The following OOC and IC history of Rhy'Din was compiled and written by the player of RDI Obsdn.

This next part is a brief OOC "history" of Rhydin and the RDI venues. The beginning of the article to the end of the part "Dec 1996, Flat Rate:" was written by someone else, I apologize for not remembering the author. The parts from 2000 on are my own contribution. My memory is a little fuzzy, so I also want to apologize if some specifics are not exactly right. OOC Rhydin A brief summary: Q-link: the Red Dragon Inn (RDI initials, RyDIn is a name borne of the initials) was part of the old Commodore online system dating back to the late 80's. AOL acquired the People Connection portion of Q-link and thus it moved to AOL circa 1992. Prior to that, the Phantasy Guild, not People Connection, ran the RDI. As one understands, it started much like an IRC room would today -- just the technology was different and the crowd was much smaller and more unified. From 1992-1994 the first real growth occurred. AOL dropped from $6 an hour to $3. Still, the RDI was very small and most patrons knew each other or at least knew of each other. It was during the latter stages of this period that RDI main became difficult to enter on peak hours and the other RDI rooms emerged in the People Connection list (RDI1, RDI2, etc. all the way to RDI13 sometimes!) 1994-1995 saw the beginnings of the Guild movement. FOES, SOULS, Crystal Fortress, all began during this period and another surge of growth in early 1995 filled these factions with recruits hungry to learn how to RP. During this time, RP shifted into two divided factions of Dice and rule play and what we now call Free form. In late 1995-96 the guilds upped their stakes by creating the many Guild Forums still running around. RWC was the first of these, but many followed soon after. These were more organized, and larger groups deepened the divide between dice and free form play as each insisted the other conform to their "rules". Dec 1996, Flat Rate: Just as the Dice Ban finally solved the divide issue, AOL removed hourly rates and began charging the monthly fees we are now accustomed to. This change opened a floodgate and new players swamped the RDI. For many, the place became intolerable and many of the member rooms gained popularity. There have been related member rooms almost from the beginning. But, with the deluge of new players, older ones found the game they had played lost in a sea of ignorance (which is not stupidity but sometimes no less frustrating in quantity). 2000: Sometime around the mid to the latter part of the year 2000 the Games Channel (run by EA) picked up several gaming forums on AOL that had previously come under the banner of the Arts and Entertainment People Connection rooms. At this time, the Games Channel chose not to sponsor (or produce, as the term is in the industry) the Red Dragon Inn, Stars End Bar, Gateway Station and the three Duels (there may be others I'm not remembering here). After a desperate search to keep the areas open for the players, the new People's Connection Games took over the sponsorship of those areas, leaving the rooms open and hosted in the A&E People Connection room listing. 2001: In February of 2001, People's Connection Games, seemingly at the behest of many who posted in OOC boards of the Free-Form areas over the years, moved the RDI, Stars End Bar, Gateway Station and the Duels to Conference Rooms. These rooms now held a capacity of 48 as opposed to the 23 the A&E listed rooms could accommodate. They also created the Red Dragon Inn Keep, a supposedly "more cerebral" RP room that allowed no In Character fighting and was meant to be the RDI's "advanced RP setting". The A&E room of the Red Dragon Inn was left in place, though went unhosted and became a general mish-mosh of people who no longer really knew what the room was for or about. 2002: In the early fall of 2002 the Games Channel (run by EA) decided they wanted the areas back that they had previously passed on. All the areas remained in the Conference Rooms and the A&E RDI remained unhosted where it was in the room list. A couple months later, AOL began the push for the Groups@aol and many could see the writing on the wall. 2003: Mid March of 2003 the players and Hosts of the Free-Form/Duels, Word and Trivia, and Wargames/Play-by-mail areas were informed that at the end of the month these areas were being converted to "member run, member managed" games, they would no longer be hosted in chat or on the Boards. EA continues to "produce" these areas, and has stated that they will continue to support them. Though, what support remains is a far cry from anything cohesive or coherent of years past. It also means that our areas cannot seek another sponsor on AOL in order to return to a Hosted environment with tools and information readily at hand for those new to the games. ADDENDUM: On the arrival of a new crew of AOL ACI, the Community Leaders were re- instated in the first few months of 2004. All went well, until AOL had another spasm in 2005 by removing the hosting tools and the ACI, and in June 2005 completely removing the Community Leaders, AOL-wide. The ex-Community Leaders and members decided to continue on their own. With RDI Panther being "elected" the leader, an off-AOL web site was constructed, and the Red Dragon Inn moved to the Arts & Entertainment Member Rooms until the web site role playing rooms were completed. ------------ This is where we are today. Basically we've come full circle, just with a much larger and continuously growing potential player base than in the beginnings of Q-Link. As I mentioned near the beginning of this thread, it is up to each of us to keep the fire of magic alive where these Worlds of ours are concerned. I am online at varying times, my schedule is weird, but I do check my mail. So please, if there is anyone out there who wishes to talk, wants to get up a game or has questions, email me and I will endeavor to do my best! I decided that since I'd put a similar version of this into the Red Dragon Groups@aol (groups.aol.com/_cqr/freeformg?mmch_=0) for all the new players, it might be nice to have it here as well. Yes, it is information that many of us who have been here a while know. In fact, since I didn't write most of it, I'm sure there may even be those here who wrote, or know who wrote some of the information that has been gathered. There are not many, but I have seen new players showing up here, too, despite the fact this place is not easy to find. I submit this as a repository of information to be added to by any and all. First let me give you some mechanics on just how to get to a Free-Form Red Dragon room on AOL. Actually several Free-Form areas can be found in the same place, some with ties to the Rhydin World mythos. You can use the Keyword (either the button on your toolbar that says keyword or type the Ctrl+K to pull up the window) RDI. This will take you to a splash screen for Tabletop, Strategy and Role-Play Game clubs. There is a link on that page for "Red Dragon Inn". It, however, won't take you to the chat room RDI. In fact, you might get lost there. Do check it out at your leisure, but to find the room click the blue link at the bottom that says "Chats: Join our discussions". Rather a misnomer, but you get used to that on AOL. ::Grins.:: Clicking that link will take you to screen with lots of links to various rooms. There are only a few I am knowledgeable of, so I will talk of those. If you have any interest in any of the others, by all means you should give them a look. Though, other than the Free-Form areas I will speak of, the other rooms might schedule their games at certain times. Under the heading "Adventure Role-Play Chat Schedule", there is a link to a room called "Club Paradisio". This