{"id":1780,"date":"2024-03-14T17:31:42","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T17:31:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=1780"},"modified":"2024-03-14T17:31:43","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T17:31:43","slug":"cry-of-despair-38","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/cry-of-despair-38\/","title":{"rendered":"Cry of Despair #38"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-color has-text-color\">Interviews: Thoric and Hoerkin! Bot Debate! Tried and Proven Worthy!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"cryofdespair\">\n       ===========================================================\n\n\n        THE CRY OF DESPAIR #38\n\n\n        \n        ===========================================================\n\n        Mortal Staff:\n\n        Alendil, Alerious, Alisia, Apollonia, Azrakare, Barentin, Begaria,\n\n        Conran, Dein, DekkatH, Elaria, Elbanon, Goomra, Laine, Lorel, Nimue,\n\n        Nitsuj, Odessyus, Saraphin, Sarig, Shamisen, Shingo, Thalasian,\n\n        Mortal Editor: Kuah\n\n        \n\n        Immortal Staff:\n\n        Elisabet, Lascivias\n\n        Immortal Editor: Ayesh\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        Table of Contents\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        \n\n        Desk of the Editor\n\n        Letters, Words and Thanks.\n\n        \n\n        An Interview with Thoric\n\n        The Immortal Ranger returns to the CoD!\n\n        \n\n        The Bots\/Botting Debate!\n\n        Strong Opinions from BOTH sides!\n\n        \n\n        Eclipse (part 2)\n\n        The two continue on this grand adventure.\n\n        \n\n        Meet Hoerkin\n\n        A quick chat with the immortal, Hoerkin\n\n        \n\n        Quest and Contest\n\n        Winners, and announcements...\n\n        \n\n        Turalyon sleeps with the\n        Tuna fishies.\n\n        Yes, another Begaria story\n\n        \n\n        Funny Bones\n\n        Titles, things said and captured and an interview with... Ogrillon?\n\n        \n\n        Public Submitted\n\n        The Story of Cadimus\n\n        \n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        Desk of the Editor By: Kuah\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        \n\n        What is the good word? We have one of the better issues ever this time\n\n        around that is packed with things many of you have requested and a lot\n\n        of hard work from the staff of the Cry of Despair. A big thanks to all\n\n        the people out there who took the time to submit opinions on the whole\n\n        botting issue, and the article is a very interesting read because of\n\n        the strong opinions, on both sides, you all hold.\n\n        \n\n        Thoric makes a return to the pages of the Cry of Despair, in an well\n\n        done interview done by Begaria and Shingo. Thanks to Thoric and to\n\n        Hoerkin as well for sharing time with us so we can share with you. And\n\n        I think there was something about golden tickets and a quest\n\n        announcement in the Quest and Contest section...\n\n        \n\n        As always, if you have a comment, gripe or something you want to\n\n        submit to the Cry of Despair, you can reach us the CoD public board\n\n        in the TownHall (e,s,2u,s,w,s from DH[]) or south of Quills and\n\n        Parchments on Market Street. Or you can Mudmail me or Ayesh. As\n\n        always, enjoy and thanks.\n\n        Kuah\n\n        \n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        An Interview with Thoric By:\n        Begaria and Shingo\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        \n\n        Supreme Entity...\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: What gave you the inspiration to create this MUD?\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: I got addicted to mudding in college. While I had been very\n\n        much into multiplayer online text games previous to college, most of\n\n        them cost money to play. MUDs were free, more immersive, much larger\n\n        and had a lot more players on them. Not only that, but you were playing\n\n        with people from all over the world. I was hooked, (and my grades\n\n        suffered). In the spring on 1994 I started working on my own mud code\n\n        that I was planning on making available to multiline BBS's... but\n\n        stopped working on it when I got a job at ComputerLink Online in the\n\n        summer of 1994.\n\n        \n\n        While I was working on adding Internet functionality to their multiline\n\n        BBS, I setup my own mud using the Merc2.1 code (DikuMUD family) because\n\n        I didn't have ime to continue writting my own code from scratch, and to\n\n        get something up and going quickly. Once I had a mud up and running, I\n\n        started work on making it have all the features and functionality I\n\n        wanted in my own code, and had also experienced on the MUD I had played\n\n        the most called Mozart, which used SillyMUD code (also DikuMUD family).\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: How and why did you learn to code?\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: Around Christmas-time when I was eight, I was wandering around\n\n        a Canadian Tire store looking at the computers (C-64's and Vic-20's)\n\n        and the video game systems, when I saw a nerdy classmate of mine doing\n\n        something on one of the Vic-20 machines. I went over to see what he was\n\n        doing, and he was typing in a BASIC program. He program asked for my\n\n        name, and my favourite food, to which it replied, \"Thank-you <name> for\n\n        answering my questions. To show my gratitude I will give you some\n\n        <favourite food>\"  (This 8-year old nerdy kid was using words like\n\n        \"gratitude\").\n\n        \n\n        I was so impressed that within a couple minutes this kid was able to\n\n        make the computer do what he wanted it to do. I knew that someday I'd\n\n        be making my own video games instead of just playing them. I was hooked.\n\n        I spent the next year bugging my family to get me a computer and played\n\n        on one every chance I got. I hung out at Radio-Shack, I played on my\n\n        father's computer at work. He got me a book on BASIC programming And I\n\n        tinkered around on any computer I could get my hands on.\n\n        \n\n        I finally got a computer of my own the next Christmas, and spent the\n\n        next few years tinkering and programming.  It took me ten years to get\n\n        away from BASIC and into real world programming languages, but it wasn't\n\n        until I started MUD programming that I started to learn some really\n\n        advanced programming concepts.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: When you created this MUD, did it start off slow or did you\n\n        have quite a few people hit the MUD at one time?\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: It was the original intention to keep the MUD small and more\n\n        reserved for members of the BBS (ComputerLink Online). Also, at the\n\n        time, bandwith was very limited.\n\n        \n\n        Once we got a leased-line Internet connection, I got the OK to make\n\n        the MUD public, and we also got it hooked up into the menu of several\n\n        other BBS, (running MajorBBS software) around the world.\n\n        The MUD was advertised over the newsgroups as well as some of the\n\n        MajorBBS forums. The users trickled in bit by bit, and within a few\n\n        months we started to become a respectable medium sized MUD.\n\n        \n\n        Another factor was that no publicity is bad publicity. We had a bit\n\n        of an issue with the DikuMUD credits that caused a bit of fire on the\n\n        newsgroups and mailing lists. Though the credits were restored, it left\n\n        us a few enemies for a couple years, and made us a bit of a black-sheep\n\n        of MUDs. We worked hard to gain the respect of the MUD community, but\n\n        some never forgive and forget. Realms of Despair has done amazingly well\n\n        compared to other MUDs which have had several more years of being\n\n        established.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: During the hype of the Reunion talks, people have been\n\n        wondering what attractions you'll have there, could you give us any\n\n        insights on some of the attractions?\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: The main attraction of the Reunion (aside from meeting all your\n\n        online friends in person) is the Ontario Renaissance Festival.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Can you explain to those who won't be going what the Ontario\n\n        Renaissance Festival is?