[News] Rubble, rubble

[Guest]

<table style="width:100%;"> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;">

</td> </tr> </table> <table style="width:100%;"> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;"> *sings*
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo

They've got Magincia in a whirl
We're not sure if more rubble will fall
A daemon rez-killed me tonight
Hey Siege, lets go killing tonight
You looted me, balrons killed us all
We hate 'zerks, the spotty swine,
We've got arties, mine all mine,
We want more and we want it fast,
The next invaders are here at last,
A bard died trying to play them a song,
So come a-slaying Siege, they won't be here long.

Rubble, rubble... well, that's enough of that!

(With profound apologies to the two David Bowie fans lurking at the back over there)

</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#FFFFFF;border:solid 1px red;"> <div style="font-family:Arial;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold;color:#0000FF;"> Blind Otto reporting! </div>
<div style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:normal;color:#000000;"> Well, the past few days it was begining to appear that we had routed the invaders.
The light daemons were growing weaker, as were their darker brothers.
It had been a long time since any berzerkers had been seen, and imp corpses were as common as rubble.
Had we won? Had they given up? Could we all go back to killing each other outside Luna?

Thankfully, not.

This morning, the hardy adventurers picking through the rubbble that was once the proud town of Magincia found the moongate protected by some strange energy beings.

These "rift guardians" resembled energy vortexes, but energy vortexes did very little to harm them!
I stood and listened to the battle for a while, and found all manner of attacks failing.
My own fairly well trained hiryu died in the time it took me to cover the three steps to where it had gone to attack one of the creatures.
Mages fell left, right and center. Bards struggled to calm the creatures, and the berzerkers they summoned.
Very little worked. Utterly fatigued, I withdrew, to regain my strength, and heal my hiryu, cursing the foul hellspawn that chased me all the way to the Magincian docks!

Then I sent my loyal scribe in. After all, what good is it to have lackys if ye make no use of them?
</div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color: #FFFFFF; border: solid 1px red;"> <div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; color: #FF00FF;"> Beatrice Quill here! </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; color: #000000;"> Lackey?!? LACKEY?!?!?! See how many waffles YOU get for breakfast this morning, bub!

Ahem. Yes. Right. *mutters* Lackey my bright blue... anyway...

As Blind Otto said, the defenders of the gate were impressive.
The berzerkers, however, were not as hardy. I came across Lord Kush, Lady AEowyn, and others, who had successfully slain one such creature near the Council of Mages base.

Where the vaunted council was, and why they had let their island home be overrun, was anyone's guess, but I hear they recently turned over managment to an incompetant Scotsman, which could explain matters somewhat.

Heading back up to the gate, I found some members of TnT, Red, and a few others desperately trying to overcome the rift's guardians.

Nothing seemed to work. A barrage of about 10 energy vortexes barely scratched the beasts, and they utterly ignored the fields of poison and flame that I poured on them.

I suspect a warrior or a paladin may do better, but my magery was fairly useless.
I did find, however, that speaking words learned during the Orphidian invasion, namely "An Sanct Flam", dispelled the flame fields that the guardians had around them.
Nasty stuff - leaping black flames, giving off who knows what kind of energy. Still, running up to it and shouting those words seemed to do the trick!
Once the flames were out, the guardians seemed a LITTLE less invulnerable, and even began to teleport to the spot where I stood, now and then.
I died. A lot. These things will not fall easily.

It does seem that some new treasures and souveniers are to be had - Red was very kind, and gave me one such item, which is now taking up the middle of my upper floor, until I can decide where to put it!

Anyway, back to the blind one, unless someone's 'accidentally' pushed him out the window again, or something.
*mutters* I'll give you lackey - wait until the next time I wash the flagstones at the top of the stairs! *mutters* </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color: #FFFFFF; border: solid 1px red;"> <div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; color: #0000FF;"> Blind Otto here again! </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; color: #000000;"> Ahem. Yes. Did I say 'lackey'? I meant 'greatly valued confidant, friend, and trusted ally'! In an obscure orcish dialect that not even Mo'gluk has heard of, that sounds a lot like 'Lackey'. Is anyone actually believing this? No? Oh well then...
I am sure we will hear from the expert fighters out in the field before too long, saying that the invasion is routed!
In the meantime, anyone who wants to stand around on the Trinsic docks selling potions, bandages, reagents, and other such items will probably make a fair profit!
Be safe, and avoid hugging berzerkers!

