Lyvyndyr el ra Darkmoon
Contents
Duchess Sir Master Lyvyndyr el ra Darkmoon, of Dragonspine
”If I'd know someone like you would play Druid, I would have never wrote the damn Class.” - Sir Naes to Lyvyndyr
Regent, not Consort.
Biography
Lyvyndyr started playing in Dragonspine in the early 1990s. On her first day, she mistakenly signed in as 'Lady', not knowing any better. After being chastised somewhat forcefully by a few older players for her faux paus, she participated in a Quest and battlegame, finally deciding to give it a chance. She was first commonly known for wearing a purple spandex bodysuit. In years later, she would be recognized by her trademark purple cap. She served as Dragonspine's Regent twice, both times with Phocion as King and Tristan as Champion. She was knighted Flame in 1999 by Feral Lynn.
In 2000-2001, a schism occured in Dragonspine that caused many older, experienced players to leave Amtgard completely. Accusations, rumors and insults cut deeply, with no solid explaination or basis for the situation ever given. Hurt, frustrated and unable to understand how her chosen family and friends could behave this way (and wondering what she did to deserve the insults and shunning), she put off her belt, withdrew and eventually walked away from the people and park she called Home. "Us. V. Them" becoming a phrase and the passing out of buttons at a feast upon entry to both groups by an Us-affiliated member was the obvious catalyst for the Exodus of many people, Lyvyndyr only one of many. Over the years in and out of game, Lyvyndyr had seen many people make grevious mistakes or willfull transgressions of immoral or even illegal fashion (such as fistfighting, adultery, stealing from the club, etc.) and seen it be overlooked, excused or forgiven....yet it seemed the Exodus were seen and treated as worse than any of those. Many people from the Us side left the club afterward but the damage was done and other Us's still remained.
Taking what she'd learned from running events and getting donations, Lyv started volunteering for non-profits and charitiable organizations by running events. She thought about Amtgard frequently, missing the good times and aching over the bad. Recently, she discovered that the Us still remaining didn't remember why the schism started. Whatever it was that was such a big deal then, whatever the group of Them did, whatever was major enough to cause such deplorable treatment, rude words and open insult, it simply wasn't important enough to recall. Many of them probably got what they wanted once Them was gone so the reason for it to start was unimportant. It was the same type of situation that happens all over Amtgard and had happened in Dragonspine before. It will no doubt happen again and again all over with different people, in different lands over different things. Amtgard to many people is or was more than just foam and funny clothes, it was a place to be accepted and find friends that oddball kids needed. The "politics" and "power" of it all are as imaginary as the spells and deaths. For people who place the fantasy of awards, titles and sub-culture prestige above the reality of friendship, feelings and fun, there will always be Amtgard. They won't leave and it will be almost impossible to make them change. They are always right and always important and will always have an excuse or blind eye for their own behavior. Too many parks have members who intentionally hurt others, steal from the club, lie or engage in questionable behavior, and since Amtgard is either all they have or since they just don't care what the other players think, eventually most people will put up with it though some won't. The second group will always get frustrated with the apathetic attitudes toward the bad apple, eventually leaving or forced to leave unwillingly. Unlike other people in the Exodus, Lyvyndyr was neither a great fighter, a famous founder, a charming politician, a strong figure or an amazing artisan, thereby leaving nothing outstanding in the general Amtgard psyche. She has generally been forgotten by Amtgard as a whole.
Also known as Lyv or Lyvy, especially online.
Affiliated Groups
Belted Family
Former squire to Sir Jetara, who was Squire to Greywalker who was Squire to Andralaine, who was squire to Deth the Direhearted who was squire to Gilos Dawnhope, who was squire to Tawnee Darkfalcon. Lyvyndyr dropped Jetara's belt years before she was Knighted, but the two remained close and she turned down all offers from other Knights. When she was Knighted, her friend Tilion made her Belt.
- As a sidenote, Feral Lynn notes that knighting Lyvyndyr was the worst mistake he ever made.
