Sage Wisdom Great Lakes, Ilshenar Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on September 4, 2010 at 9:08 PM CDT Queen Dawn summoned her subjects to the throne room of Castle Britannia today to partake in an adventure to Ilshenar. A particular form of sage, Salvia pietas, or Compassion sage, was required to aid the Queen's troubled sleep. Since the rare sage grew in central Ilshenar, the group followed the Queen to meet with a Royal Scout named Cole near the Honor Shrine. Cole suggested gathering seeds from the beasts roaming the swamp near the savage fort and then acquiring a sample of the potion the Exodus Controllers brew from the plant's leaves. As we galloped towards the swamp, a comment the scout offhandedly made stuck in my mind. He said the "Whole land's been on edge," and implied that that many around central Ilshenar have experienced troubled sleep recently. This struck me as important due to a passage regarding the sage in a tome entitled 'Medicinal Flora,' which could be found in Dexter's lab at the castle: "The Controllers of Exodus have been known to brew potions from it to protect their minds when interacting with the inhuman sleeper of the fortress." I had to put the thought out of my mind as we entered the swamp and began the process of collecting seeds from the bog creatures. Queen Dawn wanted a few hundred gather so her agricultural experts to sort through so they may cultivate the sage. When the seeds were shipped back to the castle, we headed for the Fortress of Exodus where many controllers fell before our might. Eventually, a sample of their potion was recovered and a book containing the brewing instructions was found. With all the items required having been assembled, we returned to Britain where the Queen thanked us for our service. Able to think again without the distraction of combat, I realized common thread... Queen Dawn is having bad dreams. People and creatures in Ilshenar are having bad dreams. The Controllers drink a potion to protect their mind from Exodus. Exodus was never actually destroyed, only disabled. Could Exodus be reawakening after all these years? Might the angry hellspawn of Mondain and Minax be quietly readying itself for a renewed war on Britannia? Only time will tell. Vigilance Britannia, vigilance. Martyna Z'muir, Library of Sosaria (OOC: The Controllers will now have a chance at spawning a 'Compassion Sage,' which appears as a green bubbling potion. Drinking the potion will cause you to gain in the Virtue of Compassion, limited to once a day.) [Discuss This Article]

EM Hosted PvP Tournament Great Lakes, Felucca Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on September 4, 2010 at 9:04 PM CDT Originally posted September 4th, 2010 by EM Elizabella on the Great Lakes EM Site: Announcing an Autumn Tournament, player versus player. You may participate in both the PvM and PvP tournaments. For the PvP tournament, you must register by September 16th at midnight CDT. Register by emailing me at elizabella@uoem.net, or posting a response here or here, or dropping a book off at the EM mailbox (9°9′N 11°44′E Trammel) near the Counselors’ Hall. Your message must contain the name of the character who will be fighting as well as whether s/he will fight as a mage or a warrior. Only one character per account may sign-up for this tournament. If you bring a second character, s/he will be disqualified. If your character has 90 or higher in magery, you must sign up for the mage ladder. The tournament will take place place beginning at at 8 P.M. CDT, September 17th. A list of first-round match-ups will be published the day of the event. Your character must be there when your round is called, or you will lose by default. Gates will be available from these locations in Felucca: a few steps southeast of the Britain moongate, 33°2′S 1°7′E a few steps southeast of the Minoc moongate, 81°40′N 97°6′E a few steps southeast of the Buc’s Den moongate, 53°47′S 97°44′E RULES FOR PvP MAGES AND WARRIORS If a duel lasts longer than 10 minutes, it will become a sudden death match. You will know that your match has gone into sudden death because an EM will appear on the field and announce it. No healing is allowed after that point. There will be a reasonable, short grace period for already-applied bandages to resolve. No pets No mounts No summons No summons via talisman No hiding No stealthing No smoke bombs No wraith form No pre-casting RULES FOR PvP MAGES During the entire fight, Mages must carry a spellbook and a spell-channeling shield or item. No potions RULES FOR PvP WARRIORS No animal form that allows faster movement No explosion potions No supernova potions No greater stamina potions REWARDS At the Award Hall, inscribed on a spellbook: Autumn Tournament 2010, [Player Y], Best PvP Mage At the Award Hall, inscribed on a weapon: Autumn Tournament 2010, [Player Z], Best PvP Warrior [Discuss This Article]

