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The Mystery Continues

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Alright. To most this story is not interesting, but to me it has been quite an adventure.

Background: A few months ago I bought a book from the broker titled: KODEKS DE AN-RE-SKI-DE BEN-TAS KODEKS KUAR-DE written by a prophet. I thought nothing of the book, and simply added it to my book collection. Yesterday, I received mail from another player explaining that he was looking to purchase these books because they are rare and he’s figuring them out (translating). I was interested, but again didn’t think too much of it.

I then stumbled across this site, which explains the language that the player-written book is written in, gargish, a language from Ultima Online. The book actually talks about some of the lore of UO, in specific their Virtue system. Another guide to help me out with that one.

Turan who is the player on Antonia Bayle who has been contacting me regarding this matter, happened to stumble upon his/her own gem today – this forum post on the SafeHouse forums, which seem to speak about a player run quest that involves the exact same series of books in the gargish language. In specific on that thread there is this entry:

Greetings!

I too am from Morrel Thule. My guild, (Vigils of Norrath),has been attempting to unravel what we believe is a player-run Quest here on Morrel Thule for almost a year now. Below are links to two of the most active forums tryng to unravel it, along with my commentary concerning it. It MAY be just what you are looking for:
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pub149.ezboard.com/feqdru…=1&stop=20

pub70.ezboard.com/fvigilsofnorrathfrm18
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What we know on Morrel Thule:

I have been following this Quest very closely since I first discovered it about nine months ago. I have kept up with the half dozen or so boards (including this one) where the Quest is being scrutinized, as well as making very real efforts in-game to make some progress. The following is a summary of everything I have learned thus far:

Screenshots of Tiliki? I don’t have any, but will make a point of taking one the next time I see her. I personally have encountered her several times over the intervening months. I don’t know if anyone else has any shots, but I can assure you that Tiliki is real. What is less certain is whether the Quest itself is legit.

The Quest has been around since at least last November when we here at Vigils first encountered it. Before that, we had no knowledge of the Quest, so I cannot say exactly how long it has been around; (nine months at a minimum) Since we got involved we know of many others that have also encountered her. She is real, that’s for certain. Like you, Ottoe I also did a Google Search for EQ/Tiliki, and like you Ialso came up with Tiliki Thistledown. We thought we had cracked the case at that point, but alas, it turned out to be a false lead.

(Read through this entire thread here–if you have the time–and you will see our encounter with her.)

pub70.ezboard.com/fvigils…1&stop=157

(BTW Tiliki Thistledowne’s Sig looks nothing at all like our Tiliki. *shrugs*)

There have been rumors from time to time that she has been encountered on other servers, but I believe those are all false. I believe it is fairly certain that Tiliki is unique to Morell-Thule.

That has lead us to the conclusion that this is a player-run Quest. Because of the many references to the Planes, and to deities and legendary heroes, we also believe that this Quest is directed at very high end players. We suspect that it is being run by either a high end guild here on Morell-Thule, or (more likely in my opinion), a small conspiracy of high level players. Various indicators we have gotten, (the wisp issue you mentioned above, as well as several other things that have taken place which are beyond player control), along with the longevity of the Quest, also led us to the conclusion that there is some sort of GM involvement, or at the very least co-operation going on as well.

The fact that Tiliki does not have a green name tag rules her out as a Guide/GM. Her player-like behaviors (using of hot-keys for her text, having to log out, etc.) definitely eliminates her as an NPC. The fact that the Quest seems to have very strong roots in the UO millieu, and the use of Tolkien Elvish, (with the corresponding copywrite conflicts) would rule out official SOE sanctioning. However the complexity and longevity of the Quest, and the number of people who have met and talked with her, establishes the relative stability of the Quest, whether player sponsored or not.

At any rate that is our best guess as to the nature of the Quest as we have sen it unfold. Oh yes, one other thing; the Quest seems to be dynamic in that there have been subtle changes and modifications over time.

As to the efforts to pursue this in-game:

*Finnigan takes a deep breath*

I, for one, have been trying to solve this in-game as well as on the boards, at least as much as my time and other in-game demands permit.

