Newsletters

March 8, 2001

In this week's issue:

THE DARKSTONE NEWSLETTER
Volume 4. Issue No.4
March 8, 2001



Two Tributes


CYWRY'S TRIBUTE TO ZARADALI

Death of a Hero

Our world is a much sadder place this day, for its first and greatest hero is lo longer with us. Zaradali, vampire leader of Clan Guardians, heartsick and exhausted after his failed attempts to save the realm from the Dark Lord's shadow creatures after the re-emergence of the city of evil, made the choice to take a walk in full sunshine and was instantly destroyed.

! The realm will miss him, his clan will miss him. He designed a great and beautiful clan hall. He ran many quests which were fun and challenging.
He was a true diplomat, and a peacemaker who never once sacrificed his principles. He had, as his goal, to preserve Balance and keep the realm from falling into disorder. His sense of humor was legendary.

Zaradali, you were much loved, and will be sorely missed.


SELUCTRUH'S TRIBUTE TO ZARADALI

Much thanks to Zaradali for all the work he as put into the game. He has done well and now needs a break. True to his words, he feels that a Hero is a privileged position and did not want to be like some heroes on the old port and keep a position if he was not working. I personally feel he did a fine job and look forward to seeing him back when he is ready. I respect his decision and will not try and coax him back.

However, a good ole roast ! is in order in honor of his Gambit Report.


*The crowd gathers at the black coffin in the center of the room.*

'He looks so young', a young elf blurts out.

'Shhhh, be quiet grandma', a younger looking elf says sternly.

Jonesy moves in close to the coffin to pay his last respects to his fallen friend. He takes his cold, motionless hand in his, gives a nod of respect, then falls back with the crowd.

Jornel, visibly shaken by the sad turn of events cries out, 'He is only sleeping...HE IS ONLY SLEEPING!'

Seluctruh appears before the coffin and wonders how the heck someone broke into his Lair and stole his coffin. He peers over and Jonesy who appears to be wearing a ring that he gave Zaradali in honor of becoming a hero.

There seems to be a few people coming up with all sorts of wild stories of just how he died. One man insists that he died while performing as a stunt double for some guy named Dirk Diggler.

Another man insists it was when he dropped a Stone Staff and tried to pick it up.

Seluctruh himself supplied the rumor that it was those darn Knights of the 7th Order! They will pay for this act of violence! Let the Vampires live in peace already!

The crowd all sadly walked away. It is surely a sad day in the realm. Siuanne appeared before the coffin to say a final farewell to the Hero. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of all the good times they shared.

'Please, send me a sign. Let me know that we will see each other again soon,' she whispered.

It may have been the tears clouding her eyes, it may have been from her not being able to sleep since she heard the news, or it may have just been one grand illusion...but she could have sworn he opened his eyes for a second and winked at her.

*Come back soon, Zaradali. I have nothing but the deepest respect for you. Also, I don't want ! to get stuck trying to do any more Gambit Report type articles. You, my friend, are the master of that art.*


Congratulations

Congratulations to Kyran and to all members of the new clan, Pantheon

Congratulations are in order to Jieni, Minister of Justice, and a member of the Pantheon Clan, who has worked hard and is now a new Hero among us.

Good luck also to Testor, our newest immortal, who is even at press time, hard at work building a new area.


RAMBLINGS FROM SELUCTRUH'S LAIR

Greetings!

The City of Shadows awaits you once more!

Expect to see new objects slowly emerging from that new area, but I will keep everyone in suspense. They will appear gradually over the weeks and months to come. In the beginning there may not be any objects on the mobs. Then, an item may appear on a mob and be rare1. A week later that same object may be set to rare2 and repop once more. It is kind of a new strategy I am working on so that an area doesn't get looted in the very first week. This way it keeps everybody on their toes an! d makes an area more interesting to return to later.

Special thanks to Cywry and Jornel for helping me get the area back in the game. Also, thanks to Jieni for helping me work on the mobs and objects. Expect to see a new druid guild on the way designed by Cywry. Rumor has it that Jornel will also be submitting an all new area.

