What You Missed - Winter Revelry 2 [Newlyweds Edition]

Written By: Kai "LukeJohn" Yang & Charlie "Anton" Pottow 

Who would’ve thought so much could take place on the shortest day of the year! This past Winter Revelry had a little something for everyone. 

Saturday began with helping travelers on the high seas. Adventurers discovered the existence of a new group dedicated to the supposed deity “Thea Tara” that had been accosting seafarers and arguably forcibly converting them to their supposed deity. Luckily the heroes of the Realms were able to save at least one crew of survivors and managed to take down a Leviathan in the process! This was then led by the gutting of said Leviathan and certain members taking that flesh with them…waste not, want not I guess.

Shortly after that Sir Tychus sent for a call for aid in a murder investigation. The blacksmith of a small town had been murdered and it appeared they’d found the culprit in an open and shut trial. Turns out this was not the case and it was in fact, the main suspect’s long lost brother who’d committed the murder and framed his sibling. Fortunately, the call for aid was answered and true justice was delivered as the true murderer was found. 

Finally the questing ended with a helping an Auroran priest against monsters, bandits, and former acolytes possessed by evil spirits. A caravan needed to be safely escorted to and from various locations across what was a VERY icy field, and the heroes of the Realms successfully managed this time and again. I’m told Makhta was involved in some of the possession and may or may not have hurt some people, but go easy on her. She didn’t mean to and is looking to atone; and if ya ask me, the Realms is a place of rehabilitation and forgiveness over punishment.

Back in the tavern the Feast and Bar staff managed to throw a killer spread! I’m told the facilities weren’t the most equipped and yet the food was incredible. Personal standouts to me were the glazed ham, of which I may have eaten a comical amount of (extra special shout out to Nymbous who got me hooked on it) and the Beef and Barley Soup. Do I regret burning my mouth on it? Yes (entirely my fault). Would I do it again? Also yes (it was incredible). Unfortunately I did not get to try any of the special mixed drinks made by the bar staff, but everyone I asked said they were phenomenal.

The Hall itself also had a good mix of everything, various vendors/shops, a gambling area for people to test their luck, an “Ugly Sweater” themed dessert competition, gifts aplenty from the aptly named Monsieur LeTrappe, and a charity auction run by Twenaria!

But the highlight for me was the wedding between Anton and LukeJohn of course! We couldn’t be happier with how it went down. Our officiant, Kara and bridesmaids/groomsmen Bogen, Lupa, Umbra, and Killian waited patiently as we were walked down the aisle. Anton arm in arm with Trent and Temorse and Twenaria for LukeJohn. After some kind words from our officiant and squatting low to exchange circlets (much harder than it seems), we ended the ceremony in the most befitting way for Anton and LukeJohn I can think of, 1v1 fight outside in the cold with daggers Anton made (preceded by a kiss of course)!

On a more serious note, a HUGE thank you to everyone who helped Charlie and me pull off what was a 2 year long joke. Hannah B and Cam H for making the initial insinuation we were a couple during post-fight practice ice cream. Emily M for taking the wedding plans out of our incapable hands and running with it. Maria C for getting 2 beautiful, individualized circlets and Charlie’s wedding outfit. Justin T for the leather sheaths/frogs that actually make me want to use a dagger now. Sarah F for knocking it out of the park makeup wise and helping us look like “bad bitches”. Kelly P for making an actual banger of a wedding cake for us. Alyssa for both sticking around into the late night for the wedding and making the meatloaf cake Charlie and I joked about. And finally, everyone who was kind enough to give us the wedding gifts!

Why I Joined - Kai Yang of Ashenmark

Lots of players in our game are part of nations. This series gives them a chance to talk about why they decided to join and what it means to them. If you would like to talk about why you joined your nation, please fill out this form. 

Who are you? (IC and/or OOC)

Kai Yang

 

What nation are you in?

Ashenmark

 

How long have you been a member?

10+ years (since 2015)

 

Why did you join this nation?

Seeing both sides of the nation. Namely the goofy side paired with the serious side of serving the community, being good at combat, and throwing great events. Also the amount that everyone values each other.

 

What sets your nation apart from others?

I’d say we strike a good balance in everything that the game offers. We got excellent craftspeople, veteran event holders and staffers, strong combatants, decent RP’ing, and a sizable amount of feastocrats. Obviously other nations have this too, but in my opinion there’s no IC or OOC challenge Ashenmark can’t solve when working together.

 

What makes you proud to wear your nation’s colors?

I think it’s how we serve the community. It makes me really proud that Ashenmark consistently wins the View Award “Outstanding Group for Staffing and NPCing” year after year. But that we’d operate the same way even if we didn’t win that award.

 

What’s the most powerful moment you’ve experienced as a member of your nation?

Speaking for myself, it’d probably be winning QoH together (alongside Creathorne) in a friendly but fierce competition against the other team

 

How does your nation help you become the person you want to be?

