It has been four years since I arrived in these lands of Graal. Over those four years, I've made friends, led worlds, designed content, and helped several people along their own Graal journeys. However, my own path leads away from Graal. No longer is Graal my home, and no longer will I stay.
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Epilogue
I'd like to say a few words to some people who I may or may not ever speak with again. There is no particular order.
Steve (Nappa) - You're the one who showed me Graal, so as far as Graal is concerned I am entirely in your debt. It is because of you that I met all sorts of wonderful people, but I won't hold those people who weren't so wonderful against you. We've been friends for around six years now; here's to six more.
CheeToS (CheeToS) - When I found out that your real name was CheeToS, I was surprised. Eventually, however, I grew to accept this as truth and moved my thoughts to more pressing matters. You've always been a source of inspiration to me, as well as a close friend and someone I can trust implicitly. You instilled within me a belief that people can learn from their mistakes after all (unlikely as it may be), and that helped me to see that you cannot totally ignore such possibilities.
The Kai (Kaimetsu) - Someone will invariably direct you to this, so I figure I might as well include a message to you. You may be aware of this fact already, but your wordless departure left a bit to be desired. Some people who held you in high regard felt insulted by it; as to whether that was your intent or not, one can only speculate. Still, I have you to thank for a great change in my life. You are the one who motivated me to become more logical, to become more of a thinker. This was of course a bittersweet blessing, but encountering you helped awaken the penchant for logic and reasoning which I had possessed all along. You're a good guy, and I had fun back in the days of BF1942. Perhaps we will encounter one another again sometime, though that's pretty unlikely.
R-a-b-i-d (Rabid) - When I saw that skunk get promoted to Events Team Scripter, I had no idea he'd end up becoming one of my most trusted friends on Graal. Good luck to you and yours, man. Come on AIM every so often, and perhaps we'll someday find a game that can satisfy our boredom.
Matt (Kaelink Kuonji) - I'm going to make fun of your accent forever. This I promise you! We'll see about that fancy pocky you and your girl want.
Jordan (Haunter) - Man, Graal owes you. Your talent for designing levels is simply beyond compare, and it is an utter shame for Graal that a Macintosh level editor is not available so you could make use of your talents. After all, Graal is getting free work and therefore publicity, so why not give a substantial part of your playerbase the tools to fascilate this? I don't understand this, and I guess I never well. Still, I'm glad I encountered you. You're an awesome guy and a good friend.
____les the Clown (--Chris--) - No, Chris, your mother in real life (as you always say). What else can I say about my crazy Trinidadian friend? :]
Jon (Jagen) - We've had our ups and our downs (hah), but in the end we became friends. I think you're a good guy at heart, but I don't ever want to hear about you going through one of those extreme downs again. You know what I'm talking about.
Symon (Kamuii) - We'll hang out at AX. More than just watching Jin Roh. There will be pocky and ramune and craziness with Steve and Joseph (non-Graal friend of Steve and mine) and perhaps we can kidnap Scarlett, too.
Scarlett - You're a nice person! I still remember that you loaned me a diamond axe when I was a newbie on Graal2001, and I don't easily forget such acts of kindness. See you at AX (this won't become the 5th AX that we didn't meet at)!
The Z-Dawg (GrowlZ) - If awesomeness could wear a mask and pretend to be a person pretending to be a robot pretending to be a zebra pretending to be a person pretending to be a salad bowl, you would be that salad bowl. You are crazy, but by far one of the most proficient with English I've encountered on Graal. Keep up the awesomeness.
Gryffon - You've got one of the craziest imaginations I've ever seen. You're a good guy, and I wish you good luck with your future books.
Lyndzey - I've got a big favor to ask of you if I perchance see you on ICQ. Other than that, I'd like to thank you for hanging in there with Graal through the good times and the bad.
Jessica (Angel) - I am not sure if I am obligated to wish you a goodbye or not, what with your own departure from Graal and all. You were an interesting person.
Twusk - You're a good guy. Overcome your shyness; I know you can do it.
Draenin - I can tell you've got potential. It's too bad we didn't start talking earlier. You've got a good head on your shoulders.
Gladiator (disaster) - It was good to see you again after all this time. Sorry I couldn't stick around longer to make sure things were done right.
Spark - Man, I watched you grow up from a little doofus to a big doofus. I'm kidding! It turned out to be a pleasure to work with you after all.
Ibonic - You're a good guy who does a good job. I'd ask you to keep it up, but I think that would make me a hypocrite so I'll refrain from doing so.
Stefan - What can I say? You've got a brilliant mind and you've crafted a wonderful set of development tools. In the future, please try to watch your administrators/game more closely (or, at the very least, listen to those people who are dealing with your administrators and game more than you are).
Unixmad - Much the same as the latter part of the above.
Chad - You're a great guy. Shame I didn't get to know you better; hope you are added to the GST sometime like you were supposed to be a while ago.
Maniaman - Also a great guy; good luck with Maloria.
Skyld - You're nuts.
Rick (Rick) - You're brilliant. Don't waste your time.
Karsh - You're also nuts. It was good to see you back, even if it only happened just before I left myself.
Scott - You're an awesome guy. Keep up the art and you'll go places.
Ben - You've got a lot of potential. Don't waste too much of it.
Fry - You're a good guy. Stop calling people ***s.
VT - I don't think I ever would have finally figured out what to think of you.
Damix - You've got potential. Use it.
Googi - I promised Kai there would be no rock owner tags.
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If you weren't mentioned here, I wasn't thinking of you while I was writing this or I didn't have much to say to/about you. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you should know how I feel.
Finally, I would like to thank all of the Graal2001 staff, past and present. It is a well of potential, and I am sorry that I could not be around to fully tap it. I especially have to thank the present staff - we've had a hard fight, but considering everything I'd say we won. It's up to you guys to lead 2k1 into tomorrow, and despite what anyone says that is neither difficult nor impossible.
Farewell.