Living In Another World – World Of Warcraft (2006-2011)

In 2005-06, I got a job working at a Commodities Broker/Insurance Agent’s home office as an Admin Assistant

I hadn’t worked for a few years because of some health issues, and I just needed to get out and make some money

I worked there 6 months

In that office he had a large/clunky PC computer which his young son would come in once in a while, and play a game called ‘World of Warcraft’

I hadn’t really played video games since the 70-80’s (Atari 2600 etc., Arcades etc.)

A lot of games were one person shooters, which did not interest me at all

Anyway

This game looked kinda cool, he’d go into a world and adventure etc.

I was a huge Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast in the 70’s, 80’s & 90’s, I really loved running them/world building/character creating, so this ‘World of Warcraft’ game (Also being fantasy Elfs etc.) made me a bit curious

After 6 months I left this job due to work and personal things, but when I returned to being at home, I decided to pick up ‘World of Warcraft’ and throw it on my Laptop…

…I had no idea how beautiful/amazing this world was

Apparently my bosses computer had a terrible graphics card, so when I first saw it on my laptop I could not believe how beautiful/immersive it was…

… and the music

…this music (The Night Elf area) was my favorite

But between the world, the music, the sounds…

…I was lost

A Dreamers paradise

At the time I was home a lot because of anxiety issues caused by some health related trauma in 2003

So I basically lived in the world for the following 4 1/2 years

There was a whole lot more in this game than killing bad guys…

…I’d always loved business in real life, and so I began a Jewelcrafting Business within the game, and became very rich

I’d work on this during the day, and at night I ran a Guild which ran 5 character Dungeons together to level characters, and on the weekends I’d lead 10 & 25 people Raids (Which were basically giant dungeons which require an immense amount of team work to achieve/complete)

All of this over voice chat, it was just an awesome thing

One of the cool things now is that I literally have memories that pop in my head from the years I played

I’m a filmmaker (Pursued 1999-2004 & 2015-17) who loves the fantasy realm, so this immersive world really captured me, and I do not regret a moment within it

Though I left the game in 2011 (And started this blog and pursuing writing), in 2019 ‘Classic Wow’ (WoW = World of Warcraft) came out in 2019, and I was definitely if nothing else nostalgically drawn to check it out (They brought back earlier editions like the one’s i’d played), but I had a full blown busy real life at that point, so I have yet to check it out

In fact from 2017-Present, Dungeons & Dragons has reentered my life, and in addition to running games for my girlfriend (In person) & my D & D friends (D & D = Dungeons & Dragons) from Twitter (Online games), I’ve also published a D & D Module (Adventure Book), working on a 2nd larger one & began doing Professional Dungeon Mastering (Running games) online (Dec 2020-Present)

Though the world of WoW still calls me… Infact, i’m listening to one of the areas soundtracks right now, and often do when I’m preparing for D & D games

Nuff said

Thanks for listening/Reading

DarkJade-

The Crooked – Negative Ions

The Crooked

by Darkjade

Part I

Part II – Negative Ions

All these years and I’ve never actually been to the carnival on the Santa Monica Pier…

…or, if I have, I don’t remember it

I always wanted to live in Santa Monica actually… I love the air

Sometimes I come down here to soak up the Negative Ions, listen to the soft sounds of the crashing waves, and the laughter of a child in the distance

I love the beach…

The ocean has always been my greatest love…

…though I fear swimming in it

I just feel it’s so powerful, it can just pull you under

I respect it

And though I boogey boarded and jumped into the waves a bit as a boy, there was a particular time when I got knocked under and couldn’t figure out bottom from top

Partly because I don’t open my eyes under water

But, on the shore, I’m not sure that would have helped with all the sand in the water

I’ve never been someone that opens their eyes under water though, I’ve tried it in pools, hated it

I actually had a woman hold me under to try to force me to open them once, so I did, but that trauma coupled with the boogey board incident made me fear swimming in the ocean more

And one other incident where a stranger at a public pool held me under unless I’d kiss her, which I didn’t

