Via Town Criers:

Lord Dupre issues a worldwide call to arms to counter the spread of Exodus on 6/22/2012.

Watch town criers,  UOEM and  Atlantic EM Forum for times.

This Saturday (6/23), at 5pm EST, The Syndicate will be hosting another of its Lottery events. The event is open to all players and dates back nearly to the start of Ultima Online. Taking place at our island city of Arx Draconis, a few dozen prize packs are given out to those who attend. Admission is free and winners are randomly chosen from those who attend. Prizes range from marties to ancient artifacts to rare items to large checks of gold to power scrolls and beyond.

At about 4:45pm EST, gaters will show up in the towns at the major banks. You will know them by the LLTS abbreviation that they wear over their heads. They will open gates to our island. Gates are also provided back after the event.

At the event, you merely need to be inside the building to be entered to win. There is no cost. There are no tickets you need to pick up. You simply need to be present. Lady Darkfeather will be in the middle of the room and she will pick random winners about every minute until all of the prizes are gone.

After the last prize bag is given out, a small “hunt” for additional prizes takes place. Details on where that will occur this time will be shared with everyone at the Lottery after the last prize is given out.

We look forward to seeing you there! Look for Syndicate gaters (with LLTS over their heads) at the major banks on Saturday evening.

There will be two EM Tiberies events on Saturday June 16

The 2pm event is entitled “The Awakening: What Doesn’t Die.”

The 4pm event is entitled “The Awakening: Neon Knights.”

Both events will start at the Lycaeum (the school/monastery northwest of Moonglow) and both will involve Professor Yusef Ad-Din’s ongoing investigations into Exodus.

Though the two events are related, you do NOT need to have gone to the first to attend or understand the second.

When a notice is posted that reads there is an “emergency meeting of the Knights of the Crux Ansata” people generally tend to come prepared for a fight. This meeting would prove to be no exception. Most of those gathered were battle ready, some with dragons in tow. A smaller group must have read the entire posting and did indeed dress nicely; they looked ready for a night on the town. Ultimately it would not matter what attire they wore because a battle would indeed be at hand. However in this upcoming battle the Knights will not have to hone their swords but their wits. They will face the fiercest opponent in history, the legal system and Lady Justice herself. Well, in all honesty, MOST of the Knights will have that battle. Sadly, not all of them support their leader.

The voice of dissention could be heard long before Lord Dupre entered the Hall of the Silver Serpent. Sir Hethe Idem and a few others appear ready to declare an end to the Crux Ansata and throw Lady Amandine to the wolves. One can only wonder what ulterior motives Sir Idem has in mind, if any. The motives of those who joined him in opposition to Danica have not hid their motives in quite a while. There has been a small section of Crux followers who sing the praises of Exodus to anyone who will listen for the last month or so. They used the news of Danica’s arrest as yet another opportunity to attempt and rally people around their cause, having Exodus rule over all Sosaria.

The facts in the case are just that; facts. Lady Amandine herself does not dispute the largest charge she will most likely face. Reddish is dead by her hands, or sword to be more exact. The grey area they will all have to manipulate is motive. Was his death justified? What his death legal given the current status of Martial Law imposed on us all?  Those topics and more are being discussed by some of the Crux Knights here: http://uo2.stratics.com/community/threads/in-defense-of-lady-amandine.274627/ Come join in the fun.

There are quite a few times in life when every one of us find ourselves tested. The standard pass/fail type of testing we run across in the various disciplines of magic or melee skills is common. Seldom do we encounter the type of testing which tests our morals, our values and most importantly our loyalty to the nth degree. The moment Lord Dupre asked for her armor and her sword, Lady Amandine began that test in her life. Only time will tell how it will end. For those few who will sit in judgment of her that very test draws near. Will they be loyal to what they hold dear – The Virtues and Justice? Or will they hold to their loyalty and allegiance to Lady Amandine? Or will the facts in the case allow them to remain loyal to both at the same time? Will the Knights follow Lady Amandine’s latest request of them; “I expect all of you to judge me honestly and truly”? Once again, only time will tell.

