+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | t'Nyc PBM Game 11 June 1988 | | Rules version 0.1.11 Game Start 1 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ The T'Nyc Times Volume 5 Number 2 +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Playerships 88 Orders 36 Entities 3326 Highest 3695 Places 11? Artifacts 6+ | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Stephen Tihor > TIHOR@ACF1.NYU.EDU > cmcl2!acf1.nyu.edu!tihor 251 Mercer Street TIHOR@NYU-ACF7.ARPA cmcl2!acf[0-9].nyu.edu!tihor NY NY 10012 > TIHOR@NYUACF.BITNET cmcl2!tihor +1 212 998 3052 TIHOR@NYUACF7.BITNET +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Next Turn Due: 25 June 1988 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ BACK ISSUES available...a remninder that all back issues are available on request (plus cost for mailing if sent by post.) FOR LOCAL REASONS the TIHORn accounts have been canceled. Someone asked one of the operators a question and as I warned people that those accounts would go poof if anyone noticed them. A special captive command procedure has been set up to allow them to upload and download orders, moves, results, newletters, and mail. IN PBM II THERE WILL probably be a limit on the size of any players position which varies with the number of skill points the player characvter has. The strongest opponents of the FACTION SIZE skill seem to be changing their minds. PBM II will need you but before I can take user controbutions I need to solidify some of the attributes of the provinces. Do you have any really good dieas towards making each province Unique without keeping track of too much information about each one? Rich Reichenbach has dropped out. If someone wants to take over his position instead of their own let me know...he actually has several units unlike some other recent drops. Proposal for comments: Edi Birsan has proposed that the sighting at turn end be changed...so that separate stacks of the same faction do not get multiple sightings of the same entity where those sightings are identical to the previous sighting report in that phase of orders. For example: if I have 5 separate stacks with tracking skills of 1 and 40 foreign entities in the same area then I will most likly get 5 times 40 reports or a lot of pages of info all of which is probably identical...this takes up pages of output. Instead if when it came to make a sighting report the machine checked for identical sighting reports published in that area to the same faction and then merely ignored to rep[eat the printed report or maybe gave a summary report listing the entity numbers seen, then it would save space>>>> Example: 1640 Sees: 222, 236, 238 , 2345, 3421, {see details above} As a side effect this will probably mean a radical reduction in the information available from the EXPLORE or its eliminate because of the way things are structured and for philosphical consistancy. MY PREFERED alternative is to eliminate the automatic EXPLORE at the end of month or at lerast eliminate the automatic EXPLOREs for units not leading stacks. The information for units in someone else's stacks can be reduced radically without affecting the normal case at all and simplify the code in the process. POSTION SOUGHT ----------------------------------------- Soldier of Fortune Wyndam Hille [722] is seeking employment in Ryvwy [21] --------press---------------------press---------------------press---------- General Zot[1957] read the scroll once, stopped, and read it again. He looked around to see if anyone saw him, then carefully rolled it up and stuck it back inside his heavy armor. He studiously pondered the strange turn just past. Zephrys was still alive, but also still a prisoner of Jakara in a strange place called Delvehome. Apparently, he wasn't too happy there, but things were progressing nicely here in Glen. The Chardian Hospital has been working around the clock patching up the units and making everyone quite healthy. The bizarre units Zot had been given to train in fighting were actually very athletic, and learned simple fighting techniques quite rapidly. The former govenor had learned a great deal about Glen in the past turn, and the population was very pleasant. He hated to admit it, but staying here was exactly the right thing to do. Of course, interesting things kept happening. Like the discovery that large numbers of units from the Imperial Observation Corp were here, as well as a fellow named Rhombus, who was on top of a stack which contained more than a few *New Units* in it. Of course, Zot also remembered that the Hospital staff had been too busy to name the 1st Glen Circus last turn as well. Zot hoped these new units would be friendly, several lunes would need to pass before his troops would be really ready to fight again, despite the hard work put in by the hospital staff. "What is this drivel?" shouted the govenor. "It is the Times Article for this turn," said Zot, "Why do you ask?" "This is the most boring stuff I've ever read! It won't even get published. Why, with all of the stuff about the Dead Kismain Free Press Remaining Dead in the Times, you've got to grab people's attention like ol' Ethnic Eddie. Here, let me show you..." The mighty warriors prepared again for