Introduction.

[narrativedilettante]

Um, bye, Fox.

You are of course always welcome, should you choose to de-lurk again. But if you'd rather just... watch us, that's okay too.

[Genndy Oda C.O.G.]

Oftentimes entering the stories one reads is deemed an impossibility. To turn such an opportunity down is perhaps even greater. In any case, farewell, ALoneFox, and congratulations on overcoming the odds.

[Scarab]

I suppose since this is the introduction, it can also be an outtroduction. I'll just say that I'm sorry and I'm leaving to return to lurking. It''s been nice to meet you all, but this is just a story to me, and the reader should not interact with the characters. I'm sorry for trying to be one of you, when I'm not. I'm not a metaguard. I wasn't here when everyone became a girl and I wasn't here when Adell risked his life against Cthulu. I wasn't here when you fought and I wasn't here when you celebrated. It seems my name was entirely apt. I am truly alone. I was never here. I'm sorry for being an attention whore. I'm sorry for wasting your time. And I'm sorry for writing this now, aware as I am of the consequences. Maybe I'll come back when I can be useful. When I can earn my place. I probably won't. But you're all still awesome. Keep smiling. Keep the insanity in the coffee room. Keep the fun on the chats. Keep going like I was never here. I know it won't be hard. Just forget about me, 'K? I'd delete my account but I don't know if that is possible, and if it is, how to do it. So instead I'll just write this and make it too long and create guilt and sympathy and conflict, since that is probably all I'm good at, and go back to lurking. I'll always be around. To those of you I met: you were great. You were all really nice and welcoming and amazing. Keep it up. To those I didn't: I wish I did. To all the GMs: good job guys. Keep up the good work. And remember that I'm not leaving because of you. Because of any of you.

Love you all.

Earn your place? Dude, earn it in what? I mean, we're a bunch of guys chatting in a forum, we're nothing special, you don't have anything to earn . I guess we are metaguards, as a group, but sometimes, relying too much on group names overshadows people as individuals.

You sound a bit like me in a way. Took me long time to figure out I wasn't actually alone in any of this. I'm still lonely and sad sometimes, but the people here helped me a lot. We're the kind of people who enjoy telling stories, reading stories, talking about them, drawing, writing, solving puzzles, researching, rambling on about how cool one or another web show is, tweeting in jokes at GMs... We care for our friends, and sometimes (in my case frequently - sorry again, guys) we make dumb mistakes and have arguments. We shared an adventure together, we enjoyed it, and in your own way you shared that journey too, you were a part of it. That's all we need. But when you get down to it we're ordinary people, more than players, and we're happy for you to come be our friend. Just because you didn't share the experience the same way we did shouldn't exclude you at all. If you are the kind of person who enjoys those things, then we would enjoy having you \around. If you don't think you can do that, then that's cool too: it was nice to meet you

We are not in any way who we are because we're Metaguards. We're Metaguards because of who we are.

[H22]

canine

Vulpine.

[narrativedilettante]

canine

Vulpine.

You're right.

[H22]

canine

Vulpine.

You're right.

That was unutterably pedantic. Sorry.

[nonexistentghost]

Hi, I'm NonexistentGhost. I just joined and um, probably won't be on much ever.

[JackAlsworth]

Hi there! We're glad to have you.

[narrativedilettante]

Welcome, nonexistentghost! Welcome.

[Krika]

Hi, I'm NonexistentGhost. I just joined and um, probably won't be on much ever.

Welcome to the boards! You are free to participate to whatever extent you wish!

[Victin]

Hello! Nice to meet you. I hope you like it in here

[H22]

Your username suggests you'll fit right in.

[Anura]

What is it with me and six-month breaks from this place?

We should probably have a "Leaving/Returning" thread.

[SpiritfChaos]

What is it with me and six-month breaks from this place?

We should probably have a "Leaving/Returning" thread.

We have the "Leaving for some time" thread.

[Sicon112]

Way ahead of you, Anura. Welcome back.

[!#!@)!*)@$]

??!!# ( *%!^%??
??!!# ( !@!%!(@)??
??#!!$ !(!%!#%!%!$% *%!@!^??

!(#!!*%$

[JRPictures]

??!!# ( *%!^%??
??!!# ( !@!%!(@)??
??#!!$ !(!%!#%!%!$% *%!@!^??

!(#!!*%$

Are you speaking in swears or is this some new language taking over the internet?

[The Wild West Pyro]

??!!# ( *%!^%??
??!!# ( !@!%!(@)??
??#!!$ !(!%!#%!%!$% *%!@!^??

!(#!!*%$

Are you speaking in swears or is this some new language taking over the internet?

I wonder if it can be deciphered...

[narrativedilettante]

Oh dear... I am not enough of a cryptographer to want to tackle this challenge.

[!#!@)!*)@$]

( !!# !^!*!($

??!!*% @%!%@! !^!*!($??

! !@(&*@) (!$ @)*% $!!*!!!$%!(!(

*%!@!^ !#%

!^!@%!!(%

[Victin]

Okay, now that I think the Coffee Room might be in trouble, I suggest a number based solution to this cipher. I know ^ is 6 in your non-Brazilian keyboards, but I assume * is 8, ! is 1, ( is 9, etc.

[eli_gone_crazy]

Kays is a badass and deciphered it:

13 12 01 8 0 21
A C A B A H B A



??!!# ( *%!^%??
//1 13 9 8 5 16 5//
AM I HEPE

??!!# ( !@!%!(@)??
113 9 12151920
AM I LOST

??#!!$ !(!%!#%!%!$% *%!@!^??
3114 191513515145 851216
CAN SOMEONE HELP

!(#!!*%$
19311854
SCARED

( !!# !^!*!($
9 1 13 1 6 1 8 1 9 4

I AM AFRAID


??!!*% @%!%@! !^!*!($??
//1 18 5 25 15 21 16 18 19 4//
//A R E Y O U AFRAID//

! !@(&*@) (!$ @)*% $!!*!!!$%!(!(
1 12 9 7 8 20 9 14 20 8 5 4 11 8 11 14 5 19 19

A L I G H T I N T H E D A R K N E S S

*%!@!^ !#%
8 5 12 16 13 5
HELP ME

!^!@%!!(%
16 12 5 11 9 5
PLEASE

[narrativedilettante]

...Okay, now what are we supposed to do?

[JRPictures]

I'm not sure if this is a prank or are we being teased for something coming soon....

[narrativedilettante]

Also, has someone translated the username?

!#!@)!*)@$