Myrradel was originally opened as The Realms of Myrradel. Somehow, it has since fallen back to the shorter name of just Myrradel.
Myrradel was started by Raiden in ???. He decided to open a mud, after a several year stint at Dark Castle. Dark Castle was a great mud, but it had its limitations, and Raiden sought to create a mud that would bring about the amazing gameplay and social environment of DC that he had come to enjoy, while at the same time bringing in new elements that he felt were missing. That, and doesn't everyone want to start a mud at one point or another?
Astynax also felt the same way, and the two of them started the work together. Astynax was quick to help design the new mud, and his pads of paper quickly brought about algorithms for combat, spellcasting, character rolling, and all sorts of class design.
As new implementors normally are, the two of them were very quick to act, and not as quick to realize the ramifications of some of their choices. As such, Myrradel was completely rebuilt from stock code 3 different times over its existance.
In the very initial stages, Wilco took an interest in Raiden's plans, as he recalled the many hours he himself had spent mudding. Though he vowed never to actually login to the mud, he allowed Raiden to host it on wonko.inow.com (later ocliw.com) for many years. Of course, Wilco did login, and did get addicted, but that part comes later. =P
The mud began alpha work on ???end of 1996???.
The mud began "friends and family" beta testing on ???end of 1996/beginning of 1997???.
Having decided that the code that was originally picked was too limited in its stock features (not sure, but I believe it was originally Envy), Raiden decides to restart from scratch with UltraEnvy(or a newer version of Envy?). Mud is wiped. Did this occur while still in beta? I'm not sure.
Having decided that this version of UltraEnvy(or a newer version of Envy?) has too many problems, Raiden decides to restart from scratch with a newer version of UltraEnvy. Mud is wiped. Are we still in beta? I'm not sure.
Raiden posts a mesage to rec.games.mud.diku on 7/31/1997, saying that the mud is near the end of beta, but still needs help from new blood.
Wonko makes clan app on 10/6/1997
First Launch -- First official launch of the mud. It opened for official play on 12/9/1997.
Imms - Raiden/Wilco/Denmar/Not/Vague/Deth/Astynax/Mobius/GodInHeaven/Eve/Judas/Aias/Sirena/Cthulhu/Luthic/Tharizdun/Taz/Sazabi/Xomilad/Yzodorrex/Destler/Shaka/Fore/Jennyelf (almost entirely DC'ers)
Tharizdun is the mud's first World Implementor
Clans were - Wonko/Epoch/Dragon/Sardaukar/Guardians/Tarsis Shriners
Other insignificant clans =P - Nazgu'ul
Most of the initial immortal staff was comprised of friends from DC. Most were actually very competent and capable immorts. Some abused their positions from the start, and were banished from the immortal realm.
Some things that stand out from the Initial Launch were all of the interesting stock areas and stock classes. We had a jester class that did silly jester tricks. We had a psionicist class that did silly psionicist things. We had a wizard class and an archer class. We had a Smurf Village, a Fire Newts area, and other random stock goodies.
Second Launch (first post-beta wipe) on 4/24/1998
Imms were - Raiden/Wilco/Aias/Vague/Denmar/Deth/Sirena/GodInHeaven/Boccob/Kail/Moth/Daemon/Mendorm/Midnight/Teonhasgel/Not/Dana/Tharizdun/Aldur/Astynax/Crazylady/Eve/Mobius/Paradox/Sharidin/Telak
Clans were - SNG/(Sardauker+Wonko) Koduza/Exodus/Saints/Dragon/Epoch/Nemesis/Los Locos/Victorian Order/Guardians
Other insignificant clans =P - Shinji/Immortali
Pretty sure we're running off of UltraEnvy at this point. Though announcement says Envy2.2
This period of time can be noted by extensive clan alliances and wars that ran from its beginning to its end. The clans Saudauker and Wonko eventually merged to form Koduza, who were allied by custom with SNG to oppose the combined forces of Los Locos and Dragon. Other clans played critical roles on either side of the great wars.
Other memorable features about this time include the existance of the wizard and archer classes.
Nijlo begins work on his own mud, while still playing on Myr. Nodeka is born.
