G
Guest
Guest
Greetings friends,
I have wished for some time to say hello, and although I haven't had opportunity, I have thought of my many friends, and enemies of old!
First, I'd like to explain my departure. It was simply a lack of time. In my work, I've been made leader of a rather large project that has consumed much of what was free time before. I also have a business on the side that needs attention. Beyond that, my time to play games and energy to stay up late began to dwindle after the birth of my last two daughters, my elder children also stay up later now, and this time I used to spend with you all, goes to them. With what little is left of my day, I spend with my wife, and for the past year, I've been going to the gym almost daily. On top of all that, I've just turned 36 and with everything that is going on, I just can't get by on 5 hours of sleep like I used to. I tried for a long time to meet my KSS obligations with all of this, and finally had to admit that there was just no space left for it in my life.
Next, I would like to say how happy I am to see KSS in the hands of the wise Lord Otto. In my travels I have met many great men and women, and I count this man among the very greatest. I may be biased by my experience, but to sit in the seat of the leader of KSS is to sit truly upon the Siege Perilous.
As the library of Wikipedia describes it:
Siege Perilous (also known as The Perilous Seat) is a vacant seat at the Round Table reserved by Merlin for the knight who would one day be successful in the quest for the Holy Grail. This knight is either Perceval or Sir Galahad, depending on the version of the story. The Siege Perilous is so strictly reserved that it is fatal to anyone else who sits in it.
It had proven fatal indeed many times for me! Thankfully, there is no permanent death in the lands of Sosaria. I did never find the Holy Grail, but I found a good few things besides, as worthy in my eyes. I would like to talk about those things a little...
Three things happened to me early in my UO career on Siege. In the beginning, I was a lone wolf and not much of a fighter ( not that I was ever one of the greats either!).
In the beginning, when killers would set upon me, I would turn and run, and try to evade. I was always quick, and was able to live by my wits often. One day, I was attacked by a villain as I was browsing at a shop - my reflexes kicked in, and I turned and fled, hiding just behind a nearby hill. I heard the sounds of battle, as he set upon another shopper. I was ashamed I had fled, leaving the other. I turned and ran back to the shop and there was the killer standing over the body, poking at his belongings. I flew at him in a rage, attacking with all I had. My hands were shaking and I could hear my heart beating as if it were within my skull. When I was done, he was dead at my feet, and a feeling came over me, a sense that I had brought balance - a word was in my mind - Justice. From then on, I learned how to hunt the hunters. I was alone, I had to use stealth and speed, but my career as a hunter of evil had begun in earnest.
About a year later, I met a man in the woods near Trinsic, right near the spot where I had killed my first villain. He was a Knight of the Round Table. I knew this group as a good bunch of fellows, but I did not know them personally. I spoke with the man and he told me of his brotherhood with pride. At that time I was feeling the loneliness of my path. I felt I had found a home. For the first time, I knelt and swore fealty and became a soldier of Avalon.
I spent a year or more in that group and I threw myself into that community heart and soul. I never envisioned myself the leader of anything, but I found that there was need - and so I did what was needed. I rose in the ranks until I had been made a Knight and leader of the army.
The leaders of this guild of knights had gone off to lands far away, and after a short time, I found myself leader of this rather large guild. Although there were some fighting men, this was a guild comprised of mostly peace-loving people of good will. As such, we were were a prime target for the many gangs of savage brigands who roamed. We found comradeship and strength of arms with our friends and allies, the Citizens of Wispwood Shire and the House Lynn Dannae.
Almost nightly, we were attacked in our villages and although we did our best to defend ourselves, we lacked the skills. After one particularly bad massacre, one of my men said to me that the people had lost heart. I ordered a meeting convened in a safe area. We gathered at the great square in Nu'Jelm.
I stood in the middle, surrounded by maybe 50 or 60 of us, guildmates and allies - the original White Council. I knew only that I had to give heart to these people and I felt very unsure and inadequate for the task. I did not know what to say to these people, I only knew that I had to give them heart somehow. And my love for this community is what gave me words at that moment. We would train and learn to fight together, we would work together as one against evil, and they would never break our spirit. I opened my mouth and the words came out. I realized in that moment that I had a gift to offer my community, and in return for it they gave me the desire to do all that I could for them all. I was humbled and thankful and I will remember always that moment.
Although this is what they call a game, this 'game' helped me to experience these three moments which brought me to these three realizations
1) Fight for what is right, no matter what, no matter where. The greatest injustices happen when we turn aside and do nothing.
2) Community is everything. A man is nothing without people around him to care for, and to care for him.
3) Everyone has a gift to offer their community. Giving your gift freely makes us greater as a whole.
Years after these events, I founded KSS - but the seeds of KSS were sown in those 3 moments. In my time as KSS leader, I learned a great deal more about myself, about leadership, friendship, honor, loyalty, love... and I want to thank with great humility and great love all those who gave me their loyalty and trust, and if I have never said so, that gift was greater to me than any I could ever ask for.
There are so many people I have known and been friends with, who have been my adversaries, I could not begin to list them all, nor would I trust to my memory!
One last thing.
The word 'hero' has been ascribed to the character I played. Py Lethius is very much the hero I wish I could be in my every day life. I certainly did not set out to play that part in this land, in this game. When I read such things written about that character, I shake my head and wonder - could that have been me? Is that me they are talking about?? There were times when we were great together, we were heroes together, if only for a night in a land that does not really exist and these were some of the great times I have had. And to those who played the villains to our heroes - thank you.
Playing at being heroes, we rose to heights, we touched the stars, we found greatness in us we did not know was there.
I am very honored to have shared those times with you. I salute you all.
