Hullo there, Aethelflaed here. The True Bard D'or unexpectedly announced today that he was going to alter for some folks in the Seacaves today for the first 5 people that showed up. When I arrived there were only 4 people on the list, as apparently one person had already been helped (but I didn't know that until I'd been waiting there for quite a bit of time). I waited patiently until all 5 people were done to ask if he could fit one more person in. I had an Esmeril voucher I could have used if he felt it necessary, and was hoping if he couldn't take me on the list that I could discuss when I could use the voucher, but apparently he abruptly had to leave, and I wasn't even given enough time to explain that I had one of his vouchers. There wasn't anyone else waiting when Esmeril came out with the last person, I waited patiently by myself for quite a while, and I was polite to everyone who received an alteration. Esmeril was nice enough to give me a second voucher as a consolation prize, for which I thank him greatly, but I've had the other one for a year waiting for him to show up, so at this point I hardly doubt either one is worth the 12 coppers they appraise for.

Afterwards I went into the Bard's Guild and found Aiffe, who had received one of the alterations today, and she told me that Esmeril showed up in the Crossing guildhall recently and stayed there for many hours. Also, Halfcopper, who received an alteration today, isn't even a bard. I've been around in the Realms for a long time (from the AOL days), and am one of the few old bards remaining constantly active from those very early days. I have also never had any alterations, ever, so it would be nice if it could personally be arranged for me to redeem both of my Esmeril vouchers together sometime soon. Thank you.

Thank you for your reply, Vaeldril. I do appreciate your comment that there are times when one can stay, and times when one must go, but it seems to me that you've missed the point here so I want to clarify.

It would seem to me that if Esmeril had a list with 5 people on it for an instrument alteration and a sixth person sat in the room with an instrument in hand saying "I hope he might be able to squeeze me in even though I didn't get on the list" and talking to others about a potential alteration, that if he couldn't accomodate that sixth person that he might politely let them know BEFORE they sat patiently for an hour and wasted their time whether or not there was even a remote possibility of being able to accomodate them. He had an opportunity to speak to me and let me know that he couldn't fit me in SIX TIMES - first when I came into the cabana to find the list was closed, and five more times after he let each of the other five happy people out of the cabana. He didn't once tell me he couldn't take a sixth person until the very end when he was leaving. He could have said, "I'm really pressed for time today, Lady Bard, I will get through these 5 on the list and its your choice if you want to stay, I'll try to accomodate you but there is no guarantee". I would have certainly understood. He could have said, "I'm only taking the 5 people on the list today, no more people will be helped, if you're waiting for a miracle I'm just not going to be able to see you today, but thanks for coming". I would have certainly understood that too.

Mainly, I think I would like you or someone else to communicate to the persona behind Esmeril that they should have been a bit more compassionate to me and expressive about the expectations for the alteration session. I would certainly expect D'or of all folks to be able to communicate effectively to one of his oldest customers!

Did you try to ask when Esmaril came out? "Excuse me, but.." or something? Lots of times, people come and wait with friends who are getting alterations and don't want one themselves.

GMS can't be expected to be mindreaders.

Tossing my two cents in, I don't think anyone expects the alterers/GMs to be mind readers. But, having benefited from a couple of visits from alterers, not all alterers stay in the rooms long enough for one to say anything to them. I have experienced them come out with their last customer, take hold of the new one, and go right back into their workshop area.

It seems to me that, in the case listed here, if they had just taken a moment, and reiterated in between alterations that they were only going to have time for the five on the list, at least then there is some communication, and the player would then have the same ability to judge their own time and value of staying/going as the Alterer/GM does.

Another issue, it would appear, is the frustration from a player perspective when they find out that an Alterer has been in the realms unannounced, and then comes announced, and takes someone who already benefited from their previous visit, over someone who has not. The bard in question here is not some nameless bard. She's a bard that has been around for quite some time. And she's someone, for whatever reason, hasn't had the benefit of a alteration. Players, who are customers, and already have a voucher for a particular alterer, have a reasonable expectation that when that alterer shows up again, they might be able to hand in the voucher for an alteration. Instead, she now has two vouchers. How else is she supposed to feel other than disappointed, since her original voucher obviously earned her not an alteration, but a duplicate of itself. What reasonable expectation can one have to be able to turn in a voucher? And then to learn that that same alterer was in her own guild, unannounced, so she lost two chances to turn in her voucher, and only has two vouchers to show for it. I'm a trader in Forfedhdar. If an alterer was to show up in the Trader Guild (hahaha, they'd be the only one there) in the Crossing, unannounced, and I found out about it after the fact, I'd be disappointed. I'd be more disappointed if I had a voucher for them, because it would have given me a chance to turn in that voucher. I'd be even more disappointed if they chose only one guildhall to visit, unannounced, because that would penalize guild members who trade in other areas, and show preference to the guildhall that they visited. Is it fair that I could not participate just because I've chosen to support my Guild, and be (pretty much) the only Trader active in Forfedhdar? Shouldn't I have some expectation that an alterer would show up out there, especially given the rich gem mines? (I'll probably faint if that were to happen.)

But, if they did show up at the Ratha Guild, and then days later, in the Seacaves, and they took someone who was sitting with them in Ratha over people who didn't have the opportunity to share in their previous visit, I'd be crest-fallen. So, I empathize with you, Aethelflaed. I don't think it was intentional, but I understand your frustration, and I hope that they, the great staff here (who I do appreciate, and am thankful they allow us to voice our criticism as well as our praise...) will remember that they work for us, especially as a Estate Holder, and a little communication goes a long way.

Herumore Gurthane and his Snake Charm, Spot.


"No free people ever existed, or can ever exist, without keeping 'the purse strings' in their own hands."

-- John Dickinson

>>Its not very customer service oriented in my opinion but if you feel in your conscience that is the answer you want to provide me, then next time you can be certain that I will be more aggressive with any alterers I come across and let them know personally that you said I should. Thanks!

I'm reasonably certain the poster this is directed at is not a member of the DR staff. As such, they don't really have an obligation to be customer-oriented. They also had no way of knowing that you were holding and instrument and voucher and discussing the alteration, so I'd hardly call them obtuse.

That said, though you cast "being aggressive" in something of a bad light, it is pretty much the only effective way to get things done in Elanthia or the real world.

~Kashik

>They also had no way of knowing that you were holding and instrument and voucher and discussing the alteration,

This.

I was not trying to say OMG YOU ARE WRONG, I was trying to help you, and give suggestions on ways to improve your chances on getting attention of an alterer.

Martyrdom is pretty awesome. I went in the cabana as well, and didn't get an alteration, even though I've been trying to get a specific instrument altered for a little over 3 years now. I always happen to miss getting on the list, and I've never gotten a voucher from having missed it. I consider what happened to you VERY lucky.

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