November 28 - Seems anacondas and other assorted snakes invaded the gate tonight, lucky thing for all them folks with thick tongues compliments of Hades.  Since the folks are cured now I take it the invasion was successful, for us at least.  Now if we could only find them out in the wilds, we can't depend on an invasion everytime someone gets a lisp. Then later a bunch of rats, lynxes, bobcats, wolves, red bears, and get this...giant ratcatchers, attacked the gate also. While the animals were attacking us we were treated to several bad puns, such as the following:  "A voice comes from the well, "Well you know what they say... Hera today, gone tomrorow."  and "And when you felis you canis stanis no more it gets ursine than you thought!"  

Then who else showed up but our good friend Collin who sent a single savage and an assasin to attack us after having a nice chat at the gate.  Another assasin came later, attacked Vaftel long enough to poison him pretty badly, and ran off.  The poison wouldn't wear off so we had Garrock and Melodone frantically mixing cures for 15 minutes until it finally stopped 6 elixirs later.  We can't be too sure if this was Collin's doing, someone we don't even know of yet, or one of Nisha's assasins...there's a name we haven't heard in a while.  Then a bunch of rogues came with poisoned daggers but only managed to poison Seyton and I, while it was only a nausea poison it was still painful, and seemed like it lasted forever.  Some had poisoned greatswords too that put Melodone and I to sleep, we nearly had a trip to Hades with that one. And as if that wasn't enough, seems Laphiera ran away during the ruckus, she has now taken up residence north of the Peiraic gates.

November 27 - Happy Thanksgiving!  The poor weeping skeleton showed up again tonight, this time at the gate, sobbing and making little sense as he did before at the masquerade ball.  He weeped and cried and kept repeating "No peace...no peace" and saying that Alec needed help and when folks asked where Alec was he'd point north.  We still have no idea who this Alec is, we thought it was the skeleton's name before but I guess we were wrong.

November 26 - Vaftel, Skorche, and I went exploring in the Thebes area and decided to go see the bacchae's lair since Skorche hadn't seen it. When we found the NPC Bacchae, she had changed...she is no longer calmed, we thought this odd but blamed it on some quirk in the system. When we go to the room in which Bacchus was supposedly "vanquished" by Fox, the portal was gone, his altar gone, and along with the altar...the dreamstone vial that Fox wore that had been on the afore mentioned altar was also gone. All that was left in the room were some wooden splinters lying scattered on the floor, bits of reddish hair caught in them, suspiciously the same color as Fox's. What this means we can only guess...was Bacchus' death faked by Fox..."The Mistress of Illusions"? We can't know for sure...be on guard.

November 24 - Those little spiders that everyone swears we're imagining showed up again tonight plaguing a few of us at the gate, some even biting and nearly killing us.  Then, as if to prove their existence to everyone else, giant spiders attacked us at the gate.  After we dispersed of a goodly sum of those the shadowy voice came back and started taunting us but left as soon as Fedmire showed up, saying it was time for dinner.  A few minutes later Fedmire was heard on the socra stone saying "man is she hot" or some such, so we can guess it was that "shadow hussy" as Melodone so eloquently put it.

November 21 - Not quite sure the order of events or what all happened but I am guessing Autloycus showed up and showed people the way to the Grandfather Oak, located past the pass in cheetahs and maenads, where they got some golden sticks and then he led the group to Hades.  Once in Hades they found Orpheus who played his lyre and snapped Fox out of her bacchae tendencies, Fox then somehow managed to defeat Bacchus and thus free herself from his torment forever, we hope.  So, the pass is now open, hyenas, red bears, and timberwolves run around there, but Thebes is still quarantined I fear, and Fox is finally saved!

November 20 - Night showed up tonight at the gate to seemingly reinforce what Fatima told us the other day.  She said that we needed to find that tree to help save Fox.  She said in the top-most branches of this tree we will find "your boon" and to take two, she kept stressing that we remember to take two, and that this tree is the first place to go before attempting to get into the underworld while still alive. She also told us another key to the underworld was a cake made of the sweetest hoiney, again telling us to bring two and that we'd know when to use them and for what.

And Fedmire also managed to talk Poseidon into getting him out of the well.  He arrived in a puff of smoke and sat down and proceeded to chat with everyone at the gate.  When he left he grabbed Melodone and gave her back her perfect rose.

