'Eye of the Tyrancha' is the latest news pamphlet being distributed on all the major capitals and towns on Atys. It uses the finest materials that a novice forager can gather in its creation - just be sure to keep it away from water, sand, dust, dampness and strong winds and your copy should last quite a few hours!

The news agency itself is based in Zora and the owner gives his word that this will likely be the most biased, misinformed and incomplete news coverage you'll ever come across! It is all written from the perspective of a newly arrived refugee from Silan. Read at your own risk.

If you have any news worthy event to report (outpost battles, official or player events or just general craziness) please contact Rikutatis in Zora by Izam courier.

'Eye of the Tyrancha' is a tribute to the old Nexus News as well as to Sxarlet, the most charming trykerette to ever grace Atys News Channel 01!

Sincerely,

Rikutatis, Gibbai Hunter Extraordinaire and part-time Atysian Reporter.

Issue 23: Frahar Hunting Season

The situation in the Burning Desert has gone from bad to worse and this doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

First, the good news. As you may have heard, Lawless, Scorchers and Dune Riders have lifted their siege of Thesos. All the desert tribes received an invitation from the Matis Nobles to camp by Virginia Falls where the water is abundant and those three decided to make the trip to Hidden Source.

Well, those are good news for the Matis and the tribes in question at least. And definitely to the Thesos residents as well. We’re not entirely sure if the Fyros government is thrilled with this idea, however. After all Lawless, Scorchers and Dune Riders are all sworn enemies of the Fyros Empire and they are now peacefully camping in the territory of the Matis, Fyros’ greatest enemies.

Scorchers settled in an abandoned outpost.

But Matis compassion aside, let’s move on to the bad news, the core and profit of any journalistic enterprise. The Frahars have crawled out of whatever hole they used to call home and have completely taken over Frahar Towers and surroundings. It’s Frahar hunting season!

Mutated Frahars invade Dyron! Lock your doors!

A concerned homin has been hanging out in Pyr and warning homins that there’s something strange about these Frahar. Apparently they have been building wooden totems, something totally unheard of among primitive races such as the Frahar. I say we kill them all before they have the chance to fully develop a culture and civilization of their own. Fyrosfreddy seems to agree with me:

A Frahar Extermination Team led by Fyrosfreddy in a joint effort with the Frahar Hunters Tribe manages to destroy one of the Frahar totems in a carnificine of epic proportions.

But we know how entrepreneur the homin spirit can be, and even in a time of great difficulties such as this some Dyron merchants found a way to earn some extra dappers:

Merchants sell Frahar meat in the Dyron market claiming it has aphrodisiac properties.

Is this the end of the once great Fyros Empire? Are the Frahars going to overtake the Burning Desert?

Well, there might still be hope for the Fyros people. His name is Trykerguy and he is the newest Akenak. Lately he has been quite busy fending off angry tribesmen rioting near the Pyr gates.

The new Akenak means business.

The Akenak inauguration ceremony will be held soon and the Eye will continue to follow the developments of this great crisis. Stay tuned for more!

Special Issue: Underwater Mysteries

It all started when Zhola pointed out to me that there was a new species of fish swimming in the ponds by Dyron. We were able to capture an amber cube image of them:

Of course questions were raised. Is this truly a new species of fish, never seen before? Is Fishing going to be the new Occupation? Could there be any relation between the colourful Dyron fishes and the drought in the Desert? My informant's best friend's cousin's wife in Dyron swore to me these were mutated goo fishes planted there by the Marauders in order to start the drought and weaken the Fyros. But juicy gossip aside, the Eye of the Tyrancha decided to establish a partnership with Altaenae di Cherae to study the underwater mysteries of Atys!

In her own words, Marrietta describes a couple of her favorite underwater locations:

“I've recently spent some time in Aedan Aqueous and while I was wary of the water at first, am now comfortable with not having firm terrain under my feet. When I finally found the courage to open my eyes under water, I was stunned at the beauty of the lake bed. Being the avid photographer I am, of course there's pictures! This is one of my favourite underwater places taken from the middle of Muse Watch Lake. Some of the plants are the size of the forest trees I am so familiar with.”

