Interested in joining the clan

[Wheatstone]

Hello, folks.

I wanted to let you all know that I'm interested in possibly joining the Winds of Dawn. I spoke with Kiriel after the Newbielympics closing ceremonies, and she kindly directed me to the membership scroll. I realize I don't know most of you at all well, but I'm hoping that by posting here I'll have an easier time meeting you in the lands. Then, once we know eachother a little better, we can both decide whether I belong in the clan. :-) I'll try to answer the questions included in the membership scroll, but if you have any others please feel free to ask. I'd also be happy to chat in town with any of you, if you'd like to meet me in person.

> Why do you want to join Winds of Dawn?

It's worth pointing out that I haven't necessarily decided yet... but with that said, this is really the Big Question, isn't it? I'm interested for several reasons. As a healer, I've found that one of the things I most enjoy outside the library is helping people. Since I haven't been around all that long myself yet, it turns out that I'm really only well equipped to help (other) newbies. :-) And, so, I thought I might as well formalize the arrangement.

I think one of the biggest reasons, though, is that I've been very impressed by the Winds of Dawn. I feel a little odd saying that (since I don't really know most of the members) but its true. Kiriel's help was absolutely priceless the day I stepped off the boat, and she made my first evening in Puddleby a wonderful one. Since then, there have been a number of occassions where a friendly exile offered much-needed help, and I've been pleasantly surprised to discover they are *also* members of the Winds of Dawn! Finally, the thought and effort that went into the Newbielympics competition really impressed me. I think it was a wonderful event, and just the sort of thing that can build a random assortment of newbies into a real community. And, in my opinion, that is far more valuable in the long term than a quick tour or the gift of a few coins (although a warm welcome when just stepping off the boat is also invaluable).

And so, I've gotten the impression that the Winds of Dawn is a friendly community that cares about many of the same things that I do. So, I see it as a potential source of good friends in addition to helping me to help others. That's why I'm interested in joining.


> In what ways do you enjoy helping new exiles?

I think the most important way that I can help is to provide a bit of a support network. I'm not strong enough myself to venture that far from town alone, but I can be quite useful to an inexperienced exile (or small group) hunting or exploring nearby. I'm almost always happy to go on a rescue, and if I'm with the troubled group already I can usually run well enough to call for help if we get in over our heads. Many newbies don't have sunstones, and likely feel a bit uncomfortable just picking someone to toggle for a rescue. I also try to make an effort to invite people to join hunts since I know it can be intimidating to find a group if you don't know many people. Of course, I'm also happy to give tours, answer questions, etc.


> What do you enjoy doing when you are out of the Library?

As I said above, helping people. Going on rescues especially, though I'm not strong enough yet to solo rescue very far from town. When I'm not doing that... hunting, exploring (I'm still new enough that they are mostly the same), hanging out around town (for example, I recently bought a fishing rod, and Taryn and I went fishing!), that sort of thing. I find it very rewarding to help to defend from the occassional invasion. I also enjoy the various spontaneous Thoomish events in town center. (/yell Thoom!)


> What do you not enjoy doing?

Hmm. Wandering around aimlessly by myself, I think. If I can find some friends, I'm usually happy to do just about anything. However, I have a tough time exploring very far from town alone, and I don't always have things I want to do in Puddleby.


I apologize for the long post, but you *did* ask for it... :-) In any case, if this doesn't satify your curiosity, please feel free to ask me whatever's on your mind. If you don't want to post here, you can also reach me using enchanted-mail, my address is wheatstone at donaldsonworkshop dot com. I hope to meet more of you soon.

Regards,
Wheatstone

[Konoko]

Welcome to the Winds of Dawn Wheatstone!
See you around town...

Konoko

[Delirium]

Wheatstone,

I look forward to seeing you at more clan events! I haven't been out much myself recently, alas, as my spirit has been busy. I believe the spirit of our membership coordinator is similarly busy. Since his dorf accent can make him a bit hard to understand in any case, I'll just mention a few of the details.

Since you responded to the questions with such eloquence, I assume you have read our membership pages and know about the event requirement.

