A MEADOW NW OF THE COMPASSION SHRINE - January 19, 1998 - by Winfield

The Band placed several buildings in this meadow.  This article is not a full article about the placement of buildings on this historic day.  Read more... about the founding fathers of PaxLair, a guild known as The Band.

BRITAIN - May 19, 1998 - by unknown

PAXLAIR - May 20, 1998 - by Winfield

Interest Game Master Goatboy helped PaxLair with locking down furniture in the Mage Tower. For weeks, PaxLair citizens created furniture for the Tower, only to have it stolen within a day's time.

With interest from IGM Goatboy, the regular furniture created by PaxLair crafts people were permanently mounted to the floor. Only later, in future weeks and months, would other things appear in PaxLair inside and outside the Mage Tower for all to enjoy.

PAXLAIR - June 2, 1998 - Submitted by Nero

Ridley the skeleton, victim of Zephram's failed alchemic experiments, appeared in the fair city of Paxlair last night (June 2, 10:45pm EDT). He was escorted by a cohort of zombies. An important meeting on necromancy was interrupted just as it began by the news. Citizens and visitors alike rushed to the bloody well at the foot of the mage's tower, first with a mind to attack the zombies then, upon discovering the nature of their visit, to listen and observe. The vigilant civilians kept their wepons at the ready.

Ridley, turned undead by Zephram's failed experiments into necromantic arts, has vowed revenge upon the ambitious alchemist. The skeleton conversed easily with the citizens of Paxlair. He answered all questions posed by the crowd and even spoke briefly on the mixed blessings of being among the undead. Most importantly, he insisted several times that he and his zombies meant no harm to the people of Paxlair. He would not make any such promises to Zephram.

The visitors remained in Paxlair for nearly fifteen minutes. Zombies roamed the streets, frightening citizens and travelers and searching for the alchemist. Zephram was not found, but a piece of laboratory glass bearing his name was uncovered by one of Ridley's minions. Ridley gathered his forces, convinced that he had found all that would be found, and departed.

Paxlair, still reeling from the horrific "adjustment" to its spring by Mazrim, has been subject to necromantic occurrences and attacks by orcs and undead. With the addition of Ridley's interest in the small town, Paxlair is quickly becoming an unwilling hub of events. Perhaps, the citizens wonder, these events are all linked together.

PAXLAIR - June 20, 1998 - by Winfield, Mayor of PaxLair

Winfield was elected Mayor of PaxLair by an emergency PaxLair council session. Winfield would represent PaxLair to the Game Masters and set up a working government.

PAXLAIR - August 4, 1998 - by Winfield

Since the defeat of Mondain, the borders between our world and the etheral Void has been profoundly weakend. Most magical researchers agree on the fact, that our world is a mere picture imprisoned in the shards of the shattered Gem of Immortality, thus explaining our worlds affinity to the Ether. Sensitive persons, and i might humbly count myself amongst them, have always had the tendency to recieve visions at locations where the Void penetrates the mundane time and space of mortal men. I can only asume that the spoiled Fountain of Knowledge in our fair city of PaxLair is such a spot.

PAXLAIR - August 6, 1998  - by Winfield

A moongate opened near the fountain and a young woman stumbled out, deadly wounded. She reached the fountain and collapsed. After she died, a second moongate opend at the exact same spot, releasing The Lady M.. She looked around, then noticed the body of the young woman and starts to scream for help: "Oh no! My sweetheart, my daugther...wake up. Please help me, oh mighty wizards...help my child...although i am merely her step-mother, i love her from the bottom of my heart!" Nobody is able to resurrect the spirit, and with time, it vanishes near the fountain. Some time later, the ghost of the poor maiden appeared inside the fountain! It seems that her soul was trapped by the vile powers of the corrupted well. And thus she spoke:"...i am lost... the Evil that is has doomed my soul... i cannot resist the power... you must hear me... hear my warnings... the Evil that is has spawned the Evil that will be... the earth shakes... only the new way can save you... wait for the shrines to call... i am but one of many... doomed souls... the new Temple will restore us... it will restore all..." *fades*

VARIOUS LOCATIONS - August 20, 1998 - by Atlan 

Let it be known, that the Great Earth Serpent has contacted the people of Sosaria, in particular the town of PaxLair. It has sent us many a vision and spoke much knowledge. Here you will find what has happened and what we have learned so far.

