Goodie-goodie cooperative outing

[Raona]

I'm not sure if this really qualifies as an event, but we'll see. I will have a very rare (for me) opportunity to pretend I'm single again this weekend, with my partner and child out of town. I plan to make the most of it! Raona will be online and looking to organize a collection of (relatively) pure souls for something worthwhile starting at this time:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/f ... 1=159&ah=4

Raona will likely be online before and after this, but over this time window for sure. I really don't want her to sit and chat, as she can do that anytime - I'd like to take advantage of the fact I definitely won't have to quit at a moment's notice, and so can go deep into the depths of an adventure or RP, something I normally can not do.

If you want to take part, just look for Raona in the Dripping Dagger at around the time indicated above. Raona is delighted to help others with mid-level dungeons and quests, even if she's done them (though there are many she's not done yet). We'll pick something that's interesting to as many of those that show up as possible, and makes good use of the talents assembled. If the crowd is too big, we may fragment into sub-groups. You don't have to know (or have even met) Raona to take part, but she's a goodie goodie and will be uncomfortable around anyone who's not. If you are in the latter category you may want to involve yourself via a less direct route. That said, I do make two requests:

1) The last time I tried something like this (and it was a long time ago, so maybe enough people are asking "Who's Raona?" that it won't be an issue this time anyway) we got no adventuring done at all because everyone who wanted to talk with Raona pounced on the rare event of an announced time she'd be around. So please, if you want to talk with Raona - find her before or after, or send her a Magical Post or me a PM...but don't buttonhole her during this time window. It's not in Raona's persona to turn you away but I really don't get an OOC chance like this often and I don't want to spend it philosophizing.
2) The other thing that has happened in the past is that Raona seems to be the Bad Guy's favorite Good Gal - the most fun to tweak or the least dangerous to confront, or what have you. Every evil seems to come out of the woodwork and want to individually derail whatever Raona's trying to organize. I'm asking you OOCly, please, if you are evil and want to get in the way, have a plot to it. Better still, if you have a good alt and an evil one, bring your goodie to the party rather than try to derail with your evil...unless you have a really good plot idea! If you bring out your orc with the toll booth, I'll just lose it.

Thanks, hope to see some of you then!

p.s. Raona is slow and meticulous, and maps almost everything. This won't be a high-speed romp through whatever we agree to attempt, and if you are the sort to run off from the group to explore the odd shiny object you are likely to be left for dead, or at least to whatever you find.

[Alitar]

This sounds absolutely awesome but I'm stuck at the in-laws for this! I hope it goes well! Good luck to everyone joining!

[Alinor]

I wish I could join in for this but unfortunately I've got someplace I've got to be around the same time. Hope everyone involved has fun though!

[Lylena]

*shakes a fist* My friend's in town this weekend or I'd join! I will miss this opportunity. I do enjoy RPing with Raona!

[Orplar]

Adam Genesis, Cleric of The Blind Overlord, shall make himself available to liberate the legions of anarchy, injustice and evil of their sins and guide them along the path of penance, in the good name of Tyr Grimjaws. Dame Corbin! Let us Rally!

[Mouat]

Mouat will be there! Thanks for the opportunity.

[Algon]

Kaden would not mind tagging along!

[Briek]

I might be able to get to this

[Gwain]

I can try.

[Larethiel]

I wil try, too.

[Raona]

I'm currently deep in a crypt, so I pray those of you looking for me greet each other until I arrive!

[Raona]

Thanks to all who came for this, both before the set time and at it! It was great seeing some old friends and meeting new ones...Siria and Misina, I'm sorry we couldn't interact more!

My only regret was having to depart from those who came early in order to meet those gathering in the appointed place at the appointed time. I'm not sure how I should have handled matters to avoid that.

In any case, thank you all for a very very fun afternoon of adventure and camaraderie. For those who had to log before I could catch you ICly: Siria, oracle of the moon, was amongst those waiting at the Dripping Dagger, and she sends her regards! In retrospect maybe I should have organized a mixer or a dance or something, but Raona's not ready to retire just yet!

My experience with this suggests it really wouldn't hurt to have people just announce gatherings for adventure when they know they will be online and want to organize whatever's possible with who turns up. It can be for a set destination (UM, UD, what have you), but it doesn't have to be. (If it is, though, give some level guidance in your announcement, I speak from experience.) I'm perfectly delighted to do an easy quest I've done before if someone I'm with is discovering it for the first time, but I think a lot of beginning players are reluctant to seek out those who've done a quest they need help with before. That makes finding a match much more difficult, and I think it is a misconception that our playerbase generally feels that way. Alright, I'm done!