Everquest 2 Gush

I have placed a gush post about Everquest 2 on this blog of a gamer bud of mine, where I do guest appearances.

See also my previous guest post on the Order of the Stick.

Baubbleshire Knows How To Party

Sing along to this YouTube clip here:

Now lemme introduce you to da gnome wiz town

Where Glimmsterviryan is down with da Bayle Crown

Loyal to Her Majesty, da fine Antonia Bayle

I got enough spell masters to turn Vyem pale

The Glimmsterviryan is always in da hey-ouse

Sharply dressed makes you look like a church mouse

I’m a platinum gnomeboy in Ascended Heroes

Qeynos For Da Win 

Freeportians you’re whacky zeroes

My man Miaule spins the labels for…

(chorus)

Baubbleshire/ knows how to party

In the citaaay/ of Qeynos

In the citaay/ of Queen Antonia

In the citaay, the home of Glimmster

We keep it nuking! We keep it nuking!

Nuke it nuke it baby 

Nuke it nuke it baby

Nuke it nuke it mama

Nuke for Baubble

Nuke it nuke it baby

Nuke it nuke it baby

Nuke it nuke it nuke it nuke it…

But even they call for the Glimmster saggin’

No matter if it’s Voidlings or Dragon

To defend the bastion of the free

Glimm calls the killing spree

Fireball Glimmster has a manifest destiny

For truth, justice, bringin’ hunnies to ex-st-issy

Qeynos is named after da big ass claymore

Guarded by soldiers that’s hard core

Freeportians can nibble on my Concordium Tower

Peace to da scouts of Elddar Grove bower

Lemme show  you fools how we get down on da Good Side

Shout out to the homies looting gear with pride

Baubbleshiiiire/ homegirl Tumma da Mystic Mental

Pereline halfling honey make me all sentimental

Starcrest Commune/ shout to the Fraluc

Slams home like a mac truck

Graystone Yaaard/ shout to Jothun, the original gangsta

And dorfie Grob, da new jack prankster

Castleview Hamlet/ eggnog to da Padi 

Uwen, looking at you da High Elf Mac Daddy

Willow Wood/ always up to no good 

Nettleville’s Ehla-jahn like only a pally could

(go Moonleaf, go Llenwyn)

Homeboy Miaule hits Evil on da chin

(chorus)

Nuke it nuke it baby 

Nuke it nuke it baby

Nuke it nuke it mama

Nuke for Baubble

Nuke it nuke it baby

Nuke it nuke it baby

Nuke it nuke it nuke it, Good Side For Da Win Yeah

- "California Love" is (c) 2Ppac and Dr. Dre, Death Row Label 1995. Posthumous Grammy Award Winner 1997
- Baubbleshire, Qeynos and all other Everquest 2 references are (c) Sony Online Entertainment 2004-2010
- Ascended Heroes is (c) Feydakeen Fenix 2002, 2004-2010
- All guild member names are used in spoof. All IP rights belong to the respective players.

If Facebook Existed Years Ago

If Facebook Existed Years Ago

With thanks to "Vinnie V's Marketing, Social Media and Biz Dev News."

Battle Blog: A Ranger's Musing (Backblog from July 2006)

Just an unfinished snippet of prose I wrote as draft after finishing a biggish in-game fight against that most dangerous of opponents in Dungeons & Dragons: a party of enemy NPCs. This "after-action musing" took place back in real-world time 2006, when I had just switched from my half-elf bard Kendryn to my current character in the Savage North, the full elf ranger Fianthalan. Technically, he's named Fianthalan III, because his ancestor was an old elven hero character of mine. But that's for another blog.
Back in 2006, I couldn't find the inner quietude (ho hum, blather) to follow up on my idea of writing semi-regular blogs about in-game events of our Forgotten Realms group. I may yet do so.


Disclaimer 1: I don't own the rights to the materials mentioned here except for the character Fianthalan. No linking or duplicating allowed without prior permission. Intellectual Property notices at the bottom of this blog post.
Disclaimer 2: In the Musing below, the after-effects of "rage" are mentioned. If this sounds rather Hulk-ish for a taciturn, controlled elf ranger: At the time we were giving D&D 3rd Edition a shot. I was laying the  roleplaying groundwork to take a level in barbarian. On second thought, we said, let's not go 3rd Edition. It is a silly place.


So: On with the brooding gold elf ranger.


-------------------------------------------------------------------

A Ranger's Musing

Fianthalan walked the grounds of Charwood Ruins again. In a mere hour, the company would be ready to set off west in search of the druids. But now there was a brief time to shake off the last trembling of his rage and absorb the lessons of the battle.

