GameAmp: Profile: KsTiggerMom

Too long	5/16/07 - 07:35
Greetings all! I see still no comments or rating, but it has been 5 months since I dropped in. No real news. Kids the same. Job the same. BF the same. I turned 50 April 6 & though the BF took me out & my gaming group brought over a cake. No one else remembered & my widdle feelings were hurt for a couple days. But as usual I got over it My son is graduating from K-State in Dec YAAAAAAY!!!! And he is moving in with the GF I have mentioned in previous posts. As to the reason I have been absent and/or silent. Time mostly, but I played a couple months of DOAC. It's my break from CoX & played a couple characters throught NWN. I really enjoy that game too. hmmmmm Altoholisn strikes again. Anyway in CoX I am concentrating on the Vilaains right now. Mostly, Cauldron Borne & Siren's Cry. But occasionally the Black Emu too. All on Champion. So give me a tell some evening. BTW - the dates seem to be funky on the site right now soooo todays date is 051607
Too long away	2/15/07 - 12:40
Greetings & Salutations to everyone not reading this, Much has happened in RL since I last jotted anything down here. I did get that new computer for Christmas. It's not uber, but it is so much better than what I was using before. The old one is now being renovated for daughter (needs new HD -- we burnt the old one up somehow.) Problem is I also got a couple new games including DOAC. So I am splitting my time up between the 2 games. I love DnD so DOAC is kinda fun. Don't think it will own me like CoX does. I haven't the time for that. Life continues to treat my kids better. It looks like my son has fallen hard for a very nice lady. He brought her home for New Years and I heartily approve of the match. My daughter finally listened to my advice & went to talk to a school counselor at KU about her "anger" issues. And though the problem is not totally resolved she has come to grips with some things & that realization has made her life alot easier. I am still hunting for a job. Though they won't say it part of the problem is that I am nearly 50 & therefore apparently too "old" to hire. Though I agree with them recently. I am struggling with a lung infection that has totally brought me down. Doc told me Tuesday that she is sure it is pneumonia & I am at home until she clears me. Now I did manage to get all the Christmas badges for 2 of my toons - Maeve & Cauldron. And got everything for Valentines Day too. Yeah -- badge whore fix! And I did start a new toon on Victory in the "state" SG theme as suggested. But I haven't found any Ampers to invite me yet. Watch for Gopher Broke -- Univ of Minn hockey fan defender! And just a note -- I see all kinds of people have glanced at this page, but noone rates me. C'mon guys give this ole lady some credit???
Elven Battle Tales - Crossing the Veil	12/31/06 - 09:15
Mistress Maeve stood with her arms raised in the Great Hall when the world dropped from beneath her in a flash of blinding light. She had crossed the veil into mortal realms before & this had never happened. A weaker person would have panicked, but somehow M.Maeve remained in total control. That is when she heard the chuckle or maybe chuckles comeing from the light itself. "Sorry for the dramatics, dear. But I wearied of the whining & needed to make a statement" M.Maeve looked about her and as the light faded there stood 2 people. She knew they weren't really human people, but the form was such. She didn't speak, afterall, how does one speak to deity? As in response to her unspoken question the 2 chuckled again, "Child you just speak! But now is not the time for lessons in courtesy. We will be brief & send you along your way. So listen -- you are being sent to where the nexus of the troubles are: Paragon City. This human city has attracted the heroes & villains of the immortal & mortal realms from many years. It is one of those places in the universe ordained to be a battleground between good & evil. Unfortunately, the forces of evil learned of the power here. They have learned to manipulate it to their benefit. And while the forces of good can hold thier own they can never gain an upper hand and can only respond to the actions of evil. "Your task will be to not only fight the evil ones & return the Unseelie here to Tir, but also to find nexus of the power & convince it to regain its neutrality!" M.Maeve was confused. Find the power & convince it to become neutral? How was that possible? And how does one do that? "You won't really find it so much as become aware of it. And convince it by your actions. So far the forces of good merely react. We want you to learn to be aware of what is happening BEFORE it occurs. That's why we chose a druid with some ability in foretelling the near future. "Now, off you go. There will be friends soon. But we suggest you go through the motions of being a newly "awakened" hero. Learn the ways of Paragon and the ways of its people. Make friends & live life as you have been unable to live it in Tir. Then when you are considered one of the many heroes drawn there begin your quest. After that only destiny knows." The scene around her faded & when she was next aware M.Maeve was standing on the roof of a building. Across from her was a huge statue of a man bent beneath the weight of the world. And there in the plaza about the statue was a mass of people in every color known to man or elf and a few that are still unknown. There was every size of person