1023 has quickly come and gone and as the year comes to an end and we gear up for our 1024 season we asked you to reflect on your past year and share what you are looking forward to in the upcoming one.
Brianna “Margaret August” Meisser:
1. What are you most grateful for from the past year?
Being accepted into Voraniss as a full member of the nation and getting my Oathsworn name.
2. What was your best memory from the past year?
Getting to successfully defend Coventry from the Lost Kingdoms and completing the first quest Aurora ever assigned to me. It felt very rewarding.
3. What did you learn in the past year?
I learned a lot. I’ve grown into myself as a better caster. Learned a lot about our culture and traditions, learned about event holding and running plots.
4. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the past year?
Trying to unravel the mysteries of the Spaces in Between, and working to put reality back together the way it’s supposed to be.
5. What are you most excited for in the upcoming year?
Very excited for DI3, I’ve been waiting for that event since I was a brand new newbie, and I’m really excited at the possibility of it finally coming to life.
6. What are your goals for 1024?
I want to focus more on understanding all the mysteries Voraniss has to uncover. I also want to make progress on my goals, from helping to fix my mistakes with The Champion to succeeding on the Quest for Hope and working to find a new Mortal Avatar of Aurora. I have lots of things I want to work towards and hopefully accomplish.
Anything else you'd like to add?
It’s really cool to see how much I’ve grown between my first and second year and I can’t wait for my third!
Cal “Syruss”:
1. What are you most grateful for from the past year?
Friendship, Health and Happiness.
2. What was your best memory from the past year?
OOC: Helping a family of one of my students who was struggling financially get their basic needs met consistently through grants and donations.
IC: Syruss traveled with his Carnival and got some new faces and creatures to add to his Menagerie.
3. What did you learn in the past year?
OOC: I learned a new Psychology approach called DBT Dialectical behavior therapy which has helped me evolve as a counselor.
IC: Syruss learned that if you're throwing Neden potluck expect the unexpected.
4. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the past year?
OOC: Being available to all my friends and hobbies.
IC: Syruss solving the case of the missing jeweled decanter.
5. What are you most excited for in the upcoming year?
OOC: Traveling to Ireland and the UK.
IC: Bringing back Neden gatherings with the realms.
6. What are your goals for 1024?
OOC: To balance my hobbies and schedule better.
IC: Bringing back the Neden can food drive.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Miss you all see you on the battlefield or the tavern after ✌️
Dan “‘N’” Hudon:
1. What are you most grateful for from the past year?
OOC: I'm really grateful for all the support and friendship I've received throughout my first year in the game - whether it be fighting tips, a place in the front lines, a ride to events, making sure I have the equipment I need, or ensuring I have something to eat at feats. I look forward to learning more from you all, and someday becoming a person who will help others as you've helped me.
2. What was your best memory from the past year?
OOC: There's been a lot of epic moments - fighter-feigning death in Garrimaddon's back line, banishing Hugo the giant skeleton's legs to make him extra toppleable by that ballista, and seeing alternate versions of historical events like the ascension war (and definitely not Bedlam because that didn't happen). It's hard to pick a single best memory, but I've found that telling stories of these moments have also been some of the most fun times I've had - so ask me to tell a story some time! I know I'm looking forward to another year of epic moments, so that hopefully I won't be able to pick just one then either!
3. What did you learn in the past year?
OOC: I've learned so much about so many things, but here's a few big ones: I learned how to make a good larp character (changed a lot of things from my initial concept of N - believe it or not he was initially going to be *more* edgy and kind of evil! I toned that down...). I learned how to run a quest and tell stories in a larp format. I learned how to be a part of an adventuring group and how to rely on others to back me up (and how to be the one backing others up). I've been learning how to take initiative and get more involved in plot I want to be involved in, and I've gotten more comfortable talking to people I don't know as well.
IC: I have learned many things in these Realms, but one of the most important is that power is not just one's strength and magical or martial abilities - this is certainly one form of power and one to aspire to, but knowledge can be just as much of an advantage, and allies can multiply your power by adding their own. Here's to another year of growth in all three aspects!
4. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the past year?