is a Free-Form area (Free-Form and its particulars will be discussed in an article to be posted after this) with an advanced setting, though not a part of Rhydin and the Red Dragon Inns. Still, it is a fun setting to play in! Under the heading "Sci-Fi Role-Play Chat Schedule", there is a link to a room called "Star's End Bar". This, too, is a Free-Form RP chat room and it *is* part of the Rhydin World. Stars End is located in what some like to call "High Town", as opposed to where the RDI exists in the "Low Town" sector of Rhydin Township. Under the heading "Fantasy Role-Play Chat Schedule", you will see several rooms that start with "Red Dragon". The "Red Dragon Great Hall" and "Red Dragon Courtyard" have typically been used in the past for scheduled events such as weddings and the Marketplace. The "Red Dragon Lounge" was used in the past as a place for new players to come learn about the particulars of gaming in a Free-Form environment through Out-of-Character (OOC) discussions with RP Chat room Hosts. Since the Hosts no longer exist, I have no idea what it's used for now. But, the links to "Red Dragon Inn" and "Red Dragon Inn Keep" are the chat rooms mainly used. Also, under the Fantasy heading is a link to a room called "Crosswinds Tavern". This is another Free-Form area with an advanced setting. It is not part of the Rhydin world, but another fun setting to play within. However, the links to the rooms "Duel of Swords", "Duel of Magic" and "Duel of Fists" are part of the Rhydin World. These Duel rooms are not Free-Form per se; they work off a matrix-based system in order to score the Duels. The next posting is an article I wrote up a few years ago for the Free-Form areas. Abandon All Hope of Anything Real All Ye Who Enter Here! Huzzah! Welcome! You are about to embark upon a wondrous journey; a journey through time, space, alien landscapes and strange beings. You are the author for this journey. It is your imagination and creativity that will bring new things to bear upon these worlds you may travel. Have a care; practice caution lest some mage's fireball strike you down within your tracks. Watch that dirk at your back. Be careful of that one over there with the itchy blaster finger. Belly up to a bar or two and weave your tale. But most of all have fun! Yes, please have fun. The RDI (Red Dragon Inn, and its various venues) is made for you, for your imagination to run wild within. That is your imagination, not you. Please, do not ever forget that you help to produce and maintain this illusion of fantasy, fiction and magic we all come to have fun in. As you step through the door of the Red Dragon Inn (by entering the chat room), you are transported to a Realm known, collectively, as Rhydin. Rhydin has a complex and varied history, not easily understood by any. This is most likely due to the fact that Rhydin is a Nexus of Time and Space. Within the seemingly medieval tavern, you might encounter a space cowboy or cyborg as easily as you would a vampire or Lady of some noble house. The tenders may take gold, silver, paper cash, cred sticks or anything of value in trade. They may be seen chipping ice from a block held inside a wooden bucket, or using a perfectly normal 20th century blender. But, Rhydin has such a rich, complex and varied history for another reason, an OOC (Out Of Character) reason. Over the many years the RP (Role-play) environs have existed within this community and others, thousands of authors just like you have played here, built lives for their characters here. Those characters have had children, built homes, made enemies and friends, lived and sometimes died here. All those who play and have played here have brought and taken away with them their own views as to what Rhydin's continual history is to them. They have all added to the magic of the illusion we try to uphold. Hopefully, so will you. If I might be so bold, I would like to offer up some simple suggestions for your stay within this world of fun and fantasy. First of all, pay heed to the title of this article, for this is truth while you play and create here. All who work and create within these environs strive to leave the real world behind, if just for an hour or so. When you step through the door of any of our areas (by entering designated RDI [or other RP] chat rooms) you, the player, the one at the keyboard there (Yes, I mean you!), are not known within these lands. You don't exist for the characters of others, or for the one you choose to play. THE MECHANICS OF OUR REAL WORLD DO NOT EXIST. Mentioning such in room is not only a violation of ToS (Terms of Service, AOL's bylaws that you agreed upon when you or the person the account belongs to created that account), of which you will be held responsible for, but it also destroys the illusion of these fictitious realms; ruins the joy many who come here to play wish to experience. This is text-based RP (Role-play). The worlds, stories, lives you create are painted and are born to existence by the weaving of words; your words, and the interaction of your character with others' characters. I like to call what we do Interactive Collaborative Fiction Writing. I, personally, have spent many hours within these areas creating things of wonder with those I interact with. Many times, I have been eager to sign on for, like a book you hate to put down, there was another chapter or two to complete, to create. I wanted to see the end of the story we all wove together, wanted (sometimes needed) to know the outcome. And many of them are stories I will never forget. Words are very powerful. They can create emotion, sometimes of extreme degrees; weave fantastical worlds that our minds can travel into. But, you say, how in a text-based RP (Role-play) environ can we "see" actions; "visualize" what the person our character is talking to looks like? AH HA!!! Did I make you jump?::Grins and chuckles.:: <---- This denotes action. Within the double-colons, you can place many things. The way your character acts or reacts, their expressions. How they look, how they sound when they speak, what they are wearing. How the fabric of their cloak moves as they tread across the floor. The setting you are in. Even inner thoughts of what might be causing that certain look upon their face.::Pauses typing for a moment, wondering if she conveyed what she was meaning well enough. A pucker of her lips and she wrinkles her nose, re-reading the passage.:: The only limit is your imagination (Oh, and don't forget the Terms Of Service ::Smiles, thinking that reading those Terms might be a good thing for those that haven't, yet.::). Sometimes you may see players using other symbols to denote their actions. Anything from words between double ** to more elaborate showings of words between -=-*^ ^*-=-. I've seen them all. ::Chuckles.:: It is not a rule you must use the double colons (:: ::) to denote your actions. But, might I make a suggestion? As I said, I've seen most anything used to bracket words of action/description/thought. I've even tried to invent ones of mine own. In my opinion (And I am NOT the be-all and end-all of Role-play ways and means, believe me! I still have much to discover and learn, just as in life.), the double colons seem, by far, the easiest. They've become an automatic action for me, even! ::Laughs.:: Plus, though not a rule written in stone, the double colons to bracket your action/descriptive/thought words are fairly standard across the board in the RDI and other Free-Form areas. Let your writing speak for you, for your talent and creative endeavors. Paint the scene you wish to set with your words. You don't need the embellishment of typing symbols to stand out. Honest, straightforward desire and the willingness to interact courteously with others will bring you