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October 2007

Lady Lava Goes Incognito at CFC, New Haven and Moonglow Events
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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 7:53 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
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Lady Lava's pumpkin for 2007



As you can see by my pumpkin this year I was influenced by UO and the black pumpkins.

When I first learned there would be pumpkins with character names on them this year I quickly made a new character for just that purpose, and for trick or treating. In the vein of RP I told knowone of this new character and had fun trick or treating and dieing a lot!

That characters name is Halloween Spirit.



As in the real world Halloween is becoming bigger and bigger each year in the realm.

People started talking to Halloween Spirit as she pumpkin picked and her own personality developed. Then holiday events started to take hold so Halloween Spirit attended them.

The first was the Chicken Fights hosted by CFC. There was to be a costume contest judged by A Crack Fiend. I arrived early talking to the members of CFC, all in costume. Lady Mist informed me she killed the orcs herself to make her costume.





The fight club looked great for the event and you could tell someone really put time and effort into the placement of items for the events decor. Aridas arrived and asked what I thought she was dressed as. It was a no brainer that she was Linda Carter/ Wonder Woman and my reply to her was " Wonder Wench ". I was delighted that she used that name during the actual design contest and that she won.
Though I have seen it countless times in the years I have been playing this game I still like it when someone dresses as Bo Peep with sheep and Red Witch did it at this event.



A Crack Fiend arrived a little late for the fights and was dressed in costume. The fights were the fights but it was great to see the red blood splatter on the black ground, very dramatic.

At some point during the fights a player asked if Crack Fiend was dressed as a "Country Girl". Then they guessed "Strawberry Shortcake".
My first guess was "Pipi Longstocking" but I got it correct with my second guess, "Raggedy Ann".



For the past several years I dress my dog Helen for Halloween and she too went as Raggedy Ann this year.



To see more real life pumpkins, costumes and holiday related stuff check out the Great Lakes boards and add something yourself. Astarian Jewel started a thread titled, " OT Halloween Pictures " and it's a fun one.

The second event Halloween Spirit attended was the event in New Haven monday evening hosted by several guilds with Pratt of MOA entertaining the crowds. To learn more about that event see the article I posted on it monday. Again it was great fun attending an event with a new character and talking with people. I refrained from singing and humming songs at this event like, Black Mass, the theme song to the movie PSYCHO, dirges and Sympathy for the Devil like I did at the CFC. I know it's Halloween but I did not want to scare everyone away.

Last night it was all about the Invasion. Most of our readers know I am going on vacation in a few days and I am very busy with that but never too busy to check out a little action.
Taking my boat to the island I was very careful to quickly put it in my pack once landed as I had one go to flames, burn and sink before my eyes a few days ago. The island was dead of action, many players standing about the dead moongate and a few blackened trees and that was it.



Tonight was the Halloween Glow in Moonglow. I arrived early to this event also to witness Rachel with mega lag like I have not seen in years. That girl was moving in slow mo. She voiced her concern with the Invasion that the event may be a bomb.



It was not long before others arrived to witness a very drunk Celtic Frost sing and belt out ditties.



GOF set up in the Moonglow Bank and did a simple but eye catching display with fabric. Lord William gave Halloween Spirit a warm welcome and a generous pack full of goodies.



FiFi Laforge, one of my favorite gals, was at this event handing out gifts bags from FCB. It was disappointing she was not at the CFC costume contest. She may of won if she came in her granny shoes and outfit, lol.



Real life trick or treaters (mainly my cousins son, 2 years old) started to arrive and I had to log.

Soon it will be time to delete Halloween Spirit.

I hope you all have/had a safe and Happy Halloween.


























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Guild Spotlight: The Zog Cabal
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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 5:29 PM EDT by Ishtar (Atlantic)
As I sit at my desk I decided it would be fun to write the guild master of a guild and ask him some questions, upon meeting Cear Dallben in the past I have spoken with him about the person he is, but not the guild he runs. With a determined look upon my face I sent him a correspondence and got my questions answered:


Please explain what the Zog Cabal does?
First and foremost I want everyone to know before this gets started we are a Role playing Guild originated and based on the Atlantic shard. Now here is what we do, as guild master to the Zog Cabal, I create and continue quests and plotlines that I develop or derive from Ultima online or previous Ultima Lore. I generally host quests by myself that put the Cabal in a single player game perspective to complete puzzles and achieve goals this in turn helps us achieve our over all goal. Which if your not familiar with is: Cast Armageddon to end all life on Sosaria and allow for a time of cleansing and rebirth.

Seriously, lets face it. Ilshenar is in ruins because we were cast out. we were stopped in earth date 1998 and now you've got utter madness. you've got Yew in decay with the elves doing nothing about it. Mondain's evils are still roaming all realms of the multi-verse with nothing to stop them. The world is hurt. We are only trying to do what is best. If anyone found out about us again I'm sure they rather put us to an end and continue there wars to uphold virtue. Here is more information and visual aids as to what it is we do http://www.atlanticcommunityboard.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14284


How did you originate?
Well when Ultima was launching its first and best event ever in 1998 I was hooked. I had always been fascinated with Zog as seen in previous Ultimas and Armageddon. Now finally the Followers of Armageddon had been banished from Ilshenar to our land, now Felucca. Myself and my friend were obsessed with the chain of events. We were members of the Zog Cabal in a players perspective. We fought along side the Order of the Ebon Skull to defend the chests of blackrock from players. We had an awesome time and it was decided then we would continue the legacy forever.

When the events were over my only friend in Ultima took the role of Martoo Saul and I took the only other role possible, Cear Dallben, the only non captured cabalist. After weeks of searching and begging we obtained the FOA (Followers of Armageddon) guild stone and continued where our fallen leaders left us. For years we roamed the role playing community unannounced guised as wandering healers, the Zog Cabal's front.

Eventually due to hazardous experiments with blackrock my dear friend Martoo expanded himself to infinite mass within a rift.....So I assume. I found one of those rifts in his home where his lab was and he was never seen again. Anyhow. After the fall of Brother Saul I snapped. I put the stone of the FOA into hiding and began recruiting in the darkness under title of The Zog Cabal. First there was bother Olan Zekai, Then Brother Toren Smythe. We have grown in the years. stronger every day. and smarter. we will not fail the next casting....



I know you have been around sometime, can you tell me why you feel you have survived so long?
That would have to be pure love. Even after 7 years of active and open recruiting we remain a small and dedicated guild. I try not to recruit well known people or those who are just guild hopping to find something new. Everyone I have beside me is a lover. A lover of Ultima, its stories and its creator, they are obsessed. Obsessed with Zog, the Zog Cabal, and our history and purpose. We will never dissipate. As long as there is a Sosaria we will be here. My members also spent with me over 200 man hours and endless days paging GMs until a bugged house was removed just so we could expand the settlement, so we are here to stay until the end.... we, will be the end.


In your opinion, what makes Zog different?
Our Guild Colors


What are the Zog Cabal's future aspirations?
Well here's what I've had my minds eye on from the beginning, and I mean beginning. In the end there will be one great war. In this war there will be one great battle. The psyche that connects all life, man, woman, and gargoyle.....The Very essence of fate, will lead all men to the vast plains of Ambrosia. Due south by north twenty miles, and Papua will continue war. Due north by south three miles, and Delucia will continue war, and both shall bear. And with Shame....to the east a group of dark scholars: the an-áilem with the an-ámo. The an-ámo-lem with the an-bal-sil-fer.

The an-ben and the an-eks, will stand high above all on mighty monoliths. And at last, and with great prize, it will be thru shear emotion that they are finally able to cast the spell. As they peer down on the squabbling and mewling races of Britannia, doves will fall bleeding in a circle around them. As they stare, one will shed a tear of hatred for mankind. One will watch with an empty heart. There will be tears on the faces of the women and the men shaking with anger when they turn into their full circle. They will look up, and to a single vertex above their heads the ether will gather. Then the earth will shake as the ancient rock is perspired, at this they will cast.

We will not fail Britannia as we did Ilshenar....it will survive.



If I were just an observer, what do you think I would remember most about the Zog Cabal?
You would leave the scene with an illusion. You would mistake their leader the Meer for an Umbran. You would recall those near by as out of place citizens with strange concerned look to them. The women laborers of some kind, toy makers and puppeteers. They would leave you as they greeted you, favorably. Unless you do not buy into the illusion.....


Can you tell me what you feel is the Zog Cabal's biggest accomplishment?
Being such an amazing group of friends in character and out, sharing all of our wealth and information all of these years and benefiting more from it every day.


If you could change anything about the Zog Cabal, what would it be?
Nothing drastic. We've been going in the right direction all of these years. We could pick up the pace a bit I suppose. We're looking in to getting more out loud about some events and we're always trying to get EA to bring support back to the role players. If we can get that, the interest and the members will come back to UO and the role playing guilds. Which is really all we need I guess. Bring back the immersion back to UO, and The Zog Cabal is forced to prosper. We all would be.


What do you look for when recruiting?
We don't really recruit. We greatly publicize what we do within the RP community and let the interested join us. Those who show great interest and dedication from the start. As of recent I have been marketing in the new player boards and such. Just looking for people who want to RP, letting them know we will kill them along with all life if they do not join us.


What else would you like to say about the Zog Cabal that you have not had a chance to do already?
Its called Blackrock, a really awesome player town which we consider a secretive settlement on the isle of the avatar in felucca. Right now it is composed of 6 homes taking up an entire peninsula with beach. The guild house, the Ziggurat, the Seminary, and the hallowed Anskitas, our hall of books and knowledge, are the most active buildings there. Here is a picture of our library



You can see much of the town and our guild at http://www.TheZogCabal.com
Oh and if you want to see the awesome cannon we have on the roof of our guild house its right here. It uses blackrock to fire, pretty awesome. It was a pretty good idea until Astaroth came around. What else...

Image




I guess all in all you can count of the Zog Cabal being around until the end. Be sure to keep an eye out around the banks, and hope the guards come when you call them

DISCLAIMER: We are not a Zionist occupied government




Happy Halloween! I hope to all our readers this sheds light on a dark roleplay guild!

-Ishtar-


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EVE (Emporium Vendors and Events) November Auction List!
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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 5:18 PM EDT by Cymoril (Oceania)

EVE (Emporium Vendors & Events) November Auction

Fox-Emporium has changed names and is now called EVE (Emporium Vendors & Events), and if you think this means anything less than a continuation of the best quality auctions and other events, you couldn't be more wrong!

Eleanora has announced EVE's November Auction, and as usual, she has secured plenty of bid-worthy items! The Auction will be held at The Emporium in Luna at 1pm AEST this Sunday. Here is the list, as published on the EVE Events website, spellweave.com. Bookmark this site for future EVE auction and event news! Also see this thread for map and other details.

List may be subject to slight change:


1.10 Ingenious Treasure Maps
2.10th anni arti, Dragons End Sword (Dragon Slayer, hci 10% di 60%)
3.2 Obsidian Statues (imaginitive designer/prolific gardener)
4.Full Sigil Spellbook
5.4 Pre-AoS bows (Lizard Slaughter, Troll Slaughter, Spiders Death, Gargoyles Foe)
6.Event Item: Waraji & Tabi of Homare, Blessed shoes
7.Ophidian Invasion Pack (Power Ophidian Bardiche, Staff, 2 x Journals, 5 x snakeskins)
8.Mounted Dreadhorn
9.XmasPack - Sleigh, 2xReindeer, Snowman, Solstice Candle, Poinsettia, Glacial Snow, 2xHoliday Trees, 2xMistletoe, Wreath Deed
10.XmasPack - Sleigh, 2xReindeer, Snowman, Solstice Candle, Poinsettia, Glacial Snow, 2xHoliday Trees, 2xMistletoe, Wreath Deed
11.10th Anniversary Sculpture - Grants Luck Bonus once per day
12.Tokuno Minor Arti - Dragon Nunchaku (hit fireball 50%, ssi 20%, di 40%, sr3 Mace)
13.Tokuno Minor Arti - Arms of Tactical Excellence (Tactics +12, Dex 5, resists: 2/9/13/8/3)
14.Dread Flute (replenish charges 700)
15.Tokuno Minor Arti - Demon Forks (rpd 10%, dci 10%, di 35%, Fencing)
16.Ancient Samurai Helm (sr10, dci 15%, resists: 15/10/10/15/10, mage armor)
17.Shamino's Best Crossbow (sr10, hci 15% di 40%, 100% phys dmg)
18.Complete set of Shrine Snowy Scenes (Chaos ®, Compassion, Honesty, Honor, Humility, Justice, Sacrifice, Spirituality, Valor)
19.Tokuno Minor Arti - Exiler (hit dispel 33%, Demon Slayer, ssi 20%, di 40% mace)
20.Skill Tutor Statuette - Training aid for new characters, find the 'optimal' target for your skill.
21.Tokuno Major Artifact - Horselord bow (Elemental & Reptile Slayer, dex 5, mr 1, 125 Luck)
22.Doom Major Artifact - Bone Crusher (hld 50%, str 10, di 75%, mace)
23.Tokuno Major, Fire Orange Dye 50 uses
24.Darkwood Armor Suit (Resists: 70/70/70/70/72, rpd 25%, dci 30%)
25.Ethereal Ridgeback 4th yr vet reward
26.4 Flutes of Renewal (Demon, Arachnid, Undead, Reptile, 300 repenish charges)
27.Tokuno Major, Luna White Dye 50 uses
28.Doom Major Artifact - Frostbringer (hit dispel 50%, stam regen 10, di 50%, 100% cold dmg)
29.Rare Globe: Snowy Scene of Exodus Lair


UO Oceania News Reporter

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The War Wages On
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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 4:51 PM EDT by Chango Pelon (LakeAustin)
The War Wages On


With news of the Magincia invasion spreading rapidly, defenders from all over are answering the call. On this second day of battle, I once again offered my assistance.





There was a nice gathering of defenders for this latest attack by Grigorus, a Dark Father. Many guilds were represented and I salute each of you for your efforts... and bringing me back to the living.

Smedly Jr [ARG]
Damien De Cyr [-62-]
Kali [TDA]
Thumpette [T4H]
Arcus [NOF]
Maverick [B|F]
Alucard [LIST]
DOMINATOR [-62-]
Lord Zap [HH]



I headed into the heart of the battle to take on this Dark Father with little success.












Seems I was arrogant in my own abilities. Not unlike the arrogance of the city we are now defending. If we do not overcome our shortfalls and band together, there is little hope for saving Magincia. For though this battle was won, there is still a war to win.





The enemy numbers are great, and so must our determination be great. This evil cannot be allowed to win or it will soon spread over all of our world and wipe out our very way of life.

Again, my thanks to the honored men and women, human and elf, who are lending their talents to save Magincia. Forgive me if I missed anybody, you know who you are.


And as I rode off to gather more help, I heard the battle cry of my fellow country men reminding me that all hope is not yet lost.

Alucard: ARGG!!!!!!!



We will keep you updated on the progress of this invasion. Until next time...
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10 Questions with Mr.Fixit aka Slacktard
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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 4:44 PM EDT by Paul Harvey (LakeAustin)

Hello Fellow Sosarians,

I have had the honor to send some questions and have them answered by Slacktard himself.
I must appologize, due to some issues I was only able to obtain a single picture of Mr. Fixit.

Well enough of me and on to the interview.

ntroducing Mr. Fixit aka Slacktard


1. How long have you been playing UO?
Five years, maybe a little more...
A. How long have you played on L.A. ?
Since the day it opened! Missed the land-grab cuz I had to work but I have the
original Keep my guildie got.

2. What are the names of your main characters and what professions are they?
On LA:
Slacktard- Macer/Pally extraordinaire and general nuisance
MrFixit- (prolly spend the majority of my time on him) Legendary BS and Tailor, GM Carp, Tink etc. My all around crafter that keeps me warm on those cold, lonely nights when I only have a wireless card for connection!
Tina- Necro/Fence whose temp I can't seem to decide on completely.
The Minstrel Flo- (who name I completely adore!) Bard/Archer, has a red
mohawk and carries a bow, what else can I say??!!!
Synnur-who I play on Siege from time to time.

3. Do you belong to a guild?
Several:
Slack is in KGB with my wonderful booty-head friend Tek (he pretends to not like me but you should see the love notes and flowers he sends!)
Fixit is in LCL with Scrag, Blaze, Mandy etc. great set of folks!
Tina- DSR although I haven't been active and haven't seen Aiden in ages even
though he's my next door neighbor.
Synnur-TNT on Siege but again I haven't been active.

4. What "style" of play is your favorite?
I guess PVM if that's what you mean. I try to PVP but certain individuals seem to have an "edge" that make it frustrating to say the least. I'm all for it on a level playing field but I find myself playing solo and crafting mostly these days since most all of my friends have left and Tek discovered girls. (God bless the little guy finally hit puberty!!)

5. What has been your favorite era in UO been ?
Hard to say since I barely started pre-AOS, but I would say right about the time before Wow came out and ruined our playerbase!

6. What has been your best and worst experiences in UO?
Best would probably be
when Nutty invited me to join LDR out of the blue. He was always really cool with me and helped me when I was first starting out. Hated to lose him to THE GREAT SATAN (Wow).
Worst- when I went AFK while on(then named) Minstrel Flo to return and find myself in UO "jail" and arguing with a GM about the validity of a Bard named Florence.

7. Is there something about you (in game) that no one knows? ie: you only eat peaches, only use pink band aids, will only ride a lama.
I guess not specifically but I do try to RP my chars with their gear as closely as
possible to what would be "realistic" with their profession as far as armor, weps and clothing goes. Oh! And Slack wears Aquaman underoos and a blaze cape!

8. How do you feel about L.A. now ?
Truly saddens me how dead it is. Granted I won't leave until they pull the plug
but I miss the days when Brit bank was bustling and I had to take fourth row
at Ice Cove or HOT auction because I was five minutes late.

9. If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing in Sosarian life, what would it be?
Reduce the land mass DEFINITELY, maybe eliminte a few shards (yeah I know this would piss people off but come on...really), have everthing wear out and
break perhaps without the continued use of POF, make Fel more like pre-pub 16.

10. Has any one influenced you?
Sure, Nutty Professor, Twink, DV (taught me to be crabby!), LL (Leia), Eryn Darkthorn, Elves of Lorien, Rose Cotton, Blazehammer, Scrag, Nabber, Tarl,
Fabienne, Folger (may he rest in peace) and of course the nefarious Jixie and Tek! I'm sure there are others I would add but I've had a couple of rum and
cokes....

11. Is there anyone that you would like to acknowledge?
Probably Nutty for STILL not forgetting about me, Leia for finally giving me my
reserved seat some time ago, Tek for always making me laugh, TyColby for
always giving me a drinking buddy (even though he didn't show for the Austin
meetup, Scrag;Blaze and all of LCL for making me feel welcome, TNT for giving
me stuff without really knowing me, Fabs for always being cool and getting me
hook-ups! I must also thank Twink and especvially DV for providing me hours
of entertainment, I know I caused him a lot of grief but he always made the
auctions better and I liked talking to him one on one.

A. Anything that you would like to add?
Thnaks for honoring me with these questions and I want ya'll to know (yeah I'm
from Texas) to know that if anyone needs help with anything don't hesitate to
ask! That's what made our game great and I thnk still can! Who needs gold anyhow!!!??

I hope you have enjoyed this insightful iterview as much as I have.
Thank you Slacktard for your time and I sure hope we continue to see you on the forums and in game.


This has been Paul Harvey

Goood Day!


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Night Before Halloween
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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 2:48 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

Night Before Halloween

he invasion of Magincia started, the Masquerade Ball was cancelled (hopefully to be held in the near future as a lot of work went into that) and the CCC Haunted House and Maze was opened right on schedule! It is a very clever and fun house; therefore, in order not to give away all the fun there will not be too many pictures. When you first arrive at the house which is directly south of Luna Central on the Mall, you are greeted by the CCC crew handing out Trick or Treat Bags, but honestly, in my bag there were no tricks, just a marvelous assortment of treats!

Then you are welcome to experience the maze! And there is not a door to be seen to begin, instead you have to climb a rickety old ladder to enter the maze! There are drop floors, secret doors, narrow passages, and all kinds of exquisite gruesome details!

It was promised the maze would remain open until they decorate for Thanksgiving so everyone go and enjoy this great piece of fun on our shard!

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Magincia Repels Invasion!
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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 10:30 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

Magincia Repels Invasion!

Jeremy Dalberg 30 Oct 2007 19:51:14

Victory cheers rang throughout Magincia today as hundreds of daemons met a swift end at the hands of the city’s militia. The mayor issued a short statement:

“This morning I was apprised of an unexpected and unprovoked invasion of daemons near the moongate. My staff and I immediately surveyed the battlefield, and our excellent field commanders were quick to repel the invasion and defend our city’s borders. A few residents are reporting minor structural damages, but we’re reporting no loss of life. I’m proud of the way our militia handled themselves, and have politely declined offers of assistance from the mainland government. At this time I would like to reiterate that while there may be a few daemons left to hunt down, there is no major, sustained threat to the city. This so-called ‘invasion’ is over.”

Magical methods of travel still remain unavailable, however, and the Magincia moongate appears to have ceased functioning altogether. The BNN will be sending Sherry the Mouse, our intrepid field investigator, to the scene tomorrow.

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Magincia Invasion: Over?
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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 6:31 AM EDT by Sahra Swift (Catskills)
Hello Catskills,
It seems as though the daemons have been pushed away from Magincia in both Trammel and Felucca, with minimal damage to the cities. The jungles outside of both cities are mostly burned down, however. It appears as though this invasion was short lived... but this reporter would like to encourage continued caution in the area. The moongates to Magincia are still corrupted, and this may simply be a calm before the real storm.

Stay Safe,
Sahra Swift.
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Magincia - Update and Post your Stories and Screenshots here!
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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 2:13 AM EDT by callum_fitzhugh (Europa)
New Page 1


[from www.uo.com]

Victory cheers rang throughout Magincia today as hundreds of daemons met a swift end at the hands of the city’s militia. The mayor issued a short statement:

“This morning I was apprised of an unexpected and unprovoked invasion of daemons near the moongate. My staff and I immediately surveyed the battlefield, and our excellent field commanders were quick to repel the invasion and defend our city’s borders. A few residents are reporting minor structural damages, but we’re reporting no loss of life. I’m proud of the way our militia handled themselves, and have politely declined offers of assistance from the mainland government. At this time I would like to reiterate that while there may be a few daemons left to hunt down, there is no major, sustained threat to the city. This so-called ‘invasion’ is over.”

Magical methods of travel still remain unavailable, however, and the Magincia moongate appears to have ceased functioning altogether. The BNN will be sending Sherry the Mouse, our intrepid field investigator, to the scene tomorrow.

Full article can be found here http://www.uoherald.com/news/


Submit your stories and screenshots here please!

A single place for all tales of derring-do in Magincia!

 

 

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S|A's Halloween Costume Contest and October BSR Results
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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 8:11 PM EDT by Sara of Baja (Baja)

 

Sunday, October 28, chocalot [ROC], Lady Parisa [afk], and Lord Arlon [afk] were busily decorating Skara Brae Fairegrounds for the Society of Archers Halloween costume contest and October's Best Shot In The Realm.

Some of the pumpkins Parisa and Arlon  furnished ...

  
     

Parisa and Arlon graciously presented Lil Debi [S|A] with a special black Jack O' Lantern commemorating the October 2007 BSR for her efforts in putting together this month's competition.



As is her custom, Lil Debi provided lots of homemade goodies and drinks.





Stinky Pete [DUS] furnished specially dyed chairs and shooting podiums for the archery contestants and specatators.  (And, it appears Theoran, GM of S|A, came in costume to oversee some of the festivities.)



The Halloween Costume Contest:


It was a difficult task for the judges to pick just one winner for the costume contest.  Taylor [S|A] was ultimately announced as the winner, and took home the 500k first prize check.


This month Lil Debi was assisted in running the BSR by Orion, Lady sex kittin, and Taylor, all of S|A, and Lazarus [M!S]



The BSR had a starting field of 25 competitors.  Winner of both the August and September BSR, Lord Steve Austin [BLS] was present for the start of the competition.  After shooting a perfect score of 200 in the first round, he was called away, leaving us all to wonder if he might have captured three titles in a row.
The final round featured a 5-shot shoot off, between AHEBBAN [M!S], Lord Aerodante [CTDM], and Taylor [S|A] who all shot perfect 200's in the Robin Hood round. The final scores were: Aerodante 260, AHEBBAN 250, and Taylor 210.  The prizes Aerodante took home for his win were: 2,250,000 gold, a barbed runic, a heritage token, 2,000 arrows and 2000 bolts, plus he won a seat the the Tournament of Champions to be held later this year.
 

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BNN: A Minor Inconvenience
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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 6:46 PM EDT by AirmidCecht (LakeSuperior)

BNN: A Minor Inconvenience

Jeremy Dalberg 30 Oct 2007 16:24:26

“Milord!”

The veils and drapes were ripped aside, pouring daylight into the canopy bed upon which a much disheveled, and suddenly very displeased, mayor had been sleeping. The blinding light lessened, obstructed by a rough shadow, and the voice yelled again.

“Milord, please! Wake thyself, ‘tis urgent!”

The Mayor threw aside his blankets and wools, and grasped at the drapes, pulling himself aright. There had been the party, the long dancing into the night, the wine, the women, “Ah”, he thought, “the…”

“Daemons, mi lord, in the forest!” the plaintive voice continued, failing to heed the state of the lord of the house. The mayor’s eyes focused, the headache was horrendous, but he composed himself and looked up.

“Daemons? In the forest. Near the moongate?”

“Yes, mi lord!”

He nodded, looked down at his hands, they seemed very far away from his arms for some reason. The mayor looked up, his knuckles white as his hands clenched into fists on his knees.

“You woke me up, for… daemons?”

The soldier knew the tone, hesitated. “But sir, we’ve never seen them like this…” He was cut off.

“What do we usually, well, do, about daemons in the forest, young Belfry?”

The man’s armor clinked as he shifted uncomfortably. “We destroy them, sir. Or call the mages and dispel them.”

The mayor wasn’t even paying attention now, his hand hovering over his nightstand where an understanding servant had just placed a goblet of mead. He nodded, made an assenting sort of sound, nasal in quality, crystal clear in meaning.

“Mages? Yes, mages seem like a good idea.”

“Sir, we’re concerned that this isn’t ordinary,” but the soldier got no further.

“I said SUMMON SOME MAGES AND STOP WASTING MY TIME!” the mayor jumped up and pushed the spilling goblet against the poor man’s doublet, punctuating his point with each spilled drop.

“Sir! Yes sir!” and he was gone.

The mayor climbed back into bed, another day begun, and mindlessly worked himself back beneath the warm sheets. “Daemons. Unbelievable. What’s next?” he mumbled into a silk pillow.


Read more about the Invasion of Magincia event here !
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Magincia Repels Invasion!
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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 6:13 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

Posted to uoherald.com:


Magincia Repels Invasion!
Jeremy Dalberg
30 Oct 2007 19:51:14

Victory cheers rang throughout Magincia today as hundreds of daemons met a swift end at the hands of the city’s militia. The mayor issued a short statement:

“This morning I was apprised of an unexpected and unprovoked invasion of daemons near the moongate. My staff and I immediately surveyed the battlefield, and our excellent field commanders were quick to repel the invasion and defend our city’s borders. A few residents are reporting minor structural damages, but we’re reporting no loss of life. I’m proud of the way our militia handled themselves, and have politely declined offers of assistance from the mainland government. At this time I would like to reiterate that while there may be a few daemons left to hunt down, there is no major, sustained threat to the city. This so-called ‘invasion’ is over.”

Magical methods of travel still remain unavailable, however, and the Magincia moongate appears to have ceased functioning altogether. The BNN will be sending Sherry the Mouse, our intrepid field investigator, to the scene tomorrow.

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Call to arms! Magincia Being Invaded!
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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 5:31 PM EDT by Sara of Baja (Baja)

 

While at I was at Luna Bank, I was approached by an excited Mama Faith who was running to spread the news and call for help.  Once she caught her breath, she was able to say, "Magincia! Invasion!"

I recalled to the Trinsic docks and caught the next ferry to Magincia.  As I headed toward the moongate, I started seeing signs of an invasion.

 
Spawn became heavier near the moongate.



As you can see from the pictures, Baja is responding to the invasion.  May be we successful in our efforts!

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BNN: A Minor Inconvenience
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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 5:25 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

BNN: A Minor Inconvenience

Jeremy Dalberg 30 Oct 2007 16:24:26

“Milord!”

The veils and drapes were ripped aside, pouring daylight into the canopy bed upon which a much disheveled, and suddenly very displeased, mayor had been sleeping. The blinding light lessened, obstructed by a rough shadow, and the voice yelled again.

“Milord, please! Wake thyself, ‘tis urgent!”

The Mayor threw aside his blankets and wools, and grasped at the drapes, pulling himself aright. There had been the party, the long dancing into the night, the wine, the women, “Ah”, he thought, “the…”

“Daemons, mi lord, in the forest!” the plaintive voice continued, failing to heed the state of the lord of the house. The mayor’s eyes focused, the headache was horrendous, but he composed himself and looked up.

“Daemons? In the forest. Near the moongate?”

“Yes, mi lord!”

He nodded, looked down at his hands, they seemed very far away from his arms for some reason. The mayor looked up, his knuckles white as his hands clenched into fists on his knees.

“You woke me up, for… daemons?”

The soldier knew the tone, hesitated. “But sir, we’ve never seen them like this…” He was cut off.

“What do we usually, well, do, about daemons in the forest, young Belfry?”

The man’s armor clinked as he shifted uncomfortably. “We destroy them, sir. Or call the mages and dispel them.”

The mayor wasn’t even paying attention now, his hand hovering over his nightstand where an understanding servant had just placed a goblet of mead. He nodded, made an assenting sort of sound, nasal in quality, crystal clear in meaning.

“Mages? Yes, mages seem like a good idea.”

“Sir, we’re concerned that this isn’t ordinary,” but the soldier got no further.

“I said SUMMON SOME MAGES AND STOP WASTING MY TIME!” the mayor jumped up and pushed the spilling goblet against the poor man’s doublet, punctuating his point with each spilled drop.

“Sir! Yes sir!” and he was gone.

The mayor climbed back into bed, another day begun, and mindlessly worked himself back beneath the warm sheets. “Daemons. Unbelievable. What’s next?” he mumbled into a silk pillow.


Read more about the Invasion of Magincia event here !
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Magincia Under Siege!
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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 3:07 PM EDT by Sahra Swift (Catskills)
I bring important news my fellow Catskillians!
It seems as though the city of Magincia is under attack by what appear to be three new breeds of Daemon. They have been called "Light Daemon", "Void Daemon", and "Daemon Berserker" by most.

The Moongate to Magincia is not working, so the only way to the city is by boat. The guards in the City of Trinsic have set up a ferry that people can use to get to Magincia for those who wish to help out but do not own a boat.

Stay safe!
Sahra Swift
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BNN: A Minor Inconvenience
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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 2:43 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

This new chapter has appeared on uoherald.com's BNN news site:


BNN: A Minor Inconvenience
Jeremy Dalberg
30 Oct 2007 16:24:26

“Milord!”

The veils and drapes were ripped aside, pouring daylight into the canopy bed upon which a much disheveled, and suddenly very displeased, mayor had been sleeping. The blinding light lessened, obstructed by a rough shadow, and the voice yelled again.

“Milord, please! Wake thyself, ‘tis urgent!”

The Mayor threw aside his blankets and wools, and grasped at the drapes, pulling himself aright. There had been the party, the long dancing into the night, the wine, the women, “Ah”, he thought, “the…”

“Daemons, milord, in the forest!” the plaintative voice continued, failing to heed the state of the lord of the house. The mayor’s eyes focused, the headache was horrendous, but he composed himself and looked up.

“Daemons? In the forest. Near the moongate?”

“Yes, milord!”

He nodded, looked down at his hands, they seemed very far away from his arms for some reason. The mayor looked up, his knuckles white as his hands clenched into fists on his knees.

“You woke me up, for… daemons?”

Read the rest of this story Here, and read more about the Invasion of Magincia event Here

!
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Breaking News: Magincia Under Attack
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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 2:16 PM EDT by Chango Pelon (LakeAustin)
Magincia Under Attack!


After a brief talk with the magistrate of Magincia, I headed to the moongate location where this rumored invasion was supposed to originate from.

I was met with the largest assault of demons I have seen gathered since my wedding day. Hordes of demons, chaos demons, light demons, and a dark father.




At the time of this report, only a single defender was on the scene.



They have their numbers, but they are not invulnerable.




Without a banding together of other valiant defenders, we may be seeing the last days of our sister city.

Please, I implore you, we need to fight back this assault!
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Halloween Party - by Herenui [lots of good pictures!]
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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 9:55 AM EDT by callum_fitzhugh (Europa)
New Page 1
Report by Herenui

Yesterday night was a great halloween party in the tavern next to the harbor. A lot of people came with funny costumes and we had great fun !

As i'm not very talkative in such situations, i spent most of my time drawing portraits of the guests.

first, the classical ones :

Some ghosts too :



Another popular thema was pirats :


Here a touching familly portrait :


The red seem to be a tendency for this winter :


Some costumes were truely scary :


Here a cute pumpkin :


This beautiful naked girl gave me a lot of money to asked me to stay anonymous, so i've not written her name and i won't say that she is one of the most important persons in the hierarchy of the Trinsic guards and that she has a very specific hair color :


Some came as they usually are :


Some were totally off topic, like this advertising for a famous french mark of tyre :


Here a few various pictures :


And finally the winner of the contest, who got a prize of 500.000 gold coins !


Thank you all for this funny evening, and till next year !


Special thanks to Herenui for this report!

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MOA, FCB, H^I, SK and DA Spook Up New Haven
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Posted on Monday, October 29, 2007, 7:19 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
Holiday event in New Haven



New Haven was a perfect location for this spooky event. Several guilds banded together to make this a fun night.

A pigeon came by way via Pratt of MOA informing me of this event and inviting me to attend and I am glad I did.

Linda Carter/ Wonder Woman ( Aridas ) of FCB still in her costume, fresh from her win at the CFC costume contest greeted me first. FCB and MOA were handing out gift bags which I received one from each. I am not sure if other guilds handed out items but when I saw Kuan Ti of SLEM arriving with a pack horse in tow I knew there were more treat on the way. H^I was supporting this event so maybe the Kuanster was representing them as he is close to that guild.




Two of the gifts bags I received


The city was decorated with wheat and pumpkins, very festive looking indeed. I asked several people who festooned the city for this event and knowone could give me a direct answer. Several thought it was a MOA member which would not surprize me as they are a creative bunch.

SK, one of my personal favorite guilds on Great Lakes had many members present as did DA and CREATION. So many guilds and so many players attended this "last minute" event shows what can happen when community minded guilds join forces. Soulsinger, Dearg, DJ Scorp, Helter Skelter, Lord Balthazar, Tanda, Chupacabra, Ohm, Zat, Scratchy Hamster, Zephyrus ( not doing the " Gummy Bear " thank goodness ! ), Lady Mother Nature, Amelia, Glasya, Hannah, Amos Moses, Tai ni po ni, Slappy, Cisco, Elixir and Lord Insane Clown are a few names I can remember.

Several times during the event Pratt told seasonal jokes and asked trivia to the amusement of the crowd.





There was also a prize for the character that came back with the most body parts after trick or treating. It was a fun filled night and I had sensory overload !!

Before departing I stopped by the bar and food station set up by DA and refreshing it was.



For those that attended please reply to this article and share your fun, excitement, experience and opinion of this event.


I will leave you with one of Pratt's jokes from the evening.

Q -What's mummies favorite music ?
A- Rap














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the Funnies vol. I
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Posted on Monday, October 29, 2007, 2:19 PM EDT by Zynia (GreatLakes)

the Funnies vol. I

First let me explain how this works. You know how in the newspaper there’s that comic section that makes ya laugh? Well this is in a way like that! I won’t say this is a weekly column, but it will be posted as an “as sent in” basis. The minimum screenshots for a column will be ten. Below, I’ve gone through my personal screenshots and selected a few as examples of what to send in. Please keep all submissions clean and make sure they abide by the ROC of Stratics, which can be found here.

I prefer non-journal screenshots, however I could not resist leaving this one out. This was at the Homare-Jima 18x18 that was currently IDOC at the time of conversation.



It reads:
Dell Magic: I can see you have Honor an valor
Boxy Brown: yeah I hunt at the fandancers
Boxy Brown: a lot

The screenshots could be of something silly you stumbled on and associated it with something, or a friend. Such as this one shortly after Arabella won the best dressed in her pink and white outfit.



Or certain holiday events that made you let out a laugh.



They could be funny quotes from friends or strangers you happened to overhear.











Perhaps they’re funny typo’s or the occasional bad speller.





I hope you enjoyed this edition of “the Funnies”, and I look forward to seeing what you send in!
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Community Hunt - Week of October 29th
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Posted on Monday, October 29, 2007, 4:09 AM EDT by Lady Tia (LakeSuperior)
>>> Trammel Facet News <<<


Want to go hunting but don't have a big enough group? Are you looking for good guides to dungeons you've yet to explore?

The community hunts are open to everyone! Come show your support for the Lake Superior community and take a walk on the wild side at the same time. Meet some new and old friends and have a bit of a challenge along the way.


Vesper Museum Exhibit Tours (The City of Montor)
Date: Tuesday, October 30
Time: 8:00PM CST
Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

Peerless Hunt (Mondain's Legacy Required)
Date: Wednesday, October 31
Time: 8:00PM CST
Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

Doom Gauntlet Run
Date: Thursday, November 1
Time: 8:00PM CST
Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

Ilshenar Champ Spawn Hunt
Date: Friday, November 2
Time: 9:00PM CST
Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
Hosts: Taeara Mi'aken


And remember, these hunts are for everyone, regardless of their skill level or guild affiliation. Come meet new friends, see new places, gain experience and just have fun.


Sabina Nikolai,
High Marshall, Community Hunt Organizer
The Order of the Silver Rose

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The Umbran Halloween Masquerade
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Posted on Sunday, October 28, 2007, 8:22 PM EDT by Ishtar (Atlantic)
The Event at Umbra in the Arena outside the city started with the usual macabre fanfare. A dramatic entrance for the Lord Barl D'Abrego was made by a group of performed clad in brown hooded robes which were removed to reveal bone armor. The start brought promise as I watched.



As the night wore on I mingled with guests, had a few laugh and a few drinks. The highlighted event of the evening began and many scrambled to get in line to join the costume contest. All stood in a row and approached the judged one by one, giving an introduction and then moving away for the next contestant. To the glee of the audience Lord DAZ of the Moonglow Town Counsel won for Lord of the Bears!



I was hoping for a grande finale, but the night met an unfortunate close when a man from the assemblage began picking up all the decor. Before we all knew it, not a chair nor table stood and the elegant work to set the mood for this event was gone. It seems a Lord Mosby was the perpetrator of the guild Evermoor. Though he was asked to stop numerous times, it fell upon deaf ears.



Your Atlantic shard reporter signing off rather disgruntled, disappointed and a tad miffed. Happy Halloween!

-Ishtar-
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Edda's Back, Amara Has Gone To The Birds & Obits
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Posted on Sunday, October 28, 2007, 7:52 AM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
.



The Great Lakes News Room received a letter from Edda this week giving a mixed message. Edda expressed delight that she(he) was not in the Obituary Column last week as she seems to be in every edition. It appears one player ( *name removed* ) is always on the lookout for Edda dead.
As the editor of the Obituary Column I want to thank that person, lol.

At the end of Edda's letter she mentioned something to the effect she likes dieing for the public. Regardless of how she or you feel ... keep those screenshots coming !!!

On the subject of Obit favorites and frequently featured corpses, Princess Amara ( Obituary Queen ) has not been in the column for weeks. Rumor has it she has gone to the birds and has been seen about Luna and Brit in chicken form. Has she joined the CFC? Is a trick being played on her as she seeks out treats?

These questions I cannot answer but back by popular demand I give you Edda again.






Aj












Jcup


Maximux










Tatssair








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Advance Harrower Becoming Cartel Tradition
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Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007, 8:27 PM EDT by Sara of Baja (Baja)

 

Cartel Is Proud To Announce ...

 its second edition of what will hopefully become a monthly tradition.
 The next Advanced Notice Harrower will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2007,  starting sometime between 6:30pm and 7:30pm (Pacific) on the great shard of Baja. Hopefully, holding this on a Saturday as opposed to Thursday,  and being as early as it is will allow more people from more guilds the chance to take part in the fight. I hope to see you all there!

To view announcements on the time and other details as they are posted, click here.

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CFC's Howling Halloween
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Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007, 7:18 PM EDT by Zynia (GreatLakes)
>>> Malas News <<<CFC's Howling Halloween


Rachel and Red Witch of the Chicken Fight Club asked me to be their judge for tonights Halloween Costume Contest. How could I resist! A night of fun at the chicken fight club was filled with.. Chicken fights!



The members of the CFC were going to do a free for all with themselves, and taking the cake, Mist the orc conquered the ring tonight! She only had about 21 hit points taken from her throughout the fight, way to go!

There were quite a few folks who showed up in costume tonight, and I was pleased with most, and disappointed with few. The contestants were as follows:



Little Bo Peep



Not quite sure if they were competing, but I’d have guessed Leatherface



As herself



As himself or the Grim Reaper



A Stratics-safe name for this would be: Crossdresser



As Wonder Woman or ”Wonder Wench”



As an orc

And the winner was......

Aridas!



As Wonder Woman or ”Wonder Wench”

For more information about the Chicken Fight Club they are held every Saturday night at 8:00 PM EST, gates starting in West Britain around 7:50 PM EST. Hope to see you there!
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A Showcase of Design by Willa
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Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007, 4:52 PM EDT by Zynia (GreatLakes)
>>> Trammel Facet News <<<


This afternoon I was invited on a tour of homes Willa of the Yew-Wood has designed and decorated. Krom, the caretaker of the homes, met me at the Trammel Yew Moongate for the start of this exciting tour.



The first home we visited was the heart of the Yew-Wood forest, the Yew-Wood Theatre. Located at 71 o 59 ‘ N , 36 o 0 ‘ W, in other words, just a ways South East from Trammel’s Yew Moongate.



It’s décor was a little bare, but perfect for the wonderful performances that’d take place on the center stage. Green’s, Gray’s, and Brown’s were found throughout the house with various stone and wood accents.



Up the stairs, was the actors’ “Green Room” with beautiful jade marble lining the floors. There was also a small collectors museum adjacent to the Green Room showing off a couple wedding memorabilia, a tattered piece of Clainin’s robe, a cloak of Minax, and a real reversed backpack.



