We called upon ourselves the Everlasting Dark if we kept not our oath [ audio / video / action]

[so_dark_a_road]

[ On the seventeenth of March, Curufin collects his harp and flute and picks a nicely reverberating corner of Sorrow's temple. He sets up his phone and then begins to play. If there are other members of Team Sorrow who can make music, they are welcome to join him, and in that case, there will be multiple instruments playing. Imagine any or all of the following: Peter Kater's My Beloved, Georg Deuter's Dämmerschein, or Deuter's Moon-silvered Clouds, except played with harp instead of piano.

What this music means to Curufin is the hour of his life when that life was coming to an end. He got himself and two of his brothers killed while attempting to destroy the Kingdom of Doriath, in order that he might keep a disastrous pledge that should never have been sworn in the first place. And, of course, he slew a lot of innocent people before he and his brothers died. He dimly remembers, as though it were a painful dream, the departure of his spirit on the winter wind, on a day in which there was a blue sky and vast white gray-edged clouds drifting above the forest, first under the sun and then by moonlight. He remembers his sorrow and that of the four brothers he left behind to weep and to bury their family. And he remembers his grief because now there could never be a reconciliation with his estranged son.

Elves have a certain magic -- they describe it as putting their thought into all that they make. This goes for music as well as for material artifacts. Curufin, as well, has a gift for casting a dark spell on others, transmitting a dark dream to them. But the dream he transmits here is dark but not evil, only profoundly sorrowful. It is not a sorrow without hope, however, because he himself is no longer hopeless. His post-death experiences have given him back his heart, and so his vision has a thin gleam of something positive in it.

Any listeners who are susceptible to this kind of performance will feel their own emotions, of course, emerging from their own experiences. It could be memories of loved ones cherished and lost, or other experiences of being grief-stricken. How they react is up to the individuals who hear. They should feel free, if they wish, to let him know how the music affects them. ]

[ OOC: Whoever wants their characters to be directly affected by this magic is free to do so, but of course it is not obligatory. Curufin's not a bad musician even without the magic. Also, OOCly, if your character tags in and allows himself or herself to become sorrowful, I will send Curufin to your post to experience the emotions of your character's team, or it can happen in this log. Fair trade! Everybody benefits. XD ]

Comments

[dragonsgrasp]

[That's... probably not exactly the explanation he might have expected, and he narrows his eyes as he glances at him. Of course, he'll get back on track when he can but... first he really needs to collect himself a bit.]

You intended for this to happen? Why?

[He's not the greatest at admitting when he needs help, even if right now his emotions are all stirred up. He's not even one to let those get the better of him, and he feels rather foolish for doing so in a public situation like this. He rubs his eyes, trying to be coolheaded about this.]

It would help if you explain.

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Sighs. ] I'm an Elf of the First Age of Arda, and we do have a certain facility with. . . well, causing things to happen. I have a gift for transmitting my visions to others. It can work if I'm speaking, and it may work when I have a musical instrument in my hands. But I wasn't trying to make people feel my emotions, only to give them an irresistible framework in which to feel their own.

I'm a little bit competitive, and this contest between the gods' teams seemed made to order, since Sorrow chose me. I certainly know enough about sorrow. And about a few other things it may be better not to know. And that's one thing that makes it possible for me to influence the emotions of others, besides the Elvish magic. But I suppose it wasn't a good idea. It's never a good idea to inflict suffering on others, or to invite them into a situation in which they're bound to suffer.

[ Curufin would certainly understand not admitting to needing help. He's terrible at it, himself. Easier to offer help, even if it means giving an actual explanation of what he was thinking and doing. ]

Does that make any sense?

[dragonsgrasp]

[At least that explains some things. It explains them quite well. Kain is still feeling occasional pangs of deep despair, though they're subsiding more now. Still, he doesn't think he'll be able to shake this for a while. It might be one of those nights better spent patrolling than sleeping. At least until this mood is gone entirely.]

It does. I'm somewhat familiar with magic, though not this spell specifically. No wonder it was so intense... I saw everything so vividly... as if I was back there...

[A pained expression crosses his face, as those memories are just too close to the surface. He blinks his eyes rapidly and clears his throat.]

But I can hardly blame you for wanting to win this contest of the gods. You did what you had to in order to get ahead. I can respect that.

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Curufin is still looking concerned. It's positively damnable to have an ability you already know can cause others pain, and still think there is a good reason to use it. Why had he done it?? At the end of his life in his own world, he had set out to make other choices than those dictated by rage and sorrow, those forces which had cost him his life and others their lives. Surely, this was not the person he wanted to be? Here in Sorrow's temple, he is suddenly struck by a wave of. . . confusion. Confusion? Yes. ]

A worthless contest for a prize that might be worthy? [ He shakes his head a little. ] Are you competing, Kain? And if your team wins, what would you ask the gods for? [ Curiously ]

[dragonsgrasp]

Of course I'm competing, and I mean to win.

