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It is
a chilly September afternoon, and the dank corridors of the
foreboding Notre Dame seem to send shivers through my cloak
and into my bones as the recently appointed Bishop to Paris,
Chantal de Briognan, led me, Marielle, up to the bell tower.
I wondered
what sort of plans the Bishop had for me. I suddenly remembered
that it had been some time since I'd made confession and that
I occasionally made remarks that some might take as heretical.
I gulped and looked over the edge of the rooftop. Bishop Chantal
grinned and stood, enjoying one of her favorite views. Her
soothing voice and smile put me at ease and we began to chat
about her experiences in Paris.
Bishop
Chantal: It's the highest building in the city.
Archduchess
Marielle: uh huh.... *glances down nervously.*
Archduchess
Marielle: Where is Quasimodo? Oops wrong century! Anyway,
I'll be asking you some OOC questions too so we get to know
the WHOLE CHANTAL *giggle*
Bishop
Chantal:
Erk!
Archduchess
Marielle: Of course it's up to you how you want to answer.
Bishop
Chantal:
My secret identity!
The two
women giggle and Marielle begins to get answers to the questions
you've all been dying ask Chantal yourselves.
Archduchess
Marielle: How long have you been in Paris? I know it's longer
period of time than I have been here.
Bishop
Chantal:
I have been in Paris about 5 and a half years. I arrived here
early in 1632.
Marielle
nearly faints yet composes herself, saying "That's quite
a long time." Chantal chuckles, then mentions that compared
to others, her time in Paris has been quite brief. Marielle
nods, then continues.
Archduchess
Marielle: Now as a player, what made you decide to play AOTT?
How did you stumble upon this place?
Bishop
Chantal: My
job at the time had me on the road and living in hotels and
motels one out of every two weeks. I was getting very bored
of watching HBO and MTV every night, so one night I started
surfing around.
Marielle
grins and nods at Chantal as Chantal continues...
Bishop
Chantal:
I had played an AOL role-playing game many years ago for a
short while, so I knew they existed. And I searched, ironically
enough, under FREE MUD."
Marielle
throws Chantal a glance and gives a cough, then giggles. The
Bishop clears her throat, adding something that probably few
Parisians know:
Bishop
Chantal:
But I've always loved things French, having grown up bilingual.
It just leaped out at me.
Archduchess
Marielle: I had no idea you grew up bilingual! Very cool.
The Bishop
nods and smiles.
Bishop
Chantal:
I did all my schooling in French even though neither of my
parents speaks French.
Archduchess
Marielle: I can brush up on my French with you then!
Bishop
Chantal:
Absolument ma chere.
Archduchess
Marielle: Formidable!
Marielle
thinks about the people who have come and gone throughout
the time she's spent in Paris. Chantal, along with a few others,
seem to form a core group of players who have stuck it out
through good times and bad, and suddenly wonders what exactly
makes them stay.
Archduchess
Marielle: A lot of people come through here but there is only
a small core of players... players who have stayed a really
long time, actually. What has made you stay?
Chantal
chuckles and nods. After pondering the question for a bit,
she answers thoughtfully.
Bishop
Chantal:
I'm not sure, really. No mud has kept my interest for more
than about three weeks. I've done some exploring, and I've
not found anything that interests me. Perhaps it's because
I'm not particularly interested in fantasy.
Archduchess
Marielle: I've heard that quite a bit. The theme here is different.
No gnomes or trolls!
Bishop
Chantal:
Exactly. I was a history major in university, but have never
been a big sci fi/fantasy person.
Chantal's
intelligence and uniqueness has always been apparent in Paris,
particularly her leadership talent in the Church of France.
However, Marielle has always wanted to know how and why Chantal
participates in the church.
Archduchess
Marielle: The one thing that sets you apart from most of Paris
is your key role in the church. Why did you decide to join
in the first place?
The bishop
smiles patiently and nods.
Bishop
Chantal:
Well, again that's what sets this place apart for me. In other
MUDs, even the "clerics" just wander around killing
stuff by casting spells.
Marielle
chuckles and nods in agreement. Chantal further explains her
active participation in the church.
Bishop
Chantal:
Here, it is a specifically tangible, human activity of spirituality
interwoven into the theme of the game, and based on history.
Bishop
Chantal: That's
something that fascinates me. I've always been interested
in religious studies as well as history, so it was a great
combination for me.
Archduchess
Marielle: That's great! So, what do you hope to do within
the church in the next year? You have your new web site!
