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Home naval-today LÉ NIAMH Replaces LÉ Eithne in the Med
LÉ NIAMH Replaces LÉ Eithne in the Med
Irish Navy's Flagship LÉ EITHNE returned from her search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean on Friday 17 July.
Commanded by Commander Pearse O'Donnell, the 68 sailors of the LÉ EITHNE, augmented by 2 medics from the Army Medical Corps, deployed on the 16th of May to the Meditteranean where they successfully rescued 3376 persons over 22 operations in cooperation with the Italian Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre.
The LÉ NIAMH has replaced the LÉ Eithne in the Mediterranean and will continue to provide assistance to persons in distress at sea in accordance with the provisions of international conventions governing search and rescue situations.
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This week's Legends are Chad Johnson and John Randle.
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Vision Of The Palantir
In depth analysis of quests and strategy guides for LOTR LCG
Scenario Analysis
Shadows of Mirkwood
Against the Shadow
Ringmaker
Angmar Awakened
Dream-Chaser
Haradrim
Vengeance of Mordor
The Hobbit Saga
The Lord of the Rings Saga
Additional quests
Archetype Analysis
Storage Hub
Player Card Analysis
Flight of the Stormcaller
durinsfather	Dreamchaser	 8 June 2019 11 June 2019
In many community polls, a common question is what their favourite scenario is. And besides all of the saga ones, Flight of the Stormcaller is one of those quests. And for good reason too, this time we are chasing Sahir and his fleet after they raided Mithlond. We are racing to catch up to their ship and have to battle storms and corsairs along the way. The sense of urgency and the mechanic of separate staging areas made sure that the Dream-chaser cycle started with a bang! So today, I bring you one of my personal favourite quests in terms of theme and mechanics:
Found in: The Flight of the Stormcaller Adventure Pack, Dream-chaser cycle 1.
Official Difficulty: 6
Community Difficulty: 6.1
Encounter Sets: Flight of the Stormcaller, Vast Oceans, Dream-chaser fleet, Corsair Pirates, Stormy Weather
Quest cards: 7 (4 for the players, and 3 for the Stormcaller)
Play if: you want to play a Sailing test, you want to show players how this game interacts with mechanics while keeping its theme, you want an overall good time!
What is different about this quest?: Sailing tests, separate staging areas for Stormcaller and players, different quest decks, race to catch up with the Stormcaller.
Solo or multiplayer?: While the quest is certainly possible to beat in true solo, I feel that I get more enjoyment out of playing this quest with more players. This allows you to better equip yourself for both questing and combat, and you and your friends get to have an awesome quest together. 2 player is less ideal in the early game, as a solo player would start with the same number of ships than 2 players, but would only reveal half as many encounter cards.
Can I run side-quests for this scenario?: That depends, do you work for Sahir? In that case, do try to convince people that you should go and gather information. But if you are looking to win, then you would do best to keep side-quest in your binder for this scenario. You want to be making progress on the main stage every turn, allowing you to keep up with the Stormcaller. You really don't need side-quests to slow you down in that regard.
What to look out for: Unique loss condition if the Stormcaller makes more progress than you, big ship enemies, noticeable spike in difficulty if the two staging areas merge, possible location lock, Boarding keyword.
Get ready for another big setup phase before you begin. Not only do you need to do the regular setup for sailing quests, but you now also have to prepare 2 staging areas, 2 encounter decks, and 2 quest decks. So let's walk through the setup one step at a time.
The first step is to prepare the Corsair deck. This deck remains unchanged from other sailing quests and involves you placing all Corsair enemies in a separate deck. This includes all enemies from the Corsair Pirates encounter set, as well as the 2 new Corsair enemy types from the Flight of the Stormcaller encounter set. This makes a pile of enemies that is placed next to the regular encounter deck, with its own discard pile. Next, players prepare their fleet. I have detailed ship choices and how these influence your game in this article on Ships and Sailing tests. Follow the instructions there, and you should be alright.
Now the Stormcaller's Area is prepared. This is done by marking a separate area of your table and placing the unique Stormcaller ship enemy in that area. A second quest deck consisting out of stages 2C, 3C, and 4C is also placed there. Note that there is no stage 1 C/D, so the Stormcaller starts at stage 2 and has a significant lead on your fleet. In the regular staging area, the other quest cards will form the quest deck for the players. In this staging area, the players must add one copy of Rolling Seas that they find in the encounter deck. If there are 3 or 4 players, then 2 copies must be found. This follows the same setup as Voyage Across Belegaer, but without the ship in your staging area. The encounter deck is given a final shuffle, and the players are allowed to flip over the quest card.
Example of what the board should look like for a true solo game (sleazy mode). Stormcaller area to the right with the Corsairs and encounter cards in different piles
Quest card 1: Swift Departure – 8 quest points
There is only an A and B side to this card, as the Stormcaller already has advanced to the second stage. It is the goal of this quest card to beat it as quickly as possible in order to catch up. Placing all progress on this card in 1-3 turns should put you in a good position in order to catch up with the Stormcaller on the next stage. Swift Departure requires you to place 8 progress, which is easier in multiplayer. This quest card will force the first player to make a Sailing test at the beginning of the quest phase, as will all following player quest cards. The punishment for being off-course at this stage is that at the end of the quest phase, the players have to move 2 progress from their quest card to the Stormcaller's quest card. This not only provides the players with a setback, but it also speeds up the progress that the Stormcaller receives, on top of various other effects.
This quest card is one that the players will want to explore as quickly as possible. As there is no restriction on how much progress can be made on this stage per round, you can put every progress token on there in your first turn theoretically. For lower player counts that also need to keep sailing successfully, 2-3 turns is more realistic.
During this stage, the players should be playing a lot of allies that will help them to quest and sail at the same time. Spamming allies out through Swarm decks is a good idea for this early game. A Very Good Tale, Man the Walls, Herald of Anorien, and other cards that put out allies quickly will be of great value. You will also want to look at ways to get rid of those copies of Rolling Seas that start in the staging area. This can be done through various player card effects, such as Explorer's Almanac, Heirs of Earendil, Rhovanion Outrider, Asfaloth, and The Evening Star. Getting rid of this location will free up a lot of threat from the staging area. Not having to travel to the Rolling Seas is also preferred, as you should avoid going off course if given the option. Recovering from being off course can be difficult if you are not scrying the encounter deck. If players draw an Heirs of Earendil in their opening hand for instance, they can clear 4 threat from the staging area, allowing the team to progress to stage 2 more quickly.
Quest card 2A/B: Full Sail Ahead – 12 quest points
When the players advance to this stage, a couple of things can happen. First of all, one copy of the Swift Raider enemy ship card is added to the staging area from the encounter deck or discard pile. If possible, take one from the encounter deck, as that removes a non-ship wheel card from the encounter deck, increasing your chances of passing a Sailing test. If the Stormcaller is still at stage 2D, then its area is joined with the staging area. This makes cards like the Stormcaller, Sahir's Escort, and Vast Coastland to be considered to be in the player's staging area, which can result in a lot of added threat.
To overcome this threat, the players will have to make sure that they remove as much as possible if they want to overquest the Stormcaller at this stage. Travelling to Vast Coastlands is a smart thing to do, as well as engaging more ships if you feel confident enough. If you are still at the same stage as the Stormcaller, then some effects may start to hurt more, such as shadow effects, be on the lookout for that. Players can also try to engage the Stormcaller and start damaging it, but in these relatively early rounds of the game, you won't be having a lot of ways to pierce the 6 defence of the Stormcaller just yet. Even if you do, the Stormcaller can only take 4 damage per round, thanks to the restriction on stage 2D. Direct damage will be a better option, as the Stormcaller isn't immune to player card effects like Hail of Stones or Skyward Volley.
Whether or not you are on the same stage as the Stormcaller, this quest card has a restriction in place which forces players to slow down. The restriction of only being able to place 8 progress on the main quest while on course (4 when off course) reduces the chance of heavy questing decks beating the scenario in 2 rounds. This stage can be completed in as little as 2 rounds, if the players remain on course. If the players remain off course for long, then it will take at least 3 rounds to progress. During this time, the Stormcaller will continue to make progress on its own stage, and will likely advance to stage 3C.
Another limiter to the progress made by the players, is the addition of the Swift Raider ship that got added to the staging area. This ship will engage players when they commit 4 or more characters to the sailing test or the quest. You can try to stack willpower on only 3 characters, and use the Dream-chaser and 3 characters from another player to sail for 5, but it isn't really worth it to build your deck around this enemy alone. You can prepare yourself for this enemy by questing a little lighter than usual while waiting for your combat characters, but once this ship is engaged, you can go full sail ahead again!
Beating this stage in 2-4 turns will keep you in the race to beat the Stormcaller. If you manage to beat this stage before the Stormcaller clears 2D, then you win the game straight away! Else, you move on to 3A.
Quest card 2C/D: Full Sail Ahead – 12 quest points
This is the first Stormcaller stage, and will be the one at which the Stormcaller begins. Like the player version, it has 12 quest points, but the Stormcaller makes progress a little differently than the players. At the end of each round, the Stormcaller places as much progress on this stage, as it has threat. This is aided if the players are off course, as that gives the Stormcaller +2 threat, allowing it to beat this stage in 3 turns. It is therefore crucial to the players to stay on course, else the Stormcaller moves twice as fast.
On top of this static progress, there is an RNG aspect to the way the Stormcaller places progress. At the end of the round, the players discard the top card of the encounter deck. They also place X progress on this quest, where X is the printed threat of the discarded card. This can range from 0 threat treacheries, to 6 threat locations that can activate the Stormcaller's Turbo mode, placing as much as 10 progress in a single round, and managing to beat this stage during the next round.
This stage also protects the Stormcaller against a sudden attack boost from all characters. This is done by limiting the amount of damage that can be placed on the Stormcaller to 4 per round. This means that the players would have to be at the same stage as the Stormcaller for 5 rounds, each round dealing 4 damage. This is pretty unlikely to happen, so the Stormcaller tends to progress to the next stage once it has 12 quest points on this quest card, and the players have not yet advanced to stage 3. It will also cause all cards in the Stormcaller's area to no longer be considered to be in the staging area.
Quest card 3A/B: The Weather Turns Foul – 18 quest points
Ok, so you haven't overquested or defeated the Stormcaller during the previous stage, but that is fine. You have at least managed to progress further and are likely again at the same stage as the Stormcaller now. If the Stormcaller is already at stage 4 when you reach this point, then you have had some bad luck and might want to consider restarting the game. But you can still try to catch up during this stage and pull out a win when all hope seems lost.
There is no When Revealed effect for this quest card, so the staging area remains the same, other than any cards from the Stormcaller's Area may join your staging area if you are both at stage 3. Like with the previous set of quest cards, you will want to either complete this quest card before the Stormcaller or deal 18 points of damage to the Stormcaller. This is limited to only 8 damage per round, but that should allow you to defeat the Stormcaller in a few turns if you manage to keep it engaged.
The restriction on placing progress on this stage is gone, so you will be able to place all 18 progress during one turn if you have the willpower for it. This is unlikely though, and the stage can take you several turns to complete, depending on variables like heading, number of locations in the staging area, and how developed your boardstate is. The penalty for being off-course during this stage is that if the players are off-course at the end of the staging step, they must reveal an additional encounter card from the top of the encounter deck. This means that you must be able to pass your sailing tests, and must be ready to counter treacheries like Sudden Storms and Thrown Off Course. These treacheries can still put you off-course at the end of the staging step, resulting in you revealing an additional encounter card. This penalty is less punishing the more players there are, but is quite brutal in true solo. This additional encounter card can also result in the Stormcaller gaining more ground on you if it has already moved on to stage 4.
If you manage to make 18 progress on this stage before the Stormcaller advances its quest card, the players win. They can also win if they deal 18 points of damage to the Stormcaller while at this stage. Remember the limit of 8 damage per round.
Quest card 3C/D: The Weather Turns Foul – 18 quest points
