Two E's One Farewell

[Enthemu]

Greetings everyone,

It is with a heavy heart and a head full of fond memories that I announce my decision to step down from my role as Senior Storyteller. My journey with this incredible game began back in 1996, and I have had the honor of wearing many hats, from Storyteller to Administrator and, of course, as a dedicated player. The reason for my departure is not due to any dissatisfaction with the staff or the direction of the game. Rather, a recent job promotion has increased my professional responsibilities significantly, involving extensive travel and other demands that leave me with little time to devote to the game. I also have a loving wife and two wonderful children who need my attention.

First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Halaster and Usiku. Your guidance during the massive overhaul to the Seasons model was invaluable, and it was a privilege to work alongside you. To the current staff members I've had the pleasure of collaborating with during this transitional period, your dedication and passion have been truly inspiring.

Reflecting on my time here, I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together. The launch of the Seasons model has been a monumental success, and I am thrilled to see how it continues to flourish. The increase in player engagement and activity speaks volumes about the strength and vibrancy of this community. To all the players I've supported and played with over the years, you are the heartbeat of this game, and I cherish each and every one of you. This community is, in my opinion, one of the most amazing gaming communities on the internet.

Please know that this is not a final farewell. I plan to return to my mortal account and join you all as a regular player. Playing a PC is significantly less demanding than the responsibilities of staffing and managing clans, and I look forward to immersing myself in the game alongside you. It would be unfair to the game, the players, and the clans I've been involved with to attempt to continue in my current role without being able to give it my all.

In the spirit of lightheartedness, I leave you with this: "I'm not really leaving, just leveling up IRL. Expect me to rise from the ashes like a phoenix – or maybe just respawn with less paperwork!"

Thank you all for the incredible journey. This is not goodbye, but rather a new chapter. I'll see you in the sands.

Shade & Water,

P.S. To those of you on the fence about joining staff, I highly encourage you to take the leap. It's one of the most rewarding experiences, in my opinion. Being able to fashion and mold a game like Armageddon is truly an amazing experience, and I am eternally grateful to have had the opportunity.

[Eurynomos]

Hi there,

You may be wondering why I am taking a step back and still answering requests and approving characters. The answer is a bit too personal and complicated to openly share, but simply, I have a lot of personal medical issues coming up with my family that are both scary and time consuming, and I will not be as available as I was even a few weeks ago. Actively overseeing players in a few clans doesn't seem reasonable or fair (to myself or to the players i'd be overseeing), so after some discussions with the Producers, we collectively decided that taking a step back from active staffing would be best.

However, I am remaining as a Consultant; for the interim, I will still be assisting Producers in quality control of NPCs/Items/Rooms, approvals, character approvals, policy advice, staff culture advice, and moral support for the team.

My hope is that my family and I are victorious in vanquishing the dragon blocking the road, and that my free time will return and I will be able to Staff more fully in collaboration with you all. We have made incredible leaps and bounds in our staff culture and how we will be engaging with the community, and will continue to receive feedback and implement changes as we march forward. I could not be more proud of what we have accomplished with the launch of Seasons for ArmageddonMUD. We poured endless hours into documents, comments, feedback, peer review, building, rebuilding, revamping, all in preparation for you, the players, and Launch could not have gone better from what I saw.

When I first came back on staff in November 2023, it was with some trepidation. I had staffed with two previous administrations, with Adhira and Nyr and Brokkr respectively; I had worked with all of them and had a feeling I would know what to expect. I could not be more surprised to find Usiku and Halaster both easy going and receptive to new ideas (and completely new directions for the game, apparently, with Seasons). They have been incredibly kind during this difficult time for me, and I'm grateful to them and the rest of the team for their support.

For those of you considering Staffing but worried what that might entail, please be assured that it is incredibly fun, very rewarding, and we have done quite a bit of work during the downtime to ensure it is as stress-free as possible. It is a great way of giving back to this community, creating fun for your fellow players, and perpetuating the mythos of this preeminent role-playing intensive MUD we all call our 'Third Place'.

Thanks to the efforts of this Staffing team, and you, the players, this shared hobby we all love ArmageddonMUD may yet have a second renaissance.

Thank you, and see you soon,
Eurynomos