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General:
1.) How long have you played Amtgard?
Since early 1994, almost thirteen years.
2.) How long did it take you to earn your serpent belt?
Nine years or so from the time I got my masterhood of the Dragon.
3.) Did you initially set out to be a serpent Knight?
No. I did not really set out to be any kind of knight. It was something that came to me later as I became more involved in Amtgard's culture and forged important relationships.
4.) Where were you knighted?
Tanglewood Forest.
5.) What Serpent Knight did you aspire to be like or beat?
I have always aspired to be myself. What drives me is an ideal of what I could be. There are many knights I admire and have looked up to, however. Sir Cabal was someone I met early on who was just incredibly creative. Sir Nevron is not the first person I think of when I think of the arts, but knowing he got recognition for his writing helped inspire me. But I always felt like coming into the game with my background in writing and cooking, I could compete with the best.
6.) Who where you squired to before getting your serpent belt?
Dame Kayrana Lissa.
7.) Did you wait to be approached or did you request a squire's belt?
When I was hanging around with her in various contexts, I broached a number of subjects related to Amtgard politics, personal ethics and the like, and eventually entered an essay on chivalry in a cultural competition I knew she would be judging. I asked her later if she liked it, and she asked if it was written with her in mind, to which I said yes. After that, her patience expired and she asked me flat out if I was interested in being her squire. Call me coy, I guess.
Tactics/Techniques:
8.) What is your motivation to sew, act, cook, smith, draw, or sing etc.?
To sew, act, cook, smith, draw, swing, etc. The only reason to do it is to do it.
9.) What medium is your forte?
Writing, in all forms, but I am almost as well accomplished in cooking.
10.) How did you improve on your art?
Practice, practice, practice. However, philosophy and study is important, too. I have read dozens of books on literature and creative writing, in addition to simply reading a lot, especially the classics. I have been writing poetry since middle school. Although my volume has decreased, the grade has definitely improved since then.
Cooking is a little different. I perform small experiements, sometimes. However, most of my best work is done in the imagination. I conceive of different combinations of texture, flavor, and so forth. I am always looking for new ingredients. I try to cook at least one really nice meal a week, every week, and I try to use the stovetop or oven at least once a day. If you go to long without cooking, you can lose a feel for how fast an egg cooks, or the right moment to throw in a spice. Cooking shares many things with writing; both require copious amounts of knowledge and practice, but if your intuition fails you, the whole thing can be a failure.
11.) Have you won a Dragonmaster?
No. I have placed 2nd and 3rd, though. 3rd behind Kayrana and Nightengael is something to be proud of.
11a.) What's your pre-contest advice to an apsiring Serpent Knight?
Get some sleep. Do everything ahead of time except cooking, and do nothing but cooking the few days before. Or just don't cook, maybe. All nighters are an impossibility if you plan on performing.
12.) What do you think A+S contributes to Amtgard?
A&S is Amtgard. That would be like asking what combat contributes to Amtgard, or what friends contribute to Amtgard. Rather, I would say, Amtgard is a place that can contribute A&S to your life.
13.) Do you have to be flurb to be artsy?
No. The truly artsy express themselves in their work, and there is no room to look down on their accomplishments. OTOH, there are "art flurbs." I freely confess that I would rather be almost anywhere else than judging some entrants.
14.) What was your best entry to a quals or DM?
My black tunic. It got a 2.8 or thereabouts. I have almost no talent as sewing, and I am absolutely proud of myself for sewing something decent. It took nearly fourteen hours to make, with Kayrana standing over my shoulder for much of it. I still wear it today. It's a great entry because I stretched myself, and that's what good creativity does.
Advice:
15.) What would you tell an aspiring Serpent Knight?
That there are three things you must do: you must learn your craft, you must perfect your character, and you must impress your peers.
16.) What does that serpent belt mean to you?
The opportunity to inspire, guide, and challenge others. It is a mark of what I can do. Credentials are very useful, in that they can save a lot of explaining. The belt is a symbol of excellence. Thus, to me, it means responsibility. It is an expression of a relationship between the knight and the Kingdom.
17.) Can an individual make it without being a squire?
Sure! I made it being squired to a dead knight, so I suppose anything's possible.
18.) What's the best way to approach you for some advice/tips?
Ask me a question. Sometimes I'll be standing around just chatting; there's nothing I love more than to dive into a discussion of arts, philosophy, politics, gossip, etc. I also answer emails, and if I receive a sincere petition, I'll be happy to reply in pages if I think it will be helpful.
19.) What kind of imagination does it take to be a serpent knight?
A vibrant one. Imagination is something that comes from a state of health. Energy, health, clarity, these things feed creativity. Worry, fatigue, confusion will first steal your art, then kill you.
20.) Is it all about getting the belt or striving to better one self?
Getting the belt is all about getting the belt. Bettering yourself is all about bettering yourself. If these two goals contradict each other, you should figure out which one is more important.
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