Atlantis Times v1.1 v02n02 From: JJC%TRPASB@MPA15AB.mv-oc.Unisys.COM Date: Mon, 07 Mar 1994 19:00:19 +0000 ######################################################################## =-=-= Atlantis Times v1.1 Volume 2 Number 2 =-=-= ######################################################################## Words from The Big Guy: Good luck, and enjoy. - TBG ######################################################################## Journal of House von Wald January Year 2 . I can't believe that I've been in this new land for only a few months. The Household is doing fine. The smiths have set up an anvil and are ready to produce weapons. I've met new allies. They supply me this information and goods. I thank the gods I found them... I will never forget that night. I feels like it happened thou- sands of years ago. I was living in our House Keep in the Forests of Caid. A peasant came bringing news. House Klien was raiding West Village. My father, Gunther von Wald, my older brothers and men-at-arms rode to the village. Since I was too young and had not earned my sword, I was commanded to stay and protect my mother and sisters. After what felt like hours, a man-at-arms returned to the keep. He carried no weapon or shield. His armor was covered with blood. House Klien had hired mercenary Norsemen and ambushed my father. Only the lone man-at-arms survived. Within minutes House Klien was at our gates. The servants tried to defend the gate but were no match for the battle-tested warriors. Norsemen poured into the keep. I knew that I would die, but I was determined to make them pay for what they did to my House. Armed with a spear, I charged the nearest Norseman. I'm not sure what happened next. The room was filled with a ugly green light. I began to fall and fall and fall. When I woke up, I was alone in a open plain. It was fall here, not winter like at my home... I've come to this new land called Atlantis. I don't know how or why, but the gods have given me and House von Wald a second chance. With help of the gods and my new allies, I will build House von Wald back to it strengh and might. Eric von Wald. ######################################################################## "Clowns in Salen Forest?" Mithin, now White Father to the Brotherhood of the Mist stood, leaned forward on the table and fixed the messenger with a querulous stare. "Yes, m'lord. Gnomes, m'lord", replied the White Cloak nervously, "Their costumes appear to be home-made, m'lord." "Gnome clowns, Mist preserve us!" Mithin turned his back and gazed out the window. "I've just sent forty of our best entertainers - jugglers, minstrels, fire-eaters and fat ladies to raise morale in Salen Forest, and now you tell me they will be competing with pint- sized interlopers with red noses." "Not the fat ladies, m'lord", replied the messenger, "they said that if they walked all of the way to Salen, they wouldn't be fat any more." "Get out of my sight", barked the exasperated Father. It had not been a good week. Since the Innkeeper had left on his "secret mission", leaving Mithin in charge in Carrigaline, discipline was slipping and Mithin knew that it would reflect badly on the Innkeeper's return. The business with the fat ladies was only one example. The Black Father (how Mithin hated that man!) had a whole dossier of disturbances ready to use against him. If the leader of the dreadful Black Riders was ever promoted over his head, life would become unbearable. Mithin sighed. Gnome clowns, indeed! ######################################################################## &&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&& && && && CHRONIQUES DU RENOUVEAU && && && && Un mois deja que nous nous sommes quiter. Le temps && && passe si lentement au coin du feu. Le succes de mes recits && && sur les temps ancien aupres des paysans me conforte dans && && l'idee de conter l'histoire des Enfants d'Orhan. && && Je vais d'abord vous presenter Corwin, qui etait deja && && un heros a une epoque ou le monde etait jeune. Ses exploits && && dans la lutte contre les forces du mal l'on place tout && && naturellement a la tete de nos troupes. Son attitude envers && && les gens de cette periode est un peu mefiante, voir && && agressive. Heureusement Kuor, gardien des paroles d'Orhan && && adoucit nos relation avec les nouveaux nes. L'alliance && && nee entre Brother of the Mist et les Enfants d'Orhan est && && une benediction de la lumiere, et protege l'oeuvre de paix && && qui est la notre ainsi qu il en a ete ecrit. && && Les esprits malveillants savent maintenant que Corwin && && est de retour et que sa legende ne faits que commencer. && && && && && && Par Tristam,Conseiller de Kuor && && && &&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&&--&& ######################################################################## Sludge dodged to one side as a flashing saber thudded into the ground to one side of him. He stepped quickly backward as a flaming torch hit the ground just where he'd been standing. A quick shoulder roll took him out of the path of an egg that hit the ground with a splat. He didn't think the jugglers in his troupe