Once the Stormcaller arrives at this stage, some help is coming its way in the form of 1 copy of Sahir's Escort. This ship will aid the Stormcaller by also placing progress on the quest card equal to its threat. If the players get the choice, try to fish this one out of the encounter deck, as it improves your chances of passing a Sailing test slightly.
The same rules as quest card 2C/D apply here. The Stormcaller makes progress equal to its threat (and that of the Escort if it is in the Stormcaller's area) and by discarding a card and placing progress equal to the threat of the card. Should the players continue to be off course, then the Stormcaller gets +2 threat and moves twice as fast. Some luck will apply here, but this quest tends to be beaten if left unchecked in 4-6 turns. The players can slow this down by being at the same stage as the Stormcaller, staying on course, and scrying the encounter deck, hopefully adding treacheries on top of the encounter deck to slow the Stormcaller down.
The damage cap from the last quest card has been increased from 4 to 8. This allows players to deal some solid damage to the Stormcaller each round, bringing it close to sinking. It will still take at least 3 turns to completely destroy the ship, but if the players have placed some damage in the past, it could easily just take 2 turns.
After the 18th progress token has been placed on this quest card and the players have not advanced this stage earlier, the Stormcaller returns to its own area, and moves on to stage 4C/D.
Quest card 4A/B: The Cape of Andrast – 24 quest points
Well, the Stormcaller has managed to escape you again, but at least you have caught up again. This is the last stage, whether you win or lose. The weather has also become worse, and the storms have been called by your foe. When this stage is revealed, the players will have to discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until a Weather treachery is discarded. The players have to reveal and resolve that treachery, and it cannot be cancelled. This means that you will have to take that treachery, no matter what. Sudden Storms will likely push you off-course, which is troublesome if you are hoping to beat this stage quickly. Winds of Wrath is probably your best option, as it doesn't do anything if you managed to be on course when you progressed to this stage. Raging Squall is probably the worst you can get for this stage, unless you have packed some Condition removal. This one will stick to the quest card and won't be discarded during the rest of the game, as this stage is the final one. Bringing a Miner of the Iron Hills for this one can help you keep your allies alive if you go off-course.
The B-side of the quest card does not punish you for being off-course, unlike the previous quest cards. You are going to need all the help you can get at this point, so the quest cards are a bit more in your favour. There is again no limit on how much progress you can make on this quest card, so you better quest hard if you are hoping to catch up to the Stormcaller. If you are looking to finish the quest by dealing enough damage to the Stormcaller, this quest card will help you a little bit. Whenever a Weather treachery is revealed while the players are at this stage, each Ship card in play (both player and enemy) will take one damage. This can deal the finishing blow to the Stormcaller if you are unable to bring it down to 0 hitpoints. However, this can also destroy your own ships, so be sure that you have enough hitpoints on them to survive the weather at this stage. Using a Hidden Cove wisely at this stage can help you to carry on through this storm.
This is the final push where you can catch up to the Stormcaller. If you can place your 24 progress before Sahir does, the players win the game. The players can also win the game by dealing 18 damage to the Stormcaller, for which no limit exists on this stage. If the players manage to do either one of these things, they win the game and can start to board the Stormcaller and battle the Corsairs. But below the watery surface of the Belegaer lurks a perhaps bigger threat to your fleet. The next scenario: The Thing in the Depths, will have you fight both enemies.
Quest card 4C/D: The Cape of Andrast – 24 quest points
The end is in sight for Sahir and his crew. If they manage to complete this stage before the players do, then he is safe for the rest of his voyage to Umbar. There are some limiters to prevent the Stormcaller from advancing too quickly though. First of all, the Stormcaller no longer has a damage cap per round, making it vulnerable to an all-out attack if the players manage to catch up. The Stormcaller also has lost its +2 threat bonus if the players are off course. This means that at most, the Stormcaller will take 12 turns to progress this stage. But the discarding mechanic is still used at this stage, and Sahir's Escort can provide a boost as well, as long as the players aren't at this stage yet.
Should the Stormcaller place its 24th quest point without the players beating stage 4B first or destroying the Stormcaller at this stage, then the players have lost the game and Sahir is safe to return home.
The Encounter deck
The Encounter deck consists out of 33 encounter cards in Normal mode, and 24 in Easy mode. This makes it likely to reshuffle it every few rounds, as a lot of cards are discarded through the Sailing test and the Stormcaller making progress.
The chances on a shadow effect are lower than average, with only 55% of cards in both modes having a shadow effect.
The chances of you revealing a Ship's wheel icon during the sailing test is 54% in easy mode, and 51% in Normal mode, usually requiring 2-3 cards to be assured of one symbol.
When players are not at the same stage as the Stormcaller, the average threat per card revealed is 1.35 threat per card in Normal mode, and 1.15 threat per card in Easy mode
When players ARE on the same stage as the Stormcaller, Vast Coastland and Sahir's Escort are also contributing their threat to the staging area, raising it to 1.7 threat per card in Normal mode, and 1.45 threat in Easy mode.
Surge is present on the Jagged Reef and the Corsair Skiff, resulting in only 4 surging cards in both modes.
Doomed 2 is on the Raging Squall, and it is the only occurance of the Doomed keyword. There are a few other threat raising abilities, but not a lot. You can get away with raising your threat through player card effects.
All ship enemies cannot have attachments
The Stormcaller cannot take more damage per round than specified on its quest card
While your heading is at the worst setting, Man Overboard and Winds of Wrath cannot be cancelled.
The statistics above do not count the Corsair enemies that are in a separate encounter deck. There are some cards in this encounter deck that only add their threat to the staging area if the players are at the same stage as the Stormcaller, hence the two calculations of threat per card. The encounter deck is pretty light on enemies, so it can be a while before you encounter any. Be ready for lots of locations though, as location lock can be a deadly trap in quests like this.
There are again 2 types of enemies in this scenario. The Corsair enemies have been set aside in the Corsair deck at the start of the game, and the new Ship enemies are shuffled into the encounter deck. The Stormcaller starts the game in its own area, and will be the target of this quest.
Sahir has quite the fleet with him, trying to slow you down. The ships range from very big cruisers to small but deadly skiffs, all packed with Corsair enemies!
Stormcaller: This is the ship that you will be chasing down, and defeating it will be one of the ways that you can win this scenario. The Stormcaller won't be able to be engaged for a fair chunk of the quest, as it will be in its own area, trying to get away. But should you be at the same stage as the Stormcaller, the players can opt to engage this enemy ship and try to deal damage to it. This damage will be limited to what stage you are on, as to avoid you sinking the ship during round 3 or so. The Stormcaller will put 2 enemies from the Corsair deck engaged with you when you optionally engage it. So you must have defenders ready to take on this ship and 2 additional enemies, else you might be looking at a couple of undefended attacks. The Stormcaller cannot have attachments, which is a shame, but makes sense, as none of the ships can have attachments. The Stormcaller doesn't really have an ability that helps it during combat or anything. Instead, it will flee to its own area when it has made enough progress to advance its quest stage. This means that you will likely be engaging this ship a few times during your game, each time triggering the Boarding keyword. The stats on the Stormcaller are pretty high, with 6 attack, 6 defence, and 18 hitpoints that you must overcome in order to sink it. The attacks from the Stormcaller can only be blocked by Ship objectives, and I will advise to have a Ship ready to block the attack, else you risk 6+ direct damage on your objective, which can be only save you a few times before a ship sinks and its player is eliminated. The Narelenya has the best stats to block these attacks, only resulting in one point of attack. This does mean that if the Stormcaller gets dealt the Rolling Seas as a shadow card, you will be shifting your heading off-course unless the effect is cancelled. Attacking the Stormcaller back will take some effort, but remember that the Stormcaller is not immune to player card effects. This means that its defence can be lowered, it can be deal direct damage, and is vulnerable to all combat tricks that don't involve it having attachments. This can be a good way to bring it down, but remember the damage cap on the ship. Having enough characters to deal damage to it over time will see you victorious if you stay at the same stage as the Stormcaller. Once this ship leaves play, it is added to the Victory display and the players win the game.
Sahir's Escort: The escorting ships for the Stormcaller will help it on its way and try to protect the Stormcaller should the players be at the same stage as the Stormcaller. When this ship enemy is revealed from the encounter deck, it doesn't get added to the staging area, but instead goes to the Stormcaller's area. This means no threat for the players to worry about, but it does mean that its ability will help Sahir. This ability is that while the Escort is in the Stormcaller's area (even if the players are at the same stage, the area is only considered to be the same as the staging area), the Escort adds its threat to the amount of progress that the Stormcaller makes. This means that the Stormcaller will be clearing stages a lot faster with these ships in tow. Players will want to engage this ship if they can, as that shuts down its ability. Engaging this ship will bring out an additional Corsair enemy though, so be prepared for 2 enemies. The stats of the Escort itself are not amazing, making it more likely that you will be dealing direct damage to your ships from its attack, while defending other engaged ships with your objectives. Attacking the Escort takes some effort, but the low defence of 3 makes it so you can chip away at its hitpoints for a few turns. Try engaging this ship if you can, as it will help slow down the Stormcaller. If the Stormcaller moves on to the next stage, any Escorts in the Stormcaller's area move with it, and are no longer able to be engaged while the players are not at the same stage.
Swift Raider: This ship will be encountered during the player's transition to stage 2 and through regular reveals. The Swift Raider as some solid stats for a Ship enemy, and must be taken care off by the combat player before it gets the chance to engage a questing player. This is because the Swift Raider has an ability that will cause it to engage any player that commits 4 or more characters to either the sailing test or to the quest. This makes it important to know which player is the first player, as that player will likely be engaging this ship. A trick to committing more characters to the sailing test is to have the first player commit 3 characters, and to have another player commit the Dream-chaser. That counts as 5 sailing characters, but no single player is committing 4 or more characters. During the questing phase, the players will have to send only a few characters with high willpower each, such as the Ethir Swordsman and heroes like Eowyn. The players can also try to engage this ship during the encounter phase, as that shuts down the ability on the Swift Raider. Once engaged, the Swift Raider brings out 2 additional Corsair enemies, so be ready for 3 enemies to deal with. During combat, the Raider will deal a solid 5 damage which can be blocked entirely by the Narelenya if it is ready. Defeating the Swift Raider will take some effort, as it has some good stats to defend itself. Having 12 combined attack strength might require some ranged support, but that should be enough to sink this Raider.
Corsair Skiff: Finally, an easy ship enemy that we can sink with ease. This Skiff is the weakest ship enemy in the game so far, and will take the roll of a swarm style enemy when it comes to Ships. First of all, this enemy surges into another encounter card, possibly chaining multiple Skiffs in a row. The Skiff has a very low engagement cost, forcing players to engage it early. When it engages a player, that player can choose to either take Boarding 1 or raise their threat by 3. This makes it so that low-threat decks either have to take an enemy that they might be unprepared for or raise their threat out of the relatively safe zone. When it comes to this choice, you will have to ask yourself if the threat is worth dealing with a Corsair enemy. It usually is, unless you have no threat reduction and you are approaching your limit. If you are not engaged with other enemies and have enough characters to deal with a Corsair, then that is a more logical choice. The ship itself poses little threat, as all Ship objectives can safely block this enemy. Attacking and sinking this sloop is easy as well, requiring just 7 attack. If you are not engaged with other ships, this enemy is no real threat if you pick it off one at a time. In swarms, these can be a danger, but even then, some direct damage and a regular attack will take care of this enemy.
While not a part of the encounter deck, the players will interact with the Corsair enemies through the Boarding keyword. Two new Corsair enemies appear in this scenario and will be added to the Corsair deck at the start of the game.
