Interviewing Among the Mushrooms
Entry posted by Ghostlin
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Even though Ghostlin had lived a good part of my life in the Aqua sphere, I didn't know much about the Mushroom Kingdom. As my plane departed Taurit and three layovers later, I found myself in the Republic of Jutland, wondering two things: could I get something to eat soon, and would the Princess in the castle I might visit?
I was ushered by a press secretary to a car, with the windows slightly rolled down. I smelled the sweet, sticky wet growing of the psychotropic mushrooms that this confederacy of nations was famous for, and escorted into LJ Scott's office. I was asked what I would like to eat and drink, so I settled on a BLT with no mushrooms and some tea, and after exchanging pleasantries, LJ being a most gracious host, and finding out that the Princess was not, in fact here in this government building, I got to ask a few questions:
1) I know you’re ‘so new’ to CN, but tell me about a little above where you’ve been in CN.
I started the game in June 2006 under a different alias whilst living at home. By december I'd lost interest and quit. Come April 2007 I'd rejoined as I moved into my own home. Signed up to the NPO on the first day. I was a member of the NPO for 9~ months. During my time I basically floated around all of Pacificas various departments. Top achievements whilst I was there I guess were becoming Chief of Recruitment, Councilor and being Beta Battalion Lt for 5~ months. I also made over 150 target lists for the ~ side in the UjW. At what you could call the "height" of my career in Pacifica I left rather suddenly. Joined TOP for around 2 weeks, which was pretty cool. But I was getting alot of friends from NPO query me and in the end I decided to go back. Went back for a day or two, only to again leave. About this time I got caught up in some of NpO's dirty laundry, and was going to sentenced to ZI from what I hear. But I was in peace mode. Anyways got everything cleared and managed to join TOP again. Stayed there for about a month, until Crymson asked me to leave so that he could save face and not boot me. This was what Random later mentioned as the "LJ Problem" or something along those lines. Basically my arrival in #nsa or any thread related to NPO ended up with an IO reporting me to Crymson. So yeah NPO had sentenced me to perma-zi for desecration of their flag and trolling etc. Moo even said the whole "May admin have mercy on your soul LJ, for we shall have none" thing. Think thats a first its been about an individual. I "quit" the game for the next few months as in I stopped visiting forums/IRC and just kept my nation alive barely in peace mode. Then I decided I wanted to come back. Spoke with the NPO, who basically said "Come out and see if you get mercy". Bought a wonder and came out of peace mode. After just over 2 weeks I was allowed to go free. Applied to Mushroom Kingdom as I'd thought they had alot of great people there. Wasn't wrong. Don't think I'd still be playing CN had it not been for their great community. Again I've floated about the various departments here until settling down as the Duke of Culture, which I've been for going on 6 months. Basically I deal with admissions, mentorship, trades, guides and other tidbits. In amongst that I've fought 12~ conflicts and countless wars. Been nuked a few times, nuked back plenty, and joyfully raided alot of tech. Yeah thats my 2 odd years in CN >_>
2) What do you think about the cloud of eagerness surrounding Aqua Unity, and how do you see the Mushroom Kingdom fitting in?
Personally I don't see anything really united about Aqua. I perceive it as 3 blocs and a lot of in-betweeners. Of course with MK's history of being blacklisted for treaties, by "X" alliance to any of their alliance it was always going to amount in unity stopping at a certain level. On top of that it was never going to be true unity unless everyone was willing to commit fully which was never the case. With regards to Mushroom Kingdom, we're something of a set back in the unity due to our previous blacklisting. Hopefully that's changed and we can get on with making Aqua a more unified sphere than its ever been. I mean there are a lot of great alliances and people wanting to make a go of this so who knows where we'll be 6 months down the line. Then again I don't do foreign affairs 
3) I may have the wrong person here, but I remember last winter reading something about your departure from Pacifica. Do you hold it against them, and looking back on those times, did you enjoy your time there? Does the body politic today and the last war color your feelings of NPO any?
