Another one bites the dust!

Happy new year!

And to our friends celebrating
birthdays recently--namely
Prince & Xeno--hope it was great!

Look back with understanding...
look forward with hope.

love,
Chyna

REPLAY: Winter Solstice Parade

This holiday season has been reminding me a lot of our game-winter & our awesome Winter Solstice celebration. Every player & character participated in the weeks-long event. It was really great. So I went back & pulled out some of the most creative stuff written during that time. This segment was inspired by Prince, who did a good chunk of the writing. Solstice Parade was meant to represent a lot of the "shadow tribes" around our city, bringing them together in a colorful riot. See if you agree!

===============

The Winter Solstice Parade

The announcer takes her seat at a building's high window looking down on the street. Stacy speaks into a microphone that booms her voice up and down the street.

Welcome to the first Winter Solstice Parade, brought to you by Tom-F Enterprises. Tom-F himself is the Grand Marshal of the parade today! Let's give a big hand for the man responsible for this great Solstice Celebration! I'll be your announcer for this occasion--so let the show begin!

And here they come, guys! The parade's starting!

There's Tom-F, but hey he's walking. What happened to the carriage? And my list says that should be Hawk "the heroine of the AK War" with him--who is it? Oh, ok. Guys, that's Tom-F and the blonde with him is Jade, the girl who worked like crazy to pull all your Solstice entertainment together! Let's hear it for Tom-F and Jade!

Ok, behind Tom-F we have the Fort River Marching Band. Dressed in sparkling red and blue uniforms. Hey, they look great! Listen as the band of 30 plays 20 different types of instruments!

Next is the float for Tom-F's Casino. Look at the show-girls dance! And that amazing golden cannon--blasting goodies outto the crowd! What is that, candy? Damn, wish I was down there! Anyway, be sure to stop by all of Tom F's fine establishments including the clubs and casinos. They're open 24/7 during Solstice!

Next we have...hmm. Ok, here's a little something for the guys--Madam Mona & her girls! Aren't those costumes great? Well, colorful anyway. Maybe a bit cold for some of those--is that girl at the back turning blue? Anyway, look for them in Tom-F's Casino!

Hey, look--it's Blood & his boys! The rebels with motorcycles. Word is they'll connect with the band Tribal Thunder for a song 'n stunt show later this afternoon. You'll definitely want to check that out!

Look in sky! It's a tribute to those amazing Birds that kept us safe when they helped us out in recent rough times. Wherever you are, Birds, you inspired these giant kites! Everybody give us a special hand for The Birds of Prey—We thank you!

Stacy pauses, making some hasty notes for the next Fort River News. The kids on the street below cheer the floats and scramble for the candy and other goodies being tossed into the crowd. Stacy puts her hand over the mic and shakes her head at the guy sitting beside her. "This is great & we're not even half done. Who in the world came up with this stuff?"

They flip! They bend! They stretch--and can you say "ouch"? Does that hurt? Wow, Guys, they're absolutely amazing! Yes it's the Fort River Acrobats! Flexibility is no factor for this bunch. Watch as they perform tricks, tumbles and twists that we can only dream of doing.

And here comes the outstanding Flag Team! Holding those poles and flags high, representing the symbols of our most well-known and loved tribes from across the city, as well as our allies in the recent battles. Hey, be respectful, guys! Some of those tribes were...well, were wiped out in all the fighting. They gave their all for Fort River. May we continue to stay united and strong!

A hush falls over the crowd as Stacy's words sink in. The kids don't necessarily want to be reminded, but they remember the Vixens, Manglers, Lost Boys and other tribes who were literally erased when the smoke cleared. The last flag through is a small Brotherhood banner. No one boos...

Ok, enough sadness already. Is it just me? Do I hear more than one time of music mixed? Yeah, I thought so! It's the Folk Dancers with an arrangement of choreographed worldly dances. Lots of fancy footwork, tradition, and fun! They'll be performing later near the river promenade. Hey, this is our heritage, guys! If we don't learn it and remember it, it all just disappears!

You've seen them earlier--on the beach, on Merchant Street, and wherever there was a crowd gathered. They continue to put smiles on our faces--The Clowns Tribe! Hey, the Clowns always know how to get a laugh from kids of all ages with their jokes and silly antics! Give them a big hand--better yet, a big laugh!

Now here's one you definitely don't see every day, Guys. Straight out of the wild life! It's "Kingdom Kid Critters," otherwise known as the Zoo Tribe. Led by King Safy & Queen Katara, they remind all of us to love animals and take care them! This is truly one of the most exotic floats in the parade today. Look closely, and you'll see the most largest snake of all being carried by three tribe mates!

My list says the next float is courtesy of Shadow and The Way! They certainly look like they're having a lot of fun up there! And hey--more candy! Do we have any dentists left in this city? Haha! Anyway, be sure to stop by The Way booth on Merchant Street or over on the beach. Find out what all the excitement is about.

The Puppet Master is here! Now this is really cool, Guys. How in the world does he control those three very large giant puppets at once? It's freakishly amazing! They look like actual humans...you sure they're not? Scary! See you later, Puppet Master!

