DRAGONMOUNT

Welcome, everyone, to the latest edition of the Forum Roundup where I cover the monthly events at Dragonmount.   First, I'd like to provide you with a bit of information about Robert Jordan, of which many of you might be unaware. Robert Jordan served two tours in Vietnam as a helicopter gunner. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with "V" and bronze oak leaf cluster, and two Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses with palm.   It has been said that he always had a great deal of appreciation and respect for those men and women willing to serve.     On to Dragonmount.   The Warders have welcomed home those who have been away for a while. It was a very pleasant surprise to see them arrive.   The General Discussion has been bustling with conversation from new members of Dragonmount, some of whom have just finished the series and others are in the process of reading.   There have been staff changes in the White Tower with members stepping up to new leadership positions. We thank those who have served and will continue to enjoy their company within their Ajahs and the Tower as a whole.   The Black Tower has been hosting many active threads including a place for Star Wars fans!   The Band of the Red Hand has been busy with a carnival.   The Ogier are placing memories on their "Memory Tree" and sharing what they would love to have in their dream homes.   Shayol Ghul (as usual) is busy with evil, this time a "something" or "someone" evil game.   See you next month!

Welcome back to another edition of "Fandom Flair."  For this project, I wanted to try to decorate some shoes to be Aes Sedai (or White Tower) shoes.  This was pretty easy, just tedious.  I don't know about you, but I get bored by repetitive activities, and this got very repetitive.  But, it's a cheap way to show off some Aes Sedai love.   First, I bought a pair of white, canvas shoes.  I think I got them from Wal-Mart, and they were about $5.       Next, I bought a pack of Sharpie markers, making sure I had all the colors of the Ajahs (Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, Gray, White, and Brown).     I started by measuring the front face of the shoe.  I took that measurement and divided it by seven, giving me a little section for each of the seven colors.     Next, I continued adding that measurement to the sides of the shoes.   When I got to the back, I had a big chunk left over.  My symmetrical-thinking mind wouldn't allow it to be less than perfect for the color scheme, so I decided to do the colors again, but aligned vertically.  Not sure this was the best option, but it was the only one I was capable of doing.     Finally, I sketched a flame into the center to leave white.  Then, I outlined everything in black and colored in each space with the designated Ajah color.   As I said, super easy, but really boring.   I didn't have enough room to outline the back so the colors look very smeared.     The front got a bit smeared, too.  But I'm still pleased with the outcome!         Next time, I want to show you some easy ways to casual cosplay as Wheel of Time characters.  Thanks for reading!

For those of you that participate, I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day! I'm out here in California hoping we don't float away. It's either drought or floods!   Before I cover the monthly goings on at Dragonmount, I'd like to start with Robert Jordan.    He is a graduate of The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina and he earned a degree in physics. For those of you who feel trapped by your field of study, this demonstrates that we don't always end up from whence we came. The Citadel even has its very own tribute to Robert Jordan. It contains one of his hats, his cane, a heron marked sword, Wheel of Time books, and other things donated by Harriet McDougal, his wife.       Let's take a look at the Black Tower. They are discussing their favorite fantasy merchandise. I'd have to say that mine is the Green Aes Sedai Shawl I purchased but this topic is not limited to the Wheel of Time.   Shayol Ghul is working on their very own horror story. That is not surprising when we consider its point of origin!   The Dragon Reborn Role Play has welcomed some new characters and looks forward to their development.   The Ogier is considering what belongs in your very own dream home.   The White Tower and Warders has a new character collage by M'Lady La Fleur and it is one to chill your heart!  This character is also up for discussion on which actress should play her in the television series. The White Tower also hosted "Chocolate Week" and the Aspirant Common Room is hosting some new members. The Kin is on the lookout for new movies in 2017. I've already seen some good ones!   See you next month!

I hope everyone at Dragonmount celebrated the holidays and welcomed in the New Year with hopes and dreams. Nevermind resolutions!   Many of us have holidays that are rooted in religious traditions. I found something I thought quite interesting about Robert Jordan. This comes from an overview written by our own Jason Denzel about his time spent with Mr. Jordan during the San Diego ComiCon in 2004.         Members have been busy at Dragonmount's Social Groups engaging in a multitude of activities. The White Tower and Warders have been occupied with the White Ajah's Wheel of Time Winter's Carnival! The Warders are discussing New Year's resolutions and playing games. Plus there was a raising! The Kin are critiquing movies and discussing our weekends. The Ogier are busy adding to their "Memory Tree." The Wolfkin are having "Healer's" discussions and games. The Band of the Red Hand has discussed "Christmas Markets" throughout the world and have put up their "Matrims Nominations for 2017." The Black Tower has hosted a discussion on 2016 and "Goals." The Aiel had both light-hearted and serious activities: "The Book Game, Weird Cultural Oddities, and Prison Systems." Wishing a prosperous and busy New Year for Dragonmount and all of its members. 

