I think many would already know that people have been carrying out virtual marriages in many games and cyberspaces. Marriage is such joyous occasion surely it would be nice to share them with as many as possible, and what better medium there is to share a good news than the internet.
But what about the sad news? Death of a family member is one of the most tragic thing can happen, and it is not something you share with "strangers." Funeral and memorial services are often held between friends and families for this reason, but 6 years ago (when I was still playing Lineage) I had a rare opportunity to be in one of the virtual funerals I had attended (a year later I attended another virtual funeral in different MMORPG Ragnarok Online)
Unfortunately, I could not find the news for the RO, but I did find the web news that was published that day for Lineage one, so I post the link.
http://lineage.plaync.co.kr/serverzone/server/view?articleID=1148&page=9&category=137&rootCategory=40
Since not many of you would be able to read Korean, I will try to translate the interview done by the reporter (the reporter was from the official Lineage website PlayNC).
Date: 2004.02.23
Writen by Owen server Game Master Lulla(screen name)
Like a stone thrown into the calm lake, causing ripples resonating throughout the lake... I wish I had been the stone in your life... Goodby.. Ari - "Nodang"Guild Master Hyul Sae ( meaning Blood Oath; its his screen name.)
On 15th, another beloved Lineage player has gone from us. Now deceased "Kim Ari" was a devoted Lineage player, and active guild member whoes passing would not go unnoticed. Although a week has been passed, many members of her fromer guild shed tears just by thinking about her. I decided to meet them and listen to the story about Ari.
"Undefeated" Guild Members
Lulla: How was Kim Ari like?
Whisper of Ent(Screen name): She.. had a lot of typo. One of her best friend Angel (screen name) was also a typo master, so when those two were talking someone needed to translate what they are saying to each other. Even so, they somehow magically managed to converse with each other. We often laughed because of it. I cannot believe that she is no longer with us.
Yong Pul(meaning Dragon Fire): Ari was not healthy eversince she was a child. I heard she did not have any friends because she was in and out of hospital during her childhood. Seeing Ari is staring at a wall all day due to her condition, her brother thought it would be a good idea to teach her how to play Lineage. First thing her brother taught her was "Elven Waffer farming" (for those of you who do not play Lineage, Elven Waffer is an consumable item that enhances attack and movement speed of an elf character. However, it can only be obtained by making the item by collecting ingredients around the even town. It is long an enduring process, and because it is such painful work, each sells for slightly higher value than other consumable items. This farming method was often used by low level chacters who do not have good item to make money in high level dungeons) I do not think no one can possibily make 10,000 waffers. Ari made them to get better gears and join our guild. She made a lot of good friend in this guild. However, her family started to worry about her spending to much time playing Lineage while her condition was getting worse. So her brother, whom taught her how to play Lineage in the first place, decided to sell all of her equipment [to prevent her from playing]. Even after that, Ari got a low level bow and followed our guild members to high level dungeons and still had lots of fun. I think few guild members might think she was bothersome [since she does not have proper equipment, and they needed to protect her in high level dungeons]. Although everyone knew she was sick, but she always sounded so cheerful and healthy. No one really gave thought into it.
Angel(the best friend): Ari used screen name "Ariyam." To tell the truth, I sometimes felt that she was bothersome because she always followed me around like shadow. After her brother sold her equipment, I often could not go hunting (to leveling and grinding) because she became liability in dungeons. Ari was fighting bone marrow cancer. Everytime we told her to log off and rest, she said "I am healthy enough... I am doing what I like right now.. I can live with it" She and I often went to the Lair of Valakas (Lair of Valakas was high leven field dungeon and often the best field dungeon due to good item drop rate). When I often saw her spending more time on greeting and exchange pleasentries with everyone she knew instead of hunting and grinding, I thought "why is she so talkitive?" Now, I realize that it was her getting ready to leave this earth and my heart aches because of it. Slowly, she did not log in to Lineage as often as she did, then I lost contact with her for long time until I recieved a call from her saying that now she is in a hospital. I always believed that she will be one day be healthy again and log in to say "lets party up, and go hunting"... a few days ago, I recieved a call from her sister-in-law, she said "It's not a good news.... I did not want to let you know, but I just cannot forget what Ari told me, and I decided I had to make the call. Ari... has become an angel and left to Heaven. She did not have any friend, and she could rarely leave home. She always played that game... wonder what was so exciting about it. She often told us the story about the game and friends she met there. We did not get half of the time (As you would know, the game mechanics and dungeon names are often only understood by people who played the game)... Her condition.. has gotten worse, and she was moved to ICU where she passed away.... please don't forget our Ari..." Even after she was sent to hospital, she sometimes called me to say she was healthy... I dont know why I only remember things I have could done for her but didnt... things I have said to her that I didnt mean.. I dont know why. I dont know why I missed bothersome Ari so much....
