I have held off posting mostly due to figure out where I stand in thought to the Forest Event, as it is something I have participated in since the first year that RAGNAR put it together and also that I haven't been in the right frame of mind, not from what has been posted on this thread before me, but due to things going on in my own r/t. So for the past day I have thought about the question that my brother originally posted:
Is there enough interest to once again do the Annual Forest Event, or would you rather I think of another Event to hold?
Before I start writing this up, I will apologize now, if I slip off the topic from time to time, as I wrote in the first paragraph, I have taken all day to sort through my feelings of the Forest Event.
As I said before I have participated in this event since RAGNAR posted the announcement on the boards. The moment I read through the game plan he had spent many months, or possibly a year or two thinking up something that would allow not only those of MTC and WebMaze, but others outside, whether they role played in Gor, Vamp, BDSM, or any other realm, who wanted to spend 2 weeks after Christmas to kick back and enjoy being either Lair Panthers or Rogue Panthers, for the women and for the men, they could be anything from an Outlaw to a former kajirus/thrall. No PC characters would be allowed, instead you would have to come up with a completely different character, something that allowed you to expand your horizons, play a throwaway character all in the name of fun. Oh boy, let me tell you, I was not too sure I could do it, as all I have ever played was a Free Woman, and another outside of that, was foreign to me, but I did finally get brought in, as my Brother RAGNAR coaxed, suggested, but the one thing that broke my fear of stepping into something I had no clue about, was it was all for fun. To be able to step out of my everyday, same ‘ol same ‘ol rigmarole day in and day out, that was my character Taryn Iona.
When I first entered the forest, I was very nervous and not too sure that I would truly fit in, but I stayed in for the whole night and by the end of that said night, I was hooked, because it was much more than fun, it was an adventure that I knew would never be able to do in MTC, much less anywhere on Gor, without receiving a new piece of jewelry circling my throat. I learned a lot about myself that first year, and couldn’t wait until the next year, as I spent the entire year looking for models/actors/what have you to use for my characters, including names and a back story for each character.
The years went by and I participated in each one, then came the last two years, Two years ago I had no internet available and wasn’t able to get to a connection after 6p. Then there was last year, which I was able to attend, but due to problems, I lost that feeling of fun that I had with the previous years. Maybe it was due to the fact I was gone the year before, or the things were different, a bit more realistic and more serious than before. I don’t know what it was, but after the first few days of participating in it, I had no desire to return, so I didn’t.
Now as for this year, I have done a lot of thinking about it, the excitement I used to have as I waited for the announcement to appear wasn’t there. When the questions post appeared, I read over the question over a few times, really trying to dig in deep on trying to figure out what my feelings were about the Forest Event. The only thing that came up when I read it was maybe it’s time to do something else, as the participation has gone down over the years, as has the excitement, at least that is what I feel has happened, as for what to do next? I am all for a Port Kar event, or something else that is different from the everyday role play, but if there is another Forest Event, do it as it was first done, basic rules for fighting, no need to be in a lair, and the key word that I felt was missing last year, HAVE FUN!
Like I said before, I might end up rambling and I did, but it was the only way I could get what I wanted to say out. My answer to the question has been said and a little bit more in thoughts from me.
Just a little note, if it takes place before the new year, I will not be around and won't be until almost a week afterward.