{"id":2027,"date":"2024-03-21T17:41:15","date_gmt":"2024-03-21T17:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=2027"},"modified":"2024-03-21T17:41:16","modified_gmt":"2024-03-21T17:41:16","slug":"times-of-despair-0297","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/times-of-despair-0297\/","title":{"rendered":"Times of Despair #0297"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Times of Despair – February, 1997<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\na copy of the Times of Despair for February, 1997\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - COLUMN LISTING\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nIntro\n- Welcome to the Times of Despair.\n\nAdventures\n- The journals of those who wandered the Realms.\n\nCouncilNews\n- Reports on what is going on in the Immortal Councils.\n\nEditorials\n- Letters to the Editor on various issues.\n\nEntertainment\n- Poems and stories that add to the spice of life.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - COLUMN LISTING 2\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nHumour\n- Laughable and funny stories for those with a sense of humour.\n\nOrderNews\n- The latest news on the Realms great Orders.\n\nGuildNews\n- What goes on in the Guilds of Darkhaven.\n\nSubmissions\n- The \"How To\" on becoming a part of ToD.\n\nClanNews\n- The latest news on the great Clans of the Realms.\n\nStaff\n- The listing of all those who put an effort into this edition of ToD.\n\nWelcome to the Times of Despair!\n\nI, Adonia, am the Editor of this newsletter and I humbly apologize for the\nmany months it took to put together the first issue. Hopefully things will go\nmuch faster now that the plan is finished and the whole idea is completed.\n\nThis newsletter is here for all who play the Realms to read and enjoy. It\ncontains some tales of adventure, editorials written by fellow players, and\nnews about what's going on in the Realms. This issue is just the beginning, as\nmany do not even know we exist, but we soon hope to have a much larger\nselection of columns to choose from.\n\nAs of now, we would like to begin reporting on Duels, Orders, Councils and\nGuilds, plus any new ideas anyone else has. If you are interested in covering\nanything, or submitting something to us, please don't hesitate. Our board is\nlocated 1 south of Marsel, the Parchment and Quill Man in Darkhaven.\n\nI hope you enjoy this issue! :)\n\nSincerely,\nAdonia, Editor and the rest of the ToD Staff\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - TALES OF THE ADVENTURERS\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nA1 - The Selfish Duke: written by Celeborne\n\nA2 - Tales of a Young Aliaser: written by Aliaser\n\nA3 - The Diary of a Vampire: written by Janos\n\nA4 - The Forging of Draconia: written by Celeborne\n\nA5 - The Mysteries of the Elven Forest: written by Celeborne\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n* The Selfish Duke *\nBy Celeborne\n\nLately there has been great concern going about the town of Darkhaven that\nconcerns the Duke. He has been known to do strange things which many citizens\ndislike, and this has caused me to write this, a story from one ranger who\nhas heard much from his brothers and passing travellers in the forests. I have\nbeen through the city, and just by visiting the castle, I have come across\nstrange happenings. I found myself quietly descending into the castle dungeons\nand I was quiet and was not noticed by anyone but the rats. I passed by many\ncells, all closed and locked to hold in the thing and starving prisoners,\nmostly beggars off the street. His punishment was cruel and no man deserved it,\nand I found half the prisoners to be innocent of crimes, most as small as not\npaying taxes. I came across a murderer, and when I had come to the last cell, I\nstumbled upon the domain of Jaxron, the pirate. He was chained and had whip\nmarks across his naked body, and he could not speak in his condition. I soon\ncame to learn that all of these prisoners were to be executed, due to the lack\nof room within the dungeons.\n\nWhat has happened to your home, how can you follow such a pitiful man? I may\nbe hunted as soon as this is seen by Luther, so don't be afraid if you see a\nranger by the fireside, far in the depths of some lost forest.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n* The Adventurers of a Young Aliaser *\nBy Aliaser\n\n-------------------\nThe Hoan Dor Forest\n-------------------\nHis finely honed sword at the ready, Aliaser crept and waited at the west gate\nof Darkhaven. Making small chat with the guards, he waited for the sun to creep\nup and for the mayor to unlock the gate (Yes, Darkhaven had a mayor way back\nwhen...). As he sat there, a vampire lept out of the darkness and made an\neasy meal of the aged guard. Turning his fierce eyes upon the young ranger, the\nvampire wiped a spatter of blood from his cheek. Deftly, Aliaser dodged to the\nside as the hellspawn lunged at him. He swung his sword in a horizontal arc,\ndelivering a blow that would have gutted a normal human, but did not even hurt\nthe creature of night. Standing back, Aliaser knew he was not yet a match for\nthis beast. He closed his eyes, and whispered a prayer to any god, making\nhimself ready for the afterlife. After a moment of nothing happening, he opened\nhis eyes to see the vampire was gone, and the sun had risen. The guard's corpse\nhad vanished, and the mayor stood nearby, unlocking the gate. Ready to get out\nof the crazy city, Aliaser ran off blindly into the wilderness known as the\nHoan Dor forest.