TO: EVERYONE [mid-event #20]

[aquaveiled]

[ This message is sent for all Summoned to see about a week after the dreams and Heralds made their presence known. ]

Hello everyone. I know we're all dealing with a lot right now, but I thought this was worth the surprise eyeball-script.

The Heralds of War likely need no introduction at this point, but some of us still remember when they first arrived a few years ago after a poorly performed ritual in Solvunn. During that time, I'd managed to make contact with Koth and have tried to maintain some communication.

[ Not necessarily advised--Himeka did this of her own accord and curiosity. Those who are aware of her tree-form may have noticed that some of the limbs have been wilting and rotting the more time she's spent reaching out to Koth. But that's neither here nor there. ]

She's not always easy to understand, but when we spoke when they first appeared, one word came through:

"Mission"

For years my friends and I have been wondering what this meant. Now that she's back, I sought clarity. Or...I guess confirmation.

I understand her more easily these days so I reached out to her earlier today and she did confirm that this is that mission. What's happening right now in all of our communities. I'm not sure if war itself is inevitable...but she seems to believe that what she's doing will help there to be peace afterwards.

I know many here have seen war in their own lives and on their own stars before this place. If you'd like to share your stories, I would welcome them. I don't think peace is ever as simple as we want it to be, but as for if this is the only path forward...

I'm rambling a bit. This may not be a grand revelation, but I thought it important to share that what is happening now may have been building for the last few years and mayhaps some time before that as well. Only now, we may have a part to play.

Please take care,

水


[ ooc; This is Himeka's interpretation! So it may not be 100% accurate. Based on the mod response here. ]

Comments

[cointosser]

Then we are operating under the same desires, my beloved friend/wife.

[That's a joke, haha, they're definitely not still married, right???]

Himeka, there is not a man who you wouldn't do good if you tried. And if they disagree, then they don't deserve you or any good you may give.

We can only do our best with what we're given, and I've long enough to know you've never done less than your best.

[aquaveiled]

We can only wonder what that purpose is. I feel the most dangerous has been sending us into the Singularity itself more than once.

[princessvegas]

Some of them do. When a symbol means something to people, that can sometimes be stronger than actual magic. People have gone to war over just little drawings. Two or three lines in the right order.

[funbreaker]

That is a situation where they have little choice but to make use of us, given what happens to them if they get too close. It does appear that most decisions regarding us go back to that bond.

[sophos]

I don't disagree with that. It was like they were locked away, just kind of waiting to come back when we were finally free.

Ugh, no. Sorry. I just meant it more like I'm not a god and would rather not be one. Like being a god is gross. Half is bad enough. [ despite it all, annabeth is still just a mere seventeen. ]

[ she can sort of understand where thorne is coming from - the greek gods are certainly real, after all, but she's been losing a lot of her own reverence towards them lately with everything they keep putting her through. ]

Thank you, for the offer. I'd like to take you up on it sometime, though I'm not particularly inclined towards devotion towards them. But I'm probably biased. Do you know anything more about the Heralds themselves?

[aquaveiled]

I agree. It's not so much as an excuse but more insight.

Yes, they are. Although technically Midgardsormr came from another star and brought his eggs with him. All other dragons came from his children.

On the back of a great wyrm! I cannot say that is out of the realm of possibility.

[ Zenos managed to create a battlefield on his back, after all. So who knows? ]

I believe that some of us exist as pieces of the same original star. Valisthea may have been part of Etheirys once.

[aquaveiled]

[ Hold up. ]

Wife?

[ Did he forget who he's talking to? For a split second? Her handwriting doesn't look too much like Nadine's, but she supposes... ]

I would say there are several families missing loved ones that would disagree with you.

[ Coming to terms with that, especially when entering Garlemald, was harrowing. ]

Thank you, though. Your support means the world, as you have ever given it. Hopefully we will have something nice for you to write songs about soon.

[cointosser]

Hah -- that's only a joke!

Being good doesn't always mean you're right. And it doesn't always mean you always win, either.

Well, you and me both. I would enjoy a few songs that are not necessarily about heartbreak. Or death. Or dying dragons.

[aquaveiled]

[ Okay now some words are starting to get blurred together. She didn't think she'd need notes for this... ]

So...you dreamed...they just got stored somewhere so you didn't really experience it?

What if you had really strange dreams? Once I believed I lived on an island that was one giant bread roll and slowly becoming waterlogged and soggy. It was very upsetting.

[aquaveiled]

I agree with that as well. On my star, there are deities that came to exist purely through the act of belief.

I'd originally thought the old gods here were similar, but it's turned out a little more complicated than that, hasn't it?

[aquaveiled]

I suppose that's job security for us, right?

→ private

[funbreaker]

If only we were being paid.