First, i, Atlan, sage and seer of PaxLair felt the urge to hold a seance. After this intriguing first contact to the Void, and the forces it holds, i did much research. Again, i believe that the Serpents guided me in my desire, for as soon as had accomplished a simple device to recieve messages from the Void, we could put it to good use. After eons of silence, the shrines spoke again! This first quest to the shrines tought us very much.

We were left with the promise of another call to the shrines, revealing the true intent of all this. Note, that the answers the party gave to the questions each shrine posed will remain their secret, as this is a path you can only travel for yourself. Choose your own answers for your own reasons and learn.

BETWEEN YEW AND PAXLAIR - September 11, 1998 - contributed by Winfield, Old Man

Reported on the UO Chesapeake News, September 11, 1998

Many, I'm sure, recall the old ghost stories that they told amongst themselves as children. Perhaps not word-for-word, but at least the memory of the shared experience of attempting to frighten one another around the campfire is something that many of us had in common in our youth. Some believe that what has happened recently is the beginning of such a story coming true.

A strange ghost has been sighted recently, often appearing behind someone and then vanishing as soon as the person notices. The ghost appears to have the name of Zaine the Lurker. No one knows what exactly a "lurker" is in this context, but that seems to be only a minor part of the mystery.

 PAXLAIR - September 19, 1998 - Winfield

 

  Highlord Krueger  
(Jon Johnson)
Remembrance

The Real Life Death of the
GM of Iron Brigade

  Festival of Races in PaxLair  

A Major Chesapeake Roleplaying Event

Saturday, September 19, 1998
(9 PM EDT (01.00 GMT Sunday))

Orcs, Vampires, Humans, Dwarves, Natives, Elves, Goblins, Tribe,
and more are invited to attend!!!

PAXLAIR - September 21, 1998 - Winfield

Late last night, I stirred restlessly in my sleep. Strange nightmares haunted my dreams. Darkness, cold darkness surrounded me. The only thing I heard was a heavy breathing sound, drawing closer...a claw reached out for me! I awoke with a scream, that almost overlaid the slow knocking on the door. Shuddering from the cold, I wrapped the blanket around me, as I opened the door. There was no one at the door, but only an inactive communication crystal on the steps.

"Hmmm. What might this mean?" I thought to myself. I picked it up, set it on the table, and activated it. I jumped away from it as it radiated a bright light and started to rise into the air! I was shocked, as I never witnessed such magic before. Then a strange voice called out to me.

PAXLAIR - October 17, 1998 - Gwendelyn Stacy

Twas a fine gathering if i may say. Many people were there to hear the words of the mysterious Mr. N. And as the crystal turned red I should have seen it as an omen. the conversation between the people and Mr. N. was not vary long. for the most part Mystarr spoke to the crystal. They spoke of the black rock that the FoA was seeking to control.

PAXLAIR - October 20, 1998 - Atlan 

Hail fellow citizens,

lately, i am very concerned by the actions of the mysterious person (?) that goes by the initial of "N".

He made his first "appearance" by contacting mayor Winfield and proposing a seemingly one-sided deal to him and to PaxLair. With the chests of the Followers of Armageddon abound, he wanted to get hold of the powerful mineral known as blackrock.

This material has many magical properties, most of which are yet completly unknown. On one hand, it is said to block etheral waves if positioned right, on the other hand you can transform and recieve the same waves if used differently. Yet other rumors say that it can provide direct passage into the Void and other dimensions.

