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LA EM Contact Information

EMTempest

Visitor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
The Lake Austin EM website can be found by clicking the link below:
http://lakeaustin.uoem.net/

On it you will find information on different things, including:

  • Event Dates/Times
  • Event Fiction
  • Player Memorials
  • Township Banners
  • Weddings

Also, if you have suggestions on things to add to the website, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]
 

EMTempest

Visitor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Should you need to contact an EM on Lake Austin for any reason, please use any of the methods below:

  1. E-mail [email protected] or [email protected]
  2. Send EMTempest a PM here on the UO Stratics Forums.
  3. Leave a book in the Hall of Champions mailbox in Malas, located at 32o 53′N, 45o 29′W. Be sure to include contact information!
  4. Use the form on the "Contact" page on the Lake Austin EM Website: http://lakeaustin.uoem.net

-EM Tempest
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Adama Forthwright

Adama Forthwright (journal entry - unknown date, unknown entry)


I have traveled through the gates, those named for the moons of old. Things are changing and where they are going surely no one knows of yet. The new king, or the one that should have been, Addie, returned to his Britannia as the Time Lord and announced his retirement. Queen Dawn is dead and the people grieve her loss still.

But enough of this. After my silent appearence, at the court of Addie, I wandered for a while. It seems like weeks now for which I wandered, another Britannian citizen at a seeming loss, for the loss of what should have been our new King. True, I did not spend all of my time in that world, but I had come to know it as my own, or feel as if it was where I most belonged.

I am a tailor, of sorts. What exactly I mean by this is hard to explain. I began my life as a tailor twenty seven years ago and I had reached a near mythical status for my being able to sew nearly anything. From the clothes on a man's back, to the gear he wore into battle and even to the occasional book binding. That is however, where things get a bit obscured.

On one fine morning, at my house somewhere in the woods, I hesitate to name where and exactly in which world. For I do not want to alert those who seem to now be after me, to exactly where I store all these precious artifacts and items I have begun collecting. On one fine morning I awoke with a copy of a book to finish, I received the badly damaged copy of the old book the day before from a man. I was left with the instructions to remove the cover, to place it in a neatly woven bag and then to make a new cover for the book. I was to sew the binding back into said book and leave it at a specific place, at a specific time and then to look for my payment at another place.

It seemed somewhat queer, somewhat curious and deceitful. But still, being a man of good reptuation I decided to proceed. At the very most I would lose a small paycheck, which would not at all hamper my business. So I began my work. What seemed an easy task, ended up taking several weeks. The binding on the book, the new cords would break at odd intervals and cause me to begin again. Perservering I set to the slowly daunting task and managed to finish the book in under three weeks time. It was done and I was going to be glad to be rid of such an annoyance.

Placing the book in a satchel and taking the finely woven bag, containing the old cover and stiching to the meeting place was easy. There was no one watching, nothing to worry about. I dropped the book in a trash barrel as I was told, and a moment later it was gone. Delighted that all seemed to be going well, I made my way to the payment dropoff, and sure enough my gold was there: all of it.

I returned home, with the whole endeavor behind me. It was a good feeling, like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. It was not until several days later, that I found it. Several pages from the book must have fallen out during all the time I spent undoing and redoing the new binding of the book. For a moment I stared at the ancient pages, simply mesmerized by their appearance and then after several more moments, I stepped back aghast! I had no way of contacting the owner of the book, and surely he would notice pages of such an old and potentially rare volume. In fact, my meeting with the man had come quite accidentally in the town of Skara Brae.

Not only did I not have a way of contact said man, but I also had no conceivable way of being contacted by him. Unless of course I spent a good deal of time in Skara Brae, which at the time was not possible. I had multiple dealings and business ventures to take care of and there was simply no time.

Over the next few days, through mullings of finding a way to contact my client and return his pages to him and thinking of a way to apologize and ensure his safe and proper coming together of his book, I somehow became absorbed in those few pages. They were written in a language I could understand and though it was only several paragraphs and few seeming incantations, followed by what could have been description in some ancient language. But I found I could not put them away. Not even to sleep could I put them away.
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
The Stranger


The stranger stepped through the moongate, it had been a time since he had last set foot on the soil of Sosaria. He covered an object with his hands and carefully, secretly wrapped a piece of cloth around it until it appeared nothing more than a lump within the fabric. Its shape was indefinite and as he shoved it into a sachel, he stared out at the twisted landscape. Two very different worlds, one as green as first dawn and the other like a terrible hallowed midnight.

Many were dead now and in the different places of this shattered world, many different things were happening. Kendrick Morrow roamed in one, and the future king that never was, Addie had become a Timelord and then at last, as if in the blink of an eye only, had returned a tired old man destined to retire and never reign as king of Britannia in Lord British's stead. The Royal Guards and the Royal Spies all were busy with things of their own, and many still mourned for the loss of Queen Dawn. Zog had been ressurected and what would come of that, one could only wonder.

The Faery King Oberon even as of now was occupying the time of the citizens of Sosaria is another of the very distant worlds created by the shards of the gem of immortality. What an accursed thing and a thing that had brought much tragedy. But the gem, nor its shard were an important matter for just now. The stranger had something else and in the sachel around his waist he held something both wonderful and wondrous, both dangerous and mystifying.

While the citizens of Britannia were busy with events and the callings of Summer. Indeed while they looked forward to dusting away the confines of their homes, having missed the Spring, and now clearing out the old and bringing in the rewards of the new day, he would come. In the middle of all the distraction, he would and perhaps they would not even notice. But it was important, too important perhaps that they did not notice him, not for now.

Let them go about their way, perhaps they would save Magus in the City of Dawn. The timing was perfect for him. And soon the festival of masks would begin. He would be there too, he would watch them for a moment hunting for the Eye of Dahsk. Time was not a necessity for him, only the distractions of the people of the shattered shards. His work was important and it would take time. Time and silence, without notice of care. Unseen for reasons only he understood.

He would be there at the Festival of Masks, because he was searching for someone. It was the perfect place to begin. Silently he could question the guests at the party, a silent observer, hidden beneath the delicate deception that they themselves would embrace. A delicate bumping into on accident, an apology, a gentle whispered coaxing, "Do you know a man named Adama." He would make his way through the crowded gathering, one guest at a time, until any hint of suspicion grew.

Perhaps someone would know something, but even if they did not and even if they found his behavior rather odd for a masked party, it would not matter. He would be out the door and gone before the masks were lifted. All that would be left, a mask without an owner laying on the ground to be cleaned up after the festival and tossed neatly in a trash barrel. No one would question where it came from, and this was precisely his reasoning.
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Before - Journal Entry 1 (Adama's, found somewhere)

Adama was a brilliant tailor. He'd started ten years ago when he still lived in Jhelom, at Jhelom's Fine Tailoring. Growing up as a boy in the town had been interesting, it was split into several parts that were linked with magical teleporters. He'd gotten out of trouble quite a few times, using them to slip in and out of sight. Then there was the Moongate outside of town, where he'd slipped away consistently growing up just to have a look at places on the other side of them.

Had he known as a child what he was learning now, he might have convinced a younger him not to go near them or even bother with magic. A simpler life, the life of a tailor, just a tailor might have been enough for him then.

Ever since he left Jhelom's Fine Tailoring, his business began to pick up. He had his own shop and a myriad of dyes - there wasn't a color that he found on his travels that he didn't purchase and bring back to his humble abode. Adama had customers that ranged from the poor who wanted something new to wear, all the way to rich eccentric clients with tastes that were satisfied by nothing but originality and the finest craftsmanship or touch. If he had stuck with that, then too could his life had been a simple, perhaps filled with anything he could ask for, but still - simple.

But everything changed all those months ago when he was out exploring in the woods. He'd found a Moongate and wanted to take the short cut to get to Skara Brae to meet an old friend. There was something about this particular Moongate, it was something strange that left a feeling in him that he couldn't shake. It was at once foreboding and yet enticing.

The feeling was something he hadn't felt since he had been a child, traveling through the magic teleporters in Jhelom or the very first time he stepped through the Moongate and ended up on the outskirts of Britain. So he'd taken that first step, right through the Moongate and ended up in what he thought had been Moonglow.