It goes back to the diversity we have in skill sets. Anything I want to improve on, there’s someone I can speak to. I’ve got combat training partners to make me a better fighter. I’ve got feastocrats to improve my kitchen skills. We have a astounding amount of NPCing experience to draw from when I need to get better at that

 

What should someone do if they want to join?

Talk to any of member about it. We can all “pass it up the chain” if it’s a serious inquiry

 

Anything else you'd like to say about your nation?

No place I’d rather be than here!

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

Shield Stories with Nixon Showalter

  Organized by James "Tao" Murphy

Please physically describe your shield; style, Heraldry colors etc? 

To get a close estimate, the shield is a wooden coffin punch shield. The edge is lined with black, blue runes debossed into the edge spell out the name of the shield. On the front, a scene of a beautiful river with trees and mountains surrounding it is wood burned onto it.

How long have you had your shield? 

This is a shield that was newly given to me to make use of before it's magic powers fade at the new Queen of Hearts, so I have had it for around a month now.

Is this your preferred shield style? 

I prefer punch shields, specifically coffin punch shields, because I feel like they are a great mix of versatility and coverage. I am able to move it dynamically to actively cover myself with very little effort. While I am still practicing and getting better as a shield fighter, I have found punch shields are more intrinsic to me and make more sense while I am fighting with them.

Have you ever tried a different style of shield? 

The other shield I have practiced with to any extend are round strap shields. As someone with a lot of leg exposed by a round shield, and a strap shield not allowing me to as easily move the shield to defend myself as freely has made the style fall into second place.

Who made it?

Justin B.H. (Grarr) was the one who made this shield for Queen of Hearts last year and was the winner of the shield crafting competition with it!

Have you ever had to fix/repair/refoam it since it's original creation?

I have not, it has held up extremely well.

What is your favorite move with the shield?

With safe distance, the flip up of the bottom of the shield to block my head and following up with the under swing up to their chest has always been my favorite move. It usually can catch people off guard if you use it off rhythm and for bonus points looks supeerrrr cool.

Do you have any interesting stories about the shield?

My favorite story I have about the shield is one utilizing it's magic power. The shield provides the wielder with 3 resist magics. So there I was fighting some mutated goblins in a cave. One of them had pulled my corpse over to their side of the line and at this time it just so happened that the cave collapsed around me, leaving me trapped with the goblins. With the mutations and growth being ongoing, the goblins formed into one amalgam, and it just so happened that I got sucked into that. While this was terrible in itself, and I was compelled to enjoy it which makes it even worse, but the adventurers I was just fighting beside were completely ready to take me out. Styx had walked to the front of the line and loudly cried out for a divine aid, which was promptly answered as a fireball began falling out of the sky ready to obliterate us. Without a second thought I quietly, and with little confidence, called out "..Resist Magic?" and forces the be dispelled the fireball and that was that. It felt really awesome but I do with that it was helping my friends rather than dispelling their magics. As is life I suppose!

Merry Christmas

The View Staff would like to take a moment to wish everyone a Merry Christmas & Happiest of Holidays. We hope everyone has a day filled with love and joy. We'll be back to our regular content tomorrow!

Morning Coffee Break

Got your morning cup of coffee and a few minutes? Great! We're trying out a new feature at the View - we're going to be asking a series of questions and we want to know your answers! The question is posted below. So while you sip your morning beverage of choice, ruminate on this one:

As the holidays settle in, what tradition or ritual makes the season feel truly complete for you?

Head on back to Social Media to let us know! 

Why I Joined - Fansy of Arken

 Lots of player in our game are part of nations. This series gives them a chance to talk about why they decided to join and what it means to them. 

Who are you? (IC and/or OOC)

Fansy/ Quinn Mattes

 

What nation are you in?

Arken

 

How long have you been a member?

2018

 

Why did you join this nation?

When Arken first started I was camped next to them at tournaments of Creathorne 2016 which was my second event ever, heard about the war tournament asked if they had a spare Tabard and they gave me one. I then petitioned so I could fight with them and Invictus the next year in 2017 and I was then inducted the next year

 

What sets your nation apart from others?

At the time there really wasn't any smaller groups. There were huge ones like Blackwood, Creathorne , Invictus etc so I was drawn to the tighter knit group. Nowadays as part of the MCI we have close ties to Invictus but we maintain our small welcoming group

 

What makes you proud to wear your nation’s colors?

Everyone no matter the nation is happy when we turn up in our Orange. We've cultivated a generally helpful and positive image that everyone in the realms appreciates

 

What’s the most powerful moment you’ve experienced as a member of your nation?

That this group let some 16 year old stranger throw on a tabard and stand shoulder to shoulder with them in their debut war tournament and we're happy to have me

 

How does your nation help you become the person you want to be?

I get a sense of fellowship without a rigid hierarchy

 

What should someone do if they want to join?

As we are still a small group talk with Jericho about any further interest but for consideration you'd have to keep to our general idea of helpfulness and positivity

 

Anything else you'd like to say about your nation?

I don't care about the opinions of the Order of the Peacock, I still advocate to go back to the original Arken tabards which could only be described as violently neon orange

Announcing the 2025 View Awards!

