Faceless but Fearless: Honoring the Ones Who Fight for Splinterlands
The celebration of Conclave Arcana continues — but today, we pause for a retrospective not on the game itself, but on the players whose conviction has carried it further than many realize.
In Splinterlands, we often talk about chance, persistence & grit. We celebrate the brave, the relentless & those who continue showing up when others falter & fade. But behind the visible battlefield, there exists another form of fight — one less glamorous, but no less vital.
Today, we honor those who fight facelessly.
Those who carry the burden quietly but bear it proudly.
Those like @azircon, who, true to the spirit of his Hive alias Kaonashi, has moved mountains behind the scenes.
Kaonashi: The Silent Warrior
Kaonashi — or "No Face" — is more than just a name; it’s a symbol. One who operates without demand for recognition. One who builds, buys & bids, even when others doubt.
Historically a polarizing figure, @azircon has been loud, opinionated, principled & fiercely independent. He has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind, even when it meant standing alone.
Those who know Azircon know he is not without his fire.
But what cannot be denied is this:
He speaks loudly.
He carries a big stick.
He says what many are unwilling to say.
He has fought for us.
He has fought for Splinterlands.
A Relentless Commitment
From the inaugural auction card event, where he secured 10 of the 100 Heloise the Hollow cards (while placing high bids on countless more), to this most recent act — setting up a massive $0.01 SPS buy wall, injecting well over $30,000 USD of real value into the game's economy over just the past few days— his actions speak louder than any words ever could.
These aren't just trades.
These are acts of belief. Of stewardship. Of conviction. Of leadership.
I said recently on one of our The People's Guild podcast episodes: "We would not have survived without our whales."
It’s players like @azircon, @vugtis, @bravetofu & others — who have put their money, time & spirit behind this game — that have kept Praetoria alive during its toughest winters.
We Are All Kaonashi
Whether through delegation, voting, buying, building, creating or simply continuing to show up — we are all Kaonashi in our own way.
Splinterlands was never meant to be just a collection of battles.
It was meant to be a world fought for, a community grown, a legacy built.
And so the call remains:
Fight for this game.
Fight for each other.
Fight for what it can still become.
The fight continues.
The mask is yours to wear.
And in the immortal words of Azircon, my friend:
We're done here!
Notes
To @azircon — Kaonashi — thank you, my friend. You've carried this torch when few others dared to. Your belief in this game has never wavered, even when the winds howled hardest. You didn’t just buy SPS — you bought us time, space & hope.
To @vugtis and @bravetofu — your quiet strength has meant more than words can say. The three of you, each in your own way, have reminded me what real conviction looks like: not just in what you say, but in how you act, where you show up & how you stand when no one’s watching.
The artwork here was made to honor you — not by name, but in spirit. These faceless warriors, these silent sentinels — they carry your likeness, because they carry your heart. (Fun fact: I pulled the inspiration for this artwork, & specifically for this post, from one of my new favorite, yet-to-be-revealed Conclave Arcana cards)
I'm proud to know you.
I'm proud to call you my (internet) friends.
And like you, I’ll keep showing up.