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Surl E. Dean: The Man Behind The Rules by dragonmonkey (aka DM)
7/27/14
On July 21, 2014 this creative writer amateur reporter was able to gain a small interview with the NPC Surl E. Dean to gain some insight on the man whose enforcement of rules seems strict to some while others had a more compassionate (and sometimes passionate) view of the man and his rules.
I started out complementing his fashion choice yet his interest had been peaked about my viewpoints on his actions as well as the actions of others. With a puzzled yet intrigued look upon his face he asked me if I was member of the Philosophy Club. While I was flattered by such a statement I told the truth and proceeded to ask if I could ask some questions.
With a quirked eyebrow he assured me:
Surl E. Dean:“Eh. I suppose I have some time. emotion_eyebrow "
As excitement rushed through my bloodstream I let the questions fly:
DM: “After you are through with school related duties, what is it you like to do? Perhaps you like to watch Sci-Fi flicks? Or maybe watch magic shows and point out what they are doing wrong? Tabletop roleplay?
Your past is a mystery so far and I for one would like to know about it. Would you be willing to give a brief overview? Just something along the lines of: Your childhood was (not impressive, average, none of my business). In your teens you joined (the debate club, chess club, no clubs but graduated with honors). You got your degree and now you're a dean.”
With nervous anticipation I waited for his answers….. and waited…..and waited. When I saw him again refusing to answer the questions of another I decided to remind him of his consent to answer my questions to which he only answered one of the two.
Surl E. Dean: “I enjoy listening to grand orchestral suites while immersing myself in the wonderful land of table top roleplaying, where I TRUELY get to unleash my powers.... MUAHAHAHAHAHA... Did I just say that out loud?”
With further investigation this reporter found the Dean admitting to liking polka music and wearing lavender underwear. As for the flirtation he receives from women he admitted that was why they all had restraining orders. As for the poems directed at him at first he didn’t seem to care for them, at all, yet after some review he decided the Haikus written were good enough for the contest. This man is one minute enforcing rules and the next showing a softer side.
I personally find him interesting, others find him adorable, and others are filled with passion of either hate or lust towards him. In conclusion Surl E. Dean seems to like yelling, enforcing rules, and would do anything if it meant the safety of students no matter what their age is mentally, physically, emotionally, etc.
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Interview With a Bunnychu
Hassli’s Interview with Miss Finni
May 22nd, 2014
Image Courtesy Finni’s Tumblr
Hassli’s Interview with Miss Finni
May 22nd, 2014
Image Courtesy Finni’s Tumblr
Hello! Hi! How are you doing? I am very well, thank you! Ok! Hi! Yes! Ok! I love you!
I recently got a chance to sit down with everybody’s favorite bunnychu, Finni! She is such a nice lady and a very talented artist. I asked her questions, and she answered them! She is most well known here on Gaia, for her MC items and art. Her main job on the site is working as a pixel artist in Gaia’s Sprite Art Team.
I have gathered a few links so you can poke through her work.
I had a chance to hang out with Finni back at the Heart Break Café in February and she was very fun and nice, so naturally she was my first choice for an interview after I learned we could interview staff people. I had a fun time getting to talk with her.
Hassli: How long have you worked at Gaia and what is your favorite part about working there?
Finni: I've been working here for almost 3 years now~ my favorite part has to be working alongside the other talented artists at Gaia!! Everyone really has their own strengths and unique style and I really adore everyone's work. Being able to create outfits and characters is a plus too, but I think being surrounded by talented people is the best part.
Hassli: Who is your favorite Gaia NPC and why?
Finni: Hmmm this is a tough one for me! When I first joined Gaia, Moira was my favorite for her looks and punkish personality, but now I think my favorite is Sentinel~ she's super straight-forward and tactless and I love her overall style and no-nonsense personality.
Hassli: As a Gaia artist, you get to regularly create characters for RIGs, and EIs. Which is your favorite character you have created and why?
Finni: Honestly right now it has to be the Rookie Detective, Minerva! I think it's because I'm currently working on her EI, but I have a thing for strong-headed female characters, as evidenced by my love for Sen....... but she's also one of the few characters I've been really able to flesh out, story-wise and personality-wise so it's a little unfair for me to say that she's my favorite! I really liked creating Dirge for the Verdant Grove CI since he's based off of Link from The Legend of Zelda (my one true love), but aside from having one cameo in the CI, you don't know much more about him. I wish I had time to write stories and EIs for every character I've made!
Hassli:It's really cool that you are getting the chance to flesh out two of your MC characters. Do you think you will get a chance to do more of that in the future?
Finni: GOSH I really hope so!! emotion_kirakira My workload is constantly changing so we'll just have to wait and see what happens~
Hassli:Paparazzi has a lot of really amazing artists drawing Gaia characters. What sort of advice would you give any of them who would want to pursue a career at GaiaOnline?
Finni: The advice I'd give is not just for a career at Gaia Online specifically, but for any kind of art-related job: draw A LOT!! Draw all the things that intimidate you, whether it be props or backgrounds, animals, realism... experiment a lot and don't ever let yourself feel "satisfied" with your work because then you'll stop improving~ As they say, every artist has 1000 bad drawings in them; you just have to draw them all out before you can get to the good ones.
Hassli:You've been making the Monthly Collectible items for the past couple of months. Where do you get your inspiration for the themes of these MCs?
Finni: Honestly it's the same places where all of my inspirations come from -- games, fashion, films and animations, color palettes I want to use, seasons, textures, and sometimes inspiration from other artists as well. Inspiration is everywhere if you have an open mind~
Hassli:You made quite the regular appearance at the Heart Break Cafe back in February, and even made a HBC themed freebie out of it. What drew you to that user-event and why did you enjoy it?
Finni: Awww that's one of my fondest memories here on Gaia! I was honestly just as bummed as everyone else about the news that there wasn't going to be a Valentines' event. As an artist, I'm really only concerned with making items and illustrations, so I saw the news about the event the same time everyone else did when Uncle Kenny posted about it. I was really impressed by the user initiative to start their own event instead of sitting around and whining about the lack of event, and decided to join in! The rest is pretty much history~ I'm usually pretty intimidated by other Gaians, so I had the a lot of fun because I was able to just play around, be silly, chat with a lot of familiar names that I see in GCD often, and overall was just really happy that people enjoyed my silly little bunny gifs!
