The Scribe/20060914

		September 14, 2006 News from Elona: Sunspears recruiting; Elonians to visit Battle Isles again As most of you know, many Elonians paid a visit to the Battle Isles weeks ago to test their might against the strongest combatants Tyria and Cantha had to offer. During their visit, I met a representative of the Sunspears—the protectors of Elona—who vowed to send me word of any news in his nation. Today I received a scroll from my new friend, and I wish to share with you the exciting revelations it contained. The Sunspears have begun inducting members into their ranks at a considerable rate. These zealous knights are tasked with protecting the shores of Elona from corsair attacks, as well as dispatching any elements of evil and corruption that threaten their homeland. My source did not specify why the legendary Sunspears have increased recruitment, yet I did get the sense of urgency in the words he wrote, as though an emerging threat to their homeland had arrived. While recruits are training in Istan, many veterans of Elona will once again pay a visit to the Battle Isles in order to engage in combat that will sharpen their battle abilities. According to my source, these Elonian fighters have been honing their skills, and preparing for another challenge against the combatants of Cantha and Tyria. We should expect this latest group of Paragons and Dervishes to be quite a force to be reckoned with. Many have speculated that the Elonians are not testing their abilities, but rather testing ours. Perhaps, if we prove worthy, they will request our aid in dispatching whatever threats have arisen in their homeland. The Battle for Cantha Wages On Corpses of fallen heroes litter the border between the Kurzick and Luxon nations. Both vassal states have suffered tremendous losses in the conflict, and are desperate for new recruits to take up arms for their cause. Residents of both nations unfortunate enough to live near Saltspray Beach are being forced to change their allegiance as the border shifts, and are pleading for an end to the bloodshed. Both nations have thus far turned a deaf ear to their pleas, and have instead begun to find new ways to encourage those sworn to their particular faction to make their way to the front and once again join the fight. In hopes of drawing more forces to the fray, the Luxons have offered any who join the fight double faction for the next few days. They believe that with enough forces, they could end this conflict once and for all. The Kurzicks—not to be outdone—responded with the same offer to their troops, vowing to deliver an untimely end to the Luxon Armada. With both sides rallying, the death toll will no doubt be catastrophic. Given the sudden influx of soldiers, we can expect to see the border shift much more frequently. Residents living near the battle lines are strongly urged to make their way towards the safety of their Faction's capital city; though, if the other Faction triumphs, you may not be safe there either. If you have pledged your life and services to either of the Factions, now is the time to heed the call of combat. Don your finest armor, sharpen your fiercest weapons, and prepare your deadliest spells, for this will be a battle of epic proportions. The greatest combatants in all of Cantha, nay, in all the world will rally at the front to destroy any who stand against their Faction. Balthazar's blade is no doubt burning with a fury not seen since the great Guild Wars of the past. Be cautious and fight with all your strength, lest you meet the icy embrace of Grenth himself. Observing Celebrations Across the World Many guilds, alliances, and even individual citizens put together grand celebrations to commemorate special achievements or events. Unfortunately, with no effective way to spread the word of these events, host of such events do not always get the desired level of attendance. In hopes I can help these celebrations reach a grand scale, I offer my assistance. If you send me notice of a significant event you or a group you are associated with is planning to host, there is a modest chance I may be able to feature it in an upcoming missive, which could be helpful in spreading word of your festivities. Of course, I could not possibly write about every celebration across the entire world, so I request you notify me only of events open to the whole public—rather than events solely for one guild or alliance—and ones that invite and can accommodate a large number of attendees. I can only feature a small number of events each week, and the pressure of other news may require the displacement of such information. I therefore ask that you not hold resentment if your event is not mentioned. In your message, please communicate the event's location, date and time it shall begin and, most importantly, a detailed description of what the occasion entails, and what, if anything, it commemorates. I look forward to hearing of your plans, and will do my best to inform the citizenry. Random Acts of Kindness Once again, here are a few notable acts of goodwill and friendliness I recently encountered. The Shing Jea Monastery was a beacon of goodwill the past few days. First, a young Mesmer named Lady Tallialthe was standing in the courtyard offering free items to any inexperienced students in the monastery. She gave away many magical and rare items, and even some of her hard-earned gold to help those in need. Over by the merchant, a sturdy Warrior named Otto The Orange gave a set of Pei's Blades to a recently enlisted Assassin. While the daggers may have been of no use to the Warrior other than their value in gold, they will no doubt serve the young Assassin quite well. I also had the privilege of engaging respectful and courteous guilds in combat. In our first encounter we fought the Light Feather Warriors. It was this guild's first battle, and though we eventually defeated them, they were extremely kind, and congratulated us on our victory. In our next conflict, we did not fare as well. Spanish Ballbreakers tore our team apart with the superb work of their Mesmers. We stood no chance against their might, and even though they bested us in a matter of minutes, they were by far one of the most pleasant and civil guilds upon their victory.