Humanizing the Realms - Michael "Vuel" Durocher

 Humanizing the Realms with Michael Durocher, Shiba Vuel of Invictus

1. What do you do outside of the game? What would you like to be doing? (Work, school, projects, etc.)

I work for the Commonwealth of Mass's Department of Transitional Assistance as a supervisor and appeal liaison. My free time outside of work is spent with either my family or at the gym. I try to get 3-4 workouts in a week because as I've gotten older my body has steadily fallen apart on me so working out makes me feel better and allows me to keep up with my growing child. Add in practice when they resume in nice weather I'm trying to do something physical 4-5 days a week. I've been really into retro gamming with my son, introducing him to all my favorite N64 and PS1-2 games and we've been playing those together so I'm passing on the gamer mentality with him and watching him learn the frustrations of the water temple brings a tear to my eye. Outside of that I spend time playing whatever game has my attention at the time

2. What hobbies do you enjoy other than LARP?

Gym is the easy answer but I don't really enjoy it I do it because I hate myself (Kidding i have a dark sense of humor...). My primary hobby is always been gamming, either competitive card gaming like Magic or L5R, Table top games or video games. I've always had a very competitive nature so any game that can present a challenge is on my list (The except to the this is farm sims games. I love me some Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley because they're so mellow). But basically if it involves gaming or some kind of deep lore I'm into it.

3. Favorite meal, dessert, and drink?

Meal: Sourdough grilled cheese with bacon Dessert: Cookies have and always will be my greatest weakness Drink: Coffee

4. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? Would you bring anyone?

Easiest thing to answer so far. Japan. And not the big cities like Tokyo ect,. My dream is to go into the country side, visit places like the shrine of the 47, Musashi's grave and walk the various trails and visit the old temples.

5. Are you working on any life goals that you’re willing to share?

Mostly just trying to stay in shape because I have a very active child and I want to be able to keep up with him. 

I'm also in the process of getting a full Japanese body suit tattoo completed. The entire thing is being done in traditional hand poke (Tebori), Hopefully I will be able to start working on the chest and back either end of this year or start of next year. 

6. Favorite outfit other than garb?

Jeans and hoodie

7. Do you have any professional or personal skills you’d be willing to talk about?

I have a B.A in Childhood Psychology and another one in Early Childhood Education and my Masters is in Applied Developmental Psychology. I spent the early part of my career before i started working for the state working with disadvantaged youths and residential programs and in various school systems creating programs that would allow kids to stay in district for behavioral needs. As for personal skills I've been told that I'm a very create DM and plot master and able to take little things and grow them into much larger and more impactful things.

 

8. What drew you to the realms, and what keeps you there?

Honestly, combat. As I've stated I am very competitive, and I love skill based challenges. Realms was the one LARPI played that didn't rely on points or special powers to do damage. it was all skill. The more work you put in, the better you got and that's what really kept me in the early stages of my career. After that, it was the people. I met my best friends, and people who I consider closer then my actually family in this game and they're the ones who keep me here. Honestly I could not really image my life without my Invictus family and all the shenanigans and debates we get into. More importantly recently watching the growth of my squire Madison has brought me an immense amount of joy and pride. Seeing them grow f and come out of their shell, being recognized for everything they do has made a lot of the years I spent playing this game and being the background support all worth it.

9. Favorite movies/shows/books?

Movie: Greatest movie of all time is the OG Ghostbusters and if anyone says otherwise they are wrong. Show: Shogun, OG or new one Book: Jurassic Park

10. If you happened upon 3 wishes, what would they be? (Wishing for more wishes doesn’t seem to work...)

Oh dear lord....Okay lets avoid the nonsense like world peace. I would like for the world to not actively be on fire for like a year so we can all catch our breaths. On the selfish wish I would want a ton of land and the money to build a traditional Japanese castle via the Edo period on to live in for myself and my friends because of course I do. And third wish would just be the health, prosperity and safety of everyone I care about.

11. Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Cal Marsden [Editors note: Cal's article can be found here], Tom Gallagher, Madison Neil

12. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Don't be afraid to be weird. Surround yourself with the people who share your weirdness and you've found the secret to being happy. Step outside the box and try new things. You may end up playing a game for 25 years and having a lifetime of memories from it.

If you'd like to do one of these interviews, send Dani Lacasse (lilpotatogem on Discord) a message to let her know! 

