DRAGONMOUNT

Sorry for the absence, guys, but we're back! Hopefully.   One thing I have always wondered about but never really did much research on was Wheel of Time games. So, this week, I snooped around the Internet (as per usual) and found quite a few interesting things. There is of course the first-person shooter video game, which was released in 1999 by Legend Entertainment. In this game, you play an Aes Sedai by the name of Elayna who is also the Keeper of the Chronicles. As I mentioned before, it is a first-person shooter, but rather than having weapons like guns and swords, the character is armed with ter'angreal that have different abilities such as an offensive action or healing. The storyline is not like the books at all, but rather Elayna Sedai chases after Darkfriends and protects the seals on the prison of the Dark One.   A site that caught my eye was the Wheel of Time MUD (Multi User Dungeon). It seems to me that joining in on this MUD game could involve a lot of fun in a Wheel of Time themed virtual world. It is possible to create your very own character and choose where they are from, what sex they are, and whether they're a Hunter, Rogue, Channeler, or Noble. I've only just started finding my way in the game, but it shows promise. There are various other MUD games that you could also try, including Age of Chaos and The Great Hunt.   Red Eagle and Obsidian are said to be working on a new adaptation of a Wheel of Time game, although the only information that I could find on a release date is said to be at the end of this year, at the earliest estimate.   Other than those games, there's always the Role-playing forums that can enable you to dive into the world Robert Jordan created. Our very own Role-playing groups come highly recommended. Have a look and see if any games catch your fancy!

For the first time since their original publication, the first three Wheel of Time novels will be published with new artwork on the covers.   Tor Books announced today via Tor.com that The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, and The Dragon Reborn will be re-released in trade paperback form with new cover designs.   From Tor.com:   The new editions will be released this summer, beginning with The Eye of the World in May, followed by The Great Hunt and The Dragon Reborn in June and July, respectively.   Each cover features artwork originally introduced for the eBook editions. Check our eBook Gallery for the complete set of covers.   So, what do you think? Will you pick up these fresh copies for your latest re-read? They make great gifts for friends who would appreciate a good story and compelling modern book covers. src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_166/gallery_2_166_61535.jpeg' alt='The Eye of the World' />   src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_166/gallery_2_166_1415.jpeg' alt='The Great Hunt' />   src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_166/gallery_2_166_9742.jpeg' alt='The Dragon Reborn' />

I am pleased to announce a brand new shirt from Ta'veren Tees. This one looks like it is extra special. Take a look at the press release:     If you've been around our boards recently, you may recognize some of Seamas' handiwork in the art from our cage matches.

Greetings, loyal readers! I hope you all have been taking part in our Wheel of Time cage matches. If you haven't, you've been missing out on all the fun!   Of course, that's not the only thing happening on our vast website. If the gory deaths from the cage matches have you wondering about the concepts of rebirth and the afterlife in the Wheel of Time, take a look at this thread in our General Wheel of Time Discussion forum. I bet you'll learn something interesting there.   It's time to play Tune or No Tune with the Band of the Red Hand Social Group! The game is simple: vote "tune" if you enjoy the featured song and "no tune" if you dislike it.   The Kin Social Group would like to know what your hobbies are. Come share what you like and get ideas for new things to try.   Some strange things are happening to two Asha'man in the role play Riding the Waves of Time. See if you can separate dreams from reality.   If you were at Chattacon this weekend, drop by our Twitter account and tell us what you did.   That's it for this week!

Welcome to Week 2 of our Wheel of Time Cage Matches!   For those of you who are dying to know who the winners were for last week, here they are:   1.) Moiraine vs. Nynaeve (Winner = Nynaeve) 2.) Cadsuane vs. Lanfear (Winner = Lanfear) 3.) Logain vs. Taim (Winner = Logain) 4.) Moridin vs. Aviendha (Winner = Moridin)   This week, we are featuring fighters from our non-channeler bracket:   1.) Birgitte vs. Min 2.) Lan vs. Thom 3.) Padan Fain vs. Shaidar Haran 4.) Selucia vs. Mat   Please head to this forum in order to participate. You will need to register for our forums in order to post and vote. Votes posted in the comments section of the front page or anywhere other than the appointed thread polls will not count! Also, please read this before posting in the other threads. That thread has a lot of information in it, including our tournament schedule.   Who will win? Who will bite the dust? You decide!

As I mentioned in yesterday's article, our Wheel of Time cage matches have begun! Stop by this shiny new Cage Match forum and read this thread first to participate. You will need to be a registered member of the forums in order to vote and comment on the fights. We are extremely excited about this and hope you get as pumped up about the matches as we are!   Moving on to our regular forums, I see that the discussion of the upcoming movie The Hobbit is still going strong in our Movies and Games Discussion forum. Do you think this movie will live up to the hype?   Are you the sort of writer who can't get your creative juices flowing without listening to mood-appropriate music? If so, let the Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild know about the music you listen to while writing.   Hey, world travelers! If you've visited captivating places and want to share your photos with our community, the Aiel Social Group has just the thread for you.   It's that time again! The Black Tower Social Group is taking submissions for its January Shockwave Competition. You have until January 24th to submit your game.   The bonded pair Elessar and Carys begin their third adventure in the role play An Echo of a Windfinder's Call. These two are good writers, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this new tale unfolds.   If stalking us on the forums isn't enough for you, we can also be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.   Have fun this week, and be sure to check the cage matches!

