Favorites from this incredible opener

Deadlands of Old

Deadlands of Old

Exemplar
So I was there for just a few hours and it was one of the most intense events of which I've ever been a part.

So people better start writing their favorites...

Mine, and I have a real hard time calling this a favorite, was everything that happened regarding Sevaria. She was my favorite character and losing her will change our world.

Every moment was painfully bitter and even more painfully sweet, but one stood out among all the others.

I had laid two coins across her eyes and covered her body with Ona's tabard. I said my last words to her and I could see two identical dark spots where the coins were placed. I realized they were tears, and I thought "in this world, this would be a miracle."

So a miracle it was.
 
This was an amazing event, and also one that was really hard to write favorites for considering all that happened. I loved it, but I'm absolutely still processing and may be for quite a while, so sorry if I missed anything. I've never been part of an event where I felt everyone was so happy and then things shifted so dramatically. One thing's for sure, this was an opener to remember!

~I loved everything about the Spring Festival. It was relaxed, everyone seemed happy, people let their hair down (or did it up fancy), I hope we do it every year! We were all laughing, relaxed, and full of friendly rivalry! It didn't feel like the cut-throat competition of a traditional tournament, it just felt like fun!

~Lord Vryans speech in announcing we should remember Wynn during this festival, and then his taking Rajah as his squire.

~Rocksy's hair and makeup studio aided by her sister Dixie. Seeing everyone get dolled up with nice clothes, circlets, or having their beards and hair did up nice! SO much fun. In the same vein, everyone bringing snacks to share or sell, and generally being merry. Getting done up with Koi and soaking in the environment with her, including gossiping about all the love going around ;) Love my girl time!

~Fitzy embarrassing me by fussing over my new look. I may have blushed a bunch.

~So many new players to the Deadlands! I loved the size of this event, and meeting so many new faces (or the return of old ones, welcome back Seth!).

~Kiniyo and his evolution of Vox Thauphideon. Even if it DID end with him almost snapping Vry's neck an hour after it happened because he deemed we'd been keeping secrets.

~Meeting the "circle" and her teaching the town new tricks.

~Figuring out after the glowing ball made Sevaria drunk for the SECOND time in ten seconds that I KNEW why that magic felt familiar! Planning with Sevaria and Phedre on the best way to bring Osiris back.

~Getting to know Phedre better. Being confided to and when we were both mourning after Sevaria's death just letting her go and resolving silently to help her with a few things.

~Angrag. He's really calming when he wants' to be. He's also willing to get things done when they need to be done, or able to make you laugh when you'd rather cry. Pretty much he was the pillar of strength I needed this event even if he didn't know it. I was very happy to be part of reclaiming his keep. Go warlord Angrag!

~Seeing relationships blossoming during the Spring Festival. I had convinced Aisling to save a ritual quality rose and give it to Roman, as a way to tease him about Wooing women. When she started stumbling on her words giving it to him I told him flat out I wanted him to take that rose and present it to someone. He turned right around and presented it back to Aisling. Success! Aisling may have given me some dagger eyes and accused me of "setting some stuff up" Psshhhh :) Of course, later that night during the May pole dance Roman and I ended up facing each other which meant we were destined to fall in love. Pretty sure I muttered "Nooooo, Aisling will shank me!".

~ Surion and Nerium was a surprise but also a secret delight.

~ As a subset of romance, I was asked to marry Heresy and Sevaria in front of the GOTEC cabin Sunday morning. Pretty sure Keely has never before been so honored to do something, and that includes being a Purial bearer or destroying a void shard. It was a small family wedding between two people who were truly in love, and it was perfect and brutally sad at the same time. Heresy made the choice to become Heresy of the Goshawk to see her name live on.

~ Seeing Aislings tears as the marriage was announced to the town by Vry I leaned in and reminded her not to let opportunities to be with those you love pass you by. Honestly, just really becoming more connected to Aisling this event, up to and including sobbing in each other's arms over the body of Sevaria.

