[Mead]

What happened to this guy?

Originally Posted by Dogma [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

More preface: these are still only my opinions. This is not Tempest rhetoric. This is my own personal vision. If you're mistaking my words here for the voice of Tempest, you would be mistaken. Tempest is the home of my dreams and ally to my values.

I am a member of Tempest but I should define that I am not blindly loyal to Tempest. Tempest is absolutely the most fair and abiding guild on the server. It is the only guild that puts the server rules above its own well-being. This is how all guilds should function. This is how all guilds should be MADE to function. The rules exist to create fairness and balance. They exist to prevent abuses that have somehow been allowed to permeate every-single-week. A guild should not shirk from these rules for short-term gains. Competition is welcomed but no guild should ever have to cheat and lie to get nearly meaningless pixels. I'm very proud that Tempest exists fully above board in this regard. We do not ask ourselves "Did anyone see us breaking a rule?" We just ask "DID WE BREAK A RULE?" and that is the absolute decider of whether a mob is conceded. "What can we do better next time?" is always the next question. Ask any member whether these statements are true, I dare you. If this ever changes in Tempest, it will not be home to me any longer but I am confident that in those terms, my stay in Tempest is cemented.

I have never had a truly bad experience with the staff here. I've been in similar shoes before and even when I would disagree with their decision, I can understand how they might have arrived there. It is not an easy job. It takes a special dedication and caring for this server to do what they do week in and week out. I have a respect for them that I can't fully express in words.

I like to think I was a pretty average member of this community. I like to think that most people who play this server are typically quiet, good-natured members. They keep their heads down and play the game casually and try to not cause trouble. I bet most don't frequent the forums, only coming there for trading access and server chat threads, not drama. That's a pretty nice way to live.

That is normal. That is what things should be like.

I realized recently that I've been a silent observer here for far too long. That the direction of the server is no longer being coordinated solely by the staff, but rather by the misanthropic players among us who would rather revel in the smoldering chaos that they can create. So I can no longer be silent.

I'm glad that the cancers of this server are so outspoken. It makes them easy to identify. I've given a couple days for some of the things I've said to circulate and sink in... and many of those I speak of couldn't help themselves and did run rampant with some of my statements. I understand that some of them are very concerned by what my words might do for their own efforts here. Others simply don't understand what I'm doing yet or who I even am. Perhaps if they could actually log in they'd know. They'll have to wait to be told instead.

I refuse to let attacks on this community continue unmitigated and unchecked. We should be speaking out against their actions. It is not acceptable for us to allow them to determine what is normal for this community. It is self-defeating as they will cause irreversible and catastrophic damage before they are addressed in any meaningful fashion if we let them continue like this. This server will never be the same and it will likely never recover.

The stirrings my previous post caused were better than I expected. It's interesting that they cling to the same few stories about Tempest like children to their security blankets. They ran out of ammo so fast they started telling stories about how THEY screw up with implication it's Tempest's fault. Guess they forgot to put the spin on those ones. It is even through these reactions that I do not hold a grudge against them. I wish for them to see that a change is needed. I wish that they would make that decision themselves.

I once called many of them friend and it is not with anger or political ploy that I make these posts. I am deeply concerned for the continuation of this Project and I believe the only path it has without change is a lesser course than even today. I believe if that if the venom and hatred that exist on these forums and in-game between fellow enthusiasts of this EverQuest Project continues unabated, there will be devastating changes in the climate that I fear would not be survivable for most. It is not fair to the staff and players who have invested so much into this server.

This is a call to action. I am not asking the community to join us in Tempest (though you're welcome to). I am asking the many to speak out against the few. Form your own opinions from what evidence you can access and know that EVERYTHING posted in RNF is a weapon aimed against this server.

I said before that this community is too isolated for us to exist here full of hatred. I'm not calling out guilds. I'm not naming individuals. I am addressing behavior. I am drawing attention to how we, as adults playing a 20 year old elf simulator, treat eachother and the game that we collectively appreciate. I genuinely believe that this is an issue that resides beyond guild boundaries and loyalties. I'm speaking to individuals who want this server to stop being so infected. There is enough filth in the real world, let this be our escape from that.

I'd like to extend this invitation to the indifferent server staff whose fervor are the real catalyst for making this server tick. I would specifically ask the staff and the playerbase to objectively examine the actions of individuals. Do not define what is acceptable today by what was tolerated yesterday. That is the slipperiest slope of all. Ask yourself what the absolute should be. Set your own standard and compare the actions to that. That's all you have to do. It should be easy and quite revealing.

Watch what Tempest does. See who we are for yourself instead of being told by others what we are.

And try to remember: Finding answers is not the same thing as solving problems. We need to solve the problem.

Did he cure the server of cancer?