What You Missed - Anthologies 2 [Part 1]

By Raindrop Storm Arkaea (Sky Rubenstein)

Heroes of the Realms, I write to you today to share the events and stories of Sunday the 23rd of the month of August of the year 1026. The day began with two quests across each other simultaneously. Makhta and Ace led an expedition to fight back the Abyss, a force from beyond creation that seeks its end, and the end of all realities, everywhere. At stake was an arc, one of nine items within our group of realms that allows connection to one of nine primordial deities that stand against the abyss. One has already fallen into the hands of the enemy, and that deity has been corrupted, into the being that we know as the Erl King. The majority of the Heroes present fought against the abyss, eventually running into an ancient arc bearer by the name of Kaelin, a member of the Order of Ardor, ancient warriors dedicated to fighting against a being that consumes love. Kaelin had been drawn into the role in order to oppose the being that we call Anti-Creation, one of the twelve adversaries of Sanctuary. When Kaelin was done, he was returned along with the arc to our realm to continue standing against the Abyss here. Tired and weary, he passed along his arc, and his responsibility, to the newest arc-bearer, Omri.

The other quest… Four months ago When I was a young adventurer I wish to was of a more personal nature. When I was a young fae, new to the realm of Faerie, still within my first cycle, I lived in a village known as Storm Village. That village has been destroyed for a long time now, since the Second Age of Faerie, for reasons I do not know. The False King took personal umbrage to the Village. The Village fled, and was consumed by the Mysts. Recently, at the opening of the new Fae Library, we learned more about the village… about the one I loved, known as Siward. And about a connection between Siward and Harkel. And then, at Margaret and Tir’s wedding, I performed a seance, learning that she was still alive, trapped within the Mysts, where she had been since the Second Age. A group of eleven of us, adventurers close to Harkel, or to me, quested into the Mysts to find her. When we did… unfortunately… there was not enough left of her to come out of the Mysts. I used what magic I could muster, and sent her to rest within the stars, with the part of me that exists there. And then, with her power and the power of that part of me suffusing my being, tore a hole from the Mysts so we could regroup with our friends, and help them drive back the Abyss and destroy the being known as Badoros.

With Kaelin’s spirit laid to rest within the Eternal Life Force, he drew us along the threads of fate to an old Temple to the Order of Ardor, in the city-planet Deenila, where we found ourselves needing to awaken the spirits of the various rooms within the Temple by sharing stories. To help, each of us received aid from spirit guides, beings connected to the Order who wanted to help. For me, this was a young apprentice named Kayla, dedicated to preserving the stories of the Order. We woke up the Temple, and found our way to the Forest of All Knowledge, there rescuing two children, Patroclus and Morgana, who were looking for information about the destruction of the world Galandrome. We also found the Spirit Rune for the Order of Ardor, a symbol that captured the Order’s story, and the Soulstone of the order. Several of us, including Adoros, Omri, Ryu, Pawldo, and I bolstered and protected the soulstone, and the Forest, before we had to leave.

After this, we worked to perform a ritual to cure Traveller of a disease called the Blooming. The Blooming is a terrible biological weapon, created by The Villain of the plane that they are from. It is a Plant which consumes magic, a Disease that spreads, and a Curse that controls and reanimates, making it very difficult to cure. Margaret had been given a ritual to cure it, but as we did the ritual something went wrong, cutting too deep into Traveller, and severing them into many pieces. At the same time, a group of Kings Guard from a Fae King in the Laurlins attacked, trying to get to Aris, who had changed in some way earlier in the day. After a villainous version of Traveller dragged them into the Mysts. They had spells, which from my understanding was impossible. We were forced to flee, as Aris used Second Chance and vanished, perhaps with some additional magic as well. We ended up locked in a story, fighting a villainous version of Traveller and nightmares from the past. Eventually we forged a blade known as “Good’s Triumph Villain’s Fall” to cut ourselves out of the story, and perform the ritual a second time on Kovaks, who had gotten the Blooming after curing a young girl who had an advanced case earlier this year, successfully curing them.

I apologize if this is… rambling, or difficult to follow. The day was… a lot. I spent most of it with Siward’s spirit within my own, giving us a chance to say goodbye. I am always happy to answer follow up questions, or shed some more light, as much of what happened is of a personal nature to many of us.

