After an exhausting several nights since having met with the Grey Wizard, Jupiter of Paws, Gael Wordsworth slumped into his favorite chair in the King's Library. Once more at ease with the tomes, scrolls, and parchment all around him, dimly lit by candle light, Gael could finally collect himself. The Grey Wizard had a reputation for having an adventurous nature, but Gael did not know just how true that was. Gael was tired, sore, and there was an ache in his bones, but he would not have traded those feelings for missing even a single moment of the last two nights. Gael pushed together his fingers until a satisfying 'crack' echoed through the otherwise whisper-quiet library. He picked up his quill, smiling to himself at the feel of it once more in hand, and began writing on a fresh piece of parchment. "The events of yestereve proven to be most fortuitous for both the Great Council as well as myself on a personal level. What began as, what I thought to be, a routine diplomatic mission to secure more friends for the Great Council turned out to be quite an evening of adventure with splendid new friends! It started with meeting the Governess of Wispfelt in the village of Paws... The lady Governess, Marjo, had arrived early to the meeting that was to be held between her, Jupiter, and myself. I had not met her in-person before, and her visage was quite striking, befitting someone who holds such a caring and inclusive nature. Whilst we were still absent the Grey Wizard, the good lady Marjo offered to give me a tour of her wonderful town of Wispfelt. I had been there once before to see the famed namesake wisp, but knew little of the history surrounding the place. Being a great admirer of history and diplomacy, I jumped at the opportunity to learn more of this great town! Upon arriving, I found myself at once startled by the sudden appearance of a man cloaked in grey... At once, the man struck me as both wise and eccentric (qualities that would both prove to be beyond measure as the nights unfolded, tempered by a great deal of kindness and generosity!) He happily agreed to join us in the tour of Wispfelt. The first stop was the Tailor shop. Marjo explained to me that all of the decor in the homes of Wispfelt (all buildings marked with a small green tree upon the steps) were of plain and easy-to-come-by nature, for she wanted to show what the average citizen of the Realm could obtain, and not just the wealthiest. Indeed, the Tailor shop and the following homes were all splendid in their atmosphere, both welcoming and humble. I found myself particularly attracted to the bakery... The scent of fresh baked bread and the sweetness of sugar and flour hung in the air, which only served to remind me that I had not eaten since much earlier in the morning. The Governess was too kind and she gave me some of the fresh-made muffins. If I were struck down by a Balron then and there, I would have been contentedly happy, for I am dubious as to if I shall ever taste something so delicious again! En-route to the village center (or at least what I determine to be the focal point of the town), the faltered security of Wispfelt was experienced as we were assailed by multiple headless creatures... In my estimation, these wanton attacks on our persons were justification for scheduling more routine patrols to this otherwise beautiful town. The Governess, a bit later in the eve, would tell me of her highly inclusive policies established for Wispfelt, which included the welcoming of thieves, rogues, murderers, and even monsters. I must admit I was a bit taken aback by the inclusion of monsters, for they far more often than not only wish destruction and death! But alas, I duly respect the Governess' wishes on the matter. Once we reached the center of town, we were given a quite friendly greeting by the Wispfelt wisp! The Governess showed me her private estate, which indeed was quite a castle! She showed me other large estates of the town as well, each one splendid and unique. With the tour concluded, we departed Wispfelt for the Village of Paws. Upon arrival in Paws, we made our way to the roof of the main tower which dwarfs the shrine of Spirituality in front of it. The Grey Wizard informed me that our words would be broadcast to many areas across the lands... But a mere moment later, the King's Diplomat, and a dear friend of mine, Akiro arrived to join us (for what would a diplomatic meeting be without our foremost expert on diplomacy?) It would prove quite helpful knowing that Akiro had some history with Jupiter and Paws in the past as well. The first order of business was broached by Jupiter - he wanted to include in his network of communication crystals the holdings of the Great Council. Neither the King's Diplomat nor myself had an issue with this proposal, with the exception of putting one such in the King's Embassy where sensitive conversations take place... With the matter agreed upon, the Grey Wizard, whilst still donned in his thick robe and cloak, waded into the pond... Apparently this is where he kept his network of communication crystal devices. The next order of business was broached by Akiro, who put forth an idea