Leafiara (prime)/Saraphenia/Phenia Returns and Sees Leifa (log)
Fashanos 5, 5122
Leifa's player sent me this log as part of her tribute to Phenia and her player. Afterward, I have a few reflections.
Log
[Town Square, Small Park]
A small, shaded park fills an old vacant lot behind a row of buildings, the bright lamplight from the square filtering through the passage to the north to illuminate the area with a soft glow. A weatherworn grey marble statue of a stocky human in pioneer's clothing overlooks the park, his stone hat encrusted by the gifts of decades of passing birds and his right hand half-upraised as if it once held some now-missing object. You also see the Lyracellan disk, the Nurm disk, the Nicolesh disk, the Bellaja disk, the Channson disk, the Fokas disk, the leaf-shrouded Leff disk encircled by overlapping leaves, the Amatiste disk, the Kuiu disk, the Vordrist disk, the Alanamarie disk, the Woory disk, a half-elven invoker garbed in colorful layered robes, the Kontrol disk, the Orionin disk, the Drakkalor disk, the Balzighast disk, the Belovar disk, the Neonus disk, the Yldrith disk, the Trinitus disk, the Kelbrooy disk, the Clykk disk, the Julenne disk, the Ysbaddadin disk, a massive white northern snow tigress, a faille harness, the Tafkap disk, a lop-eared cloud hyena, the Wynonna disk, the Lemmi disk, the Agnord disk, the Amberaldus disk, the Indraka disk, the Sozurg disk, the Estyl disk, the Ilragno disk, the Ojet disk, the Rezelc disk, the Rouxt disk, a dented iron box, a piece of iron, a tall black bulwark tower, a mass of charred building remnants and some ornate wrought iron benches.
Also here: Sharkal, Nurm, Great Lady Saraphenia, Lady Lyracellan, Bellaja, Great Lord Channson, Fokas, Lord Jonnos, Great Lord Vordrist, Kuiu, Leff, Kontrol, Drakkalor, Balzighast, Orionin, Belovar, Dyrewulf, Neonus, Great Lord Yldrith, Trinitus, Kelbrooy, Clykk, Great Lord Cordran, Rimbold, Amatiste, Lady Julenne, Woory, Grand Lord Ysbaddadin who is sitting, Lady Katmionie, Alanamarie, Tafkap, Lemmi, Wynonna, Sasys, Agnord, Amberaldus, Indraka, Sozurg, Estyl, Ilragno, Ojet, Rezelc, Rouxt who is sitting
The invoker releases upon Saraphenia a flurry of abjurations.
The invoker releases upon Leifa a flurry of abjurations.
[Town Square Central]
This is the heart of the main square of Wehnimer's Landing. The impromptu shops of the bazaar are clustered around this central gathering place, where townsfolk, travellers, and adventurers meet to talk, conspire or raise expeditions to the far-flung reaches of Elanith. At the north end, an old well, with moss-covered stones and a craggy roof, is shaded from the moonlight by a strong, robust tree. The oak is tall and straight, and it is apparent that the roots run deep. You also see the Nyaria disk, the Saraphenia disk, the sparkling Jennyfer disk, a long-haired calico cat, the Loggor disk, a skinny white wolf, the Freonzikte disk, the Lendrink disk, a golden flame-shaped candle, a twisted black and white candle, a blue-swirled silver wax candle, the treasure chest-shaped Tranquia disk centered with a broken lock, a large acorn, the Naxxet disk, a centaur pinata, a silver-traced carved mahogany cart with some stuff on it, a round silver-banded barrel, an herbal remedy donation bin and some wide stone benches with some stuff on it.
Also here: Semiera, Lady Nyaria, Great Lady Saraphenia, Bethenia, Great Lady Jennyfer, Lord Chozenone, Ritoshok, Loggor, Ketiosin, Aramonth who is lying down, Lord Nordred, Freonzikte who is sitting, Lendrink who is sitting, Andromalius who is sitting, Indignatious, Star Seer Tranquia, Lady Traiva, Naxxet, Seider
Leifa looks at Saraphenia and hums.
Saraphenia smiles at Leifa.
Saraphenia gives Leifa a warm buss on the lips.
Leifa exclaims, "Hi hi!"
Saraphenia exclaims, "It's interesting to be back!"
You see Great Lady Saraphenia SparrHawk.
She appears to be an Aelotoi of the Mrae'ni Clan.
She is shorter than average. She appears to be an adult. She has almond-shaped blue-black eyes and olive skin. She has waist length, glossy blue-black hair with a white streak running through it. She has an oval face, an upturned nose and a generous mouth. Perched precariously on the tip of her nose, she wears a pair of round gold wire frame spectacles that look as though they may fall off at any moment. She has a pair of long, bronze-veined, silver-hued wings.