\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: It involves an outdoor festival that includes five stages of\n\n        performers, full-armor combat jousting, craft shops, food purveyors,\n\n        and non-stop entertainment.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Are you going to buy some plane tickets and send them out to\n\n        people who are not going?\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: I'm going to be fronting a lot of cash to get T-shirts (and\n\n        maybe other souvineers) invitations, renting a van for transportation\n\n        and appetizers at the Fox and Fiddle... not sure I can afford any plane\n\n        tickets...\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: How successful has the last few reunions been? Do you hope\n\n        that this reunion is going to top the last one?\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: Last year's reunion was the first real planned reunion. In\n\n        previous years we tagged along with ComputerLink Online \/ Internet\n\n        Direct's summer picnic to which only a handful of RoD players\n\n        attended.\n\n        \n\n        Last year we had over 70 people show up at the gates to Rennfest.\n\n        Unfortunately I was running around so much that I completely forgot to\n\n        get a group picture of all those 70 people (as well as a list of who\n\n        was there) We did get some pictures from the Fox and Fiddle. This year\n\n        we hope to be a lot more organized.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: How many people do you think will show up this year?\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: we're hoping for at least 100. Going by the RSVP's there should\n\n        be around 120 people, but some have cancelled. We hope this will be the\n\n        best reunion yet, and that it will encourage more people to come to the\n\n        next one, especially it being the seventh year.\n\n        \n\n        Shingo: Is there a place at the Festival where people can participate\n\n        in the festivities?\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: What kind of participation?\n\n        \n\n        Shingo: Like pie throwing, getting stuck in the gallows, participating\n\n        in skits, etc.\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: I'm not too sure about that stuff... ;) I believe there are a\n\n        few interactive things to do. You can certainly talk to the people\n\n        meandering about... the King, the Queen, the village idiot, the singing\n\n        wenches, etc. There's meat on sticks, ales, beer, mead... merriment to\n\n        be had.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Which do you prefer Thoric? Boxers or Briefs?\n\n        \n\n        Thoric: briefs... need some support, you know?\n\n        \n\n        We thank Thoric for taking the time to accept another interview by\n\n        the one and only paper, Cry of Despair.\n\n        \n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        To Bot or not to Bot... By: Kuah and\n        Conran\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        \n\n        BOT BOTS BOTTING\n\n        Bots, the running of a character using triggers while there is no one\n\n        attending it, is not illegal in itself. However, bots are held to the\n\n        same rules as playing characters. See Laws regarding \"staking\" and\n\n        other applicable laws. The character is accountable for any act the\n\n        bot commits.\n\n        \n\n        Bots,\n\n        There are many of them now, be them personal brew bots to those that\n\n        have sparked this debate on almost any channel, any noteboard, and\n\n        any ear that was willing to listen. They cast spells, remove poisons,\n\n        and a few run ads for nations and other organizations now after a\n\n        spell request is made.\n\n        \n\n        There is no denying the effort and time some of these bots have had\n\n        put into them. Many of us recall the full running casino Cyril had\n\n        going, all ran with bots. I myself like the fact that I can grab a\n\n        few portals full of heals from the many bots in DH when I'm in a pinch.\n\n        But still there are those who just see BOTS as more hassle than help.\n\n        \n\n        I personally think that they've made a lot of newbies reluctant to\n\n        explore and find the things they need to max their stats. The eq and\n\n        items are out there if they'd go and look for them, but it is a lot\n\n        easier for them to walk to the academy instead. And then once the bots\n\n        are gone for a few hours, they dont know what to do - they dont want to\n\n        level for fear of messing up their base. And then their kindred wears\n\n        off and they cant get things out of their chest. While bots mean well,\n\n        I think that lowbies would probably be better of without them.\n\n        -Gisselle\n\n        \n\n        An argument made for the good of 'bots' would be they lesson the spam\n\n        on public and private channels asking for 'level spells'. Yet when the\n\n        bots are not online, the spam is replaced with new players asking where\n\n        'suchnsuch' is, like the bot is a part of the game itself.\n\n        \n\n        ...See that on chat? newbies are too dependent on bots. They panic when\n\n        they're not on. They(bots) make people too dependent, they overuse them,\n\n        so they never learn the hardness of people levelling before bots.\n\n        -Asuka\n\n        \n\n        But is it the spam that really bothers people? Or is it the fact that\n\n        this is a new issue and resource that was not around when many of us\n\n        were leveling the first time ourselves.\n\n        \n\n        I don't even like Tagetarle because no one learns to walk to areas.\n\n        Then when they reach level 20 they are 'Where is land of newts' etc.\n\n        -Taammy\n\n        \n\n        I dislike bots, I think they cause far too many problems in relation to\n\n        their very limited usefulness.\n\n        -Stoneheft\n\n        \n\n        And most of you are in the middle on the subject. What is wrong with\n\n        grabbing a quick remove poison spell from a bot if it is there to do\n\n        such a task?\n\n        \n\n        Bots and Botting is a very tough subject, it is good to see those who\n\n        need the services they perform able to get the service, however... the\n\n        newer players don't seem to learn the ins and outs of the game when\n\n        these bots are so available, yes it cuts down on the spam asking on\n\n        public channels... It has improved greatly since the bots have been\n\n        moved off the beaten path also, but we need to teach the newbies how to\n\n        play more than just hand them what they need for max stats. After all\n\n        this game is about exploring and meeting new people and making friends\n\n        from around the world, a few of mine which I hope to meet this year at\n\n        Reunion 2000 ;)\n\n        -Racin\n\n        \n\n        I'm pretty neutral about the bot issue, some people like to make bots\n\n        some people like to use them. This is all good so long as it doesn't\n\n        interfere with others. One thing that I can't stand is bots that traffic\n\n        on timers though. Bots on channels = bad, imo. The merchant and gaming\n\n        bots are fine, I'm definitely against botting area pops and such though.\n\n        -Rudin\n\n        \n\n        I think bots can be very helpful for those that have a hard time\n\n        obtaining heals\/leveling spells, etc. However, I think it has taken a\n\n        lot of challenge out of the game for newer players, and caused\n\n        unnecessary spam for those who don't care for it.\n\n        -Skaphia\n\n        \n\n        I think bots have their place in the game, as long as they aren't\n\n        abused by other players. If bots are set up correctly and used for the\n\n        purposes they are designed for, then they work fine. The problem seems\n\n        to come when people try to abuse there purpose or try and steal from\n\n        them. Most people that set up bots that I've dealt with are honest\n\n        enough and will take care of any problems when they become aware of\n\n        them. Generally they aren't out to screw people over.\n\n        -Fernagarn\n\n        \n\n        It's nice to see player involvment in the game like that. I'm not sure\n\n        if it helps the newer players or teaches them to rely on others for\n\n        what they need. Guess it depends on the player.\n\n        -Lascivias\n\n        \n\n        Bots have their uses, and can do automatic stuff that players probably\n\n        wouldn't want to spend 24 hours on. In the same vein, bots can't give\n\n        the manual touch live players do. :P But bots are okay, as long as they\n\n        aren't spammy.