“On a recent excursion further into the Lakelands, I was pondering the reasons for the being so few creatures in these waters. The waters are crystal clear and clean, sweet tasting and yet there are no creatures that I've yet encountered there. With these thoughts so recently in my mind, it was with some trepidation that I circled an unusual formation I found on the beach at Resting Waters. It appears to be the fossilised tail and partial body of an enormous fishlike creature. I include a picture here for your own interpretation, I know the thought of the size of that ancient creature having come from the waters of our homeland makes me feel abysmally afraid to go back into any of the great lakes for fear of what I might encounter there.”

The Eye did its own share of research and found out that in ancient times there may have been gigantic aquatic creatures swimming the waters of Atys. One such species was the Baldusa, a type of giant fish that could emit a powerful electric charge. It is said the Karavan harnessed this creature to power their machines and the Baldusa’s meat was also a delicacy to the ancestors of the Trykers. Maybe Tryker gluttony led to the species’ eventual extinction?

At any rate, here is one final underwater mystery for you to ponder on. The other day a friend and I went for a swim at Saplake Major in Sunken City, Prime Roots. We were enjoying a really pleasant sap storm and after a friendly race with the local Kitin Patrol we decided to take advantage of the weather to get one of those Prime Roots albino tans. But lo and behold, this is what we found in Saplake Major:

As you can see, it shows an underwater cave leading to unknown depths. Could this one of the fabled entrances to the Deep Roots?! My informant's friend’s aunt’s cousin swore to me he once saw a Vorkoo-sized underwater creature full of slimy tendrils swimming in that lake. One can only wonder.

Issue 22: Streets on Fire

On issue 20 we cautioned desert dwellers to be careful because the tribes were coming. Well, it seems like they arrived now.

Hostile tribesmen marched to the very gates of Pyr, the Fyros Capital, and started causing trouble there. Barkers camped at the South Gate while Leviers surrounded the entrance through the North Gate. Some Frahar Hunters were scattered around Imperial Dunes as well.

As a very well prepared tabloid reporter I immediately headed to Pyr in full focus gear to assess the situation. Zhola, ever so friendly, suggested that I take my press pass with me since the Barkers appeared to be very angry. Even though I followed the advice, it didn't seem like the tribesmen were very impressed by my reporter ID:

Eye of the Tyrancha reporter is another victim of tribal brutality.

Oneofone, with the wisdom of a true veteran, suggested that maybe the Barkers wanted to make sure that I would spell their names correctly in the news article.

In any case, the situation in Pyr is dire dear readers! Local residents have taken it upon themselves to fight the thirsty tribesmen, but there's no doubt they will be back. Strangely, the Pyr Guards will not move a finger to protect homins being attacked by the tribes. Do they have orders from the Senate to not lay a finger on the tribesfolk? And perhaps more importantly, why did the Senate refuse the Akenak's request to employ the Fyros Army in order to stop the tribes? Could all this be a devious plot devised by insane Senators who secretly hope to see Pyr literally burned to the ground in some sort of final tribute to the power of Fire?

There are many unanswered questions. For now we caution young homins to use the Eastern Gate to go in and out of Pyr. At least for now it is safe. And in the meantime weapon crafters and news reporters everywhere rejoice with the prospect of a civil war.

A brawl between Marelli and thirsty Frahar Hunters breaks out right in front of the Pyr Academy.

Issue 21: Interview with a Frahar Hunter

I happen to like the Frahar Hunters. I mean, with a name like that, what’s not to like? Anyone who might be out there to hunt and exterminate one of the despicable primitive races can only be a nice fella, far as I’m concerned. So with that in mind I thought to myself, “Hey, these guys can’t be so bad. Maybe one of them will give me their point of view on this whole drought business.”

And with that I made my way to Dyron, where the Hunters have been terrorizing local diggers. After being shot and stabbed multiple times, I was finally able to persuade a Frahar Hunter to give me an interview by giving him my water canteen. His name is Bocus Secus.

Mr. Secus poses for an amber cube picture.

- Eye: Mr. Secus, what do you think is the cause of this drought?

- Bocus Secus: By Ma-Duk’s beard, how would I know!! But one thing I can tell ya. Just look at those mektoub packers in the water. That’s nasty! I don’t know what caused the drought, but these packers turning the few water sources we still have all yellow with their pee is not helping much!

- Eye: Right, I see. Then tell me something… why don’t you and the other tribesmen simply teleport to Fairhaven and drink all the water you can have there?

- Bocus Secus: We don’t have no teleport pacts. No one ever trekked us out of the Desert. Do you think tribesmen have the same easy life as types like you?!

- Eye: Good point. At any rate, will the Frahar Hunters stop attacking innocent homins if they get the water they’ve been asking for?

