ELOMECLA, IN MEMORIUM JULY 2008
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This special memorial
edition was edited by
Archangel Chumaka with
the help of Cerdwyn and
the angels, immortals
and players of Avatar.
Requiescat in Pace, dear friend.
_________________________________________________________________
IN THIS ISSUE July 2008
. .
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WORDS FROM A FATHER PETER SAUNDERS
WORDS FROM THE PROTECTOR DALTHANE
WORDS FROM THE EDITOR CHUMAKA
IMMORTAL MEMORIES VARIOUS
ANGEL MEMORIES VARIOUS
MORTAL MEMORIES VARIOUS
EN MEMORIUM FERRIX AND CERDWYN
. .
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WORDS FROM A FATHER PETER SAUNDERS
On Saturday, 21st June 2008, in her dying breaths, Elomecla asked
that I send a message that she has died.
From her father, Peter Saunders, and in loving memory of my
exceptional daughter.
Catherine Saunders (Elomecla) lost her battle with cancer on
Saturday, June 21st, 2008. She was 30 years old.
Her enthusiasm never wavered for our world of Avatar, and when
she was feeling well enough, she was very interested in the
ongoings of the Angelic Host and Avatar, and looked forward to
helping when she could.
She will be truly missed, and I wish her Godspeed on her new
journey. Please keep her father and brother in your thoughts.
. .
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WORDS FROM THE EDITOR CHUMAKA
Hello everyone, I am writing this article for the Gazette,
because of the very sad event to happen recently. The passing
of a GREAT Immortal, Arch-Angel, Mortal Player, and most of all
a Friend. Catherine aka Elomecla also known as Shawna, Werrall,
and Elanye. I have asked many people to contribute to this issue,
and have gotten quite a response. Here are my words...
There are many fond memories I can think of, but a couple of them
stick out. I will start with how I met her. I have played AVATAR
for a couple of years and decided to put my name in for Angel.
She gave the first interview I took, everyone on the bset was
making me nervous about how hard the angel interview can be, but
she made me feel right at home. She didn't rush or pressure me in
any way, always encouraging me to continue. Well as I went on with
the process to get my angel, she was there urging me on, I got
through it all and Chumaka the angel was born. Then I really
lucked out! Elomecla was going to train me! In her ever so calm
manner she walked me through the first two weeks of angeling,
explaining things as we went along, sometimes we got sidetracked
joking about one thing or another, or just fooling around with
the fellow players at Nom, her favorite place to hang out while
she was an Acolyte. She had to put up with me always asking
when I can fly solo, which was like 2 times a day after the
first week, but she never complained she would just smile and
in a comforting way tell me I wasn't ready. :P But, sure
enough I got through training and I was doing a great job,
if I can say so myself, until I was messing around at Nom with
another player and crashed the mud. OOPS! Well, I don't have to
tell you this isn't a good thing for an Angel to do. No Surprise
there, I know! Tanisha got involved and had to interview me
about what happened. I was pretty worried that I was going to
lose my angel, but there was the forever comforting Elomecla, she
was backing me up. She went to bat for me, and to this day I truly
believe she is the reason I am still an Angel. She had such an
effect on me, if I was ever running one of my alts and she logged
on I would log Chumaka so I could goto her and chat. I am REALLY
glad and blessed to ever get to know someone such as her. I know
where ever she is now, she is making that place so much better
as she did with AVATAR. Good bye Elo - You will be missed!
I remember that Elomecla was one of the first new Immortals to
Join our ranks after I finished my own time as an Acolyte...
perhaps the very first. I was so happy she joined the Immortal
Host and we often laughed about my nickname for her, Elmo.
I will miss her very much.
-Daniloth
. .
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One memory of Elmo is how she kept bantering on channels and
accusing me of stealing carrots from her garden Also she was
one of the fairest and most leveled headed people here. Very
calm, dependable and sensible. Helpful. genuinely cared. But
(she) always retained her sense of fun and her impish but very
clever sense of humor. Also she was one of the most polite
people on the mud.
-Riviat
. .
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Memories of Elomecla, Werrall, Shawna, Elayne, etc.
I'm an old lord by today's standards. I morphed Kyandra in 1999.
But Shawna was already an 'old lord' by that time. My first
real memory though deals with another lord - Kypsi, my psi
and the first Karn run.
Shift was much deadlier than it is today and there were no
group limits but we still all died, and were eaten. Brave lords
recovered gear and we all sat at Thorngate for hours identifying
gear and trying to sort out what belonged to who. If you know
anything about how well a dwarf cleric spells, you know she
muttered a lot under her breathe. It was a very frustrating day.
