Rendgar: 1972-2004
Rendgar was a long time Syndicate member and a friend to everyone he met. Ulkaur, also a long time Syndicate member and also Rendgar's real life friend, shared this news with The Syndicate in June of 2004:

June 27, 2004 - George Robert Persinger, known in the guild as Rendgar, passed away around 4pm this afternoon. I wanted to let everyone know that I got to tell him all of your well-wishes and prayers were coming to him, and I feel he was at peace with it being his time to go, even if it was at times uncomfortable to him. I appreciate all of the emails and even the phone calls I received wishing Rendgar support as well. This was a hard time for me as I feel he was the best friend to have entered and departed my life.

When I joined the Syndicate 4+ years ago, Rendgar was my sponsor. I only knew those of you that I did from grouping with you. Some of you I never knew were members until I was guilded. I then saw that many of the people I felt knew the meaning of honor and respect were now a part of the same great family that I was.

I met Robby two weeks after I buried (antoher friend named) David. Why we started talking I don't know, but there were certain things about him that reminded me of my friend who had passed. I found out he was sick almost right away. I think it sparked something in me that someone who hardly knew me would tell me he had cancer, that he had had it for years.

He didn't look sick, and if he hadn't told me I never would have known. This started a dialogue. I would ask him all kinds of questions, and instead of berating me for taking advantage of his questions, he astounded me by trying to answer them all, even the stupid redundant questions. He started having problems at home with his stepfather, so I invited him to stay with me for a few weeks til his mother got things settled at home. Three weeks turned into two years, and we became solid friends.

His health took a turn for the worse.

I showed him a cool game one day, called Ultima Online. He couldn't see what I could possibly like in a cheesy computer game, til he played it, and became addicted to the social interaction online. Then EQ came out, and he jumped over to it, as did I. One day he told me he joined a guild, and I told him I would rather die than do that after what I'd seen guilds do in UO. But prodding and pressuring me eventually worked, and I stopped soloing long enough to take a look at what the guild was about. I liked it. I was sure there was a sweet candy-coating on it, but I decided what the hell, let's do it.

Tonight I saw my best friend, who taught me the meaning of strength and friendship, and learned that he is on life support, and is not expected to live long, if through the night. The disease he has carried for 12 years is finally going to win. And yet it is not going to win. I hear the words I heard recently in a movie ringing in my ears.

"Then let us be rid of it, once and for all... I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you."

He has borne this heavy burden that I could not hope to carry as wisely, as fiercely, as loyally as he has. So many times I have been at my wit's end over some pain that he was in, wishing there was something I could do for him, and he was content that I just cared. He never asked for much more than that. Through his illness he was afraid he would lose his hair, get blotches on his skin, something that would make me and other people not want to be near him, but it only made me respect his struggle more.

At times he would feel better, and he was even able to go to the Syndicate World Conference in August of 2003. I hope those of you who got to meet him got to see even one percent of the good person that he is.

I know this sounds like a eulogy, but I could never dare to say all these good things about how he was. I want to remember how he IS, how he WILL BE, even once he loses the sick shell he had to wear for years. His soul shall endure, and I hope it is there to kick me in the *** when I make a mistake, point out in some mysterious and ghostly way when I should turn right instead of left. I hope to someday be tought of in half the words, thoughts and emotions that I am feeling right now for my best friend who ever lived.

While Ulkaur knew Rendgar better than any of us, many us share those same sentiments about Rend. He was a great person. An outstanding gamer. And a good friend to have at your side. You will be missed Rendgar.