> Previously, we've hosted at least six PSO Marathons (PSOM) with SHiNFORCE and GTC guild members, plus numerous guests.  They are all from 6 pm-6 am (Eastern) -- 12 hours of extended mayhem in "The Realm".  I had high hopes for this latest PSOM, even though "The Realm's" population is comparatively low (400-600 people nightly on US ships).  As a matter of fact, it's not unusual to see more people on Ariel 10 than Ariel 01!  Anyway, there were lots of would-be Heroes on this time...

     > Right off the bat, Lord Van and BLUE HEAVEN helped begin the quest for a hero's honor. Alef / ESCAFLOWNE, Starless, and ANGELBABE joined shortly thereafter.  I decided to try something new, and possibly more challenging.  In a "game of chance", I acquired some sweet v.1 armor (4x SPIRIT GARMENT 4 slot and 4x Divinity Barrier) and some well named v.2 s-rank weapons (4x SHINOBI TWIN +99 and 3x STARLESS MECHGUNS +99).  I proposed we wear this armor and wield these weapons while adventuring in the Mines Area.  BLUE switched to SHERRI for this new format because he wanted to use the "Force".  So Starless SHERRI and me set out for the Mines and proceeded to kick ass.  ANGELBABE joined and we explained the format so she gladly changed clothes for us (LOL).  Thanks to the power of two Forces' Zalure and the ATP to spare of ANGELBABE and myself, the labyrinth to Vol Opt Ver.2 was a seemingly quick jaunt.  Next, we served up red lobster a plenty (otherwise known as wasting the Mines end boss, Vol Opt)!  A blast, it was...

     > By this time, I had received word that Witchblade was waiting in the lobby, so I departed to join her.  A few moments later, Sawanoguchi joined our game only to mysteriously disappear!  As it turned out he just disconnected (dc'd), then decided to join Starless, because BLUE HEAVEN and ANGELBABE were going to do Challenge-mode.  Meanwhile, Jocelyn told me that Spirit 3 had joined her game, and that all she needed now was Cloud and SLICER to complete the "perfect team"!  (-_-  Somewhere in this time-frame, Cloud and chillwizard ended up in the same game with some more guests. 

     > I later found out that Cloud was apparently responsible for RSOD'ing (red screen of death - really bad game crash) one of chillwizard's cohorts.  This was not possible, I explained.  1) Cloud is a GTC member.  2) Cloud probably doesn't know how to do that.  3) Cloud doesn't know where his Xploder is, and is too lazy to find/use it.  4) Cloud has never (to my knowledge) done anything like this, nor gone online with codes.  At any rate, I offered to replace any items that may have been lost through this unfortunate occurrence.  The offer was eventually discarded by chillwizard.  So getting back to my game...

     > Witchblade and me played through Forest in search of the legendary Sil Dragon, who is supposedly capable of freezing one's body to the core with a single breath!  We made it there and defeated the ice dragon (no surprise)...  Unfortunately, Witchblade disappeared too!  I later found out she had to dc and go entertain some hacker friends in order to keep them away from our "tame" festivities.  What a shame... (x_X

     > I went up to the lobby and noticed that we had reached "SF Marathon V" by now, which meant we had as many as five games going at once!  Wow!  This was cool...  I had hoped to attain 3-5 games -- and happen, it did.  At one point I was mailing BLUE HEAVEN and making the point that every time someone leaves, we get a new arrival almost instantly.  This was cool, and added to the excitement of the event, because you never knew who would show up next -- you just knew someone would!

     > Most of the games we made were left open to the public for the simple reason that we wanted friends, allies, and potential friends to have full access to the PSOM.  I know this also allows hackers in, but thankfully we had no trouble from them.  This is probably because they're all on Miranda and Oberon. (-_-  I did, however, meet one new friend that is rather interesting.  Her name is "Lexinne", and she's a Lv200 HUnewearl.  Of course our first impression of a Lv200 character joining an open game is negative.  However, we quickly discovered that Lexinne was at least an apparent "newbie".  She got lost a few times and was seemingly intrigued by my SACRED CLOTH armor, so I gave a spare to her as a gesture of friendship.  She asked if I needed any "more powerful" weapons, and I explained that I have access to anything.  It was rather evident she was wielding 180% weapons, probably because of her newbie status.  I wasn't bothered by it, and it seemed no one else cared either, even though she readily hacked down Mines Machines with one swipe of that ELYSION! (-_-  We had fun and we knew she did as well, because she kept noting how nice we all were to be with.  This is what makes PSO fun, my friends...

     > Still later in the night, Alis and PALADIN came on and Alef offered to join them.  This was after I supplied Alef with some mats, armor, shield, and a replacement weapon (lost to dc).  She needed the defense boost badly, since even Claws could kill her in a single non-critical hit!  LMAO.  Meanwhile, Lord Van was battling and hanging with a long lost friend.  BLUE HEAVEN and I were in a game when yet another new arrival appeared.  None other than the Sage of Chaos, (Ranger) SLICER! 

     > SLICER spoke of his friend, EGO-BOT the ranger android, being on so I told him to invite this "lost soul" to our party.  When EGO finally arrived, we predictably joked, "Leggo my Eggo". (-_-  I soon concluded that SLICER didn't eat his wheaties this day because many times he was flat on his back, throughout the Ruins Area.  I joked to BLUE HEAVEN that SLICER spends more time on his back than a "lady of the night". Heheh...  Both SLICER and EGO mysteriously left "The Realm" after we defeated the Dark One... (x_X

     > Well, the end of the latest Marathon was coming fast.  Everyone knew it was the best we've had to date.  BLUE HEAVEN decided to help someone with challenge-mode, while Alef's game was full, so I switched to Seductress and messed around in the Mines.  I found an unexpected SPECIAL there.  It was a blade that came from an enemy (I think from a Sinow Blue), so I thought, this can't be an ELYSION (found in boxes).  Upon tekking it, I was surprised to see that I had found a SOUL BANISH!!  Wow!  Speaking of rares, here's what I found this night: SOUL BANISH, TWINKLE STAR, RED HANDGUN (55% Machine), 5x SUMMIT MOON, and an ANCIENT SABER.  I also acquired a RED DAGGER, which BLUE HEAVEN found in our game, then discarded.  Not bad, but I had envisioned getting another RED SWORD.  I need to play Seductress (Greennill) more... (-.-

     > Alis and Starless said their "goodnights", and that left Alef and Lord Van alone.  The last game consisted of those two, BLUE HEAVEN and Seductress (me).  We had surpassed 6 am, and Dark Falz was almost in our grasp.  BLUE HEAVEN said he was going to bed, but my wife proclaimed, "he can't leave now -- not after 12 hours of PSO!!"  That was enough to pump him up and reconnect without certain unnecessary codes.  We made it to DF and everyone was dying... LOL... a sure sign of fatigue and/or being somewhat inebriated.  Heck, I even died once at DF -- unheard of!!!  LMAO.  It was 6:30 am; DF was dead; we completed our mission...  PSO Marathon of 08/03/2002 was a resounding success! 

     > Thanks to all that attended.  If I forgot to mention someone (I'm sorry), just let me know and I'll edit this article.  Some notable no-shows were Lucero (on vacation), Kiki (no idea), Squall (couldn't get a Hunter's License?), and BAMBIE (busy battling on Miranda).  Remember two things: "You're not the only Hero", and "May the Force be with you... Always!" (-_-
 

Good Gaming,
-Shinobi