On the roof was a serene garden with a small reading corner for small gatherings.



Our last stop was the dressing room, very tidy for being an actor’s dressing lounge. Everything certainly had it’s place!



Our next stop was the Beggars Wood, owned by Bill, located at 70 o 3 ‘ N , 35 o 13 ‘ W, or south of the Yew-Wood Theatre. Heartwood look out, this house looks more like the inside of a tree than you! The walls were carved antique wood, with various patterns with every square inch.



There was a cozy private table of four on the mail floor under an apple tree.



Upstairs we headed to the kitchen or more so a Beggars pride of items he had received in previous years. On another floor there was a small seating area for entertaining, and a ladder that led to what I thought was the best part of the home!



The view from the roof had a wonderful sight of the theatre, it’s too bad you couldn’t see the stage from there, that Bill would have had the best seats in the house!



Next door was the Yew Parcel and Post, where we chatted about how difficult it was to work with logs.



There were no round corners in this house!



Afterwards, I got to revisit the real home of the Yew-Wood elves, located at 84 o 28 ‘ N , 42 o 57 ‘ W, or Northwest from the Yew Moongate in Trammel.



You may recognize this from a previous article, A Decoration Parade in Yew, but there’s no harm in revisiting it’s beauty, especially with a tour guide! We stopped in Krom’s workshop, located in the back of the house on the main floor, next to the stables. Small, but efficient it sure was.



We passed through the formal dining room and headed towards the wife’s kitchen, where I sampled some of her delicious home baked bread.



Next we headed up to the plant stores, where many plants were stored in these bright chests carefully placed along the wall. Tip-toeing through a good sized reading area we headed towards Willa’s twin sister, Trilla’s bedroom. It was very bright, and easy on the eyes at the same time.



Moving on, we headed towards Lady Willa’s private bedroom. Walking through a comfortable reading area on the way. I heard Willa is quite the archer, and some in fact call her Legendary as I noticed her collection of heavy crossbows next to the small bar.



Next we went to the House of Xunroos, owned by Setatabon, located at 88 o 36 ‘ N , 32 o 33’ W in Trammel.



Xunroos, is a daemon, the pricker bushes outside nearly scraped my bare legs on the way in, and the flaming head hanging in the entryway I think singed off some of Krom’s!



First we stopped in the Lord Malag-aste’s bedroom when he was in town. It was rather dark, but inviting at the same time with hints of Tokuno décor throughout.



We entered what looked to be a sacrificial room, but we’re still unsure. There were body parts, blood, and torturing devices placed about. We exited the room fairly quick after getting the shivers and goose bumps.



On the roof, we walked throughout Xunroos famous gardens that were decorated for the season with hinting of foliage colors throughout. For a demon, he sure keeps a beautiful garden, Krom pointed out. The waterfall was very relaxing to hear the trickling of running water, though I was told it was supposed to be used for bathing, though Krom doubts Xunroos does that much.



The basement held what looked to be yet another sacrificial room, we’re still unsure.. The last stop was what looked to be a throne room, with tortured pixies pinned to the walls, and parrots lining a walkway to two bone thrones. It was definitely a spooky house, and a must see this Halloween Season!



The Newcastle Post Office was next, located at 92 o 39 ‘ N , 27 o 46 ‘ E in the Newcastle Township.



The Post Office was a new clever system located in the Role Playing Community to get messages to certain players of ranking regarding situations, news, and other issues.



Upstairs there was a small classroom, cleverly designed and warm with the fireplace right inside.



We headed to Kivlov Manor of the Newcastle Township next, another home Willa designed. Located at 90 o 43 ‘ N , 29 o 31 ‘ E.



Festively decorated for the holidays there were pumpkins and wheat sheaf’s tastefully placed throughout this home. Some of the décor inside was a bit bare, but effective. A small dining table, bedroom that needed a little more attention. However, the stable areas outside in the back, were very lovely.



Newcastle Bazzar was next, owned by Edgar Long, located at 107 o 14 ‘ N , 31 o 0 ‘ E within the Newcastle Township.





Inside there were vendor venues set up for future events they wish to hold here. Items would be crafted on site for those in need of them. There were weapon stations, Fishing, Armor crafting, Butchery, Cooking, and Carpentry among many others. Bartering would also take place in an event such as this. What a lovely idea! I really hope this happens, it would surely be something different and lively such as a marketplace.



There was storage upstairs, along with Malag-aste Hla-ate, Turcople of the Royal Knights of Redemption’s bedroom. There was a breathtaking view of the Bay as well from the western balcony.



Next up, was the Newcastle Abbey, owned by Micah, designed by Ariakas, the Undermarshall of the Royal Knights of Redemption as well as a Field Marshall of the Brittanian Armed Forces. Located at 107 o 35 ‘ N , 32 o 12 ‘ E in the Newcastle Township.



On the first floor, there was a beautiful small chapel and altar.



The second floor was storage, as well as what seemed to be an alchemists table, and a monks library.



Next, we visited the remains of the Templar Ren, Ren the Conjurer, former Templar of the Royal Knights. We also visited the office of the Undermarshall Ariakas, located on the same floor, with another view of the beautiful bay.



Krom also mentioned Ari is very good at design and décor, and is constantly changing the Abbey.



Our next stop was the Wild Rose Inn and Café, owned by Malag-aste himself. Located at 108 o 7 ‘ N , 33 o 32 ‘ E within the Newcastle Township as well.



Colorful and not so colorful pumpkins lined the stairwell leading upstairs.



But first we headed into the Open Air Café, with beautiful stone pavers and comforting bamboo rugs.



Upstairs there were two guestrooms, as well as a small bar and reading area. Each room had a different color theme as well as the bed blankets. The second floor was undergoing construction as I was told a few of the old floorboards needed some repairs and the carpenters weren’t very tidy with their tools.



However there was a beautiful master suite in violets and purples with a gorgeous balcony.







We headed to the Newcastle Library, owned by Larisah, located at 96 o 36 ‘ N , 29 o 6 ‘ E next. Which was home to many original player written books. As well as a few by Redlowwinski, a familiar named I had recognized from Lady Silverbrook’s past poetry readings. I was also informed that the Yew Library has copies of all of the books located here.



Last but not least, with our chat about the local caravans being invaded, there was talk a local Harbor was being built. We headed towards the Newcastle Harbor, located at 101 o 47 ‘ N , 27 o 33 ‘ E within the Newcastle Township. Owned by Fenrir, this building reminded me of the port’s on Jhelom’s shores.



It certainly fit it’s theme. There were fishing nets, and fish, even an old Ghost Ship Anchor in this building.



We by accidentally walked into his bedroom upon exploring the new building.



Thank you so much Willa for the wonderful tour of your homes and homes you’ve designed. You certainly have a knack for designing, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
[ Discuss This Article ]

30 Minutes With... Calina
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Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007, 4:30 PM EDT by Lord Franklin (Catskills)
>>> Trammel Facet News <<<Alright folks, it's time for our next 30 Minutes With... interview! I'm glad to see some of you are stepping up to the challenge of spending some time with me so we can all get to know you better. Don't forget that Lady Lava is sending out questions for some of you to answer too for her column. Check those mailboxes!

This column's focus will be on Calina, a woman who has literally grown up with Ultima Online. She started playing ten years ago... when she was just ten years old! During our time together we took a tour of her gorgeous castle, I learned more about her Guild, and we relaxed by the fire and chatted about her family and the past. You may notice your reporter Franklin breaking character a bit more than usual, but considering the nature of some of what Calina had to tell me, I think it was the best way to get to know her.



As always, let us begin by seeing how Calina answered the 30 Minutes With... interview questions.

What is your name?
Lady Calina O'Riley Rhiannon

What is your profession?
Swordswoman

How old are you?
Nineteen

Is there a place or city you call home?
Trinsic, though I currently live closer to Skara Brae.

Where do you spend the majority of your time?
Oh my... I would have to say the Blighted Grove as of late.

What do you do while you are there?
I'm on a continual quest to keep Lady Melisande at bay! You know, she seems to be giving cats a run for number of lives!

What skills do you have that make you good at what you do?
I'm trained in swordsmanship, tactics, anatomy, spell resistance, parry and healing... I think I can handle myself pretty well!

Has anyone helped you or influenced you along the way? How?
My loving husband, Magyar. It's only because of his unwavering support that I can maintain my sanity in Sosaria sometimes!

Are you a member of a guild or other association? If so, please elaborate.
Yes, I'm the Guild Mistress of Dark Revelations (D|R)

What is your greatest accomplishment?
Founding and successfully running D|R, I'm more and more proud of my guild members everyday!

What do you enjoy doing the most?
Designing and decorating homes. That's my real, true passion.

Is there a Virtue (or Anti-Virtue) to which you strongly relate? Why?
If I had to choose one, it would be Compassion if only because I feel that no one can be an adequate leader without being able to understand and identify with each and every one of their people. I may look like a sissy for saying this, but I would rather be viewed as "too soft" or "weak", than "ruthless" or "hardcore".

What are your long-term goals for the future?
Continue to run a professional guild built on friendship! (Okay, and doing champion spawns, who am I kidding?)

Is there anything else the Catskills community should know about you?
(This is totally out of character) I began playing Ultima Online at the age of ten in 1997, I will be twenty in December. I have grown up within the UO community and I have to say that I don't think there is any other game out there that has such an array of characters! (both personality-wise and template-wise)

Where will we be going for 30 minutes?
Chateau Rhiannon, my castle just South of Skara Brae, Trammel.

~~~

I met Calina at the Skara Brae bank and we exchanged greetings. The first thing I noticed about her was her glasses. They seemed rather dark, but suited her. I did wonder how a warrior managed to keep her glasses from breaking in combat, but I had many more important questions to ask! Once we both were ready (I had to check my pixies to make sure they were painting portraits), we magically transported to Calina's castle, outside of Skara Brae.



"Welcome to Chateau Rhiannon!" Calina said, as she gestured at the massive structure in front of me. I've always been awed by the sheer size of the few castles that dot the landscape. This one was to be no exception. As we walked in, I caught a few glimpses of rare treasures from countless ages ago. I couldn't wait to see the rest of Calina's home and discover what else was inside!

"This castle serves not only as home for myself and my husband," Calina said, "but as a meeting home for the members of my guild." She smiled at me, obviously seeing my interest. "Would you like a tour?" Would I like a tour? Of course! "It's... it's beautiful! I love the carpets!" I said, feeling a bit silly. As many of my faithful readers know, I love touring the homes of people who have a knack for decorating. My own attempts have not been too successful. We climbed the stairs to the second level of the castle, where I paused to let my pixies capture this image.




"This is our meeting hall," said Calina. "I must make it known that I love my flowers!" I agreed that they were a fantastic addition to the room. We continued on our tour, visiting the kitchen, where I smelled something simmering in a pot that made my stomach rumble. We paused over the door of the castle, Calina pointing to the two statues. "My husband and I in stone," she said, smiling, "watching over our guild."




The tour continued through a room with exotic parrots, with names like Rose, Ember, and Peppermint. "A great deal of time, effort and gold went into this place," Calina said, as she led me to the center of the roof, "but I feel it was worth every bit of it."




"Now we should probably go sit somewhere and get down to business," she said with a grin. "I've toured a lot of homes, and this is one of the most attractive I have seen," I said. She was right, though, it was time to get on with the interview, and we moved back down to the first floor to sit together next to the fire and chat.




As we both situated ourselves, Calina looked at me and asked the question that reporters dread to hear, "So, what would you like to know?" Everything! I smiled. "You mentioned both your guild and your husband in your answers to the questions you sent me. Those are two places to start," I said, opening my Reporter's Journal. "Well, I wouldn't be anywhere today without my husband, Magyar," Calina began. "He's helped me through some very difficult times, both in-game and in reality." I nodded and asked her to go on. "When our old guild, ReV, fell apart, he inspired me to take our old members and start a new guild, based on friendship above all else. It's grown so big! It's a great surprise," she said, proud of their accomplishment.

"How many members do you have? I asked. "Currently we have about 110 veteran players," Calina said, "and total we have over 200 members." I told her that was impressive and that she must be doing something right. "What I am most proud of," she said, "is the fact that we all know each other, we're all close, and we talk every day in Ventrilo about both real life and in-game issues. These people, I think, are truly my best friends, and not a lot of groups out there can say that." I grinned and said, "I love that about UO. It really brings people together, both in game and out."

"Aye," Calina agreed. "My mother and stepfather actually met in this game and he drove all the way from Virginia to Texas to marry her." "Wow," I exclaimed. I knew there were love stories like this associated with Ultima Online, but it has been a long time since I have heard one. "It's really a story," she said with a smile. "I've been playing this game for ten years, and for some that seems like it is not very much, however I began playing when I was ten, so I've grown up in this game. I'll be 20 in December. This account will be 10 years old around the same time."

"That's interesting," I said, making a few notes with my Quill of Justice. "Have your views of Ultima Online changed as you've gotten older?" "Quite a bit," Calina answered. "When I was younger, I loved to explore. I would gate-hop, landing me in so much trouble from time to time. But I would just run around everywhere. I remember discovering this giant telescope and calling my mother over to see. I was so excited!" I chuckled, remembering some of my 'firsts' in the game years ago. Imagine having that same experience as a youngster, who is amazed by the world around her! That must have been something to see. "But now," Calina continued, "as in reality, as you play the game longer, you realize that it is not so much about the game, but how you play it."

"So tell me a little about how you play now," I said. "I see you're a legendary healer, and you said you're a warrior." She nodded and smiled. "Aye, I'm legendary in swordsmanship, tactics, anatomy, parrying, healing, and spell resist." I blinked. Twice. "Now that took a lot of work," was all I could say. "Very much so," she agreed. "This is my first character and I worked her the old-fashioned way. No golem-beating for me. I went to Shame and worked up quite a sweat, but it was worth it. I can handle myself quite well in both pvm and pvp." I laughed a little and said, "I would imagine so with all those skills and the experience of ten years too!"

I asked Calina to tell me more about her guild, D|R. I knew Dark Revelations was listed as the second-largest guild on Catskills in the UO database, but I wanted to find out more about what they do together. I asked if she went to fight Lady Melisande with her guild. "Aye, always," she replied. "We love peerless. I, being a head-strong swordsman, run in head-first and, of course, am first to die. I always say, though, that I got the first hit! We have several tactics for handling Melisande with dexxers, tamers, mages... each has its own little quirks." Calina glanced at me with a puzzled look on her face. "Are you comfortable?" she asked. "Do you need anything?" Such a pleasant host! "No, I'm fine," I answered. "Thanks for the offer, though."

"Let's talk about your guild a little more. You have a lot of members. Do they all pvp, pvm, or do whatever they feel like?" I asked. "Surprisingly, our guild is rather diverse on that front. We have both pvm and pvpers and even our pvpers can't resist the pull of a good peerless from time to time," she said. "I'll come into a conversation where they're all at the Yew Gate and suddenly I'll hear, 'Let's run the Gauntlet!' I can't help but laugh!" I agreed that there were a lot of choices, especially for a guild of their size. "So many people view our pvpers as tough guys, but to me they're just silly, good guys. Believe it or not, for being as skilled as they are, they don't let it go to their heads," she said, proudly. "They're very respectful. We have maybe only five female members, including myself, so it is very much a 'boys' club' from time to time, but they show a lot of respect towards the women in the guild."

I glanced down at my Journal and saw the last question I had to ask Calina. "Tell me a story about you. What's a funny or exciting story from your ten years in Ultima Online?" I asked.

Questions like this stop some people cold. They don't know what to talk about, or they're not willing to let others in on their private stories. Calina didn't even hesitate.

"It would have had to be when I was about eleven years old or so. I snuck into my mom's home in-game and stole her two hair restyle deeds and used them on myself," she said. "I really wanted white hair! Well, I was silly enough to go to my mom and show her and she knew right away. I got grounded, but the next day I helped decorate her house, and she let me off grounding." She laughed. "The family joys of UO!" I wonder how many other people could have been punished because of their actions in Ultima! "That's a great story!" I said. "How many people in your family still play?" Calina thought for a minute and said, "My mother, stepfather, and younger brother just recently left, but we all played Catskills. My brother and I used to fight over who would play UO. Early in the morning, we'd sneak downstairs and wake everyone up with our loud dial-up. Those were the days! I would 'shoosh' my computer, as if it would work," she said with a laugh.

We talked a little more about family and our pasts in Ultima, and I asked her if there was anything else she wanted to add. "I will say this," she said, "People say that UO is just a game. Yet if this game were gone tomorrow, I think everyone would feel exactly the same: Sad. Simply put." I agreed.

I put my Quill of Justice and Reporter's Journal in my pack as Calina led me out of Chateau Rhiannon. We bid each other farewell, and I thanked her for her time. As I recalled back to my keep, I reflected on just how many families this world inside a world has touched over the years. I hope they've had positive experiences like Calina's.

~~~

If you would like to be the subject of a 30 Minutes With... interview, click here to find out more.

Peaceful Journeys,
Lord Franklin

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Deadly Tricks
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Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007, 3:49 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
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With Halloween tricks and treats upon us this past week many of the Obit screenshots coming my way have been deadly tricks.
With that said here is a special Obit Column featuring some of them.




Genesis Lineage



The Cat's Lair


Mr.Smith




Charity














Rufus


Ruth










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Five on Friday
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Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007, 9:41 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

Five on Friday

October 26, 2007

"What is the barding difficulty formula?"
The Stratics Page on barding difficulty is accurate. The formula listed on that page only gives you an approximate difficulty, however, because Animal Lore doesn't necessarily show you all of a creature's skills - Parry, for example, doesn't show up in that list, but the creature may have skill points in it, affecting its total difficulty. So while the formula itself is correct, players don't necessarily have all the data they'd need to use it.

The actual barding difficulty listed in the Animal Lore gump, however, is accurate. So there's no need to go through the formula in the first place!

"Whatever happened to changing the Doom aritifact drop system ?"
Leurocian and Wilki just got this ready today, and it's being tested. Once we're sure it's solid, we'll get it out to you! (Click the link in the question for details on approximately how the system will work.)

"Do we really no longer have a QA team?"

There is a rumor going around to this effect, and it's simply not true. As a matter of fact, I'm sitting right next to some of them. (Some of them are on the other side of the country, although that will soon change

With the team's move, there are going to be a lot of rumors, a lot of speculation, and a lot of doom and gloom. Please, take everything you hear with a grain of salt, and don't be too quick to predict the death of UO. People have been doing it for just about ten years now, and it's still kickin'.

"Is [insert your favorite dev here] going to be moving?"
This is a decision each person is going to be making over the next several weeks. There won't be any official announcement until everything has shaken out and everyone is comfortable with their plans. Moving across the country is a big decision, and I don't want anyone to feel pressured, or under a microscope.

"When does the invasion of Magincia start?"
We're planning for it to begin early next week. We'll announce it on the Herald ahead of time, so keep your eyes peeled.

Have a great weekend, everyone, and watch out for bits of falling sky!

- Jeremy

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Super Stratics Saturday (3rd) - Europa Style - Pre-Halloween
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Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007, 4:56 AM EDT by Mapper (Europa)

 


 


Welcome to the 3rd Super Stratics Saturday! A bit early with the decorations perhaps! But if UO is going Halloween.. So is SSS! This week we have two interviews in our jammed pack Pre-Halloween special.

I visited Barian's Mall on the Tuesday and Leto's Auction on the Wednesday, Read both of their short interviews below. I also managed to get round to finding some interesting screenshots for this weeks Screenshot Saturday.

As always you can take part in SSS (Super Stratics Saturday) by sending any material to [email protected] . And please do! However small or unimportant you feel it is, I wont! I'd love anything!

This weeks SHOP OF THE WEEK is an oldie, What makes it stand out is the fact it has remained unchanged even with the new custom houses back with Age of Shadows, Its BARIAN'S MALL in Yewdale, Trammel. Found at 56o42'N 24o2'W Trammel - Check the map to the right.

It's basic setup of well stocked vendors is extremely easy to navigate. Information on what vendors sell can be found at their website, here.

With 20+ vendors selling a range of items from Minor Artifacts, Jewels, Legendary Crafted Weapons to Potions, Scribed Goods, Furniture, House Add-ons and much much more!

Below are two screenshots, I chose to do both 2d and KR this time after switching between them the previous two articles.


A view from classic 2d.


A view in the new Kingdom Reborn client.

At the end I was able to ask him a few questions, Here's what he had to say.


Q: First of all, How long has Barian's Mall been open?

Barian: I think we opened the Mall in early 2003, but I've had vendors (and shops) in various locations ever since vendors came in.

Q: What did you first start to sell? How many vendors were on the plot?

Barian: First thing I ever sold was amour. I used to run a Smith repair service in the Minoc Smithy. The queues were huge. I met Nilrem & Lucy of Kenton back then
The Mall had 6 or 7 vendors when it started I think.

Q: Why did you choose against changing to a custom house plot when AoS came out?

Barian: We like the Large Marble shop, and changing would be far too much work, moving all those vendors. Basically Terry Fyde won't let us !!
It's also become a tradition now I think. It's a good feeling when people come back to UO after years away and find Barian's still there. They always say they are pleasantly surprised

Q: Do you still enjoy running such an old shop?

Barian: Yes I do. Still meet people there too. It's a great feeling when someone you don't know compliments you on the shop.

Q: What are your feelings on KR and UO right now in general, Still loving UO as much as you did back at the start?

Barian: KR : I'll wait till it's finished before I touch it
UO : Yes I still love the game. I wish they would finish some of the systems i.e. Virtues, plants, BoDs. Crafting has been nerfed for so long now.

Q: Finally, Has any customer asked for something real crazy? And if so, What was that?

Barian: Many many times......craziest I can think of was for 2000 full potion kegs
We turned that one down


This weeks Establishment of the Week is also quite old, With 175 auctions under its belt its certainly been around! Its Europa Auction! Started out as a simple auction it now has Lotteries, Races across Britannia and many more interesting events. Below are a few screenshots of one of these events.





I managed to ask Leto, The owner of Europa Auction a few questions, I thank him for his time.


Q: How long has the auction been running? Its nearing its 175th auction, But when did you first think up the idea?

Leto: 175 Auctions, that's about 3.5 years. It wasn't me who came up with the idea though, wasn't even anybody currently on the team for that matter!
Europa Auction was founded by Alcestis who ran that first few auctions with Bendalino. I joined sometime around the 20th auction and was the auctioneer from around the 25th till the 75th auction. After the 75th auction Alcestis left and I became the guildmaster. Amantala took over my job as auctioneer.

Q: I remember a while back your shop Two's Company, Have you ever thought about another large shop like that?

Leto: I can't say the thought of re-opening never crossed my mind but I don't have any solid plans right now. I do run a couple of vendors at Amantala's shop though. The shop is called 'Three's a Crowd' and is located directly behind the 2nd house from Umbra's West Entrance.

Q: What would you say is the oddest item you have had auctioned off?

Leto: The oddest item? Now that's a hard question!

Amantala tried to auction me off a few times! How odd that is depends on your opinion of me I guess ;-)

I don't think we auction a lot of odd items. Sometimes we do get offered strange lots though. Like a set of 100 perched parrots. Makes me wonder what the guys house looked and, more importantly, sounded like before... We declined that lot though.

The most expensive item we ever auctioned was an Obsidian Qualifier sash, for 100 million!

Q: What is the most enjoyable part about running an auction, And what is the worst?

Leto: The best part has to be the people. A lot of different people attend the auctions, from roleplayers to PvPers to merchants. It's great to be able to play with so many different people. Sometimes we have to force them but most of the time they get along just fine :-)

The worst part is the people as well... Though, I must say it's been a while since we've had any serious grievers. There's always the small incidents but usually a short run (remove thyself!) shows them the error of their ways ;-)


If your interested in going to any auctions in the future, They are held every Wednesday at 7pm UK Time, Gates are always provided at Britain Bank before the auction.

Apart from EA moving from CA to VA, Which we've all had enough talk about! There isn't very much news at all this week.

  • The Magincia event will start early next week according to the Five of Friday.
     

  • Trinsic had their Autumn Festival yesterday evening, I hope everyone who turned up had a fantastic time.

Events next week,

  • On Wednesday the 31st Oct we have a Spooky 175th edition of Leto's Europa Auction, 7pm UK Time, Gates provided at Britain Bank. Being Halloween, Be prepared for some extra events. (Details will be posted later this week so edit it later Mapper)
     
  • Also on Wednesday we have the 11th edition of Leto's new Europa Auction Lottery, The draw is at 8:30pm UK Time at the auction house after the auction. Tickets can be purchased from vendors, One of which is at the auction house. So buy one before the auction! You never know! Gates are provided for both auction and lottery at Britain Bank.

    Checkout
    www.europa-auction.com for more details.

And now for the final piece of today's episode. Screenshot Saturday. If you want to have your screenshots here next week email them to [email protected] !


Not only do Europa Auction run.. auctions, They run events such as these.

Thanks for reading this weeks spooky Pre-Halloween special. Join us next week for the last Post-Halloween Special SSS.

 

 

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FoF: Falling Fundament
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Posted on Friday, October 26, 2007, 4:44 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

Posted to uoherald.com's Five on Friday:

FoF: Falling Fundament
Jeremy Dalberg
26 Oct 2007 19:29:38

"What is the barding difficulty formula?"

The Stratics Page on barding difficulty is accurate. The formula listed on that page only gives you an approximate difficulty, however, because Animal Lore doesn't necessarily show you all of a creature's skills - Parry, for example, doesn't show up in that list, but the creature may have skill points in it, affecting its total difficulty. So while the formula itself is correct, players don't necessarily have all the data they'd need to use it

The actual barding difficulty listed in the Animal Lore gump, however, is accurate. So there's no need to go through the formula in the first place!

"Whatever happened to Changing the Doom Artifact Drop System ?"

Leurocian and Wilki just got this ready today, and it's being tested. Once we're sure it's solid, we'll get it out to you! (Click the link in the question for details on approximately how the system will work.)

"Do we really no longer have a QA team?"

There is a rumor going around to this effect, and it's simply not true. As a matter of fact, I'm sitting right next to some of them. (Some of them are on the other side of the country, although That will soon change

With the team's move, there are going to be a lot of rumors, a lot of speculation, and a lot of doom and gloom. Please, take everything you hear with a grain of salt, and don't be too quick to predict the death of UO. People have been doing it for just about ten years now, and it's still kickin'.

"Is [insert your favorite dev here] going to be moving?"

This is a decision each person is going to be making over the next several weeks. There won't be any official announcement until everything has shaken out and everyone is comfortable with their plans. Moving across the country is a big decision, and I don't want anyone to feel pressured, or under a microscope.

"When does the Invasion of Magincia start?"

We're planning for it to begin early next week. We'll announce it on the Herald ahead of time, so keep your eyes peeled.

Have a great weekend, everyone, and watch out for bits of falling sky!

Jeremy

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Spooktakular Halloween Party Planned At The Treasure Maze Fun House and Mall
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Posted on Friday, October 26, 2007, 4:43 PM EDT by Sara of Baja (Baja)

 

Baja Halloween Party
at the Grand Re-Opening of the
Treasure Maze Fun House and Mall


Wed. October 31, 2007 at 6:30pm PST.
Malas Coordinates: 27o 26'N, 2o 35'E.

The Treasure Maze Fun House and Vendor Mall is sponsoring a Grand Re-Opening Party on Halloween Evening.

The fun house has been re-located to a spot on the path leading toward Umbra just south of the Large Orc Fort in Malas.  As you come through the mountain pass toward Umbra, we are the third house on the right just past the small orc fort.

As is normally the case, the Fun House will be filled with *anyone* access
containers that contain an assortment of FREE treats!

Beware of dangerous tricks as you make your way through each room in search of a secret exit leading to the next.

The following events are scheduled for Halloween Evening.
A roll of the dice will settle any ties.

6:30pm PST
Meet and greet at the Fun House

7:00pm PST
Race through the Fun House Maze
The first 3 characters to arrive in the treasure room on the roof will win a soul stone fragment token.

7:45pm PST
Scavenger Hunt
The first person to return with the most items within the 30 minute time limit will win a bank check for 100,000 gold pieces.

8:30pm PST
Bag Ball Tug-of-War
Each person on the winning team will receive a special prize.

9:00pm PST
Costume Contest
The character with the best costume will receive a bank check for a whopping 1 million gold!!!

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All Shards Published
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Posted on Friday, October 26, 2007, 10:06 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

All Shards Published

Jeremy Dalberg 26 Oct 2007 12:38:43 EST

All shards were published with the following during this morning's maintenance (except for the Japanese shards, which will be published during their next maintenance:)

  • (KR) Light Daemons will now be... well, light.
  • Fixed display issue for Magencia roof tiles
  • Using the artillery in Magencia will have a chance to produce "Rubble" that can be picked up
  • Added the capability to put up a survey upon login, and added a reward (a 2-hour buff) for completion of the survey
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All Shards Published
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Posted on Friday, October 26, 2007, 9:55 AM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

Posted to uoherald.com:


All Shards Published
Jeremy Dalberg
26 Oct 2007 12:38:43 EST

All shards were published with the following during this morning's maintenance (except for the Japanese shards, which will be published during their next maintenance:)

(KR) Light Daemons will now be... well, light.

Fixed display issue for Magincia roof tiles

Using the artillery in Magincia will have a chance to produce "Rubble" that can be picked up

Added the capability to put up a survey upon login, and added a reward (a 2-hour buff) for completion of the survey

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S|A's Best Shot In The Realm AND Halloween Costume Contest, Sunday, October 28
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Posted on Friday, October 26, 2007, 9:31 AM EDT by Sara of Baja (Baja)
The following message just arrived from S|A's Lil Debi:
 

Society of Archers Best Shot In The Realm Sunday, October 28th

 
The Society of Archers Best Shot  In The Realm will take place this Sunday, October 28th, 4 p.m. Pacific (5 p.m. Mountain, 6 p.m. Central, 7 p.m. Eastern).  Signups will begin at 4 p.m. Pacific, and the tournament will kick off at 4:30 p.m. Pacific at the Skara Brae fairegrounds . We will also have a Halloween Costume Contest, so be sure to dress in your most imaginative Halloween attire. 
 
As always, the tournament is free to all, and is sponsored by the Society of Archers and the greatly appreciated donations from the citizens of Baja.
 
Lord Steve Austin [BLS] was our September Best Shot in the Realm Champ.  For two consecutive months Steve has taken the monthly crown. We had some stiff competition last month . Steve was strong, as was Graven throughout the rounds, and in the end these two competitors faced a shoot off.  Lord Steve Austin prevailed by a narrow 10 points.
Will Lord Steve Austin reign for 3 consecutive months?  Tune your bows and sharpen your arrows folks!  Who will be the October Best Shot in the Realm?
 
I would like to thank the following folks for their  support and generous donations for the September BSR:   Chocalot 500k , Rufus 1 million, Daria [ROC ]1 million, and Steve Austin 250k .
 
 Come join us ... We look forward to seeing you this Sunday, October 28th! 
 
Lil Debi, S|A
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Castle British Conquered!
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Posted on Friday, October 26, 2007, 8:21 AM EDT by Zynia (GreatLakes)
>>> Trammel Facet News <<<Castle British Conquered!
by: Martyna Zmuir

The Britannian Armed Forces failed to repel the Crimson Order's siege of the castle late last night. Two successive waves decimated the BAF troops, their second major defeat in recent history. The pitched battle for several hours, neither side giving its enemy quarter.

The defenders managed to slay Soke Bishimi of the Blue Lotus, which in turn caused Shidoshi Garrett of BL to avenge his leader's death by leading a charge through the BAF lines. Chaos spread into the throne room where the battle was ultimately decided.

Once her victory was secured, Nosfentor began to move in immediately. When asked why she set her sights on the castle, she grinned wickedly and said she "liked the view... and my horse needs a place to roam.” She also had a message for the BAF and the High Council, "Why continue to fight? You can't win! Just give us your cities, plead loyalty to the Empress of Tokuno, and you will be spared." This is an unlikely course of events for the Council to take.

"They fought valiantly, they did," states Cathleen the castle guard about the BAF. "Held their own, till they broke ranks and allowed the enemy into the castle proper..." The castle guards are currently trying to protect the loitering nobles from harm.

Aelina, a Magincian noble seeking refuge from the rumored demonic invasion, chastised the BAF. "How dare they leave us to succumb to the whims of these ruffians, like they did Cove! I demand to be rescued this instant!" She continued with a diatribe to unseemly to print.

The mood amongst the castle staff is abnormally grim, especially amongst the kitchen staff. Crates of fresh human remains were to be delivered as Nosfentor's preferred source of sustenance. Royal Chef Antonia quit in disgust over the matter, and snuck out of the castle. Sherry the Mouse offered to share the massive stockpile of cheese she acquired over the years with any castle resident in need.

I found a BAF soldier, who would only speak on the promise of anonymity, limping away from the castle after the battle. I asked for his thoughts regarding the defeat, "We have been slacking at our defenses, and can't seem to work together... The leadership isn't taking the ball and leading us in the right direction. Hopefully, they will get off the bottle and help us win..."

When approached, a dejected looking Polynikes, Grand Marshal of the BAF, declined to comment. The Chancellor of the High Council could not be reached for comment.

Evil now sits on the throne of Britannia. The village of Cove serves Tokuno's interests.

Whose side will you be on?
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Patch Server Issues
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Posted on Friday, October 26, 2007, 6:43 AM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

Posted to uoherald.com:


Patch Server Issues
Jeremy Dalberg
26 Oct 2007 00:41:45

It looks like there are issues with the patch server at the moment. We're looking into it, and will update when we have news - in the meantime, there is a simple workaround. Go into your UO folder, and start the game by launching uo.exe directly - it will bypass the patcher and get you in.



UPDATE 6:42AM PDT: The issue has been resolved - sorry for the inconvenience!

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Layoffs & Restructuring at EA/Mythic
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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007, 10:59 PM EDT by BlindOtto (SiegePerilous)
>>> Felucca Facet News <<<From Joshua Rowan, UO Stratics Managing Editor:

Right on the heels of hearing from Chris Rabideau (UO Producer) that the entire Ultima Online Development Team is going to be shipped off to Virginia, we're now getting word from sources at EA/Mythic of significant layoffs that took place today too (October 24). Aaron Linde over at Destructoid has the most comprehensive story to date about it, so I direct you to a quote from his article titled Restructuring, layoffs forthcoming at EA, Mythic Studios:

Owing to sagging profits and and a less-than-firm grip on their once invulnerable spot at top of the third party heap, Electronic Arts is looking to make some changes in their corporate structure, starting with Mythic and their Redwood Shores studio. An internal email from a trustworthy source who wishes to remain anonymous reveals that John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts, has tasked every studio and company within the monolithic publisher with getting their rising costs in line with revenue, which in plain English means layoffs.

The email from Mythic VP Rob Denton was sent to all employees of Mythic and details some of the plans to reduce costs by cutting jobs as well as some actions already taken. Headcount will be managed through "attrition, performance management, stricter hiring guidelines and layoffs". Over the next two months, the Ultima Online team will be moving from EA Redwood Shores to Mythic's Fairfax, VA studio to streamline operations. Meanwhile, a number of employees at both studios have already been let go as of earlier today, with more to follow as EA tightens its belt in the coming months.

For more details, make sure to check out the complete article

As UO Stratics gains more information and details about these developments we will make sure to let you know. Stay tuned.

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UO Patch Servers Down
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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007, 10:14 PM EDT by Fantastique (Drachenfels)
EA Games announced Thursday evening that It looks like there are issues with the patch server at the moment. We're looking into it, and will update when we have news - in the meantime, there is a simple workaround. Go into your UO folder, and start the game by launching uo.exe directly - it will bypass the patcher and get you in. Unfortunately, the bypass didn't work for me.
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Patch Server Issues
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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007, 10:01 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

Patch Server Issues

Jeremy Dalberg 26 Oct 2007 00:41:45

It looks like there are issues with the patch server at the moment. We're looking into it, and will update when we have news - in the meantime, there is a simple workaround. Go into your UO folder, and start the game by launching uo.exe directly - it will bypass the patcher and get you in.

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Port Baldamor Joins Guardians Gate Township
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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007, 9:07 PM EDT by Morpheus Mardox (Chesapeake)
>>> Trammel Facet News <<< Port Baldamor Joins Guardians Gate     " Port Baldamor Joins Guardians Gate Township" 


     
The Island City of Port Baldamor, adrift in the seas south of Trisnic was once the home to the storied dogs of the sea The Red Dagger Pirates. Members of the the Paxlair Statehood the city was known for its seafaring adventures , it's  pristine beach front Inn and famous Soggy Barnacle Tavern.

         In recent months the city has undergone a transformation of sorts as the great pirate leader Kerrs Holley has sailed his cutter to the serpents pillar in search of adventure and untold fortunes in the Siege realm.  Before crossing the pirate's leader had but one final wish for his ever faithful crew, be amongst friends and to help the city live on.  His message was passed to the leader of the Royal Britannian Guards Nevyn D'wyooren whom had had many dealings with the pirate guild. The Guards leader took in all pirates as his own and welcomed them so.

        The townsfolk of Port Baldamor have since appointed a new  Commodore in one Noxious Buds who's first actions as the cities leader was to enter into the township of Guardians Gate. The combining of the two guilds and cities were the first steps to life a new in Port Baldamor. The cities structures, some remodeled, others completely rebuilt reflect the new era that lies before this reveled city.  This reporter was lucky enough to have a few words with both cities' leaders as they both echoed the same sentiment. Noxious Buds was quoted as stating:  " This is the beginning of a new dawn for our fine city. Our shores dormant for so long shall once again bustle with everyday life. The township's flag shall fly high here in Port Baldamor." Lord Angus, Keeper of the Gate was on hand along with nearly every citizen of Guardians Gate to witness this community shaping  township plant its roots.

       In celebration this week, Guardians Gate, which hosts city sponsored events on Thursday nights, passed the torch for this weeks event to its new brotheren to host one of its favorite events the "Net Toss."  Citizens from the Guardians Gate along with the ever community supportive leaders of the city of Dragons Watch gathered on the shores of Port Baldamor for a night of "Savage Ale" and free spirited fun as many seafaring beasts were slain as the ships dropped  net after net in what was a true spectical to behold.  Until next time my friends..........





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On The Go With Chango: Livin’ la Vida Chango
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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007, 2:52 PM EDT by Chango Pelon (LakeAustin)
>>> Felucca Facet News <<<
Livin’ la Vida Chango

*Cue Mariachi music*

Aaaiiiiieeeeeee haaahaaaa!!!

With another day of liberty, I decided to try wandering the dungeons in Fel again. I had a feeling there was some action going on. First spot I wanted to check was the Fire Dungeon mage spawn.

A few dead corpses scattered the ground. Been there a while as far as I could tell. Whoever was responsible had moved on. And I had an idea as to where they moved to.

I began to move quietly as I entered the sparkle gates leading to the Despise Dungeon champ spawn.


I had a dog and his name was BINGO!

Ratmen corpses littered every rock. I slowly moved around to see what I could see. It didn't take long to locate members of the guild [KOL] running around.






I headed to the altar to see how the spawn was progressing and to get myself a good seat for the raid that was sure to ensue.



The levels moved up rapidly as candle after candle was lit. Any minute now a raiding party would bring a fight. Any minute...





You see: Barracoon the piper


AH HA! The Champ is out, now we would see a fight for sure. Any minute now...












Maybe today was not a raiding day as Barracoon was felled with no effort. The guild members worked together well in finishing off the Rat Leader and collecting his dropped treasure.


It was time to make myself known.

Chango: Well done!!!
Chango: You guys did that fast


This group was all about the fun.

Esther: fun fun

I was invited to join them at their Rune Library. (more on that in another story)




I was introduced to those present. A fine group if I do say so myself. And I do say so myself.

Esther
Sven
Necter
Silia
DeaLaPue
Silia
kenshirou

After the introductions, I asked a few questions about their guild.

Chango: So do you guys do a lot of guild hunts like this?

Esther: yes

Sven: aye we are a group of friends
Sven: we are all close


Chango: I hope you don't mind my covering your spawn
Sven: np
Esther: we are pleased u did
Sven: ty for coming


And I was shown a most wonderful part of the Rune Library that I will be covering in more detail very soon. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

Adios for now.

*Mariachi music fades out*
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The Good, The Bad, And The Chango
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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007, 8:04 AM EDT by Chango Pelon (LakeAustin)
>>> Felucca Facet News <<<The Good, The Bad, And The Chango

*Cue Spaghetti Western Music*


Long before the invention of rune books, people used to travel the roads. I had to try it out for myself. After nearly being ran through by brigands, skeletons, orcs, and a lich, I found solace in the Yew gate area where I met Multani Extreme and Toi Masheen from the guild [VaMp].

I felt like the man with no name only I had a name so it wasn't actually the same.

Toi Masheen: no news here
Toi Masheen: everyone hiding in houses!


*It begins to rain*(added for dramatic effect)


Chango: Well, that is why I try to see what is happening in Fel.

Multani Extreme: nothing happens in fel =<
Multani Extreme: I kill everyone. They log. wait for me to log, they log back on. I trick em and log back on, raid their spawns, then i go to sleep and let them own the night.


*The only thing missing was the care taker*(more dramatic effect)

Multani had an excellent idea that sounded very interesting to me.

Multani Extreme: You should do a report
Multani Extreme: about how we need pets that are worth
Multani Extreme: like a boa constrictor
Multani Extreme: that has a special move
Multani Extreme: of like constricting
Multani Extreme: so the enemy is frozen for 5 seconds
Multani Extreme: then I will always have atleast one reliable pvp online


I don't know much about the last line, but I for one would love to have a Boa. (And not the kind I wear on Thursdays either)


Chango: So what other guilds are big in Fel? Just Vamp?

Toi Masheen: i think its like arg, 62 and H20


*The Rojo's on one side, the Baxter's on the other and me in the middle...* (are you effected dramatically yet?)


Chango: So you guys dont have spawns to raid or anything?

Multani Extreme: We raided despise
Multani Extreme: you can have the scroll
Multani Extreme: you seem nice

Chango: Thank you


*More bees with flys covered in vinegar eating honey, or whatever the saying is*

Multani Extreme: np
Multani Extreme: Were the good guys.

Toi Masheen: we could do 100 despises a day, it just gets boring with nobody to fight

Multani Extreme: and were really just sweethearts.



*That smile had me convinced*

So keep in mind as you adventure the world that there are three kinds of people: The Good, The Bad, and The Chango.

Stay tuned for more updates as I "walk" the roads of Sosaria.

