theworldofdreams.com

The past couple of days have been very rough on me. And I have spent a great deal of time sorting through my emotions to get to the heart of just exactly why I feel the way that I do.

If you would indulge me for just a second, I would like to start at the beginning. When the concept of UO was brought to my attention, I had never played any online game. Ever. My sister-in-law (her character on WoD is Rabekah) told me about "The World of Dreams". She had been playing for a few months and really enjoyed it. So I gave it a shot. Sent in my application, and with my referral was accepted right away. Wow! Just Wow! This was the most incredible amount of fun that I had ever had playing on the computer. Not only did I get to play a game, but it was completely interactive. I actually got to converse with the people around me. This was the greatest thing since the invention of the wheel.

I spent the first three months of my life in WoD hunting the farmlands of Skara Brae. Every day. Like clockwork. By myself. It tought me the patience of growing your skills, and how to fight monsters. Now, of course anyone who knew me at that time (Ciara) hehe, knows that I died a lot. Most of the time I got offers of help, but if I didn't I paged someone to help me. Anyway, I digress.. My point is the people on this new found world were polite, helpful, and friendly. I felt so comfortable, I allowed my sons to apply for accounts. My two oldest applied and got their accounts. One, most of you may not know, he has not played in a long time. He was Typhoon/Colton. The other still plays from time to time and his main character is/was Arwen Greenleaf. My third oldest pleaded, and pleaded to be allowed to get his own account, I compromised and allowed him to have a character on my account, mostly because he was only eight at the time. His character on my account was Tyros Gryphon. After a year of proving that he "got" what WoD was about, I allowed him to get his own account. His characters have changed a lot but almost all of them had the last name Boldsong. He is ten years old, going to turn eleven in October. He has spent the last three and a half years living, breathing and loving WoD.

Which brings me to some of the things that I have been thinking about. I know that everyone loves WoD. But does everyone realize just how much WoD has affected them? Here is how it has affected my family - I can't count how many family reunions and get togethers that we have been at where my wife (who has never understood how a game can mean this much) would get so disgusted with all of us talking about WoD, that she would leave the room. It was always a part of our discussions. So I have to ask myself, how can a game become so large a part of your life?

The conclusion that I have drawn is the same one I drew when I first started. Oh My God! A game where you not only get to play the game. But you get to interact with the other players around you. In short....the players make the difference. Always.

I have come to love many of you Dearly.
I have come to respect many of you greatly.
And I will always remember all of you.

It is with a very heavy heart that I am typing this post. It is something that I had never considered as a possibility. WoD would always be around, wouldn't it?

I am not the most emotional person in the world. And I go to great lengths to try to keep my "true" feelings to myself. But, I am literally coming to tears as I type this. This has not just been a game for me, but as the Title of this post says, This is my home.

I could sit here and try to name all of the people that have meant everything to me, but I know I would leave someone important out. And I don't want to have anyone think that I forgot them. But I am going to name two.

Ciara, You always have been, and always will be my one true Hero. As you know, I love you as much as one friend can love another. We have gone through so much together. You truly mean the world to me. I will keep in touch. And I'm sure we will meet on some other shards as we all wander around trying to find a duplicate of what we found here.

Bronwyn, My Love. My soul mate. The last year and a half of my life on WoD, has been in a word, remarkable. You brought out feelings in me, that I never thought that I could have for someone that I met on a "game". If y'all read the other post, I am going to marry her. You are my light, my love, and my sanctuary. And above all, you are my true friend.

I'm going to end this now

The tears that fall are real

It is a great testament to you all, that I have been reduced to tears over the loss of a "game"

Thank you all for over four years of bliss.

I will miss my home

*wanders back into the woods*

~Tristan Gryphon~
~Jordan Gryphon~
~Nykolett Gryphon~

aka - Darryl Griffin
griff1130@yahoo.com

i wish i can be right there, but i can, i will in china on firday morning to sunday, i will miss you so much,
moreover, give me a word to tell me where you move,

Tristan
I know the feeling that you feel. Although I dont have children that play WoD as you do but I have met a great deal of friends and I have an older son that plays as well. Him and I constantly talk about WoD at family gatherings. Everyone looks at us with peculiarity.
My wife even......I remember on a couple occassions I was talking to her about the game, talking about Trolls, Titans, etc at a restaurant while having dinner. She keeps telling me "shhhhhh, everyone is looking" LOL and I dont care, I still continued talking about it.
As for the tears for a game, the tears have come and they will continue coming for quite awhile. I am certain they will flow real good on Friday night.
I am still having a hard time releasing my henchies. I feel they deserve that at this point. They have fought with me side by side for many years now.
So, I totally understand what you are going through. I think to myself.....a 46 year old man crying about a game. But then I realize its more than a game. Its everything within the game. Everyone we have met, the history, the friends, the loyalty to the throne, the loyalty to friends......Everything.
I have met friends here that I will never lose touch with. They are now lifelong friends.
Tristan, are you going to another shard? I didnt know you that well, but from reading your posts I wish I had known you better.
I hope to see you Friday night along with many others who will hopefully be there.

Herakles