Volume Eleven Issue Twenty-Two

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 .............._______
 ............./      /            THE LEGENDARY TIMES
 ............/      /         http://www.legendmud.org/
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 ....../      /_____/__/__../  \_\  /./  /__../  /.../  /./  /_/  /
 ...../ Celebrating    / /./       /./     /./  /.../  /./       /
 ..../ our 10th year  /_/..\______/./_____/./__/.../__/./_______/ MUD
 .../________________/      running on         mud.legendmud.org 9999
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 VOLUME ELEVEN, NUMBER TWENTY-TWO                  November 14, 2004
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                         TABLE OF CONTENTS

                       NEWS, REPORTS, UPDATES
                         Calendar of Events
               Contest Reminder: SEND US YOUR PROMPTS!
                           Recent Updates
             News From the Bricks and Rubble Department
                         Recent Q&A Topics

                             LEGENDITES
              NEW GAME! LOVE! UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATIONS! 
                  Lillian Coming to Toronto & NYC
                          Trivia Standings
                             
                             CLAN NEWS
             Lords of Justice Celebrate 1st Anniversary

                             PK Front
                       Sandra's PK Contest

                    Home Is Where The Stomach Is
                    A Familiar Face Rediscovered
                       A Word from Our Sponsor
                        Sample Trivia Answers
___                                                               ___
\  |-------------------------------------------------------------|  /
/__|                LegendMUD Calendar of Events                 |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'
       [All times are system time unless otherwise specified]

                            NOVEMBER
                      Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                          1  2  3  4  5  6        
                       7  8  9 10 11 12 13        
                      14 15 16 17 18 19 20        
                      21 22 23 24 25 26 27        
                      28 29 30        
                
Sunday,     November  14th,    4:00 pm    Trivia Challenge (Game 2) 
Monday,     November  15th                Sandra's PK Game Results Avail.
Wednesday,  November  17th,   2pm-10pm    PK BattleZone (HELP BATTLEZONE 
                                                         for more info)
Thursday,   November  18th,    7:30 pm    Q&A in the OOC Auditorium
Wednesday,  November  24th,   2pm-10pm    PK BattleZone 
Thursday,   November  25th                Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday,     November  28th,    4:00 pm    Autumn Feast Social Gathering
Monday,     November  29th,    7:00 pm    PKill Doubles Tournament
Tuesday,    November  30th,   11:59 pm    Prompt Contest Entries 
                                                 Due to Natalia

Coming in December:
  More Trivia! More Social Gatherings! More PK Games and Events!
  Plus: Christmas!


Subscribe via iCal or view the calendar with any browser. 
___                                                               ___
\  |-------------------------------------------------------------|  /
/__|           Contest Reminder: SEND US YOUR PROMPTS!           |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'
   
We are holding a contest to find new prompts for the prompt library.
Impress your friends, make your enemies jealous, and win fantastic
prizes doing it! Prizes and eternal fame are yours for the taking!

- include colors, delimiters, whatever you use for a prompt.
- combat and group prompts are also welcome.
- feel free to include a short note explaining your prompt, but
  it isn't necessary.

   Use the PROMPT SHOW, CPROMPT SHOW and GROUPFORMAT SHOW commands 
           to grab everything you need to submit!

    I can be reached at [email protected] or via mudmail. 

  The contest closes at 11:59 pm system time November 30, 2004.

     I look forward to receiving your submissions. Thank you.

