July 2010

Kingdom-wide Travel Advisory - UPDATED! Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on July 31, 2010 at 6:31 PM CDT From the High Council of Britannia’s Office of Public Safety: Daemonic scouts of unusual strength have been seen in and near the cities of Britain, Luna and Minoc.  It is presently unknown if these daemons are part of the Hythloth Conclave, or if they represent a new threat to the realm. Please exercise caution when traveling.  UPDATE:  Crown Minister Grey has confirmed that the daemon scouts are indeed working for the Hythloth Conclave, and that the Conclave is most likely preparing to attack Britain.  Commander Keel of the Britannian Royal Guard asks that all able-bodied citizens assemble in their best battle gear at the West Britain Counselor's Hall this coming Friday at 8pm CST to prepare a defense. [Discuss This Article]

Attention all members of the Britainnian Amred Forces Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on July 30, 2010 at 5:32 PM CDT I have received word from Brother Thomas regarding the plague currently affecting the city of Yew. He and the other Monks of the Abbey along with Setatabon request your assistance in gathering necessary ingredients. More information will be given this evening. You are requested to gather at the Yew Moongate at 8pm under the central stars. Brother Thomas asks that all those who are willing and able to assist please bring a Fey Slayer, your best damage weapon, a demon slayer(please do not use it on Setatabon), and a dragon slayer if you have them. Please gather at the gate for further instructions. Thank you very much, Willa of the Yew-wood, Mayor of Yew [Discuss This Article]

Forums: Easy Account Switching Added! Submitted by DaKaren on July 29, 2010 at 10:02 PM CDT A much requested function has been added to the forums: easy username switching! Now you may have a posting account for each of your characters linked to a ‘main’ account and switch between them at will.  Please see THIS post on the Forums for instructions. [Discuss This Article]

Forums: Easy Account Switching Added! Submitted by DaKaren on July 29, 2010 at 10:00 PM CDT A much requested function has been added to the forums: easy username switching!  Now you may have a posting account for each of your characters linked to a ‘main’ account and switch between them at will.  Please see THIS post on the Forums for instructions. [Discuss This Article]

Royal Britannian Guard to meet with Queen Dawn - UPDATED! Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on July 28, 2010 at 11:05 PM CDT Originally posted by EM Elizabella on the Great Lakes EM Site: Queen Dawn has requested that the Royal Britannian Guard meet to discuss a danger to the kingdom. This will take place on Friday, August 6th, at 8 p.m. CDT. It will be at the Britain Counselor Hall. Arrive armed. [Discuss This Article]

Travel Advisory for the City of Yew Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on July 19, 2010 at 10:07 PM CDT From the High Council of Britannia’s Office of Public Safety: By order of the High Council of Britannia, it is to be advised that a travel advisory is hereby in effect for the City of Yew.  A contagion of unknown origin is afflicting the livestock around the city and has possibly been linked to one human infection. Willa, the Mayor of Yew, has ordered that animals exhibiting any symptoms of the illness are to be destroyed at once.  The Yew Militia will be conducting increased intra-city patrols to look for signs of the contagion’s spread.  Any infected citizens are to report to the Yew Militia Barracks for round-the-clock healer care. Symptoms of the unknown illness include: ·         Severe cough and difficulty breathing ·         Blood-shot eyes ·         Lethargy ·         Difficulty standing or moving [Discuss This Article]

Gathering to Commemorate Kazola’s Tavern Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on July 19, 2010 at 3:55 PM CDT Originally posted July 19th, 2010 by EM Elizabella on the Great Lakes EM Site: As some of you may know, Kazola’s Treetop Keg and Winery has fallen. This is a very sad day for Great Lakes. Many have fond memories of this cozy tavern and its cheerful hostess. Its fame reached other shards and even inspired artists of our own world. Malachi and I will be holding a small gathering tonight, Monday, July 19th, at 7 p.m. CDT, at the Counselor Hall, to discuss how best to maintain what remains of the historic site and for everyone to share memories. Kazola’s was in Felucca, southeast of the Yew moongate, at 72° 52′N, 31° 38′W. [Discuss This Article]

New Fiction - Sosaria Sleeps Submitted by UO_Herald on July 16, 2010 at 5:26 PM CDT Originally posted 16 Jul 2010 17:45:54 EST by Calvin Crowner on the UO Herald: Sosaria slept, and the long lashes of the night sky covered the landscape beneath the light of a waxing moon. For many, shadows are a place for the sinister. Shadows are a place to hide. Shadows imply a coldness, a detachment. For others shadows are a place for opportunity.  To read the full article on the forums, click HERE.

EM Meet & Greet Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on July 14, 2010 at 4:37 AM CDT Originally posted July 13th, 2010 by EM Elizabella on the Great Lakes EM Site: EM Malachi and I would like to cordially invite you to our Meet and Greet. It will be this Friday, July 16th, at 8 p.m. CDT at the Britain Counselor Hall. [Discuss This Article]

Majestic Oaks Auction House Summer Hours Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on July 12, 2010 at 12:00 AM CDT From Melian of Majestic Oaks Auction House: Starting this week, the Great Lakes auctions house will be running on a reduced summer schedule.  Wednesday auctions will be suspended until at least September, however, Thursday auctions will continue weekly at 8pm CST. (Additional auction nights may be scheduled if item submissions become backlogged.)

