1997-03-02
Recovered original text · preserved verbatim
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NEVERWINTER NEWS
Issue # 175
Week Ending 3-2-97
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FRONT PAGE
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Congratulations to Neurosis for winning last week's News of the Realm contest
for his article entitled "Top 10 Tips for a New GM".
Kudos to Thorn Hawk for 2nd place for his 3-part story entitled "Storm
Clouds" and to GreySavant for 3rd place for his story entitled "Memories".
Neurosis has earned the choice of 4 Pearls or Access to the GOH (Guild of
Heroes). Thorn Hawk has earned 2 Pearls for his effort while GreySavant has
earned 1 Pearl.
Keep up the good work everybody! ;D
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Congratulations to the Brotherhood of the Pathfinders for compiling the most
"Newsworthy" entries to the News of the Realms for February!! They win the
monthly reward of 4 pearls which goes directly into their guild fund!! ;D
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<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>Greets all!
I wanted to take a few moments to update you on the status of in-game events
and the situation with AOL's timer. ;D
As I'm sure many of you are aware, players and staff have been testing out
the use of file downloads as a means to circumvent the system timer.
Preliminary testing looks fairly promising on WAOL versions 2.5 and 3.0, and
WAOL for Win95 3.0. We are not presently aware of a single session where
this "fix" has worked for PCAOL users.
For those of you that are not familiar with the "download fix", as it's being
called, the process if fairly simple. Prior to entering Neverwinter Nights,
you would select a fairly large file and begin a download session. Once that
download begins, you then enter the game, freezing the download in
mid-progress. Apprarently AOL believes you're still downloading and you are
not then subject to the timer. I want to emphasize that this is a "patch" at
best and not a solution, as we're not certain if AOL will make changes to
prevent this "fix" from working in the future. For the moment it appears to
work now. ;D
In light of that helpful news and the decline in ghosts as people use this
method, I have approved some testing of the feasibility of restarting in-game
events. Thus, I'm pleased to announce that during the month of March, the
staff will be conducting tours, mini booths and location hunts. The number
of these events will be limited, and pending the result of this testing,
we'll look at expanding in-game events once more.
No guild sponsored events will be approved for March, nor will any banners be
run aside from those related to system problems, ghosts, and these test
events. Hopefully, our tests will prove positive and we will be able to
restart guild sponsored events again. I will keep the guild GM's informed of
the progress of our testing in the later portion of March.
I'd like to thank you all for your patience as we work our way through this
situation together. I will be creating a folder in the Neverwinter Nights
Events & Announcements area for discussion and comments related to the
testing. Please, if you participate in an event, make your comments in that
folder and let me know how it went from your perspective. I'm specifically
interested in whether you experienced any difficulties with the system
freezing, if you punted.. and so forth.
Thanks again folks!
Regards,
NW Events
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Pearl Plan Transaction Form!!
Greets all!
I'm happy to announce that a new Pearl Plan Transaction Form has been linked
into our main Neverwinter Nights screen (Keyword: AD&D). This form was
specifically designed to deal with the most frequently requested
transactions. It automatically generates a mail message and sends it
directly to NW Oyster and NW Events. It is our hope that the use of this
form will assist you in providing all of the necessary information for each
type of transaction, thereby expediting the entire process and allowing us to
respond more quickly to your requests.
Please note that the use of this form REQUIRES that you be logged onto the
system and using the screen name whose account you wish to be effected by the
transaction request. Be sure to confirm which screen name you're signed on
with before using the form! Please do NOT use this form if you have no ideas
what pearls are and how they might relate to Neverwinter Nights or you do not
have a pearl account. You can find information about the Pearl Plan at
Keyword: AD&D in the Neverwinter Nights Events area.
Full details and instructions for the form are located in the Neverwinter
Nights Events area in the article "Pearl Plan Transaction Form Instructions".
(Keyword:AD&D >> Neverwinter Nights Events >> Pearl Plan Transaction Form
Instructions)
Thanks to the folks that suggested that this kind of a form would be helpful!
;D Happily we were able to get it setup though not QUITE in time to coincide
with the Pearl Database e-mails. Ah well... still, it's there now! It's
pretty basic, without the bells and whistles, but.. it works and we have
great hopes that it will help us toward our goal of improving the pearl plan.
Regards,
NW Events
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NEVERWINTER CALENDAR
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Keep an eye peeled for those Mini-Booths because they will appear when you
least expect in different areas of the Realms!
Can you be at the right place at the right time when the NW calls for a
location?
Keep your eyes and ears open for these events! Watch for the banners!
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Greets all!
I wanted to take a few moments to update you on the status of in-game events
and the situation with AOL's timer. ;D
As I'm sure many of you are aware, players and staff have been testing out
the use of file downloads as a means to circumvent the system timer.
Preliminary testing looks fairly promising on WAOL versions 2.5 and 3.0, and
WAOL for Win95 3.0. We are not presently aware of a single session where
this "fix" has worked for PCAOL users.
For those of you that are not familiar with the "download fix", as it's being
called, the process if fairly simple. Prior to entering Neverwinter Nights,
you would select a fairly large file and begin a download session. Once that
download begins, you then enter the game, freezing the download in
mid-progress. Apprarently AOL believes you're still downloading and you are
not then subject to the timer. I want to emphasize that this is a "patch" at
best and not a solution, as we're not certain if AOL will make changes to
prevent this "fix" from working in the future. For the moment it appears to
work now. ;D
In light of that helpful news and the decline in ghosts as people use this
method, I have approved some testing of the feasibility of restarting in-game
events. Thus, I'm pleased to announce that during the month of March, the
staff will be conducting tours, mini booths and location hunts. The number
of these events will be limited, and pending the result of this testing,
we'll look at expanding in-game events once more.
No guild sponsored events will be approved for March, nor will any banners be
run aside from those related to system problems, ghosts, and these test
events. Hopefully, our tests will prove positive and we will be able to
restart guild sponsored events again. I will keep the guild GM's informed of
the progress of our testing in the later portion of March.
I'd like to thank you all for your patience as we work our way through this
situation together. I will be creating a folder in the Neverwinter Nights
Events & Announcements area for discussion and comments related to the
testing. Please, if you participate in an event, make your comments in that
folder and let me know how it went from your perspective. I'm specifically
interested in whether you experienced any difficulties with the system
freezing, if you punted.. and so forth.
Thanks again folks!
Regards,
NW Events
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New Player Tours:
Join the following staff members for a tour of the Realm:
March 6th Thursday 6:00 PM EST - with NW Vorpal.
Those interested in any of these tours should keep an eye out for the banner
telling where to meet! ;D
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NEW IMPROVED TRIVIA!!
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Join NW Raven and NW Omar for a night of fun and prizes, while we test your
knowledge of Neverwinter Nights trivia!
Date: Tuesday, March 4th
Time: 10:00 to 11:30 pm EST
Place: The Great Hall of Neverwinter (outside the Realms)
Prizes to be awarded to winners:
First Place - 15 Pearls
Second Place - 12 Pearls
Third Place - 9 Pearls
Fourth Place - 7 Pearls
Fifth Place - 5 Pearls
AND access to the Guild of Heroes!!
There are NEW rules for a new year of Trivia! Major changes are:
1. FIVE winners instead of three!
2. PRIZES include only pearls!
3. ONLY first 10 correct answers are scored!
4. TWO random rolls instead of one!
Please review the new rules before coming in to play.
Hope to see ya there... ;D
-- NW Omar and NW Raven
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As many of may or may not have known, Aidynni (Guild leader of the Bards and
charter member of NWN) has left the world of Nevewinter to pursue other
venues in the real world. We here on the NWN Staff wish her the best of luck
in these future endeavours and that we will miss her presence in the game
greatly!
Her memoirs follow below detailing her feelings and experiences with the
myriad of personalities in the game throughout the years.
-- News
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1: In the beginning
Gad...it's been a long while since I wanted to do this, but wasn't able to in
one way or another because of the personal relationships involved. And I feel
that now I can write all this without censor since majority of people that I
would end up offending in one way or another has left the system for good. On
that note, however, I would like to make one thing clear before I go on
further. It is not my intention to slander or belittle anyone in the pages
below. They are simply the events and the personal impressions that was my
previleage to have accumulated over the long years being online and living
the nights of Neverwinter. Please don't get the impression that I am out on a
personal vendetta to smear other people's good names with my words here. I
merely want to leave for the new players and old a record of the way things
were beginning in June of 1991
Because that's when I got on board, never dreaming that I would be in it for
such a long haul...
2: Neverwinter Square
Gee, I dunno. About 10 or 15 people in the game? And they all seemed to be in
the town of Neverwinter, walking around, asking each other what was going on,
how do you hook on to some one...I managed to hail down Frank####, who seemed
to be wandering around in circles, and this is how the conversation with my
first Neverwinterite went:
Me: Hey, Frank.
Frank####: Hello. Where am I?
Me: I don't know, Frank. I just got here myself.
Frank####: I've been on for 2 hours and I don't know how to get out of town.
Frank####: I followed some dude, but we got separated because he started
moving.
Me: Huh?
After a few more minutes of this and that, we finall managed to agree to
follow the words that said, "warehouses to the east..." that was in front of
Lord Nasher's palace, and carefully went out to the warehouses. Frank
followed one step behind because we didn't know how the hook function worked,
so I had to wait for him to catch up if I went a bit too fast. Once we got
out of town, much to Frank's delight, we started to open this door and that,
and were attacked by a bunch of Orcs. We got killed, of course, because Frank
and I foolishly kept trying to run away from the monsters as they pounded us
over and over. We didn't care, though. We were all giddily congratulating
ourselves on actually triggering a combat event, wowing and clapping as the
little orcs trotted across the screen, smashing our online persona brains
out.
We got separated after that fight, however, for I was transported to the
gates first and immediately went through the door leading back to
Neverwinter. I never saw Frank again after that.
3:Thinkdrunk, Xandor3, Songbird, Trollsbane and the
Southwall party
After my initial "success" at the warehouses, I was once again alone, walking
dazedly around Neverwinter, marvelling at the different shops and having a
blast getting impressed with the EGA graphics when Thinkdrunk stopped me by
yelling at me to stop and asked me if I wanted to join an adventuring party.
There was a bunch of people milled around Xandor 3, who was proposing that we
go to Southwall and kill a troll. Xandor 3 stood out like a beacon. He had
about 70 hps, of which we all marveled at jealously since we all had 10 or 11
at the most, and he also had a magical two handed sword. Thinkdrunk was a
priest, with about 23 hps. He seemed to me like a drill sargeant, getting
everyone organized into a cohesive group and going over the hooking procedure
with each and every one of us, emphasizing that when we were hooked, under no
circumstances were we to use our arrow keys. We listened to all this with
absolute dread and terror, for we were all going into an uncharted territory
and the only way for us to get back to Neverwinter was to get killed. During
the trip, one person did touch the arrow keys, and was lost somewhere in
Southwall as the party left him behind. It wasn't that we didn't want to go
back for him, but we had to leave without him because he started to try to
find his way back and made it worse by getting hopelessly lost. It was a big
deal to be lost in those days since only a few people other than the beta
testers were familiar with all the twists and turns of Neverwinter roads, and
to be lost meant certain death!
I immediately made friends with Songbird and someone else that I've forgotten
the name to(his other name was darkspyre). Since we didn't have to "drive",
we fell into talking about the game and how excited we were as Thinkdrunk led
us deeper and deeper into Southwall, while Xandor3 periodically checked in to
see how we were doing, for he was scouting ahead and had an intimate
knowledge of the roads. It was a magical time, with each turns and twists in
the roads leading us to God knows where, everyone giddy and excited out of
their minds. It was there that I jokingly complained to Thinkdrunk that
drinking and driving didn't mix, and Thinkdrunk replied amidst laughter that
his name meant "think before you drink".
When we finally got to the battle that Xandor started, we all whistled at the
tall green blob, and started to get into the fray. I remember doing a doing a
Three Stooges impression and charging headlong into the Troll, with Xandor
and Thinkdrunk trying valiantly to save me while trying to hold the others
back from making the same mistake that I did. Everyone cursed and sent esps
telling me how sorry they were when I was splattered by the troll, while
Xandor3 frantically told me to stay put in front of the gate so they could
come back and get me.
When they finally got back to me and regrouped, we headed back to
Neverwinter, where we planned our next excursion at Inn. It was there that I
met Trollsbane, sitting inside and giving out magical swords and handing out
sage advice. He seemed to me like an old, wise man, holding a class on
Neverwinter survival 101, and to this day, I still think of him as old,
lovable grandpa Neverwinter.
Trollsbane told us of giants that threw huge stones that would squash people
like a bug, and of skeletal dragons that would fry people to a crisp. We all
stood around him, totally enraptured with his stories. Thinkdrunk esped me
that Trollsbane was one of the beta testers for the game, and he knew about
the ins and outs of Neverwinter more than anyone. I was suitably impressed!
Before I left though, he gave me a +2 Two handed sword so I could take of
myself better:D
4: Father Moy, Koolbrez,
Handler1
I was back the next night and ran into Songbird, who was waiting for me to
show up even though we didn't even make any arrangements to meet. We looked
for Thinkdrunk too, but he wasn't online and wouldn't be online for another
few hours. So, the two of us and Darkspyre(I can't remember his other name!),
who was traveling with another party but came back to Neverwinter to join us
when he saw that we were online, started to walk around town, looking for
people going out to adventure. It was in front of Daglow's inn that I met
Father Moy and Koolbrez, who stopped in to meet Trollsbane. As Father Moy
passed by, I couldn't help but blurt out, "Forgive me father, for I have
sinned!" Songbird thought it hilarious while Darkspyre thought I was crazy.
