Posts Thanked By User

1061

Layonara Server / Server Maintenance

« on: May 30, 2007, 06:32:33 pm »

All servers will be down for about 2-3 hours on Friday, June 1. The down time will either start at 6am PST or 10:30am PST and last for 2-3 hours.
 
 Please spread the word.

1062

General Discussion / *sings* "Every player is sacred..."

« on: May 22, 2007, 05:59:13 pm »

You know that movie? :-)

Seriously.  Every single player, whether they've been here from the beginning or just for a week, is sacred.  We're a community in a growing desert; anyone that finds their way to our oasis needs to be treated like royalty.  The "elders" of our own community need to be treated even better!

I am imploring all of you to take a moment and thank the other players that surround you.  Sent them a tell ingame, "((I like what you've done with your pants!  Want to go slay orc?"

Our home here on the Layonara servers has changed dramatically in the past few months.  More changes, I have no doubt, are waiting in the wings.  Let's shore up our fellow players by attending their player quests, listening to their back-stories, and being respectful of them as people.  Let's support our team by exploring their landscape.

I, for one, feel lucky to have a place to see and share tales.  See you in there!

1063

General Discussion / Festivals

« on: May 21, 2007, 02:40:40 pm »

Pen N Popper's thread about spicing things up [thread=116347]over here[/thread] got me thinking about something.

What did nobility in the real Middle Ages do when they got bored?
Declared a holiday!

The Handbook is full of holidays for races and deities. Goran's "Day of Fixing," Lucinda's "Hosting of the Weave" (though maybe not the Night of Flesh and Magic, ahem.), Prunilla's Planting and Harvest Days, and many more. The new Handbook probably has an even more extensive list.

So let's declare some of these in a way that players know when they occur and watch what happens.

There are time dialation problems, of course, since the "annual" holiday would come around just about every RL month or so and last just a few RL hours. It probably wouldn't line up with the Layo calendar for the holiday, either. But let's just ignore that and have a given festival last a real life week and only celebrate any given holiday once a real life year or whatever makes sense.

It would give people something new to discuss. It would give followers of certain deities, home towns, races, etc a change to role play something different. It would give people a reason to go buy new clothes or to stock up on pie. If something went wrong, you could explain it on account of it being the Black Sun's Day of Darkness (as an cheesy example-- not a real thing as far as I know). All kinds of superstitions could be roleplayed.

I think if we got organized and calendared some of these holidays, people would respond with player run events around the themes (a pilgrimage, a party, a Voraxian axe sharpening festival, ...) to flesh out the events.

Is there a list of holidays already compiled somewhere by the Writing Team? Is there some reason we can't just take the forum calendar and throw some of these existing feast days onto it and watch what ensues?

1064

General Discussion / Donate Your Level Day

« on: May 18, 2007, 04:01:46 pm »

As I have mentioned before, these are an excellent idea for supporting Layonara Online. I am scheduling our next Donate Your Level Day for this coming 16 June.
 
 http://www.layonara.com/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=203&day=2007-6-16&c=2
 
 I am hoping we can hold these events quarterly. So I have scheduled Level Days for later in the year, September and December.
 
 Please join me in supporting our wonderful on line world!
 
 -Ylly

1065

General Discussion / Why Do You Play on Layonara?

« on: May 11, 2007, 01:25:41 am »

[SIZE=16]Maybe you play on Layonara because you love the unknown...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Or perhaps the adventure draws you in...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Maybe you're looking for peace and quiet...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Or perhaps just a pleasant place to call home....[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Or simply a place to meet some friends...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Perhaps you enjoy the majesty of civilization...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Or maybe just the majesty the lands offer...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Maybe you love the thrill of great battles...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Or just maybe... a glutton for punishment?....[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Whatever the case may be... one thing is clear.  Layonara is the world for all imaginations, and it is on us to live those dreams.[/SIZE]
 [SIZE=16][/SIZE]
 [SIZE=16]V3.  Still on the rise....[/SIZE]

1066

General Discussion / The Ups and Downs

« on: May 09, 2007, 05:42:13 pm »

You know how some times you have "good" days and "bad" days?  Being part of the Layonara community is like that too.  

Dictionary.com defines community as, "A social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage."  There's no need for me to point out the truth in each of those aspects of community; I'm sure you all can think of examples that would qualify.

