Nationals 2016 Favorites

Learning how to read. I now know that the letter "G" starts good wards like "good" "gold" and "gravy", and that the word goblin, which are not good, starts with the letter "J"
 
For me it was all about seeing all those awesome PCs I never get to spend enough time with due to living in the midwest. Some random specifics.

- Polare's "I got you Jehyu" during the first undead waves when one of them decided that the Rabbit has show enough bolts for one night and I was running back into the battle lines.
- Everything about July and Flynn, super fun to see you folks again.
- Remembering the Biata Gang from the 4 day a couple years back.
- Talking with Frank about orders and random "Kin are just people" comments.
- Shout out to the npc that pegged me on the top of the head from 50 paces, took me out from a distance ^.^
- Getting the full range of merchanting reactions from "That's very reasonable" to "If you get desperate enough to lower your prices come see me" to "Absolutely I will sell my things for that!"
- Clearing out my Arrow stockpile
- "Yer slacking Jehyu, I just met a guy with 5000 arrows to sell." ..."But I sold all my arrows, sounds like he's the one slacking!"

Hoping to make it out for the July 4th game on the coast to see so many of my friends again!
 
- Meeting the Alberta, Denver and other PCs from far away lands!
- Howl, Howl, Howl! Dire Barghasts FTW.
- Going to eat dinner as a Bad Pirate from a LAIR card that had just completed.. and finishing the meal while bragging about ill gotten gains.....
- Craftsmen 10x: I'm a Goddamn Dragon!
- Grimmloch getting 2 entirely different explainations of what the heck was going on.
- Experiencing the Alliance SF Smoke Machine.... Seattle totally needs one.
- BBUUZZZZ, Hey! Stop taking our Juice!! It's our Juice!!
- Reposte from the Tail of a Dragon...
- many many more,, still processing it all.. Outstanding event.
 
- Making new friends from strange but awesome sounding places! I loved hearing about how things happen in different places, seeing all the various costuming (SO many great masks!), and new perspectives.
- "Don't eat the corn, it's made of people." ".... *puh-toey* Waaaaahhhh....."
- "May? June? August?" #sigh
- Being dubbed First of the Flight of the White "Dragon"
- Girls Night Out!
- Blowing up undead with fire! Especially since I had my very own personal shield wall between them and me ;)
- Everybody singing to try to stop the ritual hehehe
- So many other things, it was a blast!
 
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My greatest joy this event was interacting with people I have never met or have not seen in a long time.
-Seeing Garrick, who was arguably Orin's first friend, and being able to catch up on the past four years; and finally meeting Sprig.
- Conversations with Marissa on the concept of Allegiance was great, as were my own IC meditations on the concept.
-Conversations with the Un-named about freewill, necromancy and other light topics.
-Getting the family back together with Prashka, Ashok, Amory and Ian.
-Ladies' Night! "I like your foliage"
-The worst "bad guy offer" conversation with Aelin Mor Sunday morning.
-Chantel's satyr was amazing "I love it when they watch!"
-Being able to once again guide Amory back to the land of the living, but starting it with "Dammit Amory!"
OOG conversation where I called Avaran Polare's Allegiance beard.
 
- Getting backpacked by a Dragon... Thank you Rich! That was a once in a lifetime fight :)

- Argument with Alcondar (RE: Yonko) was great RP. Thanks for that one Ron!

- Trying to chase down Otto.

- Fighting over a Shatter Spirit like it was a thrown bouquet with Calderon.

- Ladies Night Mod! Great job Amory and July for making that so smooth, and thanks to all the NPCs involved!

- Fighting the Void Titan on Saturday afternoon. Jason played the Titan so well.

- Lumi blowing up the Void Titan

- Meeting the Acarthians and Caledonians!

- Jim Sullivan, causing IG emotional trauma since 2004.

- Vellis, the wonderful stone elf to fix Jim's aforementioned emotional trauma.

- MWE friends from Maelstrom!

- Valor Mod was great - it was heartening to recover from ressurection to a plate full of white beads!

