My favorites novella;
What a surprising and exciting event. I had a really good time. I cannot thank everyone who came out to NPC enough. You guys had pretty sore numbers but did your best to be everywhere and always. It was really cool to see so many people jump fence to lend a hand. So, thanks to everyone who came out and made it so fun!
Let's see, Friday night:
-Coming out in game, and beginning my hardest mission yet; getting (then) Squire Aven to sit still long enough to tell her all about the events that took place at the last lowbie weekend. It was very fun rolling with Jess, telling my stories as we were running around, being dutiful and trying to have a conversation lol. At one point the undead pops in the tavern and goes buck-wild. Flint and Aven go out to scope out the scene with Ferra and Obadiah in tow. To our great surprise and glee, we found trolls! Once they were pacified we went inside.
I finally got to sit down with Aven and tell her stuff that I've been waiting to tell her for months. I expressed my interest in becoming her Squire, but I had no idea the next day that would actually become a reality. I've always wanted to have a character who would have the opportunity to pursue nobility in Ashbury. This is a really exciting character goal I get to check off. I'm so lucky I get to be led on this journey by such a cool person with such a cool character. So, all things Jessica Bender. <3
-Other highlights to Friday include the troll pit of 'horrible death'. Kudos to Tim G. for his excellent catch phrase heh. So the Sherriff found himself a troll hole that needs some evacuating. Our group was pretty cool, and honestly Flint really wanted to go to impress Ferra with his troll killing prowess. Although, it was pretty funny because I was trying really hard to get Obadiah to come too. This would have seriously hindered any chance at flirtation, but I think that's hilarious. Anyway, Iggy and Aven tail us to the troll hole, and I'm glad they did. We got to floor six and had to get out because we realized we threw a rock at a bee's nest. We weren't about to let ourselves get covered in bees™.
-But Friday didn't end there, oh no! Well, I guess it was really early Saturday. Whatevers. The abduction of Qiu Jin Wu!!! Qiu Jin Wuthecrapjusthappened mod. I walk into the tavern from then common room, weerily carrying my gear, about ready to call it for the evening. Suddenly I hear a lay on call, not even having known there was a hold. I dash outside and start fighting a bunch of spiders with Ameranthus, Avian, Delaldur, Raavna, and Lokan. Amer is freaking because apparently Jin Wu was just picked up off the balcony by a horse-sizer spider and dragged into a hole in the ground. So, naturally, we go after him. While in the portal to the mod room we were presented with three clear options; run, give the spider a bit of our blood, or come in the room and die. We chose option D: kick ***. So we got back our Elf. It was really cool. It made my character truly consider the code of chivalry and what it really meant. I told Craig that the reason I stayed was because he was completely vulnerable. He was (though an incredible strong character and player) the weak at that moment. Thou shalt respect the weak, and constitute thyself the defender of them. Hells yeah.
-Here's one that's not a book; getting asked by Lord Mugg if it was cool for Draekga to shrink my head when I died so it could be preserved forever like some hellish, sick christmas tree ornament. I love Tedd so much haha. Courtni's orc is amazing, too.
-Oh yeah, Gwendara's SWORD. Holy eff. I have seen amazing AMAZING reps, but this two hander...freaking amazing.
-SATURDAY MORNING. Hands down, flat out, the best Saturday morning I can remember at Alliance. Period. First, I got to spend it having a delicious breakfast with Lupi, Dennis, Tedd, and Jess. Half the fun of this game for me is getting to spend time with all the amazing friends I've made over the years. When we got back I decided I wanted to spend time out in the woods, looking for all the little treasures rumored to be hiding in the contested lands! Reunited and it feels so good...more Flint and Evie shennanigans! So the cutest hobling that ever blinged, myself, Delaldur, Trel, Avalon, and Grimm set out for adventure in the great unknown. We (Trel and Grimm) ended up finding some gold nuggets in the river and I think a comp or two in the rocks and trees. We were beset upon by gnolls. Thanks Eric S. for having so much cool stuff to find and fight! While I was looking around the river bank and water for signs of glinting metals, I thought to myself...where's Evie gone to? Then all of a sudden I see her off in the distance having a chat with some gnolls. I don't know what she said but it must have pissed them off because I distinctly saw one of the gnolls mouths make the unmistakable motions for 'spellstrike death'. I'm really happy I chose the silver sword! Hearteaters...keen. Well, we got em, and I was lucky too. We had enough life spells in items to get Evie and Gwendara (oh yeah she came down with Draekga, yay!) back up. Good stuff.
No more than 20 minutes later I would lose Evie again. This is the real appeal of this character to me. She's like a cartoon character that represents greed (in a funny child-like fascination type of way), loyalty, bravery, ADD, and amazing humour. This, however, gave me the motivation to punch the giant hill in the face and truck up there when I heard her cry out 'I'm in trouble' but what she really said was 'I found something!' lol. FFS, Kelsey! LOL. This was so much fun. We found this bloody grove and then a tomb that we couldn't open. Avalon & Delaldur were on the scene now too, but we didn't stay long because there was more violence to be had down below. We saw what we thought were gnolls and goblins having a pow-wow. It turned out to be just the gnolls and a couple peeps oog. The gnolls engaged Draekga and some humans I'd not met yet. So I flew down the hill faster than I thought I was capable, and healed up Draekga. The two humans; Constantine and his brother Travis...cool characters, new players, good dudes.
