A Real "Tribe" Revival -- 2011 could be fantastic!

All right, Tribe fans, in case you hadn't heard...

I've copied/pasted the following from the fansite www.triberevival.com, and it was posted on their site on 17 December 2010. They picked it up from the official Tribe site at www.tribeworld.com. See what you think:

"In response to the overwhelming ongoing requests from fans of The Tribe all over the world - Cloud 9 is happy to announce that there will be lots of activity throughout 2011 in all forms of media. So watch this space!

"There will be lots of exciting Tribe activity from new novels to music being released so rather than The Tribe coming to an end - it is only the end of a new beginning as Cloud 9 has concluded an extensive development phase to ensure The Tribe keeps the dream alive for many more years to come.

"Tribeworld would like to officially welcome the fans of Australia who are enjoying The Tribe on ABC - and for fans in other countries, keep an eye out for further broadcasts... :) "

We've heard rumblings, but they're getting louder.

As we hear more, we'll be sure and get the word out!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

KTDARPG - Can you see it?

When it comes to our rpg, we're seriously handicapped compared to "The Tribe" we all know and love in one very difficult area. "The Tribe" was so totally visual in every way. Ok, duh, tv. Sure, and that's one of the great reasons it was so special.

Our biggest rpg challenge with KTDA is to make readers SEE what we're creating with words.

A lot of our players give the visuals a great turn and are constantly throwing in the kinds of details that make people and actions and settings come alive through their words.

I'm thinking maybe others really haven't considered it. Ergo, this post.

Part of it is knowing that you need to be visual. Sure you created a character bio that has a detailed description of what your character looks like, but that's not quite the same as describing how your guy or girl reacts and looks and moves in a game-scene setting. Even small things - is her hair messed up? Is his arm bleeding? Are her clothes torn? What expression is on his face?

Is this making any sense at all? Because I'm hoping it does...

The more dramatic your scene gets, the more you really really need to hit on graphic details. The more you can make your audience SEE what's happening, the more they will feel about the scene and their responses will be greater too.

Doesn't matter if it's a fight scene, a love scene, a conversation or a walk in the park -- details make the difference, guys!

I know, I know, some people like to write sparsely -- men or women of few words, and those words can be pretty powerful. Believe me, they'll be even MORE powerful when we can SEE what it is you're creating with those words of yours.

Okay, 'nuff said. I truly don't wanna be a nag here. I enjoy KTDA so much, and my friends write like champions. So sue me if I want to really see in my mind what they're creating. *grin*

-Chyna

Photos: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Fort River Girls!

Just a fun excerpt from last month in our game. The women are flyin' high!

*The music started, and the girls were lined across the front of the stage. Jade started, and they came in a little hesitantly but finally altogether.*

This is our place.
The Virus left us all a little leaner.
We still have fun--
just be sure we got food and water.
Playin' in the streets.
Findin' friends down by the river.
Boys
fight each other
Try'na grow their reputations
for us.

You could travel the world,
but nothing comes close to
what you'll find at home.
Once you party with us,
you'll be falling in love.
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

*The music, and the audience clapping along, and the fact that none of them was in the spotlight alone did the trick. Villa was the easy one--she just wanted to have fun. Amy was uncertain but her ego was out the window. Jade was easy to follow. Surprisingly Valentine seemed to relax and have fun.*

Fort River girls--we're unforgettable!
Survivors all and proud of our skills.
This new world's hard but we kick butt
and look good doin' it.
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

*The crowd was on its feet and kids were dancing around, clapping and having fun.*

Fort River girls--we're undeniable!
Fine, fresh, fierce--we got it on lock.
You all know the truth of it
so put your hands up!
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

*When the girls repeated the chorus the crowd started singing along. The Mirage echoed with music and voices and clapping.*

-------------------
With a tip of the hat to Katy Perry for her great song, "California Gurls" - see it here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwE-SLnLkqY&ob=av2e

And a nod, also, to the Beach Boys who started it all. Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0av63J-OuQ


-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Depression

A casual watcher of "The Tribe" probably thought all the kids were really something--their world turned upside down, so what did they do? Pretty much just got on with life and finding all they needed to survive.

