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+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The Olympia Times times@olympia.rt.com |
| June 14, 1992 v4n4 |
| |
| |
| Turn 27 127 Players |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Turn 28 orders due: Friday, June 19, 1992
Turn 29 orders due: Friday, June 26, 1992
Orders are due 6:00pm EDT, 22:00 GMT.
Questions, comments, bug reports, to play: olympia@rt.com
Last turn I wrote:
> The number of errors in this last batch of orders was considerably
> less than for previous turns. Good work! If you check your orders
> for errors, there's less chance that I will screw your commands up
> trying to fix them. :-) Or maybe everyone is using Scott's order
> checker to proofread their orders? Whatever the case, keep it up!
I plan to cut back on the amount of manual order-fixing that I do.
I am partly to blame for errors in players' orders, because if I
didn't keep fixing them, they wouldn't keep making the same ones
turn after turn.
Common errors:
bad right
--- -----
enitry, enity entity
pursuade persuade
terrorise terrorize
end done
cancle cancel
delcare declare
Check your orders!
Wanted: information leading to the whereabouts of Spiney Norman. If any-
one catches sight of him, please reply via the times.
The Spiney Norman Fan Club
The black and white banner -- Per pale Argent and Sable an Owl
displayed counterchanged. It flew over the band of travellers moving
West from Bayarth to Caburh. It was late Snowmelt and they would
have to hurry to slip through the Summerbridge.
"How are our guests doing?" Varian asked one of his soldiers.
"Fine. Fine," he answered. "They are none to happy about the way
we picked them up though."
"It's for their own good, really," Varian explained. "If we left
them behind, Dr. Pain, or even Seldon the Avatar or Maidez de la
Montt would have captured them and probably killed them... or worse."
Varian thought of the young half-elven woman, Aeira, and shuddered
to think what others might have done. Murder. Worse. He found her
roaming the streets of Pesbrand with a purse heavy with gold and a few
trade items. No one traveled with her. She wouldn't have lasted
long anyway. She was shaken yet safe here -- as were the others,
without friends and easy pickings to others with harsher intentions.
"I know it was for their own good," the soldier replied, "but will the
others understand?"
"I hope so. And I hope when we get North, the people we are taking
along will understand, too. I have a bad feeling and I hope I am
wrong but if I am not, people will understand..."
"Do you think Maidez is still behind us?" the soldier asked.
"Probably. But to what end, I don't know..."
The black and white banner -- Per pale Argent and Sable an Owl
displayed counterchanged. It flew over the band of travellers as
they paused in Summerbridge to take a look. It was mid-Blossom-Bloom
and they wanted to move on to be sure they didn't get caught should
the fall rains start early.
One of Varian's soldiers returned with a soiled piece of tent cloth.
It was old but the tears were new. "There are traces of a camp over
there," he pointed, "with horse tracks leading off that way. It
looks like the villagers, what few of them there are, looted the
camp when he left. I almost didn't see it."
"I had heard from Briareos' men that some poor sod got trapped here,"
Varian said. He looked around at the grubby villagers, just over a
dozen in number. "It'll be a wonder if he didn't go crazy."
Varian walked over to a rusted Olympia Times box chained to a tree.
He dropped a gold coin into the box and removed a crisp copy of the
latest edition and perused its pages.
He stopped at Oleg's "Interesting Player List" for an update.
"Let's see, Dr. Pain, Bastrestric, Seldon the Avatar, Mohammad ibn
Musa al-whatever, John Smith, Varian, Maidez de la Montt... WAIT!"
Varian looked back a line. "Varian [856] -- Attacked a bunch of
independent units in Pesbrand on turn 25. This isn't that that
interesting except for the scale," he read aloud.
"Hmm," Touchstone said. "Me thinks you caught his eye. I wonder why?"
"But--but--but I reported it to Oleg myself! I even posted a notice
offering recompense for anyone inconvenienced by this action!"
"Perhaps he's only being fair," Touchstone offered, "listing both friend
and foe in there."
