A Farewell Story...

[Gandelf]

Well, this is it. Having played DAoC for four years I've decided to stop playing it for good. I've deleted the game off my computer (as well as WoW) and terminated my subscriptions.
I realise that that game has taken up too much of my life and I want to concentrate on my Art and Music composition. I also want to work on a business venture, which has the potential to make me very rich.
As a farewell gift I leave you with this story, which I've written especially for you all.
You won't ever see me post on Prydwen Net again after this.
Take care and God bless.

Gandelf.

________________________________________________

Where Realities Meet—A Farewell Story

“Splish, splash, splish.” The naked Elf female giggled as she used her cupped hands to throw water into Gandelf’s face. “Careful!” said Gandelf, “I don’t want to spill this jug of Stout into the Jacuzzi! It’s ‘Old Murphy’s Stout’—the finest in the whole of Hibernia!” With a laugh the young female cradled Gandelf’s face in her hands and kissed him. “Who cares? Who needs Murphy’s when you’ve got us three?” With that, the other two naked Elf females in the Jacuzzi joined in the fun, splashing the cold water all over Gandelf’s face.

Gandelf woke up with a start. Water was dripping from a hole in the thatched roof of his cottage, onto his face. “No, not again! I really must get this roof fixed!” Getting up, Gandelf found the chamber pot from under his bed, placing it directly under the drops of water. “There, that should do it—for a while at least!” Scratching his head and looking at the hearth in the middle of the cottage, he picked up the poker and thrust it into the smouldering embers, sending a shower of sparks into the air. Almost immediately a few flickering flames were kindled and Gandelf placed a few small logs onto the fire. Soon there was a merry blaze and the cottage began to warm up nicely.

Outside, the rain was coming down in buckets. The ground was sodden and the mud ankle deep. In the distance the figure of a Lurikeen boy drudged his lonely way, house by house, delivering weekly hand-written copies of the “nÓg News”, eventually reaching Gandelf’s house. “Now, what day is it?” thought Gandelf. “Is it Tuesday, or is it…” Gandelf’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a dull thud as the newspaper hit the door and landed on the doorstep. “It’s Wednesday! The nÓg News is delivered on Wednesday!” The delivery boy ran as fast as he could, looking over his shoulder as the tall Elf opened the door, shaking his fist. “I’ll have you one of these days, you little Cac! Why can’t you use the letterbox for once, like normal folk do?!”

Picking up the paper and placing it under his arm, Gandelf stepped out into his garden and quickly drew a bucket of water from his well. He was surprised to see a couple of gold coins in the bucket. “Will you look at that? Someone’s gone and left me a present! I’ll use those later, when I go to see my old friend Kilronan at the Shamrock Inn. They’ll buy us a few shots of Poteen.” Returning to the house and closing the door, Gandelf emptied the bucket into a large cauldron and placed it onto the fire. Soon the water was boiling and the Elf made his usual morning brew of Dandelion and Burdock Tea, sweetened with honey.

After eating a modest breakfast of bread, cheese and apples and flicking through the pages of the “nÓg News”, the Elf sat for a while at his wooden table sipping his Tea, gazing thoughtfully into the fire. Then with a yawn he stood up and stretched. “So, what have I got to do this day?” Gandelf said to himself. “Let me think. I’ve got no Spellcrafting orders and things have been a bit quiet in the Frontiers. So what can I do?” Looking down at the table, Gandelf noticed a small advertisement in the paper. It was a nice little piece of Calligraphy, with illuminated letters in the heading, which read, “Oran Thatching”. Gandelf read on, “Need your roof repairing? Need a new awning for your porch? I’m your man! Oran’s the name, thatching’s the game. Visit me at Connla. You won’t regret it!” Gandelf pondered for a moment then said to himself, “Well, it looks like my mind has been made up for me. I’ll go and see about getting my roof fixed.”

By now the morning was drawing on and the rain had stopped. Gandelf once more stepped outside. In the east the sun had risen above the tree tops and was beginning to shine through the breaks in the clouds. A warm south-westerly wind was blowing, making the trees sway and the grass sigh. Gandelf, standing on his doorstep relishing the beautiful countryside around his cottage and breathing in the morning air made fresh and sweet by the recently departed rain, felt happy and content. “If only this mud would dry up!” thought Gandelf, as he jumped from the bottom step to avoid stepping into a puddle of water right in front of the door. As he landed with a splat in the thick mud, Gandelf could have sworn that the ground beneath his feet sounded hollow. Puzzled, he stepped back and hit the ground with his staff. Again, the ground sounded hollow. “This is odd!” the Elf said to himself, stroking his chin and pondering the situation.

