Story Time "Blood Bath at Desert's Edge"

[Demon Wind]

I had heard rumors of a Great Lady who once lived in this land. It is said she had riches beyond imagination and perhaps this is why so many seemed interested in the houses by the edge of the desert west of Umbra. I traveled to the area on horseback curious of who would be there and their reasons for doing so knowing full well I would not be welcomed. I was not there to loot or even to fight for any of what was left behind by her, I was simply there out of curiosity. Who was this lady, why had she been important to this land? Would she be missed or remembered? Questions filled my mind as I moved past recently placed houses and plots.

I read the names of the owners on those houses: TRU, Offerdahl, Shiranami, Soulweaver, Superstition, Buzby, Beezel Wakayama, Teenage Dream, Gorfang and probably countless others hiding in the shadows and I wondered if they had all known this lady at all. Were they here because of greed? Were they here for profit or perhaps seeking momentos, to keep the memory alive, of the lady who had lived here so long ago. Whatever the reasons they all waited in silence for what would surely unfold.

While I watched and waited I decided to see if I could perhaps learn a bit more about the Lady Maleeka who seemed to have been the rightful owner of all three houses in desperate decay. I would seek out anyone willing to talk about her.

One of Dionysis' minons Gorfang, who was the first I spoke with about Maleeka, he stated "She was Awesome! She would help anyone and never hold a grudge. I do mean everyone. She was the crafter for everyone...red, blue , orange, purple...it did not matter to her. She never did join a guild and her vendors were never empty while she (played). That parrot ..." he pointed to Yasou...."Yasou was the Shogun of the Waka tribe....A proud and brutal warrior...He and Kelmo were adversaries with respect for one another. He won Maleeka's heart with his bravery....a vicious yet noble warrior. He never trashed talked a fallen foe. As cold and calculating as Yasou was... Maleeka was opposite, yet they were drawn together I don't know why. Her kind heart perhaps. Yasou stopped walking these lands long ago...." I looked at him silently and asked "What happened to him?....All he said in return was..."He moved on. Soon after Maleeka stopped crafting....We visited once for a farewell..that was it."

Another person I talked to was Kelmo who simply stated "Maleeka was kind and did not judge folks." Seemed he was a man of few words from what I could tell and I moved about to another person standing nearby.

Queen Zen seemed to be looking toward one of the houses as I walked up to her and asked if she had known Lady Maleeka. She looked at me and spoke. "I can not recall if she began here when I did or not .Seems we met when I was in NEW. Mostly we spoke about crafting....her and my Miranda and just being friendly. I am here to save the parrots." she seemed to gaze back toward the house..and continued "Especially Yasou the Parrot. I knew him from" another land "(chesepeake as Kerr of CIB)...his birdie is in there."

I could almost feel the sadness in Gorfang's last words... the subdued admiration in Kelmo's statement and the desperation in Queen Zen's desire to save the parrots and I wondered where the lady had gone to. It would seem she simply could not live on in the land without her beloved Yasou. She seemed to have walked off into the dark night and disappeared with out a trace. Now many years later here we stood waiting knowing many would die for different reasons.

The afternoon sun lingered on and soon night would fall...and still they waited and watched I had yet to see any battles but I was sure soon there would be more then I wished to see of blood..Perhaps I would find more to talk to before the Blood Bath began.....(to be continued)

 

[Demon Wind]

The day had come and gone. The shadows of night fell upon the lands and the cool breeze seemed to settle over the desert which not long before had scorched the very fabric of sanity. The skies twinkled with diamonds on a black velvet background and the moon stood silent a gold coin shimmering in the night. A passing cloud sending moving shadows over the lands...and yet all still stood silent and waited. Here and there one would be seen as they swiftly made their way past each house seemignly checking the status of decay. A glance given to any near by I'm sure and yet no battles had begun..and I wondered if for some odd reason all had lost their will to fight.

Silence fell over the lands a it slept, perhaps fitfully with dreams of coming battles and bloodshed. Only the sounds of the night creatures filled the darkness as the wait continued. The scurring of small animals as they went about their daily/nightly routines oblivious of the horrors that might await those who waited patiently. The hoot of the owl seemed to send them all into hiding only to come back out once they identified the threatening sound. A small whirlwind of leaves as the breeze moved about. Creatures would glance up from the watering hole at each sound then lower their head to drink more. Then the sudden crack of a whip as another rider approached and instantly seeming to disappear in the darkness no sooner then he had arrived. All manner of creature was gathering about.. gargoyles, elves, vampires and humans all stand in silence waiting ...I myself stood silent my eyes filled with sadness as I thought of the reasons the lady had seemingly upped and disappeared into such a night as this so long ago.

