The Legends of The Fortress
This page is dedicated to the living, and un-living legends that make up the magic of The Fortress.
Jensonson
Legendary leader and creator of The Fortress. Surprised all of his colleagues by making his way up through the ranks before finally announcing himself as The Head, but now has a unique understanding of all the roles of The Fortress. Jensonson has planned and developed the survivor organization into the powerful unit it is today. His long-term tactical stratagem, combined with his quick thinking improvisation has led the group through many treacherous situations unscathed. A powerful but responsible man.
Also coined the now iconic phrase 'Stay Vigilant!' ;-)
White Shadow Ranger Bensonson
Some say that the zombies fear one man above all others...
Shadow Ranger Bensonson has been an essential member of The Fortress since its inception and has continually hunted and destroyed zombie upon zombie with an inspiring but frightening eagerness. Bensonson quickly became the first Fortress member to build up to max-stats, but the killing didn't end there. Hundreds, maybe thousands of zombies have fallen under the might of his intimidating wrath. Whether he was Battalion Ranger, Commander or Shadow Ranger, it hadn't mattered to legendary zombie-hunter Bensonson.
But perhaps the highlight of Bensonson's career was the night that he, with the help of Assault Officer Andre V, slipped into Ridleybank and set up the mobile phone mast, before making the first ever phone call by any citizen of Malton, from Ridleybank to the outside world.
He owns the evidence of this call.
Black Shadow Healer "Needles" Fet
One recruit, relatively new to The Fortress, bragged about how well equipped they were after finding a fifth FAK and a reviv syringe. The response from Fet was blunt but straight to the point. "Is that all? In my overcoat I have enough reviv syringes to liberate this suburb."
And judging by the amount of healing he subsequently produced, we believe that he actually did!
Another of the original Fortress members, Fet chose to take on the role of The Fortress healer in its early days. Although also becoming a fully efficient zombie hunter his medical skills have come to the rescue of all Fortress members with expert speed and efficiency. Some wounded officers found themselves healed before they even realized they had been hit in the first place.
Black Shadow Healer Fet, nicknamed "Needles" by his friends, is the most loyal and reliable of all The Fortress' staff.
Lieutenant Travis Mk1
Travis was a zombie, desperately trying to find his way back home when out of the darkness sprang the fearsome figure of Commander Bensonson. A frenzy of gun-shots illuminated the dark, then a gargled scream. The eye of Travis Mk1 was blasted from its socket leaving only a deep and unpleasant hole.
As the last of his sanity was about to fall, Travis felt the warm sensation of a revivification syringe and slumped to the floor. Human Travis made his way to The Fortress and faced his slayer. Commander Bensonson span round to find the right fist of Travis Mk1 crashing into his face. Bensonson fell to the floor and Travis warned him "That was for blasting my eye out!"
For a second it looked as though Commander Bensonson was going to blast out his other eye, but instead he thought of a better punishment. He offered Travis a place in The Fortress.
Travis has been one of the greatest characters of The Fortress. Whether he's introducing himself to new recruits with a lecture, rebelling against orders or verbally abusing the z's, you never quite know what Travis is going to do next! But this is only one side of the complex character. He is also known and respected for his outstanding work in the name of The Fortress, his unwavering vigilance and his furious loyalty to his troops. Also, he is known for being the one that has now punched three Fortress Commanders in the face!
Commander DeathAxe
A legendary leader.
Commander DeathAxe was born a natural leader. As Lieutenant, his team-work with Commander Jensonson turned Battlehawk into a seamless unit able to cope with anything thrown at them.
Promoted to Commander of Anaconda, he developed Lieutenants Belakor and then Grey Swiftaxe into Commanders themselves - working tremendously with them to make his team one to admire and respect.
The excellent organization and structure provided by The Fortress was forged by the style of Commander DeathAxe, while on an individual note, his uncanny intuitive foresight and adept planning has saved the team many a time. DeathAxe is a Commander through and through; as he is a Legend.
Assault Officer Andre V
It took weeks of persuasion for The Fortress to sign up their top target, Andre V. It wasn't as if they were desperate for numbers, only that they knew what a good signing he would make, and nobody was disappointed when he was put into action for The Fortress.
