Character Profile: Kebrin
Age 14
Recent growth spurts have given Kebrin some height, but the boy has yet to lose any of the characteristic chubbiness of youth- or perhaps he’s just very well fed. Kebby’s the kind of kid for whom they invented the description ‘big-boned.’ His round face has a naturally light complexion, with full lips, a flat nose, and large, almond-shaped brown eyes. No bangs; his curly black hair is cut short, so that it curls close to his head and stays out of his way.
My memories of Harper's Tale are tainted with nostalgia. It's been weird going through what little logs I have left, and suddenly remembering little details of life back that world. I mentioned it before, but Lynyl did spend a lot of time just idling online, with nothing specific to do. It helped feed the altoholism.
Kebrin was an experiment I did to see if people really treated men differently than women. I didn't tell Jorina or Lyana about him. He was the last character I created before I broke from the game.
Kebrin, or Kebby, was a chubby little boy who was over enthusiastic about things, stubborn, and strangely fastidious about taking care of his shoes. He was extremely curious about things, and would pursue one interest with intense dedication... until something shinier caught his attention. His mother was a cook in the weyr's kitchens, and he loved to eat. I didn't play as him for more than a couple of weeks.
I quit, and spent the rest of my high school and college days reading, idly writing stories, and studying music.
Then, one afternoon a couple of years ago, my brother's friends were introducing him to WoW. I asked if I could join and downloaded the trial. I had to quickly think of a name for my character, so I picked Kebrin, even though my character was a female. It was a name I liked, and wasn't currently being used. I rolled a hunter, since in other dungeon games I always played an archer. I didn't know there were specific RP realms.
Then, one afternoon a couple of years ago, my brother's friends were introducing him to WoW. I asked if I could join and downloaded the trial. I had to quickly think of a name for my character, so I picked Kebrin, even though my character was a female. It was a name I liked, and wasn't currently being used. I rolled a hunter, since in other dungeon games I always played an archer. I didn't know there were specific RP realms.
Kebrin didn't make it past level 10. I hated the night elf starting zone. I kept getting lost, everything looked the same, and there were too many hills and valleys. So when my sister-in-law wanted in, I was glad we re-rolled as humans.
I needed a new name. This time I decided to use a name from a story I'd written. I was rolling a priest, so I named her Ketlan Jancis after a laywoman from my story. She was fun, but I didn't see the point in playing a healer if my friends weren't online to be in a group with me.
I rolled another hunter. I didn't want to be a nelf, so I rolled a dwarf. She was tons of fun, and I happily solo'd with her into the twenties, when I started having trouble controlling my pet bar. There's something about my Mac setup that doesn't like me using the function buttons in WoW. I decided to try out more classes, but eventually came back to the priest. I played her a little bit and boom! Level 20. Level 30. I was 40 before I realized it, and was playing often enough I joined a guild. (THAT guild.) I don't remember the 50s... the I was at 60.
I was slowed a little down by continuing to play alts; for some of them, I used names I had invented for my mini-trips to Harper's Tale. When I rolled a DK, I had considered using the name Elenyl, but then decided I didn't like the "y" anymore.
Elen? No, thank you.
Elren. That worked.
I kept wondering about those RP realms. I didn't know a scrap of lore the day I rolled Kebrin the hunter. I could not have answered a single question about the plot, not even "What's the name of that guy on the box?" I didn't dare try to RP. But I've always been a story person, and was soon reading WoWWiki to figure what all theses quests things were about and why I should care.
Finally I felt I knew enough to jump in. I rolled a gnome named Derscha on an RP realm, after a character from a story named Derschi Dekit. She was a priest, since it was the class I knew best.
Finally I felt I knew enough to jump in. I rolled a gnome named Derscha on an RP realm, after a character from a story named Derschi Dekit. She was a priest, since it was the class I knew best.
I needed a personality for her. I thought back to Kebrin; I liked that character design. I adapted his personality for her. I couldn't find any RP, though, and decide to try somewhere else.
I'd seen an ad for Cenarion Circle, and did something different and rolled a paladin named Elren. The rest is history. I feel in love with the server, and moved there permanently.
Despite all the years that have past, I still think in Harper's Tale RP standards. I'm still acclimating to this new-fangled visual technology.
I find it amazing that we have real avatars and object to work with, instead of using text. I overused /e initially because I felt I have to narrate everything. I still had the instinct to write it out every time I would sit or stand, even though you can see it in-game.
There's a difference in chat logs because of that ability, since WoW logs don't pick up the actions that HT players would have always specifically emoted, such as crossing the room, standing to the side, entering or leaving, or whom they're addressing if they turn around to speak to someone else. It's hit-or-miss whether WoW players will bother to emote that kind of detail. My chat log where Arietha and Derscha meet Ronnad in Dalaran doesn't include the very, very large detail that Ronnad came out of the sky on a gryphon and talked to them while mounted. It doesn't even indicate they were in Dalaran.
