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MAGELLAN'S MAP SUBMISSION

DO NOT DELETE - PLEASE READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH - CONTAINS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAP


Map Name: Ludicrosity (ludicrous.mx2)
Map Maker: Timothy Duncan
E-Mail Address: tduncan@haverford.edu
Version 1.76

LEAGUE MODIFCATIONS as of 9/26/98
1. Removed some of the orc/archer houses that were
unbalancing multiplayer.

LEAGUE MODIFICATIONS AS OF 8/22/98
1. Changed some random monster bases to specific ones.
2. Added to trimmings.

SPECIAL NOTE TO LEAGUE PLAYERS - This map is now an AW
League Map. However, there are a few things you need to
know, as this was not originally created for League
Competition. First, you do NOT have a choice of classes
as you do in most League Maps. If you or your opponent
does not agree to this condition, you must select a
different map. All classes are Barbarian. Second, this
map is true to its name, and, though I've tried my
hardest to balance it, a lot of the map comes down to
some luck with portals and barriers. I am telling you
this NOW before you play the map - please do not
swamp me or other League Officials with email complaining
that your opponent found such and such artifacts or had
such and such troops and you didn't have anything. By
playing the map now, you are acknowledging that you
realize that your opponent may get very lucky with which
portals he uses and secret events he finds, while you might
get stuck with sprites and orcs :)
ALSO please note that if you are the ORANGE player, most of
your story was written out in this text file because of a
lack of events. If there are only two of you, I suggest
that you either play as yellow/blue or red/orange, as
these combinations are most evently matched. Have fun!

MODIFICATIONS AS OF 2/17/98:
1. Took out all random artifacts and replaced with
specific artifacts. No more free battle garbs!
2. Changed one sphinx because the riddle was really
dumb. It is still dumb but not quite as bad. :)
3. Took out some artifacts because there were a lot
of them.
4. Fixed one dead site.

Map Type: Multiplayer or Singleplayer
4 human or computer players.

Note: I originally created this map for
multiplayer, and it was an extremely
intense map when we played it as such.
But I have since discovered that it works
very well as a single-player map as well.
So play it however you wish.


Description: What the!?...

Special Win: KILL CONQUER PILLAGE DESTROY

Special Loss: GET KILLED CONQUERED PILLAGED OR DESTROYED


Special Other: Well, I know this may be an inconvience,
but I ran out of event space because I
wrote a different story for each of the
four players. Therefore, if you elect
to be orange player, the entire story
isn't written in the actual map. If you
care enough, you can print out the rest
of the story which is written below (in
the spoilers section) - it isn't too much-
and read the rest of the events on the days
specified. You don't really need the events
to win, but without them the orange player
doesn't have much of a story. Or you can
just play a different color :)

Narrative: Each player has a different one, and you'll
learn about it as you play. More or less,
you find yourself in a very odd place, but
for a very serious reason.

All Human Sides
Completely
Play-Tested: Of course! I tried to balance the different
colors, but I found the level most challenging
playing Blue (though Red's story is my favorite).

SPOILERS: WARNING!!! SPOILER INFORMATION FOLLOWS PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!
SPOILERS: WARNING!!! SPOILER INFORMATION FOLLOWS PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!
SPOILERS: WARNING!!! SPOILER INFORMATION FOLLOWS PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!
SPOILERS: WARNING!!! SPOILER INFORMATION FOLLOWS PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

See very bottom for hints/tips.

1. Rest of Orange Player's Story.
EVENTS ON DAY 12, 28, 35, and 50.


Day 12. You wake this morning to find Gerald staring at you
in the eyes. "What the devil!?" you exclaim, pulling
the sheets up to your neck. "I'm sorry, Sire. I
came to see if you wanted some breakfast. But if not,
I'm sure someone would like these strawberry waffles."
He turns to leave. "No, wait. You just startled me,
that's all." You smile and take the tray of food from
him. "You haven't thought about why you are here, have
you, Sire?" he asks. You shake your head. "Actually, I
kind of like it." He looks at you seriously. "Sire,
the gods have sent you here for a chance at redemption.
You have been engaged in a very subtle evil, one of which
you may not even be aware, but it exists nevertheless.
Think hard. For if you do not discover the origins of
your imprisonment here, how can you hope to win?"

Day 28. It has been awhile since you and Gerald last spoke on
matters of your imprisonment, and you are becomming
increasingly agitated with your predicament. Surely
things back home have spiraled out of control. Without
you to negotiate the treaty, your country will fall back
into war with your enemy. And you are stuck here playing
games. You play with your mashed potatoes, sculpting them
into a soldier playing at war. You look away for a
moment and then look back at your plate. Written in the
potatoes is the word "DECEIT". Nearby, you see Gerald
sucking on his finger. "More wine, Sire?" he asks.

Day 35. "Fine, Gerald. I admit it. Happy? The treaty was a hoax,
just like all the others. We had planned to make peace
and then, when the enemy's troops were unaware, our armada
was preparing for a surprise strike against their harbor
town. It was all my idea, and I convinced them to attend
the treaty meeting. So what? How is that evil? I've never
murdered anyone. I don't cheat. I don't steal..." Gerald
smiles. "At least you admit it, Sire. The gods will be
pleased. But you must realize that evil does not have
dimensions. There is no graver sin than believing one sin
to be graver than another. If everyone lived by comparing
their actions to murder, what kind of world would it be?
This is why you have been chosen, Sire. Because we feel
you are redeemable. Now that you realize the follies of
your ways, you can return, not because you dislike this
place, but because you want to correct the wrongs you have
done in the real world." Gerald places his tray on the table
and walks out the door. You sit in silence and then call after
him, "Who is WE?"

Day 50. You haven't seen Gerald for fifteen days, and you suspect
he won't be back. Was he one of the gods who sent you here,
or does every loser become so informed? Well, you decide,
you don't want to stick around and find out. You must make
it back, not to prevent a war, but to prevent the treaty from
being signed. Deception is not the way to harmony. It might
make the country larger, but people only suffer because of it.
And if the King doesn't like it. Well, too bad for him.
Maybe you'll start your own country, and live forever in harmony.


2. Hints/Tips. Well, there used to be directions to the obelisk artifact
and many "Secret" Ultimate Artifacts, but due to the fact that this is now
an AW League Map, I have removed them.

GOOD LUCK.

Send comments to tduncan@haverford.edu -- I apologize for this
VERY long text file, but I thought the story needed to be told. :)


Did you like this map? Try my others:

Heat (large expert)
Edfupupi Lah (xlarge expert)
Starfire (Large expert)
Nosferatu (large expert)
Threedom (medium tough AWL Map)
Quadruplets (medium normal AWL Map)
Cavel's Game (medium normal AWL Map)

Last Hope (small expert)
THUNK, Last Hope II (large expert)
Adjudication, Last Hope III (medium tough)
Toran Rift, Last Hope IV (small tough/expert)
Cave of Dreams, Last Hope V (xlarge expert)
Retribution, Last Hope VI (large expert)
Abode of Evil, last Hope VII (medium expert)

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