~Sevaria and the end of her story. It's hard to call that a favorite, and to be honest I'm still very raw from the experience to talk too much about it. But Tabin and I got to hold her close when we first found out, and the final battle against Necalli was worthy of her. I'll miss Sevaria more than words will ever accurately say.

See you all in June!

~Stacey
 
With a day's time to process, other favorites:

A conversation with Tabin about joy and why we live, or rather, what we choose to live for.

An extremely long overdue conversation between Heresy and Vry about some very personal things. Something inside both of them made it too difficult to bring up, until losing Sevaria. Then that loss made everything before it seem so small and easy to face.

Despite us both knowing everything that was happening with Sevaria, she still managed to make a crack about the state of the May pole, and we both laughed over it totally looking like something only the Hollow, or a group of small, drunken children, would make. It looked like it might have been going well...and then clearly something went terribly terribly wrong.

The rest is still too much..but thank you all for being so present and so...real? If that makes any sense.
 
Sevaria spent a lot of time in at this event discussing joy, even before knowing she was going to die. The joy that Wynn had and was absent now and the need to reclaim it. The necessity of joy, not in balancing misery but to hold close and use to keep ourselves alive and connected and real. The joy of knowing victory through battle and the joy of recognizing what love can bring and change. It's still very hard for me to process this event and reading all these things and the in-game posts has been difficult as much as its helpful.

I'd like to think that Sevaria's story has come full circle. She came into this game eight years ago already broken. She found her purpose, but she didn't find life until she began to find her joy through her friends and family. There was a lot of that in this event. A lot of small things and a lot of larger ones.

There's more I'd like to write about and so many beautiful and tragic moments that I need to make myself remember, but I haven't even begun to process. I just want to thank all of you for helping shape her story and mine to what it is today. Both she and I would be vastly different people without all of you playing a part.


Kelsey
 
This event, or the few hours I was present for, was a lot of "OH GOD, I'VE BEEN GONE FOR A YEAR, WHAT'S HAPPENING???"

There is some stuff happening. Learning about it was a favorite, and is helping me get reinvested in this crazy world we've all created - which is something I've lacked for the past few seasons.

Surprise!LARPing was also a favorite. That wasn't how we were expecting to spend our Sunday, but I'm glad we came down.

Thank you, Kelsey, for creating a character that was the cement for, and driving force behind, so many characters and story arcs. Thank you, plot, for giving Sev such an amazing send-off, and letting us all take part in it. Thank you for reminding me why I play this stupid (and I mean that with all the love possible) game.
 
This event was supposed to be Phedre's figuring out how to interact with people after spending a lot of time by herself for the last year... I expected some intense emotional upheavals as a result, but I never saw this chain of events coming.

-Osiris. Phedre wants him back *so* badly, and I gave up all pretense of dignity and scrambled across the ground to grab that bouncy ball multiple times. In multiple skirts, and a now-torn corset.

-Bean bag time with Fitzy. And seeing how they've been practicing their hugs! Also potential stone elf/stone elemental courting? And drinking together again. Always that.

-Conversations with Tabin, on a multitude of topics.

-Not traumatizing Vry when casting rituals on him! I resisted the urge for a bucket of fake blood and went for writing on him instead.

-Conversations, including a rather drunken one, with Keely. The downside to almost no mortal interaction in a year is a distinct loss of tolerance for alcohol and some things were said.

-Being SO good about holding herself together in front of Aisling and then suddenly not being able to anymore. If there's anything Phedre learned in the last few years, it's how to wait to lose her mind and it happened a few hours before she planned on it.

-All the RP and group discussions that happened about conchordium. It's a mystery and a puzzle and IG and OOG I want answers!

-Stacey is not to be underestimated, and she can absolutely walk the walk after she talks the talk.

-Possuming and self-Prisoning, only to get picked up by Necali and nearly fed on. And then a two-person epic Magic Storm! I love those.

