E-Samurai Interview: Galen
[08/11/2003] [The Interviewer] Please state your full Amtgard name for the record.
Lady Defender Master Galen Silverthorne. How did you come up with your name? It just came to me one day. What would you say Amtgard’s single greatest purpose is? To bring together like-minded people for fun and fellowship, and a little friendly competition! IKGov: Good or Bad? Both. I can see the potential for it, but I can also see the potential for problems. 6.1: Good or Bad? No comment. (Of course, I also wrote six pages shredding it for my local rep.) I think some things that were not broke were "fixed". As a resident of the Celestial Kingdom, what are your thoughts on the dissolution of the Principality of Tir A Sol? I was surprised by it, but given the circumstances it made sense. I think it was the suddenness of it all. As the last Grand Duchess of the South, how do you feel about the dissolution of the Grand Duchy? Strange. I agree with the decision. Why do you agree with the decision? I think that the Grand Duchy and Tir a Sol should exist together or not at all, which is what we're moving toward. To leave one without the other will, I feel, only continue the strife that has existed. What measures do you see need to be put into place to help unify the Celestial Kingdom? I think one of Celestial Kingdom's biggest problems is the mindset that we're factionalized. You have the Grand Duchy. And then you have the remnants of Tir a Sol that seem to break themselves down into the "North" and "Central" regions of the CK. I personally find this continued mindset harmful to reunification. And, naturally, there is the breakdown of communication between the parks and the kingdom monarchy. In a kingdom this big, however, that is to be expected. How does it feel to be the last Grand Duchess? It's definitely not how I pictured this reign ending. It's a bit difficult. I'm still relatively new to the CK, and I'm now having to deal with an issue that I wasn't here for the beginning of. I've been attacked publicly and privately for agreeing with this decision, but I stand by it. The best I can do is make sure the Grand Duchy's records are in order when we're dissolved next month. Do you have anything to say to those who have attacked you for supporting King Arion's decision? I think those individuals need to seriously consider what they're fighting for, and if they do believe in their cause and can reasonably back it up, then they should fight for it. But they also need to understand that the decision was not mine to make. It was mine to support or fight, and because of my beliefs, I chose to support Arion. On to another subject. You were recently awarded your Master Rose, thus qualifying you for your Flame belt. What is your opinion of the Flame belt? I have no interest in it. I'm quite pleased at having earned the Master Rose as quickly as I did. What is your feeling on Kinght's belts in general? Sadly, I'm not impressed. I've seen too many games played by people currently holding knighthoods or trying to earn them. For me, that just seems to take away from the enjoyment of the game. I'd much rather be out working and having fun than trying to get noticed by the "right people". Does this view then extend down the belted lines as well? I think it depends on the line, and how that line interacts with each other. I've seen some good lines. I've seen some lines that frankly scare me. As a former member of the Golden Plains and now a member of the Celestial Kingdom, what are your thoughts on awards standardization? In your experience, are awards given for the same standards in different kingdoms? I do think there should be some standardization for awards. It was very rough moving to CK with a number of Roses, only to be told that they weren't good enough because the Golden Plains hands Roses out like candy. I also learned that my Petals counted differently, but could never get a straight story on how moving affected them. I think a standardization would help minimize this when it happens to those who move to different kingdoms. What is one of the most common misconceptions that people have of the CK? That we're full of Annihalus! We only have three Annihalus parks out of the twelve, and they're actually nice guys. If you could visit three, and only three, kingdoms of Amtgard, where would you go an why? Hmmm... Goldenvale, because the Wardancers have told me so much about it. Emerald Hills, because I know too many people there. And Wetlands, again because I know too many people there. Any final words for our e-Samurai readers? Amtgard is supposed to be fun. When it stops being fun, it's no longer a game.
[ discuss on forums ] | 