Enter Krem and Drifa. So now things have calmed down and we are all kind of wandering about. These two lovely vansir are down by the river, and happen to mention two people got Knighted! The quiet one and the not-so quiet one they said. Haha, well, I was like okay who?! Aven and Ignatius? The answer was, oh yeah those guys lol. This was immediately followed by me shouting with childish glee as I scraped for my last bits of energy to push myself back up to the tavern area. Luckily Dame Aven and His Grace were considerate enough to happen to be in the middle of the field when I appeared like a psychotic, and sweaty man-mop over the crest of the hill. I promply collapsed to my knees and began to pant out my congratulations, muttering words like deserv-ed and jellified.
I got up, and now my fuel light was blinking, pleading with me to effing stop and breathe. I ignored that and jog-shambled into the tavern, collapsed again, but this time shooshed and ousted by the newly Squired Obadiah. So perfect. I was like I just wanted to say congratulations! He's like, thank you, now go on get outta here! Haha. The trial was taking place at this time, and I was unawares until that moment. Yikes.
Luckily when I sat down, Heather's barkeep character noticed that I was about to pass out and came over with a pitcher of water. Such a kind, and considerate soul she is. She made sure I didn't die and then something something I don't remember what I did next.
-So I guess if you have one Dwarf squire, you might as well go for the combo deal, right? Dame Aven calls me over and makes a pretty epic speach, and hands off the ol' red belt. This was very momentous and I am very very happy. I loved having little tasks given to me and being asked to stand guard and stuff. I feel like a Padawan haha. Jess makes for a really good Knight. I am really starting to enjoy the role of nobility and learning how to communicate better in game with so many different personalities. It's an incredible challenge and I can't wait to keep at it.
-All things Sun Li Kai. Of all of Jesse's cool characters, I really think Sun Li is my favorite. Between being grilled by him as Tetsu, and being treated like a brother by him as Flint...he's just such an interesting dude lol. At one point I think I asked him if he would ever become a shadow mage, and he said of course not, why wouldn't I complete myself? Lots of neat exchanges between us. It makes me think of dialogue between characters in some forgotten realms book or something.
-Really cool new players! I will learn everyone's names eventually. I had some really cool interactions with the character Coal, he told me some of his character history. It reminded me of the first one I wrote. I grinner ear to ear while he told the story because he was so excited to tell it.
-Lokan loses a spirit. This was deep, yo. For reals. I was in the common area and it was dark. There was a lot of noise and a poker game going on in the background (great job organizing that Tab, and mad props to Christina for being able to get through being the dealer in that atmosphere). So anyway, Lokan comes out of the healer's guild. I only knew it was him because of the blue outline of his feathers around his otherwise dark silhouette. He looked drained, dejected, and void of emotion. I asked him if he was alright. He turned so I could see his face in the yellow light and looked directly in my eyes; I just lost a spirit, he said. I didn't know what to say. I started to try to say something comforting. He just slowly turned and said he had to get back to the game, and sat back down at the poker table. It's subtle things like that...these little interactions that become real and immerse you that make this larp so special.
-Amelia child npc with the person that lived in her thumb. That idea is amazing.
-Amanda Troy: Spider Mega-Man-Lady. That rep is so hot. The spike, arm mounted crossbow. I went to fight her, I had her back, and I thought I got this. Nope. She nonchalantly turns to me and tosses a packet directly into the middle of my chest after softly saying terminate. I stood there dumbfounded, but managed to mutter magic armor. The next time, she totally impaled me on a web-like spike. There's something about a girl with terminates...
-The mod we shall never speak of again. I don't want to elaborate. It's too humiliating! Hahah. Let's just say a couple of squire, let's call them Mr. F and Mr. G, learned a valuable lesson in active observation. W + nobody invested + chocolate sprinkles = lolololol.
-Hopping fence and being on a mod my team happened to go out on. This was not supposed to end peacefully, but my homies think outside the box like whoa. The honor duel between my orc guy and Dame Aven was great. Jess caught me with a super good shoulder tap with the 110 slay. Brutals. Fairdale; where peaceful monsters can make an honest wage.
-The final battle on the lines with Sir Grimsby, Blythedale and Vex Squad. That was a really fun, clean battle. I liked going around and shaking everyone's hand and learning characters names and introducing myself to the cool folks I had not had a chance to hang with so much. People seemed genuinely happy to be acknowledged as critical elements in our victory. It was a very neat feeling.
-Toddo's ice-dwarf guy. Dwarf plot is always really cool, I think. This is super weird and twisted. I love it. I want it to end in some kind of bizarre survival-horror scenario in a dungeon setting in the mod area. K, Toddo?
-Drak's jewlery and occasionally getting Elf-Checked repeatedly while I was trying to something serious lol.
-Remeeting Quallin, lolol. That was fun Henry,
Okay, so if it isn't apparent by now...this whole weekend was pretty much one long *** favorite. Everybody present made this thing magic. You guys had a skeleton crew and really tried so hard to get everyone to have a good time. That deserves mad respect and admiration for all the staff and NPCs present. HQ has changed a lot over the years I've been lucky enough to come to their game, but one thing that never changes for me is the distinct I'm still in my roots feeling. It's weird, and hard to describe.
Much love,
Justin Coggin
P.S. - Caravan of Doom to Chili's was rad.
