Party!

If there's one thing our friends on "The Tribe" knew how to do, it was to have a good time!

Any occasion for a party, they took advantage of.

Dance Party.

Tribe competitions.

Even rat-races!

Oh yes, life NEVER has to be dull.

In KTDA, we know how to party too.

You can catch the show each night at the Mirage. You'll probably find Vincent and his rock show or maybe Jade who has her own special style.

If big crowds aren't your style, then try Home. Right now there's a storytelling marathon beginning, between Jenna the Bard and the River Rats' very own Teller.

You can probably find more fun on the beach or at a house party somewhere like the Peachtree Mall.

Whatever you do - have fun!

-Chyna
Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

The wait is usually killer.

Calm before the storm.
Christmas Eve.
Cliffhangers.
The 8th month.
Episode 2.

Yeah...things that make you wait. Patience may be a virtue but it's a damn uncomfortable one. It feels like life is one big set-up to make you wait whether you're a patient person or not. Even games do it to you.






A country-wide drought, the damming of StormRiver, accusations of tribe-genocide, Jet's training and her lust for vengeance, the latest Death Seeker plot, Ace's relationship with Blackrose, the storytelling marathon between the Teller & the Bard, Johnny's return and how Maggie reacts, the next rock-star show, the truth about The 100 -- KTDA has so many plot spins & twists coming & we have to WAIT!

Ok, Ok ... no worries.

What we're waiting on is totally worth it. Yeah, I'll admit "anticipation" tends to add to satisfaction when you finally get delivery. What we're waiting on is real-life. Our game players have lives & obligations & other interests, especially this time of year. We spent all spring building up to the good stuff. Now it's just a matter of waiting on delivery.

So ... we wait.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Brooding

It's a human thing.
When events
or emotions
or confusions
or people
affect you
deeply...
you brood.



If you don't
allow yourself


to feel
what you feel,


you'll never
ever
get past it.


Feel it
all of it
then
move on.




-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Bit Parts

You know them well, those throw-away characters who show up for a few episodes or a season and then...vanish!

"The Tribe" was filled with them. There was a whole city affected by the Virus, not just a handful of primary characters. Here are a few of my favorites.

Sasha was the first. He came out of nowhere and landed first with slavers, then with Amber. Believe me, that stirred up a whole lotta crap...especially a very jealous Bray. But Sasha also showed Amber that she had choices and alternatives in her life, even when she didn't think so. Ultimately he asked her to leave with him. She made a choice, and she made it for the right reasons. Then Sasha was gone. Purpose served.

Next there was Spike. Spike was a Loco, one of Zoot's lieutenants then one of Ebony's after Zoot died. He challenged her for the tribe, chased her out, captured & tortured her and was just nasty in general. But he was a catalyst for Ebony's growing relationship with the Mall Rats. His ultimate death was blamed on Ebony when the Guardian was setting her up to discredit her.

Tribe Season-3 got harsh. Amber was kidnapped and Bray was helpless to find her. The stress got so bad, he abandoned the Mall Rats and went walkabout. When the Horse Traders found Bray beat up and passed out in a ditch, they took him with them and Moon took very good care of him. What Moon did was give him back his sense of purpose. She offered him options--asked him to leave the city and stay with her--& he realized where his responsibilities and his heart really lived. Moon and her people went on with Pony Joe and were never seen again.

Then there was Mouse. Salene found Mouse when she came back to the city after searching for Ryan (whom she never found). Sal took Mouse to the Mall and from there everything fell into place. Mouse was a kid, and we saw things develop through her eyes. It was a great perspective. Finally Mouse knew the city was just too big & scary a place for her. Salene took Mouse back to the Eco-Tribe so that she could live in fresh air and sunshine and grow up in a good place.

There were lots of bit-players in "The Tribe." They each had their brief appearance...but their impact was very real. It's fun to remember them, who they were and what they did. I know that Spike died but we don't know what happened to the others.

