~~~April 2016 Event Highlights~~~

Zelretch wrote: Getting to see the process by which other alchemists made their secret recipes was interesting.

I was just discussing this with some people in relation to runes. I love seeing how different people do alchemy, rune craft, and other creation stuff differently, and how each one is so very personal.

What an incredibly well run event. From the mods to feast to the organization in logistics, it was really impressive.

A few highlights:

- Meeting so many new and newer players, as well as players that were new to me. I hope everyone returns. I saw so much good RP, intelligent questions, and kind behavior.

-Unexpectedly hooking a new player mod with offers of adventures and brownies -- "oh, and by the way, you might encounter a troll . . ." The five of you were terrific.

-Morgazi mod. IG it was a complete disaster, despite the ultimate result, and Faila counts herself and many others as extremely lucky to be alive. It one was of those moments where she was just so angry with the way it was handled, she didn't even want to talk to the people involved after the fact but appreciated Gamblor's apology. OOG it was fun in an "I hope the fact I have to lay down on the ground a zillion times doesn't mean I have a zillion ticks" kind of way and despite forgetting that I am a smith and can fix my broken shield in the field (duh).

-Getting to meet and talk to Lizardkin and participate in the testing. The make up was amazing on the water tribe.

-Coming to terms with the fact she agrees with some people more than she would like.

-Meeting Lake, Max and others who may be associated with Pendarvin.

-Quinarian visitors for feast and Faila almost not biting her tongue in time in response to a few comments.

-The great enthusiasm by the NPC's for main mod. Garrett gives an excellent pre-game speech.

-Getting to give a couple nice things away to someone who can use them.

I wish I had gotten more interaction with all the new players this event. The stories I'm hearing and what little I did see blew me away!

If you had the 2-6 NPC shift Saturday afternoon, give yourself a pat on the back! You guys did great in terms of listening to directions, playing your roles, and just generally bringing the energy and enthusiasm to your NPC shift that the game needs to thrive. You are the unsung heroes of KR!

For all my NPCs and makeup crew for Friday night, thanks for showing up early so that the mod could go off without a hitch. You guys, also, played your roles excellently and followed instructions perfectly!

For all my NPCs on Sunday, well done organizing without my presence and getting to the mod site when I told you to. I can only apologize that you had to wait so long before I needed you. A+ job, all of you!

Finally, to the PCs involved in my plotline: running this for you guys has been the highlight of my entire Knight Realms career. When I wrote this plot, I never dreamed that it would go to the places it did. That's the magic of watching this unfold: the story comes alive when it leaves the page and enters the world, and then it surprises all of us. Thank you all for helping me bring this story to life.

Props to my new witch hunters - Kuni Seiko, Ismat, Aman and Aias, you guys were phenomenal. I hope you liked the vampire mod, and all the long chats with me and Blacktree. Your answers and willingness to jump in on things were great!
Bel the hobbit witch hunter is so cute and needs to come find me more! I'm sorry if we were scary and gruff.

I loved watching the new players interact with Lizardkin on Saturday - Max did an AWESOME job at the water tribe test, without knowing it was a test! Faila was really on the ball for getting involved too. The new warrior monk (I think?) fighting the fire tribe with all he had. Watching Fyodor and Blacktree on the lightning lizards. Excellent afternoon mod. And to my water tribe peeps, Scara and Marza - is 2 dress.

Zelretch getting knighted - I knew it had to come soon, but it was still EXCELLENT and I'm glad I didn't miss it. Though Nicholas, you gotta speak up ;p I'm super excited for him - he's worked hard for Ostcliff!

Every time I got to call VonRitter lineage on the displacer beast on Friday, and seeing JP just nod approval at me, was super satisfying. You guys were a fun fight, JP, Marcella and Zach!

New players, you were all fantastic. I hope to see you all again throughout the summer!

Spent a lot of time in the kitchen this event, but still have plenty to include as fond memories.

Firstly, so many great new players, and some returning ones with new characters. So many of you really impressed me. Except for you, Craig. You just raised your already high bar. I truly look forward to getting more time to play with all of you.

Fun, lighthearted rp at the dragons claw bar with Sergei, Wili, and the crew of Magnus' retainers. Each of you are wonderful!

Being asked by Swyft and Gamblor to accompany on Vedranne mod, and checking it with Ward. Given the Ok. Sometimes the bad choice is totally worth it! Getting possessed, beaten down, and left unable to help his compatriots, Imrahil finally had something to feel conflicted about. Was granted the opportunity for not very character typical roleplay with Faila, Lake, Tris, Belegchand, Steve A's new Jax (whose name I can't recall), and a couple others.
Just a few hours later Amalthea smacks it out of him with a single sentence. That was some slick work Lauren!

So proud of the kitchen staff and volunteers this event. Each of you pulled through some tough moments and rose above. Calm heads, teamwork, and perseverance prevails as always. Thank you all so much!

The realization I'm going to be busy very shortly training up a new generation of warrior monks. Becoming just another link in the chain of the Shen lineage!

The reactions to some gifts dispersed to some new players. Worth way more than those few item cards were for certain!

The baronial bachelor auction, and all those shenanigans. Thanks to the MC's, and the participants!

Evening glory may just make Imrahil an addict.

I've been mentioning redemption of demons in game for so long now, I was oog overjoyed when I got the lowdown on Gus' demon of Arawyn.

