Atlantis 3.0: Times 34 From: Geoff Dunbar <gdunbar@prankster.com> Date: Sun, 09 Feb 1997 00:00:00 +0000 Subject: Atlantis 3.0: Times 34 Atlantis 3.0 Times October, 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Email admin30@prankster.com with game issues. Visit http://www.prankster.com (or email atlantis@prankster.com) for information or to join. I accidentally left out the skill report for Riding 3; if you have that skill, you should use the SHOW order to get that skill report. I'll be on vacation from February 15-23. I'll still run the turns in that period, and I'll be checking email, but nothing but the most important issues are likely to get a reply until I return. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Monday morning and nothing to report... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ At last! Winter is over and the game can proceed.. Recrute the vikings..>March! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ H E Y ! Who took my wallet! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Eggman's Men (223): Another one of Eggman's Riddles: Two bodies have I, Though both joined in one. The more still I stand, The quicker I run. What am I? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ As time goes on we all get older. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Is it only me that cannot find any city that wants any of the trade items that I can buy? This trade lark does seem a complete waste of time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Azthar, Azthar, You hear my whine, Azthar, Azthar, I have borrowed a spine, Azthar, Azthar, No smoking wing?, Azthar, Azthar, I'll tell you a thing, Azthar, Azthar, we love your spleen, Azthar, Azthar, thats what we mean, Azthar, Azthar, when we say, Azthar, Azthar, for you we'll pay! Azthar, Azthar, Although its true, Azthar, Azthar, um, well yes enough of this "Azthar, Azthar" mularkey Fancy a pizza anyone? [Surreality is an illusion caused by fish] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Anti-GALE assassination squads are now ready to strike .. GALE members .. beware! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The mists in the gate clear, showing a snowy forested area under a cloudy gray sky. A chill puff of air swirls from the gate, carrying an arctic bitterness along with it. "Guess I should have packed my parka." thinks Baal to himself as he steps through to whatever awaits... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Dwight," the Emperor breathed, "I need you to go across the seas. You must seek out the island of Aserne, and establish contact with the might leader ..." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Life is hard in the underworld... such lousy income outside of the cities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Okay, we advanced, and the guards are not dead. Blast! Okay, we'll do it the old fashion way. Attack! The Manticore Alliance has come together. And when we feel a bit less wimpy, we'll go public. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ As the twelve members of the council wound around the table, thoughts screamed through her head. "Why did they call the meeting now? Has the day of the crusade begun?" Hooded cloaks of purple and gold covered the mysterious council members. A man with extra ornamentation arose and spoke to the collection of high-power officials and generals gathered from across the world. "It is time for the Crusade to begin. For too long, the overpopulation of man has soiled the earth. This desecration of our great world must be stopped. For this task we must remain steadfast and stoic. We cannot let the horrors around us alter us from this course. If we are successful, we will know that we have been righteous in our cause, but to the rest of the world, we will be murderers to be vilified for all eternity. Do you, the Appointed, accept this risk, and devote the rest of your natural lives to the completion of this cause?" "Yes." (In thought) "I cant believe I'm doing this. We'll destroy the world on our Crusade." "Then let it be said that on May 20, 2047, the Great Crusade began, and may our children know that what we do know is for the greater good" (In thought) "And may God have mercy on our souls." On May 20, 2047, a pillar of holy fire wrought from the last uranium existing in the world erupted in Shanghai, China. The mindless holocaust that ensued was considered the Third World War, caused by the whim of thirteen people... To be continued... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ lumberjack [LUMB] 3: A unit with this skill may use the PRODUCE order to produce ironwood in designated regions (Note that Lumberjack skill of 3 is required to even determine that ironwood may be produced). Ironwood is the strongest wood known to Atlantis, and may be used by high level Shipbuilders to build armored ships. One unit of ironwood weighs 10 weight units. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Shadow Circle (6): >From the Office of the GALE Grand Marshall: The GOD Elder Marshall's spokesman has informed the CDD that the GOD representative to the Council will be taking his post in the new headquarters building this month. The Mountainmen Elder Marshall has yet to inform the CDD Secretary when he will be moving into his office however. Concerning the construction of GALE University, the CDD was informed that the builders have completed their studies of the new techniques required to build what will surely prove to be a technological marvel. The plans call for a massive structure, a virtual city within the city. All GALE members are encouraged to make silver and stone donations to unit 14096 so the construction phase can begin. Glory to GALE!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Paw, Reports of GALE falling back in the west are exagerated. They still have more combat power out that way. Don't go tickin' them off yewt. Maw ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Skill reports: horse training [HORS] 3: No skill report. spirit [SPIR] 3: No skill report. lumberjack [LUMB] 3: A unit with this skill may use the PRODUCE order to produce ironwood in designated regions (Note that Lumberjack skill of 3 is required to even determine that ironwood may be produced). Ironwood is the strongest wood known to Atlantis, and may be used by high level Shipbuilders to build armored ships. One unit of ironwood weighs 10 weight units. sailing [SAIL] 1: A unit with this skill may use the SAIL order to sail ships. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A HISTORY OF THE DUNSTER CONFLICT In the year 984 ND (Nexus Dominae), a team led by the great archaeologist Sir Walter Lancaster unearthed the remains of an ancient civilization. Sir Lancaster and his aid, Erland, were examining the library of a stone tower when Erland made a grand discovery. "Sir, I believe I've found something." "Well, what is is, Erland?" "It's an ancient tome, Sir." "Let me have a look at it. Yes, this is quite interesting. And it's in a language completely unknown to me." "I believe I recognize the characters, Sir. Perhaps you would like me to read it to you." "That would be most agreeable, Erland. Proceed." "It appears to be titled 'A HISTORY OF THE DUNSTER CONFLICT', written by the scribe Gawain Lightbringer, for the Aldan Historical Society. It's dated 12 ND." "That would make it the oldest artifact ever uncovered. What an excellent find, Erland! Skim it, and give me a summary of it's content." "It begins with an account of a place called Nexus. It claims that the Great Geoff opened a portal from Nexus onto our land, and the Chosen were allowed to enter into our world." "Is this a fairy tale, Erland? Everyone knows that Nexus, Great Geoff, and the legend of the Chosen are stories that mothers tell their children to get them to sleep at night." "No, Sir, this is written with a certain air of truth to it." "Very well, proceed, Erland." "It would seem that one of the portals from the Nexus opened to a great city known as Dunster (7,105). When the Nexus was first opened, two different groups came through to Dunster and claimed the region for their own. These groups had some connections from the land that they previously occupied, so they were planning on colonizing and sharing the wealth of the region between them. One of these groups was known as the Army of the Southern Cross, and the other is referred to as the Dark Legion, though whether this was the name of the whole group or just a small portion of them is unclear. It seems that Dark Legion is used in this text for lack of a better name." "Let's not worry about the semantics, Erland. Please move on with the story." "The text states that the Dark Legion spread out quickly upon first coming through the Nexus portal, not bothering to stop in Dunster to have a look around. They discovered plains to the northwest, desert to the south, and ocean to the northeast. Apparently they felt threatened by the presence of others, so they immediately threatened to attack an who entered the plains, which they claimed for their own territory. "The Southern Cross was not amused by the harsh tactics of their new neighbors, who they had assumed to friendly to their cause. They recruited warriors from the city, armed them with swords, and advanced into the plains. As promised, the Dark Legion attacked the imposing group, and was soundly defeated by the steel of the Southern Cross army. "The skirmish countinued for several months before a peace agreement was decided upon. By this time, scouts had discovered another fertile grouping of plains to the southwest, across the desert, and the Dark Legion was allowed to depart for these locations in peace." "You're barely a tenth of the way into the tome, Erland. Surely that's not the end of this conflict that the title refers to?" "Let me read on, and we'll find out, Sir." Erland quietly flipped pages for several minutes. "Well, Erland, what happened?" "The next 50 pages are filled with so-and-so 'begat' so-and-so. It would seem the Army of the Southern Cross was very skilled at procreation." "I'm not interested in that. What happened to the Dark Legion?" "As the Army of the Southern Cross expanded onto the Dunster plains, they discovered a thriving cityport northwest of Dunster. There were the twin cities of Cremona (5,99) and Strichen (5,97), and the small town of Antor (4,100). They were all built on the shores of the Bay of Cremona, which provided access to the trade routes of the Far West, and the economy in the area was thriving. "Because the inhabitants of Dunster were under the protection of the great Geoff, the Southern Cross made plans to subjugate Antor, Cremona, and Strichen to their will. They mustered their forces in Cremona, hoping to surprise the guards and take control of the city. "However, in the days before the attack was planned, an armourer in the city began to sell brightly colored tabards that were considered very stylish at the time. A sizeable portion of the army chose to purchase these tabards so they could show up at the battle and impress their follow warriors. To their dismay, many of the city guard had also purchased similar tabards from the same armourer! Their fellows could not distinguish them from the guards of the city, and more than a hundred Southern Cross warriors were slain at the hands of their commrades. What a tragedy!" "I never fail to be astounded by the sacrifices some people will make for the sake of fashion, Erland. Please continue." "The Southern Cross was able to conquer the city guard and claim control of Cremona. There was a day of mourning for the folly of their fallen compatriots, and then every tavern in the city was filling ale mugs for Southern Cross warriors in celebration of their first victory. "Towards the end of the week long celebration, reports began to come in of Dark Legion activity to the north of Strichen. It was rumored that the Dark Legion hadn't withdrawn to the agreed upon location, but instead had gone north to the city of Tetuan (6,94), where they proceeded to the rape and pillage the peasants in Tetuan and in the surrounding countryside." "Barbarians! How could they do such a thing?" "The tome doesn't ponder on their reasoning, Sir. It goes on to tell the tale of another misfortune that befell the Southern Cross. Once they'd learned of the Dark Legion presence on their northern border, they marched reinforcements out of Dunster towards Cremona. On their way to the aid of the city, they were attacked by an evil creature known as a Lich and it's army of undead skeletions, and the entire company of 200 reinforcements was lost. "Shortly thereafter, the Dark Legion, with its army of enslaved men from Tetuan and the wealth of the Tetuan coffers to fund its operations, moved south, conquered the city of Strichen, and then continued south to engage the Southern Cross armies. "The Battle of Cremona was a glorious conflict. The mages of each side threw grand fireballs that cut down scores of men at one time. The Dark Legion had discovered the advantage provided by crossbows, and that, combined with the loss of their reinforcements, forced the Southern Cross's distinguished Gerenal Tigh to order their banners lowered from the walls of Cremona and the army retreated back towards Dunster. The scribe makes a side note here that his own father, Gideon Lightbringer, was among those slain in the Battle of Cremona. The majority of the Southern Cross retreated towards Dunster under General Tigh's command. Others were cut off from the main force, and retreated along the shoreline of the Bay of Cremona and then north into a range of mountains on the west side of the bay, where they discovered the village of Monzon (1,89) and the city of Carnforth (2,86). "The Dark Legion has also sent forces into the desert southwest of Dunster, where they discovered the desert city of Corofin. Their southern forces settled in the city, and plotted to intercept the retreating Southern Cross army. They advanced to the city of Lynton (6,106), where they planned to conquer the city guard and lay in wait for their approaching enemy. "But Southern Cross agents in Lynton were able to discover their plan before it could be carried out, and they summoned reinforcements into the area surrounding Lytnon. When the Dark Legion attacked, the lurking Southern Cross