Father Moy merely smiled and answered back, "You are forgiven, my child."
Ever since that day, whenever I would run into Father Moy, I would blurt out
my line and He would reply his answer. It was a beginning of a beautiful
friendship. Over the months, we would become fast friends, and we would try
to hook up together whenever we were online together. He was always with
Koolbrez, whom I called, "Green Giant" because his icon was all green. My
first visit to Port Llast was with those two, where on the way, we
encountered a wolf with 50 hps that almost killed us all. Later, we found out
that it was a bug and were quite relieved! We travelled together for about a
few months, with Father Moy busily mapping the roads we travelled while
Koolbrez drove, with me, Darkspyre and Songbird talking and laughing. Father
Moy quit the service a few months after because his bill was skyrocketing.
You have to remember that it was 4 dollars an hour back then, and he wanted a
new motorcycle. Koolbrez left a few months after that as well, and came back
a few years later in version 2 for awhile, then disappearing back into
nothing. I can understand how he felt when he came back, with almost all of
his old friends gone, in a place that didn't know who you were. I don't fault
him for going away the second time. Darkspyre left two years later because of
money too. He had been spending a lot of time online and said that only way
he was going to save himself from bankrupcy was to quit AOL altogether.
Needless to say I was devastated. These people were like my extended family
to me. I had gotten to know them well and we were very close. And one by one,
they were disappearing from my life. On some cool, dark summer nights, I look
back on those days, traveling with Father Moy, Koolbrez, Darkspyre, and
Songbird, feeling like we were actually physically traveling down the roads
of Neverwinter, feeling the road dust on our faces, laughing and joking as we
traversed those winding trails...Those days are gone forever.
It was around the first month that I ran into Handler1, I believe it was in
Vilnask. I was with Darkspyre, standing in the middle of the road, because
Father Moy and Koolbrez got killed in the previous battle and we had to wait
for them to catch up. Handler1 was with another guy, whom I've forgotten the
name to(He was searching for a magical bastard sword). He took one look at me
and said that he could get me two levels real quick if I would come with
them. I hesitated, for I couldn't just drop everyone and go off with him. So
I told him no, and he replied, "you're missing out." and left. To be honest
with you, I thought he was a stuck up jerk and I wanted nothing to do with
him. It's ironic really, because Handler1 would always be popping back into
my Neverwinter life, and would care for my welfare even though I didn't think
he cared at all. It was he who had wanted me to use my talents for Born's
sister's wake in Neverwinter, and would sometimes go out of his way to help
me and my guild to succeed. I've done nothing to thank him for all those
little things really, as you'll see as you read along the years.
5: Beelzebul, the first
murderer
With so few number of people online, everyone knew everyone. We would
exchange greetings by ESP when we signed on, and behaved as though we were
all part of a big family. Everyone looked out for each other, and would
gladly help out a fellow player if they could. So it came as an utter shock
to everyone when we heard that a person named Beelzebul killed another player
in the lost hills. I remember that day vividly, for it was a day that would
change the face of Neverwinter forever. It was as if the spirit of
Neverwinter itself had been murdered that day and nothing anyone could do
would bring to life the days of familiar closeness, the comradery that
everyone shared, back. The news spread by word of mouth via esp to everyone
online. I was in front of Lord Nasher's palace when the esp hit me. I didn't,
I couldn't believe it. However, when Trueknight, one of my friends and a true
gentleman, came up to me and told me that he had just been killed by
Beelzebul in the hills, and wanted me to revenge his death, I knew then that
Neverwinter was no longer a place that I had known. I actually got into a
'posse' to visit Beelzebul in the lost hills to see it for myself, and when I
got there, found that he was surrounded by other players, being sternly
lectured to. I asked him if he was really killing other players, and he
replied, "Yes. Would you like to be poisoned too?" Whereupon all my friends
and the lecturers grew outraged and started a battle with him, while I was
whisked away for my safety.
To be truthful, I wanted Beelzebul banned from the realms, and I wasn't the
only one to share this view. People saw him as a danger, a threat. Not only
to themselves, but to Neverwinter as we knew it. However, this wasn't to be.
Looking back on it now, I have to admit that Beelzebul was a true innovator,
and his reasoning that Neverwinter should grow as time passed and not remain
stagnant a valid one. It is true that some have left Neverwinter Nights
because of what he had started, and I sometimes find that the reasons that
some people use to attack other players that mind their own business a poor
one at best, but PVP is a fact of life now in Neverwinter, and a very sacred
one at that. I wonder, however, how many of those that PVP today know that
they owe it all to the murderer of the lost hills, and that without his deed
and his crusade to make PVP legal, that it woudn't have been possible at all.
6: The first bard of
Neverwinter/The guilds
How many of you still remember Doswacko and LadyDos? I owe a lot to these
two. Indeed, the bards guild owes its very existance to this couple. Back in
the days of the first year of the game, I was steadily gaining a reputation
for my songs about Doswacko and LadyDos, whom I've run into accidentally at
the gate to Vilnask once. People soon invited me to be in their parties to
hear "that bard girl sing.". I happily obliged them, singing my Doswacko song
first and then picking on one of my party members and singing a made up song
about his supposed quest. On one night, I turned one of the latter songs a
bit too randy (If I were to sing it now, I would get TOSed:X), and ever since
then, whenever someone saw me online, it was always, "Hey, Aidy, sing that
song about the lemon!".
A few months later, I ran into Doswacko in the Lounge and he actually thanked
me for the song about him and his lady. Actually, I was deathly afraid of
running into him because the song made him and Ladydos out to be brainless
twits, with Father Moy helping them in their "domestic situation". He was
nice about it though, even though he knew that we didn't actually know each
other that well for me to craft a song about him.
When Beelzebul created the first guild to further his crusade to make PVP
acceptable, the Guild of Chaos, the people in Neverwinter didn't know what to
do, save for one. While I was esping in Daglow's inn, Handler1 came in. By
now, we had become close, although I still felt that he was a bit too stuck
up for his own good. We fell to talking about Neverwinter and the subject of
GOC came up, and I stated that something must be done about this. Handler1
replied that he had a surprise in store up his sleeve about that, and told me
that maybe I should think about creating a guild myself, to balance things
out. I told him that I was thinking about creating a guild for bards, and he
wished me luck. The next day, I saw that his "surprise" was the Crusaders of
the Realms. The clerics guild followed afterwards, being the 3rd guild
created in the realms(a lot of people don't know this fact:D). Headed by
Snnie, they were the first true neutral guild, accepting clerics of all
alignment. As a matter of fact, Pentagrame, one of the best evil RP player
that I have known and a very good friend of mine, belonged to that guild, as
well as GOC. Snnie was a strong woman, and I admired her strength a lot. And
I don't think the neutrality of the guild, nor the concept of it, would have
been as strong had it not been for her firm hands on the reins. Indeed, the
clerics guild's stance on characters of different alignment working together
stood as a model for my guild. When she left the game, the guild left with
her. That's why it no longer exists. I still remember the time when one
Neverwinterite sent a chain letter to the most of the people of the realms
and how Snnie chewed the beejesus out of him for his stupidity. It would be a
long time afterwards that I would finally get to meet Snnie, who jokingly
told me how she managed to keep control of all those "boys":D one summer
night in the bowels of the temple in Longsaddle.
People in Neverwinter were quickly being polarized to either the GOC or the
COR. Being evil in the realms in those days was still a taboo, and the other
players really ostracized them for it. So, initially, COR members outnumbered
GOC by a wide margin back then. However, what the GOC lacked in numbers, they
more than made up for it in quality. Other than Beelzebul, there was
Hellhammer and Pentagrame, who were already pretty skilled in PVP and didn't
give a flying fig about what other players thought of them. Soon, most of the
old players in Neverwinter converted their alignment or created evil
characters to join the GOC. It was only natural, I suppose. Such a change
gave them a new lease on Neverwinter life that had begun to grow dull.
So where are the bards? Well, the guild was created by me a few days after
the clerics guild. This was because my guild was so unique that I had to have
a base of support from both GOC and COR of our neutrality and a promise of
safe passage through the realms unmolested. Not only that, I had to find
other players who had the same interests and the "skills" of gab who were
willing to join. The first task was easier than the latter. All I had to do
was to traverse through the realms, meet the guild masters of each of the
guilds, and get them to agree to my charter. I first talked to Beelzebul in
the lounge about our guild, and got him to agree to my position. This was the
last time I would talk to him after our initial encounter in the hills so
long ago. It wasn't because of any animosity in my part that we didn't
communicate. Events and timing just happened this way. I would not see
Beelzebul again after this meeting, nor would I miss his presence. I was
indifferent to him and he was to me.
It was also around this time that I ran into Temptis, who wanted to try out
PVP with me in Triboar. I feebed him twice on the first cast on two battles,
which left Temptis laughing his head off. I felt awful about it, but he
assured me that it was all in fun. Our paths didn't cross for many months
afterwards, with hilarious results. But that's much later and under another
disguise.
With Handler1 and the COR, well, what was there to be said? They gladly said
yes and sometimes actively sought us out and invited us to come along with
them as they battled other guilds. The other guilds that came along later
also agreed to do this as well, since we all knew each other and knew what my
guild was about. I remember once when I was traveling in the lost hills and D
Payen of the berserkers actually came to get me so I could witness his
berserkers fight against the COR. I or one of my members would post the
results of such encounters, including the SUPERBASH, with poetic flourish
later on, and we became the unofficial newspaper of Neverwinter.
I have to say though, the guild that was the closest to us was not COR,
although I had many a friends in the guild such as Xandra3, who along with
Handler1 was the pillar of the guild and a PVP icon back in those days,
Sunkist, who always was a gentle, fun loving soul, Sir Redrum, a later member
who made it fashionable to be a parent in Neverwinter, Sinestra, Bjorn Llar,
Volant, who had a few fun run ins with my other selves, Viznek I, who started
the whole trend of matrimony in Neverwinter, and many others. No, the guild
that I was most closest to was the GOC. This all happened because one day I
actually went over to Berun to track down Pentagrame to get him to agree to
my charter, and I happened to make friends with Hellhammer, who was traveling
with Pentagrame. Between Pentagrame's angry threats, Hellhammer esped me that
Pentagrame was just RPing and that I shouldn't worry about it. We hit it
right off after that, Bruce(Hellhammer) and I, and soon we became fast
friends. I sometimes hung around with him as another character in PVP battles
at Port Llast and beyond, and sometimes we would talk for hours in the
lounge. I was really crushed when he had to leave the realms because of
outside problems, of which I won't get into here because it is personal. I
myself had to consider if it was really worth staying online when he left.
Not only had I lost a friend, I had also lost my excuse for PVPing, for he
was my first real teacher of PVP and let me tag along for his wild rides.
And of our bellicose Pentagrame? I turned the tables on him and rolled a
character named Nimue, who by sheer coincidence made friends with Branwynn,
his online and offline girlfriend. Soon, I was friends with him too and found
out that underneath that gruff online personality, he was just a cuddly teddy
bear. We travelled the woods together, the three of us, and spent many a
happy nights adventuring before they too faded away with time's passing.
It was as Nimue mostly that I began to help other players throughout the
realms. And one of the main reasons why I was so close to the GOC as well as
COR was because I had helped train some of their members. One night, I gave
away a magical shield to a girl with a funny name, My My. But that's a story
that is best left to other pages of this book. Nimue also met Natasha666,
training at Port Llast. It was then that I asked her to be a "nice" evil
person. She laughed and told me that in real life, she was a nice girl. It
was my misfortune that I was at that time still under the impression that
people attacking other people were a bit deranged and touched in the head.
Little did I realize that I myself would be even a worse terror than some of
the others that I so haughtily criticized for being so "evil".
One person that really made the bards guild happen was Peer Gynt. He was the
one that thought my lemon song was a bit off kilter and from the first moment
we spoke, I knew that without him in the guild, the bards would not happen. I
must have made a terrible first impression, or my reputation for lewd songs
must have preceeded me because he refused to join the guild for a few weeks.
It was only when I made it clear to him that the bards guild was concerned
not only with neutrality, but we were working towards personal growth as a
writer that he agreed. I had to lose him for a few weeks when he was turned
into a tiger because someone had accidentally cast confusion on him, but out
of all the bards that there ever was, the one that really put us on the map
was Peer Gynt. He was a tireless worker, and his writings seemed to just flow
out of him effortlessly. Pretty soon, everyone knew Peer Gynt, although I
dare say that his tiger incident helped him in this regard. It was Peer Gynt
who had introduced me to Tylston, someone so much like Peer artistically, but
yet so different in personality. Later I found out that Tylston was a
missionary, emailing me time to time to tell me of his long absences are due
to his work out of the country. May God bless you, Tylston.
As the years passed, Peer Gynt's work grew more and more complex, and it
upset him that people didn't get the true meaning behind his words. My motto
for all my members at that time was to just write for yourself and to hell
with what everyone else thinks. However, I guess it got to Peer that he was
putting up very beautiful works and wasn't getting any intelligent responses
from the readers. Coupled with the fact that he was going through what I call
a "Neverwinter middle age syndrome", he turned in his resignation after a
personal meeting with me and left, never looking back. I tried my darndest to
keep him, for he was the bards guild, but it proved fruitless. Peer's
departure didn't affect me as the others had. I felt angry that he would just
toss in the towel like that. The funny and sad thing about it is, the last
true friend that I had from the old days, the one I had shared many nights
talking about classical music, or gabbing poetry with had gone, and from now
on nothing else about Neverwinter or its citizens would touch me ever again.