When Fedmire left the spiders got active again.  Melodone and I saw a lot of them...some crawled out of her ears, I had some pretty nasty bumps grow on my arms and start oozing puss and spiders, she saw me drooling something brown, we saw spiders crawling out of a hole in Vaftel's head...pretty disturbing stuff.  Just when everyone thought we were crazy everyone saw a shadow of a huge spider form on the ground and disappear.  Could one of the gods be mad at us over the rose that Fedmire says he got from a god's garden?  Who knows...

News news news...seems Wayland , Pythos, and Garrock also found the new alchemist shop in Midgard tonight (west and northwest of the Falske Gudders shrine), all sorts of new scrolls there for you guys, and pretty cheap too...and he sells beautiful satchels and pouches!  Check my Midgard price list for more details on what they have.

November 18 - A new area opened up a bit northwest of the town of Piraeus.  There are a couple fishing spots, a clearing where folks can dance and such, a lovely cabin surrounded by clover and other various flowers.  Seems there's also cutthroats and robbers in this area, finally a nice spot for folks to hunt things with treasure between rowdies and bandits.  All in all, a lovely area...I'm sure the centaur alchemists'll love it, all the herbs and clover laying about, even a platform in a tree that can hold their weight!  See the Library to download the map of the new area (Wilds 5).

November 16 - Fatima showed up tonight, I'm not quite sure what all happened as all the stories I heard were mixed up and jumbled, but Vaftel said she told him he needed to save Fox.  She told them they needed to find something a mortal dog would chase, but worth a lot, in a tree as wide as Bonk or some such.  She also mentioned that we needed to find Autolycus, who whispered to a couple of us before we went trapsing off to Midgard on a wild-tree chase and wasn't heard from again.

November 15 - Be careful when departing from the underworld now, seems Hades has gotten a sense of humor now and will curse you if you depart.  I'm not sure what all can happen but people have shown up with lisps, warts,  swarms of bugs that follow them around, odd smells, hiccups, and various other problems and deformities.  Seems you may need an alchemist to cure you too, with formulas I'm not sure that they have yet or not.

November 14 - Seems Collin finally showed his face again tonight, doing his normal thing...attacking us and running home defeated.  All I really know is that he attacked with soldiers, savages, and some kind of hounds...not sure of anything besides that.  It just sounds like another normal night for Collin.. It is good to see him back though! (note the last sentence was a tad sarcastic)

November 13 - Another bad morning for Fedmire as we ran to his aid to find him locked in the cage in the tree of horrors.  After a good while of killing wolves and conversing by the infamous "voice in the shadows" trying to free Fedmire somehow, the voice finally said he'd let Fedmire go and did just that...right into the pit under the cage.  Well, this brought us all to yelling at him, and we had nowhere else to go since the exits were blocked.  But seems the voice can't take hearing the truth, and doesn't play fair since it silenced me before I could get to the juicy parts of my tongue lashing.  But, the quill is mightier as they say, so I resorted to writing notes, so the stupid thing froze me too.  Not that I was worse off in the group by far, as Vaage was struck with a bolt of lightning and turned to a pile of ash.  Just as I was able to move again the coward ran off and let us out, minutes later at the well, poor Fedmire's voice could be heard...once again trapped in its watery depths.  Last we heard he was going to Poseidon to call in a favor.

November 11 - Seems rogues all over the lands were approached by a small man today who dashed into the room , pressing notes into their hands.  Some of them read different from others, but here's the basic gist of it, "The time approaches when your prowess shall make you worthy to learn the arts of the King. Seek further guidance in the alleys of Athens."  Well, we ran to the infamous "counter room" and the counter's description has changed!  Could this be a guild for the rogues, could this "King" be the King of Thieves himself?  Well, Klepto himself showed up later, telling me to be quiet <giggle> you know how inquisitive I can be, and told the people to stick to learning from him or get an older rogue to protect them when dealing with the counter, then left. Seems they got in and kicked me out <mutter>, and although I know what happened, I'll be curteous anyway and not blab it all up here.

