Free Company Interview Series
Lord Durham
The Free Company. A mammoth undertaking of collaborative writing with a horde of individuals coming together for a common goal. That goal? Now that is an interesting question. I don’t think there is just ONE goal with this story. For a story it is, a story about a mercenary company in the timeframe of EUII. As many of us know, historically speaking there were numerous mercenary bands during this time in history. This is of course a fictional mercenary company. But the writing is outstanding, in my opinion. In spite of the various styles of writing, or writing skills of the individual members of the company this tale has been rolling along for the past two years. From the very first book to the current book, the sixth in the series, the trials and tribulations, the triumphs and defeats, of this company have thrilled and entertained membAARs of the EUII forum.
Led by the redoubtable Sir Robert, Captain of this eclectic band of warriors, along with the indomitable Lochlan, and the other officers, sergeants, and ‘regular’ members of the company, they have cut a bloody swath through Europe. Even in defeat with the loss of Constantinople this group persevered and thrived, and yet they face the toughest test of all in this latest book with another battle against the infidel Turks. This time in the Serbian city of Belgrade.
But that is part of the tale, and we’re not here to rehash the story. We’re here to interview the participants of the story. We’ll start with the leader and creator of the Free Company, Lord Durham, otherwise known as Sir Robert, Captain of the Free Company. We’ll also over the next few issues interview Valdemar and The_Hawk, and others from this illustrious collaborative story.
As promised, the very first interview will feature Lord Durham!
1. What was the genesis of the idea that caused you to create the Free Company?
It began while I was writing my very first AAR for EUI. It was titled ‘The Papacy - An Alternative History’. I was rather bored with the standard ‘In January of 1492 we sent a merchant to Venice’ type of writing that was predominant at the time, and decided to insert some character driven posts. The response was good, so I invited people to join by inserting their own character into the storyline. If I remember right, the first person to post was Storey. Anyway, the idea took root and more writers came on board. However, the actual germ of the concept grew from the next question.
2. I know you have mentioned the Black Company books as the inspiration for the FC, but what made you think a collaborative story would work?
When Ariel was writing his ‘Something a Little Different’ AAR he made a post that ended with the suspicious death of a king. For a lark I wrote a ‘detective’ piece starring a certain Father Petronius Falkenberg of the Order of Colombo. In it he accused the Chancellor of murdering the king. It was a direct takeoff on Peter Falk and Columbo. Anyway, the response was good and a day or two later there was a spinoff thread that featured a few interested writers. That was the beginning of interactive writing. I figured if I could make it work there, I could make it work in my own thread. So you have to thank Peter Falk for starting the interactive craze.
3. How difficult was it to recruit people to this new, radical idea?
Beyond the original writers who worked on the aforementioned WKCC ‘spinoff’ threads, only a handful came on board the FC. I never really advertised. However, when EUII came along I had the chance to begin fresh with those same established veterans.
4. Who were the first people you approached to help you birth this difficult, yet ever so satisfying artistic story?
I never approached anyone in particular – it began with a post that was basically an invitation. Those who answered the call were Storey, Sgt. Bloomfield, Lionheart, Rictus, Barkdreg, Forster, Fournier, and Misha, to name a few.
5. How do you think Book I went? Did it go the way you expected it to go? What kinds of things gave you pause? Were there directions it went that you didn’t anticipate, and yet did much to bring the story even more to life than you originally anticipated?
I liked Book I. I thought it worked really well as a jump-off point for the new adventures. Though it followed my overall story arc, it featured lots of twists and turns courtesy of writer creativity. There were a few problems with ‘invulnerable characters’ who were ‘walking killing machines’, and a couple of writers who just didn’t understand the interactive concept, but on the whole it came off very well.
6. As time went on, you added the ‘Powers That Be’. Who did you first approach to help you ‘guide’ the way the story developed and grew?
Originally I utilized Sgt. Bloomfield and Rictus as my ‘eyes behind the scenes’ to help keep a handle on things. At that point the story was still mine, but they were invaluable for keeping things on track, though they weren’t privy to any details. The first official PtB would have to be MrT. It’s amazing how many ideas came out of a few nights of swilling beer.
7. With Books II through IV the FC grew with more writers and more intricate storylines. Did you find it more difficult or did it flow relatively smoothly due to the help and active participation of the other PTB?
Book II was my last solo work, and most of Book III was mine. Chris came on board near the end of Book III with a Francesco Sforza subplot, but wasn’t an official PtB until Book IV. The biggest change had to be the fact I no longer had the story all to myself. The plotting became more rigid. However, MrT and I clicked so well that Book IV, ‘The Last Bastion of Empire’, proved to be the most successful, if not the most satisfying.
8. With Book V, some of the old timers that had stayed through the earlier books started to slough away. Did that worry you even though you were getting some new blood into the group?
My biggest disappointment came from the disappearance of some of the very writers I counted on most, the ones who had characters integral to Book V. Making commitments and breaking them sucks, and affected who I would subsequently deal with. But, that’s always been one of the challenges with interactive fiction. Fortunately, some of the new writers allowed me to shift the storyline around. All things considered, Book V came out very well, though quite different from its original inception.
