The Scribe/20070118

		January 18, 2007 Priests of Balthazar Ready for Trial Weekend The Priests of Balthazar are now ready for the exciting trial weekend in Heroes' Ascent! Combat fanatics eagerly awaiting the trials have speculated extensively about the nature of any changes, believing that such knowledge may gain them an early upper hand. Confident the changes are more extensive than many expect, the Priests of Balthazar consider the guesswork of even Heroes' Ascent veterans at this point to be mostly futile. However, feedback given after the event is a different story. The priests say they intend to study all correspondence and public response carefully to determine the value of these far-reaching modifications. I needn't emphasize the significance of this weekend, and I only hope that citizens can rise above petty arguments and work together to determine the best route for permanent changes. This is your weekend, a weekend for your voice to be heard, and it would be a waste if useful advice and opinions end up as mere whispers amongst the roar of aggressive squabbling. Be passionate, be truthful; with your help, the battlegrounds on which you have tested your mettle shall undergo a renewed vitality. I shall be amongst you, watching, fighting (and likely resorting to my Healing Prayers more than I want) before retiring to aid the Priests of Balthazar in gathering your comments. I look forward to meeting you on the battlegrounds. Wintergreen Rewards Ready for Pickup You may have noticed the Xunlai Tournament Agents have returned to their posts in Lion's Arch, Kamadan, and Kaineng Center. If you participated in this event by predicting winners of the Wintergreen Tournament through the Xunlai Tournament House, make haste to claim your Wintergreen weapons from these agents! The Xunlai agents wish to reward everyone who played in this inaugural event, so even if all of your predictions did not come to pass, you still have a prize awaiting you. The Wintergreen weapons are much like the red-and-white Candy Cane weapons citizens gathered during Wintersday, but with a minty green design instead of the usual red stripes. While these items may not exactly strike fear in the hearts of your foes, they are extremely useful to up-and-coming adventurers as they are not difficult to wield. The Wintergreen weapons are also quite exclusive (more so than their red counterparts), improving their market value. I would not expect them to earn you a fortune, but I imagine you could get a modest sum from those who, perhaps for strictly sentimental reasons, enjoy gathering these green goodies. One of the Xunlai Tournament Agents did mention that the agency has detected discrepancies in information from a few citizens, but he assures me they are willing to work with those who gave erroneous or incomplete personal details. The agents shall remain in these major metropolises at least through the end of the month, so there is not a huge rush to claim your prize—although I imagine people are eager to try out their new arsenal. Watch for more chances to win prizes through the Xunlai Tournament House in the months to come! Random Acts of Kindness I witnessed many kind acts worthy of note during my travels this week. Zoe Widowmaker directed a fearless Warrior seeking a challenge in the Ember Light Camp to the Underworld. She did not stop at simple directions as she even told him how to make the Avatar of Grenth appear! A Monk wandering through Zin Ku Corridor asked passersby where he could change his secondary profession. Frozt Borne and Kestrel Dragonheart both quickly offered directions to Senji's Corner. This saved the disoriented Monk quite a bit of time and trouble as he had been heading in the opposite direction! I followed Uncle Dervy for a bit as he walked the streets and alleys of Kamadan, offering aid to any low-level Necromancers. People commonly perceive Necromancy as a dark profession, and Necromancers are often misunderstood and mistaken for evil people. Such kindness is a refreshing display of understanding and acceptance. While I prepared to leave Kamadan, two of my dear friends arrived to speak to the populous. The large, green amphibian and the lavender-clad Ranger answered questions and shared knowledge with many who took time from their busy days to join in. Even amongst the hectic chatter of that hour in Kamadan, I noted several citizens who behaved most admirably: Aaeri Ka Fersengeld spoke with positive and kindly comments, Gwens Ferry Service made a particularly amusing remark and showed a friendly nature, Health Potion added several good interjections to the conversation, and Israel Darkstorm, who asked many a worthy question, waited patiently for each response. Thank you to all for your spirit of generosity.