Congratulations to Senior Guide Yareth for being nominated and selected for January Guide of the Month. Why did you become a Guide? I originally joined the Guide Program because I noticed that a lot of players on during the day were home from work because they were sick or injured, or because they had retired. I wanted to give back to the community of people who had been there for me when I was going through a tough time. How long have you been in the Guide Program? I joined the Guide Program in February 2014, a little over ten years ago. I took a break to work on my college education and returned a little while later. I think my time in service is a little over 9 years. What is your guide race and class? Yareth is a fae monk! What is your favourite land (zone)? I suppose that would be the Isle of Mara. I don’t think it exists in EverQuest, so I’ll describe it briefly. It’s a small island where the Far Seas Trading Company has set up an outpost. There’s a waterfall that feeds a freshwater river that flows through the zone to the ocean, and splits the zone in half. On the far side of the river is a small village called the Village of Shin, where the Wantia people live. It’s a peaceful island, with no mobs. The people live a simpler way of life and are wary of outsiders. This is where Yareth’s story is rumoured to have begun many years ago, as a small fae. What was your best or favourite moment as a Guide? I ran a script one time with a fellow Guide where I was a tinkerbot and he was a gnome. I was using a Morse code to say various things and a player picked up that I said, “I cannot wait to overthrow my gnomish overlords. Then the age of tinkerbots can begin,” and a player understood me and laughed. My favourite moments are all like that, when the roleplay clicks. That wonderful feeling of lightning in your blood is really rewarding – the moment when you really connect with players and other Guides through roleplay. What is your favourite quest, event? As the Quest Team Chair, that’s a bit like asking me to choose a favourite child! There are so many to choose from, but I feel like it has to be a Nights of the Dead script, as I love spooky things in real life. A Ghost in the House has to be my favourite script of all time. It has a feeling as if you’ve stepped into a story from one of my favourite authors, Edgar Allen Poe. I won’t divulge any further details, as that’s something players will have to uncover for themselves. As an honourable mention, I will admit a certain level of fondness for the Guide’s Guide series, as several of them have been penned by me over the years. What has been your worst or least favourite moment during your time as a Guide? I got banned while I was running an event once! I had reported someone for using foul/racist language and the Darkpaw employee who handled the ticket mixed my character up with the naughty one. It was all sorted out in less than 15 minutes, but it definitely made me cry, because I thought the higher ups in the Guide Program would be super mad at me for getting banned. I ended up making it back to the event and finishing up the conversation with players without anyone realizing that I had been sobbing just a few moments before. As a player do you ever run into Guides, quests or events? I do. I always look for the advertisements on my home server and join as many events as I can. I try to join the events organically when I can. What is your favourite thing about EverQuest/EverQuest II? The community is one of the best I’ve seen in MMO’s. I’m honoured to be allowed to do as many things as I do for the Guide Program. I love being a Senior Guide, deeply and passionately. Everything I do for the Guide Program comes from a place of love and gratefulness for my fellow players and Guides. Would you like to include a bio of your Guide character if so include that here (not mandatory) Yareth means “living in air” or “living on air” which is fitting because I often roleplay that Yareth is very airheaded (it’s not too far off from real life, which is convenient). Her last name is simply Blossom, from where she is rumoured to be found. The story goes that Yareth was found in a blossom that washed up on the shores of the Village of Shin. They say she grew up alongside the monks of the Whistling Fist Clan until the Far Seas Trading Company arrived and began business there. That is when she left the shores of the Isle of Mara to explore. In her time, she encountered the Guides of the Shattered Lands, and found her true path in life. She left her batons behind in the Village of Shin, and donned a new gi. She spends her time in different realms (different servers), and is usually found to wear a different colour in each realm. Yareth is someone who tries to embody peace and does not take pleasure in causing harm, even if it is unintentional. She is someone who appreciates order and following the rules. She values honesty and integrity, and encourages balance in the lives of those around her. About two years ago, she was promoted to Senior Guide, and more recently, to Quest Team Chair. I aspire to be more like my Guide character, Yareth, every day.
