KTDA, In The Beginning

Beginnings are not easy or simple. How do you start a role-playing game? How do you get your characters into the game and get action started? No, definitely not simple. For those who've wondered how our Keep The Dream Alive role-playing game got started, here is a digest-version of Season One and the first days of game-play. Enjoy!

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      Savinius retraces his steps back out of the alleyway and sees a girl in the distance.  (She's pretty cute.) His shyness towards females kicks in and he ducks behind some nearby trash cans.

      Arianna grabs a backpack and pull-behind suitcase. She heads out into the street to find someone…anyone. Startled by a loud crash, she clutches her backpack as she turns to see what made the noise. Noticing a handsome and rugged older boy, she walks over to him. “Hi, I’m Arianna. What’s your name?” She turns and notices a young girl coming up the street towards them.

      Mimi was at the end of the street and heard some noises. She walks up and sees Arianna and Savinius.  “Hi. I am Mimi. Who are you?”

      Savinius thinks to himself, (Crap! I've got two girls to deal with now!) He slowly gets up from behind the trash cans. “I'm Savinius, and you two are?”

      Arianna, batting her eyes flirtatiously, reaches out a hand to help Savinius. “My name is Arianna. Nice to meet you, Savinius. And you too, Mimi. I’ve been alone for so long, it’s good to be with people again. Shall we be friends?”

      “I'm Mimi—sure, we can be friends, Arianna.  Nice to meet you, Savinius.”

      Xeno walks away from his burning house and turns south, where he understands his sister is. After an unknown amount of time, he sees the first kids he's seen in hours. Xeno smiles to himself then heads over to them. “I'm Xeno. Have you seen my sister? Her name is Adear, and this is her photo.” Shows them the photo in his hand.

      Arianna looks at the picture closely. “No, I’ve never seen her before. I’m Arianna.”  She points to Mimi. “This is Mimi, and…” points again, “this is Savinius. We just met.”

      Mimi looks at the photo Xeno holds. “Not me either, Xeno.”

      Prince enters town walking his out-of-gas motorbike and spots 4 other teens. (Where in the heck did they come from?)  “Hi, guys. I’m Prince. Do you know where I can get any gas for my bike?”

      Savinius says, “I don't know about you guys, but I've been having a hard time surviving on my own.  Maybe we should band together and even form a tribe.”

      Arianna giggles. “A tribe sounds like a wonderful idea. We can help Xeno find his sister and take care of each other.” She wraps her arms around Savinius’ neck and kisses him on the cheek. “You are so smart to think of it.” Then she hugs Mimi, Xeno and Prince.  “We could be like a family.”

      Savinius looks down and away from Arianna. “I’m glad everyone likes the idea. We could talk about this right here and right now, but I think it might be better to move somewhere safe. There are well-established tribes in this area—like the El Diablos, the Brotherhood, the Lemmings. Does anyone know where we can hide out for a few days?”

      “I was headed to my uncle’s warehouse.” Arianna points ahead of them. “It should be safe. There’s an electric lock system. My father said there might even be stuff I could use to survive.”

      Xeno asks, “How will this help me find my sister? I've been fine traveling like this, searching for her...and how do you think this place is safe from the tribes like El Diablos and the Brotherhood? Or even the Lemmings?”

      Savinius replies, “Well, Xeno, we don't know if it's safe or not. But I do have a question, Arianna. Does this place have a generator?” He cocks one eyebrow up and smiles. “Wait, that doesn't matter right now--we just need somewhere safe, and this place might do it.” He looks toward Prince. “Prince, can we use your bike's battery?  I can hotwire the electrical system for just long enough to get the door open. Regardless if the generator works or not, we will be safe because no one will be able to get in!  But we need another battery from a car just in case, so we don't get trapped inside.”

      Xeno rolls his eyes. “I see none of you have seen her. Maybe I should continue after a night’s sleep. Lets head to this place of yours!”

      Prince says, “Well, Sav--clever, man! Just don't screw it up! And as soon we all get situated in this place of Arianna's, we'll both go get that car battery together. Now I'm gonna follow that angry guy,” (referring to Xeno).  “You should, too, if you know what this city holds for us.”

      Xeno slows down because he has no idea where this warehouse is. Xeno is not angry; he’s just in general annoyed with life.

