Newsletter RpNation Newsletter: June 2021


June 2021 NEWSLETTER
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Midsummer's Greeting
The celebration of the Solstice is an ancient tradition around the world, marking the longest and shortest days of the year, a shift of the seasons and symbolizing renewal and change for both sides of the hemisphere. It can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, and has inspired numerous works fashioned from long standing folklore and stories, tales of fairies and creatures alike, from a time when the worlds of fact and fiction collide into a harmony of wonder, imagination and exploration. Both of the world and of one’s self.

It’s not hard to get lost within such a beautiful concept, and with the Solstice approaching this month, it marks a great time to reflect and grow as a roleplay community. We allow ourselves to cross that bridge into the unseen world where we can be endlessly inspired to create our own stories and tales. We take a look back at where we were, where we are now, and where we want to go. When the sun is at its highest we too can soar alongside it, as a collective of writers, artists, creators, and as companions in our ever expanding family of luminaries.

RpNation has never stopped moving forward. There’s something new every moment, and although the sun will eventually set, the light never dies.

The last year and a half has been turbulent, and we think it’s important to take a step back, breath, and run forward full sprint into the future. Many of us are branching out, working to grow into better writers, roleplay partners, and aids to us as a whole, with no sign of slowing down. A moment of reflection is never wasted.

As the sun climbs higher in the sky, so do we. Each member of the community has reason to be proud of themselves and those who helped us get to where we are now. We have made friends along the way. We continue to help foster those kinds of connections, and to give those who need it the push to start that interest check, try out that roleplay, write that next post.

The solstice marks a turning point in the seasons. What will it mean for you? Observe the solstice this year on June 20th.


Housekeeping Notes

🦈 Official RpNation Merchandise
The merchandise store offers t-shirts perfect for the warmer weather. There are multiple styles to choose from. Shop now!
🎶 RpNation Song Recommendations
Let’s show off some of your musical tastes in the newsletter next month! You can also see what has been recommended in the past. Submit your music here!​
🏝️ Island Getaway
We're gearing up for the Summer! Post the best shot of your Animal Crossing New Horizon island to this thread and yours could be featured in our next newsletter!​
✨ Newsletter Surprise
Want to be a part of a grand newsletter surprise? Message Chordling Chordling to learn how!​
🐸 Helper Application Form
RpNation's Helper team is looking for more dedicated people to aid with the creation of site events and the newsletter. Submit your application today!


Music that Motivates







@Heatherling ― Featured Artist
Malphaestus Malphaestus ― Featured Writer

@junie ― Featured BBCoder
@GojiBean ― Featured Discussion


@Merciless Medic Member of the Month
When did you start roleplaying? Where was it? Did you enjoy it at first?
I started roleplaying back in 2011 when I was 13, and I did it on Quotev. I heavily enjoyed it, gave me the creative freedom and spontaneity and fun times with others that my brain craved. Though, during that time, I was into Creepypasta and, in hindsight, was the most cringiest RP stuff and characters I have ever done/made. My first Mary Sue I created when I was 7 got rebooted into Creepypasta and then I tried remaking her in Pokemon. Such horrible Mary Sues. xD And I mean worse than the original Mary Sue from that Star Trek fanfiction story. It was just so bad.

How did you discover RpNation?
I discovered it from a potential RP partner when I was on another site. They recommended this place and after checking it out, I was like "daaang this place is cool, and I can have Megas and Legendaries without admin permission!" XD Which was one of the main reasons I came here. The other reason was to branch out to RP with different people and do more fandom RPs that weren't as common on the other site I was on. As soon as I realized how great of a community this place is and that there are people around my age who held similar ideas of roleplaying here that I stuck around for a lot longer. I'm probably going to be here for the next few years. XD

What are your favorite genres/settings to roleplay in?
My favorite genres/settings are anything to do with fantasy. I have some interest in science fiction, mystery, historical (well... if there are fantasy elements :D), definitely action and adventure, and I think that's it. I can do slice of life RPs, but it's difficult when there is no action to make something of the characters, as the only way (at least in my eyes) is to have drama that I have spent most of my life either having drama woosh over my head or just flat out avoid if I can help it. I used to be into academic RPs and maybe I'll do them, but that's a very rare itch and I honestly don't want to go back to high school. xD And most RPs I've seen that start out that way just die. I also like romance and I don't mind if romance is the main thing in my RPs, but I do prefer to have something else with it so it isn't just 100% romance. I also like to scar my characters, so there we go. XD

