Something to note about the Cauldron tipped over last time, kicking it over poisoned one region. The Druj had intended to hit two regions with it. Best of a bad hand if you will.

This is me @53:18 with earl medwood. We both made it through the gate

In the top 5 nasty and lethal battles I've fought in at Empire. Bruising for the first third, continuous pressure for the next, and then that most lethal of maneuvers, the fighting retreat.... I brought all my House home alive (all three of us) and count myself very lucky to have managed it.

Zoran, you and I were last out. Seeing people waiting for those not coming back was tough and total games.

One of the issues we were dealing with which was why it looked like relentless hordes was that the enemy skirmish groups were extremely well versed in disrupting us and breaking our lines. We may have had the numbers in places but they were probably coming and going more than it was easy for us to notice as well because smaller groups were incredibly effective at pinning us. For any mention about shields being out of style for some, this was a weird one for me in that my usual mode of being something of an 'earthing point' was not really happening for me. However it saved my ass a good few times when I was having to hit a fast retreat when separated or my immediate left and right were dropped. I couldn't block as effectively as I like to frontally, or raise it to block on the run as much when at full pelt, but it was clutch for one or two hits while it bought time to neck a potion and get back into the swing of things. The only reason I made it out of the final retreat was being back at full power before that. It was *tight*. There were a number of occasions as well where there were split second decisions as to whether there was time to pick up a dropped comrade and it was utterly harrowing the number of times the call had to be made that it wasn't possible, else I'd have been lying next to someone I was attempting to revive. At least one other occasion in the battle I got separated from my line and moved back to what I thought was a Dawnish line...only to realise it was a Druj one. I staggered back and turned - straight into another. Turned again...realised I was just about surrounded. _Just about_ managed to punch a way out of that one. That battle was crunchy as all hell. There is a reason Gilderai never *ever* complains about a battle being dull. He was there the first time war rhinos turned up and frankly welcomes a nice routine completion of objectives and withdrawal! There are a number of other things to deal with between now and E1 next year, but it's going to make for some interesting times at player events in the Long Dark, that's for sure. But this is another of those battle experiences that's going to stay with me. Glad to have made it to this one but good grief :D

How I walked away from that is unbelievable. I got to 4sec on my bleed out twice

Was probably the worst losses we've ever experienced in one battle for the Orzel - and nobody from the Orzel rearguard that fell in that fighting retreat got back for their terminal roleplay. It was incredibly dicey. I don't think I've ever before heard of almost one entire nation being so completely cut off and totally separated from the rest of the imperial forces before.

So much drama for E1 want wait for it as militia game

I went past the sentinel gate (anvil side) and saw Farq pulling Nymeria away from the gate with an absolute death stare on her face and no Daemon and had thought the worst. I now understand the context 😅

I was first to leave the sentinel gates and I did so alone, one of the most dramatic moments of my larp career

It's odd as a monster in that battle, I was almost jealous because the drama of the withdrawal was one of the most epic things I've witnessed. Even if I was one of the baddies.

I knew it was horrific but this retelling of the battle still gave me anxiety 🙈

Friend of mine came back from monstering on the Sunday, saying it had been a slaughter and everything went SO so bad. Was lowkey worried you guys hadn't made it lmao.

Ngl I chose the worst weekend to fight as my Urizeni Sentinel for the first time 🤣 Nearly died too 😅 It was quite emotional getting back through the Gate and seeing my arbiter of my spire, Cried into her arms as I thought I wasn't gonna make it.... Also lost a few allies, one from House Goldvein, several from The lavender court, The Goldvein one broke me tho 😭

There as a Varushka physick on Sunday, it was genuinely quite scary. Three separate wraps were I looked up and thought, 'there is NO WAY we are getting out of this'. 😮

The Druj not running away I think had two causes, the Imperials were hesitating and panicking (which is like opioids to the Druj) And the Druj EMUs were in really strong cohesion late into the battle so the elite troops were in good shape with a lot of polearms.