defenders rushed to the aid of the Lynton city guard. The fiery vengeance summoned by the mages on each side was even more spectacular then those seen at Cremona. The Southern Cross had learned how to defend against such energy attacks, and superior magical knowledge helped them to rout the surprised attackers. Eleven Dark Legion mages lay among the over three hundred slain by the Southern Cross. "The remainder of the Southern Cross army rejoined with the defenders of Lynton, and, with a horde of Dark Legion barbarians close behind, they continued south through Corofin and on to the village of Prettstern (3,113) and the city of Tudela (1,113). It seems to me, Sir, that General Tigh was very good at retreating." "A general is charged with the protection of his troops, Erland. The Southern Cross was outnumbered, so Tigh was wise to retreat when he did. Don't confuse that with cowardice. Please read on." "Very well. The Dark Legion continued to chase the Southern Cross through the desert, but they learned the harsh lesson that supply lines are difficult to maintain through a vast desert. Tired and weary, the Dark Legion was able to advance into Prettstern, only to find that the Southern Cross had quit the city to muster their forces in the plain south of Prettstern, where they awaited the Dark Legion attack. "Several weeks before the Battle of Prettstern, a young Southern Cross mage, known as Rand Al'Thor, was drinking in a Tudela tavern, preparing for the upcoming battle. He drank a bit more than he should have, and in his inebriated state, he boasted of his powers to his comrades. When they scoffed at his claims of unparalled power, he overconfidently stepped out in the streets of the city and began to cast Fireballs at the nearest patrol of the city guard. The Tudela guard responded swiftly to the situation, and Rand was cut down before he could kill more than a handful of the defenders. "The Great Geoff was moved by the courage of the young mage, and before Rand's comrades could place his body into the earth, a vision appeared to one of Rand's closest friends. He went quickly to the chamber where Rand's body was being held, and discovered that his friend was alive. A miracle! The Great Geoff had performed a resurrection!" "Bah! I told you before that the Great Geoff doesn't exist. The mage must have been unconscious." "But, Sir, it claims right here that the mage was mortally wounded by the angered guardsmen! There's no chance he survived that injury!" "I didn't hire you to argue theology with me, Erland. Continue with your story." "Fine. The Dark Legion attacked the Southern Cross shortly after Rand's resurrection. With time to prepare for the advancing enemy, General Tigh was able to rally his troops to victory. Over 1000 Dark Legion warriors were slaughtered on the plain south of Prettstern! "Shortly after the defeat, the Dark Legion forces retreated back to Corofin, and pleaded with the Southern Cross for peace. The Southern Cross had made similar pleas after the loss of Cremona, but their requests where not answered, so they chose not to settle for the unreasonable offers made by the Dark Legion scoundrels. The Dark Legion fell back to Lynton, where they were content to sit and mass their armies. There are no further accounts of conflict in the desert region. "In the north near Carnforth, the Southern Cross found a trade cartel known as the International Brotherhood of Coffee Pickers, and were able to establish a peaceful coexistence with this group. Together, they conquered Monzon and Carnforth and began to build a strong defensive line. There was a mountain pass north of Cremona Bay that led back to the plains near Tetuan, so they were prepared for a Dark Legion advance in the near future. "That's the end of the tome, Sir." "What, that's it? There's no resolution! Who won the conflict? The last conflict reported took place in the year 3 ND, but the tome is dated 12 ND! Surely there's more to the story!" "This tome is labelled Volume One, Sir. Perhaps there is another tome that picks up where this one left off." "There must be, Erland! Search this library for that book, and any other information you can find about this conflict. I'm going outside for some fresh air. Summon me if you find anything." Sir Lancaster strode out of the room as Erland began his search for further information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sir! Sir! We've learned Fishing 1! Outstanding! Now we can crush our enemies. All will bow before our mighty forces. Yes, with Fishing 1, we shall conquer all of Atlantis. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha (Diabolical Laughter) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Things have certainly been quite of late master. We may almost be safe from the expected attack as preparations for the defence of the realm is almost complete. The colony is also doing well although some monetery support would be welcome. On the whole things are looking a great deal deal better than they did not long ago. Even are allies seem to be expanding safely. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The grass is always greener on the other side!!?? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ only 4 more turns and then ????? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." -- Rudyard Kipling, 1923 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We run and we bow ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Daleth. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A good Helsickean is a dead one. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ once upon a time in the west ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Soon all My friends will have all fundation at level 3 and so I will learn artifactlore at level 3 also to serach all the magic stuff we could build. During this research I could also enchant sword or plate for Those who wants in the Great University of Graevbygd... See you soon Spectral Wheel pure magic faction in work ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Suddenly, Atlantis 2 is not boring anymore. About 2 months of real-time to go until the mighty hand descends from the heavens and pulls the plug, and I'm learning something new every turn. I'm not going to share it here, of course. It would show disrespect to those who created the tactics, and to myself, who had to learn them by hard experience. Keep your eyes out though. A2 players are getting ruthless. And when they finish up A2, A3 is going to look like easy pickings. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spleen monger: Have you anything constructive/interesting to contribute. GALE members did you really elect this creature as your spokesperson? I'm confident a spleen could itsself give a better impersonation of a leader! As good as a signature.... #endtimes ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fais chier de balancer des messages en anglais dans ce times ! Allez va un petit cour de francais fera du bien aux linguistes et amateur de notre belle langue si descriptive et riche en vocabulaire ! l'aventure du semi geant GORGOR continue... Maintenant a bord de son navire apres avoir fini le Fire Tour, notre semi geant national se mets en route vers des contrees oubliees, pour le conquerir au nom de son alliance. Il ne sait pas encore s'il va latter avant de partir le Sphinx qui risque de gener ces amis mais bon ceci n'est qu'un detail. Ayant appris depuis peu l'ultime sort qui ferra naviguer son bateau long plus rapidement et plus surement, il ne manquera pas de decouvrir les vouvelles villes ou cite et leur gate eventuelle. A bientot pour la suite de la Saga. A+ Haazeel, conteur de la vie de son maitre GORGOR THE BLACK MOON (71) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Welcome The Party ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Seekers (40): The UNCLE alliance is working on getting a web page that will show the histories of the big alliances around the exit cities. This should help new players get a feel of what is going on and keep old players up to day on whats happening far away. The AIF posted a nice one a few turns ago and I heard there will be another posted for the Dunster area this turn. I'll write one for the Riggenthrope area one day, but its rather dull as we haven't killed anyone but a few monsters and city guards. I'll post the URL of the web page when its ready. More Babylon 5 Quotes --------------------- "What guarantees will you give me that the crews will not open fire on a Centauri vessel as it approaches Babylon 5 ?" "It's the same guarantee I gave when I said that none of the other Narns would break into your quarters in the middle of the night and slit your throat." "Mr. Garibaldi, you have never given me that promise." "You're right. Sleep tight." --Londo and Garibaldi, Walkabout "Oh, Londo, you are a fool. You walk away from the greatest power I have even seen, and now you expect me to do the same. They are the key to my eventual rise to the throne. Why would I abandon them?" "Because I have asked you. And because your loyalty to our people should be greater than your ambition. And because I have poisoned your drink." --Lord Refa and Londo, Ceremonies of Light and Dark "I apologize. I'm .. sorry. I'm sorry we had to defend ourselves against an unwarranted attack. I'm sorry that your crew was stupid enough to fire on a station filled with a quarter million civilians, including your own people. And I'm sorry I waited as long as I did before I blew them all straight to hell." --Sheridan, The Fall of Night ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Corrupt leaders grant concessions to vested interests. Armed thugs enforce unjust laws targeted at the poor and disenfranchised while turning a blind eye to the criminal excesses of the powerful. Meanwhile, on Atlantis... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For furs, go to the tundra. (now give me my 50 silver) (And thanks for such an easy question.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another day, another war. Isn't meglomania so dull? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Black Hawk Society ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >From the GGG: > 3) You can now buy "peasants", which will default to the > correct race in a region. Hey! That was my idea!! I'm not a newbie anymore!!!! Of course, I'm also the one who started that spleen thing, so I think I'll just shut up.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ At Spleen Central, the news of a potential Outie incursion into Atlantean Space had finally reached the Spleenmeister. And so the Battle Song rang out! Call out the Army Call out the Navy Call out the Air Force Call out the Marines Call out the Coast Guard Call out the Seabees Green Berets R.O.T.C. [R.O.T.C. ... good evening friends ... ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ACME Spleenmongers (117): ================================================================== Official GALE announcements: Are you a new faction and you want some land? Maybe you are a little intimidated by the echoes or war or blockades from various gate cities and want protection from marauding warlords. Have we got a deal for you. GALE is offering homesteads on our booming frontiers to new factions seeking a home to call their own. Magic training? Universities? Sure we can provide training and funding too. We're even giving trained mages away to new factions. We welcome settlers and colonists of all types to join us. Our ancient website is at http://www.wolfe.net/~azthar/GALE Any correspondence to GALE can be addressed to azthar@wolfenet.com Azthar Septragen Grand Elder of GALE =================================================================== Diary of a Spleenmonger. September, 4th year, 3rd Atlantean Era (3AE). With the foiling of the recent Sirian plot, I was able to afford the time for lots of dimensional travel this month. Subjected myself to zombie deathray device for absorbtion of "Babylon 5". Maybe there is hope. And perhaps it was divine intervention that saved the players list. But it was the spirit of the leaf, not the creator of this world. Made many trips to new smoking wing. Still needs work. Even though it's not open yet, it gets more visitors than the old one. Must see about increasing cigar production in "Bermuda." The troops are starting to show spleen. Can't blame 'em. Found new friends. Perhaps an old enemy as well. Suppose it's an issue of equilibrium, as I lost a dear friend as well. Farewell noble beast! May the power of the aethyr keep us together. The world will not forget. Ah yes, how did that go? "The winds of war are growing stronger." "The winds of war are growing stronger." "The winds of war are growing stronger." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A new type of monster has been sighted, seems to be a variation on the wild men. It is called wild orcish men [WOMAN]. Mostly i see two of them in the same place, usually a plain near an ocean. They have not yet attacked me, so i have no idea about their abilities. More news forthcoming. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Truth is not out there! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Ahoy the Flag!" came the voice from the mist. "Ahoy!" replied the Watch Officer. "Launch to starboard! Identity is 'Opera'!" "Aye! Permission to come aboard granted!" "Toss the line!" "Aye!" "Secured!" "Watch to all Hands! Commodore boarding!" A gentleman of distinctive nature wearing a neatly starched and pressed blud jacked climbed up the rope ladder and dropped himself firmly on the deck. "Have all the staff assembled?" "Aye sir. They have been alerted and should be arising from their slumber at this moment. Would you care for a cup of tea?" "Surely. Imported from Badalona, i hope?" "Aye. Along with truffles from Carahue. Our quartermaster prides himself at keeping the stores fine enough for an Admiral." "Well, he will shortly join us after he finishes conducting his inspection tour. He wanted to do so before we turn west into the open sea." "Pardon me." inserted a stout roguish man stepping out of the main cabin onto the deck. "I'm Regulus, captain of this ship. Welcome aboard commodore. We were expecting you. The others should be assembled in the flag bridge within five minutes. Please follow