April 2000

Thanks to the advice of a Counselor, I can play again with my character that crashed my client all the time.

He suggested to delete all of the desktop.uo files which should be desktop.uo1, desktop.uo2, desktop.uo3, desktop.uo4, and desktop.uo5 (with UO NOT running)

I then shut down the computer and the restarted it: it did fix the problem.

I can now play again with the character that was crashing my client all the time.

Wolfie

Renaissance Publish and house placement

Please do not call Game Masters or Counselors looking for information regarding house placement at this time. Please see Staged House Placement for details on this matter: "Note that during the time period after the publish is active and before stage 1 begins, you will not be able to place a house in Trammel or Felucca."

Keep watch on the Update Center for more details.

Last night saw massive attacks on many of our cities. The attacks were
frightful in their intensity not only to common merchants, but to seasoned
warriors as well. This did not exclude the popluation of the castle.

Apparently an attack such as this was expected, not unreasonable considering
the last few months. Because of this Lord British's Mage, Nystul had been
preparing.

The report we did about a week or so ago on the monuments brought about many
comments from people, and many were fearful of their meaning. We had found out
Nystul had them placed, but because didn't yet know why we had not yet reported
on it. Now we can tell the story.

Nystul and Lord British had placed the pillars to facilitate a spell. It
seems that Minax was more of a threat than many of us had realised. Many people
counted her as being on the run since Trinsic had been retaken, but the castle
was not so optimistic. An escape plan was devised, one that would allow the
nobility and government to escape as well as the citizens of Britiania.

After last nights attacks it was decided to undertake the spell and make the
escape paths available. It should be noted this drastic measure was not done
lightly and that much thought had gone into making this work. So while Minax's
forces were concentrating on the attacks around the world, Lord British's
trusted friend, Nystul, began the spell.

This is an artist's rendition of what it may have looked like when Nystul
cast the spell. His spell then split the world in two, creating a mirror image
of the Britiannia we are familiar with.

These two worlds are now traversable for those wishing to escape to the new
lands, free of Minax's threat. The new lands are named Trammel, and these are to
be now known as Felucca, after our two moons of course.

Here we see pictures taken by Infinity of what the main pillar in the castle
looks like and also one of the satelite pillars, this happens to be in Moonglow.

This should all be good news, our rulers have provided an escape to safer
lands for any who wish to go to. It is a mirror image of our familiar ones so
finding our way around should be helped. But there is a down side. Many people
plan to stay in Felucca. This is where we were raised, where we found love,
adventure, friends, and built our homes. Where the headstones of our friends and
family lay. I can take you to the table in a tavern where an impulsive young
love of my youth carved our intitials in the wood. And I have friends who could
take you to the tree where their intials are carved.

The problem is that tree would no longer have its leaves. The ground around
it is soaked with blood, littered with bones. Their are now many gravestones
throughout the land, most of which do not seem to bear name to the person it
marks. The article done just a few days ago, where the mysterious seer spoke
words of woe in Yew at the abbey, comes back to mind. The man did indeed know of
what he spoke; what he spoke was truth. All has come just as he said it would

It is not known what has brought about this desolation. Some blame Minax,
saying she did this in spite. Others blame Nystul saying he did not control the
massive power that his spell had. No one seems to know who is at fault, but I'm
not sure having someone to blame would help me get over it. I don't want
vengance, I want my beautiful world back.

I'll leave you with two shots of the desolation prevalant in Felucca. The
first picture you can see a roof top in the foreground. I want you to know that
is MY rooftop. What you are seeing is my own backyard. Skulls in place of the
flowers I had planted--now nothing will grow here. The other picture is of a Yew
tree. If you live in Yew you revere them, if you've traveled here you'd never
forget them. They are huge, towering, and normally full of lush vegetaion so
thick that when it rains the ground beneath gets merely damp.

Here is what this looks like now:

The dawn this morning has brought more odd news to my ears. During last night
monuments, to who knows what, sprung up in our cities last night. Here is the
report as I received it:

Hail. I returned to Magincia from me house and found a strange object near the
bank. Myself ,Elmdor ,Rowen Mayfair and Gimli went about searching the other
cities. We found structures in Moonglow ,Skara Brae ,Britain and Magincia ...