We did not become friends until much later. I watched Werrall
bloom from a shy new angel to a confident archangel and then
transition to a shy young imm named Elomecla.
As she became ill, she became even more reserved, not wanting
to talk about it. When she learned that the person behind the
keyboard was a nurse and had figured most of it out she began
to talk to me and we grew every closer.
She was a very special lady. A special part of all of our hearts.
Who loved Avatar with all the good and bad it can bring. She shared
herself with us this last year as much as she was able, but it was
not enough, and now never well be.
When I began pondering the Angel career, I had long conversations
with Werrall about the pros & cons and ups & downs of that
lifestyle. Alas, Werrall retired before I had convinced myself
one way or the other. I continued in my pondering alone.
After the retirement of ArchAngel Werrall, the Immortal Elomecla
stepped forward to be assistant to Tanisha. And so began another
series of conversations with Elomecla. Since Elomecla is obviously
a different person, I had to start from the ground up in our talks.
As many of you know, I can babble for hours ;) Little did I know
that the same person had had to endure the long-winded centaur
twice! After much debate and self doubt, my decision was made, I
petitioned... and I was accepted!
Sometime later, I am hanging out in Nimbus with Elomecla. I ask
her If anyone has heard from Werrall since her retirement. Is she
doing well? Elo says she spoke to her just recently, and she is
doing fine. A quiet lull in our conversation occurs as we stand
there greeting the new ones and grtzing the older ones. I muster
up the nerve to tell Elomecla that I am glad I got to interview
with her... Werrall was very nice and all, but I had found
Elomecla to be easier to talk to. This is the point in the
conversation when she giggles and tickles me. She confesses. She
said she had learned from the best: Riviat, Master of Tricksy.
Time goes by. Now I am a new Angel flying solo, and I find myself
wondering what to do in a tense CR situation *and* how can I
possibly manage to talk to all the newbies at the same time? I
think of how Elomecla was always calm and I draw on that power.
I use the WWED approach and make it through with my wings intact!
Elo, my friend, I will miss you dearly. Thank you for being a
great role model to the realm and an inspiration to petitioners
everywhere. I hope that you now rest in ease in the big comfy chair
that overlooks your garden :)
To Catherine's family: Thank you for sharing your wonderful
Catherine with us all. On line personalities are mirrors and
miniatures of who we are in real life. On line, Catherine was an
Angel; in real life I know she was a Saint. My thoughts are with
you all. *hugs*
I met Elomecla some years ago upon petitioning for Angel as Catt.
My first impression was that she was patient to a fault and not
at all intimidating, in fact she was overly accommodating. Having
played Avatar for a long time, I thought my understanding of
lowmort was good, but the 'test' I was undergoing was proving that
I was not as informed as I thought. This did not faze Elomecla at
all, and her patience and guidance through the process inspired me
to continue on. I was always grateful to her for being such a
wonderful role model - a person we could all truly look up to.
There are those among us who deserve to be given the highest of
respect and regard. Elomecla was one of those people and she
will be very sadly missed by our community. May our memories
of Elomecla live on in those of us who knew her, and be
inspirational to those of us who weren't so fortunate to have
met her.
The first time I lorded, I was 12 years old... and on my first
run, Shawna was was there. Back in those days (in the Cleric
community at least) it seemed people were always teaching the
new lords, and Shawna was always there to lend a helping hand
when lost and confused newbie lords (such as myself) first
started running.
Shawna was always patient in explaining things, always wanted
to hear what everyone had to say. I remember one day receiving a
personal note when I was still quite a newbie, asking about how
we as Clerics could do better as a whole and if I had any
suggestions.. of course I was still young and confused...
although that might not have changed, and didn't offer much input.
She still much of the encouragement anyone could have asked for,
and I did grow to become a pretty good cleric :) (or at least,
that's what I'd like to think) I'm terrible at endings so you
as the reader can make up your own to this! I'm sure we will
all miss her, who knew her as Imm, Lord, Angel, or any else.
It was with great sadness that we announce the passing of Elomecla,
who was also known as Shawna, Werrall, and Elayne, lost her battle
with cancer on Saturday June 21, 2008.
She was a pillar of the Avatar community, whose love and enthusiasm,
whose kindness and willingness to help brought many smiles to all
who had the pleasure of knowing her.
She will be missed by all who knew and loved her and all whose lives
she touched. Whatever your beliefs, please hold her father and brother
in your hearts as they grieve through this difficult time.
Until we meet again my friend. Run the planes, slay the evil
gith together.
..... fare thee well dear friend. Requiescat in Pace
. .
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