Volume Twelve Issue Twelve

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 .../________________/      running on         mud.legendmud.org 9999
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VOLUME TWELVE, NUMBER TWELVE                             July 6, 2005
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			   TABLE OF CONTENTS

                           The Editor's Note

                       LegendMUD Calender of Events

                            RECENT UPDATES
                   Skill/Helpfiles available to all
                             Code Updates
                             Area Updates
                        Mutterings from the Imps

                              LEGENDITES
                           Renno is No More
                              Clans News

                            Pickin' A Fight
                           Lelldorin Moves On
                   The Importance of Following Directions

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\  |-------------------------------------------------------------|  /
/__|                      The Editor's Note                      |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'

  Don't forget to vote at the Legend forums!  www.legendmud.org/forum
It will help to increase our exposure and that means more players which
means more fun things to do!

  On an unrelated topic, sorry I get this one out kind of late this 
week,
I took a trip to New York and ended up having my flight cancelled and
having to sleep in the terminal, which pushed my whole life back like 2
days.  I'll try to keep this thing bi-weekly as often as I can.  
Speaking
of which, keep those articles coming in!  I will reward you with great
riches and palaces.... or tokens... prize tokens, but those are still
cool.

-Huma


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/__|                LegendMUD Calendar of Events                 |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'

                                 July 2005
                           Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
                                           1  2
                            3  4  5  6  7  8  9
                           10 11 12 13 14 15 16
                           17 18 19 20 21 22 23
                           24 25 26 27 28 29 30
                           31



Sunday,   July 3rd,  6:00 pm Complete the Sentence with Chaykin
Monday,   July 4th,  8:30 am Fourth of July Elf Game!
Thursday, July 7th,  7:30 pm Q&A in the OOC Auditorium
Thursday, July 14th, 7:30 pm Q&A in the OOC Auditorium
Sunday,   July 17th, 6:00 pm Complete the Sentence with Chaykin
Thursday, July 21st, 7:30 pm Q&A in the OOC Auditorium
Thursday, July 28th, 7:30 pm Q&A in the OOC Auditorium
Sunday,   July 31st, 6:00 pm Complete the Sentence with Chaykin


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/__|                       Recent Updates                        |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'

                Skill/Spell Helpfiles Visible to All!

             -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 After many many typos, bugs and ideas from y'all, and
then after lots of different discussions on chat we have
decided to open up the helpfiles for all the skills
and spells even if you aren't qualified for the skill/spell!

 This change has been implemented immediately,
so enjoy! If you come acrossed any that aren't coming
up and you think they should, please bug it! =)
Thanks!

-Haley

                           Area Updates
                         _*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

A new quest has been added to India that highlights the features of the
new quest journal (see HELP JOURNAL). To see this feature in action, go 
to
Bhimbhetka and visit Charamajit.

Herblore teachers now mention entangle.

A spellbook is now available for malaise -- 1 in ancient and 1 in
medieval.
If you have difficulty finding it, seek out your mentor for the spell!

Some herb keywords were updated.

Beowulf: The fish shape will no longer confer LEGLESS and NONHUMAN 
traits.
Unfortunately we simply couldn't find a reasonable way to balance the 
item
and keep these flags, so we've been forced to remove them.

Dante's Inferno: Unbashable shades will have better explanations. 
Weaver
will be dressed. Italian doors now function in both directions. Also,
Charon in Dante's Inferno has some better protections in place to 
prevent
him from becoming aggressive.

Klein: Erich returns a costly item if he doesn't want it, many fixups 
and
enhancements to getting stuck in the mud. You WILL get stuck and there 
ARE
several ways to get out before....!

Malta: The shade's invisibility powers no longer use wizinvis. Malta
beggars will be a bit less demanding.

PR: whoises for the vorpal squirrel game are now available


 This week, the building staff made some great progress on bringing you
new areas. Tartarus has officially entered testing! Nestor and his 
testers
have been busily working to prepare this area for you. No installation
date is set, and the testing process can vary in length, but the 
testing
phase is the last stage of work before an area is installed. Very
exciting!


