June 28th, 2016

[Atravidua]

 

 

The Best Guild

[Sol] is a family and as such we do are best to build an active community.  We love to see members getting involved with guild events and helping others with questions and activities in game.  We also love to give back to the community by helping to sponsor a number of different charities.  The most recent being our 50/50 raffle which was a huge success.  We were able to raise over 1,100g, half of which is going to Pink Day in October.  Thank you to Lyra for heading up this amazing raffle and to all the awesome guildies who contributed to this great charity.

We'd like to give a shout out to all the people who contributed to the guild bank this month.  They are: Mistress, Sweets, Charred, Ebony, Hok, Buck, Danny, Russell, Atra, Boreas, Angel, and Ashara.  If I missed anyone I do apologize, it was not intentional.  We'd also like to make you aware of a new boost available at the tavern in our guild hall.  This is a WvW rewards track boost.  It differs from the WXP boost in that it specifically speeds up your rewards track only, not your overall WXP and leveling.  This was released with a new patch and we finished the requirements on the same day.  Yay!  So thank you to the guildies that helped make that happen as well.

As an active guild, we try our best to build a community where members can not only have fun in game, but have a desire to participate by creating a fun community with events that everyone can enjoy.  It's so great to see the number of members participating in these events rise everyday.  Thank you all for helping us make this wonderful community that we call [Sol].

~Everskye

 

Looking Toward Pink Day

We know what you’re thinking... Pink Day is so far away, why are we talking about this now? Let us tell you why!

Pink Day this year will be on October 22nd.  In the past, Sol members have come together to donate four legendaries!  And we didn’t even prepare for that!  We just said that we wanted to make one of the legendary greatswords, going for Sunrise, and if we had enough materials, then we would go for Twilight as well.  Turns out we did make both greatswords!  Then Aeybon donated the shield, Flameseeker Prophecies, and then Ed offered to make The Moot if we could donate all the materials, which we did! So, if we can do all of that without any planning, imagine what we could do if we started making and donating legendaries now! At Toga Party this year, another guild called us out.  A guild native to Darkhaven said that they will donate five Eternities to Pink Day!  We can’t have that!  We will not be outdone, especially with the coordinators of the event all in Sol.  (This guild also said that they would donate one of each of the other legendary weapons as well, but we’ll see about that!)

How can you help the guild with kicking this other guild’s butt... I mean help out for Pink Day? Volunteer!  Volunteer meetings will be starting sometime in August.  Volunteers are needed to help spread the word throughout GW2, social media and forum posts.  Also, judges are needed during the actual event for the mini-games and costume contests that will occur throughout the day! Donate!  You can donate real world money to the event.  (More information to come.)  100% of your monetary donation goes to the Canadian Cancer Society, which immediately goes to finding a cure and assisting those currently battling cancer.  You can also donate in game!  We are collecting all tier 6 materials to help build some legendary weapons to be given away as prizes to some lucky people.  Also, if you have stuff that you can donate for real world prizes (last year, Angel crocheted a pink quaggan for one lucky winner!) contact anyone on the Gamers Giving Back staff (including Barbie, Angel, Atra and Nick) to let us know! There is currently a poll up on our website to see which legendary weapon(s) you, the guild, want us to make for Pink Day!  Choose your favorite two and the top few will definitely be made by the guild. Follow @PinkDayinLA and @gamergivingback on Twitter and Facebook.  Retweet and share every time you see a post to help spread the word.  Remember that this isn’t just a Guild Wars event.  Other games will now be hosting this event and donations can come from anywhere.

Pink Day 2015

Last year, we raised over $19,000 CND to help fund cancer research!  For a small gaming community, that’s a heck of a lot of money! Cancer is one of those things that touches all of us almost.  We all know someone that has been diagnosed with one type of cancer or another.  Some guild members have either been diagnosed or had scares, but with your help, we can make a difference.  We can help fund the cure.

Pink Day 2015 was the first year that we moved away from Susan G. Koman.  They’ve come under fire for the past few years with their “raising awareness” techniques and lawsuits and a bunch of other stuff that no longer matters for us.  Instead, we moved to the Canadian Cancer Society, as the donations are 100% used for finding a cure and helping those with cancer now. How do we help those currently battling cancer?

This happens in many ways: Travel - Travelling back and forth to doctor appointments and treatment is a real pain, even when you don’t have cancer.  Now imagine not being able to move without being sick.  Do you think you could drive during that?  Nope, didn’t think so.  Some of the funds help find people willing to drive cancer patients to and from their appointments. Treatment and testing costs - Being sick is no joke to your finances.  In the U.S. having cancer caused Walter White to start making meth in an RV to cover the costs.  Now, that was a TV show, but it’s still true.  The costs are astronomical, even in countries that have a unified healthcare system (like Canada).  There are still copays for treatments and tests that not everyone can afford. In home care - Some people are too sick to even leave their homes.  The Canadian Cancer Society helps send doctors and nurses to patients at their homes, so they can receive the care and treatment that they need. Talking to someone else that’s been there - No two cases are ever the same, but talking to someone that’s been where you have and beat cancer’s butt is uplifting.  Finding someone to talk to on your own can be... disheartening.  The Canadian Cancer Society helps people find someone to talk to, so that they never give up hope of finding a cure, or winning the fight against cancer.

