You don't know me BUT! ...

[Chaemera]

So, I realize it may be silly to be posting this when the overwhelming majority of you have no idea who I am.

However, that could make things more interesting, it means there's more to ask!

To break the ice & provide opening fodder for this "Ask Me Anything" thread...

I'm Keilin's husband, a nuclear (electrical) engineer, and I build submarines for a living.

I also know Alnaeyah.

Keilin insists I mention that in my spare time, I GM the tabletop RPG Keilin claims she rants about.

One day, I swear, I'll also actually adopt a companion & roleplay here...

[Keilin Alyr]

You know, that woman you're married to is kinda lame. What the heck do you see in her anyway? =P

Also what animal (or general category of animals) would you like most or least as a companion? I know you have favorites, so none of this lame "whatever's fine" nonsense, heh.

[Chaemera]

You know, that woman you're married to is kinda lame. What the heck do you see in her anyway? =P

Cheesecake. Definitely cheesecake.

Also, according to my coworkers, I married up. Like, stratosphere. So, I don't get the premise behind your question.

Also what animal (or general category of animals) would you like most or least as a companion? I know you have favorites, so none of this lame "whatever's fine" nonsense, heh.

Most like:
Mice, preferably chainsaw wielding (then my avatar makes sense!). Wolves (esp gray), foxes (fennic!), and elephants tie for a close second behind the meeses.

Least like:

Dolphins, or other porpoises. Cause, well, they're jerks. Seriously, do the research. You'll stop buying "dolphin free tuna". I buy "tuna free dolphin".

Tigers. Don't get me wrong, big cats are cool (house cat / lynx would be third place on the most if I didn't feel that I'd listed enough), but it seems like a hand that's been over-played. Also, weretigers in Faerun have turned me off to anthropomorphic tigers. Everytime they show up in a Forgotten Realms novel, they're not very nice people. And rarely in a cool way (okay, except for the one in Cormyr: A Novel).

Dogs. I'm a cat person. I like dogs, but I wouldn't want to be one.

Sharks. Don't get me wrong, amazingly cool animal, I was obsessed with them as a kid. But, like Tiger, Shark is over-exposed. You had the Jaws movies, the Megashark series, Megashark vs Giant Crocodile, Sharktopus, Sharknado (Sharknado 2 coming out soon...), the Shark Attack series. Also, I've seen what an anthropomorphic shark would look like, and it's not pretty.

It occurs to me that I really should have "B-Movie Fanatic" in my signature...

[Solistia]

It sounds like you may have a liking for the tabletop genre

Do you prefer D&D 3.5 or Pathfinder?
Do you have a favorite World of Darkness race you love to play or learn about?
What is your favorite multi-sided dice?
Do you prefer to play in games, GM, or a good mix of both?
Favorite RA Salvatore book? 8D

[Chaemera]

It sounds like you may have a liking for the tabletop genre

Do you prefer D&D 3.5 or Pathfinder?

Caveat, I played 3.5 for about MANY MANY years (try 2003 - 2010ish) whereas I've played Pathfinder for about a year and a half (September 2012? - Present).

That being said, I prefer Pathfinder (minus some of the monster artwork in the bestiary... who the heck greenlit that wyvern?! or the green dragon...)

Why, you undoubtedly ask? Because characters feel powerful starting at level 1, without feeling gimmicky & "MMO" a la 4e. Because the mechanics were knit back together after all the creep & confusion that was the "Complete" series of add ons. And, because now I can take classes from the aforementioned "Complete" series of books, throw them in with minimal conversion, and they don't make the core classes feel like wusses.

Factotums & Scouts & Warlocks, oh my!

On that same note, because of the relative easy converting between 3.5 and Pathfinder (versus the pain that was converting 3.0 rogues/rangers to 3.5... don't get me started...), I can use specific parts of 3.5 in my Pathfinder (Spell Compendium & Magic Item Compendium spring immediately to mind) without feeling obligated to include everything from 3.5 (psionics, ew...)

Do you have a favorite World of Darkness race you love to play or learn about?

By "race", I'll assume you mean preferred supernatural critter type. Keep in mind, my familiarity is almost exclusively New World of Darkness, even if that makes me an evil (censored for open forum).