      Savinius catches up with Xeno and puts his hand on his shoulder.  “Look, man, I didn't mean to ignore your request back there. But we need a safe place to stay before we can effectively find your sister. We'll do this right, after we find a place to live and food, I promise.” They pass a wrecked car. “Well, we better stop and borrow this car's battery for backup.” He pulls out a pair of pliers from his pocket and removes the battery. He looks back towards Arianna. “Hey Arianna, where's the warehouse at?”

      Arianna looks behind her. “Wait…shh…I just heard something. Listen--do you hear it?  It’s coming from that direction.” She walks to the corner and peers around the building.  (Oh, my lord!)  She runs back to the others, looking scared and confused. “There is a group of like 50 people standing back there.”

      “It looks like El Diablos,” Savinius says. “They've all got devil horns painted on their foreheads. We better head to safety. Honestly, I would like that electrical lock standing in the way between the 5 of us and the 50 of them!”

      Arianna pulls a sheet of paper out of her pocket and studies it for a second. “It’s only like 6 blocks to the warehouse.” She grabs her backpack and suitcase. “Just follow me--keep quiet and keep up!”

      Prince hides the motorbike in a large pile of garbage and runs with Arianna and the others. He explains, “I'll come back for that later.”

      Savinius grabs the battery he pilfered out of a car. “Wait up, guys!”

      Arianna looks back. (Well, at least I’m not going to be alone.) She turns left at the corner, then slows down so the others can catch up.

      Prince stops running. “I'm gonna lead the El Diablos in a different direction. I want y'all to go ahead—I’ll catch up in about 10 minutes.” Prince goes into a dusty office building and heads to the top of it. (I see the El Diablos--now I’m gonna get them!)  From the top of the building, Prince throws an office chair into the center of the group below, injuring 8 of the 50. The Diablos enter the building to kill the stranger who did this to their tribe! Prince escapes through the mail chute and runs back to his new family. (Man, that was so freakin' raw!)

      Xeno turns towards Prince, grabs the front of his shirt, picks him up and slams him against a wall. “WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?  DID THEY DO ANYTHING TO YOU?” Xeno screams into Prince’s face. “YOU HAVE JUST ENDANGERED ALL OF US!”

      Prince slaps Xeno’s hands off him. “Ok! Sorry! Just trying to buy us a little time!”

      Following Arianna, Savinius tells her, “Look, maybe we should run ahead of the others. I need some time to get that door open. I need at least 3 minutes to hook this battery up.”

      Arianna looks at Savinius and smiles. (He is probably right, especially after what Prince just did.) She pulls the paper with the directions and code out of her pocket and rips off the code. “Savinius and I are going to run ahead and get the battery hooked to the door.” Hands the paper to her new friends. “Here are the directions to the warehouse.  Just follow them, and we’ll be waiting with the door open for you.”

      Running, Arianna calls back, “Savinius, come on--we're close. Only 3 more blocks to go!” She turns right at the corner, runs 2 blocks down past a gas station, then stops to wait for Savinius. “We have a small problem. The warehouse is surrounded by that fence.”

      Prince catches up with Savinius and Arianna, breathing hard. “I see y'all got a lil problem with the fence. Lucky for us, I packed this tool case.”

      Arianna closes her eye for a moment. “I think we might need pliers.There is an opening in the fence where the trucks used to get in and out. It has a chain and lock on it, but I bet with Prince's pliers I could pick it. If not, I know I can get it with my nail file.”  She remembers picking her school locker lock after forgetting the combination.

      Xeno stares after Prince as his hand automatically goes for the wicked hunting knife he always carries. But at the last second, Xeno stops himself. He was just going to spend the night with them and move on to find his sister, but now Xeno just might rid this new tribe of this kid first! Xeno turns to Mimi. Everything is fine.”  Xeno looks back and sees the Diablos turn the corner and see the two of them. Xeno even recognizes one of the Diablos who’s limping. To Mimi, “RUN—they’re behind us!”

      Savinius looks around and finds a lock to pick. “I'm gonna try and pick this lock. Can I have your nail file, Arianna?”

      Prince watches Xeno. “C'mon, Sav-man, let’s get this stupid lock to open.” He holds the lock tight as they both search for the right opening point. “Ok, man, let’s go.”