war. Zot knew that Jakara's army outnumbered his by 10-1, but that wasn't going to stop him from freeing his master, hidden from view in the dreary caves of Delvehome. Besides, Zot had recently found the great artifact of Super-Player destruction, used once to eliminate Sojourner, and now had it trained on Jakara. Death would be a welcome sight if he could bring down Jakara as well. "Now for the good part!" said the govenor. After the defeat of Jakara, Thimark, Kosar's heir, Darkstar Franklin, and Cindor, the small band of men decided to repopulate the earth, with sons of their own. They headed for Kismain and the Everlay... {ed. note: A large smear of ink blots out whatever was written next} Zot yanked the scroll away from the former govenor. "You can't say that! If any of those players cared at all about us, we would be tiny puddles gurgling back into the River of Ice." He swatted at the govenor with his mailed fist, but the small man was gone before any damage could be done. Zot snarled as the current beggar darted between trees and deep into the forest. He shook his head and wondered about the sanity of some of his companions. General Zot[1957] read the scroll once, stopped, and read it again. He looked around to see if anyone saw him, then carefully rolled it up and stuck it back inside his heavy armor. He studiously pondered the strange turn just past. Zephrys was still alive... ****************************** * EMERGENCY NOTICE TO VISITOR * ******************************* To: All visitors of the following provinces: Bavaly [11], Tornay [3], IP [9], Northfort [13], Black Hills [38], Mts. of D. [99] From: The respective governments and factions in control thereof. With immediate effect the act known as the Kismain Garrison Act will be put into effect in all the above lands. All visitors wishing to stay in any of the lands must join the garrison and stack under the entity identified as "...: Visitors Garrison Commander". You are all welcome to work and study in these lands, however, the conditions of the world and especially the rampages of the Jakaran forces and recent resurgence of monsters and random pillagers, force us to take the position that the well being and protection of the land is the responsibility of all parties who would earn a living off the land or partake in the research enviorment and increase their learning skills. Failure of an entity to join the visiting garrison while prolonging its stay may result in the entity being treated as hostile or as an uncontroled unit. We again regret that the current reverses in the Jakaran Wars has forced us to impose this condition but we must be able to separate out those who will stand on the side of orderly society and those vagabounds that would feed upon the good will of the masses. To: All Parties in areas north of Chardia. We have recently been sworn over a group of units and places that have rather complex hostility codes indicating that the player(s) were at conflict with a great number of units. Additionally some units had pending orders for attacks on various units...some of which were also sworn over to us..causing even more confusion. we have tried to disengage the forces and to consolidate who is who and what is whose..in the event that some awkward situations arise due captures, attacks etc. please contact us by phone and identify the problem areas. Edi Birsan 415-680-0110 between 7-9PM weekdays or 10AM-9PM weekends West Coast time. TONDRIL COMPACT PROPOSED: Be it known that the Island of Tondril with its simple places of Kismain-Tondril Cardon-Peranda-Kistook-Lower Tondril, has been the haven for an influx of new peoples in the year 4. Let us undertake to isolate this Island beyond the Endless Deep from the influences of the Main areas of prior activities. Let us leave these new peoples to their own resources and not entered into the island with forces of anysort or any material resources. We, the heirs of the ruins of Twilip do call upon all parties to agree publicly and in fact enact it privately that : 1. No forces of any kind will be sent to the Tondril Island 2. No loans of any size to be made to those inside the island 3. No entty of the outside world is to enter that area. for the record, we the Heirs of Twilip, whose main faction started on the issland, will abide by the above and will not use the relatively huge resources on the mainland to bring into play on the island upseting balances and awesome magic. From: INTERNET "convex!sjc@a.cs.uiuc.edu" 11-JUN-1988 12:12:01 To: "Stephen Tihor" Subj: press Return-Path: Received: from A.CS.UIUC.EDU by NYU-ACF6.ARPA via INTERNET with SMTP ; Sat, 11 Jun 1988 12:11 EST Received: by a.cs.uiuc.edu (UIUC-5.52/9.7) id AA17888; Sat, 11 Jun 88 10:37:08 CDT Received: from convexs (8003e3f4) by convex (4.12/4.7) id AA16342; Sat, 11 Jun 88 07:06:57 cdt Received: by convexs (5.51/4.7) id AA15310; Sat, 11 Jun 88 07:06:58 CDT Message-Id: <8806111206.AA15310@convexs> Transmitted: Sat, 11 Jun 88 07:06:57 -0600 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ANNOUNCING THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST T'NYC RIDDLE CONTEST!!! First, thanks much to the four players who thought it was worth their time to enter. We are sorry to announce that