Andre V was the most efficient and reliable of personnel who understood the way of The Fortress to a tee. No training, or instructing was required - Andre V just did things right. His tactics; his philosophy; his outlook all matched the Fortress' and everyone in the group respected him.
Andre V left The Fortress to explore his dark-side; facing his own fears and learning the ways of evil, so that he could use it as a weapon against the undead. After much hunting, The Fortress found Andre V and converted him back to humanity - he took on the role of Grey Shadow but one day vanished once again into the ether. The Legend of Andre V will never be forgotten.
Black Shadow Hunter LePaige
LePaige was destined to join the Legends. He rapidly worked his way through the Fortress ranks, eager to impress. He took Command of Team Anaconda and led them bravely into Ridleybank. Then he took an eagerly-anticipated role in Shadow Wolf.
But still he was not a legend.
LePaige began to fulfill his role as Black Shadow Hunter of The Fortress. His ingenuity and improvisation was incomparable. One day he walked in on a group of undefended Fortress troops, in time to remove the astonished zombies and re-barricade before making a quick quip and retreating again. But LePaige wanted to impress further. He found the whereabouts of a high level zombie-leader from the RRF, Petrosjko, and attempted to assassinate him. LePaige failed. Whether the pressure got to him (he was within a massive horde of z's), or whether the bullets rebounded, or simply fell through the body of Petrosjko, as LePaige claimed, he could not apply the kill.
And so the Black Shadow Hunter continued his journey towards legend, and when Fortress Four was breached, it was LePaige that volunteered to undertake Operation: Double Deception, an ingenious tactic that stalled the invading z's, providing the Fortress staff with enough time to recover and survive. It was a moment of inspiration that was captured in time, and succeeded to perfection. And for LePaige, his name was finally raised to the Hall of Legends!
Black Shadow Ranger Roci Ara
Nobody truly knows Roci Ara.
She is a mystery to her friends and strangers alike; a shadow that stands right behind you but can never be touched. If you hear a faint breathing it may be the Black Shadow herself, but by the time you realize there is anyone there, she is already gone. You see, Roci Ara sums up the Shadow Wolves perfectly and she has earned her status as Fortress Legend beyond a seed of doubt.
Her Fortress career began with quiet style and efficiency, rising up through the ranks seemingly without effort until reaching the grade of Assault Officer and Lieutenant with Cold Cell by March. Roci Ara is a true hero, a sleek soldier, and she has saved many a friend on the battlefield. When Roci Ara was accepted into the Shadows she became a Shadow Ranger, as this was the role that suited her best, and since then she has continued to heal and revive her fellow colleagues with breathtaking efficiency and timing - the hallmarks of a Shadow. And the zombies stagger on regardless; after all...
Zombies cannot kill what they cannot see.
Black Shadow Tracker Belakor
If you are reading this, then the chances are you are being investigated. Shadow Tracker Belakor is in a state of constant vigilance and has earned his position in the Legends through sheer hard work and brilliance. Belakor epitomizes the role of Shadow. He is subtle, smart, logical, imaginative, cunning and shadowy. To tell you about his many achievements would be detrimental to all that he has done - a vigilance code violation - but his presence in Malton, and in The Fortress, is immeasurable.
Belakor is the first Legend to have had requests from Fortress staff to be acknowledged as such.
He is the epitome of the true meaning of the phrase, "Stay Vigilant". He is a Legend.
Councillor AngelWitch3
After observing the activities of a small group of companions calling themselves, The Fortress, a character that we only knew as the "Innocent bystander" made a decision. She introduced her good friend, AngelWitch, to the friendly group and she instantly liked the fun and banter. Little did we know what tremendous effect she would ultimately have on absolutely every aspect of The Fortress.
AngelWitch arrived at Fortress Four and easily fitted right in, quickly becoming the "Fortress Mom" - providing support and guidance to any, without hesitation; always finding time for people, and there was never a bad time. But there was so much more to this Malton citizen.
