Roled:

If this happens again, right click on the server XML file, click properties.  Under the security tab, change the permissions for the owner account.  You have to check all the boxes, giving the owner permission to edit the file.  Vista doesn't automatically make the owner an admin even if its the only account on your system.  When you've applied those changes, open the server file with notepad, change the IP or .it or whatever the latest fix is, and save it.

[I am also a stupid American with Windows Vista]

Here is a brief (hehe) account of something that happened not too long ago:

As some of you may recall, there was a night in question, not too long ago wherein yet another attempt was made on the lives of Eelin, Sluuph and Teshia, in efforts to stop their wedding.  A man, known only as Doon delivered a poison herb present to the trio, who opened it in the presence of Lady Ulla Ilolapar, while planning out their wedding attire.  Twas not long after that, that Ulla, Eelin and Teshia set out to find Doon, and question him to find whether he be friend or foe. They made their way to the sewers, on the knowledge that someone had spotted him within the depths. 

Within moments of descending the stairs, Ulla blinked, spotting Doon.  "Well, Wasn't expectin' it to be _that_ easy."  Teshia, not nearly as forgiving as the others, smirked "Apparently the Goddess smiles on us."  Doon stood beneath the ladders, patting a one-eyed rat, and seemingly oblivious to the trio until they drew closer.  Ulla greeted him kindly, but was only met with a look fraught with shock and pain as the man knelt down and began to tinker with a slab of rat meat lying by his feet.  By his side was a mug, mulky and reeking with sewer fumes.  Ulla stared at him for a moment, before asking him kindly "Hey, uh, you doin' alright?" His behavior seemed odd at the least, slightly dangerous at the worst, and Teshia watched him warily, while Eelin studied him with a polite interest. 

Doon watched the three for a time, before grunting "Uhh,"  his only communication thus far.  Eelin and Teshia moved closer, Eelin greeting him in a friendly manner, while Ulla dropped to her knees beside him, a look of concern on her face.  "Hey - you remember us?"  she asked, her voice gentle.  Doon nodded lightly in response, and began picking at the rat meat and a small pile of herbs lying beside him.  Eelin moved closer to Teshia, dropping to his knees beside her, while she scowled at the Ylian.  Trying to offer the man some comfort, Ulla invited him to come to the tavern, so they could buy him a drink and have a more pleasant time, but this did not have the intended effect.  Doon rose to his feet, eyeing the Nolthrir and limping around the sewer while vehemently refusing. "No!"

Both Eelin and Teshia began to frown at this behavior, Ulla trying once more to pacify the unusual man.  "Well.... alright.  No need to get worked up."  Teshia also tried to calm him down "alright... we don't have to go to the tavern. we just want to ask you a few questions... since you are feeling a bit better..."  Without waiting for their questions, he began mumbling, for reasons unknown, unable to move quickly, or much atall.  "Attack, two days ago."  Ulla frowned, immediately concerned for the man and queried him "Attacked!  By who?  You need healin'?"  Doon replied, his answer again confusing "Dakkru, saved me. It... alchemist."  The two women questioned him, their words spilling over each other.  Ulla immediately made the connection between the alchemist who sent the poisoned herbs to them previously, while Teshia sought for more details on the Goddess' intervention.  Doon gave a slight nod to Ulla, his fingertips curving around the hilt of his dagger as he prepared to strike out at those near him, but again, some manner of spell or potion seemed to be slowing him down and preventing him from attacking.  Alerted by this motion, Eelin rose, alerted and wary, while Ulla gave him a hard stare.  The feisty Nolthrir warned him "Hey, fella - maybe you better sit down again.  An' tell us what happened."

Doon dropped to the ground once more, staring at the three darkly. Ulla and Eelin both tried to reassure the Ylian, but to no avail. He ignored both their assertions that they were not trying to hurt him, and began to bang the mug of reeking fumes along the sewer stones.  Unlike the other two, Teshia began to frown deeply, fingertips inching towards her axe handle, fearing some plot or trick.  She warned him to choose his next moves carefully, while Ulla once again tried to pacify him.  She raised both empty hands, speaking calmly "See? I ain't gonna hurt you. I just want to know what happened."   The Ylian began to act almost crazed, clutching at his head and shouting at them while trying to hide his face.  Having had this same reaction to her own cursing, Teshia immediately frowned "He's possessed.... or cursed."  Eelin began to suspect something dark had taken hold of the man, and asked Teshia if she could help him.  She shook her head, too new to the Dark Way to have any certainty of being able to help him as Ulla cautiously knelt beside him.  Looking him over, Ulla began to suspect it had something to do with the lingering effects of the drug. 