The Wheel of Time cage matches I first mentioned in last week's roundup have begun!   Some of you are familiar with the popular Suvudu cage matches, which pit famous sci fi and fantasy characters against each other in bracketed tournaments. Our matches will be similar to Suvudu's, but they will be with Wheel of Time characters only.   Your hardworking Admins and DM Staff have chosen sixteen Wheel of Time characters (eight channelers and eight non-channelers) to fight each other in a bracketed tournament. We've got a bracket for the channelers and a bracket for the non-channelers. Each cage match includes impressive art and a write-up of how we think the fight might go. The actual results are determined via polls, in which registered members can vote.   Please head to this forum in order to participate. You will need to register for our forums in order to post and vote. Also, please read this before posting in the other threads. That thread has a lot of information in it, including our tournament schedule.   Every Sunday for the duration of the tournament, I will report the ongoing matches for the week and the winners from previous matches. Here are our fights for this week:   1.) Moiraine vs. Nynaeve 2.) Cadsuane vs. Lanfear 3.) Logain vs. Taim 4.) Moridin vs. Aviendha   Who will win? Who will die in shame? You decide!

Long time fans of Dragonmount might recall that way back in 1998, we had a monthly email newsletter with all the latest news and events in the Wheel of Time community. With the publication of A Memory of Light this year, it seems like a good idea to revive this and use it to keep everyone abreast of the latest from Team Jordan. We'll also use this newsletter to highlight our vibrant forum community, news from Dragon*Con, JordanCon, WorldCon and other conventions, as well as highlights from other Wheel of Time communities.   Interested in receiving this newsletter? It's simple. Just register an account on our site and make sure that you have "receive email from the site" enabled. Also, double check your spam filters and make sure you whitelist "truesource@dragonmount.com", the address the newsletter will come from.

Before I clue you in to this week's news, I want to give you an early heads up about something exciting we have planned for next week. Some of you may be familiar with the Suvudu cage matches, which pit popular characters from sci fi and fantasy against each other. Starting next week, we'll be hosting our own version of the cage matches right here on Dragonmount, featuring only Wheel of Time characters. I will alert you once we've started and will point you in the right direction in next week's roundup.   Now, without further ado, I bring you this week's highlights...   If you aren't afraid of long threads and enjoy waxing philosophical about Mazrim Taim, we have just the thread for you in our Structured Wheel of Time Discussion forum. Make sure you read the rules of this forum before you post.   Now that 2011 is over, look back on the television shows you've seen and tell us what you think were the best and worst shows of the year. I'm sure the people in the TV Show & Sports Discussion forum are eager to hear your opinions.   The Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild is starting off the new year with a new Challenge theme: Alpha and Omega. All are welcome to participate.   The Band of the Red Hand Social Group is kicking off 2012 with a battle between the top singles from the past year in their It's a Knockout game. It's easy to play--just vote for your favorite song for each round!   Our role players have devised an intriguing story in which an Aiel is training to become an Asha'man. If you're wondering how that unusual situation might look, head over and read Clothing 101.   Our Twitter account is buzzing with talk of Wheel of Time tattoos. Are any of you thinking of getting a new Wheel of Time tattoo? Do any of you already have some you'd like to show us?   Farewell for now. Be sure to stop by next week for the epic cage matches!

Amazing, isn't it? We have already arrived in 2012. Soon the world shall end, be it by that whole Mayan calendar theory or the fact that The Wheel of Time is finally coming to a close. Personally, I often live under a rock when it comes to Wheel of Time news, so I have compiled a list of major Wheel of Time occurrences from 2011 for you.   January 18th: New Spring: The Graphic Novel was released.   March 15th: We announce that Ta'veren Tees is open for business.   April 15th-17th: The third annual JordanCon was held.   September 13th: The first volume of The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel was released.   September 15th: L.E. Modesitt, Jr. came by for a visit.   September 19th: Dragonmount.com turned 13! Oh dear, it's the teenage years.   October 2nd: JordanCon hosted a fundraiser by holding a drawing and auctioning off the opportunity to have your name in A Memory of Light.   October 11th: Orbit launched their A Memory of Light video!   November 8th: Brandon Sanderson hosted another Great Hunt to reveal clues of what's going to be happening in A Memory of Light.   December 7th: We were hit with the sad passing of Darrell K. Sweet. He will be missed.   December 21st: The first A Memory of Light draft was completed!! We're nearly there, guys!   It seems 2011 has been quite the year for Dragonmount.com and The Wheel of Time, although the single most important event probably was that of the first draft of the final book being completed. People must be jumping out of their skins in excitement!   May 2012 prove just as exciting for all of us.