10 More Questions with Alysha "Sir Kintella" Metcalf
1) What achievement either in or out of character are you most proud of?
I think I'm most proud of The Event Which Must Not Be Named series. What started out as a stray idea tossed around between Lani and me at a cookout turned into a now five-year plot that has a sizable PC base. Our first event had humble beginnings, with barely enough PCs to make cap, and nowadays we often exceed the cap just with the Friday night quest. I'm proud to say that we've consistently thrown a weekend-long questing event for five years during a time where Friday night/Sunday day questing seems to have diminished. I also like to think we do a good job of listening to our players, taking in feedback, and trying to improve the player experience with each event. I'm proud of how my own event-holding skills have grown over time; I learn something new and valuable with each event we throw.
2) Are you a fighter or a caster? Have you always been? How did you choose?
Fighter. This October will mark 10 years in the Realms for me, and I've been a fighter the entire time. I chose fighter initially because I was intimidated by the prospect of learning and remembering a bunch of spells. I stuck with it for the pikes.
3) Have you ever owned an artifact, memento, or magic item that has meant a lot to you, and why?
I haven't owned many magic items or artifacts throughout my Realms career, but one item that means a lot to me is Perseverance, which I got at Pressure Point- Flashback for receiving the Spirit of Pressure Point award. I've actually never used it, but just having it reminds me of what I was able to accomplish at that event.
4) What group of people do you spend the most time with and why?
At events I tend to hang out with a good variety of people from different Realms groups: Rhiassa, Grimloch, Ashenmark, Folkestone, and others. I spend the most time with my fellow Rhiassans and with Grimloch. Rhiassans, naturally, are my closest OOC friends. In the rare event that I'm PCing, Rhiassa probably decided to play as a group, so I'm likely to be spending time with them IC as well. Through Ben, I've become OOC friends with a lot of Grimloch members too.
5) Who is your best friend in character and why?
Sir Gwen of Rhiassa (Lani Grayson). We started our Realms journeys together as "Rhiassa Girl 1" and "Rhiassa Girl 2" and have had many adventures since then. Usually involving Gwen tripping over things on night quests and startling herself. We work very well together as a fighter/healer combo, and I don't even mind when she inappropriately grabs me to repair my chest armor.
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| Besties and Messy. |
6) What event or moment had the greatest impact on you as a player?
I'd say joining Rhiassa at N/S War '08 was the defining moment that led to many of the subsequent events that had a large impact on me as a player. That set me on the path to becoming a knight, becoming an event holder, and overall becoming a contributor to the community.
7) What event or moment had the greatest impact on your character?
Many of the impactful events in my Realms career have affected me more as a player than a character. This probably blurs the line between IC/OOC, but I'd have to say the first time I won Champion of Rhiassa had the greatest impact on my character. It was Kyntela's first official title, and was a huge source of pride for me as a female fighter character.
8) What is your most embarrassing moment, either IC or OOC?
I'm actually having a hard time coming up with an answer for this. I tend to laugh off awkward moments pretty easily, so don't really get embarrassed. I'm sure there are plenty of moments from past ToCs or Uncle Cecils' I *should* be embarrassed by.
9) What is the best piece of advice you'd give to other players?
I think I said this in my first 10 Questions, but don't be afraid to get involved. If you see something you want to get involved in -- leading a quest, joining a group/guild, performing a bardic, throwing an event, etc. -- just do it! The worst thing that can happen is you find out it's not for you. You get out of this game what you put into it, so you won't get much if you're just a passive bystander.
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| ToC 2016 |
10 ) What is the most important thing you've learned through the game?
I've learned so much through the game and the people I've met while playing that it's tough to narrow down an answer to one most important thing. One of the most important was definitely learning the value of stepping outside my comfort zone. Roleplaying, public speaking, running events, participating in events like Pressure Point, are all things, at some point in my life, I would never have pictured myself doing. Realms has forced me into situations where I've had to overcome personal fears and obstacles, which has better equipped me to do the same outside of the game. Without the game, I probably wouldn't have done things like Tough Mudder or ziplining in my personal life, which are both experiences I'm glad to have now.