The three of them watched him closely, unawares that a Kran made kra's way down into the sewers in response to the crazed screaming.  The kran watched the group, not noticing the Ylian sitting on the sewer stones at first.  Hearing kra approach, Ulla glanced back, and Doon took advantage of the distraction to snatch up his dagger, stabbing at her foot.  Teshia shouted a warning to Ulla, and given his slow, weakened movements, Ulla was able to push herself backwards in time to prevent injury.  She jumped to her feet yelling "*****, someone take that dagger away!"  Before any of them could react, Doon threw his mug aside, rising into a slow limp.  Teshia drew her own dagger, watching him and trying to again reassure him that they posed him no threat, but he gave no indication of having heard.  She began to summon Dark Energy, warning him to drop his dagger, a sentiment echoed by Ulla "Doon, drop the knife.  You don't want to hurt us."

Their attention was suddenly diverted as the unknown Kran dropped into a stance, mud and blood caking his face and obscuring his identity.  "Hey!  No one is touching anybody here."  Teshia tried to reason with kra "You do not know what you are interfering in.  We are not trying to harm anyone."  Doon tried to charge at the Kran, but failed and Ulla began to plot a way to disarm him.  "He's slow as a baby. Tesh, you're bigger'n me - can you grab his arms an' pin 'em?"  Before she could answer Ulla, Kra pointed kra's saber at Teshia, licking the blood that trickled down kra's face.  "Let me take him and this will be done."  The Ylian shouted a refusal as Teshia frowned, stepping closer with arms outstretched and preparing to spring on him.  Ulla and Teshia both began to advance on the Ylian, both of them arguing with Kra and refusing to hand over the man until they had finished questioning him. 

Lady Chessire Eylis, of the House of Trayus made her way into the sewers, stumbling on the unlikely quintet, immediately asking Eelin, Retinue Councilor for the House what the meaning of the situation was.  While the others were distracted by the appearance of Chessire and the Kran, Doon began to pick at the filthy rat meat, eating the disgusting flesh.  Chessire turned to her guild mates, questioning again why the Ylian was being surrounded.  As the Kran began to calculate his chances of grabbing Doon without being killed, Teshia crept closer to him, both hands reaching for his dagger, her voice soft for once "Doon... let's put the dagger down..."  Sensing his potential for interference, Ulla stepped closer to the Kran, glaring up the considerable difference to kra "I don't know why you want 'im, but you're not gettin' him." 

Chessire looked at the others, still confused about why they were all there, and what should be done.  Teshia glances back to her, explaining "He delivered the poison that almost communed me with the Goddess two nights ago... He's cursed or possessed... I cannot tell which."  Doon threw his rat meat at Ulla, trying to stab out at Teshia while she looked away.  Teshia jumped back, receiving only a shallow scratch from his attempt, and trying to gain control of the dagger.  Ulla whirled about, yelling as the meat smacked into her and hollering for someone to pin him down.  Having a bit more experience with the Dark Way, Chessire stepped up "Let me try... Perhaps I can tell... If he lets me touch him."  Doon began to back away from Chessire, a fear of her blade clear in his eyes, as Teshia confirmed they suspected Dark Way, but were unable to tell the cause. 

Chessire pointed her sword at Doon, ordering him to not move as Eelin suddenly launched at him, using his full weight to knock the man to the stone, Doon hitting his head as he landed.  Giving him a closer look, Chessire frowned "I remember you.  I realized something was wrong the night I drunk that stuff in Kada El's and my energy was disturbed.  She sheathed her sword and approached him, as Eelin held him down.  While she approached him, the Kran pushed Ulla towards Eelin, trying to topple the group and create a disturbance big enough to steal the Ylian away.  Unfortunately for kra, Ulla was too small to take the others with her as she fell.  She jumped back to her feet, cursing at him, while the others focused on the Ylian.  Eelin continued to wrestle with Doon, trying to disarm him, while Chessire and Teshia insisted on seeing his eyes closely. After looking him over, Chessire declared "I see no curse on him.  I don't know what it might be... but its not necromancy or something like that."   

Kra began to threaten the others "This will be the last one.  I am outnumbered four to one.  Give him up."  Teshia frowned over at him "Stop that immediately!  You are not out enemy, but if you touch Ulla again, you will be!"  Ulla glared at him herself, yelling "No! Scram, Gemma, or you'll with you had."  Kra stopped, biding his time while the others contemplated the source of Doon's madness.  "It must be a poison then..." Teshia mused, and the man began to throw the pieces of the herbs lying on the stone about.  Chessire inquired as to whether anyone was hurt, as Teshia frowned, recalling their last encounter with Doon and herbs.  "Don't breath any of that... Don't let it get on your wounds!"  Ulla gave kra a dark stare, to which he only chuckled as she joined the others around Doon.

