<html> <head> <title> </title> </head> <body> <center><h2> NEWS OF THE ARCHIPELAGO<br> as presented by Dafyd ap Owen, Bard of Lamman </h2> </center> <p> Much has changed since I first began my travels in lands surrounding Lamman. When I first began my journeys as a mere apprentice with my master, Corwin ap Math, the land was barren and little different from the countless other lands I had seen. Slowly, through the efforts of the creators, the world about me has begun to take on a different tenor. <p> The lands of the Archipelago are no longer as rigid as they once were with respect to classes. Many of the professional guilds have thrown open to all comers. Any one may now attempt to learn any skill. The difficulty in learning skills is, naturally, determined by your own natural abilities. A youth who wishes to use magic, but who is better suited to the role of a thief, will spend a great deal of effort to learn even simple spells. There are a great number of guildmasters who can teach various skills. Some of these are to be found in the towns, but tales have come to my ears of guildmasters wandering in the wilds. What or who they seek there is not known. <p> Perhaps these wandering guildmasters wish to find the ends of the world. I know that in my stay here, the world seems to have greatly expanded as new islands are discovered and additional territory on the main island is explored. There are wonderous places to visit in the sea and sky as well as on land. Dark, foul areas of the world hide among the ruins of the old civilizations while hardy young towns spring up across the isles. The lands are still somewhat wild, but the taming of the lands shall be the deed of great heroes. <p> Many other changes have recently come to my attention. A man by the name of Jack Weatherford has recently learned to tame the beasts and even to ride upon their backs. This most unusual development allows you to travel much farther than was possible previously. With this change, a master of beasts can guide his horse and cart by sitting upon the horse's back while the horse continues to pull the cart. <p> I have heard many a strange tale of bottles in which a man can be placed and can be carried across the world. I must, at least for now, dismiss this as a mere child's fairy tale. I've yet to hear this from a reliable witness. I promise to go out and find myself a bottle as soon as I finish my tale and test this out. I hear that the Black Pig carries a strong ale. <p> Another unusual change that has been wrought by the creators is the variation in illumination. Unlike most worlds that I have visited, the sun, moon and even lanterns have an affect on how much and what you can see. I can only hope that the creators will listen to our pleas and adjust these until all the effects work out properly. <p> <center> Dafyd ap Owen, Bard of Lamman </center> <hr> <a href = "index.html">Return</a> to Archipelago Help System Index </body> </html>
