King Blackthorn’s Speech:

Tonight I have asked you to gather here for a State of the Realm address.  As you all know, The Eight Virtue cities and Vesper have been viscously attacked.  Attacked by invaders put upon us by Minax.  She has used powerful magic to create the lighthouses that bring her evil minions into our cities.  I have traveled city to city and watched as you all have bravely fought off these invaders!  Let it be known that your bravery and determination to keeping our cities safe for the traveler’s and shopkeepers is not without grateful thanks.  Without you, our cities would fall into ruin, the shopkeepers put out of business, no travels safe inside the city limits.  Simply life as we know it would cease to exist. *opens arms wide and fans them over the crowd* Without you, we would fall into despair, which is what the Enchantress wishes.  So I say to you citizens, continue to fight bravely!  Continue to heed the calls of the criers alerting you to the cities under attack and in need of help!  Cast aside your differences!  We are all brethren here against this formidable foe!  Do Not let Minax control you minds with greed and distain for each other!  This would be playing into the hands of her evil ways!  It does not matter how well you cast your spells, weld your weapon, or command your pets…  Everyone is needed!  Even if have not trained your skills fully, do not think you will not be able to help!  Everyone has a purpose and all must be given to keep the Enchantress from fulfilling her tirade!  We all must band together, work as one unit, to keep the invaders pushed back.  Yes, we have powerful mages working for us.  I have contacted Anon of Moonglow, Felucca to aide us, yet your help is desperately needed to keep the invaders at bay.  Now my friends, once again I thank you for what you do.  Continue to be vigilant, help each other in the time of need for the cities and let us make sure that the Enchantress Minax does not claim Victory over us!  Go now, knowing that your dedication is not without notice, your Friends, your Citizens and your King thanks you.  We shall Not let the Enchantress hold Victory!  Our realm is stronger than any magic she can conjour!  No one shall put us out of our lands.  You all have fought bravely toe to toe with the invading forces destroying the lighthouses, gathering her artifacts.  I say to you do not despair of each other..Work as one.  Vesper is under attack as we stand here.  I urge you to gather your forces and GO DEFEND VESPER!  FOR VESPER!!!  Tonight I wanted to give my thanks to you for what you done.  Now we must not tarry!  Vesper is in need!  Minax must not gain that ground!  For Britannia!  For the People!  Go Citizens!  Defend your rights!  To Vesper!

[Transcribed from screenshots – Any errors are this reporter’s.]

The Governor’s Meeting with King Blackthorn was held on November 9, 2013 in the normal place.  These meetings are open to the public but only the governors are allowed to speak unless an individual is recognized by King Blackthorn.  If a citizen of a Virtue city or Vesper has a concern or question, they need to go through their governor (with the obvious exception of those cities that do not have governors).

Items discussed at the meeting included:

• A request for a runebook to the Governor Offices in Luna.  Governor WildStar of New Magincia stated that she had already made one up and would make a copy of it.

• The need for citizens to work together during the invasion of the cities.  Some governors stated concerned that it.

• Governors reported on the state of their cities.

• The King mentioned rumors of the Rat Queen having plans regarding poison.

• Governor Daena Targeryen of Vesper requested the position of Sheriff for her city.

Governor Shadow Shott of Jhelom also announced at the meeting was that the guild Rising Lords of Virtue (RLV)’s player run-city had achieved township status.  It is The Island of Virtue and is located in Malas next to what used to be known as the township of Hearthfire.  Congratulations to the newest township!

Also of interest was A Wisp (player character) that seemed to have much to say but as their language is not understood, it is not known what it was trying to say.

On Saturday, November 9, 2013, the Baja Shard Olympics for 2013 were held.  The event was hosted by Natalya and sponsored by Brooklyn, Governor of Trinsic.

The first event was Mage Poker, which was held in one of the farms on the Northern Jhelom Island, Trammel.  The goal was to match the five summoned creatures that Natalya had summoned herself.  Those creatures were two grey wolves, a llama, a pig, and a snow leopard.  The first mage to do this was Sugar, who earned a Voodoo Doll and an engraved Golden Wizard’s Hat.  Llamas and snow leopard were the stubborn summons for this event.