      Savinius smiles as he and Prince hear a click in the lock. “We're in!” He picks up the car battery. “One more door between us and a little safety.” Savinius looks toward Arianna. “Can you take us to the entrance?” He picks up the battery. “I'll be hella glad when this is all over and we're somewhere safe.”

Welcome to "Keep the Dream Alive."

-Chyna

KTDA Game Overview, Updated June 2017

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/KTDARPG/info

Begun in 2004, "Keep the Dream Alive" role-playing game (KTDA) was inspired by the New Zealand tv show The Tribe. The show’s premise: a lethal Virus killed all the adults in the world, leaving their children alone to find their way in a desperate new reality.

KTDA started its in-game action less than 1 year after our game-Virus was unleashed. The world's kids were left alive to struggle for food, shelter, clothing and safety--trying to survive and build a new world out of the ashes of the old. Ours is an "other world," where real-world geography and history don't exactly apply. There are also NO fantasy or super-powered characters here.

For our first 11 seasons, the city of Fort River is where primary action took place. For Season-12, primary action has moved to Vale on the seacoast. Both cities are located on a long peninsula. (See map in the "files" section of our website.) The climate has traditional seasons including winter snow. Trees, plants, crops and animals are all climate-appropriate, too. Surrounding cities include Bayview (west), Darrow (south) and Capital City (north).

In our game-world, nearly 3 years have passed since the first friends came together in Fort River, which makes it almost 4 years since the first Virus was released. (A second, kid-killing Virus was also unleashed and defeated.) During the past horrific winter, a lot of people died and others fled from privation and disease. That’s why our characters fled Fort River, hoping for better chances of survival in Vale.

Now it’s early summer in Vale--the 3^rd summer in the game and our first in Vale. It’s taking some getting used to, orienting ourselves to a new environment—new buildings, streets, activities and characters. Vale has shelter and a milder climate, for now. People are finding places to live and jobs and new friends. Vale also has a periodic newspaper for city news.

There have been many tribes throughout the game. Right now the primary tribes are the Vamps, the Wave Riders and the River Rats with the potential for more coming soon.

Be sure and check out the “files” section on our website for game rules and instructions on how to build a character profile and how to post. Look around there, because there’s lots of other information that will help you in your game-play! And if you ever have any specific questions, just give a shout out for a Game Moderator. We try to stay close in case we’re needed.

Every day's an adventure, but we all work to stay tribal!

Welcome to "Keep the Dream Alive."

-Chyna

Photo source: our great game-player Manmodthanatos. Thank you!

REWIND: Make it feel real!

Building a World -- 5 beats 2!

[Originally posted 10/03/2013]

On tv, The Tribe was definitely 2-D. The only senses the show could manipulate were sight & sound. Through them, the characters & the plot drew you in, made you care. That was exactly what we wanted and, ultimately, what we loved about the show.

As a viewer, you didn't worry so much about how Tribe-world tasted or smelled, if it was rough or smooth.

That's not the case with Keep The Dream Alive role-playing game. Our game is word-based, which presents specific challenges to bring players in & get them excited about our game world. To do it, we have to focus on touching all 5 senses. Luckily, with words, that's very do-able as long as you concentrate.

Ask any of our players. They'll tell you about Chyna's rants: "What does it feel like? What does it smell like? Describe everything so you can MAKE IT REAL for the reader!"

You know what? That's exactly what they do.

Tyla's reactions to Jet's Fight Club make you feel it--sticky tables & floors, the sounds of the fighters, the smell of stale beer & sweat... Ari has done the same with fight scenes, and Hawk in the City Clinic & in the wilderness. Sid made us experience his anguish at the loss of his son...and even the anguish he felt at beating Chyna in their cage-match. Krystal's loss of her love, Maggie's impressions of the people she meets at Home, the stories our bards tell -- there are so many good examples from so many good players that I can't begin to list them all. This is just a taste for you. If you aren't a KTDA member, you're missing something special.

So we are truly 5-D -- sight, sound, touch, taste & smell! That doesn't mean everything's all pleasant, tasting like steak or smelling like flowers. Our game-world continues to be a tough place that we endure & try to make better.

