Favorite Memory

Aodfionn

What's your favorite memory of playing Achaea, and why?

Tael

It's hard to pick for me.

From the early days:

• The way people in the Runewarden guild used to say "Good Jera" and "Algiz Protect", hokey as it was, really made me feel like I was part of something, with our own social customs and all that. That one thing probably got me into Achaea more than anything else.
• The time I used to spend wandering around the Aureliana and reading the room descriptions. The area around Spangledance remains one of my favourites in the game from that time.
• How excited I was when I first stumbled into the secret entrance to the Aerinewild.

Later, I have really fond memories of the period where I was actively stealing from people - I never made off with more than a journal or two (which I sold back at a very reasonable price), but being constantly pursued by Ovid and co. and having to actually use all of the slippery serpent stuff was really, really fun.

Later still, pretty much all of my interactions with @Ruth. We never met up often, but it was fun and interesting every time we did. And I think the long intervals between our meetings made them interestingly distinct - Tael was changing a lot, though gradually, and with so long between each meeting, the result of that gradual change was that each meeting was quite different.

Most recently, the Hashani legal dispute Tael was representing a friend in was enormous fun. I got to break out all of the legalese I could muster and, while the trial never ended up happening, the plan we had for how we were going to conduct it with Tael as a Mhaldorian attorney who was, at the time, not allowed into Hashan, would have been enormously fun with I think a pretty novel use of vodun.

Cynlael

Alas, the thread which contains why, got deleted

Sobriquet

I remember Kherranos getting dragon and the whole Garden, Clem included, brought loads of stuff into the CIJ for a party.

Aitox

There's just too many to list a single one, so I chose my four favourites:

• Releasing Morimbuul (Blood Congregation's demon tutor) from his confines and him subsequently releasing hell (literally, as he summoned lesser demons) upon Mhaldor. The adrenaline.

• Twilight chastising me for spying on one of his Order members. His way of handling the situation left a lasting mark on my character.

• The ball I hosted in Shallam, where both Scarlatti and Phaestus pitched up. Phaestus even proposed to accompany Lyndee as her date, since she did not have one. The laughs.

• Possibly all my interactions with Ourania.

Dochitha

@Santar snipped me to death while I was shopping in the main streets of Cyrene while I was totally young. Since then I distrust kola. 

Antonius

Getting Knighted for the first time is my absolute favourite, back when it was still the Paladin Guild. It took me far longer than it probably should have to get there, but it was worth it when I finally did. I think there were three or four Gods in attendance, though I don't recall exactly which ones, plus pretty much the whole of Shallam and the Church turned up, so it was incredibly crowded. I wish I had a log of it because I'd love to steal certain elements for customisations now, and my memory simply isn't good enough to reproduce it. (On that note, if anybody has logs from back then of the Paladin Knighting ceremony, let me know! In particular looking for the description of the vestments that were worn.)

Other than that, being inducted into both Pentharian and @Aurora's Orders and being Consecrated by the Church are really close behind.

Shirszae

It is really difficult to choose one particular memory because there are a lot that I treasure for different reasons, with different people. But I don't feel like expounding on them, so I'll go with all my interactions with @Scarlatti and His denizens as the default winner. 

Ruth

My favourite memory has to be the entire process I had to undergo to join Apollyon's Order. Back then, I didn't know that membership was very specifically for Mhaldorians and that it was nigh impossible for those who are non-Mhaldorians to join an Evil-aligned order.

It was actually pretty fun and very character evolving in Ruth's struggles to hide her pursuit for Adikoi as a Hashani due to Mhaldor and Black Lotus tensions. Being under the charge of then-Tyrannus Sabiru also made the whole experience pretty terrifying because he was the very epitome of a Mhaldorian standing as a favoured servant of the Twin Lords, who had all the authority to shut down her aspirations (which he almost did when she took too long to break off an engagement) if he decided to.

The few interactions from Asham at random times also made me feel like Ruth's actions were watched at all times, which only made it that much more memorable because it added to the stress of the experience to succeed against all odds and expectations and totally convinced me that I would come to enjoy a Mhaldorian-esque lifestyle.

Skye

ugh, too many to list.

