I was swapping emails with Roger (Alacrity) this morning, and was hit with a little wistfulness. 

Today, the Red Dragon Inn is but a dim shell of what it once was.  Ah, but there was a time - some fifteen years ago, I suppose - that this place was busy, warm, vibrant!

Today, there are a small handful of games running to various frequencies.  Back then, there were probably three times that many.  Plus all sorts of off topic chatter, posting games in the forums, and so forth.  The recruitment threads were always hopping; new faces were contantly showing up.

Do you remember chat?  Today, our archaic chatroom almost always sits empty.  Oh, I've talked of revamping it - I've even coded most of it.  But is there any demand for such a thing?

Back then, it was rare to see chat empty; it was an extemely common sight to see two, three, four rooms going.  Some were dedicated to specific games, some were simply in-character chats for those who wnted to escape real life for a bit.  The Common Room itself was always populated, inviting, friendly.  And sometimes, silly or juuuust a touch racy (hot tub, anyone?). 

There was a time when the active number of site staff was probably greater than the number of total active posters we have today.  And they were needed!

There was the Great Crash, and the Great Crash Two.  There were my various flake sessions, where I would disappear into my depressing for weeks or months at a time.  We've lost great people to disease, to accident, to the allure of shinynew technology with new and updated websites, to the wear and tear of life. 

I know that the Inn will never again be what it once was, but I wonder... is there any chance to buid this community up, even a little?

But, even if that is not the case... I want to offer a sincere thank you to everyone who had a hand in building those warm memories.  And to all of you who have gamed - or still do game - here at the Inn.  Happy adventuring, one and all.

I still love this place, as quiet and dusty as it has become, but I do miss those times! The bustling chatrooms, the plethora of games and online users at any given time... Hells! The pervasive sense of community and inclusion was probably one of the biggest draws for me when I first discovered this place and, as I've said more than once in other threads, I wasn't exactly a gamer in those days. Rather, I was more a writer looking for a place to pop up some freeform type stories and, hopefuly, draw others into the madness that was my mind. It wasn't hard to find those kindred spirits, either. They seemed to crawl right out of the proverbial woodwork and into the worlds we co-created with unbridled entusiasm... then they lured me out of my comfort zone and into the realm of PbP rules-based stuff and the rest is history.

I've made some of the best friends a guy could hope to have, right here, in this little seemingly forgotten corner of the world weird web and, despite the fact that it doesn't hop and jum they way it once did, I can say that I'll be here until here isn't here. As long as someone is there to hand out those fluffy towels, I'll be lurking in the rafters just wating to lick the next face and lurk in the next tale that pops up. That said, I would dearly LOVE to see our beloved Inn get back to what it once was - even in the same neighborhood would be nice - and, if there's anything I can do to help make that happen, I'm more than happy to oblige! As I said, Uncle Eol isn't going anywhere.

I actually logged into chat for a half hour or so.  Of course, I was the only one there.

The only thing to do, I think, is to game.  We've always had great people here - insisted that people act decent, so you get decent people. 

I may script out a mass email "drop by and see us some time" type thing. 

I gave up and sent a mass email.  I wonder if anyone will visit due to getting it?

Well... I see Padre in the Online Members list and I can't say I've seen his handle up there in a while... sooooo... maybe? *crosses fingers*

Gosh, there are several "old faces" that I'd dearly love to see hereabouts again... Scarab... Meri... Yana... Ion... GreyGrey... so, so many... this nostalgia is making my eyes leak.

EDIT: Either that e-mail is working or there are several folks logging in at random after some lengthy away time out of coincidence!

Hello, adiw, and Tawnos76! *wavity-wave-wave-ka-jingle-pounce-faaaaaacelick!*

You and me both.  I'd love to see them actively gaming here again, but more to the point... I'd love to see them!

So... this email hit my inbox inviting me to come back to the Inn. I didn't realize I'd been gone so long. 

But that's more a psychological thing as opposed to physical so.... *shrugs* ... Take it as you will.

...I just realized that I didn't get an e-mail.

Is that because I'm here, like, all the darn time or what?

Should I be offended? It is the millineal generation, after all... I dunno!

Somebody make Uncle Eol some coffe so he'll shut up!

The Inn certainly is a bit shabby compared to its former glory but it is still standing.  I remember always seeing chat full although i never really entered much.  There were many more games running and as you said there seemed to be open recruiting all the time.  Now the recruiting is sporadic at best, new games are few and far between and players looking for games have a hard time finding one.  Not sure if the lack of players caused the drop in games or the lack of games led to fewer players  As for me, I have been here for about 10 years I believe (had to make up a new log-in or two along the way from crash and or forgetting my info).  Until the ale stops flowing I will remain.  Many thanks to the keepers of the inn for continuing to provide a place to game.

Keeper of Dragons (aka Elltom, aka Mottle)

You're Mottle???

Dude!!!

Hey guys,

So yeah, that email worked. I was surprised to get an email, out of the blue, but it did get me thinking about times gone by and the fun I had here over the years and years and years as a member. I´m still a believer in this site, though time´s running thin for a lot of things I used to love. I´ve got a 3 and a half year old running around and a 4 month old boy too and I spend what little private time I have trying to catch up with movies, series and books I want to see and read. I´m trying to make time for writing and filmwork and that leaves hardly any room for interactive online games. But still, a lot of my creativity went into the games on this website and will always be an inspiration for the things I do today. 

I hope you´re all doing well. I hope you´re games will live long and multiply. I hope to come back from time to time and check on the progress.

Almerin!  You're one of the folks I was really hoping would respond.  You were always such an excellent addition to this place. 

I have kids and other interests, too - hence me not spending as much time here as I probably should have - but please don't be a complete stranger.  We're beter with you, even if it' just here and there. 

Yup I am mottle.  Lost that password a long time ago

I saw the message today and decided to check in and see if I remembered my password. Oddly enough, it only took a second try and I got in!

Got married, have a 5 year old empress running the household, moved back to my home town... I'm working on character sheet stuff on my website (I'll link you, I promise) and I've even run some live streams of RPGs on Twitch and YouTube (minor things that most people won't notice; I'll link to those as well).

It's good to be back and I plan on staying a little bit this time.