Last but certainly not least--They're the most colorful bunch you're gonna see during the whole Solstice. Give a big round of applause for The Painted People! Some painted up as leafs and flowers, and others as the sky and constellations! Truly a sight to see! Is it body paint? Tattoos? Do we care? We just love their beautiful body art and silent dramatic poses. Each and every body tells a story!

That's it, Guys! The Winter Solstice Parade! Thanks to every one who participated! We love you!

I've been asked to remind you all that Blood's Bike Show starts in an hour on the beach near the bandstand. And for all you lucky VIPs, the private lunch at Tom-F's club will start in 30 minutes. There's music at the bandstand, great food and drinks at the booths, and game of chance under the Blue Cabana. Still a lot of Solstice left to celebrate, so don't go home just yet! Happy Solstice!

===============

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Merry Tribal Christmas

I always thought it was a shame "The Tribe" never dealt with Old World holidays. There was a definite lack of environmental details, even though a good chunk of filming was done outside in all kinds of weather. We might have seen a bit of rain here and there, but I don't remember ever seeing snow. And ok, I understand that. By not allowing us to focus on the weather or the seasons, they kept our attention squarely on the characters and the plot.

That's where I think our game takes "The Tribe" a step farther in a really good way.

The game began in the fall season. We've had falling leaves and crisp nights that slowly changed to winter and snowstorms.

We shyed away from Christmas, but that had more to do with our group of players being so diverse, we weren't sure how--or if--we wanted to deal with present-day religious themes. Instead we celebrated Winter Solstice. It was a great party!

I was re-reading the Winter Solstice posts today and thinking how far we've come, with our game & our friendships. I value both a great deal, but the friendships most of all.

All of which is just a build-up to say "Merry Christmas" to my Tribe-family. If I tried to list you all, I'd be sure to miss someone ... besides, you know who you are.

I will send a special holiday thanks to my fellow owners/moderators -- Prince & Manmod & Rio & Xeno.

To Sid and Ransom ... gone but not forgotten ... Merry Christmas.

To all our players and members and readers and visitors, happy holidays.

God bless us, every one.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe," from the Tribeworld archives

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on tv!

I'm chuckling as I write this. It seems funny to me, to have to say what I'm about to say. But it appears there's a real need to remind people!

Here's the thing:

Don't confuse the Player with his/her Character!

It's amazing how peoples' attitudes are shaped by what they read. Honest, guys -- if a guy character is a scumbag in the game, that really doesn't mean the player is a scumbag! Same with a girl character who's got loose morals. Or the character who's mostly a bad guy, or even a good guy.

Hehe... makes me wonder if the actors who portrayed all our favorite characters in "The Tribe" had the same problem. Did people think Meryl was really the bitchy "Ebony"? Or that Caleb was a drunken womanizer like Lex was in Season-2? Hmm...

Anyway, this is just my reminder to our players: Don't judge another player by the character he or she creates for the game. Because if you expect the real-life me to be mirror "Villa" or even "Jade," I guess you'd be disappointed!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

CHAOS 'n lovin' it!

Our "Keep the Dream Alive" rpg has run into some interesting situations the last couple of months. Hehe...mostly because there are so many of us now!

Those of us who've been with the game since its 1st year, we're used to a small number of active players, which equals a handful of characters who were close & collaborative. We kinda had to be "close and collaborative" if we wanted any story development at all.

But now?

Ahh, my friends. KTDARPG has more players -- and more characters -- than we've seen in 4 years of playing!

It's total madness & I for one am lovin' it!

It does present some challenges though, so here's a bit of advice for my rpg playmates:

1) Watch for your tags! If you let the action get away from you, you might never get it back!

2) Keep your eye on the quiet ones. I've been finding out that still waters really do run deep, and it's been the quiet players lately who've most surprised me with their creativity & spark of madness.

3) Read as many of the posts/threads as you can. That's the only way you'll keep up with the subtleties & get clues to what's coming up next.

4) Read each week's game summary. If you can't read all the posts, it's a good way to at least keep the broader story straight.

And lastly...

5) Have fun! Try new ideas, new characters, new plots. If you're worried something might be out of bounds, ask a Mod. There's usually one around somewhere.

There's a river of creativity running through our players these days. A good many of them are "Tribe" fans & that makes it even more fun.

Come check us out!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe" and used on our game home page from time to time

Replay: Love is a Battlefield

KTDARPG has had some great game-moments. And yeah, I'll confess, there are a few characters I'm partial to when I look back. Jade is a special one. The scene that follows, this is when she really started coming into her own as a singer, which was a lifelong dream that the Virus didn't steal.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Shari took Jade to a concert hall. On a stage that looked like the inside of rotten fruit after it had been cut, a rock band tried to perform between ducking things being thrown at them and people coming up on the stage attacking them - all of this through the metal grating that protects the stage from bigger objects like chairs being thrown.

Shari: If you want to be Tom-F's singer-- You sure you want to? You can always work in other jobs for him. It is possible. I did it. You're sure?

Jade swallowed with a throat suddenly desert-dry: Yeah, sure. Umm...Shari, where's the restroom?