Hassli:Speaking of the HBC, I like to play bartender sometimes. (You might remember x) What's your favorite alcoholic beverage? Also, Xin wanted to make sure I apologized for getting bunny Finni so drunk gonk
Finni: Ahehehehh... I'm actually allergic to alcohol......... over the years I've grown a little more tolerance so I can handle maybe one or two mixed drinks, but if I drink too much I still get hives. Despite that, I still enjoy fruity drinks!(And not to worry, little Finnichu slept well that night = w =//)
Hassli:Where did you get the inspiration for Wandering Maestro?
Finni: This is a great question! I actually was going to write this long exposition on how I came up for the story for Wandering Maestro and then I thought that it was too lengthy and nobody would care... so this is a great time to elaborate! When I was over at a friend's house with a bunch of artist friends, one of the girls asked the group, "As an artist, if you were to go blind tomorrow and you could see just one scene, what would it be?" We were pretty much all stumped since nobody could imagine what we'd do with our lives if we went blind. This prompted the story I wrote for Wandering Maestro, combined with the aesthetic of the Minstrel and Gypsy class from Ragnarok Online, where I spent many many years of my high school and college years wasting away... The name "Wandering Maestro" is both alluding to the bard's travels in the story and also a homage to the 3rd classes for the Minstrel and Gypsy classes, named Maestro and Wanderer respectively.
Hassli:What about your bunny, Latte? Can we see a picture and does your very own Holland Lop influence any of your work on Gaia? (Perhaps with this newest animal MC?)
Finni: I have many photos of Latte on my twitter actually! Here's one of my favorites. He definitely influences everything I do!! My love for bunnies stems from this little guy and he is honestly the sweetest little lop ever~ As you can see, he looks pretty similar to the latest [Animal] Loaded Lop ninja You can also see Latte on my SDPlus Real doll! I made a teeny tiny version of him that my doll holds in the second pose.
Hassli:Your twitter shows off a lot of Non-Gaia artwork. (Most recently for Fanime on a bus) What's some of the coolest work you have done for commission?
Finni: Hmmm this is tough! I think seeing my work on the light rail for Fanime might be the coolest work I've done for a commission, but really it's how the artwork is used that makes stuff cool! I've seen my artwork on things like lanyards or made into metal pins and it's just such an awesome feeling seeing your work used like that~
Hassli:You said Sen was your favorite NPC. As far as shipping, are you more of a Sen x Peath kinda gal or more for Sen x Overseer?
Finni: I'm actually not too into shipping Gaia NPCs... but I'd pick Sen x Overseer 4laugh
Hassli:The war for good and evil is coming up. Which side are you supporting? Gaia and Team Gino or Nyx and Team Bad Dudes? (I guess there's also Team Neutral)
Finni: So I have this not-secret plan for world domination via bunny takeover so I'm rooting for Team Bunnies. emotion_dowant
Hassli:Can Diedrich expect your vote in 2016? I'm only asking because I'm his campaign manager.
Finni: B-but what if I wanted to run for the presidency in 2016?? There's more than one bunny in town that can be Gaia's master overlord I mean democratic leader!! rolleyes
Haha! Well that was the interview!!! Thank you Miss Finni for your time! I hope everyone had as much fun reading the answers as I did!
Now I have to go warn Diedrich that there is another bunny on the scene that we must crush by 2016. Haha! Ok! I love you! Bye-bye!
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Flowers!
By x Karurie x
Photography by minghii
May 22nd, 2014
Art credit goes to the talented minghii!
Summer is in the air and apparently there is a rumor going around of a party in the making. What is the nature of this celebration? Well, that’s certainly the big question, isn’t it?
It was flower shop owner and Barton resident, Rina, who approached us yesterday, cradling a beautiful bouquet of flowers. She appeared quiet perplexed as she gestured at the lengthy receipt in her other hand.
“Hey, Paparazzi! You guys might know the answer to this one, being sneaky paps and all that -- have you heard anything about this big party coming up? I've had a bunch of orders for flowers down at the Cafe. Do you guys think it might be related?”
Unfortunately, even we, the Paparazzi, were not aware of any party planning! Shocking!
(And ... a little embarrassing. We aren't slacking on the job, I swear!)
Apparently, the one bouquet was just one among many that an unidentified source had ordered. Surely, whatever is in the works is no small event.
Naturally, our sleuths at the Paparazzi are hard at work! We’re snapping pictures, bombarding unsuspecting citizens and piecing together the clues.
So far, we’ve gathered speculation that we could possibly see another rousing and extravagant prom event!
Ah, please! Contain your excitement, my fellow Gaian! As I’ve pointed out, this is merely speculation.
What ever the case may be, I think Rina shares a common opinion with the rest of us.
When we further pressed her for information, our flower child replied, “Oh man! I don't knoooooww. I don't even know what's going on! I was hoping you guys might be better informed than I am. How myyystterriious... “
Yes, quite mysterious indeed. ...Much like that airship hovering close to the beach of Gambino… Hn.
Well! Another story for another day!
In the meantime, we’ll continue to work as hard as we can to bring you the latest developments and gossip!
By x Karurie x
Photography by minghii
May 22nd, 2014
Art credit goes to the talented minghii!
Summer is in the air and apparently there is a rumor going around of a party in the making. What is the nature of this celebration? Well, that’s certainly the big question, isn’t it?
It was flower shop owner and Barton resident, Rina, who approached us yesterday, cradling a beautiful bouquet of flowers. She appeared quiet perplexed as she gestured at the lengthy receipt in her other hand.
“Hey, Paparazzi! You guys might know the answer to this one, being sneaky paps and all that -- have you heard anything about this big party coming up? I've had a bunch of orders for flowers down at the Cafe. Do you guys think it might be related?”
Unfortunately, even we, the Paparazzi, were not aware of any party planning! Shocking!
(And ... a little embarrassing. We aren't slacking on the job, I swear!)
Apparently, the one bouquet was just one among many that an unidentified source had ordered. Surely, whatever is in the works is no small event.
