And now, the end is near,
And so I face the final curtain.
My friends, I'll say it clear;
I'll state my case of which I'm certain.

I've lived a life that's full -
I've traveled each and every highway.
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Regrets? I've had a few,
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course -
Each careful step along the byway,
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew,
When I bit off more than I could chew,
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way.

I've loved, I've laughed and cried,
I've had my fill - my share of losing.
But now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.

To think I did all that,
And may I say, not in a shy way -
Oh no. Oh no, not me.
I did it my way.

For what is a man? What has he got?
If not himself - Then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels.
Let the record show I took the blows
And did it my way.

Yes, it was my way.

________

By tomorrow, tuesday 13th of Januray, LotJ's 3rd Birthday at Noon EST, the Legend of the Jokers are history.

3 Years ago I found this guild together with 8 friends. We created the guild for fun, because we were different, because we disliked the other guilds, not for their members, but for the way they worked. At an average level 15 we started out conquering the lands of Norrath. And we sure did.
Friendship, Attitude, Maturity, being silly and having just a lot of fun was the trademark and the pillars of the guild. We shall never do what others do, never pick the same way, never copy tactics and always do things alone with skill and just in our own way.
We we held onto it for years.

But then PoP came. We turned from average to high. Our competition was solely uberguilds. They raid every day and we don't. They have zergforces and we don't. They all go the same way and we don't. And it worked. So far.
But at one point, it doesn't work anymore.
The Joker Philosophy and the High End game in EverQuest cannot coexist. One excludes the other. In the past year we have given up more and more and more of our philosophy and our values. Our roots and our belief. Why? because we had to. THere was no longer any way to keep up our values and Jokerspirit and still be sucessful in EQ. It is the game, not us.
So there is one way to move on now. Only one. We must completely abandon all our value and philosophy, our roots and the Jokerspirit. We must kick all unactive members, we must not look after friendship much at all, we must have more rules, harsher rules, we must reign harshly and we must be loot oriented. We must make alliances and kill mobs with other guilds. We must massrecruit and we must build a zerg force. This is all 100% against our values.

And we won't do this.
Therefore, we will go.

I personally will reform a Jokers Guild called "Ancients of the Jokers" or whatever maybe sillier name we find. This is a fun only guild for everyone that holds onto the true Jokerspirit. This means we will not anymore be able to raid frequently, we will not go kill Rallos Zek, we will not conquer the Elemental Planes. But we for sure will have fun!
No more Rules, no more Loot stuff, no more High End Leadership stress and frustration.

Many Jokers will go other ways, which have yet to be determined. We will still be around, just not in this form.

In the name of the whole guild I want to thank Ayonae Ro for a great 3 years. You all have been great competitors, friends and companions. We hardly ever had any run ins with other guilds. Everything was at all times very friendly and calm. it was a pleasure and an honor to play in the upper League of the server.


In the name of the Legend,
Farewell...

Good luck Jokers. F' em if they cant take a joke, whoever they is and wherever you go!

Kad

Landslide's roster is about to double. Mokmok is getting a boner right now.

Seya all around and Enjoy the game for all that is left of worth..

:hat

Nexx

Woah thats some sad news. Is the only way to zerg? LoTJ, you rock*ed* good luck in whichever paths you take from here.

/salute Taino

Sorry to hear about the Jokers' demise, but I completely understand your reasoning. Congrats on a good run and best of luck in your new incarnation... And if you ever need some fellow slackers to hang out with, or tips on how to decompress enough to handle your new life of slack, you can always come contact the professionals... ;)

Warm regards,
Nydia Ywalmoriel
Autonomous Collective

Sad to see that happen, Taino. The Jokers were / are a class act singularly and in toto. Good luck to you and the rest of the Jokers.

Korike

Wow, quite a change. In game, LotJ and PRISM have had good relations, not something often seen in this game we play. Good luck, and continued enjoyment of the game,

/salute and spanks to all mah jokers friends !
good luck yall and taino how was NYC ?

Why all the cheap shots and h8 for larger guilds? 8(

G"luck in your future guild endeavors either way.

I respect your decision. I am saddened to hear LotJ will be no more, but if they were not to be true LotJ, then it is better.

/salute

Dfrac

Ever since I was a younger toon, and first saw the Jokers one Saturday providing a safe route, buffs and heals for the young folks trying to run from FV to LOIO, I have held the guild in high regard.

I will miss seeing that tag, and I applaud the integrity needed to make that decision.

