___The New Official AVATAR_____________________________________
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________________________________________________REVIVAL EDITION
March 21st, 2006
____
/.--.\ The Avatar Gazette
|====| For subscription info,
== |`::`| read HELP GAZETTE
|| .-;`\..../`;_.-^-._;
@/\@ / |...::..|` | | `| Edited by Ayanna with
|:'\ | /'''::''| | | | help from the Avatar
|\ /\;-,/\ :: |=========| Immortal Staff and Track
||\ <` / >._::_.|=========| Members
|| `""` / ^^ | | | |
|| | \ | | /
|| | | |\_|_|_/
________________________________________________________________
Special Edition Gazette Revival - Table of Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------
1) A Letter from Kenji
2) An Introduction from Ayanna
3) Submission and Publication Schedule by Ayanna
4) What We Are Looking for in the Gazette by Ayanna
5) Icewolf's Coffee Toffee Chill by Daniloth
6) The Path to Becoming an Angel by Perquiro
7) All About Kariya by Kariya
8) 2005 Lowmort Builder Contest Comes to a Close by Pliny
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A Letter from Kenji
-------------------
As a few of you may have noticed, the Avatar Gazette hasn't
been published in several months. I keep saying I will be
able to devote more time soon, but let's be honest, I probably
won't. Life has taken it's toll on my free time, what with
work as a police officer, a new baby, and everything else.
Now please, before you think of this as a retirement letter,
it isn't. I still plan on Angeling and showing up from time to
time. However, I find that the commitment I made to the
Gazette demands more time from me than I can contribute. As
such, I will no longer be putting out the Gazette. However,
Ayanna has taken up the flag, and is eager to charge forth with
new ideas and energy. I can't think of anyone better suited to
take over the Gazette, which has been a great labor of love for
almost three years.
And who knows, I may still contribute the occasional tidbit in
the new Gazette!
Take care all, and I hope to see you all soon in our favorite
fantasy world.
-Angel Kenji, former editor of the Avatar Gazette
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An Introduction from Ayanna
---------------------------
First, I would like to thank Kenji for his kind words of
encouragement and support when I informed him that I would
like to work on the Gazette.
There's nothing more kind than the person that put their
life's blood in to something being behind you fully.
With that, for those of you that don't know anything about me,
I'd like to introduce myself.
I've been an active player since I was in the 8th grade back
in 1996. Yes, for those of you doing the math, I am relatively
young. I've enjoyed playing Avatar from the start. A friend of
mine introduced me to a "game" that he played with his friends,
never really interacting with the other people there.
Well, my friend never really picked up playing again, so I
often found myself on by myself. Not knowing a lot about
Avatar, I quickly began talking to other players and exploring
the realm. Before I knew it, I was walking everywhere, from
Rivendale to the Ocean. With that experience under my belt, I
started to view Avatar as a second home. Feeling like Avatar
was a second home I decided to petition to become an Angel.
Let me tell you, petitioning to become an Angel was something
that took a lot of thought, but I'm glad I did it. I went in
to my interview and was put through the ringer! Sundae was
relentless. She asked me how to walk to the mycanoid shaman,
can you believe it?
Anyway, as luck would have it, I knew how to get there with my
eyes closed. I passed the test with flying colors, and the next
thing I knew I was flying!
I was only an angel for a short while, when I started high
school I didn't know what the time requirements would be like,
so I handed in my wings, not wanting to be neglectful of my duty
to help those in need.
I continued to just be another "player" until July of 2004. It
was at this time that I was invited in to the Immortal ranks,
where I now stand. July of 2004...almost 2 years...can you
believe it? I sure can't.
That's my MUD background. My RL background is actually a lot
less interesting. I'm currently attending college in Nebraska,
seeking a degree in Construction Management. I work 2 jobs and
hold the course load of a full-time student.
I grew up in the Portland, Oregon. Don't ask me why I'm in
Nebraska, I never have figured that one out!
Thank you all for this opportunity to provide you, once again,
with the Gazette. Also, a big thank you to all of the Immortals,
Staff, and Angels that helped to make this Revival Edition of
the Gazette possible.
Ayanna
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Submission and Publication Schedule by Ayanna
---------------------------------------------
The publication schedule for the Gazette will be as follows,
barring RL interference.
Submission dates: 31st, 15th
Publication dates: 15th, 31st
Articles submitted by the 31st/15th will either be published or
returned for edits by the 15th/31st, respectfully.
We'd like to have our first player-based Gazette (meaning you
provide us with the articles!) by April 15th, so get those
articles sent in to me no later than March 31st!
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What We Are Looking for in the Gazette by Ayanna
------------------------------------------------
WE WANT YOU...to submit Gazette articles!
You may think that you can't write...but, you never know.
What types of articles do we want? Creative ones! For some
ideas to get you started, review the list below.
Newbie help info - do you have any tips or stories that helped
you learn a valuable lesson when you were new to Avatar? If so,
you can share them and they could be published and henceforth
known as part of Avatar's history!