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PaxOku Northern Heights claimed by Ronin
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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007, 7:52 AM EDT by Lady Katherine (Chesapeake)
Submitted by Lord Xavier Reed, PaxOku Councilman for the TeaRose District:

I would like to Thank everyone who came out and participated in last nights event....Mayor Gareth, Xix, Angus, Crystal and Cat. Also, a Thank you to Se'an Silverfoot who arrived toward the end of the battle to help us gather our troops and fall back to my home. A special Thank you to Lady Katherine, who crafted the fine weapons that were used in the event.

Although we fought with Honor and Bravery, we were sadly out numbered, and could not hold the Bushido Dojo without many deaths. The Ronin and Ninja are ruthless warriors, and at points in the fray we would engage them in waves of 4 or more to 1.

With that said, Daimyo Okimoto's forces succeeded in pushing their way past our lines, and into the bordering homes of PaxOku. My home, as well as homes in the PaxOku Heights District, and some of the inner City TeaRose district, have been claimed by Okimoto. I hope, for the Citizens of PaxOku, that this action will not go unchecked, and that the Citizens will retaliate to once again drive Okimoto and his forces back into the Northern Territory.

I suspect that plans are in the works for a Southern invasion from the Yomotsu warriors. A book found by Lady Crystal during the battle last night, hints to a meeting between Okimoto and the Yomotsu sometime in the near future.

I suggest that all Citizens be aware of this threat, and ready at anytime for another attack.

Sincerely,

Lord Xavier Reed, PaxOku Councilman

Be on the lookout for the next call to arms from the city of PaxOku. Any and all assistance to the city in repelling the invasion will be appreciated.

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Layoffs & Restructuring at EA/Mythic
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Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 11:07 PM EDT by Joshua Rowan (GeneralNews)
Right on the heels of hearing from Chris Rabideau (UO Producer) that the entire Ultima Online Development Team is going to be shipped off to Virginia, we're now getting word from sources at EA/Mythic of significant layoffs that took place today too (October 24). Aaron Linde over at Destructoid has the most comprehensive story to date about it, so I direct you to a quote from his article titled Restructuring, layoffs forthcoming at EA, Mythic Studios:
Owing to sagging profits and and a less-than-firm grip on their once invulnerable spot at top of the third party heap, Electronic Arts is looking to make some changes in their corporate structure, starting with Mythic and their Redwood Shores studio. An internal email from a trustworthy source who wishes to remain anonymous reveals that John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts, has tasked every studio and company within the monolithic publisher with getting their rising costs in line with revenue, which in plain English means layoffs.

The email from Mythic VP Rob Denton was sent to all employees of Mythic and details some of the plans to reduce costs by cutting jobs as well as some actions already taken. Headcount will be managed through "attrition, performance management, stricter hiring guidelines and layoffs". Over the next two months, the Ultima Online team will be moving from EA Redwood Shores to Mythic's Fairfax, VA studio to streamline operations. Meanwhile, a number of employees at both studios have already been let go as of earlier today, with more to follow as EA tightens its belt in the coming months.

For more details, make sure to check out the complete article

As UO Stratics gains more information and details about these developments we will make sure to let you know. Stay tuned.

[ Discuss This Article ]

From the Producer
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Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 9:42 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

From the Producer

Chris Rabideau 24 Oct 2007 18:00:48

Citizens of Britannia,

I wanted to share with you a significant change that is about to take place with the UO development team. Over the next several months, we'll be moving the team from its current location at EA's headquarters outside of San Francisco, CA to the EA Mythic studios in Fairfax, VA.

So what does this mean to you? This is a big move for the team, but we expect it to have very little impact on the game and community in the short term. Planned development and operations will continue with minimal interruption.

In the long term, we believe this move will be a big win for UO and will allow us to better support the game as we move into its second decade of operation. By having all three MMO teams together here in Virginia, we'll be better able to focus on Ultima Online’s development and ensure a long and lively future for the game.

Moving the UO team into the same studio that currently houses the Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer Online teams has other advantages as well. We'll be bringing a wealth of MMO experience together under one roof with a clear studio vision and strong leadership. This will benefit all three titles as we'll be able to share resources, experience and technology to continue to improve all of our games.

We know what UO means to you and it is as much a part of our lives as it is yours. For that reason, we are committed to the game's continued development, support and success. Moving the UO team to the EA Mythic studio will provide this most cherished game and its community with the love, attention and resources it needs to continue to grow and thrive.

Thank you,

Chris Rabideau
Producer, Ultima Online
EA Mythic
October 24, 2007

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Recent News
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Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 5:32 PM EDT by Lady Mana (NapaValley)
It's that time of year again! Crisp air, crunchy leaves... jack-o-lanterns! If you haven't already picked up a pumpkin, get yours today! Decorate your home (and friends' homes) with personalized Jack-O-Lanterns to celebrate the season. You can find pumpkins growing in nearly any farmer's field around this time of the year, and they don't mind if you take a few for yourself!



Don't forget to dress yourself up and take a stroll to go trick-or-treating! Choose your victims wisely, demand a "trick or treat" and see what loot you can gather! What’s more, don’t be surprised to see a few unusual things around this time of the year – it is Halloween, after all! Courtesy of Terrance Drith, here is a picture of the Britain bank, flooded in wheat! Sure, it’s time of the harvest, but I didn’t know the bank was interested in agriculture.



And lastly, this month we were given some very surprising news regarding the development team. If you haven’t heard it already, read the news here. A number of familiar names may be lost during this move, and it’s unsure what this means for Britannia’s future. Time will tell!

This has been your short news update. Safe travels!

Regards,

Lady Mana
Napa Valley News Manager
Lieutenant of the Royal Britannian Guards

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From the Producer
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Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 3:12 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

Posted to uoherald.com:


From the Producer
Chris Rabideau
24 Oct 2007 18:00:48

Citizens of Britannia,

I wanted to share with you a significant change that is about to take place with the UO development team. Over the next several months, we'll be moving the team from its current location at EA's headquarters outside of San Francisco, CA to the EA Mythic studios in Fairfax, VA.

So what does this mean to you? This is a big move for the team, but we expect it to have very little impact on the game and community in the short term. Planned development and operations will continue with minimal interruption.

In the long term, we believe this move will be a big win for UO and will allow us to better support the game as we move into its second decade of operation. By having all three MMO teams together here in Virginia, we'll be better able to focus on Ultima Online’s development and ensure a long and lively future for the game.

Moving the UO team into the same studio that currently houses the Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer Online teams has other advantages as well. We'll be bringing a wealth of MMO experience together under one roof with a clear studio vision and strong leadership. This will benefit all three titles as we'll be able to share resources, experience and technology to continue to improve all of our games.

We know what UO means to you and it is as much a part of our lives as it is yours. For that reason, we are committed to the game's continued development, support and success. Moving the UO team to the EA Mythic studio will provide this most cherished game and its community with the love, attention and resources it needs to continue to grow and thrive.

Thank you,

Chris Rabideau

Producer, Ultima Online

EA Mythic

October 24, 2007

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Three on Thursday - 25th October
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Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 2:56 PM EDT by Cymoril (Oceania)
Three on Thursday

Three on Thursday

Thursday came and went so quickly last week that I missed this post. I almost did Three on Thriday or Seven Minus Four on Saturday when I decided these were both so ludicrous that it was probably best to give it away for the week and let it die it peace. This week, of course, we're back with some more screenies from your favourite shard. Any screenshot submissions are always welcome by email for next week's edition.


~ American Legion prepare their crew for a Dread Horn hunt ~


~ The pros and cons of 'Trick or Treating' ~


~ Wrapping up Deal or No Deal, UO Style on Sunday ~



UO Oceania News Reporter

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Five on Friday
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Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 9:53 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

Five on Friday

October 19, 2007

"Why did mage cast times get nerfed with this patch?"
So, the change was this: instead of rubber banding when you try to move when you're casting (as in, your character moves a couple steps then "snaps back" to its original spot) you actually stay in one place for the duration of the cast. This is purely a client-side change - the server has always handled casting this way. You're now just seeing what's actually happening, rather than what your client guesses might be happening before the server tells it otherwise.

It will take some getting used to for mages, certainly, and it's possible that certain applications of low-cast-time-spells might be slightly affected, but overall this is a step in the direction of making the movement code less susceptible to certain types of attacks.

"Does the new house storage increase stack with the ML increase, and how?"
It does stack, and it's an additional 20% of your ORIGINAL house storage. For example, say your house used to hold 100 items. You get ML, now it holds 120 items. You get the new additional storage, it will hold 140 items (NOT 144 items.)

"Does Luck affect the rewards from the Heartwood quests?"
No, the Luck stat has no effect. It's purely random.

"What is the effect of the Bushido skill Lightning Strike? Is it affected by the HCI cap?"
From Wilki:

"It gives a bonus of 50 HCI, and a critical strike chance ranging from 0-20 based on Bushido skill. It is affected by the cap."

Which gives rise to a different question - namely, if the HCI cap is 45, why does Lightning Strike give a bonus of 50? Well, it does potentially offset Hit Lower Attack - if you've been hit with HLA, your Hit Chance has been lowered to -25%. Lightning Strike will raise your Hit Chance by 50 - all the way to +25% if you're under the effect of HLA. So even though the effect of the skill is capped under normal circumstances, that extra 5% hit chance can still be useful.

"What does the Body Sculptor do?"
The Body Sculptor will enable players to change their face in KR to one of the other available faces. (We promised it, and here it is!)

There will be further sets of faces to choose from, available through various different methods. The first set is a promotion related to the Japanese 10th Anniversary box. For the first little while, those faces (and bodies! CatHat has been busy!) will only be available to people who have bought that box. Afterwards, they will be opened up to everyone.

CatHat just can't wait to show y'all his work, so check out the new male and female face/body options!

If Rainz from the UO beta is still around... sir, a gauntlet has been thrown. *giggle* (If you have no idea what all that's about, Wikipedia has a good summary. Basically, Fire Fields are more dangerous than you might have thought :P)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

- Jeremy

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Oceania Halloween Ball - Hosted by PoC & ALJ
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Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 7:11 AM EDT by Cymoril (Oceania)
>>> Trammel Facet News <<<Taken from Amathist's post on UO Oceania!

Date: Saturday 27th of October 2007
Time: 7pm (Sydney) AEST
Location: PoC Function Center - Cove (Trammel) - Gates From Luna

Halloween Costume Contest - still looking for judges
Spooky Trivia - Hosted by Lylaendra of ALJ
Deceit Dungeon Boogie - (WRR are loading the auto DJ with Halloween hits from 7pm till 12am)

The Halloween Ball with start off with a Halloween Costume Contest and Party at the function center. Prizes will be given to the three best costumes: 1st Place, 2nd Place and 3rd Place.

Then we will move into Spooky Trivia. Lylaendra will ask thrity spooky-themed questions; correct answers will be awarded with prizes.

Before contestants answer they must say BUZZ - the first buzz on the journal will be asked to give the answer. If they get it correct they will be awarded; if they are incorrect there will be one more chance for everyone to answer... if anyone calls out without being asked to give the answer they will be ignored and not awarded.

After the Spooky Trivia we will move on to Deceit Dungeon Trammel to boogie on down with some Undead, so bring your undead slayers - no prizes at this event, just some good old fashioned dungeon-bashing with some Halloween hits being played on www.whisperingroseradio.com. Everyone loots their own kills.

I hope to see you all there. Thankyou to ALJ guild and to WRR for their help with this event.


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WRR Presents: Deal or No Deal, UO Style
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Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 6:30 AM EDT by Cymoril (Oceania)
>>> Malas News <<<

Deal or No Deal, UO Style

Hosted by Whispering Rose Radio

Whispering Rose Radio (WRR) have been running Deal or No Deal, UO Style for over a year now. From week to week you will find them on various shards, bringing their own brand of excitement with live radio coverage of the event from www.wrrad.com. You can attend the event on any shard, knowing that if you are lucky enough to win, you can elect to claim your winnings on the shard of your choice (1/3rd on Siege Perilous). There's something extra special about seeing it on your home shard, though, so When WRR announced they were coming to Oceania on Sunday 21st October, I had no intention of missing out on the fun!

It was almost 9am, and it seemed Oceania's residents had, one and all, flocked to WRR's studio in Umbra to take part in the event. Tuning into the live radio broadcast, I made my way into the studio to find a series of robes with coloured dyetubs for each shard. I grabbed myself a robe and dyed it in Oceania's aqua blue.


The coloured dyetubs in 'shard colours'.

Those who wanted a chance to play the game had submitted books with information about thesmelves and the WRR staff shuffled the books to ensure a fair pick. After several shuffles, the time had come. Howie SandManDel announced the first potential contestant - Lazarus of Oceania!


Howie SandManDel addresses the audience, both in game and on air.

DJ Bearfoot opened the door to the contestant's area where Lazarus went in and waited. Following Lazarus, the next to be called was Jack (also known as Cynthia) of Legends shard. Then came Phoenix DWxC from Chesapeake. Larisa of Origin was next, and finally, Catskills' own, TWiNkIE.

When called, the entrants choose and stand behind a box (1-5) and wait for the boxes to be 'unlocked'. Once access is granted, players look in their box for a book - one of the books says "DEAL" and the other four say "NO DEAL". The person Who gets the "DEAL" book gets to play Deal or No Deal, UO style. The other four form the Peanut Gallery and also get a prize equal to 10% of the contestant's winnings at the end of the show.


Potential contestants wait behind their chosen boxes.

As the lucky few patiently waited, Vana Mana Rose granted them access to their boxes. A couple declared "it's not me", and then Lazarus announced it was he who had the "DEAL" book! An ear-splitting roar erupted from audience members donned in Oceania colours, as they cheered on victory for the "home team".

Lazarus and the Peanut Gallery all took their seats and prepared for the main event. Howie SandmanDel asked Lazarus to firstly choose one box for himself, which would be put aside. Lazarus selected box #3 and Vana Mana Rose placed a Heritage Token on it to mark it.


Lazarus chooses box three.

Each box contains a book with a cash prize recorded (from 1 gp to 10 mil gp), and as each box is opened, that prize is eliminated from the running. Each round, the contestant is asked to select a number of boxes, which are then opened and prizes displayed. After this, the banker (in this case, Norman Bates) offers the contestant a cash amount. The contestant either accepts that prize, or continues choosing boxes. Ultimately the contestant takes home either a Bank Offer or the money in his own pre-selected box (Lazarus' #3 Box).

The first round ready to begin, Lazarus was asked to choose six boxes to be opened. He declared he would have the even numbers from the back row (#18, #20, #22, #24, #26) and finally #1.

The first box (#18) was opened and to the horror of the staff and audience, it was the 10 Million gp prize! The only one who seemed unaffected by this turn of events was Lazarus himself!


The 10 Million Gold prize is eliminated early.

The other boxes contained 1k, 1 mil, 4k, 2 mil and 4 mil respectively. After a painfully high first round, Sandman questioned the wisdom of Lazarus' back row strategy. "Strategy?" said Lazarus, laughing, "I was being lazy."

The first bank offer came in at 100,853 gp, which Lazarus dismissed, saying "Let's just get to the boxes". As play continued, Lazarus picked boxes with varying success, and the bank offers got increasingly large. Lazarus turned each one down, saying "NO DEAL" until it was down to only a couple of boxes to pick from. With the 7.5 Million still available, the offer was at a huge 2,000,562 gp! Lazarus remained uninterested in dealing with the banker, but alas the 7.5 Million was eliminated in Lazarus' next pick.


A seemingly tempting offer was refused.

With only two small amounts remaining, Sandman was awaiting the deal from the banker. Lazarus said "Skip it, no deal", anticipating the low offer coming. He chose his final box and all that was left was HIS box, which contained his final prize of 2K gold. He didn't seem disappointed at all, despite having an offer of over two million gp only moments before.

Door prizes were announced between rounds, for which the lucky winners could also choose to accept their prize now on Oceania, or on another shard. The winners throughout the event (and the shards they took the prizes on) were Skylla (Napa Valley), Cymoril yay! (Oceania), Lighting (Lake Superior), Jewel (Napa Valley), Hugh Jorgen (Oceania) and Dry Water (Origin).


Hugh Jorgen (on nail beds) and Dry Water claim their prizes.

A very exciting game over, audience members and contestants slowly began filing out of the studio. I stole Oceania's hero of the hour for a quick interview and asked him if he had any big plans for his 2K. "I wouldn't accept", he explained, "even if it was the 10 mil. I would have asked them to split it with the peanut gallery." I congratulated him on his win and on his generosity and asked if he had anything else to say to Oceania. He replied "the players of Oce know why we're here... less competition, more toys, lol." He mentioned there are great people here on Oceania, and wished me well as he left to pursue other adventures.

Many thanks to Whispering Rose Radio for holding this incredible event! I know that I, for one, will be attending Deal or No Deal, UO Style on other shards whenever I can!


UO Oceania News Reporter

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Izabo Not Boo
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Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2007, 9:23 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
.







Izabo, a very interesting name indeed. What was the inspiration for this name?
The movie LadyHawk


A player by the name blanc De blanc told me I should interview you. My guess is that you must hang at Lady M or other peerless as that is where it seems blanc lives. Where does Izabo spend most of his/her time in the realm?
First I'm not a male, second of all I spend my time buying ,selling goods,doing peerless.



You are one of the few people I see these days riding a turkey...and oh what a colorful one you have. What do you like about that mount?
Most of all I like this color.

On the subject of color, you seem to always have a very personal combination of items and color choices. Are you into the fashion of your character or the stats?
Fashion then stats.



How long have you been playing UO?
21 months

Have you been getting any of the new artis in the dungeons?
Yes around 7

If you could change one thing about UO what would it be?
Little more freedom on the artie drops. More often.

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be ? Try not to work so much. Spend more time with family.

What is your favorite color?
blue

What is your most treasured possession in the realm ?
All are treaseured to me, I'm poor.

What is your most treasured possession in real life?
My son

What was the last movie you saw?
28 weeks later

What was the last book you read ?
Misery

Other than where you live now where would you like to live?
Colorado

What is your motto?
__Work hard play hard.__

[ Discuss This Article ]

On The Go With Chango: Messing With Sasquatch
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Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2007, 8:17 AM EDT by Chango Pelon (LakeAustin)
On The Go With Chango: Messing With Sasquatch

The Admiral has dismissed me from sea duty (cooking and cleaning) and I decided to pursue an old obsession of mine. Tracking the legendary Sasquatch.

I started my quest in the town of Luna where many an adventure can be found. In the banking area I met Achilles
of the guild [K0L], who had some interesting information for me.




Chango: Do you believe Sasquatch is real?



Achilles: i lived near boggy creek never saw him
Chango: Lots of stories though yes?
Achilles: it has the most sightings
Achilles: but I never saw one



Chango: Do you think it is possible?
Achilles: I believe anything is possible

So do I my friend, and thank you again for your time.




Next up, I ventured to the slaughtering grounds known as the home of the Swoops. As expected there was a "hunter" exterminating the "dangerous" bird.
So I asked Sonic Boom of the guild [HH] if there were any Sasquatch sightings.




I had searched every forest and cave looking for any signs that Sasquatch exist. I had almost given up hope when I heard movement behind a giant Yew tree.




I used my stealthy reporter skills to get closer to the source.





I tried to contain my excitement and fear as I neared the magnificent specimen.
I wanted to keep quiet and observe him a while... I COULDN'T HELP IT!!!



As much fear as I felt, I think I startled the poor guy. He seems to have some magic skills. There is so much more to be learned.
I do hope to see him again. Until then, I hear the icy regions have their own legend...


[ Discuss This Article ]

CCC Halloween
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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007, 8:41 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

CCC Halloween

October 30th 7P Central

Haunted House and Trick or Treating handouts by CCC at the CCC house on the South side of Luna starting at 7P Central.

Come and enjoy the Halloween Fun!
[ Discuss This Article ]

Magincia & Halloween 2007
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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007, 5:02 PM EDT by Vallend (Catskills)
Draconi has stated that this event will be going live later this week on production shards. So here is some information to help all of you who want to defend Magincia (or collect new items.)


Halloween 2007

Overview

The many worlds, called shards, of Ultima Online were once one single world before the shattering of the Gem of Immortality. Even when it lay broken and was thought destroyed, it still bound the very fabric of Britannia's existence to its many pieces. Thus, as the original Britannia moved on in the sea of history, so went the shards in their own currents.

It should then be unsurprising that the history of one world differs so greatly from another's, such as in the case of the great city of Magincia:
"Somewhere, out beyond civilization, is also reputed to lie the ruins of the legendary town of Magincia, which the gods destroyed for the insufferable pride of those that dwelt there. All of the magnificent marble palaces and gardens were devastated, and the rich, haughty inhabitants reduced to haunting spirits."

- The History of Britannia, as told by Kyle the Younger (Ultima IV)



Kyle would never come to write this sort of history for the city we know today. Magincia continued on in its prosperity, eventually attracting many of the greatest minds and talents in the realm to work at the hands of the isle's affluent patrons. Even the Council of Mages, comprised of many a scholar from Moonglow, chose there instead to establish themselves. Truly, Magincia is the pride and jewel of the outlying isles.

It is true that all the shards are unique, with their own peoples and customs, wars and explorations, rulers and heroes. It is also true that many of the shards have strayed from the original Britannia, avoiding some disasters, while facing new ones.

Yet... history cannot be denied. It may be diverted, delayed - even altered to a degree - but never denied. Shadows have begun moving in an undercurrent as vast as the ethereal void itself, a darkness that once set upon a Britannia many of us have never known.

And so, the weight of time is about to come crashing down upon this blissfully unaware city. They will be see the threat, surely, and be confident it is minor. They will most certainly deny any offers of help, at first, and throw themselves into the fray. As the hordes advance and help lingers, history will attempt to reassert itself.

Yes, Magincia will burn.

Will you try to stop it?

--
Magincia Invasion

Prelude
· The Magincia moongate will become corrupted, making travel to the island impossible by magical means. (The Magincia choice on the moongate menu has been removed.)



· Ships will become the standard method of travel, with a ferry available between Trinsic and Magincia at the docks
· Inu the Crone warns the city of the coming invasion, but goes unheeded
The Invasion
A structured invasion will begin at the moongate, ending at the docks, covering the entire city in daemons.

This will be a wave-based invasion like the Ophidians and Despise invasions, where certain areas will spawn for a certain time. If all the monsters are defeated, the spawn can be pushed back. If left unchecked, they will advance forward over time.

New monsters, comprised of daemons with extraordinary powers, will lead the invasion alongside with other high-level monsters such as Dark Fathers.

Dark Father:


Arcane Deamon:


Light Daemon: A glowing daemon that moves extremely slowly, but attacks with blazes of fire and light. Any object in the location where it steps is instantly destroyed.


Void Daemon: A dark monster that has several special moves, including the ability to pull players and animals into a blackhole, which does extreme damage and teleports them to a random location in the world.


Chaos Daemon:


Bone Daemon:


Daemon Berserker: The same twisted magic that created Ophidian Berserkers has created these unthinking hulks. They attack anything but other Daemon Berserkers, viciously destroying their own allies and players alike. (it is rumored that mystic weapons may be useful when fighting these. So dig out those you collected fighting the Ophidians and give it a test.)

New rewards will also be found amongst the other rarities and artifacts strewn throughout the invasion forces.

Staff of Pyros: A rare chance of laying down a line of fire in the direction the wielder is facing, while attacking something.

Vorpal Blade: A rare chance of instantly killing an NPC mobile. An extremely rare chance of duplicating the blackhole attack of the Void Daemons, affecting NPC mobiles.

Berserker's Scythe: A determined chance of blackrock infecting the wielder's target

For the first time in UO's history, the entire island, save for a few exceptions, is converted into fully destructible objects. The forest can burn, and the buildings can be destroyed by both the Light Daemons and cannon-fire.
Players will have a chance to use cannons to defend the island
Parts of the buildings and destroyed objects will randomly become "Rubble" and can be carried away by players.

The Aftermath
Some shards will successfully defend Magincia, saving it, while others will be left with a burnt out pile of rubble that was once a glorious city.

Other Halloween Content

Pumpkins and Jack o' Lanterns
Spawn in pumpkin patches throughout the world
Once picked up they become "PlayerName's Pumpkin"
1:2 chance of becoming an exploding Jack o' Lantern
Very rare chance of becoming a powerful Jack o' Lantern that lays down flames everywhere (Rarely a pumpkins will turn black when placed in your backpack)

Trick or Treating
Players can say "Trick or Treat" and will then be able to target an NPC to beg from.

Treats:
Candy red apple
Brightly colored rock candies
Black licorice
A plate of Mr. Plain's Cookies
Pumpkin Pizza
Creepy Cake
Harvest Wine
Murky Milk


Tricks:
Bloody Mess: You leave a blodd trail behind you for a short period of time
Splatter: Instantly kills you leaving body parts behind
Evil Twin: Evil red twin of you appears and attacks you
Random polymorph: you are polymorphed into anything on the spell polymorph list.
Cacophony: Random sound effects as you move



For those of you who are trying to finish their Virtues Armor set
Gareth of the "Quest for Cloak of Humilty" has been relocated to Trinsic in the "Sons of the Sea" building near the docks.
[ Discuss This Article ]

A Halloween Invitation
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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007, 9:15 AM EDT by Sahra Swift (Catskills)
>>> Malas News <<<Hey hey Catskills!

Lady Blood Lust has passed this invitation on to those who wish to attend -
Dark and floating shapes and shadows
Lurking all about
Wicked wind carries vile whispers
Of evil, silent shouts
Watchful eyes that stay unseen fix a vile stare
Your breath freezes in your lungs
You would search but do not dare
Skin turns prickly, cold to touch
Clammy damp with fright
Send your prayers to Virtue’s god
For this is Samhain night!


Your presence is requested at a Halloween party Friday, October 26th, 8:00 PM EST in Umbra.

Come dressed in your costumes, there will be a reward for first, second and third prizes in both a costume contest and a scary story contest. (Stories must be original)

This is a no conflict zone - This is an RP event, but if you have issues with another person IC, leave it at the moongate.

What a fun sounding way to spend Halloween!
Sahra Swift
[ Discuss This Article ]

Your newest reporter.
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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007, 8:53 AM EDT by Fantastique (Drachenfels)
My Fellow Sosarians, I’m pleased to announce that I have been given the honor of joining the news team for Drachenfels Shard. I’ll look forward to hearing from you if you have events you would like covered and the latest news and happenings on Drachenfels. Meanwhile, watch for my “Fantasy” roaming Sosaria and if you see her say “howdy”.
[ Discuss This Article ]

Magincia Invasion (Halloween 2007)
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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007, 7:05 AM EDT by AirmidCecht (LakeSuperior)
Magincia Invasion (Halloween 2007)

*Overview*

The many worlds, called shards, of Ultima Online were once one single world before the shattering of the Gem of Immortality. Even when it lay broken and was thought destroyed, it still bound the very fabric of Britannia's existence to its many pieces. Thus, as the original Britannia moved on in the sea of history, so went the shards in their own currents.

It should then be unsurprising that the history of one world differs so greatly from another's, such as in the case of the great city of Magincia:

"Somewhere, out beyond civilization, is also reputed to lie the ruins of the legendary town of Magincia, which the gods destroyed for the insufferable pride of those that dwelt there. All of the magnificent marble palaces and gardens were devastated, and the rich, haughty inhabitants reduced to haunting spirits."

- The History of Britannia, as told by Kyle the Younger (Ultima IV)




Kyle would never come to write this sort of history for the city we know today. Magincia continued on in its prosperity, eventually attracting many of the greatest minds and talents in the realm to work at the hands of the isle's affluent patrons. Even the Council of Mages, comprised of many a scholar from Moonglow, chose there instead to establish themselves. Truly, Magincia is the pride and jewel of the outlying isles.

It is true that all the shards are unique, with their own peoples and customs, wars and explorations, rulers and heroes. It is also true that many of the shards have strayed from the original Britannia, avoiding some disasters, while facing new ones.

Yet... history cannot be denied. It may be diverted, delayed - even altered to a degree - but never denied. Shadows have begun moving in an undercurrent as vast as the ethereal void itself, a darkness that once set upon a Britannia many of us have never known.

And so, the weight of time is about to come crashing down upon this blissfully unaware city. They will be see the threat, surely, and be confident it is minor. They will most certainly deny any offers of help, at first, and throw themselves into the fray. As the hordes advance and help lingers, history will attempt to reassert itself.

Yes, Magincia will burn.

Will you try to stop it?

--

Magincia Invasion

Prelude

* The Magincia moongate will become corrupted, making travel to the island impossible by magical means
* Ships will become the standard method of travel, with a ferry available between Trinsic and Magincia at the docks
* Inu the Crone warns the city of the coming invasion, but goes unheeded

The Invasion

* A structured invasion will begin at the moongate, ending at the docks, covering the entire city in daemons.
o This will be a wave-based invasion like the Ophidians and Despise invasions, where certain areas will spawn for a certain time. If all the monsters are defeated, the spawn can be pushed back. If left unchecked, they will advance forward over time.
* New monsters, comprised of daemons with extraordinary powers, will lead the invasion alongside with other high-level monsters such as Dark Fathers.
o Light Daemon: A glowing daemon that moves extremely slowly, but attacks with blazes of fire and light. Any object in the location where it steps is instantly destroyed.
o Void Daemon: A dark monster that has several special moves, including the ability to pull players and animals into a blackhole, which does extreme damage and teleports them to a random location in the world.
o Daemon Berserker: The same twisted magic that created Ophidian Berserkers has created these unthinking hulks. They attack anything but other Daemon Berserkers, viciously destroying their own allies and players alike.
* New rewards will also be found amongst the other rarities and artifacts strewn throughout the invasion forces.
o Staff of Pyros: A rare chance of laying down a line of fire in the direction the wielder is facing, while attacking something.
o Vorpal Blade:
+ A rare chance of instantly killing an NPC mobile
+ An extremely rare chance of duplicating the blackhole attack of the Void Daemons, affecting NPC mobiles
o Berserker's Scythe: A determined chance of blackrock infecting the wielder's target
* For the first time in UO's history, the entire island, save for a few exceptions, is converted into fully destructible objects. The forest can burn, and the buildings can be destroyed by both the Light Daemons and cannon-fire.
o Players will have a chance to use cannons to defend the island
o Parts of the buildings and destroyed objects will randomly become "Rubble" and can be carried away by players.


The Aftermath

* Some shards will successfully defend Magincia, saving it, while others will be left with a burnt out pile of rubble that was once a glorious city.


Other Halloween Content

Pumpkins and Jack o' Lanterns

* Spawn in pumpkin patches throughout the world
* Once picked up they become "PlayerName's Pumpkin"
o 1:2 chance of becoming an exploding Jack o' Lantern
o Very rare chance of becoming a powerful Jack o' Lantern that lays down flames everywhere

Trick or Treating

* Players can say "Trick or Treat" and will then be able to target an NPC to beg from.
o Treats:
+ Candy red apple
+ Brightly colored rock candies
+ Black licorice
+ A plate of Mr. Plain's Cookies
+ Pumpkin Pizza
+ Creepy Cake
+ Harvest Wine
+ Murky Milk
o Tricks:
+ Bloody Mess
+ Splatter
+ Evil Twin
+ Random polymorph
+ Cacophony
[ Discuss This Article ]

Oceania Event Leaders Meeting
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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007, 7:00 AM EDT by Katlene (Oceania)
The afternoon had finally arrived for the meeting of the Oceanian Event Leaders.
The community members interested in proposing ideas for more Oceanian Events made their way to the Twin Oaks Tavern.
Those in attendance were Lord Old Man [EOB], Amber [EOB], Lord Don Juan [EOB] Arelola [EOB], Erilyn, britany [TBD], Der'morat, Melon [S^R], Amathist [PoC], Lady Nakita [PoC], Lethality [PoC], Kitana [PoC], The Stalker, Lady Kat, Dr Dealgood [-TD-], Katlene, Lady Lylaendra [ALJ], Saej [ALJ], Fink, Willow [ABD], DJ Sandman [WRR], Crystal Rose [WRR], DJ Bearfoot [WRR], Mr Midnight [WRR] Whispering Rose [WRR], DJLandon [WRR], , Lady MissEcho, Samaira [DP], Snakes Fury, Thunder Child, ToXeN [!TB!] and Kane. (apologies if I have missed anyone)
Most that came received a lovely gift basket as thanks for coming.



When everyone had settled in, the meeting began with Amathist welcoming all, introducing herself, and explaining in detail what the meeting was all about.



She then introduced the special guests of the evening, some of the folk from Whispering Rose Radio (WRR), who are heavily involved in events, even doing ones that span every single shard of Sosaria.

Willow from WRR took the floor first,

Willow: Greetings all
Willow: We began the guild leader meetings on Napa Valley a few months back
Willow: Bringing together the leaders of our shard
Willow: It has been very successful
Willow: The combining of efforts in order to support the entire shard
Willow: It has not made a difference whether the people are red or blue
Willow: All walks of life participate
Willow: We have seen much needed growth to our shard
Willow: We wish to support Oceania in its efforts here
Willow: I am humbled in your presence Lord and Ladies
Willow: You have made a great beginning by showing up today
Willow: Bringing you all together and working as one will only strengthen your shard
Willow: You will see growth from this I assure you
Willow: thank you

Lylaendra came up to voice her idea.

Lylaendra: As you know, there’s a fairly sizeable veteran community here.
Lylaendra: and a growing number of young players.
Lylaendra: the vet community and the newbie’s are, in a lot of ways, quite separate.
Lylaendra: events held so far don't seem to be reaching the young players as much which would be nice,
Lylaendra: mainly due to the fact that a lot of them don't know about Stratics, etc.
Lylaendra: or aren't part of this larger community
Lylaendra: My idea is to have some regular events that will slowly bond the vet and young communities into one larger group.
Lylaendra: I mean look around at who is here now
Lylaendra: vets
Lylaendra: with the exception of a few
Lylaendra: My suggestion is for maybe once a fortnight
Lylaendra: we hold group events
Lylaendra: to places that young players could not normally go on their own
Lylaendra: for instance, dungeon raids, peerless groups, etc
Lylaendra: just to get them introduced into these parts of the game.

Many people liked this idea and all began to brain storm possible things we all could do. (A full list of possible events will be listed below)

Next to take the spotlight was Snakes Fury.

Snakes Fury: Okay heres my idea for an event
Snakes Fury: How it's played:
Snakes Fury: you Summon 5 animals
Snakes Fury: each person walks off screen
Snakes Fury: picks an animal
Snakes Fury: then walks back on with it
Snakes Fury: the animals then fight each other
Snakes Fury: when one animal dies the person brings in the next one
Snakes Fury: and whoever has the last animal left, wins

A few variations were discussed but were quickly cut off by the next idea…

Snakes Fury: Next one:
Snakes Fury: Capture the Flag
Snakes Fury: 4 boxes in different towns
Snakes Fury: 4 in same town
Snakes Fury: different colour boxes
Snakes Fury: each box is assigned a team
Snakes Fury: each team has a box
Snakes Fury: you have to get all boxes
Snakes Fury: to win
Snakes Fury: and place them in the base
Snakes Fury: anything allowed
Snakes Fury: Put 125 items in the box
Snakes Fury: so the players can't put it in their backpack



He then quickly went on to his third idea…

Snakes Fury: Pirate wars
Snakes Fury: Each guild has a boat
Snakes Fury: in a set region
Snakes Fury: Whoever is last standing on the boat wins
Snakes Fury: say 4 boats
Snakes Fury: in 4 regions
Snakes Fury: Sail over and kill the boat
Snakes Fury: take it over
Snakes Fury: Ressing is not allowed
Snakes Fury: have a stealther on each boat
Snakes Fury: observing
Snakes Fury: to see if anyone breaks rules
Snakes Fury: The plank has to be left unlocked at all times

Fink came up next…

Fink: Okay, I've had a few ideas for a while now
Fink: That couldn't be done by the usual 2-4 people
Fink: One was to have a "spring racing carnival" type of dealie
Fink: With ostard or bug racing
Fink: And a ladies' fashion contest
Fink: Only thing that's stopped that one for me, was needing marshals along the route
Fink: Same idea could be applied to sailing
Fink: You could group people, have several classes, like they do in drag racing
Fink: Thing is you need to do a qualifying run
Fink: And you must finish within a certain range of that
Fink: that eliminates cheating to a degree
Fink: But I think if the racings basically done in the spirit of fun, it needn't get too heavy
Fink: Next idea was a raid on Fel with blues wearing all blessed gear
Fink: I thought the blessed gear aspect might get a few more hopefuls to step through the gate.

Many people came forth with their ideas; here is a list of all that were mentioned.

  • Take newbies on dungeon raids & peerless groups

  • Treasure hunts

  • Scavenger hunts

  • Trivia nights

  • Darts tournaments

  • Halloween hunt for body parts

  • Story night

  • Sight seeing tours

  • Animal fight offs

  • Capture the box

  • Pirate wars

  • Attack on Magincia when the demons arrive

  • A steal off

  • Public Harrower

  • Price is right

  • Thank god your here based game

  • Whose line is it anyway based game

  • Chicken (or any other small animal) fights

  • RP Social nights, Inc. story telling possibly linked with darts or trivia

  • Halloween costume night

  • Human chess tournament

  • Dungeon gauntlets

  • Oceania Festival

  • Pageants

  • Fashion shows

  • Poetry competitions

  • Hunt the Stratics staff

  • Slave market

  • NPC races

  • Spring Carnival

  • Animal taming collectors quest

  • Plague beast mutation core gathering

  • Gladiator matches




Amathist rounding up volunteers

There was also discussion about the proceeds from some events being sold off and the money being donated to a charity.
And even our shard sponsoring a Guide Dog puppy.



Over all it was a fantastic discussion of the different events we could have on our shard to cater for just about everyone!

If you have anymore ideas you would like to add, please post them up.

Katlene, Senior News Reporter.
[ Discuss This Article ]

217th Assembly of the 7th High Council
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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007, 4:20 AM EDT by Lady Tia (LakeSuperior)
>>> Trammel Facet News <<<217th Assembly of the 7th High Council

Date: Monday, October 22
Time: 10:00 PM EDT/9:00 PM CDT
Location: The Keg and Anchor, Trinsic, Trammel Facet

Meeting Agenda:

Items to be announced at the meeting.

Lord Buzz Aldridge
Chancellor of Virtue,
High Council of Britannia


[ Discuss This Article ]

Community Meet Up - Week 142
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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007, 4:14 AM EDT by Lady Tia (LakeSuperior)
>>> Trammel Facet News <<<



Community Meet Up - Week 142
Date: Every Monday Night
Time: 7:30PM CST
Location: Skara Brae Community Center


Meeting Agenda:
We'll hear weekly announcements of upcoming events and hunts for Lake Superior from Sabina our events coordinator.


The weekly community meetings, events, hunts, etc are always open to the public. No invitations needed!
Everyone is always welcome to come ask questions, make plans, or make announcements.

Bring a friend if you can make it, tell a friend if you can't!

[ Discuss This Article ]

Community Hunt - Week of October 22nd
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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007, 4:12 AM EDT by Lady Tia (LakeSuperior)
>>> Trammel Facet News <<<


Want to go hunting but don't have a big enough group? Are you looking for good guides to dungeons you've yet to explore?

The community hunts are open to everyone! Come show your support for the Lake Superior community and take a walk on the wild side at the same time. Meet some new and old friends and have a bit of a challenge along the way.


Moonglow Zoo Community Collections Night
Date: Tuesday, October 23rd
Time: 8:00PM CST
Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

Peerless Hunt (Mondain's Legacy Required)
Date: Wednesday, October 24
Time: 8:00PM CST
Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

Shame Dungeon Crawl
Date: Thursday, October 25
Time: 8:00PM CST
Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

Ilshenar Champ Spawn Hunt
Date: Friday, October 26
Time: 9:00PM CST
Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
Hosts: Taeara Mi'aken


And remember, these hunts are for everyone, regardless of their skill level or guild affiliation. Come meet new friends, see new places, gain experience and just have fun.


Sabina Nikolai,
High Marshall, Community Hunt Organizer
The Order of the Silver Rose

[ Discuss This Article ]

Pumpkin Drop, Pumpkin Silliness and Lethal Death
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Posted on Sunday, October 21, 2007, 9:58 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
.
.

Pumpkin: a large, edible, orange-yellow fruit borne by a coarse, decumbent vine


The orange orb of merriment this time of year is everywhere. All weekend players have been gathering pumpkins, usually in hopes of obtaining a rare black one, and displaying many of the throw aways.

Just for fun I am featuring a few of these player created displays mixed with a few real life pumpkin creations. Enjoy!


Display by Danity Kane




Display by BIGFOOT




Display by JRW, Lord Cool, Medusa and Chuckle




Display by Medusa




Display by SparHawk, blanc De blanc, and Caliesta



Trick or Treating was heavy all over the realm this weekend also.
I spent a greater part of my realm time today doing just that and I died OVER a hundred times all over the land. If you think trick or treat is a kids game just look at the carnage.





















So much death in one day, so sad. As you can see no location is safe.
The healer in Brit even killed me !









[ Discuss This Article ]

School of Demented Pleasures ... Ruined By Blackrock For Over 7 Years!
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Posted on Sunday, October 21, 2007, 6:25 PM EDT by Sara of Baja (Baja)

 

While out exploring today, I wandered into the Demented Pleasures School of Medicine, owned by Dr Jekyll.  The main floor is the lecture hall complete  with specimen containers lining the north wall.  Beware of the strangle puddle of ooze near the second tank!

The second floor is the private living quarters of Dr Jekyll.

The third floor is comprised of laboratory stations and what appears to be a holding chamber for experiments.  I would suggest caution while exploring this area as it is rumored that some people have encountered Dr Jekyll in this area, never to be heard from again.  Some speculate this is where the neophyte Draconi studied! 

There is a wonderful pumpkin patch on the roof of the house.

I noticed a few odd pumpkins.

If you would like to tour the school, it's located in Makoto-Jima, Tokuno Islands, Baja.  Automap coordinates 35 46'N x 47 49'W.

[ Discuss This Article ]

Twelve Sky House of Commons Chat Monday, Oct. 21
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Posted on Sunday, October 21, 2007, 6:22 PM EDT by Joshua Rowan (NetworkNews)

Please join us on Monday, Oct. 21, 2007, for a House of Commons chat with the developers of Twelve Sky. The chat will begin at 5pm PDT /7:00pm CST /8:00pm EDT / 12 am UTC/GMT in the #StraticsHoC channel on Stratics IRC.

You can connect to one of our IRC servers through the use of your favorite IRC client or you can visit our new Downloads section to choose a suitable client. Connect to irc.stratics.com port 6668 or whichever server is closest to you:

  • stratics.frws.com port 6668, USA - Colorado
  • irc.gamers-irc.org port 6668, USA - Colorado
  • irc.glowfish.de port 6668, EU - Germany
  • stratics.afraidyet.net 6668, USA - Atlanta

You may also connect through our handy Java link which may be found right here. You must have Java installed to use this which can be downloaded from the Java homepage.

