The following interview was conducted on 5th February, 2001 in the Heart of
the Flame, also known as the clan hall for clan 85. Allyrellia is currently
a hero and clan leader of 85 - the Soldiers of the Eternal Flame clan. She
is 17 years of age and is currently enrolled in school in California. One of
her most looked forward to events, dream and finally her biggest
accomplishment in Medievia is her clan, as you can tell from the interview.
I asked Allyrellia a few questions about Medievia and her life and this is
what she had to say.
Nykaul: How long have you been playing Medievia and what got you initially
started?
Allyrellia: I've played for about a year and a half now, which isn't much
comparatively! Initially, Tarissa, Danock and Zinel got me started. We'd
known each other from a different online area, and they started playing
and convinced me to start too.
Nykaul: Had you played a mud before Medievia?
Allyrellia: I played an old mud (AotA) for about two weeks before playing
on Medievia, but I hated it, and it was hard to convince me to try Med
because of that. I didn't really want to start playing, but it was that
or be entirely left out of everything, so I tried it.
Nykaul: What was your initial reaction to Medievia when you first played it?
Allyrellia: I was confused by all the text and the people. I thought that
Danock was insane for liking it so much, I couldn't understand his reasoning.
When he finally got me straightened out though, I loved it and I asked my
friend in real life to start playing too, (Tira!)
Nykaul: What was it for you, personally, that made the game so fun and
something you wanted to continue playing?
Allyrellia: At first it was just the fact that my friends were playing,
but I'm a very social person, and I loved all the people. When I was
enrolled in my first clan, I found out that this clan business was AMAZING,
and I fell in love with Med then. I think I kept playing even through the
frustration as a single mage because I wanted to start my own clan
eventually, that was my dream.
Nykaul: You finally did achieve that dream, can you tell us a little bit
about what it was like getting your clan?
Allyrellia: The day I started my clan, I think I was flipping out with
excitement in real life! I was only a double, and everyone had told me
that I couldn't possibly do it, but I was determined to make it work. Even
now, I think that that day was the one that I'll always remember as my best
day on Med. When I started it I'm sure people laughed at a little double
mage/cleric leading a clan of her own, but I hope at least now they've
realized it IS possible!
Nykaul: The clan is still going strong and you have now achieved the status
of hero too. Do you still feel as passionate for your clan as you once did?
Allyrellia: I think if anything, I've grown more passionate about this clan.
Now that I've seen what we can do, I'm all fired up about it! I want this
clan to keep being a clan for lower levels to "grow up" in like Thrallanx
did! I realize that eventually I won't be on Med anymore, but I am fairly
sure that when the day comes for me to go, I'll have made my difference for
a good group, and can be satisfied with it.
Nykaul: You mentioned how a lot of people told you it wasn't possible for a
low level player to make a clan. Did you have anyone encourage you as well?
Or anyone you looked up while you were progressing through Medievia?
Allyrellia: My good friends encouraged me and offered their support, as well
as a few of my old clannies from Circle of Power. I think that in the
beginning, my most avid supporter was Kentrick. He had taken care of me in
Circle of Power, and so he offered his support while I was working to start
this clan. I wanted to be as good a leader as Zultar and Zyduss were when
I was in CoP, and I think because I modeled myself after the points in their
leadership that I'd liked, I was more able to handle the job than I would have
been otherwise.
Nykaul: Do you believe the attitudes towards you as a clanleader as well as
a player on Medievia is different because of your gender?
Allyrellia: Sometimes I'm almost sure it's different! There are so many
stereotypes that seem to follow any females on Med that I think it's almost
impossible to avoid. Although, I think that as a clanleader, I am given more
respect than I was before, and I can use it to my advantage at times to handle
the 'clan politics'. When I first started the clan, because I was a lower level
player as well as female, many people refused to acknowledge me as the leader.
Kentrick was my coleader, and as a male and a hero, everyone seemed to look to
him for the decisions, both in clan and out of it. I didn't want to accept
that, so I worked to make people outside of clan respect me, and eventually
the clan turned to me as their leader anyway. I hated those moments though,
when other leaders would talk to Kentrick for possible alliances instead of
me! They made me feel so small and unimportant that at times I was so
frustrated and hurt that I'd have to log off for awhile.
Nykaul: When you finally achieved the hero status was it everything you
thought it might be?
Allyrellia: It was everything and more! More responsibilities that is *laugh*
but I don't really mind. I'd looked forward to being a hero for so long that
I was satisfied in just achieving it.
Nykaul: How would you describe your average day as both a hero and a clan
leader?
