Klynzahr

Something that others have not mentioned is how valuable it can be to respond to other people's making connections posts. Some people seem to feel like they are not qualified to offer RP until they are established themselves, when the reality is that forming a contact with someone else who is actively looking for RP contacts right now can be a golden opportunity. In my experience it has been one of the best ways to make contacts that stick. Another point that I would suggest is join a few linkshells before looking for a FC. I realize that it feels very alien and maybe even counter productive to a wow veteran. However by the nature of this game's housing system, FCs are often rather isolated from each other and they don't often provide as much networking help as you might imagine. A good OOC RP linkshell on the other hand can be a real gem. Most are large making RP easy to set up, they allow you to meet a wide variety of characters from different FCs and the best part..... you can have up to 8 of them at once! Generally there is little or no application process to join a RP linkshell. You simply contact a moderator and agree to abide by the linkshell rules. Finally, I know that many people have already mentioned patience but I can't stress it enough. It probably took me two months of hard work before I was able to make myself some solid RP contacts and at least twice that long before I could say that I felt comfortably established. Ironically one of the things that makes it so hard to find RP here is one of this server's best features...... the sheer ratio of good RPers on Balmung is staggering. Like you I got my start on an official Wow RP server and every random RP attempt felt like wading through a sea of terrible writing, and extreme Mary/Gary Suism in an attempt to find those well-written gems. That is really not the case here. If you look beyond personal writing styles and preferences, you will find that the majority of characters you meet are solidly written, coherent and well played. (not counting the handful of ERP scroungers that hang around the quicksand) Good RPers like yourself really are just a part of the crowd here.... and in the end that is a pretty awesome problem to have.

....or not. I guess that Kuina will volunteer For Power and cross her fingers.

Hmmmm.... I think that Kuina will fight For Justice this time. 8-)

Klyn: Unemployed sailor kills to pay the bills and runs away from the results. Dani: Hardheaded career soldier gives up family to save the world and looses both. Kuina: Betrays her homeland for knowledge, betrays her teachers for freedom, wastes her freedom searching for home.

Dawn was breaking in the east. Beyond that she knew nothing. For the last eight hours her world had consisted of beating wings, frigid air, the softly wheezing bundle in her arms, and the constant pain in her joints. It had been a nerve wracking journey into the churning mists, riding blind for hours with nothing but the sounds of the lead chocobo to guide her. Yet there had still been anchors. The scents and sounds of the earth had told their own stories of her journey through woodlands and mountains. Here in the sky there was nothing but beating wings, frigid air, the softly wheezing body in her arms and the faint light of dawn breaking in the east. Bending over her charge for perhaps the hundredth time that night, Klynzahr attempted to shield her more effectively from the biting wind. Stiff with cold herself, the sea wolf could do nothing but slide her own arm around Xanadu's horned head to break the wind a little. Her chilled fingers burrowed deeply into the rented chocobo's feathers, never attempting to guide the bird. Blind and lost, Klynzahr was gambling two lives on the homing instincts of a tailfeather hunter's chocobo. She jerked awake sharply as the chocobo's landing sent a lance of pain through her back. Panic swelled in the blind Sea Wolf's chest, muting her senses with fear. Straining her eyes to their limit, showed nothing but a green blur. She was utterly lost. Then she slowly became aware of new leaves whispering overhead. The air was cool, with taste of spring greens, and to her left a small brook babbled over stones. Two pairs of footsteps were approaching, with light leather boots on hard packed earth. "Please," She called out shakily to the pair, "Where is this?" Their reply sent a warm shiver of hope through her. "Tailfeather!"

I think An only met Klyn once! Good chance to renew acquaintanceship~ If you can call it meeting. The one time I remember was like, the last event of Scales, where the No-Eyed Man got shot in the face. I'm not sure that they even spoke to each other during that whole event. Klyn was on riot duty if I remember correctly and An was..... dragging a body on to the roof.

I would like to sign Klyn up for Neither Contented if there are spots available.... it is past time that she dropped in on Xanadu.