\n\n        -Juliana\n\n        \n\n        And now the views of a bot owner, Nelkum, from an interview done by\n\n        Conran...\n\n        \n\n        When I first left the Spectral Gates in the hope of someday becoming\n\n        an avatar, I could hardly imagine that my journey would take more than\n\n        a year of real time. You see, even toward the end of that year, I was\n\n        still a newbie in many ways. What I really needed at the beginning was\n\n        that someone might trans(port) me a clue. I didn't know what effect\n\n        levelling spells had on levelling until I was almost at level 40. And\n\n        even then I didn't think much about maximizing my statistics. So here\n\n        I am, an avatar with a base of 440 hp, and a real chicken when it comes\n\n        to fighting. Then when I got zMUD I thought it would be easier to\n\n        advance my proteges Nelkus and Nelcus if I could spell them up by means\n\n        of a few triggers. But they really didn't need for me to stand by\n\n        their side the whole time, so I picked out a spot just east of Darkhaven\n\n        Square, and thought I might help others who happened by.\n\n        \n\n        Within minutes I was chased out of town. So the next best location I\n\n        could find was just outside the Eastern gate.  But the guards kept\n\n        closing the gate, so I killed them. And that's how I became Darkhaven's\n\n        Original Drowbot.\n\n        \n\n        When asked why he continues to run a bot, contrary to a widespread\n\n        opinion of anti-botting, his response...\n\n        \n\n        I can't say that I fully understand the anti-bot position, but I doubt\n\n        that our opposition are uniform in their opinions.\n\n        \n\n        Some people think there shouldn't be any bots at all, and I would tend\n\n        to disagree. Some think bots should relegate themselves to places where\n\n        they will never be seen, which obviously renders them useless. The more\n\n        reasonable position is that bots should not park themselves in\n\n        high-traffic areas and should not be excessively spammy. It's hard to\n\n        define things like \"high-traffic areas\" and \"excessively spammy,\" but\n\n        in principle I agree these are things bots should try to avoid. But the\n\n        controversy has gotten out of hand at times.\n\n        \n\n        His work has not gone without its protests...\n\n        \n\n        I was nearly killed recently by a charmed mob, and I heard that Flareon\n\n        has been attacked by a player. And there were many times that people\n\n        deliberately spammed me until I went link-dead. But I have taken\n\n        measures to circumvent this. And then there are the thwappers and\n\n        spitters. I've had to learn to look the other way.\n\n        \n\n        Some people say that running a bot ruins the objective of the game.\n\n        Rather than players seeking aid from a specific classed character, or\n\n        locating an object that has the ability to cast the desired spell, they\n\n        seek a bot such as Nelkum.\n\n        \n\n        Really what bots are doing is replacing chat spam and ask spam with room\n\n        spam, which I think is a huge improvement. And I think most lowbies agree\n\n        that it's nice to know where you can get a spell when you need it.\n\n        \n\n        And my own situation shows that even someone who doesn't have a clue\n\n        about how to prepare for being an effective and viable avatar can\n\n        manage without levelling spells, and the result is exactly what these\n\n        people complain about.\n\n        \n\n        So why continue to run a bot?\n\n        \n\n        Well initially my intent was to use triggers just to cast spells on my\n\n        own characters. But then I found that it was actually kind of fun\n\n        sitting behind this character and notbotting. In my own definition, a\n\n        bot is a character who functions primarily through triggers. This\n\n        differs from the textbook definition of a character playing without\n\n        actually being attended by anyone. But I like to watch what's going on\n\n        even as the triggers are running. You see, the Realms is a fascinating\n\n        place. I can't imagine how anyone could be bored here, because I don't\n\n        get bored even standing in the same place all the time. But mostly I do\n\n        this because it's helpful, and many people seem to appreciate it.\n\n        \n\n        To those who have complained about the spam created by Nelkum and his\n\n        bots?\n\n        \n\n        I did explain already that I'm replacing chatspam with roomspam. But\n\n        I got into a lot of trouble early on because I was botting and I didn't\n\n        realize that people didn't like the spam I was generating.\n\n        \n\n        Seemed to me that compared to Darkhaven Square, the Eastern gate was\n\n        like way out beyond the boonies. So I wanted to advertise a bit. Just\n\n        about then I discovered that nifty alfalfa trigger, It occurred to me\n\n        that maybe the people passing by might share some Grey Poupon. I do\n\n        love my mustard! For me, the alfalfa and the mustard never seemed to\n\n        get old. But because I was botting, I didn't realize that some people,\n\n        especially the avatars, had a different opinion. So I thought something\n\n        more along the lines of \"How are you?\" would be better.  But\n\n        recently people have convinced me to do away with social triggers when\n\n        people enter the room. I guess I did get carried away with that, and I\n\n        owe apologies to a lot of people. It's number 38 on my to-do list,\n\n        right after number 37, which is to remember where I put the list.\n\n        \n\n        With so many opposed to the idea of botting what can you say?\n\n        \n\n        Am I destroying the Realms by casting helpful spells? Or am I making\n\n        the Realms a nicer place? If you hate it, please ignore me. *wipes spit\n\n        from eyes* But if you need a spell, say Pretty Please.\n\n        \n\n        Nelkum is located 7 east of Darkhaven Square...\n\n        \n\n        Thanks to all of you for opinions, suggestions and long winded lectures\n\n        with your feelings on this issue. And for a bit of personal experience,\n\n        I (Kuah) bought some portals from Quaph, (4w,4n,u,2s from DH[]) and had\n\n        a few pounds too many to carry all of them, thus I was out 2.5 mil for\n\n        not paying attention. Later that day, the owner of Quaph sent me a tell\n\n        and was kind enough to of give me a refund. And that gave me another\n\n        reminder that there are people, not bots, behind the text on this\n\n        screen. Thank you.\n\n        \n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        Eclipse (part2) By: Shingo\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        \n\n        Chapter 2 - Tried and Proven Worthy\n\n        \n\n        Sol and Lune set a course through a small thicket of forest on the way\n\n        to a small lake shown on the map.  In the centre of the lake, was built\n\n        L'aquis Castle; a castle with towers above water, an entrance at the\n\n        surface, and what seemed like several floors built beneath the lake.\n\n        The towers were covered with vines of seaweed, and moss, giving it a\n\n        nice green colour, which helped to camouflage the castle from invaders,\n\n        but also made it tough to spot for people looking for a place to stay.\n\n          Fortunetly, the map proved accurate, and the children had no trouble\n\n        finding it.\n\n        \n\n        The drawbridge was up, and a lone guard on the uppermost tower hailed\n\n        out to them.\n\n        \n\n        \"Hello there!  State your names and your business.\"\n\n        \n\n        Sol yelled back, \"We're from the tribe on the island of Nairite, and\n\n        we were sent here by our father to gather information on how we might\n\n        prove worthy to become leaders of our tribe.  I am Sol, and this is my\n\n        sister, Lune.\"\n\n        \n\n        \"Tribe of Nairite?\", the guard yelled, \"Then honoured guests you are!\n\n        Come in! Lower the drawbridge!\".  And the drawbridge slowly creaked down\n\n        and landed in front of the children to cross and enter the castle.  The\n\n        sight from outside was nothing short of dull, but the inside was amazing.\n\n        \n\n        The walls were built from aquamarine, giving each wall a glistening\n\n        blue hue to it.  Each step echoed heavily, resounding off the hollow\n\n        walls.  