Ahhh... Spring time is in the air! The Giran birds are chirpping, the lakes of Heine are unfreezing, and once again I have pulled myself from hibernation to pick up quill and parchment.

After a brief morning of haggling with a shopkeeper about his price for Orange Healing Potions, and trying to figure out how so many ogres keep being slain, but somehow still manage to hold on to their belts, I decided to track down my next assignment: DefendersofAden.

Prince AmenhotepIII, after checking my credentials, instantly warmed to the idea of an interview and invited me to their house in west Giran next door to the Weapon Shop. I sat down with the level 46 prince, and some of his members to get the story on his pledge. DOA started on July 4th, 2002, and with the alliance system has grown to an astonishing 67 members. Amenhotep originally started the pledge because he became frustrated with his mage, and wanted something new to try. It seems running a pledge fits him perfectly. The average pledge member is in the forties, but if you know the prince you can join irregardless of your level. All other new members must be forty plus, and the highest members are assigned the rank of "elite" within the alliance system.

AmenhotepIII seems very organized, even keeping a notebook of his members stats and items, so that duties can be assigned accordingly. They love to take many pledge hunts and have fun pledge events like scavenger hunts, with the winners receiveing adena and other prizes. I was struck by the overall contentment, and loyalty of the members, many who have been in the pledge from its conception and I have no intentions of leaving. They don't have any allies as of yet, but have many close friends, including Electron, TheMachine, and Bonafide. The have no real enemies, but always back each other up.