The Courant: May 2001

May 31, Thursday

Spiritwood Spring Festival - Elv'eng

Hear ye Hear Ye, After some delays and set backs, the event that you have all been waiting for, (well at least the more discerning of you), is at last upon us! That’s a right friends, it is time once again for Europa’s most famous community to throw its doors wide open and welcome you all to join us in a grand celebration of the season, it is time once again for the annual- Spiritwood Spring Festival! The Spiritwood Spring Festival is a party for the whole of the realm of Europa and all who come in peace are welcome to join in this celebration of our shared community. The festivities shall take place in and around the player run town of Spiritwood, which is located in its ancient home just across the water from Skara Brae, in the lands of Felucca. Come one come all and share with us this grand tradition. Join us in the many events and tests of luck we have planned for this year, met old friends and make new ones or simply drink yourself silly on the best ale in the realm served by the ever willing staff of Britannia’s most famous watering hole, ye Old Spiritwood Tavern. This year’s celebrations promise something for everyone, so don’t miss out. Get yourself over to Skara Brae Felucca, pop over to Spiritwood and join us on this coming Sunday, the 3rd of June starting at 6 pm BST/GMT, (that’s 18:00 CET for our continental friends). Here is a programme of this year’s festival: 6 GMT/BST-18:00 CET Festival Opening and first event, hosted by Beneviste and the Warriors of the Custodes Fati, come and try your luck at- The Russian-Roulette Rune Raffle! A set of 20 mystery runes, sold to any willing participants for a mere 1000 gold pieces each on a first come, first serve basis. Some lead to paradise, others to places most foul, but one lucky rune leads to a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow containing 100,000 gold pieces! 7:00 BST/GMT- 19:00 CET The Rabbit Round-up and Race! Brought to you by Khory Bannefiz, famed tamer of Spiritwood. See a dozen or so of the fastest blue-blooded Racing-Rabbits this side of creation jockeying for position as they strain in eager anticipation at the starting line. Place yer bets on the one you think has the best form and cheer them on as they hare round the course in a mad dash for the finish line! No ordinary flop ears, these rabbits are all thoroughbreds, raised for speed and agility round tight curves. All bets accepted, gambling to be organised by Biggs D., the winning Racing-Rabbit to be given as a prize to the highest stakes winner. ……. 7:30 BST/GMT-19:30 CET The Great Horse Race. Seen how the rabbits do it, now it is your turn! In the grand tradition of the Spiritwood festivals, Gui Zarith and his men are proud to once again host a great horse races round the Destard Mountain range. Way-stations shall be positioned along the route to ensure all participants keep to the required path. First one to pull up to a skidding halt before the Spiritwood Tavern to get the first prize, a check for 50,000 gold! 8:00 GMT/BST- 20:00 CET The Grand Costume Ball- this year’s special theme is “Come as a Famous Person!” Come and see if you can guess who is who in a star studded night of masquerade. Join in the special Ball Room Dancing session hosted by Aeribian the Bard, Impressario of Spiritwood. Top prize is a check for 50,000 gold for best costume of the evening. 9:00 GMT/BST-21:00 CET The Big Event! At last, after a long gap, the famous Spiritwood Tavern Lottery is to once more offer all comers a chance to try their luck at the possibly of striking it rich! Crim, Mortimer, Gotobed and the entire staff of the Spiritwood Tavern are proud to announce that this grand tradition shall be re-launched at the Spring Festival, under a generous sponsorship deal brought to you by Mark Mannion and the Ultima Thule Traders. This once in a lifetime Jackpot will be for the whopping total of 500,000 Gold Pieces!!! Do you feel lucky? Well… Do ya? In and around these main events we shall have drinking contests, joke telling contests, songs, story telling and an open ended opportunity to renew old friendships, make new ones and share in the celebration of the community we all belong to. We shall also be unveiling a special memorial statue. So, why not come along and join us? To find the lovely town of Spiritwood, start at the Skara Brae docks right outside town. To get across to the main land, simply enter one of the small ferryboats there and say the word “Cross” to the ferryman. Once across on the mainland, go east on the road inland. Take the second road to your right (south, at a crossroads). Keep going south until the road turns eastwards. Keep following it and you will end up in Spiritwood. The walk is short and the neighbourhood pleasant. That’s Sunday, the 3rd of June starting at 6 pm BST/GMT, (that’s 19:00 CET All welcome! Shri, Proconsul Custodes Fati Town of Spiritwood

