Auel
"People see Auel as the monster he became, but they do not know that Auel was once a great man with a vision, a true leader, and a friend. He did become warped with time, he should be seen not as the monster he is, but the man who sparked an era. Auel was the progenitor of all militaries on Graal, because of Auel, since 2011, people have had a place in Graal where they had a sense of belonging. So instead of hating the man he is now, pray that the man he was returns."
- Gravestone of Auel, The Graves of Imperia by Zearos D. S'ahlesius
Auel Vist is considered to be the founder of the modern Graal Military Community. He is widely known for his contributions to the GMC such as Imperia, The State, the first mass-issued military uniforms on iClassic, as well as numerous hacking projects such as The Sentinels, and off-mapping. Auel's immense influence on the shaping of the GMC has earned him the title, "Father of Graal Militaries."
From 2011 to 2014, Auel played an active role in what would become the formation of the military community by founding Imperia and later, The State. After co-creating the rules of war in the War of Paranoia, he engaged in a series of highly unpopular wars to prevent other militaries from forming and keep the military world united. While these unification wars were largely successful at maintaining Auel-State dominance for several years, they ultimately failed when game administrators intervened by banning Auel, and dissolving The State.
Auel has been inactive since 2014 but still occasionally returns for short periods of time. The spot that he would frequently go AFK at since 2011, the Train Station, has become the de-facto meeting spot for the Military Community.
History
Origins
When Auel first began the game, he was quickly enslaved by a group of criminals and forced to work on their farms. He would later become a criminal himself and became involved with illicit activities such as slaving and off map travel.
At some point, Auel encountered the Graal Defense Forces, the largest Pre-State military. While The State is the origin of all current militaries, there were militaries before The State that operated on different systems and organization. It focused on towering and protecting people from hackers. The GDF (Graal Defense Forces) was lead by General Insignia.
Auel founded his own slave and farming organization, the SEC, and supplied funds to the GDF in exchange for manpower to help capture slaves. It was his first experience with running a guild, and his first exposure to an organized military.
These origins are one of slavery, exploration, illegal activity, and militarism. It is not surprising that such an environment would create the dictator that would be known as Führer Auel.
The Royal Guard
When his stint in the SEC was over, he found the potential for something more significant in The Royal Guard. Protectors of the First Auel, The Royal Guard kept peace in the Castle and guarded the King on his throne. It was peaceful times, players came from all over the game to request assistance from the King or request his wisdom to settle disputes. The tower guilds stayed above in their flag room, and the halls were filled with guards, nobles, and people socializing as a Kingdom.
At the time, Auel was known as Arzachel. The King recognized Arzachel for his leadership, and made him Captain of the Royal Guard.
Several days thereafter, a Civil War broke out in the Kingdom between a faction of noblemen and their handful of followers and the King and his guardsmen. Peace was shattered, and everything fell apart.
However, the sight of such a peaceful society, a true community bound by order, run by players became the foundation from which Auel would seek to create on a global scale.
Captain Arzachel took on the name Auel after the war, and began to lead tower guilds such as DEEPGROUND, and helped start In motion, gaining more and more experience with large guilds and real alliances.
The Alliance
Attempting to jump-start his vision of a global order and government like had seen, Auel used his position as a tower leader to forge an confederation between the 3 largest tower guilds at the time: AGK, NAL, and Rice Kings.
It was known simply as "The Alliance".
Despite wielding large numbers in total, the lack of a central authority or commitment from any of the factions resulted in failure.
This experience would lead to all State guilds giving up sovereignty and The State being ruled by an extremely powerful central authority: Auel himself.
Trailblazing and Krung Thep
The practice of Trailblazing was invented after the fall of The Alliance by Auel. It is a time of intentional inactivity and guildlessness to learn new skills. It is still practiced to this day.
During the first trailblazing, Auel learned how to create graphics, starting with shields, and later swords. He also studied under several glitch masters to learn not how to use glitches, but how to find them.
Auel later created development group Krung Thep under two alternate accounts, Cae and Cael. Auel worked primarily on the Sentinels at this time, known within Krung Thep as the A6 Project. Working with other researchers, Auel created the classifications Type 1 and Type 2 invincibility, and worked on projects ranging from a portal system to invisibility. All of these developments would have major ramifications in the future.