It has been nice the past couple of months seeing many old friends return to the realm. Players from up to four and five years ago have been finding their way back. It would be nice to see some players write about returning and their reasons. It does seem to be a home for many of our dedicated players who spend most of their waking day online.

I welcome anybody who has bought a Darkstone T-shirt to send in a picture of them wearing it. Hopefully,we can get our webpage in order soon and get some player pictures put up there. Also, any stories relating to how Darkstone plays a role in your everyday life are always ! a welcome addition to the newsletter.

Many improvements are planned in the next couple of months. Expect to see a few new areas in the game. Along with the areas will come more interesting mobs to challenge and more unique weapons and items to astound and amaze our loyal clientele.

The Dark Lord


Resurrection of Shadows

The grey dawn hung like a pall over the remains of the once great subterranean city. Smokey ash weighed down the air, and hung over blackened tree stumps pointing skyward like accusing fingers. The city, deserted by its god, had fallen and lay in ruins.

Jornel and Cywry turned away from the wreckage they had a part in causing, and walked southward, too dejected and sorrowful even to float. Zaradali had gone on ahead. He, too, was saddened by what they had done, but sometimes doing what was necessary was painful.

Cy! wry and Jornel felt that they had betrayed their calling. Druid healers they were, not destroyers, and although they knew that they had healed a great ill by participating in the destruction of the City of Shadows, they still wept for all the lost souls within.

Zaradali had suggested that they all return to the Guardian clan hall together, but the great tower with its beautiful gardens and portcullises seemed too overwhelming a place for grief the two elves were feeling. So, they had returned to Windy Bluff, and headed toward the druid guild, where they could rest and perhaps revive themselves among the fresh herbs and plants that grew there. The two elves ventured through the door, waved a brief greeting to the guildmaster, and collapsed in exhaustion.

As they lay deep in slumber, a dark mist arose in the room and surrounded them. Unknown to them, the Dark Lord had been watching from his hilltop refuge and had seen them walk away from the ruins of his city. Now he would have his revenge. He mistwalked into their sanctuary, and his mere presence caused all the flowers to blacken and die, and all the herbs to dry into scentless dust. He waved his hand and over both of them, and a spell of deep sleep was cast. While Jornel snored on, the Dark Lord tossed the still-sleeping body of Cywry over his shoulder, and flew off.

Cywry awoke in darkness. She tried to sit up, but found herself enclosed within a coffin which prevented her from moving at all. Her hands pressed in vain against the unyielding walls; and even her muffled screams could not escape this prison. She cried for help from Tarin, from Jornel, from anyone, but eventually she only succeeded in screaming incoherently until she was hoarse. No one answered her calls, and she remained trapped within the large coffin that rested in the center of the Dark Lord's Lair.

Several! hours later, she lay sweaty and exhausted, and could feel herself suffocating the hot, stale air. She had completely given up all hope when suddenly, the lid raised and cool air fanned across her tear-streaked face. She opened her eyes, and could see only the dark red eyes of Seluctruh, burning with rage.

He bared his long and fearsome fangs, and she felt herself grow weaker.

"Well, Cywry", he grated, "What have you to say for yourself? Did you think that you and your cohorts could destroy my city and not face my wrath?" His voice hissed venomously, and it felt as though each syllable was seared directly into her brain. "Now, you shall pay for this! I will have my city rebuilt! I will see every stone, every room, and every hallway recreated, and as fitting tribute to my justice, THIS SHALL BE DONE BY YOU!

"Never will I aid you in such travesty!" Cywry breathed. Sheer terror caused her delicat! e elven voice to shrink to a bare whisper.


The dark one muttered a strange incantation, and Cywry succumbed to paralysis and floated up out of the coffin. A second incantation, and a goblet filled with a dark red liquid appeared before her. She tried to turned her face away and press her lips together, but the lip of the goblet forced itself between her teeth and she gagged and choked as warm fluid ran down her throat and overflowed across her cheeks.

