Rest in peace, Knight Commander Py Lethius

[Blind Otto]

Last night, I received the news - Py Lethius has passed away.

If anyone who considered him a close friend would like to try to attend the memorial, email me and I'll pass on the contact details. Sadly, I cannot afford the trip to Canada, and won't be able to make it.

I'd been on Siege for a couple of years, mostly playing solo, apart from a brief stint with Ginsu's KINdred guild, and spending a lot of time helping NEW, when VpM attacked NEW's guildhouse. The response was amazing - a wall of blue-robed warriors came pouring in, driving the vampires back, and ensuring not a single NEW was harmed. Their leader was a red warrior name Py Lethius. I'd never seen a red fighting FOR blues before.

I wanted to know more.
 
After that battle, someone suggested that I try the Knights of the Silver Serpent as a permanent home on Siege. It sounded like a terrible fit - what would a guild of virtue knights want with a blind crafter?

But I tried. I wrote a letter explaining that I had a small amount of magery, but no combat skill. That I'd helped the poor through NEW, and had a deep love of justice. He said that KSS needed a chronicler - someone to record their adventures.

And so, I started to get to know an exceptional man who loved Siege and UO to a fault. Some said he took the roleplay too far - that he would often forget that it WAS a game, and treated the Knights like actual soldiers. He said jump, we were expected to jump. It wasn't for everybody, and certainly attracted a lot of in-guild drama.

I stayed in KSS for years. I still can't bring myself to close my KSS account.

But the rise of Angel Island (a freeshard) was the beginning of the end of KSS. Half of us were playing there, the other half on Siege, with a few of us trying to bridge the gap. It was unsustainable, and he saw the guild he loved dwindling. His response was to put MORE time into the game. Far too much time.

One day he realised that he'd given SO much to KSS that he was starting to neglect his family. That wake up call convinced him to leave UO, and - possibly because I was almost the last man standing at the time - he handed over KSS and his account to me. Sadly, I am no Py Lethius, and today KSS is a memory.

Py Lethius passed away on the 3rd of March 2025. I am still trying to find out the exact circumstances, but I know his health had not been good. My contacts with his immediate family are few, so I might never know.
If anyone is still in touch with other past members of KSS, please let them know - sadly, nearly every email address that I have was based on the player's character name, resulting in a lot of bouncing emails.

Py Lethius was one of the greats during his time on Siege. From the Knights of the Round Table to the Knights of the Silver Serpent, say what you will of him, he was effective. For a time, he was a legend.

Rest easy, Knight Commander. Truth. Honor. Courage.

And, I absolutely have to end this post with

SOL INVICTUS!!!

[Shalimar]

Gosh, this is a shock. Py messaged me on Siege discord last May asking for a list of GMs of guilds on Siege for a project he was doing, apparantly it was a podcast. This is part of the conversations we had at the time, nothing personal or confidential in what I'm about to post, just a general text of what we said:

Commander Py — 03/05/2024 00:37
Hello! I was hoping I would find you here. I have a little project about guilds, I would love a chance to speak with you

Shalimar — 03/05/2024 13:58
Hi there! I am in the UK most of the time now so I wasn't on when you sent the message. Of course we could have a chat, just let me know when you're here and I can be too. Welcome back!

Commander Py — 04/05/2024 20:54
Hi! So wonderful to hear from you and see you are still doing good deeds here. I am traveling for the next few days, I will message you upon my return.
My goal is to assemble a list of guild master contacts (out of game contact info). Would that be something you might be able to help me with?

(I sent the list of GM's to him...)

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 21:43
This is fabulous! Thank you. Do you also happen to have contacts for any of the guildmasters of my heyday, like Grot, Donal Mor of LDH, Raziel or Rigovran of KRT?

Shalimar — 08/05/2024 21:59
I'm afraid not, those players left a long time ago. Donal was around again for a little while a few years ago but he disappeared again. Rizarium who was KSS with you still uses Siege stratics, the one who married Kaisa if you remember. Not sure of the names he used, could be Tizarium and Shiver me Timber as well.

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 22:00
I'll find him there! Thank you very much

Shalimar — 08/05/2024 22:00
You're very welcome, and if you intend to play again there are a lot of those GMs listed who have offered to help

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 22:01
I am actually creating a project outside of the game world

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 22:09
In fact, I wanted to ask you about this. I am working on a podcast idea. Interviewing guildmasters. Not only from Ultima, but from all games. There are so many guildmasters out there without mentoring, without leadership guidance, and hearing the stories of other guild leaders, people who are doing something special, highly successful, or just different would be inspiring and entertaining to many. I am putting together a list of interested persons.
Are you possibly interested?

Shalimar — 08/05/2024 22:11
Hm, I'm not sure about that, I like to stay in the background.

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 22:12
Oh I get it. It would be audio, not video. I think what you are doing and have done is a wonderful service to others and the community. I would probably say the same thing the first time I was asked. I know that it would be inspiring to others. I'll see how you answer the next time I ask

Shalimar — 08/05/2024 22:14
Hehe, I am very reluctant to use voice on discord as well. I've only joined the voice channel once or twice, not something I like to do, I also have a strong Scottish accent, haha.

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 22:14
Well that sounds simply beautiful.

Shalimar — 08/05/2024 22:15
I'm sure you'll get plenty of takers from the list I gave you though.
WULF also came back last year he was a lot of fun. And we had an excellent orc for a while too, he does videos I believe.

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 22:18
Thanks for everything, I will check in with these contacts

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 22:20
I am dropping offline, it was great speaking with you. I really appreciate you taking the time with all this.

Shalimar — 08/05/2024 22:20
Anytime

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 22:20
salute

Shalimar — 08/05/2024 22:20
Bye for now
Sol Invictus!

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 22:21
Sol Invictus!
looks upon Shalimar with pride

Shalimar — 08/05/2024 22:21
That is what Tjalle said when I said you may be coming back

Commander Py — 08/05/2024 22:22
I don't wish to raise hearts to let them down



Very sad to hear he's gone.

[Blind Otto]

We'd been discussing his project a lot over the last 6-8 months, and then he suddenly went silent. At least now I know why - I just don't have any details yet.  There's a memorial on the 29th, but I can't afford a trip to Canada at short notice, sadly.

He had a very well worked out plan - sad to think that it'll probably not see the light of day now.

As you say, very sad. He'll be missed.

[Tjalle]

Sorry to hear about this, Otto.
I never got the chance to interact with this man but from what I could tell when I came to Siege he sounded like a great person and an inspiring leader.

Sol Invictus!

[CharGar]

Hopefully, Otto, You can come up with a wonderful memorial that Mesanna can place beside Becca and Malloc.  Sorry for  your loss.

[Sara Dale]

The Memorial for Becca and Py Lethius is up.   

Sorry for your loss Otto. 

[Blind Otto]

Thanks everyone. I really did try to contact past KSS members - but you know what it's like. We create email addresses for our characters - which slowly become meaningless to people who drift away from UO.
As a result, I have about 30 email bounce-backs sitting in my inbox.

If any of you happen to be in touch with past KSS members, or even past White Council members from that era, please let them know. There is a memorial on the 29th, if anyone wants details, and is close enough to Canada to be able to go. Sadly, it's out of the question for me.

I did manage to speak to one or two retired knights though - I hope the rest of you feel that it's a fitting memorial. (the spelling mistake will be fixed shortly!)