<waves> Bye all

[Aran_Thule]

[ooc] Im afraid its time for me to depart from daoc <sniff> so it is with a heavy heart that i write this post.
This is something thats been building up for some time and is a result of several things rather then anything specific.
But over the last few months ive noticed that the only times ive really logged on was for planned events with people from the guild and alliance.
Its the people that make the game and everyone in the artisans and in our newly formed alliance have been great and a lot of fun to play with.
Unfortunately with the changes to the game its made it so its been an uphill struggle to have fun and the hill keeps getting steeper.
I miss how things were in the past, when people were willing to work and help together, when there was a realm spirit.
Our alliance was a sanctuary, with thoose that played for fun and friendship, and i hope it will continue to do so.
I will miss thoose that i have made friends with and wish everyone well for whatever path they choose.
Ive fought for Hibernia for over four years now and it will always have a place in my heart.

Farewell and good hunting all

[Kallima]

As I said to Xest, there would be one last goodbye post from me in the alliance section. The delay was because I was waiting for Aran to do his post first, and there were people who deserved to know before it went general public if we could get hold of them.

Sorry it’s a long post. I’d have to be in game ages to catch everyone who deserves a farewell, and all the goodbyes get painful, so lets do it all in one go.

First of all, sorry that our leaving inevitably came as an out of the blue shock to people. When the population is so low, talking about the fact you might leave is depressing to people, and has a negative effect. Each time people leave, it’s hard on those staying. So, we kept quiet until it was definite. There was a time when our hope was Artisans of Willow would stay in DAOC until Warhammer arrived and move straight there. A few months ago it became increasingly clear that DAOC was unlikely to last that long, and we might need to find a temporary home to bridge the gap. A few weeks ago, we worked out our detailed transition plan both for game, and for our roleplay. We even wrote a little glimpse of what our characters were doing in ten years time.

We aren’t leaving as a result of problems. We’ve carried on happily despite enough of them over the last 18 months.

The alliance has been great and it’s been several months of fun with you people. I thank you for it. Fun is what a game is for, and you were the main argument in favour of staying.

Hibernia is not what it was. The realm spirit is not what it was when we went into New Frontiers, outnumbered, with banners flying and proved we could win. The population is dropping and as it gets lower, its harder for the different playing styles to rub along together, and realistically most people can’t be bothered to all move and start over on a new server. A way round that is for there to be different areas for the different styles, where different rule sets are respected. That works for a while, but when the population drops too low, in game or forum, it breaks down. Things are too quiet in the different areas and people start using their rule set wherever they go. It’s understandable, but the result is conflict.

The killer is game content. A lot of the things are much easier now, and a lot of people have done it all. I have an unbelievable number of ML10 templated characters of all but one class. You reach the point when you run out of goals to work towards. Even in rvr, its so easy to get realm points compared to the old days. A new expansion could breath new life, but there seems a general lack of inspiration over Minotaurs.

It’s the same for a lot of people. No real goals and starting to just log in for the rvr run or events. Core people were already planning to leave in the New Year. Our subscriptions are running out and we have no real desire to buy the new expansion.

So we are in the transition process now testing places. Haven’t been able to contact all of the guild yet, and they each have to make their own choices. We’ll help anyone staying in DAOC as much as we can. We should be in our new home by the New Year if not this week. Rats, water beetles, whatever, look out the noobies are coming!

I’m not listing people to say goodbye to. A lot of people who added to my fun went a long time ago, and many probably never realised how much the raid they led or the way they played added to my game experience. Those friends still around, Artisans of Willow are still at www.tavernsofcamelot.com. You can drop by, say hello in the Hibernian Discussion section, make an id and message us. I’ll also try and check my messages on pryd forum for the next few days at least if you want to message me here for more personal contact details and news of what we are up to now. At the least, we may all meet up again in Warhammer.

I am saying goodbye to Hibernia Prydwen, land of trees and mushrooms. It’s been good knowing you. We explored your lands. We passed the trials of Atlantis when they were new and challenging. We had the joy of relic raiding, defending successfully against unbelievable odds, taking keeps, and fighting epic battles. We had houses and horses. My characters lived there, and I leave them happily continuing their lives in virtual reality.

Thank you Hibernia, and thank you alliance. Saying goodbye makes me cry, but there is a new chapter ahead.

So long and thanks for all the fish, from Gwennethe, Kallista, Kallima, Gwennedde, Tazzy and the rest of the nutty roleplay characters.

[taknisse1]

thanks for time beeing have been fun and you have helped me alot will miss you bouth, have fun irl and tc

[Earendil]

I'm not in the Artisan Alliance,I began my adventures in the Order of the Sacred Oak, but been around since you guys first began and always admired your spirit and enthusiasm... I was just the same, i remember how my heart skipped when i first started Dark Age of Camelot, i was 14, it was an entire world to explore, new people to meet... my first run into RvR at level 8 with Sethai hehe... Still remember the first mid who ever killed me! Now im almost 19 and so much has changed...

Since then its lost a lot of magic... just like the elves in the Lord of the Rings who set sail far away from Middle Earth, so do the population of prydwen...

You'll be sorely missed, Artisans was always a sanctuary where i could bring back some of those nostalgic feelings and sensations, and i never really realised how lucky I was, and other people until now

You might not know me that well but i've always been an admirer of the guild.

Wishing you the bestest of luck... I'm gonna be one of the elves who stays and fades away along with the land and the game...

I salute some of Hibernias finest.

Earendil Halfelven

[Belisar]

Prydwen Hibernia without Aran and Gwenn ? Almost unthinkable

Best of luck with the transition.

Thanks for the good times - of which there were plenty.

[Kesxex]

Hibernia and the Artisans alliance won't be much without you. Nonetheless please feel free to find the fun and enjoyment that should come from playing a game that should come from it.

I guess that from now on till I concede my subscriptions there will be an uphill struggle to keep the alliance moving along as it needs a leader to put some live in it.
I had a few breaks over the last year myself to see some interest back in DAOC but I can't see honestly for me to continue myself.

Hope to see you back in Warhammer - I don't honestly whether I will invest the time myself into a new online game as I have done with DAOC or whether I skip it for playing Warhammer Tabletop instead - and hope we find each other in a new guild called Prydwen on Warhammer.

[Alexandrinus]

Bye Aran and Gwenn was nice to meet you in the game.
I had to find (for me) something else to go over the gap wich daoc left in my time planning.
And found out that RL training brought more to me then online gaming .
So i most likely dont will play WH in the next year....but who knows maybe i will think about this in another way next year.


Hope you two will also find something else to spent your time well.
Bye

[Lieva]

[Arcsalin]

Fools, warhammer will suck and you will be crying for your old acc's in minutes after its release xD

Aran, GL mate, but you will be back, I just know it xD

[Jor]

/wave Aran & Gwen, no need to be sentimental but I somehow feel like whenever people leave I knew and fought with.

GL2U!