- Bocus Secus: I’ll tell ya one thing, we’re mighty pissed! As far as I’m concerned, water won’t be enough anymore. I want some stinga beer too!

- Eye: Alright, thank you for your time, Mr. Secus. I hope this conflict can be resolved soon.

- Bocus Secus: You’re welcome. Now how about that Dyron-Fairhaven trek we were talking about…?

Issue 20: Is the Drought the new Kitin Invasion?!

Desert dwellers, you had better lock your doors, close your windows and hide your children. The tribes are coming.

The terrible drought punishing the Burning Desert still goes on and shows no sign of relent (see issues 18 and 19 for more on this). Thirsty tribesmen everywhere are very angry and tensions have escalated to violence and mayhem. The tribes have been camping around water sources and attacking unwary and innocent homins trying to go through Dyron or Thesos for example. It seems like Kamists are experiencing the worst of it, as the Kami altar in Thesos is no longer safe and overriden by hostile tribesmen.

The Akenak has made several brave attempts to placate this drought and no one has the right to claim they are not working really hard. However it seems like nature - and perhaps a bit of homin laziness - is conspiring against them. Two water caravans have been dispatched from the Lakelands to the Desert, but the second one fell short on fulfilling the needed quota of packers and water barrels. It was reported elsewhere that the Akenak has even considered using the Fyros Army in order to put an end to the chaos, but it seems like the Senate did not approve this measure.

In the meantime, some homins have taken it upon themselves to play the role of vigilantes and form teams to fight the tribes. But despite their short lived victories, the tribesmen keep on coming.

The tribes are angry, the Burning Desert is in a state of disarray and we're in the midst of elections for new Akenak members. To complicate matters even further a suspicious letter was found in Hidden Source. Its contents seem to imply that the Matis may have plans to use the situation in their favor, in order to gain the trust of the angry tribes and impose their influence on the Burning Desert. Are the Matis Nobles scheming again? Or is this a plot hatched by Sirgio the Marauder in order to confuse homins and put them against each other (as if devilish plots were needed for that)?

All we know for sure is that we have a heated situation in the Burning Desert!

Thirsty tribesmen chase a traveller near Thesos.

And in the meantime, we heard rumors that Windermeer authorities are planning to build a new beach resort in Liberty Lakes...

Special Issue: Job Ads

Are you hyperactive? Or just plain bored? Hunting, foraging, crafting and the new occupations are not enough for you? Well, the Eye of the Tyrancha may have just the solution you were looking for! Take up one of the various temporary jobs being offered in your nearest Ring Terminal. Here's a sample of what you may find:

- Grove of Sedation: Did you ever want to pet a Jugula? Your daddy never let you have that Ragus puppy you always wanted? Well, it is time to fulfill those dreams! Something's wrong with the Grove of Sedation. Carnivores and predators have lost their agressive instincts and are now as docile as a baby Yubo. Herbivores spend their days in torpor. Kamis are going crazy. Even homins may be affected by this strange place. Join one of the various groups and tribes and set out to explore the Grove of Sedation!

A Ragus sleeps peacefully next to his tamer.

- The Laughing Gubani: Rumor has it that a mysterious Tryker called Fifth has been hanging out at the Thesos bar recruiting homins for a job in the Prime Roots. With the number '5' tattooed on his right hand and a large mug of stinga beer in his left, Fifth explains: "The Laughing Gubani is equal parts tavern, inn, community and lunatic asylum. A group of Prime Roots Foragers who are either crazy or desperate enough call it home. Recently they've been attacked by hordes of Cutes. But there's something strange about these Cutes - some have no shadows and it is said the water offers no protection against them. The Laughing Gubani needs your help!"

The mysterious Tryker Fifth awaits for adventurers at the Thesos bar.

- Joining the Shadow Hunters: Are you tired of killing Kitins and Shalahs? Looking to unleash your Dark Side? Then why not join the Shadow Hunters and become a Master Atys Assassin?! The job comes with many benefits and one day you might be another proud bearer of the Super Sneak, Hit and Run and other Certificates.

Shady dealings with the Shadow Hunters.

(( OOC: These and several other Ring Scenarios can be downloaded at the Ryzom Wiki ))

Issue 19: Homins are still Occupied

A Zoraï wiseman once said all homins can be divided into two groups: those who whine and those who act. Of course, this Zoraï wiseman is now a raving lunatic living amongst Gibbaï in Goo infested lands. But I digress.

