Alt Event Highlights

This event was amazing. I can't even articulate the feels that were created from this event.

Oh wait. Yes I can.

Eleven Little Exodus portaled in a line
Two died hand-in-hand and then there were nine.
Nine Little Exodus at Travance's Gate
One went on a journey, then there were eight.
Eight Little Exodus were told they'd go to Heaven
One felt the sickness first and then there were seven.
Seven Little Exodus told of their conflicts
One lay her head to rest and then there were six.
Six Little Exodus hoping they could thrive
One Lisidarian fell and then there were five.
Five Little Exodus; their blood upon the floor
Eternal rest in the goblin's arms and then there were four.
Four Little Exodus knew life could never be
His Magitech failed at night and then there were three.
Three Little Exodus stood in the morning dew
The Captain fell upon his team and then there were two.
Two Little Exodus knew nothing could be done
The Quill never left the book until there was one.
One Little Exodus cried out in the sun
Her eyes rest upon the Grove and then there were none.

You're welcome.

I'll post my actual highlights in a bit.

SAM WHY OH MY GOD MY HEART.
AAAAAAAHHHHHH I AM FULL OF SAD.
.... i..want this...to be...sung..at game... curses!1!


My highlights include getting to be a tree person and eat Onca, Chuck giving me his UELROG badge, Getting invited to the WORST TEA PARTY EVER, Sam Owens staring stoically at my gnomes dead body, and Logan's Tree Lord.

Also, Matt M. and Jen S. being the bane of logistics NPCs.
Their beatdowns on us were swift and plentiful.

OH and Scholar Bonding with Quill and Angelica

So, actual highlights:

-Having Wild Blood was so useful. Though I was a bit upset I didn't pull a single attack spell...
-Ophelia Esper only joined the VIS-EXODUS because she followed her psionic brother and sister because they stopped her from going Boom.
-They died.
-She boomed. Awesome RP with Karen (Lenae) for that. Always yelling at her for some reason...
-Honestly? The really good RP didn't happen until after the Hold was called and we all entered Travance.
-After Gisella and Algernop (sp?) died (hand-in-hand), Ophelia forgot a LOT. They had been psionically putting the knowledge of how to read in her head. Once they died, she became illiterate again. But she refused to die without that knowledge, so Lorelei taught Ophelia to read and write. Most depressing lesson ever.
-Quill and Ophelia were, in a sense, your typical crush-struck girls. But while Quill had the guts to tell Alpharius, Ophelia figured there was no point in telling her Captain as they were to die anyways.
-Burying Captain Argo was beyond upsetting. Besides the fact that Ophelia liked him, she was losing everyone so quickly that her emotions couldn't keep up. If I had another packet, I would have boomed then and there. His last words were "Captain...Quill...and Lieutenant...Ophelia..." And then he died in my arms...
-The RP with Dani throughout the entirety of Sunday...I...I can't. SHE WAS STILL WRITING EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS DYING!
- Annora carrying Ophelia bridal style to the burial of Quill, and then to the Druid's Grove so that she could rest as the lands would have wanted her to.

-And yes, I am crying as I am typing this...

I miss Ophelia. I've never gotten this attached to and Alt character before. We didn't just play these teammates, we brought them to life. They LIVED to their dying breaths. And I can't thank everyone involved in planning this event enough for allowing me the pleasure of such an experience. I will surely never forget it.

Lots of fun, lots of good times.
Unexpectedly changing my character direction last minute, thankful I did.
Firstblood! Seriously, I think it was 10 minutes before I died?
After Dani and I tagged her as alternate reality nerdy Carter, I realized that I was playing Baal.
No, no, no! It's tell-i-gram, I'm certain.
"Bonding" with Stupid over killing spiders.
Knowing full well Sam's wild mage packet was coming when it did, and quietly buffing / bracing for impact.
I myself thought I was going to blow so many times, but didn't. Then blowing up at the end of main mod like it was perfect timing, which stunned everyone as the gate exploded a second after I went through.
The five stages of grief

1. "I FEEL FINE!"
2. "WHY IS EVERYBODY NOT HELPING ME LIVE!?"
3. "I can fix this with Magitech!"
4. "What do you mean this gate is different, WHERE ARE THE STONES!?"
5. "I'm going to die....."