Naturally, our sleuths at the Paparazzi are hard at work! We’re snapping pictures, bombarding unsuspecting citizens and piecing together the clues.
So far, we’ve gathered speculation that we could possibly see another rousing and extravagant prom event!
Ah, please! Contain your excitement, my fellow Gaian! As I’ve pointed out, this is merely speculation.
What ever the case may be, I think Rina shares a common opinion with the rest of us.
When we further pressed her for information, our flower child replied, “Oh man! I don't knoooooww. I don't even know what's going on! I was hoping you guys might be better informed than I am. How myyystterriious... “
Yes, quite mysterious indeed. ...Much like that airship hovering close to the beach of Gambino… Hn.
Well! Another story for another day!
In the meantime, we’ll continue to work as hard as we can to bring you the latest developments and gossip!
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A transcript has been found in the break room. It looks old. There are faint amber stains of old tea speckling one of the sheets. As well as the scent of coffee if one puts their nose close enough to it. And pickles. If one did not know any better they would assume it is quite old. Ranging in perhaps months since it was made.
From the Desk of XinYunMei
Good afternoon citizens of Gaia and a Happy Fashion week twenty thirteen to all of you. This is Yun reporting from outside of Dernier Cri with the always amazing Brennivin and his lovely assistant Miss Kanoko. Erm... and Radio Jack. Or at the very least I will be soon. If they notice m- Oh. He's looking over here. And hes heading over here. Stay calm. It's just semp- I mean Brennivin.
He's walked past me. Bullocks.
???: Welcome. Is there something I can help you with?
Yun: Oh! I mean oh... heheh.. Hello Miss Kanoko. No. No, I was just hoping to speak with Brennivin for a short bit. If I could get his attention.
Kanoko: Hm. I think I remember you from somewh- Yun, are you here to bother him about magic again?
Yun: Wou- N-no. I'm here for an... an interview? Really. I've decided to make him the subject of my very first interview ever.
Radio Jack: Want me to just kick the brat out?
Kanoko: No. I can handle th-
Brennivin: Hallo little one.
Yun: Oh. Semp- I mean Mister Brennivin. I'd like to speak with you for a few moments.
Brennivin: You are the kaffee boy from the paparats, ja?
Yun: Y-yes. How did you-
Brennivin: You are here for interview, ja? To see all my fantastisk new creations.
Yun: Yes- Wait. Wait. Wait. Aren't I supposed to be asking the questions in an interview?
[Ed: The next five minutes are heavily edited as Brennivin leads the coffee-boy about by his wrist. There are pictures of the new clothes, some of which the young reporter have been forced into and at on point the lad standing awkwardly in a pretty dress. The last of which is still being passed around the office and can not be found for the article. The editor suspects it has been found and shredded]
Brennivin: That was good, ja? Gut. Have a good day little kaffee boy.
Yun: Well. That... went horribly. And wonderfully. I think I'll stick with my day job though. I got a nice picture I could use though I suppose.
Photo Via reapersun.
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What goes on in Kuroland, Stays in Kurokand....Until the Paparazzi arrive
By CioccoLatte
April 22nd, 2014
Delinquent reporter for Paparazzi, Cio, reporting for duty!!!
Where have I been lately, you ask? Trapped within the ominous confines of Dark-god Nyx's territory, searching for a scoop.
My ninja skills were put to the ultimate test; or else, I faced the wrath of one of Gaia's most powerful gods.
And then I stumbled upon this rare moment:
Summoning Nyx looked like it took quite a toll on the little guy...
But good things never last long.
Cordell made suspicious glances to her left and right. I tried not to breathe as I didn't want to give my hiding place away.
She obscured my vision of the Don...and then...
((Ahh..forgive the sparkles. My camera comes with insta-purikura effects...
It's kind of like those face-recognition things...but this one adds sparkles...))
Hmmm...I always knew Cordell had a thing for cute things.
It should not be surprising since this elf has been notorious for singing this little number at a convention once:
>> Anime throwback! (just in case some of you don't remember...)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDBSV8DL1lU
And her choice in characters to draw...
I took more pictures...and apparently...so did Cordell...
I wonder though: why was Cordell taking pictures?
All I can think of is BLACKMAIL.
Threaten Don Luca with spreading embarrassing photos unless he relinquishes his authority and gives all of his power over the Dark-Elf-dom to her?
Crap! I couldn't about those things right then! The owl was onto me!!!
I needed a better hiding spot!
After what felt like a week of living on crackers and my near-empty water bottle, I found Cordell. Looked like she'd tired from compiling all the accounting documents. (Looked like Ivan's Tax Powers are at work even here...)
Looked like I wasn't the only one who spotted Cordell.
Zhivago shoved his face near Cordell's. Closer. Closer. Closer...
Their faces were literally only a few millimeters from each other!!!!
OMGGGGG!!!!!! oAo!!
He was gonna do the thing!!!! The thing!!!!
....
He DIDN'TTTTTTT!!!!! (I guess he was only making sure Cordell was really asleep.)
Then, Zhivago suddenly vanished in a poof of leathery wings and then for a second, the whole chair seemed like a blur. Vampire speed powers TM at work.
I clicked the button on my camera like there was no tomorrow.
Did I get anything?
Okay...It's either Zhivago is into a new hobby or he's gonna use this as leverage so he can be free from Dark-Elf subjugation...
But it's not gonna help him if I publish this stuff first....
Bwahahahahahahaha... emotion_awesome
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Kiss and Tell
4/15/14
Written by: NatsuNoYuki
It’s barely been 24 hours since the open beta of the brand new Tentacl.com so this reporter had to check it out. Who would have known that one of the first people I ran into was the infamously elusive, dastardly handsome, questionably reliable Nicolae himself. As we already know, Nicu has been shacking up with a very grumpy business partner, Captain Cresento. But is there more to this relationship than just strictly business? Many have dreamed speculated on the possibilities but no more. This newbie reporter managed to bribe score a quick interview with our beloved shopkeeper and got some dirt on himself and his personal life.
Reporter: Okay, let’s cut the chitchat and get straight to the juicy details, shall we?
Nicu: Sure, go for it.