Shari pointed the way and then followed Jade, standing outside the door to the Ladies' while the other girl went inside. After a minute, Shari shook her head, leaning against the wall to wait as she heard the sounds of Jade losing her lunch.

Shari: (So much for the cool professional singer...)

When Jade finally walked out, she was back in control of herself. She took a deep breath, nodded to Shari and began walking the aisle toward the stage. Off to the side was an announcer with a microphone, sheltering behind some tall amplifiers to avoid being hit by flying objects. Jade leaned close and whispered in his ear. He nodded and handed her the microphone. Jade checked to make sure it was on. She closed her eyes to gather her courage, then stod at the top of the steps leading to the performance cage. She held the microphone to her lips.

Jade: WE ARE YOUNG!

Her voice and the amp-reverb thundered out over the hall, causing people to hold their ears and scream at the unexpected sound. The band on stage quickly ducked out the back. Suddenly all eyes, and a wicked yellow spotlight, are focused on Jade's slight figure on the stairs. The audience was silent (probably in shock) as Jade tossed the mic back to the announcer and walked slowly down the steps. The spotlight followed her. On the high notes, her rich voice carried loudly. When her voice went low and sexy, the acoustics carried her words to the farthest seats. If she was scared to death as she walked up the aisle singing to the faces around her...well, she put on a good front.

"WE ARE STRONG!
No one can tell us WE'RE WRONG!
Searching our hearts for so lo-o-o-ng,
both of us knowing
Love is a Battlefield.

Do I stand in your way? It would help me to know.
But if you get much closer I could lose control.
And if your heart surrenders, you'll need me to hold.

WE ARE YOUNG!
Heartache to heartache we stand!
Both of us knowing
Love is a Battlefield.

Shari: *watching from the back of the hall* (Oh, shit...)

The crowd got over the shock of her first vocal attack on them. Some of them began to take out thier vengence on the amplifiers for being so loud. Others tried to act out her words by grabbing the girls off others' laps. Some of the crowd turned on the gaurds to create a battlefield. In return the guards turn on water canons.

Through all of this Jade walked, singing over the chaos. When she finished, an amplified voice blared out above the noise.

"Enough! Stop!"

The crowd paused as they recognized Tom-F's voice. As a body they turned to the platform above the stage where Tom was standing.

Tom: "May I introduce our new house singer, Jade. She'll be performing every night at 23:00 at the Flying Pig Bar."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jade was just beginning. In her future was music and love and laughter and riches - all the way to the top ... and then crashing all the way back down. Those are other stories, some of the many our game is known for. Give us a try some time.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud 9 "The Tribe"
The song is from the very great Pat Benatar.

Replay: Cage Fight, Season-1

Our Tribe-inspired rpg "Keep the Dream Alive" has been filled with a lot of special moments, scenes, characters & plots. Here's one from season-1, when the Travelers' "Sid" met "Chyna" of the River Rats in a fight about honor & survival.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jamie: Today we have Chyna and Sid. They will enter the cage for ultimate respect from both tribes.

*She points to a table-like structure by the cage.* Pick up your swords before you enter. No other weapon can be used but the one provided to you. Once you enter the cage, there are no rules. If you say "I give up," the fight is over. Also once both participants enter the cage, the door will be padlocked shut. No one gets in. No one gets out. Will both participants pick up your swords?

Sid pushed through the crowd looking at every face then looked over at Jamie and Brena. His expression turned angry as he looked Brena straight in the eyes. Sid got to the table and turned. Nestor was right behind him. He handed Nestor his personal blade for safekeeping then picked up a sword from the table. He swung the cage door open and walked in. The crowd started to ambush the cage, to chant and scream all different things, but Sid didn't turn. His eyes stayed focused.

Chyna approached the table and picked up the second sword lying there. With a glance over her shoulder at Hawk and the River Rats, Chyna held the sword in her right hand, twisting her wrist and feeling the heft and balance of the blade. She grinned, moved to the door and stepped inside. She could feel Sid's eyes on her as she moved across the cage floor, swinging the blade and testing her muscles, testing her space. When she heard the metal door clang shut...when she heard the padlock click into place...her half-smile grew into a grin that mirrored the battle lust building in her own eyes. She faced Sid, saluted him with her blade, and openned her arms wide as though to embrace him.

Chyna: *with a laugh that chilled the River Rats who heard her* Well, we have the floor and the audience--let's dance!

Sid stood still for a moment, staring down at Chyna. Then he quickly started to jog around the perimeter of the cage. Chyna stepped into him, aiming high, and Sid met her blade. The sound of steel-on-steel crashed over the crowd. The Travelers roared their encouragement and pounded on the sides of the cage!

Sid came back at Chyna with a deep breath that he let out in a strong blow. The sound was loud, and Chyna staggered back as he slammed her into the cage wall behind her. She recovered quickly, dodging around him to get more room.

Chyna: (I can't take him in a slamming fight. He's too strong--have to be faster.)

Sid turned and she aimed off-center, catching his left arm with the tip of her sword, leaving a trail of blood. Sid didn't seem to notice the cut and kept moving. He swung at Chyna but hit the cage and quickly brought his blade back around, just missing her head. He raised the sword again for a powerful strike downward. Chyna's blade caught his stroke and held it--the muscles in her arms screaming with the effort--but she held.

