Page 2 of 3
Black
Channel Developments
by Juspera Spintari
On Koaratos 22, 4998 of the Modern Era (editor's note -- these events occured some time ago) late at night in the Landing, I was listening to the thought net when I heard about a game that a certain Lord Niilo was going to be running on the black channel. Enamored of games and weary of the grey channel, I switched over. It was announced that there was to be a bit of a contest for 100k requiring nothing but luck, and soon we tired souls were gathered two west of the bank to wait.
Lord Niilo Orzabal is a dark elven wizard in his sixties, a practiced enchanter and lover of the sea. A member of the House of Paupers, he has walked the lands for a good while and began sharing his wealth in events about three years ago. His hijinks have earned him quite a number of fans--although a portion of Paupers House apparently dreads his occasional acts of bringing the masses in to conduct diving competitions at the pool. He and co-conspiritor Kenddal created a sanctuary for themselves on West Ring Road and dropped notes there of values of one, two and a hundred thousand silvers, which were ostensibly to pop out of thin air and flutter to the ground for us when the sanctuary was exited. However, we soon learned our first lesson of the night: items on the ground when a sanctuary is exited do not--unfortunately--find their way back into the real world.
Some 100,017 silvers poorer but still determined, Lord Niilo dashed to the bank to grab a few more notes, which he stuffed into a trunk that was to be dropped in front of us. Upon hearing talk of cheating and picking up the trunk, Niilo responded that he would kill anyone who did such a thing, fine be blasted, revealing not only the admirable desire to make sacrifices for the good of fair play but a slightly crazy streak as well. The trunk was dropped and not picked up. Due to the ferocity of the weather, only eight people were able to filch any notes at all--however, while disgruntled, we were also heartened by the fact that no apparent cheating had taken place.
Our host congratulated the winner and instructed us to sell our wares on the black channel while he prepared the next game. Mr. Orzabal is a man with a cause, and the focus of the night's events was to be the black channel, its use and lack thereof, and its original and seldom-honored designation of being the channel on which all buying and selling is supposed to take place. As the transfer of commerce to the black has been a dream of mine for some time as well, it did me no end of good to see a tiny bit of this goal finally accomplished. I basked in the auctioning that used to irritate me.
Soon the next contest was announced. Niilo was to hand out three cash prizes and one item, and skinning and scavenging was the name of the game. Within moments the lands were awash with driven hunters maniacally seeking out brown zircons, skeleton bones, and worm and moccasin skins. Conflict reared its hackneyed head when those with the ability to turn invisable were rumored to be stealing others' skins and even killing, but this fiasco was small in scope and short-lived. I spent the majority of my harried yet humorous time scampering about and repeatedly bashing my nose against the graveyard gate; there is no love lost between the Phantom Gatekeeper and myself. I was lucky enough to be the recipient of a skeleton bone as a gift, but despite my practiced (or notorious) talent at scavenging was not able to find any of the other items. Finally, teamed up with someone who had what I needed, I stumbled into Niilo's room as the final winner was announced. Richer only in wisdom and perhaps bones, I nevertheless joined in the happiness of those who had won.
We turned to the black channel once again while waiting for the next competition to begin. "Sell something, even if only to appease me!" thought Niilo to his tiring audience. It was late, approaching two in the morning Elven time. The crowd on the black channel was, however, in good spirits, getting to know one another and managing to keep at bay the chronic pettiness that has plagued the grey channel for so long. Most impressively, we agreed in unanimity that we were having a wonderful time.
For the next event our clever host required that we travel to the catacombs, the temple and Hobland to look for unknown conspirators holding specific items in their left hand. The game not only brought me back to the good old days of exploring, it caused me to take notice of the people around me. I realized that I normally would not notice the unknown rat-hunter chasing after his prey with a massive troll king hide in his left hand, despite the irony of such. This contest was simple and brief, but while I possessed sufficient knowledge of the layout of the places visited, I was not blessed with sufficient speed. Again, a little wisdom and a good laugh were my only prizes.
Each of the games had been planned with stragegy and fair play in mind, and the participants not already acquainted with Niilo Orzabal were beginning to find him brilliant (and generous). I myself began to relax the mental fingers I had crossed through the dread that inevitably something petty would happen to mar this otherwise smashing evening; and while our fair organizer deserves to be lionized, credit must also be handed to the participants as well for the good sportsmanship and level-headedness shown.
