Volume Eleven Issue Eighteen

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 ............./      /            THE LEGENDARY TIMES
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 ...../ Celebrating    / /./       /./     /./  /.../  /./       /
 ..../ our 10th year  /_/..\______/./_____/./__/.../__/./_______/ MUD
 .../________________/      running on         mud.legendmud.org 9999
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 VOLUME ELEVEN, NUMBER EIGHTEEN                    October 17, 2004
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                         TABLE OF CONTENTS
                         The Editor's Note

                       NEWS, REPORTS, UPDATES
                         Calendar of Events
                           Recent Updates
             News From the Bricks and Rubble Department

                             LEGENDITES
                             For Jasra
                    LegendMEET: California Style
                             
                             CLAN NEWS

                             PK Front
                            PK Contest

                     Hell and Purgatory and Hell

                      A Word from Our Sponsor
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/__|                      The Editor's Note                      |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'

I'd noticed on a post on the Prodigal Stranger site on their
LegendMUD forum and realized that my website and the pages on
community building and how it applies to Legend and dept goals and
projects there weren't common knowledge. That certainly wasn't my
intent and I guess I've failed to get the word out in the past since
I put the information up there. I put the information there to serve
as both "things to keep in mind" and as fodder for discussion.

Seeing as the in-game discussion board has been relatively quiet
lately, perhaps someone will have some comments on these pages on
things they agree with and would like to see worked on more, or
things they disagree with and why. I look forward to reading your
comments, wherever you decide to post them.

I also posted on the discussion board about the possibility of
changing the format of this newsletter to HTML, but haven't gotten
much feedback there on it. I also wanted to clarify a few things
about what I was looking to get out of formatting it that way... I
don't want to change the text format so much as be able to include
better support for links and making the table of contents allow you
to jump instantly to the sections you want to read. Yes, I could do
all this easily now with the archived issues on the web. However,
that means that I'd essentially be putting together two versions (one
with all the links and one without) and I was hoping to avoid extra
work. =)

Remember, the Semi-Annual Heavyweight PK Tourney is next Sunday, and
with Sandra's new PK game starting this Monday it's a perfect
opportunity to practice and scope out the competition!

Have a great week and please take a few minutes to cast your votes
for LegendMUD at TopMudSites.com and MudConnector.com.

-Kaige
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/__|                LegendMUD Calendar of Events                 |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'
       [All times are system time unless otherwise specified]

                 OCTOBER                     NOVEMBER
          Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa         Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                          1  2             1  2  3  4  5  6        
           3  4  5  6  7  8  9          7  8  9 10 11 12 13        
          10 11 12 13 14 15 16         14 15 16 17 18 19 20        
          17 18 19 20 21 22 23         21 22 23 24 25 26 27        
          24 25 26 27 28 29 30         28 29 30         
          31       

Tuesday,    October   19th     8:00 pm    Classic Games Series: 
                                              Recalltag!
Wednesday,  October   20th,   2pm-10pm    PK BattleZone (HELP BATTLEZONE
                                                         for more info)
Thursday,   October   21st,    7:30 pm    Q&A in the OOC Auditorium
Sunday,     October   24th,    3:00 pm    Semi-Annual Heavyweight 
                                              PK Tourney
Tuesday,    October   26th     8:00 pm    Classic Games Series: 
                                              Scavenger Hunt!
Wednesday,  October   27th,   2pm-10pm    PK BattleZone 
Thursday,   October   28th,    7:30 pm    Q&A in the OOC Auditorium
Sunday,     October   31st                Happy Halloween!


