The world didn't end for some reason (awkward), so here's a special end of the year rave.

Jacen

@Jacen ily bby, keep on keepin on.

Nizaris

Everyone in Mhaldor, for making me feel at home with Nizaris, and helping to provide definition for my character. You guys have been awesome, and you keep me coming back.

In no particular order, and primarily focused on the ones I interact with regularly, now:

@Jurixe: Not sure what else can be said, that hasn't been already. But basically, you set a standard that I try to live up to. Thank you.

@Xer: You are the exception to the rule: very high standard of RP, and someone who is progressing in combat every day. Thank you for all of the leadership that you have taken on, also.

@Quei: Being a great adopted daughter, and jumping in and helping out with administrative stuff whenever I needed you. Thank you so much.

@Xenomorph: You have been a great leader, and somehow manage to find a decent balance between being Evil, and encouraging. Keep doing what you're doing.

@Azor: You have been an excellent mentor to Nizaris, and he's really digging your leadership style: open ear when he needs it to bounce ideas off of, while at the same time, providing him with with enough rope to hang himself on, and also helpful suggestions from your years of leadership. Thank you.

@Isaiah: For making me, as your mentor, buckle down and try and figure out combat, even if just a little. Our present coding project is slowly taking shape, and I am glad to see that it is having a positive effect on your experience with the game. Also, thank you for our little OOC talks about life, family, and faith.

@Malkuzad: Not sure if you read here, but ... you have been an incredibly patient, incredibly persistent protege. Somehow, interruptions (like raids, ambassador interviews, new Malefics, etc), always seem to happen when we're working together. This bugs me to no end, because I feel like you get the short end of the stick. Thanks for sticking it out with me as long as you have, and I am looking forward to playing with you more.

Isaiah

Nizaris said:

Everyone in Mhaldor, for making me feel at home with Nizaris, and helping to provide definition for my character. You guys have been awesome, and you keep me coming back.

In no particular order, and primarily focused on the ones I interact with regularly, now:

@Jurixe: Not sure what else can be said, that hasn't been already. But basically, you set a standard that I try to live up to. Thank you.

@Xer: You are the exception to the rule: very high standard of RP, and someone who is progressing in combat every day. Thank you for all of the leadership that you have taken on, also.

@Quei: Being a great adopted daughter, and jumping in and helping out with administrative stuff whenever I needed you. Thank you so much.

@Xenomorph: You have been a great leader, and somehow manage to find a decent balance between being Evil, and encouraging. Keep doing what you're doing.

@Azor: You have been an excellent mentor to Nizaris, and he's really digging your leadership style: open ear when he needs it to bounce ideas off of, while at the same time, providing him with with enough rope to hang himself on, and also helpful suggestions from your years of leadership. Thank you.

@Isaiah: For making me, as your mentor, buckle down and try and figure out combat, even if just a little. Our present coding project is slowly taking shape, and I am glad to see that it is having a positive effect on your experience with the game. Also, thank you for our little OOC talks about life, family, and faith.

@Malkuzad: Not sure if you read here, but ... you have been an incredibly patient, incredibly persistent protege. Somehow, interruptions (like raids, ambassador interviews, new Malefics, etc), always seem to happen when we're working together. This bugs me to no end, because I feel like you get the short end of the stick. Thanks for sticking it out with me as long as you have, and I am looking forward to playing with you more.

Thank you for your RP contribution, you are an inspiration in a realm with not much actual RP going on. I appreicate our OOC chats as well. We will get this combat thing... too easy

Mishgul

I wasn't intending on posting, or logging in again, but I got linked to this thread and now I feel obliged to make a post, but I WILL NOT AFTER THIS.

There are very few people that I have not interacted with on Achaea. As someone who thrives on attention, on relationships, friendships, and being involved, I have butted in where possible, as often as possible. That's just who I am. Considering my circumstances, Achaea has been one of the very few places where I could have the freedom I of craved.

It all started with this one guy I sat next to in a chemistry lesson which I should never have been in anyway, completely by chance. @Pluvialis I don't know if you'll ever read this, and I don't know whether to bless you or curse you, but thank you either way. Ten years down the line, look where I am now. I was going to be a doctor, I was in trials for cricket teams, playing soccer and rugby every other week, and I forsook all that to spend more time on a text game. 