There were some nice, sweet memories from this guild that I left behind. The
piece that I composed for the death of Born's sister that was read at a wake
in Neverwinter Square, making me realize that perhaps the spirit of kinship
amongst members of Neverwinter's family were not dead afterall, the many
wacky guild meetings in private rooms that always ended up with someone
getting tossed into the racks, the series of concerts that we put on in
Southwall, the guild quest in the closing days of version1 that netted 100
people online for our event, the dozens of battles in the woods that we got
to attend and root for, the numerous wedding poems that I wrote when the
craze hit Neverwinter, the fellowship of intelligent guild mates that always
made me glad that I was previleaged to be a part of. Surely there were times
when I was the only guild member of the guild and wondered if it was really
worth hanging onto it all those years. Whenever I had doubts like these,
there were always friends who told me that a guild like mine was needed, and
without me, there would be no more bards in Neverwinter. Perhaps I found it
easier to leave my creation behind when I stopped listening to them, or
perhaps my time had finally come, reaching a point in my life that I no
longer was the bards guild, and Neverwinter was no longer a part of me.
Because I am no longer that girl some years ago that loved to gab and sing.
Time passes, people move on. Yesterdays are like dreams, half remembered and
always warm and fuzzy when returned to. Perhaps that's why I write this now,
to remember because I have no more songs left in me.
7: Anita, My My, Natasha666 and
Blacome
It's funny. I've jokingly claimed to be Lord Nasher, Handler1, or Azagthoth,
but I've never ever claimed to be anyone as totally different as Anita.
Although the shock that I and Anita were the same person wouldn't be as big
as disclosing it 3 years ago, it's a fact that I still have a bit of trouble
owning up to. She was cautionless, wild, southern talking gal that threw
etiquette and poise of my other selves out the window and slammed it shut for
good measure. Originally created because I wanted to show everyone that an
evil character was just as welcome in my guild as any, she overstayed her
welcome and just went totally out of control. I didn't know what to make of
Anita, and was really wary of playing my "evil" character out. But it was
her, not Aidynni nor Nimue, that met and befriended My My. I was sitting at
Daglows when we first met, having been both shunned and chewed out by another
player for being evil. I was ready for the same treatment from this stranger
with a funny name, but she was glad of my company, and agreed to go with me
to Longsaddle. On the way we picked up some guy that turned out to be an
asistant system administrator for NWN and another person named Blacome, who
later formed the Gray Knights of the Balance. I guess it was in those few
hours that I found that I had found a friend in My My, and was glad of her
company. She later on joined the helpers guild, who helped new players online
and showed them around Neverwinter. Our friendship remains to this day over
the years, her encouragement and care always managing to stave me off from
joining my other comrades in the netherworld. I must have tired her out from
all my constant complaints and laments about my lost friends over the years,
because I know if I was in her shoes, I would have told me to shut up and
leave already.
Oh, the trip to Longsaddle...I led the party to Longsaddle temple alright,
whereupon Blacome suddenly turned on us and called up Natasha666. And between
those two, we were killed rather easily for none of us could cast any spell
of import. When I managed to get back to the Longsaddle inn, My My was
sternly lecturing Natasha666 about her misdeeds via esp. I ignored Blacome,
who told me some rubbish about Natasha666 being his mistress and how he
obeyed her will. I would ignore and scorn Blacome ever afterwards, both as
Anita and Aidynni. He got the hint, I suppose, and shut his mouth when I
refused to answer him. I chatted with Natasha666, my conversation with her
months ago at the mages in Port Llast when she was in training ringing in my
ears. It was perhaps because she and I knew each other that I could forgive
her for it so easily, I suppose. Looking back on this now, I feel a bit
foolish about how I acted towards Blacome that day, for he was doing nothing
more than role-playing. Nevermind the fact that we told him and Natasha
repeatedly that we weren't interested in PVPing while they were frying us to
a crisp.
This experience in Longsaddle didn't sour the two of us for our taste for
adventure. I still thank My My in my heart for bringing me back from the
brink of cancelling, for without her, I don't think I would have stuck around
long enough for me to completely enjoy myself in my new calling in life,
newby baiting. The routine was simple, really. My My would gather a bunch of
new players while I "jumped" them at some point and threatened them with
certain death. It was fun watching the new players jump out of their skins
and not quite lose their fear of being zapped to death by me even when I
stuck around them and helped them get experience points. One time, I actually
cast resist fire one some hapless new player and proceeded to blast him with
a fireball. When he asked me nervously what I was doing, I happily replied
that I wanted to see how well I could protect him from myself, amidst nervous
laughter from the others. Those werer happy times, making friends with the
new players and feeling their joy of discovery renewing my waning interests
in Neverwinter. I wanted them to last forever, moments so precious and
sweet...Yet when I try to recall the names and the faces that me and My My
had the pleasure of helping out, I can't recall them. Perhaps it's just as
well. No one can be that lucky in life.
8: Cold Chill, Azagthoth, Lord Bane, Loucifer
and the MCA
There was a period in those early years when I exclusively played as Anita,
for HellHammer had gotten wind of who I was and sometimes invited me to fight
alongside him at Port Llast. I was so hooked up in this newfound adventure of
PVP that I've sometimes even forsook My My for it. Her stance on this matter
was rather firm anyway, and I ended up fighting those long nights along with
the GOC, where I met my old friends from COR and had the guilty pleasure of
trying to slay them. It was here that I met Loucifer of MCA, who later on
encouraged me to try my hand at some short stories. Without his encouragement
and criticism, I don't think I would have even attempted to go into the scale
of involvement that I committed myself in the GOH magazine. I still think of
good old Lou as my patron saint of literature. If you're reading this Lou,
I'd like to thank you for getting me off my butt and pointing me in the right
direction.
Learning about as much as I could from Hellhammer, and getting introduced to
the rest of the GOCites in the process, I felt pretty confident about the new
hobby of mine, so much in fact that Kalandryl of COR tried to recruit me to
the guild afterwards after a particularly confusing fight in Port Llast where
everyone was fending for themselves. He found out that I was evil after the
fight much to his chagrin since during the fight I was incessantly yelling
the COR battle yell, but we remained good friends afterwards until his
departure from the realms. As a matter of fact, the thing that was missing
from all these PVP battles online were the giant egos that are so prevailant
in today's Neverwinter. We were still one big happy family afterwards, often
talking for hours at an inn or having fun gabbing at the lounge. It was
always fun to chew the fat after a particular PVP battle, talking about
offline stuff or just going off in a big group to take on a beholder or two.
It kept us real. It made us into a tightly knit online family.
My adventures in Port Llast were numerous, for the place held one thing that
everyone wanted, quick and cheap exps at the mages battle. In time, it had
become passe' to go there, after so many of the neverwinterites abused the
facilities to gain quick maxed out characters. As a matter of fact, I myself
was guilty of this too, managing to finally max out Anita in about an hour.
There were about three characters that quickly gained their notoriety because
of that place, barring other players from abusing the mage battle. One was
Xxanthor, of whom I've never met since he came way after the others and by
that time, I was not interested Neverwinter to go and see for myself. The two
that I had the pleasure of pestering to death was Tharizdun, who I
mercilessly followed around and bugged, and of course Cold Chill, who had
proclaimed himself king of Neverwinter and played the part of a deranged
megalomaniac with corny perfection. I first ran into Cold Chill when he was
being attacked by the MCA outside the Port Llast Inn, and went into the fray
to investigate. There he was, surrounded by the MCA, getting multiple feebs
over and over. As I watched this go on, I thought it was pointless to let
this continue, and cast stinking cloud on Cold Chill. He promptly choked and
was slain by a boar as the others watched with laughter. Azagthoth didn't
think it was too funny though, and smacked me with a slay living that hit me
for 2 hit points. After the battle, I didn't see Azagthoth again until the
next day in the lounge, where we struck up a conversation and by the end, we
became good friends. I called him Zaggy ever afterwards, and even got to sing
at his wedding to Kimba/Mothra, who was another long time friend of mine who
had the habit of dumping off her new players on me while she offlined for
something important, leaving me with people with the personalities of card
board boxes. Unfortunately, it was at this wedding that I gave one of the
worst performances ever. That whole wedding was a sore point with me, and I
don't think I've ever forgiven myself for that awful piece of trash that I
crafted for two of my best friends online. After that fiasco, I couldn't
bring myself to read my poems in public and had to have other members of the
guild read it at various functions and gatherings. I wouldn't read in public
again until the days of version 2, when we had the two very successful
concerts in Southwall. If you're reading this, Kimba and Zaggy, I'm really
sorry for that awful poem:X I'm just glad that I didn't ruin the rest of the
evening!
The MCA eventually was run out of the sanctioned guild folder because Zaggy
wouldn't divulge the member roster, justifying his actions because he stood
by the guild's principles. By this time though, NWN had become so structured
and institutionalized that he didn't stand a chance. I watched with sadness
as the guild withered and disappeared, with Zaggy and Kimba leaving away in
anger.
Oh, and Cold Chill. One day, I took a new player to the port as bait so I
could actually attract him to me, and proceeded to humiliate him by having
the new player attack him while I had him held. He got back at me for that
humiliation though by ambushing and feebing both me and My My in Berun.
Everytime he was online, I got Anita and proceeded to bug him via esp. It got
so bad that he started to run away as soon as I was anywhere near him. But it
was all in fun though. We got together and ran one of the scenarios for our
guild quest. It was a blast to work with him. Whether people liked him or
not, Cold Chill brought new life into the game that was in danger of becoming
stagnant. And for that, we should thank him. He was a gentleman, and a fine
role player. I still miss hearing him yell, "Peon!"
The last person that I met and formed a long friendship in Port Llast was
Lord Bane. I met him at the inn and got him to agree to act like a bunch of
new players, abusing the mage battles for exps and hoping that other self
rightous people would jump us for it. It worked, and we had a good laugh as
we held the surprised and shocked players that were expecting helpless
newbies. We kind of drifted apart a few months afterwards as he became
scarcer and scarcer online. I was glad to talk to him if only for a few
minutes when version 2 came online, just to talk to an old friend.
9: Holy matrimony
Marriage was a big thing in Neverwinter for awhile, and it seemed on certain
months that you couldn't walk a few paces in Neverwinter without somehow
finding yourself at a wedding. The whole trend had stared with Viznek and Aly
Oops, who has the distinction of being the first wedded couple in
Neverwinter. I had a chance to spend some time with the happy duo in
Longsaddle, and managed to keep myself from crafting a song about them like I
had done with Doswacko and Ladydos. Actually, Viz and I had been friends from
the first few months in Neverwinter, so I was happy for him when he managed
to "settle down" with a nice girl like Aly Oops since rumors persisted around
that Viz was quite the cassanova and wouldn't pass up a chance to flirt with
the other ladies online. Over the years though, he's been more like an old
familiar blanket of mine. Always there to remind me of past happy days of
endless summer nights. He's the last link to my past, of times spent in
adventure with Father Moy, Koolbrez, gabbing with Handler1, Hanging out with
Pentagrame and Branwynn....tagging along with Hellhammer and the rest of the
GOC gang..The fights at the port with Xavier, Lou, Kalandryl and the rest of
the COR gang...laughing at Xandra's glib, witty esps..
My My was a magnet for marriage proposals. She always seemed to have someone
new always falling for her and asking for her hand in marriage. She always
turned them down however. Plenty of others weren't as resistant about
matrimony as her though. Wraith1391, the last of the COR guild masters that I
was to know as a close friend, tied the knot with Kalandryl. I heard that it
was a beautiful ceremony, and of course I wrote a poem as a gift to them,
read by My My during the wedding. I dared not show up in public for a reading
in those days. The sting of Kimba & Zaggy's disasterous wedding poem was
still fresh in my mind.
I was not immune to this latest fad. Anthrax, the newly appointed guild
master of GOC had been proposing to me for about a week and I had been
refusing him. Like all GOC guild masters before him, he was a good friend of
mine and I didn't want our friendship turned into a sham by jumping on the
latest bandwagon. At one point, I stated that he was better matched with
Natasha 666, but he told me glumly that she was already expecting that he
would ask her and thought that she was too power hungry. After another day of
this and that, we had a contest. If he would defeat me in PVP, then I would
agree to marry him. I was rather vexed and angry when I was immediately
fumbled on the first cast, and thus had to marry. But this was not to be, for
he told me after the fight to ask Arwen if it was okay for me to marry him. I
did so and her reply was that he was still hurt by the loss of Snow, his true
love, and needed a woman who would take care of him and be by his side. So I
promptly thanked her and told Anthrax that Arwen had said no. That was the
end of it and Anthrax did not bother me about marriage ever again afterwards.
We continued to be good friends afterwards, and it was he who made a place
for me in the Guild of Heroes magazine so I could continue with my literary
endeavors. It was much later on down the years that he asked whether I was a
bit uneasy about our past. What's there to say? Some things are best left as
they are.
My run in with Temptis came full circle in the heydays of version 1 when
Temptis started to chase me through the realms as a wacky suitor. I have to
say that I enjoyed every minute of it. He was exciting, always unpredictible,
and had a bundle of energy to burn. We both knew that it was all in good fun
and we had a blast doing it. Him doing the chasing and me doing the running.
He was and always will be a true gem of Neverwinter. With him around, I
always felt and knew that he'd make things happen. And for a few moments that
I was with him, he brought back the memories of the olden days, both of us
traveling down the cobbled streets of Triboar where I first met him as
Aidynni.
My last and final proposal came in the waning days of version 1 in the woods,
and it was from Handler1. I thought he was joking. I had known Handler1
longer than anyone, and for him to get into a fad like that would have seemed
pointless since he's been able to stay out of the marriage race this long.
Little did I know that he had already been rejected by My My some time ago
and by the time I got through being high and mighty and lecturing him on how
ridiculous the idea sounded, he left. I esped him to ask him if he was
serious about this, and he replied, "Since when is anyone serious about
anything anymore?"