Subscribe via iCal or view the calendar with any browser. 
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 /__|                       Recent Updates                        |__\
    '-------------------------------------------------------------'

    /\                      CODE UPDATES
   /  \     
  /    \    GENERAL CHANGES
 /_    _\     o Flavor is now clear that it's replacing  a spell.
   |  |       o Portions of raw food will remain raw.
   |  |       o @$ is now 'newline' in a prompt string.
   |  |     
   |__|     BUG FIXES
    /\        o Inject self no longer gives a double message.
   /  \       o You are no longer able to read while blind.
  /    \      o Plague only causes you to be "suddenly" woozy and ill
 /_    _\       if you're not already affected by it.
   |  |       o Houses that are not expandable don't list other rooms
   |  |     
   |  |     TYPO FIXES
   |__|       o Correct punctuation added for when you lose your
    /\          disguise due to a drop in stats.
   /  \       o Resist blind items, when blocking the blind, no
  /    \        longer refer to the blinder in the third person
 /_    _\     o Prop social fix.
   |  |     
   |  |                   HELPFILE UPDATES
   |  |     
   |__|     The following helpfiles were updated this week:
    /\          CLANTIMER
   /  \     
  /    \                    AREA UPDATES
 /_    _\   
   |  |     If you want to suggest specific improvements or new
   |  |     additions to existing areas please don't hesitate to
   |  |     submit them with the idea/bug/typo commands or drop
   |__|     mudmail to the builder currently responsible for the area
    /\      (check AREAINFO to find out!).
   /  \     
  /    \    Thanks to everyone that submitted bug/typo/idea reports!
 /_    _\   
   |  |     ANASAZI
   |  |        Attempt made to reduce item buildup.
   |  |     
   |__|     ARABIAN NIGHTS, CELTIC IRELAND, PICTISH COUNTRY, and 
    /\      ROMAN BRITAIN
   /  \        Some mobs will be a little more responsive.
  /    \    
 /_    _\   SHERWOOD
   |  |        Richard and Thomas do not like being bothered much.
   |  |        Various bug/typo fixes.
   |  |     
   |__|     1930'S PITTSBURGH, BENGAL, BEOWULF, BOSTON, CELTIC
    /\      IRELAND, LARDERELLO (DANTE'S INFERNO), OOC, PORT OF
   /  \     LONDON, ROMANIA, SALEM
  /    \       Various bug/typo fixes.
 /_    _\   
   |  |                    In Progress Area Updates
   |  |     
   |  |     This section is intended to share what builders are 
   |__|     working on behind the scenes. It is not a perfect record
    /\      of progress as all builders do not commit updates every 
   /  \     week. Badgering builders about progress gets you flogged. 
  /    \    
 /_    _\           Kaige         1950's Americana
   |  |             Kaige         El Dorado
   |  |             Kaige         Port of London Expansion
   |  |             Nestor        Ancient Carthage
   |__|             Nestor        Antebellum Louisiana
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/__|         News From the Bricks and Rubble Department          |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'
         ____         
      .-" +' "-.      This last month has been a busy one for the
     /.'.'A_'*`.\     building department.
    |:.*'/\-\. ':|    
    |:.'.||"|.'*:|    While there were a few glitches and there are
     \:~^~^~^~^:/     still a few tweaks that need to be applied, the
      /`-....-'\      Inferno install went otherwise smoothly. A
      /          \    number of small changes have been made to the
     `-.,____,.-'     area already thanks to the feedback from those
                      who have explored it some. If you wander very
far into the Inferno, be sure to stay on your toes - it can be a
tough area and going AFK can be deadly, so be careful!

There has also been lots of progress on various new areas - Kaige has
been plugging away at the London expansion, El Dorado, and the
Fifties, and while it's just a little bit here and there, small
progress adds up. Firefly has made some good strides towards a more
complete Japan in between fiddling with Egypt. Carthage is
progressing further through review, leaving Nestor with a little
downtime, which he used to start some preliminary work on an
Antebellum Louisiana area. The install date for Carthage is as yet
undetermined, but we hope to have one for you soon. With all the
schedules involved to consider, it may not go in until December, but
be on the lookout for it!