Shortly after being assigned to Team Cold Cell, AngelWitch requested to be assigned to Team Federation and Commander Travis snapped her up. He realized he had acquired an important team-mate, already a good friend, with a wealth of knowledge and genuine character. The legendary days of Team Federation began and AngelWitch, and the team, thrived.
With AngelWitch already an essential part of The Fortress, often advising Jensonson on plans and tactics, a position arose to take command of her own team. AngelWitch accepted and swiftly turned Cold Cell, a team that had fallen into disrepair, into a formidable group once again. Meanwhile her role on the council was essential in creating and developing the laws and systems that exist today. She had achieved, in her long and distinguished career, what others could not. She had taken a collective group of strangers, and helped them to become good friends - she had injected the heart into The Fortress.
And so it was indisputable. AngelWitch deserved to be a Legend. A perfect Fortress career, irreplacable member of Team Federation, totally successful Commander of Cold Cell, essential member of the council, and close friend and council of Jensonson - the most important influence on his life during the development of The Fortress. Thankyou, Angel.
Lieutenant Cameron Mitchell
Have you ever asked yourself the question "What makes a Legend?" Is it Fame? Glory? Power? Lieutenant Cameron Mitchell earned none of those things during his long career with The Fortress; he purposely kept it low-key. He never aspired to take command, he never attempted to control the group, he never asked for any recognition, yet the man is a legend. His place is as certain as the foundations of The Fortress itself. So, what does make a Legend?
Cameron Mitchell was the ultimate professional. He earned the respect of Commanders and recruits alike. He always followed orders, never turned down a call for help and was always the first to offer assistance. As Councillor his voice carried and his opinion mattered - he was the wisest influence of the age.
But more than this Cameron Mitchell proved himself over time. He was the first member to commit to twelve months solid in a combat squad - a feat that has been repeated many times now, possibly inspired by Mitchell's classy professionalism, but he will forever be remembered as a highly respected, tremendously popular and very influential Councillor and friend of the people.
Commander Swinky of the Battleponies
The hardest of tasks for leaders is to keep their troops motivated. When Swinky joined The Fortress in early 2006 she injected a contagious sense of quirky humour that seemed to perfectly suit the already fun-filled faction, but the Battlehawk regular was to introduce this entertainment at a new level.
Commanders of The Fortress were traditionally stiff-lipped, down-the-line, by-the-book group leaders as Jensonson expected them to be. So when Swinky offerred to take command of Battlehawk, when the position became available, Jensonson was caught in two minds. On the one hand he knew that Swinky was an excellent, well-liked and respected member of the team. On the other hand he was concerned that her tom-foolery could effect the progress of The Fortress' "secondary" team. However, Swinky soon persuaded the Head of The Fortress that she was the right person for the job and what followed was the greatest Commander The Fortress had ever seen (as voted by the Fortress public), the golden age of Team Battlehawk, and a new level of fun in the group as a whole.
What happened in Swinky's reign to make all this happen? I can tell you what happened... Operation Ballyhoo, the Princesses Palace, Orange Banana, Fryerbank Health Clinic, Operation Fernando, the Battleponies, Young and Restless, and pink was the new colour.
When Swinky departed her command role in September 2006 she left behind her the strongest combat team that Malton had ever witnessed. Team Battlehawk, an experienced and active team of elite zed hunters, continued to succeed well into Summer 2007 and beyond. Battlehawk had been the elite team of The Fortress throughout 2006 and into 2007 - and this all started with Swinky.
As Commander, Swinky recreated the Hawks in her own image - coining them the 'Battleponies' - and making operations fun and fulfilling. Maltonians still remember when the Hawks passed through their suburbs, led by Swinky, and turned everything pink with joy and goodness.
Fortress Commander Shrimper
A level of commitment and professionalism that was over-shadowed by an inimitable sense of humour and breathtaking ability to turn any innocuous comment into sexual innuendo. Oh yes - Shrimper polarized opinions like a laser beam - but one thing was certain, Battlehawk Legend Shrimper was possibly the funniest thing to happen to The Fortress since sliced cheese.
