Don't call it a Comeback

[Haer Dalis 83]

I feel what you are saying RwG, but I believe that as problematic as it might be, what we have right now is the best solution we can come up with, considering this is a game. It happens to me frequently to have one or two weeks off, simply because of RL committments. And if I had to start a story all over again, every time, I would not be playing here. Because I would not be able to afford enough time to play a character fullfillingly in the small window of time between a hiatus and another.

There is a balance to be found. Returning after months and immediately starting to throw weight around might be a tad too much, there is a certain finesse that could make such come back a value, rather than an overshadowing of currently active PCs. On the other side what you are suggesting might mean EFU moves at a speed that is too fast for what many of us might afford. If I play a character and am able to log some 2 hours twice a week, and suddenly every month the characters I involve myself with disappear, what are my chances to ever find an enjoyable story?

[Vlaid]

This should be left to DMs to handle. If a PC has been gone too long and it would be jarring for them to come back, they shouldn't.

AFAIK you're also supposed to app to come back with old PCs.

Scripted automatic retirement with an app to return after 1-2 months inactivity might smooth this out a bit too. Sometimes people sneak through by just returning to a PC and asking forgiveness rather than permission. If being inactive for a significant time has benefitted you by enemies dying, plots resolving, factions being different and now being in a more advantageous position you should really consider if it's fair to continue the PC on your own though.

In general though EFU benefits more from old PCs than it is harmed and some people have RL commitments that actually require a month or two absence now and then and that meaning they have to start a new PC every time would not be great.

So again I'll say it's best left to DMs to sort out on a case by case basis and if one stands out that seems really unfair just PM a DM and ask them to look into it.