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 ______________________________________________________________________
/ _ \                                                                  \
\__) \  Print: 2 cp        Fantasy News Network     # Subscribers: 145  \
     |                                             # Contributors:  10  |
     |               +--------------------------------+                 |
     |               | THE    ADVENTURER'S    JOURNAL |                 |
     |               +--------------------------------+                 |
     |          News for the Adventurers, By the Adventurers            |
     |                                                                  |
     |  Vol II, Issue #7                             Date: Jun 1, 1994  |
     |                                                                  |
     |               Genesis Man/Founder:digdug@iastate.edu             |   __
      \        Hack and Slash Man/Editor:msphil@birds.wm.edu             \ (_ \
        \__________________________________________________________________\__/

                                 INDEX

                     News from the Forgotten Realms
                     News from the World of Greyhawk
                            News from Krynn
                          News from Ravenloft
                     News from Spelljamming Worlds
                       News from the D&D Worlds
                        News from Thunder Rift
                            News from AErth
                       News from ORIGINAL Worlds
                     News from a Campaign Journal

======================================================================
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

    Thanks to Greg Booth,  booth@mdd.com.mot.com,  for the name of the 
Journal,  and  thanks  to  Trevor,  trevor.jones@acadiau.ca,  for  the 
beautiful header!  And let's not forget Doug Tran (digdug@iastate.edu) 
for founding FNN and TAJ!

Reporters this issue:
    Sonja (kowa@informatik.uni-koblenz.de)
    Sir Kirkland (knorthrup@vnet.ibm.com)
    Andy Merritt (amerritt@armltd.co.uk)
    Eric F. Schetley (onestar+@pitt.edu)
    Oscar Swida (SWIDA@softlab.ii.uj.edu.pl)
    Sonja (kowa@informatik.uni-koblenz.de)
    rjp3@cornell.edu (Richard J. Pugh)
    Anthony Ross (ROSSA@guvax.acc.georgetown.edu)
    Martin Ott (p581mao@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de)
    Mike Phillips (msphil@birds.wm.edu)
Special thanks to all who contributed!

                              -- Mike, Editor (msphil@birds.wm.edu)

======================================================================
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:

    This  one  is a month late.  I apologize for the delay,  which was 
caused by a number of factors including:  leaving school,  end-of-the-
semester  crunch,  extreme  fatigue,  and  others.   From  this  point 
onwards, TAJ will be distributed via the FNN list (FNN@le.ac.uk),  and 
submissions   should  be  mailed  to  the  list.   Acknowledgement  of 
submissions will be made, but not distributed via the list (i.e.  it's 
a  really moderated list).  For subscription information,  see the end 
of this issue.  
    HTML pages have been  created  in  order  to  place  FNN  and  The 
Adventurer's Journal on the World Wide Web.  However, they are looking 
for  a  home.   If  you  can  provide  such,   please  contact  me  at 
msphil@birds.wm.edu,  and we'll arrange for a transfer and a means  of 
the author maintaining them.  Many thanks!  
    In  other  news,  the response to the s-f version of FNN:  TAJ has 
been positive (although there hasn't been  much  news  submitted  yet, 
hint hint),  and I'm thinking about making it bimonthly to begin with.  
If you have any news at all,  go ahead and submit it,  I can certainly 
use it :-) Same conventions as for FNN: TAJ.  
    On  a  more  personal  front,  I  have  just left my position as a 
consultant at the College of William & Mary.  The result  is  that  my 
normal   (and   advertised)   address   of  msphil@tsrv1.ts.wm.edu  is 
disappearing,  and anyone who needs to contact  me  should  do  so  at 
msphil@birds.wm.edu  instead.  Hopefully,  I will get one of the staff 
positions I am applying for here,  which  means  I  will  have  a  new 
permanent address then.  
    The next issue is due out August 1st,  from the listserv,  as I am 
going bi-monthly until September.  Have a great summer, and if you are 
around, submit news of your campaigns!  

                                       -- Mike, msphil@birds.wm.edu
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                   NEWS FROM THE FORGOTTEN REALMS                   -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Technically Toril, which includes Maztica, Kara-Tur, the Hordelands, 
 and Al-Qadim) 

                   TRAITORS AT GRANITE PASS OUTPOST

    Lately, King Gronk Granite-Eye has been plagued by internal strife 
in his outpost.  A group known at the Red Anvils has been  threatening 
any  non-dwarves  in  the outpost.  About half of the 8 members of the 
Fellowship of the Empty Mug (Gronk's adventuring group) are half-elves 
and have been staying at the outpost to help King Gronk with  his  war 
against  the  Zhentish army in Daggerdale.  The problem escalated when 
Zerch the Battlerager was killed in his sleep.  He was  found  with  a 
Red  Anvil pinned in his chest.  Now,  Zerch was a dwarf but in one of 
his battle rages he had attack King Gronk.  It has been  assumed  that 
this is the reason the Red Anvils killed him.  
    The very next day, another Red Anvil attack occurred, this time on 
Marabu,  a  human  cleric  of  Helm  who  was  assisting  King  Gronk.  
Fortunately,  the  mage  Laurellin  arrived soon enough to get help to 
chase off the Red Anvils,  but Marabu was sorely injured.  King Gronk, 
using his Boots of Speed, hurried outside the outpost to where many of 
his Fellowship were camped to get a cleric to help Marabu.  As if King 
Gronk's  luck was not already bad enough,  the group was attacked by a 
Zhentish raiding party.  During  the  fight,  there  were  some  minor 
injuries, but King Gronk was poisoned by a Zhent cleric.  He was saved 
by the quick application of a Neutralize Poison spell.  Upon returning 
to  the  outpost  with  the rest of the Fellowship,  it was found that 
Marabu was able to heal himself enough to stabilize his condition.  In 
response  to these attacks,  King Gronk has issued an ultimatum to the 
occupants of Granite Pass:  ALL RED ANVIL ACTIVITIES  MUST  CEASE,  OR 
DIRE JUSTICE WILL BE DEALT!  