I hope they lived long lives in Tribeworld.

-Chyna
Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Warm

Spring.

You gotta love it.

In KTDARPG we've moved into summer.

But now that it's April,
the weather outside
will start to get at least
close to what we're playing
with in the game.

Makes it fun.

Also makes it easier to describe blue skies, kinder breezes, warm sunshine, even those outside activities we duplicate in the game like gardening, playing, walking on a sunny street, girl- and guy-watching ... even just sitting in a sunny spot enjoying the feel.


Now if we can just get spring
to hurry up a bit more (for those of us up north).

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Water

Season-1 of "The Tribe" began by showing the kinds of problems kids faced with the downfall of their civilization & technology. One of the most basic challenges was finding clean water.

How did they cope? Lucky for the Mallrats, their mall had a roof water tower. Problem was how to refill it when it was empty, and how to keep others from stealing it. Even inside the tribe, Lex was known to squirrel a few jugs away against future need. It even became political - Lex planted water in Bray's room & accused him of stealing it. That's one way to get rid of a rival, I guess.

It seemed that rain was scarce. When it did rain, the Mallrats were challenged to make the water drinkable. (I guess that meant, once they took the cover off their water tower, they broke any seal that kept the water inside drinkable.) It was good old "genius" Jack along with Dal who found the ingredients & built a water purifier that actually worked.

For the rest of the city, most kids hauled water from the river. It was noted early that, with no factories or other sources of pollution, the river was finally running clean. It was also noted that hauling water was the hard way.

Water is a basic necessity of life. You drink it, cook with it, wash with it, clean with it, grow food with it ... hard to do without it.

Based on a recent player poll at KTDARPG, our game's 7th season is going to do a bit of mirroring Tribe Season-1. The over-arching theme this season is Drought. We haven't dealt with a whole lot of life-altering shortages. This will certainly be one of them. And we don't even have a "Jack" to get us through ...

Stop by & check it out as the season progresses.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

I get by...

When you boil it down, a good part of what "The Tribe" was about was friendship.

Friends. Mates.
Compadres. Brothers.
Lovers. Tribes.
Gangs. Neighbors.

Whatever term you use, finding yourself alone in a world upside down tended to drive the Tribe characters to find friends, make alliances & stick together.

There were lots of good reasons for doing that. It was easier to find food if there was more than one of you looking. Easier to find shelter. Easier to guard each other's backs instead of roughing it alone. The more people around you that you trust, the better chance you have for survival--more than that, the better your chances to thrive.

It wasn't about supremecy. The Tribe wasn't about empire-building. What they were building were families, the most basic unit upon which they could truly build the future.

So at the risk of sounding oh-so-corny, I'll say that friendship is what I've found through KTDARPG too. Maybe it's the Tribe-element at work. Maybe it's just the human element. I've made friends from sunny California to the red earth of Tara...er, Atlanta, to the lakes of Michigan & Ohio, to the best parts of New England, to the walls of Jerusalem and many many parts in between. Some of these friends I've met; others I haven't had the privilege yet. All my friends are dear to me. We share laughter & dreams & goals & ambitions and just...life. It's kinda cool.

As the song says,
"I get by with a little help from my friends."

For the all-nighters & the encouragement, for the great times, for the very wicked story plots that probably had other players thinkin' we were totally stoned at the time, and for so much more...thanks, friends. You know who you are.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Everybody grows.

Over the past few months I've been getting a bit of flack & a snide remark every now 'n then about the premise of KTDARPG.

If you've visited the site, you know it states plainly inspired by "The Tribe." That "inspired by" holds some importance to those of us who've been around the game most of it's 3-1/2 years.

If you aren't aware, "The Tribe" was a great tv-show out of New Zealand that ran for 5 seasons -- a post-apocalyptic world where a Virus wiped out the adult population & left the kids to find a way to not only survive but to build a new society.

