with five province
reports not in the Atlas, and I'll send you the program. If
you send a city report, or 10 province reports not in the
atlas, I'll provide free automatic updates as I improve the
program.
*DISPATCHomatic has only been tested on Un*x workstations.
The Perl utility is required.
+------------------------------------------------------------+
| ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT AD |
+------------------------------------------------------------+
-- Mandrake [t8t]
Journal - Fierce winds, Year 5
Study and walk. Little to do. Little to see.
The Lord of the Morning,
The Dragon,
-- Lews Therin Telamon [m3m]
Ship graveyard spotted outside Imperial city! Beware would-be
galley captains! Three abandoned galley's have been found
among the floatsome of bz22. Some enterprising chap should
zip out with a prize crew & take these babies back. One even
has a coveted ram!
Rothenkirchen [cy1x], galley, 0% loaded, 53% damaged, with ram
SeaSpray [hm3n], galley, 0% loaded, defense 6, 13% damaged
Fulda [fv3y], galley, 0% loaded, defense 5, 12% damaged
-- Norc of Trivendale [z1a]
This is monthly notice if you wish to visit the environs
of Cycarth and Redwine please be courteous enough to let
m9l know (you can reach him at heyman@camis.stanford.edu.
I do not currently plan to restrict access, but would like
to know who is wandering around in my front yard. I would
especially like to know if you plan on using any of the
natural rsources (peasants, wood, and the like) in the
provinces bt25 bt26 bt27 bu25 bu26 bu27 bv25 bv26 bv27
bw25 bw26 and bw27.
By order of Darkman, caretaker of Dark Castle
-- Dweezil [e5q]
The Olympia Atlas is accepting contributions, and is available for
download! Be the first to contribute information for unexplored lands
(Faery).
In the tradition of Oleg's Map (tm), the Atlas is a compilation
of geographical information useful for explorers, traders, and
adventurers. Best of all, it's absolutely free!
To contribute to the Atlas, simply send turn excerpts (cut out all the
incriminating parts) that contain the following information:
o) Mapping data (region & route info)
o) City market reports
o) City skills lists
o) Inner locations
and send it to sx6@g1.pbm.com. We'll include it into the next version
of the Atlas.
The Atlas is available by ftp from your nearest PBM ftp site
(ftp.erg.sri.com in the USA, check the PBM FAQ for other sites),
in the directory /pub/pbm/olympia, as atlas.X, where X is the turn of
the last update.
The Atlas is also available on the PBMGames forum on CompuServe, in
the fantasy games section, as atlas.oly.
Brought to you by the Skulking Vermin (sx6)
-- Sludge [x0o]
Chateau Olympique is home to a sniveling mama's
boy who behaves traitorously and violently and
who cries like a baby when his early demise is
called for. 1000 gold to the first noble to
kill its owner.
-- Captain Tarkus [c1s]
The great bard Edgar Allen Poe wrote
Gaily bedight,
A Gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow,
Had journeyed long,
Sining a song,
In search of Eldorado.
But he grew old -
This knight so bold -
And o'er his heart a shadow
Fell, as he found
No spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.
And, as his strength
Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow -
'Shadow,' said he,
'Where can it be -
This land of Eldorado?'
'Over the Mountain
Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldy ride,'
The shade replied,
'If you seek for Eldorado!'
-- Robert Bruce [q4w]
Rumors
Ironfeather stretched his wings and called to his fellows. "Squaa!" He
cried, using the greater insistant. When they had gathered, he performed the
Hop of Dominance so that he could control the flock's conversation without
resorting to combat. Although he was experienced in battle and had never
been beaten, he was growing old and weary, and no longer relished battle. He
was secretly glad when the other nine giants birds flocked to him without
contesting his Hop.
"Do you see?" He cried, bobbing his head at the distant grove. "Do you
see them there, my brood?" The rest of the birds twisted their heads to look
where he indicated, some lifting briefly into the air to see over their
fellows.
"Look at them there in that grove. That grove should be ours! Imagine the
nests we could build, the ripe fruit waiting for us! That grove should be
ours! There are only ten of them, as there are ten of us. I say we attack,
and take that grove for ourselves!"
Ironfeather head the flapping of wings, and looked to see one of the
birds was ruffling his feathers, asking for permission to speak. It was
Humanbeak, and Ironfeather sighed. Humanbeak was a coward, and a weakling
besides. His beak, as his name implied, was not fit for rending, and his
talons had no strength. This was not likely to be a message of support.