Wandering briefly with Trent and coming upon Cameron's new greenskin. "Have you guys seen a woodpecker around here?" What came next neither of us expected.

I think I now have a new favorite lesson to teach - opening warrior monk for a chaos warrior!

All in all, nothing like knowing there are an awful lot of impressionable folks around to have everybody remember why we got hooked so fast, and step up to pass that sense of community on to the newest among us.

Don't you nerds ever change!

Seeing Atrus after he's been gone for 8 months made Swyft think he was just a figment of her imagination (being as she is still afflicted with the Lord of Tears issue) due to her current not entirely sane state. Being insane in front of Terezi, Karkat and Jed was a fun time...

Being called to Andorra and meeting her. Whew, what a moment... learning that sometimes compassion means mercy killing, and not convincing someone who is suffering beyond repair to stay alive and continue suffering. It was wild watching Magnus do the deed. Then there was the epic moment when Swyft asked Andorra why she was still being cursed for the debacle of her paladin test and not wanting to step aside to let someone she loves die without knowing the reason, first. Andorra held Swyft's hands and it was this epic, emotional moment-- like the saddest part in a movie or something. I couldn't even stop crying, oh man! She placed a gentle kiss upon one hand and I was informed that Swyft's Taint of Evil had been removed.

Imagine the joy this caused, after suffering under it for five months! It was completely overwhelming.
And then fifteen minutes later, Swyft was cut off from Andorra.
I almost lost my mind.
No, she wasn't the only one. Everyone in the mod was, I think. For not helping spirits quickly enough...


This incited some serious issues for Swyft. In her mental state, that translated as the Light not wanting her after the taint of Evil was removed. And that caused some things to happen. Such as kinda' crashing Caldor's Light mass and saying some things... lol


Thanks to Thalia, Mother Maralas and Caldor for being so kind and compassionate and working so hard to try and prove that she was wrong.

Gamblor made me laugh in spite of herself with his charm and gentle theft of Nalick's bag. It was so funny (I had to step OOG to process. But I grateful for that, it was a much needed laugh oog, too!

Bob and Cinder provided some EPIC conversation and RP that night. Bob teaching Swyft how to turn off her feelings by using empathy to feel how he did it was deep and dark... but also an act of mercy, in a way. She was suffering terribly. I think that may have been the most difficult moment Swyft ever went through. It really almost destroyed her.

(Special thanks to Damian for sharing his chicken stew out of pity for Swyft's rough night, lol.)

Saturday's Vedrane Blade Morgazzi mod was INCREDIBLE! I loved how into it everyone was. I got to see some stellar RP and gave out quite a few RP points! I had so much fun taking a billion knockbacks and incaps with unlimited intercepts! My favorite time was being knocked back and then perfect-shot Slayed by Nega-Belegchand and immediately perfect-cast Heal Lifed by Amalthea in the span of like, half a second.

Getting to go HAM with Maelstrom on the Morgazzi, who was awesomely played by Walter. Holy cow, was that incredible! Snarling and swinging 20 Banes and without my damn shield so it was SO scary!!!

The new player (was her name Max?) who saved a lot of us by using Maelstrom's Get-Everyone-Out-Of-Crit ability.


Being saved by Tristana who took a death for that debacle. Thank-you, Jen. It will not be forgotten!
Also being kept alive while critically wounded for the umpteenth time by Rowan's bardics.
Heroes come in tiny pacakges, sometimes.

Amalthea snapping Swyft out of her fury when she found out Ward and Tristana were dead.

Getting to spend time with Isabella and the new satyur, Vivix whose costuming was INCREDIBLE!

A delightful chat with Trent and Edwin in the beautiful weather.

Getting to spend time with Allyce. An interesting time looking for lizard eggs with an unstable ex-dark clergy.

A deliverance of a cookie to Pox which made Cor think that it was possibly poisoned... lol.

Getting to meet Terezi's sister and her fantastic apparel!
Delivering candy to her, Terezi and Karkat respectively... and then Swyft, feeling a little more like her old self, delivered candy to Wormwood in hopes that he might smile for once.
I think he almost did...

Pappa Gypsy's kindness!

Congrats to Zeltrich on his Knighthood!

Bringing Karkat along with Tobias and some of the others afflicted with the Lord of Tears, and the looks on everyone's faces when I said:

Swyft: I found a psion to help us.
Tobias: Please tell me it isn't Karkat.
Swyft: Oops.
Karkat: Hi.

LOL


Props to Tobias for going through all the trouble to try an experiment with a super-ensorcled hat to try and ward our minds from the Lord of Tears. Karkat tried to sap some of its power but it didn't work. Tobias running out of the door in hopes the Lord of Tears would follow him blew up in our faces. Since he activated the trap on the door. And Swyft intercepted. And broke the ritual. Then Evrat raged and Tobias touched him by accident and Evrat hit Tobias with some slays. Then Karkat hit Evrat with a lot more.


It was a night.

Sunday was mostly relaxed. Except for the unfortunate Ergos, who had died in his sleep... so we had an interesting resurrection scene...


Learning Master Florentine from Evrat was entertaining... and an exercise in constraint for Swyft when she saw him on ground...

While I did feel kind of overwhelmed on the timing and situation of things Friday night, the role play that ensued was nothing short of incredible. And again, major props to Bob and Cinder for dealing with so much of it. So many people were so great and it was wonderful to see how well the new people were interacting and keeping busy. Thank you all for making my weekend an awesome one, as usual! Love you all!