"Great. Now everyone is going to flee before me like some murderer!
We have never killed a single soul! Not even any of the Men in
Black!" Varian looked back at his prisoners. He would have to decide
what to do with them at some point. "My anti-Pain credentials are
exemplary!"
"I think they'll understand, sir," one of the soldiers offered. "Give
it some time." Varian calmed down a bit.
Next to the newspaper box was a pile of discared yellowed papers. Varian
picked one up and looked at the front. "Volume 3, Number 4. I guess they
only get two editions per year up here." He looked around at the peasant
hovels and sighed.
Looking down the front page, a headline caught his eye -- "MURDERER
RUNS RIOT IN CHARDIA". "Hey, get this. Dr. Pain's rise to power."
Varian's men gathered around him. A few of the prisoners looked over
with some curiosity. "Listen..."
"The obituraries of this last month, read like a slaughterhouse
roll-call," the article began, "Apparently 'The Black Company' [1301]
went on a killing rampage, massacring 15 innocent inhabitants of the area."
Varian read on, through a plea of the survivors of Chardia to rise
up and kill him, though a description of the now dead Zyzak as a "mad
dog" before he gathered his army, though another plea to the citizens
of Habyn, Camaris, and West Habyn to band together and arrest "this
maniac" -- executing him if necessary, and finally to an ominous warning.
Varian paused for a moment and read the final line. "Speak now !
Later you may be DEAD !!" A chill ran down his spine as a cold breeze
came up from the south. He knew it had started.
"It's too late, isn't it..." the faint voice said from among the
prisoners. Aeira Half-Elven looked at him with a look that could
pierce stone. "...for the people down South," she finished. Maybe
she felt it, too.
"It may be. If they don't make it though, they could all be dead by
this time next year. I wish them luck. I wish there was something I
could do to help..." Varian's looked South and let his voice trail off.
It wasn't until after they left Summerbridge that word from the
South arrived. The slaughter had started. Moira Bloodhands, Sir
Kaypro, Definesser, Roz Dixfinger, the Labor Force killed in
Aethelarn, Elak Frusengladje, Nebulus Sock, Lirrin killed in Ociera,
The Menageria Company killed in Ilion, and Loners killed in Habyn, by
Pain, his lackeys, and Seldon the Avatar no doubt. They all hung
their heads low in a moment of silence. Pain would not be happy until
only those who vowed allegiance to him remained in the South. There
was more carnage to come. For some of those in the South, it was
indeed too late. But one day, they would be avenged -- by Varian's
own hands if need be...
Camaris Police Report
=====================
No action worth mentioning occured in Camaris last turn.
This report is a reqular feature in the Times, and always ends with the most
up to date wanted list.
WANTED
======
Mohammed ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi [819], for assault and kidnapping.
Band of Mamelukes [1464], for assault and kidnapping.
one-eyed Kalendars [1977], for assault and kidnapping.
The Town Council of Camaris [355]
He Ye all whome would conduct foul practise then flee to the
skirts of our faire Guild of Magicians.
Let it be known, that Our guild offers protection only to they
whome raise no hand against Our fellow man. Any members who
committe crimes against their fellows shall gain no protetion
from Our august body.
Know it also that until such times as guild is proven to Our
satisfaction all members accused of said crimes are in Our
eyes innocent.
Be it known that Tim the magician is, until more evidence is
heard, considered to be under Our protection. His incarceration
is accepted until his guilt be proven or disproven in Our eyes,
but his slaying or conversion by means faire or foul will be
regarded as a crime against the guild itself.
I have spoken.
Merlinium the Grey, Guildmaster magician of Olympia.
"Another man would beam with joy, to be hoist to such a height I
assure -- but I, sir, am no architect nor do I plan to be." Touchstone
backed up to the door of the tent. He looked a little nervous.
"This could be the door to happiness,' he gestured to the tent
opening, "a window on a new life -- but for another -- that Guges chap
perhaps, but I have no draw towards the making of structures."