- Bacon in the morning!

- Nakia's ressurection story, and the rapid change in story as other people got close enough to hear

- Seeing Shay again. My homie!

- Sprig and Garrick's egg

- Seeing Skree and completely freezing

- All of the staff, NPCs, locals, and travelers. I can't wait to make it out to some more non-local games! I'm looking forward to being at 2-3 more SF games this year and hopefully a Gettysburg

Thank you all for your part in making the first West Coast national event such an amazing experience. We hope to host some of you again in Seattle, and I hope so see you in your respective chapters! This was my first national game, and it was everything I hoped it would be.

Can't wait until the next National event!

Emily/Kasuni
 
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This was my first National event, and the first National event that anyone from Denver attended. Thank you all for your in game (more on that later) and out of game hospitality. We all felt very included despite being much lower level than the majority of the players present. Thank you to the plot team, NPCs, amazing folks in the kitchen (the meatballs were life giving I’m fairly certain). Also thank you to the photogs who were out there helping document the amazing event.

I know I’m forgetting some, you were all so amazing, but here are some favorite moments for me (apologies for length):


Friday

  • Loved the bone dragon and the whole concept of the opening mod.
  • Getting to meet so many characters from around Fortannis
  • Getting everything organized among the MANY people present
  • Peat Moss helping in the meadow.


Saturday

  • The ladies module. I was so struck at how well and how instantly we made choices. The ladies of Alliance are no joke. Also I liked being able to help think outside the box.
  • “twinkle twinkle little star” So apparently after Namrick suggested we sing a song, one of our Acarthians started singing, and it was staggering to hear ALL the PCs carry the tune prompting Aelin Mor to slink into the ground.
  • The RP surrounding the Kendrick/Slice incident
  • Actually getting to go on a module with some fellow Acarthians and bonus friends
  • The weight of finding out the “Shield Maiden” (not going to butcher the spelling) had taken a death on behalf of Baron Morningtide. Elavir continues to have so much respect for this character. Wow.
  • Saturday Morning french press coffee. damn. Acarthian squires have something we'll be adding to training.
  • "Admiral's bathtime" conversation
  • Chatting with Slice over cobbler.
  • The wisdom of Namric.

Sunday

  • In character Elavir had been floored with the generosity that those of Fortannis showed her and the other Acarthians. It was really touching for her. The cake went to the MWE Mistguide (whose name I won’t spell bc I’m going to butcher it I’m sure). He “did something he doesn’t normally do” and the Baroness just was so floored that she got all mist-y eyed, and it continued as she said goodbye to all of the amazing legends she’d come to call friends in the last few days.
  • Being out of spells and everything on the final battle and pulling out her gifted two quivers of vorpal coating arrows and getting to call the most damage she’s ever been able to call (13). Then being joined by others (Scarlet!) and mowing down a few enemies. Thank you to Scarlet and those who helped bolster my low level character.
  • Seeing the dragon appear out of the tavern. (Wow. Just wow)
  • Actually downing an undead (I got the last shot and felt cool). Yes this is an accomplishment for me lol.
  • Getting to meet Polare (who I had heard a fair bit about ICly), and his incredibly thoughtful and impactful advice on Sunday morning about mistwalking.
  • Using Break Command for the first time ever… getting to use it on Shin, while still I was still half asleep.


Overall

  • Feeling genuinely useful either as a leader, archer, or healer. Yay helping!
  • The two amazing squires of House Phoenix! (And the bonus “fondant on the cake” wayfarer!)
  • House Zodiac “late night” edition.
  • The many incredible nobles and squires who I got to talk to about their lands, their histories, and how humble they were.
  • The amazing generosity of those in Fortannis
  • My fellow Acarthians!! We held our own!
  • Thank you to everyone who looked out for the Acarthians this weekend. <3

This was an incredible event for me. Thank you to everyone I interacted with and who interacted with me. You are all what make this game a community and a family. Thank you!

