Hail dark friends,

‘Twas not long ago when your Captain and I set out for the dungeon called Shame to check on the safety of the red mages that dwell there. What we would find in these dark caverns would bring great gladness to the ranks of GUL!

As Jade made her way to levels 2&3 of this dungeon, I concentrated on level one.
The first visitor I came upon was Davon.



I immediately noticed that Davon was wearing the blood-drenched scarf which signifies he means the Great Ones no harm, so I greeted this adventurer and asked him how the hunt was going.
After a short conversation, I bid him farewell and set off to the grand foyer at the mouth of the dungeon.



As I entered the foyer, I was greeted with this most interesting sight!
A sign perhaps?



Making my way to the entrance, I met up with Captain Jade, Commander Tanqueray, and Davon. We chatted for a minute before deciding to make another pass through the dungeon.



I stayed behind as Tanq and Jade left for level 2.
After a moments quiet, Master North entered the cave. I let him pass unfettered as he too was donning the sacred garment.



The next visitor to enter was Dexter. Again, and in compliance with the laws that govern these caves, Dexter was allowed to pass undisturbed.



Curious, I followed Dexter back into the foyer. I was pleased to find all but one of the visitors this night in compliance with GUL’s laws.

We issued Dakmor a warning only and presented him with a scarf. We explained that he may hunt the earthen creatures, but he was to steer clear of the mage tower located in the deepest parts of Shame.

Indeed, it doth bring great warmth and gladness to my heart to see so many visitors to these caves willing to demonstrate their reverence for The Great Ones, and respect for GUL and her laws.



How truly odd. The mysterious lighting in this cave seems to form an arrow—an arrow that points to the cave entrance.



Ah! I believe I now understand. The mysterious lighting is not pointing to the cave’s entrance, it is pointing the way to the cave’s exit!



It would seem dear friends, that the Guardians of Undead Lords were successful in securing safe passage for the Mystic Council during their long journey back to the living.

I now believe that our mission is complete and was an utter success. The lich are now rising from the undead as red mages, and I have seen the red mages on the overland as they head to Brittan to take back their rightful place as the first council to Lord British.

It is with mixed feelings that I grant leave to all Guardians so requesting it.
We have accomplished all that we setout to do, and may now go home to our families and loved ones.

The Great Ones are now safe, and it could not have been possible without your efforts.
Captain Jade and I would like to thank all of you for your unrelenting dedication to duty and honor.

Strength and Honor!

Out OF Character:

The Adventures of Adam Ant series has seen several good years of production.
The Adventures started back in April 2000, and continued in earnest until mid to late 2002 when Publish 16 was introduced. (You can read about the beginning’s here )

Publish 16 was in many ways responsible for the demise of GUL; the slain were automatically teleported out of the dungeon with all of their belongings, and consequently death lost it’s sting.
Now I won’t try and kid you into believing loot isn’t important to PKs, it is. But the greatest damage from the publish was that the Guardian could no longer demonstrate their honor.

A large part of what made GUL an exceptional guild was member integrity. Guardians would not talk smack and would treat the slain player with dignity. Guardians would often resurrect the player and leave behind much of the player’s belongs. Also, and as a part of strict GUL policy, Guardians would leave behind a red bandanna, a recall rune to town, a recall scroll, and a book explaining GUL’s purpose and laws with respect hunting in the dungeons.

The Publish 16 changes removed from the Guardian any opportunity to demonstrate honor. Respect comes from witnessing honorable actions, especially in a world where less than honorable behavior is the norm. Without this opportunity to demonstrate honor, there was little to distinguish GUL from any other run-of-the-mill murderous red guild.

Am I complaining? No not really. I was disappointed the game took this direction, but I also think it’s unreasonable to assume a 6 year old game isn’t going to evolve.

Mostly though, I am very happy; GUL achieved everything that I had hoped and more.
At our peak we had 80 or so members on two stones, and many more if you count the Guardians on the half a dozen or so other shards.
We never had to recruit, and were very selective. We would toss out those that would put their own needs above the principles of The Guardian .

The greater message that GUL sent to Origin Systems—and any other MMORPGs that happened to be listening—was that Evil has a Place in online gaming.
I don’t mean a contrived evil like that from the mind of some game developer, but a type of evil that can only be borne of an organized group of individuals to accomplish some common goal.

So is this it for Adam Ant and GUL?
No, but it is time to close this chapter of our history.
The Adventures of Adam Ant, Episodes 1-100, are now complete and chronicle Adam’s first 2 years in GUL.

Adam is currently living in Wind and has reportedly taken up the study of Necromancy from his father, Kahn. It is not yet known why he’s taken up these black arts and what he plans on doing with them. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Congratulations. I've been wondering when episode #100 was coming down the pipe ;-)

Long before I joined these forums, I came here to read the Adventures of Adam Ant. I'm sure I'm speaking on behalf of a whole lot of people when I say hank you for the years of entertainment!

It was a hell of a good run and I want to thank you for the many hours fun GUL gave to me. Without it UO would have been dead to me long ago.

So thanks for the vision of GUL. I hated PK's before GUL and then once I found out you did not have to act like a child to PK I became GUL.

Three cheers for the good times in the past and the ones yet to come.

Congrats Gul members! I've also been a huge fan for many years, although only registering and participating in the conversation for the last year and a half. I have had very much fun at GUL functions whether it was a raid at the tower to get into the chest, one of the GUL events on the great ocean, or at shame. You have all provided me with many great experiences in the game! Never a member, always a fan...