Seeing many people, including her friend in the guild and outside of the guild, missed her and had heartache thinking of her, Ari's guild "Undefeated" members and thier alliance guild masters decided to carry out her memorial service on Feburary, 20th. It is also the day of her "Sam Oh Jae" (a funeral service that is done 3 days after the death). Although the guild members, the guild masters, and even the game server masters announced to come to the memorial service for two days, I had my doubts about how many would show up since the memorial service was scheduled at 4 pm during weekdays. The reason we did not held the service in larger area was that we did not think so many would come. At 3:30 pm, "Undefeated" guild members and thier alliance members gave each other short overview of the service, and we headed to the dog racing ciruit (In Lineage, there is 2 places where you can gamble inside the game, one of the is dog racing). It was unbeilievable how so many people poured into the area. I could not believe myself that it was 4pm in the afternoood duirng weekdays. Because so many players gathered around, some of them could not even see the whole service. The service started with moment of silence for Kim Ari, followed by obituary written by many friends and guild members.
Although it was a short inside game memorial service, I believe that everyone shared the same sincere sentiment and belief that Ari went to better place. That was clear just by looking and how smoothly the service went wihout any incident despite the fact that many of people in the service did not know Ari personally. I personally send my gratitude to the Game Master Matice, and so many other players who were willing to share the tragic story and took time to come to the service.
How frightful you were before you closes your eyes for the last time...? I cannot even imagine the fear... 23 years old.. too young to be sent to God's place. The place where everyone has to go once in his/her life.... I believe you are in that place.. happy, healthy, and cheerful as you always were.. I send you my greatest regard and respect.... goodbye Ari.
This is the funeral I have been to. I remember that there was about 200 people there that they, and the fact how organizined it was surprised me. Often when an event is held by a guild, it is total chaos; everyone start speaking at once, no one follows the coodinators, people talking nasty things... that day I remember none of that happend. Like the article said, everything went smoothly. I often wonder.. if we srug off the power of cyberspace... if Ari did not play Lineage, if her brother never introduced her to it, then she would have died alone.. without friends.. no one to notice her passing in this world except her family... I hope she is at better place now.
Whisper of Ent(Screen name): She.. had a lot of typo. One of her best friend Angel (screen name) was also a typo master, so when those two were talking someone needed to translate what they are saying to each other. Even so, they somehow magically managed to converse with each other. We often laughed because of it. I cannot believe that she is no longer with us.
Yong Pul(meaning Dragon Fire): Ari was not healthy eversince she was a child. I heard she did not have any friends because she was in and out of hospital during her childhood. Seeing Ari is staring at a wall all day due to her condition, her brother thought it would be a good idea to teach her how to play Lineage. First thing her brother taught her was "Elven Waffer farming" (for those of you who do not play Lineage, Elven Waffer is an consumable item that enhances attack and movement speed of an elf character. However, it can only be obtained by making the item by collecting ingredients around the even town. It is long an enduring process, and because it is such painful work, each sells for slightly higher value than other consumable items. This farming method was often used by low level chacters who do not have good item to make money in high level dungeons) I do not think no one can possibily make 10,000 waffers. Ari made them to get better gears and join our guild. She made a lot of good friend in this guild. However, her family started to worry about her spending to much time playing Lineage while her condition was getting worse. So her brother, whom taught her how to play Lineage in the first place, decided to sell all of her equipment [to prevent her from playing]. Even after that, Ari got a low level bow and followed our guild members to high level dungeons and still had lots of fun. I think few guild members might think she was bothersome [since she does not have proper equipment, and they needed to protect her in high level dungeons]. Although everyone knew she was sick, but she always sounded so cheerful and healthy. No one really gave thought into it.
