I have been thinking about my feelings towards wow and the guild in particular for some time. More so after the events of the past year. I know I want to write this post, but i've been unsure of exactly what to write and where to begin.... and then I realised, the best place to start would be the beginning!
So i'll take you all on a little trip back to the beginning of Carnage Inc. Some of you may know the story and some of you may not, but my love affair with wow began back in 2009 when Tapps brought be a battle chest as a gift. At the time I was slightly fed up and thought it was a naff present. But little did I know that the contents of that box would bring me soo many new friendships spanning 7 years, and many nights filled with laughter and tears (for good and bad) So it would seem that the naff present turned out to be so much more than I could have ever imagined.
For a little longer account on how it all began you can read an old post of mine here, Some of those early days of wow are still the most fondest memories for me. It was a whole new world to explore and it all seemed so new and magical. That rush of adrenalin upon killing a new boss, the burning desire to play all night long.... sleep was for the weak! lol
As the years have past Carnage has experienced its ups and downs, highs and lows. But one thing has always remained. And that is my love of the guild and all those who have dedicated their time to making it a great place to be. I have always tried to hold strong to our values. There is more to wow than just raiding and there is more to raiding than just killing bosses.
These past 7 years the time that Tapps and I have to dedicate to the game has decreased, we have been pretty busy bringing the next generation of gamers into the world! Three babies in three years is no easy task I can tell you!
Anyhow, at one of the low points I was told I needed to 'stop looking at Carnage through my rose tinted glasses of yonder years because that time had passed' That has stuck with me from the moment I heard it. Were they right? Had Carnage changed? Was the game a different place now? Did I need to adapt? Change my values? Head in a new direction.
I knew in my heart that anything but the Carnage Inc that I have grown to love would not be good enough. I was determined to take things back to 'the good old days' but how? Was it even possible.
Well at the start of 2015 one of my officers at the time whom I considered a friend forced my hand. Whilst taking a raid break he had decided that he couldn't achieve what he needed to being merely an officer and started his own guild with our raiders. It was bittersweet. But it gave me an opportunity that I had never had before.... I could walk away! Actually quit wow!
Well I had a long hard think. After all we just had baby #3 our hands were pretty full, maybe it was a blessing in disguise. But as time passed we both knew we had to go back. So that's exactly what we did, right back the beginning, back to alliance, back to Saurfang, back to where it all began. But as it turned out the server merges weren't as great as they seemed and Saurfang seemed so empty compared to Draenor. So we set out in search of a new server and we decided upon Silvermoon.
We literally had to start all over. It was laughable really. How many of you remember seeing those tradechat adds of guilds recruiting:
'<Saurfangs Finest> 6 bank tabs, guild tabard and guild repairs. Hoping to start raiding soon. /w for an inv'
Well now that was us, except we didn't have 6 bank tabs or guild repairs and the raid team consisted of Tapps and I.... what did we have to offer potential recruits so late into Highmaul. We were screwed!
Giving up wasn't an option, we knew that, so we kept on pushing. The rebuild seemed impossible, and I didn't know how to make it happen.
But it's happened! I never imagined that starting all over again would take us back to the Carnage Inc we had always known and loved! Rebuilding allowed us to eliminate the drama, the assholes, the negativity and start again. The new beginning has been a total blessing.
The Carnage Inc that we are now, is the Carnage Inc i've always known existed. I just needed a path back to us.... being screwed over gave me that path. So I am actually grateful.
We may not have the progress right now, but it will come again. A new expansion is upon us and the members here have the ability to make things happen! Each and every one of you is here for Carnage, not just for the sake of being in a guild! And that is something that is hard to come by. We have achieved so much in a short period of time and I am confident that we will continue to do so.
So I just want to say thank you to all of you for showing me that I wasn't wearing rose tinted glasses of yonder years and that good, decent, genuine people do still exist in this game who really do give a shit about the guild and all those who are a part of it. You have all made me happier than I feel words can do justice.
And the title of the post.... you may be wondering what the hell it has to do with anything. Well here is the first EVER Carnage Inc boss kill video:
So you see, we really are taking it back to the beginning. And the lyrics are even more fitting now than there were back in 2009!
Carnage Inc are NEVER going anywhere and we are gonna take this itty bitty world by storm, and we're just gettin warm!! lol
Much /love from your very humbled GM. Thank you again for restoring my faith in this game.