Atlantis Times v1.1 v04n03 From: JJC%MP068@MPA15AB.mv-oc.Unisys.COM Date: Tue, 01 Nov 1994 02:07:13 +0000 ######################################################################## =-=-= Atlantis Times v1.1 Volume 4 Number 03 =-=-= =-= October 31, 1994 =- ######################################################################## Words from The Big Guy: Since we have quite a few new players, it's time to review the guide- lines for submissions to the Atlantis Times. First off, submissions must not exceed 72 characters per line. Excess is wrapped, as some of the articles here demonstrate. Second, remember to indicate which unit is to be paid if you want to be paid. Many of this month's articles did not indicate who to pay. Sorry, no retro-active pay will be given. NOTE *** Atlantis is now closed. All full, no more starts. Greg and Norm, can you update the PBEM FAQ and WWW Page for Atlantis, respectively? Thanks. Just a reminder of the new AUTOTAX command: - AUTOTAX flag available. This is a new boolean command, similiar to GUARD and AVOID. If set, a unit will attempt to TAX every turn. If reset, no automatic TAXing will occur, though the TAX command will still work. AUTOTAX boolean is reset after a MOVE or SAIL command is executed. I should have an updated rulebook soon. Send Times to: jjc@mpa15ab.mv-oc.unisys.com Send Orders to: JJC@MP068.MV-OC.UNISYS.COM Send problems/comments/bug reports/questions to me personally at: jjc@mpa15c.mv-oc.unisys.com I read the mail at the times address once a week, when I'm setting up the Times. I NEVER read mail where the orders go to, so don't send anything but orders there. Good luck, and enjoy. - TBG ######################################################################## Sador's Journal The magic here is more different than I suspected. I am still unable to research even a single spell, but at last some progress is reached among my loyal followers.They should soon be able to train some horses so I can outfit my scouts with them. I am a little worried about some of the other Factions here, because they appear to do nothing at all. I wonder what they are up to? Well I'll wait a month and look what happens before I do anything. I hope that some of the Factions here are interested in an alliance or want to buy horses.We'll see. Brought to you by the chronicler of Sador's Magical research ######################################################################## Plato's Granchildren arrived in Atlantis this turn. Their mission is to find what happened to their ancestors, Plato's Lad's. "We were too young to remember", a spokesman said. "But we are told that promising reports of their arrival in Atlantis suddenly stopped coming. We are not sure if natural catastrophe overwhelmed them, or foul treachery destroyed them. If the latter, then avenging our kin will be essential". Information relating to the presence of Plato's Lads is sought by all inhabitants of Atlantis. ######################################################################## New talk of war in the realm of Vashcort. After many months of peace and negotiation about resource management the rumours of war have grown stronger every day. The reasons for this peaceful island to once more plunge into a distructive war effort has been rumoured to depend on blood shortage (you all know that I don't mean blood flowing in the bodies of the current inhabitants of Vashcort but of former inhabitants). Another rumour that is spread is the religious fanatism that have become stronger all the time. The church of Agrik have decided to send out missionaries outside of Vashcort. The news so far is that they have been treated rather bad and that the high priest Chafin demands the unbelivers to be punished severly. Well what ever the reason for war there seems to be enough excuses to start one. The interesting thing for you readers are of course where will this new mayhem take place. Also here the rumours run wild. Some claim that the insults that some Lemurians have said should qualify as a war target, others means that the unprovoked attack from Moe the fat one or was it the lazy one (can't rememeber) is a deadly insult. Others claim tribes attacking people in strange bunny suits would definitly need there heads severed from there bodies. But your reporter E.Atmuch has the hottest tip so far. Rumours is that the remnants of the Diamante House have been found in their hiding and that their blood once more should fill the cellars of Lord Dr. VOX and the Council of The Northern Wind. Well this is the hottest news from the NW-HQ at Farafra from the Times reporter E. Atmuch ######################################################################## -Hey Martin do you wan't to have a