- Natalia
___                                                               ___
\  |-------------------------------------------------------------|  /
/__|                       Recent Updates                        |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'

    /\                      CODE UPDATES
   /  \     
  /    \    GENERAL CHANGES
 /_    _\     o You'll now get a message when gtells are eaten by
   |  |         notell rooms.
   |  |       o Blessings from poultices will now last longer is
   |  |         made/used by a higher level character.
   |__|     
    /\      TYPO FIXES
   /  \       o The ??? hp/mana/move line will be aligned properly
  /    \        for animated weapons in group reporting.
 /_    _\     o When redeeming for non-color coupons, wording changed
   |  |         from string to coupon.
   |  |     
   |  |     
   |__|                   HELPFILE UPDATES
    /\      
   /  \     General Topics:
  /    \         WHOIS
 /_    _\   
   |  |     
   |  |                     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!
   |  |     
   |__|     ARABIAN NIGHTS
    /\           Hopefully the last fix for the Aladdin quest. Fixes
   /  \          for being tripped while riding. Better prompting by
  /    \         Yusuf and Sabiha when using their services.
 /_    _\   
   |  |     ANCIENT NAZCA
   |  |          Fixes for being tripped while riding or flying. Old
   |  |          woman now returns things you give her.
   |__|     
    /\      PICTISH COUNTRY
   /  \          Morgawr is now neither male nor female to avoid
  /    \         confusion.
 /_    _\   
   |  |     WWI SOMME
   |  |          Wicked bayonet is now very wicked - Be careful
   |  |          adventuring the Somme trenches!
   |__|     
    /\      VICEROYAL PERU
   /  \          Some mobs should be more responsive. Various typos
  /    \         fixed.
 /_    _\   
   |  |     CELTIC IRELAND, SHERWOOD, ST DENIS ABBEY, and TUDOR LONDON
   |  |          Fixes for several mobs that are supposed to use
   |  |          lights at night.
   |__|     
    /\      ABORIGINAL DREAMTIME, ANCIENT EGYPT, THE CRUSADES,
   /  \     KLEINSTADT, LEGENDS OF THE PAST, SAN FRANCISCO, and
  /    \    TORTUGA
 /_    _\        Various minor bugs and typos fixed.
   |  |     
   |  |     
   |  |                    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. 
   |  |     
   |  |             Nestor        Ancient Carthage
   |  |             Kaige         El Dorado
   |__|     
___                                                               ___
\  |-------------------------------------------------------------|  /
/__|         News From the Bricks and Rubble Department          |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'
         ____         
      .-" +' "-.      In the past month, there have been a lot of
     /.'.'A_'*`.\     behind the scenes clean up fixes. Snapper put
    |:.*'/\-\. ':|    in some new debugging code and we're finding a
    |:.'.||"|.'*:|    lot of places that we intended to work one way,
     \:~^~^~^~^:/     weren't because we were using the wrong check
      /`-....-'\      or checking the wrong affect name. So if
     /          \     something has suddenly shifted on you and it
     `-.,____,.-'     wasn't mentioned in the update notes, that's
                      probably what has happened.
                      
The biggest news is that the install of Carthage is looming ever
closer on the horizon. Nestor has been slaving over it, getting it
ready for everyone to explore the myriad experiences available: a bit
of romance, war, spies and intrigue, and even wrathful dieties. We
hope to finalize the install date this coming week, so stay tuned!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
  _______   ____    _______
 /  ___  \ / __ \  /  ___  \  Logs of Q&A sessions are available on
 | /   \ | \ \/ /  | /   \ |  the the web pages for those who are
 | |   | |  \  /   | \___/ |  unable to attend or had to leave early.
 | |   | |  /  \/\ |  ___  |  The most recent ones are listed on the
 | | /\| | / /\  / | /   \ |  sitemap page or you can get a complete
 | \_\ \ | \ \/  \ | \   / |  list on the Q&A index page at the url
  \___\/_/  \__/\/ \_/   \_|  below.

     http://www.legendmud.org/Community/lectures/QandA/QA_index.html

Yes, there's still a backlog of them to be cleaned up (they're the
ones that don't have topics listed in the index) but they're posted!