This is what I surmise thus far:

Step One:
Find Tiliki. This is not too difficult, as she seems to be in the Surefall–Qeynos area most often. Although she has been seen other places as well; Qeynos Hills, JaggedPine Forest, all the Plains of Karana, even as far afield as Greater Faydark. Most recently it seems that she has been seen most often at the Nexus and on the Plane of Knowledge.

Her appearances seem to be on a cylce of some sort. She makes an appearance, is seen for roughly a week (off and on), then seems to disappear for 3-4 weeks before the cycle repeats itself. I personally have noted that her appearances seem to (roughly) coincide with major patches or the release of expansions, although it may just be coincidental.

Step Two:
Receive the Quest from her. This starts simply enough, you merely “Hail” her and she then asks you for something to eat and drink. Even though she speaks in Gargoyle, her emotes make it clear what she wants. After that all her discussions even though in Gargoyle, contain at least one word or phrase in [brackets]. Merely repeat the phrse back and she continues until she has sung the whole song; (or at least it SEEMS she has sung the whole song–she really hasn’t though).

She asks you several key questions at the end of the song. One is whether or not you choose to accept the Quest. Once you answer ‘yes’ (‘IN’), she now addresses you as VEST-LEM (‘Seeker’) rather than VAG-LEM (‘Wanderer’). She remembers who has heard her song and will not sing it to them again, but rather asks whether they have brought her the MEK, KAS, EW SEPT (Sword, Crown, and Staff). If not, she sends you back to finish the Quest.

Another VERY key question she asks at the ‘end’ of her song is:
KUA EST DES-IN-TAS DE WE-DE MUR-OM?
(What is the foundation of our society?)

Additionally, she makes it clear that your answer must be spoken in Gargoyle:
U NES LOK LING DE GAR!
(You must speak Gargoyle!)

By some rather impressive deductions and a couple of lucky guesses, Kanae was able to get the correct answer:

BEN-TAS.
(Virtue.)

The reward for this was yet another ‘book’ of the Codex, that is not normally recited. The text of that is in previous posts, but it rather unambigiously lays out the purpose of the Quest, and even the precise way in which to banish Lanys T’vyl!

Step Three:
Find Arepo. Tiliki has said very clearly that a Quester must seek out Arepo:

U NES FER LEM TRAK A-RE-PO ANTE TRAK-EKS-WIS
(You must bring them to Arepo within Takish ‘Hiz)
(The exact meaning of TRAK-EKS-WIS is unclear; I am ‘guessing’ that is is a proper name, like TU-UN-A-RE, rather than a literal translation)

LEM NES VEN MEK, KAS, EW SEPT EW FER LEM TRAK BEN-IN-LEM TE TRAK-EKS-WIS.
(One must [take?] the Sword, Crown and Staff and bring them to the [craftsman?] at Takish ‘Hiz)

U NES FER MEK, KAS, EW SEPT TRAK UL-DUR TER-VAS-ARB!
(You must bring the Sword, Crown, and staff to the Elddar Forest!)
(Once again, the exact meaning of UL-DUR is unclear, but I believe she is talking about the Elddar Forest)

However this leads to a rather emense problem for Questors:
Takish ‘Hiz and the Elddar Forest were destroyed Ages ago.

I have three theories as to where to find Arepo.
1. ‘Tween Earth and Moon, for those that dare…” ( I believe The Plane of Sky)
2. Takish ‘Hiz may still exist as some sort of mirror image on the Plane of Growth, but is currently unaccessible I believe.
3. The ruins of the original Takish ‘Hiz and the Elddar Forest which are in the Deserts of Ro.

Being only 46th level, I cannot investigate either the Plane of Sky, or the Plane of Growth, but I have spent some time poking around in North and South Ro, and in the Oasis of Marr. I have not ventured into the Spectre Tower there or the submerged Tower of the Aqua Goblins, but I have some hope I may turn up a clue or two there. I have also looked around in Befallen as well.

I DO know that there is indeed an Arepo, because I have seen his name come up on a /w all Arepo before. I suspect that he appears (logs on) when Tiliki logs out:

I taur can annin. Ir loston nin gwador eriant. Bado si! Govado hin ennas ned iaurost-nui-fui. Im ambor an ithil ned belegrod or elin. Cuio-mae, u-‘eveditham, namur!

