Conquest of the Horde

This is going to be a weird post. It's partly a skewed sort of CotHiversary, partly an absence post and partly an odd emotional reflection on something, but I'll keep it as brief as I can.


I realised, this morning, that the book I just finished reading is exactly the same book that I was reading around this time last year. I don't know what inspired me to pick it up again - probably a general scarcity of decent literature on hand in the house - but it's funny how life can seem to move in those circular motions. It's been a strange year for me, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I appreciate some consistency in my life. The book thing struck me because I've had precious little of it these past twelve months.

It's been a stressful year for me, too. This time last year, I was just starting my second year at sixth form, and I hadn't the slightest damn idea just how stressful it was going to be. Moreover, it was at this time last year that I broke my hiatus and began to play CotH again on a full-time basis. That was probably one of the better decisions I made this past year, to say the least, and looking back on everything I'm unbelievably glad that I stuck with it.

It's had its ups and downs, this past year. We're being forced to sell up the house, our luck with finances has not improved, our family is now short a few very important people, and we can't confidently say a couple more'll be with us this time next year. I've really struggled and fought to keep up with school. But I walked out of school, out of those exams I broke my back studying for, with some pretty awesome grades, and those grades have secured me a place to study at a pretty awesome university. I'm doing pretty awesome for myself, to stop and think of it.


I've had my first legal drink, I'm nearly legally certified to drive, my girlfriend and I have had another wonderful year together, and I can smile in knowing that I'd also rate many of my experiences on the server over the past twelve months in the 'ups', too. You guys have been a superlative help to me without even knowing it, each and every one of you. My friends, my guildies, the people I've debated and argued with on the forums, the people whose jokes have made me smile, the people whose posts have made me think, every single person I've spoken to on CotH (and a fair few people I haven't) - you've all been adding a little bit more consistency to my life, and a lot more besides.

So thanks, guys. I owe you one. I owe you plenty more than that. But I mentioned uni somewhere up there, and that brings me back to the primary purpose of this post.

In approximately 36 hours, I am moving out. The house I grew up in, that I've lived in all my life, will be largely put behind me, presumably to be sold at some point over the next year of my studies. I will be relocating to a city with which I'm honestly only peripherally familiar (despite telling you all I'm from there - sorry, guys, the truth needed to come out sometime) to live with and befriend people who are complete unknowns to me, to lead a lifestyle that's new to me. As much as I like life to go in neat little circles, I can already tell that consistency will be in scarce supply, but I'm just going to embrace that and take it as it comes.


I will have my laptop with me when I go. I will have the internet, no doubt about it. What I will not have in abundance is free time, and I wager that for the first week of my stay I'll be directing whatever of that I have mostly towards making new friends, getting to know people and places, figuring out the lay of the land and generally settling in. For that and at least another week, while I acclimatise to my new schedule and surroundings, I can only anticipate that my activity will be extremely shaky.

I'll be accessible via Skype, sure. The forums I'll continue to check regularly. I may even be able to get in-game for short, infrequent bursts, usually to run Open Offices or maybe even an event or two, but the level of activity that I've been enjoying in playing with you guys over the past three months will sharply drop. While I'm confident it won't dwindle entirely for a long time coming, I'll probably never be quite as available as I have been this summer, alas, and I have to ask your patience if I'm not available at all.

I don't really have the words to express how much I love this community. We might've had our fallings out up and down the line, our little spats and squabbles, but that's the kind of thing that happens with families, right? At the end of the day, I'm proud to say I'm part of CotH. Prouder than ever, at the moment.


I might be moving forwards in life, true, but I'm gonna drag you bastards and what I have here with me as far as I can. It'll be a challenge, but I'm not quite ready to give up yet. Far from it. I'll update this post again when I'm settled into uni.

Cheers guys,
Sol

It'll be odd to see you go, Sol. But, best of wishes; and meet some new friends. Have fun, and enjoy yourself; while we won't be seeing you often/if at all, we'll still be there to start chatting. You've really influenced my time on CoTH; through the thick and the thin, and general screwing around. (At first, I thought that most GMs would be gruff and stick in their own little cliques, but Sol, you completely abolished that stereotype for me in my early months.) Be safe, eat your greens, and all that jazz.

That is an amazing song that fits with the theme of this thread.

Oh my, Sol, just when I thought we'd finally have the RP I always wanted us to have; Irsha - Dhorgun! Despite my inactivity in the Harvest with Salem, Shanne (and some other character I tried), I always considered you a great friend, if not a bro -- along with Rowgen, Lendri, Sundae, Psycho, Pooleh and others, who're still around or have left. (apologies if you feel neglected)

Know that I'll always be here, in case you wish my help (why ever would you need my help?) or in case you wish to RP, ol' not-so-used Kira-Sol style.

Make sure never to forget the time you spent and the work you've given to CotH, the friends you've made and the excelent RP's that you've had and given. Oh, and to make time for more!