look of this? -What is it, Chief? -Is a pigeon message from Wolhk. Seems like good news. Dear Cousin: Hera I am at leas in the mountain region of Ganzhou. The situation is good but no perfect. The place is crowded with peasants there are more than 2000! just here and there is no excedent of food. Knowing that you need those weapons in a hurry I think the plan B is applicabale here. Therefore I'm on my way to recruit some of the best people. W.N. -Well if that is true we can expect to have some swords within the next three months. -Chief, I have a proposition for you. I was thinking and it seems reasonable to have some of the people that work for us entretaining the population. This place is rich, we can get good profit from it -That is a good idea but with the weapons we can tax the peasants. -True enough, let's train the people in sword. -Yes but not right now we have to wait yet three months. Meanwhile let's say good bye to our new explorers. -I hope the farawell funeral will be good. The last one was great I think people really liked and Iape was pleased with us. -Let's hope that Iape will be ALWAYS pleased with us. ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ Yes sir, this is going to be just fine, the people was more than willing to cooperate knowing that most of them will starve to death at the end of the month. Just 50 pieces and everybody was happy. Hehehe. I have my future assuredas a Merchant Prince. I will be the envy of everyone. Thanks to Iape everything is OK. -So, you tell me that you know how to dig in this mountain. -Yessir, my dad was a miner and so his father and his... -Ok, ok, enough of details...Go with the other nine guys and form a new unit. -Next! -Well I know how to work with iron and wood, I know my business i can make a nice sword or a bow, even a crossbow, you name it. -Good, with you there are 10. Form a new unit with those guys there -Next! -Sir, i'm just a poor peasant y'now i really don't naw ho'to make thinks but sure i can work. I'm strong. -Mmmmmm, Ok go with the other guys and from a new unit. O Iape you are great, 120 people recruitred.120 people converted to the true God. And some glory for the good Wolhk of course. Yes. I risked all going to the unknown. I deserve it.Mmmm, maybe is time to go to a praise Iape again, there are some sacred cactus here also. Double dosis, I'm so happy. ######################################################################## The Majinga has kom The Majinga needs frends Majinga will help frends If frends help Majinga Majinga is ere Richard@majinga.demon.co.uk ######################################################################## From the hear of the Plains of Durness, a new holy light is revealed upon the world. From the mud packed huts of the indigenous people, a shaman is visited by a vision. "You will gather your people and go forth upon all of the lands and spread my wisdom and light to all of the peoples of the world" commanded the mighty, holy horse headed god Zogg. "With my blessing, no force shall be able to withstand your hordes" rumbled Zogg. Upon hearing this commandment, the shaman, Rage, shouted "Oh yes, most mighty Zogg, I hear and we shall conquer." And thus begins the saga of the Mighty Zoggies... ######################################################################## Since the present Age of Atlantis began some three years ago, newborn factions have clubbed together in "newbie alliances", of which that founded by Rorschach Inc was probably the first. That alliance, which now calls itself the "Knights of Avalon" has achieved some success in its aim of protecting the interests of new factions from the older, more powerful ones. I am now calling for expressions of interest at the other end of the spectrum, from large, established factions interested in forming a global federation, the Big Atlantean Regents' Federation (BARF). If enough interest is shown, I would set up a mailing list in which issues relevant to large factions (such as methods of reducing order preparation time and the global balance of power) could be discussed. To keep the membership of BARF under control, it would be restricted to large factions, or alliances of factions, where a "large" faction or alliance is defined to be one that satisfies at least two of these three criteria - 1) Has exclusive control of 10 or more regions; 2) Has a population of 10,000 or more faction members; 3) Turns over $200,000 or more every game month. This is not an alliance as such, just a discussion group. If your faction/alliance is eligible (and I'm gonna have to trust you about that for the moment) then I look forward to including you on the mailing list. Please apply to - Steve.Andrewartha@its.utas.edu.au (Brotherhood of the Mist, faction 86) giving details of faction name & number (if a faction) or alliance name and spokesperson (if an alliance), starting location, and which of the 3 membership criteria you claim to satisfy. Note that these details will be made available to all members. ######################################################################## "Ready! Aim! Fire!" Longbow production has only started a few months ago, and already the troops were becoming quite skilled with their new weapons. Drake watched the old huntsman drilling the archers for a few moments more. The young faction was quite lucky to have recruited the old man. Despite his age, he was an expert with the longbow. His presence had greatly accelerated the training process. Drake finally turned his gaze away from the window and back to the stack of papers on his desk. With the introduction of the bows, Drakes men were now able to collect taxes from the peasants. The increased income allowed them to recruit more troops, which allowed them to collect more taxes and so on. The end result was a larger and larger stack of paper work on Drake's desk each month. Sure, the new clerks were able to absorb some of the excess, but much of it still demanded the personal attention of the Captain of the Guard. All this paperwork was beginning to cut into his other duties as well as his study of tactics. It was definitely time to start training a second in command... ######################################################################## Great Uncle Bulgaria sighed heavily, and lifted his spectacles to rub his weary eyes. His gaze stole mournfully over the jumbled sheafs of papers that littered his pokey den. He had never been good with figures. Now a stupid mistake had sent a band of brave young womble adventurers to their deaths - the hideous, racking death of famine. Any fool could see the food couldn't be given to them until after it was grown! Had wombles been able to eat carrier pigeons, he would never even have known of their awful fate. And the problem was only going to get worse as the Hirsute Nation began to spread beyond its ancestral warren. ######################################################################## The Adventures of the Stranded Tourists Part 8 : Comrade Beaumont Cartographer Beaumont raised his clenched right fist in salute as he entered the Leaders tent. "Welcome, Comrade Beaumont." said Janet in greeting."are the maps updated?" "Aye,Comrade Queen." he answered. "It's accuracy?" "Well.. most of the information comes from our freinds & allies of the Confederation and can be trusted, but the information from the factions to the east has yet to be checked.." Beamont stated "Yes.." buzzed Unisc (was that a hint of frustration in his mechanoid voice?) "..the peasant numbers in Ancroft seem inconsistant with it being surrounded by four plains provinces, even allowing for chance variation! " "Hmm.." mused Janet "Deroc,keep a record of who tells us what..and if we find they are lying to us.." she hinted darkly. " I shall cut out their hearts!" exclaimed Deroc with glee. to be continued.... ######################################################################## Part 1 - Rebirth The Dark Do'ers of Death and Dismemberment were discussing dastardly deeds over dinner (of duck and dried dates) when Darrin the Dictatorial declared "I do not desire to dine on these dense dates! I want squishy ones!" At that same moment, very far away and totally unrelated in any way to the previous paragraph, Hegelrot Yurnishtoad said to his wife "Honey, I'm sick and tired of getting up every morning at the same time, eating the same thing for breakfast, going to work at the same stupid office, sitting in the same chair, doing the same job, drinking the same..." His voice trailed off into silence as his gaze turned toward an open window. His eyes became glassy and he seemed to lose contact with everything around him, as if he were in a coma. His wife couldn't decide whether to call a doctor or hit him on the head with the frying pan that she was holding. She opted for the easy choice and just fainted. Hegelrot stood up, kissed his wife goodbye (she had yet to awaken), and left on a journey to places unknown. He had no idea where he was going or what he was going to do once he got there, but he was going to do it anyway, and damn the man who tried to stop him! Hegelrot decided to make a clean break of it all, so he changed his named (he had never been particularly fond of Hegelrot anyway...to him it sounded rather like a disease of the skin) to Gurithim. He had no way of knowing that Gurithim was the brand name of an ineffective herpes treatment in a not so distant part of the