Greetings traveler,

Welcome to the forty-ninth edition of the alcarin.com newsletter.
There is an archive of the previous newsletters in the Townhall and the columns are added to the Town Square, so you can always read it again.
After a few months of very low update activity, this month has been a good one for the site. Not only has it been the 5th anniversary of the site, but there have also been a number of big updates. The main work focussed on a number of downloadable plugins (mods) for the computer game Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. The downloads can be found in the Barracks section of the site. Another update is the Icarean template for D&D, and I've also been working on some problems with some of the artwork on the site.
Anyway, its a big mailinglist this month. Keeley (a.k.a. Vafoth) did another interview for the Member of the Month. MotM's third victim is Arjan Wardekker (a.k.a. Lord Gildor)... indeed, thats me. Furthermore, Wouter brings us the final part of the Jonathan Saga. This brings to an end one of my favorite parts of the mailinglist; the column that arrived once every three months on the clumsiest and most unlucky bard alive. A sad and tragic end. Sad, but filled with new hope.

Enjoy reading.

This letter's content:
1. What's New
2. Coming Up Soon
3. Column: Men with a Mission
4. Member of the Month

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WHAT'S NEW:

30/11/2004 - added new 'monster' to the School: "Icarean (Template)", fixed artwork problems for feedback page (Townhall), Raven's Dawn Project (Temple) and Fantasy Artwork page (Temple)

21/11/2004 - added 6 screenshots for Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind plugin Rethan Manor Add-on 3 (Barracks)

19/11/2004 - added new plugin (mod) for Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind to the Barracks: "Rethan Manor Add-on 3: Rethan Defended"

18/11/2004 - added 3 screenshots for Rethan Manor Add-on 2 (Barracks)

17/11/2004 - created new Plugins (Mods) download page in the Barracks for the computer game "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind", added 2 plugins (mods) for Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind in the Barracks: "Rethan Manor Add-on 1: Livingroom and Personell Bedroom" and "Rethan Manor Add-on 2: Library", added 2 screenshots for Rethan Manor Add-on 1

Visit http://www.alcarin.com/townhall/updates.htm for the latest updates.

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COMING UP:

Most of the work in the past month dealt with a number of "mods" or add-ons for the computer RPG Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. I'm working on a few additional mods; one expanding the Library mod and another one adding a Dwemer (Dwarven) Espresso Machine to the game. I don't know if and how soon they will be added to Alcarin.
I didn't get to adding the monsters from J.W van den Brink's Booklets of Beings to the site in html, but a new template for monsters, non-player characters, and player characters did get finished. The Booklet of Beings material will probably be added during the coming month. Plans on adding new playable races and a new prestige class are underway as well.
The Elfstone MUD's host is going to stop providing its service. We are currently looking for a good new host and until we do find one, I don't expect much progress on that project. Still, I do hope to resume work on the MUD soon.

For up to date news on these major projects and other major developments on alcarin.com, see the Announcements forum at http://www.alcarin.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=9

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COLUMN: MEN WITH A MISSION
A column by Wouter vd Zandschulp; wouter@alcarin.com

"The adventurer"

Jonathan was walking outside. He was thinking. What was his purpose of being? Was he meant to be an entertainer? Maybe a... hero? He hesitated for a bit, but then thought of a little girl who would always consider him a hero. He couldn't resist some sort of smile.
"Jonathan!" a woman screamed. It was the woman Jonathan hired to take care of the old man, because his condition was decreasing very quick lately.
Jonathan quickly ran inside. The old man sort of was his whole world. He had tried to make it on his own more then once, but had learned to thrust on the old man to guide his career forward. He needed him. Therefore the man could not die. Jonathan had promised to himself the old man would not die. How could he, all of a sudden? He always was the one thing to depend on, so he was to keep alive as his last resort.
As stubborn as Jonathan was thinking this, it all went down when he saw the old man. His condition showed not to be good. The great fear of losing all came along, once again.
"DO NOT DIE ON ME!" Jonathan couldn't help shouting.
The old man shook his head.
"Jonathan... Jonathan... WHY do you think I guided you... cough..."
Jonathan looked at him with tears in his eyes. Somehow it seemed suddenly obvious the old man could die real soon now.
"Erm..." Jonathan said.
"You always were low on confidence. But you have grown... quite beyond my own bard-skills. Do you REALLY think you still need me?"
Jonathan wanted to say: "Yes" immediately. But in the eyes of the old man he saw that would not be the truth, not the truth inside himself. So he went slowly over it again in his head. The eyes of the old man made contact with him in some sort of soothing way.
"You can come real far now... you're training is over. Just promise me to... watch yourself... do not lose yourself in petty fame... write about big adventures."
Jonathan sat and held the old man's hand. He just quietly listened.
"If you had listened quietly all the time... well... it would have been more peaceful... though more boring too..." the old man said with a smile.
Jonathan smiled too.
"Now listen carefully."
The old man looked at him sternly.
"You can fend for yourself, but find you some buddies. Good friends to keep you level-headed at times. You seem to have some heroism in you... why not join one of those adventurer-parties... they have adventurers, heroism, AND you can write about that."
"But... will I... will I..."
Jonathan had loads of questions. Won't that be terrible dangerous? Would they want him to join? What purpose could a bard among battling heroes have?
He saw that the old man was tired and could not face all those questions. He smiled again.
"I just hope... they don't mix me up with Gandalf in the afterlife..."
"That wouldn't be all bad," Jonathan replied. "Gandalf is quite popular."
The old man smiled.
"Bye."
"Bye" Jonathan said.
The hand became weak in his hand.