Overhead, was an exquisite chandelier made from coral, with\n\n        dangling firewater opals.  On the walls, were several banners with the\n\n        crest of the castle, L'aquis.\n\n        \n\n        The guard from the tower appeared from a stairwell in front of them\n\n        and greeted the children.\n\n        \n\n        \"Welcome, honoured guests.  His Majesty is awaiting your presence.\n\n        Come, walk this way\", and he led them to a spiral staircase which only\n\n        went deeper into the lake.  At the bottom of the staircase, was a\n\n        double-door entryway.  The doors were made with coral, reinforced by\n\n        magic.  A guard at the doorway opened the doors for the guard and the\n\n        children.\n\n        \n\n        They walked into a large chamber, where the walls were actually a thin\n\n        sheet of diamond.  The floor as well was diamond, giving clear view of\n\n        the depths of the lake around and beneath them.  Schools of fish were\n\n        swimming every which way, and some of the citizens of the castle were\n\n        having a swim with the tamed water drakes.  Sunlight sparkled in from\n\n        the surface of the water and shone thin beams of light into the lake,\n\n        giving the lake a dreamy state as fish and waterman alike pierced through\n\n        the beams as they swam.  Before the children had time to take in all the\n\n        sights, they were introduced to King L'aquis the XI.\n\n        \n\n        \"Sire\", began the guard, \"we have visitors from the Tribe of Nairite.\n\n        These are Sol and Lune, the children of the one who fought beside you\n\n        years ago.\"\n\n        King L'aquis' eyes widened with both surprise and happiness, as he\n\n        slowly began to reminisce of old times.\n\n        \n\n        \"Ahh, indeed\", began L'aquis, \"you are welcome in my Kingdom at any time.\n\n        Tell me, how is your father?\"\n\n        \n\n        \"He is well, your Majesty\", said Lune, \"and while we both have many\n\n        questions to ask of how you know our father, we're here on business.\n\n        We've come seeking information on how we can prove ourselves worthy to\n\n        lead our tribe, and we were hoping you might be able to lead us in the\n\n        right direction.\"\n\n        \n\n        \"Yes, your father did the same many years ago.  And I will do what my\n\n        father did to him and to me. I will send my son along with you, as he\n\n        too must prove his worth to me to lead our own Kingdom.  L'aquin, come!\"\n\n        \n\n        A young looking, blue-skinned man came from behind, decked in a light\n\n        blue plate mail, and holding a large spear, tipped with sharpened coral.\n\n        He was tall, with small gills behind his ears, though it was barely\n\n        noticable with his hair covering up most of it.  He looked like the image\n\n        of King L'aquis himself, except much younger.  His sea-green eyes flashed\n\n        at Sol and Lune, then quickly returned to face his father, and he\n\n        kneeled.  \"You have summoned me?\", he spoke, his voice low-toned.\n\n        \n\n        \"Yes, L'aquin.  You are to accompany these two children from the Tribe\n\n        Nairite, to the Dragon's Nest south of the castle.  The time has come\n\n        for you to prove your worth to me as a rightful heir to the throne,\n\n        and when you return, victorious, no doubt, we will feast and talk of\n\n        old times with these two.\"\n\n        \n\n        L'aquin, seemed shock at the sudden order, but knew that this was what\n\n        he was waiting for - the chance to prove he was worthy, except he wasn't\n\n        about ready to share the responsibility with two complete strangers.\n\n        \"Father, I can do this by myself.  I do not need the aid of two innocent\n\n        travelers from the isles who might only get into danger.\"\n\n        \n\n        \"Silence!  You have heard my request, and you will heed it.  These two\n\n        are no ordinary travelers, I assure you.  If they are anything like their\n\n        father, they may, in fact, teach you something, like some humility.  You\n\n        will set out this moment, and return with an adult dragon's head before\n\n        nightfall.  Dismissed.\"\n\n        \n\n        The three children bowed, and exited the throne room.  L'aquin turned to\n\n        them and said, \"I only work with you because my father believes you are\n\n        both skilled but if you get into danger, I will not help you, and I\n\n        expect you not to help me, though I doubt I'll need it.  We'll leave \n\n        now.\"\n\n        \n\n        They exited the castle and walked south, to the entrance of the Dragon's\n\n        nest.\n\n        \n\n        There was complete silence as they approached the cave opening.\n\n        Stepping in very silently, they couldn't hear much, and they dared not\n\n        light a torch for fear that they alert the dragons to their presence.\n\n        There was a dripping noise in the back of the cave, water trickling down\n\n        a stalactite.  Then there was the sound of footprints scurrying across\n\n        the puddle the water was forming, and then a low rumbling.  In what\n\n        little light was left, the three children turned to look at each other\n\n        before continuing further into the perilous cave.\n\n        \n\n        The rumbling got a bit louder, and along with the light footsteps, could\n\n        be heard a small growl; almost a cry.  There was a bend in the cavern\n\n        and peeking around it, the children saw 2 dragons, one adult, and one\n\n        baby.  There were several small holes in the ceiling of the cave, which\n\n        allowed some light to filter in.  The sound of a stream could be heard\n\n        above them, and that's where the dripping was coming from.  The cave was\n\n        perfect to be raising young; water from above, shelter from the weather\n\n        in the cave, and outside, in the forest, there must surely be wild \n\n        animals.\n\n        \n\n        The children stopped looking from behind the bend and sat on the floor,\n\n        backs leaning to the wall.  They weren't sure how they were supposed to\n\n        kill the dragon, and especially one that had a child to take care of.\n\n        \n\n        \"I say we kill them both.  The young one would only grow up and ravage \n\n        the\n\n        forest when it is older.  Kill it now, and it won't be a problem to my\n\n        Kingdom in the future\", began L'aquin.\n\n        \n\n        \"Are you heartless?\" asked Lune. \"It's only a baby dragon, how could we\n\n        kill it when it has a life to live as much as any other wild animal?\"\n\n        \n\n        \"Have you forgotten that this is my territory, not the island?  When it\n\n        grows up, and has young of it's own, it will come back here to feed off\n\n        the animals that my Kingdom uses, and destroy the forest.\", L'aquin\n\n        argued.\n\n        \n\n        Let's worry about the young one later.  How do you propose we defeat the\n\n        older one?  No doubt she'll fight ferociously to protect her child.\", Sol\n\n        stated.\n\n        \n\n        \"Leave that up to me.  You two do whatever you want, but stay out of my \n\n        way.\"\n\n        \n\n        \"Why are you being so adamant about doing it yourself?  You'll get hurt\",\n\n        Sol said.\n\n        \n\n        \"That has yet to be seen.  Are we ready to strike?\"  Sol and Lune\n        nodded,\n\n        each pulling out their weapons.  Lune said, \"I think we should...\"\n\n        \n\n        \"CHARGE!!!\" L'aquin yelled, and ran around the bend of the cave towards\n\n        the dragons.  The mother perked up and roared so greatly, the caverns \n\n        shook,  and dust fell from the ceiling of the cave, some stalactites began \n\n        cracking, almost ready to break off and fall to the floor.  Sol and Lune had no \n\n        choice but to follow him around.\n\n        \n\n        L'aquin was running full speed towards the mother dragon, and planted\n\n        the butt end of his spear into the ground of the cavern and used his\n\n        momentum to vault himself up, taking his spear out of the ground as he\n\n        was lifted into the air towards the mouth of the mother dragon.  The\n\n        young dragon cried out a lesser roar than his mother produced, and\n\n        took cover in a small corner of the cave. The mother forgot about\n\n        L'aquin, after hearing her baby cry for help, and she roared once more,\n\n        with the same effect as before.  Stalactites began dropping from the\n\n        cavern ceiling, one landing almost on top of L'aqiun while he was still\n\n        vaulting through the air.  