Looking on, Hawk put her hand to her mouth to keep from shouting. Beside her, Shep bared his teeth and let out a low growl.

Chyna laughed as she strained against Sid's greater strength.

Chyna: Come on,Sid--your fans out there expect more of you! Jamie wants to show 'em what you got. Is that it?

She broke away from him and backed up, then came in swinging her blade at his side. He caught it and shoved her back. Chyna parried, dodging left, making him follow her. She moved quickly, circling him, catching Sid from behind and smashing her boot into the back of his knee taking him down to the ground. She swung her blade wide, her eyes fever-bright with the violence raging inside her.

Seeing the move, Jamie cried out desperately: No--Sid! Behind you!

Hawk also saw how the blow could land and frowned: No, Chyna. Not for you...that's not the way.

Chyna screamed out her fury at being used, manipulated, played with--brought her sword forward with both hands in a powerful strike--then pulled the blow as Sid jumped to his feet. Her blade scraped across his hip, and the momentum of the stroke carried Chyna with it until she twisted aside, facing Sid.

Sid cracked his neck and pulled his arm back, swinging hard. Chyna tried to brace for the blow but his sword didn't stop until it was close to her left upper arm. Sid smiled an evil grin, pushed the blade and pulled back quickly, opening up a gash on her arm. Chyna smiled coldly into his white eyes and stepped into him, pushing back on the crossed blades. She twisted left, pulling her sword down. Her blade scored his chest as she backed away, shouting with the effort.

Chyna: That's more like it! C'mon, Sid. Just a girl here. How tough can it be? (He's not even breathing hard!)

Sweat was pouring down her face as she danced out of his way and parried his move. She started to circle him but he swung, knocking her back. Before she could react, he rushed in and grabbed her by the neck. His grip was iron as his fingers dug into the flesh of her throat. He felt her blade come up on his leg but he kicked it to the ground. Chyna beat at his grip with both hands, trying to break his hold, then raked her sharp nails across his face. Sid brought up the handle of his blade. He looked deep into her eyes, smiled coldly, then pulled the sword handle back and brought it in hard, smashing her over the right eyebrow. When he let go, she staggered back from his blow, falling to her knees in the dirt. Sid backed up, grinning, motioning for her to pick up her sword.

Chyna crouched on the ground breathing hard. She shook the blood out of her eyes and laughed.

Chyna: You son of a bitch.

Her hand closed on the hilt of her blade and she moved fast, getting to the side, finding room to maneuver. Two-handed, she aimed a blow at his chest. Sid parried but his blade slid and Chyna twisted her strike, cutting into his side. Before she could back off, Sid swung wildly and ripped through the leather on her left leg, cutting into her thigh.

Chyna: Damn it!

Sid reversed his swing and pushed her back, his blade biting deep into her left side. Chyna barely caught his next swing and pushed him off, backing away from the side of the cage to the center of the field. For a heartbeat, they stood motionless, Chyna panting for breath as her blood flowed to stain the ground beneath her. Sid stood cold, ruthless, blood-stained, gauging his opponent's weakness to plan his next strike. Suddenly he went into motion, moving fast to close the distance between them. He swung but Chyna ducked and hit him brutally in the ribs with her fist. He staggered but managed to bring his elbow down on the top of her head. She dropped like a stone, face-down in the dirt. Sid kicked her hard in the side, flipping her over on her back. Before she could move, Sid put his foot on her throat, his mouth twisted in a evil leer. His cold eyes looked over the crowd surrounding the cage. The Travelers were shouting and chanting loudly, calling his name. He smiled at them, put his thumb to his throat and slowly pulled it across, waiting for their approval.

Nestor shouted, willing Chyna to hear him: Say it, Chyna! Give it up. SAYTHE WORDS! Don't make him kill you...

Hawk's voice was stoney above the chaos: Make it a clean kill, Lion. She's earned that right. Chyna's name will be remembered with honor as long as these here remain.

As the shouts of the crowd grew wild, Sid took his boot off Chyna's throat. He stepped over her, one leg on each side of her body, pinning her in place. With both hands, he pulled his blade all the way to his back. With every bit of power he had, Sid swung straight at Chyna's face. She shouted wordlessly and pulled her blade forward with both hands,trying desperately to block his deadly stroke.

The two blades met with a thundering force and SHATTERED!

The concussion rocked Sid back as shards of metal cut into his arms and chest. Chyna's wrist screamed agony from the power of the blow. Broken metal bits rained down all over her body. After a second, Sid tossed the handle of his ruined weapon away and took a new stance, ready to fight on with his fists.

Jamie: STOP THE FIGHT! IT'S OVER!

She ran to the cage and ordered the guards to open the doors. She stepped quickly inside.

Jamie: IT'S OVER SID--STOP!

Sid turned to her, his voice ice: Did you get what you wanted, Jamie? Did I perform well for you?

He wiped blood from his side and grabbed arm, wiping the blood on her hand.

Sid: Our blood--mine and Chyna's--is on your hands now, Jamie. Make things right...I know you can.

