That’s me, dead, lying on the deck of a storm-ravaged ship. Dahlye’s body (not visible) lies nearby. My remaining three guildies – Bechyra (tank), Drenym (healer), and Parvaiz (damage-dealer) – are fighting valiantly underneath the monster’s gigantic claw. The monster is Helya, ruler of the underworld Helheim and the last boss in the dungeon “Maw of Souls.” Only Bechyra and Drenym survive the storm. They defeat Helya, who then slithers back into her hellish realm while warning of raging seas to come.
If I hadn’t died, I wouldn’t have gotten this screenshot. That’s just the way it is in a boss fight – no time-outs for photo ops. So would you believe me, if I said I died for art? Probably not. The truth is, I fell into a hole on the wrecked deck and couldn’t get away in time to avoid Helya’s breath, very bad breath, deadly in fact. Anyway, that’s all there is to this story.
But I’m not done. I want to tell you about the names I’ve given the guildies in this 
fight, not their real names or toon names, rather, names that I may use again when referring to these specific guildies.
First there’s Dahlye, whose name is a variant of the English word “dahlia,” a flower that in Victorian times symbolized elegance and dignity. Dahlye’s overall game presence reveals these qualities. Moreover, in real life she’s a gardener with a special love for dahlias, named for Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.
Then there’s Bechyra, 
the treasure hunter in a previous post, whose name is a variant of the female Hebrew name meaning “the chosen one.” Her extraordinary ability and willingness to serve as tank or healer or damage-dealer make her a welcome member of any dungeon group. She’s also the guild’s primary social organizer.
Next we have Drenym,
whose name is a portmanteau combining “druid” and a variant of “denim.” Drenym skillfully switches between healer and damage-dealer, depending on the guild’s need. Her favorite healer is the druid. And in real life, she’s a quilter. I chose the fabric denim because she’s made of strong cloth, strong character.
Finally there’s Parvaiz,
whose name comes from the ancient Persian word for “lucky.” Indeed, he is one lucky fellow. If there’s a really cool mount or piece of gear to be gotten on a quest or in a dungeon or raid, the odds are in favor of it dropping for him. Moreover, in real life, he’s a top-notch bowler.
I conclude with one of my favorite I-am-dead screenshots, an oldie from a raid in Pandaria. The monster, under whose jaw my body lies, is Throk the Bloodthirsty, a giant devilsaur in the Siege of Ogrimmar raid. Once again I died for art. Well, at least I’d like to think I made art out of my death.
Photo Info (in order of appearance): Helya fight in the Maw of Souls; dahlia found on Pinterest; Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman (Clay Enos/Warner Bros); detail from a druid quilt, a branch of rowan, the Tree of Life whose red berries heal the wounded; bowling stock image; Throk the Bloodthirsty in the Siege of Ogrimmar.
Educating Lotus 