts of an elite squad of covert elves, players can now have an advanced look at the new realm of Malas! A wallpaper-map of this foreboding new land is now available in the Downloads section of www.uo.com/ageofshadows/.

But the holiday miracles don’t stop there! While the big guy in the red suit has been busily working on the perfect February gift for all the closet necromancers and paladins out there, more hard-working elves have managed to bring back some favorite Holiday Gifts from years past, including a holiday wristwatch, holiday trees, snow globes, and statues - and they will be distributed early next week! In standard fashion, we’ll be releasing these to one shard first, and then all other shards the following day. Since Lake Austin is the only North American shard without access to Holiday Trees, we’ve chosen to release them Monday, Dec. 23rd CST on the Lake Austin shard. Provided there are no unexpected issues, the rest of the world will be able to choose holiday gifts after maintenance on Tuesday, Dec. 24th CST.

Happy Holidays!

The Top Ten of Great Lakes Roleplay History

We're drawing close now on another year of Great Lakes Roleplay. This year's been tough, but we've seen it through. With the coming of the new year, we've put together what we think are the top 10 most memorable moments or things in Great Lakes History. This feature is sponsored by the Hansonian Institute for Historical Study.

Attention all those whom attend Tales and Ales

Recently, we have been having problems with combat in and around the tavern. Tales and Ales Tavern STRONGLY opposes any such behavior and will condone any group whom participates in said activities. Our rules are quite easy to understand and they are as follows:
1) No fighting within the tavern. No exceptions.
2) The grounds outside of the tavern and the sandstone next to it are NEUTRAL GROUND. The Drow whom reside next to TAT will not attack unless attacked first.
3) There is one exception to rule one! If there is a fight between two persons, they can take it out to the front yard of the tavern and settle it there.

I urge all patrons to follow these rules closely and to spread them to those whom do not read the news as often as others! Thank you!

Nate Byrd
Owner of Tales and Ales
www.talesandales.com

Lets try one more time for a town meeting to discuss the forming of a
comittee and a melitia. I called a meeting two weeks back with plenty of notice and there was but myself and one other interested in helping Skara back on her feet. All good citizens are invited, your voice is important. Let us try for Sunday December 29th at 8:00 CST at the community building just east of Skara Brae bank. I look forward to seeing you there.

Once again the issue of Lore Dennin and his quest to become Lord Regent of Britania has come up. I would like the citizens of Trinsic to join me in an assembly to discuss feelings about Lore and his quest to help determine if this is something the people of Trinsic wish to support or not. Let all citizen voices be heard. Meeting will take place in the Trinsic Meeting Hall at 7pm cst on Sunday December 22nd.

Duke Gurney Halleck Representative, City of Trinsic

The Earldom of Minoc would like to invite one and all to their first annual Holiday Festival and Solstice Masque at the Skara Brae Fairgrounds on Saturday, December 21. The evening will begin at 6:00 p.m. under the Central Skies, and there will be free ale, fun and festivities for everyone! The schedule of events will be as follows:

6:00 Benediction
6:30 Box Art - Please have your entry already assembled for Judging
7:30 Comedy Routines - Register with judges just prior to the event
9:00 Masque - Contest for most original costume held shortly after event begins

There will be a check for 50k gold awarded to the first place winner in each event, and various other prizes will be awarded to runners-up. Plus, gifts will be handed out at the Solstice Masque.

The EoM hopes to see you there!

Olivia Lauren
Countess, Earl of Minoc

Minoc to Title a New Marquis

The Earldom of Minoc will title Lord Lore Denin as Marquis of Minoc in a ceremony on Sunday, December 22, 2002, at 7:00 PM under the central skies. The ceremony shall take place in the Thane's castle in the Northern Highlands of Minoc. All citizens, common, or noble, are invited to attend the ceremony. The new Earl will be available to answer any questions that the populace may have.