Some landed near her child, almost piercing\n\n        through him, but some did land on the mother's back, and they stuck\n\n        there, red blood began seeping through the mother's scaled back.\n\n        L'aquin landed on top of the mother's back, and with his spear\n\n        lowered, charged up along her back, towards the neck.  The mother\n\n        swung around real fast, throwing L'aquin off her back and into a cavern\n\n        wall.  L'aquin slid down the wall, and slumped over, unconscious.\n\n         Then the mother reared up and roared, this time in great pain as those\n\n        stalactites had really hurt her, many of them were deeply embedded in\n\n        her back.  The cavern shook more violently this time, and instead of\n\n        stalactites falling, it seemed like the whole cavern was about to cave in!\n\n        \n\n        \"We've got to get out of here!\", Sol yelled.  \"I'll grab L'aquin, you\n\n        take the baby dragon with you!  We can't just leave it here.\"\n\n        \n\n        \"How do you want me to do that?  The baby is as tall as I am, and I don't\n\n        think he'd want to leave his dying mother!\", Lune cried back.\n\n        \n\n        \"I'm sure it doesn't want to die either.  Just do what you can!\" Sol\n\n        cried, as he ran over to L'aquin's unconscious body and picked him up.\n\n        The mother dragon looked at her child, and made a few dying sounds to\n\n        it, before it's eyes closed and rocks began to tumble onto her, forcing\n\n        her to the ground with a loud crash further causing the cave to crumble\n\n        away.  Lune ran over to the crying baby dragon and grabbed one of it's\n\n        claws in her hand, and began tugging at it to go with her.  The dragon\n\n        instead lowered his head and scooped her up onto his back, then began\n\n        making a mad dash towards the exit.\n\n        \n\n        Once everyone was safely out of the cave, they turned back and watched\n\n        the entrance cave into itself, sealing up the nest and the remains of\n\n        the adult dragon.  The baby cried one last small wail then stood quietly,\n\n        with Lune still perched on his back.  Lune carefully dismounted and ran\n\n        over to Sol and L'aquin who still lay unconscious.  She drew a rune in\n\n        the dust and grabbed some herbs from her straw handbag, sprinkled some\n\n        over L'aquin's body, and the herbs disappeared from sight as she began\n\n        chanting a spell.  Then, L'aquin's eyes opened.\n\n        \n\n        \"What happened?\" he asked. \"My back feels sore, and what is THAT doing\n\n        here?\", he said pointing at the baby dragon.\n\n        \n\n        \"It saved me, and we saved you\", said Lune. \"So thank us, because you'd\n\n        still be in the cave, dead probably.  Then how would you rule your\n\n        Kingdom?\"\n\n        \n\n        L'aquin pondered the turn of events for a moment before saying, \"Thank\n\n        you. But we still have a problem.  We're not exactly returning with a\n\n        dragon's head. We're going back with a live baby dragon, who we\n\n        intended to kill, so why did it save you?\"\n\n        \n\n        Sol interrupted, \"It's mother told it to.  Rather than see it die, it\n\n        is still too young to defend itself, and seeing Lune and I as peaceful\n\n        people, probably told it to go with us before she died.  We can take\n\n        it to L'aquis Castle and maybe you can feed it and watch it grow?\"\n\n        \n\n        \"Into an animal that would eat my people?  I'd rather not.  But we must\n\n        return with it, and we'll see what my father has to say about this.\"\n\n        \n\n                                              \n        ***\n\n        \n\n        Back at the castle, they decided to have Lune stay with the baby just\n\n        outside the front gate, while Sol and L'aquin entered and spoke with\n\n        the King.\n\n          \"So you've returned not with a dragon's head, but with a whole dragon?\"\n\n        asked King L'aquis.  \"And this dragon is outside my castle with your\n\n        sister, Sol?\"\n\n        \n\n        \"Yes, your Majesty.  We'd like to ask that you take care of the dragon.\n\n        \n\n        It's mother entrusted it's care to us, but we can't handle such a large\n\n        animal.  At least here, in can hunt in the forest, or in the lake.\"\n\n        \n\n        \"Then I've already made my decision.  The dragon, with proper handling,\n\n        could become a valuable asset to my Kingdom.  We will take care of it\n\n        here.  And I hope you've learned a lesson, L'aquin.  If it weren't for\n\n        these two, you would be lost to us.  This is the experience that I\n\n        believe has taught you to rely on the help of others if you cannot do\n\n        it alone, and only you can be the judge of that, so I hope you judge\n\n        more carefully next time.\"\n\n        \n\n        \"Yes, father\", said L'aquin, and bowed.\n\n        \n\n        \"Ah ha!  Good!  For now, let us feast!  It's been a long time since\n\n        I've had visitors from Naerite, and you and Lune have much to explain\n\n        to me, as I have much to explain to you!\"\n\n        \n\n        To be continued\n\n        \n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        Meet Hoerkin By: Begaria\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        \n\n        I took the opportunity to see if Hoerkin was available for an interview\n\n        and to see if he would take some time out of his busy schedule for an\n\n        interview.  He happily agreed after a few minutes and I was brought\n\n        before him.  I smiled at him and said that if he was ready. He nodded\n\n        and I told him that we shall begin.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: How long have you been playing Realms, Hoerkin?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: I started playing in the beginning of 98, so just over\n\n        2 years :)\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Was Realms your very first MUD, or did you play at different\n\n        ones before you came here?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: This is the first, and only, MUD I ever played...my evil\n\n        brother inticed me here, and I was hooked at the first line of text.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Heh, when you started here, were you a helpless newbie? Or did\n\n        you catch on to this pretty quick and shoot off into the glory of the\n\n        Realms?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: I would say I was a mixture of both.  I had the basis down\n\n        pretty well, having been brought up in the time of Infocom games (Zork,\n\n        Hitchhikers Guide...) but it took me a while to get a firm grasp on\n\n        everything\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: After playing for awhile, did you ever think that you would\n\n        become an Imm?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: That's a hard one...after playing for a time, 6 months or so,\n\n        I think...I knew that I wanted to Build  :) I downloaded a copy of\n\n        SmaugWiz and learned as much as I could. After a year of playing with\n\n        that, I knew I was really interested in Imming here :)\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: When you Imm'd, did you go right on into building and find\n\n        it easy?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: Pretty much, yep.  There is still a lot to learn here...there\n\n        are many differences between Building here, and Building on a personal\n\n        copy of SmaugWiz.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: When you were a mortal, I know that you belonged to the Guild\n\n        of Rangers because I joined just before you Imm'd. Do you have any\n\n        great memories from the guild?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: Hmm...well, there was this time when Ranstlin and I were\n\n        goofing off at recall, and I went to use the bind social on him...\n\n        and ended up cuffing him instead.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: And that turned into a pkill?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: Well...Attacker Flag, anyhow I can't recall who showed up to\n\n        break us up...Phred, I believe.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Did Ranstlin get you back?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: Ranstlin has gotten me back ever since...and before... he's a\n\n        nut.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Was it a hard decision for you to leave the guild and become\n\n        an Imm? Any regrets?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: It was quite a decision, yes.  