November 8 - Fedmire showed up yet again, doing alterations in Midgard as a half dozen or so folk clambered onto the ship to try and catch him.  Of course as soon as the gangplank was let down we hear the Fedmire has closed shop.  But seems as he closed shop he started panicing, asking to be hid and then a bolt of lightning struck him dead.  So of course a bunch of us die again to go help him, but here's the interesting part...Fedmire fell off the high arched bridge and died...literally..ghostly voice, dead body and all.  So we sit there, doing our best to revive him when who should show up but Hades himself...quite the gentleman if I might add.  He brought Fedmire back to semi-life, and asked politely that we not disturb him anymore as it's hard on the souls who are stuck there forever and he has work to do.

A few minutes later Perizada showed up at the gate with her son, Kedar, who she's trying to teach to be civil to paying customers...seems he was learning but he still slipped up a lot.  He sold us delicate red rosebuds that he says we can pluck to find out if folks love us or not or some such.  I've never heard of this strange ritual, defacing flowers to read minds, but if it works...by all means pluck!

November 6 - Fedmire showed up early this morning, seemingly in good spirits and asking for Melodone.  When she showed up he took back the rose he gave her, saying that he was in trouble and had to hide it, but that he should be fine.  An hour or so later we see "* Fedmire was just ripped apart piece by piece".  A few moments later he was on the socra stone asking for help out of Hades, so of course a bunch of us died to go save him.  I kinda got stuck, so Vaftel kept me informed of the rest.  Seems after a few falls in the Styx by Fedmire, they finally make it out and somehow Fedmire got separated from the group.  So they go searching for him again, getting poisoned by spiders and other various insects when a voice from the shadows threatens them, telling them that all who help Fedmire shall live to regret it.  Well, after that Fedmire died once again, and that's all we know so far.

November 5 - Seems some people walked into the room at the well as a booming voice thundered at Sylar today, "Sylar now you'll make all the hero's pay for your blasphemy and I'll have to kill you as an example."  And he died...I don't know much beyond that except Skorche took up his staff and started doing silly tribal dances around the well trying to protect the city, which angered a snake that apparently lives under our well that sent Skorche running to hide behind Melodone.  If you know anything else about this strange turn of events, let me know by all means.

October 31 - We had a wonderful masquerade ball, except for a few minor squabbles when the talking skeleton showed up and certain parties attacked and killed him causing hordes of them to attack us.  The rooms were beautiful, looked straight out of an Edgar Allen Poe story...wait it was!  Hehe, congrats to whoever had that idea, I loved it...and the actual story went over great when I told it, had folks shakin in their boots.  The food was great, the drinks were great...except for the minor case of poisoning from an unkown source.  All in all, a great party!

And also today, fishing went live!  Woohoo!  Yes, we can take our place with the fishing greats now at most any water source that isn't too shallow or too deep.  The poles themselves need to be carved, but the other accessories such as tackle boxes, line, stringers, and hooks can be bought at Bertrum's located on fisherman's Alley in Piraeus.  Check out my guide to see what you can catch, and to find out what it is exactly...watch out for them tigerfish!

October 30 - Fedmire showed up last night with Seliana and sold us some nifty scarves!  And while Fedmire was here Melodone managed to sweet talk him into doing some alterations for us folks that have missed him the last 2 visits!  Woohoo!  And then no sooner does Fedmire leave than the mask merchant opens up just south of Metis circle.  Judging from the masks, Saturday night should be a blast.

October 25 - Well the concert was tonight and, as many of you may have guessed, it didn't go off too smoothly.  But the trouble many of us expected came in a form that none of us could have foretold.  After a few wonderful songs by Raven we were rudely interupted by "The Mistress of Illusion" as the doors to the theater were latched on us.  Well, some folks sat back and enjoyed the show anyway, while those of us who saw the first performance knew who was hiding behind that disguise.  After Fox revealed herself she continued her little show by getting volunteers from the audience to perform such amazing tricks as getting eaten by sharks while trying to escape a tank of water, or spinning on a wheel and having knives thrown at them (and into them), and then there was the old get in the cage with a tiger trick and the disappear and get beat up trick...not to mention the be locked in an air-tight box with no lock and a crude lockpick trick.  So after stealing the show, and a few souls, she made her exit and set her army of bacchae and wolves on us.  The end.