Jamie watched as Sid turned and walked out of the cage, down the hill. Her eyes dropped to her blood-stained hand. She looked at Chyna, still on the ground, and almost started to cry. Jamie put her hand out to Chyna.

Still stunned by what happened, Chyna grabbed Jamie's hand and let the woman help her up from the ground. When she was on her feet, Jamie pulled her in close, hugging her tenderly.

Jamie: I'm so sorry, Chyna.You are by far exactly what I thought you were and more--a fighter, a leader and a good person. Can you please forgive me for what I did? For all of this? Please?

=================
Lots more where that came from. Stop by & check out KTDARPG some time!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

KTDA Game Highlights - Nov. 2, 2008

HIGHLIGHTS from the past week in our game.

Currently it's morning in Fort River -- hot, dry and very windy.

=== HOME ===

JENNA woke up in ICARUS's arms. She's confused by the feelings he makes her feel, but she isn't afraid of him. She just needs to find her balance. They're heading for breakfast. And another new couple wakes up together - All MAGGIE really knows is JOHNNY makes her feel warm and happy, something she's never felt. It'll be interesting to see how this develops...I'm not sure our game has had this "normal" a couple in a long time. Downstairs, SABER told AMY about the threat to Valentine. VAL & VINCENT wake up to the sound of BOB hammering on their door and shouting for them to let him in. Meanwhile, out on the front porch, it's sun-up. KANE and his friend BALTHAZAR head into the city to the Indoor Market where Kane rented space.

=== MISFITS WAREHOUSE ===

EVE is getting a front-row seat, watching PRINCE and his tribe The Misfits interact. ARIANNA's serving a great breakfast. LILY's heading out with her ice business. PANDORA's giving off attitude by the handfuls. IZZY's helping out with Baby SAPHIRE.

=== MERCHANT HOTEL ===

It's been a long night and apparently TRISTAN has some definite plans for JET & CECILY today...once he can get Jet to stop playing with the bottle that has the last of Cecily's tonic.

=== MID ===

BLOOD finds himself in a cage about to be sold. In other words, the guy's in deep sh*t.

Last Seen======================
Home -- ANASTASIA, JADE, ZERO

Power Shack -- RIO

StormRiver -- HAWK, CREED

Tree Fort -- MARIONETTE, VILLA

Mirage -- OLIVER

Tango Lake -- MARTIN, BLASKO

Peachtree Mall -- CUBIA, BLACKROSE

River Rats Condos -- KRYSTAL, TELLER, FOX, SAUL

... and our story goes on!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "the Tribe"

4 Years & Counting!

October 17, 2004 - that's when KTDARPG began just as "The Tribe" that inspired us was winding up it's tv-run. We didn't know that. We hoped it would go on & on. A group of us even went to Dragon*Con and met Lex & May & Slade & Ram. Totally awesome!

Four years later, KTDA is celebrating a great game with a lot of great people. This is my anniversary tribute to:

• 25,486 posts
• 75 members
• 22 players
• 7 game seasons
• 4 years
• 3 owners
• 2 moderators

Congrats to our Players!

• Angie
• Arianna
• Balthazar
• Chidori
• Eris
• Hawk
• Icarus
• Jenna
• Johnny
• Kane
• Krystal
• Manmod
• Oliver
• Prince
• Rio
• Rosso
• Shirayuki
• Tristan
• Vile
• Vincent
• Xeno

Congrats to our Owners/Moderators!

• Chyna
• Manmod
• Prince
• Rio
• Xeno

We've had some good friends come & go through these years. They left their marks on the game and forever changed its course. I especially remember Ransom & Sid, from the early years. I never knew Savinius, who was one of the original game creators. If he's out there somewhere, he should definitely stop by & say hello!

Lastly, a very big shout of gratitude to everyone who stops by to read the game or the blog, or just to say hello.

We've put 4 years into this so far - doing it for fun, for ourselves, for our readers, and for the show that gave us our start. It all began with "The Tribe." Who knows where it will end?

-Chyna

*and if I forgot anybody, forgive! There's an awful lot of you!

KTDA Game Highlights, Oct. 12, 2008

Here's an update on where our rp stands today. Lots of unique characters, situations, voices in the night...very much like "The Tribe."

In "Keep The Dream Alive" rpg, currently it's late night, hot and dry. The fire on Goodmote Road is fading. The 100 in Peachtree Mall are cleaning up after being attacked. The storytelling is over at Home. Zero has the bar fight under control at the Mirage.

AT THE MIRAGE, Rio & Oliver got into a fight with some guys blocking the stage show. In a totally bad move, one of Rio's punches went wild and he decked Jade. Zero was there instantly to break it up and keep the peace.

ON PEACHTREE STREET, Bob is on his way back from checking out the Mall when he runs into Saber. The Trader points him toward the new graffiti on the cinema. It's another mysterious message to Bob, who reads it and instantly sees a threat to Valentine! He heads over to confront the guy who wrote it.