                     THE BATTLE OF KHELDOR'S HILL

    King Gronk received notice that Yngwie of Sembia (a harper  agent) 
and  Randall Mourn would like to meet with him to discuss battle plans 
that could free Daggerdale of the Zhentish troops.  The meeting was to 
be  held  about  a  day's  travel  from  Granite  Pass.  Also,  Maldor 
Malmquist,  Magistrate  of Waterdeep,  has arrived to give any and all 
assistance to King Gronk against the Zhents.  King Gronk set  off  for 
the  meeting  with  Yngwie  with  the  Fellowship of the Empty Mug and 
Maldor in tow.  Thanks to the efforts of Tierra the Ranger,  the group 
spotted  an  assault  force  of Zhentish beast,  4 trolls and 16 orcs.  
Apparently,  these troops were led by the cleric that  poisoned  Gronk 
just a day or so ago.  The trolls,  without the cleric to hold them in 
check, had decided to feast on the orcs.  King Gronk waited until most 
of the orcs had died,  then he took advantage of the chaos  to  attack 
the  trolls.  The four trolls were no match for the ranged attacks and 
mighty magics of King Gronk's Fellowship.  The group travelled  on  to 
meet  with  Randall  Mourn and the Freedom Fighters of Daggerdale.  In 
the meeting,  it was decided that the dwarves from Granite Pass  would 
protect  the left flank of Randall's army.  Yngwie would help lead the 
assault with Randall's troops,  numbering  around  600  fighters.  The 
only  problem  with  Randall's  plans was that King Gronk did not have 
time to ride back to the Pass and lead his troops to  the  battlefield 
before the fighting started.  Maldor Malmquist stepped in to offer his 
assistance  to  King Gronk.  Since the need was great,  the Fellowship 
decided to teleport back to outpost to assemble the troops.  
    The very next day,  28 of Granite Pass' 45 dwarves marched off for 
Kheldor's  Hill,  where they will fight for the freedom of Daggerdale.  
These troops include the 14 elite troops of the Granite  Brigade  lead 
by  Snarl's,  11  other stalwart dwarves lead by Obidia Goldbuckle and 
finally King Gronk Granite-Eye,  Kharos Ironforge and the rest of  the 
Fellowship  of  the  Empty Mug (Laurellin the Mage,  Tiera the Ranger, 
Ariel  the  Druid)  with  Maldor  Malmquist  of  Waterdeep   also   in 
attendance.  Upon  arriving at the site chosen for battle,  King Gronk 
had the magic-user prepare the  field  with  some  surprises  for  the 
enemy.  First,  Maldor  built  a  raised mound to give them the uphill 
advantage,  then he hid the broken foundation of an old  mill  with  a 
Hallucinatory  Terrain  spell.  Ariel  the  Druid called up a storm to 
rain lightning on the enemy.  Soon,  400 orcs of the Zhetish army came 
into  view,  and  it  looked  very  bad  for King Gronk's small group.  
Luckily,  Randall Mourn sent Yarboro the  Cavalier  and  100  Fighting 
Farmers  to  help.  Still,  the odds looked bad,  as Celthus the Dread 
magically summoned a Bullete (land  shark)  to  fight  for  him.  King 
Gronk  threw the first blow with his Dwarven throwing hammer,  killing 
one of  the  orcs  battle  commanders.  Then  the  fighting  began  in 
earnest.  Ariel the Druid used her Staff of the Woodlands to call up a 
treant to hold off one group of soldiers, and Aslor the Ancient called 
up  a  foul  cloud  of  death (actually a Fog Cloud that looked like a 
Cloudkill) to hold off another group.  Maldor Malmquist called  up  an 
illusionary army to fight for them.  Still outnumbered, King Gronk and 
his High Priest Gunther beseached Moradin, Father of Dwarves, for aid.  
Their prayers were answered and Obidia and his 11 dwarves were swathed 
in  the  bright  white  radiance of Moradin's favor.  The 100 Fighting 
Farmers and Yarboro the Bold took on the bulette as Celthus the  Dread 
and  his  two  wizards  engaged in battle with King Gronk,  Laurellin, 
Kharos,  and Ariel the Druid.  Mighty magics  and  incredible  heroics 
abounded as the fight went on.  Soon, groups of orcs began wavering as 
their losses grew.  They just couldn't compete with lightning from the 
sky,  fire from the wizards,  god-blessed berserking dwarves and trees 
that fight with a will of their  own  (tripping  over  the  foundation 
didn't help much either).  
    So, the orcs started to break away from the fight, the two wizards 
under  Celthus  were  killed  in  combat against the Fellowship of the 
Empty Mug.  Celthus the Dread,  completely outraged at  this  failure, 
went in to kill King Gronk with his mighty magic.  Astonishingly,  the 
magics he hurled at King Gronk just fizzle  5  feet  before  they  hit 
(Scroll  of  Protection  from  Magic),  only  his area of effect spell 
seemed to hurt the mighty King.  King Gronk  closed  the  gap  between 
them  so  that Celthus could not call these spells to use,  but before 
King Gronk could deliver the killing blow,  the wizard vanished.  King 
Gronk  was furious that his kill has escaped,  but Maldor thought that 
the wizard shrank and went into hiding.  Tiera found a hole  where  it 
would  appear the wizard has gone,  and King Gronk was shrunk to allow 
him to follow Celthus into the hole.  Celthus  the  Dread  tried  once 
more  to  kill  the  King  of  Granite  Pass,  but  Gronk's  Chime  of 
Interruption left him helpless to his fate.  
    Thus,  the Battle of Kheldor's Hill was  won  by  Gronk,  but  not 
without  its  losses.  Snarl's  and  the  entire Granite Division were 
slain as were Yarboro and the 100 Fighting Farmers.  With this victory 
on the left flank,  Randall Mourn and Yngwie were able to  lead  their 
forces to victory over the Zhents.  

Sir Kirkland, knorthrup@vnet.ibm.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------

                             CALL FOR AID 

    Pardon  the  absence of an article in the last publication,  I was 
travelling from  Greyhawk  to  the  Realms  Forgotten.  I  decided  to 
indulge  in  one  of  my hobbies and climb the mountains known in that 
land as the Spine of the World.  It was as enjoyable  as  I  expected, 
and  I  decided to write next from the Ten Towns,  being as close as I 
was.  
    An interesting coincidence,  that I came to be there at  just  the 
right time to gather the material for this article.  
    Opon  my  arrival,  I learned that the entire southern trade route 
has been cut off by a clan of Dark Dwarves.  Several  messengers  have 
been sent for aid,  but none have returned and they are presumed dead.  
Not only are there a good number of dwarves, but there is also a tribe 
of frost giants aiding them, and several drow bent upon the plunder of 
Icewind Dale.  I told them that I would be happy spead  the  word  for 
them, so I will do so: 

        The  Peoples  of Icewind Dale,  in the Northwest corner of 
    the Realms,  have made a call for those who would help them in 
    dealing with the presence of the evil forces there.  They will 
    pay what they can for such aid.  

    I  trust  that  there are those reading this article that have the 
courage and compassion to help these people in their time of need.  