October 24 - Well, we've had our first major visit by a god!  Yes Ares paid Athens a visit tonight saying he's placed wagers against us with the other gods that we can't defeat his new prospects in battle, and that we couldn't even find them!  So after a bit of wandering, and a bit of Ares' quips, a port in Piraeus was found that lead to Midgard, Norway!  Yes that's right, we have a new area to explore...new stores to shop in, new beasties to battle (vikings), and we get to give our mules a break because they were nice enough to supply us with, yes, reindeer!  Keep an eye out for maps on my page, yes I know..I haven't even gotten Annavysos mapped yet...but I will!  And keep an eye out for new shopping guides and updates to my weapons and armor section to reflect this huge move to the North.

October 20 - We have books! Porcupine found a couple laying in the street late this afternoon and let me use one. I'm not quite sure how they work yet or if they are a storyteller only thing since I haven't really had the time, or dinars, to play with them yet. From what I can tell, and from what I've been told, they are sort of like a puppet/parchment hybrid that allows us to get experience for telling non-fame stories. They are being sold at Gwithian's for 40 dinars a pop.

October 17 - Another cloth message was delivered to us tonight by a young bacchae that read "NOW!"  After the message delivery to Faetes, the night was riddled with attacks by other young bacchae and dire wolves.  Could this be a threat from Fox?  And if so...why is it coming to us in pieces, perhaps she just feels like playing with us before she does whatever she's planning on doing to us.  Who knows...
We also have a few new (well new to my events page) shops for buying home supplies out there.   They've been added to my newly updated Athens Maps so be sure to check those out too.  Here's the list...
Rustic Elevations (Exteriors) 1 South of Zelote's Herbalist in NW Quad
Interiority Complex (Wall Hangings/Rugs) 2 South and 1 West of Bank in NW Quad
Palace Home Exteriors (Exteriors) 1 North of Diamond Estate in Athens Metis Circle
Country Estates (Exteriors) 2 SE of Book Shop in SW Quad
Warehouse (Exteriors/Doors) NE and E of Tannery in SE Quad

And on a sadder note ,we lost one of our premier storytellers today...Willow left us in search of the mythical lands of Elanthia.  Perhaps we should wish her well...but maybe if it doesn't go  so good she'll come back to us!  We'll miss you Willow!
I'd also like to take this moment to tell Kor and Gimli that we'll be missing them too and that we hope everything works out so that they can come back to us as soon as possible.  Keep well friends, you will be missed...

October 11 - Gads, well after over a month of pulling hair from my head (not to mention pulling hardware from my computer) I'm finally back on.  Let's recap what's gone on in the last few weeks I was away...OK, Collin attacked a few times of course, and it sounds like Fox is helping him now, something about them being a couple now <gag>.  There were also a few merchants, not to mention the big Auction last night.  Perizada showed up selling balloons and scarves and worry beads (slightly different from the first beads and scarves she sold) and Fedmire came and did some alterations and sold a few toys.  The auction seemed to be a huge success, for those that made it anyway, extraordinary items were going for outrageously low prices.  We also had a visit from a Hercules, Xena, and Salmoneus when Vaftel found the Gold Star, congrats Vaftel!  Lessee...fireplaces work now, a few new stores opened (I will find out where and post them), hmmm...that's not all that happened, but I hit on most of the major things and you guys prolly all know the rest anyway, hehe.  Since I'm back I'll be keeping this page updated again, no more months of no news, hopefully.

August 29 - Well, Fox showed up again today...seemingly her old self, we still haven't cured her all the way though.  She set up her infamous shell game again, but she made it a little easier to "win" this time, if you can call what happened winning.  Prizes were dependent on how many times you chose the right shell, a wooden cube for none correct, a metalic pyramid for 1, glass bauble for 2, and a crystalline sphere for 3.  A while after she left the prizes apparently began to explode releasing poisonous gas or turning into various deadly creatures.  After the creatures were disposed of they turned into harmless? marbles.  I guess time will tell what further harm Fox's little game will bring to us.

August 28 - Early this morning the wild-eyed alchemist showed up, again it seems, and began cackling and throwing vials at us, babbling about test subjects and guinea pigs the entire time.  As she was running around throwing things at us, making vines sprout from the ground and drag us down and bee swarms that insistently stung us, Mox managed to dispatch of her.  She left behind a few vials and things for us to play with, although it didn't seem she did it too willingly since she was killed in the process.