no one solved the grand puzzle completely, although several people solved one or two sub-problems right. First, the puzzles and the answers: Riddle 1) I have been called the Demon's Bane, Though summoner's pawn seems more my norm; First by a batty one insane, Now by some demi-human worm. Though I was for Justice born, My glowing work to fill the sky, For the nonce my task's foresworn. Who or what thinkst thou am I? Answer: The Sword of Right, first held by Roy Batty, now held by Jakara. Riddle 2) My master now has come and gone, His time upon the earth is done. Now I'm slave to demon spawn, While undead roam my streets 'til dawn. I was not always dark and bleak, But sparkled bright with towers sleek. With gallant Knights and ladies meek, Like that fair city 'pon Golden creek. Who or What am I? Answer: Sudabuk, currently devestated by the Pusan war. Riddle 3) I once held righteous sword in hand, And charged 'gainst Pusan's lord's picked band. Though killed I was in sorcerous duel, The fire of freedom helped I to fuel By showing summ'ners at their worst, And then my soul helped quench Hell's thirst. Who or what am I? Answer: Roy Batty, who had the Sword of Right, and attack Ingold Merion. Both died in a sorcerous duel, as recounted in "Two Wizards and a Warrior", in a previous T'Nyc Times. Riddle 4) I scout the land for likely spots And parcel it into the lots That lordlings from the western shore Buy from me, then they ask for more. I sneak, I hide, I ferret out The skills a place is mad about! I slither, slink, and gather clues As to the population's views. I've gauged the barren Pusan wastes, And scoped out Ni's eccentric tastes. I am a swordsman, thief, and spy... Who then do you think am I? Answer: Sikan D'Fynd, who has found out what several Pusan provinces are impressed by, and is a frequent contributor to the times, writing about the events in Pusan. Riddle 5) As I was coming home from Ni, I met a ruffian gang, motley, That chased a gallant knight benign Who on his breastplate wore a sign, Sooth: "I sunder chain mail hotly!" Though none spake e'en one word to me, I knew the knight's identity. To prove yourself not crass and crude, I'll ask about the knight pursued: Can you name now this man for me? Answer: Dominic ElHalyn Hastur (note that the words "I sunder chain mail hotly" anagram to "I, Dominic ElHalyn Hastur." Yeah, I know it stinks, but *I* liked it... Overall puzzle answer: Ingold Merion, who was associated with all of the above entities, in that he fought with Dominic against Roy Batty and the sword, controlled Sudabuk, and was the first lord of Sikan D'fynd. Prizes: Sadly, no one got all answers correct, so there will not be a grand prize awarded, which was to be a province. However, each entrant will receive a cash payment of 10000 silver, upon designating a courier in Runesward. The four contestants were: Cain Molgar, Son of Darth Zephrys Tongueston If I have inadvertantly misplaced any entries, please let me know right away. -- Chardian Ministry for Amusement [993] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- sc -- ----------------------------------------------------- To: swt[0] From: Birsauron[235] Press Release: Tornay, (Fire and Steel Press [654]) The appearnace of a troll wandering around the streets mumbling something about the conditions of pay from Empire Box 1228 has caused great concern amongst the City Elders in that it is feared that the Troll may become unmanageable in matters of civil respect and the safety of the citizens at large. Seeing that there is a sudden influx of hobbits in the province, there is especial concern that these traditionally hostile species may engage in some sort of conflict in which the villagers are caught in a dismal crossfire. An attempt has been made to try to persuade the Troll to behave in acordance with local custom, but it is generally held that this may be beyond the capacity of the individual. There fore urgent pleas are being sent to the faction controlling box 1228 to contact the Tornay [3] Council before violence erupts in the name of social order. ----------------------------------------------------- "A Lull Between Storms" Safiq lay in bed. Crisp, cool winter light streamed through the skylight of the Calilh's Palace in Samarkand. It was late morning and Safiq felt delicious. The fete that his men were given after the defeat of Twilkip's Army on the plains of Mark had gone until dawn. At least, that was when Safiq and Gwynyth had made their departure. Beside him, Gwynyth stirred. Safiq feigned sleep. Gwynyth leaned over in bed and poked him, her long black locks falling freely upion his face. Moving her head, she tickled his nose with her hair. He smiled freely, his eyes still closed. "I know that you are awake. Do you take me for a daft Imperial Concubine, unversed in life that I can not tell these things?", she teased. Safiq reached up, grabbed her about her naked shoulders and in one motion turned her so that she was under him. "Indeed!", they laughed together, "Darkstar should be so glad to have you in his harem!" She pouted petulantly and turned him a long sloe eye: "Perhaps I shall sell myself to him. I hear tell that his army of Entertainers produces a vast fortune each lune! What