Allyrellia: I usually log on in the early afternoon to find my clan deep in
some trade run, and so while they're doing that I usually will look for some
small eq zone that I can run with them (Storn/Mellorian/Asnor). We'll run it,
and then usually they'll split into smaller forms to experience a bit. I'm
always busy now, the time I spent xping myself earlier has just turned into
more time for my clan and bloodline, but it's all fun. I don't like clan
politics as much, but I love leading. I think the best feeling in the world
is knowing that my clannies look up to me for advice and help.
Nykaul: I'm sure a lot of our readers have noticed your herobattles
recently. Both the amount you've done and the progress you have made. What is
it about herobattles that you love so much?
Allyrellia: I love the excitement! I think that herobattles to me are what
cpks are to other "bigger" heros. Since I'm not in a clan that could do cpk
runs, I get the same thrill out of herobattling. I never could pk very well,
due to the fact that I didn't have money to spend on eq for myself, but I
loved how in herobattles it was all about luck, speed, and skill, as opposed
to the money you put into your stats.
Nykaul: In the past whenever you did herolist p there was a distinct lack of
female names up there. Yet, more recently females are starting to get up into
the top 20, including yourself. Why do you think that is?
Allyrellia: I've noticed recently that there are a lot more females heroing,
and I think that that relates to the numbers in part. I also think that lately
it's become more 'acceptable' persay, to the general public that girls on Med
DO rock, and we CAN pk/herobattle. There's even come a level of respect from
managing it, which is a huge incentive!
Nykaul: What would you say was your worst newbie moment?
Allyrellia: Hmm, I think that the absolute worst moment for me was when I
was enrolled in clan 35, which was my first clan, and I was joking around
with Ogrady and teasing him, then found out that he was the leader of the
clan. I had no idea how I was supposed to treat him, but I was sure it wasn't
like that, and I was so embarrassed. Luckily, he was a nice guy, and he
encouraged our familiarity with him.
Nykaul: What would you say was your most memorable moment on Medievia?
Allyrellia: Other than starting my clan, I think that my most memorable
moment was when I left Circle of Power. I'd been there for 6 months of my
Med life, and it was a hard decision for me to make. The thing I'll always
remember though, was the number of people that ended up leaving after me,
because many of them told me they supported me. I was in tears during that,
I was so touched. I think that was the moment I realized that I could start
a clan if I wanted to and not worry about not having the support.
Nykaul: What would you say is your most favorable aspect/feature/change
on Med?
Allyrellia: Other than Med's social aspect, which I adore! I really like
the new MLR. I think that these are helping the new players become more in
charge of themselves, and less dependent on others. Although it makes life
difficult for them sometimes (I'd know!), I think that overall it will help
them become more informed and better players.
Nykaul: What would you say is your least favorable aspect/feature/change
on Medievia?
Allyrellia: I'm not quite sure how to describe it. I guess I would say
the attitudes towards Med's "newbies." So many heros, old and new, put
down these players and often make fun of them. Sometimes I just wish I
could smack them! Everyone was new at one point, and they deserve just
as much of a chance as everyone else.
Nykaul: What changes do you think Medievia should make?
Allyrellia: Overall I think that Med's awesome, I would just enforce
stricter rules. I don't like the way people have been acting lately,
they seem so full of themselves, and often break rules blatantly without
any punishment. I think long time offenders shouldn't be up for any
reprieves. They've earned what they get.
Nykaul: If you were forced to quit Medievia this very second what would you want
people to remember about you?
Allyrellia: Well I'd hope people would remember me for my clan and clantown,
but mostly I'd want them to think of my personality. I've made a lot of
friends here, and I'd want them to remember me for the happy and cheerful
person I am.
Nykaul: What do you think people WILL remember about you?
Allyrellia: Probably for my stubborn streak, it's useful at times, but it
definitely has made an impression in more than one person's mind. It takes
a lot to convince me to step down on my opinions!
Nykaul: Where did the name Allyrellia come from and does it mean anything?
Allyrellia: If you ask my clan, I invented it as a form of torture for them
when they're trying to telepath me something! Really though, my name is
Alecia, and I always wanted to be called Ally. I figured that if I
incorporated it into a med name, eventually it would stick on and it has. I
tried several names before this, but this one really stuck, I loved the L's
and the Y!
Nykaul: You mentioned that you started playing with some real life friends,
what do your non-med friends and family think of you playing Medievia?
Allyrellia: Most of my non-med friends had different little hobbies of their
own, such as Ultima online or Starcraft, so they just accepted Med as my
hobby. My family on the other hand, was very skeptical of Med, they were
worried about the people I might meet here, now that I'm here, I'm worried
too! (just kidding!) They've come to accept it now though, and seem to be ok
with it. I'm trying to get my younger sister interested in playing though,
especially since I'll be gone to college next year, I'd love to have her on
here too!
