(Last updated: 3/8/21)
Hello friends! This is a thread that will be actively maintained by AGP staff and kept up to date with the latest happenings on the Forum so that members new and old will know what and where the most recent activity is with the narrative, as well as in some of the bigger categories, initiatives, and “evergreen” topics.
If you’re familiar with the community and just haven’t visited in a while, here’s a great thread to help you find your narrative bearings depending on when you were last here:
If you’re completely new to the community…
First and foremost, welcome!
The Welcome Super-Topic
If you’re a new recruit and you haven’t done so already, go introduce yourself here! And if you’re a seasoned Mountaineer, go introduce yourself to the newbies and offer them your sage counsel when needed.
The Question Super Topic:
Have questions? You’re definitely not the only one. Drop them here, or do a quick skim to see if someone has answered your question before! Also helpful for starting out: The Ackerly Green FAQ
The Narrative: (In-World)
Catching Up:
If you’ve just finished The Monarch Papers, the story picks up again with the Secret Society, and then continues in the Search for Magiq. All of the threads in both categories are numbered so you can read the events chronologically, and there should be an option to summarize the longer threads at the top of each topic.
From there, the Briarverse Recap threads pick up the story, beginning with Briarverse Recap 1, which covers all narrative happenings since the end of the Search for Magiq.
Where We Are Now (spoilers!):
Reader, the Mountaineers’ informant inside the Devoted during The Monarch Papers, recently posted to the forum for the first time in years. They claim to have gotten their hands on a copy of Fletcher Dawson’s The Forest of Darkening Glass, which contained a message for the 2021 Mountaineers in its foreword. They’ve since shared the first two pages from the book, but the Mounties have yet to crack the code.
The Briar Society is also currently debating the meaning of this message, but any relation to them, or The Book of Briars, is still unclear.
https://forum.thebriararchive.com/t/been-a-while-huh/5968
You can read all currently released parts of The Book of Briars by pre-ordering the book here:
The Book of Briars - Ackerly Green
Other In-World Topics (Relating to immersion and the Magiqverse)
The Guilds:
If you’re new and want to learn more about your guild and how immersion works, The Guilds category is a great place to start! Don’t be afraid to dig up old threads or make new ones, that’s what it’s here for! Here’s a fun thread about how you’ve seen your guild affinities manifest in your everyday life:
Guild Bearings:
We’ve discovered a new piece to the Guide to Magiq, an additional assessment that expands each guild further into three “bearings.” Visit here to learn how to discover your bearing and share with everyone else!
Magiqverse ‘Spellcasting’:
For those new to the Magiqverse or just to spellcasting within our in-world narrative, some of our veterans have broken down that tricky line between story and reality in a super helpful thread here:
Out of world (everything else!):
Book Shop News:
Here’s where you can find updates on all new products in the Ackerly Green Book Shop! Most recently, we launched a new line of AG Alchemy “Wheel of the Year” candles, beginning with the traditional celebration of spring: Imbolc.
Nepenthe 2021:
Nepenthe is our community’s way of focusing on giving back to one another and to communities outside of the Briarverse, a charitable initiative which we’ve combined the past couple of years with our ‘New Year’s Revolutions’!
This year, our support pods are: Creativity, Productivity, and Self-Care. Come check in and share your goals and how you’re working towards them!
The Neithernor Tabletop RPG:
Coming up this spring of 2021 is the Neithernor Tabletop RPG, an RPG based entirely in the world of the Briarverse that you can play at home! Through the link below, you can find all of the blog posts related to the development and different aspects of the NNRPG, most recently being the reveal of each guild’s archetypes and skills and a discussion of spellcasting and covens.
https://forum.thebriararchive.com/tag/nnrpg
Tarot of 2021:
A place for you to share and improve on your tarot practice throughout the year.
Basecamp Brags:
A new space to recognize Mountaineers doing awesome things in our community! This space will be updated each week with a new brag, and each recipient receives a special forum badge!
Food, Drinks, and Cooking:
Share your concoctions, or things that others have concocted for you!
https://forum.thebriararchive.com/t/all-about-food-drinks-and-cooking/3361/370
The (Basically Official) Briarverse Cookbook:
Related to Food, Drinks, and Cooking, this is a collection of community-sourced recipes inspired by characters and events from the Briarverse! The forum thread is below, and you can also view a Google Doc version of the Cookbook here.
https://forum.thebriararchive.com/t/the-basically-official-briarverse-cookbook/5759/31
Out-of-Magiqverse Familiars: PETS!!!
Because who doesn’t need a good thread of sweet, sweet animals?? Note: there is mention of pets who have passed, and photos of the less cuddly but no less loved spiders and crawlies.
Currently Reading:
An ongoing topic where you can share what you’re reading now and related thoughts!
The Gaming Mounties:
To chat about your favorite games and share some of your best adventures!
https://forum.thebriararchive.com/t/the-gaming-mounties/3176/477
The Court of Grandmothers Crafting Thread:
To share your favorite and current projects, get inspiration, and advice! This thread specializes in hook and needlecrafts.
https://forum.thebriararchive.com/t/the-court-of-grandmothers-hook-needle-crafts-all-sorts/4116/276
Pro tip: if you only want to see the most recent threads, there is also a “Latest” button on the top of the Forum home page, directly to the right of the “Categories” button.