Let’s add another farewell to the growing list

There’s a lot of confliction in myself, as a person, in writing this post to all of you. The conflict is due to two feelings – my love for Aetolia and what it SHOULD be, and my dismay in way it is.

Let’s start with my love for it. Aetolia in itself, at its best, is a game where I gave so much of my time happily and willingly due to its beautiful storytelling, the friendships forged and the community spirit. I have met and retained so many wonderful friendships, including meeting my now husband here in Aetolia through these threads of friendships. I served as a volunteer for four good years as Cookie Monster Kyna where I was able to develop so many fun storylines alongside all of you, whether through Gods, NPCs, small events or content creation. Honestly, my heart was full and I know the love all of you had for me during this time, and even still as Evelyn or Aithene, is still there. Thank you for that and know it's returned in ways I could never truly express.

But there’s the kicker. WAS. I don’t know where it turned, I won’t point fingers or jump up and down in a tantrum. I have a lot of opinions, but I won’t air ALL OF THEM here because I don’t think it would be healthy. I honestly think it would end up splitting our already splintering community more.

It did turn though. And the opinions I will share are already so prevalent, and points we agree on; the lack of communication, the inability to take responsibility for failings, for emotional manipulation and more. We’re all guilty of one, or more, of these things sometimes, I mean, we’re only human, right? But Aetolia today is no longer built on what it SHOULD be, but on our dismay on it not being even close to that. We’re not rallying around the good anymore, but the bad. Justified? Absolutely in some places. Abso-hecking-lutely. But it’s also not in others.

I think everyone (E.V.E.R.Y.O.N.E), including management (paid), needs to take a good, long, hard look on what’s going on here. Because I may have been a bossy, too organised, a too passionate member of this community both as player and staff, and I had some hard learning experiences, but I was a good egg. Perfect? No, but patient, compassionate and caring, and even I've had enough. I don’t write that to be boastful, or even attempt to humble brag, I simply know what I gave this community, and I know what it has given me.

So to you, Aetolia, thank you for the good you gifted me. Thank you for the relationships I’ll carry beyond this farewell.

But until you’re something that will add to my life again, it’s farewell. I hope I get to see you in the future and add colour to your threads once again.

I’ll miss you, but it’s not me, it’s you.

Evelyn
(Aithene and Kyna)