"Klynzahr?...... Klyn? ...... Swys, ken ye hear me? .....KLYNZAHR?!" The final call was accompanied by the dash of icy spring water, cutting her breath short and wrenching Klynzahr rudely back to the world of the living. "There, she's awake!" "Praise th'navigator" "Thought I'd finally gone an' killed her that time." "Klynswys?" Her brother's voice cut through the babble surrounding them, as Klynzahr became aware of his massive hands wrapped around her own. When had little Merlanka grown so big? The pain in her head arrived with a jolt that pulled a reluctant groan from her throat. Above her head the sea of blurry green faces pressed together worriedly. "We'd best send someone ter Mealven's gate..." Freyhawb's voice boomed "I reckon she's cracked her skull this time!" "Awe fook off Hawbells!" She managed to splutter up at him, fighting back the urge to vomit on the stocky laborour's boots. "I've seen worse an' ye o'all folk should know it!" With her brother's assistance, Klynzahr pulled herself into a sitting position, keeping her curly head bowed until the fields of middle La'Noscea ceased spinning. Her helm was resting in the dust beside her, with a two ilm dent in it's side. "Dammit though..." She groaned clutching her head in both hands. "Ifin ye keep on tossin' head strikes about like that, ye are goin' ter kill someone Hawb." Among the collection of boys and laborers clustered by the makeshift areana, Klynzahr was the only one that could boast a fine suit of armour. The remainder wore an assortment of old chain mail, mismatched plate, and family heirlooms, each one lovingly maintained and retrieved from their chests for a 'bit o' sparrin' fun. "No one here's goin' ter kill a pro gladiator." Freyhawb chuckled back, jarring Klyn's pounding head with a solid thump to the back. "I jus' wanted ter make certain I could still land a blow. One fer th'good ol' days Aye?" The motley group rumbled their agreement, while the two combatant's locked eyes again. Years had passed since Freyhawb had terrorized and taunted a scrawny girl named 'Small Tears'. They both carried plenty of marks from those childhood fights. If the bloody rags that covered Freyhawb's fresh injuries were any indication, she had left him with a few more marks today. Peering into the bigger Sea Wolf's squinty brown eyes, Klynzahr extended her hand has she had so many times before. "Well, ye ken go home an' tell yer lass that ye landed a dammed good one. Yer a credit ter th'woman who taught ye." Among the whole gathering of would be marauders, even Klynzahr's younger brother couldn't know the true value of those words. Her late mother and Freyhawb's teacher was rarely spoken of, but Klynzahr clearly remembered the woman's skill with an axe. From the look of surprise on Freyhawb's face, he remembered it too. As Klynzahr turned back to her brother, something white flashed across her field of vision. For a moment the world was a mere blur. She blinked twice and there stood Merlanka and Freyhawb, hands extended to help her up. The pain had settled squarely behind her left eye and raised a lump the size of a chicken's egg. Boney fingers reached out of the dark to adjust the cold rag on Klynzahr's pounding head. "S'fine James." She forced her right eye open to look up at the withered old highlander. It shocked and frightened her to be reminded again how little sight remained in that eye. James was a nut-browned blur above her head and she could hardly make out his trembling hands. "Jus' get yerself some rest an' let me sleep it off." The highlander sat back, slipping almost entirely out of her blurred vision. "Klynzahr," He spoke softly, in a lominsian accent that would do any Sea Wolf proud. "I've known ye since ye were two fulms tall. I've seen ye thrashin' with fevers, an' wheezin' past cracked ribs." "I were there th'night they brought ye back after operation Archon." The old man rambled on as he tended to these days. "All bloody an' beatin' an mumblin' nonsense like a mad woman." He took a breath, "I see ye as me own Granddaughter Klynny. Ye know that.... an' I know when yer hurt bad. What is it yer tryin' ter hide?" "It's me sight." She admitted, regretfully closing her dimming eyes. "Right eye's been goin' downhill fer moons now. I ken barely see ye sittin' there, but now...... there be somethin' off with th'left one too. Every time I try ter open it, I get flashes an' flickers o'light that shouldna be there. Started when I took that blow ter th'head an' they only be gettin' worse." She swallowed back bile, as another wave of dizziness slid past. "Donna tell Da." When she woke, it was still dark but the white flashes had finally passed. Through the stout, brick wall she could hear her father's forge roaring, and his booming laugh as he tried to assist the boys around the shop. Odd that they should all be up and working so early. However she could distinctly make out all three voices. Her hearing had sharpened a great deal since her eyes began to decline, and she rarely questioned it now. From the soft breathing nearby, she could tell that James had spent the night in a nearby chair and someone had already opened the kitchen windows to let in a cool breeze. Seagulls called from the docks outside. Her eyes snapped sharply open. Seagulls only called after sunrise. She was not greeted with the sight of her customarily fuzzy room or even with the flickering whiteness that had plagued her for two days. Instead there was a dim, constant blur, the colour of morning light in an unlit room. Terror gripped her chest until she could barely draw a breath. In desperation Klynzahr lifted both hands to her eyes. They were visible as grayish smears, hardly distinguishable from the blank canvass behind them. Slowly the gray shapes drew closer until she could make out ten fingers. Then closer still until they blocked out all light. Her mind reeled with shock and fear..... she may as well have been blind. Covering her useless eyes with both hands, Klynzahr curled up and sobbed.