One thing is certain though, sisters Kalyndra and Marrietta from neutral guild Altaenae di Cherae are homins of action. They write and publish a variety of articles on subjects that range from the unusual benefits of crafting in Heavy Armor – yes, you heard me right, they found an use for HA in crafting – to their quest to find Kitin resistant jewels. Their public bulletin board also includes a bazaar section and a lavishly illustrated Atys calendar.

I had the distinct pleasure of spending some time with them talking about their ongoing projects as well as their cutting edge research on the new Occupations. They have recently published a primer on Occupations that will surely dispel some myths and misconceptions as well as serve as a valuable aide to young homins getting started (or sometimes getting stuck) at them.

Unfortunaly it seems like Altaenae di Cherae was the target of Industrial Espionage! In their ongoing search for better recipes, they were fed incorrect and misleading information by one of their sources. According to the sisters, it is likely this was indeed done on purpose to damper their progress, since the incorrect recipes provided actually steered them away from the right path in a way that was almost meticulous.

However after being on the wrong track for a few days, the Matis sisters are back on the forefront of Occupation research.

From Altaenae gallery: Kalyndra and Marrietta pose next to a dead Quadon.

In other news, the drought in the Burning Desert still goes on (see issue 18 for more on this). The Akenak and their Taliari allies are still requesting the help of Water Carriers to collect water from the Lakelands. Another caravan is being planned. In the meantime, tribal conflict has begun in the Desert. Intrepid explorer and researcher Bitttymacod reported that various desert tribes have gathered around oasis and water sources in the desert. Many of these tribes have been attacked by unknown forces and several homins went missing.

What is the real cause behind this drought in the Desert? Is it just bad luck with the weather (the kind that tends to drive foragers crazy)? Or have the Fyros been throwing too many parties at the Pyr Baths? Will homins with the Water Carrier occupation be able to save the desert tribes from thirst? Or does a more permanent solution need to be found somehow, like the discovery of new water sources in the desert?

A Zoraï wiseman once said all homins could be divided into two groups: those who read until the end of an article, and those who don’t. Which one are you?

(( Altaenae di Cherae Goodies: http://www.adcguild.info/ ))

Issue 18: Animals have instincts, homins have taxes

The past few days were brimming with scandalous quarrels, political intrigue, name calling and all sorts of fun stuff that make a news reporter happy to be part of such a chaotic society.

It all started when the Fyros Akenak requested the assistance of the Tryker Taliari in acquiring water for the desert tribes who were experiencing a major drought. The Taliari agreed to help and mobilized many Water-Carriers from the Tryker Water Company in order to collect the 255 barrels of water that were needed for the drought relief.

Political tension began to mount between the various governments when preparations for the caravan that would transport the water from the Lakelands to the Desert were underway. The original route was supposed to go through the Verdant Heights, but the meeting between Fyros Akenak, Tryker Taliari and Matis Nobles to discuss the details of the operation didn't go quite as planned.

The Matis Nobles requested a small token of appreciation to the Monarchy in exchange for the caravan to go through their lands - or in layman's terms, they wanted to tax the caravan. Apparently, members of the Akenak were outraged by the request. Both Akenak and Taliari refused those terms - they felt like it wasn't morally right to tax a humanitarian caravan.

The Matis Nobles report that members of the Akenak were disrespectful and offensive towards the Matis and the Monarchy and in the way they voiced their disagreements afterwards. As a result, the Nobles announced that they would blockade Herectic's Hovel Portal by a small dettachment of troops in order to prevent the caravan to go through the Verdant Heights.

Cries of war and impending apocalypse were heard - some accused the Nobles of being cruel towards their old enemies, the Fyros. Others suggested that maybe the Matis were just in need of extra dappers to support their decadent life style.

Matis troops were dispatched to blockade Herectic's Hovel Portal.

Fortunaly neither war nor apocalypse befell Atys. The Taliari decided to lead the caravan through an alternative route in the Prime Roots. We accompanied the caravan and here follows our retelling of the event:

The caravan started in Fairhaven and stopped in Fount just as the sun began to set in order to pick up the cargo from the Water Company.

While the packers were loaded, homins socialized and danced. Here we see Nitrouss showing us some groovy moves.

And the caravan departs into the Prime Roots...

... where it was faced with many perils...

... and a quick stop for Armkoo barbecue as well.