This is not the way I envisioned my relationship with Handler1 to end. But
there it was. I should have seen it coming. He had once asked My My whether I
had a personal dislike towards him, and I suppose all those years, I wasn't
exactly nice as I could be with Handler1, even though he's been there with me
and for me all those years. I did meet him again once in the beginning days
of version 2. We talked for awhile about how the place and the people had
changed. He was rather chagrined by the attitude that some of the new players
exhibited. Then that was it. I never saw him again afterwards. That's how my
relationship with one of the true icons of Neverwinter and one of the family
members of the old class of Neverwinter ended. To say that I have no regrets
about this is an understatement, I suppose. Kinds of things that are best
left in the dustbins of time, to be faded away.
10: The slow end
In the last few months of version 1, I met a few people online that would
make a big impact on the New Neverwinter. One was Malhavok, who I've met
while resting at Daglow's. He wanted to know if I would be interested in
marrying Blaylock. I replied, "yuck!" and to my dismay he esped Blaylock my
reply, causing him to huff over to the inn and started to complain why I
thought he was not right. We all had a big laugh out of the whole bruhaha.
Ever since that, we esped each other occasionally when we found ourselves
together online. I've followed Malhavok's progress through the years, first
in the Sierra Network where he started his guild, KAAOS, and shrugged as he
transferred it over to Neverwinter, eventually eclipsing the other guilds and
setting a new standard in guild management and rp lingo. It's rare to see a
guild dominate the Neverwinter landscape like KAAOS. I've never seen anything
like it in all my years of NWN. And it was only possible because Malhavok had
the attitude, the charisma, and the drive to make it all work.
With the death of version 1 came my death as a player in Neverwinter as well.
I found it hard to justify spending time in a place where I was now a
stranger. I could have applied for a staff position long ago like some of my
other friends, but Trollsbane advised me once not to do it, with good reason.
So with no commitments other than my writing obligations for the GOH
magazine, I began to slowly disappear and become a ghost. With that came the
loss of ties that I had worked so hard to weave as time passed and friends
disappeared. My last link to the GOC, Drk Anjel, was severed when she
resigned as the guild master. She didn't have to reach out to me, since I
hardly knew her at all. But she did. I suspect that she and I met under
another name some time ago, but I thank her anyway for her generosity in
considering that there were still bards in Neverwinter.
Time passes, people move on. Things can't stay and remain the same. I tried
to change with it, but now I feel that my time for change has come to an end.
This work is my last stand, my last link to Neverwinter as I knew it. I
wanted to share it with someone before the dreams of those Neverwinter
Nights, those few people in the beginning that were my brothers and sisters
so long ago fade away like memory. Thank you for reading and remembering them
with me.
The Lost Passage - Part 4
Catching Up
(submitted by: Barthonus)
Barthonis was glad that Riverswift had convinced the rest of his
brothers and sisters that sending him was the only plausible solution to
their immediate problem. But unbeknownst to his friends was the fact that as
soon as Barthonis had spotted the empty the empty bunks this morning, he had
already made up his mind to catch up to TroutRasta and Lake Mist. Indeed,
Bart had already been nursing plans of his own to leave the group and rejoin
Thorn Hawk and Ender Bay up on the mountain in search of Zeb Canon.
As he left the inn and his fellow pathfinders, Barthonis heard the
fleeting comments they made and it plunged him further into the mental
turmoil he was already in. He did need something to do, but he already had a
specific something in mind. Their laughter at his claim to be able to catch
his brothers before the day ended had not helped his dark mood either. For
Bart believed that the reason the group had not completed the mission to
rescue Cerdith more successfully was because of his incompetence. If he had
only dispatched the skeletons and the skeletal giant more quickly he could
have been there to aid his comrades when they needed it most. He blamed
himself for Primrose's poisoning. If he had been there to engage the drider
at the crucial moment then his sister would not have the foul dark poison
coursing through her veins. And more than anything, he blamed himself for
not being at their war captain's side in the final climactic battle with the
evil cloud giant shaman. He had lived most of his adolescent and adult life
killing the evil giants and giant-kin that plagued the woods and travel roads
of the realms, but at that fateful moment when Zeb Canon had needed an ally
and brother-in-arms, Barthonis Giantslayer was no where to be found.
It wasn't until Barthonis reached the wooded trail that led back to the
mountain cave complex that Bart began to sing. During the final battle he
had begun a song of hope and honor and love to inspire his brothers to drive
away the fear that had gripped them away, and upon finishing the last
skeletal wave of attackers, he had sung of valor and justice as he moved to
engage the skeletal giant that had approached him. But today's song was
neither a song of hope and honor, nor a song of valor and justice. It was a
dark, brooding dirge. He now sang a song of injustice, of having failed
one's friends in their moment of dire need, a song of utter shame.
As Barthonis left the outskirts of town he shortly found the first of
his brothers trail markers. He was on the right track. Suddenly a thought
occurred to him and he reached down into his bag of holding and retrieved one
of his most valued possessions. It was an ordinary iron ring, rather
nondescript by most standards. But the powerful magic it contained within
was where it's real value lay stored. As Barthonis placed the ring on his
ring finger of his right hand he slowly imagined the powerful longsword that
had been his fathers and that Bart kept at the guild bunkhouse vault. He
stored it there, intending to use it only in dire circumstances. But the
time had come to wield the family heirloom with a spirit of retribution. He
would give up his trident to Ender Bay. Indeed his friend Ender was the one
who had helped him retrieve the sword in the first place and Barthonis knew
the sea ranger would feel more adept with the aquatic weapon anyway. Just
another reason to catch up to his bros and deliver the trident to Ender. He
knew his bro would need it on the journey ahead, and Bart would do his
father's memory proud by using the longsword once again.
Barthonis felt he had let his fellow pathfinders down, and as he
quickened his pace to a brisk jog, he told himself he would not let them down
again. He would catch his brothers by days end and deliver the message.
Then he would continue on and finish what the band of pathfinders had
started............Opening my Eyes
(submitted by: Barbillius)
Barbillius walked along the grassy Neverwinter Square, waiting for his guide
to arrive from LongSaddle. There was a slight breeze that day and storm
clouds were covering the sky. He wandered by the vaults and by the various
crowds trading and begging for equipment when he found his friend, Falian.
She offered new equipment to him for free, just because he was of the
Forsaken. A short walk from the vault and we arrived at the sewers.
I had been around the Neverwinter area for about three years, I know how to
get from place to place, but never really entered the sewers. It seemed too
much of a chore to get a ticket, the Kracken password and 1000 platinum, and
I dont even know where to get the badge from the islands. So apon entering
the sewers, I was afraid of the people who lurked around. Not knowing what
to expect I followed Falian, who kept her cool while I turned pale.
While I hobbled along behind Falian through the grimy tunnels, we came apon
a couple of allies. I didnt know who these people were, nor understood their
language. She had planned that the four of us would awaken the hordes of
cloud giants, and teach me the ropes of fighting so I would be more
experienced. But when the Cloud Giants came out so did another person.
I am unsure of the stranger's name who "Was moving too fast" to avoid the
fight, but Falian & co. demonstrated how to effectively bring one to their
knees... a tatic I will need in the future. The trip in the sewers changed
my look on Neverwinter. I thought I was an experienced person, but I was
only a runt. My title in the Forsaken has earned me respect, and hatred, and
now I know why. When Falian left me in Triboar, I knew it was time to start a
new attitude... a new way to live. Gathering my things I headed north to
LongSaddle to learn the ways of the Mage and to start over.The Uprising
(submitted by: LordKob0ld)
Himul was born into slavery. His mother had died moments after his birth
because of the stress of labor paired with the cumulative effects of the
lash. It may seem strange that someone could be owned from the moment of
their birth. But in the Underdark, it was a common thing- Himul was a kobold.
Kobolds. The hideous, scrawny, savages of dark corners and deep holes.
Cruel-tempered vicious rats to be flaunted before kings and queens as part of
their favored paladin's glorious expolits. Thinking, living, creatures whose
minds and bodies were bent to edges beyond belief by scornful, vile
sorcerors. Himul had been all of these at times. He had been forced to battle
enemies he didn't know, beings he held no hatred for. Confusion to despair,
despair to longing, longing to understanding. The next step was to come.
Many years had passed. For Himul, it was merely day by day. Day by day of
slavery from the drow. Torture was their meat and drink, it seemed. At times,
Himul would be beaten savagely by the dark-skinned tormentors for no other
reason than a broken love or just for entertainment. Master after master he
had slaved for. All were cunning. None were kind. They restrained Himul's
body in manacles of steel, but they could not restrain his spirit. No, his
spirit and his mind remained free. And, he vowed, the drow would one day
regret it.
Savionna chuckled at the sight of the hapless kobold on the altar. At least
this one struggled, she thought. Lloth will enjoy the chase in the afterlife.
As the dagger began to incise into the kobold's hide, he let out a long,
desperate moan. Under normal circumstances, Savionna would have cackled and
continued the ritual scarring. But this, this horrid bestial howl... this had
to be stopped. She took a wadded rag and stuffed it in the minute kobold's
toothy maw. She didn't notice the twinkle in his eyes afterward. As she
reprepared the dagger, the drow priestess heard a slight snap. Casually
turning around, thinking the kobold might have broken his finger in his
efforts to free himself from the ropes, she was hurled back by a scaled,
furred, three foot long device of raw fury. Using the gag, the kobold wrapped
it around the priestess' neck and pulled tight. The drow thrashed again and
again, unable to call for help. The kobold stood stolid. Her feral claws on
her hands raked at his face. He ruggedly stood. Feebler and feebler did the
contortions continue... until they were no more. Himul, his face ravaged, his
arms torn, collapsed next to the dead drow.
Two hours passed. The blood from the priestess intermingled with that of
various humanoids in the trough passing the altar. Himul awakened just in
time to hear the next priestess walking up the steps for her daily
sacrifices. Quickly, he dragged the body over to the trough and tossed it in.
The trough, which accomodated all the major temples in the city, was easily
large enough for the body to fit in. The priestess sank beneath the crimson
tides and was gone. When the priestess opened the door, the kobold scampered
out. She shouted a few words of warning and more than a few oaths, but
otherwise nothing. It was a simple kobold, after all.
Himul tried to catch his breath in an alley between the two largest temples
in the city. He slumped down against a wall, unsure of what to do next. But
he would survive. That much was certain. He powered himself upright and
looked around. The trough passed right through the middle of the city, and
Himul was very near to it. He slunk through the shadows to the trough.
Various humanoid body parts flowed down the vile stream. But then he saw
something else. A furry arm, waving over the flow, accompanied by loud gasps
for help in the kobold language. Himul, outraged at the drow who were
watching the stream for amusement, suddenly hurtled himself into the depths
of the bloody waters.
"Ywgii! Ywgii!" Kabpe yelled over and over. Surely, somewhere, someone
understood the kobold language! Suddenly, a rough hand dragged him under the
trough's waves, and he could yell no more.
Himul swam. He didn't know how, but he swam. He reached the struggling kobold
and quickly pulled him under. Had Himul surfaced, it would have immediately
brought more attention- completely unneeded. With a hand over the now-placid
kobold's mouth, he kicked and paddled through the quickly clearing water. As
they entered a cavern, he made their way over to the wall... and to land. He
dragged the scarred kobold up onto the rocky outstretch and began to hit his
back to remove the water. Soon, he began choking, coughing, and finally
sleeping. Himul did the same.
The Uprising was underway.Loneliness
(submitted by: V Randym)
He made his way through the woods. It had been a year to the day since
his last visit, but he knew the way as if it had been only yesterday. He
came to a dead fall and paused. Carefully picking his way through the dead
branches, he stepped through into a small clearing.
Immediately, he could feel her presence.
The clearing was a lush, grassy area. The blackened, charred area long
since grown over. The spot where she had been taken by the rays of the sun.
He remembered the scar, crisped to a black ash where she had fallen. He
envied Nature's ability to forget, and to heal.
He walked to where she had fallen and sat on the grass. His first
childe...the first of his loves to perish because of him. He could feel her
strongest here.
"Childe, I miss you still," his voice a hushed whisper.
A voice, gentle as a breeze, "Love...I am with you always."
Hurting, he lay on the cool ground and wept. "I grow so weary of the
losses...of the loneliness."
The faintest of whispers, "Sire, you are never alone. Never without
love."
Slowly, he allowed himself to slip into the ground, melding with the
soil as he had the night she died. He wrapped himself in thoughts of her and
slept.
And for a time, the lonliness passed.
V Randym
Prince of Neverwinter
Camarilla GM
Sire of Spicy
HealingDagron's Departure
(submitted by: Augustus 5)
"Angst..."
The heart beats in labour as it strains still to pulse
Against a vice-like talon grip of slow crushing force...
Such power it had braved many times, mayhaps worse
But this one was different.. borne by unspeakable curse...
And the eye, moist with good cause... Spies the distance, hopes to see...
A future of goodness, and warm love.. Healthy seed...
The throat choked with anger, and love, and remorse
Opened allowing fresh breath to the words in due course...
Each inhale and exhale, silent gasps... no relief
From the knot in the throat raised by foul.. powerful grief...
And the eye, moist with good cause... Spies the distance, hopes to see...
A future of goodness and warm love... Healthy seed...
The intellect struggles with all... no relief...
How a god of the realms is brought down from beneath..
But even those most revered meet the face of themselves
In the long hall of mirrors, hall of reckoning.. hall of near-death...
And the eye, moist with good cause... Spies the distance, hopes to see...
A future of goodness and warm love... Healthy seed...
The mind grapples with the contradictions in life...
