10 Questions - Janna "Iawen" Oakfellow-Pushee

Janna "Iawen" Oakfellow-Pushee

Photo by Christine Poulin

How long have you been playing?

This upcoming May will mark a decade of serving and playing in the Realms.  If you only go by event anniversaries, then I started at Feast of Chimeron X, the one where Queen Meg went Under the Hill and Sir Pyr became King Pyr through a contest and was knighted KoEF... oh, and Rel Zhirah snapped a Wayland blade over his knee.  And Lady Cassia served such a grand feast that there was even a sculpture of a naked lady made out of ice.  She had raspberry nipples and a mint bush... right then.  Next question.
 

How has the game changed since you've been  playing?

I feel sometimes that more and more spell-casters look (unfortunately) for more loopholes.  Not necessarily for cheating/cheesiness, but in an attempt to make their spells more noticeable, more stand-out-ish so that way people can and will remember them for what they claim to be in-game.  This is also the case, I believe, because of our community voting in one-cost buy downs (versus the two it used to be long ago).  It is really hard to tell who is a Healer (who claims the actual path) and who just bought into the path because they didn't like their Necromancy options, for example.

Also, odd as it may seem, but less and less I've seen casters role-play outside their spell-books ("Oh, I'm out of Y, so I'm useless for the event.") and engage generally with NPCs.  I've seen quite a lot of fighters recently taking up the role-playing mantle in more ways than one: better armor, garb, interacting with NPCs and newbies alike, not even going for the 'fighter DI', being courteous on and off the field about what they do and in teaching/marshaling, etc.  Granted, lots of casters don't enjoy tournament events (I'm one of them), but fighters just don't shine in tournies only: they're really making a mark in our community as of late (and a good one, in my opinion).

...that could also mean that we're in the middle of an upswing of martial over magic once more.  Just like any trend in the Realms, it sways back and forth over the years.

From an OOC stand-point, I feel that people are generally more open to the idea of communication: asking about sites, prop borrowing (or how to make things, etc)., asking for NPCs, working with other EHs to build plot continuity, and the biggest one about resolving issues with other players or EHs.  Open communication doth rock.   There are still the occasional people who constantly complain about everything, but refuse to help fix their situation or work with other players or EHs to make their situation better (or at least come to a neutral agreement).  Thankfully, these people are still in the minority and, again in my opinion, are on the decline.  That says something about us as a community, I think.  It's great that we can just seek each other out and talk.

Who have you learned the most from?

Kathy Fey, who plays Sir Mahkta McKrye.  If you mean in the more latter years of this decade, I'd have to say Sean Veale (Sir Wil McKrye) for keeping one's cool in the midst of Stupid Happening; Jason Gray (Sir Malaki), Leanne Hoffman (Magus Faelinn), and Ian Pushee (Sir Bright Oakfellow) on how to better handle magic and magic marshaling (in general and requests); Jacob Valeri  (Sir Gideon) and Jeremy Sullivan (Laurante) for weapons construction and prop building.
 

What was your best moment IC?

In an older View from Valehaven, I covered Bouquet... so again I think I'll go into this thinking about the latter half of the decade.  There are lots of moments that stand out: not so much as 'the best' but pretty awesome... Wait, here was one.  Going into an event called The Court of Miracles.  Think it was March 2011... anyway, we apparently for the Courage trial had to stand and face our worse fear(s).  Iawen Penn, having recently come out of torture from another PC's actions, was scared witless over... birds.  So, of course, they had one guy back there for me, dressed very colorfully in feathers head to toe, with a bird mask.  I screamed my damn head off and cried for help and used my blow-gun once (missed wildly) and threw my buckler at it and tried to use chairs, and got murdered by a damn big bird.  You had to face this fear by yourself.  Apparently it freaked out the whole site, because the acoustics in Riley Commons were awesome at the time.  That one was done by... Victoria Zukas, I think.  That's a PC named Valarie Hart.

Second best moment was a summer event thrown by Randy Gordon, where Iawen completed the quest to gain a True Name and thus The Gray Man didn't come down and take her away for not being a real person.  It was an all-female quest (including Cecil)... there were tears on that quest, too... ask her about sometime in-game.

Third was the first Just a Myth and pairing off with Sir/Lord Airavarri and discovering Minerva was actually real... yeah, I'm prattling.  Anyway.
 

What was your best moment as a NPC/EH/Player?