Nykaul: Some players will have certain music or habits while playing Med,
especially for different activities like CPK or Herobattles. Do you have any
specific music you like to listen?
Allyrellia: I like to listen to soft music. I love listening to The Corrs
while playing, (call me corny or whatever) especially during frustrating
times in clan as they calm me down. Sometimes during a herobattle I'll play
the MP3 of Destiny's Child, the one from Charlie's Angels, it's all about the
girl power!
Nykaul: If you could ask anyone on Medievia a question what would it and to who?
Allyrellia: Ack! I think it'd be a tossup between Zultar and Vryce. I'd love
to know what Zultar thinks of me now, as someone I respect and looked up to,
but I'd also like to know what Vryce thinks of the changes on Med recently,
and how he feels about them.
Nykaul: If you could interview anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
Allyrellia: I'd like to interview Chief Joseph, because I'm part Native
American, and I've always known him as a hero. I'd love to be able to talk to
him even if only for a little while. I'd ask him for advice as well as tell
him how much I respect him.
Nykaul: If you could describe yourself in three words what would they be?
Allyrellia: Nosy, energetic, and loving! Definitely the first though, I like
to know EVERYTHING.
Nykaul: If you could have just one of the skills or spell on Med in real
life, which would you want and why?
Allyrellia: I think I'd want either heal or phase. Being able to visit all
my friends in different parts of the world would be amazing, but heal would
solve so many of the problems that I'd be stuck deciding. Oh no! Or cure
blind because I'd love to help people see the world for the first time! Such
hard questions!
Nykaul: What item could be guaranteed to be found in your fridge at any point
of time?
Allyrellia: Peaches, either jarred or fresh! I can't live without them! Thank
God we have a peach tree at our house or I think my family would go broke
trying to supply me all year. I'm going to need a loan next year in college
just for them!
Nykaul: If you were given three wishes, and one couldn't be for more wishes,
what would you wish for?
Allyrellia: I'd wish for the power to heal people mental/physical, for an end
to all prejudice, and for success in my career/major choice as an elementary
school teacher.
Nykaul: If Allyrellia was the answer what would be the Jeopardy
category/question?
Allyrellia: Famous Loudmouths for 500! The newbie heroine who leads a clan for
lower levels.
Nykaul: If you could be any fictional character from a book, movie, play or
television show, who would it be and why?
Allyrellia: I think I'd want to be Alanna from the Lioness Quartet Series. I
read those a few years ago, and I always loved her the best. She was a girl
who dressed as a boy to become a knight. I admired her strength and bravery,
and was always jealous of her magical abilities.
Nykaul: Name one item that was given to you as a young child that you still
have today and what it means to you.
Allyrellia: When I was born, my grandparents gave me the gift of being able
to speak some Cantonese, and I think above any tangible item, this one is
the most important to me. I'm not fluent in it, but I could speak enough to
communicate with them, as they only spoke it, and when my grandfather passed
away this summer, I found that it was invaluable to speak with him the last
few days.
Nykaul: What would you say has been your biggest life accomplishment to date?
Allyrellia: I would have to say that my biggest accomplishment has been
pulling myself back on track. During my sophomore and junior years of high
school, I let my grades slip and I became very depressed and reclusive. This
past year though, I've worked on pulling my grades back up, and have become
more involved and on track. Now I teach a catechism class after school at my
local church's school.
Nykaul: Name five things that most people don't know about you.
Allyrellia:
I'm only 17, although at times I feel 100+!
I really did name my chinchilla, Dante, after Dantor
I used to play Starcraft/Broodwars on Battle.net
I used to go to school with Danock, (first and second grade)
until he moved to LA (I live in San Jose) and we remet on the internet.
I'm half Chinese, quarter Native American, and quarter French
Canadian. How's that for an interesting mix!
Nykaul: Any comments, opinions, suggestions you would like to finish with?
Allyrellia: Just with encouragement to all the lower levels, especially
femmes. Med is over 50% made up of females, don't let people bully you
around! You're worth just as much as some elite hero. Also, to anyone
dreaming of starting a clan it IS possible, go for it!
I would like to thank Allyrellia for her time and honesty in answering
these questions. The experience was extremely informative.
If you believe you are a 'special' person that should be interviewed then
email me at nykaul@medievia.com with the reasons why. Also, if you have a
question you have always wanted to ask someone, feel free to email that
question and if I ever interview that person I may include your question.
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