Deborah the Scribe

UP: Lake Superior

    Pandemonium broke out in the sleepy swamp city of Papua recently, disturbing seasoned traveler and casual tourist alike as the Gelidum showed a surprise in their tactics by striking out to lands closer to their territories. While some cowered upon the porch of the bank, others took to the thick of the swamp to defend Papua against the waves of ice elementals, snow elementals, frost ooze, and multitude of iced serpents and snakes pouring into the city from many directions before they could reach the teleporters and travel into Moonglow. Many guards stood frozen in fear and proved unable to assist.

In a lecture held just days before this attack, Professor Clio Temesa of the Lycaeum in Moonglow revealed long ago a small exploration party of humans from the city of Papua had been charting the northern sea when they encountered the frozen wastes. In their exploration, the explorers stumbled upon a meeting of sorts between ice fiends, frost trolls, and the white wyrms. The two groups were unable to understand one another and a fight quickly broke out. They found themselves retreating back to their boat, but in the process they were split up, eventually having to abandon part of their party on Glacia.

The lecture was disrupted with many trolls, and serpents just as Lady Temesa turned to address the various populations of Glacia. After quickly ensuring the professor�s safety, the crowd turned to the minions of the Gelidum crashing the lecture. Yet after a long battle, the Gelidum showed a sense of humor and a dozen chickens appeared, led by an iced chicken leader, causing bewilderment and amusement alike to the lecture attendees. No additional information was learned from the iced chicken and the feathers appeared to hold no magical properties. Professor Temesa could not be reached for further comment.

Clyde, proprietor of the Reagent Shop, commented when asked about the possible relationship of this information being brought to light and the attack, �We went many a�year without a disruptance, now we�re getting them all the time. Scholars need to learn when to keep their mouth shut too.� Papua and her citizens remain mostly silent about this attack. Perhaps a lesson learned in the distant past turned into a raw, recent reminder?

From the Town Cryer - The Journal of Ultima Online, Saturday, September 25th 1999