The following in-progress areas had commits in the last week:
Tartarus, Industrial Hawaii, Tombstone, Black Forest

Assorted small fixes and bugs were completed in:
Alaska, Carthage, Dante's Inferno, Klein, Malta, OOC, Paris Opera


                           Code Updates
                         _*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

GENERAL

o @c in prompt now gives ac.
o Lag reduced on trueform.
o Exits that are hidden now show up with parentheses around them -
  example: Exits: [n e s (w) d].
o You are now given a different message when you can't scan in
  a particular direction because the exit in that direction is hidden.
o Some fixes to the quest journal so that new characters have journals.
o Rewrite of board and note code.
  (To see the new editor, type 'config editor'. It might take some time
  to get used to the new one, so read the help.)

BUG

o xp will be gained when killing something with entangle.

TYPO

o malaise spell messages fixed


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/__|                   Mutterings from the Imps                  |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'

Mutterings from the Imps

  I have to be honest in saying that Sandra has generally been the busy
one on Legend in the past couple of weeks as I've had a number of 
things
come up workwise that have kept me away from doing what I enjoy, which 
is
working on Legend. But all is not lost. Free time looks to be more
abundant in the very near future.

  But let's jump into the update anyway.

  On the newbie front, the feedback from the new Quest Journal seems
reasonably positive. If you haven't had the chance to try it out, 
journey
to India and walk into the inn in Bhimbhetka. Charamajit might be able 
to
put you to work. The first journal quest is reasonably simple but 
allows
you to see some of the features of the new addition. We welcome your
feedback.

  We're still discussing and debating some of the other issues. As much 
as
I'd like to wave my hand and recite a few mystical words and be able to
relieve some of the xp table woes, the system is designed with a tight
internal consistency that's hard to not break when you're trying to 
modify
it. That's both a good and a bad thing and hopefully we'll bypass that
roadblock soon enough.

  On the Pkill front, we've had to backburner the issues surrounding 
fight
length until some other fundamental code changes take place. Suffice to
say we're still looking for feedback regarding what changes we could 
make
and increase the 'fun factor' of PK in general.

  On the board front, Snapper has finished the initial release of the 
new
board code along with the advanced editor. Though it appears much the
same on the surface, it has been completely rewritten internally and is
far, far improved over the previous system. Kudos to Snapper for the
excellent job! If you have any feedback or suggestions on boards or 
notes,
please send them Snapper's direction or post to the discussion board
in-game.

>From the previous update:

o Somar has recently finished the new regeneration spells! I mentioned
there was no ETA on these in the last update, but alas, a late-night
coding binge got them up and in the test mud. Look for these very soon.

o On the post-50 game front, Snapper has signed on to head up the code
behind those new features. We'll be getting that project underway
full-force
shortly

o Failed saves: I'm still looking for this silly bug that doesn't save
equipment sometimes. If this happens to you, please send me an email at
[email protected].

  On yet another front, we have started preliminary work and test code 
on
a verbose and detailed crafting system. It's too early to give out 
details
at this time, but you should expect some news in the near future. If 
you
have any ideas or items on your wishlist of what you'd like to see, 
please
drop us a line and let us know.

Rufus and Sandra



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/__|  LEGENDITES: Information Regarding the People of Our World  |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'

              Drakkon has reached 100 million experience!

               Life has reached 100 million experience!

           -=* Axis has reached 200 million experience!  *=-


                          Renno is no more.
                       -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

  Well legend it has been fun, really it has. The past 7 years of my 
life
I played this game and I became quite good at it. Then I got older and
Real life started to kick me in the rear if you know what I mean. So my
life on legend ended abruptly, now i play whenever I can, which is to 
say
never... So here ends my torment to you all.

  I may get on and play every know and then, but not like I used to. I
like you all, but there are a few I would like to name: Arturo, Maloth,
Mojo, Dias-Jax, Jasra, Uggabaggugga, Korgan, Blackdeath, Sandra, Haley,
Spencer, Zandy, McDougan (If that is how to spell your name), If I 
forgot
someone important I am sooooooo sorry, my mind is not what it used to 
be,
forgive me. I owe the people on that list my thanks for all there help 
in
the past that has been so helpful. I thank you all on legend for the 
time
you granted me to enter your world, and believe me as i get older, I 
will
introduce LEGENDMUD to the WORLD. I will soon be a published Auther, of 
a
book called, The Unholy War. When I do get published I will make sure
legend is known WORLD WIDE as one of the Best RPGs that is up and 
running
on the internet.