What are some other hobbies you have besides roleplaying?
Besides roleplaying, I have more writing (specifically fanfiction, hehe), color on a coloring app on my phone, maybe do some exercise, maybe go out and airsoft (not exactly all that much, though it's fun!), read, watch while multitasking because my attention span won't allow me to watch anything without doing something else, listen/watch YouTube videos, find something scary to watch, stay up late because I don't want to sleep.... Clean... And I think that's it. :D

Are you excited about any books, shows, or other related elements of media? What are they?
Hehehehehehe, Me? Excited? I'm not excited about books anymore, but I'm pretty excited for Invincible. Wouldn't recommend watching it if you are squeamish, as it is a heavily gorey TV show about the negative aspects of superheroes and it is similar to the DC and Marvel heroes in a way. At least in terms of the superpowers. Invincible is a really interesting take and a new episode drops every Friday. Again, it's pretty close to TV-16 than anything else. XD

What is your favorite animal? Why?
Wolves are fascinating creatures. I don’t like how they are portrayed in media as these horrible monstrosities that need to die and they don’t have souls. They are majestic creatures with vast territories and connections. They have interesting pack dynamics that aren’t just alpha, beta, omega. It is a lot more nuanced than what people make it out to be. Omegas aren’t super submissive or female, betas aren’t all that abusive/aggressive unless an alpha is around, and alphas aren’t all that assertive and don’t get in with omegas half the time and they aren’t macho about it. There are billions of different variations and dynamics that people should really look at because it’s fascinating.

What is your favorite food? Drink?
Favorite food? Ice cream. And alfredo spaghetti. :3 But never together. DX Favorite drink? Whisky er... Dr. Pepper, usually cherry. Or my lovely orange Fanta. Or soda in general.

What is your favorite part of Rpnation?
Favorite part of RpNation has to be the people here and how open I can generally be here. Most people here who I've chatted with are really understanding and they are a joy to talk to/RP with. Plus, the availability of RPs are pretty great here (even if the RPs don't usually get anywhere, but that's fine). :3 Plus, it helps scratch that itch for my RPs, even if they don't completely finish for whatever reason. It was still a good experience.

Do you have any favorite literature pieces? Or maybe a beloved TV series?
My favorite piece of literature has to be Barcode. It's a dystopian futuristic setting taken place when we started mandating everyone get barcodes tattooed on their wrists, allowing them to use it as identification and buying/selling. It was showing the detriments of having something such as this on our skin and it was a pretty hardcore book that I found when I was in 7th grade. Pretty amazing, and haven't found a book I clicked with since. Sadly, I wasn't able to find any of the sequels for it, but oh well. My TV series tend to change, as they become my favorites when I'm watching them. Right now, it's Voltron: Legendary Defender (if the silly Coran picture wasn't anything to go by XD). It's just the right amount of silly and serious that I like, and it's a lot more hardcore than I had initially thought.

If you were to be stranded on an island, what three items would you have and why?
I would have a water filtration system. I don't care what it's made of, but it's extremely helpful so I can get rid of all that salt from the ocean and drink fresh water. Another would be a reflective surface like a mirror to shine light at planes if/when they fly over. I remember what SOS is in morse code, so I can definitely do that. Another would be a knife with a few settings, specifically one with a fire starter (flint and steel). I'm not patient enough to create a stone arrowhead or create fire with just sticks, and a knife won't ever go dull due to me sharpening it on some rocks. While it doesn't do it justice like a whetstone, it still works for what I need it to. The knife can be used for literally anything. I don't want to have a phone though, as it might not actually work as well as I think.

What era would you want to be born in and why?
Well, I wouldn't want to be born in any other era than now. Though, if I had to choose, probably 1940s. I've always been curious as to how different culture was back then and I'd still like to have my rights as a woman. XD

If you could play every single instrument basically or play one instrument completely flawlessly, what would you choose ? If the latter, what instrument?
I would much rather play a violin flawlessly. I love violins and I've always looked up to Lindsey Stirling for that. I also have one, but I don't have the patience or time to train anymore.

If you could only wear one color for the rest of your life, which color would it be and why?
Blue. I love blue. I won't get tired of blue. All my jeans that I wear are blue anyway. Plus, blue is a calming color for me.