The Monk of the Shadows
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Forgotten Realms : "Gnomeville", near Waterdeep

Background:  Gnomeville is an underground township, run by gnomes, but 
with assorted other humanoids, including orcs, humans and goblins (but 
no  elves of any type).  Gnomeville is a dangerous place,  and slavery 
is common.  It is situated hundreds of feet underneath the High  Moor, 
southeast  of  Daggerford,  and  there are no known direct ways to the 
surface.  The quickest routes to the surface involve a week of  travel 
underground  past some very dangerous areas.  It is through such areas 
that  our  adventurers  have  come  (actually  they  are  a  group  of 
Daggerford  Militia  on  a  secret mission reported about previously - 
though this has no relevence to Gnomeville).  

             DEMON-KILLING NEWCOMERS SLAY ELVEN TRAVELERS

    An unknown group of adventurers who advertised their abilities  by 
carrying around a demon head have caused something of a stir.  A human 
bard  from  their  number gave an impressive performance in the Collar 
and Whip,  and afterwards was approached by a group of  elves  passing 
through Gnomeville.  
    The next day,  these elves were seen waiting for the bard and  his 
friends,  and  after a little talking a fight broke out in the street.  
Several volleys of magic missiles shot to and  fro,  and  one  of  the 
elves  ran  off,  seemingly chased by an invisible monster.  The elven 
mage and his other companions were quickly defeated by  the  bard  and 
his  friends.  Just  one  of  the  elves  was left alive,  clearly for 
interrogation.  It is reported that one of the bard's friends emanated 
a powerful aura of good - a strange sign indeed.  
    This group left town the following day,  and the captured elf  was 
seen  alive  a  day  or  two  later,  without most of his possessions, 
seeking work as a mercenary.  

Andy Merritt <amerritt@armltd.co.uk>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                           NEWS FROM OERTH                          -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Oerth is the name of the World of Greyhawk)

Greyhawk: Oerth: The Free City of Greyhawk.

                    FIRE DEMON APPEARS, DISAPPEARS

    Near  the ruins of the Great Greyhawk Library,  investigators from 
several religious, adventuring,  and political organizations have been 
checking  for  survivors,  treasure,  and  artifacts  that  might have 
survived the explosion two months past.  
    To date,  they have been able to recover only  a  handful  of  the 
library's prized documents.  Several adventurer's guides have survived 
the blast,  as well as some of the magical armors and equipment stored 
there.  
    Today,  however,   a  member  of  the  Spelljammer's  Aid  Society 
uncovered  a cracked ceramic bell jar.  Witnesses reported that,  upon 
touching the jar,  the elven male was consumed  by  "an  other-worldly 
fire, as if a portal to the inner planes opened there and then".  
    The  elf,  a Tarran Jaz from Toril,  was consumed immediately.  In 
his place was a fiery demon,  standing approximately fifty feet  tall.  
The creature radiated intense heat and flame, killing all those around 
him  immediately  and  setting  the  already charred ruins aflame once 
more.  
    Several of the local  powerful  magic-using  community,  including 
some  from  the  former  ruling Council of Eight,  appeared to try and 
contain the creature.  
    One such wizard, who, according to eyewitness reports, wore armor, 
appeared upon  the  scene.  The  creature  seemed  to  recognize  this 
wizard,  and  started  to  charge  him.  The unnamed wizard produced a 
hand-sized diamond and,  after muttering what were  obviously  magical 
commands,  threw the diamond toward the demon.  In a flash of brillant 
white light, both mage and demon disappeared.  
    Some say that the wizard, a young-looking human male, was visiting 
Mordenkainen from another world.  However,  the master mage would  not 
be  questioned  on the subject.  The firestorm produced by the demon's 
appearance did not disappear with the creature:  another city  block's 
worth  of  homes and businesses were destroyed by the intense heat and 
flame.  
    All told,  fifteen sentients died and another  100+  were  injured 
fighting the blaze.  

Eric F. Schetley <onestar+@pitt.edu>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                           NEWS FROM KRYNN                          -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Krynn is the name of the Dragonlance world)

Krynn : Taladas : League of Minotaurs : Kristophan

    SUSPICIOUS BUSINESS IN OLD TOWN!

    Last night,  there was a small battle between Saiones and group of 
"strangers".  Saione sergeant said it wasn't a "gang war", he supposed 
they were  conducting  business  (nothing  special  in  that  part  of 
Kristophan),  but  when  Saione  patrol  approached,  the  "strangers" 
attacked the soldiers.  During the battle, three of them escaped (with 
a strange,  long package).  Saiones suppose that package is an ancient 
artifact from Ansalon (fugitives probably don't know about it) and may 
be dangerous.  
    If anyone has seen fugitives,  please contact with nearest Saiones 
site.  

Descriptions of suspects:
    Kender male ->
        Height about 120  cm,  dark  hair,  wears  leather  armor  and 
        hoopak, (IMPORTANT!) has a dog.  
    Elven male ->
        Height about 170 cm,  wears chain mail, long bow probably came 
        from Armach-Nesti, so pay attention to his accent) 
    Human male ->
        It's certain he is foreigner,  came from  Ansalon  three  days 
        ago.  His name is Jorman.  

Krynn : Taladas : League of Minotaurs : Thenol frontier

    VILLAGE COMPLETELY DESTROYED, BODIES VANISHED

    This  morning,  we received news that the village of Telima,  near 
the Thenol frontier,  was  completely  destroyed.  Nobody  knows  what 
happened.  People suppose it was Thenol military action.  
    It  is  strange that all the bodies have vanished.  Probably,  the 
corpses will be animated and  included  in  the  Thenol  army.  It  is 
possible that Thenolities are preparing for a great offensive,  so the 
General of the Army sent III and V Legions near Teluch.  

Oscar Swida, SWIDA@softlab.ii.uj.edu.pl
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                         NEWS FROM RAVENLOFT                        -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Ravenloft is the Demi-plane of Dread)

Ravenloft : Darkon : Il Aluk

                      PIECE OF EVIDENCE PROVIDED

    A  group  of  adventurers was hired by the local thieves' guild to 
prove evidence that Mystal Firestorm,  an elemental mage of fire,  had 
set  fire  to  one  of the houses of the guild and that this crime was 
ordered by the local baron.  The adventurers managed to get  into  the 
house of the mage while he was absent for a few days.  While doing so, 
two   members  of  the  group  were  killed  in  traps.   However, the 
adventurers finally found a contract proving that the baron had  hired 
the mage to set the house on fire.  