Kelsey, you're an amazing storyteller, and amazing role player, and all around human being. It is an honor to have been able to share in Sevaria's story with you, for the little while I got to. You've inspired the way I larp from the first year that I NPCed Caldaria, and continue to amaze and surprise me every time I play with you.
 
Oh, man. So much happened, and it was all so incredible and terrible at the same time. I'll start with the best/worst part.

Sevaria's death scene was so cool. So, so cool. She beat the hell out of Necalli, and there were all these animals, and they layed her down all thematic-like, and then I swore I'd avenge her, and then we carried her away like in real life for reals, and then I met a new guy who I guess is my Ria now, and everyone cried a lot, including me. It was crazy.

The Spring Festival was also a lot of fun. I loved playing the games, and I loved the flower crowns, and I liked having to play a "Dark Elf making merry", which isn't really what Dark Elves are built to do. Everyone contributed their little bit to making that festival incredible, and incredible it was.

I liked the archery contest, and I liked playing Bocce (which I had never played before), and I liked the joke contest, even though I got obliterated. I liked watching people beat the hell out of a pinata, and fortunately only the pinata.

I loved roleplaying with the children that got rescued from Teshvar. I was largely uncertain about whether or not you were vampires, or just victims. It was real tense for me. I almost kept Nerium from crying over it, until Erica pointed to her in the tavern and spilled all the beans. Real nice.

Also, ha, ha, my wife got squired. Sucker.

This event was amazing.
 
Being the jingliest of Orcs and smack talking the town.

Orc lady: "They don't even know who I am!"
Angrag: "I know who you are...you a dead lady."
Orc lady: "Oh, you're very observant, young pup, I am a dead lady!"

Discussing the oddity that was the peaceful day of the hootenanny with Tabin and how it almost didn't feel right that it was just so simple and happy and how jaded we've all become where that was our reaction to a happy day.

Watching Keeley enjoying so much of the day during the hootenanny and seeing her revel in the joy of everything and admiring her ability to just be happy for a day.

Aisling being completely caught off guard by Keeley setting her up with giving the rose to Roman and having no idea how to react. "...this wasn't the plan, Keeley."

Becoming very protective of Roman after losing track of him Saturday night after talking to Sevaria about what happened with her because it was all she could think of to focus on so she wouldn't just break down again.

Bonding and real talks with Tabin, Keeley, and Phedre while working through everything that happened this weekend.

Processing so many complicated emotions throughout the weekend and being completely surprised by how Aisling worked (or didn't work) through it all. Also very surprised at how it all tipped and she cracked and broke down dealing with it and realizing for the first time she just wants simple.

Crying it out, first with Phedre Saturday when she realized I wasn't holding it together and then with Keeley on Sunday. So many real feels.

Not a happy time, but chatting with Sevaria after she came back and then watching her final fight on Sunday.

Making choices and feeling so very lost.

Aisling hates rifting, especially with twitchy, chaos touched, crazy people, and a rifting rookie. Every time they went somewhere, she'd just grab onto whoever was closest and cringe.

Very casually threatening the new Thelucian in town.

Processing everything is taking such a long time, Sev's perm still doesn't feel real and it's going to shape a lot of where Aisling is taken from here on out. Her team has become such an important family to her and I didn't even realize it until this weekend.

Looking forward to seeing where things go from here.
 
It's tough for me to gather my thoughts after such an awesome event!

-Hootenanny was awesome! It was great for me to say "I'm going on vacation in a new land" and actually do so... for a little while! Also I've never bobbed for apples before so that was fun.
-Derp maypole.
-Spending time with Amaranthus and a whole slew of new people. Stephano finds you all entertaining and awesome and full of knowledge that he has to learn
-Hearing about, seeing, getting crushed by Necalli.
-Trimore. "Why when Brittington goes on vacation must we always be called to duty?"
-Being a distraction bird.
-Getting left behind after the vamp fight. "Lies are part of my toolkit"
-Watching and following Angrag and learning from him in several big ways
-Getting to play with people I haven't seen in a while is always a blast!
-Bird friends!
-Watching the ending of Sevaria's story. I have the whole thing committed to memory so that I can always share what happened in detail. I moved around to get a better view of it all too.
-Everything. Really everything from the moment I stepped IG, was totally amazing and were it not for the drive I would frequent Deadlands much more! I'll be planning the next trip soon!
 