Would you rather be a background character in a music video that's extremely well known or be the main character in a movie no one has heard of ?
I don't really much care for acting and I would actually much prefer both. I don't want a whole lot of attention. Maybe I'll choose being a background character over being the main character because I don't think I'd be a good enough actor for that and I want the bragging rights and meet cool actors and actresses that are really popular if I were in a well known movie, but I also wouldn't mind being in an obscure movie, especially if I somehow give it the reputation of The Room of "it's so bad, it's good". xD Even if no one has ever heard of it. Believe me, everyone in my family will know. xD

Got any RpNation projects that you would like to share?
As for RpNation projects, I'm not so sure. I mean, I want to create an original story and send it here, maybe have several Pokemon-based RPs that have a continuity (they aren't journey-based since they tend to die fast if they don't move quickly, they are more like "how do you get out of a cave system that has trapped you inside?" that kind of thing).

What advice do you have for the newsletter readers?
Life is tough. We are all on RpN for a reason, whether that be to escape or to get further in a hobby to get somewhere or to just connect to others, especially when most of us are not allowed to leave our homes without a mask. While situations in our life may ostracize us for our beliefs and hobbies and life choices, or even who we are when we were just born that way, things will get better. Life will turn up, we just need to latch on to the promising opportunities that come our way and be patient.

I learned a lot in the past 2 years than I have ever done in my entire life. I got pregnant while the father of my child had to leave to open up more opportunities for a career in welding, we left a rather abusive home life from his parents' home after the birth of our child, and I thought this pattern of manipulation and backstabbing was just going to keep happening. I got depressed, anxious, and paranoid that my life would not turn up. But when I found a support system, I used them to my advantage. I left the abusive home, we went from one house to the next, getting renter's insurance and a car and now we are living in our new apartment with a promising job and credit and car insurance. My daughter is growing up to be such an intelligent little girl and I can never ask for a better life. Even though the life I had beforehand was bland and then filled with strife I didn't want to deal with, it turned around and made me wiser.

No matter your race, ethnicity, beliefs, mental struggles and learning disabilities, physical struggles, life struggles, body type, age, gender, sexuality, the life you lived has made you who you are today. While you may not be able to forgive those who have wronged you, they helped you learn something about yourself or about themselves, whatever that may be, and you are now stronger and/or wiser than you were before. Broken, maybe. But you are definitely wiser. While we may not be perfect or the same, we all have one heart, we all have a brain, we all have skin, and we all share the same sky. We are the same species, yet we vary so wildly between each other. That doesn't make anyone any less important. What you go through and how you react and act and feel and move on or cope is what makes you you. And no one else can tell you otherwise or make you any less of a person than you already are. If they do, then they are not worth your time.

Be yourself. And if people don't like it, then they aren't the people for you or they just simply don't understand. And that's fine. :) Love yourself, so you know how to truly love others.


Trektek Trektek ― Roleplay of the Month
What are some of the things that inspired you to create this roleplay?
Well, I can say that I am a big fan of Dnd and other tactics based games. I also really love world building and designing entire nations and histories. One of the first things I did when I joined RPN was attempt to find nation building games. And honestly, there were few and far between. The ones that I eventually tried to join, either were incredibly loosey goosey, having no or barely and rules, or they were far too incredibly rule heavy and made players pull their hair out.

I wished to form a happy medium that could focus on the story, but also have mechanics to make sure that players could feel as though they all started on the same level.

Plus, the random element of using a dice roller, also made sure that no matter how powerful someone's troops were, the RNG could still take them away if the other player got a natural 10.

What has made your roleplay successful?
That does go back to some of what spilled out of me in the previous question. I have a strong mechanical backbone that gives credibility to the players and the world.

Plus, I love when players explore every tile, which is a free action everyone can take. The units or heroes get to go on a little mini adventure in the Discord chat where they can earn resources, extra troops, new heroes or even special items for which to equip to those heroes.

It also helps that over the time, I've assembled a COUNCIL to help assist me run the game. CaptainSully, Athanas, and the newly minted member of Verus. If it wasn't for their help, it would be much more difficult to manage 15 players, the map, and the roleplay itself.

I really think that it all boils down to the accessibility and free reign creativity that I foster in my games. Where else can you play in a nation builder that has crashed aliens, Samurai Warriors, Ancient Greeks, Sand Spies, Mecho Geckos, and Imperialistic Magical Elves?

How do you garner interest for your roleplays?
I mainly just place up a search in the group section, but it also travels via word of mouth. I've formed a small handful of players that have followed me from game to game. CaptainSully and LadyofStars have been with me from the very first time I ran this game. And they've brought in people as well.

How did you start roleplaying?
Here goes, time to actually date myself with this info. :-D
I actually started role-playing back in high school in 2003 by playing dungeons and Dragons with my friends. My friend who was the DM, started telling me about the amazing adventures that his friends/players went on, and I was hooked. Needless to say, when they invited me along to play, I was ecstatic. The rest after that was history. I've played many different table top rpgs since, and designed and wrote my own stories.

