Welcome back. If you need help getting back into the swing of things, feel free to send me a whisper if you see me around (along with a couple other Resters, I'm a Mentor). I know from my own break that the changes can be daunting and I wasn't gone for near as long as you.
Speaking of changes, if you haven't already discovered this for yourself, be careful if you decide to venture into the Citadel. The low level orcs and spiders that used to reside there have been removed and replaced with undead that range from approx levels 52-62. Also, if I remember correctly, the area across Maelstrom Bay was around when you left, but there's been a new area added there (the Keep) that has critters (mostly undead, but a couple living) in the upper 40's through the mid 50's.
A few other things new you might want to check out (some more then others depending, on yer profession) but prolly won't notice right away are: the SHIELD and ARMOR verbs (function similar to CMAN), the SERVICE verb, guild skills for pures, lock mastery for rogues (guild skill), the bounty system (just type BOUNTY in game or ask someone where you can find the NPC Alanna), and RR finally got it's own Voln Monastery (though you still have to travel to the Landing to advance in steps). If you want to look up these things, or most anything else in Elanthia, www.krakiipedia.com is like the wikipedia of GS.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