Marielle
gives Chantal the perfect opening for a shameless plug and
Chantal grins, gracefully turning the conversation to the
newest resource for church members. (Hint: go to http://thechurch.virtualave.com)
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Bishop
Chantal:
Yes, I'm very excited about future prospects.
Marielle
beams and nudges the Bishop.
Archduchess
Marielle: Care to leak any of those to Xtreme?
Bishop
Chantal:
There has been a lot designed within the last 6 months, by
myself as well as Mazarin and Treville. It's just waiting
its turn on the "to do" list as I understand.
Chantal
laughs at Marielle's ploy for leaked information and looks
ponderous for a moment.
Bishop
Chantal:
Well, there are new skills that have been designed, which
will allow the clergy to be more integrated into the city.
More blessings than just unction will be available. We'll
get some healing powers, and perhaps a little divine intervention
here and there.
Archduchess
Marielle: That'll benefit everyone.
Bishop
Chantal:
And it will hopefully add to the game experience as a whole.
Not just challenges and mascot killing all day long.
Marielle
sees that Chantal has quite a few ideas for making Paris a
better place to live, so she throws a new question at the
Bishop.
Archduchess
Marielle: Obviously you have many ideas. Some of them have
already been put into play. If you had unlimited powers for
one day, what would you do with them?
Marielle
grins at Chantal and waits patiently as Chantal asks for more
clarification.
Archduchess
Marielle: If you could become a sysop for a day, for instance,
what might you do? Besides footpadding people like I would--at
least a few! If it's just one day!
Chantal
and Marielle both laugh at the prospect but finally Chantal
replies:
Bishop
Chantal:
I'd probably just spend a lot of time sitting back and watching.
(She's watching YOU Shlone!!!! Read Tavern Tales if you're
confused, lovely readers.)
Bishop
Chantal: The
people who wander in and out of here are an eclectic group.
Marielle
giggles and nods in agreement.
Archduchess
Marielle: What's the best part of Paris for you, Chantal?
Bishop
Chantal:
Well, it's the people I've met, first and foremost, and in
terms of the game itself, this is very cliché but it's
true: I love the church. I love what it has become and the
ideas of what it could become.
Archduchess
Marielle: And is there something you'd change if you could?
Bishop
Chantal:
If I could debug this place for Treville and make it so that
he could just do fun stuff I'd do it in a heartbeat. For all
our sakes, I'd just get everything running smoothly so that
things could move forward.
Marielle
nod in agreement and decides to attempt to find out why the
churchies always seem to have the most fun in the clubs and
elsewhere.
Archduchess
Marielle: I would love to hear about your happy memories,
your funny memories. What's your funniest memory in Paris,
other than giving sermons about errrrrrr thongs!
Marielle
coughs at Chantal and thinks she catches the formidable Bishop
smirking.
Bishop
Chantal: Well,
one of the funniest was a church picnic, but you'll have to
ask Patrique or Balinda for details.
Chantal
coughs and Marielle scribbles down a note, knowing she can
squeeze the information out of that naughty churchie Patrique.
Chantal
pauses and then continues to speak.
Bishop
Chantal:
As for happy memories, I've had a lot, it's hard to pick one
that stands out.
Marielle
smiles and listens, then Bishop Chantal suddenly exclaims
"THE DAY THAT I MET YOU MARIELLE!"
Marielle
beams then discreetly slips Chantal a few hundred Louis. In
a mischievous mood now, Marielle concludes the interview with
a question that's been burning in her mind for months. She
leans in close to Chantal and whispers.
Archduchess
Marielle: What exactly were you doing with Antoine in the
confessional? Inquiring minds want to know.
Chantal
blinks then regains her regal expression. She replies with
complete seriousness:
Bishop
Chantal:
Any worshipper who requires spiritual counsel, well, it's
my duty to be there for them.
Marielle
laughs at Chantal and cannot help but tease her a bit more.
Archduchess
Marielle: Oh, okay. You're very *ahem* dedicated, working
very closely with your parishioners I see. It's quite admirable,
Bishop.
Chantal
raises an eyebrow and smirks.
Bishop
Chantal: Hey,
do you want me to start talking about you last visit to the
confessional, dear? Or your fiancé's?
Archduchess
Marielle: *stifling a laugh* I think that I have all the information
I need! This is a perfect place to conclude our chat. Thank
you very much, Bishop! No, wait, wait! ONE more question!
3 words to describe Chantal, tell me please!
Bishop
Chantal:
*faints* Love, faith, and hope.
Marielle
beams at Chantal and releases her from the hot seat, The two
ladies hug, having spent a most enjoyable afternoon at the
bell tower.
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