View source for December 18, 2009 Issue

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                          TABLE OF CONTENTS

                       A Note from the Editor
                       UPDATES FROM THE STAFF:
                        Code and Area Updates
                     LegendMUD Calendar of Events

                            PLAYER NEWS:
                           XP Achievements
                           The Pkill Front
                              Clan News

                          Player Submissions
                It's a Date by Ezio Auditore da Firenze
                        Contract by Zillah Grey
                            Release by Lime
                            A Journal Entry
                    A Letter to Mr. & Mrs. Ravenswick
                       A Reply from Lady Ravenswick
                   Of Oatmeal and God  by Lucas Wylder

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                           A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

So, here it is: My first LT. Well, not my first, but my first time as editor.
Er. Yeah, you get the idea. You also may have noticed that it's been almost a
month since the last LT was sent out. Because of that, this issue is rather
long, between the code and area updates, PK updates, and player stuff. My 
apologies - I had a few things going on, but it's all settled down now and 
this will hopefully become a bi-weekly thing once again. With that, in order 
for it to BE bi-weekly, I need you, the players, to send me your submissions.

Submissions aren't limited to just long, drawn out stories. They could be 
anything, including letters, clan advertisements, and, if you're really
wanting to help, you could even have your own column! Just send in what you
have to lt@legendmud.org OR lamia@legendmud.org.

Also, it should be noted that since it's December, the immortals have a few
games planned for the holiday season. Be sure to log on and participate!
There will be candy, strings, coupons, and who knows what else!

-Lamia

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                                AREA UPDATES

Area News
--------
Ranmaru's area, The Philippines, has passed head builder review and is now
under implementor review -- that's the final step prior to implementation!
Congratulations, Ranmaru!!

Straussy made progress on his Titanic area, and Carnegie made progress on his
expansion to Zanzibar.

Another round of changes went in to +PRESTIGE items. Since the value of
prestige has changed so much over the years, +prestige is being eliminated
in general across the mud. A few special-effect -prestige items will be
maintained. Items that were formerly +prestige are now generally 
lowbie-friendly minor +stat items. Changes were made in Alaska, Arabia, 
Aztecs.

In order to make DT rooms more friendly to screen readers, deathtrap rooms
will now appear with double asterisks, i.e. ** SCARY ROOM TITLE HERE **

MISC changes had an effect on many areas and included too many items to list.

MISC was removed from Aztecs, Beowulf, Generic Birds, Britain, Rome, SL, SL2,
Silk Road, F&I War, San Francisco, Dante's Inferno, Legends of the Past,
Paris Expansion, Salem, Carnival, Crusades, Dreamtime, India, Tara Expansion,
Seoni Jungle, Klein, Malta, Romania, Savanna, Somme, Tara, Medieval Japan,
Dartmoor, Carthage, Svartalfheim, Tartarus, Greece, Medieval Seas, London
Port, Pyramid, Boston.

You may notice some tweaks to mob AC -- the code to remove the cap on mob
AC has *not* been installed, so these are unlikely to be noticeable right
now, but please bug any mobs that seem unfairly difficult.

In addition, many amulets and the armor/shield of light were changed.


Area Changes
------------
Alaska: snowblindness now lasts a much shorter period of time.

Britain: Many items will now be useful for low to mid-level characters due to
the removal of stat penalties and prestige affs.

Crusades: stat tweak to the crossbow

Carthage: Adds a check on MT entry to clear possible transfer/trapdoor flag if
party has already been there since reboot/rent. A bad lowbie item in Sherwood 
now a decent lowbie item

Greece: Spartan guards no longer leap to defend lower-status people

London: Some of the options in the third stage of the Fogg quest have been
removed, since they weren't working well for people.

Malta: You should now have a little bit more of a chance to make it out
of 'Stuck In Customs' alive.

Pyramid: No more daemon kills on [Info] -- fun while it lasted, though :) 

Roman Britain: The blindfold was buggy; it will no longer make you blind
while we sort out this bug.

Sherwood: Robin Hood's head is no longer sellable or auctionable.

Typo fixes went in to: Melbourne, LoP, Beowulf, Svart, Medieval Japan, Arabia,
Carnival, PD, SF, Ireland, Dante's Inferno
Typo fix in Somme which makes 2 mobs that were supposed to be seeing in the 
dark, actually see in the dark.

