Award Winter 519's Featured Contributor is...

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Winter 519's Featured Contributor is...

Postby Gossamer on December 4th, 2019, 11:53 pm

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Hello Fellow Mizaharians!


Keeping with our tradition, the Founders Circle and Storytellers are proud to announce that the Featured Contributor for the season of Winter 519 is Ambrosia! Ambrosia has been with Mizahar for ages and is one of our longest-standing members and indeed one of our biggest cheerleaders in chat. I don't think there's a single soul alive on Miz that hasn't been helped by him a time or two by a kind word or a gentle check-in. He often is silly, not for the sake of silly, but because he just has an off-the-beaten-path sort of personality. He's definitely counseled all of us with Veterinarian advice while at the same time joyfully assisting in all plots of murder and destruction in-game. Ambro is too complex to describe. He must be experienced. Please join me in congratulating Ambrosia on earning this award. His Interview is below!


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The Interview!


1. You were selected enthusiastically by the staff for Featured Contributor because of your mirthful presence in chat. What draws you to chat and what keeps you coming back?

Chat is where the people are at. Yes, Miz is a writer’s RPG, so we’re all about the stories. Those don’t happen in chat, but the people who create them are there. Getting to know the people behind the stories can be almost as fun, if not more fun at times, than the stories themselves. I like our people. We’re a good lot.

I said it over Thanksgiving, but for those who aren’t on chat or who missed it, here it is. There are a lot of individuals on Mizahar that I’m thankful for and a lot of things in general (our amazing staff, the beautiful lore and world we get to play in, etc.), but what I’m most thankful for is our community. We work together. We are a varied group of people, many of us with our flaws and insecurities, but Miz is a place that gathers behind each of the individuals that make it up. We compliment our writing partners and even those we don’t write with. We dissolve insecurities and replace them with friendships. We care about each other, not just as writers but as people.

Which can make it rough on us when people move on. Life happens, and people step away from Mizahar. It’s always sad to lose them, no matter the circumstances, but Miz goes on. All we can do is keep it going and hope they all return to us some day. I guess that’s one reason I like to be in chat as well. Recently I missed a return, but chat let me know.


2. You assist so many people by basically being the game’s cheerleader. It doesn’t seem to matter what you cheer on either. Write more? You’re all for it. Procrastinate? You encourage it! Abuse a PC? You’ll make ‘helpful’ abusive suggestions. What is your reasoning behind your randomness… or is there any reason at all?

I think it’s just to let people know that someone is there and interested. Sometimes, Miz might just be that place where someone needs to be to escape. Sometimes, Miz might be the only place someone feels safe. Sometimes, Miz might be the only place where someone feels valued. I want people to know when they are here that we are listening, that we are here, that we care.

As I said, there are a lot of people here, and I think a lot of us come with our insecurities. Being there to be the weird nut that shows that someone is listening, no matter how weird and petched-up that individual is, makes me happy.


3. Does your dog have a real name? We’ve heard about two thousand nicknames for him, but we are still unclear what his true name is. Also, he ran away today. Did you two have a disagreement? Did he pack a bandana bag on a stick and try to thumb a ride on the highway or was he just visiting neighbors? And now that he’s home safe, is he grounded?

Crash Bean. Bugga. Shithead. Yeah. He’s a good boy at heart, but he’s young and dumb. He’s bound to make mistakes, and as his furless father, it’s my place to forgive him and remind him that I hold certain diabolical powers.

His real name is Asher, which means joyful or blessed. And he is both, and we, his family, are both to have him around. You learn, as I imagine you do with toddlers as well, that kids make mistakes and do stupid things, but the joy they bring is definitely well worth the irritation they cause.


4. ‘My wife’ is obviously not your legal spouse. Why do you persist in continuously amusing the game population by being so deliberately confusing? It has been suggested that you are Peter Pan in disguise and you technically lead The Lost Boys off site. Can you confirm this rumor?

