# (IR) IR Interlude Turn 4 - 5 (thread 4)



## Edena_of_Neith (Mar 18, 2002)

Edena here.
  With thread 3 full, here is yet another Interlude thread.
  Unless you cram more than 200 posts into it in the next 13 hours, it should be the last Interlude.

  The people of AnaKeri are friendly now to the visitors representing Alyx, Anabstercorian, Mr Draco and Serpenteye, Kaboom, and William.

  Kaboom finds the merfolk particularly friendly.

  They are very curious about their brethren around Oerik, and about Oerik itself.

  The people of AnaKeri are as varied as the people of Oerik.
  The area in which the people from Oerik have arrived is only a small area of the continent.
  They now entertain the visitors, treat them well, treat them as honored guests.

  The land is lush, and unusually friendly for a tropical land.
  There is a notable lack of poisonous snakes and other such dangers, and most of the trees and plants are harmless.
  Many of the trees bear lush fruits of every kind.
  These people have access to a ready foodsource that is twenty times what they need, and that foodsource is easily obtained.

  Eventually, emissaries of both the Alliance of Oerth and the Union of Oerth are taken into the deep forest, and journey for 3 days through it.
  And there it is.
  Still 2 miles distant, is a great stone structure, with people moving around inside it and outside it.
  Surrounding it are numerous lesser structures, and machines of various sorts.
  Around all that is a defensive perimeter, and a Disintigration Fence.
  The native people explain that they did not take the observers any closer because invisible watchers scry the area are the perimeter.

  The banner of the Eternal Empire of Oerth flies above the great structure's topmost point, suspended on a high pole.

  Other teams are led to the two other invaders.

  However, when the scouts and visitors get close to where it is stated Saermont is, a Confusion effect - apparently cast in conjunction with Permanency over a vast area - stops them.
  The forests ahead are totally bewildering.
  Attempting to push into this, the search party finds itself back where it started, after several hours of trying to get through.
  This happens again, when they try a second time, and once more they arrive back where they started.

  Those sent searching for Inor Taladost meet with no luck.
  They come upon something quickly enough.
  A huge pool of water, is what they come upon.
  There is nothing here now but that pool of water.
  No magic, no left over trash, no nothing!


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## Mr. Draco (Mar 18, 2002)

Then, out of natural curiosity, one of the members of the Union team will, while under the effect of a waterbreathing spell, explore what is in the pool of water.


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## Edena_of_Neith (Mar 18, 2002)

Nothing.  Nothing is in the water at all.


  By the way - O'Skoteinos, in case you do not read the other thread ...

  Some spies alleged to be yours were caught in the Lortmil Technomancy.
  These spies have stated you wished to sabotage the nuclear capabilities of the Lortmil Technomancy.
  Although you had nothing to do with it, there was a nuclear explosion in the Union, as the gift of the Lortmil Technomancy to the Union was sabotaged.

  Now, the Lortmil Technomancy has given you an ultimatum.
  Effectively, they are demanding your people disarm and surrender, and that your PC personally submit himself for justice at the Lortmil Technomancy.
  Otherwise, state they, you will suffer grim consequences.


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## Mr. Draco (Mar 18, 2002)

Also, the Union representatives there will ask the natives about any local legends, mythology, minerals, native creatures, etc...

The representatives will continue training the natives with the technology they have, also, they will share any information with the natives that they request.  If they wish it, emmisaries from the native countries are taken on tours of the Union territories.

[edit]- The natives will also be asked if there are any others (natives) living on that continent that they know of.


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## Mr. Draco (Mar 18, 2002)

Lithedenor Ytnivv, Dalentyll Tempesatis, and Kas himself will travel to AnaKeri and investigate the area where Saermont is.  With their highly magical nature, and extensive magical defenses, perhaps they can get through the confusion effect.

If they do, they first attempt to enter into peaceful negotiations with the Saermont.


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## kaboom (Mar 18, 2002)

Did my overtures to the merfolk succeed in securing an alliance?


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## Edena_of_Neith (Mar 18, 2002)

Kaboom, as I said, they are friendly, but they do not ally.