For more information, please visit cancer.ca. Also, check out gamergivingback.com for more info about Pink Day, Toga Party, and other events throughout the gaming community.

~Angel & Atra

 

[Sol] Wants YOU to command		Edge of Destiny: Fact or Fiction?
WvW is fun.  We all know this.  Our guild runs are generally a good time for all involved.  Well, aside from maybe our enemies, but anyone can appreciate a good fight no matter what side you're on, right? At this point, we only have two official commanders in the guild: Insane and Ashara.  They both love commanding, but being the only ones responsible for making sure WvW events happen can be stressful.  So we'd like to ask all of you interested in commanding to step up!  Insane and Ashara are more than willing to help anyone learn how to command for the guild.  There is no rank requirement to learn commanding!		We have all heard the stories of the fabled Destiny’s Edge.  We have listened on the edge of our seats as storytellers spun tales of great victories and sorrowful defeats.  But I ask you, where does the truth start and the fiction end?  Are we to believe all these wondrous stories without proof?  These are the questions I pose to you, but let us look first at this story from a perspective of critique.
But Atra, leading the guild is a bit intimidating, what if they don't want to follow me?  I've commanded for the guild a couple times and basically panicked in TS when we would enter a zerg fight.  Angel's led the zerg off cliffs and then proceed to map comp.  If you're scared of the guild's acceptance, then you're severely underestimating the patience and kindness of your guildmates.  They would sooner laugh with you over mistakes than berate you.		As we first join our heroes they have not yet become Destiny’s Edge.  They are a simply a norn huntress and artist named Eir.  A human scout named Logan. An asuran genius named Snaff and his apprentice, Zojja.  Rytlock, a charr warrior outcast, and Caithe, a sylvari whose very existence is clouded in mystery.  As fate and the gods intervened, the paths of these unlikely heroes crossed and forever changed their destinies.
What about people outside the guild?  Map chat can be really mean.  Well, you've got me there.  There will always be mean, negative people ready to criticize anything.  I'd recommend asking to start learning by leading in EOTM.  The map chat there is pretty relaxed and fairly casual.  Then, once you feel more comfortable leading people, you can brave the waters of the main WvW maps.  Meanies will still probably rear their ugly heads, but the block button is your friend.  Negative Nancies aren't worth your time, and you have your guild there to back you up.  Throw those butts onto your block list and lets keep having fun!		The year is 1319 AE, and all of Tyria is in a state of unrest as stories flow from the mountains of the Northern Shiverpeaks to the swamps of Metrica Province.  Talk of the dead rising, talk of champions stirring, talk of dragons awakening.  Our heroes come together through humorous encounters and a gruesome fights.  Through ogre battles and gladiator trials.  Experimentation and magic through genius and ingenuity.  Great golems powered by asuran minds, magic portals, and dragon allies.  These are but a glimpse of the fantastic ordeals our heroes endured for their quest to victory against the elder dragons. How did they meet?  What kept the bonds between these unlikeliest of heroes?  How did they defeat the elder dragon champions?  And what was the sorrowful end that finally broke the greatest team of heroes that Tyria has ever seen?  If these are the questions that keep you up at night, as they did me, then there is only one solution.  Read the story for yourself.
For anyone interested in serious commanding, I'd point you in the direction of Insane, especially if you know WvW well from a zerging standpoint.  Those of you interested in more laid back commanding, or if you're completely new to the idea, should seek out Ashara.  Be sure to send them a mail rather than a whisper.		~Olyvir Skye, Investigative Journalist
I'm looking forward to seeing some new names under that dorito! ~Atra		Note from the Author:  I feel there is more here.  Something is happening in Tyria and my current research has opened my eyes to possibilities beyond my imagination.  The people have a right to know if danger is looming on the precipice and I intend to bring it to light.  To be continued...

 

Snow Is In The Air?

There are six months until the Wintersday Event in Guild Wars 2, and you know what that means!  Maybe.  Do you? It means it’s time for [Sol]’s Annual X-mas in July: Secret Santa! What is Secret Santa?

Well, Secret Santa is a secret gift exchange that the Officers and Colonels put together. Here’s how it works: Check out this link to see the tiers and tier managers, as well as the rules for the event. Decide on a tier, or multiple tiers, that you want to sign up for. Mail the tier manager in-game with your account name and the tier you are signing up for no later than July 2nd! (Some of the managers are managing multiple tiers.) On July 5th, you will be mailed the account name of the person you will be gifting to. Spend some time farming for an awesome gift for that person! Send your gift(s) to your tier manager no later than July 23rd. On July 30th, your gifts will be sent to your giftee, and you will be sent some often gifts as well!

Remember that this is supposed to be SECRET Santa, so don’t tell others what tiers you’ve signed up for or who you are Secret Santa to.  Part of the fun is trying to figure it out after receiving your gifts! You will also be able to send personalized messages to your giftee(s) that may contain helpful clues as to who you are! Once you’ve signed up, check out the Wishlist thread here (yours truly has already wishlisted like a boss…as always) to see what everyone else is asking for and to post your own wishlist!  Once you’re assigned a name (or names), you can check to see if they have submitted a wishlist.

If you have any questions, you can contact your tier manager, or any of the officers or colonels for more information! HAPPY GIFTING!

~Angel