Barbara R. Tysinger -- Gaming

Gaming

Beginnings

My first exposure to role-playing gaming was much like that of other gamers, I was visiting a friend who had a game that night, and she asked if I would like to come along and watch. I observed a few other games, was invited to play an NPC at a couple, had a little help creating my first characters, and the rest, as they say, is history!

ARC Fellowship

I belong to the gaming club known as ARC Fellowship. I fell in with this motley crew early in my gaming education, and I have never regretted it. This is my extended family and I've learned so much from them beyond the mechanics of the game. To care for my fellow gamers, to practice teamwork and cooperation, to encourage and support novice gamers, and to realize that it's all just a game and the point is to have fun! Oh, yeah! And we're good! In the eight years the RPGA® has offered the Decathlon competition for Clubs, ARC has taken 1st place 6 times (and 2nd place once, but we weren't really trying that year)!

RPGA ®

I am also a member of the RPGA (Role Playing Gamers Association) Network®. I am a Grand Master level player in both the "classic" and "campaign" settings. I am just beginning as a Judge, but I am working on it! I ran my first game at ChimeraCon, April 12-14, 1996, here in Chapel Hill, the AD&D® event, "Monster Under the Bed". I had a blast! (I hope all the players did, too.) My most recent venture as a GM was at DragonCon, in September 1998 where I ran an RPGA® sanctioned AD&D® event I co-wrote (with Beth Bostic) for the Con called "Merchant of Fenez." My next attempt at running a game will probably be at M.A.C.E. '98 (Mid-Atlantic Convention Expo), in November 1998, where, if all goes well, I will be running an RPGA® sanctioned AD&D® event I co-wrote (with Carla Hollar) for the Con called "Information Please."

Living City®

I have been playing Living City® events since 1993. I currently have seven characters:

Amyrlin "Lyn" Gaeadan -- Ranger Human Female 7th Level

Lyn, as she is known, is a graduate of the Bushwhacker Ranger School, run by the father of her good friend Rhodadendron "Rhoda" Bushwhacker [played by Susan Adams]. Lyn is reserved, but once she knows you, is a joker. She is a typical ranger, enigmatic, quiet, and "woodsy". Her enemies are Ogres, and while she has encountered a few during her travels, she has usually been dissuaded by the party from attacking huge numbers of them single handed. Her most recent Ogre encounter involved a 1/2 Ogre bouncer in a bar in the Under Dark. The tag line there became "Half. Half. Remember, only half."

Lyn was my first effort at an LC character. She was created so that I could participate in ARCCON (or Buehler CON as it is sometimes known). This was an LC event held at Carl and Pat Buehler's house to boost participation in LC among ARC members.

Henna Peroxide -- Fighter Human Female 7th Level

Henna is a Fighter/Beautician. She loves beautiful things and has always had a burning desire to serve Sune. So when she came of age she dyed her hair red and reported to the nearest temple for guard duty. Henna still doesn't fully understand why she was turned away (CHR:10 COM:10), but she has vowed to serve Sune by making the world around her more beautiful. She will freely advise on beauty tips, offer to "fix" fellow adventurer's hair, provide ample soaps, perfumes, shampoos, and conditioners to the party, and supply the odd bobby pin when required. There are quite a few folks running around with the results of Henna's work displayed for all to see. Especially the fluorescent green Dwarf. And the orange half-Orc. Oh, and the purple, delusional ranger. And the green haired druid. And...

Amanda Nimblefoot -- Thief Human Female 4th Level

Amanda is a foundling, raised by Halflings. Her foster mother is Merrilee Nimblefoot, owner and proprietor of Merrilee Nimblefoot's Highflying Circus and Wondrous Sideshow Extravaganza. Amanda speaks Halfling as though it were her native tongue. She also speaks Common as though Halfling were her native tongue. She is, in effect, a "Human-Halfling", as her behavior and mannerisms are those of her foster mother, but she has only normal human abilities and none of the special Halfling skills that would benefit her. Amanda is currently on a quest to find information about her true parents.