"I, sir, am already an architect -- an architect of joy to those who
watch me raise the house from upon the stage. 'Tis my only ambition,
to hear the hammer of hand against hand in rejoice!"
"Touchstone..." Varian attempted to interrupt.
"My tools, sir, are my voice and wit, not chisel and square -- 'less
it is a town square," Touchstone laughed nervously at his own joke.
Varian took advantage of the pause to interrupt. "Stop! You are
the only one who can study construction quickly enough to make a
difference. Didn't you say you memorized the Hamlet play in a night?"
"But -- but -- but..." for once Touchstone was tongue-tied.
Varian put the construction tome in Touchstones hand and closed his
fingers around its cover. "Do it. You have to. Pretend it is a
particularly boring but popular soliloquy"
"But I won't enjoy it."
"You don't have to."
"I always wondered why my parents named me 'Touchstone' and now I
know," Varian could hear the entertainer say as he walked over to the
fire. Varian knew he was the best one for the job...
Phillipe, Stryder (or is it the other way around?) just don't
mistake any of my lads or lassies to be...'zombies' and we'll get
along fine. We have enough Pain around here without you two setting
up your own private fleecing operation.
In your service,
Sarogin Bellewood
Oleg the Loudmouth's Interesting Player List
============================================
This is a list if people you might want to watch out
for, because they've done, erm, "interesting" things in the past.
Attacking independent units is no longer considered "interesting"
IF there is independent confirmation that the units were
indeed independent.
Note that obituaries are no longer promptly reported, if at all -- so
you'll have to watch & contribute to this list to see what's going on.
New entries this turn: Dr. Pain update, Spiney Norman explains, and
the Tylenol Gang in Kircarth captures an allegedly inactive newbie.
Dr. Pain [814] -- Killed at least 20 players. Known throughout the
world as an efficient and wealthy but evil dude. On turn 26, he was
personally killing people in Caburh and his minion Despair was killing
people in Ociera. Units owned: 1034 1301 1321 1368 1376 1461 1475 1575
1580 1585 1976 1993 2002 2040 2055.
Bastrestric ther Archymonaged [801] -- Killed 1 unit on turn 23 in
Chardia, which Milinkthos claims was independent. Listed as a buddy
by Dr. Pain; hasn't denied it in public (to the best of my memory,
feel free to refresh it.) Studies in the Tower in Chardia.
Seldon the Avatar [809] -- killed 1863 in Pesbrand on turn 20. Killed
1 player and 3 units in Ilion on turn 23. Units owned: 1400. 5,000
gold bounty offered by Tony Wayland [572] for "Seldon the Avatar and
all his units."
Mohammed ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi [819] -- Attacked newbie player in
Ilion on turn 21, but was unable to beat one man. Attacked 2 units in
Camaris on turn 23. Wanted by John Smith. Units owned: 819 1464 1977.
John Smith [823] -- killed unit that killed player 830 and others in
Chardia (i.e., apparently 830 was pro-Pain and the attacker was
anti-Pain, then John Smith killed the attacker.); killed 4 other units
in Camaris since, which he says were independent. Says he is the
protector of Camaris. Units owned: 1317 1494 1935 1972?.
Maidez de la Montt [868] -- Attempted to kill 6 players turns 21-23,
but all failed. Attacked 3 players in Pesbrand on turn 25 for booty.
Units owned: 1991 1995 1998 2007 2012.
Spiney Norman [878] -- Apparently the owner of Fengal's Hoodlums
[2037], which killed a newbie on turn 23 in Kircarth. Fengal's
Hoodlums was captured turn 24, and the combat reports lists 878 as the
faction of Fengal's Hoodlums. Spiney claims that he was framed, and
the owner gave him the unit at the start of turn 24. Truth or fiction?
You be the judge.
Stryder [898] -- Attacked a player on turn 25, who successfully fled.
Phillipe [905] -- Attacked the same player. These guys claim that they
thought this player was independent and were out to guard his gold for
him. Uhuh. The victim wasn't independent, he just doesn't answer his
email as promptly as some.