Corsair Seafarer: Corsairs just love those resources, don't they? This enemy continues the trend, with an ability that steals resources from engaged heroes whenever they commit to the sailing test or to the quest. This can be troublesome for lineups that require their heroes to quest, but combat orientated decks are better suited against this enemy. The Seafarer only steals from heroes with actual resources in their card pool, a bit like the Woses in Druadan Forest. The resources boost the Seafarer's attack only, with +1 attack per resource on him. This is on top of his stat line of 2/2/2/3, which is decent, but can be overcome by players with ease. The problem you will encounter is when this enemy starts obtaining multiple resources per round, making his attack a big problem. In order to avoid this, you can adopt several strategies. First, you can make sure that you have no resources remaining on your sailing or questing heroes. This can be done by either spending resources on cards, or moving them to your attackers/defenders. Second, you can hold back your heroes from the sailing test or the quest. This is easier if you aren't the first player and are in the later stages of the game, where your allies can carry the load. Third, you can try to kill the Seafarer quickly, before the next quest phase. He only has 3 hitpoints and 2 points of defence, so you only ever need 5 attack to get rid of this guy.
Serpent's Blade: These are some impressive stats for a Corsair enemy, with 3 for threat, attack, ánd defence! Luckily, the Serpent's Blade does not get boosts to these stats, as he doesn't get resources like the other Corsair enemies in the deck. Instead, this enemy will make several more attacks if he remains engaged with you while the Stormcaller moves on to the next stage. Another dangerous stat on this enemy is his low engagement cost of 10. This greatly reduces the potential of the Hobbit and Ranger synergies, that on enemies with higher engagement costs than your threat. You will likely have to defend this enemy with a hero or a dedicated defender like Defender of Rammas to be sure you'll survive the attack. Killing the Serpent's Blade will take some effort, though defence-reducing abilities should help out a lot. The 4 hitpoints also open up a Sneak Attack– Gandalf combo to get rid of this enemy quickly.
While the vast ocean of Belegaer will be the main setting for your quest, Middle-earth's coastland also comes into play. Sahir is tracking the coastline towards Andrast. The coast gives you shelter, but can also provide Sahir with a lot of progress for his stage. You'll also have to be careful of the shallow seas, where sharp rocks can destroy your ships.
Jagged Reef: The Stormcaller won't be too happy to see this location, as it only provides 1 progress for it. The players will probably be happy to see this location, as it is low threat and has the potential to clear itself if the players can remain on course. It does also surge, so it isn't all good news, but hey, could have been a 6 threat location, so you got lucky. The Jagged Reef will only really pose a problem if the players are off-course, as they will then crash their ships onto the reef, dealing damage to their fleet. At the beginning of the travel phase, the Jagged Reef makes a check to see if the players are on course. If they are, the players make 2 progress on Jagged Reef while it is in the staging area or is the active location. This can clear the Reef in 2 turns, or open it up to location control cards more easily. If the players are off-course during this check, then each Ship-objective gets dealt 2 points of damage. There are some ways to avoid this damage, with the obvious one being that you should stay on course. You can also play Thror's Key on this location, preventing it from damaging your ships. This does mean that the location won't explore itself, but you can explore it through travelling or using location control cards. One thing you don't want with this location, is to have multiple copies in the staging area and being off-course. Should that happen, your ships will get smashed in a few turns. Use an Eryn Galen Settler to get rid of more copies of the location if you are in such a situation.
Vast Coastland: Yes, this is a 6 threat location, and no, you aren't playing Nightmare mode. But this location isn't as bad as you would think based on stats alone. This card was designed to give the Stormcaller a big lead over the players when questing. Placing 6 progress right then and there really helps out Sahir when it is discarded at the end of the round. If it is revealed through normal progression though, it is added to the Stormcaller's area if the players are not on the same stage as the Stormcaller. This helps the players catch up a little, as they are given an encounter card with no threat that round. When the players catch up however, the location will start to add its threat to the staging area, creating a big blob of threat that has to be overcome. My advice for this location is to travel to it as soon as you can, as there is no penalty for travelling or having the Vast Coastland as the active location. The 4 quest points are a good deal when compared to the 6 threat you would otherwise face. You can also string together some location control cards to make 4 progress on the Coastland. Mirkwood Explorers, Asfaloth, and the Evening Star can all chip away at this location, getting rid of it while it is in the staging area, opening up the active location slot for the other locations you'll have in the staging area. Having this active for Ghan-buri-Ghan is also great, allowing him to quest for 6 willpower! If the Stormcaller advances to the next stage before the players can travel to this location, the Vast Coastland is no longer considered to be in the staging area, and cannot be travelled to.
Hidden Cove: This standard 3/3 location will come in handy during your games, as it offers you a way to heal your ships. This is important, as you cannot heal them yourself, and will be taking a lot of damage to the ships, especially if you are looking to defeat the Stormcaller in battle. The location isn't all good though, as the players must move 2 progress from their quest stage to the Stormcaller's quest stage in order to travel here. This will increase the gap between you and the Stormcaller while you repair your ships in the Cove. Once this location becomes the active location, each Ship objective heals 4 damage, enough to survive another attack or several Weather treacheries at stage 4. The location does slow your progress a little, and you are unable to travel here if you don't yet have 2 progress on your quest stage. A way to avoid the delay that this card presents, is to bypass the Travel cost. South Away, Ghan, Thror's Map, and West Road Traveller are all options that you can use to circumvent the Travel cost, while still benefitting from the healing boon once it becomes the active location. Discuss with your group whether or not you want to go here, sacrifycing time for hitpoints. If not every ship has 4 damage yet, it will be best to avoid this location.
Treacheries
Being in such a rush to catch up to the Stormcaller can leave you with making mistakes. On top of that, the weather isn't really cooperating either, leaving you with dangerous situations. There are only 2 new treacheries in this encounter set. The good thing about these is that if the Stormcaller reveals them, they don't provide any additional progress to it, which helps the players.
Man Overboard!: The first of these new treacheries is the thematic Man Overboard! This treachery tries to reduce the willpower players commit, by punishing them for commiting 8 or more willpower each during the quest phase. When this treachery is revealed, all players committing at least 8 willpower will have to discard a questing character. The treachery can also not be cancelled if the players are on the worst heading. There is an obvious solution to this treachery: "Don't quest for more than 7 willpower". But this is a boring solution that will only work for the deck designed to take care of combat. The more interesting solutions are where you can either cancel this treachery, or have a specific target to discard. Since this has to be a questing character, you can just quest with a 0 willpower ally and not reduce your willpower after the treachery hits. This is best for when you are not Sailing that round. The Rohan archetype benefits a lot from this treachery, making it a perfect way to discard characters like Eomund, readying all other Rohan characters. If you are not prepared for this treachery, then you should just discard your lowest willpower ally and be done with it. Be careful with only questing with heroes, as that means that you could risk losing a hero this way. Lineups of Eowyn and Cirdan questing at the same time are dangerous, unless you have an ally to join in during the quest.
Raging Squall: Other than the Corsairs and your speed, there is third threat to your fleet, the Weather. When a Raging Squall appears over the horizon, the first thing you do is to raise your threat by 2 through the Doomed keyword. You then attach the treachery to the current quest card (your current quest card). The chances of you going up against a side-quest are slim, so you will likely have this Condition attached to your main quest. While attached, the Squall will deal 1 damage to each ally as it is committed to the quest and the players are off-course. This is an extra incentive to stay on course, as the treachery won't hurt in that case. But once the players lose the Sailing test, they must really consider not sending allies to the quest. Low hitpoint, high willpower allies are less ideal to bring if you want to keep them around but are going to be off-course for a while. Allies like the Sailor of Lune are protected against this, being used to weather like it. In order to get rid of this treacherous attachment, the players can use cards like Miner of the Iron Hills, but isn't really recommended, as the effect is quite rare. If you manage to progress the current quest card before you are thrown off-course, then the attachment is discarded, allowing allies to quest again while off-course without taking damage. Only if you are at Stage 4 would I recommend discarding the Condition, as you need all the willpower you can get, and you won't be discarding the attachment through advancing the quest.
Since there are 2 ways to win this scenario, there are 2 different approaches you can take in order to beat this quest. You can try to catch up to the Stormcaller and overquest it, advancing to the next stage before it does. This strategy is more for the heavy questing decks. The other option is more suited to the combat focused players, who can take out the Stormcaller to win.
If you are going for the combat-approach, don't forget to bring willpower. You still need to catch up to the Stormcaller in order to deal damage to it.
As usual, it is highly advised that you DO NOT fail any sailing tests. Being off course allows the Stormcaller to increase its lead, and will force you to stall at your stage. Scrying the encounter deck and sailing with plenty of characters should allow you pass most sailing tests without too much trouble.
Location control can allow you to bypass a lot of locations in this scenario, freeing up progress for the main stage. Not having to travel to locations like Rolling Seas also helps in your progress. Bring some form of location control to deal with this.
You can help slowing down the Stormcaller if you scry the cards of the encounter deck and switch them around a little. If you can make sure that a treachery is on top of the encounter deck at the end of the round, the Stormcaller will progress at a much slower pace.
If you want to slowly chip away at the Stormcaller early, try to use some direct damage events like Hail of Stones. In the early game, you won't likely pierce the Stormcaller's 6 defence, but since it has no immunity to player card effects, you can deal some damage every round that you are at the same stage. Remember the damage limiters on stages 2 and 3 though!
A nice side note here: All of the art pieces for the quest cards that are shared between the players and the Stormcaller, are shared pieces of art of your fleet chasing the Stormcaller.
Remember that stage 4B will not only damage your ships, but also all ship enemies in play. This allows you to put a ship one hitpoint away from sinking, and letting the next Weather treachery do the rest.
Locations can start to build up in this quest, so be sure to travel each round and have some location control in place to chip away at the quest points of locations in the staging area. This frees up some threat in the staging area, allowing you to make more progress on the active location and the quest.
Remember that cards in the Stormcaller's Area move with the Stormcaller if it advances to the next stage. This means that non-engaged Escorts and copies of Vast Coastland that aren't the active location are no longer considered to be in the staging area.
If you grow tired of the Boarding keyword, the ships can be blanked through Revealed in Wrath. This blanks their textbox for the phase, allowing you to ignore Boarding when you engage the ships. Remember that this will take place during the Engagement phase, so the ships will have their card text back during the combat phase.
With this quest being a community favourite, there are a lot of playthroughs that you can watch. Here are a couple of videos to prepare you for this scenario.
True Solo, Seastan deck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0ZCmwjyhsY
True Solo, Seastan deck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DXSo9Q7TdA
Two players, progression style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDA9RrSEWiM
Three players, updated decks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-aOH9NPI10
Two handed, progression style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdpNRSFS9ko
And so ends this article on one of the community's most favourite quests. Stormcaller is a really fun quest to play and I am looking forward to playing it at Con of the Rings 2019. With this scenario now covered, only 2 remain before the cycle is complete. We will see you next time, as we draw closer to the Harad cycle!
Yeah, yeah, it is a nightmare art piece, but it just looks so amazing!
Multiple quest stages
Published 8 June 2019 11 June 2019
Previous Post Escape from Dol Guldur: There and Back Again
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4 thoughts on "Flight of the Stormcaller"
Alain Ducharme (@alduc) says:
One card I enjoy playing against this scenario is Revealed in Wrath. Blanking the Boarding keyword during the Ecounter phase is really strong!
Arqueek says:
Holy cow, i would like to play this quest. Unfortunetly it stands "on boat" on ffg site for more than two months 😦
durinsfather says:
The scenario is amazing and ranks high in terms of theme and replayability. I hope the pack arrives in stores soon for you to pick up. The player cards in that pack are great as well
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
#include <tee_api_types.h>
#include <trace.h>