the fun you wish to find here. Let us speak on courtesy for a moment, shall we? First and foremost, YOU are the "GOD" of your creation, your character that you play. And this means what, you may ask? It means that you are the SOLE person who can make your character do anything, such as die, be wounded, walk through a crowd the way you wish them to, anything. NO ONE, I repeat NO ONE, has the right to tell you that your character must die or do anything you do not wish for them to do, or experience. AOL provides handy tools for patrons to use if something becomes annoying or bothering to you while you play here. That handy-dandy ignore feature works wonders for cutting down on the stress during your fun time! However, for the most enjoyable interactions in anything (life included, guys) common courtesy and respect swings both ways. So, what exactly do you mean by that, you might ask? ::Grins.:: After all, you just told us we were the "gods" of our characters, our creations. This must mean if we wish to have an all-powerful, omniscient, godling warrior throw down on someone, anyone, we can. If a character comes in and is dying on the spot or is wounded, then my character can just walk over and use their ::Insert appropriate godlike healing chant/power/potion here.:: to heal them wholly and better than they were before. Right? ::Smiles.:: Wrong. Actually, you could do this, but you won't find many who will be willing for you to make the call for what happens to their character (not every player who has a wounded character wishes them healed or whole). Remember the "Interactive" and "Collaborative" parts in what I term this type of RP, Interactive Collaborative Fiction Writing. If you want fun SLs (Story Lines) that will intrigue you and ignite that passion of creativity, you must first interact with others and collaborate on the scene you wish to play out so it is fun for all involved, so everyone gains from the experience. The RDI, and most places that use the world of Rhydin, is Free-Form role-play. This means there is no dice usage for fights or any kind of interaction your character might have with another, like one uses in table-top RP. Not only that, but it is also considered a violation of ToS (Terms of Service) to roll dice in any of the RDIs and Free-Form public rooms. Some member's rooms do allow this, but always ask or at least pay attention to the play in that room for clues. Well, you might say, this doesn't seem like there could be any chance of advancing a character's skill level or anything of the sort. But, remember what I said a few paragraphs up? YOU are the "GOD" of your character; you are your character's (no one else's) GM/DM (Game Master/Dungeon Master). But what about fighting, you may ask? How can a fight be fair? Easy, through collaboration, or cooperation if you wish to call it that. Simply put, through communication. Players extending the hand of courtesy to one another and talking about the scene OOC (Out Of Character), to see what each of you wants to accomplish/gain/experience with such an interaction. Sometimes someone may wish their character to die. Other times it might just be a friendly spar or interesting bar room brawl. It could be anything. It could be any type of interaction, not just a fight scene. Just remember the all-important "Collaboration" part. Please. You cannot expect to find many who would play or interact with your character if your character can smite/kill/turn to dust/evaporate/obliterate another with only a thought. Thus, playing partners might prove difficult to come by if your character is invulnerable and takes no damage/consequences from any interaction. This doesn't mean it has to happen all the time. That is where courtesy, respect and communication come in to play. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE SOMEONE'S CHARACTER'S WHIPPING POST! That door swings both ways, though. Let's talk a bit about communication. Double-parentheses, (()), are used to denote the words typed are occurring from player to player, not character to character. Such as in an IM (Instant Message) sent during a scene you are having with your gaming partner: ((I'm sending Sid to the little girls room as the cat got stuck in the toilet again. I'll BRB [Be Right Back] )) ::Giggles, as it's happened to her before.:: Such OOC communication in the actual playing room should be avoided at all costs! Remember the title of this article. The real world does not exist beyond the "doors" of the chat room you are in. Not only that, but disruptive use of it will get you a ToS (Terms of Service,remember?) violation. Communication for an enjoyable RP experience means only that. If you wish to spill your life story to another player that is your prerogative. But, it is NOT, I repeat most emphatically NOT, a requirement (and most won't appreciate it)! You are here to have fun, to enjoy yourself and, perhaps, create some memorable works of fiction and game with fellow players of like mind. Do NOT ever feel as if you must reveal anything personal about yourself to anyone, if you so choose. After all, I doubt any of us in the work-a-day world spill their life story to the secretary down the hall or the CEO you are seeing for an important business meeting. Don't get me wrong, you may find yourself becoming more and more friendly with those you play with often. Many strong friendships have been built here between players. But, should you begin to feel uncomfortable, if you feel someone is pressuring you for too much information you are not willing to give, there are options available to you through AOL. Just remember to use the same caution and common sense you use in your real life while on any online service. Especially when it can be anyone behind that screen name, nick name or handle. Before I conclude this let me give you a brief listing of some things you might encounter in these text-based RP environs, and their meanings. There are more, I am sure. I will not get them all, but I hope that this list provides some help to you and assists you in finding fun here within the World of Rhydin and all of our Free-Form areas. :: :: - Double-colons - Words between them usually denote actions, unspoken thought or descriptions. (w), (q), (s), (m) - Emotes - Respectively they are whisper(s), quiet(ly), soft(ly), mutter(s/ing). Used singularly or together in a variety of ways, placed before speech and sometimes combined with one or more (v) to denote very, as in (wvs) - whispers very softly. >> << Or > < - Backward arrows - Words between these usually denote mental communication between one character and another. Please remember to be kind and courteous as to whether your character can actually read the minds of those conversing like this. Communication is the key! ~ ~ And/or *~ ~* - I have seen these symbols used to denote mental communication between characters, as well. The first, without the asterisks' emphasis, usually portrays open (another telepath could pick it up) thought speak. The second, usually portraying closed mental communication between the senders/receivers. * * - Asterisks - Words between these usually mean they are emphasized as the character speaks them. Now with the ability for different fonts and font styles in chat this is not usually seen. (Though I still use them!) ~ ~ - Tilde - Sometimes words between these means the character is singing them. I know there's another onefor this, but I can't remember! (( )) - Double-parentheses - Words between these are meant as OOC (Out Of Character). From player to player. And only in IMs or email, please! They should be avoided in room at all costs! I thank you for taking the time to read this. I sincerely hope that I have provided some help to make your time here with us in this wondrous world of