Sincerely,

Raindrop Storm Arkaea

OOC:

One of the things I have come to love about the Anthologies event series, having now been to both events, is it is an opportunity for lots of stories to come together. I have so much appreciation for the staff of this event, Becky, Matthew, Alex, Eric, and Ash, who all did such a good job weaving stories together and rolling with the punches. The stories were excellent, and there were many innovative mechanics and interesting things done with the event.

The other thing that I loved was the fact that it was just… at a park. This made it both very cheap, and very accessible for people to do. The event stood on its own, no big, fancy props (aside from Badoros, shout out to great monster design), just good storytelling, and a bunch of people telling stories together. This is, in my opinion, at the heart of LARP, and of Realms.

I also very much appreciate the staff rolling with the fact that I realized this was the day before my birthday, and taking the opportunity to absolutely torment my character. I highly recommend anyone who wants to tell a story with their character to ask, you might just find someone who wants to tell that story with you.

With love, and thank you for bearing with this article’s rambling,

Sky

Why I Want To Go - KosD Questing 4

 By Max “Azimuth” McCalla

Heroes of the Realms, Blackavar and its surrounding lands call us back once again to write another chapter.

Blackavar, Slumbertimeland, and the harrowed lands beyond continue to be a region with many stories to tell. The days I have spent there tell the tales of the people and lands of blackavar, and the nights tell of the darkness lying just beyond its borders.

In the daytime, we are usually given many chances to influence Blackavar and make a difference to a wide variety of individuals and factions within the nation.

Last time we were there during the day, we helped villagers recover their belongings, dueled a chipmunk, calmed down dragons with tasks and performances, forged new weapons out of Blackavar Steel, and completed a painting about the history of the Knights of the Sable Dragon. Everyone, no matter their skills and experience, can find ways to help this land and its people.

At night, the stakes increase. We often find ourselves venturing into Slumbertimeland, a twisted fairytale place created by an entity known as the Storyteller and taken over by a dark being known as the Author. This place and the Harrowed lands sit beyond Blackavar but they encroach its borders and threaten its people.

Within the Author’s lands, we are asked to question how we fight, and who and what we fight for. It truly takes the strength of all of us to get through these lands and their challenges.

The Author intends to write this story for us, in 9 chapters. I don’t believe in destiny and I certainly don’t believe that the Author has control over our story. When the story should be rewritten and break from what the Author intends, I hope that we will all do what we can to write the story that benefits us and the people of Blackavar.

For anyone who is interested in learning more about the plot, Magus Margaret August has organized a gathering on Thursday at 6pm (in the Realms Discord) to spread information and prepare for the weekend ahead. I encourage all who are planning to enter Blackavar to attend and learn more about what we are up against.

Not all that is harrowed is lost. The story is ours to write. May your spells fly free and your blades strike true.

Signed,

Squire Azimuth of Chimeron

OOC:

This plot series has been fantastic so far, full of great NPCs and storytelling. The team running the plot is top-notch, full of excellent, experienced craftspeople, marshals, and EHs. I look forward to what the next part of the story is and I will enter with high expectations. This has also historically been a great introductory series for newer players and has offered a number of folks, including myself, ways to get highly involved with the plot.

Realmsle #37

 

                       

This custom Wordle-adjacent-puzzle features a 5-letter word that is particularly relevant to the Realms.

If the embedded page isn't working below you can click this link to get to the puzzle.

Like regular Wordle you can copy your result's (but only if you follow the link), so paste them or a screenshot onto social media to let us know how you did. But no spoilers!

What You Missed - Evie's Tavern Presents: The Midnight Festival II Tournaments of the Lunar Aegis

by: Sawyer "Jericho " Judkins

The weekend started out like any other. Toothless and I arrived in Shadowdragon and were immediately presented with the sight of Evie’s tavern. We set up our tent along with the other members of Arken and soon set to work setting up our camp alongside the tourney field. This is one of the first times in a while that almost our entire nation was present at once! As we finished getting the final lanterns hung, the tournaments began!

I had never participated in a tournament that was focused on duos before, and it was very enjoyable. It started off with a team grand melee, and though Toothless and I, Team Tooth-Thorne, managed to defeat the first duo we came across, we were quickly finished off by Team Flight Risk. For the rest of the days, the duo tournaments were varied and excellent. I enjoyed every single one of the fights I participated in, and loved the camaraderie between all the teams. Of course, there were also plenty of non-coms! I think I would be remiss to not mention the sneaky game of trying to attain the most pins. Of course this turned into children swinging with the flat of their blades at everyone’s heads instead. 

