Interview: Ceirsei, Part 2: Mobs of RoD Unite!
==================================================================== THE CRY OF DESPAIR #35 ==================================================================== Mortal Staff: Alendil, Alerious, Alisia, Apollonia, Azrakare, Barentin, Begaria, Conran, DekkatH, Elaria, Elbanon, Goomra, Laine, Loril, Nimue, Nitsuj, Odessyus, Saraphin, Sarig, Shingo, Thalasian Mortal Editor: Kuah Immortal Staff: Elisabet, Kyrnia, Lascivias Immortal Editor: Ayesh ==================================================================== Desk of the Editor An Interview with Class (Meet, Cersei) Mobs of RoD Unite! PART 2 Quest and Contest Funny Bones ==================================================================== Thank you for reading, from the Society of Scribes! Back issues are now available on the RoD Homepage http://www.game.org ==================================================================== Desk of the Editor By. Kuah ==================================================================== What's the good word? Here we are with issue number thirty-five. We return with a favorite, the interview. This time around we try to let you get to know one of the newer immortals in the Realms, Cersei. I have been informed that the ASCII artwork for the Pixie Article, (Issue 33) was supplied by Alisia, and edited by Shingo. We had a lot of submissions for the funnybones section from many of you catching things on channels and peoples titles. Begaria returns with the conclusion to Mobs of RoD Unite! If you have a comment, gripe or something you want to submit to the Cry of Despair, you can reach us the CoD public board in the TownHall (e,s,2u,s,w,s from DH[]) or south of Quills and Parchments on Market Street. Or you can Mudmail me or Ayesh. As always, enjoy and thanks. Kuah Cha'Din ==================================================================== An Interview with Class By. Kuah ==================================================================== For those of you who do not know Cersei, you are really missing out on someone who really cares for the people and the place where we spend much of our time. We asked her for this interview because not only is she a long time player and new immortal but she could easily be the definition of 'class player' in the Realms. We at the CoD took this chance to introduce Cersei to all of you. How long have you been a part of the Realms? I first entered the Realms about three years ago. My first avatar was a vampire, and I loved the whole levelling experience so much that I persisted with Cersei. It took me about twenty levels of experience before I had a good grip on the culture of the Realms, and then I joined Maidenstone. After being in the Order for a little while, I began participating a lot more in Inter Order Quest Council, Order activities, and with Cersei, I joined the Newbie Council. So I could say that I've been playing Realms for three years, but I think that I really became a part of Realms once I started actively contributing to the game about two years ago. How have things changed from your first day to today? There are always comments on the archives from people saying that things are harder now than they were then, with changes to Seth and levelling areas and so on, but to be honest I found the game terribly difficult to begin with and not much has changed there. For me, the most profound changes have been people. When people leave, retire, or just go missing in action, it has a noticeable effect on the game. And likewise, when new people join the game, become regular contributors and good friends, then that makes it even better. I don't tend to reminisce about the days when Seth was soloable, or Clan equipment was easy to come by, but I do get a little misty eyed remembering immortals who've moved on, or old friends from my Guild of Clerics days. How hard was the decision to ascend to immortalhood? Wow, that's a question which strikes close to my heart. It was a terribly difficult decision, the hardest I've had to make so far. I felt there was a lot of things I would be leaving unfinished in Maidenstone, and I did not want to leave the Order in the lurch, so to speak. To be honest, the night before I was promoted, I'd decided to reject the opportunity, and was it not for some good advice from a good friend, I would have said no. I think that in the end, I did the right thing, even though it was the harder thing to do. Is being immortal what you expected so far? No, but that's okay I'm used to surprises. People always ask me what being an immortal is like, and the first answer that springs to mind is always 'spammy !' I have so much more sympathy for Calis now. Seriously though, its a different aspect to a world I've lived in for a while. There are surprises, but I'm not becoming jaded. My reasons for wanting to become immortal have proved to be good ones, and in many ways I'm starting to see how I'm going to be able to make the game better for people. I don't have