WIWTG: The Gilded Lion and Silver Branch Summer Festival IV

 By: Kieran/Kyra “Omri” Barry

Dear Friends (and yet to be friends, and others) of the Realms,

Did you know the first Summer Festival was simply Gilded Lion Summer Festival, back in 1015? Post the Quiet Year(s) it was rebranded with an addition of Silver Branch, for its collaboration with Chimeron, making this the fourth Gilded Lion and Silver Branch Summer Festival, though it’s the eighth overall of the Rhiassan Gilded Lion Summer Festivals. And what can be expected of the fourth eighth event of this series?

FOOD. QUESTING. FRIENDS. FUN. Hopefully in a quick lookover those words catch your eyes so you’ll read the rest of this. This event has the same feastocrats who bring the wonderful food of The Leviathan, now in fun, fair format. I recall a few years back when Fern’s delectable cookies were part of the desserts, for free. Now one can pay with the funny green stuff at select opportunities to get customized Fern cookies. They, the feastocrats, change it up but keep it delicious.

This summer will also debut the Heir of the Realms questing, as young adventurers must investigate Age Lines that us older folks cannot cross. Do you trust the children to investigate these strange occurrences? You must, for no elders can do it for them.

While the youth are off on their adventures, or cared by Rhiassan’s Cub Care under the dutiful watch of Isla, I anticipate the other opportunities for adventure offered. Over the years the fragments of Ragnorok have been a presence, but once we have resolved that, dino steed jousting has taken the fields. Dino steeds are provided if one has not already bonded with their own steed, though as one with his own steed I cannot understate my appreciation for my raptor ride, Baby Blue. She’s not the easiest to fight on but she’s loyal and a real tank when the blows are coming.

Summer Festivals are quick and easy ways to get an understanding of some going ons in the Realms, in bite sized chunks. My only complaint is that I can’t be at all the going ons at once, as there are several each hour, something for everyone, hopefully.

May your path be lit,

Omri

Eagle’s Rook

Flamekeeper of the Order of the Lantern

Squire to Knights of Garm

Squire to Knights of Chaos

Apprentice to Order of the Spoon

Squire to the Cheese Order

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

What You Missed: Tournaments of Artemis XII

By Celeste "Shooting Star" Ma

Hello everyone! As you all know, the Huntress Guild of the Realms is an organization dedicated to the furthering of women and gender minorities within the community, and every year, they host the Tournaments of Artemis, a competition where two teams, each led by Huntresses, compete against each other across many different challenges.

This year, the two competing teams were the Wings of Fury, led by the Huntresses Tefarah ((Taylor)) and Princess Cimone ((Megan)), and the Starfellows, led by the Huntresses Rowan Heatherfrost ((Brookelyn)), Traveller ((Matt)), Lupa ((Madison)), and Shooting Star ((Celeste)). Note that while the Starfellows had four Huntresses in total, there were never more than two Huntresses at a time as two had to leave early.

There was a wide variety of challenges this year, from combat-focused like "Stay in Your Lane", "Kill the Queen", and "Fights of Valor", to strategic combat like "Dungeon Danger Dice", "Oops, We Died Again" and "Squad Shush ‘n Shelter", to puzzle combat like "Hadrianna’s Bomb Shelter", as well as non-combat challenges like "The Price Is Right" trivia, "Jills of All Trades", "Team Try Not to Laugh", and sonnet writing.

It was an extremely close tournament, with the Starfellows winning by a margin of 10 points, but in the end, what really mattered was that everyone had fun, felt safe, and that women and gender minorities were given visibility within the community. And thank you, Shader ((Nataliya)) and the rest of the Huntress Guild for running this amazing tournament.

– Shooting Star

Laughing Gods in the Eye: Never Enough Time in the Day

 

I've always appreciated how so much of Aurora's greatest weapons are just made from people. It's very aspirational.

Why I Want To Go - Evie's Tavern Presents: The Midnight Festival

 [Transcribed from an interview with Baroness Felnar Dulintel Dawnkri-Nosetti]

When asked to explain why I was interested in traveling to Blackwood, it struck me as a surprise to find it had been quite some time since I last had…an incredibly long time. That seemed odd, as I’ve known many members of Blackwood over the years: some of the first friendly faces I encountered when I first came to these Realms all the way to some being members of my own family.

I admit that I’ve been out of touch of many of the goings-on within the Realms, and was startled to learn that the adverts and flyers distributed around Val’Dara’s larger cities explained that Edaonae was gone. But, in the same hand, it was explained that this festival was to open the way for Gaia to be the source of endless bounty.

I was asked then by Evie if I would be interested in bringing wares to this celebration! Now, it is lesser known in these lands (though I hear more well-known on the Emerald Path), but I have been working with fine crafters to…ah, I’m rambling.

The point of this all, is that it sounds as though it is a weekend of celebration in the best of ways! Friday we gather at Evie’s Tavern: drinks, gambling, and rumors of a quest fill the night. Remember, valiant heroes, that celebration when your work is done is important! Plus, snacks. I do love a snack! Especially a potluck snack! A snackluck. No? Ah, well. Words--

Ah, but yes! Saturday, more snacks! We’re welcomed to explore the lands, and hopefully in doing so, we can do something to rekindle the hope and joy in the people of Eroewan. Of course, after dinner, the true party begins! A night market! Dancing! Carnival games! Food! Stargazing! Honestly, how romantic?

Sunday seems to be a little more serious, with I hear tell of another quest.

Honestly, I’m truly a little too excited, especially with Lissa on break from the Wyvern College…

Until I see you all there, teska’gen’neshona-- What do you mean I have to say it in Common--oh, fine. May you dance with good fortune!

------

OOC: Honestly, this kind of event is what I believe shows us the best of what the Realms has to offer. We, as players, put work into building our make-believe world into something real, and getting to explore that is a privilege we have as LARPers!

Any event that gives me a sampling of what the Realms is automatically has my interest, and this is a great example! While there’s questing, there’s also a core part of the Realms that keeps us coming back: each other. Tavern nights where there may be questing or things to do, but allow us to get together, tell stories, and share the wonder of the game we work together to make is crucial to keeping us going. I have countless memories of sitting around a fire after a night quest, telling stories, singing songs, laughing whole-heartedly. The sense of community we build in these quiet, joyful moments that we can bring with us back into a world that, at times, bears down on us unrepentantly. These moments of celebration make us stronger, gives us rest and respite, and allow us to carry on being heroes: in or out of game.