Come & see--or touch! or smell!--for yourself.

~~~~~~
-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Vale By The Sea!

Highlights from recent events in our game as of June 18, 2017.

Good morning!!! Welcome to another beautiful morning in Vale.

Across the StormRiver, the Krystal and the River Rats are stirring, starting a brand new day.

Rio and Arianna are up and ready for the morning. Rio is still obsessing over Jet, determined to prove he is SO not a victim. He and his lady are preparing to give the town a show of courage and fortitude. And class. Rio definitely wants class.

Jet is starting her day in a tizzy, banging things around the Vamps home-base, yelling for Tyla and Baz. Tyla hasn't been found yet. Baz is sitting out on the porch watching the sun come up...and taking his life in his hands, apparently. This should be interesting.

At the Rusty Anchor, Maggie's open for business. Kane's starting his day with coffee and the morning paper.

On the beach, the Wave Riders are up and, well, wave-riding. Harley, Cindy and the gang are amazed at the miraculous healing of their newest member, Richie. After a bare-butt stroll down to take a wash in the sea, with some admiring glances his way, Richie answers Fae's question about his cure with a brief, "I took a pill." Hm... 

As for Zin, who is this "Xeno" she's apparently dreaming about? Another mystery?

Be sure to get your morning newspaper! Find the newest issue in the game "files" section or Game Post #40444.

Good mornin', y'all! Stay tribal!

-Chyna

photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

That's me, wanting it old-school!

My big question for Cloud-9 is: "Why isn't The Tribe syndicated? Why don't we have reruns?"

And yes, the first response I get is: "Well you can watch all the episodes online! They're all right there waiting for you!"

But! But but but but...

Online is fine for The Tribe's true fans who want to indulge in their nostalgia on a rainy afternoon when there's nothing else to do. But if you look at the examples of "Star Trek," "Big Bang Theory," even "The Brady Bunch," you'll see that the biggest bonus of syndication and reruns is that they draw NEW FANS! And more and more fans are exactly what The Tribe needs when you look at the international push for "more."

Besides, I'm old-school. I don't watch eps online. Never have, maybe never will. I have some episodes recorded and watch them when I want to remember some detail specifically. But that's not recreation.

Imagine...

The Tribe reruns on, say, Wednesday night, 10:30pm. On Nick-at-Night or Freeform or the CW. You wait all week. You mention on FaceBook what you're doing. You get some friends together for pizza and Tribe-watching. It's fun, and it gets others involved too.

Just think about it, ok? You could also get sponsorships, which would be a nice income stream too, hmm?

That would be a really nice surprise present for 2017.

-Chyna

photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

...always with Good Intentions

I really don't mean to abandon this blog. Chyna's Closet has been good to me. It gives me a place to appreciate, to rant, to thank, to opine, to ruminate, to say what's on my mind without repercussions or slams (well, mostly). But ... I haven't posted since January. Bad Chyna!

At least our Keep The Dream Alive rpg seems to be coming back to life. Thanks, tribe-friends! Arianna, Saber, Kane, Rio, Maggie, Tyla, Fae, Baz, Jet, Oshayr -- I'm sorry if I've forgotten anybody -- thanks for sticking with us through the slow months and making the busy months rock! You guys are the best!

News keeps coming from The Tribe front. Birthdays and attempts to get a European Tribe Gathering together (sorry that didn't work out, guys), and new books about the Mall Rats and other aspects of the show, and on-again off-again news about a potential Tribe movie ... wouldn't that be amazing after all this time?

Speaking of time, it's been 10 years since I finally made it to Dragon*Con in Atlanta and got to meet some amazing Tribe people as well as equally amazing KTDARPG players. OMG, 10 years? But you know what? The Tribe still lives, for me & for so many other fans too. We still talk about it, still remember it, still watch it, still listen to the music, and still can be inspired by it.

As strange & crazy as the world can get -- and lately, here in the good ole U. S. of A., that is definitely crazy! -- fandom gives us, if not answers, at least a place to fantasize that things can/will be different, better, stronger, sane!

So in honor of Christmas and my friends and Tribe-mates, I'm back in the Closet reminiscing & just focused for a few minutes on the show that has inspired so many of us. To the actors & writers & producters & directors who created that alternate universe ... thank you! And to the members & players & readers & supporters of Keep The Dream Alive, thank you for keeping OUR dream alive. It still means a lot.



Merry Christmas, and stay tribal!

-Chyna

photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe" -- thanks for the great image!