(no, really. It's south-trinsic orcish. They're all extinct now, or I'd take you there. Really. OW! </div> </td> </tr> </table>

 

[Beatrice Quill]

*quietly exchanges white stick for a temporarily paralysed snake*


I ask you, do I LOOK like a lackey?!?

*puts on 3 matching item from the 'of the Magi' set before anyone can answer*

I wonder if "An Sanct Flam" works on blind men?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>


I ask you, do I LOOK like a lackey?!?


[/ QUOTE ]

Lacking maybe, but not a lackey!

 

[Guest]

Psst! Hoffs! Invisibility is a wonderful spell!
*hides under invisible table*


Incidentally, if anyone spots my ghost at the moongate right about now, I'm:
a) Not AFK macroing, probably just having a ghostly snooze inbetween waiting to see if anyone actually manages to achieve anything at the gate.
b) Not scripting anything.
c) Not in need of a rez (for once!)
d) Not ignoring you, probably just reading email while NOT AFK macroing.

My hope is that sooner or later (probably later, just after I log out) an intrepid group of Siege's citizens will show up, blow seven kinds of hell out of the guardians, and I'll be able to swing my picture-imp around and get some good paintings of them doing it.

Disclaimer: Any rumors that I'm a ghost because Bea threw me out the window are entirely true.

 

[Lorddog]

break out the mystic weapons.

my dog hardly touched them. but my archer with mystic bow can do the trick.

Lorddog

 

[Guest]

That is good to hear!

Having lurked at the gate a while now, I can provide an extensive list of what does NOT work on rift guardians. My thanks to all my fellow gate haunters who stopped by.

So far, failures include:

Energy Vortexes. These do not even scratch the creatures. Don't waste your reagents. It is a bit hard to count under those circumstances, but I think I counted a maximum of ten vortexes on one guardian at one point - with practically no effect. Blade Spirits were even less effective.

Summoned Daemons. These last approximately 3 seconds, and that is if they are not instantly dispelled.

Summoned Elementals: Die quickly, and do no damage.

Natures Furies: About as useful as a chocolate forge.

Poison and Fire fields: Utterly ignored by the guardians.

Revenants: Very, very, slight damage. I would say a tiny bit more than EVs. It would probably take about 100 revs, with at least 4 attacking all the time, to kill one guardian.

Wither: This seemed to be having an effect, but sadly, the necros who were trying it died, and did not return.

Holy Light: Slightly better than wither. The damage is still very, very, slight though.

Combat skills - much of this is guesswork, going by the various noises I heard during the attacks, but deathstrikes seemed to do nothing. Blessed/Cursed weapon attacks (Chiv/Necro) did do some damage - but so little that I think it would have taken about an hour to kill one guardian that way.

Pets. No. Really, no. Cu-sidhes last about 30 seconds, with a vet healing them, hiryus about 5 seconds. No one has tried runebeetles yet.

Of course, this is not to say that, if ENOUGH of the above methods were used, in massive quantity, they would not work... So far, the largest group of attackers has numbered 7.

So, aye - bring on the mystic weapons, and anything else you can think of!

-Blind Otto, reporting dead from Magincia Moongate

*edit*
Saying "An Sanct Flam" while dead DOES appear to be having an effect. The flames aren't vanishing, but they do keep going purple. Perhaps this is because I'm not a mage, perhaps it's because I'm dead. But, if the next mage to die out there wants to try it, be my guest!
*edit*

 

[Guest]

Big invasion clear out tonight? can we get all of the guilds to just kill the monsters and finish of the even and then everyone can get back to killing eachother? ya that sounds like a good idea

 

[Guest]

*continues haunting Magincia moongate*

There have been several valiant efforts against the beasts, the most successful thus far by Lord Tamior. I'll not give away his methods, since a good reporter never reveals his sources, but, well done, sir!

