Oxford University Role Playing Games Society
ICON News 5

ICON News 5

METAL COVERED PLANETS OPEN - CIV CORE GOES MAD

Again, our top news story is the opening of the metal plated planets around Civ Core, the metal seeming to flex and bubble on the surface before melting into the planet to reveal tundra and desert. Immediately following, plant and animal attacks have beco me far more ferocious, and fatality reports have come in from almost every world. Whatever this madness is, it has also started to affect some people, who have been restrained with difficulty. IMF pilot Nax has provided this footage of the surface of Cyml ana...

A HISTORICAL INTERLUDE

[This is information garnered from a keynote speech by Wraxilian, one of the foremost historians of the Illisthian people.] I had the good fortune recently to be visited by two members o f the race called Legion at my home on Illisthia's third trade moon. The interest leading to this speech came about when one of my visitors had to be restrained by the other, overwhelmed with what he called 'the violence of the universe.' The two Legion t hen told me the history of their people... It turns out that the people of Legion were originally an experiment performed by the advanced Old Empire, and from the same race as they. Dumped on an inhospitable planet, they survived by becoming 'native', acc epting the rhythms of life there. Occasionally some of them were abducted and investigated by the Old Empire, and this was a matter of much terror for them. A religion formed whereby Legion worships its own planet, Deus. Almost overnight in galactic terms , it seems, Legion created space travel and destroyed the Old Empire, taking over their planets, rich in biological technology. Legion scientists soon found the problem of collapse of the universe, and developed technology which they believed would preven t this. My visitors were relieved that they had prevented this collapse, but spoke of a universe opening up to them and a feeling of tremendous power when their metal-plated planets opened. With the New Empire now under attack and forming to protect Deus, this was the last opportunity they would have to tell CivCore of their past.

LIVE BROADCAST

"A protest march in the capital city of Hel has gone horrifically wrong as riots are breaking out everywhere. However, Angrath Nitt still intends to make his speech. Let us go to see what he is saying now. I'm afraid w e can't get audio through the riot noise, but I can tell you that it's on the same topics we always hear from him. I think that there are some police that have been sent in from the government to break this up... Get us back to the studio!"

WE ALL DIED AT ARAMA STATION

Visitors to the small spacestation of Arama were shocked to discover only a gutted hulk in deep space. Records show only immensely powerful weaponry being focused on the station and the bright flames of destruction. Reasons or culprits for the attack are unclear despite extensive investigation.

READY STEADY TRADE

The Clans trade fair, spearheaded by Clan Xitra, is going to take place on Omicron Station beginning in just a few days. With other clans now solidly behind them, they are welcoming all buyers and sellers. The Maj insisted that station security was good e nough to handle the event. People are already flooding into Omicron from all over CivCore, attempting to find quarters for the time of the Fair...

LEATHERMEN BEHAVING BADLY AXED

Disgruntled television bosses have claimed that the popularity of CCTV News and some of the recent independent channels mean that they cannot afford to produce expensive new sitcoms. One of the first projects to go has been the Anthem sponsored Leathermen Behaving Badly. Those who saw the pilot have regretted the move, saying that they wanted to see what happened to lovable Billy Bob.

TWO TRAGIC DEATHS

On the same day we have two great figures to mourn. Noted philanthropist Tem Rono died early today, and his death is being investigated by police. Later, during the ill fated protest march, extremist Angrath Nitt perished with some of his followers in an attack by a crazed officer obviously affected by whatever gas was released into the atmosphere - samples are still being studied by authorities. We join the Helyan people in their grief.

RIOT ACT

Hundreds died in the Helyan riot yesterday. Reports have just come in about some of the problems. Apparently there was some type of hallucinogenic gas in the atmosphere, which should still not have caused that sort of extreme violence. The collapse of man y public services, banks and communications systems contributed to the mayhem, as did the appearance of hundreds of brightly clad partygoers who proceeded after some minutes to attack everything in sight. There are also rumours that some sort of powerful holographic projector was being used, although visions of fifty-foot high, horned, smoking black monstrosities could also be due to mass hallucination. Currently the streets are under armed patrol by officials in hermetically sealed suits, who are helping to clear bodies of those that died both in the riot itself and in the vicious clean up operation.

TERRORIST ACTION BLAMED

The Aamei government has agreed to hand over almost 150 terrorist activists to the CCF in an attempt to prevent any repeat of the atrocities visited upon the Helyan capital a few days ago. Still at large is the terrorist Sks'Khan, known to be on Omicron s tation.

NEMESIS BACK?

Rumours from the Tangled Web underground bulletin board are that Lord Nemesis is indeed back, and has reformed his Dark Legion, with 'Kris-Ret' as his 2IC and prophet. But this time, there is no Johnny Vlarg to stop him...

MUAT TIEN MISHAP - RAMPAGE DISTRESSED

Muat Tien champion Rampage was said to be 'terribly upset' when a slight mistake in the Algol software allowed his heavily muscled challenger, Bob, to be permanently injured. Bob, who made a life purely from his fighting ability, is paralysed from the nec k down, and has revealed emotion for the first time in talking about the new hydroponics company he intends to set up.

ALL HEL BREAKS LOOSE

After the recent fiasco on Hel, the CCF have reacted in force. CCTV News has shown pictures of the Ck'Nights' headquarters being destroyed and many Aa'mei being mown down as they tried to flee.

ANTHEM CLOTHES RANGE

You too can wear luminous green! A range of overalls, torn leather vests and scanty tasteless bikinis to suit everyone is on offer at stores across CivCore! Join in the latest craze from the folks who brought you the Anthem Anthem!

YET MORE GENOCIDE

Holocaust allows the bitter war between four rival races to enter a new arena. The all new ground combat system allows players to control tanks, fighters or on a larger scale divisions and whole armies. Watch the enemy battle lines crumble as you capture their vital supplies and watch their factories burn as destruction rains down on them from your artillery. Holocaust, it takes Genocide to a new level.

RAT'S EYE VIEW

- Hey, K'tkk. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

- Ha.

- Huh? What the hell's a handrahen doing outside Omicron? If you know, tell us please? And why are all these CCF ships converging on us? Help!

- That new Bellum on the station, an 'aide' or something, looks pretty familiar to me. But then, all insects look alike.

- So when's someone going to get on with it and find out where Officer's gone? Command structure down all over the place...

- P6 is doing a roaring trade in those cocktails.

- Brother Karel and Sonali seem to be inseperable. What's he got that I don't?

- Anyone wondered where Anya, the Dra'zan Ambassador, has got to? She should have been back by now. Perhaps that box which was sitting outside her ship was a clue.

- Trade Fair's about to start. Skithrass like trade fairs. Hey, Nax, buddy, you might be able to get some cool gear for your ship at the fair. Great haircut, by the way.

- There are these blimmin' small robots whizzing about everywhere; don't know where they came from. They're quite annoying. If you get four of them, break of their antennae and strap them to the bottom of your shoe, though, you get to whizz around prett y fast.

- That new Aa'mei that's turned up. Kryx, think his name is. He's been hanging around places, listening in on conversations. Disgusting, I call it. He needs watching, that one.