regarding the stimulation of economy. Though I am not a Treasurer or a man of great acumen or finances, both myself and Jupiter were in agreement with the King's Diplomat. It was around this time when we were joined by a Freeman of the Village of Paws, Ragar Truesword. This man I had not met in person, and only read about in some of the books that were generously donated to me by the lady Enna of Paws. My first impression of him was that he was a kind man who would be quick to defend his friends and village. Speaking of lady Enna, who should appear but a moment later? It made my heart quite joyous to see the good lady again. After our last (and first) meeting where I retrieved books for the King's Library, I thought she were to no longer be with us in the Realm. The matter at hand turned towards that of alliance between the Village of Paws and The Great Council. The good Governess of Wispfelt expressed her desire to join The Great Council, but lacked the time to read through the dry and lengthy treatise I had taken the liberty to prepare. The Grey Wizard along with Ragar read the treatise on the spot and signed upon agreement to the terms set forth for mutual benefit. Naturally I myself and the King's Diplomat put our signatures to the document as well. I will admit, I was excited for this moment! I had very specially prepared a marvelous-covered binding for the historic document which I presented to our new friends. With the business of joining aboard the Great Council settled, the Grey Wizard sprung upon both Akiro and I that we were to undergo the initiation process that all members of Paws and their allies undergo. I had heard tale of this from lady Enna, but I did not imagine I would experience it myself. It was a frightening and exciting prospect in equal measure! Jupiter sent Ragar, Enna, and Akiro to do a quick patrol of the roadways whilst I assisted him with preparations for the initiation ceremony. This is where I learned that the Grey Wizard had a fondness for trying to send people to a task through a magic gate and having them return before it can close. I am not of a spry age any longer, nor is my horse, but it did provide a unique challenge I had not before considered (but one I certainly find more suitable for a younger generation). With the preparations completed, Akiro and myself were escorted to the Paws town hall where the ceremony was to take place. Jupiter appointed Ragar and Enna to sit upon the council which oversaw our initiation. We were instructed to unburden ourselves of our possessions into crates in a back room. I must admit, this part of the initiation felt wonderful. I typically carry at a minimum of 20-40 books with me at all times which does a considerable harm to my back. Then, upon leaving behind our belongings, Jupiter began to speak... and he spoke exceptionally quickly to the point where Akiro and I were a bit mystified as to what we were to do. To Jupiter: do slow down a little bit, my friend! Let those in the ceremony have a moment to savor the rite! He summoned forth a portal to somewhere neither Akiro or I were known to. With great trepidation, we both stepped into the blue portal... only to find ourselves completely engulfed in flames! What sort of hell fire is this, I wondered?! It mattered little, before I could feel the searing flames lap at my skin, I found my spirit had departed my body. A new portal appeared and I walked through to find myself once more in front of the Grey Wizard. However, the spirit of the King's Diplomat did not return to us outright. Minute after minute passed and Akiro was not to be seen. Was the King's Diplomat forever lost in whatever hellish ether this was? If he were lost forever, what impact would that have on the future diplomatic relations between Paws and the Great Council? However, after another attempt at rescuing the lost soul of Akiro, the Grey Wizard was successful in bringing him back to this Realm. After being escorted through the ancestral cemetery, we found ourselves facing the pond, home of the Sapphire Maiden. This maiden, though I could not lay eyes upon her, had a voice as delicate and flowing as the most gentle of waterfalls. She asked me for my heart's wish, but I fear that I was too afraid to ask for what I truly wished (nor shall I put it to this paper!) With the Maiden bidding us our wishes, we were escorted to the shrine of Spirituality in front of the tower. Akiro and I were ready to rejoin the world of the living. It felt good to be flesh again, though I also now greatly miss the ethereal feeling of not being burdened by this body. The rebirth as an ally of Paws left me with a mixture of great joy and happiness, but also a certain sadness in my heart. These great people of Paws would not necessarily be here on the morrow, and who knows when they might return to the Realm again? I pushed those thoughts away. They were here now, and that is what mattered presently. We returned to the town hall and re-burdened ourselves with our material possessions before the Grey Wizard could abscond with them (which he mad a wry joke about, naturally!) It was then quickly decided that to celebrate this wonderful