Dugald McTaggart
Thane of Minoc

From the Atalan Boards:



THE TWIN OF THE GODS (Part 1)

By Scribe Sidious



The Death Charge glanced about the halls of the Fortress, enjoying solitude. It was the way of this Atalan who bore a grim description for a name. While the surface of the Death Charge never betrayed an emotion, his undying loyalty to his kin always was felt long before he entered a room.

"You look troubled, brother."

The Death Charge spun and mumbled a curse under his breath. "Lance the Sereg'Wetherin. Do not stalk me again," the Atalan intoned to the Assassin. "It irritates me so." Lance, along with Amarath were the more jovial of the Atalan...if one could believe such behavior existed on the forsaken elves. Then again. after 1,100 years...even the blackest of souls can convey a basic humor.

"We've just returned from our hunt for Tassadar. Amadeus, Meiji, Venus and myself. No luck. I thought he'd be easier to find. He isn’t making this chase easy." Lance had been the former companion of Tassadar back in their days as hired assassins for the coin of the Temple, or any bidder who sated their deep coffers. But their paths hit a definitive fork. Tassadar in a move of inner-reflection joined the seer Scribe Sidious while Lance resided in Buccaneers Den...tormented and eventually being consumed by the Atalan Bloodfyres.

"This viper...he is the most elusive kind of quarry." spat Amadeus as he strode into the main chamber of threw his signature charcoal robe over an ottoman. "The Emperor will be most displeased with our lack of progress." Amadeus looked overtly troubled. He was a man of faith. Coming to terms with his former deity-now-mortal was hard enough. Coupling it with disappointing him became a heavy toll on his soul.

"Still no word from Lord Asimov?" asked Death Charge. Amadeus raised a troubled but dismissive brow. "No my loyal brother...there has been no sign of your dagora morambath. Death Charge lowered his eyes. He missed Asimov dearly on the field of battle as the two were nearly inseparable in combat. Rumor had it that the Highlanders had actually nicknamed them "the twins", given the close physical resemblance.

The war against the Serpent Knights was escalating past mere border skirmish. They were responding faster, and their mages had enchanted the weapons of their warriors. Twas a nuisance, but Amadeus never saw it as a shift in battle. To wear this chaffing armor, though...most uncomfortable.

"Do you smell something?" asked Meiji Jingu. All the Atalans in the room turned towards the corridors that lead to the chamber of the Summoning Stone. Red smoke bellowed from beneath the door. "Where is Tenebrous?" asked Venus. "He rode to Whispering Winds to seek Lore. He has been gone for hours," replied the Death Charge who sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose.

The smell of death and decay was heavy in the air.

Meiji moved to the door to the Summoning Chamber. Pulling the door open, she was immediately enveloped in red smoke. After a moment there was the sound of leather hitting flesh, and Meiji sailed through the air and his back first on the opposite wall. A black, charred fist withdrew into the smoke. A moment later, hell itself graced the Atalans with its presence. The Fara known as Crow stepped in a sniffed the fallen Meiji.

The Death Charge started to move towards Crow when he felt a restraining grip on the back of his neck. It was the Fara Rathion...and he had no intention of letting go. Venus, never trusting these Soul Predators, raised her short spear only to have a bolt of energy shatter it in her hand. The Fara Ariel giggled behind her orcish flesh-mask as the Atalan judge grabbed he hand in pain and spat in defiance. Lance and Amadeus glanced at one another as four red spheres emerged from the smoke and glanced.

Flight and Stormborne abreast of one another and growling low.

"So," muttered Amadeus as he looked on defiantly..yet helplessly.

"...this is what the roundears call Hell."

(To be continued)

Sorry for the delayed message, but here ya go

Tales and Ales Drunken Storytelling!

We're at it again, amidst all this holiday rush, with another week of storytelling and drunkeness! Last week's Drunken Storytelling was cancelled, but I here there were plenty of people who still went. Sorry about that folks! This week we will be telling stories and getting drunk OUTSIDE the tavern, just because its more fun! Tales and Ales Tavern staff would also like to welcome Cali, Carmen Ironfeld and Elsa to staff! Welcome you guys! Hope to see everyone there!!