Just to be perfectly clear, my wife is not my wife. My wife is my wife, but only when Selkie/Ines/Mayhem/Rimshot is speaking. So, no, my wife is not my wife. My wife is Marie, but she is not my wife.

Now that we cleared that up, I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of the Lost Boys. Peter doesn’t like us talking about these things with grown-ups.


5. Can you talk to us about your ghost obsession? You took your very-much-alive Symenestra PC, plotted all kinds of death for her, and then got tired of waiting for yourself to get around to all the death and destruction, so you then created a ghost pc. Why don’t you open up about this? Many theorize this is a direct result of childhood trauma. Can you describe said childhood trauma? We’ll protect the real names of the people involved who dropped you on your head. Honest.

Ghosts, originally, were my least favorite race in all of Mizahar. I thought they were ridiculous. Who would want to play a creature so tortured in life that they refused to die, at least in the proper way? Spiritism was my least favorite magic. Who would want to purposely surround themselves by those tortured souls?

And then a little spark of an idea came to life. Once, there was a woman who died selflessly to save others from the fate that was her death. Staying as a ghost was the only way she could make this happen, but when the deed was done, she found she was unable to move on. Something was keeping her here or rather a lack of something. She couldn’t figure out what, but that something was love.

It had been offered but only a false shadow of it. What should have been was not, and she sought for that thing she had never received. And then, without her knowing or realizing, it came along in the form of a pup who grew up to be the scrawny man who considered a ghost to be his best friend. And bit by bit, Autumn began to receive love in all its many forms from Maro.

That has nothing to do with wanting to play a ghost other than I had cut the plot short by letting Maro die and it needed to not be left the way I did. Ever since I began that though, a curiosity sprouted, and the desire to play a ghost blossomed. And let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. Being a ghost is the best thing ever! I’m having more fun being dead than I have ever had in my life.

And, yes, the trauma is real. It goes back to a time when we could all barely pick up a baseball. I have the coolest older brother in the world, and knowing this, I tried to hang out with him all the time, no matter what he was doing. He was a baseball player and he practiced often. One day, while he was practicing batting, I, as I always did, wandered close.

He purposely addressed me, realizing my younger brother folly, to try to keep me out of harm’s way. “Matthew, be careful. I swinging the bat. Don’t get too close.”

A half minute later, WHACK! Right in the noggin. Turns out, I’m not real great at listening. Anyway, I think I began to realize a screw was loose after that, but not quite loose enough for my taste. I repeated the process a couple times until I was satisfied with the results. The weird, petched up individual writing with you all today is a result of those mild reparative concussions.


6. Pie or cake? This is important. As a secondary question in this frame of mind… why is pineapple your favorite fruit? It’s delicious and all, but the whole spiny rough exterior is off-putting. Is that a-peeling to you as well?

There is always only one correct answer to this question, and for you cake lovers out there, enjoy your delusional little world. Pie! Pie is diverse. It can be anything you want it to be. It is simple, not masking its flaws with exorbitant and flamboyant frosting and decoration. And pie can be savory.

Meat pies. Humankind’s greatest invention since the hotdog, maybe even on par with it. People tend to frown on meat cakes. Maybe not beefcakes though. That’s probably a personal preference sort of thing.

As for the reason for pineapple, beyond having an amazing flavor and being the ultimate in pizza toppings, it is the head of the food innuendo trifecta: eggplants, bananas, and coconuts/melons. (Children, earmuffs). While all of these have their own (very obvious) meanings, pineapple speaks for itself. It has an enzyme that tries to digest you as you eat it. The fruit so nice that, when you eat it, it returns the favor.

Also, well-played on the punnery, but yes, the rough exterior does make it more appealing. The hardest to reach prizes, the hardest to reach people, are often the most satisfying ones to know once that rough and hurtful exterior is breached. The journey is half the pleasure in and of itself.