Sonja, kowa@informatik.uni-koblenz.de
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                    NEWS FROM SPELLJAMMING WORLDS                   -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Spelljammer is the AD&D system that allows travel from world to world
 via skyships)

Omnispace : Omni : Spire of Eternal Thought :

                          LORD MONITOR QUITS

    Lord  Monitor,  Imperium  Ars Magican of the Council of Nine,  the 
ruling body of Omnispace, announced today that he will be resigning at 
the next solar phase.  
    This announcement came as a  complete  surprise  to  all  gathered 
within  the  Spire  of  Eternal Thought.  All of Omnispace's governors 
were gathered for the Annual Conference of Omni.  The other members of 
the council have not released statements at this time.  
    Second Magician Colicor was off-world when  the  announcement  was 
made.  He  is currently on the Rock of Bral in Spiralspace,  attending 
an Arcane conference.  He was unavailable for comment.  
    Lord Monitor  held  the  position  of  Imperium  Ars  Magican  for 
approximately  half  a  millenium,  longer  than  any previous council 
leader.  Since becoming magi,  he helped unite the worlds of Omnispace 
under one banner,  suggested the establishment of the Magiocracy which 
is in use  today,  established  the  Omnispacial  Defense  Force,  and 
started  many  programs  which advanced relations between human,  non-
human and demihuman races.  
    His resignation came as a complete shock.  Lord Monitor would  not 
comment  on his plans for the future,  nor would he comment on whether 
he would stay with the Council as  a  member  emeritus.  Some  believe 
that Lord Monitor will be travelling to the Outer Planes, possibly the 
newly-discovered city of Sigil.  

Omnispace : Omni : Clifford :

                          LIBRARY DISAPPEARS

    The Repository of All Thought, Lord Monitor's sponsored library of 
magic,  history and treatises, has suddenly disappeared.  Security had 
been increased since the destruction of the Greyhawk Library, but this 
did not seem to help.  
    Lord Monitor was still unavailable for comment.  
    The Repository had been staffed with just a skeleton crew  at  the 
time of its disappearance.  No survivors have been located.  
    The   disappearance  occured  during  the  middle  of  the  night.  
Surrounding  homes,   guard  posts  and  overhead  Spelljamming  craft 
reported no explosions, saw no flashes of light.  
    A  strong  aura  of  magic  has  been  noted in the area,  leaving 
investigators to believe that this  was  a  magical  attack.  However, 
given  the level of magic used to remove the Repository,  the attacker 
must have been a very powerful mage or priest.  
    This  is  the  second  such  attack  on  libraries  specalized  in 
adventurer's lore.  The first,  Two months back,  was an attack on the 
Great Greyhawk Library,  heralding the loss of many  major  tomes  and 
reference works from many different worlds and planes.  
    The  Repository  was  a  similar  facility,  but  it  was  devoted 
primarily to spelljamming works, histories of the Omnispace sphere and 
many irreplacable, valuable spellbooks.  Works from such previous magi 
as Anrot Kal, Mikklani, Annamari, and the beholder mage Tornot are now 
forever lost.  

Omnispace : Omni : Spire of Eternal Thought :

             ARTIFACT SEARCH STEPPED UP, BOUNTY INCREASED

    With the resignation of Lord Monitor, there is a rumor circulating 
that the bounty for  artifacts  delivered  to  the  Spire  of  Eternal 
Thought  will be increased.  As of this writing,  no evidence has been 
presented to prove this rumor.  
    The following list are confirmed artifacts that  are  now  in  the 
possession of the Council.  
        One (1) Artifurnace
        Talisman of the Outer Planes
        Bracers of Wildspace
        Trident of Argoth
        The All-Seeing Eye of Aberdeanth
        The books of Lazarus, including the `lost' editions.
    One  other  item  still remains a mystery.  All tests on this item 
have to date resulted in  no  definite  answers.  The  only  thing  of 
interest  on  the large,  bas-relief box is a single red button on the 
top of the appratus.  To date,  it is believed that Lord  Monitor  has 
refused  to  let  anyone push the button,  but with his stepping down, 
Colicor may not have the master magi's reservations.  

Omnispace : Wildspace, near the former location of Sphereworld :

                        OBSERVERS NOTE ANOMOLY

    Since the disappearance of Sphereworld two solar months past,  the 
observation  satellites originally set up to monitor the 'planet' have 
been relativly quiet.  However,  a  report  received  today  from  the 
Omnispacial  Defense  Force  indicates  something may be happening out 
there.  
    Observation Post K-12,  manned by the husband and wife clerics Dar 
and  Mari  Nightwynd,  and the sage Ranthamus,  noted a brief flash of 
light near the location of Sphereworld.  The flash appeared for nearly 
two minutes before fading out.  The Nightwynds took an  Elven  Flitter 
close to the area of the light to investigate,  but could find nothing 
out of the ordinary.  
    Rumor has it that Imperium Ars Magican-Elect  Colicor  will  order 
the  satellite  observation posts abandoned when he assumes control of 
the Council of Nine next month.  He has long opposed the  posts,  and, 
with the disappearance of Sphereworld, believes the posts are "a waste 
of Omnispacial funds which could be used elsewhere." 
    Lord  Monitor  started the observation program of Sphereworld when 
he assumed head of the Council of Nine some half-century past.  It has 
been rumored that Magical Colicor wishes to remove all traces of  Lord 
Monitor's influence on the sphere when he assumes office.  

Original: Tomar: Free City

                "COPPER MAN" APPEARS; THIEF FOUND DEAD

    A strange, extremely tall copper-skinned male sentient appeared in 
a mythal surge yesterday in the Free City.  Only known as 'Taraq', the 
strange  individual  appears  to  be human,  although he stands a head 
taller than most,  and seems to have certain dwarvish-qualities  about 
him.  
    Taraq  has  been seen in the presence of a Beholder escort.  Other 
information has yet to be made available.  
    Also,  an unnamed thief has been found dead in  one  of  the  back 
alleys  near  the Golden Orbus Inn.  His death leads some to speculate 
that a war between rival theiving guilds is  on  the  horizon.  As  of 
yet,  none  have  taken  claim  for  his death.  It was the first such 
homicide case in six months,  since the end of the so-called  Assassin 
War.  
    The   thief  was  killed  with  a  metal-edged  weapon,   beholder 
investigators revealed.  A  director  says  the  blade  was  extremely 
sharp, slicing cleanly through the man's neck.  