from teeny-tiny brownie-sized to giant troll-sized. Some glowed, some flew, some were popping in and out as if passing through the veil in tiny steps, some ran so fast they were a blur. And the weapons she saw - swords, magickal flashes of fire, energy & ice, guns of every type, hammers and things she had no word for. There were men, women & otherwordly creatures like she had never seen before. With a thump she sat down - if these were heroes what did the VILLAINS look like? For a minute she was overwhelmed. If all these heroes couldn't handle the problem set to her how was she, as 1 lone druid, going to handle this? Afterall there were hundreds of heroes in the Plaza & coming from or going into the building above the Plaza. And from her understanding this was but 1 region of the city. There had to be THOUSANDS of these heroes. AIEEEE! This was going to be an impossible task. She sat quietly for several minutes willing herself to a state of calm. The calmness was broken when a voice broke the silence. "First time in Paragon? You won't get far unless you go talk to one of the guides inside." Next to M.Maeve was possibly the smallest human she had ever seen. She had a problem standing still & seemed to be a blur of blue & white. When the diminutive woman realized she had gained M.Maeve's attention she stopped, whipped off the blue hat she wore and gave a bow worthy of elven nobility. She was literally all blue & white from her hat & hair to her feet. And she had the most mischievious face M.Maeve had ever seen outside a brownie colony. "So what's YOUR story?", the creature asked. "I'm BluLight Special. Name started as a joke, but it stuck. I play with electricity you see. Blue Lightning -- get it? Anyway I got here a day or 2 ago. So I know what you are feeling." Blu took a breath and continued with a speed that made M.Maeve dizzy. "Must be a scrapper from the looks of you. What's your chosen weapon? Bet it's a sword -- long & lanky like you are. Where you hiding it? Have you even been down to the Plaza yet? Interesting -- remember to read the plaques. They are all around. If you didn't know history before you will then. Knowledge of history never hurts." Before Blu could take off again M.Maeve stood and looked down on the minature lightning ball & drew her katana so swiftly that the little woman blinked. "Nice -- real nice. Let's go!" And before M.Maeve could respond she followed her 1st Paragon City acquaintance up the stairs. Now the adventure begins!
Last news of the old year	12/31/06 - 08:40
Well another year has slipped by. There has been the good, the bad & the ugly. Good: all of my children, parents & friends have their health. And while not wealthy, none have lost jobs, income or been too financially put upon. I still have my job (proof that there is a god/goddess & she/he/it/them care about me in some fashion). My car made it through another year with minimal repair (a TRUE miracle). And I have restrained from going postal on a few people that truly deserve it. I must be loved in some fashion as my pseudo-BF gave me a computer for Christmas! And several of my friends & my CHILDREN remembered to at least send cards on major "mommy" days (birthday, Christmas & Mother's Day). I found out that I do have a few friends that pass the "good" marker into second family. And for all of the above I am truly grateful & humbled by. My son has found a nice lady to fall in love with. And though there are no plans for am ceremony in the near future I hardily approve of the young lady. And I personally hope that they make the decision to keep each other. My children. despite the stress in their & my lives, managed to hold their own in college. Which is good considering the expense. Bad: Another year has passed & that has made me another year older. I may be short, fat & twice divorced, but I have some vanity. And while I still have a semi-good paying job with some benefits the stress of said job & the animosity I have there is a cause of no small grief. I did not see my parents this year. They are in their 70s & I know there are not too many years left for them. But money & time for both sides did not allow for visits this year. Money continues to be tight so I cannot make those trips to see my parents nor help my children the way I want too. I have discovered discrimination & this is bad & ugly. I have a crazy cat that shows her displeasure in my actions by urinating on the floor. Fortunately, she keeps it to the linuoleum in the bathroom, but still. Cat pee at 6 am when you are getting ready for work is BAD! One of my few good friends from work had her last day 12/29/06. She is moving to Colorado to get her children away from KC. None of us think this is the right decision, but we sadly send her away with all the positive energy we can muster & hope it ends up all good. Ugly: My job - the situation worsenes, but as my girlfriend said "You are the warrior, woman! Suck it up until better comes along!" So far this has been done. My daughter's legal issues. It looks like the end result will be ugly, but equitable & she certainly has learned a hard lesson. Now, of course, these are just my personal ones. The good, bad & ugly for the universe are too numerous to expound on here. And frankly more than I want to deal with. So my wish for anyone who read this for the New Year -- health, security & the love of those close to you. Be safe, be happy & remember those less fortunate when you can. Blessed Be!