Seluctruh let out an evil laugh as the last drop drained from the cup. "And with this potion I shall bestow upon you a treasured gift… The gift of fitful sleep filled with endless nightmares! And the best part, my pretty druidess, is that from each one of your nightmares, I shall create yet another piece for my new city! IT SHALL BECOME EVERYTHING YOU IMAGINE!"

Cywry swooned as the potent, magical elixir began its work. Soon she was deeply asleep. Seluctruh caused her sleeping form to float back into the coffin and he waited. Soon she was overcome by fitful slumber. She murmured and tossed in her sleep. Seluctruh lay his slim claw-like fingers upon her temples and felt her tremble with terror. It felt good. This nourished him far more than the simple blood which he took from his usual victims. He closed his eyes and entered directly into Cywry's nightmare, and saw through her eyes his Dark City, standing once more, filled with yet more horrors than ever before. Its passageways were filled to overflowing with the rotting bodies of the dead, and the fetid stench of decay prevailed everywhere.

Seluctruh's profound pleasure was interrupted from without, by a voice calling Cywry's name. Leaving the sleeping druidess alone to her dreams for the moment, he turned and looked from the parapet to see the elf Jornel wending his way closer through Bar-Gith forest.
In a flash, he transferred the hapless elf into his lair. Jornel was momentarily taken aback and drew his dagger, then he turned and saw Cywry lying in the coffin, seemingly lifeless. Jornel shouted "How dare you! What evil have you done to her, Foul One?"

Seluctruh laughed.

This should be good, Seluctruh thought. I will mix his skill with her fear, and then my city shall be reborn twice as fast! And, better, I will make this fool do it for her sake!

"She is not dead, but merely sleeping Jornel. Now you will do as I say, or else I will make her one of mine forever!"

Jornel recoiled, but there was nothing he could do against the Dark Lord. Looking up to the Heavens he cried out Tarin's name, but no aid came; there was nothing but silence. Again Seluctruh laughed.

"What is it you want from me, Dark Lord?" murmured the defeated elf through his clenched teeth.

Seluctruh wasted no time gloating. "I am rebuilding that which you have had a hand in destroying, elf," he thundered. "Cywry is dreaming my city back to life, and you are to give life to her dreams."

Jornel was confused. "But how?" began the elf, but before he could continue, he found himself standing in the ruins of City of Shadows.

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked up to the heavens, but the answer came only from the depths below. "Build as I command you, Jornel, until my city stands once more." Then Jornel began to receive thoughts directly from the Dark Lord's mind, and he could see the horrors that Cywry dreamt. Seluctruh cast powerful spells upon Jornel, and the tiny elf sprouted strong rippling, vampiric muscles. The elf began his dreaded task.

Days and weeks went by, while Jornel remained beneath the earth's surface. His only comfort, was the knowledge that Cywry still lived! ; her continuing dreams were proof of that. Sometimes, Jornel would worry what state of mind Cywry would have when and if she would awaken, or whether madness would claim her. At other times, he worried that the Dark Lord might not keep his word, and would never return them back to their world, so that both she and he would be forever lost. Still, he labored on.

Finally, after many spells cast, and many stones raised, the evil city was once again complete. Cywry's nightmares had indeed been truly horrific. Jornel saw that this new city he was forced to help build was much more frightening than the one that had been destroyed. As soon as it was done, Jornel was again summoned in front of the Dark Lord. He glanced sideways toward the open coffin, and was horrified to see no sign of Cywry's body within.

"Where is she? What have you done with her?" he shouted. Anger lent a certain rashness to his voice and his! actions that would not normally have been there. But from behind, a soft voice whispered "Here I am, Jornel". He turned and was immediately wrapped in her warm embrace. After a short while he stepped back and looked searchingly at her. Cyrwry smiled.