Reporter: So it’s no secret that you’re a lady killer but your latest activity with Cresento drives this report to ask: Gay, Straight, or Bi?
Nicu: Hey, if they have a pretty face, anyone is fair game. I’m not all that picky.
Reporter: Oh, so what about Cresento? Is he your latest ‘pretty face?’ He seems like a hard to approach kind of guy. Unless, that’s what you’re into…
Nicu: “Ehh, he likes to act like a big tough loner guy but deep down, he's a kitten <3 As for me, I'm into anyone with such a huuuge... WALLET. Seriously, I lost 20 million of his gold on slapjack in Dref Dur and the cute b*****d didn't even notice...”
Reporter: Wow, he had 20 million in his wallet? I guess he didn’t mind having your hands in his pocket.
Nicu: You could say that. *smirk*
Reporter: Hahaha. So what are you up to here in Tentacl? I’ve noticed you’ve been sharing a few personal photos. Does Cresento know about this?
Nicu: “Cresento would throw me overboard if he saw this… So worth it.”
Reporter: Really? So would you say you two are officially together? I know a lot of our readers are dying for that confirmation.
Nicu: Hey, I think it’s pretty obvi- Whoa! Looks like the bf is coming. Gotta go!
[End of interview]
Source (NSFW): tentacl "Cresolae - Nicolae x Cresento" topic.
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Bath Time
Written by Sweatpants Princess
Photographed by minghi
March 12, 2014
Two dedicated snoops out on the trail of a scoop sure to knock the socks off our readers stumbled upon a grand display of interspecies cooperation today in Durem. While passing Vanessa's cosmetic salon, she seemed to be very occupied by something. Something small and fuzzy and colorful. Upon closer inspection(read: there was a sign by the door), we saw that she was actually offering baths and shampooing! But not for her typical customer, oh no. This new service was being provided to new residents of Gaia exclusively! ANIMAL residents! She seemed to be offering washes for the little animals' fur since she hasn't figured out how to style them yet. The stylist had an eagle-eye set on her little patron the whole time. Probably why no hair for them are being produced yet? Is this a sign of a new line of products and services being started in Salon Durem?! Stay tuned!
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Day in the Life
By Gumby Ningata
May 11th, 2014
By Gumby Ningata
May 11th, 2014
A day in the life of this Paparazzo.
The life of a paparazzo is not all glamorous and certainly not easy. There is always a chance of getting hurt on the job or in my case getting shoved in the trash by a certain Action 9 news reporter. Anyway, this reporter’s day starts out just like anyone else’s; I put on my outfit one leg at a time. Nothing to get excited about. There is the blaring of an alarm clock and the tugging on your hair by the goat that decided to nibble on it. Of course I am not angry at the little black goat named Goti. (X He is my greatest friend and a great protector. Every paparazzo needs a companion like him. This reporter does not normally eat breakfast when they get up, but I do feed Goti and all the other goats under my care. One must never avoid their responsibilities of taking care of their animal companions. After tending to the animals, I leave my home in Durem and start my walk to work. On the way there I run into my friend Nagasaki-1324 rushing off in the opposite direction of me! but stops to talk and visit a bit.. We greet each other with a hug and she offers Goti a treat. (X) We chatted for a bit until I needed to move along. The editor could be a real hard a** at times. (But I love her.) I pass by my friend Out Of Control. (X) Sadly I do not have time to talk with her like I would like, for I must hurry and get to work. The same goes for when I ran into my other friend Obscene Barbie. (X) We only have time to say hello and share a hug.
Eventually I make it to work, surprisingly on time from all the meeting and greeting of my friends. I have just enough time to get changed into my work clothes. (X) I start my work day off by dropping by the boss's office. (X) Yeata Zi has been a good friend to me and I am glad she allowed me this opportunity to help her. There is the rundown of what I need to do and then I am excused from her office. (X) I take a minute to stop by the break room and pick up a cup of tea made by the generous XinYunMei and a cookie made by frozen_flames06. Such nice interns, I almost feel bad for having to yell at them when they screw up something...almost. I get to my desk and take my first sip of the hot tea when my friend Moonchildladyofshadows shows up. (X) We start chatting up a gossip storm, until someone came calling for them, leaving me alone to work. The day goes like any other. Speculation on NPCs and their connections, trying to catch a few NPCs on camera (X), wishful thinking that Sen might show up somewhere (X), hating Pearth for capturing her affection (X), hating Rina for dodging me, and hating Admin for trying to use goats to sell Gcash. (X) All the normal stuff a paparazzo does.
Work ends without much fanfare. I quickly change back to me normal attire. (X) I rush off to my other job. As a loyal follower of the Easter Bunny and member of E-Corp I make sure I stop in and see the great leader. (X) A few of the other members of E-Corp showed up. We all like to be around our leader. (X) After that I head off to my other office. I have a lot of work to do seeing as I am the sole Hench Goat of E-Corp. (I would not have it any other way. whee ) I take a break from that to hang out with a few fellow E-Corp members. Yeata Zi and my friend EviCa just happen to be the ones I run into. (X) We talk about the normal E-Corp stuff until I have to return to my office. I get a ride back from my friend Leaden D. (X) It is not long after that I head home.
On the way home I stopped by my friend Seeing Scarletta’s place. I wanted to see if she wanted to go hang out. Turns out I showed up just as she was getting ready for bed. (X) My face was a little red as I told her good bye. It was not the first time she had been seen in such a manner but it was still a shock. I was still a bit embarrassed as I rushed home to Durem. Just I as made it to my street I spot my friends Lil_Noir and LittleLordGothLeroy sitting on a bench outside my building. It seems they were letting bugs loose and throwing crumpled pieces of paper all over the place. I take the time to clean up and catch some of the pesky buggers they let lose. I did not need them ruining my neighborhood. After that was over I invited the troublemakers inside. They convinced me to change my outfit (X) before we decided to headed out to one of the most popular bars in all of Gaia. ( X ) Normally I liked the kind of clothes I wore normally but it was hard to say no to those two. Just as I finished changing there was a knock on the door. I answered the door and it was my friend Nagasaki-1324 again. She brought along our mutual friend Partydude11.