Of course, the usual area maintenance has been getting done... The
endless supply of typos and bugs keeps all the builders busy
throughout the month. Be sure to keep submitting those typo and bug
reports on the channels, as well as those ideas. While it may take a
bit of time for them to get addressed or considered, we still value
and need your feedback and also gets you entries in the bug lotto.

A number of people have been showing interest in proposals for the
building department... If you are among those wishing to join the
ranks of the immortals and the builders, now is a great time to start
thinking of potential area ideas and getting them submitted for
review before the March 1st application deadline.
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/__|  LEGENDITES: Information Regarding the People of Our World  |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'

              Bling has reached 100 million experience!
          
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                           For Jasra

                         Roses are red,
                         Clouds are white.
                         The sun is yellow,
                         Fly a kite.
                         
                         Bunnies are brown,
                         We have a fish.
                         I one time wanted,
                         To make him a dish.
                         
Anyway Jasra, love,
I'm writing this to say:

Sorry for not money running enough for our house, and hopefully we
can get more mula from strings or something, and I love you, our
house, our pets, and even our waterfall, and I'm so glad I married
you, and you're the greatest, and your dinners are awesome, specially
when we eat them,

And Happy Sweetest Day.

-Duckon, your Legendary husband ..duHhh!

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                  LegendMEET: California Style

Thank you for your interest in the LegendMud Meet, California style.

          The meet will be held November 5th thru the 7th.

The Meet will be at Primal and Trance's House in Atwater, California.

       We welcome all who play LegendMud to come and visit.
For the Benefit of all concerned, People who Don't play the MUD should
refrain from coming as they will Probably be bored.

BYOC ... Bring you own Computers. We will provide the internet
     access. DONT FORGET YOU NETWORK CABLES!!! If you can bring a
     router that would Kick butt as well. We will have 2 routers
     here. But I have 3 on my 4 port already and am saving the 4th
     port to Daisy Chain. Vahn is also providing a router So we will
     still need people to bring 1 or 2.

BYOF ... Bring (or Buy) Your Own Food... Trance is more than Happy to
     Cook for all. But we aren't Rich and Have to feed 5 people on a
     Daily Basis as it is.

BYOB ... Bring Your Own Bedding... If you are planning to stay the
     night, Please bring a sleeping bag or BedRoll. We only have one
     extra bed (Which is Reserved for Someone already, But we do have
     a Couch and Love Seat. Plus plenty of floor space (we have
     Padding).

If you are allergic to Dogs or Cats Bring your allegy Meds, as we have
5 dogs and 3 cats. And keep in Mind ... Our animals are Our Children
as well. And We are Very Protective of all our Children, 2 legged and
4 legged alike.

More details and philsophies behind this meet can be found on the
welcome board in-game. Or contact [email protected].

Primal and Trance
  ___                                                          ___ 
  \  |--------------------------------------------------------|  /
  /__|                     Clan News                          |__\
     '--------------------------------------------------------'

There are currently 19 RP clans and 3 PK clans. This leaves open
slots for ten (10) more clans to form. For more information, read
HELP CLAN and see the clan information list via the CLANS command
while logged into the game. For a basic handbook and reference guide
for players interested in starting and running a clan, we recommend
that before you even type FORM, you visit:
             http://www.legendmud.org/Reference/gm.html.
  ___                                                          ___ 
  \  |--------------------------------------------------------|  /
  /__|                     PK Front                           |__\
     '--------------------------------------------------------'

                          Pk Contest!

An idea was given to me that I'm going to give a trial run -- a
contest of sorts for the pkillers out there. Each week, I will tally
the wins of all pk characters. This includes PKOK as well as PKE. The
one with the most kills will win a prize.

Rules(You knew there'd be some!):

-Multikills don't count. Don't be a wuss.
-The winners are subject to MY approval. If I get a lot of complaints
 about you, it sucks to be you!
-Don't complain just to complain. You're supposed to be a killer,
 suck it up and fight back, or retire and go sit in a corner.