I guess in no particular order:

1) repeated Morimbuul possessions

2) Various interactions with Tenebrus (miss him so much )

3) Being called to serve Neraeos after so long of worshipping from afar. A lot of these were Order things, many interactions from ongoing storylines... I wish I could see their resolution

Synbios

• Being Knighted by the Templars after who knows how long. As a player and character, it represented the beginning of a new path of character growth.
• Fighting Bal'met as a Demigod. Besides the nifty access to all the skills, the feeling of overwhelming power was unforgettable, and it gave me, and no doubt the rest of the playerbase in that event, the feeling that 'hey, we're not helpless at all!'
• Targossas - being part of the founding generation gives you the sense that you truly helped shape the history of your faction.
• Joining(and leaving) Matsuhama's Order, and the subsequent encounter with @Ruth during a visit to the Temple of Battle - RIP Mats. ;_;

Jhaeli

Most of my early interactions with @Neraeos. Or rather, it was the small touches during those interactions. A casual "Why aren't you in My order yet?" with a gentle admonishment to talk to Verrucht probably made my week, early on. And one time, while discussing old Cyrenian surnames, he gave her a new outlook on her own surname, Lucoster, and how it had a rich history worth being proud of. That single conversation has had a profound effect on the character, as how she perceives her relationship with her blood has driven many of her later actions.

Being nominated to the Senate by the Wardens before she was Knighted (which was a big deal at the time, as they never awarded leadership positions to non-Knights). I think Jhaeli was one of the few, if only, to need a substitute Imperiate for her Knighting Ceremony, as she couldn't exactly dub herself. 

The final battle with Bal'met was particularly memorable for me as it was sort of my last interaction before I left to take care of my baby daughter. She was about a month old at the time and I spent the whole time praying that she wouldn't wake up too early from her nap. It was probably the only time she slept for five hours, and she woke up about ten minutes after Bal'met fell. Was rather exhilarating!

Caladbolg

Aodfionn said:

What's your favorite memory of playing Achaea, and why?

The time I prismed into a mudsex house in Cyrene and all the females started pulling out male parts. then my shroud faded and they came to close to me so I killed them all luckly getting the only one who could open the door first. Was glorious 

Also there's the time that I was bodyguarding for a Targossian sermon and thought the shit was going down so I killed someone and turned out the shit was not infact going down and completely pissed off Eleusis and almost started a war, that was pretty good too.

Then there's the time I was fighting @Proficy and I gave up and just started cleave. after his sweepkick missed 3 times he just started spamming the oh my gods emote until he exploded. Best reaction ever.

Dortheron

There's a few that I remember that I would like to share

1. Just going through the old newbie introduction. Having Severian(?) explain the history of the gods with all of the colors felt really awesome and empowering
2. Leading a really horrible gank vs @Gwawr and getting the kill anyways because of Deliverance
3. Many of my interactions with the Ashura as both Deshi and Kohai.
   
4. My first experience in group combat. Shallam stole the Master Crystal from a magi House (can't remember if it was Ashtan or Hashan) and so we grouped up and portaled in to get it back...only to dive straight into a totem and all die.

Melodie

Definitely could not pick a single favourite, but a few stand out:

The day I met Neraeos. He literally popped in on me alone, and without any preamble, asked, "Why do you follow a heathen God?" I was Vastarian back then. That conversation left a huge impression on my new (and rightfully terrified) self.

Some time later, Neraeos encouraged me to run for Senator. He wouldn't let me cop out, so I tried it. And I won, by a huge landslide, and thus have enjoyed Achaean politics and being involved on a grander scale in the world (just Cyrene, at first, but later the fuller world) ever since.

My first wedding, with Glynn. We were (and still are) dating irl at the time when he brought me to Achaea, and during the wedding itself, I was visiting him, so we were logged online together for the whole of the wedding. It was a simple affair, but I'll always remember it.

In more recent times, after my first excommunication, the day Garron found me in Cyrene. It taught me that even the most desolate situations, IC and OOC, have the ability to be changed for the better.

The day of Aerek's proposal and everything surrounding it, and the many things that led up to it.

