A note from Viktor/Jay

Fjern wrote a final message for the kitchen and entrusted me with the privilege of delivering it to you all. I turned wheels for a while trying to figure out how best to deliver it, and found myself wondering, "What is the kitchen, exactly?" It wound up being a surprisingly easy question to answer. Not just a location, not just a linkshell, but all the people who pass through, who do good, who hang, who fill partyfinders, who drop off mats and pick up pots, who joke, who help. You all are the kitchen, something immensely rare and special. And you were so unbelievably special to her. My god. You are all unbelievably special. Right now. To me and to each other. Please keep that in mind in the coming weeks, months, years. Remember you have mattered, that you do matter in this moment, that you will continue to matter to someone. Many someones.

This note is for you. Love you. Genuinely.

The message from Rowan/Fjern follows.

To The Kitchen

I love you guys so much.

You guys made me so happy I could (and have) cried about it. I felt so lucky. I hope everyone knows that I didn’t do this because I didn’t think people cared about me. I know you guys (and others!) care. I know I mean something to a lot of people. I’m grateful for that. Please know that you guys were such an enormous bright spot in every day I logged into that godforsaken timesink of a game lmao.

As always; I didn’t want payment, I just want you to pay it forward. I kept hearing these last few weeks that I’m “the lifeblood” of Dynamis or that the kitchen wouldn’t exist without me. That’s not true! ALL I DID was sit in the same place and say hi to people. I made them items I could make for free, because I had the power to do that and the inclination. You can do that too!

I don’t have the right to ask anything of you guys, but I hope the Kitchen continues long after me, in you guys, helping out other folks just because you can. Be kind to Viktor. Shut down weirdos like Uesugi and Freyr. Make this game better than you found it, for those who come after. Help make stuff for free for people. Offer to fill Pfs. Be nicer to sprouts than other people were to you. Help them just because you’re level 23829823489 and you can.

Thank you so much. The last week especially, I’ve felt so happy just hanging around all of you, listening to you guys, shooting the shit. I love you. I wish you all the success in the world.

Please join in honoring Rowan/Fjern's memory on Saturday, January 25th in a wholly remote celebration of life. You can find more information, as well as a link to the discord server where the celebration is being organized, on the memorial source page.

Important additional note from Viktor: please take care before reading Rowan's final, full message on the memorial page. Do not feel as though you must. It is a difficult read, one that should be taken with care for yourself. Please remember that while Rowan's anger was understandable, she was writing in a moment of darkness, losing an unfair fight. We have found ourselves in a terribly difficult time. The best thing you can do at the moment is handle yourself with care. With that in mind, a list of grief resources is available at this link.