Volume Eight Issue Eleven

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VOLUME EIGHT, ISSUE ELEVEN                                    June 14, 2001
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                           TABLE OF CONTENTS
                           Calendar of Events
                           
                       NEWS, REPORTS, & UPDATES
                         May Connection Analysis
                             RPing by Area
                          
                             LEGENDITES
                            Announcements
                              Clan News
                       From Light Into Darkness
                    The Difficulties of Leadership
            More pages from the diary of Edric of the Wulf
        I HATE IT HERE - a weekly column by Spider Jerusalem.
                           Changing of beliefs

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___                                                                        ___
\  |----------------------------------------------------------------------|  /
/__|  LegendMUD Calendar of Events                                        |__\
   '----------------------------------------------------------------------'

           [All times are system time unless otherwise specified]

                    -|- -|- -|- -|- June -|- -|- -|- -|-

  Friday,   June 15      8:00 pm         Chaykin's Complete the Sentence
  Saturday, June 16          Druid & Herbalist Appreciation Day
  Thursday, June 21      7:00 pm         Q & A in the OOC Auditorium

___                                                                        ___
\  |----------------------------------------------------------------------|  /
/__|  News, Reports, and Updates!                                         |__\
   '----------------------------------------------------------------------'

                    LegendMUD Connection Analysis
                              May 2001

                       Peak Mortal Players 63
                         Average Peak was 48
                    Peak PKOK Enabled Players 36
             Pkokenabled Characters represent approximately
                       52% of active players.

                   Peak Accept All Characters 14
             Accept All Characters represent approximately
   11% of all active characters and 21% of active pkok enabled characters.

The first two tables below show the Average Mortal Players,  Average
PKOK Enabled Players, and the number that were "Accept All" connected
to Legend by hour of the day as polled approximately on the hour
system time during the period noted above.

The third table shows the same averages calculated by the day of week.

              hour  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11
              ------------------------------------------
              avg  30 27 22 18 15 14 14 15 20 22 23 25
              pke  17 15 12  9  8  7  7  7  9 10 12 13
              aas   4  3  2  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  2  2


              hour 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
              ------------------------------------------
              avg  27 29 33 37 37 36 36 36 40 40 38 33
              pke  14 15 16 19 18 19 19 19 22 21 20 18
              aas   3  3  3  4  3  4  4  4  5  5  5  4


              day   MON  TUE  WED  THU  FRI  SAT  SUN
              ------------------------------------------
              avg    28   28   28   28   27   29   29
              pke    15   15   15   15   13   14   14
              aas     3    3    3    3    2    2    3


      MON       TUE       WED       THU       FRI       SAT       SUN
   AVG PK AA|AVG PK AA|AVG PK AA|AVG PK AA|AVG PK AA|AVG PK AA|AVG PK AA
------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
 0: 36 24  6| 27 15  2| 31 19  5| 32 18  4| 30 16  4| 26 13  2| 26 12  2
 1: 33 20  6| 25 15  2| 27 16  3| 29 15  3| 26 15  4| 25 14  2| 29 15  4
 2: 25 14  3| 18 10  1| 22 12  2| 21 11  2| 24 13  3| 21 11  1| 29 14  2
 3: 17  9  1| 16  8  1| 16  9  2| 16  8  1| 19  9  1| 19 10  1| 24 13  3
 4: 15  7  1| 12  5  0| 15  8  1| 13  7  1| 14  6  0| 17  8  1| 21 11  2
 5: 12  6  0| 14  7  1| 14  8  1| 11  5  0| 12  6  0| 16  8  0| 19  9  2
 6: 12  7  1| 12  6  0| 14  7  2| 12  5  0| 14  7  0| 17  7  0| 18  8  1
 7: 13  7  1| 13  6  0| 15  9  3| 15  8  1| 15  7  1| 17  7  1| 18  7  1
 8: 20  9  1| 19  7  1| 22 11  3| 21  9  2| 22  8  1| 19 10  1| 20  9  1
 9: 21 11  2| 20  8  1| 22 11  1| 23 12  3| 22 10  1| 23 11  1| 22 10  1
10: 22 11  2| 23 12  2| 24 13  3| 21 11  2| 23 11  1| 25 11  1| 26 11  2
11: 23 12  2| 29 14  2| 24 14  4| 22 12  3| 26 12  2| 28 14  2| 27 12  1
12: 24 13  3| 26 14  3| 25 14  3| 24 13  3| 28 16  3| 34 18  5| 28 12  1
13: 24 13  2| 29 15  4| 29 17  4| 27 14  3| 29 13  3| 33 17  4| 32 15  2
14: 33 17  3| 32 18  4| 31 17  4| 30 15  4| 32 14  2| 36 18  3| 35 15  3
15: 36 17  3| 38 21  4| 35 18  5| 38 19  5| 34 18  2| 41 21  3| 34 15  2
16: 37 19  4| 40 20  3| 35 17  4| 39 20  5| 36 17  2| 39 19  2| 34 15  3
17: 38 21  5| 38 20  4| 36 18  4| 36 19  4| 35 17  3| 38 19  2| 33 15  5
18: 37 22  6| 36 19  4| 38 21  3| 36 21  4| 34 15  3| 37 19  2| 33 15  3
19: 39 22  6| 37 22  6| 32 18  3| 37 20  4| 36 16  3| 35 17  1| 35 19  4
20: 42 24  6| 42 23  7| 42 23  5| 39 21  5| 36 16  2| 36 18  1| 38 23  5
21: 42 24  6| 43 25  8| 42 23  5| 40 22  4| 36 17  3| 37 17  2| 43 22  6
22: 37 20  5| 42 24  6| 39 23  5| 40 22  3| 37 17  4| 34 12  2| 40 22  6
23: 32 15  4| 36 21  5| 34 20  4| 28 15  3| 35 19  4| 32 14  3| 35 20  5