Gandelf had known strange things like this to happen before, most notably the times when he’d travelled to the extremities of the land, on the sides of mountain tops or out at sea. In such instances he’d noticed an invisible force which prevented him from travelling further. He had also experienced times when objects that seemed solid, were not, like when he tried to sit on certain chairs but ended up on the floor, or those moments when he’d looked directly up as far as possible, only to see that he was hollow inside. Gandelf had often wondered what strange magic was at work behind such strange phenomena and now he’d discovered a new one; the hollow earth. “Very odd indeed!” said Gandelf. After a few moments pondering the situation, Gandelf put the thoughts to the back of his mind and decided to get on with his day’s business.

Getting on a horse, he decided first of all to ride out to the Shamrock Inn. He knew a few good friends who often met up for a drink on a few days of the week. One such fellow was a chap by the name of Kilronan. Gandelf had on at least one occasion employed Kilronan’s services to make him a staff. On this occasion, however, the business was entirely about pleasure and pleasure that came in the form of alcohol! Gandelf retrieved the gold coins he’d found in the bucket and bought a bottle of Poteen. The Poteen was in ceramic bottle, with a cork and sealed with wax. The seal bore the mark of a skull with crossed daggers underneath, with the words above the skull, “By night be stealthy and by the day wealthy”. Gandelf laughed to himself, recognising instantly the trademark of the Milligan brothers. The Milligan brothers were notorious for their illicit still. Milo, Patrick, Brian and Ardal were their names. They’d had several run-ins with the local barons for not paying taxes and on two occasions had had their still destroyed by the militia, but they just set up again in a new location. Their trade in illegal liquor was always done at night and as such, due to their nocturnal activities they became known as the “Moondogs”.

Sharing the bottle of Poteen with Kilronan and after discussing life, the universe and everything, Gandelf staggered out into the fresh air. Waving back at Kilronan, who was standing in the doorway, the Elf got back onto his horse and headed for Connla.

Gandelf had always loved the journey to Connla, even though it took a long time to get there. He so enjoyed travelling along the edge of the Lough. In his earlier days the journey had been far more dangerous, but now he could travel in complete safety, knowing that he was feared by all the rogues and ruffians who were known to make short work of the less experienced folk. Lough Derg was especially beautiful during the spring. The smell of the blossom; the sweet fragrance of the wild flowers; the birdsong and the bleating of the sheep all combined to make any journey along the water’s edge very pleasant. Gandelf had often taken a coracle out into the Lough to catch fish, or just simply to test out some of his more powerful spells in safety. On one occasion he had set fire to his boat testing out a powerful version of the Sun Blast spell. Such was the ferocity of the fire that many locals had assumed that it was some great funeral fire for a great chieftain. It was not until Gandelf emerged from the water, with his robe singed and his staff blackened that they realised just what had happened.

By the time Gandelf had reached Connla it was mid-afternoon. The sun was shining brightly and a few wispy clouds were drifting from the southwest. After making a few enquiries, Gandelf was directed to a stone building in the middle of the village. Knocking on the door and waiting for a few seconds, a Firbolg opened the door. “Yes, what do you want?” said the Firbolg in a gruff voice. “I’m after a fellow by the name of Oran. I’ve come to ask him if he’d kindly repair my cottage roof.” “Well, he’s not here now, so get lost, or come back and try later, you pointy-eared weakling.” Gandelf knew that Firbolgs could be a little ill-mannered, so he wasn’t surprised by the reply. “This is most inconvenient.” said the Elf to himself, “I’ll just have to find something to do until the Thatcher comes back.”

Connla beach was always a relaxing place to spend one’s time, whether you needed to kill a few hours or whether you had planned an outing. It was always popular with holiday makers and especially those who needed to recuperate from the war in the Frontiers. The sunsets were especially beautiful at Connla and the golden rays of sunlight seemed to kiss the waves. It had often been said in stories from folklore that as the sun was setting on the horizon at Connla, those who were pure of heart and fast of foot could run across the waves of the ocean, along the golden pathway towards the Sun. Many believed that at the other end of the path one could meet with one’s maker. It was said that the true meaning of life and ultimate fulfilment lay at the end of the golden path that lead to the Sun. There were those who thought that it was a load of nonsense (especially the Firbolg and the Humans), but being of the magical folk the Elves and Lurikeens had a deep insight into things of a mystical nature and as such, were more disposed to believe in the supernatural. As for the Sylvans and the Shars, they were neutral, neither believing nor disbelieving.