"Caw! Caw! Caw!" cried Humanbeak, using the crow tongue to indicate that
he considered what he was about to say was craven. Yeah, right, thought
Ironfeather. "Ironfeather, none are greater than you in combat. We would
follow you anywhere in battle, and we behind you are mighty as well. But
they are (200, 150, 0) as well, and they may defeat us and pluck our eyes.
If we do not fight to the death, this is what happens:
ATTACKER (Break at 50%) :
10 giant birds (200,150,0) [5.68]
Average losses : 4 giant birds
DEFENDER (Fighting to the death) :
10 giant birds (200,150,0) [4.65]
Average losses : 5 giant birds
LIKELIHOOD OF WIN 28.20%"
Another bird ruffled his feathers, and cried out in the tongue of the
owls, to indicate that he would speak reason. "That would be foolishness!
We would be risking certain defeat. If we are going to fight, we must fight
to the death!" He called as did the eagles. "We will fight until all eggs
are broken, and the serpents shall feed on the young of the weak!"
"Even so!" Cried humanbeak, "even so we will be defeated! If we fight to
the death, this is what happens:
ATTACKER (Fighting to the death) :
10 giant birds (200,150,0) [2.79]
Average losses : 7 giant birds
DEFENDER (Fighting to the death) :
10 giant birds (200,150,0) [2.87]
Average losses : 7 giant birds
LIKELIHOOD OF WIN 49.10%
Three of us may live to sample the fruit, but even that sad end is less than
likely." Humanbeak wailed like a swallow, the voice of the small and
powerless. "Better we should stay here among the rocks, and eke out a living
among the mice and snails."
Ironfeather shrilled out the hunting note of the shrike, sounding a call
of sudden victory and the vicious killing of enemies. "You are like the
mice, humanbeak, but even with you in the flock we will rout out our enemies
and seize the grove for ourselves- with little risk!"
"You are a great leader," said Talonwing, a younger bird, "but even so how
can you be so confident that you will lead us to victory?"
"Look over there, and consider what you see." Ironfeather pointed toward
a nearby pit of mire, where a pathetic group of peasants mucked about,
smearing pigments on their faces and eating mud.
"Humans!" said Bloodclaw. "What good are they?"
"They are not even good to eat!" said Carrioneye.
"They are less than worthless."
Ironfeather spoke with the certainty of the hawk. "They are our victory."
"Foolishness!"
"(1, 1, 0)!" cried Bloodclaw.
"Watch and learn," said Ironfeather. "Come here, mudworm!" he called to
the men. A single man walked over. "What are you doing?"
"Uh, me and the boys are just eating dirt, trying to stay alive."
"How many of you are there?"
"There's me, and Wat, and some others... Ten, I guess."
"How would you like to feed on fruit, human?"
"Sounds good."
"Follow us into battle--"
"Uh, gee, I don't know--"
"--or die now."
"You got it." The human called to his fellows. "Boys, we gotta follow
these here birds into battle." He went off to gather them.
"It is a funny joke you make," said Bloodclaw, "but they are nothing.
They have but 1/150th of our endurance, and only 1/200th of our strength. If
you had two hundred of them, they may equal one of us, but even so we would
be but little better off."
"Not so. They will bring us victory. With these men, we are assured
victory if we fight to the death:
ATTACKER (Fighting to the death) :
10 giant birds (200,150,0) [8.87]
10 peasants (1,1,0) [2.13]
Average losses : 1 giant bird
8 peasants
DEFENDER (Fighting to the death) :
10 giant birds (200,150,0) [0.17]
Average losses : 10 giant birds
LIKELIHOOD OF WIN 96.14%"
A wildness broke out among the other birds. They took wing, spiraled into
the sky and wheeled about. It was many minutes before they returned, but
they did return, and flocked about Ironfeather in a circle of submission.
Again, it was Humanbeak who spoke. "Caw! Caw! Caw!" he began.
"Oh, cut it out! Speak your piece, Humanbeak!" Ironfeather ruffed his
neck insultingly.
"Surely we will win with your leadership, Ironfeather. Still, isn't it a
risk that we will all die in this? Shouldn't we wait for our winglets to
reach fighting age? I cannot believe that these humans are worth anything."
"You are a bug with painted-on feathers, Humanbeak. The advantage these
muck divers give us us great, even against fellow mighty birds. Even if we
do not fight to the death, even if we play it safe, we will not lose 71% of
the time. Instead:
ATTACKER (Break at 50%) :
10 giant birds (200,150,0) [9.10]
10 peasants (1,1,0) [2.10]
Average losses : 1 giant bird
8 peasants
DEFENDER (Fighting to the death) :
10 giant birds (200,150,0) [0.40]
Average losses : 10 giant birds
LIKELIHOOD OF WIN 91.32%"
The rest of the birds immediately set upon Humanbeak and ripped him pinion
from drumstick. "Nice going, nestlings. Now we've got to find five more
humans to go with us... The ways of Atnerks are strange indeed."