Thank Ye ,
Zakath
Phantom Menace

All the places be the same except the Britain one

I was at the graveyard fighting monsters and i no sooner came back to Moonglow
to find a weird shrine or monument of some sorts west of the Bank. No one has
a clue as to what this is for. A couple hours later a kind soul asked me to
mark them a rune to Magincia. So I recalled there only to be attacked by
multiple brigands. As fast as i could kill them they would just spawn again. I
recalled back to Moonglow to get some help. I gated back to Magincia and when
i walked through the gate there were reds running all around after people
chasing them away. About 2 seconds after walking through the gate. The same
type of shrine/monument that moonglow had suddenly erupted before my own eyes
right where the gate had been. These monuments look evil and it is odd how
there was a spawn of brigands right when this happened. The future is not
looking bright for Felucia right now. Here is a drawing of the monument and
some of the brigand's corpses after the heat of the battle.

Remembering what Zakath had said about Britian's looking different, I
recalled there to have a look. The monument in Britian is located just inside
the gate of Lord British's Castle itself. This tends to tell me that its
presence is either approved of or tolerated by the government, or that our
government is powerless to do anything about it. As the castle has not yet
given a press release on this matter of the morn it leaves us unsure as to
that answer of yet. Whichever it may be this is a drawing of the monument as
it appears is Britian.

It should be noted that there is no reason for the populace to panic as of
yet. The monuments have not yet done anything and it is not known that they
will. It may indeed not bode well as the report from Magincia shows, but as
our towns have been under constant attack and plagued by chronic skirmishes
for months now, its quite possible that its mostly coincidental.

I personally would recommend keeping your eyes open--a state we've probably
all formed as habit from the last few months--until more is known for sure. If
anyone can find meaning in the monuments or has access to information we ask
as always that you please keep us informed.

Lady Minax, Dark Mistress of the new Britannia and Queen of all her realms,
recently deigned to sit for a few questions posed by an intrepid, somewhat
foolhardy reporter. Clad in resplendent black, the Lady sipped idly from a
silver wine goblet as she spoke of her plans for the new Britannia, the future
of Sosaria, and her relationships with the so-called ‘defenders’ of the
land.

[Editor’s Note: The following transcript was tucked in the doorframe of
our offices. No author was noted, and the parchment was worn and tattered, as if
carried across a great distance. It bore the blood-red seal of Minax.]

Lady Minax, you've come to Britannia determined to destroy all that is good
and true. Tell me. What's in it for you?

“Actually, ‘good’ and ‘true’ are such subjective terms, don’t
you think? What is good, really? Do you know? I certainly don’t.

“I merely wanted to drop by a few taverns, an occasional inn, have an ale
or two, subjugate the masses, bring a little devastation here and there, and
perhaps pop by Lord British’s castle for an afternoon visit. And suddenly,
here comes every warrior east of Covetous, screaming for my death, claiming I
am ‘evil’.

“You know, sir, I really think that you’re looking at it in far too
black and white terms. I’m here to promote Britannia, to usher in a new era.
Britannia is first and foremost in my mind.

The Lord Dupre has expended quite a deal of effort to remove the city of
Trinsic from your hold. What are your feelings for Dupre? Does it bother you
to have 'lost' as it were?

“Lost? We let him have it back.

“Really now. “Lost.” Do you honestly think that with all my power, I
could have lost something as prosaic as Trinsic?

“The simple fact is - I was no longer interested in it. Far too small.
Not at all exotic. I’d amused myself with the shops long enough. And the
constant cries of “Free Trinsic!” and “Death to Juo’nar!” were
terribly grating on the ears. I knew what that little tramp Malabelle was up
to: it just wasn’t worth the effort to bother with.

