+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The Olympia Times times@olympia.rt.com |
| March 28, 1992 v3n1 |
| |
| Turn 16 Circulation 56 "Plugh" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Orders due: Friday, April 3, 1992
Questions, comments, bug reports, to play: olympia@rt.com
Some players have asked for faster turns (although a lot of these
requests were during the slowdown). Some have said that if turns
come faster than once per week, they won't be able to keep up.
Is one turn per week too slow? Turns could be due every Friday,
and I would send reports out Friday night or Saturday morning.
Let me know what you think.
Many of the game improvements this turn are below the surface,
bug fixes and rewrites of parts of the Olympia progam. As such you
may not notice many changes, but having clean and beautiful code
will pay off in the long run.
The recent publicity in rec.games.pbm has attracted many new
signups. I will be adding these players soon to a distant,
unexplored part of the world. Build your ships and mount your
horses!
Many have asked for this command, here it is:
TEACH [days]
Teach a skill or spell. Days defaults to 14 if not specified.
The studying and teaching units should stack together. While one
a unit issues the TEACH order, stacked units which STUDY the same
skill will learn from the teacher. The position of the teaching
and studying units within the stack is unimportant.
Several units may study from one teacher. Several teachers may
exist in the same stack, each teaching different skills.
Units stacked with a teacher will learn a skill 25% faster if the
teacher has a higher level of the skill than the studying units.
Spells may be learned from a teacher in 7-14 days of study.
Faldred,
Egad, that is terrible news about Gorbachev. I do suppose 32-to-1
odds was a bit much for a simple arrest. Still, he knew the laws, and
I had warned him privately about minding his manners. It is another
grievous blow to me that people refuse to learn the value of peace and
justice.
Perhaps I wax philosophical as I rest easy here, lounging within the
Cave of Sythnar. It is pleasant to simply relax and enjoy the natural
beauty of our great land, far from the cares and day-to-day struggles
of politics.
Please post notices so that people realize that Pactra and Hothras
have protective garrisons in them, although not as large as my force
in Drassa. I want them to realize that the Peaceful People of
Pelenth's Protectorate can go about their daily business, free from
fear of murder or thievery (or at least with the assurance that such
acts will be avenged; there is little else one can do).
I grow weary of the demands of office. Port Aurnos has a certain
small-town charm, and is only a stone's throw from this beautiful
cave. South Charrick is just a few days' ride away, and houses the
School of Combat. There is enough traffic to fight off boredom, but
not the pressing crowds of Drassa. Perhaps I will send settlers here
when I return from holiday.
As always, my best regards,
Pelenth
The answer to last weeks riddle:
"What animal walks on four legs in the morning,
two legs in the afternoon,
and three legs in the evening?"
is : a human!
As a baby the human crawls on all four, in his healthiest years he walks on two
legs and when he is old, he needs a stick to support him, thus walking on three
legs!
Now this weeks riddle is a little more mathematical, since our "beloved"
elder wizard (especially elder) finds my riddles too simple.
(Let's see if he can crack this one.)
Let's say you've just been ambushed by the Sherrif's men and you've been woun-
ded, but you survived although the Sherrif pulled every dirty trick that was
(not) in the book. Anyway you've been wounded.
Luckily you meet a druid who has a life-restoring liquid he is willing to share
with you. Let's say he has 8 units in total.
He also has three bottles: one big one in wich he keeps the 8 units(these 8 u-
nits fill merely the bottom in this big bottle.)
Bottle no. 1 # This bottle will be referred to as bottle 1.
Bottle no. 2 # This bottle has a volume of 5 units.
Bottle no. 3 # This bottle has a volume of 3 units.
The druid says if you can fill one bottle with exactly 4 units, you may keep
them. But as usual there is a catch: You may only poor the liquid seven times!
The answer, once again in the next edition of this fabulous, free-distributed
chronicle.
The Death of another year. That last moon just shot by...
He looked up from His books, and wandering the halls of the
tower, noticed that His guild had a new master. While He
didn't mind giving Remilai the guild leadership, this new
Arhhain was a different kettle of fish. How dare some young
upstart claim authority over HIM!
