Hihi, Berry/Savanna here. =)
Some of you may know me. In beta I was first a hume and started Savanna's Superstars. And then I was Berry, a taru. =) I always loved the pride and since my LS is mentioned a few times in this discussion, and since i'm chatting with some of your members on the irc, I felt like I should just sound off on my opinion - take it with a grain of salt or even catnip. =)
Okay, please read the whole thing before anyone gets angry, hurt, or frustrated, or points fingers and says "She was never in the pride!" It's true! I never was. And that's the point of this post in a way.
As I said, I never was in the pride, but I always *wanted* to be. I bet none of you knew that. I didn't say anything about it though. I knew, as did everyone, that the pride was Mithra only. I always wanted to be an "honorary member" because I love kitties so much and I felt like I knew so many in the Pride that maybe I could be a special case. Of course, I realize that that's selfish and arrogant and that's why I never really asked or expected to be! It was just a dream. =) (Also my surfer nickname is kitty or kitten so you can imagine...)
Anyway, I've been hearing this discussion for a few days now and this is my view on things:
The Pride was Mithra only and it should stay that way.
Don't get upset! let me finish. =)
What you really are about is Mithras. Kitties and Kitties alone. A very diverse group of kitties but kitties nonetheless. It is, in essence, "where the kitties are". Got it? Now, let's get specific.
Obviously there are people who don't want to be kitties anymore in retail, and that's fine. And we all know that people want to stay in touch. That's fine too - and seeing how much trouble I'm going through trying to organize it so that everyone in beta who wants to be on the same server, should be, you can understand that I'm not some sorta mean monster who wants to come and split people apart.
The point is this: Windurst Warriors was for Windurstians only (of which I was a member). I doubt that anyone who starts in Bastok this time will be a part of them, even if they were in it before. It's hard because beta is still in us all and we're all proud of our friends and our accomplishments, but there's a new world out there. We have to remember that we're all starting over, sad as it is.
I'm trying not to ramble: just giving you my point of view. And here's the idea:
Keep Mithra Pride for Mithrans only (even though I still want to be made an honorary member, but honestly..it would be wrong to accept and even ask).
Make another pearl called Beta Pride. You got me! Beta Pride! On it, you can invite *all* your friends from beta. Heck, I'd join! And like Windurst Warriors who fought for Windurst together every Saturday night, we can maybe all get together on Friday nights or something, and do missions, quests, leveling, chatting - whatever. It will keep all your friends in touch. It won't harm the idea behind Mithra Pride, and it will help everyone in Beta hang out with their old friends. Maybe we can even give our beta chars a chance for a party in some place every now and then (like a world tour like Superstars did) or some fantastic new place that we haven't seen yet. I know people moan about having too many Linkpearls on them, and that's fine but I think with Beta Pride and another LS (like Mithra Pride or Superstars) and even another pearl (for a total of 3), you'll be in touch with more people than you can even handle! I'm sure that'll be the case and it will really keep us together to have a common place for all beta members. Maybe it'll give us an edge. Who knows? The point is that we keep everything neat and tidy and give ourselves a break from the usual LS chat once a week to hang out with a range of other people and do different things together. Notice that I never was in Mithra Pride and I'm *still* great friends with tons of you from this LS. Just because you're on one LS and not on another doesn't mean you can't keep close with lots of others. I'm living proof of that! =)
Remember that we don't have a level 40 time limit this time around and so it won't be as crazy and hectic leveling by a certain date. We'll have more time to do other stuff together - to enjoy the show, as it were.
I'd rather not Mithra Pride merge with Superstars. This is for 3 good reasons:
1) Mithra Pride was always about kitties and it really should stay that way.
2) Superstars is already huge. I still am struggling every day on how to handle this. =)
3) Tigara would bare her claws and kill me.
Now, I already elaborated on the first one. The second point is that I'm still unsure about how to manage so many people. I never - ever - intended Superstars to get that big. It just did. And the third point is a sore point for me. Tigara doesn't really like me, or she didn't for a while. She did at first but when Superstars started getting big, she got angry at me and apparently (though she never told this to me) she was upset at my "stealing" her MIthra away. It know that sounds childish but honestly...I can't really blame her. What she didn't know, however, was that I never - ever - intended on stealing anyone away. I actually didn't actively recruit that much, and I never wanted to step on her cute little paws. But ya, she got mad at me and I never really got over it because I got hurt a bit, but I never ever ever stopped loving Mithra Pride. I love so many of you so much. =) So no, it wouldn't be a good idea to merge. I don't want to hurt Tigara in any way, even if she doesn't like me all that much. And I think that the Pride should exist as it existed in beta. That's why it *worked*.
So many Lses fade away, but the Pride never did - because it was a great idea. Don't turn it into a general mish-mash. If you start making exceptions, you'll regret it. Keep that idea and go with it. Make another LS for all beta members and call it Beta Pride, and let's do this thing! =)
What do you say?
Oh and you can reach me at my boards:
http://www.thebattlegroundgc.com/superstars
and at my email:
savanna@kdenews.org
I really - really - want to see the Pride back like it was. Put forward your ideas, vote on a new leader, and then go with it. Let the Pride and Superstars be bestest-westest friends and allies and let's even do stuff together. =)
One more note: I'm not sure about Ancalagon because I know he was only included the last day of Beta and only because he married one of you in game. That really is up to you. I know that he's a great guy (he's in my LS too), but I do feel bad for him. You all have to decide that and chat it out with him. =) I'm sure whatever happens, things will work out over time. =)
*scritches you all on the ears and feeds you strawberries*
Berry