Merry Christmas

The View Staff would like to take a moment to wish everyone a Merry Christmas & Happiest of Holidays. We hope everyone as 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 Friday, January 11th 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