A mass of newbies, including 879, 877, 881, 882, 876, and 883,
attacked player 880 in Kircarth. They say that this player was
inactive, so they captured him and took his gold.
Sightings last turn:
====================
Dr. Pain [814] was in Caburh with 77 men and leadership 3. Despair was
in Ociera with 71 men.
If you believe any information on this list is incorrect, please write
me. If you would like to contribute information, especially combat
reports and/or sighting reports, please write. Information is like a
breath of fresh air: it makes everyone's day happier.
-- Oleg the Loudmouth
Here's your big chance to contribute to Oleg the Loudmouth's Map and
Lore Archive! We are now seeking new information... if you have a
new-style entry for something with only an old-style entry in my map,
feel free to send it in. If you have the lore sheet for any of the
artifacts 70-73, feel free to send them in. These only take 7 days and
no skill to acquire.
The map has been updated a bit, with sea information from Drassa down
to Merinth plus more new-style entries added.
-- Oleg the Loudmouth [810]
Roving Reporter's Column
========================
Rally to the Cause !!
=====================
So far, Dr Pain has remained in his protectorate of Chardia and Habyn
terrorising the natives and either killing them, enslaving them to his
will or driving them away.
Sooner or later, he is bound to realise that there is a much wider world
out there, and leap across the Summerbridge link to the outside world,
there to spread his depravities even wider afield.
Will this status be allowed to continue ? Can we allow it to continue ?
Will no-one take up arms against this murdering dog and remove him from our
presence before his bad example rubs off on others in the world ?
Will those who led the attack in Drassa to slay the murderer Zyzak not take
up arms against him and slay him ?
I ask all inhabitants willing to join in such an attack to mail to
Rocko [585], Kaspar [581], Prenola [516], Evor [511], Gabriel Synthon [521],
and Merlinium [537] and pledge your support, and beg them to once more take
up the mantle of leadership in these hard times !
Join up now ! Beg them for aid in these troubled times !
Who knows, even I might join the rush !
Fellow OLympians!
I stand unfairly accused of a heinious
crime.Apparently I'm wanted in Ragnar for
molesting farm animals..if they want me that
badly their going to have to pay me more!
(I guess it beats playing the piano for
entertainment value).
I just want to make two points:
i) I have a degree in animal husbandry -
I know what I'm doing,and I assure you that
the poor creatures do not suffer (much).
ii) If I'd have known that the Knights of
the Watch were the 'Kiss and tell' type I
would never have touched them in the first
place.
Regards..
Silk Hobarth
Internal memo:
To: The inhabitants of Olympia (unsavory
lot that you are)
RE: Media saturation.
I think it's about time that someone
brought up the subject of media saturation..
for those of you that went to Remedial school
you will realise that I'm not talking about
the particulaly rainy month we had earlier
in the year,but about people - who to earn
a few gold crowns,bombard the Times with
a dozen or so letters every week that the
rest of us have to wade through to get to
the buxon Amazon page.
For example,I noticed that last week
five (or was it six) articles ranging from
complete drivel (perhaps it was seven) to
utter c**P were set in by the same individuals.
I am of course,refering to the Ragnar Boyz,
whose cutting wit and complete avarice left
us all in such awe..(actualy it was probably
six).Really,what some lengths people will
go to.
(article 3 of 90).
p.s. It really was a wet month in Snowmelt
this year wasn't it? It certainly brought
out a lot of Faery-folk '(we had another
name for them when I was a lad..) last
month - oh and piles,mustn't forget them..
I'm a martyr to them I am.
Hello folks,
Silk Howbarth here,
how does the idea of an agony column
grap you? Yes,just write to me Silk
at gmorley@rpms.ac.uk (yes,yes it's
a funny name for a pub - we've had that
joke already) with your problems,and
I'll cogitate a bit..and Voila,as they
say in Drassa,I'll have the answer printed
out for you in the next edition of the times.
(Free of charge,naturaly).
Hoping to hear from you soon..
Silk Howbarth (Esq.)