{NOTE:  The  Free City of Toram is run by beholders,  and is used as a 
port of call for traders,  black marketters,  and other 'businessmen'.  
It  is laid with a powerful mythal which prevents beholders from using 
their abilities aganist others of their race within its boundaries.} 

Eric F. Schetley <onestar+@pitt.edu>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Spelljammer : Solaris, Mt. Kardras :

              IMPERIAL ELVEN NAVY WITHDRAWS FROM SOLARIS
        Official Press Release of the Spelljammer's Aid Society

    The Imperial Elven Navy has announced that it will  no  longer  be 
conducting regular patrols in the Sphere of Solaris.  The announcement 
came  after  the  Muldravian  Stellar  Navy,  and numerous independent 
merchants and adventurers noted the orderly withdrawal of elven  ships 
from  the  vicinity  of  Beacon,  where  their  most important base is 
located.  The base itself is gradually being dismantled and its  crews 
are  being  evacuated.  Witnesses  describe the withdrawal as orderly, 
and very organized, but extremely rushed.  
    The navy has refused to divulge any details about  the  withdrawal 
from  Solaris.  Many  analysts  believe that the navy wants to avoid a 
conflict with the Muldravian Empire and its allies,  and figures  that 
Solaris isn't worth the risk.  However,  considering that the navy has 
been trying to re-gain control of the sphere for close to sixty years, 
using every method it could, this is highly unlikely.  
    The announcement brought a sudden rise in the pirate and vigilante 
activity that  has  been  plaguing  the  sphere  for  several  months.  
However,  the  Muldravians  have  been able to effectively control the 
situation.  The Muldravians currently have twelve flotillas patrolling 
the sphere,  nine of which  have  a  new  Warhawk  ship  with  a  full 
complement of Sparrowhawk fighter craft.  

Spelljammer : Spiralspace, Rock of Bral :

   SPELLJAMMER'S AID SOCIETY CONDEMNS THE GRAND ARCANE TRADING HOUSE
           Official press release of the Bral News Service.

    The   Spelljammer's  Aid  Society,   one  of  the  most  prominent 
organizations  for  assisting  space  travelers  of  all  types,   has 
officially  condemned  the  Grand  Arcane  Trading  House (GATH).  The 
announcement came at the close of the  Conorg  conference,  which  was 
recently conducted at the Rock of Bral.  
    Two days after the close of the conference, a mercenary hammership 
attacked  the  "Eternal Wanderer." This famed ship holds charters from 
both the Spelljammer's Aid Society and The Seekers,  and  also  enjoys 
some  financial  backing  from  the Conorg Collective Consortium.  The 
attacking hammership was captured,  and proof was obtained linking the 
attack  to  the  GATH  chief  executive,  Tee-Ess'Arr.  Authorities in 
several spheres have suspected Tee-Ess'Arr's involvement in  a  number 
of  violent  incidents  of  late,  but this is the first time that any 
solid proof has been obtained.  
    The GATH has long  been  the  primary  supplier  for  spelljamming 
technology,  but  in  recent  months  it has been cutting supplies and 
cancelling  orders  in  numerous  locations.   The  Spelljammer's  Aid 
Society has been attempting to break from the GATH for several months, 
but  it  could  not do so without risking financial destruction.  With 
the attack at Bral,  and a new arrangement with the Conorg  Collective 
and its partner company, the Maifair Conglomerate, the survival of the 
Society was assured.  
    The  Society  plans  to  continue  all existing services,  and the 
various research and exploration projects will  resume  after  a  two-
month   re-organization.   All   current   dealing   with   the  other 
organizations will continue as planned with no interruption.  

Spelljammer : Spiralspace, Rock of Bral :

              ETERNAL WANDERER II DETAINED BY BRAL GUARD
         Official Press Release of the Royal Bral news service

    In  what  has  been  described  as   "a   misunderstanding,"   the 
dreadnought  "Eternal  Wanderer II," was detained for approximately an 
hour by two ships of the Bral guard.  The Conorg Collective Consortium 
had requested a moratorium on illithid vessels for the duration of its 
six-day business conference.  The Eternal Wanderer II,  originally  an 
illithid ship,  was therefore intercepted during its approach to Bral.  
The craft was boarded by a squad of several crack commandos  who  were 
expecting   to  find  illithids.   They  instead  found  the  standard 
complement of humans, elves, and the like.  
    Fortunately,  no one was injured,  though the crew of the  Eternal 
Wanderer  had  to  show great restraint.  Onestar,  the captain of the 
craft,  is supposed to have  asked  the  commando  leader  if  he  was 
planning  to  have children,  while preparing to castrate the man with 
his katana.  Hall-ee-mor Dargess,  the first officer,  was  much  more 
subtle,  stating that he would file a complaint with the Spelljammer's 
Aid Society.  Such an action would have proven devastating  to  Bral's 
economy.  The  incident  made Bral look bad in the eyes of the Conorg, 
as one of the delegates for the conference (the arcane scholar  Blaise 
Pascal) is a crew member of the Eternal Wanderer.  
    A spokesman for Prince Andru said that one of the guard commanders 
had failed to read the latest intelligence reports.  Had the commander 
done  so,  he  would have been expecting the dreadnought,  which had a 
docking reservation.  In compensation for this incident,  and to  save 
face  with both Conorg and the Society,  Andru allowed the Wanderer to 
dock at his personal docks,  gave the crew access to  several  of  the 
palace facilities, and held a "Bar-B-Que" feast in their honor several 
days later.  

rjp3@cornell.edu (Richard J. Pugh)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                          NEWS FROM MYSTARA                         -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Mystara is the D&D "Known World" as introduced in X1 - The Isle of 
 Dread and developed in the Gazetteer and Hollow World product lines)

Soderfjord Jarldoms : Castellan : 
Thaumont 21, AC 1004

                    POETRY RECITAL POORLY ATTENDED

    Following a great deal of publicity,  the eminent Thyatian scholar 
Hartur of Tel-Akbir gave a  3  hour  recital  of  his  translation  of 
traditional  northern love ballads in Thyatian.  Sources indicate that 
there was only one audience member,  a lovely blond woman who lives in 
the woods outside of town.  
    Harfur  declined  to  be  interviewed  for  this report,  stating, 
"Hmmph...no sense of culture...no sense of national pride...see  if  I 
ever bother to recite...hmmph..." <This is part of the hook for "A Way 
With  Words",  a  low-level  adventure  that  appeared in issue #41 of 
Dungeon magazine.> 

Soderfjord Jarldoms : Soderfjord :
Thaumont 26, AC 1004 

             THYATIAN MERCHANT VESSEL ATTACKED BY BANDITS

    The small village of Randagok was destroyed earlier this week by a 
giant attack,  according to reports filtering down from the northwest.  
Apparently,  the village was razed and all inhabitants taken prisoner, 
as the villagers are all missing and the village lies destroyed.  