Do I regret it? No, even to my own surprise. I am happy with who I am now. It might have taken me this many years to break out of the webs of lies I threw around myself, the using of people, the spreading of rumours so that I would be considered cool or good on a text game, the trolling, the deceit.

It wasn't all bad I guess. I didn't realise that there were other people just like me on the other side of a network, sitting at a computer, enjoying a game, escaping reality. On the rare occasions the realisations did hit me, I promised myself I would change, but I would have forgotten by the next morning. 

I am not a stable person at all, or a reasonable person, or a loving person. I have my soft spots, but I am very selfish, accentuated by my autistic personality and the side effects of my illness. Almost a month ago, I had a chat with someone in Mhaldor and realised that the only reason I played Achaea was because of the illusion of control that I thought I had. This illusion was like a drug to me, forcing me to come back so I could pull strings around.

It was bad for me, it was bad for everyone around me. Mentally I was deteriorating and I was physically too. I had a twenty four hour job of making sure that everything on Achaea was happening exactly how I wanted it to be. How weird does that sound? Very. Was this the life I wanted? No. I have a job, I'm twenty four and living with my parents in a house where I am having to hide the fact I am using the internet because my parents think it is the devil. I've spent almost my entirely monthly income since I started working on credits and artefacts.

I should be saving for a house, or a car, or real internet if I wanted it, or maybe getting a hobby, getting real friends, finding love, all that crazy stuff. So I've decided I'm just going to go and do that. Playing a text game was not how I envisioned how I'd spend what could possibly be the last five years of my life. If I remember correctly, I wanted to be a Thunderbird, specifically the one that controls Thunderbird 3.

Really though, I have enjoyed Achaea, I would not have played it if I hadn't. The playerbase has been exceedingly accommodating, the administration has been great throughout, and after twelve years, and many countless moments really the only thing I have to say to you all, is that I am sorry.

Chryenth

Alan Tracy. He switched with John Tracy on TB 5 every six months.

I think I was probably one of the few people who never interacted with you, but good luck with life, ect.

Tvistor

Interacting with Waseem will leaf you a better person.

Nellaundra

Well, everyone else already kicked my ass in this so I'm gonna let it be short and sweet.

@Melodie, @Tessa, @Kyrra, @Aerek, @Alazne, @Assai.

All of you are bloody wonderful and very much the reason I keep playing.

Erasariel

Oh shit I forgot @Melodie.

All my raves to you. The few interactions we've had a long time ago have been simply the best. It may just have been minor interactions for you, but it was just the best of Achaea I've had.

I can't thank you enough, @Melodie. Hope you're still around if I ever get back.

Xer

I want to sleep

@Jurixe: For being the first person in Mhaldor to really start RPing with me and inspiring me to really work on my own RP. Always there to help me out when I'm lost in Mhaldor and talk to about pretty much anything! I am also surprised it's only been a few months since we met - it feels a lot longer. Come back when you're ready; we still have so many more events to plan and run!

@Carmain: Because of cats.

@Tirac/@Ayoxele/@Aeolithon: For teaching me pretty much all that I know about combat, and constantly giving me opportunities to put into practice what they teach. Seriously, I owe you guys so much - no clue where I'd be without you guys.

@Cahin - Play a better Teemo. Your Blitzcrank isn't bad. Stop ksing as Darius. 

@Xenomorph - Thanks for taking the mantle of Tyrannus on. Being a leader isn't easy, but I think that if you look at the number of Mhaldorians who appreciate the contributions you've made, it'll have been worth your time.

@Jhui/@Rangor/@Yiwen/@Gyrth/@Penwize/@Defenders of Eleusis - Thanks for indulging in our wanton attempts to instigate conflict and for Jhui and co - Wait until I can tank a JPK/Impale/Axk I'll make your lives miserable then! J/k, thanks for all the small skirmishes you bring.

@Ruth/@Jiraishin/@Azor - Like I mentioned for Xenomorph, being leaders of houses, and Viceroys as well must be a difficult task - far beyond what I know. Thanks for the constant work and vigilance you put in, here's hoping Mhaldor will grow under your efforts.