A suspicion beginning to form in her mind, Teshia narrowed her eyes, looking at the Ylian again.  "Ulla... did anyone try Crystal Way on him?"  Eelin grappled with the still struggling Ylian, trying to straddle him and pin his arms down.  Ulla confirmed her suspicions "I ain't' an' I don't think anyone else has" as the kran piped up "I suggest not to try the way of the Crystal on him."  Teshia frowned "Why not?"  The kran replied cryptically "Just don't do it."  Teshia continued to argue with kra "That's not a good enough reason.  I need to know why."  Chessire added "He is not necromanced kran... the other cases with that problem towards Crystal Way were with bewitched people."  Eelin interrupted them, turning his attention to Teshia while he settled his weight over the Ylian. "Love, you're talking to a rock.  He's useless." 

Ulla made the logical conclusion with Doon's condition "If it's poison... Anyone good at Blue Way?"  Chessire shook her head, her disappointment obvious "Not me..." and Teshia frowned, also shaking her head.  Doon continued to struggle, arms pinned.  Chessire pointed to Ulla "Perhaps this girl knows a bit more about her tradition?"  Ulla sighed and shook her head "I don't have any glyphs that'd help, but why don't we at least take the poor fella outta the sewers.  This ain't healthy air."  Eelin interrupted them with a caution "get the stuff form his hands."   

Choosing his time carefully, the kran slipped up towards Eelin, slashing out at him with kra's sword, declaring "That is enough."  Ulla shouted a warning to Eelin, while Chessire struck out with her claymore, trying to protect Eelin from the blow.  Given his crouching over the Ylian, Eelin was able to duck under the sword, the blade glancing off his plate armor.  Teshia glowered at the kran, drawing both her axes and snarling at him "I'll turn your hands to dust if you raise that sword to him again."  Eelin jumped to his feet, drawing both sabers and swinging them towards kra's chest.  Chessire and Eelin both advanced on the kran, swords at the ready.  "Who do you think you are stone head?"  Chessire questioned, stepping up and unsheathing her sword, swinging out at him as Eelin ordered for him to be taken out.  Stepping up, Teshia dropped the blade of her axe across Doon's neck, eyes never leaving the kran "Move and you lose your head, Ylian." 

Kra parried and blocked with his shield, pushing against Eelin's chest "Any problems?  I can take all of you down.  Let me take him and there will be no blood shed."  Chessire kicked out strongly at kra's chest, but kra was too heavy and she was tossed back.  Ulla smirked at the Kran "Hey Gemma.  Let me remind you of somethin'."  Kra replied "What?  four on one?"  Eelin stepped back a bit, laughing and raising his sabers "You have no chance against us all, fool.  back up or die."  Ulla replied, her voice edged "No.... Remember me?  From the Stonehead?  An' Miss Maisent?  You want me to put up posters, Gemma?"  Doon struggles about, attempting to free himself, but the escalating violence only served to inflame Teshia's curse.  She glared at him, grinning darkly "Give me a reason... I'll take you to Dakkru myself."

Chessire focused all her attention on the kran, leveling kra with an angry stare.  "Give me a reason to become a miner now."  Teshia smirked faintly "I've got a lovely rock pick you can use, Chessire.... It's brand new and very sharp."  Ulla glared up at the Kran "You either tell us why you want him, or you leave now.  Or I'll make your life real difficult from here on out."  Kra spat at Teshia, the blood on his face flecking the ground before her "Try me."  Kra turned then to Ulla "Posters?  For what?  And who is this Miss that you speak of?"  Ulla stared at kra significantly "Gemma, _I recognize you_."  Growing tired of the word games, Eelin gave the call for all to attack the kran at once "Ok everyone, I've had enough of this snake pit...Charge him...Now!"  Ulla tried in vain to stop them all, to give them a chance to pull Doon to safety, but the other three did not hear her in time, and began their attack.  Eelin charged the kran, swinging both sabers at kra's legs, but kra proved to have a strong balance, and did not fall, instead pushing against Eelin with all the force he could put behind his shield.   Eelin stumbled back and Chessire ran up behind Eelin, claymore at the ready and called out for him to duck.  The kran had barely a moment to mutter to himself before Chessire jumped in front of Eelin, dropping a strong vertical hit at kra's chest.  Eelin regained his balance, slipping around behind kra to swing both swords at his back.   