Long live the Jokers.


Bylimet Spiritwalker - Hierophant
Bytesum Spiritwalker - Deceiver
Lost Fires

Thanks everyone!
It is very sad indeed, but a long time ago we set out to do the impossible, to keep a fun, silly, family orienated guild and bring it to the high end.
This game, however, doesn't allow it.
Although I retired just before this, it still saddens me a great deal.
Though I'm glad to see our guild didn't drag itself out until it was completely worn down.

See you all in other games :) You'll notice us by the Joker tags :P

bah come on move this so we can have some fun already.

takes you 2 thousands words to say you can't compete and are giving up. sugar coat it all you want. you reap what you sow. don't blame anyone but yourselves as leaders.

you can't compete and are giving up
It's true that RZ is a high contested target nowadays. ;)

Anterak

To KMAnonymous,

Young man, find a 3 years old guild on this server that didn't change of leader then come back, wash your mouth and start to argue.
Until there, STFU :)

To others,

Thanks for kind words,

KMA how can you be so, utterly retarded? Jokers were a good guild for 3+ years, and you just try and take all that away in 2 sentences saying it's the leaders fault? I dont get it.

As far as I know, no leader should be blamed for anything on the matter, it's just the way the cards fell. People had different goals and things they wanted to do.

As you see, it was posted under general, so dont try and move it into nag. Taino came out in a nice, and friendly way to tell us that the jokers are disbanding. I don't see any reason to bash him or anyone else for it. Go back to the RIP thread.

Good luck to you Jokers, where ever your travels take ya!

Good luck going forward guys.

Sage Garrath Moore
Arcanist
Final Destiny

other guilds aren't the only form of competition in EQ. if you can't beat the game you should quit while you're ahead. LoTJ couldn't, and did. Taking cheap shots at successful guilds to make you feel better about not being successful is pretty sad.

Too bad it took you 3 years to realize your way was wrong :)

Sorry Arnie but i have NFC what you just tried to say. :(

so let me sum it up KMA:
you think that unless you get to the top in any way possible your doin it the wrong way?

and I havent really seen LoTJ take any cheap shots at other guilds...

my only real response to that is: Wow. get a life.

If a guild wants to have fun, by ALL MEANS let them have fun. If your not having fun in what's supposed to be a game, then you should stop playing it or change your attitude towards it.

Oh yes, another thing: Beating a game isnt all there is to it. Thats like saying the end justifies the means. So, no matter how you get to the end of PoP, just getting to the end simply erases all the transgressions you committed getting to it? wow. just...wow.

Guilds like that would have something like this on their application rules:
Be prepared to be hated by the entire server because we play like we mean it!
Be prepared to be constantly cursed off, yelled at by others, and not seeing people stay in the guild for longer than a month after recruitment phase since they cant handle the heat!

Im glad LoTJ did not end up like that.

Anyways.

LoTJ, though everyone has their differences and arguements (the spice of life!) it wont be the same without the tag on the server. Best of luck in your future endeavours, and remember: have fun because it pisses off anon trolls!

Taino hon I'm sorry to hear that it came to this for you. You and I have talked a lot and I know how much your guild meant to you. I hope you are happy hon with your new guild and wish you all the best.. *hugs n kisses*

Good luck Jokers, I wish you all the very best in your travels. And there is no doubt that the rebirth of LotJ will be having fun where ever they go.


Juts Starweaver
Guild Leader of Lost Fires
Death Before Dishonor!

Read Taino's original post more closely darlin. It'll be abundantly clear to you what cheap shots i refer to.

Last i saw, EW was able to progress pretty far thru PoP with it's core group of 50ish people per raid. they knew what they were doing and executed it well. Now all of a sudden when tactics and coordination become more critical, LoTJ isn't as successful as they thought they were when it was NToV and Velious at lvl 65 that they were measuring their competance with. All the bravado and chest thumping they did on the boards after every new kill is what makes me laugh now. The trash talking taino and halo did about the "uber" guilds and sharing the e planes with them, thats what makes me laugh. in the end it was all just hot air.

I never understand why anyone keeps posting a reply to KMA's posts. Ignore him!! Good Luck LOTJ, you guys are an awesome group of people.

Conjurrill Sumonar 62 Magician

/salute LOTJ

*Hugs* Taino.

Good luck Jokers. You guys were awesome.

You cant argue against idiots. They best punition is being ignored.

Thanks for the kind words.