The day I got devotion back, after thinking I instead had probably lost it forever. It was one of the most exciting, empowering moments I ever had in Achaea, and it inspired me to really dig into combat, among other things. I'm not sure I'll ever re-live the particular feeling I had during that day.

The day of the duel-turned-debate with Verily. Despite it not quite going as we were both hoping OOC, it had an amazing turnout and amazing consequences that changed Melodie forever. Phaestus and Sartan being there only made it all the more terrifying.

There's probably more but I could likely go on forever. So many good memories with this place.

Jukilian

Sobriquet said:

I remember Kherranos getting dragon and the whole Garden, Clementius included, brought loads of stuff into the CIJ for a party.

Kakotas

Antonius said:

Getting Knighted for the first time is my absolute favourite, back when it was still the Paladin Guild. It took me far longer than it probably should have to get there, but it was worth it when I finally did. I think there were three or four Gods in attendance, though I don't recall exactly which ones, plus pretty much the whole of Shallam and the Church turned up, so it was incredibly crowded. I wish I had a log of it because I'd love to steal certain elements for customisations now, and my memory simply isn't good enough to reproduce it. (On that note, if anybody has logs from back then of the Paladin Knighting ceremony, let me know! In particular looking for the description of the vestments that were worn.)

Other than that, being inducted into both Pentharian and @Aurora's Orders and being Consecrated by the Church are really close behind.

1. Landmarking with Goldberry, Latus, and Maevis. Just the whole adventure involved. Sorry but that whole experience can't be topped.

2. My Knighting Ceremony

3. Being inducted into Lord Pentharians Order and being one of the ones considered for hand after Slith.
--Sidepoint to that my first and only Worldburn and catching 4 mhaldorians trying to kill off shrines was amusing--

4. Every Knighting ceremony and history test I ever did as Templar Historian and Keeper of Traditions. It was always 2 hours I never regretted spending getting ready for it. (even with the buggy ordeal that got them all stuck...). Some of the best times ever among the Knights were spent doing this and we always had fun doing so.

5. The Templars House in general. Not perfect but we had fun doing our jobs and made good friends doing so. And some of the best stories ever started with random novice aides and a group of novices out for a hunt when Sir Lorderon showed up with his pink bunnies and bunny slippers....

6. The adventures that Pentharian would send us on from time to time and in general how he looked out for each of us individually.




Side note I may have your Knighting somewhere @Antonius ... I just unearthed a whole bunch of logs. If not I think I know who does cause they designed them. Though you might get a tongue lashing for being as careless as to lose such logs from them... lol.

Bluef

Oh dear. There are so many...

• My first mark of the Twin 
  Bluef was the first person to receive this. @Flair slashed her up pretty good too. Then he went on a mad, marking ramapage. This was during the era of Erisian chaos when it wasn't acceptable to worship Babel yet.
• Chaos discussions in general. People used to stay up until the wee hours just to debate different chaos theories. It was..amazing.
• The Dark Moon ritual
  Lady Ourania let Bluef create the original version of this and each dark moon phase you could try to make it work (it was totally random if it did). But the old version shot stars across the dark expanse of the night's sky from Skuld's bow, when it worked.
• The Lollipop War
  Bluef sometimes tells this story to people and they think she's making it up because..it sounds crazy! But @Reznik really did lead an army of lollipops into Shallam very late one night when a divine was clearly bored and ready to have some fun. Estach ate them all, of course, and Ashtan was defeated.
• The major class and House events during Bluef's reign as Prophet of the Spirit Walkers: Nyirobi crossing over, Kalden's arrival and the World Pillar, and of course the Traveller attacking Tithian and narily destroying runelore
• Every interaction with Lady Valnurana, but when she and Sartan both favoured Bluef has to be a personal favorite because of the roleplayed conversation we shared.
• The Curia -- Too many good times to mention. My personal favorite would have to be our earliest rites right after the big House split. Everyone suddenly wanted to do ritualism and it was so much fun.
• Late night Who's the Darkwalker games in Shallam when I was a Dawnstrider. 
• The recent advent of Spiritlore; you'll probably think I'm fooling, but it was awesome to work with Hashan again. Everyone put differences aside and we enjoyed hours of really great RP. Whoever planned that event, it is probably my all-time favorite experience in Achaea because it really cemented for Bluef what it means to be a shaman. 