They hunted food.

They hauled water.

They found places to live that could be easily defended.

They formed tribes and stayed together.

They lived.

Hell, if you just watched a few episodes, you probably thought these were incredibly well-balanced young people in an unfortunate situation who just used their common sense to start rebuilding their world.

Pullllleeeeez!

"The Tribe" created some incredibly well-rounded normal kids, kids who had to deal with horrors beyond belief. Yeah, they did the best they could but they weren't little adults. Being a kid is tough enough. I can't begin to imagine the stress they were under. It's no wonder depression seized many of them in large and small ways.

Did you miss it?

Among the youngest who were traumatized was our Cloe. She could barely function, barely communicate. If Amber and Dal hadn't taken her in--somewhat forcibly--she would have just been more Zoot-bait. It wasn't until she bonded with a cow that she started to come out of her shell and deal with the world.

The older ones weren't immune by any stretch of the imagination. Salene's depression surfaced as bulimia, something pretty hard to deal with in a world where food was precious and in short supply.

Can you imagine the unbelieveable pressure of being in a ruined world and being a young mother? Trudy was lucky she didn't break down long before the Chosen got hold of her.

Lex lost himself in booze. May pretended it was all a big party. Mouse lost her brother and then her surrogate brother Sammy and finally just had to get out, glad the Ecos were willing to take her in.

A psychiatrist would've had a field day with our Tribe friends. Violence, death, fanaticism, survival--that was all just the tip of the iceburg.

Depression is too common, in Tribe world or real world. Who among us really has the skills to deal with it? But maybe skills are beside the point. Maybe having friends is more important? Friends who won't leave you no matter how crazed you get. And maybe just finding the guts to deal...

Every time I read about teen suicide or bullying or any of the other crap that kids and young teens have to live through as part of their growing-up, my mind flicks back to Zoot and the Chosen and the Technos and the whole host of crazies that inhabited "The Tribe."

Maybe anything really is possible...

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "the Tribe"

Did anybody think it would last?

OMG - 6 years? How is that even possible?

All I can do is celebrate. You guys have made it all real -- Tribe fans and friends, rpg-ers, KTDA members and players. We wouldn't be here if not for you.

I look at the game today and think, "Wow." And it began with a small tv-show with an apocalyptic theme from New Zealand. A lot of us even got to meet some of the actors through the years, at Dragon*Con in Atlanta. The show ended but it stayed in our souls. That's not a bad thing.

We've made so many friends along the way. A lot of people have come and gone, especially this last year. We miss them, but we're glad they were with us for a while. And who knows...maybe they'll stop around again in the future.

Ok, yeah, I'm being nostalgic here. I'm not going to name names or cite statistics or anything like that. KTDA isn't about that - it's about feelings and stories and playing and having a good time. Sometimes real life gets in the way, but the game is always here when we're ready for it.

If you don't know "Keep The Dream Alive" roleplaying game, stop in and have a look!

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/KTDARPG

If you don't know "The Tribe" ... well, I know there are episodes available on YouTube and other places around the Web. You might want to watch out though. Hehe...it can be very addictive.

Anyway, today I'm raising my glass to all my friends at KTDA. I love you all, and I'm glad I know you. And to absent friends. We'll be here if you find your way back.

Happy 6th Anniversary.

-Chyna, Game Owner, KTDARPG

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards" -- The end!

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

For a few of our game's unique characters, the Council of Tribes awarded special recognition.

The GOOD OF THE TRIBE AWARD is presented to ZERO. Despite his constant thievery, we've watched him grow and care for Jade. We've seen his heart, and we know that everything he does is for the good of his friends and family.

The TRIBE STYLE AWARD is presented to MARIONETTE. This man definitely has style--style in the way he dresses, the way he fights, the way he treats his woman Villa, and definitely style in the way he lives his life to the fullest no matter the danger or the cost. He does more than survive. Marionette lives.