I knew that I wanted this but my\n\n        heart has always been in the GoR. I know the Guild is in good hands,\n\n        though, so I don't have many regrets at all :)\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: What's the funniest thing you ever saw as an Imm?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: Most of them, I am not at liberty to discuss...But if you give\n\n        me a minute, I'll think of something :) Ok, I'm going to get smited for\n\n        mentioning this, I'm sure, but I remember a day when someone inventive\n\n        was playing around in Pre-Auth and created several clones of the other\n\n        Imms. All chaos ensued, but it was all good fun :)\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Was that when all the imms were renamed?  Those were clones?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: No.  Names like IIiana and EIisabet...(the lower-case L's are\n\n        capital I's...)\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Can we have a sneak peek at some Hoerkin made areas that are\n\n        to come?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: I'm not able to discuss much about my current area, but I will\n\n        speak of one which I consider a pet project. I have an abandoned city\n\n        in mind, which comes alive only at night...various nasties to face, and\n\n        tons of secrets.\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Do you have any words of wisdom for the rest of the Realms?\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin: Sure  :)  One thing I can never stress enough is this:\n\n        There are Help Files for virtually _everything_ in this game...\n\n        by looking for the resources, one is able to be totally self-sufficient.\n\n        It's all out there, it's just a matter of taking the time to look :)\n\n        \n\n        Begaria: Thank you for answering my questions Hoerkin.\n\n        \n\n        Hoerkin You're welcome.\n\n        \n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        Quest and Contest By: Elisabet\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        \n\n        ***----------------------------------------------------------------***\n\n            Attention all Golden Ticket Holders! Elisabet will be holding\n\n            a quest for all her golden ticket holders on Thursday, July 20 at\n\n            8pm EST. The Golden Tickets must say they are from Elisabet!\n\n        ***----------------------------------------------------------------***\n\n        \n\n        The following are the winners of the last Immortal story Archive Quest\n\n        held by Elisabet. Congrats again to Nimby and Ilsensine\n\n        \n\n        To the tune of American Pie By: Nimby\n\n        A long long time ago\n\n        Elisabet can remember when\n\n        Spirit Nagas made her cry.\n\n        But she knew if she held her ground\n\n        And worked to get her spell list down\n\n        Those silly dwarven toddlers would die\n\n        But Pixie Forest made her shiver\n\n        With every 'cause light' she delivered\n\n        She needed better E Q\n\n        Whatever would she do?\n\n        She can't remember if she sighed\n\n        When zapped by a cloak of elvenkind\n\n        But something touched her brutal side\n\n        The day a gnome child died\n\n        So fly, fly, miss Elisabet, fly\n\n        Though now you be a goddess\n\n        You were once a small fry\n\n        And all those mobs you now just look at and sigh\n\n        Upon a time they could make you cry\n\n        Upon a time they could make you die\n\n        Oh did you try the Swordsman's gloves\n\n        And drink a thick black potion\n\n        When you were shivering and ill?\n\n        And did you believe the electrum sword\n\n        Was better than the elven one\n\n        and did you venture east of Gallow Hill?\n\n        Well I'm sure you wore a bullette shield\n\n        And a silver dagger you did wield\n\n        And you got a bracelet of gold\n\n        From Arabella's grave so cold\n\n        And while Tree of Life caused you distress\n\n        You donned Inanna's big Headdress\n\n        And I'm sure that you adepted Bless\n\n        Before you were too old\n\n        So bye bye Miss Elisabet, fly\n\n        Though now you be a goddess you were once a small fry\n\n        And all those mobs you now so easily smite\n\n        Upon a time they could make you cry\n\n        Upon a time they could make you die.\n\n        I went down to the Courier Store where I'd bought a note or 2 before\n\n        And I took a quill in hand.\n\n        And I wrote these simple lines, mostly just to pass some time\n\n        And do a quest throughout the land\n\n        And though this note I'm sure won't win\n\n        I hope at least to get a grin\n\n        From the immortal Elisabet when\n\n        Oh when, she reads the note\n\n        \n\n        Cersei the Darklord By: Ilsensine\n\n        Lady Cersei tentatively entered the foreboding castle. Since the evil\n\n        lord had descended on Darkhaven, only those that wished death dared to\n\n        enter Darkhawk. Cersei came with another purpose. The tyrant could not\n\n        be defeated by might or magic, for many had tried and failed. She knew\n\n        another way. The fortress was not what she expected, not a guard in\n\n        sight and a flow of gentle music drifted from the great northern hall.\n\n        Cersei lightly crossed the circular red carpet and gasped aloud as she\n\n        entered the room. There sat the tyrant. Resplendent in a crimson robe,\n\n        on a golden throne he perched, attention focussed on a chessboard upon\n\n        the table before him. He looked up from his game and brought his\n\n        intense purple orbs upon her. 'Who disturbs my repose?' he boomed, as\n\n        with a gesture his chess servant was dismissed. Cersei swallowed hard,\n\n        trying to relax her racing mind on the sweet music from the courtier's\n\n        silver flute, rather than upon the skeletal hand resting on the table\n\n        as it spun an incandescent blue stone through its bony fingers.\n\n        Straightening, she spoke in a clear and sure tone, 'I have come to\n\n        take the challenge of the mind.' The robed figure eased back in his\n\n        throne, 'Excellent,' he purred, 'do take a seat.' Wordlessly, she\n\n        accepted the invitation, placing herself in the carved chair opposite\n\n        the monster. The musician departed at that moment and momentarily the\n\n        only sound in the chamber was a faint twinkle from her pretty gold and\n\n        black Solacian earrings.\n\n        \n\n        'The rules are simple,' he flatly denoted, 'I have but a single riddle,\n\n        solve this and you may kill me by my own sword, the only weapon which\n\n        could even cut my skin.' Smiling smugly, he produced a ruby sabre and\n\n        set it upon the walnut table. The rubies shone deep like port wine and\n\n        the wicked edge whispered to of death to the beautiful lady. Cersei\n\n        sat pinned, trying to control her fear.\n\n        \n\n        'In marble halls, white as milk,\n\n        A perfect prison, soft as silk,\n\n        In a fountain, crystal clear,\n\n        A golden apple doth appear\n\n        No doors lead into this hold\n\n        Yet thieves break in to steal the gold.'\n\n        \n\n        She let her mind empty of attendant thought and played the words over in\n\n        her mind... deep breaths... perfect calm... cool... natural... oval...\n\n        what was she thinking of? Natural, calm, oval, golden apple... of course!\n\n        No doors, clear liquid, a golden centre! She took a breath and spoke at\n\n        last, 'An Egg.' Those two words fell like dead petals from her lips.\n\n        \n\n        Disbelief entered his purple orbs and a clawed hand jerked up to push\n\n        the sword to her. In a dream the lady took the hilt and raised the\n\n        blade. As the tyrant bowed his head she brought the great weapon down\n\n        upon his brow. A crackle of thunder rolled and echoed from the figure,\n\n        etched with a single, pained, 'Noooo!' She felt the sword melt like\n\n        butter in her hand and without turning she fled from the crumbling\n\n        castle.\n\n        \n\n        The earth shook and a great crevasse opened before her. Leaping\n\n        desperately, she flung herself over the divide and landed in a heap of\n\n        disbelief at the other side. Turning back she saw a small black crow\n\n        fly free of the rubble.\n\n        \n\n        To this day Cersei swears it had the strangest purple eyes.\n\n        \n\n        Once again, GREAT JOB by Nimby and Ilsensine\n\n        \n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        Turalyon sleeps with the Tuna\n        fishies. By: Begaria\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        \n\n        The story begins high in the Vallenwood Tree, the very top of the\n\n        Guild of Ranger's HQ where Reol is sitting on the highest branch,\n\n        looking out towards the great city of Darkhaven.  