For a couple days, the criers had been urging us to meet at the Counselor’s Hall in Britain. It seemed there was to be a hunt for the Juka known as Kabur. Abby and I made our way to the hall, joining up with the usual crowd of heroes that came to such gatherings. To my surprise, the meer Captain Dasha appeared before us with news of what was to be done.

“So tell me, Britannians….Is it true that your Lord Blackthorn has returned, and that the abomination my friend Dawn slew was just a doppelganger?” Captain Dasha asked the crowd around her.

“Yes!” So many cried in return.

Personally I had heard only rumors, and though I had seen Blackthorn and even spoken to him, I was unwilling to just accept it first hand until I had seen more. In my musings, I uttered a sarcastic “So we have heard.” Dasha must have heard my remark, for the next thing from her mouth was asking for clarification of the rumor.

“Yes on both counts, or so you have heard?” She asked.

Eva, one in the crowd, spoke, “It would seem they are both true.”

Dasha, seeming somewhat more relaxed, continued.

“That is good…..When I heard that Blackthorn had returned, I was quite fearful, until I heard the other rumor. I think my friend Dawn would have been pleased that it was not the real Blackthorn who attacked you many years ago.”

“Well that would have made her death twice in vain,” I said. Dawn had recently lost her life during the battle against Virtuebane.

Captain Dasha nodded. “So…I am glad so many of you could come today. As you many have heard, we have found a way, finally, to track my old enemy, Kabur, the former Warlord of the Juka. As you may recall, Kabur has been exiled by his own people, and had taken up with the Mysterious Knights. When Exodus awakened, the timeline was altered in ways we still don’t quite realize. But one of them was to in essence reset, or rebirth, the ambiguous feelings the Juka had about Exodus. When that happened, Kabur, who was associated with Exodus, was considered a disgrace, and exiled. Partly because the Juka came to realize how evil Exodus was, and partly simply because he’d lost. And the Juka do not respect those who lose.”

“Last I heard of him, he was considered an excellent warrior,” I spoke aloud.

“He was…I fought him myself. But Exodus lost.” Dasha continued, “And, thus, Kabur along with him. Myself and the other Meer have finally been able to acquire some leads on where Kabur might be. There are three locations, but truth be told, the path I am sending you on, I think is the correct one. Though he has damaged both of our peoples….. I think he has damaged yours more. Especially since the evidence surfaced suggesting that Kabur, and the Mysterious Knights, were behind at least some of the raids on your cities. You may or may not have noticed that some of the raiders left behind Juka bows.”

I was somewhat annoyed by the thought of seeking out this Juka, but I knew that Dealthagar would have been eager to have his head as well, seeing as how Kabur had serve Exodus.

“Interesting, but I do recall the decay of Yew,” I quipped, nevertheless.

“A decay that would not have happened, unless the Juka and Exodus had attacked it to begin with,” Dasha argued.

“Or perhaps unless your Eternal had not cast forbidden spells,” I countered. I had already decided to lend her my assistance, but I wanted her to know that some of us had not forgotten about Adranath and his backfired spell so many years ago.

Captain Dasha sighed, and not pressing that subject further, she continued with the task at hand.

“There is one small catch to tracking down Kabur…. We have reports that he has been infected with the Necromancy that the Mysterious Knights have been using of late.”

This had just gotten more interesting.

“So, while I would love to have you just kill him, catching him, if not alive, then at least not quite dead, is really the only option available. You must find him, and overcome him in five distinct forms. I have made certain….overtures to his people. They wish to punish him themselves. And there is a very small, but real, chance… That a lasting peace could come between the Meer and the Juka, if Kabur can be beaten down, and I deliver his unconscious, undead form to the Juka.”

I looked to Abby, “I think you’ll be just fine.” It was a response to an earlier concern she had voiced of whether her skills with necromancy would be useful.

“I take it you are all willing to help with this?” Captain Dasha asked.

The crowd was roaring with agreement. Even I was interested. Necromancy was involved? Perhaps I would learn some new use of the dark magics.

“I will be gating you to the last known location of his camp. But I suspect strongly you will not be able to engage him there. You will be on your own after this gate….I will go to make arrangements for the gate. Watch for it…And good luck.” Captain Dasha opened a gate and we all poured through.

