+----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | The Olympia Times issue g2-25 | | August 5, 1997 | | | | turn 25 224 players http://www.pbm.com/ | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+Questions, comments, to play: info@pbm.com
Olympia PBEM
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Player-contributed press
Swords for hire. Will raise army, caravan guard, Castles seiged,Provinces Garrisoned, what ever you need.Now operating out of Harn and Greyfell. *****Many Talents @ Your Diposal***** ******Your Gold, Services, or Rental Property***** *****For Our Blood and Sweat***** The Royal Knights of Olympia Cmdr. Morrigan the Relentless
-- The Lastday Reavers [ux8]
I have a quantity of rare tradegoods that I wish to sell. I am currently located in Sweetwood [p73] and am looking for a city located around da49 or to the west of there. I am willing to pay 100 gold for information on a relevant location.
-- Tstygian [5522]
THE ILLUSTRATED MAN'S SMITHY, CURIO SHOP, & TATTOO PARLOR
Write to The Illustrated Man and let me know what you think of our store! Are our prices too high? What would you like to see on sale?
THE RETURN OF THE STABLES!!! Horses are back, and the IM has them! Available for the low, low price of 45 gold, only in Yellowleaf, only from the Illustrated Man! Riding Horses [52]: 45 gp, quantity 12
IRON & SWORDS!!! Your favorite tattooed guy now has the finest in steel weaponry available for the discriminating customer. Quantities are limited, so act now! Iron [79]: 15 gp, quantity 5 Broadswords [74]: 20 gp, quantity 15
HEALING POTIONS!!!! Sick and tired of paying through the nose for that contract loyalty? Running out of noble points for oaths? What you need is to rule your nobles by fear! Terrorize your nobles in complete safety with The Illustrated Man's healing potions, at a mere 150 gp apiece. If you are concerned about safety, we now have two satisfied customers who will testify to a satisfactory transaction. Potions currently for sale: b272 s995 h912 g666
The following items are also for sale at bargain basement prices:
Wood [77]: 6 gp, quantity 30+ Crossbows [85] & Pikes [75]: 10 gp, quantity 15+ PRICES SLASHED!!! Blast those monsters with ease, with the Illustrated Man's fine weapons!
At present the map offer is suspended. Hopefully it will be re-opened in a few turns once life settles down a bit.
-- The Illustrated Man [1010]
Rumors
9....8....
If the answer man is still there....where are the answers? But here's a question for ya. In the rulebook it mentions knidnapping. Is that a researchable skill? Are there Skills that are researchable but not listed in the rules? If kidnapping is not present...then why?
He leaned against the Inn's rail, to which he had tied his new horse. A new horse! How grand! Was it now time to leave this place and join his cousin who spent nearly every waking moment upon his horse? The rumors of him far to the south came to mind as he looked into the distance. Then he looked down upon the heart of it all and sighed. There was wild talk of demons and clashes of gods and nameless dieties. He shivered from the fierce winds of the season, although he knew in his heart the cold ran deeper. What business did he have in such affairs? He named no cleric or magician amongst his friends. They were warriors, traders, travellers and some more disreputable than that. He always smiled when he heard the compliants of the citizens. But this was the heart of it all. Was there a way to find release?
Yvengi is a louse!