So, with that, I say the rankings go (fav to least):
Changling, they're just cool & I'm too much of a Dresden Files fan not to love anything Fae.
Mage, see the above. Plus, the system in nWoD for mages is just awesome. There are a lot of good stories to tell buried in the metaphysics of "Mage" magic.
Geist, 'cause who doesn't want to use the line "I see dead people" at the table?
Werewolf. Confession time, I've watched True Blood. And shapeshifters have the most reason to take their clothes off... Also, as mentioned in the Dresden Files, spending half your time as a wolf really is a good workout. Nevermind all the crazy Guns & Fangs style stories you can tell... This is, however, the system where I have the largest gripe against nWoD. Why'd they have to go and throw all the alternate lycanthropes in a non-Werewolf splat-book & make them mid-tier, instead of full-on Werewolf power level? C'mon, I want my kitsune!
Promethean, because Mary Shelley is a genius who deserves more credit at our Tabletops than she gets. Also, I love the flexibility of their mechanics. They can sorta fill in any of the other supernaturals' niche.
Hunter. Because it's sometimes really fun to take on the monsters. Even if we get that in our Pathfinder games, Hunter adds the risk of becoming the monster you hunt, without feeling like a heavy-handed GM railroad shoved up your (censored for open forum).
Vampire. I don't not like them, but they're both over-played & a touch too rigidly structured in WoD (old or new) for my taste. It doesn't help that my group very, VERY, strenuously objects to the heavy-handedness of Vampire. The Prince is too much like railroads for their tastes.

What is your favorite multi-sided dice?

Definitely the d5 right now. And it all comes down to the reality of the physics....

HOW DOES THIS WORK?! (it does, believe me or not)

Do you prefer to play in games, GM, or a good mix of both?

I'd like to believe my preference is a mix. However, there is a dearth of GM's in my immediate gaming group, so I've little experience being on that side of the table.

When there is someone else GMing, I can admit I have a hard time disengaging my "GM Brain". So, even when they're giving it their best go, I sometimes have to bite my tongue from commenting (Sorry, Alnaeyah! You did good, for a first time, though).

Favorite RA Salvatore book? 8D

Okay, I haven't read all of his work (don't kill me, it's no worse than preferring nWoD to oWoD), and it's been ages since I cycled through his books.

That being said, my favorite is book 3 of the Sellswords trilogy, Road of the Patriarch. It's inspired NPCs & campaigns for me (half of which failed to launch, but, such be life...). Really, the whole trilogy is probably his magnum opus. Though I think he qualifies the video game "Kingdoms of Alamur:Reckoning" in that slot.

I want to read more, but all the Drizz't fan-boying in the world turns me off to the character (besides, Artemis Entriri is both more well rounded and just plain hotter).

-----

TL;DR - Pathfinder, Changling, d5, mix, Road of the Patriarch

[Keilin Alyr]

Release the teal deer! Hee hee hee. XD

...don't get me started on the Pathfinder green dragon. It's all right, but I almost prefer the 4th edition green to that bastardized blue, and I still can't stand either version compared to the glorious 3.0/3.5 green. Why did they never make a Huge version of you, sweetie? ;_;

On the subject of tabletop, what do you enjoy most about roleplaying? Which system that you own is your favorite? What game(s) that you've participated in (as a GM or a player) have been your favorite? Do you have any particularly favorite NPCs (no, you're not allowed to include Ruth), and for what reasons are they memorable to you? How about favorite/memorable PCs and for what reasons?

Also, I suppose, what's your favorite music? Especially stuff that inspires creative ventures or helps you relax or actually... y'know, does something for you as opposed to just sounds cool? =3

Do any of the companions on the overall adopted list catch your eye? You don't have to know anything about 'em (or go through the absolute entire list XD), just anyone you find neat or interesting.

[Korpuskat]

Welcome, welcome, Chaemera!
I'm horrible at questions and talking in general, so here are the first two that came to mind:

Cat person? So... Favorite cat colors/coats or breeds if you have favorites?

Thoughts on Sharknado?

[Chaemera]

The wife, you'd think she didn't know me the way she asks questions...

On the subject of tabletop, what do you enjoy most about roleplaying?

Either seeing people having fun with the world we've created, or the improv I have to pull out of my (censored for open forum) because I completely forgot to prepare anything for the session...

Which system that you own is your favorite?

Probably Shadowrun 5. It patches up 4th edition pretty well, without hitting the redonc of 2/3. Also, dice pool systems >> flat roll + mods. Statistically, it's massively more realistic. Gameplay, there's something amazing about rolling a fist-full of dice. From a perspective that's not gameplay, I love cyberpunk, and I love fantasy. Mash the two together with a semi-believable nod to the direction technology's heading & you have fan-gasm.