We found ourselves at the old blockade in the pass west of Britain. Immediately, we were under fire from renegade Juka. The battle did not take too long, and soon we found a trail of markers left behind by Kabur’s men. It led west into the woods and all the way to Skara, where we found information with the location of their camp.

A short boat ride later, provided by Queen Arya, and we were at the camp on Iver’s Rounding, an island off the coast of Skara Brae.

It was protected by more of those renegade Juka, but they proved to be no match for the forces with us. Afterward, yet more information left behind by the foe telling their brethren to regroup at Honesty moongate in Ilshenar. So the battle would lead back to Ilshenar… and more of their outcast juka were guarding that moongate. But they were not alone. Crimson dragons were blasting the terrain to bits and striking our forces down without mercy. Even then, it did not take too long for the mighty wyrms to fall.

Another clue had us soon heading to the Wisp dungeon. I was beginning to think this Kabur was at the end of his rope. His few men had been no match for our band of warriors, and the dragons seemed to have taken us all for granted. And yet, as we came to the dungeon, Kabur was there!

He took one look at us, “No…This isn’t possible..” and he turned and ran into the halls of the wisp dungeon.

Soon after we entered the dungeon, we were engaged in battle with his various forms. One after the other, the different versions of Kabur fell to our might. Alone, Kabur hadn’t been much of a challenge. So easy, I was unable to shake the feeling that we would see him in the future, quite whole and possibly wreaking more havoc against Britannia.

Captain Dasha soon appeared to collect his remains. She addressed us all.

“Long ago, I fought a duel with Kabur, according to a ritual known as the black duel. If the lasting peace between the Meer and the Juka does indeed come to pass, once I turn over Kabur’s remains, may what you have accomplished today be known as the last black duel. One of your people’s greatest enemies, though not your most obvious, is now at least temporarily out of the picture. When Kabur wakes up in undeath, may his people never lose track of him.” She frowned at the thought of that, but continued.

“So, everyone…..From the Meer, and, I suspect, from your own people as well…. Many, many thanks. I wish you luck against your other enemies.”

Everyone dispersed and began to head home, and as I left, the days events played themselves over again in my mind and two questions formed.

Just how many crimson dragons were left, and just when would we see Kabur again?

The HALL OF PLAYERS Has Moved

The Hall Of Players has moved to Malas, 40nx24w, on the road south out of Luna, across from the Brigands Camp. The Hall can be reached by house teleporter from the Blue Crane Portal (see picture on the more information link below). There is also a rune to the Hall atop the green chest out front at the Book Store.

The move allowed us to rearrange exhibits in a less cluttered-looking display. (The old Hall was beginning to look like a warehouse for storing stolen goods). So we now have more room for new exhibits.

If you want your character to be exhibited in the Hall Of Players, drop item(s) with the character’s name on them &/or a book about your character into the mailbox. We’ll make your exhibit and enter your character into the Book Of Names.

The Roof is reserved for exhibits honoring Ultima Online players who have died in real life, although names of those honoring the dead may also be listed as appearing on the Roof.

We welcome players from all shards.

Join us and you’ll be joining an illustrious group. The BOOK OF NAMES is at the entrance, “…being a List of all Characters Named in the Hall Of Players and their Location by Floor.”

If you wish to get more information, join us here: Hall of Players has moved

There will be an EM Tiberies Event, on Sunday September 23, at Noon Eastern.

Meet at the West Britain Counselors’ Hall.

Captain Dasha of the Meer has requested your assistance in taking down Kabur, disgraced Warlord of the Juka, and minion/ally of the Mysterious Knights.

Britannia has taken a lot of hits….The time’s come to start hitting back.

This event will be called “The Awakening: The Last Black Duel.”

I will neither be designating a chat channel to use, nor leading anyone beyond gating you out once. After that it’ll all be based on clues you will find. Kabur is a dangerous being, and it’s best if you work together.

Lord Wellings of Magincia invites all interested parties to a public forum to discuss the current situation in the realm.

Meet at the EM Hall in Britain.

Lord Dupre issues a call to arms to rally loyal Britannians against the outlawed Knights of the Crux Ansata!

Meet outside Castle Britannia in Britain.

There will be an EM Tiberies event on Wednesday August 22, at 7:30pm EDT

Gather at the Counselors’ Guild Hall in West Britain, to help the Professors of the Lycaeum find out who may be capable of casting the magics that can fix the Moongate issues.

This event will be advertised on the Town Criers.