world, but since he had no way of knowing, it didn't bother him. At any rate, he was off to experience the world around him and possibly leave his mark on it along the way. ######################################################################## I am conducting a poll on all the Atlantis players :: (1) Will you be willing to play in a Atlantis Blitz game ?? (2) How fast should the game go (if you participate) ?? (a) Twice per week (b) Thrice per fortnight (3) World size/type preference ?? (a) Large Interconnected lands (b) Large/Small Islands (c) Mixed Please mail all comments/suggestions/poll results to isc20320@leonis.nus.sg within 2 weeks. All suggestions/new ideas will be welcomed. Thank you. Grey ps. please do not flood my normal account (for those of you who know me) . ######################################################################## In the dark forests of Gerr, a shadowy figure in bark-shaded cape crawls across the mossy floor, entering a copse of small, densely woven saplings. Not twenty feet away, a group of lumberjacks from the new Confederated Houses rest on their axe-handles, oblivious to the intruder. A low bird-call issues from the saplings, and the jacks look at each other warily. What kind of bird was *that*? That kind of bird, a black cormorant with unnatural, glowing red eyes, wings silently into the forest a few moments later. Still oblivious, sweating in the tropical heat, the jacks do not notice the bird settle beside the saplings, or the strange transaction that ensues. The shadowy figure draws out a black quill, a bottle of red, viscous liquid, and a scrap of fine writing vellum, looking almost like skin. The note is scribed quickly by a deft, spidery hand: My Dread Lord, Our reception here in this new land has been viewed with less enthusiasm than expected, we fear. Although the Houses begged for our intervention previously, they now speak of new allies and of unification of their insect-infested land. They seek to oppose our Divine mission, and threaten death to those of us who fear it not. Apparently the Diamantes' journey, and their change of name, has not yet brought them wisdom. They have sought to appease us with a border-map of their territories; but their map-making skills were apparently learned from the former Padishahs (may their blood long grace your cellars), and have glaring inaccuracies. Your Seekers bring you news: of wasted and unutilized forests, of peasants running free and unfettered, of the abomination that comes from lack of discipline. We beg you to intervene, to bring Agrik's word and work, and your own dread Presence, to this forsaken land. The Seekers. The small note is folded and curled around a reddish-black talon. Large wings sweep leaves away in two pounding strokes, and the bird glides off towards the Bay, with a cry which chills the hearts of nearly all who hear in Gerr. All but the brown-cloaked Seekers, who move silently off in all directions. ######################################################################## The Lost Continent Chapter 11 Jonathan smiled at the though of adding a string of Diamante teeth to his collection. "The teeth of nobility will make a fine replacement for the teeth of an unlucky scout. Send a regiment north to rendezvous with the Rowing Doom." The advisor bowed and walked backward from the court to dispatch the army. "There is a peaceful land in Atlantis that must be conquered. It lies to the extreme northeast on the old bamboo and fish-scale maps. These people are in dreadful need of education that only the University of Zamora can provide. Four regiments must be raised to sail to this land. They will build a new campus there." The court gasped at this announcement. The land Jonathan was referring to was hardly peaceful. The fur cloaked Skinflayer scouts were killed shortly after they landed on that continent. How could Jonathan expect only four regiments to protect the professors and their students? Manessah approached the Chafin, "Most loyal attendant of Agrik, the university has made an unusual discovery. May I introduce to you the young lady Populi." Manessah pulled a cloth away from the baby's face. The acolytes gasped when they glanced toward the child, but the Chafin was not disturbed. "Bring the young lady to me. She must be introduced into the sisterhood." Manessah placed the child in the Chafin's arms. The Chafin reached sprinkled a dry red power of slain nobility on the baby's head. "Be strong in the faith, my child." The young Populi reached out a tongue and licked the powder from the top of her head. She cooed with glee at its taste. ######################################################################## Bascon Diamante sighed to