Internal memo:
To: The Inhabitants of Olympia
Subject: Droping's
Hello all,
I was browsing through the Olympian
bible the other day (as you do) and I noticed
that their was no Command for dropping unwanted
items! I mean,what happens when your in a
Run-like-buggery situation and you find that
your unable to move because your loaded down
with all your worldly goods (ie:evicted again).
You either have to SELL them or Give them to
somebody..this is naturaly a great disadvantage
to one whom is both an arrant coward and avaricious.
(Cowards run in my family..a cousin of mine
was at the battle of Chardia when the first
arrow was fired - he was back home under his
bed by the time the second one was,,,well that's
not exactly true,he was in fact hacked messily
into tiny pieces by the Red Guard,and Dr.Pain
ended up making balloon animals out of his
small intestine..but you get my point).
If anyone out there would care to comment
ie: those of you who can read,you can contact
me at gmorley@rpms.ac.uk (I know it's a
strange name for an Inn I grant you,I can
only pronounce it when I'm pis@@ed.
Give my regards to Uncle Jeremy..
Silk Hobarth Esq.
Internal memo:
To: The Inhabitants of Olympia
RE:Oleg Loudmouth.
I just wanted to express my opinion
of this fellow in public (the thought
of the 25gp. that I'm getting aside).
This man is a Paragon! Which is to
say he is not an armoured type of
ant-eater - but a really good guy!
Not only does he keep us up to date
each week on the current where-abouts
of all those psycho-thirteen year olds
such as Dr.Pain et al (just kidding Doc.)
but also provides a fairly comprehensive
map of the Old World FREE OF CHARGE upon
request!
On the subject of Dr.Pain,he has apparently
put a bounty on Olegs head because of this
info.Whats up Doc?Are you insane?(whoops,
touchy subject),Every great,psychotic,
mass-murdering dictator has had a bio-
grapher..Don't you realise that Oleg
is doing a great deal to keep the Pain
myth going,and you name on peoples lips?
(true,your slaughtering all those newbie
immigrants as soon as they get off the boats
helps..).You should PAY people not to kill
him - or better still anounce that you'll
put a bounty (or some other chocolate snack)
on the head of anyone who so much as smiles
at him in a funny way!
Your Roving (well,running/fleeing) reporter
Silk Hobarth Esq. signing off.
ADVERTISEMENT:
This is to announce the formation of
the SILK HOBARTH PUBLICITY COMPANY.
Do you have social problems?Are you
rich but ignored?Do you want to improve
your public image (This ones for you Doc!)
Send me details of your character
(eg:his name) and his accomplishments,
and I'll make up enougth Hype to
catapult you from a complete unkown (this
ones for you Ragnar Boyz!) into the
public EYE...
send you details to
gmorley@rpms.ac.uk
Warning:all information will be treated
as strictly confidential and WILL NOT
appear in any form,in 'Silk Hobarths
Agony Column' (which is a kind of stone
people are tied to and beaten - and which
is also starting next week in the Times..)
Internal memo:
To: Anyone over the age of twelve.
RE: Serial-drivel
It's bad enougth that people publish
trash like this in the Times to earn
a bit of cash - but why,WHY do people
continuously feel the need to serialise
their exploits every week in this paper?
Is it some mis-beggoten urge for fame?
What makes it worse is that they have
nothing new to write about!
Eg:
" Hulk strode into the bar and glared
around him - no dared stir beneath his
mighty gaze,silently he ordered another
drink (I mean,how on earth do you do
that I ask you?).He noticed a scant clad
woman at the bar and strolled * over.
"Hrugh!" he grunted in a masculine way.
Continued Next week at the same time!
* strolling's like walking except your pissed.
Utter,utter drivel.
I must confess,I quite enjoyed Spiney
Normans confession time last week - you
know - he just left it at the part where
he was going to turn himself in....
However this did not seem to have the
makings of a dreadfull serial..especialy,
like those of you who study the 'Name
changes' section of the News report will
have noticed he's now become Ethelred the
Unready (nice try Norm.).