[Combat data (C) Ross Inglis 1994. -Thank you, Ross]
What is the difference between a Nazgul?
One of its slathering mandibles is both the same!
Journal entry, week 16:
"We are finally nearing our last port of call, and
have so far not encountered any of our old bandit
friends. We have high hopes that the final stretch will
be as uneventful. Our old pals will be surprised!"
Dear Doubter,
Mayhap you misspelled scried last turn?
Oh, sweet miscry of life and all that.
Now your attention do I earn
but what next rabbit, and what next hat?
--- Squire Adam
Yes! I've arrived! I finally get to torture my first prisoner!!
And it's a Distressed Lady, how apropos :)
Is it true that even Faery isn't safe?
What is the ugliest truth about Oleg and Marat?
They really deserve each other.
Sorcen crawled out of the crypt he had been hiding in half his life.
He could sense that the boneys were gone, but he didn't know why. He
blinked hesitantly at the bright sun that he remembered only from his
youth. He looked around at the scattered bones, and saw the footprint
of another man. Sorcen followed the footprints, hooting out a strange
call, but they mysteriously disappeared in mid-stride, far from the
cemetery Sorcen had hidden in all these years. Straightening up, Sorcen
looked over the plain, and started walking again with pride.
The Times received the following comminique from a
blood-stained bottle found floating in the Atnos
Channel.
"We have seized the ship! We have overthrown our
masters! The day of the peasants is at hand!
'"It's not just a job, it's an adventure!'
"Or so the tricky nobleman said to me when he
recruited me from my peacful hovel for his grand
schemes! One day of training and I'm supposed to
be a sailor! My hands are raw from running this darned
boat. I can't even swim! But my brother's worse off.
He just stands around with this longbow like he knows
what to do with it.
Aye, those noblemen make me sick. They sit around all
day shooting arrows into the mast and talking about how
they're the only ones with free will and how we peasants
can't do a lick for ourselves. Aye, but that could've
been me. I had plans to become a magi myself, but my
wife squandered all our money to have her palms read.
Guess what the magi told her? 'Never-ending toil shall
be your lot.' dough!
But I've a future now! First the boat! Then the Ocean!
Then the world! Haha haha haha! Oh shoot, that stupid
noble escaped! damned heroic noble abilities. I'll
have to..."
Does anyone know why the marat and its AOO [censored] hate
Oleg enough to go out of their way to rub him out?
Is it just that they're all sore-loser egotists who don't like Greg?
Or is there a rational explanation?
Last month's Times contains yet another AOO smoke-
screen. It proports that MAFOC is not a creation of
AOO. If MAFOC exits in any form whatsoever then let
it DO something, anything to discomfort the AOO
instead of all these wishy-washy proclamations that
"Chaos, as always, rules behind the scene,..."
Yes, it rules so far behind as to be non-existant
just like the so called MAFOC. The AOO are at least
obvious present villans. Real scum, not pretend.
Clifford's City Market Database: 85 city market reports, and more every day.
Send in a city market report not yet in the database and you will receive a
report each week on the commodity of your choice. For further info, write to
w4t@g1.pbm.com.
Graffiti spotted on Chateau Olympique:
"Bastrestric - the 6th black circle jerk"
Many months ago there was some talk in the Times about the "unexplored"
lands. I know that a few brave explorers have set off to the north and
to the South in hopes of taming the unknown. What ever happened to
these men? Have they fallen off the face of the world?
I would hope that some day soon we will hear stories about what lies at
the extremes of our world. Hopefully I can live vicariously through
these stories as I sell my clay pots in IC... dreaming to one day join
them...
A response to the inquiry in the _Times_ regarding Beastmastery:
The skill is taught in Aethelarn, among other places. The
city has seen only isolated violence. For the most part it has
seemed to be a safe place to study.
-One who has spent some time in Aethelarn
Strange Events in Provinia
==========================
During the past month a number of well-known mages in the major
Provinian centers of learning have either disappeared or been found
dead. In the cases where the bodies have been found they invariably
showed no apparent cause of death but autopsies revealed that large
parts of the interior of the cranial cavity had been burned as if by a
very hot flame. Also investigators found the remains of half-eaten
apples at the scene which the victims seem to have dropped at their
moment of death.
Even without these deaths and disappearances, all the major arcane
seminaries and colleges are in uproar. The reason is that the overall
skill level of all mages including the rankest novices seems to have
improved notedly. While this may be a blessing in the long run, a
number of unfortunate incidents have occurred during the transition.