Ellodin

Synbios said:

• Being Knighted by the Templars after who knows how long. As a player and character, it represented the beginning of a new path of character growth.
• Fighting Bal'met as a Demigod. Besides the nifty access to all the skills, the feeling of overwhelming power was unforgettable, and it gave me, and no doubt the rest of the playerbase in that event, the feeling that 'hey, we're not helpless at all!'
• Targossas - being part of the founding generation gives you the sense that you truly helped shape the history of your faction.
• Joining(and leaving) Matsuhama's Order, and the subsequent encounter with @Ruth during a visit to the Temple of Battle - RIP Mats. ;_;

but you weren't in matsuhama's order

Brean

Well...nothing I'm about to list happened on Brean except one, but they're moments that brought me back and have resulted in my finally cementing in and trying to branch out...lets see here...

- Being a newbie knight, and Goryllin...or was it Gorlasintan, one of them, taking me out and teaching me the ins and outs of falconry

- Silvos taking me hunting/exploring, showing me the Achaean world at large, back when people like @Soludra were making maps.  I always have roomdesc at verbose because of that

- Sitting at the steps of the Sentaari with @Anaidiana, getting raided by Tanris and Poergh, giving a sermon on the Sun and Lady Mithraea showing up to hear me speak. 

- The friends I've made with Brean, you guys are the best and locked me in from probably fading out onto another alt

- The magic, just the sheer overwhelming sense of complexity and awe I felt as a true newbie, just trying to figure out how to walk from Shallam to Manara.  Using Asara's maps, getting lost, no min-maxing, everyone was Raja, magic.  I miss the magic the most, and am desperately trying to figure out if it can ever be regained

Was going to put this somewhere, but hadn't quite decided where/how, so this seems like a good spot.  To everyone who interacted, chilled in their grove, toured Cyrene, ate dinner, decapitated, cheered, TF'd, preached, scolded, promoted, and just took the time to be a great role player with me in my various incarnations...thank you.   That's what makes this place amazing and keeps me coming back.

Tahquil

There is so many. 

-Gildenlow's proposal and our wedding
-Standing guard and just chatting with Idomenaeos and the other Tritons
-A lot of stuff recently I can't really say. (Sorry)

But what will always win hands down is when Neraeos asked me to join his order.. for all the wrong reasons. In the timeline of Achaea this was about 3 years before we had a pose system and Blademaster had just been released.

After fumbling awkwardly for a while trying to say the password correctly I finally made it to his throne room flustered and embarrassed. I walk in to something akin to : 

Neraeos, God of the Sea lounges on the throne of the Oceans, He wields Raging Hardon in His left hand.

OOCly I freaked out, having just learnt about what happened to Caspian. I told a friend was just going through Celanihood and was online at the time and he started laughing. Some of the gods had made their own custom blademaster blades and that was what he was wielding. I ignored it and continued on as nothing was up, laughing my ass off.

About five minutes in to the scene my Celani friend must have told Him about the pose and the blade. He was mortified with the obligatory 'YOU SAW NOTHING' tell.

 

Morthif

Daeir said:

.....

After that, the Caefir Rite of Initiation just completely blew my mind. It is unfortunately supposed to be secret, but the narrative contained within it and the places you get to go during it are just brain-explodingly awesome. It is probably the best written ritual/process I have ever seen. It isn't your standard "gather in a room and perform actions" deal either, it is a jaunt throughout the multiverse and a true test of your character's mettle.

...

You speak to much! But yes this is my all time favorite too. That and being knighted in the Maldaathi.

Austere

I have a lot of fond memories. Story time with @Kiba is always one of my top five, but for my personal favorite it was somewhere around level 92:

Khar and Sryn decided to take me to Meropis to help me get dragon. Khar and I had never been.   After the long trip there and realizing the only thing Sryn knew to kill was dead, they both decided they were too tired to take me back to mainland. It was decided between them that I should remain there until I finished dragon. I don't know how many days I spent there before some kind soul rescued me,  but I do know I never made the mistake of going there again until I got Dragon. 