would ever learn that trick. "The arc on the saber has to be higher, to give you time to bring the club into position," he told them. "Now practice for awhile by yourselves. I've got some, uh, business to attend to." Moving quickly out of range of the inept jugglers, he passed several of the broadsides he'd hired peasants to carry around, advertising "The Skulking Vermin, the most fun you've had since this morning!". It wasn't much, he admitted, but he wasn't exactly catering to the nobility, here in Atlantis. The only people he'd found willing to pay to see his troupe, such as it was, entertain were the peasants. And they had precious little money to spare. Sludge scowled as he saw another group of entertainers practicing. These were the real backbone of the troupe, the shills. They practiced by bumping into each other and lifting coins from each other's pockets. They'd never fool anyone with half a brain, but luckily it took four or five peasants to reach that figure. With any luck, they'd be able to turn a profit on the first performance. ------------------------------- The Skulking Vermin! World renowned entertainers and vagabonds. The best entertainment since work! ------------------------------- Faction 109, The Skulking Vermin ######################################################################## Hans ducked behind an old table as the guard walked by. Just as they came into his view, he moved again, quick but silent, through the shadows and up a gutter to the rooftops. So easy, almost second nature, was his avoidance of any eyes. His heart wasn't in it though; what was the point of hiding from everyone in these times of peace? Sure, weapons were proliferating on the streets of Roddendor, but there had been no problems yet; just peaceful settling in of soldiers. Most of the Pranksters were off in the South- East, founding a new city for their own, but Hans was not needed there. When would some action come to this peaceful land? ######################################################################## Dear editor I have a problem concerning the pesant population, I have noticed that their population grows at a rate of 5% per month [food permitting] and i wondered if you could explain how this is possible as my calculations lead to some unlikely conclusions. If one assumes that the life expectancy of these pesants is 45 [an age at which female pesants would no-linger be able to have children anyway] and that they get married and start families at the very young age of 15, then assuming that every female in this age group is married and spends every month for the next 30 years pregnant [which no female could possibly cope with] then I get the following calculation. 1/2 pesants female. 30/45 of females pregnant. 1/9 of prenancies produce children each month. 1 30 1 5 % increace per month = - * -- * - * number of children per pregnancy 2 45 9 Solving this gives a 'number of children per pregnancy' = 1.35 a large but not outlandish figure UNTIL you then calculate the average number of children in a family. Average number of children in a family = num of children per preganacy * number of pregnancies per year * number of years pregnant. 12 average num of children in a family = 1.35 * -- * 30 years = 54 9 An average of 54 children per family ! Can this be correct ? This assumes that ALL females are producing children all the time [after age 15] this is highly unlikely. It also assumes that all the pesants live to be 45 and then die, rater than some living past child bearing years while others die early. This leads to the conclusion that some families must be larger than the calculated value to keep the average up .'. families of over seventy children are not uncommon! Yours confused and bemused Ekij. ######################################################################## Thoughts of Daquer of Ieyasin, Commander in Chief, for the Companions of the Rowing Doom Well the winter seems to have been ok for the troops but the workers, by Agrik, they are a sorry bunch. The troops scream for weapons but the jacks, miners and smiths seem to have a pace of their own. Can you belive one iron or one piece of wood every month. It is really a disgrace. Well hope that spring feelings will get them working harder. What is even more alarming is the news of great starvation among the peasant population in the swamp provinces. Could the rumours be true. Have they just had a bad winter or are the swamps ruined for years to come. Well who knows? Our friendly neighbours tell me of a great evil in the north, wonder what they mean. I doubt that they mean the funny looking old man who is building himself a stone building in the mountain, but who knows. Well back to troop exercise again and study all those maps that arrive from riders all over the continent. It really is huge isn't it. Well now when the dark winter slowly is disappering we can only hope for better times. But really who is the great evil, must find out quick so I can be prepared. ######################################################################## Vox Populi hunched over his desk, eyes bleary, reflecting the yellow