[The forest calls to me. When I sleep my sword-brother arises. Go now! Meet him there in the ancient forest under the night. Between (the) world and (the) great chamber above the stars. Live well (farewell?), we will not meet (again), goodbye!]

Once again a reference to a ‘Ancient Forest’ under the night

I hope this helps any that are trying to find clues like I continue to do.

That’s pretty much all we have as of now; hope that helps.

Finnigan

My only guess so far, is that the quests are related, or at least perhaps run by the same mysterious player. Anyone know anything else about this or have any experience with this quest? Please, let me know! I’ll keep everyone updated as I find information.

Gaming

Saturday Book of the Day

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(( I’ve slacked with posting these lately, but. Here’s another book of the day for people to enjoy. These are all books from my Norrathian Library on the Oasis server. You can visit me in the North Freeport mage tower, bottom floor, under the  name of Ellithia. If you’d like to donate a book to my library you can mail me in game and I’ll send you supplies, I eagerly accept books from other servers as well, I’ll give you blank books and some coin to use on Oasis ))

Stray
The Tale of Iuselia

Recounted by Luceia Fer’Re

Long ago in an era of antiquity, there was a bitter feud between two noble families. A house of light against a house of dark.

Neither side would be satisfied until the other had ceased to be. And so, the conflict lasted for centuries upon centuries.

This struggle finally came to an end when, one day, the house of dark’s defenses were rendered compromised by an unidentified traitor from within. In the night that came to follow, the house of light infiltrated the grounds and burnt them to ashes, leaving no survivors.

Following their victory, the house of light would find that they had recieved a most unexpected visitor. Iuselia, said to be the eldest daughter of the house’s matriach, had returned after what was explained as travels abroad to fellow cities of their people.
Having now returned home, Iuselia would begin her training as a knight pledged in service to the house.

Iuselia learnt fast and was initiated swiftly, soon entering active duty to her mother and matriach.

In time, war would reach Iuselia’s homeland. The capital was represented by a warrior who had previously departed the city after despairing of the inner conflict that had wracked it in recent centuries, having returned in the hope of persuading his people to join the side of his newfound allies whom were carving a trail of victory across the continent.

Iuselia was soon assigned to this warrior’s contingent by her house in the hope that the war could end the schism that continued to plague the nation.
Iuselia’s warrior captain, now a lord by order of the crown, departed his homeland with his newly formed contingent of soldiers and began leading them to the front lines.

However, before the contingent could even arrive, the army at large was devestated by a struggle that was greater than any they had known prior to that point, leaving the newly appointed warrior lord without allies to whom he could return.

Despite the loss of his allies, the warrior lord did not return home just yet. Realizing that he was still capable of waging war against the enemies of his homeland, the warrior lord led his soldiers into battle nontheless and began to achieve many victories in the name of his people.

As Iuselia’s mother and matron had hoped, war indeed brought unity to their people.
But on this battlefield, heritage was law. In the eyes of the crown, alleigences were determined by blood and could never be changed, save by becoming an enemy.

And so, the warrior lord earned their ire and that of the nobility at large when he forged an alliance with a former enemy in order to combat an even greater enemy.

Back home, Iuselia’s house was thrown into discontent when the matriach voiced her approval of the warrior lord’s actions. On the other hand, the youngest of the matriach’s two daughters were deeply affronted by the warrior lord’s choice of allies and aghast by their mother’s stance on the issue.

This became a moot point when the matriach died of a sudden illness days later. In her eldest daughter’s absence, the second of her daughters became “temporary” matriach.
The second daughter would remain in the position until such a time as Iuselia was able to return to the capital and take her place as the rightful successor.

Upon the warrior lord’s arrival at the capital, he was called before his sovereigns and sentenced to execution on the morrow for both his choice in allies and in faith.