#include <kernel/tee_ta_manager.h>
#include <kernel/tee_common_unpg.h>
#include <kernel/user_ta.h>
#include <tee/se/service.h>
#include <tee/se/session.h>
#include <tee/se/reader.h>

#include "service_priv.h"
#include "reader_priv.h"
#include "session_priv.h"

TEE_Result tee_se_service_open(
		struct tee_se_service **service)
{
	TEE_Result ret;
	struct tee_se_service *h;
	struct tee_ta_session *sess;
	struct user_ta_ctx *utc;

	ret = tee_ta_get_current_session(&sess);
	if (ret != TEE_SUCCESS)
		return ret;
	utc = to_user_ta_ctx(sess->ctx);

	TEE_ASSERT(service != NULL);
	if (utc->se_service != NULL)
		return TEE_ERROR_ACCESS_CONFLICT;

	h = malloc(sizeof(struct tee_se_service));
	if (!h)
		return TEE_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;

	TAILQ_INIT(&h->opened_sessions);
	TAILQ_INIT(&h->closed_sessions);
	mutex_init(&h->mutex);
	*service = h;

	utc->se_service = h;

	return TEE_SUCCESS;
}

TEE_Result tee_se_service_add_session(
		struct tee_se_service *service,
		struct tee_se_session *session)
{
	TEE_ASSERT(service != NULL && session != NULL);

	mutex_lock(&service->mutex);
	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&service->opened_sessions, session, link);
	mutex_unlock(&service->mutex);

	return TEE_SUCCESS;
}

TEE_Result tee_se_service_is_session_closed(
		struct tee_se_service *service,
		struct tee_se_session *session)
{
	struct tee_se_session *s;

	TAILQ_FOREACH(s, &service->closed_sessions, link) {
		if (s == session)
			return TEE_SUCCESS;
	}

	return tee_se_reader_check_state(session->reader_proxy);
}

void tee_se_service_close_session(
		struct tee_se_service *service,
		struct tee_se_session *session)
{
	TEE_ASSERT(service != NULL && session != NULL);

	tee_se_session_close(session);

	mutex_lock(&service->mutex);

	TAILQ_REMOVE(&service->opened_sessions,
			session, link);
	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&service->closed_sessions,
			session, link);

	mutex_unlock(&service->mutex);
}

void tee_se_service_close_sessions_by_reader(
		struct tee_se_service *service,
		struct tee_se_reader_proxy *proxy)
{
	struct tee_se_session *s;

	TEE_ASSERT(service != NULL && proxy != NULL);

	TAILQ_FOREACH(s, &service->opened_sessions, link) {
		if (s->reader_proxy == proxy)
			tee_se_service_close_session(service, s);
	}
}

TEE_Result tee_se_service_close(
		struct tee_se_service *service)
{
	TEE_Result ret;
	struct tee_se_service *h;
	struct tee_se_session *s;
	struct tee_ta_session *sess;
	struct user_ta_ctx *utc;

	ret = tee_ta_get_current_session(&sess);
	if (ret != TEE_SUCCESS)
		return ret;

	utc = to_user_ta_ctx(sess->ctx);
	TEE_ASSERT(service != NULL);
	TEE_ASSERT(utc->se_service != NULL);

	h = utc->se_service;

	/* clean up all sessions */
	mutex_lock(&h->mutex);
	TAILQ_FOREACH(s, &h->opened_sessions, link) {
		TAILQ_REMOVE(&h->opened_sessions, s, link);
		tee_se_session_close(s);
	}

	TAILQ_FOREACH(s, &h->closed_sessions, link)
		TAILQ_REMOVE(&h->closed_sessions, s, link);

	mutex_unlock(&h->mutex);

	free(h);

	return TEE_SUCCESS;
}

bool tee_se_service_is_valid(struct tee_se_service *service)
{
	TEE_Result ret;
	struct tee_ta_session *sess;

	ret = tee_ta_get_current_session(&sess);
	if (ret != TEE_SUCCESS)
		return false;

	if (to_user_ta_ctx(sess->ctx)->se_service == service)
		return true;
	else
		return false;
}

bool tee_se_service_is_session_valid(
		struct tee_se_service *service,
		struct tee_se_session *session_service)
{
	struct tee_se_session *sh;

	TAILQ_FOREACH(sh, &service->opened_sessions, link) {
		if (sh == session_service)
			return true;
	}
	TAILQ_FOREACH(sh, &service->closed_sessions, link) {
		if (sh == session_service)
			return true;
	}
	return false;
}

bool tee_se_service_is_channel_valid(struct tee_se_service *service,
		struct tee_se_channel *channel)
{
	struct tee_se_session *s;

	TAILQ_FOREACH(s, &service->opened_sessions, link) {
		if (tee_se_session_is_channel_exist(s, channel))
			return true;
	}

	return false;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The College Registrar has announced the results of the 4th Council election, which are now available online. Voting ended at midnight (Eastern time) Tuesday, October 24.
Independent auditor Deloitte & Touche verified the final count.
Results are presented according to category with the name of each candidate in alphabetical order and the number and percentage of votes they received in that category. The winner is indicated by a check mark. Unmarked Ballots indicates the number of voters who submitted a ballot but did not vote for anyone in that category.
The new Council members will hold their inaugural meeting on November 9, 2006 at which time they will elect the Chair of the 4th Council, Vice-Chair and committee members.
The Council Chair and Registrar should actively seek changes in two bills now before the Ontario Legislature, College Council members decided at their October 19 meeting.
Chair Marilyn Laframboise and new Registrar Brian McGowan will appear before legislative committees considering Bill 52 Learning to Age 18 and Bill 124 Fair Access to Regulated Professions.
The College will present proposals for change to the Learning to Age 18 bill at Queen's Park tomorrow afternoon. Check the College web site www.oct.ca after 5 p.m. on October 26 for a copy of the College's submission.
In short, the College is concerned that, "Bill 52 offer(s) no guarantees that equivalent learning opportunities will be supervised by teachers who are members of the College with specialized knowledge and subject to our disciplinary oversight. Further, the Bill provides no mechanism by which to assess and monitor equivalent learning providers, or the learning opportunities they provide.
The College is also seeking an opportunity to make a submission on Bill 124, which would require all self-regulating professions to have registration processes for internationally educated applicants that are "transparent, objective, impartial and fair."
The College believes our credential-based registration process is very transparent, and requirements for internationally educated applicants have been designed to try to overcome systemic barriers they might otherwise face.
The College is concerned that definitions of "fair" in the bill are vague and that the College could face orders from a government-appointed Fairness Commissioner to license applicants or change registration processes with no ability to appeal to the courts.
The bill states that its provisions will override other legislative requirements like the College's duty to serve and protect the public interest.
Watch the College web site for more information and copy of the Bill 124 submission.
The College Council has appointed Brian McGowan as Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the College.
Council has also appointed Lise Roy-Kolbusz as Acting Deputy Registrar of the College and has approved a process to recruit a permanent Deputy Registrar.
For more information, please see our recent news release.


On Friday 25th January, at the IAPS Regional Finals at King's Bruton, the U11 Boys' Hockey team from Monkton Prep School was yet again successful in gaining a place at the National Finals, to be held at Rugby School in March. The squad of ten boys came runners-up in the Cup competition, losing only to King's Hall Taunton in the final, having beaten Mount Kelly, Walhampton, Castle Court and Durlston Court on their way to the gold medal match. They played superbly, held their nerve in a penalty shoot-out, scored last minute winners and, to cap it all, drew compliments from the watching spectators and staff from other schools for their humility and grace in victory, always seeking to congratulate their opponents before celebrating.
Their coach, Jonny Goode, said, "I wish them luck at the Finals, and I know that they are determined to improve as individuals and as a team. I am very proud of their efforts, and it is a real pleasure to coach such a vibrant, dedicated group of players."
Rugby 7s: Monkton's Girls win at the first attempt!


