D*C Impressions, Part-3

Dragon*Con was awesome. The best part was meeting KTDARPG players in the real world. So the first part of my "Impressions" series will be about them. Even with masks off, we found friends & not just crazy game-players.

"Enigma" (n.): One who is puzzling, ambiguous, inexplicable; a riddle. That definition fits Xeno. "Mercurial" is also good. In other words, as he is in game, he's pretty much the same in real life.

Xeno came the farthest of all of us to attend Dragon*Con--some 5,000 miles. I met him right after Ransom finished his whirlwind tour of Atlanta the night before the con started. Tall, dark, soft-spoken, with a smile that lit up his face--probably still a bit jetlagged out & with his "company manners" very much in evidence...this was the man who'd been my writing partner many times over the past 18 months, who'd challenged me, frustrated me, and ultimately showed me sides of myself--and facets of the world--I hadn't really understood before.

As we say in the game, Xeno is Xeno. For the 4 days of the con, that was constantly proven. "Loner" comes to mind, discovering the convention & following his interests on his own, appearing now & then so we knew he was alive & well and (hopefully) enjoying himself. "Private" comes to mind, always willing to discuss the game or "The Tribe" or his favorite panel sessions (he's also a fan of "Lost", Tolkein & "Dune"), but pretty much keeping the rest of himself TO himself. Mostly I think he was a man trying to see & do everything (weren't we all?) and at the same time not be totally overwhelmed by this huge 40,000-people blow-out of a convention.

Scenes I won't forget: Xeno at Hard Rock. Xeno in the dealers' room, as blown away as the rest of us by how expensive everything was. Masked Xeno with the rest of the River Rats in the Tribe costume competition (you guys should've won that!). Xeno yelling for Hawk to "save him" from Chyna. (You had to be there to understand that one!) Xeno brooding, alone in a crowd. Xeno dancing.

No heavy conversations. Actually, not much conversation at all. A last hug & good-bye. When the dust cleared, I was left with a new appreciation of our Game Master--his talents, his inspirations, even some of his motivations.

A friend? Xeno being Xeno...I'm not really sure. I guess we'll see.

-Chyna