Soderfjord Jarldoms : Soderfjord :
Flaurmont 10, AC 1004

             THYATIAN MERCHANT VESSEL ATTACKED BY BANDITS 

    Reports indicate that the Thyatian  merchant  vessel,  Sulla,  was 
attacked  by  bandits while sailing up the Saltfjord River en route to 
the village of Sorfeld.  Jarl Rangar the Stout  issued  the  following 
statement,  "Well, what do you expect?  Any merchant bringing valuable 
goods upriver in the future would be  well  served  to  hire  a  solid 
company of my men to defend his profits, ya can't be too careful these 
days."  While  the extent of the loss is not fully known at this time, 
the Thyatian ambassador Marcus Asterius Lallus has acknowledged that a 
number of sailors and slaves are missing  following  the  attack.  The 
ambassador has offered a 5 markka reward for any escaped slave brought 
to the Thyatian embassy in Soderfjord.  

Soderfjord Jarldoms : Soderfjord :
Flaurmont 13, AC 1004 

                TYRIAN PRIESTS STRIP DEFENDER OF TITLE

    In  a ceremony today,  the high priests of the Temple of Tyr today 
stripped the young  beserker  Eldgrim  of  his  title  of  "Defender." 
Apparently  the  17  year-old  swordsman failed to act as befitting an 
emissary of Tyr during his service as Defender of  Randagok,  a  small 
village  in  the  northwest which was levelled by giants several weeks 
ago.  Eldgrim's testimony at the open hearing indicated  that  he  was 
struck unconcious early in the raid and awoke the next day to find the 
entire  village  destroyed.  Confidential sources indicate that he was 
not lying,  but that penance was still required under  Tyrian  edicts.  
High  Priest  Tangar  announced  that  for  two years Eldgrim would be 
stripped of his title and exiled  from  the  Northlands,  required  to 
wander  the  world  pondering his fate and attempting to atone for his 
failure as defender of Randagok.  Eldgrim took his penance  stoically, 
stating afterwards, "The judgment has been just, from this day forth I 
shall  call myself Eldgrim the Bitter,  for I have failed in my duties 
and must pay." 

Soderfjord Jarldoms : Castellan : 
Flaurmont 24, AC 1004

                      CARAVAN DEPARTS FOR YLARUAM

    Well-wishers and wives gathered at the gates today,  to wish  good 
fortune  toward  a laden caravan headed through the Jotunburg Pass for 
Ylaruam.  The pass has been considered  quite  dangerous  for  several 
months  now,  and  this is the first caravan to attempt the journey in 
several weeks.  The caravan was organized by Ingi and Ivor Horicksson, 
two brothers based out of Soderfjord.  They have invested a great  sum 
into  purchasing  a  large  quantity  of  salted  herring at wholesale 
prices.  They hope to sell the sixty barrels of herring to the wealthy 
rulers of Ylaruam for an exorbitant profit.  Another northerner, Bjorn 
"the Pungent",  accompanies them,  bearing a cartload of  tea  (Wilmik 
black)  and  tobacco (Suddland leafy #2) for the city of Ylaruam.  The 
final merchant is one Walid  bin-Asswan  Shukry  (also  known  as  Abu 
Ziyad),  an  Alaysian.  Abu  Ziyad is bound for the high lands town of 
Cinsa-Men-Roo with a load of powders and dyes for  the  plateau  town.  
He  carries  red  iron  powder,  indigo powder,  yellow sulfur powder.  
Guarding the caravan will be Holgar's  Free  Axes,  a  mercenary  band 
based  in Castellan.  For this job,  almost the entire company will be 
going,  amounting to some 60 footmen,  six sergeants,  and  of  course 
Holgar  himself.   Joining  the  caravan  as  passengers  are  several 
unidentified foreigners and one northerner.  

[Editor's note:  The text of the news was chopped off by  the  mailer.  
 While there was more, it did not arrive in time for inclusion in this 
 issue.  Hopefully, it will be available for next issue -- Mike] 

Anthony Ross, ROSSA@guvax.acc.georgetown.edu
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                       NEWS FROM THUNDER RIFT                       -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Thunder Rift is the new D&D setting, it is only a small valley)

Thunder Rift : Melinir :

                       SIR REYNALD'S SON MISSING

    The  son  of Sir Reynald,  a minor landed knight whose keep guards 
mines to the north of Melinir,  was recently reported as  missing.  It 
is probable that Baldwin,  the lad in question,  was kidnapped, but no 
further details are known.  A number of adventurers have met with  Sir 
Reynald  in  private,  but  the  matters  discussed have not been made 
public.  

Thunder Rift : North of Melinir :

           BRAWL IN UTICA LEAVES 5 DEAD, 4 SEVERELY WOUNDED

    Five strangers arrived in town,  leading a mule laden with a large 
and heavy chest.  Utica,  with perhaps 40 or 50 total residents,  is a 
rough  town,   having  attracted  what  would  often  be  termed   the 
'unpleasant elements',  and five of these set upon the strangers.  All 
five,  led by town strongman Althling,  were left dead,  but  the  new 
arrivals  walked  away severely wounded,  two having been rescued from 
unconciousness by the only unscathed member of the  party.  Magic  was 
reportedly  used in the tussle,  and the remaining residents have been 
reluctant to associate with the strangers.  

Mike Phillips, msphil@birds.wm.edu
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                           NEWS FROM AERTH                          -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(AErth is the Dangerous Journeys/Mythus game world, described in Epic 
 of AErth)

Mike Phillips, msphil@birds.wm.edu
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                      NEWS FROM ORIGINAL WORLDS                     -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(This is where news from DM-created worlds can be found)

Original : Nimolee, vicinity of New Iport :

                        GARGOYLE MAGE DEFEATED

    A local wizard,  known simply as the "Gargoyle Mage," was recently 
defeated.  This mage had been rapidly gaining power in the area,  much 
to the distress of local town governments.  After locating his castle, 
and cutting off his source of granite (which the  mage  was  using  to 
make  the gargoyles),  a band of adventurers broke into the castle and 
killed many of his assistants and several gargoyles.  The mage himself 
was apparently killed when he was  interrupted  during  a  conjuration 
spell.   Local   authorities  are  currently  locating  the  remaining 
gargoyles.  
    A prominent local wizard  known  as  the  Silver  Mage,  has  also 
dispatched  some of his aids to investigate the castle.  He has reason 
to believe that the sudden rise in the Gargoyle Mage's power is linked 
to a recent magical disturbance in the area.  He  would  not  disclose 
any further details.  