Cheers, Sol.
Kira out.



EDIT: Oh, and in case I ever get to the UK, you're on the list of people I have to buy beer for. EXPECT MY MAIL.

Ib4 Cappn's waterfall of tears.

You've been a fine friend, and a grand in fluence in RP as part of the trio of Castor, Baiden, and Anna. I'll, of course, bee* on Skype. Message me sometime!

*Swear, this typo was not intentional, your signature be damned.

(09-14-2012, 04:01 PM)c0rzilla Wrote: [ -> ]Ib4 Cappn's waterfall of tears.

GODDAMMIT C0R. >:C


Well, better late than never.



Sol, I'mma miss you. You were single handedly one of the best things I've had on CotH, and the RPs I've had with you over the year were one of the true mood lifters in my dreary drag of a life.

I think you said it best on my CotHiversary post...

[amquote]

(06-10-2012, 11:21 AM)Sol Wrote: [ -> ]You are a superlative bro, wacky fun to chat to, a fantastic RPer and I very much hope we'll both be around to see another of these posts next June.

Gonna hold onto those hopes, mang.

NOW GO BEFORE I CRY MOAR AND FLOOD THE WHOLE DAMN FORUMS

Circles? Circles? A bleeding pox on circles. Triangles or nothing, sunny.

As rare as our RP occasions have been, they were good.

Good luck on your road, bro. Stay tuned and keep your ears perked.

"Keep on truckin", we've only had a few discussions, but I don't think you're that bad a guy, we'd of became good friends if we had more time to get to know eachother I think.

Warning: Dreadfully emotional post will ensue.


I'll miss seeing you around, Sol. I really will. Of course, I know we'll keep in touch over Skype and stuff, and that you'll be on the forums, and that you'll still be here, just less... But I'll miss you, anyway. Every RP I've ever had with you has been great - At least on your part, I can't say much for myself, but I've always admired you as an RPer.

I stopped admiring superheroes in movies and comics long ago. In the last years, I've started to more and more admire my friends and my family - achievable heroes, the kind of heroes I can go on adventures with, you know? You're one of those heroes, Sol. You've been an inspiration for me to improve my RP, and I've noticed that I've subconsciously copied you a bit (. . . and :B, for instance). Most of all, you've never failed in making my laugh until I was hoarse - there's been several times my family have complained about the volume of my lounge-breaking Norse guffaws. I fear the house'll be a lot quieter henceforth. Suppose my family would thank you if they knew you were the cause of all this weirdness.

Last of all, I'd like to say that the Black Harvest has been the greatest thing to happen to me on this server, and these oh-how-many-months have been wonderful and exciting. Lordaeron never dies.

If I ever meet you at the bar, I'm buying.
Rowgen

P.S.: Let's ignore the fact that I'm a teetotaler.

Skype it is, then, amigo. Be sad to see you go, but it's gotta be!

The road goes ever on, and all that. Hit me up on skype if you ever want to chat about anything. I'm always available when ya need an ear.
Even if DnD is up; you can pretty much ignore that

I'm not really certain how to close posts like these. Always feels too final, and it makes me sad.

So best of luck, my friend, and here's a poledancing krogan:

I tried to write more but I just couldn't find the right words. What is there to say? A great person as far as I see you, a really good DM and a great event planning person. Made Black Harvest one of the biggest and most fun guilds on the server and whatever will happen with it everyone will remember the guild. I hope to see you as much as possible and I wish you good luck in everything you're planning to achieve. And you know what? Congrats on your CoTHversary! Maybe we were far too "He is leaving whaaaa" *cry cry* to congratulate. So I will do it! Congratulations sire!

And one question. What's gonna happen with BH while you're unavailable?

o/

I couldn't possibly articulate intelligent responses individually to all this right now, so instead I'll just answer Sorum's question, because I feel it's particularly important and something that wouldn't require me to vomit colourful rainbows of sentiment and love in order to respond to.

I'm not gone for good, and neither is BH. What is dead may never die and all that. :P <Black Harvest> will remain an active guild, and what time I do have to get in-game will be spent on Jared to encourage RP therein. In the meantime, I'll not be out of reach. Far from it, I'll be readily available nine times out of ten, at least via certain mediums. I'll stress again the importance of our Skype chat and how valuable it is for members of the guild to keep in touch, but apart from that, I'm leaving the guild in the care and stewardship of our officers until such a time where I can get on CotH regularly again, and even if I can't get on, I'll be working with them to ensure the guild stays active and interesting to RP in.

As a guild leader, I can only beg patience from you guys. Rest assured that I have big stuff planned for the Harvest in the near future, and that as soon as I'm capable to prioritise the guild again, I'll do so. Thanks for your understanding.

I'm not good with words, but they say a picture says a thousand words!



Sol, I can only wish that you show that whorebag known as University who's boss and things turn out for you. It's been wonderful getting to know a fellow brother of Britain.

Don't be a stranger, Beloved Gentleman Eternally!