Juliet/Jules
Player of Baroness Elavir
 
- Getting to play the Grey Hats of the UnNamed and PC actions convincing them not to gain free will and independence... because their duty is so great. All the discussions on the nature of fate, free will, and evil with some amazing people.
- Finding out my wife was the one who sacrificed herself on the Valor mod (I'm so proud of you Sashenka/Queenie).
- Not having to be one of the big bads in the fights, so I could fight with abandon, and not have to play conservatively.
- Getting to show up as the UnNamed on Sunday morning and helping out the PCs until Aelin Mor Obliterated them. Then I just took off the shirt and mask for the skeletal undershirt to fight the PCs. XD
- Bunnies and geese.
- Getting to do Sunday Morning Shenanigans on Saturday evening. Amnesia elementals, skree, and chaos foxes were fun blasts for me.

- Just in general getting to help write/plan/run an amazing event. Every muscle ache is worth it.
 
  • Sheer overwhelming numbers on both sides. I started in games where a 20-person turnout, total, meant you had a good attendance.
  • Related to that, the sheer range of characters. Everyone I talked to was different and interesting and had a story to tell I'd never heard before.
  • Showing the Acarthian barons a time and a half. Now perhaps you understand my struggle. You were all wonderful and I really wish I'd been able to visit. Maybe the math and/or mists will work out again sometime. Yes, I know about OCS points. No, I don't have any.
  • Namryc trying to Break Command me as I walked off the Barghest mod under my second Sanctuary ever. Also, shortly before that when Ny'ranï (wow I heard that wrong) nearly bit my face off over the poor wording choices I used for my Break Command.
  • House!! Finally seeing Zehnyu again, the moment of horror when I wordlessly was handed a letter instead of a greeting, just hanging out and then rapid-fire introductions to Tairin. NOW WE'RE ALL FRIENDS. Tairin gets MVP for being Least Alarming and also charging straight through a puzzle and a half before others got involved. Snapping and then backing up to reasonably hash it out with Killian and Teth after the Spirit Farewell. Voting opposite sides of the ritual interruption from Teth and being reasoned calmly around. Blue Screen of Death when Teth wandered off and that monologue poor Killian got subjected to after.
  • The Caledonian stone elf anecdote. Sorry for underreacting. :|
  • MY. SWORD.
  • I didn't realize how much I missed seeing Krieger for more than half an hour at a time, but oh man is it so useful to have him around. Krieger and Slice Get Things Done and are just so useful.
  • I have finally met the famous Vosun Coldsky, and now all I need is to meet ONE OTHER FEMALE STONE ELF and I get like a free froyo or something. I love how the racial consensus is that our powers are horrible and nobody should ever use them ever.
  • "He's a meathead bro. I don't mean that in a bad way." I hope you appreciate that I couldn't possibly not pass that on to some of his compatriots. I'm sure they weren't mad.
  • Death stuff is always appreciated.
  • Sick dragons all around. Including the one who snuck up on me and got a stone elf double-take.
 
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This is but a sampling of all of the awesomeness that occurred during Nationals:
  • Bringing Durnic's past up to haunt him. Having to fight his dead wife was super emotional. I had no idea how hard that was going to wreck me, but it did. Good work to the Plot team for doing that. I seriously cannot put into words what that means to me.
  • All of the RP surrounding Durnic and Rinata, including Baron Morningtide, Amory, Vellis, Ashok and Larix's offers to help. The conversation after being rifted out was epic. Thank you to Ole, Alcandar and everyone else for making that memorable.
  • Five of the seven Bittersong Meadows MWEs were out in force!
  • Frank and Vira from Denver. It was a complete pleasure to play and shoot the **** with you guys all weekend. Come out soon!
  • The props! The props, oh my the props.
  • The dive-tackle trying to rift out with Alcandar.
  • Kasuni's actions during the Valor mod. Durnic's actions following it.
  • Krieger's assassination of Kendrick in the tavern.
  • Hanging with the Tiatar baron and baroness. You two are a real class act. Come out again!
  • The Knighting of Sir Killian.
  • War. Paint.
  • The "fighter wand" discussion.
  • My resurrection story from Larix. Even he got emotional.
 