January has been the cruelest month...

I'm seriously hating January right now. The first month of a brand new year, and already 2 cinema icons have been taken from us. I know, I know...to "Tribe" fans this will be random. But you'll just have to bear with me.

First it was David Bowie. Close to admitting my age here, but Bowie in the '70s seriously influenced my early years. His music was way behind progressive. It was dynamic. It demanded response. 

You didn't just listen to it--you felt it. He grabbed you and never let go.

And then there was Alan Rickman. That man had some deep creds. Those that stand out in my mind may be the familiar ones but who cares? "Quigley Down Under," "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves," and the very first "Die Hard" would have been soooo much less without his character. Okay, fine, yes, nobody else could have played Severus Snape so convincingly, but the Potter movies came late to the party.

With Rickman though, it was as much about the voice. That accent was as much a part of any character as his profile or beard.

Last year was hard enough. We lost too many of the great ones. Way too many.

I saw a tee-shirt that I really should buy for myself. It says: "I may be old, but I got to see all the really great bands."

Nope, I'll never admit to being old. But yeah, I did see a ton of the great bands at their heights. Great actors too. And it seriously pisses me off, to lose them.

Thanks for letting me rant.

-Chyna

'Tis the Season...

To all my tribal friends, and my family, and especially the friends I haven't met yet ... I hope this Christmas season brings you wonderful memories & the promise of good times to come. Together we all keep the dream alive. It's a beautiful dream. Hold on tight.

With love and best wishes,

-Chyna

photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe" -- thanks for the great image!

KTDARPG Game Summary, Nov. 15, 2015

Highlights from recent events in our game. Stop by and check us out!

Season-12: WELCOME TO VALE

Jet's Vamp-party is in full swing, and the whole tribe is there. Cecily is verrrrry uncomfortable but she's working her way through it. Jet is using Tristan's name like a magic word, but we're not sure it's having much of an effect on Cecily. It's all very...very...strange. Baz and Tyla are both paying close attention to all the word-play.

When Rio came home and caught a glimpse of Baz and Arianna before Baz took off, he apparently wasn't all that pleased. So he and Ari had words, he got drunk and hit the bed. But hours later, Rio was in the throes of what seemed to be some pretty powerful bad dreams. Ari helped him wake up, but Rio wasn't into talking about what was in his sleep. Instead, he and Ari.... well... fade to black....

At the Rusty Anchor, Kane and Maggie are planning some meeting for Kane tomorrow morning. Kane has asked Maggie to sit in and be his extra pair of eyes. She was a bit uncomfortable about it but agreed. Must be some kind of meeting.

And miles away, Jade and Hawk have left Dark Cove and journeyed into the wilderness. Their next goal is Bayview, then on to Fort River. For Jade, this could be a very long walk. As for Hawk...she has her own secrets and burdens to bear.

Stay tribal!

-Chyna

11 Years...and (hopefully) New Life

Well. This blog has, unfortunately, been idle for more than a year now. That is totally my bad. I let real-life take precedence, and it got kinda scary and crazy. I'm still dealing with the fallout, but it's time to look forward, I think.

So here's to taking a deep-breath and diving into the future.

As the blog so has the game slowed over the past year. A handful of stalwarts have stood by us, and things have started to pick up the past few months. We have new characters, new directions, and maybe a new incentive.

The incentive would be a seeming resurgence in The Tribe, especially with an international tribe-gathering planned for 2016 in Berlin. [Find more information here: www.facebook.com/TTgatheringEU] We're also seeing new books, new conversations, new fans, and new possibilities coming out of New Zealand for the show and the characters we all love. It'll be really interesting to see how this all comes together!


As for Keep The Dream Alive role-playing game -- wow! Here are the stats:

• 11 years of active game-play
• 111 members
• 39,562 posts
• 20 photo albums
• 9 File Folders of characters, histories, precedents & more

This is such a tremendous accomplishment! Thank you guys so much! And we have members/players still active who were there at the beginning when it all came together. I can't thank you enough for your commitment and your creativity.

So to current active friends--and you know who you are!--keep the dream alive! That is the best we can do and all we can truly hope for, for our world today.

To absent friends, we miss you! Xeno & Prince, Marionette & Sid, Vincent & Zero, Yolanda & Anthony, Savinius & our favorite green-girl fighter and all the other members who've dropped by the wayside over the years -- just know that you are thought of fondly and often. If you ever find your way back to us, the tribe will be waiting for you!