When I logon, there is often some sort of expectation or goal in the back of my mind.  XP, getting a tidbit for a story, crafting, etc.  There are times I logoff disappointed, having not accomplished the goal.  Other times, though, I logoff quite pleased even though I did not accomplish the goal.  Why?  Because of the community.

A two hour boring stand-around-hoping-to-see-someone can be changed in a moment by a chance encounter with a sum total of five minutes of RP.  Or it can be discovering that "~[The sky is falling" will write on a piece of parchment in a language ear.  Yes!  Bee can write in brownie!  He can even read it back with "~~translate" command.

Those bad times, though, can sometimes overshadow the exciting times.  It easy to forget that the GM/project team is working hard behind the scenes.  Sometimes our perspective of the pace things get done is skewed by the fact that we alternate between RL and playing whenever we want.  They have to multiplex their schedules between RL, playing, preparing quests, running quests, scripting, toolset, etc., etc.!

I was rightfully chided today to have "patience young Skywalker!"  That is true.  What is another week or two for a new system?  What is a week before quest is run, or a level gained?  Sometimes that week can seem interminable but on the other side of the fence that week is rushing past too fast to accomplish everything that must be done.

A wise fellow once said, "No! Try not. Do or do not. There is no try."  A community ebbs and flows just as our perception of time ebbs and flows.  Do not try to have patience, do what you can when you can and enjoy it.

1067

Introduce Yourself / Pen N Popper, metagamer

« on: May 04, 2007, 09:34:19 pm »

When I first joined the server, I was astounded by how much IC info I could find on the forums.  I thought, "This is terrible!  Everyone will metagame!"  It wasn't long, however, before I realized how much I truly appreciated the wealth of information I could find out about others.  You see, I have a problem:  I am a metagamer.

Yes, it's true.  You see I play this game because I like a good story.  I like epic battles, heroes and villains, intrigue and plot.  More often than not I am quite content being a voyeur of the tale rather than its star.  Unfortunately, sometimes the stories get obscured by this layer of obfuscation called NWN.

I strongly believe that more of this would be beneficial in our day-to-day RP as well. All of our PCs have their little stories, histories, flaws, fears, and dreams. Sometimes I feel like we're all in rubber bubbles, in our own little worlds. I can see your PC but his/her story is bouncing around inside out of sight. I try very hard with my PCs to pop your bubbles. Unfortunately, I am a bubble too and we just bounce off each other mostly.

That sums up what metagaming means to me.  I want to know your stories OOCly more than ICly.  Layonara is a place where I can see those stories and enjoy them.

Some choose to use these wonderful stories to abuse and cause angst to others.  Why?  They use the information they learn ingame so that their PCs can dominate another, control them.  Why?  I know why:  They think it is how you win the game.

Layonara is a novel, no a library of novels.  There is no winning alone.  The more novels you can read, even partially, should be your goal.  How many stories do you know?  Only your own?  Do you have one?

I started to write this thread in the General Discussion thread.  I realized, though, that this is who I am not just my opinion.  I am not a bard, but a reader.  Metagaming is good.  Story writers call it foreshadowing.

My PC asked ICly the following:

[SIZE=16] How will you be recalled in legend and lore?  Or will you be remembered at all?[/SIZE][/I]

Well, will you?  When Layonara fades away and we find each other later in life on other forums, what will people remember of you and your PCs?

I have a rock named after my first PC on a PW.  Now that's what I call winning.

1068

Roleplaying / Please don't be offended OOC by IC personalities/behaviours

« on: May 03, 2007, 10:01:22 am »

I thought I would like to highlight something in the scheme of things. That is this is primarily  a Roleplay Server and as such there are  a diverse number of personalities here ranging from the normal personalities to the quirky. There are times when there are good alignments and evil alignments.
  As such, not everyone is going to be normal...not everyone is going to be good and be helpful or be polite.  

What I am concerned about is that some people do take this personally and such that their characters reactions or the overall party may react OOCly, sometimes in a negative way and against what their characters are about...that the player has to change their character whole demeanour just so that they can join within groups or meet with new people. I think this is very sad, because it is losing part of what Layonara is about. That we lose the interaction between different types of personalities.  I enjoy now roleplaying with people with quirky/nasty personalities because it means I can fully RP my character how they would act and enjoy the reactions.

Now granted. . .there are going to be cases where where there maybe some characters that do reject the said person...and that maybe reflected IC. I accept that. I guess what I am trying to say is that when playing your character...don’t take offence when a character does act like that...and act as what your character would respond rather than what you will respond.

