Josh "Shandar" Learned
 |
| Photo by Melissa Fitzgerald |
How long have you been playing?
I started at Feast of Min 12, in 2002, so about 10 years in a few months. I was brought in by Joe Sims/Rillan. He had been trying to get me interested and to try it out for months before I went to my first event, but I didn't like the idea and refused to try it, go to a practice or anything. He asked me to go to an event that was basically a party and pig roast (Min). I packed a few pairs or normal clothes, no tent. Wasn't at all prepared for staying a weekend at Creathorne. On the car ride up to the event he handed me the Omnibus and told me I should start reading it, I had no idea what I was doing when I got there and sat around for the majority of Saturday and just watched the fighting and tried to learn. I fought a few times later in the day and during dinner break and NPCed the nightquest. My first event as a PC was a few weeks later at QoH and I fought with team Artex against team Radstar.
How has the game changed since you've been playing?
This is a hard question. Because it's always easy to think back to how good the old days were, but I'm not sure how true that is. I don't think it's changed all that much, I think the people have changed more than the game. Since I spent the majority of my time in the game focused on combat I've noticed combat changes a lot more. With gear becoming lighter, face and more readily available I've seen a big upswing in combat. Getting the best weapons and a good suit of armor isn't what it used to be. Also spells are quicker and easier to learn so it makes jumping from caster to fighter not as hard. I think it's a good thing having people try their hand at fighting. I also think that with spells being easier to learn we've seen more fighters attempt to learn some spells. I think it's great seeing more people try new and different things.
Who have you learned the most from?
I've been very fortunate to have a lot of great people willing to help and work with me over the years. A lot of different people who've contributed in small and great ways to help me become the person/play I am.
I have to start with Joe Sims/Rillan, who originally introduced me to the game a showed me how to fight and really introduced me to everything. He showed trained me on the first weapon style I really learned well (Shield) and has been with me the entire time I've played, always willing to give me advice, tips or when I eventually passed him by, beat up on. I wouldn't be writing this without him.
For combat, Chris/Jaha, Ben/Rohde have really been there from early on (before I joined Grimloch) to now as not only in some ways rivals, but friends and teachers. We've had a great relationship that's allowed us to learn from each other while also staying extremely competitive. They've always been there to help me learn how to fight better with a group or 1-1. It was really them that pushed me to be a fighter a drive to get better when I joined Grimloch as a rogue.
Henry/Guilliam has taught me a lot in various different ways, he showed me basically everything I know about leatherworking and how to make armor. Also how to be a good teacher to newbie’s, fighter and overall an example of how to conduct myself as a Knight.
What was your best moment IC?
In 2006 when I won QoH Champion for team Jaha, it was 4 days after Eris was born so obviously a pretty stressful time and I was going into the event pretty sleep deprived and nervous with everything and wasn't sure how well I'd do. It was also the first time we ran a 'Grimloch' team
Tournaments of Creathorne 2010 I drove up to the event just for Sunday morning to participate in a few tournaments and mainly the War Tournament. We were in the final fight against Folkestone to win the tournament. The marshals just called lay on and we made it about 3 steps when a Hold was called and the marshals started yelling at me I had to go and told me Diana had gone into labor and I had to leave. I had to rush off the field, I remember a lot of people were confused then the word must've gotten around because everyone started cheering and banging shields and stuff. They fought the fight and after I remember people rushing over to help me take off my armor so I could go fast and carry my stuff to my car. Due to the situation it's a pretty memorable moments for me that I don't think I'll ever forget.
Two of my coolest IC moments are focused around my two greatest OOC moments, which make for great memories.
What was your best moment as a NPC/EH/Player?
EH: The Order of the List Invitational, everything about it. I can't think of many ways for the event to have gone better. And it's all on the players who showed up for the effort they put into the event and the year. There had been a year’s build up to the event and a lot of effort on our part and we knew we were trying to start something long term for the game, so we were all hoping the event would go well as we figured a lot of people would judge the OotL based on that event. When I talked to people about good they think the event went or read some of the reviews it’s pretty amazing.