Humanizing the Realms - Diana "Kiira" Learned

Humanizing the Realms with Diana Learned (nee LaPierre), Sir Kiira of Invictus

1. What do you do outside of the game? What would you like to be doing? (Work, school, projects, etc.)

I am a Preschool Teacher at HCS Head Start. I work with at-risk communities to provide free, high-quality childcare and education for children ages 0-5, with my classroom specifically being a preschool room, which is ages 2.9 to 5-years-old. I have been working there for just under 13 years. I love working there and it is my calling in life. Being able to meet children where they are, taking into account that no two children learn the exact same, with neurodiversity both in my students and in myself, and just having a great time doing it. We are never done learning, in my opinion, and my students teach me just as much as I teach them, and a lot of time they teach me a healthy dose of humility. My kids, Eris(19) and Karter(15), are a huge part of my life and I’m so proud of the people they are. I’ve volunteered for their activities in the past and it’s been super rewarding to be able to work with them and their fellows to see them grow in so many aspects of life, and that has also taught me very useful skills. Spending time with my family, including my husband Josh and my three cats, is the best part of my life. I am probably the luckiest person in the world and I continuously look forward to doing that for the rest of my life.

2. What hobbies do you enjoy other than LARP?

So many hobbies! I like to think of myself as a Jack of all trades, master of none, which is most likely due to my ADHD. I love playing table top role-playing games. I’ve been playing D&D since the beginning of 3rd Edition(about 25 years ago) and I still play a weekly game where Karter also plays and it’s run by Kevin Betie(Cinnabar), who is an amazing GM! I also have an Ork Army, Imperial Guard Army, and the beginnings of a Death Guard Army for Warhammer 40K, which I don’t play(or build, or paint) nearly enough for the amount I’ve paid for the tiny plastic creatures and vehicles. I also own random other card decks for systems that I should play but also don’t. I have had a life-long love of video games, and recently I’ve been playing a lot of Nintendo Switch. I still break out my old systems every few years for nostalgia’s sake. I also keep replaying old Pokémon games for the same reason. Crafting is a huge part of my hobbies and I’d like to say I love sewing but I don’t know if that’s true. I sew, leather craft, wood craft, build weapons, and random other things that help facilitate my Realms Career, which is extremely transferable to the real world. Finally, I love reading everything, especially comics, manga, fantasy novels, romantasy books, and following late night rabbit holes into random topics on the internet. I also enjoy watching movies and tv series and discussing or arguing about them in person.

3. Favorite meal, dessert, and drink?

I love food so much, which is sad because my food restrictions are pretty severe. My Italian Grandmother lived next door to me as a child, so there was always an abundance of food and incessant nagging if I didn’t eat it. My favorite meals that I am always in the mood for are; burgers with sweet potato fries, steak with mashed potatoes and asparagus, or tacos topped with microgreens instead of lettuce. My favorite dessert used to be cheesecake, but since I can’t eat it anymore I’d have to go with dairy free ice cream in a cone or popsicles made with real fruit. Yes, and hot brownies. I am a very, “what have you done for me lately,” kind of drink consumer, so depending on my mood, I will mostly drink water but I also enjoy teas, matcha, colas, Shirley Temples, or Code Red Mountain Dew.

4. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? Would you bring anyone?

This is a very difficult question. I love learning about the past, so I would greatly appreciate visiting historical places in Europe, the Middle East, South America, or Asia. I would have loved to see the Parthenon before it was blown up(during WWII), to see any of the pyramids, the colosseum, etc. The other thing I would enjoy is visiting Hobbiton and trying to break in and live there forever.

5. Are you working on any life goals that you’re willing to share?

Recently, I’ve been focusing on my own physical and mental health since we’ve been living through such unprecedented times. The journey has been extremely successful and I’m proud to say I’m feeling very happy and very healthy. 

As far as future goals, I would love to return to school and get a doctorate in Education. Education is my passion and, ironically, I love learning.

6. Favorite outfit other than garb?

Anyone who knows me knows that my go-to outfit is a graphic tee and jeans or shorts. If I’m going out, I tend towards goth fashion, with fishnets and fun shoes!

7. Do you have any professional or personal skills you’d be willing to talk about?

I can juggle, which comes in really handy to entertain small children. Also, I love music and I can sing, which also helps me at my job. In my job, I excel at working with children who have challenging behaviors which translates into me being able to form strong bonds with people in a small period of time and I have developed the patience of a mother wolf spider carrying her babies on her back. While I try and use this skill with everyone, I tend to be able to use it more with younger folks.

8. What drew you to the realms, and what keeps you there?

I went to Holyoke Community College where I joined the RPG Club. From there, I was introduced to LARPing and I immediately took to it. I met my husband Josh (Shandar) there and haven’t looked back in 21 years. Our relationship, even within the context of the game, helped us to be better people and players in the game. The people, specifically my friends and found family, keep me coming back. I also love teaching people the skills I have gained from the game because I LOVE sharing knowledge, even if it’s unwanted(sorry).

