Within our Calypso colony, there are couples who have joined forces to defend our civilization against those whose intentions are to destroy us. One such couple is the focus of this week’s Wednesday's Who's Who, and who work together with their multi-society organization in making contributions toward building, defending and protecting our colony. Profile Catalyst Some time ago, I received a private message at Entropia Forum from Imperious, a member of the WildD3amons Academy society, which is one of four that comprises the expanding organization. He eloquently put into print all the reasons why the founder and overall leader of the four societies should be considered as a candidate for the Wednesday's Who's Who profile series. There were key statements that caught my interest, and inspired me to do my own research, which ultimately led to a well-deserved spot on the profile list. The leader of this organization puts his WildD3amons family first, and gave a clear message that this undertaking could not be just about him. Therefore, this profile is multi-layered, and showcases not only the leader himself, but his lovely wife of six months, resulting from a lengthy relationship on Calypso, and his entire organization that embodies the qualities that foster success. Building an Organization The citizens of Calypso take pride in their efforts to defend our planet against those who make attempts to destroy our civilization. While many fight tirelessly as individuals, there are those who have come from planet Earth with fine-tuned skills in military-type operations, and develop organizations of size and power to support the overall efforts of our colony. In the Fall of 2005, Brent “Wildman” Lancing left Earth for Calypso to offer his then 17 years of experience in the Army to help defend our colony against ongoing attacks by robots and mutants. It was of utmost importance that he maintain a level of anonymity, and thus, took on a new name to keep his Earth military operations hidden. He said it wasn't an easy task, but gave some thought to the process prior to settling on something he felt would work. Brent is actually his real first name and decided to use it, as it is quite a common name and would not specifically identify him. His middle name, and the one he is known by, Wildman, is the result of his Pro Kickboxer days prior to joining Earth's Army. The name Lancing was just something that popped into his head, and has no specific origin. In the early 1990s, he held several distinctions, such as the Ohio State Bantam Weight Title, the New York State Light Weight Title, and was rated 2nd in the United States under the World Martial Arts Group (WMAG), the Professional Karate Association (PKA), and the Professional Karate Commission (PKC). He eventually retired from the Pro Kickboxing circuit due to his Army obligations, but not without a 10 and 1 record. At 38, he shares that, "The Army has taken me around the world to see some awesome places, and some I just don’t want to talk about." With a total of 20 years served, there are plans within the next couple of years to retire from his Earth association with the Army where he is currently stationed at Ft. Benning, Georgia in the United States. He says it's difficult at times traveling between Earth and Calypso, and would much rather spend time focusing on the efforts of the WildD3amons organization, but respects his Earthly responsibilities as well. The ongoing efforts of Wildman to build a more encompassing Calypso organization to defend our planet is now widely known and respected. Fort Ithaca is the home base of this four society operation, and where key personnel begin their journey through the ranks of each society based on skill and overall performance. Members are groomed, trained and supported every step of the way toward unified efficiency. Nothing is left to chance, but rather guidance provided that supports growth and advancement in an effort to build the most powerful and synchronized force possible. A recruiting video was developed by Bambuco for WildD3amons that showcases what is expected of potential members. It is my understanding that a new video is in production with an even greater depiction of life as a member of the WildD3amons organization. The journey hasn't always been an easy one according to Wildman, but in the humble beginnings of building this organization, he indicated that someone else was key in helping to create the first society. Around the time that Wildman arrived on Calypso, he connected with an individual named D3amon. Their ideas and like-mindedness took them in the same direction with regard to goals and aspirations, and together, they used their new Calypso names to create a society called WildD3amons. As the society grew, it was Wildman who saw the potential for expansion, and had a general plan on how to move forward and achieve the goal. According to Wildman, "As time went on and the society grew, I decided to split it, and took the top 5 WildD3amons and created the Alpha WildD3amons who hit the top 50 most skilled society