For example at the Imperial University a number of senior, but less
than popular lecturers have found themselves with a number of
embarrassing and disfiguring anatomical modifications.
But spontaneous magical effects are developing even among the
population at large. For some reason metamorphosis between human and
various animal forms seems to be particularly common. In Trion, for
example guards men were called to a tenement to settle a domestic
dispute. When they arrived all they found at the scene was a male pig
and a female dog staring at each other in a hostile manner.
There even was a wild rumor that a man professing to like a certain
Loudmouth had appeared at a tavern in Aethelarn. Investigation however
revealed that it was just a former trained parrot who as soon as he was
informed of the meaning of what he said refused to repeat it.
I have the body. This month I learn the Resurrection ritual. Now
to do the ritual before the year is over. There's just enough time!
Well better late then never I suppose. As I wrote last month, I had
started swimming towards the mainland. I quickly ran out of steam and
was resigned to drowning, when 'lo and behold, a sail appeared. It
was my rather late companions and I was rescued!
Riddle of the Week: How does one learn Weather Magic
when you're personna non grata in Provinia?
(I don't have answer, does anyone???)
At last, I have made landfall on Ossicus. I have not
seen any claims for this land. Can I be the first to land
here? I doubt that. If you have made any claims on this
island please respond via the Times.
Ahhh this is the life. Wide open plains with
clear blue skies overhead, and AOO only a
distant threat on the horizon
We have discovered that bandits infest Hades.
Be on guard at your graveyards.
There is no telling when and where they will pop out.
To Jurij Paranoiev on the problem of being given more treasure than you
can carry: simply use a computer and Advanced For Loop Techniques (tm)
to generate drop commands for all possible items after each attack.
This will reduce your encumbrance to a handy 0% (but does have a minor
drawback left for the vigilant reader to discover).
Seen in IC last turn;
1: Dixtheus [e3i] bought one wild horse [51] from Dixtheus [e3i] for
1: 80 gold.
Huh? Buying stuff from yourself?
THE NORTH COAST OF PESBRAND
Includes the Forgotten Forest and the city of
.5.....6.........7
A45678901234567890
w~~sssSsssmmff
x~~~~SssssmmF
y~~~~~~~~~~~~
z.~~~~~~~~~~
D..~~~~~~~~~~~~
b..~~~~mmmf~~~~~
c..........f~~~~
d.........m~~~~~~
e..........~~~~~~
f..........mffFpf
Obraed [au0n], port city, in province Forgotten forest [df67]
Routes leaving Obraed:
North, to Ocean [de67], South Sea, 1 day
Out, forest, to Forgotten forest [df67], 1 day
Skills taught here:
Shipcraft [120], Combat [121], Persuasion [124], Construction [125],
Forestry [128], Magic [160], Gatecraft [163]
Market report:
trade who price qty wt/ea item
----- --- ----- --- ----- ----
buy au0n 2 100 2 fish [87]
buy au0n 7 9 5 clay pots [95]
buy au0n 45 47 25 tea [270]
sell au0n 5 25 10 fish oil [97]
sell au0n 50 10 100 pitch [261]
sell au0n 58 25 30 wood [77]
sell au0n 16 6 100 walnuts [264]
How much longer shall the inhabitants of this realm
suffer under the oppressive thumb of the AOO?
Surely if we band together we can take them!
*
Market Survey: I am interested in the potential profits
of bounty hunting. Has anyone made a serious reward offer
with satisfactory payment procedures? Please address "serious
reward and payment plan" responses via the times, and include
an e-mail address. I will contact you directly if I am
willing to pursue your target. I am currently completing a
contract and will be available in 2 turns.
*
Low Profile Bounty Hunters
Can anyone tell me what happens if an artifact is lost over
water? My ship was sunk in ca19 and I'd like to recover my
golden ring.
If you can help, send mail to skippy@aol.com. Thanks.
PLUNDERER'S THEME
(to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocius)
Pillage, rape, and loot and burn, but all in moderation.
If you do the things we say, then you'll soon rule the nation.
Kill your foes and enemies and then kill your relations.
Pillage, rape, and loot and burn, but all in moderation.
And so it was that they found themselves wandering through the
deserted forests and mountains of Ossicus, not sighting a soul,
for months on end.
And still on their minds was the question:
"What happened to them? Where did they go?"
There was still no answer.
Are you tired of looking for that just right article in
your copy of Arthur Hakets book "Plagiarism made Easy.
Well Arthur Haket has come to your aid again. He has
written a line of exciting novels in serial form and he
will sell the exclusive rights to them for a small sum.