I’m so excited to see you all there!

Briar/Phee

What You Missed - Ashen Adventures II

Expedition Elemirre 

by: Benjamin "Pilpus" Lacasse

To Whom It May Concern,

This last week, Highlord Sir Temorse of Ashenmark led an expedition to Elemirre Isle, starting from their base of Farport, a settlement Ashenmark controls to assist in their trade and naval operations, to investigate the terrorist attack that was perpetrated by a supposed resident of the Isle, Emeris.  It was suspected that he “gifted” what he and his followers have referred to as a “Bloom Tree” to the Highlord during tithe collection at last year’s Ashen Bounty Court, which unbeknownst to the Highlord enraged local wildlife and nullified magics.  This created large issues for Golden Hall’s Enforcer Golem Police Force, distracting and eventually dismantling them when adventurers cut down the tree in an attempt to stop the spread of its blight, but all of this covered the escape/jailbreak of Wulf Swiftarrow, a prolific kinslayer who was scheduled to be executed that morning, who for unknown reason Emeris had coordinated and covered the escape of.  There was something larger at play, and allies of Ashenmark couldn’t let this act of terror go unanswered, so into the Isle we had to venture in search of answers and justice.

Temorse provided the ship, but we adventurer’s headed the expedition with our first stop being the village of Eastwatch.  As I write this, I am unsure if this is another settlement usually maintained by Ashenmark, but by the time we arrived it was in a state of disarray all the same.  The Bloom Trees in the area had enraged the local population of bullywugs, forest spirits and rust salamanders to such a degree that they began tearing the settlement down, leaving the townsfolk questioning their very way of life.  Soporific bramble patches infested with wood woads with a mysterious master had grown wild all around the village, leaving denizens unable to flee the aggressive wildlife.  A local blacksmith lent us his forge to fix our supplies that were damaged by the rust salamanders after we restored it, but even he was so traumatized by the wildlifes’ viciousness that he came to believe the gods themselves were punishing him for his corruption of nature through his work as a metalworker, laying down his master’s hammer forever after this night in an attempt to appease them.

As our assistance to the townsfolk began to reach its conclusion, we were unexpectedly assailed by the fugitive Wulf Swiftarrow and his pack of wolves.  We rallied as quickly as we could but not so fast as to stop him from retreating deeper into the wilds.  We wouldn’t let him evade our grasp that easily, so in pursuit we cut into the brambles as far as we could until the trail went cold.  Beyond the brambles though, we had stumbled into the grove of the noble dryad Setiyah.  While initially displeased with our presence in her sanctum, after a brief explanation of our chase and identifying ourselves as nature's allies, she benevolently didn’t push the issue.  She said she hadn’t seen/felt Swiftarrow pass through her grove, so we adventurers took a moment to acquaint ourselves with these significantly less hostile wilds and guide some wild chickens back to Eastwatch to help them refill their food stores.  

We spoke with Setiyah at length about the events that had transpired in Golden Hall, asking if she’d heard any stirrings in the wood that could’ve led to the attack, or knew any of the involved parties.  While she knew not of the motive (or happening), she did seem to recognize the name Emeris.  She could also see that the Bloom Trees’ influence was a corrupting and dangerous one, judging by how feral the affected wildlife had become.  When we sought answers about Emeris from her, trying to get a lead on his location, she seemed shocked that we would suggest Emeris would do such wicked things.  She would need more convincing of his misdeeds before she would give us the information we sought; blinded by a disconcerting, almost charmed, sense of love for him that I, in my extensive personal experience with natural spirits, have never known a dryad to have for a human naturally.  She also spoke of a wound to her heart tree in the north that was seemingly causing a memory fog which we agreed we’d look into helping her with as we made our way north.

By morning, through Setiyah’s guidance coupled with Ashenmark scout reports, we had a clearer picture of what the northern part of Isle looked like, identifying a village of island natives called Warrian in a valley to the north and a ruin called The Stone Grove where some of Ashenmark’s golems in search of a fuel not reliant on souls had taken up residence to the northeast.  The scouting reports confirmed that both the north-western route through the swamp and the north-eastern valley pass were both too dangerous to go on foot; the swamp being filled with aggressive bullywugs and the valley’s trees being so blighted that barely any sent to scout it returned.  We determined that our best bet was to sail around the coast and visit The Stone Grove, establish a base and then head to Warrian as we suspected that was the easiest place for Wulf and Emeris to hide, being entirely unknown to Ashenmark before this point.  When we arrived at The Stone Grove though, we found the golem’s were under attack as some of the Ancient Jade wards they were studying had been smashed by a coalition of aggressive plantlife and wolves.  We spent some time reclaiming pieces of that jade from the assailants and doing our best to repair what we could of the wards, but mainly we learned to utilize the amazing properties of Ancient Jade to resist the Bloom Trees’ blight from Setiyah, making single use wards we could carry with us out of whatever material we couldn’t manage to work back into the wards.

Confirming our suspicions, while hunting wolves for stolen jade we found Swiftarrow on the road to Warrian and collapsed upon him, using our silver to beat him within an inch of his life before he managed to Second Chance away, leaving only one of his familial victim’s teeth behind as evidence of our encounter. Again continuing our pursuit, we pushed forward to Warrian where we were acquainted with a blissfully unaware populous in the shade of a massive and growing Bloom Tree.  Singularly focused villagers led by a Shaman in the absence of their Chieftain immediately began to beg us to assist them with fetching an offering for the Bloom Tree, despite the fact that their Chieftain and Sheriff had gone missing upon the trees sprouting.  Only the Chieftain's Son seemed to care about even finding their leader, otherwise everyone was obsessed with smashing the ancient totem that had protected their village for generations from blight effects and  this “berry” that was now unobtainable due to the fact that the Bloom Tree had invigorated and feralized the vine that grows it.  Mistaking these villager’s pronunciation of “Hydra” for “Hydro” I led a far too small party to attempt to collect this mysterious fruit for us to research while the greater party went off in search of the Chieftain in the wilds.  Timelapsed, the Hydraplant spent an hour beating us senseless while the greater party fought through other aggressive wildlife and found the Chieftain saying he was in the wilds doing the work of his master.  The Chieftain declined returning to the village, but encouraged the party to feed the Bloom Tree.  At this point, the greater party returned and helped my group take down the Hydraplant, securing the fruit for research, much to the chagrin of the villagers who incessantly chanted for us to give them the berry.