It was. It was Moonglow and yet there was something about it. He'd walked the streets for several hours and hadn't run across anyone that he knew. Perhaps there was a celebration, or some big draw that had people coming from the other towns he thought. So he stuck around and did a little more exploring. But there was nothing, it was like any other average day. Except... he felt out of place, somehow lost in a familiar town.

So he headed back, he found the path to the Moongate and it was familiar, the same here as it had been when he left it. And he entered it again, and he went home to sleep. The sleep he fell into was a sweet one, he was home and everything was well again.

The next day he headed back to the Moongate closest to his home and went to Moonglow. There were all the familiar people. Everything was as it should be. But there was a creeping feeling, a creeping sensation that pervaded his thoughts and soaked its way into his skin as if it was alive, and it tugged on him. The sensation crawled through him and danced on top of his hands, it traveled up his arms and he turned in the direction of the now mysterious seeming gate... and he couldn't help but follow it.

So he traveled the path he'd stitched into his mind, like a tailor would into cloth and following a pattern he'd taught to himself. He took the path and he traveled again to Moonglow, because he had to know. And he was there, an hour later back in Moonglow. But it was again foreign to him, no familiar people and he felt like a stranger in this eerie almost unreal manifestation of his Moonglow.

It wasn't his. But he could feel it, he could reach out and touch the wood of the buildings and approach the people and talk to them. They didn't ignore him, only asked where he came from and chatted with him about the weather and the news.

He didn't go home that night. Instead he found the nearest Moongate to the town and on a whim, he traveled to all the major cities. Each one was somehow different, the fairgrounds in Luna - the main bank of Britain. Houses along the roads weren't where they should have been. He had a good memory and none of it was the same. Nothing except the wild life, or the skies. The stars were all in the right places and the big cities were all the same. But the people, they were different.

A week later, after he'd traveled all around - he went home. It had proved too much for him. All he wanted to do was curl up in bed for a month and forget everything that had happened. He wanted to pretend as if it didn't. Adama was a tailor, and nothing more.

But that didn't happen. He went home, he even spent three weeks there. Sewing and stiching, cutting and dying. He made clothing and leather pieces for his customers. But there was something more now, and something new. It was in the pit of his stomach, like the butterflies that gather inside and swim about, their brightly colored wings brushing against his insides. It even felt like they'd all gather together and swim up his throat, choking him in his sleep if he didn't keep moving.

So he kept busy, and busier, until one day he simply stopped. Adama packed up a big bag of food and a few pouches of gold he'd saved up. And he left, right through that Moongate and disappeared. Like a child it drew him and like a child he snuck off into the middle of the night, being sure he wasn't caught - or seen.
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Moongates - Journal Entry 2 (Adama's, found somewhere)


Each town was different than the last in a way. Sometimes the people were friendly. Other times they were rude, or just wary of outsiders. It was strange to see the same town filled with such very different people. He was unsure about how he would be received at any given place. But still it was a wonder to travel and see how the world could turn out so very different, or how his own world could have turned out.

A few stood out the most. It seemed the center of every world was the town of Luna. No matter where he ended up and how different the places were. It was a place people seemed drawn to, a place they gathered. So he would sit and watch as they came and went. The people through these strange Moongates, in their worlds that somehow mimicked his own.

He took special care to take notes on colors used and clothing worn. After all, Adama at heart, was a tailor. People fascinated him and he was absorbed in it. It wasn't like just seeing people you'd never met before. It was more like seeing someone you would never meet and yet you were. For him it was all the more fascinating.

But as he slept on strange beds, never quite sure where he was at any given time. He'd look up at the sky and miss his own world. Perhaps at first he could have gone home at any time and slept in his own bed. Now he was somewhat lost, and the only time he got to go home was when he accidently stumbled upon his own world.

He could have stayed, but even then in his own bed, he was drawn away from it. There were still places he had not been. And as a tailor he was almost certain that eventually he could stitch his way through it, capture the pattern in just the right color in his mind and learn how to travel exactly where he wanted to go. His needle was sharp and so was his mind, it was a challenge like no other and he was not about to give it up without a good go at it.

He remembered moments, the awe of the people in one particular Britain as the boy they had called Addie had returned, a boy who was to become a king, and then in the blink of an eye, an old man they hardly recognized. A man traveling through time itself - he wouldn't have believed it. But now he was starting to believe all sorts of things he might not have before. The man had turned out to be the boy named Addie, twisted by time and changed by it.

But the traveling through these worlds was not without its strangeness. A week ago however, he'd started to have a feeling, it was a bad one. It was the kind of feeling you have when someone stares over and their eyes are placed on you. You can feel it, their eyes pressed against you through your clothes. He didn't stay there for long, he kept moving. From town to town, from place to place.

Adama wasn't one to give in, he didn't like being disuaded. It didn't follow him everywhere, the feeling. Just to certain places. He could feel it when it came about. The lurking presence chewing away on his shadow, trying to crawl up it to reach him and when he felt it he fled through a Moongate and he'd be in a new city or a new world and the presence would be gone. There were distractions everywhere around him, new people and new atmospheres. He soaked it in, the wonder of it. Adama forgot about the bad feeling. The conversations he had and the stories he heard continued. The wonder of being somewhere new was a stronger pull than any eerie feeling.

There were things in each of the seemingly different worlds that were the same and all of them had their similarities. The Shadow Lords, Mondain, Minax, Lord British, all of these important people were there. And the virtues, the shrines and the tapestry finely woven of history, each soaked with different dyes in different places and each world as infinitely different as it was the same. But he was getting low on money and it was getting increasingly difficult to travel.

Finally, it was in one of these worlds in the town of Minoc that he'd gotten a brilliant idea. A local merchant offered him a large sum to sew together the binding and restore an old book that had been in his family for ages. It was such a sum of money he couldn't resist trying. And it was almost easy, a few tries perhaps but nothing daunting or too challenging.

It struck him like a blow to the head, and after he could think straight again it came together in his mind. Surely there would be people everywhere who could use a book binder and it would supplement his income rather nicely. Especially rarer volumes, things that needed to be recovered. And he had excellent penmanship - if it came to it, that a man needed a book copied too. It required no time to learn a new skill and only a minor curve of learning on his part to do it efficiently and quickly. Besides, the more he earned, the more he could travel and the farther.

Adama made up his mind, that the moment he returned home he would begin doing just this. He knew plenty of people in his own world that had expensive, old volumes of books. And perhaps they could use his services. Besides, why not start with what and whom one knows before trying to branch out? He was a businessman of course, and this was common sense.

It was several weeks before he ended up home in his own world. But the moment he got there, he went about the act of expanding his business. Soon, if all went well, he would have more money than he could ever dream of and because of his traveling for new dyes and cloth, no one much noticed his absence too much. Everything was working out and he wouldn't have to stop his traveling.

He even painted a new sign and hung it above his shop. "Adama Forthwright - A Tailor of Sorts."
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
I'm still taking more suggestions for types of Mini-Events to randomly spring upon Lake Austin. :)

So far we've have:

1. Archery Contests (continuing)
2. Scavenger Hunts (third one this week) - *(courtesy of the sketchy "Merrick")
3. Naked Foot Race to Yew Gate Fel (will do this again, it was a blast)
4. Drinking Contest (preceded the last Scavenger Hunt) - *("Merrick")
5. Quiz Night *(courtesy of the sketchy "Merrick")
6. Net Toss

Following ideas already suggested and happening -- soonish:

1. Naked Dungeon Run
2. Boat Race (if this happens -- will be advertised weeks in advance)
3. Unknown Fel PvP Event (naked and PvP Oriented - 10/11)

EM ideas that could happen:

1. "King of the Hill"
2. Who's the Killer
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
The Tale of a Tailor - Journal Entry 3

[7-22-2011 / account heard and detailed by Adama's own hand]

His new business of repairing books, tailoring and more had flourished. Until that book. The pages of the book were hypnotiq, and they drew him in. He wanted to know more and yet each time he felt like he forgot more than he learned. The symbols on the pages seemed more and yet less familiar each time. He understood -- but he found the more he understood the less he could speak about it. It was learning about a secret that you couldn't share.

So it was not fair to say he forgot or that it seemed less familiar. It was that he was unable to speak, or to tell anyone what he was learning. There was a presence, an evil one in the pages of the book and though it whispered to him its secret, it also whispered to him to keep quiet and to tell no one what it had told him. A great darkness was coming and he could tell no one.