Each chapter is written to make it an excellent article
for the times. No more wondering what your next months
article will be. Or even next years. With one purchase
you will have planed out your articles for decades to
come. Act soon and have the first choice of fine novels
like these.
Lees Miserables - After being captured a new noble
escapes and becomes rich, but is
constantly hounded by the AOO.
The Scarlet Pumpkin - The daring adventures of an IN
noble sneaking new nobles out
of the Imperial City.
Gone like a breeze - The story of a beautiful young
noble woman coming of age
during the AOO-IN war.
Flash Rodgers - The exciting tales of a noble
that goes to sleep and wakes up
500 years in the future to find
the world full of magic more
advanced than ours.
A Huckleberry Noble - The adventures of a young
orphaned noble that runs away
with his aunts ork and travels
down the Sloskum River
Here's a playing tip: if you wander into a province with nobles
you don't know, or one that is garrisoned, send email to them!
This is a multi-player game, and that means that you are not the
only person playing it. I've noticed that castle holders seem
to be particularly paranoid (notably Sheriff Pelenth and Duchess
Pel), but despite their bad press, I have in fact found that they
are perfectly reasonable people to deal with as long as you talk
to them before barging into their territory.
The Allmighty Omnipotent Obliterators are coming for you Soon!
So you better preapare yourself, load up with treasure and other
stuff we can loot. And feel free to drop any non-beast fighting
units, we don't mind.
Anyone know anything about a rumored new world?
******* Apollo The Bard's Balladry Box *******
* *
* Tennyson's Lady of Shalott continues ... *
* *
* Part II *
* *
* There she weaves by night and day *
* A magic web with colours gay. *
* She has heard a whisper say, *
* A curse is on her if she stay *
* To look down to Camelot. *
* She knows not what the curse may be, *
* And so she weaveth steadily, *
* And little other care hath she, *
* The Lady of Shalott. *
* *
* And moving thro' a mirror clear *
* That hangs before her all the year, *
* Shadows of the world appear. *
* There she sees the highway near *
* Winding down to Camelot: *
* There the river eddy whirls, *
* And there the surly village churls *
* And the red cloaks of the market girls, *
* Pass onward from Shalott. *
* *
* continued *
**********************************************
To celebrate the recent return of our beloved Miyuki to the
Olympian social scene, the Imperial City Chapter of The Olympian
Order of Miyuki Fans (OOMF) is pleased to announce...
The 1st Annual
MIYUKI-O-RAMA-THON!
Join us in a Naughty Night of Frisky Fun and Frantic Frolic!
There'll be TONS! of:
Fun! Prizes! Booze! Sex! Drugs! Rock! Roll! And More!
For your entertainment:
Roving gangs of thespians from the Olympian Order of Miyuki
Fans (OOMF) will reenact scenes (some in the nude!) from a
variety of unforgettable incidents in the life of our dearest
Miyuki!
Get a personally guided tour of the bedrooms of Chateau
Olympique by the one, the only (thank Atnerks), Duke Marat!
Hear selected readings from "The Count of Chardia" by those
wild and crazy Indomitable Gauls!
Play Pin-the-Tail-on-Kovaq'nu, Miyuki's ever-faithful beau,
with volunteers who dress up and squeal just like the real
thing!
Condoms, hash pipes, clean syringes and Miyuki Brand Rolling
Papers will be available at The Pilgrims Aid Society booth!
Free face painting, tattoos and nipple/nose/ear/other piercing
will be expertly and hygienically performed by (who else)
Imperial City's own Illustrated Man!
Non-stop Orc Oil & Kodva tasting sessions will be conducted by
Bastrestric ther Archymonaged at the Vulgar Unicorn groggery!
Novelty map makers The Skulking Vermin and Midnight Carnival
are teaming up to offer a limited edition "Memories of Miyuki"
commemorative map with special heart-shaped icons to mark the
location of each & every liaison of love engaged in by our idol!
Special guest appearance by a newly revitalized Oleg the Bard!
Hear his toe tapping rendition of "Stairway to Heaven" played
on a nose-hair lute!
Free winged-horse taxi service, provided by none other than the
Ferry Master himself, will whisk you swiftly and safely to and
from the party!
Our special thanks to both the AOO and MAFOC for graciously
co-sponsoring this fine, fine cultural event!
Come one! Come all! Come as you are! No reservations necessary!
Don't miss THE coolest monster blowout extravaganza of the year!
Come on MAFOC, come on Oleg (dead or alive) we'll take you all!
duke marat doesn't want any newcomers in provinia, he's afraid
of the competition.