It is around this time the group began to come to the conclusion that the Blight has an effect on mortal minds as well as wildlife. We discovered through our research into the “berry” that it was a Hydrafruit, an immense source of Ancient Jade energy, meaning if fed to the Bloom Tree it would greatly proliferate its blight along with any crops it fertilized.  We ultimately decided to give the Hydrafruit to the Golems later to further their research.  While we researched, the rest of the party went out to rescue the Sheriff from the bullywugs who’d taken him. While I don’t know what happened on the field, everyone returned covered in mud and Lord Sir Elric of Rathkeale had on a new bone crown that he claimed made him “The King of the Bullywugs” which made me not want to know what happened, not knowing myself then that I’d be writing this report.  

With the Sheriff returned, we were immediately embroiled in Warrians local elections, which went exactly as well as you could expect a local election to go when 60% of the populace has quite literally been brainrotted by blight.  Democracy prevailed, electing the sheriff who was an “unblighted but unaware of blight” centrist who immediately attempted to appease the villagers by agreeing to smash the protection totem.  This caused what I will lightly refer to as an “international incident” where townsfolk moving towards the totem were cut down where they stepped by an adventurer,  immediately souring our local relations with the populace.  While we used our healing magic to return the denizens of Warrian to life and the ensuing cries of “murderer” rang through the streets, we ever-resourceful adventurers, devised a plan to trick the  rioting townsfolk into thinking they’d destroyed the totem without actually compromising the wards integrity.  In the words of the Esteemed Sous-chef of Neden, “This is why democracy is always a mistake, Monarchy is decisively the way to go every time”.  I also cannot stress enough, the results of that wards’ destruction would have been catastrophic, and while I was glad to not have blood on my own hands at that moment, I do not condemn the actions of that adventurer who bought us time to come up with a solution.  True peace is a lie, life is always a balance of benevolence and bloodshed, and with no dead bodies left unraised among even tenuous allies, the scales remain level.

In this hullabaloo, Emeris the Terrorist arrived at the gates of Warrian with an invitation to treat with his master, a horned man named Rav who lives in a nearby ruined fortress.  I immediately began to question him, seeing if he was of his own mind when he delivered that Bloom Tree to Golden Hall.  He said yes, and when pressed about it, brazenly admitted to the freeing of Wulf Swiftarrow.  As Sir Eamon and I moved to arrest this criminal, Setiyah flung her arms around him and declared openly that she was granting Emeris sanctuary, professing her love for him, which seemed to shock even Emeris.  As we were in the midst of resolving one international incident that had divided the party morally, I begrudgingly accepted this, promising Emeris that if he is to ever betray Setiyah’s protection or leave this Isle again I will personally deliver him to High Lord Temorse in whatever state my pursuit of him happens to leave him in.   As a group, we accepted the invitation, then privately devised a plan to split the party once again with one side going to speak with and distract Rav while the other party infiltrated his fortress.

I was on team treat and distract, where Emeris guarded a ruin, requiring us to give up our weapons if we wished to speak with the 3 figures inside: Wulf Swiftarrow, The Chieftain of Warrian and their master Stravamore.  I refused to give up my weapon, thus spent my time eavesdropping on the peace talks and listening to Emeris talk of the unspeakable crimes he committed upon Setiyah.  He phrased it more cutely; spun a tale of 2 forbidden lovers, one of man, one of the earth. One longing for adventure beyond the shores of the Isle, one bound to her grove.  It almost sounded sweet when Emeris started talking about how he sought Stravamore out to help him bring Setiyah on his grand adventures, and then he spoke of trying to sever the roots of her heart tree from this land by hand to uproot and move it, callously uncaring of the suffering and hardship he would put her through to have his way.  I wasted no seer magic on this, the candor of this man’s cavalier character spoke volumes to me- Setiyah may have had feelings for Emeris to start, which I doubt but will concede for sake of argument, but having spent a day with her and felt her devotion to that Isle, there is no way she would elect to have these atrocities upon her in an effort to remove her from the home she tirelessly works to protect.  Emeris is irredeemably despicable.

In the ruins, Stravamore sputtered on about 2 century old natural rites that bound him unfairly for wanting to give nature a fighting chance against the rise of human greed, and 10 wicked mortals who sacrificed everything to seal him away to allow for their greed to go unchecked.  Wulf claimed to be working with Stravamor because a Swiftarrow ancestor was one of the people who’d sealed Stravamore away, so Wulf has to make it right by working to free him entirely.  Wulf started this repayment to Stravamore by killing his family members to find the one entrusted with hiding one of the pieces of Stravamore’s binding, and returning to this isle to unchain him.  The Chieftain spun a similar tale to Wulfs, of ancestors who’d betrayed the land by sealing Stravamore.  As information was unveiled, more information was divined on the outskirts of the ruins, and the truth was unveiled.

Stravamore is a Leshen, a nature spirit born in blight, wrath and hunger.  While natural, they view most “intelligent life”  as a plague, not part of nature, and thus will vindictively spin forests into a state of primeval rage and rot them from the inside out just to make sure society doesn’t share the spoils.  Specifically, we are all just food on which he feeds.  He’s a prehistoric apex predator who would eat humanity, for lack of better phrase, to extinction to claim the hunting grounds for himself, then hunt the woods barren.  While Stravamore may not be doing anything “unnatural”, he is actively using his natural magics to twist the minds of animals and people to follow him through blighting their minds and bodies and infecting them like a disease.  He is ancient and powerful, maybe even so powerful that sealing him away again is our only recourse, but be assured regardless of what lies he/his followers tell or whom he enthralls to do his bidding by whatever means he does, he seeks to hunt humanity to extinction on Elemirre Isle at least- potentially the whole Realms judging by Emeris’ thwarted attempt to plant the Bloom Tree in Gaia’s Grove on his orders.

Tired of hearing his lies veil his selfish predation, I pushed past Emeris to confront Stravamore.  As I spat out that he was not some essential natural force benevolently returning nature to its former glory, just a selfish, hungry monstrosity, he shot out a wave of blight and disapperated into a cloud of bloom and rot, sending Wulf into a frenzy.  All those who couldn’t resist it, myself included, immediately felt the blight take root, touching each race differently but devolving us closer to base instinct, just like all the other life here.  Stravamore is all of its source.  We had to handle Wulf, and try to capture him before he could escape and thus the Chieftain managed to slip away. Once again, an inch from laying Wulf low, we find a single wolf tooth. 2 down, 8 to go.