When Iuselia returned to her house, she would discover that her younger sister and “temporary” matriach had just recently uncovered a document signed by their late mother which stipulated that it was in fact the second of her daughters who was next in line to the house, not the first daughter as had been expected, meaning that the second daughter’s “temporary” position as matriach had just been rendered permanent. The late matriach’s one son, however, accused their newly appointed matriach of treachery.
The late matriach’s son denied the validity of the document upon which his second sister based her claim to the house, declaring that it had been forged in order to cement her position. Furthermore, he accused the new matriach of assassinating their mother in the first place in order to enable her subsequent rise to power.

Without proof, however, these remained but baseless accusations. The newly appointed matriach charged their brother with slander and ordered Iuselia to execute him on the spot. As Iuselia had pledged loyalty to the house itself, not to any one person, whoever was currently in charge of the house was Iuselia’s liege by default. Therefore, it was an order that Iuselia was honour bound to obey, no matter what. However, Iuselia was saved from having to carry out the order when her brother used his talents as a bard in order to vanish right before the room’s very eyes.
Iuselia’s brother fled his homeland after that and never returned. Some say he eventually found love in a faraway country.

Although her brother had escaped, Iuselia was troubled nontheless. She had been mere seconds away from striking him down for speaking what she strongly suspected was the truth. She had become a mere hound of a mistress to whom her honour and her pride meant less than nothing, her owner deeming her to be naught but a commodity to be used and thrown away as she saw fit.

Iuselia’s new liege sent her out in pursuit of her brother in order to complete the order which she had been moments away from fulfilling prior to his escape. This led Iuselia beyond her homeland and into the world at large, yet she found no trace of her brother, no matter where she looked. Yet there was a constant in all the places that she visited.
No matter where Iuselia went, she found assassins at every turn, waiting to catch her off-guard. She suspected that they had been sent by her house’s matriach in order to get her out of the way before the basis for her claim to power came under too great a scrutiny. That way, even if her document was exposed as a forgery, she would still have right of succession, just so long as her older sister was dead.

Eventually, Iuselia was able to defeat one of the assassins whilst still leaving them alive for questioning. Her worst suspicions were realized. Iuselia’s own house had indeed ordered her demise. And yet, Iuselia still remained bound by her word nontheless. Although her house had proven themselves her enemy, she could not become an enemy in kind. For this reason, Iuselia continued her search for her brother, yet still finding no trace of him wherever she went.
Back in Iuselia’s homeland, her house had attracted the attention of rival families who noted it’s weakness now that there was only one direct heir present to take control in the event that it’s current matriach were no more.

A purge ensued that only Iuselia and her brother survived, the house’s rivals seeking to remove the family in one fell swoop.

Iuselia had now been robbed of everything. Her home, her comrades in arms, the pride she was to defend. Only hatred remained.

She was a stray, no longer bound by chains of loyalty.

Gaming

Book of the Week – Finding the Isle of Ro

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(( Every weekend I try to post at least one book from my Player-written library located on the Antonia Bayle server. I have well over 200 books written by 80 different authors, and if you’d like to donate a book please feel free to email Ellithia in game, if you’re from another server I’ll make sure to provide the book, and I pay for any that I receive. You can visit my Norrathian museum at any time, located in the North Freeport mage tower, bottom floor under the name of Ellithia. ))

Finding The Isle of Ro, The Tale of the Godking Anuk: Vol1

The Isle of Ro, Vol : I – By Rezikai

In the realm of Norrath.. there are places even our brave adventurers do not tread..

One such place is the Isle of Zek home of the last vestiages of the Rallosian Empire, or so was thought. A year after the battle with Darathar reports from the Far Seas trading company ships startedcoming in that the great sea storm in the sorthern seas had started to diminish and the great whirling storm of sand and ocean surrounding a large Isle had started to dissipate. Commerce ships were able to brave the still dangerous waters through.

News of this spread quickly through the cities of Freeport and Qeynos, a new Isle of the Shattered lands had been found! This was a desert isle, the Isle of Ro!

Our band of adventurers did as many others, and set for passage through the sand storms off the coast of the isle of Ro to find treasure and adventure. Upon landing at the Sands of Ro many of the peoples of the sands greeted them, most were decendants of the old Devrish nomads known to roam the Ro deserts in the Age of Turmoil.