I second that emotion! . Fare thee well Adam, in whatever path you chose.

y'know just to make a small side track situation...if gul ever existed on siege...you would have like...

Well lets say... many many episodes!

Hopes it is Wind on Siege.... hopes... hopes...

No insurance...

*sigh*

Donal Mor

i find it funny. When i started playng before EA bought OSI, the pk was feared by just about everyone. I would mine iron up at the mountain pass by the cross roads, and my friends would warn me to stay inside the guards area and stay away from the other end. It ws fun trying to trick pks and get aroudn them, running for your life as you explore. Later on, we started hunting pks, pvp became fun. infact, i used to hunt GUL (actualy, one of my chars hates GUL and the other 4 love GUL. but lets not get into that :p ). we would wait at shame for tanq or road to showup, most of the time i just wanted someone new to pvp against. and when you get several of us and tons of gaurdians in one spot, you get some fun out of it :p
so, then i felt i wanted to change sides. i wanted to experiance and play the game like GUL does. PKing was very different before i joined. You run up to someone, and attack... it's barbaric but it works :p GUL adds the extra "fun" to pking. So here i am now, a member of this awesome group of people. you guys made the game worth playing. unfortionatly, pub 16 left me in the dust and every publish/expansion after that did the same. I guess old dogs can't learn new tricks (well after 4 - 5 yeas of playing, i still play as i did when i first started out). i still have my account and i did jump on yesterday to see how the yew liches where doing, Bob says he has a minor cold, but doing fine :p

I'm a little rusty but if anyone needs me, catch me on AIM (sn = "pwolfamv"... i don't use ICQ much anymore) or gimme a PM i'll probably pop on everynow end then, i usually just hang around Oc' for a while (to see if anyone comes by) and run down to the yew liches.

And one more thing, as i was reading that adv of yours adam, i noticed that Davon is my bro's char :p good to see he was doing the right thing


Wolf

*claps*

Well done! I am sad to see this adventure but I will always carry with me the things I have learned from my time as a guardian and I will cherish the friendships I have made as well.

*bows*

GUL, in my opinion, has been the best thing to happen to Napa. I'm very glad to have met with GUL members, and although I never entered any of the pit fights I always enjoyed watching them.

GUL is proof there can be honour in a game.

Qikdraw

Its a good episode...... But a sad day for it to come......... *group hug* We still having fun though.... Atleast I am

Well done! I am sorry I missed the heyday of the GUL. This forum and website have been both informative and enjoyable as I have adapted to this game over my first 3 months.

I await your next adventure and am curious to see where Ceppheus might stand.....be it at your side or against you. I have no doubt that in either instance it will be enjoyable.

Who needs better AI when you have Adam Ant in the Game?

Ceppheus

Wow, I never expected to see another adventure. Thought Adam just had something against triple digits or something. It's great. . . very nostalgic.

And, Donal, I don't think Adam would like sharing Wind with Corwin and Co. on Siege.

Youve made the game fun Adam since i moved to napa.
The Quests, the wars, the fighting.
Congrats and I hope you success.

Hey, you know, people keep bringing up Siege.

Why isn't there a GUL on siege? I mean, the rules on the normal shards have changed, but Siege is still very much conducive to the GUL style.

So, I ask, why not?

And so something unique ends..

It wasn't long ago that I wrote an essay for GUL, perhaps in ignorant bliss, but nonetheless expressing how I truly felt. I went back to that essay and read it, thinking how impressed I must have been with GUL to put such effort and feeling into it.

Later, as most of you know, I shattered the good sentiment. But honestly, that is beside the point.

Adam, no matter how rude, arrogant, demeaning, or immature I was, I tip my hat to you. I do more than that: I bow. You made something magical when you created GUL. Not just the guild, or the story, or the patrols, but the community itself. I look around this board and realize that even with all of the petty bickering and childish antics there is still something that was created from nothing. For me...it's so easy to tear something down, to injure another's name or feelings or self-worth. Questioning the systems of the world come natural to many...even those systems they love and respect. But people like you, who rise above the common, create things that people remember for years.

GUL will most likely always stand out from other communities in my mind. It is the idea of GUL that is so pure and so good. And the results may not be perfect, as nothing is, but in the end the Guardians of the Undead Lords left a special mark in this world.

Farewell to something that came from nothing. Farewell to GUL.

Well said...

Thank You Adam for the fun over the years and as an anti in my beginning years. Thanks for letting me share your vision.

Ahh, that was quite a sight Adam!

All you other people, don't think GUL is all over with quite yet, Shame may be secured, but the occasional heathen still comes to slay the liche south of Yew.....

It's been too much fun Adam. I had great times both fighting with and against GUL. I look forward to what the future holds for you guys.

-Tegan

Great episode, makes me what to re activate my accounts. But then again i never had a completed assasin or a near completed one.
I started on siege but the thing about everythign costing 3x as much ruined me as i had no armour or a decent weapon to train :< and its been so long since ive trained i forgot what to kill.

Keep them coming maybe ill reactivate my account sometime and try again at siege. As the people their are nicer but since i live in England when i play theres just about no one online. Thats good when im in training but i cant get armour or anything from the more experienced players who would spare stuff.

Keep them coming

What can i say The Adventures of Adam Ant where one of the reasons i made a char to pk, i woulda tried to join GUL myself if not limited by My Connection.

UO now has became one big joke but Your Thur your Episodes we can look back and see once there was some Honor and respect in Uo, i cant say just yours, All of Gul's old Episodes

It kinda saddens me i never got a chance to talk much to any of you, hell im unknown:) but the few times i did i saw a few of the people who at one time made UO worth playing.