This ended up being longer than I intended.
Attitude. That is what has kept us together through everything. Good leadership as well. I didn't know the first founders and leaders, but they had to have been good. And they made a good choice in choosing Shawn as next leader.
It has also made many of us that have been around for a while feel like we've been here since day 1. I often forget I was in two other guilds prior to Pax.
My first one was very much like Pax. The name was Midichlorian Chapter. I loved that guild. I was so shy and ignorant of the game and guilds and how both worked, and they were so friendly. It was a perfect introduction to the MMO world, especially the guild part. It dissolved within a few months after the game released because the leaders were in a relationship and broke up (which is really sad for reasons I won't mention).
Then I was in a more hardcore raiding/pvp guild called Radiant Impact. It was part of a multi-gaming group called Impact Gaming. One of the members, the leader at the time, taught me a lot about the game, especially which set bonus gear to get for my class. He got me to learn how to identify the set bonus for the class, not by telling me outright, but getting me to think (definitely has a similar mindset to mine). That enabled me to identify the others on my own. He left shortly after I joined and the attitude changed (or got worse, dunno for sure). Don't get me wrong, beating HM EC (stupid tanks) and HM TFB in one shot each run a couple moths after it came out was nice, but the guild's atmosphere and attitude wasn't very good. That led to it's downfall. Raiding was practically put on hold just because the leader (not the one mentioned above) was gone (not that he was a jerk about it, that was just the mindset of everyone). And the attitude wasn't warm most of the time. Sometimes, and it's probably true, I felt like any wipes in Ops were my fault (this was before I had ISP trouble). I eventually left (said I would, didn't, then got a "you're still here?" from the leader, then left) because of the atmosphere and hoped to find a better guild.
I decided to Google me some guilds. Or maybe it was the forums. I think I used google and it took me to the forums. Whatever.
I almost joined a very hardcore raiding guild, but the idea of being "benched" for even minor mistakes or missing one Ops was a complete deterrent.
Then I came across this group of weirdos called Pax Republica. I saw their intro post and read the charter. I decided to give it a try. I followed the "How to Join" instructions. The more I read the more I felt it was the right decision. Though I was cautious at first, I quickly felt at home. Many members that I didn't know were recruits at the same time as me I thought were long time members. The fact I didn't know that and felt that way definitely speaks volumes about us as a guild and that Pax attracts the right kind of player. As I stayed with Pax over the first few months, I had no doubt in my mind that I was in the right place.
When I look back at the last three years, at all the guilds that have come and gone, at all the hardships the game itself has gone through because of the greed of Money Arts and the toxic community, and what Pax itself has gone through, the only thing that has kept us together is our attitude. Even the crap my ISP put me through that kept me from playing with anyone, I still felt like a part of Pax. When I look back at it all, I have no regrets about joining Pax. Not one. This guild is where this weirdo belongs.
In summary, we have all worked together to make this happen. I didn't describe my journey to Pax for myself or to bring attention to me. It is to show that attitude makes all the difference, and that Pax Republica is a shining example of that.