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!===================================================================!
Come one come all, to play Chaykin's Complete the Sentence on Friday 
June 15 at 8 PM system time!  Some of you may remember this game from
way back when, and it's back!  It's fun, there are prizes, it's a 
great chance to hone your creativity, there are prizes, you can win 
even if you've got a slow link, and did I mention that there are 
prizes?  Well...there are!  So come join us for some laughs, be a 
goofball, and win!
!===================================================================!

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                             RPing by Area
                                         by
                        Frederick Thurogood

    Are you tired of being from one of the six hometowns but don't have
enough knowledge of foreign cultures to play a 12th century citizen of
Poland, or anything of that sort?  Unable or unwilling to play a character
from a homeland he will never be able to visit on the mud?  In that case,
perhaps you should consider RPing by area.
    There are two ways to do this.  The easy way is to get your newly
created character there, covertly if possible, and then to spend enough time
there that you know the area and its citizens like the back of your hand.
This will also allow you to imbue some form of roleplay from the area.  This
can be especially interesting if you choose an area that is rarely visited,
like the Aztecs, Melbourne, San Francisco, or Ancient India, so that you are
part of a very few players who claim that area as their fatherland, but
nonetheless have enough backup from the area itself to keep you from being
all alone.
    If you cannot really enter the area as a newbie, however, you will need
to come to the game as a newbie with a pre-existing knowledge.  However,
luckily, even if you cannot fight in an area, most areas aren't too hard to
explore as a newbie.  Perhaps the Crusades, Shadowlands, or the Pirate Den
might be a bit difficult, but then, Tara and the Caribbean are similar to
the last two, and the Crusades shouldn't be too bad, if you're careful.
    Don't be afraid to use mobs from this area to round out your roleplay.
If you declare yourself to be the dhurtah's brother, for instance, people
would be able to glean that you just might be a vengeful, but greedy person.
Or instead, you could have had a brush with him when you were a child, and
your parents had to sell their farm to save your life, and you had to live
on the streets with them.  In any case, once you get to the area, keep your
eyes open.  Pick up any bits of language or ways of talking from the locals.
Try to work out a description that wouldn't look out of place, and use it.
And remember: the area is meant to help you RP!  Use it as a guideline, not
as a strict rule, and don't be afraid to deviate a bit if it would help you
RP better.  Have fun with it!

Next week: Practical advice on areas not in Legend.  Ever wanted to play a
Welsh shepherd?  A Chinese Nobleman?  With this article, replete with links
and book recommendations, you may be more able than you thought!

           ________________________
          /                        \
      o O | Wonder what folks are   |
 `\|||/   | doing over at LegendMUD?|
 (o o)    \________________________/
ooO_(_)_Ooo________________________________________________________________
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  /__|  LEGENDITES: Information Regarding the People of Our World     |__\
   '------------------------------------------------------------------'


                              Announcements

Rosette has reached 100 million experience!