We also have a few new shops, so since I'm waiting for them all to sprout up before I go through the laborious task of updating my maps, here's a list of them along with where they are and what kind of things they sell. See my price lists for specifics.
Windows to the World (ummm...they sell windows)  2 North of herbalist in NW Quadrant
Garvin's Bargains (He sells oak stuff, not many bargains) 3 West of Locksmith in SW Quadrant
Flamen's Fireplaces, Firepits, and Braziers (He sells...aww skip it) 2 South of Florist in SW Quadrant
Mona's Bedroom Lease and Sales (Lots and lots of beds) 1 North of the clothier in NE Quadrant
Adler Home and Carpet (Windows, walls, floors, carpets) 1 SW of the trap store in Piraeus
A Home Away From Hold (Marine themed housing) SW, SE, SW, S from clothier in Piraeus
Chilgun's Home Designs (Everything related to horses) 1 North of the Apple Shop in Anavyssos
Squirrel's Knotty Pine (Everything made of pine) NE Corner of Oinoe in the tree trunk

August 22 - Collin also attacked us tonight, without his lovable nephew Borris.  It was the same old Collin up to his same old tricks as he sent wave after wave of his soldiers in their "wholesale armor" after us at the North Gates.  While I couldn't get Collin to sing us another of his delightful songs again, I did manage to get a dance or two out of him, hehe.  Oh yeah, by the way, I'm back! Woohoo! (for the time being at least)

Seems Fox showed up this morning after Gimli felt  her presence along with a searing pain in his neck, the very spot where he says the bacchae bit him during their invasion on Athens a few weeks ago.  She seemed her old self, more thanks to the vial than anything, but she slipped in and out of it, the vial looks to be wearing off.  So I suppose we don't have much time left before we have to find Orpheus and get that lyre to save her or Fox may be lost to us forever.

August 20 - Well, Rampion and I came back just in time to see one of Athens greatest alchemists go on vacation for good as he put it.  Entropy left us tonight, he came and told a few of us quick farewells during the house meeting at the estate saying he didn't want to make too big of a fuss.  We'll miss you Entropy!  You better come back and visit us one day so you can hear your song (after I have it written that is, hehe).

August 17 - 19 - And guess who's back...Nope, not me yet, it's Rampion!!  Seems a faun or two caught his eye and he drug himself back from Egypt, I think he just missed all of us, hehe.  And with Rampion back so are The Pharos of Alexandria!  The original, and best in my opinion, Athenian events page is back online and keeping everyone up to date once again.  I've been having fun playing reporter so I might keep it up too, we'll see what happens.  Welcome back Rampion!

Sorry, my days are starting to run together and I'm not quite sure what happened when, so I'll just bunch it all together.  We had yet another alterer visit us as Raven was in town making beautiful rings for folks.  Not only that, but we have a new tavern!  Nothing better than a new place to go drink, even if you do have to fend off wild boars to get there, it's worth it for a good ale.  And houses were opened early!  Hercules and Xena was the first out there to have houses up and running, these folks are doing a great job at actually meeting the deadlines they set.  Keep up the good work!  Be sure to tell them how good a job they're doing! hx-homes@simutronics.com

August 15 - Should have known as soon as my access got restricted that everything would begin to happen, but enough of my whining.  Fedmire was fished from his watery prison by Autolycus tonight, and what should happen to be in that chest of his except the centaur's stolen amphora.  Well, happy to have their amphora back, Oattor and Equinicus high-tailed it back to their village, half of Athens of course trailing behind them.  On the way, the party was confronted by Borris who was easily fooled with a fake amphora and sent on his way.  Fedmire, true to his word, quickly set up shop selling all sorts of fish and non-fish related merchandise as well as doing some alterations. And not only was Fedmire set up for alterations, but Suede was also doing piercings in Anavysso, the centaur village. 

August 14 - Early this morning a town crier came running through town with a rather strange announcement: "Perizada is lost! Reward offered for anyone who can find her. Last seen entering an establishment for the refreshment of refined tastebuds."  Well, it seems that she was found a mere ten minutes later since another runner came through town crying "Lucky Phryxus found Perizada snoring at a table in the Olympian Dianthe!"  Apparently she was roaring drunk and began trying to set Phryxus up with one of her daughters.  The reward she gave him was a pair of blue balloons she claims she rescued from a city Southeast of Athens that was being ravaged by mongols.