7. What is your favorite chat emoji and why? What chat emoji’s would you like to see added? And do you believe chat emoji’s have real power over people’s souls? Ie… how the hairy balls emoji is rumored to summon Shiress. Any validity to these rumors?

I feel I’ve already answered this in the last bit. Pineapple is very satisfactory, though one does top it. The glary, angry emoji fills me with a profound sense of joy and is very useful in these moments of exceptional happiness.

These emojis hold the greatest of sway. Perhaps one of the few real magics in irl Miz is the summoning and emotional power of emojis. Shire is epic in her response time to balls. Simple emojis (like hotdogs and angry glary face) evoke a sense of gratitude and great joy. These powers were set into motion by ancient magics a long time ago (see the lore for the Discord Storm of 2017).


8. On a more serious note, what is the worst thing you’ve ever done to one of your PCs? How do you feel about what you put the PC through and what was your reasoning for them experiencing this horrible thing?

Honestly, the worst thing I ever did was kill Maro. It was awful to do to him and to Autumn, and my only excuse was laziness. I had a long term plot that I wanted to speed along and thought I could get there by doing that, and it was a real dirtbag, dickhead move on my part. I’m happy I’ve picked the story back up, because both of them deserve it. Yes, I initially intended for the two to become separated by the cycle of life and death, but I should not have done it so cheaply. Still, I feel like there is a good story that remains in it all, and I’m proud of my PCs for withstanding my selfishness, laziness, and stupidity.

9. If Mizahar experienced a Zombie Apocalypse… which PC would you want to have ‘survive’ it and what location do you think would be the absolute best one to be in to survive?

Autumn would kick so much ass in a zombie apocalypse, mostly because it’s hard to kill what’s already dead. The ability to possess a body might be made even easier due to the less willful nature of zombies, their reduced brain function and more base nature.

My initial thought was to run for the north. Avanthal would be rough on zombie bodies the same way it is on Nuit ones. Not to mention the massive Talderan animals, especially their fierce predators. But then I thought how terrifying it would be if a zombie managed to bite a Talderan Sabretooth before it got eaten. It’d be like the dogs on Resident Evil, but a billion times more horrific. I think the best bet is to run to Isle of the Dead, Black Rock. Sit back, sip a cocktail (or a refreshing glass of Soulmist), and watch Dira Goddess of Death set the cycle straight again.


10. You are one of the meanest writers ever in terms of the torture you put your PCs through. Are you ever going to let your PCs experience any glimmer of happiness or joy? Can we have a hint of what that might be if you have any big plans?

I’m only mean, because I have plans to give those PCs the happiest of endings. For every PC that I’ve tortured, I had great things in mind. For all the suffering Or was put through, I intended to have her find her sister Yora’s twin and closest friends, tell them of what became of her, and finally return to the ocean with her second family and her lover aboard The Bonnie Dot. For Ambrosia who had to face the horror of losing her sister and the terror of what it meant for that sister to be trapped in death, I intended to have her set her sister free, then find an even greater joy as she became an aunt. And for Autumn, poor broken Autumn, I intend for her to meet a reincarnated Maro again and hopefully, through some turn of events, realize it’s him. I intend for her to one day find the love she never received, find contentment, and when she has had her fill, when she has experienced it to her satisfaction, finally move on.

11. You claim you are a connoisseur of hotdogs. Please make a suggestion for hot dog usage in every course of a 15-course meal including the desert and pallet cleansing courses. Certain members of the community think you will not be able to do this. I am confident you can.

Any suitable host of a full course meal knows that the meal doesn’t begin with the first bite. It begins when your guests arrive and while they intermingle. It is at this time when a good host sets the atmosphere for the rest of the night, and the best and classiest do so with aperitifs.