The LOCOS AWARD is presented to BALTHAZAR. Only a Loco could have gone crazy on Crux, potentially sacrificing his own life to give the people of Fort River a chance to escape all the Moth-leader's vicious plans.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations to our winners here and to every single player & character living inside "Keep The Dream Alive." You continue to create an exciting story to read & to play.

--KTDA Council of Tribes

offered by Chyna, KTDA Game Owner

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----ZOOT

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

What can we say about Zoot that hasn't already been said at least a dozen times & by better writers than me?

If not for the Virus, Martin might've been just an average boy growing up, competing with his brother, a normal teenager turning into a decent man.

But the Virus happened. It turned him into a fiercely independent, violent, sadistic leader and a cult figure that inspired the Chosen.

It wasn't just the Virus that changed Tristan. He was already a cult figure. The cult, and then the Virus, beat the weaknesses out of him. They left him a scarred figure of mystery & pain.

Even if the Virus had never happened, there was no way our Tristan was ever going to turn into an average teenager...and probably not a "decent" man.

Unfortunately, we'll never know.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----VED

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

Ved was a wild one. Always a wild card.

Jay's little brother was quick to anger & violence but also quick to play pranks and have fun.

There's a lot this kid didn't know but he never let that stop him.

That describes KTDA's Prince perfectly!

We've watched this guy grow up through 8 seasons in the game. He's overcome some pretty dire circumstances but always stayed true to his friends...and to himself.

Prince fights hard, plays hard, and loves hard.

We think Ved would have grown up pretty much the same.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----TRUDY

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

In "The Tribe" Season-1, Trudy gave birth & began dealing with the ups 'n downs of motherhood.

Above everything, that single moment defined--and continued to define--Trudy and her role in that place and time.

No matter what happened to her, whether it was the Chosen or the Technos or the Ecos or even the Mallrats, you could predict Trudy because she was a mother.

If her baby was threatened, then Trudy's survival was threatened. And when she knew she wasn't strong enough to secure the future, she would turn to whatever strength she could find.

Arianna IS Trudy, but only up to a point.

Our Arianna has her baby Saphire, and she is very much a mother-figure to Fort River's youngest kids. Arianna & Trudy part ways when it comes to strength. Ari trained and strengthened herself so that she could be the one to fight for what mattered to her.

And fight she has. Spectacularly.

We just wish, unlike Trudy, that Ari had better luck with the men in her life.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----TAISAN

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

Taisan was different from other girls.

People called her space cadet & other unkind things because of her differences.

She had a knowledge of herbs, and chakras, and healing, and a genuine spiritual concern for individuals rather than "the group."

Taisan wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in, to fight with all her heart, to do whatever was necessary when the situation demanded it.

Yes, she was different. And very, very precious.

In KTDA, Cecily is also very different. She is also becoming more precious to us.

Oh it didn't start out that way. In the early days, Cecily was the pawn of slavers. She lured victims into hellish lives & did it with very little conscience.

Then the tables turned and she became the pawn.

Yet, slowly, her "slavery" has turned into love. Her "service" has turned into life-saving care that is benefitting all of Fort River.

We've already seen her fight. She is not afraid.

Space cadet? Maybe.

I guess we'll see.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----SLADE

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all lknow and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

He caused quite a stir when he motorcycled onto the scene in "The Tribe" Season-5.

Ah, yes, Slade immediately stole a lot of hearts & started a lot of speculation.

An unknown, dramatic, compelling character, Slade remained an unknown for a very long time. He was both hero & anti-hero. He saved the fake-Zoot and pushed Ram to walk again. He played with Ruby's heart and Ebony's mind.

Complicated? Yeah, very.

Domino is just about as complicated. Instead of a motorcycle, his trademark is his eyepatch. (You know, that whole macho, pirate-look thing...right girls?)

Domino has questionable acquaintances and, apparently, a penchant for "finding" things. Now he has found a long-lost family he didn't even know he had--the girl he left behind, and the son he left her with.

Complicated? Yeah, very.

...and we're lovin' every minute of it.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----SALENE

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

Dear Salene.

Through 5 seasons of "The Tribe," it was Salene who really grew the most as a character, a person & a human.

