Atlantis 3.0: Times 19 From: Geoff Dunbar <gdunbar@prankster.com> Date: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 00:00:00 +0000 Subject: Atlantis 3.0: Times 19 Atlantis 3.0 Times July, 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Email admin30@prankster.com with game issues. Visit http://www.prankster.com (or email atlantis@prankster.com) for information or to join. There is a new order this turn: CONSUME UNIT CONSUME FACTION CONSUME The CONSUME order instructs the unit to use food items in preference to silver for maintenance costs. CONSUME UNIT tells the unit to use food items that are in that unit's possession before using silver. CONSUME FACTION tells the unit to use any food items that the faction owns (in the same region as the unit) before using silver. CONSUME tells the unit to use silver before food items (this is the default). Example: Tell a unit to use food items in the unit's possession for maintenance costs. CONSUME UNIT There is a new set of rules in the usual place, with the CONSUME order. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ To all shadows Kill human telepaths. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I learned today that you cannot swim a mile if you don't get some potassium in your diet. Damn, and I wanted ot get this over with. Now I look forward to a whole week of nothing but swimming in a big circle... Anyway, How settled is everyone? Does anyone want to star a little war, just to liven thigs up? Let me know... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Ruin [1] : Ruin, closed to player units. - Sandlings (6524), 9 sandlings [SAND]. #emd ------------------------------------------------------------------------ wolf lore [WOLF] 1: A mage with Wolf Lore skill may summon wolves, who will fight for him in combat. A mage may summon a number of wolves equal to his skill level, and control a total number of 4 times his skill level squared wolves; the wolves will be placed in the mages inventory. Note, however, that wolves may only be summoned in mountain and forest regions. To summon wolves, the mage should issue the order CAST Wolf_Lore. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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) TRADE: Items of all kinds are beeing produced each turn, but not many of each. Soon, when there's enough taxers, more money can be set aside for education good producers. Plans for a giant tower are taking form. WAR: Jotel fell to the superior GOD forces last month. The guards was taken by surprise late one night, and 30 of them was dead before they know what happened. Then, when retreating, GOD mages fried the remaining guards. Lord Smygelfh commented: "We didn't want'em to convince neighbours to go for revenge." SUCCESION: After beeing mortally wounded in the Battle of Jotel, Mindravel passed his crown to Lord Smygelfh, who from now shall lead the ROWL part of the alliance. MAGIC: After the battle in Jotel, the mages returned to study. Lord Firebrand found out how to enchant swords, and decided to teach his companions the secret. Everybody in the GOD council agreet that magic swords is a quick way to power. WWW: Don't you know how strong those centaurs are? Or the city guards? Check out GOD HQ at http://www.student.tdb.uu/~m96thd/GOD *Contains THE BEST MONSTER-GUIDE in Atlantis* ------------------------------------------------ GOD can be reached at m96thd@student.tdb.uu.se ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Money make's the world go round, the world go round ... 50 silver please for my greedy mages. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ War!!!!!!!!!! ACME invades territory of the Nameless alliance! A.D.A.M. (117) claims "Nail down your womenfolk, and hide your valuables, becuase we're eviler than the Evil Brotherhood of Twee, and we're coming for you!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ***** THE BROTHERHOOD OF TWEE ARE ANGELS NOT DEVILS ***** ***** DEVERON CITIZEN'S APPALLED AT AIF LIES = *****=20 Citizen's of the Twee Holy Lands across Deveron were appalled last month = to read, in this very paper, the lies and dissinformation being spread = by the evil heathen forces of the AIF. A spokesman for the Brotherhood = Of Twee, whose maxim is freedom for all and who have saved millions from = the oppressive yoke of the tyrannical AIF forces, said today; "The AIF armies march through the lands, bleeding the people dry with = their Blitz-Krieg Pillage tactics and caring groups like ourselves are = left to pick up the pieces and repair the shattered lands. Millions have = died at the hands of the AIFs self styled 'Death Squads', and if it = weren't for the work of the Brotherhood of Twee and its sister = organizations in the SEP alliance, millions more lives would have been = lost. Our orphanages are full of children whose stories are too similar, = parents and siblings alike raped and murdered by AIF troops as their = officers looked on laughing. I think it is time the international = community said enough is enough and stood up to these evil tyrants. Our = peaceful forces can only pick up the pieces, we need Factions and = Alliances of war to stamp on these animals and stop their crusade of = terror before it is too late. Once Deveron has been bled dry by their stampeding forces of evil, it = may be your homeland they move too. So please help us wipe them out = before you too become a victim of the Satanic AIF!" Later this reporter was witness to a spontaneous celebration, where = hundreds of grateful citizens of the new Holy Land gathered in the = streets to thank Brotherhood peacekeepers for saving them from the = oppressive AIF forces.=20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --- SECRET ROOM --- Red Elf, you have performed a secret trick ! This message is dedicated to those who enjoyed Gauntlet as much as AT3. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Beware the snake, for the wind blows backwards. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GALE is a bunch of warmongering wussies... ANARCHY will be their downfall in the very near future. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> Here's another one of those DUMB articles >> (Hey, I didn't start the series!) yes but you can end it...... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Silver Reavers (163): Things had settled down considerably after all of the excitement the previous month. In fact, Beldin was in, what was for him, a positively cheerful mood this morning. The main reason for his comparative good temper was that he had just received an official commendation from the Grand Duke himself for his excellent handling of the negotiations with the stranger who had so unexpectedly materialised from the rift. The almost superhuman effort it had taken him to actually be nice to someone had, it seemed, been noticed. He was also secretly pleased that the research project into the rifts had been temporarily suspended. Of late he had detected a rising feeling of frustration from his assistants due to their apparent lack of progress. Instead, the Grand Duke's military advisor had instructed him to concentrate the efforts of himself and his assistants on means by which the quality of the arms and armour currently supplied to the regional garrisons could be improved. This, he felt, was an area in which rapid and visible progress could be made further enhancing his reputation with the nobility. For all these reasons, Beldin didn't even snarl when his mid-morning nap was interrupted by a timid knocking at his study door. At his invitation to enter, Figgis, his principal assistant came in followed by the other senior staff - for some unaccountable reason they were all grinning like cheshire cats. When the last of them had entered they parted to reveal Gaf, the yougest scribe in the facility carrying a large white cake with what looked to be 112 candles on it arranged into the shape of the rune of good chance. At site of this, even the frightful Beldin had to smile. They had remembered his birthday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ armorer [ARMO] 3: A unit with this skill may PRODUCE plate armor from 3 units of iron. Plate armor provides a 2/3 chance of surviving a successful attack in battle. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Land at last, but I think I've come to like the sea. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "ohhhhhhhh I see.... In the stars a message is written..." "When the moon will hide the sun..." "A city will perish ..." "I see rivers of blood..." *** SNAP *** [Hey ! you broke his neck !!!] <I hates fortune-tellers, are you one ?> [Err...humm.. no my lord] <I'm not your lord, i'm a Great Adept of the Loathsome Elephant, I w..> *** KNIT STAB SLASH *** [And i hate these guys, Elephant herder, I'll keep your head now] [You should have been wary of mice....] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Maw, There's new boy's in them hills. Maybe we'll stopm that sherrif. Paw McCoy ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "SAH!" *sigh* "Yes?..." "I bring the monthly status report, SAH!" "Well...?" "Recruitment is going as planned, our treasury is disappearing fast, SAH! And we have encountered a band of kobolds in a local ruin, but they seem unwilling to attack, SAH!" "oh dear.. well keep spending my money and send an emmisary to talk to the runtz... oh and Kaine?" "SAH?" "go away, will you." "SAH, YES SAH!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Does anyone have GATE 4? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observation: Although you need to study magic skills above level 2 in a tower or suffer penalties - it is possible to get to 120 days without a building as long as you START with less than 90 days. e.g. mage with 60 days in force, taught by mage with level 2, goes straight to 120 days in force - with no tower. If you don't believe everything you read in the times ... ... try it yourself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Bank of Helsicke (81): Hey everyone, I invested at the Bank of Helsicke and I've had to beat the women off with a club ever since! Yours honestly, The Very Honest Faction (666). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The pioneer looked around... It seemed like he had been in this swamp forever, and perhaps he had. The news had come back, the land to the south as far as the ocean was filled with men, barely enough room for the soldiers that were there, no room for new ones. He turned north, and spurred on his two horses. He had heard that there was room in the north for those who could make weapons, catch horses, or till the land. The white lotus kung-fu school had offered him a job making swords for their soldiers. It wasn't as glamorous as being a soldier, but it would do. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ cowardice [COWA] 1: A unit with this skill, if possessing a yellow streak, may join in allegiance with the AIF. Any AIF member utlising this skill may write insulting and libelous articles in the Times about other factions. This skill is dangerous in the wrong hands, especially with those who make idle threats of war but who do not have the military might to backup their strong words. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rumour has it that Gate 2 lets you jump randomly with 100 weight units including the caster ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Run to the north, to the north!! Agggg! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ War in Durness, THE FACTS ------------------------- What I am about to relate is a completely factual account of the reasons behind the war that has erupted in Durness. Yes, I am an AIF member, but nothing in the following account is in anyway untruthful or even exagerated. The FACTS are with the AIF, and so I have no reason to lie. The AIF is an alliance of about 10 relatively new factions who have started off in Durnes. All of us being new and undeveloped factions we decided to head Northwest away from the SEP alliance and the Brotherhood of Twee in order to avoid trouble and try to establish ourselves. This we have been doing for several turns. It just so happens that several turns ago we came across a large city, the city of Abrantes. We began to settle the area around the city in hopes of one day taking it. Well, after several turns the SEP found out about the city. All hell broke loose soon therafter. The next turn an SEP member tried to steal $1900 silver from my small unit of swordsmiths in Durness. This pathetic attempt failed luckily. In that same turn the Brotherhood of Twee occupied hex(26,104), until then a lightly settled AIF hex. The Brotherhood of Twee invaded that same hex the next turn with 200 combat 2 troops, 2 mages, and a level 4 tactician. The AIF forces consisted of one non-war mage, several horse trainers, and a small troup of 5 guards with a level 1 tactician. As you read in the story of the death of The One, this tiny force was ahnialted in the cowardly Brotherhood of Twee massacre. Meanwhile, the SEP began to mass a huge force of battle mages and troops to the East of Abrantes. The commander of the SEP then announced that the SEP had declared war against all AIF factions, and warned that any AIF units encountered would be destroyed. All these events led to the current state of war. AIF forces are now pillaging and retreating from the SEP onslught. The AIF has been split in two, with our factions in the north and south cut off from each other. I leave it to all of you to determine who is at the wrong here. A powerful established Alliance has brtualy turned on a peaceful new alliance for the sole reason that we MIGHT pose somekind of threat if we would have taken Abrantes. They know this is complete bullshit, but that is their excuse for the genocidal offensive they have launched against us. On behalf of the AIF I will now announce that the AIF has declared complete and total unrestricted war on the SEP. This included the Brotherhood of Twee, even though they attempted to fool us by claiming they were not an SEP member. We are not stupid. Any neutral or visiting units will do so at thier own risk. The AIF will wage war on any SEP or unknown faction in the Durness region. The AIF also takes no responsibility for the wave of pillaging we are currntly engaged in. The SEP brought on this war and they will suffer the consequences. there you have it. That is the situation in Durness. Don't be fooled by all the crap propaganda coming out of the SEP, I have just given an honest account of the start of the war in Durness. This public service announcement has been brought to you by The Followers of The One, on behalf of the Alliance of Independent Factions(AIF) You may contact me if you have any questions or remarks reguarding the AIF declaration of war at : blhardenbrook@ucdavis.edu There be war in Durness. The forces of freedom within the AIF will never relent to the tyranical madmen in the Evil SEP. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unless you're wearing your lucky shoes, you should make sure you're revealing your faction when doing recon in other factions' territories. Not doing so is a good way to get yourself killed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HEy Black Robe Mutant or something like that ! I think that you could put me the first on your list ! I'm still waiting you ! You're a poor man who ignore the rule of a War Game ! Even if you defeat me I will restart again and again ! If you want to scare me, I think that you don't succeed ! I never heard about you in AT2 but what I know it's that I will be very happy to erase you from AT3, because with a such mind, you will not survive in such world ! Good Luck in your Faith SEE you soon The BLACK MOON ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The red falling star flag flys over a certain gate in a certain mountain. Those who come in friendship will find welcome and riches, but any who come with conquest in mind will die by the sword. Or by the axe, if the rumours are true. The dwarves would so much prefer axes. Nursie looked out over the sea. The Nexus city was close and there was much to do. Time might be short. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The jungle elves of Primoria are still waiting for the monsoon to break. The Great White Queen who disappeared as mysteriously as she arrived has sent word that little more silver can be spared for them. Some will just have to work this month. They hope this doesn't interfere with their seista. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dwight was glad to be back on the ocean. Starting an Empire was fine and dandy, but he would take the salt breezes and ripping winds any day, even in the monsoon season. He wondered if he was begining to fit the description of the Imperial High Admiral, the way the Emperor wanted him to. "Admiral, we have spotted land, and our advance scouts." "Aye, put us in at that natural looking harbour then, just outside that village." Dwight knew that the Emperor did not want to alarm the town council in any way. However, he knew what was coming, and knew it to be inevitable. Sigh, even being an Admiral could not keep you from the bloodshed. Still, for a better empire, it was worth it, wasn't it? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BioPhreaks (172): As the obese, fetid visage of the Mutoid Man lay on the laboratory table like a sack of rotten potatoes, Johnny Clone mused that audiences with his newest warrior would be difficult to enjoy. However, this day was full of surprises. The lab technician removed the crude brass leads from formless bulk of the Mutoid Man�s head. "In spite of side effect of one massive constitution, this DNA strain was discovered to be particularly useful in directing the flow of manna, or magic. He should be quite useful in our long term plans." Johnny raised a single eyebrow, "You�re telling me that this tub of protoplasm can be educated in the arcane disciplines? I doubt it can even talk!" Cringing, the technician pulled a lever. "Sire, it is alive!" Immediately, the Mutoid Man let loose a mindless bellow that shook the walls of the wooden laboratory. Two thunderous footsteps followed as the half ton of vat grown flesh planted itself on the soil of Atlantis for the first time. The beast fixed the cowering technician with the gaze of reptile, taking delight in the fear it could inflict upon smaller beings. It then turned its baleful eyes toward Johnny Clone, and deep inside its massive chest, the Mutoid Man�s heart trembled before the indifferent silver eyes. "So this is the BioPhreak�s idea of a spellcaster," Johnny spat in the direction of the technician, "Technician, you have proven your seed to be unfit. You are fired!" The technician began mumbling some form of excuse or defense for his creation, but may well have not bothered. For as the word "Fire" reached the Mutoid Man�s ears, an instinctual signal was triggered in its loathsome brain. Johnny saw the thousand pound abomination speak an incantation as delicately as any elf, then direct its slablike hands toward the technician in a surprisingly precise and meaningful manner. A vast ball of flame shot from the treetrunk-sized fingers, incinerating the still-mumbling scientist. Burning lumber and cauterized chunks of meat flew wildly through the air. A slow smile formed across Johnny�s face. "Total Carnage," he said, "I like it." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "I told you we would find land soon father. But I'm sure I've just seen a Kender in the forest. I think we should give this site a miss." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Hand of Justice shall seek retribution.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dunster News Report: Celebrating our 15th issue! Word on the streets is that the Southern Cross was defeated at Cremona. Our reports have been sketchy, but it appears that the northern army was unsuccessful at stopping the advance of the Dark Legions. The extent of the damage is as yet unconfirmed. Lynton was attacked last turn by the Dark Legions' southern army. This group, apparently suffering from overconfidence due to their success in the north, was soundly defeated by the city guards, with a little tactical and magical help from Southern Cross factions. This blow will undoubtedly deter their hopes of launching a sneak attack from the south. We'll bring you more updates on this developing (and quite humorous) situation next month. Apparently all the talk of war has affected the Dunster tourist trade. It has been several months since any new factions appeared in our desert oasis. Sorry to scare you folks off, but war is hell, and I'm just here to give you the real scoop. Plus due to the recent attempts at forgery, we here at the DNR feel obligated to continue our reports. Mike Weldon Southern Cross News Correspondent Grey Wolf Clan (78) weldon@sdd.hp.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The winds of war are growing stronger ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chronicles of The Tribe Now we are temporarily settled. The tribes are starting to diversify and go for trade instead of old boring taxation in places where the tax base is already exausted. The jungles are good for wood (isn't that obvious?!) and The Tribe is going to extract it. The plain are for horses and in due time they also will be tamed. Livestock is already being raised. Trade may be the way to go... Paulo, Parrot-man of The Tribe (123) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The plans for the great Chibcha watchtower are drawn... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rantlu - They were the best of times, they were the times! With so many people jealously guarding their lands, thank Geoff for the Times! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ So a skillful military operation should be like a swift snake that counters with its tail when some- one strikes at its head, counters with its head when someone strikes at its tail, and counters with both head and tail when someone strikes at its middle. - Sun Tzu - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Grey Company (49): ============================== Longboat for sale in Graevbygd ============================== $2000 including sailors. contact jegt@aleph.se ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The first of, we hope, many carrier pigeons arrived today. It reports the SS Titanic is holding to course. The monsoon winds have halved its sailing speed, but all seems sound. It appears that one should not rely completely on the directions given by the local map makers as the ship almost ran aground at a location we were asured we would find ocean! More disconcerting is the mysterious time loss that afflicts the crew and passengers. They tell of having no recollection of sailing to the location from where the pigeon was released. "It's as if all our memories were wiped clean". The navigator reports that they indeed are at the location they expected to be at, but there is no memory of the intervening time. We unfortunately expect that possible landing sites may be missed unless the crew sails directly into them or "wakes up" next to them. We are pleased at the interest shown in our ventures. Read on for details. Plans are being drawn up, and a dry dock is being prepared for our next venture. Prospective passengers and/or venture capitalists are invited to our offices in Rantlu to discuss the next longboat to be built, a summary of our prospectus is included here. Prospectus from Daununda (158) Entreprises for "Longboat 2" ( we'll name it later at the Annual Shareholders Meeting) 1. 100 publicly offered shares at 20 silver each - only available in Rantlu. 2. 50 privately held shares will remain under the ownership of Daununda Enterprises. 3. The boat will be used to establish a trading/passenger carrying concern. 4. Sailing route to be determined. 5. Dividends will be calculated as 1/150 of the takings per voyage, per share held, payable at voyage completion ( fractional silver dividends will accumulate to next installment). Should a share holder representative not be present at the docking port, dividend will be held ( at shareholder's risk ) until landfall is made where a representative is present. 6. Duanunda personel (sailors and captain) travel free of charge. 7. Passenger fees: Share holders will receive a 10% discount per share held, or pay 50 silver, whichever is the highest. Non share holders pay full price. Leader cabins available at 225 silver Ordinary riffraff can sleep on deck for 75 silver. 8. Cargo fees: Share holders will receive a 10% discount per share held. 8 silver per unit dead weight ( this includes any fish you catch during the voyage) 10 silver per unit livestock weight( and you muck out the stables!) 9 Treasury fees: Any unaccompanied monies should be deposited with the Captain before voyage commences, a 10% fee will be levied for this service. Shareholders only need pay a 5% fee. 10. Food and voyage supplies: You look after yourself. 11. Sea monsters, pirates, monsoons, tidal waves, reefs, rocks, sandbars, leaky boat, etc: You take your chances. 12. Share register will be published in The Times, annonymous subscribers need not apply. 13. Dividends will be announced in The Times. 14. Share scrip will be e-mailed to subscriber or their nominated holder on a first-come, first-served basis, after payment is made. 15. Requests for shares should be made by e-mail to the address below, include Faction or Alliance name. Daununda (158) Enterprises (jim_eadie@cc.chiron.com) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I've not much time to hither tarry, I've got to run, as friend will marry. You may read my note with no elation, But I get my 50 compensation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dorack VonGreystar is here for now. THE REDSWIFT TRADING AND SCOUTING COMPANY Faction 232 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Still alive............................................................ The Black Hawk Society Trading Company ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rien ne sert de courir, Mieux vaut partir a point... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ You know, this game would be a lot easier if I went to a pure magic faction. Only five decisions per turn. And I'd never have to recruit those nasty orcs. Just surround myself with the melodious voices of high elf entertainers. How did I ever get started on the war-thing? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ G randiose A rrogant L ethargic E ntity ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I am looking for a pure magic faction to ally with me in the lands I have found through gate lore. I can provide a place to study and funding for study. All you will need to do is get here. Send email to koth@zorda.com if interested. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time to kick some monster but. Any one want a Lizard man head... I think I will have them for sale real soon. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Da Boss looked over the shoulder of the Witch Doctor as he threw the runes upon the floor. "Watca Seez?", Da Boss asked. "Seez a group of men mit hors" "Where dey go?", Da Boss asked. "Here" "When git here?", Da Boss asked. "Soon" Da Boss ran from the room to gather the village's guards. The Witch Doctor smiled as he picked up the bag of 50 teeth (Orcs use teeth for silver don't ya know). What an easy way to make a living. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Well, the Gate spell worked" thought Edward. The forest in winter was = nice enough too. "I could have done without the sight of all those = weapons though." On the other hand, the elves had turned out to be = friendly once he announced that he would be on his way again as soon as = he could. Probably the biggest plus was the He now knew how to claim = silver so he could study between gates. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The march started well but about half-way through the monsoons started. We finally arrived at the front and I thought we'd get to rest before they threw us into the battle. Next thing I know, the Sarge is coming buy saying "OK, break's over. Back on your heads." Sarge is *real* funny sometimes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Does anyone have details on how strong Village, Town, City Guards are. Also and info on Dragons. Can a mage befriend a dragon? mail dean@memex.co.uk thanks ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HELTER SKELTER! its cuming down F A S T ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The dark closes in on the great empire to the south. The treachery of a woman has devastated a once fierce king. The rest of the story we all know... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The steady exploration of the 1st Arkas Legion were blocked by a monsun! WHEN DO WE LEARN WEATHER CONTROL ? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Still rainin' boss." Lord Humongous snarled and spit a gigantic green globule at the Desert Dwarf, who deftly stepped to the side. Flexing his gigantic muscles, Lord H. spoke to the empty tent. "My dogs of war cannot be held back forever. This monsoon will end and I shall unleash them." he chuckled softly at a joke only he understood. "They shall be fed." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hod. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NOBODY STEAL OUR CHICKS AND LIVES BORN TO BE WIIIIIIIILD !!!!! which is the next city ? it seems there is a smell of burning AH AH AH = AH !!!! The MUTANTS OF THE BLACK ROBES are completly blind. I play with the = TA alliance (in a2) and they don't have seen me AH AH AH AH !!!!! Poor = ones...... a small suggestion : change you name in "the black robes with a white = cane" HI HI HI HI !!!! you should try to produce "dogs" it will help you when you cross the = streets...ARF ARF ARF !!! May Zi Yeux, ophtalmologist... =20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Two men, linked by magic, yet on opposite ends of the world. One, an angel, another a fool. Fate took them away from each other, fate may yet bring them together. And so... an epic begins. "Brother, these are trying times here, living in a jungle during a monsoon season. However, my studying proceeds as well as can be expected. It's a wonder my spellbook doesn't have mildew!" "Tell me about it. My boat's in the harbor right now, but that doesn't mean that it still doesn't rock violently when the wind comes in just the proper direction to avoid the breakers." Well, maybe not an epic... maybe more like a soap... or not even that. Who came up with this anyway? It's midseason replacement time boys! Get cracking! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The people watched as the new ship slipped into the water and the sailors began paddling earnestly to get past the surf and into open ocean. Proudly they watched for this was the second ship launched this monsoon season with 3 more on skeletons - their keels laid, but their hulls incomplete - to be launched in the next season. It was a wondrous occasion, for the monsoons also brought about the first harvest. And everyone was eagerly anticipating the new ships whom the chiefs said would carry voyagers over the vast unexplored domains of new lands as well as new seas. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Let us not forget Tyr, who essentially fed his arm to Fenris to get him to accept a leash that would hold him. Thor's reckless Hammer of Power, is Contrasted to Tyr's decisive Spear of Justice. Who sees more than Odin, who gave his eye for the power of the runes? He who can not trust Loki cannot guard his purse. To Battle my friends! Valhalla awaits! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ****************** NEWS FROM THE SAILORS BROTHERHOOD ******************* The Sailors Brotherhood has now SEVERAL MEMBERS in the following areas: GRAEVBYGD, HELSICKE, RANTLU, DURNESS, RIGGENTHORPE, ALFARO, DORNOCH Half of the members are in fact spokesmen of Alliances, so our international community really counts a lot of people now. * A boat has found a new continent!!! The "Rossinante", boat of The Party, has discovered new plains and forets, beyond the ocean, north of the Graevbygd area. It might be a new continent! Congratulations to The Party!! * Abandonned boat reported: Only 3 people are aware of its location (including me), and I wonder if any of them is heading to there. So the RACE for this TREASURE is still open!!! Contact me for more information on this new exciting race!! You too, LEGITIMATE YOUR DISCOVERIES by sharing them with the now official Sailors Brotherhood. If you plan to set sail soon, 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. Pinpanikaye, King of the Minstrels. ************************************************************************ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A GALE member faction has been eliminated? Who and where? I haven't noticed anybody missing... Come on, put up or shut up! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Camera Never Lies... __ {_}]_____,,,, (--- __ _ [_]|/ | //--\\= _ |/ __________ | || |= (_) / / \\<>-\\__//=____> /The 'shroons\__/| |are starting --/ |to kick in...| \___________/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Camera Never Lies... __ {_}]_____,,,, (--- __ _ [_]|/ | //--\\= _ |/ __________ | || |= (_) / / \\<>-\\__//=____> /NEW JERSEY \__/| | --/ | SUCKS! | \___________/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Eaties, Eaties, Eaties, thought The Bluffer to himself as he strode across the rugged Atlantean tableaux. Now what were those Shorty tales about their earliest contacts with Eaties? It just sorta riled him a tad that he couldn't think of 'em right off. Him being a Postman and all, carrying out a family tradition dating back to the time when the Shorties and the Fatties were wrestling over which of 'em were closest to being real People like all Dilbians were. All he kept thinking of was that virus the Shorties found on their same- system neighbor. Mars, he thought it was. Yeah, something you couldn't see but could kill you _would_ be a thing a Man would remember. Sorta like a Shorty version of a Cobbly. Men knew _all_ about Cobblies. Let's see, how did that tale go? The first probes were machines. It was deemed cheaper not to retrieve 'em [and specimens]. First time he could recall that being cheap saved a planet. Then the first Shorty expedition finally went out. Just a Lander to take some samples to confirm the probes. Damned virus got every mother's son of 'em. First one died before the Lander docked with the Orbital Vehicle. Second one had been unsuited in the OV. He started to unsuit the first one and collapsed. The Lander pilot was last to go. Still suited up, he noted something wrong with some of the joints on the first's suit. So he used a grapling device to handle a piece of one, kept his suit on, and started some tests. The Shorties had bio-molecularly engineered the joints on their Encounter Suits so that they were more flexible. This would give the wearers both a freer and more natural movement ability. Some kind of animal fat combined with a common plant fiber and some petrochemicals [plastic and rubber]. Well, that strain of Martian Flu had been sitting under some rocks protected from UV until that Shorty Walkabout turned it over. It adhered to his suit and immediately started ineracting with the joints of the suit. Not having the proper equipment, the Lander Pilot was never sure if the virus had proved lethal to the Walkabout in its original form, or if might not be benign to Shorties in its original state, but one fast acting nuero-toxin son-of-a-grizzly after it had [presumably] mutated in its interaction with the