[ And then, because he can't quite stop himself from fussing, it's time to lock this down. ]

In any case, I do appreciate you keeping an eye on things. I only ask that you take care when interacting with these gods. I realize it's hardly the first time you've treated with one, yet you'll have to forgive me for worrying all the same.

[princeofruin]

The two can be too entwined in some moments.

I suppose I have heard stranger than dragons originating from other heavenly bodies. [It is a nicer belief than to think that which he holds most sacred, most holy, was created by beings as cold and cruel as Ultima. Life whose only purpose was to serve.

He does not believe that to be true for humanity, and he shall not accept it for the draconic.]

Or perhaps your Etheirys was a piece of Valisthea.

[princessvegas]

I think the gods here ain't really... hungry to be worshipped. The main God in my world was real controlling, jealous. He destroyed people all through history for following false idols. "Golden calves", they were called. He made all the angels in Heaven just to worship Him 24/7.

Some people believed in other gods, but from what I know, there was only the one uppercase-G God that actually existed.

He was a fucking asshole, too. Refused to save people who begged Him, people who didn't do nothing wrong, then destroyed half the survivors cause they found someone else who actually listened and tried to help. Fuck that God.

The gods here seem to just kinda exist. Like, they don't care much if people do or don't follow rules, or constantly pray or whatever. They just wanna do their own thing, like normal people.

[archiholic]

In essence, yes.

We still wouldn't remember it. I suppose it could be a blessing -- while we didn't remember our dreams, we also never had nightmares.

[aquaveiled]

I think that's just how memories work in this place. We just need to figure out how to access the memories that are being hidden from us.

Is it bad? I have met at least one other person who didn't enjoy it...

[ She understands why Julia doesn't, though. A complicated, terrifying thing to have happened to her. And Himeka's only frame of reference as to what being a god is like would be what happened a few months back. She's not so sure he's an expert. ]

Well, they're not explicitly worshiped. I think it would be strange or taboo to do so, if not inviting calamity. To try and talk to Koth, I had to improvise a bit since there was no standard ritual I could find, or at least that anyone would share with me. I get the feeling they're acknowledged when they're here but people hope they will never have to.

Though Koth seems willing to chat if you're willing to put in the time to reach out to her, they feel more...like forces of nature, if that makes any sense. They're not disliked, just accepted. At least that's how it's seen to me.

[aquaveiled]

Oh, I see. Well, thank you beloved friend/husband.

No, no it does not. Unfortunately.

Why not about happy living dragons? We can always use a few more of those.

Or dragons that make soup?

[ Okay, no, that's just her. Literally. ]

[cointosser]

[Whew. Dodged that one.]

Well, for happy living dragons, I suppose I'd need some inspiration. Some beautiful little dragon, full of good and light and a never-ending stomach, especially for wine grapes. Don't suppose you've met one of those, have you?

[sophos]

You think there are... other memories? Or just the memories of the gods here?

I wasn't a big fan of my experience in the illusion, in retrospect. And I don't want to be anything like our gods back home.

[ for so so so many reasons, including the fact that she does not want to transform into any resemblance of her mother right now, or ever. ]

War is a reality, but I can understand why the people here wouldn't want to worship it, especially given how the Heralds function. Our war gods are different, maybe less... primal feeling, I guess, even though war itself is.

I don't really think I'm interested in trying to speak with her right now though.

[aquaveiled]

A few potions or ethers would be nice.

[ Fussy fussy brother... ]

Aren't I always careful?

[ Don't answer that. ]

I will, I promise. If anything, I feel this has taught me that Koth may not be able to be swayed. My time spent trying to earn her trust might not have been worth much in the end.

[ Which...makes her all the more grateful the physical effects of her attempts to bond are regulated only to her tree form. As far as she can tell. ]

[funbreaker]

If you're in need of them, I could look into acquiring some for you.

[ One of his roommates is a skilled potion-maker. The hard part would be figuring out how to mail them across the border.

Himeka is not at all always careful, but Thancred employs self-control and leaves that alone for now. ]

It was worth something in that you still received information from her and now we have some idea of where we stand with these Heralds. It also shows us that each god has their own set of goals.

You still have your link to Vimorskas, do you not?

[aquaveiled]

Only one? You're the second person I've heard of that only had one. I hadn't considered that really being a thing until coming here. But no, he doesn't sound like a very nice one.

I do think that at least some of the gods here are like that, yes. The ones I've met seem content to do what they need to do.

[aquaveiled]

If there is one thing I have learned over the years is that the world and beyond is much stranger than I could have ever imagined. And more wonderful, too.

From Valisthea?

I hadn't considered that...but I suppose the Ascians wouldn't know of a before their own Sundering...a shard of a shard?

[aquaveiled]

That is a trade off, I suppose. Nightmares here could be very dangerous as well.

[aquaveiled]

Hmmm, that does sound familiar. You've met before, haven't you?