ROLEPLAY

An Eye of the Tyrancha News Special Issue.

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Part 1: Introduction

Before the Second Great Swarming, there used to be a beacon of light amidst the darkness. A source of knowledge and information in a world divided by faction wars, Goo plagues and Kitin infestations. Of course I am talking about the one and only Eye of the Tyrancha News, known to all homins as the most biased, misinformed and incomplete news coverage you'll ever come across on Atys!

The polemic Eye of the Tyrancha News tabloid is now back, after a lengthy and scandalous trial in the Zoraï Courts, which ended up with he Eye changing ownership.

The previous owner, Zoraï Awakened Rikutatis, has refused to comment on the outcome of the trial. But there's much speculation of blackmail and a certain Zoraï Thinking Moss (tm) illegal plantation found in his apartment in Zora.

The new owner is Tear of Serenity, also known as the Oracle of Min-Cho. According to Tear, the Eye will no longer be used as a propaganda tool for the Kami. It will, however, continue to provide the juiciest gossips from across the Living Planet!

Yours truly,

Reporter


Eye of the Tyrancha News

Part II: The Second Great Swarming

But now let us move on to what really matters, the most important event in recent Atys history, the Second Great Swarming.

Things were proceeding normally on Atys. Homins were still addicted to the drug commonly known in the streets as Cats, guilds were fighting over Outposts for the production of these Cats (which were getting more scarce each day), diggers were getting their knees dirty and in the Witherings a new wave of Goo infected beasts and savages was beginning to spread. Many homins turned their minds and their blades to fighting the Goo in the Jungles, becoming Combatant of the Infected, sworn to stop the spread of the Goo on Atys.

And then... the Kitins came.


Kitin gangs jump unwary homins.


Your humble reporter went on a quest to find out the truth behind the Second Great Swarming. Did the Fyros stick their noses where they didn't belong once again, thus causing the onslaught of the Kitins? Did Cat production also became scarce in the Deep Roots, thus causing the addicted Kitins to emerge in a desperate frenzy to find their daily fix on the surface of Atys? What is the truth after all? Read on to find out!

Part III: Who Let the Kitins Out?!

We all know the outcome of the Kitin Swarm. Homins were forced to flee from the New Lands, aided in their escape by the Kami and the Karavan. Nation leaders died in the exodus. Even the eccentric recluse, Elias Tryton himself, made an appearance to send homins back to the Old Lands in his fabulous rainbow portals.

And since we're talking about Elias Tryton, your humble reporter would be remiss to fail to mention the latest gossip about about the eccentric recluse. It would appear that Elias was not really dead or hiding in the Deep Roots, as some have suggested. But rather, he was on a prolonged vacation on an entirely different Planet with a certain young and muscular Tryker male.

I mean, seriously Elias, did you think you could fool us with your Rainbow portals?!


Guild of Elias and the Rainbow Portals

But let us move on! Eventually the Kitin activity in the New Lands dwindled enough that it was deemed safe for all homins to return to their ravaged homes. Portals were once again opened to Silan and from there homins could make the journey back to the New Lands.

But there was much grudge among the exiled homins, and many of them decided to take it all out on Silan's resident Kirosta, the infamous Kiro.


Kiro is humiliated on Silan by veterans, repeatedly and in various ways.

One such culprit, Kennymint, has in fact refused to return to the New Lands. She remains on Silan to this day, finding new and devious ways to punish Kiro and his gang. The abuse has gotten to such a point that the Rangers of Silan have even considered contacting the Kitin Protection Society...

Part IV: Rescuing Sharpy the Mekie

Once the exiled homins finally made their way back to the New Lands, they found that much had changed.

The most important of these changes is undoubtedly the total absence of the once all powerful drug 'Cats'. But the truth is that homins no longer need that drug. Perhaps due to prolonged use for many decades, or perhaps caused by exposure to unknown energies on the Old Lands, now most homins appear to be under permanent and constant effect of Cats.