Nate Byrd
Owner of Tales and Ales Tavern
www.talesandales.com

Fellowship of outcast would like to hold an event for all of the GL shard that wishes to attend.

We will be holding a New Years Celebration.The event will be on Jan 1st at 8 CST. We will Hold this at the Skara Fair grounds..

There will be food and Drink and fun for all who attend. We will have a small scavenger hunt, We will have a Best in show Contest for all of you tamers out there...But most of all ther ewill be GOOD Rp for all who come.

This is for fun and everyone is asked to attned and be peaceful and respectful..
As a side not all of you rpers out there who are not in a guild are encourage to come meet us and let us meet you and perhaps join our small family...

Contact Information....Kimber 29354621 (icq)

A smile came to his face as the mountain breeze flowed freely through his long, black hair, brushing it gently over his neck and shoulders. He could feel a gentle tug from his cape as it waved softly, almost as if invisble hands were tugging lightly at it. Slowly he moved raised his right hand, a black-staff held within. His hand began to sway in an arcane pattern, almost as if under its own will, and at the critical point, his voice boomed from his mouth, "In Por Vol!"

Pushing gently from the ground, he found that the ancient spell had worked, and he was slowly lifting into the air. A brief moment of concentration, and he came to a stop just a few feet above the mountain ledge he had stood upon. In the distance he could see the small town, the bustle of activity within, and he smiled. For too long had the world treated him and his kind as nothing more than common thugs, but that would change. Oh yes, that would change.

As Minax had done to Trinsic, so now was he going to do to Haven... but he wasn't going to stop there. Whatever rip in the facets that had created Haven from Occlo, too was he going to take Occlo and treat it much as he was Haven. "Ex-Por Felucca Ter-Múr Apér-Ter!"he called out, his voice resounding against the mountain with the force of thunder.

In the center of the city he had been looking down upon, he could see the dark light forming. As blinding in black as the sun in white, the small sphere grew, and grew, swiftly moving to cover everything. It passed through him, and he felt a brief wave of power course through his veins. Within moments, the entire isle was covered in a black dome, and then a violet flash of lightning struck the center of town. The flash blinded him for a moment, but when his vision cleared, pieces of Occlo were beginning to show through Haven. He could almost hear the screams from the innocents as they rushed around trying to figure out what was going on. He knew panic was setting in, and he smiled widely, letting out a small chuckle.

If only he had the power to keep it this way. He didn't though, and that was not his goal anyway. "Jux-Ark Bal An-Jux," he spoke, barely a murmur
compared to his previous spell, and Occlo began to fade away. A golden flash of lightning, and all was back to normal.

Well, almost normal.

Haven and Occlo were now safe to venture to for his kind. Sadly, they were safe for all to venture in, but at very least, his goals were accomplished. The spells of Good would no longer harm anyone; the blades of Good would no longer penetrate; the slings and arrows of Good would simply bounce off. Indeed, Haven was now precisely that. A haven. And Occlo would be there for his Feluccan brothers and sisters.

Lowering himself back to the mountain, he thought away the effects of the flight spell, and turned to walk away. "Ahhhh... Lady Lust," he smiled, hiding his surprise quickly. "I trust you will take advantage of that which I have provided."

"Xas udos orn jhal, vel'uss phuul dos?" Lust asked.

He walked slowly past her, looking briefly into her eyes. "All in time, m'lady. All in time."

Nodding she turned to look upon the lands...a smile crossing her face. Haven and Occlo had been provided for her people, at last a place for evil to prosper.

OOC Note: At this time, we request that all evil and good guilds recognize Haven and Occlo as safe zones for all to do business in, where neither good nor evil may ask the other to leave the city — as there is no in-game mechanic to create an "evil" city, instead, many felt a compromise should be reached, and this is a reflection of that compromise.

