Fri Nov 16 21:01:01 2012

At 1 o'clock AM, Day of the Bull, 15th of the Month of the Grand Struggle
on the Theran calendar Drogdenbaryd perished, never to return.

Race:	storm
Class:	paladin
Level:	51
Alignment:	Good
Ethos:	Neutral
Cabal:	FORTRESS, the Fortress of Light
Age:	293
Hours:	227

Idea behind this was a military brat who idolized his father, and was taught by his healer mother. Tried to be very military in regards to respect for rank (Maran, Captain, Marshall, Prophet), and respect to the creed of the maran (which bit me in the ass I think there).

As much as it pained me to lose good equipment (*sniff Bal'Talon x2, and Defiance x2). I kept a level head because it was simply tools for Drog.

If it wasn't painfully obvious, this was my first attempt at a Paladin, and first attempt at a Raybaer (I chose Baerinika) follower.

In regards to Paladin, I felt I was starting to learn some of the ways of the paladin as I went. It is hard to keep track of all the Templar defenses (which it seemed to me the only one worth doing was hilt smash). One of the biggest things that is annoying is Templar Defense is that it is only usable if they had a weapon... Do I really need you to have a weapon to smash my hilt into your face? If one of the Templar's defense moves had the ability to lag someone I never saw it. It simply attacked for 1-2 round damage... also I was unsure if "weakened" meant loss of mvmt or loss of str... It would appear that it didn't do enough of either if it did any. I really didn't like my options for fighting most of the time, especially if they were hand to hand... Wrath or Strike of Deliverance... Being a storm giant sucked for mana, but thanks to Randoniel I realized I was losing 50 mana not gaining them with my royal bracers... OOPS! Major misread of lore. I can't say how many times I could fight people and just tear them a new one and watch them run away. If I played it cool and tried to draw it out... they would still run in the end... I usually only got a kill if they lagged themselves out. I could go on, but I'll just need to test them out more... Actually one last note Avenger edges... Templars defense with longer maledictions was awesome, but what else is there other than strike doing more aoe shots... How about the bleed one more for an edge?

Imms

Lian: I think I had more conversations with you that I did with Baer. You actually helped me to understand the idea behind the marans more. Thanks.

Baer: I don't think I ever got your religion. I constantly spoke to other followers to try and figure it out. In the end it just seemed like I need to walk up to you and say, "I'm awesome and I know it, give me empowerment," or in my case make "I should be an initiate." I tried to build a closer relationship, but I honestly had NOTHING to say to you ever. If I had thought I had something remotely worthwhile to talk about you were "distracted". So in the end, I just rarely came around. It just wasn't worth us wasting our time. I also didn't update my role because I thought I said all that needed to be said about my character, and I role played how I felt. I didn't expect to be given Maran at all... thank you. Questions for you though... Was the virtue Hope how you read my character or more a reflection of religion? I had NO virtues in mind, to start. Should I have reflected that in a role? How better could I have been as an Initiate?

Cabals:

Fortress: Herding Cats! It's amazing how disorganized yet functional that is. Being a squire until 8 con was painful. I watched and learned... Level SLOWLY and keep your PK ration Positive and you'll make Maran well before 51. Until I made Maran, I NEVER used Mantle. It was a HUGE mana waste... 152 for two supplications that cost me near nothing. I defended/healed defenders at every turn when I was able. Sometimes even when I knew it was pointlessly wasting my RL time, and delaying inevitable.

Oshui/Filndar: Thanks for all the help with Raybaer. I don't think I would have gotten nearly as far with her without you voicing your thoughts/experiences. You two are the Leaders of the Maran. I would expect more vocal directions when raiding/counter-raiding etc. As I've noticed though, its herding cats.

Duvam: I totally flowed with your interview/induction. I'm very happy with our relationship IC. As you can tell though... I've played a few invoker, though I am still no master at them.. I know some tricks.

Merrol: Always good chats.

Khrumm: Thanks for working me through my "Not everyone sees the creed as you do moment" It is unfortunate that my analogy was STILL taken the wrong way... I'll have to take another class on persuasive writing. :-D We had some great chats.

Reksha: OMG I could strangle you sometimes. You never took into account that your sprint as a Komodo lagged the hell out of me. We still had some very good roleplay interaction (I thought) about your rage, savagery (that's the best way I think to put it). It is sad that you have built a rep like you did. I had no idea. I cannot tell you how many time people would send me tells telling me, "If you could here the things he says to me." IC we were brothers-in-armes, OOC I was more and more not wanting to group with you.

Prophet Andria: I love your character, very vivid and acolyte like through and through. We only interacted a couple times though.

Aranahl: (I am butchering some of these names) You were how I wanted to be with your 2h dedication killing ability. I know Baer isn't going to call me "too powergamey for the fort." haha!

Wujin: Thanks for the spells: Helped me defend so much.

Manezin/Spiorra: That you two so very much for the help you gave me with defiance. You two always cracked me up with your characters... It was a CHORE not to break character and start cracking jokes.

Randoniel: You have been helping me out since I basically started this character. Thank you so much for showing me all those cool place. I thought our characters meshed very well rp-wise. Thank you for walking me through Kuo-Toa.

If I haven't mentioned you (there are many fortress players) I am sorry, reply and I'll respond.

Empire: (I have no real interactions with you other than maran defense.)

Scion: A deadly bunch with a ton of HP. I hate the Ambushes, but yet applauded your timing. (Eryn Galen comes to mind) Can't really call any of you out by name... Other than the chancellor (which is none of my concern now *haha/wink*), none of you really spoke to me.