That being said, I've got to read Eclipse Phase, Iron Kingdoms, Adventure!, and the rest of FATE before I can give a truly honest answer. FATE and Savage Worlds suffers from being barebones systems with no setting (until you add a module to Savage Worlds), though.

What game(s) that you've participated in (as a GM or a player) have been your favorite?

As a GM, its a tie between Slipshod Paradise and Call of the North.

Slipshod Paradise, because it was probably the campaign that was the most mine, in the sense that I really created a lot of original content to flesh out the world before, and during, the game. Add to it the degree of player character self-direction, rather than just following my lead. I'm seriously going to revisit that "universe" in Shadowrun 5, maybe set a few years later, maybe a direct reboot, we'll see...

Call of the North because we actually got to a satisfying conclusion. Also, beetle. And vengeance for Gay Pirates. It was just a plain old riot.

Yes, wife, I linked them the campaign pages. Be careful what you ask for . People who are truly curious what made them so interesting could do a lot worse than reading over those pages.

From a player perspective, short of some near-one-off games, I haven't been a player since 2003. But, top prize goes to my first real game, where I played Bulthag Wisefist, the orc shaman. Nothing beats sitting through the introductory bar fight, only to have a pissed-off, beer-soaked monk demand why I didn't get involved. Best line of the game: "Fight big, me bigger. Fight no bother me."

Words to live by...

Next up, the d20 modern game in which I played a German bodyguard for the 16-year-old Japanese schoolgirl cum Yakuza sniper. I blasted Rammstein through the National Cathedral. It doesn't get much better than that. (BTW, said Yakuza sniper was played by the same guy who played the monk. We made an insane team, both games. Like the time I chucked the monk foot-first up an ogre's [censored for open forum]. Apparently, the GM quietly decided to have the foot possessed by a stink demon).

I could go on all night...

Do you have any particularly favorite NPCs (no, you're not allowed to include Ruth), and for what reasons are they memorable to you? How about favorite/memorable PCs and for what reasons?

Jeremiah
He's a troll, in a tuxedo, who's a "legitimate business man". Come on! How much cooler do you get?

Black Tony
The suave, mobster with a heart, Black Tony could talk anyone out of anything (particularly their dress). He takes loyalty seriously, and has a strong code of honor. Also, his work ethic can literally kill you.

I think it's safe to say that I could go on all night about the characters from Slipshod Paradise.... So, other gems, then

William Katheveri
This guy is probably the closest I ever came to a self-insert. A smart-ass alchemist who's always looking to find a new shiny, particularly if it explodes. Add to that his deep and abiding love for cats (from whom he believes dragons descended). When a man can train his cats to mix a two-part explosive to fend off an encroaching zombie hoard, who else could you love?

Cynric Statham
When you base a religious man off of Jason Statham, add in a tiny love-interest, and then toss him in the general direction of the group, you have a recipe for AWESOME. Seriously, I had so much fun running this guy alongside the group.

Johnny
Digging back in time to before I put campaigns on the intertubes... we have Johnny. Card shark, pool shark, investment shark, and real-estate flipper, this half-orc was the go-to guy for any underhanded, underworld dealings that didn't involve killing people. Or breaking their legs. He knows a thing that knows a thing for that sort of work. Not him, he's friendly, if uncouth, and prefers to let his money solve his problems, not his swords.

Also, I suppose, what's your favorite music? Especially stuff that inspires creative ventures or helps you relax or actually... y'know, does something for you as opposed to just sounds cool? =3

Lots. For creative ventures, in the roleplaying arena, I generally find heavy metal or hard rock gets me going for the GM side of things, so stuff like 5FDP, Metallica, or Avenged Sevenfold.

For other creative stuff, well, I'll have to see.

Relaxation, I go for some Lindsey Sterling, or perhaps Wagner. Flight of the Valkyries is amazingly cathartic.

Do any of the companions on the overall adopted list catch your eye? You don't have to know anything about 'em (or go through the absolute entire list XD), just anyone you find neat or interesting.

I'll be honest, I haven't even looked yet. The most I've seen of the critters here is what I catch in people's sigs.

[Chaemera]

Welcome, welcome, Chaemera!

Astoundingly, I've managed to semi-lurk here for half a year, or more. Granted, this is the most active I've ever been, other than when talking about bacon.

And, yes, I am hyperlink happy.

Cat person? So... Favorite cat colors/coats or breeds if you have favorites?

Maine Coons. Hands down, favorite breed. Followed by the "Rags", ragamuffin & rag doll. You'll see a long-haired bias here.

