An Angel's Story: Choosing my name in Maplestory

Creating both a name and a legacy within a virtual community

Over 10 years ago, I started Maplestory as my first Mass Multimplayer Online Role Playing Game as a brief respite in between community college and working abysmal shifts waiting tables beneath a corporate glass ceiling. The cleric AngelScholar was the first character I ever made and still lovingly return to when fiddling with various game styles of other MS characters. He is not exactly an accurate reflection of myself, but rather two simple words forming an example describing someone I wish I could be.

 

Angels, radiant beings commonly renown as bringers of hope, strength, and guidance during dark times of great strife. I wanted to play as someone who could mends wounds and lovingly support others even if becoming completely inept at fighting. Naturally, this would draw me towards choosing the cleric branch. A decision this avatar would never reconsider even when swayed from observing others performing spectacular abilities during training sessions.

 

Then there's scholar...An intellectual dedicated to studying the fields of science, mathematics, and fine arts, discovering lost logic interwoven between various concepts and applying new found knowledge in solving some of today's toughest problems. Even if commonly stereotyped wearing glasses and carrying a book of some sort, this was an accurate representation of myself having been born near-sided and developing a love for mystery novels. If not carrying a mystery novel, at least a notebook of some type for organizing thoughts or recording journal entries even when on the go.

 

Both concepts share a common thread. It is to help others solve problems and through helping help others in return, finding one's own place in life. Even after 10 years, 2 college degrees, and countless adventures later, our goals and means have remain unchanged: strive for a place to start a new chapter in life and a brighter tomorrow through assisting others. Maybe someday, we might find our own little piece of heaven.