The point I'm trying to make is only the
people who never actualy DO anything except
hang around in bars recruiting pimps write
this stuff - I mean look at Dr.Pain..how
often does he write a serial?
This is one underated guy - he's performed
numerous civic improvement schemes (involving
whips and pyramids),helped the unemployment
situation (everyone in Chardia is now in the
army),cut down on immigration (at least in
chardia),the list is endless! (As you can see
I proscribe to a policy of S.U.B.G. (Sucking
Up to the Big Guys)).
Let's all make an effort to rid our paper
of these moronic utterances (it's worse than
sesame street - at least that makes me laugth).
Silk Hobarth Esq. (P.S.A.)*
* Personality Soluble in Alcahol.
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...BzzzzBzzzBzzzzBzzzzzz...
SLAP! Ew gross.
Oleg turned over in his bunk. Damn bugs. The boat rocked and creaked.
Waitacottonpickingminute! We're in the middle of the damn ocean, why
are there bugs in here?
Blearily, Oleg staggered to his feet, shook his head to clear then
hangover, and donned his sailor suit -- shapeless pants made of
burlap. Slowly, he climbed the short flight of stairs to the deck.
"Yo, helmsman! Are we near land?"
"Yes, Your Loudness! We're not quite sure what land, though. It seems
to be some new, unexplored territory. Or perhaps Drassa. I'm not
really sure."
"Waddayoumean, you're not sure? Even an idiot can tell the difference
between virgin lands and Drassa!"
"Well, if you hadn't been so stingy about buying me navigation
aids..."
Sigh. Good help was so hard to find these days. Oleg peered through
the mist, trying to make out the shape of the land. What would
landfall bring? A market to replinish the rapidly-diminishing ale
supply? The stronghold of Dr. Pain? The lair of the mythical Sea
Kings? Only time would tell. Yawn. Time for a nap, methinks.
* * * The Dragaeran Trading Company Reminds You Yet Again * * *
The Olympia turn checker!
It's a floor wax! It's a dessert topping!
This marvel of the mideval age reads in turn commands, checks
syntax, and prints out an english version of the commands for easy
checking. No longer will you buy 5 of 6 instead of 6 of 5. It also
does reasonability checks (ie. you can't buy Osswid, and you can't
terrorize a rug).
Binaries for Next, Vax, Sparc, Decstation and Sun3 machines running
UNIX are available from shrimp.cs.washington.edu in pub/olympia. Source code
is NOT available, so don't ask.
Comments/questions/bug reports to hauck@cs.washington.edu.
Note: For bug reports, please include the line that triggered the bug, and
the output the checker gave.
A messenger arrived to bring an urgent note to the offices of StarLight
Courier out in Cnossa. A clerk was dutifully at his desk filling out the
books.
"I have an urgent message for Tony Wayland" the messenger panted.
The clerk looked up. "And you are....?"
"A messenger for Karl Marx, the representative of the warrior's guild
here in Cnossa. It's urgent. Your master must see this at once."
The clerk tilted his head. "Concerning...."
"A dreaded enemy in out midst. The Black knight has entered Cnossa! We
must band together and defeat him at once... Our women and children! Our.."
The clerk held his hand up. "Yes, I'm quite sure that's very interesting.
But you must understand that Mr. Wayland is a busy man. Just have a seat and
I'll let you know when he'll be ready to see you."
"But.."
"Yelling out threats for death and destruction won't get you in any
faster..." he turned back to the book keeping.
The messenger looked around at the dust and cobwebs covering all the
skeletals remains lying on the nearby couches. He opened his mouth as to
say something and then closed it up again.
****
Meanwhile....
Tony Wayland sighed and folded up another paper airplane. "I don't understand
it, Dora, why aren't people using our business?" He was talking to the stuffed
teddy bear lying on his desk. "I've been open up for nearly a year now and
I've gotten absolutely no responses in ages." He threw the paper airplane and
it flew out the window and landed it in the pile of similar planes. He stared
out at the window and looked at the once battle hardened troops reduced to
digging ditches for a living.