Still Adama had decided, if he could get his hands on the rest of the book. He could show them or at the very least gain some control over himself, some control over the power. Surely there was something in the book, some answer or some spell. There were spells for other things -- a spell for traveling between worlds. What was it the book had said, that the worlds were like shards split from each other, like mirrors buried in red.

He closed his eyes and let a sigh slip between his lips. He'd heard of someone in New Maginica who might know something. But he did not have enough left to travel so far in such short time. He'd grown somewhat behind, distracted by the pages of the book, absorbed inside of them.

It was then he had an idea, he knew someone, who knew someone, who knew others that might be able to help him aquire the cloth and dyes he needed to finish a wealthy clients suit. There would be enough money and more to get him to New Maginica. But still he did not have enough time and there no way to gain more.

Suddenly he had an idea! If he were able to aquire all the dyes rather quickly, then he might just have enough time. Yes, if he could only get them within the next few days. He would sew and sew, dye cloth all into the night, all into the next day without cease and without sleep. He could work without end and maybe, just maybe he would be able to finish.

He began to seek out help, but no one seemed willing. For three nights he stood around the bank in Britain, beggars would come by and ask for coins. But he had none. Merchants would come to make deposits, and the Guard's to drop off their weekly salaries. He stopped several people and inquired of travelers if they might help a man in need. That he could pay them soon, but not now.

Day after day he was ignored. But still he persevered, it was the only way. He needed help and a lot of it. Just by luck it seemed that on the fourth day, he happened across a man looking for work. So he took the last of his coins and asked the man to spread it all across the city that he was in dire need. For in his own mind, he was.

Perhaps some brave travelers might take it upon themselves to help a man in need. And by a twist of luck, in his otherwise ceaseless string of misfortunes -- several did. The word must have spread, because more people began to show up. Then more came and still after a while even more.

He told them his story the best he could. He related to them his newfound business of binding books, his sudden fortunes. How everything had been going well. Until he met a strange man who wanted an old book bound. He told them about the pages of the book, how he'd come upon them. Of the many times it had taken him to bind the book, failure after failure until finally it stuck. Of how he was finally rid of it. Only to find the pages left behind later.

Adama told the travelers of his sleepless nights and of the strange dreams that filled his mind. About his growing fascination with the pages. He told them all that he could, all that the darkness in the book's pages would allow him to say. And when he tried to warn them, all that had come out were stammers and mad ramblings. All he could do was ramble about wanting the book, about wanting to return the pages and so he stopped.

All he could do was request their help. And they agreed. (Later he heard word of what had happened, and he recorded it for posterity.)

So he opened the scroll he had gotten from his contact and read off, one at a time, the clues about where to find the men who had the dyes. The first described as two towns, both surrounding the mountains of Avarice, both with a moon within the center between them, and that one of the towns was named after a dangerous place, a dungeon of sorts. The other town, floating islands.

They found a Mage in the Cove, near a small shop selling fruit, vegetables and meat. He had given them a riddle, but would allow only one of the travelers to answer for them all. In the end they came together and chose. They chose a woman, to choose who would answer for them all, and she chose a man that only one other in the group had wanted to answer for them.

In the end he answered for them, correctly and they brought back the dyes to Adama.

In Vesper they found an Alchemist, a gambler by the name of Merrick. The man had apparently been lucky for weeks and so he challenged the travelers who'd come to collect Adama's dyes. He told them if they could beat him in a game of dice then he would give them what he was supposed to. But if they could not, then he would keep them for himself.

He chose three of them, and they played. The only rule was that someone had to win, but Merrick had smiled, saying that not a single one of them could beat him, could break his luck. In a deep dark damp cave he'd taken them as to not be interupted. So they played, the first one stepping up -- and losing. Merrick smiled, sure of himself.

Then the second, it was tense and the dice fell hard against the wet cavern floor. Another loss. So it had come down to the final game, a final throw of them dice. Merrick was indeed lucky and as the woman chosen to be the last came into the ring, he stood there smug and content. He offered to go first, and she let him.

Down his dice fell to the floor. He smiled and allowed her to go. So she picked up the fallen dice and readied herself, everything was riding on her. Who knows what she was thinking, or what she had on her mind but as the dice shook in the cup and spilled onto the floor, everyone stood in silence waiting. They rolled and rolled, until finally they stopped. A tie! The dice were even.

Merrick swore and called the woman a cheat, then most likely frustrated by not winning, he threw the dyes to the ground and told them all to leave.

Adama was surprised, and gladly received the second of the five colors of dyes he needed.

Then there were several more clues. Each time they returned with another set of dyes for him to finish his work.

There was Island with a lake in its center. He hadn't ever heard of Occllo but someone had. They had gone there and found a path leading to the dyer who had promised Adama a specific shade of red. But when they arrived, the dyer was intently working on trying to reproduce it. He was caught carrying a heavy bag of dye tubs and dyes toward his work area.

So the dyer, Inar, asked them to help him carry the tubs and that if they would help him reproduce the color, Adama could have it quickly. So they sat about working for quite a while until several of the traveler's managed the correct color. Upon which they promptly delivered it to Adama.

Then there was the old Merchant in Skara Brae, a forgetful old man who could not remember where the keys to his ship were. For the dyes were all inside the hold of his ship. It had been an amusing recountment of the story. As apparently the old man had tight rope walked his way across the ropes of the Skara Brae docks.

Luckily for the travelers gathered, the old Merchant remembered that a long time ago a mage had spelled his ship for him, and that if he could remember the magical password he could get back onto his ship and give them the dyes for Adama. So he described several places where he stashed away books, who's titles described his password.

They searched all over town, finding only one of them. The old man, apparently disgusted with the "youth of today" managed to remember where he hid them and led them on a wild chase across Skara Brae to the Inn, the Mage shop and finally to the Bank where he'd stored each of the books. He could be heard calling the travelers all sorts of names, insinuiating that they were more feeble than an old man.

Once the password was found and the dye tubs were recovered, there was a cheering for an encore. Apparently his tight rope routine had astonished a great many of them so much, that the old man performed it again, walking his way across the thin ropes of the Skara Brae docks, all held to a resounding round of cheering.

But it was not the end. No the last task took place at the heart of Trinsic at the healers. Apparently Adama's Mongbat friend had been robbed and injured. When the travelers arrived in Trinsic to find him, he was no where to be found. Moments later the strange looking, and dark green colored Mongbat stumbled up to them, pretending not to be seen. It was too bad for him the roads of Trinsic were not.

When they mentioned this, Iskur the mongbat was seen to shuffle off onto the grass, then heard to ask, "What about now?" The mongbat, who believed he was a mighty ninja was a strange fellow indeed.

Then they asked about the dyes, and Iskur the Ninja related the tale of being robbed of all his supplies, and also a Totem sacred to his village. It was a Totem of great power that kept his village safe from Dragons. The travelers agreed to fight the Highway Men and recover both his stolen Totem and Adama's final dyes.

They found the Highman Men camped outside of Trinsic between two rivers and battled fought them to the death. The dyes were recovered, but there was no sign of the Totem for Iskur's village. The mongbat seemed slightly lost upon hearing this. But the travelers vowed if they came upon it and the rest of the Highway Men they would recover it for him. So Iskur sent them off, telling them if they found it to give it to Adama for him, and then he crept off into the woods, continuing the search for the Highway Men on his own.

When the fifth and final dye was returned to him. Adama graciously thanked all of the people who had come together to help him, and told them that the only reward he had, was his vow to help them when they needed it most. And with his knowledge of the coming darkness, a knowledge of which he could not yet even speak of... he knew they may need everything he could find out.

So alone, he prepared the cloth and the dyes in their tubs. He slept very little for the next few days. And at the end of it all, he had earned enough to travel to New Maginica to meet a man who might have information about the man who'd given him the book to bind. Any lead, right now, was better than none -- at any cost.
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Adama - New Maginica

[Sometime during the following week / note written on a scrap of paper, by the hand of Adama]

Finally having gathered all the necessary dyes, with the help of a collection of very helpful people he'd found while hanging out late at night at Britain Bank, Adama found himself in a position to be able to complete his client's suit in time. Other important things had come up and without their help he'd never have been able to finish it in time. The dyes had been specifically selected for their colors and nothing else would do. His own neat collection of fabrics and tubs were stored safely but far away at his home. What he was doing out here, all this way was becoming a bit of a mystery to himself.