enough time to do everything I'd like to do, but I know I'm making a difference to the game in a good way. If there is anything you miss about being mortal, what is it? Heh, the obvious answer should be lack of spam! But it's time. I miss having the time to talk to people and help them as much as I'd like to. I still do what I can, but I'm so much busier that often all I can do is hug, chat for a few minutes, then dash off. On a personal level, I miss that interaction very much. The other thing is that my assistance to newbies is limited now, and I can't spend hours tracking down items for DTed people, or leading people through the void, or uplifting them. I'm really glad that we've got such a great team of Newbie Councillors so I don't have to fret - I know the newbies are in good hands. What is your favorite Realms memory? Hard... I've got a few. Avataring was awesome, so was promotion to 51. Spammy but a fantastic feeling. My wedding was heaps of fun. Being made Second of Maidenstone, when Gibson was made Leader was fantastic. But if it comes down to straight out laughs, then definitely the runs I used to go on with Dathak and Outlander. I'm afraid that I was assisting on a midas rort, carrying nighties to midas later, and my container popped on a Set run. So there I am attempting to look innocent, with 109 lace nighties on the floor, and the guys just killing themselves laughing. Our runs always seemed to degenerate into hilarity, and they're two of the people I miss the most. But there are still so many good people in the Realms who make me laugh, and I'll always be grateful for that. Cersei, are there any goals left? Oh yes! Definitely. I'd like to build an area, create some extra beauty for the game that other people can enjoy. I'd like to rejoin Maidenstone, of course, and I need a Lifebane or two for my vampire. Ultimately I'd like to help make Realms a place where everyone can feel at home. Where they feel welcome, and appreciated. I have a few things up my sleeve on that one, so I'm sure you'll be hearing about them later. Any comments for the readers of the Cry of Despair? One of my favourite people once told me that the key to the game was 'patience'. I'll quite happily steal that from him and pass it on, because he's been right, time and time again. Be patient, all things in their own time, and things usually work out. The other thing, I guess, is that its easy to think you're alone when you play, because the interaction is through the computer, not face to face. People should always remember that there is a real person at the other end of every interaction, and they should behave as though that person were sitting across the table from them. Be courteous, be kind, be thoughtful. Thanks to Cersei for taking the time to sit with us and answer some questions here at the Cry of Despair. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we did putting it together. ==================================================================== Mobs of RoD Unite! PART 2 By. Begaria ==================================================================== We needed a good place to start looking for clues. And by the looks of things, time was running out. We were all a little edgy about the sequence of events that has happened since this morning, and frankly, us might avatars, were a little afraid. So far, we've kill Bahamaut, but he revived just as quickly as we killed him, we've seen the terrible gangs of Seth's fortress, and KoTR and things like that. We've even seen the hideous Balzhur, the Immortal's pet. This is going to be a long day. Our big group of avatar's, 30 before, but now 70 because of Pelmen's reserves, started to search around the Guild of Cleric's for clues. Pelmen ordered 10 warrior avatars to search the north part of the sanctuary, and DekkatH suggested that a few clerics should check out inside the Guild of Clerics. I took 8 avatars, 3 mages, 2 clerics, and 3 rangers and searched around the south end of the sanctuary, while DekkatH and Pelmen took the rest of the avatar's and started to search around the Square and Recall locations. My small band of avatar's decided to search for clues around Tagetarle and his transporting device. We jogged down to Tagetarle's place, and when we arrived...we wish we didn't. The old man who seemed eternal, the old man who helped thousands of lowbies travel around the Realms...was now hanging from a tree branch. Navarius, one of the Ranger's I took with me, and a good friend, walked up to Tagetarle's hanging body and cut the rope that was around his neck. Navarius, than, took Tage's body and rested it on top of the rock. Aengil, one of the cleric's that came along with me, said a prayer for Tage and blessed his body. Navarius says 'Who would do such a thing to poor old Tage?' I said 'I don't know, but whoever is behind this, is not going to get away with it.' Fazbin, a mage that came along, walked up to the tree and studied it for a moment. Fazbin says 'Hey, what's this?' Fazbin gets a