Elven Battle tales - The Mission Revealed	12/23/06 - 11:10
Maeve had now spent several years studying under the secret tutelage of her matron, the goddess Maeve. The goddess had not revealed the ultimate plan yet. But Maeve knew that it would it the goddess's own sweet time. The time was well spent though. Maeve honed her weaponry skills. And the magicks she was learning both from her teachers at the Academy & from her private tutor were making Maeve un beatable amongst her peers. Beyond the walls of the Druid Academy, however, the situation was worsening. The Unseelie were crossing the veil with frightening ease & frequency. The mortals they returned with were causing havoc in the countryside. And for every one caught & returned by the Seelie Court 3, 4 and more were replacing him. The Court knew the time was quickly arriving that the city itself would be breached. as the situation reached it's critical point the goddess appeared to Maeve during a meditation. At this time she finally revealed her plan to Maeve. At this very moment the Guardians of the City were informing the Court that a champion was being sent to Paragon City. Hopefully, she would be the 1st of many immortals, eventually, mortals that would be enlisted to combat the unseelie court & their influence in Paragon. The Guardians plan was to send several champions to find, subdue & return the Unseelie to Tir. Where the punishment would be greater than the banishings of the past. The Guardians planned to strip them of their magick & return them to the mortal realms for punishment. The Court was shocked. Removing their magick & letting them live immortal lives in a mortal realm? And being punished in the mortal fashion of imprisonment? Some cried out it was cruel. Others saw the insight behind the plan, but feared the reaction from the Unseelie Court that remained on this side of the Veil. The Guardians stood firm. "Too long", they said "have we tried to ignore the obvious. it is time for resolution to this problem" Eventually the Court agreed & they began discussing the choices for the initial champion. As is with all political bodies the discussions became loud & argumentative until the Guardians spoke as one. The champion has been chosen. As have the champions to follow her. Even the mortals that will eventually be part of the plan are already chosen. Soon there will be a small army of magickal champions, heroes as they call them in Paragon. They will find these villains, sort them out by mortal & immortal and deal with them as we prescribe. Again the Court was shocked into silence. Never, EVER have the Guardians been so single-minded and never EVER EVER have they removed all the decisions from the Courts juristiction. Some started to argue. but then there was silence as the 1st champion entered the hall.......... Ban-Droichta Maeve. She bowed to the Guardians & then to the Court. "At the command of my Matron I am here. I am prepared to leave immediately as I was instructed. Because the title Ban-Droichta means little to those in Paragon, beyond the Unseelie I hunt, you may call me Mistress Maeve." And with that the Guardians waved their hands & the battle druid vanished. On her way to Paragon City.