                           RECENT TOPICS

 o Q&A Attendance?                 o Promoting Outside Mud Circles?
 o Fighting Stances?               o Sec_Attacks as Skill Bonus? 
 o Fumbling Vials While Blind?     o Spirit Fight Skills/Skilltrees?
 o Ability to Hire Guards?         o Naval Combat/Grouped Mobs? 
 o Better Info in Updates?         o How's PK Been This Week? 
 o Mage of Both Schools?           o House Sharing with an Alt? 
 o Restricted Items/Object Acts 
___                                                               ___
\  |-------------------------------------------------------------|  /
/__|  LEGENDITES: Information Regarding the People of Our World  |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'

              NEW GAME! LOVE! UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATIONS! 
                   LAUGHTER! STUFF! MORE STUFF!

Do you know your significant other? I mean really know them. Could
you say what their favorite color is? Are they good or evil? Where do
they prefer to time trans? It's time for both of you to find out!

Join Lenore and Darktalon for our new game for couples! You'll be
asked to answer questions to test your knowledge of your husband,
wife, boyfriend or girlfriend, to see how solid that relationship
really is. When it's all over, you may end up closer, you may spend
the night on the couch...but whichever couples know each other the
best will win fabulous prizes! Check next week's LT for more details!

                      Couples only please!

             =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                 Lillian Coming to Toronto & NYC

Hey all,

I, and my lovely boyfriend, will be in Toronto 6-11 Jan 2005, and New
York 12-15th Jan.

Any chance of a catchup/drinks/coffee/guided tour?

hehehe

Send me a mudmail, or msn me at [email protected]

Would love to say hi coz I won't be in the US again for a long time.

love Lilian
**

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                          Trivia Standings

The Trivia Challenge is running once again! This 10-game series ends
with a final championship, after which the king or queen of Trivia
will be crowned. Prizes are given for each game as well as at the
final event, and qualification for the final showdown is based on
cumulative score. Even a few points each week can put you in the
running for the final, so come give it a try!

Join us on Sundays at 4pm -- watch events for dates. The next Trivia
Challenge will be this week.

Here are a few samples of last week's questions -- answers are at the end
of the LT:

    1) To what country did Douglas MacArthur famously "return" in
       1944, destroying two divisions of the Japanese Navy?
    
    2) Who wrote 'An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth
       of Nations'?
    
    3) What pioneer of the "New York School" earned the nickname
       "Jack the Dripper for his large-scale works involving buckets
       of paint?
    
    4) What was the first video ever played on MTV?

Our first game, on 11/7, had the following scores:

Santa-Claus                 24
Siachet                     10
Dakota                       8
Horror, Spanish-Flea-Delaron 3
Dalia, Spite, Fortuna        1

It's time to get your name on the trivia scoreboard! Challenge the
fat man in the red suit for his right to sit at the top of the leader
board! 4pm, Sundays. Be there!
  ___                                                          ___ 
  \  |--------------------------------------------------------|  /
  /__|                     Clan News                          |__\
     '--------------------------------------------------------'

             Lords of Justice Celebrate 1st Anniversary

On November 17th, the Lords of Justice will celebrate their one year
anniversary of forming. If you're interested in more information
about this PK clan, contact Dharma, favored daughter of soul, for
more details. They follow the codes of Justice from their respective
lands and enforce them upon evil where they find it. Congratulations!

             =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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                           |__\
     '--------------------------------------------------------'

                       Sandra's PK Contest

                Be sure to check the war board Monday
            when this past month's results will be posted!

             =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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__________________________________________________________
_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|___
__|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|

                    Home Is Where The Stomach Is
                    
'Don't look at me like that'.

The raven glared banefully and shifted on his talons on the stone
tombstone.

'And besides, it's just the graveyard around the corner...it's not
like we're crossing an ocean.' She turned back to digging with her
purple sand shovel. The move would be easier on the other end. The
zombies would take care of the grave digging, but for now unearthing
the coffin required a delicate hand. Zombies where clumsy and she
didn't need them slamming shovels against the old coffin.

'You'll like it better there, we both will. Our own place without
everyone up at all hours of the night disturbing our sleep! Without
the inadvertent blood stains everywhere! Without, well, without all
the...threats.' Yes, the threats were getting worse. The piles of
'vampire' ashes and garlic laced vials of blood outside the clan hall
were bad enough but a few days ago a vampire slaying kit was left in
the hall as a warning.