Raiden gets burned out. He hands control over to Deth.
Deth gets a life. He hands control back to Raiden.
Eventually, Raiden and the staff get so burned out, that they decided to close Myrradel in 12/1998.
Aias, an imp on Myrradel, had interest in starting a mud with the Myr source code/areas, and Raiden gave it all to him. Aias opens Alhazi Invasion. (Annoucnement in USENET group from Teonhasgel is dated 1/8/1999.) Alhazi Invasion definitely had grown into a mud of its own, and had a quite different vision than Myr had.
Third Launch - 2/22/1999 (was there a wipe here when wilco reopened it? we're not sure.)
Los Locos did not return. This period of time can be noted by the excessive disbursal of demigod.
Clans were - Brotherhood/Divine Right/SNG/Apocalypse/Shadow/Forsaken
Other insignificant clans =P - Trouble, Black Magic
Wilco decides to reopen Myrradel. USENET advertisement is dated 2/22/1999. (Most likely, Wilco opened this on his own, when Raiden said he didn't care... and didn't want anything to do with Myr anymore.)
Wilco becomes head implementor. Raiden stays retired... for a while.
Nodeka under development announced in USENET on 3/11/1999.
Raiden comes back and Wilco gives the mud back to Raiden. Wilco goes on a long leave, because he's tired.
Aias gets burned out at AI, and Deth takes over AI. Katala then takes over day-to-day operations of AI. AI moves to mudhost.com.
Sometime around 5/2000 (based on a USENET advertisement by Midnight), Raiden gets burned out again, and gives the mud to Midnight.
Raiden eventually comes back again, and takes the mud again.
April 2001 - Clan Apocalypse upgrades clan hall
Most of the AI staff has disappeared. Destiny is given control of AI by Katala. Destiny decides that it would be in the best interest of both muds to merge back together, as a unified Myrradel. Destiny closes AI down, and gives the AI source code/areas to Raiden. To coincide with this, Myrradel wipes its playerbase, and many AI people start playing Myrradel. That brings us to the current Launch.
Fourth Launch on 8/21/2001 (current Launch). Announced in USENET on 8/27/2001.
Imms were - Raiden/Wilco/Jingo/Bob/Midnight/Aelwyft/Thorn/Phaon/Jebus/Vague/Destiny/Mars/Neppe/Donovan/Sloan/Eleven
Other builders include - Ryu/Obsolete/Nightingale
Period of Underworld, DR, SNG... later period of Vamphyri. This was a long period of time. This period can be remembered by the "no more demigod rule", but also by the existance of such unbalancing things as race-change arenas. At the beginning of the period, lots of gameload was given away in arenas (since demigod was not). Later this was stopped.
Clans were - SNG/Divine Right/Shadow/Dragon/Innocents/Underworld/Ba'ai/Black Templar/Forsaken Souls/Koduza/Dark Omen/Apocalypse
Clans later were - SNG/Divine Right/Vamphyri/Jiv'undus/Innocents
Members of Underworld, a clan of old AI players, becomes disgruntled with Myrradel. Having access to the old AI code, they decide to reopen AI, and move from Myrradel. USENET announcement of reopening of AI dated 9/9/2002.
AI immorts no longer have enough time to run the mud. Teonhasgel gives AI a choice. Someone can take control of AI, or it will shutdown. A group decides to try and revive AI. For whatever reason, this does not last, and Teonhasgel shuts AI down on 2/2/2004. (Need AI Imms to revise this, and provide real history.)
Myrradel is currently working on a major revamp, and will then give a choice to players as to whether or not to wipe. Major revamp is hoped to be completed in April/May.
In the end, Vamphyri were the last clan to actually run mobs. DR afk'd out of existance. SNG cheated it's way to a real life. Jiv'undus ... who?
The Dead Period mid/end 2004-current
After indicating that Myrradel would be going through a major revamp, and indicating that there would be a wipe, the mud basically died. Some loyal players held out for a couple of years, checking in often, but as of 1/29/2007, only Llewelyn logs in.
1/29/2007 - Jingo and Raiden begin working on the mud again, with newfound motivation. But, noone is around to notice.