OOC: Honestly, probably myself. Shyness in big group settings, reluctance to take initiative in situations, and comparing myself to others are all things I've struggled with, but as I've worked to overcome these I've had a more enjoyable time in the game.
IC: Things that don't get hurt when I hit them. Swords should kill things! I've been trying to make sure I prepare and have the means to defeat my enemies, because when I try to kill something it should die. Oh, and bombs - I'm sick of bombs. Ouch.
5. What are you most excited for in the upcoming year?
OOC: Another year in the Realms! I've learned so much and had so much fun this year, and I can't wait for another! There's some big quests coming up for plots I'm really interested/invested in, so I'm really excited for those!
6. What are your goals for 1024?
OOC: I want to get armor of my own, to continue to improve my fighting, and to be at least decent in all the weapon styles. I want to take more initiative in plots (sorry in advance if that ends up translating to "making bad plot decisions"...). I'd like to run another quest, or at least some plot at other events. I want a magic item ;) (maybe not likely but *shiny new toys* are something to aspire to)
IC: To grow in strength, to forge new alliances, to defeat my enemies and right my wrongs. I will continue to fight for the natural cycle of decay and ensure that no outside forces - myself included - bring about this world's early demise.
Hannah “Ryu Goldscale” Boucher:
1. What are you most grateful for from the past year?
I am super grateful to all the people who have mentored me this past year. Not all of them are people whom I have official relationships with, but all of them have taken the time to teach me and that has been incredibly valuable.
2. What was your best memory from the past year?
Definitely becoming a sworn member of Chimeron. The whole event we threw for that was the culmination of 6 ish months of work and it was super rewarding!
3. What did you learn in the past year?
The biggest thing I’ve learned this year is self confidence. I’ve learned that I can trust my judgment in intense situations, and that I can trust my abilities in combat. I know I’ll still make mistakes, but sometimes making the wrong decision is better than making no decision.
4. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the past year?
The biggest challenge I’ve faced this past year is “getting good” at fighting. At the beginning of this year, I felt like I had reached a plateau and that I wasn't going to get any better due to my female body type being smaller and less strong than my male peers. I was really struggling to learn sword and shield and I genuinely thought I wasn’t going to be good at it. However, I kept with it, and was suggested a book called the Armored Rose. This book points out many of the differences between female and male body types and why those with a female body may struggle with fighting and tips on how to make it easier. Despite it being fairly outdated, I was very encouraged by the section about physical differences and practice drills! While I’m not suddenly amazing at shield, I do find myself being better than when I started and with a better knowledge of my body’s physical abilities.
5. What are you most excited for in the upcoming year?
I’m excited for another summer of questing!! I've gotten myself involved in a couple of plots and I can’t wait to continue those stories. I want to recommend the Risen Kingdom event in July, the next Ashen Bounty Event, and Voranis Questing 4 specifically! I’ll also be looking forward to the Tournaments of Chaos night quest as I have a score to settle with a certain vampire.
6. What are your goals for 1024?
One of the things I want to work on this coming year is large group tactics/leadership. I’ve had a lot of experience leading smaller groups, but when it comes to a large multinational questing group I’ve realized what has worked for me before doesn’t work in this case. I want to develop better battlefield judgment to tell when people need direction and what kind of tactics are most useful. I have a great set of people who have already started teaching these things to me, and I’m excited to continue that education!!
Anything else you'd like to add?
2023 has been a really diverse year for me. In many ways it’s been exceptionally difficult as I’ve made some major transitions in my life. I am so grateful that the Realms has remained a major factor in my life that I can lean on when real life is crazy. Honestly, there’s no better cure for corporate monotony than beating up zombies on the weekend. I can’t wait for another year of awesomeness with this awesome community! :)
Kelly “Fern Eberhardt” Perfetto:
