February 6, 2011

Crescent Moon over Verthandi
by Loreis

"Get to Verth!", Ramachakra bellowed over bloodline. I had just logged back into Medievia on this first day of celebration-20th Anniversary of Medievia-and was preparing to skip up to the war room and venture into the catacombs.

"Why?" I asked

"Party. Big party. Cool stuff, earthquake, cool stuff", Rama stated. Then he showed me one of the cool little presents. A marshmallow dragon crystal that when consumed, cast super ice shield. Had to have that, I thought, and I called a dragon. making sure my Mudslinger quill was ready. I smelled a story!

My brass dragon dropped me off at the entrance to the Grove of Verthandi, and I checked my WHO-Z. I was amazed to see Zuasha, Halee, Isryathi, Cartimandua and a new deity, Ascelepius in the zone. The adventurers were plentiful as well, and I bumped into Ghoti, Zwork and Otarian, while Fflewddur shouted good natured barbs about thieves and their...well....thieving ways. The usual rules about loot stealing and kill stealing applied, and with so many gods in attendance, one wondered who would be silly enough to even try it. As I stepped gingerly over piles of dead squirrels, I couldn't help but feel a fluttering in my stomach.. It had been a long time since I had attended a Medievia zone party, and I was excited to see what was in store.

As I mercilessly slaughtered my second Hallowess, Bassna dashed by, screeched to a halt, spun, and proceeded to peer at me. He healed me, as I had healed him just moments before, and waited for me to triumph. I did, and took from the corpse a relic of commemoration, which turned out to be Warrior only. Shrugging, I began to cast identity on the items I had already looted from my kills. A moonstone crescent necklace, which help with one's saving spell, the coveted marshmallow dragon crystal, a chocolate coin treat that cast sanctuary, and a sunstone disc. This is was a lovely light, and mine added 20 to hit points and -3 to saving poison to my stats! Bassna smiled.

"Why don't we form up and try to find more items?" I nodded, and we began trudging through the Grove. Suddenly a tiny replica of Marious's wizard hat fell from the sky, gently landing at our feet. This little hat casts ice protection, which comes in very handy in a certain part of Verthandi! Bassna and I ran up the May Pole, killed a few forest creatures, and ended up wandering through empty creches, looking for whelps to kill. The zone was fairly dry, so we departed, loaded down with treats and wondrous presents. Bassna and I agreed to form up at the next party, and try our luck a second time.

This is a week long celebration, and it means more than presents and parties. This is the week of ship races and Scrapple, of Founders and double experience. This is a week of celebration, to thank Vryce and Soleil for all the work, to thank all the gods for everything they do-the quests, the zones, the gifts, the god sancs. And this is the week to bump into old friends and make new ones. (Personally, it was really nice to see Sjif, Elrae and Bardok lurking about again!) Have a wonderful week, watch for those global echoes announcing the next zone party, and remember to wish Medievia a Happy Twentieth Anniversary!

Loreis-out