EM Hosted PvM Tournament Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on September 4, 2010 at 8:54 PM CDT Originally posted September 4th, 2010 by EM Elizabella on the Great Lakes EM Site: Announcing an Autumn Tournament, player versus monster. You may participate in both the PvM and PvP tournaments. For the PvM tournament, register on the day of the event at Skara fields (56°9′S 36°4′W), Trammel, between 7-8 p.m. CDT with the character who will be fighting. The actual event will begin at 8 p.m. CDT. There will be a gate inside the Brit. Counselor Hall. Only one character per account may sign-up for this tournament. If you bring a second character, s/he will not be allowed to sign up. PvM RULES No pets No mounts No summons via talisman No pre-casting REWARD At the Award Hall, inscribed on an item appropriate to the winner’s character: Autumn Tournament 2010, [Player X], Best PvM [Discuss This Article]

Meeting with Queen Dawn Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on September 3, 2010 at 4:50 PM CDT Originally posted September 3rd, 2010 by EM Elizabella on the Great Lakes EM Site: Queen Dawn requests that all interested citizens meet with her in her throne room at 4 p.m. CDT on Saturday, September 4th. [Discuss This Article]

New Fiction - Lullaby Great Lakes, Submitted by UO_Herald on September 3, 2010 at 3:10 PM CDT Originally posted 03 Sep 2010 14:26:34 EST by Calvin Crowner on the UO Herald: Greetings! This weekend we will be having special mini events occurring across all shards. Below is new fiction to introduce you to the events story - enjoy, and have fun!   Lullaby By Calvin Crowner  Dawn tipped the iron pitcher over her cup, discovering it empty. One of the attendants looked over at her shrugging.    “I’m sorry M’Lady. We sent someone off hours ago for more water, and she has yet to return.”  Dawn sighed wondering if there was anything she could rely on these days. “Death and Taxes, “  she mused to herself, “Wait a moment, I control taxes now too.”  She found some comfort in her own private joke.    The heat and stale air of the castle moved with the grace of an old wrestler, out of condition and wheezing, shambling through the halls.  The walls, designed to offer shade and coolness provided neither, making Dawn more claustrophobic each day.  She heard footsteps approach as she muddled and brooded over the state of her … Queendom?  This is only temporary she told herself hourly. There will be someone proper to come along soon and deal with all this diplomacy nonsense.    Her sleeplessness didn’t help. The dreams persisted, and there was no answer insight to the terrors that kept her unsettled and anxious.  Something, she thought to herself. Anything, she almost pleaded in her heart, to break the boredom.  As if an answer, the footsteps halted in the doorway. “Your Grace, we think we have a solution to your problem.”  The steward harbored a rather significant and impressive tome under his arm.  He was sweating. Dawn was not sure if it was from the weight of the book or the news he had to share.  Dawn worked her lips into a crooked smile, “"You've invented a golem that can do paperwork and arbitrate petty disputes?"  Her advisor grimaced, not finding humor in her response. “No, Your Grace. There may be a solution to your sleeplessness.”  Dawn’s shoulder fell again. “Oh I can find warmth and drowsiness awaiting in any tavern, sir. I don’t need pints of ale to soothe me to bed.”  The advisor smiled, “Oh no. This solution involves a bit of adventure …”  Dawn’s eyes lit with promise and hope. She grit her teeth, and her lips pressed into a rare smile. “Continue … and don’t leave out any details …”  He greeted her smile with one of his own, “What we search for is found in the rarest of virtues. Compassion.”  He hefted the book open, a pale crooked finger opening to an unworn page. The spine cracked as he rested the book on his forearm, he began:  “Compassion sage: a rare root found in the region of Ilshenar. Known for its pungent aroma and delicate leaf.  Once incorrectly labeled as “Lover’s Leaf,” in the hands of a capable alchemist has the capacity to induce a sense of well being.  Also used as a cure for night terrors.”  Dawn quickly wrapped her hair into her signature braid, her fingers twisting with familiarity and fierce urgency. “Well then. Let’s be on our way.”  She rose from her chair, allowing him to guide her through the corridors, which somehow had lost their sense of confinement. [Discuss This Article]