There's a general campaign on against +prestige items -- it's expensive
to rent (same price as +hp!), with no particular value anymore. Removing
it allows various items to get cheaper, or more useful for the same price.
Included in this campaign so far are Anasazi, Alhambra, and Alaska.


                                CODE UPDATES

* fist fighting commands no longer miss a stunned target.

* pistol whip no longer misses a 'stunned' target.

* auctions accept bids where on-hand + balance >= going price.

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                         LEGENDMUD CALENDAR OF EVENTS

           [All times are system time unless otherwise specified]


                              December 2009    
                           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 31 
                          

Thursday,  December    3rd,    7:30 pm     Q&A in the OOC Auditorium
Thursday,  December   17th,    7:30 pm     Q&A in the OOC Auditorium
Monday,    December   21st,    5:00 pm     Ye Olde Christmas Pinata
Monday,    December   21st,    through
Wednesday, December   23rd,    All Day     Stocking Stuffing Candy Hunt
Friday,    December   25th,    All Day     Bah Humbug! Search

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                           XP ACHIEVEMENTS

Yin has reached 200 million experience!
Liel has reached 300 million experience!
Damus has reached 300 million experience!
Psylin has reached 400 million experience!
Lilianna has reached 600 million experience!

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

                               THE PKILL FRONT

It's been three weeks since the last LT, and the PK stats certainly show that.
In fact, the number of fights was sort of mind-blowing at first, especially 
considering there's presently only one PKE clan. However, this lack of clans 
certainly didn't hinder the Pkill activity.

Fawkes was the most active pkiller, having participated in 32 fights, 27 of 
which were victories! This also crowns him as this issue's most successful 
pkiller. One shouldn't overlook Reaver's activity, though. He had a total of 
26 fights, 11 of which he was victorious in. There were 22 active PKEs, and a 
dozen non-pkes who participated in a duel or seven. Other characters with 5 or
more fights include Rump, Rowane, Reddeath, LebronJames, Dirge, Caja, and 
Bodacious.

I didn't receive many emails from you guys, so all I can do is urge you to 
check out the forums at forum.legendmud.org! People have been posting pkill 
logs and would love it if they were looked at. There's some pretty fun stuff 
up there.

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

                              CLAN NEWS

The Warrior's of Legend clan was disbanded by Bodacious.
Soldiers of Legend clan was disbanded for low membership.
Blackheart clan formed by Bodacious


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         o O | Wonder what folks are  |
   `\|||/    |doing over at LegendMUD?|
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__|_____|_____|_____|_____|__PLAYER SUBMISSIONS___|_____|_____|_____|_____|


It's a Date
by Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Naeva peered around room, appraising it. Ezio had chosen perhaps the most 
plain room of the castle for them to spar in; how he had managed to even 
find it baffled her. Perhaps thirty feet across, it was a plain, windowless 
room in the bowels of the castle. Inside, four stone pillars rose to the 
ceiling in each corner, with a few rusty chains pegged to each. Evidently, 
this had once been a dungeon, though it had not seen use in decades. Thick 
dust coated everything, especially the cold, unfeeling stone.

Ezio sauntered in behind her, smirking. 'Magnifico. This is perfect, don't 
you think?' he asked, eying the pillars.

Naeva nodded at him. 'Yes, there's plenty of room. It's kind of dusty, 
though...' she mumbled, scrunching up her nose. 'But as long as we aren't 
hanging out in here, it'll be okay.'

Ezio clapped his hands together. 'Perfect. Let's get started,' he said, 
drawing his strange rapier. Naeva drew her weapon as well, and shortly, they 
were circling each other.

'Go easy on me, Mr. Awesome Assassin!' she mocked, waving her rapier at him.
He retorted with another smile, followed by a wink. She made a face, and 
then struck with a quick thrust. He batted her rapier aside, still smiling. 
She struck again, and soon, the two had found a rhythm of thrusts, parries, 
dodges, and ripostes. He was good, sure, but she figured she was probably 
better. With a flurry of attacks, she made her move.