And so...that's where our rpg began. A world without adults, and kids left to rule.

In 5 seasons, which was just about 5 years real-time, "The Tribe" covered about 1 year of survival for the characters we grew to love & be fascinated by. (And isn't it amazing how much Jack, as well as a lot of other characters, grew in that short amount of time!)

In 7 game-seasons, working on 4 years, our rpg has surpassed our inspiration. Currently in the game we're about 2+ years past the Virus outbreak. We have a lot of characters, and things change fast. It's been fun watching characters grow & develop in the game, step by step.

See, that's the key. Our characters have grown. Our game has grown. We've solved some of the problems the tv-show characters were challenged by, and others we've grown beyond. Where the tv-show had to be worried about broadcast censors & a lowest-common-denominator audience, our game has no such limitations. It's been more violent at times; it's been more hormonal at times. I think that means it's shown more realism than the tv-show was allowed to do. But KTDARPG hasn't degenerated into fantasy or superman or ridiculous. (Ok, I might be wrong on the ridiculous; but who am I to judge what inspires some of our players to do what they do?)

Our plots have dealt with submission & slavery, violence & hope, survival & strength of self. I'd challenge anybody to tell me that doesn't mirror what we saw in "The Tribe," and what we admired about it.

For the future, who knows? We have some great creative players. The collaborations are often brilliant & always fun!

If you aren't a member of our game, check us out sometime. The story might surprise you.

If you are a member/player, hi! And thanks! You're the one who's made it fun!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

What touches you?

What touches you?

Fires your imagination?

Keeps you coming back?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Me? Ahh...ok. I'm easy. Anybody who knows me knows I'm always drawn to the Bad Boy or Bad Girl. Can't help it. Those are the ones who hold the biggest surprises, the biggest emotional charge, the boldest--or briefest--futures.

From "The Tribe," forget about Amber totally. Forget Salene until you got around to Season-5 when she kicked back finally. Add to that Ellie, Dani & Taisan. I was watching Ebony, May, Moz, Alice, Ruby & any girl who had the guts to survive without waiting on somebody to hold her hand.

Guys? That's even easier. Bray was a bust. Ryan was sweet but ultimately useless, and mostly Pride didn't have a clue. Put the spotlight on Lex, Slade, Jay, Ram or Mega. That's where the action & power & interest was. You could count on it from the minute they came on scene.

Yeah, I guess that shows up in my KTDARPG characters.

The girls are all over the place--from crazy-ass "Villa" & metamorphosing "Cecily" to strong but ultrafeminine "Valentine" to useless-but-we're-working-on-it "Jade." The girls I really have fun watching when they're in top form are conflicted "Eris," warrior-without-a-war "Hawk," the exotic "Blackrose" & kick-ass Arianna. (I'm waiting to see what becomes of the new bard "Jenna" & where "Maggie" winds up.)

I haven't done too many male characters, and the best ones were pretty short-lived: psychotic "Nemesis," the man of many faces "Bishop," and the behind-the-scenes newspaperman "Cosmo." The guys I watch are a blast--Prince & Marionette, Ace & Tristan & Urick, Vincent & the enigmatic Scarecrow. If I could I'd put every one of 'em on tv in a heartbeat!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The point? Well, yeah, there is a point here. For me, I figure out what it is I like about the characters I enjoy watching & try to put some of that in my own characters. If it's a depth of emotion or commitment I appreciate, I try to emulate that. If it's just a wild, carefree attitude then it's fun to try to play with that inside my own creations.

So there you have it. Moral of the Story: Steal everything! Hehe...ok, not quite that. But find those traits you appreciate--in other people, other characters, or even inside yourself--and put those into the characters you create.

Bottom line, they'll be more "real" and people will enjoy them more.