It had begun days after he'd finished and dropped off the book. He'd found the pages of the book neatly strewn about on the floor. It had been more a pattern than random chaos, like they'd slipped out and spread just so. The first few days he didn't even pick them up. He was a diligent man, a professional and as a tailor, where he was born there was no one better. So how this could have happened, he did not know. Every little button hole, or stroke of the needle through cloth, like a surgeon's touch, not to tear the fabric or pull things out of place.

For nights he had sat up late into the dark hours, wondering how it was possible. He could vividly remember holding the book in his hands, cursing to himself silently as the binding broke again for the fourth time, then for the ninth time. His pride hadn't allowed him to mention the failure to bind the book over forty-seven times in the span of two weeks. As a tailor, his reputation might have been tarnished entirely. How could he do such fine leatherwork if he couldn't even bind a simply book. There would be rumors, saying he wasn't doing any of the work himself and that he was simply making money off of someone else's hard work.

Maybe it wasn't true, not at all most likely, but he hadn't slept well for three weeks by then. It had been almost a miracle to find people willing to help him and then another miracle to be paid so much at last for the finely woven suit. Now he thought of the miracles and for a moment they over shadowed all the foreboding signs and feelings.

He didn't think about the way his mind was muddled when reading the pages. Nor did he remember the stirring in his sleep and in his dreams. Forgotten was the way he mumbled to himself in the corner of his closet on the eigth day when the book fell apart for the twentieth time. He didn't remember now the three days he'd spent absently staring at the corner where the pages laid. He'd picked them up of course, read them, again and again. Even seen things in them, but always he placed them back in the corner. He'd pretend he hadn't seen them or touched them.

He had finished the book and then dropped it off where the man he'd met had asked, the one who'd given him the task of sewing its binding back together. Then Adama had collected his payment where he was told it would be. Everything had gone well. If it had turned out that way, Adama would be enjoying a good drink and good food for weeks, it had been wonderful money. Instead, he'd wasted all the money, all the while slowly feeling as if he was being driven mad.

All he could think about was the fact that he had not finished his job. And how much he wished these pages were gone, in the book where he had carefully sewn them. He had too, carefully sewn them, he could swear by it, that they'd been in the book when the cover closed.

After those three weeks he secretly wanted nothing but to find the man and return his pages. Secretly it was all he wanted, and yet his own lips let other words slip out. Muttering and ramblings of wanting more, to know more and to find the rest of the book for himself. He didn't want that, did he?

But how could he get to New Maginica again, his passage had been paid for last time and he was out of money by now. He'd had a client he'd forgotten about, one that was gone for a month but would be returning soon! Surely if he could finish that suit in time, he could collect enough money. But he wasn't at home anymore, not safely tucked away in his warm house with his plentiful collection of supplies.

In the end he had found a wily trader and convinced him to sell him the location of "merchants" who currently had stock of the dyes he needed. But of course all he'd sold him were the clues, and Adama, lacking so much sleep hadn't been able to make hide nor hair of anything written there. So for days he'd hung around Brit Bank, and he'd even traveled to Nujel'm, when the Sultan held a party, while looking for his lost jewels. He'd found a Moongate and shuffled right through it, never looking back. Perhaps hoping he could outrun the feelings and the pages. Not the normal moongates, the other kind, the kind that led to other worlds.

But in the end, he'd found himself back in his Britania and still staring at the pages of the book. While he had traveled, he could feel himself being watched and yet he could never find anything or anyone. It was just an eerie cold feeling, something that threatened to drown him in only uncertainty. He'd met a Stranger in Trinsic one day, a man who was asking questions and asking people about a man named Adama, then asking himself if he knew this "Adama." He'd had an odd feeling and simply shrugged telling the Stranger he didn't know anyone by that name.

However, things were looking up now. He was on the ship on his way to New Maginica. There he would find someone who knew him, anyone. Soon he'd give the man his pages back and everything would be well again. It had to be, it just had to be. Adama would be a tailor again, and nothing more.
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
The Traveling Tailor - Journal Entry 4

[7-30-2011 / account of the events taken place, as retold to Adama and recorded by his own hand]

His meeting in New Maginica was over and still Adama had nothing. So he decided to do the only thing he could do now, to look elsewhere, perhaps in Jhelom. As those who helped him last time arrive in New Maginica, Adama sadly informs them that his meeting which they helped him attend was fruitless, a dead end. He informs them that he is going to Jhelom to look for more clues and asks if they would like to accompany him still.

A resounding yes comes back to his ears and so he opens a gate and they all step through. He tells everyone that they are looking for a man named Julian who he met there weeks ago. After a bit of searching Julian is found in a nearby shop and Adama proceeds with questioning him.

Julian explains that he only met the man a few days before, and that he was inquiring about a scribe, or book binder. He then goes on to recount to Julian and the others that he remembered that a brilliant tailor used to word in Jhelom's Fine Tailoring and that he heard that said tailor occasionally traveled all over, and came here to Jhelom for supplies.

The tailor of course, that he was talking about, was Adama. Julian went on to explain that the man decided to stay in Jhelom and wait until Adama had arrived so that he could meet him. When asked if he knew anything else, Julian directed the group toward a man named Lester who worked in one of the local Inns, saying that he might know more.

When they reached the inn, Adama took a look around, flanked by the group of travelers eager to help him in his quest. They found Lester hanging around the entrance to the Inn and questioned him about what he saw. Apparently Lester had been rather close in distance to the strange man and got a partial look at him.

However, he couldn't see much of his face and could only really describe the red hooded robe that he saw. Then Lester shrugged and answered a few more questions, pointing Adama and the group in the direction of the bank where a man named Nicholas was, who had greeted the red hooded man when he first arrived in town. Lester apologized, but Adama was in a hurry and left, shaking his head.

When they found Nicholas he was counting money in a corner. He told Adama that the strange man had asked him where he could get a book bound, and that was it. Nicholas seemed a little offput when talking about him and pointed the group in the direction of Julian, whom he told the strange man was a good place to start, to ask about getting a book bound.

Which left them full circle, and with no more information then when they set out.

However, Adama instructed everyone to search the town for anything strange and report back if they found anything. Time went by and he stared at his shoes, looking at his footprints and wondering what he would do if he couldn't find the man. He was getting more anxious by the hour and nothing he had done was getting him anywhere.

By luck, a traveler ran up to the others who had stayed behind and announced a tale of a strange "shadow" like horse spotted near the top of the Jhelom Arena. The group gathered their things and rushed off to find them.

When they arrived, several people were attacked the strange animal and no matter how hard they hit it, it would not fall or die. It took several minutes for the large group of people to subdue the beast. And after they were done, they noticed the rambled lunatics nearby.

The kept repeating something about a red stone, a stranger dressed in black and about Britain. Suddenly Adama seemed to go rigid and stiff. Instead of being worried and lost, he seemed more frightened, cold at the prospect and he turned to the ground who watched him eagerly. He announced he had things to do, but that he could be ever so grateful if they would go to Britain and find out what was happening there.

The players agreed, and then Adama carefully skirted away as the gate opened, disappearing somewhere and not to be seen for the rest of the evening.

After a thorough search of Britain, several of the group of travelers stumbled upon more of the dark shadow like horse and also, a man dressed in black. The man rambled ceaselessly about being followed by the beasts and shouted for the people gathered to kill them all.

Ten to twenty minutes went by before the last of the dark things fell and the man dressed in black seemed entirely grateful. But then he said he had to leave, that they should get far away from him, because it was not safe. "Things" were following him, the man in black said. Again and again he ranted and raved, about being followed, about it not being safe and "dark things" following him.

One of the travelers noticed he was "carrying" something in his half apron.

He took off at a run, quickly chased down by the group and confronted again. Then he took off a second time, ranting as he ran to escape them. When he was finally caught and subdued temporarily in the woods, that was when everything went wrong. A sudden barrage of monsters started to come out of thin air, Lich's and Lich Lord's, Devourer's, any number and manner of strange things began attacking the players.

