Talamar’s Blog

The “Spiel 2006” in Essen is over now and I must admit it was another great experience for me. Similar to the last six years most of the time I helped Ralf from ProFantasy Software at the company’s booth and it was again a time of fun. I enjoyed seeing Ralf and Thorsten, as well talking an joking with them, again.

But this year was a year of highlights since luckily a online friend of mine, Alex Otterlei from AO Music and his friend and helping hand Karel came over from Belgium this year to have their own booth on the “Spiel”. Funny thing is they got the booth right next to our booth, so I had plenty of conversations with Alex and Karel – the latter really talked me into trying Star Wars Galaxies soon. On Saturday and Sunday Alex had a special guest: Rhianna Pratchett, the daughter of the famous author Terry Pratchett and all three had dinner in the Wolperding with us at Saturday eve. All three are really friendly and wonderful persons and I am really happy to have met them. Thank you for that, and thank you Alex and Rhianna for the wonderful CD and book, as well as the funny signing of it.

I must admit, there was another highlight; a real celestial one for me.
Larry Elmore, famous fantasy artist for a long, long time now, was attending to the game fair this year again. Mr. Elmore is one of my favourite artists since the original release of the Dragonlance Chronicles way back in the 80’s for which he drew the artwork. Larry’s artwork really showed what I saw in my own imagination, when I read the Dragonlance and because of this his work has a special place in my heart since this time. No wonder I was excited to see him on the “Spiel” again – excited as I have been always, when Larry came around to the “Spiel”.
Unfortunately Mr. Elmore didn’t do any personal sketches the last years. He stopped this some years ago and unluckily as I am, I never got a personal and unique illustration from him, since I missed the chance.
But this time I made my bet without my wonderful wife, who knows how much I honour the artwork of Larry. So she decided to ask him – behind my back – if he could do a sketch for me, since I am such a big and long time fan of his work. And what can I say: Larry did a sketch for me, though his translator (and the owner of the booth Larry attended to) wanted to interfere. Larry drawed me a sketch of an elf maiden and signed it personally for me.
Surely, when my wife Nicole came back to me, gave me the sketch and told me the story, I not only lost my capability to speak for some moments, but also I was near to tears. I just went over to Larry and thanked him personally about it and told him that I will be thankful forever. The illustration will get a place of honor not only in our apartment, but also in my heart – as well as Larry, too.
Thank you for this, Mr. Larry Elmore.

These were the two big events this year, but there were other people I am really glad about meeting them this year again. Next to the usual suspects, who housed themselves in our living room like a clan of kobolds – Tzelzix, Anne, Speren, Grey, Namo, Eoghan and Del – I was really happy to see my hated friend Mirko (Scurlock) and his beloved girlfriend Kerstin (Severina) again, who came down here to the Ruhrgebiet again, too.

I also was happy to see Funny-as-always-Holger (from F&S), Björn (from Hasbro) and Eva Widermann again and have a talk or two with them. I really enjoyed meeting Janet Sunjic (from Lausch Verlag) for the first time, since she is a really nice and friendly person plus Lausch does really excellent audiobooks. I will have to listen to their newest works “Drizzt 2” and “Schwarze Sonne 2” these days to write some reviews. I enjoyed meeting some other people, too, for example the people from Erdenstern and my contacts at Heidelberger Spieleverlag (Heiko) and Panini Comics (Steffen). Unfortunately Ed from Midnight Syndicate didn’t attend to the “Spiel” this year, though I had a short talk with his brother Brian, who told me that Ed was staying at home. I hope Ed is doing fine and will be there next year.

Then there were the users from the “DnD-Gate” and the “The Gate” (WoW guild) who came around and I really enjoyed meeting them too, though I didn’t had the time to talk to everyone for long. I remember talking to Quel’Thalas, Berandor, Arne, TexMex, Nailom, Lich, Ariadne, Shaz’Nahrad, Revas, Sword of Cyric, Alaak, Alatariel and a lot more. Sorry, I can’t remember everyone, my mind is getting old, but I know you were there.

Well, I think that is enough for this time. Be sure to check out some of the pictures I put online in the DnD-Gate gallery. You will find them if you click here..

By for now.

• Location: The Kobold’s Den (Home)
  
• Mood: freshed
• Music: Die Schwarze Sonne 2 an audiobook from LAUSCH