She came through so many trials. Bulimia, caught as a sex-slave, then as a slave of the chosen...so many fears.

And loves! This girl was anything but lucky in love. Bray, Lex, Ryan, Luke, Pride, and on and on. Her track record was pretty bad.

If Salene has a soul-sister in KTDA, that is definitely the role Maggie has played & continues to play.

Maggie was a slave, captured & held for the sake of a younger sister who ultimately died. She has made a place for herself at Home, where she does everything she can to help others. To be useful. It was always important to Salene that she be useful.

Maggie is following Salene down the same relationship road, too. Poor Maggie. First it was Johnny. Then Llysander. Not sure what she does, but this girl definitely has Salene's track record when it comes to men.

But she doesn't give up! Maggie is growing, maturing, learning to trust herself & find her own place in the game-world.

Brava, Maggie!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----RYAN

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

Ryan is one "Tribe" character who was never really defined as an individual. Instead, he was always defined in relation to someone else.

Ryan was Lex's friend, enduring the camps with him when the Virus struck.

Ryan was Lex's lieutenant, infatuated with Lex's woman, with no confidence in himself as a man in his own right.

Ryan was Lex's enforcer, intimidating even the youngest when he found they had a stash of food.

Ryan was Salene's bf, always trying to prove he wouldn't treat girls the way Lex did.

Ryan was Salene's bf, attacking even the Guardian to keep her safe.

At the root of it, Ryan was a decent guy & a true friend. He was strong. He could be kind & loving. He even had a mischievous side that we didn't get to see a lot of.

Except for the references to Lex, almost all of the above can also be said of KTDA's Icarus.

Icarus was Rio's friend and then Jenna's bodyguard. Rio accused him--and still believes--that Rio seduced and ruined Jenna. But Icarus is no Lex. He has treated Jenna always with decency and respect, even when she might have preferred something more.

In our game Icarus is a strong, decent, caring, concerned guy...we don't have a lot of those around, so that makes us appreciate him even more.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----PRIDE

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

"The Tribe" gave us the Gaians, aka the Eco Tribe or Ecos.

The Ecos gave us Pride. Pride was the quintessential Gaian, a man of nature who was at peace with himself & his place in the world. He had a great place to live away from the city's crazies. He had a great girl to love in Eagle. Yep, this guy had it all. The future was looking pretty sweet.

We know what happened next. The Mallrats happened. They found their Amber aka Eagle and convinced her the city kids needed her back. And Bray happened, Amber's first love that she still wasn't quite over no matter how hard she fought it.

Being a prideful & honorable Pride, our man followed Eagle/Amber to the city & tried to fight for what she believed in. For him, that was the beginning of the end.

Is Fort River the beginning of Hawk's end?

In the wild, Hawk knew exactly who & what & why she was. Hawk was strong. She was focused. She had a purpose. She had a reason.

Things have changed for our Hawk. The wars are over. Our game-world has settled into more mundane routines like day-to-day living. What does a world-weary warrior do in this new world?

Hawk had someone to love but he left her so she could find herself & her purpose. That purpose is eluding her.

Put your pride aside, Hawk.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----PATSY

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

Patsy was definitely one of a kind.

In a lot of ways, she was just plain normal. Normal interests, normal curiosities, normal fears and insecurities.

Patsy was pretty, lively, curious, and she always wanted to be in the middle of things.

Krystal is also pretty, lively, curious, and she always seems to find herself in the middle of things whether she wants to be there or not.

Krystal came into our game-world having lost a brother. She found a new home with the River Rats, and she's stayed loyal to them.

Krystal inherited her parents' talents and interests in medicine and has put that to good use.

But very much like Patsy, Krystal's curiosities have taken her into and out of love, into and out of trouble, into and out of more strange circumstances than one girl should endure.

But endure she has. Krystal is dependable and true, and she always seems to show up where she's needed most.

Now if we can just straighten out her love life and settle her into a good life for the future!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----MEGA

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

Ah, the paradox of leadership.

Witness Mega, who literally tossed Ram on the trash heap and took over the Technos.

