Week In The Life 2015 Highlights!

Managed to get more highlights than I expected during just the week portion; in no particular order.

Cooking fires everywhere! First event where I haven't lost weight!
More "What brings you across the rift?" than any event previous. Responses I hope to gain insight into.
Bonding at the barracks/Angrin's mess hall.
If I were a scholar, I would have picked up about half a dozen lores. In depth analysis/extrapolation of draconic heritage with Aldric, Swyft, Oren, Ginyuki, Tessa and Argyle.
Kudos to everyone involved in the exorcism scene - standard setting rp from all of you! Especially Mary's exceptional creepiness and Dane's zealotry, but everyone present contributed to a fantastically wrought scene. If I were a marshal, it would be raining rp points!
Some great lessons from Oren and Kanas. Next game Imrahil casts more than fist! More that either didn't or couldn't make it to my card from Ginyuki, Namit, and Dr. Maxwell.
Teen wolf mod. Near immediate "Where is Galen?" Nicely done, Matt, May, and Jeremy!
Npc shifts, including Galmachian's for peace with maximum volume Creepy having a bit too much fun with the concept to remember the theme (sorry Geoff! You're welcome Stump!), Exorcism, and scholarly if ineffectual research physicians. Dr. Maxwell knows his stuff!
Pit fight! So much for Imrahil's "wisdom", eh Kitt? Congratulations to you and Billiam! Waiting to see the belt in Drega'room.
Root beer floats and cobblers. That chocolate cherry.
On point safety marshals!
Zipeto's lich, bounding past in the dark - "I think they are angry!"
Ben's verifiably mad junk vendor. Why are these characters always sent out well past the stroke of stupid bells? Because everyone can use a healthy dose of uncontrollable hideous laughter.
The great Tumblini, and positively dashing swordsman Friday morning.
A few largely fruitless treasure hunting parties, including one that didn't actually know I was part of it. Nalick's realization it's a good thing Imrahil isn't an assassin, and a good sport as always!
Speaking of Nalick, a reinforcement lesson pertaining to controlling his, erhm, urges.
Teaching meditative techniques to some pc's and even an npc nervous wild mage!
Nyad and peaceful, mute imp. All the jokes pertaining to blue fingers. Ciel's immediate reaction. Priceless.
Quick, satisfying rp blip with Grim and Rudolph.

Overall OOG highlights - Every one of you deserve a hand; between your generosity, concern for well being, insightful and inventiveness, creativity, and contribution to a greater whole, I can think of no better place to spend a few days than among you grade A nerds!
Til June folks!

I keep hoping to have time to post more L, but in short, I adored this event. Surter mod, main mod and the plot were great.. Weg mod was the best mod.

I ways have a great time at WitL, and this year was no exception! Between getting to break out the tights and accent for my new character or playing a quixotic old man for an NPC, this event was a great break from reality! My highlights, in no particular order, are:
-the fire ring fight was a fun, as was hurling insults at Billiam once he lost
-all of Ludwig's interaction with Swyft was a blast to play! Thanks for being such a good sport, Renee!
-late night chats with both Ravik and the Black Knight were tense, yet oddly informative
-greenskin hunting party in the woods was amazing! The 5 NPC's who played the orcs and goblins really put on a good show!

There are obviously tons more that I can't remember, but I had a blast the whole time! See you all in July!

First WITL and I loved every moment of it.

Got to have tons of bonding time with fellow guardsmen.

Joined Ostcliff!

Had two new recruits decide to shadow Wylla.

Drinking with Oren and Tessa in the Inn.

Drinking with Nalick all over the place and star gazing. Walking hand in hand back to the inn, "Roaming roving rogues..."

Looking for the black knight with Bob ended in a run in with a victim of Jack Willard believing he was him.

Shield buddies! Song circle! Fight at the Bloody Stump! Lots of fun.

Plot was awesome and the black knight was creepy and super nice.

Can't wait for the next event. See you then!!

Ok. Let's start with the negatives:
I couldn't be there the whole time.
I made Jeff Bala sad.
Mosquitoes

Well, that's it for the downsides.

This was one of my favorite events. Matt ran an incredible event that did almost all the things I consider hallmarks of superb, superior storytelling and game mastering. Fantastic job sir.

I'd also like to tip the hat to Matt DeFranza for a superb story that cumulated in an amazingly well orchestrated battle. Rarely do huge battles tell stories so smoothly, and have such cool environmental effects. But more on that later.

Thursday :
Arrived late, and immediately began having fun. WITL is the best. Found my wife and son at the lake. Got there just before the change of the winds, so took advantage to give some valances and put on my defenses.

Lots of rune crafting and protections.

Exorcism of Utguard was amazing. Everything Caldor wants Travance to be was there. We started with three people, some rp and the Exorcism ritual from ceremonialist. We ended with I think 30 people, from all lands, races, nondark religions, professions and levels working together towards this goal. Massively good rp from Aaron. Antone showed up at the exact right moment to save the day, and Lauren made the whole thing more emotional by showing up at the tail end. Mad, mad props to Gina for her crazy, on the fly ability to adapt and incorporate amazing ideas into what she was doing.

Mass for pendarvin at the monastery. First time I really got to take advantage of the new ass benefits. I was so happy to see so many nonbaptized cone and participate. I also enjoyed making it partly a mass for the night wings, since I didn't get to do a funeral.

Bard circle awesomeness is always awesome. I promise I will learn more moose verses for next year.

I love doing seasons wrath rituals. Since it requires all 10 people to participate, and has four variations, it runs differently every time.