Ulla sighed and muttered a curse to herself, darting forwards to tug on the Ylian's sleeve, trying to urge him to safety.  "You!  C'mon!"  Teshia stepped before the two of them, glowering at the kran and summoning a ball of Dark Way energy, aiming it at kra's legs and threatening "I'll blow your legs off you ignorant statuary!"  Ulla tugged urgently on Doon's arm "Unless you wanna be Ylian mincemeat, get off your feet an' _move_ while they got him busy!"  Doon refused to move, whispering "N..no."  Teshia gave Ulla a short glance "Grab his hair if you must... Drag him!"  Ulla growled back 'Draggin' is easier said than done..."  But she looped her arms around his, tugging furiously in the hope that her momentum would help her move him from danger.

The kran continued muttering to himself, spinning about to swing both shields and blocking Eelin's sabers.  He tried to stab out at Eelin, but was unable to see and block the forceful strike from Chessire.  Unfortunately, her claymore did relatively little damage beyond scratching up kra's armor.  Kra's sword pierced Eelin's side, and he rolled back, clutching the wound.  His wounding sent Teshia into a furious state, and she summoned more dark energy, sending it down the length of her axe blades and stalking closer "I'll chop you to pieces!"  Chessire stalked closer as well 'I'm not done, rockface..."

Ulla continued to tug urgently on the barely responsive Ylian "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon" but he still refused to move with her.  The kran huffed lightly, while Eelin checked his wound and climbed to his feet again.  Eelin and Chessire both cast Dark Way spells at kra, Chessire sending Taste of Death directly into his face, summoning dark tendrils to attack him.  Teshia smirked faintly, slipping closer to swing both axes at once, one high to his chest, the other low to his knees, dark energy flowing from both blades.  The combined force of the spells and axe swings took kra by surprise, and he was only able to block one of the swings.  He swung his sword at Chessire's chest as Teshia's lower axe knocked his legs out from under him and toppling him to the ground.  Teshia rolled under his sword and dove onto his chest, both axes slamming down at his face.  "I told you not to touch him!"  Kra tried to duck and block them, but was only able to deflect one with his shield, the other catching him on the forehead.         

Doon rose slowly, grabbing his beer as Ulla growled and tugged on his arm again.  "Come ON damn it, run, Don't gawk!"  Chessire jumped back, kra's sword slicing through her armor and leaving her bleeding.  "You will pay for this kra..."  She stabbed her claymore into the ground, summoning more dark energy and casting an even stronger spell at kra, huge black tendrils grabbing at kra's feet.  Eelin focused his spell at the kran, sending pulsing waves of energy at kra.  From her precarious perch on kra's chest, Teshia hissed at Eelin "Hit me with it....  I can't hold him forever..."  Kra continued to mutter, apparently unperturbed by the dark spells that assaulted kra.  Eelin stopped his spell on the kran, aiming it instead to Teshia and channeling his dark energy towards her.  Teshia's entire left side darkened under the magic, tendrils sliding down her axes and searching for kra's wounds. 

A menki, Caraick Dastrid, flew down the stairs, bow in hand as he leapt from his drifter "What's going on here?"  Ulla glanced away from the Ylian, staring at the kran and answering the newcomer "This Kran is tryin' to kidnap this Ylian here!"  Chessire drew her sword again, attention refocusing on the kran.  As her back turned, Doon began to move quickly, as if an aura disappeared from around him and stabbed out towards Chessire.  Ulla cried out a warning and Chessire dropped to her knee, turning to throw a spell back towards Doon "You filthy scum... how dare you!"  Eelin called out "Caraick!  Help us!  Subdue the Ylian!"  Immediately Caraick raised his bow, arrow drawn taught as he released it towards the Ylian's shoulder at the very same moment Ulla dove at Doon's legs, trying to knock him off balance. 

As the others fought, Teshia struggled to hold the kran down.  Kra covered kra's face with kra's shield, awaiting more blows, but Teshia only flooded dark magic over the two of them, surrounding them both in a dark aura.  Eelin channeled his own dark energy towards Teshia, weakening somewhat, but fighting to stay focused on the battle.       

The Ylian chuckled as he limped back away from Ulla "Now, now.  What is this?"  Chessire fired a strong, angry blast of magic at him, and Caraick quickly strung another arrow, this time aiming at his chest.  The arrow narrowly missed Doon's chest, but the magic blast hit his arm, wounding him and tearing off one of his sleeves.  He rolled aside, running to the ladders, followed quickly by both Chessire and a growling, irritated Ulla.  Caraick slung his bow over his shoulder, pulling his daggers and following the two women.  Chessire caught up to Doon first, a strong hit with her claymore cutting the ladder in half.
 