Seeing that I now had more company, the trouble makers from earlier decided to go to the club without me. We said our goodbyes and I invited my other friends in. We gossiped about the different NPCs and what we thought they were up to. I mentioned that I hoped to see Sen soon but they shot that idea down fast and hard. That put me in a rather depressed mood. I was going to drown my sorrows down at the Chatter Box when PartyDude11 suggested a more civilized place. The pair convinced me to change yet again. It was a good thing I horded items like a crazy lady. Plus it gave my goats things to play with. Nagasaki-1324 took the lead as we headed to the GCD. ( X ) Once there we did some things that I would prefer not to say. Even a paparazzo has secrets. All you need to know was that we saw Rina on the way back but again she ducked me. One of these times I am going to catch her and she is going to answer my questions. Anyways………. I stumbled my way back to Durem. Nagasaki-1324 and Partydude11 were nice enough to get me ready for bed, seeing as I had passed out on the sofa the second we entered my home. Luckily, today was one of the better days or being a Paparazzo. I did not get chased by shop assistants or grunnies. There was no annoying “presidents” spewing “facts,” and only ten announcements over the PA system. I even managed to avoid getting chewed out by the editor. So today was a good day.
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Carl In A Good Mood! Reporter Scared Anyway!
By Sweatpants Princess
March 1st, 2014
Feeling a powerful inclination to science this week, I heard rumors of something strange going on outside Junk In The Trunk, and hightailed it over. The sight that met me was unbelievable- dozens of portable TV sets and phones streaming marathons of a sleeper hit psychological horror show. And instead of chasing away the animated squatters, terrifying and stenchy local shopkeeper Carl was right in the middle of it! He seemed to be giving away mouthfuls of strange new items as he roved through the fans arranged outside. The item in question includes some questionably awesome body modifications, so of course I had to have one. For science.
I made up my mind and approached Carl. As I drew closer, I observed something unnerving. Some viewers were engaging the elk in discussion as they took their complimentary freebie- and he was responding! Positively! Gaians were thanking him, and he wasn't charging in anger or bugling at them with a musky intimidation! It was too weird. The most violent he got was staring, and seeming to think about chewing a balloon. Even for a dedicated sneak reporter and scientist, the scene was too Twilight Zone. I went home quickly for a well-needed nap.
Was Carl... enjoying himself?
NEXT WEEK: Rumors spread like wildfire about a hidden connection between Carl and the fabled imprisoned nightlord, Nyx. Is there any truth to them? What are the origins of Carl's inner darkness? Join us here at the Paparazzi (2003 GCD Boulevard, Barton Town) to find out!
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Welcome to Gaia Our New Furry Friends!
Article by TheMainCharacter1
February 27, 2014
With our new neighbors settling in our fellow staff at Paparazzi would like to say …
Welcome to Gaia!
Now, as I write this article I would like to take the time to remind everyone of Rufus’s words.
“…these guys aren't pets; they're Gaians just like you and me!”
With that being said as much as they are cute, fluffy, chubby, soft, and funny looking when they walk that it makes you want to pick them up just to squeeze them…please remember to treat them with respect.
We don’t want situations like these popping up too often like what I took a photo of here…
As much as a Rina cicada blocking newly fellow Gaian Paw Paw makes a good story, control yourself and treat them like every other person in Gaia. We at Paparazzi will do the same by posting many, many, many stories about them just like everyone else.
So once again welcome and enjoy many experiences with us.
Article by TheMainCharacter1
February 27, 2014
With our new neighbors settling in our fellow staff at Paparazzi would like to say …
Welcome to Gaia!
Now, as I write this article I would like to take the time to remind everyone of Rufus’s words.
“…these guys aren't pets; they're Gaians just like you and me!”
With that being said as much as they are cute, fluffy, chubby, soft, and funny looking when they walk that it makes you want to pick them up just to squeeze them…please remember to treat them with respect.
We don’t want situations like these popping up too often like what I took a photo of here…
As much as a Rina cicada blocking newly fellow Gaian Paw Paw makes a good story, control yourself and treat them like every other person in Gaia. We at Paparazzi will do the same by posting many, many, many stories about them just like everyone else.
So once again welcome and enjoy many experiences with us.
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Shower Photograph
By minghi
February 23rd, 2014
captain cresento from the ship and the shop bifrost threatened one day a local paparazzi magazine photographer by saying he'd be a very powerful enemy if he continues to take those "licensed tabloids" ( i think that's what he said)
of course the photographer didn't really gave a flying duck. And to try to piss the captain off even more, the reporter flew up to the flying ship and took this footage by the bathroom window. unfortunately due to strong winds and small wings, our friend fell down from pretty high and more of less crashed his camera. however this precious image, despite the bad quality, was saved, and he is now sharing it with the world.
*please do not question the morality of this magazine we've got a injured (massive nose hemorrhage) reporter here*
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The Friendship Ritual
By Hassli
February 16th, 2014
Hello! Hi! Yes! Hello again! It’s me, Hassli and I am here to talk about the sociological impacts of the traditional Gaian Friendship Ritual. This is an ancient ritual dating back to just the other day when Diedrich and I invented it. Today I plan on talking about performing the ritual with Diedrich and how we are now Best friends forever!
The first step is to place your head into a bucket of aphids and peach nectar. This is the cleansing step for your soul! The peach nectar makes you smell very nice for a couple days, but the aphids are tiny and gross and make you itch. You also are very sticky and nobody wants to stand directly beside you I found.
Photograph snapped by chai fae
Afterwards comes the ritual cheese eating. Diedrich confided in me that this is his favorite part of the Best Friend Ritual. I think it is my favorite too. We ate many cheeses! We ate and ate and ate all the cheeses for so long. It signified some kind of thing that is important to friendship.
Finally comes the goblet of cough syrup. You drink of the goblet until you get very sleepy and take a nap. When you wake up, the ritual is over and you find yourself in some kind of dumpster that you don’t know how you got to. Your memory of the ritual is somewhat foggy, but you are happy you are now best friends forever.
That was my experience doing the traditional best friends ritual with President Diedrich. We are now best friends and he even said that I could be his campaign manager for the next election which might not happen because he plans to abolish elections so he can be Eternal Dictator President Diedrich which also sounds nice.