NPC: I believe it was 'Now to 'scape the serpents tongue'. Matt had asked us a few of us to NPC, I think maybe 8ish of us in Grimloch who weren't attending as PC's. But he specifically asked us to show up later at night and wait in the parking lot for him. We did and Sean Veal met us around 10-11 at night in the lot at the Sterling site. They led us into the woods around the PC's so they wouldn't know we had shown up. They gave us 'Fury' masks explained to us we'd be playing them and the boi's when/if the PC's opened Bedlam. I was the first one the PC's encountered as they came up a bottleneck on top of a hill. They didn't realize who/what I was when the first few people engaged me. It was a very hard, crazy and fun series of fights from then until the end of the event. And the planning behind an EH wanted a second string of heavy combat NPC's to show up late so we could be fresh and rested and have an advantage over the tired PC's was a pretty great idea. I've NPCed for Matt/Bedlam pretty much since then. Also, Beyond the Hag and Hungry Goblin, All of it.
Player: Getting my A in Grimloch and being Knighted as a KoEF are probably the best.
What would you like to see changed or developed more in game?
NPCing. I think people see NPCing as a lazy way to play when it's not there event or someone they knows event. If you’re going to go and NPC you should understand that the EH has put a lot of time and effort into their event and halfassing your roll or goofing off doesn't help them, the game or the PC's. This isn't to say you shouldn't have fun or goof off behind the scenes. But when they ask you to do something, do it the best you can and make it the best experience you can for the players. Don't get angry and fight angry, remember you’re a monster and have nothing invested in the fights outside fun. Some EH's even pay by person on site (Citadel) so when you show up to NPC they actually have to pay for you to be there. Taking a big break to eat snacks or talk about video games/movies during a heavy fight doesn't help anyone, neither does complaining because you don't like your role/stats. NPCing is helping out, so the person running it should be appreciative of whatever effort you give, but that doesn't mean it's cool to act like an ass just because you’re helping. You wouldn't want people putting that kind of effort in when you were playing or a marshal dropping people or calling whoever and not watching fights in your tournament. If you’re going to give back, have some respect for the game, players and EH's and step up your game.
What advice would you give new players?
Learn everything you can, from anyone willing to teach you. See someone you know/think is a well known mage? Talk to them about the spell system. Then talk to someone else and see how different of a response you get. See a fighter sitting around? Go ask them to practice and teach you. Then find another one. Don't waste any time at events while you new. Spend them learning and trying to better yourself at everything. Go to local practices, if you’re not comfortable in big fights, ask people to help you 1-1, there will be plenty of people willing. There are usually people at practices willing to help with spells and casting as well. These are great places for people within the community to get together face to face and learn. Also NPC, whenever you can. You can learn from some of our best players who are NPCing and watch on the game flows from the outside by seeing the PC's at a distance. Use the OOC lists for rides/gear if needed as well, there's almost always someone willing to help.
Also, find something you think you wont like doing or enjoy (fighting, casting, singing, dancing) and do it.
What do you love most about the game?
I can hit people with sticks? But seriously, the community. It's where I've met my best friends, had the most fun and become a better person. It's an amazing group of people unlike anything I've seen anywhere else.
Also, NPCing. I love NPCing. Well first, it's free, which is awesome. But it's a great way to practice, fight without armor, against people in armor or play with spells you may not have, it can be great from a pure selfish perspective. But also you know you’re giving something back and helping out the game be better for other people. I enjoy when I read reviews of events that I NPC'ed and hope I helped that event be a little better.
Who would you like to see the next interview be with?
Neil Kusleika/Sir Eldritch. Neil is one of my favorite people to be around at events and someone I look to for examples as a good player and knight. And due to his time I'm sure he'll have some pretty cool answers.
Anything else you'd like to take the opportunity to put into print?
I've been bitched and nagged at for Months about this, so I guess I'll come clean here. If anyone didn't already get it, my QoH champions bardic this past year was written by Diana with help of themes and ideas from me. She's been mad that I haven't told everyone she wrote it since then. But anyone who's read or heard any of her other bardic's should've been able to figure out I didn't write anything so cool, she wrote it. But honestly,she's also one of the most creative, inspired and motivated people when it comes to the realms that I've ever met. And has for many years put her goals and idea's in the back seat so I can practice and go and win tournaments, championships, start orders and earn a very cool knighting. Without her sacrificing her time and goals for me I wouldn't be able to have done all the things I have over the years. She deserves way more credit that I give her and owe all of my great accolades and accomplishments to her.
(No, she didn't write this, and won’t know it's written until it's been posted on here)