How to ask questions at the chat: Type /msg [QT]NICKNAME and your question. Please send questions only to the QT's (moderators) because questions sent to anyone other than the QT's will not make it into the lineup.

We hope to see you there!

Kayhynn

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~ OBITUARY COLUMN ~ 10 / 21 / 07
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Posted on Sunday, October 21, 2007, 12:40 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
.



OBIT COLUMN ~ 10 / 21 / O7





TRICK OR TREAT


blanc De blanc, a very bloody death


Bones of JAB


Bones of neptune




Fat Guys Wife
















Thorn






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Halloween 2007
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Posted on Sunday, October 21, 2007, 11:56 AM EDT by Ishtar (Atlantic)
Overview*

The many worlds, called shards, of Ultima Online were once one single world before the shattering of the Gem of Immortality. Even when it lay broken and was thought destroyed, it still bound the very fabric of Britannia's existence to its many pieces. Thus, as the original Britannia moved on in the sea of history, so went the shards in their own currents.

It should then be unsurprising that the history of one world differs so greatly from another's, such as in the case of the great city of Magincia:


"Somewhere, out beyond civilization, is also reputed to lie the ruins of the legendary town of Magincia, which the gods destroyed for the insufferable pride of those that dwelt there. All of the magnificent marble palaces and gardens were devastated, and the rich, haughty inhabitants reduced to haunting spirits."

- The History of Britannia, as told by Kyle the Younger (Ultima IV)


Kyle would never come to write this sort of history for the city we know today. Magincia continued on in its prosperity, eventually attracting many of the greatest minds and talents in the realm to work at the hands of the isle's affluent patrons. Even the Council of Mages, comprised of many a scholar from Moonglow, chose there instead to establish themselves. Truly, Magincia is the pride and jewel of the outlying isles.

It is true that all the shards are unique, with their own peoples and customs, wars and explorations, rulers and heroes. It is also true that many of the shards have strayed from the original Britannia, avoiding some disasters, while facing new ones.

Yet... history cannot be denied. It may be diverted, delayed - even altered to a degree - but never denied. Shadows have begun moving in an undercurrent as vast as the ethereal void itself, a darkness that once set upon a Britannia many of us have never known.

And so, the weight of time is about to come crashing down upon this blissfully unaware city. They will be see the threat, surely, and be confident it is minor. They will most certainly deny any offers of help, at first, and throw themselves into the fray. As the hordes advance and help lingers, history will attempt to reassert itself.

Yes, Magincia will burn.

Will you try to stop it?

--


Magincia Invasion

Prelude
The Magincia moongate will become corrupted, making travel to the island impossible by magical means
Ships will become the standard method of travel, with a ferry available between Trinsic and Magincia at the docks
Inu the Crone warns the city of the coming invasion, but goes unheeded
The Invasion
A structured invasion will begin at the moongate, ending at the docks, covering the entire city in daemons.
This will be a wave-based invasion like the Ophidians and Despise invasions, where certain areas will spawn for a certain time. If all the monsters are defeated, the spawn can be pushed back. If left unchecked, they will advance forward over time.
New monsters, comprised of daemons with extraordinary powers, will lead the invasion alongside with other high-level monsters such as Dark Fathers.
Light Daemon: A glowing daemon that moves extremely slowly, but attacks with blazes of fire and light. Any object in the location where it steps is instantly destroyed.
Void Daemon: A dark monster that has several special moves, including the ability to pull players and animals into a blackhole, which does extreme damage and teleports them to a random location in the world.
Daemon Berserker: The same twisted magic that created Ophidian Berserkers has created these unthinking hulks. They attack anything but other Daemon Berserkers, viciously destroying their own allies and players alike.
New rewards will also be found amongst the other rarities and artifacts strewn throughout the invasion forces.
Staff of Pyros: A rare chance of laying down a line of fire in the direction the wielder is facing, while attacking something.
Vorpal Blade:
A rare chance of instantly killing an NPC mobile
An extremely rare chance of duplicating the blackhole attack of the Void Daemons, affecting NPC mobiles
Berserker's Scythe: A determined chance of blackrock infecting the wielder's target
For the first time in UO's history, the entire island, save for a few exceptions, is converted into fully destructible objects. The forest can burn, and the buildings can be destroyed by both the Light Daemons and cannon-fire.
Players will have a chance to use cannons to defend the island
Parts of the buildings and destroyed objects will randomly become "Rubble" and can be carried away by players.

The Aftermath
Some shards will successfully defend Magincia, saving it, while others will be left with a burnt out pile of rubble that was once a glorious city.


Other Halloween Content

Pumpkins and Jack o' Lanterns
Spawn in pumpkin patches throughout the world
Once picked up they become "PlayerName's Pumpkin"
1:2 chance of becoming an exploding Jack o' Lantern
Very rare chance of becoming a powerful Jack o' Lantern that lays down flames everywhere
Trick or Treating
Players can say "Trick or Treat" and will then be able to target an NPC to beg from.
Treats:
Candy red apple
Brightly colored rock candies
Black licorice
A plate of Mr. Plain's Cookies
Pumpkin Pizza
Creepy Cake
Harvest Wine
Murky Milk
Tricks:
Bloody Mess
Splatter
Evil Twin
Random polymorph
Cacophony


*From the UO.com News herald!

Happy halloween from Lady Ishtar!
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Rumors of Invasion . . . True or False?
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Posted on Sunday, October 21, 2007, 12:08 AM EDT by Paul Harvey (LakeAustin)
Hello Fellow Sosarians,

As I have heard some whisperings and rumors of an invasion coming to our beloved city of Magincia I becamse curious and decided a trip to the island city was due.

I tried to use my sacred journey spell to go to the city and it wouldn't work. So, I went to the moongate and alas there was no way to Magincia from the moongate. I had heard in the rumors that travel to the city would be limited to only boat. Well then I jumped on my boat and sailed on over. As I arrived there seemed to be a weird silence and an air of evil on the island.

I first went to see the moongate, it stills stands, but in the jungle around the moongate there are no creatures or animals that are normally there, no bugs or anything, just silence.


So I ventured into the city and there are shopkeepers in thier perspective shops and I come across a couple town criers so I inquire about the news and both times they tell me there is no news.



Maybe they will only report on actual facts and not rumors. But surely the city must be getting the local militia ready. I searched and searched but find no guards any where except on the docks. There I find 2 guards standing guard by a single small boat.


It looks like, that if the rumors are true and an invasion comes to take our beloved city of Magincia from us, it will be up to the citizens of Sosaria to protect the people of Magincia.

The air is thick with evil and the silence is deafening all around Magincia, I feel there is something coming to this fair city. So I put out a call now to all citizens of Sosaria to dust off your spell books, sharpen your blades, load your boats with food and band aids, and make ready the cannons for travel. I fear it will be up to us to save Magincia.

May the gods be with us!

This has been Paul Harvey

Goood Day

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Deamons Are Stopping The Council of Mages From Getting Into Maginica
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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007, 7:05 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
.



Faction Update : The Rise of Minax

It may be hard to believe but the powerful forces of Minax have arisen from obscurity and massed together in an organized and successful assault on towns and citys throughout the Kingdom. To the discontent of many and as it stands for now Minax has over thrown the rule of all opposing factions and tightened a firm hold on the ruling Crown of Britannia.

It seems the Council of Mages, currently a faction whos strength is not to be tested have been putting up a dedicated offensive against Minax. Although this offensive has came to a halt with the disruption and inaccessibility of their main base in Maginica it is certain that in time to come the Council will be making its mark on the war path once more.

Astonishingly the True Britannians have been stricken with a trend of desertion and heavy casualties. In the wake of this atrocity the ranks of their men have been all but lost. But hope has not yet faded.

In the capitol of Britiann a brave group of remaining Britannian loyalists have been fighting to retrieve their lost land.

In the face of total annihilation and against all odds these courageous Britannians clearly possess a sense of Patriotism and Loyalty that of which is one to be admired.

Meanwhile the Shadowlords are in disgust with there rapid loss of dominance over the Kingdom. Its been rumored that many have deserted and this once powerful war machine has become frustrated and disorganized due to quarrels within the ranks.

Although many of their comrades have lost their motivation to continue the battle, a brave few remain who have vowed to continue an offensive against all factions at all costs.

It seems the coming weeks will be quite interesting as this war in falluca continues on...

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Lady Jezebel and Lord Torturer Help Harvest and MOA Gets An Autumnal Make Over
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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007, 2:30 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
~



You may hear the shuffle of angels feet but this is the month of all things creepy and somber.

In the past few weeks I have mentioned or highlighted halloween/creepy and Autumn decor in several articles. Seasonal change means seasonal decor at most player run event locations. For the past several years I have had the honor of contributing to the look of the auction house of MOA.

Whenever I create an autumn display I always use wheat and I insist on harvesting it at the farmlands. I headed in that direction the other day to start collecting items for decorating MOA. Forgetting it was pumpkin picking time the wheat field was a very busy place.

I was greeted by both Lady Jezebel and Lord Torturer.





I recieved a very excited and warm welcome from both. Informing them of my goal they quickly assisted me in harvesting the wheat and helping with the pumpkin picking for my future design. I thanked both, took a photo of them and told them I would use a pumpkin in the MOA design with thier names on them and I have.



Upon my departure Marme DeNuit arrived asking when I would put more lanterns on my Luna vendor as she buys them out. I had not seem Marme in a long time so it was a pleasure to chat. A limited selection of items is on my vendor as I do it for fun. Most of my items I take to MOA for sale as Pratt and I go way back. However I do enjoy and often attend other auction houses.



On the subject of Pratt ..... I hope he likes what I did with the place, lol. Before I know it a month will have passed and it will be time for winter decor.



Needless to say I am not the only one busy decorating for the season. Both the Luna and Brit banks had been festooned with autumn items this morning by a decorating bandit.





As stated earlier the pumpkin patches are very busy and player named pumpkins are piled up all over the shard feeding many a players ego.
Then there is the trick or treating which has killed me over twenty times already today. I have gotten harvest wine and murky milk not to mention endless sweets so far.



I am not the only one that has died often today. I over heard Miss Perfection and Lady June in Luna go on and on about thier deaths trick or treating. I did notice Lady June is no longer "Lady". Too many deaths and they should both be careful of tooth decay.

To see the MOA autumn design attend the auctions held on wednesday and thursday evenings. Gates are always provided at major banks and you can always check the Great Lakes calendar.







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Things Fall to Pieces...
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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007, 11:56 AM EDT by Zynia (GreatLakes)
>>> Trammel Facet News <<<Things Fall to Pieces…
by Martyna Z'muir, BNN



A few weeks ago, the forces of the Crimson Order led by the Shadowlord Nosfentor, attacked and conquered the village of Cove. The Britannian Armed Forces waged a valiant, if unsuccessful defense. Since that time, contact with the citizens of Cove has been cut off, as has travel into or out of the city. The hope prevails that the occupation force has not killed the populace outright; however, it is assumed that they are under house arrest at the very least.

The impetus to attack Cove came from the desire to "Protect the people of Cove from the High Council's tyranny, and to show how much we (the Crimson Order) cares about them." said Nosfentor after the city fell, she went on to say "The High Council is a disease ridden group of vile humans," and "They are the downfall of society."

At the last Britannian High Council meeting, a Tokuno man by the name of Bunshichi claimed he was a neutral individual willing to act as the voice of the citizens of Cove for the Council. Essentially, he wanted to take Cove's seat on the High Council. Chancellor Willa initially cited Article II, Part C, Section 2-b of The Fourth Royal Constitution of the Kingdom of Britannia as grounds for denying the Tokuno man's petition.

This led to a heated debate between the Chancellor and the Grand Marshal versus Bunshichi. Woodrow Call, the High Justicar, seemed unwilling to dismiss the man out of hand while Lord DaKaren, the Minister of Virtue, seemed ambivalent towards the request.

In the end, Bunshichi did not get what he wanted, and the Empire of Tokuno was named an Enemy of the State for its unwillingness to contain the band of ninja brigands known as the Blue Lotus. (The Blue Lotus is a military branch of the Empire of Tokuno, and a part of The Crimson Order.) Britannia’s list of hostile political entities grows longer...

A B.A.F. source, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims that Nosfentor hand delivered a box containing severed body parts and a red wizard’s hat to Grand Marshal Polynikes later that same night. Recognizing the hat as that of Justicar Call, a search immediately commenced. The Grand Marshal confirmed this report when interviewed.

The Justicar's whereabouts went unknown, until yesterday. When I heard of the delivery from my source, I immediately sought an interview with Nosfentor. The Shadowlord freely admitted to having abducted Lord Call from his unguarded office in Compassion Grove, and taking him to Cove where he was tortured for information by Soke Bishimi, of the Blue Lotus, before being drawn and quartered. Nosfentor said the Justicar "looked broken and dejected" and "didn't even scream when we cut him up."

I'll spare my readers the grisly details, as I will be hard pressed to cleanse them from my mind. However, Nosfentor did level a warning for the remaining High Council members: "We know where you all are, and none of you are safe unless we deem it..." She also threatened that Britain would be the next target of conquest, "soon my forces will be sitting in Castle British enjoying an ale,"

Dark times lay ahead my friends; Britannia needs the support of its citizens to turn the tide in the fight against the Crimson Order and to retake Cove. To learn more or to join the fight, the High Council of Britannia meets every Monday at 9pm by the eastern skies in the Civic Center in Compassion Grove (14o 4'N 35o 17'W). The Britannian Armed Forces can be reached through any Royal Knights of Redemption (RKR) or Yew Militia (YM) member.

Walk with the Virtues, Britannia!
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Super Stratics Saturday - Europa 2nd Edition
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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007, 10:43 AM EDT by Mapper (Europa)

 

Welcome to the 2nd Super Stratics Saturday! What a week! With the login servers playing up and Halloween fun out it was difficult to get round the establishments I wanted to!

In advance Ill apologize for the shortness and perhaps bad quality of this edition, XFactor is on tv *does the XFactor motion*. Bad excuse I know.

I did however manage to narrow down my list to one shop I like. We also as usual have screenshot of the week, News from last week and events next week!

As always remember you can take part in SSS (Super Stratics Saturday) by sending any material to [email protected] .

This weeks establishment is also one I know of as I live in Zento! Its Zento Home & Gardens. You can find it just south of Zento Moongate, Check the map to the right.

What was Yew Gate Home & Gardens, Zento Home & Gardens sells every type of furniture and addon for your house, Stoneware? No problem, They have that too! They also sell semi-rares, plants, potions, scrolls, magical jewellery, weapons and much much more!

If you have any queries you can contact shop owner by Stratics name 'Serafi'.

Below are screenshots of the shop, Found south of Zento Moongate.

   

  • Halloween items were announced, The trick 'a' treat system was turned back on offering the same items as last year, But with different colours! The Magincia battle with begin next week so I'm told and the final piece of Halloween goodness is pumpkins! Pumpkins can be found at most fields around the towns, When picked up they will display your name. Rumor has it there is a chance of them turning black, I have yet to see one though.


     
  • GRD (The Guardsmen Militia) held their 9th anniversary celebrations, Even with the login issues! I hope everyone who went had a fantastic time.

Events next week,

  • On Wednesday the 20th Oct we have the 174th edition of Leto's Europa Auction, 7pm UK Time, Gates provided at Britain Bank. This event was cancelled last week due to the login issues, So next week its still the 174th version.
     
  • Also on Wednesday we have the 10th edition of Leto's new Europa Auction Lottery, The draw is at 8:30pm UK Time at the auction house after the auction. Tickets can be purchased from vendors, One of which is at the auction house. So buy one before the auction! You never know! Gates are provided for both auction and lottery at Britain Bank. Again this was cancelled so it is still the 10th auction next week.

    Checkout www.europa-auction.com for more details.

And now for the final piece of today's episode. Screenshot Saturday. If you want to have your screenshots here next week email them to [email protected] !


Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins!

Thanks for reading another short but eventful episode, Join us next week for another episode of SSS!

 

 

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New Hospital on Europa
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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007, 10:29 AM EDT by Meart (Europa)
New Hospital Open on Marble Island

By Meart

The House of Treme Guild a long established Europa role play guild have asked me to announce the opening of their new Hospital. The hospital is located on Marble Isle with a number of other role play related buildings which will be featuring in the later innovative house news items.

The house was designed by Alynora with consultation from Dhran. To quote Dhran from her announcement on UOforums "We can proudly declare that the Hospital on Marble Island has opened. Professional healers, therapists, mages, psychoanalists and nurses are ready to serve your health and bring you back to the "sunny" side of life . Visit our island as long it's not too late .... Health is our riches and our future !

consulting hours : weekends and arrangements by birds : 162 216 704 hospital specialties : all kind of infirmities, inclusive psychic problems in especially serious cases clinical stay necessary up to max one month

Dhran's icq is included, if anyone wishes to use the hospital please contact Dhran.

Screen shot of the hospital wards and consulting room

View Of the hospital from the outside

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Focus on Factions: Interview 3, Madonna of Great Lakes
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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007, 6:46 AM EDT by Watchertoo (CommunityNews)
Focus on Factions: Interview 3, Lady Madonna of Great Lakes

Thank you for joining us for our next interview exploring factions. We hope you enjoy this interview with Lady Madonna of Great Lakes.

It is a fine day in Magincia and Azlynn hopes to meet up with a member of the Council of Mages. She has met and talked to a member of the True Britannians and now it is time to broaden her investigation. She strolls the stone streets, relaxed but watchful. Soon CoM base is in site and she is intrigued by the water barrels on the bridge; not really blocking the bridge, not really placed in a particular pattern. Curious indeed. Hopefully she will meet up with a CoM member that will be willing to discuss the state of factions and maybe explain those water barrels. It wasn’t long before she would realize one of her hopes …

What is your UO name?

I have many characters and have had many in factions just depending on what time frame of factions. Right now I have my blue archer in factions her name is Madonna in BCF.

How long have you played UO?

My accont is 122 months old and yes I'm the original owner and I've seen just about everything.
What do you consider your home shard?

Great Lakes is my home shard.
What keeps you playing UO?

The people in the guild that I am in and its still fun to go around pking people.
What do you think of the new templates, soul stones, etc.?

New templates are fun it makes people have to try new skills. That being said the overpowering of some of the new skills was extremely bad for the game and I was glad to see the pvp patch go in. Soulstones are fantastic it lets you change your character that you have invested countless time and money making.
Have they helped or hurt?

Soulstones are a huge help.
What is your favorite type of character?

Right now my favorite characters are my Necro mage and My faction archer.
How did you start playing Factions?

I started when factions first came out. It was a way for people who normally wouldn’t fight each other to fight and meet. Factions are some of the more fond memories I’ve had in uo. When all the factions were full and the fights were constant and exciting.
What faction do you belong to and why?

Right now I belong to Council of Mages. The reason was because when we joined up it was the faction with noone in it and we wanted more people to kill. Sadly though people are now leaving their’s to join CoM.
What do you think killed factions?

A lot of things killed factions. Insurance, lower reagent cost, and no penalty murders are the main things. Insurance killed faction mules. No need to make a leather suit blessed for a week when u could just insure things. Lower reagent cost killed the reason to own towns to buy/sell reagents. Also the influx of script farmers made items that could be gotten from faction vendors so readily available in bulk that no need to sit there and buy over and over. Last but not least being able to kill anyone w/o a consequence other then going red killed off guildwars and factions. I mean why join factions to be able to kill more people when you can just go red and kill whoever you want with no stat loss...
What do you think we can do to revive factions on your shard?

Not sure if factions can be revived. Back when factions were fun it was a group effort working together to kill people. Now everyone runs gimplate, me included, to kill people fast or to run off if they are still alive in the first wave. To revive factions there would have to be some new resource that could only be gotten from factions and used to make something just for factions that gave a bonus or something like that. Controlling towns completely would be fun as well.

I mean right now my guild doesn’t even try to guard sigils which used to be one of the best fun in game. You would have fights all day and night. That was when u had to dedicate a day to guarding them as well not the pathetic 10 hours that it is now. Just wait till its dead and you have 5 or so people and u can get towns pathetically easy now. Back when factions were fun towns would stay with a faction for weeks until a huge battle would finally break them up and another would have control. Now towns are almost traded back and fourth as soon as they are up.

Thank you, Lady Madonna for contributing to our ongoing series of interviews. We hope you enjoyed reading the interview as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you.
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Halloween Events Info
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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007, 9:39 PM EDT by Larisa (Origin)

Posted to uoherald.com:


Halloween Events Info
Jeremy Dalberg
19 Oct 2007 21:00:15

If you're interested in the Halloween events that begain with this week's patch...check out the 2007 Halloween Events page for details!

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Halloween Events Info
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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007, 9:38 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

Posted to uoherald.com:


Halloween Events Info
Jeremy Dalberg
19 Oct 2007 21:00:15

If you're interested in the Halloween events that begain with this week's patch...check out the 2007 Halloween Events page for details!

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FoF: Former and Future Faces
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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007, 5:48 PM EDT by Watchertoo (GeneralNews)

Posted to uoherald.com's Five on Friday:

FoF: Former and Future Faces
Jeremy Dalberg
19 Oct 2007 18:31:46

In this week's Five on Friday, find out more about the storage increase, moving while casting, the and more!

"Why did mage cast times get nerfed with this patch?"
So, the change was this: instead of rubberbanding when you try to move when you're casting (as in, your character moves a couple steps then "snaps back" to its original spot) you actually stay in one place for the duration of the cast. This is purely a client-side change - the server has always handled casting this way. You're now just seeing what's actually happening, rather than what your client guesses might be happening before the server tells it otherwise.

It will take some getting used to for mages, certainly, and it's possible that certain applications of low-cast-time-spells might be slightly affected, but overall this is a step in the direction of making the movement code less susceptible to certain types of attacks.

--

"Does the new house storage increase stack with the ML increase, and how?"
It does stack, and it's an additional 20% of your ORIGINAL house storage. For example, say your house used to hold 100 items. You get ML, now it holds 120 items. You get the new additional storage, it will hold 140 items (NOT 144 items.)

--

"Does Luck affect the rewards from the Heartwood quests?"
No, the Luck stat has no effect. It's purely random.

--

"What is the effect of the Bushido skill Lightning Strike? Is it affected by the HCI cap?"
From Wilki:

"It gives a bonus of 50 HCI, and a critical strike chance ranging from 0-20 based on Bushido skill. It is affected by the cap."

Which gives rise to a different question - namely, if the HCI cap is 45, why does Lightning Strike give a bonus of 50? Well, it does potentially offset Hit Lower Attack - if you've been hit with HLA, your Hit Chance has been lowered to -25%. Lightning Strike will raise your Hit Chance by 50 - all the way to +25% if you're under the effect of HLA. So even though the effect of the skill is capped under normal circumstances, that extra 5% hit chance can still be useful.

--

"What does the Body Sculptor do?" The Body Sculptor will enable players to change their face in KR to one of the other available faces. (We promised it, and here it is!)
There will be further sets of faces to choose from, available through various different methods. The first set is a promotion related to the Japanese 10th Anniversary box. For the first little while, those faces (and bodies! CatHat has been busy!) will only be available to people who have bought that box. Afterwards, they will be opened up to everyone.

CatHat just can't wait to show y'all his work, so check out the new male and female face/body options!

--

If Rainz from the UO beta is still around... sir, a gauntlet has been thrown. *giggle* (If you have no idea what all that's about, Wikipedia has a good summary. Basically, Fire Fields are more dangerous than you might have thought :P)

--

Have a great weekend, everyone!

- Jeremy

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West Coast Connectivity Issue
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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007, 2:43 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

West Coast Connectivity Issue

Jeremy Dalberg 19 Oct 2007 14:59:09

UPDATE 10/19 11:58AM PDT: We think we've got a handle on the issue, and we shouldn't see any more substantial downtimes.

UPDATE 6:54PM PDT: Aaaand we're down again.

UPDATE 5:54PM PDT: All issues should be resolved at this time. *wipes sweat off brow* What a day! Apologies for the excitement, everyone.

UPDATE 3:57PM PDT: It appears that this issue may also affect patching the KR client, as well.

UPDATE 3:50PM PDT: It worked for a little while; we're getting reports of log-in issues again with the West Coast servers. Investigating!

UPDATE 3:18PM PDT: The network issue with the west coast servers should be resolved. Thanks for your patience!

UPDATE 3:03PM PDT: We believe we've narrowed down the problem and are working on a solution. Stay tuned!

Many people are reporting that they can't log in to shards on the West Coast (for a list of shard physical locations, click here.

We're investigating, and will post updates as we get them.

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*A Note is Posted on FL's Castle Door*
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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007, 10:31 AM EDT by Piotr (Pacific)
>>> Felucca Facet News <<<*A Note is Posted on FL's Castle Door*

"The place looked deserted, much like a ghost town..." - Freshfully Clean of [G|B], the poster of the note.



The note:



News of this posted warning and apparent eviction notice from the Yew Alliance to the Fallen Lords spread like wildfire through Sosaria in the late evening hours. Citizens were already reeling and the rumor mill at full grind from another announcement made earlier that day by a member of this newly-formed alliance:

"The great Yew Alliance is proud to offer citizenship to you. What this will do is protect you from being raided and killed at our local spawns and you will also receive protection at champ spawns. For 3 million gold, you will fly under COB, the Citizens of Britannia tag. Please dont send cash! Check or money order would suffice - please make them payable to Casper, Asterix, Kaleb, or mellymell. Thank you have a good day."

The legions of the Fallen Lords have clashed and warred with the citizens of Pacific for generations, brazenly staking claim to champion spawns and Felucca itself for as long as many can remember... But never before have they been faced with a united front of the magnitude as that which has arisen with the birth of the Yew Alliance. Will the guilds of the Alliance be able to set aside their differences and their own past squabbles in the face of the greater enemy? Will the citizens of Felucca witness the fall of FL and the loosening of their grip on our lands? Or will the Fallen Lords triumph against all odds and smash the Alliance and snuff out, once and for all, any opposition to their self-proclaimed rule over Pacific? This weekend promises to be but a taste of the bloodshed Pacific will see in the weeks ahead!
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Ginger Ale Bubbles and Goes Down Smoothly
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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007, 7:17 AM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
.






Ginger Ale is a soft drink I was given as a child when I was recovering from a tummy ache, sore throat or cold. What was the inspiration for naming a character this name?
Well to be honest, when I made this character there was a bottle of
ginger ale sitting on my bar, and I thought it would make a great
character name.

Ginger is Lady Ginger Ale. When and on what creature did she first
become "Lady" ?

Years ago and she spends a lot of time in the Dojo killing succubus.

How long have you been playing UO and how old is Ginger?
I started my UO game play right at 10 years ago. This account is only 4 yrs old though.

Ginger Ale is an archer. What are all of her skills?
She is 120 in archery, tactics and anatomy, 110 bushido, 100 healing,
80 chivalry and 70 necromancy.

Name your favorite bows.
Night reaper and a fast magical short bow with mana leech.

Where does Ginger Ale spend most of her time?
You can find her either in the Dojo or at the Palace of Paroxysmus
killing the Putrifier.



By the way Ginger Ale is dressed my guess is that you are not a
female in real life. What are the names of your other characters and do you ever role play a female while on Ginger?

*LOL* Correct, I am a male. I have a swords woman named Spring, a
fencer named Naudia, a necro/mage named Maximus Marilius and a macer named Heero Yuy. And no I never pretend to be female. When I made most of my characters some of the best armor was female only armor.

Ginger is a member of B*R. There are a few B*R members I have known for a long time ( though they still do not take me with them when they have keys, lol ) and I consider friends. How long have you been a member of B*R and what do you like most about this guild?
I have been in B*R for almost a year now. Everyone is respectful of the other guild members and we all try to do a few peerless during the week and hunt as a group.

Do you belong to any other guilds at this time?
Yes. My macer is in the guild Shadow Knights.

What is your favorite color?
Blue!!

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?
The Punisher

Who is your hero in real life?
My father. He has always been there and made time for me in my life.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you
think it would be?

Well, I would hope that it would be someone rich and famous, but I
don't guess I have any control over that.

Which talent would you most like to have?
Hmmmmmmmm, that's a tuff one. I guess I would most like to be able to go back and correct my mistakes in life.

What is your motto?
Live life to the fullest each day because you are not promised
tomorrow.

[ Discuss This Article ]

Paxlair Guild Visit Europa from Chesapeake!
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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007, 5:36 AM EDT by callum_fitzhugh (Europa)
New Page 1

Having received a request from Governor Winfield, seeking an escort to events and armies across the land, Tabbitha immediately
contacted Lady Arianne ,who was overseeing things in her absence.
She included a comprehensive list of appropriate leaders and /or organisations, it would be sensible to contact.
Thus included a detailed list of events forthcoming in Yew that very same week.
Tabbitha also sent a message to the Governor, to keep him updated of matters.


Respected Governor of PaxLair.
Having been able to read of your intended visit to the amazing lands of Europa, I will contact several people on your behalf as laid out in our recent correspondence as to your wishes while during your visits.
The Brigand's Leader,one Henry Winter, is a surly scoundrel at the best of times,but one I have known many a year, and who, was once believe it or not, a dedicated follower of Virtue !!!!.
I shall inform him of your intentions and make a request to Lady Arianne that she ensures you have the opportunity to speak with him
There is no love lost between us but he will respond to my summons, if he knows what is good for him.
I shall also contact Baron Octovius of Cove or his emissary regarding a meeting.
The Guardsman Militia of Yew, have a schedule of events for the general public events forthcoming in Yew that very same week, which I enclose for your convenience.

Regards
Lady Tabbitha


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


PaxLair Begins Journey to Europa

From their assembly in New Haven, Winfield, Kathleen, Eric the Red, and Nexus visited Vesper where Lord Kain Twothumb, Tae'nu Ver, and Thaur Macil showed them the Vesper city.
They saw many buildings on the southwestern area of Vesper on the mainland to include stables, crafting halls, a jail, and the Town Hall.


Location - Vesper Town Hall, Trammel, Europa


Lady Tae'nu Ver, presented Pax-Lair with a highly decorated book, a gift from Tabbitha, which marked some places for us to visit.

This was kindly secured by the front steps of the town hall for everyone to use as needed.

Runebook on the Steps of the Vesper Town Hall


Lord Kain Twothumb was gracious enough to offer the Vesper Town Hall for the PaxLair Statehood meeting which will be held this coming Teusday.
Later, Governor Winfield met with Waywatcher Corporal Floria Tenne and Baron Caden D'Gar of the Guardsmen Militia ,Southwest of Yew (Trammel) near the Yew Cemetary.
Governor Winfield witnessed combat practice operations by the Guardsmen Militia. He was impressed by their strong discipline. He also learned the Guardsmen Militia are not fond of non-human beings, such as orcs and elves. They are also not fond of magic users.


Guardsmen Militia Training SE of Yew (Trammel)


PaxLair and friends from Chesapeake plan to attend as many of the The Guardsmen Militia 9th Anniversary events as possible.

Governor Winfield formed a Fellowship ...Pax_ on Europa for PaxLair citizens and friends.
By the end of the evening, several people joined the guild to include Governor Winfield, Mayor NANOC of Dragons Watch, Deputy Mayor Phoenix of Dragons Watch, Minister of Quests Eric the Red, Museum Curator Katherine, Guild Leader Nexus of United Tamers of Britannia Chesapeake Chapter, Lord of Darkness The Shadow, Mayor Ga'kuct of PaxLair City, Virtue Knight Lissa Eldi, Citizen Thraxis Mithrax, Minister of Defense Crypt Keeper, and Chief Justice Kathleen. Several of these people are Emissaries of the Pax_ guild and may add more people to the organisation.
The journey to Europa will also allow meetings and interaction with other guilds and cities.
A reply has further been received from one Lady Vierna, who I believe is a female Drow leader.
A meeting has been arranged,which will provide us with an invaluable insight as to how the Drow race, survive on the surface in these lands.
Several other replies have been sent, but no specific meetings set up to date.
I have asked Lady Tabbitha further to contact her colleagues, and arrange more meetings for this coming weekend, and to also arrange for folk to travel to attend our very own Amazing Race Leg #2.

Lets hope we can continue these good relations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Originally written by Tabbitha - Thank you for this!

[ Discuss This Article ]

Design 101 by Lady Elora Evalla
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Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007, 8:56 PM EDT by Lady Lava (Catskills)
~




Tonight was the house design seminar hosted by Lady Elora Evalla, one of the many talented designers on Catskills.

The Skara Brae Community Center was the meeting place as Magnicia is under attack.

I was met at the Luna Bank by the charming and helpful Ismene D'Arville and escorted to the Community Center where I was greeted by Lady Elora herself.





After an enlightening chat with Lady Elora she voiced her concerns with the attack on Magnicia, treat or treating, dungeon artis and pumpkin picking, the group may be small for the seminar and she was correct. It was "intimate" as she called it.



Once the group had gathered including Snowden of Atlantic and Zynia of Great Lakes, Lady Elora gave tips on creating the plot design and rooms before one would even start the actual process.



After Lady Elora's talk we were transported to a half built house and given a tour of it by Everthorne.



The tour was most interesting and Regina, Dante, Ian, Chaunce along with others, including myself, enjoyed this creative persons take on things.



It was very dramatic to see an empty plot turn into a designed home in seconds.











Many great ideas were exchanged and questions and answers were provided during the entire seminar. One thing did repeat itself and that was "trial and error" and that was good adviCe. You can be told, you can be shown, you can seek and copy others designs but getting that plot gump up and design tool out is the best way to learn.

After the seminar we were taken on a tour of two other completely designed plots with some really great ideas, some even I might steal, like the fan over the bed and the shoe shelves. As we know a girl can never show her shoes off enough.











I have always liked plots designed with many small rooms, giving the look and feel of a real home with a real roof. However I fancy large rooms for my own homes giving a more castle feel and easy to move about. Also easy get to my chests which are always overflowing. It's all those darn plants, shoes and clothes!

This seminar was good for beginner designers and vets alike.
Thank you Lady Elora for sharing your time and talents.

















[ Discuss This Article ]

West Coast Connectivity Issue
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Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007, 8:03 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

West Coast Connectivity Issue

Jeremy Dalberg 18 Oct 2007 21:55:08

UPDATE 6:54PM PDT: Aaaand we're down again.

UPDATE 5:54PM PDT: All issues should be resolved at this time. *wipes sweat off brow* What a day! Apologies for the excitement, everyone.

UPDATE 3:57PM PDT: It appears that this issue may also affect patching the KR client, as well.

UPDATE 3:50PM PDT: It worked for a little while; we're getting reports of log-in issues again with the West Coast servers. Investigating!

UPDATE 3:18PM PDT: The network issue with the west coast servers should be resolved. Thanks for your patience!

UPDATE 3:03PM PDT: We believe we've narrowed down the problem and are working on a solution. Stay tuned!

Many people are reporting that they can't log in to shards on the West Coast (for a list of shard physical locations, click here.

We're investigating, and will post updates as we get them.

[ Discuss This Article ]

West Coast Connectivity Issue
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Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007, 3:15 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

Posted to uoherald.com:


West Coast Connectivity Issue
Jeremy Dalberg
18 Oct 2007 18:04:15

UPDATE 3:03PM PDT: We believe we've narrowed down the problem and are working on a solution. Stay tuned!

Many people are reporting that they can't log in to shards on the West Coast (for a list of shard physical locations, click Here

We're investigating, and will post updates as we get them.


UPDATE 5:54PM PDT: All issues should be resolved at this time. *wipes sweat off brow* What a day! Apologies for the excitement, everyone.


UPDATE 3:57PM PDT: It appears that this issue may also affect patching the KR client, as well.


UPDATE 3:50PM PDT: It worked for a little while; we're getting reports of login issues again with the West Coast servers. Investigating!


UPDATE 3:18PM PDT: The network issue with the west coast servers should be resolved. Thanks for your patience!

[ Discuss This Article ]

KR Client vers. 2.47.1.5
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Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007, 2:08 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

KR Client vers. 2.47.1.5

Jeremy Dalberg 18 Oct 2007 16:48:53 EST

At 1:00PM PDT (8:00PM GMT) on Thursday, October 18, the KR client will be updated to version 2.47.1.5. Notes after the jump:

  • Fixed an issue with flying creatures' movement animations
  • Players can now target items on their hot bars, provided the item is in their backpack or equipped.
  • Using recall in your hot bar will not bring up a cursor if you have something targeted
  • Fixed a crash when mousing over UI
  • Client will timeout and disconnect properly when inactive for 10-15 minutes
  • Now item properties will have each word's first letter capitalized for easier reading
  • Fixed a bug with the theme music when logging in and out multiple times
  • Fixed a crash when exiting the game while customizing a house.
  • Items that are too heavy to pick up should no longer highlight or put up a properties box when moused over.
  • Can't start to move unmovable things anymore (things too far away or too heavy)
  • Item properties windows will now hue the strength requirement line red if you don't meet the strength requirement, just like they do in 2d.
  • Fixed a bug with input being sent incorrectly when the KR window loses focus
  • Players can now sort the shard list by the percent full that each shard is. More populated shards will be at the top. Test center and other language shards appear lower on the list due to other sorting effects that are happening. Also adds highlighting to selectable text on the shard list, in addition to reformatting the layout slightly.
  • Foliage should fade more intelligently as players walk under trees
  • Cursor hand should be silver in Felucca, gold in Trammel
  • Mouse now always points to "west" direction when it is over a window. This "west" direction is in-game "west" direction, not the screen's west direction.
  • Resource targeting macros are not depleting the veins.
  • Fixed a bug where the Help buttons in Japanese mode pointed to US CS pages
  • Items should no longer get shuffled around when you cross server lines
  • Players will now no longer have the two party related context menu items in their context menu until they have accepted the invite to join a party.
  • The word "CONTINUE" was being cut off on a button on the release pet confirmation gump. The button label has now been changed to use the word "OKAY" instead.
  • It is now a lot easier to drop things on the ground.
  • Buttons on user way point gumps now stay inside their gump when language is set to Japanese.
  • Male's Jester tunic uses the correct art, and the in-game colors should be closer to paper doll's.
  • Fixed issue with system slowness related to the chat window
[ Discuss This Article ]

2D Client vers. 6.0.4.0
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Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007, 2:02 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

2D Client vers. 6.0.4.0

Jeremy Dalberg 18 Oct 2007 16:16:36 EST

At 1:00PM PDT (8:00PM GMT) on Thursday, October 18, the 2D client will be updated to version 6.0.4.0 Notes after the jump:

  • Updated Magincia tiles to be vulnerable to the rage of Daemons
[ Discuss This Article ]

KR Client vers. 2.47.1.6
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Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007, 12:59 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

Posted to uoherald.com:


KR Client vers. 2.47.1.6
Jeremy Dalberg
18 Oct 2007 16:48:53 EST

At 1:00PM PDT (8:00PM GMT) on Thursday, October 18, the KR client will be updated to version 2.47.1.6. Notes after the jump:

  • Fixed an issue with flying creatures' movement animations
  • Players can now target items on ther hotbars, provided the item is in their backpack or equipped.
  • Using recall in your hot bar will not bring up a cursor if you have something targeted
  • Fixed a crash when mousing over UI
  • Client will timeout and disconnect properly when inactive for 10-15 minutes
  • Now item properties will have each word's first letter capitalized for easier reading
  • Fixed a bug with the theme music when logging in and out multiple times
  • Fixed a crash when exiting the game while customizing a house.
  • Items that are too heavy to pick up should no longer highlight or put up a properties box when moused over.
  • Can't start to move unmovable things anymore (things too far away or too heavy)
  • Item properties windows will now hue the strength requirement line red if you don't meet the strength requirement, just like they do in 2d.
  • Fixed a bug with input being sent incorrectly when the KR window loses focus
  • Players can now sort the shard list by the percent full that each shard is. More populated shards will be at the top. Test center and other language shards appear lower on the list due to other sorting effects that are happening. Also adds highlighting to selectable text on the shard list, in addition to reformatting the layout slightly.
  • Foliage should fade more intelligently as players walk under trees
  • Cursor hand should be silver in Felucca, gold in Trammel
  • Mouse now always points to "west" direction when it is over a window. This "west" direction is in-game "west" direction, not the screen's west direction.
  • Resource targeting macros are not depleting the veins.
  • Fixed a bug where the Help buttons in japanese mode pointed to US CS pages
  • Items should no longer get shuffled around when you cross server lines
  • Players will now no longer have the two party related context menu items in their context menu until they have accepted the invite to join a party.
  • The word "CONTINUE" was being cut off on a button on the release pet confirmation gump. The button label has now been changed to use the word "OKAY" instead.
  • It is now a lot easier to drop things on the ground.
  • Buttons on user waypoint gumps now stay inside their gump when language is set to Japanese.
  • Male's Jester tunic uses the correct art, and the in-game colors should be closer to paper doll's.
  • Fixed issue with system slowness related to the chat window
  • [ Discuss This Article ]

    2D Client vers. 6.0.4.0
    Return to TopSubmit News! Comment on this article
    Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007, 12:54 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

    Posted to uoherald.com:


    2D Client vers. 6.0.4.0
    Jeremy Dalberg
    18 Oct 2007 16:16:36 EST

    At 1:00PM PDT (8:00PM GMT) on Thursday, October 18, the 2D client will be updated to version 6.0.4.0 Notes after the jump:

  • Updated Magincia tiles to be vulnerable to the rage of Daemons
  • [ Discuss This Article ]

    New Items Up on UOgamecodes.com!
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    Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007, 11:46 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    New Items Up on UOgamecodes.com!