fantasy, fiction and game an enjoyable and memorable one. I look forward to seeing what you create. Julie... Sid's {:*) mun-ster © J. Wakefield, 2000 IC RhyDin These next posts are about Rhydin and its IC (In Character) environs. There is a lot of information here and I am not the author of any of it. Much of this information I gathered from the "Setting" screens and such of the various areas when they existed in the past. At the end of this IC (In Character) description of Rhydin and its various places there is a Setting for a place called "Gateway Station". At one time this was another RP room that had ties to Rhydin. It was taken from us many months before the demise of the Hosts. Under the "Sci-Fi Role-Play Chat Schedule" heading there is a link to a room called "Gateway Station". I am not sure if this room still uses the Setting I am going to put here, but I am including it for posterity sake. A note on these Settings and descriptions: Since we players of the Free-Form areas of RP have been abandoned by AOL and EA (this is my opinion of the matter), information on the Worlds we play in is no longer handily available to any who come seeking the knowledge. It is up to us to remember and keep alive that fire where magic dwells. The planet RhyDin is a fairly large bluish sphere, a somewhat atypical M-class world. Orbiting it, beyond a ring of cosmic debris and man-made satellites, are two moons. The larger and closest of the two, Arabrab, follows a slow and steady path across the RhyDin skies. The smaller and more distant moon, Trebor, loops around the planet in a speedier (but far more elliptical) orbit. On the planet's surface one will find RhyDin Town. There are certainly many settlements spread out across the planet, but none so diverse as this rustic city. Incorporated untold years ago by travelers of the cosmic Nexus, it is the bustling economic center of the land. Over the years, all manner of individuals have relocated to this city and made it their home. The local lore and libraries are full of the stuff of heroes and villains ... some legendary, some not. RhyDin Town is a sprawling mass of cobblestone streets and buildings. While the Red Dragon Inn stands out as the largest and best-known fixture of town, the rest of the structures range from well-manicured manors to dirty rat-infested shanties. The RhyDin Town Patrol is a group of sentries, who do their best to keep the peace in town, but they are understaffed and underpaid and response time to a call for help can often be abysmal. The actual government of RhyDin Town is an oligarchy, but the "powers that be" are anonymous to the masses. Rumors abound that they remain secret because they are involved in activities that many would consider improper. Others insist that it's some great conspiratorial secret society. Whatever the case, most of the residents of RhyDin Town enjoy a level of affluence that is not shared by many who reside in the land's more outlying areas. That being the case, while they may bemoan the government, they seldom actually rally for any real change. Red Dragon Inn By far the tallest building on the world of RhyDin (besides the various towers and castle keeps that dot the countryside), the renowned Red Dragon Inn sits comfortably nestled in the heart of RhyDin Town. It is three stories tall and its solid timber construction shows a level of workmanship rarely seen elsewhere in the Multiverse. The exterior is finely carved and painted with many reliefs of knights and dragons and creatures of various sorts; some common and some most uncommon. Once inside the famed Red Dragon Inn, you see a goodly sized space filled with tables and a line of booths off on the left hand wall. The grand bar of some fine rich polished wood lines the right wall. Opposite the front door is the great fireplace, a fire always raging within -- warming the Inn in its entirety. Just beyond the bar on the right hand wall is the door that leads to the kitchen. In that far corner is the spiral staircase that leads down into the basement and wine cellar where the Duelists of Duel of Swords have carved out a dueling hall in one of the many caverns of RhyDin. On the back wall between the spiral stairs and the hearth is the door to the "backroom." To the left of the hearth can be found the stairs leading up to the rooms for rent. The ceiling is high and crisscrossed with rafters. There are doors leaving the Inn, besides the front doors, through the kitchen and through the backroom. Though it is said that the inn changes shape to accommodate its patrons, the Inn itself never seems to allow more than 48 people in the common room. No matter how many people rent a room here at the Red Dragon Inn, there always seems to be extra rooms available. The doors to the rooms upstairs serve two purposes, one the most mundane; they simply open up to the room beyond but on other occasion, when the person opening the door truly desires to be elsewhere, they will open up onto the very same place as the desire (barring any magical interference such as wards and the like) and so are also gateways to When and Where-ever. While it may seem a charming quaint and rustic place to quaff an ale or two, The Red Dragon Inn is far more. It is the Center of the Multiverse. Red Dragon Inn Keep The Red Dragon Inn Keep is located on the third floor of the inn. Although the Guardians of RhyDin do maintain homes of their own, to many the Keep is their second home. The Keep is an open room, circular in formation with doors leading off it to the private quarters of the Guardians. A spiraled staircase sits within the southwest area of the room, leading to the lower floors of the Inn, as well as up to the rooftop. Far away from the din of The Red Dragon Inn proper, citizens are free to interact with one another in a more cerebral setting. A towering stone fireplace sits on the opposite end of the staircase, of this dimly lit room. Bookcases line the circular walls and are filled with tomes of knowledge from across the lands. Leather-backed chairs dot the floor offering a subdued respite from the boisterous activities located in The Red Dragon Inn below. Pull up a seat and share your experiences with others citizens of RhyDin. Red Dragon's Great Hall The pathway that leads from the Inn is wide enough for three men to walk abreast and bowered over with the graceful branches of evergreen trees kept by the Innkeepers talented staff. As you walk along the trees provide pleasant shade and tantalizing views through their foliage of the Red Dragon's Great Hall. The Hall is a freestanding building just over a small hill from the Red Dragon Inn. Seen from without, the Hall is made of massive field stonewalls cut to precision fit and roofed with mighty timbers of the Cedar tree. Up a short flight of stairs, through the arched entryway of the low stonewall that encompasses the Hall and it's grounds, there is a small outer courtyard. At its center is a fountain of fine marble, a Red Dragon in flight at its pinnacle water flowing from its mouth. Here merchants sometimes bring their wares to sell when a bizarre or traveling show has occupation of the Hall itself. Across the small courtyard, beyond the marble fountain at its center are the tall wooden doors, banded with broad ironwork bands on large, well-oiled hinges. The doors open to admit you to the wonders of the Hall. The flooring is flagstone, multi-colored and highly polished. The high ceiling catches your eye, the stone buttresses support the cedar beams overhead. A balcony surrounds the whole of the hall, deepening at the far end to the right into a platform for musicians or heads of state to entertain or be entertained by the patrons below. Two brass and crystal chandeliers dangle from massive iron chains to light the Hall