Hey there everyone, Pengu here! If you're a new member to Wintreath, let me welcome you to our wonderful community. No doubt you're coming in with questions, so I decided to create a guide to help answer many of those questions.
Q: So I'm looking for something to do on here...Well you're in luck! Here on Wintreath, we have had regional events such as our past Festival of Friendship with one of our ally regions...and plan on having some more in the future. We also have roleplaying, general forums centered around specific interests, and forums dedicated specifically to games.
Q: Games? Like video games?No, though we do have a Gaming forum for everyone to talk about their video game likes/dislikes, reviews, and the like. The forums I'm referring to, however, are the Frostmist Arena and Werewolf forums, centered purely around forum games that members can sign up for and play together.
Q: The game I wanted to play already started/only has a set number of players!Worry not! The beauty of many of our games here on Wintreath is that while the game may be in progress, there will always be plans for another game just like it in the future. So if you're jumping into a game that has already started or is already at full capacity, I do apologize. But definitely keep on the lookout as other signups will show up, so you'll always have a chance to play!
Q: Can I start my own games?Yes! If you have the desire to host the next Werewolf, Spyfall, or have a game of your own that you would like to introduce, then you are most definitely welcome to share those ideas. If you've never hosted a game before or know very little but want to give it a shot, fear not! As a Jarl of Culture, it is my job to make sure you have all of the support and resources you need to help you do well, from providing hints and tips to help you get started, to answering any and all questions you may have to the best of my ability, to helping get word out about the signups for your game.
Q: Are there plans for big regional games?In the capacity of an International games type of deal, there's no plans at the moment for Wintreath to host anything major...though ideas for such an event are always welcomed. In the capacity of new upcoming forum games to hit Wintreath, there is definitely plans for introducing new ones.
Check out this thread to see what is currently in the works.Q: So you mentioned a Roleplaying area?Yes! If you're more of the Roleplaying sort, then definitely check out the Roleplayers Gathering. There you'll find Roleplays stemming from story driven (most currently They Fell from the Sky), to incredibly casual deals such as Frostbite Tavern. We have everything to suit your Roleplay needs, and if we don't...then we can make it!
Q: Can I present my own Roleplay ideas?Most definitely. There is a section of the Roleplayers Gathering called Roleplay Discussion and Ideas. Here you can submit your proposal for a Roleplay, and see what people think about it and gather support to have it implemented. Or, if you want to post just a simple story-less RP, then you're more than welcome to post it in the Wonderful World of Wintreath section of the RP Gathering forum.
Q: I started my RP/Games, but I can't get anyone to join!Don't worry. Some people are hesitant to take part in a new game if they've never played it before, and this goes for roleplays as well. All you need are some people to help you advertise it. Simply talk to myself/the current Jarl of Culture and/or the monarch, and we'll advertise your new game/new Roleplay in an Addendum as well as the RMB...that way it can draw the attention of both citizens and tourists alike! And it'll up the chances highly of gathering interested people in wanting to take part!
Q: Is there anything to do outside of RP/Games?Sure! Outside of the Gaming forum, the Howling Tavern is a very popular forum because it houses the general discussion area, the "Ask me Anything" forum where you can have people ask you questions, and our spam forum.
Q: But what if I want to show off my art?Well, we're currently working on a sort of inter-regional newsletter type of deal and possible subforum for people to submit their artwork. During every publication if there are enough submissions, we'll post some of the artwork for everyone to see. If we get an overflow of submissions, then the Lusty Jarl will have a little child named the Busty Jarl (a sculpture joke/jab), specifically for Art publications and nothing else.
Q: But I'm afraid to post my stuff, what if people don't like it?Fear not! People here on Wintreath are very supportive of art that they see. If someone is needlessly attacking a submission you or someone else has made, you may report it to either the Monarch or one of the Riksrad.
Q: I want to meet people, what's the best way to do that?The best way to start is to have a mentor show you around. I'm also hoping to get into talks about implementing a permanent "Sign up to find a buddy!" thread amongst Wintreath. We had it at our previously hosted Festival of Friendship, and it was a successful tool. So naturally the next step would be to implement a permanent thread for people to be given a buddy to get to know.
Q: Do you have any contests?As a matter of fact, yes! Outside of our elections, we have a Citizen of the Month contest each month to where you nominate who you feel deserves the title, and vote amongst those chosen. We also have Avatar of the Month contests as well as Game of the Month contests. And I'm hoping to implement some future contests such Poetry/short story, caption, and many other types of contests to capture interest, so if you're the type that likes to jump into the contest world, definitely keep on the lookout!
Q: So I want to have fun that isn't time consuming...Remember earlier when I mentioned our spam forum? It's called The Dumping Grounds. There you'll find games such as Corrupt a Wish, Count to _____, and other threads that don't require any specific amount of time to devote to them, and are more just a good way to kill as much time as you'd like.
Q: I have some ideas for the Cultural side in general...That's wonderful, and we absolutely love to hear your ideas! Wintreath always needs fresh new ideas to continue to make it even more of a lively, fun, and friendly place for people to come to. So if you have your own ideas on what we can do to help with this, then you are most certainly welcome to share them either in this forum or in PM.
If there are any questions that you have that I haven't covered in this guide, then you are more than welcome to ask them in here, and I or Wintermoot, our Thane of Culture Reon, or another "seasoned" citizen will be happy to answer them to the best of our ability.