Predinner alcoholic beverages are a time to show off just how classy one can be. It is not a time for frivolous alcohol consumption and drunkenness. The alcohol must be carefully selected to both cleanse the palate and hint at the dishes to come. Fruity drinks and frat boy inventions are not acceptable. Any person who orders a drink with ‘motherf***er” in its name at my wedding or funeral is officially disinvited. No, this is a time for showing off class, and few drinks say classy like a martini in just the same way few proteins speak of class the way a hotdog does.

The martini is classy in both its simplicity and in its dynamic nature. It can crafted in so many ways, so that most people’s palates can be accommodated for. In the instance of a full course meal crafted around hotdogs, might I suggest trying the martini con salsiccia, a classic martini served with a small disc of hotdog marinated in olive juice on the skewer, rather than a typical pimento olive. If you’re feeling rebellious, spice it up a bit with a twist of hotdog.

During this reception time, while your guests are milling about catching up with old friends and making new acquaintances, hors d’oeuvres should be served. Be sure your maître d’ and service staff are dressed to the nines, your bartenders as well, and the lighting in the reception is bright and inviting but not glaring. Hotdog hors d’oeuvres can be quite varied by the crème de la crème of them should be served at these meals. Start strong with an avocado canape with diced hotdog marinated in and served with pico de gallo. These flavors are strong and palate forward and will excite the taste buds but are too strong to serve too close to the main dish. Keep the spice present but not potent. Follow this with a thyme- and chive-seasoned gougere stuffed with a two-to-one mixture of gruyere and hotdog.

Your guests are getting comfortable with each other, and now it’s time to draw them to the dining table. The light here should still be warm, but it is better to keep it dimmer than your reception area. Let the flavor do the major talking for your food. The best way to bring your guests to the dining table is with a fine amuse-bouche. Pull out the stops with savory white cheddar and shallot hot dog balls (summon Shiress) served with a jalapeno pear cranberry sauce.

Next comes a potato hotdog chowder. Be sure to serve this in very small portions as it is a heavy soup but compliments the flavors of previous dish beautifully. As it is so heavy, it is wise to follow this with a salad. Mandarins, slivered almonds, and hotdogs on a bed of romaine and spinach topped with a raspberry shallot vinaigrette will settle the heavier nature of the preceding course and set your guests up for the next course: fish.

Here, we return to flavors of the amuse-bouche with pear, shallots, and mustard. These are mixed with hotdog and fill a halibut fillet encrusted with almonds.

The first main dish should lean heavily on traditional French cooking to showcase the talent of your chef. Something like a reliable honey mustard hotdog cordon bleu is bound to be a hit. While the basics of cordon bleu should be followed, your chef can wow your guests by the creative choices made with the sauce and the breading. Done right, this will leave your guests more than satisfied to stop the meal here.

Let them savor it, then cleanse their palates before the next main course. This can be done with a mint and hotdog sorbet served followed with citrus seltzer water.

For the final main course, go big. You’re already home. It’s hard to go wrong with Hotdog Wellington. Hotdogs are covered in a sautéed shallot and crimini duxelles, then wrapped in a smoked ham, which is finally wrapped in puffed pastry. The trick is to make sure the hotdogs are cooked to perfection.

A lighter course highlighting the smokier flavors that hotdogs evoke should follow with cheese, hotdog, and apple skewers. A smoked gouda will bring out these flavors even more.

Next comes dessert. Both berry and chocolate crepes will be accented beautifully by a hint of hotdog, the tiniest amount of savory going a long way with so much sweet.

End your night with conversation over maple hotdog chocolate truffles as mignardise and a fernet branca fizz as a digestif.

For the vegetarian and vegan friends among us, vegan hotdog options are available, and accommodations should be made for these individuals. After all, we are connoisseurs, not barbarians.

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Winter 519's Featured Contributor is...

Postby Octarus on December 5th, 2019, 12:12 am

Congrats Ambrosia! Your interview had me both laughing and nauseous, but it was a wild fun ride none the less.
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Winter 519's Featured Contributor is...

Postby Ines on December 5th, 2019, 12:27 am

Congrats Ambro!!!
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