There endeth the lesson.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Pick your partnerships carefully

A lot of the fun of posting in a text-based rpg is the variety of personalities you deal with. Even more important are their writing and online habits--when you're working hard on a scenario, the player you're working with really can make or break you! There are something like...4, i think?...4 types of rpg-ers when it comes to KTDARPG.

(1) The Devoted Player -- This is the person who's in it for the story & the fun! S/he is online a lot (usually because they use computers a lot on the job or in the classroom) and always up for a good back-n-forth, which tends to give a sense of urgency to the writing & can really move a story along. If you're another Devoted Player, this is who you want for your writing partner. If you're not another Devoted Player, you have to make sure you let your partner know your limitations or schedule. Otherwise disappointment will abound!

(2) The Recreational Player -- This person is your "normal player." S/he is online maybe once a day for a while, able to catch up on reading & posting with their character. Once you understand their patterns, Recreational Players are really the backbone of the game. They're dependable & methodical. They keep the story steady, covering all the bases. Just about anyone can have fun posting with Recreationals. Their stories develop a little slower but it gets there...and is usually pretty powerful when it does.

(3) The Sporadic Player -- This may be your once-a-week guy, the one with a wicked school or work schedule but who's devoted to the game & you know will post as soon as s/he can. Sometimes you'll hear nothing for 3-4 days then get a flurry of posts as they try to catch up on everything. It can be fun to watch but gets just a bit frustrating when you're playing opposite them if you aren't expecting it. Sporadics are valuable team members. They know the story, they read the posts, and even when they aren't posting they're planning for it. By the time they're back in the game, they're ready to hit the ground running.

(4) The Bland Player -- Every game has them. These players really do enjoy the game & want to be part of it. Sometimes they don't have time. Sometimes they lose their enthusiasm. Sometimes they just don't know how to keep up. While they're in "bland" mode, they generally don't read the posts. They'll post maybe every month or so just to keep their presence in the game...problem is, since they don't read the posts & know the story, their posts tend to be confusing.

Know what though? From Devoted to Bland, every player is a part of your team. And every team member can have an impact on the story. Whatever kind of player you are, you just have to find your niche & not apologize. You do what you can do. Some can do more. Some will do less. When a game goes as long as ours has, we have players come 'n go 'n then come back again.

Each one is always welcome. You just never know when that sporadic player will become a devoted one, or the recreational will become a bland player for awhile.

After all....it's a game. And the game goes on.

-Chyna

10 things I learned. . .

There are 10 basic rules to thriving in an rpg.
This is a personal list. You might have your own
(and if you do, please share!). For now, consider
the possibilities.

Number-1: It takes Players to make a game. When there are just 4 or 5 routinely playing, it gets boring as hell.

Number-2: A Battle is not a Plot. If you aren't fighting for something then the battle's useless & makes no sense. It comes down to just a battle for bragging rights. Big deal. The "something" is the plot.

Number-3: Everybody deserves a turn in the spotlight. Sometimes it's more fun to help somebody else shine & follow another's plot idea even if it may not seem the best. Yes, even if it means your character(s) become subservient for awhile. So what? It's just a game.

Number-4: Everybody has ideas. They like their ideas. They deserve a chance to try them out. They don't need somebody to tell them their ideas are useless or could be better. They just need somebody to go along & give it a try.

Number-5: The best stories are surprises. You could also call this one Be flexible. Nothing's written in stone. I don't always need to know what the long-term plan is or how something'll end. I LIKE SURPRISES! Even some of my own ideas, I got no clue how they'll end. Our game has multiple players, and I want some of those players along on the same ride with me. If they have ideas or think something might work better if we change this or that...I don't mind. We're writing together. That's a helluva lot of fun.

Number-6: If you really don't like a player, don't play with him/her. Don't beat the dead horse, just go in a different direction. Enough said.

Number-7: There's always NPC-land. I've been there a few times. If you want to try out your own ideas & write your own story, NPC-land is perfect. But if you want to interact with others & write a better story, you need PEOPLE. People are human. NPC-land has no humans. Well, except for you.