Nexus: I truly hated fighting you IC. I hated not being able to trust you either. At least some people kept it civil.

Ikelahn I enjoyed interacting with you as busseltoff, and Drog. I hope that each experience was different.

Vira: Man you liked to die alot - but it was funny to see the gear that I dropped off Busseltoff that you were still wearing.

Tribunal: The only one I ever interacted with the Xupeth. Keep trucking man, and I thought we RP'd my one warrant (which never should have happened) well.

Battle: You guys are my "learn how to pk" punching dummies. I learned SO much about how to play a paladin by fighting the evil villagers. The biggest thing was having to manage ALL the buffs required to fight you and having mana to wra/heal. I can honestly say I came at you guys as often if not more often solo than in alone. Also if you were neutral and it was just me... I avoided fighting you as much as I could... Though I never "let" myself die to you. I ALWAYS tried to win. Also quick bitching about people coming at you in groups when you know damn well 1 v 1 you can nearly face roll the keyboard and win. No one IC is going to do that, Fortress is full of ALLIES/TEAM. You are the only ones who don't play team for anything but raids. Everyone else are team players

Louveray: It was never about getting the those 3 items, back. I honestly learned SO much fighting you each time. I think our 20 minute fight showed it. It seemed at the end (lvl 51) though that your legacies smoked me, and I became easy mode.

Zarkyem; OMG what a frustration to fight! I was always proud the few times I did get you! I ate more loss than wins by far, but eh. You have to learn somewhere.

Tia/Commander(can never remember how to spell your name.)
I can't say I ever figured out how to fight you, but sometimes I won and other times... note even close. One thing for sure though, not digging the warcry, but to each their own.

Ikiso: You were the same boat as Louveray for fighting... Twice I "wore out my welcome with you" oops. Should have been paying attention more.

Ogsert: Ya, I guess it was pointless to fight me.

Kontoln: I hated killing you when I had to, but I had to defend my comrades. I would have love to interact more, but I don't speak Minotaur very well.

Outlander

Gripp: Sorry you were on the receiving end or the Rekdrog attachment so much.

Rangers: I don't think you were EVER going to win those, but nice try.

Humming/Cobra: Ya that's a pointless fight, I bailed because I wasn't going to sit there and play your poormans village defender tactic.

Well I have said SOOO much... I don't want to proof read so troll away.

Perpetual_Noob

What a pity, we seemed to log on at the same times (European, aren't you :)?), I'll be alone for now again it seems.

It showed you weren't really at ease/comfortable with the 2H paladin, but you grew a lot.

A sincere advice: roll a (any) exploration character and tick of the first 50 areas on the area list, or so; it will, amongst others, help you in terms of knowledge about clothes, weapons and assorted items.

Anyways, fun times, you were great to run about with, and yes, we did match fairly well. GLWYN!

I actually have a shifting work schedule. One day its 0730-1630 show time and the next 1430-0230. So my schedule can be random.

I have not been able to get into a explorer of late. I am more of a support the leader and learn from them. (As with the Kuo-Toa)

Not negative at all, just 'not at ease' as in, you still need to learn the ins and outs of a 2H paladin. We've all been there you know :)

I have only one 'negative' thing to say about Drog. After being given a set of rules to follow that was quite a bit different from what I intended with the character I couldn't get you to run with the paladin's apprentice joke. I was really hoping to run with that.

I didn't realize you were new to/uncomfortable with a 2h pally skillset otherwise I would have piled on some advice for you in return for the 'voker advice. Sorry man. In the future though, try this: make an alias that you already understand like dirt being templ hilstsmash or whatever. Then reflexes left over from other classes will carry over and you won't have to think about what does what as much and you'll react with what you need to do. Spamming strike of faith though will drive off people more often than not when you just need to buy time to think about what you need to do to a specific person to win. Then play shaman if you can. Drag the fight out, don't heal like crazy, let them think they are winning DON'T use strike of faith very much until they are 'sure' they are going to win and you are 100% on the run. Once they are wounded enough THEN bust out with a couple of strikes of faith.

Well dude it is sad to see you go. I liked the character, a little overly rigid for Duvamn's taste but as a player it added flavor. You'll do much better with your next pally by the way. GLWYN!

As much as I (the player) loved the idea of running with the joke, it went against the idea/role I had in mind for Drog. Perhaps if I had been more deadly and gained Maran sooner (which was just shortly before you did) I might of had the rank over you to do it.

I attempted a co-rank military style mentor-ship before you joined the Fortress, and it did not go well, so I was not about to take on an apprentice.

I'm thinking something with my next will go opposite direction and be the jokester that Duvam started out to before he got drog's be respectful speech.

Well I have to say, hanging out with Reksha 24/7 made me think of you as one of those buy-1-get-2-free couples, and I couldn't wash the stain off in my brain even after he deleted. At least you set yourself apart from all the other paladins out there ;) I also wasn't too sure about the summoning of neutral mobs all around the Village, didn't feel too paladiny to me, but I guess it's a viable tactic and I'll deal with it.

That being said, I actually enjoyed your char more later on in his life when he became more of his own person, and very well done on extending the life span of your chars progressively. Taking it to a con death also shows some great attitude.

GLWYN!

It's just sad that a chunk of Drog's life was tarnished by the association with Reksha. I played Drog the same way throughout the the 220 hours of character. So, what was good in the end was hopefully the same in the beginning.

.