I am also rather fond of my conversion with @Antidas. I was not exactly sure how it would all play out for the duration of it.  The actual conversations took place over a week or so.   It really could have gone either way.  The fact it took three days before an Ashtani asked me why I left definitely left me feeling that I made the right choice.  I still miss a bunch of people, but the holes left by my departure are slowly being filled. 

Jadys

A few of my favorite memories:

Discovering that @Kyrra, who had been there for me from the time I met her, is my mom.

Finding my dad, @Erhon, and later getting humiliated on CT when I tried to pull some stuff over on him. Lesson learned and learned well!

Getting @Ryldagh to agree to drop one spar from my requirement back in the day when I hated combat and wanted zero to do with it. He was one tough nut to crack.

Winning my first blueberry and killing someone for my second. Didn't need to twist my arm for that spar.

Saying yes when @Austere proposed. 

Joining Targossas and beginning a new wave of favorite memories.

 

   

Austere

Jadys said:

Getting @Ryldagh to agree to drop one spar from my requirement back in the day when I hated combat and wanted zero to do with it. He was one tough nut to crack.

   

It's all in the approach, love. Though, I would have made you do an extra one if you had asked me! Spars are by far the easiest requirements, particularly so if you don't actually have to win. 

Giving away blueberries is one of my least favorite moments. .

Jadys

Austere said:

Giving away blueberries is one of my least favorite moments. .

Ha! not as bad as being on the receiving end and then being told you aren't allowed to eat it!   Or being dragged back to Ashtan when @Ryldagh put a 500 gold bounty on my head for tickling him and running away. I would have gotten away with that! Actually, that is both a least favorite and favorite. I might not have gotten away with it, but it was sure fun getting hunted down and caught. 

Kresslack

Sneaking into and wandering around the Garden with Khalid, and subsequently getting caught by Apollyon, who killed us and sent our souls to Suliel. It was probably the most relevant time I've stopped and thought, "I probably shouldn't be doing this, but it's too exciting to stop now."

Kyrra

Having been playing Achaea for so long, and Kyrra being my first character, I have so many favourite memories.

About three weeks after I started playing, Selene became a Goddess and I instantly fell in love. I was so passionate about the Order, that She was willing to waive the guild rank requirement and I was the youngest ever Beloved to join the Order at 22. This was during a time where the Runewardens were super reserved about handing out favours and progression was near impossible for some people over massive lengths of time.

Mulciber claiming me as her daughter and disowning me two years is a favourite memory for different reasons. It was a very dramatic time and when @Ariettie mentioned that she was hoping to have me as a daughter soon after Mulci bloodlined me just made me sad. Ariettie's daughter Kaelar was my best friend in the whole entire world and like a sister to me, so Ariettie ended up being a mother-figure for me until I decided to mature a bit.

Becoming engaged to and marrying @Khairt is probably one of the massive highlights of all time. Despite all the planning that I did with the intention of having a large wedding, we ended up eloping in a very simple ceremony in a garden of bluebells. Our vows basically consisted of saying that we'd be together forever, Lady Selene blessed us and married us, and we're still married and going strong some 300 years later. I like to think our marriage honours the very essence of Her realms and is love in its purest forms. Yeah, I'm a romantic.

Bloodlining my very first daughter Anora was a really precious memory and led to a lot of poignant memories. I was really fond of all my children though, so when I went dormant and returned to all my textbabies in dormancy, I really missed them.

Thanatos giving me my first ever cityfavour in Cyrene, after the days long event where Makali became the Goddess of Destruction. 

@Xenomorph always asking me for runes and sitting in tunnel entrance of Cyrene with his lyre up to wait for me. Between him and my brief engagement to Jarik, I was always getting scolded for consorting with city enemies. Can't imagine why!

After two super long years, I finally reached GR3 with the Runewardens guild.. and I quit almost immediately, whilst keeping my class. I was guildless and later houseless for almost my entire Achaean life. Except for that 4-5 days where I joined the Merchants, completed all the requirements, got HR5 and then quit because it just didn't feel right.