The kran continued to mutter, shielding kra's face as Teshia fought to keep kra on the ground.  Eelin fell to his knees, his dark power lessening and beginning to steal his own energy as he sent a final pulse to Teshia.  Kra began to struggle more, slightly moving his knees and gaining the balance to free his left leg, kicking Teshia back as she swung her axes down at his chest.  Teshia growled, rolling back and coming up into a crouch "We're not finished here, Kran..."  She fired off another blast of dark energy, directly at his chest, but his armor and shield blocked it.

As the ladder collapsed, Doon ducked the sword swing, throwing two daggers with a deadly accuracy towards Caraick.  The Ylian rolled back from the ladder, releasing a spark of energy from his fingertips.  Caraick leapt to the side, rolling up to his feet, daggers raised and poised to throw as Chessire swung powerfully at Doon's hand.  Ulla stepped closer cautiously, then paused, her expression going blank as she stepped up onto the pavement beside them.  Doon backed away, limping into the sewers to avoid the sword swing, his hands beginning to emit a black aura.  Chessire ran after Doon, Ulla waiting to the side, eyes narrowed.  She quietly reached up one of her sleeves, pulling out a dagger as Caraick whipped a paw up and forwards in a blur of motion, sending a small dagger hurtling towards Doon's chest.  Doon blocked the dagger with his hand, yelping in pain and casting Darkness.

Noticing the others moving deeper into the sewers, Teshia growled.  "Eelin... They'll need us."  He rose slowly to his feet "Let's go.  Leave the rock."  The kran tried kicking out at her again, but she only snickered as her dark energy slid over his foot "Tata Rockboy.  We'll play again soon..."  She grinned wickedly as they both ran up to the others "Someone trying to play with magic?"  Eelin knelt, trying to regain the lost energy.  Ulla muttered "Y'know what? I ain't feelin' sympathy for this Ylian anymore."  Caraick stumbled around, reaching to steady himself against the iron grating as the Darkness stole his sight.  Gaining a hold, he pulled a glyph, casting Dazzling Light on himself to rid the darkness.  Doon looked about at the others, running off into the depths of the sewers, followed by Caraick and Chessire.  Ulla caught sight of the kran approaching again and shouted a warning "Tesh!  Behind you!" before slipping after the others.           

Teshia turned, laughing coldly at the kran.  "Come to play again?"  Kra threw an axe directly at Teshia's chest, but she only laughed, swinging both axes to block it aside "You'll have to do better than that."  Eelin stepped around to the side, taking position to flank him.  The kran examined the two of them "Well, At least it is even now."  Teshia smirked "I could have sworn someone mentioned something about liquid rock polisher... What I wouldn't give for a bottle now..."  Eelin took advantage of her taunting to drink a potion, but kra chose that time to throw another axe, this one at him.  "A little cocky are we?"  Eelin raised an arm to block the axe from hitting his chest, but it sliced into his forearm, gashing deeply.  Enraged, Teshia began to whisper quickly, animating the shadows up from the depths of the sewers to swirl around them all, darkening the area and hiding them from kra's view. 

Caraick raced up, coming to a stop in a kneeling position, bow raised with an arrow drawn taught, aimed at the center of the kran's forehead.  The odds seemingly turning from his favor, the kran summoned his mount and commanded the rivnak to find a way out of the darkness.  Kra fled, his rivnak jumping over the ruined ladders to escape.  As he fled, Ulla made her way up out of the sewer, looking them all over.     

Teshia called out a last taunt to the kran "Go ahead and run!" as Eelin fell to his knees, forearm bleeding freely.  Teshia rushed to his side, horrified.  The menki cast Dazzling Light, trying to chase away the shadows as he ran to Eelin "What happened?"  Teshia muttered softly, calling back the shadows and reversing the spell.  She looked up to Caraick "Are you a healer?"  Ulla glanced hopefully at Caraick, who shook his head "Not exactly, but I can at least try and bandage it..."  Eelin stood shakily, "I'm ok.  I can heal myself.  Took an axe."  He cast a healing spell on himself, dropping once more to the ground.  Teshia knelt by him, stroking his hair as they began to explain the curious events of the night, and what brought them all to such a place. 

Ulla growled and summarized everything perfectly. "What a waste of time that was."  In the depths of the sewer, Doon escaped into the Death Realm, killing himself and taking and his answers with him.  The others were left horrified at the loss of one of their own, and nursing various wounds and unanswered questions. 


[so much for brief :p ]