She has a soaring eagle tattoo on her neck, a golden lute tattoo on her wrist, a diving eagle tattoo on her leg, and a sleeping black dragon tattoo on her arm.
She is in good shape.
She is wearing a wide copper headband wrapped in verdant ivy, a collar of splayed fire opal branches, a plain blue tourmaline talisman, a large hooded claret bourde cloak with a blood red garnet clasp, an asymmetrically winged campaign button that reads, "Team Leafi: Embrace the Chaos!", a phosphorescent moss-covered skull insignia, a drake-winged insignia, a blue feather-shaped charm, a blue feather-shaped charm, a small golden Paupers pin, a glittering mithril alloy pin, a bone skeleton pin, an emerald-eyed serpent cloak clasp, a silver maple theorbo, an off-white sheer silk shirt with full dotted lace cuffs, some sapphire blue robes, a lightweight iron shackle lined in soft black velvet, a simple blued steel wristchain, a fiery golden trellis bracelet, some fingerless weighted knuckle gloves, a coiled copper serpent ring adorned with emerald scales, a bright gold ring, a smoky shadowglass ring, a silver dragon-embossed ring, a series of multitiered hip-chains consisting of fire opal links, a chrome belt pouch, a coral red orc hide pouch, a flowing white moire silk skirt tied at the hip, and a pair of reinforced kidskin sandals with indigo blue bindings.
Saraphenia says, "Especially since I'm seeing a lot of folks I know now."
Speaking to Saraphenia, Leifa says, "It's wonderful, just wooonderful to see you."
Saraphenia beams happily at Leifa!
Speaking to Leifa, Saraphenia exclaims, "And it's amazing to see you as well!"
Speaking to Saraphenia, Leifa coos, "You're looking beautiful as always."
Saraphenia glances at Leifa and makes a little purring sound.
Speaking to Leifa, Saraphenia exclaims, "As are you!"
Leifa sayes, "Hmm, I'm dressed for battle."
Saraphenia says, "I need to figure out something to hunt."
Speaking to Saraphenia, Leifa says, "So many choices these days."
Saraphenia nods at Leifa.
Leafi's (not Leifa's) Commentary
When Phenia talked about being "back," I don't know if she had been playing her other characters or just not playing at all, but at this point I hadn't seen Saraphenia herself since November 10, 2021, nearly three months earlier. On this day she returned, she actually interacted with Leifa more than with me; I was too exhausted from a rough week to be social. We just exchanged nine DMs--five from her and four from me--and caught up the next day instead.
As brief as the log is, I find an emblematic quality in it. I have to build context to explain, though.
People ponder last words fairly often, but what we see here are more like the first words of a new beginning.
Like many people, Phenia's player took extended breaks from GemStone on occasion. She was generally busy with life throughout 2021 and not playing; aside from November 10, I only saw Phenia in game that year on June 8, 9, and 18. However, not long after she came back in February 2022, she told me that her days of wandering were over and she was here to stay. It was an in-character truth and an out of character one which she held true to as much as she could; this return marked the start of her final 27 months of playing, and what a final run that would become.
Unknowingly and unintentionally, she encapsulated most of it here.
Saraphenia exclaims, "It's interesting to be back!"
Phenia's player was the type who never lost the wonder of the everyday interaction. She didn't need big events or parties, though she could thrive there too, but even a passing moment in daily routine still meant something to her and she never took them for granted.
Saraphenia says, "Especially since I'm seeing a lot of folks I know now." Speaking to Leifa, Saraphenia exclaims, "And it's amazing to see you as well!"
Given her availability, she worked as hard as anyone could imagine to expand that group of folks she knew. While she's singling out those who she already knew here, the truth is that I never met anyone so genuinely and consistently happy to see anybody at all who was willing to talk and simply share a moment together.
Saraphenia says, "I need to figure out something to hunt."
She would go on to cap a little under nineteen months later, but "I need to figure out" stands out to me more. Phenia never had the greatest mechanical knowledge because her priorities were social and, like many players, her time and availability were fairly casual, leaving little time to process the enormous world and scale the extreme learning curve that is this game. It was sometimes a source of frustration for her--again, as it is for many others--but it did mean she found herself in a constant state of learning and growing.
I'm very knowledgeable on the mechanics side, so she was always impressed by and grateful for my guidance, suggestions, and tips. However, I was always impressed by and sometimes--not often enough--grateful for her talent at meeting new people and making new friends. To me, anyone can learn and catch up to knowledge--most won't, but they could--but not anyone can directly touch people's hearts. That's a skill from within that's more nature than nurture, and to Phenia, either it was effortless or she at least made it look that way.