Hi all!

First off, I want to apologize for how long it's taken me to get this out to you guys. Things have been incredibly hectic for me for a bit longer now than I want to admit, but this is something I've been meaning to get out in one form or another for, well, a couple of months now. I'm very sorry for the delays, but I'm hoping that what I get to say will be awesome enough still!

With the 20th anniversary year upon us, we eventing GMs (both those of us officially on the Events Team and those on other teams who like to event from time to time or who help support events in other ways) wanted to really make this year different. If you've noticed a glaring absence of me weighing in much in recent events threads, these plans are a big part of why, as we've been hard at work trying to integrate some of the very things you've all been talking about wanting to see.

So without further ado, here are some highlights!

Gorbesh Sighted! No, Wait! It's a Celebration?
Various Kaldar and Gnome scholars have come together to devise a celebration to help others understand their Gorbesh cultural roots! Controversial, indeed, but the merchants involved insist that the celebration is NOT a recruitment effort for dissident or warmongering types, but instead simply an exploration of the cultural past that has relevance and meaning to many who live peacefully in Kermoria today. (ETA: June)


No Guild Fest? Merchants Speculated to be Moving to Many New Ventures!
Guild representatives and various merchants have made hasty notice that they will not be coming to the fairgrounds near Therenborough in the near future. Rumors of backroom deals and strange negotiations abound, but the one persistent thread amongst the wildly divergent speculation is that with the guilds increasingly turning their time and money to other fronts and the novelty wearing off with the crowds, merchants are finding their backers elsewhere! Who, what, or where that may be remains a mystery, but with the rumors so disjointed on this front, it almost seems certain that there are many different answers and that the merchants are spreading out accordingly. (ETA: ongoing throughout the year)


Who is the Pie Man and What Will be Done to Stop the Rogue Elpalzi for Good?
Pie man? The Hermit Sagmadorz still is at large, and rumors have begun to stir that he may have important information on how to stop the Elpalzi threat. Zoluren's Court Mage Sherella and other Province officials have been overheard talking about the strange man, and it seems that while the government may have appeared somewhat mum, something is indeed afoot! (Conclusion this year)


Turmar and Magen Relief Efforts!
High society watching circles have begun to buzz about the possibility of finally getting their hands on some of the most sought after fashion in the lands! In light of all of the ongoing fighting and to honor the fallen while helping to nurture the most vulnerable, Lady Sini Magen and Lady Lilena Turmar of Zoluren are organizing a series of charity events to raise money and awareness for those whose daily lives have been most impacted by the war with the Elpalzi.

Rumors are circulating that Lady Turmar has been fighting incognito alongside the masses for some time now, and it was the devastation that she saw wrought upon those normal folk caught in the horrid attacks that moved her to approach her close friend Lady Magen to devise how the two could help further. (ETA: Early Summer)


The Shard Street Faire Has a New Name!
... as it is no longer just on the streets, but has it's very own dedicated space just outside of the town's East Gate! Back and bigger than ever, the Shard Theater Faire promises to be a truly magnificent celebration indeed! Merchants, alterations, raffles, fireworks, a parade, glitter, cows, and more! (Dates: April 22nd through 25th!)


Wedding Bells in Therengia?
Is Lord Dunshade finally going to marry? Work on a new cathedral progresses, but rumors indicate that the Lord may not wait until it is complete to tie the knot! (ETA: This year)


Strange Rumblings
Visions of what appears to be an Elf walking a white path have been mentioned by Moon Mages all over the lands! While scholars seek to understand such omens, disturbing reports in far-flung villages in nearly every Province have begun cropping up of strange sightings in the wilds surrounding them. Gorbesh troops, Outcast warriors, undead Rakash and Prydaen, and even odder things have been reported. Most chalk these reports up to trauma from the past coupled with wild imaginations or the occasional overindulgence in local fermented drinks, as these incidents all seem isolated and it's never been more than one person at a time claiming to have seen these threats, but as these singular sightings are being mentioned in more and more places people are beginning to wonder if it's really just rumors going wild, or if something more really is happening. (Throughout the coming months)

-Persida