@Sherazad/@Aepas/@Milenka/@Vrah/@Antidas/@Tvistor - For our interactions and being awesome. Whether that be for RP, combat, or just chatting, Achaea would be way less interesting without all of you around.

@Nizaris - For constantly helping out with the novices and coming up with more ways to improve on the Blood Congregation. I *will* get back to you on those reforms, I swear <.< Our conversations and the RP we've done together has been fantastic and I enjoyed every second of it. Now I want to find some other novice to scare appropriately

@My proteges and ex-proteges: You've all been awesome, and I'm sorry I don't have enough time for all of you guys all the time anymore. Keep pestering and pestering me and I promise we'll work on a lot more mentor - protege stuff as time pases by!

@Mhaldorians: There's lot of you I haven't really mentioned by name, but it would take me too long to mention you all. Suffice it to say, all of you guys are amazing, and I hope you stick around and continue to make Mhaldor even better than it is already

@Tanris/@Sohl/@Jarrod/@Tagg/@Everyone else in that group >.> - You're last cause I hate you all cause you all keep killing me (especially Tagg, whenever you're around, I die to *your* Kai Choke, like, 90% of the time. Even when Nemutaur, Triak and Akia are all hitting, it's you who killed me like, the last 7 out of 10 times >.>). J/k, you guys probably find me more annoying (or insignificant ) more than the other way around haha. I really do enjoy all the fighting you instigate - I can't ask you guys to do more cause I think my citymates might murder me (IRL) but the skirmishes are very enjoyable. The ganks less so but that's life haha >.>

Trey

Oh shit, I was going to write one of these, wasn't I? This is going to be prefaced with 'even if I didn't mention you, if you think I should have acknowledged you, know that I do'.

@Phaestus - You're on almost as much as Salik used to be, 23/7, and you're always a riot. Please start kicking me in the ass about Order involvement more often! A lot of times I get home and I'm horribly unmotivated to do anything but bullshit on OOC clans and forge, but it's always rewarding when I get roused up to do things. You're an absolute treat to everyone you interact with even partially, and I hope you're around forever. Even if you won't give me a godsword to screw around with.

@Mayapple - Can't even begin to describe the positive impact you've had on my game experience and as the best bff ever. That's right, two B's, two F's, all <3333s. TOYS 4 lyfe.

@Jurixe - You bust at least three times as much ass as any two people I know behind-the-scenes. A large part of me not finding an excuse to leave Mhaldor during our lowest period has to do with you and the consistently engaging RP you offer. I know our schedules don't exactly mesh up like they used to, but hopefully that will change. And hopefully you don't!

@Xenomorph - Way to toe the line between being an absolute hardass and trying to make the game fun for as many people as you can manage. I didn't know if your appointment to Tyrannus was going to be a great decision or not at first given some of the muttering in the background, but I'm pleased to say that I'm happy with how things have turned out.

@Tirac - You are a f-ing turtle of death in combat. You are singularly the most meticulous defensive fighter in the game, and I'm glad we have you in the Maldaathi. I might cry if I had to fight you on a regular basis.

@Grimstir - Your mentor isn't an illusion, I promise, no matter how much it might seem like it at times! I think one of the most fun times I've had as an elder player with a novice was our trip to Hashan, and I hope it was as fun for you as I thought.

@Cain - You have an uncanny ability to roll with my constant trolling and laugh about it, even when I was ember-bombing you. We've been friends almost as long as I've been playing Trey, and despite all the 'Cain says, "Wtf." and 'Cain says, "Lol.", I hope Mhaldor keeps you for years more.

@Carmain - Through your alternating manias and cool spots, you've remained one of my favorites. You're a great source to bounce ideas off of, and you've never told me I'm an idiot when clearly most of my ideas were variations on "I want to be OP. Become a Celani and make this shit happen."

@Batista - My clone, man. You handed me the keys to vivisect in an RP conversation no less, and are singularly responsible for me being able to kill anyone.

