Sielk reports on visiting the new bridge on Kismia's Island in his latest journal entry.
Aravir reports in his latest journal entry on a couple unusual invasions: wendeckas at north gate, and a massive invasion of cats and vermine in South Forest.
Azriel reports in his journal entry for 63 Spring 550 that the dye shop is closed.
Many exiles have been alarmed by the recent image of Kojiro without his cloak. This exclusive TMN enlarged view shows the image in greater detail, including his menacing axe.
Aravir has a report on the wedding ceremony of Elise and Tigger in his latest journal entry.
Xel sent TMN this picture from the recent successful Full Moon Orga Camp Raid.
McBain sent TMN this news concerning the Skeletal Challenge:
Hey Para, a new skeletal challenge record of 210 has just been set. This score beats the old record by 19.
McBain
Renowned mapmaker Tonoto has accepted a membership in the ThoomCare Affiliates. In other clan news, ThoomCare member Sausage has agreed to serve as a mentor for prospective member Fishwinkle.
Sielk reports that he has set a new personal best Shea record. Read about it in his latest journal entry.
Aravir reports on a failed rescue in the new Noids cavern. ThoomCare member Phroon was on the scene.
Sielk reports in his latest journal entry about the sunstone upgrades, an unfortunate accident in Snaggywood (see above), and the completion of the Kismia's Island bridge.
Stradamus sent TMN this picture of the trapping of Shadowmutt.
Eyes of Puddleby has a report on the most recent Chaos Storm.
Norm has information on the new Noid cavern as well as news about how lumps of ore have become more valuable in recent times. Read his journal entry for 36 Spring 550 (5/21/03).
Aravir has a full report on the recent Noid invasion and the discovery of a new Noid cavern.
Azriel reports on hunting an Angry Mother Sasquatch in his journal entry for 30 Spring 550.
Chaos Storm #286 has swept the Lok'Groton island chain. Please post any changes you have observed and wish to share with others in the comments. If you don't want to read possible spoilers, please do not read the comments.
Hor reports on some annoying ambushes in his most recent journal entry.
There will be two auditions held on Saturday, June 7, 2003.
One Full Bard audition is scheduled for 3:00pm PDT. One Bard Quester audition is scheduled for 4:00pm PDT. More information is available at the Bard's Guild.
Vespa 0.9, a new clock for Puddleby time by Vizer, is available from http://mysteries.puddleby.info/.
I recently responded to a rescue call from Lehkar at the Slime Cave, where Sam and Norm had fallen. After healing, all four of us entered the cave for some revenge.
Ruen visited the Noids cavern with a small party, including renowned mapmaker Tonoto. Read more in her journal entry for 12 Spring 550.
It's time to begin work on a new issue of Fishwrap Magazine. Fishwrap needs some reporters to conduct some exile interviews. Interested? There will probably be some coins in it for you, if you have a compelling interview to offer. Prospective reporters should contact Paramedic (use the link at the bottom of the right-hand column.) Thanks!
Ruen has updated her journal for Winter 550 with news on new members in ELF and a visit to the new lava island.
Viola filed this report with TMN:
Mjollnir has submitted a visionstone to the Visionstone Repository:
http://movies.puddleby.info/search.t?show=62
It's terribly long, but it has some interesting information on different Champion items and skills.
A stonegirdle turns you into stone, increasing defense and Histia dramatically. The drawback is that you can't move or attack. The effects of flames and lightning are also reduced, though still painful.
A lava cloak lets you set all enemies around you ablaze. Don't use it too much, apparently it's very fragile.
Once you have trained in earthpower channeling, a darkite can make your blows extremely destructive. The atkite increases the accuracy of your blows, instead.
Viola, Champion Quester
Norm also reports on the Arena Master in his journal entry for 9 Spring 550 (5/15/03).
Praetorius filed the following report with TMN:
Some good news! After ages of bringing him materials, Yammelurt now has enough materials to build the bridge on KI. Hopefully it will be completed quickly.