 

The View from Valehaven Awards are returning to The Feast of the Leviathan once again! 

TLDR:

Nominations open TODAY December 22nd on RealmsNET

Three nominations needed to get on the ballot

Voting opens on December 29th on RealmsNET

Voting concludes on January 11th

Three winners per category

Award presentation at Feast of the Leviathan

Categories listed at bottom of article

Details:

We had a fantastic, full year of events in 2025 and we’re looking forward to recognizing one another’s efforts in this year’s View Awards!

There are some small changes from last year as we continue to try to make the awards process better. so please read below if you want to be well informed.

The View Awards voting is split into two phases: the nominations and the votes.

Nominations:

Nominations open on TODAY, December 22nd and close on Sunday, December 28th at 11:59PM.

Nominations Link: https://www.realmsnet.net/surveys/10

Nominations and Voting will both require you to log in to your RealmsNET account.

Returning from last year is the event category: Social event. We decided that there were enough events that didn’t fit in any other category where the main purpose wasn’t specifically feast, questing, or tournaments but rather coming together to socialize with a variety of entertainment options available.

Speaking of event awards, some event awards will NOT require nominations. One Day Event, Weekend Event, Tournament Event, Feast Event, Questing Event, and Social Event will all appear on the voting form with ALL events that meet those definitions able to be voted on. Each event was tagged as either One Day or Weekend and as one of the categories of events mentioned above.

Besides those categories, there is a change in what nominations get on the ballot. For the other Event Awards, the Publication Awards, the Individual Awards, and the Paragon Awards, three nominations must be cast in order for events/people/items to earn a spot on the final voting ballot.

To nominate, fill in the events/people/items that you think should be on the official View from Valehaven Awards Ballot. 

There will be one blank provided per category but you can create more by clicking the (+) button to make multiple nominations per category. There is no limit to how many events/people/items you may nominate for each category. You may leave categories blank. You may also submit the form multiple times to nominate further entrants per category if you decide to add more later. 

Voting:

Voting opens on December 30th and will close on January 11th at 11:59PM.

On the voting page you will see all of the nominations that were made for each category. 

You may vote for up to THREE different events/people/items per category. Each of these votes counts equally. 

Winners and Presentations:

The View Awards will be presented at The Feast of the Leviathan after Rhiassan Court.

Rather than a single event/item/person winning best in a category, there will be three winners per category each recognized with equal standing to one another. In cases where there are ties there may be more than three.

The purpose of these awards, as always, is to give the community a way to say “thank you” to its members and event holding teams for going above and beyond in how they enrich our game. By recognizing multiple events as described above it extends our ability to show our appreciation and extend our camaraderie with each other without also having to rank each other’s contributions in contrast to one another.

We look forward to running these awards for the 2025 eventing season and we are honored to be able to present them this year at Feast of the Leviathan.

Find the complete list of voting categories below:

EVENT AWARDS

• Outstanding One-Day Event (no nominations)
• Outstanding Weekend Event  (no nominations)
• Outstanding Tournament Event (no nominations)
• Outstanding Questing Event (no nominations)
• Outstanding Feast Event (no nominations)
• Outstanding Social Event (no nominations)
• Event with Outstanding Special Effects
• Event with Outstanding Props & Costumes
• Event with Outstanding Night Quest
• Event with Outstanding Food
• Outstanding Dish at an Event

PUBLICATION AWARDS

• Outstanding IC View from Valehaven Article
• Outstanding OOC View from Valehaven Article
• Outstanding View from Valehaven Series
• Outstanding View from Valehaven work of Poetry, Song, or Fiction
• Outstanding Realms Photograph (please include public link and accurate photographer information)
• (this category will have all Facebook banners from 2025 automatically nominated)

PLAYER AWARDS

• Outstanding Group for Staffing and NPCing
• Outstanding Newbie (under 1 year in Realms)
• Outstanding Younger player (between 1 and 5 years in Realms)
• Outstanding Bard
• Outstanding Craftsperson
• Outstanding Photographer
• Outstanding Artist
• Outstanding Vendor
• Outstandingly Dressed
• Outstanding Feastocrat
• Outstanding Servant or Kitchen Staff
• Outstanding Combat Marshal
• Outstanding Magic Marshal
• Outstanding Trainer
• Outstanding Mentor
• Outstanding Displays of Kindness
• Outstanding use of Support Magic
• Outstanding Roleplaying of Magic
• Outstanding Roleplaying by a Player Character
• Outstanding Roleplaying of a Single NPC Role
• Outstanding Grunt NPC

PARAGON AWARDS

• Outstanding Honor in Combat
• Outstanding in Helping Eventholders
• Outstanding Role Model
• Sapphire Award (awarded to individuals who identify as women or gender minorities who go above and beyond in the community and are outstanding in advocating to advance women and gender minorities in the Realms)
• Outstanding Contributions to the Realms

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

What You Missed - Creathorne Chill & Games

Written by: Amber "Lady Tarnisha" Fox

This particular frosty December morning started off with light snow, which persisted much further north than the weather-seers had predicted. But the snow stayed light for my whole trip, and I experienced no issues upon the trade roads nor the hamlet paths to this new site in Creathorne. I’m glad I made the journey.