And once he was tribe leader, his incredibly sadistic side started showing. Need punishment? Gee, lets get Jack to make us a virtual game that hurts people and THEN let's test it out on Jack's girlfriend!

Oh, our boy Mega made previous-leader Ram look downright normal. And the icing on the cake? Well, if Mega goes down then the whole city goes with him because he has his OWN VIRUS he can unleash to destroy everyone!

*Sigh*

Those of us playing KTDA have dealt with our own version of Mega, believe me. His name was Crux, and he was tribe leader of the Moths.

He was secretive, sadistic, charismatic, and totally a lunatic.

Unfortunately Crux didn't survive his Grand Scheme. He died trying to take us all with him.

Fortunately for Fort River, the river came flooding back and doused that damned Virus before it had a chance to do its worst.

Sorry, Crux.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----MAY

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characterse who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * * *

If there was one girl who was consistently underestimated throughout all the seasons of "The Tribe," that girl was May.

May was a gadfly. She showed up here & there when she was needed.

In Season-2, she was needed to teach Lex a short lesson in humility. She was needed in Season-3 to bounce between the Chosen & the freedom fighters, leaving us mostly to guess which side she was really on. She was needed in Season-4 to help Pride cope, even though that ultimately broke her heart.

In Season-5, May was needed to make Salene think...think very, very hard...about the nature of love & hearts that speak to each other.

Unfortunately, when all was said & done, May was still the gadfly. She didn't really belong anywhere.

Our KTDA gladfly of a different sort is Katara.

Katara is a medic from a tribe called The 100. As we got to know Katara, we realized that everything about her was camouflage. That extended even to her clothes and her gender.

It seemed that most people thought Katara was a guy.

They were wrong. Katara was a lovely, sensitive, lonely girl trapped in a situation that was not of her making.

And then Katara met Arianna, tribe leader of the Misfits.

And then they fell in love.

And then Katara...vanished.

But the thing is, as with all gadflies, you never know when they might turn up again. Usually when they're needed.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----LUKE

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

* * * * * * * * * *

The Chosen gave us a lot of over-the-top characters. What was surprising was how NOT over the top the character of Luke was portrayed. He was almost...normal?

Luke was one of the Guardian's most trusted lieutenants, and I think I know why. The guy was straight. He was a less crazy face for the Guardian to the public. Kind of like, with the Technos, Jay was a more normal public face for Ram.

But this IS a post-Virus world, and normal is debatable. Luke was a sad figure. That was probably why girls were attracted to him. Salene certainly was. Luke was the one man Ellie chose over Jack and THAT was a total shocker.

A striking man with a troubled past, who carried his distress and sadness with him like an open wound...

That describes Luke, and it very much describes KTDA's Llysander.

Llysander (or Llys) is pretty much normal, as normal goes in our post-Virus game world. He's striking and friendly and courteous. He wants to work and pay his way, not just taking from others. The girls certainly seem drawn to him too.

Mostly he's carrying a lot of sadness and determination...sadness at the state of the world around him, determination to find the missing sister that this crazy, dysfunctional world separated him from.

We hope he finds what he's looking for. We hope he finds all the things he's looking for.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Spring 2010 "Tribe Awards"-----LEX

The KTDA Council of Tribes "Tribe Awards," honoring our game-characters who parallel the original "Tribe" characters we all know and love.

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How does a Tribe-fan actually define Lex?

Starting with Season-1 all the way through Season-5, Lex was predictable & yet always surprising.

He was a bully & a brawler who could show surprising moments of sensitivity.

He was uneducated yet street-wise enough to survive--and thrive!--in the post-Virus world.

Our "Sexy Lexy" was a lover, a scoundrel, a devoted husband, a womanizer...sometimes a heart-throb and sometimes just a downright bastard.

Yeah, Lex was certainly one of a kind and did we ever enjoy it!

KTDA has a true Lex revenant in Sypher.

What can we say about Sypher that we haven't already said about Lex? Well...he wasn't a husband, at least as far as we know. But fighter, lover, womanizer, scoundrel?

Oh, yes. And over in our game, we're enjoying every minute of it!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"