with the glow of five hundred candles. Each may be lowered to replace, extinguish or light the beeswax sticks. Various sconces, of wrought iron, hold several tapers each at shoulder height along the walls for ease of lighting. Along the wall to the right is an oak brasserie, trimmed in polished brass, the huge kitchens, perfect for banquets and other events alike, are accessed through wooden doors set in the wall behind it. The Bar is stocked with all manner of beverages, some supplied by local merchants, others from far off and exotic places. Shelves of casks and bottles and glassware are at the fingertips of the barmaids and men who serve the Hall's patrons with their choice of food or drink. Along the wall to the left are massive oak, rectangular tables, surrounded by chairs of well-hewn oak, maple and pine. Twin fireplaces grace the wall opposite the doors through which you've just entered. Their hearths are raised flagstone and one could roast whole cattle within their warm hearts. Tall, thin windows of rippled stained leaded glass mark the walls at every twenty feet for the length of the wall bearing the double doors. Yet, only four let in muted light on the wall across the Hall where the fireplaces greedily claim a majority of space. The center of the room provides space for dancing, reveling and merriment, just what you've come for today. We, the establishment, invite you to enter, enjoy and leave refreshed. Outback - Duel of Fists Out back of the Red Dragon Inn stands a building with thick oaken double doors. Every week, the sporting patrons and competitors of the Duel of Fists battle barehanded within its tall, proud walls. This is the Outback. Pause as you enter the place and look around a bit, it's a large, impressive open space, with curved roof-beams reaching upward two stories, flanked by high windows for daylight. (Black Panther, the founder of the Duel of Fists, built the original building years ago and this is the third building to carry the honored "Outback" name.) In the corner to your immediate left is a shallow in-ground tank, a miniature ice rink. The area ahead is dominated by the four great dueling rings, each a slightly raised circle of sand. To their left stands a large, bright green fern; its long fronds shade two of the rings, and huge thorns along the stem rise up like steps. A few special rings are alongside the Four, including the infamous Styx -- a platform of criss-crossed wooden beams suspended 15' above the floor, with mats below. Practice mats are in the far corners, with sparring equipment hanging nearby. Between them is an elevated platform with a couch and several comfortable cushions -- the seat for the officials who score the bouts. A switch opens floor panels covering the infamous Pit in front of them -- a hole in the floor filled with mud, weevils, and fun. (Doors in the far wall lead to extra rooms. To the right is a small storage area that doubles as a private dueling room for Team Fist and others. Two lounges provide lockers and hot & cold showers.) The full ringed balcony on the second floor was added in the second incarnation of the Outback, and provides excellent views from along its ornate railing. Some of the locked upstairs rooms are rented for the night by wayfarers, and some are kept for other purposes. To your right is a long bridge with narrow center planks, dangling precariously over a large wooden tub. On the wall beyond is a large posting-board for announcements, challenges, notices, and standings. Below it stands a long, elaborately carved bar, the handiwork of Jake Thrash, Layne Jenkins, and Dalamar. The glistening cherry wood shelves contain anything a thirsty brawler could want... with ale from the Red Orc Brewery, and even a small collection of Skullsplitter Ale. The bar offers a perfect view of the rings, as do the nearby tables and chairs. Many of the regulars have taken tables as their own, and can often be found there as they rest between their own battles, drinking and watching the action. Over the bar are a series of large oil portraits: a pictorial history of the various champions, the past and present holders of the coveted Diamond. Their names are legendary: Ulath ni Fici, Shannon Colton, Jake Thrash, Percival, and more... The Arena - Duel of Swords The Arena was built in the basement of the Red Dragon Inn. Renovations were extensive as a goodly portion of the wine cellar and catacombs were taken over. In the main room of the Inn is an unmarked door with two simple crossed swords hanging above it. If you go through that portal, you will descend a long set of roughly hewn, seemingly rickety-looking torch-lit stairs. Fear not though, they are much stronger than they appear. When you reach the bottom, you will find yourself in the northwest corner of the Dueler's Arena. A long wall extends to your left, and in front of you are numerous tables and chairs, all seemingly made out of the same old wood as their stairs. Early in the evening there might be some organization to the setup, but surely late in the night, the fact that many have visited is glaringly apparent. If you sit for a while, you'll also notice that many have been unable to keep themselves from carving their initials in the wood while waiting to duel. Across from you, and down the length of the east wall are makeshift bleachers, erected to give the growing crowd a better view of the rings. On your right is the corner of the bar, which extends five feet out from the wall, and then the length of the room. This is obviously *not* the same wood as the tables and chairs. The rich mahogany may be well used, but it is also well polished. Simple wooden four legged stools run the length of the bar. Though serving lads are known to run about, the bar itself is self-serve. The various rings, with a few more tables, take up the south-end of the room and chairs interspersed throughout. Here you will find the "Callers Couch." It is well worn, but sturdy and fairly comfortable. From the couch, the officials of the sport can see each of the rings, and close by is the Queue Keeper's desk. Over the last ring on the south-end of the room is a huge portrait of Gondar, the first Overlord. In the southwest corner of the room are swinging doors that lead into the kitchen, and next to them on the south wall, a door that leads into the pantry and various storage rooms. In the southeast corner, you will note another unmarked door, made with wood that doesn't seem nearly as old as the rest. Through this portal used to lie more storage space, but more recent renovations have turned it into an Annex of the Arena, where people might find a little more elbow room for special dueling events. The floors here are bare stone, except for whatever dirt and mud is brought down from above, or whatever blood and sawdust is tracked out of the rings. The walls are covered with trophies, old swords, mementos, and the like. Tapestries and banners hang from not only the walls, but also the rafters. Every prominent house, family, and nation associated with the Duel of Swords is represented. Some of these include Redwin, Clatterbridge, Skylark, Westridge, Tynsdale, Lathadoscia, Mountainside, Covington, Dracoern and Questrion. All in all, there are nearly too many to name. In the northeast corner of the Arena is another small set of stairs leading up in the skyboxes that line the east and north walls. The view is a little bad because of all of the banners hanging from above. Long ago a rope was tied across the stairwell to discourage anyone from bothering to go up. The skyboxes have long since fallen into disrepair and are no longer cleaned by the staff after the last tired dueler and caller head home. Twilight Island - Duel of Magic Those who exit the Red Dragon Inn, passing the door to the