I smiled softly then as I glanced to the parrots in the house and thought of Queen Zen's main reason for being here. Her unending battle to save the abandoned parrots of Siege Perilous. I laughed quietly and shook my head knowing it was a grand purpose she had. Even so I could not forget the words Gorfang had spoken and sadness filled my mind knowing all that had been this lady's would soon be the object of bloodshed. I glanced about for some sign of life but all was quiet for now. I lean back and settled in for the wait.

Dawn came and the stillness of the early morning splendor was broken by a battle cry. I shook myself into conciousness realizing I must have fallen into slumber during my wait and looked about over the landscape. As my vison cleared I could see several Dragons and people moving about. As I watched I realized this battle would soon be over the houses still stood but there was not as many there as I had thought there would be, perhaps it was due to the hour or day of this unfortunate event. Still a cry of pain was heard in the distance as one of the dragons attacked and blood was spilled upon the land.

I moved out to take a closer look and much to my surprise, I became a target. Why would it surprise me you might ask and now sitting here I ask it of myself. Seemed everyone was looking out for themselves being cautious yet once in a while a cry of pain would ring out as the dragons attcked at the request of their owners. I felt a sadness fill my heart yet I knew death was nothing more then part of this world and expected by all. Small skirmishes here and there but nothing of what I had expected thoughout the night.

Of all those I saw only one guild stood out above the rest..so many of them I could see moving about here and there and they seemed to be the target for all. The guild GIL was present and hurring here and there as the houses fell. Cries of pain as some died blood once again spilled, yet they never gave up. They had set their eyes on a purpose and seemed to be carrying it out. I myself did not mind there presence I had heard alot of good came from their guild to those less fortunate. The battles continued for hours until there was nothing left but the memories in ones mind of the lady who had left behind her life.

It was now quiet and I ventured out for a look seeing nothing but a few remains of corpses and home funishings. As I moved on something in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I moved toward it and as I neared my heart sank. There at the corner of the house, that had been place over the site of the one which once stood there before, stood the parrots Queen Zen had so hard tried to save frozen in place by time. I stood there watching them hoping by some miracle they would take flight and I sighed a deep sigh of regret. This day had not ended as i had expected it would.

The blood bath by desert's edge had not transpired as I thought it would and for that I felt a bit of happiness. Yes, there had been bloodshed but nothing like there could have been. The silence no deafening I stood silent not knowing what could be done for the parrots perhaps the new owner would care for them where they stood. Maybe a passerby would feed them I did not know. But it was over, all was gone and the lady had not returned to save her home. It is sad that we lose those who most help others without asking for anything in return. The Lady will be missed by some, remembered by others...but her parrots are now and forever left with out a home. I watched a bit longer and sighed then looked about before heading toward home and much to my surprise some of the houses placed for this bloodbath began to disappear. Having served their purpose they were no longer needed.

I would return in a day or two and see who would remain in the area by the desert's edge where once lived a Lady who cared for all. I only hope her memory will not be forgotten.

Farewell Lady Maleeka was whispered as I rode away forward home.

 

[Skylark SP]

Thanks for the story DW...interestingly, the guild stronghold I built and decorated for Yasou, and later Maleeka's cozy crafter cottage, were probably my favorite houses in all my time in UO.

As for Maleeka, she was indeed a crafter extraordinaire, but she did try her hand at dueling once.

Her edge-of-the-desert house when I finished it, had plenty of storage, not for "riches beyond imagination" (although I don't doubt she had them) but many supplies for making things to put on her vendors, which she maintained with great dedication:

Parrots on perches are considered add-ons from what I recall, and if not re-deeded prior to when a house falls, I'm guessing can't be recovered? I hope that is not the case, as I would hate to think that QZs parrot rescue operation was doomed due to game mechanics.

-Skylark

 

[AEowynSP]

Parrots are gone however I recovered a box of un perched parrots ... (insert eveil laugh here)

 

[QueenZen]

The parrots that were perched are still sadly sitting in the lawn.

Sire Soulweaver could have kindly taken my 6 perches I had made up for them, and maybe we could have set them up again in his new plot, to save them or/and then maybe he coulda given them to me *axed* on their new parrot perch deeds or at least kept em for himself that way.

[As it sometimes goes], if we place a plot over where they once stood, 'sometimes', they might become ours, thus possibly rescued, if we set up new empty perches for them in new house plot, that goes up, where they sit at new owners house sign.

But alas he did not hear me and they still sit there sadly flappin their wings in the lawn.

Poor Yasou the parrot and the rest. But yes the gods of UO never think of parrots or some addons the special ones, that simply go poof when a home falls.

Unperched ones probably do not matter as much lass, for they do not may be sport historic keepsake names of players, whom have left us whom we may wish to remember as having played here on Siege.

 

[Demon Wind]

Thank You Skylark for the addition of pictures they look awesome