A Withering Test of Times, by JJ Arcanum

A Withering Test of Times

While many once debated the era when Graal's militaries supposedly thrived in their “Golden Age," some even contested the existence of such an epoch. However, one thing has now become certain: our days of immersive roleplay and excitement on iClassic have long since faded away. This was an anticipated development. Auel, Logan, Kevlar, Kusan, Xinke, Azrael, Fessler, Vulnus, Peter, Xiao, Choco—players who earned their place as legendary figures in the military sphere—all have come and gone over the years. Their “Golden Era" has passed, and they've since moved on from Graal.

Their absence, however, doesn't fully explain why our community has declined so drastically. As mentioned earlier, despite the departure of these prominent figures, there was always someone capable of stepping into their shoes. For instance, in recent times, when the State was absent and its clones proved inadequate against Sarovia, Xinke created Imperia and guided players without direction. When Imperia grew to become a menacing superpower, Peter led Arcadia's independence and war effort against the Imperians. During times of GMC outcasts having no guilds to align with, individuals like James created Ishval, while Truth, Naz, and Sau initiated projects of their own in efforts to sustain the community. In an era of global isolation, Choco took the opportunity to effectively relaunch Maveria. Even after the War of Destruction slowed things down, Kevlar and Nyl swiftly laid the groundwork for Auro Roma. A coalition of small guilds rallied against Arcadia, leaving Nekron as the sole standing guild to date. This is not to discredit individuals like Fergus, Ajax, Aiken, Hizack, Azerius, and others who went on to infuse life and fun into the community during the Coalition era.

Approaching 2024, the community has witnessed the last three major English-speaking guilds: The Unified State (2021), the Seventh Aurean Empire (2022), and the Amestrian Empire (2022). This is not so much disappointing as it is expected. The English militants who remain now stand idle; all the legendary officers and leaders are gone. Only the Brazilians, Sarovia, and a group of newcomers who attempt to replicate the bygone era of the State remain. The former pillars of the community are absent. However, is their absence solely responsible for the community's downfall? Put simply, yes and no, but mostly no.

Graal's military history was shaped by trial and error. Legacies and premier guilds didn't emerge because people were inherently smarter back then; rather, they evolved through perseverance amid failures. Not all of Auel’s guilds came to fruition; he too had projects that resulted in failure. Similarly, Kevlar, Vulnus, Xinke, and even Naz in modern times didn’t find initial success when launching their independent projects. It took trial and error, servitude, and humility. In essence, it took courage to acknowledge that failure precedes success and that one might fail repeatedly before achieving any level of success.

This is the reality: present-day militants lack the same drive for originality as the older figures. Modern guilds have become mere replicas devoid of purpose or innovation, falling short of their predecessors. Moreover, anyone still lingering on Graal is too incompetent to take up a leadership role. Graal, an outdated game akin to a Zelda clone from the ‘90s, lacking innovative updates, is destined to fade away eventually. You might wonder why I'm stating seemingly obvious truths—it's because it needed to be articulated. “The Graal Military Community" now exists as a nostalgic but diluted presence in our minds. Attempts to revive or relive its glory days won't suffice anymore. We're all tired; we've grown beyond the fervor of the past. Those forming guilds in 2023, nearing 2024, do so only for entertainment or in attempts to resurrect the old.

Final Overview:

For more than a decade, it has been said, but now it's time to confront the truth. This community has become a relic of the past. Its demise isn't solely due to the game's shortcomings but because its active participants have moved on. The absence of former prominent leaders and officers renders any revival effort futile. Despite the tainted and toxic aspects of the community, its long-term purpose was to nurture a community of like-minded individuals who valued immersive and enjoyable roleplay. It succeeded in that regard. However, those individuals have departed, leaving behind treasured memories of the joy and excitement we once contributed to this experience.

So, the ultimate question remains: do we rekindle the cycle for one last burst of enjoyment or an attempt to resurrect an era long past? Or do we all collectively move on and let the community fade away for good? Inevitably, as time marches onward, we shall find ourselves left with no recourse but to embrace its cherishing memories.