At last, the caravan emerges in the Scorched Corridor...

... and makes its way to the Imperial Dunes.

The water was safely delivered and the Matis troops returned to Yrkanis. However the feeling of political tension still lingers in the air. Is this the beginning of a new age of taxation? Is Tax-Collector going to become the latest occupation? And if it is, will they be free for all red targets? Let's wait and find out.

(Images by Rikutatis and Jayce).

Issue 17: KP Incoming!!

Wastelands, the Prime Roots. You're all by yourself, wearing full focus gear and armed with nothing but your trusted Egiros pick. You've been here in this obscure corner for the past two or three hours, back pressed against the cold wall. It's very dark and you keep looking back and forth, anticipating a Kitin attack.

Luck is definitely not by your side - you really need those supreme materials but so far the weather conditions haven't been the correct ones. And then, all of a sudden, the right weather comes! Adrenalin rushes through your body and you run towards the foraging spot. Kneeling down you start the process of harvesting the rare and elusive material.

But obviously, this is exactly when that nasty Kitin Patrol decides to wander by and catch you by surprise! They jump on you out of the nowhere - you lose your life, the materials you had been digging and this narrow window of opportunity called 'the right weather'.

Ahh, the Kitin Patrol...

Surrounded by a Kitin Patrol.

If you like to forage, hunt or trek through the Prime Roots, you may have gone through a similar situation. And it is exactly with that in mind that we decided to publish this special issue of the Eye. So without further delay...

The 3 Most Effective Ways to Evade Kitin Patrols:

3) Live Bait: You know that annoying homin that just won't leave you alone? He follows you everywhere dragging aggro wherever he goes, he crashes your parties and makes the most obnoxious comments. Yeah, that's the one. Invite him along with you to the Prime Roots. When the Kitin Patrol comes, cast a Root spell on him in order to freeze him in place and run away! The Kirostas will be too busy chewing his limbs to even notice your strategical retreat.

2) Blend Into the Crowd: The Kitin Patrol can't get what it can't see. When you notice a patrol coming your way, run to the nearest Kitin nest you find! There will be so many Kitins all around you, that the patrol will be hard pressed to spot you. Pretty simple.

1) Wear Red: The most effective way to evade Kitin Patrols is by evading the Prime Roots all together. Forget all about the bleak blacks and whites of Prime Roots materials and start wearing red. Not only will you look more cheerful and fashionable, but you'll also avoid those pesky Kitin Patrols.

Rikutatis proves that red = sexy.

Ahh, the Kitin Patrol... star of the underground party. How boring life in the Prime Roots would be without you. Long live the Kitin Patrol!

(Images by Jayce).

Issue 16: Who was Dexus Lyron?!

With the recent boom in Atys’ professional market, the demand for many new occupations to be filled by homins from all walks of life has emerged. Due to this situation, the Kitin’s Lair has seen more homins coming and going than it probably ever has, as they move about to harvest larvae, butcher animals and fight the Kitins.

If you’re one of those homins, you may have noticed in the last few days a forsaken corpse lying right at the entrance of the Lair. Perhaps you even stepped on it in your rush to collect larvae. His name was Dexus Lyron. But who among you have actually stopped to consider who that person was? Where did he come from? What were his dreams, his hopes and his fears? What dire circumstances led him to his death? Why hasn’t anyone claimed his body or resurrected his life seed so far?

In short, who was Dexus Lyron?!

Lyron lies dead next to a fellow Ranger.

We have conducted a thorough investigation to unveil the mystery behind Dexus Lyron’s past. Dear readers, prepare your hearts for the tale I am about to tell you! For his is a story of love, betrayal and perseverance capable of moving even the most stoic Fyros!

It all started in Maiden Grove, Witherings. Dexus Lyron was a capable hunter. It is said no torbak could escape his precise aim. His only mistake was to fall in love with a beautiful Matis woman from the Hamazans of the Dead Seed tribe. The Hamazans is a tribe composed entirely of female Matis who have a preference so to speak for male Trykers. In fact, before enslavement was forbidden, they even used to own several male Tryker slaves who would work for them both outside and inside their tents. Those slaves have since then been released and moved on to form the Shadow Runners tribe, who now coexist with the Hamazans peacefully in Maiden Grove.

The Matis woman who drew Lyron’s attention is indeed one of a kind. We will not reveal her name in order to protect her identity, but we can assure you that she is as beautiful as the setting sun and with a smile that can melt the heart of any man! Lyron was stricken with grief when he found out that he was a few dozen centimeters too tall for his beloved’s tastes. He had been rejected!