First things first, this was not only my first NATIONAL event, but my first Fantasy / Alliance LARP experience ever. From the very get go my friend Chuck (Bors) and I were met with hearty levels of 'Oh, you're level 1's...that...well don't die!' which made for some interestingly nervous laughter. But all in all it was AMAZING and something I would happily do again. There are a lot of things I appreciated from the extremely courteous staff to the amazingly helpful players both new and veteran alike. I'll try and sum up some of my favorites though in a pretty little list like everyone else has.

OOG
  • Meeting some of the coolest people ever from the San Francisco chapter - and then getting to share the same cabin.
  • The readily available assistance from pretty much anyone once we clarified that we were new players and this was our first game.
  • Denise and her unwavering dedication to helping two snarky, obnoxious and sarcastic newbies in setting up their character sheets... all the while returning the witty banter.
  • Getting to meet not one, but two chapter owners who didn't act any better or more important than anyone else, and then seeing them run around in character.
  • How easily immersed everyone got once the RP was on and watching not just the major plot lines happen, but the little shady trade deals and tavern interactions happen. (I spent a lot of time in the tavern)

IC
  • Engaging in suggestive banter with a massive bone dragon which apparently has a human form.
  • Being summoned by the UnNamed to talk about a dire decision which must be made...all by a group of people who are relatively new to the world as a whole.
  • The command presence of veteran fighters (trying) to take charge of a massive cluster of people running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
  • Being tasked with guarding Baron Eldred Morningtide (of Acarthia) even though stat-wise he could probably dust both characters 'guarding' him on the field.
  • SPRINTING across an open field as two bandits tried to sneak out of the tavern and were ousted, only to result in a lengthy and high speed foot chase all the way back toward monster-town.
  • Selling wine in various flavors, colors, and bottles in a tavern corner and trying to spin as to why one bottle was worth twice as much as another.
  • So. So. Much more.


All in all this event was really a great experience for me and as for my first fantasy themed LARP I can't help but say I'm addicted and will continue to stick with Alliance, everyone I met was great and the fact that I'm already thinking of how to take a trip to San Francisco (from Seattle) to meet up with some of the people I met after ONE event speaks pretty highly to that. Hands down a great group of people, a great group of characters and plotters and great work by all of those included in the 2016 nationals. Loved it.
 
There was so many excellent moments. I had a blast with everyone there. It was fantastic to see a ton of new faces and all the old ones! Finally getting a ton of Fortannis together to kick *** and take names! This has been my first National game and it lived up to all its expectation and hype! It came together in a beautiful way that was a great show case of fantastic writing and player choices effecting the out come of plot arcs!

Here are but a few of the highlights and favorites.

  • Waking up dead. Always a great start to the weekend.
  • Watching everyone get their name called and react. So many good reactions. So many great people to meet.
  • The Dragon of Death - Oh.. Boy... Remember always to be on your best behavior.
  • Remember your lessons
  • It's always good to see Familiar faces. Especially when they are not really upset at Shin!

  • Sending the Crying Men away with the coin. It was a great moment, finding a way with everyone to prove what we were here for. It was amazing seeing Crying Men again, especially after the huge threat that they represented the last time we fought them.
  • Cross Fortannis Conference; with information exchanges and everything!
  • The Librarian. Kirsten, you rocked that so hard.

  • The choices made on the Compassion and Cruelty adventure. Watching Alcander grow as a person was impressive.
  • Mom showing up and a brief family reunion with everyone.
  • Dad showing up and having that morale boost really changes things around. Even better when all the different family members get to meet!
  • The Kendrick Crisis
  • Sitting on the grass with family, watching Slice and Kendrick idly amused and worried.
  • Shin's Mother

  • Getting to fight in an Epic wave battle against all the Villains of Fortannis side by side with all the Heroes of Fortannis
  • One of the most difficult decisions Shin's had to make in a long while. Family vs Intuition vs Blood
  • Fighting Otto on that field with the entire House Zodiac. We rocked that field so hard.
  • Shin Dominate Tag
  • Killian's Knighting! (Bummed I missed it!). Dude you lived the Dream!
  • Followed shortly by Shin hot potato Pick up...? Weird.
  • Late night talks, only solidifying some of the scariest thoughts ever.
  • Answers only leading to more questions. So many questions!'