Whatever is thruth about these rumors, it certainly is quite a unique matter with the potential to great good or even greater evil. Up to now, it is a secret, what N. wants it for, but as you can tell by what happenend at his second "meeting" with PaxLairs officials and citizens, it can hardly be something benevolent.

PAXLAIR - October 30, 1998 - Arik 

After a hard day of mining in the mountains of Shame, i returned home with a good load of ore. As i neared my smithy, i noticed a dark clad figure at my door-step. Setting the heavy sack of ore to the ground to free my hands, i approached the suspicious being:"Hail, what may i do for you in the mioddle of the night? I am the owner of this fine shop, 'tis opened from dawn till sunset....". A dark voice answered me:"Arik Lor, the smith?". After the shivering of my body ceased, i simply nodded; what is in this voice that can frighten a hard man so much, i asked myself. But before i could say any more, the figure produced a small, artfully crafted box from the depths of its robes and vanished without a trace.

Pulling myself together, i first ignored the box that i set onto the table while depositing the ore for smelting. I worked hard, avoiding to think about the strange incident, but then all ore is smelted into fine ingots an after cleaning the floor of the smithy, all i could do is done... Slowly i sat down in front of the box, examining it closely. It seemed very old, with strange runes and ornaments all over the lid and the sides. What seems to be the locking-mechanism was crafted in the likeness of an old seal, but i could not distinct the shapes and forms on it, as they shifted every time i looked at them...

Entranced by the play of lights upon the seal i reached out to touch it. With a sound like a moaning of many voices, the lid was suddenly open, and the spell i seemed under gone. Curious, i examine the contens of the box. The first thing i noticed was a good amount of gold, then next to it an old scroll and finally a crystal of communication. I am no greedy man, but not dumb either, so i reached out to get the gold and concern myself with the rest of this mysterious things later, when the gold would rest safe in my bank. But as i touched the gold, the crystal seemed to explode with a bright light, levelling itself above the box!

PAXLAIR - October 30, 1998 - Atlan

Hail fellow citzens,

I have disturbing news for you. Some may remember how i held the seance by the fountain which lead to the contact with the three Serpents. After this seance i used the experience i recieved from the Void to craft a Device. This Device resembled a normal crystal of communication in appearance and usage, but had the ability to breach the borders between our mundane world and the Void. With this Device, some of you were able to actually speak to the Shrines of Virtue! And each shrine revealed its alternative Principle of Chaos, Order and Balance, along with some prophecy of an "Evil that was, Evil that is and Evil that will be again".

Now, my friends, somebody (or something?) seems to have stolen this powerful Device... In the wrong hands, it can be an instrument to wreak havoc to our world! For, you see, it is in fact not a simple communication-device. The Device can be opened to place a focus inside the Core of Power (which enables normal communication crystals to contact each other). To contact the Shrines of Virtue, i enchanted a special gem and placed it at each Shrine for one day and one night for it to develop an affinity to the Virtue of this Shrine. What happened when you actually established contact to the Shrines through the Device, was that it drew a tiny portion of the power of its Virtue.

PaxLair is Visited By a Blue Skeleton, Seldain, and Soulslave! Chaos Erupts! We Seek the Order of the Blue Skull.

PAXLAIR - November 7, 1998 - Winfield

An eventful Friday night was filled with mystery as a statue appeared in PaxLair, a blue skeleton arrived, Seldain was killed, Soulslave was angered and sent his evil minions down upon us, and we now seek the Order of the Blue Skull. A second Blue Skull was located along with a book; the first skull was at the Suffering Stone near Yew where Zaine the Lurker was killed by the Order. We must find the Order's hideouts throughout northern Britannia and try to help Zaine.