To be one of the judges in the upcoming trial keep a watch on http://atlantic.uoem.net/ and http://uo2.stratics.com/community/forums/atlantic-em-forum.461/.

An emergency meeting of the Knights of the Crux Ansata had been called, but Lady Amandine denied any knowledge of who had authorized it. As the Knights wondered who could have brought them together in northern Britain, two issues were brought up and laid before Lady Amandine. The first was the book discovered by Professor Ad-Din and those who had accompanied him, outlining a plot to kill and replace her with a doppelganger. The second was much more personal… The murder of our Commandant, Lord Simeon Bennu.

In my report a couple weeks back, Murders and Mysteries, I had omitted the identity of the remains found in Minoc until such a time as Lady Amandine could be informed. Needless to say, the news was not taken well by our commander. Despite her attempts to maintain her composure, the shock and sadness was visible in the sudden change of her tone.  Her orders to gather the troops and her abrupt departure was cause for some concern, but not nearly as much concern as her return brought about a short time later.

Lady Amandine returned covered in blood and dragging what appeared to be part of a mutilated corpse behind her. She dropped the body in front of everyone present and hinted that he had been, with proper motivation, very forthcoming. As her tears began to fall, Lady Amandine started to speak of Lord Simeon.

“Quite a long time ago, our Order was nearly destroyed. In the massacre known as the Massacre on the Beach. Many brave knights died. I was only a Squire then, and with me another Squire, Chusa… The only true knight that survived was Lord Simeon. Lord Simeon was a brave, kind and honorable man… I have kept in contact with him much in our times of loss and in my own failings… He has always set us on our track again… Working behind the curtain… A hermit and scribe, as was his way. Even his armor was ceremonial. After our being defeated here in Britain by the brigand known as Jimmy the Pepper… This ‘man’ has murdered our Commandant Lord Simeon. A crime I will not allow him or anyone to get away with.” 

Her rage mounting as she spoke, Lady Amandine issued her orders to us in relation to Jimmy Nardello.

“I want you to form up, get on your horses and find this criminal… When you find him, I want you to gut him and spread his corpse like sand across the entire realm. So that there is nothing left of him but dust. I hereby deputize each and every one of you to find this criminal Jimmy Nardello… Find him, and execute him. In the name of the Crown.”

Addressing our concerns about the identity of the body which lay at her feet, Lady Amandine told us that his name mattered not, for he was a criminal. He hadn’t said much, fearing Nardello more than her, but he had mentioned that they had been meeting under the Art building near the West Bank. We were to search the area for any clues as to the whereabouts of Nardello. In the meantime, she had a meeting which required her attendance.

Notes were found which led us from Britain to Jhelom, then to Yew and the prison. In the cell in which Tresha Trifeux should have been imprisoned, two notes remained. Compassion Will Cure More Sins Than Condemnation and The Frame Of The Cave Leads To The Frame Of The Man. The Knights were quick to connect the first of these two notes with the shrine of Compassion, where one final note was found: Compassion Brings Us To A Stop, And For A Moment We Rise Above Ourselves. – Mason. In the cave a little ways North-West of the shrine, mentioned in the second note, Jimmy Nardello awaited our arrival.

“I’ll not come quietly. I defeated you last time. I’ll defeat you again.”

When questioned about the murders he’d committed, he simply told us that families controlling the flow of our future was too much power to be left to random chance and it was better that he himself decided who the rings would go to next. Without further explanation of his actions, Jimmy began to taunt the Knights who had come to exact their revenge for their earlier defeat.

“You are not worthy to fight me… I will let the Bag man handle you.”

Russ the Bag Man, though strong, was quickly defeated by the Knights. However, Nardello was far from ready to quit. “Do you yield? Or shall I have at thee again!?” Amidst the cries of rage, Jimmy sent out Samuel the Sham to face us. Samuel was stronger, but still could not rise above the determination of the Knights to face the one who had humiliated them back in Britain.