    Jeremy Dalberg 18 Oct 2007 14:46:11 EST

    Check out the new items on uogamecodes.com HERE! New items include:

    • A seventh character slot! Six characters per server not enough? Get another slot for just one more crazy template... (If you only have five slots at the moment, buying this code will bump you up to seven!)
    • Extra housing storage AND bank space! 20% more storage in your house and in your bank for all of your collections!
    • A Legacy Token - did you miss out on preorder items in the past? Need yet another soulstone? Pick up a Legacy Token to choose one of these items!
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    New Items Up on Uogamecodes.com!
    Return to TopSubmit News! Comment on this article
    Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007, 10:20 AM EDT by Larisa (Origin)

    Posted to uoherald.com:


    New Items Up on Uogamecodes.com!
    Jeremy Dalberg
    18 Oct 2007 14:28:57 EST

    Check out the new items on uogamecodes.com Here New items include:

  • A seventh character slot! Six characters per server not enough? Get another slot for just one more crazy template... (If you only have five slots at the moment, buying this code will bump you up to seven!)
  • Extra housing storage AND bank space! 20% more storage in your house and in your bank for all of your collections!
  • A Legacy Token - did you miss out on preorder items in the past? Need yet another soulstone? Pick up a Legacy Token to choose one of these items!
  • [ Discuss This Article ]

    New Items Up on Uogamecodes.com!
    Return to TopSubmit News! Comment on this article
    Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2007, 10:19 AM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

    Posted to uoherald.com:


    New Items Up on Uogamecodes.com!
    Jeremy Dalberg
    18 Oct 2007 14:28:57 EST

    Check out the new items on uogamecodes.com Here New items include:

  • A seventh character slot! Six characters per server not enough? Get another slot for just one more crazy template... (If you only have five slots at the moment, buying this code will bump you up to seven!)
  • Extra housing storage AND bank space! 20% more storage in your house and in your bank for all of your collections!
  • A Legacy Token - did you miss out on preorder items in the past? Need yet another soulstone? Pick up a Legacy Token to choose one of these items!
  • [ Discuss This Article ]

    Spotlight on... Queenie (Drachenfels Interviews, Part 9)
    Return to TopSubmit News! Comment on this article
    Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 11:29 PM EDT by Medea (Drachenfels)

    It was a splendid evening, the autumnal sky colored orange-red, and my way to Skara Brae Bank pretty windy and chilly. My anticipation to meet Lady Queenie was big, I had the pleasure to experience her and her sisters famous raffles in the past. As I approached the building which was lying quietly in the twilight, the vivid tamer was already waiting for me. She waved to me and we waited a short time to meet Lord Nachteule, whom I bothered once with my questions too. He would keep us company.

    Soon, we hit the road towards the desert (Compassion) and changed to the bare-branched world, Felucca. After a few minutes we entered the quiet and very stylish Keep. In the dining room where we were to be seated, there were already dozens of candles and small fire source which gave off a comfy warmness. On the table barbecue there were some chicken legs, sizzling in the oil. Some wine and champagne also waited for us.

    A few moments later, Queenie began answering my questions and telling her stories. Her sister Shara was the first one who travelled to Britannia more than eight years ago. She and her sisters followed her later. The small family soon established it's own guild, "Die Wilden Weiber Britannias". They began earning gold with small and respectable work. Whilst one repaired armor from warriors at the Britain Smithy, the other one was rambling from one moongate to another, singing songs to the travellers for a small fee. «This was not always a safe job», Queenie stated with a big grin. «Sometimes there were evil people lurking around, who killed or payed, on a whim.» I responded that I hope they mostly payed, but she was laughing out loud now: «Rather not.» Despite all adversities the sisters stayed. Even as of today, the "Femme Fatale" of the guild is singing at the moongates sometimes - but unfortunately less frequently than in the past. Soon, we talked about Natascha Baumkind, the youngest of the sisters. She should be well known to West Britain Bank visitors, because she does her raffles there, and they are always a lot of fun and a hilarious opportunity to get to know other people.

    Outside we heard muted sounds and Queenie commented them with a shrug: «Brigands.» Nachteule, who had been sitting quietly until now, headed downwards and obviously put things in order, because only moments later he returned with a bloody blade. «Sorry», he murmured, «but this was a need of mine.»

    Queenie continued with her stories. «My friend, Lady Marisa, introduced me to the old bloke», she said, smiled, and nodded towards Nachteule. «Over the years we were learning a great deal about people and country. We made friends and experienced dozens of adventures. These were the times where one could stand in the middle of the dragons in the Ice-Dungone, after a misleading moongate. On my first Nightmare. And that was before the bonding between Tamer and Animal...» Queenie giggled. «The world was soon painted in grey colours.» But then, Lady Marisa had to leave all the worlds. Silently, Queenie pointed to a marble statue. «It was an outworldly matter, barely an event within Sosaria, but it was a dramatic experience.» The Tamerlady looked gloomily over the statue again and carried on. «There was a time when Trinsic was occupied. Back then, my guild sent me for my qualifying test on the way and back. I had to survive, that was all.» She was smiling again. «Oh, and I remember my first tamed nightmare without being murdered by Howard One. Aye, those were very fascinating times near the Keep in the Lost Lands.»

    The chicken was eaten and the wine drunken as Queenie made her last statement: «It's pixels! They always were and always are! What really counts are the people behind those, and only these.» Outside, the blackness had already seized the countryside. As I trotted home, those words were still ringing in my ears.

    Biography of Lady Queenie
    Name: Lady Queenie, WBB
    Profession: Legendary Tamer
    Arrival in Sosaria: 1999
    Favourite place: Twisted Weald with the wolfs, Destard with the dragons
    Occupation: travelling, taming, make music
    Favourite character: Tamer
    What do you prefer...
    Summer or Winter? Summer
    Black or White? Black
    Loud or Faint? Faint
    Poor or rich? Look at the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, nor reap, nor gather into granaries, but your heavenly Father nourishes them ;-)

    *

    Der Abend war herrlich herbstlich orange-rot gefärbt, der Weg nach Skara Brae zur Bank windig und kühl. Die Vorfreude auf das Treffen mit Lady Queenie war gross, hatte ich doch in der Vergangenheit schon ihre bekannten Tombolas erleben dürfen. Das Gebäude lag ziemlich verlassen in der Dämmerung und als ich näherkam, sah ich sie schon warten. Die lebhafte Zähmerin war ganz in eine rote Lederrüstung gekleidet und winkte mir fröhlich zu. Kurz danach sollte noch Lord Nachteule zu uns stossen, der uns Gesellschaft leisten würde, und den ich ebenfalls schon einmal mit meinen Fragen belästigt hatte.

    Wir machten uns auf in Richtung Wüste (Mitleid), und wechselten auf die blattlose Welt, nach Felucca. Kurz darauf betraten wir das ruhig gelegene und sehr stilvoll eingerichtete Schlösschen. Im Speisesaal, wo wir es uns schliesslich gemütlich machten, verströmten Dutzende von Kerzen und kleine Feuerquellen wohlige Wärme. Auf dem Tischgrill brutzelten bereits Hähnchenschenkel und der Wein und Champagner stand ebenfalls schon auf der Tafel.

    Dann begann Queenie auf meine erste Frage hin ihre Geschichte zu erzählen. Dass ihre Schwester Shara vor über acht Jahren als Erste Britannia besucht hatte, und ihre anderen Schwestern nach und nach folgten. Die Geschwister hatten auch bald schon ihre eigene Gemeinschaft, eine Gilde gegründet, "Die Wilden Weiber Britannias". Sie begannen mit kleinen aber feinen Arbeiten ihr Gold zu verdienen. Während die Eine an der Schmiede in Britain Reparaturen für Krieger vornahm, zog die andere von einem Mondtor zum anderen und besang Reisende für ein kleines Trinkgeld. «Dies war nicht immer ungefährlich», meinte Queenie mit einem breiten Grinsen. «Manchmal lauerten auch böse Menschen an Mondtoren, die je nach Lust und Laune töteten oder zahlten.» Auf meinen erstaunten Blick hin und die Zwischenbemerkung, dass ich doch hoffe, dass sie eher zahlten, meinte Queenie, nun in schallendes Lachen ausbrechend: «Eher nein.» Trotz aller Unbill blieben die Geschwister im Land. Und auch heute noch soll die "Femme Fatale" der Gilde an den Mondtoren singen - wenn auch seltener als zuvor. Bald kam die Sprache auf Natascha Baumkind, die jüngste der Schwestern. Sie sollte den West Britain Bank Besuchern ein Begriff sein, denn sie veranstaltet dort ab und zu ihre bekannten Tombolas, die immer sehr fröhlich und lustig sind, und eine hervorragende Gelegenheit, neue Leute kennenzulernen.

    Draussen vor der Schlosstüre hörte man gedämpfte Geräusche, die Queenie nur mit einem Schulterzucken kommentierte: «Räuber..» Nachteule, der bisher schweigend dabeigesessen hatte ging in das untere Stockwerk und schaute offensichtlich nach dem Rechten, denn kurze Zeit später kam er mit blutverschmierter Klinge zurück. «Entschuldigt», murmelte er: «Aber das war mir ein Bedürfnis.»

    Im Schein der Kerzen erzählte Queenie dann weiter. «Meine Freundin, Lady Marisa, machte mich mit dem ollen Kämpfer bekannt», sagte sie und nickte in Richtung Nachteule. «Mit der Zeit lernten wir so Land und Leute besser kennen, schlossen Freundschaften und erlebten Dutzende von Abenteuer. Das war noch zu Zeiten, wo man mittels Mondtor plötzlich bei den Drachen im Eis-Dungeon stand», meinte Queenie. «Auf meinem ersten Nightmare. Damals gab es auch noch kein festes Band zwischen Zähmer und Tier...», meinte sie vieldeutig grinsend. «Die Welt war dann schnell grau.» Leider musste Lady Marisa dann alle Welten verlassen. Stumm deutete Queenie auf eine Marmorstatue. «Es hat wenig mit Sosaria zu tun, aber es war ein einschneidendes Erlebnis.» Bedrückt musterte Queenie nochmals die Statue und fuhr dann fort mit ihren Erzählungen. «Als Trinsic besetzt war, verlangte meine erste Gilde von mir als Aufnahmeprüfung, den Weg nach Trinsic und zurück heil zu überstehen.» Sie lächelte nun wieder: «Oder mein erstes gezähmtes Nightmare, ohne dass mich Howard One abgemurkst hat. Jaja, beim Keep in den Lost Lands, das war eine sehr spannende Zeit.»

    Die Hähnchen waren verzehrt und der Wein getrunken, als Queenie mir noch ein letztes Statement mit auf den Weg gab: «Es sind Pixel! Es waren immer welche und es werden immer welche sein! Was zählt sind die Menschen dahinter, und nur die.» Draussen vor der Schlosstüre hatte die Dunkelheit schon Besitz vom umliegenden Land ergriffen. Und als ich nach Hause trabte, klangen mir diese Worte noch lange in den Ohren.

    Steckbrief von Lady Queenie
    Name: Lady Queenie, WBB
    Beruf: Legendäre Zähmerin
    Ankunft in Sosaria: 1999
    Lieblingsort: Twisted Weald bei den Wölfen, bei den Drachen in Destard
    Lieblingsbeschäftigung: Abenteuer erleben, Zähmen, Musizieren
    Lieblingscharakter: Zähmer
    Was magst du lieber...
    Sommer oder Winter? Sommer
    Schwarz oder Weiss? Schwarz
    Laut oder Leise? Leise
    Arm oder Reich? Und sehet die Vögel am Himmel, sie säen nicht, sie ernten nicht, und der Herr ernährt sie doch ;-)

    Farewell, auf bald!
    ~ Medea

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    Origin’s Ghost Writer Wins 5 Million Gold!
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 11:19 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Origin’s Ghost Writer Wins 5 Million Gold!

    went tonight to listen to the Whispering Rose Radio (WRR) broadcast from Origin’s Luna Bank in anticipation of the radio station awarding an Origin resident a raffle prize. WRR hosted the raffle at the last Town Hall Meeting.

    An of course, the radio show was done admidst the gruesome revelry of the trick or treaters that abounded at the bank. So excuse the entrails in the stately bank picture where I attempted to capture DJ Sandman's tag and serach for Ghost Writer.

    What a coincidence that the 5 million gold raffle was won, by Ghost Writer who happened to be at the Town Hall Meeting covering the event for Stratics. Tonight, in the middle of the broadcast, after following DJ Sandman around the shard by radio, Magencia, Factions, Fel, Fights, revealing hidden, the prize was finally awarded to Ghost Writer at Origin’s Luna Bank.

    Congratulations Ghost Writer! Please spend the gold at my vendor!

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    Magnicia to be Under Attack!
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 5:22 PM EDT by Zynia (GreatLakes)
    Magnicia to be Under Attack!



    With the recent publishes on the Halloween 2007 server, I was eager to login and see some of the upcoming events, and items myself first hand. It couldn’t hurt to get a little test run done to see what type of character I liked best for working this, could it..?



    I ran to the northern part of New Haven, dropped my boat in the water, and sailed northeastern(ish) to the Magnicia docks. They have disabled the recall and gate travel spells to Magnicia, you will have to sail by boat. I found this route the best to take, and fastest to boot. If you have a character logged into Magnicia when the publish hits, you will be teleported safely to Trinsic. Also, be sure to dry-dock your boat (drop the anchor, walk the plank, and double click the tillerman to do this.), otherwise it may sink or be caught on fire! As long as there is nothing in your boat hatch, and no monster corpses on your boat (aka, “deck clutter”), you will get the menu to dry-dock.



    Onward! I had caught word most of the monsters were in the jungle area around where the moongate used to be, so I didn’t waste any time running around the entire highlightable city. (Rumor has it, you’ll be able to loot parts of the city. I am not sure how yet, it’s not been confirmed or officially announced. I haven’t seen any proof yet and I do plan on going back tonight!). I killed a few daemons, arcane daemons, and imps. First, I chose an archer character, mainly because that’s what I use in Doom, so I figured, “If they’re all daemons, why not make a Night Reaper!”. To much surprise, the repeating crossbow did me great justice this evening. Whilst killing those three, I had looted a few Mystic, Power, and Vanquishing weapons (yes I know, “oh god not AGAIN!”). Occasionally you will get fire-fielded, which didn’t do me any damage other than distract and scare me at first.



    Soon after clearing a few areas, I ran into this cute fellow! a void daemon. He sure was pretty, we all know how much I love Shadow Dancer Black!



    He wasn’t too hard to kill, I ranged 50 to about 100 damage to him (with Enemy of One, Divine Fury, and Consecrate Weapon casted), and he died fairly quick. I must have been lucky to receive one of the new Halloween Artifacts from my first one. Unfortunately, I guess I don’t have the necessary patch to view it’s title, but the mods on it are here:



    I killed a few more void daemons, and unfortunately kept getting stuck on certain parts of the jungle (I HATE the jungle! lol). After killed about three more void daemons, I had an artifact message display on my screen. And whatdyaknow, cursed Shadow Dancer Leggings (another, “oh god not AGAIN!” moment of my evening). And with every good thing, comes bad I thought to myself as my screen turned black and white.



    I took this opportunity to run around (in chicken form!) dead to see if there was anything else I missed. Surely I stumbled upon a light daemon. WOW he sure was bright, maybe related to Matrix? Just kidding! :}A kind gentleman nearby resurrected me and while running for my life I noticed another Abyss family member chasing me, forgetfully without me getting out of chicken form, and then I died, again.



    Another player who was also hunting in Magnicia let me know that the light daemons were the same as the void daemons, so you get the same loot off of both! Also running around I saw a Bone Daemon and more Dark Father’s. So this should be quite interesting!

    I’m unsure still of when this will be released on Great Lakes but stay tuned to UO Herald for updates and announcements! And remember, October 25th, 2007 is the last day to receive your 10th Anniversary Gift Boxes as long as your characters are at least 30 days old. For more information about the upcoming invasion, discussion, and pictures you can visit one of two threads over in the U.Hall Forum.

    Also, this was just released. That tomorrow after our routine daily maintance the pumpkins will be spawning in Britannia’s fields again, and you will once again be able to go Trick or Treating to the NPC’s. I even heard a promise about changing this years candy colors!

    Happy Picking!
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    All Shards to be Published
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 3:16 PM EDT by Piotr (GeneralNews)
    Posted to uoherald.com:
    All Shards to be Published
    Jeremy Dalberg
    17 Oct 2007 18:12:45 EST

    All shards will be published with the following during their next regular maintenance:

  • Gareth, the quest giver for the Cloak of Humility quest, was relocated to Trinsic

  • Players that are logged in Magencia will be teleported safely to the Trinsic docks of their facet

  • Players will be unable to gate, recall, or Sacred Journey to Magincia

  • Fixed issue that caused the virtue set helm to reset its resists to the base values when the full suit was being worn.

  • Fixed the bug where certain stealable items could not be locked down causing players to lose these items (Doom Artifacts)

  • Fixed an issue where players were getting IGR timer errors and getting disconnected

  • Players with bushido skill should now be able to bond with lesser hiryus.

  • Added double dragon scale resources in Felucca. Siege ruleset shards do not benefit from this change.

  • Oil cloth should now properly remove poison from weapons

  • Newly spawned quest mobs can no longer be charmed with the dryad allure spell.

  • Made the event-related firefields do more damage 5-7 instead of 3 damage

  • Trick or Treating is back!

  • Pumpkins are once again spawning in patches all over Britannia

  • Boats abandoned in Magincia will randomly catch fire and sink if no one is around

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    Login and Patch Servers Back Up!
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 1:22 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Login and Patch Servers Back Up!

    Jeremy Dalberg 17 Oct 2007 17:26:13 EST

    UPDATE 1:02PDT: The log-in servers should be back up, and everyone should be able to get in. Please report any further issues via support.uo.com - and please accept our apologies for the extended downtime. q The UO log-in and patch servers appear to be down at the moment - we're investigating. Updates as I get them.

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    Login and Patch Servers Back Up
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 1:22 PM EDT by Piotr (GeneralNews)
    Posted to uoherald.com:

    Login and Patch Servers Back Up
    Jeremy Dalberg
    17 Oct 2007 17:26:13 EST

    UPDATE 1:02PDT: The login servers should be back up, and everyone should be able to get in. Please report any further issues via support.uo.com - and please accept our apologies for the extended downtime.

    The UO log-in and patch servers appear to be down at the moment - we're investigating. Updates as I get them.
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Login and Patch Servers Down
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 12:21 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Login and Patch Servers Down

    Jeremy Dalberg 17 Oct 2007 15:39:27 EST

    The UO log-in and patch servers appear to be down at the moment - we're investigating. Updates as I get them.

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    Login and Patch Servers Down
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 11:58 AM EDT by Piotr (GeneralNews)
    Posted to uoherald.com:

    Login and Patch Servers Down
    Jeremy Dalberg
    17 Oct 2007 15:39:27 EST

    The UO login and patch servers appear to be down at the moment - we're investigating. Updates as I get them.
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    New Regular News Feature
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 8:49 AM EDT by Meart (Europa)
    New Regular News Feature
    By Meart

    Innovative House designs

    I thought it might be nice to do a regular spotlight on some of the most innovative house designs on the Europa shard. I have asked my fellow news reporters and our moderators to suggest any property they have come across worthy of a feature but this is also something the community can help with.

    There are many houses out there on all facets of the shard which have very unique and interesting designs. I want this feature to be more than just pretty pictures but also to include interviews with the house owners. This way I can find out what their inspiration was and get tips to help us all with our own designs. This is where the community can help it is reasonably easy for me to wander the lands and find houses but I really want to feature ones with active owners. So if you own a house that you think is rather innovative or you know a friend/guildy who does then drop me an email to [email protected] or a personal message via this forum and we can arrange a meeting for an interview.

    The first feature is already on the drawing board but I need some nomination's to start coming in for follow up articles. So if you want your house, a friends or guildy's featured drop me a line
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    GRD Recruit for a Day [Kaelyn]... and Observations from Callum
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 8:30 AM EDT by callum_fitzhugh (Europa)
    New Page 1

    Guardsmen Militia - Be a Guard for a Night!

    Callum decided to go to the Guardsmen Militia’s “Be a Guardsman for the Night” training session in the grim and dour town of Stonekeep just near the Crossroads of Yew. Having visited the town a few times Callum decided it was best to keep any magical comments or items well away from the wary and suspicious “Yewlings”. 

    Callum had previously decided to dress in a selection of purples and had been to Vesper for a fitting at the tailors weeks ago and returned there yesterday to collect his clothes. Giving the tailor a big tip and a thank you Callum left for the Moongate and made an uneventful journey to Stonekeep.  

    The greeting was warm and Callum was asked if he wished to join in or to observe – choosing the latter meant he could sit down and gently heckle the Guardsmen – who seemed to take it in good humour. 

    Guardsman training seems to consist of one or two “officers” shouting at the rest, lots of running around and a lot of swinging of halberds and then more marching or running around. 

    One potential trainee decided to desert and was soundly sent off with his tail between his legs and one late comer had the temerity to turn up without a sick note from the local bonesaw! 

    It was decided that the Yewlings would take their new recruits to cull the local orc population and it was at this point that Callum was distracted by a strange lady who whisked him away to an unknown location as she wanted to talk to him about the Rhovanion Library Books being incorrect…


    Today was the second day of the Yew festival and for that the Yewish guards wanted ter show their strengths and training methods.

    As I was interested how they do things I told Gwen, Stewan and Herenui that Olaf would lead the training and I got changed into casual clothes and left for Yew.

    Be a guardsman for a day!
    Well as I was curious how they handle things I decided to give it a try and upon arriving in Stonekeep we were greeted and offered some uniforms.
    Seems some others too wanted to see how tough the Yewish really are as Thaur, Gerek and even Calantha were among the recruits.
    *sketch shows me and Gerek as we got asked if we would join in*



    You all know the uniforms of plain ringmail and a sash and their halberds for ceremonial use. Damn armor itched like crazy and I have to make sure I nay caught any fleas or other vermin from it.

    I was a bit lucky as I had arrived late and the other recruits had to run some laps around a house while I got changed.

    After we had all had put on our armor we were told to stand in a line and some officer shouted at us trying to teach us some military commands. It was nay so difficult as an experienced soldier was in front of us and we just had to imitate whatever them did.

    We got the welcome speech that we were to expect hardship and troubles and quickly the first recruit dropped his weapon and sneaked off to avoid to get shouted at anymore.

    *sketch shows the welcome speech*


    After we had mastered the basic commands and not even Thaur or Gerek could mess them up we were seperated into three groups to hunt for orcs.
    Because I had drawn attention to myself for making fun of Gerek I was decided to be a group leader and as I nay wanted trouble I told them that my name was called Katrynn.

    *sketch shows us as we stand together as groups*


    I thought the orc fort would be an easy target and chose that, while the other two groups headed to an orcish valley and cave.
    We were told that we wopuld only take over the fort for a short time and that we had to plunder as much as we could from them.

    The journey was uneventful, though as I nay knew the way too well I decided to let one of the Yewish guards go ahead as scout.

    As we approached the fort I gave the order to slowly advance and check out their strength. Lucky for us we surprised them and nay had too much troubles with some stragglers outside the fort.

    We then decided though to storm the fort and the orcs fought lots fiercer to defend their fort, but we managed to capture it and kill most of its inhabitants and chasing off the rest.

    *sketch shows the capture of the fort*



    There were nay many things of value to take from the orcs and so we decided that it would be best to burn down as much as we could, which would be pretty difficult because much of it was covered in dirty mud.

    We devided our forces into two groups, while some of the more experienced guards would kill off any orcish stragglers around the fort, the remaining ones would set fire to the fort.

    *sketches show the fort set on fire*


    *and onother sketch of it*



    Our return journey back to Stonekeep was nay as peaceful as our first one, though I sent one of the experienced guards ahead to scout, he nay noticed some hidden brigands. As the bulk of our group passed them we were attacked though quickly gathering our wits and working together managed to kill them all, before anyone got serious hurt.

    One of the recruits got some bruises, but the armor saved him from any more serious wounds. We took the brigands belonging as dead them nay had any use for it anyway and returned back to Stonekeep.

    *sketch shows the aftermath of the brigand attack*



    When we returned to Stnekeep it was already dark and the Yewish officer let us put all the loot of one group on the ground and then compared how well the group had done. Gerek made an effort to take some of the gold and run with it, but the guards managed to catch him and dragged him back though nay without some beating.

    *sketch shows the recruits and soldiers getting dismissed*



    After this we handed back our uniforms and were invited for free drinks at the local tavern. I entered and even gave Thaur a full pitcher of free ale, though nay ter his delight, as I emptied it over his head before I left Stonekeep and returned to Trinsic.

    *sketch shows the celebration in the tavern*



    So I have to say the Yewish army is very different from what I am used as guard of the Duchy. Lots more strict with commands though maybe they also need it as they move out to fight enemy armies and creatures around the lands.

    They still are a very strange, superstitious, magik hating lot, but for everyone that nay wants ter think a lot and likes to plunder the army is good place to be.



    When I returned to Trinsic Herenui told me that Olaf was training the local guards and other volunteers at the barracks and so I headed there to watch them. Gwen, Stewan, Devante, and Lydia were training and I joined them for their last session, earning myself some more bruises before deciding it was safer and hurt less to guard the gate for now.

    Calantha visited the town, limping badly from the Yewish training where she had gotten blisters from the hard and badly fitting Yewish boots.
    She said she will never again do such aa foolish thing again and hopes that she can walk without pain in a few days time and such boots would be good for torturing people anyway.

    That damn Vesperian lawyer came and told me that I better pay him 1500 gold or else he would sue me. As I asked why he wanted to sue me, he said that it was for pouring ale over Thaur and that if I nay paid, he would contact the magistrate.

    Naturally I refused to pay as I only did as Thaur had asked me to when he had said ‘Fetch me some ale wench’, and I just had pured the ale over his head instead handing it to him.

    I hope that I can plead my case and gain the understanding of his Grace and maybe even from the Magistrate.

    A man from the Britain guards named Draven Leigh visited the town and applied to the Duchy as a guard. I told him that I would look at his papers latest tomorrow and that either me or his Grace would talk with him further.
    He seems to be a nice man and I think he will make a good guard.

    Kaelyn

     

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    Origin Event Schedule Update
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 10:31 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Origin Event Schedule Update

    Jeremy Dalberg 16 Oct 2007 20:32:30 EST

    EDITED: Origin won't be getting the event spawn until everyone else does - keep an eye on the Herald for scheduling. In the meantime, check out the pumpkin patches and go Trick or Treating, or continue to test the event on the Halloween 2007 shard!

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    HoC With the Developers of EverQuest Online Adventures 10/17
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 9:22 PM EDT by Watchertoo (NetworkNews)
    We have received this from our Network News Staff at Stratics.com:

    House of Commons With the Developers of Everquest Online Adventures

    Please join us on Wednesday, Oct 17, 2007, for a House of Commons chat with the developers of Everquest Online Adventures. The chat will begin at 5pm PDT /7:00pm CST /8:00pm EDT/1am UTC/GMT in the #StraticsHoC channel on Stratics IRC

    You can connect to one of our IRC servers through the use of your favorite IRC client or you can visit our new Downloads section to choose a suitable client. Connect to irc.stratics.com port 6668 or whichever server is closest to you:

    • stratics.frws.com port 6668, USA - Colorado
    • irc.gamers-irc.org port 6668, USA - Colorado
    • irc.glowfish.de port 6668, EU – Germany
    • stratics.afraidyet.net 6668, USA – Atlanta
    You may also connect through our handy Java link which may be found right here. You must have Java installed to use this which can be downloaded from the Java homepage.

    How to ask questions at the chat: Type /msg [QT]NICKNAME and your question. Please send questions only to the QT's (moderators) because questions sent to anyone other than the QT's will not make it into the lineup.

    General chat relating to Everquest Online Adventures will take place before, during, and after the chat in room #everquest.

    We hope to see you there!

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    A Turn of Events in Fel
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 6:44 PM EDT by AirmidCecht (LakeSuperior)
    >>> Felucca Facet News <<<A Turn of Events in Fel

    A search for artifacts in Felucca yielded unexpected (or expected?) results for me this afternoon. Feeling better and up for some solo adventure I decided to try my fortune in one of Felucca’s anti-virtue dungeons. Covetous is always a thrill in Trammel for me with the liches but I had heard of liche lords roaming in Fel so off I went with my undead slayer mage book in hand.

    Now, entering Covetous at level three can be a tricky thing for a mage if you get caught at the door by evil waiting so I always pre-cast an Energy Vortex as I run in. “Woosh,” it spinned off in the distance and targeted its first liche lord allowing me to unload another spell. No sooner had I dropped another EV and ready to attack with an energy bolt, when a little pop of red flashed on my screen in the corner. What’s this adrenaline pumping thru my veins? Is it that sixth sense that tells you there is more danger lurking than the monsters that live here?

    Ever ask yourself questions when you should be running? *giggles*

    Before I could get three steps towards the door I felt the surge of poison seep into my veins as I mustered the strength to run out and down the mountain. Three steps more and he was right behind me but I was faster for the moment. Invoking my hiding skill I was able to avoid another hit but not for long. “Kal Ort Por” I uttered trying to recall out….*fizzles feeling the poison seep deeper*…. “Kal Vas Flam!” Bah! He got me!

    (reenactment here, hehe)


    With a nod, a rez and a heal the world was full of color again as I congratulated HipHop on his latest hunt…namely me. *grins* It seems he was just as surprised to find me lurking about as I was to find him lurking about and a game of tag ensued. All in good fun in Fel eh? We talked of Fel and the dungeons I was enjoying when he asked if I had met Sudiva yet and since I had not in these lands he volunteered to take me thru the liche lords inside. Off we went with me trying to area peace and push thru liches and doors with spells being cast every which way. Once at the bottom I could see that a mirror image of Sudiva did exist but without purpose lately as it roamed about so idle.



    Next HipHop offered to help train another player close to my heart and we talked of skills needed to defend ones self in Felucca. After a conversation with a few guild mates I was ushered into a red gate taking me to the guild house of EGO. It has not been often that I have walked into a house of reds with no malice involved but there I found myself with a little trepidation at the thought of my body circling on a rotisserie but for a moment. *smiles*



    It was not to be though as I was greeted by Jupie and she handed me a power scroll to help in training higher level skills. Then I was treated to a little guild battle action before graciously thanking….wait thanking?? Yes, thanking HipHop for an adventure I had not anticipated when I started out on my journey. A days life can bring you a turn of events not planned and what may seem a hard pill to swallow, even poisonous and deadly, may not have such bad consequences after all.




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    Origin Event Schedule Update
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 4:25 PM EDT by Watchertoo (GeneralNews)
    Posted to uoherald.com:

    Origin Event Schedule Update
    Jeremy Dalberg
    16 Oct 2007 19:58:24 EST

    EDITED: Origin won't be getting the event spawn until everyone else does - keep an eye on the Herald for scheduling. In the meantime, check out the pumpkin patches and go Trick or Treating, or continue to test the event on the Halloween 2007 shard!

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    GRD - Be a Guardsman for a Day - And More!
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 2:48 AM EDT by callum_fitzhugh (Europa)
    New Page 1

    Be a Guardsman for a day! (8pm) - Stonekeep
    Yes - what you always dreamed of!

    A chance to don the uniform of the Guardsmen Militia with no ties and no binding vows.
    Turn up whenever you feel like throughout Tuesday and merely mention the 'Be a Guardsman for a day' event. Someone should be on hand to dress you up in a lovely 'Trainee' uniform and set you to work.

    However, the real Militia life begins at 8pm, so make sure you come by in time to get your uniform and get to work, you worthless maggots!

    Stonekeep can be located a short walk south along the road from the Yew Cemetary.
    For any further inquiries or assistance please contact either myself (125-548-430) or Floria Tenne (195-710-197)

    - Dart


    Tuesday 16th –
    Be a Guardsman for the day. Try out our uniforms, tour our buildings and do our job! A chance for some quality and different RP

    Wednesday 17th –

    Games evening! Variety of traditional combat and non-combat games with large prizes to be won!

    Thursday 18th –
    GRAND TOURNAMENT! A tournament for all to enter! Large prizes to be awarded! Come and try your luck!

    Friday 19th –
    A play and an evening of entertainment!

    Saturday 20th –
    Fancy dress party! Dress up and impress! Prizes for the best outfits and an evening of entertainment. Come, be merry and socialise! Prizes to be awarded for outfits.

    Sunday 21st –
    Grand Market in Yew town center! With other activities taking place throughout!

    Anybody is welcome, regardless of alignment or relationship with Yew.

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    The Buck Stops Here!
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    Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007, 11:40 PM EDT by *zigzag* (CandidCoverage)
    Thanks to Deanna of Napa Valley for sharing this!


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    Focus on Factions: Interview 2, Danny of Great Lakes, Part 2
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    Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007, 10:03 PM EDT by Watchertoo (CommunityNews)
    Focus on Factions: Interview 2, Danny of Great Lakes, Part 2


    Azlynn makes her way through the streets of Britain after her most recent “quest”. One that is best not discussed in public, not yet anyway, but one that has become a passion for her. She grins at how cryptic that must sound to most people but knows that the player she is about to meet understands and shares her determination.

    Danny’s determination and his passion for the True Britannian faction has intrigued Azlynn. Seldom do you meet someone who stands so openly and strongly in support of a faction; even in times of challenge. This dedication along with his helpful nature and good humor has made Great Lakes a welcoming environment for Azlynn’s Whisper and has caused her to consider this land and the people more carefully; perhaps she has found her home.

    It is good to take a break from this most recent game of cat-and-mouse and continue the discussion of faction play with Danny of Great Lakes …

    Tell me more about faction play; what you feel is wrong with it, what would you change about or add to it, how can people participate?

    Age of Shadows itself was rather short-sighted. They really didn't develop it WITH the community. They're doing a lot more of that with KR, and even then people aren't happy with it. AoS saw a mass exodus of players. I guess from your account age you played well before then. Insurance was by far one of the biggest changes. And most controversial, to this day. It allowed for people to easily hold onto their equipment, no matter what. Something as precious as a suit of blessed faction armor was suddenly worthless; especially with such types of crafted armor now rendered inferior. I won’t even go into how that ruined us thieves.

    Now I don't know if it is a bug, or I don't know if it was intentional. But last I checked you can no longer make faction items, except traps. So no faction armor even for a fashion or RP sake. Only crafter that’s worth it is a tinker, and he/she would only be used once every month if that.

    Most essential are PvP'ers and thieves who are darned good at running (even in crowded areas), and staying alive. A thief is the only non-aggressive approach, but you have to just have good instincts. Be able to heal a lot and fast, take a lot of damage, and be very very good at running. You also have to be patient, and not afraid to die. I've done so many "Mission Impossible" style things with my thief...sneaking him into a blocked-up base among a dozen or more enemy, and having no choice but to just grab the town sigil and go crazy to get out. Otherwise they'd just catch you without the sig. Hah.

    I'm not that overly skillful, though. So I often die, especially against well-organized groups like our resident Shadow Lords. But if you aren't willing to fight...and don't have the speed or suicidal-tendencies to be a thief...there are a couple tamers.

    Tamers, and really any mage character that can fight well or not, are very very useful in faction defense...though they sometimes have the most tedious and time-consuming job. Someone casting paralyze or energy fields at the base "choke-points" strategically to block enemy is one of the most valued people. I've known people to be purely dedicated to that cause, and would organize shifts and patterns with the other mage characters.

    Tamers are excellent for a couple things. For one, they can resurrect any pets the faction needs (though war horses can be rezzed by anyone). They are very good for faming silver coins. Each faction has a friendly monster, the rest are considered enemy monsters and show up as orange.

    For TB our friendly is the silver serpent, and so silver serpents won’t attack a TB. But Ogre Lords (Minax), Daemons (SL), and Wisps (CoM) show up as orange to us, and will give a certain amount of silver. A tamer at fire temple killing daemons all day, for example...mass silver. Its only value is for making traps, but it takes a lot of silver to do so.

    Tamers also have other faction defense use. A tamer I know...during our entire defense she would sit in the sigil room with her pets, with tracking and a bola, behind a bagball fortification. If a sneaky thief manages to get by us at any time, whether we were fighting or day-dreaming, she’s ready to get him on track, dismount or knock thief out of animal form, and kill with pets. You have to be dedicated to sit like that for so long, though, often by yourself. As much as I disagree with tamers ever being used in Fel, it was comfortable knowing we had someone running safety.

    Mages: Even non-PvP types can do this. As long as they have faster casting, knowledge on the simple physics of this game (anyone who’s played a year has), and a good enough mana bank or mana regen so they can support constant field casting. An occasional meditation break can be found. You, however, must be very dedicated or use a scripting program (I don't approve of scripts, even UO-Assist) in order to to be one of these defense specialists. Be willing and ready to dedicate a few hours. Real life always comes first, but you can shave an extra couple hours off how long you have to sleep before work. :P Most of us have done it.

    I should mention a couple more points, though. Mages also make fine healers, I suppose you know. A mage that can watch anywhere from 2 to 10 of their faction mates, and keep them alive. This job is made easier by organization from both parties. This is where Chivalry is nifty, when used with magery. Using that remove curse on someone with a mortal strike or various mage/necro curses on them can really mean the difference whether they live or die.

    Having teams of people dedicated to these tasks would be excellent. There just simply aren't the numbers anymore. We need to increase the amount of fighters first. This is possible...but unfortunately I believe with our small player base there would always be too much pride and tension within factions made up of multiple guilds. I've recently been shown even uniting a few people, who are already under the same faction banner, can be a most difficult task.

    In the end, if you can't put out even a handful of organized and united fighters, then dedicated cross-healers, field casters, and sig watchers, wont be doing you a heck of a lot.

    Personally, I'm looking to form my own guild soon within TB, and will gladly welcome just about anybody aboard. I just need to think of a name.

    Which reminds me about your question on recruiting. Really, before factions died you didn't need to recruit. People were just there. After its revival a couple years back, its numbers were comprised of "faction versions" of the same guild. In this case, MPX (representing MPS) and RiD (representing TDR) made up the bulk. Now of course we even have XV representing, and BC has revived their old faction group. Two of our biggest guilds on GL.

    Of course, there's always been smaller groups. But as far as people actively recruiting, it hasn't really had a chance to happen. If someone wants to join, a guild might accept them.

    I've always been part of smaller groups, and have helped teach people about factions in the past. I'm always willing to train new recruits. More so now that I need people for my own group.

    That's it really, only way to learn what you really need in PvP and factions is to just...play. You need to be with people who can teach you, you need to ask questions, and you need to listen to the advice given. Other then that, "watch and learn" always applies.

    You'd be surprised how many "newbies" I've run into who just needed the benefit of someone telling them a better way to adjust their screen layout. Or a few keyboard macros. Even those small things will make a difference in a fight. If I had any brains I'd redo mine as well, hah.

    Thank you for reading Part 2 of our interview with Danny of Great Lakes. We hope you have enjoyed it.

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Origin to be Published
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    Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007, 7:31 PM EDT by Larisa (Origin)

    Posted to uoherald.com:


    Origin to be Published
    Jeremy Dalberg
    15 Oct 2007 22:35:25 EST

    Origin will be published with the following during its next regular maintenance:

    *NOTE* The Halloween event spawn will not be turned on with maintenance. That will be announced tomorrow.

  • Gareth, the quest giver for the Cloak of Humility quest, was relocated to Trinsic
  • Players that are logged in Magencia will be teleported safely to the Trinsic docks of their facet
  • Players will be unable to gate, recall, or Sacred Journey to Magincia
  • Fixed issue that caused the virtue set helm to reset its resists to the base values when the full suit was being worn.
  • Fixed the bug where certain stealable items could not be locked down causing players to lose these items (Doom Artifacts)
  • Fixed an issue where players were getting IGR timer errors and getting disconnected
  • Players with bushido skill should now be able to bond with lesser hiryus.
  • Added double dragon scale resources in Felucca. Siege ruleset shards do not benefit from this change.
  • Oil cloth should now properly remove poison from weapons
  • Newly spawned quest mobs can no longer be charmed with the dryad allure spell.
  • Made the firefields do more damage 5-7 instead of 3 damage
  • Trick or Treating is back!
  • Pumpkins are once again spawning in patches all over Britannia
  • Boats abandoned in Magincia will randomly catch fire and sink if no one is around
  • [ Discuss This Article ]

    Origin to be Published
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    Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007, 7:31 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

    Posted to uoherald.com:


    Origin to be Published
    Jeremy Dalberg
    15 Oct 2007 22:35:25 EST

    Origin will be published with the following during its next regular maintenance:

    *NOTE* The Halloween event spawn will not be turned on with maintenance. That will be announced tomorrow.

  • Gareth, the quest giver for the Cloak of Humility quest, was relocated to Trinsic
  • Players that are logged in Magencia will be teleported safely to the Trinsic docks of their facet
  • Players will be unable to gate, recall, or Sacred Journey to Magincia
  • Fixed issue that caused the virtue set helm to reset its resists to the base values when the full suit was being worn.
  • Fixed the bug where certain stealable items could not be locked down causing players to lose these items (Doom Artifacts)
  • Fixed an issue where players were getting IGR timer errors and getting disconnected
  • Players with bushido skill should now be able to bond with lesser hiryus.
  • Added double dragon scale resources in Felucca. Siege ruleset shards do not benefit from this change.
  • Oil cloth should now properly remove poison from weapons
  • Newly spawned quest mobs can no longer be charmed with the dryad allure spell.
  • Made the firefields do more damage 5-7 instead of 3 damage
  • Trick or Treating is back!
  • Pumpkins are once again spawning in patches all over Britannia
  • Boats abandoned in Magincia will randomly catch fire and sink if no one is around
  • [ Discuss This Article ]

    Tel'Ruid Fall Festival
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    Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007, 6:37 PM EDT by AirmidCecht (LakeSuperior)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<

    Tel'Ruid Fall Festival

    Friday, Oct 26, 2007
    8:30pm Central/9:30pm Eastern


    Please join the citizens of Tel' Ruid in celebrating the Autumn Festival in the Elven Glade far east of the Yew Moongate in Trammel.

    At the moment, a costume contest and a barding contest are planned, and some of the homes in Tel'ruid will be decorating for the Holiday.
    More updates for you as information comes in!
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Story Night at the Road to Hope Tavern – 7P Central
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    Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007, 11:53 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Story Night at the Road to Hope Tavern

    October 20 at 7P Central

    n Saturday October 20 (Third Saturday of the month). Come share some laughs and enjoy stories, poems, history, anecdotes and jokes after a long day of fighting, shopping, peerless or discovery.

    This is a great way for all players new and old, Origin and across the shards to come together, drink, eat and be merry.

    The tavern also hosts a wrestling pit, dice pit and dart boards for additional drunken recreation following the stories.

    The Road to Hope Tavern is located in the player town of Icelyn at 97 deg 50 min North and 14 deg 37 min East. (Just south of the Icelyn Rune Library). Last month we had some extraordinary storytellers from across the shards and from Origin. Come and experience something special.

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Grand Opening: New Guild House For Sosaria Red Cross
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    Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007, 9:53 AM EDT by kayne (Europa)
    I was recently invited along to the opening of the new guild house for Sosaria Red Cross (SRC) and I very gladly accepted the invitation picked up my scrolls and a few pens and off I went to meet with Meart of SRC

    Firstly, some history on Sosaria Red Cross, it was formed as a healing guild many years ago by The Black cobra. This was back in the days when it was easy to die in a dungeon and the guild regularly set up Hospitals to heal the sick and injured and to resurrect the dead.
    As a guild, they also attended RP events wherever needed by coordinating with other guilds. Then of course there was the (in)famous Nude Marathon Run organised by The Black cobra.
    Sadly, the founder eventually moved onto another world and the guild was handed over to The Grand Paladin: Jethro Tull

    The guild today still stands by it’s original concept and if anyone needs healing or resurrection, be it human, elf or pet, if any of our members are around, they will help to the best of their ability and usually die in the process.