Not only once, but several times this happened before finally after their hard won victory, the monsters stopped appearing. Running away the man in black was chased down ceaselessly. He took the form of several animals, a crystal create, a large lumbering thing all black and then a soldier in black armor. But they weren't fooled, even as he tried to hide behind the dark magic, they found him.

Finally he relented and described his tale. He removed the red stone from his half apron and placed it for display in the Hall in Britain and then he took the stage, also placing down several tall dark mirrors.

He went on to explain that he had found this strange thing, in one of the "other" Sosaria's that exist and brought it back here, looking for this tailor who had come across an ancient book. It seemed as if the Stranger in black did not know what the stone did and needed help. But there was a glint in his eye, a streak of knowing running down the side of his face as if he knew more than he let on.

After he told the players all he knew, which was very little. He left the stone behind and asked them to tell Adama for him, that he wanted him to look at it and find out all he could.

He told the group that after Adama had found out all he could, that they could find him in Deceit, at the bottom of it in the Lich Lord pit and he would wait there for them, either for Adama or for the message he sent.

His reason for waiting in Deceit, was that the monsters were still following him and that it would be safest if he was somewhere no one could get hurt by them. The Stranger then bid the people gathered goodbye and reiterated that as soon as possible, was what he required.
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Lake Austin township information, please read and follow these instruction before making any submission for a town Banner.


Town name:

A town may only use the following as part of its name is it meets the following housing requirements:

2-4 Settlement
5-7 Village
8-16 Town
17-24 City
25+ Kingdom

Naming notes:

Other words can be substituted for these, depending on each individual case. (Things like Harbor, Establishment (having a theme of its own), etc.) Do not use the word “guild” in town names. Although a guild may be founding

the town, it is the town itself being recognized.


Requirements for Recognition:

Houses of the town must be linked together in one (or more) of the following ways to be recognized.

1. Look like a town. Must be connected through a common theme, which must be easily recognizable. (I.E. If each building in the surrounding area has a purpose, as in a Bar, a Library, an Inn, a Guild House.)

2. Appropriately named. Using street numbers/names, a similar wording theme or, “The Wolf Inn”, “Library Wolf”, etc. Something to show that they belong together.

3. Share outward appearance. If the buildings look like they belong to the same town (and are part of this town.)

They must also be grouped together closely to count. – Within a reasonable distance. (Houses appearing more than 2 or 3 house lengths away from the others will not count towards the town’s size. As they would unfortunately

fall outside the town’s limits.)

If they have one of these three, or more than one, and are appropriately sized they will be eligible for a town banner.


How to Petion for Recognition:

In the Mailbox at the Reward Hall (Luna Fairgrounds – via Britain Hall teleport for easy access), please leave a bag containing a book with the Application, and then a rune for each house of the town.

1. Runes must be marked while standing inside each house.


Petition for recognition of the township must follow the following rules:

1. Town name
2. When it was founded
3. Allegiance
4. Number of houses
5. A description of how the town is currently active
6. A suggestion for the Banner’s eventual coordinates (via rune in the bag, that will be placed in the mailbox)
7. History

Inactive towns will not be recognized, so there must be activity of some sort.


The banner must meet the following structural requirements.

The banner must not block house placement.
The banner may not be larger than 6×6 if it blocks movement.
The banner may be a bit larger if it doesn’t block movement, such as Rolling Hills.
Live animals cannot be used for a banner.
The banner shall not include the word “guild”.
The banner shall not mention any player’s name.
The banner shall not resemble a building.
The banner cannot touch a road.


Once a Township is recognized (only after it has been), you may e-mail your Banner design to [email protected]

Please include completed image and all InsideUO numbers used. (Please use an image program to put these together and show how your finished banner will look.)

(Note: Banners may be slightly modified, to be larger or slightly different depending on how the appear when finished in game.)
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Updated: 3/9/2012
1. Order Information
2. The Weld
3. Others (Lieutenant Corian, Traversis Emporium, etc)
4. (coming)
5. (temporarily empty)​
6. Information gleamed from Books in game
7. Items (coming)
Past Event Info (In-Game Books)
A Very Interesting Story:
There is currently a book in the The Shattered Skull tavern in Skara, "A Very Interesting Story"(written by a strange thief) that gives a short and quick explanation of the Events that unfolded with Adama (first Event) and lead up to the point where Ephres was defeated. Then covers the beginning of Lieutenant Corian being introduced into the story line, and his aid in stopping the forgers, thus proving his interests lie in protecting Britain citizens.​

It also extremely briefly mentions the Traversis Emporium (the Necromancers) and the attempt by them on Lieutenant Corian's life when he begin meddling in their affairs. (Much more to come.)​
An Invisible Word:
These books were written by Dahlia, and outline in more detail some of the earlier Events.​
They can be found in a barrel in the Order Stronghold (info on how to reach it in the next post) and have the (hidden) text right in front of each book.​
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Order information:

All items collected by the Order are stored within the Order’s stronghold as of currently.
To reach the Stronghold, one simply need to go to either the Jhelom pits, via the recall rune in Luna (next to a yellow note on the ground in the bank) or via the recall rune in West Britain Bank. Once there, simply double clicking the shield will transport the individual to the Order’s stronghold.


(Interim) Leader: Dahlia
Dahlia is a prominent spy of the Order of the Silent Truth. She is currently the proxy leader of the Order in the wake of Agaris’s betrayal. As of yet, there is no plan to replace her.
Dahlia for a while kept journal in a secret barrel in the Order’s stronghold. (They currently remain hidden there and if she has continued writing, it has been left elsewhere.)

Spymaster: name unknown

Currently head of the Order's spies, the name of this individual is not actually known. His interests seem to be reside solely on the safety of Britannian citizens, and helping to bring about an end to the unrest and preventing tragedies as such occurred with Ephres, when the Royal Guard was otherwise occupied.
The Order, its members and spies seem to prefer to work outside of the confines of the Royal Guard and the nobility, without its tightening constraints. (As were felt when the Royal Guard was called to protect the noble families and left several cities lacking proper defense. The result led to increased attacks on the cities, and eventually The Black Guard’s presence in the city of Vesper.)

Adama Forthwright
Was first met in Britain, seeking help to obtain several dyes for a rich client. (From several black market contacts.) Told players the story of how he had been traveling to other Sosaria's through red moongates. Then told them about the strange book he had been asked to sew the binding for. (Later revealed as the second volume of the Epfedicas.)
Eventually Adama was tracked down by a "Strange Man in Black. (Later revealed as Agaris.) Adama asked those who helped with the dyes to speak to the man for him in Britain. They returned with the first "Mirror of Floating Darkness" and the unidentified red stone (which turned out to be a transfer orb.)
Adama asked the people to go to Deceit for him and speak to the man. Upon arriving in Deceit in the Lich Lord pit, they instead encountered Ephres the Red for the first time. (Crazed mage, who worships and claims to serve Mondain.) After they found out Adama had been captured, one the "Strange Man in Black" revealed himself to be Agaris and asked them to join the "Order of Silent Truth." (Order formed that night.)
It was assumed that Ephres used the Epfedicas to brainwash/control Adama.
After Ephres was defeated and Adama was free'd at last from his prison by The Spymaster. It was then revealed that the owner of the book was actually Evidias Emeisis. That she used to book to convince Adama to tell everyone that Ephres had brought it to him, that she had manipulated the entire thing to involve them in banishing Ephres from their Sosaria. (Both in her interest and in theirs.) The Epfedicas had never belonged to Ephres.
Adama has been free for some time, but has yet to entirely recover from the ordeal. He may soon return, however.
- Friendly Contacts: Merrick the Alchemist, Iksur the Ninja, Tolivar the Merchant (tight-rope walking old man in Skara), Inar the Dyer, Saeval the Mage


Former Order members:

Agaris (information temporarily redacted)


Important Order Locations:

Haldest Stronghold: To reach Haldest, one much travel to the Jhelom Pits, and enter the fighting area underground and then look for the Order’s emblem (a shield). Double clicking this will take one directly into the Stronghold.
Lost Lands Cliff and Secluded Clearing: Both of these locations were discovered when the location to hold the Order’s meeting spot were being searched for.
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
The Weld:

