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You pick up the fourteenth scroll from the ground. The ancient vellum has inscribed on it messages from adventurers like yourself who posted notes on the notice board in times past. The spectral minion who guards the board room has transferred these old notes to the scroll to keep these messages for posterity.
You read the scroll, showing messages from April 1999:
Name: Nitramin
Referred by: From Genesis
From: Ithilien
Message Date: Thursday, 27 May 1999
Comments:
To the ghoul of Imlad Morgul, and the impostor Poseideon:
I know I should not stoop to the level of answering your calumnious notes, but on the other hand young and easily impressed adventurers may chance to read this board, and they should not read this slander unchallenged.
Yesterday, after suffering unnumbered provocations, insults and even physical assaults by the minions of Takhisis where I have met them in Middle Earth and Calia, I finally agreed to accompany two of my collegues on a scouting trip to Sanction, my first visit to this encampment of evil. We were prepared that trouble was likely to arise, and our Master Tactician had briefed us thoroughly on the escape strategies beforehand. True enough, we had barely begun to defend ourselves against the first band of armed reptiles before eleven assorted soldiers of the dragonarmy entered the scene and attacked. Faced with these odds, we quickly decided to switch to poisoned blades, in order to incapacitate some of our enemies. The strategy proved successful, and in time we all escaped alive, mission completed. The poisoned weapons were, ironically, forged by evil creatures to serve in the war of the Enemy of Arda against the west we had obtained them by defeating enemy troops in defence of Gondorian territory.
The reason I relate this story is that it illustrates the true context of both the "desire for battle" and the "fascination with poisioned weapons" of which we are accused by the black numenorean below. We face overwhelmingly uneven odds in our daily struggle against the Enemy and against other forces of evil threatening our land. The reason why we are not easily defeated in the face of such odds is precisely that we are well informed and employ superiour fighting strategies.
To reach these standards we do need to seek out the enemy actively at times, although you do not find us initiating combat. We also need to be primarily concerned with weakening our enemy by any means available save falsehood. This includes using brawling, poison and stealth, none of which add to the personal fame and glory of a warrior. But we do not fight for personal glory, we fight for a cause which is greater than ourselves.
Using poisoned blades might be unacceptable to a Knight whose primary concern is his personal honour, but putting the honour of Gondor and the continued hope of her victory above such concerns, poisoning an enemy in combat is not in opposition to rangerly conduct.
In service of the Steward,
Nitramin Caleniel
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Name: Anderson, Head of the Clan
Referred by: From Geocities
From: Glencoe
Message Date: Thursday, 27 May 1999
Comments:
I've noticed that many in and around Genesis these days sounds very much like
crying babies in a sandbox. "Mum! He pushed me!" "She threw sand in my eyes!".
From where I come the only crying we here is from newelymade widows. Regarding
the recent scrum I can only say Rangers have no business in Sanction. They
ought to wake up and smell the coffee. The Nameless is gathering his forces and
every ranger should stick to their own turf and protect their own precious soil.
Dragonsoldiers should stop whining about poisoned daggers and dishounorable
combat techniques. If they're real soldiers they should have learned to expect
anything from the enemy. Elsewise they won't stand a chance in any war.
Personally I'd expel anyone who left abroad and brought the war back, just as I
would expel anyone who'd come to me complaining about the enemy doing this and
the enemy doing that and it isn't fair. I'd slap his sorry behind all the way to
oblivion.
Remember the clans, remember the clearance. Anderson of Glencoe.
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Name: Poseideon
From: Fornost
Message Date: Tuesday, 25 May 1999
Comments:
My dear Locklear,
Have you not yet realized that the Army of the East is alive and well, and has taken over the organization that used to be known as the rangers?
We go from strength to strength, and will use any and all tactics to succeed for the honour of the Dark Lord. I am however surprised that people still think that the rangers of the West continue - they have not been alive since the guild was closed long ago.
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Name: Locklear
Referred by: From Geocities
From: Mordor
Message Date: Sunday, 23 May 1999
Comments:
Hail from Mordor!
Anyone noticed of late the subtle influences the Dark Lord has had over the Rangers of the
Westlands? Their desire for battle and blood, or their fascination with using poisoned weapons now? I eagerly await what cunning developments my Master comes up with next!
*cackle* Who can now say that all is quiet on the Eastern front?
Locklear the Blackhearted,
Lord Necromancer.
PS Oh, rangers... you may want to get in contact with someone from the Society so that you can be
fully inducted into the Union of Torturers and Poisoners. They are fairly lax on work ethics, but
they can get you some great deals on black hooded robes.