As a footnote, there was a strange occurrence on Ash. Valtrim felt something amiss there and went to look. He found the south beach of Ash Island filled with scarmis. There was a scarmis hole open there. Initially a strong group of exiles took the south beach, but during an attempt to rescue fallen exiles further north, many stronger scarmis came south and pushed them away. A few of us fell and despite many rescue attempts, several exiles had to depart.
SongWren also filed a report on the scarmis invasion on Ash:
Songwren here. Last night there was a scarmis invasion on Ash Island that got out of control real fast. There were at least 50 on each beach landing, including warriors, larvae and a queen. There were many departs to be had. To top it all off, Avaric learned to walk on water, go figure.
Click on the links below for more pictures.
Avaric walks on water
Scarmis and SongWren
Larvae on Ash beach
Does anyone know what eventually happened? Were the scarmis all defeated?
I recently had my sunstone upgraded and repaired. My thanks to Zorton for a job well done. Also please note the presence in this picture of ThoomCare members Kensington and Domino. Domino's been away for a while now; it's good to see him in Puddleby again.
Himitsu has a full report on a recent trip to the Ethereal Tower. Note the presence of ThoomCare members Bones, Kensington, and Paramedic.
In his latest journal entry, Azriel reports on buying a greataxe and taking on a new student.
SongWren filed this report with TMN:
Songwren here. Here's another report on Flame Drakes. One flew over Town Center and landed in the zoo. We gathered together to vanquish the fiend but it ended up felling several exiles and kidnapped some of their fallen bodies. Kalian and Shen Calin were toted off to Devil's Island where we followed the drake until it went over the seas and we could follow no more. Kalian did taunt the beast with a blue flame and I think it was not amused. When I left, a rescue party was forming. I am sure others will comment on the outcome of this abduction.
Click in the links below for more images:
Kalian taunts a drake
Drake grabs exiles with claws
Drake takes exiles to Devil's Island
A new clan was just announced in town.
The members include Benylin, Gatts, Kafka, Kamik, and Ziff Rengar.
The clan seems short on Thooms, despite its name.
Heard over the sunstone network after the clan announcement: Jo Ma'ril thinks, "None of you are thooms!"
Blaise reports that Joe is no longer in the Puddleby jail.
Aravir reports in his latest journal entry that Abyssal Hunters recently invaded Puddleby.
Clyde sent TMN these pictures of a recent invasion and the appearance of a new large orga, the Orga Fellock.
Orga Fellock with fellow orgas
Althea attacks Orga Fellock
Orga Fellock is killed
Orgas swarm over the snell
Sor received his 7000 coin prize for the Ad Art Contest from me yesterday. I was wearing the TMN "Golden Trout" Ceremonial Cloak while making the presentation.
The Ad Art Contest was in honor of the one-year (IC: four-year) anniversary of the ThoomCare Media Network. Thank you all for your support and for continuing to visit TMN in increasing numbers.
Rincewind was stomped by some sasquatches on Melabrion's Isle. Read more about it in Hor's journal.
Here are the winners of the First and Second Prizes in the TMN Ad Art Contest. Congratulations to both Sor and Xel!
Thoom Letters
Winner: 1st Prize (7000 coins)
by Sor
Sor's entry elegantly sums up TMN with charmingly drawn Thooms.
War on the Orga
Winner: 2nd Prize (2000 coins)
by Xel
Seemingly torn from today's headlines, "War on the Orga" features a battlefield diorama (with orga figurine) and a "BRO" icon, both of which still make me chuckle. Good job!
Attention all winners: contact me in town or via e-mail about a time to meet with me to receive your prize.
Thanks to all of you who entered the contest, and thanks again to the generous sponsors who helped to make it possible:
Aravir
Antiscian Tribe
Hunk
McBain
Odesseus
Opxe
Rising Claw
Ziff Rengar
Special thanks to Odesseus for helping me with the judging.