“Do you fools have any idea how hard it is to find good help these days?” 

Jimmy was quite annoyed now, but a feverish blood lust had gripped the Knights. Jimmy was going to die this time, they’d make sure of it. The battle spilled out of the cave and into the desert as both spells and insults flew. No matter how hard he fought, Jimmy was losing this battle. And he knew it. With his final breaths,  he addressed the Knights who had defeated him. “I may die here… but my work. My work will live on.”

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

“You did what?!” Lady Amandine screamed across the table at the man looking down at her.

  “I let her go.” He looked down on her more out of pity, he knew more than most how heavy the burden she carried was.

  “You cannot do that, I don’t care who you are!”

  “You more than anyone knows that I can.”

  She glared at him. “I cannot lead this country if you are going to step into Yew prison and release KNOWN terrorists and traitors.”

  “I think it is time you took a bit of a break Danica, you have dealt with personal tragedy, mental distress…”

  She interrupted. “This isn’t about that, this is about Law and Order!”

  He spoke calmly and clearly. “You murdered a man in cold blood and dragged his body across Britain. Does THAT sound like law and order to you Danica?” He used her first name again, one that she rarely heard anymore, those with any sense had long stopped using it.  

“That man was a criminal, a thief and a traitor.”

  “So you murdered him and tore him to pieces for information, to find yet another man whom you ordered the Royal Guard to execute without trial.” The dark-headed man spoke calmly and clearly. He was a rock that broke the waves of emotion that Lady Amandine piled upon him.  

“It wasn’t like that.” She was nearly defeated, she was not used to having her logic tested. It had been a long time since anyone had second guessed her, or her decisions.  

“Danica, I am going to need your sword, and your armor.” He did not flinch, but she did.  

“Like hell you will!”

  “Danica, your sword and your armor.”

  “No damned way.” She stood and put her hand on her sword.

  “Think carefully Commandant, do you really want to draw *THAT* sword against *ME*?”

  He peered into her in a way that only Addie had done before, and she found that her sword would not come from its scabbard. It was at that moment that she realized that she had in fact been wrong, in this and in other things. Even the Sword Caliburn, the great sword of the realm had found her at fault.

  “By Royal warrant I arrest you in the name of the Crown of Britannia, to be held and bound over for trial in Yew. I cannot allow our nation to divide Danica, my friend would not like it, *I* would be remiss if I did not intercede here. I am sure Lord Simeon and Lord Edom would agree.”

  Danica removed her armor in front of the man, he had already disarmed her and taken her pride. Her modesty was pointless by this point.  

“I will carry the sword for now, as is my right. Your armor will be kept by Lord Edom.”

  Not once had the man raised his voice, threatened her or pressed himself upon her. He had disarmed her totally by his own leadership and bearing.

  As she was escorted through the streets of Jhelom by a cadre of her own knights to Yew she couldn’t help but admire the man’s style and grace. So few leaders had his ability and mastery, maybe her knights would be in good hands after all.

  Once in Yew, the walls pressed in on her. Lady Amandine was alone, the cold bars and hard stone felt like a womb. She wondered if she would escape it with her life.

Saturday @ 1pm EST there will be an emergency meeting of the Knights of the Crux Ansata.

This will be a high RP event with lots of talking and discussion.

Dress Nice.

As the time to begin drew near most of those in attendance sheepishly looked around at the crowd gathered and thought they would all be in for a tough fight. Thoughts on the probability of increased numbers of their own corpses crept in. A few had a glimmer in their eye hoping that Exodus would reign supreme, but that’s enough about those evil folk in Sosaria for now.

Eagerly they jumped through the gate provided by the good Professor. Personally, I was unsure if they were in a hurry to start the fight or if they just wanted to get away from Darius and his constant mouth running. Either way, it had begun. Once through the gate a pathetic tortured figure stood. Claiming to hail from Minoc, a place of recent murders, the figure admitted to helping the machine father. I found myself wondering what kind of Father is pleased by pain, and only allows them to have hands in order to fix things when they break. I was barely able to come to the realization of an evil one when I saw a barely alive volunteer blaze by with a Minion Guardian hot on her trail. Which was closely followed by a fallen volunteer speaking the language of the Ghost.