Three water traumas, and yet water and more particularly the ocean, is my favorite thing in the world

And so I sat this day, trying to let a new story idea float into my mind…

…in the end, I just grabbed some snacks and had my own picnic

‘Beautiful day,’ suddenly a young woman’s voice carried in my direction from behind me

Young meaning in her 30’s

She had dark hair and dark eyes, couldn’t tell if they were green or brown…

…it didn’t matter, she was talking to me

Then her husband appeared just as I was about to reply

‘Ready to go?’ she smiled at him, nodded, then smiled and waved at me as she walked away, dragging her feet through the sand, head down, feeling the warmth as she went

She might have been maybe 11 at that moment

I feel like we pop in and out of different ages all the time

I remember my mom always saying 28 was her favorite age, and so she felt 28 into her 40’s…

Ironically, I also felt 28 until my 40’s

Then she liked 50 something i think

I’ve loved the 50’s, though this and the end of last year has been a bit rough

My health is getting stronger, and I hope to get back to full health at some point…

…who knows

We’ll see

As the sun set my brother and his kids came out of the water, and we decided to head to a restaurant on the water, somewhere they’d allow beached out kids…

…it was a good night

Not a fruitful one Writing wise

But a good one none the less

The Crooked

The Crooked

by Darkjade

So I’m a writer…

…but I used to also be a Professional Baseball Pitcher (Until my heartbeat became irregular)

And gave Filmmaking a try for a few years too…

…you can blame Star Wars & George Lucas for that one, what great characters and story scope

I mean, starting on Chapter IV, come on, I loved it

These days I run some Dungeons & Dragons Professionally, it gives me an opportunity to keep on Writing (As I generally create my own content to run for the Players), but also gives me an opportunity to describe the visual world the Players are in (Kinda like sharing my Filmmaker eye & visions)

My health has been study for the last 20+ years, until that blasted virus…

…but rumor has it we’ve been lucky we haven’t seen something like this sooner, so I count myself kinda lucky

Lucky cuz I’m still here… so many aren’t

So I own several homes… this one I’m in is kinda large, up in the hills over looking the ocean

I can’t, nor will I ever complain about it

I ended up selling the one Feature Film screenplay I wrote back in 2000-2003 for a million bucks, invested it for 10 years, brought it to 5 million bucks & bought this place for 2 million

Environment and general joy are more important to me than money, so I feel good about my purchase

I’m not actually big on large homes, but this one I invite loved ones to spend time in (There’s 5 bedrooms, one’s my Writing office)

My nephews and nieces come here a couple months each summer and boogey board down at the beach

I supply the good eatings when they return

I’ve always wanted kids, but just hasn’t happened

Other than that my brother comes here with his lady…

It all works out

I also have a classic 9-11 Porche (Black), one from back when my bro and I were kids…

…totally rebuilt… I love it

And my 60’s bronco (Blue) I let my bro use when he’s in town

He has four kids man, crazy

Right now I’m staring blankly at the blinking cursor on my screen…

…this writing software is waiting for my next inspiration to be born

But there’s no guarantees it ever will

Beyond the screenplay I wrote, I’ve published 4 books, two of them bestsellers, but I’m just as proud of the other two

One’s on Filmmaking, as I only pursued it 3 or 4 years, and felt I had more to share in regards to it

The next is about Creative Writing

The third is a cook book (Vegan) ‘The Jack Cook Book’, as Jack Cook is my name

And the last book is about love, something I’ve struggled with, but always longed for

But enough about all that…

…what will my 5th book be about?

Dragons? (Wrote a children’s play about them in my 20’s) Hackers? (My second written for feature film screenplay was a sequel to my ‘guilty pleasure’ movie that I watch, ‘Hackers’

Sci-Fi is always cool (Huge Blade Runner fan (The Original primarily))

Not really feeling Sci-Fi

‘We’re hitting the beach, you sure you don’t want to join us Jack?’ called out my bro from down the hall

‘Nah, I’m good… Writing’

Suddenly my blond haired bro shows up in the doorway, ‘Want us to bring anything back for you?’