  And to you Kaige, if you read this, I give you thanks for putting up
with my bad spelling and bad grammer during my times that I did
put in RPG stories and the such, Thank you.

  Well this letter must end soon or ill start thinking about playing
and i cant do that.


May the life be Unbending, and may the world guide you,

Renno.


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/__|                         Clan News                           |__\
   '-------------------------------------------------------------'

    Clan Drunk Clan disbanded on June 19th due to low membership.

  ================================================================

            Foundation of Ormus Clan formed on June 26, 2005.
                     This clan is a PKE Clan.


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        o O | Wonder what folks are   |
  `\|||/    | doing over at LegendMUD?|
   (o o)     \_______________________/
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                        Pickin' a Fight
                       -----------------

PK Fight Me VS You Till a Death...or..Two..

Bring yer Sword, Staff, Dagger, or Whatever kind of Weapon you
fight with and Brawl with me Sir Gadolinium Lanthanoid till death
and Beyond.

                        Lelldorin Moves On
                      -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

  The ravages of time are no match for the legs of the Omnipotent
Pedestrian, but it certainly breached the walls of my spirit. Yes,
the polluted air in my world of all-powerful kerb walking has
finally started to choke the very life out of me. When I became what I
am, I thought it would've been fun. All those hassled, harried people
accelerating back and forth in their vehicular transports, trying to 
keep
up with the stresses of the accelerating times; while I quietly
gloat over them in my easy bi-pedal pace, free of the trappings of 
society
as I commute the pavements of the earth. But.. How many times have I
yelled and gesticulated wildy on the sidewalk like a Sim with his fun 
bar
at zero? Pushing fellow pedestrians onto oncoming traffic started to 
bore
after the first week of my ascendency, as was pretending to hail
a passing cab by raising an arm to brush my hair. I should've been an
Omnipotent Jaywalker instead, but things would be the same after a 
while.

  So as I approach the end of the tether of my sanity, I found myself
infront of a roadside bar. Being all-powerful I didn't have to eat or
drink, but for reasons unknown I stepped inside, and there was a 
blinding
flash... And I was being swept down a waterfall, I was flying through 
the
skies, there were tables upon tables filled with shots of whiskey and
there was a barman drawing a lager and I was frenetically guzzling 
tequila
from the bottle in a swirl of numbing comfort and then I was awake and
bedraggled in the sunlight, walk-jogging to the nearest bar and I 
wasn't
caring if the fish were biting because I had two guys next to me 
sipping
Chivas because apparently, vast amounts of the brew are wasted yearly 
due
to over-zealous salutations.

  Now I have settled into this comfortable groove of drinking 
everything
in sight and passing out, not by choice but by circumstance. I have
found release from the relentless tides of automobiles, so why mess up
a good thing?



                    The Adventures of Rowane in:
              "The Importance of Following Directions"

           -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

        In a nameless desert, inside a tower the color of aged bone, 
there
sits a man who has not moved quite some time.  He remains in a position
that he took many years ago: stooped over a desk covered with an
assortment of wands and other spelltools, long silent alchemy 
experiments,
and scattered parchments covered in various scripts from legendary 
lands.
The man has lain so still for so long that one might take him for dead, 
as
his robed back is gray from the covering of a thick layer of dust and
cobwebs.  Yet it still rises and falls gently. Sprouting from the man's
face, pressed against a particularly ancient book, grows a long beard; 
its
brown-gray tendrils flapping with every snore, giving yet more evidence
that the man is very much alive.  The only sound in the room, apart 
from
the occasional snore, is the steady ticking emanating from the man's 
hand,
or rather, what is enclosed inside: a small wooden clock, intricately
carved to the design of a small cherry-oak cottage with the two hands
nearly touching at XII.

        The single room has but one window that looks out onto the 
desert
expanse.  And the desert, for its part, looks back with scorn at the 
tower
in an effort to maintain its habitual horizon; the desert has been 
sending
constant winds carrying minute grains of sand to tear it down.  Like 
the
crashing waves that originally created the sand a millennia ago, the
particles of silica have beaten at the tower, ripping away much of its
ivory coating and exposing so much of the foundation that it seems as 
if
any moment it may come crashing down. Only some form of enchantment 
must
keep it from crashing down.