\n\nHe wandered the forest for some time, when he came upon a small cabin. Outside\nwas a strong man chopping wood. Making introductions, he found this woodcutter\nto be named Jack. Jack had lived inthe Hoan Dor all his life, and knew quite a\nbit about the surrounding woodlands. As they were speaking, the sound of a wolf\nechoed through the air. Jack told the young half-elf that hearing that noise\nmeant a wolf was hunting nearby, and to be careful unless well hidden or\nprepared. Jack offered to let Aliaser stay in his cabin until the wolf had left\nthe area, but Aliaser was a cocky youth, and stumbled out to find this wolf and\nkill it. He wandered out, but soon could not even find any signs of a wolf.\nSuddenly, he felt something poke him in the ribs. He spun around, but there\nwas nothing there. He then heard a giggle from nearby, but couldn't see\nanything at all. Confused, he ran blindly off. He looked behind himself as he\nran, to see if any beast was after him.\nAliaser slowed down as he neared a bear's cave. Looking inside, he saw a\ngrizzly was taking a nap. Backing out of the cave, he came face to face with a\nviscious warg. The warg grinned, sharp teeth shining. A dark shadow covered the\narea, and Aliaser said to the warg...\n\"Look out! A giant frog!\", warning the warg, even though this evil creature\nwanted to eat him. Snicking, thinking that Aliaser was a coward, trying to get\naway, he mocked Aliaser.\n\n\"Oh, no! A little froggy.... Ribbit!\"\n*** SQUISH *** the warg became nothing but a stain on the ground as the\nfroghemoth stepped on him. Aliaser ran off through the forests once again. He\ncame to a giant oak tree. Looking to the south, he saw a dismal swamp, an area\nof forest covered with spiders webbing, and a darkened grove of shadows.\nNorthward, he heard the sound of a woman singing. Heading off, he saw another\ntree that looked climbable, stretching above the rest of the trees. It was a\ntempting adventure to see the treetops, but he ventured to the singing lady.\nHe came upon a beautiful woman, standing in the path. She smiled at him, but\nAliaser was very shy around women, so he smiled back and walked past her,\nacting as if he knew where he was going. He walked past a giant lake and soon\nfound a small city that was built in the mighty Vallenwood trees. Asking a\nnearby citizen, he found this village was known as Solace. Smirking at the\nname, Aliaser wandered this village until he found a great inn to stay at for\nthe night.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nBy Janos\n\nDear Diary,\n\nI grow wary. I'm not sure how much more I can take. If only I had the\ncourage to put a stake through my heart. I could end this life and death\nstruggle which befalls me everyday. Today I must have been temporarily killed\n50 times. Being hacked apart piece by piece, so these savages can gain\nexperience is not my idea of fun. It's always the same. I die horribly. Then\nregenerate again, only to become their fodder once more. What makes my teeth is\nI know I'll regenerate. They wait for it! I gave a wooden stake to my would be\nassassin today. I begged him to drive the stake through my heart. He just\nlooked at me and smiled. Not just any smile, but a smile with 2 sharp fangs\ngleaming white with little drops of blood on the ends. A fellow Vampire. A\nvampire twice as young as me. I wanted to shred him apart. I wanted to suck\nevery ounce of blood in his body. Who did this young sproud think he was?\nHowever, I knew he'd win, and so did he. Getting killed so many times a day has\nweakened me too much. I'm but a mouse compared to what I once was. In the end\nhe did kill me. Not once, but 5 times. At least I hurt him in the process...\n\nThe diary written in blood continues...\n\nToday did have it's upside. About an hour later 2 young mortals foolishly\nwalked into my little Tea party. They got no tea, but I got their blood. It's\nfools like that who bring any pleasure to my unlife now...\n\nI should ask the Count to let me stay in one of his many rooms at the\nCastle. I'd have peace there. Not too many adventurers go there these days.\nThose that do would only be interested in him. Seeking out his Bloodlust gear\nthat he loves so much. Yeh, go live with the Count. I like that idea. Maybe the\nmean old Vampire will put me in his special room. The room that would kill even\nme forever!\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nThe above diary pages were found at the tea party by me. I can only guess the\nrest of the diary is destroyed, or the Vampire Lord still has the rest of it.\nLooking at the burnt edges, I think the former is the case.\nAfter debating what to do with my find, I decided the rest of the Realms\nshould know the feelings of his Lordship.\nSincerely,\nJanos\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n* The Forging of Draconia *\nBy Celeborne\n\nFar across dark mountains there existed a kingdom of great power. The city\nknown as Draconia was a strong city, protected ny a great army of men and\nelves and under the kingmanship of King George. The city was popular and\ntravelers would come from distant lands, from as far as Solace to the most\nhidden of villages, to buy from the many shops and merchants. The city was\noriginally of men, but when the great goblin wars were over, the elves were\nforced from their home, and found haven in the Kingdom. The once strong city,\nonly used to keep people safe within the great walls, was changed dramatically\nby the elven folk, and trees and gardens, green grass and exotic flowers were\nall planted, and parks and fountains were made. Draconia became a place where\npeople would not only find haven, yet also live happily among the friendly folk\nof the city, and enjoy their lives within it.