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Name: Mortimor Mekkz
Referred by: From Geocities
From: Sanction
Message Date: Friday, 30 April 1999
Comments:
Look, "Knight of the Crown"...You may think I am a liar, all you want.
But the sad truth is, I am not. They (the Knights) did what they did, and no one was punished. Thats a fact. And of what clearly defined set of rules, you speak of, they seem to me, to be very open ended, allowing the Knights to basically do as they please. Since the Code they follow is merely a formality, rather than their way of life. And it would be nice, if you had the courage to step forward with your name along with your accusations.
I wonder - if the Army of Angmar were deleted for (amongst other reasons) lack of roleplaying, according to the domain they were located in. And the Rangers suffering allmost the same fate, until they got their roleplaying act together - Then how come the Knights of Solamnia is still open, since they, from my experience, do not follow any of the roleplaying guidelines provided to them....
OR maybe it's me who am totally mistaken. According to the current time line in Krynn, maybe the Knights are supposed to act like a band of bloodthirsty thugs, just looking for someone to pick a fight with, and hide behind old scriptures and values..?
Ohh, and "Knight of the Crown", I doubt you know anything at all, about the rules and regulations of the Dragonarmies.
And as a last note I would very much like to agree with Monika, all those anonymous notes do not really contribute to anything.
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Name: Christian
Referred by: From Genesis
Message Date: Friday, 30 April 1999
Comments:
You're not the only one with concerns about the use of block - maybe it will take another start-room massacre before any action is taken. Then again, what happened last time? Not much… heh.
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Name: Anonymous
From: Sparkle
Message Date: Thursday, 29 April 1999
Comments:
Isn't it amazing, that a guild given an awesome special solely for use defensively (I'm talking about block, of course) is allowed to not once, but twice, start a war without provocation, with the sole intention of hunting down and killing players? Am I the only one who feels that block is being used illegally, and far beyond the reasons that it was coded?
Maybe the playerarch will remove this special, or the wizard responsible for the knights…
Hey, is that a pig flying past outside?
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Name: Lochlin
Referred by: From Genesis
Message Date: Wednesday, 28 April 1999
Comments:
I am a proud and honourable Neidar, watching the treacherous path the Knights of Solamania are following,
or perhaps, the self destructive path.
It is well known that as it stands at the moment the Knights are decaying (At this time in Krynns history)
and have lost there way, to make matters worse they are ridiculed by even their own county men and the number of
Knights sworn to the Oath and the Measure, has been declining slowly since the Cataclysm.
But at the moment a disease eats the Knights, none of their number sees the fact, for they are to embroiled in matters that weaken the Oath and the Measure, matters that would make Lord Solamnus himself turn in his grave.
I speak of current alliances with the Rangers of the West Lands, are not the Rangers needed in force to protect there
own borders, it would be safe to say that the Armies of Sauron false god of that realm would be strained trying to
cope.
Yet the Knights disregard the Code, and request forces from the Westlands to come and aid, in a confrontation that is not chosen by the gods of either realm.
Gods my not control the minds of men, but still I see no Honour nor do I recognise anything in the Code that would
justify what is occurring between the Knights of Solamania, Ranger of the West Lands, and even though a potential
threat the Dragonarmies.
Lochlin, My honour IS my life.
Footnote:-
Perhaps the Knights of Solamania have observed to much of Bayerd's treachery and have listened to much to
his twisted words, for he does not deserve the name that follows his first.
I am full sorrow to have to bring this to the fore, but I see no other alternative, I have watched from the
background as the Knights have twisted and turned, searching for a way to declare war on the Dragonarmies,
they have one but it seems by all accounts to be one more of misfortune rather than a reason.
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Name: Monika
Referred by: From Genesis
From: Misty Mountains
Message Date: Wednesday, 28 April 1999
Comments:
This board looked like it could used for sensible discusions shortly, but all those anonymous notes are really destroying it. Deproelius, maybe you should consider only accepting in-game comments from players who sign with their mudname ?
And, btw, when will you come back, join the dragonarmy, andmake a nice new webpage ?
Monika
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Name: Knight of the Crown
Message Date: Wednesday, 28 April 1999
Comments:
Mortimor, I think that you are a liar.
As a knight, I know that the knights would not behave as you described without some provocation or action on your part.
Furthermore, the Conclave would never have dismissed such an action, if it had happened, without punishing the guilty.
Unlike the rabble who follow the banner of Takhisis, the knights have a clearly defined set of rules that all knights adhere to.
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Having read the scroll, you drop it back in the pile, where the spectral minion places it in the right location. Now you can return your attention to the board room.
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