AT HOME, the storytelling is over for the night. Jenna said good-night to Teller and went upstairs, telling Icarus to take his time. Johnny & Maggie are in her room, where she confessed to Johnny about her past as a slave to Saint. Downstairs Amy is talking to Kane about space at the market and a room at Home. Hawk & Creed found the stories to be totally bummers so they're drinking away their blue moods. Valentine, Vincent, Krystal, Arianna and everyone else are just taking a deep breath and relaxing.

AT THE MERCHANT HOTEL, which is now sort of empty, Jet & Cecily are making sure the building is secure while Tristan does a bit of housekeeping upstairs.

AT THE DEATH SEEKERS' TREE FORT, Villa was spooked but doesn't know if it was a dream or real. Marionette is supporting her but unsure what to do. Prince & Eve are off making their own plans for when it's time to go back to the city.

...and there's plenty more to come!

-Chyna

Photo Source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Catching up

Time to play a little catch-up with KTDARPG, check out what's happening inside our game-version of "Tribe"-world.

Season-7
"Between Heaven & Hell"

Currently in our game it's July. Our city of Fort River is hot & dry, experiencing the worst drought anyone remembers. At least we have Tango Lake & StormRiver for major water!

It's been a crazy game-night so far. On Goodmote Road, fire took out the herb shop & the apartment building attached to it. Down Airport Road, there's quiet chaos in the old Merchant Inn as someone has decided his family needs a new place to live, a place that doesn't include other people.

At Home, the storytelling turned out a bit dark & heavy. First a story about a girl who lost everything...then a tale of the death of the last adult in the post-Virus world. Not exactly stuff to make you giggle.

The rest of our characters are hip-deep in their own situations. Rio is feeling a forbidden attraction. Jade enjoys being in love...again. Villa is paranoid (not so unusual for the crazy lady). Valentine & Vincent are disgustingly in love/lust, as are Prince & Eve out in their forest hideaway. Creed is tormented by thoughts of his past. Hawk is just generally confused about her place in the world. Johnny has come back to the city to claim Maggie for his own, while the former slave girl can't imagine anybody having those kinds of feelings for her. Jenna's having similar problems, finding her feelings changing for her handsome bodyguard.

In other words, game-world is not so different from real-world. Just lots more intense, confusing & bewildering.

Stop by and check us out -- http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/KTDARPG/

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Lonely

It's strange. "The Tribe" was about relationships, friendships, cooperation ... but there were a lot of basically lonely characters through 5 seasons. The one that strikes me right now is May.

May was a strange bird. She showed up in Season-2 & stayed with us to the end. But what did we really know about her?

Only what we saw. Nothing more.

And what we saw was a tough survivor who found out time & again that she could only depend on herself. She was an outcast who found a tribe, who cozied up to the Chosen to save her neck, betrayed them, betrayed her tribe to Mega & the Technos, got thrown out of her tribe ... but she always landed on her feet.

Men didn't work for her. Lex? Pride? Nope. Wasn't happening.

Girls didn't work. Salene was a friend ... was only interested in being a friend.

That left her with herself. I'm not sure that May actually liked herself all that much, but to give her credit she definitely stayed true to herself.

How many of us, under similar circumstances, could say the same?

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Zoot Lives! Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Zoot Lives! Award

Whoever had the idea to kill the character of Zoot off early in Season-1 of "The Tribe" -- bad move, my friends. Very bad move. Every successful drama absolutely cries out for an evil genius, a mastermind that makes you hiss 'n boo & secretly be anxious to see what they're gonna do next. Fortunately, "Tribe" writers knew better than to leave a good villain down. There were all kinds of ways to bring back our boy Zoot. Season-2 we had flashbacks to Martin & Zoot's beginnings. Season-3 we had the Zootists & their insane visions. Season-5 gave us computer-Zoot who was probably more terrifying than the real thing. Yep. Definitely can't keep a good bad-guy down.

For our "evil genius" award, there was VERY heavy debate ending in a split decision among those unlikeliest of brothers, TRISTAN & BLASKO. Blasko continues to serve up his special brand of evil geniusness in the guise of "good of the people." I mean, c'mon - this guy has his soldiers cleaning out alleys & cleaning up playgrounds & giving away food to hungry kids. That has to be good...right? Umm...right? And then there's his brother Tristan. He's definitely all over the place, especially now that he has a wife & a business & new projects presenting themselves every day. We've seen some of his seemingly mad plans completed & it gets kinda chilling when you think about what the future could hold. We don't know what's coming next from either of these brothers, but it's bound to be earth-shaking.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Zoot & Ebony Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Zoot & Ebony Award

Was there any Tribe couple crazier than Ebony & Zoot? I don't think so. Just mentioning their names together calls up images - some we actually saw in Season-1 (or Season-2 flashbacks) and some we only imagined! Wild, crazy, unpredictable and potentially deadly.

Instead of Ebony & Zoot, KTDARPG has VILLA & MARIONETTE. They aren't power-hungry but very much crazy & unpredictable. The one way in which they stand apart from E&Z is pretty important: our craziest game couple actually love each other. That continually strikes all of us as pretty amazing.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Trudy Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Trudy Award

Her's was one of the first faces we became familiar with on "The Tribe." Trudy had lots of firsts on the show - first pregnancy, first flashback (to a last day with her parents), first (and only) character whose home we got to see, first girl to be seen in Bray's company ... but for this award, we're focused on how resilient she was. Trudy always bounced back! Trudy & Zoot? Zoot died. Trudy & the Chosen? She finally got kicked out as Supreme Mother and her tribe took her back. Trudy & Jay? That boy was totally whacked! Trudy & Mega? Yeah, that one was just bad judgment PLUS the boy played her big time.