If you aren't crying from this event, we know you weren't with The Vis-Exodus.

It was fun setting up everything this week at camp and making the various magitech (I really do hope you guys enjoy it!) Seeing the Vis-Exodus room come to life as it did, was just awe inspiring.

So I decided to NOT play a Gnome and do an interesting character concept with Alisia as a pair of Psionic Twins. This is probably the best decision I could have ever made.

We maintained a careful balance of duality and emotion of highs and lows to compliment one another and did not use singular pronouns which lead to some incredibly awkward and amazing conversations:

"We are asleep right now. We will be going to the dinner."
"So you are going with us and she is staying?"
"We are asleep but we will wake up in fifteen minutes."
"We'll send someone in to get you then."
"We will wake up. We do not require sleep at the moment."

Dying in one anothers arms. Once during game, and then during the shift. I don't know if I could have dealt with a second death scene. *tear*

Interacting and becoming a close knit family with all of the Vis-Exodus in such a short time. I wish we could go back and have a pre-event event.

Mike S. was enigmatic and mysterious as The Ever Living.

The numerous well placed and subtle Star Trek/Star Gate/Sci-fi references.

Steve: your speech at feast: short and terrifying. Much like your NPC.

When we were all in the Vis-Exodus and everything powered off.... it felt like we were just adrift in a void in a dead thing with no hope. The place that had been so alive and busy became dark and foreboding. A great scene/imagery getting things back up and running.

Words cannot describe adequately what we are all feeling right now. Just read Sam's poem.

I am torn by the fact I decided to play Jack after the switch, but I think it was for the better. Getting to see/interact with gnomes, and finding out so quickly that those we met would be gone. But we are left with hope and a chance and knowledge. And as long as you have hope, you have something!

Now to work on getting a group photo done.

If you'll excuse me I have to go and cry some more!

First of all MANY FEELS. MUCH SADNESS. VERY TEAMWORK. WOW.

I never EVER expected this Alt Event to go the way it did. And I never expected what happened to my nerdy little goblin scholar. If I could play Quill again, I would in a radiation poisoned heartbeat.

Friday:
Seeing the Stargate-I MEAN the device portal transporter thing that totally wasn't from a Sci-Fi show.
Meeting the team and being made up of nothing but Lores and research.
Just in general, playing a scholar was way more fun than I ever expected.
Meeting our Gnomish leaders.
Figuring out puzzles on the Icarus box, being the first to clear a whole set alone.
Learning how to attune someone to the IB.
Protecting Dr. Bells from Ogres with GOOP! despite Quill being terrified herself.
All the notes!
Seeing the team go out on their first mission, and return with half they went with.

Saturday:
Going to the inn for breakfast, which was a bad idea ending up alone and getting shanked!
Being reanimated by The Ever Living and told to make sure that VIS-EXODUS succeeds.
Then deciding not to leave the lab ever again haha.
Giving a report to Palazzo and hearing his offer be THROWN ON THE GROUND by our Captain.
Lieutenant Red Shirt Diggs gets shanked! Captain makes Quill the new Lieutenant followed by an appropriate "Wh-What-WHAT? Me?!" reaction.
Trying to figure out more puzzles as they get tougher, taking more and more notes, and interacting with certain members in specific ways like:
Avoiding Karen's elf Lanae at all costs. Usually resulting in hiding behind Alpharius.
Being shy around Alpharius. -goblin blush-
Being absolutely terrified of Palazzo during feast. Don't think I didn't catch you glaring/staring Steve.
LM shift was fun without there bing a MM and a small group of NPC's. Just got to hang around and talk mostly.
Learning about the missions done when I was gone and taking notes.
Goblins and Orges crashing into the building looking for my GOOP, and hiding under the table in Alpharius's Barrier.
Feast. ITS A TRAP!
Scrambling! Scrambling to figure out the proper echelon sequences for an escape, trying to repair the Icarus box and device after countless malfunctions, and worrying about those who were defending the building.
The final moments where the army bursts in and we all scramble to go inside the portal before it was too late!!

Post portaling into Travance, Worrying about Alpharius since his legs were broken on the way out.
Being bombarded with curious looks, questions, and confusion. Also, certain prejudice. I'm looking at you Louis.
Realizing we were all sick. Eventually realizing we were all going to die. (SO. MANY. FEELS.)

