Merry Midwinter! My name is Lysa Chen, and I have received the greatest Midwinter gift of all; beginning on January 1, 2018, I will join the Adventurers League admin team as the new Associate Community Manager as our dear Alan Patrick rises to grand community poobah, a position I believe comes with a +1 scepter.

Some of you might know me as an Adventurers League organizer in New Jersey, as a D&D writer who contributed to Season 7, or as one of the Dungeon Masters Guild Adepts, whose credits include getting the words “THE ROOOM IS FILLLING WITH LAAVAAAA!!!1!” into an AL-legal module (Ruins of Hisari). But only 14 months ago, I was timidly starting up a little two-table Adventurers League night at my friendly local game store and dungeon mastering for the first time. A year of enthusiasm, luck, and so much love for this game and organized play, which I’ve seen change people’s lives, including my own… and here I am. (I chatted more about this on Dragon Talk.)

I wanted to take a moment to share with everyone what “community” means to me. Although my love of paperwork and delicious, delicious certs is strong, it was the sense of community I felt in the Adventurers League that hooked me. My favorite part of the AL is that my characters travel with me. When I bump into the same adventurers at different conventions, I am building friendships in game and in real life, and the stories and shared experiences I take away from each event are something I will always hold dear. It is my deepest wish to help create this feeling for others. Here are a few ways how:

Shared Experiences. I hope to facilitate more shared experiences for the Adventurers League as a whole, not just for individual tables. The Adventurers League is like the MMORPG of tabletop, a MMTTRPG if you will. I’d like to explore these similarities and apply how MMOs build shared experiences for their gaming communities. For example, my ideas for the Midwinter Festival were very inspired by MMO holidays.

I hope to facilitate more shared experiences for the Adventurers League as a whole, not just for individual tables. The Adventurers League is like the MMORPG of tabletop, a MMTTRPG if you will. I’d like to explore these similarities and apply how MMOs build shared experiences for their gaming communities. For example, my ideas for the Midwinter Festival were very inspired by MMO holidays. Community Content. The Adventurers League is special to me because of the individuals I’m lucky to have met through games and events. I’d like to spotlight YOU more in the content we create. For example, the photos you all submitted through the Midwinter “Photo Booth” show gamers of all ages, all levels of experience, all over the world, from the United States to Denmark, Russia, the Philippines, and beyond. I can’t wait for you to see the faces of our community!

The Adventurers League is special to me because of the individuals I’m lucky to have met through games and events. I’d like to spotlight YOU more in the content we create. For example, the photos you all submitted through the Midwinter “Photo Booth” show gamers of all ages, all levels of experience, all over the world, from the United States to Denmark, Russia, the Philippines, and beyond. I can’t wait for you to see the faces of our community! Support Tools. Chatting with other Adventurers League Dungeon Masters and organizers is one of my favorite conversations to have. Everyone has their own tips and ways of doing things. I’d love to facilitate sharing these and building tools that support your local communities as well.

Learn more about me on my website (lysachen.com) and ping me on Twitter @mercyfuldm. I’d love to hear stories about what the AL means to you and what ideas you have to make the community even better. In the meantime, my cousin Fai Chen gave me all these free tickets for Midwinter Festival commemorative mugs. Line up single file, and come ‘n’ get ’em!

Get Your Midwinter Mug!