                               Clan News
                             -=-=-=-=-=-=-

Murder, Inc. is now a PK clan.

                              Intet Emne

"But the Knights of Christ may safely fight the battles of their Lord,
fearing neither sin if they smite the enemy, nor danger at their own death;
since to inflict death or to die for Christ is no sin, but rather, an
abundant claim to glory. In the first case one gains for Christ, and in the
second one gains Christ himself. The Lord freely accepts the death of the foe
who has offended him, and yet more freely gives himself for the consolation
of his fallen knight."

-- St Bernard of Clairvaux,
to the first Master of the Temple, Hugh de Payens.

Art thou a God-fearing Catholic, with the urge of heart to do battle against
the infidel, to protect those who doth require thy shield, and to educate
those who are ignorant but willing to learn? Perchance the Knights Templar
comprise the haven for which thy soul has been searching. Thou art strongly
encouraged to seek us out to learn of us, to travel with us, and to share our
lives in Christ.

Tancred de Gisborne,
Master of the Temple

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                    FROM LIGHT TO DARKNESS

  One rainy day on his way to Ireland Teeryal came across a dead man.  He had
not been dead for long though, the body was not even wet from the rain.
While getting close to examine the corpse to see who it was, Teeryal gagged
at1 the smell of rotting flesh, and he decided not the check the corpse.
Despite the smell Teeryal decided to give the dead man a proper burial.  "To
many men and women being slain in the streets these days." Teeryal said
aloud, "One at least will receive a proper burial."

   After digging a hole in a nearby grove of trees Teeryal went over to the
dead man and prepared to drag him to the hole.  As he was about to take hold
of the corpse a quiet, almost inaudible whisper came from the man,

"Teeryal...is that..you?"

   For the first time Teeryal got a good look at the face attached to the
rotting pile of flesh, "Mhoram!? Is that you!? What in the world happened to
you!?"

   "I was...attacked." he whispered so softly that had Teeryal not been right
there next to Mhoram hew wouldn't have heard it.

   "By Who?" Teeryal ask as calmly as possible.  "He called himself....The
Shadow Walker." With those final words Mhoram's head fell limp to the side
and he let out his final breath.

   After that sad day Teeryal vowed that he would find this "Shadow Walker"
and avenge Mhoram's death.  And so he started out on his journey to find the
Shadow Walker.

   Years later Teeryal had nearly given up his search when he came accros a
dark forest.  He didn't know exactly where he was in the world.  He had given
up trying to find places on maps, they never helped.  Teeryal wasn't going to
enter the forest but as he looked into it something drew him in.  As he
entered the forest a dark cloud of mist shot out of the nearest shadow and
surrounded him.  

    In moments, the dark mist had somehow entered his mind and had taken
control of him.  Whatever it was that was inside of Teeryal's head made him
start to walk towards the center of the forest.  As the mist in his head led
him towards the center of the forest, Teeryal noticed it began to get darker
and darker -- almost like nightfall was near, but not quite.

    At the darkest part of the forest Teeryal came to a clearing.  The
clearing had nothing in it except for a few small dead trees and a strange
black fire in the middle. No grass grew here. While taking in his
surroundings, Teeryal noticed that the black fire began to grow bigger and
wider until it was the hight and width of an average man. The fire then
took the shape of a man and turned solid. The man stepped away from where
the dark fire had burned and walked to where Teeryal was now being forced to
stand.

    The man then spoke in a voice that sounded like a thousand men and woman
all speaking at once, "So my apprentice has finally arrived."

    Teeryal was suddenly aware that the dark mist that had taken him over was
gone. "Who are you, and why did you bring me here?"

   "I go by many names. The most common these days being The Shadow Walker.
I brought you here to teach you my ways and replace me when i can no longer
fulfill my duties."

   "You!  You are the one who killed Mhoram!" Teeryal shouted, "I'll do
nothing for you! Do you hear me!  Nothing!"

   "Oh but you will.  You can't refuse.  You won't refuse, once I have
reformed you," came the dark voice.

   "Reformed?  What are you talking about!?  I already told you I will do
nothing for YOU!" Teeryal shouted in panic.

  All the dark man did was let out an evil laugh and disappeared in an
explosion of black fire.  After the dark man disappeared Teeryal turned and
started to flee towards the edge of the clearing only to be knocked down by
an invisible wall. He fled in the opposite direction and was knocked down by
another wall. Realizing he was trapped Teeryal yelled, "Let me outta here!"