I of course need to mention the food as well. Tempest put on excellent food, and it all tasted very yummy! I particularly enjoyed the cheeses. I would also like to highlight the homemade pickles Kyomi brought. I am not a big fan of that flavor, but they were great! I also loved how easy it was to tell which foods were gluten-free for our friends that find gluten poisonous.

The shops! I have never seen so many vendors at a single event before! In attendance I remember there being: Realms Outfitters, Mercenary Market, Shalindra’s Shop, The Wandering Potato, Karmha’s Creations, and Gundulf’s Tavern. (Sorry Shalindra, I can’t remember the name of your shop!) All the wares they had out were excellent and eye-catching. The Order of the Peacock also had their Swap-Shop set up alongside the clothing set out by the Knights of the Lunar Aegis. All were very important for the fashion show to come.

Of course, all tournaments must come to an end, with team Flight Risk with an incredible showing all weekend, well done Fern and Jasper! Then came my favorite part of the evening; all the activities in the tavern. Things went into full swing with the Fashion show. Now I admit, I am not a very fashionable person. In fact, Zarine has threatened me with harm for my original tabard. So I did not know what to expect from this, but Toothless was so excited, so how could I not watch. All the participants came out to their own theme music, and got to show off their stuff. Then they interviewed with the judges. I think in all, there were about twelve participants, and it was great to watch all of them. As that wrapped up, the festival games began. We got to pick ducks out of a pond for points, throw stars at sleeping sheep, and throw hoops at glass bottles. I think I might have tied for most sheep knocked off in a game, but I am unsure. This was followed along with the raffle, which Toothless cleaned house with. And I got the giant snail which I was excited about.

Then we all hung out by the fire telling stories and sharing good drinks. This is always such an important part of adventuring for me. Getting the time to unwind from all the doom and gloom, the end of the world saving, and just typical adventuring. Being able to relax with my friends and my nation is always a highlight. There was much dancing, rejoicing, merriment, and good company. Which the Realms would be sorely lacking without it. If you have not had the pleasure of attending the Midnight Festival, I invite you to come join me around the fire next year.

In service to the Realms,

Jericho Axelthorne

Lord of Arken

Watcher of the Skyless Sea

Squire to Knights of the Sable Dragon

Knight of Chaos

Notes From Toothless

• We played The Dragon is Coming

• Lots of good snacks

• Got to go camping and it was cool

• Lots of tournament fighting

• Awesome bubbles

• Beautiful night sky

• Dancing at the fire

• There was a fashion show

• I really liked the carnival games

Out of Character Note:

I just really wanted to thank the staff for an amazing event! I am sad I missed the last one and intend to make this part of my yearly must haves for events! I also really want to thank everyone that contributed to making Liliana’s weekend amazing. From helping her not be scared in the fights once I had died, to getting her kitted out for the fashion show, and gifting her a shield (which she was adamant she needed to use it at practice on Tuesday). You all really helped her have an amazing time. As she said many times over the weekend: “This is like a dream come true!” 

 

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

Why I Want To Go - Anthologies 2 [Part 2]

by: Kathy "Makhta" Fey

Makhta:

Sometimes it falls to people like us to save Creation.  I mean, gods don’t have their own hands and feet right?  So there’s this arc – it’s a super powerful Creation-magic artifact – that the bad guys are after too, and we have to beat them to it.  

If you have no idea what’s going on with any of this, welcome to my world, but we’ll catch you up on anything you need to know about what we’ll be facing and what we need to do and, heck, how this all fits in with our whole reality.  Ace will explain it all to you with an orange.

As for the fact that we’re questing into Fae – or, the Mysts, or something – I don’t have the slightest but I know it can mess you up big time so we’ll have a briefing on that too.  Which I better pay attention to.

But don’t let all that scare you.  You’re a hero, right, you wouldn’t be scared anyway!  But please come help out because, well, I like Creation right where it is and I’d rather it stay that way.

Other than that quest, I know there’s some Sanctuary magic mumbo jumbo going on, which is also tied into world-saving actions, so get over here heroes we need to jump into that together.

And then, there’s the Laurlins stuff, which I also don’t get but there will be experts on hand and I’d really appreciate it if you all could work on fixing Traveller’s friggin’ lung plant curse problem because holy hell that’s gone on long enough. 

And hey – with all this questing into like every plane of existence but our own – I have a personal request to make.  Please do not let anyone wander off on their own, and please for the love of all gods don’t leave anyone behind.  