Ruled the Roman Empire, AD 54-68.
After a fire in Rome, a rumor circulated that Nero had started the fire.
This persecution seems to have been limited to the regions around Rome, but it likely affected attitudes toward Christians beyond Rome.
Domitian reportedly declared himself to be divine during his lifetime.
A fifth century version of Revelation in the Syriac language refers to the book as "the Revelation given by God to John the Gospel-writer, on the island of Patmos where he was banished by Emperor Nero." It is possible that this ascription preserves an earlier tradition.
The second-century writer Irenaeus of Lyons – a student of Polycarp, who knew the apostle John – reported that John wrote Revelation while in exile during Domitian's reign.
It seems that Christians may have been in the early stages of a time of persecution when John wrote Revelation (1:9; 2:2-3; 2:9-10; 2:13; 3:8-10).
Nero instigated the first imperial persecution of Christians in AD 64; this persecution lasted until Nero's death in 68.
Hints can be found throughout Revelation that Christians may have been coerced to worship the emperor (13:4; 13:14-17; 14:9; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4).
Nero was never worshipped as divine in his lifetime.
Worship of the emperor does seem to have occurred during Domitian's reign, in the AD 80s and 90s.
Coins from Domitian's reign refer to Domitian as "father of the gods." An idol of Domitian may have been constructed in the city of Ephesus.
If Revelation had been written in the AD 90s, it seems that John might have mentioned the fall of the Jewish temple that occurred in AD 70.
The wording of Revelation 11:1-2 suggests to some scholars that the temple of Jerusalem was still standing when John wrote this book.
The description of Laodicea's self-sufficiency may reflect a time in the AD 80s when the Laodiceans rebuilt their city with no outside assistance after an earthquake (Revelation 3:17).