1069

General Discussion / A Good Post

« on: May 03, 2007, 03:50:40 am »

This is not a post for rants,

This is not a post for raves,

This is a post,

A post for the Most,

Bah, enough with the bad attempt at poetry.

Any how, this is a post for people to tell the world the cool and exciting things that have happened to them lately.

The good, the fun, the silly.

The in game stuff that keep you coming back.

I think there are some people, as in The Team, that need to hear that their efforts are appreciated.

So...

The other night I was killed in the depths of the Broken Hope cave.  As I lay there dead (still watching everything) the door opened...

And out walked monks.... scary monks... they walked around my body and waited as I could hear the party trying to rest to raise me...

I was sitting there just panicked, worried that my party, Rose, Silver, Krys, and Clarissa were just going to walk right into the trap!  Nothing I could do since I was dead...

The party handled them raised me and we were off... but, thank you to the GM who took the time to make my heart race a bit.

Next...

Mylindra and Tyrian were comming out of the opal cave when Ty noticed webs all over the trees in the forest...

Out came a mass of spiders...

Tyrian of course fireballed the web and I think I got something like the following from the GM:

You destroyed the last of the web... AND everything in it.

So...  We missed something cool cause Tyrian likes to destroy things.

Tonight....

I had the best time wandering around fishing.

Balazar, Rose, Mandalorian, Uvhe, Nemo and Ty went fishing.

So much fun, just the RP.  They were trying to teach us women how to bait a hook!  So entertaining. And the wemic...

Saw an awesome temple that I had never seen and caught a pike.




I know this is rambling and stupid, but, I think there are people who need to know, to hear, that their efforts are appreciated.

My Thanks,
Merlin34baseball

1070

General Discussion / A thought on PvP

« on: April 29, 2007, 06:02:06 pm »

As the title says, a random thought on PvP.

This is a RP server. I believe the (relatively) new limited PvP rule was brought in to enhance the RP experience, not detract. Player vs Player should, in my opinion, be at the end of RP interaction, not as the 'port of first call'.

Respect those that, for reasons IC or OOC, do not wish to engage in PvP.

'That's what my character would do' only carries so much weight with me. Enjoy your character and 'do' what you think they would up unto the point where it may detract from another player's enjoyment of their character.

Cheers!

1071

General Discussion / Confessions of an RPer

« on: April 03, 2007, 02:07:07 pm »

I have made (too) many posts over the past months regarding tring to find a balance between gaining XP and levels versus RP. My stubborn disbelief of reality has caused me to continue this fruitless endeavor.  Slowly, though, it is dawning on me that I am simply a freshwater fish swimming in the salty ocean.  Other similar fish have either expired or adapted.

While Layonara is not an RP server, but an RP Action server, I always stood firmly that RP came first. I began to see, though, that there was no progression available purely through RP.  One attained levels by adventuring.  Levels, being the core mechanic of NWN, determined ones place in Layonara:  WLs must be 20th level to even apply, horses are not acquired until mid-teen levels, large chests and housing portals cannot be placed at low levels, the advanced crafting hall is 10th level to even enter.  All these things point out quite clearly that levels are the path we players must toe.  Gaining XP through adventure is not "a necessary evil," as I often told myself, but the actual goal of the world.  We are rewarded not for RP, but our success as adventurers.

I stubbornly refused to believe that this was the case.  Surely committed RP and stellar devotion to cause and character would yield similar reward.  Slowly, though, I digressed from my personal standards of "RP always" and interspersed it with combat runs through areas:  Traversing up and down Haven for no other purpose than to gain XP.  Racing across Dregar behind higher levels or with large groups.  Worst of all, loitering in empty Pranzis for hours because I was afraid as soon as I went West for some RP, a party would show up on central and I'd miss the XP.

Is any of this bad? No, not at all. Layonara dictates that our PCs be adventurers more often than commoners. It is always our own choice, of course, to pick between a long RP session as a newsletter writer versus a rogue archer.  Depending on the degree to which you believe that "RP is its own reward," your balance will be different.  Personally, in a level based world like Layonara I continually find myself struggling to find this balance.

Why?  I don't find mindless XP gathering at all immersive.  I like combat tactics, ambushes, campfires, and ale.  I also like feeling successful and that, for me on Layonara, means gaining levels.  There is no other career path.  Making a successful brownie newsletter writer was a challenge and rewarding in itself, but only up to a point.  No amount of fame or RL time will let a 9th level PC become a WL, own a horse, or get better at a Gather Information skill.