No sooner had Perizada left than Fedmire shows up, still stuck in the well.  Seems, he too, was roaring drunk and was singing raucous songs about drinking and women, I must say he is a much better bard than Collin.  When asked where his captor, the fin-headed thing, was, he replied, "OO finhead my bestest friend. Where did he go too?"  Shortly thereafter he started babbling about a lady in white coming to him wanting him to follow her to a cart full of wine or some such and something about wanting to be a sailor, and left.  After Fedmire left, a pretty blue bird flew past and dropped us a note which read "Ahem. ..will return in 2 days Fedmire."

August 13 - Early, early this morning Collin invaded Athens once again at the Peiraic Gate with ruffians, raiders, and soldiers.  Collin even sang us a song, seems he's as bad at singing as he is at conquering. After the battle Collin gave his bumbling nephew Borris a whipping backhand and began to berate him for getting his best information gatherer, Oneeye, killed.  After their bumbling argument and Borris' flirting with Agrimony, they left and of course more soldiers and things attacked.

August 12 - Okay, I was told Oattor and Equinicus visited today and led people around and hunted things. After wandering for a while and getting attacked by bandits, ruffians, scouts and a host of other bad things they ended up back at the Peiraic Gate.  No sooner had they settled down than the burly thief, Oneeye, who was searching for our centaur friends  the other day, arrives and starts babbling about having to finish the job he's started.  Seems he works for someone else who, he says, we will meet soon enough and he also claims to have broken the amphora.  Little else was found out from him as he was cut down before anyone could make him talk.

Seems I've also been evicted from Greece for a bit.  The tax collectors came to me early the other morning in the Olympian Dianthe demanding their dinars, and well suffice to say, I didn't have them.  So please bear with me as I am receiving all my news second hand from various sources and it may not be all accurate, and I hope to be back soon!

August 7 - Very early this morning we were graced by a visit from Vania who, in case you hadn't noticed, has been away for quite a while.  Well, she was working on a new song and she taught the local storytellers how to sing it.  The song was quite beautiful and soon had everyone at the gate laughing and dancing happily. To learn about it just ask your local storyteller, I'm sure they'd be more than willing to tell you about it.

Another visit from Night this morning as Hawkeye the Mighty (hehe) was in the jeweler selling his gems.  She popped in to congratulate him for being the first to see through her "alchemical trick" of changing and disguising her features.  She said while he may see the madness he did not truly yet understand the method.  Well for seeing through her trick she rewarded him with a pitcher of Naxian nectar wine, of course there were people that believed it to be some of the tainted swill of Dionysus and warned him about it.  Well both he and I have drank from the pitcher, so keep an eye on us...if we start acting weird, well...we can start wondering about how much trust to place in Night.

August 6 - A pair of Centaurs named Oattor and Equinicus arrived at the Peiraic Gate late this afternoon.  Seems their home village (many days south of Athens) is in a bind and they need our help.  The water they drink is tainted, and a large stone amphora that Hebe gave them was the only way they could drink it without getting sick.  Well, the amphora was stolen.  They have no idea by whom or why, only that it is gone.  Oattor was very weary after his long trip and said he was attacked by bandits at Piraeus who stole some furs he was bringing to Athens to sell.  They asked us to help them find their amphora so that they might relieve their village of the horrible fate thrust upon them.  Soon after we had them comfortable and resting in the Aegean Stables, a burly thief came by the Peiraic gate looking for the pair.

Seems Night also paid a visit to Athens early this morning with a plan to help Fox.  She has fashioned a dreamstone vial with which, she says, she may be able to use to attract Fox's soul back to her.  While this is not a be-all and end-all cure, it will restore her to the Fox we know and love until we can help her.  Seems the only way to actually cure her is to somehow get into the underworld, find Orpheus, and get him out...according to Autolycus.  But there are two problems: The first problem is finding her and , second, getting her to wear the vial.

Ok, with Rampion gone someone has to keep us informed on what's going on, and well they say storytellers are great at spreading news so here's my attempt at the mammoth task of bringing you the latest happenings.  I doubt I'll do it as good as he did, nor do I wish to try and better him but I feel it's something everyone benefits from and needs to be done.  We'll miss you Rampion!