lamp-flame, carefully drawing lines on the large map. "Astonishing," he thought, shaking his silvering head. "This continent is HUGE, bigger than I ever dreamed!" Once again, Vox had run to the left edge of the vellum sheet, with another region still to draw. He sighed heavily, rolling up the sheet and laying it aside in the growing pile. Parchment was too crude, and the primitive paper-making screens were much too narrow. He *really* needed a source of large drawing sheets. Vox smiled, glancing at the latest Padishah map attempt on the pretty gold-embossed vellum. This guy had the right idea: just don't put any information on the map and it kept it much smaller! At least the Emperor had finally added a mountain to his "world map." Probably an ocean region, Vox surmised; he seemed to get those confused. Just at that moment, Vox's private scout burst in, tears streaming down his face. "The lasses, sire! The ones that were picnicking in Turia! They...they...the food supply..." Vox rose, ignoring the hysterical lad, and went to see what the crisis was. He was afraid something like this would happen, ever since those bows got accidentally sent to the wrong unit. Were those hapless souls the ones he'd sent to Turia to resupply the region? It was hard to remember, with all this bustling activity. Sure enough, just outside the commons-house, five limp, emaciated bodies were draped over the back of a mule. Their long golden hair clearly indicated these were the formerly lovely young lasses that had danced off to Turia back in October. Vox sighed. He'd warned them that winter was no time for a picnic, but would they listen? Of course not. Vox motioned his assistant to bring one of the bodies into his office for an autopsy; at least the winter weather had preserved them well. "Damn shame about the Lasses, they looked to be shaping up as pretty good fletchers, too," thought Vox, checking the eyelids and looking for signs of trauma. It sure looked like simple starvation, but there were some sneaky folks running around out there, you had to watch for signs of foul play. But it was pretty clear, these lasses had just run out of picnic supplies. Suddenly Vox had an idea. It disgusted him at first, but one of the things he'd learned was to be practical at all costs in Atlantis. Waste not, want not! Vox selected a particularly sharp sword from the growing pile at his feet, positioned its point at the body's upper back, and began a careful, shallow incision, cutting out to the side and down in a curve to the lower back. Finishing the circle, he slowly peeled the skin away from the withered flesh, taking it off in one piece. Vox rinsed off the blood from the skin, careful not to tear it, then took it over to his work-table. Nearly perfect! The map would fit nicely, assuming the skin would take ink properly. Tremendously excited, Vox left to take his new paper to the horse-trainers, who knew all about tanning hides. But an hour later Vox sat glumly at his desk again. "Not tough enough," they had said. "Needs a good, tough hide, and it needs to be well-preserved. There's some spices you can get to do that, apparently, somewhere up north, but we don't have 'em." Vox was devastated. Where could he find a properly preserved hide to make a proper map? Vox sighed, hunched over another scrap of inadequate vellum, and began drawing again, deep in thought. ######################################################################## The first annual Dharma report: This month marks the passage of my first year as ruler of the enlightened Beings of Dharma. Why they chose me to rule them is still a mystery, even to me. I have grown from a lone ruler to a legion of 15 entertainers, 3 seekers of knowledge, 3 mages, 25 craftsmen, and various other citizens, totalling 75 all told. We have horses at our disposal, as well as swords and longbows. My nation has grown mighty indeed. Fortunately, peace has prevailed, allowing my forces to build, and pursue the less barbaric interests they have aquired. We eagerly await the almost monthly reports my scouts send, and enjoy contacting other clusters of civilization in this vast wilderness. Those who sprang up around me have either joined forces with me, and I with them, or fled in terror at the sight of our magnificence. Sucjh a life can lead to boredom, however, and I have oft' thought of deserting my throne to chase other pleasures life offers. Fortunately, I have found that I may both rule and give chase! Peace be with you, and many happy todays! Beelzebub, ruler of the enlightened Beings of Dharma ######################################################################## Lords Cucumber and Zucchini watched the hanging of their cousin Lord Banana from a prudent distance, not wanting to be associated with him considering the possible ramifications to the healthy attachment of their own appendages. "I knew he'd slip up one of these days", muttered Lord Zucchini. "Well, he always was a swinger" allowed Lord Cucumber, "but now he's just doing it in the wind!" "Very funny", responded Zucchini dryly, as they turned and hurried their way past the outer fringe of the cheering