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________________________________________ 30 Oct, 1999 ___
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Table of Contents
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1. Editorial by Dizzy
2. To Steal or not to Steal
3. Excerpts from Versuchi's Dragon Journal
4. The death of an Indigo Golem By Felicianna
5. Ode to a Mage Lord
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1. Editorial by Dizzy
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A busy week in our family cave... Our third grand child, a girl, Faith
Caeylene Wark, arrived! You didn't receive a Gazette last week, because
like any good Trog Mage Grandpa, I was coaching the mother through
childbirth starting at about 10:30PM last Sa turday night. Since then
we've been celebrating the miracle of life about every hour or two when
our little trog gets hungry. Or grumpy. Or lonely. Or just feels like
singing.
Much to say and little energy to say it. So! Have a safe and sweet All
Hallow's Eve. -- Diz
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2. To Steal or not to Steal
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I love to steal equipment from any mob alike,
Whether it's gold or silver or a one-handle bike.
If a mob has gear, you'll see me there,
And next I'll go to Ulrich and sell it for a price so fair.
It's all the same to me,
Don't you see?
It's how I feel -
I love to steal.
I thief I love to be -
I steal glittering objects and sell them for a handsome fee.
And, oh, did you hear about this new skill,
It's gonna help pay the rent bill.
It's called 'Sleight of Hand' don't you know,
With it, I can take any gear, friend or foe,
Unseen, unheard, I am so sneaky,
It's almost kinda, well, freaky.
Well, I have to go now,
I promised to steal something precious, yes, I did vow
Because I told my dear kziniti husband last night,
I was gonna steal his heart plain out of sight.
[Disclaimer: Above views might not be true. I'll let you decide.]
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3. Excerpts from Versuchi's Dragon Journal
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Entry on the Day of the Sun, 28th day in the Month of the Grand Struggle
This week my time at The Dragon's Bane has finally paid off. A traveler
had come into the bar asking for a drink to wash the sulfurous taste out
of his mouth. When asked about the strange comment he replied that he had
been out in the Wildwood, northeast of The White Lotus Temple (those
heathens) when he came across a hole in the ground next to a flat rock.
Billowing from the hole were sulfurous fumes coming from a pool of water
inside the hole. The traveler said he could just make out a large red
beast the size of a barn swimming in the pool before he turned and fled
back to the safety of the the Great Wall.
Now being knowledgeable about dragon history I knew what this human had
found. Centuries ago a great red dragon, Nigurathus, had splintered from
our dragon civilization to form her own way of life. With her went many
of the red dragons. They disappeared into the Wildwood and were never
seen again. Nigurathus was a great radical in our culture and committed
many crimes before she and her brood disappeared. Dragons have been
searching for her to meet out justice since the separation.
Just like any other dragon, I had been watching for signs of this
criminal. When I was much younger I even encountered one of Nigurathus's
children in the sewers of Ofcal. He would not reveal her location even on
pain of death, but I did learn some of the layout of his home. The
sulfurous pools were one of the things he described to me.
So now I am ready to depart in my search for this flat rock. I have flown
from the battlements of Midgaard to Cimmeria where I was able to buy
powerful healing potions called voshes. Then I used the sky ways once
again to fly back to the Great Wall itself that keeps the creatures of
Wildwood contained.
May Gorn guide me in my search.
Entry on the Day of Thunder, 31st day in the Month of the Grand Struggle
I found the hole at last, at the bottom is a cave that serves as the lair
for these renegade dragons. Using trained skills and magic I made myself
undetectable to all but the older red dragons. I then warily entered the
caves, checking each room before entering to avoid the guardian dragons.
Crossing the pools, I headed down corridors described to me by the Ofcol
red dragon till I found signs of Nigurathus's lair. Unfortunately, the
lair was guarded by two old red dragons that I knew would be able to see
through my magic. Speed and stealth would win me past them.
I prepared my defenses and then made a mad dash past the guards to the
opposite side of the room. However, before I made it past them, one of
the guards was able to block my exit. I fought for my life, unsure just
how powerful these guards were.
The battle lasted only seconds before the first of my enemies went down.
Already I knew I could take the second one, even though he was much more
skilled than the first. But I also knew this would give more time for
other guards to respond and I would then be in no shape to continue on to
Nigurathus.
So I fled. Even though it would be glorious to die in Gorn's name, it is
also honorable to live to fight for Gorn another day. I am now
recuperating and will prepare myself to try again.
Entry on the Day of the Great Gods, 4th day in the Month of the Dragon
The guards on watch this time were not nearly as aware as the two I faced
before. I easily sped past them and barred the door behind me to prevent
aid reaching Nigurathus. I turned to face my enemy and heard a terrible
death cry and saw a bright flash of light.
I was not the only one hunting this great red dragon. A Lord of the realm
had beaten me to the lair, and with a mighty release of a maelstrom of
energy he destroyed that ancient red dragon. Unlike my quest for justice,
he was there merely to collect her hide.
I don't know whether to feel disappointed that she was not slain in Gorn's
name or to be joyful that justice is done and the criminal will be worn
around someone's legs. I do know that Gorn will show me the way in my
next meditation as I contemplate my feelings. Also, I must get word to my
dragon brethren the location of this cave so any justice left undone with
the rest of these red dragons can be fulfilled.
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4. The death of an Indigo Golem By Felicianna
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The rainbow portal shone more brightly than ever before. The golems who
cared for it had spent much of the morning polishing the facets so that
their colors might reflect with a brilliance which would impress even the
most jaded of guardians. Having stored their cleaning supplies, they were
playfully competing with one another to see who could catch the attention
of the most facets and gain prominence over it's fellows. Indigo was the
first to notice the commotion, raising his hand to silence the playful
laughter of the others, he pointed up toward the shift of Astral, a look
of concern clouded his expression.