He looked out\n\n        towards the east and saw a speck far off in the distance.  It came\n\n        closer and closer to Reol until it crashed and stuck right into the\n\n        branch in front of him.\n\n        It was an arrow with a message on it. Shaking his head, Reol stood up\n\n        and carefully made his way to the arrow and pulled it out of the\n\n        branch.  He sat back down and unrolled the message.  Inside were some\n\n        cool looking shades and words on the paper that said, 'PUT THE SHADES\n\n        ON.'  Reol shrugged and threw away the paper and put the arrow down\n\n        beside him.  He put the shades onto his eyes and a message popped in\n\n        through the eye holes magically.\n\n        A voice started to speak to Reol.\n\n        Voice: 'Good morning Mr.Reol.  You have been assigned a new task as the\n\n        head of the hired assassin program. If you choose to accept this\n\n        mission, your task goes as follows. You are to retrieve the mystical\n\n        Namsar's Sacrificial Fish Scaler and to hunt down and take Turalyon,\n\n        lord of all Tuna fishies, to the hidden pond of the Tuna fishies. There,\n\n        you will dispose of Turalyon and put his body into the pond where he\n\n        will be with his beloved Tuna Fishies.  Don't forget to bring some home,\n\n        those things taste great. You are allowed to take two accomplices with\n\n        you.  If you are caught and killed during this mission, the board will\n\n        deny to have anything to do with you and disknowledge your existence.\n\n        This message will self-destruct...\n\n        \n\n        Reol sighed and took off the glasses and threw them off the tree. As\n\n        he did, they blew up in mid-air.  Reol looked out towards the city and\n\n        nodded.\n\n        \n\n        Later that day, Reol packed some heals and his equipment and set off on\n\n        through the south gate and proceeded down the path to the Coral Reef\n\n        beach.  Reol came down onto the sand and quickly cast the aqua breath\n\n        spell.  Reol proceeded into the water with confidence and dived down\n\n        into the depths.  There, he swam through the tunnels until he came to\n\n        the dark caverns of the slippery eels.  He tracked through the many\n\n        strenuous tunnels until he came to Namsars secret base.  Reol opened the\n\n        door to little hut and found Namsar swimming around his living room,\n\n        chasing after a big fish with his Scaler. Reol just floated there\n\n        watching this humorous scene when Namsar finally gave up chasing the\n\n        stupid fish and noticed Reol.  Namsar nodded and they both proceeded to\n\n        swim towards each other.  Reol stopped in front of Namsar.\n\n        Reol 'Havin' a little trouble?'\n\n        Namsar grumbled 'Bah, just a little hungry that's all.  What do I owe\n\n        to this little visit, Reol?'\n\n        Reol 'I have a new mission assigned to me Namsar.  I am to dispose\n\n        of Turalyon and I need your special Sacrificial Fish Scaler to do it.'\n\n        \n\n        Namsar nodded and said 'Yeah, sure.  Just that...do you have anything\n\n        to eat?'\n\n        Reol was prepared for this.  He pulled out a magic mushroom and gave it\n\n        to Namsar.  Namsar wulfed it down in one chew and thanked Reol.\n\n        Reol 'Ya know, you DO have the create food spell.'\n\n        Namsar nodded and said 'Yeah I know, I ran out of mana though and I got\n\n        hungry.'\n\n        Reol chuckled and Namsar handed him his Sacrificial Fish Scaler and Reol\n\n        shaked Namsar's hand and started to leave.\n\n        Namsar 'Hey Reol, just use my staircase.'\n\n        Reol 'huh?'\n\n        Namsar took Reol to the back and showed him a staircase that led right\n\n        up to guild recall.  Reol felt kind of stupid for not remembering that\n\n        he could have just used the staircase to get here.  Namsar started to\n\n        laugh at Reol when Reol told him to be quiet and left.\n\n        Reol now needed two partners.  Any two will do, Reol thought.\n\n        That's when Lothus jumped down from above.  Lothus landed on his\n\n        feet with a thud and nodded at Reol.  Reol grinned to himself.\n\n        Lothus 'Hey Reol, wassup?'\n\n        Reol 'Nothing much.  Hey you want to help me with something?'\n\n        Lothus shrugged and said sure and followed Reol.  Reol climbed\n\n        out of the tree and landed right on Jaryl's head. Jaryl pushed him\n\n        off and got up and dusted himself off.\n\n        \n\n        Reol 'Hey!  You're alive!  Thought the Tarrasque did you in!'\n\n        Jaryl shook his head 'Nope.  Managed to climb out of there with my\n\n        life.  Heard this evil laugh coming from the entrance of the caves\n\n        though.'\n\n        Reol grinned 'Hey, want to help me with something?'\n\n        Jaryl 'Yeah, sure, got nothin else to do...except for to murder Begaria.'\n\n        Reol 'Nope, that's not my mission.  I have to dispose of Turalyon.'\n\n        Jaryl 'Why?'\n\n        Reol '..............I dun know.  Just got a message I had to do it.'\n\n        Jaryl shrugged and followed Reol.\n\n        Lothus 'So what's the plan?'\n\n        Reol 'I wait here for Turalyon.  You two go hide and when I say 'now'\n\n        you two jump him and throw this sack over him.'\n\n        Reol handed a potato sack to Lothus and some binds to Jaryl.\n\n        Lothus and Jaryl climbed up the vallenwood and waited for Reol's signal.\n\n        Reol stood there on the path, waiting with professional assassin like\n\n        calm. A smell of Tuna fishies started to float into Reol's nose as\n\n        Turalyon appeared up ahead.  Reol put on his most disarming smile and\n\n        waited for Turalyon.\n\n        \n\n        Reol 'Hey Tura.  Wassup?'\n\n        \n\n        Turalyon 'Nothing much.  Whatcha doin'?'\n\n        Reol 'Nothing much right NOW!'\n\n        Lothus and Jaryl lunged out of the tree.  Jaryl quickly binded\n\n        Tura and Lothus stuffed him into the sack.\n\n        Turalyon 'Hey!  What's going on here!'\n\n        Reol 'From orders of the assassin board, I have to carry out your\n\n        penalty.'\n\n        Turalyon's muffly cried 'What did I do?!'\n\n        Reol '.........I dun know.  Just that you have to die.'\n\n        Whimpering came from inside the sack. Poor Tura, thought Reol\n\n        but he had to carry out his orders.  The three of them picked up\n\n        the sack and started down the many trails towards the Tuna fishy\n\n        pond.  It would be too long to describe the paths, besides, it's\n\n        a secret. The three of them quickly threw the sack into the pond,\n\n        and Reol unsheathed the mystical Namsars Sacrificial Fish Scaler and\n\n        ninja threw it at the sack.  The knife stuck right in the middle of\n\n        it and Tura's cries were no more.  Reol sighed and felt a little sad\n\n        towards his friend, but just then, a white light flashed down on\n\n        the sack and a BIG Tuna Fish popped out from it.\n\n        Tuna 'Thank you for releasing me from that human body Reol.  For\n\n        your efforts, I will grant you one wish.'\n\n        Reol 'One wish?  If there's one wish that I would make, it would\n\n        be for the Realms benefit.'\n\n        \n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        Funny Bones By: Kuah,Dein,Shingo\n        and Begaria\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        \n\n        Funny Titles\n\n        \n\n        Taboo. Making The World A Bitter Place.\n\n        Louge Smiter Of Those Either Smoten or Smoteable.\n\n        Cloveious the phandi that huggled Balzhur.\n\n        Vladith wanders in a dazed, zombie-like state is hovering here.\n\n        Thoric:  Lost Mind.  Reward.\n\n        Darklund Is Easily Distracted By Bright Shiny Things.\n\n        Jsinth Emberhammer is config -brain\n\n        Sigwulf wishes he was on Buffy...erm with Buffy\n\n        Sylvias I'Arahinsnugglewuggums, the Greater Lemon Summoner.\n\n        Rosin: Wholesome part of your mother's breakfast.\n\n        Kuah Cha'Din, cooks as good as he looks.\n\n        Qizatch has belladonna sticking out of its mouth.\n\n        Saraphin teaches you a lesson -- Pokey style!\n\n        Traxxis is in the neverending search for French bootie.\n\n        Drathkkyn Wants His Title To Be In The Cry Of Despair :P.\n\n        Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo: Potion Holding Man-Whore.\n\n        \n\n        ---\n\n        Avatar Chat...