She wiped her brow with the back of her hand and tucked her hair
behind her ear, re-adjusting the dark purple flower. The plastic
shovel hit the top of the coffin, only a little more to go.

It's not that she was afraid. The threats were mainly anti-vampire in
nature and she wasn't a vampire. It was funny really, the vampires
mostly fed on blood donated to them and pretty much kept to
themselves. There are worse things out there, much worse. But the
threats had moved inside the hall. Somebody had tipped over the
canopic jar that contained her stomach and she was convinced somebody
read her diary. 'Intruders!' she smirked. Yes, the privacy would be a
welcome change.

She brushed the dirt off the old coffin and leaned down to rest her
cheek on the weathered wood. Her 'life' was in there, all her worldly
possessions. Her own place. It would mean she didn't need to keep her
past buried, literally. She would feel safe with her things there.

Quoth, the raven, cawed.

'Yes I know it will be night soon, you don't have to nag.' She
scrambled out of the grave and shook the dirt from her skirt. The
others would be waking up soon and she had planned to have everything
moved by then.

'Get coffin grave' she ordered. Two zombie Norman guards lumbered
down into the hole and struggled to lift the coffin out.

'Get tombstone.' Quoth bobbed his head and then flew off as two other
zombie Norman guards pulled the tombstone from the earth.

'As the raven flies...' she thought. 'I'll be home soon.'

               =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                    A Familiar Face Rediscovered

If you've ever encountered a traveling carnival on its final day in
any given location, you may well know that the process of tearing it
down is every bit as tumultuous and nearly as spectacular as the show
itself. The fairgrounds are a hectic hive of activity. Stiltsmen and
stagehands, trainers and tumblers, merchants and urchins and every
manner of human being imaginable scurry this way and that in an
effort to destroy, dismantle and pack away - as fast as possible -
any reminder of the caravan's existence save for trampled grass and
crushed carnival confections, and be underway to the next city. It's
a pageant of urgency and hard work which one can only marvel to
behold. There is never a moment to lose, especially not in idle
conversation with an outsider such as myself.

However, I found myself that day in the very unique position of
navigating that bustling tempest not as a spectator, but by
invitation. Indeed I was present on an errand that my gypsy friend
had given me to believe was of some especial gravity, concerning an
old and mutual acquaintance of ours.

My gypsy friend embraced me as I entered his caravan and breezily
pecked at the air before each of my cheeks before jovially seating me
to share a beverage and conversation. We talked of our families,
which had of course grown in the ensuing years since our last
parting, and of idle things, before coming at last to the issue at
hand and the true reason for my visit. The first words spoken on this
matter were mine.

'Where did you find him?'

'Wandering aimlessly around the French countryside,' my colorful
friend began. 'He was in a state I would not wish upon my gravest
foe. Barely clothed in mere rags, penniless...muttering nonsense to
himself about vampires and things. He surely was not himself and I
need not tell you how my heart ached to see him that way.' He shook
his head sadly and sighed into his mug.

'I see,' I answered solemnly. 'What did you do when you found him?'

'Well of course I do not lead a material life, so there was little I
could offer to him directly. I spoke to the manager and we were able
to get him a job...entertaining...patrons at Thomas Johnson's. He is
enthusiastic enough and everything has been going well, although...'
My friend swallowed hard.

I eyed him with some degree of alarm. 'Although what?'

'Upon every full moon he asked to be securely fastened into the
strongest restraints we could find - we used the magician's escape
box - and to not be called upon until the following morning. During
those nights we could hear the most hideous yelps and howls...I
cannot tell you any more upon it.' He was unable to stifle a brief
tremble that laid bare to me some vividly remembered sensation of
terror.

'But then,' he continued, 'this past summer, he came to me and said,
'I have had enough of this curse, I want it gone. So from now on, it
is!' And then no more did he ask to be restrained during full moons,
and whatever vile transformations he must once have undergone on
those fell nights were indeed no more, so far as I have seen.'