Original : Nimolee, vicinity of New Iport :

                        MOVING TEMPLE REPORTED

    Caravan merchants,  en route from New Iport to the barbarian lands 
to the north,  reported seeing  a  strange,  obsidian  temple  in  the 
meadows near the trade route.  The temple is described as looking like 
a huge, black, winged dog, with two siege weapons mounted on top.  The 
caravan  owner  allowed  four of his guards to approach the temple and 
investigate.  When they failed to return at a pre-arranged time,  some 
more  guards  approached  the  temple  and found that it had vanished.  
Damage to vegetation in the area would imply that it  somehow  "walked 
away," or was lifted off the ground.  
    The same caravan reported seeing the same temple two days later in 
a different location, on a high bluff.  This time, they were unable to 
approach.  By the following day the temple had again vanished.  
    The  Silver  Mage  of New Iport has announced plans to investigate 
the matter.  

rjp3@cornell.edu (Richard J. Pugh)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                    NEWS FROM   ARDOR RE ELBERON                    -
-                                                                    -
-                       349 A.G.W., 12th month                       -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Ardor Re Elberon is an original world)
[Editor's Note: This news arrived in my mailbox in two formats, once 
 written as most news here is, once written in a more modern style.  I
 chose to publish the more modern style, and invite comments on it.
 However, comments should be addressed to msphil@birds.wm.edu instead 
 of msphil@tsrv1.ts.wm.edu  -- Mike] 

Glossary (only new stuff):

Entry:       Description:

Mem            city; south of Weimar, Allanor
Nimthal        country; Elven forest state, north-west of Gordeyne
Ramanar        town in Ranthir
Ranthir        country; Dwarven Kindom, north of Gordeyne
Sauron's Ear   sea; bordering south of Gordeyne and Allanor             
Taurang        country; east of Allanor.
Weimar         city; capital of Allanor, east of Gordeyne
Xaxor          country; bordering south of Sauron's Ear 

                   ANTIQUE MAGICAL GAMES SURFACE

    GOR.  An antique chess game and a music box surfaced after missing 
for more than 150 years.  For the past months the items  were  studied 
by  the  mage  guild  in  Gor.  The  guild  master's secretary has now 
disclosed the results of the research to the public.  Chess  game  and 
music box have been created by means of a contest between a mage and a 
bard.  Being friends, the bard had claimed to create something magical 
which  would be more useful,  more beautiful,  and more difficult than 
the mage could do.  Thus the mage produced a chess board with  figures 
that  can  play against themselves or against a person.  In battle the 
figures act very realistic.  The bard  made  a  music  box  with  five 
figures  that  upon  command  step  out  of the box and can perform an 
incredible repertoire of songs or  dances.  The  little  band  appears 
real.  The  independent  jury decided for a draw and both items should 
be kept together,  being of historical importance.  This  happened  in 
the  north  of  Nimthal  about 200 years ago.  The items surfaced only 
three years ago.  Apparently,  the messenger of  Nimthal  who  had  to 
bring them to Gor was killed near Kont by hill giants nine months ago.  
No  comments  were  made by the secretary about the future location of 
the chess game and the music box,  but from well-informed quarters  it 
was  quoted  that both will return to Nimthal.  The public can visit a 
small exhibition with a demonstration of the objects during  the  next 
week in the city library.  

              NOVUM CONTEST: FINALS AND SABOTAGE

    WEIMAR.  The congress of magic finished today in Weimar, featuring 
finals and the presentation ceremony of the Novum contest.  The winner 
was the Dwarven Smith's Guild from Ramanar who presented  their  Plate 
Mail of the Planes to the impressed audience.  With standing ovations, 
the  four  winners  received  the  honors and the prize money from the 
honorable mastermage Cormelman, head of Weimar's mage guild.  
    One day earlier,  the contest was  overshadowed  by  an  insidious 
sabotage.  The  public's favourite for the Novum contest,  the Singing 
Fishes,  had been killed by an unknown  person  who  had  knocked  the 
aquarium over.  

        CHIEF COMMANDER OF CITY GUARD IMPRISONED

    MEM.  The commander of the city guard,  master Virgo, was arrested 
by vice-commander Mongo.  The chief was found to have organized weapon 
and drug deals between Taurang  and  Xaxor  via  Sauron's  Ear.  These 
countries  appear  to  be  building  up  forces  against  Gordeyne and 
Allanor.  "And I thought he was a good friend," Mongo was  quoted  one 
day  later,  still shocked,  "he must have led a double life over many 
years." 

-Bezlan, itinerant bard from Gogolin. mott@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de

Martin Ott, p581mao@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                         A CAMPAIGN JOURNAL                         -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(This was sent to me some time ago, but I have forgotten to include it
 in the past two issues.  This is a portion of a campaign journal that
 was submitted.  You may find it of some interest.)

                       A TINY BIT OF BACKGROUND

Action takes place in a deviant forgotten realms type world, around
Waterdeep, a huge city, and Dagerford, an almost-frontier town,
Secomber, a small town on the edge of the High Moor.  Clearwater,
Highhill, Greenmoor are all fairly insignificant villages. 
Laughing Hollow is the elvish settlement nearest to Daggerford.

        Finbar - a bard, from near Waterdeep
        Tor - a magic user from somewhere a long way away
        Arayna - Tor's girlfriend
        Paddy - a gnome thief / illusionist from fairly far away
        Caljuin - a fighting priest of Tempus from the same place as Paddy
        Eddie - a halfling thief, with many scars from somewhere around here
        Valdora - a female Paladin from Daggerford
        Thweedel - an illusionist from fairly far away
        Mob - a cleric of Ukko from fairly far away
        Ben - a fighter from Waterdeep
        Mairenne - a female elven fighter from Laughing Hollow
        Padur - a drug addicted ranger
        Delfen - Tor's Tutor, based in Daggerford
        Lamonsten - Thweedel's Tutor, based in Waterdeep
        Duke Pwyll - Duke of Daggerford
        The Watch - Waterdeep Police
        The Militia - Daggerford based men at arms mainly there in case
                      of invasion from Dragonspear.  Many of the player
                      characters are members of the militia, because it
                      runs a very attractive training scheme!
        Dragonspear - the relatively local place where hoards of evil
                      creatures live, currently building up forces for
                      another invasion at some point in the not too near
                      future.
        Nightshade - a mad magic user who some time previously employed
                     the party for a short time
        Sherlen - the leader of the Daggerford milita


SESSION 1

27th Nov
    Finbar  contacted  someone  who  would  train  him  at  both   the 
Musician's  Guild  and  a  fighting  school  recommended to him by the 
Watch.  The party loaned him 850gp to help pay for training,  although 
party  members  staying  in  Waterdeep agreed to keep an eye on him to 
ensure he didn't run away without repaying the debt !  
    Tor arranged for messages to be kept for him at the  mages  guild, 
and Paddy paid off his remaining training costs to his teacher, before 
he was hassled further.  After much discussion, the party kitty made a 
distribution of 500gp to its shareholders.  Eddie bought 5 white pills 
for  300gp  for  the  party,  and  they were distributed amongst those 
trusted not to use them needlessly (naturally Padur  knew  nothing  of 
this).  Finbar played another gig at the Jade Dancer, and it went down 
well, and was given another slot.  

