Characters that reach level 10 are encouraged by DMs and players alike to just retire.
My personal opinion I believe the feeling is more "Shit or get off the pot". Level 10 is a big deal and as someone who has played EFU for almost 15 years I only had one level 10 PC, ever, and it was mostly on a lark because it was four days before the chapter change and the entire server was wiped and I never got to do anything with it. It may be from a place of jealousy, or frustration, or just missing the prime time DM events because they don't feel "Right" for my PC to just show up and attend something, but I frankly can't imagine what i'd push on EFU with level 10 because i've never been there.
But to have that kind of mechanical prowess and influence and survivability is something that's always fascinated me. Teaching newer PCs, serving as a mentor, leading a faction, being the mechanical weight behind an agenda, or just facing the stupidly hardest content EFU can throw at you feeling like a chance you may survive as a Legendary Adventurer seems like such a new and wonderful world.
So when I see level 10 PCs who just hang out in taverns then go do scripted quests and more raises such a goblin in my head screaming "YOU HAVE SO MUCH, DO SOMETHING WITH IT, ANYTHING" Level 10 PCs in my opinion should be Leaders, Rockstars, or People who take stupidly high risks because they are actually able to potentially survive them. It's not just about existing in a vacuum and smashing quests over a few months or the occasional DM quest.
So yes, in part I would rather a PC who is level 10 and just "Existing" either retire or start taking insanely huge risks like trying to tackle entire faction NPCs, or facing the Permadeath challenges of the server, or trying to do wildly insane and increasingly risk vs reward things to either become level 11 and legends or go out in a blaze of glory.
One day I do hope to get a PC to level 10 to really flex it, but if it doesn't happen it doesn't mean I don't want to try and hold myself to a higher standard should I ever get there.
That aside one thing I would hope to point out though:
There are entire plotlines started by PCs, but you should never expect your character to have a custom-made, significant side plot.
This I feel is kind of a misnomer. I hate to say the phrase "Every PC is the star of their own plot" but at the end of the day it's 100% possible to ignore the entire metaplot, have nothing but PC interactions, and become fully immersed in EFU without DM activity. Especially in the quieter or more dead timezones the counterbalance to the playercount being so low is without DMs people really do get starved for something to do and content. That's not to say at peak population times there isn't a show to put on or things PCs can get involved in but - As someone with both insomnia and a wild work schedule it's always amazing when there's 10 or so PCs online and someone goes out of their way to craft a story even if it's as simple as "I'm a bandit and i've taken over the scraggleways, ha ha ho". In those stages PCs really do just become like NPCs/tiny DMs and are able to try and keep the playerbase engaged or entertained which to me is the heart of roleplay on EFU. Taking the time to do something you enjoy and trying to splash it around so others can, if they so choose, get involved too.
But beyond the niche of bad timezones EFU exists as a player driven engine. It can be entirely wrenching and take a great deal of work and feel more effort than reward but the more you play with people and the more you get a feel for hosting events there's times you'll be able to cultivate entire broadly arching storylines where you can beg, borrow, steal, or buy PCs to help you out. Mercenary concepts exist, political rivals exist, PCs who just want to play Bards or spymasters exist. You get a feel for things and you can begin to weave threads and communicate in terms of what other PCs want, and learn how to use them.
It may not be as awesome as "DRAGON FIGHTS DBZ FLYING NPC" with huge server blasting implications, but if you take the time and effort to try and create your own PC plot and push it to the fullest your able -
Along the way PCs begin to help out, and a DM or two may take notice, and suddenly this entirely organic thing you created takes life in the world And that's something I feel is wholly unique to EFU and i've had trouble finding anywhere else, which is what keeps me coming back for more. It really is the most Sandbox server i've ever encountered.
- A PC Plot overthrew the main hub's government last chapter, props to Abala for it
- A PC Plot to play an infamous crime lord lead to months of terror any times Madcaddies would get his hands into the criminal pie with Naga backing, long before Knavery existed Crime was purely PC Plot driven.
- A PC plot to play an infamous Monster Hunter lead to chaos and anarchy and fury among Wilds PCs, at a time they were mostly ignored, big ups to Magister for the Falconer Era
- A PC plot to raise a God this chapter lead by Equinox saw a small god he created one day while bored become the Timeless One on our Wiki
- A PC plot lead in EFU:A lead by Iron_Oligarch saw an entire splintered faction brought back together and reunified under Castle Blackhearth
- A PC plot lead in EFU: 1 by yours truly lead to 6 PCs who would later be DMs come together at a time we were all little nubbin scrubs to make a criminal empire which lasted only two weeks but so much fun even today I remember it fondly.
- in EFU:A Fong and LovethESuit and others created the Archaeological Society of the Ziggurat which went on to all manner of hijinks and wonderous D&D Adventures and lorecraft implications
- Where theres a Dwarf, there's a PC Plot and Faction in so much of EFU's history as Dwarven Clans rose and fall.