How did you discover RpNation?
I actually stumbled across this place about two years ago while searching for a place to roleplay through cooperative writing. My old RP site, Chronicles was mostly shut down after the few players that were left got busy with their lives and my site, Steam Empire never really took off the way I had wanted it to. And so I ended up here and created Light in the Darkness, an adventure RP and Birth of Nations, a nation builder game. Both of them were actually 2 of my longer running rps on the site, although Birth of Nations Act 2 was probably the longest and most complete one.

What is the most unique roleplay you ever participated in? What stood out most?
Hmm. I gotta say that the most unique roleplay that I ever participated in was actually on this site. I don't remember the name of it, but it was this really interesting idea from one of my previous BoN players. It was a fully fleshed out world, with developed races, multiple fleshed out locations and dangerous monsters that lurked around outside the large cities. The rp itself didn't get very far, but the concept, the world, and the other player characters were all very unique and fun.

What is your fondest memory of roleplaying?
Honestly, one of my fondest memories of roleplaying was from during a Vampire the Requiem campaign. The campaign was going well. Many of us were connected with the different vampire groups in the city, but we were all part of the same coterie. One of the players had decided that he was the coterie leader and we all just went along with it since all the rest of our characters couldn't be bothered. The main deal was that this one guy acted all haughty and bossed everyone around in a way that wasn't earned and then in a surprise turn of events, that was in absolutely no way coordinated between the other players, we all ended up betraying him at about the same time, causing his complete downfall and eventual death from within vampire society. It was quite the poetic justice and very fun for most of us to roleplay.

I have others, but I do always come back to that one considering how ridiculous it was that an uncoordinated strike of betrayal from all the other players happened in quick succession.

What are some roleplaying tips and tricks you think others could benefit from?
Some roleplaying tips that I have are definitely when creating a character, make sure that you find their voice. Every character is different and unique. Sometimes in order to find that voice, you should write a journal from the perspective of the character. That way, in case you've spent time away from rping that character, it'll also be much easier to slip right back in.

Do you have any roleplaying pet peeves? What are they?
I gotta say that my biggest roleplaying pet peeve is when people meta game. Sometimes when you roleplay a character, they will act in a way that might get them hurt or killed. I myself had a situation in dnd where I knew that an action was going to get my character killed, but it was still in character and so I did it anyway. Did I want my character to die? Not at all. But the action that was done was entirely I'm character based on the situation.

As such, I do not like when people act out of character based on player knowledge and not character knowledge.

Do you have something in mind for your next roleplay? Can we get a few hints?
Absolutely. The next RP after this Reboot, will be a Reboot of my previous Act 2. It'll be more Colonial on Native action. Some players will be native nations and others will be able to play as colonizers nations coming from elsewhere to take a piece of the pie. All while an evil corrupting force is attempting to engulf the land….


With a shout-out to;
The Council Members:
@CaptainSully, @Athanas, and @Verus

&

Players:
@Paleo_Rex, @Lazaro1505, @Emerald, @Just_a_lonely-pilgrim, @LadyOfStars, @hunterabbysandshark3, @TeaMMatE11, @Martydi, @VolcanicAccelerator, @Jabroni, @GrieveWriter

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June Donation badge by @Onmyoji
 
Congratulations to all those mentioned! And thank you to all for taking the time to read the Newsletter.
 
I appreciate the honour, but I am presently hospitalized within the psychiatric ward. So I'll be unavailable for some time.
 
Congratulations to everyone who's featured in June's Newsletter! Thank you for reading and viewing, lovelies!

I definitely encourage all of you lovelies who play Animal Crossing to share your island! I'm really curious to see how it looks like since I unfortunately don't have the game myself! Don't forget to also share and recommend some music! I know I'm always looking for new things to listen to!

And lastly, if you wanted to help around RPN and assist Staff, take a look and apply as an Event or Newsletter Helper! ♡
 
Congratulations to everyone who's featured in June's Newsletter! Thank you for reading and viewing, lovelies!

I definitely encourage all of you lovelies who play Animal Crossing to share your island! I'm really curious to see how it looks like since I unfortunately don't have the game myself! Don't forget to also share and recommend some music! I know I'm always looking for new things to listen to!

And lastly, if you wanted to help around RPN and assist Staff, take a look and apply as an Event or Newsletter Helper! ♡
Can I play...


WAR THUNDER! PLAY FREE FOR NOW!
 

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