I don't really hold grudges. I mean it may seem that I do externally sometimes, but really I don't care enough about the rest of CN to maintain grudges. Tho I don't agree with the reasons I was sentenced to PZI for I just got on with it. Moo etc made their choice, and there was little I could do. As to my time in NPO. For the most part I had a blast. I met alot of great people during my time there. Sadly alot of those great people left, which is a factor in my leaving. The rest who remained behind I wouldn't count as friends. As soon as I left NPO they couldn't have been any quicker to slander my name and turn their backs on me. Really I left for alot of reasons, some of which I kept to my chest and still do, I may be a traitor, but that didn't mean I had to go log/screenshot dumping.
With regards to the past war and my views of NPO because of it, nothings really changed. I/or any other IO/Councilor could go back and find logs of me asking for a war with MK. It's just part of the culture of an alliance. When you join there is going to be a stigma towards certain alliances, and if your there long enough you'll subscribe to it. That's probably the reasoning behind why I hated MK and ODN. However, I've been proven wrong in the case of MK, and they've turned out to be the best thing in CN for me.
I just hope NPO have got it out of their system and we both move on past it.
4) Besides MK, who’s your favorite alliance and why?
Well I'd say Complaints and Grievances Union (C&G) although it's a bloc. I was talking about this on IRC recently and I'm 99% sure that my proudest moment in CN was C&G's joining of the noCB war (war of the coaltion). For the most part the other members of C&G were following us in declaring on alliances over 10x their size. I mean how many times do TDSM8 have to prove they have the biggest balls in CN? Seriously tho everything about that time and C&G is awesome. Each of the members individually are great and they've all impressed me throught my time in CN. Especially =LOST= DoW on NpO during the UjW, which is possibly the greatest ever written thing in CN. I'm really excited to see where C&G goes in the future. People talk about colour unity or unity in blocs. Nothing has !@#$ on C&G.
5) What would you say is the best and worst thing(s) about CN?
Best things are when the communtiy gets together and rallies behind something i.e. when sp1nyx (I've probably spelt that wrong but can't fully remember the spelling).
I think the worst things about CN can be summarized into three things; Vox Populi, Orange Defense Network and Ephriam Grey.
Make of that what you will.
6) There’s a lot of talk of MK being LUE 2.0. While I do not subscribe to this view necessarily, do you feel that some of the old LUE folks help create the current culture in MK or hurt it?
It's laughable really. Especially if you heard Archons take on AirMe's radio show. How many ex-LUE do you think we have? Notably we have bros and Archon. The buck falls just a bit after that. More of us come from RIA, NPO, GPA and alot of other varying alliances. It's like me calling TORN or RoK \m/ 2.0 (Which I'm clearly not or never will wink.gif ) or calling ODN the greatest possible allies in CN. Theres just nothing to base it on.
7) If you could discuss with your enemies, former and current in a calm, rational forum, what would you say to them?
Grow up.
8) How do you feel about the truce that was signed between Ragnarok and MK? How do you feel about Ragnarok in general?
It's great to see it having been worked out. Like I said before it was holding back aqua unity. That's not to say I expect to see Aqua Unity spring right back up. But this is certainly one step in the right direction. Feelings towards RoK as an alliance have never really changed regardless of the situation. They have a lot of great members, a lot coming from alliances I really liked, ASC and RoSG for example. My only problem was with Hoo, and vice-versa I guess his problem was with people like myself. With this tho, I don't see many problems for the future.
9) If MK became the top alliance in the game, what would you think would change about the current hegemony?
We'd be down to around 400 players in CN. Just MK + C&G and FAN (still in peace mode).
10) Do you have any other comments for the readers of this blog? Anything you’d like us to know about you specifically?
I hate you all. 
I thanked LJ for their time and then escorted myself out of the building. I had a few planes to catch.
I invite all readers, to read and ask any burning questions. That's it for this issue of Ghostly Whispers.
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