Strange draconic like creatures from another "Sosaria" whom managed to get here through use of a Red Orb and Red Moongates. Originally thought to be a new threat to the people's of the land, it has slowly been revealed that they are a hunted species, both highly intelligent and reclusive in nature due to being hunted for their magical abilities for untold milennia.​
Having been hunted, they have adopted a rather human form through the use of magic. However, the use of this form has been slowly degrading both their ability to escape the transformation and return to their nature draconic like form and nature. Through Evidias it was revealed that the Weld are also losing the ability to read and understand their very own language and that if nothing is done soon, the Weld will slowly disappear until they are no more at all.​
What they want is unknown exactly, but if Evidias and Marouk are any indications of the rest of the Weld. The sentiment seems to be both the survival of their kind and to remain as hidden away from the rest of the world as possible.​


Evidias Emeisis
Ex-servant of Ephres. Wrote several books under the pen name of Evidias, while posing as a strange mage in blue robes named Emeisis. Was instrumental in helping the Order gather pages of the Epfedicas. Also helped them destroy the Shadow Pillars (destroyed several herself.)
Likely part of a people who are close with the creatures called "The Weld", which are strange draconic like creatures. (May likely even be one of "The Weld" herself, unknown as of yet.) She is a mystery, except for what little is gathered from her in the books she wrote or has written and been found at various places. (Including the Blue Tower in Ilshenar of recently.)
Note: Evidias was also the "spy" leaking information tot he Order.
Recently revealed to be one of the Weld (in human form).
Seems to want to find a way to cure her people so that they will not lose who they once were and will be able to survive.​

Marouk
Ex-servant of Ephres. Head of a group know as The Black Guard (TBG).
Staged the attack on both Luna and the invasion of Britain. He was friendly with Evidias before, unknown if this is still the case. Fiercely protective of "The Weld."
He is currently protecting the city of Vesper, hired by the city itself. Stationed in the small building outside of the city. Little is known of his current plans, but a watchful eye is being kept on him.
Confirmed by Evidias, to also be on the of the Weld.
Marouk's goal seems to be to protect the Weld. His actions in Vesper are somewhat ambiguous and in the grey. He has taken no actions to harm the citizens of the city, but has taken up residence in it nonetheless. The Black Guard has replaced near all aspects of Vesper's original Town Guard. (Aside from dealing with minor trouble makers within the cities limits.)​


Other Weld:

Time Without Dreams​
Painted Dreams (deceased)
Painted Omens (deceased)
Painted Nightmares (deceased)


Important Locations:

Locations below deal with places identified as having some significant importance to the Weld.​

Terrort Skitas (the Blue Temple above it)

Evidias seems to be the only resident of the Temple above Terrort Skitas as of now. Though she is rarely seen there.​
Vesper

Vesper is currently being guarded by a small group of The Black Guard, under the direction of Marouk. It is unknown how many of the The Black Guard are actual Weld, and how many are humans.​
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Others:

Lieutenant Corian (Royal Guard)
Member of the Royal Guard. Seems to be concerned with protecting Britannia and its citizens, and not just the nobles. (Currently most of the Royal Guard is being subject to the Nobles whims/needs.)
When tested, he responded just as a man who was sworn to protect the people should have. He took action and showed the type of person he was.

Merrick the Alchemist (Opportunist and Entertainer)
Underground Event promoter. It seems the man will hold any event, or promote any kind of gathering that will net him some coin.
Generally the man seems to be light hearted and means well. He has been helpful when he can, even if his ulterior motives were for personal gain. Trustworthy for the most part.
He has received generally positive reviews for his gatherings. (Though he seems to have questionably odd backers. By odd, you'd have to go to one of his gatherings and see the products he promotes to believe it.)
Responsible for the recovery of page 38 of the Epfedicas. Little is known about him except that he appears to be a shady character.
- Friendly Contacts: Saeval the Mage

Agaris
Originally he founded the Order of the Silent truth in Moonglow as a group to protect Britannia. Agaris lead the Order on its mission to stop Ephres the red. Then managed to successfully rally the Order to the defense of Luna and stopped the invasion of Britain.​
Eventually betrayed the Order and his whereabouts are still largely unknown.​
He was last seen in Britain, at the scene of several murders.​
Note: He was recently spotted in person in Ilshenar, witnessed by several Order members.​

New information on Agaris /
Lately his presence has been detected moving throughout Sosaria. He has been seen in the following towns: Papua, Britain, Serpent’s Hold, and Skara Brae.
Most recently spotted in Ilshenar by Order members.

Rumors about Agaris /
It has been rumored and not confirmed as of yet, that the presences of Ephres and Simon were a trick of Agaris’s. However, the source is somewhat unreliable. (Passed along by a thief.)

Ikarus
There is very little still known about the strange man named Ikarus. However, he does seem to have some purpose to play and when questioned by the Spymaster himself, the man revealed several secrets and knowledge that his memories have been lost but are very slowly returning to him.
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Event Idea


Who's the Killer?

Plotline:

A group of guests are attending an important meeting at Castle Britain.

These ten or so people will be considered "suspects" by the rest of the people involved.

During the course of the Event, clues about the "Killer" will be revealed. These could be locations, random objects or even one of the "suspects" mentioning they saw something in one of the rooms in the Castle.

Eventually it will be up to the observers to discover who is the real killer. (If they do not, then the killer will get away with it. If the killer gets away with it. He will be allowed to return next game as a suspect again.)


Rules:

1. Suspects would be chosen entirely at random.
2. Suspects would be required to party at random with the runner of the Event, to receive random lines to speak.
3. Suspects can only wear the clothing, or crafted weapons handed to them by the Event runner, for the duration of the event.
4. The Killer will not be told who they are, until near the very end.
5. To catch the Killer, players must guess the correct room, object used in the killing, the correct "suspect" and other things.

6. If you are chosen to be a suspect and you would like to play in the game, please be respectful and follow the rules. If not, you can and will be removed from the game.


Reward:

The Killer would be rewarded with a free spot on the Suspects List next game, if he is able to escape notice. (Entirely random.)

The Observer who correctly identifies the Killer, would instead be rewarded the free spot on the Suspects List next game.
 

Restroom Cowboy

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Out of curiosity, what happened to the last few events with no information of cancellation? And why isn't the PVP event posted?
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Some issues came up over the weekend that had to be dealt with.

So last weekends event (10-8) was post-poned until Monday. Which I quickly realized wouldn't be fair for the people who regularly come to the event on Saturday.

So I absorbed (10-8)'s event into (10-15). (Worked the story lines of the two Events together, which should be pretty interesting come Saturday. :) Since the second Event was a continuation of the first anyhow.)

The PvP Event was post-poned too until Tuesday. But Tuesday's issue was entirely different - completely my fault. I was so tired that day from work, that I actually passed out and woke up around 12pm EST (hours after the Event was scheduled.)
 

EM Augustus

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
[1-6-2012 / Hours before]

Through the streets of Britain he passed silently, like the shadow of an image, nearly nonexistent in notice. He was being cautious now, there would be those out looking for him, watching the streets of the cities and eager to catch him off guard. But he had thought this through, picked Britain specifically and was keeping an eye on those around him. They would chance an encounter in the streets of Britain almost as much as he would. But Agaris had always been one to gamble on a chance.

They would be too busy evading this new Lieutenant of the Royal Guard as he stamped through the city. The invasion of Britain had called at last called attention to the dwindling presence of the Royal Guard. It had forced the Order to move out of Britain and take up residence elsewhere. His place right in the middle of the largest city of all of Sosaria had been snatched away in a single instant.

Perhaps he had underestimated the man a little. Marouk, with his brashness and rash decisions had made a bold move and it sent a loud message. He was not going to be used as a pawn by anyone, not Evidias, not Ephres, not Agaris and his schemes, or anyone else. He would not understimate him again.

The small amounts of arguing between Vesper, the attack on several Caravans, the meaningless argument about the prices of Ores from Minoc's mines. Marouk's attack on Britain had been interestingly calculated. He had masked it as an attempt to help Ephres, but carefully intended it to solidify his position when he went to Vesper to offer the services of his soldiers to guard their city. As Marouk was quoted heard saying, "We simply wish to have a place to stay, a place to sleep and find good food. In return for a very small amount of pay to do so, we will not only protect your city, but any caravan receiving goods to be transported to your fine city. If you should ever ask us to leave we will gladly go. We offer only the soldiers blade to protect to citizens of your fair town."