Ok! Thank you for reading my first article! I love you! Ok bye bye! Love, Hassli!
Editor's Note: You can see where this transpired here
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Article by Dref Dur
February 16th, 2014
Due to some investigative efforts, a new discovery regarding the spirit of [NPC] Artemis has been made! On January 10th, 2014 Artemis was seen in The "Complete" Nouvelle Lune Item List thread interacting with Gaians who had gathered that day.
She is quoted as saying:
[NPC] Artemis
Yeah! Some ghosts are the worst. They run around spooking people and stealing all the ghoulberries and ugh! It makes me so mad! That's why I went to my forest to begin with, I didn't like hanging out with the other ghosts. They're all so cranky!
You can find the post in question here.
It would appear not only that Artemis used to live her afterlife in a place where other ghosts were ,but she had a falling out with them due to their hostile natures both internally and externally towards humans!
QUESTIONS!!
1) Where was Artemis previously? She is currently located in her tree in the clouds above the Forest of Night and now we know, close enough to where other ghosts or perhaps even people live.
If we look at our clues, we will discover there are at least 3 or 4 possible locations as to where Artemis originally hailed from. Of course, if we can discover where she was originally then we can also find out approximately where the Forest of Night with her Tree to the Sky is!
(*Clue A) There is a graveyard on the road just outside Barton's North Gate near Bass'ken Lake. Since it is close to Barton, which is known for being near the (*Clue B) Deep Woods featured in a section of the map used during the Frontier Skies event, there may be a good chance this is the place.
Then again, the Deep Woods may be its own separate location since we also know the Gaians Woods is another location in which the nocturnal owl "O RLY?" lives. Since Artemis' forest is a Forest of Night it would be natural to think you would find a nocturnal species such as "O RLY?" there! Also since the O RLY owls are known to irritate the lumberjacks, and Artemis has been quoted as saying the animals in her forest can be mischieveous this is another reason to believe there is a connection. Could the Gaian Woods be related to the Forest of Night? And also, could the Deep Woods and the Gaians Woods be the same place?
Next up we have our third possible location, the Durem Graveyard. Although the (*Clue C)Durem Graveyard hasn't been officially identified as being in an event, the possibility is very likely that this too could be a spot where Artemis could live. Since the Frontier Skies map could be interpreted a variety of directions due to an implied coastline near Barton and other zoomed out map versions, the Deep Woods could actually lie somewhere between Durem and Barton Town! If that's true, its entirely possible that the Durem Graveyard is near the Deep Woods!
It has also been speculated in the past that the Durem Graveyard was the same cemetary used in the Grave Danger event and storyline. In this story, a corporation named Omnidrink is identified as having dumped a hazardous chemical in a "nearby cemetery". Since the cemetary is never specifically identified as the same one, the circular layout suggested on page 4 of the manga is similar to the circular grave pattern at Durem Graveyard. Also worth noting, is the fact that clearly seen around the cemetery in Grave Danger are woods!!
Now, let's think back to what Artemis had said about her fellow ghosts having a bad attitude. The graveyard used in Grave Danger ended with users fighting ghosts who practically filled the entire graveyard, who were described as being evil.
Sound like the type of ghosts Artemis was talking about not getting along with? If Artemis was here to begin with, and then the ghosts turned evil that would explain why she had been there and stayed to begin with and then decided to leave. After all, the ghosts were once good right? So they would've been able to get along with her!
And the fact that there are woods directly around that cemetery means its a good chance that Artemis left right into them when the ghosts started to turn due to Byproduct 2113! So is Artemis' original location in Durem Graveyard, the speculated place where the Omnidrink Ghost battle occurred? Or is she from somewhere near Barton, where there are animals identified as nocturnal and we know Barton is near woods?
This is all speculation of course. So what's the scoop?! This reporter's on the trail!
You can bet I'll be looking more into this story in the future! Thanks for joining me, and until next time!
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A Photographer's Journey: A First Person Account Following Cresento and Nicolae Around for an Evening
Article and photography by minghi
February 15th, 2014
I was searching for something interesting in order to write an article for V-day for our magazine. Unfortunately the only interesting I managed to see was the local gaian Hassli doing a kissing booth with his bara diedrich mask on. Needless to say, not a lot went there to get a kiss. (But you get a diedrich doll if you kiss him so I did wahahah)
Anyways, back on topic, I end up wandering inside an expensive looking clothing store, because yanno, expensive places always have rich people doing something weird, I figured I could get a scoop.
Just as I entered, a familiar and annoyed voice lifted up, and in instinct, I grabbed my camera and took this shot:
(click for larger image)
It was Cresento and Nicolae! I wonder why they are shopping though. Cresento must shop in places like Brennivin’s, and Nicolae doesn’t really change much, does he.
I approached in order to hear them better, and this was the following conversation:
Cresento: How many times so I have to repeat it, we are going to a very important place! So for the love of Gaia, do not wear that ugly scarf.
Nicolae: Aw come on Cressy, I even combed my hair with that weird gel of yours to look fancy, cut me some slack will ya? I don’t like tight and formal stuff, yanno.
C: I do not care, either you fix yourself or you are not coming with me.
N: Ha, you’d be alone on Valentine’s Day then, wouldn’t that be sad? Plus, no one wants to listen to operas, consider yourself lucky that I made that difficult decision of going to listen to that weird noise with you while not charging you anything. - 3 -
C: No one asked you to come! I do not find this valentine festivity of yours very appealing. The only reason I agreed is that you annoyed me so much it was unbearable.. Now please get rid of that ridiculous scarf. And for the love of- *he grabs Nicolae’s tie* Don’t you even know how to dress properly? *starts fixing it himself*
N: Dude, I just didn’t want to see you so lonl- *gets pulled over* Whoa, carful there. Well, you know me, I’m bad at your “fancy” stuff. *Let’s Cresento do his tie* Yanno…. You look like my wife right now pahahahah *grabs Cresento’s waist and starts patting it* (photographer’s note: ah, I think I dripped some blood on the script, sorry /plugs nose)
C: This is pretty much the reason I do not want to be seen with you sometimes *sigh* What? What are you talking about, don’t speak this nonsense! *Starts pushing Nicolae away, but he’s still grabbing on the captain’s waist*
After seeing all this I couldn’t help but to go up, wanting to get more scoop and see what the two coughlovebirdcough guys have in store for the night. Cresento saw me first, and pulled Nicolae over. They whispered something that even my demon ears couldn’t hear. Wow, he really didn’t want me to hear that.