himself. The young nobles were scattered all over the land, and the nearest ones had turned to him to deal with the crisis. Apparently they thought that being dismembered by Northern Wind swordsmen in the past somehow made Bascon an expert in dealing with them. He shuffled the province reports and sighed again. Vox and the Agrikians had agreed to leave this continent in peace, but they had agreed almost too quickly, and now it was apparent why. Not only had they attempted to leave stealthed scouts behind, but now they were shipping in reinforcements. What were their plans? Was this an attempt at provoking a battle? It seemed unlike Vox to need an excuse to start a war. He looked at the month-old "Times" again and said, "Now someone's claiming we're Agrik worshippers. Was it Agrik who restored me to life when I was dead? I seem to recall Agrik's mighty followers helped kill me in the first place, but it didn't stick, did it?" Marguarite (that wasn't her real name, but Bascon liked the name and he liked her, and nobility has its perquisites) answered, "Don't you think you should marshall the troops, beloved? Right now the forces of both sides are well matched, but surely you can send in troops faster than a single longboat can ferry them in?" "Perhaps, but to what purpose? Send in many of our own people, and maybe next month we'll find TWO longboats, or a clipper or galleon. Escalating the situation should be a last resort." Then Bascon looked up at the pretty peasant wench. "And just what do you know about troop movement, anyway?" "Well, you're away so much of the time, and there's so little to do here, so I started reading through these books..." Bascon laughed. "My dear, I didn't snatch you from that tiny village for your razor-sharp mind! But by all means, read whatever you like! Maybe you can take over all this work, and I'll take over YOUR job of lounging in bed in revealing robes all day." He turned back to the Times. "Okay, Miss Strategic, what do you make of the so-called 'mistress malice'? It says here, she's planning to eat our brains - while we watch, no less!" Marguarite shivered in horror, but Bascon only snorted in amusement. "Utterly f***ing loony, that's what she is. If she thinks she'll gain favor with Vox by attacking us, I hope she realizes what her fate will be, once Vox is through using her. The Lost Boys could tell her a thing or two, rest their souls." * * * Elsewhere, two young noblewomen huddled together around a campfire. "Do you think we can trust him?" asked Philum Trafalgar. "Frankly, I just don't believe Bascon's tale of dying and coming back. It seems like utter nonsense." Blair Diamante shrugged. "Strategy isn't my game, and this is too important to mess up. If Roman were here, he would handle it, but he isn't, is he? Hector died in that accident up north. And Helmuth is wrapped up in his rocks and things. You know, I never thought I'd say it, but I wish Robert were here! He'd think of something to do next. But he's off on another damned diplomatic mission, and who knows when I'll see him again. Bascon's the best choice we have." "So you finally admit you miss Robert?" smiled Philum. "Maybe now you're ready to take him seriously. You do know what he thinks of you, don't you? He's no Adonis, but altogether not a bad choice." Blair stares into the fire. "Yeah, well, he's a decent fellow, and he makes me laugh, but... I'm just not sure he's quite what I had in mind for myself. The man's such an oaf sometimes, you know? When I was a girl, I had an image of the kind of man I wanted, and he just doesn't match that image very well. I know, you're supposed to grow up and leave childhood fantasies behind, but it's not easy. You know what I mean?" Blair looked up, but the other woman was gone. "Philum? Where'd you go? Philum!" The soldiers searched the entire province end to end, but no trace of the missing noblewoman could be found. ######################################################################## The Adventures of the Stranded Tourists Part 9 : Comrade Sven Sven sheltered under a spindly palm as he checked his sodden map.' Surely' he thought 'I must reach the Coloured Dunes of Beachworld soon.' ' True, I must have wandered into Monsterworld Park by mistake (The show where Godzilla ate the peasants almost looked real! ) which explains why I missed the walking track. And,true, I have not crossed the monorail yet, but it can't be far now! He folded his copy of "Backpackers Guide to Beachworld" and raised his collar against the rain. to be continued.... ######################################################################## =-=-= END TIMES 403 =-=-= ######################################################################## Up