  Kas succeeds in getting through the defenses of Saermont, only to find himself face to face with a trio of angry giants in a forest glade.

  The giants (they are fire giants) look at Kas, then speak:

  You are trespassing.
  The price of trespassing, is death.

  They sweep out their swords, and attack.
  One blows his horn first, it's echoes taken up quickly by other horns.
  The alarm is spreading.

  - - -

  I am assuming, from the lack of posts above, that the scouts who have seen the Eternal Empire installation have not yet given themselves away.
  As a result, that installation goes on about it's business, while the onlookers watch.


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## 'o Skoteinos (Mar 18, 2002)

(A Persistant Two Bodies (Book of Eldrich Might 2) will be sent to the Lortmills.)

Kessel, Leader of the Lortmill Technomancy. I have not come here to submit myself to your "justice", nor to take any offensive action. I have come here to explain. To explain the ... painful ... misunderstanding that has arisen between us...

I know that anything I say now can, and probably will, be taken out of context, by you or someone else, so let me first state that whatever I seem to imply, I don't. Don't take double meanings where there are none...

I have heard that you have captured some of my spies. Very unfortunate, indeed. I will not deny I have sent spies to you: technology makes me nervous. As a mage, I'm far more comfortable with magic than with technology, just as you would be more comfortable with your technology than with Kalanyr's 10th level magic. I sent my spies to report me of your destructive capabilites, and I see it was the right thing to do. With the destruction of an entire military base of the Union of Oerth, you seem to have achieved some new means of destruction.

Your policy, peace through threats, is not one I like. The power to destroy a nation bring great responsibilities. Because, how do you know which nation to destroy? Yes, you have captured my spies, but I most certainly did not order them to sabotage, take your nukes to me or any other sort of malicious act. And that is where things get complicated...can spies alone, spies who deny sabotage, be enough proof to destroy millions of people? I don't think so. And that's why we're in the situation we're in now. I hope you don't want to destroy all my people, all my cities, my whole civilization. And yet, if you don't, it is the first step towards failure of your policy...

I will not disarm my nation, I will not submit myself to your justice, for in this case, justice is flawed. I do not want war with your people, Kessel, and that's why I have come here, to prevent war. I will make you an offer you can't refuse. This offer will show you that it was not me, nor any of my people who sabotaged you nuke...

I invite you, Kessel, to come to the Pomarj, and bring with you Kalanyr and some of his best mages. You can do all the mind reading and divining you wish, and I shall not resist. That will prove my innocence, and, I hope it will prevent a war between us. 

I have shown my willingness to make a sacrifice for peace, now, show me you're willing, either by releasing my spies, or by killing them, but do not keep than imprisoned any longer.

(When is is finished speaking, he will kill himself).


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## Kalanyr (Mar 18, 2002)

I am doing what I can to clean up the Nuclear Mess.
I took the Wanderer's people to my Pocket Dimension as was his wish.

Also the next time Melf turns up on my scrying I'll return him to his former alignment and disposition if he wishes to get rid of the Shade Template I'll do that too.

Iggwilv goes to investigate the new continent.

To Ahlissa the deluded
"Ahlissa you are truly insane you cannot summon the Elder Ones if you could you would get more fear but for now you are merely an evil,deluded harlot. Oh and threatening people with them when you don't have them is a bad idea since you'll just get yourself killed. "


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## Edena_of_Neith (Mar 18, 2002)

Moderator is intervening:

  GnomeWorks, 'o Skoteinos - those were not spies of the Pomarj that squealed when caught.

  All of the spies of the Pomarj are accounted for, and those spies that were caught, were not working for the Pomarj.

  So, the question must be asked:  who were they working for, and just how truthful were their statements?

  - - -

  Therefore, it is not necessary for anyone to commit suicide.

  I wanted the Powers to get worked up, yes.  
  But not THAT worked up.


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## Edena_of_Neith (Mar 18, 2002)

(sad look)

  Disclaimer:

  Your Moderator has been the instrument of many wicked plots against your various Powers.
  However, his large operations are over now.
  He is but a small player now, on the bigger scene.

