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 )                                                                         (
(                             NewOrigins Events                             )
 )                            February, Year 4                             (
(                                                                           )
 )       Many bards are worried about a fight between hostile forces       (
(     happened in the desert of Cu'at where 1 combatant was killed. The     )
 )    attackers slaughtered all defenders. This battle will be known as    (
(                    Battle near the jungles of Espreg.                     )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(        Multiple peasants are discussing about the skirmish between        )
 )     hostile forces happened in the ocean of Atlantis Ocean where 2      (
(     combatants were killed. The attackers slaughtered all defenders.      )
 )    This battle will be known as Battle near the jungles of Okpusmja.    (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )      Many peasants are talking about an encounter between hostile       (
(      forces happened in the swamps of Rutromo where 1 combatant was       )
 )      killed. Powerful magic was used in the battle. The attackers       (
(      slaughtered all defenders. This battle will be known as Battle       )
 )                    near the ocean of Atlantis Ocean.                    (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )    Many peasants are talking about a fight between enemies happened     (
(       in the mountains of Farsatstan where 1 combatant was killed.        )
 )    Powerful magic was used in the battle. The attackers slaughtered     (
(        all defenders. This battle will be known as Battle near the        )
 )                          jungles of Ceeflebel.                          (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )      Some refugees have heard about a fight between hostile forces      (
(     happened in the desert of Honir where 1 combatant was killed. The     )
 )    attackers slaughtered all defenders. This battle will be known as    (
(                 Battle near the ocean of Atlantis Ocean.                  )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(     Multiple locals are rumoring about the town of Bincheda that lies     )
 )         in the Feastan plains, where a rebels murdered guards.          (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )     Multiple druids are worried about the city of Strakiottil that      (
(      lies in the Kebirstul swamps, where a villans massacred guards.      )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(      Multiple wanderers are whispering about the town of Elpol that       )
 )      lies in the Casnishe underforests, where a partisans murdered      (
(                                  guards.                                  )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(      Many scouts have heard about hunters who have annihilated Evil       )
 )     Mages (655) near ocean of Atlantis Ocean. Freeing the plains of     (
(                          Icpon from their dread.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(     Dozen wanderers are worried about adventurers who have put to the     )
 )      sword Evil Mages (19750) near forests of Daprat. Freeing the       (
(                 mountains of Lethitcha from their terror.                 )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(         Numerous commoners are whispering about witchers who have         )
 )     expelled Imp (19543) near ocean of Atlantis Ocean. Freeing the      (
(                  swamps of Lilentront from their dread.                   )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(     Multiple traders are whispering about rangers who have put to the     )
 )    sword Pack of Rats (905) near ocean of The Undersea. Freeing the     (
(                   caverns of Grasaust from their fear.                    )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(     Dozen dockers have heard about witchers who have destroyed Demons     )
 )    (714) near ocean of The Undersea. Freeing the chasms of Sitbrolhy    (
(                            from their anxiety.                            )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(       In the ocean of The Undersea, near Fort Building [1], Merfolk       )
 )         (511) who continue to cause dread to local inhabitants.         (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )     In the underforests of Uru, near ocean of The Undersea, Dragon      (
(          (739) who continue to cause fear to local inhabitants.           )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(     In the caverns of Antblu, near ocean of The Undersea, Devil (574)     )
 )           who continue to cause anxiety to local inhabitants.           (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )        Horrifying news were coming from the plains of Treselcin.        (
(     Inhabitants were terrified by the assassination near the ocean of     )
 )             Atlantis Ocean. The assassin escaped unnoticed.             (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )     Fearsome news were coming from the plains of Feastan. Citizens      (
(        were afraid by the assassination near the ocean of Atlantis        )
 )                 Ocean. The assassin escaped unnoticed.                  (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )     Alarming news were coming from the plains of Silne. Inhabitants     (
(         were horrified by the assassination near the mountains of         )
 )                Gubamea. The assassin escaped unnoticed.                 (
(__       _       _       _       _       _       _       _       _       __)
    '-._.-' (___ _) '-._.-' '-._.-' )     ( '-._.-' '-._.-' (__ _ ) '-._.-'
            ( _ __)                (_     _)                (_ ___)
            (__  _)                 '-._.-'                 (___ _)
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Players have visited 99% of all inhabited regions.

More regions on north and south are freezing...