'Typical of him!' I laughed. I pondered what I had heard for a few
minutes in silence, then asked, 'If he is happy here, why do you call
for me? Surely not simply for a visit.'

'But that's just it...he is not happy here. Not really. The carnival
life is too small for him, dare I say. He is meant for bigger things.
But he still has few means and little to call his own. And he has
called for you. Come.'

The place my gypsy friend led me to was different from his own
caravan in every way imaginable. A cave cut into the side of a hill
near the fairground opened into a lonely darkness whose contents
spoke only of madness. The floor and walls were littered with objects
of the most acute curiosity, from dolls deprived of one or more of
their limbs, to garish and bizarre carnival posters, to fiendish
clown masks ...everything my squinting eyes fell upon testified to
the domicile of a man displaced from his wits.

Then again, what else should be expected of Chaykin Doane?

I made him out sitting rigidly upon the cave floor over to one side,
completely silent. I made to greet him but found myself at a loss for
words that could befit such a man. Presently he left me off the hook.

'You have come.'

'Yes, Chaykin. It's good to see you are alive and well.' I studied
him a moment, his back still to me. 'I well remember the favor I owe
you, and our friend tells me you want me to take you back.'

'Yes. I am ready now. Take me along with you and favor is repaid.'

'Very well. I can't give you much; times have been hard lately and I
have mouths to feed. But I will do for you what I can.'

'Is good.'

Suddenly, he sat bolt upright and was on his feet in a flash. He
strode over to me and shook my hand energetically. 'Is VERY good!'
With that, he bounded out of the cave entrance whistling a peppy tune
to himself (betraying no trace of the kind of man who must have
occupied this dank cave, and probably countless others like it, over
these mysterious missing years) and disappeared into the churning
swarm of carnival workers, matching their energy step for confident
step.

My gypsy friend gave me a hearty grin which, under the circumstances,
I was powerless to keep from returning. Once, long ago, Chaykin's
simple but self-assured spirit had never failed to bring a smile to
my face, and had in fact once saved my life. In spite of all his
ensuing hardships, I found now that he had not changed a bit. And
now, the old Chaykin was coming back.

                               =-=-=-=

Chaykin will no longer appear as:
     Short: a snarling fiend maddened by thirst
     Long:  Driven mad by thirst, a frenzied fiend tears a path through 
            the area.

He will now appear as:
     Short: a strong-willed simpleton
     Long:  A silly-looking fellow shrugs and grins broadly, oblivious
            to life's problems.

               =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                          A Word from Our Sponsor

                      Acheronian and Stygian Cruises

As Lord Marcel previously recounted in the Tourism report for Hell,
there has been an increased level of interest in the nether regions.
And with this increased activity, there has come an increase in,
shall we say..., accidents and similarly ill-fated incidents. 

With that in mind, the owners of A&S Cruises would like to remind our
mortal customers that this ain't no Pirates of the Caribbean ride at
Disney... nosiree! You must keep your hands and other assorted limbs
within the barges at all times. And no fishin' neither, cause Hades
only knows what you'll attract and we can't be held responsible for
your taunting of the local denizens and such.

We've also noticed that several people have assumed that like Disney
this is some sort of family theme park. Leave the munchkins at home!
We can't be responsible for little Bobby wandering off and getting
himself eaten. Just yesterday, we had some snivelling little brat
trying to dip his fingers into the lava to see if it was marinara
sauce or not. The damned imps certainly don't help matters, trying to
corrupt the innocent or at least inexperienced like that.

So if you must come, be prepared and don't think that we're overjoyed
to entertain you and hold your hand through the scary parts. Some say
that idle hands are the Devil's workshop... well down here that ain't
the case... the weaker and the more idle a souls is the easier to
corrupt and they are definitely the most fun to torture.

               =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

            Trivia Answers: 1-The Philippines, 2-Adam Smith, 
           3-Jackson Pollock, 4-"Video Killed the Radio Star"

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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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