  However, he must handle that bigger scene.

  He must make rulings on a gaggle of secret e-mails sent him.
  He must rule on secret plots to turn Powers against each other.
  He must rule on secret plots to assassinate the leaders of the Powers.
  He must rule on secret plots to impersonate the Leaders of the Powers.
  He must rule on secret weapons programs.
  He must rule on secret alliances.
  He must rule on the use of the Red Goo.

  He has a busy job.

  Your Moderator does what the e-mails tell him to do, and makes rulings on what the e-mails want him to do.
  Your Moderator is not deliberately singling you out, or attempting to hit at you.

  All of you out there have some determined and ruthless foes.
  As determined and ruthless as anything gets.

  If you see that ruthlessness and determination in the results of my posts, then you see the work of your fellow Powers, not the malevolence of your Moderator.

  If you blame me for the misfortunes that are going to befall you during the Interlude, and especially during Turn 5, and become angry at me for what I am required to do, then I fear my job is going to become very difficult, and painful.


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## Kalanyr (Mar 18, 2002)

Edena-As long as their ruthlessness doesn't involve them spontaneously developing 10th level magic or nukes or similar or other horrendous powers in excess of those two, I don't think anyone will blame you.

I am sending emisaries to the Eternal Empire of Toril,Fireland and the Tharquish Empire, (I am doing an alignment scan on each of the above too), those of good or neutral alignment I offer peace perhaps even alliance and aid if they are willing. The evil ones I tell that if they make no move against me or my allies I will not fry them alive, turn them into toads, forcibly change their alignment to Solar-Calibre Good or do anything similarly nasty.


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## Darkness (Mar 18, 2002)

The Baklunish peoples and their allies will be careful in their research of the mysterious red goo. Thus, our red goo rating is *1*.

BTW, *Edena*, I'll send you my PL template now. If you don't receive it soon, please tell me. (And also tell me if you've received it! )

- Darkness


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## The Forsaken One (Mar 18, 2002)

Yeah edena plz confirm you got my large mail  (and template)
and the 2 smaller ones I sent a few mins ago.

Else I typed almost 3 pages for jack you know who 

See ya all tonight We'll be in for some grand action ala Terry


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## Kalanyr (Mar 18, 2002)

Edena how long are you liable to be online? There are a few things I want to discuss with you via email if you have some time.

Also how did people get spies past 10th level mind scanning magic (or has everyone and their dog developed immunity to that too?)?


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## Kalanyr (Mar 18, 2002)

Iggwilv will use 10th level magic to avoid the confusion effect if possible when looking for the secret base.


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## Edena_of_Neith (Mar 18, 2002)

(sad, exhausted look)

  Would someone else like my job?

  It's requirements are easy enough to meet.

  4 hours per day, everyday.
  Endless calculating, endless modifications of a novel sized list.
  Endless hundreds of e-mails (stretching into the thousands.)
  Endless replies to those e-mails.
  Endless rearranging of the War Room.

  But those are the minor requirements.

  Haven't any of you wondered how I have been able to go on like this?
  To go on, day after day, week after week?

  Through the over 3,000 posts in the 3rd IR?

  Well, you shall know my secret.

  - - -

  Fun.
  I empathetically feel it when you are having fun.
  Your fun creates pleasure for me, both physical and mental.
  Your fun gives me energy and strength I would not otherwise have.

  Fun is good.
  Fun is powerful.
  Fun brought together players from Australia, Indonesia, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Finland, France, Austria, and other countries, as well as from many parts of the United States, in a common bonding that has lasted for over a full month.
  Fun is a strong bond.

  Unfortunately, for me, the reverse is true as well.
  When you hurt, I hurt.
  When you feel depressed or sad, I feel it.
  Where your joy gives me strength and energy, your sadness and gloom makes me feel weak and drained.

  As I feel now.

  - - -

  We have maintained the fun up til this point.
  But now ... take a look into the future, folks.