One of the best things to happen was the unplanned relationship between Quill and Alpharius. After they arrived in Travance, it was no longer a question that they had feelings for one another, though the words were never spoken. They stayed together while people tried to help and ask questions, despite the radiation poisoning getting progressively worse. More so with Alpharius. They shared intimate moments together, Quill worrying, but him trying to remain strong for her. In his final moments, a pair or monsters broke into the inn, and Alpharius placed a barrier around the two of them to protect her. Once the monsters were killed, he reminaed holding the barrier, making Quill worried that he'd tire himself out. As he dropped the barrier they fell to a bench, Al exhausted. While he said he would be right with her, he gave her his necklace, held her hand and with his last breath whispered "I'm sorry, Quill." and passed in her arms. It was one of the most heart wrenchingly intense moments I've ever had to RP....meaning it was awesome. Thanks Jason for playing along! At his burial, Quill have him her signature quill.

More deaths continued, as did more and more questions.
Just before bed we had a hilariously entertaining time with Drega'Mire. (I was crying my goblin off!)

Suanday(The final day) :
Captain's death, in his last breath being promoted from Lieutenant to Captain, with Ophelia taking my previous title.
Numerous note taking and interviews until the time had come.
The last moment for Quill was writing down a note for all to read, handing the book to Sindarion telling him to put it in their Library, and turning to Ophelia, telling her not to be afraid.

All aboard the feels train!!!!!!

Everyone's RP, including those outside of VIS-EXODUS and Travancians were amazing. This will stay as one of my top favorite events I've attended. Thanks guys!

I think I'm with the rest of the people in Vis-Exodus when I say that all of our characters bonded in some way or another. We really were, in the end, like a team that had been together for years like the lore had said.... I didn't even think I would have bonded really well with Nym as a character, but by the end I was totally her.

In no particular order

-NPC shift...in evernight, laughing OOG that Evernight was the first place Exodus went...but also kinda like "ohh crap" in my inner head cause Evernight = not good home.

- Adoptive Esper family....essentially story wise it was like this "Hi how are you?" "Psionic charm" "Oh you guys seem awesome let's be friends" and that is how a Lisindarian became friends with an Esper family.

- Nym learning about Evernight IG and giving the suggestion of trying to send UELROG to Evernight...having the idea actually considered for a few minutes was amusing

-CARRYING CAPPY'S DEAD LT. BODY AROUND AND FINDING OUT WE COULDN'T REVIVE HIM... then getting taunted by senator and Co as we carried his body back to the base....Oh, if it wouldn't had started war wayy too soon I'm pretty sure Nym would have just carried the body and die as she tried to assault them...

-ALL THE AWAY MISSIONS....All were extremely hard... Botched ritual floating armory was terrifying...especially after Algernop got eaten and Gisella broke down/went into shock, the mission became essentially run for your life....then the fighting that occurred afterwords as half of us went back to the base and the other half stayed in the passages hallway until the power started to run out as we tried to decide if we should try to get the remains of those who died to bring back...only to decide that it was essentially a death wish if we headed back in. Nym, felt like a failure of a warrior at that point and took a bit of anger out at Lenae...but then Ophelia went boom...which was new to Nym as she had never seen her do that and that certainly calmed EVERYTHING down...

-Being part of the "Quick Jump" team as things got dire before we were stormed....feeling as if hope was lost as the gate broke...and as the codes we dialed led to nowhere... being spit back out...the gate breaking AGAIN....keeping an eye out the windows and seeing random enemies walk by..feeling as if everything was closing in... and Nym deciding what she had to do.

-Originally planning on going through the gate...then deciding that her real purpose was to make sure that her Esper family friends, and the captain and other members were able to get through and that she kept everyone else away long enough so that the bomb could go off.....even though she didn't like magitech very much, using a piece she had obtained to let out a Battle Cry to those staying behind with her as the other members went through the portal...then being overrun with the enemies...was very intense.....