The following interview comes from Nicolae himself only since Cresento went away and started to stare at the merc behind a shelf. I think I was also more or less attacked by his gaze.
“Plans for the night, errr well… *quickly glances at Cresento* Well, nothing much, we’re both single men yanno, there’s nothing really going on. For us shopkeepers this is just a simply another night! Fancy cloths? Well, it’s not like I always dress up like this cause well, a man needs a little wardrobe at least to attract the ladies right, aha, ahahah” (ah, I think Cresento’s eyes glared again) “Am, yeah. Opera? *glances back again* We’re just talking about his hobbies. He can’t stop talking about how great opera is. I don’t even understand what’s so good about songs that you can’t even understand the wor-“
Cresento approached god knows when and was preparing to drag Nicolae away, saying that they’re in a hurry. But how can I let such a precious interview chance go? So at the final moment, I asked them if they can make a pose or something of the like, so I would have a photo for my interview. I even offered a little sum in order for them to agree. Nicolae seemed to be excited, and started to drag Cresento back towards me.
(Click for larger iamge)
N: We can’t pass out on a chance of getting…. nice photos! Come on, let’s do that heart thing with our hands, yanno that pose we saw that couple do the other day? It’s gonna be fun. *grins*
C: Wha- N- Wait what no! I’m not going to do that embarrassing pose in front of the came- Agh stop pushing me! Alright, I understand, will you let go of me already! I swear to Gaia, you are annoying today.
After a minute of fighting, both of them finally looked at my camera, and I snapped this photo:
*warning: photographer may or may not have overly edited that photo, the actual scene at the clothing store does not involve so many hearts*
Well what do you know, never knew that they would do such a cute pose for me.*wipes nosebleed* Excuse me.
And Cresento seemed to have told everyone earlier today that he resent the notion of celebrating this lovey-dovey holiday, yet from that conversation I’ve heard, this sure sounds like a celebration to me.
Minghi out.
*This article was given in late due to the fact the photographer followed the pair to the opera, but fell asleep on the rooftop due to the rather incomprehensible singing.*
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Article by Dref Dur
February 12th, 2014
In a shocking turn of events, one of Gaia Online's most community-loved staff members, Uncle Kenny, has announced in his journal (found here) that as of today, he is no longer employed with Gaia Interactive. This is a decision he has made on his own, due to a far better opportunity for both himself and his family.
With a community of Gaians in utter disbelief, many filled with heartfelt sendoffs, shocked faces and some even an impending feeling of overwhelming nervousness I decided to reach out to Uncle Kenny for one final interview, a "farewell" interview if you will. I was overjoyed when he agreed, and the following is that said interview:
Quote:
Dref Dur: *holds up microphone*
Hey there Uncle Kenny! Dref Dur here, can I have a moment of your time?
Was hoping you might be able to have a quick interview. Nothing too serious, just a sort of light hearted interview. wink heart
(Congratulations on your new opportunity by the way!)
Uncle Kenny: Ha, sure, go for it.
Dref Dur: 1) In all of your years here Uncle Kenny, and all of your experience it seems newfound opportunity has created a turn in which you will no longer be working with Gaia Interactive.
How does this make you feel?
Uncle Kenny: I am still bound by NDA so there's some stuff I can't talk about but I'll answer what I can!
I don't think it's fully set in that I'm actually gone yet. Even sleeping in today and not going into the office feels kind of weird. Overall though, it's a really big change since Gaia has been a pretty big part of my life for years now. It'll be really different but I made a big jump to come out here in the first place and that worked out well so I'm hoping this jump will also work out.
Dref Dur: 2) I can imagine it must've been quite the adjustment coming and working for Gaia! The company itself has changed so much, even over the years you've been on staff with them!
Over your years with Gaia, what are some changes that really stick out to you?
Uncle Kenny: I think the two biggest changes I can think of would be when Gaia moved into the social/mobile gaming industry and then when the company moved back out of it more recently. I think those two things caused the biggest shifts in terms of internal changes and direction that Gaia Online went in.
Dref Dur: I can definitely see how this would cause some big changes! It's not easy for a company to take a risk and really put themselves out there to try something new! And mobile gaming platform can be a very unpredictable market!
3) Gaia Online still has some risky future ventures in the works as we know! Some of the ones users constantly associated you with in the past included the Wedding/Marriage System, the Pets system, various events and even the Loyalty Shop!
I can guess you probably can't speak much as to those projects, but due to your no longer being with Gaia can we expect any of those upcoming projects to now be cancelled?
Uncle Kenny: Obviously I don't know either way but I doubt they'll be cancelled just because I'm gone. There are still Devs left at Gaia who can work on it and I left what documentation I could for anybody who continues it. I was only the one assigned to work on the projects so they'll probably continue on without me.
Dref Dur: Okay, I gotcha! Thanks for the heads up! Sometimes it can be hard to tell what will happen with things like that! sweatdrop
4) Recently we've seen an increase in NPC-user interaction. A lot of old fans are springing up again, and are loving some attention with the characters! Now that you'll have time to be a normal user when you're not working at your new job, you'll be freed up to enjoy things again!
Are there any NPCs that are your favorites?
Uncle Kenny: The holiday NPCs are probably my favorite which made the events of last year all the more fun for me. Being able to build up to an epic showdown between Easter Bunny and Jack was awesome.
Dref Dur: I don't think you're alone on that one Uncle Kenny, so many people are big fans of the holiday NPCs! That Jack and Easter Bunny sure know how to rumble, huh? wink And moving right along to the next question:
5) You said in your journal entry you were a Moderator for Gaia and then once you graduated college you pretty much wound up working there pretty quick, right? We hear a lot of people on the site who are very passionate express interest in working for Gaia.
For aspiring Gaia staff, what advice would you give on preparing for such an opportunity?
