History 27: Outlaws in Mercia

Everyone loves a good outlaw. There is something special about a person who gains respect from doing things that would ruin most players. Is it the carelessness? Is it the confidence? Whatever it is, we are drawn to them in some way. So, as in all things, there have been plenty of Outlaws in Mercia. The questions really is, how do you define one? Is it their disregard for the rules? Is it being the villian in any particular situation? There are many ways to define such a person, but here is the definition I'm going with. An Outlaw is someone who peddles or even crosses the Lawful line of rules but isn't hated in a general consensus. Someone who, even if you don't like them, you can understand why others do. With this out of the way, I think a few people would fit this description. Starting in the Second Age, KelseyChloride became the first person to regularly break rules in the world. Having joined the Darkcloaks, she would accept Gold in exchange for killing a target of the purchasers choosing. She did this carefully as to not raise suspicion. Kelsey knew that during certain times, moderation of the game wouldn't be in full effect. During this narrow window, she carefully planned and executed targets in a manner which didn't allow her to be punished for the crimes. For example, she once lured a witch into XxJoshtailxXs house to weaken him. She planned it, so that when he would go to exit the building, a splash potion would be sent out to finish the job. Whether it was players or NPCs, Kelsey was revered by all who crossed her way. This could be the reason for her Presidential Term the following Age.

Another case could be made for Maclimaras Competition, DCap84. While Maclimara ran the entirety of Mercias Building Operations through shady permits, DCap84 invested outside of the capital. He would give out loans, rent houses, and fund players businesses. That all sounds fine and he seemed a good person if you didn't read into his infamous contracts. You see, because there was a time crunch in the earlier Ages, meaning you could only play at certain times, he made extremely long contracts. Players who had missed a day or two of playing didn't have much time to play catch-up, as there was a race to get skills up and the need for items and housing was extremely important. So he would simply have them take the contract, skim through it, and give it back without a signature. He would tell them that as long as the Admin knew, it was good enough. Within his contract was a clause that allowed him to determine the exact number of days the loan/lease/item was given for at anytime. He would wait for the prime opportunity, and hit them with a massive bill they couldn't pay. As such, all of their possessions were given over to him. It wasn't illegal, but it sure didn't gain him any supporters.

Of course, these are old times. The Fourth Age allowed for many more names to arise. You all know about the Dread Pirate Solo, who would sail the 14 seas in search of anyone's items he could find. Stealing from New players and old players alike, while gaining massive support from them. Solo could steal someone's items in front of them and they would follow him into battle shortly after. He once found a settlement just outside of Mercia and stole it's contents, only leaving a sign for the person who lived there. It asked them to thank Solo when they get on for visiting. There was also the time he hunted down a former player who burned his ship down. He traveled over 15,000 blocks to seek him out, slay him, and leave a sign. So much has been said about Solo already, and with his recent statement about coming back, I advise you to hide your items while you can. Ofcourse, if you mention Solo, you have to mention the dark opposite of Solo. The Mad King himself, Xaasty. Any who encountered Xaasty didn't know if they should run or hide. Unlike the rest on this list, he didn't command respect from his peers, he demanded it with an iron fist. He toed the line of rules so often that it was borderline illegal for him to log on. He once attacked the Freelancers and demanded a tribute or face further consequences. Begrudgingly, the Freelancers agreed to the terms and desperately gathered the items needed to keep their city safe. When they offered him the items, he burned them where they stood, to the confusion of everyone around. No one knew who he would attack or if he would unleash a new storm, but most of those who encountered him, respected him.

This list has to end somewhere, and who else but the man you probably all know to finish us off. The man behind the infamous White Rose organization that struck a nerve to all those who played during the Fourth Age, into the Fifth. SquishyBoyo. SquishyBoyo and the White Rose did many questionable deeds during their reign, including bombing Frontier City, destroying the Four Roads of Mercia, robbing anyone they could find, and corrupting clans from within. The White Rose is a unique story but the true outlaw within Squish comes after that phase. When he finally joined the Fifth Age, he was unanimously disliked during the time. Unphased by this, he went South and claimed the Kingdom for his own and began ruling over its territory. He wasn't afraid to step on any other There was the lands that belonged to Ominzz before Kingdoms had come. Ominzz wanted them back and under no circumstances was Squish willing to allow that. He fought tooth and nail for a castle he didn't even want, just so the North couldn't have it. He would call the other Wardens pathetic and list the reasons why the South would always be the best Kingdom. The three Kingdoms even banded together and sent an ultimatum to Squish; Leave the South and give up your title or be destroyed. He insisted on War and made the first strike in the North. Following this, a truce was forced by the Admin to preserve peace and builds in the world. So, while many more names could be included on this list, there are different Outlaws for different reasons. Some are shady businessmen and some are cold blooded killers with a lust for power. So long as the Server is up, there will always be those trying to push the boundaries.