An extra 3rd Prize of 1000 coins was added, as well as 3 new 4th Prize winners (500 coins). The winners are:
3rd Prize (1000 coins each): Ayella, Poesy
4th Prize (500 coins each): SongWren, Squirrel, Xepel
Look below to see their ad art.
Priceless
Winner: 3rd Prize (1000 coins)
by Ayella
If only I could put these prizes on my credit card...
Thooms with Cards
Winner: 3rd Prize (1000 coins)
by Poesy
A fresh new spin on that old standby, the Thoom lineup. Congas never looked like this before.
Green
Winner: 4th Prize (500 coins)
by SongWren
This example of marketing genius shrewdly targets the underappreciated marsh-dwelling reading audience. This ad brings TMN directly to the upperly mobile urban sophisticate meshra demographic. The question remains: does the well-informed TMN-reading meshra still taste like chicken? I think you already know the answer.
Modern Thoom and Zo
Winner: 4th Prize (500 coins)
by Squirrel
This pun-filled ad takes the traditional dialogue between intellectual Thoom and fighting Zo yet gives it a fresh approach with a modern art spin.
Thoomish Inquisition
Winner: 4th Prize (500 coins)
by Xepel
The Inquisition is never the same once everyone knows it's coming.
Look below to see the next selection of entries in the TMN Ad Art Contest.
Old, New, and Weird
by Elenis Reyav
Skillfully calculated to bring in viewers looking for offbeat news, this ad also reaches out to make the Thoom demographic feel special.
Interlaced
by Phineas
Reminiscent of Islamic rectilinear interlaced lattices, this ad suggests inner calm and introspection.
Orange
by SongWren
This brilliant piece shines with the intensity of an enraged Sunwyrm.
Fisher
by Sor
A Thoom and fish. What more can one want?
TMN is proud to begin showing the entries to the Ad Art Contest. Odesseus and I were both honored to judge a fine selection of submissions. The first four entries shown here are not among the winners, but all were much appreciated. It was very hard to pick the winners, and as a result I have added four new prizes to the pool (details to be announced when the winning entries are displayed).
Click below to see four entries by Clyde, Elenis, Xel, and Xepel.
Shiny Metal TMN
by Clyde
Clyde's shiny metallic entry successfully appeals to the Dwarven miner audience. Combining simple utility with the clobber-you-over-the-head sensibilities of a silver ingot, "Shiny Metal TMN" is designed to make Dwarves everywhere remember those three letters: TMN.
ThoomCare Book Spine
by Elenis Reyav
Elenis's stylish ThoomCare "Clan Lord Guide" book spine is pinpoint-precision targeted advertising aimed right at one of the largest audiences in Puddleby: library characters. If you don't bother coming out of the library these days, this book will help to remind you where to go to get your news: TMN.
Thoomies
by Xel
Reminscent of Andy Warhol's famous painting of a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup, Xel's "Thoomies" manages to embrace as well as mock mass market culture. It also leaves behind a burning question about the violent act of thoomicide conducted on the middle left.
Thoom Mafia
by Xepel
Xepel's "Thoom Mafia" capitalizes on the popularity of mob-related dramas as well as the tendency of Thooms to gather together in town center. The viewer is left wondering if perhaps it would be in his or her best interest, if you know what we mean, to keep up on the latest news at TMN.
Today a group of dedicated exiles helped Fat Alice with her research on Kizmia's Isle to create a new stronger curative potion recipe. They collected venom glands, herpetid eggs and poison snake corpses as well as falling to poison so Fat Alice could take blood samples. Once the potion was created, Fat Alice demanded a gold maha shirt in exchange for a bottle of the potion.
The good people of Puddleby were generous in their donations and the money for the shirt was quickly raised. The following exiles contributed to the fund:
Sun Dragon Clan , Manx, Mjollnir, Talin, GrayGradi, Gilean, Rincewind, Kilagar, Opxe, Abe, Urgelt, Lov'sya, Cecil, WormTounge, Romuli, Cronos.
