First off, nice to see you still browse this forum Darnocles - and good choise of avatars, envy that i didnt think of that one myself
SSL has always been a small server, but with a tightly knitted community. Sometimes it grows, sometimes people leave. Queues for PvP should be greatly increased now after the server merge, however, its more about being "syncronized" with the BGs going. Might be a wait for the first BG, but once your in they usually pop very often.
AHs being bit emty i can agree with, but that again comes with the server population being thinned out again. I especially see the difference from SSL and when im on my alliance toon on SWC. However, im pretty sure that this server will grow again. Even tho wow PvP is pretty retarted atm, the PvE community has become pretty large and good. Note that makhail has downed 6 bosses in Ulduar with a pug. The pug mentallity is very nice on SSL compared to many others in fact.
RP has and will for the most part be a "hidden" part of SSL unless you openly take part in it. The mainstream RPers on this server tend to "hang" with each other and plan out the more big RP events on the SSL RP community forum:
We are legionHave a lookie there and then see if you mean that the RP is dead