1999....
Verant Interactive launched a new kind of game called Everquest and it grabbed hold of the imaginations of thousands of gamers. Offering them, for the first time ever, a chance to create, develop and virtually "live" the life of an adventurer. Two such friends were bitten by the EQ bug and in early 2000 they formed a guild to aid them during their adventures. Those friends were Bonecaster, a gnome necormancer, and Koikeeper - a woodelf bard. And the guild was called Harmony of Souls.
The desire was always there in Harmony to have it all, to be a family guild and a raiding guild that could defeat the toughest encounters in the game. The amazing thing about the guild was that it walked that tightrope for over three years. The landscape of guilds changed and mutated, its players struggled to balance the game and guild commitments in already full lives that often did not understand the pull of magic and dragons. Harmony progressed through the additional game expansions Kunark and Velious and started on the Planes of Power, sometimes losing its balance a little but always getting it back.
As the game developed from three continents to a much larger world with five continents, a habitable moon, and alternate planes, Harmony was there. Over three years had passed since a game master had approved the charter and presented Bonecaster with the banner for Harmony of Souls. While logged in its membership saw much accomplishment, gained unexpected friendships many of which transcended the game. For those that carried the banner, Harmony grew larger than this simple game and extended to daily interaction on message boards, phone calls, instant messaging and gatherings in cities across the country. Logged out of character the guild saw and celebrated many things including graduations, weddings, births and relocations.
In May 2003 Harmony of Souls disbanded. The careful balance of the guild was offset by the retirement of Koikeeper. At Koikeeper’s last council there was much debate and concern for the fate of Souls. The hard decision to disband was made.
What can be said about an ending that is new? There were tears and sadness, war stories and laughter. Some were absent, unable to face the end of our time. Starting in 1999 over 200 individuals purchased a computer game, logged in and found themselves belonging to something more complex and special than a mere internet diversion. Spanning the country and even the globe, different generations and lifestyles came together and intertwined their lives.
-----------------
2004.....
The sirens called again. But this time, it was from a land called Azeroth. Those that held the memory of Harmony dear to their hearts began texting, emailing and messaging on the forums about this new game and how it could be a new start. Koikeeper agreed and Harmony of Souls was reborn.
Quietly the guild was reformed but the realization that something special was happening soon spread to friends old and new and the guild began to grow again. Koikeeper and friends once again rallied the troops and fed their battle-cries with unbelievable victories over all of the challenges that could be found across the lands of Azeroth.
And for 3 years, this diverse and merry band of friends and family continued to celebrate, both in and outside of the game. Harmony was once again that special place. A place where friendships were formed during drunken Friday night raids, late night conversations over "vent" and crazy 4-way "ran 1-100" ties for epic warrior loot.
But in December of 2006, Harmony of Souls, the World of Warcraft chapter, came to an end. Many people played a role in this story. Many people came and went. But what will always remain will be the memories. Memories of hard fought battles, tears of sorrow and screams of exhuberance. The echoes of late night conversations about "turtle" noises, drinking raids and Koikeeper's Raptor mount continued to ring through our minds as we moved forward.
Individually, we accomplised alot. Collectively we accomplished the impossible. But as all things do, we change. We grow up, we move on, we take seperate paths. This crossroads with divergent paths may seperate us by location but none of us will forget the paths we took that brought us here, nor shall we forget what transpired as we traveled that path together.
And in December of 2006, Harmony of Souls split and became two guilds. Those that heeded the call of the original HoS and it's tenets moved on and formed Benevolence. Those that chose to stay behind reformed under the banner of Calamitous Intent.
-----------------
2007 and beyond
Benevolence was formed, almost completely, by the officers of the now defunct Harmony of Souls. Koikeeper, Morbus, Bella, Silli, Todak, Theostim and eventually Ebonleaf, Espirito, Kaitey/Malediction and the others came aboard. We were going to try again....this time drama free or at least with limited drama! Family, friends and fun being the only REAL rules we would have.
The key to our success is a mix of personalities, some casual, some hardcore, diplomatic or fiery, analytic or impulsive. The membership is a motley group of players. Behind each in game character you might find someone young or less young, a businessmen or student, mothers, fathers, friends, fellow soldiers. Each of us bringing something unique to this complex endeavor.
We've hugged and fought, gave of ourselves selflessly and bit and scratched like angry cats. There have been (and will always be) conflicts that roil the membership, followed by reconciliations that will always bring us together again.
What's ahead for Benevolence? Who know's...we are still writing that chapter of this now, 10 year long novel. But for all of us involved and for all of those that have yet to join us on our journey, either here on Azeroth or on whatever worlds will be created....we are all a part of something special and something larger than any of us ever expected.
