The Scribe/20061109

		November 9, 2006 Priests of Balthazar Offer Double Arena Rewards The Priests of Balthazar have announced that for the next few days, those who participate in Arena battles will receive double Balthazar's faction. It is their hope that this extra encouragement will bring new challengers to the arenas, and in turn, increase travel to the Battle Isles as a whole. Along with the increase in faction, those who win ten matches in a row will begin earning double Gladiator Points. This is good news indeed for those seeking that most challenging title. Many combatants are already in the Battle Isles, perfecting their strategy in order to improve their chances of seizing victory this weekend. This is not the first time the Priests of Balthazar have increased the reward for those participating in Arena combat. And combatants who took advantage of a similar event a few months ago are ecstatic to once again have a chance to reap exceptional rewards for engaging in an activity they already enjoy. Even those unmotivated by the reward are pleased to see an increase in the number of challengers the reward brings to the Arenas. One such veteran mentioned "I love these events! Whenever the Priests of Balthazar increase the reward there are always twice as many people for me to kill!" If you enjoy Arena combat, or if you are in search of a way to earn faction quickly, make your way to the Battle Isles for some Arena combat this weekend! Winning Emblems Added to Selection If you recall, the Guild Emblemers of Cantha and Tyria held a contest recently to bring Elonian-themed emblems into their list of offerings. The winners were announced a few weeks ago, but the Emblemers waited to present the emblems to their Elonian counterparts before adding them to their selection. I attended a recent meeting of Guild Emblemers to which the emblem designers from Elona were invited for the first time. The Elonian representatives were delighted with the emblems offered by their Tyrian and Canthan counterparts, and I must say that I agree with the universal praise for these new emblem choices. The Guild Emblemer from Kamadan, being a rather comedic soul, expressed a particular liking for Isabeau Suro's entry. This aerodynamic swine, while not particularly Elonian, per se, will no doubt find its way on the backs of light-hearted soldiers across all regions and realms of our world. Other emblems create equally likeable representations of Elona and they, too, are sure to be popular. The Emblemers of Elona were quite pleased with all of the entries, and proclaimed that they will begin offering them very soon. If you wish to view these new emblems, please pay a visit to your local Guild Emblemer and inquire. Random Acts of Kindness With another week's passing, I have for you a fresh list of kind souls whom I have come across in my travels. In Kamadan, it appears that the Dye Merchant was unclear in her requirements, and many citizens were returning to Kamadan with only a single swamp flower instead of the two that Barlom required. The good Ne Ralas spent many hours aiding other travelers in the completion of that quest; he harvested swamp flowers and generously presented them as a gift to citizens in need. In the Sunspear Great Hall Joshua Lazaran helped a Sunspear climbing the ranks find a way to check his progress. This let the Sunspear know how much further he had to go to acquire his next rank, thus allowing him to plan his future course of action. Also, Pippin Swift Arrow gave pointers on completing a difficult quest to a confused adventurer. Within the dark halls of House Zu Heltzer, Fiona Fleur helped citizens find uses for the extra items they had found out in the Echovald Forest. She directed these citizens to a collector who desired such items, and in turn, made their days brighter. She and a friend named Snotty Kid also handed out quite a bit of crafting material to those in need. Over in Kamadan, Shalot Juspar taught a fellow Sunspear how to perform a special dance. The two of them entertained the city for some time with their fine moves! I also saw Drizzt Wledig offering free beverages to any who desired a bit of alcoholic refreshment. While in the bustling city of Lion's Arch, both Queen Of Raah and Jeremy Stark were helping travelers gain the aid of Olias. Their directions and help allowed many citizens in the area to acquire the services of that oft sought-after Necromancer Hero. For these acts, and many others, you have my thanks.