To the others who left their corpses to decorate the gate and fled, do not feel bad. These beasts are truly a threat worthy of the best Siege has to offer!

Where are all those who strut and fret about these boards, crowing how great they are in battle? Come! Here is your chance to prove it!

*wonders if he should start taking bets on how soon after he gives up and logs off someone will show up, kill the lot, and not bother to take any pictures*

 

[Guest]

Looks really unhealthy there. And we have only a limited time to defeat them before we lost?

 

[Guest]

From Draconi on Uhall:

Invasion Finale


The invasion has reached it's final stage. An octet of Rift Guardians have appeared in front of the much smaller, energetic moongate. They defend themselves with barrages of magic and can summon Daemon Berserkers when threatened.

They are surrounded in part by barrier flames that can only be removed by creative use of spellwords.

Meanwhile, my humblest apologies for the delay. This should have occurred automatically already, and I'm now enabling them manually, shard by shard. This should take approximately another 15 minutes. Do not worry, I have not been hit by a truck (that happened last year), and the show will go on!

Due to the delay, the event finale will be extended until Friday. If the Rift Guardians are not defeated by then, that shard/facet's Magincia is lost.

Oh, and hey! It turns out I'm staying with UO after all


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim "Draconi" Cotten - UO Designer - EA Mythic

 

[RobotPlanet]

I want to know who stole the rubble off my corpse? greedy ****s!

 

[imported_mo'gluk]

I am looking for a mystic bow if anyone has one and wants to trade for a mystic krys, war axe or ????? (i will check what it is)

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

If the Rift Guardians are not defeated by then, that shard/facet's Magincia is lost.

[/ QUOTE ]
I am going to hop over to U hell and ask for clarification on what "lost" is. Siege perhaps might be a good place to "lose" a town.

EDIT: so far I found this reply.

"As for what's left to save?

Hmm... I think, from now on, a Britannian city will be seen as more than its walls, roofs and thoroughfares. True, Magincia's people may be gone - some slaughtered, even more scattered, but your actions now will determine this island's fate for generations.

The Fall of Magincia. Magincia no Metsubou.

Will Magincia rise again, an exemplar of Virtue? Or will it lie in the dust, haunted by its past?"

 

[Guest]

I lost a town once. I put it down, and never saw it again!

Or much of anything else, for that matter!

 

[Guest]

*taunts Otto with yummy smells*

 

[Beatrice Quill]

Well done to Tamior of C8V, and I hope I got your name right!

He has killed one of the Rift Guardians, using what is probably the most painstaking method imaginable!

(I'll let him describe it, no giving away trade secrets here, and no, it was not a hack, exploit, or anything else like that!)

Anyway, dead it is, it is dead, deceased, snuffed, an ex-guardian!

It dropped blackrock all over the place. I didn't get to see the initial death, but I did scout around in the aftermath.

The problem is, it DOES drop blackrock... it's just really tiny pieces. Take a look:

Worse yet, these pieces DON'T show up with ctrl-shift.
They are ONLY identifiable if you mouse-over them.

Now, as I'm sure you can imagine, THAT'S a lot of fun, with about 10 'zerks wandering around the place, as well as the remaining guardians merrily revealing you whenever they feel like it. Oh, and all the rubble and debris all over the ground that looks JUST like the blackrock pieces at first glance. Yep. Fun, fun, fun. Knock yourselves out going cross-eyed, kids. I predict Otto won't be the only one with vision problems after this!

*edit*
And speaking of vision problems, AEowyn posted while I was typing!
Argh! Someone close that waffle iron!!!