Duel of Swords Arena, often remark upon the mysterious door -- of peculiar size and shape -- that is just behind the stairwell. Slanting oddly, the door opens into a corridor that defies all principles of gravity and perspective, illuminated in shifting purple light. That corridor leads to a small glowing portal that seems to pulse. Only the adventurous traveler dares walk though, for it transports one to Twilight Island, home of the Duel of Magic. Existing wholly within its own pocket dimension, there is no "mundane" way to reach the isle. It is eternally suspended in twilight: the dying rays of the setting sun light the western sky, and stars twinkle in the East. The isle is surrounded by mountains along all shores save the South, which boasts a beautiful lagoon with blue water and soft sands that contain the Portal. Rich fields and forests lie to the West, the tallest mountains touch the sky to the East, and a smoky volcano burns to the North. But the center of the isle is what draws its visitors. In a plane of volcanic stone rest the ancient Great Rings of the Duels. Carved into the cooling lava, the Rings are a permanent feature of the landscape, and contain great magical power. These rings limit the spells that may be worked within. They also prevent any spells from crossing its boundaries, and heal all wounds as duelists exit. After all, these duels are not to the death. The portal and most of the Rings were carved into the magma as it cooled, as was an amphitheater into the volcano's slope in the northern mountains. In the very center of the island is Ring Alpha, the first created, surrounded by a cold lake of volcanic rock. Sometimes, when the flow of magic is strongest (most often during the ArchMage tournaments), the trees crackle with St. Elmo's Fire, becoming suddenly more alive. Enwrapped in blue, electric sparks, the aged trees snap and shiver, reaching toward the Magi with skeletal branches. At the heart of the volcano's lava lake stands the Tower of Fire, home of the Keeper of Fire. This lair is not made of stone or even magma, but sold, living flame. In all other respects it resembles the other three individual towers of the Keepers: 60' tall, 50' wide at the base and 30' wide at the top, complete with windows, battlements, and large double doors of solid brass set within the red and orange flame-walls. Just above the tallest mountain stands the Tower of Air, home to the Keeper of Air. Made from air itself, the tower is nearly invisible to the naked eye, yet to its Keeper it stands as proud and bright as if it were solid gold. Even when one stands close to the tower it appears to be nothing more than a shimmering haze with double doors appearing as clouds. Away from the shores, near the center of the lagoon, stands the lair of the Keeper of Water, the Tower of Water. Those looking at the tower swear that it looks like a raging waterfall -- but the water flows UP from the lagoon, and never seems to come down. The majestic double doors are made of coral. It is within the face of the greatest cliff in the western range where the Tower of Earth stands. As it lies entombed within the living rock, it is not as visible or dramatic as the Towers of Fire or Water. There are no doors or any other visible entrance to this Tower, only a small keyhole in the cliff 100' from the ground. A stone stairwell that appears at the will of the Keeper of Earth is the only safe approach to the entrance. A small island of rock floats above Twilight Island, directly above the First Circle, teeming with vegetation and flowing water. Upon this great rock there rests a citadel of columns, steps and domes made of white marble, and a brilliant flame burns within. This is the Citadel of the Stars, home of the ArchMage, who also bears the honor and burden of being the Keeper of the Stars. The flame within the Citadel is pure magic, and is so powerful only its Keeper may approach safely. As you arrive, you are greeted by a goblin, which rushes up to offer a drink or a light meal. Then a smile and nod from the official: "Welcome to Twilight Island! May magic and luck grace your path herein." Stars End Bar and Grill In a sector of the known galaxy located not terribly far, relativistically speaking, from the galactic core is the RhyDin star system. A nondescript G-3 class star circled by a large M-class planet, this system has benefited from its position near one of the strongest nodes of the universal Nexus. The RhyDin system has become the focal point of both galactic culture and commerce, a crossroads for various peoples and beliefs. The mingling of ideas became so fabled that the system eventually earned the moniker "center of the multiverse." It is indeed a melting pot that freely mixes transients from across time, space, and dimensions with the indigenous population. The end result is hybridization; it's nearly impossible to isolate which aspects are "native" to RhyDin and which are not. What is the Nexus? The universal Nexus is many things to the different people that call RhyDin "home." On it's most basic level, the Nexus is a series of wormholes and temporal rifts that undulate throughout the universe. Objects or individuals absorbed into the Nexus are liable to end up anywhere its branches reach...but more often than not they reemerge near points in space that are close to major centers of Nexal activity. The RhyDin system is one such center of activity. On a higher level of thought, the Nexus can be regarded as shaping reality; almost assuming a deified yet non-sentient role. In places near the tendrils of the Nexus, reality is not always what it appears to be...in fact reality can sometimes become a purely subjective concept. The skill to harness such energy is often roundly referred to as "magic." As one might infer, the RhyDin system is a place rich in this energy. The planet RhyDin is a fairly large bluish sphere, a somewhat atypical M-class world. Orbiting it, beyond a ring of cosmic debris and man-made satellites, are two moons. The larger and closest of the two, Arabrab, follows a slow and steady path across the RhyDin skies. The smaller and more distant moon, Trebor, loops around the planet in a speedier (but far more elliptical) orbit. On the planet's surface one will find RhyDin Town. There are certainly many settlements spread out across the planet, but none so diverse as this rustic city. Incorporated untold years ago by travelers of the cosmic Nexus, it is the bustling economic center of the land. Over the years, all manner of individuals have relocated to this city and made it their home. The local lore and libraries are full of the stuff of heroes and villains...some legendary, some not. RhyDin Town is a sprawling mass of cobblestone streets and buildings. While the Red Dragon Inn stands out as the largest and best-known fixture of town, the rest of the structures range from well-manicured manors to dirty rat-infested shanties. The RhyDin Town Patrol is a group of sentries that do their best to keep the peace in town, but they are understaffed and underpaid and response time to a call for help can often be abysmal. The actual government of RhyDin Town is an oligarchy, but the "powers that be" are anonymous to the masses. Rumors abound that they remain secret because they are involved in activities that many would consider improper. Others insist that it's some great conspiratorial secret society. Whatever the case, most of the residents of RhyDin Town enjoy a level of affluence that is not shared by many who reside in the land's more outlying areas. That being the case, while they may bemoan the government, they seldom actually rally for any real change. On the outskirts of the city, beyond the shanties and old Quonset-style huts, one may find the Star's End Spaceport