Poems of Peace from Stonewood: Part 3, The Library

by: James Swift (Timothy Suitor)

The Library

Would one be surprised to find that

My favorite library is young?

Few creaking vellum scrolls and dusty tomes,

But well lit, and crisp fresh ink on pages.

It is not a place of forbidden and haunting lore,

To be translated from some ancient tongue.

It is a place for kids to enjoy reading, and 

To grow a love of learning for all ages.

Simple books for the trades line shelfs,

With attendants to help folk find what they seek.

Some evenings classes are held to teach

What arthritic hands can no longer do.

Artisan circles, theology discussions, job trainings,

Book clubs and writing critique,

Monthly childcare for date nights in the city,

A fraction of what uses the library as their venue.

Within a calm, only broken by gasp or giggle,

As they read books that fit them like a glove.

A cathedral to knowledge, a hall of comfort,

Where ignorance wanes and wisdom can increase.

When offered to make a library from scratch,

These are the things that I made sure of,

A place where folk, adult or kid alike could go

To read, study, grow, or even just be, in peace.

-

I would beg a dozen pardons that this piece of my Stonewood Peace Poem collection has been sitting buried among a pile of correspondence that I have been working my way through, ready to be sent out to the View. I assure you that the next will be submitted far sooner than the last has been.

I am grateful to be the co-founder of the Loken-Swift Library with one of my close friends, Sir Loken of the Northern Alliance. After a few quests we noticed many scrolls of lore being discarded or left behind. We began collecting them, and within a few years we had a chest full. At feasts we would bring it out and let people peruse. We even made “Library Scrolls” for identification and ease of borrowing. We hold a collection of Omnibi from 992-993, and 998 to 1019. Since, whenever we stumble across a library on a quest, we make sure to ask them if they would be interested in inter-library loans

When I was offered a reward some years back within Stonewood, I asked for a location near Starhaven where I could create the first physical standing branch of the Loken-Swift Library. It was granted, with the condition of my having to decide what I wanted its focus to be. I could have chosen some branch of magic, so that I could study even more efficiently, or devote the entire place to a subject I wanted to learn more of so that when requesting the books I would be able to finally get my hands on some rare pieces I’ve been seeking.

Instead I wanted a good library for the people of Stonewood, I wanted a place where young people could discover their love of reading and learning, and where older folk could still find things of interest. I made sure that in the evenings the place could be used as a gathering spot for the community, where people could learn from one another. Fostering that place of betterment where the people of Stonewood and Starhaven could find peace, and occasionally a tea cart being wheeled around, means a lot to me.

You would have my thanks,

-Magus Sir James Swift

Tags to use when submitting

Bardic Circle, Nations, Poetry, Stonewood

Low Res Realms 7!

 Below is a photo... kinda.

It certainly used to be a photograph before we converted it to a pixelated mess.

We'd like you to figure out the following based on just the squares of color below.

• What event is this?
• What is happening in this picture?
• Who are some of the people in the picture?

The full photo will be revealed later this afternoon.  

Spoon’s Kernless Corn Chowder Mushroom Soup, What You Missed - Feast of Blackwood 2026

By Spoon (Kieran/Kyra Barry)

Recipe at bottom:

No kernels in this soup because there were no colonels during this event. I thought there was but turns out she was a general but also not really because she was maybe a demon. Possessed? Used to be a colonel. So, corn chowder.

This is my recipe for Kernless Corn Chowder Mushroom Soup. If you find any kernels in your corn chowder, strain that out!

Coming up with this recipe was a doozy. First I went to Feast of Blackwood because I heard they had good soup, but figured it would be even better if they had me, Spoon, in the kitchen because I make the best soup. Soup so good it brings you back to life! But I messed up the timing and arrived early, where a bunch of people were gathered to fight some orcs! Spore orcs. Sporks are good for eating soup with because you can spear the chunks and drink the broth in one go.