On the infiltration team, they fought through armies of wood woads, wolves and will-o-wisps and cracked complex nature magic locks to break into what I can only assume is Stravamore’s servants quarters.  There they found a staff capable of repelling Will-o-wisps and notes on the 10 heroes who once sealed Stravamore, seemingly seeking their pieces of Stravamore’s binding.  After the distraction team took care of Wulf, we rushed to the fortress ruins knowing that Stravamores forces would soon be upon them and arrived just in the nick of time to stand together and fight our way out of the ruins against an army of feral animals and wood woads, led by Warrian’s Chieftain.  We succeeded in escaping and in that process, the Chieftain was slain.  On his corpse was a piece of Stravamore’s binding, seemingly unused.  We made our way back to our base for the night in The Stone Grove, and prepared for more fighting come morning.

The next morning, we were awoken by a visibly blighted Setiyah, pink Bloom flowers sprouting on her green viney cheeks like open sores.  She asked for our assistance in servicing her worsening conditions.  We happily obliged, journeying to her heart tree to see the damage Emeris had wrought, finding an open festering wound steeped in blight that would require intricate rebalancing if there was any hope of survival.  Scouts had told us of another set of ruins north of Warrian where there appeared to be more Ancient Jade we could potentially use to stabilize Setiyah.  The ruins were haunted by spirits guarding chests of jade runes and old notes that would serve perfectly to help Setiyah. After looting the ruins, attempting to leave any active looking wards intact, we found a secret room in the far back where there was a centuries old tablet that surprised us with familiar heraldries, or iconography of which our familiar heraldries drew inspirations from, that claimed to be a testament to the sacrifice of the 10 heroes, each represented by one of the heraldries along the tablets border:  The Tree of Eroewan, Rathkeale’s Silver Chalice, Cawdyll’s swords, and even a early representation of the Northern Alliances heraldry and some less familiar symbols for us to decipher later.  We took this tablet with us back to the heart tree as we couldn't delay helping Setiyah any longer, despite how intrigued we were.

When we arrived, Setiyah was in a blight-addled state, her condition declining rapidly.  She attempted to swing on us, but we managed to knock her out and get her into a Circle of Protection before she could cause any real damage while a crack team of our fastest runic professionals got to work delving into Setiyah’s roots to cut out the blight and replace it with restorative Ancient Jade.  Irri, in the meantime organized a ritual to attempt to cleanse our largely blighted party of their affliction, successfully allowing for King Orion to become a conduit of blight, taking it from all in the circle allowing healers to just focus on cleansing him as many times as they could.  With her wounds on the mend, Setiyah thanked the party for their help and said that while she can’t believe Emeris would do something like this to her, she obviously didn’t know what he was capable of and apologized.  We commiserated with her on this until we heard a scream for help in the distance as bullywugs once again descended on our party.  

After we handled that interruption, we returned to Warrian to study the tablet and Stravamore’s forces orbiting it menacingly.  I got to work in the tavern comparing Stravamore’s notes with notes that we found in the northern ruins and did my best to get a lay of the land, learning that each one of the represented heraldries had a person who sacrificed themselves to physically seal Stravamore within the Deepwood on Elemirre Isle, each sealing 1/10th of his soul and power.  While each sacrifice is dead and in the binding circle, their souls were each put into palimpsest, 10 wooden daggers fashioned from Stravamore’s wooden heart.  Those dagger’s were entrusted to their ancestors to guard and make sure they never fell back into Stravamore’s hands by any means necessary.  Now obviously someone violated that sacred oath, which is what caused the return of Stravamore, and the binding piece we pulled off the Chieftain was why Stravamore was circling this village.  Without that dagger, he can’t empower himself more. And no sooner than as we come to this realization does Stravamore push his way into the tavern, trying to sway the Chieftain's son to his side, thinking the boy must be the one in possession of the dagger.   After a confusing exchange where Stravamore backed the boy into a corner of the tavern, saying that he will help defend his people from the Realms invaders, I spirited  the Chieftain's son to our research station as King Saegan, Duke Nos and Sir Vesper held back the wood woads who attempted to intercept me. At our table, I convinced him that despite our group's violent exchange yesterday, we are on the same side.  I showed him the ancient documents, and where our crests sat together on the tablet, which successfully broke through to him as he rallied to our side.  In one last ditch effort, Stravamore attempted to peddle more lies, but I bit him off before he could and Stravamore disapperated once more in the same fashion, blighting the room as he went.  After one more exchange with Swiftarrow, collecting a third tooth, we prepared to disembark as we planned our next steps.

My last action on Elemirre Isle was to seance the soul inside of the heart shard, and flesh out the 10 heroes' identities as well as I could to hopefully find their descendants and ensure the shards are still guarded.  I intend to work on another publication with Charrus in the near future where we compile all of the relevant historical information into one document in an effort to make sure no one walking onto this new battlefront does so blindly and stumbling.  The one relevant piece that the spirit in the shard shared with me is that Stravamore, beyond blight, can install dark spirits into the bodies of those he can sway to his side.  Once a Dark Spirit is installed, the original soul inside that body is entirely consumed, unreclaimable.  I believe that is what happened to the Chieftain of Warrian: blighted to a point where he became susceptible to Stravamore’s power and then was consumed.  It’s a miracle we caught him when we did, before he could fully return the shard.  I suspect Wulf and Emeris are both in that same boat, now just meat puppets for a predatory puppet master.  For those of you who are still blighted, I recommend you seek means of curing yourself sooner rather than later, lest you become an agent of your own extinction.

If my time in Elemirre Isle has taught me anything, it is that the Realms has been working together to stop malevolence in all of its forms for centuries, if not millennia or eons.  This foe will be no different as long as we are coordinated and unrelenting. I am a servant of the grove as much as I am one of man, so take it from me- heed not the lies of the hungry, it is on you whom they will feed.

In Coordination of a Better Future

Sir Pilpus Jainrose

The Stag’s Rook

Knight of Blackwood

Squire to the Knights of

The Blue Rose, Garm

and the Aberrant Gate

Steward of Eroewan

Map of Elemirre Isle

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

Why I Want to Go: Tournaments of Artemis XII

 By Lani “Gwen” Jones

Why do I want to go to Tournaments of Artemis XII?

