10 Questions - Josh "Lako" Fitzgerald

Josh "Lako" Fitzgerald

How long have you been playing?

Photo by Jesse Gifford

10 Years Feast of Leviathan will mark the beginning of my 11th

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

This is a question I've thought long and hard about many times, in the end the big one I can answer is Traditions. I feel the game used to have more traditions than it does now. I remember my first event watching Cecil stomp around sniffing people cause the Order of the Spoons spoon was taken. Apparently this happened a lot more in prior years. I remember prizes being given out at the end of tourneys things people could really be proud of and had a story behind them. Unique tourneys that were different at every Event. It may be just from my view but I feel that is what has changed and I feel its a loss. The little things at events and in our game are what make the stories the laughter and its what kept me coming back for years, I would really like to start seeing some new traditions and maybe old ones come back... Bread wars all im saying.

Who have you learned the most from?

I have tossed this over in my mind for hours, I could go through and name a ton of people, possibly the majority of the game has taught me how to live and laugh. However as far as the ones who have pushed me the furthest to learn? I have to give that credit to Grimloch. My time with them I learned a lot of valuable lessons I still carry today. Never make anyone do something your not willing to do yourself. NPC every third event, push yourself to your best and be bready to show others the same, those are to name a few but in truth it wasn't until the group and I went separate ways that I got the biggest lesson from them, I learned to stand on my own two feet, that the choices we make have to be lived with and that you have to make the best of a situation you never thought you'd be in.  As a player in this game I feel that I have not only grown as my Character and as a Person, so to them I say Thank you.

In the End I owe that to Josh Learned (Shandar) for introducing me to this wonderful world and people, Thank you for hitting me with a Magic Missile while walking in school my Freshman year.

What was your best moment IC?

There are so many to name i'll put just small tidbits so the people who were there will know about them and then i'll pick one: Super Secret Troll 007, Insane Lich Snow Angels, Zombies assaulting the Lonetree Castle

QoH Bridge battle Grimloch team Jaha of about 17 vs Folkestone who i believe had 30 or 40+ I was in my mystic Forge fixing the entire line and being the main healer. I like to think I was the first person to use a forge this way and this effectively, as well as cause all the Bridge and Castle battles in our game to get timed but I may just be cocky. Anyways we ended up winning, That had to be one of my proudest moments was to walk away from that Victorious.

Photo by Cathy Hopkins

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

My favorite had to be at Koef last year. Lako had fallen into a pit of some sort that had you go talk to the EH. Well I fell in and the EH had to figure out a way to not have Lako ticked out, with his help we decided Lako became empowered by Harlequin and Blessed as a Vessel for a Death Jester (Harlequin Angel) named Pennywise. At just about dark I waited outside the tavern ( G&G site) near the parking lot just outside the light coming from inside. All you could see was a silhouette of something. First person to notice me was Grebinar and he couldn't make out what I was so he started getting other peoples attention. When I had a good enough crowd I let out the best Clown/ Maniacal laughter I could and went running up the road. all I heard coming from the Tavern was "What the @#$% was that!" and "Holy $%^& guys there is something out there. At which point i had already run around the tavern and come barreling up the stairs past the windows and over the railing. All the Pc's came running outside to see what it was and I was already back at my original spot in front of the Parking lot. This time the Pc's began creeping up into the dark to see what was crouching just outside their view. I waited until a good majority of them were past the porch and onto the grass when I came running down toward them Laughing and screaming, the were tripping over themselves trying to get back inside. I slowly made my way inside after messing with the PCs a few more times and there were much more shenanigans inside. However at this time I'll just say if you want to hear more just ask. The costume I was wearing was just the mask I wear on my belt but I made the best of what I had.

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

I actually think what I want is beginning to happen, I'm really trying to help along more garb in the game and more time spent IC and not talking about OOC stuff or carrying around sodas and such I'm starting to see tankards from duct tape, or IC cups I want the Curtain of Fantasy to remain closed as much as possible. Another thing that might be cool is awards at some of the larger events for the best IC camp/ IC gear. Things that make the game more immersing, cross over plot lines. Invading NPCs during tourneys, more gold flow at quests ( price off event fee for bring x amount of gold then hadn out to NPCs), random merchants to buy from. anything that makes the realms feel like a world and not a set of stories told every weekend. Random NPCS at events like TOC and QOH that are supposed to be "towns folk" and the such I know this comes down to needed staff. I also would like to see relations with other larps go up maybe we staff some of their events in exchange they staff ours, most likely not as combat NPCs but non coms might add to the feel of things.

What advice would you give new players?

Get to know everyone, everyone in this game has a story or ten to tell. Never limit yourself to one group of people you will miss out on so much of the community. Learn from everyone you can and learn anything you can, even if you dont like fighting take some time to learn, don't like casting? Give it a shot. If you come into the game as an independent or find yourself one very soon after joining find a group of friends you like to be around but meet everyone you can. If their is one thing I can say about this game is that it is made up of some of the greatest people I know. These are people who will give you the shirt off your back if you need it and they can teach you so much more than what this game is. Take a look back through the old interviews, I bet I'm not the only one who has said that this game has changed their life for the better. Take your character seriously but don't tie yourself to a story so much you miss out on the fun. Get a basic Idea of what you want and let the rest build itself.

What do you love most about the game?

The community, the friendships, the support, the memories, and the desire to see more of it and help it grow so that the realms lives on for the next generation to enjoy.

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

Either you Callin, or Vawn

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

Thank you. To everyone in this game and everything that has come from it Thank you to everyone I know. This game is family for the best times or the worst times I will always be coming back because you can never leave your family.

Also apologies for the terrible grammar I wrote this at 5 Am after working ten hours.  Also good luck finding any early pics of me only one I know of is at Feast of the Seven tides.