Shrimper joined the famous Battlehawks in April 2006 and quickly rose up the ranks until he was ready to assume the position of Command in September 2006. Already accepted as the most entertaining, and humourous character in the group by a public poll, it was unclear how Shrimper would adjust to the serious issue of command. In no time at all it became obvious that The Fortress, and Battlehawk, had found another great leader. Shrimper continued the excellent work of his mentor, Commander Swinky, and led the Hawks on a glorious joy-ride through Malton.
When Shrimper joined the Council he showed himself to have a very considered and mature side that quickly saw him become the leading Councillor of his age. His wisdom and maturity helped shape The Fortress through some tough days of development, setting the group up for a healthy new year.
When Shrimpers time as Battlehawk Commander finally ended, he accepted a job as Fortress Two Commander, and looked after the base as carefully as he had his beloved Hawks. Shrimper eased into the Hall of Legends and will forever be remembered as a great Commander, Council member and hilarious friend.
Drill Sergeant Hogan's Hero
"Quit jawing and move your asses to Boot Camp now, recruits!" Boot Camp is the most important institution of The Fortress. It is here that new potential recruits learn to survive, to kill, to work together and to obey the rules and standards of The Fortress. Hogan's Hero has transformed Boot Camp into the greatest survivor-spawning facility in the whole City - fact!.
Hogan joined The Fortress in December 2006, stating that he "want[ed] to be part of an organized group with some direction". Little did we know that he was the one that would drastically alter the direction of this group. Hogan excelled in Boot Camp before being assigned to Team Dark Watch. There was whispering in the Fortress corridors that this was the future Dark Watch Commander in the making. But when Hogan took on the Drill Sergeant role, replacing Rendr, it turned out to be the best decision since Jensonson stuck up a flag in mid-Malton and boldly claimed he would build a Fortress.
Boot Camp was originally set up early in 2006. It was an old school in Central Malton where low-level recruits could safely build XP and skills under the watchful eye of The Ears but throughout the generations it has evolved under three very different Drill Sergeants; KsTxGirl, Rendr and Hogan's Hero. Although Boot Camp has been efficiently run since KsTxGirl brilliantly initiated the system, Hogan has turned it into something unbelievable...
Hogan's Boot Camp is the fifth combat squad of The Fortress. It is now a mini-military complex, able of independently supporting an entire suburb, quite commonly supplied with twenty or thirty eager recruits that operate for two or three months before being assigned to a combat squad, only if they have proved themselves good enough. Three months is a long time to spend in Boot Camp but Hogan has made it so interesting and has it running so well that we have actually had several requests from recruits to remain in Boot Camp for longer! No doubt this is because the professionalism of the unit - they regularly take part in live attacks, field exercises and joint operations - and it is a necessity to succeed in all of these qualities before qualification is even considered.
In June, Hogan signed up a Second Drill Sergeant and Bensonson applied for the job and was selected. Between them they have maximized the efficiency of the Boot Camp system, and his fellow Drill Serg and Fortress Legend had this to say about him; "I totally trust and respect Hogan and working alongside him is a real privilege. He treats recruits with a firm hand but also shows them respect and it is a mutual respect. The recruits would follow him to the end."
If Hogan ever decides to surrender his vigil as Drill Serg Extraordinaire, then I predict he has a fine career in Command ahead of him, and also as Councillor. What he has done for Boot Camp and The Fortress will live on through the generations. A remarkable man and without doubt, a Fortress Legend.
Commander Jack Patient
As Head of The Fortress I have often considered who should be my successor, should I retire. I have had a number of offers from ambitious members and I have kept my eye on several of them but there is one name that first springs to mind - he would be my first choice. Jack Patient. The perfect Commander, Councillor and Gentleman.
JP nearly didn't join The Fortress combat squads at all. He entered Boot Camp in a state of disarray, between Drill Sergeants, and the chaos of the situation nearly resulted in his departure from the group within the first month. Only one thing persuaded him to stick around - The Pitman Enigma. JP was intrigued by the genuine challenge and also the extensive history behind the Enigma but progressed through it in typical Jack Patient style. If it hadn't have been for a broken link, JP would have completed the Enigma while in Boot Camp, but perhaps this moderator oversight saved JP as he struggled with the impossible final clue. Then Jack Patient - with a perfect Boot Camp record - was promoted to Team Battlehawk and his life changed.