I have taken breaks from Layonara in the past, not long ones to be sure.  I enjoy the server aspects tremendously here:  The courteous staff, LORE and letter systems, parchment and quest chests, forums and gallery, and the nonsensical chatter on IRC.  Not to mention the time invested here getting to know those systems and the personalities of the world.  It's unlikely that I'll completely give up trying to find what I'm looking for here.  Would I leave if I found a server more in line with my playing style? Yes.  Do I really think that will happen? No.  Are you stuck with me? Looks that way.

I'm a guest in this salty pond so I ought stop trying to take out the flavor and just enjoy the taste.

1072

Introduce Yourself / hiya

« on: March 24, 2007, 07:47:28 am »

Well where to start , my names Ian ... Im live in a small village in the middle of nowhere in wales the Uk .

Im 24 years old and have a wonderful 6 month old son called Joshua , *smirks* who's just starting to learn to crawl , well try at least .

Erh? My main enjoyment are Darts , which i play for a local pub team and i also play at county level , fishing when i can find time ( so relaxing sat beside a lake with no one else around on a nice warm summers afternoon)

I have a few charecters here on Layo as some of you might now , Voon , kloss and Jack all fun to play in there own quirky way . From what i can tell i think i started playing here in Feburary 2004 *laughs* didnt realsie it was that long ago time does fly when you have fun *laughs* .


*waves and walks away*

1073

Roleplaying / Rant rant rant

« on: March 18, 2007, 10:11:22 pm »

This is an official rant thread.  If you are not ranting, then please don't respond.  Also, I am not posting this because I am upset about anything, I am posting this because I have been quietly brainstorming for about a  week now, and it's starting to rain.  My purpose is not to make people feel defensive, it is to encourage character development onto a new level of RP.  

First of all, I would like to thank Gary Gygax for making D&D in the first place.  Second of all I would like to quote my sister Tai, "An entire generation of roll players has suffered because roll playing was conceived by war gamers and not by cultural anthropologists."  You might be asking yourself what this means.  It means that the system we use to govern our characters personalities is a  stupid and archaic system that was made up by a war gamer.  I swear, the only reason Wizards did not make a better alignment system for D&D 3.0 is "If it aint broke, don't fix it."  It's not a bad system for beginners but it has way way too many limitations.  Good characters should have the flexibility to do things, on occasion, that are malicious, vengeful, greedy, and vindictive.  Evil characters should have certain weaknesses where they behave in a generous manner.  A good example of this is when Raistlin Majere demonstrated love and compassion to a gully dwarf. All you RP elitists talk about something not being realistic to a character's alignment, and you miss the point that alignments are incredibly unrealistic.  No one, and mean no one fits into any one alignment perfectly at all times.  In real life, we call actions and comments that are out side of our normal personalities, "mistakes"  or "moment of weakness" or "I was drunk" or "Christmas spirit"

When I make up a character, I do not chose an alignment and then make up an appropriate personality.  I make up a persona and then pick an alignment that best fits that persona.  When I RP my characters, I never think about alignment.  I always think of my characters personality.  I don't think, what would I do, I think what would my character do.  Some times it comes down to my characters experiances when deciding what they say, and how they would react.  Never once though, since high school, has anyone accused me of not playing my alignment.  Now is it that I don't care about alignment, and I never think about alignment, but my characters RP fits with in his alignment?  Answer, I made the personality first and chose the alignment that fits that personality, and I do stay true to that my  character's personality.  Hmph, we should just throw that old arcait alignment system out the window, and evolve to better roll playing.

My next rant, is Power gaming.  You know, it took me a long time to figure out why power gaming is a bad thing.  It is pretty ¤¤¤¤ natural for us to want to be the best at things.  We want the strongest, fastest, smartest, wisest what ever character in the world.  The hardest to kill, and deals a punch that legendary.  There is a problem with the power build.  It is called game balance.  The more uber your character, the harder it is for a DM to create encounters that are challenging.  Encounters that are too easy are boring, and encounters that are too hard are frustrating.  When all the stats significant to your class are maximized, every feat works perfectly to maximizing damage dealt and minimizing damage received, then you have just set yourself up for a bad time.  Either you are bored, or you are dead.  Never did you stop and think about what is most fun.  You ever notice that most encounters just seem to get harder.  I blame power gamers.  We have players soloing the rift, and what happens, the rift gets made so difficult, only power gamers have business being there.  In the time I have been playing here, I have seen this as a continuous trend.  The more players power game, the harder the DMs make the encounters, the more players feel like they have to power game in order to not get DTs.    The answer to this, is to take feats that do not work best for your character, but take some good RP feats.  Do not get the very best equipment you can possibly have, but allow your character to have some weakness.  Weaknesses and disadvantages generate good RP, and allow DMs to create fun and interesting encounters that challenge parties.  My gut feeling here is that if we the players make conscious efforts to not power game, then the DMs will balance our game world accordingly.