That clears things up nicely! 8-)

I have also had good results at The Coffer and Coffin in thanalan and Buscarron's Druthers in the shroud. They can be hit and miss, but I find that if I sit down at either one someone usually stops to talk eventually.

I'm glad to hear about the medication. For me, anti-anxiety medicine seemed to do very little. I think actively trying to fight anxiety is empowering and has something of an affect all on its own. Taking the medicine was very depressing for me, and I felt like it represented an inability for me to control myself. That I had no power over the situation. Since then I've worked on other ways to deal with it, many of which are similar to what you describe. Another one that works well for me is talking to a non-judgemental person about the situation. "I'm not sure if this is just my anxieties talking, but I'm feeling like X" and then hearing from another person that you trust that reality might not be as bad as you feel. Helps me prevent attacks or episodes from getting really bad. Edit: For the record, take medicine if you need it. For me though at least it was more of a band-aid, and while it helped a bit with the symptoms, actually engaging with my anxiety and getting therapy was what made more of a difference. Now if only I could figure out how to apply the same techniques to my own issues. :frustrated:

I won't go into details here, because it isn't my story to tell. However I will say that I love someone with anxiety and panic disorder, who has improved immensely over the last two years and is now able to function without medication. I think that the most important point in his case was learning how to identify the major triggers of his anxiety and keeping constant watch for new ones. If there is a situation that he knows will be triggering, he doesn't try to avoid it but instead takes steps to prepare and calm himself. If possible he plans out the steps that he will take in detail and mentally walks through the scenario before hand. Meticulous scheduling and planning ahead can prevent many problems before they even start. When facing a triggering situation, he uses key words, which he can think to himself or that I can verbally tell him if I spot early symptoms. He also keeps a lucky object on his person that he can hold if he feels overwhelmed. In certain cases he is able to refocus himself by listening to music. His employers allow him to use an MP3 for this and it worked wonders until it got wet and died. In cases where all else fails, he uses breathing exercises in combination with the other aids to bring his panic levels down.... and yes there are still times when they are needed. Anxiety will always be a part of our life and in most ways it sucks. However we have also discovered that it's helpful when remembering car keys, planning trips, and keeping track of budgets. There is a bright side to everything and the organization required to cope with anxiety can prove to be very useful in other ways.

Badly flustered, Klynzahr turns back to pay the barmaid, managing to knock over nothing but her own walking stick this time. "Aye... aye... No issues." She replies, while counting.

This is too easy for Klyn.... She's a Short-sighted Sea Wolf! 8-) ..... also a Grumbling Gladiator, a Recreant Roegadyn, Craven Chirugion and an Adverse Adventurer.