@Vadimuses - Thank you for giving people excellent-yet-predictable curing. I don't think I would've learned to fight as well as I did without @Batista's guidance coupled with practically everyone I fought during practice curing exactly the same way

To everyone in Team Red, the Midnight Crew, and every other of the twenty OOC clans I'm part of for being insomnia-fodder.

@Phaesteans - You're all pretty fantastic. Except that one. You know who you are.

@Mephaos - For issuing me when I breathe. I can't stress how many nights I've seen things like ---

   2142* Mephaos      12/02/21:12

 I'll enjoy watching you get shrubbed.

   2143* Meletus      12/03/5:01

 With regard to issue 64465: I have reviewed the issue Mephaos filed against 

you, and am ruling to dismiss it. If you have any further questions or concerns,

please don't hesitate to let us know.

-- and gotten a kick out of it. Never change, bro.

@Nihilists - With very few exceptions there's none of you I don't consider to be quality interactions, even dicks like @Manifest who manage to pull off arrogance while killing with Thurisaz and untargetted DSLs. Having enemies on a different front than usual is great.

@Beer

@Kyrra - We've literally never had an IC interaction but you're still great. Keep it up!

@Cooper - nothing particularly special, other than I've known you longer than I've known most people on the game, and you're one of the slew of people who've realized that while I seem like a belligerent asshole, deep down I'm really... a belligerent asshole, but I'm good-natured about most of it.

@Listofasskissery - You're getting far too long, but I have faith in you. Keep it up!

@Jhui, @Yiwen, @Penwize and the Eleusian crew. Of the people who actually get out and fight, you guys are all remarkably good sports, and I always have fun fighting you regardless of when I get curbstomped. Which is often because, as everyone knows, @Penwize ruins the game for everyone.

@Kitarel, @Vayne, @Cinya, and anyone else from Hashan that I've interacted with, you guys are almost always surprisingly fun. Even if @Kitarel has way too many f-ing pets. You're not Madelyne, for f-s sake

@Anyone who isn't specifically mentioned - I didn't leave you out because I've forgotten you, I've left you out because I'm sick of typing.

Daslin

@Trey thanks for the awesome RP, even in the weirdest ways, from Brother style with the Order, to dumbass idiot outside of it. It's nice to see more than one side of your character. (Also when I alt and see even more of your Character. A weird caring for people....) All of this, even though you don't NEED a damn godsword, that'd be insane.

Mayapple

One day I'm going to have to make one of these lists, and I already don't feel like doing all that work.  So stop making these threads.  Bah humbug.

Sabiru

@Tanris - Nothing more really needs to be said here, except that we should exchange contact details before one of us actually disappears from the game and/or appears in Europe/Australia.

@Tagg - You too, if you could fit through a regular doorway.

@Jurixe - also you.

Vadimuses

@all you guys because that's why I spent hours on a curing system and a MUD client for yall.

Rean

@Arionna and the rest of the Moliuvias for being awesome. Will still probably randomly kill some of you if you're too stupid, though. Fortunately I have only had to like... damn that's a lot. Whatever, Ari will keep you guys in line.

@Tanris for being hilarious, epic, crazy, patient, all kinds of compliments and props. I also now twitch when I hear or read the phrase "We got this." Don't know how many times I've portaled to you and died within 5 seconds, but I facepalmed and laughed each time. Our ascendants fight was easily the best fight I've had in Achaea and we had so many timeouts (especially that one where you were about to die, gdi). I remember laughing like hell when you said "You say everything I've always wanted to, but can't" when someone was screaming at Rean for vibes in the city and he just brushed them off (a houseleader? whatever, screw politics).

@Mizik for being a boss. Seriously, guy just evades into guards, says "guards here" and everyone goes north to start killing them. And it works. What?

@Sohl and @Dunn for being NASA level coders and helping me when my tiny brain couldn't handle things. Always quality interactions (even the random OOC on PT, funny stuff). I remember Sohl getting me to trans enchantment and get his enchanter script (meteors sell great man trust me). I had to market those 500 meteors for like 4 weeks, gdi. And they were cheap, too! Necklace of purity is worth it though. Someone tried sniping me with voyria after I got unshrubbed. Please, do you know what kind of shrub I was? Not the kind that dies to voyria, that's what kind.

