"Only the Force" Has Begun!

Good news!

Chapter 1 of Only the Force is now posted on Archive of our Own.

I am very excited.

Good News For Harissa Fans!

Minutes ago, I completed the second draft of the second book in the Padawan of Fear duology.

That's right.

Harissa's story will continue very soon!

Look forward to seeing you guys over on Archive of our Own!

We are one with the Force and the Force is with us.

Random Thoughts: Kindness in SWTOR

(From February 2, 2017)

This morning I joined my very first group, in connection with a Heroic mission on Dromund Kaas. I used the chat option for the first time too. It was both terrifying and exciting for me.

Fortunately, the player who helped me out was very kind, and willing to explain just about everything to me, from how to not get stuck in chat when you're trying to fight, how in blazes to complete that one mission, and how to find my Quick Travel, which had been missing.

I even fell off a cliff, and had to be revived.

The level of consideration shown to me was quite wonderful, and even though I managed to not be very helpful in any of the actual battles, I still had fun...

And I'm far more likely to try grouping again in the future now. Hopefully I can get the hang of it to where I'm actually a help, instead of just a learner.

So for all of you people out there who take the time to help a new person learn to play well and have fun: thank you. Thank you so much. You make the world just a bit brighter— in the Star Wars universe and here in our own.

The Force will be with you, always.

Random Thoughts: Cad Bane Has Fangs

(From January 27, 2017)

Cad Bane has fangs.

And somehow, through all the times I've watched his episodes, loving every second of it—

I never noticed.

Me. Who absolutely loves fangs.

Ah, well. Now I know.

Random Thoughts: Stronghold Mania

(From January 26, 2017)

I may have gone a little bit bonkers this morning.

I spent my entire allotted SWTOR hour in my Coruscant Stronghold (the only one I have for now) running around my three open rooms and figuring out what in blazes to do with them with the decorations I already possess.

 Everything ended up placed, except for the 49 other copies of the various pictures I collected from the 5-year Anniversary Vendor.

 

I may have accidentally discovered what the word bound means on an item as I played around with sticking things in my Legacy Cargo bay. On some things I would get red text that said it couldn't move there because it was bound.

And apparently pets belong to a single character too? Back during the Life Day event, I threw snowballs like a madwoman until I had enough parcels for the baby wampa. That was with Triscalion (my Jedi Knight Sentinel). But when I logged on with Eegan and went looking, there wasn't even a pets tab in that panel. Curious.

 

Anyway. Odd stuff happened. Apparently Triscalion had various companions as decorations automatically? I used a token to create him, making him instantly high-level so I could take him through Knights of the Eternal Throne. I haven't played KotFE, and I'm still working on the original game, so I have absolutely no idea who any of these people are. Deciding that didn't matter, I placed them all around the room anyway.

Then I came back with Eegan, to see which ones would look like blue holograms and which would be physically present.

And discovered that the two who didn't look like holograms had lost all their clothes. The Cathar male, and the Devaronian with the broken horn. That's baffling me a bit.

 

Random Thoughts: Continuing Story- Harissa Nol

(From January 26, 2017)

We are a couple chapters away from the end of Only Preparation being posted. In one sense, it's hard to believe; in another, I am so thrilled. Harissa's story is only a gateway into a web of myth that just keeps growing, and I can't wait to share it with you.

As I've been completing the final edits and posting chapters, I've also been working on the second book in the duology. I am now 52,952 words into it, and I'm very excited about it.

I'm not entirely sure how long it will end up being. My novel-length works usually end up around 90- to 110,000 words long. The specifics of this one will be dictated by the feel of the story. It will tell me when it's ready.

I am happy to say that some of the characters you have grown to love will make an appearance, as well as some new characters, who I hope will leave an impression.

I am not entirely sure about the posting schedule for the rest of Only Preparation. We'll have to see what my own personal schedule ends up allowing.

May the Force be with you all!

Random Thoughts: First Stronghold Decoration

(From January 25, 2017)

I confess that Stronghold decorating completely baffled me. When I tried clicking on a decoration in my inventory, it seemed to disappear, and I had no idea what was going on. I did manage to place a chair, and what appeared to be a hologram of T7 that first day in my Stronghold, and then I backed away and gave up.

That was back in 2016. (Do you enjoy saying that as much as I do? It's 2017, people. Still crazy.) This past week I decided it was time to take another run at it, so I went to Swtorista's Academy on Youtube to see if I could find any hints.

I found two videos, and wow, some of those stronghold images are beautiful. Definitely got me excited to try again.

This morning I set the patch to download— 5.1, here now is. I had about ten minutes left after that before I had to leave, so I took Eegan, my Jedi Knight Guardian, to my one Stronghold.

First I played around with the windows to try to understand the terminology, and then I cautiously clicked on one of the “paintings” the 5-year anniversary vendor on the fleet had been selling. The number in my inventory went down, and the list of unlocked, available-to-place decorations went up.

Emboldened, I tried the Legacy Cargo Bay, and that worked too.

So, with only a little time left, I planted the Legacy box, and ta-da. Now I have a place to put all of my crafting materials, and it actually works!

I was ridiculously proud of myself.

Now I just have to figure out what my color scheme is supposed to be like. That is not my strong point.