As Jack Patient entered Swinky's Team Battlehawk, and then Fortress Legend-Commander Shrimper took over, he soon came to realize that there was an impressive amount of organization in the group, but more importantly than that - a whole load of fun characters that worked on a similar level of thought and humour to him. It is this personal connection that tempts many members to stay with our faction and that was the case with Jack Patient. From that moment, JP was hooked, and The Fortress was about to find they had gained one of their best ever signings.
Jack Patient is a professional, level-headed and sensible man - qualities that make a perfect group leader, in my humble opinion - this is why Jack Patient fitted so perfectly into the Moderator job, the Fortress Council and Battlehawk Command, following Shrimper's departure. His professionalism to deal with any and all issues that arose within the group with individual care and attention, combined with his great sense of humour, made him a well-liked member of the senior staff and everyone knew that if you approached JP with a problem, then you would get the correct resolution. I often approached the man to proof-read my statements and announcements (could have helped me with this one JP tongue.gif) because our minds are very alike - JP always worded it as I had been planning on writing it (I'm sure that could have been worded better! Jack!)
As Councillor, Jack Patient helped to run the group as smoothly as it has ever been run; as Moderator, the forum was just as efficient; as Commander, the Hawks reached new heights with the seven-man Chain ABA - The Fortress's finest moment during Summer Tour '07. Jack Patient was central to everything that happened in the group and his effect still heavily influences us today.
If the day arrived, I would happily hang up my guns and give full control of this group to Jack Patient but one thing is for certain: When Jack is in town, The Fortress is most certainly in good hands!
Commander Tommy Crowbar
The Fortress has seen plenty of Commanders in its two year history, several good Commanders - and a few that are great. Tommy Crowbar is the best.
Crowbar was always destined to be a Fortress Legend. His Boot Camp and combat squad records were flawless; perfect. Since taking over Team Anaconda he immediately showed that he was the ultimate professional. Clear mission briefings filled with tactical wealth and contingency plans, seamless operations utilising his full staff to the maximum potential, unprecedented alliances with other survivor groups and thorough debriefings complete with unique badge design and write up. Each new operation was an adventure and Commander Crowbar had every aspect under his full control. Commander Crowbar has (currently) led the Condas for nearly 200 days, more days than any other combat squad leader in the history of The Fortress, but his enthusiasm has never once waned - in fact, his operations and his squad has simply continued to improve.
In addition to his brilliance as Commander, Tommy Crowbar has taken on the important joint roles of Councillor, Forum Moderator and Ambassador. To The Fortress Council he brings a high moral code and determination to do things right but it is his outstanding work as Ambassador of several survivor groups (as operations dictate) that stands him out from the crowd once again. Tommy Crowbar has improved allied survivor group diplomacy and communication, along with his aide, Lieutenant Warlord, beyond anything we had achieved before and now The Fortress has become the central hub of many of Malton's survivor groups. His actions and diplomacy has brought many new members into this group and continues to do so.
TC has inspired me personally and led me back into the role of Command - a job I had never enjoyed as much as now - but with Commander Crowbar setting the target and rewriting the guidelines, it makes it easy to aspire and compete.
No doubt Tommy Crowbar has also inspired many of the men and women that he has led so brilliantly through difficult missions and dangerous challenges - he may well have spawned a number of future Fortress Commanders with his actions, but one thing is for sure: Commander Crowbar sets the bar on how this job should be performed and it will take a super-human effort for another to reach the standard of the Living Legend Commander.
Shadow Cleric Stark Senap
Mr Senap, "Starkie" - The Fortress Dynamo. 127 days after taking over command of the legendary Team Battlehawk of The Fortress, Stark Senap passed on the reins to the next CO and moved into yet another major role in his beloved faction. The Fortress Wonderwall, Stark Senap, has earned his place in the Hall of Legends beyond a shadow of doubt and through sheer persistance, loyalty, dedication and genuine love for the group.