Elven Battle Tales (con)	12/17/06 - 12:31
The Guardians & leaders of Tir knew that it was only time the the Unseelie would bring back some of the criminals they were sponsoring to the immortal realms. Or worse discovered a way themselves. The Elves had always allowed some access to Tir by mortals. Some chose to stay. Some chose to leave. But the access was limited & controlled by the immortals. It would be a disaster if the way was opened to all. In the past such access had been attempted. And each experiment failed as humans would be humans & elves would be elves. No, it was decided ( by powers on both sides of the veil ) that the knowledge of each others realms should be limited to the wisest amongst each race. As will happen in the passage of time such knowledge faded. A footnote in a history book, a true story turned fairy tale, a word of warning in a magickal tome or an archaic law that is nestled amongst forgotten legislation. In both realms the general populace forgot the true existence of the other. All that was now changing. The Unseelie decided that the court in Tir was hampering their mischief and this needed to be changed. There are no prisons or jails in Tir. Wrong-doers are punished by invisible bonds that constrain them. And over the passage of time only the worst behaved were punished. Most were banished from the city proper into the wild lands beyond the great walls. Here the veil between mortal & immortal thinned. And here the Unseelie began to see new canvas for their creations of mayhem. So now the leaders had to act. During these years of searching for a solution Maeve studied in the Druid Acadamy. Excelling in magick as she had in martial arts. Her teachers were proud and planned for a day for Maeve to join the Ban-Droichta as a battle-priestess. In the ancient days such women were well-known and treasured in Tir. Maeve's family was proud an encouraged her to continue her studies, foregoing the usual marital arrangements that should have taken her home. This did not displease Maeve. She loved her magickal studies and the fact that she was encouraged to continue her martial training as well was gravy. The best of both worlds. She had discovered a spiritual side while studying here & she found that the goddess Maeve had taken an interest in her as well. Long hours of meditation gave her matron the time to train her further in ways unknown to her more physical teachers. For the Guardians of Tir -- ancient diety forgotten by mortals -- had plans for young Maeve. Plans that they had not even revealed to the leaders of Tir. So the goddess instructed Maeve in the ways of the mortal realms. How to travel there, the histories forgotten by both realms, and finally what plans had been set in motion for the young battle-druid. to be continued..................
Elven Battle Tales	12/14/06 - 09:13
Few people realize that the elfs of legend, fairy tales & Tolkien truly do exist. However, forget the common image of flittering, flighty little critters that whiz around the forest being spritely. For nothing is further from the truth. In the immortal realms of the great elven city of Tir Na Nog is a ancient culture. In this city of legend lived a noble daughter of a powerful family. As is usual she was schooled in music, history(of the mortal & immortal realms), poetry, healing & battle skills. Young Maeve was proficient at most things, but she excelled in the battle arts. While most of her family specialized in bowed weapons she preferred blades. Any blade, but especially the light blades of Japan. Her favorite being the katana. Young elves were trained from childhood physical self defense - bows, blades & fists. As they get older the druids teach them simple battle magicks -- spells to augment their skills or their weapons or to provide magickal shielding. Maeve surpassed even her teachers in everything they taught her. So after she finished her battle training it was decided to send her to the Druid College to continue her studies. While she was training the elders for Tir had a unique issue evolve. Many of the Unseelie Court - a group of less than honorable elves and lower magickal creatures - discovered a short-cut into the mortal realms. Now it isn't unusual for the magickal folk to enter the mortal realms. There have been ties between the two for centuries. Both have aided or interferred with the other on many MANY occasions. But what was happening now threatened the general subtlety of the relationship. The Unseelie were entering the mortal realms & gathering mortals of like minds about them. Sometimes they just used magick to aid these mortals, sometimes the mortal were granted or taught magicks of their own. And the elders discovered that a group of Unseelie had basically formed a cabal of criminal activity in the mortal city of Paragon City. to be continued...............
