Angst

The News of the Known World is the main medium of communication between Zeus and players. The Known World year begins on the 1st of Dorman in the middle of winter, this being the first day of the year. The safe campaigning season is from Wapenry to Humshofbrew. The months of the year are:

Dormon
Frostmon
Printemps
Wapenry
Funfly
Ete
Dujuly
Aufield
Humshofbrew
Hexober
Northumber
Mithrasmus

Players send in orders for either one or two winter-periods of varying length as determined by Zeus, and one for each month during the campaigning season. The orders are written assuming they are issued on the first of the month, and cover the whole month.

The News of the Known World is printed and distributed to players once or twice during the winter months and first becomes monthly at the end of Wapenry. Players receive a “Stop Press” giving them the news their character would have of the area where they are campaigning, plus a complete issue of the News for the previous month (in Wapenry the previous winter months). They also receive a “Saturnalia”, game related trade ads, court and social announcements, jokes and jibes, and any out-of-character information including the deadline for receipt of next month’s orders.

So at the end of Ete players receive a Stop Press for what happened that they would know about in Ete, plus the complete News of the Known World for Wapenry, and a Saturnalia. They would then have 3 or 4 weeks to confer with allies, ask Zeus any questions and meet the deadline for the next month’s orders (Dujuly). Their next results would arrive a few weeks later by post and include a Stop Press for Dujuly, a complete News of the Known World for Ete, and a Saturnalia.

In recent years most players have gone over from hand-written or typed orders sent by letter to email orders, and communication between players has also largely gone over to email, though it is still possible to play entirely by post and to diplome by telephone or meeting, and some players do so. The turn results are, as they always have been, posted. However, it is planned to start a thread to archive The News of the Known World, monthly (a turn or so in arrears) primarily as an aid in searching backnumbers.

There have never been any fees or postage charges for playing.