‘Hmm… Tacos… Maybe a subway, and those Sweet Chili Doritos,’ I reply

‘You got it,’ and he was off

Looks like I’m going to have to turn on some ‘Tears for Fears’ and pace around the room for this one…

…see what manifests

This Year’s Posting In Pictures (2022)

Coming January, Rise Of The Drow, Join The Adventure! (Dungeons & Dragons)

I’m beginning the second year of my professional Dungeon Mastering in January with my first ‘Rise of the Drow’ Campaign!

These sessions will be played weekly on Saturdays @ 12-3pm PST

Here’s the Link Rise of the Drow

Join the Adventure! (New Players Of Dungeons & Dragons Welcome)

My First 6 Months Of Being A Professional Dungeon Master

My Professional Dungeon Master Beginnings

Doragon Kishu (Dragon Rider & Paladin)

In the last week of December, I decided to give Professional Dungeon Mastering a try

I’ve been Playing/Dungeon Mastering Dungeons & Dragons on and off for 35+ years, it’s one of my greatest joys

Being I’ve always Homebrewed (Created my own material), as opposed to using official or 3rd party books & material, I decided I would start by using a 5e (D & D 5th Edition) Module I wrote and published two years prior (2019)

That way I’d be super familiar with the material I was running

Image Credit MoodyBlue/DeviantArt

Generally I ran ‘Theater of the Mind’ when I DM’d (Dungeon Mastered) campaigns, but because it was Professional Dungeon Mastering, and people were paying me, I decided to also include Roll 20 so that I could include maps etc.

I started with a Thursday game, then a Friday game, but soon combined the two to make one Friday Game

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‘ICERN’ Dungeons & Dragons 5e Trailer

The First Is On Thursdays 12-3pm PST @ ICERN Thursdays

My Second Is On Saturdays @ 12-3pm PST @ ICERN Saturdays

Join The Adventure!

DORAGON-

New ICERN Dungeons & Dragons Campaign… Join The Adventure!

Try Dungeons & Dragons! My Newest Campaign, ICERN

Doragon Kishu (Dragon Rider & Paladin)

My Brand New ICERN Campaign Will Be Used For Two New Campaigns!

The First Is On Thursdays 12-3pm PST @ ICERN Thursdays

My Second Is On Saturdays @ 12-3pm PST @ ICERN Saturdays

Join The Adventure!

DORAGON-

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Want To Give Dungeons & Dragons A Try? Check Out, ‘Darkness To The North’

Haunting mist amongst gnarly trees in a forest early in the morning.

In January of this year, I decided to give Professional Dungeon Mastering a try (Currently running a Monday & Friday Game)

I’ve played Dungeons & Dragons on and off for 35 years, published my first Adventure Module for it in 2019, and have been working on the 2nd Book since

And I’m a Writer/Filmmaker

The reality is, I’m a Storyteller & I love it, what an amazing place/way to immerse in a world & a character

On that note, I’m beginning two 1 to 3 session games/adventures… The first will be on Thursdays 12-3pm, PST… And the 2nd on Saturdays, also at 12-3pm PST

By running these shorter Campaigns (Like I say, 1 to 3 sessions), it can give people an opportunity to check out Dungeons & Dragons, without committing to a long term weekly game

Though they may want to after playing, cuz D & D is great, lol

Anyway, if you’d like to give it a shot, you can sign up here;

Thursday ‘DARKNESS TO THE NORTH’

Or Saturday ‘DARKNESS TO THE NORTH’

Free Session Zeroes will take place once you sign up sometime before the actual first session, where we can build your Character

Nuff said,

DarkJade-

DORAGON – Dungeon Master For Hire (Current Campaigns)

Two of my Current Paid Dungeon Master Campaigns

In this video I discuss/talk about 2 of my Paid Dungeon Master Campaigns, where they’re at, and the Players

Check it out!