\n\nThe elves were not ALL happy living with the humans, for most elves were not\nfond at all of their ways, killing animals and slaving horses against their\nwill, yet the men and elves were not alike. The race of half-elves was formed\nwithin it after many years. The men seemed to attract the elven woman more\nthan the human women, and the human women were attracted to the elven men. Twas\nstrange in the ways of elves and men, but they were almost attracted to the\nexact opposive of each other, and soon the city was bonded in trust and love.\nThe many other tales of the city are soon to be told, for they are written in\nthe ancient books, but I only give you a brief summary of the creation of\nDraconia, and the bond of Elves and Men of that land.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n* The Mysteries of the Elven Forest *\nBy Celeborne\n\nAmong the lands I have travelled, I am an independant person, and do not speak\nwith most, only write what I wish to. I have written this story to speak of\nwhat I have come across on my journeys. It was in the forest, a beautiful\nmoonlit clearing. I sat alone and in my cloak, staring into the crackling fire\nas the howling of wolves echoed off the walls of some faraway canyon. I was on\nprivate business, planning out things silently and alone in the forest, the\nplace I go to think, and then I saw her.\nShe seemed to float in upon the cool breeze, an elven woman of immense\nbeauty. Her eyes were shimmering under the moonlight, and the stars made her\nviolet hair glisten with silver as she looked upon me. Her smile was fair and\nenchanting, and she spoke not a word to me. Her eyes were deep, and ancient,\nalmost sorrowful. She wore a long blue gown, and she seemed to be lost. I\nknelt down and kissed her hand, forgetting that I do not usually trust anyone,\nbut then I found she was sad, and I looked into her eyes, beautiful they were,\nbut as I gazed I saw a tear trickle down her fair cheek and she turned, and\nquickly ran into the trees. She was gone, and I sat down again, yet as I\nwondered about her, I could hera her enchanting voice, singing...\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - COUNCIL NEWS\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nC0 - Introduction\n\nC1 - Project Council\n\nC2 - Mortal Council\n\nHello there! Welcome to the Council News Section.\n\nHere Councils can submit explanations as to what they do, and\/or current\nprojects they have on the go. If any Council Member\/Head would like to begin\nsubmitting articles, they may do so on the Newsletter board.\n\nAnyone with questions about the Councils within the Realms, can post them on\nthe newsletter board and we will put them in a Q A article within the\nNewsletter.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n-* The Project Council *-\n\nThe Project Council was formed by the CoE in an attempt to make things run a\nbit smoother. Our primary purpose is to keep track of who is doing what. We try\nto lessen the workload of overloaded imms, and give the bored ones something to\ndo. We also try to get changes implemented in a timely manner. We come up with\nideas for improvement, take them to a general immortal vote, then present the\nidea to the proper ruling council, (ie: the CoE, Area, Pkill Conclave, Quest)\nin an attempt to get it approved.\n\nWe're always open to suggestions for improvement from both immortal and mortal\nplayers. Mortals can post on the main board, or send mud mail :)\n\n- Cedrick Lightblade, Head of Project Council\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n-* The Mortal Council *-\n\nWhat is the Mortal Council? - The Mortal Council is a group of Immortals and\ncarefully chosen Mortals. Our interest is to address issues brought up by you,\nthe mortals, concerning certain aspects of the MUD. Hopefully, the council can\nthen shed some light on why certain things are the way they are, as well as\ngiving mortals an opportunity to voice their opinions on how the MUD can be\nmade a more enjoyable place for everyone. The Mortal Council has a note board,\nwhich is located south of the Darkhaven Archives. It is not to be confused with\nthe Complaints Board (the Oracle), which has its seperate purpose. *Reasonable*\nideas posted on the MC board will be discussed during our meetings. Reasonable\nmeans relevent suggestions.. anything that is along the lines of 'Make Seth\nAstrallable and Charmable' will not even be read. Use your own judgement before\nposting a suggestion, if it sounds way out of line... don't post it.\n\nthe Immortals on the Mortal Council are a *part* of the promotion proocess.\nWhen I mean a part, we are only a step in becoming Immortal... so please don't\nbother an MC member about promoting yourself, as we are only a STEP.\n\nWe encourage all mortals of ANY level to post\nyour suggestions on our board.. and we will be sure to tend to them. To look\nfor results from your idea, the 'Minutes of the Mortal Council' will be posted\na day after the meeting on the Mortal Council board.\n\nArticle by: Cirdan Korkas\n\n||| Current Mortal Council Projects |||\n\n1) We are in the midst of developing a system for Mortal Housing.\n2) As many have heard, we have been doing many promotions lately. If you are\ninterested and have any questions, be sure to read the note board and\/or\ntalk to an MC member.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - EDITORIALS\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nE0 - Introduction\n\nE1 - Role Playing Peacefully: written by Radagast\n\nE2 - Quests: written by Radagast\n\nE3 - Immortality: The Pros and Cons: written by Darin Zepyulos-Eskendale\n\nWelcome to the Editorials Section!\n\nThis is the place where you, the reader, can comment, object or write about\nanything to do with this MUD or articles within the Times of Despair. The\nNewsletter Board is located 1 south of the Quill and Parchments shop in\nDarkhaven. Please feel free to post any Editorial submissions there.