Nujel’m's Magincia Library Hosts ‘Autumn’ Poetry Contest Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on September 3, 2010 at 1:03 PM CDT From Lady Silverbrook of the Magincia Endowment for the Arts and Community Affairs: The second monthly literary contest at the new Magincia Library and Museum (the former Nujel’m Counselor’s Guild) will be based on the theme of ‘Autumn’. The contest will be held on Wednesday, September 22nd at 8pm cst. Any and all are welcome to participate. Please bring a copy of your poem in a bound, red leafed book for review. Also be prepared to read it in front of those assembled for the event. If you are unsure where the Library and Museum is, runes will be available at the High Council building in Compassion Grove as well as the estate of Lady Silverbrook on the northern most shores of Magincia. In addition, runes will be available about several banks, notably Britain, the day of the event. The winner of the contest will win 2 million gold, the second place will win 1 million and the third place will receive 500,000 gold. As always, there will be consolation prizes and door prizes awarded. We hope to see you there, either as spectator or contestant! [Discuss This Article]

High Council Hosts Britain Walk & 20 Questions at the Newcastle Wild Rose Inn Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on September 3, 2010 at 12:56 PM CDT The High Council of Britannia will hold a walk through the city of Britain this coming Monday (September 6th, 2010) starting at the eastern bank at 7pm under the central stars. The Council will head towards Castle Britannia greeting the citizenry and answering questions along the way. Afterwards, at 8pm, they will heat to the Wild Rose Inn (106o 42'N 30o 47'E) in Newcastle Township to enjoy a night out where Lady Silverbrook of Magincia will host a round of ’20 Questions’ related to the history and lore of our lands. Each correct answer will yield 250,000 gold. Come and join the High Council for a night of fun! [Discuss This Article]

More New Article Icons Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on August 29, 2010 at 6:36 PM CDT New Tribune icons! Seeking suggestions for a Cove icon! [Discuss This Article]

Michael of Moonglow’s Sketches - UPDATED Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on August 22, 2010 at 11:12 PM CDT Originally posted August 21st, 2010 by EM Elizabella on the Great Lakes EM Site: Michael of Moonglow would like to autograph the sketches that were received last night. Please come to the Counselor Hall on Sunday, August 22nd, at 7 p.m. CDT. OOC: Please bring your painting at the specified time or email me for an appointment. There was an unexpected reaction with the script on the reward and we’d like to fix it. Update: If your sketch has any further unexpected reactions, please email Mesanna. More Info, August 26th: Sketches fixed on Sunday (August 22nd) will need to be fixed again. Sketches fixed on Monday (August 21st) or later are fine. The permanently fixed ones have a flamestrike script. The roleplay rationale for the flamestrike script is that Michael of Moonglow’s sketches are so awful that they try to self-destruct! [Discuss This Article]

Escaped Artwork Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on August 19, 2010 at 2:41 AM CDT Originally posted August 18th, 2010 by EM Elizabella on the Great Lakes EM Site: Michael of Moonglow, the former blackrock researcher, has continued his quest to turn the swirling colors of his dreams into art. Unfortunately, his first painting has a mind of its own. He requests your assistance on Saturday, August 21st, at 4 p.m. at the Britain Counselor Hall. [Discuss This Article]