nestled within a coastal valley. Tucked away behind the Dagger Mountains, the Spaceport sits on the coast of Fool's Luck Bay. The port was first established by the RhyDin oligarchy as the Land's End Port, a traditional maritime trading outpost. When spacecraft began making their way to the RhyDin system, the port was expanded and retrofitted to accommodate these new vessels. Renovations and further expansion continued for years, keeping pace with the economic growth of the area. Eventually, too, came a change in name; Land's End became Stars End. Since it's founding, the port has grown from a rough and tumble backwater outpost to a sophisticated (but perhaps rougher than it was before) community. Down there, where the shadows get darker and the air thicker, the shadowy operatives of various corporations seek to better serve their diverse interstellar business ventures. Spacecraft can be seen constantly lifting off and setting down during the course of a day (or night). While most ships tend to be freighters carrying cargo, all manner of vessels will be seen if one watches the landing areas long enough. The dramatic mixing of old and new is most visible when one observes a light freighter rocketing off over the masts of the few tall trading ships bobbing in the waters of the bay. The Docks are the oldest and roughest part of the Spaceport. Degenerating shipwright facilities and warehouses abound and often serve as shelters for the homeless. Moving inward, the surroundings improve in slow degrees. All forms of architectural styles can be found within the port community, apparently without the assistance of any city planners. The streets are narrow and confusing ...with ground vehicles and speeders competing for driving space. Many a visitor has wandered for hours only to make one wrong turn into a dark alley and never be seen alive again. The more "well-lit" portions of the port are usually a-buzz with traders plying their wares or pilots trying to lease their craft to the highest bidder. All manner of businesses exist within the spaceport: off-world curio vendors, weaponry traders, used spaceship dealers, general merchandise suppliers and the like. There are some affluent areas, most of which have few streets entering and often guard stations posted. The wealthy merchants and corporate executives live in these comfortable exclusive compounds, locked away from the squalor that makes up much of the Spaceport. These are the areas where law is most heavily enforced ...courtesy of the Star's End Police Department. The SEPD is a group of individuals hired to act as the port authority within the Stars End sector of RhyDin. Their job is thankless and the pay is meager, but the RhyDin oligarchy (in conjunction with various shadowy corporate interests) employs them to keep some semblance of peace. Some view them as little more than rent-a-cops; others see them as the only thing standing between the status quo and outright anarchy. Whatever the case, they attempt to do their job as best they can, outfitted in body armor and employing non-lethal means of apprehension. The corporations involved in funding the police have no desire to alienate their clientele and more forceful techniques are only authorized in the direst of situations. Outposts and embassies from most of the major star systems, empires, and federations can be found throughout the remainder of the Spaceport. Open hostilities between known enemy factions tend to be rare, as all have adopted a very loose peace treaty. Due to RhyDin's orientation as a galactic crossroads, no one faction could ever manage to hold it themselves. Each actually benefits by having unmitigated access to the vastly diverse cultures and races represented within the Star's End sector. This mixture is not without other benefits as well... if there is anything that is considered top notch in the port, it is the nightlife. Sailors of the sky and sea alike are more than eager to spend their pay on wild times. If there is something one is looking for, it can usually be found. There are four star hotels are mixed with seedy dives, shows of all kinds playing at any time...day or night. Several casinos are also scattered about, liberating credits from their owners. Bars of all reputations exist on nearly every street corner. One of the oldest establishments, the Star's End Bar and Grill, remains one of the most popular. In true Spaceport fashion, the SEB is about as gritty as they come. The bar is located on the outer edge of the Spaceport, not terribly far from one of the many landing pads and The Docks. By day, the building itself is hardly distinguishable from the rest of the Spaceport. By night, the neon light streaming from the unwashed windows beckons to innocent travelers and denizens of the night. One might see the menu taped to the inside of the window, if one is brave enough to wipe away some of the dirt. The place reeks of secrets best left untold. Its clientele...the spacers, smugglers and assorted other riffraff that drift from world to world ...are ever in search of adventure and profit. Before entering the building, one might notice a large rusted sign hanging over a door several yards to the right. The sign reads, in simple block lettering, "Star's End Hacienda -- Rooms starting at 30 creds." As dreary as the bar itself may appear, this next-door establishment seems to have been belched from the bowels of the abyss. Inside one finds a small cubicle to the left, an unshaven man chomping a cigar is usually within it. Beyond the cubicle is a long corridor that has several doors evenly spaced out along its expanse. The floor carpeting is stained and threadbare, and strange noises permeate the air from behind some of the doors. The rooms themselves would turn the stomach of a Denubian sewer rat... broken fixtures held together with duct-tape, dirty furniture reeking of strange odors, mildewed bathrooms that work only sporadically. Room service? Not bloody likely here. Hang around outside long enough and the symbiotic relationship between the two businesses becomes apparent. Patrons stumble out from the bar and weave their way over to rent a room to "sleep it off." Some of these same individuals will be seen, hours later, hobbling back into the bar for another round of "entertainment." Once inside the SEB's sliding pneumonic doors, one sees the bar on the right...it's long expanse of black curves out of sight. The sound of tacky music from an old jukebox lost by some trader in a BlackPoker game about thirty years ago blares out. The smells and voices hit an individual like a hug from Aunt Enid. The tables and booths look clean enough, but the annoying sound of shoes sticking to the floor in certain places can be most disturbing. One simply doesn't ask what the black stains on the tiles are. "Hey, bartender! I need a drink!" someone hollers. "You name it, we've got it. What'll it be?" the bartender responds, ready with a glass and a smile. "If we don't serve it, no one will..." The jukebox stands next to a huge tri-D screen, with a clearing in front that suggests a dance floor. Towards the back left corner, a raised area looks almost like a stage and one might wonder who'd be brave enough to actually offer entertainment. Overhead, the ceiling is tiled much like the floor, albeit with speakers, vents, and lighting fixtures spaced out in odd intervals. Behind the stage are stairs that lead up to a half-landing, then down a corridor out of sight. A small sign next to the stairs announces that proper clearance is required to proceed beyond this point. Adjacent to the stage is a room in the back that has an old style pool table alongside a laser dartboard tacked to one wall. Next to it is a set of metal double doors, the kind one would normally see in