Arnbjorn "Yarn" Blackpaw. Strider, lover of cats, grumpy woodsman

[Canadianloki]

So been putting this off since I've been busy and well can't believe this was only my third overall character but first that i actually managed to achieve something.

Arn started off as my attempt to get back into efu as a melee based character which would hopefully have a better idea how the servers mechanics worked. The general idea for Arn was a woodsman that wasn't the biggest fan of people and civilization and more of a fan of animals specifically cats. Spent most of my starting  time in the ponds mingling with people but not making a big enough impression that people would remember him. Eventually I ran into an elf named Cornelia which became one of Arn's closest friends and friendly ringrunning rival, as well as thanks to Cornelia I was introduced to Captain Horatio Fynn and the rest of the Striders and that's where the most fun I've had on this server would start. Having never made it past ring 92 I figure id seem what ring running was like again, and boy this was some of the most fun I've had.

Ring running with the crew came in two parts. Progress and campfire shenanigans, and RwG knew how to blend both in a really fun manner since most of us were within the same timezone so that almost every week for a few hours at a time we'd either poke a ring to make progress forwards or just sit around a campfire and shoot the shit, usually having each member have some sort of role around the camp such as gathering meat, cooking, etc. I honestly lived for the slower moments in the rings and glad that we took our time doing this as well as Fynn giving all of us nicknames. Mine being Yarn as a fun play on Arn and the fact that we kept running into cats which id tame and send on their way, eventually taming my first companion Hymir, a panther traveled with all the way to ring 55.

Progress moved along till we hit our first major event, The Great Glitt Race.  Having had Princess "Mairead Glitt" and Rosey "Genovalio de Rossa" join us in one of the deeper rings and obtaining the item Mairead was searching for in ring 74 we were chased back 30 some-odd rings by skudge and his shadows hence "The Great Glitt Race". After that we plunged back into the rings to strike deeper. Eventually we made it ring 64 and honestly I learned a TON about Efu's mechanics which thank you Striders for being so patient with me on that mountainside.

Clearing 64 and then making the push for 55 will forever be my favorite memory as the journey took a toll on all of us as it was the final leg of our ring running journey. Having run into the Breakers and Wakers as well as we reached the gates we traded stories and tips as our broken little band of misfits had made one hell of a journey and had one more mountain to climb. As we made it to Baz'eel RwG gathered us the next day for what will forever be the biggest tearjerker of a goodbye as we parted ways, as well as Electrohydra and Bloom the day after.

The remainder of the Striders being Growl, Mitts and myself headed back to the grey keep to operate out of there as we had the idea of starting a trade company, which was cut short thanks to the wonderful Ib'javi day which was the last time me and Mitts saw Growl as he dove into that portal at the last minute to seeing Danebluff's mission through. Having found out that Growl didnt make it back broke Arn a little bit and he spent some time in the spinning groats basement drinking his sorrow away which i want to thank Domina Lucretia for listen to gripe and grumble about losing Growl.

Eventually Mitts and Arn headed back to the keep intending to turn it into a haven for weary ring runners as a place to rest for a bit before heading deeper, which would be cut short by the wonderful invasion event run by Howlando. Having gathered a sizable force to defend the keep for the promise of keys to the next ring the Striders and company repelled wave after wave of enemies till we pushed them back into the woods to find out the invading force was lead by a werewolf whom we chased back to the keep for a final showdown as well as losing a few people in the event and breaking Arn spirit even more being the last original member of the Striders left. A toll that would slowly drive him to become grumpier and bitter as he never left the keep often and stayed in the deeper rings trying to see Mitt's goal through and turn the keep into a haven.

Eventually Arn tried his hand at ring running again to help see folk deeper since he considered ring 99 to be a death trap for people, but the endeavor would prove harder than he thought trying to manage the keep and get folk deeper into the rings.

After hitting a roadblock on what to do next i decided to head Arn back to Baz'eel and retire him there where he walks the sands having never been one to be contained by city walls.

Special thanks to the Striders, Breakers, Wakers, Glitt/Wizards, Grey Keep folk and the DM team. Never did I think that someone like myself would manage to make it ring 55 and I want to thank everyone for being patient with as I died my way through the rings.  If you've never ring ran before I highly recommend it. I've got screenshots somewhere that ill post later as I dig through screenshot folder.

*edit. Screenshots in no particular order https://imgur.com/a/tqR8q72

[merrychase]

I had so much fun playing Cornelia with Arnbjorn, palling around as a pair of degens. He was part of the magic of what makes this server great.

Thanks for all the memories.

[Blue41]

A true example of perseverance. Every time you died was gutwrenching, but the journey wouldn't have been the same if you didn't stick it out every time.  I salute you.

[Random_White_Guy]

Watching you whiteknuckle a permadeath challenge at level 5, which could have ended your entire character, for the sake of brotherhood was truly inspirational.

[Red Moon]

One of my favorite moments with Yarn was at the Greykeep, and seeing Yarn sit in his big old chair and heed council from friends and allies. You could tell Yarn had no real interest in actually being at the head of the table, but it was something he was given to do and he was gonna do it!

Thanks for the few conversations we did have. Yarn was a cool ranger type that I really enjoyed seeing. Running the rings with his cats like a boss.