Area help info - Are there areas that are just inherently
difficult to run? Do you have a trick that has helped you to
overcome these difficulties? Again, share them and they could
become part of Avatar's history! (No quest spoilers, please)
In-theme fiction - Short stories, poetry, recipes, etc. Keep it
MUD or Fantasy related please!
Reviews - Areas, quests, movies, books, music, etc. Again, be
sure to keep in-theme, a review of 'I, Robot' wouldn't exactly
be appropriate on a MUD that's fantasy based, would it?
Note:
Send submissions to gazinput@outland.org. Prizes/Rewards will
be given dependent upon the quality of the article submitted
and whether it gets published.
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Icewolf's Coffee Toffee Chill by Daniloth
-----------------------------------------
I was traded this recipe in exchange for a long lost parchment
that Big Fish had sought from the depths of Storm Canyon. Though
he had no gold to give in trade on behalf of Icewolf, he offered
me the recipe for a local desert uniquely suited to Icewolf's
cool climate. Without magical intervention there are few other
places on Midgaardia where this delicacy can be shaped for the
cold air it requires is in short supply...He warned me to allow
plenty of time for the chilling to take place...
Crust
1/2 package pie crust mix
(1/2 the quantity needed to make a 9" crust)
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 chop walnuts (well chopped)
1 square unsweetened chocolate (grated)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbl water
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 9" pie plate and
cook 10 minutes at 375 degrees (or as near as you can manage
with campfire or dragonfire...as the case may be). Remove from
oven and allow to cool for a few minutes and then compress the
crust lightly with waxed paper. Allow crust to cool completely.
Layer 1
1/2 cup soft butter (notoriously hard to come by in Icewolf)
3/4 cup sugar
1 square unsweetened chocolate (melted)
2 tsp instant coffee (a rarity provided by the dwarves)
2 eggs
Beat butter until light, add sugar, chocolate and coffee and mix
well. Add one egg and beat 5 minutes, add another egg and beat
5 minutes, pour into crust and refrigerate at least 2-3 hours,
preferably 5 or more.
Layer 2
2 cups whip cream
2 tbl instant coffee
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Combine all ingredients for Layer 2 in a bowl and chill (but do
not freeze...no sub-zero temperatures) together at least 2-3
hours, preferably 5 or more.
When Layer 1 has chilled sufficiently and is ready, whip
ingredients for Layer 2 until stiff and spread generously over
pie. Chill at least 1-2 hours before serving. Keep any remaining
pie outdoors (if it's cold enough, as in Icewolf, otherwise I
suggest you find other means of keeping it cold).
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The Path to Becoming an Angel by Perquiro
-----------------------------------------
So, you're sitting there at -1 hit points. You pray for help
and you see that your soul reaches out for an angel but none
are there. So, you hope that you can recover before whatever
big bad mob that put you in this state comes to finish the job.
Sounds familiar? Sadly, it is a scene that takes place on Avatar
every day. Nobody can doubt that this is a problem. The larger
problem is that this happens to often to new players. Some of
these players get discouraged and leave the mud. The
survivability of any mud comes from the player base of new
characters.
How can you help? If you're interested in helping new players
grow into the future lords and ladies of the mud then consider
becoming an angel. You'll be responsible for helping new players
grow and teaching older players things they may not have known.
Your job wouldn't be to simply return players to the corpses by
the easiest means necessary. It would be to teach them how to
get to it themselves and then show them how to avoid death in
the first place. You would be the resident expert of all things
new player related. You would be a pillar to the Avatar community
by helping the retention of new players. Most importantly you may
be that one person that a player remembers as being helpful and
they may, in turn, apply to be an angel because of it.
How can you become an angel? The official route to angel is
called a petition. The first step is to have a level thirty hero
character. If you have more than one character and satisfy this
requirement you may use any hero level character as your angel.
The next step is to send a personal note to Tanisha or an e-mail
to archangel@outland.org. Tanisha and Elomecla are the Angel
Immortal and Assistant Angel Immortal respectively. The archangel
e-mail account is seen by both of the Angel Immortals. Include in
this note all the characters you've played as well as experience
you have had and why you feel you'd make a good angel. Also, make
it clear which of your characters is officially going to be the
one petitioning (i.e. the one you intend to turn into an angel if
accepted.)
Soon after you've sent your note you will receive an e-mail with
additional information. Be sure to read this thoroughly so you
understand all the information. Once you feel confident in your
understanding you may then ask an archangel or Elomecla for an
interview. In this interview they will ask you what your
impression of an angel is and what you are looking to accomplish
as a member of the angel team. They will also ask you questions
about objects and areas in the mud. They expect you to have a
good understanding of the life, areas, and equipment of a level
one to level fifteen character.
The archangel will forward a report on to Tanisha, the immortal
in charge of the angel tier. Assuming you've made a good
impression on the archangel and have answered the questions
correctly then you will have a final interview with Tanisha. She
will decide if you are a good fit for the angel class.
It's important to know that the angel class is a dedicated one.
The few angels who are on Avatar now are extremely dedicated to
the assistance of the players. They are quite busy at times
helping new players and are extremely important players during
HoGathons. The step to angel isn't one to be taken lightly as
the character that becomes one no longer plays the game. This
isn't to say that you can't play the mud with another character.