@Earionduil for having my back and 2v7ing Mhaldor a few days after I got unshrubbed. "It'll work fine," he said. And I'll be damned, it actually did. (walk into group, summon vibes, conc spam, tumble to get out). Guy is a hero.

@Peak for never leaving the forge in the entirety of his character's life. Pretty sure the newbie intro just dropped him there.

@Kyrra for making me say awwwwww like I just saw kittens wrestling and just hanging out and talking when the gods were dying. Great company, had a few sweet moments.

@All of Ashtan, even the morons different people that I sometimes disagree with. Was a blast playing with you guys, leading raids, randomly dropping retardation (GOD - IT REAN WHY DID YOU - oh. They're all dead?). Some of my best combat memories are being hopelessly outnumbered and somehow winning (and that one clutch dampen retardation I had when someone dropped it on us after calling for help). Loved being Jester and summoning Mizik whenever he'd do something simply insane and almost die. I saved him with that puppet so many times.

@Matsuhama, @Ellodin, @Jhui, @Dumah, @Rennyn, @Naisar, @Deridius, @Areshi and all you other ex-scions for being involved in one of my favorite parts of my character's life. Had a lot of fun with you guys, I still re-read the epic logs of Magi Rean + Runewarden Jhui v Monk Dumah + Pa(lupines)adin Ellodin best of 3 2v2's we had. Was great watching scions improve and get into the order, writing combat books, and just about every action. Favorite memory was sparring Mats in a rampage. He smashed people, but couldn't do that to me in ret. Lasted like 3 minutes against him, was great. Was too afraid to try to win (truedisfavour for like 5 years and/or that crazy mace that blackouts, stuns for 7 seconds, enfeebles, breaks every limb, gives you stupidity and prones for sure) but it was pretty epic. Will miss you guys!

Lastly, the rest of you. There's like 400 more people I need to mention (from the badass Amunet and all the Nihilists and Babel to the ridiculous people like Euronymous and Kiet who still leave me completely confused), but can't write about. I didn't forget any of you, and while I disagreed with some of you (and sometimes did pretty stupid things) I did a lot of growing up in Achaea. As I get older I look back and can only chuckle a bit - you guys have been really patient with me, from my first days in Achaea and through my mistakes. I like what Rean's become, and although the road here wasn't the smoothest, it's been a great ride. (I guess this is technically a career-wide rave, but whatever, semantics. Blame the Mayans.)

Sidonia

Rean said:

Please, do you know what kind of shrub I was? Not the kind that dies to voyria, that's what kind.

Pros know that blackwind choking is the best way to kill Rean as a shrub

Tirac

Happy new year and happy holidays, everyone.

I won't list everyone I want to thank, or I'd run out of vacation days. Most importantly, I'd like to thank my fellow players. Achaea's most valuable asset is its players (not its code or its development team or its products for sale). I wouldn't give a damn about Achaea if there weren't good players to play with. We have a pretty good group here, so cheers to my fellow Achaeans.

Most of all, I'd like to thank my citymates in Mhaldor. I've played characters in every city except Hashan and Cyrene, and no other city has provided me such a rich and fulfilling experience. I can literally log in at any time and find something exciting to do. "I'll check out what's happening in Mhaldor for 15 minutes" turns into an hour, turns into two hours, turns into 3AM and have to get up for work in three hours. No other experience in Achaea has done so much for me. Thanks to the writers, the role-players, the scholars, the people who give our city meaning. Thanks to the fighters for keeping the PK strongly role-oriented and far away from the chatroom style that so many others have adopted. There aren't that many Mhaldorians but boy is this city fun. I think that much is obvious - if I didn't love Mhaldorians so much I wouldn't play/pay as much as I do.

To our administration, thanks for the dedication and especially the epic event of the last couple months. Keep attracting good players and I'll never leave.

This year, I've spent more days in airports, train stations, and hotel rooms than at home. Thanks for keeping me company, Achaea.