-To hear at the OOG ending that the building successfully collapsed but the Senator's Army still came and now controls the area...not knowing if the Everliving survived to bring the members of Exodus who stayed back....not knowing If Nym ever got to continue to try and return Vis back to normal...while also knowing OOG that the people she helped get through the portal died....is just a huge storm of feelings.... I just don't even know, I don't usually get this emotional as Ava, because of how she is, so this event was very emotionally draining!

-Trying to not let Nym bleed into Ava, so kudo's to Dani for enduring Ava's insensitive dying comments like every five minutes....I will have you know that Inner Nym was just like balling the entire time I saw any Vis-Exodus dying... I'm glad she doesn't know this happened because if she did and she DID come back to live either Via druidics, as Alzandra and her had quite a discussion right before the fight. AS she had stayed with Vis-Exodus the whole time and did not go with the Conservation Society, she did not have the chance to make her wishes of helping nature known...so I would like to think she managed to come back and is now a nature warrior rapscallion/renegade with her...

-Chilling with Merikh as Ava.... It was actually nice to be able to talk to him more, as Ava didn't really know how she felt about him at first and now she does, good stuff man.

All in all this event made me experience so many things I never get to as Ava and it was so wonderful...but also reminded me why Ava is how she is because I dont' know if I could always leave game THIS EMOTIONAL...

First, a humongous thank you to everyone involved with writing the event, preparing the camp and props, running it, and playing all the necessary roles. If I tried to name you all individually, I know I’d forget someone, and I don’t want to do that. So, thank you, all of you. Sincerely.

I’ve been having trouble finding the right words to begin recapping this event. Honestly, the bar has been raised so high, it’s going to be a long time before another plot rockets my socks off like this.

I loved the atmosphere. From the awesome posters, to the neat props, alternate Inn set up and the AMAZING Gate and interface, I was hooked pretty much instantly. Everyone’s costuming was spot on, and really solidified that this was in no way Travance. But really, it was everyone’s outstanding RP that made the most difference. Once we solidified as a group late Friday night, there was no stopping us.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have much cross Faction interaction, but that didn’t detract from the event at all. Probably because being a part of the Vis-Exodus team became so insular, and determined, and passionate about what we were doing, and each other, that it didn’t matter. By the time feast rolled around, it was absolutely Us versus Them and I loved it (Steve, you were a phenomenal bag of vinegar and water, but Gnomish Relocation FTW).

I really can’t stop marveling at how far above and beyond everyone went in their role play. We’re really not kidding when we say Samantha’s awesome poem made us cry. These one shot characters became so real, and so important, because each and every one of the Vis-Ex effortlessly pulled out all the stops; and it really felt like we had been working as a team for years. Seriously, we were nothing short of amazing together and we all know it. Which is why their tragic ends after managing to beat the odds is so devastating.

My own personal highlight is silly, but it’s absolutely the cherry on the top of an incredible weekend. For the first time, I not only got to see the Oubliette, but participated in a ridiculously fun mod in it! (James, don’t ever change, your Illithids seriously made the whole thing.) I could go on and on about how bowled over I still am, but I think you all get the point.

It was a great pleasure to play with you all again, and I’m really looking forward to April. See you crazy kids there!

tl;dr – 11/10 Stars, would die of radiation poisoning again.

I'm not entirely sure where to begin. This event was so amazing.

Well, I suppose I can start with I GOT TO BE A GNOME YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! It has long been one of my fondest desires to be a gnome. I may love gnomes more than Jack Cypher (yes, really) . So thank you, everyone, for allowing me to be a gnome for a few hours

My main goal with this character was to make some magitech explode. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. /fistbump Solitare

I am incredibly grateful to everyone in VIS-EXODUS and the Conservation Society who allowed an unaligned gnome into their midst and gave her tasks. It's much easier for me to really get into a game if someone gives my character a Thing To Do. I built a cage for nature! And the first time I walked into the VIS-EXODUS building, as they were carting out the body of Cappy's NPC, the Captain looked at Aggie and her spanner and said, "Good timing! We just had an opening for a new engineer."

"Activate the chevron-" *assembled people, in unison* "ESCHALON!"

I loved watching Steve as the senator, and how he slowly lost his grip on his facade of sanity as the day wore on.

The pictures of the Gateway from before the event didn't do it justice. In case anyone didn't get a chance to see it in person, it took up the entire back wall of the monastery, and had tubes and wires and all kinds of fun stuff coming out of it and reaching into other parts of the room. Major kudos to the prop team this event!