  • Late night party Night at Zodiac house. Inviting the Librarian over to meet the family.
  • Getting to be together with all of Zodiac for the first time in a long, long time.
  • Painful conversations are the best conversations.

  • Sunday morning anxiety push ups.
  • Mandara Bola, rifting into the Tavern and all I can say is "I am so fucked."
  • Giving Krieger the 'Goodbye' look and genuinely meaning it.
  • The temptation trial was so intense. It was short and yet so painful only to be followed up by probably one of the best knife twists. Holly, I really do appreciate even the split second fence hop. As much pain as it may cause my character, it is a lot of fun for me. Having Trillian's whisper set the tone and made it so awfully hard to not just say 'Got to go rescue her, sorry'.

  • Walking outside to see Sightless and Aelin Mor, and getting the threat of 'Join us or we extinguish her' was just... Yah. Ouch. My only response to that could have been:
"I choose her."

i-choose-violence.gif

  • The finale fight was really epic. It was fantastic to face down with the Big Bad Guy of the weekend and while I didn't stand toe to toe the whole way through; getting to challenge Aelin Mor was an intense experience as any ever. Having the Dragon empower weapons of arcane epicness riding on the verge of sorrow, rage and serenity. Then finally pursuing Aelin Mor and running her down, while everyone cast their life spells at her, punishing her for every life taken.
  • I think the last moments were perhaps some of the best and hardest for Shin and by virtue of the intensity, the best.

Final thoughts from the National Event:
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Getting the dragon to lick my baton into having an Earth carrier.

Landing a valid, but altered, Terminate on Death. I mean - come on. Terminating Death!

Drinking a toast with all those whom had hailed from Twilight Vale of the Dragon Lands - over 20 years ago - with bottles from said vale.

The sudden look on people's faces when they realized the coins wrapped around my hat were over 50 pieces of platinum. All worthless with the holes punched through them.

In Friday night's opening fight some sword and board warrior says "Ok, on my left, I have an archer and on my right I have..." as he looks at me.
"A tosser!" I announce proudly. And the innuendo jokes thereupon became legion.

Pondering putting my coin onto the scroll of Malestrom's plate and being informed that I have the sensation that my legacy, that all of my good deeds would be no longer linked to me.
"All my good deeds?" I queried the GM.
"Yes."
"Oh." *plink*

And a plethora of other things.
 
Ok, I will try not to ramble on too long.

Friday:
Back in the Boneyards... again. (Sorry, July, I was the one who told you the corn was people.)
The Bone Dragon was an amazing touch. Much impressive.
Eavesdropping on Bad Guy Role Call™. Resisting the urge to say Polo! whenever Aelin said Yanko.
The NPC playing Agatha the Seer did a spectacular job!

Saturday:
Lunch with Brulee and Mikas (hope I got the spelling right). Their playful banter was cute and entertaining.
The chaotic fun of the daytime battle and that obnoxious cycling weakness monster. Very cool mechanic but I hope to never see it again. :)
Peat's goat stories and almost buying goats from her.
The rush of panic when the Allegiance group rifted in dead.
The barn fight. Crazy and chaotic and sooo much fun. With the added fun of mouthing off to Mr Pompous Dragon and hurting Pox, The Lord of Blissful Ignorance's feeling.
Also, to quote Ruby: "It's Pox, The Lord of Blissful Ignorance. Maybe he knows something. Let's interrogate him."

Impetuous/Tranquilty! Here we go.
Fighting the Power Rangers.
Figuring out cuddling was the best way to weaken the elementals.
Singing to the heart with Peat and Nikos.
Stephan ran with my particular flavor of gouda and let me do a lot of mist related stuff.
Not being sure if I was gonna get that hand back, and being totally ok with it.