From the scorched earth of the fight’s first fireball he circled, passing through the trees of the overgrown orchard. The branches were bare, but grew thick. Each step he retraced. Here he had run, darting from cover to cover, sacrificing precious seconds to get a shot at the dwarven sorcerer. Here a patch of snow was stained with the halfling’s blood, and the ground trampled where the small corpse had been hauled away for burial. Not for the first time the ranger was reminded of the saying, “it is a shame we must resort to violence.” Indeed it was a shame, a shame in the face of Angharradh, the Triune Goddess. It was life and growth we were supposed to seek, not killing and vengeance. You do not have the druid’s creed to fall back on, he heard his mentor’s voice again in his head. The slaying rage had left him sensitized to bursts of spontaneous recall. A near-reverie stole over him. Part of him knew that he was affected by the burn wounds he had sustained. The druids would have said all was part of the great cycle, even the death of this young halfling. The small body would decompose and feed the roots of trees, and so his death was no lamentable loss in itself. Yet the rangers’ way was not entirely the druids’ way, however hard Fianthalan’s companions might find it to find a difference between the philosophies. Had Quickfix been wholly evil, and seeking slaughter for its own end? Or had he been a mercenary, and not malicious beyond a mean streak?

Had the killing today been necessary? Yes, he answered himself, reluctantly. Unavoidable. Remember the task you were entrusted with, ranger.

Fianthalan faced the ruins, an easterly wind reminding of winter’s teeth, and reflected on the tactics used today. With hindsight, he saw the cunning maneuvers of both sides, and reviewed the flaws. Pacing out the tracks left in the dirt, he looked to where the she-dwarf, Shieldcleaver, had emerged from the shell of the cottage. He perceived with almost painful clarity the flat, low trajectory his arrows could have flown to pound at her plate armor, and perhaps piercing mail to the tough flesh beneath. Yes, those had been free shots, passed up in haste to get the enemy spellcasters in his sights. He stepped through the wrecked doorway into the cottage, carbonized splinters of axe handles and frozen-up blood spatters crunching beneath his boots. Here the fight had culminated, and both elves had been tardy at bringing the fight to the enemy. Glancing out the missing west wall, he also saw how the knight and the dwarven youth had had their own brief faltering. More precious seconds had passed in fortifying the group with spells, seconds that would have been better spent scattering north, south and above all, charging east. Typical, Fianthalan realized. The dwarves and humans had been resolved, yet become entangled in their drive for tactical perfection. Meanwhile the elves had been overly cautious. He resolved to improve on this.

Fianthalan turned his thoughts away from the past- so tempting to slip into reverie and integrate what lay behind more firmly in the elusive ‘now’- and towards the future. The immediate challenge was safely crossing the wilds and find the druids who might be persuaded to bring the two fallen back to life. Beyond that, he knew their road would soon take them to the dwarven hold again.

---------------------------------------------------------------

All Forgotten Realms references are (c) Ed Greenwood/ Wizards of the Coast

"The Savage North" and its narrative elements are (c) Ed Zwanenvelt/ Stef Helsen

On Campaign: The Savage North (Entry #: Factoids)

The following is a bit of in-universe, Out-Of-Character factoids.

It is squarely aimed at my fellow gamers who enriched  the October 23, 2010 RPG session of "The Savage North" AD&D 2nd Edition campaign, set in the Forgotten Realms world.

Disclaimer 1: The On Campaign blog entries are intended for this particular roleplayer in-crowd. Expect impenetrable nerd chatter and part-English, part double-Dutch language.

Disclaimer 2: I don't own the rights to the materials mentioned here. No linking or duplicating allowed without prior permission. Intellectual Property notices at the bottom of this blog post.

"DID YOU KNOW..."

  

...That this year, 1374 Dalereckoning, is the Year of Lightning Storms? All of Faerûn is going to be beset by great lightning strikes. Believers of the draconic gods Bahamut and Tiamat seek out the points where lightning has struck, hoping to find dragon eggs there.

...That also in this year, the Grand Dukes of Baldur’s Gate charge their agent, Debron Sashenstar with the mission to once and for all break the power of the Iron Throne? (For the fans of Baldur’s Gate 1, this is a follow-up to the events of the Bhaalspawn, some 6 years ago from the perspective of the Savage North timeline. Het is een wereldje.)

…That the wizards who sent us on our quest are not entirely blowing smoke out of their…um, pipes? Because the year 1374 also sees the start of the “Risen Sun heresy.” The Brotherhood of the Glorious Sun, a branch of Lathander’s church, believe that their deity will soon transform into the ancient sun god Amaunator. Lathanderite high priests in Waterdeep, Cormyr and Sembia proclaim this heresy.

...That the Crusade to reclaim Cormanthor was started, in 1374, not by the elves, but by Sarya Dlardrageth, a half-demon, half gold elf sorceress? Sarya leads her daemonfey in surprise attacks against Evereska and the elves of the High Forest. This escalates into the Crusade of Evermeet. Seiveril Miritar, high priest of Corellon Larethian, seeks a way out of the deadlock between Queen Amlaruil and her Royalists (who formally renounce the Crusade) versus the Republicans led by -mostly gold elf- conservatives (who are in favor of Crusade). Seiveril vows to crush the daemonfey and to herald the Return of all elves to the continent. He resigns from Evermeet’s High Council to lead an army of volunteers through the elfgates to mainland Faerûn. As the fighting reaches the ruins of Myth Drannor, more sides are drawn in: the Zhentarim, Sembia, the Dalelands, and drow House Jaelre.