Stark Senap moved into the Shadow Wolves - The Fortress's controversial sect. He took up the title of 'Cleric', possibly due to the seventeen recorded members that he had recruited since arriving in the combat squads back in December '06; our most prolific recruiter. One year later and the name of Stark Senap was already etched in our glorious history. The Veteran had already achieved the Fortress Finest award at FP7, whilst in charge of the Battlehawks. He had led them through epic operation after operation, inspiring his team and the citizens they met so that his group became a motivational wave of enthusiasm roaring through the city. Soon strangers became friends and Stark's squad grew and his reputation proceeded him until the name of Stark's Battlehawks inspired the entirity of Malton.
As Shadow Cleric he completely revolutionised the Shadow system, pushing and moulding the secretive group within a group into the unit they were always destined to become. Stark was prominent in signing the necessary Shadow Declaration in March 2008.
Meanwhile, in the Council Quarters, there was never a dull moment as the enthusiasm of Councillor Senap (elected in Oct 2007) pushed the Fortress Council onwards. His loyalty and pride of The Fortress was an inspiration to all as PK Policy, Ally Policy and Undeath Policy pressed forwards. His work as Ambassador through official channels and natural socialization skills helped The Fortress to secure new ties and alliances that were essential to clasping our dominance of the undead into 2008. Stark was rewarded with Admin powers and claimed the role as his own, further enhancing the forum to a new level. This man was The Fortress Dynamo, sweeping forwards the power of change at every step.
As Stark Senap announced his retirement in March 2008 (all family members must leave home at some time) he had achieved 10 ABA's, the title of Havoc Knight and claimed every role in the group, setting new standards at each step. You can call Stark many things - he has been Lieutenant, Commander, Veteran, Elite, Councillor, Shadow, Head Hunter and Fortress Finest but over-all, of all the things to say of the new Legend, Stark Senap, is that to The Fortress he is a great friend and a solid part of the family.
Councillor Cuthbert the Wise
The ever-present, steadying presence of The Fortress
Cuthbert joined our merry band at Halloween 2006 declaring, "I can't guarantee months of commitment, but as long as the game still holds my interest I will be a good team player." Little did we know that this would prove to be one of the greatest understatements ever whispered in the annals of Malton. A month later and Cuthbert had joined Shrimper's Battlehawks where he would slowly rise and later replace Duke Ulrich as Lieutenant of the Hawks. Two years later, Cuthbert remained as the Hawk Lieutenant and become perhaps the greatest Lieutenant and Councillor The Fortress has ever had the sheer honour to call our own.
Cuthbert was an integral part of the Legendary Battlehawks of 2006/07, part of the "greatest ever" Chain Kill, and has stood proud as right-hand man to SIX legendary Hawk Commanders; Shrimper, Jack Patient, Vinnienfg, Stark Senap, JavaElemental and Clint Clintstone. All Commanders learnt to rely on one of the most trust-worthy, and yes wisest members of The Fortress.
The Fortress has seen some rocky times, particularly within the Council Quarters in 2008 but Cuthbert was the steadying voice of reason throughout proceedings and brought about the "right" outcomes to some very tricky and tumultuous situations. This is just typical of the continual style and behaviour of a man that is a role model to many, including the Head of The Fortress.
When Cuthbert was asked, by Jensonson, to join his Moderation staff, the Fortress Veteran was uncertain. He had never even used a forum, before The Fortress, let alone moderated one, but Jensonson had been observing Cuthbert's good form in noticing inaccurate information and CtW agreed to give it a try. The result speaks for itself, as Cuthbert has remained a regular mod with particular high input into the shaping of the laws, policies and ABA's.
Talking of the ABA's: In September 2008, as The Fortress celebrated its Third Anniversary, Cuthbert became the first Fortress member to achieve all 15 of the ABA's - a stunning achievement that is a tribute to his loyalty, ambition and dedication to succeed. But in the Council Quarters, Cuthbert has come into his own. An intelligent, objective, opinionated, well-spoken gentleman with only the best interests of The Fortress at heart.
Cuthbert is a genuinely great man and has proven throughout his Fortress career that he is capable of any task undertaken by him. Cuthbert has been a quiet but ever-present, steady presence in The Fortress and has tremendously helped to shape it into what it has become today; and thus he joins The Fortress Legends.