do you suppose that he does with his riches?" Safiq kissed her tenderly on the nose. Gwynyth playfully tried to kiss him full on the mouth but Safiq pulled away. For a few minutes they wrestled in bed, laughing playfully, nibbling and fondling until this lead to other excitements. Some while later, Safiq answered Gwynyth, "I suppose that he collects his loot in a great horde and runs his fingers through it. Verily, I can see no other use a peach-loving man would put it to: albeit, for a man that loves peace as much as he, he sent quiet a large group of guardians with his embassy to Skyhold." Gwynyth was somewhat concerned over this. She frowned: "You don't suppose that he intends hostilities, do you?" "Nay. He has sworn strict neutrality. I trust that he is honorable and will not go back on his promise. After all, how many of Twilkip and Sojourner's ilk are there in the world? Doesn't he know that all such men come to no good in the world? Does he think that he can do better than Kosar, Twilkip and Sojourner, each of who lost his army in an attempt to impose his will on my father the Caliph?" "Verily, right is with us. Still, I do worry for you Safiq, even if you do not worry for yourself." Safiq smiled wryly. "Indeed, I do worry for myself, except that I have a magic weapon that they do not." "Magic weapon!", Gwynyth layghed. "Woe to the world when honor is a magic weapon!" "It is! Mastery of the forces that have life go the way you say rather than in the direction that circumstances say is a magic weapon. Honor, of course, is the first part of this. Without honor, no man has a hope to even begin this process. As for our enemies, they hope to dominate circumstances with their wills! Its as if they attempt to pass a camel through the eye of a needle!" "I love you so. I do not know what I would do if harm came to you." Gwynyth kissed him after this. "I would hope that you find another and give him what it is that you have given me." She smiled. Love filling her heart. "I would, after a space of mourning." "I hope not to long a space. Life does not wait for you to stop mourning." Gwynyth looked at Safiq slyly. "I think that I have heard that before. Perhaps?" "Zzarbtheguady!" Laughing, they wrapped themselves in each other, kissing and fondling the day away. From: "Safiq: Man Among Men" The Caliph's Scribe [1429] ----------------------------------------------------- To: Tihor[0] From: BirSauron[235] Press Release: Golden City Election Flash....... In a sudden development that is sweeping the Western parts of Entnycardia, there is a grassroots demand for new Elections for the Mayor of the Golden City. It appears that the current mayor has been in charge for about a year and the populace is now generally aware of the awkward electioneering techniques that led to the election. Additionally since the term has run a year it generally felt that the need for a new evaluation is appropriate. Tenatively the Election is scheduled for the 100th Day of the current year. Players wising to establish campaign headquarters are advised to start the yearly pilgrimage to the Golden City. The Imperial Populace [653] ----------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------- To: [0] From: [480] Note: The Caliph is temporarily locating to his spring palace. The Mail for the Caliph and Jakara should be sent to the City of Samarkand [62]. The Spring Palace can not be directly reached via normal telepathy gems or esoteric spells of receiving and transmitted messages. If you wish to send notices and/or inquires to either the Caliph and/or Jakara, please send them to box 62. Alternatively, rituals of transmission beginning with the power-word phrase "Tihor" followed by the "Subject: Please send to box 62" have been known to work as well. This has been a body of interest announcement from the Steward of the Caliph. ----------------------------------------------------- HEAR YE! HEAR YE! A GENERAL CALL TO ARMS! Let it be known and decried throughout the lands that a new evil has arisen. On day 28 of the year 5, a cowardly suprise attack by members of a force known to be controlled by the master of the so-called New Peoples Alliance occured. This force even tried to disguise thier origins by changing thier names to Demon Guard. It is further assumed that the leader of the NPA is aligned and possibly even assisted by Jakara. To anticipate the propaganda put forth by the "Freedom Press" (Hah, what a laugh.) All interested parties should note that this is not the only incident of this turn. These other incidents were all incited by the leader of the NPA, Bir Sauron, and now show him to be the land-hungry, two-faced, slime sucking...