Notable Accomplishments
- Knight of the Flame 1999, though this was challenged and regretted by several DS knights.
- Duchess Awarded after second reign as Regent, only Duke/Duchess at the time to become so without having been King/Queen.
- Countess Awarded after first reign as Regent.
- Lady Awarded after Duchess. Randall gave her the title of Lady as an inside joke. On her first day, she had signed in as Lady and was chastised for it by older players.
- Master Druid
- Master Rose
- Commonly associated with Phocion and Tristan, who were King and Champion respectively while she was Regent. The three of them had two reigns together, Summer Reigns of 1996 and 1997. People often said that if Phocion was the 'face of Dragonspine', Lyvyndyr was the 'heart'. The old 'carrot and the stick' analogy also springs to mind.
- Years after their reigns, Phocion stated that he was able to travel extensively in large part due to the trust he had in Lyvyndyr being able to handle the responsibility of leading DS in his and Tristan's absence.
- Never known for fighting skills even though her own Knight for a time was a Sword Knight (Jetara), and several of her Squire-brothers received Sword Belts (notably Phocion, Stefan), but was recognized by many as one of the best Druids ever to play the game, playing the Class to be a combat participant instead of strictly a magic user.
- Participated in women-only tourneys and games for her first few years, finally stopping after seeing the strife and arguments it caused when winners or participants in the Women's Tourneys tried to receive awards or wins to carry over into their land's events or records. Having a no-award, fun-only 'tourney' for women only, or people under 21, or only people over 6 feet tall is not a problem if nothing is awarded or gained. It becomes a problem when people want or demand recognition for anything from a non-sanctioned, exclusionary, optional event. Amtgard was not supposed to be segregated. A men's-only tournament would have been loudly protested and closed, non-sanctioned games should not be used to circumvent standards.
- Invented safe, usable equipment for Jugging: actual padded, rebounding spikes and skull designs still used today. Cheshire, author of the first Amtgard Rules for Jugging and also a Golden Lion, lived next door to her at the time and was one of the first people to help test the new equipment.
- Assisted in Rulebook and Corpora re-writes and clarifications, some of which still exist today.
- Her Events, Feasts, Demonstrations and general mediation/organizing skills are usually what people remember about her.
- She did not like or accept 'AST' (Amtgard Standard Time) and instead ran on-time.
- Refused to accept any Service orders (Rose, Lion, Flame) after recieving her Flame belt. As a Flame Knight, it was her responsibility, honor and duty to serve. Knighthood is the highest honor given, and she believed that any orders on the same path would have been superfluous. While she never asked or encouraged other knights to turn down awards from their own path, she was accused of hubris and making knights who accepted orders 'look bad or greedy'.
- Would have also turned down any additional belts, as she was strongly supportive of a One Belt system, with Masterhoods being the award given for further, future accomplishments by knights. This was based on the attempt to make a 'middle class' of players by Phocion and others in the mid-to-late 90s, and also because she saw too many knights pushing for and focusing on stacking belts for themselves instead of focusing on non-knighted players.
- Frequently butted heads with people on the responsibilities and duties of knights. Saw knighthood as a 'shingle' to designate players as those who had skills, knowledge or experience in a certain area, were willing to share it by mentoring anyone who asked and as people entrusted with the future of the game as whole. Knights should guarantee that their land never lacks for volunteers, whether it be as Reeves, Servers, Judges, etc. "Knighthood is an honor, not a reward."
- Her birthday parties were listed as Events on the Amtgard Calendar and highly attended. At one, the apartment was declared a land by BL as a joke, a sign-in was passed around, and another joke told that night turned into a problem when people thought Rabbit had actually been knighted at the party.
- Mentioned in the song 'We Didn't Make Up Amtgard' by Randall.
- Inactive since late 2001/early 2002, when she got tired of games, "power" struggles, 'Us V. Them' division and rumor-mongering brought on by splits and factioning.
- Recent appearance: Attended the wedding of Dru-Kara and Shadow at Harvest War 2011