9. Book VI, the current story, has had its problems with personnel disappearing and subplots that got out of hand. Do you think this book is the most difficult one so far?
Yes, though Book II would be close second due to some personality clashes.
10. The current story has had even more old timer writers vanishing from the forums, to the point that the upper command structure is ‘ghosted’ and being written by some of the new comers or the PTB to keep them in the loop as it were. Are there any plans to replace some of them as the story continues onward?
Not at this point. We are near the climax of this Book, and I think the writers are stretched thin as it is. The problem with ghosting is that unless you have a good handle on the character you are ghosting for, he just becomes an end to a means for your own character, and the interaction is lost.
11. Not to put you on the spot, but which of the ‘new’ writers, say from Book III and onward, do you feel has brought such verve and ‘punch’, as it were, to the storylines that you almost wish they had been involved in the earlier books?<You don’t have to name just one, go with numerous ones if you wish>
Thanks a bunch. Well, Valdemar and The_Hawk for sure. Craig Ashley brought a great dimension and created some very memorable characters. Secret Master, Erik Jaeger, Redwolf, Amric and stnylan are some others. With over 50 writers contributing at one time or another it’s tough not to leave people out.
12. Of those writers who have vanished, which ones do you wish/desire would come back and rejoin the FC in full force?
Man, you’re ruthless. Well, Sgt. Bloomfield, Rictus, Rath Jones, Erik Jaeger, Derek Pullem, MrT, Driftwood, Secret Master, Craig Ashley, Misha… Ah, there’s too many to mention.
13. There is usually a plethora of writers who want to join up at the start of each book, and some later on…but most of them don’t stay on. What do you think might be the cause of this phenomenon?
The pace and the complexity. I don’t think people realize what they are signing on for. It requires a certain dedication that the casual writer can’t, or isn’t prepared to, maintain. Unfortunately, it’s the nature of the beast. Collaborative writing isn’t easy.
14. What characters are you mostly writing for primarily, and which characters did you personally create?
Obviously Captain, the Free Company commander. I created his children, John and Kathleen. There’s LeClerc, Sulyman, Kent, and a host of minor throw-away characters to add flavour. To illustrate the power of interactive writing, Constance was originally a prisoner captured by Forster in Book II. I took the ‘prisoner’, gave her a name and back history, and now she’s Captain’s wife.
15. What do you think is the most dramatic storyline in this current book?
The siege of Belgrade and what shape the Company will be in after all is said and done.
16. Did you ever think the FC would get to Book VI?
No. I thought it was finished after Book III. That’s the only Book where I wrote a general conclusion due to lack of posting. It took some forceful arm twisting to get me to continue.
17. Will there be another book after this one? I know I am just one of numerous people who are curious about this very question.
I seriously doubt it, unless we have an influx of new or returning talent. To illustrate, Book IV and V had about 20 views per post. This one barely manages 12. Book I averaged almost 500 views a day. Still, there’s a core of people still interested, so maybe something will happen. I have some ideas, but we’ll see. It’s not just enough to be convinced to carry on, those doing the convincing have to stick around. After all, if I’m ready to commit to a project, why can’t anyone else?
18. I’m going to put you on the spot again. Which people do you feel you interact with in character with the FC best?
Well, the easiest interaction has to be with Rath Jones’ character Lochlan. But then, we’ve had six books to develop the relationship. Driftwood and Sgt. Bloomfield were good, too.
19. Do you come up with most of the ideas that become major storylines? Or is there more of a give and take going on behind the scenes that the rest of us don’t get to see?
Book VI was Chris’s idea, though the execution became a three-way job between Valdemar, The_Hawk and myself. The rest of the Books were mine – the stories derived from game play. That’s why Constantinople didn’t fall in 1453 in the Free Company universe. Once I created the overall story arc I incorporated whatever subplots that looked promising after the Book began. Of course, during the latter Books there were lots of e-mails and PMs flashing back and forth to hammer out certain plot points. To be clear, the main story arcs were mine, but there was lots of outside input to make them work, so the real credit has to go the contributing writers.
20. Which character do you most enjoy writing for?
Captain. I have a definite image in mind when I write for him. I have to admit I don’t know if he comes out as fully fleshed as I think he does, or merely as a device to move the plot along.
21. Of the ‘regular’ writers, which ones do you think have really worked hard to contribute and enhance the FC experience?
Well, I’m going to go with past and present with this question. MrT, for sure. Driftwood is another. Before he signed on, Driftwood read everything related to the FC. He knew more about them than I did. Rath Jones really believed in the process. Valdemar was a pleasant surprise. He introduced a character that was totally non-standard and made him into something unique. Craig Ashley, as I mentioned earlier, created some truly memorable villains. The_Hawk went from a person who was going to ‘give it a try’ to one of the FC’s biggest supporters, and a constant burr in my side to see the FC published. For Book VI Amric and Redwolf have been tireless workhorses, along with the aforementioned Valdemar.