new union and friendship between Paws and The Great Council, there would be a celebratory SHADOW WYRM HUNT. Akiro and I looked at each other, neither of us quite sure as to what sort of fresh psychotic alliance we got ourselves into, but in the name of diplomacy we readied ourselves. I will admit, I am not a fighter of any sort, and my dabblings with magic are far from useful in a combat situation, but I found myself intrigued by this grand celebratory hunt all the same. Akiro, I knew, would fare better. We left for the town of Ocllo to prepare. En-route to the docks, Jupiter and I were slightly side-tracked... Somebody certainly knew of the Grey Wizard's fondness for scrolls! He hurriedly picked them up and stuffed them into his robes. What he ultimately does with all of these scrolls, I simply do not know. I have learned that the more powerful the wizard, the more quirks they seem to have! The Free people of Paws in the meantime were assembling conscripts for our expedition. Several of the conscripts were turned over to mine and Akiro's commands. With our militia in tow, we rallied at the village of Paws for final preparations. The Grey Wizard came up with an arbitrarily complicated plan on how to deal with the shadow wyrm, but ultimately scrapped it in favor of the less complicated plan of not dying and making the shadow wyrm deader. Upon gating through to the dungeon of Desdard, we were immediately greeted by a fattened red drake! Our combined efforts and militia made short work of that foe. And a moment after this, we engaged with the threat we had came for... It was a fierce battle (and again, I am no fighter!) with bolts of energy and fireballs flying this way and that. The poor conscripts were mercilessly rended from end to end by this ethereal foe! Even the brave and mighty Ragar Truesword found his way to the ground... But the fight had to go on... And at last, the shadow beast succumbed to its wounds, and our new alliance now forged in death and blood was victorious! At this time, Akiro and Ragar bid farewell. And upon returning once more to the village of Paws, we found one of our hired conscripts who in a fit of cowardice and extreme intelligence remained behind. Jupiter, Enna, and I then visited a small tavern on Serpents Hold, one that I had never visited before (it is named the Double Deuce). After such a long night of diplomacy and adventure, being able to just sit and talk was most welcome. The topics of conversation are not of great importance, but the feeling of friendship is what I will remember from this moment. At the conclusion of this tavern visit, Enna as well bid farewell. Yet Jupiter and I remained for quite some time after discussing a myriad of topics ranging from leadership to old stories of the lands long ago. I would have remained and talked with him longer save for the fact that my eyes simply could not stay open any longer! I very regretfully bid the Grey Wizard a good night, unsure if I would see him again. ... And lo-and-behold, the very next evening (as of last eve!) the Grey Wizard visited. He had a taste for an adventure that he wanted to share, and I felt more than happy to oblige and assist in whatever small way that I could. That night ended with some death, blood, new friends, and a great deal of adventure and excitement! It is my sincerest hope that the Grey Wizard will frequent the Realm more often." At this point in the writing, Gael Wordsworth stopped writing. A familiar pain and cramp in his hand prevented him from fully opening two of his fingers. He rubbed the sore digits as he leaned back in his chair so that only two of the legs were still touching the floor and mused to himself. If Jupiter keeps up the pace he has set forth over the last two nights, Gael would surely go to a premature death. But what a death it would be. He looked over the now well-covered parchment. Giving a moment longer for the ink to dry, he folded it and pushed it to the far edge of his desk. The rest would need to come later. For now, he needed to sleep.
magnifico! i think by default anybody who reads this is now an honorary member of Paws since observing 80% or more of the initiation ceremony constitutes acceptance to all our by laws. (it's implied in the fine print). haha! take that @Telamon *usurps player base* ok, but without jest, I can say this was a splendid first reintroduction after a long haitus. I'm still carrying those scrolls as i can't quite find my archives...i think i left him somewhere in Moonglow. hopefully i haven't set the expectation bar too high. somedays i do just log in and watch the grass grow... and trust me, that can take long time in UO. Jupiter
How I wish I had the sense to copy/paste your marvelous story of the Trials of Mars (or what was it called?). That was one fine adventure, and an even better story. Unfortunately I fear it is now lost forever as it was posted on the old forums.
Abra kazoo! http://www.uorforum.com/threads/struggle-of-mars-a-vigilant-tale.2472/ The oral history has been well preserved so far...
Amazing. Great to see the Paws initiation ceremony completed again! Glad to see Jupiter back in the realm every now and again.