Farewell
I have wished for some time to say hello, and although I haven't had opportunity, I have thought of my many friends, and enemies of old!
First, I'd like to explain my departure. It was simply a lack of time. In my work, I've been made leader of a rather large project that has consumed much of what was free time before. I also have a business on the side that needs attention. Beyond that, my time to play games and energy to stay up late began to dwindle after the birth of my last two daughters, my elder children also stay up later now, and this time I used to spend with you all, goes to them. With what little is left of my day, I spend with my wife, and for the past year, I've been going to the gym almost daily. On top of all that, I've just turned 36 and with everything that is going on, I just can't get by on 5 hours of sleep like I used to. I tried for a long time to meet my KSS obligations with all of this, and finally had to admit that there was just no space left for it in my life.
Next, I would like to say how happy I am to see KSS in the hands of the wise Lord Otto. In my travels I have met many great men and women, and I count this man among the very greatest. I may be biased by my experience, but to sit in the seat of the leader of KSS is to sit truly upon the Siege Perilous.
As the library of Wikipedia describes it:
Siege Perilous (also known as The Perilous Seat) is a vacant seat at the Round Table reserved by Merlin for the knight who would one day be successful in the quest for the Holy Grail. This knight is either Perceval or Sir Galahad, depending on the version of the story. The Siege Perilous is so strictly reserved that it is fatal to anyone else who sits in it.
It had proven fatal indeed many times for me! Thankfully, there is no permanent death in the lands of Sosaria. I did never find the Holy Grail, but I found a good few things besides, as worthy in my eyes. I would like to talk about those things a little...
Three things happened to me early in my UO career on Siege. In the beginning, I was a lone wolf and not much of a fighter ( not that I was ever one of the greats either!).
In the beginning, when killers would set upon me, I would turn and run, and try to evade. I was always quick, and was able to live by my wits often. One day, I was attacked by a villain as I was browsing at a shop - my reflexes kicked in, and I turned and fled, hiding just behind a nearby hill. I heard the sounds of battle, as he set upon another shopper. I was ashamed I had fled, leaving the other. I turned and ran back to the shop and there was the killer standing over the body, poking at his belongings. I flew at him in a rage, attacking with all I had. My hands were shaking and I could hear my heart beating as if it were within my skull. When I was done, he was dead at my feet, and a feeling came over me, a sense that I had brought balance - a word was in my mind - Justice. From then on, I learned how to hunt the hunters. I was alone, I had to use stealth and speed, but my career as a hunter of evil had begun in earnest.
About a year later, I met a man in the woods near Trinsic, right near the spot where I had killed my first villain. He was a Knight of the Round Table. I knew this group as a good bunch of fellows, but I did not know them personally. I spoke with the man and he told me of his brotherhood with pride. At that time I was feeling the loneliness of my path. I felt I had found a home. For the first time, I knelt and swore fealty and became a soldier of Avalon.
I spent a year or more in that group and I threw myself into that community heart and soul. I never envisioned myself the leader of anything, but I found that there was need - and so I did what was needed. I rose in the ranks until I had been made a Knight and leader of the army.
The leaders of this guild of knights had gone off to lands far away, and after a short time, I found myself leader of this rather large guild. Although there were some fighting men, this was a guild comprised of mostly peace-loving people of good will. As such, we were were a prime target for the many gangs of savage brigands who roamed. We found comradeship and strength of arms with our friends and allies, the Citizens of Wispwood Shire and the House Lynn Dannae.
Almost nightly, we were attacked in our villages and although we did our best to defend ourselves, we lacked the skills. After one particularly bad massacre, one of my men said to me that the people had lost heart. I ordered a meeting convened in a safe area. We gathered at the great square in Nu'Jelm.
I stood in the middle, surrounded by maybe 50 or 60 of us, guildmates and allies - the original White Council. I knew only that I had to give heart to these people and I felt very unsure and inadequate for the task. I did not know what to say to these people, I only knew that I had to give them heart somehow. And my love for this community is what gave me words at that moment. We would train and learn to fight together, we would work together as one against evil, and they would never break our spirit. I opened my mouth and the words came out. I realized in that moment that I had a gift to offer my community, and in return for it they gave me the desire to do all that I could for them all. I was humbled and thankful and I will remember always that moment.
Although this is what they call a game, this 'game' helped me to experience these three moments which brought me to these three realizations
1) Fight for what is right, no matter what, no matter where. The greatest injustices happen when we turn aside and do nothing.
2) Community is everything. A man is nothing without people around him to care for, and to care for him.
3) Everyone has a gift to offer their community. Giving your gift freely makes us greater as a whole.
Years after these events, I founded KSS - but the seeds of KSS were sown in those 3 moments. In my time as KSS leader, I learned a great deal more about myself, about leadership, friendship, honor, loyalty, love... and I want to thank with great humility and great love all those who gave me their loyalty and trust, and if I have never said so, that gift was greater to me than any I could ever ask for.
There are so many people I have known and been friends with, who have been my adversaries, I could not begin to list them all, nor would I trust to my memory!
One last thing.
The word 'hero' has been ascribed to the character I played. Py Lethius is very much the hero I wish I could be in my every day life. I certainly did not set out to play that part in this land, in this game. When I read such things written about that character, I shake my head and wonder - could that have been me? Is that me they are talking about?? There were times when we were great together, we were heroes together, if only for a night in a land that does not really exist and these were some of the great times I have had. And to those who played the villains to our heroes - thank you.
Playing at being heroes, we rose to heights, we touched the stars, we found greatness in us we did not know was there.
I am very honored to have shared those times with you. I salute you all.
Farewell
