In the beginning (ooc: around 1986) there was “THE GAME” or “Lost Chest” the terms were used interchangeably. The lands weren’t divided the way they were now. While individual groups (such as Folkestone and Blackavar) existed as cities, they existing withint the Kingdom of Valehaven, under Prince Robert II (ooc: Shannon Slate). There was also a Princess, Princess Natasha (Kelly then Slate, now Schenkman) who grew up in the game, remaining active until about 1996.
In speaking of the early years Kelly says, “There was a magic to it, back in the Golden Age of Prince Robert II. It was beautiful in its simplicity, largely I think because there were so few of us. It forced us all to be good to each other, because you knew everyone out of character. Walking around Glendale at night (with the Kissing Bandit!), night questing (being chased by the Priest Killer), NPCing the dungeon... these were all life-changing experiences. From there, my memories move largely to Creathorne and Periden, and the blossoming of the Realms. So many more people, so much more time, money, and creativity went into events in the early 90's. When I wasn't being Princess Natasha, I was NPCing.”
She notes that as the game grew her favorite events, “were some that are still going on annually: Feast of Min, Tournament of Fools, Tournaments of Creathrone, Queen of Hearts” adding that she misses Duke of Glendale.
In 1992 Prince Robert II had died. Shannon left the game. Kelly said that “Natasha tried in vain to reunite the Realms after the death of Prince Robert II. She left embittered, but is still technically heir to a throne that has not existed in 20 years.”
While Kelly was never an Event Holder, during the time she played she regularly NPC’d and introduced many people to the game.
Post high school Kelly enlisted in the army, then taught math and science after her return to civilian life. She currently works in Engineering Management. She lives in Northern CT where she is blissfully married to another former boffer LARPER and has a teenage daughter “named for another Realmsian whom I idolized growing up, Dame Gil”.While Kelly states she was only active till 1996 she has dropped back by at least a couple times as I have had the honor of meeting her. I recall the first time she was as gracious about answering questions and sharing stories in person as she was when I reached her online to ask questions for this piece. The second time I only half recall at all because it was at Feast of Min (2011). She is in a fire performance troupe called Hubris that performed there.
When asked if she’ll ever play or visit again, she said “I'd love to, but it's a little off-putting. I went back a couple of times since leaving, and found that I hardly knew anyone and no one knew me. It's disorienting to be in a place that would not exist if not for yourself and your family, and for an entire generation of players to have no one know who you are. There are decades of history and plot arcs and cliques of people with which I was not involved. It's got to be similarly intimidating for anyone wanting to go to an event for the first time alone. If there are events that would like to have me, or recommendations for events that are oldbie-friendly, I'm all ears.”
Despite that that the other ups and downs she concluded on a positive note, stating “The Realms was a formative experience in my life, and I sincerely hope that it has had similar positive effects on others as well.”