Just got back to CF after a long hiatus. I think my last character was
around 2007 or so. Never actually thought I'd come back. I got a wild
urge to check it out a couple months ago, so I rolled a few throwaways
to check stuff out. Everything is different! So much has changed. It
was like a brand new game, and so I found myself pleasantly(mildly)
addicted again. My first two characters never heroed, they were mostly
just to get a feel for things, and relearn basic areas, basic gear, and
to see if I still had what it took to get inducted into a cabal. All of
that happened, but I messed up and killed a goodie mob as a squire. I
had no role, and no real substance to my last guy and as I was praying
to Azorinne to attempt a redemption arc with Ithyssraya and Dohri, I
came to realize that it wasn't fair to her since I had nothing to work
off of(no role) and as I sat and thought about it I didn't have a very
effective way to approach it myself. So I deleted that guy and didn't
log back on until I had a role.

So was born, Rexan Rivas. A simple good thief from voralian city. My
role wasn't anything spectacular, it was just a way to roll a more
contemplative sort of Maran. Rather than what I had been exposed to
up until that point, which was pretty much point and kill(not saying
this is a bad thing). I've had a few of those in the past. My focus
has always been more on the interactions I get from other players and
even immortals. Less so the pk, but I do still enjoy good fighting.
Unfortunately I think I hamstrung myself with my class choice. It's
amazing how many people loathe thieves. I mean seriously loathe them.
I suppose I earned some of the full loots/sacs I got, but seriously, I
can't really control how my passive skills work. Everytime you flee
from me I just randomly grab stuff from your inventory. I'm sorry it
was your prep bag. Not like I made a choice to do that kind of stuff.
Once I had it though, I felt like it was garbage roleplay for a maran
to just waltz over and hand back a bag full of things used to kill
people. So I didn't do it, and I paid the price for it.

Unfortunately, my old pk reflexes still aren't there. I had moments
I thought were amazing, and then I had moments where I was left
scratching my head at my own stupidity. For instance, plaguing and
blinding myself by reading the wrong scroll as I was about to engage
instead of using my shield or stone skin scroll. All in all though,
it was a blast. If you could have caught me back in late 2007 I
could have told you everything you ever wanted to know about this
game. Instead, this time early on it took me two hours to find the
goblin village. I'm sure my newness showed as I asked thousands of
questions. I had a slight edge though because I knew what to ask
for, and as I explored more and more things came back to me. Also,
the people I was grouped with were very helpful and the folks in the
fortress were more than happy to help me with my many thousands of
questions. In the end though, I think thieves need some serious
love. It was amazing how many trips/cheapshots/blackjacks that
simply missed. Cut off only worked about 10-15% of the time. I
stopped using backstab because people would just flee/quaff. I
wasn't sure cut off worked on that until I actually cut off a mob
from fleeing. I never cut off a PC on a backstab though. There
are people in this game that I literally never hit a blackjack on.
It just simply failed everytime, and when you fail a blackjack?
You usually get bashed to death. That happened some. I wasn't
the most deathful maran, but I had my victories from time to
time.

Some farewells -

Azorinne - I feel like I failed you still. I waited too long
to pray to you, mostly because I kept thinking my roleplay made
me a fraud. I can't exactly explain why I felt that way, its
just that I could talk a good game to other PC's, but everytime
I got around you the words just evaporated from my head. I very
much enjoyed the time you gave me though, I just wish I would
have performed better. Sorry about that. I really liked your
religion, though I'm not sure I quite got a grasp on it. I'll
take what I learned this time, and come through sometime in the
future with a much better attempt. PS - I think you were trying
to get my attention early on with waterskins of healing water
and unseen servitors. I kept looking for the conjie. Had no
idea the healing water was an Acolyte thing. I would make the
connection now, but I think my newness showed from that. I am
sorry about that.

Baer - Thanks for the Promotion. I don't feel like I deserved
it. I was kinda a ####ty maran.

Morius - Had a lot of fun with your assault at the fortress. I
hope I didn't overstep too much by pushing the others to go back
to your church looking for the child. Also, thanks for not
calling my lie that it was only a mistep and wouldn't happen
again. Considering I was back in your church fifteen minutes
later I figured I'd die or something. Fun stuff.

Also a general thanks to the Imms - Not sure who took part on the
Hearts and Minds Initiative stuff, but it was a lot of fun. Also,
thanks for the little interaction with the spirit cat at the Inn.

FORT -

I loved all of you.

Ithy - You were my rock, and my spiritual guide. Can't express
how bummed I was when you deleted.

Dohri - My brightest shield. You made it all worthwhile. Thanks
for all the chats, and for having my back so often.

Tika - My other throwaway character was Jhaerin. Felt bad for
ditching you early on, so I came back with some thief support.
You will always be one of my faves, and thanks for supporting
my initiative.

Amayra - That silly silly poem. Heh. Thank you for the endless
generosity you showed to me. I really like your character. One
last stupid stupid flex for you.

Vlij, Rolen, Gymir, Rohrus, Thormmstein, Grokkan, Eilela, Caladarin,
Daigar, Korian, Grim, Valarian. I tried to be as good an ally as I
could, but I am still getting used to CFing again. I'll get better
in the future. Thanks for all the help, and for answering my many
questions. You all were the highlight of my sessions.

Badguys -

Dannsha - My very first throwaway character back was a little dark-elf
assassin that you took pity on and helped rank and gear up. Now I got
to RP with you about Sra and Weh as an enemy. I enjoyed all our talks
and man did you jack me up that last time we fought. Been a while since
I had to face off with a scion at night. I tried fleeing at like 500hps
left and just got lagged out from something. It was brutal! Fun stuff.

Odaza - Dude, I don't control payment of the coward. Sorry about your
girdles. You were a fun enemy though. After a while I put a role entry
in about how none of my #### worked against you, and instead of fighting
I'd just rob you to keep you weak so others could perform the task. Loved
your name too. Reminded me of an undead chinese emperor or something. Cool.

Orcs - Glad you guys stuck it out, felt bad that at first it was like 10
fort folk and one of your would log on. Every maran within miles would
get laser focused on you. Figure you guys deserve a little payback. Also,
mammoth, you said you'd do it and you did it. Awesome.

Outlanders - I usually just ate ANNIHLATES at random times from you guys
but I faced off with a few. I think Carreana was secretly in love with me
from all the smites I ate, and Riazle plagued my fort a time or two. Fun
stuff.

Heralds -

Atrissa - Thanks for all the drama. Pretty sure I got my title trying
to get you and ithy to make amends. Not a very menacing title for a maran.
I'll take it though. You kept stuff interesting and I appreciated that.
Hope you find your way back to the fields.

Gwen - Thanks for the dolls and chocolate milk.

As it stands, I think I interacted with a lot of folks. Most of you I
remember, but as it is with these things I have probably forgotten some.
Just know that my interactions with the players are the reason I like to
play this game, and you all made it better for me. Thank you for that.

As it stands, my only hope is that I was able to enhance some interations
for some folks and make their play more enjoyable. See you all in the
Fields. Since my mild addiction is now in full swing.

Rexan

PS - I did a little soul searching on my return and realized having gone
over posts from years ago that I was kind of an asshole back then. For
anybody here that is still around from times past that I may or may not
have offended, insulted, or otherwise done dirty - You have my apologies
for all of it. I'm a different dude now than I was 14 years ago.

Sincerely,
The player formerly known as -
Derexal the Ancient Late Midsummer Disciple, Apostle of the Dawn
Kavan Lassion the Lights Wrath, Captain of the Brigade