Kathy:

Anthologies will be a treat!  You have a whole team of great storytellers presenting a collection of unique but interconnected mods, each of which serves a dual purpose – as both a nice chance to bathe in plots we’re invested in, and as a great entry point for people who haven’t encountered these plots before and want to dive in!  Or even just stick a toe in, or just hit things and huck magic around – whatever you find fun about questing, you’ll find it here.  What’s not to love about spending a day hitting your friends with sticks in a park and getting all worked up over our own intertwined and epic stories!

Why I Want To Go - Anthologies 2 [Part 1]

By: Briar "Phee" Sieracki

 August, R.Y. 1026, loose thoughts from a desk in Caer Estelle, Val’Dara

The days are ticking down as we come ever closer to a quest that no one should ever wish be a need. While a majority of our forces focus on a quest for the greater good, one that’s too important to be left to the wayside (as many of our adventures ever are), a number of us are to split off and to step willinging into the Mysts of Forgetfulness. It is not an undertaking to do lightly, and though out of our number I have stepped into it the most frequently (much to my own dismay), I made a promise.

I keep my promises.

Raindrop has asked aid to seek someone from their previous cycle, back in the First Age. So, they have sought a questing party of those they know, love, trust. I am…uneasy, bringing my child and…and her father with us. I know it’s going to be difficult, and it’s been some time since the Mysts showed us all its tricks. I am ready and wary, and know that that may not be enough.

The quest we split off from seeks a far more dangerous, timely fight. An item that is crucial to keep out of the hands of those that seek it, out of Napheclthi’s hands. I don’t know this quite as well, though Ace, Margaret, and others who have been working on this would have a much better grasp. It’s crucial enough that reality itself is staked on it…and that’s worth keeping out of an Unmaker’s hands. Find those who have stepped through a book into the place known as Jhoril, they’ll answer questions better than I could.

After that, I turn my focus on another delve into aiding Sanctuary. I hear we will have spirits guiding us, and helping us make our way through temple grounds. What spirits those may be, what trials we will be tested against, I don’t know. In passing conversations I hear things about Cryodinium oaths and weapons, Ardor and a knighthood, and on occasion I find myself looking for a blade to come to hand that I have never known. It’ll be…curious to see how this plays out, especially as I feel perpetually like I’m four steps behind in understanding Sanctuary’s convoluted histories. It’s…oddly enjoyable, as if I’m a student in my family’s halls again, discovering a new corner I had missed before…

And then…the part that makes me most curious, and most concerned.

The Laurlins are familiar as a bedtime story and just as strange and different. A land beholden to the aspects of a story, and yet…not quite. Again, another place where others know more, and again, it’s comforting to find something new to sink my teeth into. I’ve felt what I can only describe the lands being just as curious about me, felt it tell me one of their titles and shape changes to my magic. I’ve never been able to tap into the regional magics of lands before, and technically I’m not feeling the Laurlins’...but all doubt must be pushed aside. We have surgeries to end curses, and what’s sure to be a fight ahead of us.

---

Why do I want to go? Where do I start? 

Alex is bringing a touch of a complex, convoluted world to the Realms, and I am so excited to see people’s reactions! (I’m both sad to be missing out, but glad I’m not needed for this mod: My face role will show up later down the road, and very different from Phee!) If you’re looking to tap into a plot that’s gonna have a lot of parts, Dark Cosmos is for you!

While the Fae plot quest that’s happening simultaneously is split off and a capped number, don’t let anyone fool you into thinking you can’t do more things, have character growth, or tease a bit of your character’s backstory as an oldbie! There’s something fun and satisfying in getting to explore a new part of a good friend’s backstory all these years later. 

I know Sanctuary is a big plot, overwhelming at times, and I’m the worst at keeping up with it. That doesn’t stop me from looking at each new angle, going “huh!” and rolling with the punches. Ash has been doing a fantastic job making a complex multiverse feel alive by having so many factions working towards various goals, and hey! I get to do a Star Wars with this mod!

Finally, Laurlins. Just like our other fantastic storytellers, Matthew has woven a wild fairytale (heh) with this and I’m so excited to see what she’s got in store. This is my first real time interacting with Laurlins stuff that hasn’t been in passing, and they suggested an absolutely bonkers, fantastic thing for my pre-reg perk. I can’t wait to explore that and this plot line!

If you’ve held on for my long-winded IC and OOC rambles, you should absolutely try to make it out to Anthologies 2, as either a PC or NPC. You’re guaranteed to have a good time!