9. Favorite movies/shows/books?

This is impossible to answer. There are sooooo many. Currently, I’m living for Apothecary Diaries, DanDaDan, and I’m trying to catch up on One Piece(I just hit the two year time skip). Genre’s I love are fantasy, horror, sci-fi, some drama, some comedy, classics, and news parodies. For literature, I like the same sort of things including comics, manga, manhwa, and smut. I’m currently reading Zodiac Academy and enjoying the 6th book.

10. If you happened upon 3 wishes, what would they be? (Wishing for more wishes doesn’t seem to work...)

1. Universal Health Care
2. Every child could grow up being safe, healthy, and would only have to worry about self-actualization on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
3. A tiny house/vardo wagon of my very own where I can put it in the woods to be my preschool classroom and be able to sing to animals and get them to do chores with me like some kind of Snow White-esque life. 🥹

11. Who would you like to see interviewed next?

I’m not sure who has, so I’ll give a list: Kathy Fey, Antonio Laudati, and Michael Durocher. 

12. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Some helpful tips, if you’ll humor me: When trying to establish a relationship or interacting with people you don’t know very well, remember to recognize that not everyone has the same experience you do. Look at things through different lenses. So many factors can go into an interaction that you may not be thinking about. We all have our own truths. Before I realized my neurodivergence or masking skills, I didn’t always have great interactions, and sometimes I still struggle. On the opposite hand, you do matter and don’t let people treat you poorly if you’ve done nothing to deserve it. Stand up for yourself because you are just as important as the next person. Try your best to be positive and keep that glass half full. This has been so important in my own personal growth and happiness. Don’t perpetuate unsubstantiated information. Lies and slander can really hurt people on so many levels. Don’t blindly believe rumors. Do your own research. If you know there is a problem, don’t stay quiet to maintain the status quo. Speak up and go to others who will help you.

If you'd like to do one of these interviews, please contact Dani Lacasse or submit your responses HERE!

Humanizing the Realms - Paul "Grindin Starbrook" Tilton

1. What do you do outside of the game? What would you like to be doing? (Work, school, projects, etc.)

I work for John Hancock, as a Business Analyst. Which sounds like corporate nonsense, and it is. Luckily I enjoy the people I work with, and I get to work on a huge variety of projects, so it stays interesting!

2. What hobbies do you enjoy other than LARP?

Honestly it feels like my favorite hobby is collecting hobbies. I like video games, audiobooks, learning basically anything, 3d printing, boardgames, TTRPGs, disc golf, watercolors, Battletech, Warhammer, a smattering of MTG, woodwork, I just picked up a camera for photography, gardening, our homestead... Oh jeez I don't think I've ever tried to list them before.

3. Favorite meal, dessert, and drink?

Man, what an impossible ask because cooking is one of my hobbies I didn't list above! I'm gonna have to go in sub categories Meals: I love Japanese cuisine, but everyone loves Sushi, so I'll say Japanese Curry. (If you haven't tried it, you absolutely should). But I also make sourdough, and a grilled cheese with tomato soup on my own bread is pretty simple but tough to beat. Drinks: I've been really into mint Sharbat lately (sort of like a shrub), a nice cold beer never hurts, and lets go bourbon for favorite liquor. Dessert: I'm much more of a savory boy, but there are these chocolate covered sea salt caramel frozen yogurt bars by Yasso that are perfect

4. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? Would you bring anyone?

Wife, duh. But I think I'm obligated to say that 😜. We've got a dream vacation to Japan coming up in October, so, that's definitely high up there. If the stars align (or one of us wins the lottery) I would absolutely love for Ashenmark to take a group trip to New Zealand.

5. Are you working on any life goals that you’re willing to share?

We're slowly building a homestead, and I look forward to the years where we produce a significant portion of our own food. We've got bees (dammit I forgot beekeeping in the hobbies list), a garden with a lot of tomatoes, potatoes, and beans, started keeping meat chickens, meat rabbits. Very fun stuff, and Brooke has been an incredible farm wife. 

6. Favorite outfit other than garb?

T-shirt, sweatshirt, shorts, and flipflops. I've been collecting merino wool tees when I can find them, that is a MAGICAL fiber, man.

7. Do you have any professional or personal skills you’d be willing to talk about?

I try not to monetize my hobbies, but I love creating custom miniatures on Titancraft (similar to Heroforge). So if you want a DnD or Realms mini, you let me know and I can do it for a probably pretty modest price.

 

8. What drew you to the realms, and what keeps you there?

Being a nerdy 14 year old drew me in. I've basically grown up in the game, and now a lot of the faces who have been around long enough are family to me. I love a lot of the aspects of the game, but 100% most important is the community.