joints. Ol' NASA had a big debate for about 6 hours trying to decide if it was a good idea to ditch the Lander and the bodies but bring the OV home. Common sense might have eventually won out. Didn't matter. The Lander Pilot reported in that this puppy was acting on the seals of the OV. It seems someone decided to make 'em out of a similar material to the joints on the suits. In the next fifteen minutes, that Shorty set-up the computer to do a continual analysis of the air in the OV, compare the viral strain found there with a blood sample he took of himself...his suit joints were also going...and broadcast them back home. Have to admire that Shorty. Saw a job needed doin' and did it. Knew it probably would make no never-mind about anything, especially as far as his life was concerned. Did it anyway. The onboard systems were able to process and transmit data for another four hours before the seals had deteriorated enough to allow breaches. That data proved sufficiant for Shorty scientists to determine that the Martian Flu was not a natural occurring virus. It had been genetically engineered. To this day, there is no known antitoxin agent. Mars remains uncolonized. Some Shorties thought it was an Eaty booby-trap. Others thought that perhaps Mars had once held life, and that they had brought about their own destruction by trying to genetically alter some virus that had been attacking their populace. In this case, the cure could be said to be worse than the illness. Others believed that the Outies had droped the virus on Mars to prevent them from achieving space travel, and that the Shorties would be next. Yeah! Now he remembered. It was after the first contact! Now how did that story go.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Faces From A Bestiary Suggested by the 12th century Livre des Creatures of Philip de Thaun 1 2 The Lion sleeps with open eyes Hyena is a beast to hate. That none may take him by surprise. No man hath seen him copulate. The Son of God he signifies He is unto himself a mate. For when a Lion stillborn lies You who this creature emulate His mother circles him and cries. And with your mirrors fornicate Then on the third day he will rise. Do not repent. It is too late. -- X. J. Kennedy ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I was thinking that things will get pretty boring for some people soon, once the colonization and build-up phase is over. War would obviously be a way to spice things up, but not everyone wants to get involved, and being wiped out might ruin some people's game a bit. So what I suggest is a limited gladitorial-style arena for those interested in a bit of military-style action. The perfect place to do this would be the underworld. There is plenty of access, and it is like a whole "mini atlantis" down there, complete with sea, forest, villages and the works, which would be great to fight over. Also, the underworld is not very rich, and so using it as a free-for-all arena would be a good use for it. The rules would be as follows; 1. Anyone entering the underworld would be fair game for anyone else in the underworld. Any tactics are permitted in a war between underworld forces, so long as these in no way affect overworld forces. 2. Knowing this, anybody who entered the underworld would do so at their own risk, therefore no underworld grudges or wars should be carried out into the overworld. Underworld and overworld events should be completely separated. 3. No attacks could be made by underworld forces on overworld forces and vice versa. Of course, there would be no way of enforcing these rules, but if this system was abided by, it would give military-minded factions the chance to fight over something substantial, yet leave the non-military factions in the overworld free to go about their business unmolested. I don't know if this idea strikes anyone, but it seemed to me like it could work. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ACME Department of Administration and Management (117): Official GALE announcements: Despite some rough turbulence, talks with UNCLE are proceeding at a casual pace. GALE is still offering homesteads on our frontiers to any new factions seeking a home to call their own. We also offer magickal training in all foundations and many skills to at least level 3. Our website is at http://www.wolfe.net/~azthar/GALE Any official correspondence to GALE should be addressed to azthar@wolfenet.com Azthar Septragen Grand Elder of GALE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ================================================================================ ACME Public Bulletin #16 Announcements for June Year 2 Monthly tips: ------------ FIRE inflicts 1-10 kills per level. Guards have no magic defenses. You cannot steal from City Guards or Creatures. Run your modemline through a surge protector! Land Claims, etc. ----------------- Jining is next! In the World of Diplomacy: -------------------------- The negotiated border with The Nameless Alliance based out of Graevsbygd seems to be holding peacefully. There are rumors of border crossings, but they are as of yet, unsubstantiated. This border is the 49th longitude between the cities of Melfi and Burscough. In the interests of peace, we ask all factions from both Graevsbygd and Helsicke to recognise this border. Quotes of the month: ------------------- "War is Hell!" -- Gen. Wm. Tecumseh Sherman, as he pillaged a 10 hex wide path on his way to raze Atlanta. "God help me I love it so!" -- Gen. George Patton Any official correspondence to ACME should be addressed to azthar@wolfenet.com ================================================================================ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome, friends, neighbors, strangers and enemies! It's time again for -- Azthar's Smoking Wing. We only smoke in the west wing of the compound, so we call it the Smoking Wing. Grab a cigar! We'll stay inside this time, today's monsoon will hit any minute now. We'd be dry enough under the Veranda, but it gets rather loud. It'll be quieter in the sitting hall. There's hot rice wine this month. The Movers have started harvesting rice in the hills above Verguin. Where to start... G randiose Yep. Better grandiose than varicose. A rrogant Sure, it's only a game right? L ethargic Maybe, we'll see. Don't under estimate the speed or agility of a vessel propelled by the controlled expulsion of hot gases. ;) E ntity Thank you. You at least recognise that GALE has a life of it's own. How about: Geriatric Atrophied Leperous Elephant NEXT!!! > > Greetings Azthar, Grand Pomposity of GALE (or whatever your title is) >From you, Grand Pomposity is quite alright. > > >> Myrdding Emrys of The Old Ones(211): (or whatever your 'nym is) > > Its Myrddin, spelling evolution [is] (Sentences have verbs.) > clearly a little behind your other The contraction of "it is" contains an apostrophe: It's. "Its" is the possessive pronoun of "it." My punctuation is almost as good as my grammar. FYI, I cut and pasted your nym from your article in Times 16. So the spelling error is yours. :( > (admittedly impressive, though unbearably self lauded) talents If my self that unbearable, there is always the dreaded "DELETE TIMES" spell... >(I will > continue to dissappoint you by not making hot air comments...) That's ok, I'd hate to see you burn yourself. I appreciate the fact that you want to tilt lances with me, but you really should check your equipment before you mount your charger. Or get a competant page. BTW the position of GALE court jester is already taken! ;) > I have ambitions of evolving someday to the heady heights you GALE leaders > occupy in the scheme of things ;) , A good start would be taking responsibility for your own mistakes. > either that or some form of revolution..... Revolutions almost invariably produce a less desirable system than the one they overthrow, which must then be overthrown. However, I do wish you luck. Next. RE: the pending invasion of GALE lands. 