Gandelf strolled to the beach, taking in the beautiful scenery. He amused himself by picking up pebbles and skimming them across the calm sea. Every now and then the Seagulls sang their song and out in the ocean the Sea Lions bobbed up and down in the waves. After strolling along the shore for what must have been a couple of hours, Gandelf decided to head back to Connla, to see if the Thatcher had returned. By now the Sun was setting and the rays of light made their path of light on the waves.

Gandelf paused, transfixed by the beauty of the golden light on the sea. “I wonder?” he thought to himself, “Maybe if I just…” he pondered. “Nah!” he half-laughed to himself shaking his head, “It’s just a fairy tale.” The Elf turned his back on the sea and headed for the huts of Connla. It was at this point that he remembered the words of the one who had trained him in the arts of the Eldritch. It was in the Chamber of Magic in Tir Na nÓg that the Eldritch trainer, Aodh had once said to Gandelf, “The power of Hibernia is everywhere. It comes from the earth, it makes the trees grow and the grass whisper in the breeze. It is in the dawn of each new day—hailed in birdsong as the light of the Sun reaches out across the land. It is in the water that flows from the mountains; in streams and in pools of calm. But most of all it is most powerful where the Sun kisses the ocean. That is where the true magic is found.”

With those words still in his head, Gandelf stopped in his tracks. He turned to face the setting Sun once more. The path of gold was still before him, but the Sun was setting fast. Filling his lungs with a deep breath, and committing himself wholeheartedly, Gandelf sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him. The sand hindered him slightly, but soon he was in the damp sand at the water’s edge, which afforded better grip. In front of him was a small boulder and leaping over it he shouted at the top of his voice, “For Hibernia!” Gandelf’s feet gently kissed the waves and his momentum carried him forward. Astonished by what had happened he said to himself, “It’s true! It’s really true! I believe in the magic!” Onwards he ran without tiring. Forward he went without doubting, until eventually he reached the end of the golden path just as the Sun set beneath the waves.

A strange sensation came over the Elf as he felt himself hit the invisible barrier that defined the extremity of his world. It was if he had passed through liquid glass. As he screamed at the strange sensation, he became aware of another person, who was also screaming. With a thud, Gandelf landed on top of a man sitting on a chair, knocking him backwards onto the floor. The Elf stood up and helped the strange looking man up off the floor. The two regarded each other with astonishment. Gandelf looked around himself at the strange objects that were before him. There was what looked like a small table, with a strange device next to it with flickering lights. On top of the table was a strange rectangular object, flat in nature with what looked liked little square buttons on it, each one with a letter on it. Then, in complete amazement the Elf gazed at a square object, which was illuminated brightly. Gandelf moved closer to the illuminated square and then jumped back screaming, recognising the person he saw. “Aargh! It’s me! It’s me!” covering his eyes in fear. Turning to the man who he’d knocked over, the Elf cried, “What trickery is this!? Please explain this strange apparition to me! Please tell me who you are—who can perform this strange magic!”

The man looked at Gandelf and placed his hand on his shoulder. “I am your creator.” he said. “I am the one who made you. But now that you have broken free from your world I must destroy you!” Gandelf stood in amazement, not knowing what to say. Then, the Elf observed the man using a small hand-held object. He noticed that as the man moved the object on the table top that a small white arrow moved around the illuminated square. The arrow stopped over a word, which said “delete”. The man pressed a button on the hand-held object. Words appeared on the illuminated square and Gandelf read the words, “Are you sure you want to delete the character Gandelf? Type ‘YES’ to confirm.” Gandelf looked straight into the eyes of the strange man. The Elf’s purple eyes began to well up and a single tear ran down his cheek. “So this is it?” Gandelf said to the strange man, “Is this really the end?”

[Succi]

bye

[Arcsalin]

Been thinking on the same lines tbh, this game is no longer fun any more. Too many fickle peeps, too many noobs that can't pursue a character to the end because they don't want to be unpopular because of so-called game changes along with the death of several servers - including Glastonbury. I am really thinking long and hard about quitting.

I want a job and a life, pursuing this game denies me the finer aspects of real life which I have found is more fun at times. Spending most of my time here alone in my flat is not fun especially when I spend most of my time in game alone.

Kinda makes the game rather pointless. Don't get me wrong, I have had some great times in this game but now I need a long think before I decide what to do next. Although I am bored to death of this game as it is....

Good luck with your business venture and real life.

Arcsalin.