9. Favorite movies/shows/books?

Oh God, thank you for asking. I have been trying to get everyone I know to read the First Law books by Joe Abercrombie. Please read them so we can talk about how they're the best gritty fantasy books ever written.

10. If you happened upon 3 wishes, what would they be? (Wishing for more wishes doesn’t seem to work...)

1. $500,000 a year, adjusted for inflation so I can focus on my plethora of hobbies, travel as much as I want, but not have so much money that it becomes a problem. 2. Our pets live exactly as long as we do in good health. 3. No more fucking cancer. Fuck cancer.

11. Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Dan Diamond

12. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Goddammit I also forgot to add Yoyoing to the hobbies list. Please read Joe Abercrombie's books. 

If you'd like to do one of these interviews, send Dani Lacasse (lilpotatogem on Discord) a message to let her know! 

Humanizing the Realms - Cal "Syruss" Marsden

 

1. What do you do outside of the game? What would you like to be doing? (Work, school, projects, etc.)

"For work I am a school counselor. It honestly is one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever had. In the course of my studies and then through some very different on job experiences I feal it has helped me evolve and grow. We are just entering summer vacation time for schools too and let me tell ya if you thought they were cool when we were kids in school they are even cooler when your an adult. As far as projects going, I have a few things running on the 3D printer now actually that I am excited about (Some future prizes). I have a really cool plasti dip pike I need to finish up as well as a few shields to make for Matthew Hewitt. But that is another benefit of summer it is my big crafting season lol."

2. What hobbies do you enjoy other than LARP?

I really have gotten into disc golf. It was another way of getting out in the woods doing a physical activity with friends. My little brother Jacob Ruggiero/ Mogar got me into it and I am addicted. I am also a fairly big wrestling fan and try to hit as many shows as I can :) That and I fancy myself a gamer both Table Top and videogames. Currently play Have a Nice Death Day and Hypercharge Unboxed

3. Favorite meal, dessert, and drink?

Favorite Meal is tough as I love all kinds of food. But my gut says its a toss up from good Southern BBQ or good stuffed manicotti or maybe a lasagna. Although if I am being honest probably pizza Dessert I am an Ice Cream guy specifically since I am blessed to live between 6 farms that do local creameries Drink. I am a big fan of water, diet coke for pizza and burgers, but if we are talking alcoholic bevy I enjoy a good whiskey preferably an ol fashion or more recently a big fan of Gin and Tonic/Seltzer specifically if you get the flavored seltzers.

4. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? Would you bring anyone?

I love to travel! I actually went to Bermuda with fellow Neden Boy Priest Z/ Alex Sokolowski. But I would love to do New Zealand with my Neden family and walk the Lord of the Rings trail. There are some cool guided 14 day excursions that look amazing.

5. Are you working on any life goals that you’re willing to share?

Professionally I am always looking at different phycology and counseling conferences.

Realms wise. This year dusting off getting back into event holding. Recently helped Ethan/JB with the Neden BBQ and Tournaments of the Blue Rose 1024 Welcome to the Shadowlands which was last October. This was a labor of love by Casey/Karmha and I am happy to have helped run the tournaments.  

6. Favorite outfit other than garb?

I do like dressing fancy but you can usually find me in cargo shorts and some nerdy tank top (Star Wars, Anime, Doctor Who)

7. Do you have any professional or personal skills you’d be willing to talk about?

Professional: As a licensed counselor I have a lot of great listening skills and coping mechanism and strategies for people who may need to chat or vent. Personal: I love writing one shot D&D campaigns and then 3D printing specific figs and building custom terrains to throw a little Razzle Dazzle on a one day session. I also really like being crafty and making props for events or plasti-dipped bottles/ water coolers, and boff weapons and shields.

8. What drew you to the realms, and what keeps you there?

Tom Johnson/Blade saw me dressed up for work on Halloween one day in my King Richards fair kit and asked if I wanted to hit people with foam bats. I went to fight practice that week and have never looked back. So the initial draw was this wild gateway into an awesome combat system that let me live out all my RPG fantasies (I never knew this outlet existed and wish I learned of it sooner). What keeps me here is the people. This game is a lot of things and some excellent things that make us unique. But, time and time again it is the community that consistently impresses me. I have seen fundraisers for fallen friends, veterans, food drives for children. I have seen us come together when of us where at our lowest and I continually watch people develop these new found families that they can thrive as their true self with like minded people. So our combat system, accessibility, and frequency are all top notch traits it is the people that makes the Realms what it is.

9. Favorite movies/shows/books?

I really like the Lord of the Rings Movies, I am a particularly HUGE Star Wars fan, and musicals have a special place in my heart. Shows I am an anime buff I am currently watching the Blood of Zeus which has been a fun ride. But I am always open to anime suggestions. I also dig Doctor Who, Evil, House of Dragons, The Boys, and I just finished the best show I have ever seen in my life Ted Lasso Books: I like anything spooky. But I really love the Dark Tower series.