Well first and foremost, I know it will be an amazing day full of tournaments that will be both competitive and tons of fun. Sir Shader of Ashenmark and her peerless staff have always done a fantastic job of creating an environment that pushes people to fight their hardest while also embracing the ideas of good sportsmanship, camaraderie, and support for one another. Every time I have participated in the tournaments or even simply watched them, I have really felt the true spirit of the Huntress Guild represented on the field.

It’s a day all about encouraging and celebrating Huntresses, women and gender minorities that want to grow and be recognized in the side of our game that is rooted in combat culture. I know I have personally benefited a great deal from the Huntress Guild from back when I was a newer player. It was a safe and supportive environment where I learned a lot about fighting from mentors I really respect. I am thrilled that the guild still exists, that people continue to benefit from it, and that this yearly event is still on the calendar. Even if you yourself are not a Huntress the Huntresses who are your friends will really appreciate your support, and I’m sure you’ll be glad you went.

And looking at this tournament list, what a day it looks to be! Castles? Bombs? Danger Dice? You can just sense the amount of work that went into creating tournaments that would allow for really fun combat experiences while testing leadership and strategy and just making everyone glad they were a part of it. I am absolutely certain there will be amazing moments in fighting alongside laughs and good times.

So join me this year at Tournaments of Artemis XII. I’ll be rooting you each on, and I promise to keep you all well fed as you celebrate the true spirit of The Huntress!

Monthly Toahscope - June 1025

 Greetings friends, Toah here again with your irregularly scheduled fortune readings. And this time, I have something a little extra. Instead of asking you to comment to find out your Domai runes, I have a document written by the one and only Jean Baptise. In this document, he goes into great (and humorous) detail on how to find your rune and more. You can find it here. And with that, I will continue to read the dice for you all.

Air
Certain times of day will bring interesting happenings 

Fall will happen at 2pm 
Spring should beware of 7am
Summer will see results at midnight
Winter will find answers at 4:37pm

Day will have something negative happen, Night will be something positive 

Earth
Your fortune lies in documents

Fall will find something in a historical document
Spring should look out for maps
Summer will want to look for deeds
Winter can expect findings in a will or similar document

Day will find their document connected to someone close, while Night will see theirs with a stranger 

Fire
Moon phases will play a large part in your future

Fall should keep an eye out for a waning moon
Spring will be a waxing moon
Summer will be effected by a full moon
Winter may find a new moon to be important

Day is going to be a normal moon, while Night will be a specialty moon (blue moon, blood moon, etc) 

Metal
Your fates lie in a game

Fall shows a game with cards as a major component
Spring's game will include a ball of some kind
Summer will have dice in their game
Winter will see a game with no components, such as tag 

Day will win their game. Night is destined to lose. 

Water  
This is strange. The fates are silent for Water. I have no fortunes for you.

Order of the Spoon Bakesale coming to Artemis Tournament

With award winning desserts from across the Realms, the Order of the Spoon will once again be having a bake sale, this time at Tournaments of Artemis. Hungry Huntresses rejoice.

Having members with allergens to be mindful of itself, the Order of the Spoon bake sales have tended to include gluten and dairy free desserts to account for those common ones, and treats come with ingredient lists to keep the hungry adventurer aware of what they're consuming on a busy tournament day.

These bake sales have been part of an ongoing project to fund feastocrat stock gear, for the average feast and feastocrat. This will hopefully make it easier for this vital part of the Realms to run smoothly. A well oiled kitchen means delicious fuel for Realmsies.

Put in the comments the type of food that you look forward to seeing at these bake sales, and what type of food you wish would be available! Maybe an Order of the Spoon member will find it in themselves an ability to whip up a tasty dish based on requests.

Poems of Peace from Stonewood: Part 1

By: Tim "James Swift" Suitor

I live in a land oft seen as dark,

With reputation of danger and war.

Our home holds risks others don't have

Every time we walk out a door.

We may say ‘safe,’ in a relative sense,

Or with a sardonic smirk,

But be assured, every goodbye is sweet

When they head out to work.

It takes a strange folk to live in this land

They find a way to survive.

We get by on more than bread and cheese

And will find a way to thrive.

The people, resilient, the communities, strong,

Finding ways to keep their heads high.

They cannot afford to be overcome,

So they look each day in the eye.

But despite the dangers, the rigors, and worse,

There are still ways to find Peace and cheer.

Please allow me to recount some places and ways

To dispel a Stonewood fear.

–

    I was neither born nor raised in the nation of Stonewood, I petitioned the nation over a decade ago, and a common sentiment I observed was a shudder. People asking if that was truly where I wanted to live. Not that the nation was bad, but the lands themselves people justifiably were cautious about.

    The lands ARE dangerous. Full of undead, plenty of monsters, deities and their servants that can have ill tempers ranging from a curse to a laying low those they feel stand against them or in their way. We’ve been a part of wars against terrible threats that still manage to haunt us, and I’ve seen shadows far too deep here. But nonetheless, it is my home.

    I thrive here, I do my best work, and I seek to elevate those around me. The people here deserve peace, and I will continue to fight for it. At the request of my Lord, I am working on a public facing project for Stonewood, and this is the first stage of that. I hope to release a poem each month about the beauty or kindness that can be found in these harsh lands, sharing that important part of the country I call home.

    I follow Solarus, of the Novem, Stonewood’s Pantheon. She is a goddess of Peace and War. There has been a lot of war in these past years, and more still approaching. It is important that we find the peace we can.

 You would have my thanks

 -Magus James Swift

Rumors around the Realms June 1025

  

Rumors around the Realms June 1025

Arken

Posted across taverns and inns throughout the Realms would be a letter:

"After the events of the Expedition to Mid-Realm, it has come to my attention that Fansy had been replaced with a mirrored version of himself for several months. It would be wise for friends to ensure that those who were on the Expedition, are in fact, not mirrors of themselves. This is not to cause unease, but more of a general caution, as I had not noticed the difference myself. If you have any other questions, please feel free to find Fansy to ask questions, as he has the most experience with the Mirror and what laid beyond it.

Jericho Axelthorne

Lord of Arken"

Verai

Strange lights have been reported in the sky over New Verai the day before and after the coronation of King Sir Orion.  Some residents say they saw a shooting star during the day...