So from KTDARPG, winning Trudy's "I made mistakes but can't we just get past it?" award, we congratulate LADY ARIANNA. Just like Trudy, Ari has pretty much been through the ringer since our game season-1. Most recently, she lost a man she really cared about over something that couldn't be helped. Because no matter what, Ari has her own sense of fairness & her own brand of justice. In this case, we're convinced this one was Scarecrow's loss because no matter what, our Arianna will always land on her feet. In this crazy pre-Virus New World, Arianna is one of the strong ones.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Tribe Style Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Tribe Style Award

"The Tribe" was very well known for its style! It had to be on television because no way would we have got the full effect of their wild colors, clothes, makeup, rituals & lifetyles any other way. From Zoot's flashy police-car class to those singing Jackal girls (whose names I can never remember) to the Demon Dogs, Gulls, Chosen, Technos, etc., etc.

In our game, our players do their best to create specific styles for their characters, tribes and living quarters. Val has the flashiest casino going. The River Rats live in renovated condos. The Misfits have a huge, well-equipped warehouse protected by an electrified fence. Ace and Jackie have their magick tricks. But when it comes to true Tribe-style, the award was handed to JET. Jet is leader of the (now extinct) Vamp Tribe, and she lives up to her responsibilities in true "tribe style." This girl is New World Goth all the way, and that's part of her charm as well as part of the fun.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Tribe Flashback Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Tribe Flashback Award

"The Tribe" Season-2 was filled with flashbacks - what Martin was like when he was just Bray's younger brother, before he became Zoot; how Ebony played off one brother then the other, a game at which Trudy was pretty good too; what Lex endured in the military-style training camps, and how he & Ryan became friends; how Zoot rose to power & tried to train Ebony if she wanted to be "his woman"; how Joffa became the Guardian. The details & color these flashbacks added to the tapestry of Tribe-world was amazing.

TRISTAN has been using the art of the flashback to very good effect in our game. Bit by bit, we're learning about the past of the Harbingers, now called "The 100," and the heir who lost a kingdom because of one girl. We're also learning in incredible detail what made Tristan the man he is today. This is the kind of thought-provoking, disturbing & totally believable character development that really adds all kinds of shades of gray & depth to our game-world and our game. Very nicely done.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Tribe Circus Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

TRIBE CIRCUS AWARD

During "The Tribe" Season-1, Tribe Circus was really something special. Acrobats, singers, impersonators, fire-eaters - they took the "circus" part quite seriously. When this tribe was around you didn't know whether it was entertainment for fun or if there was something dark and dangerous come to call. When Tribe Circus invaded the mall and caged the Mallrats, it was beyond creepy.

But the cirus aspect, that was fun. And our game got a bit of that when ALICE showed up at home. Alice is a street girl & very entertaining! Her street theater demo was way cool! We hope we see more of her. It isn't often our Fort River kids get to have that kind of fun.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Top Hat Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Top Hat Award

"Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends!"

Ok, my bad for the Emerson Lake & Palmer reference - but it fits! "The Tribe" Season-1 totally rocked with creating great tribes, and none more unique or bizarre than Tribe Circus led by Top Hat. The ultimate showman, he could even make a mall invasion & takeover look totally cool. His tribemates were performers, each one more unusual than the last ... and him the most unusual of all.

In our game, the award for showmanship goes to HELLSTORM. By day we know him as Vincent, Valentine's love & partner and a pretty damn strong vigilante in his own right. This man knows the diff between right & wrong and has the guts to back it up. At night, when he's on stage at the Mirage, Vincent "Hellstorm" totally rocks the house! He's even got his own groupies 'n everything. Definitely the ultimate rock star for the New Age.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Taisan Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Taisan Award

"Space cadet" was a favorite Season-1 name for the dark girl that came out of the woods bringing Cloe back to her tribe. Taisan seemed to know a lot, but she was also rather mysterious about it. She didn't want to share the formula for the Virus antedote when she recreated it from roots & herbs. She knew about chakras, tai chi chuan, harmony & how to reach out to the soul. She helped name the Mallrats; she helped Zandra realize her dream of marrying Lex. Over 3+ seasons, Taisan was anything but predictable.

The Council of Tribes was unanimous in selecting our current game mystery woman - ZOEY. She came out of nowhere. She seems to have almost mystical knowledge. The girl obviously has an agenda & we have absolutely no clue what that is. Something tells me it'll be fun finding out.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Sasha Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Sasha Award

Ok, I'll admit it. There were a lot of things I didn't like about the character of Sasha from Season-1, but we won't go there. I'll focus on something positive instead, which is what this award is about. Sasha brought laughter back to the Mallrats - clean fun & pure enjoyment. Music, dancing, singing, games ... things that were sorely needed, good for the spirit. In a world with precious little entertainment or diversion, Sasha brought that all back.