10. If you happened upon 3 wishes, what would they be? (Wishing for more wishes doesn’t seem to work...)

1. Unlimited funds. Having that security and allowing me to do some awesome things for not only those around me but the world would be amazing. 2.To be able to speak every language. I married a Foreign Language teacher and as mentioned above love to travel. I think being able to really travel and communicate with the locals makes the traveling experience all the better. 3. This description might only be for a select few who seen the show Heroes. But there was a character Hiro Nakamura who was the master of space/time. I think having that ability to now not only travel seamlessly throughout the world but also through time itself would be wild....If not that superpower than a TARDIS and the knowledge on how to operate it lol..

11. Who would you like to see interviewed next?

There are a lot of people I think would make for some great interviews. Ed Drummond (Tuli/Murmur) My handsome prince Alex Sokolowski (Gavin/Priest Z) Paul Tilton (Sir Grindon) Sarah Fournier (Evie) [Check out Sarah's article here!]

12. Anything else you’d like to add? 

To quote two wild fellows "Be excellent to each other"

If you'd like to do one of these interviews, send Dani Lacasse (lilpotatogem on Discord) a message to let her know! 

Humanizing the Realms: Sarah "Evitta Jainrose" Fournier

1. What do you do outside of the game? What would you like to be doing? (Work, school, projects, etc.)

I'm an esthetician by trade, and I have a small business called Inner Beauty by Sarah. I touch faces for a living! I really enjoy my job. For the most part, it's a relaxing occupation, and I'm lucky to have a great clientele. I can see myself working in skincare for a long time. I think one day I'd like to own my own salon/spa building, but I'm super content with where I'm at right now. When I'm not working, I spend a lot of time with my boyfriend, family, and cats.

2. What hobbies do you enjoy other than LARP?

I've been a gamer since I was young, always favoring games over tv. I play Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Stardew Valley, and World of Warcraft. There's also a city building game that's about as old as me that my dad got me into called Zeus: Master of Olympus. Beyond gaming, I enjoy writing, whether it be stories, songs, or lists. I also sing every day, and am a part of a local choir that meets weekly.

3. Favorite meal, dessert, and drink?

Meal: I eat a lot of eggs and avocado on toast and it never gets old. I also love a cheeseburger and fries! If we're talking restaurants, it would have to be a platter of assorted BBQ staples from BT's Smokehouse, or maybe chicken madeira from Cheesecake Factory. Dessert: I have a major sweet tooth. I think my #1 pick would be a warm chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream. I also really like brownies, and York peppermint patties. Drink: Water is always my go-to, but other than that I've been digging strawberry vanilla Ollipop, or zero sugar watermelon/peach or dragonfruit Vitamin Water.

4. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? Would you bring anyone?

Iceland has been on the top of my bucket list for a few years now. My interest in Iceland piqued when I watched Sense8 on Netflix (love that show!) The scenery is breathtaking; I'd love to see the Northern lights and black sand beaches. I would bring my boyfriend, Jarryd. We talk about traveling a lot!

5. Are you working on any life goals that you’re willing to share?

I think the biggest one is saving up for a fancy vacation to Iceland! Other than that, I'd like to write more songs, build my confidence in performing, and contribute more to the Realms community.

6. Favorite outfit other than garb?

When I'm not at work I live in sweats, fuzzy socks, and slippers. If I’m going out, I like to wear dresses and skirts. My favorite piece of clothing is a purple sweater from Free People.

7. Do you have any professional or personal skills you’d be willing to talk about?

Professionally, I've been a licensed esthetician for 5 and a half years, and I'm very confident in my skills at work. When I apply eyelash extensions or give facials, most of my clients fall asleep and relax. I’m happy to know that I make other people feel safe and comfortable while they’re in my space.

Personally, I sing a lot, and I was ranked #1 soprano in my state when I was a senior in high school. I have a really good ear so I thrive in group singing ventures where I can harmonize with others. And ninja skills... shh!

8. What drew you to the realms, and what keeps you there?

My dad, Decion, joined the Realms in the '80s. He brought me to my first event when I was 6 months old: Feast of Leviathan 1. I was drawn by archery when I was a preteen/teen, and I found the combat exhilarating. When I returned to the game as an adult, I was drawn back in by the roleplaying, which I honestly had no idea was a part of the game since I only attended tournaments as a kid. The community keeps me here. After my dad's stroke in 2018, the community wrapped me up in its arms and took care of me and my family. I'll never forget that. Realms is my second family. The game is filled with wonderful, encouraging, and kind people who always push me to be the best person I can be. Opening the doors of Evie's Tavern and seeing its continued success has been a blessing too. Having the opportunity to give back to the Realms in that way makes me very happy.