No time for times, but scouts do starve.

Too tired. Can't think!

The devil caught up with me after all.

Frozen clouds are coming from north.

Centaurs are so expensive... >.<

Ah, finally those famed kobolds have shown up! Let's see if they're worthy of a battle then and more importantly, if they have something nice stashed in their pockets!

The old evil has return and is settling around the corner now.

Happy New Year (in Atlantis terms)

Let's see what happens when we wave the wand right to left, instead of left to right.

Nothing stands between us and the Underworld - now we need to decide if we are brave enough to enter...

Forewarned is forearmed.  And four-armed is pretty damned scary!

We are Borg!

"So, how meny inns does one town need?"
"Another two or three, maybe."

Wolves...

Who is winning this game?

Yellow is Warm

Castle is finished, roads are being built, now ships. We need sailors.

A big disturbance in the neighborhood. But who killed our merchants and why?

The freezing is not real.

The noose tightens again; the faithful endure, but another long march awaits those who can escape its scratchy rope of dragon-borne malice.

Time to wake up !

The underworld tour is starting, get you tickets now!

Slowly organisation rises from the refuse of battle. Troops are equipped, scouts sent forth and allies dragged into the plan.  If only we could get peace and not squander resources fighting petty wars.
A real war is coming, and the Clan needs to be ready.

New trade routes established

The war for the cities began.

From the diary of Gale Swifthands

The girls have managed to summon their first dragons. Just in time to catch some chocolate smugglers. Girls and their sweets. I never imagined how creative they can get with the stuff. Does chocolate come out of bedsheets? Anyway, we have dragons now. They will come in handy when hunting down the new liches in the crypts. I hope we find something nice down there. Shakaa could really use a windchime to keep up with the rest of us now that we are all airborne and ready for action.

Dark magician in the night
Calls secret forces,
In a dark tower he sits,
Sends spells forward.

Sounds like the big freeze is making tempers heat up. Can we go on drinking pints at one of the many pubs opening up around here or should we actually try to work out what to do with these sharp pointy things we keep producing for no apparent reason?

[Watches neighbours].

Still no news on the effect of the winter.

Any information from those that are aware would be appreciated.

I really should start reading the times.

As Dwarves, we don't like Dragons... they have a tendancy to take us precious metals and gems that we can't accept.
Anyway, I must admit that when controlled, they are powerful and useful allies... Maybe we should try to control them, as others do!

So the freeze starts and the undead are rising all over, or is it just where I am?

The explorers in the underworld sniffed all corners, tunnels, caverns, and chasms. The results were not promising. The Underworld was insanely poor on resources. As the goodies on the surface were not evenly distributed, it made lucky ones even more lucky.

This all made Malagor sad, and he prepared to kill that damn hydra to calm himself down.

A magical castle overlooking a well developed city free from the big freeze. Is that too much to ask for ?

The President of the Board of Professors of the ***** Magic School, with unanimous agreement of the Members, has announced the traditional pardon. 
Envelope being opened. The winner is...


Cedric the Potato!


"Looks like you're for it, Gobbles..."

Winter is not so bad.

Observes Ice celebrates unnatural freezing.  Although last month the economic effects were slight, this month's freezing had more serious economic effects.  Unskilled individuals are beginning to slowly starve, though skilled traders are still easily able to feed themselves.  Observes Ice and Describes Southern Islands send Pansssy off with their initial logbooks, so even if the scientists all freeze, the tropical Celebrants will have this account.  Freezing destroys the unskilled labor economy and the rent collection economy, but has no effect on honest trade.  What happens to the phlogiston content of the water is still unresolved, but perhaps Pansssy can determine that on her way back to civilization.

Assassinates Herbs celebrates treachery.  Not this time the treachery of the absolutely, positively, permanently punished Drunken Dwarves, who betrayed the Shadow, but this Assassinates Herbs' own treachery.  For Assassinates Herbs has found in the mountain archives an unbowdlerized copy of Nawabzada Time's article that CATO censored.  As a member of CATO, Celebrants, the faction, are sworn to keep alliance secrets.  As a Celebrant, Assassinates Herbs, the man, is sworn to keep faction secrets.  Chieftain Withdraws, Grandmaster Combats, Grandmistress Enchants Hides, and Grandmistress Honors Silver will all be very disappointed in Assassinates Herbs if he leaks this article.  The smart thing to do would be to leak it as a rumor, leaving the Chieftain, Grandmaster, and Grandmistresses with plausible deniability about the source of the leak.  But leaking as a rumor won't make Assassinates Herbs infamous.  So Assassinates Herbs sneaks into the stack of papers to go to the printer Nawabzada Time's original, uncensored article from two months ago.