 Val'Dara

As summer approaches, the returning High Priestess of The Pale Queen has come to speak with new followers and acolytes. Vasilisa has been speaking about upcoming ceremonies for the winter months and enjoying her break from studying at the Wyvern College.

Blackavar

A friendly scribe at Sir Orion's Coronation was able to transcribe the message from The Author delivered by his emmisary.
"Mark these words, for they will only be spoken once. I bring a gift from my new master, who released us from our frozen prison. 
A sword for the Warmonger King of Chimeron. 
This Harrowed Blade with blood must sing forever on.
 Now that the verse is sung, let me speak plainly, Warmonger King. 
As a commander and a king, the duty falls to you to grant boons and burdens to your subjects. You order your people to life and death on the field of battle. Offer this blade to one of your subjects as both boon and burden. 
This decision must be made before the final stroke of Midnight, else a darker fate descend to the bearer and you.
To the Realms at Large from my master: Remember my lord waged no conquest against your lands in your conquest of Darkvale. You chose him out of fear to appease Garm to save your own hides and your precious gods. Any hostilities brought upon your people were proportional responses to your attack. Do you not expect a curled serpent to strike when cornered? Alas, these actions are in the past and we may begin anew so long as these conditions are met:
The new domain gifted to him and his new subjects will remain his.
You will return the pages of The Author’s Book that have been stolen.
You will return the boy, Daniel, to me.
Know that despite your calling him the Lord of Lies, know the truth of what will be wrought upon you if you should attempt to bring further violence against The Author’s sovereignty over Slumbertimeland and Blackavar: 
The power of 9 chapters, 4 generals commanding his legions, a king on his new throne, and his son the prince will be brought to tremble your nations and fell your kingdoms. Give your answer now or not. Your actions will speak louder, and know that we will be watching and listening. 
King Orion, your feats and leadership are known to me, and I judge you worthy of your new role. Wear it well, Ser.
"

Other

With the completion of the restoration of the keep, an invitation to the realms has been sent out for any magical scholar in good standing to come to Midrealm to study the mirror. Hopefully to determine that the threat is settled and if the mirror could be used for the betterment of the Realms.

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team 

Conspiracy Monthly

 By Kieran/Kyra Barry

Why I Want To Go - Ashen Adventures II

 By: Sean "Eamon" Finn 

Many years ago, when I was still a fresh face in the Realms, I attended my first ever Ashenmark event with my friends. That event was Ashen Bounty II and it was full of good food, excellent memories, fighting baddies, guarding people, doing a massive puzzle made of concentric circles, and plenty of other surprises. We even got our first collective piece of armor at the end while waiting to be picked up, a shirt of “Chainmail” that was actually made mostly of can tabs that was tossed to us after Tucker came out of one of the buildings near the parking lot and yelled out, “Hey, do you guys want some armor?” I think we even still have that shirt floating around our loaner gear, in case anyone ever needs something.

Ever since then, I have always enjoyed going to Ashenmark events. While I haven’t been able to make all of them, I make it a point to do my best to make it to the ones I can.

Ashenmark always puts excellent effort into silly gags and serious plots, all at the same time, which makes it a joy to get involved with the stories they try to tell. 

In addition, they will oftentimes roll with a lot of the ideas we players have when we approach encounters, sometimes turning what was likely supposed to be straightforward combat into an excellent moment of roleplay and negotiation.

The combination of these things leads to me having more engagement with the combat and plot than I often find at some other events that I don’t throw myself into nearly as much.

In addition to the questing environment that is supported at their events, Ashenmark is also known for providing excellent food at their events. 

I bring this up because I noticed that, while this is not actually a feasting event, they have noted that there will be breakfast (I quite enjoy breakfast, if you haven’t seen my discussions about it in Realms community discussions), snacks throughout the day, and a dinner. This is something that I did not expect, but that I am overjoyed to see they are doing.

As for this specific event’s plot, I already feel invested in it after what we experienced this last fall at Ashen Bounty.

First, they wove the initial hook of their new plot into the tail end of their court. Then the next day we dealt with the immediate aftermath of the happenings at said court. There were a series of widespread issues including animals going berserk. We tracked down the cause of these strange happenings around town to the gift of a tree that had been given the night before. Once we found the tree, we fought off a series of enemies until we were eventually able to uproot the tree. Unfortunately this caused Magic to be suppressed across the event site. 

I greatly look forward to exploring the nuances and story beats of Ashenmark's new plot unfolding this weekend on the island of Elemirre, as we hunt down the cause of the troubles that their capital of Goldenhall experienced last year. I am sure that it will be just as fun as their past events, if not more so!

Rhiassa Tubes for Sale!

Hello everyone.

I’m so excited to make the official announcement that our latest Rhiassa Tubes (sword foam) shipment has been delivered from our oversees manufacturer and is ready to be distributed to the Realms!

For those of you who have not been in the loop up until now, the most noteworthy aspect of this new shipment is the Rhiassa Tube WB, made from the same foam material was the regular round Rhiassa Tube W, has the profile shape of a sword blade and will allow for the rapid and easy construction of more swordy-looking swords!

The Rhiassa Tube W, with a 1/2" inner diameter for the core and a 5/8" wall thickness.

The Rhiassa Tube WB, with a 1/2" inner diameter for core and a hexagonal blade shape.
At it's thinnest wall thickness it meets the 5/8" safety minimum. 

Many of you pre-ordered the Rhiassa Tube WB or more of the original Rhiassa Tube W. I will be bringing your orders to the following two events this coming month:

• Tournaments of Artemis XII (June 7)
• The Gilded Lion and Silver Branch Summer Festival IV (June 21)

If you cannot be at either of these events we can arrange for you to come pick them up at my house on another day.

Also at those two events I will be selling the extra stock I have of both kinds of foam for cash only, a necessity because I invested the money necessary to reach the minimum order levels to make this shipment possible.

• Rhiassa Tube W (round foam) will cost $5 each or $20 for 5 of them.
• Rhiassa Tube WB (blade shape foam) will cost $6 each or $20 for 4 of them.

Since the money I invested to make this order happen was from the account that funds Rhiassa events, selling the extra stock of foam would be really beneficial to helping to restock that account. Therefore, I will thank The Realms in advance for your patronage and hope that you will visit the Gilded Lion Ironworks shop counter at both of those events.