A blue skeleton named "a lost one" showed up in PaxLair near the mage tower, coming from the nearby mountains. We met it and quickly learned it was lost, confused, and not feeling well. It spoke of an "Order". Earlier in the day, a statue appeared near Luigi's telling of the ominous arrival of Gehenna. The statue is surrounded by dead flowers; I, Mayor Winfield examined the flowers closely and a thorn pierced his hand thorugh his glove. Healers immediately aided him and he now appears alright. We showed the statue to the Blue Skeleton and it knew nothing about the statue; it appears the Blue Skeleton has nothing to do with this Gehenna Statue.

Recalling that Zaine the Lurker was killed by an Order of the Blue Skull, we asked the skeleton about the Order. It immediately responded and implied we must find the Order of the Blue Skull, which killed Zaine a few weeks ago at the Suffering Stone near Yew. The Order is a secretive and hidden group that apparently leaves blue skulls in its wake.

PAXLAIR - November 11, 1998 - by Winfield

PAXLAIR - December 5, 1998

Many people gathered in the Court of Truth for a town-meeting. Besides the common topics that are discussed at every meeting of such kind, there where some incidents that made this gathering very special... Not only did Darius disembowel himself and took his first step on the raod to become a Death Knight, but Atlan meet his fate too. As his turn came, he gathered his notes and stepped up in front for a speech:

Greetings, lords and commons, mages and warriors, good and evil people of Britannia.I am Atlan, called sage by some, seer by others, member of the council of PaxLair.

Of late, our fair city was a board of chess to a certain person, as we were his pawns. Many of you know of whom i speak: the mysterious "N." He never showed himself, and nothing else is known about him except his initial.

First, he practically commanded mayor Winfield to get him some blackrock from the FoA-chests. As this did not work, he got angry and unleashed hordes of monsters upon our city.

Next, he teamed up with the orcs and recruited some unnatural beings to do his bidding. As i have just learned, N. even planted at least one spy in our ranks, the Lady M. aka Melina the thief. This poor lady was forced to steal a precious Device from me by holding her daughter captive.

UNKNOWN LOCATION - December 6, 1998 - Atlan 

Since he first introduced himself in the player-city of PaxLair, the mysterious character only known as "N." never showed, but instead used his minions and crystals of communication to plot and scheme and manipulate.

Letter from Atlan -I-

A flash of light - pain - darkness.

When i realized that these people where minions of N. it was too late already. They magically blinded me and then i felt the well known sensation of a moongate. But this time it was different. Normally, you feel like entering a tunnel and leaving it again. But this time, just when i felt about to leave the tunnel, i entered it again.

An endless row of tunnels opened up on me, taking forever to cross. And suddenly, the end. I stood blind and shaking in some vast room, as a voice spoke to me:

"Ah, welcome Atlan, you are a bit late for dinner. *cackles* But i guess you aren't hungry. Anyway, let me introduce myself. I am the one you refer to as N."

PAXLAIR - December 11, 1998 - Winfield

A Grand Ceremony was held atop the Mage Tower in PaxLair to honor our former Captains of the Guard, Endorphin and PanchoGrande, and to officially appoint Thelorn of The Band as the new Captain of the Guards. Mayor Winfield presided over the ceremony while Minister of Defense Katelynn made the appointment.

Many people came to the tower to witness the ceremony, to thank Endorphin and PanchoGrande for their service to PaxLair, and to welcome Thelorn as the Captain of the PaxLair Guard. Thelorn, a founder of PaxLair, owner of the Second Chance Provisioners (SCP), and Leader of The Band, brings honor to PaxLair by his demonstrated dedication, imagination, and commitment to the ideals of our town.

The Ceremony was conducted as follows:

PAXLAIR - December 29, 1998 - Winfield

Zaine the Lurker, an entity trapped and in pain as a ghost, visited the PaxLair Mage Tower and warned that the Order of the Blue Skull would be coming to the area very soon; a matter of days or weeks. He indicated a book we retrieved a few weeks ago is a key to understanding this mystery. That book is located in the PaxLair Archives entitled "An Urgent Matter, by Seer Garak" and looks like a confidential note within the Order of the Blue Skulls.