The Time Has Come

[Sersay]

You're not alone Grak. Know that. I know you said that what people say often dosint help, here my instinct wins out. I try because, how is anything ever done or found out if you dont try? *Hugs* For you.

[Krent]

Good luck with whatever it is you intend to do.

Know I can understand where you're coming from. In regards to the isolation, the loneliness. Searching for something you can't rightly find because you don't know what it is. I won't pretend that I know the exact specifics of your hardships. But, I know that feeling of restlessness and being unable to see eye-to-eye with other people. Rolling characters that aren't able to get anywhere because everyone else seems to move in the other direction.

I can't say I'm surprised, either. I've watched your journey as an admin for a long, long time. And I know it's been hell on ya. The red name is too heavy of a burden. People kiss your ass in broad daylight, then talk shit about you behind closed doors. Every action you took wrought hatred upon ya, even if it was something people called for. You (and this includes the rest of the GM's as well), could never win. The players would always be unhappy, and they more often than not painted you as the scape-goat.

Sometimes, I felt like no one ever took the time to see the player behind the Grakor. I myself never really saw him. Never made much of an effort. I'm sure a few people did, and succeeded, but that's far too few. In my mind, anyway.

So, anyway. Ya might not believe me, but I understand where you're coming from. I've seen your struggle and have always felt bad. That sort of pressure isn't something a person can take without suffering. It's amazing you were able to bear it for so long.

Anyway.

May you find peace and happiness in the future.

[Bingles]

Grakor, even though I hardly know you... Or hardly communicated with you, I hope you have fun and stuff with other things you are going to do in your future endeavours. Come back any time you want, you're welcomed with open hands by myself.

:c

[WingedReaver]

Even though I barely (read: don't) know you, Grakor, I have a feeling that you will be missed. I'm serious. Good luck with your life, whatever you may choose to do with it.

[Wuvvums]

Even if I have to wait until Christmas I hope to be able to catch you on Guildwars 2 and have crazy hijinx adventures there. I'm gonna miss you :c

[McKnighter]

I know this must have been a hard decision to ponder about and I, for one, respect you more for having the courage to go ahead and go through with it. I'll echo Krent on knowing 'that feel' but I won't say I know -your feel- specifically.

At any rate, I'll see you on GW2, nab. Be mah pocket tank?

[Rigley]

It really took me a while to try and compose my thoughts on this.

I guess to me it was akin to what Clovis has said. I kinda expected you to be around until you and Kret got tired of running things. I don't think I ever sat down and considered the possibility of -you- leaving. I threw around my own departure multiple times, and I suppose this is a bit staggering bearing in mind that you were the one who often had to talk me down.

Before I say much more, I do want to get something off my chest regarding what you said. I don't think you've ever done anything -terrible- or -wrong- in what policies you tried to keep in place or talk on concerning CotH. I say this being what I'd almost compare to a borderline yesman to you, because I usually did agree with the things you were trying to do and tried to be vocal on my support. I think I summed this up in one of my own posts, but you can really only do good in regards to such opinion-based things as policy and decisions as far as you -believe- it's good.

No one sets out in a position of leadership intending to do wrong. If you believe what you said and acted on was correct, no one can fault that you did not have the best intentions and interests at mind. I say this since I'm just as much as fault-- really most if not all the GM team has been. We can only do good for the server in the ways we believe that are beneficial; we aren't always able to see the -best- option, or understand what a popular opinion would be instead.

In honesty I'm saying this because this is seriously making me consider my own place here, and if I'm really keeping up with what people want and what I want. I don't know what that means, and I'm not exactly sure if I really want to think long enough to find out.

All I'll say in closing to that note is that I think you did good, and I'm not sure if anyone can fill your shoes-- not even speaking in the aspect of a co-admin, but as a support for the GM team and the server.


...Dunno what else to add. I really hope that you keep in contact. I'm not sure if you intend to keep off of Teamspeak, or if you're going to stay away from that as well now. If that's the case then I desperately hope we can talk on Skype more, because you really are a great pal to me. I don't want my only sight of you to be through Guild Wars 2.

Don't have any idea of what more to say. Keep in touch, please.

I'm going to really miss you, even if you do. I don't know if that makes any sense at all.

[Bingles]

I don't think you've ever done anything -terrible- or -wrong- in what policies you tried to keep in place or talk on concerning CotH.

This.

[Hawk]

... I'm not going to lie. This was unexpected.

It's strange seeing this. You've been there ever since my first day, and I just don't think I can imagine CotH without you. Even with your periods of inactivity, you've still just been a presence on CotH that can't be replaced.

I don't think I would've had anyone else as Administrator, in all honesty. I can't possibly fathom anyone else I would want to see on the staff in your position. I sure as hell didn't want to be the one in your place. You've done a tough job, but you've done an amazing job in my opinion, regardless of what people think or what I've disagreed with in the past.