Gilded Lion Ironworks

We Who Smelt It, Dealt It.

Check out all our fine weapon making products

Thank you everyone for your help in making this project come to fruition. I am incredibly optimistic about how this new foam shape might make a tremendous impact on what weapons can look like in our game.

In service,

Jason Rosa

 

What You Missed - Feast of Chimeron 30: Dedication of King Orion

 By Anna "Hedda" Hewitt

To all who would hear the tale of Chimeron’s coronation, let these words serve as a record of the trials, triumphs, and revelry that unfolded. I, Hedda, set quill to parchment so that none may forget the journey.

Upon arriving in Chimeron, we found a grand feast hall prepared for the ceremony, decorated with vendors and displays of the kingdom’s history.

Looking around, I saw some dressed in impressive finery, while others… perhaps had forgotten to consult their mirrors before leaving. 

Food was served throughout the day, woven between the Chimeron court proceedings. One dish in particular caused a stir—a pumpkin soup paired with cranberry chutney, and that was just the appetizer! 

The coronation itself was a sight to behold. Each member of Chimeron placed their hands upon the crown before Orion crowned himself. The day continued with many meals shared between the different stages of court. 

During the second section, Chimeron’s sub nations came forth to swear their loyalty to their new king, and several new members were welcomed into the kingdom—Johan, Styx, Kalashai, and Voutiá. 

Next, the court recognized new officers. King Orion declared Ypnn as Court Mage, Ser Kovaks as Royal Advisor, Cressida as Royal Consort, Sir Makhta as Warlord with Ryu as their second, and Cimone passed the title of Captain of the Azure Guard to Rekees. Squire Griffin took up the role of Master at Arms, Ezmerelda  continued her role as Court Seer, and Sir Pawldo was recognized as an Avatar of Chimeron. To his great surprise, many stepped forward to honor him further, welcoming him as a Knight of the Eternal Flame. The standing ovation left no doubt that his efforts had been well recognized—though the sheer number of hugs afterward may have tested his endurance.

Then came open court, where rulers from neighboring lands presented their gifts—swords of fine craftsmanship, sturdy shields, food, drink, and even furniture fit for the newly crowned king.

Ser Vesper was then called forth, and much to his own surprise, Orion granted him the title of Sheriff of Chimeron.

Not all visitors came in peace, however. An emissary arrived under a white flag but bore only hostility, calling Orion the "Warmonger King" and delivering a letter to be heard but once. Demands were made, a sword was offered as a gift, and then the emissary departed. That, however, is a tale for another time.

With the formalities concluded, the evening was filled with music, revelry, and dance. As the celebrations unfolded, Ryu took the stage first, delivering a hilarious parody that lifted spirits and sent laughter rippling through the hall. Later in the night, as the mood settled into anticipation, the steady stomp and clap of the gathered crowd signaled the beginning of Squire Irri’s haunting ballad. Her voice rose, weaving a tale of King Orion’s destined reign—a promise of triumph and shadow. The rhythm drove her song forward, and as the final note faded into the pounding beat, its weight lingered, unchallenged, heavy with prophecy.

And now, to the food! Sir Mathies, the Feastocrat, prepared a menu that kept everyone intrigued and satisfied, with flavors both familiar and unexpected. While some dishes weren’t to everyone’s personal tastes, the sheer variety ensured that none left hungry. Plates were wiped clean, course after course, as Mathies and his kitchen staff worked tirelessly to deliver an unforgettable feast. Their efforts were honored with the gifting of Among the many honors bestowed that day, a particularly distinguished recognition was granted to five esteemed individuals—Lord Sir Mathies, Emeritus Queen Sir Jinx, Emeritus Sir K, Magus Sir Bright, and Baron DelHemar—all of whom received the coveted Master Spoon. This token of mastery was not merely ornamental; it stood as a testament to their dedication and skill. Three of these honorees—Sir Mathies, Emeritus King Sir K, and Emeritus Queen Sir Jinx—had lent their expertise to the kitchen, ensuring that every dish served was nothing short of a culinary triumph. Mathies, in particular, proved his worth beyond any doubt with a feast that left the court both satisfied and singing his praises. 

Surprisingly, this gathering did not conclude with a single sunset. We rested for a full moon cycle before rising once again to aid Orion in his connection to the land.

With the dawn, the adventurers gathered, preparing for the day ahead. The kingdom had twelve sub nations in need of assistance, and so we divided our efforts.

At Mckrye Pass, goblins blocked the way, hurling boulders with reckless abandon. With sword and spell, we pushed forward, rallying together to drive them back.

In Chimeron Proper, a frantic Beekeeper sought help—not for bees, but "Zombees." A hive of undead insects had risen, causing havoc. Given that necromancy is outlawed in Chimeron, we wasted no time clearing the infestation. Safe to say, honey from those creatures would not have been a welcome souvenir.

The Azure Guard entertained jousts and equestrian feats, but soon found themselves in battle against a lich, his skeletal minions, and even a kraken. By the end, victory was theirs, and Duke Sir Nos found himself in possession of the lich’s crown—though the question remains whether he should actually wear it.

At Whitestone Mountain, a goblin requested help retrieving items from the mine—though, unsurprisingly, they intended to keep everything for themselves. Sir Tuilli & Squire Anton Followed my lead, and we swiftly subdued the goblins, securing the key they had taken hostage.

With the goblins left in Chimeron’s care, we entered the mine, where Sir Tom Fulerey explained that Sir Makhta needed a full survey of its tunnels. Alongside gathering the valuable whitestone used for fortifications, we mapped the passages to ensure the area remained secure.

The journey was no simple task. We faced spiders, skeletons, trolls, giant frogs, and remnants of the Zombee infestation. The tunnels themselves posed dangers—some flooded, others filled with lightning strikes, and others left in complete darkness.

Thanks to teamwork and the careful notes of a newer adventurer, we documented the mine and gathered the whitestone needed to reinforce it. With our mission complete, we returned, ensuring Chimeron’s future safety.

At Gryphon Hall, we were called to free a trapped miner. Goblins stood in our way, refusing to yield even to King Orion’s authority. Negotiations fell apart, and battle erupted. Constructs and strange runes littered the cave, but we made it through. Upon freeing the miner, the cave itself began to collapse, forcing a frantic escape. Orion put his own safety aside to ensure that every last person made it out unharmed.