Sunday!
Silence. The moment it came out of the tavern was just thrilling!!
Stepping in Aelin Mor's way after Krieger dropped. Didn't last long, but I felt cool.
Seeing that Lumos guy all alone and unawares. Hitting him with everything I could to absolutely no effect. (Nice job NB!)
Black Flag finally worked!!!
The guilt from learning Ruby resurrected.


Overall!!
Acarthians and Caledonians, so good to meet you.
Seeing and fighting beside old friends, IG and OOG.
Seeeing Kasuni all grown up and a respected leader.
Kendrick *still* has my sword. It's ok, you can hold on to it for me.
My crew isn't good at sticking together during fights, but its still cool to see us rolling in together.

Oh, and Mr. Hopp-Hopp... err... Jehyu!? Aziraphel owes you an apology.
 
So. Much. Stuff.

So many amazing costumes, props, players, and stories. In and out of game. It was a pleasure and a blast to take part in my first National event. I didn’t know what to expect walking in, and this far outsriped anything I could have come up with.

Special thanks to the kitchen crew. Glad I could give a hand in the kitchen, even if Evan tried to tell me to GTFO ~.^ You guys rocked, and helped make the event so much more relaxing and simple for us PC’s.


*Friday night “arrival” mod. That was a really cool way to bring the players in, and I really enjoyed the local flavor {Thank you, Bill!}.

*National Event-The Grumpening: First one, ”Oh hey, a skeletal dragon, I’mma go talk to it!” I’m certain Orin feels like she’s watching a six year old most of the time ~.^

*Talking about and contemplating the balance between Harmony and Discord. Talking more about the concepts of Chaos outside of its necromantic connotations.

*Ladies night! It was amazing to meet and fight alongside such fierce, strong women. I was really proud of how we all handled that.

*Amory the most stubborn diplomat. Amory “Those on the hill! We would speak to you!” Kasuni: “We are past time for negotiations!” Amory pauses, fights some more, goes back to trying to negotiate >.>

*Makin’ friends with Wellorg the Dragon of Chaos and Discord! I really enjoyed conversing with this character, hope to see you in Sedovia! {Got grumped at for that one too ~.^ }

*I was really impressed with how cohesive all the “Legends” of Fortanis were, even when we disagreed strongly. We even managed an impromptu singing/shouting of Twinkle, Twinkle which was brilliant!

*Coming face to face with Silence on Sunday. “Have you learned your lesson? Will you be quiet now?” Shane, that was brilliantly terrifying, but I have to wonder what you thought her answer would be? ~.^

*Dryad Battle Taunts!!

*Getting to meet Mortana the Dragon, The Librarian, The UnNamed {Weavers and Watchers of Fate}, the -Heart- of Fortanis, and the “Creepy guy with the book” {I can’t find or remember the name >.> }. So many things Amory had hints at existing, but no real proof. Now she has it.

*Getting recognized by Kasuni after the Briar Rose mod for negotiating, that was pretty shiny.

*Orin’s beautiful resurrection story, especially since it started with the last sisterly grumping of the game. I had to try so hard not to laugh and cry, especially when you had to repeat it!!

*Everything Vellis.

*Story-telling with Garrick, I’m pretty sure we convinced him to avoid Sedovia at all costs, but it was great to get to know him and build a friendship.

*All the being undead. That’s not going to scar Amory at all. Nope. Not a bit.

Thank you to everyone I interacted with in and out of game for helping to make it so awesome. Thank you to Plot for listening and handling our concerns mid-game with tact and taking balanced actions, I can not stress how much I appreciate that. And thank you to the NPC’s for working their asses off to keep us engaged!
 
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*Orin’s beautiful resurrection story, especially since it started with the last sisterly grumping of the game. I had to try so hard not to laugh and cry, especially when you had to repeat it!!
Click to expand...

Everytime I think we've reached peak sisterly grump, something new happens. I love the story we tell together, it's very real. Also "the grumpening" is my new favorite word.
 
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