The Ideal is so sweet and the facts full of strife...
But Virtue in truth we both know never lies...
And my love stands unconditional no matter how dire..
And the eye, moist with good cause... Spies the distance, hopes to see...
A future of goodness and warm love... Healthy seed...
Have I been so bad.. to face this challenge alone..
Am I so deserving.. well I suppose so...
But maybe I am not alone at all...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Augustus of KORT
Big Pup's Story
(submitted by: The BigPup)
I am a new initiate of the non-sanctioned guild Temple of the Four Winds.
While I am still learning about the game::wonders if you could ever know it
all:: I have been told to write a history for my character and a story line
to carry on. This is what I submitted and one of the members thought I
should send it to you. I have been asked to tell the story of how the BigPup
came to be so here it goes.
Orphaned as a child ages ago, he was found by a band of monks on a quest
for knowledge. They raised him, taught him their ways, and over time their
secrets. He was given the name Nu Chi, but because of his size and his love
of life he was nicknamed The BigPup. When he came of age and had completed
the tasks before him, he was entrusted with the honor of becoming The
Guardian of the Crossroads. His predecessor had held the position for four
centuries, before he was betrayed and killed by a young student. \\\ But
what are the Crossroads? ///
:: A young man approaches the crossroads. As he does he becomes confused as
to which direction to take. He holds his head down when several creatures
appear from the woods and try to pull him down different paths. Some entice
the young man with gifts and promises. While others try to force him down a
path. But the young man is skeptical. He becomes frustrated and even more
confused as to which direction to take. Suddenly he hears the sound of music
playing. He looks up to see a man sitting beneath a willow tree playing a
wooden pipe. All of the strange creatures run and disappear into the woods.
It is as if the soft melody of the pipe was a warning, and all the creatures
knew to flee. At first the Young man is stunned, he had not noticed the
stranger before. The young man walks over to the stranger. The man sets the
pipe down and says "I am the Guardian of the Crossroads. You look confused
and worried my son."
"I am worried about choosing the right path" says the young man.
The monk smiles and replies " We all come to crossroads in life.
Sometimes there are right and wrong paths, other times not. Simply choices."
The young man puts his head down, more confused than ever.
The monk stands and says "Follow your heart and allow the wind to be your
guide on your journey."
"The wind?" asks the young man.
"Ahh yes. There are four monks who control the wind and they will never
lead you astray. Trust them, for they are your allies. Listen not to other
creatures or strange forces, for they are evil and only want to mislead you."
The young man closes his eyes and suddenly a gentle breeze arises as if
to urge the confused boy down a path. He opens his eyes and smiles, no
longer confused. He starts down the path when he realizes he forgot to thank
the stranger. He turns around only to find that the monk has vanished. The
young man starts back up the path when he hears a voice, as if being carried
by the wind, whispering "All life is fleeting. Enjoy your journeys, fight
the good fights, and always allow the winds to be your allies." He looks
back one last time at the crossroads and notices for the first time a
withered ol' tree. It sets adjacent to willow tree at the crossroads.
Beneath the withered ol' tree he notices a shadowy character. He has trouble
making the figure out, and as he tries to focus his eyes on the shadow, it
vanishes. The young man figures it to be a figment of his imagination, or
perhaps an optical illusion, caused by the sun casting shadows. He turns to
continue his journey down his new found path.::
The BigPup is constantly doing battle with evils at the crossroads, but
his greatest foe is the shadow beneath the ol' tree. Who remains a mystery
even to The BigPup.
Everyone comes to the crossroads at some time in their life. And often
they will speak of the man beneath the willow tree. To those who would
deceive or harm a traveler, he is known as the Ghost of the Willow Tree. To
his friends he is simply called The BigPup. But make no mistake, for all
know, he is the Guardian of the Crossroads.
The BigPup
Ghost of the Willow Tree
Guardian of the CrossroadsAn Island Tale
(submitted by: Pur Zaston)
With a supple, flowing motion of his wrist, the red-garbed swordsman guided
his blade through a whistling arc which ended somewhere deep inside the
beholder's globular body. Once, twice, thrice did the the silent swordsman
repeat this act, moving more quickly than the eyes of the tyrant could
follow. As the ichor-coated blade was removed after the final blow, the
lifeless husk of the eye tyrant floated gently to the ground, trailing limp
eye stalks like the multiple tails of a fanciful falling kite. Looking down,
the swordsman smiled grimly as he watched the newly slain beholder crumple to
the floor beside its equally dead brother.
With terrible cries composed of equal parts of fear and rage, the foul
Zhentrim and witless cyclopskins, servants of the slain beholders, charged
the unspeaking swordsman, surrounding him in an attempt to pull him down and
avenge the slaying of their bloated masters. Only then did Pur Zaston,
Krozair of Zy and Wizard of Loh, break his silence.
"Aye, gather 'round, evil ones," muttered Zaston as he sheathed his defiled
blade and began to move his hands in mystic patterns, "gather 'round that ye
may all burn in Zair's cleansing fire!" With that expostulation, the very
air of the subterranean chamber erupted into flames, engulfing Zaston and
servant of evil alike. When the flames subsided, only Zaston remained
standing, amidst the hideously charred remains of those that so recently
sought his demise. Seemingly unscathed by the storm of fire, Zaston began
searching the crackling remains of his enemies for clues that might explain
their loathsome presence here beneath Luskan outpost.
Zaston was distracted in his search by the sight of an intact battle axe in
the blackened embrace of a cyclopskin corpse. The axe fairly glowed with
magic, which no doubt explained how it survived the fire. Breaking the axe
free of the cyclopskin's death grip, Zaston hefted it and found its balance
to his liking.
"This is a noble weapon, by Krun, though it be an axe rather than a good
Krozair longsword! Perhaps good enough to slay the magical men of iron that
are rumoured to exist beneath the isle of Trisk. There is but one way to
find out. The time has come to join with the noble Giantklr and venture to
the islands, as we did agree to do as soon as we both are ready."
"Hail, Giantklr!" shouted Pur Zaston as he entered Camelot. "Have ye a cup
of wine to spare for a thirsty traveller?"
The trip from Luskan to Camelot, while quick and relatively uneventful, was
also dry and dusty. Zaston drained the large cup proffered by Giantklr in a
single draught and wiped his lips on the sleeve of his scarlet livery.
"By Mother Zinzu the Blessed, I needed that! Are ye ready to take passage
for the islands, Giantklr?"
With a wordless nod, the huge warrior affirmed his readiness to accept this
challenge. Looking down at the morning star hanging from his belt, he grew
thoughtful.
"First I must visit the vaults," said Giantklr. "This weapon will not serve
against the men of iron," indicating his morning star. "I must fetch my
magical glaive-guisarme. Go to the docks, and I shall meet ye there."
"Aye, but be quick about it, dom! I do yearn to cleanse the evil that lurks
on the islands."
Pur Zaston waited near the docks. Outwardly calm, he burned with impatience
as he examined the ship that he intended to board. Just when he thought he
would burst, Giantklr rounded the corner, clutching his glaive guisarme to
his breast. At last! Unable to wait another moment, Zaston advanced to the
ship, gave the password, and paid his fare. As he walked up the gangplank,
he was surprised to hear a startled shout and a splash behind him. Turning on
his heel, he was just in time to see Giantklr being pulled ignominiously to
the bottom of the shallow bay by the weight of his prized glaive-guisarme.
"Next time, remember to bring enough money!" shouted the Kraken ticket agent.
Giantklr dragged himself out of the muck, returned to the vault for more
money, paid the abusive ticket agent and finally succeeded in boarding the
ship, somewhat bedraggled but wiser for the experience. He slumped into a
deck chair next to Pur Zaston who, not wishing to discover how sharp
Giantklr's glaiveguisarme might be, just smiled and said nothing.
Pur Zaston woke in his cabin and headed up to the deck for some fresh sea
air. There he found Giantklr leaning over the rail. Moving to join his
friend, Zaston noticed that perhaps Giantklr did not enjoy the salt air
overmuch. "Tis good of ye to feed the fishes, Giant, but ye go too far my
old dom. They are well able to digest the food on their own. They need ye
not to begin the process for them."
Turning his green face upward, Giantklr tried to reply to Zaston's purported
witticism through vomit-flecked lips, but only succeeded in groaning.
"Worry not, my old dom," said Zaston, his face softening. "The trip is
short, and ye could stand to lose a little of that swag belly of yours."
Several days later, a slightly thinner and much less steady Giantklr wobbled
down the gangplank. Upon reaching the soil of the island, he fell to his
knees and began kissing the ground. "Now that I am here, I shall never
leave!" he vowed. "No more boats for me!"
"Let us go to the inn and rest a few days, Giant, that ye may regain your
strength," counselled Zaston.
"Nay, ever am I strong enough to combat evil!" protested Giantklr. "Let us
continue!"
"Tis foolish, Giant. Ye are weak. Besides, tis ill luck to venture forth
without performing several days of obeisance to Mother Zinzu the Blessed,
patron saint of wine drinkers"
"Now I see the way of it, Zaston! Your wineskins are empty and ye seek to
fill both them and your swag belly with good island wine! Nay. Ye shall
have to wait until our sacred mission is complete! Celebration comes after
the event, not before."
His noble features marred by a touch of petulance, Zaston nodded his assent,
and the two companions set off into the wilderness, leaving the noble
vintages of the island untasted. A day or two of traipsing through the
wilderness did much to restore Giantklr's strength and Zaston's good humour.
"Has it occurred to you that Trisk is another island altogether, which means
that we shall have to ride another ship to get there?" asked Zaston as they
approached the top of a large hill.
"Surely not!" expostulated Giantklr. "No doubt there is an underground
passage, or a mystic teleport, or some other means of transport. For if
there is not, why would the first ship not go directly to Trisk."
"Your logic is impeccable, my old dom, but I fear that it will do little to
impress yon boat moored on the beach below us."
Looking down for the first time after reaching the top of the hill,
Giantklr's only reply was a tortured groan.
With a reluctant sigh, Giantklr moved to follow Zaston, who had immediately
made for the boat. As the noble pair approached the boat, they were ambushed
by Kraken warriors and mages, along with their stinking sewer creatures. The
evil ones were no match for the two pages of the Round Table, and were
swiftly dispatched to whatever hell would care to claim them. The two sat
down to clean their weapons, and a sly look stole over Giantklr's face.
"Tis clear that this was but a trap, Zaston! That boat is not meant to be
used for anything. Tis only bait, to lure such witless ones as yerself into
the trap. Nay, the boat is not the way to Trisk. That much is clear. Let
us begin our search for the true way forward!"
Zaston's only response was a sarcastic lift of the eyebrows as he boarded the
boat and unshipped the oars. Resigned to his fate, Giantklr muttered a soft
curse and joined Zaston in the boat. The task of sailing the boat was left
to Zaston. Was he not once captain of a Krozair swifter that sailed the Eye
of the World on Kregen? Besides, Giantklr was much too busy making copious
offerings unto Poseidon.
The voyage seemed easy enough until a storm blew up out of nowhere, tossing
the tiny ship capriciously. No doubt this was Poseidon's way of extracting
increased offerings from Giantklr, but it left Zaston with a difficult
choice. Turn north and run before the storm, or persevere toward the west and
Trisk. Unable to decide, Zaston was saved when a manifestation of Saint
Gilligan appeared and urged him to continue westward. This led them to a
safe landing on Trisk which, contrary to Zaston's expectations, turned out
not to be a deserted desert isle. Once upon Trisk, an entrance to the
underground lair of the Krakens was quickly and easily found. It was almost
as if they wanted to be found. Heedless of the warning implied by this, Pur
Zaston and Giantklr ventured fearlessly beneath the earth, only to be sent
fleeing in defeat by a group of fire giant mages.
"Tis the wrath of Mother Zinzu," complained Zaston. "We have displeased her
mightily, as I did warn ye. I tremble to think of how much wine I shall now
have to drink to atone for my lack of piety. The cellars of Camelot will
surely run dry before I have purged myself of the sin that you brought me
to!"
"Aye, ye tremble Zaston, but in anticipation rather than fear! I shall be
sure to warn the knights to place a guard on the wine cellars when we return
to Camelot. Twas our overconfidence that caused us to lose that battle, not
your precious Mother Zinzu."
"Have a care, Giant. Mother Zinzu does not care to be mocked. Would ye have
your wine grow sour in your mouth for the rest of your days? Better to die,
by Krun! Still, what ye say does have some merit, my old dom. We must
proceed more cautiously, and prepare in advance for such battles as are
inevitable."
Re-entering the Kraken lair, the pair of pages immediately found their new
approach to be much more successful. The first guardians encountered,
efreeti and their pet hell hounds, were dispatched with ease. An uneasy
moment occurred when they were joined in this battle by Warr Sidhe.
Expecting this evil one to join the efreeti against them, Zaston was already
reaching for his scroll of Feeblemind when Warr Sidhe began attacking the
efreeti instead of the pages. Perplexed as to why a Warr would aid pages of
the Round Table, Zaston shrugged, replaced the scroll in his backpack, and
turned his attention back to the efreeti. After the battle Warr Sidhe went
his way while Zaston and Giantklr went theirs. Not a word was exchanged
between them.
Chastened by their earlier defeat, Zaston and Giantklr did not allow
themselves to enjoy this, or any other victory. They had become forged into
a single, grim, killing machine. No evil creature could stand before them.
Red dragons, purple worms, white dragons, yeti, and remorhaz all fell before
them, reaped like ripened wheat by their blades, then baked like loaves of
bread by their spells. Closer and closer did they come to their goal,
obtaining the Kraken badges which allow entry into the Neverwinter sewers.