Long live KTDARPG!  Keep the dream alive!

-Chyna

photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

The Big 10!

Hey, guys! As many of you know, "Keep The Dream Alive" roleplaying game is getting set to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Can you believe it?? KTDA hit the streets of Fort River in October 2004, taking our appreciation for The Tribe tv show into roleplaying legend!

Wow... 10 years. A huge shout-out to Xeno, Arianna, Prince & all the other originals who took those first steps & set the course for the rest of us.

We're planning a stellar anniversary that includes a revitalized concept for our rp and... well... let's just say our infamous Council of Tribes is in discussions about a very special edition of "Tribe Awards."

So I just wanted to give all our players, members & fans a heads-up. Stay with us, celebrate our first 10 years, and get ready for a bright new future!

Stay tribal!

-Chyna, KTDA Game Owner

photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Open Message: All KTDA Members/Players

Is it time for some new directions?

Hey, guys! Lately several of us have been talking offline about Keep The Dream Alive rpg and how to shake it up/energize it & get people involved again. We know real-life always trumps game-life, but we also know KTDA may need to be re-tuned or ramped up to get everyone excited & playing more.

The following message from "Sid" summarizes pretty much what we've been talking about. See what you think:

On 07/15/13 "Sid" wrote:

"After 10 years I wonder...is it time, not for an end but for a new beginning? A spin off of the world we've created? The number of posts speak for themselves; and though we can chalk this up to the game taking a back seat to life, can't we also blame boredom? Who would be interested in a time-jump of 20 years? 40 years? What would the world look like? Would the virus reemerge? Would we be left with new children searching for the cure to their inevitable demise, or children fighting for the land of they're ancestors? Would some defy the odds and claim old age, or will the cornerstones of our game be gone, only to leave room for a new breed? I think it's time to ask, if for nothing more than to ask."

Comments? Questions? Thoughts?

Please respond in-game (or to me or any moderator privately, if you prefer) and let's see what people think. After all, this is YOUR game-world. You brought it to life. Maybe it's time to take a look at where that life needs to head for the future.

KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE!!!

-Chyna, Game Owner

P.S. Thanks, Sid, for pulling this all together so well!

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe

About Birthdays

Since I have a birthday coming up, it had me thinking about how The Tribe did not deal with birthdays or any kind of rite-of-passage milestones in the lives of our favorite characters.

Oh sure, the writers showed us the consequences of unprotected sex in the number of characters who had babies or came close to having them. (Mostly those consequences seemed to be all on the female ... strange ...)

Anyway, I was thinking more about traditions & life passages. Like birthdays. Or like major holidays. I don't know ... it used to be a big deal to turn 16 & get your driver's license. Or turn 18 & vote. Or turn 21 & buy a beer. The closest we came wasn't too bad -- watching Cloe go through her early-teenage bad-girl stage with Ved. It was such a tantalizing tidbit tho' & there wasn't enough of it!

Yeah, ok, we can all probably understand WHY The Tribe writers went the way they did. Keep the story focused on the action/situation. Move forward not backward. And the main character was always The Virus.

I'm glad we haven't totally ignored life-milestones in our game. KTDA has tipped the hat to birthdays, to love & loss, to Christmas & kinda sorta to Thanksgiving/harvest festivals. Our game has a lot of great action, but we also take the time to develop characters & take their backstories into account. Since you can't visually "see" our characters, that development does give them more life than just 2-dimensional playing.

I'm glad. I like our characters.

-Chyna

photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Entitled? Says who?

Ok, I'm not exactly sure where this is comin' from right now, but it's rant-time.

Why why WHY do people think they ought to have something -- money, services, things, whatever -- simply because they are "entitled" to it?

Entitled how? Says who? I am so totally tired of dealing with the Entitled Generation, those who expect privileges just because they exist.

"I graduated college, so my 1st job should be company president & I should start at a million dollars." Really? "What do you mean, no discount? I'm over 50!" Seriously? "Everybody else my age (10!) has a smartphone, so I have to have one too--right now!" Oh give me a break...