But another thing that the newly returned homins quickly discovered was that the Kitins weren't entirely gone from the New Lands. Many nests still dot the landscape, and Kitin gangs roam the countryside.

One such gang has taken over Min-Cho, building their nest right next to the main stables. The Zoraï authorities appear powerless to do anything about it.

In one dramatic episode, a particularly rowdy gang of Kitins of the Depths has kidnapped Ghuiss's faithful mount, Sharpy the Mek.


Sharpy held hostage by Kitins of the Depths.

Fortunaly, a combined effort of local Zora residents was able to rescue Sharpy, but the Kitins remain a constant threat.

[ Disclaimer: No mektoubs or animals of any sort were harmed during this reportage ]

Part V: Expedition to known Fyros Kitin sites

The Eye of the Tyrancha News went above and beyond with a groundbreaking interview with Master Stables Slacker, Suboxide.

Since Subo rarely leaves the stables, we had to go meet him in Zora South Stables. But the information he provided us with was worth the trip!

According to Suboxide, the investigation conducted in the Fyros Kitin sites some months ago yielded some interesting revelations. It would appear that the Kitins beginning to swarm over Atys at the time bore traces of two or three young Kitin Queens on them, plus traces of one really old Queen, possibly the one who was present during the original Great Swarming.

Moreover, the presence of Goo infected Kitins in Darkmoor, Lakelands, was discussed. Some of the scholars present in the investigation believed that the infected Kitins from Darkmoor had some relation with the Goo infected Kitins from the Almati Woods Kitin's Lair.


Goo Infection in Darkmoor

So what does all that mean?

My dear readers, I believe that the truth should be obvious to us all by now. But just in case your mind has been permanently damaged by the use of Cats in the past several decades, let me elucidate this mystery for you.

The real culprit behind the Second Great Swarming is, of course, the Evil Goo Mastermind.


Evil Goo Mastermind

No, really. The person who told me this was none other than Vao-Shu Milang, Zoraï Madwoman and infamous author of the book "The Igara Effect" .

According to Vao-Shu, the Goo is in fact a Sentient entity, manipulating events on Atys from behind the scenes. Talk about juicy conspiracy theories!

When some months ago Zoraï authorities and homins from all over Atys began to unite as Combatants of the Infected to hunt down and exterminate the new Goo infected beasts and savages, the Evil Goo Mastermind decided to strike back and deviate our attention from its devious schemes. The way it chose to achieve that was by awakening and enticing the Old Kitin Queen to emerge and commence the Second Great Swarming. That villain!

It all makes sense now, but we're not going to be easily fooled! Together homins shall stand against the Kitins and the Evil Goo Mastermind.

Thank you for reading so far and please send any and all dapper contributions to the Eye of the Tyrancha News headquarters. After all, in this new recession-laden economy, a homin's gotta eat!

Fin.

Part VI: Previous Issues of the Eye of the Tyrancha News

If you would like to order previous issues of the Eye of the Tyrancha News, they can be found here:

Volume I: http://app.ryzom.com/app_forum/index.php?page=topic/view/1522/1

Volume II: http://app.ryzom.com/app_forum/index.php?page=topic/view/2776/1

Kamist Manifesto: http://app.ryzom.com/app_forum/index.php?page=topic/view/7660/9#9

The book "The Igara Effect" can be found here:

http://app.ryzom.com/app_forum/index.php?page=topic/view/10683/9# 9

Bloody. Freakin'. Genius.

Amazing indeed! *pays the reading fee*

Here-Here! About time someone got off the old beaten wrinkly Kami/Kara warhorse and paid some attention to the Goo, it doesn't seem to diminish at all.

In fact... it could be sneaking up on you right now! Goo infested critters eat Homin, Homina and Kitin alike, and for that matter they don't seem to mind firing at retro-Kara or plushie-Kami guards.

You ever wonder if your dappers are goo-filtered? I've sworn off dap-craft mishes till I know for sure.

Barking. :-p