15 livestock? 1/2 longboat? Ok, now I'll start getting worried. Please show us mercy. We're just a mindless mob of vagrants, we don't mean to get in anyone's way. We'll just pack ourselves in the swamps and you can have all the plains and mountains. Just don't take our chocolate! We might have to get cranky. It looks like I get last month's "Best Use of the Word Spleen" award by default and even by accident! I didn't even realize I would qualify until I finished the post, and it hit me as an afterthought that I *had* used the word spleen. So much for competition. So what do I get, a bronzed spleen? That's it The Bronze Spleen award. Thanks for joining me! Barring major acts of vulcanism, we'll do it again real soon. Send all donations, supplications, praise, flames, fan-mail, hate-mail, accusations & self-incriminations to azthar@wolfenet.com - or just post it to the Times! VISA/MC/AMEX cheerfully accepted, cash preferred. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Freedom comes to those who are willing to fight for it" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Not a lot to say this month. Visit the ToCF web page at http://www.forsyth.demon.co.uk/atlantis3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Never trust the SEP! They will just ignore all your peaceful intentions. Do you want to know why? They are just unable to control that much stupidity. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The winds of war are blowning. Better hope the wind is blowing away from you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Times were hard for the entertainer and soon he would have to actually entertain to survive ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you don't succeed at first -- try, try again. This time he would sack the city. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ IN SEARCH OF THE FAT LADY, BECAUSE THE GAME AIN'T OVER UNTIL THE FAT LADY SINGS! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I am looking for a hexmap editor. Does anyone know where I can get one? Write to: Aztira@aol.com Thanks Harald ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Accord Ltd. (191): An open letter to the SEP: Ladies, Gentlemen: I recently received your hastily scrawled note attempting to declare war on the AIF. As your rag-tag band of thugs have demonstrated that they have only three skills in their repertoire -- lying, theft and murder -- it is clear that you are mere highwaymen, not any sort of warriors deserving of that title. You will be treated accordingly: not with war, but with summary justice. I took your message for what it was -- a mere hold-up note. And not a very inventive one at that. Allow me to provide something more appropriate for your future dealings: "Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam." (I have a catapult. Give me all the money, or I will fling an enormous rock at your head.) Use it in good health, --Accord Ltd. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Diastrophism (83): Plans were being drawn up to create the Duchy of Nolle. It was an ambitions plan considering the area was occupied by only a motley band of explorers and that there was no duke. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Glass Chompers (65): Come visit my web page at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1960 I just want to say I really do appreciate any and all comments and information I get from you to help make the page better in both content and presentation. I have been thinking about ways to make the page look better. However, I don't want to cut off people who may access it with other browsers (I mostly use Microsoft Internet Explorere 3.01 and Netscape Navigator 3.0) so if something I do makes the page unusable for you, let me know. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hark! A new day is dawning across Atlantis. The warm, moist monsoon air which brought death and destruction to the lands of Krod have broken. The sun breaks through the oppressive cloud cover. Then a roc swooped down and killed my mage. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Watch for new players arriving from Oly game 1 as that game falls apart. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ah, the city falls next turn. It's too bad for those guards. I'll enjoy the swords tremendously. What, a walrus. I don't see a walrus. Oh, I'm the walrus. Well, that's better. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WINTER COUNT: winter #1 Drawing of a braying ass. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pattern-4 here I come! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Journal entry June, Year 2 from Morg the orc: The monsters still haven't eatean me yet and I just found another tribe of orcs. They seem pretty much like the orcs in the mountains but they sure get around good in the dark. I still don't how the mages every get this Journal but they do and they send back food to me. I still haven't found any really good mushrooms but I will keep looking for them. Time to pack up and go, I just received word that I need to go through the Northern cavern. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Boats or bows? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another new skill: begging for one's life [BFOL] 1: This enables the person to plead, whine, and grovel to the opponent. This gives a possible chance for the enemy to take pity on the person and not kill them. Note that this skill is useless against an enemy with the skill Excessive Cruelty [EXCR]. Can study: brown nosing 1, toadie 1, stupid henchman 1. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ riding [RIDI] 1: A unit with this skill, if possessing a horse, gains a bonus in combat if the battle is in a plain, desert, or tundra. This bonus is equal to the skill level, up to a maximum of 2. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ weaponsmith [WEAP] 2: No skill report. longbow [LBOW] 1: A unit with this skill may use a longbow, either in battle, or to TAX or PILLAGE a region. crossbow [XBOW] 2: No skill report. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ observation [OBSE] 5: No skill report. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Under Dwarves Mining, Quarrying, Armorer, Crossbow ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Big Al looked at himself in the mirror. It wasn't much of a disguise, and he could certainly see through it himself. However, he had to find out if others could as well. He sigh, and turn towards the door. He had alot to learn about hiding, and he might as well get started on learning it... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you need to rid yourself of a foe, it is best to enlist the services of another (or so). That way, you can just sit back and watch your forces grow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Clan McCloud (166): The law of Rantlu, as enforced by Syndic8 reads very clearly: Any and all pillaging of underworld caverns shall be deemed a capital offense, and will be punishable by sudden (and even immediate) death. Due dilligence is not required for proving the suspects guilt. Any suspected parties will be executed first, and questioned later. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Erh, does anyone know if a grey giant is friendly? Should I try to talk to it or should I run? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Here's another one of those intelligent articles: enchant swords [ESWO] 1: A mage with the Enchant Swords skill may enchant normal swords into mithril swords, which give a +4 bonus to Combat skill when used in combat. A mage may enchant 5 times his skill level swords per turn; the swords should be in the mage's inventory for him to enchant them. The mage should issue the order CAST Enchant_Swords to cast this spell. (Hey, I didn't start the series!) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dunster News Report: We are getting reports of many battles out in the pillaged wastelands to the west, all of them bode ill for the "Southern Cross Alliance". They have been routed badly for the last 2 turns. Our Mages are badly exposed, after the battles. We are going to try to run away this turn but I don't think we will make it. The mean old Dark Legion has a dagger to our throats and they are sawing away. I just wish they would go away, because they don't play nice.(sniff) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The fool Ghost of the "Mutant Black Robes" faction 44 from A-2. If you want a piece of me here just give me your coordinates and I will kill you like I am in A-2, otherwise why don't you just play the game of A-3 and leave the old enemies alone. Do you want blood feuds here on starting this early? I will not be hiding. Grayson Death Carlyle The Gray Death Legion ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I will consume my enemys and pass thier slimey scales out my backside for the maggots to feed on. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Advice to newbies about to Gate: jump now, jump fast, jump while the wide world still is wide and open. -A friendly Hunter ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Shadow Circle (6): >From the Office of the GALE Grand Marshall: The GALE CDD has approved a formal land claims policy to be followed by all GALE members. Briefly, GALE recognizes three types of land claims: Controlling, Reasonable Speculation and Hopeful Speculation. These are called Type I, Type II and Type III claims respectively. A Type I claim can be made on a hex in which the controlling party collects 50% or more of the tax base. Type II claims can be made by maintaining a unit in the hex in question announcing the status of the claim. The claimant has 6 months to upgrade to a Type I claim. Type III claims are speculative and indicate the desire to control the hex in the future. The claimant of a Type III claim has six months to upgrade to a Type II claim. Claims are made through alliance Elder Marshalls to the CDD. In the case of independent GALE factions, claims are made directly to the CDD. Details of the land claims policy are available to GALE members upon request. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Wuthering Knights, still on a quest for the Holy Grill, proudly present the discovery of a new land. We named it STROMA, after the God of charcoal. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THe Knights of Z'ha'dum announce that their borders are closed due to the rampant warfare and pillaging aroud Dunster. Any wishing access should contact us before entering. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ enchant swords [ESWO] 1: A mage with the Enchant Swords skill may ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Has anyone noticed the this SEP, AIF war of words in the Times is getting quite vitriolic. It seems that the the verbal attacks are getting quite personal in nature. I thought this game was mean't to be fun! As a resident in the Durness area I've watched this thing develop from a safe distance. In my opinion the following statement is true. If the AIF had said less (does anyone read the reams of crap they write?) and the SEP had said more (I haven't seen any statements or info from them!) this whole situation might have come to less. It looks like the AIF are more interested in talking about it while the SEP are more interested in doing it. Any bets on who will win? Personally I'm building a boat!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Beware of whom you make alliances with. Remember that making peace today with a future enemy is to allow them to grow stronger... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ UNCLE are liars. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do monsters attack if you are avoiding? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 50 silver, please. Magicians are hard to feed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ New skill reports, thanks to GALE: combat [COMB] 3: No skill report. force [FORC] 2: No skill report. Long live GALE ! We will crush you ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SEP continues it's increasingly confrontational attitude in the Durness region. Please support the peaceful AIF by boycotting all dealings with SEP member factions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "My Adepts stand upright, their heads above the heavens, their feets below the hells." "Master everything, yet give generously to your subjects once they have unquestioningly submitted." 666 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Shadowdragons (24): The University continues its primiere scholarly path, with two to three classes offered each month. New spells have begun to appear again after a long hiatus. Some riddles remain. The Spelunkers and the Sailor's Brotherhood continue to expand the known world. The Spelunkers have proved adept at discovering the powers the many subterranean denizens. The Bordeaux Brethren have paid us a call and we have reach an amicable agreement. No sign of tension with GALE or others, so it is a time of peace and expansion. Davros, Lord of the Shadowdragons dwshelley@aol.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The storm gather in the plains ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pulp Faction (169): Conversation heard in Aberdovey: "Whose horses are these?" "These are stallions, baby" "Whose stallions are these?" "Recon's" "Who's Recon?" "Recon's dead baby... Recon's dead." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Up