Usually, we discuss a membership applicant for a week after they post their answers to the questions and then hold a vote in which members have 1 week to vote. So the application process takes a minimum of 2 weeks to complete. However, you indicate that you are not sure yet that you want to join us. Usually, people don't take such effort to answer our questions until they are sure they want to join us. If Altir approves, perhaps we could start talking about you behind your back now so we can vote when you make up your mind that you want to join us?[:D]

[Wheatstone]

Thank you both for the warm welcome. :-)

Delirium said:
> I assume you ... know about the event requirement

Yes, I intend to attend clan events whenever I can... its a key part of my plan to meet more WoD members! I think I know where the meeting place is, but I wouldn't count on my ability to reliably make it there on my own... so when I can attend, I'll try to come out of the library a bit early, and keep my eyes peeled for an escort. :-)

> Usually, people don't take such effort to answer our
> questions until they are sure they want to join us.
> If Altir approves, perhaps we could start talking about
> you behind your back now...

I wouldn't have done it if I wasn't fairly sure I wanted to join. I just don't want to go making promises before I know most of the clan. Unless it turns out that WoD is really quite different from what I expect, then I'll want to join. In any case, you're welcome to start talking about me behind my back anytime you like. If you'd rather wait to get to know me a bit before starting the discussion, that's fine too.

It just occurred to me that there's only two scheduled clan events in the next two weeks. So, starting the discussion early might not help anything because of the 3-event requirement (unless I stumble upon an unscheduled event, or you count the newbielympics).


Regards,
Wheatstone

[Kiriel]

The Newbielympics does indeed count as an event towards the requirements. You also participated in an undine hunt once with three members which technically counts as an event too (any event with three clan members is considered a clan event), although it was a few weeks ago and you may not remember, and since you hadn't expressed interest in joining yet I'm not clear on whether that would count. Really the more events you attend the better. Three events is the minimum before we start a vote but it's a good idea to try to get to know as many folks as possible, in a group or individual basis. If we end up having any impromptu clan events that I'm at, I'll be sure to invite you along!

[Delirium]

Wheatstone -

All our clan meetings are followed by a hunt and we count the meeting and hunt afterwards as two events. Also, as Kiriel points out, any event with at least 3 WoD members counts as an event, and you have already been to several events. We really do try not to make the events requirement a burdon - it's just to make sure you know many members before you formally join us.

-Delirium[:)]

[Zarr]

Wheatstone if you have any questions, or just looking for someone to hunt with, give me a shoat in the lands. It is always nice to talk with people interested in the Clan.

Zarr

[Himitsu]

You can give me a shout too. I don't fall too often and I can boost ok and even have a bit of Skea so I will be able to skin some of the fur. I'd like to get to know you better too. [:)]

[Wheatstone]

Thank you both for the offers - I'll definitely give you a shout if I see you around. In fact, in just a little while I intend to leave the library on a trick-or-treating expedition! If you happen to be around and are interested, you're welcome to join me. Of course, that goes for the rest of the clan as well - just send me a message via sunstone, and we'll figure out how to meet up.


Wheatstone

[Altir]

Eh? /action strokes his beard in thought and stomps his feet after a minute or two.

/ponder wha' accent?

Let da talkin' behind da back begin! [;)]

Ah gots wonderful clanmates! Welcome 'n thankye fer yer application Wheatstone. Twas ah well written one methinks, 'n sayeth much about what yer thinkin' already fer us ta discuss.

Ah hope ye will meet many o' da clan in da lands. Ah been o' bit scarce, aye. Ah will do me best ta see ye. Seems da ye prolly met da requirements fer events, but thar some question 'bout da first. Let's do at least once more officially - anythin with 3 clan membahs o' ah regular clan meeting o' other such event! When ah joined, ah put it off fer ah long time meself - givin da clan plenty o' time ta know me. They finally put it straight 'n asked me if ah planned ta keep drinkin thar beer o' git around ta joinin 'n providin da beer as well. /narrate tisn't quite true, but sounds good. [:p] ah always brought da beer!

Toggle if ye needin help ta any WoD 'n we will do our best ta help ye out. Dinna be bashful!

/action bows

Altir

p.s. Clan, thankye!

[Kiriel]

Actually Wheatstone came to our clan meeting and hunt Friday so he's definitely met the event requirements now :)

[Altir]

Hmmm... ahh! Beer!

