Amber's Amber

We got in on time on Thursday and, after getting our luggage and finding out how to get there, found our way to the NorthWest terminal to meet Paul. Many hugs were had and then off to the rental car location and the trip up to Cristi's grave (which I will go into in my LJ rather than in here because it's not game related and it will be long enough as it is.)

Once we were finished, we dropped Paul off at the hotel to get us checked in and settled while Rich and I brought the car back. By the time we finally got back to the hotel, I was needing a bit of me time so Rich and Paul went off to get Rich and I checked in and for them to attending the Welcome Thing. I spent the time still not being able to cry (more details in my LJ) and unpacking everything within an inch of it's life. When Rich and Paul got back, the three of us went to Deb's room where we just kind of hung out. Rich went to get some dinner (I wasn't hungry) and after he got back, Deb was incredibly kind enough to take Paul and I to the store so I could my necessary lasagna needs and Paul could get other things he needed so tons of money wouldn't be spent on dining out. Back to Deb's room when we got back (after the goodies were put away, of course) for more hanging out. I think the three of us left fairly early - before midnight - to get back to our room and get some sleep after the long day. Thus ended day 1.

Day 2 started with free breakfast - which was better than any other free breakfast I've ever known. Of course, this was also the time that I realized that the yogurt they had there (Dannon, I think) had a fascination with my breasts that needed to be acted upon as soon as the foil lid came off. It became a theme.

Then Paul and I headed to Arref's "When You Have Illuminated the Impossible". This is where I was playing Marianna, Trump Artist daughter of Bleys, older sister of Gavan (Paul's sister). There were only four of us, but I think that worked to my advantage, being new to Amber F2F gaming. (And, I think, it also helped that Arref was the GM and two of the other three players were Paul and Anne, both of whom I knew). David was the fourth member and they all helped make my first game very enjoyable.

I'm not sure how much of the plot I want to give away, because... well, honestly, I'm not sure if I'm a good enough storyteller at the moment. It'll probably be that way for most of the games I played in, honestly. I'll go into more detail later if a) people are interested and b) the GMs don't have a problem with it. I do have a few quotes though, and those I feel ok posting. The only two from this game were Owen saying "Sh's throwing the guy with the Vroom Vroom Vroom." and Marianna saying "Can I get naked now?", with the GM responding "She has a very good reason for saying that."

All in all, I found issues with my playing - and the hardest thing I had to do was to admit to Arref that, while the character would probably know what to do, the player had no flippin' clue. Of course, Arref, being the wonderful guy/GM that he is just steered me in the right direction. The biggest problem that I found was that I just couldn't think fast enough on my feet. I blanked several times during several games and then would start to panic because I didn't have an immediate answer, which only made it worse. But, Arref, Anne and Paul all told me that I did a wonderful job, especially for my first F2F game. I didn't believe it at the time, but they've finally convinced me.

Next, we had a little lunch before heading off to RoP, where I was the note/quote taker. It was good to see the characters in action and get a better feel of the things that I haven't caught up on yet. Though, I did end up leaving partway through. Part of it was due to fatigue. Part of it was due to something that didn't hit me until I got back in the room - and that's something I'll post about in my LJ, because it really ISN'T gaming related.

Anyway, I spent some time in the room while Rich and Paul continued with RoP, doing a little reading, a little sleeping, a little vegging. It was good. Then, dinner (and I'll be damned if I can remember what, if anything, I ate) before everyone showed up for AAPA III. I took on an NPC for Paul and got to be a bit of a duplicitous bitch. Of course, as was par for me for that day, I started to get mentally tired about 3/4s of the way through and couldn't think well enough to play her, so Paul took over for a short time then I stepped back in by the end. It was a long and quite good day.