Amunet

I've had a terrible year, both in Achaea and out of it, but there are some people who have kept me going. I'll try not to forget anyone:

@Babel - Best God ever, even if I haven't been able to pull myself together as the Keeper/Demiurge as well as was expected. You've worked so hard to make sure that even my minor events and ideas are flawlessly implemented. I can't thank you enough.

@Tanris - I couldn't ask for a better person to take care of all of the ass-kicking in the House and Order, to say nothing of the politics more deftly handled by a lauded war hero with a flawless reputation.

@Dunn and @Jarrod - IC or OOC, you two always keep me laughing, regardless of how bad my mood may be. And screw what other people have said here on the forums - you two are incredible roleplayers when the occasion calls for it, and I've always loved interacting with you in-game just as much as I love (hate; you bastards!) your spider-picture-trolling. 

@Mathonwy - Our characters' interactions, good or bad, have never failed to make my day. You're one of the best RPers I've ever met.

@Katalyst - My personal bodyguard. I wish you were around more often!

@Apollodorus and @Manifest - So glad to see both of you back in Achaea. Besides Imyrr, you two were the absent players I missed the most.

@Silas, @Sothantos, @Melodie, and @Halos - Best enemies ever. Enough said.

@Morro, @Mariya, and @Colivar - Best text-children ever. Thank you for putting up with my terrible e-parenting.

@Flair - You're a bastard and I hope you die. (Not really. You're one of my favourite people in Achaea, and I'm glad for every opportunity I have to see you. But I have a reputation to uphold

@Lianca - if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have managed to survive this year. You're an integral a part of the House and Order, and I'm so glad you joined us.

And finally, @Orklanishkal. There aren't words to describe how grateful I am to have you around again. You support me when I need support, you keep me in line when I need to be checked, and you manage to do so with perfect and infinite patience. Either you're a truly good person, or you're even crazier than I am. You're also a splendid RPer - truly one of the best - and your tenacity running into combat situations where you know you're likely to die is both admirable and hilarious. Thank you for coming back, for finally marrying Amu, and for being the incarnation of awesome.

Vayne

@Cinya I am quite glad that you finally took the plunge and let me bloodline you! Not only did I get an awesome roleplayer for my textdaughter and snag a Shallamite, but I got a whole family of them as an added bonus. It's always been fun playing with you!

@Harmonia I love you. You are the best.

@Salvar You were my right hand man in the city, especially during your stint as Minister of Security and you never fail at being entertaining!

@Mannimar My favorite (and only) text son who never has never disappointed, you make me so proud being Prophet and such and thanks for trying to help me with Mudlet!

@Saphyria You are always a pleasure!

@Hhaos For generally being cool and dependable and being an fine example of Knighthood to Hashan and taking out its ever frustrating War position.

@Kotyonok You are crazy and we do not always get along but you have always been there to help Vayne out!

@Verily Everyone who interacts with you seems to love you, so glad we scooped you up with Cinya! I enjoy playing the protective grandfather with you!

@Aitox You work you butt off and deserve some credits you smug bastard.

@Serpentlords The young and enthusiastic and the old and dedicated.

@Nihilists You are always fun to interact with @Lianca, @Mathonwy, @Amunet, @Flair, @Corbeaux

@Ourania And last but not least, Ourania who works so hard for Hashan and its Houses and seems to always have time to spoil me. We are lucky to have you, thanks!

Aerek

Lessee..

@Phaestus for being a great Patron. We don't always agree, but you do good work, and have breathed life into what could easily be a boring, lifeless city.

@Zinka for being as good at combat as she is at paperwork, and having a practical "Let's try it!" approach to House leadership. Keep it up, and I think you could become one of the ideal Knightly role models that the Wardens are honestly lacking, of late.

@Melodie for being awesome and putting up with me. I'm not the most social Achaean, I usually log in to get business done, but you tie me down and remind me to be a human character, not a House robot. The amount of patience and effort you put into my character is odd and possibly unhealthy, but it is not unappreciated.

@Nellaundra, @Tessa, @Aeryllin, See: Melodie. All of you remind me to lighten up and enjoy this game when I get too mechanical.

