It is I, Eonwë, which can only mean one thing: the Games Site
Mass-Update has begun!
For our new members, the Games Site Mass-Update (GSMU for short) is
that time of year when I, the Valar Guild Games Site webmaster,
declare
tabula rasa on the previous
year's member gaming info, and ask all members to send in their new
gaming info. I do this the ensure that the most up-to-date gaming
info
for the Valar Guild is available, so that you the membership can
find
other members in any games you play. Part of the goal of joining an
online community is to be able to game with other people with some
common interest, after all :}
Our common interest (the primary one, at least, that brought us all
here in one form or another) is Tolkien. We are an online guild of
Tolkien fans, and to that end our website offers many opportunities
to
exercise those Tolkien-appreciating inclinations of yours :} Like to
dig into the books? We could always use contributions to our Tolkien
Encyclopedia. Like to draw/paint? We have an art section. Good with
words? We have sections for both stories and poetry. All of these
are
maintained by Varda, so if you'd like to contribute to them, she's
the
Valie to contact :}
Gaming is another common interest, of course :} The Games Site lets
us
know what games we play (the point of me sending out this e-mail
annually :}) but also houses gaming tips and info, as well as
reviews
of games by members. New gaming tips, info, and reviews from you all
are always welcome, and of course I'd be the guy to get in touch
with
for those :}
Speaking of gaming, alot is happening on the gaming front :}
WoW's next expansion, Mists of Pandaria, will be out September 25th.
WoW has already seen the pre-release patch, 5.0.4. It changes alot
of
stuff in the game, from the re-re-vamped talent system to
account-wide
achievements, mounts, and pets, and more.
LotRO's expansion, originally slated for September 5th, was pushed
back
to October 15th. Reports from some members in the beta said it was
looking pretty good already, so the extra time should only make for
a
better expansion.
Guild Wars 2 launched August 25th, and I hear some of us are giving
it
a try.
Starcraft 2's first expansion, Heart of the Swarm, is now in beta.
In addition to our many ways to contribute to the Valar Guild, we
have
several ways to keep in contact if you don't have time for gaming.
Obviously, there's e-mailing me in response to the GSMU e-mail, or Varda as guild
general contact.
We have a weekly meeting in AIM every Sunday at 5pm US East Coast
time,
channel "Valar Guild Meetingplace". You can whisper me at Eonwe
Valar
or Varda at VardaValar1 to get an invitation if you need one. We
discuss guild business, Tolkien topics (that members are always
welcome
to suggest), and sometimes the ongoing role-play story in which some
of
us participate.
We also have the Forum, where you can discuss gaming, Tolkien, or
just
general stuff, or come in and say hi. :} The forum is useful for
scheduling/discussing runs in games like LotRO so we know who's
coming,
or for getting in contact with members who play the same games as
you
and setting up times to game together. Don't miss the opportunity to
put this powerful tool to use :}
The Valar Guild is about to celebrate our 15th Anniversary. Amazing,
eh? :} In addition to our traditional festivities, I thought it
would
be interesting to try and bring down the two current big dragon
bosses
of our two primary games, Lord of the Rings Online and World of
Warcraft. These would be Draigoch and Deathwing, respectively. We'd
need at least 9/12 for Draigoch and 8/10 for Deathwing, with the
remaining places filled in by guild friends. The run day would occur
sometime during the Anniversary week (currently slated for
Friday/Saturday for WoW/LotRO, but that can be ironed out if we have
the interest).
If you are in LotRO or WoW on our official servers(Landroval for
LotRO,
Lothar for WoW), are of the appropriate level/gearset or can be by
the
Anniversary week, and would be interested in participating in this,
please read and reply to this thread on our forum by September 15th:
http://valarguild.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=MGannouncements&action=display&thread=1201
If we don't have the interest expressed in this thread for one or
both
dragon-slaying events by that date, the event(s) without the
necessary
interest will not be held, so if you'd like to be part of it, don't
wait to voice your interest in that thread :} There's only a week
left
:}
As we conclude this year's GSMU, please remember all gaming info is
requested by September 30th. You can e-mail it to me in response to
this letter, or you can come to a meeting and pass it to me there.
A couple of useful links for you all :} : http://valarguild.org - If you
don't recognize this link, shame on you :} It's the front page to
our
website :} Access all major sections of our site from here. http://valarguild.proboards.com/
- Our forum. Stop in, and if you haven't already, register with your
guild name as your screen name so you can talk to other guild
members
and be recognized :}
So remember:
1.) Send me your gaming info by September 30th!
2.) Visit our web site and forum, and keep up-to-date on what's
going
on in the guild!
3.) Continue to contribute to our family-friendly, honorable,
courteous, helpful atmosphere! You all are the key to maintaining
that
:}
4.) Read more Tolkien! Or at least read! :}
5.) Got an idea? Suggest it! :}
Take care all :} May the stars shine upon your faces :}
Eonwë-(Valar)
"There Iluvatar permitted the Valar to maintain upon Earth an
abiding
place, a memorial of that which might have been if Morgoth had not
cast
his shadow on the world." -The Silmarillion
(As) Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of
his
friend. top