list the next day, somewhere in the 30s I think." He indicated that, "About the same time, the WildD3amons Academy was being formed for newly arriving colonists, and the society quickly hit the top 50 list with regard to size." In the interim, Wildman had left the original WildD3amons society in the hands of someone other than his original partner, and appointed that person as General and overseer of the society. However, the relationship with this person had an Earth association that began to unravel, and challenges ensued that caused the General to remove those who were in opposition. As such, it forced Wildman to create yet another society in order to maintain the mid-level operation that had been developed with the original group. "Approximately 95% of the WildD3amons made the move to the newly-formed Mod WildD3amons," says Wildman, "and others trickled in as time went on." There were now 3 well-organized society levels, each on a path of learning and achieving goals that included a unified force in making a contribution not only toward defending Calypso and its citizens from interfering alien factions, but in the continuing growth of the colony as a viable and self-sufficient civilization. However, after a while, Wildman gave thought to how he could challenge the members even more, and give them something greater to strive for once they had achieved membership in the highest level of the organization, Alpha WildD3amons. He considered the pros and cons of his idea, and ultimately made the determination to create yet a fourth society that would encompass the elite of the organization. The positives far outweighed the negatives, and in less than a month of existence, the Elite WildD3amons have achieved a top 10 most skilled society status with only 6 members. "This gives all the WildD3amons bragging rights," chuckles Wildman, "and a sense of pride in being part of an organization that cares about the growth of all of its members." He indicated that some in the community are trying to figure out what it takes to achieve a top 10 soc status, and states, "I saw someone estimate a 202k average," but with a smile he says, "I can tell you that you’re way low and to keep guessing." With the formation of four societies in the WildD3amons organization, Wildman says, "I can easily cater to all levels of colonists from day one arrivals, to 300k skilled veterans." He states that the key to the organization's success is not only due to great members, but the Generals and Colonels who lead each society, such as Wildman Lee of the Alpha WidD3amons, Frank Tanor of the Mod WildD3amons, and Vin of the WildD3amons Academy. Wildman himself is now the General of the newly-formed Elite WildD3amons. However, Wildman is quick to give credit to Lazer "Lazz" Nero as being his right-hand man over the years. Even though he says they didn't always agree, their combined efforts worked for the good of the organization, and they are still going strong today. They can often be found standing side-by-side in battle against the creatures of the wild. It is not uncommon for members from each of the societies to form teams to not only help others skill, but sometimes just to have wild adventures in and about the Calypso environment. I had an opportunity to join in one of these adventures during the photo shoot for this profile, and found members from all four societies coming and going during the hours-long trek in the wild. I did manage however, to get a photo of some of those who joined in the fun, but even during this process, there were interruptions. Sitting Yoper – WD Academy Front Row (Left to Right) Ran (Mod WD) – Imperious (WD Academy) – Wildman (Elite WD) Lazz (Alpha WD) – Bone (Mod WD) – Rany (Mod WD) Back Row (Left to Right) Fang (Elite WD) – Alric (Alpha WD) There were interruptions! A Family AffairAbout two years ago, Wildman met a sweet young lady that he took a fancy to. They met at the trade terminal inside the Fort Ithaca Deluxe Mobile Center where he proceeded to scan her. I suppose it isn't any different than Earth where some ask for your stats, but here on Calypso, a person's stats have a whole different meaning, even when acquiring them isn't always subtle or smooth. As with most who leave Earth to join the Calypso colony, new names are taken on as a form of protection. It's not unusual for those attacking our civilization to seek out Earth information to use as blackmail to keep us in line. Therefore, the name Addella "Della" Celtello was chosen, and Della gives no explanation as to the origin, other than it just sounded good at the time. Unlike Wildman who heard about the planet Calypso within the Entropia Universe in the Fall of 2005 when NeverDie purchased his asteroid, Della had found out about the expansion of space and the new colony through a previous Earth association, and arrived on Calypso at Port Atlantis on March 12, 2006. After a brief membership in the Global Alliance Klan (GAK) society, Della joined the WildD3amons organization, and is currently a member of the Mod WildD3amons society. The relationship