I'll tally the kills every Monday for the previous week. That means
the week begins on Monday and ends on Sunday.  I'll also be sending
notes to those involved in fights to make sure that they were fair
fights. No response to the note means that the fight was fair. That
means the week begins on Monday and ends on Sunday.

I'll also post results each week here on the warboard for you all to
read over, complain about, discuss who was the wuss in a fight, and
so on.

We'll be beginning this Monday, October 18th. So get your pkillers
dusted off and get ready for some death!

-Sandra
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If you witness or commit any glorious or nefarious deeds, send a
short report to us at the LT. If you are looking for a fight,
recruiting, or anything else related to PKill (not necessarily PK
Clan related), send it in! It's free AND you'll get a prize token! Be
a celebrity, the envy of all your friends! Tick off your enemies or
just tell your side of the story! Get YOUR name up in lights! We
can't report it if you don't tell us!
              _______________________
             /                       \
        o O | Wonder what folks are   |
  `\|||/    | doing over at LegendMUD?|
   (o o)     \_______________________/
ooO_(_)_Ooo__________________________________________________________
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                   Hell and Purgatory and Hell

No more tranquil vista had ever before spread itself before the
guests who were now beginning to assemble. In years past any of them
had, of course, trudged up the steep snowy passes gorged with snow
and wintry bluster to the impossible meadow above, on an errand or to
escape the bustle for a bit. None had ever seen it like this. A grand
latticework of delicate white oak formed an archway that gave way to
a beautiful altar, presently vacant. Rows of white ribboned chairs
invited all to rest after the tiring journey up the pass, and a long
clothed table offered a veritable feast of confections and
delectables. Truly then, this was the perfect setting for the perfect
wedding.

The clock struck seven and a hush fell over the assembled guests as
the couple of the evening arrived: first the mountainous Purgatory,
the redeemer of sins in the Afterlife, and then Hell, the Afterlife's
brat, looking wickedly radiant in a revealing crimson dress. Techno
squealed with anticipation, but the guests had just enough time to
smile at the happy couple and begin to take their seats in this lush
meadow before it was all gone.

POOF! POOF! POOF! POOF! POOF! POOF! The idyllic grassland disappeared
as one by one the guests were cast into darkness. Just as their eyes
began to adjust to the pitch black surroundings in which they
suddenly found themselves, a lick of flame jumped out at them and
cast pale red light upon the chamber, and what the guests saw around
them was nothing short of a nightmare.

The serene meadow had given way to a large chamber hewn out of rock,
with a giant pit hollowed out in the center, and here and there a
pool of molten lava bubbling with menace. A huge dark archway made of
brambles and a hideous altar composed of mangled flesh and bone made
a twisted mockery of the scene at the meadow. The delicate white
chairs had been replaced with harsh wooden ones, with arm and leg
shackles hanging open awaiting their "guests". A table lay open with
a variety of grotesque cocktails and mangled carcasses, fresh from
the hunt.

The guests had barely enough time to adjust to their new surroundings
before Sandra strode forth and called up the couple of the evening. A
huge mountain burst forth out of the earth, rock churning and giving
way to a huge shape that proved to be Purgatory himself, As his
considerable shape stood straight, a lightning bolt from nowhere
forked through the air and where it struck the ground next to him,
there stood Hell, the magnificent redhead, as beautiful and
maleficient as ever any living human will see. Each of them clutched
a voodoo doll made roughly to look like themselves.

They stood at the ghastly altar before Sandra, or rather two Sandras.
One of them called everyone to attention and began to speak,
'Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together today. Marriage, that
blessed arrangement, that dream within a dream. And love, true love,
will follow you forever...'

The other Sandra rolled her eyes and cut in, 'I'm gonna puke,' as she
drew her pink plastic bow and deposited an arrow directly between the
other Sandra's shoulder blades, felling her where she stood. Most of
the guests gaped, though a few scattered cheers were heard.