    Ok onto the opening of the brand new guild house for Sosaria Red Cross

    As you enter through the doors you are welcomed by the smell of fresh hay, of course it’s a stable for the members to leave their pets safely behind locked doors. Upon entering, I met with Jethro Tull who welcomed me in. Also along for the opening was one lovely lady named Heidi Ninfel.

    After the introductions and welcomes were done with, we were invited upstairs into the guild hall. A large and very well decorated room with a large table to sit around, old suits of armor stood proudly around the room, lavish rugs were laid around the room and added a touch of class to the whole room (not that of course it wasn’t classy anyway)

    Once all seated and everyone who was supposed to be there had arrived Jethro began by welcoming us formally to the new SRC guild house as can be seen in the painting above.

    After a short while, we were taken on a tour of the rest of the building. As can be seen in the painting below they have work areas for all the main trades, all very well laid out and accessible.

    We were then taken onto the roof, where a rune library is being constructed, as you can see in the picture it really is only under construction at the present time but I’m sure it wont take them long to fill it.

    A big thanks to Meart of SRC for inviting me to the opening and giving me the opportunity to report on their change of guild hall, and to the other members of SRC for allowing me access.

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Town Hall Notes
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    Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007, 1:04 AM EDT by Ghost Writer (CommunityNews)

    Hail and Well Met Friends!

    I made the trip to the Town Hall at Dave and Buster's, I managed to get a few questions in as well as as took notes of other's questions. Took some pictures as well but most of them were useless, I did manage to salvage a few..

    I counted 40 people at the meet and everyone seemed to have a good time. Nick Corea (aka Dragon Head) and Derek Brinkmen (aka Supreem) were there to give a demonstration of things to come in KR and take notes of player concerns. Here's a pic of the whole group.

    And here is a pretty bad picture of Derek Brinkmen (left) and Nick Corea (right).

    I showed up a bit late but the purpose of their visit was obviously to focus on KR. They spent some time going over the interface and it's benefits. I'm not sure what the hand count of current KR users was, I'm listening the the recording right now and that occurred just before I arrived. I would love to know what that count was.

    I did get there in time to see the custom UI they demo'd, a feature already being played with by some players. Check out the "Custom UI Sticky" here. There was a good bit of discussion spent on the custom UI. For those who couldn't make out the part about default settings, for those of you who use a custom UI, you can use the "Custom UI" button on the left of the logon screen to load the default UI if you ever have problems after an update or after making changes to your custom UI. Then we did get to see some of the upcoming features.

    For those of you who really don't like the new artwork, there is soon to come an option to change back to the old 2d art. All the housing and building tiles, trees, all the in game items, items in your backpack, all look just like they always have in 2d. They are giving you the option to load the 2d art instead of the KR art. Plus there is an added bonus, you can zoom in and out. Sorry no pic of this, one of many that didn't come out at all.
    Options for Gumps were discussed and even displayed. of course they showed us the scaleable UI feature, then they discussed plans to give us flexible container gumps, similar to what we had in 3d, and they showed us some art of old style 2d containers which I'm sure will make many people happy. Nick also made it a point to mention that if using the "Stylized Containers" you would not be able to resize the container. Here are the only 2 that came out at all, the pouch and chest were even more blurry than these. Maybe Jeremy or someone can post the real pics for everyone to see. These are really poor pictures of a ship's hold and a create. I will say everything I saw looked like the old 2d containers.


    There was also a page of icons intended to replace the icons which currently appear in the upper left corner of containers now, with hopes of the color changing with the color of your container.

    They also briefly touched on several items that are worth mentioning even if we didn't see a demo.

    A customizable stats window, one you can size and add in just the stats info you want to see about your character and leave out what you don't want.

    The ability to customize the size of hot-bars in both directions at once. So you can achieve a 6x5 hot-bar without having to stack 5 - 6 wide hot-bars.

    Support for dual monitors.

    The ability to put pack in your hot-bar and drop items directly into them so you can sort items easier.

    There was definitely emphasis put on the fact that they believe KR is the future of UO. They appear to be focusing on making the new client as flexible as possible and as attractive as they can for those that are die hard 2d fans. Choice of art, skinning the UI, adding in anything can be done with UO Assist, and continually taking suggestions of what players want. They took notes on everything brought up from those of there as well those online.

    Basically the ability to make changes, fixes and updates to the new client is far superior to what it is in the old client, as well as the ability to add in new effects and events. Performance fixes are constantly being worked on and they are doing their best to make KR something everyone will use.

    The full audio recording of the meet up is available here on UO Forums. I recommend listening to it.

    I'd like to take a minute to thank Whispering Rose Radio. As Nick mentioned they were very helpful throughout the meeting carrying the mic around and fielding online questions. They also added some items into the raffle including the 5 mil gold on the shard of choice. Which I'll be happily collecting on Wednesday night.

    From left to right is DJ Sandman, Norman Bates, Crystal Rose, and DJ Sir James III.

    Until next time,
    Safe Travels my friends,
    Ghost Writer
    UO Stratics Reporter

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Your World
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    Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2007, 8:49 PM EDT by Kendra_of_Umbra (Baja)
    It seems our establishments page is a little out of whack (so to speak). It is time to update it with any establishments, player ran cities, or just general unique places that baja has to offer.

    This can include Seer blessed structures, Auction houses, small player ran cities, huge player ran cities, just about anything.

    You can check the page out at:

    http://uo.stratics.com/news/Baja.shtml

    There is no requirement to a submission, as each submission has its chance to be on the page (I want to try and get a somewhat complete overview of what Baja has to offer to its community)

    You can submit them via a PM thru the forums, or thru [email protected] If you submit them thru [email protected] please us the following as your Subject line: Establishment Submission (if you don't the spam filter may eat the message)
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    BoooScary! Haunted House
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    Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2007, 8:18 PM EDT by Paul Harvey (LakeAustin)
    Hello Fellow Sosarians,

    After being in these lands for some years now and seeing some really nifty Halloween events I have been greatly impressed with this haunted house.
    Xcentric(UMP) had a fantastic idea and had his guild mates of UMP help him out. They put together a haunted house.
    And would you believe it only took them a single day to get this all put up?

    As I stood outside the screams of terror and horrific howling of beasts from within had me trembling before I stepped one foot inside. I shivered for a minute , then I closed my eyes and ran right into the wall next to the entrance. . . I was really afraid with all the noise.


    As I went through the first level I encountered some scary creatures




    Stairs going up , then down , a maze of walls and corridors with caged creatures and roaming monsters.2 rooms obviously used for torture and death. A floor with 2 insidious rooms where I am sure all these creatures are summoned .. .* gulp * or created. And a maze of doors. . . Lots and Lots of doors, I had to ask myself

    Am I coming or going?


    Even upon finding the exit I was hit with torment. It was either jump off the roof or go baaa. . . I jumped.


    Whew, safe at last and unscathed, except my shorts that is.

    If your outside Umbra and feeling brave, this UMP House of Horrors will be going on nightly until Halloween and you can find the house west of umbra near the orc fort at sextant coords 21o 37'n - 21o 9'e


    Thanks to Xcentric(UMP) and the whole UMP guild that put this together. It truly was an amazing experience.

    I give it 5 stars or screams *wink*


    This has been Paul Harvey

    Goood Day

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Missed the Last Town Hall , Listen to it Here ...
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    Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2007, 12:25 PM EDT by Watchertoo (CommunityNews)
    We have received this from our friends at UOForums:

    Missed the Last Town Hall ... Listen to it Here!

    Hi all,

    I recorded the original broadcast of the town hall meeting in California and converted the recording to a small mp3 file. The recording is nearly 3 hours long.

    I've used Fileplanet as a host for this file.

    Many thanks to Whispering Rose Radio for a great broadcast!

    You may download the broadcast here.

    Adam
    UOForums

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Another helping hand joins the team!
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    Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2007, 11:45 AM EDT by Mapper (Europa)
    Put your hands together for a brand new reporter!

    Meart has joined the team as our latest reporter. He will help us out with interviews and visits around establishments.

    Thank you Meart for applying!

    For those of you still thinking of applying, Do not worry, There are still places.

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    ~ OBITUARY COLUMN ~ 10 / 14 / 07
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    Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2007, 7:57 AM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
    .





    OBIT COLUMN ~ 10 / 14 / 07







    ASH


    Bloody Offals


    Kelly


    Kelly and Mother Nature (twice)


    Kelly and Mother still diein




    Mother can never die enough


    Melancholia


    Melancholia again


    Polyphemus


    Raevallyn between two Masters




    Vanna White




    Winter again












    [ Discuss This Article ]

    UOForums Interviews Nok, the UO Toolbar guy
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    Posted on Saturday, October 13, 2007, 7:09 PM EDT by Watchertoo (CommunityNews)
    We have received this from our friends at UOForums:

    UOForums Interviews Nok, the UO Toolbar guy

    Nok was kind enough to take some time out to answers questions submitted by our users.

    Many thanks Nok!

    If you don't use it already, I highly recommend the UO Toolbar that he's created!

    1) My question is what is it that keeps you playing UO all these years later and not some other 'brand spanking new game?

    “It” is a lot of things. Most importantly, friends... there are friends in TAA|tDw|MT (The Adeptus Astaries, The Dark Wardens, and the Mage Tower, I am the current guild master of The Dark Wardens) and other great guilds & players on Baja that I have known since I started playing UO. That’s almost 10 years of conversing with these friends nearly every day… that means seeing them going from teens to college, going through relationships, getting married & divorced, buying homes, changing jobs, having children. Many of them I know some of them personally in everyday life, and like the family in one’s home… they have become an extended, online family. I think the world of all of them.

    Also the UO community, which for better or worse… has a passion for UO second to none. UO itself has a level of content depth and game play flexibility that I believe can be compared to the table top version of AD&D (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons). And UO has… history (the first Ultima shipped 27 years ago).

    I enjoy other games. WoW and other MMOs are a lot of fun, but not so much that I would leave UO for them. I also like first person shooters (and would like to try out BioShock & Half-Life: The Orange Box).

    2) Hi Nok When I was a kid I played Ultima IV, it's one of my favourite games even to this day and occasionally when the mood grabs me I still play it. Because of your long Ultima History, I was wondering what your opinion of the non-online versions of Ultima is

    I remember them fondly… I still have most of them still in storage. Some players of Ultima will cringe at this, but my favorite of the old Ultima’s was… Ultima III: Exodus. There was something special about UIII, from a game standpoint it was such a leap of technology and game play from the other 8-bit games at the time. I started playing Ultima on an Atari 1200XL, but I had other 8bit & 16-bit computers… so I’ve played them all.

    3) Also, I never even knew Ultima was popular, I was the only person I knew that played it. Do you think UO has suffered somewhat from lack of advertising?

    Short answer… yes. Long answer… not in the way that most players would think. I have a different experience and perspective, my career besides IT has included high volume computer retail (chain and specialty VARs) & major computer distribution (Ingram Micro).

    The Wal-Mart’s, Best Buy’s, EB’s, GameStop’s, etc. of the world would be more likely to carry a product that is heavily advertised and pre-promoted… but they don’t have to if they don’t want to. Even EA (the 800 pound gorilla of the gaming industry) cannot make a distributor or a retailer carry UO if they don’t want to. In the channel it’s all about numbers. How many units can be sold of that SKU from that shelf space. No amount of ads is going to get a retailer to allot shelf space to UO that would be taking up room for more copies of Halo 3.

    Ad placement is expensive. And the key to ad placement is to reach your target audience in the hopes of getting a fair return on your investment. UO players –and- target players is a relatively small, but very diverse market… what type of advertising is going to work for a small, but diverse target market? The outlay of marketing funds has to be justified against the “return on investment”.

    With a 10 year old community, 2 clients (one old and the other needing further development), a delayed expansion (SA is pending further dev on KR), and having a player community with stagnant growth (despite the Chicken Little’s announcing the sky is falling, the numbers haven’t changed that much) and that community heavily divided between those that still enjoy playing and those that criticize everything your team does or does not do… would you walk in to John Riccitiello’s (the current EA CEO) office with a proposal to spend millions on an ad campaign? I wouldn’t. I couldn’t justify it. UO isn’t exactly Madden NFL 08.

    What would I do? What UO should be doing between every expansion… building on UO’s singular strength/weakness. The UO community.

    Build a new, modern (aka Web 2.0) website. Establish web-based community tools so community contributors, guilds, players, and publishers can return the favor both in-game and from their websites. Reestablish the UO Team as a proactive leader of the community. More town halls and promotional events. Build an advisory group of contributors and publishers. Find a way to change the mindset of the disenfranchised players… without “greasing the squeaky wheel”.

    Working on the clients, gearing for the next expansion, -and- rebuilding the community… would be UO’s best advertisement for now. Then when things are ready –and- everyone’s (relatively) fat & happy… do a larger targeted ad campaign.

    4) How long were you developing the toolbar for? Its good to see somebody with the drive and ability to make such a program, do you ever get told in game that people use your bar? How does this make you feel?

    By the way, thank you. Well UO Toolbar is coming up on its 2nd anniversary in November, and it is still being developed so to speak. With any community, not just UO’s, things change… feeds, links, sites, and streams change; search functions (the toolbar’s most powerful feature) change or need tweaked; features get added or removed depending on the community’s needs. It’s always changing. I hear all the time from players that use the toolbar (there is over 500 people using it now)… they love it. Many of the things in the toolbar come from player suggestions and recommendations. I enjoy the feedback; it’s nice to be able to give something back to the UO community. There will some toolbar surprises coming in November and December. ;)

    5) How do you feel about online criticism after developing your toolbar? Do you find that developers should take note of the constructive suggestions or do you feel that people whinge on the internet no matter what?

    Well I haven’t seen much online criticism, except when the toolbar was first announced. Several people, who hadn’t even tried it, claimed that because it was software and a browser toolbar… that it just “had to be” spyware or worse. It was submitted to several malware scanning sites and found 100% clean, and remains so today. Fortunately several people stood for the UO Toolbar and gave it a try… it’s been nothing but positive since. Well there is the catch in your question… who gets to decide what is constructive? Yes, the UO Team should listen to constructive criticism. But in my opinion there is very little constructive criticism coming from the UO community as a whole. I believe sometimes the devs listen too much. Yes, I feel there is –way- too much whinge and negative criticism in the UO community.

    The rest of this interview can be read here.

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Community Meet Up - Week 141
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    Posted on Saturday, October 13, 2007, 3:52 PM EDT by Lady Tia (LakeSuperior)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<



    Community Meet Up - Week 141
    Date: Every Monday Night
    Time: 7:30PM CST
    Location: Skara Brae Community Center


    Meeting Agenda:
    We'll hear weekly announcements of upcoming events and hunts for Lake Superior from Sabina our events coordinator.


    The weekly community meetings, events, hunts, etc are always open to the public. No invitations needed!
    Everyone is always welcome to come ask questions, make plans, or make announcements.

    Bring a friend if you can make it, tell a friend if you can't!

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    Community Hunt - Week of October 15th
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    Posted on Saturday, October 13, 2007, 3:45 PM EDT by Lady Tia (LakeSuperior)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<


    Want to go hunting but don't have a big enough group? Are you looking for good guides to dungeons you've yet to explore?

    The community hunts are open to everyone! Come show your support for the Lake Superior community and take a walk on the wild side at the same time. Meet some new and old friends and have a bit of a challenge along the way.


    Britain Library Community Collections Hunt
    Date: Tuesday, October 16
    Time: 8:00PM CST
    Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
    Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

    Peerless Hunt (Mondain's Legacy Required)
    Date: Wednesday, October 17
    Time: 8:00PM CST
    Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
    Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

    Wrong Dungeon Crawl
    Date: Thursday, October 18
    Time: 8:00PM CST
    Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
    Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

    Ilshenar Champ Spawn Hunt
    Date: Friday, October 19
    Time: 9:00PM CST
    Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
    Hosts: Taeara Mi'aken


    And remember, these hunts are for everyone, regardless of their skill level or guild affiliation. Come meet new friends, see new places, gain experience and just have fun.


    Sabina Nikolai,
    High Marshall, Community Hunt Organizer
    The Order of the Silver Rose

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    Tamer's Challenge Returns Oct. 19!
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    Posted on Saturday, October 13, 2007, 10:55 AM EDT by Lord Franklin (Catskills)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<Hello, my friends! Here's the latest word from Jerimiah, the Guardian of the Royal Zoo on Moonglow Isle.


    Tamers of Catskills-

    On Friday October 19 a tamers challenge will be held at the Royal Zoo in Moonglow. The grand prize for the competition will be 5 million gold! Tamers of all abilities are encouraged to participate as there will be prizes for tamers of Drakes as well as tamers of wolves and everything in between!

    Registration will begin at 7:30 pm at the eastern entrance to the zoo. At 8pm the participants will begin taming for the next TWO hours. Whoever donates the most points to the zoo in the form of tamed animals will win the competition. As mentioned, there will be many prizes for participants to choose from. If you are new to taming and the zoo, don't be shy, you just may win the jewelry you need to get your taming moving.

    If you have any questions please post them on the Catskills forum.

    Jerimiah's events for the Zoo are always an entertaining way to spend an evening. Don't forget that while you're taming and bringing in the animals for the contest, you'll also be earning points toward some fantastic Zoo prizes. You can get Zoo clothing, interactive statues, even fancy titles and uniquely colored armor to show everyone just how hard you've worked for the Zoo. If you love taming and animals, this is what you've been waiting for!

    Peaceful Journeys,
    Lord Franklin
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Five on Friday
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    Posted on Saturday, October 13, 2007, 10:12 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Five on Friday

    Jeremy Dalberg 12 Oct 2007 21:03:35 EST

    October 12, 2007

    "So, if Self Repair is capped at 5 , why do some of the Heritage items have Self Repair 10?"
    I misspoke slightly in the patch notes - Self Repair isn't actually capped, it's just that 5 is considered "maximum intensity" for it. Functionally, there is little or no difference between SR 5 and SR 10 - or 20, or 40 - simply because equipment tends not to be damaged fast enough to overcome the self repair. (Short version: each second, if an item has taken damage, the Self Repair value gets added on to the item's current durability. So with SR 5, each instance of damage gets repaired up to 5 points. Your item would have to be taking MORE than 5 points of damage per second to get ahead of the repair.)

    There's no particular reason for the Heritage items to be higher than anything else, but as it's primarily cosmetic, we don't consider it an urgent issue.

    "What's the new formula for determining Mana Regeneration?"
    It's actually a series of formulae, and would require enough math to make your eyes glaze over to explain it. However, Flash master Noxin has, though comprehensive testing and diligent observation, put together a calculator that appears to be quite accurate - and much simpler to use than the avalanche of numbers I could give you.

    "What exactly does the special move "Psychic Attack" do?"
    Psychic Attack lowers your opponent's Spell Damage Increase stat. The base effect is a 4% SDI decrease, and it can go up to 16%, depending how much smarter you are than your foe. And yes, SDI can actually become negative.

    "How long is the 10th Anniversary content going to last?"
    The gifts appearing in backpacks and bank boxes will continue to be given to eligible (30+ day old) characters until noon GMT on October 25th. (This means if you have a character that will become 30 days old between now and then, it will still get its gift once it becomes eligible.)

    As for the artifact drops in the dungeons - we have no plans to remove them, but we'd like to add items to the system over time and perhaps limit certain items to certain dungeons or areas. So the content may grow or change, but overall it's here to stay.

    "When are we going to see another KR patch?"
    We have a client patch scheduled to go out next week that is chock-full of bug fix goodness - including such irritating things as the whole client slowing down if you have your system chat window open, being completely unable to drop items on the ground in caves, and being unable to interrupt running macros.

    It's not just KR bug fixes, either - everyone will rejoice to hear that the Doom lock down bug is fixed in this patch as well, and Samurai should once again be able to bond with their beloved Hiryus, among other things. Keep an eye out for notes next week with all the details!

    Town Hall: Anaheim(ish)


    Our last Town Hall of the year is tomorrow at Dave and Buster's in Orange, California - it's not too late to RSVP . Don't miss out on your last chance to see us in person this year!

    If you're sick of fighting Lizardmen in Despise, head on over to the Halloween 2007 test shard and see what’s up . Count Draconula needs people to... play with.

    Have a great weekend, everyone! - Jeremy

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Super Stratics Saturday - Europa Style
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    Posted on Saturday, October 13, 2007, 10:08 AM EDT by Mapper (Europa)

     

    Welcome to the first ever episode of this new feature. First let me explain what Super Stratics Saturday is, Every Saturday we'll be visiting an establishment, updating you with this weeks news, letting you know of any events next week and screenshots taken from this week.

    Before we begin, You can take part in SSS (Super Stratics Saturday for short) next week if you wish by telling us your establishment, emailing us any screenshots or letting us know about any events etc! Our email address as always is [email protected] , You can also PM myself, Mapper.

    This weeks establishment is one I frequent at, Its the largest shop I personally know of, Its Blue Wolf Traders outside Umbra! You can find a batch of questions asked by Ilysess here.

    Owned by Lady Alcestis it is spread over 3 large plots and contains a massive 77 vendors! (On today's count). Each house is separated into departments, The Crafts & Resources plot to the left, The Main Building and the Right Wing to the right. Selling anything from, Plants, Instruments, Repair Deeds, Ingots, Fishing Items, Wood, Potions, Artifacts, Power Scrolls, Jewelry, Crafted Armor, Weapons, Special Sewing Kits.. The list does go on! But please remember it also sells runes to their shop, very useful.

    Below are screenshots of the shop, Found at 26o59'N 26o38'E in Malas.

       

    • Within Europa Stratics we started applying for a couple new reporters! Kayne will be absent for a few weeks, But we also needed some extra help, So if you think you can help us out, Checkout the post found here.
       
    • Also, We have a new moderator! Petra Fyde has stepped up with Firdbird to provide moderation of the Europa forum. The thread can be found here.
       
    • Halloween is only a few weeks away and already we know what's in store! Magincia will be the invasion location on all shards, With new monsters and items up for grabs. Read more on the Halloween plans at the thread found here.
       
    • Our final piece of news this week is of the Role-playing guild 'GRD' or the 'Guardsman Militia' celebrate their 9th year of continued success. You can join their celebrations from Monday the 15th to Sunday the 21st of October where exciting events and fantastic prizes will be up for grabs. Events those days will be held around 8pm UK Time at Stonekeep, Yew, Trammel. You can find Stonekeep by going east down the path from Yew Graveyard.

      Anybody is welcome so go join them!

    Events next week,

    • Well ALL week we have the Guardsman Militia celebrations, held at Stonekeep, Yew. Information and Directions noted above.
       
    • On Wednesday the 17th Oct we have the 174th edition of Leto's Europa Auction, 7pm UK Time, Gates provided at Britain Bank.
       
    • Also on Wednesday we have the 10th edition of Leto's new Europa Auction Lottery, The draw is at 8:30pm UK Time at the auction house after the auction. Tickets can be purchased from vendors, One of which is at the auction house. So buy one before the auction! You never know! Gates are provided for both auction and lottery at Britain Bank.

      Checkout www.europa-auction.com for more details.

    And now for the final piece of today's episode. Screenshot Saturday. If you want to have your screenshots here next week email them to [email protected] !


    Take a good look.. It'll look very different on Halloween.

    Thanks for reading, Join us next week for another dose of SSS!

     

     

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Halloween 2007 Events Testing
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    Posted on Saturday, October 13, 2007, 5:19 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Halloween 2007 Events Testing

    Jeremy Dalberg 12 Oct 2007 21:03:35 EST

    Hello everyone, and welcome to our annual testing cycle for our Halloween events! Over the years we’ve had many an opportunity to capture your sweet tooth with tantalizing treats and shiver your spines with terrifying tricks, but this year, ah this year – we have something special indeed.

    There will be an invasion, of course, and tricks and treats and all things between. There will be a Shard of the Dead, and live events on your own home shards. But beyond that, we’ve prepared something that will shake the foundations of Britannia to the very core. Hyperbole aside, we will place in your hands a task of momentous importance: one to lose at your shard’s peril.

    But enough with words. Let the testing commence! Allow me to describe our initial slate of activities:

    • “TC1” will be immediately renamed to “Halloween 2007” and published with our initial testing materials
    • Daemon Invasion of Magincia
    • Travel to Magincia by Moongate and other magical means will be disabled
    • Players logging back into Magincia for the first time since the publish will be teleported to safety in Trinsic
    • Travel to Magincia will only be available by ship, or by “sailing” with the military at the Trinsic docks to aid in the advancing invasion
    • New monsters, new rewards
    • There will not be a client publish until next week, please do not report “Cliloc” errors when text is missing
    • There may be higher than usual lag in Magincia for the duration of our tests.
    Count Draconula will be making appearances throughout the testing period, and also providing more information as testing advances.

    “Velcome!” – Count Draconula

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    FoF: Future Features
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    Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007, 6:03 PM EDT by Watchertoo (GeneralNews)

    Posted to uoherald.com's Five on Friday:

    FoF: Future Features
    Jeremy Dalberg
    12 Oct 2007 21:59:01 EST

    In this week's Five on Friday, find out details about events past and present, get an update about the current Focus Group, and more!

    "So, if Self Repair is capped at 5, why do some of the Heritage items have Self Repair 10?"
    I misspoke slightly in the patch notes - Self Repair isn't actually capped, it's just that 5 is considered "maximum intensity" for it. Functionally, there is little or no difference between SR 5 and SR 10 - or 20, or 40 - simply because equipment tends not to be damaged fast enough to overcome the self repair. (Short version: each second, if an item has taken damage, the Self Repair value gets added on to the item's current durability. So with SR 5, each instance of damage gets repaired up to 5 points. Your item would have to be taking MORE than 5 points of damage per second to get ahead of the repair.)

    There's no particular reason for the Heritage items to be higher than anything else, but as it's primarily cosmetic, we don't consider it an urgent issue.

    --

    "What's the new formula for determining Mana Regeneration?"
    It's actually a series of formulae, and would require enough math to make your eyes glaze over to explain it. However, Flash master Noxin has, though comprehensive testing and diligent observation, put together a calculator that appears to be quite accurate - and much simpler to use than the avalanche of numbers I could give you.

    --

    "What exactly does the special move "Psychic Attack" do?"
    Psychic Attack lowers your opponent's Spell Damage Increase stat. The base effect is a 4% SDI decrease, and it can go up to 16%, depending how much smarter you are than your foe. And yes, SDI can actually become negative.

    --

    "How long is the 10th Anniversary content going to last?"
    The gifts appearing in backpacks and bankboxes will continue to be given to eligible (30+ day old) characters until noon GMT on October 25th. (This means if you have a character that will become 30 days old between now and then, it will still get its gift once it becomes eligible.)

    As for the artifact drops in the dungeons - we have no plans to remove them, but we'd like to add items to the system over time and perhaps limit certain items to certain dungeons or areas. So the content may grow or change, but overall it's here to stay.

    --

    "When are we going to see another KR patch?"
    We have a client patch scheduled to go out next week that is chock-full of bugfix goodness - including such irritating things as the whole client slowing down if you have your system chat window open, being completely unable to drop items on the ground in caves, and being unable to interrupt running macros.

    It's not just KR bug fixes, either - everyone will rejoice to hear that the Doom lockdown bug is fixed in this patch as well, and Samurai should once again be able to bond with their beloved Hiryus, among other things. Keep an eye out for notes next week with all the details!

    --

    Town Hall: Anaheim(ish)
    Our last Town Hall of the year is tomorrow at Dave and Buster's in Orange, California - it's not too late to RSVP. Don't miss out on your last chance to see us in person this year!

    --

    If you're sick of fighting Lizardmen in Despise, head on over to the Halloween 2007 test shard and see what's up . Count Draconula needs people to... play with.

    --

    Have a great weekend, everyone!

    - Jeremy

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Halloween 2007 Events Testing
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    Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007, 4:59 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

    Posted to uoherald.com:



    Halloween 2007 Events Testing !
    Jeremy Dalberg
    12 Oct 2007 21:03:35 EST

    Hello everyone, and welcome to our annual testing cycle for our Halloween events! Over the years we’ve had many an opportunity to capture your sweet tooths with tantalizing treats and shiver your spines with terrifying tricks, but this year, ah this year – we have something special indeed.

    There will be an invasion, of course, and tricks and treats and all things between. There will be a Shard of the Dead, and live events on your own home shards. But beyond that, we’ve prepared something that will shake the foundations of Britannia to the very core. Hyperbole aside, we will place in your hands a task of momentous importance: one to lose at your shard’s peril.

    But enough with words. Let the testing commence! Allow me to describe our initial slate of activities:

  • “TC1” will be immediately renamed to “Halloween 2007” and published with our initial testing materials
  • Daemon Invasion of Magincia
    • Travel to Magincia by Moongate and other magical means will be disabled
      Players logging back into Magincia for the first time since the publish will be teleported to safety in Trinsic
      Travel to Magincia will only be available by ship, or by “sailing” with the military at the Trinsic docks to aid in the advancing invasion
      New monsters, new rewards
      There will not be a client publish until next week, please do not report “Cliloc” errors when text is missing
      There may be higher than usual lag in Magincia for the duration of our tests.

    Count Draconula will be making appearances throughout the testing period, and also providing more information as testing advances.

    “Velcome!” – Count Draconula

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    New Additions at Winterbreeze
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    Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007, 12:33 AM EDT by Halister Marner (Atlantic)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<hile sifting through my messages, I came across a notice from Lady Aalia of Winterbreeze requesting my presence.

    Through the Yew moongate and after only a moment at full gallop, I arrived at the Winterbreeze complex, a site consisting of several buildings such as a library, chapel, and multiple annexes.

    Visiting the area countless times I was surprised to see an entirely different group of buildings before me, the largest of which was a new building, filled with forges, anvils, looms, spinning wheels, and a large variety of craftsman supplies. Keeping true to Winterbreeze's dedication to knowledge, many books on the crafts with guides and aids for the novice to professional craftsman remained on display near the tools of their respective trade.



    Directly next to the new crafting center I encountered a well placed and serene garden, fruit trees and other lush foliage dotting the green landscape. Plucking a ripe apple from the tree, I couldn't help but consider the convenience of having fresh fruits, due to the proximity of the stables just to the south.



    Finally, ending my visit, I once again stepped foot into Winterbreeze's immense library of rune books, and written lore. Perusing through several interesting works, the site of another building caught my eye, a small annex consisting of runes to quest locations and events studded the edge of the territory, open and welcoming for the community to make use of its knowledge.



    With my visit at an end, I could not help to appreciate the time and effort that was put into every building, and the good intentions weaved in each block of stone that work towards helping out all walks of life in Britannia.

    Imprimatur

    ~ Halister Marner ~
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Meet Your Stratics Staff: AutumnKiss
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    Posted on Thursday, October 11, 2007, 8:13 PM EDT by Watchertoo (CommunityNews)
    Welcome to Meet Your Stratics Staff. This series of interviews is intended to allow our wonderful readers the chance to know a bit about the Stratics staff.

    Meet Your Stratics Staff: AutumnKiss

    What is your Stratics name and tell us a bit about yourself…

    Hi! My name is AutumnKiss, and I love chocolate." Not what you were looking for? Well, let's see... how about... I'm a 30-something married gal with 2 teenaged kids. I live in Montana, enjoy bowling, throwing darts, and hanging out with my friends. My favorite color is green, favorite food is chocolate, favorite show is C.S.I. (followed closely by Criminal Minds), and I am an Idol fan. When not playing online or doing work for Stratics, I'm usually hanging out with my Mom (who moved in recently to help care for me), and enjoying my time outdoors.

    What is your "job" with Stratics? Please explain what your job entails.

    I am the Exclusives Director. What that means is that I work with developers and publishers to promote their titles through the use of interviews, giveaways, dev chats, editorials, betas, reviews, etc. I help the MEs of existing sites on the network in establishing and maintaining contacts with our PR contacts in furtherance of these goals.

    How long have you been in this position and how long with Stratics altogether?

    Oh my, I started in November of... 2004. So three years now I've been at Stratics. I started as a content editor for TSO Stratics, and eventually became a forum moderator for them. From there I moved into a position helping Teresk with some stuff on the forums, and I grew into the ME position at EQ2 (which I still hold). From that point, I joined the Stratics Central team (which was headed up by Teresk), and subsequently took over it. I then grew into the Exclusives position as a natural progression with my Central work, and that was in January of this year.

    What games do you play?

    EverQuest II is the only game I actively play.

    What game did you start with?

    My very first MMO experience was with Diablo II. Since then I've played TSO, Wish (may it rest in peace), EQ2, and dabbled in a few others. But EQ2 is my favorite.

    What type of character is your favorite?

    I tend to lean towards healers, but I currently play an assassin in EQ2.

    Which games do you see as having the brightest future, type wise and then specifically?

    WAR is a major one right now, and so is PotBS. With the recent news regarding Gods & Heroes, though, it's hard to say what will take over the limelight. Also, with Halo 3 out, nobody is really looking at traditional MMOs I don't think. For genre, the fantasy style has been typically the most successful (WoW, UO, EQ, EQ2, etc.), but the space-style have been making a comeback as well... with EVE, Star Wars Galaxies, and now Star Trek Online, etc. I still think the traditional mold will hold true, though... fantasy is where it's at!

    What has been the hardest part of working for Stratics?

    The people.

    What has been the best part of working for Stratics?

    The people!

    Seriously, the staff is the best and the worst. It's tough to handle criticism from those that you've never met, but again it's rewarding to know that they are usually criticizing not out of spite, but out of concern or interest in what you're doing. So for all of you reading this, I really do <3 you all!

    What would you say to someone considering volunteering to work for Stratics?

    That you'll never do anything so rewarding as contribute to something that revolves around an activity you enjoy in your spare time, and you'll never regret the decision to do so.
    Next interview: Two for one! A chance to meet Kelmo, Siege Moderator and our interview with him about factions. Please join us!
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    End of an Era, DSR Disbands
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    Posted on Thursday, October 11, 2007, 4:34 PM EDT by Paul Harvey (LakeAustin)

    Good Day Fellow Sosarians,

    I received news of this a few days ago but have lacked the words. So I will let Aidans' letter stand and speak for itself. Here is what Aidan sent me.


    "Long live the memory of DSR!
    We have had a long and glorious run of things, much longer than many others. However, with my absence as of late and probable continued absence for several months to come, the guild seems to be looking to go in separate directions. In fairness to the members of DSR who may be torn between realized ambitions and their loyalty to DSR and my recent lack of leadership, it is with mixed emotions that I have decided to disband DSR.
    I have made many great friends and some enemies in UO that I will never forget, but the time of DSR has come to an end. For many in DSR the politics of the game have taken a toll. Friendships we have forged and the sense of family we have shared will carry on long after DSR fades into the history of Lake Austin. I wish our friends in ARG the best and much success, and hope that they will find a place for their friends that have been displaced by the retirement of DSR and are so inclined to join their ranks.
    As founder and leader for the many years DSR has been together, I will retain the guild name and guildstone on my account. DSR has a legacy on Lake Austin and I would like it to remain. We have always tried to actively contribute to the success of the shard and it is my hope that we will all be remembered for our support to the Lake Austin community.
    I know that this move will probably not sit well with everyone, and that I can understand. All things come to an end, and this will be DSRs. I have enjoyed the experiences and friendships that I have developed with you all. I will still be in the game now and then and hope to see you all in Sosaria. Long Live Lake Austin!

    Bless you all!
    Aidan"


    I would like to add,
    Remeber the sun always shines behind the clouds.

    This has been Paul Harvey,

    Goood Day

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Quotes for the Month - September
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    Posted on Thursday, October 11, 2007, 4:20 PM EDT by Cymoril (Oceania)
    Here are a few snippets from your favourite forum in September, which we've already read but for some reason seem all the more amusing in the re-quoting! As always, these quotes have been copied as is, with no editing (unless otherwise stated), so typos prevail! Have fun!


    UO Oceania News Reporter


    "Just had a dream in 2D where I was mining a new ore called Steppes ore!"
    Lord Remy, dreaming about UO.

    "I should lock this thread for not containing a quote from Ovrkill or myself..."
    Mijac Ch'mon throwing his weight around after last month's quotes.

    "Context is overrated!!"
    Samaira, and given the quote, I better leave context out of it!

    "*waves arms like he don't care*"
    Yacct on beer and the Melbourne pub-meet.

    "i wanna get a shirt that says " i pwn noobs for breakfast""
    Geriatrics on "UO" merchandise.

    "LOL now if you understand all that your doing better than me "
    MissEcho, having explained the whys and wherefores of blackrock.

    "...now we can get Jedi to do Silence on Sunday!"
    Farscape after the first Three on Thursday.

    "*Looks around sniffing the air* did i smell a luna idoc"
    barjunkie, as a foreign smell wafts over the lands of Azeroth.

    "Drat! I was so close, only 25,330 off!"
    Lady Kat almost wins the Fox-Emporium Guessing Competition.

    "its oktoberfest baby and i'm already drunk... Sorry i am drunk... geezz i am, drunk... I'm drunk and i am loving it... oktoberfest tomorrow wee (+e recurring)... already drubk"
    JediSith (from several threads): drunk, apparently.

    "Hi all, I have returned."
    Mezzac comes back!

    "Competition Closed, result advised in the morning lol"
    Eleanora Fox tries the "Millionaire" strategy of making us wait!

    "A dingo stole my Orni!"
    Oceania's New Slogan, thanks to Samaira.

    "Yes i am having children to increase the population of Oceania..."
    zolo8, one day into fatherhood (congratulations, Silk!)

    "All I know I learned from Boogie Nights."
    Fink, taken totally out of context. It was relevant at the time.

    "... by the time i realize somone has actualy spoken to me, they are long gone."
    Jahira-Tor, after a long patch, suffers lag in KR.

    "*bows in the face of overwhelming adolation*"
    Samaira, when her slogan was selected.

    "...ok ill run around like more of a loony now"
    Katlene decides looniness is a good way to attract fireworks.

    "Its like playing on a massive earthquake fault line you never know when its gonna go!"
    Farscape on KR connection issues.

    "That's my plate covered foot in the top right corner of the screen."
    Dean478 after his foot appeared in a screenshot.

    "Time to bank sit "
    Outcast-Byteme goes to show off potentially the first virtue set on Oceania.

    "Seventh, eighth and ninth character slots bring em on."
    Sid Vacuous isn't against extra characters.

    "Way to celebrate 10 years of lag with....... MORE LAG."
    Stumpyeob on the 10th Anniversary Fireworks.

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    EA Agrees to Pay $860 Million
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    Posted on Thursday, October 11, 2007, 3:03 PM EDT by Larisa (CommunityNews)

    EA Agrees to Pay $860 Million For Pandemic Studios, BioWare

    Electronic Arts Inc., seeking to bolster its lineup of action, adventure and role-playing games, reached an agreement with Silicon Valley private equity firm Elevation Partners to acquire VG Holdings Corp., the parent company of game makers BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios, in an $860 million deal.

    Read the rest of the article Here

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Looking for a few good pens!
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    Posted on Thursday, October 11, 2007, 11:32 AM EDT by Mapper (Europa)

    It's that time again, Europa News Team is in need of some help! The application is far more simpler so for those who have perhaps tried in the past, Try again!

    This is not the only improvement being made to the Europa News Team. A new weekly feature isn't far away along with updates to Establishments well over due.


    Are your shoes worn thin from traveling from town to town? Is your voice hoarse and sore from speaking with citizens across Britannia? Have a knack for putting pen to paper and writing an excellent story? Then perhaps UO Stratics' Europa News Page is the place where you can not only show off your talent but also help bring the community together with interesting, exciting stories and news items about the Europa Shard and her citizens.

    UO Stratics is currently looking for active, talented citizens of Europa to add to our crack team of top-notch Ultima Online reporters.

    As a volunteer you are required to:

    * Be a competent writer
    * Be an active, knowledgeable member of the Europa community
    * Be willing to attend events and quests, interview VIPs, report news of interest to the community
    * Be able to dedicate a minimum of six hours per week to writing and/or posting news items
    * Have a familiarity with basic HTML
    * Be pro-active


    Does the above describe you? Then what are you waiting for??? Apply... right now... do not hesitate! Simply fill out this brief questionnaire and fire off an e-mail to [email protected] with "Europa Reporter Application" as the subject.

    1. Real name
    2. Contact e-mail address
    3. ICQ, AIM, MSN number (if applicable)
    4. Stratics username and character name (this must be the character name you will be reporting with)
    5. Rate your HTML knowledge from 1-10, where 1 is poor and 10 is phenomenal
    6. Answer this: Why do you wish to be a shard reporter for UO Stratics?
    7. Include a brief writing sample, no more than 500 words (no attachments)
    8. Any questions???


    Good luck to all applicants!

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Three on Thursday - 11th October
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    Posted on Thursday, October 11, 2007, 3:29 AM EDT by Cymoril (Oceania)
    Three on Thursday

    Three on Thursday

    Welcome again to Three on Thursday, where we feature three screenshots from Oceania from the week. Submissions welcome by email for next week's edition, but remember it's UO screenshots we're after, so whoever sent me that very odd picture this week, please understand why I didn't include it *grins*. Also, the ideal size for any pics you send is 500x300 pixels.


    ~ A failed conversation starter at Luna bank ~


    ~ Lady Ayano killing the majestic shadow wyrm in Destard ~


    ~ Scavengers huddle as someone offloads some gear onto the bank floor ~



    UO Oceania News Reporter

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Relearning Ultima Online - "Alice through the looking glass"
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 10:59 PM EDT by Sebrina (Chesapeake)



          While peering into a particular Magical Mirror tonight, I saw two visions of myself and our World of Sosaria. I found myself ill at ease the moment I stepped through the mirror which stood ominously before me. The world was so very familiar, yet quite distorted to my usually keen vision. There seemed to be a foggy haze over the world and I was quite distraught at my own cumbersome footsteps.

          Even I, the studius Mage, the devoted Scholar and Lore Keeper, was taken aback at the transformation which had occured. As I looked back into the mirror, I saw that my own grey hair, well earned from pursuits in the Archain Arts, had turned a golden blonde. My dress of pure white, which I had aspired to attire when the Virtues found me with the reputation of Dread Lady, had changed to a silver color. My own demeanor seemed as though I'd just had a stroll on the beach on my casual way to the library. This was not me!

          I jumped back, squinted at the mirror again, and then at my surroundings once more.

          I found that things worked quite differently in this world as well. Even openning my pouch of herbs and reagents was extremely difficult without a great deal of determination. After rummaging through my pack, as if under a Fumble spell, I finally found a special runebook which would take me to the King's Telescope. There, at the Observatory, mine own sight might be clear.