  There are fully 24 of you.
  Most of you are in competition with each other for dominance of a world, or perhaps several worlds.
  As the IR continues, one Power after another is going to get knocked out of play.

  I know from long experience that this will be unpleasant for the player of the Power in question.
  And then, will he go away and say:  the IR was a great game!  One of the best!
  Or will he go away saying:  The IR was ok, good while it lasted.
  Or will he go away saying:  The IR stank.

  If I were to halt the IR now, I am betting most of you would walk away saying the IR was a great game, a really good time.
  I am betting that if I continue, most of you will not say that when it is all over.

  Losing hurts.  
  It is never pleasant.  
  I know people can be good sports about it, but it hurts inside, no matter how hard we try to deny that it hurts.
  Tell me that I am wrong.
  Tell me that you have not seen this pain in those who have lost characters or games.

  And yet, many of you must lose if we continue the IR.
  In a competitive game, it is inevitable that there are going to be victors, and the vanquished.

  I cannot keep this from happening.
  If I tried to, I would be interfering with the game.

  - - -

  Turn 5 is going to be messy.
  By messy, I mean most of you are in for severe shocks.
  Far worse than what o'Skoteinos and GnomeWorks just endured.
  I'm talking about the Stunning News, dropped on your front porch.

  And there will be chaos.
  Nobody will know what is happening, who is doing what, or what is about to happen, unless they read things carefully - and then they probably won't know, since so many things are occuring secretly behind the scenes through e-mail.

  There will be severe casualties, whole countries destroyed, perhaps whole Powers destroyed.

  Now, in the last two days I have had two players waver, and they are obviously teetering on the brink of leaving the IR.
  And that's from the mild Interlude.
  The Interlude is the time of least stress, least demand, least confusion.

  What am I to do?
  I cannot always make it fun, nor answer all your questions, nor make sense out of the confusion all the time (I have a difficult enough time keeping it all clear in my own head.)
  You ask me to arbitrate a game with nuclear weapons, 10th level magic, and interstellar war.
  TSR never attempted such a thing, and they were a large gaming company.
  I am one person.

  I say to you this:

  Stand strong, and roll with the blows of the IR.
  Let the confusion wash over you, and let it pass on by.
  Stay true to yourself, and stand tall in the IR, and never give in.
  Resolve to crush all your foes, if it's the last thing you ever do.
  Resolve to squash your foes like one squashes a bug.
  And resolve that, if you cannot win, then at least you're not going down without taking everyone else with you.
  And laugh.
  Laughter is good.
  Laughter, keeps you going when nothing else does.


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## Darkness (Mar 18, 2002)

Edena, have you got my PL template and noted my red goo level (which is 1)?


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## Maudlin (Mar 18, 2002)

Whoa, that's the 2nd time I've managed to totally miss the new thread 

Anyway, the map has finally been updated. It's Oerth, but not as you know it.

As for Edena's comments... I know everyone wants to succeed and rise to unequaled power (I know I do). Fact is, most of you (probably me again ) aren't going to. Most of you are going to lose, in one way or another. Let's be graceful about it... 

Edena has on several occasions doublebacked when he didn't think he was treating a player equitably, so we shouldn't accuse when we perceive an imbalance, I think. I'll pay more attention to that myself in the future..


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## Darkness (Mar 18, 2002)

BTW, the list of players below the map could use an update, too, Maudlin!


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## Maudlin (Mar 18, 2002)

Right-o. Thanks, Darkness  Think I got them all now.

Hey E - If I ever get knocked out permanently by these bastards, I'd be willing to take on some of the mindless calculations, if you're ready to outsource...

I'd even be willing to be impartial about the people who killed me, in extremis :>


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## Black Omega (Mar 18, 2002)

Edena, no worries.  It's been alot of fun so far and i'm sure it will continue to be.  People will get knocked out, or at least devestated, that's just how it happens in something like this.
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> I am assuming, from the lack of posts above, that the scouts who have seen the Eternal Empire installation have not yet given themselves away.



Yes, watching.  Spying from a distance.