 

[Guest]

Damnit I was there when it fell and couldn't find a single piece. *wanders off grumbling about putting a bounty on quill bearing blackrock poachers*
*cooks up a HUGE unhealthy breakfast for Otto just to spite Bea*

 

[pikon198]

Haha, nice report Blind Otto, really enjoyed the song, i guess if david bowie played uo the song would be similar enough to that...

 

[RobotPlanet]

we can do this we just need to get together, its not too hard , but alone its a beeeeeeoth

 

[Guest]

Wit? Who ye callin' incontenent?!? Ah goes behind a bush jest fine whenevah ah wants ta! Sometimes ah jest stands there, an lets me kilt flap in th' breeze!

Ahhh, wit a relief tha' wuz!

Reet. All done pelvicatin'. As ye were, laddies!

 

[pikon198]

A there scotts, ya still be in thee realm o' just visiting these 'ere boards? Sometimes ya just can't tell which landlubber is still aroun' or just reminicing with ol freinds..? If yee are about, stop hiding in thee shadows yee blimey bastage so ah'can keelhual yarr liver!

 

[IPlayUOTOOMuCH]

Did the Rift Gaurdians respawn? I counted that they are all there again.

 

[Guest]

I don't think they have. The first one that died is still marked by some black step-type rubble, and doesn't seem to be around. But, don't trust a blind man to look at things for you!

 

[Beatrice Quill]

well, another Guardian just bit the dust, same way as the previous one.

NOTE: This means that right this minute, there are really tiny pieces of blackrock all around the moongate. Pick them up, endanger your eyesight, get earthquaked by the guardians, munched on by the 'zerks. Go on. I dare you.

Anyway, that's two. I think. Will Siege prevail against these EVs who couldn't find a dye tub, or will Magincia remain a haunt of demons forever? Or will the devs magically rebuild the place regardless? Will Famine get rich, selling Magincia back to the town planning department? Will the daemons and the guardians ever find true happiness?

Tune in tomorrow, for more Days of our Siege!

Good night!

*wiggles*


P.S. You won't find the blackrock easily. Approach from a distance, spamming 'ctrl-alt' a lot, then keep them held while you approach the piece you spotted. That, or mouse-over EVERY black spec on the ground. I got about 15 pieces before saying 'blow this for a game of twister'.

 

[Guest]

I took a meer mage there this morning so i am glad someone got the blackrock. *curses having to make dinner while the guardian fell*

 

[RobotPlanet]

RTLFC


can the berserker's be provoked?

 

[Guest]

I haven't trained my provocation high enough yet, but I can tell you that they can be peaced and discorded. I tend to have success about one time out of every 5, with a slayer instrument, and legendary music/peace/discord. Even then, they shrug off 'some' of the discord effect.

So, my guess is that about one out of every 5 attempts to provoke them would work, too.

 

[Guest]

I slipped into a carefully crafted disguise, and had a poke about the area near the moongate. This is all that remains on Siege...

The ferry that stood at Trinsic docks is gone. A magical field prevents mages from opening their own gates to the island. It seems that the only way across now is by boat.

I am not sure how the Council of Mages will feel about this. On the one hand, their base is now unsullied by the clomping boots of British's minion guards. On the other, getting any sigils to their base is going to be far more of a chore than it was before. Still, I have not investigated the entire island as yet, and I may have missed something...


*edit*

I have investigated further, and it does appear that there is only one route onto the isle - the nautical one.

No monsters remain on the isle. No healers, or any other signs of life, save for a lone dolphin, frolicking off the coast.

Having met success on Magincia, I have to wonder where the foul beasts will choose to strike next... one can only pray that they start pouring out of the Luna moongate sometime soon....

 

[RobotPlanet]

IMO this has killed COM. I cant see anyone wanting to be in COM now.

 

[IPlayUOTOOMuCH]

This is not what Draconi told Kelmo would happen. Draconi said the boat would remain in place....LIAR!!!

 

[Guest]

Not sure where he said that. It wasn't on Stratics. I've read every Dev post on here.

Kelmo asked if the guardzone would stay off, Draconi said 'yes'. That's the only thing that was mentioned.

