I cant beleive I just poseted that in the 3rd person......freaky..!O_o

OK I know its late but....

Nina's grand Icon 2003 adventure!


With LARP (nothin like whackin zombies with foam swords)



Ok here's the low down...

Once opon a March weekend in 2003, 3 young high school students would make a trip they would never forget. Equipped w/ money, a quija board, and high spirits they set off to their friend Gemma's house for a weekend at Icon. Once they arrived they rejoyced, unpacked, and tye died anything that they could find. Later that night they were joined by 4 other people from New Hampshire (they were not to join us on our quest to Icon). After greetings and accent bashing they proceeded to eat BBQ and watch the ring. As you can guess sleeping was optional that night.

Bright and early the 3 (+1) travelers awoke to find out another kindred spirit was to join their merry crew plus Gemma's mom, her mom's friend and her two kids. A breakfast of bagles, shmear and chocolate milk was eaten, gothic garb and capes were donned (except for shorty....he just wore tie die...all over). By 10 our half awake travelers departed into the mists (actually it was a sunny day).

Once the cars were parked and our travelers ran to the main building they relised how many people were there. Jedi, medevil lords (and ladys), your average joe, trolls even Vash the stampeed (with a box of dunkin doughnuts may I add) were to be seen takeing part in the festivities or just chillin. Immediately they ran in got their badges (I was ammused that my name tag said jingles...and shortys was shortend to Lord Kaja). They started with the dealers room. Nina was immediatly struck by the amount of people and random things to buy. The buying would come later though because as their wise teacher and mentor Hessel (:cough cough:) said "Buy on Sunday cause usually things are cheaper". With that note in mind they went off in search of mayhem.

After much pondering (and a few cheese burgers later) they decided to go LARPing. For all you not aquanted with this term it stands for Live Action Role Playing, which means live D&D with swords (well foam swords) and stuff in real time. At the sign up booth a man with plaid pants and an anarchy belt sporting leather armor (kind of a clash of time periods but good lookign non the less) explained what happens in a larp and basically told me that he learned to make leather armor when he had mono (go figure).

Our heros waited serveral hours in which they sat in the main feild and watched the freaks go by (being that they were freaks themselfs). Mainly they were ammused that every time they passed the Vash cosplayer...she was eating a doughnut. They quickly ran to the larping headquaters (I think we signed up for the gravestones one) and relised they were actually on time...for once in their lives! Sooner or later the place filled and roles were assigned (I was an aven fighter/spell caster, Gemma was a spell caster, Andrew and shorty were fighters and Gemma's freind was the assigned stuff holder). The quest was basicallly a blast. A goblin got hit in the eye with a spell bag...disarm ironically, Nina relised that she can not sword fight (or at least I think so) and Andrew and Shorty had fun whaleing people with giant foam swords. In the end our travelers were beat (a nice twist from the usual placid D&D routine).

After much feasting on kinish and chocolate mint ben and jerrys our travelers went their seperate ways. Gemma, her friend and Nina to the soapstone and pewter workshop and Andrew and Shorty to the Magic tournament. To make my tale shorter...Shorty and Andrew lost 2nd round and me and Gemma learned alot of new molding teqniques (and a good book to buy on metal smithing). Unfortunetly the clouds opened up and drenched our weary travelers which made them cut their quest short. They returned one last time to the dealers room and got information about SCA (Society of Creative Anacronisim) before heading off to their cars.

Sunday was slower than Saturday. Gemma and Nina awoke at 7am sharp to drive out to Adelphi for figure drawing classes. Right after they headed out tward stony brook still unawake. They met up with Andrew and Shorty in the dealers room. The exuberant shorty announced that he traded some kid a Visara for a 6th edition Birds of paradise (this basically means that shorty made out great and the other kid got himself jipped...very very badly).

Takeing in teh fact that the weather was hellish the travelers decided to continue their quest for that day in the dealers room. The music of the midevil mistrels and happy con-goers filled the air as our 4 travelers weaved through the lines of dealers tables in search for treasure (afordable treasure). Shorty and Andrew got a few of their Magic cards signed and Andrew met his comic book artist idol Sean Chen and I wandered off into the art exhibit and learned how to prime masonite from one of the artists there (nice guy...I wish I caught his name).

Unfortunetly the travelers decided to leave early due to their sudden poorness and threat of a snowstorm. They traveled back to Gemma's and partook of steak, veggies and tea (and other assorted beverages). Once every thing was packed and thrown into the car (minus the quija board and a few of my socks that I axidentally missed) goodbyes were exchanged and our travelers returned home happy and unsettled that it was snowing at the end of March.


What did I learn from this whole thing??:
-You can never spend your money wisely if you have too much of it
-Giant foam swords hurt
-Platform mary janes are not comfortable walking shoes
-Spell packets are lethal weapons in the hands of wood elves
-Lurch is REALLY REALLY REALLY TALL!!!
-Pewter is fun
-I heart storm torrpers
-Mono is the perfect time to improve or learn medevil crafts
-Who ever cosplayed as Vash should be given an award for staying in character the
whole con (or at least the Saturday portion of it)!
-No matter how warm it was the day b4...it still can snow in March
-Cant wait for I-con 2004!!:D