22. Although I kind of promoted the idea of ‘corporals’ into the FC, you seem to have embraced the idea to an extent. Do you think that ‘promoting’ some of the grunts into proto non coms was a good idea?
At the time it was, but now with the lack of writers I think the interaction has suffered.
23. Do you think of the FC as a community of sorts?
Most definitely. When it’s clicking on all cylinders there are few greater pleasures than watching a Book develop into a compelling story complete with compelling characters.
24. Originally the FC was set at a later period of time, what made you decide to drop back to the currently running timeframe?
It was for a change of pace. A lot of FC material was written on the EUI board, and I felt we were getting stale. Mind you, things worked differently in the early days. The writing was more spontaneous, with one post feeding directly off another. If you think the pace here is frantic, ask Joe Storey what the pace was like in the early days. Anyway, I polled the writers, and the decision was made to take it back to 1419 and work forward from there.
25. What do you think makes the FC so successful for so long?
It’s most definitely the collaboration among the writers. They are the ones who believe we are doing something that is unique to the internet world. There are other boards that have AAR forums, but I’ve yet to find any that match the scope and talent that has been showcased here.
26. I am going to presume to believe that you have enjoyed the experience of leading the Free Company despite some of the pitfalls that have occurred, but here is the big question. If you had to do it all again, from scratch, would you do it?
Oh yeah. I have had the chance to improve my writing, encourage and watch others improve theirs, and meet some really good people.
27. And finally, who is Lord Durham? <And I don’t mean the historical figure, either!
>
Well, this is lifted from another thread, so a lot of it will sound familiar. I'm approaching 50. 5 - 0. Half a century, and hopefully close to early retirement.
I’m a true Gemini – meaning a Jack-of-all-Trades & Master-of-None. I'm a good artist, not a great one. I'm a good writer, not a great one. I played (note: played) bass guitar in my teens and twenties before marriage stole that hobby and put it in the closet. I was an artsy type in High School, making amateur films on my Super 8 when lots of other people were stealing hubcaps and doing drugs. Mind you, making films about teens stealing hubcaps and doing drugs and winning awards for that was a great way of moving from circle to circle. Not that I viewed it as a badge of honour, but at least it afforded me a chance to cross effortlessly between the Art & Jock camps.
Not that I wasn't a jock. I played goal at an age when the position didn't require a mask – hence my face. I never went anywhere playing hockey, and it certainly wasn't a career move, but I enjoyed it as much as any Canuck would. When I reached the age that qualified me for 'Oldtimers', I suddenly found myself in a whole new world – of hurt. It was a world full of ex-NHLers who couldn't cut the big leagues anymore, but certainly knew how to humiliate a small potatoes guy like me. I played my last ten years with a deteriorating back until I was forced to hang up the pads and undergo a spinal fusion operation in the year 2000. I still have the goaltending equipment, but I just look at it wistfully while it mocks me in return.
I majored in Film Arts & Television back at a time when Canada wasn't on the road map as far as film production was concerned. Considering Toronto is now known as Hollywood North, I estimate I missed my calling by about 10 years. Go figure. Still, I was involved in the (then) fledgling world of Community Television – back when they used black & white Sony portables. It was a great time as I produced and directed and handled just about every other chore a small-time TV studio had to offer. I met such glowing dignitaries such as Col. Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame (God, was he small), and ‘The Happy Hooker’: Xavier Hollander (God, did she ever cake on the makeup).
On an interesting side note, I helped pioneer what could arguably be the first program that mixed TV with music – several years before MTV and MuchMusic hit the airwaves. In fact, one day we were visited by J.D.Roberts, one of MuchMusics's initial VJs, to look over the operation. Many Americans may know J.D. as John Roberts, heir apparent to Dan Rather and one of the 'embedded' reporters during the Gulf War.
I attended an extraordinary amount of rock concerts, back when musicians knew how to play their instruments instead of looking pretty and bouncing around stage. I can claim fame for attending a Beatles concert at Maple Leaf Gardens in '65. All I remember is the screaming, though...
I did the SF convention circuit for several years, meeting Isaac Asimov, Anne McAffrey, Robert Silverberg and a bunch of other writers much better than I’ll ever be. One funny moment was having a friend of mine mistaken for David Gerrold at a Toronto SF convention. We milked that one for a while.
I walked away from a plane crash back around the summer of 1973. It was some experience, and one I wouldn't recommend to anyone. It gave me a rather interesting view of life, though, and how fast it can be snuffed. Oddly enough, my life never flashed before my eyes – though it did take me about a decade to get back on board another plane.
Still young, and with no foreseeable future with the film industry in Canada, I ended up on the technical side of the CATV world – it paid well. It was to be a temporary thing, or so I said some 30 years ago. I'm still here, though now I’m writing R&D technical papers that people with expensive suits and big cars take credit for. C'est la vie.
I've run hockey tournaments and baseball tournaments as well as investment groups and workplace social clubs. That probably explains my involvement with the Paradox AAR forums. I've always considered myself proactive – a doer, rather than a talker. I like challenges. And generally I find these forums a perfect outlet for my energy – not to mention the great people I have met both on-line and in person.
Thanks for the interview.