From the Archbishop:

Nuntium Rex
Greetings and blessings to all. I shall commence this address by reading from the prophecies of Saldran the Unwashed.
“And the Lord said unto Saldran: ‘Marvel not at the works of evil; but trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labor: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich; and a rich man as poor as to live under the Vesper bridges. And it shall come to pass, that a messenger will be addressed as King, while the Kings around him fade as ashes to the wind.’” Book of Saldran the Unwashed.

Long have we felt the absence of a king in our lands of Britannia. It has been many years since Lord British departed to an unknown world beyond ours. The High Council has done a valorous job of taking the task of governance, and certainly it will continue to do so.

But yet, we remain in a Kingdom without a king. A king is the figurehead of a kingdom; he gives a face to a nation; he is the rallying point of the people. The people of a kingdom can be said to be the muscle of that kingdom. The High Council is the brain of the kingdom. The priests and healers are the spirit of the kingdom. And the king is the heart of the kingdom.

When Lord British departed, he left no law of succession, presumably because he would at some time return or appoint a successor. But the years have passed, and there is no guidance from Lord British or his trusted retainers, such as Shamino or Dupre.

When does a man or a woman have the right to assume the throne of a kingdom? Before Britannia was founded, when the lands had several kingdoms, monarchs claimed the throne by Divine Right. This Divine Right was often determined in the field of battle, for the reasoning was that the victor of the war was surely favored by God and thus had the right to rule. Sometimes Divine Right was derived from a holy or supernatural event or a sign from the heavens. We know of stories were a King had to achieve a task that no other man could in order to make his claim to a throne. Sometimes a heavenly or nature spirit would grant the would be monarch with an item that would verify him as the rightful king.

Unfortunately, we lack any obvious miraculous event pointing to anyone as king. But we do have many subtle signs which point to one person. I speak of course of Lord Lore Denin. It is said that anyone that would appoint himself as King is automatically disqualified due to lack of humility. But the history behind Lore Denin shows that he never sought to make himself king. In fact he was but a messenger who brought a document which gave the right to the throne of Britannia to Lord Marcus of the Army of Britannia.

So lastly, my conscience leads me to seek to the scriptures of the Church, to the writings of the prophets, to council with the priests and bishops, and to prayer to determine whether Divine Right rests with Lord Lore Denin. After several months of study and prayer, I am convinced that Lore Denin has the Divine Right to assume the throne. He fits the many prophecies, and the signs and visions granted to us priests point to Lore Denin. He is the messenger king described in the prophet’s writings above.

I call for the leaders of the High Council and the people of Britannia to keep an open heart on this issue, and it is my hope that after fair and peaceful meditation, that all shall welcome Lord Lore Denin as King and Regent of Britannia.
- Signed by his Holy Eminence Archbishop Adrikon the Pure, Apostate of the Light, Bearer of the Holy Seal, Keeper of the Avatarion, and Holy Priory of Sosaria

From Gant:

Tired of someone telling you what to do?

Tired of someone telling you that they are better than you?

Tired of someone dictating your life to you?

Join the Proletarian Party. We are against those who don't feel the pinch sending the kingdom to war without thinking of the common man. We are tired of people claiming to be our king. Only the true king can lead us, and he has left for unknown reasons.

Step up and let your voice be heard!

Back the Proletarian Party today!

Hear ye, hear ye,

The 24th Meeting of the High Council of Britannia will occur this evening at 8:00 PM CST (December 16, 2002) in the North Dining Room of Castle Britain on the facet of Trammel. The public are welcome and encouraged to attend, and time will be given at the start of the meeting for members of the public to bring item forth before the Council.

Thank you,


Ra'Dian Fl'Gith
Chancellor of Virtue
High Council of Britannia

My Quest for Paladinhood

By Brother Pytt – Paladin of the Church of Britannia

Journal:

In order to attain paladinhood, I was given the quest to travel the lands and visit each of the shrines of virtue on the Trammel facet. I was to travel using only non-magical means. During my travels I was charged to aid any people, and fight any evil that I might encounter.

