Nat'l Event Highlights
Highlights:
The trip up. OMG the Merritt Parkway was BEAUTIFUL.
The feast. Special occasions need to happen more often!
Being Duby Jr. Sir Milo is kinda like my hero in terms of what we do during combat, and doing what he does (and none too poorly, I'll say :P) was very gratifying.
Playing a new card. Specifically, the sliding tackle to get to Tovolia's body, the Life -> Cure Mort -> Shield Magic -> "Stay down, stay down!" made me all kinds of pleased.
Cool things that happened on the line Saturday night - from my first time opening Healing Pool I would tap people for each hit of the pool I gave them, and I saw a couple of others start doing that too. Also, when I left the right side of the line to help Team Nicolai I looked around and saw someone standing near where I was. I asked if they were a healer and then if they were watching after the two I just helped, and as I ran off I heard someone (Baelor?) say "He checked? That's awesome!"
All the humanoids with metabolisms and without body weaponry. Sure, most NPCs I tried it on played Disarms a la Madrigal, but my spells pretty much all functioned as I could hope.
Me not having to make a choice about casting necro on Oraban. Hoo boy did I have a lot of it, but I'm so glad I didn't have to do that to my character. He would've done what he felt he had to to win, but would've hated himself for casting it.
Learning more about the courts and teams of the North.
Meeting people both in-game and out. This was the first time I've met either Aelfric, Rob, Tom, or Clint, for example.
Speaking with the NPCs as their various personae - characters were both interesting and well-played. And now I know what one of the founders of Jhivantane looks like...
Knowing the deal about the scarab golem. Fat lot of good it did, though...
Dealing with the staff/NPCs - they were a together, fun, accommodating, and professional group of people.
That my mask didn't work out. I'd have felt kind of like a poser if it had. I mean, notice how many people said that *all* of the members of the Order had them on.
Lowlights:
THAT MY FUCKING MASK DIDN'T WORK OUT! I hire a guy to make the mask, I don't find out until the night before I leave that it wasn't going to happen, and I couldn't handle the fumes of my Plan B. Plan C was right out. It was going to be a heavy, cloth-backed mask and crown and would've kept my face warm (or at least shielded from the wind) and my hood up. I guess I have to do everything important entirely on my own for it to even have a chance of working out. Le sigh.
The outsider-looking-in thing I built a wall of text about. I'm not surprised and it was appropriate, but that doesn't make it any less not-what-I-wanted.
Not feeling immersed for a long time. Entirely my fault, but still lame.
My knee. So, I was really sick for a long while last month, and I was sure I wouldn't be able to go to the event, and thus I didn't prepare for it. I got not sick, but my body still needed to heal, and it was my left knee that was the problem. Thankfully, I was able to go, but I had to do a medical forge, wasn't really prepared, and had a stiff and aching knee for the trip back to NC. Yeah, yeah, woe is me, but I am unhappy with my knee.
The trip home. I'm totally a criminal and can't drive in Virginia. I had a speeding ticket a while back that got dismissed, but I still had to pay court costs. I mailed it in, but Caroline County messed up and my driving privileges in that state were revoked for "not" paying. I'd like to get it sorted out but apparently I need to do so in-person, and it's a HUGE PITA for me to get to central Virginia if I can't drive there. So, I had to rely on others to help me get through the state. What wound up happening is that I made the entire drive in one go, except for Virginia. I am incredibly grateful to my friends from Georgia, since without them none of this could have happened, and I don't want any of them to think that I wouldn't kiss their feet for their patience with me, but at the least I should've had Thomas or George wake up and do a little bit of driving, or maybe I should have slept at the rest stop immediately in NC.
Stuff to think about:
Lilaiethyn sat down and talked with me for a bit when people started getting up during the feast. It came up that I was the "Champion of the Iron Crown", and she asked "You are a champion, then?" and when I said yes she looked away and said there was something she had to do. That something was anointing Jayson Askani as Champion of Quentari. So, there are a few things here.
After the Gul plot-line ended at Valor I was at a loss for what to do. I wanted to get involved in the Oraban plot, but it was hundreds of miles away. I saw that Fengate had young adventurers in need of guidance, but also that they needed protection from "nobles" of Therendry doing very non-kosher things, so I went there to help out. I became a squire (and a Lord, but shhhh) to take care of the problems. Anyway, things worked themselves out and the Oraban plot shifted into the endgame, so I said to the Duke (not in these words :P ) "The battle is coming, and I *will* be there. The problems I've been going through this squireship to address have been solved, but I want to attend this battle as your knight. Fengate is little-known, and what reputation it has is poor - I am liked and respected, and people have asked why I'm not a noble despite the offers I've gotten. If I'm there as a knight of these lands it will bring honor and glory to Fengate." So, I went to Tarsa as a champion of Fengate, if not a "Champion".
The Dwaves were called to war. The VAST majority of the Ironcrown kingdom died, and as the Knight of the Duke who was also their Thane, I was the only person associated with them who could answer such a call. So, I was there as that Kingdom's champion, if not their "Champion".
Jayson Askani makes a whole lot of sense as Quentari's Champion. I think he and I are both trying to live up to what we think a Quentari should be, but he's got a WAY better rep than I do, especially in the North. :P Him being named Champion wasn't a surprise to anyone (well, maybe to him) and it was entirely cool and appropriate. If I had been named Champion it would've been a surprise, even to some people that knew me.
So, with all that in mind, I think I still doubt that Lilaiethyn was considering me for Champion of Quentari, but it makes me think. I wasn't a champion in the way that others were, and if there were a conflict between being a Champion and being a champion I would stick with the oaths I've already made, but man. What if.
If nothing else, at least it helps me in figuring out what to do with my character now!
There's a lot to think of in the aftermath, but I think my character's direction in life will take its own post.
