It’s really hard to write down a few thoughts after playing one character for this long. Playing Malkhar was like a swing between extremes. Part of that is the nature of the ranger class: I’m going to quote a kick ass ranger from 3 years back, a RAGER rager named Kellyn (with a few edits):

Rangers are sick offensively.
Rangers are pathetic on raiding.
Sucking out of the forest is to be expected, but it still hurts.
Sucking out of the forest means that you can't very well #### with people in town(half the fun of being an ).
Not being able to beat on people in their cabals, in town, etc sucks.
Beating severe ass in forests is fun.

Still true today.

Although I will add that almost every kill I had involved using snare whereas Kellyn just pretty much ran up and beat the crap out of people – I don’t think he even made it to level 40.

Part of it was just me – c.180-200 hours into this character I realized I had to either delete it or make changes because it wasn’t working for me. So I tried to roleplay a “Sylvan redemption” that would doomed to failure (Malkhar wouldn’t be able to escape his own nature and would never fit in with Sylvan) – I took little steps, killing Imperials (who I used to be allied with) in front of Sylvan to look “good”, and tried to make it a gradual shift. It made things fun again, but of course everything changed when I was contacted by Lyristeon. Couple hundred hours later, Outlander came in. And somehow my role fit absolutely perfectly with Outlander. Imagine my surprise and excitement. What incredible luck to be there for the beginning of a new cabal.

The amazing thing is.. this is the third time. I was there for the beginning of MARAN (first mortal inductee), there for the beginning of the new Empire (first Blade), and now for the beginning of Outlander (OK, so I was second). That is one lucky ass string of fun opportunities. So I want to say thank you to the IMMs who run this game.

Anyway, I don’t think Malkhar had many fans. That’s OK. Sometimes I wasn’t a big fan of Malkhar, either. But he was good enough for me to walk away – at least long enough to finish out this school year, kick ass for finals, and push hard as a summer associate. I’ll take a look at my premium stats when I figure out a way to send a donation without my wife knowing about it :P

IMMS:
Lyristeon: What can I say? Thanks. A lot. I was never happy with how I represented you (in my defense, it’s the first time I tried to play a chaotic character), but I’m very grateful for your time and energy. This is the first time I’ve followed a HIGHLY active IMM – one time I waited like 30 minutes to set up and kill someone, and you unvis’d afterward.. I was stunned that you’d sit through a stake-out for that long. Well, it was good fun, including the time you got me killed. Especially the time you got me killed. Kind of bummed it took me so long to complete that quest

Valguarnera: Big thanks to you for working through Outlander bugs with me (although that container-bug still exists ;)). It was really, really hard to sit on my hands and not abuse ignite v.1.0. You’re like the new old style Nepenthe. I was taken aback when you responded to every email on the same day it was sent.

OUTLANDERS:
This cabal is a serious challenge to play. The sacrifices are daunting, and the power/rewards/incentives are relatively slim. The real benefit, of course, is freedom of action and roleplay opportunities. I always saw Outlander as the ideal cabal for the uncaballed. Which might be why I never got to know a lot of the members as much as I might have liked to. The last week or so, though, things got a lot easier with high ranking quality members. Anyway, I think this cabal is going to kick ass. Just wish there were more people looking to play evil members. To those people I interviewed, if I seemed disagreeable, really I just wanted you to “bring it” so I could see what you had to give – like I said, I saw Outlander as a cabal of uncaballeds, and I wanted to induct people I thought could do damage without support.

Czerateli: I was really impressed with you, and convinced you were going places. Roll another Outlander. I think you have the right idea.

Delromsin: Sorry the way things worked out, Del. Maybe I saw you in a different light than the higher ups because I was fighting beside you, and liked how many opportunities for mayhem you opened up.

Therisa: I don’t think we got along at first, but it seemed like we figured out a good working relationship. Guess Malkhar age-died too fast – just as the fun was beginning.

Massie: Powerful and funny little guy.

Alynana: I liked you, and it was hard to build an abrasive relationship with you once I understood that was the appropriate dynamic, but I tried – at least I didn’t work with you except during raids.

Paranipas: Really liked your character. Wish you were an evil align. You should be evil aligned. Why are you not evil aligned?

Andrlos: OK. All around quality character. Good luck with your area. Kick Grurk’s ass for me.

Zadatak: I think I had the wrong impression of you, at first.

Blehtain: Regret I didn’t get to know you. I’ve only heard good things about your character.

Vonyx: Something about you I like. You just seem capable. Too bad I won’t get to see you in the hero range.

Crerigord: Think I said it all in your goodbye.

SCIONS:
I don’t think I died to any of you until I was actively trying to be allies with you sick bastards ;) Then I paid for that “understanding” with blood.

Sossaphrin: Major props. Of course, I’m biased because you played our reconnection exactly like I would have.

Etakaroth: I wish we could have worked something more definite out, but I didn’t see how. It’s left to the next Nightreaver/Chancellor if they want to.

TRIBUNAL/”spirelings”:
I think we had mirror image feelings towards each other. It’s a pretty cutthroat war, though, so only positive things to say. I think you guys have the cards stacked in your favor in cabal wars, but I’ll reserve judgment until I play a Tribunal.. which will be never.

Grurk: You get a bad rap on the forums. I’m not one of those people. I liked having you around because it was a challenge to face a cloud giant warrior vindicator. That note you wrote to OUTLANDER, though, made me want to throttle you. We had two members. Two. You had what, 30? At least? It’s real easy to be a hard ass in that situation. Then I saw you maintain the hardassness in situations where it was not so very easy, and I realized something more was afoot.

Odrirg: Would have taken a significant mistake for me to kill you, or insect swarm. I prayed I would get insect swarm and looked for a significant mistake. It just wasn’t worth me burning precious preps if I didn’t think I’d get the kill. Good luck on getting Vindicator powers back. Humility is good for a character, though – the best CF characters go through humility and redemption.

Other Tribunal: I fought a bunch of you. Lemath, the lemur makes you do crazy things. Optomikpum, that one fight you posted sucked badly because I’d just been wasted/full looted by an Imperial gang and went to defend against you with nothing but a ranger’s staff – didn’t realize disrupt organ would leave that lingering effect, either, damnit. Delrami, I thought fighting hero paladins with a ranger was a challenge.

Daemar, I broke role when you guys killed me while I was obviously link dead – I seem to have an embarrassing response to dying/being full looted because of bad connections. Happened like four times with this character, and every time I wanted to delete. I couldn’t understand why you were concerned about venturing into the wilds. You had a temperance paladin.

IMPERIALS:
Didn’t get to know very many of you still living very well except Njaal, who was deadly.

FORTRESS:
The Paladins: You guys were a challenge to fight. Especially temperance paladins. The downside is that you weren’t going to kill me unless I made a significant mistake. Just a big challenge to work around your virtues, though.

I fought a bunch of you, but not consistently enough to start up some rivalry.

UNCABALLEDS:
Umalilath: You represent. You overcame a significant boundary that Lyristeon set before you – great job.

Aereglen: Limited playing time or not, you brought it every time you logged in. Made me want to roll a bard, too.

Voronil and Flarkle: Think I said it all in your goodbyes. You both leaving cabal leader positions in order to spend your remaining time uncaballed was a gutsy, very rare move. Lyristeon told me that was his plan for you two, but I never, in a million years, though either of you (let alone both) would do it.