Ezio spun, dipped, and dodged, but she knew she was getting the best of him. 
He was on the defensive; his parries were getting slower, and he didn't look 
quite so confident. She grinned, quickly feigning low and thrusting high. She
practically cheered out loud as her weapon struck home. Suddenly, though, 
something was wrong.

Ezio bent strangely, and her rapier slid right past his neck, into his coat. 
His sword flew to the side as he twisted, removing his coat and tangling her 
blade into its folds. In his other hand, he suddenly had a knife pressed to 
her throat. He smiled that same stupid smile at her.

'That isn't fair!' she huffed, backing up slightly. Her rapier would not budge
from his coat, however. He smiled again, lowering his blade and twirling it on
his fingertips.

'Nulla e reale, tutto e lecito,' he mused, still smiling. 'That is the first 
thing I was forced to learn, Naeva. Nothing is true, everything is permitted.'

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

Contract
by Zillah Grey

Zillah found the door slightly ajar at the demon's asylum, and approached 
slowly. From within, there came the faintly lingering, familiar scent of the
succubus Lamia, and more strongly, that of her consort - Zillah's 
nemesis - Imri. Those were expected - but the scent that shot electrically 
through his senses was that of Lime. He was very close, now. He put one finger
on the edge of the door and pushed it inward to reveal the inky interior of 
the foyer.

'Imri,' Zillah breathed, half growling. No sound came back to him from inside.

The Revenant stepped into the room, his eyes flashing in the dark as they 
adjusted to the low light. He moved slowly through the empty house, opening 
each door, revealing bedrooms, closets, and sitting rooms - none of them 
occupied. He opened the cellar door, pausing at the threshold above the abyss 
within, letting the cold draft roll up from below and wash over his flesh. The
smell of her was even stronger here, and with it came the residual aura of
fear, pain, and despair.

He plunged into the black.

In the corner of the cellar rested a square, iron-barred cage, just large 
enough to hold her. She was curled up in a pile of dry, crackling straw, with 
her knees to her chest, faced away from the stairwell. She didn't stir at the 
sound of my entry. Around the edges of the cage, there were chalk lines drawn 
on the floor - protective runes, esoteric binding symbols. I didn't know what 
most of them meant, but I knew enough to realize that they were there to keep 
her powers in check, crippling any chance of her escaping on her own.

I scanned the rest of the room; the demon wouldn't leave his bait 
unattended - not really. Obviously, a trap. But what could I do about that? 
Turn and leave, after three months of searching? I took a few steps closer to 
the crumpled form in the cage, slowly. A growing feeling of urgency was 
crawling up my spine... we definitely weren't alone here...

When I wheeled around to face the doorway again, he was standing there, 
smiling calmly at me. The only creature that had ever been able to take me by 
surprise each and every time we crossed paths... Imri, the tall, thin, 
silky-haired devil who'd worked so hard to destroy my unlife, piece by piece.

'Zillah,' he purred in a pleasant tone, as if greeting an old friend. I stood
tensely, unsure of how to react. He was dressed as always, in a tailored black
velvet suit, a cascade of intricate lace at this throat and cuffs. He stood 
straight, but relaxed, regarding me with calm; he didn't appear to be here to 
attack me again. Then again, he never looked bloodthirsty until he had his 
hands already around your throat - that was how it had always been. Behind 
him, a diaphanous cloud of darkness hovered - inside of it, I could see 
twisted faces dissolve in and out of sight, lesser forces gathering like a 
storm cloud to assist him at his call.

My gaze flicked toward the cage, then back to him. His smile widened. It 
occurred to me suddenly that he had both of his eyes, intact again.

'Looking for her?' A long white finger pointed toward her. She was shifting, 
stirring.

'You know I am. You've had your little game - now, we're leaving.' Imri 
laughed then, tossing a sheaf of satiny black hair from his eyes, showing a 
row of perfectly straight, white, and too-sharp teeth in doing so.

'Tsk, tsk, Grey. You know it doesn't work like that.'

I stepped backward, toward the cage. 'Lime--'

More rustling in the straw from over my shoulder.

'Ah!' Imri exclaimed cheerfully. 'Good, she's waking up. Isn't this nice? Us
three, back together again. You know Grey, I must admit, I missed the charm of
your company. You have such a way with words...' he sneered, mockingly. He was 
baiting me. I couldn't lose my cool now.