text:
That was absolutely one of the best events we've ever had. Our guests were totally engaged the whole time. From beginning to end they had a great time.
— Allergan
You are, and always have been, one of the true "good guys" in the business. I would be honored to work with you again, Cindy.
— Jay Mohr, Comedian
Using Real Talents
In Life and Work
Man is the only creature
Who refuses to be what he is.
*Monique: When I think back to my childhood, I never really seized on a specific career path that I wanted. But from when I was a little girl, I thought about being a performer of some sort, maybe a singer. I didn't have a great childhood. It was marred by a lot of instability and insecurity. So I knew I wanted security and stability, and I wasn't picky about how I'd accomplish that.
The first major decision I made in life was not to finish college. I was studying accounting, but I found the whole thing so boring. I remember somebody said to me then that cosmetics would always be a great business, so I left college and got my first job at Estee Lauder. I loved it and was good at it because it was immediate and it helped people. I did very well, working there from age 18 to 24.
Then something happened that changed my life. I had married my high school sweetheart, and after about a year and a half, he ran off with another woman. I wasn't quite 24 years old when I got divorced for the first time. That experience threw me into an odd sort of depression – I felt suddenly purposeless and empty. While I loved cosmetics, I felt it had no real value for me. I felt compelled to seek a deeper, more profound thing to do with my life, to give me the security I longed for. Being married to my high school sweetheart was the thing that had given my life meaning up until that point. I had taken the track that "nice Latin girls" take, and I had thought it was the right thing for me, but I realized I was wrong.
I then toyed with the idea of going back to school, but I knew I was a good salesperson and people liked me. So I went to a temporary employment service to help me regroup and find a way out of retail. I went into a position of underwriting medical malpractice insurance policies, and it turned out I was really good at it. But the company I worked for asked me to stop associating with a former employee who was a close personal friend, so after a period of refusing to do that, I got fired.
I was home one day watching TV, and Oprah came on. Something about seeing her show affected me deeply. I sat there for hours after and wrote this long manifesto about my life called "The End of Slavehood." In it, I detailed for myself all that I hated about my previous work life, and the things I would never succumb to again. From that point on, I knew I needed to be independent, so I formed my own corporation, Marvez and Madison, and worked for my girlfriend's company selling medical malpractice insurance. I continued doing this for three years, and at 27 years old, I was doing well and making some very decent money. But after awhile, I begin to contemplate what my life's big picture was and wondered if this was it. I hoped now.
As Monique discovered after "trying on" several different professional identities, being good at your work simple isn't enough to build a happy, fulfilling life, not if the work doesn't match who you are. What's required for a satisfying and genuinely meaningful life is something else – discovering what you're naturally and joyfully gifted at and stepping forward to do work that makes use of these gifts. Women often realize, after following a secure but joyless road for years, that life will happen, and traumas emerge, including exploitation, loss, disappointment, and sudden negative shifts away from what they anticipated. Sometimes these shifts are "just life," but more often than not they have a purpose, which is to point you – like a red neon sign in the road – to follow a more authentic, self affirming direction, one that allows you to honor what you've been endowed with and use your core gifts.
Monique continues: It's funny, big things often happen to me after a terrible illness. I don't believe in illness, per se – I call it the "grievels," when something is dying or changing or shifting, because changing makes you grieve when you have to move on. It was May 1990, and I was 27 years old. I was really sick with a terrible cold and fever. Lying in bed reading the paper, I saw an article about Sam Kinison that mentioned he had played in Miami the night before. The photo showed him walking out of the arena with a buxom blonde on each arm, and I thought, "If that big fat bastard is getting rich and laid by doing stand-up, I'm going to try it!"
In the article, I saw a local comedy club mentioned, and I just picked up the phone and called the club out of the blue. I said, "How do you do comedy there?" and they told me. I said, "Okay, I want to come tomorrow." I was onstage the next night. I had been onstage performing a lot in school plays, so I was really comfortable in the spotlight. I thought about funny things I'd said over the years, sitting in a Denny's with my girlfriends, and cobbled together some funny moments to make an act. After the set, the owner came up to me and said, "You're a natural. Come back next week."
And that was the start of my comedy career. It was that simple. I'd never been a comedy groupie, but my whole life my friends have said, "You should be a comedian, you're a riot!" I didn't think I was funny, but I knew I was brutally honest, and said out loud what other people just think to themselves.
Following Our Natural Gifts
From her childhood, Monique emerged with the dominant wish to create security and stability for herself. This longing governed her career decisions and led her to seek professional paths that initially looked like they'd give her what she wanted, but they disappointed each time.
Finally, she had an awakening and was compelled, almost by something outside herself, to pursue comedy. Her stunning natural gifts came together in a perfect blend – spreading laughter, using her wordsmith gift, loving the spotlight, applying her uncanny powers of observation, speaking her wildly funny mind, and taking full advantage of all she is (gloriously not skinny, not blonde). But not until the "grievels" took hold of her did she realize that she could use those talents in a career.
Women often disregard or underestimate the importance of their natural gifts and talents. They chronically fail to recognize ways in which they are unique and special, or to understand that these gifts exist for one key reason – to use them in the world, and to bring joy. Further, being driven to find security and stability means that we are motivated by fear – fear that we will be forced to experience the same trauma we did in childhood. Or we fear breaking away from the tribal mentality we were raised with. But submitting to fear inevitably leads to actions that bring suffering or discontent.
When I was a teen, I knew I loved to sing and perform, and I had evidence that I was good at it. I also knew that I took great pleasure in writing, as well as in exploring why humans do what they do. Being a compassionate listener to people in need was another natural talent I enjoyed. These are my natural gifts and abilities – compassionate listening, understanding human behavior, using my voice to connect with and assist people, and entertaining – all of which come together to help me do what I love best.
Why, then, did it take me twenty years to find "right" work for myself? Why did I take so long to draw on these talents? Because I failed to see my unique gifts. I didn't believe these natural talents that I love to use would be the best building blocks for a successful, satisfying career and life. Instead I pursued a series of jobs that represented money and security but were boring and unfulfilling to me. Only after a series of seemingly random traumatic and disruptive events did I wake up and stop working solely for security. I finally figured out that my natural gifts and talents could be used to forge a career path I could sink my teeth into.
Monique's Journey Through Comedy
So I committed myself to comedy. For years, I took every gig I was offered, traveled across the country, and loved performing. The problem was I made very little money and was always broke. Everyone told me I should quit, but I knew in my heart I couldn't. After my second marriage ended, I said, "Okay, something's got to change here." I'm a spiritual person and I pray a lot, but I don't know whence the answers come. There's something bigger out there, so I started asking, "Am I crazy? Have I mixed my wires? Why is this such a struggle?" I felt like this was the one huge thing I do that makes me special, so I've got to do it. But I kept asking questions, doubting, and wondering, "Should I quit?" until something finally happened that gave me the answer I was looking for.
It was February 2002, and I needed money desperately. After a brutally honest conversation with a friend who said, "Your life is ridiculous! You're always flat broke!" I thought that this really might be the end of the line for me and comedy. As luck would have it, my next gig was in Oklahoma for a wonderful woman named Dixie who loved me and always hired me when I was passing through. I used to sell T-shirts after my shows and I would tell people I'd give them a one-minute psychic reading for the price of the T-shirt. This wasn't a power trip, I'm very intuitive, and I know things about their lives. So at this gig, I was asked to do a reading.
One guy in the audience had been in a terrible motorcycle wreck. He was disfigured, missing an eye, really torn up. I started to read him, and out of nowhere I began saying, "You have to apologize and start talking to God. You can try every way possible to kill yourself, but you're going to survive, because you don't have that power. Whether you like it or not, you're not going to die." He said to me, "I wouldn't even know where to begin to talk to God." And I responded, "Just go out to an open field and look up, and say, 'I'm listening.' I told him he was very powerful, special, and that he'd been kept alive because he had something to say that was important. You could see a shift literally right there in his face. He thanked me, left the bar, and for a moment everybody there was completely stunned, silent, just looking around in awe.
That was it. From that second on, I knew I couldn't quit. I made up my mind to never give up on this life of comedy and performing, and when I did that, I felt better. From that day forward to this, wonderful, miraculous events have occurred in my life. The day after that evening at Dixie's bar, I heard from an amazing L.A. entertainment attorney, Jeffrey, who was interested in representing me and collaborating. We met and instantly connected, and I saw that he believed in me as powerfully as anyone ever could. He's my manager now, and we work beautifully together. Soon after that, I was offered my own radio which, which was a terrific run. Despite the fact that I'm not skinny or blonde, and everyone told me I had to be to make it, I eventually decided to move to L.A. to try my hand at stand-up. Just one day after moving to L.A., I performed at an HBO showcase and was approached by Dick Wolf Entertainment to work with them to create, develop, and star in my own network pilot! And it didn't end there. I got a terrific radio job in San Diego and was also asked by Hay House to write a funny memoir. Of course I named it Not Skinny, Not Blonde.
Monique's Relationship With Comedy
The best analogy I can offer is that comedy gave to me what most people hope a child will do for them. Comedy is my child. You have to love something more than yourself, something more than your human body and your human frailties. Something has to make you want to be bigger than you are. I love comedy so much, the power of making people laugh. There's nothing I wouldn't do for comedy. Comedy gives my life meaning because there's something about the way I communicate that alleviates people's worries. I feel I was marked for something – it's my purpose. I have no ego; I am very grateful. Comedy is my purest place, and I would do it for nothing, and have.
I've got to say though, that it's been a long and hard ride, making this life in comedy work. Comedy has humbled me. I slept on couches of strangers, I never said no to a gig. Comedy rocked me to my foundation, and there was nothing I wouldn't do to keep doing it, to keep it alive, to keep it thriving and healthy. I've been in car wrecks, been blown off the road in a blizzard, run out of gas in the middle of the night. But it's always come out all right. I believe the universe conspired to protect you and move you forward when you're on the path you're meant to be on.
Monique shows us that following your talents and gifts doesn't mean life will be easy. For from it. We're often tested on this path to develop the "chops" of remaining steadfast and strong in our belief in ourselves, despite what the "three-dimensional world," as Monique puts it, is showing us in the moment. As anyone who has pursued a nontraditional path knows, when you go against the grain, against what the majority sees as the right or sensible type of life to live, you will face challenge, adversity, and ridicule. But if you feel about your profession and gifts the way Monique feels about hers, you will do almost anything to nurture them. This type of calling inspires you to move mountains to follow it.
My husband, Arthur Lipner, has this type of calling as a musician, composer, and performer. Like Monique, Arthur has found that living the life of an artist today can be grueling, gut-wrenching, and can knock you to your knees. But he couldn't walk away even if he wanted to. Music is who he is in his bones, what he came here to do and share, and the legacy he will leave to others. I too feel that I will never turn my back on myself again. I will stick this out – following my talents as an author, coach, and speaker – because I feel it's what I'm meant to do. And because I love it.