It seemed the fight was underway already. There were no cautious walks down a narrow corridor waiting for an ambush, no opening of doors and fearing a trap. When you assist the Professor you expect ambushes to happen, it goes with the territory of being where you shouldn’t be and sneaking around. It was refreshing to be on the other side of the ambush for once. The guardians of the figures never saw what hit them before it was too late. Already dazed and redlined before most could react, the battle seemed well in hand. Until those dang Exodus Dragons appeared. With every Mur Kal Ort more companions were set ablaze. Those in the mob who had witnessed these abominations in previous encounters seemed to have a strategy that enabled them to survive. After some time the mighty red beasts met their demise.

Once the Professor saw everything that intended to do him harm was gone, he switched from his sword swinging mentality back to his inquisitive nature. After a quick head count of all the tortured beings, it was found out one was just a little different, a little less beaten. As usual the Professor had found something somewhat rare to investigate. Even the worst leaders will admit your plans are only as good as the people involved, and their ability to keep their mouth shut. Fortunately for those in attendance, they had run across a blabbermouth. Claiming his mind was sharper than the others, something the Machine Father would probably disagree on, he went on to tell a tale of something called a Harvesting Chamber. Giving us the words that were the key to opening the door, he assured us if we acted fast we could foil one plan of his master.

The entrance to the Harvesting Chamber was well guarded. Whatever guarded it was a skilled, crafty and formidable opponent. It shifted forms in attempts to confuse. It took on the mirror image of those that were battling it. It bounced from one area of the entrance to the other, and would change its appearance in mid flight. It would not simply stand still for the beating the crowd intended to deliver. They would have to work for it, run for it even. Finally, out of breath, panting and haggard looking they had defeated the last of whatever it was, and pushed onward.

Making their way up the hill to a clearing that held several rooms off of it, the crew found the ground littered with objects. Among the items were multiple books. they were all simply titled – Welcome and did not have an author. In the pages it told of a conspiracy to create sophisticated doppelgangers, murder key figures from Britannia and replace them with these duplicates. The book went on to explain their first two targets would be Danica Amandine and Professor Yusef Ad-Din. Who oddly enough, are the two main people who are trying to thwart Exodus’ plans of domination.

The day won, everyone returned to The Lycaeum. Before taking his leave Professor Yusef mentioned to everyone when it comes to the true identity of Exodus, it seems some hold the theory that Exodus Dungeon, or Power Core, is itself Exodus. Those who heard it stood around pondering the possibility as someone in the back posed their own scenario for The Professor. An unnerving situation that seemed to shake him to his core. What if Exodus has other Harvesting Chambers and they are further along in their little project? Suddenly The Professor no longer felt safe in being out. He was already walking away as he asked those around to inform Lady Amandine of the plot. The agreement to do so was immediately given by several.

One thing is certain. This is not the end. One can only imagine how Lady Amandine will react to the threat on her life. She seems to me to be one that never takes a serious threat lightly. Rest up folks, surely you will all be called on again.

In the words of the Professor, may the virtues shine on us all.

We will be calling the Crux Ansata to muster
this Thursday at 10pm EST.

Bring the big guns.

 There will be an EM Tiberies event this Sunday, 27 May 2012, at 3pm Eastern.

Come to the Lycaeum to assist Professor Yusef Ad-Din continue his investigations into Exodus. (For those who don’t know, the Lycaeum is the school/monastery on Verity Isle northwest of the City of Moonglow.)

The title of this event is “The Awakening: Harvester of Sorrows.”

Having the event on a Sunday Afternoon is an experiment. I’m aware that this being a Holiday Weekend in the US skews the results of the experiment somewhat so it won’t be the last time I try it.
This event will be on the Town Criers within a day or two at most.