May 25, Friday

Report of a Orc hunt. - Elv'eng

Me and Alex, the bard from Deepwater, meet up at Owls eye in Deepwater. We began to chat abit of strange sightings that have been seen. Sutch as strange orc masks, that the orcish mages had in thier loot sometimes. And a new typ orc, that was sneaking around and shooting arrows at people, orc scout as they were called. We decided to have a look if we could find one of them orc scouts. So we set out for the town of mages, Moonglow as it is called. And head to Papua from there. We began to head north, since from the old days, Seer Aymer had told us of strange orc movment upp in the desert area, in the lost lands. This was long before the evil Orc Diplomat Farabagor was known. But we just had to step away from the guarded area of Pupua, and there was a hord of orcs running around. We head abit to the east and infront of us, a small camp had been built. It was not big, but there was three small tents and couple of skinned cows or deers corpses. It did not take long till me heard an arrow swoosh by us. I looked to my left side, and hidden behind a bunch of trees, stood a green orc. Yet it was not as big as the other orcs, was rather slim, and slightly taller then a normal orc. I took my bow and amied, and shoot. But missed just with afew centimeters. At this time Alex had taken his bardich and charged the orc, and hit it. A good hit it was too. The orc ran and hide. As we could not see were it hide, we bagan to search for it. But without much success. And after afew moments we could hear a grunt come from behind a tree, i took my kryss this time and ran towards the tree and just as i came around it the orcish scout stood up and recived a hit, and it was followed up by an hit from Alex bardich. The green orc fell to the ground lifeless. We stod there for awhile and looked at it, and came up with the ide, that maybe this orcs could be found somewere else. So we began to travell back to the lands of Britannia. Alex made a gate from the Pupua bank to Vesper. And from there we head out towards the Vesper/Minoc moongate. As we crossed the bridge in Vesper we as a large ammount of arrows on the ground. Could it be that the Orcish souts had been trying to invade the town? We continued towards the moongate, and again this time we didnt had to leave far from the protected area of Vesper. Just outside the town, we saw a couple of normal orc corpses and just after them a green orcish corpse. So it seamed like those new orcs had been traveling themself. But for what resons? We decided to head to Cove area, but alas, Alex head to leave. So went there myself, but i would not be alone for long. When i came around the Cove cementary, i saw a green robe running around. And as i came closer i could see it was the Notorius Pumpa that was trying to bite a skeleton to death. I stop and asked if he could aid me in the battel with this new orc, and he agreed on it. Only if he would keep all the gold. Witch myself agreed on. We walked and searched around in the forest. And soon we stumbled upon a camp very much like the one we found in the lost lands. And yet again, it did not take long before we saw one of those scouts again. We began to poke out kryss and spears into it, and suddenly it teleported and hide. Pumpa grunted something, and with in seconds the orc scout ran out from its hiding place and began attacking us. Perhaps Pumpa said something insulting, i know not. We fought afew of them, and etche time they hide, Pumpa would grunt something and the orcs just came running out from thier hiding spots. After we had killed about ten of them, we began to plan for our trip back home to Deepwater, when suddenly an scout jumped out from a tree. I had my bow in my hand at this time, so i shoot once and made a direct hit into the orcs hart and it fell to the ground. As i walked over to it, i noitced that its bow had a strange color, compared to those i had seen before. This one was more darker, more like shadowtype color. I took the bow and hide it. As we came back to Deepwater i walked directly to the Deepwater Museeum, and placed it in there for public to view. Hopefully someday we'll find out why some of those bows are black, but for now i will just let it be, till someone can explain what it is for. Elv'eng - Andune Taur'Othar http://andune.lemming.org