The potion was taken to the lab for analysis and it was revealed that the recipe for the strong curative potion is two venom glands, a herpetid egg, and a bottle of water.
Fat Alice trades the potion to us for a new maha shirt
Arista Stainfinger accepts the potion recipe
Sah Bleyd moved his construction site again. Read more in Aravir's journal.
SongWren sent TMN the following report:
SongWren here, thought I'd let you know that a pair of Fire Drakes visited us in Northeast Field. At least 20 exiles were involved in vanquishing them and it took well over an hour. One in particular took 30 minutes alone after being separated; it seemed peculiarly strong compared to its mate. It was rodded by Sakim and Mjollnir and we were atkus boosted by Tina.
Click on the links below for more pictures.
Drakes across the river
A drake surrounded
Exiles fall to a drake
Feauial has updated his journal with a report on a hunt with Winds of Dawn and another hunt in South Forest.
SongWren sends TMN this picture of the Earthstone used in the Champion quest, revealed today in the Fairgrounds. Note the presence of ThoomCare member Fayack on the scene.
Himitsu has a report on the most recent chaos storm in Eyes of Puddleby.
I have added to the list of permanent links on the right-hand side of TMN a link to the clan forum of the Open Hands Clan.
In his journal entry for 73 Winter 550 (5/8/03), Norm reports on getting his sunstone upgraded and on some changes in the wake of the most recent chaos storm.
Lundar has two updates on recent hunts. In the first entry, he describes a recent expedition to the Ethereal Tower. Note the presence of esteemed ThoomCare healer Sausage in this adventuring party.
In Lundar's second entry, he reports on an ELF clan hunt to the Mines of Melabrion. Xepel concisely sums up his feelings on this situation in this image.
Chaos Storm #284 has swept the Lok'Groton island chain. Please post any changes you have observed and wish to share with others in the comments. If you don't want to read possible spoilers, please do not read the comments.
Hor reports on a trip down a waterfall in his latest journal entry.
Aravir reports that Sah Bleyd has moved his construction site back to its original location. Drablak also reported this information to TMN. Aravir also reports on a trip to see the sunwyrms.
Today is the last day to submit your TMN Ad Art Contest entries.
Winners of the TMN Ad Art Contest will receive their prize from Paramedic the Thoom, wearing the ceremonial TMN "Golden Trout" Cloak donated by the Antiscian Tribe.
The following exiles and organizations have contributed to the prize fund:
Aravir
Antiscian Tribe
Hunk
McBain
Odesseus
Opxe
Rising Claw
Ziff Rengar
There's still time to help sponsor the contest; we could use some more donations to help cover the costs of the prizes.
Prizes:
First place: 7000 coins
Second place: 2000 coins
Third place: 1000 coins
The rules for the contest can be found here.
Rincewind called my attention to Crius, who is fallen. Anyone know what happened to him?
Update: is this a case of murder by muffin? See the comments for more information.
Feauial reports on a trip to Wisher's Gate in his latest journal entry.
Several new entries have been submitted for the TMN Ad Art Contest. You still have time to submit your work of ad art; the deadline is the end of the day, Sunday, May 4, 2003.
TMN is still seeking sponsors to help pay for the prizes.
Prizes:
First place: 7000 coins
Second place: 2000 coins
Third place: 1000 coins
The rules for the contest can be found here.
Exiles in town center recently were entertained by a new zoo in Puddleby.
Picture of the zoo from Bones
Sielk reports that he continues to donate towards the KI bridge project.
Lundar and Norm have reports on recent sunstone developments.
Lundar's report on Zorton upgrading crystals in town
Norm's report from 40 Winter 550 (4/30/03) on visiting Leth Nimbletoes
Hor reports on a revival of the Edarian Hunt Club in his latest journal entry.
Aravir has some updates to his journal: more on sungems, the return of Taladwy, and an archaeological report on the Tenebrion's Island Burial Site.
In his journal entry for 47 Winter 550, Azriel reports on a trip to the Trainers' Grotto.