Verrin Alanna Mitternacht Mayhew -- Priest Human Female 6th Level

Verrin is a specialty priest of Mystra, and is extremely curious about everything, but especially about the motivations behind everyone's actions. She has become something of a student of human and demi-human behavior, and her questions and questing are endless. She has a nasty habit of keeping a journal of her observations which she will share with no one, claiming that a true scientist never publishes her findings until all research is complete. But exactly what is she researching?

Verrin is a member of the adventuring group of Mystrian devotees known as the Seekers of Mystery. She has also recently married Milton Mayhew of the Mayhew Mayhews [played by Carla Hollar] and they are currently planning their life and future together, and choosing baby names.

Calista Adelicia von Hanover -- Mage Human Female 3rd Level

Calista has an appreciation of the finer things in life. She believes that etiquette is the glue that holds the social fabric of life together (at least that's what her nurse always told her). She has been sent out into the world to learn something of its ways.

Darius Gaeadan -- Thief/Swashbuckler Human Male 5th Level

Darius is Lyn's younger brother. He loves life, and all the adventures and pleasures it holds. He is (or was) something of a ladies man, although he recently met a beautiful half-elven bard named Lia [played by Beth Bostic] who has (for the moment) stolen his heart.

Digit Dewey -- Thief/Investigator Halfling Female 1st Level

Digit and her twin sister Cutter are halfling investigators, extraordinare! If it can be found, they will find it... eventually. But please, don't ask them to cook anything!

My Writing

Everything Is Relative: First run at MACE '97, November 7-9, 1997; A family reunion after many years should be a happy occasion. If only the circumstances were different! Join the Couro family as they rid themselves of undesirable elements and resolve a conflict that began a century before. Set in the Forgotten Realms® AD&D® campaign setting.
Merchant of Fenez: First run at DragonCon, September 3-6, 1998; In the Land of Fate, in the city by the edge of the sea, trade agreements and marriages between merchant families can make or break a fortune. But will this marriage alliance end in happiness or ruin? Set in the Al-Quadim® AD&D® campaign setting.
Information Please: First run at MACE '98, November 13-15, 1998; Set in the Forgotten Realms® AD&D® campaign setting.

Conventions

I do most of my gaming at conventions (or cons for those of you up on the lingo!). In fact, I've been gaming at cons longer than I've been home gaming. My first ever con was the big one, the end all and be all of gaming cons, GenCon, in Milwaukee, WI, in 1993. I was terrified! I had only observed games up until then, never taken a very active role in any of them. But I jumped right in! Mostly AD&D and variants like Darksun, but I also tried Amazing Engine and enjoyed it very much. Since then I've steadily increased the number of cons I attend each year, even helping out on staff at a few of them. Aside from DragonCon, which is a combined sci fi/gaming convention, the cons I choose tend to be strictly gaming cons, and the gaming I do is almost completely limited to RPGA sanctioned games.

Aside from "house cons" the one's I'd like to attend this year include:

Duracon: March 26-28, 1999, Hawthorn Suites Hotel, Durham, NC
Weekend In Ravens Bluff V: April 23-25, 1999, Howard Johnson's Coliseum, Greensboro, NC; For more details e-mail: WIRBNC@aol.com
M.A.C.E. '99: November TBA, 1999, Holiday Inn Market Square, High Point, NC

SunQuest'98: March 13-15, Orlando, FL
[I will have to miss sunny Fla. again this year, since I am still suffering from lack-o-funds after my forced purchase of a car last year!]
Carolina Game Weekend: March 27-28, Best Western, Statesville, NC; For more details e-mail: TSROLucky@aol.com
Weekend In Ravens Bluff IV: April 10-12, Marriott Executive Park, Charlotte, NC; For more details e-mail: WIRBNC@aol.com
Origins'98: July 2-5, Convention Center, Columbus, OH
GenCon: August 6-9, Wisconsin Center (formerly MECCA), Milwaukee, WI
DragonCon: September 3-6, Atlanta Market Center, Atlanta, GA
Karmacon: October 16-18, Asheville, NC
M.A.C.E. '98 (The Mid Atlantic Convention Expo): November 13-15, Holiday Inn Market Square, High Point, NC

Where I've Been and What I Thought About It
(As if anyone cared!)
1996 1997

SunQuest'96
January 4-7, Orlando, FL
[It was a blast! Thanks, Sue & Bob!]