Auel met Harau Bascey, a fellow member of Krung Thep, and encountered several Graal Defense Forces members again such as Insignia and his lieutenants, Hawx and Lynx. Auel also met Viral (then known as De Wolf) in Krung Thep briefly.
Auel stopped using the Cae and Cael accounts suddenly, and disbanded Krung Thep. He attempted to hide what happened by spreading rumors about a secret organization named "Veda," and claiming that Cae and Cael were still out there somewhere.
The Second Royal Guard and The Rise of Imperia
After the end of Krung Thep, Auel discussed the idea of starting a Kingdom with his friend from KT, Harau Bacsey. Auel would be Captain of the Royal Guard as he was before, and Harau would be the King. Harau already had a family: The Bacseyians, that would become The Royal Family. The Royal Guard and The Royal House of Bacsey enjoyed tranquility for a few months. The Royal Guard had been filled up, and Auel had The Royal Army made. Unrest began to build up as Harau Bacsey and the other nobles insulted soldiers, calling them racial slurs based on their nationalities. The troops asked Auel to take control and become the King. A coup was staged, and Harau was deposed and thrown out of the castle. Under the leadership of Captain Auel, the Kingdom of Imperia was proclaimed. Auel declared that he would make himself a Margrave, acting regent of the throne until a suitable King could be found. Still only wanting to be apart of something bigger, not actually wanting to lead it, Auel continued to act like a Captain of the Royal Guard. Imperia enjoyed great prosperity. Legends such as Xinke, Kentiman, Link, Ryzallion, and Eazallar were all recruited and trained at this time. Xinke was recruited by Kycle the Great, an Imperian grunt. He was first named 'Hunter of the Dark', a reference to his habit to hunt down player killers. He was later named Xinke by Auel after Xinke asked him for a better name. Later, Xinke was trained by Kentiman in The Royal Army. Starting in the Second Era of Imperia, Xinke started training many famous figures. Auel later left to test Imperia's strength without his leadership, hoping that it could sustain itself without him. Since he did not want to lead Imperia, he wanted to make it so that it did not need to depend on him. But it was too late, after he left for a few days Imperia fell apart, frustrating Imperians.
The Second Era of Imperia
The Second Imperia is looked back on nostalgically by Imperians as their Golden Age, and rightly so. Three branches of five guilds saw Imperia at its highest point, a point that it was never able to surpass. Seeing that if he was to lead effectively, Auel returned to pick up the pieces of Imperia and did not assume the title of Margrave, he became King of Imperia. King Auel commanded massive forces, Imperia was groundbreaking and new. People rallied to the call "Visi Krusa Imperia!" (All Hail Imperia). The Imperian Standard Military Rank Structure was created by Auel to manage the massive size: - Every Imperian guild leader shall be ranked as "Captain". - Captains of exceptional skill, leadership, and character will be ranked "Commanders". - Each Imperian guild will be allowed it's own rank system determined by its Captain. - All Captains shall obey the King. Imperian doctrine focused on skill over numbers, resulting in a team of highly trained Knights, Captains, and Commanders. As a result, the Imperian Military of the Second Era was probably one of the greatest in Graal's history. This doctrine still is followed by many Imperians. To rally forces, Auel put the focus on Imperia as a nation, as a Kingdom, not on himself, resulting in the Knights, Captains, and Commanders being more independent and self aware, adding to their effectiveness and the ability of the Imperian Military to operate three separate branches of five guilds each, unconnected by guild chat. The awesome feat has never been replicated.