Hamazans of the Dead Seed looking sexy with their weapons.

Any homin would have been devastated by such a cruel twist of fate, but not Dexus Lyron! For he had the will of a Vorax! Lyron broke his rifle right then and there and vowed that he would find love again in different lands. And thus he packed his bag and moved to the Grove of Umbra.

In the Grove of Umbra Lyron found work as a caretaker at the Gu-Qin Workshop, an outpost currently owned by the Knights Leviers. This could have been a happy ending, but Fate had different plans for Dexus Lyron! As it turns out, Gu-Qin Workshop has a reputation as a haunted outpost.

Gu-Qin was a Zoraï craftsman who vowed to brave the threat of the Goo but ended up contaminated by the purple plague and eventually lapsed into madness. He disappeared one winter’s night but it is said his demented laughter can still be heard in the jungle.

While we could not verify the veracity of these rumors, one thing is certain. Living in Gu-Qin Workshop took its toll on poor Dexus Lyron. It is said he became a nervous wreck, afraid of his own shadow and avoiding the darkness as if it was the Goo itself. Eventually, he started to sniff cats – or catalysers – as some form of escape from reality.

Gu-Qin Workshop, the haunted Outpost. All images by Jayce.

Now this would have been the end of any other homin, but not Dexus Lyron, no sir! For he had the perseverance of a Yubo in heat! Lyron said farewell to Gu-Qin Workshop, quit cats and departed to carve a living for himself among the Atysian Rangers at Almati Wood. He became a martial artist and was assigned guard duty at the entrance of the Kitin’s Lair.

Now this could have been a prosperous and exciting career, but sadly Lyron’s story was not over yet. As it turns out, Lyron’s health began to deteriorate. Perhaps he was vulnerable to some sort of bacteria found only in the Kitin’s Lair. He could not fight the Kitins as well as he had expected, and often found himself badly wounded as a result. Lyron began to require constant medic attention. Medics from all over Atys would go tend to his wounds. Until one day… the worst happened. Dexus Lyron died in duty.

We are not sure how this happened, but most likely an unwary homin dragged a Terminator Kipucka or something of the sort on him and he could not defend himself. And that was that. To this day Lyron’s corpse still lies at the entrance of the Kitin’s Lair.

Is this the end of Lyron’s saga?! Only time shall tell. However, this article is a tribute to you, Dexus Lyron! May your courage inspire many generations of homins to come! May your love for life spread like wildfire and change this planet forever! Rest in peace, Dexus Lyron. The Eye of the Tyrancha wishes you well.

Issue 15: New kid on the block

It seems like the Marauders have been quite the active bunch of rowdy troublemakers lately (see issues 07 and 14). As if invading the Verdant Heights wasn’t enough, a new Marauder chieftain has shown his face to Atys. He’s known as Dante the Teaser.

Homins from all over Atys gathered in Fairhaven after following strange rumors that a new game was going to be held in Aeden Aqueous. Well, there was a saying in the Old Lands. It went more or less like this: “curiosity killed the yubo”.

It turns out that this “game” was planned and set up by Dante the Teaser. As a Tryker, he was probably trying to overcome his inferiority complex with a grand entrance. While I could not attend this event myself, the Eye of the Tyrancha had a faithful correspondent there to report the happenings – none other than the much enthusiastic and always optimistic Jayce!

As it turns out, Dante the Teaser decided to, well… be a tease. He had homins following him all over Atys as he teleported from place to place, sending hordes of Marauders to fight them along the way. In the end, our brave heroes were finally able to catch up with Dante. They fought and defeated him, but he was able to escape.

Dante’s current whereabouts are unknown, but it’s obvious a new villain has appeared on Atys. Even more worrying was the fact that Dante appeared to be teleporting freely around Atys. As far as we knew, only the Karavan and the Kamis possessed the technology of teleportation. Once again the Marauders surprise us.

Who is Dante? What are his goals? Where is he now? And of course, the question that lingers in the minds of all homins… can we steal Dante’s fashionable light armor?

Dante the Teaser.

