How to handle returning after a long absence

How does one in-characterly explain and deal with a long absence?  I've  been away from Achaea for several months, and I'm not sure how to handle my character having been gone so long.  I'm also pretty sure all my gear has dusted by now, and I don't want to get slapped in the stocks for running naked through the streets of Mhaldor. :)
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  • I was gone for several years, you can do what I did. Try to help your house, than get enemied to your city and ousted due to 'divine circumstances' eventually join Eleusis and be happy. 

    Seriously though, rat for gold and get some basic things than go real hunting for gold. Hell catch some butterflies they are fun, going 'Dormant' isn't that uncommon of a thing. Just say you were sleeping and now your awake again! Definitely don't rat naked in the streets of Mhaldor though, maybe try going into the sewers if you can. 
  • AmanuAmanu Forge Tree
    Say you were abroad traveling?

  • MelodieMelodie Port Saint Lucie, Florida
    I described my ~2 OOC year absence as "Melodie went on a long sea voyage/pilgrimage to meditate on Neraeos", but that's because she's Nereian. You can base it off your character and how you roleplay, or very simply, you can just say "I went to sleep a long time". Up to you! I always like inserting a little bit of flavour into things as I can. Even better, you can explain some items you may have gotten (like customised artefacts) via "I went on this journey and discovered this in a far-away place. It took great fortitude to do so." or something similar.
    And I love too                                                                          Be still, my indelible friend
    That love soon might end                                                         You are unbreaking
    And be known in its aching                                                      Though quaking
    Shown in this shaking                                                             Though crazy
    Lately of my wasteland, baby                                                 That's just wasteland, baby
  • MelodieMelodie Port Saint Lucie, Florida
    Neraeos was so great for that.

    He might have also converted Melodie when she was a Vastarian, long time ago.


    ;))
    And I love too                                                                          Be still, my indelible friend
    That love soon might end                                                         You are unbreaking
    And be known in its aching                                                      Though quaking
    Shown in this shaking                                                             Though crazy
    Lately of my wasteland, baby                                                 That's just wasteland, baby
  • Thanks for the replies, folks.  I'd thought I might do the 'went on a journey' idea.  It makes sense for my character. She might have decided to go off and test herself or soul search or the like.
  • TharvisTharvis The Land of Beer and Chocolate!
    yeah @Melodie, he tried to convert me too, but instead, I managed to convert Polynikes  :-bd
    Aurora says, "Tharvis, why are you always breaking things?!"
    Artemis says, "You are so high maintenance, Tharvis, gosh."
    Tecton says, "It's still your fault, Tharvis."

  • MelodieMelodie Port Saint Lucie, Florida
    Yeah riiiiiight.

    Paging Polynikes aisle three, paging Polynikes aisle 3, you're needed for ultimate beatdown, you're needed for ultimate beatdown *pssssh*
    And I love too                                                                          Be still, my indelible friend
    That love soon might end                                                         You are unbreaking
    And be known in its aching                                                      Though quaking
    Shown in this shaking                                                             Though crazy
    Lately of my wasteland, baby                                                 That's just wasteland, baby
  • KresslackKresslack Florida, United States
    Lost at sea.


  • Just say you were in phase the whole time.
  • Nim said:

    Just say you were in phase the whole time.

    This is yet another reason why I love serpents, we have built in dormancy explanations.

    I have no experience with Mhaldor but in targ once people found out I was sticking around I got all kinds of support for things like vials and clothes. I wish the game did not put such a big barrier up for returning players. I think decay times should be rebalanced around only ticking down when you are logged on.

    Having my guild, city, and order all gone strikes me as enough of a reset :p

    Welcome back to the game!
  • Feral said:
    Just say you were in phase the whole time.
    This is yet another reason why I love serpents, we have built in dormancy explanations. I have no experience with Mhaldor but in targ once people found out I was sticking around I got all kinds of support for things like vials and clothes. I wish the game did not put such a big barrier up for returning players. I think decay times should be rebalanced around only ticking down when you are logged on. Having my guild, city, and order all gone strikes me as enough of a reset :p Welcome back to the game!
    Psh, I'm not even a serpent, and I still use the excuse. I mean, how do they know I didn't class switch and live in phase for a few years and class switch back?!
  • Longest absence I had was three real months. My excuse was I went wandering the northlands and the wilderness, got lost a bit, came back and wanted to re-acquaint myself with things and to use the new knowledge I acquired from exploring (I was pretty much 80% off plane normally anyways). I was still in Eleusis and Sylvans anyways so asking someone how to request a letter (sorry @Tukio) from the post office was less jarring.
    "Faded away like the stars in the morning,
     Losing their light in the glorious sun,
     Thus would we pass from this earth and its toiling,
     Only remembered for what we have done."