Nynaeve and Lan can forever guard each other's backs - and yours - with the newest tee shirt design now available for preorder from Ta'veren Tees, www.TheWheelofTimeStore.com.   "The Gateway," illustrated by Ariel Burgess, shows Lan and Nynaeve Traveling via gateway, standing ready to fight and protect each other. The front features Lan coolly guarding Nynaeve's back, while the back of the shirt features Nynaeve ready to unleash her fury on any darkfriend foolish enough to attack.   "The Gateway" is available in an unisex tee and a ladies' style tee. Both are soft, comfortable 100% cotton shirts. Sizing information is available on the product pages.       Preorders receive a discount and will ship on February 10, as soon as the shirt is in stock. All items ordered alongside the new shirt will be held and shipped at the same time.   Unisex: TaverenTees.com/gateway Ladies: TaverenTees.com/gatewayladies

Americans are looking forward to their Thanksgiving holiday, others are experiencing inclement weather, and some are even going into summer! Dragonmount has members from all over the world.   More Robert Jordan trivia.     Apparently he was quite the outdoorsman and enjoyed fishing. Dragonmount has always been important to me not only for the members and activities, but as a place to remember and honor Robert Jordan and his books. The White Tower is busy with Thanksgiving events and celebrating members' birthdays. The Black Tower has welcomed back some old members who have returned, have several active games, and are tempting members with brownies. The Band of the Red Hand celebrated Halloween in a big way and have also had old members return and new ones join! Shayol Ghul is writing their own "Adventure" story and updating the Wiki. They have also welcomed back a returned member. The Wolfkin are engaging in a "Healer's Discussion" and the Aiel hosted Veteran's Day Activities. The Structured General Wheel of Time discussion is still going strong. We are all awaiting word on the TV series. Nothing yet. Can't wait!!! For the time being, we can experience the Wheel of Time world right here. See you next month!

Upcoming from Tor, a new Wheel of Time eBook bundle!   This new set, available December 13, 2016, will include the first four books of the series.  It's the perfect introduction for someone who hasn't started the series, or a great addition for someone who is looking to expand their Wheel of Time collection.   You can preorder it on Amazon, and it will also be available in the Dragonmount eBook store.  The bundle will include high quality versions of the original cover art.  Though there are not plans at this time to make the rest of the series purchasable through a bundle, it is likely to happen.   Are the first four novels not enough?  A complete series bundle is already available, here.  It only includes books 1-14, and does not include New Spring.

From our friends at Ta'veren Tees!      

Fall is finally here! Some of you are experiencing a gentle cooling while others are experiencing inclement weather. Halloween is almost upon us and whether you have children or enjoy cosplay, this can be an extra special time of the year.   While continuing my “search” for Robert Jordan, I found this bit of trivia:   “He had a secretary whose main job was to keep the facts straight in the elaborate world he created that spanned 11 books and almost 7,420 pages. Some critics questioned his wordiness, yet he could sum up the series' driving force in three words: 'Life changes. Deal.'" (From the obituary of James Oliver Rigney Jr., Los Angeles Times)     Many of us would have cherished that job. I know I would have.     We have been introduced to new readers of the series and it is touching to hear their thoughts and wonder about a world we have all inhabited for quite some time. Vicariously, we can pick up the series anew and remember our own journeys through The Wheel of Time.   The Kin is flourishing in its new location, The White Tower and Warders. The Kin is a relaxing place where we build friendships and engage in fun activities.   The Band of the Red Hand is offering multiple threads for Halloween!   Debates and Discussions are heating up as we near the American election. The plus side is that members can post their own views and read those of others, some who reside outside of the United States.   The Black Tower is getting into an election mode, with sign-ups for a Trump vs Clinton 2016 Mafia game.   M’Lady Lefluer is at it again posting a beautiful collage that features Nynaeve.   Shayol Ghul is seeking a new Cuen’Shaidar. Do you have what it takes?     See you all next month!

Welcome back to a special Halloween edition of "Fandom Flair." So many of my craft ideas can be applied to Halloween costumes, so it was difficult to pick one to highlight for the month. Since I've done a lot of sewing tutorials, I wanted to do a sew-free craft this time. Here are a couple of different ways you can incorporate Harry Potter, or Hogwarts Houses, into a simple Halloween costume!   Witch or Wizard Wand   For this project you need: Paint brushes (for the wand) Paint brushes (for painting) Oven baked modeling clay (I used the Sculpey III brand) An oven Paints in various shades   First select you wand. I did this project with my sister, Mavin. We had an assortment of brush sizes and we each picked different ones.     I chose a thicker one; Mavin picked a daintier one.     Starting with the bristles, cover the brush in a layer of clay. The bristles will be the wand's handle, so you may want to make that area thicker.   This is completely customizable! You can design your wand to fit your personality however you see fit.   For mine, I made the handle smooth and rounded. But for the top portion, I wanted it to mimic rough wood. Mavin, on the other hand, kept the brush free of clay on the top--giving her an incredibly smooth finish--and only used clay to sculpt the handle and a decorative swirl.     Any color of clay will work since you will be painting over it. We used white, but brown may have been the best choice since we painted them brown in the end.     Once finished, bake in the oven as the directions state. You want to make sure they're fulled baked before you paint them. Allow them to cool as well.   Again, with painting, you can customize! We had an assortment of browns, with white and black to lighten or dull the colors. I painted my handle a darker brown than I did for the rest of the wand.       I painted all I could while holding it, then allowed it to dry by placing the end in a Styrofoam holder.     Once that dried, I painted the rest. I added in darker veins along the length of the wand to give it a wood look.     Mavin's did the same, but also used the darker color on the decorative swirl!       They turned out amazing, and were very simple to make!   DIY Hogwarts Uniform   Another super easy way to do a costume is by buying iron on patches. You can find several patches at in-store locations, like Spirit, or even Hot Topic. I was able to get a Ravenclaw patch on Amazon in the book colors of bronze and blue.    From there, iron on the patch onto a cardigan, or a shirt, and you're all done! I bought a cardigan for $5 at Goodwill and it turned out great!     Pair it with a button-up shirt, a tie, and a skirt or slacks. Easy Hogwarts uniform!     This costume is so simple, and very kid friendly. I can wear it to the elementary school where I work with no problems!   Next time we'll stick with the no-sew theme and see a different way to design Wheel of Time inspired shoes!  Thanks for reading!