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## The Forsaken One (Mar 18, 2002)

*Edena*

Hmm.. sorry to bother you again... I'm making a mess this interlude I know  

But could you please reply to my Template (and the balbla story), and the last 2 mini mails that should have been 1 small mail 

It's imperative that I get those answers before next turn. Else I need to do certain things while we are started and they take ingame time then and now they don't....

so plz if you find the time, make it happen! (your probably getting some sleep and rest now before the mayhem really starts kicking in 

I'm sooo anxious for next turn 
I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep it up! 

And my way  for this turn if necissary, TO OBLIVION!!!


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## 'o Skoteinos (Mar 18, 2002)

Edena:

I had cast a 'Persistent Two Bodies spell" (or whatever the real name is, from BoEM2). It's a 9th level spell (lasting 24 hours, due to the Persistent Metamagic) that creates a duplicate of you. When one of the two dies, the other becomes the real one.

What happened was:

I casted that spell. The duplicate teleported somewhere to have a chat with Kessel. The Duplicate kills himself (to avoid being captured / forced to reveal secret information / whatever other unpleasant things Kessel would've thought of), and the real one is still around.

I'm really sorry for the confusion I've caused. It would've been fun to unmask the real spies together with Gnomeworks and Kalanyr...

Other Topic: I've had no reply from you on my Red Goo factor? I want to raise it to 5, can I do that with the precautions I'm taking (look at my turn 5 template mail)?

Gnomeworks, with the news that my spies are all accounted for, and those "spies" not being mine, whose were they? I think I have a clue...but still no acces to the Lurkers Forum (That's a HINT William )...

Maudlin, thanks for adding my name.


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## LordMelkor{Talos} (Mar 18, 2002)

Indeed Forsaken One, oblivion awaits.


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## William Ronald (Mar 18, 2002)

Hi, 'o Skotenos:

Have to run out soon.  I am making sure you get access to the Lurker's Forum.  Sorry for any confusion.

My representatives will try to help solve any differences between your faction and Gnomeworks.  I got to hand it to Rhialto, who must have several levels in the saboteur prestige class. 

Everyone, let's stick with the IR.  Some of us will be wiped out, but others will survive.  Indeed, there are a lot of ways to be a winner.  Let us not abandon this thread.  Also, we need to let Edena know how appreciative we are of his efforts.

Edena:

I will be gone for a while. I ask that my allies represent me.  My civilians will be moved to a place of safety.  (The pocket dimension is probably best, if not possible to send them there I go with the other option.)

Maudlin:

Great map.  Everyone look at it and think about all the geological changes. The Blood Waste is not a joke and neither is what it is doing to Oerth.


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## William Ronald (Mar 18, 2002)

'o Skotenos:

To help make amends, I will let you know that extensive use of the Red Steel will have side effects.  Many are going to bad, such as increased agressiveness.  There may be some good ones.

I think this Red Steel works like the Red Steel of the Mystara campaign setting.

Edena:

I send messages to Hope Island on Toril and the UC of Toril about the presence of the Eternal Empire.

Really must go now.


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## Anabstercorian (Mar 18, 2002)

*I'm here for the long haul*

Relax, Edena.  I'll be in this game up until I either win, or lose, and either way I'll walk off with a smile on my face.  I am having Fun, and lots of it. 

As for my current actions?  Well, Anabstercorian is coming down to AnaKeri to greet these natives, and apologize for the Incident.  I'm sure you know what I mean.  I explain things in full and ask for their forgiveness - Red Iron weapons and armor are offered as tribute for their understanding.

In addition, Solistarim forces seek to forge a permanent diplomatic relationship with the natives, desiring a trade route between them - We import food in exchange for Red Iron weaponry.

More details in an e-mail.


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## LordMelkor{Talos} (Mar 18, 2002)

Edena, have you seen my last email, it was quite important!

Anabstecorian , email incoming.


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## Tokiwong (Mar 18, 2002)

_Iuz waits upon his throne... watching languidly... as the storm begins to brew... and wonders just how kind the manners of fate will be..._

OOC: I am in for the long haul this is some cool stuff Edena... you are doing great glad you guys let me join...


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