“And Dupre. Ahhh. Dear Dupre. It’s all about ‘honor’ with that one.
Defend this and protect that. Well, I’ll let you in on a bit of a secret, my
darling little friend. Dupre knows nothing of honor. If he is so concerned
with honor, what is he doing making promises to that little Malabelle that his
beloved Lord British would be most unhappy to hear? Hmm? Aye. That’s his
“sense of honor’ talking. Mmmmhmmm.

“You just ask him next time you cross his path. Ask him to explain his
honor. I’m sure his answer will be terribly interesting.

We've been hearing it bandied about that you are 'evil', 'cruel'. Some
have even gone so far as to joke that in losing Trinsic, you lost your 'honor'
as it were. What have you to say to those who think you're nothing but
trouble?

“Trouble is in the eye of the gazer. My intentions are honest. Really, my
dear companion, lean closer. Read my lips as I say this.

“I will rule Britannia with a velvet touch and a wicked bolt, and I will
bring her people to their knees.

“Is that so terrible?

“I’m honest about my intentions. I’m forthright. I want Britannia. I
want to see your Lord British weep. I want to destroy his beloved country as
he gazes on, helpless. Now, who can fault me for being honest?

“As for ‘evil’ and ‘cruel’. Hmmm. I’d really have to say those
terms have followed me around since I was a lass. I’m not sure why they are
so often used to describe me, but a druid companion once told me to ‘visit
the memory of my parents to find myself’. It sounded like a boring
conversation, so he is… no longer in my company.

Let's talk about Malabelle. She's young. She's inexperienced. And yet,
you've taken her to your side. You've taught her your magic. Are you grooming
her to replace you?

“Darling. Replace? Me? How positively amusing!

“Malabelle is a dear girl. A bit, what is the word - oh! Naive. Does she
really think I haven’t the slightest idea where her love… oh. Excuse me. I
meant to say, it’s simply awful that her dear Tyball has passed on. Poor
lass.

“She has a touch with the magic though. A bit of skill, nothing on par
with my own, of course, but a talent for spells nonetheless. It amuses me to
take her into my tutelage, and I’m certainly doing a service. A single girl
in this day and age needs a talent, you know. And she’ll learn to survive
without that Tyball fellow. I did, after all.

“As for the Dupre incident. Well. She and I will be discussing that
little discretion. I do, of course, realize that she is young and doesn’t
understand the principle of being grateful for all I have sacrificed for her.
However. Well. As I said, we will be having quite the conversation about her
place in my entourage.

Juo'nar. Dead. Or... more dead. Gone. Tell us. Who leads your army now?
Have you found anyone, or anything, to match his talents as a battle
commander?

“Juo’nar was a most… capable general. You know, he came to me as but
a simple corpse, in need of a place, a role. A bit foul, as most of your
undead are, but I quickly saw he had a talent for leading undead minions. He
spoke to something deep inside them. They listened quite well to his orders,
and trust me, it can be most tedious explaining orders again and again to your
average zombie. What with their ears constantly rotting off and all.

“So. With Juo’nar gone, I do find myself rather short on capable
commanders. Slimely has offered, of course, but I really do prefer a lich lord
for the task. Slimely flat out refuses to let me help him become a lich lord:
a bit of boldness that he and I shall be discussing at his yearly review.

“Oh. What a wonderful idea! Why, what about you? You’re quite the
strapping young man, and with a good talent for stealth, as you’ve shown by
inching this close to my side. With a bit of tutoring, you might make quite
the general. Tell me, can you cast a spell? Because I’d be happy to make you
my new lich. What do you say? We could do it right now…

Er…no, ma’am. Uh, word on the roadways is that you've special plans
for Britannia. Can you give our readers a quick glimpse of what you have in
mind?

“My dear. I’ve been absolutely forthcoming about my plans for
Britannia. I’ve never made them a secret. But I’ll give you a little
preview. I’ve always been drawn to death and decay in the springtime, so
perhaps a lovely bit of armageddon is in order. I’ve in mind a Britannia
like none you’ve ever imagined, in your deepest dreams… and your worst
nightmares.

“Enough about me though. I really do think you’d make a stunning lich
lord.

“Come closer, dear.

“Closer.

“I think you’ll find we can be absolutely wonderful companions…”