(excuse me, I got carried away there for a moment)... tyrant that he really is. Though I have no proof, could this be the return of the infamous Zarn Loris??? It is time to put an end to the treacherous ways of those who profess to serve the common good, but who actually serve only themselves. Lower Bavalry, Day 27.5, (Fire Press), The continuing disappearance of valuable chairs and furniture remains a mystery to the local police who have been in constant communication with all dealers of the merchandise. The only clue to the bizarre action is the scribbled notes of blue vapor in the air with the numbers '205'. The grey mist that remains as a residue is also under investigation and is believed to be of some lost Imperial design that was employed by Gatemasters. Due to this sudden increase in crime, all visitors are warned to leave the city so that the renowned investigative demon Sherlock Dholmes can use his superior tracking and scrying skills to find the missing items. PRESS RELEASE: Kismain, (Freedom Press [2740]) Day 5.5, When the appearance last year of the feared Revenant started the Kismain Command into a series of recruiting and training drives, there was a parrellel development in the diplomatic front by the Master Scribe to Nasrib of Ide: `GollyIm'. In letter affter letter, GollyIm tried to solicit information on the habits and nature of the ghost like creatures. As has now been expected, there was no response from the ex -Imperial seat of research: the Golden City, or from the various factions striving to form massive spy or trade observors around the globe. The information received from the Silver Isles was rather interesting but when someone has that much information there is a great deal of suspicion in the generally paranoid circles of the Kismain staff. It is probably not all that unreasonable to expect the Caliph and Jakara to be knowledgable about undead and ghost like things, but the missive they sent on the "Care and Feeding of the Well Breed Revenant" appeared to be coming from a very different angle of approach then the one required by the terrorfied patrons of the poor huts comprising the City's lower quarter. There was also a response from the Black Hills titled: "Reference to Revenants with Reverance" by Rev. Reveen, but this was more a compilation of the Holy Ghosts seen assulting pilgrims on their way to dwarvin homages that a book on how to kill the monsters and to prevent their return. That left only the silence of the mainland to respond to GollyIm's need for help until the Corsair became a convert to the Church of the Dead Stay Dead and made his wayard travels in serach of the sea and a way to Kismain. He writes that there was an appraoch of a revenant to the area of Suth Reach (18) and that the creature actually attack the area with no reply from the owning power. It is not known why this occured other than the creature has not stopped, but no new bodies have appeared or decline in economic value occured. GollyIm views the news with much mystery, but the prospect of doing nothing in the face of any threat to the City was not in the mind of the Command or of its Commander: Nasrib. With a sudden increase in visitors who seemed to not want to join the Garrison as the law requires, Nasrib felt that it is best to take the blows of dealing with the monster first and then to sort out the influx of intrigue seekers. Freedom Press [2766] Press Release: Lower Tondril, (Freedom Press [2760]), In response to attacks by various wind blasters, and seeing nothers in the area, the Kismain Rangers and their support forces went into a hostile attack in the area. It is hoped that those residents hiding the attackers will be willing to step forth and point out the perpetrators of the attacks. The dispatch of the NastyGul may assist in quelling the outbreak of violence but is not expected to arrive immediately due to a desparate need to check out activities mid month in the Silver Palace. The rumors from the Palace is that there is a near state of war breaking out on the lower quarters of the immense Palace with reports of terrorists on one hand, freedom fighters on the other and outright combat in the gates that lead south east of the Steward's claimed suite of rooms. Anyone having further information of the situation is advised to contact: Freedom Press [2766] Press Release: Where are the messages of great froth and moment? Where forth have they gone? Has distant lands swalled them whole, never to speak in crowded day, or has the night closed upon their carriers for the last time and taken await their resolve? By what means have we to blame for the quieting of the Palantir's chatter and sparkle of dancing light humors? Has the telepathic ways of electronic transmissions found use is no longer in vogue? Has the phonic tellers all gone mad with fright and refused to speak again? Could even the written word, by way of public appeal or even private post been cursed into invisibility, leaving all of Entnycardia a morass of isolated entities unable to communicate with one another beyond their faction and mentor friends? Perhaps the curse upon us is not the inabling kind, but the more devious assault upon the Will of that one does aspire to communicate or to reach out acast a smile of good intentions or a simple story of joy and frustration to another fellow on the distant roads of our world. Have we forgotten, by way of tisg ...upon us, that we are to ate the world wi our actions and that these actions include the social enterprise of commication, byns not always electronic or direc? Place more effort to writing to others in your areas or thoseround you. ther than the traditional, and seek to write for the press of the world so others mashare in the wonders you hide with. Public Service Message from Freedom Press [2766] _}