Giving up GL-ship

[BattleJenkins]

Hey everyone! If you don't know who I am, I'm the player behind Galen Fairweather, who's the current Grand Magnate of the Merchants Guild - and I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that I'll be giving up the position once I'm done wrapping up everything that Galen's directly involved in. I've done a lot of thinking about it, and Galen's status as GL is something that's keeping me from enjoying the game as much as I would like. I never really was shooting for leadership in the first place, and I'd hate to keep someone more interested from taking up the position. It's started to make the game feel more like a job than a hobby, and I hate being in the position where when I take time to work on my own projects I wind up feeling guilty for neglecting the game - especially considering how much rides on me being active, even if it's for things I don't really enjoy.

The reason I'm making a forum post about this is that one of the things that's kept me from feeling like I could give up the position - aside from Galen wanting to stay Grand Magnate for as long as he could, which I decided was less important than me having fun, seeing as how I'm real and he's not - is that I feel like if he stepped down now, he'd be at the receiving end of a torrent of awful rumors, blaming him for leaving the guild without leadership or other awfully pointed and hurtful things I might not be able to anticipate.

The rumors have gotten really nasty and cruel in this game lately, and I really don't think I'd want to keep playing at all if I had to make a choice between continuing to play in a role I didn't enjoy and playing a character who's suffering ridicule and cruel insults from all directions - so I just ask that everyone please be understanding of the OOC motivation behind this IC decision and just let it pass, even if it isn't realistic. I really wouldn't like it if logging in as Galen was met with the promise of getting to read paragraphs of text about how he's "weak" or a "quitter" or anything else that might be interpreted as thinly veiled barbs about my OOC decision to give up being a GL when I didn't find it fun anymore.

Thank you all for your understanding! I'm really looking forward to playing Galen as he originally was - just a friendly fellow of little consequence.

[Takta]

You've been a great GL, and thank you for all your hard work so far. You're definitely appreciated, and I'm sorry that rumors have reached the realm of 'not fun'.

[Tremere]

Yeah I don't blame you at all, in fact a lot of the sentiment you are expressing is how I feel too. I think you've done a good job.

[Pixie]

Oh BattleJenkins. You do whatever you need to do to enjoy the place, and for my part I'm sorry I dropped something that turned out to be miserable in your lap. Don't just sit in a GL role loathing your time on the game because you think you -need- to stay in it. You don't, everything'll keep on moving if you step down for sanity's sake, and because I think most people have been a GL at one point or another, I can't imagine anybody blaming you for it (...and if they do I'll beat them 'til their legs don't work...?).

You've done an -amazing- job as GL, but it doesn't have to be forever. The game is supposed to be a fun and engaging experience. If it's not both or at least one, do what you gotta do to make it so. And seriously -- Legs. Not working. *gnashes teeth etc.*

[BattleJenkins]

Thank you all so much for being so kind and understanding about this! I got a little choked up when everyone said I did a good job - being a GL is sort of thankless work sometimes so I never had any idea if I was really doing well or not. I really appreciate having the opportunity of being able to be such an important part of the game and I'm so glad to hear that I did a good job of it.

[Silrie]

I'm with Pix here. You do what you have to to have fun. I understand where you are coming from with the rumors, however. It has gotten to the point where I have some serious reservations and doubts about whether or not rumors are truly ic or just a player's approved way to say all the cruel things they truly feel about a character while hiding behind an anonymous vnpc.
I know what it feels like to play the game while having no fun doing so. As your friend, I stand behind whatever decision you must make to bring back the fun! Because that's what the game is about, and if you can find the fun again in leaving that post, then go for it. You've gone a brilliant job and will leave behind a wonderful legacy. All the power to you. Hugs.

[Kinaed]

I agree you did a good job - I never had any complaints about you from Merchants or seekers, and believe me, that in itself is an indication of good work. Even some of our really good GLs get stuff passed to me.

Personally, I love it when GLs acknowledge their time is up, and step down ICly without bloodshed. It makes room for new players to try their hands at things without having the older players leave the game due to burnout. So, thank you for recognizing where you're sitting on the fun spectrum, taking responsibility for your own play, and doing something about it. I hope you'll regain your fun and stick around for years to come.

I'm sad to hear this view about the rumor system, so I'm going to post a poll to see how the pbase as a whole feels about the rumor system (I've seen people talk about it anecdotally, but I haven't seen the pbase at large examine it).

[Zeita]

You've been great BattleJenkins, I wouldn't worry too much.

I can also understand the drive to step down as a GL- I've done it many times. Sometimes I'm not having fun, sometimes I don't have the time- but whatever the reason, do what is right for YOU. You may enjoy seeing what someone does with your creation after you let it go- I know that I get a blast from whatever the GLs after me do.

[The_Last_Good_Dragon]

I, for one, vote that we chain Galen to the GL chair and not let him leave. You lot disgust me with your "sympathy" and "understanding" and I for one will be petitioning the Queen that Galen's ears be cut off and hung above Market Square as a reminder for what happens when people try to escape their role in life! Avast, me hearty!

But for real you've been great and I've missed RPing with you and if this means I get more half-pint sized tailors in my life then I'm all for it. <3

[Voxumo]

You've certainly done an amazing job as Grand Magnate, and I agree with Kinaed that is is good when GL's can acknowledge that it's time to move onto greener pastures. Being a GL isn't as great as it's chocked up to be, and I'm surprised you stuck around this long.

And regarding the rumor thing... I won't actively engage in anything like that, because well none of my characters currently have anything against Galen.