Journal: Days 2,3 and 4

I am traveling light and seem to be making good time. The journey is long and the road empty and lonely at times. I have chosen to camp under the stars, but I have entered an occassional Tavern along the way. I have completed a long leg of my journey to the shrines of Compassion, Sacrifice, Justice and Chaos. I will make a short stop at the Tales and Ales Inn and leave a note of my travels and progress.



I have not encountered many people on my travels, most just say hello and continue with their activities. Near Compassion I encountered many foes: Sand elementals, Orcs and Scorpions. The occasional Ettin or Ogre also seen fit to test their prowess, but where easily defeated.
I look forward to rest at the Tales and Ales Inn.



Journal Days 5,6 and 7

Well I awoke today from a good night's sleep at the Tales and Ales. I began with a good breakfast and some fellowship with the local farmers and woodsman from the nearby Yew forest.
I struck out for my next two destinations heading south through the wide pass between the Peaks of Disgrace and the long and twisting Serpent's Spine Mountain range. I passed the Main crossroads and met several travelers on the road.

I made camp in the woods south of the crossroads and harvested several rabbits with my trusty bow. I could hear noises in the distance and when I awoke the next morning I went to investigate. I approached a large house in the middle of the woods surrounded by large hedges. To my surprise it was inhabited by demons and I was attacked. I drew my sturdy agapite Kryss and moved forward into battle. Praises and honor to Higher Being, for I was able to slay the demon. I tended to my wounds and quickly left this unholy place.



I reached Spirituality, then Honor at the southern tip of our great country. It was then that I knew my journey was just beginning. I secured a ride from a local fisherman to the nearby Island city of Jelohm, there I would book passage on a larger ship to Valor, Fire and Ice Island's...

Journal Days 8-12

Journey at Sea

As I sat on the docks awaiting my passage to the Islands I reflected back on my quest.
A Paladins Path, each squire seeking the road to Paladinhood must visit each of the holy Virtue Shrines. He must stand before it and sound the chant and recieve the blessing of the shrine. To be a noble Paladin, one must follow the virtues and perform duties in an honorable manner.
Whether born by blood or adopted into service by oath, each Paladin seeks advancement in the ranks. They demonstrate the Virtues by service and obedience. And only when he has fulfilled his quest can he truly be called a noble warrior and Paladin.

Aboard Ship

I stood at the wheel of the great ship with the Captain. He steered a course for Valor Island. He was a trusting kind and I could tell he had been at the wheel of the ship for many years. The shrine of Valor is located on Valor Island, nestled deep inside a small jungle. The island is a wilderness with many make there home there. This the Paladins most Holy shrine. I will spend an extra days prayer here.


All went well as I looked back on the Island of Valor, I turned my face into the wind looking towards and empty ocean and Fire Island and Humility...

As we left Humility the skies began to turn dark and the wind blowing harder. The Captain said the seas near Ice are treacherous, so we began to prepare the ship for a hard journey. The wind blew and the sea splashed over the bow but the ship and the Captain were sturdy. The crew was weary from the journey and were eager to see land. The storm passed and we were waylaid by several sea serpents, but with my steady bow and the ships crew we where able to fight off the beasts.
I made for Honesty and said my prayers, as the Captain wanted to leave soon and miss bad weather. We turned south west and headed for home. I yearned for Britannia and dry land.



We docked in Britain, as the last leg of the journey was uneventful. The crew were thankful for the smooth sailing on our return trip. I left the docks and walked to where I began my quest - the Chamber of Virtues. There I kneeled down and thanked Higher Being.

At a ceremony conducted by the Archbishop himself, I was dubbed a paladin and charged with the vows of a paladin of the Church:

Hail again!

Me again, just back to remind you readers of some of our most overlooked features!

Free Forum Hosting!
The Herald offers free message board hosting. It's quick, with no ads! You can find more information on our Message Boards!