          I remember the intricate clock-works of Julia, on that masterpiece, with it runes and astounding precision, to chart the movements of the orbs in the sky.

          Once again, I recoiled at the strange sensation of using a simple Recall spell in this world. Then, "Ahh, there was Selcius the Royal Astronomer, my old friend, who had confided with me many a starry night. We exchanged a nod as he pointed to the Telescope. Grimmly, I observed the lack of runes and markings as I stepped up to the eyepiece to look where he directed.

          Within seconds, I saw it. The moons of Felucca, and Trammel were both in the constellation of Chaos. Turning from the Great Telescope, I found myself walking back through that strange mirror, by which I had stepped into that other world, and awakened from my dream.

    *Back to Life! Back to Reality!*

          That was my first experience, (or the way of a dream,) with Kingdom Reborn. Well at least there were no strange polygon forms as in the previous 3D. I have weeds in my front yard, the look of the bright city is now dingy along with my dress, and (I am not a blonde beach-babe.) Runebooks in the backpack are near indistiguishable. (I carry 10 specifically dyed.) One might as well forget about special dye-tubs.

          These of couse are first impressions, and this is Old News for those who have experienced KR.

          In spite of my rantings and the editorial liberties I'm taking here, the real crux comes down to (relearning a system,) which was/is quite functional. After years of playing, one will find that resetting macros may not be as simple as it sounds. Yes, UO Assist will not function in that world. Through reading the UOKR Online (pdf) Manual, I am totally having to rediscover myself. I won't be going into battle again for several days at least until that process is complete and I can access my spells and weapons with impunity.

          And yet, there is a rustic feel to this new client which seems to make the world more ominous and mysterious. Of course gamers are some of the best at adaptation to new realms and their operations, so despite my initial impressions, I shall dive on in. After all, I did get a new Vid card for it.

          I'll just have to use the 2D client for important things at the moment until I really learn to walk again in a world of motled colors and forms. Ahh, relearning is so exhillarating!


    Please visit the discussions to participate in an Opinion Poll.
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Stratics Is Looking For YOU!
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 8:31 AM EDT by Joshua Rowan (NetworkNews)
    Interested in joining the Stratics Network Team? Then read on!

    Did you know that Stratics is staffed completely and totally by volunteers? Yup. That's correct. Everything we do here is voluntary and without pay. Many times we hear complaints about how things aren't up to date or things need to be changed.

    Did you know that YOU could help these changes to come about? That's right. You can. Volunteer some of your time each day or week to bettering the site you love and want to continue using for years to come.

    Stratics covers many games, some you may know, some you may not know. Perhaps you're looking to work on a game we are not covering yet. You can do that too.

    Each month we will be posting this help wanted information with the positions needed most for various games and their requirements. Some games have very specific requirements, others don't. If you don't see your game listed but would like to contribute and be on staff to do regular work, go ahead and submit an application and tell us what game and why you wish to help.

    CONTENT EDITORS

    Content Editors are being sought for the following games: Everquest II, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Star Wars Galaxies, Tabula Rasa and World of Warcraft. Lineage II also seeks specialized content editors (See below).

    Content editors should be able to make sure that content sections remain up to date, create new content and be willing to complete assigned tasks in a timely manner. They should also have the following abilities:
    -A decent knowledge of HTML
    -Good grasp of ingame concepts and ideas
    -Able to work independently to gather sources to update or create data
    -A love for writing and the ability to convey instructions in an easy to understand manner.

    Lineage II seeks the following Specialized content editor/writer positions:

    Content Editor - Section Maintenance

    Section Maintenance is there to make sure our various sections remain up to date (Like PvP, 7 signs, FAQs, etc.) and to help make new sections.

    - Have good knowledge of HTML
    - Good grasp of ingame concepts
    - Able to work independantly to gather sources for updated data

    Lore Specialist

    As a lore specialist you would be assisting Stratics on various currently unannounced projects to make sure every bit of Lineage II Lore is exposed.

    - Have a passion for ingame lore
    - Have patience to dig through quests and npc dialogue piecing together the lore

    Feature writers/columnists

    As a feature writer or columnists you would be writing features or columns about your favorite subjects or chosen subjects, these would then be put up on Stratics.

    - Have a good grasp of the english language
    - Passionate for writing

    Graphics Artist

    Its no secret that Stratics is probably the least graphical of all site (but we more than make up for that in content), we want that to change and thats why we need you. Your job would be to make graphics for various old and new sections (such as banners, logo's, images, etc), you would also act as a graphical adviser for us.

    - Have an excellent grapsp of image editing, banner making, logo's, etc.
    - Be creative, independant and able to work on graphics with little or no input.

    Translator - Korean

    With all the latests developments happening in Korea we need someone who is able to translate korean to english (no babblefish doesn't count ).

    - Able to translate korean to english
    - Optionally have access to the korean servers

    WOW Stratics is also specifically seeking content editors that would focus on instance and quest guides.

    NEWS REPORTERS


    News reporters are being sought for the following games: Everquest II, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Star Wars Galaxies, Tabula Rasa and World of Warcraft. Star Wars Galaxies is looking for galaxy specific reporters as well to report on events going on on their galaxy.

    News reporters should be able to make sure that news remain up to date, by posting official news, going out and gathering interviews, or posting links and summaries to interesting dev posts that they discover while viewing the official sites and forums. They should also have the following abilities:
    -A decent knowledge of HTML
    -Good grasp of ingame concepts and ideas
    -Able to work as a team with fellow reporters
    -Knowledge of where to find official news and forums
    -A good grasp of the English language, including grammar and spelling.

    FORUM MODERATORS


    Forum moderators are needed for both Ultima Online and Tabula Rasa. Ultima Online is looking for moderators especially to moderate Spiels and Rants as well as U.Hall Off Topic Forums.

    Moderators should have a good idea of the Stratics ROC, should not have caused problems in the past on Stratics, and do not allow the petty attacks by people who do break rules to get under their skin.

    To apply for any of these positions email the appropriate game party listed below:

    Everquest II: http://www.stratics.com/php-bin/cron/siteapp.php?inst=eq2

    Lineage II: http://www.stratics.com/php-bin/cron/siteapp.php?inst=lineage2

    Pirates of the Burning Sea: http://www.stratics.com/php-bin/cron/siteapp.php?inst=potbs

    Star Wars Galaxies: http://www.stratics.com/php-bin/cron/siteapp.php?inst=swg

    Tabula Rasa: Email info found in the normal apps above directly to [email protected]

    Ultima Online: [email protected]

    Other: Just fill out application and leave area blank or select another game you have interest in. We look forward to working with you to make Stratics better.

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Luck Hour, IDOC and Fashion Fizzle
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 7:28 AM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
    Luck Hour, IDOC and Fashion Fizzle


    For the readers that have been around a long time they will remember the much loved ( or hated ) power hour.
    I myself looked forward to power hour each day and the extra jump start it gave me on developing new characters.

    In tribute or memory of power hour ( in my own mind ) I have created a luck hour each day hitting the public UO Statue at the FCB vendor guild house and head out to hunt. I must admit I have never had much trust or faith in luck but I am giving it a try.

    Last week I listed the artis I had gotten at that time in hopes of getting the statue. My arti list has doubled since that last post and I have all of them ( many with two and three dupilcates ) but still NO statue. On the boards some tout sitxy artis and more already, they must be hunt crazed.




    A huge fan of Chests of Dooms and Delights held at the castle owned by MOA on mondays nights along with other games is always a high priority but I was in my luck hour. Before I knew it my luck had run out and I arrived half way thru the event just in time to see Vanna die, as she does so well.



    With game night over I was getting ready to change characters, hit the luck statue and hunt in hopes of getting a luck statue, when a pigeon came from Fleet Captain Gem of FCB informing me of a IDOC.

    It has been a very long time since I camped a IDOC and it was warming to see they are still active and going strong. The usual was going on at this IDOC with people telling jokes, acting up, casting spells, exchanging game information and sheer boredom at times waiting .... waiting for the walls to come tumbling down.





    Lord Tiggermcat, SHUGA BEAR, Gem, Tunna, Katie, Oreo, Lexia, GROG, ALLAN, Terryn, Tait and Lone Wolf were a few hanging about while I was there.

    Three parrots were soon to be homeless. Polly 105 weeks, Hulks 96 weeks and a poor nameless parrot also 96 weeks old. The crowd seem to having bird stew on thier minds, so sad.





    I never found out what happened to these fine feathered friends but I returned the next day, the house was gone and not replaced. It is a nice mining location.



    Aside from the UO Statue ( which I still have not gotten ) the other item I was interested in were the sollerets which I did get. Not a big fan of this stiff looking armor set I could not pass up a new footwear possibility in the realm.
    Rumor has it the pilgrim buckle is back in Paris this Fall but these sollerets are just ugly to me. I do plan to make them work in some form of outfit but I feel this is a true challenge. They may look better on a male character. They do not work with my Victoria's Secret look that is for sure !



    OH THE SUFFERING AND PAIN OF BAD FOOT FASHION


















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    Rockem Sockem Says Farewell!
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 1:23 AM EDT by Piotr (LegendsAOL)


    Rockem Sockem Says Farewell!

    When Rockem Sockem posted on the Legends Forum that he would be at Castle British last night to bid his farewell to Legends I knew I had to go see him.




    Rockem was a great player and although there were many great players on Legends, Rockem stood out. He was held in the highest regard by the players because of his desire and determination to build the True Britannians into a commanding faction. He was truly devoted to this quest and at this he did succeed. During factions golden age, there were disappointments and there were great victories and this was a terrific time to be on Legends.

    At his farewell reception tonight he passed a book he wrote over to Sorcon to share with the shard.




    He passed mememtos out to the players who came to wish him well.

    He was great in his final words, humble and kind and he will always be remembered by us who shared the time with him in game.



    Best of everything to you on all your life's quests!

    Thena, former CoM, Minax, and True Brittanian


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    Atlantic Guild Competition: Prize purse 60 million Gold
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, 8:12 AM EDT by Ishtar (Atlantic)
    This is an almost a month long competition, starting next Sunday, October 14th and ending on November 17th.

    Prize:
    First prize 40 Million Gold
    Second prize 10 Million Gold by Smithy Strauss

    Bonus prize: 10 Million Gold



    Participants: Any guild or groups/alliance of guilds can participate

    What to do:

    1) Guild has to pick a guild town, other than West Brit Bank (Trammel) & Skara Brae (Tramme). This will be your guild base. Added later: Forgot about Luna - cannot pick that sandstone hell either.

    2) To register, the guild master has to contact me (by October 14th) and tell me the city they picked.

    3) Quite simply, the guild that is most successful at creating a community at that bank will be declared as winners. In case of a tie, the prize will be divided.

    FAQ

    - What does "successful at creating a community" mean?
    Ans. One of the things that would count is how busy the place has become compared to before the event. However, I will count things other than mere bodies. So creativeness and organization will also be a factor besides guild size. Remember: people from outside your guilds count too. I will be checking in at various times along with secret judges.

    - Who is sponsoring the event?
    Ans. The event is sponsored by [Treasure Trove] Mall (35M gold) and Columbus Atlantic Player Event Fund (15M gold - large grant).

    - What is the deadline to register?
    Ans. The deadline to register is next Sunday - October 14th.

    - Will we get a list of guilds participating?
    Ans. Yes a list of guilds and their town picks will be made available at start of the event. The event will be canceled if participation is lacking.

    - What if more than one guild/alliance picks the same town?
    Ans. Towns are first come - first serve at this point. This rule can be changed if needed.

    - How will the prize money be given out in case of an alliance?
    Ans. Distributed amongst all the guilds in the alliance.

    - How do you win the bonus prize?
    Ans. The winning guild will have a chance to win the bonus prize which will be given out a month after the end of the event. In order to win the prize, they have to maintain the standard they set during the event.

    Make sure you contact Tomas Bryce to see what cities are available!

    [Treasure Trove] Mall [Atlantic] - ICQ 43848609.

    Thanks Tomas! I'll try and get more information out as I get it as well. I hope I can cover this even when it goes down!

    -Ishtar-
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    MOA: Monday Night @ the Castle
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    Posted on Monday, October 8, 2007, 7:30 PM EDT by Zynia (GreatLakes)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<Autumn rocks the house @ MOA’s Chests of D&D!

    The benches were getting crowded tonight at Chests of Doom and Delight, and tons of prizes to swap for already! Vanna White was already getting a workout, in dying twice already. Some prizes so far, were a ferret imprisoned in a crystal that seemed to be getting around quite a bit, a clothing bless deed, axe of the heavens, a tattered wall map, and a gold skull for a free boat ride to the Gauntlet!

    If you are not familiar with how The Chests of Doom & Delight works, they offer a written manual on the front counter at the castle. It’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Even I figured it out!



    The crowd was full of familiar faces, including many of the Dark Realm, even Destiny made an appearance, as well as Disconnect, The Fat Kid, and Hemp.



    Mist and Rachel of the Chicken Fight Club were hanging out low in the back, and even Mist was being pretty quite tonight, she’s usually the trivia queen! Saving the best for last are we Mist? Hehe! Don’t forget about the CFC on Saturday nights at 8:30 PM EST!



    Nip was hanging out behind the counter as usual, although Tuck was certainly missing in action tonight. Was a good thing, a player mentioned something dreadfully aweful about Nip.



    Another great night from the folks at Majestic Oaks! Don’t forget about the auction, Wednesday and Thursday nights starting at 9:00 PM EST! See you there :}
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Community Hunt - Week of October 8th
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    Posted on Monday, October 8, 2007, 6:50 PM EDT by Lady Tia (LakeSuperior)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<


    Want to go hunting but don't have a big enough group? Are you looking for good guides to dungeons you've yet to explore?

    The community hunts are open to everyone! Come show your support for the Lake Superior community and take a walk on the wild side at the same time. Meet some new and old friends and have a bit of a challenge along the way.


    Treasure-Hunting Expedition
    Date: Tuesday, October 9
    Time: 8:00PM CST
    Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
    Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

    Peerless Hunt (Mondain's Legacy Required)
    Date: Wednesday, October 10
    Time: 8:00PM CST
    Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
    Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

    Despise Dungeon Crawl
    Date: Thursday, October 11
    Time: 8:00PM CST
    Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
    Host: Taeara Mi'Aken

    Ilshenar Champ Spawn Hunt
    Date: Friday, October 12
    Time: 9:00PM CST
    Starting Location: Skara Brae Community Center - located next to the bank
    Hosts: Taeara Mi'aken


    And remember, these hunts are for everyone, regardless of their skill level or guild affiliation. Come meet new friends, see new places, gain experience and just have fun.


    Sabina Nikolai,
    High Marshall, Community Hunt Organizer
    The Order of the Silver Rose
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    Introducing Our Newest LS Reporter!
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    Posted on Monday, October 8, 2007, 5:41 PM EDT by AirmidCecht (LakeSuperior)
    I Am Pleased to Introduce You All to Lady Tia, Our Newest Shard News Reporter!



    Many of you may already know Lady Tia and I am pleased to inform you all that she has graciously agreed to take on the community role of shard news reporter for Lake Superior. Please give her a gracious welcome and howdy ho! We are working on the power of three *hints* but for now we both intend to work hard at bringing you interesting stories and updates on shard events.

    Please feel free to contact either of us at [email protected] with any news you would like to inform the community of.

    Thank you Lady Tia!

    Hugs,
    Airmid
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    The Virtue Armor - an Interview with Lord Fontane
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    Posted on Monday, October 8, 2007, 8:48 AM EDT by AirmidCecht (LakeSuperior)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<The New Virtue Armor Set - an Interview with Lord Fontane

    While rummaging thru my bank box one eve, I was approached by an old and dear friend that I had not seen in some time in the town of Vesper. I was deep in thought with all the chaos going on as citizens were talking about new rare artifacts being found in the corpses of monsters. It is always hard for a mage to decide which spellbook would be of most assistance.


    "Greetings, Lady Airmid," Fontane said with a broad smile as he came upon me at the bank. He looked radiant in armor I have not seen in all my days in Lake Superior. "I heard I might find you here and have come to offer my assistance in your adventures if you will have me."

    "Hello m'lord Fontane!" I wanted to embrace him but felt I might get remnants of sulphurous ash on his sleeve. "It is great to see you," I said with a smile to match his. "I was just looking inside my bank box and trying to decide which dungeon to attend to. I would welcome your assistance as always and trust you could guide me with the best of care. What would you suggest?"

    Fontane suggested that the liches in Covetous were quite ornery this eve and where he intended to battle should he not have found me. I opened a gate to the entrance and we were off to our adventure. I was quite taken aback at how easily the liches would fall under Fontane's hand and that he took little damage as the spells seemed to bounce of his armor. Not wanting to distract him from his task, I decided to wait until later to question him more and chose to observe him as his warrior cries rounded the attention of every liche in range. Finally I could not hold my curiosity in any longer. "What is this armor you are wearing Fontane?" I asked. "It is simply brilliant looking and seems to protect you well."



    "It is the virtue armor set that I have long awaited as a warrior in these lands," he replied. "Come and let us return to my home for a visit and I will tell you all about it."
    The reporter in me came to attention and I checked my apron to make sure I had some paper to record his thoughts. With that we were off to his castle where he stoked a fire and poured me a glass of wine to relax. "Fontane, would you mind if I interview you and share it with the citizens of Lake Superior?"



    With his nod of approval I took a seat by the fire and began my series of questions.

    "Well first of all," I started off asking him, "even though I know you well could you share how long you have been in Sosaria?"
    He replied, "I have had the pleasure of living, playing and dieing just over 7 years now at 85 months." We both laughed at this very true statement. Sometimes it is a pleasure to be defeated in battle only to find life and seek retribution.

    Getting to the main point I asked, "I couldn't help but notice this eve the armor that you are wearing and what brings us to this interview. Where and how did you acquire it?"
    "It is magnificent isn't it?" he said in appreciation. "I've been rewarded with various pieces from time to time by fighting and defeating the foul beasts and monsters that reside in the anti- virtue dungeons of Sosaria."

    At this point I was bold enough to tap at his armor and noticed the color change when he removed his helm. "Have you found the armor to be of help to you?"

    "Indeed I have. Until I had acquired all eight pieces of the virtue armor, I had never owned an all 70's resist suit. Now I have a suit of armor that compliments my warrior skills as well as my weapons. All in all I believe that I present myself as quite the formidable opponent for the evils that abound throughout the land."

    "What about the cloak of humility? Is this also required to complete your armor set?"

    "The cloak of humility is but one piece of eight that composes the complete set of virtue armor and is obtained by completing a separate quest. It was introduced earlier than the other pieces but is an integral part of the set and can not be obtained by battling the dungeon evils," he confirmed.

    Curious how to maintain the brilliant color of a complete set I questioned," Is the quest difficult? What did you need to do?"

    Fontane warned of making the right choices, "Yes, it can be difficult if the right decisions are not made during the quest. You will need to seek out the one who will grant the quest by the name of Gareth in Magincia and then visit various citizens of Britannia and perform various tasks they ask of you in order to complete the quest. In the end your decisions will determine your success."

    I have known Fontane for some time and had always wanted to know of his virtuous path. "Of all the virtues in each piece of armor which do you follow most closely?"

    Leaning against the side wall of the fireplace, he reflected for a moment before answering. "It's not easy to single out one as a favorite when the eight combined form the whole. If I were to voice my thoughts on just one, I would choose the virtue of Honor. Honor is a keen sense of what is just, right and true with course of life correspondent there to, a strict conformity to the duty imposed by conscience, position, or privilege. In all of my endeavors I will always strive to bring the proper esteem to this one glorious virtue."

    Pleased with this answer I continued, "So in the 7 years you have resided in Sosaria, you have seen many things change while other things stay the same. I am sure it is that honor you speak of which has carried you through much of what you have experienced. Is there anything you would like to share with others who are pursuing the virtues that you feel would benefit them regardless of being young or veteran in these lands? In other words, is there any final thought you would like to share?"

    "Yes and it is this, the only thing consistent in life is change. In the world of Sosaria it is the same. I bade you all to stand fast and weather change for it will always be but to never fear for there will always be wondrous and glorious challenges ahead. I for one will be there to meet them and I hope that you my friend are at my side."

    Assuring Fontane that it was my every intention, I set my paper down and we toasted to a long future for all citizens of Sosaria well beyond the recent anniversary of the lands. May you all find this information on the virtue armor set helpful and may good fortune bless you all in your endeavors.









    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Grashopa is back !
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    Posted on Monday, October 8, 2007, 7:12 AM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
    .






    You and I go way back. You recently returned to UO. When and why did you leave? Give us a brief history.
    I was having some family Issues, so I took a leave of absence for about 2 years. I got an email about Halloween so i did the free week and decided to come back.

    Grashopa is always a character of yours. What was the inspiration in naming a character this?
    When I joined the Airforce I got stationed in Louisiana. I am of Korean decent and not many Asians are around here. Some of the guys started calling me Grashopa. and the name stuck.



    I ran into you in a dungeon the other day. In the recent past I have chronicled by arti drop adventures and misadventures. What has your experience been so far with the new arti drop?
    Wow. For 4 days I got nothing from the dungeon drops. Last night I got my world map at 9:12pm and a UO Statue at about 2:30am. I am still disappointed that I only have 2 items when I see vendors with over 20 items for sale. But at least I do have a couple items.

    Grashopa is a member of K-P, Knights of Peace. Tell us a little about this guild and why you are a member.
    K-P is a guild that my friend made about 5 years ago. Really it is just for him and his family, but over the years of UO knowing him I guess I am part of his family. Not many members in K-P.

    I understand you have a character in one of my favorite Great Lakes Guild, FCB. What is the name of that character and what do you like the most about FCB?
    FCB has been great. They help all the worlds warriors to do fish net tosses. tons of vendors and free items. Plus now they are offering there UO Statue luck rub off to the public. My name is Inago in the guild and Inago means Grasshopper in Japanese.

    Has much changed in UO since you left and how many of your old friends are still in the realm ?
    There are sooooooo many new items in the game. not so much game play but tons of new items, and lots of reward items.

    Share with us one of your favorite all time UO memories.
    LOL. good question. My favorite all time UO memory has to be when I first started and knew nothing about UO. I was killing bulls for leather and it took me like 6 hits to kill one. when out of no where a Giant 18 foot troll came out of the tree line and began to demolish me and then loot me. I was devisated because I didnt know I could die lol.

    What are your feelings on Kingdom Reborn?
    I downloaded KR played it for about 10 minutes. I,m Old School. I like 2d so much better.

    On an average how many hours a week do you play UO?
    It used to be alll day long. now it is maybe 4 hours or less a day due to a new job.

    What other hobbies or past times do you have?
    Ahh. HALO 3, watching Movies...... and I'm about to go watch Knocked Up on DVD tonight. I also like long walks on the beach and candle lite dinners ohh and kittens. lol

    What was the last book you read ?
    New Employee Training - net program participant guide BEST BUY

    What was the last movie you saw?
    Resident Evil Extinction

    What is your favorite junk or snack food?
    I keep a box of Zingers in a drawer that I get every once in a while when I'm on the PC.

    Do you listen to music or multitask while you play UO?
    I usually leave the TV on Cartoon Network While I'm playing so I don't miss the new Grim adventures of Billy and Mandy

    What is your motto?
    It goes with HALO 3 "Boom Shed Hot" gotta love the sniper games.

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    Sosaria, the History, the Legend, and the Myth
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    Posted on Monday, October 8, 2007, 6:52 AM EDT by Watchertoo (CommunityNews)

    Part 27

    The gray-hooded man sat quietly in the shadows. Business had been poor of late, information brokering was not paying the bills. Perhaps he should think of joining the blackrock miners, they seemed to still be faring well. He leaned his chair back against the wall and closed his eyes. Years of practice had honed his skills to listen to many conversations at once. A most valuable ability in his line of work and one he hoped would bring him some gold this day. The news of the orc activity was only mildly interesting but the fact that they had taken a young mage hostage did intrigue him a bit. He had heard talk from other profiteers speculating as to the reason the orcs had taken the girl and the fact that there must be profit to be made. He had almost felt sorry for the girl's future fate as the talk did not bode well for her.

    What was her name? He focused all his concentration on that one conversation but could only make out part of the name. So great was his concentration that he almost missed the young man sitting with the local “good time” group at the table across the room.

    “You are sure you have not heard of the where abouts or seen the elf Watcher? Maybe one of her daughters Aranel or Susie?” Aranel, that was the name of the mage taken and held by the orcs. The gray-hooded man’s heart began to beat faster. This was going to be a fine day, he could feel it. He eased his chair back to the floor and strolled over to the table.

    As he approached he saw the young mans face and froze. It was the boy that had been with that story teller in Buc’s Den. The one who so unwisely let it escape that she knew the Armageddon spell, but why would he be looking for the Aranel and who is Watcher. He pushed his way to the table, not waiting to be invited to join them and with nothing more than a well chosen look, sent most scurrying off to do chores, or eat dinner, or any number of hastily made up excuses.

    “Well, boy, I understand you are looking for someone. Finding people and information is my business.” He paused for a moment as if contemplating a recollection. “You are the young man, who had been escorting the story teller, aren’t you?” The smile was as insincere as the pleasantries.

    Jacob was wary, but also willing to risk a lot to help Tiera find her family. “Yes, my name is Jacob and I was with Tiera in Buc’s Den.” He waited for the gray-hooded man to make the next move.

    “Aye, I remember you. I understand you are looking for, now who were they, Watcher and someone named Aranel.” Gray Hood decided to take a chance. “Family to you are they?” The look in Jacob’s eyes confirmed he was indeed on the right track but also warned him that the young man was not going to give up information easily. “Bah, it is not necessary to tell me anything, it is time to eat.”

    With that Gray Hood ordered up some fine meats, cheese, bread and a large quantity of ale. He also paid the tavern girl to make sure the food was slow in coming. “Here lad, drink up.” He poured Jacob a large mug of ale. “You have traveled a long way and a warrior needs to refresh his spirit with drink and good times.”

    The tavern was warm and comforting and after a bit of ale, Jacob decided there would be no harm in letting Gray Hood know more. “Watcher is Tiera’s mother and Aranel is her sister, of sorts. I am trying to find them and bring them together.”

    “A noble cause indeed young man, but what brought them to be separated?” Gray Hood reached over and filled Jacob’s mug over the lad’s feeble protest.

    “Tiera and I were traveling to Brit …” Jacob hadn’t lost all his sense, not yet at least and he caught himself before revealing the truth. “…Tiera was to start school there this fall but we were shipwrecked and it has taken us some time to return to the mainland. Now we have word that Watcher is searching for Tiera, drawn from her Moonglow home with the worry for her daughter’s safety. I am hoping that Watcher has found Tiera’s sisters here on the mainland and that I, in turn can find them.”

    Gray Hood was impressed; the young man had managed a rather large and surprisingly coherent answer to his question for being influenced by the ale. “So all of you are well then? I thought it was an emergency of health or something serious that brought you to be looking so valiantly for this Watcher.”

    Jacob mumbled, he thought to himself, but the ale made his voice a bit louder than he realized. “If Aranel and Tiera were to be captured, we all could have health emergencies.”

    “Lad, what is it you mean by that?” Gray Hood asked as he tried to fill Jacob’s mug yet again. This time, Jacob was having no part of it and pushed the mug to the floor with a splash and a dull-metal-hitting-wood sound. Gray Hood leaped to his feet to avoid the flying ale and started into a series of colorful expressions that Jacob only partially heard. It was more the tone of voice that caused him to confront Gray Hood.

    “It is only a bit of ale. Do not go on so,” Jacob attempted to stop the ongoing barrage of words but they flowed faster and more freely than the ale. It was on the third repeat of doubting Jacob’s intelligence and the reason’s for his actions that Jacob could stand no more. “The reason for much of my behavior and lack of focus it the fact that the fool Kronos is about to end our world.” Jacob hadn’t meant to blurt it out so directly, but it was done and all he could do was try to control the damage.

    Jacob took a deep breath and continued more quietly. “Aranel has the ability to cast Armageddon and we are worried that with Kronos nearing completion of a device to find massive amounts of blackrock, she is being targeted for a reason.” What he did not say was if ever the sisters were to be forced to cooperate, by what ever means, the results… Jacob refused to think of what may happen and looked to Gray Hood.

    Jacob was startled when he saw full comprehension in the mans eyes. “Lad, if what you say is true, those girls be in a lot of danger. More than the orcs are looking for the girl Aranel. Others feel that if the orcs wanted her bad enough to risk the wrath of the community, then there must be profit to be had and if the community begins to see her as a threat to their safety, they will want her secured away. She is marked as sure as if she were wanted for a crime. And, if all the truth be known about Tiera …” Gray Hood’s voice trailed off.

    Jacob was suddenly as sober as when he had entered the tavern. If Aranel were in this much danger, if the truth about Tiera were known too, she would be in equal danger. Jacob grabbed up his cloak and sword and started for the door, mildly surprised that Gray Hood was following but not trying to stop him and completely oblivious the the fact that Gray Hood new all the truth now.

    Part 28

    Tiera traveled through the Feluccan landscape without concern. Naivety was indeed a wondrous thing. Their companion had reached that conclusion after two days on the Britan side of the portal. Tiera did not seem to comprehend that any harm could come to her in this desolate land and he feared that she would soon learn a hard lesson.

    He watched with growing admiration as the slight young woman went about the business of surviving in the Feluccan wilderness. He had been surprised to see her skill with a sword and again so when he heard the first familiar sounds of a paladin spells. He had not realized she had any more than beginner mage skills and a healers way but now the fiery red-headed girl was indeed impressing him. He grinned as he wondered what her mother would think of Tiera’s hair; once long lovely blond locks now colored in one of the current trends of the young. Aw, the young, always having to have a bit of rebellion and he wondered if Watcher would scold her or break out in laughter. He dared not let his thoughts drift back to the girl’s mother. Too many years, too much history.

    For now Tiera was settled into camp for the night and he took his usual observation spot close by. He wished he could come into the circle of light of Tiera’s campfire and share a long conversation, maybe listen to some of the stories that he had missed for all these long years, but not now. Perhaps, not ever. For now it was enough to keep Watcher’s child safe and he settled himself for another long night of little sleep.

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    Sosarian Events for the Week! - Roll up and Enjoy!
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    Posted on Monday, October 8, 2007, 3:19 AM EDT by callum_fitzhugh (Europa)
    New Page 1
    Event Schedule: Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 07:00 pm
    (Time is in your local timezone)


     
    The 172nd edition of Europa Auction as always on Wednesday 20.00 CET

    A full listing of our items can be found at here.


    The Guardsmen Militia's 9th Anniversary celebrations will see a variety of traditional and entertaining events held for your enjoyment.
    Fantastic prizes and rewards will be up for grabs during the week.

    Events will generally run from 8pm (UK time) onwards and will be held in Yew, Stonekeep, Trammel, Europa.
    For more information, directions or simple queries please contact either;

    Bladius Dart on ICQ# 125 540430
    or
    Myself on ICQ# 195 710 197

    Anybody is welcome, regardless of alignment or relationship with Yew.


    - Guardsmen Militia Command

     


    The Trinsic Rose Tavern
    You enter the tavern and look around.
    Behind the bar someone looks up at you and smiles.
    This person gestures to you to sit down
    and asks you if you want something to drink.
    You name your drink and look around.
    In the corner a robed man sits with his glass of whine,
    on a soft note he speaks with a beautiful lady,
    that could easily be a noble princess.
    To your left a young couple in love is staring at eachother
    and to your right you can see elves talking in their own language,
    laughing and enjoying themselves.
    Surprised you look around some more
    and notice an orc and human young woman chatting
    about the size of their most prized gem....
    It be a wondrous place where everybody is welcome ...
    it is the Trinsic Rose Tavern !
    Open: Always
    Staffed on: Monday and Friday from 1900gmt till 2100gmt
    Extra: Wednesday Repair hour from 1900gmt till 2000gmt


    For further details contact the Events Organisers

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    Ghosts and News from the Elven Quarter - Written by Gwen Irima
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    Posted on Monday, October 8, 2007, 3:11 AM EDT by callum_fitzhugh (Europa)
    New Page 1
    07-10-2007 / mar 35, 364

    With an annoyed movement Gwen kicked towards what she thought to be a pebble. Next she was jumping around on one foot, rubbing the sore toes that had kicked not at a pebble but at a stone that was anchored in the ground. Angrily she glared at it, setting her foot slowly down. Some animals that always were present in the Quarter watched her silently. Embarrassed now, Gwen hurried home, but still felt frustrated. As soon as she entered home, she felt a chill go down her spine which only added to her frustration. The ghost was still there. With a sigh she sat down behind her vanity, pulling out a new diary she had gotten herself and started writing.

    Why do people tell me not to worry while for the second day in a row my people and the Elven Quarter have received a threat against our existence? Have they forgotten about the fire that has nearly destroyed the Quarter and taken one life? When will they start to worry? When one of us is found dead or when another tree is burned down? Am I perhaps overreacting, because I remember all too well how it was to be surrounded by the flames before Alar pulled me out to safety? I could accept perhaps it was a bad joke after we found the first note, but now that a second note is found I do feel concern.

    Gwen sighed again, lifted her head to listen to the sounds outside, but she could not hear anything suspicious.

    Perhaps I should just blurt out why I know that Korith did not put that note there. But then again… as Stewan asked: Do I really know that? This is ridiculous. One must be a terrific actor if one can fake the look of concern that Korith had when he spoke of finding the first note. Even though the threat is made against elves only, his people would be targeted as well. Or at least next. Their ears are pointy like ours and they’re even disliked by most people that I know. Herenui, who is still upset about Kelirahcs bad joke, seems eager to point fingers at them, but I have a strong feeling she is wrong or at least pointing at the wrong ones. Hopefully Kelirahc will join me soon, I would hate to spend the night alone while these threats are made and this ghost is staying here at the Rose.

    Gwen shivered thinking about the ghost woman she had allowed to stay.

    There was a woman in Vesper called Noixiata. The name is not common. Perhaps she is related to the woman of which Anne the Ghost wrote in the Diary we found in the by the passing of time ruined home. I hope we can soon help this ghost to pass onto wherever humans go after they die, because her presence here makes me very uncomfortable. Seeing her and her fate puts a dread in my heart that not even the sweetest smile she gives me could soothen.

    Gwen Irima

    She closed her diary and put it safely away. For a long time one could hear soft footsteps and soft muttering as Gwen walked up and down the room until she was too tired to continue.

     

    Welcome to the Rebuilt Trinsic Rose Tavern.
    Please allow me to give you a little tour through the new building:
    (Promised to do so for those who are far away right now)



    Here you see an overview of the entirely newly grown and build Building.



    The ground floor of the Trinsic Rose Tavern has a small garden,
    Two rooms for renting out (one single and one double), a bathroom,
    a workshop for Draxandru Rose and a stables for those guests who
    bring their pets along when they visit the Tavern.



    The tavern floor is of course much much bigger then before.
    It holds the usual bar, but as you can see the kitchen has moved
    downstairs. There is a nice corner that Devante has renamed to
    the Snugglecorner, with pillows and comfortable benches,
    and there is the possibility to sit outside on a balcony.



    Hidden from view and only available to close friends of myself,
    is my home above the Tavern.
    I am sure this needs no further explanation.

    Gwen Irima



    The Trinsic Rose reopens its doors on Monday the first of October 2007
    on a new location in the Elven Quarter. The new Trinsic Rose can be
    found 2 buildings south of the former location (121o 6's, 32o 45'e)


    Special Thanks to Gwen Irima of the Elven Guild [E-V] who originally posted these news Items on www.f4g.net

     

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    Community Meet Up - Week 140
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    Posted on Sunday, October 7, 2007, 5:42 PM EDT by AirmidCecht (LakeSuperior)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<



    Community Meet Up - Week 140
    Date: Every Monday Night
    Time: 7:30PM CST
    Location: Skara Brae Community Center


    Meeting Agenda:
    We'll hear weekly announcements of upcoming events and hunts for Lake Superior from Sabina our events coordinator.


    The weekly community meetings, events, hunts, etc are always open to the public. No invitations needed!
    Everyone is always welcome to come ask questions, make plans, or make announcements.

    Bring a friend if you can make it, tell a friend if you can't!
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    216th Assembly of the 7th High Council
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    Posted on Sunday, October 7, 2007, 5:33 PM EDT by AirmidCecht (LakeSuperior)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<216th Assembly of the 7th High Council

    Date: Monday, October 8, 2007
    Time: 10:00 PM EDT/9:00 PM CDT
    Location: Magincia Parliament Buildings, Trammel Facet

    Meeting Agenda:

    Items to be announced at the meeting.

    Lord Buzz Aldridge
    Chancellor of Virtue,
    High Council of Britannia

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    ~ OBITUARY COLUMN ~ 10 / 7 / 07
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    Posted on Sunday, October 7, 2007, 9:32 AM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
    .




    OBIT COLUMN ~ 10 / 7 / 07





    Aj




    Alucard and Sully


    blanc De blanc




    Bones of Cheff many times over



    Chyna, Bella and Miss Delila


    Look hard and find Edda's dead head




    Kelly




    Raffaela Blubark






    tai hanu moon


    Twisted and Kelly






    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Five on Friday
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    Posted on Sunday, October 7, 2007, 5:28 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Five on Friday

    October 5, 2007

    "Why is Sudiva (the dragon from the Candle of Love event) still around?"
    She's grown quite fond of her lair, and no one has been able to persuade her to leave. Besides, she's taken an interest in the lives of the crunchy little beings who sometimes visit her - you may see her get involved in future adventures.

    "The Helm from the Virtue Armor set is showing negative resists - what do I do?"
    There was an issue with the set bonus where it was getting removed incorrectly - and excessively - if the set was broken. We patched out a fix, but the only way for the fix to be applied to the armor is if it is either locked down in your house or in your bank box during a server reset. So take your helmet off next time you log out for the evening and stick it in your bank box - that should fix it.

    "Does being in party affect the 10th Anniversary Event artifact drop rate?"
    Actually being in a party does not affect the drops or the points given out out all. However, if multiple people are fighting the same creature - whether or not they're in a party - that does affect the rate of points given out.

    To get points, everyone must make the top attackers list. (The top attackers list is simply the top 16 damagers.) So you can't party up then let someone else do all the work, and still get credit.

    Next, points are scaled based on where you are on the top attackers list. The overall highest damager will get the same amount of points he would when soloing - everyone else will get increasingly smaller amounts, down to about 1/7 of the usual if there are more than 12 attackers on the list.

    So while fighting with two or three people could be much more efficient in terms of kills per hour, and therefore total points, having a full group may be less efficient for the people who tend to do less damage. On the other hand, if you want to take your crafter out to do some hunting, pair him up with a fighter and make sure he smacks each critter at least once, and he will get some credit for the kill.

    "What is the actual duration of Cursed Weapon?"
    The duration is your Spirit Speak skill (real skill, not counting jewelry) divided by 34, plus one. (actually, that's skill x 100 - so legendary is 1200 rather than 120. Makes the math cleaner :P) That works out to 30 seconds at GM, or about 36 seconds at Legendary.

    Kingdom Reborn Focus Group Status Update


    We had a tremendous response to the call for applications earlier this week - far more than we are able to accommodate. If you haven't gotten an invite yet, odds are there were just too many in line ahead of you. I expect that we may be increasing our numbers gradually as we get more and more designs and plans up for feedback, though, so we will likely be adding some more people out of that pool in the coming weeks.

    If you didn't get in, don't despair! We'll be posting public information too, as we run things by the focus group and as QA signs off on things. There will be plenty to talk about!

    Town Hall: Anaheim(ish)

    Our last Town Hall of the year is at Dave and Buster's in Orange, California, on October 13th. If you're in the area, please RSVP and come see what we're up to!

    Wondering what the Dark Knight Challenge is? Can't figure out what to do with that rune the mysterious dude gave you at the end of the tutorial in KR? Check out the new Dark Knight Challenge Guide for the scoop!

    Have a great weekend, everyone! - Jeremy

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Origin Celebrates UO 10th Anniversary With October Fest
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    Posted on Saturday, October 6, 2007, 10:27 PM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Origin Celebrates UO 10th Anniversary With October Fest

    oday was a great day on Origin for the whole shard and all who participated, beginning with a surprise Harrower and ending with a great Deal or No Deal game hosted by the Whispering Road Radio. This day was initiated by Lady Tiger who just wanted to do something good for the shard and ensure all could participate by having most of the events in Fel. It was a day for all players to put aside differences and just enjoy this wonderful place.

    The day began with a Harrower popped for the whole shard compliments of an old spawn group made up of friends from KORH and AV. Then the whole shard was notified to come and find it. First on the scene was D, good for D their quick reaction and fast on the scene job. D was followed by FL and of course a fight ensued.


    FL won the day and defeated the True Harrower. Congratulations FL! Now where is that vendor so I can come and buy some scrolls?

    The next event of the day was Origin’s first ever Jousting Tournament hosted in Fel so that all could participate, red and blue, friend and foe.

    The joust went on in spite of those who were intent on destroying the success of the tournament. Thankfully the event prevailed and all there had great fun, including those who were fighting outside to ensure the success of the joust. All had fun in Fel style. As one player put it, I died twice and killed once and had fun three times!

    The results of the joust were:

    • 1st Place Freeman Kasad (1 Million Gold and Engraved Luna Lance)
    • 2nd Place Frogger (500K Gold and Engraved Knife)
    • 3rd Place Sir Sitsaround (250K Gold and Engraved Luna Lance)
    A trophy Luna Lance will be placed on the steps of the AV Fel House and another at the Origin Assembly Hall. Well done to all who participated especially the mage and archer match!

    The day ended with Whispering Rose Radio hosting the UO style Deal or No Deal Game at their new Luna Mansion in the southeast corner. These people, Sandman, Vana and the evil banker Norman Bates (always interrupting with calls to his mother)gave Origin a wonderful time. What a wonderful gift to celebrate the tenth anniversary of UO, to come and be a part of our shard and bring events to Origin.

    Everyone had a great time, especially Fawn who was chosen to be the Deal or No Deal contestant.

    Many door prizes of 250K were given by random draw of books in between each Deal or No Deal set.

    Thanks Whispering Rose Radio for a fun end to a fun day!

    It is a good thing to see players rise above the internally generated politics of the game and just come out and have some fun doing events for all the shard.

    Happy tenth anniversary UO from Origin!

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    Someone Is Trying To Scare The People Of Great Lakes !
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    Posted on Saturday, October 6, 2007, 8:35 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
    .


    *Lady Lava trying to scare up some fun and spirits from her Evil Garden in Luna*



    Halloween is but a little more than three weeks away and things are looking rather creepy on Great Lakes.
    Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in) and many of the Great Lakes players enjoy decorating for this holiday in the realm.



