Why I Joined - Syruss of Neden

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)

Demon Lord Sir Syruss O'Leary OOC Cal Marsden

 

What nation are you in?

I am the current leader of Neden

 

How long have you been a member?

It feels like my whole life. But I was a member of Grimloch from 2004 to 2012 when I joined Neden

 

Why did you join this nation?

To help my Brother Nymbous O'Leary re-brand and re-work the Nation to the group of rascals we have today. We had a formula and vision of being a more lighthearted group that prioritized uplifting moments for others. 

 

What sets your nation apart from others?

Our Cheeky Light Hearted demeanor. We also probably have more demons than anyone. we also pride ourselves on our weapons and props that we use for prizes at events.

 

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

To know where the nation was to where it went during my tenure. I am very proud of our props, funny story telling, our world building and most of all the OOC bonds we have all made.

 

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

Transitioning from the number 2 to the Lord of the nation. I had figured being the lord of a nation at the point was not in my cards. It was easy being the ideas guy with someone spearheading the projects I wasn't sure I was up to fill those shoes....I hope I did OK.

 

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

It helped me work with different people with different view points and goals and honestly the early stuff probably laid the background for me getting my masters in Psychology and Counseling. But I now have an impeccable ability to wrangle cats without a laser pointer.

 

What should someone do if they want to join?

Give me a high five and tell me why they are interested. We would need to make sure it is a mutual fit.

 

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

I am thank for everyone past and present that have worn the Green and Black. We are currently working on being more of a presence and back to throwing regular events so stay tuned for more of the Marvelous Neden Crew 

Neden for Life

Why I (Didn't) Join - Tuilli MacAengus

  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)

Ser Tuilli MacAengus

 

What nation are you in?

None. I'm a proud independent.

 

How long have you been a member?

Since I first came to this realm, some 13 years ago

 

Why did you join this nation?

At a surface level? Because I enjoy proper independence. On a moral level, what use have we for royals? Really I have stayed an independent this long, and to do anything else feels... wrong.

 

What sets your nation apart from others?

We hold no creed or loyalty except that which is personally earned.

 

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

I'm one of the longest (if not THE longest) continuously active independents in the game. I've built a non-nation-based family which at this point is big enough to outnumber membership of a few long-standing nations. The group we built is great and does it's best to be egalitarian, affirming, and welcoming.

 

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

Some of the recent gatherings where we managed to get almost all our families active members together in one place. Not an easy task. Beyond that, I'd say some of the first times I've stood and advised to various royals on equal footing.

 

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

It's no secret that I may have a little IC/OOC bleed. I *may* have some issues with authority, so I can act without needing to be concerned about any sort of chain of command. My actions, successes, and consequences are purely my own. This also means that since my agency is my own, I get to reinforce my own lessons on accountability to myself, and face both adversity and accolades on my own, without the typical structures of a nation. It also has encouraged me to reach out and find people that I groove with without the normal "clique" elements that historically came with nations. That has changed as we now interact more openly these days outside nations through social media and other forms, but was a real element when I first started.

 

What should someone do if they want to join?

Be free! The only thing you have to lose is your chains!

 

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

It isn't the easiest path, but it has been a rewarding one. For all the joys of being independent, the challenges of building community and connection without the "cheat code" of wearing a nations colors are present and real. That said, it is possible. I've done it for years and intend to do so. I'll continue to fly my own flag of independence.

 

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!

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

Why I Joined - Torolf of Blackwood

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)

Torolf / Steve Nelson

 

What nation are you in?

Blackwood

 

How long have you been a member?

About 9 years

 

Why did you join this nation?

I first started hanging around Blackwood when I began attending the Nashua practice to improve at fighting. At the time I wasn't intending to join any nation, but I really enjoyed the group, and it became my Realms home

 

What sets your nation apart from others?

Blackwood has a real diversity of voice when it comes to styles of roleplay and types of characters. But also strikes a good balance between playing hard and having fun. And at the end of the day is a really supportive group

 

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

Blackwood is a well-respected nation with many pillars of the community. On the field we are a force to be reckoned with, and we have members with a lot of different skills and talents. There is a lot to be proud of

 

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

One moment that stands out in my memory is the first time I fought among Blackwood at the nations war. I had fought in plenty of line battles, some of comparable size. But that was the first time as a member of a group that large and coordinated. There have certainly been plenty since, but that one stands out

 

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

I owe a lot of what I've achieved in Realms to Blackwood. From training and experiences, to opportunities and support. I suspect I'd be in a very different place with Realms if I had not joined them. In fact I might have moved on from it some time ago if they hadn't helped re-kindle my enthusiasm for Realms several times over the years

 

What should someone do if they want to join?

Talking to Tao would be a good start ;)