May 24, Thursday

All Britannia BagBall Championship League! - Elv'eng

Hear Ye Hear Ye Announcing the formation of the All Britannia BagBall Championship League! Yes, you heard it right folks Bagball HAS come to Britannia, and now is your chance to get involved. For those you who are scratching your heads right now with one of those “what-the..” looks on your silly little gobs, bagball is the newest team sport to catch fire here in the lands of pixellated pleasures. Picture the scene, two teams lined up on the field of battle, eyeing one another with fear and loathing, each a carefully tuned machine of precision skill and supreme tactics, crowds pressing against the sidelines urging on their home side with eager cries and shouts, Money changing hands at a blinding speed as a hush settles over the mob. And then- the opening whistle blows! Players rush headlong at one another, feet churning up the pitch, elbows flailing, teeth gnashing, eyes rolling back in their heads like rabid dogs, all baring down on a small yellow bag containing….? Containing….? Gold you ask? A lifetime’s supply of reagents mayhaps? A rare item so scarce you’d sell your grandma’s teeth for it? Nayyyyyyyy It holds 400 weight in logs and ye can hardly pick the damn thing up before the weight brings you and it crashing back down to earth with a damp thud! Your mission? To get said bag into the other team’s goal by passing it to your teammates. Not your opponents mind you, your teammates. Only thing is, in the confusion, you could be passing it to anyone 'cause there is one strict rule in Bagball- No trade windows allowed! That’s right sports fans, you gotta put it on the ground! Interested? Thinking to yourself “hmmmm, that’s kind of different”? Wanna give it a go? Then go get yourself five like minded friends, some brightly coloured shorts and a fancy name and join the All Britannia Bagball League!!! Here is the link: http://run.to/bagball The Bagball events will be hosted by the town of Spiritwood On Monday nights. The play will be set on the large farm fields next to the road. To find Spiritwood, start in Felucca, at the Skara Brae docks right outside town. To get across to the main land, simply enter one of the small ferryboats there and say the word “Cross” to the ferryman. Once across on the mainland, go east on the road inland. Take the second road to your right (south, at a crossroads). Keep going south until the road turns eastwards. Keep following it and you will end up in Spiritwood. The walk is short and the neighbourhood pleasant. Here is a report on the first Bagball Match held this past Monday: http://europa.spiritwood.com/show.asp?id=255 Special thanks to Orangebeard for setting up the Bagball League Sky Pages. Stay tuned for announcements of upcoming matches! Shri, Custodes Fati Spiritwood

May 23, Wednesday

Britannia Bagball season have started! - Elv'eng

Excitement grew as the eager crowd took their seats at the famed Spiritwood Field, their nervous pre-match chatter filling the air. On the pitch, the players limbered up, some running laps, other doing deep knee bends, others still gently chiding their opponents as tension grew for this first meeting in what promises to be a ringer of a season. Yes folks, last night we had the first match in the All Britannia Bagball season! At last, the teams were fully assembled, the Mean Green Machine of Spiritwood facing off against the visiting team, the Blue Devils of Deepwater. Both teams lined up to hear the rules one last time and then the whistle blew and they were off! Like two berserk armies they charged down the field, all 20 players intent upon an innocent yellow bag of logs, far to heavy to carry and movable only through team work and precision passing. Back and forth the tide of frenzied green and blue swept, first this way then that. The crowd roared and shouted encouragement, advice and castigations at their respective teams. Too and fro the action went until at last, in a whirl of flailing bodies and flying elbows, the yellow bag appeared just inside the Spiritwood net. GOOOOAAAAALLLL yelled the Blue Devils as one, as they ran like headless chickens back towards the Deepwater side. Downcast, the home team quickly reformed and play began again, but it seems that the Blue Devils had superior tactics, as well as two Pumpa strikers on their side, and soon a second well executed Deepwater shot found its target in the home team net! Disheartened, the Spiritwood side quickly huddled to discuss strategy during the short midway break. Sadly, this didn’t seem to result in the hoped for turn around, and despite the best efforts of the Spiritwood goalie’s desperate attempts to seal the net with a hastily cast Wall of Stone, the momentum seemed to be going all Deepwater’s way. A penalty kick was arranged and the Deepwater striker lost no time in moving on the goal, but lo, a secret pass to a hidden Pumpa brought shouts of foul from both home team and spectators alike. Fearing for the safety of the Pumpa, the ref showed the red card, and after some disgruntled Orcish cursing, the penalty was retaken. This time some honour was restored to the home side when their courageous goalie successfully defended. Sadly this moment of glory was short lived and at the final whistle the visitors from Deepwater township were in firm possession of a 4 – 0 victory! A short riot then ensued as the two teams fell upon one another, but this was soon put a stop to with shouts of “Free drinks in the Tavern!!!” After the match, as the home team drowned its sorrows and the visitors toasted their fine victory, a rematch was hastily agreed and all went home with a smile on their inebriated faces. It seems that Bagball has come to Britannia! A report from a Spiritwood citizen. (Forgot my password to the FTP site, so i cant upload the pictures, ill add them later when i found the password somewere - Elv'eng)