General formerly Colonel Ridley of the Arcanum Core directed us on things to do. Like free a village from Orcs and find out their weak points! Ryu was some sort of feathered important person, kept bossing orcs around and they listened to her, seemed scared of her. At one point I approached a pig orc, Perimeter Pig, with my trusty knife and tried to get him to let me pet his pig. He knocked me down instead, rude. Must have thought he killed me because when I jumped up later and declared I cannot die, he and his pig ran away scared shitless. Later he became Town Pig One Fear. I am his one fear, for he cannot defeat me in any way that truly matters.

Mel was someone becoming an orc and could hear the whispers of the mushroom network throughout Blackwood which the orcs were using them to gain power via souls. Swoop was a psychopomp trying to unlock the power of death.

Literally! A Marduath follower had harnessed an Avatar of Death in a ritual to fight the orcs, but the orcs killed that follower (probably) and just kept the Owl of Death in a lot of bags. We freed them.

Next day there was an Orconomist who was eating people in exchange for money,  a potential new way for the orcs to be. People were interested in his club so killed him to investigate it since it had magic. Turns out whoopsie Orconomist couldn’t come back to life because the King of Orcs saw his soul in the mycelium network and killed his soul forever. The group got a glittery club out of it.

There was a sewer crawl, a play we put on for the Avatar of Death (I was a main character! King Deimos’ dad). Some saw the future of Torolf in Valhala. All sort of culturally relevant things with themes of death so that the Death in Blackwood could regain their (her?) power.

A power crystal was put together and Ridley said that it could be used to finish the orc threat. People looking into the future saw immense loss and death. People argued about whether it should be used. Spoon hid in a dark corner.

Ridley said the time had passed and people don’t like feeling they missed out on things so reset time and allowed Ridley to use the crystal. It destroyed a dimension of souls and killed all the orcs there. People didn’t like that, and went to get Ridley but Ridley second chanced away.

Split into two groups, one group went to fight stuff, my group went to a shrine graveyard and figured out whose shrine is what. One was a shrine to Santos, ex-ruler of Blackwood. Figured out who gets what stuff. Then Swift had us say nice things to the gods.

Oh yeah, and Nos of Blackwood had gone missing earlier during a ritual. Turns out he was stuck in past echoes of events in the life of the first ruler of Blackwood. Fought a lot of ghosts and water spirits. When we failed the battle would be reset. Orion made a circle to fix people's armor. People got better at fighting as we pushed into the castle. Spoon didn’t, Spoon made magic soup and laid low.

We finally found Nos but there were a lot of creatures and a jellyfish that Ridley was controlling. I snuck up on the Jellyfish and was eaten but I woke up inside and filled it with my 5 heat soup, soup so hot it’s like acid, which destroyed one of its tentacles. When Spoon crawled out the hole Spoon was able to tell others what happened, which made a lot of people keen to get inside the jellyfish. Good thing its stomach was in another dimension. Kara told people what to do. Tempeste (mmm tempeh) went inside and sang it to sleep. Ridley was taken prisoner to be tried for crimes at court the next day.

But that’s another story for I was in the kitchen making soup. And eating soup. Here’s soup recipe!

Ingredients [goblin measurements]

1 and a 1/4 lots of sliced fresh carrots (leave out if you don’t like)

1 a lot of chopped celery with leaves (leave out if you don’t like)

5 potatoes diced (leave out if you don’t like)

3/4 to 1 of a lot of sliced fresh mushrooms (what is the point if you leave out)

1/3 of a lot of flour (can’t make roux without it)

3 onions, sliced (leave out if you don’t like but I don’t like you)

5-6 of a lot of water or stock (bad soup if you leave out)

1/4 of a lot of butter, cubed (at least use some sort of fat if you leave out!)

1/4 of a lot of heavy cream (mmmm cream)

1-1/2 of a lot of corn kernels (make sure to pick out each one at the end or!) 5 ears of corn (easier to strain out if not finely cut) (what is the point if you leave out)

1/2 of a touch of seasoned salt (bad, don’t leave out!)