@Tasleus, @Prydwyn, @Arkailus, @Maethros, and pretty much every other Warden HR5 and lower, you guys are honestly the reason I keep logging in. The Wardens really only appeal to a specific type of player, so having a group of you at once to watch grow, explore, and train with each other is one of the more rewarding experiences I've had playing.

@Wessux You're a goddamn rottweiler in the arena, and an absolute catastrophe outside it. The amount of trouble you can get yourself into just by opening your mouth borders on an art form, but you're a good Warden and I'm glad to have you.

@Arador I've always liked the facet of Knighthood that allows for amicable relations between Knights, even as they are led to disembowel and dismember each other by their polar-opposite ideologies. Thanks for giving me an outlet for that duality, I wish we shared times online more often.

You can tell from my list that I don't get out much.

Idelisa

This thread is getting more sickening by the day.  So much love.

Tvistor

You read through the thread, becoming disgusted that you've allowed for people to express their affection in public.

A sense of extreme nausea washes over you.

3957h, 3759m, 18070e, 15800w cekdb-8:03:06:750

You remove 1 ferrum, bringing the total in the Rift to 41.

3957h, 3759m, 18080e, 15800w cexkdb-18:03:09:976

You eat a ferrum flake.

Your stomach becalms itself.
3957h, 3759m, 18080e, 15800w cexkdb-18:03:10:473

You swoon as you suffer a forum relapse.

A sense of extreme nausea washes over you.

3957h, 3759m, 18080e, 15800w cexkdb-18:03:11:514

Melodie

Okay, I've been waiting to draw up a list, but when I keep getting mentions, I start to feel like a Bad Person(tm) for not writing one. So!

@Phaestus, I'm going to start with you because you put up with me in all kinds of ridiculous, crazy ways, including my fallouts for "great RP" ideas. We don't always get along, I'm kind of a strange Senator (and a water rat besides), but honestly all the effort you put into the city, the Lumeni, the Wardens, and several other places just brings Cyrene to life in ways I couldn't otherwise imagine. Thank you, and please don't go anywhere. We have a long way to go yet.

@Neraeos for always, always, always challenging me in every way imaginable, making me both cringe, reel, and shout for joy. Few other characters, mortal or Divine, can make me do a little stupid happy dance when they enter the room, but you do it every single time. I'm a dork for you, and I regret not a bit of it. Since your return, you've kicked the Order in the ass, and while we're a little slow in responding, you still make every time we even get a glimpse of you a wondrous day. Few Divine can keep such magic around them. Don't ever leave again, or I will weep.

@Scarlatti - You might just think I would rave about him because he's the other Cyrene Divine, but no. While I don't get to interact with you as much as I would like, every single interaction, both in person and via denizen, has been absolutely interesting, and often terribly amusing.  From affectionate, to harsh, to mysterious, you're able to cover every role with panache, and it's truly a work of art (zing!) to witness. You're not allowed to leave either.

@Kastalia - Though brief, I loved every second we got to interact, and I'm sorry you're gone. I hope you're sticking around Achaea in some form - your addition to the game is very different and vastly intricate and detailed. Few know how to weave words as you do, and between that and your personality, you're truly an asset to the Garden.

@Tessa, @Aeryllin, and @Nellaundra, for giving Mel the family she's been lacking for some time now. After the huge fall-out with the Etiennes, I thought family life was more or less a facet of Achaea I was only going to see now and again, but thanks to you three, you keep me engaged, challenged, and often a mix of frustrated and shocked. I adore all three of you, and you really do liven up my character's every day life like few can. Now if we could just get you three to get along...

@Aerek for often putting up with my absolute need to bother him every moment I'm able to, even before he fully came back to Achaea, from everything to the Lumeni, to just general banter. I'm so glad @Ellodin finally convinced you to return, because it's been an absolute blast ever since. You cause the absolute craziest nonsense with your against-the-grain personality, sometimes to the point where I nearly want to tear my hair out, but you always come back with your knightly attitude and general charm. Thank you for putting up with my need to always bother you and make you do "normal" things. You really enliven my playing experience.