Klynzahr twists to follow Xha'to's voice, knocking her elbow against the top of Asah's head. Despite her size the Sea Wolf seems entirely overwhelmed by the situation and there is a note of panic rising in her voice. "Wait Sir, which woman.... all th'way ter th'black shroud?" She stammers, before jumping six ilms as the barmaid taps her shoulder.

The sea wolf attempts to follow the whirl of conversation, with increasing unease. Her dark visor swings from one speaker to the next, as Xha'to's moves quickly nearby. Picking out the clunk of fresh bottles placed on the counter, she reaches out towards Xha'to and Asah. "Please, allow me ter pay." She cuts in, reaching over with her heavy arm. Once again her judgement fails her, and her large hand passes directly in front of Asah's face before poking poor Cecily in the cheek. Xha'to is completely missed and winds up with a face full of grey, tattooed shoulder.

Sign Klyn up for Fishers of Men please!

Klynzahr's blissful ignorance had remained until the bottles stuck the floor. The hulking woman turned slowly to face the couple, allowing the surrounding conversation and drunken boats to fly over her head. Exploring the floor around her with bare sunburned toes, the Sea Wolf located the spreading puddle of liquid and touched on the shards of glass within. "M'sorry Sir," She says, uncertain of whom to address. "I'll have it replaced fer ya." The solid visor drifts between Asah and her husband, while the drunkard lays out her tails of woe in the background.

Tut tut.... we'll be fine.... just don't blow anyone up, insult any insecure folks, host too many Rp events, fail to host enough RP events, blow anyone up, accidentally recruit any asshats, blow anyone up, insult anybody or murder the FC leader and we're golden!!!! (I'm terrified too) But I love doing all those things We are DOOMED!

Tut tut.... we'll be fine.... just don't blow anyone up, insult any insecure folks, host too many Rp events, fail to host enough RP events, blow anyone up, accidentally recruit any asshats, blow anyone up, insult anybody or murder the FC leader and we're golden!!!! (I'm terrified too)

That pair of packaged wine bottles, so carefully carried, were destined for an unfortunate end. While the three Miqo'te were distracted, a massive blue-green form had crept quietly up behind them. It's head was topped by a tangle of blue curls, it's eyes were shielded by a bronze visor, and it's bare feet made surprisingly little noise as they felt their way through the din of the bar. Asah had barely finished speaking, when the towering Roegadyn woman eased herself into the corner seat. Her left hand passed above the bar as she turned, sweeping the head of her ornately carved cane in a wide arc. In an instant Asah's precious bag was snagged by the handle and whisked into the open air. The bottles of ale spun downwards, while Klynzahr settled obliviously onto her stool.

:lol:

My recommendation is to let those Dumb DPS get really low on health, while emoting /disappointment at them. Then at the last second smack benediction or tetra, just to give them a good scare. By that point they have probably killed off a few mobs and it's not hard to heal through the rest of the pack. If the tank goes ahead and tries to pull off of them, I just don't heal the DPS at all. Let them sit at half HP through the next few pulls and really think about the wisdom of their decisions.

Here comes a vent from the other side of the fence.... As a WHM who tries to be very kind to her tanks, I absolutely hate it when a tank can't make up their mind how much to pull. Again and again I will watch tanks pull 1-2 trash packs and then dilly dally around trying to decide if they want a third.... meanwhile their health is dropping dangerously, my finger is hovering over the button, and eventually I slam Regen + Tetra..... right before they grab the last pack and it all aggros to me. This goes right along with those tanks, who pull a group, stop just long enough for me to start regen and place my bubble, then run out of it to grab the whole room. Seriously? I am doing everything that I possibly can to make your life easy, but you still run out of my bubbles and force me to stand right on top of you while you reestablish your aggro? :cry:

This was one of the first exercises that I completed, while I was first creating Klynzahr prior to the launch of 2.0. This seems like an appropriate time to attempt a redo.