Guilds and Partners Links
You'd be suprised how many people miss all of our great supporting guilds and roleplay partners. You can check out the list there on the left, just under the exchange. If you want to be on that list (maybe you don't want to mess with the Link Exchange) just give me a shout!

Automated Records Desk
The Herald Automateed Records Desk archives our news postings by month, so that it's easioer for you to look back on yesteryear and see what was going on. You can still view the complete archive at once by clicking the link just above the search box.

Enjoy!

Hail folks! Just a quick update on some Herald improvements!

Automatic Submit is back!
Now you can send your news in via easy-to-use forms again, but as before you need to put your posts in HTML format.

Banner Exchange has updated code!
The Banner Exchange should now "break" less often. It had been acting up and putting blank boxes up instead of ad graphics, this should be fixed now, but I am still working on nailing it down.

For those of you who have an ad on the exchange, if your graphic was missing, the wrong size, the wrong format, or if your site was not using the banner exchange code, your account has been deleted. If you want to be on the exchange, you will need to sign up as a new user.

Herald Lite Edition now even Lighter!
I've stiripped some unneccessary code out of the Lite Edition, so for those of you who live by it, it should work faster for you.

Via Stratics:

We received this from the folks over at Ostard Pack Hunters.

We are please to announce our first Ostard Fight night! It will take place Dec.14 at 9 pm EST. This is a single elimination tournament. The top prize is 250k plus all entry fees. Please see the events section of this link for details. All fights will be posted in the ranking section.
To enter please email the GM at ostard_guild@hotmail.com or ICQ Archive @14006711 for more info. Entry is 25k per Ostard and you can enter up to 4 Ostards. The tower location is on the web page, or you can go to 43 19' N x 47 36' E on the Fel side!

ALL FIGHTS ARE TO THE DEATH!!

May the best bird win!

Report of Patrol - Wednesday Night.

At approximately 2000 hours, the pall of darkness long past descended, and the Highland Guard assembled at the Guard Tower. Agents of the Guard patrolling the Trinsic wilderness had only recently intercepted a courier carrying a distressing message en route to a man named Fritz, and bearing the seal of a man named Mayces

The message read as follows:

“To: Fritz

Thine efforts to recover the weapon are pathetic. Why should I be so riddled with inept thugs and hired hands? Is my gold less prized? Or perchance the void where rests a higher power hath chosen such a fate for me? Alas, thou has until the next sunrise to deliver the axe. Deliver it to the second floor of the library as usual, lest thou wishest the same fate as thy companion, Dandra. A life without hands must be so enlightening. However doth one open doors?

-Mayces”

Concern was raised over whether the axe discussed in the message could be the Axe known as “Soulreaper”, sought by Guard Commander Jakob Covenant, in regards to its relation to the legendary Lightbringer sword. I was ordered to assemble a detachment of highlanders to conduct an investigation.

Primary investigation of the Jhelom library seemed irrelevant. Several books were found criticizing the Highland Guard as evil.

We continued on to the Britain Public Library. There, librarian Jocasta displayed much anxiety at the mention of Mayces. The woman revealed that Mayces had been serving as the Chief Librarian of the Britain library for the past nine years. She explained that Mayces was once a kind and thoughtful man, but he had of late become cold and irrational. Most notably, he had amassed a collection of dark tomes. Perhaps further discussion with Jocasta is needed regarding these dark tomes. Jocasta submitted an unfinished journal of the now lost Chief librarian, Mayces.

“--Tuesday

I come ever closer to obtaining the Doommaker. Thersides guarantees my place on the tribunal, though I am apt to watch the movements of Evanya's little cultists. Ever the schemer, and perhaps a threat.

--Thursday

Again, ineptitude betrays my ascension. The worthless mercenaries grow tiresome.

--Friday

Failure. Had it not been for a grave error on the part of the girl, the axe would now rest in my collection. She will bumble no further efforts. I have given her over to the Evanya, I will allow that monster to deal with the wretch at her leisure. I have no taste for the sort of gore that Evanya reaps in with such gluttonous whims.