1. What are you most grateful for from the past year?
OOC: I wrote this one last actually. This was a hard one because there’s a lot I’m grateful for and most of them have IC/OOC overlap. But I think even in the context of the Realms I’m most grateful for my partner, Richard, who’s been endlessly supportive of my larping shenanigans. He doesn’t really ‘get’ the appeal of larping, and doesn’t want to make a character. This year alone though, Rich has done a lot. He's encouraged me to go to practices when I’ve been on the fence. He’s helped host hangouts at our place and tolerated late-night frantic crafting sessions on weeknights. For Storytellers, he helped with a good number of the props which he didn’t even get to see in action. He’s helped me put on armor before nearby events, helped fix magic items, and he and I made that really cool torch that’s a light and a boffer. Rich is my stalwart companion for baking before events. He comes to the open-invite parties to meet my friends. He’s never been camping before but he came to Festum Solis to bring me pizza, camp with me, and then bring me bagels in the morning. And one of my best OOC memories of an event this year was when we attended the evening of B&W together and got to dress up and dance. I think this is my longest paragraph, but oh well.
2. What was your best memory from the past year?
IC: After a hard couple days fighting through Necron, a spur of the moment relieved group hug with a lot of my favorite people, (relatively) safe again.
3. What did you learn in the past year?
IC: Well, I certainly learned some skills. I’ve crafted some weapons, done some leatherworking, and practiced plenty of baking. I think the most impactful thing though is that I learned about myself. I learned more about where I want to be going, and the sorts of adventures I want to go on.
4. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the past year?
IC: Well, there was the time that I got my soul ripped out of my body by mold, along with about twenty five other adventurers and we would have been left there for who knows how long if a few people had not been incorporeal at the time. Just recently in December I went on a few difficult missions into the lands of Fae as well, and was one of the few fighters there. Really one of the biggest challenges this year was rounding up all the creatures and securing contracts with folks for the Feast of Chimeron. I feel like I learned a lot though.
5. What are you most excited for in the upcoming year?
IC: I’m excited to do more of what I’m saying here; learning about myself and developing skills. I think I’m setting myself up for a good year. The Wyvern College is also working on getting more students, and I’m excited to work with them on their goals as well.
6. What are your goals for 1024?
IC: I have some broader goals and some more personal ones. On a larger scale, and I imagine I share these sentiments with many, I’d like to beat up a few liches with my friends. On a more personal level, I want to contribute to and explore more libraries, attend more practices, and get better at baking.
OOC: All of the above still applies, but I would also like to learn more about event holding, and perhaps hold an event of my own, or at least help hold one.
Anything else you'd like to add?
It seems like more folks are always joining in adventuring, or coming back after years away. I hope I get to meet more new or new-to-me people this year!
Tom “Avendar” Gallagher:
1. What are you most grateful for from the past year?
OOC: Being a part of the event holding machine that is Voraniss. We came together to create some great questing event. A lot of great moments came out of them and made for a more immersive experience for our community.
2. What was your best memory from the past year?
IC & OOC: Being a part of seeing some of my best friends getting knighted. The moments when your best friends are recognized by the community I love are always my favorite moments.
3. What did you learn in the past year?
IC & OOC: I'm a builder, with lots of projects and plans, but sometimes I need to just appreciate the moments and trust in others sometimes.
4. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the past year?
OOC: I've been doing this a long time. Many of the people I started out with have left, it feels like going to the same party but every year feels a little less like I belong. I'm glad to see so many new faces but I miss the old one's.
5. What are you most excited for in the upcoming year?
OOC: I've rarely cared over much for any specific part of the game, every time I can be with my friends and play Avendar is what I look forward to. More questing events are also nice.
6. What are your goals for 1024?
IC & OOC: I haven't been a fighter for over a decade, I'm gonna give it a try.
Anna “Hedda” Hewitt:
1. What are you most grateful for from the past year?
Growing and helping others even if others don't see it.
2. What was your best memory from the past year?
Bonding with Sean Finn on getting cursed together. Made a fun roleplay and bonding moment.
3. What did you learn in the past year?
I learned how to focus my needs and wants. [Ex. Hedda wants money and status.]
4. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the past year?
Probably being nice to people who irritate me. I know everyone comes from different places and I can always find a median with others.
5. What are you most excited for in the upcoming year?
Following up on plots I was involved in and seeing how it develops
6. What are your goals for 1024?
To get more active
And that’s a wrap to our 1023 year, cheers to new adventures, stories and goals in 1024!