As they girded themselves to face the foul dracoliches that guarded the final
approach to the Kraken headquarters, Zaston and Giantklr were joined by two
others on the same mission as themselves. LOKValiant and LOK Shirak helped
defeat the dracoliches, although Shirak was paralysed by the evil power of
the undead Dragons. He recovered from this fate in time to aid in the defeat
of the iron golems, penultimate guardians of the Krakens.
In the battle against the last defenders of the Krakens, the despicable
beholders, Shirak redeemed himself for his weakness against the dracoliches.
He slew both of the eye tyrants single-handedly while his three companions
disposed of the beholders' lesser servants. The last battle won, a cowering
Kraken, mistaking Giantklr for the leader of the party, gave him one of the
coveted badges. The quest was complete! Time now to return to Camelot with
our prize.
"I have been thinking," said Giantklr, "that the island climate is to my
liking. I believe I will stay here for a while, perhaps take up residence.
Here, Zaston, take this badge back to Camelot. I will not be leaving the
islands just yet."
"Nay, Giant, I shall not take the badge. Ye won it, ye shall return it to
Camelot. Tis only just. I would not cheat ye of the glory that is
rightfully yours."
"No, I insist, Zaston! There is much evil yet to fight on these islands. I
cannot justify leaving them at this time."
"Tis the thought of sailing once more that ye cannot justify, Giant! That is
the way of it! But sail ye shall, by the diseased left gonad of
Makki-Grodno! Who will defend the wine cellars of Camelot from my rapacity if
ye are not there to warn them?"
"Aye, there is that, Zaston. I could not face the wrath of the knights if I
allowed you to drink all their wine. Let us go."
And with that, Giantklr strode off to lead them back to the docks, already
beginning to turn green.The Lord of Punt
(submitted by: HC Fazz)
There is a monster on the hunt,
Who likes to pull a little stunt.
Of his attacks we bear the brunt;
He is the Evil Lord of Punt!
With claws in back and teeth in front
He bytes us with a fearsome grunt:
Not polite; he's rather blunt
We can't escape this wretched runt!
He sends us out by Nasher's gate
To suffer the eternal wait.
His appetite we can not sate,
The Lord of Punt we love to hate!
We stand there and accept our fate,
Except for one who did so state:
That on some not to future date,
"The Lord of Punt's head on a plate!"
In Llast the Gallant Prince was moored;
Our hero bravely snuck aboard
To loot the foul Medusa's hoard,
And find a special weapon stored.
Our nemesis was truly floored
To find that he was badly gored:
The Lord of Punt now Punted Lord
Pierced by Magic Download Sword!
The Lord of Punt, though badly hurt,
Hasn't lost his only shirt.
To old tricks he will soon revert,
And send you crashing to the dirt!
His attacks you can't divert;
Only try in vain to skirt.
With him it's death with which you flirt
Our Joy he always will pervert!
The Epic
(submitted by: Kai Thei)
Fiction, War
Time interwoven
The Serpent devours its tail
They beget each other
They consume each other
Gathering dust
Become indistinguishable
In the hearts of men.
A Good Night's Hunting
(submitted by: Mutt C130)
I walked into the Boar's Head Inn one morning in Floodbest (or Bloddfest
as many of us like to refer to the small village) looking for a tall mug of
Frenzy after a hard night of showng a couple of young rangers the arts of
tracking and hunting Cloud Giants. The two youngones anxious to find a Hall
of Training and sharpen thier skill's as well as spend the Plat's they had
just gathered, set out for Neverwineter Square as soon as the sun arose.
I set my bundle of Bugbear pelts down in a corner by my usual table
knowing I would have to tend to them before I got rest that day. Then taking
a seat, I looked up at Sasha the barmaid as she aproached the table.
"You where busy clearing the roads last night again wheren't ya Mutt?"
She asked as she eyed the pelts stacked in the corner.
"Aye, I have dear." I replied, "And it makes a Brother thersty doing all
that hunting. Has Dagr brought some fresh kegs of frenzy down this week?" I
asked. Dagr being our Bunkhouse bartender, he often maid sure there was
frenzy supplied to all the Taverns where the Brotherhood traveled in their
hunts.
"Why yes he has." She replied in a jovial tone "I'll bring one right out
for ya." And with that entered back into the kitchen.
I hollered at her to bring some eggs and Owlbear roast out as well if she
had any, then set about going through the pelts. Many would be suitable for
the job I had in mind for them. So I began to rub them and remove what fat I
had missed in the skinning. Sasha returned with the mug and the meal shortly
and I set down a purse of Platnum for her.
"Set me up a room to if ya would dear?" I asked as she picked up the
purse.
She smiled and nodded then went up the stairs where the room where. I
finished going through the pelts and in the process ate the meal and finshed
off the frenzy.
I was yawning nonstop when Sasha came back down and told me the room was
ready. I grabbbed the bundle of pelts and hefted them to my shoulder, then
followed her up the stairs to room.
"There's fresh water in the wash basen." She told me as she opened the
door.
I thanked her and set the bundle down at the foot of the bed.
"Will you be staying long?" Sasha asked me.
"No." I replied looking up at her from the wash basen my hands submerged
in the water. "I gotta head to the Bunkhouse tonight and get these pelts to
Barthonis so's he can recover the Brotherhoods cots. Seems one of the new
pets, Rounlins dragonling Whisp has taken to teathing on them and many are
unfit to lay down in any more."
"Well what time would you like me to awaken you?" She asked.
"After the midday meal should be good enough. Bring me a meal and some
more of the Frenzy when you come." I told her splashing the water over my
face to wash away the night's battle stains.
She nodded and closed the door quietly.
I unstrapped my enchanted battle axe from my back. And hung it from a
peg, then I removed the chain I was wearing and the under tonic and rifled
through my pack for a clean one. I hung the soiled tonic outside the door for
Sasha to have cleand and returned to my bed. Laying down I could feel the
ache in my muscles from hunting all night and started to dream of the hot tub
of Green goo that would be waiting for me at the Bunkhouse when I got there
this evening. I could almost see DragonKlaw in his Lazy Ranger scrawling in
his KP list a big frown on his face as I drifted off to sleep.
Mutt --and the dogs--
Mieliki's Faithful
BoPerNW Hospital - Beware the WARR Flu!
(submitted by: Dr Dumpers)
The Good Doctor, Leewood Dumpers, sat at his desk working on a crossword
puzzle. Quila, the janitor, was scrubbing the grime off the floor of his
office with a toothbrush. Dr. Dumpers then noticed quite a perplexing
word,"Say, Quila. What's an eleven letter word with the fifth letter being
'R' that means: The assumption of human form."
Quila shruged and said in two seconds,"Incarnation?"
"Hmmmm... yes, that works. Hey, Quila! What's a five letter word that
means:An Embankment along the shore of a river? The second letter is-"
"Levee."
Dr Dumpers looked down at the puzzle,"Why yes, that's right. Thankyou!"
"No problem Doctor. Oh yes, by the way, When would you like me to scrub down
the sixth floor corridors? I've been itching to use that new collection of
hallway specialty sponges and-"
Quila was inturupted when Doctor Gonzo Suddenly rushed into the room,"Doctor
Dumpers! Emergency! Emergency! AAAAAAAAG!"
"Chill! Gonzo! What's up?"
"The Hospital is being stormed by thirty purple-faced jagged-toothed people
all who are about, oh, so-high"Gonzo held his hand up about five-and-a-half
feet from the ground,"They're also shouting some wierd language nobody can
understand! They've already invaded the West wing and devoured three Lok Jaw
patients!"
"Dear Gods man!"Dumpers exclaimed,"We have no time to lose! Get the medical
supplies! Tell Render to get the leeches and have Nurse Tasha charge up her
disintigration rifle! We'll need all the methods of attack we can get!"
Dumpers rushed off with Gonzo down to the lobby. Out front were thrity
purple-faced people, just like Gonzo had described. Jiborbb was busily
fending off one of the creatures with his gardening tools. Dumpers hit the
alarm switch. It didn't take long for both Dr Render and Nurse Tasha to get
there.
Tasha looked at the situation and aimed her rifle,"Eat THIS, purple boy!"
BZZZZT!
One of the purple-people suddenly collapsed into a pile of dust. But then...
the dust seemed to move on it's own. Soon it was reforming... into... TWO
more of them! Tasha disintegrated three more and the same thing happened
each time. they now had thrity-four purple-faced people to deal with!
"What in Hippocrates' name is going on here?"Dumpers gasped
Jilorbb suddenly turned to them, his face was grim and dark,"I'll tell you
what this is! This is the infamous WARR Flu! During my experiance as a
gardener/psychiatrist, I recall coming upon this one very depressed newbie.
He told me how this purple-faced man had bit him and now he was undergoing...
strange changes. After a couple of hours, I noticed his face was darker, it
was turning purple, imprinted on his upper-lip was the word "WARR" in white
letters. He began saying weird nonsense words, things that made no sense at
all! Then suddenly, he snapped and leaped out the window! I haven't seen
him since, but I have a feeling we have a major epidemic on our hands!"
Render slapped his forehead,"Of course! The WARR Flu! I geuss it's made a
comeback. Any records of a cure?"
"Nope, none. It just disapeered all of a sudden. Nobody knows what caused
it's first disapearance"
Meanwhile one of the WARRs snuck up behind Nurse Tasha. Tasha was quick to
react and kicked the WARR in the groin. It fell over onto the floor with an
awful groan. Then, something odd happened, something fascinating, something
some would even say magical... As that WARR lie there, wincing in pain from
where Tasha kicked him... his face was turning back to normal. . .
Dumpers snapped his finger,"That's it! The disease's source resides in the
uh... well, where Tasha kicked! And if we damage that part of the body
enough, you know, where Tasha kicked, that cuts off the source of the
disease! Okay everyone, start kicking!"
Gonzo held Dumpers back though,"Doctor! We should get a specialist to check
this out to make sure it's safe, first though."
Dumpers turned to Gonzo,"A specialist? Okay, I geuss it's always wise to be
cautious..."Dumpers turned to the crowd,"Anybody here specialize in the area
of the body, ya know, where Tasha kicked the WARR?"
Everybody shrugged. Nothing.
Dumpers sighed,"I geuss I'll put up an want ad then!"
-------------------
The Good Dr. Dumpers
Head of NW HospitalPoem
(submitted by: Stalker352)
A boy on a field,
a field of terror.
A field of men,
who made an error.
A blemish to man,
A factor to fate;
the boy is now a man,
a tower of hate.
The blemish of battle,
like a slap in the face;
The result of war,
race against race.
The mark of war;
a deep dark shade,
The results of a battle,
Take eternity to fade.
Geek Poem
(submitted by: LordGeek)
Twas he setting of the sun when I first eyed my lady love
Soon the moon wouldst glow and the stars wouldst shine
Illuminate the Heavens as they radiate the earth
But tis her heart that is intense in luminous essence
That leads me on a journey as it guides me thru my dreams
For in her loving arms of darkness I find solice
Now I fear the coming of the light for it doth steal her from me
For the coming of the 'morrow brings the dawn that breaks my midnight sky
It is now that I enjoy sorrow for to her I must bid goodbye.
LordGeek
Geek Story
(submitted by: LordGeek)
I stumble thru the gate to Neverwinter, my body weak and broken falls limply
to the ground. My blood stains the grass where I lay. Barely able to move I
muster the last of my strength as I crawl upon me knees into the Inn. There I
lie in a bloody heep of flesh and bone, there I rest for many endless hours.
Slowly I feel my might return, my body strengthens, muscles rippling once
again with power. I raise myself up off the floor, I stand once again
steadfast in the face of all that is evil and unholy. I now know where I must
go.
I venture down the crowded streets bustling with the many adventurers that
abound within the city walls. I make my way to the trainer, I step within his
doors ready and willing to accept my destiny. As I leave I feel a new found
strength which pulsates thru my veins. I have but one more stop to make to
complete my cycle and achieve my goal. I stride towards the vaults, my head
held high. I push and shove my way past those that would trade their mother's
for +3 Plate or a +3 Mace. I make my way past them and enter. The guard
greets me and leads me to what is mine.
I enter the room with only the dim light of a torch to guide me. Then I see
it, a glint in the corner of my eye. I fall to one knee, stretch my hand out
forth. I feel the cold steel hilt as it graces my palm, the dim light now
begins to brighten as I raise my sword higher towards the Heavens. With mine
other hand I reach for my trusty shield. I bring it into place against my
chest ready to guard me. My arm now fully outstretched, my sword poised to
attack.
I now decree, "I shall stand alone and with others in defense of all that is
Good and Holy. I will lend my sword to those who ask or are in need of it's
protection from the demon darkness and all that is unholy in this Realm. I
will strike a blow at the very heart of all that is evil.
"FOR I AM LORDGEEK, FOR I AM RAM!"Sunset Shadows
(submitted by: Banerd Rex)
Long had it been since last the man named Banerd had set foot near the
hall belonging to the order of the Golden Staff. Yet this eve a man stood
outside the hall, his knightly trappings recently removed. He was clad in a
suit of half plate and chain...a tatered cloak billowed in the soft gales.
His hair thick dark hair hung freely down and in his hands he gripped an
unfamiliar looking axe that carried a gray tint to its color. His feet were
bereft of the spurs that had once adorned his boots. As he looked on he had
wondered if more of his old friends would betray him like the others from the
Knights of Justice. Would they call him brother only to fail in the cause,
he wondered.
He watched as the sunset over the sea off in the distance as he looked
on at the guild hall where many other people he had called friend once lived;
as well as one he had loved. One who never truly knew the love he had
harbored for her. All that was a time in the past now. He watched as
warriors and mages came to and fro obviously returning from quests and
adventures. All in that time in rememberance. Would he find betrayal here
as well? Many had once called the man friend, yet the man that now stood was
no longer the High Judicator of the Knights of Justice...and no longer
Banerd.
