Welcome back. How was your summer? It's been slow and quiet here in the Orient. Now that school has started again, though, things are beginning to pick up. Patrons and citizens are finding their way back, and activity in the groups has started rolling. So, now that we're all feeling ancient again, its time to get busy. This, then, will be the Recruitment Issue of The Orient World News! Our world is one of four that will be offering a Fall Festival this year and we're sending out a call for volunteers to help us plan. The festivities will be held in mid-October (dates to be announced). If you have an idea for a fun event, be sure to contact one of the Orient scribes!

School isn't the only thing that fall is known for. Around AncientWorlds, autumn is notorious as Trivia Time! The All-Site Trivia contest will be held this weekend on Sunday, September 4 at 18:30 AWT and the Orient is looking for team members. Wanna play? Contact an Orient scribe to join the team. Here's a practice question: who is pictured in the image at the right?*

Provincial Governors: As you may have noticed, the Orient is one of the larger AncientWorlds. We have 17 nations already and have barely scratched the surface of the countries both ancient and not-so-ancient in this vast area of the world. Don't tell the demis I said this, but frankly, it's too much for three scribes to handle alone! Uncle Song needs you! We are sending out a call to all our citizens: would you consider adopting a hood? You would be proclaimed the provincial governor (the actual title will depend on your hood) and the hood page will be yours to oversee. You'll be responsible (with help from the scribes when you need it) for the information on the page, the boards, the threads, all copyright issues...YOU will talk to people, stimulate interest in your hood, maybe even sponsor a festival event. What you do will be up to you (within the guidelines of AW and the design of our overall world), and naturally the scribes will give you whatever assistance you need or want. So...feel like running for office? Simply be the first to volunteer for your favorite Orient location. Join the team. Contact an Orient scribe to volunteer.

Acta Diurna Editor and Reporters: As you may or may not know, my term of office as the Acta Orient World Editor will be over in October. This means, the Orient is looking for an Acta editor. All you need is a strong pot of coffee and a little touch of the poet in your soul and you'd be perfect for the job! And if English isn't your first language, don't let that stop you! That's what Global Editors are for! The Acta is YOUR paper! Come help shape it! Now, after a year of seeing what the job's like, I think I can safely say the new editor will welcome any help you care to give! It's a fun job, but an editor always needs reporters to help find out what's going on in the world. So, starting this year, we're going to be actively recruiting guest or permanent reporters. But don't worry, we won't make you write an article or contribute information for every issue. *eg* Come on! Join the fun! You get a cool press pass to hang up in your home and everything. Contact me or any Acta Editor to volunteer.

BEIJING, Aug. 25 — 800 years ago, during the early Southern Song Dynasty, a Chinese merchant ship loaded with porcelain sank off the coast due (probably) to stormy seas. Chinese archaeologists have used global positioning satellites to locate the wreckage and are intending to salvage "Nanhai No. 1", silt and all, using a specially built steel "basket". It is the first ship from what's been called the "Marine Silk Road" to be discovered.

Green glazed porcelain plates, blue porcelains, and tin pots have all been seen in early underwater reconnaisance of the ship. Drainage of the silt and changes in environment and pressure would damage the delicate artifacts. So, the intent is to lift the ship with all its artifacts in place using the steel basket. The entire "package" will then be placed in a glass pool where conditions have been created to simulate the environment in which the ship has lain for the past eight centuries. Marine archaeologists will excavate the find in the pool, where visitors can watch them at work thru the glass sides.

You can read the entire story at China View.