Varushka and the smaller nations didn't get "let off the feild" we had a medical stoppage and the monsters jostled for position in the time stop that led to us breach the gate then retreat to sentinel gate we got wrapped again on the way out then a full route happened after we got out of that. Good podcast by the way 😀 good to see whst happened at top gate

Garrett's survivor guilt is something rotten these days. Turning up to E1 and seeing or rather not seeing all his friends that are now missing is gunna be hard.

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One of the marcher tea shop folks here - glad you liked the Toasties! :D

Having a big meal around 5 oclock on friday is big and clever. Just saying

You're really selling battlefield reffing. As a lineaged Navarri, trying to rush putting on makeup and prosthetics after monstering is PAINFUL 😭

Making plans for De Cendres Snack boxes to give out during tournaments and such next year. Will make sure some get delivered to MC.

Hah i use to bring dinner with me MC on friday, would go collect my pre order from. Hapston bakery at time in. And then eat amazing food during mc on friday

Thank you for speaking up for us archers

Saturday was my first character death in a glorious last stand pinned in a thorn bush, was quite funny looking up after I died to see you guys as refs! Beware the foliage 😂

The sword gives plus one hero point and, like a champion's bastion, gives you one hit back every time you use a hero point ;)

I'll look forward to you getting into the Sunday battle discussion. That entire event felt like I'd walked into a Game of Thrones episode. Really enjoyed a family barbecue the day before which was just such a pleasant change and a chance for us all to actually hang out for a change (everyone's so busy usually!) and the shift to that absolute meatgrinder of a battle the next day was the biggest jolt. Even looking over some of the photos as we were heading out to what came after was such a gut punch. And as you know, it hasn't quite ended there either... Epic stuff.

personally id love a verbatim word by word recount of Damon's meetings :P

100% reccomend the new Ramen place that has opened up in wintermark next to Shield Wolves and Fellowship of Broken Willows/Trenchers Pizza

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I am also extremely excited to hear about the war. Also fwiw I think you folks are absolutely the playing game right. By actually playing the game and not just doing the weird fancy-dress-jumble-sale-ren-faire bit.

First time Hiring a tent….wow if you can afford it, it’s a game changer.

P.s was nice to bumped into you at the end of the event.

First year of Empire done, wow what a year being a very experienced Larper Empire blows away everything else in the UK so If you’re watching this and you have not been….then do take that jump as Something for everyone 😊 E4 was an epic event

THAT SWORD!

Definitely looking forwards to hearing your telling of the horrors of the Sunday battle. We were trapped in the same pocket but it was really hard to keep track of what was going on.

New player here! Thanks for the dedication to these podcasts. The sheer amount of high quality content was what solidified my desire to attend Empire. :)

Tbf you could tell him as Belakovs vale is to offer to Hospitality to wolf and warden alike 😉

I loved personally seeing how far both characters have come. Its nice to see Daimen become an adjutant the same event i had my last season as genreal, before retiring from the MC. I have to say the best bit of MC personally is always stratergy on saturday. Thats when you see the real political military game come out. Again i feel that way as its been the campaign game i focussed on more than the conjunctions. And if im honest im proud of what ive done with the axe. And played parts in warfronts 3 terms 3 territory Ossium, Barrens, marveave And has lead to some fantastic rp, but more importantly some amazing realtionships with otber players both ic and ooc as we conquer stuff together.

Looking forward to hearing all the things I missed at E4!

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I really like that this is a set of questions rather than actual items list, as it allows each person to customise it for their own larp :) Side note, but you have auch a soothing voice!

That looks like a Jonathan shirt you have on. I'm very vain about my medieval clothing. It all has to be well suited (ha! Pun not intended) for each piece as well as gear. I'm not a LARPer but I think I'll enjoy your videos.

Great , been following you from the start, please keep it up

hi 🌷can you recommend hair extensions? i remember robyn mentioning them when you first started, don' t know if they're still part of the kit

Thanks for the information. I listened to your podcast version of this on the drive to Anvil. It was very useful for my first visit.

Mithril Man. Never forget 🪽

Last E4 I was the Marcher in the parade who forced apples in your hands. Nymeria's reaction to being given food was the funniest moment after the weekend when you had the recap and talked about your character's attitudes and how you were roleplaying them. My character 100% still believes they hate apples.

that's awesome! so much to do!! thanks so much for mentioning my dance class!!