As twilight passed and the eve fell he took a deep breath and a sigh,
"may the gods forgive me for that which I hath become." Banerd Rex stepped
forth from the shadows and slowly made his way into the bossom of the soft
amber light of the full moon. In his hands he carried a long stemmed rose;
wilted by his mourning heart. As he made his way to the roadside and took
one longing glance back towards the Guild Hall; he remembered all that he
had been and now knew all that he was. He dropped the rose to the ground and
stepped off into the cold embrace of night, "doomed am I to never forget,
such beatious a love. All that I was tis naught, for I hath truly
fallen...and now there is only Banerd Rex.A Poem for Ldy
(submitted by: MR TESH)
This be a rare thing for me to do, so I'd though I'd share this poem I wrote
to LdyDrkHawk with yas. Maybe it might help some understand what I see in
this particular drow. :)
.
There was a mist in the air, on this fullmoon lit night,
I slowly walked forward, my mind deep in thought.
Down a path I knew well, to a place far away,
a small forrest clearing, seeking some peace.
As I arrived here this night, a strange feeling passed through me.
I looked all around, but no one was there.
A dream it must be, though to me seemed so real,
so I sat down and pondered, my mind wandered off.
As I drifted off further, my senses perked up.
There is someone else here, though they elude my sight.
I call out in the darkness, toward the brush at my right,
"Please come out so I may see thee, out here in the light."
I waited a moment, and then a Ldy came out.
A sight to behold, such beauty and grace,
her skin like obsidian, hair white as snow,
she moved to the clearing, greeting each other there.
As we talked through the night, about things far and wide,
I was more affected each moment, by her presence with me here.
I asked for a favor, a walk through the wood,
and I offered my arm, which she accepted this night.
We walked slowly forth, down a path I knew not.
Our thoughts seemed like words, though we did not speak.
Until we came to a place, that I'd never been,
she said, "I must leave you now here, for home calls me now".
My heart sank at this thought, I did not want this to end,
then I looked at her face, and she felt that way too.
We then said our farewells, and I pulled her real close,
for a kiss on the lips, and a hug for goodnight.
I then watched her depart, and fade into the night
my thoughts were of her, and what happened with us
though our differences are vast, and our worlds far apart
til the time we meet again, 2 hearts in the night.
tesh >>> knight of kort
ambassador to abk
Fare Thee Well to a Dear Friend - NWT Spryte
(submitted by: JJervis126)
My fare thee well poems :<
<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>To say my fare thee well's Spryte dear lass
No one but you are on my mind
Ye were a barmaid with a lot of class
I thought someone like you I'd never find
Though some may call me knave
I wish I could hold you encircled in my arms
Your presance is all I crave
Safe from pain and all harm
You are my moon and stars that light up the night
You are my sun that turns the sky blue in day
Without you nothing can be right
Without you the flowers won't bloom in may
Sorry....I cannae write much more......Getting teary eyed :(
Heres another.......
What is all around?
all but the beating of my heart leaves a piercing sound
I look around me,
Bitterness and pain are all I see
The wind screaming in pain
My tears mixed with the steaming hot rain....
I see the tree's branches sway with drops of ice falling to the ground
I turn to grab hold of you, but your not to be found
The stream is as black as night ,
Now that your not here, nothing seems right.
~JJ
<attaches the note to lady's jesses and sends the eagle into the night>
<buries head in arms and silently sobs>
JJ
BoP
The Pipes of Caer Pelandin
(submitted by: Exegete)
The muffled drums beat their steady, mournful tatoo and marked the step of
the stone-faced honor guard as they marched in perfect precision beside the
ancient caisson. Their boots beat a singular tread as, in lock step, they
made their slowly and in stately fashion away from the great cathedral of
Neverwinter. They exited the drive and executed a smart right turn onto the
main street that ran in front of Nasher's Palace. The six-horse team, all jet
black stallions sent by the proud, but heart-broken people of Caer Pelandin,
pranced a bit as they came to a stop just out onto the street, The honor
guard coming smartly to a uniform stop as well.
There was a bitter breeze blowing down the length of the street and it lent a
further bite to and already cruelly painful day. It seemed to echo the
harshness of life, underscoring needlessly the bitter brevity of our human
experience. Yet the eight-man honor guard stood in stoney, eloquent testimony
to their love and esteem for the one whose last journey they guarded. They
each wore the simple, ceremonial dress of a full KORT Knight, though most
carried far more rank. Their uniforms were spotlessly neat and creased
sharply. Each wore a black armband and had a black sash draped across his
chest. All marks of rank or privilege were removed for this solemn occasion
and they wore the glorious full battle helms with shiny leather chin straps
tucked neatly beneath their lower lips. Each wore their finest weapon, but
each weapon was tied into its scabbard with black laces giving mute testimony
to their mourning. Their shoulders were covered with flowing cloaks in KORT's
guild colors, each drawn about the wearer's breast with a golden chain. Their
formal, silver breastplates glistened in the setting sun and the intricate
etchings gave a silvery glimmer to all those who watched from the side. Each
man stood, rock- solid in the chill breeze, as if a bronze statue to the
memory of their friend and beloved comrade.
The other members of KORT streamed from the cathedral and wound their way to
their place behind the caisson and stood, waiting for the procession to the
cairn to begin. The silence was remarkable, for their group was known to be
cheery and talkative, almost to a fault a times. Yet this day they stood in
stark silence, in tribute to their deep sense of loss and their grief at the
passing of such an esteemed and honored figure. Each one could tell tales of
joy, love and friendship and each had told those tales at the ceremony the
night before when the KORT family had said their own private good-byes. Now,
words all said, there were only emotions and the raw sense of loss to be felt
and expressed in their simple looks and murmured words.
The great crowd of assembled people, people from every walk of life and every
vocation and calling in Neverwinter ringed the Cathedral square. Each was
there for a reason. Some were there because of the spectacle. Some to be
witness of history, as a great one was passing from the stage of life. Many,
however, we there because this one had been a man for all people. So many of
the powerful in Neverwinter were such that their time was fit only for those
fortunate enough to be powerful as they were. The mighty fellowship with
mighty, as the saying in the Realms was heard. Yet, for many, their lives had
been brightened by this great man's presence, and many ordinary people were
made to feel extraordinary because of his touch. The eyes of the KORT
contingent were not the only ones that glistened, wet in the winter cold.
Present also, to pay respect, were old enemies and adversaries. The colors of
virtually every Guild in Neverwinter was sprinkled throughout the crowd and
to be found in the balconies that lined many of the buildings in the square.
Most apparent had been the huge and lavish displays of flowers sent by the
officeial of all of the Guilds, good and evil; a token of the high regard
that this fallen one was held in, even by those whom he had opposed with all
his breath.
The doors to the great Cathedral opened in massive majesty and laid open the
immediate inner area of the church. The mournful wail of the pipes of his
home village loosed their sound over the assembled crowd. The sound was as if
the combined breaking hearts of the hundreds here assembled had sung out
together giving voice to the exquisite agony of their loss. The dirge droned
on is sad, sad melody renewing for many the pears thought previously spent.
The world famous pipes of Caer Pelandin gave forth their delicate best for
memory of their favorite son.
The muffled drums once again took up their measured rhythm and momentarily
eight black garbed clerics, faces covered by the drooping cowls of their
solemn, funereal robes emerged, slowing pacing their way from the Cathedral's
inner sanctum where the old Knight had laid in state. They bore him, on his
funeral byre upon their shoulders and moved, dignified step, by ever so
dignified step, in perfect cadence with the sounding drums. Slowly, in
stately procession, they moved down the steps to the Cathedral where they
turn and, in intricate and practiced precision, laid the byre, gently and
respectfully, in place on the caisson. Then they each bowed their hooded
heads and, along with the entire population present at the square, spent five
full minutes in silent reflection on this noble Knight, now passing from the
scene. An unspoken command passed between them as the time dedication ended,
and, in unison, they turned and left side of the caisson and marched quietly
back in the church.
As the returned, the Pipers made their way to the head of the Caisson and
formed up to lead their beloved on his final journey. The muffled drums
struck up their dread rhythm once again, and this time, were joined by the
mourning harmonies of the pipers and the procession started is last, slow
journey. The honor guard turned smartly and, removing their helmets, fell
into step with the caisson and, heads high, their sorrow spelled plainly on
their faces, they accompanied their comrade on his final journey. Through the
filled, but silent streets of Neverwinter the sad procession wound until
finally, it reached the south gate. There, the vast crowd of mourners halted,
respecting the wishes of the hero now gone from them, and allowing his own
family, the beloved people of the village he had grown up in, to have the
privilege and duty of escorting him to the place of final good byes. The
honor Guard stopped at the gate as well and with final salute, allowed the
caisson, the pipers and the drummers to roll on their way. No eye was dry,
and each heart filled with the bursting memories of good times, now gone past
as the procession rolled out of sight and the gates slowly and finally swung
closed. Memories of laughter and of pain. Memories of safety and of great
danger. Each one could picture that craggy face, smiling as ever, as if still
seated across the table, mug in hand. All could remember the flash of the
eyes as he considered an enemy. It seemed that the melodious sound of his
voice called out from their hearts. It would be a long, long time before they
wold stop looking to see him in all of the old familiar places, and stop
listening for the comforting sound of his voice or the reassuring tread of
his boot as he approached.
It seemed as is the great gates of Neverwinter were closing a chapter in each
one's life. Hearts swelled with pride at having known and walked a while with
this icon, this Knight of Knights. These same hearts broke cruelly anew as
each one watched with bated sob, the inexorable gates wrote the final epitaph
to this part of their earthly experience. The mournful, yet grand sound of
the Pipes wound their way through the narrowing opening and stroked their
ears, reminding them of the shortness of life and of the vigor with which our
eternal fate stalks us all.
As the gates thumped shut, for many, it seemed as if the sound betrayed the
final bursting of their all-to-full hearts, as grief and loss held sway over
all present. But as his life had been one of great and glorious service and
grand principles, so it seemed strangely fitting that the last that all would
remember of the final good-bye to this great one was the mournful, yet
somehow grand and glorious music of the pipes of Caer Pelandin.Night of Evil
(submitted by: Rounlin)
As the sun falls across the horizon, the evil raises an eyebrow. I can only
hope that the evil doesn't get out of control tonight. I am weak from last
night's quests to rid the Lands of evil. As Whisp, my baby dragonling, and I
walk from Neverwinter to Triboar, we can only wonder what is to become of us.
Last night we barely survived in the Lost Hills, being constantly attacked by
evil adventurers, scorpions, banshees, and what not. We had to back track to
get healed in the Temple in Neverwinter. Now tonight, we move very
cautiously through each town til Triboar. Past Southwall, the Kraken spies
and Banshees of Vilnask, the Ice Hounds, Bulette's, and Wild Boars of
Crossergate, and through the Hills of the Lost Adventurers.
Whisp and I walk past a group of evil adventurers engaged in combat. A
couple of them ask us if we would like to join them in mortal combat but I
decline for the both of us. Very cautiously now, we quickly walk by the
combat and proceed through the Lost Hills. As we near a sign for Triboar we
are attacked by a lone adventurer. He shouts some native war cry and begins
to attack Whisp and myself. I unsheath my long sword from its scabbard while
Whisp begins to breath a fireball. Whisp breaths a fireball upon the unlucky
adventurer, and he is turned to ashes. I grieve for him and wipe a teardrop
from my eye. Whisp jumps into my bag and we continue forward to Triboar.
About an hour later we finally reach Triboar's famed inn by the Crossroads.
As we rest in the inn, I am met by a friend of mine, Talos. He asks me if
Whisp and myself would like to join him in the Arena of Triboar to vanquish
some evil. We agree to follow him as soons as we rest and so I can memorize
my spells from my grimoire. Talos says that he will meet us there and we bid
farewell for now. A half an hour goes by and we are ready for the conflict
ahead. Whisp and myself gather our belongings and head out from the inn. At
the Crossroads we turn right and continue forward until we reach the doorway
for the Arena of Triboar.
As we enter the arena we are greeted by an announcement by the referee of the
arena telling us to watch our backs and to observe fair play. We agree to
those terms and continue forward into the arena. We look around for my
friend Talos and do not see him. We walk further into the arena and are
attacked by a group of Chaotic warriors. I cast a Globe of Invunerablity on
Whisp and myself, while Whisp begins to breathe a Nuclear Winter Fireball.
(A spell devised by myself and taught to Whisp.) The Chaotic warriors come
closer and attempt to Feeblemind, Hold, and put us to Sleep but to no avail.
A couple of rounds of mortal combat go by with no winner, until my friend
Talos shows up with a bunch of Seekers. They join in on the combat and
eventually we are victorious. I thank them for the help and cry out my
guild's war cry,"AAAAAIIIIIIIEEEEEE!!!!!"
Another group of evil adventurers destroyed by the good. I look forward to
Whisp and myselfs next encounter with the Evil of these Realms.
Rounlin Starwolf the Pure
Servant of Mielikki
BrotherHood of PathfindersThe Lost Passage - Part 5
Back at the Inn
(submitted by: Primr0se)
Primrose slowly picked at the food set before her. Listening to her bro's
Riverswift, Thralos and Steelfight make plans to get her and Cerdith to a
temple, she kept quiet, keeping her thoughts and worries to herself. Though
it hurt that Lake had left without saying goodbye, she had known since she
woke up on the mountain, how torn he was between searching for Zeb and making
sure she got to a temple safely. She understood why Lake and Troutrasta left
as they did and better yet why young Bart wanted to follow them. Ill as she
felt, she too wanted to go back and find Zeb, but she knew that the poison
thought stopped from spreading had taken too much out of her. It had taken
nearly all her strength to get down the mountain.