You'll be missed. I hope if I ever scrounge up enough money that we talk in Guild Wars 2 or something.

/salute

[Sorum]

Don't leave. I mean it.

[Noble]

Grakor - Hell I never RP'd with you, only had a few discussions, but from what little we had talked, I think you were my truly favorite GM.
You reminded me of alot of close friends I'd had, and of the sort of, personality-type that had taught me how to RP and helped forge me into the person I am today.
And I'm not just kissing up either.
And hey, on the bright side maybe this is a big step on your part to a greater good, a new chapter in your life, for the best?
In short: o7.

[Anski]

My, I thought this would be a Cataclysm release thread. I am sorely mistaken.

It has been quite a time, and I wish I had kept in such friendship with you as I was since before I was a GM and during my early days on staff. My roleplay with you shaped not only Vakari, but how I handled and acted on the server both in character and out of, you were a prime example of how to be a person. However, during the mid-term of my days on staff I was quite upset with your seemingly spontaneous, high changing and iron-fist rulings. I couldn't be more upset over seeing such a stark change without asking, but it took until a large amount of time on staff for me to realize that you did it for a good reason, and that things were for the better. News that had been planned and talked about between you and Kretol, I could not imagine myself the burden you had to carry upon the server.

Although we drifted apart I still held you in grand regard for being who you are, the LGBT attitude across the server is amazing on all ends. You were not afraid to be yourself, where as I still am. I hope your departure won't change the tolerance on staff in the slightest, nor the capability to enforce change with such admirable veracity. Hopefully your step down from staff will mean you are still here as a person, gone of the Atlas burden. From experience, it is a different world, a refreshing world. You may see things in a new light.

In short, you're still a hero to me.

"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."

[Zenethen]

Honestly? I don't have much to say. I don't know you for much other than the Red-titled guy who gives big decisions and stuff :c I wish I did, but I don't. But hey, here's a quote from Thomas Edison I found.

Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.

Think what you will of it. I don't mean it as an insult, and in fact I mean it as a compliment. Maybe you'll understand what it means reviewing the quote and then seeing the reactions some of your fellows have given here in the forums.

G'day, and have a happy life Grakor!

[flammos200]

...I never thought I'd see the day. Now I'm ever the more certain that this is a portent of the apocalypse.

It's sad, for me, to see you leave. Especially so to know you're dissatisfied with your work here. But in whatever measure, I'd like you to know that you've helped create one of the best places to be that I've ever found across the internet. The journey through CoTH has been enlightening in many ways, even if at times it could be likened only to the strength you gain by wading against the current of a river. I can only hope the same applied to your experience with CoTH.

Not all experiences are good. Not all experiences are bad. But at a fundamental level, they are experiences and therefore we can learn from them. It's amusing to make the parallel between real-life occurrences and the 'experience' gained in role-playing games, but the analogy fits near-perfectly, if only we count 'levels' as moments of greater clarity and insight into our world.

Yet, as we come to reach a certain level, some areas don't provide the same amount of experience, and we feel the need to move on. I would like to think that that's what happened.

And no matter what, I wish you the best of luck, wherever you may go.

[ImagenAshyun]

Somehow, I knew this would happen. I would be lying, though, if I say that I was surprised. It's moreso just the timing and suddenness, but then again, with how things are going and how I've come to know you, I should have anticipated it. But this departure... well. I can't say I'm not hearthbroken, because that's a lie too.

Forgive me for the delayed post. I spent the whole day stewing on what I can say, mostly because it still hasn't really sunk in me. You are a big inspiration to me, as a staff member, RPer, lore reader, and general COTHer. I still remember who fast of friends Kapre and Thragash became and when Gunnar showed his face to the derp after they got to know each other as buddies. I often thought of you as the reason my love for orcs grew beyond just Draenor natives, when you admitted you grew onto Mahen'tosh in which it encouraged me to stop make him a villain. You were somehow the staff member I was afraid of the least when I came to COTH. You gave TLE support. Even when we stopped RPing together, we still cracked jokes at each other, often at each other's expenses, and I loved it all.

I'm still an open ear to listen and an empty shoulder to lend. I'm not lying at all when I say I hope we can meet someday when I manage to come to your state. You're one of the first real friends I've made in COTH, and I probably wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for you.

I thank you for the wonderful memories and I am sorry my words are not enough. I do not intend to sound empty, nor do I intend to keep it that way if they do. Though I bid you farewell from COTH, I do honestly wish we can stay in contact, even if it's just to RP other things besides WoW or talk about hot sweaty burly men with more meat than a carniceria.

Thank you for everything, Grakor. My heart goes out to you and I wish you the best of luck.