Opus Explorations - FF7 In Depth

Forwards Ark Angel TT - This is absolutely a testing card. I can't decide if its effect is absurdly strong or completely irrelevant. Could be culled after a weeks testing. Ranger - I'm taking Square Enix's hint that with the plethora of new monster cards released this set, we may have to pay a bit more attention to monster destruction (I'm looking at you, Scale Toad). Ranger isn't a great card but represents good value if you can break an opponent's monster. And the 2k on swing damage could be a finisher for barbariccia or diabolos (I'm struggling to justify this card...) Yuffie - This is the most accessible haste forward that wind earth has had access to that doesn't involve any chocobo shenanigans. Yuffie will do exactly what a ninja should do, surprise your opponent with a haste attack. You might not get it off at your weekly locals once people suss out your tactics, but I expect her to do more than a 2cp card should in most "blind" circumstances. Aerith - Absolute unit of a card. Depending on testing, she may end up as a 3 of. Dubbed "Wind-mu" by one of our local players, Aerith gives your Category VII combo pieces some much needed protection. Buy your foils now, the price of this card may rocket in the coming weeks! Cloud - In trying to decide what is the best cloud to play in this deck, I settled on our Opus 4 boi. Ex burst is lush for this deck, the ping damage is great for a 3cp forward, and I aim to pull off a Fina - Blade Beam combo at least once this set, or this deck will be dubbed an utter failure. Y'shtola - Y'sh is a lock in every deck running wind from now until the end of time. That's all that needs to be said. Barbariccia - Extra bit of removal that the deck may or may not need. It's worth may be linked to the success of the new legend Aerith, but it's too early to tell. Future decks could switch this to 4 drop Moogle for some added draw power. Tifa - There is a bit of an awkward dynamic with starter Tifa - I need the Tifa down to proc Clouds enter the field ability, but I need Cloud down to reduce the cost of Tifa. If you can keep another Category VII forward alive a turn, dropping Cloud H and Tifa S on the same turn (and potentially killing a forward) represents great value for your investment, but it might not always work that way. Wol - Swiss Army Knife forward. Does everything. Costs £30 for a reason. Barret - Not a huge fan of the card, but I know Tom will whinge at me if I don't include at least 1 in here. I don't think he'll often survive long enough to create significant value, but I vow to at least play him once before I condemn him to the abyss. Cecil - Extra removal, ex burst and a big body. What's not to love? Fina - Fina is more of a luxury than a necessity in this deck. I'd be lying if I justified her inclusion with any statement other than "blade beam glory play". Summons Alexander - More monster destruction. Could change in the future to the new 4 drop Alexander. Hecatoncheir - Heca gives the deck another type of removal, particularly to deal with an opponent's Y'shtola, Zidane L or Aerith. Diabolos - Yup. Monsters Deathgaze - No idea how good deathgaze will be. The effect is strong but if people begin to run monster destruction for 3cp's as standard, it may not be worth the deck slots. Time will tell. Basilisk - Not owning a 3rd diabolos gives me an excuse to test Basilisk. I firmly expect him to become a 3rd Diabolos after approximately 1 week of testing. Backups Archer - The deck wants to use chip damage as a platform to achieve greater things. There is not much Minwu around at the moment, but Archer is a safe insurance policy should he make a surprise appearance. Godo - Yuffie enabler. 1/3 of the Category VII character fulfillment achieved. Sign me up. Sherlotta - Purely for Blade Beam payment. People much smarter than me will dream up some mad combo plays with this card, but I am a simple person with simple ambitions. Give me fire CP, Mysterious Woman... Jessie - Searcher for the decks jankiest forwards. If it wasnt for Yuffie, she would not be a 3 of. But the quicker you can fulfil the haste criteria, the better. Maria - This deck may not need a booster backup, but Maria is worth including if you cannot create sufficient openings via removal and just have to beat over the top of your opponents forwards. Maria could be cut fodder in the future. Marlene - Ex burst retrieval will be sweet, but otherwise she is included to round out 3 Category VII backups. Miner - You playing Earth? Then you're playing Miner. Shantotto - Default reset button for those "oh shit" moments.

An In-depth breakdown of the Belvoir Winery Event: 

So much cool stuff to see, places to visit and so little time to do it all, but what did happen: 

The journey began with a must-trip for early coffee. Two women leaving their children for the first time in years to go three states away was turning our stomachs despite our excitement.  Minneapolis is known for it’s great coffee and Anna is a bit of a coffee snob (one of the things I love about her).  She has taught me that $7.00 for a medium coffee can be justified if the taste is worth it; Spyhouse usually delivers.  

I had almost forgotten the credit card kerfuffle at the Alamo Airport location and the fact I was already an hour behind schedule but took a breath; it happens as it should.  We were packed, we had found parking, and waited for our tasty oatmilk almond latte to be crafted. 

No regrets. A tasty walnut bread and hot latte with a savory almond after-taste and the windows are down and we’re on the road. 