'Zill...?' Lime whimpered, weakly.

'Yeah. Get up, Lime. We're going.'

A dangerous light flashed in the demon's eye. 'One of you can go, Grey. Just 
one. I've had a lot of fun with that pretty toy of yours in the last little 
while. I wouldn't mind keeping her. But I might be willing to make a trade.'

'Cut to the chase, Imri. You took her here to lure me.' 

'Yes.' He folded his hands neatly over the head of his walking-cane. 'How many
years has it been now, Grey, since you died in that prison of the future - how
long have you been walking around upright, on stolen time, mocking the agents 
of Heaven and Hell, skirting around the rules?' His tone was poisonous, full 
of resentment.

'I've lost count,' I lied.

'Far too long. You were meant to join us decades ago. You seem to think that 
this second lease on life gives you some chance of redemption - it doesn't.'
He stepped closer to me, his face twisting in anger now. The shadowy beings 
that trailed him surged forward slightly, taking on a more violent aspect. I 
stood stock still - if I showed any emotion here, it could be the deal 
breaker. He could take both me and the gypsy now if he wanted to. 'You can't 
live for eternity, Jaime,' he continued. I started at the use of that 
name - the name I'd been given at birth, the name that only Lime knew now. 
'You'll never find redemption. Your clock ran out of time years ago. Now, you 
come with me to Hell where you belong... or I take her.'

He nodded once toward the girl. I glanced at her again. She was crouched now, 
looking wildly at the demon. 'Zillah?' she said again, sounding a little more 
hysterical. Her eyes were clouded, as if she were floating somewhere between 
a nightmare and waking. Her hands flew to the bars, batting at them - they 
were smeared with blood, some of her fingernails ripped out from clawing at
the enclosure. A horrible sensation washed over me, as if a cold hand had 
closed tightly around my heart.

'You want to trade,' I murmured. He nodded once.

'You give yourself over - to death, commit yourself to Hell. Sacrifice the 
life you were meant to lose thirty years ago... and she walks out of here 
alone. My pets here and I will let her live. It's your time to die, Zillah 
Grey.'

I clenched my jaw tightly.

'Unlock her cage.'

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

Release
by Lime

It's been weeks, months... years, I'm not really sure. The confines of the 
cage I've been in and the unspeakable things the demon has done has sucked
away any hope of actually escaping. The bastard cited anti-magic spells in the
sand around the cage, and did everything in his power to make sure I felt 
every ounce of pain he could muster. Between the physical torture, the smooth 
words of threat, and the constant stabbing from the structure of the cage, I 
couldn't disconnect myself from the pain. I prayed for it... the 
disconnection, but it wouldn't come.

An electricity filled the air and the sound of voices stirred me from my 
trance. Moving was an extreme effort, considering there were barbs on the 
bottom of the cage, sand that felt like glass in my skin, and only enough room
to shift myself uncomfortably. It was his voice... he was there with his back 
to me, facing my tormentor who had that all too familiar smirk on his face. 
Was it really him? Was it another dream?

I wish I could have stopped it. A black mass of snarling faces swooped from 
Imri and circled around Zillah, swirling around him, then finally encompassing
both of them into blackness.

I was alone again, the door to the enclosure creaking open and a glimmer of
light peeking down the basement stairs.

Freedom is never free.

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

1515 AD; October 8th

My guest ate today, though I was not in the room when it happened. I was gone 
no longer than five minutes, but the food that I had once again placed in 
front of him was gone by the time I had returned. He had even drank all of the
water. We are making progress!

I've taken it upon myself to read aloud, because he sleeps in my study, not
only because I am attempting to get this curious child's attention but because
I think he is actually listening. He still does not speak, but his eating is a
sure sign that things are going to be looking up. Yesterday I called in a
seamstress to take measurements to get him some clothing, and to get the word
put out about the boy. She's a lovely thing, but a horrible gossip. Everyone
knows where to go if we need the word spread, there are already whispers of
him on the street. I must now be careful of people who will call upon me
seeking the boy untruthfully.

I've prepared the proper seals in order to ward them away, and now I wait.