Favorite color? Orange. They tend to be bigger, and I like big cats. Also, never met a non-mellow, non-friendly orange cat. My cat, Isaac, is a big blob who complains if I'm not in bed by 10 PM for his evening snuggle.

Thoughts on Sharknado?

My first thought, on seeing the previews, was "Why?"

After watching the movie, that was still the main thought. Coupled with "Why did I watch that?".

That being said, a few beers & some friends to laugh with, it's a good movie. Definitely pre-drink, though. It starts off painful. Better than Asylum's Mega Python vs Gatoroid, worse than Boa vs Python. Aside, MPvG was a movie best watched by watching the first 20 - 30 minutes to establish characters & prime the Chekhov's Guns, then change the channel for about half an hour & come back once all the critters are out and about eating people. Sharknado, on the other hand, is a good movie to watch start to finish, provided you realize what you're getting into with a movie named SHARKNADO!!!!!!!

[Lizard]

Hello! *waves*

I wanted to know since you play Tabletops and all do you also play video games? And if you do which game is your favorite?

[Chaemera]

Hello! *waves*

Hello, to you as well!

I wanted to know since you play Tabletops and all do you also play video games?

Do I play video games? Hrm... *looks about clandestinely*

Well, according to my OCD-derived spreadsheet, I have spent approximately* $1,663.89 dollars on video games through Steam alone, upon which I have invested at least* 1177.53 hours. That's not counting non-Steam PC games, PS2, PS3, "Wii" (I pretend I never bought one, honestly), Nintendo DS, Nintendo**, and the SEGA Game Gear. I think that's all the systems I still own...

So, suffice it to say that I do play video games, and I probably don't have a life.

Spoiler for *:

I say "approximately" because the calculation includes prices of games others have bought me (for other statistic tracking reasons) & "at least" because I'm not perfect at updating Steam & some games bork their # of hours played...
...
...
don't judge me.

Spoiler for **:

No fancy letters afterwards, no numbers, either. I rock that system OLDE SKOOL, before we invented "ch", and added "e" to the end of any word we wanted.

And if you do which game is your favorite?

Tough question. Right this second? Probably have to go with Total War: Rome II. But, I wish they'd finish fixing it.

All time favorite? Gosh, too many. If I went purely by hours I've played, it would be Skyrim. Money spent, Sims 3 (but, seriously, that game is a money pit). Hours I've gotten for my money (Hours/Dollar, yes I know this number for my Steam games), Gnomoria.

For story, I'd probably go with Area 51.

For satisfying my lust to conquer the world, Civilization (pick your generation, they're all good). To crush my enemies, Total Annihilation (sadly, that game didn't age well. Less sadly, we've got Planetary Annihilation coming out of it's "early release" soon).

To play for twenty minutes, and get on with life, Spelunky or Rogue Legacy.

For "I remember the days", XCOM: UFO Defense (still play occasionally), and World of Xeen (would need a DOS emulator & a new copy of the CDs, mine got damaged somewhere along the way).

Yeah... I may have a problem...

[Elyabeth]

Someone who loves Changeling! Yes! <3

So I'm not sue if I saw this answer, but what race from the Fae is your favorite to play, either old WoD or new (or both!)

[Chaemera]

Someone who loves Changeling! Yes! <3

So I'm not sue if I saw this answer, but what race from the Fae is your favorite to play, either old WoD or new (or both!)

Full disclosure, I've never had the opportunity to play Changeling. Of my dozen or so RPG systems, I've played maybe half. Mostly 3.X/Pathfinder, with a little nWoD and a splash of Shadowrun.
Tried to get an Exalted game going once, but people proved disinterested.

To make matters worse, most of my players would rather Mage or Werewolf, if we were to play another nWoD game. So, sadly, Changeling sits on a shelf, looking pretty, with very little chance for me to pick favorites. As a gamemaster/Storyteller/Dungeon Master (choose your term, I'm partial to "gamemaster" because it's both all-encompassing & honest about the role), you're really at the whim of what your players want to play. All the chest-thumping "GM Power" posts on the Paizo forums notwithstanding.

That being said, skimming over the nWoD Changeling Seemings, the Wizened & Darklings are the first ones I'd want to try. And probably as a member of the Spring Court, or just go Courtless.

[AutumnrainChaos]

WELL HELLO

By appearance, which companion do you like best?

[Elyabeth]

You're preaching to the choir, trust me. I had to beg, borrow and steal to get my players to try a Wild West Werewolf. (Though that actually turning out to be a lot of fun.)

So you get to work on submarines? That's really amazing! How did you get into that? Just by chance, or is that were you specifically wanted to take your career?