May 6, Sunday

Courant is looking for reporters - Elv'eng

We're looking for people who might want to be part of Europa Courant. If you think that you would make a good reporter, then write us a note and tell us why. Though, to become a reporter for the Courant you need some basic HTML knowledge. And ofcourse you have to play Ultima Online ;) Submit your applications to elveng@lemming.org and we'll get incontact with you. Thanks Elv'eng - Courant Staff

May 5, Saturday

Dudagog's Tale - Videric

Something is not right... Dudagog's Tale

May 2, Wednesday

What have happend so far? - Elv'eng

Hail dear friends all, It is with some relief that I pen these words as we seem to have made some small progress with the events that have been foretold in that prophetic work known as the Tome of the Crimson Serpent. Before I report on these latest developments, allow me to summarise the story thus far for those among you who may not have been following events. It was mid March that a Captain of the Royal Guards of Lord British, a fellow by the name of Sothe Willoughby, began to rally support for a gathering that was to take place on the 28th of March in the fortified city of Serpent’s Hold, headquarters of the Royal Order of the Silver Serpent. When the people of the many towns had gathered, Captain Willoughby told us of the recent recovery of an ancient book of Prophecy, the Tome of the Crimson Serpent, something that the gypsy fortuneteller Rilla had been seeing visions of for some time. The book was to be delivered to the scholars of the realm shortly, but as he spoke, a renegade guard called Otis came in to deliver a message to the good captain. The message was an assassin’s blade for he soon fell upon the unsuspecting officer and were it not for the intervention of the assembled crowd I fear my tale might have ended here. Otis the traitor was slain, but his vile act foreshadowed a most wicked trail of treachery that I fear we are still travelling upon my friends. As we went to collect the book, we were met with a veritable army of lizard men and other vile beast and it was a hard won prize. But in the end, the tome came into our hands and I was asked to take it to a place of safety. This I did, installing it on a sacred alter upon the roof of the Spiritwood University where all might read its pages but where none could remove it. The passages within this ancient work related many of the old legends of the realm, principally those connected to a star-crossed trio known as the brothers Jacob and Darkhen and Annoura, the woman they both loved. Long ago they lived, and great was their Druidic power, but both brothers shared a love only one could ultimately know. Annoura. She chose at last Jacob, causing his rejected brother to descend into a pit of envy and wickedness that has since lead to any number of evils being visited upon this realm out of revenge born of a maddened mind. Darkhen immersed himself in the black arts and soon mastered them, unleashing terrible Daemonic powers under his cruel command. His actions caused the Lady Annoura to be imprisoned and ultimately transformed into a horrid orc-creature, as well as the perpetual torment of Jacob himself, whose heart was ripped out by an primeval being called Dareguard, who now also served Darkhen. The Gypsy Folklorist called Shardisha came to study the book at the Spiritwood University and help us to unlock its treasures of wisdom. Using the secrets of the Tome of the Crimson Serpent, we were able to locate the place where the Lady Annoura was imprisoned, and to visit the shade of Jacob himself that haunted his own tomb in the pits of his own despair. Also we learned of the legendary ancient Wyrm called Anathema, a beast whose duel hearts held great arcane power. These we must take, by slaying the ancient Wyrm and using the heart, we could unweave the enchantments that held Annoura and Jacob in perpetual torment. To do so, we had to find the Words of Power that would activate the heart, and this we did after a monumental treasure hunt and battle against many of the most dreadful ancient members of the Drakonian race, most of whom we had previously assumed had perished long ago. All this and more we managed and at last Jacob and Annoura were free of their respective curses and reunited once again. After recovering his strength, the newly restored Jacob visited the town of Deepwater, where he told the people of the secret location of the lair of his arch rival Darkhen! It seems a mysterious key was also handed over. I understand that the heroes went to this fell place and there discovered what appeared to