Bandits prowled Pax Tharkus, seeking to rob travelers and villages alike. They were swiftly dealt with, though one had the audacity to claim Evie and I were too poor to be worth robbing—a rare insult indeed.

Ashenmark recounted the events that unfolded in Felwood—an unexpected battle fought not with swords, but with a peculiar competition. The adventurers faced off against goblins and kobolds in a game that seemed to hold strange significance. Three teams formed: the Gobolds, the Parbarians, and King Orion’s own group. 

The game had only one sacred rule: “Forever, you’ve got to get it in there.” What exactly _“it”_ remained up for interpretation, but the competition was fierce nonetheless. 

At one point, Orion looked over to Griffin and remarked, “Griffin, you’ve done a good job screwing it up so far. Do it again.” 

Whatever the goal of this game truly was, Orion’s team pressed forward with determination. The challenge may have been unconventional, but it left its mark on those who took part.

Upon arriving in Darkvale, we were met with Earthshaker, a towering, ill-tempered being who viewed surface dwellers with open disdain. His conflict with Fern over missing kobold scouts set the tone for tense negotiations, as he demanded payment in return.

The cave proved hostile from the start, filled with aggressive spiders that left no room for negotiation. After cutting through their ranks, we found Estez, one of Fern’s scouts, trapped in thick webs. Freeing him was a challenge, but once he was safely with us, we continued deeper, where we encountered a group of trolls. 

While their speech was muddled, a potion of intelligence was employed by Sir Tulli they understood not our intentions. Quasar then turned the tides, her allegiance to Aurora proved useful, and she convinced the trolls to aid our efforts, using their strength to move boulders and clear paths. 

Soon, we reached a pit full of aspis, where we located the other scout known as kit and recovered the body of a fallen one. Recognizing its importance, Tempest carried it out to ensure proper burial. Just as we were preparing to leave, Earthshaker made his move—blocking our path and demanding payment. 

King Sir Saegan stood firm, refusing to be bullied into submission. Enraged, Earthshaker swung a mighty boulder, but King Sir Saegan’s resilience held strong, forcing Earthshaker to retreat. With the path clear, we left the cave, ensuring Darkvale’s treaty remained intact—diplomacy first, battle only when necessary. 

With our task complete, we departed, knowing that greater challenges still lay ahead.

Meanwhile, adventurers who traveled different paths assisted Cerulean Company, Rua Thar Cinn, Lux Solaris, and Qua Taereth Nunna. Their accounts will need to be gathered to complete the tale.

Thus did Orion solidify his bond with the land, and so we took to our carriages, ready to answer the next call to adventure when it arrived.

         

By Kieran/Kyra "Omri" Barry

To see the passing of leadership within a nation is a momentous occasion, to which Chimeron rose admirably.

It was so lovely seeing so many familiar and some new faces. Being the 30th feast, the food was not neglected for the ceremony of the coronation. Court intersped courses such that the attendees were not overwhelmed with one or the other. The italian wedding soup was yummy, and the meatballs, and the bread and honey butter, and the french tarts, and all of those were simply the appetizers put out at the start for people to pick at! And people picked them clean.

As a silly aside there was an ongoing 'Birth Day' party for the animal companions of folks, where in a mutual effort between Rekees and myself we came up with the idea for party hats with Nemo passing out the ability to speak for whomever wanted. For those who popped by the craft station to attend, the egg hatched and your presence there, and at the coronation in general, was appreciated.

While technically the casino was the very first activity of the event, the coronation was started by a regal procession of royal house members, within which Orion and Cressida were undeniably the stars in their matching enchanting silver grey outfits. With much pomp and circumstance the throne of Chimeron and its crown was passed on to Orion with the many blessings of its people. The fae even made an appearance with King CuCullain. There is a Queen under the Hill, a King over the Mountain, a Duke in the Court (or "King behind the Bar" if you ask nee King Alexander Cecil), and a Star on the Throne.

Somehow the momentum didn't drag with arguably the main event over with in the first half of the day. Between rounds of food the nations swore their oaths once more, and a few recognized new members, Styx, Johan and Kalashai for Gryphon Hall, Voutia for Felwood. Azure Guard passed its captaincy from Cimon to Rekees, a move that was a surprise to King Orion until Captain Rekees walked up wearing The Hat instead of Cimone. There was songs from within and without the nation. Towards the evening came a myriad of wonderful and thoughtful gifts, some more novel than others (ask King Orion how he's enjoying his sippy cup and the skull of an enemy for his beverages), and other court business, such as Sir Wil attesting his stewardship of Eagle's Rook and myself as a member of Eagle's Rook as I have been for the last few months.

In a well deserved recognition, Jerry Pawldo became both an Avatar of Chimeron and a Knight of the Eternal Flame. He's humbly stated before that he's ok with not becoming one, not thinking it was in his cards, and I'm glad he was proven wrong.

Much like the christening of a babe, there were good gifts and cursed ones. An Emissary of the Author nee Rexan came under a flag of truce and gifted a cursed blade with semi-veiled threats if King Orion didn't give it to a follower. What a jerk. Despite that the night ended on a note of merriment, with Princess Brynn leading some well known dances that one would see at a Black and White Masquerade.

The next day the attendees who remained were entrusted with helping King Orion attune to the needs of his people, and thus we travelled from region to region in various different groups. Rua Thar Cinn had an issue with its portal network which I found fascinating though ultimately frustrating for what felt like a somewhat pressing issue, so Crane fixed it with a Zaubermeld that I lent her.

Pax Tharkus had bandits attacking merchants and a warehouse. I encouraged the merchants to take Riverhawk maintained roads next time, and helped fight off the bandits. It was quite tedious as the bandit gangs seemed quite large, and our group was small even if we were hardier.

Qua Taereth Nunna was a more light hearted need, led by Mahkta. She wanted to consecrate a shrine to Rawonam, in the spirit Champion Shane. There was even a bar for refreshments, and yelling and throwing a bottle to the ground adequately evoked the Shane spirit to boot. Axe throwing, bear pits, corsican mug, the usual physical sports you'd expect. Though we needed to travel down the Rowan River at one point for a commissioned limestone block that was to be a cornerstone of the Rawonam shrine. Treacherous waters for sure, though we were successful.

In the end the map of our efforts showed Orion's influence had touched every corner of Chimeron, and his people had been heard. May this illuminate his reign and lead to prosperity for Chimeron.