The Scribe/20060928

		September 28, 2006 Sunspear Training a Huge Success! Through my connections in Elona, I was able to gain passage to Istan and witnessed firsthand the training of thousands of Sunspears. The training had a remarkable turnout, packing the great town of Kamadan to its capacity. Not since the Dragon Festival have I seen so many individuals in one town. The Sunspear training was rather extensive, first starting with a basic explanation of overall combat, followed quickly by the schooling of specific skills in the Sunspear encampment. The dastardly corsairs interrupted much of the Sunspear training with a cowardly attack on Chahbek Village. While the corsairs caused significant damage to the village before the Sunspears could respond, those responsible for the bloodshed were quickly slain, and the heroic Istani who fell in the village were avenged. After inspecting the training areas, I moved out to the countryside of Istan. There I saw many Sunspears competing for the highly-valued promotion points. One such Sunspear enlisted my Monkish services to aid a young hunter in charming a wild boar. A more impressive beast I have never seen! Upon finishing his task, my new Elonian friend entered the Sunspear Great Hall to be promoted to the rank of "Sunspear Captain." Unfortunately, My visit was not filled entirely with pleasant activities. As my Elonian counterpart and I proved worthy of more treacherous assignments, we also bore witness to some very unsettling events. I do not wish to frighten the masses, but many are speculating an evil of catastrophic proportions is, at this very moment, conspiring to make its return to our world. I will await more proof before I cause distress among the citizenry. Upon the conclusion of this weekend of training, many met in Kamadan for dancing and celebration. They had finished their first few days as new leaders of the Sunspears. Many had earned multiple promotions, and attained numerous victories against the corsairs—and other more sinister foes. I would say there was much reason for rejoicing. I only fear their celebration will be short-lived, if my forebodings about the dark rumors prove true... Sunspears Honor High-Ranked Trainees Over the past few days, the Sunspears have been training future leaders of their fine army. During the temporary training event, those learning to lead were given ranks within the army as a mark of advancement. These rank attainments lasted for the duration of the training event. Below is a list of those heroic enough to achieve the rank of Sunspear Marshall. These extraordinary leaders acquired over 5,000 promotion points from their trainers over the three-day period! Lamees Again 5216 promotion points Uh Im Outa Names 5088 promotion points Ziben Derwish Ka 5075 promotion points Sokartawi Shakkara 5060 promotion points Cinque Tarnis 5036 promotion points The Bloodsaint 5021 promotion points Allu Folie 5016 promotion points Eniah Sulas 5009 promotion points Arwen Mondlicht 5008 promotion points Fall Goddess 5006 promotion points Muerte De Arriba 5005 promotion points Sylv Goes Pve 5005 promotion points Mystic Turbulenc 5003 promotion points Bengilan Bestuvian 5000 promotion points Eigth World Wonder 5000 promotion points Congratulations to the above-named Sunspears on their temporary promotions to the rank of Sunspear Marshall. While the ranks were only for this training exercise, earning such a renowned title in such a short period of time is truly remarkable. You will no doubt climb the ranks of the Sunspears in record time! Random Acts of Kindness I am most pleased to share with you word about acts of good will and kindness from the exotic lands of Elona. I was able to garner passage to Istan, home of the Sunspears, and during their training was surprised by the numerous acts of good will towards fellow trainees. Many people were confused about how to enlist the services of Sunspear Heroes such as Koss and Dunkoro. Kahimser Packrunner, Zukia The Prophet, and Celestial Titan were all spotted explaining how to enlist the legendary Sunspears. With so many recruits wanting to fight by the side of the famous Sunspear Heroes, these three people were of great service to the recruits in making that dream a reality. There were also many in Istan giving away excess crafting material to help fellow trainees acquire better armor. Isis Nafretiri handed out tanned hides in Kamadan, while Scythes of Extasy gave away Skale Fins for others to exchange at the local collector. Tears Of The Demon, Lasting Memory, and Crimson Leadership also gave away an assortment of free materials. Several other kind souls offered various tips or advice. Shrios Warrior helped people achieve the rank of Captain of the Sunspears by accompanying them on quests. Maahes Callistratos guided a Sunspear trainee to the place for acquiring a secondary profession. Neo Queen Serenity gave specific help to a young Sunspear for completing a quest by informing him about where Drakes reside, while Duke Beelzebub opted for a more universal form of assistance by walking around shouting "helping anyone for free, just ask!" These many acts of kindness warmed my heart, much as the Elonian sun warmed my face. I thank each of you for making my stay that much brighter.