[But it's all rather strange and a bit ridiculous, overall, isn't it? Kain sighs, thinking about that. It's really gotten into his mind that he needs to do all he can to see this through, that competitive streak of his going overboard. But what, really, is the whole point? Why go through with this at all?]

...actually, I don't know why it's gotten to me so strongly. I'm not even sure what I'd ask of the gods. I've always preferred to avoid them. But... perhaps some additional power would be helpful around here.

[so_dark_a_road]

Yes, it is a little bit strange that we feel so competitive. I wonder if that is part of this emotion-induction thing they do with us?

What kind of power would you ask for?

[dragonsgrasp]

It probably is. Everything the gods do to us causes us nothing but hardship... [Sighing, Kain recalls he's here for a purpose, speaking of hardships, but he's still having a hard time shaking off those feelings from a moment ago.]

I'm not entirely sure what I'd ask for. What I'd want is impossible, and... I'm not sure what else there is. Anything that might make me stronger would be worth it...

[so_dark_a_road]

It's a problem. And I can't yet imagine what to do about it. However, I don't intend to stop thinking about it and trying to find out what the real situation is, and who the gods are, and what this Hadriel place really is, and what we might do about it.

[ He hears that sigh and wishes again that he'd left well enough alone. He loves to make music, but there really was no need to make others feel the sorrow that he feels, or the equivalent in their own lives. ]

What do you want that's impossible?

[dragonsgrasp]

As it should be. We cannot afford to give up. Such determination is necessary in a place like this... and especially when it comes to dealing with gods.

[He's had a little too much experience with that sort of thing, given the war he was just in. Gods sure do know how to overcomplicate things for the mortals caught in the midst of their conflicts.]

To return home. I had something there left unfinished that was important. I doubt they'd just grant that request, though. I'll have to deal with the situation I'm in.

[so_dark_a_road]

He nods. It is good to hear that another thinks it's worth trying to figure it out.

[ Amen to that! Gods and their conflicts. Curufin could agree wholeheartedly, from his experience in his own world, let alone this one! ]

Yes. They say they can't grant requests of that sort. I don't know whether it's true that they can't, but it certainly looks as though they won't.

If I may ask, what was your unfinished business, in your world? [ His voice is gentle, and allows for the possibility that Kain might regard that information as private. ]

[dragonsgrasp]

I'd hope there are more of us who think it's worth it, too. We can't afford to give up, after all.

[Kain is very uncertain about the gods as a whole, but finding out more about them is important, learning what makes them tick, perhaps about their weaknesses too.]

Unfortunately. I'm still not sure I trust them when they say they can't do anything, but... regardless of the truth, we're still stuck anyway.

It's a long story. I have... something I can only achieve there. I needed to climb a very specific mountain to see it through.

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Nods. Agrees with all of the above.]

They can be quite personable at times, and yet. . . I not sure I trust them to tell us the truth, either.

If you care to tell your story, you have a listener. Either now, or at sometime in the future.

[dragonsgrasp]

They have their own motives. Even when they act friendly, there's something more behind it, I'm sure of that. But I've been around gods before, I know... that's their way.

[At the time, he'd been fully devoted to the goddess he'd served, though. Even now, if Cosmos were to suddenly appear, he'd still feel a strong allegiance to her. Maybe that's why he's not so sure he wants to trust some other god and change his loyalty.]

I'll keep that in mind. I will say this, for now... I did something which requires me to seek out redemption. That's why this mountain is so important, it's the one place I might find it.

[so_dark_a_road]

I feel the same way about them. Your gods were the same? I had a quarrel with our gods, but even I have to admit that duplicity wasn't their style. But the gods of Hadriel. . .

Redemption on the mountain? -- it sounds like a song some great bard might sing, telling of great deeds.

I will be looking forward to hearing your story, then. If ever you wish to tell it.

And I hope that you may return someday to find that mountain.

[dragonsgrasp]

Yes... Where I last was, there was a war in progress, between two gods. I fought for the goddess of order, Cosmos, while the god of discord, Chaos and his soldiers were the enemy. It was... much more of a direct conflict. But in the end, we were all just... pawns.

[Even as devoted as he was and still would be, Kain can see that much.]

I'd be glad to, someday. It's... a long story, and some of it is difficult to talk about. [But maybe someday.] It does sound like something our bards might sing of too, though this particular song still doesn't have a true ending to it. Not yet. Anyway, I hope I find it too.