- N. Bellinger

                             =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
To whom it may concern,

We here at the highly esteemed St. Isaac's Academy for Boys, in Dreux France 
take great pride in the educational system we inflict upon our students. In 
order, however, for our boys to receive such a great education they must first
be present. We have made several attempts to contact you over the course of
the last school term only to come up short. We must remind you that tuition is
non-refundable, and that we are offering here the best education offered in 
the world. Please take in mind that Kendrew will be held accountable for all
lessons missed, and must be tested in order to decide whether he can carry on
with fourth grade studies, or if he is to be held back in the third grade.

Should he test back in to the third grade, new living arrangements will need 
to be made in the dormitories, as his current dorm is reserved for fourth 
grade boys.

In order for us to test Kendrew before the new term begins we ask that you
send him a day in advance. Like always, a Sister will be at the platform to
retrieve your child, and you will be notified by missive of his arrival.

We thank you for your continued interest in our school,
Father Jacques Cherbourg
St Isaac's Academy for Boys

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

Father Jacques Cherourg,

We here in the Ravenswick household take great pride in doing the right thing.
However, in order to do this, we must work like hell even in the face of
trouble, whether they be family issues or the fact that I was STABBED IN THE
WOMB and my unborn daughter DIED. So you can take your fall tuition and eat 
it, because we all know that the money doesn't go to the school, the church, 
or anything like that. It goes into keeping you happy and content. So much for
living for God, hm? I digress.

He'll be sent a day in advance, and I request that you show me his unaltered
test results. Yes, that's right. I don't trust any of you one bit. You care
about the boys as much as you care about your dogma, and I mean every word of
that.

Enjoy last term's payment, as well as the payment for the winter-spring term.

-N. Ravenswick

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

Of Oatmeal and God
by Lucas Wylder

'Do you believe in God, my son?'

'No.' The answer was curt. Lucas narrowed his eyes as he watched the tall, 
lean Father Thompson across the table. They'd met on the way to Russia the day
prior, spoke very little to one another, and were now in company once again at
a dilapidated tavern in some no-name town on the road to God only knew where.

'But you believe in angels?'

'I believe in what I see.'

'So you have seen an angel?' Father Thompson asked calmly. His bible was open
next to him, a bowl of oatmeal in front. He'd nearly finished it, where Lucas
had hardly touched his. 'You're so thin. Eat.'

'I've seen an angel; he's done his best to convince me God is real. I've seen
angels and demons, but no God or the Devil. They're fabricated, stories to
scare children. Everyone needs a light to run to while the dark is chasing
them.'

'Do you believe in any kind of religion at all?'

'No.'

'What is it you do for a living, Lucas Wylder?'

He flinched. 'Don't call me that.' She'd called him that. 'I'm a Knight.' The
addition was made without hesitation, and some sort of pride in the process. 
The dark haired youth pushed his bowl away from him, down the table toward a
young woman nursing. He didn't want it, and couldn't speak a lick of Russian
to tell her she could have it. She'd figure it out.

'A Knight? And yet you believe not in the Lord?' Father Thompson sounded
surprised. He was a tall man, well built with a weathered face. He'd done a
lot of traveling in his youth, and was now honing in on the later years of his
life.

'Don't judge me, Father.'

'Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be 
condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.'

'Luke 6:37.' Lucas frowned. 'Don't quote the bible at me, Father Thompson. 
I've read it, and I know how it ends. Tears of joy and smiles.'

'You are lost, Lucas,' old fingers laced together, and Father Thompson looked
mournfully at his dinner partner.

'I'm not lost, Father, only wizened. My angel is who's been lost.' Lucas stood
and stretched, reaching for his sword. At the curious look from the priest, he
said, 'An angel lives with me, Father Thompson. He swears, has been known to
womanize on occasion... and loved a succubus. I killed her, and he..? He's 
been missing ever since.' He strapped the sword to his belt. 'Your god... his 
god... condemns blasphemy.'

'So where do you intend to go then, Sir Lucas?'

'To Hell.'

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The Legendary Times is published by the immortals of LegendMUD. Please send
replies, additions, or corrections to our address at lt@legendmud.org for
inclusion in the next edition. All subscription options are now handled at
this url: http://www.legendmud.org/lists/listinfo/legendarytimes 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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