Here Be Dragons

[Saradomin_Mage]

We are driven to explore, it's in our nature. Humankind has, throughout its history, had individuals who were not content to sit at home and till the fields, milk the cows, and scrub the floors. Oh no, these people were driven, compelled, deitically called to wander off into the middle of nowhere, and come back again.

 

And they came back with three words: "Here Be Dragons".

 

Of course, there are no Dragons in our world. I mean, if there were 60ft long winged lizards that breathed fire and had a lust for gold that rivals most rappers, we'd have noticed by now... but we do have the IDEA of Dragons, and that's even better; all the drive, none of the burns.

 

Anyway, despite the fact Dragons do not exist, people still went looking for them. There's always someone who'll turn around and say "there's no dragons HERE, but there might be some over there..."

 

 

Dragons are important.

 

So what do Dragons have to do with Runescape? Well, we DO have Dragons in Runescape, but that's not actually that important.

 

We have the Idea of Dragons.

 

Or rather, we did. We're losing that now, just as we lost it in the real world.

 

Once upon a time, Runescape was filled with Dragons. Back in the beginning, you couldn't move for Dragons. When the only bank was in Varrock, when the world ended at Edgeville and when Black Knights were the biggest baddies around, Dragons lurked everywhere.

 

By now, I hope, you've realised that when I say "Dragon", I don't mean our flying fire-snakes. I mean the desire to explore. The wording can change... "Here be Demons", "Here be Ogres," "Here be Cyclops", heck "Here be Penguins" will do; we seek out the unknown, the new, the wondrous... and that's how Runescape began. Those first players discovered this game, this Dragon, and set off to discover it.

 

 

I have been here long enough to catch the tail-end of this greatness. I remember many horizons, many boarders, and I remember how each was crossed and expanded. This is a source of joy to me, and of sorrow. No longer can I sit and wonder "what lies North of the Wilderness Fence?", "What lies beyond the Ardougne Mountains?", "Is there anything south of the Desert?" My questions have been answered, the map has been drawn, my Dragons have been tamed.

 

And with the taming, Runescape shrank. Gone are the days where my friends and I would stand upon the edge of the broken bridge at Seers and wonder what world lay beyond. We would spy for movement in the trees, and dream of the day when we could wander those woods, explore the maple groves and learn what moved amongst them. We saw Dragons, and we wanted them.

 

Now, we have few Dragons left. This is best seen on these very forums; where once an update, any update, was hailed and welcomed with open arms, now only scorn and resentment appear. Every update, without fail, people complain....

 

"It's too long!"

"It's too short!"

"Quests are too low-level!"

"Quests are too high-level!"

"We want new weapons!"

"The new weapons stink!"

 

It is endless. These sad, misguided people have grown up in a world without Dragons, and as Runescape loses its own, the vermin breed.

 

 

So what will become of Runescape without its Dragons? Well, it will die. Sooner or later, the world will be plotted. We will know all the lands, all the races, all the continent and kingdoms. There will be no more exploring, no more new skills, no more new quests. There here will be no more Dragons.

 

However, that has not happened yet.

 

With the release of the Merchant Traders, the Runescape world shrank even more. Now items from Tyras' camp can be purchased across the world, now we can go from one end of the Runescape world to the other in a heartbeat. The world has been mapped, literally, and there are no blank corners left, no unknown lands, no mysterious regions. No Dragons.

 

Yet there is an offer of something more... a New World beyond the ocean. This, I feel, is Runescape's future.

 

Jagex, I implore you, do not make this world to satisfy the foolish and ignorant, make it for people like me; players who still take joy in every new addition, players who remember when Honour was the currency of RuneScape, not Gold Pieces. Make it for us... make it vast, make it wondrous, make it unknown.

 

 

I am tired of people who laugh at me because I prefer Snakeskin armour to Dragonhide. I despise people who seem to think that I should be fishing thousands of Lobsters, or mining thousands of Coal, or cutting thousands of trees just to earn money. Why? Why are people so driven to earn money that exists solely in a game? Why do they hate and scorn so much the people who play the game simply for the joy of playing? Why do they hate Dragons?

 

"We want High-Level quests!"

"The Quests are too hard!"

"We want new weapons!"

"The new weapons stink!"

"We want updates to old areas!"

"Stop changing up old areas!"

 

It never ends. Human vermin who vomit filth into this game day after day, making it fester and die. We must regain what we have lost... honour, decency, and Dragons.

 

 

When the New World appears, I truly hope it will be a world where players like me can feel at home; no maps, no shortcuts, just endless and unexplored realms for us to discover.

 

So I ask you all who read this... think well of how you act, and what you say. Do not mock and scorn, but go through every day with a sense of wonder, play for the fun, not for empty achievements.

 

 

Follow me, and I promise there'll be Dragons.

 

[Ned]

That was beautiful. I've seen you progress so far in this game since I joined this community...so happy for you that you've finally reached the ultimate goal.

[sohkmj1]

Everyone's a completionist nowadays eh? Congratulations.

[Ambler]

:thumbsup:

Nicely done, and you beat Zaaps to it also! :twss:

[Aslan]

Should play some Skyrim.

 

Nonetheless awesome way of making a topic. Congratulations on reaching your current goal. To infinity and beyond! :thumbup:

[Zaaps1]

:thumbsup:

Nicely done, and you beat Zaaps to it also! :twss:

 

I was so close tho ;_;

 

GRATZ GWYNWYNWYNWYNYNYNYNY

[Kaida23]

Best achievement post ever! :thumbsup:

 

Congratulations! =D>

[J35u5_M4]

Congratulations!!!

[Cow]

Congratulations. That was really familiar. I'm not sure where from though. Best achievement post ever though.

[Mylez]

HUGE Congratulations <3: :thumbup:

[Bxpprod]

[Saradomin_Mage]

Thanks everybody :smile: Been looking forward to this, not just for the cape, but also to be able to post that gem that I was recently reminded of.

 

Congratulations. That was really familiar. I'm not sure where from though. Best achievement post ever though.

The original post was by Slayer Lylax, and was posted on the RSOF pretty long ago. It eventually made its way to Tip.It, in this thread. A few months ago, someone in H&A made a quick question to ask about Slayer Lylax's whereabouts, and a link was posted to his original commentary, which I found and distinctly remembered reading back then on the RSOF.

[Kirschen]

This is the best thing I've seen. The words (I don't care who its from, they speak volumes) were inspiring to hear and even made me embrace my nostalgia a little. The best part was how you made your level-up pictures into photographic art rather than pixel "i got 99 in x" image. Gwyn, you are quite a Dragon. :thumbsup:

 

I think I will save the words from that post for later.

[Pirate Mitch]

Thanks for bringing back this beautiful piece of writing and congratulations on your achievement. :)

 

EDIT: Found this quote on that thread and laughed. Sadly, the excitement doesn't last that long.

They should make a dungeon that randomly makes a new room when you enter each room. Then it would be impossible to map.

[darkace21]

Congrats!

[mau5]

It's players like you that make me want to keep playing this great game. Keep on Keepin' On.

[Ned]

Read this again. Makes me feel so empowered.

[ForsakenMage]

Such a beautiful post for an awesome achievement! ^_^

[SwreeTak]

Awesome post. Congratulations on Completionist.