Angel(the best friend): Ari used screen name "Ariyam." To tell the truth, I sometimes felt that she was bothersome because she always followed me around like shadow. After her brother sold her equipment, I often could not go hunting (to leveling and grinding) because she became liability in dungeons. Ari was fighting bone marrow cancer. Everytime we told her to log off and rest, she said "I am healthy enough... I am doing what I like right now.. I can live with it" She and I often went to the Lair of Valakas (Lair of Valakas was high leven field dungeon and often the best field dungeon due to good item drop rate). When I often saw her spending more time on greeting and exchange pleasentries with everyone she knew instead of hunting and grinding, I thought "why is she so talkitive?" Now, I realize that it was her getting ready to leave this earth and my heart aches because of it. Slowly, she did not log in to Lineage as often as she did, then I lost contact with her for long time until I recieved a call from her saying that now she is in a hospital. I always believed that she will be one day be healthy again and log in to say "lets party up, and go hunting"... a few days ago, I recieved a call from her sister-in-law, she said "It's not a good news.... I did not want to let you know, but I just cannot forget what Ari told me, and I decided I had to make the call. Ari... has become an angel and left to Heaven. She did not have any friend, and she could rarely leave home. She always played that game... wonder what was so exciting about it. She often told us the story about the game and friends she met there. We did not get half of the time (As you would know, the game mechanics and dungeon names are often only understood by people who played the game)... Her condition.. has gotten worse, and she was moved to ICU where she passed away.... please don't forget our Ari..." Even after she was sent to hospital, she sometimes called me to say she was healthy... I dont know why I only remember things I have could done for her but didnt... things I have said to her that I didnt mean.. I dont know why. I dont know why I missed bothersome Ari so much....
Seeing many people, including her friend in the guild and outside of the guild, missed her and had heartache thinking of her, Ari's guild "Undefeated" members and thier alliance guild masters decided to carry out her memorial service on Feburary, 20th. It is also the day of her "Sam Oh Jae" (a funeral service that is done 3 days after the death). Although the guild members, the guild masters, and even the game server masters announced to come to the memorial service for two days, I had my doubts about how many would show up since the memorial service was scheduled at 4 pm during weekdays. The reason we did not held the service in larger area was that we did not think so many would come. At 3:30 pm, "Undefeated" guild members and thier alliance members gave each other short overview of the service, and we headed to the dog racing ciruit (In Lineage, there is 2 places where you can gamble inside the game, one of the is dog racing). It was unbeilievable how so many people poured into the area. I could not believe myself that it was 4pm in the afternoood duirng weekdays. Because so many players gathered around, some of them could not even see the whole service. The service started with moment of silence for Kim Ari, followed by obituary written by many friends and guild members.
Although it was a short inside game memorial service, I believe that everyone shared the same sincere sentiment and belief that Ari went to better place. That was clear just by looking and how smoothly the service went wihout any incident despite the fact that many of people in the service did not know Ari personally. I personally send my gratitude to the Game Master Matice, and so many other players who were willing to share the tragic story and took time to come to the service.How frightful you were before you closes your eyes for the last time...? I cannot even imagine the fear... 23 years old.. too young to be sent to God's place. The place where everyone has to go once in his/her life.... I believe you are in that place.. happy, healthy, and cheerful as you always were.. I send you my greatest regard and respect.... goodbye Ari.
This is the funeral I have been to. I remember that there was about 200 people there that they, and the fact how organizined it was surprised me. Often when an event is held by a guild, it is total chaos; everyone start speaking at once, no one follows the coodinators, people talking nasty things... that day I remember none of that happend. Like the article said, everything went smoothly. I often wonder.. if we srug off the power of cyberspace... if Ari did not play Lineage, if her brother never introduced her to it, then she would have died alone.. without friends.. no one to notice her passing in this world except her family... I hope she is at better place now.
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