Number-8: Three-plus years so we must be doing something right! We have a lot of active players & more storylines than I can keep up with and I'm constantly surprised! That is priceless!

Number-9: If it ain't fun, what are you doing here? Do what it takes to MAKE the game fun for you. Nobody else is gonna, and bitching doesn't help. It just makes people not want to talk to you. Or it hurts feelings.

Number-10: Lighten the hell up! This is fantasy, not real-life. While it can be a good idea to USE those real-world emotions as a creative force in the game...it's really not a good idea to take out anger, rage, frustration, etc. on the PLAYERS. Nope. Not good at all.

Like I said, these are just kind of personal lessons
learned, and they're in no particular order. Anybody
else has a list, I'll be more than happy to publish it for ya!


-Chyna

Fast Forward

We're almost to the end of Season-6 in our "Tribe"-inspired rpg. It's been a bumpy ride for the past 8 months--escalating action, new characters, new players, compelling storylines, drama, mystery, comedy, you name it. But 8 months is definitely long enough for a season. With the end of the current slavery scenario, we'll move into Season-7: Yet-to-be-Named.

And here's the kicker: A time-jump for the game has been proposed. We've done this before, just not with so many character storylines occurring simultaneously.

What is a time-jump? Simply put, a fast-forward. In this case we're looking at jumping ahead one month, from our current late-May timeframe into early July & full-on summer.

Why jump at all? There are reasons for or against. "For" includes giving everyone a fresh start and a whole summer of possibilities. Sometimes players write their characters into corners, totally without meaning to, and find themselves trapped with no way to move. A jump is like a kickstart. "Against" includes missing out on the day-to-day development of characters for the missing length of time. Sometimes that growth is really fun to watch.

What do you do with the "lost month"? Lots of ways to cover the time you fast-forward through. Easiest--or maybe hardest?--is to have each player write a catch-up post that lets everyone know in some way (for example memories, a diary, thinking, a conversation) how his character(s) changed.

How do you set the stage? That is pretty easy. Me (as owner & a principal writer) will collaborate with other players & write a season introduction. It will introduce Season-7 and summarize details of what happened during the "lost month"--including any major changes to the city landscape, major plot points moving forward, pivotal facts that players need as we go into the new season (for example weather changes, deaths/births, economic or power changes). So players will have all the parameters they need for summer in Fort River.

Do you need player agreement for the jump? Well...technically no, but then I'm not exactly techno-girl. That's why our game-site has a player poll up now asking players for their thoughts, feelings, objections or endorsements for the fast-forward. This game isn't about just one person. We have lots of players, and their feelings & ideas need to be included when a decision this big is made for the game.

I've let all our players know to be sure and email me with any questions/concerns/problems they might have. [And any KTDARPG players reading this: Talk to me!] If this is going to happen, it could be really good for the game but ONLY if we're all on the same page moving ahead.

The one think I DO NOT WANT to happen is to spoil any of the fun or momentum we've built in recent months in the game. And only our players can help me decide on that one.

-Chyna
[KTDARPG game-owner]

The Early Days

Reading posts from KTDARPG during the past couple of months, I get the feeling we've gone back to the early "Tribe" inspiration & power.

Season-1 of the tv show is hard to beat. The real-life impact of the Virus, the way the world turned upside down, the raw power of the tribes, the dark gritty action of survival & trying to carve out a new world ... it seems like our game has gone back to that level.

Examples are always helpful.

While tv Season-1 into Season-2 probably had less violence than what we saw with the Chosen or the Technos, I think it was more powerful. It felt more ... dunno, personal maybe. Kids tied up. Kids beaten. Kids chased by other tribes. The strength and violence that seemed to radiate from Zoot and the Locos ...

We have that now. Tristan & Cecily. Blasko & the 100, even the various vigilante groups out on the streets of Fort River these days trying to track down the slavers & stop that particular nightmare.