Another day	12/14/06 - 07:15
Well, on to something positive. (Not that anything is better at work) Last night I decided I did not want to cook so I went to a new ( to the area generally & to me specifically) Pei Wei. it's one of those "asian diner" things. I had Asian coconut curry pork ( had choice of beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, veggies or tofu) with hot/sour soup & Pei Wei iced tea. Everything was GREAT! I went home and as Cauldron Borne did a couple of mishes I ate my food & then 2 of my friends showed up to just hang out. Gee, it's so sweet to have these kids want to hang out with an old lady like me. ANYWAY -- we started to watch "American Dreamz" but Time Warner screwed it up (digital reception was impaired) But I am going to have to rent this so I can watch the rest. The scene with the arab terrorist lipsyncing & dancing to "New York New York" in a tent in the middle of the desert is hysterical! So since we couldn't watch the movie we surfed & found the last installment of "The Lost Room" on Sci Fi. It was very satisfying and set up for a....series maybe? The evening was very nice especially because I finally got the gift I ordered for my Dad so I can mail it tonight after work. My Dad is extremely right wing (he doesn't understand me anymore than the anal retentive pagan/gamer hating boss) but he loves me anyway & is forever sending me chain prayers in the hope he can reform me. So I got him an autographed copy of Bill OReilley's new book. My mother is more difficult ("Oh, honey don't buy me anything I'm old & boring") I got her 2 little books "101 Things to Do Before you are Old & Boring" (How funny is it that I found that book the day AFTER I had that conmversation with her?) & a little photograph book called "Bad Habits" It's a book of pictures of nuns from France in the 40's with very irreverent captions. Too funny! Then since my parents birthdays are just before & after Christmas I included Johnny Cash's last album for my Dad & a faux mink lap throw for my Mom. The only thing I love about Christmas is finding unique gifts for friends & family. My BF is getting a t-shirt that says "Words on a Shirt" (please tell me you get the reference -- I thought it was funny), tickets to see TransSiberian Orchestra the day after Christmas, a copy of the "Art of War" & a fancy tin that has a bottle of Hobogoblin dark ale & a pint glass to drink it from. For 2 of the boys in my gaming group I got Star Wars Mr Potatoe head toys (Darth Tater & a Spuds Trooper). For another gaming friend I got the Hobogoblin tin & a plaque that has a quote about insufferable sanity by E.A. Poe. My son got a bed, clothes & a care package. Not original but what he wanted. My daughter got clothes & an SD card for her phone. My 2 girlfriends from work (the 2 people I still like) got gift certificates to their favorite lunch spots & camo undies for 1(she & her husband hunt) & a talking Great Dane for the other. So shopping heals -- LOL Off to work. eh..........................
OK -- I am officially done with holidays	12/10/06 - 12:37
It was as bad -- no WORSE -- than I foresaw. Not only was the food mediocre (why is at big dinners the fare is ALWAYS under-cooked potatoes, overcooked veggies & some kind of mystery meat in some sort of sauce?), the wine was cheap (you think a big corporation could afford better than a boxed wine!), but some brainiac had me sitting with the supervisor that HATES pagans & thinks all gamers are unwashed, smelly geeks that are some sort of idiot savant. Considering I am a gamer & a pagan this is not a good combination. I had to listen to inane conversation about a stereo that the boss's husband had built in to a hay rack so they could have music on their Halloween hayrides. Now this might have been interesting for 5 or 10 minutes, but 45 minutes? Then I had to pretend I was oh-so interested in the fact that she has to spend 10-15 days in some foreign country before they will let her adopt a set of twins THAT SHE PAID the parents &/or government for. And she was complaining about it! Ye gods! On the up-side I won 2 Christmas ornaments & a floral arrangement in a drawing & got invited to another party at the end of January. He promised catered food & LOTS of booze. OK, I can work on this. Now I'm home, but tired & cranky. So I'm dragging my smelly, uncouth, pagan behind to bed. Nite all
Happy Holidays!	12/9/06 - 05:49
2 weeks until Christmas & the only thing I have accomplished is present buying. Just not feeling it I guess. And in an hour i have to go to the corperate holiday dinner. Gack! I spend 8-10 hours a day, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year ( 3 weeks vacation, 1 week of legal holidays) with these people. So WHY do they feel the need to have a corperate dinner (which 1 should never miss!) & an office potluck/gift exchange & a departmental lunch? So I am now putting off getting ready for this shindig even though I know I will show up with my happy face on at 8. I would much rather be beating the crap out of Long Bow with my zombie MM. Or AVs/Hami with my 50 Scrapper. Oh well, it does pay the CoH subscription. Guess I'll go bathe now. bah-humbug!