me." - - - - - "Gentlemen. Please be seated. We have much to discuss. First, i will go over the fleet status." Started the Commodore. "WFC had commited to this fleet 2 capital ships, this one shall serve as the flagship of the fleet throughout the duration of the mission. In addition, each capital ship has 1 escort and 2 scout ships attached. The fleet also has 2 fast mageboats for independent or fleet actions. When we get to the hot zone, we will also have a special ops ship attached to the fleet. We have on board each capital ship, a company of veterans; on board each escort, a platoon; each scout carries a squad as do the mageboats. Attache Westhaven will now provide the fleet orders . . . summarized, of course." A youngish elf took the podium as the Commodore took his seat. "The current mission of this fleet is simple. We are to operate independently of the army. The fleet is expected to carry out raids to disrupt the economy of the enemy and insert agents behind their lines. Basically, we are undermanned to carry out major strikes, but can do significant damage and put the enemy on the defensive. This should essentially open up another front or two for them to defend. And would cause them to commit troops that could otherwise be used against the army and take the initiative away from them. At the same time, our diplomatic corps will use our operations to pressure the enemy to agree to peace. These orders can change if necessitated by various reasons, but we do not expect them to." "Thank you. Intelligence report, Mr. Don?" "To our knowledge, the enemy has a single shipyard and is expected to have a up to 4 capital ships, possibly double that by the time we get there. There is no indication that any mage strength is allocated to any of these ships. We believe that all of their mages are located in a single school in a single location. Special Ops has planned a strike against it. Even if they commit a large force to track and kill us, we have accomplished our mission, albeit perhaps not in a way we would like." "Ha. Ha! Very good, Mr. Don. Everyone, we shall begin picking targets and task force allocations now. The Admiral expects the staff to have a primary plan, 3 alternates, and 2 emergency contingency plans. They will be wargamed and assessed to present to him in a week. But for now . . . A toast to success! A toast to victory! A toast to peace!" "AYE!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dragons are a big PAIN. Does anyone have a use for dragons teeth. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Report from the Seeker of the Way (218) ============================== * Preparations continue as the warriors train for the upcoming battle for the city. * The very last blocks of the tower are being placed as we speak. * Our first harvest of Mithril! And, our master swordsmen will begin to fashion the elusive silervy metal into swords of unequaled power. * Scouts have discovered a land bridge. Where it leads, we do not know. rlp@crystal.cirrus.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ It's time to toss the dice and see how they fall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Beware the coming of the Dark One! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Golden Empire (189): Azthar, wrote (as I'm sure you all noticed): > It is with some regret that I announce this will be the last installment of > the Smoking Wing. And so another chapter in the chaotic history of A3 comes to a close. > I would like to thank all my fans for their support, don't panic, I will > still grace the pages of the Times with my antics. Just in slightly > different format. There's a relief. Glad I read on before doing something drastic :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ An extract from 'The Teachings' Of T'ni B'net' 1) Do unto others before they do unto you. 2) Protect the bounds of Twee. 3) The Holy pattern is plaid (especially natty tartan trousers). 4) Come fly with me, come fly, come fly away. >From The Great Book Of Twee. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chiedemmo al saggio uomo sulla montagna: perche' il pollo attraversa la strada? Ci rispose: qual e' il rumore di una sola mano? Uno degli allievi si fece avanti e percosse violentemente il saggio uomo sul cranio, usando, sia pur ripetutamente, una mano sola. Udimmo un fortissimo schiocco. L'allievo fu illuminato. (da: storie Zen italiane, pubblicato da Deus ex Machina). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Those NPC's have bothered me for to long, its time I did something about it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mentor of Dunster: September of Year 3 has now passed. You only 3 months until my friends and I decend upon your sorry excuse for an army. >From what I hear, your tactics skills are even less then General Tigh's. Tigh may be a chicken, but when he decides to fight he at least has a plan. The rumors say that you have led over 1500 soldiers to their deaths. In January, you forces will fall to our swords and magic as easily as sheep are led to their slaughter. If you wish to surrender and save your worthless leaders, I will consider allowing you to pass off your army to me and let your leaders leave with their tails tucked between their knees. Let me know your reply by way of the times and remember, your time is short. The Time Lords ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The shore was in sight at last... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I declare myself to be the winner of Atlantis 3.0. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ boy! 5000 silver sure goes fast! gimme 50 more! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A timber yard will increase production of wood in a hex but will it also increase the realated advanced item in that hex(for example ironwood)? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sim Nation (253): Industrial Revolution (IR), is an alliance of factions out in the Wide = World. IR seeks especially those players who have taken their faction = far away from the crowds of the starting cities, by teleportation, over = land, or by sea, in search of virgin lands to make your own. It is your = individualism and pioneer spirit that make Atlantis great. IR's charter = has been written with the individual in mind. The unofficial motto of = IR is "the government that keeps the hell out of the way governs best". = IR seeks to build friendships and foster strong bonds of loyalty among = member factions through cooperation, not by imposing law on top of law = and by stifling individual freedom in the name of "collective security" = and "resource management". 1. Any Atlantis faction may join Industrial Revolution by declaring = every member faction friendly and by agreeing to abide by the terms and = conditions of this charter. 2. Alliance members have the right to conduct trade, to conduct = exploration, to study and make use of magic and other skills, and to = enjoy the fruits thereof. The right of alliance members to make = treaties with any Atlantis faction shall not be infringed. 3. Every alliance member has the right to defend his lands and to = possess and maintain troops as he sees fit. Every alliance member is = sovereign within his lands. 