Lessons Learned

[Arev]

A few months after I joined RID, someone asked in GuildChat, "I wish we had more hardcore members". I responded, "To recruit hardcore members, you need hardcore members to begin with". When I expanded RID RP, it was purely (mostly) by accident. Roleplayers in RID weren't staying because we didn't offer an RP venue. I offered to facilitate. Of course, RID's reputation was tainted by some, considering RID simply a bunch of "PvPers" (an insult in many RP circles). But, with time, we overcame that stigma. Things were good, more or less. Then Farik occurred. While he did contribute quite a bit to RID RP, he wasn't afraid to throw his two cents around behind closed doors. (His public appearance is *always* much different. See: SSG.) Like most well-known figures in the RP community, rumors and stigmas naturally circulate, even more so if you're considered a "villain" by many, both in the 'good' and 'bad' senses. Farik essentially poured gasoline on the kindling and threw a match into it. He basically reinforced the rumors - as far as the public was concerned, he legitimized them. There was an SSG thread, in August, in which posters effortlessly bad-mouthed me in public. It was perfectly acceptable to do. Why? Because RID said that what people had heard about me was true.

Then I returned, chiefly to maintain Fort Keen as Ruh has been busy with RL activities. In some ways, in many ways, it is hard to believe Farik when he claims to wants to lead "Operation Restoring Arev". But we'll see. He told me not to hold grudges - however, I see this as a scam. If I'm successful and send more RP his way, he wins; if I stir the drama pot (because of the drama whores), then he can wash his hands of me and say, "He's not mine". Running like the coward he is.

However, that's not the point of this thread. The point is what we learned from the Memorial Day weekend events.
1. Listening to and believing rumors
2. Conspiring usurpation plans without acknowledging any parties
3. Blacklisting former members
4. Threatening current members
5. Moving members to Rori (such actions should be grounds for immediate removal)

I have some ideas on how to reconcile this issues, but I'd like to like for everyone else first.

[Lexx Yovel]

I did take the time to read this earlier, but I want to respond to this now.

I think you raised many good points, and I do agree we have much to learn from regarding what happened -- chiefly not to give into rumors so quickly.

The way things happened ultimately came down to unfortunate decisions, and "fate," among other things.

Speaking of Farik, do be wary, but I wouldn't avoid him completely. How has 6T been doing nowadays anyways?

[Arev]

They're doing well. In fact, they're doing better post-'RID takeover' than they were before. Farik is a natural leader, I will give him that. However, he may know where he's taking his PA in RP, but he doesn't seem to know much about an OOC direction. While he claims that SixT is autonomous and self-sufficient, I fail to see how SixT could possibly have the numbers to field four 'full-time' crafters capable of supplying them all. I inquired about their buffhouse status, and he claimed it was "confidential". Eventually, I managed to get him to admit he had CCXX buff house access (which I also have). I also asked about why they are defending Lok Kimo Town and he didn't seem to know. He admitted they were defending DWB for a while. Since he and I had last spoke, he was still CL71, so I can't imagine SixT being too involved in Heroics or PvP. Of course, even his RP direction hasn't changed much since he left RID, "Days of our (Imperial) Lives".

Overall, there is definitely room for expansion in the Imperial RP sector. SixT is good, but RID will be better.