Then there's just plain "survival." There are not and have never been "magical" suppliers for our characters. If something isn't available, you make do. You figure out another way. Our city has a weekly Market Day when traders come in from regions around the city for the day, but that's just once a week. And that does put some crimps into your plans if there's no one else who has what you need.

Maybe what I'm saying is ... well, all of a sudden our little city of Fort River, after 3 years of playing, learning & growing ... it seems different. Not so well known. Not so ... safe?

And I don't think that's a bad thing, actually. What I think our players have found are ways to make everything that's old New Again. We're looking at our game-world in a different way--and I like it!

The fun is back. The mystery is back. We honestly don't know what's gonna happen next.

And thank goodness for that!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Winter 2008 TRIBE AWARDS

Time once for the KTDARPG Council of Tribes TRIBE AWARDS. There's no better way to say "thanks!" for all the work our players have done while tipping our hats to the great show that gave us our start. Everyone continues to do a GREAT JOB in a game that keeps getting more complex, dramaticand riveting!

Here are game highlights since July 2007--standout scenes, character moments & accomplishments--from the Keep the Dream Alive rpg.

...and the winners are...

AMULET AWARD goes right back to "Fort River After Dark." Breaking the story about underground slavery in Fort River...that was hard core and took guts.

ANONYMOUS BARTENDER AWARD--remember the bartender dude who tried to give Lex up when he was in disguise in Ebony's holding cell? The Council thought that was a perfect match for Blood, who seems to always land on his feet.

BRADY AWARD for most innocent character goes to Pink. Taken into slavery and waiting on her rescuer...we have faith.

BRAY AWARD for "what the hell do I do now?"--there was a lot of debate but Scarecrow, this one's yours. You've been drifting since you walked away from the Misfits. Time to pick a direction and go with it.

BRAY & SALENE AWARD for "is this love meant to be or what?" goes to Eris & Ace. C'mon, you guys keep dancing around it...but just like Bray & Salene, a love that isn't acted on can be forgotten as life moves on.

DAL AWARD for a supreme act of self-sacrifice is given to Carossa. He would have given his life to save Pink from Saint's goons. At least...we think he's still alive?

DEMON DOG AWARD for uncaring, unfeeling brute force goes to Urick. 'Nuff said.

EBONY AWARD for exotic beauty that you'll NEVER be able to predict, given to the only one who meets that description--congratulations, Blackrose.

JAY AWARD for being irresistible to the ladies is given to Vincent. The chick-squad may want him, but Valentine's got him...at least for now.

KC AWARD for having whatever you want, when you want it--Saber, this one's yours. And now that you got a store? We're thinking the deals will only get better.

LEX "THIS IS THE PLACE" AWARD was brought out of mothballs because of just one man. Vincent, your stage presence & performances deserve the recognition. Bravo.

LEX & TAISAN AWARD for best romantic moment--VERY hotly contested. The Council debated DAYS on this one & finally agreed to a split decision: Villa & Marionette (that glowing moss was killer) and Jade & Zero (dancing until dawn with fairy lights and violins...yeah...).

MAY AWARD for strong girl making stupid decisions goes to Maggie. She had to be strong to last in slavery as long as she did, but it was totally stupid the way she related to Johnny. Get him back, girl--now!

MEGA AWARD for Great Manipulator can only go to Ace. For whatever reason, every move he makes has an ulterior motive you gotta look for. We don't judge his motives, just wait along with the rest to see what he's gonna do next.

MOUSE AWARD for gentle soul...given this time to Krystal. She's holding up under really difficult circumstances with Jason gone.

POWER & CHAOS AWARD, PART 1--the "power" part goes to Rio. What can we say? He switched the power on. Now we're waiting to see where this one leads.

POWER & CHAOS AWARD, PART 2--the "chaos" part goes to...well, there was finally a compromise split decision. This award is shared by Blasko for the 100's "organized chaos" and Villa for chaos uniquely her own--and weirdly intensified now that she's a girl in love!

