Without trying to fan this whole thing back into a blaze again, I'd like to point out a fundamental logic split that's getting in the way here.
I read those threads Dark closed, and I don't deny that he closed them. But what you saw as fear, I saw as a desire to kill topics that were either in full combustion mode, or appeared to be at risk of doing so. I wasn't in Dark's head, but I strongly suspect that fear of being overthrown/overpowered was never foremost in his mind - or indeed, in his mind at all - when closing topics. And that's where I had (and still have) an issue with this whole business. it's fine to say that you think the desire to shut down a topic was hasty or unnecessary; I don't fully agree, but I hear you. But to assume why Dark was doing it is, in my estimation, a step out of logic and into pure supposition to support an agenda. Down that road I will not go.
I am studying to be a social worker. One of the things - one of many, of course - they teach you in my field of work is to know how to approach situations. You learn how to recognize your own biases (we all have them), and how to check them at the door, so to speak. Nobody's perfect, but I intend to go into every situation of potential conflict with as great an awareness of both my strengths and weaknesses as possible. I can promise you one thing right now. I am not afraid of what people have to say about me, and I will never feel motivated to close a topic because I want the last word or can't stand being scrutinized. I am relatively transparent, and to a reasonable degree I will explain my actions to an aggrieved party.
So why did I waste time with all that?
Simple. I want those who see my defense of Dark's actions to bear in mind that I am an individual. I have a different communication style. I have different opinions, different strengths, different challenges. My agreement with the majority of Dark's stance does not mean I want to begin my time here in his shadow. I am not a clone or a replacement, and would strongly prefer to be taken fully on my own merits rather than being evaluated in a potentially negative light because I happen to think that a loud group of forum users essentially assisted, to one degree or another, in a rather nasty bit of character assassination against someone I respect.
Dislike what I do purely for its own sake, and not because you are sorta kinda put in mind of someone else. I really do not want this situation to dog my time here on staff, if that's possible. Give me some rope. Hang me with it if I abuse this privilege. But it's my rope, for now.
And with that said, I am not going to field further comments or critiques of my character based solely or primarily upon the Dark situation. I've said all I can, and I risk perpetuating the very thing I wish to dispense with if I keep this up.
Check out my Manamon text walkthrough at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z8ls3rc3f4mkb … n.txt?dl=1