Yeah, yeah, these are very simplified examples but I see it everywhere including my own family. And for those who know Chyna, they know exactly how I react when I hear it -- I laugh myself silly.

People, we all know it's a hard world out there. The economy tanked & "privilege" often means actually having a job with benefits or being able to pay your electric bill or buy food. And yes, we all try to maximize our situation any way we can. But seriously, expecting people to just GIVE whatever because you're you? What makes you that special?

At least Tribe-world makes more sense. "Entitled" means something totally different. Zoot was "entitled" to whatever he wanted because you knew he'd kick your ass if you said no. Right? In our game-world, you get what you get because of who & what you are, not just because you're breathing. (Well, yeah, Villa gets what she gets because you know she would kick your ass, too. That's just Villa. And she totally made me say that!)

All right, rant over.

And yes, I do feel better. Thanks!

-Chyna

photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Tribe Resurrection: The Vamps

Lest we lose sight of our original premise, it seems this season in KTDARPG our players are working hard to make sure "tribes" remain an aspect & a focus of our game-play. Jenna (aka "Jet") went so far as to resurrect a tribe that was decimated in the game many seasons ago. If her post-work is any indication, we think we'll be seeing a lot of the Vamps this season.

Bravo, "Jet" and "Tyla"!

Un-Stuck  [Post #38570, 2/17/14]

Jet stood up in the ring, watching them. When the last of the crowd had gone. Jet was left with her guards, bartenders, waiters and cleaners. "Everyone, gather round. Tyla, come up here with me."

Tyla cautiously climbed onto the ring and slipped underneath the ropes. She wasn't the only girl there, but she was the youngest. A few of the barmaids giggled until Jet frowned at them.

Jet: "Tyla, tell these people what you know about tribes."

Tyla's mind went into overdrive. "Oh, right, umm ... tribes are a group of people that come and live together. They all like ... uh ... protect each other? They were made so people could pool resources and stay alive."

Jet: "Stay alive. And more than ssstay alive. Thrive. Grow ssstrong. Be the bessst. I was there once, and I will be again. Tonight I'm bringing back the Vamp Tribe. This one ..." puts a hand on Tyla's shoulder "... is the first member of my new tribe. Who is next?"

There were more uncomfortable laughs and giggles, and people looking at Tyla. No one stepped up. Jet didn't move. Her hand on Tyla's shoulder was a grip that tightened. Tyla didn't notice the laughs; she was too busy thinking. To become strong, the best. If she became that ... a small smile edged onto her face. No one would ever dare to laugh at her again.

Waitress: "That girl is pathetic. She'll run first chance she gets."

Jet heard every word, and she knew who said what. Slowly she pulled a stiletto from her boot. "Tyla, give me your right hand."

Tyla had learnt that when Jet told you to do some thing, don't question it. She gave Jet her right hand. (Jet won't hurt me, I know she won't. Not bad any way.) She opened her eyes and nodded, confident.

Jet held Tyla's hand tightly and spoke very low, for Tyla alone. "Brace yourself. Do not flinch. Do not cry out."

Tyla drew in a big deep breath and stared at her wrist. She forced herself to relax her muscles, put on a show -- otherwise she'd make Jet angry. An angry Jet was far worse than any pain she'd encounter otherwise.

Jet raised Tyla's hand so the others could see. She moved her grasp so she was holding Tyla's first and second fingers slightly apart. The stiletto was razor-sharp. Quickly she slid the knife-tip in a V-shape, from one finger down to the base and then up the other. When she held Tyla's hand forward now it was up showing a V-sign with blood slightly dripping down to her hand.

Jet: "V. For Vampsss." She held up her own hand to show the same sign then turned Tyla loose. "Only Vamps. So? Are you going to let one little girl put you all to ssshame? Do you have her guts? Join the Vamps or get out now."

First one, then another joined Jet in the ring. Tyla finally let herself look at her own hand. It had begun to sting and she winced at the feeling of the loose skin rubbing together. Blood had stained her jeans. She covered it with one hand, sticking close to Jet as other people came forward to join.

Jet nodded and marked each one as they came up. YES! It felt good and right -- finally making a move. THIS move! It took 2 hours and when it was done, Jet stood looking at the people around her with a calculating gleam in her eyes.

"I will never know who ssset up my tribe and took them out, but I ssswear it will NOT happen again. The Vamps will be stronger than ever. Stronger, smarter -- Bandage your hands. Open the doors. Let the people back in. Watch each one. I will give anyone a bounty of 20 coins for each new recruit you bring to the Vamps." She lifted one eyebrow at the silent tribe around her. "Any questions?"


-Chyna

photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"