        But through it all the man inside sleeps.  And he would
continue to do so -snoring away happily and oblivious to the world
-except that today- the clock that rests in his palm, having
continually delivered a steady rhythm for many years, pauses for a
moment.  Inside the polished red-brown exterior, there is the sound of
creaking metal: the cranking of dry gears and the gritty twisting of
rusted cams, all of this leading to the moving of the long hand to join
with the short at XII.  Silence falls over the room.

        The snoring has ceased now and the man's half-lidded golden 
eyes
peer through a tangle of grayish-brown hair and out across a cluttered
desk. ith a sleepy yawn, he stretches his slender arms, sending the 
dust
cascading down his shoulders and back in a mini-avalanche.  The motes
swirl at his feet as the robed man trudges across the room, arms 
extended
like a blind man, towards a basin that once was filled with water that 
has
since evaporated in the heat of the dry desert.  The chanting of a few
arcane words and a wave of his hand cause the basin to fill once again
with water in a great 'sploosh' and the man groggily begins the process 
of
waking up.  He washes his face, running his hands across his chin and
cheeks only to have his fingers stopped by tangles in an unexpected 
beard.
The curiosity of a new beard, which falls to his chest, does not 
register
to the man who simply grumbles sleepily, continuing with his morning
routine.

        After washing up, the man pats around the basin for his pair of
brass spectacles and upon finding them, fastens them upon his face.  
Only
then does he looks up and into a simple oval mirror that hangs just
above the basin.  There staring back at him is an olive-skinned man in
his 50's with bedraggled hair, long and brown, with plentiful amount
of gray at the edges, and a sopping beard that sends little rivulet's
down his robes and onto the floor, amassing in a puddle.  The man's
reflection squints through his spectacles and then open wide with
surprise.  Whirling around, loosening more dust and cobwebs, he slips
on the puddle in the process and falls to the floor in a loud crash.
>From the ground the man's eyes dart across the empty room.

       'Who's there,' he says, gripping the end of his wand. Only the 
wind
outside and the creaking supports of the tower answer. After a moment 
and
slowly, the olive-skinned man turns back to the mirror.  He watches his
reflection copy his movements: the rubbing a hand through a beard, the
dusting off of a cobweb from a shoulder.  In the background of his
reflection, resting on the desk, where he had left it, is the clock of
cherry-wood.  The man's eyes narrow. 'Oh for Hermes' sake.' He marches
over to the clock, pulling off the attached note that has yellowed with
age and reads:

Dear Rowane,

  Would you be so kind as to study this magical device recently picked 
up
by myself while touring London circa 1890 bce.  You will note that the
etchings, woodwork and lacquer mark this design out to much earlier
period than Edwardian England.  It is far more likely to be 12th
century Spain, possibly Andalusia?  The make though is not what is
important; it is the enchantment that runs the device.  All my attempts
on the road to dispel the item for further study have failed.

  On a related note, DO NOT TURN ON THE DEVICE BEFORE READING THIS 
NOTE.
I have already lost a great deal of time to some sort of sleeping spell
but luckily I'm traveling with a servant who was able to wake me after
several days.

  Anywho, I will leave this in your capable hands.  Please be so kind 
as
to watch over the Ivory Tower until my return.

Your Guild-Master,

Larnoc


        Rowane placed the note back on the table and stared around to
take in the present state of the tower.  He could see that there was
dust everywhere; the spiders had been building little webs, abandoning
them, and then building them again; the beams supporting the roof,
bowing in the middle, were riddled with termite holes.  But, he
thought, these were easily fixed; a skilled carpenter, maybe a cleaner
or ten and the Hermetic enclave would be up and running in no time.

        These were Rowane's thoughts has he wound his way down the
tower stairs, opening the door at the bottom only after a great deal of
effort seeing as the metal hinges were completely rusted.  Upon
shutting the door and walking about 15 yards along the edge of a sand
dune, Rowane felt the sand at his feet shift as the ground began to
shake.  Looking back, Rowane turned just in time to see the Ivory Tower
of the Hermetic Order falling to the ground with a might crash, kicking
up a great deal of sand in its wake.

        Rowane coughed for a moment and stared at the rubble as the
dust settled and then exhaled in a long defeated sigh.

       'This will take some explaining,' he muttered.

        This was not working up to being a good day Rowane decided as 
he
started off again along the dune in the direction of the nearest town.


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