Agaris stopped for a moment and looked up into the afternoon sky. The most curious question of all, the one he had no answer for, was what happened to Simon. The man had quite literally been a lunatic. But Agaris recognized that kind of lunacy, it was the same kind Ephres exhibited. An undying, entirely loyal madness to Mondain. Agaris questioned whether anything he said was actually true, or it was just the mark of an insane man.

He pulled the hood around his face tighter and passed across the bridge into East Britain. As he passed by the small building housing the virtues he stopped for a moment. He remembered something. Then he shook his head and stepped off the main road, onto a red brick road that ran alongside the Inn to the left and followed it, taking a right and continued down toward the fountain, stopping just in front of the benches. He looked at the ground, the brief memory of his plan coming together as they killed the Shadow Things that had followed him. It was where a group of people had caught him with the unidentified stone.

Instead of going straight, he took another right and headed down the red brick path to the left of the Mage shop. Once it ended he quickly walked towards the building, Incantations and Enchantments. He stepped inside and awaited a man bringing him a package.

Behind him the door to the shop creaked open and he went to turn around to welcome the Necromancer Vosk. Instead he saw several men dressed in full armor. "Excuse me, but we would like you to come with us."

"Hello? What is the meaning of this?" Agaris kept a cool face.

"I think you know who sent us, and why." The first man stepped forward and held his sword at the ready.

Agaris smiled briefly. "I see, so all the players are on the board finally. Good, but I think you have a package that belongs to me." He pointed to the satchel one of the other men was holding.

"Well then hope about you come with us, and we will hold on to it for you." There was a smug look on the man's face that would not last long.

"How about I just take it from you and you all can stay here." Agaris was quick, fighting among the Order had not just been for a show of solidarity. He was a proficient swordsman and wanted to keep in good form. He backed away quickly as the men came at him, unaware that his backing off had been so he could quickly draw a short sword without their notice from under the bulky robes.

The first man that got close enough got a taste of the short sword, as it was thrust into his abdomen, causing the man to stagger backward before falling to the ground. In the commotion he had drawn his longsword and thrust it out as a feint at another man, bringing it sideways to smash against the second man's shield. He forced himself into the man's shield as his sword slid off it, unbalancing him and turned to barely miss the sideways glance of the third man's sword.

He just missed moving out of the way of the second man, the one with the shield and took a small gash to the left arm. With a single thrust he pushed the length of the long sword down into the man who was on a knee, unable to fully get up in time. Dropping to the ground he rolled toward the dead man, and just as the third man nearly brought down an axe straight into his skull. Agaris reached for the dagger of the dead man closest to him and threw it, catching the last man in the neck and rolling out of the axe's path as it came crashing to the floor.

Agaris quickly gathered his wits and grabbed the satchel, not even bothering to retrieve either of his weapons. He dashed out the front door of the shop, apologizing in haste to the startled old mage who had been the only one in the shop at the time, and dropping a bag of gold on the ground for the damages. Then he was off into the streets and made his way as fast as possible out of town.

He had meant to just retrieve a package in quiet, but he had no doubt soon the whole town would be in an uproar of rumors. Agaris would have to leave a particular item in Britain for a while until it calmed down again.
 

EM Augustus

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[Vesper]

He stared at the map on the table noting the key locations that had been pinpointed out on it. This would be simple. It was nothing like his brilliant idea to cut off those legitimately working for a good cause, and also Agaris off at the throat. That had started out as a stroke of genius on Evidias's part.

Everything began with the Luna invasion. It had been carefully planned to show up as just a major battle in the area with no one quite being able to tell what really happened. She had wanted to victors and the losers to be just a rumor, rather than an actual event in the minds of the people. What had played out was beautiful, almost every citizen, either by rumor, whisper or by the songs of bards had heard what happened.

She had wanted to see what they were dealing with exactly and how it could turn in their favor to get rid of Ephres. However, Marouk had found a new plan for it. When they encamped part of the army at Skara Brae, and the battle had finally ended, he used that moment to turn the rest of them from Evidias and at the same time, approached the town of Skara Brae, issuing a statement that they apologized for the fighting. But that they had been pushing off a bandit, or pirate raid.

So the rumors began of a raid on Luna, and then followed in tales all over Britannia that a second raid was attempted on Skara also. Except The Black Guard had been there to save the town. The final stroke of genius was when he marched on Britain, upon Ephres's command, and forced the Order out of hiding causing a battle in the streets of the very city in front of all the towns people with "The Black Guard" fighting off an attempt to take the city by this "mysterious group of people." He had started rumors of an attack on the city and then in turn offered to station troops nearby to help them should it happen.

He had effectively turned what would be their defense of the city of Britain, into a platform for offering other cities the assistance of The Black Guard to defend them. What he'd promised was that no civilians would get hurt and that his men would take extra care repelling the invaders. True he had lost the battle, but not a single innocent civilian had been harmed. That was all the public saw and that was all they needed to know. No one they cared about was killed.

It was all a smokescreen of course, if anyone really found evidence of the battle they could clearly point out who the aggressors were and who was defending the city. But the point was moot at this avenue, because he had been meticulous about removing all signs of the battle after it ended. It had taken a lot of work, but it was all worth it now as he sat in the barracks just outside of Vesper.

He had no real problem with Evidias. She was doing what she thought was the right course of action. But Marouk disagreed with her in the choice of her actions, and he finally let her know abruptly. The problem before was that they were pretending to help Ephres and a show of insubordination, especially when Ephres left her in charge would have been the wrong move. So he had bidden his time, waited carefully and when the opportunity finally arose he took it.

She had the only working red orb, but there was another somewhere. Besides, he had plenty of incomplete ones which was enough to attempt to make his own. Even if he failed somehow, if Evidias was planning on leaving this world for another she would never leave behind her own people, no matter the disagreements that came between them. Of that Marouk was sure.

He was certain of another thing too. That the watchful eyes of the Royal Britannian Guard would be keeping a close eye on the situation in Vesper. Marouk had placed scouts around the city to keep an eye on it and caught a very interesting conversation. Even though they had no proof that the attack on the city was orchestrated in part of whole by The Black Guard, they had their suspicions and did not like the idea that TBG had taken up residence in Vesper. Marouk had to be sure to be delicate with things from now on out, as to not danger to precarious situation he found himself in.

True, everything so far had gone toward his advantage. But suspicion was a dangerous enemy and far more vicious than anything, except perhaps fear. The situation was very precarious, and so he closed his eyes and thought about his next move very carefully.
 

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[1-10-12 / RBG Official Report, filed by the hand of Lieutenant Corian]

Dear [name redacted],

This report is regarding the matters we have been discussing so far. I have personally been following up on several of the leads and have discovered as much as I could in the last few weeks.

What we know as of now, is that several rogue organizations and individuals have been circumventing all guard authority. I would like to list and detail out all information of each individual and/or organization. The list is as follows:

The Black Guard (org) / Marouk the Black (ind): A man named Marouk seems to be solely responsible for any and all actions of this group. We believe this group is responsible for the attacks on both Luna and the more recent attempt at taking over the city of Britain.

The current relocation of troops to the city of Vesper, hired officially by the city as part of the Vesper Town Guard, is unsettling to put it mildly. To be more blunt, it is disturbing and the situation needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.

Additional note: I deem the man himself to be extremely dangerous and unpredictable.

Evidias Emeisis (ind):There has been far too little information concerning this particular woman. However, do not take this as a sign of a non-existent threat. I have picked up rumors of her association with the individuals Marouk and Simon. Though rumor also has it that they are not seeing eye to eye anymore, her mere association with said individuals is enough to warrant further investigation.

Simon (ind):Individual appeared at first to be mildly unstable. He was held overnight for committing a robbery, due to be released in the morning. However, in the morning the bodies of several guards were found and a message had been scrawled across the jail walls in blood. Though when we interviewed several witness to the break out, they all described him as a very pleasant, talkative person. This suggests a highly temperamental individual who also exhibits an inclination for killing.

Additional note: Suspect needs to be recaptured immediately.

Agaris (ind):Very little is known of this person. What little I have gleamed has been dropped into my lap. Reports from several cities about an individual fitting the description of the man last seen exiting a Mage shop on the lower east side of Britain. (Coincidentally around the exact same time of said killings in the city.)