--Friday

I have sent a messenger to deliver the news to Fritz about his lovely young cohort. I believe I will pass him a few clippings of her fingernails as well. Now that we know the whereabouts of the weapon, I will leave Fritz one more attempt to extract it from the depths of Fire.” An ink blot marred the remainder of the page.

A large party of warriors and mages quickly departed for Fire dungeon, and cleaved their way through the vicious denizens. As they happened upon the graveyard, lichs, skeletal mages, and serpents laid siege. The Guardsmen therein encountered a strange being known as “Potash the party gnome”, who claimed to live in the graveyard, sharing tales of the party gnome people and how they came to live underground. He refused to share information of Mayces or the axe until the party could answer four strange riddles, all the while being overly amorous towards one of the Guardsmen, and revealing odd tidbits about failed experimentations in the breeding of a sheep and a dog. His questions answered, Potash directed them to the Lich Lords, where the Guardsmen would soon meet his brother, who he claimed knew Mayces' whereabouts.

After slaying wave after wave of Lich Lords, Potash joined the Guard once again, explaining that there was in fact no brother. He had sought them to clear out the Lich Lord site where he used to live so that he could move back in. Having helped restore Potash's home, the Guardsmen received news of Mayces, and were told to seek him at the tower of the dark mages society, who according to Potash, were providing sanctuary to the by-now lunatic librarian. The Guard bashed their way into the buildings, trapping the mages inside by coming in from both the entrance and from the bridgeway. Explosions, fireballs, and flamestrikes were dropped on the Highlander ranks. Burnt sulphurous ash permeated the air. Mayces was finally found, lurking in a corner, his sanity eaten away by paranoia, spouting off accusations and attempting to poison himself.

He rambled on about the Evanya mentioned in the journal (who is this person?). At last, he turned over both his final journals and the axe, which as he revealed was an Axe of Power, but not “Soulreaper”.


Guardsmen, at his request, offered refuge to Mayces in a remote small tower, where he could be under the care of a healer.

"Journal Log #40

--Friday

That fool, Evanya! I know it was she who sent those assassins. I must find the axe immediately if I am to come to the tribunal with this information, and rid her from my path.

--Friday

*torn pages*

It is not Soulreaper...powerful nonetheless, as I lopped that fool Fritz's head from my worthless vessel with a clean sweep. I have taken shelter with the dark sorcerers for now, tomorrow I shall have to deliver this saddening news to the tribunal."

The mission objective was completed, though unfortunately not the desired axe. Mayces will remain under the care of a nurse until conditions improve, with Jocasta tending to the stacks in his stead. Further inquiries into the books Mayces had collected, and into the tribunal described seem warranted. Questioning of Mayces on hold for now. Artifacts, journals, and all evidence to be held within the guard tower of the Highland Guard.

Drunken Storytelling at Tales and Ales this Friday!



A week has past and we're warming ourselves up for another exciting Friday full of storytelling and drunkenness! We had a blast week, with Guy de Gaune receiving a +5 swords scroll for telling us the best tale! Same place, same time as last week - Tales and Ales Tavern, 8 pm CST THIS FRIDAY! Our doors will (hopefully) open before 8 pm CST, so come and enjoy yourselves before the event starts! Also, this week, we would like to welcome our THREE new members to the staff, Malikoth Kiras, Darkwolf and Lady FiFi LaForge! Hope to see everyone there!



One last note, Tales and Ales Tavern has brand new forums, less than a week old! We encourage anyone who attends Tales and Ales to register and post here. The link is here - http://www.talesandales.topcities.com/tat/index.php



Thanks!



Nate Byrd

Owner of Tales and Ales Tavern

www.talesandales.com

The GLRP Meeting cancelled for last wednesday will be rescheduled for:
Date : Wednesday, December 4th
Time : 8pm central
Place: Mirc #GLRPTALK

Please leave egos, past hurts, grudges, failures and complaints at the door.