  • AmanuAmanu Forge Tree
    edited March 2014
    I tried going dormant once. Couldn't last more than 2 days. Must be an addict.

  • AgriasAgrias Wisconsin
    I just tell everyone I'm back and let them make their own assumptions.
    image
  • edited March 2014
    Melodie said:
    Neraeos was so great for that.

    He might have also converted Melodie when she was a Vastarian, long time ago.


    ;))
    I always thought of Neraeos as a collector. Of people. If he liked you, he'd try to convert you. (Did it to me when I was Imperiate, although it was more of a kick in the butt than a steal from another god, heh!)

    What Agrias said above is typically how I approach it. And I've had a lot of absences over 12 years of playing, lol. It's really not as big a deal as you might think unless you make it a big deal for roleplay reasons. In other words, it's up to you as to how important you'd like your absence to be on your character. Others will generally be fluid with whatever approach you take.

    "Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to? You will never find that [everlasting] life for which you are looking. When the gods created man they allotted to him death, but life they retained in their own keeping. As for you, Gilgamesh, fill your belly with good things; day and night, night and day, dance and be merry, feast and rejoice. Let your clothes be fresh, bathe yourself in water, cherish the little child that holds your hand, and make your wife happy in your embrace; for this too is the lot of man." 

  • What I always do when I come back and people ask where I (respectively my character) was is to say "I'm going to write a post on the newsboards with a big explanation" and then never do it.
  • Iocun said:
    What I always do when I come back and people ask where I (respectively my character) was is to say "I'm going to write a post on the newsboards with a big explanation" and then never do it.
    Where where you?!
  • Iocun said:
    That's a long story. I'll tell you later.
    Okay!
  • NizarisNizaris The Holy City of Mhaldor
    Hey, @Chaimra.

    Welcome back. Nizaris has been dormant a couple of times, but I've always played it as a 'I needed rest.' It's the kind of thing that is easily understood as speaking both for the character and for the player at the same time. I've had a couple of times where I was sick in real-life, and I would just answer, in-character, that I was ill. It was understood to be answering both IC and OOC at the same time, and the conversation moved forward without a second thought.
    image
  • TarausTaraus The Gypsy Wind

    "I got lost."



  • TharvisTharvis The Land of Beer and Chocolate!
    Taraus said:

    "I got lost."


    @Orzaansyn might be able to mentor you in the fine art of making up a story around getting lost
    Aurora says, "Tharvis, why are you always breaking things?!"
    Artemis says, "You are so high maintenance, Tharvis, gosh."
    Tecton says, "It's still your fault, Tharvis."

  • DaslinDaslin The place with the oxygen
    edited April 2014
    "I was doing things, things you mustn't ever learn about."

    "Do not ask me what I was doing, damnit!"

    "Shut up, Deshi."
  • edited April 2014
    I think I told a lot of people that I tried to find inner peace by learning how to be a tree when I went dormant for like half a year or something.  

    Edit: you can also say that you fell asleep and forgot to wake up. 
    Commission List: Aesi, Kenway, Shimi, Kythra, Trey, Sholen .... 5/5 CLOSED
    I will not draw them in the order that they are requested... rather in the order that I get inspiration/artist block.
  • OceanaOceana North Sea
    You accidentally drank a whole vial of delphinium and slept for a 100 years.....
  • DaslinDaslin The place with the oxygen
    @Oceana Serious? People still fall for the "I accidentally the whole thing"?
  • Oceana said:
    You accidentally drank been ordered to drink a whole vial of delphinium and slept for a 100 years.....
    FTFY :)
    image
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