I try not to cringe as I receive texts from the famous Amy Bruni of TAPS and KINDRED Spirits that the meet and greet is happening in three hours and I’m seven hours away. I sip my coffee and put the cruise control on 8 miles over the speed limit. Eyes peeled, alert, singing along to old 90′s hip hop with my dear friend.  I can control myself and nothing more. 

Iowa greets us with the usual stench of cow poop and we hastily drive into the hills of Missouri just as the sun is going down.  A photographer’s wet dream of hills and valleys casting off of absurdly green grass with valley ways that sparked nostalgia-talk of Milo & Otis. We couldn’t stop, even though the lane was down to 40 mph and one lane of orange cones pushed about the broken pavement.  We watched from our window... 

We arrived in KCMO at about 9:15pm and were exhausted from a long day of driving.  I had missed the meet and greet and felt horrible but had to prepare for a full day ahead in the morning.  My dad got home from his late shift at FORD and we talked over cheesecake as he got to know my best friend, Anna.  We crawled into bed with gusts of Spring wind through the open windows at about midnight. 

The next morning, the adventure began with car trouble, misplaced keys, no power point clicker and me arriving just a few moments before I was rushed in front of the large lecture hall of people at the Belvoir Winery. The STRANGE ESCAPES event had begun. 

Paranormal Sarah, my alter ego, delivered a fun lecture on Parapsychology and the perspectives of what we bring to our experiences, paranormal or not.  People flocked to line up for psychic readings and to buy my book, Haunted by the Abyss. Without any time to sign a book or set up my table I was rushed to the third floor, bridal suite (Oh my Gosh beautiful) to start readings. From 11:15am until 8:15pm without a single break, I did reading after reading.  I was exhausted but overwhelmed by the Universe, messages and epiphanies were happening left and right.  New connections were made and each reading was special in its own way. Blessed.  

Anna delivered me some treats, made special runs for me to have a snack and was a rock-star. I was feeling guilty she had stepped in and rocked out my vendor table. I hope she felt love and acceptance and was enjoying herself. She wouldn’t say otherwise and at the end of my psychic stretch Amy greeted me at the base of the staircase with news I was to report to the BUNKER for late night investigations. 

I took a deep breath, smiled, changed my shoes and Anna joined me on the walk across the property to the dilapidated bunker I was to haunt for the next four hours. 

It was a lot to take in, I hadn’t been on these grounds since I was a trespassing tween in the 90′s and it was dark. Even the light of the bright waxing gibbous couldn’t bring the bunker to light. Two heavy doors separated us from the group that was already starting to investigate the tight, damp, dark space. The door creaked... 

I introduced myself and stepped in to perform a psychology experiment with my Konxari Cards.  I had gotten a pack from the creator himself at a DragonCon years ago and it makes for fun interactive thought - is the ghost knowledgeable, does our projection of the card change the response on the EVP or Ovilus device? 

Flipping them face down first, later revealing the image on the card and seeing how that changed the response during the investigation.  Mostly, each group got great response and interaction with touching, grabbing, flashlights turning on/off (13 in a row on a count down of 3 - wow), the ball rolling across the floor.  It was a skeptics wet dream because of evidence contamination but the experience was phenomenal. 

Anna explored on in the rotation to other sites and befriended the owners daughter who was coming along on the hunt.  She and Anna would depart from the group and the little girl would narrate the history she had learned from her family.  With an intuitive nature and creative eye, she helped Anna to create some amazing shots of the famously haunted cemetery.  Photos were taken the next morning just to memorialize the great times spent on this specific part of the Belvoir property. 

It was hauntingly beautiful and we hope to return again soon.  We didn’t get back into bed until 3am that night after an eventful night of investigations. One of my groups even had a huge toad drop from the ceiling as the investigators were prompting to be touched; I think she got more than she asked for! 

Sunday morning we woke up early and my dad was teary eyed to see me heading out. He had hoped to get some Ray’s Donuts for us and to have a morning together but due in part to high demand, I had clients waiting at the winery for readings.  We hugged, packed the car and promised to return at a later date where we could really enjoy more of what KC had to offer.  We wanted Cafe Des Amis, Parkville Coffee, Strouds, The Nelson, Oklahoma Joes and so much more... but time was slipping away.  We headed down the road to the Belvoir again. 

Anna explored the grounds while I finished up my readings and we were finally on the road by 1pm but we were hungry. Luckily Rancho Grande was down the road... and so was Longboards. No better best friend than a fellow #Foodie who is open and willing to car-hop many places in a jiffy. We stuffed ourselves with Chicken Tacos and Rancho dip and then a Laguna Crab and Cabo Chicken wrap.  I grabbed some burnt ends from Smokehouse because we were literally across the street and I figured I could torture myself on the ride home with delicious smells... 

On the way home we captured the most breath-taking sunset and Anna leaned over me to capture the landscapes as they passed by. Rounds of coffee and snacks (and a strange worm-hole in time) had us finally arriving home at 11:30pm. Return the rental, unpack, crawl into bed and process the weekend. What an adventure! 

Home sweet Home. 

To see more photos check out our Instagram @CapturingTimePhotos