This title of this event is “The Awakening: The Ghosts of Montor.” The title of this event is an excellent clue as to where on the map we will be for most of it.

On the 15th of July, Adamu met with the Knights in order to garner more information about the Honour moongate rift. After a brief interruption resulting in a display of his powers, Adamu got down to the matter at hand. He believed the moongate was a rift in the fabric of space time, which could possibly allow people and creatures from other realities and layers of existence to pass through into our time.  He was concerned that every time there was a hiccup in space time of another world; it could result in them being sent to our world.

We were told that things could come through looking to fight, however, there was also a chance that benevolent people or creatures could be sent through and trapped. Adamu asked us where they would go, and tasked us with investigating the area around the moongate, to learn what we could, and to meet him afterwards.

Following Adamu’s advice to check the area around the gate, we discovered that a nearby inn had been infested with ghosts of Magincia. After most of the ghosts were eradicated, Magincian citizens began to appear. Much to their horror, and the shock of a few of our own number, many of the Knights began to ruthlessly slaughter them as well. Innocent blood continued to be spilled amidst the frightened pleas to stop, but it wasn’t until the death of a benevolent dragon that the bloodbath finally ended. The sole survivor of the massacre was one Genna Wellings; a healer of Magincia, and the mother of Adamu.

Angered and afraid, Genna ran back to the Honour moongate, claiming that she wouldn’t fight us and demanding that we leave her alone. She told us that they hadn’t asked to come here, that they’d been having a party in an old noble’s house in Magincia and suddenly they were here. 

When asked about the ring she wore, Genna told us it had been a gift from her husband, her wedding ring. When Adamu’s name was mentioned, she seemed confused, not knowing who he was. She explained that she was only a newlywed, and had no child. She told us that the ring had belonged to her husband’s father, Reshan, and before him Arrion, and Galt before him. She didn’t seem to know anything about the ring, aside from it having been an heirloom, and that she was to give it to her son, if she were to have one.

We told her that Magincia had been destroyed, and that we knew her son. Not believing us, she asked to know why she should trust us after having watched the Knights kill the unarmed Magincians and the dragon.  She demanded that we take her to Magincia to prove that we spoke the truth, and we obliged, leading her safely to the Humility moongate and to the once proud city that had been her home.

Upon our arrival on the island, Genna did not seem convinced. She told us that this was not Magincia, and we explained that it was in fact New Magincia, and the city she remembered had been destroyed.  It wasn’t until we arrived at the bank, the sole surviving building of the city that had once been, did she seem to realize that she was indeed in Magincia, and that was when her pain started.

Genna doubled over, crying out from the pain in her stomach. Between screams she told us that she felt as though she was fading, being carried away by the wind. As we contemplated what could be wrong, Genna spoke up and told us that not even her husband knew she was pregnant, and asked us how we could have known. We told her that we had helped raise Adamu, and that she hadn’t survived the destruction of Magincia. Her pain continued, she skin turning ashen, she begged us to get her home. Moving quickly, we took her back to the Honour moongate where, just before she fell into the rift, she asked us to tell her son that she loved him.
When we reported back to Adamu in Britain, he became outraged that no one had tried to find him before his mother had gone back into the rift. We attempted to explain the situation with little luck, and were blown off in his anger. We followed him to the Honour moongate where we tried once again to explain the events, and how there hadn’t been time to seek him out, as Genna had been dying.

It was when he heard that Genna had been pregnant that confusion won over Adamu’s anger and disappointment.  After talking to himself for a few minutes, he asked us where we had taken her. Explaining that we had taken her to Magincia as she’d asked, Adamu told us that her grip on life had weakened because we had taken her to the place she’d died. He finally seemed to understand that we hadn’t known what would occur, and that we really hadn’t had enough time to go find him. Genna would have perished had we not gotten back to the rift immediately.

After a couple moments of listening to the Knights, Adamu asked us about the dragon. Genna had mentioned that her name had been Raym, which was of some interest to both Adamu and several of the Knights. It is known that the Ouroboros ring that had belonged to one Claudia Raym was recently discovered in her cave, meaning Raym might have known something that could potentially have helped us.

For now though, it’s likely best to focus on attempting to repair the rift before any irreversible damage can occur as a result of its existence.

Faeryl Tyr’athem
Atlantic News Reporter
Knight Major of the Crux Ansata