The site itself was lovely. There was a short sledding hill that the 4 children put to good use for hours on end. A couple of daring adults gave it a try too. (Astrid has skillz.) Near the house there were awnings to protect from the hour or two of light snowfall as well as a campfire and 2 Heat-towers giving relieve from the promised and delivered Chill. Inside the house was a tasty array: hot chicken noodle soup, Mulled cider, hot cocoa upon request,  and other nibbles. There was also a gaming table set up for the Gamblers. I heard talk of Blackjack from over that away, but I didn’t linger for long near the fireplace— there was more chill to be had!

First off, I much appreciate the word play of swapping “Chill” for “Grill” in the title that has so frequently been used by Creathorne for their events these past few years.  Perfect for such a snow-kissed event. 

Secondly, the event was actually *chill*. No end-of-the-world if we don’t do this quest correctly. No large scale invasion (in either direction). No peasants or BBG-in-disguise asking for us to fetch something or fix some ill. 

Naaah- Just chilling. 

Catching up and swapping info with Margaret and Swift. A word-find and a crossword puzzle. Toasting some s’mores with Farmer Jericho at the fire pit. Helping Mandolin get her literally, frozen-stiff, overdress thawed out. Makhta posing philosophical questions about the nature of ‘self’.  Kids laughing and sleding nearby. Neighbors stopping by to enjoy a steaming bowl of soup with us or try their hand at sword fighting. Very chill —which is a refreshing change of pace. 

Down the hill from the social area was a level yard well suited for light hearted fighting tournaments. Those got started up as the sun broke thru the clouds and warmed us up a bit. (The light also made for some quite lovely photos of folks). The snow was deeper in this less traveled area, not sheltered by the house. 2-3” of movable snow on top of whatever underpack there was below. (No one dug deep enough to find out exactly where the ground started.)

There were some surprisingly good fights— especially the archery tournament. I didn’t catch all of it, but I did see those 2 arrows impact each other *in mid air*. That was fantastic! Followed by the fight where Swift made a good shot, while down an arm. 

As the sun moved lower the gambling came to an end. Folks fetched cups of cider for the road. The children came inside for More Games!! Giant Uno was a huge hit especially when ”meme-famous” sequences of numbers occurred. This was followed by a rousing game of Exploding Kittens. 

The sun was fully down, and it was time to depart in search of dinner. Boisterous good-byes were exchanged by the children and the adults gave each other promises to meet again… while tracking down misplaced mittens and encouraging shoes to find their way onto small feet.

It was a lovely, Chill day of Games.  

Why I Want To Go - Winter Revelry 2

Written by: Shane "Jack of Redwall" DeShone

Log 147, 12/12/1025

~27-29N, ~75-78W

NNW @ 16-18

Day 3 since departing Redwall. Fair seas, no coastline in sight. Temperature is mild, and rain unlikely. Today I write for the View from Valehaven, “Why I Want to Go to Winter Revelry.”

--------------------------------------------------

I don't believe this winter holiday is magic. No spell or sorcery compels me, nothing “possesses" me to sail back north for Winter Revelry, to tolerate the biting cold and ice of the Realms. No, I have concluded it is not magic, but Alchemy. And this year I intend to study it and all its effects:

Adventurers and nation members who have bitterly opposed each other all year can somehow sit and "be merry” while rapidly defrosting by a fire. Past grievances become so easily remedied that the cooling of temperaments and the warming of drinks can create second chances, and if properly bevvied, 3rd, 4th, or even 5th chances. To such extremes, I have witnessed in a single night a display of enemies to lovers so palpable, it is otherwise reserved for the most tantalizing of fairy fiction novels. No incantation required.

I have sat with heathens, more rum-soaked than a fruit cake, who dispensed words of wisdom one would expect from beyond this plane of existence. Parables and advice that I still carry with me some years later. No summoning or channeling of higher powers evident.

I have stood arm in arm with the grouchiest of gold-pinching scrooges, true veterans of humbuggery, who shared freely from their cups and plates. No coercion or deceit, and no enchantment prying open their weathered old hearts, would that it be possible.

And to assign credit to potations is folly; for even those of us cursed, or blessed, with sobriety are no exception. The songs alone sung by revelers carry no power in their words or melody; but somehow within the roiling vat of holiday festivities, they can lather themselves upon the mind, and remain there for weeks. And weeks. And weeks, to such extent no dispel or disenchant can remove them.

To claim, “‘tis the nature of mortals to forgive and be of good cheer.” Why? Why here and now? What goes on the rest of the year then that we cannot muster such goodwill and kindness in excess? Why no other winter days, nor summer debauchery?

I do not believe we are robbed of our free will by magics. I believe for some reason, by some accidental design, on a night like Winter Revelry we bring together the ingredients of something incredible. The highest level of Alchemy. And if come the morning after I can remember, I will surely write down the answers as to how it works.

