Welcome to another Community Spotlight! These spotlights are dedicated entirely to community content, usually about a player town and presented by a single individual or an entire guild.
For this week’s spotlight, we toured the player owned town of Rauchbier Platz. It is a town nested within Central Brittany that is dedicated to the art of brewing beer. In anticipation of brewing being added to the game, the governor of Rauchbier Platz, Hannah Alpenglow, provides a tour of this snowy festival town.
As told by Hannah Alpenglow:
Greetings, Avatars! Welcome to Rauchbier Platz – please, enjoy a mug of our finest beer while we walk through town. Rauchbier Platz was founded by my late husband and I in 517 PC to help establish our beer brewing business here in New Britannia. The main area of town is set up a bit like a civic square that one might find in Bavaria, as we wanted to bring a bit of our homeland to this world. Rauchbier Platz roughly translates to ‘Smoked Beer Place’ and is meant to be a happy, laid back town where one can enjoy time with friends old and new.
Biergarten in the main town square
Inside the palisade walls you will find the main town square which contains our namesake Alpenglow Biergarten, the Rathaus (city hall), and many dwellings and taverns. The biergarten has convivial outdoor tables, beer tents, a dance floor and the tree-covered cellar where biergarten beer is traditionally stored. The biergarten hosts many parties, including an annual Oktoberfest to support The AERIE Fund. It is thought that a game known as “Wheat, Wurst, Bread originated here, and is a constant fixture now at events held in town.
Oktoberfest 2017
Rauchbier Platz currently has eleven taverns, bars or biergartens – residents and visitors will never be lacking for a place to quench their thirst. There are a variety of styles, from traditional German beer halls to a new observatory themed bar and more. Many of these are original taverns opened by the Alpenglow family, but there are also taverns run other avatars, such as The Blood on the Vine Tavern run by town resident Brugas Khorgan.
Blood on the Vine Tavern
Beyond the main town walls are several other neighborhoods and attractions in Rauchbier Platz. There is an area that celebrates Yuletide all year round, with a holiday themed tavern, an ice bar and a skating rink. We have attempted to recreate a traditional German holiday market, including having warm mulled wine available.
Yuletide area during a holiday party
Just outside of town to the north on an island surrounded by a frozen lake sits the main Alpenglow brewery. This location provides the freshest mountain water with which to create our various brews, all of which are made according to the German Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot). Tours of the brewery are available, just ask us!
Main brewery
One of the newest additions to Rauchbier Platz is the Walhalla Museum of Virtue, Chaos, and Brewing, located on Museum Ridge just above the town square. It contains exhibits dedicated to Lord British and the virtues, Darkstarr and chaos, and an exhibit that visually explains the beer brewing process. Rare weapons and armor crafted by Lord British, Darkstarr and Atos are on display; also don’t miss a special armor set with a brewing theme created by Gix Vargach.
Walhalla Museum
Recently, Rauchbier Platz launched a series of quests aligned with the themes of the museum (Virtue, Chaos and Brewing). All three of these quests can be started by reading notes inside of the museum and will lead avatars across Rauchbier Platz and beyond to test one’s dedication to the virtues or to the chaotic arts. The quests can be started anytime and offer unique and special rewards for those who complete them!
A chaotic location within Rauchbier Platz that is part of a player-run quest chain
The Walhalla Museum also hosts events and parties, starting recently with a grand opening celebration that supported an AERIE Fund campaign. Check out the town bulletin board often to see what event may be happening next!
Walhalla Museum Grand Opening Party
I can see that your mug is almost empty – thankfully we have completed our tour of Rauchbier Platz and are back in the town square. Thank you so much for stopping by – I hope you find our peaceful town a pleasant, joyous place and welcome you back often! And if you are interested in living here, we are proud to offer row houses and rooms at the inn that are completely free to move into, for as long as you like – please contact me (Hannah Alpenglow) for more information. Now, let us have one last round at The Paulaner before you go. Prost!
The Paulaner Tavern in Rauchbier Platz
There are so many towns and historical landmarks to explore throughout New Britannia. Visit the Community Spotlight section of the website to read about more of these sprawling towns. If you are interested in sharing your tales of adventure, message community managers Berek or Cerus!
Fascinating. Will visit soon.