Leafiara (prime)/Saraphenia/Celebration of Life Leaflet

(Leafiara passed out these keepsake leaflets at Saraphenia's celebration of life in the Rusty Cutlass tavern on Ivastaen 24, 5124.)

You glance down to see a hand-painted ivory leaflet in your right hand and nothing in your left hand.

In the Common language, it reads:

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The front of this folded leaflet is bordered top and bottom with a header and footer:

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Saraphenia Autumnwind, Aelotoi of Love

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Forever In Our Hearts. Charlatos 10, 5089 - Olaesta 28, 5124

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Between the words, most of the front features a heart-shaped frame with a side view of a short, well-toned olive-skinned aelotoi lady who has almond-shaped blue-black eyes that match the color of her waist length hair.

She stands clad in a sleeveless ivory-edged scarlet dress while a slender silver collar with a leaf-caged fire opal centerpiece encircles her neck, vibrant nail polish of alternating cherry and vanilla hues showcases her fingernails, mistwood lily charms nestled in gold-swept emerald leaves adorn her bronze-veined and silver-hued wings, and a silvery green ora filigree diadem accentuated by fire opal shards pulls back her hair.

However, all the visual flourishes fade into the background when juxtaposed with the brightness of her beaming face and the energy evident within her eyes as she looks over her shoulder and makes a beckoning gesture, inviting someone over.

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Inside the four-fold leaflet, two illustrations per fold commemorate Phenia's life through some of her happiest moments.

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"Wedding of Leafi and Phenia - Charlatos 10, 5122" shows Saraphenia and Leafiara in the lush setting of the House Paupers Rose Garden. Leafi grins with an outstretched hand, her smile stunning to match her smooth champagne wedding gown of pearly moire silk; Phenia, wearing a backless pale citrine dress and elegant ankle-boots beaded with white pearls, kisses a platinum knotwork wedding band newly placed on her wife's finger.

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"Abducting Aoife (Clue Game) - Eoantos 25, 6122" depicts Phenia, dressed in her everyday scarlet and ivory combat dress, gloves, leggings, and slippers, being cornered in a cave by an amused crowd. She stands guard over Aoife, who looks relieved, if not slightly dramatic, to see Chamorr and the others.

* * *

"Frost Queen Saraphenia - Eorgaen 8, 5122" features Saraphenia riding a confetti-littered parade float, wearing a tea-length backless ivory gown patterned with crimson dragonflies and ivory ankle-boots buttoned with fire opals. Holding a twisted argent orase scepter in one hand, she waves to the town of Icemule with the other while Leafi and Emperia accompany her, smiling as they respectively snuggle up to her and lean against her.

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"Winning a Council Seat - Phoenatos 10, 5123" commemorates Phenia outside Moot Hall, standing among a sizable crowd engaged in raucous celebration near a clerk who appears to have already announced the results of the 5123 Wehnimer's Landing Town Council election. Saraphenia's adoptive mother Jastalyn hugs her beaming daughter, who returns the embrace while Leafiara cheers for her wife in a moment tying the three together as a past Landing Councilor, present Landing Councilor, and present Icemule Councilor.

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"Phenia's Final Training - Phoenatos 30, 5123" captures Phenia in a moonlit and lantern-lit scene in Town Square Central, covered in sweat yet beaming with pride. Friends and family surround her as they cheer, clap, and whistle, with Severine even throwing silver confetti over her, but a small thundercloud hovers in the distance.

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"Monk Fest - Imaerasta 17, 5123" portrays Phenia wearing a wide grin while she nimbly dodges blows thrown by Ntinly despite the tight confines of the crowded Rusty Cutlass tavern. Onlookers hoot and holler as they watch on, including Toxyrox, Monza, Dwi, Mauss, Citan, and a delighted Julenne who's raising a mug of black demon rum to the ongoing sparring competition.

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"Councilor Saraphenia's Office - Lormesta 22, 5124" showcases Saraphenia in a cozy room with royal blue wallpaper featuring gold warcats over silver dragonflies and cherry red leaves. Wearing a slight smile upon her lips, she sits straight in an ivory wing-backed chair with her left elbow resting upon a pink heart-shaped desk and her right hand resting upon her right thigh. Her long wings stand partially open and the diadem upon her head beams in the ambient light filtering through the window.

* * *

"Leafi and Phenia Renew Their Vows - Charlatos 31, 5124" highlights Phenia in aelotian wedding clothes--a scarlet flyrsilk half veil with a red gold diadem, an ivory flyrsilk bridal gown with scarlet draped sleeves, a scarlet flyrsilk sweep train with silver dragonfly embroidery, ivory flyrsilk gloves, dragonfly-patterned scarlet flyrsilk stockings, and ivory leather boots with red gold high heels. She wears a radiant smile through tear-stained cheeks as Leafi, garbed in white and pastel pink, likewise grins through misty eyes while sliding a sylvan alexandrite wedding ring graced with a cherry red starstone leaf onto her waiting finger.

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On the back of the leaflet, a page header reads:

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A Heart For Every Soul And A Hand In Every World.

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Beneath it are numerous symbols: a copper stein, a drake-winged insignia, a dragon, a black thorn, a scarlet owl, a circle of opposing black and white claws, a black hand, a grey-beaked black mask, and a silver manor.

A tribute follows:

Saraphenia believed in a brighter future for her loved ones, believed in always expanding her circle, believed in the most famous figures, and believed in the most unknown newcomers. She got burned more often than most, yet formed deeper connections than most, because she persisted anyway, inspiring the organizations she was part of and even ones she wasn't. In the end, as she built up RYSK, she achieved her wishes and forged her future, which she's now passed on to be our future. May we honor her gift to us.

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The remainder of the back of the leaflet contains a small selection of quotations from Saraphenia:

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"I hope, if tragedy should ever befall me, that folks will have good memories of me."
(Charlatos 11, 5122, reflecting after Elbromo's memorial.)

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"Your Dragonfly hopes that she makes her Goddess happy and proud of her!"
(Imaerasta 24, 5122, to her wife Leafiara, reflecting on being two days away from six months married.)

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"The Aelotoi of Love wishes you all the love and blessings you can handle!""
(Jastatos 7, 5122, sending out a thought.)

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Phenia: "I look forward to the rest of our lives together, Goddess, and I hope, after I take my last breath, that you remember me fondly and forever."

(seven days later...)

Leafi: "The other night, you told me that you hoped that after you drew your final breath, I'd remember you fondly and forever. And I will. But what do you want me to remember? What do you want others to remember? Love? Passion? Your smile?"

Phenia: "I want you to remember ME, the good, the bad and the ugly. You've seen me at my best...and my worst. My love for you is beyond my love for anyone else. I never want you to forget how loved you are."

Leafi: "And your other loved ones?"

Phenia: "I hope they know I always loved them...even if they hate me."

(Phoenatos 24 and 31, 5123, while thinking on what to do now that Phenia had finished her training and won her council campaign.)

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"I hate to say that I still have my insecurities...but I do at times. But then you come in and pick me up...you are so much more than I could have ever hoped for in my life. If I were to go beyond the gate tonight, I would go content in the fact that I was the most loved creature in creation."
(Charlatos 29, 5124, to her wife Leafiara.)