The Dark Lord spoke once more. "As I have promised, Jornel, she is unharmed… at least, physically unharmed. I have restored her to her former state, although I find her aura as white as the driven snow to be revolting to say the least. Her nightmares will remain buried deep within her mind, and she will remember nothing, at least for the time being. Now, both of you… Begone!"

And in a flash, Cywry and Jornel found themselves once again standing in the Haven of Nature's Solitude.

Cywry embraced Jornel, so glad was she to return home. But Jornel could not fully rejoice. For Seluctruh had won the battle, the Shadows lived once more, and that he, Jornel, by h! is own hands, had helped to bring all this about. But most importantly, he told himself, he could never allow Cywry to be reminded of her involvement in the resurrection of that profane city.

For what if that were to bring back the dreams?



During the Valentine's Edition, I asked about Romantic Places In Darkstone..

Romantic Places in DS..contributed by Gilthas

Romantic places I remember...The waterfall that you have to pass by to get out of the Cannibal Village, very peaceful and quiet..and such a beautiful place..Thats where i first proposed..
And now...in the GoG, though its closed to high level...still the waterfalls where the siren is and the gnome fisherman is..A lovely place..
Or...Tatianna's Temple...
Or....Barude Beach!!!! now that's a real lovely place to go to with your beloved...


The Black Scar
It was a bright, cheerful, sunny spring day. Birds sang. Flowers bloomed. Lovers could be seen, arm in arm, strolling through the woods. Marenil sat lazily on his great Blackenwood chair, leaning off to one side, absent-mindedly watching a spider on the ceiling of his darkened antechamber, busily wrapping up a fresh catch. Tlielaxu trundled into the room, and as he did, he readjusted his gnomish stoop in deference to the powerful and mighty clan leader.

"What troubles you, O Umbral One? I brought you some fresh strangled goodies yesterday, and you haven't even as much as popped open any of their arteries! Are you feeling …well, … unwell?"

Marenil blinked and turned his gaze towards his loyal henchleader. "Its just that something's… no, not something… EVERYTHING'S all wrong!!!" His voice raised slightly.

"What could be wrong, Your Great Concealer of All Things Bright?"

"Its those damned Guardians, they're just RUINING everything!"

"How so?" asked Tlielaxu.

"Haven't you noticed how quiet and peaceful everything's become? How 'balanced'? How 'ordered'? Somehow, right under our very noses, that blasted Zaradali has managed to get everything going his way! Why, just look at us!! There was a time our members were powerful and feared throughout the land! But now? Even young pups from Phatep piss on the Shadow Lands in complete and blissful ignorance of what should rightly befall their leaking parts. Tlielaxu, my trusted friend, take a close look at me! Can it be that that even color is returning to these long dead cheeks of mine? We must do something about this, or else soon I will simply become inconsequential and disperse like these wisps of cobwebs being swept out by the fresh breeze. Close that damned window, draw tight the thick curtains, and let us think of a plan!"

"Shall I have our members go on a murdering spree throughout the land?! Shall we kill all the Guardians and raze their clanhall?"
"No, Tlielaxu, no. That would be much too quick and easy for them. What we need to do is disrupt this 'order' they have imposed on the land, to tip this 'balance' to something more to our liking. We must blacken their day, make blood-red their lover's moon, and turn their bright and health-giving light into the pallor of sickness and death. We must…"

Suddenly, Marenil paused, struck by a Deep, Dark Thought. A smile widened across his face, baring yellow fangs that had not dined on fear for a long while.

"Master, these things you speak of, are they not things that our own Dark Lord himself should be doing? And why isn't he doing those things? Have we somehow offended him? Perhaps we should offer a sacrifice. Perhaps we should…"

"Silence!" thundered Marenil. "Think for a moment. Don't you see? Seluctruh has grown weary of this world, and with all who are in it. He has turned hi! s back on us, his faithful followers. Yet what would HE do in our place? What counsel would HE follow? Why, of course, I should have seen this sooner! What a blind fool I have been for so long!!!" "What is it? What, O Foul One?" asked Tlielaxu fearfully. Marenil stood up and took a step forward. He raised his clenched fists slowly upwards as a sign of defiance. His glassy, red eyes took on a dark glow more intense than Tlielaxu had ever seen before.

