Talking with the Arlequins

Yesterday I arrived to my home a bit earlier than usual, the sun was still on the sky and the birds were a bit annoying... seriously, they were. As I were in the office I cross some Emails with Darana, a Officer from the Kinship Arlequins who agreed in taking the first interview for the Kinships that I wanted to some from some days ago. So far, via Email, she was a great and comprehensive person and with a friendly mood she answered all my Email... And trust me, sometimes I'm a bit persistent. :P

As soon as I arrived to my home I started a new character on Brandywine, I wanted to continue with a Minnie but since I just wanna go forward and fast across the starter area, I went directly for a Champion. and my adventure started. Since most of my characters are elves, that zone was quite easy for and also, since I was looking forward for the interview, I think that I did everything a bit fast.

When I was out on Celomdin I realize that I had to wait a bit for Daranas to log on but I decided to ask anyway, perhaps someone of the Kinship could give me a help in letting her know that I was ready. This was also a frst small test for the kinship. Dont judge me, because I didnt want to do it, but this is how I got a small portion of how they were. Few players were online by the moment I decided to search into the "looking tool" and since I did a small research in their Web page I found out a familiar name, another Officer of the Kin under the name of Iggychick, a Minnie Hobbit.

It is unusual to recieve a Whisper from a stranger saying or asking (In my case)for another character of the Kinship so I was kinda expecting a ackward conversation with her, yet, I'm glad that I was totally wrong, Iggychick was totally helpful in what she could and talk for me a bit and promised that she would let know to Daranas that I was looking for the her. Usually, and we have to be honest, people dont answer any strange whisper lately, making hard to have a conversation with them sometimes regarding their Kinship, and even If I didnt said at the beginning that I was looking for Daranas for the Interview, was the same Iggychick who, in many words, asked m if she could be of help or if was something about the Kin.

To avoid waiting in the strating area, I decided to log off for a bit and play Diablo II... and my character died... One of the Hardcore mode, of course, so, with that, I decided to go back into Lotro and wait there. Brandywine it must have to be a very populated server, it took me 5 tries to log on correctly... That was kinda annoying.

Eventually I meet with Darana who was finishing the article that she gave us (Recently posted in the blog) and I meet her toon, a lvl 65 Guardian Hobbit, along with Yggychick (lvl 65 Minnie) and Spyyke (lvl 65 Hunter). Gotta admit that I have no idea at all about how to start the interview but eventually things were going perfectly.

One of my questions was about the name, as we have in mind (At first glance) Arlequins are jesters, this name was kinda curious for me, It is normal to find Kinships under the name of "Sauron's Nightmare" (Yes, I saw that on Brandywine) or even "LEGION OF HARD" (Also, Brandywine), or maybe more normal names like "The order of the Silver Flame" (The Kin were I am), But Arlequins... I really wanted to know the reason for that name. Daranas and Spyyke gave me a perfect answer for that, explaining that even if they were seeing as simpletons in the court, due their humor and their ways to entertain the nobles, they were actually more intelligent than anyone else, so they wanted to have a name that means "Maturity" and "Fun' at the same time.

Taking the spot from a new player, I focused now more in questions about them as in-game, such for example How many officers thy had and if they were all the time online, so far, this is one of the answers that I like most, Spyyke replied that they were the only three Officers in the Kinship (Even if Spyyke had the Leader title on, he never used a different jerarchy between them) and they were almost all the time, so that was not a problem if someone wanted to join them. But that was not the best part of the answer, the best part is that he referred to the three of them as officers, same level. This, for some reason, was good to hear. Maybe just because I hate when ppl says: "I'm the boss and they are my officers...". It was a humble answer.

As the part of the Events, they told me that they work together to help new members and they have days for that, planned like if it were a event, also, they help the new members with their crafting duties as well. Also the use to play music as a group and other fun-type events, just for relax, as Daranas said: "We have fun, what is the game for, right? To have fun", Yet, what they dont do is Roleplaying events, few of them are Pvpers and a vast majority of them fight only for the free people, and few do some monster play sometimes. About Raids and runs, they were working on them, as any kinship, but they said that they were not a Hard-core raiding guild, yet, some allied Kinships could always add you in raids if you need it or just want it. Which sounds great!

One of the Big question was related about The Rise of Isengard, I was not so sure if I should ask it but for example, in WoW, when a Expack was going to be release, you could see tons of new guilds running around and doing recruiting only to burn as fast as they can the Expack, as if this were a race or something. Even with Daranas, Spyyke and Iggychick totally excited with the Expack, I got th idea that "burning it as fast as they can" is not what they really want, they want to have fun and level up with their kinmates, exploring and doing things right. No pressure, but also, not staying behind. Yet, even if there is no rush, they are helping their member to get all the gear necessary for the RoI Expack.

At the end I wanted to them to give me an advice, Iggychick was at the beginning a bit quiet, only doing some emotes while Daranas and Spyyke were answering the question, I thought that maybe or she was shy or boring, but now I'm quite sure that she was waiting for the last part to talk, she gave me a great advice and reason, in few words, dont rush into a server looking for "any" kinship, explore the one that exists, ask yourself what do you want and try to find the best that suits you better, at the end, the best way to enjoy the game is with people that shares some, or all, your points of view and they have the same playing style.

So, at the end, I had a great time with them, it was a bit ackward at the beginning for being the very first interview for the blog and also not a normal thing to do, but I could say that this kinship is a great option if you are running in the lands of the Server Brandywine, friendly, capable to make some pranks but mature and helpful. Keep the good working friends, that's the spirit that most of the players are looking for :)

Well, this post was a bit longer that I expected and for some reason Blogspot is not allowing me to upload two screens... I guess that there's a limit or something, Anyway, I gotta go, have a great time and a awesome hunting! Good luck to everyone and I want to thanks to the Arlequins for this opportunity. Good luck friends!