be the very lair of that evil and twisted soul called Darkhen Irae. Within they found two books. One was clearly a copy of none other than the Tome of the Crimson Serpent itself, the other a new find apparently some sort of account of the Legions of the Noble Sphere, written by the hand of one called Circle leader Oriel. How old this work is none could say, but it contained some very strange passages relating to ancient times and distant battles. And Lo- the accursed name of Darkhen was writ therein. But that is not all, for the assembled adventurers also stumbled upon the inner sanctum sanctorum of the dark one himself, his alchemical laboratory and the place of origin of his wicked “pets”, distorted red beasts that have plagued the realm for some time now. The source of these horrors was a book called Alchemical Solutions and Permutations, a precious find indeed! This nearly brings us up to date, for it was shortly thereafter that the Ancient Druid Jacob came again among we mortals, this time seeking a brave volunteer to carry a challenge on his behalf to his old nemesis Darkhen Irae himself! It seems that Jacob had recovered his strength sufficiently to deem the time come to take the battle to his archrival directly. And so the stage was set, Jacob and Darkhen were to meet in the fighting pit of Jhelom for a final showdown. And yet all knew that no honour resided within the wicked frame of Darkhen and so no duel would be fair. Jacob came among us and a plan was set to surround the battle pit with hidden allies and at a gesture from Jacob, to be given at the first signs of duplicity by his rival, these hearty souls would come forth to finish this evil once and for all. And thus they stood, face to face after so many long an tortured years, no doubt spitting insults and grave threats as only warring brothers can, although I could not hear for the crowd was vast and the distance great. But sound was not necessary for the signal to be sent, for no sooner had the mayhem of that great stand-off been unleashed when Jacob swung his arms high and we knew that treachery was a foot! The pit soon filled with the clashing forms of brave warriors and ghastly crimson balrons from the very pits of hell themselves- Darkhens most vile pets yet! Many fell and many more fled screaming from that quagmire of damnation, but, as with all such battles even the fiercest, at last the dust settled and an end came. Jacob stood there still, like a great timeless Oak Tree, withstanding all that nature’s fury can throw. And what of Darkhen? It seems he too lives on, having fled that hellish place, but he is weakened, for he has not the power nor the means to create more of his vile pets. And so we come at last to the present moment. After the momentous events of last night, Jacob came before us and informed us that on this coming Sunday, the 6th of May at 9 CET, (8 UK time) he shall come to the Trammel campus of the Spiritwood University where he shall spend the evening studying the Tome of the Crimson Serpent and answering questions relating to it. Why you may ask? Because my friends, terrible though these events may have been thus far, all have been foretold within the ancient pages of that mighty Tome, and yet we are but part of the way through its secrets. The events that lie ahead as hinted at in the remaining pages are fit to set the blood to freeze within thy very veins! We must put our heads together friends and collectively study the remaining passages of the Tome. All are welcome to see it in the Trammel University tower, but I have chosen also to reproduce its passages in full here for ease of access. Remember, this Sunday the 6th of May Jacob comes to the Trammel campus of the Spiritwood University at 9 CET. To find the University, start at the Skara Brae docks right outside town. To get across to the main land, simply enter one of the small ferryboats there and say the word “Cross” to the ferryman. Once across on the mainland, go east on the road inland. Take the second road to your right (south, at a crossroads). Keep going south until the road turns eastwards. Keep following it and you will end up in Spiritwood. The walk is short and the neighbourhood pleasant. From the end of the road, go across town and you will find the University Tower a short way beyond, in the clearing closest to the south-western corner of the great Hedge Maze of Sosaria. For more information go to: http://www.vuvu.com/university We welcome you to the Spiritwood University, a haven of learning for all. By my hand, Michael Chancellor of the Spiritwood University Humble Monk of the Virtues