\n\n        Merton 'You recite a magical tablet...50 dr   50 hr  5 dex 1000 hp\n\n        Anti-Merton  *sniff*\n\n        \n\n        Merton 'One day Herne will make one of those'\n\n        \n\n        Symposium Counciltalk\n\n        Kolad counciltalks 'oh sorry about my absentness i was in traffic.... :('\n\n        Cresis counciltalks 'Playing, I hope.'\n\n        \n\n        ---\n\n        Ogrillon Exposed!\n\n        \n\n        Today I'm down in Gauntlet where I have just rescued the Ogrillon from\n\n        imprisonment. I made a deal with the old fellow today, I'd free him\n\n        if and only if he would answer a few of my questions. Fearing it would\n\n        take days for another adventurer to find him, he agreed, and we are very\n\n        glad he did.\n\n        Dein: Thank you for answering my questions today.\n\n        Ogrillon: I didn't have much choice in the matter now, did I? Ya bribed\n\n        me, remember?\n\n        Dein: Ummmmm....anyways, how does it feel to rule Gauntlet?  To be the\n\n        master of evil for lowbies?\n\n        Ogrillon: It's busy, I'll tell you that. When some upstart adventurer\n\n        isn't trying to kill me I'm either trapped or writing in my ledger.\n\n        Dein: Your ledger?\n\n        Ogrillon: Yes, being owner of this place isn't fun you know. I have\n\n        ogres camped outside my walls and the taxes must get paid. It's actually\n\n        quite difficult.\n\n        \n\n        I remember earlier days when the Sentinel was not well known, back then\n\n        it was relaxing, I had to spend less time defending myself and more\n\n        time enjoying myself.\n\n        Dein: One thing I have always wondered, why does the Sentinel unlock\n\n        your castle?\n\n        Ogrillon: Years before I forced out the previous owner of the Sentinel.\n\n        that was a fight to remember all right....many were killed.\n\n        However, I've always been meaning to get the lock changed but I've never\n\n        had the time to do so.\n\n        Dein: Are there a lot more things you do if you had the time?\n\n        Ogrillon: But of course, obviously you haven't seen enough of this place.\n\n        The ant infestation is just horrid, and you'd think an exterminator\n\n        would come out here, but no, of course not, not when the Ogrillon needs\n\n        him.\n\n        Dein: I always pictured you as big and scary, but you don't seem scary\n\n        at all...\n\n        Ogrillon: That's a misrepresentation. I don't even want to hurt people.\n\n        On the other hand have you met the ogre chieftain's daughter? That girl\n\n        is feisty! And what a violent one too.  Personally, I would rather just\n\n        thank someone for saving me and then leave. The less I have to do, the\n\n        better.\n\n        Dein: Are there any funny moments you remember that you'd like to share?\n\n        Ogrillon: Well, it's not really funny, but I remember someone came to\n\n        kill me, and he brought a charmed rabbit along with him. Now this player\n\n        looked very buff, yet I killed him.  However as soon as he was dead, the\n\n        bunny got me.\n\n        \n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        Public Submitted Works By:\n        Public Submitted Works\n\n        ===========================================================\n\n        **This was a submission in Elisabets last Quest with the immortal\n\n        **story, it was not a winner, but she felt it too good not to post!\n\n        \n\n        The Story of Cadimus, by Vaile\n\n        \n\n        Rising from the mists of time, a relic from ages long ago, the sword of\n\n        Chalra has once again been discovered.  The honorable of the known\n\n        realm have become completely infatuated with thoughts of knowledge,\n\n        power, and glory.  Many have begun their travels in search for the\n\n        legendary sword only to fall to a demise visited upon them by the\n\n        unknown.  One such adventurer, known as Cadimus to the populace, a\n\n        fighter of reknown, undertakes a journey into the farthest lands upon\n\n        Despair.\n\n        Having thought he could overcome any evil or darkness that might arise\n\n        to face him, finding himself in the fortress of the Dread Lord changed\n\n        all of his thoughts of conquering anything.  His thoughts only on\n\n        survival.  Unknown to him though, the only way in which to uncover the\n\n        secrets to the sword, are to not be in search of it.  Rather, it is\n\n        the sword that seeks to discover the one, the only true one.\n\n        Fighting for his life through beings from the beyond.  Foremost besting\n\n        the horrible form of a golem named Onyx.  Struggling for survival, the\n\n        Golem not showing any signs of defeat, Cadimus slowly begins to fall\n\n        prey to his own limits.  Nearing the end of his strength, Cadimus is\n\n        suddenly aware of Onyx's lifeless form in a heap upon the floor of the\n\n        hallway.\n\n        \n\n        Falling against a wall, he breaths deeply afraid of the future and\n\n        thankful for being alive, his last thought, What is to come next?, and\n\n        at that moment he falls into slumber, his dreams of darkness brought\n\n        upon by the evil surrounding him.  Waking, his body somewhere he had\n\n        never seen nor heard of, he sets off through the hall.  Desolate and\n\n        dark, surprise settles into his mind as he discovers a doorway leading\n\n        into a dreary yet not dark room.  A being, frail of body and soul,\n\n        stands chained to the wall moaning softly.  Cadimus is beckoned to come\n\n        forward, the frail prisoner saying softly that no harm will come to him,\n\n        that he only wishes to aid his travels.\n\n        Lifting his head slowly, and strolling wearily over to the prisoner,\n\n        he feels relaxed and revived, his armor glowing softly and feeling\n\n        stronger wrapped around his body.  Smiling and giving thanks to the\n\n        prisoner, who states his name as James, unshackles his wrists and sets\n\n        him free.  Feeling stronger, in health and in mind, Cadimus begins his\n\n        journey once again, this time only with the thoughts of escaping and\n\n        surviving.  Finding himself lost once again, darkness suddenly looms\n\n        from all around, surrounding him with an eerie feel of death ahead.\n\n        As Cadimus wanders blindly around, he recalls a name he once read long\n\n        ago in a book.  The name, The Abyss.  Darkness begins crushing the \n\n        essence of life from his body, lifting him off the stone beneath his feet.\n\n        \n\n        This darkness is unlike any he's ever felt before, finding his way\n\n        quickly becoming impossible.  The gloom begins to take form, horrid\n\n        screams filling the noiseless air as the form quickly envelopes Cadimus.\n\n        Swirling his ineffective sword around, he finds himself slowly falling\n\n        into despair.  The darkness begins to slowly dissipate as his soul\n\n        does.  Then, the darkness is gone, leaving Cadimus once again in the\n\n        quiet of the corridor, the only differ ence being a towering Pentacle\n\n        standing before him.  Reaching up, his body racked in pain, he feels\n\n        himself shriveling and then he feels a difference.  A grand hallway\n\n        stands before him.  Slowly striding forward, he comes upon a door.\n\n        Intricate carvings upon the frame slowly disappear as the door swings\n\n        open.  Flowing in, he finds himself faced with the Dread Lord himself,\n\n        quickly sliding to one side, he finds his hand resting upon a sword,\n\n        lifting it high, he destroys Seth in a single blow, at that point\n\n        immortality fills his soul...\n<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Interviews: Thoric and Hoerkin! Bot Debate! Tried and Proven Worthy! =========================================================== THE CRY OF DESPAIR #38 =========================================================== Mortal Staff: Alendil, Alerious, Alisia, Apollonia, Azrakare, Barentin, Begaria, Conran, Dein, DekkatH, Elaria, Elbanon, Goomra, Laine, Lorel, Nimue, Nitsuj, Odessyus, Saraphin, Sarig, Shamisen, Shingo, Thalasian, Mortal Editor: Kuah Immortal Staff: Elisabet, Lascivias Immortal Editor: Ayesh =========================================================== Table of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/full-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"class_list":["post-1780","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1780","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1780"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1780\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1805,"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1780\/revisions\/1805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}