Verant Interactive launched a new kind of game called Everquest and it grabbed hold of the imaginations of thousands of gamers. Offering them, for the first time ever, a chance to create, develop and virtually "live" the life of an adventurer. Two such friends were bitten by the EQ bug and in early 2000 they formed a guild to aid them during their adventures. Those friends were Bonecaster, a gnome necormancer, and Koikeeper - a woodelf bard. And the guild was called Harmony of Souls.
The desire was always there in Harmony to have it all, to be a family guild and a raiding guild that could defeat the toughest encounters in the game. The amazing thing about the guild was that it walked that tightrope for over three years. The landscape of guilds changed and mutated, its players struggled to balance the game and guild commitments in already full lives that often did not understand the pull of magic and dragons. Harmony progressed through the additional game expansions Kunark and Velious and started on the Planes of Power, sometimes losing its balance a little but always getting it back.
As the game developed from three continents to a much larger world with five continents, a habitable moon, and alternate planes, Harmony was there. Over three years had passed since a game master had approved the charter and presented Bonecaster with the banner for Harmony of Souls. While logged in its membership saw much accomplishment, gained unexpected friendships many of which transcended the game. For those that carried the banner, Harmony grew larger than this simple game and extended to daily interaction on message boards, phone calls, instant messaging and gatherings in cities across the country. Logged out of character the guild saw and celebrated many things including graduations, weddings, births and relocations.
In May 2003 Harmony of Souls disbanded. The careful balance of the guild was offset by the retirement of Koikeeper. At Koikeeper’s last council there was much debate and concern for the fate of Souls. The hard decision to disband was made.
What can be said about an ending that is new? There were tears and sadness, war stories and laughter. Some were absent, unable to face the end of our time. Starting in 1999 over 200 individuals purchased a computer game, logged in and found themselves belonging to something more complex and special than a mere internet diversion. Spanning the country and even the globe, different generations and lifestyles came together and intertwined their lives.
-----------------
2004.....
The sirens called again. But this time, it was from a land called Azeroth. Those that held the memory of Harmony dear to their hearts began texting, emailing and messaging on the forums about this new game and how it could be a new start. Koikeeper agreed and Harmony of Souls was reborn.
Quietly the guild was reformed but the realization that something special was happening soon spread to friends old and new and the guild began to grow again. Koikeeper and friends once again rallied the troops and fed their battle-cries with unbelievable victories over all of the challenges that could be found across the lands of Azeroth.
And for 3 years, this diverse and merry band of friends and family continued to celebrate, both in and outside of the game. Harmony was once again that special place. A place where friendships were formed during drunken Friday night raids, late night conversations over "vent" and crazy 4-way "ran 1-100" ties for epic warrior loot.
But in December of 2006, Harmony of Souls, the World of Warcraft chapter, came to an end. Many people played a role in this story. Many people came and went. But what will always remain will be the memories. Memories of hard fought battles, tears of sorrow and screams of exhuberance. The echoes of late night conversations about "turtle" noises, drinking raids and Koikeeper's Raptor mount continued to ring through our minds as we moved forward.
Individually, we accomplised alot. Collectively we accomplished the impossible. But as all things do, we change. We grow up, we move on, we take seperate paths. This crossroads with divergent paths may seperate us by location but none of us will forget the paths we took that brought us here, nor shall we forget what transpired as we traveled that path together.
And in December of 2006, Harmony of Souls split and became two guilds. Those that heeded the call of the original HoS and it's tenets moved on and formed Benevolence. Those that chose to stay behind reformed under the banner of Calamitous Intent.
-----------------
2007 and beyond
Benevolence was formed, almost completely, by the officers of the now defunct Harmony of Souls. Koikeeper, Morbus, Bella, Silli, Todak, Theostim and eventually Ebonleaf, Espirito, Kaitey/Malediction and the others came aboard. We were going to try again....this time drama free or at least with limited drama! Family, friends and fun being the only REAL rules we would have.
The key to our success is a mix of personalities, some casual, some hardcore, diplomatic or fiery, analytic or impulsive. The membership is a motley group of players. Behind each in game character you might find someone young or less young, a businessmen or student, mothers, fathers, friends, fellow soldiers. Each of us bringing something unique to this complex endeavor.
We've hugged and fought, gave of ourselves selflessly and bit and scratched like angry cats. There have been (and will always be) conflicts that roil the membership, followed by reconciliations that will always bring us together again.
What's ahead for Benevolence? Who know's...we are still writing that chapter of this now, 10 year long novel. But for all of us involved and for all of those that have yet to join us on our journey, either here on Azeroth or on whatever worlds will be created....we are all a part of something special and something larger than any of us ever expected.
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