old world restaurants. A peek behind them unveils a relic from another era, a 'kitchen'. At the end of a dim corridor that parallels the back wall, behind the storeroom and small work area behind the bar, is a communications terminal where one can place calls or access the local net. A few other doors down the corridor are unmarked, with most coded for restricted access. The bar was once considered beyond the boundaries of the law, and still there are rumors of illicit deals and agreements reached in back rooms. There is certainly no shortage of suspicious characters that choose to live outside the law. It's a strange blend of seedy spacer bar and back street high-tech equipment. The transporter and the replicator were rumored to have been salvaged off a downed freighter. The holo-grid was whispered to have been pirated from a popular recreation planet on a dare. The retinal scanner at the door was purchased legally, according to the records at the Spaceport, though the name of the seller has been deleted for privacy. Management of the bar has changed numerous times over the years. Invariably the management works at the behest of shadowy corporate investors as a penance for some debt or misdeed. While the job is not glamorous, it does afford those with their affluence in mind the opportunity to network in an unmitigated manner. All kinds of currency, from Federation cred-sticks to gold coins and even gemstones, pass hands in the bar and in the spaceport itself. This is the place to make or break a fortune. Knowing ones way around or paying someone that does is the best advice for new arrivals. Come early and stay late...and don't leave the blaster at home! The Star's End Bar and Grill...a haven for all who wish it to be. Gateway Station Orbiting high above the planet RhyDin, Gateway Station 1 serves as the local operations center of the Gateway Business Federation. The GBF conducts business in many sectors throughout the galaxy, seeking to monitor and regulate commerce. Such regulation is primarily between its own member corporations, but the GBF does and will attempt to intervene in other trade disputes that may threaten its collective holdings. Since many of the corporate groups that compose the GBF operate through divergent and seemingly unrelated companies, the GBF itself is difficult to define as a singular entity. It is not known just how many Gateway Stations are in operation throughout the galaxy ... it is only known that the GBF expands slowly, but constantly. It is also known that GS1 is the first of its kind ... and that the GBF itself has its roots in the commercial underworld of the Star's End Spaceport. Until recently, GS1 was not open to the general public and the Federation actively kept its presence a secret through various means. The time eventually came when the GBF decided many commercial ventures would be better served by dealing directly on the station itself. This turn in policy, while painted as an attempt to benefit all businesses on RhyDin, was really a thinly veiled attempt to solidify control of an economic environment growing at exponential rates. There was, however, a side effect that the Federation didn't count on. The station quickly became regarded as an exotic vacation destination for the more space savvy denizens of the planet. Never an organization to pass up the opportunity to make a profit, the GBF embraced this unexpected bonus. The Federation appoints an individual magistrate to oversee the general day-to-day operations of each station. While the magistrates are on the GBF's payroll, they are not formal members of the Federation itself. Pay credits are deposited into their personal accounts under a myriad of methods and seldom the same way twice. GBF contact with each magistrate is usually done by fourth and fifth party couriers, or encrypted subspace transmissions. The magistrates know that they work at the behest of the Federation, but they do not know (and usually do not wish to know) the specific identities of GBF members. While most magistrates need only worry about the essentials of station operation and security, the magistrate of GS1 is doubly burdened. He or she must also serve as activity and entertainment director for the growing tourist trade. GS1 measures a somewhat astounding five miles in diameter and can comfortably accommodate hundreds of people in its housing compartments. The bulk of the GS1 crew (everyone from the cooks to the navigators) lives full time aboard the station. Some, however, do make a daily commute via shuttles from the Star's End Spaceport or use the transporter located in the Star's End Bar and Grill. The docking bays (for smaller spacecraft) and docking couplers (for larger vessels) are located in the hub of the station itself. GS1's transporter facilities are located in the hub as well, and all three arrival/departure points are closely monitored by station security. While GS1 is not a particularly mobile structure, it is outfitted with several impulse engines located around its outer ring. These engines allow the station's orbit to be adjusted as needed. Being hulkingly slow, however, does not mean that the station is defenseless. In fact, GS1 is equipped with a powerful array of multi-phased tachyon shields and a more conventional neutrino buffer. GS1 isn't punchless, either ... it can fight back, if need be. With a series of mass driver turrets ringing its exterior and two powerful ion cannons mounted above and below its hub, GS1 can be a formidable opponent in battle. The social focal point of GS1 is simply known as The Depot. The Depot is a rather lavishly furnished lounge where patrons may purchase drinks, meals, or other useful equipment. The compartment in which it is located occupies a fairly large portion of the station's outer ring, bounded on each end by sliding pneumatic doors. The Depot is furnished with many panoramic view ports that allow a customer to either gaze into space or at the blue sphere of RhyDin below. Amenities include a full service bar, a kitchen (located behind the bar), restrooms (on the left, adjacent to the bar), many free standing titanium table/chair sets (grouped loosely in front and to the flanks of the bar), a stage and dance floor (located directly opposite the bar), and several private booths which line the outer walls (each booth is equipped with individual sound and energy shields which may be activated to ensure complete privacy as well as safety). Live entertainment on the stage is always a possibility, but The Depot also has a state of the art multimedia system with remote terminals available to all tables and booths. The overall decor of The Depot tends towards "space gothic," but there are some more "rustic" paintings hanging from the walls. The one most patrons notice first is a large fresco of the Red Dragon Inn hanging between the "Male" and "Female" bathroom doors. The general atmosphere in The Depot, as well as GS1 as a whole, is usually reserved but friendly ... if not simply business-motivated. Deals are always being hatched; grand plans to exploit exploding markets being devised. The sight and sound of children running down the corridors of the visitor lodging compartments isn't out of the ordinary. Lovers, admiring the serene views of space, are often seen hand in hand. Security is amply provided by a team of battle-ready androids that quietly patrol all sections of the station. Skirmishes tend to be a very rare event as errant blaster fire or other such activity is most unwise. From the standpoint of good health, a ruptured space station hull usually tends to be fatal to all concerned. The Gateway Station ... a business and social mecca for those who wish to partake of it. Merry Gaming to all! Julie... Sid's {:*) mun-ster

Return To The Index