Where power gaming is most painful, is how it effects new players.  In the Amber roll playing game, Erick Wugic writes, "If I put a 200 point character in the hands of a  novice player, and a 100 point character in the hands of an expert player, the 100 point character will kill the 200 point character every time."  Notice that if you power build build your character, you are relying less on your own skill as a player, and more on the brute strength of your character.  By this you not only handicap your skill progression as a player, you handicap your personal enjoyment that you get from playing.

Now, what happens on Layo is that new players start playing.  They do not have enough playing experience to create a power build, and they lack technical skill.  They enter into a game world that is balanced for highly skilled players with well built characters.  Bad time.  We as players need to turn this around.  We need to be patient.  Not rush to get as many kills as possible.  We need to embrace new players, and coach good RP and technical skills.  We need to build characters that are well balanced, and then avoid areas that are too dangerous for a non power built character.  Only then will our changes be recognized and certain areas re balanced to be more fun for everyone.

AeonBlues

1074

Introduce Yourself / Hello from Leanthar

« on: March 11, 2007, 10:20:40 am »

Hello Everybody!
 
Who am I? Hmm....just a normal every day guy that had a fantastic group of Pen and Paper players that were enjoying a tiny place called Layonara. Then I brought it online....what a difference and what growth!
 
I am a father of four wonderful children (18 (Heather), 17 (Skyler), 15 (Sierra), and 4 (Raylynn)) who are so very talented and smart in thier own ways. *smiles* Yes, those are the words of a proud father.
 
I also have the best wife in the world. Beverly is just fantastic! She supports me in all I do, she encourages me and she helps out when and where she can. Brilliant, talented, and beautiful, she is a great lady!
 
I like in Oakhurst California, just 10 miles south of Yosemite National Park, in the Sierra Mountains. Essentially right smack in the middle of the state if you are ever looking for it on a map.
 
I can't say enough about the teams that support Layonara. We have all been blessed to have found so much talent, quality, genuine friends, and intelligence here at Layonara. Without them (all of the teams) we would not be what we are now and where we are going.
 
Layonara is the third world that I created as a Game Master for my Pen and Paper players. It actually combines parts of all of the other worlds and all that I learned as I was creating things from before. I enjoy the creation process if one didn't realize that by those statements. *smiles*
 
Remember: If it feels off or wrong it probably is and you should think before doing it. Help us to help the community, do what is right in all you do.
 
Enjoy the community and the world!

1075

General Discussion / Do you dream of opening an ingame shop?

« on: November 02, 2006, 04:22:01 pm »

All,

  I got some questions ingame about starting up a guild and opening a shop.  I thought I'd share my thoughts and encouragment here.

  The Leilon Arms for many many RL weeks was open every Friday and merchants would come and sell their wares.  The Freelancers, seeing the benefits of this, had "merchant tables" installed in their Point Harbor tavern.  Anyone can come and sell their crafted or looted goods.  Are you a ring maker?  Perhaps an armor and weapons maker?  Tailor?  Each has a table where a merchant may place his/her inventory.

  Do you really have the patience to come every week for several hours and sell your goods?  What about the weeks that RL keeps you away, do you find someone to fill your spot?

  What if no one comes to the open tavern night, do you give up and not return the next week?  Or, do you work ingame and through the forums to generate interest?

  Perhaps you have grandiose plans of opening a crafting guild.  Imagine!  A grand guild hall with persistent storage, rooms, elaborate dining hall, master bedrooms.  What happens when three of your five founders stop playing?  How empty does the enormous hall feel when it is just you staring at the chests?

  Guilds and shops take tremendous OOC dedication, organization, and vision.  Do not succumb to the desire to leap to the end goal; start small and build up.  Prove to yourself, the players, and most importantly the GM/builder team that you have what it takes.

  Perhaps there is already a guild out there with an under-staffed guildhall, or a tavern willing to host your half-elf convention.  Make good use of the resources already at your disposal before moving forward.