Uncle Kenny: I'm not very good at advice but I guess the best suggestion I have is to just make yourself known to those who can help you get to where you want to be. You can be the greatest at what you do but unless you reach out and make sure the right people know you exist, nothing can ever really happen.
Dref Dur: And what great advice! It's true you can be as prepared as you want, but you've got to get your foot in the door somehow! Very solid advice!
7) We're on our last two questions of the interview, I hope I didn't take up too much of your time! With the future laying wide open, this sudden dramatic turn of events is going to have users all topsy turvy!
Anything you want to say to users who might be worried about future projects? Anything you might be able to tell them to get excited for?
Uncle Kenny: Afraid I can't really give away any info about future projects but there are still Developers there so they should be able to handle any projects that come down the line.
Dref Dur: 8 ) There has been a massive outpouring of support on the news of your departure from Gaia Interactive. As I'm sure you've seen in the forums, users left and right are showing not only shock buth eartfelt goodbyes and appreciation for all your hard work on our beloved website!
Is there anything you'd like to say, a farewell message if you will for those reacting to the news?
Uncle Kenny: All I can say is that I'll miss everyone and am sorry for the sudden news. Everything works out in the end though.
Dref Dur: Okay Uncle Kenny! Great interview, and thanks for your time!
You will definitely be missed, and we thank you for your support over time! Best of luck, and you'll be seeing our interview in the forums tonight! wink heart
Hey there Uncle Kenny! Dref Dur here, can I have a moment of your time?
Was hoping you might be able to have a quick interview. Nothing too serious, just a sort of light hearted interview. wink heart
(Congratulations on your new opportunity by the way!)
Uncle Kenny: Ha, sure, go for it.
Dref Dur: 1) In all of your years here Uncle Kenny, and all of your experience it seems newfound opportunity has created a turn in which you will no longer be working with Gaia Interactive.
How does this make you feel?
Uncle Kenny: I am still bound by NDA so there's some stuff I can't talk about but I'll answer what I can!
I don't think it's fully set in that I'm actually gone yet. Even sleeping in today and not going into the office feels kind of weird. Overall though, it's a really big change since Gaia has been a pretty big part of my life for years now. It'll be really different but I made a big jump to come out here in the first place and that worked out well so I'm hoping this jump will also work out.
Dref Dur: 2) I can imagine it must've been quite the adjustment coming and working for Gaia! The company itself has changed so much, even over the years you've been on staff with them!
Over your years with Gaia, what are some changes that really stick out to you?
Uncle Kenny: I think the two biggest changes I can think of would be when Gaia moved into the social/mobile gaming industry and then when the company moved back out of it more recently. I think those two things caused the biggest shifts in terms of internal changes and direction that Gaia Online went in.
Dref Dur: I can definitely see how this would cause some big changes! It's not easy for a company to take a risk and really put themselves out there to try something new! And mobile gaming platform can be a very unpredictable market!
3) Gaia Online still has some risky future ventures in the works as we know! Some of the ones users constantly associated you with in the past included the Wedding/Marriage System, the Pets system, various events and even the Loyalty Shop!
I can guess you probably can't speak much as to those projects, but due to your no longer being with Gaia can we expect any of those upcoming projects to now be cancelled?
Uncle Kenny: Obviously I don't know either way but I doubt they'll be cancelled just because I'm gone. There are still Devs left at Gaia who can work on it and I left what documentation I could for anybody who continues it. I was only the one assigned to work on the projects so they'll probably continue on without me.
Dref Dur: Okay, I gotcha! Thanks for the heads up! Sometimes it can be hard to tell what will happen with things like that! sweatdrop
4) Recently we've seen an increase in NPC-user interaction. A lot of old fans are springing up again, and are loving some attention with the characters! Now that you'll have time to be a normal user when you're not working at your new job, you'll be freed up to enjoy things again!
Are there any NPCs that are your favorites?
Uncle Kenny: The holiday NPCs are probably my favorite which made the events of last year all the more fun for me. Being able to build up to an epic showdown between Easter Bunny and Jack was awesome.
Dref Dur: I don't think you're alone on that one Uncle Kenny, so many people are big fans of the holiday NPCs! That Jack and Easter Bunny sure know how to rumble, huh? wink And moving right along to the next question:
5) You said in your journal entry you were a Moderator for Gaia and then once you graduated college you pretty much wound up working there pretty quick, right? We hear a lot of people on the site who are very passionate express interest in working for Gaia.
For aspiring Gaia staff, what advice would you give on preparing for such an opportunity?
Uncle Kenny: I'm not very good at advice but I guess the best suggestion I have is to just make yourself known to those who can help you get to where you want to be. You can be the greatest at what you do but unless you reach out and make sure the right people know you exist, nothing can ever really happen.
Dref Dur: And what great advice! It's true you can be as prepared as you want, but you've got to get your foot in the door somehow! Very solid advice!
7) We're on our last two questions of the interview, I hope I didn't take up too much of your time! With the future laying wide open, this sudden dramatic turn of events is going to have users all topsy turvy!
Anything you want to say to users who might be worried about future projects? Anything you might be able to tell them to get excited for?
Uncle Kenny: Afraid I can't really give away any info about future projects but there are still Developers there so they should be able to handle any projects that come down the line.
Dref Dur: 8 ) There has been a massive outpouring of support on the news of your departure from Gaia Interactive. As I'm sure you've seen in the forums, users left and right are showing not only shock buth eartfelt goodbyes and appreciation for all your hard work on our beloved website!
Is there anything you'd like to say, a farewell message if you will for those reacting to the news?
Uncle Kenny: All I can say is that I'll miss everyone and am sorry for the sudden news. Everything works out in the end though.
Dref Dur: Okay Uncle Kenny! Great interview, and thanks for your time!
You will definitely be missed, and we thank you for your support over time! Best of luck, and you'll be seeing our interview in the forums tonight! wink heart
As you can see, the guy's a class act folks. Best wishes Uncle Kenny and thanks for taking time out of your crazy schedule to participate in one last interview! And thanks for all the great times! biggrin heart
Editor's Note:
Bonus from two of our photographers:
[
By Cioccolatte
By Minghi
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Couples Therapy: the Pursuit of an Interview with Logan and Agatha
By Mississippi Black Velvet
February 6th, 2014
[/i