'Ahem. So anyway, enough of that babbling goody goody crap,' declared
the remaining Sandra. 'We've trapped you all here in the pit of Hades
as sacrifices...er...that's not right.' Sandra considered a moment
and then flipped through her book while guests busied themselves with
looking mildly uncomfortable.

'Oh. I guess it is right! Ok then. As I was saying...as sacrifices
for the joining of Hell and Purgatory. And because we just plain like
death.' The radiant brat of the Afterlife pricked her ears eagerly at
these words and half her face attained a faint shimmer before
resuming its flawless shape.

'The joining of these two entities is not only way neat, but gives
Hell all those souls that belong to Purgatory,' noted Sandra.
'Because, as we all know, the women get everything.' She and Hell
exchanged winks, while the towering groom muttered disgruntledly as
Val whispered in his ear something about prenuptial agreements.

The diabolical ceremony continued, and Purgatory and Hell exchanged
vows of eternal love for one another since, well, they're never going
to die. After each of them finished their vows, they gave the other a
ring to seal their union: a thick band set with a shiny blue glass
eye for him, and for her a little gold band set with a gem that held
within it a sample of the eternal fire of which the universe is made.

Next, each of them handed their voodoo doll to Sandra. The Purgatory
doll she cast into the pit, where it burst into flame to symbolize
the huge man giving himself to the flames of Hell. The Hell doll,
Sandra took up in her hands and purged away, as a symbol of...well, I
think you get it.

Their symbolic trades completed, all that was left to do was for
Sandra to announce, 'And now, by the Power vested in me by uh...me! I
pronounce you joined here and in the Afterlife! You may smooch your
honey.'

The crowd cheered as the two eternal shepherds of souls touched lips
for the first time as husband and wife, and Sandra gave them just
enough time to really plant one on each other before she cried out,
'Now let's have some death!' And soon nearly all the guests were
slain as a gift to the happy pair.

Hours later, after the infernal celebrating came to a close and
guests began to collect their corpses and file out, Purgatory turned
to Hell and smiled down at her warmly. 'Well, it is time to leave.
Are we keeping to our plan?'

The stunning bride beamed at her new husband and said, 'Of course.
Hell will be open to tourists again soon, and we want some peace and
quiet for our honeymoon before the floodgates open.'

And with that, the newlyweds were soon seen drifting across the
Acheron, hand in hand, while Charon serenaded them with a hideous
song of the underworld and the earth itself shook in deference to
this mighty and lasting union.

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            A Word from Our Sponsor: Tia's Souq al Siyagh
  
Since all the nobles have moved off to the new capital and I'm no
longer making fine golden burial goods, I've been carving some stone
amulets, stringing faience, and making the occasional dowry bracelet.
It is so refreshing to see my customers wearing their purchases
instead of just locking them away with only the dead to admire them.
 
The faience bracelets are very fashionable! Unfortunately, when worn
by the living, the clay beads are not meant to take the brunt of a
blow if you insist on fighting. However, I offer up my skills as an
experienced adornment maker to repair such damage. If the influx of
orders gets too high, I will demand favors to keep my supply of
materials up.
 
Feel free to come by and browse my inventory of adornments! If the
availability of supplies keep going up, I think I shall work towards
expanding the range of creations I have to offer beyond the usual
selection of amulets, scarab beetles, pendants, dowry bracelets and
faience bracelets.

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  The Legendary Times is published by the immortals of LegendMUD.
Please send replies, additions, or corrections to [email protected]
for inclusion in the next issue. All subscription options are handled
at: www.legendmud.org/lists/listinfo/legendarytimes and submissions
at: www.legendmud.org/Community/ltsubmission.php. For RP submissions,
copyright ownership remains with the author. We do reserve the right
to moderate the forum and edit or reject any submission.
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