tl;dr - taking a break from SK, feelings and thank-yous below. [Link to Bazaar thread, you vultures.]
It's been a hell of a while. I joined SK right at the start of the Steam opening. Right when I first joined, within an hour or two some stranger in what I later learned was a red tabard took pity on me after some Real Talk™ and gifted me a Flourish, a Freezing Vaporizer, and a set of Wolver. I was a goddess among mere mortals, standing tall over all slain enemies (until I tried t2 and was promptly slaughtered six ways to Wednesday). Cari, thank you for sparking a brand-new Knight's faith that this game had something special going on, that I was making a good choice. I looked at you in your finery and decided 'that, I want to be that'.
And so I laboured on, in the hope of finding more mysteries of the Clockworks. I joined my first guild (god, I have no idea what we were called) and left it about an hour later. I joined my second guild, and that lasted longer. Legion of Helix, we were. I remember making tons of excellent friends, including LeOH's guildmaster and founder Chloette, who is super freakin' rad. I'm pretty sure she doesn't play any more but if she sees this, thank you for everything!
Then eventually that sort of spiraled off, and I found The Night's Watch. I love you guys, each and every one of you. Y'all are great. Perronius, you took me in under your wing and look where I am now. Sciger, I really can't sum up everything I want to say here. More than anything else, you've kept me playing. I...I...I have no words. Thank you. Edyth, Lycheesoup, Grandtheftgnome, Byanymeans, Dezmodez, Dawnstrike,Oldzangief, Kill-Confirmed, and the rest of the people I've had the pleasure of chatting in /o with and have doubtless offended horribly by forgetting to mention here (it is late and I'm writing this in one go!). I love you all. Even if it's been ages, if you're not an officer anymore, if you've left the Watch! I think you're swell.
In the Watch, I really started to bloom. I dropped swords and started bombing-god, who knew SK could be so fun?-and had fun with some costumes, but I kept my eye out for that thing that had sparked my eye so very long ago; a Red Tabard. I'd never own one, of course - heck those things were expensive! For people who'd been there then. Plus, I could better spend that CE on crafting!
The people I've had fun talking about the market with. Xairathan, your knowledge of the market is legendary. You've been my price-checking saviour more times than I care to remember. Derpules, you rock, plain and simple. Mawashimono, we've only chatted some but you're pretty cool! You profiled me for your fashion blog, that was fun. Natashavolkova, one day I'll let you rip me off on a quick deal, I promise. Well, more than I have already. :p
The people I've had fun talking about talking with! Tevokkia, you are super cool. I love your art skills! Also you and Sol are super adorable. Cobalt, everyone on the AiD crew, you guys are neat. I have <3 4 u 5ever.
As I progressed, I started to get nostalgic for the good ol' days. Tier One Lockdown was(is) the best, and I think the crew we had in the early days was a heck of a thing. You guys remember being cut down like tall grass before Golza's hammer? That was a heck of a thing. Tdlob, you are a heck of a dude. Blueheron, Greenlocust, Big-Fire, Balderus and the countless others I'm forgetting here; thank you for making the early days of t1ld so darn fun. Y'all rock.
I'm forgetting so many people here, people who I've interacted with incidentally but not enough to necessarily leave a mark on my (admittedly impaired at the moment) memories. I just know I'm embarrassingly forgetting all sorts of people, and I don't want them to feel bad! If you remember me, there are decent odds I remember you back! Let me know and I'll tell you that you, too, are super cool. Seriously it's been so darn rad, and I don't do this lightly! I'll see you on another day, in another Haven.
And yes, I now have my Red Tabard. Harder to find more of a fairytale ending than that.
~Vague~
And yes, if you want to squabble over various pieces of gear and stuff like the vultures you are, then hey, go ahead and click [this bazaar link].
Oh, THAT'S where you were leaving the note.
Never really chatted nor interacted with you otherwise (aside from that whinefest you listened through from me just a few minutes ago), but I'd say you're a good person in most if not all aspects, and I'll miss having missed the chance to have gotten to know you a little better.
Not really much else to say. I've never been good with sentiment, sadly, but I hope your break is productive, and if you do never come back, it's been nice knowing you nevertheless.