4. Neither taxes, nor levies of troops shall be required of alliance = members. 5. No alliance member shall make war against any other member of the = alliance. No alliance member shall commit assassination against any = other member of the alliance 6. Every alliance member has the right to withdraw from the alliance. = Alliance members may be expelled from the alliance by a two-thirds vote = of member factions. 7. Amendments to this charter may be proposed by any member faction. = Amendments must be ratified by a three-quarters vote of member factions. = Amendments may be repealed by a three-quarters vote of member factions. If you have jumped away from the starting cities but still want some = contact with other factions, friends to help you out in your time of = need, and news from other parts of the world, IR may be for you. Interested factions may register their affiliation with either BruceR. = Davis <bnca@pacbell.net> (BRD Industries) or Ryan = Hill<ryanhill@wolfenet.com> (Sim Nation). Requests for additional = information will be answered as promptly as possible. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ To the East the cowards run. Further back they fall at our crushing blows. Soon GALE will exist no more! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Oh, the shame of it! gimme 50! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ There were 5 of them and now there are still 5 of them .. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The captain looked over the dead mans belongings. All he had was a sword, a horse and some silver. There was nothing to indicate who the mysterious scout had worked for. And that had been the cause of his death. The captain sighed. "You've done well Sergent" "Thank You, Sir", came the reply. "Your quick thinking and good eyes in spotting the unknown intruder will be reported to our leader. I'm sure he will reward you" "Thank You, Sir!", the sergent replied. "Now return to your duties", the captain ordered. The captain relaxed after the sergent had left. What kind of scout would venture into unknown territory without revealing who he worked for? Was this a spy of one of the factions who had caused the diplomatic incident? Or was it someone else, preparing to attack his command? Or had it been a poor traveller who thought being stealthy would protect him? The questions were enough to give a man ulcers. His thoughts were interrupted by the shouts of the guards. "GOBLINS!" The captain quickly grabed his crossbow and charged into the battle, as the new recruits poored from the barracks.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PLEASE REMOVE THE 50 SILVER REWARD FOR TIMES ARTICLES! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Killing cityguards is FUN! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Gate Lore Warriors are seeking victims. If you're losing a war near a gate city, simply reveal the gate number and we'll come and mix things up a little. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HELP WANTED Strong growing company with a bright future in providing improved "Quality of Life" seeks new marketing manager. Experience must include 3-6 months experience in Observation, and experience in narcotic herb production. Stealth and Combat experience is a plus. Contact the Vice Lords Brotherhood on the Atlantis Wide Web at aww.vicelords.gng ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A: .... P: ... P: I'am sur you can do it, sir ! A: What!? P: You can kill the sphinx. A: You're joking, it is to strong. P: Of course not, I know a lady who can help you with her's troops. Remember, a friend of you discovered 32 doublebows on a dead sphinx... A: Yes, your wright... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The City will be ours! Nothing can stop us now the Forces keep rolling in. We are Strong, very Strong. Prepare for the rout! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dunster News Report: *********************************** No new things to report. Visitor Bureau is still open and accepting applications. If you would like to journey to Dunster and possibly explore the region please contact me at kgrindst@inlink.com Grayson, The Dark Legion (7) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Skill reports: quarrying [QUAR] 3: A unit with this skill may use the PRODUCE order to produce rootstone, a rare stone found deep within Atlantis. Skill level 3 is required to determine which regions rootstone may be produced in. High level builders may use rootstone to build magical fortresses. A unit of rootstone weighs 10 weight units. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Goodbye, trade production. Hello, Magic 5 and simpler turns! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Hive (165): To the owner of: + The Blessed Moon [170]: Longboat If you are not one of my enemies, I apologize for attacking you this turn. Since my unit was revealing faction, I expected you to contact me this week regarding my intentions. Since you did not contact me and you were not revealing your own faction, I concluded that you are unfriendly to me and my allies. If you are NOT my enemy and you defeat me, then there is no harm done. If I defeat you, please contact me and we can discuss how I can compensate you for your loss. I can be reached at BKTheKid@aol.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fist of the White Lotus (4): "Welcome back to the White Lotus Poetry Corner; I'm your host, Zhuge Liang. Well, still no "Agamemnon", but I'm going to keep my eyes open for a decent translation, and if I find one, I'll post it here. Since I don't have that for you today-- "Wait, bare with me for a second. Excuse me, tower-boy, could you bring me a perfumed hankerchief from my laboratory. This sea air is wreaking havoc upon my sinuses. "Now, where was I? Oh yes, this week's motif. I was about at night here in Anshun just recently, and while this is a good sized town, I was struck by how it pales in comparison to Helsicke, which I have not seen in lo these many months. So, the poem I have selected for this week deals with the glory (and pitfalls) of the city. "Oh, and to "The Seekers", while I admit Alexander Pope is not Babylon 5, I never much cared for him or Leibnitz... If you are taking requests, perhaps you could dig up something from a contemporary of theirs' that I have always favored: Voltaire. "And now, without further ado: Chicago by Carl Sandburg (1878-1967) Hog Butcher for the World, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler; Stormy, husky, brawling, City of the Big Shoulders: They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I have seen your painted women under the gas lamps luring the farm boys. And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to kill again. And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the faces of women and children I have seen the marks of wanton hunger. And having answered so I turn once more to those who sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer and say to them: Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning. Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the little soft cities; Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning as a savage pitted against the wilderness, Bareheaded, Shoveling, Wrecking, Planning, Building, breaking, rebuilding, Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with white teeth, Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young man laughs, Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has never lost a battle, Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse, and under his ribs the heart of the people, Laughing! Laughing the stomry, husky, brawling laughter of Youth, half- naked, sweating, proud to be Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation. "And so, Chicago (or any city of big shoulders) in all its majesty and lack there of. I'm still considering what theme we'll have next week, but haven't reached a decision yet. Until then..." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We found in an ancient book these words of the master of unearthly horror, H.P. Lovecraft, regarding our investigation. "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. Thus do men search, endlessly, yet in vain, for the motives of the chicken in its crossing of the roadway are of that realm that man was not meant to know of, but lusts after despite all reason and sanity." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Death To GALE!!! Death To GALE!!!" screamed the enraged crowd. The sacking of their fine city by GALE troops had angered them, and the new taxes sent them into a rage. The local GALE garrison looked down at the crowd, ready for a fight... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Efficient Empire (119): Encounter with a Clan of Wild Men This turn I attacked a Clan of Wild Men. They showed up in a hex where I had OBS 5, so their stealth is four or less. Five of the six adjacent hexes had OBS 0 men, and the sixth hex contained a lair and was ungarrisoned, so they may have some stealth skill. One of the five garrisoned hexes also contained an empty lair. They were surprised by tactics 5, so they are also 4 or less tactics skill. Defenders: Clan of Wild Men (2268), 8 wild men [WMAN] (Combat 3, Hits 1). Spoils: 283 silver [SILV], 2 swords [SWOR], 3 iron [IRON], 2 ivory [IVOR], truffles [TRUF], vodka [VODK]. Bill , Efficient Empire (WLarson730@aol.com) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ New factions: don't be fooled by offers of membership from large alliances. You'll be forced to settle on crappy lands, and in some cases, give up a majority of your initial money for no reason. Just move into the start cities, and cast gate_lore random, and land in an unsettled utopia in the vast uninhabited sections of the Atlantis world. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The winds of war are growing stronger ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The winds of war are growing stronger ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ space (-,-,-) in Universe, contains Death Star [space station], 1,433,694 workers (storm troopers), $25,432,645 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is clear space this month; there will an asteroid storm next month. Wages: $16 Wanted: Unlimited Rebel Prisoners [REPR] For Sale: Unlimited TIE Fighters [TIEF] at $1000, unlimited TIE Bombers [TIEB] at $1500, unlimited Transports [TRAN] at $2500, unlimited storm troopers [STTR] at $55. Entertainment available: none. Products: 10 TIE Fighters [TIEF], 7 TIE Bombers [TIEB], 3 transports [TRAN], 1 Destroyed Planet [BOOM] Exits: [snip] -Hanger Guards (12), The Empire (1), on guard, 30 storm troopers [STTR], 30 laser blasters [LABL]. Skills: combat [COMB] 1 (30). -Darth Vader (666), The Empire (1), 1 Jedi [JEDI], 1 lightsaber [LISA]. Skills: combat [COMB] 5 (450), The Force [FORC] 5 (450), pilot [PILO] 5 (450). -Luke Skywalker (100), The Rebels (2), 1 Jedi [JEDI], 1 laser blaster [LABL], 1 lightsaber [LISA]. Skills: combat [COMB] 2 (90), The Force [FORC] 1 (30). -Princess Leia (25), The Rebels (2), 1 princess [PRIN]. Skills: The Force [FORC] 1 (30). -Han Solo (55), Han Solo (3), 1 smuggler [SMUG], 1 laser blaster [LABL]. Skills: combat [COMB] 3 (180), pilot [PILO] 3 (180). +Millenium Falcon [382]: Modified Transport -Chewbacca (56), Han Solo (3), 1 wookie [WOOK]. Skills: combat [COMB] 4 (300), pilot [PILO] 3 (180). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forward AIF!!! Death to SEP. Supreme Commander, The Iron Gaurd An AIF founding member. ****************************************************** * CYPHER * * cypher@qnet.com * * * * Visit Cypher's Home Page at : * * * * http://www.av.qnet.com/~cypher * ****************************************************** Bobby Hardenbrook (-0-) r.a.s.s.m ------------------------------------------------------------------------ G ot A ny L oose E nds ? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Don't count your chickens. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just lending a hand. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm the fire-starter twisted fire starter.... Truer words were never spoken..... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Take the big leap when it is indicated: you can't cross a chasm in two small jumps. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Patience, my ass! I'm gonna kill something. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ You can never clean anything without making at least one other thing dirty in the process. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "OK, lads, get in line and let's see who's missing." "Hugh, Pugh, Barney, McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grub..." "Hmmm. Only three casualties, not bad. Those town guards weren't as tough as we'd been warned. Mind you, it could have been nasty if those wizards hadn't helped out like they did. Maybe those folks in the tower have their uses afterall." "Anyway, now those guards are out of the way we can start running this town properly." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Studying is thirsty work.... Gimme 50 silver for a free round at the bar. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Anyone want to trade GATE information? = Ask first for permission or you are dead! Great Association of Tax Eaters [GATE] = ------------------------------------------------------------------------ As a newbie I would also be interested in some more tales of past wars. e.g.: What=B4s the SEP=B4s view of their war against the AIF and what is going on around Dunster? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Avec le temps va tout s'en va, Et les Gregors s'en vont aussi... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I wonder if Twee men die as easily as Nigel? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Igziabeher stood watching the sphinx. The creature was dead now, as were most of the Irie frontline Orcs. Everything had gone roughly has planned. Still the sphinx had left one last riddle: how was one meant to use double bows? By being a double archer?!? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chronicles of The Tribe The decision was made... The taxable areas are maxed out. The production areas are close to the maximum. Mages are not doing much lately. The Tribe is leaning towards trade and Guajajara must go now. Learn with Brian. Paulo, Parrot-man of The Tribe (123) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Making some headway, finances better, studying just fine. Need no distractions or interruptions from hostile players. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BEWARE!! There ia a monster at sea! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Diastrophism (83): Without a duke, the future of the Duchy of Nolle was uncertain. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Last week someone wrote: > Amazing. The underworld seems to just go on, and on, and on... > > Who knows where the next shaft might pop you up on the surface? This week: Oh, there are THOSE things down in the underworld too? I hope they're not hungry. (This after finding TWO dragons just a single turn away from each other - not to mention ettins and other misc. creatures!) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Glass Chompers (65): Okay time to kill more Guards! Are you new to the game? Wondering what some of these skills do? Come visit my page at: http://www.kraby.pair.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Rangers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nameless killed the Birds ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Open letter to wussies formerly known as RIP: What comes around Goes around You're going down Down! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Does anyone have the Singing skill yet? SING 1(30). It's a form of entertainment you know. Besides hockey players wives love it! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "You've got to be trusted by the people that you lie to, so that when they turn their backs on you, you'll get the chance to put the knife in." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *************** NEWS FROM THE SAILORS BROTHERHOOD **************** * No New Discovery reported this turn * The Hub A BIG MAGIC UNIVERSITY has been founded in the Hubs HQ (186,40). We're ALREADY receiving lots of teachers and students. Contact me (cyrilb@microsoft.com) or ryanhill@wolfenet.com for more information on how to join. The Hub is a community of international guilds, and will soon become the best service provider on Atlantis!! LEGITIMATE YOUR DISCOVERIES by sharing them with the now official Sailors Brotherhood. DON'T SAIL IN THE DARK, join the brotherhood and you'll get cartographic information to help you decide where to go. Don't be the last sailor to join ! Contact cyrilb@microsoft.com. Participate to the World Community by joining the first INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION ! Pinpanikaye, King of the Minstrels. ************************************************************************ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Look at the sky Nameless criminals, we are coming to burn your towns! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The natural order of the subject leads us to consider, in this place, that provision of the Constitution which authorizes the national legislature to regulate, in the last resort, the election of its own members. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ What do ya' know . . . an infiltrator. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Glorious Organization of Divineship, Monthly News ------------------------------------------------- GOD is a peaceful alliance located around Jotel. The members are Roses On White Lace (91) & Elves of Essedail (93) GRISBYGD DISASTER! The reporters were a little bit quick with their conclusions. The plan for killing the mad Bog Thing went terribly wrong, when the guy who was ordered to alarm the hidden warriors, fell and broke his leg on the way. At the same time, the elven savages hidden nearby misintepreted the signal, and therefore did not come aid their fellows. Lord Smygelfh was angry and equipped a group of mean soldiers with good weapons, ordering them to seek out revenge. BULDING BOOM! Lord Smygelfh ordered the builders to double their efforts. They all promised to finish their projects within a month. WINGED HORSES? Still no sign of pegasi in GOD's land, but the selfprocaimed horse expert continues his search, and promised not to stop until he has found them. WWW: Afraid of the unknown? Don't be, Check out GOD HQ at http://www.student.tdb.uu.se/~m96thd/GOD *Contains THE BEST MONSTERGUIDE in Atlantis* ------------------------------------------------- GOD can be reached at m96thd@student.tdb.uu.se or rmst@lysator.liu.se ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How little we know of the world outside our petty garden... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Could the owner of the Raider units in Porthcawl swamp and the owner of TreeCutter and Merlin's Guards in Corran swamp and the owner of Ftr in Corran swamp please contact me? I would like to cooperate if you're interested. We can trade training and map-info. I'm looking for a place to set up business that isn't already used or claimed. The Loremasters (224) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ And triple Humbug!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dragons, Dragons, Dragons aplenty. Ogres were a piece of cake. Ettins were actually a good fight. But we still won. Sphinx just got steamrollered. But the Dragon - the ultimate NPC foe! We'll let you know next week. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alms for the poor! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ No one knows the nameless ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Accord Ltd. (191): ANNOUNCEMENT: Accord, Ltd. is under new management effective immediately. This may include a name change in the semi-near future. I intend to continue all of the work which Eric started. If you have any questions, please send email to twells@shore.net. Tabor twells@shore.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Skill reports for you all: mining [MINI] 5: No skill report. clear skies [CLEA] 1: The Clear Skies spell has two uses. When cast using the CAST order, it causes the region to have good weather for the entire month; movement is at the normal rate (even if it is winter, and movement costs would normally be doubled), and the economic production of the region is improved for a month (this improvement of the economy will actually take effect during the turn after the spell is cast). To use the spell in this fashion, CAST Clear_Skies; no arguments are necessary. The other use of the spell is in combat, as a defense against weather attacks. If the mage sets this spell as his combat spell using the COMBAT order, it will function as a shield against weather attacks, at a level equal to the mage's Clear Skies skill. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unit 1 go to the north, Unit 2 go northeast, there is money to be had in these parts. I can feel it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The first blood is drawn ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Up