From the Journal of

Jack of Redwall

 

Humanizing the Realms - Diana "Kiira" Learned

Humanizing the Realms with Diana Learned (nee LaPierre), Sir Kiira of Invictus

1. What do you do outside of the game? What would you like to be doing? (Work, school, projects, etc.)

I am a Preschool Teacher at HCS Head Start. I work with at-risk communities to provide free, high-quality childcare and education for children ages 0-5, with my classroom specifically being a preschool room, which is ages 2.9 to 5-years-old. I have been working there for just under 13 years. I love working there and it is my calling in life. Being able to meet children where they are, taking into account that no two children learn the exact same, with neurodiversity both in my students and in myself, and just having a great time doing it. We are never done learning, in my opinion, and my students teach me just as much as I teach them, and a lot of time they teach me a healthy dose of humility. My kids, Eris(19) and Karter(15), are a huge part of my life and I’m so proud of the people they are. I’ve volunteered for their activities in the past and it’s been super rewarding to be able to work with them and their fellows to see them grow in so many aspects of life, and that has also taught me very useful skills. Spending time with my family, including my husband Josh and my three cats, is the best part of my life. I am probably the luckiest person in the world and I continuously look forward to doing that for the rest of my life.

2. What hobbies do you enjoy other than LARP?

So many hobbies! I like to think of myself as a Jack of all trades, master of none, which is most likely due to my ADHD. I love playing table top role-playing games. I’ve been playing D&D since the beginning of 3rd Edition(about 25 years ago) and I still play a weekly game where Karter also plays and it’s run by Kevin Betie(Cinnabar), who is an amazing GM! I also have an Ork Army, Imperial Guard Army, and the beginnings of a Death Guard Army for Warhammer 40K, which I don’t play(or build, or paint) nearly enough for the amount I’ve paid for the tiny plastic creatures and vehicles. I also own random other card decks for systems that I should play but also don’t. I have had a life-long love of video games, and recently I’ve been playing a lot of Nintendo Switch. I still break out my old systems every few years for nostalgia’s sake. I also keep replaying old Pokémon games for the same reason. Crafting is a huge part of my hobbies and I’d like to say I love sewing but I don’t know if that’s true. I sew, leather craft, wood craft, build weapons, and random other things that help facilitate my Realms Career, which is extremely transferable to the real world. Finally, I love reading everything, especially comics, manga, fantasy novels, romantasy books, and following late night rabbit holes into random topics on the internet. I also enjoy watching movies and tv series and discussing or arguing about them in person.

3. Favorite meal, dessert, and drink?

I love food so much, which is sad because my food restrictions are pretty severe. My Italian Grandmother lived next door to me as a child, so there was always an abundance of food and incessant nagging if I didn’t eat it. My favorite meals that I am always in the mood for are; burgers with sweet potato fries, steak with mashed potatoes and asparagus, or tacos topped with microgreens instead of lettuce. My favorite dessert used to be cheesecake, but since I can’t eat it anymore I’d have to go with dairy free ice cream in a cone or popsicles made with real fruit. Yes, and hot brownies. I am a very, “what have you done for me lately,” kind of drink consumer, so depending on my mood, I will mostly drink water but I also enjoy teas, matcha, colas, Shirley Temples, or Code Red Mountain Dew.

4. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? Would you bring anyone?

This is a very difficult question. I love learning about the past, so I would greatly appreciate visiting historical places in Europe, the Middle East, South America, or Asia. I would have loved to see the Parthenon before it was blown up(during WWII), to see any of the pyramids, the colosseum, etc. The other thing I would enjoy is visiting Hobbiton and trying to break in and live there forever.

5. Are you working on any life goals that you’re willing to share?

Recently, I’ve been focusing on my own physical and mental health since we’ve been living through such unprecedented times. The journey has been extremely successful and I’m proud to say I’m feeling very happy and very healthy. 

As far as future goals, I would love to return to school and get a doctorate in Education. Education is my passion and, ironically, I love learning.

6. Favorite outfit other than garb?

Anyone who knows me knows that my go-to outfit is a graphic tee and jeans or shorts. If I’m going out, I tend towards goth fashion, with fishnets and fun shoes!

7. Do you have any professional or personal skills you’d be willing to talk about?

I can juggle, which comes in really handy to entertain small children. Also, I love music and I can sing, which also helps me at my job. In my job, I excel at working with children who have challenging behaviors which translates into me being able to form strong bonds with people in a small period of time and I have developed the patience of a mother wolf spider carrying her babies on her back. While I try and use this skill with everyone, I tend to be able to use it more with younger folks.

8. What drew you to the realms, and what keeps you there?

I went to Holyoke Community College where I joined the RPG Club. From there, I was introduced to LARPing and I immediately took to it. I met my husband Josh (Shandar) there and haven’t looked back in 21 years. Our relationship, even within the context of the game, helped us to be better people and players in the game. The people, specifically my friends and found family, keep me coming back. I also love teaching people the skills I have gained from the game because I LOVE sharing knowledge, even if it’s unwanted(sorry).