(Image by Jayce)

Issue 14: Lessons learned the hard way

Just as the chill of winter began to settle in the Verdant Heights, homeland of the Matis, wicked creatures stirred in the darkness. Infected and mutated by the Goo, hordes of hateful Gibbaï crawled out of the depths of Upper Bog and Herectic’s Hovel and began to make their way to Majestic Garden. But perhaps even more worrisome was the fact that Goo infected mounds began to sprout all over the Forest in the wake of the Gibbaï march.

Goo infected Gibbaï.

Researchers and concerned homins promptly began to investigate the matter. The most thorough investigation was started by Bitttymacod, and soon many other homins began to contribute to and expand his findings. It was soon revealed that Marauders and Darkening Sap members had established several camps in the Verdant Heights, along the path followed by the Gibbaï. They were attacking anyone who approached their camps. While the Marauders are known enemies of the civilized races (see Issue 07 for more on them), the Darkening Sap are traditionally known as allies of the Matis. I guess becoming friends with fanatic madmen bent on studying the most dangerous substance on Atys has its downside. Some lessons must be learned the hard way. I won’t even say "I told you so".

Homins study one of the Goo mounds.

Indeed, some lessons must be learned the hard way. And it would appear that the Matis had finally learned theirs. After their so called cutting edge research on botanics (read: dubious and shady science) was responsible for the complete destruction of an entire city (does anyone remember Silan?) and nearly caused a catastrophe within Yrkanis itself after a failed experiment with intelligent plants, it would seem that the Matis had finally gained some senses.

Zaero Stachini, Royal Anthropologist and the homin in charge of the official investigation, made the sensible decision to fight and eradicate the Goo infected mounds and Gibbaïs, instead of starting a research program or some such nonsense. The investigation revealed that the Marauders were indeed behind the invasion, apparently bent on taking over the entirety of the Verdant Heights with the help of the Darkening Sap. The Goo mounds were artificially created by their forbidden technology.

Homins gather in Yrkanis to discuss the matter.

The investigators were able to discover the recipe for a potion that could counter the effects of the artificially created Goo. Zaero Stachini urged all homins to go out and collect the needed ingredients to create the potions. Marelli, on the other hand, vengeful little Matis that she is, decided that she’d rather collect the ears of the traitorous Darkening Sap instead. And that was the end of the first Darkening Sap encampment.

Once all the potions had been gathered, Karavaneers and Kamists put their differences aside in a way that would make even Elias Tryton proud and set out to fight the common enemy. Of course everyone’s favorite tabloid could not miss such an event of epic proportions! At that point the hateful Gibbaï were almost upon the capital.

Homins march against the hateful Gibbaï.

The situation began to look really grim after we ran out of potions and launched two failed attacks against the Marauder camps. But desperation is the friend of success – after regrouping and organizing ourselves we were finally able to storm the Marauder and Darkening Sap camps, one by one, collecting the potions we needed to eradicate the remaining Goo infections from the Verdant Heights. A very productive day of Gibbaï slaying was had by all.

A carpet of dead Gibbaï, such a beautiful sight!

The invasion was successfully repelled, but many questions remain… is the Matis government going to act against their former allies, the Darkening Sap? Are the Marauders the new Goo Heads? Are Nung and the Black Circle involved with any of this (they always are!)?

Perhaps more importantly, when is everyone finally going to learn their lessons, start listening to the all wise Zoraï and stop meddling with the Goo once and for all?! Zaero Stachini publicly claimed that she was inspired to start research in this field of study… I mean, seriously?! I guess sometimes lessons aren’t learned even in the hard way.

(Images by Jayce and Rikutatis).

Issue 13: Free Mektoubs

Every now and again there comes a homin with the desire to make a difference, to turn the world into a better place for all living creatures. One such homin is Dippie and hers is the cry: Free Mektoubs!

Mektoubs are used as mounts and pack animals and it is not uncommon to see them subjected to all sorts of poor living and working conditions. Just as an example, the Eye of the Tyrancha caught hardcore forager Rahia trekking her packers in the middle of a nasty thunderstorm. Her excuse? She needed to catch the right weather. Well, enough is enough! We witnessed how miserable and terrified those mekies looked in that thunderstorm. Here's proof:

We have decided to contribute with Dippie's Free Mektoubs organization by putting together a naked protest in the Void. We found several mektoub packers all bunched up in a forsaken corner, suffering under the terrible noon sun with no water in sight. And that's where our noble - and naked - protest took place. Throughout the Void homins could hear our cries: Free Mektoubs!