Nawabzada Time celebrates Monster Hunters' and Tailenders' very amusing battle against CATO.  In the winter and spring that separated year two from year three, Monster Hunters and Tailendes gave us months of warning.  

October: "When hunters going into a town are attacked, they will always defend their prey"
November: "A cornered monster is very dangerous"
December: "Please do not occupy our hunting grounds"
January: "Those who live in swamps have mastered the art of self-defence"
February: "Trust is the basis of a peaceful neighborhood"
March: "Don't stand in the way"
April: "We are looking for a scout who has gone missing"

In April, Monster Hunters invasion came as a complete surprise to CATO.  We had neither deployed enough scouts nor read the last 6 months of Times articles.

For the next several months, Monster Hunters repeatedly advanced exactly as far as was safe and no farther, always just out of range of CATO's traps, causing some members of CATO to wonder whether Monster Hunters had high stealth assassins who were choosing to scout instead of revealing themselves by assassination.  

Eventually Monster Hunters took the bait and invaded Cellje, which CATO knew to be a trap Monster Hunters could not escape.  But CATO knew wrong.  The bait came off the hook.  Monster Hunters lured 5 inexperienced mages to their deaths in a separate battle before the main battle, and so won the main battle that they were otherwise certain to lose.  CATO was in despair and disarray for awhile.  But CATO realized Monster Hunters and Tailenders are only two factions, while CATO was a bigger alliance, so despite Monster Hunters' brilliant win of a battle they rated to lose, CATO could again muster a force large enough to defeat them, and mobile enough that Monster Hunters could not escape.

Monster Hunters slipped off the hook again anyway.  They engaged (with Celebrants) in a great celebration of their unexpected victory the month before.  A brawl broke out during that celebration, and even though individual Monster Hunters are much (much) better fighters than Celebrant craftsmen, and much better equipped, there were just so many damn Celebrants at that party, so despite the less mobile Monster Hunters' superior skills and equipment, at the end of the celebration / brawl, (it was a fun fight, so Celebrants call it a celebration) all the immobile monster hunters were slain.  Which was, of course, exactly what their leaders on well trained flying mounts intended to happen; when the overwhelming CATO counterattack tries to reel in the hook, Monster Hunters' leaders all escape on their winged horses, the less mobile members of their army having already laid down their lives at the end of a really great party.

By now the Monster Hunters and Tailenders mages are approaching, with better warriors, and this time, with shields.  Things are looking bad for CATO.  CATO's popcorn eating neighbors are laughing at us, a big alliance being made fools of by an alliance of two.  Internally, the CATO alliance is beginning to show cracks, as some CATO factions discuss giving up their lands and going into exile with their mages.  

And then, the Gods changed sides.  It is Monster Hunters' and Tailenders' turn to have the unlucky miscoordinated attack.  Much like the circus who were lured to their death in a separate battle, Tailenders' mages walk to an early death in a separate battle instead of participating in the main engagement.  And just like Circus' funny error made CATO lose a battle that CATO should have won, Tailenders' error made Monster Hunters lose alone a battle Monster Hunters and Tailenders should have won together.  

The Gods are not on CATO's side.
The Gods are not on Monster Hunters' and Tailenders' side.  
The Gods are on the side of the popcorn eaters.  
The Gods aren't ready for the amusement to be finished just yet.

Celebrants have been amused so far.  The Circus tent is destroyed, the fairgrounds churned up, production neglected and much blood spilled, but there have been some good times along the way.

We are going to have to go monster hunting again :-(

In shadows deep, it waits,
Devil's gaze, a chilling fate,
Underground, my fear.

Bad News

It is good to travel.

I am a terror flying on the wings of the night!
I'm spinach stuck in your teeth!

construire des routes et augmenter les transports

On the subject of trade goods:

Chocolate and love, two hearts entwine
A sweetness that is truly divine
The rich aroma of cocoa swirls
Filling our senses, our hearts unfurls

Less and less rumors. Will this one be the last?

The initial freeze is not so bad.  But then it gets colder.