 

[IPlayUOTOOMuCH]

did you see the Uhall post?

 

[Guest]

yes.

here's a quote <blockquote><hr>



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Siege is still debating on whether to save it or not. If we do not save it will the guard zone stay off there near the CoM base? *smiles*




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim "Draconi" Cotten - UO Designer - EA Mythic


[/ QUOTE ]

and here's the link

I have read that entire thread. At no time did Kelmo ask about the boat, and at no point have I read a post on here suggesting that he should.

In fact the only post about the ferry I've seen was Masu's at the start of the event, wishing that there was no such ferry. He's got his wish.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

IMO this has killed COM. I cant see anyone wanting to be in COM now.

[/ QUOTE ]
I must disagree. I know of a few dozen who will love this change to factions, the pirates for one.

 

[IPlayUOTOOMuCH]

Ya I just check all Kelmo's recent post..(he has alot!)...and I'm wrong, Dranconi never said that (he should have)...I might be dreaming about Uhall post ...crap!
Sorry to call you a liar ..plz don't bug my char

 

[Guest]

Hmm. So, those who have houses there will be spending a lot of gold on sea-sickness potions, and those who want to steal the town sigil will be meeting a lot of pirates.

That's not all bad, methinks.

Now, my next big question - is there ANY reason other than sigil-stealing for anyone to want to go there now?

 

[imported_OldAsTheHills]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

If the Rift Guardians are not defeated by then, that shard/facet's Magincia is lost.

[/ QUOTE ]
I am going to hop over to U hell and ask for clarification on what "lost" is. Siege perhaps might be a good place to "lose" a town.

EDIT: so far I found this reply.

"As for what's left to save?

Hmm... I think, from now on, a Britannian city will be seen as more than its walls, roofs and thoroughfares. True, Magincia's people may be gone - some slaughtered, even more scattered, but your actions now will determine this island's fate for generations.

The Fall of Magincia. Magincia no Metsubou.

Will Magincia rise again, an exemplar of Virtue? Or will it lie in the dust, haunted by its past?"


[/ QUOTE ]
Oh for heavens sake people... Magincia is what it is now! No moongate, no using
the Gate spell to or from there. No town, no healers, no bank, no guard zones...
yes... this is what you wanted no guard zones... and...
Because...CoM did nothing to save the city, CoM gets this disadvantage.
If this causes CoM's fall... well ... good riddence, just one less Faction, three
more to go!
Magincia will stay as the Community of Siege Perilous left it. This is Justice.
*stares*
Yahaxithonix

 

[IPlayUOTOOMuCH]

BUT THINK OF THE CHILDREN&gt;&gt;&gt;OH THE HUMANITY!!!!!

 

[RobotPlanet]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

IMO this has killed COM. I cant see anyone wanting to be in COM now.

[/ QUOTE ]
I must disagree. I know of a few dozen who will love this change to factions, the pirates for one.

[/ QUOTE ]

What happens if you die on the island? Not so much fun anymore. At least the island champ spawn has an exit.

 

[Guest]

*ponders boating in wandering healers*

 

[imported_OldAsTheHills]

<blockquote><hr>

*ponders boating in wandering healers*

[/ QUOTE ]
Landing a ship upon the shores of Magincia has some problems.
There is debris landing upon your ship.
The last 5 to 6 moves toward the land is graphically jerky! Beware!!
No monsters, no npcs, no healers, CoM building is intact and unaccessible
to the Non-factioneer!
No moongate! Gate spell does not work!
No cleanup has occurred!
*stares*
Yahaxithonix

 

[imported_SavageSP]

<blockquote><hr>

IMO this has killed COM. I cant see anyone wanting to be in COM now.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now if we could only talk the Demons into Invading Britain and Leveling it!

Then Maybe we could actually get those two Bases moved to a NON Guard Zone and even the Field between Factions... not that its even worth Joining in its current condition for any reason other then seeing Orange People, you can go to your Local Pool and see the same thing.....