Earionduil talking me into leaving Cyrene and joining Ashtan was probably the second best thing I ever did in Achaea after marrying Khairt. I always say that he gave me the choice of going willingly or being dragged by the hair (because he has a reputation to uphold, after all) but once I got over the trepidation, I really flourished in Ashtan. Tanris inducted me, and he, Thiev, Sohl, Dunn, Jarrod, Peak, and others all made me feel so incredibly welcomed and wanted.

While not exactly a happy event, The Saga of Bal'met forced some chapters in my life closed and opened some others. I was absolutely devastated when I lost Selene and that part of Kyrra's life that had shaped her into the person she'd become. It was like someone had really died and I could really relate to feeling like a part of me had died and was missing. Despite the major emotional roller-coaster that followed, I think I'm always going to be thankful that I was actually there to witness what had happened myself, because it allowed me to end that chapter with some proper closure instead of just logging in to a message that the Order had been dissolved which is what happened to so many others.

Tanris appointing me as the city totemer of Ashtan still makes me incredibly giddy to think about. I've no idea why people just don't enjoy totem work, but it gave me an opportunity to prove myself dedicated to the city. In the years that followed, I was made House totemer for the Ashura, the Shadowsnakes, and the Occultists. @Mizik made me swear an oath to never cross the Ashura or he'd break me in ways that I never knew I could be broken. @Amunet made me jump through hoops for the privilege of serving the Occultists, but oh my god was it worth it. There are things that I'll never be able to speak of, but they are definite highlights.

Which reminds me of that time Thoth popped into my house in Cyrene and asked me to do totems for Him. Of course I said yes. I probably shouldn't have because his standing with Cyrene wasn't so great at the time, but like I am going to say no if a God asks me to do totems.

My more recent favourite memories are where @Jarrod and @Dunn basically became like family. I still remember what Dunn told me that one time I was having doubts about everything in my life and it's oft times the only sure thing I know of. @Jhui acknowledging Kyrra as family brought me so much joy. He really made me work for it and given how close it had been to Christmas two years ago, probably felt like the best present I'd received that year.

I have so many other memories that I could gush about, which also make my favourites list, and it's hard not to with a character that's been around for such a long time. These are all things which have contributed to such an awesome playing experience in Achaea though.

Tharvis

Probably one of my most memorable little interactions (and one that still makes me chuckle) was a few years back, during the Sky-Sea war.

Asmodron and myself were Loremaster and Shrinelord (respectively) in Vastar's Order, and there were these neat little mini-events of Neraeos animating tritons to visit hashan and the Temple of Fluvialis, one time there were two tritons, one I can't remember and the other was something like "Tamer of Krakens" who asked us for an escort (well they asked me, but Asmodron tagged along because he was a bit zealous and wanted to keep an eye on them)
Then Mordanyconus walks in and starts trying to convert the tritons to Oblivion, Asmodron opened his mouth once and got told by both tritons and Mordanyconus that if he spoke again they'd kill him, and I kept debating against Mordanyconus until one triton nodded to me, Mordy scoffed, and they took their leave.

Few days later Polynikes walked by us at the crossroads, Asmodron and I figured we'd follow him to see what he was up to.
Walk up to him in the Temple of Fluvialis, Asmodron says hi, Polynikes goes something along the lines of "Speak to me once more and I will kill you." after which Asmodron left, and then Polynikes and I had some tea (Well, I did, I remember offering it to him and him scoffing) and discussed the war between Phocia and Scyros for an hour.

Many more good memories, like the time Asmodron badmouthed the occultists (again) and @Amunet decided to duel him on top of the great rock, but those two are definitely the most memorable.

Sarathai

Hmm. Don't know that I'd call it a favourite, but it does stick in my mind. Anyway, way back in the day there was an event, though the details are a bit fuzzy, when there was chaos going on all over the place, world emotes, madness, and various strange events messing up everything. Ashtan was all gathered up at their gates, freaked out because Yudhishthira was apparently at Shallam asking to join them.

So I decided to wander on down and see what was going on. And what I saw was a giant toad Yudhi proclaiming peace and love. Until said toad was a dragon again, said something rather unflattering to/about Shallam, and flew away.

Anybody remember that?

Exelethril

The Reckoning, was the most epic month of fun. Plus most things that involved annoying @Alrena in general.