9. Favorite movies/shows/books?

For movies, I'd say Harry Potter (7 and 8 are my favorites), the Twilight saga, and Hot Rod. For shows, I'm a huge Survivor fan, I watch every season! I enjoyed House of the Dragon, and The Bear is also phenomenal. I tend to rewatch shows when those aren’t airing. Grey’s Anatomy is my go-to. For books, I tend to reread a lot of things from my teenage years, so Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hunger Games and Divergent. I'm currently reading The In-Between by Hadley Vlahos, which I highly recommend.

10. If you happened upon 3 wishes, what would they be? (Wishing for more wishes doesn’t seem to work...)

If I came upon 3 wishes, I’d first wish for the health and well-being of my family and friends. For the 2nd wish, probably infinite cash. I’d buy a chunk of land and make a gorgeous event site for the realms, with a big castle and a tavern and cabins with showers! And 3rd, maybe the ability to fly or teleport?

11. Who would you like to see interviewed next?

I’d like to see My brother Pilpus (Benjamin Lacasse) [Editor in chief note, Ben's article can be found here!], my fellow Gaia worshiper Seeker Ihrin (Jasper Sierra), or the Commander of the Broken Spears, Warlord Cronin (Adrian Cronin) interviewed!

12. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Not really, just looking forward to the spring and warmer weather, and spending more time in the Realms!

If you'd like to do one of these interviews, send Dani Lacasse (lilpotatogem on Discord) a message to let her know! 

Humanizing the Realms: Travis "Sir Elwin O'Bearikin" Wilcox

1. What do you do outside of the game? What would you like to be doing? (Work, school, projects, etc.)

I am currently doing property maintenance for my job after spending a few years as being an Environmental Health and Safety Supervisor for a larger company.

2. What hobbies do you enjoy other than LARP?

I really enjoy 3D printing. I have been doing it for quite a few years now and it makes me happy even though the frustrating parts.

3. Favorite meal, dessert, and drink?

My favorite meal is Putchins, it is a boiled meatballs and dumplings in a gravy poured over crushed boiled potatoes. As for desserts, I enjoy either a good chocolate moose or strawberry shortcake. My favorite drink would be Mt. Dew.

 

4. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? Would you bring anyone?

I just recently started to learn how to vacation. I would say my big trip that I would want to do would be either England or Japan. Although the transatlantic cruise that we should be doing this year should be really fun. We have been having a great time traveling with friends and of course I go with Sarah.

5. Are you working on any life goals that you’re willing to share?

I have been trying to work on me. Mental health has been a struggle for me for most of my life and I am working on making that better.

6. Favorite outfit other than garb?

I love to put on a fresh pair of slacks, a button up shirt and a tie with a really nice pair of shoes. Always feels good to look sharp.

7. Do you have any professional or personal skills you’d be willing to talk about?

Unfortunately that is just a hard question for me. I have had a lot of professions in my life from web designer, to bagger, to painter, to DJ, to retail management to being the Safety Guy. I think this is a better question to ask in person if you are looking to know something. I may know it or may know someone who does.

8. What drew you to the realms, and what keeps you there?

Way back in the day, mid '90's, I was a freshman in highschool. I was talking to this guy in one of my classes about Dungeons and Dragons and he told me about this really cool thing he did called N.E.R.O. Well, let me tell you, it sounded amazing. You get to play a character much like a D&D one but you really got to go out and do it. Well this seemed just for me after spending years in martial arts so I did what any sane teen of the time would do... I asked my mom. Well when she asked me how much it was, I told her it was $120 a year and $60 per event. In now a day money that would be $240 a year and $120 an event. That was a whole lot of money for a kid to go play on a weekend. Next question she asked was where was it? Now that was when I told her it was in NY. While she still heard me out, that was a final nail in the coffin. There was no way she was going to drop me off almost 5 hours away for a weekend with people she didn't know and out doing something she didn't really understand. Few weeks later she came back to me and said she had looked into it and found a local game that took place only about 45 minutes away. She had a friend who had a friend who played and they were coming over to tell me all about it. So I gathered a couple of my friends at the time and we all got together the next week with a guy from the game. He brought all kinds of weapons and rule books and the fighters manual and the spell casters manual and we talked for 3 hours about all the ins and outs of the game. After that I was hooked. Memorial day weekend came around and I packed the weapons I made and the little bit of camping stuff I had and we were off to Tournaments of Creathorne '95. That is where it all began. My mom made me my costume and we made weapons just like the book said to. They were terrible and we replaced them at the event because they were not safe at all. Now onto what keeps me here. That is not as colorful of a story. I am here because of the people, the community they have built and the history and enjoyment that the years of playing has given me. I started out as a player enjoying the great stories that were being told and soon grew into an event holder at a young age so that I could bring others the enjoyment of the game that they were bringing me. I had an idea and I ran with it. Over the years I have seen so many people come into the game and enjoy what we have to offer. Some stayed for many years others only in brief passing. I stay because I want the game to grow and bring the enjoyment I had when I first started to others.

