[video]

[occupiesvitalregions]

[Prussia is usually fond of texting everyone, but today he's got too much on his mind today for that, most of it focusing on his dead beloved leader who had shown up last week to hang out. Having Frederick the Great here again has really lit the fire inside him again. At least for now, anyway. Who knows how long it'll last.]

So I guess I died, huh. I wasn't doing too hot a few days ago, and the next thing I know, I'm waking up at the temple and it's three days later, according to my phone. And Fri-- er, my ghost, he was gone. I know I wasn't the only one who had this ghost problem, but I don't know if anyone else had the problem go this far.

What a lame way to die! To just feel run down to the point where I flopped over and went belly-up? [He scoffs, with forced laughter.] C'mon, gods, you can do better than that, can't ya? You just proved to all of us you're not above some mental torture, for one thing.

[He leans into the camera. He doesn't know if the gods are listening, but he doesn't really care, either.]

And now we have these "Null" guys showing up on the network and threatening us? Telling me this isn't our place or our war? We got dragged here, so this is totally our place and our war. [He shakes his head, grinning smugly.] I don't know about anyone else, but I don't plan on just sitting here while a bunch of weirdo aliens plan to kill us. And I'm definitely not sitting around for the gods to fix this place or get us out of here. I'm tired of getting put through all this shit. Let's stand up for ourselves for a damn change and do something.

002; [VIDEO]

[utulien_aure]

[Fingon's sitting by the lake, his harp already our and positioned against his shoulder. He plays absently as he speaks, changing chords and melodies as though he's not yet sure what kind of song he wants.]

This city never does run out of surprises, does it? Pleasant, unpleasant, liable to get us all killed....

[He shakes his head, smiling grimly]

Still, as deaths go, I've had worse.

Among the Eldar, deaths are often met with the laments of those left behind-and why not? We celebrate every other event in song, and we must deal with grief somehow. There are thousands of such songs now, celebrating both the greenest youths to ever hold a blade and high lords who kept dangerous posts for centuries on end.

But there are a few exceptions. Sixteen years ago, at the height of a terrible battle, the High King of the Noldor rode out to challenge a god to single combat. The king lost that fight in the end, though he managed to give that god seven great wounds before he died. No songs of his death were sung in his kingdom, for the grief of his passing was deemed still too near.

And, I suppose, people may have wondered what madness had struck him in his last hours, to run headlong into death as he did.

[He plays a few more chords, ]

I tried my hand at it, a few times. I served at his right hand for four hundred years; if one of us could have managed it, it ought to have been me. But nothing seemed to fit, no matter how I worked. And eventually....well. There was still a war on, and ever fewer of us to perform his tasks.

And then the city returned him to me, at least for a time, along with others whose losses cut near as deep. I know they were memories, not the real people. But as resentful as I am for the trick, I am so glad to have seen even their ghosts again. I think...I needed to hear what they had to say. What he had to say, about why he chose to die when he did. And, in a strange way, I am grateful for that.

[His playing grows louder then, more complex and challenging.]

My father's lament...I do think I'm ready to pick up the task again. That is something, at least.

003 [Video]

[elegant_and_proud]

[Ikaruga looks serene as she pats her golden cyclops cat. It's visibly sparkling. She's learned this is what it does in lieu of purring.]

I hope everyone is having a lovely evening. I've decided to host a dinner party tomorrow night. The dress code will be semi-formal, and I ask that everyone who attends bring something to share.

[The conversation topic is light-hearted and ordinary enough, but she has an underlying purpose behind this that goes beyond simple socialization. Anyone who's spent much time around her can probably gather that, even if they're not sure of what that underlying purpose is.]

While useful, the network is a poor substitute for face to face interaction.

[Not to mention, the gods can see everything said over the network, and she'd rather they not be able to easily eavesdrop on this conversation.]

We can discuss current events, and toast to our loved ones. I will be supplying the main entree and two bottles of wine.

[She can supply other things as well, if need be, but she's curious what others might bring.]

Do let me know if you'll be able to attend and what you intend on bringing.