Lani

/salute Legend of the Jokers

You will be missed on the server. Good luck to you in whatever form you are reincarnated on the server. If you would like a non-uber guild to associate with, one who is more interested in having fun that racking up PoP flags.. send us a tell. Safe journeys to you all.

Sad news indeed :( I had great respect for your guild. If LoTJ was ever considered the competitor of Turul at all, you were the most honorable and fair one. Good luck to you!

Behemot / Tinyworm
guildleader of Turul Legion

/salute Jokers

Won't be the same around here without you. I think I understand how you feel - you're not the first guild to feel that crunch. I hope you all find cozy new homes.


-Kanyli

Too bad it took you 3 years to realize your way was wrong
You have not learned one major lesson in life.
The journey is the goal. We had a 3 years journey. We walked it and we had fun, we had excellent 3 years and I personally am very very proud of what we reached and especially how we reached it. The Jokers way.
Our way was not wrong. In fact our way was absolutely right. We have chosen our way and then decided how to play EQ within this way.
We didn't reach Plane of Time, but we reached our goal - Fun and Friendship. I think we very damn much succeeded for 3 years. Its more then the very most guilds ever.
I understand how you cannot see that we did in fact succeed and don't give up. We don't give up actually, we just move on. The journey was delicious, the memories are fantastic. Now its time for a next step. The reason for our existance was to be together, have fun and share a home. Unlike others we were not driven by the goal of "getting as high as possible". If this was our goal, then yes, we'd have failed.

As you say, if you can't go on the way you want it, then better don't. Exactly. We can't go on in EQ with the way we work and think. Therefore we go. This part you got right.

Thank you all for the kind words.

/salute

Running a guild is hard work - hard work that I've never been interested in but always respected.

Good work on keeping the guild together and having fun for a long time, and don't forget to have fun in the game.

This is a sad day indeed,
I have many friends in LOTJ and hope the best for all of you.
Well, almost all of you. /grin

Meh, Taino...quit feeding the trolls. Attention whores live on the crap they spew.

Good luck, Taino. I understand what you're saying...sometimes it sucks, but IMO it's part of playing the game now if you want to see more of the game. It's a shitload of stress leading a top-10 guild at this point in Everquest...even some of the guilds we never thought would be gone have called it quits (XA and CB mainly). PoP has wreaked a lot of havok and put a lot of stress on guild leaders. It's an accomplishment to have made it as far as you did.

I really like the new guild name too! Perfect fit.

/salute

/salute Taino

Taino many times I have thought about the past, past guilds and good times. Crap I know you remember raiding with Amalgam of Force way back in the days... The nights of long CRs after a raid went bad. Hours spent infront of Fear! Eventhough it was rough, and we required the help of VC and LotJ to do many things in game. I thought it was great different guilds working together to get epics, or exploring, or just having fun together...

I know the high end game has changed many of us, and its the nature of the beast. I really admire what you are doing!! I wish your new guild the best of luck and I hope once again u and your guildies enjoy the game for what it is ..a game

Take care LoTJ and good luck...

I do think that the shots at the guilds above them...EW etc etc were mainly due to ignorance and a language barrier.

Hope to see you in game enjoying your brand of fun.

Fandros

As the Jokers existed, they also cease to exist. With respect and dignity.

Good luck to all of you, in the new incarnation, or however you choose to continue playing. I'm glad to see that there are still some who appreciate and enjoy Everquest for what it is - a game.

/salute

I applaud the Jokers.

The Jokers are dead! Long live the Jokers!


Esbat
Original Black Sheep of Prism

/salute Taino


You guys were awesome...and you had the best named guild on the server!!!

It was never my intention to attack anyone. You "high end people" have your style and your goal, We have ours. its just not the same. I don't judge your way. its just not ours. And we just dont want to go your way, which is why our guild disbanded. Now don't be all cranky and feel insulted.
Your goal is just not ours. That's all :)

By the way, the name of the new Guild is: Spirit of the Jokers

I suppose you used the word "Zerg" as an off hand compliment. ;P Tho I think you'd be hard pressed to show 50 folks as a collection of "zerg".

Never the less bud, ya'll held your own all things considering.

/salute

Fandros

The name reminds me of when you fail a phase in Time and all the mobs are named Shadow of %t when you attempt it again.
Of course the second time around they are usless and just in the way.

no the best guild name is Gnoll Busters !

/Mourn LotJ

On the plus side, enjoy the new more laid back incarnation.