The others gathered around and listened as the clash of armor, the soft
whisper of swords and the anguished death cries of the guardians filled
the air. They exchanged looks of terror and looked to the rainbow portal.
They had never entered the portal. The world beyond the end of the
rainbow had never been explored, it lived only in fables which had been
passed down to the assemblage in the little room. Death and destruction
lived among the Faes while the golems lived in peaceful co-existence with
one another. It was their job to maintain the portal - a job in which
they took much pride. The peaceful nature of the golems prohibited them
from venturing from the many faceted domain.
A startled cry from violet brought their attention to the door A lone
warrior, his armor glittering from the reflected rainbows, strolled
confidently into the room and sneered at the innocent golems. It was
clear that he intended to enter the portal! The golems looked to one
another. he must not be allowed to enter the land of the Fae's. It was
dangerous and they did not want to be responsible for the death of the man
who glittered in the radiance of their light. With amazing quickness,
they moved to block his passage through the portal.
The man stopped and looked upon the rainbow golems. With a sneer of
derision and one quick movement of his hand, the ground shook and the
golems tumbled to the floor. As Indigo looked up, he saw a vast army of
trolls, humans, gnomes, and sprites descend upon his tiny band. He stood
and attempted to defend the portal, to save the lives of the small army
who was intent upon entering the portal which promised certain death. He
had witnessed many entering the passage, yet none had returned!
Red dropped first, her cries tore into his heart as he watched her life
blood, a fiery torrent of crimson, flow from the wounds which had been
inflicted upon her by the glittering swords of the enemy. He tore at one
of the attackers who looked smaller than the rest, hoping that maybe he
could convince her to flee the rainbow portal and return to the safety of
her own realm. A brutish giant stepped forward and slammed into him with
a shield which appeared to be made of dragon scales. Indigo fell to the
floor stunned. He watched his friends scrambling about, seeking
protection from the waves of energy being thrust forth by the mage like
creatures. He saw clerics chanting in a strange tongue to a god named
Tul-Sith and gazed in wonder as the wounds of the trolls were magically
healed. How could he and his fellow golems stand against such magic?
Clamoring to his feet he once more tried to appeal to his attackers,
yellow, blue, and violet were gasping for breathe as they continued to
bear the brunt of the attack. large gold-hilted swords were smashed into
the faces of his friends, he watched them drop to the floor and whispered
silent prayers that they might be relieved of their pain quickly and
mercifully.
A swirl of sand engulfed the little golem as his gaze fell upon his own
reflection in a crystal facet. The playfulness in which he had
participated only moments before was gone, his smile had been replaced by
a mask of terror. Sinking to the floor, he felt a hand slip into his own,
he turned to see the eyes of blue meet his own. The sounds of clashing
armor and rattling scabbards were swallowed by the mysteries beyond the
rainbow portal.
He knew the guardians lay dead above him and that his life was slowly
slipping from his grasp. With his final breath he whispered a prayer that
the strange god known as Tul-Sith would watch over those who had left his
own life in shambles. He knew his journey was at an end but the horrors
that awaited those who had passed beyond his domain faced terrors only
imagined in the most twisted minds of the immortals.
________________________________
5. Ode to a Mage Lord by Chuft
________________________________
Of all the mages I have known in my long history as a warrior of the
Fearless Race, as a tank who preferred mage groupies; without doubt,
Belgarion was the greatest of them all. There were those with more mana,
those with more hitpoints, those with more g ear; but these things do not
a mage make. What makes a mage is intellect, thinking about what spell to
cast next instead of simply looping 20 attack spells and spending all ones
time sitting there staring blankly at the screen. All these things he did,
an d more. Without him, this ones path to Lord would have been far slower,
not quite so many 20k xp runs in a single hero spellup.
But his moment of glory ,which will be long remembered, was being the
first mage to slay the Ultimate Dragon, greatest of hero challenges, since
surge was banned from the quest area. He spent much time and energy
preparing himself to face this challenge, much time enchanting spare gear,
getting me to sharpen extra weapons, et alia. Long were his meditations
on the final night before setting off to the deepest area of hell to seek
out the ultimate heroic quest,the Dragon; bane of Midsgaardia, terror of m
ortals everywhere.
As the day dawned crisp and clear, Belgarion turned up his face to the
Sun, fully expecting to never see it again, and hardened his heroic
resolve. Shrugging off gloomy thoughts of death and defeat, he entered
the vast caverns within which the Dragon lur ks. With my sprit there as
guidance, he rapidly progressed through the dark and dismal caverns,
finally hearing the hiss of draconian breath in the distance, he began his
incantations and focused his magical energy.
Face set with grim determination, the mighty mage did enter the lair of
the fearsome beast; which eagerly awaited this foolish mage who had come
to challenge his power. The fight grew long, and Belgarion appealed to the
Gods for aid, which they granted th is most powerful and determined mage
in his darkest hour. Slowly he began to wear the dragon down, but he was
again fading fast. In desperation, with his last breath, he uttered the
words that would call upon his most powerful magic to slay the mighty and
fearsome beast. The dragon was torn limb from limb by the force and
determination of the spell, and Belgarion emerged victorious, bearing the
coveted Girth of the Most Holy.
Read; remember : this is the path of glory for a true mage. Long will he
be remembered. Lord Chuft-Riit, Patriarchies representative.
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