PRIDE AWARD for natural talent goes right back to Oliver. Take that bow away from him and we don't know what he'll do. But with it, he seems unstoppable.

RUBY AWARD for entrepreneurial spirit goes to Valentine. From Crown Street to Industrial Way, Home to the Mirage, she's got the touch. The best part is, this girl also has a heart. We're thinking her success will be good for the whole city.

RYAN AWARD for sweet, dependable, stand-up guy goes straight back to Johnny Ohm. He may get angry & confused but there's no question he's one of the good ones.

SALENE AWARD for she who mothers us all goes to--we've been here before. This award belongs with Lady Arianna. Whether it's her own tribe of Misfits or kids on the street who need a hand, she's right there. Nobody does it better.

TAISAN AWARD goes to the mysterious Nightshade, who shares both Taisan's knowledge of herbal lore and her aura of "what will she do next?"

TEENAGE-CLOE AWARD for rapidly developing teen-aged angst stays right where it's always been, with Lily. The attitude just keeps growing. Now that she's got a job, who knows how far she can go!

TRIBE FLASHBACK AWARD goes to Prince & Ace. The flashbacks they set up going back to Fort River High added a totally new dimension to the game. Nicely done, guys.

TRIBE STYLE AWARD for best makeup goes to Hawk, the epitome of what a tribe member is and looks like. From her glass eye to her facial markings to her distinctive clothes...this woman IS the ultimate River Rat.

TRUDY AWARD for "brainwash me now, please!" goes to Cecily. She let herself be used by Saint in his slavery scheme...now she's letting Tristan turn her into a good little slave-wife. Kinda sad, but we can always hope she snaps out of it eventually.

ZOOT AWARD for most untimely death...well, we don't understand why he offed himself. He was nice to Maggie when she needed it. This award goes to Stiff.

ZOOT & EBONY AWARD for absolutely craziest couple--they had some pretty stiff competition but the award goes right back to Villa & Marionette. The closer they get, the crazier they get and we couldn't ask for better.

ZOOT LIVES! AWARD for best evil mastermind--again VERY heavy debate and a lot of fantastic candidates, but the award goes to Tristan. We don't know what's coming next but we know it's bound to be...icky.

Congratulations to all our winners!
If you were disappointed with this round?
There's always next time--lots of game still to get through!

-Chyna

Darker Days

Good days. Bad days. Rainy & sunny days. Light days...dark days. "The Tribe" had them all. So does our game.

KTDARPG has hit a dark patch with Season-6, which we titled The Right to Dream as a nod to the show's primary theme to "keep the dream alive." With heavy plotting that deals with slavery... well, having the right to dream of something better just makes sense.

Anybody who enjoys a good book or movie or tv show knows that "nice" & "normal" & "happy families" gets kinda boring after awhile. When real-life is like that, it's kinda boring. Safe, but definitely boring.

Several players have twisted the current plot so that it's surely not boring. Yes, the violence level has gone up (though graphic violence is at a minimum & cussing seems a lot milder lately too). So has interest in the game. We've added a lot of new players recently, and it seems like everybody's posting. We're on track for our absolute best month for # of posts in more than 3 years. The stories are exciting, edgy, interesting & bringing more depth to Fort River & to the lives our characters are leading.

Fort River isn't very safe these days, but it's interesting to read about. Some of the threads will have you on the edge of your seat, waiting for what comes next.

If you're not already a member, stop by & check us out. You might wanna stay awhile.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Status Quo

Welcome back, Angie.
Your friends missed you.

-Chyna

RPG lessons learned, # 4

I lost a friend today. That's what it feels like.

Whenever a player unsubscribes from KTDA, it's a real loss.

I know it's not personal, or some kinda judgment or like that. Some people don't have time or 100 other reasons.