Legacy of the Fallen Housewarming Party Great Lakes, Malas Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on August 17, 2010 at 7:31 PM CDT *the following is posted as a paid advertisement in the newspapers or other news outlets of the realm* To Whomever's Interested: This Saturday, at 9pm Eastern Time, you are welcome to a housewarming party at the new guildhouse of the guild Legacy of the Fallen (LotF).  (You may have seen us around.) We moved in several weeks ago, but it took us awhile to settle. The LotF's new guildhouse is located in Malas, East of the City of Luna, at coordinates 105o 55' North, 5o 16' West. All are welcome save for known enemies of the realm, known evil-doers, or those who just plain don't like us, or the reverse. Festivities will include: -Food and drink, both free and from one of our two guild bartenders if the free stuff isn't to you liking -A story/essay contest. The prize for winning the contest will be 3 million gold.  Details on the contest follow on successive pages of this advertisement. It is anticipated that this event will take roughly one to one-and-a-half hours. Hope to see you there. -Galen, Antiques Dealer The Contest: The name of this guild, the Legacy of the Fallen, has inspired a lot of strange looks.  It seems that for some reason people associate "the Fallen" with Evil, with a fall from moral grace. But we at the LotF don't mean it that way. What we mean to refer to by "the Fallen" is the forgotten victims of Evil.  The dozens, hundreds, thousands, of innocent and forgotten dead, wounded, shamed.   The many people of Magncia, for example, who were NOT particularly Prideful who were lumped in with their more Prideful neighbors.  Or, as another example even the more-Prideful Magincians, who still likely didn't deserve their horrid fate. We at the Legacy of the Fallen strive to remember, and avenge, those fallen, forgotten, nameless victims. For the contest, participants will be asked to produce short stories or essays based around the concept of the Fallen, as we understand it, or around the Virtues in general, or around a particular Virtue. The winner will be decided by Galen or another guildmate he's designated.  We anticipate hearing several insightful, interesting, engaging, and entertaining stories and essays, and we recognize that the choice of a winner must, by definition, come down to a somewhat arbitrary "gut reaction."  We apologize for that, but it's unavoidable, and we ask your understanding.  Remember, this contest costs nothing save time and effort to participate in. The prize for winning, however, is 3 million gold. There will be no second place, not because we wish to promote savage competition (which we don't), but because it displays the Virtue of Humility to sometimes accept a loss as a loss rather than try to call it a second-place finish.  In this context, a win by someone else doesn't imply a loss for you, not in any meaningful sense. [Discuss This Article]

New/Updated Article Icons Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on August 17, 2010 at 6:31 PM CDT New and updated Tribune icons! [Discuss This Article]

The City of Yew Requests Aid Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on August 17, 2010 at 6:04 PM CDT From Lady Willa the Mayor of Yew: Greetings Citizens, Just a reminder that the Plague in Yew is still going strong and we are still working toward a cure. Calibus and Brother Thomas along with the rest of the Monks at the Abbey once again asked for your assistance. As the first potion is still brewing, we’d like to go ahead and begin work on a second potion. We feel we can not delay and so long as we have something to try we should certainly continue our efforts. I ask that all citizens and friends of Yew interested in helping to find a cure gather at Yew Gate in Trammel this Friday at 8pm under the central stars where Calibus or Brother Thomas will give further instructions. Thank you and bless you for your help. Sincerely, Willa of the Yew-wood, Mayor of Yew [Discuss This Article]

Haiku Contest at the Nujel’m / Magincia Library and Museum Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on August 17, 2010 at 1:00 PM CDT From Lady Silverbrook of the Magincia Endowment for the Arts and Community Affairs: I am pleased to announce that a literary contest will be held Monday, August 23rd, at 8pm cst. This will be the first literary contest to be held at the location of the new Magincia Library and Museum (the former Nujel’m Counselor’s building). The contest will involve utilizing the form of haiku. So, please bring a prepared, self written haiku (please bring it, red leafed, in a book) and also be ready to read it for those assembled that evening. Do not know what haiku is or how to write one? Please reference this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku There will be two million gold for the winner of the contest, one million for second place and 500,000 gold for third. In addition, there will be consolation and door prizes awarded to those who both attend and compete. Runes to the contest will be found at the High Council of Britannia, the estate of Lady Silverbrook upon the northern shores of Magincia, and distributed about most banks in Britannia the day of the contest. We hope to see you there. [Discuss This Article]

Rum Runners Great Lakes, Felucca Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on August 10, 2010 at 7:36 PM CDT Originally posted August 10th, 2010 by EM Elizabella on the Great Lakes EM Site: You have a map to a cache of rum… and knowledge of where your enemies are heading to find their own hooch. Gates will open near the Brit. and Buc’s Den moongates to a neutral location where rules will be explained before the event begins. If you would like to make your own team of at least three people (at least one of whom should be a lockpicker), please email me your team name (or guild name), names of teammates, and color. Otherwise, please wear a noticeable article of clothing in green or orange and at some point during the event run past me and say either “green” or “orange”. Only your first declaration will count. The names of the winning team will be displayed in the Award Hall on a suitable plaque. [Discuss This Article]

