Thirteenth: Killing the Mood (Video; un: Caster/forward dated to 14th)

[colchismagecraft]

[tw death/afterlife talk]

[Unlike last Valentine's Day, Caster didn't come to the network late that evening looking for a distraction- instead, she used the chance to shatter romantic moods, and ask a question that had been playing on her mind for some time.

Of course, the video was dark, poorly lit and as suspicious as was traditional with her- the lower half of her face only visible by the gleaming of a strange potion brewing nearby.]

Good evening, Avalon. For those I haven't met yet, I go by 'Caster' here.

For anyone else who's grown tired of the day's festivities and would like to humour me- I have a question. Tell me, what is the afterlife like in your worlds? There are so many legends, after all, and I'm always interested in hearing in how they differ.

[A pause for thought, before adding, by way of deflection: ]

Ah. I'm working on some new potions at the moment- do come by if you're curious.

Comments

[leicesters]

Yikes. Where did I give you that impression? [He sighs. Tough audience!]

No, this is the part where you're supposed to say, "That was a brilliant and beautifully sung little tune, Claude! Whatever does it mean?"

[Is that voice supposed to sound like her? Okay, so maybe he's poking fun a tiny bit.]

[colchismagecraft]

[Caster's emotion penduluming? Never. That impression of her did nothing to improve her mood, either, as she scowled at him.]

When you started doing terrible impressions of me...and to think, you started off decently enough. But perhaps I should know better than to trust a man serenading me to start with.

[Grump grump.]

...So who told you that song? It sounds to me like you made it up yourself.

[leicesters]

[gurl u need to chill]

Actually, an old classmate made it up back when I was still in school. But she refused to tell me what the song meant, so I went away and did some research. Based on my interpretation of the lyrics, I wound up learning all about the afterlife of her homeland, Faerghus.

If you're done being angry, I could tell you what I found out?

[colchismagecraft]

[Well, she's sulking now- probably better than being angry. Claude did have a way of getting under her skin...but she couldn't bring herself to dislike him either. It was complicated.

That, and she was curious to hear what he had to say. And even the sulk had faded by the time she gave her reply.]

Well, in that case, I suppose I can hold my temper long enough to listen.

[leicesters]

Alright! Settle down and get comfy for story time with Claude.

[See, he had a point to his nonsense! He... just took a long time to get to it.]

The northern region of Fódlan is called Faerghus. Before the war, it was a Holy Kingdom that believed devoutly in the Church of Seiros, but it also has its own local beliefs and rituals. There are stories in eastern Faerghus that those who die with regret wind up in a cold, dark underworld. They can never rest, but instead they're stuck in limbo, desperately trying to claw their way back up to the surface.

[colchismagecraft]

[He wouldn't see, but she definitely rolled her eyes at the 'story time with Claude' comment. Still...she took a seat all the same, listening to what he said.]

How horrible...but I suppose it's only natural, isn't it? That spirits who died with regrets cannot simply rest peacefully.

...If there is a chance they can claw back what they've lost, they'll try to take it however they can.

[leicesters]

Right. And some people in Faerghus become so determined to appease the dead, thinking of those restless spirits, that their regrets can consume even the living. Until they don't think about anything except their grief, and getting revenge, at any cost.

[That ends on something of a glum note, because that part is less a story and more concrete reality. So he hastens to lighten the mood by adding--]

Or so I hear. I'm not actually from Faerghus myself, but I think it's interesting.

What kind of beliefs does your homeland have?

[colchismagecraft]

Well of course...those restless spirits who've been wronged, of course they would wish to inflict their regrets on those left behind. And it's only natural that once one's grief reaches its peak- once they truly have nothing left- that they seek to unleash the fires of their vengeance.

...I can understand that well.

[In a way...couldn't she be described as a spirit like that?]

You're not from Faerghus, yet you take an interest in its beliefs all the same?

As for me, I come from Colchis originally, but most of my knowledge is of the Greek traditions, if you'd care to hear of that.

[She figured he might have other questions, first, given her comments on his own tale.]