In our game, that distinction goes to JENNA & TELLER. Jenna is an old-school bard, traveling from place to place bringing news & stories of what's happening in the outside world. Without cell phones or radio or TV, there's not very much can serve that purpose except for good ol' human determination & the power of walking. Teller is what his name implies - a "teller" in the River Rats Tribe. His role is to teach new generations about their roots, their mistakes & their heroes. Lately he's been taking those stories to the streets of Fort River, because the River Rats are very much connected to the life of the city itself. Now our storytellers are in a friendly competition at Home, sharing stories for 5 nights with all who want to listen. Their storytelling is one of the few civilized forms of entertainment in Fort River these days. Definitely better than school for teaching history lessons!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Salene Award #2"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Salene Award #2

The character of Salene was known for her caring, warm approach to people. It made her ideal for tribe-life. It also left her open to be taken shameless advantage of, or to fall hard for something that wasn't necessarily true. Trudy took advantage early, using Salene as a built-in babysitter then being jealous of Salene because the baby responded better to her than its own mother. Salene fell hard for Bray, the conflicted lover. She was totally open to being influenced by the Chosen. Her kindness was her greatest strength ... and sometimes her greatest weakness.

In our game, ERIS has a lot of Sal-like qualities. She wants to help, needs to be of help - that's how she defines her role in life. No matter who's in trouble or in need, Eris seems to be right there to lend a hand. She has lots of friends, but it was Ace/Alister that she fell hard for. It wasn't really obvious that he returned her affections, no matter how much she wanted him to. Eris is a good soul...she deserves to be happy. Just as Salene deserved happiness.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe

Unplugged! - "Salene Award #1"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Salene Award #1

From the beginning, Salene was forever "tribe mom." Whether it was baby-Brady or any of the younger ones, she was always trying to take care of people. This is how Charlie & Mouse came to the Mallrats in Season-4. Salene found Mouse on the street & offered her a safe place to stay; then Charlie tagged alone.

In our game, a character who's getting a bit famous for bringing home strays is HAWK, the sometimes-tribe-leader of the River Rats. Most recently she brought home those loveable wilders Ulquiorra and Erin, introducing them to the city & to tribe life. It was a very Sal-thing to do.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Ryan Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Ryan Award

Every show needs a Ryan. His was the sweetest soul, almost innocent despite everything that happened to him. Too bad Salene never did really appreciate him until he was gone. Nobody seemed to appreciate our Ryan. He was kind-hearted, dependable, a stand-up friend that would do anything for the people he cared about. Lex was his best friend, and it seemed like Lex stabbed Ryan in the back every chance he got. Ryan got to marry the girl he loved...even if she didn't love him. He almost got to be a daddy too...before the Guardian made him disappear. We'll never know what happened to Ryan, but we hope he finally found the happiness he deserved.

Kind-hearted, dependable & a stand-up friend also describes 2 current KTDARPG characters. ICARUS came outa nowhere, got caught up in the Merchant Street riots & wound up protecting Jenna who hired him as her bodyguard. He's turned into a loyal friend who takes his job seriously. SABER also fits this bill quite nicely. Valentine has rarely known a truer friend than this skater 'n trader. Her kindness to those in need is legendary.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "the Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Ruby & Slade Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Ruby & Slade "One-Off" Award

It was spontaneous. Hot. Electric. It was part of what made "Tribe" Season-5 different - the chemistry between Slade & Ruby. She didn't play games. He said he didn't, right up until the next night when he wanted their one-off to be maybe a two-off ...

Our game's recent version of this very hot, one-off relationship goes to NYX & JOHNNY OHM. Johnny was disappointed with a girl and frustrated. Nyx was on the prowl, and he IS a good-looking guy. We can't say it made a whole lot of sense but when you're lonely, any port in a storm? Congrats, guys!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Ruby Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Ruby Award

Ruby was "The Tribe"s ultimate businesswoman. She ran a clean hotel, served good meals, didn't water down the booze, and had enough muscle around to keep the trash out. She was smart, funny, shrewd, and realistic. In the crazy post-Virus world, she was one person who had truly gone on to make a life for herself. She had a home, a trade, a purpose...and a heart of gold. Ruby took in strays like Lottie & helped to feed and shelter refugees from the city that passed her way. She also wouldn't let Lex cheat them, no matter how hard he tried. Ruby's taste in men wasn't always the greatest but at least she'd found her way to move forward and build a future.

KTDARPG has its own version of Ruby in VALENTINE. After a couple of seasons now, Val has put together quite a business enterprise. She started with "Home," a safe & cozy place to rent a room, get a meal, and stay off the mean streets. Then she added "The Mirage" casino with a little boost from Ace & other friends. Any night its doors are open for good music, good company, a drink & a bit of gambling that is totally not rigged. Lately, Val has added her support to create a city Shelter for stray kids, a free Clinic for basic medical care, and an indoor Market so we don't have to wait for the traders' fair that only happens once a week. A home, a trade, a purpose, and also a heart of gold for the city's needy. We have to say that so far her taste in guys has been better than Ruby's. (hehehe...) Not bad for a girl from outa town who started out as an anarchist, hm?

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"