Words could barely escape from Marenil's now-tightening mouth. "I…. SHOULD…. BECOME…. A…. "

The door burst open suddenly. It was Arcum. "Foul Leader", he began, "forgive the interruption. I have just learned that Galdren and Gelltor have commanded those nauseating tree-hugging druids to purify and bless the fountain in Windy Bluff. And if they are successful, the fountain may never again be capable of flowing with blood!"

"BBBBBBLLLLLLLAAAAAAASSSSSSSTTTTTT IT!!! AND CONFOUND IT ALL, M! AN!!!!" shouted Marenil, engorged with fury at this untimely disruption of his own epiphanical moment. "Those accursed tree-huggers will PAY for their disrespect once and for all! Tlielaxu, summon the clanhold at once! We have some 'balancing' and 'ordering' of our own to accomplish. I know certain lands that have been green far too long! It's time they were painted a much blacker shade… OF SOOT!!!!!"

So it was, that the evil Marenil, leader of Clan Shadows, began that which would leave an indelible mark upon the face of the land of Darkstone.

And he was just getting started.


UNTITLED

Today I heard a kid repeat your name,
even though your gone, you're living in fame.
I know I wasn't there but still think I'm to blame.
So I'm no longer the same.
There's a wild fire inside me I just can't tame.
Feel so all alone and in some pain.
I know you wouldn't like it that way, But I guess there's some things nobody can change...

Thought of you as I was walking through the street...
Your memories with me, I can barely sleep.
So I stay up late and keep to my feet.
I wonder where you are...and when I die, if we'll meet.
But that puts my heart in my throat and I can barely speak...

If I could just talk to you one more time...
Got some things to get off my mind.
Nobody can replace you, you were one of a kind.
Talked to a friend, found myself using your line.
I'm gettin tired of this place, maybe I'm not that far behind...

Today I went to tell you something that put a smile on my face,
But your bed was empty, and I knew not to pace.
You wouldn't be coming back this time so my mind shouldn't race
But it's hard caring about life when your minds out of place.
And now there's a new star shining from space...

REZYN OMEN



Cywry's Commentary

Since the publication of the last Newsletter so much has happened to our realm.

A wild killing spree took place in Kettin and all of the guildmasters were destroyed. Rumor has it that this was caused by an uprising among their students, which got out of hand, leading to their many deaths.

The past month has seen the rise of a new clan in the realm. Pantheon is the clanhome of people who had lived before the world died and was reborn, harbouring memories of the past. A new clan, any change, can sometimes lead to new conflicts, and this has been the case. This month there has been much war and strife between the clans and the individuals who inhabit our fair realm. Hopefully, peace will soon be restored.

The City of Shadows, a place of dark evil and frightening monsters is once again resurrected and I can only encourage all who are adventurous to attempt it, ! and hopefully to destroy as many of Seluctruh's evil minions as it is possible to kill.

The saddest news of all is the departure of Zaradali. As I stated earlier, he will be missed.

Sad too, is the fact that one of the more evil inhabitants of the realm has also departed. Polaris, a druid who turned towards darkness, and whose evil ways have caused much havoc and destruction, has also departed from the realm of Darkstone. He too, will be sorrowed over.

On a happier note, Jornel has begun putting in a new area called Preservia Wyld. This is a nature park with several different trails, all of them places of interest where many sights are to be seen. Preservia Wyld will be the home of a new Druid Commons and a new Ranger Academy, but it will be open to all visitors. Rumor has it, that at the end of the Druid Commons is a large Oak Tree soaring towards the heavens, and that within the heart of this gigantic t! ree, will be a guild where all aspiring druids may go to learn new skills and spells.

Until next week.. Fare thee well to all players, and may you walk in sunshine or in moonbeams and be at peace within and without the realm of Darkstone!

~~~~~~~~~

 

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