The rest of the events took place in Felucca.  The first event there was Capture the Flag.  Participants were required to remove all armor, jewelry and clothing.  The contestants were then placed into two teams by Natalya.  Team Order with a white flag (cloak) wore blue robes and was made up of Sally of C@S, Sugar, and Laura of UTB.  Team Chaos with the black flag  wore red robes and was made up of Old Man of UTB, Mama Faith of AFK (No one seemed surprised when she was placed on this team), and Missey.  Each team had to hide their flag in their set of crates.  The winner of the round was the team that killed all the members of the other team and captured their flag.  After many flying explosion potions, some wrestling, and a few death robes, Team Chaos won the best out of two of three rounds.  For their efforts, they each received a barbed runic sewing kit.

From there we moved on to Cartel Island (Horseshoe Island, Felucca), where the rest of the events took place.  Up next was the Footrace, which was a single elimination race through a maze of wooden crates.  Of course, being in Felucca, an additional non-lethal tactic was available to the contestants *coughs*Stamina blocking*coughs* and the course was modified between rounds.  At the end of three rounds, the winners were:

1^st – Chareos of Stormguard – Engraved Gold Platemail Legs

2^nd – Mama Faith – Engraved Bronze Platemail Legs

3^rd – Missey – Engraved Silver Platemail Legs

The last event was the Drunken Barrel Race, another single elimination contest.  For this contest, the contestants were assigned an alcoholic drink – wine or liquor – that they had to find six of and drink them all the fastest.  After many bottles of each, a lot of *hics*, and thoroughly drunk contestants in three rounds, the winners were:

1^st – Sugar – Engraved Gold Mempo

2^nd – Sid of Kingdom of Dawn – Engraved Bronze Mempo

3^rd – Mama Faith – Engraved Silver Mempo

First up at the party was a costume contest.  Even EM Crysania showed up in costume.  Participants were asked to stand on a wooden floor.  The following seven people entered and dressed up as:  TOBY – Pirate, Xelious Norwood – Green Jolly Rancher, Mama Faith – Wonder Woman, WildStar – A Monk, An Vas Zu – Ghost of Gargoyle Past, Aiden Jenkins – Gandalf, and Lamont Sanford – A Lucky Dealer.  The winner, as determined by claps from the audience, was Mama Faith of AFK.

Next the winner of the Halloween House Deco Contest was announced.  There were four entries.  Runes to the houses were locked down on stone tables near the moat at West Britain Bank, Trammel.  As above the winner was determined by the players, only this time using ballot boxes.  They were asked to view the house and then vote on their favorite.  The winner was Stormguard.  The rest of the entries were TOBY, A Haunted Dawn Tower and Manticore.

Stormguard

TOBY’s

A Haunted Dawn Tower

Manticore’s

As the Boogey Man had not appeared yet, it was decided that it was time to hunt him down and eliminate the threat he presented.  We ended up at the same clearing north of the west city gate of Umbra that we had been to before.  EM Crysania eventually provoked the Boogey Man to come out of his hole after several of companions were killed by us, but not before inflicting heavy injuries to us first.  Eventually he was killed as well, but it was a long and difficult fight.

As there had not been enough death this evening, EM Crysania decided to open the Death Maze located at the Baja Shard Museum.  Given the ease with which people were navigating and surviving the maze, and EM Crysania’s disappoint, I strongly suspect “improvements” will be made to it.

Umbra cannot be described as “normal” at the best of times; however, during this month of October it is even stranger than before.  Death Taker and his Death Mare, who is pulling a wagon, suddenly appeared near the city moongate.  This Death Taker claims to have “the “kiss” of Death” and has a list of citizens of Baja that he appears ready to take on their final journey in life.  It should be noted that EM Crysania’s name has been scratch off of the list, as “She’s evil enough.”  He also speaks of Mesanna to whom this Death Taker bows down to in respect.  *shudders*  Also suddenly appearing is Skeleton Jack sitting at a harpsichord accompanied by the Ghost of Halloween Past, who proclaims that Skeleton Jack is the King of the Pumpkin Patch.