As we were rushing to accomplish everything post-feast, and UELROG & the Magitech Consortium were literally beating on the barrier, the iPod in the VIS-EXODUS building decided to shuffle to Sephiroth's theme. It was both hilarious and oddly appropriate.

Gisella walking back into the building with a super-intense look on her face and then saying, "We just had the most intense staring contest of our lives. With a squirrel."

I think everything else that was a highlight for me was already written by someone else.

I wish I could have gotten to the event sooner, and stayed later, instead of the "show up at nearly midnight Friday and crash, then wake up and play for 12 hours before going home" nonsense I had to do. There could never be enough time in the world to keep being Aggie Sprocketsong, with everyone who made the event so great, but I would treasure even a few more minutes. When Aggie was brought through the Sarcophagus, I could barely think of any way to answer the question of what she would come back for. She would now answer, without hesitation, "VIS-EXODUS."

So the main point of my character may or may not have been to play with a pole arm. That and I was amused by what I called the "united organization of yo screw those gnomes man".

Alasse's encounter with Josh's gnome friday night was definitely out there, but helped set a state of mind for the entire weekend. No better way to get into character than to get knocked out and have your pin pierced through your eye.
UERLOG was a villain group no doubt, but we came together so well, it really was a family of fanatics and murderers. We had bonding moments getting revenge on everyone in the party that sliced my eye, learning about the stuff that happened over in Evernight, and rolling Jen-gnome down a hill.
Our afternoon tea with cheese fondue was the best. Ever. Period. It even made the fact that we had to suck up our pride and make deals with the senator and mayor bearable.
Being a chaos warrior is fun, and Catatonic fits was a great insanity; something interesting to rp but still gave the ability to function in society.
Kefka-shit I mean Palazzo finally losing his marbles was fun to watch for me, and Alasse noped out of Kastor's orders because of it. That's a huge level of crazy.
The final battle was much shorter than expected. Much much shorter. But the ending was slightly unexpected, in a really awesome way.
Stargate Feelstrek...

I'd write more, but I need to get back to sewing and planning for various things. Great weekend, thanks to everyone for planning and playing and just generally being wonderful!

I realize I never do these, but I just felt the need to basically copy my Facebook status here and add a few things. Helping to run the VIS-EXODUS Team as Lieutenant Gigs was a great time, even after his death. The level of RP and investment into one shot characters was amazing. It's always nice to see people doing something different for an event, as well as getting to interact with players I normally don't interact with. It really is a shame that they succeeded only to die in the end, but I'm sure we'll be talking about them for years to come. Oh, and the red shirt was intentional I was supposed to die. At first I was a little unsure how I felt taking the role of someone who was made to die, not being sure what I would do after, but I found myself with plenty do, and still got to interact the team (even if it was largely to torment them with breaking the machine). Also I'm pretty sure James intentionally changed the music to Sephiroth's theme, I saw him at the iPod before it played. I told him it really should've been Kefka's theme.

Great event to be playing a psychotic necromancer especially so since people I killed were eager to get back up and start butchering their former allies thanks a lot to those that did really added some flavour.

E.U.L.E.R.O.G. had a lot of fun manufacturing "accidents" with you guys this weekend such as how all the non EULEROG members who participated in the expedition mysteriously "tripped" causing them to fall into lava or get caught under a landslide or froze up and ended up as elemental sacrifices with their corpses tossed into the rift.
My first of 2 favorite quotes occured immediately afterward before going back in game when we were told "you guys are so evil".
Following this strange series of accidents we were immediatly asked to find the sheriff a shame we couldnt get the chance to try and pass the guy who came along off as him (not too good with names) after killing him.

4am saterday morning:
Cant find a rules marshal to systematically kill everyone in the inn room by room and ressurect as undead so we loiter around looking for some one to kill and as we are preparing the ambush we hear
"there is nothing to worry about at this time at night we will be perfectly safe alone"
"I wouldnt be so sure"
And immediately after walking through the curtain we attack.

To bad my body wasnt questioned that night my motto for the weekend was "kill everyone, if they are not a gnome or gnome sympathizer, then they were collateral damage"