Storms Brewing

I was going to write a post centered around the theme of spring, now that I've had time to actually slow down from crazy real life and get back to blogging. But, as I threw up the photo of the sweet, blooming bud, I could just hear the groans from the testosterone section of our community. So, I decided upon this other picture to represent this time of the year, especially since it represents the weather many of us have been having anyway. From New Zealand to Missouri, Japan to Mississippi, it hasn't been pretty. For those of you in Ar who have been affected powerfully by the dangerous weather this season, we're thinking about you.

Both the bloom and the storm, from a gazer's perspective, are completely different... they both represent the same thing – change. And we're going to be seeing a fair bit of that in Ar as our build finally finishes (May 1, cross your fingers, all our sims will be complete and ready for RP!) our RP stories are going to ratchet up.

The overreaching themes in Ar right now are these, to catch everyone up:

1. Ar and Tyros declared a stalemate to their war. After the defeat in Tentium, a delegation bargained for the release of our red caste prisoners (including the Ubar) in exchange for our agreement to pull out of their town we occupied – Kasra – and give them a 200-pasang berth when passing through Thassa. And, of course, we agreed upon a stalemate. The last defeat has shaken our red caste, leaving it in a state of rebuilding and perhaps some dramatic changes to come soon. While Ar did not reach its mighty arm as far as it had intended, fresh, patriotic blood come of age and lift their swords in loyalty to the Ubar and to Ar, and vow vengeance on their fallen older brethren.
2. The Navonna Terrace, the Hotel Serviti, our auspicious gathering place and bustling notable business, is in a state of litigation as the owner, Giada Koba, fell to slavery at the hands of Ice Bradley. Several interested parties are vying for this property, knowing it is a key to trade, politics, and commerce on the Viktel Aria.
3. The assassins have been gathering, though no one knows their numbers. A new Master Assassin in Ar is casting his shadow seemingly everywhere as their vague activities are whispered about from taverns to the central cylinder. Though the Ubarate denies affiliation with any assassins, the Master Assassin himself has said to have entered the central cylinder several times recently, bearing the mark. It is even rumored that the black caste have been hired to help the new, determined head of the scribes on his inquisitions into lawbreakers and foreswearers in our glorious city.
4. As the margin of desolation continues to house patches of oasis-like vales, brave raiding parties have made it closer and closer to the gates. A new outpost is scheduled to open right outside the gates of Ar in the Fields of Elysium to keep their keen eyes open for these foolhardy rarii, outlaws, gypsies, and raiders. A few buildings will be erected to keep captives there to potentially sell to brave slavers who will venture out to the new danger that awaits in the uncertainty of the Fields of Elysium.
5. The head of the blue caste, now with a new zeal of the righteousness inscribed on his own flesh, now takes up the task to hunt those who would break the laws of Ar. Judge and jury in one single man, how far will he go? Some free women seem to run away when they see him approaching, holding their robes tight, and others scoff at him. Many of them speak highly of him, revering him throughout the plazas as a man of moral fiber whose firm hand has long been needed in Ar.
6. The University of Ar has been swept free of Cosian infiltration, and it reopens its doors to every city-state in Gor as the gathering place for the brightest minds. A forum for debates, the largest library by far in Gor, and over a quarter of a sim dedicated to education. Our physicians, scribes, scholars, builders, engineers, and artisans will teach here.
7. A strange disappearance of the gladiator champion Desimus, but in his place, emerges men of great talent, prisoners taken from all over Gor, housed at Ludus Cerise. They continue to fight for glory in our arenas as other cities come to compete in Ar. A new, specialized breeding outfit has also been rumored to be attracting notable business near the Ludus Cerise as well.
8. Whispers of dissent from many in the city, speaking of the Ubar's “unnecessary” wars, insinuating that the Ubar spends his days in luxury in the central cylinder surrounded by the most exotic and beautiful slaves rather than tending to city business and rebuilding the caste. Rumors of coups and desires for an administration are surfacing. The Ubarate, of course, with their network of spies, hear such rumors constantly, and as the whipping of the head scribe occurs, a glimmer of a darker, more tyrannical Ubarate begins to emerge as dissenters and traitors begin to be ferreted out.... for their own good, of course.

These stories and many, many more as we hope you join us heading into summer. If you're interested in being involved in any of these storylines or if you have your own to share for the blog, please let me know, or make a post on the forums. It's going to be a very, very interesting summer of roleplay.