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n[][][] * Role Playing Peacefully * [][][]\nBy Radagast\n\nAn Editorial:\n\nRealms of Despair is a MUD, that is, a Multi User Dungeon. Everyone has heard\nthe debate of role play, mobkill, pkill etc; which being the integral part. I\ndon't think it will ever be resolved. As one who does not pkill, I will not\ncomment on it. The other two I can speak of however, and this article's purpose\n\nPkilling is important on RoD. When many people were complaining about it, the\nimms try to improve and upgrade it. The new Clans look pretty damn intriguing\nto me. Also, whenever a mob is too easy, or too boring or cliche, they change\nhim(her) \/ their eq \/ their area, to keep mobkilling alive and vibrant. As for\nrole play, they set up a board, run some role play-ish quests, and try to\nencourage it within the clans and orders. They've been doing this for a long\ntime. I enjoy role playing, so I may be prejudiced, however.....\n\nThe Pk role playing meets my approval. They try their best under the\ncircumstances, besides, actual Pk is the priority. For Peaceful players,\nhowever, role play is another story. No, perhaps RP is less important than\nMobkilling, but perhaps it is really vice versa. BOTH are integral and\nimportant. But no one seems to care about this, and most newer mudders, or\nnewer MUDders here have no care whatsoever for role play. To them it's a bunch\nof boring old avs talking in 'Olde' english on avchat. Part of the fault of\nthis (remember I am trying to discuss Orders and such) is the fact that none of\nthe present Orders (save maybe Maidenstone) have any REAL role play base.\nDragonslayers are Dragonslayers, their RP purpose is to kill dragons. Arcanes\nare Magic Users, their purpose is to heal, and be wizard-ee (however the clan\nhas no basis with which to build an RPing character, nor does it encourage\nmuch). Ringbearers is fairly new...and I as yet cannot comment wholly, however,\nfrom what I see, they are an Order of 'Men with a Mission' and sort of\nSpiritual Mercenaries (they seek out specific knowledge for a mission).\nBecause these missions deal with specific goals, the members have no time to\nRole Play it, they just want to succeed in their mission. Also; as in the\nothers, there is no standard on which to build an RP char from within it.\nFinally Maidenstone, which is in my opinion the best of the bunch (it at least\nhas an RP base) but it's not open to males, and so, is FAR from enough.\n\nMy qualm really is this: with all the energy imms spend, and players spend\ntrying to figure out and put into place new areas, upgrades, quests, pkilling\nimprovements and all, Role Play, which IS the third integral element of the\n'Mud' ideal has been neglected. Here on RoD, it is a dying state--far worse\nthan any pkill situation. To many, it is of no matter; but for many still it\nis a lost art and is a thing out of water here. It has lost its niche. RP\nneeds little pushes to achieve greatness and in my humble opinion many of the\nnew MUDders are being robbed of one of the greatest parts of MUDding. We MUST\nbring Role Play to some attention, for if it is not, if part of the *Essence*\nof mudding is lost, I feel; be it stark or no, that Pkill and Mkill will soon\nperish, beocming no more than some computer code and talk of MTG.\n\nThe Fantasy World of the MUD is kept up by Role Play; in the areas or not. Do\nnot turn your back on it, or it will turn its back on you.\n\nThough longwinded, that is what I had to say; and it is the opinion of the\nWriter and noneother.\n\nQuests: an Editorial\n\nThe Avatars...and new\/lowbies too... of the Realms have always had an itch for\nquesting...As a matter of fact, not just the players of this MUD, but MUDders\nin general. We're always whining about wanting a quest, but rarely do people up\nand really think; as a majority of clear-headed players; that we really haven't\nbeen having anywhere near as many as you would desire or expect to have on a\nMUD of this size. This is not a gripe; It is a fact. I've been on 4hrs a day\nfor the last what...2 weeks, and seen a total of three quests -- one closed\nnewbie quest ran by Britt, one closed av quest ran by some wizinvis imm, and\none trivia quest ran by Rahvin out of the goodness, exasperation and boredom\nof his own heart. There was a bit of a discussion on the quest channel during\nhis trivia quest, simply remarking that the 'imms never run quests any more'.\nThat's not altogether true.\nI won't pretend that it is. Sure you guys run quests. You run GREAT quests.\nBut with a MUD which is presently feeling it's alltime high of newbies, as well\nas a bloated number of avs...the ratio of quest per hours per avatar is truly\nout of proportion. There are avs (newbie avs -- who have only been avatar for\n2 months) out there, that have never had an oppurtunity to participate in a\nquest: Meaning A) There's never been an open quest when they were online or\nb) They've never been online when the selection question was given to\nparticipate in a closed quest.\n\nThis is somewhat crazy, considering it is the quest council and the mortal\ncouncil who have the most vis members the most of the time. There is almost\nALWAYS a quest imm on and vis, yet they almost NEVER run quests.