Avatar needs more dedicated players to come on board as angels
and help the developing players. Angels are a staple of the mud
and have been for ten years now. If you wish to join this caring
group of players, please begin the petition process. If you have
any questions refer to help angel, help angel petition and help
archangel. Feel free to note any angel or Tanisha if you have
any questions (help angellist for a listing of current angels).
If you see an angel on feel free to talk to them. They are all
quite approachable. Good luck on your petitions!
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All About Kariya by Kariya
--------------------------
Name: Kariya
Race: Demon (formerly Human)
Class: currently Bezerker (formerly Warrior, Martial Artist)
Level: 920 (Elder Immortal)
Tell us something about..
Your character:
Kariya's demonic blood has gotten him into trouble on numerous
occasions on the mud. If he isn't causing chaos himself, he has
to deal with his unholy brethren. Devoted Champion of Dyah Yuyun
Utami, the Immortal Empress of the Island of Utami.
Your Mudding life:
I've been on Avatar for about twelve years now. (2 on Farside)
Once I was done plodding through the mortal levels, and I was
a hero I quickly got fed up with leveling. I set my goals on
becoming an Immortal and eventually was noticed and asked to
join. For a long time I was "the guy across the pond" but
eventually I became more than that.
I am currently the Head of the Quest team, and ultimate ruler
over all of your Questpoints!
Behind the scenes I try to convert all of the Immortals to my
dark point of view.
Yourself:
I am 31 years old, living in the Netherlands.
I love music, movies & reading. Am a big fan of (ice)hockey &
wrestling yeah, I know..your typical Dutch boy..;)
I have the tendency to be rather sarcastic and sardonic, and
love to be the Devil's advocate. You guys don't even see half
of it.
A large part of my daily thoughts consists of pop-culture
references. The other half is just crazy talk.
Favorite books/writer: Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock
Favorite music genre: (alternative) Rock music
Favorite band(s): Pearl Jam, dEUS
Favorite TV show(s): Kids in the Hall, the Gilmore Girls
Favorite movie(s): Sin City, LOTR trilogy
Favorite food: Indonesian cuisine
Favorite drink: Water, Mountain Dew (when in the USA)
Favorite color: Dark purple, Black
Famous final words:
Don't take things too seriously. Not in life and certainly not
on Avatar.
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2005 Lowmort Builder Contest Comes to a Close by Pliny
------------------------------------------------------
With the reboot on March 12, the winning 11 areas were
permanently added to the map.
They are Centaur Hollow, Laboratory of Chalmus, Cryptid Hollow,
Moss Village, The S.S. Mutgar, Qass Tomb, Thrall Swamp, The
Walking Woods, Tul-Sith's Hospice, Westwood Outlook, Catacombs
of Solace.
With the addition of these new areas, we had to get rid of a few
stock areas. We bid farewell to Sewer, Miden'nir, Old Marsh,
and the Troll Den. But have no fear, we replaced many of your
favourite objects from these areas (including but not limited to
Red DragonOrb, Silvery Helmet, Opal Ring, and Aver-Toy) in the
new areas.
We also added several new very cool items including the simple
dyed sylvan cloak, well crafted qass short spear, a healer's
staff, and a curved talon.
As an incentive for you to head out and explore these new areas,
I have a small scavenger quest.
The first person to return to me the following items will get a
cool insignia with a bonus!
a protection evil item
a move hidden item
a cure critical wand
a weapon with hitroll, damroll, hp, mana and constitution
And you will also need to find the replacement items for:
red dragonorb (+2 int, +2 wis, sanctuary staff)
red dragon claw (+5 damroll, -10 ac)
red dragon claws (+2 damroll hands)
red dragon torso (+2 hitroll, +3 damroll, -10 saving throw)
silvery gloves (+4 hitroll, archery bonus)
silvery breast plate (+3 str)
silvery leg plates (+3 int)
silvery helmet (+3 wis)
silvery boots (+3 dex)
silvery arm plates (+3 con)
Congratulations to all the contest winners, and thanks to the
area judges and Ayanna and Elomecla for helping me do the final
edits and testing of the areas.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
This is the new Avatar Gazette. It is published with the
permission and cooperation of the Avatar staff and edited by
Ayanna. (Original concept by Asamaro and Dizzy.)
The Gazette is written in plain vanilla ASCII text to ensure
that everyone can enjoy it regardless of computer type.
To subscribe to the Gazette, send internet e-mail to
majordomo@outland.org. In the body of your email put:
subscribe gazette username@hostname (MudName - RealName)
e.g. subscribe gazette snikt@outland.org (Snikt - Kevin Jagh)
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, criticisms,
compliments, or (best of all) articles that you've written
for the Gazette, please send them to Ayanna via my e-mail
address: gazinput@outland.org Please use 'Gazette' as your
subject.
You can also view the latest issue of the Gazette while
playing Avatar by typing 'help newgaz' anywhere in the game,
or on the design web site at
http://www.outland.org/design/gazette.php
Original credit for Ascii art or other submissions is given
if known.
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