To meet, and part, and meet again!

Meets are undoubtedly one of the high points in any situation involving long distances between folks who share the same hobbies. The internet is great, but sometimes you have to gossip about the latest in Hallifaxian drama in person…

So we met! Zvoltz and I set out for Akron, and met Alary, Scax, and Sondayga in front of a massive carousel, not quite knowing what to expect. Common love for all things Lusternia, however, really served as a sort of perpetual ice-breaker that disintegrated any sort of awkwardness that might have existed. While not all who might have made it were able – looking at you, Everiine and Kio! – there were certainly enough present to have a comfortably good time of it all, from amusing candies to weird Borg-esque camera goggles and a really rather impressive Fruit Ninja rig-up that spanned across the floor, and which I’m fairly sure would have served well as a foxtrot tutorial.

On some level, I realise that meeting these folks in-person reminds me that my love of this game is validated in the other very real folks that get the very same enjoyment from it. On another, it forces me to think of the many friendships I’ve formed during the course of my stay here, and that several of those will likely prove to be lasting and true, while others have yet to be made!

So, while jabs were exchanged regarding kephera, Hallifax, Serenwilde, and a host of other topics in a joking manner, it’s nice to take a step back from the conflict and bustle of politics and be reminded that everyone’s here to have a good time. We certainly did – reminiscing over memorable moments of yore (Notably “Back in the day” of 2009 long-past), and generally being exceedingly thankful that Lusternia and its players have persevered long enough for me to look around and mutter about today’s whippersnappers.

For my part, I had a fantastic time meeting a few new faces, and I already can’t wait for the next time we’ll be able to convene – hopefully with even more present! For those of you who have yet to be part of a local meet, I can’t urge you enough to give it a shot, because chances are you’ll find it hugely worth your while.

And who knows? You might even draw a Divinity out of the woodwork…

(Pictured: Zvoltz, Alary, Sondayga, Scax. Photographed by the amazing yours truly!)