\nWhy? Well, I can give one reason. There is a present trend among Immortals\nrunning quests to give a simple mobkilling type. Simple 'kill the evil sorcerer\ndemon satan spawn and win' quests. They are performed (I think) simply because\nthis is the kind of quest that requires the most preperation, the most skill,\nand perhaps the most 'greatness' in general. It is a way to quietly boast your\nfinesse at quest making, and show that you are a true Questmaster. This is not\na bad thing, the imms have a right to show that they are worth something as a\n51+...however...though these quests are appreciated...they only involve a small\nsegment of the population (normally 6-8), and these 6-8 are generally the\nfastest typers or most experienced avs. Simply because the newbie avs don't\nanswer the 'skill testing question' in time. Yes, I agree, its the only way to\nrun this kind of quest...but that's just the point. THIS KIND OF QUEST; There\nare many other types; Here's a list I came up with:\n\nMobkilling-- Closed 6-8 against the monster and minions\nOpen quest: Kill as many of the little evil minions for minor\nqp\/gp, and last blow on big guy gets major prize\n--And variations on the same\nTrivia --You know--open quest on quest chan\nScavenger Hunt --Gather as many 'things' as you can (renamed obj's)\n-- Gather as many pairs of 'things' as you can (2 socks)\n-- Gather letters to form an imms name\/specific word\n-- Gather playing cards to make a poker hand.\nOther --Hide and go seek with clues\n--charm, spellup a mob and have them duel eachother in arena\n--Treasure hunt (clues)\n-- Note with Sequence of Evens you have to decipher\n\nThere are more, but that's all I could come up with.\nNow...out of all these quests, I have seen but....3 of the types in the last\napprxmtly 6 months. That's nuts. It wasn't such a big problem before, but now\nfor some reason (be it more avs, even less quests) it has reached crisis level.\nIt feels as if there are NEVER any quests, to us morts at least. A trivia quest\nneeds a knowledgable imm. almost NO preparation They're easy and enjoyed by\nall. Hide and seek quests are the same....\nVarious scavenger hunts require a bit more preparation, but the energy lvl\namong avs is really surprisingly high...\nand mobkilling ones are always fun, though a span of types might be interesting\nWhat it really comes down to is--Imms, we morts don't think you're doing enough\nquests (generally). AND we don't think you're doing enough variation.\nYour quests are mostly GREAT, but sometimes, when you're bored, it's QUANTITY\nnot QUALITY that counts. There have been many more 'boredom' messages lately\nthan ever before...as well as more restores (which is cool) but it feels almost\nas if that since restore is available to imms of almost any level, some Gods\nare becoming giddy with the praise of mortals after a restore and feel they\ndon't need to run quests.\n\n*shrug* Mortals (especially avs) need more stuff to do, I think, need more\nquests, need more activities. It has reached a point that even some of the\nMUDs greatest mobkillers are leaving--not just because they don't think\nthere'll be a chance to get out (un-addicted) after this, but because there's\nnothing new happening, and they're sick of the 'go kill a mob for eq, go kill\na mob for qp, talk'.\n\nIt's a problem that HAS a solution, but the Imms need to acknowledge that sure,\nthey ARE doing quests, but with a growing population of bored avs, you have to\nadapt; Quantity wise and Variation wise.\n\nMy two cents, From the ToD Editorialist......\nRadagast D'thBlayde.\n\nImmortality: The Pros and Cons\nBy Darin Zepyulos-Eskendale\n\nFor years, 'immortality' has been believed to mean 'power'. This is only\npartly true. Immortality is a gift given to those who can help those who live\nin the Realms. As the immortals maintain and create the Realms, the mortals\nexplore and delve further into the mysteries of the Realms which are made by\nthe immortals.\n\nBut why, you may ask, do these immortals deserve the power over the Realms?\nThe truth is that it is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Immortality takes\nmany hardships and decisions to obtain, and as such is given to the chosen\nmortals who have truly proven their worth. Those given the gift of immortality\nare trusted not to abuse it, and with this trust is established the steps to\nfurther the immortals' powers.\n\nWhile this may sound very nice, the immortals are directly prevented from\ntelling the mortals of the secrets of Despair. And when one of the dead is\nrisen, the immortals are prevented from helping them retrieve the items from\ntheir corpses until a certain time elapses, where in which the mortal must\nask the immortal for help in retrieving the items. Even then, the cost is high\nas the immortal will destroy an item of the character's as a sacrifice of this\nservice, which is usually the most powerful item of a character's inventory.\n\nHowever, without the immortals, the Realms would have surely fallen apart.\nThere are some mortals who do not believe this, and as such jeer at the\nimmortals. To these I say: Why do you do this? Is it because you believe that\nyou should be immortal? Perhaps it is you who should be jeered at. However, I\ntry to cool my anger when this happens, and try to remember that not everyone\nhas attempted to study the immortals' ways.\n\nIt should be noted that only those who are avatars are looked upon as worthy of\nbecoming immortal. Even then, the avatar would have to do great deeds and\nservices in order to earn a position among the immortals.\n\nAnd now, I leave you with this advice. The immortals are always watching, so\nalways help out whenever possible. Good luck to all, and may Thoric smile upon\nyou.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - ENTERTAINMENT SECTION\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nP0 - Introduction\n\nP1 - Caryn's Web of Poems: Teen Creed, Author Unknown\nEach of Us, Danielle Steel\n\nWelcome to the Entertainment Section!