Pirates! Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on July 8, 2010 at 2:42 PM CDT Originally posted July 7th, 2010 by EM Elizabella on the Great Lakes EM Site: Pirates, treasure, sunken ships! Shipboard fights, a pirate king, a saucy redhead who will rob you as soon as look at you! Gold, glory, and a cabin boy! Hmmm, well, anyway, HURRAH! The Royal Guard will meet at 8 p.m. CDT on Friday, July 9th, at the Counselors’ Hall, to deal with the pirate scourge! [Discuss This Article]

Jhelom Hosts Vorpal Bunny Bash! Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on July 5, 2010 at 12:00 AM CDT Jhelom's Councilor Beauvina will be hosting a Vorpal Bunny Bash in the Jollier Fairgrounds Tournament stalls in mainland Skara Brae (56o 41'S 35o 26'W) this coming Saturday the 10th. Come prepared to send these little fiends back to the Abyss.  Shin protection is advised. [Discuss This Article]

Breaching the Vault Submitted by Martyna_Zmuir on July 3, 2010 at 9:09 PM CDT Last Thursday, Queen Dawn requested that interested citizens gather in the throne room of Castle British. No one knew exactly why our sovereign wished to address us, however, it was a safe assumption it was related to the gaping hole which has occupied the northwest corner of her secure dais since Tuesday. Sherry the Mouse was first to speak to the gathered crowd, saying that the Queen was still speaking with advisors and would be along shortly. Sherry let it be known that she was working on a new book, but sadly she didn't divulge the topic. The gracious mouse also informed the assemblage that the fabled vault of Lord British would indeed be opened that eve, not through the means gleaned from Ricardo's knowledge - but through brute force. She said that Dexter the Mage had been unable to find a way around the spell which protected the vault, or a potential location for one of the three 'lost' treasures of Lord British. In the end, she quoted Queen Dawn as saying "If a key won't work, you kick down the door!" This did not sit well with the crowd, as they considered the thought of breaking into a vault containing unknown artifacts as a fool's errand. Justicar Ra'Dian Fl'Gith of the High Council commented loudly, "Is breakin' int' a magically protected vault th' wisest o' decisions we could make?" Lady Silverbrook of Magincia added, "Most things are hidden with reason." Sherry quickly excused herself as Queen Dawn arrived to give her speech. "Welcome, Citizens of Britannia, on this warm summer evening! Thank you all for coming. Lord British did not believe in the typical vestments of power. He knew that Britannia's authority and Virtue come from its people. The Cloak that protects Britannia is the Courage of its people. The Crown that ennobles Britannia is the Love of its people. The Scepter that guides Britannia is the Truth of its people. Together we will open the Vault and eventually restore Magincia! We will tear down this wall." While Dawn's words sank in, a Royal Mining Expert arrived to finish the tunnel into the vault. With an anticlimactic shout, the miner, upon the instruction of the Queen, breached the vault. Within moments, she reemerged with the Crystal of Duplicity, presenting it to the Queen. Her Majesty promised that a case would be built to display it. She then bade everyone enjoy the weekend-long Summer Festival before she departed. Today, the crystal sits in front of the throne on a tall stand for all to see. According to Ricardo, it is the tool Lord British's Court Mage, Nystul, used to create the facet of Trammel. Allegedly, it was hidden in the city of Magincia. There it was later stolen by agents of the enchantress Minax who then used it to project her form from Felucca into Trammel. Current thinking holds that this crystal will somehow allow Magincia to be rebuilt by negating the demonic curse on the isle. However, it is logical to consider that breaking into the secure vault of Britannia's greatest ruler will exact a price in the future. To publicly display such an object of power with only a handful of guards is tantamount to inviting further troubles. Martyna Z'muir, Library of Sosaria [Discuss This Article]

Lost & Found - Part 4 Submitted by UO_Herald on July 1, 2010 at 5:30 PM CDT Originally posted 01 Jul 2010 17:59:52 EST by Amber Turner on the UO Herald: Sherry cautiously inched her way across the throne room beneath the unwavering stare of the Queen’s Elite Guard. With the sheer amount of dust and debris in the air it was no wonder they wore masks to protect their airways. Unfortunately such common sense seemed to hold little weight among the castle staff. I don’t care what anyone says. Those masks don’t look like beards. Or fangs. This room, however, IS a horrid mess. Sherry’s whiskers twitched with amusement. Trust a human to make a mess of a mouse hole. Queen Dawn had wasted little time after hearing Sherry’s news. Frankly,  Sherry saw it as a sign of Dawn’s queenly experience that she had waited at all before initiating her own personal excavation. Dawn as commander would have simply walked in and knocked down the entire wall. Dawn as Queen however had managed to sit still long enough to pay lip service to magic centric pontifications of the wise. Good thing she didn’t wait too long. The longer we leave it back here the more likely it is the tail-wrenching thing will go missing. Of course now we have a whole different nest of problems. The immediate results of Queen Dawn’s brief foray into demolition were fast becoming a public relations nightmare.  Audiences had been suspended until the artifact could be retrieved and the throne room cleared of rubble. The mere presence of the Queen’s Elite Guards were causing a stir and nothing the Queen, her counselors nor Sherry herself could say seemed potent enough to stop the whispered conjectures of just what exactly was going on. Not that anyone particularly wanted to trumpet news of the discovery from the castle battlements until the crystal had been successfully retrieved, but, in Sherry’s opinion at least, the confusion was doing more damage than if they had employed that trumpeter in the first place. On top of it all someone had apparently gotten in to see Ricardo and was now spreading tales about his knowledge of the whole process.  As if anyone can trust a thing that comes out of his mouth. Solitary confinement isn’t fit for man or mouse. Thankfully that breach of security was one problem that would not occur a second time. Queen Dawn’s blistering lecture on proper protocol and procedure had seen to that. Looking up at the chest-sized hole in the northern wall, Sherry smiled. The hole wasn’t really that bad of work for a first timer. A little rough around the edges but not bad. Not bad at all. Now we just have to get the blasted thing out. [Discuss This Article]