The Blood: A Vampire Chronicle

Interview with a Vampire:
Lansil

Interview with Lansil: Sept 29, 2002

TB: Describe your history on Mirkwood? Briefly?

L: In the beginning, there was Dakkir. And Dakkir said, "Holy shit, this is cool!" Oh wait, you said briefly. First I was a human warrior in vamps, then I decided to try playing a girl because I noticed they got a lot of free things. I enjoyed getting all the free things, so I leveled Minerva to 91. Minerva was in Khaos, then I immed her, then I decided I needed some more of morthood, so i started over and heroed her again, and immed again. Then I got tired of being a girl and since everyone knew I wasn't one irl. I changed Minerva to Dyrnwyn. And then Dyrnwyn got really bitter and frustrated with the imm staff, and his career ended in the smoking crater of the Prancing Pony, which the imms fixed with disrespectful alacrity. The end.

TB: So Minerva wrote Kobold Caves and Dyrnwyn wrote the Diseased Swamp and they are both you?

L: Yes.

TB: Kobold Caves is such a fine area, so rife with bagpipes and platform shoes and Galadriel Dream Houses. What was your inspiration?

L: Well I wanted to make my own area, and all my previous ideas had called for enooorrrrmous areas that I soon got tired with. So the idea was to make a simple, small area, with lots of fun little things. I chose happy kobolds because I was just getting into anthropology at the time and was realizing that it would be more interesting if traditional cannon-fodder fantasy races had actual personality and culture.

TB: Does it bother you that for a lot of people the only thing known about the area is the gaudy robe? Do you think that ultimately area writing comes down to making that one memorable or valuable piece of eq? Do writers think about that when they're writing it? gate snibby, kill snibby, loot corpse, wear robe?

L: I realized that it would be just like any other area.. a bunch of mobs and gear. It's the first couple of weeks that an area is on the mud that are the most fun. In that time, people explore it for secrets and read all the room descs, and I wanted to give them something fun.

TB: Why did you decide to leave Lords and join Vamps?

L: Once Valandil was banned and Elora stopped coming here at all, Lords was as good as dead in my eyes. Vamps seemed to be quite active, and although I have no more interest in leveling, I thought I would at least get some good conversation.

TB: Favorite Beatles Album?

L: I don't like the Beatles.

TB: Lords and Vamps historically hate each other. The stereotypes are that Lords are snobby and nasty and Vamps are either stupid or sluts or both. Having seen both tribes at different points in their history, can you comment on this ?

L: I have been in 5 tribes during my time here. From outside they may appear different, but from the inside, they are all the same. All have idiots, all have nice people, all have lazy people, all have motivated people. Nasty and snobby, stupid and slutty.. the members themselves perpetuate those stereotypes for whatever reason.

TB: What is the first rule of vamps orgy?

L: The first rule of vamps orgy is do not talk about vamps orgy.

TB: You recently posted what could be called a very cynical RP note, where the King of Thera was wearing enchanted jock straps and a beach towel, and gets purged by Matrim for excessive loading. Any hidden messages here? What were you really trying to say?

L: One time, Dyrnwyn made a +100 sword for Lords as a tribal prize for something. It turned out that it really didn't do that much more damage than a Glamdring, but Matrim didn't bother to find that out. He purged it. So I am bitter towards Matrim for that. Another reason is because sometimes I have to laugh at how seriously some people take this game, and since I am usually a bitter bastard online, I wanted to write something mocking. I wanted to express to everyone that the imms really have the final say in everything. And they screw stuff up.

TB: But you are an experienced RP-er and RPG-er… why not join the thread in earnest?

L: Because there are too many crappy writers who do crappy things.

TB: Why is the RP box suddenly packed with notes where 3 months ago there were maybe 1 or 2?

L: I wasn't reading the rp box back then either, but I suspect it was because back then there wasn't a plot that involved everyone. This plot seems to concern the fate of the world. If I were into RP-ing here, and there were a plot just involving -WoT- or Orion, I wouldn't give a damn.

TB: What would you like to see happen, rp-wise, on this mud?

L: This would have to cross over into coding, but I would love to see all the tribes get annihilated, ooh and a pwipe of all players. Just start everything over again and see what happens. Especially pwipe Blistmoon's 50-remort character just to shove it in his face how pointless all that leveling is'

TB: Can you describe for us the care and feeding of such healthy nihilism?

L: The key is to detach yourself from the mud and see everyone, except for a handful of actual friends, as computer programs, far far away. Computer programs or helpless social rejects. So then when you have a bad day irl, you can come on and mock them and not feel bad.

TB: Can’t you even think of one Beatles song that you vaguely like?

L: Did the Beatles do a song called California?

TB: NO.

L: Okay, then no.

Interview with
an Immortal:
Mulder

Interview with Mulder: September 29, 2002

TB: You are a newish immortal on Mirkwood. How long were you a mort before you packed your bags and moved to Valhalla?

M: Well i started mudding in the summer of '96. I had some very unsuccessful characters... I going into umm... 8th grade. Then right around the time of the '96 pres. election I decided to go with a default giant warrior. Two years of good steady... *cough* leveling later, I was at level 69. Then I kinda gave up mudding all night in favor of getting better grades and working. So I stuck around at level 69 for the next 4 years. Then last year I went off to college and suddenly have anywhere from 6 to 14 hours a day to mud! So I did... eep. Lots of botting. I grouped up with Zuizide. Hero'd on Halloween, and immed last May. So I've been an imm for umm.. jesus... 6 months now.

TB: You were a chief in the biggest tribe on the mud... what made you decide to imm, and go back to the low end of the totem pole?