She tried to eat, though the food promise to disagree with her stomach later.
Once she was able to get back to her room, she would take some of the herbs
she still had left, to try to keep the food down. She was nearly out mint
and camomile and had used the last of her supply of dry ginger the night
before. She could probably ask the inn keeper's wife for some more mint and
camomile, but the ginger was rare and hard to find, though it did do more to
help her keep down her meals.
How it frustrated her that she couldn't even cast a cure light wounds to help
her brothers and sister, or take care of herself. Hearing her bro's talk of
the path though the woods they would take, she prayed to Mielikki that they
could make their way safely pass the monsters that often set upon those that
travel though them. If attacked she only had a few spells left memorized and
they would be of little help against the trolls they were likely to face at
the bridges they had to cross.
At the thought of trolls Primrose looked at Cerdith worried. Though she had
just met her, Primrose had listened to her bro's often tell of how Cerdith
would become berserk at the mention of trolls. Even as weak as Cerdith was
when they found her, they had told Primrose, when she woke up, of how Cerdith
had killed the last troll before it had gotten to Riverswift. Silently she
gave another prayer to Mielikki that they would get to the temple safely
without anyone else getting hurt.
Aware finally that her bro's had stopped talking, Primrose looked up at each
of them. Though she had hardly known any of them, before Lake had asked her
to help them find their sister, they had become good friends and she wished
she could do something to help. At least she could try to help them get
Cerdith safely though the woods.
"Riverswift," she said wearily. "It may be best if we divide into two
parties." "Two to scout ahead and then someone to help Cerdith and me sneak
past any monsters they may find."
Seeing his mouth stuffed, she continued, "I've done it before, back when I
had just become a cleric and came here to Longsaddle with a ranger of COR to
learn and train. Best Aim, went ahead of me though the Lost Hills." "Each
time he had to battle the monsters that roam though there, he had me sneak
around the battle." "Then I was just young and knew few spells." "Now I'm
too weak to cast the few I still can remember. In a fight I would just be in
the way."
Looking at Rose and seeing how tired and pale she looked, Riverswift tried to
hide his concern for her from his voice. "Rose, you needn't worry, We'll get
you two to the temple safely. Just now eat and rest for today."
Finding her bro's all looking at her and seeing how she must look to them in
their eyes. Primrose looked down again at her breakfast and tried to eat
some more. Silent again, she found herself thinking of young Bart and how it
seems to be more then youth that made him eager to follow Lake and Trout.
Primrose had tried to keep herself from thinking about what she could have
done differently, by watching her Bro's as they made their way down the
mountain. It was only her cleric training that kept her from blaming herself
for Zeb facing the giant alone. Bart didn't have such training and Primrose
could tell that he had been berating himself ever since they headed down the
mountain. She had been too tired to talk to him though and she had her own
doubts to worry about. Though Lake Mist had been always at her side since
she woke up, they hadn't talked about what had happen. More then anything,
she blamed herself for his wounds and wondered if she had been just a foolish
young girl, opening her heart to him as the battle raged around them and she
fell. But, she thought, there was no going back, she could only hope he
loved her, as she loves him.
Nudged out of her thoughts again, Primrose found the innkeeper's wife asking
her something and her brother's and sisters gone from the table. "What's
that? Why no, I'm done eating," she said as the innkeeper's wife asked again
if she was ok. "If you could get me some mint, camomile and maybe some
ginger if you have it? I would like some tea in my room." Taking Primrose's
plate away, the innkeeper's wife frowned at all the wasted food.
"Ginger, I may still have some from last winter baking, but I'm sure I have
mint and camomile." "I'll bring up some tea for you myself, once I've
cleared the table." answered the good wife. "Later I'll bing you something
you may find easier to eat too." "I remember you last time you where here
and you had color in your cheeks."
Remembering too, her visit back then, Primrose smiled and said, "I certainly
did have red cheeks then, but then so did the ranger with me, when his lady
friend showed up." Getting up from the table slowly, Primrose thanked her
and said she would like her meals in her room. Then noticing Thralos and
Steelfight setting up a game of chess in the corner, she quietly made her way
up to her room. ------===<<<@>>>===------
NEW IMPROVED TRIVIA!!
------===<<<@>>>===------
Join NW Raven and NW Omar for a night of fun and prizes, while we test your
knowledge of Neverwinter Nights trivia!
Date: Tuesday, March 4th
Time: 10:00 to 11:30 pm EST
Place: The Great Hall of Neverwinter (outside the Realms)
Prizes to be awarded to winners:
First Place - 15 Pearls
Second Place - 12 Pearls
Third Place - 9 Pearls
Fourth Place - 7 Pearls
Fifth Place - 5 Pearls
AND access to the Guild of Heroes!!
There are NEW rules for a new year of Trivia! Major changes are:
1. FIVE winners instead of three!
2. PRIZES include only pearls!
3. ONLY first 10 correct answers are scored!
4. TWO random rolls instead of one!
Please review the new rules before coming in to play.
Hope to see ya there... ;D
-- NW Omar and NW Raven
(submitted by: LordKob0ld)
The Uprising has begun. From out of the dark, shadowed holes of the
Underdark, its denizens arise to defeat the drow. Years, centuries of
enslavement shall be no more! The kobolds, the goblins, minotaurs, duergar,
all have united in the common effort against a common enemy.
The Uprising is currently accepting all interested... if you are prepared to
do battle against the deadly spawn of the arcane, the drow... please send a
messenger, to me, Himul (email LordKob0ld).
"Though we traverse the dark, may there be light to our future and in our
hearts."
-Himul, First Thunderhead of the Uprising
POWER, LIGHT, VISION, FREEDOM!(submitted by: CWArc)
Wow..
Some of you might have noticed a submittion I made last week, entitled
Hints...
Well... Seems a few MECH read it, and They didn't like it...
This advertisement is for an apology, and it has nothing to do with that
beating I received this week...
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
MECH
Soldiers of Metal
Iron Serenity, Steel Dreams
The empire of MECH is looking for
a few good souls, to join the ranks of
mechnaical beings, bent on conquering
all life known. If you can claim:
non-Newbness*
Being able to beat those kobolds at
the wharehouse*
Being able to hold your own in pvp
And a great working knowledge of what
RP posts and RP is:
Then you can apply to MECH
MECH, the greatest Pvp machine in the realms,
MECH, the most mechanical empire in the realms,
JOIN MECH!
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
*disclaimer: if MECH starts accepting newbs, I would take that claim off,
though if MECH accepts newbs... I would.. do anything.. I can promise
anything, because MECH doesn't take newbs..
*disclaimer:If Aztek says you don't need to be able to beat the Kobolds, then
I remove this claim also....
Apology accepted?
~Arc>>
*****************************************************************************
<chuckles> Well....I would say that they'd have to be able to conquer a lot
more then kobolds...I'm talking Storm Giants here ;>
Aztek
Emperor MECH
Apology accepted ;>
(submitted by: Power swd)
What does Power mean by this? I mean (Take notes, newer players) that it
is possible to max without ever visiting one drac fight. I'm speaking from
experience, (bout 450,000 worth) that dracs are not the only way to get your
Lv1 fighter with 9 HP and a 3 AC to get to Lv2 and beyond without having to:
A) Greet a drac
B) Whine and cavetch to be taken to the sewers to fend off the stone golems
with your borrowed dagger+2 while your maxxed companion, armed with his
plate+3,shield+3,LS+3, 18 CON and 18 DEX plus an 18/?? STR shows off his
moves by eliminating your oppisition all by his lonesome.
C) Watch your "partner" take that COP+2 you found as payment for the 15
minutes he wasted leveling you twice.
The simplest way for an early level fighter without good magical equipment
(if any) to level (note I said FIGHTER! This does not mean a FIGHTER-MU!) in
the early stages by yourself is through the ROYAL GUARD battles. (Got that?)
a victory by yourself will give only about 400, but yeilds a better chance of
survival than taking on the pyro and his buddies. Additionally, as a nice
bonus, through the other door in the back is usually another royal guard.
This will sum up to 500xp per shot. 4 victories in this way and you have your
first level oppurtunity. The problem is that these guys don't always drop
dough, and yer gonna need it, since training is expensive and increased 500
gp per level.
After a level or three and you are in need of money to train (money has
very few other uses in NWN) check out the warehouse. There's an area that
states its dangerous. The walls are a red color. Go through the arch and
switch to area. Enter the door leading to the cross maze and work your way
through. You should hit many battles on the way with 5-6 kobolds, with
naturally carry lots of platinum and gold. Fight as long as your HP lasts and
make your way out. Return to Neverwinter and buy some gems or a jewel and
store it in the vault. This is essentially mony in the bank.
A little later, You should venture a little further out to floodblest.
The pyro fights yeild about 800 each and if you survive an owlbear battle,
2000. Expect a partner for the bears. The ultimate test out there are the
CG's. One of those pretty fights will rake in 6000 xp! However, I have a lv9
paladin and are killed 50% of the time fighting CG's, so don't jump in too
fast.
This can get you a good number of levels quickly. I already took my own
advice and gained 8 levels without being in a single Drac battle. The sewers
have given me only 17000 xp. 50,000 I got with a guide. Everything else was
my own. It really works. The only trouble you might have is magic items.
Those you can find on the owlbears ( I got 8 scrolls and 3 COP+1) The
minotaur in the well gives a BA+1, and you might find more on any critter.
Happy Hunting!
Power Swd The 9th level Paladin
(submitted by: KEF Mr W)
<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>For all of you new players, and some of you
no-so-new ones too.
Are you fighting every fight? Are you wasting your time with 64 xp fights
when what you really want to do is get somewhere in a hurry? Are you baffeled
by that "Escape is Blocked" message when you try to leave a fight? Well
then... Listen closely and I'll tell ya all about how to flee....
There are certain conditions that must be met before you can flee a fight.
Some are pretty common sense.. others are not...
1) If you are faster than all of the monsters in the fight, Simply move to
the edge of the combat area and walk away.... Just about everything in the
realms can be fled when you cast Haste on yourself...
2) If the monsters are faster than you are... and/or you don't wan't to cast
haste and blow your invis.. simply put a wall, tree, or other obsticle
between you and ALL of the monsters then step out of the combat area... You
can check this by walking right up to the edge and using the AIM function ..
if nothing is targeted.. you're all clear.. flee.... If there's a monster
targeted.. well.. move to another spot..
NOTE: If you aren't invisible the monsters are going to chase you. This can
be an advantage if you're in a area with walls(town,cavern etc) the monsters
will head in a direct line towards you.. even if a wall is in the way.. if
you go around a corner far enough the monsters will be boxed in.. and you're
free to find that exit..
With a little practice you can flee just about any fight.. even without an
invis( if you're quick).
Remember it's not cowardly to flee when you're trying to get somewhere.. it's
just good tactics and it makes the game a whole lot more fun : )<FONT
COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>(submitted by: AugstStorm)
<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>After reading the drivel in the last issue of
NW News, I felt obliged by honor to submit this document.
Newbies (and I do not use that as a derrogatory term), pay no heed to those
who wish to belittle you. Pay no attention to those who berate you for being
a mere human being. Pay no mind to mistakes. We all make them. We have all
done it (whatever it is). Live and learn! This does not have to be a
painful thing.
Keep in mind that every person you come across that uses abuse as means of
supposedly trying to teach you something began their NWN career just like
you. They too may have faced the same unfriendly welcome to NWN that you do
today, and as a means of dealing with the pain they felt then, regurgitate it
onto you now. It is only by this manner, that they can get over it.
Behind the anonymity of their newly created screennames, they feel they have
the right to spew doses of chunky liquid words of wisdom at you. After all,
they are now experts, no? They are to be looked up to, no? And you certainly
are beneath the notice of such noble oracles of game knowledge.
So, take some advice from someone who isn't out to make you feel bad.
Whenever reading a document with the word Newbie in the title, be prepared to
filter out the unwarranted abuse of the ego-maniacal "expertise" of the
author. With a little luck, and a strong stomach, you might just find a
useful point or two in there.
With open arms, I welcome you to NWN.
AugstStorm(submitted by: AugstStorm)
<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>10. Newbies trade gaunts for a ring +1.
9. Newbies can rack up wins and bragging rights for those veterans who
really can't pvp.
8. Newbies can pad the fireball booth que's with low-level clerics.
7. Newbies keep Nasher's +2 voulges from rusting away.
6. Newbies keep the kobolds in the wharehouses from getting lonely.
5. Newbies supply the daggers of striking and brass buttons nasher melts
down to make all those +2 voulges.
4. Newbies round out the NW class structure as the beggar class.
3. Newbies give veteran drac-bashers someone to yell at while waiting to
find that elusive +1 dart.
2. Hauling newbies around allows the veteran to fully appreciate travel by
fleeing.
And the number one reason for not hating newbs is...
1. Newbies give those depraved, ego-starved veterans who were abused as
newbies opportunities to return the favor so the cycle can continue.
AugstStorm
Gimme a Scoop! Enter the weekly News of the Realm contest by submitting text
for publishing. If your Announcement, Article, Helpful Hint, NW Abby
Question, Poem, Fiction, or Tidbit wins, you'll have won your choice of 4
Pearls or Access to the GOH (Guild of Heroes)! Second place recieves 2
pearls and third place 1 pearls! Submit all text to screenname: NW NEWS.
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MONTHLY CONTEST!!
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Participate in the monthly News of the Realms "Newsworthy" contest. Each
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only articles with substance will be counted in the contest!
To participate you need to:
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