Sooo nice to be back playing. First off, thank you NPCs!!!!!!
Oh my God! Winners for the weekend were def Brian D and I'm sooo sorry, but I don't remember your name (Alexander and Emily). Who would have thought that a writeup of Sun making a smear campaign to find kidnapped ogre babies could have ever ended the way it did. Such great RP.
Speaking of Brian, yeah... I'm just going to assume whenever you come out now it means Sun gets to deal with someone who is going to perm or become a vegetable.
Hearing about things I knew OOG, but not IG and reactions (what, who married who? He's a count????)
Amaranthus being happy and reverting back to farmer Amar. Sorry to kill the buzz.
Keely eviscerating that apple and almost engulfing that pie. Don't mess with the guild mistress.
It's official, stone elves win at jokes. Oh my god, destroyed everyone.
Champagne party
That vampire battle
The maypole. Poor poor Deborah had to deal with all of us not knowing what to do. It was a little bit special, but that's the Hollow for you.
"Wait, so there are two of them?" - the reaction when people learned that Will and Chris were actually different people playing different characters
"Where's your parasol?" "Outside, why?" "I'm going to ritually assault it."
I would also like to give props to plot. This was the first event that was kind of tourney related that I've ever enjoyed. Great idea guys and great execution.
I'm sure there's more, but time to get back to work.

Jen
 
Every time I PC this chapter, I am reminded of why I play Alliance. This weekend was especially meaningful to me.

  • The hootenanny was wonderful and I would be surprised if we don't do something similar in the future. Screw a tournament, let's eat pie and play bocce.
  • Shoulder-to-shoulder time with Ona and Anion, as well as the consistent front-line duty all weekend, and some truly delightful hammer-and-anvil stuff from Aisling and various other rogue-types. I love being an anvil.
  • The new players! I was surprised and pleased to see how well they fit in and picked up the basics of the game and of the roleplay. Roving Bro Pack is go.
  • Osiris Ball. I wondered how long I was going to remain euphoric before someone figured it out. Having the drugs literally yanked out of Angrag's system was something of an eye opener for him.
  • Tablecloth of power. Angrag will have pantherghast picnics with Phedre every day.
  • Kar.
    sickfires.jpg

  • Actually, the entire Brittington population. It's always nice to murder things with both sets of my murderfriends.
  • The squiring. Well speeched. Well played. Looking forward to seeing what comes of it.
  • Necalli is an absolute triumph of hateability and is a testament to Dan's skill at storytelling and LARPing. We all owe Dan a great deal for facilitating so many fantastic moments at the expense of his back and shoulders and arms.
  • Angrag has always been awesome and fun, but this was the first time I ever felt like he really was a Warlord, taking Charge and Getting It Done. Thank you all - especially Stacey, Albert, Sean, and Kelsey - for helping my dumb gangsta orc grow in such a satisfactory way.

oh yeah and I finally got my castle

and NOTHING BAD HAPPENED.

(Kelsey is the finest roleplayer I have ever experienced and being a part of Sevaria's story and having Angrag's most significant achievement entwined with her tale in such a way is the best possible gift she could have given me. PS I LOVE YOU PPS THE CATS MISS YOU.)
 
Wow. We set out to have a dramatic event, but this seems like it could be the dictionary definition of "emotional roller coaster". Sublime joy and utter despair in equal turns. I'm still processing it all and I helped write the damn thing. Thank you to our tireless NPCs who made the game run, and special thanks to Kelsey for handling everything with such incredible grace.