between Wildman and Della evolved beyond friendship as they worked closely together through society-related activities. After a lengthy courtship, they traveled back to Earth and got married in September of 2008. They wanted to have a Calypso wedding, but it was important for them to be with their Earth family for the official union and celebration. And speaking of family, it seems that a couple of months ago, they were able to convince Wildman's mother to make the trip to Calypso and become a colonist. Known as WeeBit, she is currently a member of the WD Academy, and has taken up mining as a profession. Della, age 34, has a 9 year old son from a previous marriage, and Wildman has 3 children from a past marriage that includes a 13 year old daughter, and twin boys age 12, but none of the children have become Calypso colonists at this point in time. Another member of the family is their dog Max, who is a chocolate Lab just under one year old, and he has no desire whatsoever to play with the creatures in the wild on Calypso. He's more interested in treats, and running away from a brushing. During one of Wildman's Earth military assignments, he had an opportunity to meet up with a few of his organization members in Germany. However, he will be the first to tell you that all within the WildD3amons organization are definitely considered to be extended family members. Mel Dragon Eye – Lizzy Faith – Wildman – Gerkkor – Frank Tanor Early Influences Both Wildman and Della were influenced by their early experiences after arriving on Calypso. Wildman had a mentor named Gay Lord Focker whom he met his second day. "He threw me an axe and said ‘let’s go,’ and I never looked back," says Wildman. During his second week on Calypso, his mentor taught him how to mine, which he says was easy to do, especially since he couldn't kill most of the mobs anyway. At the end of his second week, he was mining West of Fort Argus when he hit a 1700 PED HoF on Melchi using nothing but trade terminal equipment. As exciting as this experience was, he said, "It took me 8 hours to drill it up, and discovered that a trade terminal extractor at full condition will only last one hour with continuous use." He laughs in retrospect though, because, "The funny part is, I thought that if I left the claim I would lose it." Della did not have a mentor, and in fact states that she didn't even know about them until much later. She shares that when she first started, "I was sooooo lost," and "I had no clue what I was doing." Della had not experienced anything like Calypso, so when she learned what a teleporter was (which took a few days because she says she didn’t talk with anyone), she embarked upon a journey that produced excitement each time she collected a new TP, because it allowed her greater freedom of travel between cities and other locations. The only downside to this adventure was acquiring a strong hatred for the Berycleds North of Port Atlantis. She claims that, "They would come after me just for spite it seemed, and now, "I kill them just for spite back, and even go out of my way to do it," she says laughing. Professional Endeavors Wildman does not claim any one profession other than spending more time hunting, which supports part of the efforts of the WD organization goals to be in top shape to contribute toward the colony's fight against intruders. He claims to live his life on Calypso as he does on Earth by trying many things, and says he ends up being a Jack of all Trades, and a master of none. Della on the other hand shares that, "Early on, I tried tailoring, and really liked making and coloring my own clothes, but ultimately, it wasn’t for me." After giving mining a try one day, she says she was hooked, and her first HoF was a 401 PED Lysterium. "The claim was surrounded by Warriors and Neconu," she states, and "it took me about an hour of shooting them and running them away from my claim so that I could spend the next two hours extracting my fortune." She indicates that she hasn't found a tower yet, but she still has hope. Entropia Reflections While Calypso is the first planet in the Entropia Universe that people of Earth have settled on, it is known that many more planets are due to align with Calypso in the future. Wildman and his organization are intrigued and rather excited about this prospect, but their current focus is remaining dedicated to the task at hand. Specifically, to give full attention to the needs of all members of the organization, and continue to develop a presence within the colony that supports overall efforts in achieving success of our civilization as a whole. Efforts include providing a place within the WD Academy where new members and disciples with mentors from the higher level societies can develop their skills and understanding of the Calypso environment alongside those just like themselves. Knowledge, skills and abilities are fine-tuned through education, practical application, one-on-one training, and mixed society adventures that test the readiness of those earning their way into the higher level societies. Another