Hi! I’m Soliyra (so-LEE-ruh) but I go by Soli. I’m the copy editor for the RWoG website. Very rarely, if the stars align and conditions are perfect, I will write an article as well.
So where does your Gamertag/Alias come from? I scrambled up an ethnic diminutive of my legal name to create a unique account name for Dragon Age: Origins in 2009. I later started going by Soliyra or “Soli” in Guild Wars 2 and it’s become the name I use almost universally in online and fandom spaces.
What was the first game you were passionate about? Tough to say, because PC gaming has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.
What was your first console? Most of my gaming in childhood was done on Apple computers. I only had access to consoles when visiting with friends or cousins. I think the first console I had at home was my sibling’s Gamecube. I must have been seventeen at the time.
What is/are the game(s) that got you into gaming?
I don’t know how to answer this question. I was playing games on my family’s Power Mac for as long as I can remember, going all the way back to the late eighties. Some of the first games I remember are Scarab Of Ra (which scared the heck out of tiny me), and Shufflepuck Cafe, as well as educational PC games like Reader Rabbit and Math Blaster. When I was a teenager my sibling and I got ahold of a 3rd Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide and it was all downhill from there.
When & Why did you fall in love with gaming? This question is way too vague and broad to even begin answering. Since I’ve had this document sitting open on my PC for literal months I’m just going to go ahead and skip it. Next question?
If you had a superpower, which would it be? I’ve actually given this a great deal of thought. I want the power to take the carbon out of the atmosphere and turn it into diamonds. Saving the world from climate change and creating something beautiful at the same time. I’d use the diamonds for crafting and give them to people as gifts. Of course, that may create issues with global supply and demand and really piss off the diamond cartels and…am I overthinking this?
For the TTRPG players among us, who is your favorite character that you’ve created, and why? Jill Kowen, teenage human wizard and insufferable know-it-all. I will always love her because she allowed me to play out a life in academia at a time when my own career and life plan were falling apart, and the chemistry with the other party members was unparalleled. That character and that campaign will forever have a special place in my heart.
What is an interest of yours outside of gaming? Many kinds of crafting, but most prominently costume design/cosplay. I’m very interested in the whole fairycore/fantasy fashion community. I also recently got really into nail art and mermaiding.
What is something you love that not everyone knows? Historybounding. It’s the practice of integrating historical garments or details into your everyday wardrobe. I’m really fed up with fast-fashion garments that fall apart and need to be replaced constantly and am trying to slowly transition to practical clothes that are comfortable and built to last.
What’s a video/tabletop game that you would recommend to people who don’t play? I’m going to say Don’t Starve because I always say Don’t Starve. It’s fun, intuitive, and very engaging.
You are stuck in a board game/video game/ttrpg. Which is it and why? Don’t Starve: Hamlet, because I’m trying (and repeatedly failing) to save the world from destruction while spending every day surviving and struggling to stay sane. Though I’m trying to make it play like Stardew Valley, with mixed results.
Who/What inspires you? The people who can stay angry and stay passionate even after enduring years of [gestures broadly] …this.
Where can we find you outside of RWoG? I recommend you start with @moonlitfractal on Instagram. You can also check out my shops on Etsy and Spoonflower. If you’re really brave and don’t mind hearing about all the ways the world is horrible you can even follow me on Twitter, though that account is not for the faint of heart.
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