DM Appreciation Day - Abala

[Howlando]

Dear Players,

Ten years ago, on the 23 of October of 2013, Abala arrived to EFU and made the character Abala Quickfeet. In recognition of this ten year anniversary, I am pleased to announce that today is officially DM Abala Appreciation Day.

Abala the player and PC took to EFU like a fish does to water. Although I wouldn't have normally recommended a new player play a halfling (!) politician (!) paladin (!) of Tyr (!), Abala somehow made it work. Abala the Paladin quickly developed a reputation as a stern and unforgiving champion of the law; merciless in her judgment and uncompromising in her views. This style of fierce arbitration would come to be one shared by Abala the DM in the years to come.

Abala the Paladin was a perfectly portrayed 10-int naive do-gooder, and I was never entirely sure how much Abala the player fully appreciated how much her PC was being used as convenient political cover by the more nefarious members of Sanctuary's Red Guild. Eventually the story of this particular minute 19-fort champion of Try resolved in a super secret spooky flawless assassination / execution undertaken by a TOP Spellguard agent of the time played by none other than the fearsome PvP-expert cmenden (spoilers finally revealed!).

Abala as a player continued to rock out in EFU with two iconic and famous Spellguard Agents, Phaele Gedreghost (combust, empowered) and later Claire Chambers (slave-caste-buckler, Dhimani Rebellion, tragic death from Elder Brain tap-tap). Her characters were heavily involved in many of EFU:R's most iconic and grudge-inducing plots: the War on the Dark Lake, the Crystal War, the Cult War, the Civil War, the End Plot Ysinode War,  and of course the IRC Faction Channels War.

Abala proved herself to be an excellent player, but her most important contributions to EFU were yet to come.

Abala was made a DM shortly after the start of Ch. 5, EFU: City of Rings. She swiftly proved herself to be an absolute toolset work-horse. At one point, frustrated by her reliance on others to to implement code, she decided to teach herself to script. She made rapid progress, from zero to hero, and became an essentially self-taught master programmer, relying on various internet resources and that famous MIT Wizards-Coding textbook from the '80s.

Abala was dismayed by the incomplete state of the v5 mod, and took it upon herself to tackle the extremely intensive task of finishing and developing the Rings content, a heroic deed which she undertook with her customary zeal and industrious competency. It was in the midst of these labors that Abala pitched to the rest of us some Rings involving ash-desert content, and a city populated by Ashfolk named Baz'eel. This, of course, was an early seed for what would later come to exist as Ch. 6 EFU: Sands of Intrigue.

Abala has been probably the most productive DM of the past several years, but I will list just a few of my favorite of her many contributions to the EFU project. In v5, Ring 64 was probably the "meatiest" and most satisfying Ring experience and I will always regret never having had a chance to experience it as a player. In v6, the entire political and economic system of Ephia's Well totally blows my mind - EFU has never had a political system so slick, so player-focused, so smooth, so well implemented. I am also a big fan of some of her iconic areas like the Souk of Salt and Spices, the Palatial Pyramid, and (of course) our bustling inn & quest gathering locale, the Krak des Roses.

Abala "Animator Dhimani" DM isn't always the most DIPLOMATIC with you guys, but I know you'll overlook her occasional grumpiness (as I have) and join me in recognizing and appreciating her many incredible and essential contributions to EFU. In particular I want to recognize the outstanding work she put towards Chapter 6 of EFU: Sands of Intrigue. Please join me in thanking DM Abala for giving so much of herself to this project, this place would not be the same without her!

[Halfbrood]

Abala and I have had a lot of back and forth, blowouts, sworn alliances (swords together) across the years she has played and DM'd here; from me deeply frustrating her paladin with a sword that gets better when beheading CE people (and her only ever killing Neutral Evil or Lawful Evil people), to the early days of her DMing where I threw her into the deep end and taught her how to run a combat event with all our tools (which she has never touched again, preferring instead to focus on small scale stories and RP events), to the work together on v5 Rings, and then the dreaded v6 development. She has surpassed me (not a hard thing to do...) in every way and the world is richer for it. Here's to many more years!

[Astra]

Abala is an AMAZING dm, she's been responsible for some of my favorite moments of v6 and I'm honestly floored by all the amazing stuff she's made for us! (astrologians, politics, sisters, wow it's all of my favorite things what a coincidence) Her dming and building is such a huge part of what makes EFU special for me. Thanks so much abala!!

[Qari]

My hero, plain and simple.


Absolutely in awe of everything she's done.

[cmenden]

#abalafanclub for life

ilu my friiiiend

[sankarul]

You actually started learning to program back in the start of V5? You seemed a very competent programmer from the little talk I've seen about in the discord. Well done!

I hope you'll continue enjoying doing these cool things, those extra classes are such a cool addition to efu.

[Voss_]

I always assumed she had a background in coding, self-taught that's impressive.

My interactions with Abala the DM have been few and far between. But her work in building up a detailed and believable world I can certainly appreciate.

Well done.

[Basilica of Torment]

No one compares

[Erudiche]

I really like the chance to get to learn more about the DMs and their contributions to the game. Every interaction I've had with Abala has been really great, and she deserves a lot of kudos for the work she does for the game.

[Moonlighter]

i kneel

[Walrus Warwagon]

I have no idea how you manage to do so much, and learn so much.
Despite my bad habit of arguing and questioning (sorry for that), I have a lot of respect for you.
You are doing an amazing job, and thank you for the EFU as it is now.

[Ironside]

Glad we're friends, and glad you stick around. 

[Mia]

I can usually identify when an area is made by Abala just by how little mistakes can be found. And the few that do make it through, never exist for long.

Abala is the most meticulous and devoted dungeon master. And her ability to channel hardship and negativity into a learning experience and create something beautiful is an incredible trait.

I love v6, thank you for all your time and passion.

[Paintman]

The work and energy that Abala puts in to the server to make it the best she can, is palatable. Her ambition in project and the way she handles it is very much endears me to her efforts and I genuinely find her work to be transformative for the server as a whole. Abala, you bring so much to this server and I want to thank you for every single late night and long day you've put into making it better. I do not wish to engage in too much hyperbole, but you bring a great deal to this server and the content you have made has been some of my favorite from the burgage in city of rings to the current chapter itself. As well as the under caves from the last chapter and just the nature of the Krak de Roses and the functions of government currently in the server.

The work you do is appreciated and intrinsic to the modern EFU experience. Thank you so much for sticking with us.

[KreShar]

Thank you Abala! A true builder and Ill always remember going against Abala Quickfoot on my dwarf bandit down in the Underdark.