The Fall of Steel

hortly after new Guild Masters were named, an old face in the Cleric crowd made itself shown: Molten Steel the Mighty Avatar of Torikii. Steel had come up with the ranks during Nightshade and Keeble's adventuring days, and old school asskicking was welcomed. Steel loved to enter the depths of Tiamat's cave alone, only to return offering the Vorpal Blade to the highest bidder in the Three Kingdoms. Obviously more guild review was on the horizon.

teel was quickly added to the ranks of Guild Mastership, and his player killing assistance was, I believe, a welcome addition to aid Mosiah in his quest to dominate all of fantasy, especially its gentler inhabitants. He lead the Torikii clerics on many an adventure through the realms. But as mighty as his skills and spirit were, at last he was doomed to fall, nearly taking the Clerics and its wizards with him.

eeble, having been the consumate adventurer, always held in high regard fun additional `goodies' for players, especially Guild Masters, that would allow them to help the guild membership and keep the active staff interested. New Guild Master communication lines, rooms, guild information, and discussion boards appeared overnight. But the special ability for Guild Masters to view the shoutlog almost brought the walls of the guild down upon the entire lot of us.

teel, having earned his stripes with many of the newborn wizards, almost brought the walls of the guild down upon the entire lot of us. As a member of 3K, Steel had many running jokes and loved to poke fun where it often was most deserved. One day shortly after the addition of the shoutlog capablities, Steel wander into the guild and asked me about the note Keeble had posted upon the Guild Master Board about new `goodies'. Of course this bit intrigued Steel and he began to check them out. Unfortunately at about this time one of the common "invisible-wizard-telling-players-what-idiots-they-are" shouting sprees began in all earnest. And while specifically instructed not to abuse Guild Master capabilities or embarrass the guild or its wizards, Steel went about thoroughly thrashing the invisible wizard whose identity escapes me. It didn't take but a few seconds for the wizards to conclude Steel had wizard-only access to the shoutlog, and thus began the first in a long line of tense and intense private conferences with the wizards. When it was all over I had promised a number of the Lords that the matter would be brought to the attention of Nightshade and Keeble as soon as possible, Guild Master capabilities would be revised, and that we would all behave. In turn they agreed to let the guild remain open in the interem. This of course was during the Guild Closing Battles.

hortly thereafter Steel became a wizard, having been removed as a Guild Master. He felt wronged and soon lost much of his interest in adventuring and the guild. Though he established himself as an interesting player and wizard who kept players foremost in mind, even going so far as to include himself in some revisions to the Adventurer's guild, he never again held the high esteem within the Cleric's guild he had once commanded.

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Inscribed by: Glaebor -- October 02, 1995