At last week’s meeting, the guild was polled about new options for the General Evaluator title. By an overwhelming margin, guild members chose to refer to this standard Toastmasters role as “Captain of the Watch.” Accordingly, Speech Evaluators will be referred to as “Watchmen,” making our list of customized roles as follows:

• Toastmaster: unmodified
• Ah Counter: Wizard of Ahs
• Grammarian: Cleric of Rhetoric
• Timer: Sorcerer of Time
• Scribe: custom role
• Topics Master: unmodified
• Speaker: unmodified
• General Evaluator: Captain of the Watch
• Speech Evaluator: Watchman

Of course, members are always free to modify the title of their meeting role on an individual basis, if doing so is part of a roleplayed version they would like to perform for that evening.

Meeting Role: Watchman
Education Quest

10 XP

Meeting Role: Captain of the Watch
Education Quest

10 XP

In an effort to provide better balance for this year’s TTRPG campaign, Warrens of the Harengon, the experience points granted by several educational achievements have been adjusted. Anyone having earned one or more of these achievements may see their character level impacted as a result of this change.

The following Education achievements have been impacted by this change:

Complete a level 1 Pathways award
Education Quest

25 XP

Complete a level 2 Pathways award
Education Quest

25 XP

Complete a level 3 Pathways award
Education Quest

30 XP

Complete a level 4 Pathways award
Education Quest

50 XP

Complete a level 5 Pathways award
Education Quest

50 XP

Earn a Triple Crown award
Education Quest

25 XP

Earn a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award
Education Quest

100 XP

Additionally, the leveling curve has been adjusted as follows:

1. 0 XP
2. 30 XP
3. 90 XP
4. 160 XP
5. 230 XP
6. 300 XP
7. 370 XP
8. 440 XP
9. 510 XP
10. 580 XP
11. 650 XP
12. 720 XP

As Questmaster (VPE) it is my primary goal to help you meet yours. There should be an email in each of your inboxes asking why you joined Dungeons and Toast and what you really hope to get out of it. Don’t worry if your honest answer isn’t what you think anyone else wants. I want to work with you to make sure you get what you want.

Please send me a complete and candid response, and we can make sure that Dungeons and Toast members are the most satisfied with their personal progress of all of the Toastmasters clubs.

As last year’s VP Education, I encouraged people to stretch themselves and to give the speeches they wanted to, within the framework of Pathways.

I recently took my own advice, and gave a Persuasive Influence, Level 3 Conflict Resolution speech on using conflict resolution techniques to help me design the Manticore finale in a way that would satisfy people.

The speech went very well, and I rewrote it as a general purpose RPG blog entry, on my Dice Deliberations site. That article can be seen on my blog DiceDeliberations.com, excerpted below:

I recently had the opportunity to combine my job, a speech project, and my love of Role Playing Games into a single speech at Dungeons and Toast, my TTRPG-themed Toastmasters club.

The Toastmasters speech was from my Persuasive Influence path and was the “Conflict Resolution” project, where you learn about conflict resolution techniques, then apply them to a problem and talk about the results.

Conflict resolution, both as presented in the Toastmasters project, and in the types of work I do, does not mean addressing a hostile work environment or other conflicts of that nature. It has to do with helping intelligent, passionate groups of people to find a solution where there is no single right answer, and everything is a trade-off.

…

The header art for that article, and shown above, is “Betrayal” by Mario Nevado, and is used with his permission.

On June 23, The year of the Manticore was wrapped up in a fun night filled with laughter and snacks. Patrick and Andrew delivered a creative tag team speech summarizing the year’s campaign. We got to witness the Marquess fall from his high tower and be put into jail by his aunt. All while we enjoyed our new positions in life as Guardians of the Manticore and met with the new king.

Along with hijinks and giggles, we all got dressed up as each of our characters and enjoyed some food and drinks that were thoughtfully sent out by then President Andrew: a tavern board of meat and cheese, Deviled Dragon Eggs, stuffed sausage entitled the Burning of Prince Andrew, and two creative and tasty drinks (the Manticore’s Sting and Strahd’s Nightcap).

After a night of fun and reminiscing over the past year along with thoughtful awards, we were met with a teaser for the new campaign of the year, Warrens of the Harengon. Here’s to a new year of adventures and fun with the Harengon!

Congratulations to the following guildmates for their year-end award winnings:

• The Novelist: Dr. Michael A.
  Most stories written
• The Misfiring Mirage: Kait R.
  Most shots fired with and without good reason at a sitting guild master in the history of time
• The “Ah” Collector: Cynthia Z.
  Most frequent performer of the Wizard of Ahs (Ah Counter) role
• Picker of Nits: Loni H.
  Most frequent performer of the Speech Evaluator role
• Lord Cronos: Cameron P.
  Most frequent performer of the Sorcerer of Time (Timer) role
• Queen McJudgypants: Loni H.
  Most frequent performer of the Cleric of Rhetoric (Grammarian) role
• The Auditor: Michael C.
  Most frequent performer of the Grand Inquisitor (General Evaluator) role
• The Man Behind the Curtain: Patrick V.
  Most TTRPG sessions run as Game Master
• The Gamer: Michael C.
  Most TTRPG sessions attended as a player
• The Adult in the Room: Lucas R.
  Most frequent performer of the Toastmaster role
• Master of the Silver Tongue: David E.
  Highest number of speeches delivered
• Adventurer of the Year: Loni H.
  Indeterminate criteria
• Toastmaster of the Year: Patrick V.
  Greatest number experience points earned

And congratulations to member Ryan K. for winning the door prize, a free Warrens of Harengon t-shirt of his choice!

As the Lost Lair of the Manticore campaign draws to a close, we at Dungeons & Toast are looking forward eagerly to next year’s VTTRPG campaign: Warrens of the Harengon! How will this affect you, plucky member? Read on for details!

Earn 5 XP for use during the Year of the Harengon for using one of these special event wallpapers, celebrating the conclusion of the Lost Lair of the Manticore TTRPG campaign!