\n\nHere we will put in anything from poems, duels, or maybe even a critique of\nthe latest Quests within the Realms.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n-*- Caryn's Web of Poems -*-\n\n* Teen Creed* * Each of Us *\n\nDon't let your parents down, Each of us with our secret gifts,\nThey brought you up. magic potions, lovely notions,\nBe humble enough to obey, waiting to be shared\nYou may give orders someday. waiting to be aired,\nChoose companions with care, each of us a half, a whole\nYou become what they are. a soul, a heart,\nGuard your thoughts, and yet a part of a better richer more,\nWhat you think, what you are. looking for the door, the key,\nChoose only a date the you, the me, the we\nWho would make a good mate. growing day by day,\nBe master of your habits, looking for a way to find\nor they will master you. what I'd always dreamed and never seen,\nDon't be a show off when you drive. always tried and never been,\nDrive with safety and arrive. always thought but never knew,\nDon't let the crowd pressure you, until at least I discovered\nStand for something or you'll that the gift I always sought\nfall for anything. was you.\n\n- Author Unknown - Danielle Steel\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - HUMOUR SECTION\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nH0 - Introduction\n\nH1 - Marshmellow Madness and Spam Silliness: Darin Zepyulos-Eskendale\n\nH2 - Free Candy, Adventurers Dead Next Day: Darin Zepuylos-Eskendale\n\nH3 - Christmas Special: Darin Zepuylos-Eskendale\n\nWelcome to the Humour Section!\n\nYou may find some of the stories to be a little out-of-date as they were\nwritten a while ago, but you will probably get a kick out of them all the same.\n\nWhether it be a list of medieval jokes, or a tale of craziness.. we want to\nhear it!\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n* Marshmellow Madness and Spam Silliness *\nBy Darin Zepuylos-Eskendale\n\nToday in Despair, I was climbing to the top of the Tree of Life, when I had\na familiar smell come to mind. Marshmellows on an open fire. Not seeing any\ncampfires, I was very disappointed and the thought crossed my mind that the\nGods were planning more twisted things for the people of Despair.\n\nMy assumption seemed to come true when the smell was replaced by that of\nwhen the priests of Marian's temple are conducting sacrifices. However, this\nhad the smell of flesh and boiling blood! Apparently, the Gods were having a\nweenie roast. As quickly as the smell came, it passed, and then came such a\nhorrendous stench that even the Rangers of the land were said to lose their\nlunch!\n\nThen came a combination of the first two smells, which smelled pretty good.\nExasperated, I announced that we should have a quest for marshmellows so that\nwe could have our own campfire. Apparently the Gods were too busy at the\nmoment, however.\n\nSoon a message came to all the minds of the Despair from one of the Gods:\nElcid had used his powers of slaying against a fellow Immortal! The Reason: Got\nhit by a rotten kiwi that was thrown by Lady Adonia. However, in this\nreporter's opinion, Elcid should try to improve his catching before using the\nart of slaying.\n\nThen, another message came through my mind. Anyone who established\ncommunication with Marian telling her she was a weenie could get a marshmellow.\nMarian, still at the weenie roast, probably ignored the messages, however. Then\nwe were told to insult Elcid. However, someone intervened saying that they\nwould take away our powers if we did so. I decided to heed this warning, much\nto my disappointment, since we were told we could also get some free cheesecake\nwith our marshmellows.\n\nA later incident was reported when everyone in the Realms took off their\nsocks and threw them at anything that resembled Elcid. Not wearing any socks,\nI did not participate in this, to my further disappointment.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n* G'narish Gives Free Candy on Halloween, Adventurers Dead Next Day *\nBy Darin Zepuylos-Eskendale\n\nOn Halloween, many people give out free candy. G'narish, the candy monk of the\nDragon Exports, took this a step further. He gave out his select stocks of\ncandy for free to adventurers. Everyone knows that the Dragon Exports candies\nare magical and used by many popular adventurers.\n\nThings came to be worse the next day, when several adventurers complained about\nsevere stomach cramps, and eventually vomitting, usually on the doctor who was\nexamining them. Agents of Duke Luther reported that all the sick adventurers\nhad recieved free candy from G'narish. He was investigated immediately, but no\none found a connection between him and the supposed candy poisoning. All of his\nstock was given an \"A+\" by a group of magicians who tested all of his candy for\npossible ill effects. However, all of the adventurers had died by the end of\nthe day, and many alchemists and magicians were at a loss of what happened.\n\nWhen I spoke to G'narish, he said that he had nothing to do with it, and that\nsomeone was setting him up, forcing him to shut down. This reporter, however,\nstill has his suspicions.\n\nG'narish's candy shop is still open, and he still carries his usual stock. If\nyou wish to purchase some, simply look for his booth in the Dragon Exports on\nLaw Avenue. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to find a big turkey for\nThanksgiving. Or a virgin. Pure blood is very hard to get this time of year.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n-+ Christmas is in the Air, as well as many Other Things -+\nby Darin Zepyulos-Eskendale\n\nWell, it's time for Christmas, that special holiday that everyone loves to\nstuff stockings, give presants, and then go to the bar and have a few beers. I\nstill have no gifts for anybody, and probably will not have any anytime soon.