The Scribe/20061115

		November 16, 2006 Mission for the Elite Not for the Fainthearted I have heard early, unconfirmed reports of an unknown region of The Realm of Torment. Though my source is...less than reliable... he reports that this area may contain the most vicious and dangerous adversaries Elonians have faced! However, with great risk comes great reward, and my informant has also begun ranting and raving about the great treasures he saw during his short foray into this mysterious area. Unfortunately, as I said, my source is not exactly the most reliable of citizens. He is, in fact, the spirit of a corsair who, in his more corporeal form, was known to be overly fond of grog. In fact, the rumor is he drank a Ridgeback Skale under the table during a wild weekend in Mehtani Keys. According to members of the Order of Whispers—who have since apprehended the specter upon his escape to the living realm—the story this ghost has to tell may yet have merit. The Order of Whispers has had little success in making inroads with this being, and cannot prove or disprove his tale. Hence, they asked me to meet with the condemned corsair and piece together his ramblings to come up with a coherent description, or preferably, directions to this supposed realm of riches. I will include my short interview in this missive. Perhaps others can better to decipher what could simply be the dementia of a deluded mind. Monastery Scribe (MS): A representative from the Order of Whispers asked that I speak with you about this new area you seem to have stumbled upon. May I ask you your name? Corsair (KP): They be callin' me Keg-leg Pete, Captain Keg-leg Pete. Scourge of these here seas of Elona, and the deadliest corsair in all the lands! MS: Do you mean Peg-leg Pete, by chance? I could not help but notice your wooden limb. KP: If that be what I was meanin', I would have uttered them words, scurvy landlubber. Me name is Keg-leg because I hollowed out this here peg and filled it with a ripe ol' batch of me mum's secret rum recipe. Care for a swig from the ol' Appendage o' Intoxication? Yar har har… MS: I must pass, with thanks. I am on the job, so to speak. Could you please share with me how you came across this new area? KP: I's done told the filthy Whisperin' sorts everything I be knowin'. One minute I was fast asleep in me quarters, the next minute I woke up in this dreadful land o' accursed beasts. These monsters would send the heartiest of corsairs climbin' to the crow's nest for safety. MS: You have spoken to the Order of Whispers about treasures and valuable wares. Is this true? KP: Aye! Oh the booty these eyes have seen would make the richest lords of Vaabi ache with jealousy. Gold droppin' like rain during a squall, weapons worth more than a boat full of ale! And gems! Oh, the gems! They be like nothin' I ever seen before! I don't know what they be for, but if they be half as valuable as they looked, every treasure-seeking scallywag in this wretched world would gladly pillage his grandmum's house for one such jewel, if that be what it took! If it weren't for those wretched beasts, I'd be the richest spirit in the Rift. Well, would be if I could take me riches with me, that is. MS: So, how, might I ask, can one gain entry to this new region? KP: Ah, so you want to be testin' yer might against them demons, eh? Come closer, and I'll whisper it to you. No…closer. These guys have made a whole order about whispers, remember? They got good ears. Ok…first, you need to pick up a back stabbin' landlubber of a first mate. Then you need to be foolish enough to share the map to yer stash with the scurvy dog. Then you need to drink until it's blacker than the blackest night, and like some sort of magic, you will wake up, as a spirit, in that forsaken land of pain and profit! MS: That is less than helpful. Is there a way to get there that does not involve dying? KP: Why would I care? I'm dead! HAHAHA! And with that, the ghostly creature fell into a fit of hysterical laughter and I made a disgruntled departure. As you can see, I did not get much useful information from the spectral corsair. It seems there was a mutiny on his ship—one that resulted in an unfavorable outcome for the soul in question. Perhaps as some sort of punishment for his life of avarice and violence, he was sent to a realm of unimaginable pain and suffering. And yet, this talk of riches has led the Order of Whispers to endeavor to find a portal to this new area. They are particularly interested in these alleged new gems, as they have never seen gems that fit this "captain's" description, and are eager to learn the nature and use of such items. Their objective is to find a direct path to the excessive riches the corsair claims to have seen. Members of the Order of Whispers will continue to search for a pathway, and upon finding one, will send members of their order ahead to scout the new area. I will keep you up to date with any news of progress in their search. Influx of Rare Elonian Items Recent reports indicate that, in order to capitalize upon the increased tensions in Elona, a few less-than-honorable merchants were planning to flood the market with rare items. These items were to be sold to the highest bidder—with no concern about the purchaser's intentions. The resulting influx of weapons would have been a boon to the forces of light, but it also would have had the unfortunate consequence of supplying powerful tools of war to those who wish to plunge Elona into darkness. The planned market manipulation was under investigation by Vabbian officials, who were attempting to reach a compromise with the merchants to ensure their businesses continued to flourish while the safety of the region was protected. Unfortunately, during these talks, a fierce army of heket and harpy soldiers laid siege to the large warehouse being used to store these items. Priests from the Grand Court of Sebelkeh came upon the ruins as well as the charred remains of the valiant soldiers who laid down their lives protecting their princes' wares. Unfortunately, the priests arrived too late to save any of the fallen guards or the wealth of weapons the soldiers had been assigned to protect. The pillaging of the warehouse greatly shifted the balance of the current conflict in Elona to favor those pledged to Abaddon. Valiant citizens and soldiers, determined to prevent the return of the fallen god, are scrambling to reclaim as many of these weapons as possible in order to turn them against his evil demon hordes. With so many rare items spread across Elona, those combating the forces of darkness have detected a marked increased in the chance to come across these valuables, as the weapons are being dropped in death by the monsters who purloined them. Many predict that at the rate these items are being recovered, the numbers should return to normal within the next few days. This means that now is the time to search for rare items. May Lyssa bless you with luck, and may the Five Gods protect you. Random Acts of Kindness Though the conflict in Elona continues, I did manage some scant travel and witnessed a few acts of kindness. In the Kodash Bazaar, Jene Ossa—no relation to the leader of Kourna—explained trade contracts to the masses. Your instructions prevented countless citizens from being exploited due to ignorance of an item's value, and for that we thank you. In Tihark Orchard, Okibo Scythe Of Aia eased the way for an Elonian attempting to gain favor with the Princes of Vabbi. Okibo explained Prince Mehtu the Wise had a soft spot for the youthful Mina, and suggested the Prince was known to find it in his heart to speak to those who showed kindness to the young girl. Over in Champion's Dawn, I observed three different citizens showing generosity to fellow up-and-coming Sunspears. Karl The Blade volunteered his services for any quests or missions, Grievous Accuratti was giving away a free rare hammer, and Sunn Ryyu dispensed free iboga petals to any who needed them. Finally, in Rilohn Refuge, Lord Mevrick supplied a free water staff to an Elementalist in need. Thank you all for making the struggles in Elona more bearable, and may the Five Gods watch over you.