Even if you don't feel this type of calling, your life is much richer when you commit to doing what you love, in some form or another. When you accept what you are gifted at and love doing, and dedicate yourself to bringing your gifts forward in life and work, your life experience takes on a completely new and powerful dimension. Then you are living for something greater than yourself, something deeper, more connected, and supremely beneficial in the world.
Challenge is inevitable in human experience. So why not experience it while living a life you find joyful and purposeful? Find new ways to use your natural talents. When you do, you'll be serving your highest good and the greater good of others.
Monique says of her life now: My life is beyond my wildest dreams now. I love comedy with all my heart and always have, but now I'm able to do it in ways that are far bigger and more exciting than I could have hoped. I say that I'm "angel retentive" now – I've been blessed with so many people who are angels in my life, who support me and move me forward. I feel like my gift and my purpose is comedy, that's what I'm here for. I can thank my many angels and the universe for conspiring to help and protect me all along the way. Comedy is like my child. I keep going, believing in myself and in comedy, even through the tough times. After all, would you give up your child after five years just because they're not turning out as you hoped?
There are several key lessons in Monique's story. The first is that each and every one of us is special and important in the world. We are each born with beautiful, much needed talents and abilities. If we don't use and develop them in this lifetime, who will? These abilities have coalesced uniquely through your distinct life experiences, perceptions, tribulations, and triumphs. They are not random, and they should not be squandered or thrown aside.
The second vital lesson we learn from Monique is that nothing ensures your sense of joy and purpose more than drawing on those very gifts that make you you. The capabilities that you love to draw upon are those you're meant to use. Doing so to earn your living – if you can – brings great reward and fulfillment. It's not a lark or a whim to want to earn your living doing what you love. Sometimes we can find ways to use these talents for our sole livelihood, and sometimes not. If not, it's vital to bring them forward in other ways. And sometimes you have to do other work for a while to pay your bills while you are finding your legs in your new line of work. But completely turning your back on your longings is wasting your precious time. Your gifts connect you to a higher purpose. Your gifts allow you to be of joyful service to others.
MONIQUE'S ADVICE
Figure out what natural talents and gifts you have, and decide which ones you can't live without expressing. Devote yourself to these special gifts, as if they're you're children.
Believe without a doubt that you can follow your path, no matter what others say. Let go of the fear that you can't do it.
Recognize and be open to the angels in your life. Open your heart to those who are available, ready, and more willing to help when you get clear on your path
Know Your Natural Talents
Do you know what your special talents and gifts are? I'm referring to those natural, innate capabilities that emerged in childhood and have been with you all along, and you love to use them. Some of your skills may not bring you joy. I happen to be good at giving presentations to a board room of senior executives, complete with P&L's and financial forecasts, but I hate doing it – it bores me to tears. If certain skills feel boring or meaningless to you, then developing a career around them makes very little sense.
Using the natural talents you love – the ones that make you feel special and important when you share them with others – brings a feeling of connectedness and usefulness in the world. Whether or not you've developed these talents, they are still inside of you. For instance, I've always been a good singer. I sang a great deal in my twenties but turned away from performing once I had children and a demanding career, due to my perceived lack of time. Ten years later, when I realized that my life is simply much happier when I'm singing, I committed myself to performing regularly, working the craft, and sharing it with others. I adore singing, whether it's in groups, with my husband, or solo. I can't and won't live without it now. Interestingly, when you get committed to using gifts and talents and decide to bring them forward, opportunities appear that encourage you to do so.
The first step in connecting deeply with your gifts and talents is to identify the special abilities you possessed in childhood that were easy, enjoyable, exciting to use, and that others took notice of and praised. How have you been helpful to others while expressing your very essence? Below is a list of special talents and gifts that people possess and love to use. Which of these represent your distinctive gifts?
Acting Decorating
Adapting Demonstrating
Administrating Designing
Assisting Developing
Building Directing
Challenging Drawing
Changing Elaborating
Cleaning Enacting
Composing Entertaining
Conducting Envisioning
Consoling Expressing
Constructing Figuring
Conveying Formulating
Cooking Giving
Correcting Guiding
Creating Healing
Dancing Illustrating
Improvising Planning
Inspiring Preparing
Inventing Presenting
Invigorating Producing
Laughing Restoring
Leading Restructuring
Loving Shaping
Making Sharing
Managing Singing
Motivating Speaking
Nurturing Teaching
Observing Telling
Orchestrating Testing
Ordering Validating
Painting Writing
Performing Other __________________
Wanting to express your special, unique gifts is not whimsical. It is essential. The more you express your distinctive combination of talents, the more able you are to create a satisfying and meaningful life. And in doing so, you change your world for the better.
Get Solid in Your Belief in Yourself
Monique's story reveals another critical point. Doing what you love does not guarantee that the money will follow. Once Monique did the inner and outer work of aligning herself unwaveringly with her calling, money started to flow. This takes time (much longer than we'd like sometimes) and action. Monique followed her gift of comedy but in the beginning went through hell and back to do so. Monique eventually learned that a secure, stable, and joyful life requires having an unshakable belief in yourself and your actions. Don't give into self-doubt. Ignore the naysayers and critical judges. Misgivings, doubts and fears about what you're doing will be reflected in your actions and your life experience.
At first you will be fearful and insecure when you step up to using your talents. Such feelings are inevitable. Why? Because these gifts mean everything to you. They are why you are here. To risk failure, embarrassment, and incompetence in the arena of your core talents is intimidating because these gifts represent the "real" you. No one wants to be less than fabulous when their authentic self is at stake. But when you move forward in spite of your fears and insecurities, you give yourself more and more evidence that you are truly terrific at utilizing these talents – or you have the capacity to be. You and your abilities matter in the world! Sure, you may need some work – perhaps even a little help – at sharing your talents and figuring out exactly how to apply them. But the fact remains, these are your gifts and always will be.
To follow this path of honoring and utilizing your talents, hold a steadfast belief in the rightness of doing so. Believe completely, in the importance of who you are, and of sharing your unique essence. Others will try to knock you off this path – that's a given – because what you're doing intimidates them. Many people are stuck in slavehood to their fears, and they want you to be stuck with them. But if you want to remain motivated, ask yourself, "Can I stay committed to this path that feels good and true to me, despite what others say?" As you get better at moving forward unflinchingly, and feeling good about it despite what the world presents to you in the moment, then you will find a way to make it. And others will come to your assistance when you need it most.
Be Open to Angels in Your Life
Finally, Monique's story reveals the importance of other people in our lives who believe in and support us unconditionally. These mentors, supporters, and facilitators trust in and support us unconditionally. These mentors, supporters, and facilitators trust in us completely. They see the stunning future version of us, even though we have not yet stepped up to create it. These individuals are nothing short of angels. They love us, nurture us, hold us to higher standards, comfort us in tough times, and offer us the "gentile fire" ( as my friend Mike Jaffe calls it) we need to push forward into the unknown. They have far greater insight and foresight than we do because we're steeped in fear that we'll fail and they are not. Angels act on their great insight in powerful and loving ways.
Monique's angels are many – from Dixie, the generous woman who hired her anytime she passed through, to Jeffrey, Monique's brilliant manager who sought her out and believed in her amazing capabilities before they were fully realized. My angels have been many as well, including my husband, who supports me in all my new wild directions, despite how illogical they may appear, and my mother, who has always said to me, " I know you can do whatever you want to in life – just do it!"
Angels come to us all the time, ready and able to help. But to act on their help and to move yourself forward, and to attract more angels who support you, requires believing powerfully and resolutely in yourself. In Monique's wise words, "Be angel-retentive!" When you are, your angels will help you move mountains.
MOVING FORWARD TO BREAKTHROUGH
* STEP BACK
In your journal, capture all your thoughts. No censoring please – write everything that comes to mind.
What have I been gifted and talented in since childhood?
What do my friends and family say are my gifts and talents? (Ask them!)
When I have used my talents previously, how did it go? What felt best about it? What was scary about it?
Looking over my whole life and career, what are all the things I am great at and love to do?
In my current situation, am I using these talents? If not, am I ready to explore directions where I could?
* LET GO of your fears of failure and inadequacy
Think about what you are most afraid of when it comes to using your talents. Explore this fear. Get to know it very well.
What does it look and feel like?
When have you had this fear?
What brings it on? How often do you have it?
What coping skills have you acquired to push forward through this fear?
What small step can you take this month to push through your fear of failure, and bring your talent forward? (For example, seek a career coach, take a lesson, make a call to a potential mentor in the field, do research, or enroll in a class.)
If you're still reluctant, find support from one of your "angels" to help you. Who will you contact this month for support?
* SAY YES! to believing in your talents without fail.
Visualize your powerful Future Self using your natural gifts and talents, sharing them with the world, and loving doing so.
Visualizing Your Gifted Future Self
Find a comfortable spot to sit, relaxed and uninterrupted. Close your eyes. Take three long deep breaths, relaxing more deeply with each breath.
In your mind's eye, picture in detail your Future Self, years from now. Watch as your Future Self moves through life and work, beautiful, confident, joyful, and powerful, using the talents that most compel you. Observe this Future Self in many different situations, both in your work and in your family life.
See your Future self working with others, doing what you do best, and loving it. Others enjoy who you are, and the benefits of your talents unfold. People praise you, applaud you, shake your hand, and thank you for what you've give them. You've helped them, and they express their deep gratitude.
Feel the joy that your Future Self experiences, and watch beautiful images of your strength and confidence. See clearly how the world is richer because you are in it.
When you are ready to speak to your Future Self, see her embracing the current you. She loves and respects you very much. She whispers something very important in your ear, something she knows will help you accept your talents and move forward to use them. She is wise and all-knowing, and you trust her.
You thank her, and she says good-bye, showing you out the door. See the current you smiling, more confident and self- assured, with a new bounce in your step. You know that she has helped you on your way,
From this visualization, what did you learn about
o The talents and gifts you wish to bring forward?
o The gifts in your life and work you can make today that will allow you to utilize your gifts and talents more fully?
o How your talents are of benefit to others, and the world?
What did your future self whisper in your ear?
What one step can you take this month to honor your gifts and talents more fully, in life and work?
You are here to make full use of your unique talents, and to do so joyfully. Anything less is wasting time. You are not a random occurrence but a special, essential combination of everything you are and everything you've experienced. Move ahead honoring your gifts, even in the face of your fears. You will be thankful you did.
Monique reminds us
"follow the think you love more than yourself, the thing that makes you more than your human body and your human frailties. Something has to make you want to be bigger than you are. Find out what that is, what you were marked for, let go of your fears, your worries, and your ego, and just do it. Angels will come to help you."
* BREAKTHROUGH "I use my real talents in life and work."