Snarling, He plotted. Elections would be necessary. And
He would win them.
And that meddilesome riddler, the answer as any half witted
curator knows, must be 'a man'.
The Quick Olympia Crossword (2)
===============================
Just to make life more interesting, I'm including a prize for the
crossword. Every week, anyone who wants can send me their answers. The one
with the most answers correct gets 5 gold from Kaspar [581]. If you get
the whole thing correct, he'll give you 10 gold. In the case of ties, the
money is divided between the winners. I doubt that there will be ties,
there will probably be no-one doing the crosswords anyway. I'll also take
votes to
a) make it harder
b) make it ONLY Olympia and remove anything not relating to Olympia
(I am working on this but it's a bit difficult)
c) drop the crossword completely
d) Publish the names of the winners
e) Make it easier (I thought it was anyway)
Send votes/submissions to "Rob@ccc.govt.nz")
And please be (semi-) polite, I'm still learning how to write crosswords.
_____________________________________
|1 |2 |3 | |4 |5 |##|6 | | 7| | 8| Clues Across
|__|__|__|__|__|__|##|__|__|__|__|__| ============
|9 | | |##|10| |##| |##| |##| | 1) Province in Sheriff's protection
|__|__|__|##|__|__|##|__|##|__|##|__| accessed by 1007
| |##|11|12| | |##|13| | |##| | 6) Skill [106]
|__|##|__|__|__|__|##|__|__|__|##|__| 9) An heroic poem
|14|15| | | | | | |##|16| | | 10) Expression of position
|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|##|__|__|__| 11) Written column of things
|##|17| |##|##| |##|##|18|##|##| | 13) a Friend (colloquial)
|##|__|__|##|##|__|##|##|__|##|##|__| 14) Something Osswid's post in the
|19| | |20| | |21|22|##|23|24| | rules says you can't do without
|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|##|__|__|__| permission
| |##|25| |##|##|26| | | | |##| 16) Reason for playing Olympia
|__|##|__|__|##|##|__|__|__|__|__|##| 18) Unit, single
|27| |##|##|28|29| | |##| |##|30| 19) What someone has done to cause
|__|__|##|##|__|__|__|__|##|__|##|__| combat
| |##|31| | | | | | | |32| | 23) To tell a falsehood
|__|##|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__| 25) Hello
|33|34| |##| |##|##| |##|35| | | 26) What last weeks Olympian Times
|__|__|__|##|__|##|##|__|##|__|__|__| thinks we should have done for
|36| | | | | |##|37| | | |##| elections
|__|__|__|__|__|__|##|__|__|__|__|##| 27) Of or pertaining to
28) What I shall be in when my boss finds what I'm spending time on
31) Ocean or Sea South and West of Tollus, Nallos etc
33) Night bird
35) Before
36) Swamp west of Drassa
37) to wear or put on
Clues Down
==========
1) + 19) Harbour Province to South and West of Drassa (4,6)
2) Advertisement (abbrev)
3) Northern Province between Cnossa and Antrask
4) Item used for smoothing wood
5) Command to engage in combat
6) Papers needed to navigate around
7) Drassa and Ferenth
8) Use the SET command to do this to defaults
12) Exists
15) Organic things do this when dead
17) Over or above
18) 6th note in diatonic scale of 'C' major (or so my dictionary says)
19) see 1 down
20) Artificial Intelligence (Abbrev)
21) Bad, harmful or Sinful
22) Being infatuated or excessively fond
23) A note, missive or epistle
24) The essential essence of the individual
28) A foot covering
29) Expression of Surprise or Triumph. Hectare (abbrev)
30) Historic measure of 45 inches (114 cm)
32) Inland Revenue Department (Abbrev)
34) Western Antresk (abbrev)
Quick Olympian Crossword (1) Answers
====================================
Across
======
1) Olympian 7) So 8) CEO 9) Southern 11) Captain 14) Use
15) Do 17) Rimmon 20) I 21) Near
Down
====
1) Ossicus 2) Loo 3) Mat 4) Ice 5) Aerondor 6) Negation
10) Upper 12) As 13) Acme 16) On 18) In 19) Ma 20) I
Last turn, our so noble sheriff caused his lackey to attack and destroy the
defenseless merchant Gorbachev!
