The following is an interview with Dartan on 8/26/03 (while he is playing his bard, Lynia). Dartan is an experienced players, having played Sojourn for many years now. He has several high level characters, some of the best equipment in the game, and has done many quests. Dartan is a member of the Elders of Netheril guild.


Y: Tell me about how you got into mudding.

D: oh this one's perfect
D: When I was about 12 or 13 my cousin, Emarin, and I had just started using the Internet. We got bored one day and started talking on the #Sailor-moon channel on an IRC network (I forget which one). One day I asked what everyone was doing and a guy named Dodekain said he was playing MUD.
D: I asked what it was and he showed me how to connect and some simple commands. You may know him as Draxon/Fendoren/Thadrin.

Y: What caused you to choose Sojourn over the other muds?

D: Well, I've played 3 other MUDs. Homelands, Asritya, and ImperialDIKU. Asritya was fun but it was boring when Emarin and I basically ruled the MUD with duplicating equipment and quick skills. ImperialDIKU was all about who could exp the most because it would takes years to max out on exp.
D: Homelands is a great MUD but lacks a playerbase.

Y: In the years you've been playing here, what is the most interesting thing you've seen?

Lynia begins to ponder on something.
D: I'd have to say gods cheating. You'd think the same people who enforce the rules would actually follow them.

Y: To follow up, without listing names, could you give a brief example of one incident?

D: naw i'll give names, this story isn't a secret
D: One time Corth and I were duoing gigantic werewolf in IC and Xebes informed us that Miax's mortal, Kor, was laughing on group-say about how Kiaransalee was making changes to the mob while we were fighting. We basically got messed up because 2 of the 6 werewolves tracked us at random.

Y: Of the different versions of Sojourn you have played, which is your favorite? Explain.

D: Sojourn3. I was too young to ever commit to the previous incarnations because of my parents.

Y: Was there ever a low point in Sojourn's history; a bad time to be playing?

D: Probably the end of Sojourn1/Toril or whatever. The MUD kept crashing and crashing. Eventually it was shut down. It became very frustrating to play.

Y: What is your greatest accomplishment on Sojourn?

Lynia begins to ponder on something.
D: Meeting the people I eventually guilded with in Darkstorm Rising. Those were the best times I ever had online.

Y: What made those times so fun?

D: We _always_ zoned as a guild and helped each other out when we could. It was the first time I had ever been a part of a guild like that.

Y: If there was any one aspect of Sojourn that you could change, what would it be, and why?

D: I honestly think that if the immortals communicated more with the players or actually used the Development News Forum on the soj3BBS then people would bitch less.
D: So basically, the one aspect I would change is for immortals to use that forum.

Y: You're an experienced player on the goodrace and evilrace side.
Y: As someone who has played both sides successfully, do you have any advice for the goodrace players who might want to start an evilrace alt?

D: Don't say you're a goodie.

You fall down laughing.

Y: In addition to just playing the game like most people, you are also a zone leader.
Y: What is your favorite zone to lead?

Lynia has delusions of leadership...
D: I don't really lead zones because I get frustrated easily with people AFKing. I don't have a favorite zone to lead because they're all headaches to me. I only lead when something needs to be done.

Y: You've already done more things in this mud than most other people have. Do you have any goals?

D: Goals? I guess equipment-wise I'd want two Bronze Citadel daggers but I'm pretty low on the list because I'm only a bard.
D: Other than that it's just waiting for new challenges. My equipment set is pretty sick and I don't really need any new gear.

Y: What are some of the things you do IRL?

D: I'm an Electrical Engineering major at Santa Clara University. In my spare time I usually MUD or hang out with friends.

Y: This will be the final question.

D: ok tell me i gotta go smite shit
Lynia snickers softly.

Y: Where do you see yourself in the future?

D: in game or RL?

Y: You could respond either way, it is your choice.

D: I don't know where I'll be in the future. 1 year ago I thought I would be at a University of California. 4 years ago I didn't think I would be living with my cousin.

Y: Thank you.


interviews

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