The Traversis Emporium (org): Most of what we know about the Traversis Emporium is already heavily documented, and so I will skip mentioning it for the sake of an expedient delivery.

A location of the Necromancers' use has been discovered and we are keeping a very watchful eye on it.​

Signed,
Lieutenant Corian​
 

EM Augustus

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[Eind Ad Welda]

Into the darkness she stared, feeling it stare back into her. It was a strange feeling, an odd force coming over the surroundings and it lay against her, pressed against her flesh. Like another skin she wore it, or it wore her and she was the vessel, the ship being sailed from an unknown place. Her fingers felt wet though the air was dry and each time they passed through the empty bowl they felt more saturated, more slick.

So she closed her eyes and touched the paper, letting the tips of her fingers guide her across it. What were only shapes in her mind were color on the paper in front of her, what had only been words was now descriptions of places being inked out in mountains, in trees, in buildings and the faces of people. She saw a ship in the distance coming toward the land and so she painted the ship. When it got closer and on another sheet of paper she painted the faces she saw on the deck of the ship.

The closer the ship got, the more violent the storm that rose around it. Until the sky was blackened and rain deluged all sight of the image, until it broke her mind or broke from her mind and was gone. She opened her eyes gasping for air and stared at the floor beneath her, water up to her ankles and dripping down from the ceiling of the room. Grabbing hold of the pedestal she stood there for a few more moments and closed her eyes, catching her breath.

When she opened them again, the water was gone and the pedestal was empty again. All that was left in the room was the paper she had painted, but no paint and little of anything else. In the painting she recognized several people. Herself of course, first, dressed in blue armor, holding a shield and a sword. Then another figure that she did not understand and when she tried to think of the color it wore, there was a terrible blur to it and her head began to hurt, to ache with pains of pins and needles being pushed into her temples.

She let go of the second figure and looked at the rest of the image. Then she rolled up both paintings and placed them into a satchel and left the room. Outside she closed the door and lifted what appeared to be an invisible key. It made a metallic sound as it slid into the lock and the lock turned. Once she removed the key, the door itself disappeared and left only a wall where it had stood.

Turning away from it, she collapsed back against the wall, the weight of her body heavy on her legs. She sighed, feeling the coolness of it against her bare arms and watched the darkness sift around inside of her mind. It was another place and if she held onto it for long enough she could see places far away. Though the wall was rough against her soft skin, she stood there listening to the sound of the sky as it came down upon the wind and traveled through the hall, crossing over here and everything else.
 

EM Augustus

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Information gleamed from books or other sources:

Telamon is a Liar: Order member Jahajx Jov found this hidden in the text of the book named "Tired Hearts."​
The book is written by an unknown author and so the validity is yet to be confirmed. However, if it is true then the validy of the contests of the books written by Telamon would severely be in question.​
The author Telamon: This isn't confirmed and should be no means be taken as the truth. But all signs are pointing in this direction.​

A man named Farley in Umbra, admitted that Simon is a liar. To which he also went on to state the following, "Simon is a liar. But then again even liars tell the truth at times." This could be just Farley's personal thoughts on the matter, or a statement backing up the book Tired Hearts, which had information hidden in it stating that Telamon was a liar.​
Simon admitted to writing several books, using a pen name. So most likely Simon is one of the known authors of the books. Either Evidias or Telamon.​
It was finally confirmed that the author Telamon, indeed was Simon.​
The author Evidias: It has been stated by Amadeo that Evidias sounds like a woman's name. There is nothing at all to back up this claim, other than his personal thoughts that he name sounds as if it belongs to a woman and not a man. Though the statement is purely his opinion.​
Evidias was discovered to actually be the first name of Emesis, whose full name was and is, "Evidias Emeisis."​
The Singing Sword: A lantern was found in the Order stronghold named this. The Singing Sword was also seen in the possession of Emeisis at one point.​
The sword itself (whose name was found first on the Lamp in the Order Stronghold) is now in the possession of Evidias Emeisis of the Weld.​
(hidden) An Invisible Word 1-4: Several journals have been found containing information chronicled by Dahlia of the Silent Order. The books are hidden and again, only the member of the Order seem to notice them. (It is unknown if Agaris even knows they are there in the barrel.)​
They are both recounting of past Events, and Dahlia's own musings on certain situations.​
13 Books: These books were found during information gathering with Dahlia. Initially they seemed to be coded jibberish. However, it was eventually uncovered that the books were written by several authors. Evidias (who turned out to be known as Evidias Emeisis) and Telamon (who turned out to be Simon). The books were filled with information on both Ephres's operation and a series of construed and constructed lies meant to obscure any truth written by Evidias in her books.​
Further information revealed that several of the books were written by Evidias or Simon, AS they witnessed actual events unfold. (One book speaks about Adama's initial meeting with the Strange in Red, or "Ephres.")​
(hidden) Translations: Translations of the books found in the Order Stronghold at the other end of the hall (opposite of where one comes in) were eventually found explaining somewhat, the reason for the information in the books.​

(hidden) Confidential
The book appears to have been written by the Order's spymaster. However, it seems neither Agaris nor Dahlia can see the book. So even when it is pointed out to them, they can't read it. (The books can be copied, but are still unable to be read by anyone except the Order.)​
 

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Items / Things, Found:

Pages of the Epfedicas
These were the pages the tailor Adama originally discovered after binding a book for a strange man. (The same pages that ensnared his mind and enslaved him.)​
-- [Edit] note: Originally thought to belong to Ephres the Red. They were later revealed by Adama, as the effects wore off, to have been given to him by Evidias Emeisis and convinced by her to tell the story about Ephres and the book.​

Epfedicas page list:
--- Pages 34, 37 and 38 have been recovered by the Order as of now​
--- Page 47 was found in the Order home. No one knows where this came from or why it was there.​

Unidentified stone
"The Stranger" (Agaris) had this on him when the players first encountered him in Britain. It was a red, round object that he was carrying inside his apron.​
-- note: it was later revealed to be an object used to travel between Sosarais (a transfer orb of sorts)​

Pillar of Ethereal Shadow
A large black stone pillar. The first was placed in the town of Luna across from the Moongate and near the stables. Ephres performed some sort of ceremony when placing it.​
-- note: small bits of shadow are composed of the same substance the pillars are​

The Epfedicas
A three volumed set of books full of ancient wisdom, knowledge and spells. Not much is known about the actual contests of the books. Only one of the pages has been recovered thus far: page 38.​
-- note: the pages Adama had, are rumored to be from Vol. 2​



A(n incomplete) list of the things currently stored in the Order Stronghold:

Floating Darkness
A pair of black mirrors.​
It was finally discovered that the Mirrors belong to Evidias Emeisis. They are used for spying on people and places. The mirrors act as a one way (most likely two way) communicating device.​
-- note: "borrowed" twice by Merrick the Alchemist​

Books
There are a number of books in the Order's Stronghold. Read down further for more info.​

A Small Bit of Shadow
Found on several Black Guard that were stationed outside of Luna.​
-- note: from the same substance as the Shadow Pillars - may likely be from a destroyed one​

Black Weld Scales
Taken from the remains of monstrous black beasts. Not much is known about them.​

Broken Glass Shards
Found in one of the rooms, no one is quite sure where it came from or what it means.​

A seemingly empty bag...
It appears to be empty, but someone swore they saw something in it.​

A certain colored dye tub
This tub is in the hallway near the main Order meeting room. It is hidden in a recess in one of the hallway's walls.​
--- note: Directly above it is a bag dyed the same color as the tub is. (It is hard to see but it is there.)​

Marble Pillars
Several Marble pillars are now blocking two of the rooms in the Order's base. One of the rooms is empty, but the second room contains a chest with 5 items inside of it. Along with 3 lanterns against the back of the wall. No one seems to know why they are there or the rooms are blocked off.​
--- note: Dahlia tried to have the rooms unsealed, but was unable to do so. She is currently looking for a way to get into the rooms or remove the magical seals placed on the pillars.​

Snake Emblems
These are used to exit the Order's base back to Britain.​
A Decorate Metal Shield
These shield are spelled to transport the user to the main hall/room of the Order base where meetings take place.​

Green Lanterns
These have been moved around several times to indicate books.​
--- note: One of them is labeled, "Yellow of the Sun"​
 
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