Diary of a Mad Gamer-Mom	12/5/06 - 08:53
Greetings from the wilds of Kansas! Well, it's really not too wild as I live in the Kansas City metro (just on the good side of the stateline). Figured this was a better place to introduce myself than profiles since there is way too much to tell than there is space in profiles :) Where should I start? It was a dark & stormy night. No that's been taken (over & over again). Well, I am a well into middle aged single mom of 2 college students (1 at the University of Kansas & 1 at Kansas State University -- I live in a house divided) living in the KC metro. I am a misplaced Minnesotan. Was born in Duluth & raised in Twin Cities. Moved down here to go to college & never left. My RL is, well, mundane. I collect money for a group of cardiologists, I watch football (Go Vikings!) & hockey ( Go Coyotes!), and I play games -- lots of games, and I an a Rennie. My computer knowledge is nominal -- I can get around. But I have a whole gang of gamer friends that make sure I stay on-line & in touch. I got into MMORPGs wuite by accident. I got my 1st computer & was buying software & saw this game --> Everquest. However, I didn't look at system requirements. So I didn't notice that it required an internet connection & subscription. Until I got it home. Then I decided "Why not?" I played D&D back in the 70s (when your DM gave you a character to flesh out on mimeograph paper. levels? what are levels? At least that what ours did) so this might be fun. I soon was playing Everlost. I rerolled more characters because I could never find corpses (or bard/necros to find corpses) and I thought I was "Joe EQ" when I finally got a character through to Kaladim & had a complete set of banded armor on my woodelf ranger. I was hooked though and have drifted through several games since --- Ultima (don't ask a BF had a couple accts & he loaded it on mine so I could play UO with him), DOAC, EQ--for 6 years, Anarchy, Puzzle Pirates (same BF -- what can I say?) & finally Coh/CoV ( a birthday gift from the NEW BF ). Meanwhile, my little gamer group has drifted through several tabletop & LARP games. D&D, ShadowRun, Mage, Werewolf, Daemon, Vampyre, Champions, EQ etc etc. At one point of insanity we were playing 3-4 nights a week at someone's house or the local gaming emporioum & 2 nights a week on EQ or DOAC. But finally they started moving out of their folks home & got real jobs. So now we play 1 night a week and all of us are playing different on-line games. 2 of us CoH, 1 WoW, 1 has stuck with EQ, 2 float a couple games & 1 has quit on-line gaming all together. The rest is self explanatory sports watcher & Rennie. For those in the unwashed masses that don't know what Rennies are ( and if you are a gamer you probably SHOULD know) Rennies are participants of 1 or more Renaissance/Medival or Tudor Festivals/Faires that take place around the country. I personally claim KCRF (Kansas City Renaissance Festval) as my home faire. But I have travelled to Iowa, Oklahoma & Texas for faire play. Next year I am forsaking KCRF to participate at the St Louis area Faire & the St Louis Pirate Faire. I may be getting older, but growing up is still optional. Anyway, you get to dress up in Tudor (more or less) period clothes, speak in bad English/Scottish/Irish accents, spend way too much money on "stuff", and learn important things like how to like Guinness(I do BTW) & how to use the rest room when you are wearing stockings, bloomers, petticoats, multiple skirts, boots & a bodice. And they wonder why most women died in their 30s? Try holding your bladder for 30 years & you would die too. Ye gods! On to gaming - I am a true altoholic. My main hero is a 50 scrapper (SR/Katana) & main villain is a zombie/poison MM. But I have somewhere around 40 toons. Most in the level 10-16 range, but a couple 20+. I have belonged to several SGs. From the silly ( you will play your main 22 days a month & earn at least 4500 points of prestige per day played) to the off hand ( solo SG on Infinity ) that only want you to play in SG mode when you play to everything in-between. Since I play for enjoyment not for life style (ya ya ya I know. but appearances are deceiving) the in-between ones work the best. My main is a badge whore. Working on getting every badge I am eligible for. Maybe someday. There are days I get on-line with alist of badges to work on for the day. Mishes? Maybe -- if the villains are ones I need & is there someone in the group that needs to be side-kicked? So if you are on Champion and see Mistress Maeve, Blulite Special, k'Sheyna or Cauldron Borne. Give me a shout. I will probably use the blog for personal news, but am thinking about writing a series about my 2 mains - since I designed them to be arch-enemies (that can never fight each other - but they can plan!) But it will have to wait for the time & the muse. ttfn-- the 1, the ONLY KsTiggermom
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