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Library: Firefox' Tail
Books
Author: firefox
Date:Dec 4 2003
In December of 1990 as young college student I stumbled into a computer lab
with a friend. That friend introduced me to MUDding, and much time was wasted
finding one MUD to settle on to play. Just before Holiday break I found
BatMUD, and decided this would be the MUD I played.
On my return to classes I played quite a lot, being addicted as many players
are. At this time in BatMUDs history there were no races, only twenty levels,
and you only had one guild. Over the next few months I became one of the best
players in the game. I made many friends on Bat and had many good times. I
even became one of the first three players to be in two guilds: Fighters,
(Guild master: Franco, the Archwizard) and the EVIL guild (Guild master Jaf,
the God). I defeated a werewolf, the Bonedragon, solved the legalos maze,
retrieved the Hydras egg for Nasty, and found the Holy Grail. I was in the
party that first killed Kizarwexius, the moon dragon. I made it to #2 on the
'Top Players List'. Then an Immortal whispered in my ear that there could be
so much more -
It was so long ago I cannot remember which Immortal, but the name Hetty comes
to mind. The siren song of promised new powers and abilities was too much to
resist. I surely could not resist: I became Immortal. Argon became my
Master, and I began work on my Castle. Later I learned from my former Guild
master, now mentor Franco, and Mapmaker another Archwizard, and later still
Zonni the Nazgul, Tonze the Archangel and Anipa the God. Castle Firefox was
brought into exist with all the helpful magics I had learned.
Zonni then requested my service: He needed a new Guild, and wanted a new
system that would wipe out the old. Wizards beyond my skills created the
system, and I created not one, but two guilds: Reavers and Anti-Paladins.
Anti-Paladins were short lived, but Reavers were the stuff of legend, and
survived. Even now their legends from the past have been drawn on for their
reincarnation. Anipa requested a small service as well: an area near where
players join our world, a place with challenge, and a small quest - but not
too dangerous to kill those inexperienced players. I created the Church
Cemetery in Batcity. The new world was young now and some dangers were fresh
to even our most experienced warriors, and I was given another task: create a
series of magic rings to protect and help our adventurers. I brought forth
the Ring shop and Barnum to sell rings of magical designs.
My own needs were growing: I needed to create further in this new world. Out
of devotion to my guild I created a haven for them, deep beneath the Reaver
guild tower was were I placed the Reaver Catacombs, a vast and complex maze of
rooms. Treasures gained were only outshined by the dark dangers awaiting
those who dared enter.
For these and other tasks I was awarded a high place in the Immortal realms: I
was given the task of assuring no creation would enter the world that was not
ready or exceptionally crafted. I became an Angel to watch over the world.
The next step in Immortality was Archwizardhood, I goal I held dear, but would
not ever achieve.
My downfall: mortals. I remembered fondly those times when I too was an
adventurer, and had friends and companions among the mortal ranks still. Some
of my most cherished friends sought me out with a request: leave it all
behind, ask the Gods to make me mortal and walk again the adventurer's path.
As unbelievable as it now seems to my much wiser self this offer sounded
intoxicating at the time, and so I sought out the very Archwizards and Gods I
had served and begged this favor. I was warned against my rash actions, but
paid no heed to their wise words.
I became mortal once again. And the betrayal began: my companions were untrue
to their honeyed words. None of our grand adventures occurred and nothing of
our friendship seemed to exist for very long. I trudged through the world as
I once had long past, but my passion for it was gone. I had tasted the fruits
of Immortality, and found mortal life wanting. I was lost.
I sought out the Gods and Archwizards and begged their forgiveness. I begged
to be placed once again among them as an Immortal. A few Archwizards gathered
and decided I could be afforded a second chance, knowing all I had done in the
past. I was glad to be back among the Immortals, but dismayed to learn my
status was that of the lowest among them. I was but a slave to the whims of
all the greater Immortals. Even so I was happy.
My first task was improvements to all my creations small improvements, taken
over time, to bring my creations to higher standards. Next I set upon a
sweeping change, one that was so grand in scope I knew it would take a great
amount of time. I was going to create a city to rival Batcity and the new
Shadowkeep: Kwen'Gareth. This city was going to grow from the traffic Castle
Firefox generated, as happens when castles exist for a long time, cities and
towns grow up around them.
I created a hilltop nearby the Castle for which the Reaver guild was to be
moved. I would re-open the guild and place it among the far off lands
occupied by the old castle and new city. I was trying to orchestrate this to
all happen at once, a grand announcement: A new city, an old guild re-opened,
and one of the oldest castles in the game to be opened anew with the grand
city surrounding it.
Along the way the college student grew into a man, a husband, and a father.
BatMUD became, as it should always have been perhaps, just a game. A pastime
deeply enjoyed, with fond memories spanning over a decade, and something to do
whenever a spare moment arrived. Those moments became fewer and further
apart, but the fondness never diminished, the dream unrealized was never
forgotten and still part of the grand design. I thought I would be able to
create my dreams over time, and when realized perhaps move on to lesser goals
that would be easier realized. And so it came to pass, one day in the fall of
2003, nearly 13 years after that college student found a refuge from reality,
Firefox was once again no longer an Immortal. The Immortals had cast down a
cleansing fire and I was caught up in the storm. I had been stripped of my
being, of my Immortality. I was once again a beginning adventurer, and even
this required an Archwizards gracious intervention.
Another Immortal had taken my creations as theirs. This was only appropriate
I suppose, but it was another blow. Now I once again find my self an
adventurer who to well remembers the taste of the forbidden fruit, and finds
anything else so much ash on the palate. I am once again lost.
I would like to thank all the Immortals over the years who helped me out in
one instance or another, there are too many to name, but Anipa, Tonze, Zonni,
Amarth, Duke, and most recently Gore would be the ones I would be most remiss
in not mentioning I think. BatMUD has been a game I have enjoyed in one form
or another for 13 years, and I still love it. I will continue to play, now as
adventurer, for as long as the game exists. Perhaps one day I will yet again
join the Immortals - as well all know 'Archwizards are always right' clearly
allows for rules to be bent where appropriate. If not I will play whenever I
can. One final thought: A fellow adventurer asked me what had happened to me,
which sparked this whole writing exercise. But in our conversation he
mentioned I should have just made a new character originally and multi-played.
I was shocked at this suggestion, and not because it was against the rules,
but because it very well could have been what occurred had I not wanted to
uphold the rules. Following this idea forward, Firefox the level 150 Immortal
may very well over the next few years earned Archwizardhood. My character
would be immune to purges, most likely even just as a 150 level immortal. I
would have ditched that mortal character, since my friends never really played
as I stated above, and gone back to being Firefox full time.
But I obeyed the rules. Ironic huh?
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