Greetings,
Since the beginning with Orcs vs. Humans and then the beta of vanilla, I have been enjoying many aspects of WoW. It took a while to find a guild I could call my first home back in Vanilla, mostly because friends wanted to play Alliance, and I went shaman all the way!
While I raid led from SoO through BofA, my wife would sit near me and be laughing and enjoying her time in WoW… learning to roleplay and joining Redwood Tribe on ED. Being a writer myself, I wished I had time to join her on story night or these D20 adventures she would try to explain to me. I played tabletop games, it sounded fun.
Finally one night, I went to the weekly meeting, creating a new toon, Lohkawas Wildmane, and meeting an ominous Warbrave that said Hi after the meeting. I said “Hello.” And was invited to a new World of Warcraft.
Two nights later, I was standing in front of a small group making up a background story on the spot of how I met my mate (and IRL wife) Mokalyn. We still raided, so I didn’t have to give up what I enjoyed, and as an RP-PVP server, I learned to escape danger whether on my shaman or monk. As a healer, escaping a 2v1 or 3v1 after a long chase is a win in my book. Three alliance chased me across two Kul Tiran islands for 18 minutes one time before they gave up. A proud victory for a mistweaver!
But then came classic. Several of us as junior officers took on the challenge of starting Redwood on an RP-PvP server. We opened it up to multi-race and on the 3rd night led a mighty group before Thrall to pledge our allegiance and then raced out to Ashenvale to slaughter what alliance we could find. We were joined by several others as we marched from Crossroads to Razor Hill for a rally, to Orgrimmar, and then to Ashenvale.
It took me 50 days game played time to make lvl 60 in that first year… What can I say… there was a fresh world and a story to tell and roleplayers that wanted their voices and stories told.
By now, it should be clear that the RP community is my focus. I’ve got a newspaper online detailing the adventures of the server as best as I can get to events or catch odd happenings. We have produced huge cross faction server events like Grobbchella and Burning Grob and during Covid gave out diplomas from all the major cities to graduates on both Horde and Alliance for those that did not get to walk. I made certificates with pictures of their home city and sent a copy to each graduate.
And despite the pain of layers and the transfers that have no respect for RP, we continue to add a flavor to the world that makes the experience unique and deepens their own connection to the game, whether they have played a few weeks or several years.
Sorry for the long intro, but I would not still be playing WoW if it were not for Redwood Tribe on ED and the amazing role-players on Grobbulus. I still love to raid and pvp, but the story of Okwaho, Lohkawas, Leidolfr… those journeys are my own to tell, not scripted, not the same as anyone else’s that is called Hero or Farseer by an NPC…
It is unique and amazing to live in a world where RP can flourish.
Hope I can help breath life into RP for others and encourage folks to add some depth to their characters… and bug some folks to hasten transmog and more toys to us in classic! (my bags are full with RP sets, PVP Set, Healing Set, and DPS set) Please, I beg you!!! Have you ever seen a Shu’halo cry? Of course you have… at Great Mother Hawkwind’s funeral! … Oh wait, that hasn’t happened yet for us in Classic!)
Thanks for extending the invitation to this community and already seeing a familiar face has made this a new home.
Mu’sha watch over you,
~Okwaho Redwood
Sage and 2nd Chieftain of Redwood Tribes, Warlord of the Horde (yes, I earned this title slinging Dwarves around by their beard in AV), Seer of the Earthen Ring