We'd like to thank the following protesters:

• Awryn, Tea Lady.
• Rahia - maybe she felt guilty after the thunderstorm incident?
• Dippie, owner of Free Mektoubs.
• Rikutatis, Eye of the Tyrancha's owner.
• Aeralin, Global Chef.
• Sharonie, fashionable Matis. We all love her.
• Sweetmarie - who was initially shy with the whole naked business but eventually decided to undress. Naked brawl for the win.

Images by: Jayce and Rikutatis.

Issue 12: A Fyros Wedding

Pyr was the stage for a magnificent wedding between Xadyn Kosto Ma-Seng and Lovemenot Xa Krinn. Homins from all over Atys came to celebrate their union. It was a traditional Fyros ceremony, held at the Agora after nightfall.

After the ceremony the newlywed couple along with their guests went to Lydix Deps' bar for the party. Xadyn and Lovemenot could not stay for too long, as they had a honeymoon trip planned to Dew Drops in the Lakelands. But Liliang kept the party going, buying round after round of drinks for everyone.

Your intrepid reporter lost count of how many rounds Liliang ordered after the 17th, but needless to say things got quite interesting after a while. Rahia started recruiting new volunteers for her male harem (although I know nothing else about that!), while Liliang attracted a lot attention - and earned quite a few dappers - with her table top dance. Perhaps the fact that she was wearing Zoraï light armor at the time helped.

The night ended when Goofymonkey stumbled out of the bar mumbling something about how she had to go find Dai-Den and put him back in the guild hall. There have been no reports of Goofy's whereabouts since then.

If you'd like to have your wedding planned and organized by Liliang, she can be contacted through Izam courier at: 1800 /tell Lili.

Once again, congratulations to the newlywed couple!

Issue 11: Girl Fight

A group of homins gathered in Pyr in order to help the Akenak solve the mystery of the potholes on the imperial roads.

Kaixe Mekops led the investigators to the potholes and afterwards to her mother's camp at the Leviers. The story behind the Fyrosian roads was unveiled then.

When Pyr was being built, the Barkers tribe and the Burning Faces were the ones who helped with the construction efforts. They pressured the Empire to open new Mines in the Desert and the Prime Roots in order to harvest more materials and continue the construction of Pyr.

However the Burning Faces also had their own hidden agenda. They wanted to find the origin of Fire in order to destroy it - the Great Dragon.

The Karavan was angered when the Fyros began to dig too deep, but the Kami decided to help them. We all know what happened then, as the Dragon's Fire was released and caused much destruction on Atys.

At this point you might be asking yourself where are the girls, when they're going to fight and what ancient history has to do with all this, but I urge you to keep reading.

After the Dragon incident, the Fyros were very low on resources. The Burning Faces asked the Kami for help, which they received in the form of the first Tree Bores brought to the Desert in order to extract the materials from the Outposts.

At any rate, the Barkers ended up angering the Kami with their harvesting practices. They disapproved the Empire's decision to distance itself from the Karavan and side with the Kami, and decided to make their own alliance with the Karavan.

When Pyr was finished, the Burning Faces received all the honors and the Barkers' work was not properly recognized. This caused much resentment and tension. However they kept on working for the Empire, harvesting resources from their base camp at Sawdust Mines.

From their dealings with the Karavan, the Barkers learned new technologies, which they used to benefit the Fyros Empire - namely the construction of the great Furnace and of the imperial roads.

And it was to the Barkers camp that the investigators decided to go, in order to ask them for the wood needed to repair the roads. On their way there they came upon a suspicious man with a pick digging a brand new pothole on the road! The culprit was caught on the act!

His name was Ambyx and he tried to deny his guilt despite all the evidence against him. Even after being kicked in the shin a couple times by Akenak member Liliang, he still refused to talk.

Akenak Khandoma had him taken with the group to the Barkers camp, where she asked the tribe chief for their help to repair the roads. Pebus Ibiraan, Barkers Chief, agreed to help with the repairs as long as Ambyx was punished for his deeds. Khandoma accepted the terms and the prisoner was taken back to Pyr.

It seemed like the end of a successful investigation led by the Akenak. Khandoma offered to buy a round of drinks for all the gathered homins. And that was when Sweetmarie appeared, blades in hand, and proceeded to spank Marelli over some faction feud.

The Akenak were torn on the issue. Khandoma asked the women to stop brawling inside Pyr, to no avail. Vinnie, on the other hand, seemed quite content to watch the girl fight. There are reports of a wide grin on his face.