\nHowever, I am here to help you out by suggesting many different gifts. Sure\nthere's always rename scrolls and such, but these are gifts that can't be\nfound anywhere else but in my article. So, let the list begin.\n\nChias\nThese cute little things are pieces of pottery shaped to resemble something.\nWhen coated in seeds, they begin to grow, covering the pottery with fuzzy flora\nand usually resembling anything fuzzy. There are new kiwi, wanker, and\nsasquatch shapes.\n\nThe Game\nThe Game is a new idea which the inventor calls a \"bored game\". Basically,\nplayers pretend to be various immortals, all starting at the Neophyte level.\nBy completing certain tasks and much manual labor, one can achieve a higher\nrank in the game. The first to reach Supreme Entity wins.\nWarning: This game should not be allowed in the hands of those under the age of\n1000, as many younger players who play usually have power trips soon\nafterwards.\n\nCertificates\nWhile cheesy, these are great for giving to some people. Many are promises and\nand allegiances for help, such as, \"I, vow to aid in the defeat\nof Lord Seth on .\" This is sure to win many lifelong allies, and\nand many friendships started from these.\n\nWell, these are just three gifts that could be given to anyone, and are pretty\ncheap to buy, depending on store. Well, I have to run. I'm still busy looking\nfor the \"Wanker\" chia.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - ORDER NEWS\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nOR0 - Introduction\n\nORA - The Order of Arcanes\n\nORM - The Order of MaidenStone\n\nWelcome to the Order News Section of the Times of Despair!\n\nHere we will try to keep you informed of the latest changes in Orders, latest\nnews or induction policies. We hopefully will also have a Q A section for\nanyone with frequently asked questions about Orders.\n\n-+ The Order of Arcanes +-\n\nDeity: Adonia\nLeader: Cyrax\nNumber 1: Sterling\nNumber 2: Cirdan\n\nAs many know, the Order of Arcanes has grown tremendously since it's return.\nDue to this, our inductions have become slower and slower. We are currently\nattempting to make it more efficient while still giving all in the Order a say\nin those who are up for induction. If you have any questions about our\ninduction policy, please type help Arcanes or ask a member with the rank of\n(Arcane-Scout).\n\nWe now offer an Mkill night every week for members to get together and gather\nequipment or just enjoy the thrill of besting the major mobs in the Realms. We\nalso hold a few major quests every month, in which our best and brightest come\nout to fight against the foes which forced our creation many centuries ago.\n\nRecently we received some new perks in our HQ. Available to us are mana potions\nand detection potions, sold by Agaku, and some spells offered by Keshulu.\n\nWe congratulate Leylia and Elrohir upon their promotions to Arcane-Elder!\n\n***--The Order of MaidenStone--***\n\nDeity: Circe\nLeader: Cruella\nNumber 1: Farrow\nNumber 2: Lizee\n\nThe Order of MaidenStone is rich in tradition and steeped in history.\nCreated by Circe in the times of old, MaidenStone was a deadly clan\nof very select maidens. Only few were chosen to join the ranks of\nthese beautiful, deadly women. When the blight across the land ravaged\nthe lands and brought all clans to their downfall, MaidenStone emerged\nanew in the form of a peaceful Order. Their ideals are still the same.\nTheir methods altered. To learn more about MaidenStone and their\nhistory, type help MS and\/or read the revered MaidenStone handbook.\n\nMembers receive the benefit of a beautiful HQ chock full of luxurious\nameneties such as:\n\n1) Rhiannon's Stables for purchasing such fine mounts as baby dragons,\nflying griffens, arabian horses, wild mustangs and unicorns.\n2) Vesta's Titanium Workship for repairing equipment.\n3) The Upper Lip where bartender Scheherezade will make you a\ndynamite Margarita or an elegant Vodka Martini among other items.\n4) MaidenStone Spa - Boris the Towel Boy will massage you at no cost.\n5) Musashi - MaidenStone's resident mascot, and Min's cherished pet\nwill assist you in many of your needs, but watch out, tiger's\nstill aren't exactly domesticated or housebroken.\n6) MaidenStone Boutique - Minerva offers various sought-after items\nsuch as the ever fashionable and useful Sequined Evening Bag,\na detect hidden\/invis potion, and\n7) Gula - Rumour has it that MaidenStone's resident healer has\nawesome powers that favour maidens greatly.\n8) A Dining Room with Antoine, MaidenStone's personal waiter.\n9) A Larder overflowing with delicious foodstuffs.\n10) Hidden surprises that only a MS member would be privy to.\n\nPlease note that the MS HQ is being constantly renovated in order\nto keep on the cutting edge and ensure that our members are\nnot lacking for anything.\n\nAt this time, we would like to wish Farrow congratulations on her\npromotion to Number One as well as welcome Lizee to the spot of\nNumber Two. Farrow, an elf-druid, has been a loyal member of\nMaidenStone for aeons and her promotion is well earned. Lizee,\nelf-mage and daughter of Circe, is known for her cheeky, high-\nspirited nature and is known for cheering up even the most\ndespondent of souls. Both would be happy to speak to those\nwishing to join MS, along with Cruella, noble leader of MaidenStone.\nBe warned though, although Cruella is extremely pleasant and\nhelpful, she has a wicked temper that matches her name. Fiercely\nprotective of her maidens, she would die for any of them, as they\nwould for her.