Havoc Knight Avatorous
Hail to the Fortress's King
In Summer 2007 Avatorous arrived at The Fortress as a great storm brewed up in Malton. Maybe it was an omen to the power and influence that this Fortress recruit would soon bring unto us. Avatorous was to become Commander, King - and Legend.
Who is Avatorous? An inspirational person to speak to, lesser mortals would agree, as he casually contemplates huge concepts with a genuine passion and dedication to make them a reality. One such idea was the invention of Radio BOOM - The Fortress's own radio station. Another was the invention of roleplaying guild, Excalibur - a unit of The Fortress that changed the lives of some; its influence will secure the creative writing of this group's future, which will in turn better the lives of us all.
Avatorous arrived with his mysterious (whisper it carefully) imaginary friend, Ziggy, and impressed (or stunned) Boot Camp with crayola-graphic reports and insane murmurings. But don't all geniuses have their flaws? Avatorous, and Ziggy, were soon promoted to Anaconda (who could forget Ava's 'promotion note') and began to build lives in the combat squads. It wasn't long before Ava's excellent skills were being utilised to great effect as Ambassador, Moderator and Councillor. Avatorous was tremendous in all of these roles; as Councillor he helped secure the crucial Ally Policy that ultimately led to our solid Chain of Allies, and also proposed the reopening of Dark Watch. Ava also updated so many aspects of The Fortress forum, from Trong Tran's Tavern (which he owned), to a complete overhaul of our graphics, the introduction of forums like The Station, the RP theatre, the introduction of BOOM, Fortress desktops and of course his ultimate masterpiece, Team Excalibur.
Avatorous was the brainchild behind Excalibur and he set about building a team capable of producing new Fortress writings and roleplays - the whole concept was invented, shaped and commanded by Avatorous which made him the King of Excalibur. But quite apart from this ingenious concept, Avatorous had steered the group to new heights and its aspirations were raised as sudden new possibilities were realised.
The Fortress has never known, before or since, anyone quite like Avatorous. As bright rays of sunlight burst through the storm and directly upon The Fortress, we all looked on as an especially bright beam hit the face of Avatorous and we recognised a Legend in our own time.
Miss Elainious
Could it be magic?
In May 2008 The Fortress officially became the largest survivor group in Malton and this wasn't by coincidence. Years of building, planning and organisation had set the group into the position to expand heavily but there was one crucial feature that was missing...
The previous Summer, we had received some group-defining characters; JavaElemental, made combat life fun again, Avatorous steered the group in a new direction, and then Miss Elainious arrived and the place would never be the same again - period. With the arrival of Miss Elainious, The Fortress had gained its magic. But what defines the magic of The Fortress? Through the ages, the profile of The Fortress has been steadily shaped and developed, expectations have been raised, precedents have been set, and our group has undeniably become the greatest survivor group in Malton. There are, of course, literally hundreds of people that are to thank for taking us to that position but there is only one that delivered a missing ingredient. Miss Elainious arrived, applying a passion and an energy - a love of the group, its people, and the game - and an undeniable brilliance; The Fortress was blessed with something new.
From her initial application (which I personally commented to my mod staff as being brilliant), to her Boot Camp performance (Drill Sergeant Hogan was singing her praises), to her startling rise in Anaconda (Commander Tommy Crowbar would call her essential - possibly why he eventually married her) to her tremendously influential roles as Lieutenant, Commander, Councillor, Ambassador, Station Master, Moderator, co-planner of Excalibur and BOOM radio with Avatorous, Administrator...the list is endless - Miss Elainious has continued to be brilliant since day one in everything that she has done.
Everybody knows Miss Elainious - her name is famous in all the four corners of Malton and her influence and deeds will be remembered as long as the City still stands. As Anaconda Commander and Councillor, Miss Elainious has affected the lives of so many and I receive constant praise from people that her inspired by her example. Never has a Legend been guaranteed a place so fast - Miss Elainious has helped develop the career of many a Fortress member, advised and directed the evolution of the group, advised me personally on the right course of action time and time again, and been essential in securing this faction's position as the number one in Malton. Miss Elainious has injected her magic into The Fortress and we are all blessed - I don't think it could ever wear off.
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