Saturday, December 23, 2006

About that "Bahro thing"...

First off, I wanted to mention that everyone is fine. Marie Sutherland got back to me and said the DRC were all linked out as well, but they're fine. There have been no reports of missing people, and we've all been able to get back into the Cavern, though the DRC has put up barricades again and some equipment is missing. I'm not pleased about this, but more on that later.

The most exciting thing to me, aside from seeing so many old friends back again, is how huge the crowds have been! There are people everywhere, packing the 'hoods and Ae'gura. My Neighbors list regularly falls off my KI screen, and if I go to Ae'gura, the Age Players list will do the same (pushing everything else off, of course). It was rare to see this back in the D'mala, and it's so beautiful!

Not to mention that the DRC members have been making appearances all over, checking in with the explorers and answering questions. Well, some questions, anyway. They're better about it, but they're still keeping their secrets.

Which brings me back to the barricades and missing equipment. The "Bahro thing" of last Tuesday resulted in several other changes -- all the old KIs went inactive, the Nexus system reset, there was some kind of spike on the Lattice, several items have vanished in the Cavern and Ages including Relto -- and so the DRC have blocked off areas until they're sure things are safe. This makes sense to me, as their concern is our safety, though I think they're over-reacting. But there's something else that bothers me, and it regards the missing telescopes from the Neighborhoods.
(12/20 12:06:12) ireenquench: Did you take the telescope away? Or was that one of the inexplicable "subtle changes" caused by the incident?
(12/20 12:06:41) Victor Laxman: After the odd occurances yesterday, we're trying to be careful.
(12/20 12:06:58) Linkin' Imp: But, why the scope
(12/20 12:07:08) Victor Laxman: You never know what kind of damage a telescope can cause.

(12/21 19:20:21) Dr. Kodama: We have removed certain items until we are certain they are working properly.
(12/21 19:20:37) Dr. Kodama: The telescope...well it was best to have it gone for a while.
This strongly implies to me that there's something they didn't want us to see through the telescopes. Something they think will cause problems if we see it. (Because really, how else could a telescope cause damage?) They know something we don't, and they're not telling. This bothers me -- they still don't trust us. Then again, with how some of the explorers have been treating the DRC members, I can kind of understand that. But that's another rant for another time.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with how things are going. The barricades should be coming down next week, and the Gallery doors should be open as well, for the first time ever! The place is packed, and while the DRC is definitely keeping something from us, I'm sure it will be revealed in time. We'll just have to wait and see what happens. But things are happening, and that is a welcome change.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Strange things afoot in the Cavern today

Well, I really don't know what to say. I missed the events of today, but of course have caught up thanks to many forum posts and logs/video from other explorers. In short, during the meeting, everyone across the Cavern and Ages heard an incredibly loud Bahro scream, and then everyone, including the DRC, was linked out to Relto. Right now, nobody can make it back to the Cavern, and nobody knows what's going on. It seems everyone made it out okay, though I hear there are rumblings about sending in a search party tomorrow to check on things, even if they have to climb down the Great Shaft to get there! They just need to take some supplies and their Relto books for evacuation, if needed.

I sent a message to Marie Sutherland, asking if the DRC made it out okay, but have yet to receive a response. I hope she's just busy with the other DRC members trying to figure out what happened, and they're not injured/dead/trapped somehow. Well, if they are in trouble, hopefully we can get help to them soon, and anyone else who might be in trouble down there. I'll continue to hope for the best, though!

Finally, this event has interesting timing. The Restoration is scheduled to restart tomorrow, and there's serious concern that this could throw things off a bit. After nearly three years of delays, we'd hate to see it go any longer without real work going on. It's really amazing how far things degraded in just the two years they were gone, and how much work it's taken to get things back to a working level! I must hope that things will go as planned, despite this admittedly disturbing event, and will pick back up tomorrow. Assuming we can get back into the Cavern tomorrow...

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Something exciting?

Wow, two updates in two days! It's unbelievable! Whatever could make me do this?

Well, see, there's a rumor going around. One from a source I find very reliable (RAWA at Cyan Worlds). There's already a Town Hall meeting planned for Tuesday, at 11AM Cavern Time (that's US Mountain Standard time), with someone (or more?) from the DRC. However, the rumor has it that something important will happen at the same time, and that anyone, anywhere in the Cavern will witness this something.

So, if you can get down to the Cavern, be sure to join in the D'mala that day. It's something you probably won't want to miss.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Days of the New

Forgive me for neglecting my blog -- it has been a very exciting time in the Cavern of late!

As of December 20, the DRC Restoration will be back in full swing. That's exactly one year since Victor Laxman's strange post appeared on the DRC forums. As JWPlatt put it, " Full restart from a cold engine in just one year. Awesome!" I have to agree!

It's hard to believe it's been only a year since the DRC returned. The D'mala has only been going since February, and here we are, ready to jump into the Restoration again! And thanks to the generous support of Turner Networks -- they've been spreading the word on their GameTap service, as well as funding the Restoration -- even more explorers will be joining us soon. (In fact, some of them have already made an appearance! Hello new explorers!)

How many of us never thought we'd see this day after the first shutdown? I know I did. The hope was always there, true, but realistically I figured it was over. D'ni would be left to the few who still ventured down, alone or in small groups. They might be able to maintain things, but the explorers simply did not have the resources to restore the Cavern and Ages. The Cavern wouldn't really breathe again, just remain on the respirator. And now... Now, she breathes, she grows, she stirs again. Next Wednesday, she will open her eyes, and be truly awake again for the first time in almost three years! She has slept lighter since the D'mala began, to be sure, but to be truly awake again! It is a dream come true, for myself, and for many, many others.

We don't know what's to come. We have hints, clues, but no real knowledge. Only that Yeesha will return as well as the DRC, and some mysterious 'he' and 'they' will show up too. Oh, and that destruction is coming, but what does that matter? We'll find a way and make a home together, as we always have.

I can't wait!