The adventurers scoured the lands, finding the remnants of the old Orc Highway and then found the Clefts of Rujark, a tremendous maze of canyons and pillars of stone formed and inhabited by remnants of the Rallosian Orcs. Eventually after fighting through the the clefts they came to a grand city at the top of a set of mountains, Maj’Dul, as it was called by the Devrish people.

The Adventure took their band into the city and met and greeted the new peoples seeing them often quarrel and battle each other. As rival factions vied for control of city streets, much the same way old Teir`dal houses vie for political power before Neriak was destroyed. While there, the adventurers came across a young woman. Barely into adulthood, she was surrounded by a gang of brutes of men, Barbarians, half elves and humans.

It was then she noticed the adventures passing and she dropped a note to the ground. While quickly starring at the adventurers, before one of the thugs grabbed her forcefully and pulled her along, one of the adventurers waited a few moments for the thugs to pass and picked the note up and read it. It read that she was being held captive by these thugs, and her family is in great debt.
The adventurers confronted the thugs and came to near blows, but the thugs calling them selves the Terrorantulas, told them this was Majdul business and they were the “Barrashars”,  the trotters who come from the shattered lands, not of the Ro desert and they would hold no authority over Maj’Duls laws. The adventurers came to agree, they sensed the tension. The possibility of compromise in a new city as oppose to trying and brawl it out might be more beneficial, and offered to help.

They were told for the girls freedom they would need to steal and reclaim many old family relics the girls family hid in many of Maj’Duls shops and street markets. Only then would they let her go. Agreeing to the less then moral demands they set off, the adventurers used their rogues to help steal these items and swindle street peddlers.

One notable peddler was selling wares in the outcast district of Maj’Dul, went of the name Kantus Mor’Tael. He was quite mad, perhaps by so many days under Ro’s hot sun, but even he parted with the artifact desired by the gang of thugs. Eventually after a few close brushes with Maj’Duls enforcers called the Sha’ir, they returned to the thugs and offered them the family relics for the girl.

The Terrorantulas took the relics and started to laugh, the adventurers realized something was afoul! As they readied their blades for battle the young girl started to laugh with them, she was not a captive, she was in league with them. Infact she told them she was their leader, and now they had enough wares and artifacts to repay her families debt, and to keep her band of thuggs in her services.

The Adventurers were left second guessing themsleves. This was a more complicated place then the battles Darathar, when they knew their enemy, this would be a land of deceit and treachery. They did however come across something odd, when “acquiring” the family goods. The odd peddler Mor’Tael offered them a strange skull, chanting old rhymes about its magics and properties, but to the adventurers the skull did nothing more then give them a few laughs and never so much as moved. But it seemed to vibrate in our old adventurers hands, he thought perhaps it was usefull. They preformed a few tasks for the peddler and he was to tell them odd things speaking in riddles and rhymes. He said search for the peacock to undo the dark cloud rising from the sands.

The adventurers took the crazed old man’s words as foolishness but his offer if nothing but mad talk was intriguing and anything to forget the previous few days dissapointing jobs for the pretty girl that had them doing her dirty work for her was welcome.

Scouring the city, the adventurers came to a “club” of sorts, it was a religous sect of followers that followed an ancient unknown god of healing. This Peacock Club, was more a small religious hideaway then a lounge.

The leader of the club Peacock Lord Wad’dah Haz’Iz was very upset at the stealing of many of the cities better known artifacts, that our adventurers knew nothing about “ahem”, nothing about them being stolen at all. It seems some of the items were sacred to their cause, the worship of this grand healer of old.

Her name was forbidden the adventurers were told as the goddess of healing she was ousted from the Pantheon, and tossed into the Void for her arrogance. They worshipped her as the true god of healing,  not the prime healer Rodcet Nife. The adventurers asked if they could in any way help regain the artifacts (as they were accidently used for the theft) and the club leader agreed to their help.

The trail eventually lead the adventuers around Majdul courts and rooftops, fending off Devrish thieves and vandals avoiding opposing court gaurds.They returned to the club with information on leads to an artifact, the skull they had been looking for. When they returned to the club they were expecting a warm welcome from the Peacock members for returning the artifacts. What they found was the door slightly ajar, and the inside was decimated.

To be continued…

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