   "You will see things my way in a few minutes my apprentice," came the
voice.

   Teeryal tried to flee again only to realize that he could no longer move
his feet or legs.  He looked down and saw black fire burning its way slowly
from his feet to his legs.  "What are you doing to me!?" Teeryal shouted as
the dark fire made its way from his stomach to his chest.

   "I am reforming you to into an almost pure evil state.  So that when the
time comes you can take over where I fail," came the strange voice.

   By the time the fire had made its way past his chin Teeryal had passed
out.

   When he woke up Teeryal was lying in a feather bed in a small cottage.  He
sat up and looked around.  There wasn't much in the small cabin, just the
basic stuff any person needed.  "So you are finally awake." He heard a
woman's voice from the table across the room.

  Teeryal had not even noticed the woman sitting at the table, he was too
busy looking around.  "How did I get here?"  To his surprise his voice had
changed somehow.  It didn't sound human, it sounded almost demonic.

  "I found you on my doorstep five days ago, passed out like a drunken fool.
By the way my name is Sissy.  What is yours?" She said.

  "My name is..." He paused not knowing why, then continued, "My name is
Teeryal, The Prince of Darkness."

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                    The Difficulties of Leadership

Any leader will on occasion experience that those who follow him are in
disagreement with his decisions. Some leaders will refuse to listen; some
leaders will even have the stamina to persevere in spite of the
disgruntled of their followers. Yet, maintaining order and obedience
among angry, frustrated subjects is a tedious task at best and a suicidal
one at worst.

It must have been thoughts of that nature that passed through Marcel
Alexander's mind as he studied the faces of his presumed followers
surrounding him that starlit night at the castle ruin. Still recovering
from his humiliating defeat and consequent revenge over the hellspawn Soze,
his confidence must have been wavering at best.

Surprisingly, Soze was not among his challengers this night. A sound
political move, no doubt; at this time, the Seven Circles' leader would
not have taken kindly to any opposition from that individual. Injured pride
will do that to a man -- and to an angel too.

The dark Arabian knight, Ahriman, was the one to put words to their
concern: The actions of the self-proclaimed hero and demon slayer Edric
Wulf. Moreover, what those actions did to the reputation of the infernal
creatures, seeing as the knight claimed to act in the name of the Seven
Circles. Omni, the ill reputed necromancess, voiced her agreement.
Nonetheless it was Pansi who stood and issued the challenge of the blade
to their leader.

Hell has a way of getting its way. Marcel Alexander must have been keeping
that in mind as he was forced to yield in combat to Pansi, and renounce
his decision to keep Sir Edric as a sparring partner.

If you flip a coin you expect the chance of it landing tails up to be
fifty percent. If you flip a coin in Hell's name, whatever side is most
convenient for Hell will come up, and random chance be damned. Seems that
Edric's presence was no longer desirable to the infernal powers that be.

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                 More pages from the diary of Edric of the Wulf

My Dearest Urvana,

It has been seven long months since I last kissed thy lips and bid thou a
good sleep. I remember every detail as you would let your hair fall before
entering thy night chamber for sleep. Ahh thy beauty astounds me, thy slender
build, the sweetness of thy voice.

You are as much a boon to my heart as a plague to my sensibilities. Even your
curly-toed slippers I would not trade for all the wealth the worlds have to
offer. You are forever more the reason my soul journeys toward the light. It
is the eve and I should tend to my sleep. Ohh....Blessed me it tis a
messenger bird with a note. One moment my love.

Ahh, tis from my good friend the Drunk McDougan. He bids me to join him and
the young prince Rowane at a place called Malta. There is a dreadful warlord
near there that has been terrorizing the good folk. I must join them my love
for duty calls. I will write thee of the outcome, if victory favors us.

Yours and Forever, Glory to the clan on the shores of Belsamor
Edric of the Wulf

*From the personal diary of Edric Wulf*

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I HATE IT HERE - a weekly column by Spider Jerusalem.

Well in introduction I would like to give you all my credentials, I never
graduated from any journalism school other than the street and the occasional
domestic violence encounters of my life. I never earned the rank of
journalist in any way and only stumbled into the job because I hate people so
well. So I wrote a few political essays which gained me far too much fame
amongst people, the people of the street that live and breath vicariously
from the REAL people who dwell in the glass towers and huge mansions around
us. So what might you ask is a famous journalist and world renowned vigilante
myself doing working for the Legendary Times?