piece of a thorn bush. Fazbin says 'This is odd, there is no thorn bushes around this sanctuary it is well taken care of not to let weeds grow in... where's my hat...?' I said 'Hey...that looks familiar....let me see that.' Fazbin handed me the thorn piece. I studied and examined the thorn bush, trying to think of where I seen it before when a scream ripped out from the north. I put the thorn into my pocket, winced at my stupidness, and led my group to the north. We arrived at the inner sanctum, and what we came to... was revolting. DekkatH's group was standing around in the sanctum, amassed at the amount of blood there was all over the walls, and poor, beautiful Sonoria was not all there. Her body was laying at the base of the altar, while her head was on the altar with a fixed looked of pure horror on it. I shivered at the sight of this unholy act and walked over to the body and picked it up and layed it on the altar and covered the head and the body with a drape that was hanging on the wall. Aengil said a prayer for Sonoria and blessed her body. DekkatH says 'This is unforgiving. We have to find this monster and bring it down!' I said 'Tagetarle was killed to.' DekkatH says 'Tage to? This is making me mad.' I said 'Fazbin found something that I think I recognize but can't remember where I've seen it.' I pulled the thorn out of my pocket and handed it DekkatH. DekkatH studied the thorn and said 'Well, there is only one place in Darkhaven that has this kind of a thorn ... but where was it...' I nodded and stared around the horrific room. Pelmen's group came in from the south. Pelmen took one look around the room and walked towards me. Pelmen says 'This is getting out of hand. The Guild of Clerics is pretty much the same but the square is empty... and... Harakiem has been killed.' I said 'No way! Harakiem is too tough to die....god...if something can kill Harakiem easily...wait a minute.....I just though of something.' DekkatH says 'Oh? Enlighten us.' I said 'MOBs are running around in Darkhaven killing and terrorizing, but how come the MOBs that were in Darkhaven before, are being killed are not doing anything?' DekkatH says 'Hey...that's right...they are being killed off just like the citizens... that is very peculiar.' Pelmen nodded and said 'I'm going to go check out the Dragon Exports, Begaria, you take your group and go check out near the Guild of Paladins.' DekkatH says 'If you don't mind, I'm going to get some help and clean up the chapel.' Pelmen nodded and took his group off to the Dragon Exports. By chance I caught a look at Pelmen's eyes and I saw something in them that I couldn't make out...but I though I saw...murder...evil? Naw. That can't be it. I accidentally pricked myself on the thorn and looked down at it and wondered if the Vallenwood is still safe... than it hit me. I remembered the thorn bushes in the Vallenwood and looked down at the thorn in horror. This thorn came from my own guild. Come to think of it...Pelmen said he'd get me back somehow. I gasped and looked quickly at DekkatH and said 'Quick! Amass our forces, we have to go stop Pelmen! DekkatH looked at me puzzled and asked 'What? What the hell are you talking about?' I said 'It's Pelmen! He's the one who's behind this, he's somehow took control over the MOBs outside of Darkhaven and turned them against the entire Realms! He's going to Dragon Exports to slaughter the lot of them, come on!' With that, I took the group and started running towards the exports. DekkatH and his group caught up to me and we started to run towards the exports with renewed vigor. I thought to myself that those articles that I made in the CoD couldn't have done this to Pelmen, but you never know. We arrived at the door of the Dragon Exports. Pelmen, was waiting for us. Behind him, all of the MOBs of Realms stood behind him and there was a look of evil in Pelmen and his group's eyes. Pelmen roared 'Begaria! This is what happens to people who defy me!' I yelled back 'You monster! Why would you terrorize Darkhaven just because I put articles in the CoD with you in them?!' Pelmen roared 'You don't know what it's like being me. Always being called on for runs, being bothered, and now you! YOU! You put articles into the CoD that hurt me! Now you shall pay!' Pelmen sent Lord Seth at me, but my eyes were blank and I felt a tremendous power grow inside me. I lifted my Doomgiver up and sliced Seth in half. Pelmen looked at me in amazement and sent Bahamaut at me. I concentrated on Bahamaut but amazingly, DekkatH stood in front of me and delivered a overhand slash at Bahamaut's head. It fell off. DekkatH started to glow and I noticed that I was glowing to, and my group. Just like Pelmen was...than it hit me. The Immortals were sending power! Pelmen had found some way to delay the Immortals, but now they are sending power through to us! I lifted my sword up and gave out a great battle cry and led the group to what would be the greatest Realms battle ever. DekkatH and I went back to back