crowd. "You just better hope you don't end up doing a dance like that! Did you see how he convulsed at the end? Almost looked like..." At the same moment, a young woman of the oldest profession, (inconspicuously clad for a change), smirked at the sight of Lord Banana dangling in the distance. Considering the loss of a regular customer, she ought not to have found the situation funny, but the irony of the situation was inescapable. Lord Banana had been one of her more kinky patrons. His favorite perversity was being bound and having her slowly tighten a silk scarf around his neck as she took him, the deprivation of oxygen to his brain having an effect similar to intoxication, and heightening his sexual pleasure. What would Lord Falken think if he knew that instead of punishing Lord Banana with a slow, horrible death, he had actually fulfilled Lord Banana's ultimate sexual fantasy, killing him in the way guaranteed to give him the most satisfaction? ######################################################################## The Falstaff Journal The scouts have come across some interesting people in their journeyings; Fortunately most of them seem to reasonably friendly, but always cautious.. I wonder what terrible things they have seen? Gowann reports that a group that she has been in deep discussion with warns of aggression in the West.. But that she intends heading that way anyway.. Ah well. Now that the horsefolk have caught some horses, we seem to discover that no-one really wants any! Oh, sure, there was ONE order.. and delivery of that ought to run smoothly this February. Unless, of course, Weartu manages to foul up.. How that kid ever learned to ride a horse is beyond me.. My fellow alliance members spread wide throughout this land.. maybe I can send some of my lesser disciplined children out to one of them for apprenticeships? Hmm... Ah.. a knocking at the door.. maybe thats news from the south.. I have been expecting to hear from Kumear... ######################################################################## Cai hunched low over the neck of his steed as it galloped across the rolling pasture. It was a pleasure to be free from his duties. Under the pretext of inspecting the new troop of bowmen and the supplies of timber to arm them, Cai had arranged a day away from the town. Let his staff worry about alliances and treaties and scouting reports and recruitment and taxation and the rest... After an exhilirating ride and a peaceful lunch, Cai made his way to where the troop were stringing their bows and letting their arrows fly at somw crude straw targets in an open field. He reined in and watched their clumsy efforts. Only a few of them were getting their arrows even remotely near their mark. "They've a long way to go, sir Seneschal," said a man who seemed to materialise at Cai's side. Cai looked down at the newcomer. "Yes, but they will be a formidable force when they finish their training. Do I know you, my good man?" "We have met before, Seneschal. Perhaps a gentle reminder..." With these words the newcomer gestured with a curious intensity. Fire seemed to streak from his fingertips. Two arrows, at that instant released into the air, were struck down in cinders. The hapless bowmen cried out in alarm. Cai's horse bucked in terror. Cai himself was surprised, but he had seen such a demonstration before. The wielder of the lightning had to be... "Akh-Greth!" "Just so, Seneschal. I think my aim is improving, eh?" ######################################################################## # # # # ###### #### # # # #### # # # # # # # # # # # # # ### ##### #### # # # # #### # # # # # ## # # # # # # # # # # ## ## # # # # # # # ###### #### # # # #### # # ##### / / # # ##### #### #### #### / / # # # # # # # / / # # # # # #### #### / / Are you # ##### # # # # / / sick and # # # # # # # # # # / / tired of ##### # # #### #### #### / / being picked / / on by the ###### / / other factions? # # #### # # #### / / Do you wish that # # # # # # # / / there was some ###### # # # # #### / / way of getting a # # # # # ## # # / / fair go? # # # # ## ## # # / / There is!! ###### #### # # #### / / NEW Keswick Cross Bows. / / These great weapons -------------------------------/ / will change the way the --------------------------------/ other factions see you. --------------------------------/ -------------------------------/ / ######################################################################## Avaliable immediately for hire at reasonable rates: -Swordsmen -Longbowmen -Crossbowmen Armed, trained, and ready to serve you. Also available: -Tactical experts -Magicians with "Lightning Bolt" spell If you feel you need more troops, and don't have the time or resources to recruit, train, and arm them, then you should contact the Brotherhood of Northern Warriors. The Brotherhood is based in the plains of Gurkacre (9,15), and are willing to come to the aid of any faction in any region. Contact us today at crall@usc.edu. ######################################################################## =-=-= END TIMES 202 =-=-= ######################################################################## Up