The trip up. OMG the Merritt Parkway was BEAUTIFUL.
The feast. Special occasions need to happen more often!
Being Duby Jr. Sir Milo is kinda like my hero in terms of what we do during combat, and doing what he does (and none too poorly, I'll say :P) was very gratifying.
Playing a new card. Specifically, the sliding tackle to get to Tovolia's body, the Life -> Cure Mort -> Shield Magic -> "Stay down, stay down!" made me all kinds of pleased.
Cool things that happened on the line Saturday night - from my first time opening Healing Pool I would tap people for each hit of the pool I gave them, and I saw a couple of others start doing that too. Also, when I left the right side of the line to help Team Nicolai I looked around and saw someone standing near where I was. I asked if they were a healer and then if they were watching after the two I just helped, and as I ran off I heard someone (Baelor?) say "He checked? That's awesome!"
All the humanoids with metabolisms and without body weaponry. Sure, most NPCs I tried it on played Disarms a la Madrigal, but my spells pretty much all functioned as I could hope.
Me not having to make a choice about casting necro on Oraban. Hoo boy did I have a lot of it, but I'm so glad I didn't have to do that to my character. He would've done what he felt he had to to win, but would've hated himself for casting it.
Learning more about the courts and teams of the North.
Meeting people both in-game and out. This was the first time I've met either Aelfric, Rob, Tom, or Clint, for example.
Speaking with the NPCs as their various personae - characters were both interesting and well-played. And now I know what one of the founders of Jhivantane looks like...
Knowing the deal about the scarab golem. Fat lot of good it did, though...
Dealing with the staff/NPCs - they were a together, fun, accommodating, and professional group of people.
That my mask didn't work out. I'd have felt kind of like a poser if it had. I mean, notice how many people said that *all* of the members of the Order had them on.
Lowlights:
THAT MY FUCKING MASK DIDN'T WORK OUT! I hire a guy to make the mask, I don't find out until the night before I leave that it wasn't going to happen, and I couldn't handle the fumes of my Plan B. Plan C was right out. It was going to be a heavy, cloth-backed mask and crown and would've kept my face warm (or at least shielded from the wind) and my hood up. I guess I have to do everything important entirely on my own for it to even have a chance of working out. Le sigh.
The outsider-looking-in thing I built a wall of text about. I'm not surprised and it was appropriate, but that doesn't make it any less not-what-I-wanted.
Not feeling immersed for a long time. Entirely my fault, but still lame.
My knee. So, I was really sick for a long while last month, and I was sure I wouldn't be able to go to the event, and thus I didn't prepare for it. I got not sick, but my body still needed to heal, and it was my left knee that was the problem. Thankfully, I was able to go, but I had to do a medical forge, wasn't really prepared, and had a stiff and aching knee for the trip back to NC. Yeah, yeah, woe is me, but I am unhappy with my knee.
The trip home. I'm totally a criminal and can't drive in Virginia. I had a speeding ticket a while back that got dismissed, but I still had to pay court costs. I mailed it in, but Caroline County messed up and my driving privileges in that state were revoked for "not" paying. I'd like to get it sorted out but apparently I need to do so in-person, and it's a HUGE PITA for me to get to central Virginia if I can't drive there. So, I had to rely on others to help me get through the state. What wound up happening is that I made the entire drive in one go, except for Virginia. I am incredibly grateful to my friends from Georgia, since without them none of this could have happened, and I don't want any of them to think that I wouldn't kiss their feet for their patience with me, but at the least I should've had Thomas or George wake up and do a little bit of driving, or maybe I should have slept at the rest stop immediately in NC.
Stuff to think about:
Lilaiethyn sat down and talked with me for a bit when people started getting up during the feast. It came up that I was the "Champion of the Iron Crown", and she asked "You are a champion, then?" and when I said yes she looked away and said there was something she had to do. That something was anointing Jayson Askani as Champion of Quentari. So, there are a few things here.
After the Gul plot-line ended at Valor I was at a loss for what to do. I wanted to get involved in the Oraban plot, but it was hundreds of miles away. I saw that Fengate had young adventurers in need of guidance, but also that they needed protection from "nobles" of Therendry doing very non-kosher things, so I went there to help out. I became a squire (and a Lord, but shhhh) to take care of the problems. Anyway, things worked themselves out and the Oraban plot shifted into the endgame, so I said to the Duke (not in these words :P ) "The battle is coming, and I *will* be there. The problems I've been going through this squireship to address have been solved, but I want to attend this battle as your knight. Fengate is little-known, and what reputation it has is poor - I am liked and respected, and people have asked why I'm not a noble despite the offers I've gotten. If I'm there as a knight of these lands it will bring honor and glory to Fengate." So, I went to Tarsa as a champion of Fengate, if not a "Champion".
The Dwaves were called to war. The VAST majority of the Ironcrown kingdom died, and as the Knight of the Duke who was also their Thane, I was the only person associated with them who could answer such a call. So, I was there as that Kingdom's champion, if not their "Champion".
Jayson Askani makes a whole lot of sense as Quentari's Champion. I think he and I are both trying to live up to what we think a Quentari should be, but he's got a WAY better rep than I do, especially in the North. :P Him being named Champion wasn't a surprise to anyone (well, maybe to him) and it was entirely cool and appropriate. If I had been named Champion it would've been a surprise, even to some people that knew me.
So, with all that in mind, I think I still doubt that Lilaiethyn was considering me for Champion of Quentari, but it makes me think. I wasn't a champion in the way that others were, and if there were a conflict between being a Champion and being a champion I would stick with the oaths I've already made, but man. What if.
If nothing else, at least it helps me in figuring out what to do with my character now!
There's a lot to think of in the aftermath, but I think my character's direction in life will take its own post.