Altir

[Steady Foot]

Wheatstone, it was good to meet you at the clan meeting. I'm sorry I couldn't stick around for the hunt. ...[:(]
I would have liked to hunt with the clan and to get to know you better.[:)]

[Wheatstone]

I enjoyed meeting all of you folks, too!
I'm sorry I was so late, but I've got the whole time-zone thing down now, and I'll try to be a bit better next time. I'd been looking forward to seeing what a clan meeting was like! Its very generous of you to count it towards the event requirement since I don't think there was actually anything else to discuss by the time I arrived! <grin> The hunt was great, though, I'd never been most of the places we went!

I also have to agree with Altir - its important to get to know the clan. And so, even if I've satisfied the event requirement, I'd feel a little funny joining before I've attended a couple more events and gotten to know the clan a bit better. That's assuming you decide you want me, of course. :-)

In any case, I look forward to meeting more of you when I get fed up with studying in the library.


Regards,
Wheatstone

[Altir]

Ah will add this fer ye Wheatstone, 'n anyone else out thar lookin ta join. Postin on da clan forums automatically meets one requirement fer joinin' - in disquise tho, it's much more important than many o' da events ye join durin yer escapades outta da library.

Here thar are folks who don't clan so much, but kin still git ta know ye. Post here often, 'n folks kin git ta know ye. Tis 'n advantage not ta be lost.

O' course, it helps ta post like yerself.. if ya know what ah mean 'n not too frivously... /action looks at those one word/one liner posts folks do just ta git thar postin numbers up... then he notices his own one liner 'n doesn't say anythin... /ponder heh.

So, don't only git out 'n about ta meet da clan - but also read 'n post here in da forums. Ye git ta know yer clanmates this way too!

/action bows

Altir

[Altir]

/ponder o' course, havin 'n induction to da clan always means drink 'n food! /yell Windy Beer!

Altir

/ponder just how many thooms do we hath in da clan already? hmm... just Archemar methinks. No female thooms... just like no female dorfs...

[Konoko]

/action looks at those one word/one liner posts folks do just ta git thar postin numbers up... then he notices his own one liner 'n doesn't say anythin... /ponder heh

/ponder What's Altir looking at?
/action looks around and shrugs

You've got a long ways to go to catch up to me Wheatstone! But ya gotta start somewhere... :)

/ponder ha! 4 lines! :)

Konoko


/ponder oh wait! 5! no, 6! :)

[Altir]

Ah! M'lady Konoko! /ponder hee hee, got da lady ta post!

/action winks and smiles as he does a gallant (but short) little bow to da lady.

Altir

[Wheatstone]

I've actually been following the clan forums here for a while (relatively speaking of course - I haven't been exiled for very long, really). They've definitely helped me to learn about folks, though I don't post that often. Altir has an excellent point, though, and so I'll try to speak up a bit more frequently.

I guess, including this post, I only need 1,529 more to catch up to Konoko. ;-) If I'd been thinking ahead, I would have replied to her post separately. I feel compelled to point out though, that while I may have a bit of catching up to do... *my* post is a nice meaty TEN lines long. And nice full lines at that!

Wheatstone

[Altir]

Not ta mention ye put ah nice face in yer post ta take up 'n extra line. Good work! Make da post worth somethin!

Altir

[Wheatstone]

Just so everyone knows, I've told Altir to go ahead and begin the vote on my application. If you find you have any other questions, feel free to ask. Otherwise, well, you all know how to vote!


Regards,
Wheatstone
("Vote for Wheatstone! Rah, rah, rah!")

[Altir]

Congrats ta Wheatstone! our newest thoom! er.. Membah!

/action bows

Altir

[Konoko]

yay for wheaties!


there's an idea for a clan yell for ya. something about wheaties and dawn/breakfast... :)


I get good ideas! I'm not just a pretty face!

Konoko

[Himitsu]

He's also going to make a yell that involves fishes since we have no fishy yell as of yet. I especially look forward to that one.

Speaking of yells, where do we send new yells?

[Kiriel]

If you have new yells just send em to me :) We don't actually have an official yell for Archemar yet btw.

[Zarr]

Congrats Wheatstone!!!

[Wheatstone]

Thank you all for the warm welcome.
I'm very happy to be a part of the clan! [:D]

Wheatstone

[Blaise]

Woo-hoo!

I'm so glad to hear that. Sorry I missed the induction, but I'll be happy to buy you a drink next time I'm in town.

You're a fine addition to the "Family". [:D]

Blaise