Road to ACC 2012 - Where to Stay

Itabashi is fairly close and easily accessible to many popular places in Tokyo. Transport via the rail or subway systems is a breeze (just remember to write down the station names in advance in case you need to ask for help). This means that you can stay outside of Itabashi, enjoy all the sights Tokyo has to offer and still easily make your way to the ACC! How cool is that?

Itabashi (板橋)

Itabashi is right where the ACC 2012 will be held and if you are the active type, you can walk/jog/cycle to the Greenhall right from your hotel (some hotels even provide free use of their bicycles).

There are not many hotels in Itabashi, but they are all highly affordable and offer rooms that are bigger than similarly classed rooms in the busier parts of Tokyo.

Shibuya (渋谷)

Shibuya stands as a major entertainment and commercial centre in modern Japan. A direct train from Shibuya, Ebisu or Ikebukkuro rail stations will bring you directly to Itabashi.

Hotels in Shibuya range from the fancy Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel to the Granbell Hotel to various inns and youth hostels.

Shinjuku (新宿)
Shinjuku is home to many shopping malls and multi-storey departmental stores as well as a vibrant night life and is a major transport hub in Tokyo.

Just like in Shibuya, hotels in Shinjuku range from the classy Park Hyatt Tokyo to nice but affordable hotels like the Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku to various capsule hotels.

Reading into Your Cards: Olid Loa

 

Olid Loa
Cardtype: Combat
Clan: Samedi
Only usable before range is determined. Retainers on the opposing minion lose their abilities this combat. The opposing minion cannot maneuver to close or press to continue this combat.
Artist: Juan Calle

The name on this card has two components: Olid and Loa.

Yes, I know this statement seems incredulously obvious, but bear with me for the moment.

Loa
The Loa (also Lwa or L'wha) are the spirits of the voodoo religion practiced in Louisiana, Haiti, Benin, and other parts of the world. They are also referred to as Mystères and the Invisibles, in which are intermediaries between Bondye (Bon Dieu, or good god)—the Creator, who is distant from the world—and humanity. Unlike saints or angels however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for a distant Bondye.
(from Wikipedia)

The Loa are spirits that interact directly with mortal beings and each belong to a group of Loa that govern a particular domain. Famous Loa include Papa Legba and The Baron (Samedi).

Olid
— adj
foul-smelling

[C17: from Latin olidus, from olēre to smell]
(from Dictionary.com)

So the Olid Loa is in fact a foul smelling spirit used to keep your enemies at bay. And that's why your card does what it does.

P.S. The is no actual Loa known as "Olid Loa" (or at least there is no information about it available to me).
 

Reading into Your Cards: Villein

 

Villein
Cardtype: Master
Master: trifle.
Put this card on a vampire you control and move 2 or more blood from that vampire to your pool. Minion Tap cards cost an additional pool. Villein costs an additional pool to play on this vampire.

According to Collins English Dictionary, a villein, or villain [ˈvɪlən] (noun) is(in medieval Europe) a peasant personally bound to his lord, to whom he paid dues and services, sometimes commuted to rents, in return for his land.

A villein was the most common type of serf in the Middle Ages. Villeins had more rights and higher status than the lowest serf, but were under a number of legal restrictions that differentiated them from the freeman. Villeins generally rented small homes, with or without land. As part of the contract with their landlord, they were expected to use some of their time to farm the lord's fields and the rest of their time was spent farming their own land. Like other types of serfs, they were required to provide other services, possibly in addition to a rent of money or goods.

And that's why a Villien gives its blood to increase your pool.

Interesting fact:
In many medieval countries, a villein could gain freedom by escaping to a city and living there for more than a year; but this avenue involved the loss of land and agricultural livelihood, a prohibitive price unless the landlord was especially tyrannical or conditions in the village were unusually difficult. Villeins newly arrived in the city in some cases took to crime for survival, which gave the alternate spelling "villain" its modern meaning.