and started to fight off the KoTR team. I ducked under a sword thrust and chopped the poor knight in half who attacked me, and DekkatH sent another head flying. I chanced to see Navarius do a nice roundhouse and in which sent Madness flying through the air like a javelin. I fought my way up to Pelmen. I stood before him panting heavily and said Pelmen, you don't have to do this! Call them off and send them back! Pelmen glared at me and said 'Never!' and tried to hit me with his Snake Eye. I dodged and gathered up all of my immortal given power and slashed at Pelmen... and everything went into a white glare... than a deadly black. An eternity later, that's what it felt like, I opened my eyes to see that the Dragon Exports was no more. I slowly gathered myself up and looked around. No one was hurt or dead. Pelmen lay a few paces off to my right, he was still breathing. Thoric than descended from the heavens down right in front of me. Thoric says 'Congratulations. You won.' I stared at him unblinking and said 'Won?' Thoric says 'Yes, you demonstrated courage and have now won the right to show that the Realms will always stand together against anything.' I gaped at him and said 'This was all a freakin' game?!' Thoric nodded. I said 'You played with all of our lives, as a game? What kind of people ARE you immortals?!' Thoric said 'What? You don't want to win the Realms eternal happiness?' I said 'Eternal Happiness? There is no such thing. There will always be war, fighting, and poverty and sadness. In fact, we NEED all of these to live. We just don't need happiness. To be who we are is determined by ourselves, not by some Immortal game!' Thoric glared at me and said 'Are you defying what the Immortals will give you?!' I laughed and said 'Give? We don't need someone to GIVE us happiness we need to find it ourselves!' Thoric bellowed 'So be it than!' And everything went black. I woke up to the sounds of birds singing on a branch and I looked around. I was back in the Vallenwood. I stood up and thought to myself... What the heck happened? As my grogginess passed, I got dressed and ran to the location of the Dragon Exports... it was there. I ran back to the Guild, grabbed Reol by the shoulders, shook him and asked in a desperate voice, "What the hell is going on?!" Reol looked at me in a weird way and said 'Let go of me.' I did so and I looked around....nothing was wrong. Reol asked 'Is there something supposed to be wrong?' I shook my head and said 'No....and there will never be anything wrong.' The End ==================================================================== Quest and Contest By. Quest Council ==================================================================== The Nations Olympics have taken place, here is a list of winners! Beauty Pagant winners: Relay Race winners: 3rd Zark (Half-Orc) 2nd Aramir, Lothrimer, Bainnor, Faewba 2nd Raltaris (Drow) 1st Dron, Vrakk, Razfellow, Gaterykan 1st Herekin (Human) Olympic Skit winners: Olympic Tag winners: 3rd Tie between the 3rd Gaterykan (Dwarf) Half-Orc and Humans 2nd Lothrimer (Human) 2nd Dron (Dwarves) 1st Vrakk (Half-Orc) 1st Capercaille and Stalrit (Drow) Mounted Race winners: 3rd Vrakk (Half-Orc) 2nd Aramir (human) 1st Gaterykan (Dwarf) ==================================================================== FunnyBones By. Cod Staff ==================================================================== Funny Titles Xenpaolin GreyBorne, Can someone change my diapers? Navarius look! this is a funny title Meland says Know your role and put the harness on! Odessyus Harthlen sits naked at his computer when he muds. Jaspora does NOT plump when you cook him! Valashrect B/D,S/M,its an alphabet soup of hedonistic delight. For some ODD reason, the Immortals were pcrenamed... pour some sugar on me- Eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die. (Order of Ascendere) [Quest Council] OldMacDonaldhadafarmeieio Atal, flutters with the flutterbyes. [Quest Council] chunkrina has wings, and she's ohhhh so fly!. (Daemonite) [Neophyte Council] THEMAN and Britney Spears aint nothin but mammals..... (Order of Dragonslayer) [Visionary Consortium] Heard on chat... Taharon chats 'You know, I just got romped by a party of FIELD MICE!' --- Proof it takes a rare breed to be on the Newbie Council Tharius counciltalks 'Telepathy... the final frontier, these are the adventures of the chat channel help requests, it's eternal mission, to derive the proper answer to the query "Help!!!!"' Tharius counciltalks 'To boldly help where no councillor has helped before :>' Tharius counciltalks '*insert cheezy theme here, mandatory green chick reference here*' continued... ==================================================================== Thank you for reading, from the Society of Scribes! Back issues are now available on the RoD Homepage http://www.game.org ==================================================================== THE CRY OF DESPAIR #35 ====================================================================