Well .. I was hungry, I was bored, and I hate it here.

So I thought I would write each week a small amount on the goings on around
me so that you can know the things that happen everyday in the
world you live in.

Well I watched young Siirous, a rather keen competitor in the player killing
world be slaughtered viciously twice by Stain, a yet more vicious and nasty
piece of work, though this might at first have seemed like an over zealous
killer simply taking his work a step further in an attempt to grant final
death, it was not, as far as all eye witnesses might tell me Stain was
TEACHING Siirous how to fight better, does this not seem at all a trifle
odd?

If people need trained so much in the art of death perhaps they could stop by
my apartment and attempt to wash my socks, I swear they haven't been touched
in at least five months since the last time i attempted their cleansing and
they tore a chunk of flesh from my hand.  Training in fighting should always
be at the hands of an aggressive article= of clothing..

Salazar Slytherin has been an interesting little man to watch, his rapid
trades in souls all week have caused quite the uproar amongst D.E.R.T
and Avengers members alike, and while it may be alarming for someone as
simple minded as Mr Slytherin to hold your soul captive, imagine how
amazingly well this man could deal with the stockmarket! He
could be the source of economic ruin if he would just start daytrading.

A magician or at least someone wearing a pointed hat and some ridiculous
robes was seen running through the night air of London recently screaming
that he couldn't deal with this and that he was sick of it all.  It makes you
wonder just what the pointed hat does to a man.

Dashiva, one of the old style bowmen, was ambushed earlier today, and was
seen as recently as an hour before I write this running about the world naked
and acting rather strangely, perhaps there is a link to those who cast spells
and those who roam about naked becoming mentally ill?

Or perhaps some people just hate it here as much as I do...
Spider.

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                           Changing of beliefs

One early morning, awaking from the songs of birds, a high shaman stumbled to
his feet. While he glanced around his surroundings in the forest, he picked
out a clear spot to sit and pray. Like every other morning he did this in the
hopes that his god, Kici Manitou, would answer his prayers. But time and time
again, just like this time, his prayers seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

As he arose from the ground, he decided to venture the rest of the day
without feeling the need to call upon his god. After a good hour's travel the
shaman ran across a very fancy-looking doctor. Intrigued as to what god this
doctor had been worshipping to make him look so elegant, he approached him
with curiosity.  And this conversation began.

"Lo there doctor, how fare you today?"

"I's well native, and hows you doin'?"

"The day is presenting itself in a manner that any good man of nature fares
well. But it looks like some of us still fare better."

"How so?"

"Well, the way you look states your god is very wealthy and caring of his
followers."

The doctor could not help but chuckle at this comment, and quickly replied,
"My god? I have no god to speak of. I believe in two things, family and cash.
Those two things provide me with anything and everything I could ever need
and want."

In awe of his straight speech about only two simple things, the shaman asks
to learn more of the doctor's ways. The doctor leads him to a busy city and
they sit and talk for hours on end. He is told of many stories concerning how
the doctor has made his living...stories of cold hearted killing as well as
warm hearted family values. All the while, the shaman has thoughts racing
through his mind. Why hasn't his god given him wealth? Why hasn't he spoken
to him or shown him any sign? Where has he been through the tough times? How
can a simple man have no god but live in such greatness he is worshiped as a
god himself?

After the long discussion with the doctor, who called himself The Knife, the
shaman went back to the forest.  Resting in his usual spot of prayer, he
began to pray.  But in the middle of his prayer he stopped himself. He stood
and peered around what was his area of worship.  Thoughts of the doctor's
stories flashed in his head as he saw his poorly done corner of forest he
resided in. Thoughts of wealth tingled in his mind as he glanced at his
battered appearance. With a loud yell, he raised his hands to the heavens and
cursed his once loved and worshiped god. He vowed to never speak his name
again and live the life of survival. 

With his new found life, he can be seen walking now as: a cold and
calculating native. When standing, he is seen as: Renowned for scalping his
victims, an infamous native awaits his orders.


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Legendary Times is published by the immortals of LegendMUD. Please send
all replies, additions, or corrections to our address at [email protected]
for inclusion in the next edition. We, however, reserve the right to
moderate this discussion, and may object to some submissions.
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