Taking it Easy at NLCC

It’s time to take off that depression blog off the front page and put up a something a little more upbeat. That is, my trip to Northern Light’s Coronation Campout, Fall 2023. NLCC is an Amtgard camping event put on by the Kingdom of Northern Lights.

This is one of the few times I’ve attended their fall coronation. Normally I only attend the spring coronation, but this year my friends D’gar and Gen were getting knighted and I wanted to make it a point to do everything I could to make it there and make it there I did.

I was going to go with Gustav, but he got sick, so I ended up driving up alone. I got to listen to my music loud and enjoy the new subwoofer. I had a reasonably enjoyable drive up, it gave me time to think and ponder, while going boom boom along the highway.

Buzz Buzz Goes The Wire

When I arrived, I set up my bed and decided I was going to do a vlog this event. I spent time recording an intro, and it turns out there is a buzzing noise. This also happened when I recorded the knightings the next day. However it did not seem to happen when I recorded my fighting videos. Best guess is a cord is going out, I have since ordered a new one.

It was at this point on Thursday, I figured a vlog was probably off the table, which honestly, I think it turned out for the best. This was one of the few event in the last two years I wasn’t working at the in some compacity. It was for sure the first Northern Lights campout I wasn’t working at since the pandemic. At this point I decided to take it easy.

I’m still dealing with the depression, I was low energy, so I don’t have any wild stories. I went to bed at 1:30am Thursday night, which it sounded like I missed some good party times on the back porch. Although I was eventually caught up and there was more good times to be had at the back porch that weekend.

The Day to Beat

Unknown to everyone, Friday was the big game day. The weather was nice, maybe a little too hot. I spent several hours at the field that day, most of which was watching jugging. It was a random team generation with non competitive matches. It went smoothly and it seemed everyone had a pretty fun time. There were a good amount of people who had never played the game before. I think it was a good introduction.

I did manage to get some video on Friday. One was a two to three minute video of Unum and Raff going at it with great swords, the heat got to them pretty fast. The other video is of Aera and Skorri dueling with dual short swords. It’s a full ten minutes long. I’m looking forward to editing it.

Despite not much happening, I ended up being the last person up in the common areas Friday night, going to bed sometime around 5. it was a pretty chill night. I had a few beers, ate a few edibles (legal in my state) and kind of just roamed around some groups.

With most of my friends from up north engaged with running the event, I didn’t get to spend as much time with them as I normally would have. This led me to jump around a bit more than I have these past few events. I spent some time on the porch, some time in the hall and time at the amphitheater. At one point Kimjim saw me take a dab and noted that I took it like a champ. It was just a cool random moment.

Northwest Community Building

Saturday turned out to be a very wet day. It didn’t really start to stop till early evening. The downside was I couldn’t get any video, not all my equipment is waterproof, the upside, there was some strong sense of comradery between those people who toughed it out in the rain.

For example, the The First Third Annual “Name Redacted” Tournament (RIP Dogboy) was held in the morning, in the rain. It didn’t stop, not once, it got worse at times. There was one point I sought refuge in my car but I tried to at least tough it out. I was supposed to record Heron and Opi after the tournament!

Alas it was not to be, the rain never let up and I never got that video, but I did get this cool picture of all the people who entered the tournament. Again, like the jugging, everyone seemed to have a blast, sprits were high and I think some new bonds of friendship were born from the joint suffering of the Northwest rain.

Back Porch Court

Did I mention that NLCC had 215 people on sight when gate closed on Thursday night? Well it did, that’s huge for this event. I think the final numbers were around 280. Needless to say court was packed. I didn’t even attempt to stand in the building. I went to the Back Porch like all the other degenerates.

Still, thanks to Devry standing at the door and yelling out what was being given out for use porch goers, I was able to hear of some very deserving awards that went out. One of particular note was Guin’s Paragon Assassin.

Just early that day she was talking about how, out of all the awards she’s been striving for, that’s the one that would mean the most to her. She confided in me she was worried that due to life stuff it might take another few years before she had the chance to earn it again. She had no idea she was going to be getting it later that night. I was so happy for her.

After court I spent most of the rest of the night hanging out in the stage hall with the some of my friends and sister packmates who had been running the event, the Inland Ocean peoples. Then I was off to bed!

A Little Wrap-up

I enjoyed the event and it sounded like many others enjoyed themselves as well. For a rather large dedicated group of fighters who endured and even thrived in the rain on Saturday morning and beyond, it will be a rather memorable event, or so I suspect.

I must also make note of the wonderful feast Saturday, cooked by Cole and their crew. I had a chance to chat with Cole about the feast Thursday and then a little bit about feast after the event. They were enjoyable conversations.

I should note more than two people helped in the kitchen, this was just the pictures I had.

General Updates

Now that my semi-vacation Amtgard event is over, what is next? Well, it’s Belegarth and it’s in a little under two weeks. I’ll be going to Trials of The Pacific Mane up in Washington.

It’s a new Belegarth campout and I’m excited to be able to go to this inaugural camping event. It looks like it’s going to be another well attended event. All the camping spots are already taken! I’ll be staying near by with Gustav and Devry. I’m not sure what I’m in for or what kind of video I’ll be getting.

I’m thinking of doing a reordering of my projects and will make a post concerning my projects going forward. Hopefully before I leave for Trials.

One project I’m really interested in trying to workshop, is a fighting league with rankings and tournaments. Hit me up if you want to hear more about that! More the merrier. Cross Gamers more than welcome but the default ruleset will be Amtgard foam fighting, at least to start.

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