Meet My Alter-Egos

I'd like you to meet a close, personal friend of mine. The knight you see drawn here (by my good friend C Blaha) is Taliesin Pendragon, knight and preceptor of the Church of Amilor in the town of Fayd. He is practiced in polearms, a master of psionics, and known far and wide as a strong, respected champion for good with a lamentable penchant for puns. What is unbeknownst to all but a select few is that he is also a Rake, a member of that little-known vigilante group whose actions, while possibly commendable, are not what one would call legal.

Yes, I am (was) Taliesin. I used to be deeply involved in playing an online MUD, a text-based, multiplayer role-playing game. I created the character of Taliesin, imbued him with a personality similar but not identical to my own, and learned to play him as if I was Taliesin himself. Within the game, I stayed in character religiously (if you'll pardon the pun). I'd find myself compelled to act in ways as Taliesin that I would never do myself, even when nobody was looking. That's the funny thing about playing a character.

Fortunately, I'm good at compartmentalization, so I didn't fall prey to that behavior sometimes attributed to actors and undercover detectives who lose themselves in their role. When I logged off, I was me, not Taliesin. But the game ended years ago, and I miss him.

I am also Scratch, the thieving loud-mouthed parrot of that drunken pirate, Armoth. (Whar ye be, ye scurvy pirate? I miss ye.)

And, finally, I am also Amilor, god of the seas and the weather, gentle and compassionate when pleased, tempestuous when angered. It was even less well known that I played Amilor. There were a few occasions when I had to play Amilor and Taliesin at the same time. That, I do not miss. Schizophrenia is not my thing. (Yes, it is. No, it's not!)

I think a fantasy life is a wonderful way to explore how you'd feel in different situations, and is an exciting means of escape from the daily grind of today's world. As long as you can remember which is fantasy and which is real, and keep them separated.


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