28th Nov
    Tor had a meal out with Arayna,  and had to break the news that he 
had to leave for a month or so the next day !  She suggested that  she 
went  with  him,  but  her  father was furious with the idea,  and she 
accepted his refusal.  Tor promised to send a  message  if  he  wasn't 
back by mid Jan (a month and a half away).  

29th Nov - 9th Dec
    Tor  &  Thweedel  returned to Daggerford to get training vouchers, 
and Padur came with them  too  in  case  any  more  militia  work  was 
available.  Ben went with them because he had little better to do, and 
the  Daggerford  militia  seemed like a good job,  with good benefits.  
The trip to Daggerford was  uneventful,  and  when  they  arrived  Ben 
joined  up and was shown the ropes,  and with Padur spent a week or so 
working on routine duty.  Tor started his training with Delfen after a 
few days delay,  and Thweedel  returned  to  Waterdeep  clutching  the 
training  voucher,  accompanying  a  patrol.  On his return he started 
training with Lamonsten.  
    Meanwhile in Waterdeep, Finbar performed once again,  and excelled 
himself,  and was given another slot at the top of the bill!  This top 
of the bill slot went ok,  but not as well as hoped.  Another slot was 
arranged, but not at the top of the bill.  
    Caljuin,  Mob, and Paddy looked for jobs.  They spoke to a fighter 
called Obar who was looking for people to accompany him on a trip down 
the Yawning Portal,  but he was clearly looking for  more  experienced 
adventurers.   The  mage  who  wanted  vampire  bat  claws  was  still 
advertising, and a new notice requesting "experienced adventurers" was 
put by the Cellarers and Plumbers Guild !  
    On the day that Eddie came out of training he asked Nightshade  if 
there  were  any  suitable  jobs,  but there weren't right now.  A new 
notice was seen,  put up by Algurun the Argent,  the  somewhat  senile 
mage with lots of cats,  and sounded interesting, so the party of four 
went along.  The mission was to retrieve a large green gem  of  little 
intrinsic  value,  except for its use in a certain magic spell Algurun 
was researching.  He had used visions to discover where it was, and he 
believed it was in the Bluestone Heights.  From  his  visions  he  had 
determined  that  from  a  small  hill  between the two highest peaks, 
looking east into a valley a mound should be visible with  a  standing 
stone on it.  The mound should be enterable by a slab on the side, and 
somewhere within lies the gem,  although his visions didn't say where.  
Algurun estimated from his vision that the mound was between  300  and 
1000  years old.  The party accepted the mission - 200 gp expenses and 
2000gp for finding the gem, all payment at the end of the mission.  

10th Dec
    Eddie went to a sage,  Ammathair and  asked  about  the  Bluestone 
Heights and the mound.  The sage after a day of research said that the 
mound  sounded like one of elvish construction,  but that elves hadn't 
lived in the Bluestone Heights within 1000 years.  The  most  probable 
explanation was a barbarian tribe influenced by elves built the mound.  
Currently  there  were  no  known  human,  dwarven,  elven  or gnomish 
communities in the Bluestone Heights.  

11th Dec - 14th Dec
    Paddy,  Caljuin,  Eddie and Finbar (now trained up to  3rd  level) 
travelled  to Daggerford,  and there met up with Ben and Padur.  Going 
to the militia HQ,  they were told about the  forthcoming  wedding  of 
Baron Perne's son,  and were asked if they would take a message to the 
Baron,  and attend the wedding as militia representatives.  Since  the 
party  wanted  to  go in this direction anyway,  and the idea of being 
paid to attend a banquet seemed like a good idea,  the  party  agreed.  
The  non-militia  in  the  party  were made 'honorary militia' for the 
duration of this trip.  

14th Dec
    In the evening at the pub, Finbar started talking to an attractive 
elven girl,  Mairenne (Graham's new character),  and the rest  of  the 
party  were out for a reunion drink with "orc A" and decided to play a 
practical joke, getting Orc A (who Finbar had never met) to pretend he 
was Finbar's toy-boy in front of Mairenne!  They left the pub when  it 
failed to distress Finbar,  but looking in the magic box,  Mob found a 
small vial while wondering what else he could do to  the  new  couple.  
Thinking it was a love potion,  he waited around with Eddie,  and when 
they left the pub, Mob cast hold person on them and Eddie splashed the 
flowery  smelling  liquid  over the pair of them and then dashed away.  
The affects seemed  only  to  be  that  they  both  smelled  of  cheap 
perfume...  

----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                          OTHER INFORMATION                         -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE:
(ASCII format)
  Volume I:
    #1, #2, #3*, #4*, #5*, #6*, #7*
  Volume II:
    #1, #2, #3, #4, #5*, #6, #7

    Starred issues are  available  as  Postscript  files,  located  at 
ftp.iastate.edu.  They  are  named  fnnvXnY.ps,  where X is the volume 
number and Y is the issue number.  (note that a transfer  leaving  off 
the  .Z  will result in the file being uncompressed into the normal PS 
format before the transfer begins) Some Unix  networks  have  problems 
printing the PS files, but desktop machines (PC's, Macs) have reported 
no difficulties.  The issues were prepared on a Macintosh, using Aldus 
Pagemaker  4.2  and  the font GoudyMedieval.  If anyone knows why this 
setup might be having problems with Unix machines, please let me know.  
    All ASCII issues will be available from listserv@leicester.ac.uk, as part 
of the FNN archives as soon as I can place them there.

SUBMITTING NEWS:
(VERY important, this is how this Journal stays alive)

    Mail me something,  with a  location,  headline  optional,  and  a 
description.  There are plenty of examples available,  of course, from 
any issue of FNN:  TAJ.  I am also fond of receiving multi-part  news, 
which has a full story over two or more issues,  all submitted at once 
(and clearly marked as separate pieces).  The news will be  placed  in 
the appropriate scrap files.  
    All mail to the editor should be addressed to FNN@le.ac.uk.

SUBSCRIBING TO FNN:TAJ:

    Subscriptions are handled via a listserv now,  making my life much 
easier (particularly since the account I've been using is vaporizing).  
To subscribe, send mail to listserv@leicester.ac.uk, with the body: 
SUBSCRIBE FNN Your Name 
    PLEASE DO NOT SUBSCRIBE UNTIL I ANNOUNCE THAT THE LIST IS OPEN!  I 
will mail all people still on my distribution list once everything  is 
finished being set up.  Hopefully, it won't be more than a couple more 
days.  Thank you for your cooperation.  

DEADLINE: Volume II, number 8 is due out August 1st, so all submissions 
for the next issue must be in no later than Friday, July 29th in 
order to be included!  

    Thanks for your support!
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