[VegetaFH1]

I really have nothing constructive to say.. so i dont know why im posting
I suppose, that goes the same for the way i play aswell.

To tell ya the truth Ganny Its ur own choise to make, but i know for a "fact" u didnt delete ur charactors... cus nobody.. in there right mind, wood be that crual to themselves, i know.. time goes on an u look back at it an u ask urself why u started playing, it cud have bin for jus the fun of it, it cud have bin a "new challenge" or jus another adventure, but ya know... if anybody.. an i mean ANYBODY can look back at that an say they regret ever starting to play.. ill be standing right here ready to slap em with a great big tuna fish.

its ok if u want to go. dont get me wrong, nobody will think less of u,i jus hope that u dont look back on it an say "i regreted ever starting"
All the years u have put into ur charactors, and ALL the friends u have made, even with the new ppl...u know, i dont think i should lecture one of the elite, its not my place to do it.

ill tell u this much tho Pryd/hib is not jus a realm..in a server, its a home, home is where u make it, where u can go to a place where ppl care, a family is with whom u feel comfortable with an that ppl love an care for u, sure.. u have this in the real world, but i myself feel that this "game" has actually thought every single one of us a valiable lesson in life itself, an for each of us, that lesson changes abit, but what counts is the friendship, the bonding, the fun and ofc the love too, i hope in time u remember these words, cus when u have a family for urself... u will see what i mean...

(i dont know why i always cry when someone wants to leave the game.... i didnt even cry when my dog died or the cat died...jesus i didnt even cry when my grandad died.. an here i am.. crying over someone i havent even met in my entire life, AND most likely never will...an i jus..cry, someone seriously get me some help)

But really Genny, i really really hope nomatter what way u choose to go, i hope u find that happyness again mate, i really mean that <hug>

Once a hib.. ALWAYS a hib
/Millitary salute
Veg out

*EDIT*

An dont attempt to tell me that not a singel tear rolled down that cheek while u wrote that story, cus i cud very well call u a lier if u did, "where realities meet" is a big problem, but one must put there heart FIRST, an i can call in 10 ppl who will vouch for that, four of witch are currently in pryd/hib.....

I think i better stop before i drive myself even more insane, but i leave u with this, u start by creating a charactor, that charactor grows, not only in level, but the charactor his/her self reflects the player, its not that charactor talking in the game, its the player, so when ur talking to others ur talkin to other ppl around the world, an with ur charactor representing u, then u start to realize that theres more to it then jus "leveling up" and getting better equipment and better stats, there is definatly a spirit in each of those charactors, but its apart of ur own spirit that reflects from the player to the charactor, an i know u realize this, i know u have for quite some time, so... with alittle phrase ill leave this post where it is, for ppl to read.. an for ppl to realize, that "its more then just a game"

Hibbies never say die
Veg out

[Asterixxx]

To tell ya the truth Ganny Its ur own choise to make, but i know for a "fact" u didnt delete ur charactors... cus nobody.. in there right mind, wood be that crual to themselves, i know..

All of his characters are deleted, i was talking to him at the time, whether you know this 'for a fact' or not.

Gandelf mate in so many ways i am jealous of you, so many times have i tried to give up,and so many times have i failed i hope your future goes well and your career also.
never have i heard a bad word spoken of you, and now, i never will
good luck friend.

i bid you farewell with a few words of wisdom from Frodo baggins.

"My Dear Sam,
We cannot always be torn in two,
You will have to be one, and a whole, for many years.
You have so much to enjoy,
And to be, and to do.
Your part in the story will go on..."

[Xest]

Someone got pwned :<

[VegetaFH1]

Then if it is true

*EDITED OUT*

Realizeing something that what Genny wants to do, i know now that what i posted was only making it harder for him... Sorry genny

[awarkle]

bah gandy you should have said

"run you fools run"

then we would beleive that your truely gone


(although you should just recreate the character so noone can take your name)

anywho bye bye i know that i should delete but daoc is so much fun

[Lieva]

I did wonder when i saw that you had passed recruitment for moondogs to someone else
i think deleting is always a daft idea (ignores the chars shes deleted)
but if thats what you want to do then
leaving before DR tho?!?!
very odd
id suggest staying til after DR to see how it is
however youre correct - RL should always come number 1 and if the game has been messing with that then

cya gandelf

:gandelf: :moondog:

[<ankh>]

GL with RL Gandhi, abit sad to see you leave tbh. Who is Ellen/Danny gonna team up on now?

Edit: Sorry Ellen, just couldnt resist it!

/Ankh