supportive effort is the result of purchasing a shop in the Twin Peaks Mall (Level 2, 3S), which is co-owned by Wildman and 8 other organization members. "Why we purchased the shop is simple," says Wildman, "It gives all society members a place to sell their items without taxes or fees so they get all their PED for the items." He further states that, "It means a lot when you are a beginner and count every PED," and, "all of a sudden when you get a nice item that drops, only to find out that it costs more to put at auction than what you have on your PED card, it’s disheartening." While Della enjoys socializing with those in the WD organization, as well as joining in some of the events, she chuckles as she says, "I am mostly a solitary miner, so I tend to end up out in the middle of nowhere." When she does hunt, it's usually small Atrox at Ithaca, or Longu. She also likes hanging out at Twin Peaks to chat with other colonists, and get a peek at the new outfits that people are sporting. On the other hand, Wildman likes hanging out at Twin Peaks for other reasons. He enjoys PvP activities, and sometimes finds himself engaged in PK combat with other colonists. He also likes hunting Atrox either at the Rig, or South of Ithaca. Major events are also of interest to Wildman, and he is currently the 13th man on Team USA in the 2009 World of Firepower (WoF) series. This is his first time as a member of the USA team, but fought alongside those in Team Canada during the 2008 WoF series. There is no mistake which 2009 WoF team Wildman is fighting with, as shown by his USA war mask. Since the USA took a WoF champion's title in the past, he is ready to do his part to help facilitate yet another championship. In reflection, he states that he loves the progression that our colony within the Entropia Universe is experiencing. While not initially keen on the limited armors that were introduced, he shares that, "I tried a set and got to see how cost-effective they really are as opposed to paying full price for an unlimited set." He can also appreciate the periodic updating that takes place within our colony with regard to new cities being built, and new items being manufactured. He is aware that we will soon transition into a new dimension as a result of advanced technology, but reserves comment until Calypso has completed the transition. Della is more vocal when it comes to changes. She likes that new textures in the tailoring profession allow us to be more creative in customizing a personal look. She also likes the changes that affected the mining system with regard to not having to spend a lot of time finding your claim, as well as liking the new finders that were introduced. She wasn't too keen with the tax on clothes and armor, nor the introduction of limited items, which she feels drastically reduced the value of the unlimited items. "I know that when I first arrived on Calypso, I was in awe of the mid-level to high-level items," says Della, "and was working to better myself by saving and slowly moving up to them, but sadly now, it seems that one can arrive on Calypso today, and end up in limited Shadow with one big HoF." With the future alignment of several more planets, space travel and exploration are on the minds of many of the colonists. However, while excited with the prospect of what this will mean to those inhabiting Calypso, both Wildman and Della are hopeful that it will be of great benefit. There is speculation about what we will encounter, and many questions with regard to system mechanics and how it will affect our travel to and experiences on other planets, but for now, Wildman is focused on the WildD3amons organization and the other members of this expanding empire. Whatever comes next, they will be prepared for it. However, I don’t think anyone is fully prepared for what Wildman experienced upon returning from one of his week-long military trips to Earth. It seems that Della has a wicked sense of humor, and decided her husband needed a new look. Pretty in Pink Cerberus – Wildman - Fang * * * * * * * * * The following video is but a small offering of the adventures that the WildD3amons experience from time to time, and ... creatures were harmed and even eliminated at the hands of these skilled hunters. As a Disclaimer ... the intended result of the Atrox mob-herding at the end of the video did not turn out as expected, and we were surprised by the stubborn and uncooperative behavior of the mobs to follow Wildman on a journey to another location, as he has been able to do in the past. Instead, they hunkered down and remained stationary with the majority in a condition unable to shoot, while they in turn were able to give damage to the hunters. However, the experience was one that provided a lot of laughs, even at the expense of taking on damage in the process. This experiment is not recommended unless you are immune from fainting at the repair terminal. (Once the video starts, click HQ at the bottom right for High Quality viewing.) > Another Special Thank You To ... MK Design for graphics assistance.