The drums, the incessant drums, had been beating night and day without pause for days now. Occasionally the savages could be seen, singly or in small groups, at the edges of the great forest. Then thery were gone, melting into the undergrowth so fluidly and silently that one won- dered if they had really been there at all. Everyone was on edge.....and on the alert. Kweo Bichei had ventured out of the city of Kygor's Bles- sings to the inn on the hill overlooking the ford of the stream. A short distance from the other bank, on a slightly higher rise of land, stood the new castle, Musketeer's Fort. Activ- ity was high with the recent infulx of settlers to the area. Living space was at a premium, and building went on at a feverish pace to accomodate the continuing flow of new arrivals. There was to be a council meeting at the castle this afternoon at which the leaders of the different factions, or their representatives, would consider future plans. Kweo had left Kygor's Blessings early to take care of some business he had at the inn prior to the meeting. The day was bright and warm, but it's beauty was lost on Kweo as he warily watched the woods on his way to Althus' Fine Ale. He arrived without incident, but those drums! Suddenly, the drums stopped. All activity at the inn ceased, and everyone, frozen in place, looked nervously from one to the other. Kweo dashed across the main room of the inn and out the door, only to be brought up by a horrendous din of shouts, screams, and warcrys. A delegation of nobles had left the city on their way to the castle and were now halfway to the inn. Kweo watched in horror as four, no five, bands of savages burst forth from the cover of the forest at different points on either side of the fields that lay between the city and the stream. Even as Kweo rallied a group of workers and peasants from the inn, he knew that neither they nor the soldiers, already crossing the ford from the castle, would be able to reach the small group of nobles before the encircling savages closen in upon them. Tarmic, a rash youg noble of the Bloodcrest Clan, un- sheathed his sword and rushed upon the closest band of sav- ages, cutting down two before receiving a spear thrust into his side. Then, all parties closed in battle. After the battle, the ground was littered with bodies. Several workers and soldiers had been lost, many others wounded. Ninety-eight savages were slain, and two of their chieftans were taken captive. Who knows how many vanished back into the woods? Tarmic was almost dead when the others found him. A rude stretcher was formed to carry him, but before reaching the city or sending for the mages with their healing potions, the brave young Tarmic died. The First Priest of Kygor was sent for.
"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
The figure laying on the cot had been tossing and turning in the throes of a fitful sleep for hours. Pooka Acein murmured incoherently at the dark night that enveloped him in his dreams. Slowly, imperceptibly at first, a dim point of green light began to glow and then grow at the foot of his pallet. The glow grew to encompass the end of of the room; and, as it grew, a soft murmuring arose from within. The light intensified and the sound grew from the sigh of winds to the roar of waves dashing upon a rocky shore. Pooka was awakened, but he was not alarmed. He recognized the portents announcing the arrival of The Dagda, whose form coalesced from the brilliant glow and drew the light back within itself until The Dagda appeared shining above the light of the sun which shone upon the shore which was visible through the portal. Pooka arose and bowed before The Dagda. "Arise, Pooka Acein." The Dagda smiled. "You have lost your powers and have become as one of the mortals, but you have not been forsaken. Behold, others are sent to aid you in this distant world." The Dagda extended his hand; and, as Pooka watched, the wall of the small room was replaced by another portal, through which could be seen the lush green hills of his home world. A glowing orb appeared in the distance and swiftly approached the portal from the other side. It split into four equal parts which settled upon the green sward and dimmed, revealing the forms of four gallant warriors. They stepped through the portal and it closed behind them. "These are sent to aid you in this world. Your ban- ishment is not without a purpose. There are mighty quests that await you in this world. I am not unknown in this world and will guide you. But, first, there are many things for you and you comrades to learn." The Dagda vanished, and the glow dissolved into the night. The room was as before, save where there was one, there are five.
The region around Port Aurnos is now an active war zone as all offers of a peaceful settlement have been rejected without response. Any nobles near Port Aurnos south of the cq row, west of the 30 column, and north of the cj row travel at their own peril and may be subject to capture and execution without warning. Neutral nobles are encouraged to stay away from this area for their own safety.
The fish markets in Port Aurnos and Proudrock must regrettably be claimed in the name of the local war. Any ship catching fish and selling them in either of these markets may be seized by force at any time.
We appilogize for this unfortunate turn of events but consider the action necessary for a successful resolution of the conflict.
The days of study are arduous, but my progress is steady. I am driven by the nightly dreams of the heads of the followers of Kygor on my tower pikes, and musketeer banners lying lifeless on the battlefield.
Outside my tower window, my noble friends train the peasant scum into fighting men. Horses are brought in daily, and the mines bring forth iron for the furnaces, and occasionally, a mithril for my artifacts.
The last days of the followers of Kygor near.