Vardamir Interview

Vardamir Nólimon, the Uncrowned King is a level one hundred Black Númenórean Scholar

Race: Black Númenórean
Class: A combination of a mage and a cleric.

Special note: Was bashed to 1 hps by mobs while collecting the very final xp for level 100!

Reference stats:

Reference abilities: Str:10 Int:18 Wis:17 Dex:9 Con:13 Wil:14 Per:12.
Base abilities: Str:10 Int:18 Wis:17 Dex:9 Con:13 Wil:14 Per:12.

I never rerolled or trained my stats except for when, at around level 95, I neglected per to improve dex. I'm still not sure if it made any difference before I reached level 100.

Give a brief description of your char (free format telling, class-wise, choice of weapons, style-wise, any other information you wish to include):

I used to wear heavy armour (shining metals, fine metal boots/gauntlets), a twisted crown, hold a reinforced oak staff and wield an engraved broadsword. This was the basic setup. Prac-wise I was basically a mage flavoured with things like sanctuary, break door, strength and the thief skill envenom to poison my enemies. As an important sidenote Vardamir was always kept at a very young age. I never allowed the character to grow old for a number of reasons.

How would you summarize the career of your char, how did it all happen?

It started after I had officially announced that I was leaving the game. I was tired of my other characters and wanted to try out a completely incognito and optimized character, trying to level it as far as possible. Given this background, that I've always favoured the dark side of the war, and that my other BN's at that time had worthless stats the decision was easy and the timing perfect. I'd like to think the plan worked for the first 50-60 levels until people started figuring me out. At that time I started posting logs in public which was probably what completely blew the incognito away. It sure was fun while it lasted, though.

What was characteristic to your career, were you especially known of something specific, or did you have some favourite tactics? Did you have somekind of eras distinctive of each other, favourite group mates, etc?

I was almost always grouped with two Tarkhnarb warriors and I suppose the character was a typical roadkiller, always encircling Arda looking for enemies to spam down in the various bottlenecks. I loved to group with Tarkhnarb warriors, and the higher level they were the more I enjoyed it.

What was the one thing you loved in your char that made you play it all the way?

After playing a certain character for a longer period you, in my opinion, get a feel for what it can handle and not. For me it turned out that Vardamir was not as fragile as I thought he would be, and as the levels quickly increased I really felt how (insanely) much the character improved in power and ability to survive. This is probably the main reason why I stuck around until the end, but other than that it was having the block door spell as a darkie, and the ability to quickly track down your enemies (high % track).

Describe the best, the worst, and the funniest memory you have with this char?

This question is really diffucult to answer as there are quite many of each, but some of them must be:

...The one about being bashed to 1 hp on level 99 with just a few more exps to level 100...

... or when I was blocked inside the Watchful Tower (Dark Tower) alone vs 6 full, legend enemies and managed to kill 4 of them, having 1 incapacitated and 1 awful at the end before I died without any mana left. The feeling after that death, knowing I could've survived it all was... very frustrating....

... or when I retrieved the "One ring", the white ring of Saruman, and the engraved knife he wields after quaking an AFK enemy to death inside Shady whom had recently been part of a group that killed it (Saruman is/was never supposed to die, and these items were unique and quite powerful)...

... and when I lost them both some time afterwards when I died to 1 bash...

... but most of all killing powerful, high level enemies that rarely die was in general always very satisfying. I'd like to think that for quite some time I, and my various groupmembers, were maintaining an important balance in the game when it comes to deaths for these characters on the white side of the war. I have a huge number of these powerful enemies on my trophy.

Each level 100 character is asked to present one question to other club 100 members. Kindly submit your question here, and answer to it by yourself too.

- Question by Vardamir: When did you start to play this game and how come you started?

I think I started some time around late -98. P(Khird) and P(Hogga, an ancient member of TKS (Troll Kamikadze Squadron)) introduced me to MUME in a lab at our school back then. I was already playing a different MUD, but since everyone else in that lab was playing MUME I just switched...

- Question by Salazár: Why's there barely any players playing now?

Hard to say but I think the game is unbalanced. By being unbalanced I mean that high level, experienced players like us who roam, or used to roam, ruthlessly slaying many of those who are new or less experienced in PK, indirectly forces them into less of a risk-taking due to how much they (we all) lose upon dying. This in turn is a major drawback for those who are experienced and looking for action, making alot of them leave when there are no longer enemies fighting in the extended way they are used to from the past.

When was the primary playing period irl of this char?

Somewhere between 2005 and 2010, I think.

What is your relationship with MUME nowadays?

I still play every now and then. Mostly my Ranger, the Half-Elven cleric Tindómiel, who's busy helping out other players.

How do you see MUME now compared to what it was back then?

The playerbase has slowly decreased. Probably partially being my fault due to a ruthless playstyle on my evil characters.

Any hints, advices, greetings to MUME community?

Yes, I'd like to thank everyone I've grouped with over the years for all different kinds of wonderful memories.

A special thanks to the management who keeps improving the game, using alot of their valuable free time and almost never receiving any gratitude for what they do.

Other characters you have:?

P(Gríma Wormtongue), most of my characters are listed on his whois.

Real life name and nationality?

My name is Christian and I'm from Sweden.