The first Great Lakes House of Commons Chat will be held on Thursday, December 5th at 8pm CST. The chat will take place in #GLHOC on stratics IRC. The evening's topic will be "Quest Creation".

GLHOC chats work as follows: The chat is generally round-table in nature, in that not one person is in charge or not one person is lecturing while the rest listen. The channel will be moderated with two or three OPs. One will accept ideas/suggestions/comments about the topic via Private Message to be posted in channel. Another OP will accept responses to the posted comment via PM and paste them in channel.

Some general guidelines and information, as of right now:

- Absolutely no cursing.
- Comments in PM must be relevant to the topic at hand.
- You are not allowed to post a comment with a direct suggestion or command. IE: Instead of saying "Everyone should wear a death robe to signify that they have been killed", try saying "Personally, I wear a death robe to let people know I was killed."
- The agendas of the chats are topic-based. IE: While the discussion may one time be on "Improving RP-PvP rules", it may very well be "Establishment Concepts" the next time. There is no underlying agenda with all discussions.
- Every comment you submit should contain an idea or suggestion. Do not waste space saying "That's a good idea" unless you include something new and relevant.

More guidelines and information will be given at the beginning of the chat.

-Redlowwinski
winski@redlow.net

I wanted to give some advance notice on the upcoming meeting of the High Council, as a few changes have recently taken place that the public need be aware of. First and foremost, we have dropped the current rotation of meetings throughout cities of the land, and will be holding all meetings of the High Council within the North Dining Room of Castle Britain upon the Trammel Facet -- this was voted into place by the High Council to make it so the location of each meeting would be the same, cutting down on lack of attendance due to not knowing where the meeting was being held.

The second change of importance is that the first meeting of every month shall be a Private Meeting of the High Council. We will continue to announce these meetings here, and, as Chancellor, at the opening of each Private Meeting, a reminder of the following shall be given: As prescribed by the Royal Charter, the public are welcome to attend Private Meetings, however, unless invited by a member of the High Council as a guest speaker, these meetings are not open to public participation. This means that the public is not invited to speak or bring issue forth during these private meetings. While we understand that this may change the dynamic on the first meeting of each month, it has been noted that there are issues which quite often require the Council to handle them without public interaction and to press through them. We ask that any who so attend a Private Meeting conduct themselves in a respectful manner and observe the meeting quietly. The first Private Meeting shall take place on Monday, January 6, 2002 at 8:00 PM CST.

Some brief items from the last meeting of the High Council: We wish to welcome Leshyani Rianne to the High Council in her newly-elected role as Councilor of Magincia. Also, the drow house of Qu'ellar d'Viaxus has been declared an enemy of the state -- an additional notice shall be posted later with more information regarding the Qu'ellar d'Viaxus. While not from the meeting, we'd also like to announce that the Hall of the High Council is undergoing remodelling, and information is being re-arranged for easier access and location.

We welcome the public to attend the upcoming 23rd Meeting of the High Council, which will take place on Monday, December 9, 2002 at 8:00 PM CST at Castle Britain in the North Dining Room upon the Trammel Facet. This meeting will be a normally conducted meeting (members of the public may address the Council at the end of the meeting). If you have item you wish to place on the official council agenda, please do so here. Note that adding an item to the agenda means your item will be addressed by the Council according to meeting procedure, prior to opening the floor to any who have item to bring forth -- not having an item on the agenda does not mean you will not get a chance to address the Council.

Thank you,


Ra'Dian Fl'Gith
Chancellor of Virtue
High Council of Britannia

Hear ye, hear ye,

It is my pleasure to announce the 22nd Meeting of the High Council of Britannia, to take place this Monday, December 2, 2002 at 8:00 PM (by the Central skies). This meeting will see election of the successor to the Seat of Magincia. We also would like to welcome Councilor Tex of Skara Brae to our fold.

The meeting will take place in Skara Brae on the Trammel facet within the Town Hall.

More information about the High Council may be found here.

Thank you,


Ra'Dian Fl'Gith
Chancellor of Virtue
High Council of Britannia