Rituals honoring the dead are as old as humanity. There seems to be a deep desire for us to do something to commemorate our lost friends. It only appears logical that some forms of it transfer into the digital world. A prominent expression of this culture is a poem. While it has no official title, it’s often referred to as The Poem of the Lost Capsuleer.
Eyes forward, capsuleer,
the cyno is not yet lit.Consider your modules, your rigs and ammo before you undock.
For the cyno is not yet lit.Break free of the station and witness the universe before you.
For the cyno is not yet lit.Set your ship to fly through the vastness while you wait.
For the cyno is not yet lit.Pay attention, capsuleer, for those who have gone before you call for you to join them.
The cyno is now lit.
Dranchela
The author gives the following explanation about their work:
I wrote it at a time when we were having a lot of folks die in real life and I was reminded of something that is read at US Navy retirement ceromonies. The cadence and structure is that of poem/piece called We Have The Watch, or simply The Watch. I adapted it to EVE and the rest is history.
Dranchela
Symbols for the Living
The cynosural field – in short, referred to as cyno – has become a strong symbol. It became the equivalent of lighting a candle. A digital fixpoint to share the grief with companions scattered all over the globe but connected through Eve.
In mechanical terms, a cynosural field is used by advanced ships to jump to and travel vast distances in the blink of an eye. Before the jump, they can never know for sure what will be on the other side. It’s a leap into uncertainty – just like we don’t know what may come after death.
But a cyno is also a beacon of light in the endless darkness. A shimmer of hope for the ones left behind.
The poem often is recited at cyno vigils, during which players will fit their ships with a Cynosural Field Generator and light said cyno in remembrance.
Sometimes these events are private and sometimes announced on public forums, inviting the community to join. It’s not uncommon that everyone aware of it will hold true to a ceasefire during it.
These can be truly special occasions, where people put aside the grudges they might have held for years. I witnessed players of opposing groups lay down their arms in the middle of a hot war, switch ships, and come together in silence. Taking some moments to remember a lost one.
If you ever took part in such an event, where a friend reads the poem out loud with a shaking voice, and a full fleet of ships, from a small Covert Ops Frigate over Industrial Haulers up to intimidating Black Ops Battleships, simultaneously lighting their cynos with the last line… It can be a truly sad, and beautiful moment at once.
I wanted to document this because I think it’s one of the most incredible things coming from this community. And I’m simply glad to be a part of it.
John Bellicose Day
The 29th of April is a special day in Eve Online. On this day the Brave Collective invites all pilots of any group to meet them and light a cyno together in remembrance of all the lost. The name-giving player John Bellicose once lost the battle against depression.
But it’s not only a day to remember; It’s also a call for all the ones struggling to reach out:
You are not alone! #Boradcast4Reps
Tribute to the Fallen
On July 21, 2020, another site of note became permanent in New Eden. In the system of Molea, a pre-existing, player-made cemetery, had its very own monument installed. Containers anchored within 200km around the monument, and named after a lost one, will not decay like in the rest of Eve. If they aren’t destroyed or looted, these will stay forever. This mechanic was unique to this specific POS tower since CCP Developers had added this exception in 2007. Before that, players had to manually refresh the containers. Now with the monument instead this is an even more striking site to visit.
If you take a few moments at the monument, you may see a beam of light rise from the monument’s center and vanish into the vastness of digital space.
When you want to read more on remembrance in the Eve Online community, I can recommend this article on theface.com.
In memory of the lost. See you all among the stars.
o7
the greybill 