Zamora, and O Caledon

I have taken a small residence in a modest port town called Zamora; yes, it is Gorean, run by Jake Molinaro, the Admin at Fina when I came to that amazing City when it was white stone, and someone I met in the Tland Arena when I was barely out of my noobage. It was hard to see Fina disintegrate, as it surely has, all the men I admired gone: Jake, Maddog, Jimmie, Bohica, and finally Bryan. It was that last loss which put me over the top. As I said to Bryan, it was once Camelot, and as he noted, that time is gone. I grieve, truly.

But I am optimistic about the rp in Zamora. I get to be around men like Jake and Maddog, actual legends, more than I did when in the crowd of Fina. And merc, Jake's girl, and I have hit it off; in some ways we are opposites, but she is such a dear person and very bright. So, for now, I have done what I could with my 50 prim allotment, continue to look for new art (long my passion in sl) and hope to sharpen my bow fighting skills. In Zamora, with panthers a plenty just over the wall, all too happy to plink at any guard, I will get the chance to practice bow. In Tland, as I may have said here before, we did not use the bow at all; we lived in that Arena, sparring round after round with sword, spear, or axe. But in the wide open world of combat rp Gor, well, the bow, with its ridiculously endless arrows, is very important. It is different, and I have my work cut out, but it is all good.

I remain connected to Skye, of course, though I am rarely there. I often wonder what has happened to Caledon, long my home (in Cay) and always a Vision I have supported. It has grown, much, though I know the Lindens did it irreparable damage when they limited the voids. This cost Caledon some of its dearest Peers, as all who know any god-damned thing admit. I am not around enough to know what occurs in Caledon now, but I will make one comment.

Speaking to a friend who is still in the Realm of Roses (and no, it's not the Duchess, nor anyone else my reader is guessing I am quite sure) I was told that Caledon's social calendar has devolved into "dj partys with tip jars." The days of the elegant hosted balls at the homes of Peers are gone. Is this true? If so, may I say the following:

Anyone trying to make money should get a job in rl. I do not mind those with businesses, expressing creativity in world, and covering tier. By no means. Many of my friends do. Nor am I saying dj's cannot be compensated. But for those who hold Position, especially, as I did in a sense in Caledon or at least Loch Avie, I find using Caledon as a money making venture repugnant. I never made a dime nor sought to. The money put up for the weapons system in the Loch (45 US dollars) came from the pockets of myself, Eva, and Hotspur. I sold my first land at a loss and gave away my Estate on the corner of Cay (to someone who did not do much with it, and has long relinquished it). The burden for those who are established in the Community is to provide for those who are not, to nurture role play and fun, to host and entertain and occupy time well, to act with true grace and style, and to do so without compensation much beyond costs, in my opinion.

From what I hear, and I avoid all politics when I can, similar issues brought down Fina. I do not know. I understand those paying for sims where others play for free deserve significant if not total help, but of course, in Caledon, that is not the case.

Who, when a person comes over to one's rl home, asks for payment for drinks or food? Pffft. Similar hospitality, work for the good of the community, should always be the rule in Caledon. It establishes a constructive, grateful, growing culture. Oh, Caledon lost much with Gabi and Eva. May those left, and those I do not know who now hold Duchies, remember them and learn.