Pyres of War Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on August 8, 2010 at 2:49 PM CDT Since last Yule, a war has been brewing between Britannia and the disciples of ancient elemental beings. They sought to seize our world in the aftermath of the Shadowlord's assault; they thought our kingdom broken and weakened by Casca's duplicity. They would strike the dragon while it paused to nurse its wounds and tend its young. The undead Cult of Styx strove to release the Mountain King from his prison beneath the Abyss, to unleash the fury of Lithos and smite the living. For many months this battle raged as an open secret across the facets, endangering allies both old and new. Britannia's Ministry of Intelligence (B.M.I.) fought in the shadow of a nation rebuilding, ensuring the citizenry's peace of mind. The ruins of Xenve An-amo-lem, an ancient gargl fortress buried under the base of the volcano on Fire Isle, saw the end of the Cult. The last of their members were laid to rest, ending the threat of the Titan of Earth. Or so it was believed. The daemon Conclave of Hythloth rose to fill the void left by the Cult. The machinations of their General triumvirate led to a brief freedom for Lithos. In return, the daemon general known as Bartholomew met a timely end through the B.M.I.'s efforts. The full brunt of Lithos' wrath then bore down on the operatives who had crushed his undead minions. Fortunately, the Titan's time in our realm was cut short when a prison of light was created to contain him at the Shrine of Compassion in Ilshenar, where he remains. The distraction of Lithos gone, the Conclave's true motives emerged. They sought the return of their patron Titan, Pyros the Lord of Fire. A book, the Principia Daemonis, deep within the gargl ruins held the key to daemonkind's rekindling the flame of Pyros' favor. The Conclave strove fruitlessly to possess it, for Virtue delivered it into Britannia's hands. The Conclave's remaining two Generals tried to distract Britannian forces by fomenting war with the Orcish clans, subjecting the Isle of Nujel'm to accursed nightmares and the kidnapping of a Platinum Dragon egg. Fortuitously, Bertrand, the son of the deceased Bartholomew, defected from the Conclave and presented himself to the High Council of Britannia seeking asylum. He set to work on a lexicon of the daemon language so the Principia might be understood by modern scholars. Shortly thereafter, Nether, another of the Conclave's generals, succumbed to the B.M.I.'s operatives in Moonglow. This brings us to the current situation of the daemon scouts which had been testing the defenses in Luna and Britain. The daemons sought the 'Blood of Queens' to restore their link to Pyros so that they might summon him to our world. They had already managed to acquire the blood of a gargoyle queen through a traitorous healer. Now, they sought the blood of Queen Dawn. Last Friday became a dark day for the city of Britain and for Britannia as a nation. Nearly two weeks of random appearances of daemon scouts culminated in an all-out assault on Britain. Daemons of all variety streamed into the city, trying to overwhelm its defenders. They brought with them a terrifying new weapon with them, blackrock golems. While defenders were busy beating back the daemons at the graveyard north of the city, attempting to close their gate of access, a daemon strike force achieved their main objective. The daemons broke into the throne room in Castle Britannia where they slaughtered the Elite Guard and stole the Crystal of Duplicity. The last remaining Conclave General, Buldur, then stalked Queen Dawn across the city until finally drawing her blood in the western Counselor's Hall. The full scope of the threat facing us is now realized. The Conclave has the Blood of Queens and may well be mere days away from unleashing Pyros. The Crystal of Duplicity might find its way back into Minax's clutches, allowing her unfettered entry into Trammel. Even the Bane Chosen appear to have a stake in the coming war, for the daemon's blackrock golems most likely came from their supplies. Those citizens, who foolishly turned over massive amounts of crystalline blackrock during the deceitful campaign against the ophidian, have aided the enemy. The Chosen now plot against the Meer, allies of Britannia. Those traitors who aid them in this latest atrocity may well be providing the next weapon to be used against the kingdom. Once again, the pyres of war burn brightly on our horizon. Stand up and fight for Queen and country. Show Britannia's enemies how sharp the dragon's fangs truly are! (The Britannian Royal Spies meet every Tuesday at 8pm CST in the Counselor's Hall in west Britain.) Martyna Z'muir, Library of Sosaria [Discuss This Article]

New Fiction - A Good Use for an Old Sword Great Lakes, Trammel Submitted by UO_Herald on August 6, 2010 at 11:34 PM CDT Originally posted 06 Aug 2010 10:05:05 by Calvin Crowner on the UO Herald: Dawn loved rain. Unfortunately there had not been any for several weeks. Nothing to be concerned about, she kept telling herself.  There had been no natural or political fires during this time either.  For that she was truly thankful. So she decided to make some time to play. To read the full article on the forums, click HERE.