SunQuest'97
January 3-5, Orlando, FL

StellarCon
March 22-24, High Point, NC
[An excellent Con! The Klingon wedding was truely a memorable event!]

RoundCon
January 31-February 2, Columbia, SC

ChimeraCon
April 12-14, Chapel Hill, NC
[GMed my first game here.]

Weekend in Raven's Bluff III (Bluff Con 3)
April 4-6, Columbia, SC
[Spring is in the air again! Where else could a swashbuckler get turned into a griffon, win the heart of his lady love, and be blessed with the luck of Tymora all in one weekend!]

Weekend in Ravens Bluff II
April 26-28, Columbia, SC
[Aah! Spring in the City! Let's do it again next year, too!]

DragonCon
June 26-29, Atlanta, GA
[Would you just look at all those bowling shirts! Amazing!]

DragonCon
June 20-23, Atlanta, GA
[I can't believe I played in all 14 slots! Great games Mark!]

GENCON
August 7-10, MECCA, Milwaukee, WI
[Oops! Gonna have to miss this one this year. That's what happens when someone trys to shove a Honda Civic in your trunk!]

GENCON
August 10-11, MECCA, Milwaukee, WI
[It's big, it's hectic, it's fun! Come and see how you like the gaming styles of players from all over the world! You should have seen my "crazed gypsy" at the Living Death Interactive!]

Karmacon
September 5-7, Asheville, NC

ROC 96.5
November 8-10, High Point, NC
[Great games, good friends, good times, and all just 2 weeks before The Wedding! Thanks Sherrie!]

Fanfaire
October 10-12, Greenville, SC

M.A.C.E. '97 (The Mid Atlantic Convention Expo)
November 7-9, High Point, NC
["The Con Formerly Known as ROC 97.5."]

Where I've Been and What I Thought About It (As if anyone cared!)
1996	1997
SunQuest'96 January 4-7, Orlando, FL [It was a blast! Thanks, Sue & Bob!]	SunQuest'97 January 3-5, Orlando, FL
StellarCon March 22-24, High Point, NC [An excellent Con! The Klingon wedding was truely a memorable event!]	RoundCon January 31-February 2, Columbia, SC
ChimeraCon April 12-14, Chapel Hill, NC [GMed my first game here.]	Weekend in Raven's Bluff III (Bluff Con 3) April 4-6, Columbia, SC [Spring is in the air again! Where else could a swashbuckler get turned into a griffon, win the heart of his lady love, and be blessed with the luck of Tymora all in one weekend!]
Weekend in Ravens Bluff II April 26-28, Columbia, SC [Aah! Spring in the City! Let's do it again next year, too!]	DragonCon June 26-29, Atlanta, GA [Would you just look at all those bowling shirts! Amazing!]
DragonCon June 20-23, Atlanta, GA [I can't believe I played in all 14 slots! Great games Mark!]	GENCON August 7-10, MECCA, Milwaukee, WI [Oops! Gonna have to miss this one this year. That's what happens when someone trys to shove a Honda Civic in your trunk!]
GENCON August 10-11, MECCA, Milwaukee, WI [It's big, it's hectic, it's fun! Come and see how you like the gaming styles of players from all over the world! You should have seen my "crazed gypsy" at the Living Death Interactive!]	Karmacon September 5-7, Asheville, NC
ROC 96.5 November 8-10, High Point, NC [Great games, good friends, good times, and all just 2 weeks before The Wedding! Thanks Sherrie!]	Fanfaire October 10-12, Greenville, SC
	M.A.C.E. '97 (The Mid Atlantic Convention Expo) November 7-9, High Point, NC ["The Con Formerly Known as ROC 97.5."]