I stay since the skills you have transfers better in this game to actual results then in most games, where its very sheet focused.

9. Favorite movies/shows/books?

My favorite movie is Demolition Man, favorite show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and favorite book is really hard to pin down. I have a lot of different ones that are really stand out to me for many different reasons.

10. If you happened upon 3 wishes, what would they be? (Wishing for more wishes doesn’t seem to work...)

My first reaction is to loop hole this and wish for Shenron, Porunga, and Genie from Aladdin. I will take this in the spirit of the question though. Wish 1: $999,999,999.00 to be equally removed from the top five richest people in the world and deposited into my bank account as a legal and willing transfer. Wish 2: The ability to bring good health to myself and all those around me. Wish 3: Immortality with a fixed age of 35, able to be ended at the time of my choosing.

11. Who would you like to see interviewed next?

In no particular order: Matt Hewitt Sarah Fournier Tony Quintana

12. Anything else you’d like to add? 

No matter how long you have been playing the game be it a year or thirty, we are all playing this game together to have fun.

If you'd like to do one of these interviews, send Dani Lacasse (lilpotatogem on Discord) a message to let her know! 

Humanizing the Realms: Ben “Sir Pilpus Jainrose” Lacasse

1. What do you do outside of the game? What would you like to be doing? (Work, school, projects, etc.)

I work in Proprietary Electronics. Slot Machines mostly right now, but in the past I have worked on everything from digital posters to Prison Phone systems. Pretty boring stuff, but it keeps my schedule flexible to do what I love with my free time!

2. What hobbies do you enjoy other than LARP?

I play music, I Run/Play 4 DnD games, I play Magic and occasionally paint a Warhammer mini or 2. I also play a pretty decent amount of assorted video games (mostly Roguelikes and WoW, though I like the rest of the world had a huge Baldur's Gate phase coming into this year)

3. Favorite meal, dessert, and drink?

For a meal, Ill take a medium rare Azorian Steak with Portuguese round fries topped with an egg. For dessert, I'm a fiend for brownies and apple crisp. As for a drink, you know I'm on that Chocolate/Coffee Milk train until I'm an ash dusting over Campbell Mountain.

4. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? Would you bring anyone?

I would really love to see The Swiss Alps. I'd bring my beautiful wife Danielle for the company and my brothers in arms Seamus and Jamie for the fishing trip of a life time in the clearest water known to mankind.

5. Are you working on any life goals that you’re willing to share?

My wife Dani is cooking up a beautiful baby girl and I am so excited to be a Dad come the Fall.  We just wrapped on our big basement refinishing process so we can turn my old office into a nursery- I cannot put in words how psyched I am.  

Other than that admittedly huge thing, my only goal is to make the upcoming Blackwood Events awesome, which I am also so stoked for <3

6. Favorite outfit other than garb?

Comfy Reebok Sweat Pants and my Striped Longsleeve shirt. I'm a Big man who desires comfort at all times. If I had to get fancy and my body was compliant in making me look fly- I like a red button up (french cuffs) with my celtic knot links, silver tie, black leather tap shoes and a black vests/blazer with my Kilt Pin as a bootiner. (Pilpus may be a nature guy, but Ben looks better in fancy looking metals)

7. Do you have any professional or personal skills you’d be willing to talk about?

I play a wide variety of instruments all at what I consider to be a (relatively) performance ready level. I started on Vocals and Drums as a 6 year old, Picked up bass by 8, Guitar in Middle School when I realized girls were not dating the rhythm section, and Piano sometime in Highschool when I was attempting to learn how to read music. I do my best to upkeep what skills I can across the board but it's a heavy workload with all the eventing we do. I love to combine my loves of the game and art wherever I can. That fusion regularly creates some of my favorite moments as Pilpus! I'm so excited for Ascension where I've been so privileged to assemble such a wide array of talented acts to perform alongside and coordinate for. If you love music in the Realms, you do not want to miss this #ad