the amount of pupil premium allocation that Culloden Primary Academy will receive during the financial year.
(NB where the chosen services/spend benefit all pupils, the funding contribution has been pro rata-ed to reflect the proportion of pupil premium students within the target population. Salary costs have been pro rata-ed to 7/12 to reflect cost to the end of March).
£30,000 to provide resources, training, development days and the leadership and management of synthetic phonics across EYFS and KS1. To enable a greater proportion of pupils to attain the expected reading standard at the end of EYFS, Y1 and KS1.
£20,000 on one to one reading tutoring for EYFS and KS1 pupils who need support in making the expected progress in synthetic phonics. To increase the proportion of pupils who pass the Y1 phonics assessment and expected reading standard at the end of KS1.
£40,000 on staffing to provide full time places to all pupils in the nursery for the entire academic year. To enable a greater proportion of pupils to attain the GLD by the end of Reception.
£30,000 to provide resources, training, development days, and the leadership and management of mathematics mastery (a highly structured mathematics scheme of work influenced by best practice from Singapore) across Y1-Y6. To enable a greater proportion of pupils to reach the expected and greater depth standard at the end of KS1 and KS2.
£20,000 to enable all pupils to participate in educational visits, regardless of socio economic need and income, as the visits constitute a key stimulus for developing writing, speaking and listening skills and reading attainment.
£27,000 to provide specialist speech and language therapy as an intervention for pupils with SEND and are disadvantaged.
£6,000 to provide additional educational psychologist sessions for pupils with SEND and are disadvantaged.
£9,000 to enable all pupils in Y4, Y5 and Y6 to attend their residential educational visit regardless of family income, as the visits constitute a key stimulus for the PSHE curriculum and develops pupils writing, speaking and listening skills and reading attainment.
£24,000 to increase parent/carer involvement through the funding of a home school support worker, attendance adviser and other staff members, to ensure persistent absence is below the national average by the end of 2018/19.
£24,000 to fund a learning mentor to work with vulnerable pupils with low attendance to increase their resilience and participation and attendance at school.
£25,000 to provide an extended schools provision that enables all pupils to participate in a range of additional rich learning activities and support vulnerable families outside of normal school hours.
£5000 to subscribe to 'Magic Breakfast' a charity that provides resources, training and support for our breakfast club, increasing capacity and our offer to pupils from vulnerable families.
£27,000 on resources and training in synthetic phonics in FS / KS1 and LKS2. 75 % of all pupils reached the GLD (APS 40.0) by the end of YR and 79% of disadvantaged pupils with an APS of 41.0.
There was an increase from 2016-17 in the proportion of pupils passing the Y1 phonics check 87% and 77% of disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading at the end of KS1.
£25,000 on resources and training in mathematics mastery (a highly structured mathematics scheme of work influenced by best practice from Singapore). The proportion of disadvantaged pupils that reached the expected standard in mathematics at both the end of KS1 and KS2 increased from 2016-17, 86% and 97% respectively compared to other pupils nationally.
£20,000 to enable all pupils to participate in educational visits / visitors, regardless of family incomes (the visits / visitors constitute a key stimulus for writing, reading and speaking and listening). The proportion of disadvantaged pupils 81%, that reached the expected standard in reading at KS2 increased from 2016-17.
£13,000 to enable all pupils in Y4, Y5 and Y6 to attend their residential educational visit, regardless of family incomes (the residential visit constitutes a key stimulus for writing, speaking and listening). All pupils attended the Y6 and Y5 residential with 90% of pupils attending the Y4 residential. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who achieved the reading and writing expected and greater depth standard at the end of KS2 improved from 2016-17 and is above the most recent national average.
£19,495 to fund Saturday morning lessons in the spring and summer term for Y6 pupils. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who achieved the reading and writing expected and greater depth standard at the end of KS2 improved from 2016-17 and is above the most recent national average.
£24,000 to fund a learning mentor to work with vulnerable pupils to increase their resilience and participation. Caseload of 20 pupils across the year, of which 4 pupils were in Y6. 75% of the Y6 pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined.
£24,000 to increase parent/carer involvement through the work of the home school support worker, an attendance adviser and other staff members. Parental engagement in both the winter and summer fair was high. Parent view responses have also increased this year with 327 parents participating. Parent view currently shows that 98% of parents would recommend the school to another parent.