Wait! What was that? Tony stood up in alarm and drew his trusty sword. He
looked dumbfounded as he saw a paper plane fly back in through his window.
Curious, he stooped to pick it up and read.
*****
Tony arrived with his troop of archers all in ringmail and longbows.
34 men all together. He looked around at the others. He spotted
Karl Marx across the way explaining tactics in front of a large group
sturdy men.
Tony blinked. "Is that all we have?" He espied a trollop and a well
dressed man sitting on the side. "Hey, babe, like what's your sign?"
he asked the lady before him.
"Dollar sign" was the reply. A woman after my own heart, Tony thought.
"A look's free, but, like my pimp will be expecting some serious coinage
this month."
"Pimp?"
"Yeah, Pimp. I'm Prenola's Prostitute..."
"Oh." said Tony who was suddenly disinterested.
They got together and tony surveyed the group responding to the call of arms.
34 archers. 46 what looked like miners. Himself. Karl Marx. A Whore and
Prefect. "Gee guys, do you think we can all take 7 men?"
*****
"Ouch." Tony looked around. "6 dead?" The ravages of combat had ripped through
Cnossa. But they won. Boy did they win.
"7 , sir", said an archer.
"7? Who else? I'm not including losses that weren't mine."
"Our clerk."
"Oh good, maybe then business will pick up."
*****
Weeks later...
"Well, Dora, if we fold the wings back like so, I'm sure we can achieve
a better ability to catch updraft so as to make it do acrobatics when I
throw --" Tony stopped as he heard a knock on the door. He put the
paper and Dora under his desk and looked busy.
A beaming courier walked in. Dust covered his clothes. It seemed as if
he hadn't slept in weeks. Unshaven, smelly. Boy, this is true courier,
Tony thought.
The courier beamed. "Good news, sir!"
"Really?"
"Yes, we just convinced Falchan's War Birds to switch factions and join
us, sir!"
"You did? What unit are you in, man."
"Pactra, sir."
"So they decided to join us, have they? Where are they? Are they good men?
Strong fighters?"
The courier nodded vigourously. "Gave a good fight, those lads did. Right
spunky, sir. Why they would have beaten Prenola were they even odds."
"WHAT??!!! Would have? Prenola? huh?"
"Well sir, they were sorta on the losing side of a battle."
"You mean Prenola attacked my men?"
"Well, not exactly. Prenola has captured them, not killed , really, sir.
And.. uh.. they weren't really on our side at the time..."
Tony's eyes narrowed. "Explain."
*****
"You mean to say. You went and visited this group who was captured by
Prenola. Bribed a guard to sneak in the documents, and had them sign it
in hopes they can be freed? And you're telling me you spent 2 weeks on this?"
The courier nodded.
"You're dismissed. Get some sleep and some food. For Skrenta's sake go
wash up and get a shave. You stink, soldier."
Tony Wayland sighed and took out another piece of paper. This time he
started to write a letter. "Dearest Prenola, It seems that you have captured
two of our men...." Hell, it couldn't hurt.
Starlight Courier - A laugh a minute. Burma Shave.
Dear Sir,
I been writing articles for you news paper for several months now,
and I have yet to get paid. Every time I try to contact you accounts
payable department, I either get put on hold indefinitely, or simply
transferred to your editor for the homeless (who is doing a fine job
I might as).
Would you please look into my paycheck please. My family wants to
go out a kill Oleg, but we need the money.
Thanks!
Sincerely,
Down and Out Adventurer
The day begins. Stryder speaks to the troops. "Men, today we march to
glory. Today, we go to make a new homeland for ourselves. A homeland
full of opportunity, riches and glory. Are you with me?" There is a
cheer from the men. "Then follow me!"
As Stryder, triumphantly marches off to a new far away land, the men head
back to the Lonesome Oaf Tavern, and the security of the arms of Wanda and
her wenches.
Nest Week - The Obituary.
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4730 commands for 690 units