More was on the way. The next game was to be a race with entrants and prizes divided into titled and non-titled categories, and we were to tap Niilo's co-conspirators secluded in various obscure places around the area. Colossus, sandcastle?! I found myself rifling through old maps for information on places I'd never had to frequent. In awe I followed the race leaders up the massive shins, thighs and arms of the colossus (I shall have to return when I am in less of a hurry) and joined a score of confused participants on their bellies, crawling about the sandcastle and getting a good amount of the beach in my clothing. By the time I made it into the blasted structure, I knew I was far behind the leaders and had to think quick if I wanted to have a chance. What was the fastest way back to town?
...And so I became the one casualty of the night's events. My death was accidental, although it did happen to return me to town as surely as if I had correctly implemented my strategy. It is a testament to the enjoyable quality of the evening that I was still in good spirit (no pun intended) after my unfortunate mistake. Alas, I was still too slow, and missed out on the prizes once again.
Lords Shadowbaron and Corineo had made a formidable team through the first games and were no exception here; the two were the recipients of by far the largest chunk of the total prize money on the night. While their speed and skill effectively ousted many of the younger combatants from the running, the lords were nonetheless fair players and did much to redeem their despicable prowess by handing out free items in between competitions and being generally enjoyable company.
Finally, as four in the morning approached, Niilo announced his last game. It was a masterpiece of strategy and inanity. To win one of the ten prizes available, I was to dress myself in nothing but a large sack, aquire a bottle of milk, a green flask and a mug of Helga's grog, and find him under a sign about Elven history. Elven history? The museum! I knew I finally had a chance. I had a flask and an amulet in my possession, knew where to get milk and grog, and all my belongings fit into my cloak--which I was embarrassed to remove in favor of a sack. Gingerly mincing about town half-naked, trying to look inconspicious, I hit a bump when I found I couldn't take grog out of Helga's. Bother! Causing further embarrassment, my power to whisk myself away was unavailable due to my mistake at the sandcastle.
Amid cries of "You people are so annoying!" from the tavern patrons, I and quite a few other unfortunates repeatedly spilled our grog in our attempts to remove it from the establishment. Time was passing. Not yet having removed my amulet, I listened. Four winners... eight... Finally, covered in grog and cursed by a sorceror who was ostensibly irritated by my efforts, I managed to pick up on the trick and escape from Helga's clutches. Racing to the museum, I blundered about until I located Niilo, handed him the objects, and was announced as the tenth and final winner. At last! I was positively joyous, proud and feeling finally vindicated. After the money and prizes were handed out to finishers one through nine, I received Lod Niilo's leftover pocket change "for being so supportive and a good sport." Thus, I ended the evening a bit frazzled and a lot further from my next training, but richer in both heart and pocket. Other competetors were equally pleased with their success. Recited one:
"Pladanook was
lucky now
For he had won though he knew not how
He won a tour of these fair lands
And he won a gem in his hand
But the finest things he's yet go
Were a wonderful satchel and a big wet sock!"
"I think it cost around 3.25 mil... that's my only complaint," laughed Mr. Orzabal as we reclined in the Paupers pool. Said competetor Camahoe, "The one complaint I have [is] the time." Indeed, it was past four o'clock in the morning Elven, but still we tarried, wading about the hot tub with glasses of wine and playing "watch coinholders try to stand after an e-wave."
Our host elaborated on the night's events. "We tried to get people learning. It was amazing how many people got to the colossus really late. They were amazed, though, and just stood there for a bit, taking it all in." About the different types of contests, he said, "I'm not a huge fan of scavenger hunts. I skin pretty much anything and never botch... unfair. Tough to get good games though. The last one was a kick, I thought. Plus, it cost titles a gold ring just to try.
"Keep your ears open," said Niilo, who plans to advertise such events again on the black channel only. "It's principle now. I may watch the grey, but I won't talk on it unless by accident. Nor will I sell on it."
"Well, you've got your name engraved in the minds of people all across the lands," said Valkanthus. Another satisfied participant, Drisen, agreed. "Thanks for the fun and getting people to the darker side of life again."