The RP Arietha, Derscha, and Merral did where they stood still in the middle of nowhere and pretended to be in an abbey was closer to a typical HT session that a WoW one, since every action had to be emoted, and the scene played out solely in the realm of the chat box.
I believe that's why HT folk didn't really have the habit of writing up events with the same polish that CC does. As I said in the first "Ye Olden Days," we used mailer lists in-game where everyone would post what happened, but it was more of a short news post. Longer than a few paragraphs, and you'd risk having the first part of your message scroll off-screen. CC's plot write-up are more like short chapters in a novel, and players can leisurely read them in a browser. HT guild or personal websites would post logs, but they'd generally be cleaned up versions of the actual, straight-up text of the event, so you could read it exactly as if you'd been there, sitting in the corner, and you'd know everything you needed to know.
I have to admit I prefer CCer's way of write-ups much better. They're more engaging, concise, and have a personality unique to the author. It's been fun reading through archives.
I find it amazing that we have real avatars and object to work with, instead of using text. I overused /e initially because I felt I have to narrate everything. I still had the instinct to write it out every time I would sit or stand, even though you can see it in-game.
There's a difference in chat logs because of that ability, since WoW logs don't pick up the actions that HT players would have always specifically emoted, such as crossing the room, standing to the side, entering or leaving, or whom they're addressing if they turn around to speak to someone else. It's hit-or-miss whether WoW players will bother to emote that kind of detail. My chat log where Arietha and Derscha meet Ronnad in Dalaran doesn't include the very, very large detail that Ronnad came out of the sky on a gryphon and talked to them while mounted. It doesn't even indicate they were in Dalaran.
The RP Arietha, Derscha, and Merral did where they stood still in the middle of nowhere and pretended to be in an abbey was closer to a typical HT session that a WoW one, since every action had to be emoted, and the scene played out solely in the realm of the chat box.
I believe that's why HT folk didn't really have the habit of writing up events with the same polish that CC does. As I said in the first "Ye Olden Days," we used mailer lists in-game where everyone would post what happened, but it was more of a short news post. Longer than a few paragraphs, and you'd risk having the first part of your message scroll off-screen. CC's plot write-up are more like short chapters in a novel, and players can leisurely read them in a browser. HT guild or personal websites would post logs, but they'd generally be cleaned up versions of the actual, straight-up text of the event, so you could read it exactly as if you'd been there, sitting in the corner, and you'd know everything you needed to know.
I have to admit I prefer CCer's way of write-ups much better. They're more engaging, concise, and have a personality unique to the author. It's been fun reading through archives.
I have considered rolling a 'Lynyl.' But why should I? I finished her story in my head. She's happy, with the man she loves, doing what she loves. I don't want to overwrite her with a new, Warcraft-based Lynyl. What I truly miss about her are the things I'm creating now: friendships and fun stories.
Cenarion Circle has the same, tight-knit community feel from Ye Olden Days. It's everything I loved about Harper's Tale, just in a different setting. Sure, it's not exactly like it was in the games or books, but it's our own special spin on it. It's fun people who all work together to build our own world. It has engaging story lines, plenty of of room for creativity, and active players. It's better than Ye Olden Days, and I'm glad I've made the transition.
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(Now if only I could get Lyana to roll some RP alts!)
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My First World of Warcraft Log:
[Derscha] says: Huh...
[Derscha] says: Well, it's my job to deliver. You can keep it or not.
[Cray Auchtin] says: From whom?
Derscha holds out the letter. "Said you'd know. Signature is on the bottom."
[Cray Auchtin] says: Let me see the package. Don't run off now, just because it's in my hands.
Derscha waits, curisouly watching Cray.
Cray Auchtin blinks as he reads the letter, paling slightly.
[Malsurion Moonclaw] says: Cray....whats the letter say?
[Cray Auchtin] says: The good news, I'm not getting married.
[Malsurion Moonclaw] says: Well thats good
[Malsurion Moonclaw] says: Those little gnome females stil scare me though
[Cray Auchtin] says: have a tip, little one, for a job well done. This is not a gift, mind you, it is a tip.
Derscha flicks a glance at the worgen.
[Malsurion Moonclaw] says: WHats the bad news?
Cray Auchtin looks at the gnome very seriously.
You nod at Crayauchtin.
[Malsurion Moonclaw] says: im watching you
[Cray Auchtin] says: That's a tip.
[Cray Auchtin] says: Not a gift.
[Cray Auchtin] says: So we're not engaged and you won't be stalking me. Because it was a well deserved tip.
Cray Auchtin nods seriously.
[Cray Auchtin] says: Thank you for your delivery.
Derscha blinks in confusion a few times, then snaps back into courier mode. "No problem! Call on AAMS anytime."
You bow before Crayauchtin.
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