9. Favorite movies/shows/books?

This is impossible to answer. There are sooooo many. Currently, I’m living for Apothecary Diaries, DanDaDan, and I’m trying to catch up on One Piece(I just hit the two year time skip). Genre’s I love are fantasy, horror, sci-fi, some drama, some comedy, classics, and news parodies. For literature, I like the same sort of things including comics, manga, manhwa, and smut. I’m currently reading Zodiac Academy and enjoying the 6th book.

10. If you happened upon 3 wishes, what would they be? (Wishing for more wishes doesn’t seem to work...)

1. Universal Health Care
2. Every child could grow up being safe, healthy, and would only have to worry about self-actualization on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
3. A tiny house/vardo wagon of my very own where I can put it in the woods to be my preschool classroom and be able to sing to animals and get them to do chores with me like some kind of Snow White-esque life. 🥹

11. Who would you like to see interviewed next?

I’m not sure who has, so I’ll give a list: Kathy Fey, Antonio Laudati, and Michael Durocher. 

12. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Some helpful tips, if you’ll humor me: When trying to establish a relationship or interacting with people you don’t know very well, remember to recognize that not everyone has the same experience you do. Look at things through different lenses. So many factors can go into an interaction that you may not be thinking about. We all have our own truths. Before I realized my neurodivergence or masking skills, I didn’t always have great interactions, and sometimes I still struggle. On the opposite hand, you do matter and don’t let people treat you poorly if you’ve done nothing to deserve it. Stand up for yourself because you are just as important as the next person. Try your best to be positive and keep that glass half full. This has been so important in my own personal growth and happiness. Don’t perpetuate unsubstantiated information. Lies and slander can really hurt people on so many levels. Don’t blindly believe rumors. Do your own research. If you know there is a problem, don’t stay quiet to maintain the status quo. Speak up and go to others who will help you.

If you'd like to do one of these interviews, please contact Dani Lacasse or submit your responses HERE!

Tournaments of Khorne - Tournament Results

 Sword & Dagger 

1. Aelias
2. Jasper 
3. Jericho 
4. Tao

5pt. 

1. Shandar 
2. Torolf
3. Aelias 
4. Shader

Mixed Florentine 

1. Shader
2. Temorse
3. Aelias
4. Jericho 

Broken Sword

1. Shandar
2. Aelias
3. Johan
4. Temorse 

3 Lives 

1. Shandar 
2. Aelias
3. Temorse 
4. Johan

Sword & Shield

1. Aelias
2. Temorse 
3. Torolf 
4. Jasper

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

A Very Special Announcement - Writ of Eques Fieri

Matt reading the Writ, prepared by Karen Veale

The text on the above scroll that Matt is reading reads as follows:

WRIT OF EQUES FIERI

On this day of the Thirteenth of December, One Thousand and Twenty Five, the following is herby proclaimed to the entirety of the Realms.

Owing to abounding years of dedicated and meritorious service

Owing to persisting, faithful stewardship towards the entirety of the community

Owing to a ceaseless dedication towards personal growth

Owing to a unwavering commitment towards the franchise of others

Owing to an ever present attitude of selflessness and devotion

It is the intention of the KNIGHTS OF THE REALMS to welcome SIR MATHIES OF BLACKWOOD, Knight of Blackwood, Knight Commander of the Knights of Blackwood, Lord of Verglaz, Knight of the Eternal Flame, Master of the Spoon, as a member of our Knightly Order during court on the Seventeenth of January, One Thousand and Twenty Six at The Twenty-Seventh Feast of the Leviathan in Lionsmark, Rhiassa.

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The Knights of Realms cordially and enthusiastically invite the entire community to celebrate the recognition of Matt “Mathies” Butler as a fellow knight and his admission into the order.

In keeping with the new tradition of the Knights of the Realms, we have announced our intention to knight Matt in advance of the event at which we will do so. Rather than maintain a veil of secrecy, we feel it is better that those who love, admire, and support Matt can be there to witness his inclusion within the order. At a small private ceremony earlier today, Matt was surprised with the above announcement and scroll.

We hope you will join us at Feast of the Leviathan this January in honoring Matt’s many years of tireless service to our community.

Matt being congratulated by the Knights of the Realms

What You Missed - Tournaments of Khorne

By: Eric "Johan" Stegehuis

Even the weather wanted this event to happen; it had snowed just enough to give the ground a nice coating, but not enough to create major physical problems. We kept our cloaks on and made good use of the provided breaks between tournaments to rehydrate and warm up. I will try my best to recall the order of the tournaments, but please forgive me for any inaccuracies. The tournaments(all limited) were: sword and dagger, mixed florentine, 5 points to victory, broken sword, sword and board, 3 lives. 