Doesn't make it easier.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Guest Blog: Weather or not?

Rain...

Water from the sky...

A beacon of home or a fore-shadowing of doom?

Refreshing or bone chilling?

Pereceptions.

It's fall and the rains come with numbingly cold winds that sap strength. Overcast gray skies create a gloom that reaches everywhere, stealing heat, dousing spirits. Thick mud slows feet trodding through the showers.

Yet it is rain. In spring and summer it's a joy. Warm rain, fun puddles, making the earth green. Lightening storms are amazing works of thunder and great flashes of light etching across the sky. There is power...or just fun.

Rain has many faces, all which create different settings...placements. It sets the tone of a scene, an atmosphere of despair or hope...sometimes both. In movies rain is used to put emphasis on a scene, with lighting indicating mood.

In KTDARPG, we have used rain and weather in all forms for setting the tone of the game. Battles were fought in rain, with lightening flashing at the climax. A hurricane set the tone for the oppressive harshness of winter. Sunlight and moonlight seem like minor touches yet they add a life to a scene--a connection otherwise lost to us.

Weather isn't something we can escape, even in windowless buildings. Spring fever and the increase of energy permeates. As winter's cold winds penetrate our bones so does weather affect our players' moods and actions. Summer a time of action...Winter a time of rest....in the game its Spring, and the rain didn't bother the people at Market Day. It was refreshing, a reminder of the newness of spring and of life. And all the players whether in one thread or another reacted to the rain, uniting the characters.

It's all in the perception. Each player or character would see the rain from their different viewpoints. To the homeless it's an unwelcomed bath, to a bartender increased business, to a farmer a lifesaver. For Fort River is a city of different people and places, and even the weather is affected by the perceptions.

- Hawk

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

RPG lessons learned, # 28

It's amazing what you can learn if you open yourself up for it.

KTDARPG was my first role-playing game & is still my favorite. Every now & then, when I stand back & just watch--the players, the characters, the action--well, you can learn if you let yourself.

Here's Lesson #28: "You can't see the forest for the trees."

Ok, that was vague. Here's what I mean.

You the player have a character you know EXACTLY what you want to do with. You've made your plans & you're determined to stick to them no matter what. You won't be distracted. You won't be moved. You're on a course to your Goal, and by hell you're gonna get there.

It's an easy trap to fall into. What it means, basically, is you're playing with yourself. You've shut yourself off to input from other characters, from the game setting, from all other actions happening around your character. Not a good place to be.

See that's the beauty of role-playing. Characters act & react to each other. Just like with real-world people, that's how characters grow & develop & get stronger.

But to do that, you have to stay open. Your character has to listen to what others say, be aware of what's happening all around you. Which also means it helps if you actually read posts that may have nothing directly to do with your character--because all the posts have to do with the game world itself. And the game world affects your character intimately.

So maybe a word to the wise rp'er: keep yourself open. Be aware of all the game around you--and then take advantage of it like crazy!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Tribe holidays?

I never really thought about it before, but the concept of holidays was pretty much lost in "The Tribe."

Throughout 5 years (and I could be wrong, but this is what I remember), there was no Christmas, no New Year's Day, no Valentine's Day, no Halloween, no Thanksgiving, no Independence Day ... or take it a step further. There was no "Virus Day" or commemoration of any kind for when their world changed so dramatically.

I'm not saying there weren't celebrations because there were. Offhand I can think of the dance party for all the tribes, the Tribal Meeting on the beach, the wedding celebrations for Ryan/Salene and Lex/Taisan, and the party after the defeat of the Guardian. These were all very localized and not anything that would be repeated.

Our Tribe-characters lived very much day to day or week to week. The only time they looked toward a more distant future was to wonder what it would be like ... and if they'd be alive for it.

I guess any of our modern-day holidays really would be out of place in a world that had no clocks ... no calendars ... no traditions that hadn't been totally blown away.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"