Tales of Imperia
Auel lead Union forces against the Bacseyian Confederacy in the War of Paranoia. The war would become the foundation for all future military wars. Imperia established it's headquarters at SNC Guild House. For many months, there was peace. Imperians trained and lived happily together, not just as fellow members of a guild, but as friends who enjoyed talking to each other. Imperia created the Graal Colonization Initiative. Imperians left behind the war and schemes and settled in Balamb island to spend time together, train noobs, and create a community outside of the regular game. Auel, returned to the mainland to continue Imperia however. War had changed Auel from a fellow soldier into a cynical leader. The near annihilation of his guild and of his friends made him seek new ways to maintain his power to prevent such a crisis from happening again. The Sentinels were created to destroy threats with intimidation. War changed the mentality of Auel. Imperia had far superior soldiers and fighters, but it was defeated in battles several times by the Confederacy's overwhelming numbers. To win wars, to prevent the return of the kind of chaos, fear, and division that was war, Auel began to realize he needed battalions of soldiers, not a few highly trained knights. To lead large numbers of people effectively, Auel realized he could not be their friend as he had been with Imperia. To prevent Imperia's destruction, Auel believed that he needed to be a real leader and detach himself from his friends in order to protect them. He sought more and more power, resulting in his friends and knights saying that he was being corrupted by power. In truth, the war had already corrupted Auel. He became a tyrant seeking power out of fear. And in a comedic twist of fate, by attempting to save Imperia, he doomed it.
The Fall of Imperia
The 9th Era of Imperia was the final incarnation of Imperia under Auel. Auel's mentality of numbers over skill had begun to take shape in Imperia's military structure. Imperia had abandoned any pretense of government or kingdom, it had become a completely militaristic. Auel wanted to use his best fighters, the Knights of the Round, to lead his battalions of grunts as commanders, and disband the Knights of the Round. Imperian tradition had been rooted on quality over quantity, and the Knights were upset with breaking tradition. The loyalty to Imperia over the King created by the 2nd Era had resulted in Knights who disobeyed the King. The Knights left. Imperia fell. Auel was left with soldiers without officers. An army with no officers. He needed new officers. His General, Xinke, had left him. He needed a new one. Auel began to look at new guilds, uniting them not with friendship, but with a grander vision that what anything Imperia had been united by. The idea of The State had been created.
The State
Auel created the idea of The State and has played an instrumental role in its development. For more information on Auel and The State, click here.
Current Activity
After the decline and ultimate collapse of the past state from infighting amongst the generals in Auel's absence, Auel has been less active in the leadership of the military community in the past year. He has appeared occasionally to serve as a mentoring role as Marius. Some say that Auel has given up on the vision of player government and the State. He has become increasingly more and more recluse, shown by closing off the graphics archive to even the core state members and leaving leadership to work on "projects." The new projects have granted him unprecedented powers such as omnipotence and invisibility, but he has done little with the powers. Those who have asked him to return soon understand that Auel has lost his vision and his way. It has been his longest disappearance to date. Even so, the military community continues without him.
Legacy and Criticism
Some say that the methods that Auel has used to create The State and his influence make him a tyrant. Notably his ruthless and wanton destruction of smaller military guilds, despite having said on many occasions that he is "fighting to help give voice to smaller guilds". Others call him a visionary leader who pioneered the creation of a revolutionary new era of guilds, a great leader, and arguably the most legendary military commander in the game. Both are subjective: whether Auel was an evil tyrant, or a benevolent dictator. Auel's philosophy is most clearly shown in one of his quotes: "I don't play fair, I play to win". For Auel, the end justifies the means. He has had no qualms over manipulating, hacking, banning, bribing, coercing, and intimidating others to get his way. His goals are unclear and unknown but to a few, so whatever noble, if even, end that these undoubtedly unethical actions were taken for is also unclear.
Personality
After interacting with Auel, many people come to think that he hates them, this is not the case. He comes off as aloof and detached because he does not care about his subordinates. As someone who has lead guilds for so long, he has lost too many subordinates to become attached to them. It is only to a small circle of officers that he cares about and is himself. He has been known to ban several of his own soldiers for the sake of banning a single enemy. Auel rules through fear and awe. He never brags about what he is capable of, people know through his actions and the rumors from others. His sociopathic tendencies, especially his drive for power, can at times make him irrational and even more dangerous to be around. He is known for lashing out at enemies and subordinates alike, earning him the disdain of many. Auel was not always a callous and cold commander. However, as he himself laid down the rules of war that the military follows, he has participated in more wars than any other player in Graal. War turned a jovial, friendly and caring fellow soldier who wanted to be apart of something bigger than himself into a disillusioned and ruthless dictator.