  If possible we as players need to encourage such efforts.  Story nights at a tavern are opportunities to RP and let others shine.  Market nights are a chance for independent crafters to feel their worth.

  Let's all work together to make Layonara a rich, immersive environment for us all.  Few things compare to a well-attended tavern night:  Bickering at the bar over the cost of ales, haggling in the corner over a pile of malar skins, a bard being booed onstage.

  See you ingame, PnP.

1076

Poetic License / A Warrior Born, A Warrior Made

« on: October 12, 2005, 01:48:00 pm »

The bold Wo-rick of Tar-a-mon had learned the dwarven trade.
 His mighty arms had worked the iron for many a dwarven blade.
 And yet, he found that blades once wrought came ready to his hand,
 And joy came best with blades hard fought with all his warrior band.
 
 But as he ranged throughout the land and championed his kin,
 A babe abandoned, pity brought and then his heart did win.
 He raised the child, a dusky elf, and kept him by his side.
 He taught the child of gods and war and took him far and wide.
 
 Young Thrwe'guayy spurned the arts of war, preferring magic's call.
 Apprenticed then to Te-an-nos, he did astonish all.
 With magic armed, he crossed the land, and more he sought to learn.
 'Til finding that still not enough, he did to warcraft turn.
 
 Then Thrwe'guayy sought his childhood muse, Wo-rick, the warrior bold,
 And found him deep in black despair, and this the tale he told.
 The dwarf had lost his warrior band, to death or capture foul
 At Bloody Gate, as hard they fought to stop the Bloodstone's prowl.
 
 In ale sought he oblivion, but Thrwe'guayy pulled him back.
 With taunt and gibe he bulled the dwarf, though sorrow did him rack.
 Then roared Wo-rick, "I'll show ye fight, 'til fight ye wish no more,"
 And trundled forth a fell machine that none had seen before.
 
 With clouds of smoke and fearsome noise, it spawned a golem dread.
 Wo-rick advanced with swords both drawn and smote the monster dead.
 Again the thing spat forth a shape, another minodon,
 Wo-rick did roar, "Your turn, me lad" and spurred the golem on.
 
 Then Thrwe'guayy fought most valiantly against this awesome foe,
 'Til wounded sore and cornered well, his chances seemed quite low.
 Then forward rushed his cleric friend and healed him with a spell.
 New heart he took and slew the beast, then said, "Bring on your hell!"
 
 From clouds of smoke with fearsome noise, a golem then arose,
 One made of flesh impervious to swords or spears or bows.
 So Thrwe'guayy called his panther friend, and they with claw and steel
 Attacked the fiend and hurt it sore, but then it death did deal.
 
 Then Thrwe'guayy fought the Thing alone, his cat dead on the floor,
 No mark on golem flesh he made, yet he was wounded sore.
 Wo-rick then yelled, "Enchantments, son! Use yer enchantments now!"
 So Thrwe'guayy backed and then attacked, a fireball spell, I vow!
 
 As fire clouds cleared one thing appeared, the fell machine aflame.
 Wo-rick did scream, "Me great machine! Ye've ruin't it; ye'r ta blame!
 Ten thousand coins for that I paid! Ten thousand coins ye owe!
 And NOW I want me money, lad! Before ye turn ta go!"
 
 Poor Thrwe'guayy stared at him, aghast, "You said to use a spell!"
 "Enchantments, boy, that ain't a spell." Wo-rick did to him tell.
 "That's ice on arrers or fire on sword, not blowin' up th' inn!
 I want me money now, me lad. Ten thousand coins, ye ken?"
 
 Then Thrwe'guayy thought and offered up the dearest thing he knew,
 "I'll give you now my spellbook, sir, until I've paid what's due."
 "Agreed!" the wily dwarf did say. "Without it ye must fight,
 Until ye've paid me all that's due. Agreed, ye'll do what's right."
 
 Wo-rick did know that warriors true must taste and master fear.
 Both minds and bodies honed to fight, their weapons they hold dear.
 Now Thrwe'guayy learns the warriors' way; his life hangs on his skill.
 True warrior and true mage he'll be, if he wins through...He WILL.
 
 And when the test is done and won, Wo-rick might call his son
 To battle side by side with him 'til freedom they have won
 For dwarves still held in durance vile, in chains since Bloody Gate.
 We cannot know; he cannot know. With bated breath we wait.
 
 ---by Ayla Bineau, bard and servant of Aeridin