Friday
Had to go back to work, and only made it back just before lay on.
I may have to ban ree Friom making cupcakes if she can't get help next time. It's so taxing on her.

Meeting goblins and happy to work with them. Wishing more were reasonable.

Being told I'm not allowed to go to Evernight. Only reason? "it's just a really really bad idea." I would have insisted, but 9 people told me no.

Midnight mass was awesome. Low attendance due to Evernight, but still good. I love the altar space.

Kept getting dragged into stuff until 530...ugh,i wanted sleep.

Had an amazing time with the burger King... I mean BK. He was surprisingly nice. It was creepy to be told to out my finger in his eyes.

Having the general defend on us is bad. Seeing him catch wife's uber double shot flame shot.. Terrifying. Wife fled somehow. Caldor was terrified she was getting slaughtered, and chased after her... But had to go back for the others.

Tim. Oh Tim. That face off between you and me and the sanctuary and th e gargoyle was so awesome. So much of an epic moment that will last in my brain forever. I barely survived, but it strengthened Caldor's faith so much.

The death of dimms. Damnit. I really wanted to keep you alive. Stupid assassins. This of course led to the "incident" between wife and Radu (sorry if I'm spelling it wrong). This led to an epic insult and screaming match, and probably the award for most uses of the word whore in a single evening. It was so good. Caldor rarely looses it, and then at really let me reveal a special side of him. I am glad we cleared up with eachother that we were cool Oog. While I know all of u are mature players, I think we worried others that it was a real fight.

While the Cooks Cabin has benefits, like being near the bathroom, I missed my tent. Doubly so when monsters kept getting between me and the door.

Saturday
Got to do a fun little NPC role for alisandria. It was nice to mess with Silus and get snooty with Edmund. I hope I get to do more with you guys in the future.

Scrounging to get ree kitchen help. Thank you so much to those who chipped in. Special thanks to Billy, the savior of the kitchen.

Thank you to Charlie for helping Xod with his lessons.

Had loads of fun just doing stuff but then got to do Surter mod. Man Matt, was that a brilliantly run battle. Th e lava was genius. The way you physically played him really brought the battle to life. And thank you for giving Xod and Benjamin a role to play.
Special shout out to my new favorite attack... Billiam on a pole arm.

Weg mod. Possibly the best mod I have ever enjoyed. Xod and Billiam were amazing. It was fun to have a team truly bent on non violent resolution and trying to protect the enemy as well. I felt bad for the npc when he said he couldn't eat feast because of how much candy we fed him. The rp was top notch. I loved the sandcastles and everyone's rp of the upheavals the best.

Feast was outstanding.

Main mod was so much fun. I love fighting by the Inn. In addition to the light, it was a blast to be able to use my churning earth. I'm sure the npcs were sick of the word hobble by th e end.

Matt, so much respect for how you had the traps affect the battle. That kind of thinking makes people truly feel useful and that they are making a difference.

Sadly wife and Xod left at that point.

Don't really remember much post main mod.

SUNDAY
John's inky mod. It was a fun set up, and I loved the concept, but the stairs made me nervous. I loved being a bunny in a red headband,and was sad the monsters saw me. Setting fire to the walls was not our best moment, but thankfully we survived. As I said about the surter fight, I love well handled environmental effects.
When John came out as the inky thing it was creepy. He really moved in a liquid like way. The goop on our weapons and packets made it even more gross. Very fun fight, and the post fight examination was really cool.

To the player who I had to entwine when he raged and attacked us... I'm so sorry I forgot you and left you there for the full 15. Mad rp props for staying there and still the whole time.

Teaching the Ranger whose name I keep forgetting germinate was amazing. Your rp of your blockage and the emotion when you overcame it really made my day. You were fantastic, and I look forward to teaching you more.

A final note: I hereby claim Jen Eff for kitchen cleanup. Forever. Even if she isn't at the event. Or I'm not. Or there is no kitchen.

In no particular order:
Brodarvin is no more! For the first time since the state house has been open for sleeping, we had a majority of females inside. Thank you to Heather, May, Kate, Bridget, and Abby for making this momentous occurrance possible.

Surtur mod - kudos to Matt and Kate and all the NPCs who put it together in the humidity and hot sun. Plenty of water, thanks to foresight.

Main Mod and the weekend was well done, and I can see where this might be heading long term. TY, Matt and crew. You always have permanent access to cream.

Pendarvin planned and executed well, even though no battle plan survives the first contact with the enemy.

Gideon's simple command at the start of a battle "Git 'em."

After the battle, Matt said to me he expected me to be at his throat more. I showed him my swords which were the color of his make-up and he agreed that was sufficient.

Seeing some of Bill Hannings' insecurity surface in Grim at the start of MM.

Being ordered by Dame Emeline to wheel left. To quote Andre the Giant "I do not think that means what (s)he thinks it means."

Being told by Hurgar to hold the right - the right held.

Serendipitously finding myself fighting in tandem with Edmund Patterson for the first time. It was rare experience to skirmish with a partner who knows what to do without encouragement. Essentially, we cut down anything trying us. Would partner with him again.

Really upset with Belegchand's rudeness.

The scene in the tent with the Dark Priest. Clarifying what I believed Rudolf's intent to Annora and she made a typical Annora snippy remark. I got to use "The Voice."
Great satisfaction on hearing she and the smallest knight spent a lot of time researching.

Finding my compilation of lores very useful for battle planning and research. For those of you who think I just pile them on, what I actually do is think of the world of knowledge as a Go board/game and capture them in patterns that make sense to me.