M: Well... It was very tough, against the wishes of ALL of my tribemates and fellow chiefs. I couldn't very well turn down the offer though... being an imm is a super opportunity. Vamps had the right people to go on fine without me. And they've done nicely since then.

TB: What’s the first thing you did as an imm to flex your new powers?

M: I did a hero quest. Woonie did most of the stringing. It was more her quest than mine. It was a liberate the FBI kinda thing in the quest grid. Lotsa fun. Since then I've had mostly failure projects...

TB: Like what?

M: ...Mirkmerch.

TB: That was a good idea.

M: A very large lack of interest. Very disappointing. I'm Drago's tribal liaison, and that has really tested my people skills and patience but I love the challenge. I've done fun things too... dorky trivia quests etc. And most recently the super popular Theran Invasion.

TB: Describe your experiences as an angel... how bad was the hazing? Any amusing anecdotes?'

M: Well.. I got a lot of personal attacks from those were unfortunate and didn't get an imm postion. It was right after remort and I got a lot of questions about it and I didn't really know anything. I had trouble getting along with all the imms that I had never talked to at first. Its a VERY tight community. Thank god they have such open arms :) I always liked spamming announce with my deaths etc...

TB: Let's talk about the Theran Invasion. It started with Bleys right? Bleys originally posted some notes from the Theran king regarding scouts, rangers, discovering Elacia, etc? Did you and he cook this up together? I'm interested here in how something like this gets launched... developed...'

M: It was actually his idea... he invited me several times to use his time to go with my little quests... I didn't want to step on his toes so I didn't use it at all. Then I saw an opportunity to RP with the morts, the vamps and others had some rp with the King so I went with it. The Theran Invasion will LITERALLY rock your world... stay tuned :) Sorry I can't say anything else about it really.

TB: Then let’s talk IC for a second. In my world of Celia the Cleric, Mulder is my chief, the guy who made me a vampire, and now is a god, so if he says 'Theran King is good peeps!' I listen. Are you sure you're not steering us wrong?

M: Quite possibly Hun... I am not actually a God, though I like the compliment! :)

TB: What exactly led you to fall under his sway?

M: He offered me the chance to become a GREAT immortal. Right now I am a mere Lesser immortal. We shall have to see in the following days what he has in store for me. His army is relatively unchallenged... He may have some success and be able to deliver his promise :)

TB: There has been talk of Theran immortals... what are they like? Are Theran immortals... just the Elacian ones we know that have gone over to the King's side? Like you, Annakie, Marge, etc. or is there another pantheon...

M: Right. Theran imms are just Imms who are given alms by the King's subjects. A god gains his power by being worshipped. Yeah Annakie, Marge, Erik and myself seem to be the only ones.. the rest aren't worthy I guess :)

TB: Don't you fear the wrath of the imps if you oppose them?

M: It won't be a problem if I continue to gain power... Marge and Annakie are already much more powerful than Erik and I. They can provide a little protection. I am after all, only a DemiGod.

TB: What new, greater powers do you have? Can you turn on webcams in people's bedrooms, even if the webcam is unplugged and disconnected from the computer? Cuz I know, that was high on your list, when you were immed... ;)

M: Yur damn right I can.

TB: Maybe publicizing that would help the king's recruiting...

M: Maybe. Good idea!

TB: Ok, back to OOC. Has there been a predetermined outcome from the beginning, or has it developed openly? You said earlier, since the Theran armies aren't getting kicked out of Bree, that might have some effect on Theran King's powers... will it really... Or I should say… can it really?

M: Part of a ruler's legitimacy is not being challenged. Of course it will help him. The mobs are still not gone from Bree. Its been a week. They've been reinforced. There has been a predetermined outcome from the beginning yes. Since I started with it anyway -- I don't know if Bleys had any plans, I haven't talked to him since I started with it. The outcome was determined, but the way we are getting there has basically been improv.

TB: What I'm getting at is this: I think some people feel like the choice to join with the Theran king or oppose the Theran king isn't really a choice, since he can't win, and he will inevitably be thrown out... so nothing done in the RP box can really affect anything.

M: Sure it can. It can effect how much fun we all have here. It can effect how much more involved the plot and quests will get. If nobody does the quests or rp I'll lose interest too and it'll just end up another failure. But I'm very optimistic. That will not happen :) You might want to interview me again next week :)

TB: Some are interested in joining the king, in delving more into it, in getting more complicated, but I think some feel that what we're supposed to do is just kill the mobs and conquer the king, etc. the end. Is it not that straightforward?'

M: The king has an army that can be defeated with a sword and an army that can be defeated with words. At this rate, neither will be defeated. I don't know why you would want to ally with the king; he's occupying and destroying your homes.

TB: So, the idea that the king will have to lose, in any case, is wrong. The thought that, "well they're not going to let him WIN are they? so what's the point?" is wrong?

M: Correct. He COULD win. He could destroy all of your keeps. Weren't the scouts at your keeps kinda intimidating? Knocking at the doors etc. Wasn't the call from the imms to destroy the Therans on Daktor a cry for help? Doesn't the Elacian AND Theran prophecies of doom say something?

TB: So, now tell me all about your RL.

M: Well, I'm 19 now. The youngest imm there is. Isn't that cute? No, no girlfriend at the moment :( I have a crazy X though. I'm a sophomore at American University in Washington D.C. I'm a political science major, minors in philosophy and French. In the summers I umpire little league and work at a drugstore. I wear boxers.

TB: All kinds of mort girls offering you mudsex for restrings, now that you're an imm?

M: Just you and Pandora :)

TB: Har har.