    The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.


    *FCB Vendor House*


    In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.


    *FiFi LaForge's House*


    To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.


    *MOA Monday Night Event / Ice Castle*



    During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.


    *MOA library on third floor of auction house*


    By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.


    *Luna home of Sass*



    The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

    By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.



    If you have a house/plot dressed for this spooky holiday please send a screenshot my way.


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    The Skyfods Visit the Orcs! - Amazing Screenshots - by Ghazghull!
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    Posted on Saturday, October 6, 2007, 11:42 AM EDT by callum_fitzhugh (Europa)

    Skygudz kum tu gib blezzin tu da Orcz! Kill many 'oomiez dem say! Dem gut big tribuut. Hoowah!

     




    Every picture is worth a 1000 words - Originally Posted on www.uoforums.com in the Orcs Forum

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    Focus on Factions: Interview 2, Part 1, Danny of Great Lakes
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    Posted on Saturday, October 6, 2007, 6:39 AM EDT by Watchertoo (CommunityNews)

    Welcome to our ongoing series of interviews with faction players. We hope you enjoy exploring the world of factions. The interviews are an ever evolving "creature". Throughout the series, as new questions come to mind, or discussions bring up great responses, prior interviewees will be invited to return for follow-up responses.

    This weeks interview yielded more information than could be used in one post. Part two of the interview with Danny of Great Lakes will post at a later date.

    FOCUS ON FACTIONS: Interview 2, part 1
    Danny of Great Lakes

    Azlynn’s Whisper rode quietly through the Great Lake's Feluccan countryside. This was all so familiar yet different. She had just arrived hours before and had learned she had been granted an interview with a very important and knowledgeable faction leader; True Britannian’s own Commanding Lord, Danny. She reached the West Britain Bank and waited for his arrival.

    Suddenly Azlynn realized she was being watched by a warrior in gold. The warrior turned out to be Danny and he requested Azlynn recall off a certain rune in the book he placed on the ground. Curiousity and a certain amount of trust are naturally woven into a reporter's character and Azlynn quickly made use of the rune.

    The rune delivered her to Danny’s home and she was pleasantly impressed with what she saw.

    The first level of the home is designed to make one feel as if they are in the courtyard at Castle British; a most unique and lovely part of Danny’s home. After a few moments enjoying the lovely surroundings we moved up to the sigil room where a formal greeting took place. Again, Azlynn was impressed with the attention to detail and the interesting idea of making a home so like the thrown room/sigil room of Castle British

    Azlynn settled in and a lengthy conversation began.

    What is your UO name?

    Danny and Nonel Topd are my primary characters.

    How long have you played UO?

    A bit over 9 years, I believe.

    What do you consider your home shard?

    Great Lakes

    What keeps you playing UO?

    Factions, and stealing bandies. If you're with a good group of players, organized, out there having some fun fights where guard zones mean nothing...thats what it’s about.

    What do you think of the new templates, soul stones, etc.?

    I still think soul stones were a bad move...but I don't know what I'd do without them now. I generally dislike everything post-AoS. I think archers have become a joke. There was a time when you could take pride in being an archer in fel, with kills. Was a very hard template to play. Slow weapons, hard to hit with, you couldn't move at all after your shot or you'd miss your target completely. And dismounting? Worst idea they could have came up with. Dismounting somebody so you can have a 1v1 foot-fight with someone, fine. But doing it when you already outnumber the person is flat-out insulting.

    Have they helped or hurt?

    Overall its helped to keep some fan base in this game. As much as I hate the new skills, and elves, if it weren't for the changes I honestly believe this game would be dead. As much as a lot of us old-schoolers may have loved the pre-AoS, or pre-LBR, or pre-Ren days, I really believe the game never would have made it if it continued in that direction.

    What is your favorite type of character?

    That’s a hard one. Danny, a warrior, was my first ever combat template. Mages really grew on me, up until AoS. Though I don't think I have any more fun than on my thief. Even though there’s very few items out there worth stealing, I just get a kick out of nabbing someone’s bandies and taking off running with 6 people chasing after, with no combat skills or defensive skills, having to absorb every hit thrown at you. Its exciting.

    Do you consider yourself a PVP player?

    Without a doubt. Remember when people used to put in their profiles the date they solo'ed their first dragon? Once that became a joke, so did all of PvM in my opinion.

    What do you think of the new changes?

    I think the dev team realized something during ML. This wasn't Ultima anymore. You can tell they're striving hard to bring back the Ultima to Ultima Online. The concentration on virtues, Ultima lore, even the addition of gargoyles in the upcoming expansion, shows after 5 years they're finally ready to move forward again.

    Do you think faction play is exclusively PVP or is the room for other types of players?

    Oh, there is room for everybody. Obviously PvP and thief characters are very important. But other characters are great for support, too. For example, take your average t-hunter template...his already half-way to being in a great support role. Trap removers, detectives, tinkers, even tamers can all be very important. Nothing like a tamer to sit at an enemy monster spawn and farm thousands of silver for your tinker to make traps out of. Then of course, they're always there to rez your pet for you. It just stinks when you get dismounted and have a beetle attacking you, haha. Any mage, PvP'er or not, is very useful.

    How did you start playing Factions?

    I joined up the day it was released, just like thousands of other players. Been hooked ever since, even when it died for a couple years there.

    What faction do you belong to and why?

    True Brittanians. I was stuck between TB and SL, when the system first came out. TB because I liked the idea of fighting for Britannia, but SL just...caught my interest. TB's stone was just easier to find, and now I'll never join or help a different faction.

    What do you think killed factions?

    Age of Shadows really stirred a lot of trouble. Item insurance kind of took away the only true benefit to factions. There were a new breed of players joining since they rid themselves of the "M" rating, and took to a more pop fantasy role (elves). People no longer wanted to have to spend 20 minutes in stat loss after every death when they saw no real benefit to being a faction player. That, and there was a huge exodus from UO and fel particularly.

    What do you think we can do to revive factions on your shard?

    It's reviving itself. About a year and a half ago, it started picking up again. For a while I really thought factions would be full-blown again, but it soon dwindled down. But the fact is, finding a good fight in fel is getting harder and harder. Some guilds are starting to realize this and have decided they need to hop on this bandwagon and have some fun themselves. People will join, simply because an enemy of theirs is already in factions and they want to find them out on the field. If you really want to revive factions on any shard, just try to get a big name guild into it. Particularly one people hate. About a year ago a guild transferred over to Great Lakes and joined up. Soon after, we had a sudden influx of people who merely wanted to join to fight them off. A certain big-name guild joined TB recently, and already I've noticed a large influx of activity from a certain other big-name guild with faction ties.

    Azlynn thoroughly enjoyed her visit to Danny's home and the long conversation. She will be back to visit Great Lakes again soon, I suspect.

    Thanks for joining us as we explore factions. Check back often for more articles and part 2 of this interview with Danny of Great Lakes. Thank you Danny for a great interview, the tour of your marvelous home and all the advice/help you gave Azlynn.

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Friday Night's Fight Night @ the CFC
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    Posted on Friday, October 5, 2007, 9:33 PM EDT by Zynia (GreatLakes)
    >>> Malas News <<<CFC Fight Night Progresses

    I was sitting in the living room watching the 10th inning of the Yankee’s vs. Indian’s game tonight, as I looked at the clock, quickly to do an “OH CRAP!” and ran towards the computer, hoping the fights didn’t start until 9. To my surprise, I was just in time! This was my first time at CFC’s Fight Night; it was run very smoothly overall. I had a blast, cheering and being a wise girl.



    CFC’s Fight Night is divided into three classes; dexxer, archer, and mage. The winner of each class takes home a prize. There is also a battle royal at the end; winner takes home a prize as well. There is no entry fee with the battle royal, and no requirements. To enter the original fighting, there is a 30,000 gold entry fee, please register earlier before 9:00 PM EST to keep things running smoothly. If a fight extends after a three minute time period, staff will cast fields and throw potions into the ring until somebody dies. First one to bite the dust wins.

    A few rules to keep in mind while attending a CFC Fight Night:

    1 : No fighting in the stands. Save it for the ring ya’ll!
    2: No attacking the staff.
    3: No casting spells in the stands, except for travel spells.
    4: No pets or summons, save it for CFC! This includes familiars and revenants.
    5: Most importantly: NO WHINING!!!
    6: Please keep the chatter down, keep cursing to a minimum, meaning none.

    Ignoring the above rules will land you in a grassy plain just outside of the home. (I’d prefer sand, if I actually wore pants!)

    Moving on, there was a special Vanna White vs. Malikae (sp?) fight planned for tonight, but it came that Mal, didn’t show up! Maybe she was watching the Yankee’s game too! I offered to take her place, but Vanna had to run. Why won’t anybody naked wrestle Cracky? I play fair! Hehe

    Dexxers were up first tonight, SOMNUS vs. The Grinch. Some history about The Grinch, she rocked most of the fights she attended at the PET Fight Night. I was expecting great things from this player tonight, and I even placed a bid! Sadly, Grinch forgot to arm her weapon during the fight, and lost, fairly fast. Woops..



    Next up was Fat Guys Wife vs. Vamp. Some information on Vamp tonight, he was in complete violation of Rule #5, until the very end. The fight lasted over three minutes, and the fields went up, leaving Vamp, well. See for yourself..



    Vanna’s special match was to be up next, had her opponent shown. The glamorous show hostess also had a 150,000 gold trivia check to give away. But first, she had a few announcements for the crowd, including:

    Every Monday night at the MOA castle located on Ice Island in Trammel, they have a different event. At these events you can win gold and awesome prizes!! There’s Jeopardy Trivia with a Scavenger Hunt! Chests of Doom and Delight! The Majestic Casino with Roulette, Dice, Mondain’s Revenge and more! And of course, Let’s Make a Deal! Awesome prizes to win! All the fun starts at 9 PM EST on Monday October 8th, 2007. This Monday night is, Chests of Doom and Delight, be sure not to miss it! Vanna, also announced MOA’s Halloween event which will be on October 29th, 2007.

    But not limited to:



    Next dexxer fight, was Fat Guys Wife vs. draco. Including draco cheering “are you going to do something or just stand there and bleed” throughout the fight.



    By now, the Dexxer class fighting was over, Fat Guys Wife, the winner of his class. Congratulations Fat Guys Wife!



    We all thought it was over, anyhoo. The Grinch wanted a rematch, and chose Fat Guys Wife! Just as I expected, The Grinch gave Fat Guy a FDAU! Guess he didn’t forget to equip his kryss this time!



    No archers entered tonight, so they went straight for the mage class. Woohoo! My favorite! First up was Thanatos vs. Lord drow. Or as we all nicknamed him, “George Foreman Grill” because of how he bbq’s his opponents with his orange petals, protection, and flamestrikes. Surely quite the mix…



    Second up, was ReveRenD vs. Lord drow. By now, we’ve all learned his tactics, rely on orange petals, protection, and greater heal through dumps. It didn’t work too well once the staff’s poison fields and explosion potions filled the ring.



    But wait! There was another death in this match! The fields got to poor ReveRenD, thankfully not taking his winner title.



    Last but not least, the Battle Royal! Fat Guys Wife taking the cake in this category too. Good job Fat Guys Wife! Can’t wait too see what you come up with at the next fight. I hope you have a chicken to backup that assassin spike!



    Don’t forget the Chicken Fight Club tomorrow night at the same place at 9 PM EST. I’ve even heard they have a few of the new artifacts to give away. So get out of those dungeons, grab your favorite pet, and join them for some chicken (among many many other pets they do fight) fighting fun! (Let’s face it, you have more of a chance at winning one here than hunting all night with the drop rate!) So come on down!
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    HoC With the Developers of The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar 10/08/07
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    Posted on Friday, October 5, 2007, 8:33 PM EDT by Watchertoo (NetworkNews)

    We have received this from our Network News Staff at Stratics.com:

    Please join us on Monday, October 8, 2007, for a House of Commons with the developers of The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar at 5:00 PM Pacific / 8:00 PM Eastern in the #StraticsHoC channel on Stratics IRC.

    You can connect to one of our IRC servers through the use of your favorite IRC client or you can visit our Downloads section to choose a suitable client. Connect to irc.stratics.com port 6668 or whichever server is closest to you:

    • stratics.frws.com port 6668, USA - Colorado
    • stratics.afraidyet.net port 6668, USA - Dallas
    • irc.glowfish.de port 6668, EU - Germany
    • irc.gamers-irc.org port 6668, USA - Colorado
    • irc.us.glowfish.de port 6668, USA - St. Louis

    You may also connect through our handy Java link which may be found right here. You must have Java installed to use this which can be downloaded from the Java homepage.

    During the chat, we'll be discussing general topics with the developers, and general chat will be in our IRC channel #lotro before, during, and after the House of Commons.

    We hope to see you there!

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    FoF: Focus and Fairness
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    Posted on Friday, October 5, 2007, 5:16 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

    Posted to uoherald.com's Five on Friday:

    FoF: Focus and Fairness
    Jeremy Dalberg
    05 Oct 2007 20:51:20 EST

    "Why is Sudiva (the dragon from the Candle of Love event) still around?"

    She's grown quite fond of her lair, and no one has been able to persuade her to leave. Besides, she's taken an interest in the lives of the crunchy little beings who sometimes visit her - you may see her get involved in future adventures.

    "The Helm from the Virtue Armor set is showing negative resists - what do I do?"

    There was an issue with the set bonus where it was getting removed incorrectly - and excessively - if the set was broken. We patched out a fix, but the only way for the fix to be applied to the armor is if it is either locked down in your house or in your bank box during a server reset. So take your helmet off next time you log out for the evening and stick it in your bank box - that should fix it.

    "Does being in party affect the 10th Anniversary Event artifact drop rate?"

    Actually being in a party does not affect the drops or the points given out out all. However, if multiple people are fighting the same creature - whether or not they're in a party - that does affect the rate of points given out.

    To get points, everyone must make the top attackers list. (The top attackers list is simply the top 16 damagers.) So you can't party up then let someone else do all the work, and still get credit.

    Next, points are scaled based on where you are on the top attackers list. The overall highest damager will get the same amount of points he would when soloing - everyone else will get increasingly smaller amounts, down to about 1/7 of the usual if there are more than 12 attackers on the list.

    So while fighting with two or three people could be much more efficient in terms of kills per hour, and therefore total points, having a full group may be less efficient for the people who tend to do less damage. On the other hand, if you want to take your crafter out to do some hunting, pair him up with a fighter and make sure he smacks each critter at least once, and he will get some credit for the kill.

    "What is the actual duration of Cursed Weapon?"

    The duration is your Spirit Speak skill (real skill, not counting jewelry) divided by 34, plus one. (actually, that's skill x 100 - so legendary is 1200 rather than 120. Makes the math cleaner :P) That works out to 30 seconds at GM, or about 36 seconds at Legendary.

    Kingdom Reborn Focus Group Status Update

    We had a tremendous response to the call for applications earlier this week - far more than we are able to accomodate. If you haven't gotten an invite yet, odds are there were just too many in line ahead of you. I expect that we may be increasing our numbers gradually as we get more and more designs and plans up for feedback, though, so we will likely be adding some more people out of that pool in the coming weeks.

    If you didn't get in, don't despair! We'll be posting public information too, as we run things by the focus group and as QA signs off on things. There will be plenty to talk about!

    Town Hall: Anaheim(ish)

    Our last Town Hall of the year is at Dave and Buster's in Orange, California, on October 13th. If you're in the area, please RSVP and come see what we're up to!

    Wondering what the Dark Knight Challenge is? Can't figure out what to do with that rune the mysterious dude gave you at the end of the tutorial in KR? Check out the new Dark Knight Challenge Guide for the scoop!

    --

    Have a great weekend, everyone!

    Jeremy

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Spooky Postcard From Vanna
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    Posted on Friday, October 5, 2007, 6:56 AM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)



    Booooooo, Lava!




    I'm trying to scare you not heckle you! Hee hee! Just a spooky little note to tell you that this Monday, Oct 8th, it's our favorite game: Chests of Doom & Delight! The fun starts at 8pm Central time with gates at many Trammel banks. I'm about to head out for an extended shopping trip to find awesome prizes to put in those deadly boxes! So be sure to come and see the scarey decor at the Castle!


    Vanna White, Drop-Dead Gorgeous Game Show Hostess
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    Last Man Standing Tournament Results
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    Posted on Thursday, October 4, 2007, 11:07 AM EDT by AirmidCecht (LakeSuperior)
    >>> Trammel Facet News <<<Last Man Standing Tournament Results
    hosted by Galen of TEG

    The eve of Monday October 1st brought a challenge to those willing in a tournament of strength and might. It was held in the Jhelom fighting pits where spectators could view the fighting from above. As we stood on the bridge, we watched the arena below fill with men and woman of many skills. In this tournament pretty much anything goes from tamed animals to special armor skills. It was indeed something to behold!





    After Galen went through the rules and wishing everyone luck, we watched in excitement as the first clank of a sword hitting armor was heard. A massive rune beetle attacked blindly guided by its owner as it was directed at fighters.



    Pixies were summoned and had a crazed look of being controlled to do someone's bidding. Warrior outcries were heard as special armor forces were used against another.



    Slowly one warrior would fall after another in battle, being knocked to the ground and out of the tournament. Who would be the last man or woman standing that had it in them to endure more fighting?

    It would come down to two such warriors in Reepacheap and Kaylor McKairin, both running from each other then after each other in determination. Both skilled warriors would use every tactic until lastly Kaylor fell under Reepacheap's hand.



    Reepacheap was declared the winner for all and graciously accepted the prize money awarded. Not surprisely for anyone that knows him, Reeps distributed his winnings evenly among all fighters. This shows true integrity and strength of character and why many should believe is what wins battles.






    Many thanks be given to Lord Galen for his Last Man Standing Event for Lake Superior. We look forward to more such events!

    **I would like to thank Tink and Galen for sending in additional photos of this event**
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Three on Thursday - 4th October
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    Posted on Thursday, October 4, 2007, 5:43 AM EDT by Cymoril (Oceania)
    Three on Thursday

    Three on Thursday

    Welcome again to Three on Thursday. This week it's all action shots, and it was certainly easy to find some action around the Anti-Virtue Dungeons in both Trammel and Felucca. As usual, submissions welcome by email for next week's edition. Otherwise I may just photograph you anyway! Nowhere is safe (ok, maybe your private house is safe, but nowhere else, I swear)!


    ~ Fast and Deadly: Blackrock Infected Crystal Hydra ~


    ~ OPK. and PoC during their battle outside Shame, Felucca ~


    ~ Moot Mickey (on ostard) and MIKA arti-hunting in Shame ~



    UO Oceania News Reporter

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    There Is More Going On at Brit Bank Than Buying & Selling, Sitting and Drama
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 3, 2007, 8:52 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
    .

    There is more going on at Brit Bank than buying, selling, sitting and drama.


    There is begging !! Begging of the most creative type.




    He may not sing. He may not dance but Galmir the beggar can tell a wild twisted and highly amusing tale or two.

    Rather than just standing with his hand out Galmir is a working beggar willing to tell a story for a fee, a donation as it were.

    Lady June of SK ( Shadow Knights ) was more than happy tonight, as was Lord Drow, to listen to this humble beggar at the Brit Bank.
    Both were transfixed as Galmir spun the web of his tale, drawing them in closer and closer










    Role Play and Fan Fiction has a long history within UO as does the life of a beggar.

    Next time you see a beggar asking for a handout at the Brit Bank or any location in the realm make them work for the gold with a song, a dance, a story or tale.

    Keep story telling alive ! If your path crosses that of Galmir be sure, if time allows, to request a tale.....but be prepared to pay.


    [ Discuss This Article ]

    All Shards to be Published
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 3, 2007, 6:49 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    All Shards to be Published

    Jeremy Dalberg 02 Oct 2007 20:06:31 EST

    Origin was published with the following during this morning's maintenance:

    • You will get less credit towards the new dungeon drops if you are hidden when the monster you are fighting dies.
    • You will get no credit if you are more than 16 tiles away from the monster when it dies.
    • Fixed an issue where Virtue Armor set pieces could have negative resists once unequipped
    • Fixed a display issue with the Virtue Armor set self-repair bonus (it was displaying 20 self repair - however, self repair is capped at 5. The set will now display 5 self repair )
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Origin Has Been Published
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    Posted on Wednesday, October 3, 2007, 6:45 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Origin Has Been Published

    Jeremy Dalberg 02 Oct 2007 15:57:47 EST

    Origin was published with the following during this morning's maintenance:

    • You will get less credit towards the new dungeon drops if you are hidden when the monster you are fighting dies.
    • You will get no credit if you are more than 16 tiles away from the monster when it dies.
    • Fixed an issue where Virtue Armor set pieces could have negative resists once unequipped
    • Fixed a display issue with the Virtue Armor set self-repair bonus (it was displaying 20 self repair - however, self repair is capped at 5. The set will now display 5 self repair )
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    All Shards to be Published
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 9:45 PM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

    Posted to uoherald.com:

    All Shards to be Published
    Jeremy Dalberg
    02 Oct 2007 20:06:31 EST

    All shards will be published with the following during their next regular maintenance:

  • You will get less credit towards the new dungeon drops if you are hidden when the monster you are fighting dies.
  • You will get no credit if you are more than 16 tiles away from the monster when it dies.
  • Fixed an issue where Virtue Armor set pieces could have negative resists once unequipped
  • Fixed a display issue with the Virtue Armor set self-repair bonus (it was displaying 20 self repair - however, self repair is capped at 5. The set will now display 5 self repair )
  • [ Discuss This Article ]

    On Becoming A Crazed Zealot
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 8:00 PM EDT by Lady Lava (Catskills)
    ~




    FROM THE DESK OF LADY LAVA / BECOMING A CRAZED ZEALOT



    Crazed-to derange or impair the mind of; make insane

    Zealot-a person that shows zeal. an excessively zealous person; fanatic




    Today I became A Crazed Zealot with my 3000th post since April of 2004. It happened on a reply to the post Joshua Rowan made in Community News and UO U.Hall today informing us that the orginal mind behind Ultima Online is planning a trip in space. I replied as I posted this information days earlier on the Great Lakes and Catskills boards as off topic. Interesting stuff on a man with an interesting and creative mind. I am glad this information has reached a larger UO audience.

    Making the change from "Loonie" to "Zealot" I reflected today on my last 3000 posts, a large percentage being News articles. There was a short running joke between El of LA and myself awhile back as I am a very profuse writer.

    The "Crazed" part of my new title I have been feeling a lot this past week and it has to do with the new arti drop in the dungeons. I was totally addicted to the Treasures of Tokuno and when it was all said and done I had five of each major arti....that is tons of fighting.

    We have all read the drop would be slower this time around but I am getting worn out.

    I took my swordswoman out first and fought everything from ratmen to dragons. When I fought I mean non stop, no looting, no chatting just hunting. It took three hours to get my first arti. I fought with this character a total of eight hours and got 6 artis, 2 gorgets of honesty, 1 helm of spirituality, 1 legs of honor, 1 lord blackthorn's exemplar and 1 dragon's end. Remember this was non stop killing.

    Reading as much as I can on Stratics and talking to players I try to glean as much information as I can. I have read this arti drop is going to last from a "very long time" to maybe forever. A handful of players have told me that after speaking to GMs that they claim the gaming websites have this information incorrect and that the arti drop will only last one month. Regardless I only want three items and have not gotten of them yet, lol.

    I have also read that some characters have better luck than others regardless of what they are wearing, meaning luck points. So I decided to take my archer out for a try. After five hours and thirty five minutes, again of non stop killing, not one single arti ! It's enough to drive a girl mad when she knows there is new footwear to be had. More than mad, CRAZED !

    I would also like the folks on Catskills to know I am still working on interviews. At this time I would like to let you all know how I go about my interviews/questionnaires. Though I meet the person in the realm and take screenshots of them the actual questions are emailed.
    At this time there are seven, yes seven Catskills players that have had questions sent to them over the past six weeks and not one has replied with answers. I do not want you all to think I have forgotten about you. :)

    Until next time. Fondly, Lady Lava
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    On Becoming A Crazed Zealot
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 7:46 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)



    FROM THE DESK OF LADY LAVA / BECOMING A CRAZED ZEALOT



    Crazed-to derange or impair the mind of; make insane

    Zealot-a person that shows zeal. an excessively zealous person; fanatic




    Today I became A Crazed Zealot with my 3000th post since April of 2004. It happened on a reply to the post Joshua Rowan made in Community News and UO U.Hall today informing us that the orginal mind behind Ultima Online is planning a trip in space. I replied as I posted this information days earlier on the Great Lakes and Catskills boards as off topic. Interesting stuff on a man with an interesting and creative mind. I am glad this information has reached a larger UO audience.

    Making the change from "Loonie" to "Zealot" I reflected today on my last 3000 posts, a large percentage being News articles. There was a short running joke between El of LA and myself awhile back as I am a very profuse writer.

    The "Crazed" part of my new title I have been feeling a lot this past week and it has to do with the new arti drop in the dungeons. I was totally addicted to the Treasures of Tokuno and when it was all said and done I had five of each major arti....that is tons of fighting.

    We have all read the drop would be slower this time around but I am getting worn out.

    I took my swordswoman out first and fought everything from ratmen to dragons. When I fought I mean non stop, no looting, no chatting just hunting. It took three hours to get my first arti. I fought with this character a total of eight hours and got 6 artis, 2 gorgets of honesty, 1 helm of spirituality, 1 legs of honor, 1 lord blackthorn's exemplar and 1 dragon's end. Remember this was non stop killing.

    Reading as much as I can on Stratics and talking to players I try to glean as much information as I can. I have read this arti drop is going to last from a "very long time" to maybe forever. A handful of players have told me that after speaking to GMs that they claim the gaming websites have this information incorrect and that the arti drop will only last one month. Regardless I only want three items and have not gotten of them yet, lol.

    I have also read that some characters have better luck than others regardless of what they are wearing, meaning luck points. So I decided to take my archer out for a try. After five hours and thirty five minutes, again of non stop killing, not one single arti ! It's enough to drive a girl mad when she knows there is new footwear to be had. More than mad, CRAZED !


    Giving my hand and eyes a short rest I stopped by the SOW auction house tonight and it is still going strong I am happy to report. Next tuesday and most tuesdays they are entertaining with trivia and bringing great items for bidding. Gates are always provided at the Brit Bank.

    Well, back to the dungeon with my archer.

    Until next time. Fondly, Lady Lava









    [ Discuss This Article ]

    SOW Takes a Stand, Players Take a Seat.
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 6:53 PM EDT by Zynia (GreatLakes)
    >>> Malas News <<< SOW Takes a Stand, Players Take a Seat



    This evening at the Spirit’s of Wisdom Auction House, those red elven chairs we all know and love, were filled with players from all sorts of fashion. With Matrix headlining as usual, in his not so neon outfit, announced we would be starting soon. Lex Luthor so very bright behind the counter, you were sure not to miss him. Light Foot and Merlin were at the West Britain Bank sending moongates to tonight’s auction, working hard as usual.



    Before the auction started, Korvika asked if he could stand, after Matrix announced for everybody to take a seat. Matrix had told him “no”, even after Korvika exclaimed he was special, and would like to stand.



    The seating arrangement setup in this auction house only leaves very few “good” places to sit. Oh, how I miss Lora’s colorful benches interchanging with the seasons and upcoming holidays. Taking my own stand, I hid to the right near the counter, trying to grab a better angle for taking some pictures. I went unnoticed, but noticed a few other players standing by me, claiming to be “reading the book” about how to submit items. Good excuse! I also thought of that as I chatted up a storm with Chaotic Barbie in a private party.



    Some of the other guests among the crowd tonight, some with interesting profiles, others dressing for the falls fashion, displaying vibrant reds, and colorful yellows. I might be a New England girl, because I associate fall with the foliage changing each year! I was also surprised to see a few guests in the audience tonight wearing clothes, instead of the usual resist or lower reagent cost armor. YAY!













    Also, Scarlet Witch was in attendance tonight at the SOW Auction house.



    You probably might recognize her from the shop she runs just south of Luna, in Malas. That you can find at 30o 35’N , 21o 14’W a little ways north of the Broken Mountains. They also run The Witches Brew a little ways down the same road located at 27o 14’N , 18o 42’W. There are quite a few good deals at these shops, be sure and check them out!





    SOW Auction is every Tuesday night, at 8:30 PM EST. For more information on submitting items, and upcoming item list for the auction, please visit this link for more information.

    In other news, Hannah of the Do Your Thing [DYT] guild, has de-shrouded herself. Who knew there was a beauty hiding under that black hooded robe of hers! You’ve probably seen Hannah, at the West Britain Bank, usually with Luzit, a “great guy”. Hannah enjoys buying many items, and always has some interesting ones for sale, you are sure to get a bargain from this girl; she “does her thing”!

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Origin Published
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 12:11 PM EDT by Watchertoo (GeneralNews)
    Posted to uoherald.com:

    Origin Has Been Published
    Jeremy Dalberg
    02 Oct 2007 15:57:47 EST

    Origin was published with the following during this morning's maintenance:

    • You will get less credit towards the new dungeon drops if you are hidden when the monster you are fighting dies.
    • You will get no credit if you are more than 16 tiles away from the monster when it dies.
    • Fixed an issue where Virtue Armor set pieces could have negative resists once unequipped
    • Fixed a display issue with the Virtue Armor set self-repair bonus (it was displaying 20 self repair - however, self repair is capped at 5. The set will now display 5 self repair )
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Welcome Back Dwarf Clan!
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 9:29 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Welcome Back Dwarf Clan!

    Has anyone on Origin noticed, in the craigs just North of Britain and just off the road to Minoc at 2 Min 36 Sec North and 31 Min 42 Sec East, a Guard Tower protecting the way into Snake Pass?

    This guard tower was the harbinger of the wonderful array of plots laid down up to and through Snake Pass. And while the dwarves were resting from their labors, and many of the plots require much work, the town of Kraggen-Cor is already thoughtfully planned.

    Some of the buildings have been laboriously constructed already, signs that the dwarves have been steadily working to bring their wonderful clan back to Origin. Of course Thae Great Hall, stately in its construction, stands at the center of the pass proudly proclaiming the amazing stone craft of the clan.

    The forge looks near to completion as well.

    In my wandering through the clan’s labors, I searched in vain for a dwarf but to no avail this time. They were either sleeping the sleep of the just deep within the neighboring mountains or they were already working the mines. That is the best part. It is no temporary move. When the dwarves have placed their mining shack, they are here to work and play!

    Welcome back to Origin Beldin Brightaxe and the Dwarf Clan. Hopefully in the near future, I can find you resting from your labors, sit down over a keg and trade tales.

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Announcing the Kingdom Reborn Focus Group
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 7:33 AM EDT by Daine (Origin)

    Announcing the Kingdom Reborn Focus Group

    Jeremy Dalberg 01 Oct 2007 15:33:04 EST

    The Kingdom Reborn client will be getting lots of love over the next couple of months, and we want to get as much focused, constructive player input as possible. To that end, we will be creating a KR Focus Group on the EA Mythic forums, and we are looking to solicit applications!

    We are looking for people who, at this time, either have KR installed or are able to install it, and can get it to run on their machines. (I.E., can log in to a character and move around - people with performance issues are welcome, as that's one of the things we're working on, but we really need people who can log in to test stuff.)

    We are also looking for people who are WILLING to play and test KR - if it's just not your thing right now, that's fine - everyone is more than welcome to simply sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor!

    To apply, send an email to jdalberg AT ea DOT com with the following:

    • Subject Line: KR Focus Group
    • Real Name:
    • Account Name(s)
    • System Spec
    • Handle (if you post on public forums - Stratics, etc - let me know who you are!)
    • Have you tried KR yet? What was your experience?
    • What is your primary game play style (crafter, tamer, melee fighter, PvP, etc)
    If you are selected, you will receive an email that contains the information you need to get on the internal forums. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-serve basis, and we will be choosing applicants who have a wide range of system specs, play styles, and experiences.
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Oceania Event Leaders Meeting
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    Posted on Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 1:48 AM EDT by Cymoril (Oceania)
    >>> Ilshenar News <<<From Amathist's post on the Oceania Forum comes news of the Oceania Event Leaders Meeting:

    Oceania Event Leaders Meeting

    Time: 4pm (AEST +11gmt)
    Date: Sunday 21st October 2007
    Location: Twin Oaks Tavern - Spirituality Ilshenar

    Everyone is invited to this event. The purpose is to put our heads together and come up with some shard wide events that we can run. No-one has to leave their current guild to participate - in fact, we encourage as many guilds as possible to attend and put forward ideas that their guilds would like to host for the shard, but perhaps may need some feedback on or just help getting it up and going.

    Let's bring community back to Oceania.


    [ Discuss This Article ]

    ~ OBITUARY COLUMMN ~ 9 / 30 / 07
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    Posted on Monday, October 1, 2007, 9:55 PM EDT by Lady Lava (GreatLakes)
    ~



    OBIT COLUMN ~ 9 / 30 / 07





    Wicked Crazy








    Erebos






    Indiana Jones




    King Kong


    Lestat


    lul




    Nalif














    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Extinction Due to Population Explosion
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    Posted on Monday, October 1, 2007, 7:53 PM EDT by Paul Harvey (LakeAustin)
    Good Day Fellow Sosarians,

    Would you believe that creatures of our dungeons of old are suffering near extinction? Thats correct, dungeons where barely a week ago there could only be found 2 people, 1 in Destard killing dragons and 1 at the Ogre Lords, there now are humans and elves everywhere.

    People are killing as many creatures as fast as they can. The numbers of dead are staggering as this portrait will show you

    As I wandered from dungeon to dungeon, Felucca and Trammel both, I could only stop one chap long enough to tell me

    "I am farming arties!
    "Farming arties?" I asked as he ran off to kill some more ignoring my presence there after.

    Here are a few people I could get to stand still long enough to carveout a portrait.
    In Covetous where these 2 people.
    In Despise I found 2 more people. and
    And in shame I found yet another so called farmer.

    I understand the need to obtain new Artifacts but the citizens of our lands are decimating the populations of our oldest dungeons.
    How long will the populations hold out?
    Will the creatures go extinct before the artifacts are depleted?
    And now for what it's worth . . . . Good luck on getting them artifacts !

    This has been Paul Harvey . . .

    Gooood Day!

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Mongbat Army On The March
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    Posted on Monday, October 1, 2007, 6:59 PM EDT by Joshua Rowan (CandidCoverage)
    Thanks to Cara of Catskills for this one!


    "Was a bit concerned...."
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    There's Such A Thing As Too Much Evil
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    Posted on Monday, October 1, 2007, 6:55 PM EDT by Joshua Rowan (CandidCoverage)
    Thanks to Carrie N. for sharing this one with us!


    "Evil Evil Evil knew he was evil, but this herald took it a little too far."
    [ Discuss This Article ]

    Announcing the Kingdom Reborn Focus Group
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    Posted on Monday, October 1, 2007, 11:38 AM EDT by Larisa (GeneralNews)

    Posted to uoherald.com:


    Announcing the Kingdom Reborn Focus Group
    Jeremy Dalberg
    01 Oct 2007 15:33:04 EST

    The Kingdom Reborn client will be getting lots of love over the next couple of months, and we want to get as much focused, constructive player input as possible. To that end, we will be creating a KR Focus Group on the EA Mythic forums, and we are looking to solicit applications!

    We are looking for people who, at this time, either have KR installed or are able to install it, and can get it to run on their machines. (I.E., can log in to a character and move around - people with performance issues are welcome, as that's one of the things we're working on, but we really need people who can log in to test stuff.)

    We are also looking for people who are WILLING to play and test KR - if it's just not your thing right now, that's fine - everyone is more than welcome to simply sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor!

    To apply, send an email to jdalberg AT ea DOT com with the following:

  • Subject Line: KR Focus Group
  • Real Name:
  • Account Name(s)
  • System Spec
  • Handle (if you post on public forums - Stratics, etc - let me know who you are!)
  • Have you tried KR yet? What was your experience?
  • What is your primary gameplay style (crafter, tamer, melee fighter, PvP, etc)
  • If you are selected, you will receive an email that contains the information you need to get on the internal forums. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-serve basis, and we will be choosing applicants who have a wide range of system specs, playstyles, and experiences.

    [ Discuss This Article ]

    An Overwhelming Sense of Peace Fills You
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    Posted on Monday, October 1, 2007, 10:13 AM EDT by Joshua Rowan (CandidCoverage)
    Thanks to Piotr for capturing this odd image for us!


    "I was killing Lizardmen in Despise when the ankh suddenly spoke to me!"
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    Of Bravery and Virtue - [by Kaelyn]
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    Posted on Monday, October 1, 2007, 8:45 AM EDT by callum_fitzhugh (Europa)
    New Page 2

    Of Bravery and Virtue

    "Go in!“ Immediately the verbal encouragement was followed by another, physical one. The nudge in the lower back almost sent the young boy sprawling into the dirty track. In the last moment he managed to catch his fall by grabbing one of the sharp rocks at the side of the entrance and quickly pushing himself back from the gaping hole. Like before, his sulky and overall not very determined protest achieved nothing more than gain him a few minutes. His two companions, one broader, taller, older and thus the leader of the group and another, who was considered more clever, had selected him as the aspiring hero who would go first. Not that he wanted to.

    All three of them, together with a candle -for light-, a bag -for all the treasure- and most importantly, a lot of youthful naivety had arrived at this point as a result of a lot of arguing. It all begun with lispy Tim, the apprentice of the old armourer, had claimed that all were in a fuss about the virtue armour that was not to be found in some of the dampest and darkest places of the world. And that everybody who could produce a part of it would be allowed to go to the academy and become a real paladin. Or a knight. Or both.

    Since that the conversation had been going round in circles. Becoming a knight and a great hero sounded better than becoming an apprentice somewhere and work all day for some gold. You got to ride at tournaments, lived in castles, got big meals made for you by other people and beautiful women gave you a handkerchief -although the reasons for that were not quite clear for them yet-. And all they had to do for it was go in there and got a piece of that armour. Borton -the supposedly clever one- had said they should come here as he had been told it was only scorpions and moving rocks in here, and neither hand hands or bags to carry anything in. So the armour must just be lying about. Rocks, even if they moved -and unless they fell down from above- didn’t sound too dangerous altogether and they all had their best boots on to quickly step on any scorpion they saw. So all that was needed was to light the candle, go inside, find one of them things -they all supposed they would spot them easily, they most likely glowed or something- and carry them home and become a knight.

    But now that they were actually –here- things had somewhat… changed. The entrance was larger than expected and pitch black. Even with their spare candle lit as well they couldn’t make out much of what lay beyond. And even worse, whatever lurked within sounded larger than it had seemed to be in their plan. For just being moving rocks they made a whole lot of noise altogether and occasionally the ground shook and trembled. Long story cut short, all three of the aspiring knights and heroes were scared.

    Tarn, who still refused to go in and by now had to fend his companions off who tried to push him into the opening managed to twist out of their grip and made a run for it. Which was just as well, as it gave the other two a reason to get away without being actually guilty of cowardice.

    *the old man looked at the two children listening to him*

    And that my children is the story of the three youths who wanted to become knights but nay were brave enough. One day maybe you will dare though and look through those dark caves for the virtue armor that lies in the dark caves lost by many a paladin troop trying to cleanse those places.

    *This story is an old legend by an unnamed storyteller*


    Special thanks go to Kaelyn of DOT for this piece

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    The Tale of Tim Hunter [extract] [by Tim Hunter]
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    Posted on Monday, October 1, 2007, 8:39 AM EDT by callum_fitzhugh (Europa)

    Re: [Journal] Tim's Tales

    Friday 28th September

    The keg did not seem to have an owner. After a search around the area and no sign of anyone he concluded that it was not wanted. He had no idea what was in it or why it was painted a lurid purple, but he could turn it into a seat of some sort so he pushed/rolled it back to the little hut.

     

     

    Setting it upright on the floor he searched for a way to open it. It was definately full of some sort of liquid and he was keen to find out what. He could see no sign of a tap so he decided to split the lid with his axe.

     

     

    The lid split and liquid sloshed over the edge and onto the floor. Leaning over to sniff it he pulled a face. It smelt like some sort of cleaning liquid, but if he emptied it out he could make a seat from the empty keg. He needed to find a place to empty it but that could wait till later.

    Sitting cross-legged on the floor he pulled out his pipe and filled it with shade. Looking around the small hut he was pleased to see the things he had already managed to collect. Holding his flint near his pipe he struck a few large sparks in an attempt to light the shade. One spark fell to the floor..into the liquid....

     

     

    The resulting explosion was so fierce that Tim was thrown backwards through the door. He landed flat on his back outside in the snow. Not a lot was left of the little hut!

     

     

    To read more about Tim Hunter click here http://www.uoforums.com/showthread.php?t=35071

     

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    Lord British Travels To The Stars
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    Posted on Monday, October 1, 2007, 7:47 AM EDT by Joshua Rowan (CommunityNews)
    Richard "Lord British" Garriott, the creator of the Ultima series, is finally having a real life dream come true - next year he'll get the opportunity to follow in his father's footsteps and travel to space. Check out this article posted to Yahoo News last Friday:
    Like father, like son: astronaut's heir heads for the stars
    Fri Sep 28, 4:26 PM ET

    MOSCOW (AFP) - Computer game developer Richard Garriott, son of the former astronaut Owen Garriott, will rocket to the stars as the next space tourist, the Space Adventures company said Friday.

    "We need to be adventurous in mind and stimulate our intellects to answer today's most daunting scientific questions and to invent tomorrow's technological marvels," said Garriott, creator of the popular Ultima Online computer game.

    Garriott has already begun training for the flight, which is scheduled for October 2008, Space Adventures said in a statement.

    "It has always been Space Adventures' goal to open the space frontier. Now we have designed a series of missions devoted to increase commercial involvement in manned space stations," the company's president Eric Anderson was quoted as saying.

    The spaceflight's first commercial partner would be ExtremoZyme Inc., a biotechnology company founded by Garriott's father Owen, which plans to conduct experiments in space on proteins associated with human diseases.

    Richard Garriott's desire to reach for the stars came as no surprise to his father.

    "Because of my career, it was almost natural for Richard to be interested in space and exploration. I am so pleased that he is able to embrace this himself and that he is dedicating his flight to research, I am very proud of him," Owen Garriott was quoted as saying.

    Richard Garriott, who is also co-founder of the North American branch of NCSoft, the world's largest online game developer, will post details of his training and flight on his website, in a bid to "involve as many people as possible in my mission."

    Garriott will be the sixth space tourist, following Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, Greg Olsen, Anousheh Ansari and Charles Simonyi.

    Thanks to Gary K. for helping us find this story!
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