For the ones that aren’t self-explanatory, 5 points to victory gave each competitor 5 points of armor to distribute however they like; I made the mistake of forgetting head armor, which Aelias and his 6’6 quickly pointed out to me. Broken sword, which I heard was new, had each competitor starting with a 6’6 and downgrading their weapons based on who won. If you won with a 6’6, then you got a 5’, and if you won with a 5’, then you moved to single short, and if you won with a single short, then you won the fight. 

I had an epic battle against Sir Temorse where he got out to an early lead, managed to run me down with a 5’, and then nearly managed to run down my 6’6 with a single short before I got a shot back at him. I then managed to win with my 5’, which brought it down to an even single short mirror. That fight ended quickly when my sword met his head as he closed. Great fight Temorse! I will definitely play those fights again in my head. 

By the end of the day, light was fading (not dying, that’s in a few months) and the top 8 was being announced. Funnily enough Jasper and I tied at 6th or 7th place (don’t make a joke) and I proposed a limited 10 match as tiebreak, which Daekara quickly vetoed in the interest of time and his own marshalling energy. We decided on a simple best 2 of three and Jasper made quick work of me. Finally, we had a top 8 and lighting set up for the final fights of the night. These were fully armored and as epic as battles come with Shandar coming out on top. 

I had a great time fighting, spectating, and gambling the few hands of blackjack I got to play at the end. Other adventurers seemed to enjoy the casino which sounds to me like a resounding success for the new Moonlight (I think?) Casino. This was a blast and I hope the blood god ended the day as satisfied as we did.

Morning Coffee Break

Got your morning cup of coffee and a few minutes? Great! We're trying out a new feature at the View - we're going to be asking a series of questions and we want to know your answers! The question is posted below. So while you sip your morning beverage of choice, ruminate on this one:

Your character is dropped into the middle of a zombie apocalypse, you can only have a 5 squad team, who are you bringing with you and why? 

Why I Want To Go - Creathorne Chill and Games

By: Ethan "JB" Goldman

There is one desire, one universal path that satisfies every rung of the hierarchy of needs. The will… to grill.

For from what warmth do the ruby coals burn. How the congregation gathers around the black altar, offering trays to feed the priest but to be laden by the holy man’s own feast of fish and loaves. It is purpose, it is community. And I am hungry.

Frankly speaking I am surprised I even get to write this article at all. December and november used to be a time of quiet hating. Where we huddled amid glowing runes to curse the fading memories of our enemies faces. 

But now there's just a lot of winter events. I wonder what changed? Either way off we go grilling and chilling.

Personally I am going to assist in that most sacred of rites, not the grill no. Standing around a previously understood land and going “yeah the drive wasn’t so bad. Maybe I could have 15-20 goblins kill Chimeron here.” And I bet YOU are going to be looking for that reason too! Sites are getting expensive, its important to check new ones.

Plus gambling. I haven’t gotten to gamble that often this year stuff kept getting in the way.

And now YOU can gamble too!!!

Monthly Toahscope - December 1025

 The year is coming to an end and activities are slowing down, but the fates still have things to say. This month's predictions seem to align with the spirit of the season. Will they align with your upcoming experiences? Lets find out.

Air
Your future will be shaped by a gift. It's unclear if you will give or receive. 
Fall will see a gift of clothing
Spring's gift will be a toy
Summer may be effected by something combat related
Winter could be something handmade
Day will find the gift to be cursed while Night will find fortune from theirs

Earth
Poker hands will be important for you
Fall should look for three 7's
Spring will see a Flush using diamonds
Summer may want to be aware of 2 pair with a Jack
Winter will find fate with four 3's
Day is destined to lose from this hand but Night will get a win

Fire
Combat may make an impact for your future
Fall will find a sword and shield combo important
Spring should watch for a 6'6"
Summer will see a tower shield
Winter may see importance in a marn
Day will find the item used by an enemy. Night will see it used by an ally.

Metal
I hope you have gold, because shops and their wares may shape your future
Fall should look for jewelry
Spring will want to find garb
Summer will be effected by some type of food
Winter should watch for trinkets
Day will find their purchase lead to a new friend, but Night will see theirs lead to jealousy

Water  
Desserts will have a bigger impact than just increasing your belt size
Fall should watch out for cakes
Spring will find pies significant
Summer will see fate in cookies
Winter may want to find some pudding
Day will find some kind of special benefit from having their dessert. Night will see it used to solve a dispute.

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

Conspiracy Monthly

 By Kieran/Kyra Barry

Why I Want To Go - Tournaments of Khorne

By Sawyer "Jericho Axelthorne" Judkins

Hello fellow adventurers,

As I am sure is quite evident, I am a huge fan of tournaments. I love getting to test my abilities and skills against all my friends to help each other reach new heights of martial prowess.

So it is not surprising that I am excited for the Tournaments of Khorne this weekend! Daekara has promised what sounds to be an excellent tournament to please one of the Gods of Chaos Khorne. Even if you are not one to subscribe to this particular brand of lifestyle, there will still be something for you I am sure.

There will be plenty of combat tournaments available, which will likely be run in more than one pit at a time to make for a smooth transition between the fights throughout the day. Even those that are more magically inclined, like myself for the moment, will be able to set down their magic to be able to participate! Some fights will even let you use your armor as if you were wearing it, but not during the Top 8 fights at the end, so make sure to bring your armor still.

