Daniel McCollum & Stroph1

[Warspite]

AAR Writers of the Week : Daniel McCollum & Stroph1

Good Morning everyone, once again we have two new writers to get to know. Up to the plate this week we have a Cheesehead native of wisconsin in Daniel McCollum and a fairly new writer who has been faithfully plugging away, Stroph1.

Daniel M was one of the main people that helped me get my Italy AAR going over a year ago, it was lots of fun and he also stayed with us to write very interesting stories on Hungary and Bohemia. Thanks for hanging in there Dan and writing some very interesting works.

Also this week we have Stroph1 who currently has an AAR going called "Pskov and the legen of nazgul" just want to thank you for participating in a BIG way in the forums, you have helped to make it more enjoyable.

To both of you, I ask you take this time to tell us more about yourself. What got you to this forum? Tell us more about your world and the real life you live outside of this virtual world of stories.

Thanks again gentleman for being a part of this forum, here's to you.

What a Game!

Folks give these two a big round of applause with your posts and try to get to know them better, who knows we might meet them in 2003

 

[Lord Durham]

Well, I really only know Daniel's writing from the original Italy AAR. I considerd him one of the stronger writers who contributed and said so in a poll way back in the EU I days. Unfortunately, Daniel tends to keep to himself, so I haven't had the opportunity to get to know him. Congratulations.

Stroph1 began his career writing for the FC and produced a group of characters that were young, reckless, and a little... dense? No... carefree... that's it! In fact their leader has since matured and bought a tavern in Florence

Since then Stroph's gone on to write his own AARs, beginning with 'Uzbeck, Land of the Free', then a great followup called 'John Gill and the Library of Alexander', an AAR of the Week selection. Currently he is writing ' Pskov and the Legend of the Nazgul', another unique title that carries heavy undertones from the LotR series. It's a highly recommended read.

Congratulations, Stroph1, hope to see you next year.

 

[unmerged(6777)]

Congrats to you both!

I should like to point out that both of these worthy gentlemen have added their tallents most constructively to the collaborative projects that I've organised.

D_M wrote a very engaging series of letters in the "Denmark: Fellowship of the Kings" project and has already contributed a couple of quality reigns to the A-Team's Venice - including a fascinating encyclopaedic style reign and highly memorable Barbango. I enjoyed his own AARs as well and I look forward to reading many more.

Stroph1 did a fantastic job recently for the devilish B-Team when he gamely took over for an absentee doge and quickly spun a very engaging tale. Considering the time frame and pressure, it was a truely remarkable job. Further, I really enjoyed his John Gill ARR that LD mentioned and often see him pop by AARs to give their authors some helpful encouragement. I'll be interested to see where he goes with his homage to JRRT...and I'm sure it will be great.

Thanks to both of you for being part of this vibrant community.

 

[Rictus]

Numero Trois

Congratulations to you both!

Sorry to say I only know of Daniel via his works in the Italy RPG (and his wonderfully written work in the Denmark Colab - as MrT said)but what I've heard as been nothing but glowing reports on his ability and as I said in the parenthesis, I've seen and apprecieted it first hand. An honour well deserved that man

Stroph1, being the kind of chap he is, has provided ample delights with his many FC creations, who've always brought at least a smile to this cynical bastards face. Their conduct in Book 3 was admirable and superbly written, while the aging Stroph1 in Book 4 looks set to catch a thief or two and I'm sure his son will go on to many great thing

Again, congratulations

 

[Apebe]

I've been only very shortly on the english part of this forum and I really hope that you will tell us more about yourselves and your motivations. So congratulations for you both.

Stroph1 has been one of those who encouraged me in my AAR start and that really does help, especially for those who write in a Language that is not their mother tongue or for those who don't feel particulary at ease to tell a story. We can only improve by meeting people like him.
So again, thank you Stroph.

 

[unmerged(9046)]

Thank you all for the (undeserved) praise. I will spin the obligatory "this is my life" tale a bit later. I have just got home from work and will write in depth after I eat dinner.

 

[Secret Master]

Good job, Stroph. That praise is certainly well deserved.

But don't think you can rest on your laurels. This just means you have to write more often now.

 

[unmerged(9046)]

The Story of Stroph

Following is part one of the sixty-seven part mini series detailing the highlights of the life of one Stroph...

First, since I guess people have wondered, Stroph has nothing to do with my name. It is short for Dr. Dale B. Strophodopholous, a name I invented in college to order pizza for delivery (evil grin).I shortened it to Stroph when I got on AOL years ago and it made me chose STROPH1 as a unique name.

My real name is Rick Cambron. I was born in Lexington, Kentucky, USA on July 17, 1962. I grew up in Kentucky and Tennessee so watch the Southern jokes !

I had a normal childhood, attending Catholic schools. I have two younger brothers who still live in Tennessee. I discovered wargames when I was 14 with the old Gettysburg 64 and became a voracious player from that day forward.

I attended summer school at Harvard when I was 16 and was introduced to Dungeons and Dragons. I was so taken by the game that I brought it back to Tennessee and my high school.

I attended college at the University of Pennsylvania where I studied Mathematics and Environmental Science. This led to grad school at Western Kentucky University for a Master's degree in Biology and the University of Kentucky for a Master's degree in Statistics. Since then I have worked in the pharmaceutical industry analyzing data for new drugs from clinical trials. I currently am working at Purdue Pharmaceuticals where I am finishing a contract job there.

