Finding the Way

So Cyra and Vincer began their adventures together. But it wasn't long before we were joined by others as we explored what the Star Wars universe could give us.

We met another named Ooyna, a female twi'lek with designs on being a bounty hunter. For no other reason then "It seemed like a good idea at the time", we set off from Mos Espa to make an overland journey to Bestine. There were no mounts or speeders back then, no ITVs or even much money to buy a shuttle ticket. I recall being quite rich as others went, topping off at 10k credits at one point. Training - as there were few others to teach you for free - would cut into that.

We avoided the powerful fauna that would mean our doom, hunted what we thought we could take, and rested in camps as we needed. Here's a picture of the three of us relaxing in the most basic of camps under the hot suns of Tatooine.

 While sitting in camp was, in fact, fun, it also earned experience points for the camp owner. Back then, you'd earn experience for just about anything. It helped sculpt your character concept and take it in directions you'd never expected. But by the end of this journey, the numbers of experience points meant nothing to Vincer as he found a new calling; one that he did not know he wanted to have.

As we continued on, we were joined by others; strangers at first, but allies for the immediate future. The group began to grow, as did the foes we'd face. The suns set and the cover of night came over us. We were fatigued from our battles, but we pressed on.

I remember coming upon another - a Trandoshan - who did not want to join us. He was a weaponsmith and a brawler, and he was kind enough to gift us all new weapons. During the exchange, we were set upon by a herd of Sharnaffs. In retrospect, a bull must have been there since they attacked us first. The brawler had some slick moves that would knock the sharnaffs down. We prevailed and much celebration ensued.

What amazed me at the time was the interplay between the characters, how each seemed to have their own roles and responsibilities. Vincer found himself in the role of leader, directing where we would go and what we would attempt to tackle. It may have been largely my own perception, but it seemed that the fate of the group and success of the journey was in Vincer's hands. But what was not only a perception was the immersion that the self-created quest provided.

In the end, we made it to Bestine. Pictured above is an indelible image from my own memory. As the individuals of the group went dashing off into numerous directions, bidding their well wishes and never to be seen again, fireworks were launched from within Bestine. The pyrotechnic display was triggered by another player who to this day still has no idea how much they contributed to our epic journeys conclusion.

The journey was over, but the real quest would begin. Vincer found his calling: he wanted to become a Squad Leader.