I'm still here. My posting rate has been abysmal for most of this year but I think I'm moving into a better place in my life, so may be able to increase my presence a little.
I'm prepared to continue as a judge, and to focus on character approvals, but even with Trouvere and covaithe helping out as assistant judges for the last couple of months, approvals have been lagging. It's a big job, and getting bigger as character levels increase - although, having said that, with the general downturn in new members, it may stabilize.
I suggest that we make Trouvere and covaithe full judges, so that they have full approval rights (currently approvals require at least one 'senior' judge's input). I did suggest this earlier today to my fellow character judges, and was going to wait to put it to the 'full bench', but given this opportunity I've taken the plunge!
Patlin, I agree with you that all three of your possible causes for a downturn have had an effect on LEW. You're certainly spot on about the critical mass factor.
Frankly, from what I've been hearing, we don't need to kill the M-A. It's already dead. We just need to give it the last rites.
Lots of smaller adventures may be a way to go. Small groups, continually active, with a buzz of activity and a cross-fertilisation of ideas in the RDI, may be just what LEW needs.
Another suggestion was made in the discussion thread about LEW in trouble - in fact, a revisiting of an older suggestion, that we allow a 4th character for players. I think that's not a bad idea, since it allows keen players to do what they enjoy (and, in the process, to reinvigorate LEW). But perhaps, given the fact that we need DMs too, we might make approval of such a character dependant on a once-off purchase via DM credits.
Just a few ideas - and an underlying commitment to do what I can to help LEW not only to survive but also to thrive!