Nice post Taino.

I hope you enjoy a more chill environment. I am!
I left the game all together, it's so chill now.. No more guild vs. guild drama to deal with every day all day!

/gathers up all the jokers and *licks* their foreheads

i will miss seeing that tag. good luck in your future plans. :)

you forgot to add , and patted self on the back in front of everyone, every step of the way, yet no one cares.

go crawl in a hole zenrk

Yikes that blows, i still remember raiding with you jokers back when i was with hmm Forgotten Souls wasn't it Halo?


Young man, find a 3 years old guild on this server that didn't change of leader then come back, wash your mouth and start to argue

cough (http://www.finaldestiny.org)

I always really loved the Jokers. Never forget the first time I met you guys - I wanted to go from Blackburrow to the Misty Thicket at level 10. A bunch of you were on your way to Mistmoore and let me ride along - and we ran through WK, NK - it was by foot all the way!

Also never forget running into my old friend Nikademuss the mage in HoT. He was still wearing his same old cloth pants with all his SS gear.

Much respect and /mourn

edit: certain spelling errors!

Wow. Dunno what else to say. :|

.p nope not useing those cloth pants anymore dear.p But i did indeed use them until i dinged 60 (as was the level limit back then)

/hugs ruthey

and /cough spell my name right damit,p nicodemus is a imposter.,p!!

Ps. and i am still around.. altough less frequent then before.p

I'm sorry to see this happen folks.(

I hope you all find new homes and continue playing often.

/Salute

I think a few people need to unbunch their panties on the "zerg" thing. A good portion of people have never seen a raid with the 50+ people to take down a single mob. PoP boss encounters were generally made for the 50-72 people range. I don't think light-heartedly calling a force of this size a "zerg" force is out of line.

Yes i'm sure it was an unintentional choice of words by a clam leveled headed rational non english speaking leader of a guild with no history of $%@# (move to nag already plz :p !) talking and flame baiting.

PoP doesn't take zerg forces to progress through but the experience you have to draw from may not make that apparent to you.

We love you very much too :)
And this isn't going to NAG, because WE LOVE YOU!
And we appreciate your opinion a lot!
/big hug!

A very classy post, from a very classy guild for a very classy thread. Safe travels friends....some very good ppl out there in LoTJ. /Salute *playing of Taps* in back ground.

Reyes Odysseus
64 Warder
Final Destiny
Ayonae Ro

He took alot of cheap shots, but that's always been their way too. =p

his, not their.

Now be quiet minion!

PoP doesn't take zerg forces to progress through but the experience you have to draw from may not make that apparent to you.

It really does depend on what you consider a zerg force. I always thought it was battle rezzing and throwing bodies and unorganized fighting. IE a guild of 30 60s dying to vindi and rezzing and sometimes beating and sometimes winning is a zerg force. DI on everyone etc.. the actual number doesn't matter it's the tactic..

Anyway how many people min does it take to be coirnav for the first time or xegony.. pop does require > 50.

True...true. Lotj was good to me that one day, so I'll let it slide. *hugs and kisses*

/salute LotJ.....Sad to see a very impressive guild go.....You guys have always amazed me at accomplishing things with low numbers....You will be greatly missed....May the Legend live on!

right. when was the last time lotj attemted coirnav or xegony? thought we were talking about taking zerg forces to progress to where lotj had progressed to. and no it doesnt take zerg forces to get to the elementals or even be successful in them.

have fun, it is after all, all that matters :D

I seldom visit these boards, but just happened to look tonight. Over 2 years ago, I was a member of LotJ for a short time. I moved on because the Jokers were not what I was looking for in a guild at that time. But I always respected Taino's and the guilds desire on how to play EQ. Few guilds with the LotJ philosphy have lasted 3 years.

I salute all the Jokers for what you have accomplished and I wish you all the best of luck with your futures.

Also good luck to you Taino in your new endeavors. Don't give up on your beliefs. And may the Jokers continue to live on in spirit.

And at the end... the game won ;(

Yes... hard to say it... but this game is definitivly not to be conquished through fun and respect...

I know the feeling... i only hoped you will succeed where i fall...

/bow

It's things like this happening that show that another death blow has been dealt to the game that was once EQ.

Sadly, I quit about a month ago, both for RL reasons and in game reasons, namely you shouldn't play a game when it causes so much stress hehe.

I still say they should have expanded on what they had in place before Luclin, the game was so much fun then, it had a sense of adventure.