Day 3 (Saturday) came around, and it was there that I learned that sitting in the same place on the floor for 7 hours is a Very Bad Idea. Of course, it was still better than where I orginially was going to sit - under the table. I was feeling quite Del-like. This was SQuAB. Where I played Maya. She turned out far, FAR different than I'd originally planned, but I liked her. A lot. She really decided, though, that she likes it far better in Shadow than in Amber. (She's the daughter of Gerard, not long in Amber, only one other contact, Hadrian, her lover, who was actually the one that brought her back to Amber, though no one knows their true relationship.) It started when she was called to tea by Flora and asked to do some investigating, then when she was called by Llewella to do some slightly different investigating. A couple Trump calls to Hadrian, then she went out and spent the rest of the night drinking. Luckily, she had something to help the hangover. There was an angry Trump call to Hadrian when she found out that there was something REALLY important that he didn't tell her, more anger toward him when she found that he gave away her Trump without telling her (and the scene of that Trump call was interesting in it's innuendo - Tamlinn asking Maya if she and Hadrian knew each other well and her replying that he knew her very well, to which Tamlinn replied that Hadrian knew him very well as well, to which Maya tries to keep from blinking and wondering what ELSE her lover hadn't told her.) There was a lot of cringing as Lloyd, a male Rebman sorcerer, kept forgetting and calling her "Princess", which she HATED and cringed at every time. She got a chance to fight (she's the first fighter I've played and I love it!). All in all, it was a fantastic game, though it went far differently than Paul had planned. But that seemed to be the theme of the weekend.

Some quotes from this game:

GM: And you are shown in to see Lord Dacey.
Lloyd (a Rebman male): Please show me to your mistress.

GM: You can't hate your mom, can you? Oh no, this is Amber.

GM (re: Flora): She smiles. She beams.
Maya: Oh shit.

GM (to Sandov): You had a wonderful time. I'd say that stars explode, but there are no stars in Rebma.
Rich: Starfish explode.

Maya (to Hadrian): Then tell me what the hell to do.
Keith: Find a younger cousin.

After this, we went to the GA dinner. Gods, that was so much fun. And my lasagna went over well, despite the fact that I didn't have enough sauce or enough ricotta cheese for it to be the way I wanted it to. There was a lot of talking, a lot of fun, a lot of innuendo, but we're GA players. (That was another catch phrase for the weekend, when our brains turned to smut. "This is not GA, this is not GA, this is not GA.") Lots of books were traded, some good smut was read (I love Liz!) and lots of good food was eaten. As Deb pointed out, we could have used a lot more time. We'll have to think about that for the next one.

The rest of the night, Paul and I vegged, with me taking his 7th Doctor virginity with Rememberance of the Daleks. It was a great evening and we got to hear all sorts of cool stories from Rich's game. Then the three of us went to bed and day 2 was over.

Day three started with me in a funk and choosing to eat breakfast alone but, luckily, back in a much better mood. I did a lot of writing. That always helps. Then it was time for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. This game made my sides hurt! I got to play a certain role because I knew a little more than I should about what was going on. (No details - Deb's running it at TBR). But the lines coming from this one... and the places the minds were running... it was definitely the most fun slot I had throughout the Con. Again, this went in completely different directions. But it was so much FUN. I've offered Deb help with running it at TBR. And I can't wait to see what it turns into.

Rich, Paul and I finally ended up going downstairs for dinner and using our vouchers for something to eat that night. We were all pretty hungry because we hadn't had lunch. Dinner was actually pretty good - I had a swiss burger, Paul had a burger and Rich had the salmon. And Paul realized what a hoover my husband is when it comes to food! :D

Then Rich went off to his last slot while Paul and I watched a scene from The King and I that I needed him to see, then the Talons of Wang Chiang (4th Doctor/Leela episode) As is par for my course, I fell asleep on the couch long before it was over. And I was fast asleep when Rich came back at 1:30.

This morning, we watched The Iron Giant before heading down to breakfast and our chances to say good-bye to quite a few people. Back to the room to pack and call the cab, then sitting downstairs waiting for the cab and seeing even more people to say good-bye.

Completely unexpected - we flew back with Jack Gulick. We saw each other in the waiting area and started talking, then found that we were sitting across from each other on the flight back. So it was a good flight back.

So, all in all, it was a truly fantastic weekend. I got a chance to hang out with Deb (and be her daughter), meet and chat with Liz (and Gods, I love her!), worship at the altar of Arref (well worth the membership dues), meet My Player (Jenn) and find out that she and I get along as well in person as we do online, get Bear Hugs and Massages from Ray, and spend lots and lots of time with Paul (who probably got sick of me by the end of the weekend). It all felt so good. And, I've found places where I need to shore up (like needing to think faster on my feet), but all in all, I feel like I can - and want to - do this again. And I'm even thinking about running something at TBR. (Yes, I'm that masochistic)

I think the LJ entry will have to wait until tomorrow. I'm pretty beat writing this out tonight.