@Verrucht - I doubt I need to say much here, but you always put up with me and my failings, including when I decide to be stupid and gloss over details of events that eventually end up biting me in the ass. You lead the Order with a strong, but fair hand, and since taking up Imperiate-ship, you've led the city forward during some very harsh times. You've made the Senate much, much more efficient, and you always make me laugh, even if I'm cringing at the same time. Thank you for all that you do.

@Halos - For being about the only non-Nereian Shallamese refugee who I have been able to connect with on a much more personal level. What started out as scorn and disdain with a dash of sympathy turned into a really complex, interesting friendship that has become very amicable. You were there for Mel through some of her absolute most prideful and shameful moments, and you made every step of the process absolutely interesting and fun to play out. Seeing you go as Caliph was saddening to witness, but I hope you're still enjoying Achaea. Don't ever, ever change - you bring an amazing element to where you are, and by far one of my favourite people to have drop in on Mel unexpectedly.

@Fendo, @Trilliana, and @Ariettie - Couldn't ask for better Senators to work with! When you end up spending a few hours guaranteed a week with people, and often more, you tend to get on each other's nerves, but these folks always overcome that natural tendency and we get what we need to, done. Even if Ariettie scares me a little from time to time. (Wait for it, she's going to come on the forums JUST to call me a coward)

@Flair, @Amunet, @Morro, @Lianca, @Mathonwy, @Tvistor, and other general frinemies - You guys have changed how I play Achaea the most, I think. Before I came back in September of 2011, I had hardly ever spoken to enemies, and even then, only to give fines and boring things. Coming back after two years and with a bit more maturity, I was able to not only be in a room with you guys without -utterly- freaking out, but actually manage to roleplay. Shockingly, I think I even managed to roleplay somewhat well. It's brought about some of the most interesting changes in my character, in ways otherwise not possible. It also gets me into some of the deepest trouble, but it has been worth it for the great times I've been able to enjoy. Fraternization makes it hard to really get involved too often (which is a shame), but whenever we can, I have an absolute blast. Thanks for pulling me out of my comfort zone and into something new and utterly magical.

@Cyrene and @Lumeni in general - Thanks for being where I can enjoy a wonderful playing experience, without having to get too involved with combat. It's pretty hard to balance out a priest who isn't Shallamese at times and make it work without people rolling their eyes, but thanks to the backdrop we have here, we're able to. I truly hope, with all the new changes coming forth, that the Lumeni are able to take leaps and bounds in the upcoming new year. I really, really am looking forward to that.

@Order - Love you guys! Make sure to never leave, or your fingers will be worn upon the necklace you know of I'll really miss you all. Every one of you. Yes, even you!

@Friztic - Awesome, even if we argue like grumpy seniors who need their diapers changed.

@Finchy for being himself, funny, supportive, and always willing to lend me an ear to talk about the most inane things. Stop being gone, and come back already!

If I missed anyone, sorry!

Jacen

So I feel guilty about playing the cool kid part so I'm really gonna do this.

@Dorn and @Lanar Coolest unrelated text bros a dude could ask for

@Nemutaur being cool, patient, and explaining things to me OOCly. Even though I hate you because you're 10x the combatant I am with .1x the playing time.

@non Lotus Hashani, Thanks for all the support and encouragement over the years. We've had good times and bad, but I've always felt like Hashan had my back. Got tons of congrats from ya'll when I got HL, and it really made me feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be.

@Hhaos @Eld @Mannimar @Alim @Qwindor and anyone else at the top of the Hashani combat tier. There were times when it would be so much easier to go to Ashtan/Mhaldor/Eleusis and really shine, but we've all stuck it out, and even though its a tougher road, I think we're all the better for it.

@Lanar again for putting up with all my ranting on pretty much every subject one could rant on, and always being there for comic relief.

@Karai for being an awesome coder, and for knowing tons of history and spiritual IG things. Its fun debating with you. Even though you still scare me.

@Eld for many things. Maintaining a good standing with the city, well enough to win Regent. Always being level headed and the voice of reason. For solving any Regex problem ever. For not yelling at me when I use the House ship and forget to repair hulls/sails. For kicking my ass in the arena.

@Black Lotus for being an awesome House, for accepting me as a leader, for the tremendous amounts of respect you bestow on me, and for having all of my respect. Love you guys.