[Xanth]

Elysian Chronicles

Welcome to Issue #018 of the Elysian Chronicles! This summer has been immense fun. It's taking a while for the full repercussions of the plot to sink in, but it's safe to say the world in which we play has changed for better or worse. Here's what we've been up to since May. IC Catch Up

• Anchors Aweigh!In Oktominas (April), Faris ibn Alsyad caught a ride home across the Espur Straits on the Artega where he met the ship's gunner, Zozeko ibn Nihim. An encounter with the Howling Leviathan made the journey more dangerous than ever.
• I Hope They Have SquidLooking for orchid squid, Mortimer Jericho bumped into Faris ibn Alsyad on the Espur docks as he left the Artega. When the orchid seller, who also happened to owe Jericho lots of money, tried to run, Faris got to see the inner workings of a shakedown. Then they went for tea.
• Delivery!Kiel Taskel was tasked with the delivery of stymphalian feathers but was not particularly smart about how he carried them. When Faris ibn Alsyad followed the trail of feathers that had dropped from Kiel's backpack, he found not only a reward for returning them but also a pack of bandits trying to steal them.
• Hunting HydraIn Telominas (February), Kiel and Kazuma Uemori fought a hydra near Serendipity and lost. When he heard that more people, including children, had been lost to the beast, Kiel decided to try again. Luckily, Ionia Essytia and her friend Raph had the same idea so they teamed up. Even then, they came close to being hydra food but fortunately won.
• The Case of the LadderFed up of his neighbours' rivalry, Faris ibn Alsyad went to work figuring out what actually happened between Mister Armstrong and Mister Wynfendale. When it turned out Wynfendale's son was the thief but was only "borrowing" the garden supplies to impress a girl, Faris allowed the young man some time to finish before returning the equipment to their rightful owners.
• Two Steps From HelHaving spent months collecting evidence of corruption in the Alexandrian Guard, Aiden Roy was beaten and left for dead by his so-called comrades. Calling the only person he knew he could trust, Aiden was rescued by the bounty hunter, Maaike Sullivan, who started the whole thing. While the guards searched for him, Maaike acted as a decoy so Aiden could get to the portal and out of the city.
• Safe as HousesAiden made it to Espur and contacted Graeme Easom, but the human was so suspicious it took him a while and a lot of convincing to take Aiden to Maaike's estate.
• SITE PLOT: The Acanthan ArcPrologue: 1st-30th June. Registration: 25th June. Rewards: 30th September.It started with an enigmatic deal between Xanth and Danae. Agreeing to open a hidden portal in the Chandric Forest, they set in motion a course of events that would lead a small group of scouts and their rescuers (Aella Karakinos, Aiden Roy, Alain Moreaux, Faris ibn Alsyad, Ionia Essytia, Kiel Taskel, Maaike Sullivan, Mortimer Jericho, Rahil'Taj ibn Murad, Zephyr Cairbre and Elyxendria Argyris) to Acantha, a world previously unknown to Elysia. Forced to battle the brutish Malaki and survive the even harsher Badlands, they were befriended by the Mystriders of Vynett, only to discover a new danger. The Red Mist, a virulent and fatal sickness spreading across Acantha, took them to Danae to beg for a cure, but in exchange he demanded the eggs of a technologically advanced amphibious species called the Ohani. Only when they returned fromNeluna with these eggs did he agree to save them and send them home.
• MINI PLOT: A Goddess's FuryInfuriated by Danae's perceived trickery, Xanth lost control of her powers. A massive quake rolled out from Alexandria across Elysia and the connected realms (Nirim, Zanarya and even Earth). A tsunami swept along the Ao Coast, laying waste to villages and parts of Espur, but Alexandria itself was the worst hit. There were many fatalities and injuries, and the majority of the vanguard returned from Acantha to find their homes partially or completely destroyed. Rebuilding is ongoing.

OOC Updates

• Please welcome, Jake, Dave, David, Caity and Rose!We welcomed these new players and their respective characters, Despot Pappas, Alvanon Karenas, Rahil'Taj ibn Murad and Alain Moreaux, Ashalynn Noel, and Serenity Sélini.
• CONTEST: Summer Camp 2012Summer Camp resulted in a number of fun and interesting pieces and wiki submissions, from Joy's beautiful explanation for how the Skotadi broke away from the Apali to Pchan's Ruins of the Scorpion Desert.
• CONTEST: The Awesomest Raffle of d00m EvererJoy won the thunderbird and Pchan won the helblade. David has already started playing with the diary he won, Ismelda's Secrets.
• CONTEST: Skill Design ContestWe got so many skill entries for the design contest I ran alongside the Acanthan Arc plot that I just can't list them here. Many were themed for the new species (Malaki, Mystriders and Ohani), but almost as many were ideas for the races already in play. I can't wait to get them up!
• Wiki Updates2012 has been a great year for wiki submissions! You can see the full list of updates, including contest entries that have been approved, here.

Background Happenings

• Repercussions"Discovering they are not alone in the cosmos" seems a trite description for what's been happening, especially when you consider that Elysians already know they aren't. (After all, there are six humanoid races besides humans, and three realms they know of.) However, that seems to be exactly how many Elysians felt when Acantha's existence was revealed, and there is a growing divide among religious and political groups who are now squabbling over what it all means. Opportunists among them, like Rahil'Taj ibn Murad and Mortimer Jericho, are already in Acantha attempting to find ways to profit (either monetarily or politically), while others simply refuse to believe the stories and rumours spreading. Some, like the Sect of the Dragon (who now think their false god, Dimitri, was exiled to Acantha and are mounting an expedition to "rescue him") are editing their beliefs around Danae's arrival, while others insist that Xanth must have cut ties with the other world for a reason.

Coming Soon

• Xanth's GrottoOn Tesseminas 1 (1st of December) every year, the quadrangle in New Alexandria turns overnight from a scenic garden to an idyllic winter wonderland. The statue glitters white and a labyrinth of ice and snow surrounds the little square, guarded by animated snowmen with excellent aim. Pilgrims come from all over Elysia to pay their respects to the Creator — and maybe get a little present or two in return.

That's it for this issue. Until Issue #019 next February!