The Order of the Crescent will also be debuting their new Casino, the Moonlight Casino! They will be offering a few games including one brand new one; Blackjack, Let it Ride, and 4 Card Poker. I know I do not have much gold and will be preoccupied with the tournaments, but I might traverse the cold to go try out the new game myself at least once. 

There will also be a light allowance of beer and wine for those that drink, but no hard spirits will be allowed. It is a one day event, so please be mindful and fight responsibly.

I am looking forward to seeing people in the tournament and of course, BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

On towards the next adventure,

Jericho Axelthorne

Lord of Arken

Watcher of the Skyless Sea

Squire to Knights of the Sable Dragon

Knight of Chaos

What You Missed - Nedenpalooza

By "Potato"

     I heard about a feast happening at the Halls of Neden filled with great food, games, and most importantly prizes. So knowing how lost I tend to get on my travels, I started heading there right after the fun I had helping Timmy. I did manage to get lost completely, but luckily Queen Karma crossed my path with Isoba. So I joined their party to the Halls to get there just in time for the fun to begin. At the door to get in and pay, I was informed they are generously also gathering food donations for those in need. Being that is a cause I hold to heart, I donated what I could as well. I was happy to see the realms gathering for a cause once again.

Now off to see what games there are and the prizes to be won. So many good items up for grabs and I've been told there are chests to be found. There was a poker game going on but I decided not to join. The games were a lot of fun. They had plinko, cornhole, ladder ball, a duck shooter, and toss the beanbags either at pins or in baskets. I played them all, I had a really hard time with turning the pins up with the bean bags though. I kept racking up tickets all throughout the day. While I took breaks between playing the games I went and hunted for chests. I found a good few throughout the day and enjoyed the riches. The next thing I knew the food was out, so I joined my friends to dine. 

The first round was snacks and dips to enjoy. I got the buffalo dip with some chips, that was delicious and one of my favorites of the night. While sitting down and talking to friends, I wrote my name down on my raffle ticket stash. By the end of the day with how many tickets I won, I really regretted forgetting my new stamper. I went to the table and spread out my tickets to what I wanted. I overly stuffed the pot for the blue ribbon with tickets. While doing so I found a chest cleverly hiding with the prizes. I found a few chests throughout the day while I played the games and mingled with friends.

While there Isoba and I saw little JB and talked to him a few times. She gave him a little spoon which he named spencer spoon. I gave him a positive potato which he named pauline potato, then tucked them in the brim of his hat. I went off to play more games and find more chests. Before I knew it the feast was ready to be served. From across the room I could smell them, the potatoes.

I went up for a plate of mashed potatoes and a side of stuffed chicken. The potatoes were creamy and delicious. The chicken was good as well. I ate my fill and went off to play more of the games. The more tickets I get, the better my odds for what I want. I played games until the fighting tournaments could start.

I fought in every fighting combo they offered. I lost in all, but that's okay. I fight in them for the practice until I can win them. I Watched the other fights to learn more. I played a few more games before they closed off and put in the last of my tickets. They announce its time for the raffles, time to see what Isoba and I won.

We won so much. I now have almost a full arsenal of weapons, just missing a five foot now. I gave away a dagger since I won four of them. I won almost everything I wanted and then some. But most importantly I won the ribbon I wanted, just need to get some more of them now. I won this blue nerd container for Isoba and she got so excited over it. She too won the cup and a magic staff she wanted. We left here with our hands full of new gear to put to good use. Overall it was a great day in the Halls of Neden. The only thing that could've made it better was if the hall was filled up more like the other feasts I've gone to in the realms. But then again there would've been more competition for the prizes.

Rumors around the Realms December 1025

  

Rumors around the Realms December 1025

Arken

As the season turns cold in midrealm the mirror distorts reflections further. Any who look in the mirror see themselves with darkness in their eyes and malice in their hearts. One researcher even claimed to hear distant marching coming from the mirror. The garrison at the nearby keep is uneasy and at high alert.

Across the realms

Across the Realms, people have been quietly disappearing without a trace.  There is no pattern to the victims. The hardest part is even remembering who they were...

 Qua Taereth Nunna

Reports in the northwestern mountains of Qua Taereth Nunna claim that caravans in the area have had increased attacks from wildlife and the local goblin populations.  Supplies to the remote villages in the area have begun to grow sparse.  Travelers in the area have reported feelings of unease and being more irritable than usual.

Frontier Outside of Eagles Rook

Commotion arises from a small village where a prominent citizen, the location smith, was murdered.  His vast wealth and forge, the economic hub of the area were set to be inherited by his apprentice, however questions over the murder have led to that very apprentice being the primary suspect in the murder.

The Eastern Seas

Several ships have gone missing in the area south of Rathkeale and north of Teng Hua.  Efforts to find them have turned up signs of shipwrecks, but neither survivors nor bodies have turned up.

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team