The Story Teller also suddenly appeared at the beginning of the month and has been telling us stories out of her Book of Tales, which have the ability to come true and that we can determine the ending.  The first week the story was about “things that go bump in the night” and we ended up at the tomb north of Umbra outside of the city.  The next week’s story was about spiders and lead us to a clearing almost directly north of the west city gate of Umbra.  There was a mysterious hole in the ground which took us to an underground cave system.  We defeated the spiders but were unable to use the ladder at the top northwest portion of the system.  The third week it was about snakes and while we used the same mysterious hole, it took us to an elaborate system of tunnels.  The person or creature behind this must be very powerful.

This week’s story was about a Horseman.  This Horseman has been seen about Britannia, including briefly in Vesper at Governor Daena Targeryen’s Halloween Costume Contest the night before.  We were directed to follow the flaming horseshoe prints to locate and stop the ride of the Horseman.  This time they lead us east past the tomb north of Umbra almost to the entrance of Dungeon Doom.  There we encountered summoned spirits named after the same citizens whose names appear on the Death Taker’s list.  After we killed them, we engaged and defeated the Horseman.

Upon returning to West Britain Bank, the Story Teller told us of the coming of the Boogey Man, who also has been seen about Britannia recently.  We are to meet up again next Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 7 PM PST/10 PM EST for an All Hallow’s Eve Party in Umbra.  Be warned to come prepared as you never know if (when) the Boogey Man will make an appearance at the party.

(EM Crysania did an awesome job of decorating for Halloween again.)

Good morning Baja!  Please give a warm welcome to our newest reporter….Wildstar!!  Wildstar has been doing a wonderful job of reporting the EM Events, so I felt it was high time to throw that “reporter” shackle around her neck!

Welcome Wildstar!

3/16/13-A Irish Jig
Meet with Grindy for some St Patricks Day Fun!
Meet Baja Awards Hall- 7pm PST

3/23/13-Twinkle Twinkle Little….
The Mystery of the stars continues..Meet Grindylow at
West Brit Bank-7pm PST

3/30/13-March Fish Weigh-in/White Net Toss
Meet Capt’n Armondo at New Magincia Docks, 7pm PST
The Fish for March are- Yellow Tail Barracuda and Great Barracuda!

Safe Journeys!

Best Shot in the Realms

EM Crysania

Do you have that “keeneye”? Shoot a arrow with deadly aim? Come out to the Awards hall Saturday 3/2 and Try your hand at being the Best shot in the Realm! Bows will be provided !

Best Shot in the Realm
Date: 3/2/13
Time: 7pm Pst
Where: Baja Awards Hall

1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place will get recognized in the Awards Hall!

See you there and happy Shooting!

Kingdom of Dawn 15th Anniversary Player-Written Book Contest Winners!

The Kingdom of Dawn would like to thank the judges, who shall remain anonymous, and the contestants who entered the contest.  A total of six  (6) books entries were received on the theme of Perseverance.  Only five (5) were judged as Freedom! by Fern Goodfellow was a tad too suggestive to be considered for the contest and the author just does not understand the meaning of PG-13. (If you have meet Fern Goodfellow, you will totally understand this.)  All of the books will be on display in the Kingdom of Dawn Malas Outpost located just west of Umbra.  It is the second building west of umbra on the north side of the road.

The winners are:

1st place – To do what one must by An Vas Zu
2nd place – Dawn Story Contest by Maggy and Peter (IC)
3rd place – I persevered by Oro d’lci
4th place – Nubby an da Mongie by Nubby Eewriggles (Nubby and the Mongbat)
5th place – Taming Drakes by James

The prizes are:

1st – 1,000,000 gold pieces
2nd – 500,000 gold pieces
3rd – 250,000 gold pieces

The Royal Council
Kingdom of Dawn

Tonight after the event, it was discussed about player memorials. What I would like to do, is find out the locations of any player memorials on Baja. If you know of any, would you please email me with the Name on the memorial stone , Coordinates, and a general location. You may leave a book with the same, and a rune to the memorial in the mailbox at either theWedding Chapel beside the EM Hall or at the Awards Hall in Malas. I would like to have runes to all the player memorials so that they can be placed in a rune book and locked down at the Awards Hall, or EM hall. We have lost several of our Baja Family and this way, those of us who wish to visit the memorials can do so.
My email to be reached is:
[email protected]

Thank you guys for being the best!