~ I am so, SO thrilled that everyone enjoyed the spring festival so much. It never seemed like people were bored or itching for combat as so often happens at tournaments; they were truly relaxing, enjoying the day, playing bocce and eating pie. I can all but guarantee this sort of thing will happen again in the future.

~ Fitzy/Phedre real talk, and real drink.

~ Farmer Amaranthus teaching people how to properly throw one's straw hat at the start of a celebration.

~ Seneschal Vaune challenging Lord Vryan to a friendly nobles' beanbag duel, with Tabin and Raaja as our respective seconds, and getting thoroughly trounced.

~ Ona hopped up on cherry pie.

~ Meg giggling for weeks leading up to the event, then finally getting to roll out Chieftain Kurat Sa of the Blackhammer Clan. Explaining to the entirety of NPC Camp that we were ALL her hype men, so go nuts.

~ Having representatives from other plot teams in NPC Camp and thus sending out sweet sweet cross-chapter plot.

~ Kar WRECKING FACE in the pun duel! Fitzy now has a giant pebbly crush on that Stone Elf.

~ Raaja's squiring, entwined with some memories of Sir Wynn. Nicely done, Albert. Condolences, Tif!

~ Training exactly one thousand new players, and seeing them integrate so well into the event. Come back soon!

~ Brian Davis, "The Intern", being an absolute boss and having the energy to go out and run things when the rest of the plot team was ready to pass out. You are the best and I'm so happy we stole you for our team.

~ Keely eviscerating an apple and engulfing a pie. Damn, girl. You don't mess around.

~ Hearing Bill's Teshvan Vampire introduce himself and realising he was playing the same Teshvan from the last time he NPCed for us. Good memory, dude!

~ The little kid/Teshvan rescue encounter, tying Stephano into it, and watching it unfold. I think "Make Nerium cry" has been added to my monthly event checklist, despite Surion's best efforts (thank you for being such a good sport, Ren!).

~ Ashley rifts in. "Hello."
Sevaria: "Hi, who are you?"
Ashley: "I am Thauphideon."
Sevaria: "WHAAAAAAAAAT."

~ Destiny coming into her own as an NPC who can handle increasingly complex and plot-heavy roles. Well done!

~ Bill getting really excited about playing a Dire Raccoon and promising to wash his little people-hands. Although Sevaria's final moments were ridiculously intense, if you managed to tear your eyes away for a moment and peek at Bill...

~ Getting to play a Dire Goshawk and protect the leader of the Goshawk Tribe.


Where do things go from here? I am truly curious to find out. Again, thank you everyone, and I hope to see you next month.
 
That was a really enjoyable event and emotional rollercoaster. So a lot of these are not so much "favorites" as "things that were powerful and caused feelings" and I am a fan of feelings.

The final act of a champion of the Earth itself. Ria Sevaria's sacrifice to deal a blow to Necalli was powerful and boss as heck, and animals joining her was a nice touch.

Reminders to be joyful, both actually said aloud and presented. The festival was really nice. The events and games were a lot of fun to play and watch. The dedication to Sir Wynn, Heresy and Sevaria's marriage, and more.

Trimore. It was cool twice over, both because inexplicably murderous people are an invitation to compelling roleplay, and since I have a 9T PC I enjoy also seeing it with through my Deadlands PC's view. I look forward to asking people what the heck is actually going on with the circle.

Teshvar. Such scary combat and so many feelings. For a little while I was pretty sure I was going to have to go NPC/nap for a while, and that would have been OK, because emotions are fun. Extra thanks to Noelle and Ericka as NPC children for delivering a knife twist right in the heart, and Surion for trying to fix it.

Angrag, that Orc gives some fine advice and speeches.

Raajah got squired and Vryan gave a good speech about it.

OK, I think I've processed this event, so thanks everyone, see you in a few weeks!

(Also, Samara, ahaha I typed this in an offline app and reading your post now only slightly makes me regret feeding the plot team. Just kidding, I enjoy testing how waterproof my makeup and sunscreen are.)
 
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