Whatever mix ins you want! Ham, tempeh, beans, etc.

How to cook:

In a large saucepan, saute onions until tender in the butter. Then saute carrots, celery, mushrooms in the butter until tender and mushrooms are golden brown. If you need more butter add it. Goblins do not fear butter. Put in soup pot. Add flour little bit at a time to make roux. Stir. Stir in liquid a little bit at a time once roux is golden brown. Bring to boil. Stir in the corn, seasoned salt, potatoes and mix-ins, reduce to simmer. Once potatoes tender; take off fire and stir in heavy cream. If desired, serve with garnish.

Realmsle #40

 

                       

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!

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

Why I Want To Go - Ashen Bounty XIII

by: Christina "Adara " Clements

So the autumnal joy of Ashenbounty is once again upon us. So why am I going?

First, Temorse Sorrowind has been leading Ashenmark for more than fifteen years, and this shall be his last court.  While no one is nervous about Umbra and Raynor at the reins, changes in leadership like this are rare.  These sorts of changes mark the time in our game, eras that come and go. I am also going to celebrate the accomplishments of the knight who has done so much for our game over the last 20 years.  Our game and our community would not be nearly the same if this nation had not been founded and had not been so expertly piloted by Sorrowind.  I, perhaps, have a specific understanding of how chaotic this group could have been if not for Temorse. 

Secondly, the food from Ashenmark never disappoints, no matter what hurdles it has to overcome in the remote kitchen.  Why would I miss a chance to eat in Ashenmark? Of course I won’t! Perhaps there will be cheese. It seems like most of the nation takes their food seriously, and I appreciate the dedication. In fact, if I do nothing other than lurk outside the kitchen waiting for new courses to appear it will be a successful day. 

There will be well run and high caliber tournaments to watch, and I do enjoy watching what combat has come to in our game.  Every year the blows get faster, and the weapons get lighter.  There is a great joy in watching the best fighters do their best for the honor and prestige on the tourney list.  I personally enjoy it more when the adrenaline from possible nationwide annihilation is not in play and I can enjoy the art for the sake of the art. If you need the adrenaline rush, the labyrinth is sure to entertain, and perhaps make your pockets a bit heavier.  

Lastly, I am going because Bricochet and Cinder will never forgive me if they miss a chance to either beat up bad guys, steal hats from important people or shake down dead monsters for gold. This event marks their first year in the game and I suspect they will always mark the anniversary.  Who can forget their first event?  

OOC Note:  Generally I need to plan my events far in advance and last year on nearly a whim I returned to Ashenbounty.  I have perhaps never felt such a sense of homecoming as I did then.  We go to events for many reasons, to accomplish things, to stand up for right, because plot compels us, because our friends need help.  As someone who spent too long away, savor that moment when you arrive and you know those around you are the people who see you for who you are, and know you for who you could become.  I have had the pleasure of watching Tucker become a pillar of the Realms and celebrating that will be foremost in my mind all weekend. 

Rumors around the Realms October 1026

  

Rumors around the Realms October 1026

Blackavar

"Gale winds blow from almost every direction into Blackavar. Reports spread that the winds blew first on the equinox.

A gale voice now calls from the mountains, singing enchanting melodies that echo off the great stone faces. Harsh winds batter adventurers seeking their fortune and greatest desires through the cold zephyrs. They know where their greatest desires lie.

“I’m wishing…for the one I love… to find me.”

“When you wish upon a star…”

“I wish… more than anything! More than life!”

More and more lone adventurers venture forth. Some seek riches, the voice, meaning, or their own friends. Few return the same."

Blacwood

Confusion in Alonis as mourners, pilgrims, and well wishers start flooding in to commemorate the death of Lord Torlof, and celebrate the news of Ragnarök. Torolf’s appearance at these festivities did little to quench the excitement, as they assured him that it could happen at any time. He promised to work diligently towards that end, which made everyone happy.