2016 Ball Highlights

Kudos to James for greenlighting the homunculi guests and Matt M. for pushing for the idea. If Ludwig at the Ball is any indication, Nalick may have stiff competition for "biggest wallflower of Travance."

Thanks are in order:
Alice B. for letting me use some of her makeup and helping me become whiter than usual.
Geoff Schaller for letting me borrow Carlos' garb. It was far noisier than Ludwig would've liked, but Jeff had a fun time.

Able was reasonable and while not swearing off eating other homunculi, at least preferring diplomacy. Eden didn't exactly share his perspective, which led me as Ludwig to blurt out this line:

"I will not come to a bargaining table with a knife and fork."

Banter and little moments are always some of my favorites at events, like chatting with Prometheus while we waited on line or my chat with Lady Kleidin by the dessert table.

Kestrel needing advice, going off course and then remedying it the only way Ludwig knew how. Hayley, thanks for being a good sport!

Talks with Magistrate Bob about... interesting subjects (no pun intended. Honestly).

Learning how to play chess from Tessa and Ludwig's analogy to help him better understand.

Bill H.'s reactions when Ludwig tried to ferret out the truth.

Zelretch's head-desk that wasn't my fault for once, and the discussion there at the table.

Philosophical discussions with Haroldson.

Learning the hard way that small talk is not one of Ludwig's specialties. Nor is asking someone to dance. Or the act of dancing itself.

Being a judge in the storytelling and singing competitions, was fun! As for the singers, wow. Matt C., I'd say you definitely improved over last year and it was good to see you up there again. Sasha, I did so many double-takes over to Greg when you started singing. You were great. As for the nerve-wracking feeling from singing in front of the whole town, I've been there. You hid it amazingly well and I'll have to find out your secret!

Ludwig giving Valanye words of encouragement while she anxiously awaited the singing competition, except in clunky bits of logic and reason.

Playing a man of massive intellect was interesting, especially one relatively new to town who could be curious about everything. That led to some fun roleplay--a short scene with Oren comes to mind--throughout the night.

Trisana. Jen, I never have a bad time RPing with you as any character I play. Thanks.


Getting to hang out with people out of game after the Ball wound up, was fun as well. The last three, I drove home afterward, but I think splitting a room will be my new tradition.

Seeing everyone so nicely kitted out at the ball is always a pleasure. And for the second time, actually having something new to wear as Grim. I like the wolf holding a torch heraldry for him, and hope that it will be a thing for him going forward.

The unexpected presence of Lilith in the line at the ball, and grim politely offering to escort her, which sort of snowballed into various things. This arc has done unexpected things to Grim, and made him make conclusions about souls and other things he might not have before.

Gunnar with excellent Rp about souls and spirits, and apparently solving a heargen family feud with intense roleplay.

A very personal conversation with Maralas

Drinking with the Baron.

Intense roleplay with Annora

Caldor asking Grim if he wanted to be Lady of Ostcliff.

Giving Red Kestrel a hard time, and getting my comeuppance as she retaliated in kind later.

Getting in a shouting match with cousin, then watching him get married.

Giving a gift to a homonculi.

Swearing an oath, and making a decision which may have repercussions for the future of a plot.

Roleplaying intensely with Dirge and Midori.

Bouncing a bit off Prometheus and Ludwig.

Dancing poorly and deciding with Lilith that yes, dancing sucked.

Enjoying the mental duel between Jackdaw and Eden.

Finding out the various reactions of people to finding out there is -another- heargen clan member in town.

Playing off Dara, but mostly enjoying that we accepted at one of our own without being intensely different in our behavior. We're normal, we're family, we're having fun and meeting new people.

A conversation with Rudolf about the Homonculi.

Grim enjoying being off duty.

Rook making fun of Grim for losing track of Lilith.

All the delicious food of course.

Oh, and lest we forget. Fenri Kantaris with the best introduction ever at Winterdark. I think -everyone- laughed.

Did I mention what a great MC Sindarion was?

I dont normally do highlights, but the Ball inspired me in so many ways...

The costuming that you all worked on so hard for months, wow. The attention to detail and creativity just blows me away at KR and this Ball is always where it shows the most.

Roleplay in an environment which is all roleplay is neat, and a change of pace.

"What Ball?" I wound up spending it on advancing, refining and blowing my own mind, on developing plot. Everyone is dancing, eating and having a good time, Aldric was running from person to person all night.

On developing plot, I am gratified that players can be heard and accommodated when they explore their own direction for plot. As a GM I have often had to channel PCs when they start to go off book, but it didnt feel that way here. I do appreciate that staff gave options and raised new directions from where to go with my crazy ideas, instead of funneling me down a specific path.

Overall it was a wonderful night, and I look forward to the next one!

The ball weekend was a mix of highs and lows for me- between finding out right before ball one of my best friends has cancer, and then dealing with a really bad series of panic attacks after the ball, I came off this weekend feeling pretty blah. However, the ball itself was amazing- (the setting was beautiful and everyone looked phenominal) and the rp was on point. Well done everyone.

Some of my highlights:

Belegchand. Just... Belegchand. Seriously, you have shaped rook as a character a lot in the last few events, especially in the last month, and getting that letter from you re a past conversation has left a lot of questions and thoughts in rook's head. Also being the person to find rook post panic attack and comfort her.

Jackdaw finding out after 5 months that rook is a squire. That proceeding fallout

Pretty outfit! Rook may have hated every moment but I'm so thrilled with how my outfit came out. I designed the concept back in may and I've worked on it for a month and it came out as well as I could have hoped. Thank you to everyone who oog and ig commented on it. I was super nervous about doing an outfit like that for rook and trying to hold on to the core of the character but it worked out.

People finally realizing after 5 months that rook and annora are a couple. The super awkward "it's fine, we've had couples like you before in travance" comments. The awesome ones from people who ship dragonbirb

Fenri- best way to get announced at the ball. Rook proceeding to announce to the waiting crowd "introducing Fenri, escorted by his humongous ego". Also, stealing the hat and mask st different times and getting chased around. Probably one of my top highlights of the event. So much fun.

Lurking up on the catwalk with Oren watching the dancing.

Sitting off to the side watching the dance floor and suddenly having the Baron notice me alone and grabbing me to dance. Probably a the best first dance ever? Thank you for putting up with my fake bad dancing, it was weird having to pretend I wasn't a dancer for half my life that was the other highlight of my event, and was so much fun.

General shenanigans with caelven, Elric, and a bunch of other people

The count's special banana pillow.



Thank you all for a phenomenal event and I look forward to seeing you in December.

Dragonbirb

The Count's special banana pillow.

I will put more in here later, but:

-Food!
-Sindarion's introductions even though one of them nearly got me killed!
-Weddings!
-Games with Homunculi and others (I FOUND THE MISSING TILE!)
-Plans and schemes!