Yeah we want Myth Drannor back, if only for da booty!

...That you’re not alone if you’re ever confused between Cormanthor, Cormanthyr, and Myth Drannor?

…That in our game there are still some 3 years before Cormanthor is reclaimed and the Crusade is concluded? That is, assuming the DMs will follow the events of the FR novels. Heed the words of the immortal sage who said, “assumption is the mother of all fragups.”

…That House Durothil is the oldest known elven clan in Faerûn?

…That the Durothil heraldry is a gold dragon’s head sinister on a white field. The formal House colors are gold, yellow and white.

…That Rolim Durothil, veteran of the Crown Wars, was the gold elf who first colonized the Island of Evermeet, more than eleven thousand years ago?

... That House Durothil once clashed politically with Houses Nierdre, Nimesin, Ni’Tessine, and Starym? They fought over which clan would dominate Evermeet’s Council of Elders.

Durothil won.

This was back in the days before Evermeet became a monarchy under the Moonflower dynasty. The High Council is still there, but now advises the monarch. In theory, Queen Amlaruil can dismiss the Council at will, and can appoint its members.

... That the Durothils were one of four clans to carry off unclaimed moonblades?

...That Ahskahala Durothil (Chaotic Good gold elf female 20^th level Fighter), ex-commander of the Wing & Horn Cavalry of Cormanthyr, is still alive after more than 1200 years? It’s hard to make an appointment to see her though, as most of the time, Ahskahala lies in a spell-induced reverie in the Eagle Hills on Evermeet. There she is guarded by ancient silver and gold dragons, among them the golden wyrm Haklashara, upon whose back Lady Ahskahala has flown into battle countless times.

... That one of Faerûn’s “good undeads” is a Durothil? The Lady Synnorha Durothil (Lawful Good gold elf 20^th level wizard), is a baelnorn (literally: Revered Guardian) residing in the ruins of Myth Drannor. Synnorha would be undisputed leader of House Durothil were it not for an ancient law that bars undead from claiming official title among the living.

Next installment: a special on House Nierdre! Waar het tenminste echt gezellig is…

Plus: more about various things dwarven.

All Forgotten Realms references & images are (c) Ed Greenwood/ Wizards of the Coast

"The Savage North" and its narrative elements are (c) Ed Zwanenvelt/ Stef Helsen

First Post: The Obligatory Explanatory Bit

Hello, hello, can anyone read this?

Is this thing on?

Riiiight. Starting my first blog. Not counting my co-blogging, this will be my first step into a larger world. No wait...that's Obi-Wan Kenobi, back when there were no midichlorians.

And that -my flash sideways about the Jedi Master and midichlorians- is a side track, like I intend to indulge in a lot on this here blog site...and yet at the same time it is sort of the point:

You see: In my day, we did it all with a snorkel and a pair of flippers.

Ben Kenobi was still our space Gandalf, we could learn about the Force and be blissfully unaware of technobabble midichlorians...and there were no blogs. No IPods. No internet either, if you don't count the DARPA spawn of the late 70ies/ early 80ies. The world was nice and graspable. Hmmm or was it...

No. No of course the world wasn't any more graspable back then. It just seems that way now, because we look back through a fuzzy lens to the time when we were kids. We just didn't feel the need to connect all the dots all the time.

Fast forward to the Now. We do have internet, and blogs, and we appear to have a great many more dots we can connect. So despite my Bah Humbug quotations and my sometime-romanticizing of a simpler and perhaps warmer age: I thought, why not have a go with these quaint things called blogs?

Well, actually there are plenty of reasons not to start a blog. For one, some 99% of all blogs will not be read. At all. At best you can expect to emo-blackmail your friends and those family who're not Shoot On Sight to you into reading a few posts. After that you're lucky if you're in their bookmarks folder, gathering virtual dust.

Second, blogging is a main weapon of your internal procrastination demon. Every minute blogging is one minute you're not writing that elusive novel, or getting back to that awesome Dungeons & Dragons campaign you once mastered.

Third, blogging tends to be bad for your language mastery. Before you know it you'll be switching from third person plural to first person singular, and even jumping randomly from semi-autobiographical mode to addressing your unseen audience.

...Hmm. Well Taikong suoyou de xingqiu saijin wo de pigu!

I'm gonna blog anyway. You can always find perfect reasons not to do anything. And before you know it you've entered lethargy space, that grim region of space that's home to the penal asteroid of Writer's Block.

So what's left to explain here? I think tone and content can be inferred from this introduction. (Tone: wordy and stream-of-consciousness hip. Content: nerd speak, nerd rage.)

Lastly, a word on the title, then. The absurdist phrase "Just Lawful Chaotic" is a roleplayer pun best explained by this close analogy. It also spells out my initials. Oh for Dan Brown fans: no these initials don't stand for Jesus Christ" with an 'L' hidden by an ancient Masonic conspiracy.

Except of course I would be saying that, hee hee...