On Sunday, October 3, at 4 PM AW time, the great god Jot flipped the magic switch – and the size of AncientWorlds expanded by at least a power of five. In our eight worlds, what we call “Neighborhoods” have come to stay – each “world” spent nearly a year planning how to expand the historical ‘places’ they offered to aw members. For Rome, for example, it meant researching and “recreating” cities from the Rhine to Egypt, from the Seven Hills of the city of Rome, to the Roman city of Londinium. As a citizen of Celtia,you could now go to a special page on the Celtic oppidum of Ebrauc and learn how Celtic citizens lived; in Germania, you can visit the cities of the Germanic kingdom of Middengeard; the original city of Machu Picchu (now, “The Americas”) has expanded so that you may visit Mayan cities, Aztec cities, and plans are afoot for North American native cultural ‘places’ as well! All of this research, rewriting, culling of images was done by our very own AW citizens – headed by the scribes in each world, but drawing on graphic, research, and literary talents from literally dozens of volunteers, whether they researched the Palatine Hill or a village in ancient China!

There has never been an AW project which was so much a “gift from the people” who ‘live’ here, and I was personally astonished at the breadth of historical research and enthusiasm that our multiple neighborhoods revealed. And it all derived from some ideas thrown out in The Curia last November! To all the World Scribes, our thanks are due for creating a monument of interactive history that will stand as long as AW does. But, more importantly, the sheer talent displayed – visit, for example, Athens’ Piraeus or Orient’s Mohenjo-Daro in India -means that the CityBuilders or WorldsBuilders, those who created these places, deserve our thanks – recognition – and AWARDS! Thus we’re announcing the BEST PLACES IN ANCIENTWORLDS contest. You may post your nominations here!

All AW citizens will be asked for nominations for those ‘places’ that are particularly illuminating historically and/or graphically. Prizes and awards in various categories will be given out to spotlight the talents among us. Nominations will be accepted from November 1, 2004 until midnight, Saturday, December 11. On Sunday, December 12, at 6 PM AW time, the demigods – as judges! - will announce awards in all categories, and each ‘place’ will have its winner plaque proudly uploaded and displayed! We will also be accepting nominations for WorldsBuilders, for those citizens who contributed above and beyond the call of history and, by their work and talent, helped make the worlds as special as they are. Our WorldsBuilders will also receive plaques honoraring their contributions. It’s little to do for the months of research and hard work everyone did – but at least it’s a start to acknowledge you!

On October 24, a hard-fought site-wide Trivia contest (based on the dead, ghosts, ghouls and more) was battled to a frazzle by seven teams and over 24 questions from all AW cities. All teams did great work! Winners were: first-place to Germania (team captain: Anarene Burgundian), with an amazing score of 22 out of 24 correct; a second-place tie for The Americas (captain: Mangas Cochise) and Egypt (captain: Nebmaatre Thutmose); and third place, Hellas (captain: Ioannis Nestor)! A good time was had by all - and our congratulations to the savvy winners!

With November, the drawing-in of scribal terms comes once again upon us, and we all have learned from last November's changeover! This year, new terms will begin for scribes on November 7, 2004, and will run until November, 2005. The demis have spoken to all retiring scribes as well as to those who, nominated by current scribes, have agreed to serve in the coming year. Several scribes will be retiring (having served two full terms!), and we will miss them! One thinks of Voluptua Amytas and Apiladay ApilSin in Meso; Louisa Agis and Niko Cleomenes in Hellas and Ioannis Nestor, who retired for IRL reasons; Harald Egilsson in Germania; Onions Hapshepsut in Egypt - so many of them are FOUNDING citizens of AW who have contributed so much to their cities! But we are also excited to have a great deal of new and talented energy in almost every city to draw upon in the coming year, with the help (we trust!) of those veteran scribes now retiring. The Scribal Appointments will be made at a ceremony online at AncientWorlds beginning at 2:00 P.M. AW Time on Sunday, November 7, 2004, with kudoes to our retiring scribes and welcomes to the new. Be there!

Lost? Don't know where to go? Although we are revamping and updating our "Beginner's Guide" to AncientWorlds, in the meantime, there's a wealth of good information here.

We also have our global 'Newbie' help board and welcome area: Welcoming Newcomers.

For avatars, homesite decor resources or code help check out Arachne's Web HelpCenter & FAQ.