I created Rojon, my first character ever, after reading Jamie's article advising new characters to have 100's in their two primary stats. As I wanted a simple warrior to start playing AC with I could toss if I made mistakes learning the game I wasn't that concerned with how he started. I didn't know what server Jamie played on, or what town his group was centered in so I didn't know how long I was going to keep this character. 'Twas the hand of fate that made me select Harvestgain as the server to create him on. Fate will serve Rojon well later in Holtburg as we shall see.

I didn't specialize in ANYTHING because I didn't know what it meant. Basically Rojon started out trained in anything that looked cool. 100 in Strength and Endurance (as Jamie recommended) making him big. I spent a little too much on his focus and self at 20, I believe instead of tossing 10 ea. to Quickness and Coordination so he was slow. But what the hell, right? I wanted someone to learn the game with who wouldn't get obliterated each time in battle.

So, Rojon started out slow and uncoordinated but BIG and STRONG like a new training warrior should. I trained him in Crossbow and Axe (the one mistake I regret - pick one and stay with it - but Lord Druss had an axe so it had to be good, right? ;) He trained in Crossbow so he actually could pick off things from a distance if possible (something he's still working on) and an Axe warrior.

He also trained in Arcane Lore because I did want to play with magic later on in his life, and since I didn't know what I was doing, also trained in Item Appraisal and the usual Armour appraisal. The big one though was Melee Defense. I figured he should be able to wade into a battle and start hacking while at least being able to defend himself.

I logged on and was pretty lost from the beginning. I ran around Holtburg, got killed by a Drudge, bought new stuff with money a forgotten generous person gave me (taught me what trade notes are - who reads manuals??) and moved on. I ran around the bottom of the hill across the river from Holtburg and pledged to a fifth level warmage named Stormghast who let me hunt with him for awhile. He's a nice guy and I still stay in long-range contact with him. If you see him running around, say "hey" for me. He's also dependable and will help you in a pinch.

The pivotal turning point in Rojon's life came around Level 3 I believe, on the first or second day of my playtime on AC. Running through Holtburg and randomly Id'ing people (it was so cool to see the little blue letters come up and hear the chime that something had just gone up! I had no idea what it meant but it was cool, so it had to be good, right? :) I clicked on someone who had the word "Druss" in the name which I recognized immediately. Having started out on AC with no idea where Jamie played I'd created Rojon with the idea of learning the game and tossing him once I figured out where Jamie's group was and starting over. Unfortunately for me, that person ran out of my radar range before I could get the name or any details.

I started running frantically in the direction I'd seen and clicking on every dot in range. I tried shouting "CAN ANYONE HELP ME FIND LORD DRUSS!" without being too obnoxious about it (I knew at least that much about AC netiquette) with no effect. Finally I found the person again and recognized the Allegiance as The Source. I messaged Brangwen and she cautiously responded. There were long thoughtful pauses between my inquiries and I figured Brangwen was either feeling me out or confirming my stories of having known Lord Druss's fantasy character, Jamie, but I still felt a little awkward. I just bit my lip and waited.

Soon Brangwen summoned Lord Rhodry who briefly instructed me in how to behave and a ton of other information I couldn't possibly understand at the time and promised to get back in touch with me shortly, as he had a pressing engagement. Brangwen gave me a beautiful set of copper and brass chainmail and sent me on my way, promising more info soon. I promised to do my best with his advice and waved goodbye.

I then promptly got killed going somewhere I shouldn't have with someone I didn't know, got turned around, killed, and lost almost all the new stuff Rhodry gave me.

I was devastated.

Here I was, having a lot of fun playing this new game and on an emotional high having made contact with the people for whom I'd just spent $70 on software and a MSN subscription, a service I'd found to be less than useless, and I go out and do something stupid and lose all the nice things that had been given me.

I just about gave it up right there. I logged out and stayed off for an hour. I felt I owed an explanation so I tried starting over with the meager stuff Rojon had left and went back in. Rhodry found me online shortly after and I sheepishly admitted what I'd done. Long silences again and I figured I was about to be thanked for my time but dismissed from his service. Some first impression, eh? Oh well, I could always just start over and try playing by myself from scratch.

Strangely enough, Rhodry decided to help me once again by helping me financially so I could buy my own armor. I didn't blame him for giving me anything good again, and I didn't want it. Up to the point I lost that stuff I was having fun. Losing it made it "not fun" anymore because I'd let someone down and knew I should have known better.

Over the next few days, I learned how to fight, what to fight, when to fight, and when to run from Lord Rhodry. He took me hunting on Mayoi beach (and we discovered Broken Fragments together ;) and Rojon the true warrior was born. Jamie may have conceived the idea of Rojon through his stat creation advice, but it is Rhodry who has made him the warrior he is today.

I also want to mention Sister C and Mutt as being a big help. Their generosity to Rojon was second only to Rhodry's and helped tremendously.

Just being part of The Source has helped as, even when no one was physically able to help in a situation, just having people online to talk with made a lot of difference.

Once he started fighting I realized I needed to pump XP into his Melee defense so he could stay alive longer. He was already strong and durable enough, he just needed to dodge better. Hence I pumped him there, while the constant melees pumped it at well. Now at level 15 I believe he's at a 90 Melee Defense.

Once he hit level 10, Rojon started to metamorphosize. The clumsiness and slowness were holding him back so I started pumping Coordination and Quickness. Its been a long haul but he's at 90 Coord and 78 Quickness and he can actually keep up with the rest of the group. I've found he can wade into an large group of creatures and hold them off long enough until everyone else is healed or reorganized, then run away if he really needs to. This past week I've found him at 1 life five times and managed to survive. Of course I'm sure I've been lucky. I don't want his nickname to become "One-Life" Rojon!

As a result I pumped his Strength and Endurance over the weekend raising his health total a dozen points and his Endurance by 25. At 75/137 I don't have to worry about him dying in one shot as much anymore.

Now I've found an itch to morph Rojon again. I made a huge mistake at level 12 training in Magic Item Appraisal instead of waiting to train in Healing, which is so important for a Warrior. Then again, life is full of mistakes. I find he's tired of not being able to use the level II magical armour and weaponry he keeps finding and have started to pump his Focus and Arcane. This may slow him down as a warrior in his development, and I encourage replies and advice in this department, but at 31 his arcane was just too damn low and I'm tired of not being able to use that Quickness II, Armor II and Coordination II jewelry Atlea (inspired by the name Atlas, for those interested in more useless trivia) has been carrying around forever. I'm sure Atlea is, too! ;)

So, my current goal is to get his Arcane to around 60 and start using that good stuff he keeps finding. Found a wand of Arcane Enlightenment/Spinning Blade I last night and had a blast blowing up my son, Pethor. ;) Also found a brass want of Acid Stream II on a corpse on Monogua hill of all places! Rojon wants MORE, yet doesn't want to lose focus on his primary job of being a tank.

Comments and criticisms are always welcome. Reply privately if you wish to [removed].

'Nuff said.

Rojon the Coward