Greetings, Adventurers! Typing in chat, grouping up, and other first interactions can intimidate some players. Figuring out what to say is often the hardest part, but there’s a simple solution — just say hi. New World content creator [url=https://www.twitch.tv/itshilarymason]ItsHilaryMason[/url] and her boyfriend Steven’s relationship started with just the word hi. Their “love forged in Aeternum” provides tips for how good intentions always help when talking to anyone for the first time. To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we spoke with them about their first impressions, romantic quests, and playing together. [h2]THE GABAGOOL GOBBLERS ENTER CALNOGOR[/h2] “My Company Gabagool Gobblers started on a server called Cantref Gwaelod,” Steven said. “We had kind of taken over the whole server, so when server tokens came out, we wanted to find a server where Syndicate didn’t own much. We did our research and picked a server where only one territory was purple, Calnogor. That one territory was governed by Hilary, who promptly reached out after we’d transferred. I saw her as a strong-willed natural born leader.” [img]https://images.ctfassets.net/j95d1p8hsuun/7pdj9Tep4BGuqQLAeT6002/6473d727f10d91c5f5960ca787c62619/Syndicate_Alt.png[/img] "They were a big Syndicate Company and one of the first transfers onto the server, so I’d taken it upon myself as a Governor of another Syndicate Company to go say hello," Hilary said. "As soon as we met, Steven was all about helping out others on the server - which he immediately did. Though we didn’t know each other super well at that point, I could tell he was the type of person that you’d want to have as a friend. I also thought he was ridiculously funny." [h2]AFTER ALL, WE’VE NEVER LOST A WAR[/h2] “My main role was a tank, but when I first came onto the server I had been jokingly trying out healer,” Steven said. “Hilary then slotted me as a healer on the ramparts in my first War with her Company. I was bottom of the leaderboard, for sure. But I chucked out beacons and shot the cannons! I made sure she knew I was a tank for the next one.” [img]https://images.ctfassets.net/j95d1p8hsuun/5TtO9yQ8byNdYO9DkqsjR1/490231a166d5aae23f879d50fe201f59/NW_Valentine_Article_Image_War_1920x1080_CFF_CT-001462.jpg[/img] “Steven is a very effective shot caller for Wars, always leading with a smile and a joke,“ Hilary said. I remember planning a War for my Company with his help pretty early on. It actually secured the territory for us. I’ll never forget the classic line he’d use before each War started, ‘After all, we’ve never lost a War.‘ While that wasn’t always true, there was a real comfort in knowing he was leading the charge.” [h2]FINDING FRIENDSHIP[/h2] “While we were playing the game, we spent a lot of time working together and dealing with various issues in our respective Companies,“ Hilary said. ”This led to us often spending a lot of time discussing our thoughts and concerns which paved the way for us to forge a really strong friendship that branched out from just talking about New World into our real everyday lives. He became my best friend - and I don't know a better place from which to build a healthy and happy relationship from!“ [img]https://images.ctfassets.net/j95d1p8hsuun/5FkBeyitv4VlpDb61tZ8a4/2b4d06e4c1e5cc6597c06f20375978b5/NW_Valentine_Article_Image_GroupEmote_1920x1080_CFF_CT-001462.jpg[/img] “Working together to help keep the server healthy and balanced meant that we spent a lot of time together which was when I started to see her as much more than just another person I was playing with,” Steven said. [h2]LOVE FORGED IN AETERNUM[/h2] “I think the most romantic thing Steven has ever done in New World was running Dynasty Mutators with me over and over and over again while I grinded to get the Glowing Crystal Life Staff,” Hilary said. “It took forever to get it, but he was there with a supportive attitude the whole time. Steven didn’t tell me he’d gotten multiple by the time I got my first until after mine dropped - true love!” [img]https://images.ctfassets.net/j95d1p8hsuun/4b6zMmd7Ul0zEVidjmfGtG/d741dec6ff603a943f413216f844c78f/NW_Valentine_Article_Image_DynastyShip_1920x1080_CFF_CT-001462.jpg[/img] "I would do it again in a heartbeat if you needed me to," Steven said. "But please don't make me do that again (laughs)." “Initially, we were governors of our own Companies and we always had that separation,“ Hilary said. ”When we play now, we work together through everything, including leading Companies together. It is really nice to know that we have each other to bounce ideas off of and make decisions with, even when we don't entirely agree.“ "We definitely make a better company together than we ever did apart," Steven said. [h2]TIPS FOR TALKING TO OTHER PLAYERS[/h2] “I met Steven because I just said hi,” Hilary said. “People are usually really receptive when you come from a place of kindness. I always make it a point to say hi in every piece of content I do with other Adventurers. You never know who you are going to meet or what they might mean to you a year down the line!” [img]https://images.ctfassets.net/j95d1p8hsuun/60prtIPjC9NgRsZ0h2vNJW/42457bbb6da6f52b7cf48d5f1667a4ec/Looking_Ahead_Scene_01C.png[/img] “People are playing New World to have fun, so don’t be afraid to speak up in chat,” Steven said. “My original Company was formed by just sending messages and invites to anyone I saw without a Company. The worst someone can do is ignore you and move on, but at best it might lead to something great.” Follow ItsHilaryMason on [url=https://twitter.com/itshilarymason]Twitter[/url] and [url=https://www.twitch.tv/itshilarymason]Twitch[/url] for more fun New World experiences. Thanks for your support! We’ll see you in the Aeternum chat.