May 1, Tuesday

Martial Arts course begins at the Spiritwood University - Elv'eng

Beginning this, the week of 30th April, the first class of the Spiritwood University Martial Arts Course will commence. It is hoped by the staff of the Path of Valor that the syllabus structure of the course will serve as a model and example for the other Schools within the University to be able to base their own teaching on, so that some degree of universality may be reached in the effectiveness and manner of our noble institution's work. The Martial Arts curriculum is divided into two streams: Practical and Philosophy Courses, taught by Professors Lady Mae and Sims Roggran respectively. Each course is further subdivided into three modules: Basic, Intermediate, and Practical, the lessons for which will be held on a successive weekly basis on three-week cycles (so, for example, in Week 1 of a new month there will be Basic Practical and Philosophy lessons, then in Week 2 there will be Intermediate Practical and Philosophy at different times). While attendance is open to anybody, students of the Martial Arts School are required to attend each lesson in order of difficulty in order to progress through the student ranks of the School to the title of Scholar. These ranks, and their requirements, are as follows: Novice of Valor - Enrolment into the University Journeyman of Valor - Attendance to Basic Practical and Philosophy Expert of Valor - Attendance to Basic and Intermediate Practical and Philosophy Adept of Valor - Attendance to Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Practical and Philosophy The Final Exam will take the form of a personal interview with both Professors in the fourth and final week of the month, in which candidates will be asked various questions based upon the course content that they have been taught in preceeding weeks. Provided that candidates have attended all previous lessons and meet the Professors' approval in their answering of questions, they will be elevated to the final rank of Scholar, and graduation from the Student stage. It should also be noted that to be eligible for each rank increase, students do not have to attend all the lessons in one particular month: they may spread their attendance across several "cycles" or "classes" of the course. Just so long as before taking the final exam they have attended ALL lessons. Dates and times for the lessons of the first class of the Martial Arts Course will be as follows (all students should congregate in the main hall of the University campus on Trammel by the listed time): BASIC PRACTICAL - Thursday 3rd May - 8pm GMT BASIC PHILOSOPHY - Sunday 6th May - 8pm GMT INTERMEDIATE PRACTICAL - Thursday 10th May - 8pm GMT INTERMEDIATE PHILOSOPHY - Sunday 13th May - 8pm GMT ADVANCED PRACTICAL - Thursday 24th May - 8pm GMT ADVANCED PHILOSOPHY - Sunday 27th May - 8pm GMT FINAL EXAM - Thursday 31st May - 8pm GMT I hope to see many of you there! ----- - Sims Roggran Professor of Valor Spiritwood University To find the University, start at the Skara Brae docks right outside town. To get across to the main land, simply enter one of the small ferryboats there and say the word “Cross” to the ferryman. Once across on the mainland, go east on the road inland. Take the second road to your right (south, at a crossroads). Keep going south until the road turns eastwards. Keep following it and you will end up in Spiritwood. The walk is short and the neighbourhood pleasant. From the end of the road, go across town and you will find the University Tower a short way beyond, in the clearing closest to the south-western corner of the great Hedge Maze of Sosaria. For more information go to: http://www.vuvu.com/university We welcome you to the Spiritwood University, a haven of learning for all.