\n\nOn a sad note, MaidenStone tearfully retired two of their original\nleaders to the distinguished ranks of Aes Sedai. Min and Lomion.\nKnown for their skill and prowess in their glory days of pkill,\nMin and Lomion took MaidenStone from their deadly ways into the\nnew domain of the peaceful with grace and aplomb. Their leadership\nwill be greatly remembered as they pass the torch on to their\ndisciples.\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - GUILD NEWS\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nG0 - Introduction\n\nG1 - The Galloping Guild Gabber: An introduction and guild tidbits!\n\nG2 - Warrior Guild: Inductions\n\nThe Galloping Guild Gabber !\n\nThis is the inaugural column of all the Guild News that's fit to print!\n\nIn this column we will try to bring you news of interest about all\nthings concering the Guilds of the Realms. News - gossip - twists and turns !\nIn this column we will try to bring you news of interest about all\nissue but in the meantime here's a few tidbits:\n\nClerics Guild - Well new powers and new spells make this Guild one of the\nmore powerful now. Group spells that can devestate opponents, healings from afa\nr, and mysterious meditations are all part of the new souped up Clerics powers.\nIn addition the Guild has formed a new Council made of of extra elected members\nMore to come...\n\nDruids Guild - new areas and rooms promise to make this one of the cozier\nhangouts in the Realms.\n\nAugerers Guild - newer Guild allows quick advancements into leadership\nbecause there were no old members ;} !\n\nMore later ! Look for us in each issue....\nthe Galloping Guild Gabber .........\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-* The Guild of Warriors *-*\n\nFor those interested in joining the warriors guild, the council of warriors\nmembers are as follows:\n\nHubris\nCadimus\n----------\nKordannan\nLilith\nDelshara\nAliena\n\nThere is also a recruiting team being implemented very very soon... as to\nhelp alieviate some of the strain the CoW has put up with. We hope to have it\nup and operating by oh... say Tuesday I hope...\n\n- Cresis Trueheart\n\nSUBMISSIONS:\n\nOur board is located, 2 south, 1 west, and 2 south from Darkhaven Square...\nright behind Marsel the Parchment and Quill guy. We hope to get one Newsletter\nout a month. The deadline for all stories is the 1st of every month. Please\npost all your article ideas, articles, etc. on our board. Not all stories will\nbe chosen every month, depending on the number of entries and content of your\nsubmissions. There will be rewards for the best articles written, so put your\nquills to your parchments and let's get working!\n\nPlease address all Articles to Adonia, and make sure you add under which column\nyou would like your article to be printed. :)\n\nThe ToD Staff\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - CLAN NEWS\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nCL0 - Introduction\n\nCLL - Lasombra\n\nWelcome to the Clan News section!\n\nHere we would like to get the latest news on all the Clans and keep you\ninformed of their latest battles! We hopefully will also have a Q A section\non the most frequently asked questions about Clans.\n\n+-+ Lasombra +-+\n\nDeity: Darrek\nLeader: Anakin\nNumber 1: Lestrade\nNumber 2: Daz\n\nOut of the shadows of the darkness, and the abyssal blackness of the night\ncomes a new clan known as Lasombra. Heavily influenced by the occult and the\nmanipulation of both shadows and darkness, the Lasombra exert their will upon\nothers through both force, and manipulation. The Lasombra believe that they\nre the true bearers ofpower, as well as the rightful rulers of the Sabbat. It\nis through these foundations that the Lasombra will affect these Realms as we\nknow them. A both potent and powerful clan of Vampires, we will be a force to\nbe reckoned with. But, such things do not happen overnight and it is with\nthese ideals and goals in mind that I call you to my cathedral of Darkness, to\nfight in both blood and honor under the name Lasombra. It need not matter of\nwhat origin you come from, nor the level of experience you have had in combat.\nWe, the Lasombra will gladly accept you, as well as teach you of the powers and\nknowledges that have accumulated during our times and lives.\n\n- Lord Anakin\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\nTHE TIMES OF DESPAIR - STAFF LISTING\n*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-*\n\nHead Editor:\nAdonia\n\nCo-Editor\/Writer:\nDarin\n\nWriters:\nAliaser\nCaryn\nCeleborne\nJanos\nRadagast\nAlazar\n\nSpecial thanks to Circe for helping check over spelling and typos. Also thanks\nto Korkas for the picture on the front.\n\nThank you to those who contributed! Your efforts were fantastic. Hope to see\nyou in the next issue!\n<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Times of Despair – February, 1997 a copy of the Times of Despair for February, 1997 ——————————————————————————- ——————————————————————————- *-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-* THE TIMES OF DESPAIR – COLUMN LISTING *-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-* Intro – Welcome to the Times of Despair. Adventures – The journals of those who wandered the Realms. CouncilNews – Reports on what is going on in the…<\/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-2027","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2027","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=2027"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2027\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2032,"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2027\/revisions\/2032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/realmsofdespair.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}