Some time later Jonathan saw a ship that asked for help aboard. They needed people to defend the ship. An interesting looking elf seemed to reply, even as a strangely familiar looking gnome. But maybe all gnomes look alike. If you see them at all by looking down, of course. They seemed interesting enough company.

A bit later they got asked to leave the ship in a place called Freeport. Some people tried to rob them there. The others started to fight. Jonathan knew he had to prove his worth. In his own way.
All of a sudden, all the people trying to fight an honest fight, suddenly got startled by a strange sound. Jonathan called out: "We were sent by the ghosts!"
He used a bard trick to give the impression of many ghosts circling around them, thereby scaring one enemy back.

In all his adventurers later on with Fombel, Rashnec, Dan the Great and Aragorn, Jonathan often remembered this day as the day he found out the old man had advised him wisely. Especially Fombel became Jonathan's most close friend and a person that could put him back into place whenever needed.

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MEMBER OF THE MONTH
By Keeley F. Hearn

Welcome to yet another edition of Alcarin's Member of the Month! Yes, yes...it's been absent from the mailinglist for a little bit. But it's back! With another great interview. This time we have Arjan Wardekker himself, the creator of Alcarin. Other than being the marvelous creator of the site he's a great person to be around. He's really kind, helpful, and definately alot of fun. Without his craziness Alcarin would've never been created. Wouldn't that have been terrible? Then I wouldn't have all these fans reading my wonderful, and oh so modest, work!
On the forums Arjan isn't one of the most...active...members. But when he does say something, it's usually said very well, and remembered for quite awhile...at least by me.
All of us, even those who don't know him personally, have him to thank for the greatness that is Alcarin.
Here is the (slightly long...) interview with Arjan:

*You have been chosen for Member of the Month,how do you feel about this?
I... I don't know what to say... I'm so honored. Five years of hard work; blood, sweat, and tears. Finally someone says a nice thing about what I've done. *removes tear* Now, where's my speech... *tries to find speech among piles of paper* Ah, there it is... *clears throat* Thank you.

*What compelled you to create Alcarin, or Realms of Gildor as it was once called?
Ah, well... I was walking in the jungle of my imagination, and suddenly I heard a lot of noise behind me. I turned around, of course, but couldn't make out what was going on. Unfortunately, I hadn't stopped walking and slammed right into a tree. When I woke up, there were stars everywhere and I suddenly realized I had to make a website on fantasy and roleplaying.Other than that, I have no explaination.

*What do you feel is one of you biggest contributions to the site, other than making it, of course?
Well, the most important contribution for the average visitor is the RPG Archives section, as it contains a lot of easy to use rpg resources, such as new items, monsters, spells, etc. Looking at site statistics, it's also the most popular section among visitors. Perhaps the Forums are an even bigger contribution. Although I didn't write the code of that or anything like that, the forums have grown incredibly and have attracted quite a number of regulars. The Forums have quite a large role on the site and have many functions, ranging from casual conversation, to online gaming, to an important social function as to allow friends to talk and advise eachother about eachothers everyday and not-so-everyday problems, eventhough we don't see eachother everyday. I think it's safe to say that the Forums have played a large and important role on Alcarin.

*What is one of your favorite parts of the site other than the forums, and why?
The poetry section. It's the section that is really me. Other than expanding the section, I love to read through my old poems and re-feel those feelings and things that inspired me to write them. It has taught me a lot, just by reflecting on myself throughout the years, as reflected in the poetry.

*Which part of Alcarin do you think is best for the guests?
The RPG Archives. Lots of small, funny things that are quick and easy to use in any roleplaying campaign. Although most of the material is for Dungeons & Dragons (I'm still hoping for more non-D&D user submissions), I think the concepts are easy to apply and adapt for other game systems.

*What characterizes your style of roleplaying?
I often play a "middle-man" position; in between the melee fighters and the fireball slinging wizards, in between the very present and hardly noticable, in between the highly responsible and the irresponsible. Overall, my characters tend to be a bit chaotic; in between things but reasonably often seeking the extremes of both sides. I like the evenings of just doing nothing but causing mayhem in a random village, but I like the combat evenings as well. Diversity, thats the key.

*Which race do you favor to have your characters?
Elf, I like their artistic, sensitive, thoughtful attitude, their closeness to nature, and their love for archery (I really like archers as well).

*What class do you prefer?
Well, I really like to play archers, so that would be a fighter. However, I also really like the diversity offered by a spellcasting class. If possible, I'd try to play something in between; preferably some prestige class or a fighterish class with some spellcasting abilities.

*Name a few of your favorite things.
Friends (couldn't do without them), coffee, role-playing, coffee, reading fantasy books, watching the world roll by and listening to the mountains when I'm standing high up in the Alps feeling the wind blow by, listening to music, writing... no living poetry, coffee, sleeping, playing computer games, people (people are just... well.. very interesting), cheese cookies, chocolate, holidays, coffee.

*What are some of your other hobbies?
Well, in addition to what I've already mentioned in the question on my favorite things, I like to write (all kinds of things, ranging from fantasy stories to scientific and journalism related things). I like to watch movies as well, especially with friends. Of course, Alcarin is a major hobby as well... one that takes up a lot of time... with the forums, keeping the site up and running, and especially working on new things such as the Elfstone MUD, Landlord RPG, and all kinds of smaller things. Especially those creative things are a lot of fun.

*Quick! Describe yourself with five words!
Perceptive, creative, romantic, smart, and a bit crazy.

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Well, that's it for this month's newsletter. I hope you enjoyed it.
Lord Gildor
"May the stars guide you on your journeys"
http://www.alcarin.com

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