Latter half, latter half...  Anytime I get asked to play Dalindonna I'm more than flattered and do my best to make that role believable.  I've kissed people, worn armor and swung mighty weapons, cried tears, called souls, made knights, cracked necks, cursed like a sailor, and even eaten a boiled pig's heart, all in the name of the Light.  Turns out that hearts covered in lint aren't *that* tasty.  Note to future self: always ask if there is a 'stunt' heart available.

My brain is blanking on more moments, but I'm sure if anyone asks me again in a month or so I could come up with something!  ^_^;;;

Photo by Casey Lemay

What would you like to see changed or developed more in game?

That... actually changes pretty monthly for me.  Right now, in March, I'd like to say that for all those people who are out there going "OMF the changes to the Omnibus are bullshit!", I'd invite them to either throw their own event (or if they don't care about legality) or small quest and play-test the thing they think was so great (or wasn't) with their buddies, and start gathering data on it.  Or, if they're not the kind to throw stuff, maybe convince one of their Event Holding buddies to play-test it for them at an event they'll be at.  This way, they can see what works on paper and what actually works in the LARP system we have now.  I say this because, up until recently, I was a huge fan of blow-guns and other 'guns'/weapons in general who use NERF darts.  After actually having them be used by both sides en masse at Rock & Roll this past November, I feel they have no place in our game and just don't work (people don't feel the hits or just 'don't notice' seven times out of ten, and thus won't take the shot).

...on the other hand, a hall-way with those PVC blowguns where PCs had to run Indiana Jones style through the gauntlet to not get poisoned...  hmm... (feel free to steal that idea) 

What advice would you give new players?

You will hear stories, both in and out of game.  All kinds of stories.  The ones that get you excited and happy, and the ones that make you feel sad, and the ones that might even color how you (or your character) feels about a certain other NPC, character, nation, or group.

But if you ever hear someone sigh and wish for 'the good old days', stop.  Don't listen.  Don't listen to one thing more.  Because every day in the Realms ARE 'The Good Old Days'.  This is your chance: to live in new stories, to survive events intact, to learn about why the spell system is supposedly broken, to get possessed or stuck in a contract, to win the flower for the fair maiden (who turns out sometimes to be a dude), to learn why the weapons arms race is important, why art in all forms is beautiful, why you should respect your lords and why sometimes the Big Bad Guy Reveal can still be earth-shattering!

There will be time to shed your innocence, your wonder, your illusions, but don't do it through someone else's stories.  Shed them through your own.  And if you manage to never shed these things, tell me how I can get mine back. :) 

What do you love most about the game?

Serving the community.  I like to serve, mostly because my dad taught me so.  I never consider a task too trivial at an event, too 'beneath me'.  You need the reg desk run all day and night?  Sure.  You need a goblin to go out and get killed 40 times for your ritual?  Done.  You need someone to do make-up, to sort bins, to haul stuff from place to place?  Can do.   You need someone to go and talk to that PC because they're having a sad/bad day?  I'll do my very best.

Because the community gave me so much and still continues to give, I love giving back, serving in whatever capacity the day has in store.  I might be around a little less than before now (what with the newest Realmsie entering our family), but I shan't forget the ten years I've been here, and look forward to another ten or so more. :) 

Who would you like to see the next interview be with?

Let's start doing the "young-ins": Richard Pavis, who plays Quinn of Gryffindor, Chimeron [his interview can be read here].  He's the Herald for Cecil, squired to the Knights of the Crown, went through the Apprenticeship of the Magi of the Realms, and is throwing his first event this year in the summer.
If we're sticking to 'oldbies', then Ian Pushee (Bright) [his interview can be read here], because that guy rarely ever interviews.  ;-)  Second would be Cheech or Jason Gray [his interview can be read here] (who out-rank me in xp forever).
If you mean someone from my generation (or there-abouts), do Josh Learned (Sir Shandar) or Leanne Hoffman (Magus Faelinn). 

Anything else you'd like to take the opportunity to put into print?

Never stop being creative, even if someone says 'that's stupid'.  Some of the best ideas in Realms have come from late night/dawn o'clock 'stupidity'.  :)

Also, if you get the chance, role-play at least once until dawn o'clock.  Or blue o'clock.  Or birdie o'clock?  Forget what the term is nowadays!

Keep on smiling! /big ol' hug for Realmsies :)