8. What drew you to the realms, and what keeps you there?

I was enticed to the Realms by the promise of a fun weekend with my best friend Mike Z (Swoop) and at first for me the dorky get up and silly medieval shenanigans were just a convenient back drop for good company. As for what keeps me here? I grew up a not-well-off kid in a drug riddled city with a lot of at home issues. My prospects were pretty bleak when my finances couldn't hack College and Rent at the same time. The people in this game gave my young family a place to be safe when my life was shit. Talon, Boom and Booties took a chance on me when no one else in the working world would and they gave me a doorway to a better life by teaching me IRL skills (a trade really) and every career/life opportunity I've ever had since then can be traced back to the graciousness of a person in a tabard. I am in this game to pay that mentality forward. I want to be a hand someone can grab when they need a leg up in life. I want to give people the family this game gave me because frankly I don't really have other family. Even when the going gets rough, I owe it to this community to weather the storm and make good on all the benevolence I owe. Getting to test my mettle in an amazing boff-combat system is just an awesome added bonus that I love to participate in and build for.

9. Favorite movies/shows/books?

Movies: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Shows: Dimension 20

Books: As a child it was between Cirque Du Freak and The Demonata Chronicles both by Darren Shan, though for classics I'm a huge Mark Twain lover. As an adult I'm not a huge reader beyond short excerpts and cliff notes. My life is far to busy to sit down and read a whole book. For me who grew up without TV, as an adult I've been enthralled by all the digital media I missed out on growing up. When we bought our house, if you'd told me the purchase I'd be most glad I went with was the big TV over the fireplace I'd call you crazy, but it is the thing I regularly get the most use and enjoyment out of now. For me movies and shows just have something that I can never guarantee I find in books, and I don't know what that something is, but I'm about it.

10. If you happened upon 3 wishes, what would they be? (Wishing for more wishes doesn’t seem to work...)

1) My Own Eventsite 2) An Unbreakable Riding Lawnmower 3) An active Realms populace who wants to use my land to make amazing events/art/stories. So tired of getting site gouged or doing last minute booking scrambles that eat my whole bank account in one fell swoop. I would limbs IRL to never have to worry about shit like that ever again. Also, I'm not a big drinker, but something about getting to knock back a Woodchuck with your people around a warm fire at blue-o'clock after a night quest is just a feeling you can't bottle. Though I'm grateful for the spaces we have, the inability to do that at most sites that don't destroy your fiscal year for booking them is a frequently recurring bummer that I'd use my wish to eliminate forever and never regret doing so.

11. Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Ryan Welch is a cool dude. Not sure if you've already done My Lord Grandpappy Syruss O'Leary (Cal Marsden) but if not, I always love reading his articles!! Vesper's also a cool dude and people who don't get to know Matt Hewitt are missing out!

12. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Excited to be eventing with you all soon. Who knows when I'm PCing next, but whatever side I'm on, I'm just psyched to see you <3 Obligatory Ascension plug: Saegan rules and so does Forrester Royal House. Every contemporary in my nation who I respect is working hard to make this event a kick ass event for our friends throughout the Realms. We're all so excited to share it with you and I hope to see you there!

If you'd like to do one of these interviews, send Dani Lacasse (lilpotatogem on Discord) a message to let her know!

Humanizing the Realms: Ethan “Jean Baptise” Goldman

 

1. What do you do outside of the game? What would you like to be doing? (Work, school, projects, etc.)

Plastics Engineering!

2. What hobbies do you enjoy other than LARP?

I GM a few games on discord. 

3. Favorite meal, dessert, and drink?

Pho, Flan, and Kombucha. 

4. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? Would you bring anyone?

Knottsberry Farms maybe? I havent thought about it.

5. Are you working on any life goals that you’re willing to share?

There are a few but I keep putting them on the backburner for some OTHER thing or so. In this moment, I am happy, and I can't ask for much more.

6. Favorite outfit other than garb?

Um waaaaaaaay back when I got a nuka cola t-shirt thats moth eaten to hell and back but they don’t make anything like it these days anymore. 

7. Do you have any professional or personal skills you’d be willing to talk about?

I can write.  

8. What drew you to the realms, and what keeps you there?

That’s a story and a half. I was brought into the realms by Vawn and Duncan as part of a attempt to drum up publicity for the LARP club through selling cider. I am the only one who remembers the event which is how life goes. At the time I got kicked from some other dnd groups for not fitting in and needed a reason to go outside.

I stay since the skills you have transfers better in this game to actual results then in most games, where its very sheet focused.

9. Favorite movies/shows/books?

South Park and Cursed Princess Club.

10. If you happened upon 3 wishes, what would they be? (Wishing for more wishes doesn’t seem to work...)

Time and Energy, all you need. 3rd one i’d save in case nuclear war happens or something.

11. Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Elwin.

12. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Naaaaaaaaaaah.

If you'd like to do one of these interviews, send Dani Lacasse (lilpotatogem on Discord) a message to let her know!