According to sources, Gorbachev was not only one of the most powerful
members of our community, but had a recent feud with Pelenth. Neither warning
nor quater was given. Nor had gorbachev done harm, though he had broken one of
our "good" sheriff's laws. Gorby had not persuaded one of another player's men,
but had instead co-opted lord Oswid's man. Surely that worthy is capable of
protecting his own men without Pelenth's sword getting in the way.
Down with Pelenth!
Doom to the Fascist Sherriff protector of those who can protect themselves!
THE FUTURE SPECTACLES IN CNOSSA
Elections
---------
We, the Dancing Mammoths, want to organize the elections
in the imperial city of Cnossa. This will be the first part
of the game of elections, to enjoy yourself voting for the
best politicians in Olympia. The greatest of them, and the
last elected will be the Emperor, and during all the next
months, you will elect the master of your guild.
We propose, when we will be elected in our future position
of Master of the Performers Union, to organize the conferences
and to make lots of prospection to examine the candidates
for situations of Guild Master. We will then publish in the
Olympia Times the results of our researches, so you can
vote for the best candidate.
Circus
------
There will be here in Cnossa a big spectacle: you are
invited to come to see the greatest clown of Olympia, the
tallest man too, and the fastest one -- the cannon man --.
You will see our two Mammoths, and our tigers, and our
baby seals, and our giant mouse (Mickey is its name), and
our family of ducks...
Vote for the Dancing Mammoths
and you will be happy
Dancing Mammoths [1141]
You are less than five feet tall ?
Then, you know what humiliations and torments mean. For sure, you don't
want to keep living that way, but mayby you don't know what you can do against
that, as you can see those tall contemptuous persons everywhere.
I can give you an alternative to this life. Just follow me and share
my great dream : a country for the little ones, a place where we could
live together and for ourselves. I know we can find such a place, and
I promise to lead you to this paradise.
That is the best occasion of your life, don't let it go !
FOLLOW ME !
Naignag, the visionary.
Fellow Mages, our rightful leader is off exploring fabled
Carolingia.
Whilst he is gone, I feel it only right that we elect ourselves
a new leader.
Should I be so chosen, I pledge the following:
1: To spend money to provide a worthy defence
for our towers. No longer must we be weighed down
by weapons, I shall organise a regular paid guard.
2: To use guild funds to futher promote the creation
of the Librarim of All Magic. To this extent, guild
members will be reimbused in part for the time that
they put forwards on this project. Any additions
please send to bill@comp.vuw.ac.nz, and you will
be rewarded.
3: To promote the guild as a whole, and ensure that
we retain our rightful place as foremost in the council
of guilds.
Vote now, vote right, vote for he who gives YOU the power.
Vote Merlinium [537]
>< M ><
Zafol, experienced shipbuilder, will build the ship you've always
dreamed of !
order now !! tomorrow it might be too late !!!
Zafol, naval engineer
(and don't forget : vote for ME !)
What is that ?!!!
Is the Sherrrriffff crasy or what ?!!
Killing people like that, honest people making honest business !!!!
At any moment, this single man may decide that someone is outlaw and kill
him legally, that can we accept ?
So YOU , sherrrrifff ! Give the crowd of angry people proofs of your
good intentions, and PROVE the guiltyness of all this men you did kill.
>From now, you should be no more than an executioner, and act ONLY when
the crowd that made you sheriffff of Drassa asks you to.
One shouldn't rule the world, unless people want it.
This is why I ask everyone to come and meet at Drassa's hall next month,
every day, and speak about all these problems.
Bohor, an honest merchant who don't want to end by the and of
anyone's minions.
please mail to gossner@ens.ens.fr to discuss this problems and try to
figure what olympia's political system should be.