I finally got married a year ago this month (note to self, better remember to get roses). Getting married, I inherited a teenage daughter so I have had some quick learning to do!

My friends from college are the ones who invented Magic the Gathering.

My other interests include wargaming, puzzles, traveling, camping and hiking. Since I moved to the Northeast USA I have learned what crowds and people are all about. I have never been a professional writer and for work I get to write very technical analyses so this has been a breath of fresh air for me.

I bought EU1 pretty soon after it came out. It was quickly my favorite game. I found the EU1 forum about a year ago and for a long time enjoyed reading the various AARs. LD's brilliant papacy thread grabbed my attention pretty quickly. I had no confidence in any talent for writing and stayed a visitor for a long, long time.

On September 11th last year I was working about 2 miles from the World Trade Center. We evacuated work that day. I was very impressed with the way the forum members reacted to the attack. I felt like there was a brotherhood here.

I finally joined an AAR at the end of LD's Book II. Stroph at first was a silly youth. He did mature as the story progressed. I loved working with the characters in this story. I hope the new LD masterpiece brings about the same fun.

I finally wrote my first AAR titled "Uzbeck, Land of the Free" at the end of June. I completed the AAR to 1819 in a month. It was my first attempt at humor and it was pretty well received. I followed this up with my second AAR, "John Gill and the Library of Alexander". this one was non-stop jokes and puns and was also well received. My current project is quite different, "Pskov and the Lord of the Nazgul." I am trying to set Pskov and Tolkien's land together in a story about how the rulers of a small country became corrupted by a mysterious orb.

I have really enjoyed the members of this forum. My wife probably thinks you steal too much tome here, but there are many worse habits a man could have. I hope to make the CON next year and see what we all are like in person!

 

[unmerged(7996)]

Stroph1,

I really enjoyed your work in Uzbek - Land of the Free. That was a great AAR. I have not been able to keep up with your newer projects other than the occasional quick glimpse (work, class, etc...yadda, yadda, yadda...). Wish I had more time to spend here.

Congratulations on a well deserved award.

**************************************************

Daniel McCollum,

Congrats.

 

[unmerged(9046)]

Thanks for the support, Mr. Pack.

 

[unmerged(8576)]

Congrats to both of you! I haven´t read everything, but I´m sure it´s well deserved.

 

[Warspite]

Wow Rick I never would have guessed it. Your Bio is very enlightening.

So you got involved with D&D when it was first coming out and becoming strong? What do you think of the game Neverwinter Nights? Which tried to take classic pen and paper to the computer, ugh I wasnt too happy. I sure miss the P&P games though. Do you still play?

 

[Norgesvenn]

Daniel McCollum, congratulations.

Stroph1, your work in the Free Company thread is first rate, and I have to say that your legend of Nazgul is very entertaining as well.

Congratulations!

 

[unmerged(9046)]

Thanks for the kind remarks.

Warspite wrote:

So you got involved with D&D when it was first coming out and becoming strong? What do you think of the game Neverwinter Nights? Which tried to take classic pen and paper to the computer, ugh I wasnt too happy. I sure miss the P&P games though. Do you still play?

Neverwinter Nights looked good back then. It (like all early 'puter games) did not stand the test of time. But then, I played a lot of Zork in college and at the time thought that was top notch!)

I haven't played any D&D since I ran some campaigns back in the late 90's. The P&P games do still have an appeal.

 

[Eochaid]

Congratulations to both of you. I don't know D. MacCollum because he didn't post much on the AAR forum lately, but I read all of Stroph1's work. Gee I never would have guessed you were that old! You should create some kind of Senior AAR forum with LD and MrT or something ( Just kidding . i won't do it again. Please don't hunt me down with the guns you got when you fought World War One.) Really some excellent stuff stroph1!

My friends from college are the ones who invented Magic the Gathering.

--> You mean you're friend with the guys from Wizards of the Coast? You should have joined them instead of chosing a dead-serious job. You could have created "EU2 - The cardgame"

 

[unmerged(9046)]

--> You mean you're friend with the guys from Wizards of the Coast? You should have joined them instead of chosing a dead-serious job. You could have created "EU2 - The cardgame"

I agree. I had just had my own little gaming company go under so I was gun shy. I saw the Magic game about 3 months before it was released. If I had known what those cards woudl have been worth....

And since I am so old, you will need to type a little louder...

 

[Eochaid]

OKAY, SO I'LL TYPE LOUDER...

NO, I DIDN'T ASK YOU IF YOU HAD POWDER! I SAID I WOULD TYPE LOUDER!

 

[Sorcerer]

Now I'm deaf...

Congratulations, both of you! I don't know you as good as I would like, but I'll do my best. I've only read Stroph's Nazgul AAR so far, but I'm sure there is more to come.

 

[Rictus]

I know this is OT, but I never realised how many people enjoyed P&P style RPGs...Maybe we could get some kind of AAR forum thing going (i know those odd Otopic forumers do it, but they're all weird anyway )...

Um, right, On Topic, lemme see. Congratulations! (again)

 

[unmerged(9046)]

Eochaid:



Sorcerer:

Thanks!

Rictus:

Thanks (again)